extended curriculum
timetable is quite queer
combined lessons with 3/3OR3/5 for math and 3/5 for Combined Humanities
..........................
-_-```

school-based T-shirts or uniform for extended curriculum?
haha
i also not sure x)


sian...
geog and CH hw....
no motivation to complete them la....
rmb to bring dictionary on wed and eng dictionary for eng lessons! xD

tsk
hope O levels will be over real soon
look forward to 2nd Nov

...
still have to do the ppt. slides for the cca course
...........
i have tons of chocolate at home now
((((((((:
:))))))))

ok
my bro is crazy mugging xiao wang zi..
sian la
dead if he asks for help..

Ngee Ann ((: @ Clementi ((((:

The Diploma in Business and Social Enterprise provides graduates with the right mix of skills to understand social needs and attain business objectives.


If you have the heart for social work, and want to acquire savvy business skills, this is the course for you.

Why is the course different?
Unlike other business courses, this diploma equips students with essential skills for not only businesses but also community & social services. It is the only course of its kind to be offered by polytechnics in Singapore .

What are the career prospects?
Social enterprise is a growing industry. In Singapore , there are over 500 non-profit organisations, and thus there is a huge potential for social enterprises within the community and services sector.

Also, with the increasing awareness for companies to be more socially responsible, businesses now need professionals who know how to achieve social and sometimes, environmental, objectives besides making profits.

Graduates of this diploma can work as social enterprise managers, community development officers, marketing or corporate communication officers, or human resource executives in a wide range of non-profit as well as business organisations.

Accreditation for Further Studies
Graduates can pursue further studies and specialization at local universities.

NUS - Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (Social Work)
NTU - Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Arts
SMU - Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Social Science
Pursuits of further studies at overseas universities are also possible.

How to qualify?
Entry requirements based on the GCE ‘O’ Level examinations (or equivalent) are:

Subject 'O' Level Grade

English (EL1) 1-6
Mathematics (Elementary/Additional)
1-7

Any three other subjects, excluding CCA 1-6


Candidates must meet the requirements for aggregate computation, and have sat for at least one of these subjects – Combined Humanities, Commerce/Commercial Studies, Geography, History, Literature, Principles of Accounts or Economics.

What does the course cover?
The course focuses on giving students experiential learning through case studies, forums and projects.

In the first year, students get solid foundation in social and environmental studies, and business fundamentals. In the second year, students learn organizational framework and dynamics, marketing and communication skills. In the final year, students study networking and project management skills.

Students also acquire valuable experience in starting or managing social enterprise projects in the 6-month Practicum or Industrial Attachment with a local or overseas organization during their final year.
Course Structure

First-Year Modules

• Introduction to Social Enterprise, Social &
Environmental Studies
• Social Psychology
• Introduction to Statistics & Research Methods
• IT Applications
• Economics
• Principles of Accounting
• Business Management
• Written Communication


Second-Year Modules

• Non-profit Organisations & Development
• Human Resource Management
• Legal framework for Social Enterprise
• Principles of Marketing
• Business Communication
• Enterprise Creation & Development
• Public Relations & Events Management

Final-Year Modules

• Overview of International Systems
• Crisis Management and Conflict Resolution
• Managing Community Services
• Corporate Governance
• 6-month Practicum or Industrial Attachment
Programme or Action Research Project

* Students will also take Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) modules which cover Creativity & Applied Thinking Skills, Life Management Skills, Contemporary Issues, Cross Cultural Communication & Practices, World Issues, Innovation & Enterprise in Action, and Sports & Wellness programme.



For more details on Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) modules, please log on to www.np.edu.sg/is/

Contact Us
Mrs Wong Leck Hoon
School of Humanities
Tel: 6460 8974
Email: sch-hms@np.edu.sg

Ngee Ann Polytechnic
Toll free: 1800-4607333
(admission to full-time courses)
General enquiries: 6466 6555
Fax: 6468 3207
Website: www.np.edu.sg
Email: JoinNP@np.edu.sg

there's another business
also psychology and mass com.
~wooh~

here's another one :)

Diploma in Accountancy (ACC) (3-year course)

Introduction

Diploma in Accountancy (ACC) gives students a head start in their accounting career. Students are taught to perform the crucial role of keeping proper company financial records, assessing its profits and losses as well as its future potential for growth.

The course comprises foundation modules that provide essential accounting, computing and communication skills. These are complemented by basics in other related disciplines like economics, information systems, taxation, business and company law. Students are also equipped with auditing skills that enable them to review a company’s accounts and procedures to ensure transparency in its financial reporting.

The final year of the course focuses on specialised and practical training, such as the Accountancy Practical Training (APT) programme. Students can choose to go on the APT programme for about six months with major international accounting firms, reputable organisations and government-related agencies to gain the relevant working experience or pursue more finance-related modules.

Career Prospects
ACC graduates can work in the fields of accounting, audit, taxation, finance, consultancy, insurance and banking. With further education and career development, they can move up to higher positions such as Senior Accountant and Regional Financial Controller.

Accreditation for Further Studies
Graduates are eligible for admission to many local and overseas universities. Those who plan to continue their education abroad will enjoy advanced standing for business and accountancy degrees at many universities in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Professional institutions like the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), grant further exemptions in their professional examinations for ACC graduates.

Entry Requirements
Entry requirements in the GCE 'O' Level examinations (or equivalent) are :

Subject 'O' Level Grade

English 1–6
Mathematics (Elementary/Additional) 1–6
Any three other subjects excluding CCA 1–6


Candidates must also meet the requirements for aggregate computation.

The aggregate computation for selection is based on grades obtained for English, Mathematics, a Humanities subject (Grade 1-9) and two other subjects (excluding CCA). Humanities subjects include Combined Humanities, Commerce, Commercial Studies, Geography, History, Literature and Principles of Accounts.

Note: Students enrolled in the course will be required to own Notebook Computers for their studies.
Course Structure

First-Year Modules

Level 1.1
• Business Statistics
• Computing & Information Processing
• Introduction to Financial Accounting
• Microeconomics
• Business Communication 1

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Modules
• Creativity & Applied Thinking Skills^
• Sports & Wellness ^

Level 1.2
• Business Computing Applications
• Business Management
• Fundamentals of Financial Accounting
• Macroeconomics
• Business Law

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Modules
• Individual & the Community ^
• Life Management Skills ^


Second-Year Modules

Level 2.1
• Business Communication 2
• Cost Accounting
• Finance of International Trade
• Intermediate Financial Accounting
• Taxation 1

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Modules
• Any 2 general Interdisciplinary Studies modules^

Level 2.2
• Auditing 1
• Enterprise Accounting Applications
• Financial Management
• Management Accounting 1
• Regulatory Framework of Accounting

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Modules
• Innovation & Enterprise in Action ^

Final-Year Modules

Level 3.1
• Advanced Financial Accounting
• Auditing 2
• Company Law
• Taxation 2
• Business Communication 3

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Modules
• World Issues: A Singapore Perspective^
• Any 1 general Interdisciplinary Studies module^

Level 3.2
• (Pathway 1) Finance Option
• Financial Planning
• Financial Markets & Services
• Enterprise Creation & Development
• International Economics & Finance
• Investment
• (Pathway 2) Accountancy Practical Training


^ For more details on Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) modules, please refer to the IS website at www.np.edu.sg/is/

IS Modules
The School of Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) delivers the interdisciplinary curriculum under the Ngee Ann Learning Model (NLM). The NLM was introduced in 2001 to nurture a new generation of professionals with multidisciplinary skills to meet the challenges of a knowledge-based economy. The NLM incorporates core disciplines and Interdisciplinary Studies. It also nurtures innovative and entrepreneurial traits through the Innovation & Enterprise in Action (I & E in Action) module. IS modules challenge boundaries and offer insights into Communication, Entrepreneurship, Life Skills, Media & the Arts, and Science & Technology.

tsk
i think i am obsessed with ngee ann
yay!
mug mug!
jia you, you can do it if you believe in yourself! (((((:
feeling positive
and yet negative in some aspects
hm....
this is a secret between me and wenjie
i really am not sure of what i want
its just an infatuation
stop brooding over it.

report book
tsk
don't really like it
but its still acceptable

poly!
same aggregate as wenjie
we both going poly!
but different poly, she wants sp, i want np. x(

tsk
who said poly is bad
that's such a shallow mindset..
-_-

went jp with mum
saw audrey! x)))))

当我望着你背影的时候
赫然发现原来自己是多么的幸运
但是也了解自己是你前途的绊脚石
所以决定放弃

I am just a hindrance

so I shall keep a distance

thx for the memories, friend (:
can't find any words to relay my thoughts
forget me, it will do you good

..........
maybe..
i just like to alone, isolated
LOL
tsk energy changes
quite unfamiliar with SPA already..

O lvl chi is even worse..
die liao la...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
happy!

or sad?
LOL

hmm wonder if mdm chang will stick to her current arrangement
but she said not confirmed yet
maybe she will change her mind..
-_-
o.0

tsk
went JJ today
lol
have to do a ppt
realised juniors are really cute and nice!

then went to do mock exam!
damn funny
wenjie HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
fun...
then i blur blur
put wrong place the scripts -_-

went home
shower
watch a bit of tv
and fell right asleep on sofa.. T_T
woke up around 8.....

o lvl chi and chem spa 2 next week!
jia you!!

from shawn (:

1. Who were you with last night?
huh? my mum and bro loh.
2. What woke you up this morning?
heh. my body clock
3. Where are you?
in front of the com
4. Is tomorrow going to be a good day?
erm not sure
5. Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
no..
6. When was the last time you cried?
forgot

-The PAST-

7. Ever thrown up in public?
nope
8. Passed out because of alcohol?
i don't touch alcohol
9. Who's on your mind RIGHT NOW?
(:
10. Would you take a bullet for anyone?
yup.
11. Where would you like to live?
Sarawak. (:
12. What kind of home would you like?
Semi-detached. but i have to see if i am rich enough
13. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
in uni, hopefully

- ON MYSPACE/FRIENDSTER -
14. have you ever kissed anyone on your
top friends?
huh?
15. Who was the last person that left
you a comment?
Audrey!
16. When was the last time you fell over
or ran into something?
eh.. i think ytd.
17. Do you listen to music everyday?
yup
18. What was the last thing you ate?
erm green apple lol
19. Are you a fast typist?
average
20. About how many people have you liked?
a lot of friends. (:
21. What are you doing this weekend?
heh hw loh
22. Whats your favorite type of pop?
...... dunno
23.Whats your LEAST favorite pop?
dunno
24. Have you ever won an award?
yup
25.What is your favorite sound?
running water
26. Are you listening to music right now?
yup
27. Whats a quote that you love?
you always pass failure on the road to success
28. How long 'til your birthday?
less than a year, about 10 mths
29. When were you the saddest in your
whole life?
bad grades
30. What time is it?
4.15
31. What time do you want it to be?
any time will do
32. What makes you mad?
being careless
33. Have you ever had a song written
about you?
no
34. What song(s) make(s) you happy?
love songs LOL
35. What do you like to listen to before
you go to bed?
classical music
36. Do you have a job?
no
3 7. Do you shower before bed or the next
morning (Or both?)
before bed
38. If you were a crayon what color
would you be?
black. outline mah..
39 . What makes you happy?
good grades
40 Whats the next CD you're gonna get?
hmm... wang lee hom? LOL!
41 Name one of your favorite songs?
xiang yao shuo

My aim is
Ngee Ann
Business Management!

but for poly you must use Englsih at 1st lang
grade from 1 to 6.
o.0
omg
must buck up eng now!

stole from audrey again x)

Three Things You Want To Do Before You Die:
1.) Travel around the world.
2.) Have wonderful and meaningful relationships with all kinds of ppl.
3.) Drink coke. I have never okaes, sheesh noob sia..

Three Names You Go By:
1.) Qi Ni
2.) Ni
3.) Lao ni.

Three Screen Names You Have Had:
1.) Qi Ni
2.) bearism
3.) eh.. my IC no.

Three Physical Things You Like About Yourself:
1.)My arms, coz they are strong. lol
2.) Eyelids, coz they are single!
3.) Having no disabilities.. o.0

Three Things That Scare You:
1.)Bad grades
2.) Losing loved ones.
3.) Time which is flying.

Three Of Your Everyday Essentials:
1.) Sleep.
2.) Eat.
3.) Music.

Three Things You Are Wearing Right Now:
1.) Clothes.
2.) Ring.
3.) specs? i took it off.

Three Of Your Favorite Bands/Musical Artists:
1.) Westlife
2.) Wu Yue Tian
3.) eh.. JJ lin ok...

Three Things You Want In A Relationship:
1.) Sharing.
2.) Support.
3.) Security.

Two Truths And A Lie (in no particular order) :
1.) Female (duh)
2.) Short. :(
3.) I love hw..

Three Physical Things About The Preferred Sex That Appeal To You:
1.) Charming eyes.
2.) character is more impt
3.) devotion is more impt LOL

Three Of Your Favorite Hobbies:
1.) Sleep
2.) TV
3.) Eating. -oink-

Three Things You Want To Do Really Badly Right Now:
1.) sleep
2.) see some ppl
3.) see my EOY report book o.0

Three Careers You're Considering/You've Considered
1.) Management
2.) Public Relations/law
3.) Social worker I <3 interacting

Three Places You Want To Go On Vacation:
1.) China (all places)
2.) Myanmar (not now =/)
3.) Vietnam hail culture!

Three Kid's Names You Like:
1.) dolly :)
2.) dawn x)
3.) eh.. dunno..

Three Ways That You Are Stereotypically A Girl/Boy:
1.) I have pink stuff ?_?
2.) I am better in languages and humanities
3.) dunno. lol

Three People That I Would Like To See Take This Quiz Now:
1.) anyone
2.) anyone
3.) anyone

Another.
anyone

1)Who sits next to you ?
Josephine and ziyi

2 )Who sits in front of you?
shazana

3)Who' s on your left ?
josephine

4 )Who's on your right ?
ziyi

5)Who are your bestfriend(s) in class?
`wenjie lol

6)Who's the sporting girl in your class?
` hmm... dunno..

7)Who' s the sporting guy in your class?
` Max

8)Most shy?
` hui jun <3

9) Cutest guy?
` erm.... no comments lol

10) Cutest girl?
` huijun and dolly! xD

11)Prettiest?
` all are. beauty is in the eyes of the beholder :)

12) MOST annoying?
` tsk, daryl

13)Funniest
` yew jian and shawn

14) Your fav teacher ?
` erm.. mdm ros!

15) Fav subject ?
` hmm..... CH

16 ) Who's the class monitor? how's she/he?
`Shawn. Clever and sometimes a bit crappy. LOL!

17)Who' s the asst. monitor ? How's she/he ?
` Dolly. Cute, hardworking and responsible!

18) Your class is...
` Threefour.

19) Do you love your class ? why ?
` Yup! Always full of laughter. :)) something very different.

very sian now
i ran out of chocolate
and my pen inks too
shucks
and i realised i calculated wrongly so i lost marks. wth.

-_-
nvm shall play daidee when my bro comes back
yeah!

Stole a quiz from Audrey! xD

Three names that people call you:
1. Qi Ni
2. Ni
3. Lao ni(my dad)

Three most important dates in your life:
1. 18 Aug 1992
2. Oct 31 2007 [temporary]
3. Nov 1 2007 [temporary]

Three things you've done in the last 33minutes
1. A Math
2. Surfing the net.
3. Shower.

Three ways to be happy:
1. Getting good grades.
2. Watching tv.
3. Receiving sms from some ppl. :)

Three of your favourite songs at present:
1. Xiang yao shuo
2. Wo men de ge
3. Ming ming hen ai ni

Tnree Things you will like in the opposite sex:
1. Inspiring
2. Security
3. Caring

Three persons you miss from your past:
1. Primary school mates.
2. My aunt.
3. My grandpa.

wooh
i finished geog
doing Ama now -_-

zzz....
there's geog and ama to do over the weekend
sheesh
bored.
and my G2 pilot pens are running out of ink! >.< -_-

...
my room is in a mess
i am cleaning tmr!!
wooh!
pia O lvl chi and chem spa 2!

ok
hope my overall will be much more prettier

omg 3 teachers have voiced their disppointment with my eoy performance
tsk
i am sorry
guess i just underperformed
last minute revision seriously does not work
my brain is not clever -_-

nvm
i will pia during the hols
=)))))))
thx for the encouragement
<3

haha
seriously i forgot everything to do with models
my psle math was screwed coz i dunno model....
zzzzz........
the book on models i look at the solns then ????????????????? appeared
algebra is seriously much better man
lol x)))))))

MOTIVATION
work together hand in hand
we will improve! yay!
i swear i will bring my english back to my best sub
and chem i will bring back also
as for Hcl, i have not obtained a single A1 except for some tests
i seriously dunno how to push it up to A1
as for Ama
we will be grouped for nxt yr!
i will bring it up from a B to A i promise.

wow
so many oaths
will i achieve them?
heh heh
that depends on the coming hols
I WILL PIA EVEN HARDER.
-i am not crazy la-
x)

omg
sth random
LJQ is very weird -_-
can't imagine knowing him for almost a decade
tsk tsk

ok
correction
3/4 chalet is from 21 to 23 November @ Loyang!

........
weird ppl all around
lol
no offence
i just think the pic is sick... LOL!
-_-

i need motivation
but first encouragement from some impt ppl in my lives.
just a 'nvm,you will do well next time' will definitely brighten my day

Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit.
-sweet-

walao
my eng is a pathetic B4!
i am sorry to have diappointed you all
especially my eng teachers
will work harder!

others ok la
got 4 A1s liao
left with chem, HCL and Ama
forget Ama its dead anyway
chem erm i will be content with a B3
HCL dunno
i want A2 but B3 also ok la

damn depressed after eng papers came back
:((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

lol
kok is seriously dead.
x)

wooh!
chalet!!
haha
fun la..

tmr still have to go to sch
take back papers
.......
sian diao.....

oh ya
3/4 chalet is from 25 to 27 nov
lol

watched 4 episodes of shang dao and played dunno how many rounds of daidee ytd night
wooh!!
of coz my dad and mum were out
or cannot watch so many episodes!
but they allow daidee!

haha
going chalet this afternoon
but i am not staying overnight
i leave then come on tues (early morning)
my bro has sch tmr!

i just realised my bear brings me good luvk during daidee
then my bro took it away and i lost like ..................... dunno how many times la...
i want my good luck charm
heng never bet


3/4 chalet @ downtown east!
=)))))))))))))))))))))))))
i going on 23 nov! =D

ok
my room is piled up with files and notes
erm
will find a time to clear it!
before the extended curriculum, i promise!
.................................
nth to do now leh
no tv also
and the internet seems boring after half an hour..
lol

byes
<3 teddy
coz it helps me win daidee! =p

Got this from zy! =)

Singapore girl wins Commonwealth essay prize!
A 15-YEAR-OLD Singaporean, competing against 16- to 18-year-olds, has
won the top prize in a writing contest that drew 5,300 entries from 52
countries.

In the annual Commonwealth Essay Competition, Amanda
Chong of Raffles Girls' School (Secondary) chose to
compete in the older category and won with a piece on
the restlessness of modern life.

Her short story, titled What The Modern Woman Wants,
focused on the conflict in values between an old lady
and her independent-minded daughter.

'Through my story, I attempted to convey the unique East-versus-West
struggles and generation gaps that I felt were characteristic of young
people in my country,' said Amanda, who likes drama, history and
literature and wants to become a lawyer and a politician.

Chief examiner Charles Kemp called her piece a
'powerfully moving and ironical critique of modern
restlessness and its potentially cruel consequences'.
The writing is fluent and assured, with excellent use
of dialogue.

Amanda gets (S$1,590). A Singaporean last won the top
prize in 2000, said Britain's Royal Commonwealth
Society, which has been organising the competition
since 1883. Singaporeans also came in second in the
14- to 15-year-old category, and fourth in the
under-12s. Other winners included students from
Australia , Canada and South Africa.

==================================================================

What the Modern Woman Wants
By Amanda Chong Wei-Zhen
The old woman sat in the backseat of the magenta
convertible as it careened down the highway, clutching
tightly to the plastic bag on her lap, afraid it may
be kidnapped by the wind. She was not used to such
speed, with trembling hands she pulled the seatbelt
tighter but was careful not to touch the patent
leather seats with her callused fingers, her daughter
had warned her not to dirty it, 'Fingerprints show
very clearly on white, Ma.'

Her daughter, Bee Choo, was driving and talking on her
sleek silver mobile phone using big words the old
woman could barely understand. 'Finance' 'Liquidation'
'Assets' 'Investments'... Her voice was crisp and
important and had an unfamiliar lilt to it. Her Bee
Choo sounded like one of those foreign girls on
television. She was speaking in an American accent.

The old lady clucked her tongue in disapproval.
'I absolutely cannot have this. We have to sell!' Her
daughter exclaimed agitatedly as she stepped on the accelerator; her
perfectly manicured fingernails gripping onto the steering wheel in
irritation.

'I can't DEAL with this anymore!' she yelled as she
clicked the phone shut and hurled it angrily toward
the backseat.
The mobile phone hit the old woman on the forehead and
nestled soundlessly into her lap. She calmly picked it
up and handed it to her daughter.

'Sorry, Ma,' she said, losing the American pretence
and switching to Mandarin. 'I have a big client in
America . There have been a lot of
problems.'
The old lady nodded knowingly. Her daughter was big
and important.
Bee Choo stared at her mother from the rear view
window, wondering what she was thinking. Her mother's
wrinkled countenance always carried the same cryptic
look.

The phone began to ring again, an artificially
cheerful digital tune, which broke the awkward
silence.
'Hello, Beatrice! Yes, this is Elaine.' Elaine. The
old woman cringed. I didn't name her Elaine. She
remembered her daughter telling her, how an English
name was very important for 'networking', Chinese ones
being easily forgotten.

'Oh no, I can't see you for lunch today. I have to
take the ancient relic to the temple for her weird
daily prayer ritual.'

Ancient Relic. The old woman understood perfectly it
was referring to her. Her daughter always assumed that
her mother's silence meant she did not comprehend.

'Yes, I know! My car seats will be reeking of joss
sticks!'
The old woman pursed her lips tightly, her hands
gripping her plastic bag in defence.
The car curved smoothly into the temple courtyard. It
looked almost garish next to the dull sheen of the
ageing temple's roof. The old woman got out of the
back seat, and made her unhurried way to the main
hall.

Her daughter stepped out of the car in her business
suit and stilettos and reapplied her lipstick as she
made her brisk way to her mother's side.

'Ma, I'll wait outside. I have an important phone call
to make,' she said, not bothering to hide her disgust
at the pungent fumes of incense.

The old lady hobbled into the temple hall and lit a
joss stick, she knelt down solemnly and whispered her
now familiar daily prayer to the Gods.

Thank you God of the Sky, you have given my daughter
luck all these years. Everything I prayed for, you
have given her. She has everything a young woman in
this world could possibly want. She has a big house
with a swimming pool, a maid to help her, as she is
too clumsy to sew or cook.

Her love life has been blessed; she is engaged to a
rich and handsome angmoh man. Her company is now the
top financial firm and even men listen to what she
says. She lives the perfect life. You have given her
everything except happiness. I ask that the gods be
merciful to her even if she has lost her roots while
reaping the harvest of success.

What you see is not true, she is a filial daughter to
me. She gives me a room in her big house and provides
well for me. She is rude to me only because I affect
her happiness. A young woman does not want to be
hindered by her old mother. It is my fault.

The old lady prayed so hard that tears welled up in
her eyes. Finally, with her head bowed in reverence
she planted the half-burnt joss stick into an urn of smouldering ashes.

She bowed once more.
The old woman had been praying for her d aughter for
thirty-two years. When her stomach was round like a
melon, she came to the temple and prayed that it was a
son.

Then the time was ripe and the baby slipped out of her
womb, bawling and adorable with fat thighs and pink
cheeks, but unmistakably, a girl. Her husband had
kicked and punched her for producing a useless baby
who could not work or carry the family name.

Still, the woman returned to the temple with her
new-born girl tied to her waist in a sarong and prayed
that her daughter would grow up and have everything
she ever wanted. Her husband left her and she prayed
that her daughter would never have to depend on a man.

She prayed every day that her daughter would be a
great woman, the woman that she, meek and uneducated,
could never become. A woman with nengkan; the ability
to do anything she set her mind to. A woman who
commanded respect in the hearts of men. When she
opened her mouth to speak, precious pearls would fall
out and men would listen.

She will not be like me, the woman prayed as she
watched her daughter grow up and drift away from her,
speaking a language she scarcely understood. She
watched her daughter transform from a quiet girl, to
one who openly defied her, calling her laotu;
old-fashioned. She wanted her mother to be 'modern', a
word so new there was no Chinese word for it.

Now her daughter was too clever for her and the old
woman wondered why she had prayed like that. The gods
had been faithful to her persistent prayer, but the
weal th and success that poured forth so richly had
buried the girl's roots and now she stood, faceless,
with no identity, bound to the soil of her ancestors
by only a string of origami banknotes.

Her daughter had forgotten her mother's values. Her
wants were so ephemeral; that of a modern woman.
Power, Wealth, access to the best fashion boutiques,
and yet her daughter had not found true happiness. The
old woman knew that you could find happiness with much
less. When her daughter left the earth everything she
had would count for nothing. People would look to her
legacy and say that she was a great woman, but she
would be forgotten once the wind blows over, like the
ashes of burnt paper convertibles and mansions.

The old woman wished she could go back and erase all
her big hopes and prayers for her daughter; now she
had only one want: That her d aughter be happy. She
looked out of the temple gate. She saw her daughter
speaking on the phone, her brow furrowed with anger
and worry. Being at the top is not good, the woman
thought, there is only one way to go from there -
down.

The old woman carefully unfolded the plastic bag and
spread out a packet of beehoon in front of the altar.
Her daughter often mocked her for worshipping
porcelain Gods. How could she pray to them so
faithfully and expect pieces of ceramic to fly to her
aid? But her daughter had her own gods too, idols of
wealth, success and power that she was enslaved to and worshipped every
day of her life.

Every day was a quest for the idols, and the idols she worshipped
counted for nothing in eternity. All the wants her daughter had would
slowly suck the life out of her and leave her, an empty soulless shell
at the altar.

The old lady watched her joss tick. The dull heat had
left a teetering grey stem that was on the danger of collapsing.
Modern woman nowadays, the old lady sighed in
resignation, as she bowed to the east one final time
to end her ritual. Modern woman nowadays want so much
that they lose their souls and wonder why they cannot
find it.

Her joss stick disintegrated into a soft grey powder.
She met her daughter outside the temple, the same look
of worry and frustration was etched on her daughter's
face. An empty expression, as if she was ploughing
through the soil of her wants looking for the one
thing that would sow the seeds of happiness.

They climbed into the convertible in silence and her
daughter drove along the highway, this time not as
fast as she had done before.

'Ma,' Bee Choo finally said. 'I don't know how to put
this. Mark and I have been talking about it and we
plan to move out of the big house. The property market
is good now, and we managed to get a buyer willing to
pay seven million for it. We decided we'd prefer a
cosier penthouse apartment instead. We found a perfect
one in Orchard Road. Once we move in to our apartment
we plan to get rid of the maid, so we can have more
space to ourselves...'

The old woman nodded knowingly.
Bee Choo swallowed hard. 'We'd get someone to come in
to do the housework and we can eat out-but once the
maid is gone, there won't be anyone to look after you.
You will be awfully lonely at home and, besides that,
the apartment is rather small. There won't be space.
We thought about it for a long time, and we decided
the best thing for you is if you moved to a Home.
There's one near Hougang-it's a Christian home, a very
nice one.'

The old woman did not raise an eyebrow. 'I've been
there, the matron is willing to take you in. It's
beautiful with gardens and lots of old people to keep
you company! I hardly have time for you, you'd be
happier there.'

'You'd be happier there, really.' Her daughter
repeated as if to affirm herself.
This time the old woman had no plastic bag of food
offerings to cling tightly to; she bit her lip and
fastened her seat belt, as if it would protect her
from a daughter who did not want her anymore. She sunk
deep into the leather seat, letting her shoulders sag,
and her fingers trace the white seat.

'Ma?' her daughter asked, searching the rear view
window for her mother. 'Is everything okay?'
What had to be done, had to be done. 'Yes,' she said
firmly, louder than she intended, 'if it will make you
happy,' she added more quietly.

'It's for you, Ma! You'll be happier there. You can
move there tomorrow, I already got the maid to pack
your things.' Elaine said triumphantly, mentally
ticking yet another item off her agenda.

'I knew everything would be fine.'
Elaine smiled widely; she felt liberated. Perhaps
getting rid of her mother would make her happier. She
had thought about it. It seemed the only hindrance in
her pursuit of happiness. She was happy now. She had
everything a modern woman ever wanted; Money, Status,
Career, Love,Power and now, Freedom, without her
mother and her old-fashioned ways to weigh her down...

Yes, she was free. Her phone buzzed urgently, she
picked it up and read the message, still beaming from
ear to ear. 'Stocks 10% increase!'

Yes, things were definitely beginning to look up for
her...
And while searching for the meaning of life in the
luminance of her hand phone screen, the old woman in
the backseat became invisible, and she did not see the tears.

tmr is chalet! :))))))
lol
hope there would be tons of fun!

ok
ytd was so sian
nth to do
went to jb
then stare into space
ignored everybody
.....
>.<
just felt like going back to school and study the hell out of myself
at least that's enriching
ironic, isn't it?
before exams you wish for the exams to be over
but after the exams you wish you could study

i think its partly due to the atrocious results i am gonna get
higher chinese, bio and maybe CH is gone
-_-
i hate results
lol

today nth to do also
....
no tv also
reading books?
omg that thick book is boring........
read 32 pages
feel like sleeping........

what the crap
i want thurs to come quickly!
go back to sch yeah!!

i have absolute no privacy in the house
even my bro reads my smses
what the hell is happening

seriously pissed
i shall delete all my messages
to hell with privacy intruders.

eng oral today
not bad
except when i was halfway through the picture discussion the teacher's handphone rang and stopped me halfway
left hanging there
o.0
weird

then went imm
lol
fun
but i spent quite a bit of money
i am sorry piggy bank xD

=DDDDDDDDD
my entire family is desperate for good serials
so we are now watching SHANG DAO (korean)
addicted
die liao
don't need study...........

oh man
cca is...................

next fri got cca!
sec 3s only!

I am not as perfect as you perceive me to be
all humans have their own flaws
and they outnumber the good qualities for me

so..........................

ok
chalet is 2.30 pm on monday at Chevron!
=)

yay!
finished the impt papers!
no sch tmr coz I don't take physics!
good luck and jia you everyone!

cdp and oral coming!
>.<
i am slacking now
keep indulging in food!!!
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

slacking now
tmr still have malay..
sian sian

apprehensive of taking back my papers sia..
why leh?
dunno...
ok i have over 100 messages in my inbox..
x(
sms until siao
but fun :) :D

wenjie 12 oct go out with you!
must be happy! =D

ok
i go eat dinner and watch tv.
slack
slack
sleep

i studied cdp
religion is interesting!
=D
constitution is relatively boring -oops-