Section B

I've developed a love-hate relationship with car rides with my Dad. It's the time when we bond, I tell my stories and laugh at them while he doesn't think it's funny, he tells me soccer or interesting world stuff and jokes he heard and he laughs at them and I really don't think they're funny. But in any case, it's quality daughter to father bonding time.

But, (in every case there is a BUT), it's an avenue for him to voice his warnings-- make more guy friends, but no further than friends, his hopes on me, and to also nag me to do study. He puts all hopes and his aspirations on me sometimes it's hard to carry all that. I just am not the kind who can sit and study and get good grades. And yet when he says all he wants is for me to get fairly good results and not yearn for first or anything, he is not realising he's making me feel I'm more incompetent than ever. And sometimes he just doesn't understand. And I'd get angry all the tears come flooding.

He says it's difficult in Singapore, with the standards, the international competition and her progress. Dad says he and aunt have talked and they might decide to send Ade as a pioneer to go overseas and then when we come of age they might send the rest of the cousins packing there too. I don't think it will ever materialize. I hope it doesn't.

I mean (I sense the onslaught of a very long post) what is it with Singapore. They go on efficiency, they focus on improving and improving and catching up with technology, with the world. They are competing in this fierce and fast moving competition. From a point of a very very blur kid, what for? I mean, is it really for the sake of the people? Or is it just the sake of the government to show they hey, Singapore's government is really good. We are an Arts hub, a Sports hub and a food hub too! As citizens in their country we are pressured to keep up. And so, it's all about education, education and education. And whoever said it will benefit us :( IP is supposed to let us pursue and expose us to something other than textbooks and notes. And supposed to let us pursue our interests. Well, my interests is in the Arts, and you're not letting me do anything about it. And you say it'll "free our time" because we're not taking Os, but I'm sorry seems I'm busier than ever.

We as a nation are moving so fast, too fast sometimes what we need to do is just to move backwards. Live a simple life. No stress, no suffering, less wrinkles, less white hair. People with stress die earlier. So what's the point of being a sucessful and top-of-the-world nation when we hardly have the years to enjoy it? Ohhhhh I get it, we'd be a young nation. No more old frail people ok this is getting out of point.

Yes, so you see? We're so pressurized with work, with expectations of what the society wants rather than what WE want we're not having the life we want. Take this person I know. She wanted to go to Poly. So she should be taking O levels right? But instead of doing what she wants, she let herself be swayed over by what the society deems good: to get to a JC. So she's in IP now.

And have you ever wondered what is life? Study study study, good job good pay, marry, kids, taxes, kid's education, kid's marriage, die? The definition of a good life please, to work your ass off and then die? We all die one day, someday so why do we have to live so unhappily? Asimple life, a happy life! Okayyy this is starting to seem really stupid.

Off to Section B.