ctf's Xanga

Friday, March 16, 2007

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:15:39 GMT

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..."
=]

Monday, March 12, 2007

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 15:49:00 GMT

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 =]

Friday, December 22, 2006

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 00:52:39 GMT

what narnia would have been like source

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!

Monday, November 27, 2006

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:54:11 GMT

Irresistible. And absolutely much more fascinating than Sound an Alarm =P

Friday, November 24, 2006

Fri, 24 Nov 2006 15:16:05 GMT

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 ;)

Monday, November 06, 2006

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 13:55:26 GMT

I'm very thankful that the canstall committee refused to let mooncake enlist my help yesterday. Helping at the canstall is much more interesting and worthwhile.

Arrived at school at 8am with my printer and was very surprised to see that canstall t-shirts which are sponsored by Chickeeduck. I've always loved Chickeeduck t-shirts but due to their size restrictions I haven't worn one for perhaps 6 years. I put on a black one and somehow felt rather na?vely excited as if I were going to play in a sandpit.

I was stationed in SR5 throughout the day, editing photos with Photoshop for my first time and printing them on my very slow printer, as well as counting coupons with moo. I also spent a great deal of time blowing (since our pump didn't quite work) about 150 canstall balloons. It was quite a tiring task and I'm not very thrilled about missing the sight of the stall front bustling with enthusiastic NDS and z610 aspiring owners. Still, I'm not complaining because I had air conditioning, was sheltered from intense heat and the whomping willow. Right, ak?

The photographers filled me on how the stall was doing in every time they brought in new orders. And while working on the laptop I could hear Chris enthusiastically rallying visitors, as well as the frequent rounds of applause signaling that a tall tower of cans were won. Unable to resist my urge to go outside, I did catch a glimpse of the stall from the corridor, but not for long.

Luckily I did go to the stall front in time to witness the headmaster win the jackpot in hit fourth attempt using a hula hoop (some people say that it's his first jackpot in his tenure? And there every 5A-er was working very devotedly despite being drenched in sweat, having cracked voices and sunburnt faces. Not resting until the last visitor left. I eventually joined in the hoop collecting for a while. It was very exhausting (plus I've always had a reputation for slow reaction times...), but I'm glad I gave it a try because it helps me appreciate how much effort everybody has put in. It's humbling.

As of this moment I still don't know how much the stall managed to raise. But I'd say confidently that it was a great success. It effectively put an end to the de facto apartheid which has been around for more than a year (remember Mrs Gul teaching us the word camaraderie? =P). It was a challenging yet fresh and unique experience, enjoyable from the beginning till the end. It gave us a day to remember. And most importantly it made us all proud of being 5A =]

(Does anybody have a full size version of this pic which I stole from Matthew's xanga?)

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Sun, 24 Sep 2006 15:59:18 GMT

photo by bies

Sometimes it's wise to take a break from differentiation and integration and put the right brain to work. This is dedicated to a group of astonishing magic weavers, otherwise known as the 14th Hong Kong Union for Young Leaders Committee.

Less than 24 hours later, the union's website will be updated, annoucing the names of the 15th committee. I find it very hard to believe that just one year ago I hadn't a single idea of what the union was. It feels as though I've been part of it for all my life.

Entering UYL makes me feel like an awestruck boy gazing at a magnificent forest. Surrounded by towering trees, hearing the leaves rustle in the wind. At first they seem so tall, so formidable and unreachable. Yet as the days go by the child learns to love the forest. It's a source of inspiration, for without persistent effort these mightly trees would never have grown to such heights. They help him realize how far he can go as long as determination knows no limit, how much he can achieve as long has he dares to reach for his dreams.

And in times of uncertainty the serenity of the forest is a shelter from all harms. The boy knows that he can depend on them, in sunshine or in shadow. He looks up to these trees and feels blessed because of their presence in his life. He secretly wishes that one day he, too, will be able to trace their shadows...

It's simply amazing to see how people just 2 years older than you are can be such intrepid explorers and accomplished leaders. They're truly capable of spotting potential and giving you the encouragement such that you can unleash your talents. They accept you for what you are and make every effort to help you transform a better person. And more importantly they are always willing to share and whenever you need help of any sort you know that they're there for you.

Sometimes I wonder what I would be like now if I hadn't been a camper last year and met these 24 people. Without them I wouldn't have had such an intensive yet fun-filled schedule with so much to learn. YLS, YSC and TripleX, events I never would have experienced. Without them I won't have this folder containing four cards, the YLS and Voyage backwriting sheet and my Voyage campbooks which I turn to when I feel troubled. And without them I simply wouldn't have had the opportunity to go to HOBY for the most memorable week of my life. Life would be monochrome. Getting to know the UYL comms is the encounter that has painted the past year in colours of the rainbow.

And I know that it's never goodbye, because the friendship goes on. It was such a great pleasure to be with you and I truly look forward to the time our paths intersect again.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Good luck in all your future endeavours =]