Life after YOU ~

All good things come to an end, as much as I've always known such departing will come between us, I've never, not once expected to have grown some hate-love feelings too. I had always thought that I could have just, move on, move on with no hatred towards you. Guess that is now far from the truth for I can't even begin to describe how disappointed, angry, and hurt I am, all thanks to you. Yes, you still call me, text me, as if you had done nothing wrong. As you always were. I guess you have failed to realize that if you did cut me, I would be bleeding too. Yes, I'm human too ~ Though I will probably won't think of love again, there's no place for you in my heart either. I've said enough, waited long enough, taking in so much pain, and my final word to you is indeed, ENOUGH.

You said that you know me well, much better than everybody else, but I would say you don't even have a clue cos if you did, then you should know the final blow you have given me hit me so damn low and I just couldn't bare the thought of being hurt one more time by you. I remember, the text you given me weeks ago, that you did all the things I've seen just to make me mad at you, just to get on my nerves so I would text you, but, did I text you even once? It is indeed your life, and I'm just trying to share some bits of happiness as much as I could while I'm still in your life. But if you chose to ruin your health, yourself, then that is something you, yourself must be responsible for.

So, here it is, my final goodbye, and I really do hope, you will find peace in your heart and that you will realize just how much I have given in just for you.

This is Me Signing Out For EDU 3217...

Reminiscence Times

Oh my lord!!! What a semester it had been? The time moves so freaking fast that I was left behind without even realizing it. This would be my last entry for this course; however, I will probably continue to post my blogs in the future as my own reflection and stay connected with my friends.

What initially started off as a burden and boring task, eventually turned to be some sort of a refreshing and interesting experience as days went by. The whole process to me now has become a great way for me to express myself and express my feelings. Not only that, the idea of being able to actually voice out point of views and get the feedback from my peers in a respective and professional manner was in a way really rejuvenating.

Throughout the course, after every lesson taught, every plays read, and every activities conducted, sometimes, I was always left with a missing pieces in the lesson. Through the blogs I have read, the missing links however connected again. This is definitely because we could actually voice out the misunderstandings and confusions and guide each other in the understanding of the plays. The explanation by Dr. Edwin was definitely explicit and thorough in every lesson; however, after a quite some times, this information will fade away if we do not reinforce them. Through the activity of blogging this reinforcement could be carried out.

I am strongly believes that the idea of doing this activity really helps students to improve in their study and be more reflective in their life. That is provided we have the connection to the internet and sufficient time to actually sit down and type our blogs, little less other assignment perhaps??hehe.. and oh yes, I have to admit, writing the blogs was not all the time wonderful happy hours of my life, there were times when I have to post again and again and have to wait like until the earth completely circle the sun to get passed the horrible so called wireless connection.

Last but not least, I would like to express a whole some of gratitude to Dr. Edwin for the times that he had went through with us. He had made the whole process seemingly easier then it was actually was. All the experiences really paid off at the end right? We had caused him so many trouble and difficulties but being such a professional man that he is, all those did not affect his teaching in class. I could not imagine doing the course with some other people with the same level of understanding that he had given me.

Until I have the decency in time to blog again, this is me, signing out!

Have a great year everyone and good luck in exams!!

Journey Towards Becoming the Better Teacher

Simulated Teaching – How About a Reflection?

The whole idea of simulated teaching seems absurd to me at first. This is due to the fact that in the real world, I know for fact that we will not have the decency of using all the aids that we were using during our simulated teaching. For example, the high tech gadgets like the ict gadgets and the projector. At first, I thought it was rather nonsense for this whole situation does not reflect the reality at least not here in local context. However, as times goes by, I have found out that, it was not only at the gadgets and how to use them that matter, rather, how we manipulate situation and used what we have and finally find a way to reach to the students.

I used the play, The Ring by Vincent Jeremiah Edwin as my text to teach to the students. As for my set induction, I had used the real true blue footage of an imaginary ghost friend that a daughter of a Japanese family was talking to. This issue has something in common to the issue in The Ring, which is imaginary friend of course. The footage was shown to trigger the interest in the students to explore the text. To be the key initiator to make them more interested in the text.

Later, in my pre and while reading activity, I have provided the students with extract from scene 6. From this extract, students were asked to identify the major characters and highlight them. Afterward, I had asked them to used the characters they have identify and put it in the allocated tables, and then they need to find the traits of the characters and support their answers with evidence from the text.

I would say that the activities I had conducted were successfully done based on the participation and the interaction from the students. Eventually, I had also found that the evaluation processes in the end prove to be a meaningful one for in the process of evaluating our friends, in a way, we were evaluating ourselves as well. I had also found that the comments and suggestions made by my peers will help me a lot in the future to convey the role of a dedicated teacher.

I was told and almost could tell that there will be a whole series of stimulated teaching will be coming next semester. All I can say is that I’m ready for it this time around, and I do hope I would have done it better next time and improvise in any way I have to. I’m most certain that in a way, all of these processes will eventually lead to the process of becoming a good and quality teacher in the future.

A Provocative Author in His Own Right - Kee Thuan Chye

The Real Deal – Meeting the Author

Kee Thuan Chye, the name would not be an alien in local arts scene. Talented in many ways, he had involved in many television series such as Kopitiam and some other famous series. In this course, one of the interesting yet complex plays we have to study on was from his very own hands – Swordfish, Then The Concubine. We were told since we were very child in drama that eventually, we’ll get the chance to meet one of the authors whose play will be our material of study for this semester. There are several plays we have to study on, starts with Oedipus Rex, Swordfish, King Lear and Streetcar Name Desires. Everyone was very excited to see him for not only he is a public figure that we had seen so many times on tv, but also for the fact that he is also a literature people if I may say, like us! This meeting will definitely broaden our perspective towards drama and play.

It is not a secret that Kee Thuan Chye is indeed one of the controversial writers in this nation, he had tackled certain issue that others were not brave enough to discuss, he is also brave enough to provoke thought in the readers through his masterpieces on certain issue pertaining the political structure and inequality that took place. However, certain issues especially politics, there will always be different side of story or different point of view that will in the end, contradicts each other.

As for me, I’m not taking side on any party, not because I didn’t care, but simply because I feel that there is no need for me to voice out loud yet especially when I’m still under government scholarship for the degree program. Others might disagree, but this is my point of view and I’m entitled of it, right? Besides that, I profoundly believes that there are just so much more happenings that we didn’t get or exposed to by reading the newspapers or watching the news on television. So, who am I to strongly criticize and condemn somebody just by the hearsays that most of the times turn out to be a strategy to gain popularity? Hey, don’t get me wrong, sure I know that we must choose the best component to lead our government, but now? Really? Let me worry about the acne and the puppy love that I’m having first, and then maybe I could starts to worry about the whole nation as I’m a decade older and should have been wiser!

I was extremely surprised upon meeting Kee Thuan Chye at the first time and even more amazed with his uses of language. At first, in our own imagination, we were so much into the notion of believing that Kee Thuan Chye would have been more arrogant in his speaking for he is actually somebody with names that people recognize and not to mention in the rich and famous line up.

He was very unselfish and very insightful in his speech. All that he had mentioned eventually appeal to the senses of a true literary movement.

The Virgin Queen of England

Elizabeth the Golden Age

Learning the language of drama would have not been complete without actually watching the drama or play itself right? So, throughout this course, the famous drama such as Macbeth and Oedipus Rex was indeed compulsory to be viewed on the screen for better understanding of the text. Talking about better understanding, in order to comprehend the essence of what lies or what actually happened in the past, and the history of certain events that’s shape the pattern of the literature one way another, we were entertained and info enlighten of the history of Elizabethan Era and the settings. We have watched Elizabeth the Golden Age for further insight on the settings of time, society and place in that particular moment. This helps tremendously to the notion of understanding the unrelated issue that may or may not seem relevance to local and present context. In my opinion, the movie has impressive qualities; good actor and actresses, and also good setting of place and props. The brilliant cinematography used was indeed splendid and manage to make the audience to believe that they were actually in the journey with the movie itself. Let’s not forget the wonderful costumes used to convey such believable act by the actresses and actors.

The movie provides a whole lot of input for audience to understand the setting, and how certain things happened those days. Elizabeth as the queen, was, and still is such a strong figure especially for British history and nations. She was indeed the very capable and wise leader who managed to rule such nation with whole lot of betrayal and hardships. The actress, Cate Blanchet, was no more of an ideal woman to portray the character as she was charismatic enough and suits the role pretty darn well. What was more appealing about this history cum movie was the fact that she was just a woman, yet, with the determination of an armada to win. She led her army to the victory despite all the betrayal that was going around even from her people.

There were some parts in the story that I have found most appealing and touching. In my opinion, the fact that she was known as the Virgin Queen of England was not something to be proud of. She may led her life as a Queen that sacrifice herself for the sake of her people, but even queens have their consorts or partner in life, hence, which category she would really fit in? Ok, some people would have said, she was indeed a very capable queen, but let’s looks at the definition of a queen again, shall we? Now, even as queen, she is to be treated as a woman too. A consort to the King who also has her needs in life, her longings. How a woman could be complete without actually be a woman?

From the movie, I have found that the most touching part for me would the part where she actually have feeling for this guy, Raleigh, but ended up this guy was having feeling for her maid, Bess, and to make matter worse, the maid was the one that the Queen has put her most trust of. She was in a way, longings for an obvious rejection that will surely put her down as low as her subject if not lower. Deny her chance at being love and to love. As a woman, this would definitely be such an insult, left alone being it is a queen. Later, when she found out about the truth, I felt as if I could almost feel her suffering and the crash and burn in my heart. However, towards the end, she did portray a trait that should be applauded for and such a very selfless act to be exact. She eventually forgave Raleigh and Bess, even though she was hurt by their action and understand that love could not be force and to love sometimes does not mean to have, rather, the person’s happiness is more important. Another thing I have learnt from this movie would be the courage and determination, and how it would be our source to success even when everything seems almost impossible.

Not Another Intended Tragedy by Shakespeare

Another Play by Shakespeare - King Lear

After done watching Macbeth, we are now facing another great but complex literature text by Shakespeare, King Lear. I do strongly believe that many of us were not able to catch most of the meaning in the text as for the fact that the text was written in such classical Shakespearean language that many of us just can’t really relate. However, after the explanation by Dr. Edwin, as always, we are now at better understanding of the text.

In comparison of the two plays, Macbeth and King Lear, there are several similarities readers could actually note. Both of the plays are plays of tragedy and involved a great deal of emphasizing on the reversal of fortune that took place especially on the two Kings. Anyway, in King Lear, from a steady and solid ruler, the once great King Lear changed into a mad foolish old man. The turning point for King Lear’s solid stand point was probably due to the fact that he was trying to go against the natural order of which was way planned by the gods.

He started of the betrayal towards the natural order when he decided to give and divide his territory to his two hypocrite and disloyal daughters and was blind enough to see the actual love of his other daughter whom he had soon disowned. He was so into listening to the confession of the two daughters and was too blind and ignorance to see the actual feelings and the genuine love. He had then was treated badly by the two supposedly sincerely love him daughters and was turn into a madman by them. However, he had eventually realize that the true feeling from the daughter that he had disowned, Cordelia, was what he worth living for and that sometimes not all could be impart by a speech or beautifully well written poems but rather the genuinely feeling and actions that follows.

Most of the time, in many cases, we as human are so eager believing in what we are listening to but at the end prevail to hear any of the truth. And at the end, action does speak louder than words. In conclusion, upon finishing reading the play, I have understood lots of things in life. The issues in the play was so much so as it is in the reality today, here, I could see how brilliant and wise Shakespeare was when he was writing this play for now, years and years after, the issue of his play is still relevance to our context. There are many things in life that we took for granted, we were too much into our dreams and fantasy of what we want to hear that eventually leads to our own failure in seeing the truth and genuine love that was there all the time.

The Tragic Success of Macbeth

The Full of Nothingness

The play, Macbeth by William Shakespeare was indeed a complicated play in one glimpse. I had the experience of trying to finish reading the text back when I was younger in JB, and this play has play an effect somehow or rather in distorting my compelling years of youth two years ago in foundation years by its more than complicated text. However, needless to say, now, looking back on the text, I think it was made believe that it was difficult when the matter of fact, it was not! I have understood the text further more and able to make sense of the message my best friend, Will, trying to impart to the readers.

The text is indeed one of Shakespeare shortest yet bloodiest tragedy that tells the story of hope, dream and despair of a Scottish General, Macbeth. The story started from the prophecy told by the three horrible looking with skin epidemic problems witches on how they could foreseen that Macbeth will someday be the King of Scotland. This prophecy turned to be a boost of ambition in Macbeth and eventually led to his wildest thought of becoming the king. He had then, murders King Duncan and somehow alter the natural order that the gods have had bestowed upon the line of the Kings. As a not so well accomplished villain, Macbeth had then filled with regrets and guilt of his action. These feelings had then emerged and turn him onto such a tyrannical ruler and involved in whole lot more killings then he intented to protect his throne.

Eventually, the guilt, sense of humanity, and the obligations as a King turn Macbeth onto a total whack madman and yes, his death! This play was indeed regards as one the most powerful and emotionally compelling play by Shakespeare and manages to make readers and audience relate as much as possible. There are many moral values and lesson in this play that we could all benefit from, it is justify in Macbeth’s ambition and hope or dreams. This play illustrates to readers just how much ambition could affect us and how much the feeling of guilt could haunt us. From this play, we could also see how strong the effect of a woman on the man whom totally in love with her. We could see that the source of all strength that Macbeth posses was actually from his wife, Lady Macbeth.

Lady Macbeth was probably the initiative for Macbeth to have committed to all of the crime he have had. It was from her character that we could see that woman may be as quiet and gentle as they may be; they still have ways of achieving their dreams and ambitions. The death of Lady Macbeth was to me the most significant part of the play, where we could see Macbeth start to give in to his guilt and losing his strength. However, to me, this play was rather touching, especially when the recital of the famous poem that refers to the death of Lady Macbeth and what Macbeth was left with. He had went all the crime and trouble in a way just to provide or give his lady the best in life, rather, at the peak of everything, she is not to be able to breathe the glorious moments. This revelation was the most memorable part in the play in my opinion, how dark and empty Macbeth’s life had turned when he lost his wife.

In my opinion, the theme of this story could be relates to our everyday life and situations whereas we are now driven by such ambitions in life and at most of the times, we have taken things for granted. Sometimes, in this life, what would suffice our needs is not material possession rather the sincerity and honesty in a relationship. True, this would not be the only basis towards successful relationship, however, we must bear in mind that most of the times, the simple sweet things called happiness does not lies in how money or possessions we have but in how many people we could share it with.