Y.O!

(Continued from iBlog2.0 contest - Part 3)
iBlog2.0 National Interschool Chinese Weblog Competition, organised by Innova Junior College, co-hosted by Public Library Services, NLB.

海星中学 Maris Stella High School
小聊韩寒
June 5th, 2008
张文聪

不知道新加坡人对韩寒这个名字是否有过耳闻，我想应该是没有太多人知道的。

首先，在新加坡这个多种族，多文化的地域里，一个崛起的华文写作新星并不会引起多大骚动。其次，韩寒在中国的出名不光是因为他的作品受到年轻人的追捧，也是因为他对中国应试教育弊端所抱有的不满，因而在有着不同教育体制的新加坡，韩寒的名字没有那么响亮。即使现在的他是流行歌手，是赛车手，但名气也没有足够大传到新加坡。
对于一个新加坡人不怎样了解的作家，发表些评论着实有些困难。无论怎么样，先见他一面吧。

->  http://iblog2.new-media-arts.com/teams/the_first_sight/?p=35

看了他的照片，别以为他只是个帅气的赛车手。也许你看着这张照片怎么也不会想到他竟然会是一位作家，一位极有才华的作家。可是他却没有上过大学，只可谓是自学成才。
说起来，韩寒是个非常矛盾的结合体，他带有年轻一代的朝气，同时又具有上一代的成熟。因此他的文章读起来大气中带有一点幼稚青涩，但这丝毫不会成为他的劣势，相反，这种矛盾的结合满足了不同年龄阶段人的需求，调侃中带有真知，嬉闹中掩藏道理。年轻人读起来仿佛变成熟了，成年人读起来仿佛重回花季雨季。

最近我再一次重读了他自己最满意的小说《一座城池》，下面便是我的读书心得。

早在前年，我便阅读完了这本书，但由于是草草而过，记忆已经模糊了。如今再捧起这本书时，我惊奇的发现自己竟然对里面的好些情节有些记忆。即使是这样，我还是会在同样的地方被同样的黑色幽默激起笑声。笑声过后，仔细想来，倒有种想哭的冲动，不得不佩服韩寒文字带动情绪的能力。

仔细看来，每一个黑色幽默的背后都有一个现实的问题存在着，人性中丑陋，中国现实社会中不均衡，一些年轻人的盲目，一些官员的腐败，一些社会的病态，用两个逃犯和一个大学生的经历一点一点地串了起来。韩寒的《一座城池》就如同一个巨大的垃圾桶，这里面装着各色各样的垃圾，灰色的生活，灰色的人生。没有希望的，却又让人常常想入非非的世界。只不过作者用夸张的手法将这个问题放大化，以至形成了戏剧效果。比如说群人争抢看化工厂爆炸这一段，（链接阅读http://www.yuedu.org/thread-63110-1-1.html）便真切形象的表现出中国人爱争抢看热闹这一陋习。

就语言来说，很简洁，大多时候让我感觉到是在看剧本。处处有感悟，不能不说很有思想。讽刺的幽默感很强，有时候让我感觉非常有力度。通篇读完，不仅是一笑而过那么简单，更多的是对社会现实的反思。

有人说他的《一座城池》缺少营养，语言苍白，词汇贫乏，我承认。《一座城池》的确在词藻方面没什么吸引力。但对于学生而言，韩寒早已成为一个生动的品牌，不苟同于权威、率性、独立、求真这些可以与广大学生引起共鸣的特点让它的书有了广阔的市场。

一千个人眼中有一千个不同的韩寒，究竟你的韩寒是什么样子的，让我们一起在歌声中迈入他心中的那一座城池。

To summarise, this blogpost is talking about a person named Han Han. He is not only a car racer and singer in China, but also an accomplished writer.

The author goes on to describe how Han Han’s style of writing has managed to successfully appeal to not only the younger generation but also to the older age groups of people.

Reading on, the author refers to a book,, by Han Han that he has read for the second time recently. He describes how Han Han’s cynical sense of humour still manages to stir up his emotions at the same scenarios. The author then elaborates on how the ugly side of reality is actually reason for cynical humour.

This book is not simply just for laughs; it’s a reflection of our society. There are many people who have criticised the book but Han Han has become an icon for the younger generation.

Different people have different views on Han Han—what is yours?

(iBlog2.0 contest - Part 5)

(Continued from iBlog2.0 contest - Part 2)
iBlog2.0 National Interschool Chinese Weblog Competition, organised by Innova Junior College, co-hosted by Public Library Services, NLB.

This entry is by contestants from Crescent Girls’ School. Check out their blog at 旋舞 蜕变 (xuan wu tui bian).

有一种幸福叫做知足

June 1st, 2008
有一种幸福叫做知足 — 闻四川地震有感
有人说，人不应知足，不知足才能达到更高的山顶。

有人说，人不应知足，一旦知足生活就不再有动力和希望。

可是我们不应一味的不满足，当我们忘记衡量自己的生活，只想着更高一层时，生活就不会再前进。

刚刚看过有关四川地震的报道。有一篇写着，由于不能移开倒塌的楼房，救灾人员只能将一具女孩的尸体吊出废墟，当她出现在人们眼前是，手里依然紧紧握着一只圆珠笔；还有一则报道写着，地震发生后一个小男孩被埋在了废墟底下，他非常害怕。为了缓解紧张的心情，他在废墟下仍然坚持看书。当他被救出来的时候，一手拿着手电筒，一手拿着书本。

生活中到底还有多少像他们一样可怜的小孩子？

当他们仰望天空时，想到的只是要到天的另一头看一眼；当他们在漆黑的夜里，借着蜡烛的微光坚持读书时，期望的只是一定要走到大山的外面，看一看书中写的五彩缤纷的世界。生命，没能给他们太多的选择。他们只能与羊群为伴，与黑夜同眠。但他们却给了自己对于生命最崇高的希望与渴望。他们，是最后的自然守护者，也是最后的天空的眺望者。

生活在大都市的我们，看到天空是又想到了什么呢？

当我们在抱怨上学要背着电脑太重时，有些孩子还在危房里借着蜡烛学着残缺课本上的字；当我们在反感课外活动占用了我们的业余时间时，有些孩子却在拼命地干完农活，挤出时间来学习；当我们在课本上乱写乱画时，有些孩子却在细心呵护着破旧的课本，盼望着能有一本崭新的书。

我们已经渐渐忘记了要衡量自己的生活，面对不断更新的社会，越来越多的人早已想不起要时不时抬头看一下天，看看天空的另一头那一双双稚嫩的双眸。不是没有幸福，只是因为幸福溢满了我们的杯，我们载不下了。

我们有机会选择优越，就请不要再忘记依然有无数的人没有机会却还在一直自己创造机会改变命运。

我们的路还长，一直走会累，累了就歇一歇，停下来看看自己走过的路，我们拥有的其实是一片长满鲜花的田野。请别再想着去摘更多的花，留下一些给别人吧，给那些只拥有小草的人。

祝福你们，那些一直在眺望天空的孩子。

The title of this blogpost is “a kind of happiness known as satisfaction”. Indeed, the title has said it all.

The main gist of this blogpost is that many of us feels that we cannot be satisfied with what we have. If we were complacent, there would be no room for improvement.

However, we need to re-evaluate ourselves. The author mentions reports on the Sze Chuan earthquake. How a girl was found dead, yet still clutching on to a ball-point pen, and a boy clinging onto a torchlight and a book because he needed to read to ease his fear. These children do not have much choice; they are forced to go with the flow. They can only dream of seeing the world shown in their books.

In contrast, we, the people who live in this metropolitan city, we are constantly dissatisfied, complaining about what we have in abundance as compared to those children in Sze Chuan.

The author concludes that we have forgotten to evaluate ourselves, to see that we should be satisfied with the abundance that we have. Thus, we should be satisfied, and not forget those who are not as fortunate as us.

(iBlog2.0 contest - Part 4)

(Continued from iBlog2.0 contest - Part 1) 
iBlog2.0 National Interschool Chinese Weblog Competition, organised by Innova Junior College, co-hosted by Public Library Services, NLB.

A blog entry entitled “What do you start to miss home?” by contestants from Zhonghua Secondary School.

博客名：八度空间

你什么时候最想家？

June 1st, 2008
你什么时候想家？今天看书，看到张小娴的一篇散文，让我羞红了脸。先问问你的心吧，你什么时候想家？

文章开篇便问，你什么时候最想回家探望父母？我停下了手边的一切事情，认认真真地思考了这个问题，恩，确如文中所说，遇到挫折的时候，我最想家。在这个陌生的国度徘徊辗转了半年了，也还是有过一些一帆风顺的日子，在这段时间中，无需担心学习，没有大新闻，没有要忙的比赛、作业whatever something else need to do，一个人就静静地专心享用这时间，窝在床上，上网翻翻新闻，看看电影，听听音乐，没有记挂着家里。

然而，这次年中考试才刚落幕，我就像现在四川灾区彻夜救人的解放军们一样，像打了一场艰难持久的战，身累，心累。得到成绩，只想快快回到宿舍，寻一个无人的地方，给家里挂个电话，听一听妈妈的声音，把所有的委屈，不甘，自责，忏悔全部倾给她，不怕憋在心里的不快终有一天会溢满出来，爸爸已经说到烂的道理在此刻听起来，却又像是醍醐灌顶，使我似有所悟。通过一根细长的电话线，给自己加足油，充满电，然后再继续努力，挺直腰杆地走在家人期盼支持的目光里。

这仿佛已经形成自然了，有需要，寻求安慰，得找疗伤圣地，要给自己的心放个假，就会回从来都不需要想起，从来也不会忘记的家。对不起，我们总是带着一颗挫败的心回家。

饺子

English Summary ：

When do you start to miss home?

In this blogpost, the author addresses this question based on his personal experiences.

As a foreign student, the author tends to forget about his family when things are going smoothly. He loses himself in the serenity and hence, does not brood on his family overseas.

However, when he was both mentally and physically worn out after a recent examination in which he did not do well in, his first thoughts was to seek solace in his family.

“通过一根细长的电话线，给自己加足油，充满电，然后再继续努力，挺直腰杆地走在家人期盼支持的目光里. ”
‘ Through the thin telephone line, I was encouraged and recharged. I was ready to keep trying, to stand upright and continue my path with my family’s hopes and dreams.’

It is the author’s views that when we are down and out, when we are in need of strength and encouragement, only then do we turn to our family. There, we gain energy to carry on.

(More entries at iBlog2.0 contest - Part 3)

What is “Rhythm of Life”? Well, it could mean different things to different people such as:
~ a typical day at school;
~ a snapshot of a family outing; and
~ watching a sitcom with your loved ones

I wonder how teenagers define “Rhythm of Life” - the theme for this year iBlog2.0 National Interschool Chinese Weblog Competition, organised by Innova Junior College (IJC).

IJC approached us and asked if we would like to co-host this year contest. Of course, we’re honoured by this invitation

As part of our collaboration, our Young People’s Librarians conducted a two-hour information literacy workshop for the contestants at Woodlands Regional Library on 23 May, …

… and suggested some relevant blogs and books where the contestants could gather ideas for their blog posts.

Here are some of the suggested titles. The reviews of these books could be found at the iblog competition official website.

书名：不要叫我周杰伦
作者：布丁
出版: 台北 : 商周, 2004.
索书号：Chinese BUDG

书名：尤今小说选
作者：尤今
出版: 新加坡: 新加坡青年书局, 2008.
索书号：SING Chinese YUJN

书名：童年下雪了
作者：几米
出版：台北 : 大块文化出版公司, 2005
索书号：Chinese 741.5951 JM - [ART]

书名：魔女宅急便
作者：(日) 角野荣子
出版：海口 : 南海出版公司, 2007.
索书号：Y Chinese KADE

I’m sure the students are now ready for the contest and let’s find out what “Rhythm of Life” means to them at iBlog2.0 contest - Part 2.

Posted by: Lim Li Sa
Snr Librarian, Young People’s Services

Long before there was “Bring Your Own Bag Day” in Singapore, the Japanese have been practising strict trash disposal rules. Garbage is colour-coded - green for trash that can be recycled, blue for trash you can’t burn and red for trash you can burn.

In addition, there are different days of the week for different types of trash. You can only take out the blue trash say twice a week to a designated spot, and there are people assigned to rummage through your trash to make sure no one cheats. Bags found ‘guilty’ will be sent back to the owner, which is a big boo boo in Japanese culture.

In true spirit of the land of Hello Kittys, design agency MAQ came up with these:

Gives a twist to “Clean and Green” don’t you think? 
Livens up the appearance of trash heaps and reminds the neighbors which trash day it is.
http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/08/garbage-bag-art-work/ last accessed 10 June 2008.

On a more serious note, do you think the government is doing enough for our environment?

What are some things that you can do for the environment as individuals?

Will you consciously bring another bag to contain your purchases on your next Great Singapore Sale shopping spree?

Share y.o.ur experiences and submit y.o.ur experiences as comments below.

Posted by: Kaydence Chai 
Assoc. Librarian, Young People’s Services

[Ed.’s note: In the midst of the hoo-ha about the upcoming Beijing Olympics 2008, there are strong sentiments coming from all over the world, not necessarily patriotic enthusiasm or directly related to the Olympics. Check out what our regulars at V.A.T had to say, and the related news reports below.]

Daily Mail Online (UK)
10 May 2008

“The Olympic Games are for athletes, not for politicians,’ argued Deng Yaping, the deputy director of the Olympic Village, last week. ‘There are no politicians competing in the Olympics, and we don’t want them to use the athletes as their tool.”

full article from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-565404/The-faces-Olympics.html, last accessed on 9 June 2008.

The Indianapolis Star (USA)
4 June 2008

“Tibetan activists want President Bush to boycott the Olympics’ opening ceremony in Beijing this August… trying to pressure the International Olympic Committee into demanding that China not carry the Olympic flame through Tibet.”

full article from http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080604/LOCAL18/806040419, last accessed on 9 June 2008.

International Herald Tribune (USA)
3 June 2008

“Pro-Tibetan activists on Tuesday promised worldwide protests during the Beijing Olympics and said they would try to penetrate security to mount demonstrations in Beijing itself.”

full article from  http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/03/europe/EU-GEN-Greece-Tibet-Protests.php, last accessed on 9 June 2008.

final food for thought:
What about business and sports? Can sports survive without the backing from their sponsors? (think sponsor logos on the back of soccer players’ jerseys, think Tiger Woods and Nike)

“a report published by an academic journal in the United States this week… suggests that none of the sponsors of this summer’s games in Beijing will get any tangible, quantifiable return for their investment”
full article from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/06/04/sbjimw104.xml, last accessed on 9 June 2008.
 
What do you feel about this entire Olympics saga? Leave us your comments!

Posted by: Kaydence Chai 
Assoc. Librarian, Young People’s Services

Reviewed by: Kathleen Tan, 18
Y.O! blogger 

When Holly’s husband Gerry passes away, Holly is so devastated that she practically stops living. She refuses to move on and wallows in her grief through the rest of her days meaninglessly.

When Holly discovers that Gerry has specially left twelve letters for her, she begins taking her first step towards a new life. With the twelve letters, Holly starts to move on by following the instructions in the letters to be opened one at a time each month throughout the following year. Although Gerry is no longer around, his thoughtful words gently guide her in moving on with life.

Holly starts to regain the faith she once had and even takes a leap of courage by singing on stage and making new friends, eventually freeing herself from the shell of misery she has enclosed herself in. She finally accepts the fact that Gerry would never be back and begins to realise how much it would mean to her late husband and herself to enjoy life to the fullest.

With bittersweet moments, this story would have you laughing and weeping with the characters. It is a great choice for those who are looking for a simple yet heartwarming story. I would recommend the book to anyone who is deciding whether to go for the movie or the book.

After watching the movie, I would say that it was quite a disappointment. It was not exactly a bad film but I did not feel that it was worth watching especially if you have expectations (like me). Although the title suggests that it is a romantic movie, it seemed more like a light-hearted comedy to me with too slow a pace which made me doze off twice.

This movie is more suitable for anyone just want to have a good laugh for an hour and a half. If you prefer storytelling that would stay with you longer, the novel would be a better choice.

Title: PS, I love you
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Publisher: Waterville, Me. : Thorndike Press, 2004.
Call No.: English AHE

Reviewed by: Kathleen Tan, 18
Y.O! blogger 

Can you imagine what it is like to survive on scraps of food you dig out of the garbage bin every day, be beaten to near-death and even poisoned by ammonia which your mother forces you to swallow while the rest of your family watches on helplessly for years?

This was the ordeal which Dave Pelzer went through during his childhood. In this true story, Pelzer recalls how he was abused as a child by his mother who regarded him as a lesser being unworthy to be treated as a human, much less as her son, whom she called ‘It’.

Dave’s brutal mother not only beat him but also tried to burn him above the kitchen stove. He was no longer called “David” by was referred to as “the boy” and later reduced to “It”. Dave was forced to sleep in the basement in an old unwanted army cot while the rest of his brothers were pampered.

Through it all, Dave’s family could not do anything to stop his mother. As she became more and more cruel, Dave had many close shaves with death.

The graphic details of his heart-wrenching experiences are enough to make anyone’s hair stand on end. This is the first book in a trilogy which is followed by “The Lost Boy” and finally “A Man Named Dave”, the touching conclusion to how Pelzer eventually overcame the odds.

With the vivid description aside, the recount shows how a child’s strong will to live pushes him to fight for his life in spite of the odds through the mental and physical struggle against child abuse. Pelzer wishes to highlight the fact that his is not the only case of child abuse in reality. His story would inspire anyone to live life to the fullest and never give up.

Title: A child called ‘It’
Author: Dave Pelzer
Publisher: London : Orion, 2001, c1995.
Call No.: English 362.76092 PEL

Contributed by: Choo Jia Ming, 18
Y.O! blogger

It’s been long since I ever felt like I wanted to go back to being a kid.

The first week of the June Holidays was nearly over and I really felt like the remaining three weeks were barely enough for me to rest and rejuvenate for the new term.
 
Anyway I went down to Metta Student Care Centre for a day camp with the primary school children to interact with them and expose them to music and musical instruments as part of our choir-initiated community involvement programme.

Upon reaching the Care Centre at about 9am, I was immensely surprised to see the children’s faces brimming with much enthusiasm while I was still nearly half asleep. Although with much difficulty, we still managed to get the children into small groups and start on the ice-breakers and music appreciation activities.

And I realised that it’s a wonderful feeling just watching these children who were nearly ten years my junior, enjoying and interacting between themselves. The happiness they have spread around with their innocence was seriously infectious and for once in my I-can’t-wait-to-grow-up teenhood, I genuinely wish that I could go back to being a primary school kid.  I must say, that even at 5pm, when all of us were already exhausted, the children were still running around the neighbourhood, seemingly unaffected by the whole day’s various activities, and I honestly admired them.
 

Playing musical chairs

Collecting their prizes

However, hoping that I could turn back time and go back to being a primary school child without the need to worry about my exams on the first week of school was but a mere dream.

Ah, the pains of growing up.

Reviewed by: Kristi How, 18
Y.O! blogger

Brick Lane by Monica Ali, is a book about a Bangladeshi woman, Nazeen, sent to marry a man she does not know in England by her father. At first, Nazeen is rather fatalistic in the way she views the world and would rather leave things up to God than take things into her own hands.

However, Nazeen soon has to deal with the increasing amount of racial and religious tension in her neighbourhood, her seemingly unhappy marriage and her surprising affair. As the conflicts of the novel unfurl, Nazeen begins to grow not only as an individual but also in her new role as wife, mother and lover.

Set in a Bangladeshi-majority housing estate in London, Brick Lane gives a human face to issues that are becoming increasingly important in this day and age. Problems like multiculturalism, terrorism and what it means to be a woman in modern society are all examined under Ali’s beautifully written prose. Humanely forgiving yet profoundly affecting, Brick Lane is a novel that will astound and grip you at the same time.

Title: Brick Lane
Author: Monica Ali
Publisher: London : Doubleday, 2003.
Call No.: English ALI