想当年。。。。
如果我学会机灵一点，我的"Chemicals and Us"就不会因为没注意时间而拿了零分。那我的CAP就会〉3.7分。说不定， 今年就会被允许， 作FYP。 又说不定， 可能会因此而考个second upper honours。 那我读masters和就业机会会大大的增加。。。
像当年。。。。
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
OH NO!!!
was just reading up on "non-impt" stuff. a big realisation came to me....
when i graduate, my student's pass will expire. then i'll move on to do my pre-registration.
but i cannot apply for Employment pass (foreign professionals) because my pay is not >$2,500
and i cannot apply for S pass (for mid-level skilled workers e.g. technicians) because my pay will not be >$1,800
which leaves me with work permit (pay not >$1,800, unskilled) and work permit (foreign domestic workers, the kind who cleans your house, cook for you, wash your toilet)
That means my pre-reg is no better than ...than...
Anybody wants to employ me to clean their house? *sob sob*
was just reading up on "non-impt" stuff. a big realisation came to me....
when i graduate, my student's pass will expire. then i'll move on to do my pre-registration.
but i cannot apply for Employment pass (foreign professionals) because my pay is not >$2,500
and i cannot apply for S pass (for mid-level skilled workers e.g. technicians) because my pay will not be >$1,800
which leaves me with work permit (pay not >$1,800, unskilled) and work permit (foreign domestic workers, the kind who cleans your house, cook for you, wash your toilet)
That means my pre-reg is no better than ...than...
Anybody wants to employ me to clean their house? *sob sob*
Friday, November 24, 2006
The first time a man looks at an advertisement, he does not see it.
The second time he does not notice it.
The third time he is conscious of its existence.
The fourth time he faintly remembers having seen it before.
The fifth time he reads it.
The sixth time he turns up his nose at it.
The seventh time he reads it through and says, "Oh brother."
The eighth time he says, "Here's that confounded thing again."
The ninth time he wonders if it amounts to anything.
The tenth time he thinks he will ask his neighbour if he has tried it.
The eleventh time he wonders how the advertiser makes it pay.
The twelfth time he thinks perhaps it may be worth something.
The thirteenth time he thinks it must be a good thing.
The fourteenth time he remembers he has wanted it for a long time.
The fifteenth time he is tantalized because he cannot afford to buy it.
The sixteenth time he thinks he will buy it some day.
The seventeenth time he makes a memorandum of it.
The eighteenth time he swears at his poverty.
The 19th time he counts his money carefully.
The twentieth time he sees it he buys it, or instructs his wife to do so.
The second time he does not notice it.
The third time he is conscious of its existence.
The fourth time he faintly remembers having seen it before.
The fifth time he reads it.
The sixth time he turns up his nose at it.
The seventh time he reads it through and says, "Oh brother."
The eighth time he says, "Here's that confounded thing again."
The ninth time he wonders if it amounts to anything.
The tenth time he thinks he will ask his neighbour if he has tried it.
The eleventh time he wonders how the advertiser makes it pay.
The twelfth time he thinks perhaps it may be worth something.
The thirteenth time he thinks it must be a good thing.
The fourteenth time he remembers he has wanted it for a long time.
The fifteenth time he is tantalized because he cannot afford to buy it.
The sixteenth time he thinks he will buy it some day.
The seventeenth time he makes a memorandum of it.
The eighteenth time he swears at his poverty.
The 19th time he counts his money carefully.
The twentieth time he sees it he buys it, or instructs his wife to do so.
You Think Gas is Expensive at $3 a Gallon?
Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ....... $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ..... $9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 ..............$10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ........$10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ...........$33.60 per gallon
Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ...........$178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 ..........$123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ..................$25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 ..................$84.48 per gallon
Evian water 9 oz for $1.49 .......$21.19 per gallon.
So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, or worse, Nyquil!
Diet Snapple 16 oz $1.29 ....... $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16 oz $1.19 ..... $9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 ..............$10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16 oz $1.25 ........$10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12 oz $3.15 ...........$33.60 per gallon
Vick's Nyquil 6 oz $8.35 ...........$178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4 oz $3.85 ..........$123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7 oz $1.39 ..................$25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5 oz $0.99 ..................$84.48 per gallon
Evian water 9 oz for $1.49 .......$21.19 per gallon.
So, the next time you're at the pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water, or worse, Nyquil!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
felt the effects of taking 7 modules in a semester. it really feels like dying.
i tot giving myself one day to write each section of my urops report was sufficient. unfortunately, i was wrong. there's still so much to do after writing. most of the graphs and results which i tot i had already standarised, had to be changed. re-titled, font size changed, boldened, and re-pasted into the report. and i had 30 graphs (13 pages) in the appendix. each in different files. there are lots to learn from this. advice to all my classmates who are doing final year project:
1) establish a systematic way of name your results EARLY, foresee the required fields eg not only conc and parameter measured, need volume used, need temperature, batch of chemical used (stock solutions that you prepared).
2) tables and graphs, title properly, with the report in mind, consolidate them in a single file or folder. make sure the values are dynamic. otherwise when you decide to "not show" some results (you have 12 sets, you only want 3 but not in running order), then the graphs will update themselves.
3) finish report at least one week before the deadline so your prof can read and comment/edit. chances are, the report is totally not inline with report-writing-grammar, then you have to re-write. and you have to re-phrase to prevent copyright infringements.
4) record or write down everything the prof discussed with you, be it in full or in notes. you'll need the exact words. especially when you're in a rush and you can't remember what the prof said during your first meeting.
must thank God for giving such a nice supervisor. after i handed in my report on the deadline, she read it overnight, and gave a a 5-page word doc on how and where to improve my report on. of course i know that i'll be graded on my first submission. but she actually bothered. so i spend a few sleepless nights doing my urops, my game theory, my marketing report.
then i fell sick. was preparing for my urops oral presentation on wed, the in afternoon i had to present for DI lecture. i finished the ppt only at 12am wed. so didn't have the chance to print the ppt. then i went early to sci co-op to print it, the guy before me too 15 mins then printed until there was no more ink. so the printer was out of order. then i went to CBLC. but the queue for printers was long, the queue for release of print jobs was even longer. didn't get to eat breakfast either because the queue was so long. i was so stressed and frustrated that i almost wanted to break down and cry, i forgot to ask where the presentation venue was. despair!
thank goodness to the someone who accompanied me and took all my frustrated vents. i reached my prof's office just as she was leaving and dialling my hp number. was very nervous during the presentation, even the examiner had to tell me to calm down. so i paused and carried on. couldn't handle the quesitons they asked, because i didn't and couldn't do the MS part of my experiment. only grad students can undergo the training to use it. and class didn't really go into the practical concerns, Dr Bong, one of my examiners too, taught it and only said we had to understand the principle.
only only consolation was that the new prof was interested to take me when i'm doing my FYP, unfortunately, i am underqualified. haha. my CAP doesn't allow me to do FYP, and it's too late, i'm not a year 3 student.
they encouraged me to do grad studies? should i?
i tot giving myself one day to write each section of my urops report was sufficient. unfortunately, i was wrong. there's still so much to do after writing. most of the graphs and results which i tot i had already standarised, had to be changed. re-titled, font size changed, boldened, and re-pasted into the report. and i had 30 graphs (13 pages) in the appendix. each in different files. there are lots to learn from this. advice to all my classmates who are doing final year project:
1) establish a systematic way of name your results EARLY, foresee the required fields eg not only conc and parameter measured, need volume used, need temperature, batch of chemical used (stock solutions that you prepared).
2) tables and graphs, title properly, with the report in mind, consolidate them in a single file or folder. make sure the values are dynamic. otherwise when you decide to "not show" some results (you have 12 sets, you only want 3 but not in running order), then the graphs will update themselves.
3) finish report at least one week before the deadline so your prof can read and comment/edit. chances are, the report is totally not inline with report-writing-grammar, then you have to re-write. and you have to re-phrase to prevent copyright infringements.
4) record or write down everything the prof discussed with you, be it in full or in notes. you'll need the exact words. especially when you're in a rush and you can't remember what the prof said during your first meeting.
must thank God for giving such a nice supervisor. after i handed in my report on the deadline, she read it overnight, and gave a a 5-page word doc on how and where to improve my report on. of course i know that i'll be graded on my first submission. but she actually bothered. so i spend a few sleepless nights doing my urops, my game theory, my marketing report.
then i fell sick. was preparing for my urops oral presentation on wed, the in afternoon i had to present for DI lecture. i finished the ppt only at 12am wed. so didn't have the chance to print the ppt. then i went early to sci co-op to print it, the guy before me too 15 mins then printed until there was no more ink. so the printer was out of order. then i went to CBLC. but the queue for printers was long, the queue for release of print jobs was even longer. didn't get to eat breakfast either because the queue was so long. i was so stressed and frustrated that i almost wanted to break down and cry, i forgot to ask where the presentation venue was. despair!
thank goodness to the someone who accompanied me and took all my frustrated vents. i reached my prof's office just as she was leaving and dialling my hp number. was very nervous during the presentation, even the examiner had to tell me to calm down. so i paused and carried on. couldn't handle the quesitons they asked, because i didn't and couldn't do the MS part of my experiment. only grad students can undergo the training to use it. and class didn't really go into the practical concerns, Dr Bong, one of my examiners too, taught it and only said we had to understand the principle.
only only consolation was that the new prof was interested to take me when i'm doing my FYP, unfortunately, i am underqualified. haha. my CAP doesn't allow me to do FYP, and it's too late, i'm not a year 3 student.
they encouraged me to do grad studies? should i?
Friday, October 20, 2006
Was back to my wed class. found out that they're all working in a shipping company and the company offers great welfare/bonding activities, hence these sponsored salsa lessons.
my hour of peril came when I was informed that Justin was not around to teach them "intermediate" class. All the instructors around were highly against allowing them to merge with the normal intermediate class. SO....................... i decided to teach, some basic steps.
Found out that justin has been teaching them combing techniques. it was until later that it's VERY wise of him to do that. Thinking that the class did very well in basic class, i went on to teach CBLT, with the agenda of teaching variations using CBLT. But, 30 mins into the class i realised that no one could really grasp the step. and it's very pointless to teach variations for that. so i modified my "syllabus" to the first 8 only, that being a simple turn hammerlock.
considerably simple. but i didn't have the foresight to realise that to get out of that, i was going to do a back-break and double hand comb. if the class didn't get the CBLT, it was worse with the back break, simply because i haven't covered third hand hold with them. and because, they were all not concentrating anymore.
Later, i realised that everything went wrong the moment they shut off. the reason why they did so well in basic was because i still had their attention then. Finally, i pulled out my last card: end the agony. not only the students' but also mine. the students cannot understand how to do the steps, i cannot really explain the steps without taking a much longer time. looking back, i could have plunged into that. but the chances are, my class would be very confused and be further put off.
Later, justin's advice, in such situations is, to calm down, collect all their attention, and say, let's do it together...most importantly, read their minds. whether they are just tired, or they are still very willing to learn, but you are not teaching to them the way they want.
Wed's lesson taugt me that, being a good instructor also requires you to have psychic abilities. and then, be bothered enough to attend to their needs and wants. doesn't help if you understand them, but can't be bothered. imagine:
student: "man, i really can't catch this step"
Instructor: "oh really? you'll just have to practise more later, now i have to complete my class"
But of course, there are no such instructors.
my hour of peril came when I was informed that Justin was not around to teach them "intermediate" class. All the instructors around were highly against allowing them to merge with the normal intermediate class. SO....................... i decided to teach, some basic steps.
Found out that justin has been teaching them combing techniques. it was until later that it's VERY wise of him to do that. Thinking that the class did very well in basic class, i went on to teach CBLT, with the agenda of teaching variations using CBLT. But, 30 mins into the class i realised that no one could really grasp the step. and it's very pointless to teach variations for that. so i modified my "syllabus" to the first 8 only, that being a simple turn hammerlock.
considerably simple. but i didn't have the foresight to realise that to get out of that, i was going to do a back-break and double hand comb. if the class didn't get the CBLT, it was worse with the back break, simply because i haven't covered third hand hold with them. and because, they were all not concentrating anymore.
Later, i realised that everything went wrong the moment they shut off. the reason why they did so well in basic was because i still had their attention then. Finally, i pulled out my last card: end the agony. not only the students' but also mine. the students cannot understand how to do the steps, i cannot really explain the steps without taking a much longer time. looking back, i could have plunged into that. but the chances are, my class would be very confused and be further put off.
Later, justin's advice, in such situations is, to calm down, collect all their attention, and say, let's do it together...most importantly, read their minds. whether they are just tired, or they are still very willing to learn, but you are not teaching to them the way they want.
Wed's lesson taugt me that, being a good instructor also requires you to have psychic abilities. and then, be bothered enough to attend to their needs and wants. doesn't help if you understand them, but can't be bothered. imagine:
student: "man, i really can't catch this step"
Instructor: "oh really? you'll just have to practise more later, now i have to complete my class"
But of course, there are no such instructors.
Yesterday, while waiting for a briefing to start, i got stung by an insect. I don't know what insect it is because when it flew away i was more affected by the pain on my third finger than to pay attention to its fleeting escape.
within the next 1 hour, my finger swelled, then the palm, then the other 2 fingers beside it. then the joints started to swell, giving me knobby fingers. as i didn't have any anti-histamines with me, i went to the university health care. Note that my hand was numb and swollen to the point that i can't flex it.
guess how the wellness centre treated me.
The same, okay, take a number (before that i waited a long while cuz the nurse was attending to a clueless grad foreign student). took a number, somehow, the numbers didn't jump very fast to mine. it was the same as normal. i happen to be at the wellness centre on monday too because the haze was affecting my arm, nose and eyes. it took 30 mins eventhough i had 40 numbers between the currently served and my queue number.
yesterday, it took 30 mins too, though only 10 queue numbers were before me. Somebody was saying maybe i should say i cannot breathe or something...oh well.
my hand is still swollen, itchy and the joints are painful. am quite okay with the whole experience, at least next time when someone walks into my pharmacy with an insect sting, i can understand how they feel.
within the next 1 hour, my finger swelled, then the palm, then the other 2 fingers beside it. then the joints started to swell, giving me knobby fingers. as i didn't have any anti-histamines with me, i went to the university health care. Note that my hand was numb and swollen to the point that i can't flex it.
guess how the wellness centre treated me.
The same, okay, take a number (before that i waited a long while cuz the nurse was attending to a clueless grad foreign student). took a number, somehow, the numbers didn't jump very fast to mine. it was the same as normal. i happen to be at the wellness centre on monday too because the haze was affecting my arm, nose and eyes. it took 30 mins eventhough i had 40 numbers between the currently served and my queue number.
yesterday, it took 30 mins too, though only 10 queue numbers were before me. Somebody was saying maybe i should say i cannot breathe or something...oh well.
my hand is still swollen, itchy and the joints are painful. am quite okay with the whole experience, at least next time when someone walks into my pharmacy with an insect sting, i can understand how they feel.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Since last week, wednesdays at Xenbar have been swarmed with a new/big group of corporate employees. must thank Christina (i hope i got it right) for advertising Xenbar to them. Now Wednesdays are back to the way they were. I sincerely hope that after they finish the package that they signed up for, they will stay on.
Was shocked when i saw the first few people walk into Xenbar. then Wee beng said there'll be alot more, and i'm supposed to teach them. the co-incidence was, i actually wanted to give up the class that day because of another event. At the last minute, i decided to teach the lesson, end on time and rush back. but boy was i wrong. the lesson that day ended at 8.30pm. Thanks to Kyo for allowing me to go overtime "a bit".
It's good and bad to have such a big, chattery group. They know each other, it makes the whole environment fun. of course, they were much less serious about the lesson than all my other students because this is their chance to wind down, let down their hair and enjoy.
After teaching for a little more than 6 months, i realise that "following the slowest" actually holds truth. but i don't think it should be a hard and fast guide. sometimes, you have to entertain and take care of the majority too. At times when there is a great disparity of salsa background in the class, i tend to get very stressed thinking how to entertain the majority, while i coach the slowest. I used to stick to the slowest, because basic class is for the beginners, and if i don't entertain the majority, at least one person in class benefited. Now, i think it is still a good approach. However, for this group, i went with the majority because they've attended only one previous class, so the beginners have less to catch up with.
Owing to the large group of beginners, i started on Simple turn at only 8.10. at which my lesson was supposed to be over. I think time had to be spent on explaining. Explaining to them why we are spending so much time on basics. All the time, i kept telling myself, these people are probably smarter than me, so never undermine their intelligence by going too slow. much time was also spent on calming the class. As with most groups, there is always a clown, the attention seeker. While i tried to push the class through my agenda, i had to bear special consideration not to spoil anybody's fun.
For some twisted, co-incidence, i couldn't find the mic that day, and i still couldn't find it this week. Am i lucky i only have to teach for one hour? there must be a better way to capture their attention. Is it because they don't respect me enough? Besides being the boss, what is it about Justin that makes them all quiten down and listen?
Last but not least, i have to thank Natalie and Ivy for helping me in the class. Without them, i'll have to go to Shaolin and learn the art of splitting myself into 2. And especially to Natalie, she saw the areas that i didn't cover, the info that the students needed, and helped me emphasize them. Am very gratefully to the both of them.
Was shocked when i saw the first few people walk into Xenbar. then Wee beng said there'll be alot more, and i'm supposed to teach them. the co-incidence was, i actually wanted to give up the class that day because of another event. At the last minute, i decided to teach the lesson, end on time and rush back. but boy was i wrong. the lesson that day ended at 8.30pm. Thanks to Kyo for allowing me to go overtime "a bit".
It's good and bad to have such a big, chattery group. They know each other, it makes the whole environment fun. of course, they were much less serious about the lesson than all my other students because this is their chance to wind down, let down their hair and enjoy.
After teaching for a little more than 6 months, i realise that "following the slowest" actually holds truth. but i don't think it should be a hard and fast guide. sometimes, you have to entertain and take care of the majority too. At times when there is a great disparity of salsa background in the class, i tend to get very stressed thinking how to entertain the majority, while i coach the slowest. I used to stick to the slowest, because basic class is for the beginners, and if i don't entertain the majority, at least one person in class benefited. Now, i think it is still a good approach. However, for this group, i went with the majority because they've attended only one previous class, so the beginners have less to catch up with.
Owing to the large group of beginners, i started on Simple turn at only 8.10. at which my lesson was supposed to be over. I think time had to be spent on explaining. Explaining to them why we are spending so much time on basics. All the time, i kept telling myself, these people are probably smarter than me, so never undermine their intelligence by going too slow. much time was also spent on calming the class. As with most groups, there is always a clown, the attention seeker. While i tried to push the class through my agenda, i had to bear special consideration not to spoil anybody's fun.
For some twisted, co-incidence, i couldn't find the mic that day, and i still couldn't find it this week. Am i lucky i only have to teach for one hour? there must be a better way to capture their attention. Is it because they don't respect me enough? Besides being the boss, what is it about Justin that makes them all quiten down and listen?
Last but not least, i have to thank Natalie and Ivy for helping me in the class. Without them, i'll have to go to Shaolin and learn the art of splitting myself into 2. And especially to Natalie, she saw the areas that i didn't cover, the info that the students needed, and helped me emphasize them. Am very gratefully to the both of them.
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