5A07 Last day. Nothing planned in advance, and quite a proportion of the class was cheering for the athletics team in Wanchai. But I still call today one of the most memorable school days ever.
No Tsui sir for morning roll call :(. But it was kind of exciting to see So sir holding our attendance record again and inspecting the list in his unique fashion, as if we were still in 4A. We didn't have actual lessons, but it was very refreshing listening to Mrs Tso and KKNg. Great teachers are indeed wonderful blessings.
And besides the serious stuff, I've come to cherish the silliest moments in school life - Pretending to be annoyed at Matthew's enormous drawings of you-know-what. Sorting M&Ms according to their colour. Messing up Moo's biology notes (sorry Angus I didn't intend for you to take the blame!). The benison-and-diamond talk with Spoon. Blowing water with everybody around me. Plus I actually smiled when Mrs Lee yelled "God bless you all" on top of her lungs. =P
(And though I didn't quite enjoy the very awkwardly-scheduled talk and the tuckshop food, I don't think they made the day less enjoyable in any way.)
I'll leave the sentimental bits for the graduation dinner on 12th June. For now, here's a song in response to what AK chose for his very special entry a few hours earlier - best wishes to you:
Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield "Reaching for something in the distance So close you can almost taste it Release your inhibitions Feel the rain on your skin No one else can feel it for you Only you can let it in No one else, no one else Can speak the words on your lips Drench yourself in words unspoken Live your life with arms wide open Today is where your book begins The rest is still unwritten..." =]
I believe that SPCC is the most competent and respectable opponent we have encountered in the Music Festival. I also believe, although I wasn't among the audience tonight, that they put up a brilliant performance in the SMC Chinese category and fully deserve their acclaim. However, it is most frustrating hear that the Diocesan choir was deprived of any award, being disqualified due to a slight violation of the festival rules.
The adjudicator made it clear in the score sheet that our choir's performance deserved official recognition. And from what I have heard, the adjudicator did make two phone calls to the association office requesting the officials responsible to bend the rules. However the association decided that it would ignore the adjudicators wishes and refused to even give our choir a single mark.
If the adjudicator had made the decision, I would not be questioning the disqualification. However, I do believe that it is completely inappropriate for the association to interfere in such a manner. Either the officials decided that the regulations had to be strictly adhered to even when the adjudicator thought otherwise. Or the association assistants at the competition simply decided to exercise their authority over the adjudicator and modify the results.
The question here is not whether an extra choir member should lead to the disqualification of the entire team. It is whether an overmastering body should be allowed to meddle with the decisions of the adjudicator. By taking part in a competition, every participant is making a pledge to acknowledge the adjudicator's authority. It is basic sportsmanship to respect the adjudicator's artistic decisions.
For what remains of a competition, when the adjudicator cannot make the final judgment regarding the results? What is the purpose of having an adjudicator when assistants who lack professional knowledge and proper conduct are allowed to irrationally veto his or her decisions? What do the results stand for if the association can adjust them because and just because the regulations entitle it to? I strongly feel that the association's decision is a sign of complete inflexibility and disrespect. Personally I am very dissatisfied by what has happened, and I believe that this incident should never, ever be allowed to repeat itself.
Based on my knowledge of the association, it is very unlikely that they will change their mind. And I do not think that it would be fair to other competitors if the competition were redone. Nor would it be right for our SMC to be granted an admission ticket to the choir finals as compensation of any sort, for they will rightfully compete for one on Wednesday.
All I wish is that no more adjudicators will suffer from such ridiculous treatment from the association. I also hope that all choirs, Diocesan or not, will not find themselves in a similar situation in future events.
What we want is fair competition and unaltered adjudications. What we
need is an organizing body which realizes what justice is all about.
And to our choir, I am confident that you will step forward in unity and overcome the obstacles that await.What doesn't defeat you only makes you stronger. I am fiercely proud of being a Diocesan because I know that the SMC strives for perfection in making music. Rise again and soar - I just can't wait for the good news on Wednesday =]
It's way past the season for the lion the witch and the wardrobe movie but I just felt like it. And somehow, for the first time in sixteen years, I feel like supporting the white witch so that it will be always winter and never christmas day in hong kong. While I'll never say that I'm not in the mood to celebrate, I just figured out that it would be nice to have a lengthened christmas holiday. If 22 Dec could last for two weeks or so (I hope I'm not talking in riddles) every student, especially us form fivers, would have much more time to work as well as relax.
But anyhow, have a very Merry Christmas =] ---
"You control the media now, and the world will never be the same"
The editors at Time decided to go with "You" for the person of the year. Quite an interesting choice. I spent yesterday afternoon reading the entire magazine from the first page to the last - something I last did when they made the "Time 100" issue (was that in May?). Web 2.0 is definitely amazing in the way it connects the dots of society and makes us live in a small, small world. Ten years ago only a handful envisioned the influence of Wikipedia or Facebook on our lives. Yet now with just a few clicks of the mouse we know what's going on in Istanbul or Reykjavik.
And while reading it I suddenly came up with the weird idea that my next door neighbour owns a blog which has ten thousand hits a day. He might be a Youtuber whose videos have been viewed by at least one person from each of the 193+ countries in the world. Or maybe he has a million friends on Myspace. Or perhaps he even owns a flourishing online business that everybody except me has heard about.
Most likely a figment of my imagination, but mind you - it's not entirely impossible!
Bible Reading 1st with 88 marks. =D Thanks to Miss Chow, Miss Chuk and Spoon. Definitely couldn't have managed such a result without their help. And to all Diocesans who still have events coming up, all the best!
p.s. I think we've found a new common characteristic among uylers: !!!UYLER SIU?? (VIVSIN)!!! scared. says: CONGRATZ! haha i won bible reading too, perhaps uylers are gd at that lol coz lilian won too !!!UYLER ctf*!!! says: hehe congrats!
--- Edit: Good news just keeps coming! Congrats to Byron and Vivien for two very successful public speaking performances - truly, truly wish I was there to witness them! And to Brian, who came 1st in Bible Reading as well, I'm glad we've proven that 13 is actually a lucky number ;)
