Wah, they are really very on...

Do we still enjoy performing mass dance? :P
Cheering? :D
Organizing/coordinating events? :D
Carrying furniture and canvassing and reading out morning announcements? :D
Running for elections? :D

Anyways, received another email from the organizers:

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From: "Council Reunion 2008"

Dear Friends

Thank you for your continued support towards the council reunion! As the date draws nearer, my team and I are excited, yet at the same time anxious, for the success of the event! As such, we have specially selected you to act as a batch representative to liaise with every batch, and hope that you are agreeable to it. Should you like to nominate another of your batchmates to take on this role, then do drop us an email to let us know.

Right now, we earnestly seek your help in contacting former council teachers and inviting them to the reunion. It would be great if you could invite them along, and at the same time email us their names and contact details so that we can add them to our contact list and keep them informed about the event.

We are currently encountering major difficulty in getting in touch with former teachers, so we're counting on you. Please do spare us 5 minutes of your time to reply this email with these contacts! The presence of teachers will certainly make a huge difference to the success of the reunion, so your help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you so much, and looking forward to meeting you at the reunion!

Regards

Glorijoy

32nd HCSC

Council Reunion Committee

www.councilreunion08.webs.com


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ps: Any volunteers? :P Anybody still in touch with the teachers? :P :D

Reunion '08 Updates for 4th April

Hi guys!

Below is an email from the organizers of the reunion (they want to find the choreographer for Speedy Gonzales :P ) Sorry for the any formatting that is lost in translation...

FYI.


From: Council Reunion 2008

Dear Former Councillors

Contents of this email:

1. Inviting YOU to perform!

2. Did YOU chereograph or compose any of the Hwa Chong dances or songs?

3. Ticket sales

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1. Inviting YOU to perform!

The committee has been working hard to plan an exciting programme for the council reunion. If you would like to perform, or nominate a fellow councillor to perform, please do get in touch with us! It could be a song/dance, stand-up comedy or a short sketch, a musical performance by a band you have set up... anything! We're counting on the enthusiasm of councillors to present a fantastic programme for everyone.

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2. Did YOU choreograph or compose any of the Hwa Chong dances or songs?

What's a reunion without a walk down memory lane? We hope to be able to track down the composers and choreographers of various songs, dances or cheers which have become part and parcel of the Hwa Chong school culture and council culture all these years. If you, or someone you might know, were involved in the composition or choreography of any of these, please let us know. It would be a great honour to have the creator of every song or dance to lead generations of councillors in what has become so integral to our council experience!

College Mass Dances:

I've Got My Mind Set On You

Beechwood

Together in Electric Dreams

Wild Wild West

Time of Your Life

Council Dance:

Speedy Gonzales

College Songs:

唱一首华初的歌

心旅

情真情深

也是深情

只为那爱我愿

当你孤单你会想起谁: [this was an adaptation from a commercial song, but we'd like to find who initiated it and added the extra lines]

细水长流: [commercial song]

Never Forget: This is a new [English!] song composed by a non-councillor, but the recent batches will sing and introduce it to everyone.

Council Songs:

黄城 [Official Council Song]

Council Cheer

Ai Bi Mai Bi

Makan cheer

If you remember any other mass dances or songs that were once upon a time part of the Hwa Chong college spirit, we welcome you to share them with us!

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3. Ticket sales

This is also a gentle reminder that tickets for the reunion are currently up for sale.

Details are as follows:

Date: 2nd August 2008

Time: Registration at 5:30; seating by 6:45pm

Venue: Hwa Chong Institution [College Section] Air Conditioned Multi-Purpose Hall

Ticket price: $50, student discount of $25 [applicable for current JC/university students]

Deadline: 31st May, 2008, midnight.

Do check out the FAQs for more information, and book tickets at http://www.councilreunion08.webs.com. If you encounter any problems, or have any questions, please do email us at councilreunion08@gmail.com for general enquiries, or at ticketing.councilreunion08@gmail.com for ticketing enquiries. We hope to have your enthusiastic support!

Current ticket sales [approximate]:

1st batch - 1 table

4th batch - 2 tables

7th batch - 3 tables

8th/9th batch - 2.5 tables

11th batch - 3 tables

19th batch - 2 tables

We're aiming for at least 1 table per batch, and there will be a prize for the greatest batch turnout from each decade. Will YOU be there?

In addition, the 34th Council invites all former councillors to the annual ELECO Campfire 2008 to celebrate the induction of the 35th Council. It will be held on Saturday, 5th April at 7:30pm at the Central Plaza of the College Section. We will be around should you have any questions!

The Council Reunion Working Committee

http://www.councilreunion08.webs.com

Reunion?

Hi, I hope you all get to read this, considering the current state of inactivity here. Anyway, I was told that there's going to be a reunion thing for HJC councillors. Wonder if you all will be interested? I know that 19th SC has formed a table. Details here:

http://www.freewebs.com/councilreunion08/index.htm

The Kite Runner

Read the book about a year ago.

Re-read about a couple of months ago before the launching of the movie on 31 Jan 08.


We were moved by the story. Still a good movie despite it has ommitted quite a significant amount of details from the book.

F.A.M.I.LY.

Juz finishing watching I NOT STUPID 2.

It is a good show despite some deliberate humor.

A couple of dialogues that somehow resonates within me.




"I was born in a violent environment..... I just don't know how to love"

"Your father loves you very much, he just don't know how to love u"

"complete the idiom, SENG1 DUO1....", Student replied " NI2 GU1 SHAO3"



Parenting...... tough job.

the singapore horse pull the pine

i think it is quite an achievement to be able to finish a marathon, i have dreamt of finishing the half-marathon since last year, and still dreaming.

what are your experiences?

Just a Note

Staying up till 2am in the morning for work is something that I have not done for quite a long while. Sometimes, you debate whether one should put in so much effort for something that you're getting a monthly salary for, it might be better to put such sacrifice into your own business. Anyway, I'm probably someone who's not that entreprenuernial (is that how you spell it??) and very much for me, it's trying to balance what I enjoy doing (not the staying up late part) as well as time with my family. It may sound terrible, but I think I'll probably not be able to cope very well if I have to face my 2 highly energetic boys for the entire day (i.e. if I stop working)... going to work in a way is less tiring as there's time of your own to do something other than change diapers(well, I must admit I stop doing that already with "outsourcing"). Of course as they grow older, I do worry about the fact that they probably are under some non-structured supervision in the daytime and to free the caregivers of time to do their own things, the 2 boys are probably left to watch quite a fair bit of TV or "play n their own"... that's the trade off.

Actually I wanted to write because it's coming a Year to Weiqiang's passing on and I was wondering if any of you are intending to visit (not sure if this is the right word....) I was thinking of the weekend, let's see....

Choices

It took a timely sms from KC to remind me that i've somewhat neglected Kopitiam. Am i glad that there're actually new posts from the last time i checked.
It's all about the choices we make isn't it? I don't know about the future, but for now we're steering clear of FDWs. Time and time again, we see kids running to their "aunties" instead of parents in times of need. Will we feel anything if that happens to us? And if we have someone employed to specifically look after the needs of our son round the clock, how do we still teach him self-reliance and independence? I saw a couple went through the emotional and physical turmoil of dealing with the problems their first 4 FDWs brought. All that effort could have gone into doing the things they wanted the FDW to do in the first place. So it's about the choice we make. The reality is that there's no such thing as a free-size T-shirt (it is of a certain fixed size!).
And i applaud Yeek/PP and Suuwei/Serene for having the courage and vision to choose the paths less travelled, the paths that you believe in. I'm still choosing.
So for us, part-time cleaners is the way to go for now... perhaps until i completely run out of time even to read new blog entries and poke friends on facebook.
Last but not least a few current pictures of Kieran, as requested by KC. As with all of your kids too i'm sure, he's quite a hard nut to crack at times but a mega bunch of joy as well.

Hi everyone, thought of just pop in to say HI and update everyone too! :)

Sze Ern is now 3.5 years old and is getting really interactive and it is great to see ideas & creativity sprouting from her now. She made all the smiley faces using the toy foods and started talking to her frens! Ha ha..;)

How are you now Shuhui? Guess you've settled down long time ago. Yes, I do believe in taking bold steps towards life to fulfil your dreams. You've our full blessings of course and we'll definitely meet again somewhere around the world I'm sure!

It is great to see many of us (Yingjie, Qiwei, Guohao, KhingChong, Guochuan...) getting into parenthood these 1-2 years, going through the challenges and enjoying the transformation in our lifestyle and thinking. We learnt alot about life from the kids, u know. But I guess three (kids) is the max no. for all of us huh? Well done Peisoon!

I've just said BYE BYE to my job of 9 years in MINDEF during the eve of my promotion in July this year (after fulfiling 8 years of obligations of course) to focus time more on family. Being a full-time daddy is really something I treasure nowadays. I guess I've realised that I should spend my precious 8am-6pm daytime time (incl. weekdays!) with people that matters to me most in life. Doing what we're doing now leaves us the freedom to choose many aspects in life now. I've to give many thanks to Ping Ping who chosen the right platform and direction for us 4 years ago. And actually it is Guo Hao who gives us the opening to find out more initially (thank you from the bottom of our hearts really!). To think I was the one who stubbornly resisted it 4 years ago, hee hee.

Anyway, now we've moved beyond common pursue for 'financial freedom' or even so-called 'retirement' lah. There's no meaning in such things. 'Retirement' is not the word so long as you always have choices in life and always hold on to your dreams. Doing things you love to do and most importantly doing for others to fulfil their needs or dreams in life is what makes you go on meaningfully in life I guess.

By the way, as an update, we're also attending the RCIA journey with Novena every Tuesday night till next year Easter, before we decide to confirm our faith. Thanks Mike!

Beyond our kids and families, I will also not forget we're (some of us) supposed to keep our dream of sailing out to the magnificent seas together one day in an awesome yacht, right?

Have Faith, stay healthy and keep your dreams alive. God Bless! ;)

Titleless Too

Yes yes yes...i have also succumbed to the need for domestic help, having tried to take care of dandan ourselves and realised that it's just too much a stretch. Being able to take care of the baby yourself is wonderful if you can afford the time and effort, but we realised that what can happen is also that by doing everything yourselves, the joy of parenthood may just be drowned out by the weariness.

So yes, we've joined the club - and become an employer of what they call the FDW (foreign domestic worker - sounds more professional than 'maid' right?). Catalyst is so right that a good FDW is just so hard to find, you are either very good at one thing and bad at another or vice versa. For us, we're actually finding it hard to get one that has genuine rapport with the baby. This is now our top priority, even over being perfect at keeping the house clean.

Anyway, we were hoping to have a baby get-together at globetrotters but in the end it was more of an adult get-together, which was good too, given that we've not hung out for a while. There was a suggestion to have a beach outing so the kids can run or crawl or sit or flip around, while the parents catch them...i mean catch up. Anybody on?

Titleless

It's been quite some time ago since I have last blogged. From the posts that I have seen, looks like it is the same for the rest as well. Just came back from MC for 2 days, although still not feeling well, but have to come to office to "show face" and also to "catch up" with the work.

Met up with Yeek and Ping ping recently. Apparently, they are enjoying their "retirement" days. Am glad that they have found a new life and enjoying it. I believe that not everyone has their passion and determination to make Amway for for them. Anyway, I have become their down line again, not for the financial freedom, but simply because Justin likes the chewy Vit C from Amway, so it is cheaper for us to buy as a Amway member.

Anyway, last 2 weeks were a little too much with 2 kids and myself being sick. Unfortunately, Xue'e is also travelling on biz trips. If not for our maid, i think our kids would have suffered the most. Somehow, I noticed that our maid has taken care of Justin and Darren quite well. I have to admit that I did not bother with the kids' medication at all for the past 3 days. She had handled it well, of course, under the instruction of Xue'e, I guess.

So, in short, I am a strong advocate for having domestic help. Sometimes, it is not easy to find a good help though. With two of us working, knowing that someone is there to look after the kids certainly helps to relieve some stress.

BTW, I have missed the one organised by YC at the globe trotters. Any updates on who turn up and pictures?

just to share these links:

http://www.mypaper.com.sg/inmyheartcontest_result.html

http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ecreator/sphopf/ep250807_opf_files/pg14-15b.html

hey kopitiamers, just realised changfu had some comments posted anonymously and they were awaiting moderation since few weeks ago. have since approved them so dun be surprised to see some that are back-dated.

Hello from Philly

Many thanks for all of you for your well-wishes. We thoroughly enjoyed the prata and the various informative advice given to us, such as shopping tips from our shopping expert LML.

I arrived in Philly on Tues night (Wed morning SG time). The weather here is surprisingly warm and I am really looking forward to a cooler weather. Spent lots of time walking around to get a better feel of the city and some parts of Philly remind me of NY.

I must say that this move to the US has certainly not been an easy decision for me. Many people have told me that I am courageous to take this path. But I always see it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I guess it isn't so much of a right or wrong move. Things can seem so wrong initially may turn out to be right in the long term and vice-versa. It's a decision that we have made so we will just have to make the best of it.

Will blog more as I settle down in the new city. So be prepared for more news in future from your friendly correspondent from Philly.

Of Hopes and Dreams

The prata meet-up on Sunday to bid bon voyage to Suu Wei and Serene, with XM, CF, QW, JJ, PS and the partners and kiddos in tow was great! It was a nice pleasant morning, especially when i am not an early person on weekends. But having the morning out to have teh halia, prata and reminiscing over the old times was not too bad after all!

Kudos to Suu Wei and Serene for being so brave to give up all they had to strike it out in the US. There are times when I feel the desire to change my job, move overseas but this only takes place in a 'Sliding Door' scenario or when i'm dreaming. I remembered that when i was in New York, i walked past a reputable PR Agency and i really stood outside its doors for a good 5 minutes and thought what it would feel to work inside. But these are only secret desires. Both CM and myself decided that there was too much at stake for us to let go of everything and just create a future out of the unknown.

Bravo, Suu Wei and Serene! Wishing you both the very very best. As with the title of our blog, CARPE DIEM!

Take care and keep in touch always!!