S.I.M.P.L.I.C.I.T.Y

My life as a Victorian is to be ending officially next week, prior to the ending of the 2009 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), in my case. You could fairly say that I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time already, nothing to do with being a Victorian, but to finish the STPM examinations. Who wouldn’t, right?

So, that makes me an ex-Victorian after the Chemistry Paper 1 examination next Thursday. Like how one of the Victoria Institution’s well-known philosophy goes,

“Once a Victorian, always a Victorian.”

Of course, I couldn’t wait to finish all the remaining examinations.

Biology Paper 1, next Monday.
Pengajian Am Kertas 1, the following day.
And finally, Chemistry Paper 1, on Thursday.

At the same time, I could recall all the hard times, as well as the good ones I went through during my time in Victoria Institution. Of course, this wouldn’t be the right time to talk about all these, until I have ended the STPM examinations.

So, to all the STPM candidates out there, just do your best.

The results for the Malaysian English University Test (MUET) 2009 Mid-Year examination has just been announced today.

In fact, I was so tensed about it that I went to the extent to remain conscious after midnight, just to check my MUET results through the short messaging service (SMS). I took note of the timing since the press release about the announcement of the mid-year MUET results several days ago. Well, it was reported in TheStar newspaper that the results can be checked as early as 12.01 a.m. in the midnight on the 13th July. Anyway, that doesn’t matter that much afterall. Since midnight I have already known my results, a Band 4.

Went to school today, was really surprised to see everyone was talking about their MUET results even before the official result slips were distributed. Initially I had in mind that not many knew about the checking-through-SMS method. Later when I received my MUET slip at around 11.00 a.m., I was then again confirmed to have got Band 4. Basically before that, I was seriously hoping the result as shown in the SMS would be of a technical error, so instead still having a little hope on getting that at-least Band 5.

Band 4, signifying a satisfactory user, is somewhat something not on par with my real-life abilities to write, read, listen and converse in English. You can say I am boasting, somehow I truly have to admit that I am unhappy and unsatisfied about the results I got. The only problem to why I got a Band 4, from my point of view, is closely chained to the Writing paper.

The written component has two questions, first being an essay (or shall I say, summary) which requires you to extract data from graphs, charts and any other graphical components. This question, limiting only 200 to 250 words, needs you to include every single data shown in the graphical components in your essay, plus there are quite some methods of doing it too. Second question is more to freestyle writing, generally asking whether or not you agree to the statements provided. However, the problem only arises from the first question, considering our MUET tutor only taught us about doing the question just one day before the examination. Though we may still manage to learn it the very last minute, that is where the collateral damages incurred. Simply said, the lack of exposure, exposure in a way where we are exposed to doing many different questions for the first question format and familiarizing with the varying graphical components used in the question. Lack of training, I would say.

Other than that, the other components seemed to be performing okay, except for the speaking component. This time, at least I would admit that I am the reason why I did not perform that well in the speaking test too. But still, the documented marks for the speaking component in my result slip does not prevent me from getting a Band 5. For this component, our MUET tutor did make a lot of effort when it comes to speaking. The minor problem was just that I stammered quite a bit, and repeating some of the points I used. Normally in classes, I get around 38 or above for my speaking component.

Here’s how my results look like.

Listening:  30 / 45
Speaking:  33 / 120
Reading:  91 / 120
Writing:  46 / 90

Aggregrated score: 208

Oh well.
I am upset, really. But then again, the MUET results does not do anything much either as long as you have achieved the minimum requirement for the entrance for university. A Band 4 is more than sufficient to enter any local university, regardless if it is a private or government one.

Why I felt so upset is just that I know I could have done much better than that. Really.

Haha, I am still all right here. Life is all about receiving even the bad ones, but then the thing that really matter is to slip over a new page and moving forward.

(Smiles)

Yesterday was pretty much a hectic, tiring day. Not too much about the boring day, or about studies in school. Instead, we did two Chemistry experiments on that day itself, which was abnormally a lot for just a day.

We managed to partially complete the experiments on that day itself, not to mention we still had to stay back at school to wait for the results. First is the chromatography experiment, pretty much the same as the one did for Biology too. The other one is more on catalyzed reactions, product being some precipitates. The first experiment required us to stay until around 3.00 p.m. for the results, due to the extremely slow process of vaporization of ethanol.

Whoops, not too much on the details. Not like people would like to know what I was doing for the experiments. (Chuckling)

I left the school at around 4.30 p.m. in the evening, which is rare to see me leaving the school at around these time. I used the front gate access, which is somewhat just a little further to walk to the Hang Tuah LRT Station. But, the funny thing is, if you ever take that route to the LRT station, SJK (C) Jalan Davidson, famed for being the first school to be closed due to the spreading of the A(H1N1) influenza virus, is just a stone’s throw away. I do not walk past the school, just extremely close to the school. Just imagine, just take another 10 or 15 steps, eventually you would be in front of SJK (C) Jalan Davidson.

Later that evening, after reaching home and taking a pretty long nap, I start feeling a little uncomfortable, a little fever. You know, like how you would experience just before getting a full-fledged fever. This morning, after waking up for school, the sign of fever seemed to worsen, but not to the extent where I am truly sick. I tend to feel more uncomfortable.

Went to school as usual, my friend, Ayda, after telling her about this, she was reacting to it like, “Oh, H1N1! Holiday 1 minggu! Oh, no, no. Mungkin ini H2N2! Jadi holiday 2 weeks!”

(Chuckling) Since the outbreak of the A(H1N1) influenza pandemic, all of us have been talking about holidays, hoping for someone to get infected so to have the entire school to have holidays. Haha.

At the same time, since several days ago, I have been reading the bestselling book, “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. The last time when I first saw this book in a major bookstore many months ago, I was thinking that it was a fiction, plus the excerpt at the backcover was more like that of a fiction.

It was more or less, a self-help book. The book mainly emphasizes on positive thinking, and the power of visualization and more. My remarks, it is a good book, really. Though sometimes I doubt the supreme powers of the Universe in bringing to reality every single positive thinking (which has its own methods too), I have surely learned a great deal of things about everything the book has got to offer.

This book is somewhat similar to another bestselling self-help book I have read, “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” by Dr. Joseph Murphy. The latter book, is another excellent book that talks about positive thinking, and how these positive thinking can change your life and work miracles.

Also, I am reading the book I have previously bought, the fully updated edition of “The Google Story” by David A. Vise. More like a re-read this time. Oh well.

Will be having dinner with bread soon. Oh well. That is what a sick Woei Jiann would do whenever he falls sick. Haha. Also, I am looking forward to buying some new books in the coming weekend, if I ever get a chance to go out with my parents.

Gotta’ chao for now. See ya’!

Lately I have been inactive, as all of you could have expected at the first place. It’s not like my first, anyway.

Here’s the story behind my inactivity this time. And before that, my previous inactivities are mainly due to lack of things to say, basically because I have no idea on what to blog. This happens to me very, very often.

However, this time is in fact, due to my studies. It was Tuesday night when my parents were lecturing and questioning me about my expected performance for the coming Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM). While I have repetitively know the fact that I am very unprepared (and weak in several subjects), I tend to study after having such thoughts that I would fail the examination or whatsoever. However, the down side is, from that, I would only study for only a few, and then breaking that off to resume what I would do normally. Such things happened to me thousands and thousands of times already.

Computer and the Internet are such an addictive thing, that I can spend more than 10 hours per day on it. I started using the computer when I was very, very young. Say, when I was in Standard 2 or 3, if I am not mistaken. I was immediately drawn to the so-called fantastically-wonderful world of computer and the Internet. The habit of using the computer excessively has been a major part of my childhood as well as my teenage years. Not to mention, now too.

Though it was considerably too much and negative (in terms of the number of hours I use the computer), this is how I have learned so much about everything to do with Windows operating systems, repairing and recovering computers, and anything else technical about computers. I dare to say that being so faithful to computers has made me stand out among the crowds, because I know 99.99% of people I know are less advanced than me when it comes to computer. Of course, do not ever compare me to a programmer, software engineer or anyone else with a computer-related degree. My experiences are all from researching, looking through technical guides, blogs, forums, and more, all through the Internet.

I am not intending to show off or whatsoever, because I do notice that. I’m just trying to be honest here. Despite that, on the negative effect, my studies suffer drastically. I hardly study every day, while spending most of my time reading tech news. If you ask me, I actually do not play any game at all, not even online ones. Maybe except for a few of them, but still I only play very rarely. Anyway, that negative effect is still on me, due to my continuing habit of using the computer excessively.

Until this Tuesday, after being lectured so aggresively, I tend to be able to study. Not in a normal pattern where I study for a few days until the grudge subsides, instead I am beginning to develop the habit to study already. Today is the third consecutive day studying at night for several hours, and it is a good feeling. While I have to aggresively limit my time for computers, I guess I have no choice but to do that for the sake of the coming STPM public examination.

Now I tend to use the computer and surf the Internet after coming back from school, and then studying at night for several hours. I hope I can keep with that, unlike previous attempts of which I always resume my negative habit. And do wish me luck too, I still hope there is time for me to cope with my studies.

Chao! Time to bathe now, and then dinner and study.
Thanks for understanding, anyway.

This morning I have been trying so hard into gaining access to my blog, instead that intention had been a continuous failure. Checked out the support forum of my web hosting provider, they were actually updating the servers while transferring all the accounts. So there had been a little distruption back then, so sorry about that.

But at least it is a good thing hearing that my free web hosting provider is doing a good job of updating and actively administrating the servers.

By the way, as requested by Sylvea Chan (in the chatterbox), I did take my time into writing everything about my grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. While honestly speaking I do not know why does she care to know what’s going on with my family, I could presume that she is becoming a stalker. (Other than that, I think she thought the event was pretty cool itself, perhaps from how I kept mentioning it previously.)

“Wait a second,” you would ask. Basically a stalker does not ask or request from the victim so that he or she could stalk the victim. Weird, but there’s something pretty special about Sylvea Chan herself. She is indeed a stalker who stalk with the permission of the victim being stalked.

Let’s make it into an example of a scenario. Imagine this. Sylvea wants to stalk you. Thus, through any form of communication (online, e-mail, instant messenging, etc.), she would ask you things like, “Can I stalk you?” and related phrases which also translate to wanting to stalk you.

Like my case here, she asked this instead.

i wanna read ur post about ur gran’s birthday!so cool XD

Without a doubt, the above phrase translates similarly to her interest in stalking what I and my family did during my grandmother’s birthday celebration. They are precisely the same thing, just that the above phrase is twisted in a different manner.

Cool?

Back to the choo-choo train, some people may understand my writing style pretty clearly, especially those who have been close to me during school time, or perhaps visiting my blog pretty frequently. Blogging is somewhat a platform for me to express everything I have got to say, well not every single thing.

When writing essays or related matter in school, things are different compared to how I write here. How I write in school homework as well as in examinations largely depend on the contents (and things I manage to think of) and the topics given. Try giving me an unusual topic, I would end up being ’stuck’ while writing the essay. Time is a factor as well, if you ever limit me (say, one hour for an English essay), I might write a lot or the opposite way, depending if I could think of relevant points or not.

This is what happened to me during the previous Malaysian University English Test (MUET) writing paper. The second question, a free essay is indeed a very general and easy topic. I know I can answer the question, because I do know I have the points scattered  in my brain. The main problem is time, while I have sufficiently an hour to complete it, I did not manage to think of anything much about the given topic (despite knowing the fact that I know these things). It was more like my brain was having a glitch or technical error while processing, thus miserably affecting my performance in conveying my points in the essay. The outcome, I wrote two general ideas (which we are supposed to write three), worse still, both the ideas are way too similar and related.

Well, that was my poor performance for MUET last few weeks. Of course, when it comes to casual writing, or given something to be done with (but without time limit, as in homework which I could bring home and think as much as I want), this way I would write so much better than in a situation where I have got to squeeze my brain juice in a limited time frame.

Of course, if you do notice, some of my posts are in fact very lengthy. Without a doubt, that is particularly due to me having too much to say, and wanting to express them all. At the same time, I admit to spending quite an amount of time when composing a long post. Like my previous post on the imperial dinner, I spent more than an hour for that, really.

(Laughing)

Haha. Seriously, I do knot know why do I have the mood to talk about all these in this post. Weird, huh? Indeed.

I won’t go into details on the VI Carnival this morning. Strictly speaking too, the carnival was not all too much of glamour and fun either. Morning when I just reached there at 9.00 a.m. morning, there already seemed to be quite a number of people there already, as in, outsiders as you know.

Then later came the VI band, which actually had my honourable praise for their excellence in performing. Of course, I was expecting them to perform throughout the carnival, but then I was in fact dumbfounded to find out that they were gone after performing for the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin.

Other than that, there weren’t anything much to it. Catherine kept bugging me to buy the popiah sold by the Chinese Language Union (CLU). Some of my friends whom I have invited did make their appearance, and I was made the tour guide taking them around the school compound and telling them, “This is…”, “That is…”, etc. Thanks for coming, Radin and Kam Winnie (as well as her younger sister, Kam Jian Ni). Haha, I admit I find it hard to keep you people entertained, other than touring you people around. Well, what could I do when the only source of entertainment and fun for the day is only through buying the coupons and doing what you want with the coupons, which Radin and Winnie didn’t actually buy. Oh well. And speaking of that, while touring Radin around, somewhere near the school’s mosque just in front of the under contruction site of the Kemahiran Hidup block, I found 2 sets of coupons (RM 20 coupons) on the floor. Initially I wanted to keep it for my personal use; but well, since they did make an effort to come all the way here, although refusing to buy the coupons, so finally I decided to give it to them, sadfully.

The rest of the day was generally just okay, spending some time with friends, bugging them, chatting and making fun of people. And then, finally taking a seat next to Madam Nirmal Kaur on the entrance of the clock tower and started talking to her. No matter what, everything was fine. Though I was bored in certain occasions, generally speaking the carnival was a total blast! All hail Victoria Institution!

Okay, next up on the schedule.
This coming Monday (until Wednesday), Perkhemahan Anugerah Remaja Perdana 2009 in Kelantan.

So, see ya’ again after Wednesday!
Oh boy, I am so gonna’ miss updating my Facebook. Haha.

I’ve been pretty much silent for these several days. In fact, I still feel bored of blogging, at least the way I am blogging here.

Speaking of silence, I could still remember a phrase that has always been mentioned by a former PK HEM (Hal Ehwal Murid) during my time, who repetitively mention words like, “I want pin-drop silence!” during assembly time. I believe some of you could remember it. Was it ‘the’ PK HEM or Mr. Wong Chee Kheon, our ex-principal?

Couldn’t remember that part well.

I just did nothing much with my blog, except for the part where I edited the link for Amelia’s blog, as well as added Ed-Edily’s blog too. Mentioning that as well, I finally found my long-lost friend, Ed. He left to Kajang just after Form 1, and since then, I never get to contact him until now. Haha, those times.

Still in my mind, all those fond memories. (Giggling)

Being a True Victorian is all about flying!

Confused, ask me. ^^

Today has been another great day in Victorian Institution. While I sometimes do enjoy schooling in VI because of the freedom we have and having a good time with friends, today my class is almost empty, really. Only because Monday is a public holiday, I believe that is why many people, especially in my class announce their own “cuti peristiwa” today, extending the holiday period.

Smart, huh?

Almost the whole day is spent on chatting, too. As usual. However, this time Tana and me generally spent quite some time listening and chatting with the current (2008/2009 session) school captain of Victoria Institution, Aqram, who is an upper Form Six student as well. Speaking of captain, the post is very much similar to Ketua Pengawas in any other schools. As you know, the prefect board is the most powerful board in Victoria Institution when it comes to maintaining the school rules and discipline. And because of this, the century-old VI tradition gives a school captain de facto power in VI, surpassing that of an ordinary teacher, discipline teachers, on par with a school principal. In other words, school captains are a whole lot more powerful than any other Ketua Pengawas in other schools.

Oh, speaking of our conversation, Aqram is a wacky, insane person whenever he is free. While we were talking, Tana and I actually went to talk about the current controversies in VI that mainly involves himself. When he was talking, I do admit that I do learn some pretty good lessons from him, despite I have to admit that he is so rare in such a philosopher-like mood.

As a school captain himself, what he needs from every Victorian and prefect is respect. Being on the highest post for a Victorian here, respect is exceptionally important in the tradition of Victoria Institution. What he said is something like this, “If you work so hard for a post, let’s say the post for the school captain, and when you have finally got it, you expect other students and prefects to respect you.” And in VI, he wants everyone in the prefect board, and all Victorians to call him, Abang Aqram, instead of his own name. Of course, the Form Six Victorians and teachers do not do so, we all call him with his own name. Also, he did touch on being respectful as well as casuality. Having an extensive authority power himself does not mean that he could not be casual with others.

However, there is a clash between respect and casuality. If you have a high post, but being too casual with people under you and other students, people will tend to not follow you at times. Let’s give it a picture. I am a school captain. But if I am too casual and close with the prefects under the prefect board, people will sometimes tend to have that friend-to-friend mentality and attitude when it comes to their duties, thus ultimately affecting the performance of their duties. For example, they would sometimes avoid their duty like this,

“Aiya, I’m way too tired today, so I think I don’t want to do my duty today. And you know, I’m very close to the school captain. I understand him very well, and I don’t think he will get mad over it.”

Being personally too casual and close with people working under you, whether in schools or working environment, especially when you have the authority power, the feeling of respect towards you may eventually be lost, due to the extremely-close and casual friendship. And because of this, people under you will not perform the duties you have given that well, or on their best, due to the friend-to-friend mentality. That is when people do not get too serious into what they are supposed to do.

(It is so much harder to explain this in written form.)

On the other hand, if you are not casual with others, people may think that you are arrogant, and so on. And because of that too, people working under you will lose their respect towards you.

Traditions are meant to be followed, not modified, especially when it comes to a historical and internationally-known site, like Victoria Institution. On the contrary, if there are people who have their own agendas around, they will utilize their power to modify the tradition of a place to suit what they want. What this kind of people want to see is, everything has to work their way. This is exactly the controversy happening in Victoria Institution now, and this do not only involves students. Some teachers are known to have ultimately changed the school rules, etc. to get the results they desire. And when someone has power to do so, they will do it if they want to ‘leave their footsteps‘ (having their own agendas towards something), to have things work their way.

I have to strongly object to such an action. One thing, the school itself is a lot older than whoever you are, e.g. school principal, prefect, etc. Secondly, VI already has a history of its own, plus it is internationally-recognised and has produced some great leaders too. Lastly, VI has its century-old traditions. A person cannot just just step in, and try to modify the traditions according to how they like it to be, right?

If such things happen, then we are not respecting what the founders and previous school principals have done to the school. And even worse, a person cannot just change everything to be of their way, which will then ultimately change the history and traditions of Victoria Institution.

Being respectful and following the traditions are both important things. And admittedly, I am describing them in this post so differently because it is exceptionally hard to explain such a thing in written form. Some things are more easily conveyed through speaking, really.

Have a nice day. ^^

Entahlah kenapa saya macam dah ada mood untuk blog dalam Bahasa Melayu pula, haha. Kebiasaanya saya sebenarnya tak blog dalam Bahasa Melayu, sebabnya saya lebih biasa berucap dalam BM daripada menulis dalam Melayu secara sukarela, macam ini.

Eh, tahu tak? Jumaat yang lepas, selepas sekolah dah tamat, saya pula terjumpa rakan sekelas saya dalam subjek Malaysian English University Test (MUET), seorang budak lelaki Melayu, yang saya kenal, dan juga two rakan perempuan dia, Melayu pun. Eh, saya tak berniat untuk menjadi seorang racist di sini, harap faham. Haha.

Saya pula bersembang dengan mereka dalam BM pun. Ya lar, saya dah biasa bersembang dengan orang mengikut bahasa asal mereka, tidak dinafikan. Lepas tu, seorang itu tanya, “Eh, BM you macam slang-nya tak sama aje?” I pula menjawap, “Haha, tak lar, saya dah biasa cakap macam ni, tak macam banyak Cina yang biasanya ikut slang mereka sendiri. You tau, semua tu lorr, dan lain lagi.” Hehe, macam rasa teramat sombong pula. Haha, tak lah.

Hmm… Baru pagi tadi atau petang, saya terdengar lagu, “Hijau” oleh Zainal Abidin. Tidak dinafikan saya sangat sukakan lagu tu, really. Sebenarnya, saya mengaku saya pernah dengar lagu ini banyak tahun yang lalu. Walau bagaimanapun, saya baru mula cintai lagu ini semasa menjalani Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) pada tahun lepas, 2008, dalam Kumpulan 2 di Kem Benum Hill Resort, Raub, Pahang.

(Tersenyum lebar)

Haha. Saya masih teringat semasa saya berada di sana pada tahun lepas, khususnya apabila kelas Modul Pembinaan Karekter bermula, jurulatih selalu pasangkan lagu ini (dan lagi satu muzik orkestra, Chariot of Fire, kalau saya tidak salah), sebagai signal pelatih untuk memasuki kelas.

Sebenarnya, semua kenangan itu banyak lucu, khasnya kini, selepas balik dari PLKN. Haha. Saya benar-benar rindu masa PLKN saya, jurulatih di sana, kawan dan rakan, semua aktiviti, lagipun semasa saya menjalani latihan menembak dengan Colt M16.