Pond Community!

The huge pot stood motionlessly and empty for such a long time since we moved back. My parents were more than ready to fill it. Let's start a pond community! That was their idea, and so eagerly they searched high and low for what they wanted.

The morning market sells miracles, I tell you. We now have four different kinds of floating plants skating on the surface, and already multiplying.


Then it was time to bring in the residents. Welcoming the new members of the family---GUPPIES!! Okay, and two more other species I know nothing about. Out of the fishy craze, we've been searching for websites on how to take care of them.


Right. Now they intend to take up guppy-breeding. "Just put the males and females together, right? Easy!" Ya, right. From what I see, it's anything but easy. Still it is fun to know more about guppies!

Did you know...

• Female guppies most likely is pregnant even if just a day after being with male guppies. That's quick.
• Baby fry should come spurting out after around four weeks!
• Apparently you can see the fry's eyes moving about after some time.
• They eat their fry.
• It is suggested that the fry be separated.
• Once pregnant, they can deliver FOUR times (even without a male present). That means 10 x 4= 40, with three females now, say 40 x 3 = 120, if all goes well.
• If you don't separate the fry before they mature, it'll be catastrophic!

Anyway, two are in a separate bowl of water at the moment. They should be expecting.

I don't know what to do when they really start multiplying uncontrollably like those horrific movies. I can vaguely imagine waking up one day and finding a tubful of fishes bubbling out from the pot like a fountain, but hopefully that's not anytime soon!

Tag: Add your own!

Tagged by Caely(Yes I'll do the tagXD)

Remove 1 Question Below,
And Add In Your Personal Question
To Make It A Total Of 20 question.
Then Tag 8 People In Your Links
List At The End Of The Post.
Notify Them In Their Chat Box
That He/She Has Been Tagged !

1.How Many Children Do You Want ?
Not something I've thought of. Hmm...three?

2.What Do You Want The Most Now?
What most Form 5 students would be wanting right now---ace SPM.

3.What Do You Want To Be When You Grop Up?
Author/Journalist. It isn't easy but still...

4.If You Can Have 1 More Dream Come True,What Would It Be?
Publish a bestseller...XD

5.What Are You Afraid To Lose Now ?
Friends and family

6.Do You Believe In Being In Love Forever ?
Well, it does happen, so 'yes'.

7.If You Meet Someone You Love, Would You Confess To Him/Her?
Not likely.

8.What Would You Do When Your Feeling Down And Depressed ?
Vent on my diary. Or slam on the piano.

9.What Are The Other Requirements For Your Other Half?
It always is the same question, is it not? Likes me for me, and I like him for him.

10.Which Type Of Person Do You Hate The Most?
Inconsiderate.

11.Do You Cherish Every Single Of Your Friendship ?
Every moment of them.

12.If you've just won a 2-week trip to Antartica(it's nothing like Alaska) would you like to go there?
Of course! Adventures are thrilling.

13.Do You Find It Necessary For You To Have A Boyfriend/Girlfriend ?
Definitely not. So please stop asking me whether I fancy someone and tell me I'm lying when I say no (That's to you, Mei Yee!)

14.What Do You Want Your Friends To Be Like ?
Themselves.

15.What Kind Of Friend Do You Hope To Be In Your Friend's Eye's?
Someone they'd go to when they need to feel better.

16.If You Can Have A Change, Which Part Of Your Character Would You Like To Change?
Does height count? Never mind. Open up my bottled feelings? Sometimes I realise I do keep aches to myself but it does seem safer. Or is it?

17.If Your Feeling Low One Day, Who Will You Go To ?
I'll look on my phone or MSN, find someone who has an idea what I'm going through, and choose someone who can make me feel better. No specific names (so some of you may have saved my day yet not know it). Otherwise, refer to Question 8.

18.Have you watch moonlight resonance(家好月圆)? Do you like it? ( from caely)
Sorry, caely, nope. Heard a lot of people talking about it, though.

19.Can You See What I Am Doing Now?
From the depths of my wandering mind and spirit (and crystal ball, just to make it authentic) I see you reading my blogpost. Is my third eye working?XD

20.How Many Times Does Your Handphone Drop ?
It depends how clumsy I get that week. If I am, about 1-2 times a week. Thank goodness for non clumsy weeks.

I choose not to tag. Not keen on it at the moment. And that's because trials have ended---in euphoria yet feeling so afraid of what is to come. Sigh.

Life of a Plant

In the depths of the trophy shaped flowerpot dwelled a seed. An oversized one, I must say, never knew what kind of plant it came from, but that is besides the point. Having promised I'd tell about my growing birthday gift, here goes nothing.

"Hi! So this was me when I was first handed to the birthday girl."

"It took me a few days to finally spurt into a new growth, but it was plain to see that my home would not be big enough."

"So I got transferred into a huge new home."

"As days passed by, I decided that it was time I started standing on my own. Out of my protective shell I came."

"With my leaves I stretched into the vast open. I am now what I am meant to be."

"Well, I guess the rest, you can say, is history. From this day, you'll see me climb in search of success, as high as my vines can take me."

"Maybe I'll touch the sky..."

Thank you once again, Wen Lian, for this amazing gift. It'll be safe with me, don't worry...!

Missing: Lady Luck

What is going on? Lady Luck must have forgotten about me this month...just when I really need her to be sitting by me!

To even mention the trials would be to make me squirm. Okay, so not all the exams make me want to knock my head into the wall now, but most were tormenting me with each page turned.

Imagine a hall full of students dripping with ice-cold sweat during BM, even more with jaws sinking as deep as the Titanic during History. Some were tough I must admit, but that's not the case. With time protesting against me, and my partial hynoptic state, I'm declaring panic mode.

Lately, lots of my things are disappearing---half of my treasured handphone keychain broke and rolled off to Alice's lair, I suppose. Really need a rabbit to fetch it out. Sobs. Possessions are falling out of my pocket, for some reason. Its making me feel increadibly uncomfortable even as I speak. Sobs.

Back to business. Lady Luck, where are you? Count on yourself, you say, but a little luck goes a long way. And I really need it!

Luck is what you have left over after you give 100 percent.

~Langston Coleman

Subtle Edge of the Moon

It says "中秋"

Thank goodness this years' Moon cake Festival falls on a Sunday. We get to go back to our hometown to celebrate it, though we weren't thrilled with the 'attendance', not that there was an agreement to begin with. The neighbours with their barbecue dinner left us envious.

There were so many mooncakes this year! What we really needed was more mouths.

As is our tradition, we would light the house porch with candles, letting each flame eat up the darkness of night with every flicker of its tongue. The moon glowed like nothing you've ever seen before, veiled by a misty linen shawl as white as magnolia.

See that moonshine down there? My Photoshop skills aren't good yet---It's up to Melissa to instruct me after the big battle.

Our pride and joy came from the candlelit heart we had worked on for so long. After all that painful toil, wax burns, that is, we stood to watch our masterpiece dancing across the surface of the ground.

Unfortunately we lacked lanterns this year, there were too few people around. Next year then, next year we'll make it as grand as what they are doing on the other side of the fence.

There's something silently wonderful about candles with their fiery top. The photos always turn out to be a beauty, at the right angles. Candle photos never go wrong. I like the one below, in particular.

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

~Buddha

The Shamrock Personality Test

What Your Shamrock Says About You

You are good at making decisions and getting things done. You don't procrastinate.

At times, people are put off by your ambition. You don't really take a lot of time to relax.

You don't really consider yourself a lucky person. In your view, people create their own luck.

You are creative, innovative, and complicated. You definitely have a unique spin on the world.

It's a little contradicting and ironic here and there. But I don't mind!!

On Taking English Literature

I simply cannot understand it.

Why do people presume that those taking 'English Literature' are Art Stream students? Do I sound like a robot talking in scientific chants or numbers? Why is it that many assume that all I want is an extra 'A'? Do I really need a reason?

"Why do you want to take English Literature?" We were asked a year ago.

"Because," I answered, "I want to?"

So maybe you're wondering what we learn for this subject. Basically, we have to analyse four different genres of literature--- poems, novel, short stories and a play. With every word written in the essay questions, our eyes were opened to different perspectives, our minds were taught to break free from the box that held us back.

For poems, we have three sets of themes with six poems each. We get to choose one set for the exam, either conflicts, perspectives of life or relationships. Of the few novels, we took 'Holes' by Louis Sachar. Several short stories we have to read, and we'll choose one for the exam as well. The play, 'An Inspector Calls' by J.B. Priestley, was the preferred and easier choice.

Is it tough, you say? Yes...and I'm afraid of what may happen in the exam hall...but I'm coping for the moment. Perhaps you would if I told you that one must memorise six poems and long lists of quotes for each work, finish four questions (with three sub questions) within two and a half hours (it's a very short time), and about 4 to 5 pages worth of answers for 12 mark questions (the highest mark per question). The biggest pinch? During the big battle, it falls on the same day as Chinese subject (one of my heavy subjects)! ARGH!

Yes. We had to practise and practise until our brains sizzled and arms hurt. Any mental blocks would frustrate you. Run dry of facts and you'll panic. Yes. I'm afraid.

Then again, I did expect this. Our tuition class of 6 students carried different personalities. I was the only one from Science Stream. Had I not picked up this subject, I suppose we would not have known each other on a normal basis. The conversations, wild antics and views of life, too, never fail to brighten my day as weeks came with us scribbling away frantically by the table.

"It's not like any of you here want to major in English. Most of you came just for the 'A'. Am I right? You? You?" This year we were asked.

The girl said nothing. The boy said nothing. Everyone either shone a guilty smile, or said nothing.

"You too, right, Rachael?" Again with the conventional Science Stream conception.

"Actually," I said, "I'm thinking of it."

Silence. For a while. Then the scribbles continued.

If time were to rewind itself, English Literature would still be on my list. As for the time constraints to which became a liability, I'm working on it. My advice? Don't be put off by your imaginations ---go for it if English Literature calls out to you.

If I couldn't fail...

1. I'd jump into the first plane and fly to the next country.

2. I'd spend less time worrying about examinations.

3. I'd take on the most wildest of challenges.

4. I'd go bungee jumping...!

5. I'd enter a reality show.Haha!! How does the Amazing Race sound like?

6. I'd spend more time planning reunions.

7. I'd take bigger risk and chances.

Trials started today(This is a scheduled post). Wish me luck!

Trials tension

Trials lurk at the corner, baring their merciless teeth, threatening to live off our souls. Here I am, limiting my visits to the cyberworld to once a week, for only last Thursday did it occur to me that trials begin next Monday!

If this does not jolt me into panic, I'm not sure what will.

For us infantry, this would be final military drill before the war; not something to be taken lightly either. Dragging our feet to school on Saturday meant one thing --- time to glance at the battlefield we would be breaking cold sweat in for the next three months. THREE MONTHS!

The few of us arranged the tables and chairs, cleansing off the dust that blanketed them since last years' turmoil. Seating ourselves down, the military governers went on and on about what to do and not to do during the exams, which is about the same few things you'd hear at any other times.

Endless preparations I have to bury myself into throughout September. Ooo...I'm officially in panic mode. My educational isolation commences today.

"War does not determine who is right - only who is left."

~Bertrand Russell

On Reaching the Crossroads

"What are you going to do after Form 5?"

Gulp. "Well... I'm still not that sure yet."

"Time passes fast, you know."

Yes, I know. Should I? Should I not? Every now and then, my mind wanders over the possibilities, playing back and forth like a broken record player. That crossroad, I will soon reach, and the end of it branches out to so many paths. Each breathe of the wind will only tell me that once the footstep is engraved, it is hard to turn back.

For one, I'm definitely not entering Form 6, being someone who is not too keen on the pressure of "very-important-exams" that people place too much emphasis on. Slash that off my list. ..immediately.

"So you're going to college?"

"Most probably." But even if I do, one path leads to another fork. What do I do?

Last year, there was an education fair at school, where we would glance at the options to pick from after leaving school. Being in the Science stream and yet inclined to writing and English, my heart ached when one of the representatives asked, "You're in Science Stream? But you want to take this?" And started a speech about careers in Science. To which a smile forcefully contorted on my face and my lips uttered that I wanted to walk around first, but never took a step back.

All the talks they held on accounting, biotechnology, engineering and actuary science specially, and only, for Science students left a number of us bored to tears. There was nothing beyond that. At least this years' education fair was not too bad, despite still being rather uncertain.

At least I can follow my heart. As long as I can live with it for the rest of my life, my parents said. And still confusion clouded my thoughts. Mass Comm seems rather interesting, and yet the English degree did seem like a dexterous choice, although the subjects are a little daunting. From another point of view, people remind me that it wouldn't be easy. O! Is it wrong to prefer something else from what I've first chosen out of indecision? It's not like I've missed out on a lot, or have I?

Teacher Jo from English Matters voiced her opinion on HELP or Taylor's. Both offer such degrees and hold high reputation. I suppose it'd most probably be one of these two colleges I'm entering. Just maybe.

English. Mass Comm. English. Mass Comm. Which one has better oppurtunities??

English. Journalism. English. Journalism. HELP or Taylors or somewhere else?

English. Journalism. English. Journalism. Australia or UK?

English. Mass Comm. English. Mass Comm. Need I a daisy to decide?

Most of my friends have their lives planned out. If not entirely, at least until 2010. Sigh.

"I still have some time to think it over."

"It won't be long before you finish your Form 5, you know."

"Yeah, I know."