Wednesday, December 24, 2008

My Baptism Details

Hey guys! The church service is from 9.45 am to 12 pm...Take the lift or walk up to the 3rd floor and go into the main hall...Call me when u reach so i can usher you to your seats...If cannot, the front row centre block is for guests...Please be early...We're expecting a lot of people tmr! Merry Christmas eve!

On how to get to the church...Refer to my previous blog entry below...Thanks and cya!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Some cute YPL kids...


Above: That is Peter...He is like a mini-mafia boss...The way he talks and behaves...He commands NOT follows...Rough voice included...


Above: Thai gal called B...Why anyone would call himself/herself B is beyond me...But she's a hardworking and helpful student...


Above: My current fav student Jae Hyuk...Y? Cos he looks like a "gong-kia"...A bit cock-eyed and complete with bowl-over-head/coconut hair-cut...
Sorry to disappoint Chris, i din mean "cute" in that way...

Monday, December 15, 2008

Church Play

Dear students,

Hope you had a great time at the party...I know I did! Thanks for coming and being such wonderful guests! Photos on facebook!

On another note, the youth from my church will be putting up a play this Saturday (20th December) from 4pm to 7pm and sunday (21st December) from 7pm to 10pm and you are invited! Please let me know which day you can make it and I will make arrangements accordingly.

My church is called Bethesda Bedok Tampines Church (BBTC) and is located along Bedok North Avenue 3. You can visit the website at http://www.bbtc.com.sg/

As for how to get there, you can take the following buses: 18, 28, 66, 69, 168, 228, 506, TIBS 67.

The nearest MRT is Bedok but you will need to take a bus (66) from the bus interchange there.
Once again, if you are unsure of the bus route, please visit the SBS transit website (instructions and link given in previous blog post) posted below. From what i know, you can take bus 28 from Toa Payoh interchange and drop off at the stop called "Blk 403". From there you will see a grey modern-looking building at the opposite side of the road...That's my church! Alternatively, you could take a train to Bedok, take bus 66 from Bedok interchange (behind Bedok MRT station) and stop at the "BLK 403" stop (just 3 stops from the interchange).

As for the other buses, please check the SBS website yourselves...
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/transport/trpt_bus_timetable.aspx

I hope to see you all there...Details on my baptism and Christmas service (where my Dad will be speaking as well) will be up on the next post...Watch out for it!

Shaun

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Details of Christmas Party

Dear students, details of the party are as follows:

Date: 13th December 2008 (Sat)
Time: 7pm
Place: 20H East Coast Avenue (My Place!)

How to get there:
Buses: 13, 16, 31, 36, 43, 48, 55, 76, 135, 196, 197

If you look at the map/route information put up at bus-stops, you should notice a stop called "MANDARIN GDNS " OR "OPP MANDARIN GDNS ". Stop at either of these stops. "MANDARIN GDNS" is actually a very tall light blue condominium in the shape of waves. It is across the road from Victoria School (if you are coming from Bedok) and one stop away from Victoria Junior College (if you are coming from Toa Payoh or town).

Alternatively, the nearest MRT station is Bedok. Take bus 197 from Bedok interchange and drop off at "MANDARIN GDNS" bus stop.

If you are unsure of the bus routes, please visit this website:
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/transport/trpt_bus_timetable.aspx

Scroll down to "basic services", select a bus number and the route information for that bus should appear.

If you dropped off at the MANDARIN GDNS bus stop, you will need to cross the big road (please please cross carefully) and get to the other side. Once there you should see a light blue roofed 3-storey house with brown walls behind the bus-stop (opp MANDARIN GDNS). That is my house! However, because there is no gate in the back wall of my house, you will need to walk one round to get to the front gate. On the right-hand side of the bus-stop, you should see some construction work taking place over a large drain that is in the process of being covered up. Walk towards the drain and you should see a small sidewalk alongside the drain. Walk along it (quite long) till you reach a road. Then turn left and walk (short distance) till you see a two-storey kindergarten for kids. Turn left into the road with the kindergarten and walk all the way to the end of the road. Look for house number 20H and TADAA!!! Get ready to paarrrttyyy!!!!

If you get lost please give me a call on my handphone...See ya!

Teacher Shaun

Friday, November 28, 2008

So yesterday was supposed to be my last day at YPL..."Supposed" because they actually want me back for another 2 and a half weeks next month for half a day...I wasnt expecting it though the crustacean had warned me many a times before that a return was very likely...Guess i was looking foward to a month of rest and relaxation...Nonetheless, i am grateful cos i kinda need the $$, what with christmas coming and all...Also, i doubt i will be able to sit still after 3 days...
This year's batch of kids were generally much more cooperative and serious in their studies than the past 2 years...I realli enjoyed teaching most of them-save for the last 2 weeks when they completely switched off. But i guess i won't realli miss anything about this experience...I'm the sort of person who tries to maintain a professional distance such that there is a clear divide between my private and working life...Also, no matter what, work will be work and teaching there for hours on end is no laughing matter. Some of the kids also expect to be constantly entertained such that sometimes i feel like a circus clown rather than a teacher.

But i do like this batch of kids a lot and the working environment at YPL is great...The other teachers there are very supportive and helpful and i am very grateful to them for that. Anyways, here are some photos:












Monday, November 24, 2008

It feels good to be remembered and to know that you are in the thoughts of someone else...Thank you QL and Christine-My soulmate and best (BUT NOT ONLY) fren...

Saturday, November 15, 2008

More Spain Photos












All in all it was a gr8 trip though there was a lot of travelling...Some days we did nothing but sit on the bus till our butts hurt...But it was nice to juz get out of the country and spend time with the family...Needless to say, i love travelling...Gr8 form of escapism...No worries, no cares, no work...THat's the life...YEH!



Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Spain












Some photos i took while on the bus in Spain...Bus rides lasted 8 hours on some days but it was great to just look out of the window and see nothing but sky and vast expanses of land...










Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Stella's Birthday

Went to Kushinbo to celebrate Stel's birthday...Couples' nite out...Had a gr8 time...I think we all got along well...Was especially comical when Christine tried to eat dragonfruit with the skin still on...Furthermore, just a while before she popped the entire thing in her mouth, she had called me stupid 4 getting the fruit mixed up with beetroot...Well, at least i wasnt the one wondering why the fruit was so hard and chewy to eat...The girl also couldnt tell the difference between soba and sorbert...So stoooooopid! heh heh...Anyways, here are the photos:



Above: Cheryl and Erwin win the award for being the most kiasu couple hands down...Cheryl took 2 plates with about 10 crab legs each and 3 plates of dessert while Erwin would rush to the counter everytime the annoying Kushinbo theme song played to inform diners about some limited delicacy being offered to the 1st 25 customers...


Above: Stell and Cai both went for some kind of makeover...They look better though of course, still not as good as me and Chris...

Below: I'm pretty sure Cheryl was high on something last nite...Either then that, my charm, wit and humour must have really gotten to her...As a consolation to Erwin, who mite view me as a threat, Christine is quite smitten by your moles...I had to use my blow dart with tranquilizer-tipped arrow to get her to quieten down...Next time, i'm bringing my harpoon...


The end...

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Peppy passed away last night...

When i got home y'day afternoon, he still seemed ok...But by evening, he had begun crying and whining in pain...There was even a time when he started gasping for air and had a fit...That was when i knew it was time for him to go...Needless to say, it was all extremely painful to watch and i was pissed with my mum who wanted to wait till the next day so that he mite haf a chance to pass on naturally and because the fee would have been $100 cheaper...

The very frustrating thing was that she had not been around to hear him crying and whining and so did not really know the severity of the state that Peppy was in...I, on the other hand, was there the whole time...Had tried to convince her to change her mind but she just told me to leave him alone...Maybe i din make myself clear or din sound decisive enough (as she put it)...But there are some things in life where the signs and signals are clear enough and do not need any spelling out...

Long story short, by the time we all agreed to send him, it was about 9pm...So we had to bring Pep to the 24h clinic at Whitley road...By then, Peppy had foamed at the mouth, shitted in his blankie and was too weak to lift his head...I cradled him in my arms as my mum drove all the way down to the place...Then, i was more relieved than sad because i knew that his suffering and pain would be coming to an end soon...The misery of seeing a loved one suffer is indescribable and inexplicable...When we finally arrived at Jame's veterinarian, Peppy was half-dead...They placed him on a metal table and injected him with some sedatives to make him groggy...I have a strange feeling that "putting him to sleep" isn't at all the painless "die-in-your-sleep" ideal that most of us have...After that, the vet told us to wait outside while he injected Pep with the "poison"...When i next saw him again, he was lying motionless on the metal table with his eyes half open...I guess that's why i dun think he died "in his sleep" as he was supposed to...But i guess at least, it was a faster death than a natural one...

I din cry at all then...Like i said, i was more relieved than sad...But it was when i was about to sleep and all the thoughts and memories of him came flooding back that i started to cry...again...My parents told me not to let my emotions get the better of me but the truth is i don't think i do...And anyway, what's wrong with grieving? Besides, it's not like i've stopped eating or gg to work or am losing sleep...I dun know what they meant by that comment at all...And i'm sure they weep secretly when no one's around too...

For the most part, i'm ok when i'm working and not at home...I've been blessed with an excellent class that makes me laugh and feel good about myself...But it's really those times when i'm at home that i'm beginning to dread...Just looking at the spot where he used to sleep stirs up an inconsolable sadness in me...I've turned photo frames bearing his photos face down so i won't be reminded of him...But its the time before i sleep that is the worst...I start remembering his scruffy little face with big black eyes, his cute little black padded paws, him headbutting my thighs as i sayang him, him climbing all the way to the 3rd floor to look for me, him sniffing at my door to wake me up for breakfast, his nice unique smell etc. and the tears just keep coming...

I hope i get over his death quickly...I thot i would be ok and that his death would spell the end...But i guess i'm not that strong after all...This one's gonna bruise...

I will see you again someday baby...

Monday, July 21, 2008

Peppy 2






Today, i came home very ready to send Peppy to the vet to put him to sleep...I kinda hit saturation point emotionally and was honestly quite ready to move on...This was further fuelled by the knowledge that he had not eaten nor drank anything for about 2 whole days now...And as i was telling Charmaine (EL), i drew some comfort from the fact that Peppy kinda has dementia and can't seem to recognize any of us anymore...


Then, just as we were lifting him up to go, he started whining loudly and struggling violently to break free...Things which he had not done in a long while now...My mum then put him down and he immediately peed...I was and am convinced that he knew what was happening and was afraid...We got in the car with me cradling Peppy in my arms while he continued to struggle and cry...As i stroked him and tried to comfort him i really questioned if today was the day that he was meant to go...In fact i was quite sure it wasnt and began suggesting that maybe it would be a better idea to just let him be for a little while longer...I din want to take him b4 his time but my parents were adamant that we bring him tonite cos they din want him to suffer and like me, were eager to move on...


So herein lies the dilemma...Leave him and let him pass on naturally or put him out before things get even worse...At first i was quite certain about the latter option, but having gone through what i just did, i'm now even more sure that the former is better...It's a life we're talking about here, even if it's just a dog's. Furthermore, to us, he's family...Hence, the matter shouldn't be simply treated as a problem that should be resolved asap...


In the end, as we were reaching the clinic, i prayed for a miracle...And guess what? My mum went in and came out saying that the nurse had told her to return another day cos it was too crowded...I was dam happy to say the least...Peppy didnt want to go and God din want to take him yet too!


I guess at this point, i've pretty much accepted e fact that he would have to go someday and that that day is probably very soon but i've decided that i will NOT put him to sleep till it becomes very clear that he is ready...Even if it means feeling down for however long it takes...I will not be so selfish...It is after all, his life not mine...

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Peppy






As some of you already know, Peppy my pet dog and best fren of 17 years is very ill. His kidneys are failing (or have already failed) him and this is causing toxic built-ups of creatin (by-product of protein) and other by-products. Needless to say, i am absolutely heart-broken...It's very difficult watching a loved one suffer and degenerate and it pains me to see him in pain...It realli doesn't look good this time...When we got him back from the hospital on Monday, the vet said it would be downhill all the way and that it would only be a matter of days before we would have to bring him back to put him to sleep...I cried for a good 2 hours after that...
It's Sat. now and he's still alive though not in good condition...He hardly eats anything and drinks very little...There's a little part of me that's still secretly hoping for a miracle though everyone's telling me that the end is near...But i need this bit of hope to carry on...I knew it would happen someday but i realli din expect it to be so soon...I knew he was deteriorating fast even b4 we brot him to the vet but i thot he'd still have at least a couple of months left in him...I realli wish he would stay a while longer...

On another note, I know i'm supposed to organize the EL gathering, go on a hol with Char and gang, and mit up with other frens like ZQ, Army buds etc. but i am currently in no mood to so, sorry guys...

Monday, July 07, 2008

Friday, July 04, 2008

Char's Birthday


After returning from the church camp, my family celebrated Char's birthday...We went for a monkey-theme cos my sis likes monkeys...Bot her a stuffed toy monkey that reminded me of Curious George while my mum got her a card with a chimp on it...

In the afternoon, we went to Vivo to watch Get Smart...It was quite funny and entertaining despite its poor reviews and we all had a good laugh...Went to Marche for din after that..I forced Char to wear a bib...It was really quite cute...In fact, i wore the bib longer than she did after she had her photo taken...I m such a sport! Christine flatly refused to wear it though she was the messiest eater at the table...spilling her pasta everywhere...I had to wipe her mouth with the bib after dinner...