Daniel and Theo singing my song at the wedding

I never knew my bro can write such romantic vows. I tell you, the Boonster didn’t expect to cry at the wedding. It’s not a man-man thing to do. But I used up all of Hui Min’s tissue paper. All seven packets of it.

I cannot wait for this company trip to be over. Hui Min said I should go even though I told her I wouldn’t. She said the trip was important for my career. New York is very cold! They use some weird measuring system.. inferior? No, no, imperial. Yah. They use the imperial system, and they don’t use km, they use miles. So confusing.

Boss wants to see me in his office after this trip to talk to me about the promotion. I don’t know if I am going to get it. I will have to come back to find out.

I miss Hui Min.

I miss the time we spend together improving my English. I miss her gentle laughter when I make mistakes. I miss how she never gives up on me.

I am going to join this Story-time and Reading Aloud course at RELC. I enjoy telling stories and since I started taking English lessons and working with Hui Min on improving my business English, I find myself wanting to do more. At first, I find it hard to learn English. Going for those early lessons was hard. I really wanted to quit.

Then once I got used to it, and got better, I felt more confident in class and using my new skills in life. People in the office also take me more seriously. Spending time with Hui Min when she give me “tuition” was the bonus haha!

Sure the promotion is important. Sure I thought I can impress my girl if I can be more England. Now, I am more interested in learning more because it is actually… fun. The Boonster wants to make his English more turbo! Hahaha!

And now by popular request, here is my item from the wedding. It is a slideshow with a song I wrote for them. I wrote the words of the song with some help from Hui Min. I got John’s friends, Daniel and Theo to play and sing it. The song is called “You’re the Words of My Song” and Hui Min and I selected some photos of the places John and Hui Leng used to date. I thought it turned out quite nice.

You’re the Words of My Song

We met at NTUC, you were
Just drinking bubble tea, I was
Simply passing time and you were
Like the finest wine

Took you to the skating rink, you looked
Just like a beauty queen, I was
Slipping on the ice and falling
I kept falling ever since.

You’re the words of my song
You’re the song on my lips
You’re the reason I smile
You are mine.

You’re the sun in the sky
You are blueberry pie
And the stars spell your name
You are mine

We took a cable car, you were
Dizzy and you saw some stars, then I
Held your hand, you said to me
Why are your palms so sweaty?

Took you to a kopitiam, ordered
Kopi-oh and kaya toast, then we
Walked along the sandy beach, I took
The ring and I proposed

You’re the words of my song
You’re the song on my lips
You’re the reason I smile
You are mine.

You’re the sun in the sky
You are blueberry pie
And the stars spell your name
You are mine

These are the places where we’ve been
Where we shared ice cream and laughter
Don’t know what our plans will be
Just be Happy Ever After

You’re the words of my song
You’re the song on my lips
You’re the reason I smile
You are mine.

You’re the sun in the sky
You are blueberry pie
And the stars spell your name
You are mine

And the stars spell your name

Photo by: todd*

It looks like even big companies make the It's mistake.

Yesterday I took Min out for dinner. To tell her about my decision.

Then, I surprised her by saying I’m not going overseas, because of her.

I know she was waiting for me to say more but I shy lah. How?

In other department, I am getting better at my classes. I also learned the difference between “It’s” and “Its”.

“It’s” is actually a shortened version of “It is”. So if you want to check if you are using “It’s” correctly you can try expanding it.

E.g. Boon Huat’s car is famous for it’s powerful engine.

Expand it:

Boon Huat’s car is famous for it is powerful engine.

You will realise that it’s wrong.

Haha! I used “It’s” correctly there.

Back to my books! I have homework!

If I had this motorcycle helmet, I may consider giving up my precious car, man. So cool.

Forgot to post this earlier. I was having lunch at Raffles Place when I saw this.

Siao one, these people. Remind me of the JC mass dancing.

ERP up again! Even when AYE is smooth! WHY?!!

Sian!

But in the comment, some person called cutthecrap wrote a quite good ERP poem, man.

The TV and Movies use to play
How the bandits use to say
“To use the road, you have to pay”
“If you want to live, you must obey”
“Else you never see the day”

Today the ERPs, is the way
To rob us of some daily wage
Nothing that will make them swayed
And none can stop them nap their prey
For it is legal to make you pay
Some of our wealthy are full of praise
Out goes Pleasants, that blocks their ways

All thanks to the ERPs
To the wealthy are just peas
Family of seven with own car keys
Seven cars driving on P.I.E
Less people drive will make them please
Shopping will be of such bliss

Buses and trains, the Pleasants must be
Getting to work and work like bees
“Don’t block my ways”, is what they see
“For us the wealthy, who own five C’s”
“Surely we deserved, more than thee”
“To use the road as our country see”

True but sad this is such
Our rights to country, based on “how much?”
“Market demands” is the remark
Cannot afford, you should be smug
Take buses or trains even if sucks
Till the day to come to stop the bugs
At Election table will be the start

Gold for me to be a rapper - all from my mother

Ok, I got more ideas for the special item. I thought maybe I can do a flip chart dance after watching this video.

I really like the way the old man uses a flip chart to show how English is actually quite an interesting and funny language! Some words look the same but don’t sound the same. Wah. I can even use the flip chart to teach the wedding guests spelling. Hmm. But I think more people will like a rap item. Maybe I’ll call myself Ai-Yo-YoH.

However, a rapper needs words to rap. And I’m running out of long words. I did stumble on this video about the longest words in English.

Very funny.

Then for the item, I plan to drive my car into the banquet hall, with some beautiful girls in the back, wearing heavy gold chains, can borrow from my grandmother.

Because after doing research and watching many MTVs, I realise all these videos always got nice cars, a lot of jewellery and hot girls.

Photo by: tsmall

She can help me with my past participles and explain who this guy called Gerund is

Wah! Min sent me this link to a very good website because I am always forgetting some basic grammar rules. The Grammar Girl is very helpful. This episode of her podcast taught me about ‘used to’ and ‘use to’. So I can say ‘I used to catch spiders with John when we were small boys,’ but I cannot say, ‘I use to drink Horlicks when I was in primary school.’ Good right?

Also, I had a very interesting time at work today. I told my American client that his marketing concept was going to be a hit, and he was very confused. When I checked my Sent folder I found that I had told him that his marketing “conception” was going to be a hit. No wonder! English can be really complicated, but the classes I’m attending at the British Council will help me. Yesterday our trainer taught us how to use the correct vocabulary for work and socialising. It was quite fun, actually. We did a roleplay for different work scenarios and I was the manager, haha!

Hui Min return me my presentation today, and I realised I left her poem inside. She didn’t say anything about it. I feel so embarrassed. But I also need to know how she feels. How?

I have so much homework!!! Suddenly got so many books to read, so many worksheets to do and I actually have to stay awake during lessons! But I want this promotion so badly. Boss hinted that my presentation must be zai or I won’t get it. So my English need to become better. More importantly, I’ll have more money to zhng my car and impress Hui Min!

I quite want her to like me and not be embarrass by my No Standard English. If not how to go out with her and meet her England-power friends?

I should stop day dreaming man. Need to get through level 1 of the English class first! Feel like a computer game. Level 1, Level 2, Level 3… no practice, no win!!! Anyway. So, I signed up for this British Council class. Hui Min recommend it so I trust her lah. But hor, at first I saw the name British Council I scared leh. Is it that all the teacher and student there is from Britain?

In the end, all was ok. I went for my first class (Hui Min came to meet me for dinner first because I told her I nervous! I should tell her I’m scared more often… but like that not macho leh). I found out all my classmates is mostly like me, need to improve their standard type. I did not feel like the only one then. Good! Win, we win together! Paiseh, we paiseh together!

Oh ya, and one of my classmates sent me this link. Ask me to watch. I couldn’t stop laughing! The guy in the video had worse English than me. Pronunciation can be hard but if I try, maybe I won’t be in this kind of video. At least I am trying to improve. Haha!

I am enjoying the learning actually. It’s not just about car and money and promotion. Which is why I still go even though I very shack after work. Oh! And I finally got the courage to write another poem for Hui min.

I call it: More perfect than my WRX

Hui Min is so pretty
So funny and so witty
Her laughter makes me smile
So loud, can hear for miles

When I go out with her
Sometimes I feel so blur
Because she speak super fast
Like Ferrari just zoom past.

I want to tell her how I feel
But I scared she say our road not same
Or worse if she laugh at me
Maybe I should just wait and see.

This is my best poem for her so far. I don’t want to let her see first. One of the line still don’t have the same rhyme. Maybe I will come back later and see what is another word that rhyme with ‘feel’.

Ok! Back to my homework!

Photo is from Mr Yawning Bread website

Huimin told me the yawningbread guy got blog about “usage” and “use”. She check with her old English professor who said most dictionaries say both words are interchangeable. (Wah. Big word leh. I had to practice saying it 10 times lor.) Anyway, Huimin also got do her own research using FOUR different dictionaries (so smart right? My home don’t even have half a dictionary.) They all say can use “usage” what. It’s about how a word is used in a language mah. I think “use” sounds nicer though. More simple. I told Huimin and she said I’m also correct. So we’re both correct? See what I mean? Why English so confusing one.

I am so happy that John and Leng are not fighting any more. I don’t know why John doesn’t want to work at the durian stall. Even if got gang fight, he can still use his parang to protect himself!

Today, I went to the library at Victoria Street to see if they have any poetry books. I found the perfect one! It’s called ‘Writing Love Poems for Dummies’. I think it was written for me!