Role Reversal: June 2007

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The movie is nice! Very steeped with elements of daily life in modern Japan, interesting cultural interpretations and a simple romantic plot. I went with 3 other classmates from my Japanese language class for the movie and they seemed to have a great time as well. Such a pity Singapore does not bring in Japanese movies on a more frequent basis, sigh!

I took the opportunity to say a quick hi to YJ, a student of mine who was working at Pastamania. He is incidentally the student who got the fine the other day for "eating bread" at the MRT platform, gosh! He refused my suggestion of offering me a free meal though, so YJ you be careful ah!

I felt a little moody, so after a quick dinner I bade goodbye to the classmates and checked out HMV. That's where I saw that Maroon 5 has introduced a new album (not nice) though Bon Jovi's Highway caught my eye and ears. However it was too radio-friendly, hence making it a little too common.

My immediate reflection after the movie? "Time waits for no one" and indeed, that is a strong message that hit me. I hate myself for being rash at times, but I think if I do not go on JET, is there other method I can go for an extended period of time and get paid in the process? I am really motivated to have a closer look at their society!

Lots of grading (3 classes worth), lots of extra work (IG/ECA, problem crafting and collaterals), little time. Let us take things one step at a time, and never losing sight of the next step which seems very clear yet a little impractical. Nevertheless..

Another fun class!

A student received a fine a few days back of $50 for "eating bread". He got it at Yio Chu Kang MRT station while on his way to school!

What a joke!

So far it is a fun class today where we talked about concepts and how we derive them. I really like the problem and did quite a lot of discussion with the class. I hope they got my message of what it means to be critically thinking about it!

BBQ with a class!

Cloud Number 9 - Bryan Adams

clue number one was when you knocked on my door
clue number two was the look that you wore
n' that's when i knew, it was a pretty good sign
that something was wrong up on cloud number nine

well it's a long way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right

and the moon is out and the stars are bright
and whatever comes s'gonna be alright
cause tonight you will be mine - up on cloud number nine
and there ain't no place that i'd rather be
and we can't go back but you're here with me
yeah, the weather is really fine - up on cloud number nine

now he hurt you and you hurt me
and that wasn't the way it was supposed to be
so baby tonight let's leave the world behind
and spend some time up on cloud number nine

well it's a long way up and we won't come down tonight
well it may be wrong but baby it sure feels right

well we won't come down tonight
ya we won't come down tonight
no we won't come down tonight

we can watch the world go by - up on cloud number nine

Finally, a day of Leave! But...

I am on leave today! But a very big bummer I think.

I have got absolutely no plans and my mom just abandoned me for her little distractions of peeling stickers out and sticking them elsewhere for the sake of earning a few dollars.

Quarterlife Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties (Paperback)

There I was once again, meandering aimlessly around the narrow pavements of Orchard Road after the ritualistic weekly Japanese classes on Saturday evening and I felt so lost! I went to Kinokuniya hoping for some inspiration as to what I want to do in life but that yield nothing. Exasperated, I went down to grab some Japanese fried noodles and takoyaki (most unhealthy but fulfilling) and decided, at the spur of the moment, to go up to the national library hoping for yet another inspiration of sorts. None in the fiction section, none in the romance section, and just as I was about to leave the self-help section, the book suddenly grabbed me from the corner of my eye. Quarterlife Crisis! That sounds quite relevant and I spent the next hour sitting at the cafe reading and reflecting about my life.

Just as the label 'teenagehood' only surfaced and became a social focus the past decade or two ago, I think the quarterlife crisis (which is roughly the time between leaving the safe ambits of structured education to settling down with a career and family) is exactly what I am facing. As compared to other already highlighted phenomenon in life such as mid life crisis and teenagehood where certain support mechanisms are in place, more often than not people tend to usher fresh graduates into working society without really discussing how they can go about handling the sudden platter of choices that were pushed to them.

Anyway, though it did not offer solutions, it offer suggestions which I realised I have been practising actively doing what I think I like and letting things unravel themselves instead of following a well-trodden path. I came up with the following yesterday while almost falling asleep in Japanese class:

Things I wanna do in my life
- master Japanese / JET (2 years)
- master English / CELTA (4 months)
- learn the piano / hobby
- learn French / ?

- long term career option / mass communications (US university, 2 years)
- long term career option / instructional design (US/UK/Australia university, 2 years)
- long term career option / education (US/UK/Australia university, 2 years)
- education / MOE (4 years)

I am now 25 years old!

26 - 2007 - RP
27 - 2008 - RP/?JET
28 - 2009 - RP-CELTA/JET
29 - 2010 - JET
30 - 2011 - ?JET/?RP
31 - 2012 - RP
32 - 2013 - masters
33 - 2014 - masters
34 - 2015 - MOE
35 - 2016 - MOE .etc.

I realised through this exercise that I have a lot of things I will like to experience and time is definitely not on my side. I better hurry!

http://www.amazon.com/Quarterlife-Crisis-Unique-Challenges-Twenties/dp/1585421065

Bungy Jumping!

Argh, I accidentally tore up my bungy jumping certificate while cleaning through my cupboard. Thought I'll just drop a note:

I jumped on 08-Jun-05 Jump no. 188, 682.

For courageously 'taking the plunge' and expertly performing a daring 47 metre (154ft) leap from a platform over the mighty Waikato River, Taupo, New Zealand - linked only by an expanding rubber cord.

This award is conferred with the unaimous approval and congratulations of the Taupo Bungy team.
http://www.taupobungy.com