Finally settling down after a few weeks of hustle and bustle... Rag and Orientation... Travelling between Campus and Toa Payoh / Serangoon... Going back to work (teaching).... Then Rag day and stuffs... and now the formal lessons have officially started. Was still in kind of holiday mood for the first few days, but slowly gaining the momentum to get back to work. Study that is. But that doesnt mean mugging the lecture notes tho. Have enough of 6 modules, so decided to tone down back to 1st year condition. More time for studies also looking at my CAPs slowly slipped down towards dire conditions.
After 2 weeks (effectively 8 1/2 days actually) of relief teaching, finally can switch my status from a teacher back to a student. But the feeling is really different going back to ur ex-college not as a student but this time as a teacher. Your juniors look upon you with greater reverance. I hope. But they seemed to be more comfortable with me upon knowing that I am actually their senior... Great grandsenior actually, if the batches were to be calculated accurately. (Hence, my MSN nick.) Not only perspective towards the students has changed, imagine your teachers have become your colleagues! Especially the very first few days... feel kinda weird to step into the Staff Room just like that. And its like... how to call them? By their names? So, for my ex-teachers, I still addressed them as I did. Hard to change the way of addressing. But for new teachers, I address them directly by their name. Not so formal and more friendly isn't it? Nevermind. Now very broke and waiting for my pay due next Wednesday!Have to survive with hmm 70 bucks in my account? Declaring bankrupt. Ok now, back to school days. Rag Day on Saturday. Didn't feel I contributed enough for Rag, so I decided to volunteer as a Validator representing my Hall for the Rag Day. Without learning in detail prior to assumption to duty, that is. So I went for Validators' Briefing by the Organizers (hmm I shall not mention who they are. You know, later get dragged into lawsuit for allegedly 'defamatory comments on the blog'). Oh well what the heck, free Speech does not exist in this part of the world. Not does it exist anywhere else I guess. Maybe in the Andromeda galaxy? Oh my, got digressed. So back to the Validators' Meeting. Well, my validating partner reached a conclusion on the meeting at about 10 minutes into the briefing - it is anal. Yes, Anal. The severe anality goes into the extent that they had to give a 3-sentence definition of rain. Ok lar I understand the necessity to give definition on certain stuffs to clarify your perspectives. But erm... 3-line definition is a bit too wordy rite? Summore its not scientific enough also. "Drizzles are not considered as raining, so continue until further instructions are given..." Then, what are drizzles? what is the difference between drizzle and rain? What about the definition of drizzles? Perhaps measure the number of drops of rainwater between pH of 6 to 8 that fell per unit area per unit time? I can publish a book liao if I go on endlessly, but there's something about the emcees of the day that I really couldnt stand not talking about it. It was soooooo unprofessional. First of all, it is a competition, it is Rag Day, and all Faculties and Halls of Residences are represented. Naturally, the cheers will go on getting rowdier and noisier as time progresses - especially towards the announcement of results - and the Organizers should be happy that the event went on so well that the crowd were cheering so excitedly. And they screwed up by mixing up the prizes awarded to the Faculties and Halls. It would be fine if they just apologize for their mistakes. Just a little embarrassment but they deserve that. Just admit it and go on, what is the big deal? Everyone makes mistakes. But they did not do that. Pride and severe unprofessionalism have prompted them into blaming the crowd for cheering too loudly such that they got confused with the prizes. So I reached a conclusion. They either read with their ears, or they speak with their eyes. Ok, nevermind. Maybe they were very stressed. But this next mistake made is really unforgiveable. Somewhere along the announcement of prizes, the President decided to make his leave. The crowds were cheering and bidding the President farewell, but it seems the Emcees were lacking in patience. High stress level again? That should not be the excuse. Come on, who would ask thru the microphone this question: "Has he left?" Too bad that he didnt switch off his mic, but the three words were picked up loud and clear through the microphone up to the speakers, all the way into my eardrums, cochlea and my sensory nerves! No, he hasnt left. He was on his way being ushered into his car. He has right. Busted! How respectful and sincere. And at the end of the day, when we returned them the validation tools provided by them, all they showed us were long, charred and black faces. Oh come on, I have organized events before too, and I understand your stress level. And I don't give a *toot* whether my service was appreciated. But hell, please dont show such faces to me. I went through hell lot doing this job for you and at the end of the day I was given a long black sour face. Please do not assume you are the only person in the world to have middle fingers. I have 2 in fact. Well, these are just highlights of what was went through that day. Not that I want to complain a lot, but these are really too much. On the sidenote, my family is going to travel to Australia to visit my brother tonight. How I wish I could follow... argh!!!! |
