A soliloquy

It has been quite a sad weekend, especially upon receiving the news that a colleague's few-months old baby suddenly stopped breathing and passed away peacefully on Friday. It was in class when I knew about the news through email which caused me to shout with horror while I was still in class.

Yesterday after Japanese class I went with other colleagues to the wake of the baby. Such a fragile life. I felt nothing, perhaps a tinge of sadness, but it was more of an indescribable feeling that such is the work of life. We can never expect anything.

Take care, to everyone out there. Live life to the fullest!

My class at PYAESS

Interesting article on crapware on new computer machines

http://news.com.com/PC+makers+walk+fine+line+with+crapware/2100-1041_3-6177050.html?tag=bubb1_2

New Missy Higgins Album - Steer

http://www.missyhiggins.com

I wanna go to Australia next month for her concert!!!!!!!!!!

Beverley Knight - Shoulda Woulda Coulda

People say that together we were both sides of the same coin
That we would shine like Venus in a clear night sky
We thought our love could overcome the circumstances
But my ambition wouldn't allow for compromise

I could see in the distance all the dreams that were clear to me
Every choice that I had to make left you on your own
Somehow the road we started down had split asunder
Too late to realise how far apart we'd grown.
How I wish I, wish I'd done a little bit more

Now " Shoulda woulda coulda," means I'm out of time
Coz "Shoulda woulda coulda", can't change your mind
And I wonder, wonder, wonder what I'm gonna do
"Shoulda woulda coulda" are the last words of a fool

People ask how it feels to live the kind of life others dream about
I tell them everybody gotta face their highs and their lows
And in my life there's a love I put aside, cause I was busy loving something else
So for every little thing you hold on to, you've got to let something else go

[Chorus]

Fool if I would now forsake the opportunities are fate
I know I'm right where I belong
But sometimes when I'm not so strong I...

[Chorus (x2)]

Chris Daughtry - Home

I'm staring out into the night,
Trying to hide the pain.
I'm going to the place where love
And feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
And the pain you feel's a different kind of pain.

Well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
Well I'm going home.

The miles are getting longer, it seems,
The closer I get to you.
I've not always been the best man or friend for you.
But your love, it makes true.
And I don't know why.
You always seem to give me another try.

So I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all,
And then some you don't want.
Be careful what you wish for,
'Cause you just might get it all.
You just might get it all, yeah.

Oh, well I'm going home,
Back to the place where I belong,
And where your love has always been enough for me.
I'm not running from.
No, I think you got me all wrong.
I don't regret this life I chose for me.
But these places and these faces are getting old.
I said these places and these faces are getting old,
So I'm going home.
I'm going home.

Stephanie Kirkham - Inappropriate

I want to talk to you even just for one day
Is there a parallel universe where we could stay?
Thinking of you now - can’t sleep
Dreaming of you
I know I shouldn’t be

Oh no push it down and suppress it
Then I wonder why I’m depressive
I want to tell you how I feel and express it
When you stop and smile at me
Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?

Oh no (oh no), there’s nothing to say
It’s inappropriate (can’t walk away)
Can’t walk away
It’s inappropriate (how can I explain?)
How can I explain?
When you stop and smile at me
Don’t you know what you’re doing to me? oh no

I want to run, no-where to hide
It’s eating me
Thinking of you now - can’t sleep
Dreaming of you
I know I shouldn’t be

Oh no push it down and suppress it
Then I wonder why I’m depressive
I want to tell you how I feel and express it
When you stop and smile at me
Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?

Oh no (oh no), there’s nothing to say
It’s inappropriate (can’t walk away)
Can’t walk away
It’s inappropriate (how can I explain?)
How can I explain?
When you stop and smile at me
Don’t you know what you’re doing to me? oh no

How can I push it down and suppress it?
Then I wonder why I’m depressive
I want to tell you how I feel and express it
When you stop and smile at me
Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?

Oh no (oh no), there’s nothing to say
It’s inappropriate (can’t walk away)
Can’t walk away
It’s inappropriate (how can I explain?)
How can I explain?
When you stop and smile at me

Oh no (oh no), there’s nothing to say
It’s inappropriate (can’t walk away)
Can’t walk away
It’s inappropriate (how can I explain?)
How can I explain?
When you stop and smile at me, oh no (oh no)

(Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?)
There’s nothing to say, it’s inappropriate
(When you stop and smile at me)
Can’t walk away, it’s inappropriate
(Don’t you know what you’re doing to me?)
It’s inappropriate
It’s inappropriate

Quick updates

I haven't written something for a.g.e.s here though I have been writing a lot.. of comments! Here comes the Grading Machine again!

So what have I being up to, NN? The school semester has officially started and I have 3 classes a week. That is one additional class from the 2 I got when I first started off and it's been tiring but fun so far! On the non-teaching front things aren't going at all and although I had a personal mini-crisis the past few days thinking that I have done something wrong (or should actively voice to do something), but then considering my workload I shouldn't be opening myself to more work unnecessarily. Take it easy, NN!

On the Japanese language front, I am getting friendly with other classmates in my JLPT2 class (hi there PT!) and looking forward to every class as it is a wonderful place to goof around, much to the consternation of a Japanese sensei who is a little on the strict side (I suspect she teaches at a local Japanese primary school during the week which is highly disciplined). ;) I am feeling motivated to just try for JLPT2 at the end of this year and it will be a fluke if I really pass! Nonetheless I think it is great that I am progressing well in Japanese and I look forward to mastering it as a skill.

AD and I might be planning to go to Osaka and camp with a Japanese friend of his in June, though that's quite uncertain and unplanned so far. I will love to go though, especially with open-minded people like him. We had a Very Long drinking session on Friday evening where we finished an entire bottle of rum between us. Amazing! Highly pleasurable nonetheless.

Avril Lavigne came out with a new CD! Woohoo! I really enjoyed her concert at Brisbane 2 years back and hope to catch her again some day. The new CD is a little too bubble-gum poppish to my liking, maybe I should experiment it with my kids to see if I am really starting to get a generation gap (if they are like so in love with the songs and I am not!)

I got rejected in my application to UOB Signature Mastercard. Haha so fun!

Then HM finally went on her Bangkok trip and she's back before I realised... glad to hear that she had fun!

Then HY went over to the states and came back with a couple of stories. We went to Clinic at Clarke Quay to chill out and she told me her stories. Good luck to whatever you have planned!

Then QK, WT and I had a discussion on whether WT's current bad hours (but huge paycheck) as a lawyer is a choice or something forced upon her due to circumstances. I firmly believe it is a choice but QK thinks otherwise, my argument being that with her very sought-after NUS honours degree in Singapore (2nd upper), she is eligible for so many jobs out there including teaching.etc if she really wishes to. Then on QK's front something exciting's happening to him which although I am in no liberty to divulge, it was all predicted and I wish him all the best. Just put us up at your place whenever we visit!

Taking things easy and looking forward to the future!

New Day 2 Class

New Day 4 Class

New Day 3 class

Zuiikin English

Absolutely Hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Zuiikin&search=Search

Some intermediate/advanced Japanese resources (JLPT 2 onwards)

http://www.geocities.com/ryuchan1/grammar2.html
http://www.manythings.org/japanese/news/
http://pera-pera-nihongo.blogspot.com/

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/columns/0002/

Here we go again!

Meridien, Paulaner Brauhaus in Millenia Walk

Teams

K & I at East Coast