It's really funny when people tell you that you're funny. When I hear that, my first instinct is to say that I'm not. Well its a Chinese thing. Humility is what they call it, although I really think its something rather hypocritical. Everyone loves praise, come on just admit it for once.
My piano teacher used to say that I am someone who cannot be praised. Well she was pretty much right there. When I was playing passages from my exam pieces, I would totally play like shit till she started scolding me. Then I would proceed to play some of the best playing I'd played in weeks. Then of course she'd praise me and it'd all go back to square one. She even once offered me some Ultramen from her little collection when Ultramen was still the in-thing all those eons ago. I worked really hard and earned 2 of them. I never completed the set, because after earning those 2 my playing got really bad.
I recall my driving instructor used to say the same thing. He praised me before my driving exam and I proceeded to knock down two poles and drive up the wrong slope. Apparently the praise went to my head and I forgot how to drive. I'm lucky he didn't praise me after I'd passed, or I'd probably have took his car and rammed it into the driving centre in jubilation on the way back to the carpark.
Seriously, when people tell me I'm funny I'm at a loss for words. I must be the most unfunny person around. Everywhere I look around me people are funnier than me. I'm actually pretty run of the mill. Why are all you people saying I'm funny like I've got three toes and six fingers?
Ohmygawd. Now that sure was funny.
Anyway, let me show you people what real funny is.
This is what NTU apparently put on their application for GSS.
"If you only have a minute before an international audience, how would you prove yourself to be a worthy NTU ambassador?"
There are quite a few problems with this statement, but I shall not start on the obvious. I shall start by correcting the grammar. In the first part of the sentence, they used the present tense "have", but in the second part they used the past tense "would". In addition, the "to be" is pretty redundant. Unfortunately, this is typical "NTU English". In fact, it is so typical the average NTU student wouldn't even notice anything amiss because they are so accustomed to it.
Now, let's get to the obvious part of this question. How am I supposed to prove myself a worthy NTU ambassador before an international audience if chances are, they don't know what NTU is? Most Americans still think Singapore is in China, and NTU is not even the most recognised university in Singapore.
Lastly, such a situation is never going to happen, as much as the profs and deans of NTU drool in their sleep thinking of such incredible situations to earn more glory for their institution. I know one that is more likely.
"If NTU is singled out and criticised in a forum for universities worldwide for not promoting freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas, how would you rationalise the stand taken by NTU before an international audience?"
Now, that would be more interesting wouldn't it.