Glorious Morning

Friday, 19th of January, 2007

It took a bit of effort to get myself out of bed this morning. Eventually, I got myself out of the house, weighed down by several things. I had my normal school bag, a plastic bag with a pot inside it, a plastic bag with a plastic container and two kinds of wire whisks, the paper bag with expensive oils and beeswax, my water jug, my badminton racket, my bags for my P.E. clothes.

Just as we exited the gate, the first thing I saw (from the inside of the car) was a man (20 something) with a bike, yellow shirt, and an unforgettably euphoric grin on his face. Like a super-hot girl had just agreed to go on a date with him or something. I turned to my right. Another man, in his late 40's (probably) this time, also positively glowing with delight, white shirt and backpack, smiling one of those million dollar smiles that I'd missed seeing on my own face.

The car began to move. I realized that as it went, the smiles seemed to disappear, and the people were so... stoic. That dampened my spirits. On the lane that we lived in, the sun rose on its east side, while the road to school was to the west. Seldom had I seen the literally blinding sun, rising above the buildings and trees (complements of our Mayor's beautification project in time for this year's elections), spilling brilliant orange-gold sunlight all over our car. I can almost somehow... zoom out and above the road and imagine what I would look like, front seat of the car, light pouring in through the windshield, genuine smile.

I feel like I'll only ever be happy if I was sad before that.

But today, looking back through the windshield near the trunk, the car moving back and that eternally resplendent sunlight on that condo across the street getting farther and farther away, I felt so... regretful. Or repentful. And then I turned around and saw one person--a lady, pink top, also in her 20's, bag on her shoulder--on one slab of the blue-gray road lain thick with marigold, illuminated like a cold fireball had descended on that spot, and lit up her face like a million Christmas dinners.

She was smiling. And on the parts of the road that were covered by shadow, the other people were humble and nonchalant. I wanted to be like that woman, bathed in bright warmth and smiling because things were better, just better, and you couldn't and didn't have to explain it. It was what it was, and rationalizing could be so exhausting.

The car arrived in school and I walked towards my classroom, hundreds of feet away, still pondering my revelation.
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Soc Sci came and went with a quiz.

We flunked our Science Alternative Assessment.

Filipino followed Soc Sci suit.

Math saw a continuation of our discussion on circles, dabbed with libido. (Unrelated: Mr. Sy was talking about his Junior Prom when this teacher from the other section knocked on the door. Mr. Sy was going, "No, I did not get my Prom Date drunk." then imitated the gesture of pouring wine into a glass. Then the teacher knocked again, and when Mr. Sy saw and hurried to the door, the whole class erupted with laughter.)

Our Chinese teacher got mad at us for being irresponsible students again.

English came with a discussion on Animal Farm and the sketching of our Fable characters.

P.E. came with the Intrams. We won... 5th place.
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I went to the ITC to sit and wait for Lawrence, who had told me he was free to practice Chinese today (that makes three days in succession).

While walking through the nearly deserted place, I saw a couple sitting in one of the dark-cream couches and realized they were parents attending the Family Interview for Gr. 7's entrance into H1. The guy's suit was... well, let's just say I'd kill to have one of those. Although Mom would say it'd make me look old.

Like that polo shirt we saw in Van Heusen. It was DAMN HOT!!!! But Mom said it makes me look old. Personally, I don't see what's wrong with it. It's my "style".

Anyhow, I keep moving til I see a teacher. It was Mrs. Lydia Uy (Gong laoshi, but I'm not sure which "gong" that's a surname it is... It could be 龔, 鞏, 宮, 公, 貢 or any other Gong's that I don't know about). We had a very interesting discussion on Filial Piety. At the same time, I learned a ton of Hokkien, like 體諒 (theh diong) and 驕傲 (kiao ngo). But moreover, I was surprised that I could actually understand most of the stuff she was saying, even when it was getting deep. She'd say stuff that, I'm pretty sure my mom would say, people usually only find in textbooks. I felt really proud of and surprised at myself, because I could put what she was saying together in my head instead of getting completely lost. Still, it took a bit of effort. Guess it means I better be practicing my Fukien more...

Lawrence and I later went upstairs and started talking to laoshi and Lawrence began chickening out and stuff (but all things were resolved). Eventually, I started teaching Lawrence the complexities, and the beauty, of the Hokkien dialect, namely Hokkien-to-Mandarin conversion (Mandarin "f" becomes either a "h" or a "p" in Hokkien), Colloquial and Literary pronunciations of the same characters (大 can be "tua" or "tai"), that Hokkien indeed has a tonal system (of 7), voiced initials, some grammar, vocabulary and such. All very interesting and fun.

Then laoshi and I started teaching him about Weather and the Seasons. At about six, we went home.
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Here's a Mr. Sy joke for you all:

Q: What's the difference between a hormone and a vitamin?

A: Well, you can't make a vita min.

(Yes, those're two words.)


Now go to this page:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/songInfo.cfm?bandID=166296&songID=1128512

And enjoy the music. Lyrics are here:

"Kite High!" by Sacha Sacket

Driving on a newfound road
I’m riding on my favorite road
Hand’s out surfing on the wind
I’m lost in all the Ülster green

Heading out for Malibu
To slide inside the mercury
I’m no longer scared of seaweed
I’ve got nothing left to be

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
I don’t need one reason why

Everyone is holy
Everyone is holy
And I’m just waiting here to see
How far faith can throw me

‘Cause they were screaming for me
Lost inside an angry sea
So sure those were dark shark fins
But I just saw the dolphins

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
And I don’t need one reason why

I’m Kite High!
Nothing’s gonna stand in my way ever
I don’t have one reason why