He who lends a book is an idiot. He who returns the book is more of an idiot.

"In reading, a lonely quiet concert is given to our minds; all our mental faculties will be present in this symphonic exaltation." Stephane Mallarme

it may seem strange, but i find that the busier and more tired i get from schoolwork and assessments, the more time i give myself to read. probably you're thinking that's stupid because when i'm reading i'm wasting precious time that i could be using to study or to make notes.

but... i almost can't describe it... when all this information is going into my head and my brain is steadily working and i keep pushing myself harder and harder- it's just not sustainable. i need some sort of outlet where my mind can rest, instead of struggling to understand, struggling to remember- i need a time where my brain can stretch, wander off to the dusty corners of my imagination and give it some breathing time.

i guess that's why i love books so much. just opening up that first page means that for a few hours (or however long i'm waiting at the library till my mum arrives) i can forget about everything and escape from reality. I can forget about my assessments and instead, be the character that i'm reading about.

the hardest part is finishing the book. having to climb back out of the story and back into real life isn't much fun; but somehow i always manage to drag myself away and get back to work. one day when i grow up, my house is going to be full of books so that my children will love books too. who needs tv when worlds of fantasy are waiting to be picked up in that book on the table?

today

the butterflies in your stomach. the checking and re-checking of minute details just seconds before you go in. the flurry of anxious people around you. the good seat: not too near the front, not too near the back, away from windows and doors. the finality of sitting down.

your only possessions plainly on the table. the tense silence. the paper.

it begins. blur of words and memory. racing against time. the inevitable passing of those seconds and minutes. paper paper everywhere. handwriting getting messier. 10 minutes to go. frantically writing anything that might be worth marks. 5 minutes to go. no time no time to fix errors; fix mistakes- PENS DOWN!

stapling, shuffling, collecting, restless. and out: buzz of chatter and groans as people find out answers they didn't want to hear. but mostly sighs of relief and shifting of minds and focus to the next assessment...

*

my 4u maths assessment (worth 25%) was today. i dunno... i don't think i did too badly, but i know i didn't do very well either. it was one of those tests where nothing was simply so easy, but nothing was really super hard. i attempted all questions, but i found that there was just soo not enough time.

with all the preparation that i had done in the past week- sometimes it just feels unfair that it all comes down to 75 minutes worth of maths: i feel as if i haven't shown them how much i know and shown all the maths that i can do. in the end; it comes down to whoever can manage their time the best and do as many questions as quickly and accurately as they can. kinda sucks.

i can't believe we're getting our assessments back on monday. compared to the english department who don't give us back tasks till 3 months later- the maths department are super efficient in marking stuff. eek! i don't think i want my results =S

new abbotsleigh library!!!!

The Library entrance from Level 2 provides a vista of The Archdale Library on Level 3 as you ascend a wide staircase revealing timber and glass features. On the northern wall you will see wonderful 'tinted' windows in a Fibonacci number sequence.

Natural light filtering through skylights and windows supplemented by specialist lighting and warm timbers create a welcoming space. A variety of workspaces for girls include a light-filled, relaxed fiction area, class spaces, couches, nearby periodicals and newspapers and a specialist area for photocopying and printing.

There are seminar rooms, a Library computer room, a large audiovisual room with provision for digital editing and staff offices.The IT Department has worked closely with the project ensuring excellent communications facilities within the building including wireless connections and clever design to allow for change in the future.

Designed by renowned Australian architect Richard Johnson of Johnson Pilton Walker, this new facility is an Abbotsleigh showpiece. www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au

I've been looking forward to this new library since year 7! We are so lucky to be able to use it- especially as this is our last year =)

Artistic shot from SSC building (senior student centre)


Showing how the library is connected to the SSC via a covered walking (YES! no more walking in the rain to get to the library)


The inside: how cool is the ceiling?? The wooden panels all have quotes from previous Headmistresses of Abbotsleigh


Individual working area - up the back you can see the DVD and VHS player


Seminar Room with overhead projector :: Huge plasma TV screen and behind is the photocopy and scanning room


Reading area --> 180 degree view!! Glass panels go all the way around the building almost


The front entrance (ooh i almost forgot: the entire library has air-con!!)

All you public-school people jealous yet? =P

year 12 camp - last one ever!!!

it was soooo amazing. the first time since year 7 that our WHOLE grade have been together for camp. ahhh such good memories.... it's sad that now it's all over.... =(

we arrived at Stanwell Tops at around 11am, and after morning tea we headed down to the beach. after 3 hours (fine okay maybe one hour) we finally reached the bottom of the mountain from where we started.


photo-crashed :: don't you love the view? (sigh... reminds me of katoomba)

for those who were unfit - they were really wishing they had been smart enough to wear shorts and t-shirt! (the weather fooled us all: it was cloudy and gloomy - and sufficiently humid enough so that when we started sweating like pigs; we stayed sweaty! eugh)


yes! we made it! :: happy 18th Ali!!

finally we got to the beach. and wonders of all wonders! we actually went swimming! as in, our hair actually got wet from the ocean... being asian - it's a rare sight!! but it was lots of fun, even though i pulled a leg cramp, and was almost drowned trying to get back to shore...


surfin' USA :: failing to be original

after the beach we had to go all the way back UP the mountain - the showers were a welcome reward at the end! after dinner, we all got dressed up for: salsa dancing!! maan i don't think i've ever danced so much in my life... it was heaps of fun - though my eyes are still recovering from watching the teachers dance (especially *cough* ke!!eher *cough*)


shaz + me :: girls' night out! haha

the next day we did many activities - my favourite was the Leap of Faith. i did this once in yr9 i remember; so it wasn't so scary for me doing it a second time. and this time, i actually caught the ring!! yay... you get a big adrenaline rush afterwards, but it doesn't beat the feeling of accomplishment that you did something you didn't think you could!


looks pretty high eh? :: i still can't believe i caught it

ooh and i must put in a word for the food! I was very impressed.. on camp, i don't usually expect the food to be great but Stanwell Tops had really yummy food!


lunch was pizza + salad :: just before dinner

then at night, it was 80's Dag + Karaoke! hahahah oh yeah... it was all or nothing... i'm so glad we all got into the spirit of it and gave it a go - embarassing as it was!


daggy indeed :: ash just keeps dancing


saturday night fever :: our inspiration was from the song "eye of the tiger"


spirit-fingers! :: air-guitar artists


how 80's is Shaz's hair?! :: dance baby dance

as usual all photos @ http://flyingdreams.dotphoto.com

for all you Abbotsleighians, go to SS Public Data > Student Temp > year12camp

*

the only thing i can complain about the camp is that i got eaten alive by killer mosquitoes! don't laugh i'm serious... latest count is FIFTEEN EIGHTEEN mosquito bites... with at least six on my face and three on my neck. rargh!!

and i've discovered that mosquitoes make high-pitched humming noises... and so i didn't sleep very well coz i kept waking up to try to kill mosquitoes in the dark. and since i didn't want to get bitten, i tried to stay underneath my blankets... but it was SO HOT!

so i couldn't decide whether i wanted to die from suffocation and overheating or being ravaged by giant blood-sucking insects. and i couldn't even get the satisfaction of killing the mosquito that had bitten me! all the ones i killed didn't even have blood in them!

welcome to my life

a sunny Saturday afternoon and what am I doing?

maths homework. and biology study before that; and an integrated response for english before that. sigh.... and i can hear my parents and my sister watching Harry Potter upstairs.

as you can see, my desk isn't exactly tidy... well it's the only part of my room that i don't bother to clean up since there's always a ton of stuff to do... all the stuff stuck up on my wall are things like calendars and motivational quotes and poems that i look at when i get tired of doing work and want to go to sleep instead. haha...

okay enough procrastinating... i've wasted about 20min taking the photo, editing it on photoshop, uploading it to photobucket and typing up this post.

to all my sisters (not just bea)

An English professor wrote the words: "WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN IS NOTHING" on the blackboard, and directed the students to punctuate it correctly .

The men wrote: "Woman, WITHOUT HER MAN, is nothing."

The women wrote: "WOMAN!! WITHOUT HER, man is nothing!"

*

Thanks to all my beautiful girls out there who make life fun, enjoyable and full of laughter! I don't know what i'd do without all my sisters in Christ who are one of the greatest blessings in my life - so encouraging and supportive =)

"She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark. She is your teacher, your defense attorney, even your shrink. Some days, she's the reason you wish you were an only child."

-Barbara Alpert

change (strange?)

change. the worst thing about it is that as soon as you get used to it; change itself changes.

what do i mean by this?

i've just been thinking about the nature of Change and how it affects us. I think that there are two kinds of people when it comes to Change: those who thrive on it, and those who can't stand it.

But the problem is; i can't decide which of those two people i am. I'm somewhat stuck in the middle. it's strange because in some instances i don't mind change at all - just look at how many times i've moved house! but then again i didn't like changing schools or changing churches. even now the changes of this year i'm still trying to get used to and accept.

i suppose it depends on what kind of change it is. Change that happens with trivial matters or external sources don't really impact on us but changes with stuff that we really care about- that's when it's hard.

i believe change is the catalyst to growth. without it we'd never be challenged or moved beyond our comfort zone. Change pushes us around, forces us to take a good look at ourselves, and teaches us about life.

i will leave you in your thoughts about this with a quote:

"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."

- King Whitney Jr

gimme switchfoot anyday!

argh!!! i do NOT like Revive.... but they were playing in Chapel today... i got so annoyed.

firstly; the guy can't sing - he just screams into the mike
secondly; can't hear anything except for guitar and drums and just too much noise
thirdly; there'd be no point even if i could hear the lyrics coz they're totally stupid!
fourthly; there'd be no way to tell just from listening to their songs that they're even Christian! and even if u knew they were Christian; the lyrics are meaningless and contain ideas that Christians let alone non-Christians can't understand.

and finally they just can't compare with the likes of Switchfoot; Chris Tomlin; Paul Colman; Deb Fung; Joy Williams; Third Day; Casting Crowns and other really really really good Christian bands out there!!!

I was going to write a meaningful post today about my week and things that i've learned and thought about and my feelings and ways in which i've grown - but that'll have to wait... i got too frustrated after chapel!

on an entirely different note: it's the first official of autumn so make sure u have plenty of insect repellant on coz the mosquitoes are now out in full fighting force ><"