New Moon

No, I'm not talking about the second installment in the Twilight 'movie saga', as they so call it. I'm referring to something much closer to home - a local brand known for abalone, chicken's essence and charming bus stop advertisements.

I'm sure you've seen those delectable depictions. A typical one consists of a blown up profile of a boy or girl, sometimes shot in pairs, each of whom having attained the title of 'top scorer' of the PSLE, 'O' level examinations, 'A' level examinations or IBDP. The bottle of elixir will be perched elegantly on the model (student)'s right hand, while his countenance will display a strange tipsy radiance, as if his immortality depended on the stuff. Accordingly, I think we're supposed to make the connection between drinking the stew left behind after a whole chicken has been boiled using very high temperature and pressure, and getting straight As.

As difficult as it seems for that to click in my mind (maybe because I'm not drinking enough of the thing), the advertisements push me toward making a simpler connection, one between institution and distinction. Credit has to be given for their removing of school badges from the uniforms. But when we have girls in white blouses and blue pinafores, or boys in white shirts wearing red, blue and gold-streaked ties, it's a bit hard ignore the other factors that may have contributed to their achievements, apart from the undeniable magical powers of the bird juice of course.

It's all very amusing. Yet in a sense, it's perhaps publicity at best and elitism at worst.

But anyways, speaking of moons, the Mid-Autumn Festival, otherwise known as the Mooncake Festival is coming up! Hurrah, for it is now our turn to play with fire after a month of generously thinning out the ozone layer. I think the group of us will be headed to either the Barrage or the Chinese Garden this Friday. I prefer the latter for absolutely no good reason. Definitely something to look forward to.

Lastly, I must say I'm really grateful for this entire week of no-school - rounding up of the last few papers followed by marking days. And no, I don't think I'll be quite unoccupied. Just bought two novels while we were at Kinokuniya earlier, namely, number9dream by David Mitchell and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon. Been wanting to savour them for a very long time. Plus, I think I'll also be watching the video uploads from With Calvin in the Theater of God, the DG conference that's been going on for the past three days in Minneapolis. I guess it's a well-deserved break, a short rest before I get tired all over again.