{Time to settle down.}


After the long holidays, six months of procrastination, general laziness and thinking that there's a lot of time left, I have finally realised that I have the next less-than-120 days to work hard enough for an exam that will determine the future course of my life.

So it's no more horsin' around, and it's time to get down to work. As such, I'll be offline most of the time, and actually revising in an efficient and productive manner.

I came across an inspirational sentence while doing my Chinese holiday homework:

冬天越深，春天越近。

(Basically it means "as winter gets harsher, spring draws nearer".)

So we're all entering into a harsh season, and we're all groaning, awaiting the arrival of spring.

So, off I go into solitary hibernation mode now. I'll pop out of my cosy little den once in a while to make little updates.

Go, go, go!

Benson blogged at 6/29/2009 04:51:00 PM.
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{A Very Long Essay!}


Benson Pang (28) 4E5
150609
Commonwealth Essay

5. Describe the most disturbing incident you have experienced. What was it about this incident that still haunts you today?

The most disturbing incident that I have experienced would have to be the time when I left my house at the wrong time. I will never forget the little spot of hell that manifested on earth, right in front of my juvenile eyes.

It all happened when I was still a child. I was six years old then, and my mother was getting ready to bring my sister and I out for a day of shopping at the new shopping mall in town. My mother was bustling around the house, filling our water bottles and ensuring that my sister’s dress was put on properly.

“Alright, we can leave once I get my wallet!” Mum said as she wiped perspiration off her brow, smiling as she walked into her room. She called out from inside, her voice echoing through the hall, “Just sit down at the couch, darlings, I’ll be out in a jiffy!” I heard the sound of eager hands rummaging through drawers coming from my mother’s bedroom, as my sister took me by my hand and walked over to the couch. As my sister settled down onto the couch and began flipping through her storybook, I looked longingly out of the door. I wanted so badly to go to the mall; Mum promised that she would buy me an action figure for having scored well for the examinations!

I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulders, tottering off to the door. “I’m going downstairs first! I’ll meet Mum and you downstairs!” I slipped my shoes on despite the shout of protest from my sister, and I ran happily down the corridor towards the elevator. While in the elevator, I jumped about on my tiny feet, brimming with anticipation for the time when I could lay my hands on my new toy.

When the elevator’s doors opened, I ran out gleefully to the void deck. I walked to the roadside, which Mum would always bring us across to get to the bus stop. I looked across the road, to see if the bus was on its way to the bus stop. An unexpected deafening screech assaulted my ears, and I cringed as I turned to look for the source of the noise.

Countless passers-by had stopped along their tracks and congregated along the roadside to gaze upon the disturbing scene, like vultures ready to swoop onto their prey. A black car had gone rogue on the road, screeching as its tyres grinded against the road. Inside the car, I saw the driver tugging maniacally at the wheel in an attempt to get the car back on track. A woman sitting in the front seat, presumably his wife, was screaming while she tried to face two children who were sitting in the back of the car.

Fear gripped my heart as I saw a little girl crying in the back seat, while a boy sitting beside her yelled as he struggled to get out of his seat; his tightly buckled seatbelt prevented him from opening the door and jumping out. My heartbeat had accelerated to an unbelievable rate in the past few seconds; I felt numbness spread through my feet. Nothing could prepare me for the horror that was about to tear through my young, delicate mind. I still remember the faces of the family trapped in the car. I remember how their joyful anticipation of a happy family outing was turned into sheer terror.

I could almost hear the woman crying out to her children, telling them that things would turn out all right, even though they would not. I could almost feel how angry the father felt with himself for having got his family into such a sorry state. My eyes watered as my mind wandered off into the shoes of the two children; I could almost feel my mouth moving, shouting, almost screaming, “Mummy! Make it stop!” The first few tears trickled down my cheeks, which were already moist with cold sweat, as I saw through the eyes of the two children; the image of their mother as a super-woman, always able to do anything, was slowly burned to a crisp.

I was shook out of my state of imaginative shock, and it was now my turn to scream. The rogue car was speeding, almost flying, in my direction! I shrieked as I threw my hands before me and shut my eyes tightly. Thankfully, a passer-by grabbed me and pulled me backwards before the car could hit me. My pupils dilated in fear as I saw the car burst into flame. Dark plumes of smoke billowed from the hood of the car as I heard the screams of the passengers pierce through the air.

I began screaming and babbling like an insane child, crawling away from the scene like an injured rat crawling away from a starving cat. I saw the glass shatter as the father’s body flew out of the car. I shivered in fear as I saw the mother yell hellishly, and I saw tiny streams of blood flow out from the tiny space between the closed door and the body of the car. Acrid, burning smoke and the smell of blazing rubber stung my nose. The horror of witnessing a tiny little spot of hell materialise itself on earth was so overwhelming for someone of my age.

I was lying in a foetal position on the sidewalk, sobbing like a deranged little child, hoping against hope that this was all just a highly realistic nightmare. Peeking through slits in my tightly shut eyes, I saw the door of the car open, as the little girl fell out of the car. She was bleeding from many parts of her body, and as she collapsed on the floor, an empty shell of a beautiful girl that was once alive, I yelled in unearthly anguish.

The thing that fell out of the little girl’s tiny, delicate hands was a limited edition Happy Land teddy bear covered in soot. The exact one I wanted Mum to get for me.

A stray spark landed on the teddy bear, and the hungry flames quickly consumed it

Benson blogged at 6/25/2009 04:42:00 PM.
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{Photos from all over the place!}


Pictures from Class Gathering at Mr Lee's House!

Here, us guys were waiting for our turn to use the pool room so we went to attempt to play at the little kids' playground!





WeiQiang is too big for hopscotch! Anyone of us could probably jump over the entire thing.

We finally got to use the pool room! Check out our interesting poses as we attempt to get the balls into the hole.







We went to play Cheat at Mr Lee's house after watching The Ring. By the way, I was cowering behind a pillow throughout pretty much the entire movie. I am quite happy that really nobody could read my poker face during the game. =)



We were bored after playing Cheat over and over again, and so it was a choice between watching 宝莲灯 on Channel 8 (which is a terrible show! ]:) and going downstairs to play childish games.





Do you remember this game? It's 老鹰抓小鸡, where we were all hiding behind YongMing and running from BoCan! Vennesa looks like she's all ready to tear YM's shirt off! >=)

That's all for the Class Gathering.. Now we move on to Investiture Rehearsals.



We were trying to switch on the big-ass fans in the hall so we wouldn't boil to death. And the term "big-ass" isn't something that we cooked up among ourselves.







That's the stage.





This is the control room!

Alrightey, that's all for the first rehearsal. The first rehearsal completely spoiled my day. Even though his skin is probably as thick as it was when he was fat and bloated, Brendan needs to realise that being as mature as his voice isn't going to get him very far! Even though I was extremely disappointed and unhappy after watching his antics on Monday, I'm not really angry any more, because I think I no longer care for the brat! I was originally going to write him a letter along with the rest of the handing-over letters that I was going to write over the holidays, but I'm not going to anymore.

Now, on to Day 2!







Mardi's pioneering a new statement in school fashion, wearing the blazer backwards!









Now, if only they were raising their hands to accept Christ into their lives, wouldn't that be nice? =3

Benson blogged at 6/24/2009 12:49:00 PM.
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{Where was Madonna when "Time went by so slowly"?}


My English essays are strewn over cyberspace in bits and pieces. I think writing essays constrains my creativity. I dread the Chinese practice papers. Other than that, I think I can pretty much finish all my homework in the next two weeks!







I went down with Lifeng to look at how investiture plans were going, and we were quite amused at some of the things that were going on, such as the next exco getting the junior prefects to march. I was quite amused by the whole marching thing. Halfway through the rehearsal Lifeng and I went up to the control room to begin throwing music at the marchers. I think we were amusing ourselves more than we were contributing to the actual rehearsal. I think the only way we helped the next exco throughout the entire rehearsal was by unlocking the prefects' room for them.



I was talking to Felicia regarding the above cover of C. S. Lewis Song. (By the way, I think this cover is such an insult of the original song, the singer sounds like she's a juvenile seductress.)


Benson says:
she moves her shoulders in a very seductive manner. o.O
yeah!
like she's trying to seduce the men..
o.O
Felicia. says:
oh i wasnt noticing that
i only noticed that she kept shaking as if it was a rock song/techno song
okay the ending was bad
Benson says:
she sounded like she was having sex.. -.-
Felicia. says:
yes
but not rly having sex
its like
Benson says:
of course it's not like real sex.. that would be really bad.
Felicia. says:
cuz it sounded more peaceful
than having sex
Benson says:
LOL.
Felicia. says:
yea
Benson says:
so you want violent sex? >=]
Felicia. says:
no lah
ai yo benson
Benson says:
HHHAHH


Benson blogged at 6/17/2009 04:20:00 PM.
0 comment(s).

{}


The bell rings, and my teacher rounds up his lesson, gathers up his papers and walks out of the classroom. My classmates begin to talk to one another as if they would never have another chance to, because in a sense, they do not. Today is the last day of the second school term. In just one more term, we will all be leaving school as young and confident men and women, with four years of education underneath our belts.

I bend over to look under my table, and I clear away the textbooks that I have stored there for the past months. I stack them up neatly, placing the small math textbook at the top of the pile, atop the large and cumbersome science textbooks. As I gather my subject files and stuff them into my bag, my mind wanders off to the end of the year.

I envision myself sitting at my desk in the examination room, scribbling vigorously on sheets of writing paper. I allow my mind to ebb and flow with the current of my thoughts, and I see that although I am writing like my life depended on it, the bright blue ink made no sense upon the crisp white paper. Hence, I ask myself, have I been trying hard enough all this while? My teachers have sown the seeds of knowledge, but have I watered them with my diligence? Would I be ready for the examinations?

I snap out of my reverie, sling my bag over my shoulders, pick up my stack of books and walk out of the classroom. I walk past the class notice boards, once covered with bulletins and tutorial schedules but now stripped bare, and out the back door. As I walk to my locker to empty its contents, I pass a young prefect, one whom I mentored during his probation period, and I smile at him. He smiles at me, and then walks past me, like how so many people walk in and out of our lives.

Turning left around the corridor, I go down the stairway and out of the school’s main entrance. I walk underneath the bright sunlight and come to a candy stall where my friends and I used to patronize previously. I recall all the times I played basketball with my friends after a day of school, and how good it felt to get a cold drink at the stall with them on the way home.

I remember the times when we sneaked out of the school compound during recess just so we could purchase a bag of potato crisps, and how we scampered back into the school to avoid being late for class. My friends have come into my life, and even though they will walk out of it eventually, they have sown seeds in my heart that have flourished into blooming flowers.

I tell myself, I must look into my heart and gaze upon these flowers everyday, to smell the scent of secondary school life, perfumed with the aroma of candy and the chemical smell of whiteboard marker ink.

I reach home, put my books down upon my desk and take out a stack of colored cards from underneath my desk. I fish out a pen from my pencil case and begin to write letters to all my classmates, thanking them for the memories that I have with them. I intend to give these letters out when school reopens, as a gift after four years of friendship.

As my pen speeds over the paper, I think of the seeds that have been sown all around the school and in my heart. I look forward at the harvest that is to come, and I write.

Benson blogged at 6/16/2009 11:17:00 AM.
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{Sofa for Sale}


My sister and brother-in-law are interested in selling their sofa, which is in really good condition! I'd know, as I've sat on it multiple times before!




It is 2+3 seats
Dimensions (cm):
2 seats = 155(L) x 88(B) x 66(H)
3 seats = 205(L) x 88(B) x 66(H)
(Height taken without the cushion)

The cover can be removed for washing.
Brought at $1800.
Price neg.



Condition 8.5/10, due to a cut about 5cm that has been sewed up.Otherwise, it is in very good condition.

Buyer to arrange for own transport.

Benson blogged at 6/15/2009 09:26:00 AM.
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{Child, what will you grow up to do?}





Night
Field of stars above us
You pick one, we frame it with our fingers intertwined
Seeds of every generation between our hands
And the promise to teach you the little I have learned so far

Child
What will you live to do? What have I left for you? What will we leave behind?

You
Learning as you're growing, not yet knowing the world isn't always quite as beautiful as it is now

Night
Field of stars above us
I pick one and name it for you and all who are to come



Yesterday was our very last Prefects' Bonding Day. It does feel rather sad to leave after spending three years here. But I believe that I have made a difference, and in one form or another, I am here to stay.

Benson blogged at 6/13/2009 11:48:00 AM.
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{Clench Your Fists}


Stare at the Grand Deception Plan, it's the end of the day.







This is my hard work, and it ended up as a rather neat poster below!







This is Ms Yau's assignment for 4E5; write a love letter! I can't believe I wrote so much for something as mushy as this! I basically reiterated "I love you so much it hurts" in many different metaphorical manners and ended with "我不要求你回信，我只想对你说我一向来都是等着你飘到我身边的树。 这可能都是我一个人的单纯，甚至愚蠢的美好的梦想，但是我真的很喜欢你。我真的，真的很喜欢你。"

I shall blog out the entire letter once Ms Yau returns it (we'll have to wait for quite a bit, guys.) Damn I should've scanned the letter before I handed it up!





I'll be here with Nigel, Peter and Ms Joanna tomorrow for 10th Anniversary!

I feel poetic recently, like artistic fire's burning everything away that doesn't work, leaving behind and refining the gold.

Benson blogged at 6/04/2009 04:36:00 PM.
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In Your freedom I will live;
All I am is Yours!