Wishes - A project by friends of the library

Hi all, back again after a month. Time flies and this is my last assignment for the holiday so i shan't make it too boring! Basically, this is actually a volunteery project about storytelling and crafts making. We were given the full responsibility to make sure the 1 hour long project runs smoothly without any injuries, etc. I embraked on this partly to fulfill the Singapore Kindess Movement Project and also to have fun with those kids. It was very heartening to see those kids having that sense of eagerness plastered all over their faces. They were all very engaged and active in participating througout the session. It just make me recall when i was young, i was also like them, listening attentively to the teacher which was very different from what i am now. It was not easy to carry out this hour long session. We still had to do some preparation before hand and plan well. I guess it is not easy for a teacher to carry out a lesson. So, i should start appreciating! We prepared some cute little paper gingerbread mans and its paper outfits. The kids are supposed to dress their gingerbread man whichever way they like. The way they go about dressing up actualy reflects a lot about them. Some of them just can't be bothered and did their work in a slip shot way but some were very gentle with it; colouring every single white spot they see. The 8 of us had lots of fun communicating with the kids and laughing at the little silly mistakes that they made. We went to Cheng San Library and Geylang East library for a session each but i enjoyed the first session at CSL more. The kids there were more bubbly than the kids at GEL. Overall, i find that this volunteery experience worthwhile as we learnt many skills like communicating and responsibily. Every lesson that the teacher prepares actually takes some effort. As a "teacher" in these 2 sessions, i think it lightens up my day to see the kids enjoying themselves! And of course, I definitely want to go back again next year!

After thoughts

This poem really inspires me a lot about the different definitions of success. Success can mean many different things to different people. But I have my own opinion as well. I feel that success need not be something that make others go “WOW!” at you. Success can only be realized on your own, not anyone else. Even if you’ve failed, it may be considered as success. As long as you know that you have put in your very best into doing something, no matter what the outcome is, it is still success. To me, the biggest success in life is when you do not repeat the same mistake but learn from it and fine tune your plans. It all boils down on having a strong determination to work hard towards achieving your goals. If you are willing to put your heart and soul into doing something, there will then be a greater chance to succeed :)

Biography – Terry Fox

Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to Rolly and Betty Fox. He was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia and then moved to the family home on Morrill Street in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, with his brother Fred, his younger brother Darrell, and his sister Judith.Four things were evident about him; first, he loved sports of all kinds - soccer, rugby union, baseball, and diving. Second, he was not tall, so he had to work harder than the bigger kids. Third, he was extremely competitive. Lastly, he had a huge amount of determination.

In junior high school, Fox loved basketball and wanted to play guard on the Mary Hill Cobras team. He was only 5 feet tall at the time and mediocre at the game. In order to achieve his goal, he spent every day practicing his basketball skills. By grade ten, he was one of the best guards. In senior high school he was a starting guard for the Port Coquitlam Ravens. Thus, he achieved his goal because of his determination. In grade eight, Bob Mcgill, his physical education teacher suggested Fox should try out for cross country running. At that time he completely had no interest in running but Terry started training anyway, because he had so much respect for his coach and wanted to please him. He found the running exhausting but at the end, his coach had called him a man. And he kept that to the end of his days.

In his teenage years, he won numerous medals in diving and swimming competitions, and impressed many people with his stamina and endurance. Though many of his instructors encouraged him to stay with water sports and train professionally, instead he pursued his dream of becoming a physical education teacher. After graduating with honours from Port Coquitlam Senior Secondary School (which was later renamed Terry Fox Secondary School in his honour), he studied kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. Fox was an active student at SFU and participated in a variety of on-campus clubs and groups.

On November 12, 1976, Fox was driving back home along Port Coquitlam's highway in his green 1968 Ford Cortina. He was distracted by a bridge construction site, and his car slammed into a half-ton truck. Nothing happened to the driver of the truck; Fox came out of the accident with only a sore right knee. In 1977, after feeling pain in his right knee, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. This is a form of cancer that strikes men more than women, usually around ages ten to twenty-five. Very often the cancer starts at the knee, then works its way up into the muscles and tendons.

At the time, the only way to treat his condition was to amputate his right leg several inches above the knee.Fox believed that the injury from the 1976 crash had weakened his knee and made it more susceptible to cancer, although his doctors disagreed. The causes of osteosarcoma are not known.

Three years after losing his leg at age 18, the young athlete decided to run from coast to coast in order to raise money for cancer research. In creating the Marathon of Hope, his goal was to raise $1 from each Canadian citizen.Fox began by dipping his leg in the Atlantic Ocean at St. John's, Newfoundland on April 12, 1980. He intended to dip it in the Pacific Ocean when he arrived in Victoria, British Columbia. He also filled two large bottles with Atlantic Ocean water; his plan was to keep one as a souvenir and pour the other one into the Pacific. He also intended to fill another jug of water with water from the Pacific Ocean. He was going to run about 42 km (26.2 miles) a day, the distance of a typical marathon. No one had ever done anything similar to the task Fox was undertaking. Fox was unable to finish his run. His bone cancer had metastasized to his lungs: x-rays revealed that Terry's right lung had a lump the size of a golf ball and his left lung had another lump the size of a lemon.

He was forced to stop the run on September 1, 1980 just north-east of Thunder Bay, Ontario, after 143 days. He had run 5,373 km (3,339 miles, or around 23.3 miles per day) through Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario.

Soon after Fox was forced to stop, the CTV television network organized a telethon in hopes of raising additional funds for the cause. Any celebrities within range of Toronto were invited to participate, and the event raised millions of dollars. Many of the guests paid tribute to Fox; TV actor Lee Majors called him "the real Six Million Dollar Man."In June 1981, Terry developed pneumonia, and on June 27 he went into a coma. He died on the 28th at 4:37 a.m., which was his favourite hour of running, a year after his legendary run, and exactly one month shy of his twenty-third birthday.Terry's large funeral was broadcast live on national television. He is buried in the Port Coquitlam cemetery, near his favourite lookout just outside the cemetery gates.Today he is considered a national hero of Canada. He was named a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 1980, the Governor-General traveling to Port Coquitlam to present the medal (CBC Archive film).

The Terry Fox Run is run around the world every year to raise money for cancer research. It is non-competitive- no winners or awards, just people joining to raise money for cancer research. Schools all around also participate in the annual Terry Fox Run.Steve Fonyo, a cancer survivor inspired by Fox, completed the full length of Fox's course in 1984 and 1985. Fonyo's left leg had been amputated.In a public opinion poll, Terry Fox was voted the most famous Canadian of the 20th century. He was voted number two on The Greatest Canadian list.

Why is he successful?

When Fox was young, he was rather physically inclined and achieved many awards. He showed strong determination to achieve his goal and practised real hard to improve on his skills. He believed a lot in himself to be able to achieve his dream and was confident of achieving them. Eventually, his dream of becoming a physical education teacher came true. That was something that I thought, made me admire him. He put in so much effort in his previous years and the efforts finally paid off. I think it takes a lot of patience for someone to keep on practicing in order to achieve what he/she desires. Moving on, I feel that it was really courageous of Fox to run a long distance on a prosthetic leg. Despite having a leg amputated, he still persisted on running long distance just to help raise funds. He still remained as strong and positive as he was previously . He cared for people who are more unfortunate than him and was willing to run the marathon of hope to raise funds. He knew that there were others who are also suffering, not just him alone. He actually wanted to run past the finishing line but the illness stopped him. It was a pity for Fox to pass away at a young age. There are not many people in this world who are as strong-willed as him.

How did he inspire me?

When I first read about Terry Fox, I asked myself, “Who is this crazy man who risk his life to raise funds? What a waste!” However, when I really sit down to think about the unique qualities of him, I start to admire him. The way he brings himself to achieve his goals and help people truly inspire me. Despite having a leg amputated, he still had that high level of determination. But, what about me? Over trivial matters, I give up. Only when I compare myself to people like Terry Fox, then I start to appreciate what I have now. He did not run the marathon of hope to gain fame but he was really going all way out to raise funds. I just happen to surf around the internet and saw pictures of him running. I could see him frowning in agony and having that strong desire to reach the finishing line. Thus, I feel that Terry Fox has inspired me with his unique personalities which are especially useful during my education years. There are always ups and downs in life but I have to persevere to overcome certain obstacles. Sometimes, they are not easy to overcome, but I believe the important thing is that I cannot give up.

Person I deem successful

The person I deem successful is my dad. He comes from a huge family with many siblings(not sure how many exactly). He told me when he was young, he lived in a kampong deep in the forest. Every morning, he has to walk through the dense forest and get to school. He was still a head prefect back then in his secondary years. However, he stopped school after he finished his O levels as he had to money to continue. After that, he went on to run his own business with his brother at somewhere around East Coast Park selling handbags, wallets, belts, etc made of various animals skins like stingray, ostrich and so on. His business was doing well for many many tears until the government decided to clear off that piece of land. No choice, my dad had to move and find another suitable space to set up his shop. Times were rather bad as it was kind of a sudden issue. Nobody had expected it to happen. So we had no income for a while and luckily, he was able to find another space to settle down quickly.

In this way, he was successful because he was able to adapt to new situations quickly when a problem arises. Given a short amount of time, he could overcome the obstacles and be responsible for his own business. He was able to plan his business idea well too, as there were lots of profit gained.

What I learned him is that it doesn’t take one person to be very good academically to succeed in future. We musn’t look down on those who have a lower qualification than us as they may emerge champions in the long run. It is also the kind of confidence I see in him that inspires him. He was not afraid of failures and willing to give his business plan a try and also most importantly, believe in himself. His experience inspires me to have more cinfidence in myself and never say that i cannot succeed before trying something.

How can this programme help you to get closer to your goals?

Honestly speaking, I do not really have a goal in mind yet. But the standard ones would definitely be like to ace in academics, have good time management, so on. Through this programme, I think it teaches me to pioritise my time and hopefully be able to do well in every area. Service learning can perhaps help me to know the world around me better and allow me to reach out to their needs which is a type of knowledge that cannot be found in textbooks. It can also help me to improve on myself in terms of discipline, responsibility, etc.

What does success mean to you?

A little sip of inspiration:

What is Success?

Success is not merely becoming wealthy.
Success is not only working for remaining healthy.
Success is not going after fame and name.
Success is not living life for such mind game.

Success is not just taking career to the top.
Success is not staying in a bungalow at the hill top.
Success is working hard for your dreams you believe.

Success is perseverance and efforts till you achieve your deal.

Success is having considaration for everyone.
Success is a strong desire to live to help each one.
Success is to follow the religon of humanity.
Success is to always remember all pervading divinity.

Success is to follow the principle, "Live and let others live."
Success is to accept others as diversity of nature: beautiful and alive.
Success is working for happiness of the world, a dedication.
Success is to love everyone unconditionally, without any expectation.

dr.nutan pol

What does scholarship mean to you?

Many common things will start rushing into my mind when “scholarship” is mentioned.
1. Given a sponsored huge sum of money to study overseas to finetune your knowledge.
2. Outstanding student in the crowd that many companies look for.
3. Recognition for your hardwork and contributions made to the society.

However, if we really sit down and think hard, scholarship can mean more than just the 3 points above. In my opinion, scholarship is awarded to someone who is able to shine in every aspect regardless of how much time it takes to complete/how much effort it will require to complete and so on. In other words, the person must be an all-rounder. Perhaps, scholarship can be seen as a privilege too. It gives us the opportunity to lengthen our learning path to our maximum potential ----- to discover what the real world is like. It can also be considered as a challenge to test yourself on whether you are able to believe in yourself and take on the challenge and also be confident about succeeding. For me, I come from an average family background. To have a scholarship awarded to me is actually the greatest success in my life and also a form of gratitude shown to my family for supporting me throughout my education years. I have brought them glory and make them feel proud of me. Before I end off, I feel that scholarship is not just about having a high IQ but also a high EQ.

Responsibilities of a scholar

Needless to say, a scholar must be consistent and diligent to excel academically. Humility is also crucial as we have to try and reach out to people around us who may be weaker to us and help them when they are in need. I always believe that it is a blessing to be able to bring joy to everyone. A scholar must also possess a unique character trait that others can straightaway identify as a scholar and look up to them, try to learn from them. He/She should always uphold the qualities of a scholar and not disgrace themselves. Scholars must be willing to learn new things/learn from others and keep improving themselves. We do not have to be a perfectionist all of the time but when a mistake is made, we have to learn from them and not repeat it again.

Obstacles faced

Definitely in life, there would be ups and downs. The first obstacle that comes to my mind is being independent. It’s like you’re going to study in a total stranger environment and most probably being left out in a corner with no friends. There is no one willing to lend a shoulder for you to lean your head on. This will then lead to stress as you are unable to pour your troubles out. Our parents would also be worried for our safety all the time and maybe even having sleepless nights. All those things that we have taken granted for previously will turn into an obstacle.

Scholar = leader? How so?

I would say that a scholar should at least be a leader in one area of his/her own expertise, giving others a chance for the rest. He/She must be already good at that particular area and influence others with his/her own strengths. Strong perserverance must be exhibited to encourage the team along to lead to success. When a problem arrises, the leader must be the first one to initiate to help solve the problem and show others. And lastly, a leader never quits.

Who & How to serve as a scholar?

Basically, I would like to serve my family(to start as a small group) like understanding my parents and helping them when they are busy at work. Once I have achieved that, I will go on to serve the community and help those less fortunate ones. I think they are the ones that we have to help to make the community and pleasant place for everyone to be in. Gradually, I will go on to serve my country by bringing glory and be law-abiding. Just recently, I have volunteered for this storytelling cum crafts making session to teach young children. Besides teaching, we also have to be responsible for child’s safety. I thought this would be a good experience as it tests our leadership skills. Alright, shall elaborate when I return from the whole session. Wish me luck :D

Hmm let me just analyse the different descriptions of an ISTJ..
Actually to me, the results are somehow true. I quite agree with the different descriptions of my personality. Basically, I prefer to work individually than in a group although there are more brainstormers when we work in a group. However, i like to remain focused on the project and have the motivation to complete the task as quickly as possible to get a sense of accomplishment. I definitely would agree to what was mentioned as one of the descriptions of an ISTJ. I get very irritated when there is no team spirit within the group and only those who are hardworking will complete the project and those sleeping partners just get the credit. I think there is NO justice at all. I just keep every single feeling to myself and not pour them out because i thought it will bring more trouble. Sometimes, i try to be forgiving but there's always a limit whereby i just give up and complete everything on my own.. Punctuality for one, is something that i expect of myself. Isn't it embarrassing to have a whole big group of people waiting for me? That's utterly inconsiderate man! I also agree with the details mentioned below that ISTJs like to follow step by step approaches. Personally, i feel that step by step approaches are rather fun because no brain juice is invested, just following the procedures and there will be SUCCESS!

After reading more about my personality, i view myself as someone who can be successful if i believe more in myself. There are certain things in life that i come across and i have no confidence that i am able to succeed even without trying. I learnt to have more faith in myself and view myself more positively and most importantly, believe that i can do it. (Remember Nike? Just do it.) Haha i think Nike has a cool slogan :) Sorry, that was random!

Of course, there are both strengths and weaknesses in me. One of the big weakness is that i am often indecisive. I take very long to decide on something(e.g subject combination) and tend to be fickle-minded. I just do not know what i want for myself in the end and need someone to convince me! Gahh.. How to improve on this? >:(

Something good about me is that i am very focused when it come to test/exams. I always believe that as long as i have studied, there will be some chances of passing. I feel very insecured when i enter the examination hall with a blank mind.

Lastly, i think the career paths are rather inspiring. It was quite surprising that those more prestigious careers(e.g lawyer, doctor, etc) fall under the ISTJ categories. However, one thing for sure is that i can NEVER be a computer programmer! Computers have never been my good pal :) Well, I guess i should start working hard and PERSEVERE like what they mentioned to have a BRIGHT future. Prestigious occupations = More money = Good life!

To be frank, i do not have any ambitions/goals for my future. But i will just live on with a proverb that simply says: You reap what you sow. Thus, i shall try my very best from now on to ace everything so that i am open to many different careers when i grow up. It is better that those companies come knocking on your door to join them, rather than you knocking on their doors to beg them to accept you!

Before you leave, let me just share with you a quote!
Success is dependant on effort.
No pain, no gain :D

Bye!

Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging!

Introverted (I) 71% Extraverted (E) 29%
Sensing (S) 68% Intuitive (N) 32%
Thinking (T) 50% Feeling (F) 50%
Judging (J) 82% Perceiving (P) 18%

Description of ISTJs
ISTJs are often called inspectors. They have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ. The secretary, clerk, or business(wo)man by whom others set their clocks is likely to be an ISTJ.
As do other Introverted Thinkers, ISTJs often give the initial impression of being aloof and perhaps somewhat cold. Effusive expression of emotional warmth is not something that ISTJs do without considerable energy loss.
ISTJs are most at home with "just the facts, Ma'am." They seem to perform at highest efficiency when employing a step-by-step approach. Once a new procedure has proven itself (i.e., has been shown "to work,") the ISTJ can be depended upon to carry it through, even at the expense of their own health.
ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact. The grim determination of the ISTJ vindicates itself in officiation of sports events, judiciary functions, or an other situation which requires making tough calls and sticking to them.
His SJ orientation draws the ISTJ into the service of established institutions. Home, social clubs, government, schools, the military, churches -- these are the bastions of the SJ. "We've always done it this way" is often reason enough for many ISTJs. Threats to time-honored traditions or established organizations (e.g., a "run" on the bank) are the undoing of SJs, and are to be fought at all costs.

Introverts?
` Have quiet energy
` Listen more than talk
` Think, then act
` Feel comfortable being alone
` Prefer to work "behind-the-scenes"
` Have good powers of concentration
` Prefer to focus on one thing at a time
` Are self-contained and reserved

Sensors?
` Focus on details & specifics
` Admire practical solutions
` Notice details & remember facts
` Are pragmatic - see what is
` Live in the here-and-now
` Trust actual experience
` Like to use established skills
` Like step-by-step instructions
` Work at a steady pace

Thinkers?
` Make decisions objectively
` Appear cool and reserved
` Are most convinced by rational arguments
` Are honest and direct
` Value honesty and fairness
` Take few things personally
` Tend to see flaws
` Are motivated by achievement

Judgers?
` Make most decisions pretty easily
` Are serious & conventional
` Pay attention to time & are prompt
` Prefer to finish projects
` Work first, play later
` Want things decided
` See the need for most rules
` Like to make & stick with plans
` Find comfort in schedules

Character Traits for ISTJs:
` Value tradition, security, and peaceful living
` Will work long and hard to fulfill duties
` Can be depended on to follow through on tasks
` Loyal and faithful
` Stable, practical and down-to-earth
` Family-minded
` Dislike doing things which don't make sense to them
` Dislike abstract theory, unless they see the practical application
` Natural leaders
` Prefer to work alone, but work well in teams when necessary
` Extremely observant, they take in facts via their senses and store them internally
` Vast, rich inner store of facts which they rely on to understand problems which they encounter in their lives
` Profound respect for facts and concrete information
` Make decisions objectively, applying logic and rational thinking
` Dislike change, unless they are shown it's benefit in a concrete way
` Have strong opinions about the way things should be done
` Appreciate structured, orderly environments
` Have very high standards for their own behavior and the behavior of others
` Not naturally in-tune with other people's feelings
` Able to accomplish almost anything if they put their minds to it
` Community minded "good citizens"

In a nutshell…
ISTJs have one character trait which puts them at a definite advantage in terms of career success - Perserverance. An ISTJ can do almost anything that they have decided to do. However, there are areas in which they will function more happily and naturally. An ISTJ will do best in a career in which they can use their excellent organizational skills and their powers of concentration to create order and structure. ISTJs seem to fit extremely well into the Management and Executive layer of the corporate business world.

Possible Careers in the future:
` Business Executives, Administrators and Managers
` Accountants and Financial Officers
` Police and Detectives
` Judges
` Lawyers
` Medical Doctors / Dentists
` Computer Programmers, Systems Analysts, and Computer Specialists
` Military Leaders

Hello to all out there! I’m Sherry Seah from 204’08. I am a member of the Xinmin Guzheng Emsemble and attained a Grade 2 in 2007. Guzheng:( develops my musical talents as well as coordination skills which I was not very good at previously. I have learnt a lot about resilience throughout my 2 years in the emsemble. We have to stand up on our own after a great fall and bounce back to the situation. The instructor is strict and tough(that’s why there’s a sad face up there) and never fails to scold someone every lesson. I’ve always thought of quitting but you know, I shan’t throw my previous efforts all way down the rubbish bin! Remember? Perseverance! Okay lets move on…

Basically I can be described as a rather sociable girl. I like to make more friends and interact with them. So long as they treat me well, I will treat them well too. I feel that it is important to haven friends as they bring about joy and laughter to my life. Without friends, life would be dull!

Motivation:

Well I can say that I am motivated by famous people around the world. Isn’t it amazing that they can do such wonderful things after going through many failures? A good example would be Thomas Edison, the inventor of bulbs. He actually created explosions in the train during his experiments and yet he could succeed in inventing light bulbs eventually! Not forgetting that he became deaf in one ear after being slapped by his teacher. Well I guess what motivates me after reading about his biography is: failures are the root of success! It is okay if we made a mistake for the first time but the biggest mistake is repeating the same mistake again. I always believe that the future lies in my hands but not anyone else. We have the POWER to change our future.

Personality:

I am often an optimistic girl and try to see failures in the positive light to comfort myself. Sometimes, I get lazy and not bothered to do things that I do not like to do. Chores like tidying my table; I always procrastinate and result in my mum boiling with rage(haha). I am usually easily distracted by things happening around me. Something minor that happens will cause me to stop my revision to check out the situation. Time management is something which I lack a lot. I always plan that I would do some revision for that day but I end up playing the entire day and doing last minute revision. Oh well, these are just some of my personality that I can think of right now!

Strengths:

I have the ability to cope with failures and try to learn from my mistakes. I will never give up finding a solution to the problem but be determined to get the answer. This applies especially to maths problem solving sums! I like the feeling of accomplishment after “sweating” over such questions. I work well with all kinds of people and understand that everyone has different perspective towards certain topics. I am able to accept everyone’s ideas and believe that no idea is a bad idea. In fact, it is interesting to hear from other’s perspective that we have never thought of.

Weaknesses:

A weakness of mine would be the lack of confidence when I speak to a huge group of people. I often get nervous and start making lots of mistakes during my speech. I haven’t had a lot of experience with this over the past few years(sad). However, I have improved on myself during oral presentations in class. Sometimes, I do not have the courage to take up any challenges and need someone to encourage me to join in. I would always have the mentality that I will definitely fail no matter how much effort I put in. Therefore, I join the Xinmin Scholars’ Programme hopefully to gain more new experiences and confidence.

Likes:

I like going outdoors to play rather than being cooped up at home. Isn’t it better to allow yourself to relax and have fun looking at the latest trend available in malls? I also like munching on chocolates, sweets and junk food. The sweet taste underneath certainly satisfies my day. Anybody likes Kinder Bueno too? J

Dislikes:

I detest watching drama serials on TV which usually lasts for an hour. I often find them brogan and end up sleeping on the couch. Even the “hottest” recent dramas, I am also not aware of it. So people may find me boring because they have nothing to share with me. I also do not really know a lot about singers like Britney Spears, Elvis Presley, etc. I have only heard of their names but have no interest to get to know more about them. Rock music for one, is not my taste. I find them being noise instead of music. In fact, music is meant to make people feel relaxed. I feel that rock music makes me even more stressed up. I prefer more soothing and meaningful music instead. Some of them can be touching and inspiring too! Agree? xD

Anything interesting?

Hmm I think there is nothing interesting about me… Perhaps, the fact that I love to smile a lot without realizing it. My Primary School form teachers always remark that I never fail to wear a smile in my report book!(funny..) Well, I take that as a compliment:D J I remember one teacher even wrote: “Keep on wearing that special smile!” Sounds weird! Well, I believe everyone knows that laughter is the best medicine. A smile signifies that you are a friendly person and willing to accept anyone regardless of their gender, race, etc.

Okay, i'm really really tired. Will post more next time to keep this blog alive (i hope). Tata for now!