Final tally for Prelims...

English
85.6 %-A1
Very very pleased with that grade...its the first time I managed to score so well for English, though I hope I can maintain for the 'o's.

Chemistry
63.3%-B4
Very disappionted, I was banking all on my Chem and it flopped so miserably. Definitely underperformed. I was quite horrified. Even Mrs Lim is surprised.

Physics
65.3%-B3
Better than chem, but still not good, I expected at least an A2.

Maths
93.9%-A1
Hmm...not bad, especially since I scored 98\100 for paper two, but as Mrs Koh says, cannot be complacent.

A Maths
75.0%-A1
Just made it...very risky. Must really buck up.

Geography
74.2%-A2
Just missed it...I wanted an A1. But at least I did get a distinction. Many failed this time.

History\SS
56.0%-C5
My worst failure. Can't forgive myself for not passing History. All along I've been cruising along at A1\A2, then suddenly BOOM! down to C5. Hiaxxx..

So thats it. Some subjects did better, like Maths and English, but the rest is all a big disappointment. If I got this kind of grades in 'O's, I'll never forgive myself...so must really work hard now.

L1R5 is 12, not low enough to enter VJC or AJC....so I dunno where I'm going for first three months.

But at least theres a consolation: so far I'm the highest in Geog and English in the level. That's some achievement, especially considering Zhonghua has some smart linguists like Naomi, Kathleen, Geena, Marialaura etc.

Namarie.

The honeymoon has ended.

Reality has just crash landed.

4 days of academic abandon, gaming and slacking ended with todays results.

Horrible day today. (Well, actually the day is the Lord's, so it can't be horrible....but you know what I meann..)

I barely managed to scrape a pass for Chemistry practical, all because of 1 stupid mistake that cost me 6 marks. Its too stupid to repeat here.

Then Physics was better, but overall still a low B3, coz my paper 2 section A pulled me down a lot.

1 bright spot though, English is good, got a 42\50 for Paper two, combined with my oral marks 36\40, and provided my Paper 1 clears, an A1 is possible.

Then in the evening, scared myself silly when I thought I lost my library book, then realised after 30 minutes that it was not stolen, just misplaced.

Physics practical today also hard, but maybe cause I'm in a bad mood.

2 more days to finish computer games and after that, no electronic entertainment till O levels.

"I am a Christian"
author unknown

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'"
I'm whispering "I was lost,"
Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but,
God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain,
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
who received God's good grace, somehow.


That pretty sums up what being a Christian means. Short and sweet, but very true, and sometimes we tend to forget. Need I say more?

Prelims are FINALLY over, but ended on a bad note. Todays A Maths was a killer. I'm making no speculations, but hopefully L1R5 will be below 13.

Tomorrows a holiday, not sure what to do yet. Darryl wanted to play pool, but no one else seems to agree but me. Think I'll just go swim. Or take Darryl one-on-one at pool again and thrash him (again).

I just realised we all only have 4 weeks left in Zhonghua. After that is "o" levels and then we go our separate ways already, maybe never to see each other again....

Then again, change is good. I'm looking forward to JC life and NS. Anyhow, Zhonghua is not that fantastic a place anymore.

Tata for now...

Okay, there's two more papers to go for Prelims, Maths and A maths Paper two. Today was Geography Paper 1, quite easy. I thought of going swimming once I reached home, but the rainclouds had other ideas. Thankfully, Rainie, oops, rainy season should be over soon.

I've started learning plucking on the guitar, picked up a few tips here and there over the weekend and decided trying it out. Its different from strumming where you concentrate on the fingering and the strumming becomes habitual. Plucking requires both your hands to coordinate, and follow the rythym as well. You use the thumb for the base strings (the first three metal ones) and the middle three fingers for each of the last three strings. Desmond told me, theres no fixed rule, its all about feeling.

Challenging, but i like challenges, so I blindfolded myself and tried.

Its working out well. I also discovered I can play complete songs, even those with basic bar chords like B minor, blindfolded and it sounds exactly the same as before...it all boils down to feeling the strings.

I guess this is how Chen Weilian learned guitar despite being blind.

After prelims, I am going to try writing a GP and conduct a survey on typical Singaporean behavior. It'll be interesting to see how Singaporeans view themselves.

I wonder if next year I should come back to BB as a premier officer. After 4 years of commitment, I don't feel like putting in another 2 more. But I'll miss BB for sure. I think many of my juniors want me to come back, though I can't guess why...my heart also tells me to go back, but maybe its time to move on...

My juniors seem to like me a lot, they keep asking me about this and that, so I think that I have gained a small measure of respect. Recently I was talking to my Sec 3 junior, and he told me this (names have been changed to protect identity):

"When you was the CSM hor, I everytime follow Robert, thought you were very harsh and bossy...now that I'm in the Council and a squad leader, I realise that actually you were working in our best interests and the Company's interest.....not like Robert, who didn't really care about us..."

That sentence brightened up my day. Perhaps all that work and hardship has not been in vain.

I'm sure a certain Mr Chew whould strongly disagree. To that Mr Chew, the next few paragraphs are for you.

If you think that I'm useless as a Boy and as a CSM, and that you could have done better than me, its okay. I rest my case. All this time you kept saying I was worthless, arrogant, bossy, doing a one man show. I'm not going to argue. I don't deny that when I started as CSM, I didn't really do a good job. Nor have things improved for 48th. But is it solely my fault? All this time you kept saying negative things about me. Have I ever retaliated and slandered you? No, I even told others about your good points. I reserved my comments to myself. Thing is, you know in Matthew Chapter 7 it talks about taking the plank out of your own eye before you attempt to clear other people's eye. It also says do not judge.

I don't know about you, but my conscience is clear. I did not judge you. I tried to correct my shortcomings with quite a bit of sucess. Have you?

Anyhow, Shao Yong, I want to thank you. Thank you for making my life miserable for the past two years, because it made me realise the true meaning of "The joy of the Lord is my strength."
Thank you for making things so hard and stressful for me until I started contemplating drastic measures every other day, because I learned to rely on God and not my own human strength....as it says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding". Thank you for looking down on me, because I realised the difference between friends and "friends".

Although I shuldn't be thanking you, I should be thanking God. Now I see why He let you into my life. It was not to make me miserable, but instead drew me closer to Him, to rely less on much-vaunted but fallible human strength and more on God. As the Scriptures say, God does all things for the good of those who love Him. I don't know where I'd be if Christ had not been there for me, to carry me when I was too weak to walk life's road.

Praise the Lord. Shao Yong, don't you think God is good? Surely He must have helped you in your life as well. Anyway, just to clarify, I'm not bitter or resentful about you. I've learned to look at the bigger picture. Oh and for your contributions to 48th, you have my thanks.

As Christian singer Don Moen likes to say:

GOD IS GOOD!!!!

ALL THE TIME!!!!

The prelims have come in full force...and so far its ok except for today's Physics paper which was a killer. English Paper 2 was interesting, about Tolkien...loved it...

Tomorrows Chemistry, and sure to be a killer.

Can't stay too long, my Mum's coming home anytime now.

Woah...its been a very good restful weekend...and i even got some work done...

Saturdays inaugurual service was very good, and the hall was filled all the way to the back. Quite a lot of newcomers and supporters from the adult's service..and I think most of us felt the Spirit's presence....It was really touching that day.

We had one salvation, but I'm sure there's more to come. Many visitors are coming back this saturday. There was this song that was really touching that day, a performance by auntie Jenny Carey and Lily. The chorus was very beautiful, the whole song went like this:

If I should stand or I should fall
You know me well, You see it all
My darkest nights, my deepest fears
I cry to You and You will hear

Chorus:
Boundless love Come carry me
To the place where I at last am free
Where I belong and You will be
Where all of You is all of me
Boundless love Come carry me

I will rest under Your wings
I find Your peace beneath the cross
Knowing You, my one desire
Take me now to where You are

Here we stand now in Your name
You've changed our hearts, we're not the same
Your love has captured all we are
Oh Lamb of God, sweet morning star

Ending refrain:
Where I belong and You will be
Where all of You is all of me
Boundless love Come carry me

...or thats what I remember. Now back to books, and for all my fellow brethren out there, may Boundless Love come carry you, through hope and fear, through darkness and sorrow and despair; through temptation, troubles, right through back to Him.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:38

So begins the 11 day break cum mugging period, and prelims are 12 days away. 12 only...so short, yet why do I still feel so lazy? Need to study, need to study, need to stt...zzzzzzz

Maybe what Mr Yeo said today holds water...sometimes its good to exercise a bit before studying. In any case, I must find something to motivate me or else I won't even bother to study.

Tomorrows Saturday at Seven already, where does the time go? I'm bringing Nigel along, pray that'll he likes it...

Happy mugging......