Friday, January 26, 2007: Happy Birthday to Wan Ping and Niroshini!
Ahem. Neither of their birthdays is today, but they'll be occurring over the upcoming weekend - and I doubt I'll have time to update then. Still, I wish them both Happy Birthday in advance. And I got to mention the facts today. Yes, I beat Charis to it.
I rock, because of that, and because of some totally different issue too - I finally know how to go to where I will find her, but (switch languages) ce qui passera, passera, (switch languages) and I doubt I can change that, ever.
Tag replies now. I just realised that I have many unreplied tags from last year... dear me.
[30 Dec 06 00:52] glamgarden: hi=) Pls visit our blogshop @ http://glam-garden.blogspot.com Selling earrings/bracelets!
-> Visited! And they're beautiful, but I'm broke. In the meantime, here's some moral support!
[30 Dec 06 14:44] # charis!: i'm not very persistant what-.- [following tag] just asking luh :X [following tag] i appreaciate whatever comment u give (:
-> Given, granted, forgiven.
[01 Jan 07 10:23] zhiyi: happy new year! (:
-> I know it's late, but - you too! And how's 2007 been for you so far?
[02 Jan 07 15:16] jiaqi: HI PENELOPE! happy new year! woots! (: good luck in ur new class! xD CHEERS!
-> You too! :) CHEERS to a great Lunar New Year ahead.
[02 Jan 07 21:57] caroline: yeah 2p one. good luck in your new class :D
-> I replied you in school but I'll do so again here: Thanks; you too!
[03 Jan 07 18:49] sak: pennyyyyy i'll only be back on mondayyyy =(
-> It's great that you've recovered.
[04 Jan 07 16:37] sak: bio's gonna rock! WHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! can't wait to see you on monday! Wait, do we have bio on monday?
-> We did. By the way, our teacher's not given us the reward yet... La-dee-dum...
[8 Jan 07, 17:14] LIYANA!: HELLO PENELOPE : D [following tag] all the best for 2007, yeah?
-> You too, dear junior!
[16 Jan 07, 21:06] heeai: hello penny! havent been dropping by for a long time!
-> Yeah, we're both busy, aren't we? I hope for us to meet up in the same school soon.
[16 Jan 07, 22:05] clara: I've been good. Pretty free, not schooling, just waiting around for results. It's nice to have nothing to do and not have to worry about anything in particular. [following tag] How has sec three been for you thus far ? I hope you're doing fine !
-> It's lovely, Clara - both your good news, and my Sec 3 year thus far!
[17 Jan 07, 20:51] annette: you tagged my blog so i'll tag yours =]penelope i think your english is damn cheem lah you need to be proud of the singaporean singlish and start breaking your english ha..
-> I already broke it in a tag on your blog and I have no further intention of further breaking my written English. Still, thanks for the feedback, Annette.
[19 Jan 07, 18:12] chinyu: hvnt been tagging for sometime already haha how're you? [following tag, after I replied that I was doing fine and asked her how she was] haha yeh im fine thankyou :D
-> Great to hear. Have a great Sec 3 year!
[21 Jan 07, 00:43] CHARIS (:: erm. up to you. i had my fun (:
-> So be it if it was fun, but - like the Spiderman saying goes - with great power comes great responsibility. Just bear it in mind.
[21 Jan 07, 22:29] huiyi: sorri 4 not tagging ur blog 4 a long time..... how r u? hope u r coping well wif ur sec 3 life!!!!!!!
-> Doing fine. How're you doing? I'm sure it's just as fine on your side, am I right?
[24 Jan 07, 00:19] yying: GREAT! i'm goin back for choir prac tmr(: yay! sing sing sing!!!!!!
-> Thank you for visiting us! By the way, I'll survive Pure Geog as best I can, all right?
[24 Jan 07, 21:40] LIYANA!: HAHA! yesyes yanhui is denyse's friend! [following tag] and trust charis to start the birthday song earlier. HAHA!
-> Thank you for those confirmations, Liyana.
[26 Jan 07, 04:49] LIYANA!: haha yesyes! JIAYOU PENELOPE! haha today must fasterfaster start birthday song!(: [following tag] although her bday is tmr. but whatever! [following tag] ooh wow look at the time
-> I did, didn't I? And what's with tagging at four in the morning? Go get some sleep; it's for your good.
And here, I shall dedicate a special section to replying the "Bimbo" who's found her way here.
No, dear "Bimbo", I didn't delete the tag because I thought it true. It's just hurtful; such things are not meant for the online platform. Had your comment been racist, you would've sparked a great furore. Everyone has their eccentricities, but perhaps mine are incomprehensible to you. And I did not cause our English teacher to give us spelling; she reassured me so. Besides, if you bother to either memorise the phrases she picks out or come up with similar lines, your composition writing will improve, believe me.
And I shall cry - in jubilation. That way, I fuel the joy of two people and don't get hurt. That's right; I shall bring sunshine to my personal (switch languages) lacrimarum valle, (switch languages) so that the hurt shall vanish.
"Praise with elation, praise every morning - God's recreation of the new day."
Just that alone is not enough; if one really treats each day as a divine work of art, then it should not be sullied except by the Lord Himself.
Self-quote: "An anagram of WORDS? SWORD; as a warrior, to live by."
And again, I shall.
Singing off - there's homework to tackle.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[8:08 PM]
Friday, January 19, 2007: Happy Birthday Elizabeth!
Here's wishing a Very Happy Birthday to my great Sectional Leader (though she might not come here anyway)! (turning to her) And by the way, Liz, that's NOT a stone, and NOT a pebble - have you heard of anyone who "pebbles"? Haha. (turning back to readers in general) So what can it be? Hmm... I think I'll leave you to puzzle this one out.
Aside from it being her birthday, today was a perfect day, as perfect as I could make it. Let's see what we can call it... I think I'd call it "Dorothea", meaning "gift from God".
And I'm inspired to sing - this.
Morning has broken like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning;
Praise for the springing fresh from the world.
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven;
Like the first dewfall on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden;
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass.
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning;
Born of the one light, Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning -
God's recreation of the new day.
Today, indeed, was one of the best days of my secondary school life.
I awoke today with joy in my heart. Don't ask me why; the reasons are best kept to myself.
Things went smoothly at school - Geography, Literature, Chinese, Chemistry, E-Maths unfolding hitchlessly - and I had a nice chat with Mrs. Low over the Reading period because she spoke words of encouragement whenever I made a negative statement (though, of course, not before finding out why I'd said that). I took home a few lessons from there, but there won't be any sharing here.
For the Assembly period, Mr. Cartoon Artist was back - to give us a recap of the skills he'd taught us last year and to add on. He even went into caricatures, and did one for a certain Yanhui (spelling?). He caught her face quite nicely, but when I saw what he was doing as the caricature's body I was so disgusted that I buried my head and went back to my own drawing - inventing an anime-style eye glare pattern for my friend, which is now complete, with her input. (Frankly, now that I've checked and I know that that Yanhui is Denyse's friend, the disgust has been compounded.)
And then, Choir practice - and finally, a chance to greet, and pass my present to, the birthday girl. I'd have wanted to start the birthday song at the end of the session but Charis beat me to it by having it directly after warm-ups. Ah well, not all things can go as one person plans. Still, I had power over other things, and that's what matters.
On this last day of Capricorn's astrological reign, I felt great.
Praise for the miracle that was the whole of today; amen.
And (turning to you) - I didn't lie to you; I just got released from Choir an hour earlier than when I messaged you, so I finished my lot ot homework in between.
Singing off - no, wait, make that "signing off". I don't think my body can take it if I sing again today. I'll sing in my heart instead.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[8:50 PM]
Wednesday, January 17, 2007: THIS POST SHALL BE IN FRENCH.
(switch languages)
Encore, on est séparée, et pourquoi?
Mais elle est la meilleure, et moi, seulement une autre élève.
Elle me manque, et me manquera; ce qui sera, sera. Maintenant elle travaille à un nouvel Centre, à Ghim Moh, et je suis encore au Centre à Bishan. Je ne peux pas changer ça, et c'est tout.
Le changement est, parfois, cruel. (en tournant au Changement) Changement, dois-tu faire comme ça?
En ces moments, Changement, je te hais.
Je te hais.
Je te hais.
Bien sûr, je te haïrai encore, mais maintenant, je te hais.
JE TE HAIS, CHANGEMENT.
(switch languages)
Now, the verb "haïr" has a hard sound, so the expression is "je te hais" and not "je t'hais".
And now I'm signing off.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[9:15 PM]
Tuesday, January 16, 2007: An almost ordinarily random day
The class name was just decided.
And here it is (drumroll please...)
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It's 3I<3U.
NO; not "3I is less than 3U", but "3-I-love-you". I don't know how to get the heart shape upright. It's not too bad a name, I suppose, considering the other submissions (and their respective popularities, too). Updating profile soon to reflect this class name.
I am sad. (switch languages) Où êtes-vous, ma chère professeur? Dites vite, s'il vous plaît. Je m'inquiète de vous... (switch languages; turning back to readers in general) It's true, I worry. She was a great teacher, and now we're separated by the winds of change.
But I'm also happy - for my dear little brain-baby. Allow me please... (turning to it) Coo, coo, cootchie-cootchie-coo, goo-goo-ga-ga? (turning back to readers) Yes, I'm THAT happy for it.
All right, it's time to sign off. Cedarian duty calls.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[6:23 PM]
Saturday, January 06, 2007: A vierd, vacky and vile first week
That is how it's been, seriously. However, because it was more vile than weird and wacky, the alliteration is on "V"s and not "W"s.
Weird and Wacky: You weren't at practice on Friday although I saw you with your walking partner twice during recess. It's not like you - were you tied up?
Vile: This is going to be long.
Hey, you. (You're not the same as the one addressed above.)
Please don't banish [she whose name means "victory-bearer"] just yet. I'd really like to know the grounds for your accusation. Based on what she told me, she's not guilty enough to warrant an early send-off. I'd really like to know your side of it, what evidence you'd use to back up your case, and such. What if she didn't have a parents' letter, but a horde of witnesses instead? Please don't kill this mockingbird too soon, please.
Really, it was more vile than anything, and I made up my second (musical) composition based on the grief I felt.
I think I'll put in my memories of yesterday.
After Choir practice I decided to go to the train station with [she whose name means "victory-bearer"] and Rachel and one more - was she Steffi? - and we were chatting along the way. "Victory-bearer" then recounted the vile stuff as we rounded the bend. Really, I was angry, but I'm very glad that I very sanely kept my head.
Along the way we were loosely joined by Qixuan, Eunice and Dionne, who just happened to be on the opposite side of the road and who were also headed toward the station. I remember "Victory-bearer" following me through the fare gates and boarding the same train as Eunice and I. We had a good chat (fret not; she wasn't brainwashing me), even singing some carols at one point.
Thank you, "Victory-bearer", for accompanying me all the way to the North-South part of the NS-NE interchange.
No more details. I have a headache.
I was elected class PAL, and am currently on probation to see if I can keep the post. Nuts. I doubt I can, but I'll try. 3I's a nice class.
Singing off.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[4:31 PM]
Friday, December 29, 2006: Does it have to be this way?
Does my past always have to return to haunt me?
Hey, it's haunting me all right - in terms of my classes for next year.
Guess what my Cedar class is next year?
Or maybe I shan't let you guess. It's 3I.
Nice. Just look at what happens when I put the letter names of my Cedar classes for the four-year stay; I get - IPIP. Erm, hooray?
Break it up and you get "IP, IP". It's as if the thing is haunting and taunting me. IPPI; thanks so much, teachers, for reminding me. I wanted to put that phase behind me, all right?
By the way, why do we, as a cohort, have to be different?
Quoth an SMS conversation between me and my SL yesterday:
Me: [I'm in] 3I. It's not conventional, is it?
SL: Nope.
[...]
Me: It's weird; 3C, H and A are the trip-sci classes.
SL: Ya I know. Haha it doesn't matter.
Yes, Liz; it doesn't matter to you, but it does to me - a lot. Just know that it does.
Why do we have to differ from those before us?
And then, there's my French class.
Here's my response to the search results:
Class Name: I'm OK with any name.
Timing: OK, just fine. It's the normal time.
Days: Perfectly normal, normally perfect. What am I saying? They're the normal days, and they're perfect.
Classrooms: Why do we have to have two classrooms? Anyway, it's OK, I guess.
Teacher: HER again? NO ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Really, I'd have liked another teacher. My first teacher, in fact. However, be it thus; I'm still notched up against Leon, and we're now on equal ground again. It is time to truly rise up.
Oh, well - I guess I really have to try to make the best of it all. At least, in 3I, I won't be the sole Chorister anymore, with Rachel and Nandini around. However, I think the curse of the 2005-initiated cohort's P class has claimed another victim while releasing me from its grip.
And - guess what?
I've locked myself out of the E-Campus. Oh, this is great.
Signing off; I'm too frustrated to sing.
update at 5.15pm: I hacked my own account successfully! IPPI... now I think I'll send myself my new password.
Let's have tag replies to celebrate!
[21 Dec 06, 11:25] sak: it means lazy. sorry but i've taken to typing a mixture of malay and english in my blog
-> Wow - "malas" is Malay for "lazy"? OK.
[21 Dec 06, 22:31] Chinyu: lol i cant find you ahh. get another pic like maybe showing you & your friend only or smthng? haha (:
-> No can do, Chinyu - my no-uploads policy forbids it.
[22 Dec 06, 12:43] Chinyu: eh are you the one laughing or smthng one?
-> I don't intend to re-reply this here.
[22 Dec 06, 21:08] caroline: whee hee hee chanced upon your blog. hi. :D {she did a double tag}
-> Which Caroline are you? If you're the 2Purity Caroline, then - hi and feel free to browse! If you're my Immersion partner, (switch languages) salut! Bienvenue à mon journal en ligne!
[23 Dec 06, 22:49] # charis!: erm, u missed the greatest part though, u missed a lot. the part i wanted u to come and see, u left ))): [following tag] BOOO! )): [following tag] but can i invite you to church one day? (:
-> Lots to consider, Charis.
[24 Dec 06, 21:35] jazmine: hi penelope! its x'mas eve and heres wishing u a very merry x'mas ! cheers!
-> Though belated, I wish you the same - and a Happy 2007 too.
[25 Dec 06, 00:36] Chinyu: ah nvm bout it penny its alright :D {red} MERRY XMAS TO YOU :D
-> Thanks Chinyu! Merry belated Christmas and Happy 2007!
[25 Dec 06, 13:05] liyana! (:: MERRY CHRISTMAS PENELOPE! (:
-> You too Liyana - and Happy 2007! Start thinking about your subjects and how to score!
[25 Dec 06, 14:14] jiwei: heys merry christmas ! (:
-> Marry belated Christmas and Happy 2007!
[25 Dec 06, 19:13] # charis!: aiyahh! don't need consideration luhh! [: just for one dayy, take a look-see around?(: [following tag]by the way, merry christmas {red} ♥ [following tag] hope you can come on day! (:
-> Happy 2007. And yes, there's lots to consider. I'm not taking this invitation without taking Jean's.
[25 Dec 06, 20:40] CALL: haha im chinyu representing call, wishing you a merry xmas & continue supporting our blog~! heh (:
-> Sure thing Chinyu.
[25 Dec 06, 21:51] sak: joyeux noel, penny!
-> (switch languages) Toi aussi, Sak - et bonne année, mon amie!
(switch languages)
[27 Dec 06, 13:14] bubsnow: Merry Christmas :P
-> You too, Bubsnow, and Happy 2007! Remember the new route here, please!
[29 Dec 06, 16:27] sak: I checked our classes, we are in the same session but youre in F3B. different rooms for different days so you better go check.
-> I checked before posting this, but thank you for alerting me!
Singing off.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[4:12 PM]
Tuesday, December 26, 2006: O Hostia Salutaris...
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Fortuna Dies Natalis,
Fortuna Dies Natalis,
Fortuna Dies Natalis!
Haha, did I fool you into thinking that I'd be typing out the lyrics of Salut de la Veille des O? Why would I want to?
I sang that - as in the lyrics that I typed - yesterday. I bet, however, that I'll have messed up and come up with something that's not up to my usual standard. It's excusable in this case, because I'm not fluent in Latin anyway.
Aside from this song, my Christmas was pretty much an ordinary day, save for all the messages I got on my phone and the interesting SMS-chatter I got involved in.
I shall post some memorable lines from these SMS-chats. Please note that I may not remember all the details of each message. Also, all [square-bracketed] words were not in the original messages, but were put in to give a better understanding; arrows indicate my little 'reflections'.
Here goes ~ ~
Me: ... I'd like to wish one and all a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2007. :)
(countless replies later)
Yufan: Same to u! -yufan frm nepal
-> Wow - he went to Nepal? My. (turning to Yufan) Hey, how's life there? *sound echoing off the mountains*
(turning back to blog)
Pamela: Maybe you'll get to know [your class posting] on the first day at school?
Me (inadvertently):
Me: Sorry about the blank message - it was a slip-up. I sure hope so.
Pamela: Haha. OK.
-> I'd meant "I sure hope [we will get to know the postings on the first day]", but look how the message can get lost - now when I read it, it seems as if I've half-intended to send her a blank message. Nuts :(
Me: Yeah, so you pawned [practices] - for how much, eh?
Berenice: Priceless free time.
-> This one cracks me up.
That's all the memorable stuff there is from the SMS-chattering.
Shoutout: Charis! If you really want me to go then you'll have to follow my words. Save the Scorpio intensity for Choir, please.
I'll always remember Jean Tan, always, for she is a leader's essence personified.
For that same reason, I will remember Denyse and Wan Ping.
If they are stars, I am the astronomer.
I may not be, right now, but (switch languages) je serai, si je peux. Je crois que je peux.
(switch languages) Next year is the last chance.
Singing off.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[9:47 AM]
Sunday, December 24, 2006: Happy Birthday Li Miao!
Yes, indeed, Happy Birthday, fellow Chor1ster! May all your wishes come true - if not now, at least in the long run! Also... (switch languages) viens vite, mon Chor1ste! L'année scolaire commencera bientôt!
(switch languages) Heard of this Christmas carol?
Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
fa la la la la, la la la la;
'tis the season to be jolly,
fa la la la la, la la la la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
fa la la la la, la la la la;
Join the ancient Yuletime carol,
fa la la la la, la la la la.
Oh yes - donned we then our nice apparel.
I'm referring to my family and I; we just went for a stay at the Fullerton. It was a blast! The place is simply grand and cosy, and so was everything else about it. The clothes we wore were very fitting to the surroundings. Our stay was so great that Dad and Mom asked us to take them there in future. Sure I will.
However, I think I'd like most to book a room there and check in wearing the same outfit, but with someone else. :)
One more thing.
Dear style doctors,
You will be pleased to know that there is some change to my look. It may not seem obvious at first, but I think anyone can detect it at just one glance.
Please don't say that it's too minor; I won't shorten my school skirt, if you must know.
~Seraphine Chorister~
I wonder what Miss Chye and the Choristers will say if they happen to notice the change.
And yes, Annette, I shall answer when we meet again.
See you around; I'll be singing off.
~Seraphine Chorister~ sang in The Butterfly Garden
[4:52 PM]
