missteomissteo. The happiest, prettiest, brightest ray of light. 尽情吸纳阳光还爱风雨

Monday, November 30, 2009 @ 4:21 PM

Project SMILE 2009

Flying off to Myanmar for service learning project 2 December to 26 December.
See you when I come back! :)

Cheers! :)

she painted the landscapes of her mind
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Thursday, November 12, 2009 @ 6:12 PM

Dhoby

http://www.pbase.com/tsechien/mumbai
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_721_2005-01-03.html
http://www.experiencefestival.com/dhoby_ghaut/page/2
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/facts_old_singapore/327/how_dhoby_ghaut_got_its_name.php
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/singapore/singapore_district/1048/dhoby_ghaut.php

a number of indian dhoby men operated a laundry business in the neighbourhood that i lived when i was a young boy. then i was living at upper dickson road in the serangoon area. the white sheets, towels and clothings would be hanging on clothes lines strung between poles in the open field by the side of weld road.

when i shifted to towner road in the 70s, i came across a similar sight - a lot of washings being hung out in the open to dry. this was at st george's road, another housing development board estate, separated from towner estate by a canal. the laundry shop is also operated by indians.

the shop is still there, at the corner of block 3, st george's road. they make use of the grass patch next to the road to dry their washings. these days, the laundry at st george's road uses the washing machine and the electric iron. in the 50s and 60s, the dhobies washed everything by hand and for ironing, they used the charcoal-iron.
the day when i went to st george's road to take some pictures, the washings - a lot of them, dhotis - were spread out on two grass patches near the laundry shop. they still have clothes lines strung between poles to hang the laundered clothing and towels.

"in the old days, long before the electric iron and washing machine were in common use, dhoby shops were very much relied upon for their services, particularly by those in the upper and middle income brackets.

for S$5 per person, per family, per month, the laundry man would collect soiled linen and return them fully laundered. these days, you are charged by the item. in those days, the laundry man usually worked a nine-hour day with sunday being a rest day."

"the laundry was done in traditional style, with the clothes soaked in detergent and boiled in huge cauldrons. towels and other sheets were also beaten on stone slabs. the clothes were dried on open land, leased by the laundry shop."

she painted the landscapes of her mind
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Thursday, October 15, 2009 @ 6:58 PM

Watch it!

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character;
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

she painted the landscapes of her mind
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009 @ 7:36 PM

Kailing makes my day with her comment that she noticed the fashion pictures outside my desk missing. And she wants a set for her desk! :) It's nice to know I made another difference.

Hillary commented yesterday just before leaving the library, "Miss Teo, we are lucky to have you as our teacher." :) The background was that we had reading period in the library and another teacher came in with her class. The class was rather naughty and she asked a few to sit in the middle of the library. That pretty much turned my 1/3s into little angels (not that they weren't already, but there are the occasional naughty talkative ones too -you know who you are) and appreciate they have me as their English teacher.

Yesterday I felt that I have risen in ranks -been promoted by the students. I got a sorry card from the class, well most of the class wrote in it. Many sorries about stressing me and submitting work late and encouraging me not to be stressed and that I have taught them a lot and I am a good teacher they appreciate having me. :)

Well, indeed it's been a stressful period, we have both done much more than we expected or were used to. But think about it, it's great work! I will work to get the works displayed :) You have all done well. It's struggles that make us grow!

she painted the landscapes of her mind
1 responded to the painting | add yours?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 @ 9:57 PM

Winning in the morning.

It's the heart that matters most. This is where Absolute Happiness is.

She will be a super-lady of distinction in the hearts of the common people.

Got this from Mei Wah's blog, her blog is so inspiring! :)

"Human relationship problems are opportunities
for you to grow and mature.
Such problems can be character building
if you don't let them defeat you."

A stone wall that seems infinitely high
when seen from the ground,
appears no more than a slightly raised
boundary line when viewed from an airplane.
Similarly,
if your life-condition changes for the better,
so will the way you view and respond to things.
You'll find yourself surmounting every adversity
and hardship with composure,
and thoroughly enjoying the drama of life.
-Ikeda Sensei

Labels: words of strength

she painted the landscapes of her mind
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Monday, April 27, 2009 @ 10:52 PM

The Opening Ceremony Script

Opening Ceremony Script

M & T: Good morning Mrs Lee, Mrs Matthews, teachers and friends!

M: I am Megan, from 2/1.

T: and I am Tiffany from 2/2.

M & T: We are your MCs for today! Welcome to the opening ceremony of our “CHIJ City of the Future” Exhibition.

M: This exhibition has been put up by our Secondary 2 AEP and Secondary 3/9 and 3/10 GAP students over a period of four weeks.

T: Yes, we worked on the project separately for the first three weeks and only came together last week to put it together. It was very tough but I enjoyed the experience!

M: Yes, the Sec 2 AEP students played the role of “young architects” who had to design and construct architectural models from cardboard with inspiration from various architects such as I.M Pei.

T: The Sec 3/9 and 3/10 GAP students stepped into the shoes of young designers and sculptors, and were tasked to design and construct cardboard transport models and sculptures for their City of the Future, referencing ideas from Cubism and various cardboard artists.

M: This exhibition would not have been possible without the careful delegation of work and dedication by the members of the various committees that we set up. You can see the full structure of the City Management Board in the exhibition later. (Points to the board)

T: We learnt to apply the Habits of Mind – Creating, Imagining and Innovating as well as the one that most of us took a while to apply –Persisting.

M: Yes, at first most of us thought that this big dream was impossible, there was so much to do in such a short time, but through persistence, we managed to make this dream possible!

T: We also had to think interdependently! Teamwork was crucial and some of us had to learn it the hard way but we managed to work together in the end.

M: Yes, I feel very happy that we have managed to achieve this dream as a team. I learnt a lot from this project and had a lot of fun with the teammates.

T: Yes! Ok, let us go on with the Opening Ceremony. Let us now invite our Guest of Honour, the President of the CHIJ City of the Future, Mrs Regina Lee to say a few words. Mrs Lee please!

*Mrs Lee speaks*

*Nicole Lau and Lynette prepares the scissors and tray*

M: Thank you Mrs Lee. Let us now invite Mrs Lee to cut the silver ribbon and declare this exhibition open! Mrs Lee please.

*Mrs Lee cuts ribbon, Nicole directs her to put the ribbon on the building. Georgia switches on the lights –ting!!! And Sheryl’s team pull away the queue poles*

T: As a token of appreciation our Guest of Honour, we would like to present Mrs Lee with an artwork by our City of the Future Project Director Miss Teo –the Cubist Guitar, which was inspired by Picasso’s Guitars and Chris Gilmore. This is the guitar that Miss Teo used to inspire many of our Secondary 3 students for their own sculpture projects.

M: Thank you Mrs Lee. Now we would like to invite Mrs Lee, Mrs Matthews, Mr Richard Armstrong, Ms Low Sok Hui and Ms Teo Siew Kuang to take a group photo with the Sec 2 AEP and Sec 3 students. Mr Razali will be our official photographer. Please gather in front of the exhibition and look in the direction of Mr Razali. Thank you!

T: Thank you everyone!

M: Before we invite all of you to view the exhibition, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our Technical Officers Mr Hamdan, Mr Rashid, Mr Tan and Mr Teo without whom we could not have done this exhibition. We would also like to thank Mrs Matthews, Mr Armstrong, Ms Low, Ms Teo, Mr Razali and all staff and students who have supported us and helped made this dream possible.

M&T: Thank you! Now, we would like to invite all of you to view the exhibition. Please feel free to give us your comments and feedback on the Guest Board (points in that direction). Thank you and all the best for the upcoming exams!!!

*Nicole Lau shows Mrs Lee around the exhibition*

*the rest of the girls can go grab something to eat.*

Programme

1045-1050: MC Introduction and Welcome

1050-1055: Mrs Lee speaks and cuts ribbon

1055-1100: Group Photograph

1100-1105: Token of Appreciation for Mrs Lee and Thank Yous

1105-1115: View exhibition and AEP/GAP girls have refreshment

and it all went well, according to script, though it was a little messy here and there, it was everyone's first time having an opening ceremony at the lobby I suppose and there were just so many people milling around, so many people talking and walking around. Megan and Tiffany did really well, good job!

I feel so relieved after the whole opening, but there is one small regret and big learning point. I should have gone to 3/9 and 3/10 classrooms this morning to announce the change in opening timing to make sure that they got the message and they would all come down for the opening... because they did not come. I switched the opening so that they could make it but in the end because I did not make sure that the message got passed to them, they did not know. However, we managed to take group photos together at the end before their recess ended. :)

Photos up soon when I get them from Mr Razali! :)

Labels: CHIJTP Art Projects, CHIJTP Days, City of the Future

she painted the landscapes of her mind
0 responded to the painting | add yours?

5:43 PM

Adapted Morning Publicity Blurb

It rained this morning and flag raising was cancelled. Megan and Tiffany reacted well to the sudden change and rose to the occasion in doing the publicity over the PA system. Ms Low and me helped them to rewrite the blurb on the spot. It was stressful!

They also asked me to given an introduction before the girls went on but I really did not know what to say. It was a little scary.

Some girls feedbacked that they could not really hear Megan as her voice was too soft but I am still happy! Well done girls! :)

Well here is the edited version.

Tiffy: Have you seen what has been happening outside the General Office?

Megan: What?

Tiffy: The strange buildings that have been sprouting and the flying cars and UFOs?

Megan: That is the masterpiece of our Secondary 2 AEP & Secondary 3/9 and 3/10 GAP Students.

Tiffy: Yes! It is the CHIJ City of the Future Project!

Megan: When's the Construction gonna finish?

Tiffy: And When is the Impossible going to be Possible?

Megan: Well, its Already DONE! We will be opening the exhibition today between 10.45am-11.15am, with Mrs Lee as the Guest of Honour and the exhibition will be up until the 8^th of May.

Tiffy: We would like to invite all teachers and friends to join us for the opening ceremony!

Megan: We would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been supporting us all these while. We could not have done it without you. Thank you!

T&M: CITY OF THE FUTURE, NOW SHOWING IN CHIJ. So what are you waiting for? Come check it out!

Labels: CHIJTP Art Projects, CHIJTP Days, City of the Future

she painted the landscapes of her mind
0 responded to the painting | add yours?