change : be different, undergo alteration

Name: Jonathan Tan

Nickname: jonny tanner

Birth date: May 31

Status: Single

Country: Singapore

Occupation: Student

Most Favourite Colour/s: Black with red (Just like on the website)

Favourite Food/s: La pizza

Favourite Music Artist/s: Nice tunes. I enjoy listening to Western foreign language songs.

Favourite Song/s: By Il Divo: Regresa a mi, I believe in you. By Vasco Rossi: è... From Phantom of the Opera: Phantom of the Opera-Theme song, Music of the night. By Raf: L'infinito. By Anna Tatangelo: L'amore senza fine.

Favourite Frictional Book/s: The Phantom of the Opera by Leurox Gaston. Sight Unseen by Robert Goddard.

Favourite Movies: The Phantom of the Opera, The Passion of the Christ, The day after tomorrow, The Chronicles of Narnia

Favourite Musical: The Phantom of the Opera (in Singapore)

Hobby: Doing nothing.

Interest: Italy, and her Language. And I am studying it now.

School/s attending/ed: Saint Andrew's Junior School, Saint Andrew's Secondary School, Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Singapore Polytechnic: School of Design.

Current Goal: Do well in my Polytechnic Course. Hopefully be a good radi8-tor?.

Favourite Bible Verse: Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"

Most memorable Birthday:

This was in the year 2005 (when I turned 15). It was the longest Birthday and most special to me. I had spent my Birthday in Paris, Europe. My Birthday, as of Singapore timing, had already begun in Paris on May 30. This was the day that I climbed the Eiffel Tower, on which I was freezing. I got to try escargots at a French Restaurant too. My family and I were able to catch a boat to tour along the Seine River. This is a rather famous spot, whereby the boat brings you around to catch important sights of Paris. Then, I had a surprise Birthday dinner and cake. A friend had brought us out for dinner, where we had mussels. My Birthday candle was unique as it was some sort of a sparkler, and I still have it. Then, on May 31 in Paris, I got to spend my Birthday at Disney Land. Being able to sit on many rides, for free, and getting another surprise Birthday gift from Aunty Lydia, who works at a Gift Store in Disney Land. Thanks to all who made this Birthday special.



Most traumatic experience:

This event happened when I was at the age of 2. I remember clearly that I used to enjoy jumping on my sister's bed. And on this very day, I decided to jump down the stair case as well. Unfortunately, I missed a step, and I went tumbling down 10 steps. I can still remember the sequence of head, buttocks, head, buttocks…My sister who was there witness my fall, and I can remember the scream she made.



Most nervous experience:

I would say an event that I was most nervous about would be my performance in Secondary 2. For months our team and I were preparing for a play, entitled Dreamers. This was directed my Jeremiah Choy. Being shy, and forced to join the Drama Club, which I realise is fun now, I found it difficult to break out from "my comfort zone". It was difficult for me to express and act. Finally, after the many months of practice, it was time to perform for the public (September 14, 2004), mainly schoolmates, teachers and parents. We had to put make up on, being fair in skin-tone; I had to put the most. The team and I were in a waiting room, I could feel my hands being cold, my stomach feeling uncomfortable and my heart pounding so hard. I told myself, in my mind, "I can't do it!" In the end, although 2-3 mistakes were made, it was rather successful.



Most gloomy experience:

This was in the year 2004, when I was in Secondary 2. I'm closest to my second sister in my family. And this year, at around October, she had announced that she had gotten a scholarship to London to study. All I did was to keep quiet. I'm someone who gest attached to something easily when it is around me. I was happy and yet sad. I was happy for her that she had gotten a scholarship, but sad that she would be leaving for 3 years. I remember how I was hoping she wouldn't leave. (Hopefully she doesn’t read this…) I would pray each night, "Dear God, please let Sabrina change her mind in going to London." Selfish, yes I know, but she would be gone for 3 years! But finally I gave up. All I could do was…to cry. (This is embarrassing…maybe I should stop). Every night, before she left, I would think of everything she had done for me. So I decided to do something for her. And that was to sew a pencil case. I only had a few days, but I had to complete it. I just told myself, "Just hurry and complete it…" I sewed, and got pricked many times, but I never gave up. Then I finally completed it. I gave it to her the day before she left. She cried. On the day she left, I didn't really want to go to the airport, but for the sake of seeing her the last time before 3 year's end, I went. All she did was to hug me before she left. While heading home, all I did was to break into tears. For the next few days, I tried to hide all her photographs that were visible to me, so that I wouldn't cry more. I just tried to keep myself busy, but couldn't do so. I tried to use the computer, but I just couldn’t concentrate. Finally, after weeks, I got over it and 3 years just came by so quickly. Now, at least she's back here.



Most enjoyable mission:

This happy and enjoyable mission was the surprise home returning of my sister, Sabrina, from London. This was in the year 2005. It took months of preparation. My sister usually contacted my family via phone, or sometimes Skype, the program that allows people to make free online calls. My elder sister, Priscilla was also part of it. We that year was Sabrina's 21 Birthday, my parents wanted to celebrate it for her in Singapore. But initially, we thought that it would be a waste of money to come back for a birthday celebration and return within a few days. However, this initial thought turned out to be our mission. From around October and November, my mum would also pass a remark, "Don't know if Sabrina want to come back or not". At the time, the mission was already in progress. Being sly, as according to Sabrina, I said, "No, they have a birthday plan for her over there already" Then as it neared her arrival, my mum's remarks were more, hopeful. She would say, "I think Sabrina will come back, what do you think?" Hoping to play, psychological effects on her, I changed my answering technique to "Maybe…maybe tomorrow". This was to make it sound ridiculous and impossible. Finally, the day of her arrival approached. I told mum and dad that I would be going out to catch a movie with a friend. Then Franklin, who was a last minute accomplice, came over to collect a cake for his girlfriend's birthday.
Franklin: You going out?
Myself: Yah, to Plaza Singapura to catch a movie
Franklin: Oh, I will be going there too, I give you a lift.
Myself: Oh, ok.
Rush out of the house Then we picked Priscilla up and headed to the airport. Then we came up with a last minute, but unsuccessful plot. That is to surprise Sabrina. We told her that Priscilla had difficulty taking leave and I had difficulty getting out of the house. So she would have to go home by herself. However, when she reached Singapore, she called and noticed our background sound was similar. But she didn’t really put that into consideration. It was going quite well, but she thought she heard someone calling her name, and then she soon spotted us. As we reached home, I was sent in to check on the environment. I told mum that the movie tickets were sold out, so we came home. Then the surprise began! Both mum and dad were surprised and happy. The accomplices were also happy that it worked out well, as planned!





Most difficult task:

Well, my most difficult task was to prepare for my second sister, Sabrina,'s 21 Birthday gift. Being 21, everything should be special, from how I view it. I was cracking my head to think of what I could do. And finally, I thought of drawing a portrait of her. So I browsed through the recent photos taken while on my Europe Trip in that same year. After searching through thousands of pictures, I finally found one proper and nice one. Then it came to the decision, do it on sketch paper or the canvas board I had since I was in Secondary 2. Having no proper art lesson in school, I had to browse through the internet to search for 'drawing portrait techniques'. Then I slowly picked up, through practice, the techniques required. I found the hair hardest to pick up, as I had to use a total of 5 pencils to have the shade, to pick out fine hair and "strip" hair. In the end, I drew it on the canvas board. However, I then had difficulty. I couldn't do the eyes and mouth. So I decided to get some coaching from my best friend, Brendan. Who then taught me how to get the shade in the eyes, which I managed to pick up. But for the mouth, I improved, but I wouldn't grade it as a pass.Being caught up with the planning of her surprise return, I had very little time to drew it. When she came back, it gave me even lesser privacy to draw without her knowing. But thank God that the portrait was finished two days before her birthday.



Most stressful experience:

The most stressful period of my school life would be in 2006, when I was preparing for my O levels. It started from the start of around March, April. This was the time when the Design and Technology Paper 2 project was given out. To find out that the theme was Learning Aids. Stunned. Never did i expect such a theme to come out. It was really difficult for me to start my folio, because I had no idea what to put down. But thank God that I managed to get ideas and all. When I finally settled down on my artefact making, which is the music stand, I had a lot of difficulties. Firstly, the technicians providing me with the materials were not helpful and making things worst by not wanting to give them to me. Secondly, time was running out really soon. Thirdly, I hadn't thought of how I would make it. Initially, I wanted to make the music stand out of Plastic, so as to make it look unique and special, as all music stands were made out of metal. But due to some misunderstanding between the technician, I decided to move to metal. (There are two technicians in charge of different materials. One for metal and the other for both plastic and wood) During this time, I also had to look for a motor to run the music stand. Looking everywhere, for a direct 90 degree turning motor, but it was no where to be found. I was praying hard, then I remembered Brendan introducing a shop at Bishan year's ago. I went there and thank God, I found it. As soon as I started on the artefact making, so many problems kept arising. For example, my switch box. I had to redo it for about 5 times. Firstly, dimensions were measured wronly. Secondly, the pieces just kept breaking apart as I was making a scaled down product, making the plastic pieces really hard to work with. After spending hours in the workshop for that day, only to find out it will break at the end of the day, I got more and more discouraged. I just wanted to give up and forget about this whole subject. Everytime I thought of it, I cry. Time was running up and I still hadn't completed it. To make things worst, I had to be doing my folio at the same time. I tried and tried, and finally, I made the ugliest but most successful box. Then I had to quickly move to my other parts to make. At last, after about 2 months, I completed my artefact. Now, the question was how would I join the metal pieces? I searched high and low for people doing aluminium welding, and thank God that I managed to find someone from Church to help me with it. I was discouraged when I got the pieces back. They were damaged! All I could do was, "to live with it". I had no choice, it was too late for adjustments. This period of time was really stressful for me, but one thing is that, I have to thank God for helping me get through this time and to thank Him for my Family, who had encouraged me along the way.