Long time no post

I haven't been posting my blog for quite a while, ain't it? Well, its the new season again and sadly, I haven't got a good head start yet on my blog and my studies as well. This is one really rare chance that I can post a blog post now since my cluster mentor kept my computer for 'safekeeping' as someone's been playing games, so I have to keep my head down for awhile and not consider free browsing as an option. As for my time now, I have to endure until next week which is the end of my tests. Most horrifying. Also coming out is the 5th 39 clues book , the black circle, which is going to be a major installment.

A poem

In my English assignment, it requires us to write a poem. Here is what I wrote:

Another year comes into sight,

Another huge brick wall.

Even though the future is bright,

The past I still recall.

An umbrella I have to hold,

for it had just started to rain,

This is for sure, wherever I go.

The photo of my friends will surely remain.

I know it's over, I know it's done,

All I have is this photograph.

Well, obviously it's better than none,

But it's useless to adapt to my new life.

It sometimes make me feel like I lost a bone,

or sometimes I just need a rest.

But i'm just all alone,

So I've to go out and do my best!

My favorite poet

Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809. Poe's father and mother, both professional actors, died before the poet was three and John and Frances Allan raised him as a foster child in Richmond, Virginia. John Allan, a tobacco exporter, sent Poe to the best boarding schools and later to the University of Virginia, where Poe excelled. After less than one year of school, however, he was forced to leave the University when Allan did not pay his gambling debts.

Poe returned to Richmond alone. In 1827, he moved to Boston and serviced in the United States Army. His first collection of poems, Tamerlane, and Other Poems, was published that year. In 1829, he published a second collection named Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems. Neither volume received significant critical or public attention. Following his Army service, Poe was admitted to the United States Military Academy, but he was again forced to leave for lack of financial support. He then moved into the home of his aunt, Mrs. Maria Clemm and her daughter Virginia, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Poe began to sell short stories to magazines at around this time, and, in 1835, he became the editor of the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond. He brought his aunt and twelve-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, with him to Richmond. He married Virginia in 1836. Over the next ten years, Poe edited a number of literary journals including the Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and Graham's Magazine in Philadelphia and the Broadway Journal in New York City. It was during these years that he became a professional poet, a short-story writer, and an editor. He published some of his best-known stories and poems including "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Raven." After Virginia's death from tuberculosis in 1847, Poe fell into deep despair. He returned to Richmond in 1849 and then set out for an editing job in Philadelphia. For unknown reasons, he stopped in Baltimore. On October 7, 1849, Poe's life ended but his famous literary works will never be forgotten to the world.

The reason I like Poe is because of his creativity in his works and his words that he uses are somewhat deep and resounding and yet understandable poems. His striking poetry and his ability to write good poems when he was just 18 years old makes me like him even more. Even though his education was not finished, his works make him look like a professor.

Here are some of his works that are good:

A Dream within a Dream:

Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow: You are not wrong who deem That my days have been a dream; Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none, Is it therefore the less gone? All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream. I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand-- How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep--while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave? Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?

El Dorado:

 Gaily bedight,  
  A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow,
   Had journeyed long,
   Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.
     But he grew old,
   This knight so bold,
And o'er his heart a shadow
   Fell as he found
   No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.     And, as his strength
   Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow;
   "Shadow," said he,
   "Where can it be,
This land of Eldorado?"

   "Over the mountains   Of the moon, 

Down the valley of the shadow,
   Ride, boldly ride,"
   The shade replied,--
"If you seek for Eldorado!"

 The Raven:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door--
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
               Only this and nothing more." 
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;--vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow--sorrow for the lost Lenore--
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
               Nameless here for evermore. 
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me--filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door--
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;--
               This it is and nothing more."  Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"--here I opened wide the door;----
               Darkness there and nothing more.  Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"--
               Merely this and nothing more.  Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore--
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;--
               'Tis the wind and nothing more!"  Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door--
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door--
                Perched, and sat, and nothing more.  Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore--
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
               Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning--little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door--
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
               With such name as "Nevermore."  But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered--not a feather then he fluttered--
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before--
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
               Then the bird said "Nevermore."  Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore--
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
               Of 'Never--nevermore.'"  But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore--
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
               Meant in croaking "Nevermore."  This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
               She shall press, ah, nevermore!  Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee--by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite--respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
               Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!--
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted--
On this home by Horror haunted--tell me truly, I implore--
Is there--is there balm in Gilead?--tell me--tell me, I implore!"
               Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil--prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us--by that God we both adore--
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
                Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  "Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting--
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!--quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
               Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."  And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
               Shall be lifted--nevermore!

The Bibliography:
http://poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/130
http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16093
http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15638

Industrialization- the consequences?

Sorry for not posting any posts throughout the hols. I recently read a book called Village by the Sea and it sparked me off a question. Is industrialization good for the villagers? I will voice out my point of view. Firstly, the industralization will make the village poor become city poor. The difference is that village poor have no wealth but they have sufficient needs to fulfil their lives' needs with the environment. The city poor, on the other hand, have not even money to fill their stomach. Also, the environment has nothing to give them. Industrialzation can make the rich richer, the government wealthier, but the poor poorer.

End of Term 2 Already; and I have gotten not so good grades.

Two more weeks before I get to enjoy one month of holidays. Well, I have gotten most of my grades, and all of them showed A1, except for: 3 B3 and  2 B4. Oh well. Better then failing my grades. I have shown a great deal of interest in historical Chinese literature like 唐诗，宋词 and all those things. So, if you have gotten interest of want to post me a question, feel free to use the comment board or if you are the shy one, (hopefully not) you can email me at jack_wongyikhin@hotmail.com . One last thing. Updates on world news. A (H1N1) Swine influenza has affected over 40 countries, the latest being Malaysia( thats my home country!!!!). Manchester United have won the Premier League by a 0-0 draw to Arsenal, and striker Carlos Tevez is not appearing in the next season, which frustrates Ferguson. Alright, blog back when I have more time to post.

Swine flu alert!!!!!

In the past month, an infectious disease, namely H1N1 or A influenza has spread from Mexico to all parts of the globe. If you know, the disease has spread to Japan, Korea and even Hong Kong. Drastic measures have been taken and we as students of course never get the good bits. Now, more checks have been taken and we are stopped for checking of temperature every now and then. At least it means that we will use some of our school time to conduct temperature-taking exercise. I hope that this 'danger' will pass soon as already about 200 lives are lost by this illness.

Three cheers for track and field!

My school had participated in a national track and field event. I went to the venue, Choa Chu Kang stadium to support the team. In the end, we got double champs for a few consecutive years. I feel proud of my school and very happy as my school has obtained the C division champion for 9 consecutive years. Other than that, My school has achieved excellent results especially in the SYF(Singapore Youth Festival) and external competitions. For details please click here. I also help to try to improve my blog so if you have anything to feedback on my blog and how to make it better, please comment on my blog.

One of my fave bands!!!!

Yeah!!! enough time to post another post! It has past my first test, and my second test is not long after. Tomorrow i have another test, and i just have enough time to listen to some music. The title tells you about what i listen to. Here are the songs on Youtube, but not the band to let you guess. Song 1, Song 2. Bye for now

Week Four Already?!?!

Wow time runs so fast. I barely thought about anything else. I have to balance my CCA, Schoolwork and tests. A week I have about 7 hrs in my CCA, 3.5hrs in my 3rd Language. Ouch but still tests are approaching around the corner and i barely have time to think. Tomorrow is my Language Arts test and i just have time to post a blog post out of my study time. Wooow... I think I'm getting drowsy now. If i have more time, i might post more.

New post

I am very tired now and i just want to ask all of my readers this question, have you any sites to recommend me to? If any please leave a comment. Another blog post, another website i have to share. Please click here. I promise you won't like it. HAHA.

I'm back in business

Hey dudes. Sorry for not posting anything during the hols. I was not able to access my blog. I now am back at school with stress, homework and tests to worry about. So let me show you a very nice clip that my music teacher showed us here.

Last week for Term One!!!!!!!

Today is sabbatical week!!!!!! I have seminars for the first two days, (yawn) then it's our Sec 1 Camp! Yahoo!!! I also passed the pre-prelims for projects day. (Do you see that I am very happy? If you don't, you have my pity.) As usual, I will either give you a book or a new language to explore. Today will be slightly different. I will give you a website to explore, if you dare to......
Click here to enter your nightmares.........
Note : it's from 6 pm to 6am daily. If you're scared, go in and off your sound......

Lucky us!!!!!!!!!!

Today, I am very cheerful. In fact, our school has given us the results of the GCE A-level examination, which our school has done well and set a few records. The principal , after declaring the results, dismissed us from school. I looked at my watch and it said exactly noon. I also learnt from my classmate that my CCA was cancelled due to this, so that I could return at noon.

Well, it looks like the end of today. I also posted another language pointer to all my readers. This time it is some Malay phrases. Seeya.

Malay phrases:
Selamat datang /səlamat dataŋ/ Welcome (Used as a greeting)
Selamat jalan /səlamat dʒalan/ Have a safe journey (equivalent to "goodbye", used by the party staying)
Selamat tinggal /səlamat tiŋgal/ Goodbye (Lit translation: "Good stay", used by the party going)
Terima kasih /tərima kasih/ Thank you
Sama-sama /sama sama/ You are welcome (as in a response to Thank You)
Selamat pagi /səlamat pagi/ Good morning
Selamat petang /səlamat pətaŋ/ Good afternoon/evening (note that 'Selamat petang' must not be used at night as in English. For a general greeting, use 'Selamat sejahtera')
Selamat sejahtera /səlamat sədʒahtəra/ Greetings (formal)
Selamat malam /səlamat malam/ Good night
Jumpa lagi See you again
Siapakah nama awak?/Nama awak apa? What is your name?
Nama saya ... My name is ... (The relevant name is placed in front. For example, if your name was Munirah, then you would introduce yourself by saying "Nama saya Munirah", which translates to "My name is Munirah")
Apa khabar? How are you? / What's up? (literally, "What news?")
Khabar baik Fine, good news
Saya sakit I'm sick
Ya /ja/ Yes
Tidak ("tak" colloquially) No
Ibu (Saya) sayang engkau/kamu (awak) I love you (In a more of a family or affectionate sort of love, e.g.: mother to daughter, the Mother addresses herself as "Ibu" (mother) or Emak (Mother) instead of "Saya" for "I". And the mother also uses the informal "engkau" instead of "awak" for "you".)
Aku (Saya) cinta pada mu (awak) I love you (romantic love. In romantic situation, use informal "Aku" instead of "Saya" for "I". And "Kamu" or just "Mu" for "You". In romance, in immediate family communication and in songs, informal pronouns are used). Please note that in Malay language, appropriate personal pronouns must be used depending on (1) whether the situation is formal or informal, (2) the social status of the people around the speaker and (3) the relationship of the speaker with the person spoken to and/or with people around the speaker. For learners of Malay language, it is advised that you stick to formal personal pronouns when speaking Malay to Malays and Indonesians. You risk being considered as rude if you use informal personal pronouns in inappropriate situations.
Saya benci awak I hate you
Saya tidak faham (or simply "tak faham" colloquially) I do not understand
Saya tidak tahu (or "tak tau" colloquially or "sik tau" in Sarawak) I do not know
(Minta) maaf I apologise ('minta' is to request)
Tumpang tanya "May I ask...?" (used when trying to ask something)
(Minta) tolong : Please help (me) ('Tolong!' on its own just means "help")
Apa : What
Tiada : Nothing

Taken from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malay_Language

I am so forgetful!!!!!!!!!!!

There are times when we forget to bring stuff back or misplaced something or dropped something or whatsoever and so, I will tell you my experiences in Hwa Chong related to missing things.

1. 23 Feb 2009, I lost a book I borrowed from the library. Ended up paying a fine. 1st time lost: library book.

2. 25 Feb 2009, I lost my laundry in the boarding school and fortunately, the office staff found it and gave it to me. 2nd time lost: laundry.

3. 4th Mar 2009, I dropped my E-z link card. Luckily someone found it and returned it to the Admin Office. 3rd time lost: E-z link card

4. 5th Mar 2009, I borrowed a book from the library and after the librarian scanned my E-z link card, he forgot to return me. Later, I went again to get back the card and he returned it to me. 4th time lost: E-z link card(again)

These are my times that I was forgetful during the last 2 weeks. Oh, and I came across something interesting for all of my readers. It's the numbers from one to twenty in FRENCH. Hope you like it. Read it ,and bye for today. Seeya

One: un /œ̃/
Two: deux /dø/
Three: trois /tʁwa/
Four: quatre /katʁ/
Five: cinq /sɛ̃k/
Six: six /sis/
Seven: sept /sɛt/
Eight: huit /ʔɥɪt/
Nine: neuf /nœf/
Ten: dix /dis/
Eleven: onze /ɔ̃z/
Twelve: douze /duz/
Thirteen: treize /tʁɛz/
Fourteen: quatorze /katɔʁz/
Fifteen: quinze /kɛ̃z/
Sixteen: seize /sɛz/
Seventeen: dix-sept /dis.sɛt/
Eighteen: dix-huit /di.z‿ɥit/
Nineteen: dix-neuf /diz.nœf/
Twenty: vingt /vɛ̃/

Taken from webpage http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language

My Favorite Book Lately

Yes, I love reading, but I'm not your average NERD who reads until he forgets his meals. I get obsessed with different books at different times. My current favorite book is (The 39 clues).Okay, it's a childish book, with collector's cards and stuff, and also a whole webpage to it (it's at www.the39clues.com) and it's quite costly(in Singapore). The pricing (in Popular bookstore because I only know that bookstore's price for these books) is $24.90 in Singapore and if you have time to go to Malaysia to buy this book it's RM41.90 which is the equivalent of about $17.83333...or to round it up, $17.83. There are 10 books in all and each cost the price above. If you are attracted, comment me.

Note: Though the fact that this is an average blog, this book to me is not in an average position.

My thoughts.(LA Assignment)

I read a very touching article on Friday that I felt that I had to share with all my readers. It is about a young woman which, had a disease that affected her in her walking and her thinking. Yet she has climbed Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in South-East Asia, and also wrote a book that has been read by at least 3,000 people.She strived in her ambition, and made it true although her father and her best friend have died of cancer. Miss Oh is the person that made it through. She said that her best friend was the one that motivated her to achieve her ambition and she was sad when she learned of her death. She quoted that nothing is imposible in life. If you are willing to succeed, you will succeed.

Another boring day

Today is a very boring day. My exams have passed, but I'm not like those lucky dudes out there. I am banned from playing any console I have(not that I have any), mainly because I got a bad grade, especially in Geography. I liked it, but I then understood it wasn't about the world. Not yet, at least. Ah, the weekends rock for some of my readers, but, (sigh) not for me. Well mainly because I'm a scholar and we're supposed to not do anything but study.

An average post

Today I have an average day (again). I had an average breakfast, then I went to an average school, then the teacher gave us AVERAGE homework (tons and tons of it) followed by an average lunch, after that I had an average sports time. When I reached my average home, I stuck in front of my PC and watched Youtube and chatted on Facebook for FOUR CONSECUTIVE HOURS. My day waaas boooooring. Hope you had a better day than me and DID NOT do something too normal today

Today's news

I will share with all one of the news I read in The Straits Times. This article is entitled "14 years on, liver transplant girl weds". It is about a young girl, which is Singapore's first successful child transplant recipient. This girl's name is Raziah Begum Alangir.

To me,this is a very touching story, where a girl lives on although she has been diagnosed of liver failure. Her doctor, Associate Professor K. Prabhakaran, treated her like as if she was his daughter. Even though she had to take her medication often and suffer through all the hardships when she was sick, 14 years later, she came through it all with a wonderful marriage.

My thoughts about this news article is that if we persevere through the hard times, we will definitely get the reward, and the result will be the same as the effort we put into it. We must learn from the girl in the article, as to solve our problems during our life and not be afraid of the hardships that face us in life.