Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesdays with Morrie is a true story about sportswriter Mitch Albom and his favorite college professor Morrie Schwartz. During Albom's undergraduate years at Brandeis University, when he takes every class taught by his mentor, he and Schwartz form a bond that goes beyond the typical student/teacher relationship.
After graduation, Albom promises to stay in touch with his professor and moves to New York City with the intention of pursuing a career as a professional musician. He spends several frustrating years working odd jobs and wondering what he is doing wrong. He loses touch with all of his college friends and with Schwartz. His musical dreams are dying a frustrating death, and he feels like a failure for the first time in his life.
Around that time, a favorite uncle passes away from cancer at the age of forty-four. This frightens Albom into action. He returns to school and earns graduate degrees in journalism and business administration from Columbia University in New York. Albom accepts a job as a sports writer and begins working long, grueling hours, determined not to end up at a corporate job he hates like his uncle did. He bounces around the country working for different newspapers and magazines before finally settling at The Detroit Free Press, where his career really begins to take off.
As Albom's career grows, so do his income and his material possessions. The more he gets, the more he wants and the harder he works. During this time, he also gets married. His wife wants to start a family, and he promises her "someday." One evening while flipping channels on the television, Albom catches the introduction to Nightline and hears the name Morrie Schwartz. His long-forgotten favorite professor is the subject of a Ted Koppel interview. Albom watches in shock as he learns Schwartz is dying of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.
Shortly after learning the diagnosis, Schwartz makes an important decision. He isn't going to hide behind his illness. He isn't going to be ashamed or afraid of dying. He's been a teacher all his life and decides he'll teach one final class, teaching his students how to die. That's where Schwartz's old student and friend Mitch Albom comes in. After seeing the Nightline interview, Albom visits Schwartz and makes another promise to keep in touch.
A few weeks later, Albom's newspaper goes on strike, and he is out of a job. Left with too much time on his hands and too many unsettling thoughts in his head, he returns to Massachusetts to see Schwartz. In fact, he returns to Massachusetts every Tuesday until the end of Schwartz's life.
After a couple of visits, Albom begins recording their talks, with Schwartz's permission and his encouragement. He wants to share this journey with the world and knows that Albom can help him reach beyond the walls to which his disease has confined him. For the next fourteen weeks, Schwartz and Albom discuss everything from regrets and death to money and marriage, from family to forgiveness. Their conversations and the insights they give into the way Schwartz has lived his life and accepts his death become the foundation around which Tuesdays with Morrie is written.
The tutor announced at 11:05 AM.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Hi everyone. This is Nicholas here and welcome to the blog. Finally, the blog is about to be completed and so here I am "hammering" away on the keyboard to type you this. Of course you know that this blog has been specially created for the students, ex-students and whoever are linked to TM. Once again..... Hi and welcome.
2008 is coming to an end and I would say that there has been plenty that happened during the year. We had new students as well as sad farewell to the graduating secondary 4s. There were those who did well for the exams and the few who did not. Ups and Downs are part and parcel of life, so we have to face them. However, there is a leson to be learnt in any incident that occur in our lives and so we have to take them in our strides and face the various obstacles bravely.
I am proud of those who have done well, namely the p4s ( 3 of whom even came in top 3 in their respective classes in sch), my p6 ( all of whom made it to Express) and especially to Zhen Yong who scored 2 A* and 2As. Well done people! Keep up the commendable work. Memories have also been "engraved" as plenty of interesting events happened. Parties were held, plenty of food were gobbled down and fun and laughter filled the air during joyous occasions.
I must not forget to thank those tutors who have helped me, without them, I would have been less effective. Eileen and Gene..... both of you have been great and the kids love you and the hard work you have put in. Thanks to Sherwin too....he helps me entertain the kids by being clownish at times... and not forgetting the little errands he runs for me. Oh yes, special thanks to my god-daughter Angel for making it possible for me to type in this blog, as well as the little sacrifices she has made...... appreciate what you guys have done from the bottom of my heart. Erm.... hope this doesn't sound like I am giving a speech at the Academy Awards. :p
Nevertheless, I am deeply touched by the trust and support which students and parents have given me. I assure one and all that I will continue to work hard and perform my role as a tutor and friend to the students.
Last but not least, here's me, together with the tutors and of coz my always helpful and obliging Angel, wishing everyone a
Happy New Year !
The tutor announced at 9:19 AM.
![P4 [2008]](http://s449.photobucket.com/albums/qq220/mentorz/?action=view¤t=P42008.jpg)
