Have you ever had one of those scorching hot days when you feel all sticky and sweaty and you immediately feel better with a cold dessert? The delightful dessert is served with roasted waffles and sprinkled with syrup, whipped cream or any topping of your choice. “I don’t like ice cream with waffles!” said no one ever. The delightful treat always is a guilty pleasure to brighten up our tiring day.
– Lim See Mun (2P)
Okay here are a couple of jokes to lighten the mood 🙂 After all we’re all students, take a break from all the stress and give a smile!
1) You’re like the dictionary, you add meaning to my life!
2) I sneezed because god blessed me with you.
3) If you were a burger in McDonalds, you would be called McAwesome.
4) Do you have raisins? No? How about a date?
5) Are you google? Because you have everything i’m looking for!
6) If you were a triangle… You would be acute one!
7) Conversation between two person:
G: Heyy, what are you doing?
B: Trying to put the alphabets “U” and “I” together.
G: There’s no need for that when “N” and “O” are already together.
Contributed by:
Chevonne Law (1H)
Besides being a mouthful, I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You is the first book in the Gallagher Girls series. Set in Roseville, Virginia, the story is told from the point of view of Cammie Morgan, who goes to school at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women. To many people in Roseville and those whose ‘clearance levels’ are not high enough, the Gallagher Academy is an expensive private boarding school for privileged snobs. However, those in the loop know that the Gallagher Academy is actually a school for spies. Gallagher Girls study Phd-level Physics, are trained in martial arts and get awarded extra credit for breaking CIA codes in computer class.
Following a Covert Operations field study where Cammie, nicknamed The Chameleon, catches the eye of a normal boy, she and her roommates soon find themselves going through his trash and bugging his house, for what they call an extra credit project. Soon, Cammie finds herself living a double-life—one of a spy-in-training and the other of a home-schooled girl with a boyfriend. However, can Cammie really have a normal relationship with a boy who knows nothing about the real her since admitting that she is a spy-in-training will endanger the Gallagher sisterhood that has been kept a secret from the public for over a century?
I really liked the ‘girl power’ element of the book. It was refreshing to read about girls who are not only highly-intelligent but can also kick butt. Another element of the story that I really liked is how the Gallagher Girls are bonded like sisters and even though they may not always like one another, they are still always there for each other.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking for a light read or who is interested in books about spies. I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You, with the secret passageways of the Gallagher Academy and the mere coolness of things such as EvapoPaper—paper that melts in your mouth—is definitely a book that I think readers of all ages will enjoy.
Samantha Balraja (4G)
What warms your heart, brightens up your day and acts as the bittersweet all-cheering sun to dreary gloom and doom?
It is heartening, knowing that despite the evils, indifference and complete ignorance of the sheltered majority towards the less fortunate, there are bold individuals who possess the will to extend their spheres of influence. Creativity takes courage, and change, initiative. Poverty may be more widespread than ever, gaining ground even in traditionally rich countries, but empathy from equals, coupled with refreshing and impactful old traditions, can always warm heavy hearts.
An example, now famous through the extensive coverage in the form of mass media: the old Italian tradition called “Caffee Sospeso” (which can be translated into “Suspended Coffee”), is conceptually simple yet potentially effective. A customer pays for two coffees, even though he only takes one. The other will be “suspended”, remaining so until someone in need enters the cafe and has it, free-of-charge. This tradition gained popularity in Italy after World War II, when poverty was rampant.
In recent times, the waves of change have swirled again, back in full force. Australia and Singapore are excellent affirmations. As one of the poorest countries in Europe, Bulgaria has been particularly hard-hit by economic difficulties, prompting more than 150 cafes joining the project to date.
The UK is also another notable example. It was reported that not only have stores in cities such as London, Exter, Liverpool and Glasgow decided to join this meaningful initiative, but that they also have a Facebook page with a sizeable number of 20,000 followers to increase awareness. In fact, it has gone so far that the development of a smartphone app is on the horizon, thereby engaging and allowing people to identify the cafes who offer suspended coffees, all around the country. Worldwide coffee chain Starbucks has also hopped on the bandwagon, having expressed support by sponsoring coffee to charity organisation Oases and match the value of consumer’s contributions.
Since then, this movement has been washed up on the shores of sunny Singapore, with a rather gratifying twist. Singaporeans are reported to be the biggest spenders on food in Southeast Asia, and perhaps this passion has been translated. Some locals are offering service and adding stickers on their shops to attract notice that the “Chop Food For the Needy” campaign is being practised there. This idea thus involves people paying for extra rations of food at specific diners or hawker centres’ stalls, which would be later given to deserving people in need.
Imagine the needy, the ones cast aside to the back of our minds, being able to have a nice meal without scrimping. Imagine the million-watts smiles lit up on their tired faces. Imagine their gratitude and relief, but more importantly your satisfaction that you have made a difference to a complete stranger you won’t meet or receive any returned benefits from, not even a single heartfelt thank you, because you want to, and you can.
But then comes along the skeptics. The million-dollar question is raised. If you see such a stall while you are out one day, will you be willing to participate?
It has been argued by critics and citizens alike, that stalls may lull us into a false sense of security by seemingly advocating the cause, yet absorbing the cash, unbeknownst to us, and rejecting offering the food previously paid for. Another cause for concern is whether people will take advantage and request for suspended food even when they do not truly need them, hence depriving the real needy.
However, to quote Henry Ward Beecher,
“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.”
By letting the fear of deceit take control over us, we are falling prey to the doubt that prevents positive change. It is up to us to make the decision to trust the good in everyone. Even if there are a few black sheep that misuse the cause for their selfish gains, we should question ourselves if we stop extending our help to the innocent simply because of our unwillingness to tolerate the inconsiderate ones. Besides, the definition of the needy should not be fixated on the descriptions ranging from “disabled” to “old”. Anyone, so long as they prove themselves in need, should be granted help. Differences should be put aside, and the simple act of providing food, a necessity of life, should not have requirements to be met. That, is the beauty of loving and giving.
Should we really stoop to that level of paranoia and distrust that we stand divided? We are only as strong as a society as our weakest link. Living a life of comfort brings no satisfaction until we utilise the power and influence we possess to pull our counterparts up as well.
References
http://ph.omg.yahoo.com/news/-suspended-coffee–hits-manila–buy-a-cup-for-the-needy-103348795.html
http://blog.tourradar.com/4-cities-suspended-coffee/
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/boston-police-milk-watertown-photo-124528069.html
Sharon Kuah, 3 Hope
“Life without limbs? Or life without limits?”
Born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterised by the absence of all four limbs, Nick Vujicic struggled mentally and emotionally as well as physically when he was a child. However, with strong willpower, he finally came to terms with his disability. At the age of seventeen, Nick even started his own non-profit organization, Life Without Limbs. He realised and strongly believed that he could inspire others and henceforth, he became someone who is grateful for his life.
Moreover, Nick also believes that for every struggle we encounter in our lives, there is a purpose in each. We are indeed capable of overcoming the challenges we face if we have the right attitude, faith and trust in the Lord. In 1990 Nick won the Australian Young Citizen of the Year award for his bravery and perseverance and he became the international symbol of triumph over adversity.
Well, a write-up about any person can be easy but why did I pick Nick? Besides writing about him, I think that there are many things we can and should learn from Nick.
Life is full of ups and downs, successes and failures. What do we do if we fall? Give up? No. Nothing in this world is impossible to overcome if we are willing to. The most important thing is to learn how to pick ourselves up after we fall.
-Rachel Goh (4U)
Ink Imprints 