stratification

In my course of work, I've had to be very mindful of how the education system has classified our secondary school students:
- NA (Normal Academic)
- NT (Normal Technical) or
- E (Express)

In truth, the NA and NT students cannot grasp concepts that Express students can. Having come from very good schools myself, I have always taken for granted that simple mental sums, for example, are a breeze. But I forget that I'm from the Express stream. Well, actually, make that Special, cos I took Higher Chinese.

Hence, having been exposed to so many NA and NT students from the start of work, I inadvertently experienced a culture shock when I helped a colleague with her work at a good all-girl primary school. In just two hours of having games in a drop-in room we started for them, I counted at least four different nationalities - Thai, Polish/American, Indonesian, Filipino. I hear there're Brazilians and Africans too. Fwah. Exotic man.

As young as 7 years old, these girls exude a confidence that I've not seen in a long time. They speak fluent English and they spell beautifully. They are even perfectly articulate when they argue with you. These are the girls who grow up in educated and at least middle-class families. Judging by the variety of nationalities, this is probably the school where many expats send their daughters to as well.

These are also the girls who will never end up in the NA and NT streams later on in their lives. These are the girls who know that dreams can be reached.

the shoulder aches are back

I have this terrible habit of tensing my shoulders as I type, when I'm really busy and stressed out. And it's been happening this week. At 6pm earlier on - when I could be considered officially off work - I grabbed my bag and headed for this massage place at the basement of that neighbourhood mall nearby.

The "Richard" and "Ah Chun" whom my colleagues recommended were not around, so I had this Thomas give me a rub down. It felt damn good, especially in those two problematic spots. But I know tomorrow I'm gonna wake up with sore shoulders. Then I walked back to work to conduct a family counselling session. I told myself, it's gonna be a quick closing session, and then I'll be heading home for some wonderful Chinese dinner prepared by my mum.

Steamed fish, fried eggs with onion, pork stir-fried with capsicum. YUM.

About work:

I'm trying to handle the amount of paperwork there is and the rest of the important work I have to do. Today and yesterday, I must have typed at least 10 case recordings. Now I understand what it means not to chalk up recordings. No wonder I always see some colleagues furiously scribbling their case notes after each session. Really, if you don't, you will end up with piles of undone recordings. And then, you'll find you can't remember what transpired during the counselling session. And that's bad. Worse still, you can't remember the name of the person you counselled.

I'm really still in the adjustment period. For the moment, I think I've forgotten how to breathe!

Gasp.

Which car are you?

I'm a Mazda RX-8!

You're sporty, yet practical, and you have a style of your own. You like to have fun, and you like to bring friends along for the ride, but when it comes time for everyday chores, you're willing to do your part.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

This is really funny. Leo ever thought of buying this car!!! Heh. I guess I am somewhat like the description, except that I might have more alone time than described above.

Watching Adrian Pang; dining at Coffee Express 2000

Caught The Dresser last night. It's a play put up by the Singapore Repertory Theatre and stars my beloved Adrian Pang. Love watching Adrian Pang act on stage. He's so good, his talent is wasted on TV.

Tomorrow night's the last show, if you wanna catch it.

###
FY's hubby kopikia is running Coffee Express 2000, this newly renovated air-conditioned food court on Level 1 of Bras Basah Complex. FY is from the RGS class 4/6 gang. I had a great meal dished out by the zi char stall there tonight...

1. black pepper crabs ($16.80 for three. very cheap!)
2. peking style ribs with fried buns
3. sweet potato leaves fried with sambal chilli
4. fried chicken with onion rings

kopikia even has a blog dedicated to his kopitiam. Coffee Express 2000, where all the good things are.

To pia or not to pia

I had a full-day meeting yesterday at work. It's one of those days where you wouldn't schedule any more meetings after. But I fit in a school visit, as well as a home visit in the evening. My colleague heard that and said "eh, you no need to pia leh, cos in future there will be more work to do."

I don't know. I figured I just wanted to get these two visits done with, cos it has been really hard fixing a time to meet with the relevant people. Even if it means having to pia, I also don't mind. There's this whole series of stress management talks happening in quite a few schools in Aug (ie in two weeks) and I really wanted to have time soon to settle the content of the talks and whatever coordination is needed.

It has been only one-and-a-half-months into the job, and I actually feel like I've been at work for much more than that! Seriously, there's so much to do in so little time, I feel kinda tired. The pace is actually different from that at the previous company. I think I was actually more slack then! We had our moments of stress and deadlines, but somehow it was less tiring. Maybe this time I'm into something really new, and while I'm trying to cope with the workload, I'm also trying to learn at the same time. Maybe also because this job deals with lives, so somehow, there's that added accountability I feel inevitably.

I don't know. I'm actually enjoying the job. But I'm tired as well. Maybe it's time to relax and tell myself that since the work's never-ending, let it go. Don't try to hold it all by yourself. Yeah. Don't be too responsible :)

My Celtic Horoscope

You Are An Oak Tree

You are a person of action, and it's easy to get what you want. Sensible and practical, you always keep both feet on the ground. You are courageous and strong - little scares you. A bit stubborn, you don't like change. You're an independent type, and people often wonder if you need them.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

This is really weird...apparently you just enter your birth date and voila, your Celtic horoscope is decided! The horoscope actually fits!

about life, in general

Indeed. It's just amazingly refreshing to talk about life in general. The intricacies of love, the mystery of soulmates and how to shop for women like you shop for mobile phones (this last theory, according to beng, as usual...haha.) I'm always amazed at the theories that beng comes up with, amusing but deep at the same time. I hope that, soon enough, he will fall in love with his mobile phone so much that he won't want to enter a phone shop again.

We had dinner at the newly renovated Newton, where at first I wondered why people kept congregating at the rubbish bin nearby to smoke. Then I realised, oh yes, the new no-smoking rule. No wonder.

After that, we left for some soothing jazz/pop at Ritz Carlton. Was surprised to see Louis Soliano (think that's how you spell his name) on the drums. Yay. Good drummer. And beng couldn't resist shooting pix of the cocktails and mocktail that we had. He said: "Those are primary colours leh!" Very observant, indeed. Actually, the pic turned out too dark, but I tweaked it with Photoshop (see pic). That's me and Ethan mummy pretending to have "a casual chat over drinks". Nice.

yay!!! Milubing is back in the running!!!

Milubing is back in the running for Superband!!! So happy!!!

My three SMS votes - $1.80 - were not in vain.