Personal Statement

I would like to join the Trinity College Summer Schools because I wish to increase my knowledge of humanities and to hone my writing skills. Even though I take three science subjects, it would make me an all-rounded learner to enroll in the Creative Thinking Summer School. The writing, critical thinking and planning skills taught will not only help me in my humanities subjects, but also in subjects such as English, Biology and Chemistry. These skills are invaluable in life, and might prove to be useful in my tertiary education. I am especially interested in the “Learning for a Sustainable Future” subject of the Creative Thinking stream, as I believe climate change will most affect the youth of the future and its effects can only be countered by sustainable energy and also political power. Currently at school, the concept of environmental change is very rarely discussed in lessons, and student-initiated environmental projects manage to persuade only a fraction of the school population. It would be fascinating to think about the possibilities that would arise if we did or did not consider the effects of climate change at work, in school or at home.
This year I participated in a Current Affairs Competition as part of the Red Cross Youth, which is my extracurricular activity at school. The information I learnt in preparation for this competition would come in handy when I learn about the political aspect of the Creative Thinking Stream, as the competition was on disaster preparedness.
I am also very attracted to creative writing and literature, and these interests coincide with the electives offered in the programme. I hope, in the course of this programme, to make creative writing and literature more than just my interests, and for them to be part of the knowledge and skills essential for adult life.

go forth and multiply! [it] I really don't mind if you copy, because I wrote this in 15 mins, and it isn't meant to be award-winning, so. I am highly ashamed of myself because I was supposed to finish this yesterday and I'm only done with it after wasting time playing around on the internet. feel free to r&r.

Neverwhere review! (the bbc tv series)

Even though I've only watched a couple episodes from the first few episodes, I don't really like it. I think there's a dvd version of it somewhere, the cover of which neil gaiman was plugging, and I have a feeling he didn't really like the tv version. Even though I like neverwhere a lot, (hence the rereading) the tv version isn't very representative of the book. The user who posted it on youtube even said it was "short-lived".
Firstly, in the book Richard Mayhew is supposed to have a slight scottish accent, in the show it isn't just 'slight'; it's rather heavy, to the point where it sometimes becomes difficult to understand. Maybe it's just me, being not used to various british accents and all, but I think for the show to be accessible to a wider audience the actor playing Richard has to speak clearer.
I quite like the casting of Mr Croup, though, and his voice; he rolls his Rs! And is malevolent :D When I was reading the book I imagined croup and vandemar to sound like snape or morpheus (in the matrix, not sandman) and the guy play Mr. Croup sounds like that!
Though vandemar has the wrong clothes because he looks like someone from Law and Order, back in the 90s, with a white shirt and suspenders, of all things. Speaking of costumes, the Marquis has this cloak (okay) a white flappy shirt (okay) a glittery vest (passable) and khaki pants that look like ballet tights. First things first. Ballet tights are perfectly acceptable on dancers, and serve a functional purpose. But the Marquis doesn't dance, and so they do not have a functional purpose. [right. stupid argument.] I suppose the producers tried to go for the tudor tights-and-bloomers look, but it doesn't work out! I feel like the Marquis is going to do a grande jete any moment, and pirouette arrogantly around richard, who can neither dance nor act.
I think I'm quibbling. The tv series was first aired in 1996, and they had different fashion trends then (the person playing door wears biker boots) and probably different lighting trends then too. The lighting in the series looks over the top, with most of the croup/vandemar scenes in green, and angel islington scenes in red. Oh dear. maybe it's just the video quality. I wouldn't mind just listening to the audio part; it would do very well as an audiobook, thought that rather defeats the purpose of having a tv show.

I haven't been posting for a long time, and now I should be doing something else.

I suppose I should say where I went after the eoys, as everyone seems to be talking about that on their blogs. Nat, michele and I went to kino, yoshinoya, Wh, body shop, gramophone, and borders. There. Done. I said it.

That sounded unusually off-hand and arrogant. But I don't feel like recounting everything because it is tiresome. Lately I've been avoid all things that require physical exertion. I've also been sleeping a lot, moving slowly, and consuming vast amounts of junk, and therefore I am sloth-like. I'm spending half my time on the computer doing stupid things, looking for work to do, and putting it (the work) off. I should be getting my butt off the ground and doing my personal statement and corraling logs but no I'm currently made little or no progress on both of those things. I'm making myself more miserable as I write this. Miserable like wallowing-like-a-hippo miserable. Not that eoy results help, though.

I think I'm satisfied, but not happy with, bio, chem and chinese zuowen, but not much else. I don't think mum would be satisfied with anything, and there is a very high chance I would be retained. I should also spend my post-eoy time revising things, so I don't get too lost next year. I can't get lost next year because it's the last chance I'll get to shove/nudge/heave my gpa up. I think I said that at the beginning of this year too as well.

Ooh I’m using a mac and this is a neat font :D didot, I believe it’s called. Right now I’m supposed to be studying for bio so I’ll do the genetically modified food part now and then 10 year series and maybe math at home. Actually it would be more appropriate for me to do this on the class computer; it’s kind of impolite to do it here. I’m trying not to have to use the computer at home, because it usually ends up in me playing hcs or doing something just as counterproductive. Although right now is a good time to attack people on hcs, because most irritating players are having their exams now, i.e. the “fear me” people. So they’re terribly loaded and no one else is online to attack me, which makes it very convenient to… farm gold. As you can see, I’m pretty obsessed. And I shouldn’t be!

I think because I talk a lot about obscure [?} okay not obscure, it’s just that people in my school aren’t into these things. Right I have to finish my sentence. Relatively obscure books/ musicals/ movies etc, I come off as being geek. Wait no I think crying one’s eyes out for dobby’s death practically confers geek status. And sometimes people equate being geek to being hardworking… and I very sadly confess that I’m not. ): It’s kind of sad that a lot of people don’t read. Take for example, my sister. She refuses to read anything that I enjoyed as a kid and instead gravitates toward things like the princess diaries and other things in that genre. Though I’m being selfish here, because I cannot impose my choice of reading material onto my sister, because she likes biographies: think Chinese Cinderella, and I don’t.

I sound very horribly like someone else. I ALWAYS sound like someone else, without even trying >:( remember last year I said I subconsciously was writing like N.G., or maybe even charisse--now I’m writing the way someone talks. I don’t even have my own writing style! Or rather, blogging style. Some people say this happens most when you’re reading other people’s writing and come off sounding like the person you’re reading, just because you are so influenced by that person.
I don’t think I’ll have a conclusion today, or end it properly, because I didn’t write conclusions for lit and I feel kind of sad): I sound like a blue frog. Or the frog that is blue. It’s time to finish because I’ve reached the end of the page, what with the wide page borders. “So long, farewell, aufwiedersehn goodbye.” * cue music *

Someone is having a private-ish conversation in a not so private place. I will resist the temptation to earwig.

I don't know what to talk about. recently I don't know what's come over me. I don't think I'll pass physics. or math. or bio. oh dear. I shall have to be expelled, since the chances of me passing philo are kind of low too. And physics is the subject that many people pass. My gpa is out of sight already (the wrong way) and so now you can very clearly see I'm ranting. Everytime the eoys come around, I have this impending feeling of doom, but this time the feeling is so encompassing and it's worse than past years. But I think the best thing to do right now (so close to the exams) is to work really really hard, so today I will try not to fail lit tomorrow.

I was browsing through neil gaiman's blog, and it says he's with the bbc world service, recording anansi boys! I mean even though anansi boys wasn't his best novel, I am very much looking forward to listening to it :D Because it will be broadcast on the world service! i.e. in Singapore as well. Plus I hardly get the chance to listen to audio books; they're expensive and I don't have premium membership so I can't borrow them from the library. The use of excessive exclamation marks very clearly shows that I am excited; haha and plugging again. It says 17 november 07, so I'm marking that date on the calendar. ohoh and 17th nov is a saturday, so it most probably will the airing at around 4-5pm local time, because that's when they have BBC world drama on. So tune in to 88.9fm at 4pm on 17th november people, for anansi boys : )

I sound like an annoying tv ad.