Oh Education..

It's a sad fact but I believe that I was quite possibly more brilliant as a child than I am now. It's true that children possess a natural inquisitive nature, eager to know about everything and anything about this world. An aunt of mine worked at Grolier, which was a publishing company. I used to be excited when she came bearing gifts in the form of encyclopedias and those trivia books, not to mention some disney picture storybooks. Time was spent flipping through these and if I ever had a query, I would go look it up in the encyclopedia. History used to be a favourite of mine, I had this one book which compiled biographies of famous historical figure, and I would go look up those of figures I read/heard about elsewhere. A TV show from the past, "Time Squad" (pun not intended) played a part in introducing said historical figures to me.

The Internet replaced these encyclopedias. Everything was now a search button away. Yet with all the convenience and limitless information, I'm not anymore intellectually stimulated. On the contrary, precious time has just been wiled away with all the Facebooking, Tweeting, and catching up on TV series. Not to say I don't learn other things, but it could have gone at a much more faster pace.

Pretentious as it may be, I felt that I used to have a larger advantage over my peers in our younger days, that I was already at a higher level in some academic aspects. I read up any thing that interested me so some historical or scientific facts we would learn later were mere general knowledge trivia to me, giving me chances to flaunt once in a while. Unfortunately, I never did expand this bank of knowledge. Soon enough, it was either the syllabus we were learning finally caught up or I started meeting people of equal or higher calibre. 

Our education system probably contributed to this deterioration, being so restrictive. Who knows how much untapped potential was never discovered, and will never be know as our brains age. But then, it's not only exclusive to Malaysia, we did model ourselves after the Brits.

Coincidentally, I just finished "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" today (or it was this book that prompted the post). Afterthoughts: what would I be like now, if I was handled more strictly in my youth? I know, I have my regrets, not continuing the piano or the violin, and maybe not swimming a bit more harder during classes. But then, would I have read as much or explored all the other enlightening aspects. Might I be like Amy Chua's daughter, attending college at Harvard or maybe in Oxbridge now if I was drilled harder? 

Who knows? And there's still time to learn. I might take longer than I would have in my younger days but there's still the opportunity, with the gap year and all. I can revert back to my free learning methods of the past, absorbing information from any source at my own pace. Schooling has disrupted most of my education, fortunately, not to the point of no return.

Keep it Personal

I'm gonna be cheating here. This may look like a pretty long post but most of the content won't be mine. Below is apparently from a writing competition but was submitted to some colleges for admissions too O.O, and it garnered quite a lot of attention:

"I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently.

Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat 400.

My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me. I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed several covert operations with the CIA.

I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid.

On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prize-winning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin.

I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college."

Whether it really got the author admitted into college or not, it is pretty cool >:D

Still

I would be lying if I said I'm alright with all this, that I don't feel the slightest bit left behind seeing everyone else gearing up for uni, moving on to the next phase of their lives. Having been the one who tries to get the low-down in advance, who always tries to stay in the pack, or ahead of it, I'm really not accustomed to being the one left here stagnant, while everyone is progressing. Typically Asian of me, to think that tertiary education is the only path forward. It sort of is now. But it's not the only Direct path after A-levels, I'm sure knowledge can be acquired anywhere, through any experience in life. That's what the gap year is for, isn't it? I chose this, because so many things would be missed out if I didn't take this year(or half a year) off to just do something else with my life. Yet, I am missing out on other things, even now.

Oh yes, A-Level results were released last Monday. Building up to that day, I was probably getting random anxiety attacks. Even dreamt about an F in Math :O. They turned out to good, really good. More could have been done(in terms of percentile). But it really is good enough, I am relieved.

Annui

This is gonna be another compilation of recent events I've been at since these will be more interesting than anything I can think of now.

TEDxKL 2012 (14th July)


I've forgot how I was aware of TED. I believe I knew of TEDxKL first before of TED itself. Being invited to  the previous TEDxKL events but failing to attend, I surely could not miss this year's since there was no other commitment for once! The "x" in TEDxKL means that is is an independently organised TED event, sort of a spoof of the original TED talks, which are held in Long Beach, California. Thus, TEDxKL is an independent TED event held in KL, the Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields to be exact.

This event did not disappoint. It brought together speakers of different disciplines and backgrounds as they spoke on the theme of "Interdependence"( though sometimes I really had to decipher where actually were they coming from with this theme for certain speakers).  An album on my Facebook was already uploaded featuring pictures of each speaker with pretty lengthy captions summarising their talks.

TEDxKL stage

Had a really enlightening time. One disappointment was that they ran out of shirts before I could buy any. Hoping to volunteer for the next one in 2013(or who knows, TEDxYouth at the end of the year?:D)

On twitter, we had people commenting how so many events were going on on the 14th of July. There was TEDxKL, Malaysian Student Leaders Summit, Bon Odori and MTV World Stage at night, the Scout Campfire(this applies to CHSians only though). Earlier that week, I had won a pair tickets for World Stage, my brother took one and headed off to Sunway Lagoon by 3.30 while I decided to only head there after TEDxKL was done. 

Justin Bieber and KARA were already done by the time I got there, it was Mizz Nina's turn. I assumed she was the last act and as people were leaving after she was done, I followed suit. I assumed wrong of course, Jay Park was last instead(brother commented that it was probably a last minute rearrangement after noticing that people kept leaving after each performance, they were probably worried most of the crowd would leave  if Jay Park had gone first). However, I didn't really want to reenter and feel claustrophobic again so wait for brother in Pyramid.

MTV World Stage- Mizz Nina performance

More running!

Got up the next day (15th July) for the BHP Orange Run. Was really indecisive about this because I actually signed up for MSLS as well. In the end I did end up running, thinking I might make it back in time for MSLS. Ended up going back home to catch up on sleep instead. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, seeing the tweets from MSLS, they discussed topics I wasn't so well-versed in anyway. If you accumulate all the distances of the runs I've taken part in this year, I've already ran a full-marathon yay!

Mizuno Wave Run (Jan 2012)- 10km

Standard Chartered KL Marathon - 10km

MCS Fun Run- 5km

NTV7 Feel Good Run - 7km

BHP Orange Run - 11km

So we have a total of 43km >:D A full marathon is techinically 42km. Nevertheless, I'm still a pretty slow runner. Sigh, more training needed. There's Adidas KOTR and Penang Bridge International Marathon coming up in September and November respectively. Nike We Run KL is one to look out for, but Nike has yet to reveal anything, rumoured to be on the 14th of October with registration opening in September.

Took this at the NTV 7 Feel Good run. I do support our shuttlers! Go for Gold!

Met up with S2 classmates on the 21st. Attendance honestly wasn't that good, not even half made it. But it was still good seeing those you have not met since SPM results. Good to hear that everyone's doing fine. There are quite a few aspiring doctors among those present too. 

At Italiannies. Taken with Xue Ying's phone. Wan Jin left already though.

Singapore!

Was there for 4 days( 22nd- 25th July), mainly to visit the Harry Potter exhibition and to wJuatch Annie the Musical. I was in Singapore a few months back with the classmates too, though this time I needn't worry about lodging as I was staying with my cousin. Visited Marina Bay Sands, Orchard, Bugis and Serangoon. Ate a lot of nice food too :D

Justice League figures and Marvel Villains :O Cousin's hubby is a big fan. I rarely see anyone in my circles putting that much in the fandom. There are stacks of comics all over the living room too, read a few while I was there XD.

Flying Ford Anglia :D The prop which I could take a picture of since it was outside the exhibition.

The Marina Bay Sands hotel viewed from the Art Science Museum

 Batman lifesize model in a mall. There was Bane and Selina Kyle too.

 Doggie Style Cafe. You are allowed to bring your pet dogs in and even buy food for them. Only 1 dog was here that day though D:

 Wrap from Salad Stop. Pretty good ahhh. This one is spicy-crab flavoured. The one behind is a Japanese style salad, with soba and all.

 Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans

Annie :)

Was back at CHS on Friday (27th) for the Girl Guides AGM. Was really interested in the selection of this year's Top 4 since our Form 4s this year were pretty good. Am happy with the results and it actually was according to number of votes though there was a pretty intense discussion between teachers and the Form 5s.

The seniors who returned :D There are about 5 generations here. Once a Guide, Always a Guide ;)

I have also been teaching at the United Learning Centre for the 2 weeks already. My classes are on each Wednesday of the week :) No photos yet. For now, I can say that it can be difficult sometimes, with language barriers and all, but to seem them so eager to learn and how they rush up to me when I arrive is just heartwarming. 

3rd class is tomorrow. Should get back to brainstorming on how I can catch the attention of a group of  rowdy 7/8 year-olds.

Fragile Things

Despite what I try to tell myself otherwise, I am feeling pretty down. I know I have no right or reason to be but that feeling just wants to nag at me. Grateful I am for all the wishes yesterday but I feel a human touch lacking. I disabled posting on my timeline yesterday, so those who still intended to wish me did so through Facebook Chat, those with Twitter did so through that and a few of my older,close friends did so through SMS. (yes, seems that friends I've met friends last year resorted to social media instead,coincidental that only these certain people chose SMS, either that or using SMS establishes that our friendship is stronger and  longer lasting, as smses seem more personal and intimate). There were no phone calls, not that I felt like conversing in such a way anywho. Family faithfully celebrated with a homemade cake after dinner, brothers chose to not mention anything to me though.

Yet, yet, besides family, I didn't actually speak to anyone in person. Disabling my timeline posts did enable me to strike conversations with friends and acquaintances I have no spoken to in a while, but it was all through the internet. Basically, with the exception of dinner, the rest of my birthday was "celebrated" online, and I do find that quite miserably pathetic.

Well, it's not like people aren't busy, and my birthday was never celebrated on the actual date these past few years(not counting family), and it's not like I've done for anyone else's except my teachers, but they deserved it! I should really just do away with this mentality. There's no use comparing. Furthermore, our birthdays mark another year of us being alive, then every day we're alive should be celebrated. A very merry unbirthday to everyone.

Sherlocked

With all the runs I've been going for lately, won't be surprising that my wishlist currently comprises of running equipment. What I really need now is those armbands for you to place your iPod/Phone into, because really, it is a hassle to carry it in your hand throughout the whole route.

A pair of running shoes would be good too, preferably with Nike+ features. My current pair are too tight around the toe area D: Haha, am only shamelessly proclaiming my wants because my birthday...was around the corner. 

Also, I've just finished watching this series (by finish I mean up to its most recent season). 

I think the address above is already a giveaway if you don't recognise the characters themselves. Above are the two main characters of BBC's Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes himself( Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr John Watson (Martin Freeman). This series has actually been out for quite a while now, Season 1 aired in 2010 while Season 2 was shown earlier this year. I have come across it through reviews in magazines and papers but only started watching now since A-Levels is over and I noticed a friend fangirling about it over Twitter. 

Note: If you intend to watch it, due make sure you have at least about 2 hours to spare, as 1 episode is about the length of a movie (1.5 hours/88 minutes).

There are currently 6 episodes in total, with Season 3 scheduled to air hopefully in 2013. Each episode holds reference to at least one of original stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself. The difference between this and other SH productions of the past is that it is set in a contemporary setting, thus you would recognise some familiar London sites in the movie. What to look out for, as with all other SH productions I guess, is the relationship between Sherlock and John. Oh yes, they call each other by their first names here, a different take books. Sherlock is arrogant and as he says "a high-functioning sociopath", while John has to constantly put up with his antics. Another character you to watch is Moriarty, (he's already mentioned in the first episode so not much of a spoiler), who is just plain psychotic as Holme's antithesis. 

Now, I'm even more excited to catch the Hobbit. Martin Freeman will be playing the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in the prequel to Lord of the Rings. Benedict Cumberbatch too will play the voice of Smaug the Dragon/The Necromancer in the movie.

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins

Another thing is that Sherlock and John have their own websites in the movie, John's being more of a blog of their cases. You can see him updating it frequently throughout the series. It contains recounts of the cases they solved in each episode, even with comments from the characters of the show.

So, yes watch it. It has gotten this writer, as stated in the title, "sherlocked".

What's Up

I haven't had anything thought-provoking or profound(if I ever had before) to write about so I shall just update on how this one month has been, since completing A-Levels:

1. Meet-ups and Outings:

The two weeks after the last A2 paper and before Prom, I think I went out with 3 groups of people.( and 2 of these meet ups were in Sunway Pyramid). It's so good to be catching up with friends of old. One of the things A-Levels has robbed from me was all this precious bonding time(except with classmates).

From left: Le Yi, Su-Wern, Me, Shu Ling, Pei Jia and Xin Ying. This was our possy in the guides back then. Good that everyone made it. Ellie showed up later for lunch.

Later that week, I also met up with Yee Ling, CK and KX. Don't really have any pictures except of us bowling and of YL and CK <3 XD.  Basically, me and YL met up at Sunway first and did some window shopping, while the guys played pool at AC. Then, we caught up over lunch and went bowling.

On Wednesday of the next week, went on that KL trip with Xin Yan(or as my mum calls her, Backpacker Friend) as "discussed" on Twitter. We had a few stops. First, we met up at Pavillion and walked to Levain. Wasn't as far a journey as I thought, visited the Beryl's Shop halfway.

The view onlooking the back of Levain

Tried out the walkway from Pavillion to KLCC, took our time in Kinokuniya and hunted for my prom clutch.

Kinokuniya was featuring the works of Kazuo Ishiguro(pics above). There was also one of Sherlock Holmes.

Walked to Jalan Alor to find a hotel for XY to stay in. She intended to spend a few nights in KL(she's from Kajang by the way) before taking a bus down to Singapore.

Jalan Alor. Lots of food stalls here.

2. Prom:

Well, I didn't have very high hopes for this. One thing was because the number of people you meet in 1.5 years couldn't match those of 5 years. So less photo-taking and mingling. Also, the Student Council only had like, about 4 months of less to organise this so it couldn't have been as elaborate as my high school one. It was alright, in the end. Got to take photos with most of the friends I've met, saw everyone dressed up, enjoyed good(though it wasn't a lot!). Sadly, my classmate Nathalie didn't win Prom Queen, she was in the final 3! Ah yes, one peeve about this was that they handled the Prom Court selection so briefly. There was no catwalk, or any other embarrassing act the candidates had to endure. Before the agenda of the night started, the photos of the final 3 were up and we just had to vote.  That was no fun >:(.

The girls of PM4(sans Nathalie) and our mentor, Ms Tan 

All of the PM4 Prom Attendees(and mentor)

3. Class Trip:

This would be our last MAJOR class event. ( Just met up with some of them today so can't say it's ALL over). 6 were absent though of course, we would have wanted everyone to turn up. Compared to last year's Singapore trip, I guess we decide to tone down about by just heading somewhere domestic, so we chose Langkawi. The whole trip was good, fun in the sun, bonding and some chocolate shopping. Just that, we would probably have had more time if we didn't take the bus. 2 days were spent practically on the road. But all in all, was a good trip. Hope it's not the last time everyone gathers like this.

 Everyone at the beach next to our motel

At the iconic eagle statue

4. Runs

Attended the Standard Chartered KL Marathon last Sunday, the first of a few runs I will be joining for this period of time. I guess my time improved, but not a lot, and my best was still in my Form 5 days(maybe merentas desa got us all on the running bandwagon). The distance for this run was the furthest(10km), the upcoming ones will only be 7k and 5k. Though, I signed up for 16.8k for Adidas King of the Road in September.

The 10km finisher medals from my runs in the years 2010, 2011 and 2012.

So, that was most of the major events of my life for this past month since A-Levels ended. Besides that, have also been catching up on movies. Nothing too drastic yet. Let's hope I get more productive in the months ahead.

EDIT:

Forgot to mention another activity for the past month.

5.Cheer

I'm not the one doing the cheering though. My brother joined Cheer this year, thus as supportive family,we decided to attend the Cheer competitions. Two were held recently, one was Cheer 2012 on the 16th and 17th of June and the Charm Cheerleading Competition( C3) the week after. Despite my brother only joining our school's cheerleading squad this year, I was already a fan of cheerleading ever since covering Cheer 2009 as a BRAT. It really is a great sport, the passion, the sacrifices and the effort of all competitors can be seen so clearly through all their precise routines. A performance may only last for a few minutes but it would have taken months of training to perfect. Furthermore, you can feel so much energy not only through the competitors but through the audience. Some schools even send in busloads of parents and students to cheer their school teams on, schools have even formed supporter clubs where they spend their time perfecting chants and also to work on signs and banners. It is really quite inspiring.

At Cheer 2012