God's Blessings Required Here!

It's Day 9 of the SPM today. So far only one suspected leak.

My daughter will be sitting for her Biology paper in three minutes time.

According to my daughter, this is one interesting paper but difficult to score .

My daughter will need all of God's blessings and guidance to do well in this paper.

I pray that God will provide my daughter with wisdom, discernment,ability, capability and capacity and his goodness so that my daughter to do well in this paper to testify to the holy goodness of His adorable name and as our one true God.

Amen

Heartsong

The Format-Fixated and Silly Paper Called Moral Education!

It is Day 8 and today my daughter sat for this silly paper.

Apparently they have a standard format answer where answer quantity is more important than answer quality. Trust those unthinking chaps at the Examination Board. No wonder, their name will be down--graded to just an assessment authority!

Anyway, my daughter is so happy that it is over and done with.

Scarlett will certainly agree-Not lost in translation!

Heartsong

Day 7- Alchemist's Magic!

Amidst the hooha of the Additional Maths Paper 2 leakage, SPM students take on the magician's treasure chest. The magic of Merlin becomes today's science.

A paper not perceived as horrid as Additional Maths or Physics, Chemistry has its own followers. It piques the mind and curiosity kills the cat or should I say chemistry kills the cat.

I pray to the Lord Almighty to guide the mind and the heart of my daughter as she takes on this paper in 5 minutes' time. She is obviously looking or flipping through the exam question papers right now waiting for the signal to begin. Bless her, O Lord. Give here the calmness of the heart and the clarity of the mind to do well so that her performance can testify to Your continuing and sustaining goodness.

After all, it is written in the Scriptures. If God is for You, Who can be against You?

Heartsong

Day 6: Another Taikoh Paper

So the colossus is now behind us. Confronting my daughter today is the taikoh paper, Physics.

Not every one likes Physics. You must have some kind of affinity to it to excel.

So, you start to drum in the concepts of heat, temperature, movements, inertia and what not. Then you try to apply them to those questions,hoping to solve them in the manner it warrants.

Not for me, never really know what Physics is all about. For those who are good in Maths, Physics should be a breeze!

I pray that God will give my daughter wisdom and favour for today's Physics paper.

Heartsong

Day 5 : The Colossus Additional Maths!

Not until Cassius Clay came onto the scene was there someone who could put down Sonny(The Piston)Liston. And so it was with Additional Maths, a subject most feared by students.

Of course, there are many gifted child who could take on Additional Maths like Cassius Clay could. Many, however, would have to practise real hard to develop the skill to tackle this thorny subject.

Today, my daughter will be taking some 4.5 hours of grilling maths formula and applications around problems to be solved.

In prayer, I lift all her burdens to the Lord so that she will be able to perform well in this paper.

Heartsong

Rise of Voyeurism in Singapore

Just read that there is a rise of voyeurism in spanking-clean smut-free Singapore. Many citizens in this island republic are now using hand-phone cameras sneakingly to snap pictures of the nether regions of their female counterparts below stair-cases,on escalators and in other opportune vantage places. Very graphic pre-occupation,that I grant you!

Interestingly, those caught by the police have included professionals and teachers. Most do it apparently, for the excitement that it offers.

Well, such fun comes with a hefty price in punishment-prone Singapore.

I guess it is happening across the causeway as well. I wonder when it will become epidemic before the police starts taking drastic action to protect the morality of the fairer sex.

Heartsong

Passing On.......

It is sad. When you receive news of friends that have passed on. People you know personally;a breathing person of blood and flesh and bone. And then is no more. Ravaged by disease or down by a stroke or a heart attack.

To date; the following good friends have passed on:

Gloria Leong
Sarjani Manap
Johari Ibrahim
Suresh Maganlal

and now:

Harun Masri - of lung cancer two years ago.

Gloria passed on because of cancer and Johari and Sarjani all died from heart attacks.

Suresh, apparently died heartbroken after the demise of his wife. He sort of pined away...........


Sad to chronicled all these.

Heartsong

Captivating Kajol

After Aishwarya Rai, Kajol will be the most captivating actress on the the Indian silver screen. A sensational beauty with the looks of Emma Watson (Hermoine) and Alyssa Milano, this surreal Indian beauty will touch and melt any man's heart with her looks.

One thing, I noticed about Hindi movies. They are real teasers. They would not allow kissing on screen but they would permit the lips of the actor and actress to almost touch each other and yet, they would allow neck kissing in the most amorous way imaginable.

So it was when Sharukh Khan kissed Kajol wantonly on her beautiful,long neck! Just you imagine that! A crisis of values?

Kajol's beauty is eternal. That I must say.

Heartsong

Planet Terror!

A fantastic zombie movie by the master movie maker, Robert Rodriguez's of Sin City fame. It beats the hell of the Resident Evil series in terms of zombie action.

It's one whole hypermarket of dismembered men and women. Blood, gore, body parts, disemboweled bodies, brainless heads (brain was eaten) and whatever gore you can possibly imagine.

Rose McGowan put on helluva role as a one-legged go-go dancer armed with a bazooka-cum-machine gun gunning down the zombies with her artificial leg of an armoury.

Good and exciting movie, fast paced. You will love it if you fancy the Resident Evil series or House of the Dead computer games.

Heartsong

The Delightful Hairspay!

Hairspray is one flighty Broadway musical, whimsical and lovely to watch. Integrating America is the theme of this play and Hairspray certainly delivers! With finger snapping and foot-tapping punchy music and sheer dance-steps, this wholesome play may be late in coming in celluloid form but it will be enjoyed by those who are Broadway fanatics.For the others, the vast majority, the movie will pass them by.

Chubby teenager Tracy Turnblad will do anything to get on a local Baltimore dance show, defying her parents. She eventually made it on the rock 'n' roll progamme and became the hit of the city and won her man.

The dialogue is fun! Travolta was quite unpleasant to look at initially but he came right into the role after that when he moved on from those indoor ironing chores.Amanda was her pretty self getting meatier parts as the film rolled along.The lead was obviously Nikki Blonsky, portraying the chubby Tracy. FAT is beautiful and she conquered her man, to boot. Travolta, dances pretty well in his Jabba the Hutt get-up. Chris Walken was as usual, his wooden furniture self but Michelle Pffeifer,Queen Latifah and Zaf Efron did leave some impressions though.

Good movie to watch and to come away happy!

Heartsong

EST-Day 4

Today is Day 4 for my daughter as she sits for the English for Science and Technology paper in her SPM exams.

The paper will be over in 20 minutes time.

It is an easier paper compared to the English Paper.

Pray God's favour will be with my daughter for this paper.

There will be a break until Tuesday and then the war wagon starts rolling.

The juggernauts will be Additional Maths, Physics and Chemistry and followed by Moral. Tough times.

Again, I will pray for God's blessings, favour and grace to be upon my daughter as she faces these big boys.

Heartsong

Modern Maths on Day 3

It's Day 3 of the SPM.

According to my daughter, the History Paper II in the afternoon is one tough nut. A lot of unexpected questions. Anyway, we shall forget about it and leave it all on God's shoulder.

Today will see the beginning of the Maths papers. Modern Maths is a slightly easier version of its more difficult-to please elder brother, Additional Maths.

My prayers to God to see my daughter through. The papers should end at 12.30 pm. So the afternoon will be a quiet break and respite for my daughter.

Thursday is an off day. Time to catch up on the weaker subjects.

English for Science and Technology will follow on Friday.

Heartsong

The Foody's Down Memory Lane

There is no food like the one I once had in my little hamlet of a hometown.

Today, you can never find them and if they still do exist, the quality, aroma and flavour is no longer there. Commercialisation,profiteering and inflation has robbed these food of their optimal quality in taste. The ingredients used are sub-standard and too little to give you the climactic oohms and the ahhs of yesterday. Such gastronomic delights we had. Such were our joys of eating. They are no more.

To start with, I would like to talk about the 10 sen roti canai. The warong is situated on the other side of the river bank. The roti canai will be freshly made before your eyes, diced up into bite pieces and with rich dhall poured over in a generous dollop. Food nirvana, that's all I can say and write here. The satisfaction is fully gratifying and thoroughly wholesome. And all for a magical 10 sen!

Today, the warong is all gone. Development and urbanisation had reared their ugly heads. A row of double-storey shop-houses is in its place, lining up the new non-descript townscape.

Yesterday is no more. It resides only in your mind..............

Heartsong

Day 2 for SPM 2007

Today will see two more papers off for my daughter.

Bahasa Malaysia is already done with and out of mind.

She will be sitting for English (two papers)and History Paper II up to 4.30 pm. A real long day with a short 85 minutes break between morning and afternoon sessions. Lousy scheduling by the MOE.

My daughter has done her part for History. I pray the questions that come out in this written part will be palatable to her.

English is skill-based. Along with a good in-built vocabulary, one can master English. The two English papers today comprises directed and continuous essay writing and literature. There will be only 15 objective questions. So those who are deficient in English will be exposed at the SPM level. I know my daughter has developed some English skills though her vocabulary could have been better. Not a concern,though. Anyway, God willing ,all will be well.

I will pray to lift up all my burdens, concerns and worries to God as I believe my daughter has done her part diligently and God will continue to bless her favourably throughout this SPM season.

Amen.

Heartsong

A Critical Cross-road

Today is a critical cross-road for my daughter. The SPM has just started. The first papers are BM and History. It will last until December 4th.

I pray that God will show favour and guide my daughter and give her spiritual, mental, physical and emotional health and wisdom to do well in this examination.

The SPM is a make or break examination and will determine where she will go next. Will it be the Form 6 route? Or is college a viable option? Can she get into matriculation?

Questions,questions, questions.

We lift all these burden to God.

Heartsong