Stress of DSA

If anything that's bothering most P6 kids in Singapore, it would not only be the Primary School Leaving Examination, but also the Direct School Admission. Having been caught up with preparing Grace for DSA, she has seeped into Gymnastics, and it was a sure passport back to her own school if she continues with the sport through the her secondary school. Well, she wasn't going to, she said. Today, she is in the midst of changing her sport to DIVING, and what a multitude of headaches (and joy!) she has given me. Firstly, DIVING is not a recognised CCA sport in schools, which means, she simply cannot go through the DSA path. Secondly, if she does try to enter by DSA, she would have to negotiate for a part-DSA through a recognised sport, like gymnastics, and then switch over mid-way in secondary school, which is often not advised. Because the strain of juggling between two sports for the first two years of secondary school is too surmountous. One school has offered her this condition, but my daughter has wisely said NO. She is wiser than her mother. Grace's own school is slowly giving way to her by asking her to sign up under the DSA-Special Talent catergory, which is not often offered by schools. Her school said that she needs to be:

1. admitted into the National Junior Squad


2. must have overseas representation


3. good mid-year results

Grace has qualified into the National Junior Squad, tomorrow she's going to Bangkok to compete in the Thailand Open 2011, that leaves Point 3. Now, how is she going to study when she is Thailand, and still finishing her obligation to primary school gymanstics on 18 April? She may be amazing in sports, and has done so-so for school work, but she can't live on grace alone. She really needs to pump in time to study, which makes it pressurising for her, and has given me the headaches. Perhaps, she should pray for grace, to make it on her own, without DSA. :-)

Hiatus & Back!

It's 25 March 2011 today and the last time I was in this blog was eons ago.

I have experienced so many events and met so many people these past few years and I am now slowly crawling back to my first love - writing on blogs. Facebook can be too superficial at times, and since it's not too attractive to a short-attention-spanned generation, I'll stick to writing blogs.

One of the most significant events is that Grace is soon dropping gymnastics, right after the Inter-School Gymnastics Competition on 18 April week. That'l be seven years of gym work for her. DIVING is now her real passion and I have attached some pictures of her to show how she has fared thus far.

She will be going to Bangkok on 5 April and will be representing Singapore for Thailand Open. May God grant her calmness and a wonderful experience.

The other amazing happening is that Faith has entered School of the Arts, Singapore, and is enjoying her studies. May God grant her a great education and experience while at SOTA.

And now, the photos of Grace diving at Toa Payoh Swimming Pool:

Live The Dream

I don't know what I've put myself into.

My good friend, Joyce, from Dawnbreakers' Choir in Wesley has nominated me for the Live The Dream singing contest. This is the equivalent of Singapore Idol, except that it is for older folks - that is, 25 years and above.

Live The Dream is organised by MediaCorp S'pore, but oh my, oh my, I have to give an answer to them if I will be participating!

MS' concerns:

1. What on earth am I doing this for?
2. What about time for kids and family?
3. Am I serious or insane to join such a 'national' contest?

MS is definitely not interested in public fame. Please, none of that please. Let others 'increase', I don't need that. I can shine in my own home, my bathroom especially, when I can sing till I turn blue!

Still, will it be that one chance in one's life to do something insanely different than life's routines? Or that only chance to take that amateur singing to a higher level, as Joyce reasoned again and again? After all, she just cut a CD, for herself and for legacy. (More about that in next post. But you can buy her CD in EQ Music from July onwards. CD is entitled Close To Me - Joyce.)

OK, OK, someone, please help MS decide!!! Would all this be just a wild dream??? ;- )

En Bloc Bummer

I'd be frank, I'm not one to make loads of money. Definitely not with en bloc sales.

Just take the mad frenzy in property prices lately in Singapore. The craze for en bloc sale of entire estates has taken on dizzying heights. One wonders how the developers can eventually sell off the redeveloped houses that they are going to build, especially at $1,000 psf (targetted amount).

The object in question is Farrer Court, which we owned a unit previously, and sold off in 2005 at super low times. Reason: avoid a mortgage and move in with MIL, who needed companionship after the death of FIL.

We had bought a property in the west of Singapore before moving over, and that is due for TOP in a year or so, barring no more sand ban from Indonesia, which has delayed construction.

But hang on, the topic is on enbloc sale, and Farrer Court is up for sale as the "largest en bloc land for sale, with potential to build 36 storeys, with every owner set to pocket about $2.4 million"! What a bummer!!!

Oh, why did we sell off FC? It was not that we needed the money. In fact, we used the sale money to pump into the new house. The reason lies in two facts: that I am still a working mum, so help is needed to look after the girls; and that we didn't want a maid in the long run, hence, the need to be with MIL to be the caretaker in the day. And since MIL did not want to come over everyday to our house in FC, we decided to pack up and move over to her place. So we sold off FC, after a conversation with a veteran estate agent, who calculated that FC has too many units for the potential developer to payout to.

Sigh... deep sigh... I do feel lousy, but I also cannot bear the thought of receiving 'poison letters' from neighbours if I had chosen to opt out. And FC residents are mainly retirees, educated, and have nothing much to do except to wait for property prices to go up. I do not think I am exaggerating. The neighbours are sweet, but at the same time, they can be an ugly bickering lot. That's why I packed off fast, despite FC being a nice estate, with many trees around.

I am really not good at making money. I am even more upset that the decision to work has led to missed opportunities.

But I received a ray of hope recently through a super wild thought. When the FC deal gets through, what would these retirees do with their $2.4m? Put $1m in their retirement fund for sure, but they'll need a place to stay! They're unlikely to move to the east nor north; not even central Singapore, where all the hot property action is happening with high prices. That makes the west or south west very attractive. And that's where my new place will be. So hopefully, they'll pump in their remnant $1.4m to me. And it is possible, cos Hubs just received a call yesterday from agents who are seeking out units at the west, where a new MRT Circle Line will pass through and Clementi will be developed. Oh, goody, goody, so brilliant, and yet so speculative. Let's just wait... (with wide, greedy eyes shooting out).

OK, girl, get real, read what the Bible says:

Do not weary yourself to gain wealth
Cease from your considerations of it
When you set your eyes on it, if it is gone
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.

Proverbs 23:4-5

There you are, this is not pouring spoilt milk over the brilliant idea. Rather, a firm reminder that wealth really has wings, it flies off so fast, that the pursuit of it can be in vain.

Get out of the frenzy girl, and find a home for your family, and not a house. That is the main object in life.

Elephant's Foot

Heard of that?

I was scrambling in the internet to find info on that plant. Yes, it's a plant. And despite so many references of it as a yam-like plant, Faith, the object of whom I serving for her Science project, insisted that it is a green plant.

Take a look. Can any green stem out from this 'elephantiasis' kind of plant? There was a near-tear-your-hair scenario this morning before going to school, but MS decided to leave it our from her project. Too bad, no info, she'd better rely on her friends.

Right after I've posted this picture, I found this picture, but without much info.

Now, did I miss this out? Oh well, let her check it out for herself. It was found on google and not the wiki. Lovely flower, eh? But what an incongruent name!