Wushu Outing at East Coast Park (27.11.2009)

Though I had went there for wushu outing back in April once, I am still not very sure of the way. Met some of the wushu people at Eunos MRT station before we set off to East Coast Park together.

The way there was full of noise. All thanks to Haojun, I do not know I should laugh or cry.

Christian fetched us at the other end of the underpass. He found a big tree branch while we made our way to meet Ruiqi and Edward. A few steps after the place where he found the big tree branch, I saw a four-leaved plant. It looked like a clover but not really a clover. I am kind of regretted now that I did not take a picture of it then.

Met Ruiqi and Edward at area D. Mats were already laid out. We put our bags and it was time for games! Dog and bone was the first item. A little violent. Thanks Haojun for contributing his bottle of mineral water. The nice bottle was somehow "defaced" with the recurrence burying under the sand. The sand is full of sharp items. Christian got a rather big cut on his foot. Ouch.

The weather was rather hot. The sand was burning hot under the sun. We had to wear our slippers while playing the game. Guessed I got a little sunburnt. I realised that my face and foot were rather red. My foot have the outline of my slippers! Haha!

The rest went for their lunch later on except Ruiqi and me. We looked after our belongings together with Guangyao and Shuyan. The weather was slowly cooling down. I sat there for a while to enjoy the beautiful scenery. I just enjoy seeing planes flying. Later on, I lay down on the mat for a rest. It was quite cooling to sleep under a tree.

Slowly, clouds seemed to gather. I started to feel some rain. Jingting and Weimun were having a "slippers-fight". Weimun was made to go into the water to retrieve his slippers. It was some water-fun before the heavy downpour. All of us grabbed our things and ran to a nearby shelter. As the rain turned into a drizzle, a decision to cycle was made. I some sort of limped my way from the shelter to the bicycle rental shop; some sand were trapped under the skin of my feet. The skin of my "blisters" under my feet were peeling off. Pain.

As I can't really cycle and it was almost evening, I went home after we had our group shot. Nice! I had a really great day!

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The Three Suona Virtuosos

It was really a great experience for me. This was my first time being the in-charge. As there were lack of people and due to some last minute changes, I finally got my chance to be the in-charge. A little shocked. I was a little scared too as it was an SCO event. As there wasn't much instructions given to me to tell me what to do, I have to ask around. I asked a backstage guy that seems quite friendly. He told me what to do and even help me inform the stage manager that I was supposed to alias with. He told the stage manager that it was my first time being an in-charge. Guess he some sort of hinted him that I amy be blur. The stage manager was nice too.

I didn't get to watch much of the concert as I had to run about. The soloists were really great. Awesome! Suona is not an instrument that is easy to control. The soloist played them like it's so simple. Wow! They can go from at least fortissimo to pianissimo. Cool!

Frankly saying, I still can't fully appreciate suona pieces yet. Maybe soon? It was quite a "good" training I guess. Though I was the in-charge, I still worked together with the rest. I don't feel much difference from them, besides from the fact that I had to run about. More freedom I guess?

Autographs, a lady at the counter helped me to get. I was so happy. The clearance took quite some time as the queue for the autograph was rather long.

I did made some mistakes for the day but generally it was alright. I forgot to place stoppers and place the stuffs in the storeroom. I felt so great that I placed the signages at door two and four though no one taught me to. I had learned a lot about how the show was carried out with such precised communication. It was a great teamwork.

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University of Newcastle Graduation 2009

Had some difficulty waking up in the morning. I felt so tired. It was such a good weather to sleep in too. I quickly prepared myself and off I went to take my bus. I was really lucky that my bus came when I reached the bus-stop. Not much waiting and I did not miss the bus.

I reached my workplace relatively early. Chatted a little with Uncle Jimmy while waiting for the cleaner to refill the toilet paper for me. After all the preparations were done, it was time to get started with work.

Patrons gushed in to the house after we got our instructions from our in-charge. There was a moment of confusion due to a conflict in the instructions given. Bottle-neck. Glad that it was solved in a moment. The few minutes that I took to locate BT seems like hours as the patrons were accumulating at door three. Scary.

The chancellor seems friendly. He seemed to be the emcee for the whole show. He was "in-charged" of telling the patrons what was going to happen next, from the presentation of certificates to the performance by a performing group. According to BT, for serious graduation events, there usually would not have any performance at all. Was a litle shocked to see that there was a performance as the organiser was predominantly "angmohs". It was usually perceived that events by "angmohs" are more strict.

The performance was by a performing group in the school. They performed a traditional Indonesian dance. To some, it may seems very funny as it was not the type of performance commonly seen. It was really a great artistic performance as lots of coordination was needed. I can see that they had put in a lot of effort in rehearsing to make it so perfect.

It was the long presentation of certificates after the performance. I was rather annoyed by one of the photographer who kept taking pictures of the graduates that walked past me. Can't he just stand elsewhere to take pictures of them? The constant flash was rather annoying. Furthermore, I do not like the idea that I am at the background of the photos.

Heard that there was a delay in the timing but we got to have our one hour lunch after the first shift. I was hoping that the event would drag so that I can don't have to walk all the way to amoy street. We had to travel there in the end. It was a good chance for bonding. BT bought some fried stuffs to treat us after lunch. I took my favourite "youtiao". Yummy! Thanks Anna for helping me to take my stuffs back as my hand was too oily to touch my stuffs.

It was a rush as we need to punch in for the second shift. I really prefer the one hour to be deducted off rather than punching in a second time. Before the second shift starts, I was flipping through the namelist of the graduates, trying to recall if a friend of mine was called out. The reason was that I saw his name in the booklet before going off for lunch. Was hoping to see him again as it has been years since we last chatted. Furthermore, it was him who wore the graduating gown and I don't think I have seen anybody that I known of wearing that yet.

Second shift was a little tougher as there were more patrons. Met some annoying patrons who thought so highly of themselves. I was also again annoyed by that photographer.

I think I was tired. Some patrons walked past me and I didn't realise. They almost exited from door four. My fatigue has affected my quality of work. The photographer caused me to move around to avoid his camera. This had kind of affected my work.

There were a number of graduates that were awarded with the title "doctor". They came in together with the staffs and chancellor during the procession before they receive their certificates. Cool.

As I was still hoping to see that friend of mine, I thought I saw him when a graduate walked past me. Thinking that it must be my the doings of my eyes, I ignored it.

I somehow still felt that the graduate that walked past me is my friend, so I took the booklet to check again after the family members were cleared, hopefully I can find some clue to my question. Checking halfway, I was asked to go over to door three to direct the graduates to door two. Walking towards door three, a graduate called out my full name and asked me why am I here. Looking up, I was shocked. As I don't really recognise him, I took his certificate and look at the name written on it. Yes, it was my friend. Wow. We had a super short chat before he went off. I was rather surprised that he still recognises me.

Frankly saying, I don't think I will recognise him if I had not visited his profile page in facebook by chance some time ago. He really had changed a lot. Anyway, mystery solved. Guess this was the first graduation ceremony that I had "attended" with someone I knew graduating.

It was the routine checks after the people left. It was really a "good harvest". I found quite a number of things. The most expensive of all was a black colour PSP. Wow. I didn't see it initially. Only realise it's presence when I pushed the seat a few times and it doesn't respond; the PSP was stuck at the side.

During debrief, feedback was that our quality of work was not good. According to BT, the reason was that the "angmohs" want something that is more customer-oriented. It was finally time to go home after all the administrative stuffs were settled.

Uncle Jimmy packed some leftover food from the reception. Before I left, he asked me whether I want to have any. It was my favourite tiny eclairs! What a coincident that I was asking him whether he had any eclairs before he opens the box. I ate three eclairs. The tasty chocolate cream just "explodes" in my mouth. Yummy!

NYP Wushu Oct/Nov Babies B'day Celebration 2009

It was the first birthday celebration that my fellow welfares and I had organised ever since we stepped up. Things did not went very smoothly I must say. I am rather disappointed with myself. Why can't I just accomplish such a simple task? Anyway, it was a good experience and I will never repeat the mistakes that I have made.

I want to thank Kenny and Xinxin, my fellow welfares, for helping me throughout. I am really sorry for the "hiccups". Thanks Guangyao for the short but informative talk. Thanks Christian for helping me to buy the cake as I had a very unpredictable schedule on Wednesday, and for trusting me that I will pay him back.

After almost everyone had left, Kenny, Xinxin and I left behind to clear the things. We have been so busy that we had not had time to change out of our uniform. It was a relief when we finally got everything done.

Here's a picture of the cake that I had chosen. It's called the "butter cream cake".



Wishing a very happy birthday to the October and November babies!

Informatics Graduation 2009

Took a new route to work, walked some distance before taking a bus that would being me to the bus-stop right outside of my workplace. I am really lucky that my bus came rather soon or I may be late. Seeing the floating platform brightens me up a little.

I got a position that I haven't got for one year -- outside door 3. I was hoping to witness the graduation ceremony though. Since it wasn't a position that I always get, I accepted it. Furthermore, BT said that there would be a change for the second shift. Well, though it wasn't much, I got to have some chat with BT though there were times that I feel awkward. I did take some peeks once in a while. There was once that I heard the edited version "twinkle twinkle little stars" being played while the certificates were presented to the graduates. BT was a little puzzled to see me coming out of the house laughing.

It was a hectic day. Timings for the two shifts were so close that we may not even have time for our lunch. Glad that it turned out that we managed to have our one hour lunch. For me, I think half an hour will do. Weixuan helped us to buy our lunch so that we don't have to make a trip to the nearest market which requires us to walk quite a long distance. I was really reluctant to walk that distance as my ankle was hurting again. Yummy char siew rice was my lunch.

Weixuan bought some nice soya tarts to treat us too. Not bad though. I like the crust a lot. I find the filling a little bland though.

It was a nice chat with Jiewei after eating. Went to take a walk as I can't stand the cigarette smoke. Found some seats near the carpark that I never knew they exist. It was the start of work after the chat. I hid at the toilet to chat after returning back to the loading bay. Seeing that the rest were still slacking, I just continued my chat. I was shocked when I saw all of them ready to go up when I went out of the toilet. Helped Jiewei to say "hi" to the rest by shouting "Jiewei say hi" while I rush to get my vest and walkie talkie. BT said something really lame later on. It sounds like me talking to another girl is something that is wrong.

Same position again. Only a few got a change in the position. Guess I was tired, I did not have as much strength as the morning shift to tear the tickets. My swollen left thumb was a hindrance too. Thanks for Weixuan's help to tear the tickets so that I can managed to clear the crowd in time.

Once the event started, it was time for me to get too work -- counting of ticket stubs. Hated it as I have to bend my back to count the stubs on the table that was rather low. Felt some tension in my neck muscles after counting the stubs. My neck felt so "sour".

Stood there and waited for late comers. I felt so lethargic. There were two patrons that came really late. It was around five minutes before the ceremony ends. It was the rushing out of the patrons later on.

Looking at the crowd that was gushing out of the house, something funny happened. There was this guy holding a bear wrapped in a red bouquet. He came up to me and actioned to give it to me. I stared at the bear and then looked up at him with a puzzled expression. He pulled his arms back and walked off. Shocked. I don't even know who he is. Dots.

After the clearance of the patrons, it was the clearance of the graduates that stayed behind for the photoshoot. Took a seat near door three to prevent people from exiting from there as the graduates were to exit from door four. It was a long wait before the debrief.

Gathering for debrief, there were some weird stuffs found while the routine checks were done. What I can say was that this event is rather different from the rest that I have attended. It was really a new experience for me.

I tidied up my 6-in-1 locker before going off. It makes me feel good to have some space made in my locker.

Kathina Day 2009

Took some putu mayam as breakfast upon reaching the temple. It has been some time since I last ate putu mayam. Nice. There were the beancurd and soya milk, fried noodles and fried kway teow. I just took the soya milk and the putu mayam. Yummy.

Went to kowtow to the buddhas before proceeding to the hall for the chantings. Squeezy. I was smiling happily when I heard the clappings -- the Thailand people has arrived!

After the chantings, it was lunch time. Vegetarian food. I chose the same area to take a seat as last year as I want to have a close look at the "money tree". I took a photo of the tree as it looks very different frome last year's -- there were pens, notebook, and a few boxes of toothpaste that were attached onto the tree as well besides from money. I saw a $50 note on the top of the tree too! A guy was going around with some satay sticks, distributing to people who wanted to put their money on the "tree" as well.

When I was about to leave the temple, I kowtow to the buddhas at the first floor as I was not able to do in the morning due to the crowd. I saw the person holding hte money tree coming. Upon reaching the door of the hall, he used it to hit the ceiling of the temple a few times, shouting things like "huat ah!" as he does that. Cool.

Here's a picture of the "money tree". It seems to be a good harvest this year.



Before leaving the temple, I got myself a "dot" on my forehead. There were two Indian guys at the Elephant Buddha "station", one giving away sweets, raisins and flowers while the other put "dots" on people's head. I wonder if that "dot" is called "putu". Hmm.

Colour of Joy

There were way many people for this event as compared to last year. I remembered that I stood at the back to take pictures and there were lots of empty seats behind. Yesterday's respond was rather overwhelming. It was almost full house.

Helped out as VIP usher initially. There were some problems that need some intervention. Due to last minute changes in hirer's instructions on the VIP seats, we have to look out for people holding the VIP tickets that were entering the house. Some disputes occurred but it was settled before the event commences. I dealt with one dispute. For a moment, I felt that I was so great that I managed to settle something. Wanted to help out at the other area but I decided not to in the end as I was not sure of what really had happened.

Took my position when the event commences. The biggest challenge of the day was crowd control. Initially I thought that I would get back my old position at Door 4. I surprisingly got Door 2. Not very used to it but I was happy that I got a new challenge - crowd control. Parents will tend to rush forward to the front of the stage.

Things were generally alright as the emcee did her part for crowd control. Parents were rushing forward when the performance ended. I needed manpower then. As I have to stop people from going up the stage through the stairs, I was not able tostop one parent from climbing up onto the stage. Her action totally shocked me. Anyway, there is still room for improvement for the crowd control. More information regarding how the event is going to be should be told to us earlier as well. I was at a fix of what to do when a parent just took the child away from the stage. Furthermore, another kid just jumped down from the stage. How is the attendance system of the teacher going to be? I believe that improvement is needed here. More emphasis is of course needed to be done by the emcee.

Poppers were released at the end of the concert just like last year's. Nice. I like the poppers. The bad part was that the technical crews will have to work a little harder as they have to clear those "ribbons" that were stucked at the spotlights on the ceiling.