Every cloud has a silver lining (Penned on 23rd June 2008)
After a long one-month break, it was finally time to get cracking again and do what I’m paid to do- TEACH. No doubt I started in May, but the deployment was not finalized yet then as it was almost the end of the term. Which means- today I’d be finally getting classes to teach (for good)- which I was really looking forward to. (Idleness may be fun, but no so for the good ‘ol appraisal *groan*)
Funnily enough, I couldn’t get to sleep last night because of anxiety. I was thinking of my classmates who’d be starting their practicum stint today, and was quite sure they wouldn’t get much shut-eye for the night. I tossed and turned, and could only fall asleep at around 3.30am (which is BAD because I woke up at 5).
True enough, I felt shittier than ever- I should have just stayed awake all the way. Just as I got into the ‘momentum’ of sleeping (if there is such a thing!), I had to wake up. My body was aching, my head hurt, and to make it worse, I had to attend an oral briefing after school till 5pm. And no, it is not as exciting as it sounds. 
Cranky as hell, I was (as always) cussing under my breath. My list includes:
1 Which SADIST decided that 7-7.30 is a good time for school to start?!!! I see school kids crowding the buses as early as 6.15- the sky is as dark as night, and the MOON is out, for godsakes! Why can’t they start at a more godly hour, or at least when the SUN HAS RISEN?? WHY? WHO?!!!! WHYYYY?!!!!! *&^*(&$#
2 WHY are there still people who DON’T take showers in the morning?!!! WHAT makes them think they will get ‘a cold’ or have ‘brittle bones’ if they DO???? HOW do they get by through the sweltering day smelling like their bedsheets (which haven’t been washed for months, I’m sure!!!!) I felt CHEATED to be smelling so nice and fresh, only to be masked by their foul-smell filling the air in the bus. WHY?!!!! HOW???!!!! AAARGGHHHH!!!!
3 WHYYYY does a busload of STUDENTS who are all dropping off at the same bus stop REFUSE to press the ‘bus stopping’ button when it’s time to get off? Is it UNGLAMOUROUS/ HUMILIATING/ DAMNING to be pressing the comical ‘ting tongggggg!!!!!’ button? Why did I, the only adult who had the misfortune of taking the bus with you dimwits, have to squeeze my boob past the crowd just to press the nearest button so as not to miss the stop?!!!! WHAT’S WRONG with you teenagers?!!! AAARGGGHHHH!H!!!!!
By the time I got to number two I was already fantasizing about holding a tommy-gun and going trigger happy.
And of course my LUCKY morning did not end there. No, not yet for the very LUCKY me. I came to my table in the senior tchrs’ room only to find that someone has decided to just take over my place and claim it as his/her own. But I was fine with it, as I was actually looking forward to be moved to a permanent desk with the rest of the teachers in the staff room. The OM gave me a seat (a temporary one too!) which was STILL FILLED with things owned by the teacher who is currently on no pay leave. She has been gone for more than a year, and the place looked like a tornado hit it 24 hours ago. To make my day, I actually heard not one, but definitely at least TWO lizards somewhere in/on the desk, serenading each other. Someone told me that’s not surprising because she has quite a lot of food lying around (for ONE YEAR!) and she’s not exactly a stickler for cleanliness. Just great. Not only do I inherit the teacher’s books, but also a family of lizzies. THAT just the icing on my super creamy LUCKY CAKE for the day. How nice.
Anyways, I did manage to go into one class. The class does live up to the notoriety I’ve been warned about so I was pretty much mentally prepared. I was advised to basically gnarl at them and flash them my razor sharp fangs, but I just couldn’t bring myself to be like that. Sure I can be firm and assertive, but I can’t go into class (no matter how rowdy) pretending I’m a monster/teacher-from-hell/enemy to the students. Thank God, I was able to manage them, albeit them trying to test the waters to gauge me. I spent a lot of time thinking and strategising after class, on the kind of approach I need to take to work with these kids.
By noon, I was tired like hell. Good thing after the long and dreary briefing, I caught up with one of my NIE classmates and had a good pigging and hanging out session. It was really good, to be sharing our experiences teaching so far, amongst other things.
On a lighter note, hehehehe (I say this blushingly, really), I chanced upon a piece of good news when throwing out the trash collected in my room. A letter from NIE dated in EARLY JUNE, unopened and thiiiiiiiiiiis close to flames of the incineration plant.
MACCOWWW!!!!! Sure or not?!!!! Biar betik?!!!!
I was quite engulfed in disbelief, and when I called the officer to ‘confirm my attendance’- yalah, it’s true. It’s not a fluke/ misprint/ calculation error hahahah. I showed the letter to my parents to see their response – my mom was in her usual ’skeptical-sure-or-not’ macho stance, and then ‘ALHAMDULILLAH, BERSYUKURLAHHHH dapat ni’ (thank god! be thankful!!!’), and for my dad- well his reaction was quite unexpected. I was in the car with him and my younger sis while my mom and elder sis popped out a while to buy groceries. He read the letter aloud, got to that particular line, and was quite overwhelmed with joy that his voice sort of choked when he said ‘congratulations, I’m so proud of you!’ , and he actually teared.
Which of course made me wanna gush into tears as well. Psshhawwwww. Suddenly I felt soooo happy that I made him proud!
BUTTT then, SOMEBODY (the culprit who CONVENIENTLY thought the letter from NIE was UNIMPORTANT and put it in the TRASH BAG) had to burst the bubble and spoil the kodak moment: when I asked him what that book prize may consist of, HE said ‘if you’re lucky, $300 POPULAR bookshop voucher.’
Before I could pinch his cheek, he just had to add:
BUT- if you’re REALLY REALLY REALLY LUCKY, $300 TOKO HJ HASHIM.
Nonetheless, I ABIDE by my mom’s advice, and AM DULY THANKFUL.
*Alhamdulillah syukur nikmat…. kepada tuhan yang memberi rahmat…
Wooohhh, oh-ohhh…oh-oh…..* (Ali baba bujang lapok song lahhh…)
Every Last Drop
Every last drop. Yes, I am SQUEEEEEEZING out every drop from what’s left of the holidays.
Last night, my family was invited to my mom’s sis surprise party at Pasir Ris, in some chalet I haven’t been to before (and I’m sure many haven’t). It was called the NS Home Team chalets, and I must say the place was quiiiiiiiite spooky. My dad made a wrong turn somewhere and suddenly I felt weird all over… it was quite eerie and mighty dark, with gigantic willowy trees. Soon after my mom and her sisters told us about some Incredible Tale that apparently took place in one of those chalets, so that pretty much added up to the whole Halloween party mood.
The chalet (bungalow, actually) was really quite big and the decor was really sparse. My cousin actually invited around 40-50 people, but it still felt quite empty. I didn’t even dare go up to check out the 4 bedrooms so we pretty much stayed put in the lower floor where the ‘crowd’ is. Too bad for us, we had to wait for almost 2 1/2 hours before the party began because my auntie and her family live across the border and what’s new- they were stuck in a jam (along with truckloads of food). The initial plan was actually to just visit my aunt and wish her a happy birthday, present her with our gift, and toodaloo to all, buttttttt it didn’t happen so basically we were stranded, and starving.
In the end, it was only around 11 that we managed to leave; Ooyah was already going berserk as she had spent nearly three hours running around and playing with her second-cousins, so she was knackered out and hot/sticky/whiny. As soon as we stepped into the cool comfort of the car, Miss Congeniality knocked out (she waves hi to everyone and gives high-fives to all guests REPEATEDLY throughout our stay there, screaming ‘ai-faiii! ai-faii!’)
Ooyah, the ‘baby’ amongst her second-cousins, receiving a special booger-check.
It was already so late, and since she was asleep, we just decided to go home *bummer* so that is ONE night wasted from the very precious holidays.
BUT to make up for it, the three of us decided to go to Sentosa Island today, YES, an OVERSEAS TRIP for me. We set out at about 10.30, highly nervous since the sky had darkened while we were getting ready. We decided to take a shot at it, and if it really rained cats and dogs when we reach Telok Blangah, we would just camp out at VivoCity (AGAIN.)
Luckily, it was still sunny when we reached the south. Ooyah, who is OBSESSED with the cable cars, finally got to take her maiden ride on the dangling boxes that are hanging oh-so-precariously from what appears to be very fine cables. As we stepped onto the moving cars, I was of course reciting prayers under my breath. It was the ‘take-off’ (????) that was really frightening because the car suddenly accelerates and practically DIVES into the open sky, hanging onto the fine cables. Ooyah was of course crying as soon as we were hanging in the air. Thankfully she calmed down soon enough after I diverted her attention towards cars passing us in the opposite direction (and also singing along with her ‘Ketahuan’ and ‘Atas Nama cinta’) (Yes, she’s a real minah, this one.)
A family photo before we ‘take-off’. I heart you!!!
The ride lasted barely 10 minutes and suddenly we found ourselves OVERSEAS without THE passport. Muahahhahhahaha. *cheap thrill*
After a quick brunch at Coffee Bean (which was TOTALLY SUCKY), we made our way to Palawan Beach via the trams. I half regretted fussing so much about the HEAT, because as soon as we got to the beach, the sky turned dark with storm clouds. People started to roll up their mats and soon enough, everyone was told to get out of the water by our very own Baywatch boys. Dammit. So much for all the picnic and swimming stuff that we brought!
Before the storm started, we made our way to a nearby beach restaurant. It was empty, since everyone swarmed the nearby foodcourt, probably assuming that the beach restaurant would cost a bomb. It wasn’t really that bad, quite ok, considering patrons to the restaurant could laze out on the beach loungers provided and a part of the beach was actually cordoned off, reserved for patrons only. Perfect!
Ooyah happily played in their kids’ play area (which consisted of a blow-up pool filled with balls) and slides. As soon as our drinks came, it started. It rained like there was no tomorrow. Did that dampen our spirits? Hell no. We’d stay until the rain stopped and make SURE ooyah’s swimsuit will be wet and sandy at the end of it all!
Of course, being very deficient in the luck department *yes, I am the jinx, no need to point fingers tsk tsk tsk* the rain continued for not one, not two, uh-uh, but THREE (I’m starting to think this is my LUCKEHHHHHH NUMBER- passport, ring a bell?) hours. Ooyah even managed to nap for ONE hour in the comfort of my cushy arm while waiting for the rainstorm to blow over. I must say the staff at Club Islander were such gems- their service was splendid and they tried to make us as comfy as possible. We felt bad of course, so that made us order food and drinks over and over again.
Finally The Ooyah woke up from her nap, and, amazingly at the same time, the rain stopped. Wow. Seems she’s LUCKIER than me. That was 4.30pm, and we ended up playing on the beach for about 2 hours before it was time to go home.
Surprisingly, our day spent at the beach was really pleasant, perhaps even more pleasant than Phuket (don’t whack me yet, hear me out!) For one, the rainstorm made it MUCH more cooler, the sun actually packed it’s bag for the day and didn’t report back to work) , so it was really breezy, cool and nice. No need for sunblock. The sand was cool (unlike phuket or any other beach, for that matter, where the sand is BAKED non-stop.) It was not crowded at all, and the seawater was alright. Sure, it’s no Redang or Phuket-clear, but it was better than east coast, that’s for sure. Well at least there was a tinge of blue in the water, not grey/brown like mainland’s seawater).
Just close your eyes for a second, free your mind, and WALLLAHH! You’re in Phuket.
It’s no different. Really (really).
After cleaning up, we took the Sentosa Express back to Vivocity (apparently affectionately known as ‘SEX’ by Sentosa’s staff e.g “wanna go for a wild ride on SEX?”) We ended up having dinner at the truly bleurghhh Banquet at harbourfront, and shopping. Funnily enough, all three of us bagged SHOES for the day; Ooyah’s papa got for himself a pair of golden shoes (no kidding) from Puma, while Ooyah and yours truly got our crocs. Ooyah has outgrown hers and since she loves wearing ‘em, we thought, what the hell. It’s a nice sunkist-orange one, real cute. I settled for a pair of crocs slingbacks in black (to be worn to school- orange would be outrageous, doncha think?)
So that was our very enjoyable day spent at Sentosa. Overseas. So I can delude myself into thinking that, yeah, I did travel overseas this holidays. Singapore is much more enjoyable than I thought. And when the new resort opens in 2010, you can be sure that I will be a regular there. Really (really).
Who needs a passport?
Slipping Through My Fingers
The June holidays will end in exactly a week from today, and I must say it does feel as if it has lasted longer than it should. I’m being a sourpuss of course, since we couldn’t get to go for a trip somewhere. 
THAT would have made this holidays near-perfect.
In the one month I’ve been home, nothing much (as usual) has been done. I’ve had the pleasure of sleeping in and making up for lost time (try waking up at 5 in the morning 5 days a week….), spending time with The Ooyah, and staying up till late- playing my Sims2. I’ve also been out with friends for our weekly dose of chatting and shopping. I’ve had to go back to school on Mondays and Fridays (yeah, pick the TWO worst days of the week, why don’t you?) to carry out some ‘administrative duties’ in school *grumble* but apart from that, it has been pretty much… slacking. Sweeeeet.
The holidays kicked off on a good note- in the first week of June, i was pleasantly surprised by the examination results. Yeah- the exam has been so long ago that I almost forgot all about it! Alhamdulillah, I managed to FINALLY clinch a degree with 2nd class upper honours. All the hard work has finally paid off, and I must honestly say that I have reaped what I sowed. I owe it all to the people around me, my family, my close friends, and of course my lecturers. What’s sad is that I would not be graduating with the rest of my classmates since the majority of them would have to fulfil their teaching practice first before graduating. This means there would only be four of us, out of 16, who’d be graduating first. Well, it’s better than nothing I must say (it’ll REALLY be quite sad to graduate ALONE, don’t you think?) Anyways, my convocation will be on the 26th of July, and I SO can’t wait. 
And considering that NO ONE in the Malay Language BA programme has EVER managed to clinch a first class honours degree, I take my hat off to my dear friend Fauzia who is THE FIRST and ONLY ONE in SIX YEARS to achieve THE 1st class! WOOHOOOOO!!!!! Fauzia, for all the toil that you put in and simply being the selfless person that you are, I think you TRULY deserve it. So proud of you, kiddo! (*maybe can hint to J to increase hantaran? Value sudah ‘up’ beb…*)
So, 7 more days, and I’m back to the grind. 7 more days of NOT waking up at 5, and 7 more days of not conforming to ANY routine at all. GOD I hate that. Routines, I mean.
I shall spend these last few days as carefree and joyously as possible, for example:
Tues- am: shopping , pm: chalet (my aunt’s birthday)
Wed- am: prolly go to sentosa , pm: shopping/ eating like hell/ slacking
Thur- am: sleeping , pm: baking (kek kukus…)
Fri - am: shopping , pm: ???
Sat - am: sleeping , pm: dinner with friends
Sun – sleeping the whole day and bawling my eyes out
Gawd I feel so sad.
Custom Header Crazed
I’ve had enough of the fluorescent green template I had previously.
Now I’ve gone custom header crazy. Somebodehhhhhh stop me.
Book-Tagged
I’ve been book-tagged by boiseangel and there’s not a better time for her to tag me cos- I am WAY too free this holidays! The rule says that I have to grab a book nearest to me, but if I go by that rule, the book would NOT have 123 pages to begin with (it has only FIVE pages) and it’s entitled ‘Bunny Whispers’. Let’s just leave Ooyah to use that book when someone tags her, ok?
So I picked a book that I’ve only recently started (re)reading which is this:
So here are the rules of the book-tag.
1. Pick up the nearest book
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the fifth sentence
4. Post the next 3 sentences
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you
1. The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon:
It’s such a thin book, and very simple to read. I started reading it more than two years back and somehow never finished it, so I’m only picking it up again last two weeks. The book is about an autistic boy, Christopher, who tries to investigate the murder of his neighbour’s dog, Wellington. The police suspect that he was the one who did it so he tries to clear his name. The book is in the first person narrative, which is a record of the Chris’ investigation. He has high-functioning autism and is a mathematical genius, which explains the many diagrams and graphs in the ‘investigation log’.
2. pg 123, 3 lines after the fifth:
stairs to bed. I wondered if he was asleep downstairs or whether
he was waiting to come in and kill me. So I got out my Swiss
Army knife and opened the saw blade so that I could defend myself
5. Tag five people:
I hereby tag….
1. theburningtrain
2. atilza
3. zalin
4. aznurz
5. dtempest
Okay, DONE!!!
La La La Kerja…
Another song from the Malaysian indie band, Meet Uncle Hussain (I think the lead singer looks very kiut here teehee).
For anyone feeling down at work, because of work, obviously… maybe humming the chorus of this song will help.
You are NOT alone.
Ooh! Terpinga-pinga
Tak puas lagi beradu, mengantuk
Subuh hingga senja
Ah! Hari-hari sama sajaAh! Nak bancuh kopi
Tapi gulanya tiada, minum saja
Kerja bagai nak gila
Ah! Tak juga kayaaa!La La La Laaa… La, hari-hari kerja!
La La La Laaa… Bosan dengan kerja, haha!
La La La Laaa… La, hidup harus kerja, kerja!Gelisah, kugelisah
Mengenangkan masa depan
Kuharus kerja
Oh! Mesti kerja
Tiada apa yang percuma
Realiti tika tiada kerja
Oh! Papa kedanaaa!
