Term 2, Week 9

HI all,

We're on the downhill slide to the holidays now!

Golf this week will be on Tuesday and Thursday - Please send your child to school in sports uniform on these days - lots of thermals as last week was FREEZING!!!!  Next week the class will visit the Alexandra Golf Course with Sharelle - this will happen on Tuesday - so sports uniforms then too please!

Ski Camp - Notices were handed out last week.  If these could be returned, signed, asap that'd be great.  I will have notices next term for Parents attending camp.  This will be to gather skiing info, gear rental sizing etc.  Please also remember to get your Police Vetting forms up to date as you cannot attend camp unless this happens.  

Mrs Annan will be teaching in Room 5 next week.  I am taking some leave and heading to Eastern Europe for a little holiday.  I'll be visiting Budapest, Riga and Prague, so if you've been there and have some hot tips for me - by all means come and have a chat.  I have already started searching out where good coffee is made...the sights will fall into place once I have this sorted!

Eisteddfod poems - these will be presented in class this week on Thursday and Friday.  Please help your child with these at home.   A well paced, clear voice with expression is probably the most important part of the poem presentation.   An introduction must also be written with a reason for poem choice.  This usually involves a common connection between child and poem.  Maybe it's funny, maybe it reminds your child of themselves, maybe it's a family favourite!

Have a great week,

The matter is not over yet!

Finally, I am given "permission" by my partner James Wee to reveal about his past.

It was in 2012 that I got to meet James Wee in one of the business networking. That time, I see him as a hardworking and sincere person. He is responsible, committed and passionate towards his work.

Cut the story short, we get along really well and often have in-depth discussions in business matters and sometime, family & personal matters. Our strengths compliment each other perfectly. Our relationship grew stronger day by day (not to the extend of sharing boxer). Out of nowhere, I suddenly pop the question...I proposed to him to be my partner...............in business. He gave me a long hesitation and suddenly, in a deep dull voice, he said "I am a bankrupt, I cannot own any business". It came as a shock to me. It has never occur to me that he was bankrupt. This proposal silent off.

I am thankful for his truthfulness and his trust in me. He requested me to keep it a secret. Our friendship continues. In last week of February 2013, I invited him to Xiamen, China to visit my production plant for crafting 3D caricature figurines, "iGongZai.com". During this period, on 24 Feb 2013, I proposed to him again. I told him on 1 March 2013, I am exhibiting in Career Fair 2013. I will like you to become my better half of the business "unofficially", but we can only rely on mutual trust. This time, he gave his consent and mark the start of our journey.

In our first partnership, together, we clocked sales in more than S$200,000.00 of sales in our first exhibition as partners. From that day, I know that we are the perfect match. We never doubted each other abilities, focusing entirely to get the job done. We never once haggle over money. We respect every decision made. Our partnership propelled the growth of business ranging from laundry, car wash, mobile app to a coffee chain called COFFEE:NOWHERE. Together, we have conducted more than 300 seminars and 50 exhibitions both locally and overseas. We are also given 4 awards recognition. It is the unwavering faith that kept us knitted together until now.

I know James desire is to be officially released from bankruptcy. James was a new born Christian (led by our mentor Boyd Au). Sharing the same faith, his desire became part of my prayer list. This is when miracle started to happen. 

Coincidentally, 3 years ago (13 Apr 2014, Sunday) which was also a Resurrection Sunday. I was attending church and Ps Kong was sharing a sermon on hope. It was during the preaching that I begin to hear from Holy Spirit that James will be coming out of bankruptcy very soon. It was very real and tangible. 

Screenshot of my Whatsapp messgae to James

I texted James in our Whatsapp group immediately thereafter. Our constant prayer paid off in that same year where James finally got his bankruptcy lifted. God is indeed faithful to His words. Pastor always say, we can be poor today, but we will not be poor forever. Only trust and believe.

Thereafter, James became my official partner, sharing half of our every business.

Today, 16 April 2017, also on a Resurrection Sunday, Jame's journey of business was printed in local newspaper "新明日报". It revealed that James bankruptcy was due to default payment of mortgage loan made by his late father, where he was the guarantor. He endured with this bankruptcy status for a good 11 years before being set free. He mentioned in the interview that it was responsibility, commitment and passion that sees him through. I will like to add in "consistency" too.

I am so proud and happy for him and yes, the matter is not over yet. Your latter will be more glorious than the former. In Jer 29:11, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I thank God for this brother and pray that Your peace will be upon him.

This is indeed a journey of excellence.

Movie Nights

Anisa is doing great as the new MC Event Co, trying to plan lots of fun things that we can do together as a family.

One of newest ideas was a Gators Movie Night, which will be held at least once a month, depending on the interest of the Gators and our Non-MC Friends.
We had a trial run to see how it worked last weekend...

A few of use sat around all comfy like to watch Suicide Squad.
Anisa had sent us a notecard with three options which we were allowed to vote for our option and the movie with the most votes would be played. Now a lot of members had seen the movie, but really enjoyed it, so it was chosen and we spent a few hours in the company of Headshot and Harley Quinn.
If you have any ideas for possible movie nights, please contact Anisa, and we will see what we do!?! Can't wait till the next movie night now!

Baby Gators all grown up!

Yesterday we had a meeting, and it was the first of two special days this weekend! Today is a Gator Wedding, but yesterday was patching day for our baby gators...
First came Mas...

Mas was brought to us by Anisa -  and has shown that she has what it takes to be in the family. A little shy at times, Mas was a novice rider when she first started coming to the sim, but after a few lessons and LOTS of practice riding round and around the Gator track, she's going to be giving Gary some competition for the fastest lap times!
Then came Celeste!

She came to the MC through Gary, and unlike Mas she had had previous MC experience. Yet Celeste has always said that the Gators are a family, and now she´s happy to be able to say she´s a part of the family! Getting through her tasks at lightning speed, and even wanting more she definitely proved she has the Gator spirit!
Welcome to the family both of you and well done for earning your Big Gator Patches!!!

No F'in' Way!

Way.

After you get up off the floor from the thunderbolt that just blew you off your swivel chair, read on.
Yeah buddy! Vance has a new blog post. And it on'y took 3 or 4 years to come up with something to say.

Sooo, remember when I wrote about the little theater in Berkeley that I got dragged to and actually enjoyed? I had a similar experience recently I thought I'd tell you, the loyal VR, about.

I know! WTF! Vance goes to some more nudder thing he'd rather be dead than do?

Well, that's a mite strong, but let's leave it for dramatic effect, 'n' stuff.

Anyways, it was apparently for an important cause.  It appears that in the interest of going to Cuba to see some old cars rattling around, Vance had to agree to participate in the machine of Cultural Exchange and Awareness,  International Relations, and The Arts!

Vance? Unlikely ambassador, right? Autistic, perhaps, but certainly not artistic.

I love that joke. Gets funnier every time!

Don't get all anxiety ridden! I behaved. Barely even whinged and sniveled. That took an effort, but hey! Like Mashie said that other time: "It isn't all about Vance......"

Pffft.

I'm still trying to get over that particular revelation. But back to it: It seems, that if you're gonna try to slip into Cuba from the US for a bit of a beach vacay, so's to ride around in '59 Chevys with Skoda engines all up in 'em, 'n' stuff, and enjoy a bit of a holiday, forget it.


The US govmint just says "NO" to that particular scenario. Apparently, some of us are still pissed that Castro and Che and them all took away our sandbox, so the ones who's still pissed had to make stupid  and intrusive rules for us to go see a couple Chevodas. I  had to sign a paper promising I'd participate in 8 hours per day of cultural and educational programming, just to get into the place.

Vance doesn't do something like that willy-nilly, as you, my loyal VR, well know.

What did this mean in actuality?  Read on.

But first, here's a bit of Havana-style Studebaker eye candy to whet your appetites:

Kew, huh? I promise I'll give you a look at a Chevoda or something later on.

This is what it means in actuality: Imagine: Vance is sitting in a single row of metal folding chairs with  the 10 others in his group, in a darkened theater, nearly on the stage. All of a sudden, the Fish Dance on Steroids begins all up in his grill!  

It's a modern dance interpretation of the beginning of the world, then the history of mankind through...well,... history, by 30 dancers who gyrate and gesticulate and terpret modernly through dance the whole shebang!  And writhe! 

There's hella keening and misery and throwing theyselfs to the floor in despair. There was battles raging and raping and pillaging and murders and meat eating and fur wearing and child abuse (Implied. No actual children were molested.) Then all of a sudden, Jazz was born. 2 minutes of happiness and joyousness, then..... BAM!  Back to throwing theyselfs to the floor in despair. 

I think that happy part was when Obama got elected. Then, you know... There was no orange wig in evidence, so I can't be positive about that being the sole reason for the abrupt change back to all the keening, wailing, and writhing, but it works for me. 

And that was just one morning's Cultural Exchange and Awareness, International Relations, and The Arts! It was all exhausting. Then, to make matters even more deprivational, all they drink in Cuba is Mojitos!

There's crap beer too. And, the only gin they have is Spanish! Just imagine......

Here's the promised picture, only it's a Chevundai:

Yup. It's a Hyundai 4 cylinder diesel engine in a pink fitty nine Chevy. 

Just to make you think that the Oldsmocedeses and Ladarolets were not the only reason Vance was interested in Cuba, here's another picture:

I'll tell you all about it next time in:

Vance's Big Review of Cuba by Vance*

Vance's Big Review of Cuba by Vance OR Nekkid Girls are Butterflies

Hello again, VR. Vance here with the promised Vance's Big Review of Cuba by Vance*.

Where we left off:

I was showing you two diffrent kina eye candy found in Havana. Two of the photos were of the classic and antique cars still chugging and farting their way about the place. The third was a nekkid girl regaled in skimpy but gigante butterfly... well... regalia.

As you might be able to discern, the guy looking all googly-eyed at her was smitten. I suspect this was so, merely because she was nekkid under her costume, which is kina stupid if you think about it.


Duh! She'd also be nekkid under her clothes when she's all bundled up. Bundling up happens rarely in hot, humid Havana, but you get my drift.

This picture was taken inside the most happening night spot in all of Cuba. You'd think, having never experienced it, that the Buena Vista Social Club is the MHSinC, but you guessed it! You'd be wrong. By a long kilometer (remember how that's pronounced: kilo-meter). The BVSC is a tourist trap with washed up old guys performing who get tired really fast.

This place is a new phenom in Havana. It's got Art with a vengeance. It is an old vegetable oil refinery building with a gazillion shipping containers arranged in a maze with multiple levels and 5 different bars serving Mojitos. Each room is a different "happening" with video, paintings, drawings, photography, interpretive dance, tableaux with live models, music, performance art, and all kina other artsy stuff I can't remember.
Here's a pic outside the place. You observant ones might just grok a '49 Plym going by, a 51 Chevy D, and a Lada in the foreground. That line goes around the block!

The only art not in evidence was mixology. As a matter of fact (granted, already descried), s-o-r-e-l-y l-a-c-k-i-n-g. You ask for a martini, and alls you'll get is a slack look, and a Mojito shoved at you. I had to teach a couple barkeeps what was what, and let me tell you. Believe me, it cost. Good thing alls I want in my martini is ice-cold gin and an olive. Vermouth may not  even exist in Cuba, but for a fact, it's scarce.

This might be a good thing, because in the hands of the inexperienced or misguided, vermouth can be a Bad Thing.

Here's how you make the perfect martini: Put your good gin in the freezer. Beefeater, Tanqueray, Hendricks, etc. Leave it there. 'Till it's gone. Once it's gelid with frozenness, pour some into a chilled glass. When I make my own at home, it's a two ouncer. Drop in a couple small spanish olives with the taillights (drain off the juice) and Bob's your Uncle!

I hesitate to even say this, but sometimes, in the hands of a Master, a couple drops of dry vermouth can be added to some benefit to the cocktail. However, if you are out to dinner, at a bar, or someplace you don't know the barkeep's level of expertise, just say "No" to the vermouth. And tell 'em stirred, not shaken.

The young people of Havana are jazzed to the gills to be able to go to this place. It is a wonderful sight to see. They appreciate the fuck out of just being able to go there, and you can tell that the artists are being let loose for the first time. It's all very undergrad art school, and if it were someplace else, like Omaha, people would be laughing their asses off at the naivete. I would too, being the insensitive schmuck I am. But, not even an insensitive schmuck could do that to this new scene. It's vibrant, and fun, and exciting to the kids of Havana.

Here's a pic of  Canadians posing with a ?


Then, when Vance grew tired of the social scene and went outside to check the action, he captured this:

And here's ashot of the smokestack of the refinery:

Next, I'll tell you all about the experience of being in a place with nobody left, in Part 2 of Vance's Big Review of Cuba by Vance*. 

Nobody There Or Get the F' Out If You Can Or Vance's Big Review of Cuba by Vance* Pt3

So, VR, I promised you another post about my adventures as a Cultural and Artistic Representative of the USofA in Cuba. In case you were too lazy to actually read my last posts, Vance had to agree to participate in 8 hours each and ever day of Cultural, Artistic, and Educational programming whilst he stayed in Cuba. This included many interesting and worthwhile pursuits, including, Art, Culture, and Educational stuffs.

I did get to go snorkeling once. It was pretty awesome. Me and the CFO and the son in law (not mine: review the old posts for the cast) went on the excursion. I wanted to go scuba diving too, but Manuel never showed. His assistant told me Manuel has "Many Problems" (while making the universal sign for chugging a bottle of rum) and would not be coming in on the only day I could go. Bugger.

However, you didn't tune in to hear about me having Fun.

Fun is relative. There's fun and there's Fun. I had lots of fun. I already told you about many fun things we did, including seeing Interpretive Dance and nekkid girls dressed as butterflies. We had Fun, too, driving around in bastardized automobiles from the fitties and sixties, going to zip lines at the sugar plantation, snorkeling, and other such kina kew stuffs. We also got to drink many mojitos (which is better than no mojitos or anything else) but we won't retread THAT flat tire.

One thing that struck me right away, was that there are no people in Cuba. There are no crowds. The crowds you might see in Havana are artificial: it's just the cruise ships and other tourists in the old city (their Pier 39). Anywhere else is just....not crowded. The countryside is spooky empty. Trinidad is a beautiful Spanish colonial city, and it's got a few folks in it, but it's another Pier 39.

I believe everyone who could get out, got out.

This is a very popular tourist place called Cienfuegos. As you can see, nobody there.

Check out the statue of Benny More everbody is crowded around. Listen to this: Benny singing "Cienfuegos" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEYWHh5drSY  

Benny's a god in Cuba. Check out the size of his saxophones!

This is Havana:

I rest my case.

Stay tuned for another (possible) post on Cuba or some other Topic of Interest!