Learning makes the wise wiser and the fool more foolish - John Ray (1627-1705) English naturalist.

A brief conversation with a younger cousin of mine today evoked certain thoughts in me. What started out as an innocent conversation had ended with me thinking about how education had marred the kids of today. I was just casually asking Cousin Tim about his plans after receiving his PSLE results later next month. I ignorantly assumed that he was going to the same secondary school as Cousin Josh (who had always been the smarter of the two). However, he aptly replied that he was never going to make it into the same school as that school is exclusively for express students. He simply could not try for that school as he was from the EM3 stream. Now, that was what I always felt was unfair. Why differentiate the kids into various streams at such a young age? Much as I have to agree that not all kids have the same capacity for learning, I have to say that all kids should be given a fair chance at learning the same stuff together at least until they are of an older age. Streaming the kids at a tender age of 10 is destroying that very sanctity of education and causing the kids to lose a unique quality, that is - their innocence.

Some children are perhaps smart, brilliant even, but could be late bloomers, thus, at the age of 10, they may not be able to display their full potential. Dumping them into the EM3 stream is not a solution in helping them progress. This is single-handedly destroying their chance of improving themselves, and god forbid, bruising their confidence down to a low point. It's like the case of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer - except that in this case, the smart getting smarter and the stupid getting stupider. As someone who had survived this era of streaming, I could only say that this is the most unfair. EM1 kids get all the extra attention and tutorials, EM2 kids get more or less the same treatment. What leaves for the EM3 kids? Some teachers automatically assume that these kids are a waste of space, and that these kids are never going to be the elites in society. Whatever gave them this idea? It is our very own education system - thank you very much. Even as these kids proceed to higher education, they are continually subjected to differentiation and distinction. Special, express and normal streams. Junior colleges, institudes, polytechnics, ITEs and VTCs. Not that I totally think that such a system is disadvantageous. It could be beneficial to a certain extent, as long as a child in a school is learning new things everyday and is happy with what he or she has learnt. I believe that learning should be without boundaries. Every child should be given equal chances at excelling until at least of a mature age. Subjecting children to a harsh system at a young age could make them modern day robots - manipulated and without freedom of choosing what they want to do.

Destiny is in one's own hands. Whatever becomes of a child should be largely according to his or her will. It is time to work hard and play hard rather than work hard and work even harder. Modern kids should be given more space and confidence to grow, excel, aspire and achieve. Only then can we be assured that a population of ignorant techno-nerds is not being generated.

Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the annivesary of some perfectly uninteresting event - Oscar Wilde

So much of wanting to give my mundane life a breath of fresh air. 7 days after my 21st birthday, nothing exciting or different had materialised. I am still the same old me, leading the same old life. I watch as my plans of leading a dynamic after 21 life go down the drain. Ask me - "Do i feel like an adult?", i would most prolly tell you to buggle off and stop asking me stupid questions. Nothing had changed, postively. Nothing.

How many of you out there had planned that after turning 21, you would start living it up to the fullest, yet realise that after the big day passed you by, you had still fulfilled nothing? As a normal teenager growing into a young adult, i had a list of plans drawn out that includes watching my first RA movie, getting my first tattoo etc etc. So far i had not watched any RA movies yet. As for the latter plan, i could only say that the patience of getting inked only at 21 had ran out too fast. I got myself inked nearly 2 years before hitting 21. Often i wondered to myself; "If Art imitates Life, will Life ever get as exciting as portrayed in the movies?" Why do the characters in movies always get a life much desired but in reality, this kinda life will prove an impossible dream?. I like the french movie "Amelie" very much. I always thought that Amelie's character was larger than life, but that life of hers was rather attainable. I thought about how good it would be if i was Amelie, with that strange bob hairdo, ready smile, impish grin and wicked; out-of-the-world ideas up my head. Perhaps like her, i could find love in a most unique & unconventional way. However, 21 years and a few heartbreaks later, i still failed to get an experience close to that. A pity that i even hoped to be living amidst a la-la hollywood romantic comedies dreamland where perfect boy meets perfect girl and falls in love sort of fairytale life. Bugger that and Dream on...

Why should i be so utterly convinced that life is so purposeless? It's like an endless cycle of complaining and pissing myself off. Dear old me, i am turning into a sad old bitch. Fags. I know of certain bimbos who will be reading and thinking "what a sad, sad, bitch". But know what? I don't really care two F**ks. Or perhaps i do care. Sadly, i still don't know myself that well.