I've moved.

I've moved.
Follow the link.
http://the-forbidden-rose.blogspot.com/

A Fanatics Frenzy 4

Due to some unforeseen circumstances,

I've been on a junk food and music binge of late.

*This by the way only aggravates matters when you're attempting to lose weight.

I'm not that disappointed seeing as my grand schemes always fall through.

It's terribly difficult to reject an immaculate piece of dark chocolate

which contains up to 50% cocoa and a generous amount of resevatrol although

chocolate can result in an acne outbreak, unwanted weight gain and risk of an

onslaught of fever.

*Other junk food consists of sour cream potato chips and doughnuts etc. etc. .
But chocolate the only thing worth worrying about since it is irresistible.

I've got absolutely no idea how people can consume one entire bar of chocolate

in a single day and remain unfazed by acne, weight gain and possible risk of

having to endure the torturous taste of paracetamol.*

*Foul tasting fever medicine which comes in a sickening pink and orange colour.
My absolute hate.

For now, I shall simply restrict myself to a square piece of dark chocolate
daily and do 50 sit-ups everyday.

PS : Please say that this will work, please say that this will work...

*Cough, cough, cough. Back to the second part of the post.

MUSIC!

Been listening to Orianthi recently.

Simply because "What The Hell" is not here yet.

And because I've decided that my favourite music genre is punk rock.

So here are a few of my favourite hits by Orianthi!













Punk rock!

Alright, I take it all back...

It wasn't so long ago (about a week actually)

that I tweeted/complained "No thrill-s week".

Right, I'm taking it back.

This week, thus far, is practically the exact opposiite of the last.

Last Week

Monday and Friday: CCA
Tuesday to Thursday: Staying At Home

Compare this to the somewhat jam-packed schedule I've got this week
including numerous (or maybe just 2) clashes.

This week

Monday: Science Spec Camp(whole day), Open House Training(half the day)

(I went for camp, wouldn't miss the CSI exhibition for nuts,
even if they were made of solid gold.)

Tuesday: Science Spec Camp (9am to 4pm)

Wednesday: Purchase of school books, Watch HP7.1

(It was great, it was an awesome wednesday
until I realised what would happen several hours later.)

Thursday: Nanoscience Workshop (9am to 12pm), Council Dance Practice (10am to 1pm)

(Darn, wednesday's dinner was ruined because I couldn't decide where to go,
anyway I went for Nanoscience Workshop since Amelia and Siok Kheng were going too.)

Friday: Nanoscience Workshop

(Yay! We're going to zap some tiny arrow-shaped design onto silicon with a laser!)

Science Spec Camp

1. Brainstorming for project ideas were hard,
but our group came up with something at the end of two gruelling hours
of squeezing our brain juices.

2. CSI exhibition was informative but solving the mystery wasn't very fun seeing as practically everything been done for you. But the CSI Diploma Certificate one gets
at the end is impressive. I'm tempted to brag...to my toenails that is.

3. BBQ-ed stingrays are really delectable, but marshmellows are still my favourite.
On the other hand, the smoke stinging my eyes are not, and never will be a on
par with marshmellows.

4. Report-writing workshop was conducted by our Sec 4 veteran in this field,
considered how little time he had to prepare and how many science competitions
he took part in, I'd say he tried his best to help, but most of us dozed off.
(Yeah, Roy was sleeping and Ivan had to poke him to wake him up.) Maybe it was
because sleeping on the dark classroom floor was too horible. But I can't complain,
I went home to sleep.

5. Ice-cream making workshop at Udders' ! Probably the best and most anticipated
part of the camp. Who would've known that Magnum ice-cream is 50% air? Made chocolate ice-cream with Asha is ziplock bags lowered to about -20 to -22 degrees
thanks to the combination of ice and salt. It was worth braving possible frost-bites, eating ice-cream you made on your own is perhaps the best one can get.
Nonetheless, the wide variety of choices at Udders' were still tempting,
so I ate 1 scoop of mint, 1 scoop of mango sherbet, 1 scoop of snicker mars and
1 scoop of durian. Wicked, but the M18 ice-cream are probably even more wicked,
since they contain alcohol. It was fun scribbling on the black chalkboard as well.

Snapshots of the "damage" we did at Udders' blackboard.



Roy and Ivan at work on their 'masterpiece'.



Spamming of the names of 2/1-ians who were at Udders'.



More spam!



...Awkward silence...I didn't write this...



The whole board after we were through with it.



And of course, the "masterpiece".

A Fanatic's Frenzy 2

Hurray!!!
I'm now an estatic owner of Toy Story, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3!!!
Slam me for my childish nature as much as you please. You've got no idea how thrilling the plot is.
If you'd enjoy a good laugh here and there, catching Toy Story will make you feel like Christmas has come at least a month earlier.
In any case, Volkswagen Beetles are my family's latest obsession.
Dad- a red one will look good
Mum- but the red one isn't chilli red, A green-apple one will be better.
Me- A yellow one's better! It looks more like Bumblebee!
Everyone(dad,mum and bro)-diao...
Bro-(apparently he was trying to act cool) I want a black one.
Well,off to watch Toy Story 3.
I'll be right back soon!

A Fanatic's Frenzy

Spotted an life-size figure of Britney Spears and her new

fragrance, radiance, outside Sasa at J8 today.

It's quite miraculous how she still appears to young,

but that wasn't the main thing that was on my mind.

The Main Thing:

Why aren't Blackstar and Forbidden Rose in Singapore yet?!!!



*Cough, cough, cough*

Either way, Abbey Dawnwill be taken up to an international level (yay!)

and the single What The Hell will be out in January and the filming

for the music video of the song is currently "filming in progress".

How trustworthy are these sources?

Check out her official site and you'll find out =).



Christmas is approximately one month and one week away,

yet many malls have already been decked out for the occasion.

Here are some pictures of Deck The Halls.

Enjoy!






Flamboyant Christmas Lights outside Queensway Shopping Centre.







A Bear Band, Toy Soldier and a Sparkly Christmas tree at J8.

(Quite) Interesting Articles

Check these 2 articles out!

Failure is impossible for high school students! (No, really)
editor
by Mira Jacob, Shine staff, 8 hours 43 minutes ago

What would school have been like if you never had to worry about getting an F? Students at West Potomac High School in Alexandria, Va., are about to find out, the Washington Post reports.

Earlier this year, the school all but eradicated the standard mark for “failure”, instead supplying wayward students with the letter “I” for incomplete. So what does an “I” give you that an “F” doesn’t? Time to redeem yourself, for starters. Students with an “I” on their report card can (literally) learn their lesson and catch up over the year, at which point they will be given a grade for their mastery of the material, just like any other student.

So is this an inspired move to get those marginal students on track and learning, or just another way in which we’re coddling underachieving kids and hobbling the rest? Parents, educators and students are divided.

Mary Mathewson, an English teacher at Potomac High tells the Post that the new standard not only cripples teachers in that it "takes away one of the very few tools [they] have to get kids to learn," but it gives them “an out,” resulting in a system in which “kids are under the impression they can do it whenever they want to, and it's not that big of a deal.”

Pointing out that the A-F grading system has not been thrown out entirely, but rather, redesigned to reach those who might not learn at the same rate as their peers, Fairfax County’s assistant superintendent for instructional services asked the Post, “"If we really want students to know and do the work, why would we give them an F and move on? I think the students who are struggling should not be penalized for not learning at the same rate as their peers."

Alternative grading is nothing new: Potomac High joins good company—some of the nation's highest educational institutions, including the law schools of Stanford University, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley all employ non-traditional grading systems. Other high schools like the Big Picture high schools in Rhode Island, which focuses on internships, have found that learning goes better when uncomplicated by grades. The measure of their success? Improvement in their standardized achievement scores, most of their seniors going to college, and high college graduation rates. Proponents of this kind of grading method have long argued that letters are arbitrary, overly focused on the right answer instead of the thinking behind it, and have no corollary relationship from school to school—in other words, not “fair” from the get-go.

But will the process of learning for the sake of learning be lost on notoriously gratification-minded high school kids? And what about the value of learning from losing in the first place?

“Americans tend to frame things in terms of contests and wars that must be won or lost," writer John Schwartz says in his New York Times essay, "Lessons Learned in the Losing." "Many challenges, however, are about hanging in there and managing a bad situation. Losing prepares you for the slog that is life. The world doesn’t give us many finish lines, but it does give us the long run.”

While his focus is on high school sports rather than grades, I can't help but think Schwartz has an excellent point here about teaching our children to persevere in the face of challenges, even if it's hard to watch. After all, what are we trying to prepare our kids for in school, if not life?

Pasted from http://shine.yahoo.com/event/momentsofmotherhood/failure-is-impossible-for-high-school-students-no-really-2410739/



Now the second one.

What one’s favourite colour signifies

By Barrie Dolnick


Most of us have a favorite color. Maybe you’re drawn to sky blue because it makes your eyes stand out or you find forest green particularly comforting. Whatever the case, your preferred hue can reveal a lot about what makes you tick. And the same holds true for the people you date — you’d probably have a different impression of a date if he or she said, “My favorite color is yellow” versus “My favorite color is black.” That’s because color speaks a powerful, silent language. And I can help you understand it. I’m a success coach and best-selling author of Simple Spells for Love and other books, and I’ve studied color theory. So, look up your favorite color below — then, your date’s best-loved shade — and get some colorful insights that will benefit your romantic life.

Red

What it represents: Ah, the color of passion, anger and high blood pressure. Red is a primal color. It represents primal urges, like lust (“I must have you now!”) and fury (you know the phrase “seeing red,” right?). Yes, red is a commanding color: think of how stop signs get you to halt in your tracks and how you stand back when a red fire engine goes whizzing by.

Understanding people who love it: They act — sometimes without thinking — on immediate desires. In fact, they’re usually the poster children for immediate gratification. It’s up to you if you go for it... or proceed with caution.

Orange

What it represents: OK, orange is not exactly the easiest color to wear and it’s not the most common favorite color, but guess what? Orange is as sensual as it gets. Orange is a mellowed red — and it takes primal, lusty urges and mellows them with a softer vibe. Orange is the color of early attractions, emotional responses, and inner magnetism. Oh, and one other thing: orange is also close to gold, the color of success and wealth.

Understanding people who love it: Someone who likes orange is alive with feelings, the ability to nurture, and can intuit a path to success. If your favorite color is orange, you don’t have an “off” switch when it comes to passion. This is all good stuff, but there’s nothing casual about the connections this kind of person usually forges.

Yellow

What it represents: Yellow is the color of the sun, vitality, power and ego... but it’s not a great indicator of romance. Watch out for self-centered, “me first” energy when someone prefers yellow to the rest of the rainbow.

Understanding people who love it: If yellow is your favorite color, temper your use of the word “I” when you’re interested in someone else. You can come across as too ego-centric otherwise. Now, if you’re dating someone whose favorite hue is yellow, make sure to jump in and share stories about yourself, since this person may not give you much room.

Green

What it represents: Here is the heart of the matter: green is the color of love. (It’s no coincidence that we make our money in the same color...) Green is the color of life and abundance — leaves, grass, plants — it’s all about growing, expanding, and living. So why don’t we give ferns instead of roses on Valentine’s Day? Because green is about expansive, humanistic love and acceptance, not bodice-ripping romance. What’s more, green is a nice-person color, a “do-gooder, be-gooder” kind of color. This person has a warm heart. Passion is probably in there somewhere, buried under their integrity and honor.

Understanding people who love it: If you love green, you put the greater good before your own good — but try a little selfish behavior once in a while.

Blue

What it represents: Blue is a color of clarity, communications and charm. And regardless of the shade, this hue says: “I like to be understood.” On the downside, under stress, a “blue” person can send mixed messages, have trouble making up their mind, or just space out during conversations.

Understanding people who love it: If blue is your favorite color, you never run out of anything to say — expression is your strong suit. And if you’re dating a “blue” person? The same holds true; you should always know where you stand.

Purple

What it represents: Purple evokes the energy of illusion, imagination and fantasy. Or should we say purrrrple? Purple tends to inspire coyness, romance, flirtation and teasing — it builds anticipation with a dash of playfulness. The downside of purple is unrealistic expectations. Is it easier to live in your fantasy world than the real world? Some purple-lovers prefer it.

Understanding people who love it: If you love purple, you can be an imaginative romantic or prefer imaginary romance, depending on how you feel.

White

What it represents: White is light — the combination of all colors. White symbolizes purity (the traditional bridal dress, the christening gown) and spirituality. There’s a simplicity to it, too.

Understanding people who love it: People who love white are probably clean and orderly. While white isn’t the sexiest color, it is certainly healthy.

Black

What it represents: Like white, black is a combination of all colors, but instead of purity, it represents the unknown, the unseen — mystery. Black basically holds back information... but there’s no denying that it has strong associations in our culture with “the dark side” and evil.

Understanding people who love it: If your favorite color is black, you are more hush-hush than high-strung in nature. The silence of this color lets others fill in the blanks. Black says, “I’m not telling you anything.” People who love black can be tough nuts to crack, but quite possibly worth the effort.

Astro-coach Barrie Dolnick helps people find love and happiness by understanding their stars and their karmic energy. She is the author of twelve books, including Enlighten Up! and KarmaBabe.

Article courtesy of Happen magazine, www.happenmag.com.

Pasted from http://yahoo.match.com/y/article.aspx?articleid=6130&TrackingID=526103&BannerID=706376



I'm bored so I'm spamming some stuff onto the blog for entertainment's sake.

Hey, at least these stuff are fun to read.

Clap Your Hands Together For THE Class Chalet

A boring week is in store for me this week.

Totally downhill from what the last.

Last week was the all too fabulous 2/1 2010 class chalet!

It was great to be reunited with most of the class last Wednesday.

Not only did the chalet provide much needed relief from boredom

it donated a generous sum of fun and entertainment.

XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD

Many thanks to the people who organised the chalet,

namely Joanne, Julia and Jia Wei,

the 3 Powerpuff girls who persevered against all odds!!!

I'm guilty for not being exactly co-operative with you and

for not being much of a help.

So hope that you'll take this song as and appreciation-cum-apology gift

for now, promise to make it up to you properly someday.



PS: I can't sing for nuts but I guess you'll get the intentions anyway...

Now, for a quick run-over of how events turned out that day.

1. Met some 2/1-ians at Pasir Ris Mrt Station,
gathered with more of them at McDonalds' at Downtown East.

2. Watched the people bowl at E!Hub. (When you suck at sports, it's more
thrilling to watch others play. This also saves you from embarrassment.)
Hui Min and Ivan both got a strike each. Awesome skills there.
Anyway, it wasn't long before Ivan was showing-off while wearing
Chok Geow's cap and Joanne's sunshades. In the meantime, Hui Min proved
to be the best bowler in the girls' lane by whacking another 9/10.
The rest were decent, with many 9's amongst the guys and 3's amongst
the girls. I would've hit nothing, except my foot probably.

3. Had lunch at BBQ Chicken with Joanne, Hui Min, Julia, Kay Jan and Rachel.
It was hilarious to watch Joanne reason with Julia, trying to prove that
"July" was a band set up by Julia, the lead singer instead of a Korean Band;
while Julia kept insisting otherwise. Poor Julia, none of us had heard of
"July" and couldn't help her out of her predicament.

4. Checked into chalet with much credit to Tai Wen's Mum who did that on
top of paying extra $40, refusing any payment and saying "玩得开心就好了".
OMG. People like Afiq and Ivan seized the opportunity to draw comparisons
between Tai Wen and her Mum like how cute both of them are and how
much they look alike. Afiq said that he'd nearly mistaken Mrs. Chew for Tai Wen
and nearly cried out "Tai Wen, my love!" to the wrong person. Whoops.

5. Rented bikes for 1 hour with Rachel, Tai Wen and Kay Jan. We headed rather
far away from the chalet onto the beach where we made the "Rachel Volcano"
by burying Rachel's feet. The waves also revealed a starfish and a small crab,
besides the clam and mussel I picked up whilst seashell-hunting. Wow, I thought
marine life in Singapore had been doomed, glad to know that they're alive. We also
scavenged the beach for rocks and competing against each other to see who was the best rock-thrower. Pretty lame, but it was worth its fun.

6. Went back to the chalet and took a shower in the pool's changing rooms.
Rest of folks had gone to Wild Wild Wet, thanks to complimentary tickets from
Bi Feng. I suppose 28 pairs of free tickets is a worthy treat from the chalet
when you're staying there for a month while your house is being revamped.
It must've been great, seeing as they came back wild and wet.

7. The AMB-ians arrived slightly before dinner, that is, before the party fell
into full swing. Dinner comprised of chicken wings,satay, stingray,shiitake,baby
octopuses etc. BBQ-ed by the Powerpuff Girls and Tai Wen. You're super Tai Wen,
I don't know where you get your energy from. I was drained after cycling and all
but I'm glad I had enough kick to go BBQ a few marshmallows.
PS: Kay Jan, I don't think that I can forget the Mashed Potato and Marshmallow
mix-up we had over lunch, not for a very long time.

8. Beach-walked with Tingyu, Puqian, Ivan and Effy, Tai Wen, Kay Jan, Hui Min, Clevence, Rachel, Leonard. There was quite a lot of screaming about stepping into
mud but it was quite worth the dirt. I decided to take advantage of my camera's
auto-flash to grab a few night-time pictures. Unfortunately, the lovely eyeballs
of these lovely people reflected the flash too well and they got this horrid
red-eyed, Residents' Evil zombie look; and now Tingyu holds my camera skills
in question...

9. Listened and applauded a really honest farewell talk from Hui Min back at
the chalet. I'm gonna miss this awesome girl who is heading off to VJC next year.
For some reason, most of the 2/1-ians were gathered upstairs and as Kelvin said,
they were "having fun in bed". Thirst got over me and I snuck downstairs for a
drink, only to discover Joanne, Julia, Jia Wei, Clevence scheming to scare the
rest upstairs by charging in and pulling party-poppers. I offered to take pictures
of shocked expressions for Joanne but it was tough, with all the movement and the short time span courtesy of the inefficiency of the tiny party-poppers.
PS: Maybe my camera skills ought to be held in question after all, they are
horribly unpredictable.

10. Left the chalet, most unfortunately at 9pm with Fangmin and Tingyu. Pity that
we could not stay overnight, it would've been a total blast since things were almost in full swing when we left.

Here are a few pictures I've managed to salvage despite the red-eyed zombie and

ghostly looks of several individuals.



Kay Jan and Rachel at Orchid Bowl =).



Nice drinks that we had at lunch, Hui Min and Julia are the sweet people in the background.



Dinner time! Who minds their table manners when they aren't eating at tables?!



Fangmin and Rachel at the beach,one of the less-screwed-than-awesome flash pictures.



Haziqah! Having you decided to become Orange-Not-Red Riding Hood?



The 2/1-ians who had up on level 2 =).



Hui Min you awesome girl! Jia You at VJ ok?



Two single beds aren't enough for everyone...but sleeping at about 8pm? No way.



The best of the many failed party-popper scheme pictures.


2/1, I've got one more song here for you, hope that you'll love it.



I don't know why there's this sudden ABBA addiction here but

its the message they have that's more important.

But do pardon me.