As mentioned in the previous post, i am now officially working as a multimedia educator in a school. I haven't had much chance at teaching a class single-handedly yet , mostly going around with the other more experienced trainer in school. She's really good at what she does and is a natural when it comes to handling kids, firm when needed and good fun in the lab when required.

But just earlier this morning, i had a chance at meeting a class in the lab for their lesson, alone. I thought i sucked first time, the students treated me more like friends than anything. Just couldn't get angry with their pranks and mischievious nature. It didn't really help when the teacher left the lab after 20 minutes (when the cat goes away, the mouse comes out to play). Nonetheless, i feel the students and I had a great time together and hence, it didn't turn into a total disgrace of sorts lol. I really feel sorry for my other trainer who has had her desk full of work to do whilst i still have time to msn and blog. I hope i can ease her load next month when the new term dawns.

Haha but overall it was quite enjoyable teaching the class and stopping them from dismissal (last lesson of the day), when they refused to go back to their seats and keep quiet. Just fold arms, tap the leg , stand in front of them and stare.....(though they still didn't quieten down until about 2 minutes later..haiz..) oh well...i look forward to the next lesson i have with the other class.....

As not many people are familiar with this blog of mine, i shall resume my posts here on a definately higher frequency as compared to before. Anyway, for those who were reading, welcome back to my blog. This blog site was set up initially as a try out as to how a blogger's blog works and feels like. Control wise this is definately much better than xanga however xanga has much more templates whereby the lazy user could just pick up from the templates section.
Well anyway, this post is all about work.

As many might not have known yet, i have found work again. Although i'm still stationed in a school and working around with teachers and students, the scope of my job is totally different as compared to before. I am now a multimedia educator, otherwise known as IT trainer/executive stationed in a primary school in katong. I have quite a number of things to do in this school, but i've just started out and i'm still groping around in the dark and finding my way. This is totally fun work in my opinion and much better than a lowly TA. Why So?

• You get respect and treated on equal standing with the teachers
• High job challenge and interesting job scope (which i will elaborate later)
• Lots of opportunity for personal improvement and skills development
• Better pay (i need to be real honest here)
• We are almost like teachers

I would say this job entails lots of personal discipline and responsibility. The primary task here is the train the teachers and students with software applications as well as encouraging them to use the company's learning portal. Oh by the way, i forgot to mention that i'm hired by a company to be stationed in the school for the training. My job is all about....

• Performing software training for students (macromedia products, microsoft products, video editting, touch typing)
• Training students up to take part in competitions and hence winning something for the school in the entire process
• Encourage and maintain the usage of the Company's Educational Learning Portal in the school. (including setting up Surveys, Quiz, Lesson Plans, Powerpoint slides)
• Assist in the lesson plans of the teacher
• Work out an IT workplan for the entire workyear/term (what each level will learn in the term, the timing of the lessons, the structure of teaching, your objectives, materials to conduct training, location)
• Manage the classroom whilst conducting a lesson
• Help out the school with events (designing of banners, posters and others)

Currently, i haven't really taken over a class yet from the other trainer; whom is more experienced. I'm actually looking forward to it, though i imagine myself to be really nervy when the lesson comes. I actually had my first experience on helping out on the class lessons on monday (my day of employment) conducting (of all things) macromedia flash (which caught me totally off guard as i was terribly rusty at it). Nonetheless i thought i didn't do too bad and the kids didn't take me for granted or anything whilst i went to help them.

I would say i need some time to work on children because i'm not natural with them unlike my brother who was born with a sugar coated tongue. I would also need to work on my manner of speech because my voice projection is quite bad and i mumble my words all the time. Finally my confidence needs some boosting so as to appear confident and to make the students trust me. (for now they call me Mr Cheong lol)

Now i understand why trainers are paid better than TAs, the job scope is truly on a much higher level, the responsibilities are heavier and the stresses are of course more than before. Nonetheless i hope to achieve the following objectives:

1. Boost my confidence
2. Improve my voice projection
3. Make myself more likeable and respectable to children
4. Know my softwares inside out (in particular the technical terms)
5. Be more organised and responsible
6. Build a good rapport with the teachers
7. Win some competitions with the students in the school
8. Stay happy and motivated!

I hope you folks have a good time at work too! ~Happy 2007~

i have a couple of very close friends which i have known for ten years or so..in fact three of them...we're sorta like the 4 muskateers eh? oh well, this post is all about them...mostly negative stuff but some positive stuff about em as well, i shan't mention names (well even if they read em, they will know i'm talking bout em) but i shall name them MR A, MR B and MR C...

so i'll talk about relations with all the 3 fine gentleman first..ok maybe not too fine...my friendship with Mr A is the closest because i've known him since secondary school and we've been in the same class for the whole tenure of the secondary education...from him i got to know Mr B and Mr C who were his childhood friends...it was simple days then we played and had fun, corruption of thoughts the last thing in our minds...i was supposedly the evil one..who led Mr A astray..heh..taught him bad stuff like gambling (though i knew my limits) and watch porn (ok yes i did watch em in the past..who doesn't?) but you know i didn't go to the extent of telling him to rob or anything, it was kinda like an age of growing up.....Mr B and C i got to know them closer after about 2 or 3 visits to our homeground as PLACE B...far from my home but its like a third home to me...we constantly played soccer together and went out play some arcade (though i sincerely hated arcade)

now after so many years, i think this friendship is starting to develop lots of cracks and alot of this is built on distrust and attitudes. Mr A who was once in debt for his gambling habits i guess is still disgruntled over the fact that Mr B did not lift a finger to help him while he was at his wits end with the debtors almost coming to his house to press for payment..and Mr B (over the phone) said he won't lend money to someone who gambles his money away..and had warned him prior to gamble lesser....(yeah right..now Mr B is also a gambler)...soccer gambling..sigh..its a wreck to human society..

By now, you woulda noticed i haven't mention much about Mr C. You see the problem with Mr C was that he was never too attached to us, Mr A and me..because he seemed to have his own group of cliques to be with and his whenever we played soccer at PLACE A, he didn't want to come down..claiming to have soccer training...ok well, i don't have much complains for Mr C because i don't think i know him well enough after 10 odd years..thats pretty sad...he seems to have a heck care cavalier attitude towards life, but i think sometimes he doesn't walk the talk.....but at least in terms of responsibility and principles, i rank this fella as the highest amongst us 4.

Now all bout Mr B now. Mr B has apparently gotten worse over these years. I still think back and laugh over the fact that he can say "friends are most important to me" and yet he could turn his back on Mr A at the most crucial moment. The thing is that, this fella is too easily swayed by material things...( i could say he would be a better man if he is led alight spiritually) he thinks friends are only worthy if they have some benefits for him...kinda like an atm of sorts? He doesn't care for his friends enough which can be seen when he doesn't take his friends advise for a damn at all...10 years++ friendship..all come to naught..its sad...
Whats worse is that he lies...constantly...non-stop...i'm really sickened by this..he told me once "he is sad nobody trusts me and that he will make an effort to change" ...yah it has been 2 months since he last said that now, no action at all..still lie like mad even to his friends and family. Recently he broke up with his girlfriend, and he had the cheek to put in his msn nick "Will buy a car to prove that she made a mistake for breaking up with me"...firstly, thats a stupid reason to buy a car...secondly, he cannot afford a car to say the least...thirdly, its good riddance that he leaves this girl because i don't think she is a long term consideration from how he describes her (easily jealous and paranoid..sheesh!)...lastly..its good riddance that this girl leaves him too, NEVER PUNCTUAL, ALWAYS LIE, VERY POOR PRINCIPLES..

MR A..he's changed alot since he got attached to his girlfriend, for both good and bad reasons. i can say he's more accomodating now...no not for the good reasons..for the bad..you know the sort of person which seems to care but is only actually showing half of it......he treats friends now like heck care attitude liao which sometimes pisses me off seriously. For example, he's always calling me to go to meet him at a later timing because Mr B's always late....sure..but in the first place, you ain't setting a good example, theres no trust at all...what kinda friendship is this? Yah sure, he is a very nice person and rarely loses his temper...and i enjoy talking to him...
ok heres one more bout him, i know it ain't nice to say it but i gotta since my family's pressuring me bout this issue for sometime....my family lent him some money the last time round..ain't too little 2000 bucks to lend for MY friend..and they ain't even close with him at all? ..other than returning 200 bucks to my family, i haven't heard anything from him about returning the money since...sometimes i tell him.."take your time, never mind..can return slowly"...but i am beginning to be bugged by the fact that he might rest on his laurels and return it in 10 years time....ok fine if its my money, but its my mother's money...she's complaining she got no money to buy stuff recently and i'm very guilty that i have to put her through this sometimes because of helping my friend. Ok if he is working hard to repay the debt than i got nothing to say, but he seems to be doing nothing to aid his cause...i have tried to indirectly tell him to go "work one year first then go study university or something" but he insists his family wants him to go study then work..(for heaven's sake..its your life!) ..the reason i asked being that he could repay my mother soon and my family could be more relaxed and not end up on a shoestring budget...but ah well, i have no right to disrupt his future, he's just a friend not my family...but i'm concerned about him..dunno if he feels the same..bah..just hear more grumbling and nagging for another few years ba..until he finishes his university (though i really dunno how he can pay his fees and repay his debts before his supposed PLANS of the age of 30)...sometimes it can come to this discouraging thought that i feel he will never pay us back the money....as much as i try to convince myself he is an honest and good lad...in fact, i was beginning to think at some point that he made up the story of being in debt (as i had never seen the debtors personally and never heard any such thing prior to that fateful day) so that he could get for himself some computer apparel (well I DID NOTICE he got himself some computer hardware components (which he claims to be from his friend?) ..maybe i'm too sensitive but i think thats how discouraging this friendship has become as it dragged on over the years..
he's also grown alot more boastful over these years..i think its because of his education....and his excellence in his course studies. As much as he says he accepts all kinds of ideas and stuff, i still see a majority of ideas and opinions by others rejected by him. He also tends to be very idealistic..no infact OVERLY idealistic when talking about certain ideas he have in mind...things that are simply not possible to be done and things that he haven't done up till now..i think i'm not the only person who will say this, but Mr B and C could also say these same things about him....You might think that i am looking down on him because i'm actually thinking "argh he is not as good la" ..but its not so, i have the utmost believe and faith in some of what he says and very often or not he delivers his words with action in precise fashion..and hence admiration. Maybe its just the way he talks, to me, it will put ALOT ALOT of people off, unfortunately if i was a management and supervisor i won't hire him to meet clients.

He is also too much of a thinker sometimes. He thinks too much ..and sometimes way too negative...and always attribute stuff like economy to work and thinking 10-15 years down the road...yah rite..you can't even fend for yourself now and you're thinking about family, bills, pay after graduation ? One particular thing i can't stand about him is this aspect..no doubt it is important to think of the long term, but its foolhardy to ignore the short term too...because u'll end up sitting down and worrying without action until the action loses its potential effectiveness....finally he's also growing more money oriented as years go by....sure society dictates one to have money but keep thinking about it for what?! You gonna destroy your life with apparent thoughts of taking shortcuts...and being overly ambitious..sigh~~

It'll be a matter of time before all 4 of us will head our seperate ways in life...we're kinda too different..in opinion and mindset...well for now i'm trying to get them out together as much as i can so that we could perhaps get together for a series of final hurrahs before the eventual shake of the farewell hand..

- Cheers for friendship -
- Jeers for changes -

I have been checking out some old japanese omnibus cds..and i came across someone whom i had admired for sometime but came to forget her as years passed by.....her name is Tomomi Kahala, someone groomed by the ever famous Tetsuya Kumuro (TK of Globe fame)

well...i have a cd from her too, nine cubes and it wasn't exactly the best cd since her vocals were really really too raw..and shaky. But hey, japanese wouldn't adore Ayumi Hamasaki without her exit since they are both really quite similar in terms of their quirky nature as well as vocal styles. Hence, i got on a hunt to get all her songs, sadly for her long years of singing ..(96-05) she has only released 4 albums...later of which i will explain why......bemused, i sought to find information on the net about her, and shocked i really was, when i found out the truth behind her cute quirky nature..

Tomomi, better known by fans as Tomo-chan was groomed by Tetsuya Kumoro, otherwise also known better as a playboy. They were together for awhile, and with his status, she was eventually signed up by Warner Music. Her songs were very popular amongst japanese ktv-ers and they loved Tomo-chan (well just imagine she was kinda like Ayumi at that time). Kumoro, however, eventually dumped her for a True Kiss Destination member, and depressed, she sought suicide twice (once being a gas leak and another on a tokyo apartment near her mom's shop whilst recovering).....it was also said that before the seperation, TK and Tomo were also on drugs and at one point there were even rumours that Tomo once created trouble on a plane flight, jumping around claiming she was an "airplane" (high on drugs?) ...so it came to no surprise eventually that she got into drug rehab and depression counselling.

Even before the official announcement of the seperation, TK was showing signs of disinterest in her, the 3rd album nine cubes, featured little of TK's help and she also had to appear in many variety shows to boost her popularity..she even lost out to some advertisement to Ayumi Hamasaki (her touted replacement) ..before the eventual suicide fracas...

she took almost a year long break to be back in the business and she released a single and an album (at the end of the year) to mark her return...unfortunately, most of her fans had forgotten her and she has had to work hard to build up herself and her image again. She has a stronger personality now, and she writes her own songs...her kid-like vocal style is no longer that prominent and she has now a great style of music. She sounds almost like how Ayumi has initially started out..and i'm excited about what she will release next.

Her recent single Namida no tsutsuki wo, has 3 great songs, the 3rd song being a cover but this has got to be , in my opinion the best single that she has released thus far...kudos to that...u got to hear it ..its nice..

ok well..i'm signing off..adieu

Champions of EUROPE  

What a night of amazing european champions league action! The build up to the final at Istanbul was already building up prior to the match with the Class of Milan taking on the heart and grit of Liverpool. Both had plenty to play for the victory, milan needed the victory badly to appease the fans who had to endure the heartbreak of losing the Serie A title marginally to recent rivals Juventus, whilst Liverpool had to win the Champions League to keep their hopes of europe alive by a thread..If i were to compare last years champions league with this, i would probably say that this champions league would be the better one, in fact, it is one of the better champions league i have witnessed for some time...starting from teams like Barcelona, Real, Milan, Liverpool, Chelsea, PSV...all had great tactical awareness, attacking flair, fans entirely behind them, and a defense which was playing like every match was its last.In the end, it was shocker after shocker, with the greater teams falling prey to the smaller ones....Milan which was expected to go all the way with a splendid starting 11 did so however, whilst Liverpool surpassed all expectation by going all the way sticking deep into the resources owing to injuries and certain players ineligibility to participate.

The Starting Eleven included For Milan included:

Dida
Jaap Stam
Cafu
Alessandro Nesta
Paolo Maldini
Andreas Pirlo
Gennario Gattuso
Kaka
Hernan Crespo (replaced for Jon Dahl Tomasson)
Andrey Shevchenko
Clarence Seedorf (replaced for Serginho)


The starting eleven for Liverpool included:

Jerzy Dudek
Steve Finnan (replaced for Hamann)
Sami Hyppia
Jamie Carragher
Djimi Traore
John Arne Riise
Steven Gerrard
Xabi Alonso
Harry Kewell (replaced for Vladmir Smicer)
Luis Garcia
Milan Baros (replaced for Cisse)

Milan started out really strongly in the first half and it took them less than 54 seconds to score the first goal...via a goal by Captain Paolo Maldini (who better to score than the captain himself?)..it came off a free kick (conceded by Traore) and the resulting freekick was a half volley which skidded off the surface which Dudek apparently saw very very late , blocked by the mass number of players in the box. It was then all Milan, with Shevchenko being denied a goal after being a foot offside....after a through pass by Kaka. The instrumental Kaka was splendid in the first half and Crespo was always threatening by trying to spring the offside trap once and time again...however liverpool conceded another goal ...crespo scoring..simple task of putting it in the empty net after Carragher was caught on the wrong side ...and liverpool managed to concede another goal close to half time (what a way to end off...one scored at the start, and one before the end of halftime)...and what a splendid through ball played by KAKA...his vision spotted Crespo who shrugged aside his marker and delivered a perfect striker's flick over Dudek...3-0 halftime..Liverpool DEAD AND BURIED? apparently so....that is..if you went to sleep after that...

At halftime, many Liverpool fans still believed that they were still in with a shout...after all, Milan were capable of falling asleep after having a comfortable margin as they had done in PSV. Milan could not handle waves of attacks once a goal had been scored...Milan likes to sit back and defend after one good half (ITS TRUE! GO TAKE A LOOK AT THEIR HISTORY)...deportivo had done the same kinda thing to milan before..although in 2 legs..3-0 down, and came back in 2nd leg to win 4-0)..however worrying was Baros's form who had been anonymous in the first half and garcia was not doing enough to help his cause...was Cisse going to be introduced soon?

So the 2nd half begun, and what a different side it was that turned up on the pitch after Hamann's introduction from Finnan who was being pushed back alot....Hamann provided the crunch which meant that Gerrard had more room to roam upfront with xabi sitting behind as cover and spreading passes. The signs of improvement were evident when xabi had a grounder whistling a few feet away from the post. But soon after that, Liverpool scored their first amidst some controversy. Baros was flagged offside initially but the referee decided to ignore the linesman's insistent flagging and allowed play to continue...then riise delivered a super cross from the left for Gerrard to rise to a majestic header into the corner for a great goal....Captain scoring again..first goal for the club again?..heh..similarities aplenty..
But it was Jaap Stam's fault in my opinion..he HAD to mark Gerrard..which he failed and allowed him the free header...surely ancelotti was thinking.."No way, this is just a slight struggle..they'll soon accept fate"..but Gerrard beckoned to the crowd to urge them forward..and so they did...and it came rewards..liverpool's second goal coming minutes later...SCORER?! VLADIMIR SMICER..what a surprise...for someone who has been playing irregular substitute football..sometimes coming on for 2-3 minutes before fulltime, he had his due rewards for his FINAL match for Liverpool before leaving the club...and delighted he was because he said he was leaving the club on good will and no ill feelings...and guess what minutes later again?! Gerrard charged into the box after a good flick by Garcia (i think) ..and was pushed down by Gattuso! PENALTY!

Up stepped the cool xabi alonso, and dida so splendid on penalties..stopped it with a superb save on the right hand low corner, however xabi who had taken the penalty with his right foot, pounced on the loose ball by dida and hammered it into the top corner of the same side with his left foot...3-3!! WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING, the fans couldn't believe it, the commentators were laughing..sheer madness in a cup final..leaving the best for last...

Liverpool had plenty of moments later which had their fans in the their mouths, dudek making a double miraculous save off shevchenko at the end of the 2nd extra time, and tomasson missing a high quick ball in the box which he stretched to no avail...oh and did i mention that liverpool had to clear the ball off the line 2 times in the game?..not to mention they had to struggle with players having cramps near the end of the game..Smicer and Carragher playing through the pain barrier..AND THEN...on came penalties...

MILAN TAKERS

Serginho (MISSED)
Pirlo (Saved)
Tomasson (Scored)
Kaka (Scored)
Shevchenko (Saved)

Liverpool Takers

Hamann (Scored)
Cisse (Scored)
Riise (Saved)
Smicer (Scored)
-

AND THAT WAS IT...LIVERPOOL WON 3-2 on PENALTIES...WOOT!...Ok for now..going to douse in celebrations..adios!

Splash Awards Day!! Weee~~~ 

Its been about 2 months since we last went to IDA singapore to present our proposals to the Splash Award judges...but must admit that the experience is great.....and of cos compelling since we had plenty of competition as well...if you still didn't know by now ...the other 2 are my team-mates, Anmian and Najib. I must say though we have had some rough rides along the way for the past 3-4 months working on the project, i thoroughly enjoyed my time working with these 2 regardless of any past misgivings....it was particularly a happy moment when i recollect the prize ceremony day, when our names were announced...incredibly shocked we were...since there were plenty of polytechnics taking part, and all the projects from our school were also impressive...


in future, i will give more emphasis on posting blogs with images attached to it preferably so that it doesn't look too boring (well since i'm lazy to change the darn layout nowadays)....till then!

Its been so boring recently....the only eventful stuff happening in my life currently?..haha..getting scolded ...going out for some pool action , bowling action , ktv or some makan sessions...

well...haven't been going out with the girls and zen for some time now..haha..can't help but miss the sessions that could have been spent with em, but i guess they are all pretty busy of late...so ok...dun wanna go bug them...

Government has finally decided to clamp down on piracy by stopping dls of cracked software, music as well as movies....i have to be unfair..since i am one heck of a dl-der ....its pointless for many who is using the internet to be unable to download the stuff mentioned...why? cos we have to pay a hefty amount per month just to keep up with the account...and now..you take away the very thing that attracts consumers to use a good internet account...its gonna hurt...i think especially so for the cable internet users...the only reason i can see for those users are for online gaming....so sorry, anime bt downloaders..u're gonna have to stop ur activities after december...just like me..

have been checking out a couple of dls of late, firstly i got myself the Kishidan 2003 live performance in tokyo concert....its SPECTACULAR....these guys really can bring on the atmosphere...despite having really average vocals...they live up to their reputation of being native japanese full of native gusto...haha...an absolutely hilarious and entertaining concert...

The JDA arcadia dvd was also good as well, haha..it was good since i didn't expect seeing the same pv 3 times....freedom was very funny...as well as the others which had the ? ...they swapped their supposed roles in the band and pretended to be playing the instrument which they were not..

Kuro tent dvd from plastic tree was good too...Ryuutarou san was as boyish as i thought and his throaty vocals was unique....and i saw a heavy side of em in the concert as well.. I got pvs from the new Sex Machinegun song as well as the Pornograffiti one...Both songs was marvellous...

Well..heres a couple of releases which are upcoming for december and november..


Karimero - Ryuu
Deathgaze - Chaos
Gimmiku - R type
Couple d'Ange - (Ex Aile Vocalist)
Phantasmagoria - Moonlight Revival (Kisaki's new band)
D - New Blood (re-released)
Fatima - Kesenai ame and Muchuna inochi he (2 singles)
Kagerou - Shiroi Karsu / Kuorkai no aisho
Eve of Destiny - Nervous and Innocence mini album

Stay tuned...if you are a visual rock fan...! :>