(2 mothers in a HDB playground

1.What expectation do my parents have for me ?
2.What expectation would i have as a Singaporean for my children?
3.Would the expectations of the two generations differ?

1.My Parents have high expectations of me .They want me to be independent so that i can be useful in someway in the cooperate world. Other than that, they want me to know that success is a journey, not a destination.The process of working has become somewhat routine and they want me to enjoy the process of learning.Nevertheless, i do not always feel so .Hours and hours of work, especially on the same subject, can be torturous .
In todays fast moving life style and competitive environment the parents have a lot of expectations from their kids even without considering their capabilities and interests and harming the natural self of their kids.Sometimes my parents care too much and become a source of irritation.Of course, my parents do still care about me.


2.In my opinion,all kids are in a state of Monkey see, monkey do up to a certain age.Therefore, i stress that all children must start learning at a young age, and me must set good examples of them.As we all know, children are extremely influential and easily influenced at the same time. a child must know who to mix around with, as mixing around with the wrong people can bring about bad results.I am saying this through true experience, from not me, but my old friends who i no longer keep in contact with. During primary one, this is a critical stage, most of my friends formed so called gangs (immature) and tried to be hero.In the end , their grades suffer as i was the only one who survived into a good class while the rest jumped from top class to bottom .Within one year.As they were in bad classes, more bad company and all the stuff, they soon became unruly children.Thats why i cut off all contact with them.To sum it all up,i would like my children to ace their academic grades before thinking of anything else during their youth .

3.Well, i must say the expectations must differ, only in an uphill manner.I used to hear my parents complain that due to poverty , both of their parents had to work and no one even cared about their grades at all,Since the island that we lie in now is far more advanced in technology and less people suffer from poverty, we are able to afford good education and therefore, expectations naturally rise.

Book review -Barry Trotter and the unnecessary sequel

Barry Trotter and the unnecessary sequel by Michael Gerber is a facinating
and yet oh so dumb parody of Harry Potter. Unlike
the first book, Barry is 38, has kids, and is
balding. The main characters are basically twisted
versions of Harry and co. For instance, Barry is
mean spirited, hot tempered, and other things I
shouldn't say. Ermine,(to some Hermione) Barry's
wife, is kind yet destructive, has a tendency to
show the faults in Barry and other things an average
wife would do. Their kids Nigel, a non-magical 11-year
old going to hogwash, and Fiona, a magical genius, are
somehow unscathed. There is also Lon, a dog brained
man-child that has a dog brain. You might be thinking
"What about Voldemort!?", well, this time, Valumart is
now a family friend. On to the actual story.

The true plot is of Barry and co. going to Hogwash for
a class reunion. But as tragedy (not really) would have it
the headmister, Dorco Malfesance dies. So, Barry and Ermine
become the new headmister. Then Barry somehow contracts
youthniasia and will die soon. I don't want to give away the story, so, I won't. The book has a lot of jokes and satire
that will entertain the ages of 13-27. Although the book
is good, the ending of the series so prematurely is
bad. Lets just hope Michael Gerber writes more books.


Names that were altered
1.Harry potter -Barry Trotter
2.Ron -Lon Measly
3.Hermione- Erminie
4.Lord Voldemort- Lord Valumart
5.Draco Malfoy - Dorco Malfesance
6.Gilderoy Lockhart- Girlrboy Rockhard
7.Quidditch- Quidit

I also really liked the way that they wrote out the (still) Obligatory Legal Mumbo Jumbo, and the disclaimers at the beginning of the book.

The lesson"modified"

Silence ruled heavenly in the staff room
as loudly the student walked in
with tears to the brim
His teachers stared at him

"The theme for today is silence
and homework will still be set
"Dont think just because theres a retest,
you can go home and rest"


Then red pen in hand
he crossed out all his answers.
"im going to place you in third band
you better go repent"


He flung his stamp at the paper
it struck with deadly aim
with the big words"parents signature"
he continued with his game



"please can i go now, sir?"
"no yet, i prefer"
the student felt trapped
and wished he could give his teacher a zap


The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade


The student surveyed the carnage
and waggled a finger severely
"now let that be a lesson he said"
or us students give you dread

Roger McGough--->modded by me

Shel Silverstein

The background by poets.org

Shel Silverstein was born on September 25, 1930 in Chicago, Illinois and began writing and drawing at a young age. He became a cartoonist, playwright, poet, performer, recording artist, and Grammy-winning, Oscar-nominated songwriter.

Silverstein is best known as the author of iconic books of prose and poetry for young readers. His works include such modern classics asLafcadio: The Lion Who Shot Back(1963), The Giving Tree (1964), A Giraffe and a Half (1964), The Missing Piece (1976), and The Missing Piece Meets the Big O (1981). His immensely popular poetry collections are Where the Sidewalk Ends, a 1974 Michigan Young Readers Award winner; A Light in the Attic, recipient of the School Library Journal Best Books Award in 1982;Falling Up (1996); and Don’t Bump the Glump! And Other Fantasies, which was originally published in 1963 and reissued in 2008.Runny Babbit, a posthumous poetry collection of spoonerisms, was conceived and completed before his death.

Silverstein’s books, which he also illustrated, are characterized by a deft mixing of the sly and the serious, the macabre, and the just plain silly. His unique imagination and bold brand of humor is beloved by countless adults and children throughout the world. He died in May 1999.

Now for my own review:

I like this poet very much and also many others because i have a special admiration to those who can sketch/draw children cartoon books.an example is this This image can also be found at the website provided at the bottom I find his language quite cute , example like his famous story a girraffe and a half

"if you have a giraffe and it was stretched another half,

you get a giraffe and a half,

if he put on a hat, and inside lived a rat,

you would have a giraffe and a half and a rat in his hat

if you dressed him in a suite and he looked very cute,

you would have a giraffe and a half with a rat in his hat looking cute in a suit."

To me , this poet aims to taget children 13 or below,which still applies for me .

three poems by him.

Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
There is a place where the sidewalk ends And before the street begins, And there the grass grows soft and white, And there the sun burns crimson bright, And there the moon-bird rests from his flight To cool in the peppermint wind. Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black And the dark street winds and bends. Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And watch where the chalk-white arrows go To the place where the sidewalk ends. Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go, For the children, they mark, and the children, they know The place where the sidewalk ends. Mr. Grumpledump's Song by Shel Silverstein If the World Was Crazy by Shel Silverstein If the world was crazy, you know what I'd eat? A big slice of soup and a whole quart of meat, A lemonade sandwich, and then I might try Some roasted ice cream or a bicycle pie, A nice notebook salad, an underwear roast, An omelet of hats and some crisp cardboard toast, A thick malted milk made from pencils and daisies, And that's what I'd eat if the world was crazy. If the world was crazy, you know what I'd wear? A chocolate suit and a tie of eclair, Some marshmallow earmuffs, some licorice shoes, And I'd read a paper of peppermint news. I'd call the boys "Suzy" and I'd call the girls "Harry," I'd talk through my ears, and I always would carry A paper umbrella for when it grew hazy To keep in the rain, if the world was crazy. If the world was crazy, you know what I'd do? I'd walk on the ocean and swim in my shoe, I'd fly through the ground and I'd skip through the air, I'd run down the bathtub and bathe on the stair. When I met somebody I'd say "G'bye, Joe," And when I was leaving--then I'd say "Hello." And the greatest of men would be silly and lazy So I would be king...if the world was crazy. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/16737 Mr. Grumpledump's Song by Shel Silverstein Everything's wrong, Days are too long, Sunshine's too hot, Wind is too strong. Clouds are too fluffy, Grass is too green, Ground is too dusty, Sheets are too clean. Stars are too twinkly, Moon is too high, Water's too drippy, Sand is too dry. Rocks are too heavy, Feathers too light, Kids are too noisy, Shoes are too tight. Folks are too happy, Singin' their songs. Why can't they see it? Everything's wrong! http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/20542

more can be found at this highly animated website
Shel silverstein

Whatif by Shel Silverstein

Last night, while I lay thinking here,
some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
and pranced and partied all night long
and sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif I'm dumb in school?
Whatif they've closed the swimming pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif there's poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I don't grow talle?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish won't bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth don't grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems well, and then
the nighttime Whatifs strike again!

The type of figurative language used here is personification,the words are: Crawl, Party,Prance,or strike. The poet chose this language because "whatifs"they are not really nouns, maybe abstract nouns or not even nouns, so they cannot Crawl, party, prance or strike.



i like this poem because the title causes curiosity and the poem is structured in a very repetitive way.

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4th book review

I really liked Outernet because it tells of aliens(called FOE) that want to take a server from the earthlings Jack, Merle, and Loaf. A server is a high-tech computer that can transport you to another galaxy and you can send o-mail to other people or aliens anywhere. The FOES are the bad aliens who want to take the last server and rule the galaxy. The FRIENDS are the good guys who try to stop the foes. Jack, Merle, and Loaf as well as Janus the alien FRIEND, Bitz who is the talking alien dog, and Googie the talking alien cat try to stop the foes on their quest. They have to return the server to an alien called Weaver to stop the FOES from taking over. I also liked this book because it has a lot of action like when Jack, Merle, and Loaf get taken to the FOE'S prison planet. Janus sets off an alarm so all the prison doors open and then they can all escape. They nearly get caught bu they escape by the skin of their teeth. In the end the FRIENDS still have the server but in the next book you will find out more on what happens to the FRIENDS and what the FOE'S next move are.

Flaws:the font is too big
the concepts were not linked to real life but it was ok

book review 3

The Supernaturalist

This book is by the megaselling author of Artemis fowl, which i havent read, but after reading this book, i think i will read it.One phrase at the back of the book discourages me to do so.
It reads " Colfer's best book yet"-Mail On Sunday

The brief story. Apparently, one woman who hates Children ,Ms Frayne, set up an institute called "Clarissa Frayne Institute for the parentally challenged boys" Thats not all, the big secret behind it is: the boys are called no-sponsor boys.Thay are the worst category of boys in the home .The institute test their new products on them and even torture them like guinea pigs. The main character of the story, Cosmo Hill , is one of them.

"Statistics say he has about a year to live-Unless he escapes.But escape to what?
To a world of high-tech gang warfare,swat teams of paralegals and a plague of four fingered parasites who are invisible to everyone except three misfits who call themselves the SuperNaturlists.
Could Cosmo be one of them?Are they the family he's always wanted? And if he does become a supernaturalist ,will his life get any longer or a whole lot shorter?


This book is so addictive that i cant put it down.The super naturalist fight the parasites until the story takes a big twist .Im not going to tell you what it is.

use mozilla firefox!

Animal farm, book review 2

Animal farm is a book by George Orwell, and that is the only book he published. story is about two pigs, snowball and Napoleon, who are leaders in this Manor farm.The animals are planning to overthrow Mr Brown, as they do not like to be bossed around by him.The animals are planning rebellion

Themes:rebellion

not long after, Mr Brown is overthrown by the animals.But, the animals happiness was short lived when the pigs started to take things into their own hands, and started acting as leaders.Snowball ball Napoleon were enemies.Napoleon used weird tricks to chase snowball out.Napoleon became more and more ruthless as he had a gang of big dogs ready to attack anyone who was slacking in the farm.He even abolished the singing of the song "beasts of england" and also broke the commandments that they made after the rebellion.

This book has a sad ending and makes one wonder what would happen to the farm in a few months time

SOMETHING UPSTAIRS

Hi all , this is a book that ive just read and its entitled Something Upstairs.When i picked up this book from the library, and saw that it was from AVI, i knew this book would not disappoint me.

The story is about a boy , kenneth , who is a fan of AVI, suddenly wants to tell AVI a strange story.

The day comes when kenny has to move from Los Angeles to Providence.As far as kenny was concerned, LA was perfect, so , he didnt like the idea of moving to providence.Los angeles had flowers on every street, it had beautiful weather, unlike providence.

The saga all starts when Kenny finds a stain in his house.As he thought, a stain is just a stain.
A few nights after he settles in , he hears a scraping sound during his sleep.he tried to find it , and at last , he found that it was a ghost slave trying to escape from his memory, as according to the ghost, memories cannot be changed , so he cannot use the door to get out , as his memory limits to the room.

The story shows how kenny helps the ghost, Caleb, to escape, with lots of action in between.

VBTS char analysis

Hari

1. he is the protagonist of the story


2. he is the only son of the family


3. he has to assume the duty of taking care of his parents and his siblings.


4. he leads a hard life as he has to assume the roles of his father
   

Lila

1. The protagonist sister
   


2. given up school to help maintain the house

Bela and Kamal

1. they are the younger sisters of Hari and Lila


2. they are still schooling


3. They collect shellfish and barnacles for dinner
   

Mother

1. She is the mother of Lila, Hari, Bela and Kamal


2. She fell ill with anaemia and is getting weaker by the day.


3. She is unable to take care of her children, protect them from their drunkard father nor work

Father

1. he is the father of Lila, Hari, Bela and Kamal


2. irresponsible father


3. drunkard


4. wastrel


5. wastes money on toddy


6. turned over a new leaf in the end

Pinto

1. the pet dog of Hari's family


2. faithful to the family especially Lila as she spent the most time with him

Bijiu

1. richest man in the village that Hri and his family live in


2. owns the first diesel powered boat in the village


3. proud and arrogant


4. looks down on the other villagers

Ramu

1. he is the friend of Hari


2. knew that many factories are going to be built in the village and believes that he will be able to get a job there.

Jagu

1. he is the owner of the Sri Krishna Eating House


2. gave Hari a job when he is in Bombay


3. lives in a slum

Mr Panwallah

1. He is a watch mender


2. popular with his neighbours


3. taught Hari how to mend watches and therefore Hari earned money
   

de'Sivas family

1. rich and generous family from Bombay


2. comes to Thul during the holidays


3. owns a bungalow in Thul


4. brought Hari's mother to the hospital and paid for the medical fees.

watchman of the factory

1. hostile towards the villagers


2. looks down on the villagers

Adarkar

1. member of the Maharashtra State Legislative assembly


2. led the villagers to Bombay to protest against the building of factories in Thul

Hira bai

1. she is an old women who is interested in herbs and cures


2. loves toddy


3. sent the medicine man to Hari's mother.

Policeman

1. guarded Hari when he slept in the park

Khanekar brothers

1. drunkards

Parents interview

Hi everyone ,after my interview with my mother,I tried recalled and she said that she loved this book,The story of LADY PRECIOUS STREAM.My mother said that after reading this book, she felt very calm,and she woulnt mind re reading it again.Every few pages, a gigantic picture will appear.She chooses this book since she is chinese aducated, and this book has relevance to chinese culture.

Book review on Anita Desai's Village By the Sea

Hi everyone, I have just finished reading village by the sea by Anita Desai and I am going to say somethings about the story.I am going to introduce some characters, The protagonist of this story are Hari and Lila,their mother is sick almost throughout the whole story and their father is permanently drunken.They have two small sisters, Bela and Kamal,who are still schooling.Hari and Lila,have quit schooling ,to make ends meet in the family.They have to asume the roles of their parents as they have a dysfunctional family.
The main themes in this book are Poverty and wealth, Benefactors,Change and adaptation,rural and urban India,family relationships.I like this book a lot because it creates tension, like in some parts,when Hari is desperate and thinking what he should do to save his family from poverty.Its a very good book and i recommend everyone to read it. dont forget to visit my electronic bookshelf at My we read bookshelf

Refection on starting and maintaning a blog

It looks like Ive kind of succeeded in maintaining a blog. Before i even started a blog i felt very negative about blogs as I had no knowledge about blog templates and other stuff so I felt inferior as I thought that my classmates were all blogging experts .Luckily,only a few were experts.
Likes and dislikes-Blogging is quite an interesting precess for me as no paper is needed ,plus widgets and gadgets can be added to make it look better.As you all can see,I love the picture of the bat-dog I have uploaded using blogger.Thats the difference between blogger and a black and white diary.What I dislike about blogging ,is the trouble of booting up the computer,as my computer does not have a Random Access Memory as quick as the schools' and plus, recently, I'm facing some DNS server glitch, going to the internet is a little problem.The whole process I think is quite efiicient already, Im not sure how it can be improved.Well, remember guys, if any of you wants to see my electronic bookshelf , please visitmy bookshelf

Browse Inside this book Get this for your site

My reading habbits

My reading habits not really confined to a certain author or selection.Because I dont select much before making up my mind what to read.A few really good books for kids about Primary 3 to 4 are Roalhd Dahl's Matilda,The witches and almost all of his works.

Usually ,when I step into a library,be it school library or not, the first book ill pick up will be the book that has a nice cover design.I discovered that when in a library, i pick up books that are not related to education.On one occasion, I picked up All 44 presidents and their wives and achievements.When in a bookstore, I usually pick up story books to read at home.So i end up treading more reference books and storybooks

"why Did I do it", from the diary of Philip Malloy

Why did i do it?I so shouldnt have stirred up so much trouble!Its all thanks to dad,who keeps telling me to know my rights!I shouldnt have...done so many things! Like suggesting a change of school, telling people what Ms.Narwin had done to me "unjustly" .Why couldnt I shut my mouth ??????Now that im famous in Washington academy for singing the national anthem!All the kids are like going "hey!isnt he the one........." Well at least im getting along with some of my good mates.I so should not have.....What have I done?

As projects day is drawing nearer , the school organised a pro^{3 venture} for us freshmen the first session was a personality test ,which i found the results pretty accurate

unbelievable luck.I got my first choice for my EP3> .-Water Polo! boo yeah.
At the start of school i had no idea i could actually meet the coaches expectations!
First day of training was pretty O.K. we did 40 laps of the width of the pool then went on to passing .The procedure was 5 mins passing then 20 situps.........on and on

Seriously unexpected my new ECA/CCA is waterpolo.Like i was hardly listening at the orientation. I saw that most of those who were there were fit ,so i thought i didnt have a chance although i like aquatic stuff but have not tried waterpolo before

Take some 2 mins to watch this

Day wasnt in vain

After school,my friend and i went for tennis trails .we didnt get accepted but Iwas short listed for soft ball .Might be going for water polo soon

1st fews day at school

1st day at school (excluding orientation,)was fantastic.I volunteered as the monitor and got my position without struggling, thanks to the low-response for the title.the day passed without any difficulties but I began to feel that the class was getting too dependant on me and the chairman,as if they couldnt do a simple thing themselves.But no matter!Batdog is here!The next few days were loaded with Ep3 orientations which were extremely exhausting and resulted in me overspending on drinks.
Ok.''Cut it out!'' I hear you cry.now lets relax while eating Nemo sushi