destressing with my iphone

The wonders of technology. I think that I'm quite techno-savvy now (a pat on my back) and am quite proud of it. Started with a laptop, then upgraded to an ipod touch and few months back KC gave me an iphone. It's great to be able to have technology at my fingertips....reading, taking pictures, checking mails, music, listening to sermons on the podcasts, journalling as I read my Bible..........Below are some pictures taken with my iphone while I was out of the house. Sunset from my back porch. It was a rare evening where I just felt peaceful and quiet. (had been most uptight lately). Went cycling with KC with the phone in my pocket and listening to some gospel songs. It was uphill and downhill; I spent most of my time pushing the bike....here KC had to push both bikes so that my hands are free to take pics. Another relaxing evening where we had made time to enjoy.....(being able to enjoy and relax has become an effort for me now; doesn't come easy and I treasure it when it comes). The advantage of being on higher ground....able to see the road below. Saw an accident. This is one path which we like to walk, jog and cycle. I've always wanted to bring my camera to capture the sight. That evening I did so with my iphone!! The state musuem which isn't impressive enough for the kids. When we first moved here, I brought Justine's kids and mine there. They were most unhappy and disappointed with it.

A stolen moment with KC while waiting to pick up Lyn from tuition. We discovered that this valley has been converted to quite a beautiful park with a lake. The state government has spent quite a lot of our money to beautify this place. KC used to walk across this place on his way home to 7R. We would not have seen this had we not decide to make a detour and spent a few minutes just to relax.

curry laksa

Prices of goods have gone up by about 20% or so I believe. We were just lamenting in school how expensive a bowl of noodles is nowadays. So I was pleasantly surprised when I went to a kopitiam for breakfast and had a bowl of curry laksa for only RM3.50. It has enough of everything....fishball, meatball, taufupok, clams, taugeh.....No stinging and the taste was just nice!!! Somehow it feels good to be able to eat and know that the vendor has not stinged on the ingredients. Certain places, the soup is just so diluted. Unfortunately the coffee was not to my liking. I love kopi-kiam-c....it has only kopi. One factor that makes me keep returning to a kopitiam is its coffee. Delicious...cukup pedas, cukup rasa!!

spying.....

Recently we had some motivational talk for the problematic students in school. It was conducted according to race (so much for 1Malaysia). As I am one of the AJK Sahsiah, I was asked to sit in the ceramah for the Malay students. My role was to listen to the ceramah for anything sensitive that should not be mentioned. It seems this is what the Education Department wants when there is such ceramah according to race that someone who is not of that race is to sit in to listen to it. Is this true in other states I wonder? Anyway....I didn't have the chance to sit in and listen to the whole ceramah as there was another more important meeting conducted by the Principal herself which I had to attend for my own good. I did visit the surau anyway to take pictures as I was also in charge of photography and documentation. It was my first time stepping into the surau and the girls were shocked to see me. I think if I had sat there throughout the ceramah they would be stunned. When I was there, the male speaker was talking about translucent clothing and how such immoral dressing is considered 'enemy' to the religion....hmm; I think it would had been interesting for me sitting on the floor with my tight skirt listening to him. I wonder what the other spies have to say for the Indian and Chinese ceramahs...

parental interference

She smiled to me broadly and exclaimed....'You must be Pn Ting.....just as my daughter described, sweet-looking.' For a moment I was flattered; but having been a teacher for almost 20 years, I know there must be a 'prawn behind the stone/or noodle'. I couldn't even recall her daughter when she mentioned the name...total blank...was a bit embarrassed as I searched my brains for a face to match the name. Then came the magic words that connected the whole scene....the dance is good. You must see for yourself. The girls are so disappointed that you cancelled it blah blah blah. The girls are to perform this May for English Day (every Wednesday). I assigned A to be in charge. B came up with the idea to dance. I told her to work it out with A. Unfortunately after the holiday, A complained to me about some friction between herself and B. It was a busy week for me....petty issues like this has no place on my overpacked schedule. I told the girls if they can't come to an agreement; forget about it....do it as I suggested in the beginning a quiz or whatever with A in charge. Well...looks like B was unhappy with my decision and poured it out to her mum. Her mum came for PTA meeting dressed like a 'datin' and acted like one too (she's not...she's just a Puan...so she claimed) and hoped that through her divine intervention and with the mention of a big name in the administration who is looking forward to see the dance, I will allow her daughter to show off her amazing dancing skills. WHAT THE........ I hate it when people manipulate me like this. Hate it.....happens over and over and over..... Anyway....I will watch the dance and decide if it is suitable for English Day or not....Sigh. This is not the first and will not be the last experience that I will have with over-protective, busybody parents who love using the PTA to control the school and teachers. I remember another incident when I was the discipline head teacher. I called the prefects together and voiced my disappointment over their performance and commitment etc. Randomly I called out a name as example and my eyes fell upon this real familiar face who from my History class. I just mentioned her name as an example. That evening, a couple came by my house to talk about their daughter who was harrassed and teased by friends because Pn Ting picked on her. I was......what is this? It was not meant that way.......how did this thing get so complicated and complex? She cried and said she was humiliated etc etc...her enemy (who was a prefect too) laughed at her and made fun of her. Not sure how true it was. I just remembered I was totally confused and felt real bad that I had damaged the girl emotionally. I was asked to apologize to the girl in front of all my prefects which I graciously did. That was not the end of the story....the parent used his power to find out about me and I received letters from the tax department concerning certain properties etc. Infact he knew all about me as to which schools I had taught before, properties I had owned etc. Such abuse of power....I was most relieved when the girl finally left school. Basically she had other issues with her enemy (from primary days) and it went a bit overboard in the last two years of her schooling days. A brilliant girl with low EQ and totally under the protection of her parents. She was to study medicine (probably a doctor now). I wonder if her parents still follow her around and harrass anybody who dare to say a word against her.

paper chase

Ing and Amelia had blogged on SPM....thought I want to put in my cent's worth of thot too.

History teacher just talks history. The result was really good. 47% students achieved A for that subject. That is more than 100As!!!! (We had about 290 candidates I think). Well, that's beside the point. What I'm interested here is to boast about a very special girl.

She comes from a broken home. The father left the family when she was still young. Her mother teaches in a kindergarten. She has a sister who is a slow learner.

Very soft spoken and shy girl. She was never in the limelight. I think teachers hardly noticed her because she is so quiet that she is almost invisible.

She was one of the seven students who scored 9A+....maximum A!!!! I noticed her when she entered my school and found out she was also a top scorer for UPSR. Due to her timidity, nobody took notice of her and gave her much opportuinity for anything. I was guilty of it myself...wanted to forward her name for the prefect board but remembered only when she was in Form 4. Unfortunately that year, the school only wanted candidates from the lower secondary.

In her PMR, she scored straight As again. I quickly took her under my wings...felt I need to take her up seriously and guide her through her last two years. She reported to me after every exam....consistently scoring distinctions for every subject. Her results were simply awesome.

I had never got the chance to teach her so not sure how she studies and what her academic ability is like. According to her Chemistry teacher...she is intelligent...it's not just diligence; she is blessed with good brains.

When she showed me her results yesterday...I was overjoyed. Amazing...the slip was so beautiful. I was so proud of her that I had to call out to teachers who don't know her to show them how excellent she is.

Every other person is busy going online to apply for this and that scholarship whether they qualify or not. When I called her last night, she had not applied for anything because she she has no access to the internet in her home. As she is working, she can't go to the internet cafe. So again...I felt I needed to bulldoze her into action. Here is a totally qualified candidate for a full scholarship...one who has the brains....great attitude...humble....she only lacks in PR and no ability to do any buttering.....who has not done any application but asked her friend to help her apply. Oh my....

To cut the story short, she has taken leave from work tomorrow to meet the counsellor. I mentioned her personally to the counsellor and intend to make sure she is given the attention needed.

Knowing her in a town school where majority of the students are brats is a totally refreshing and encouraging experience.

Congratulations Thivya...God will continue to bless you as you continue to honour Him in your life.

to cover or not to cover

We were eating at KLCC when a whole group of ladies in black walked in and sat at the table next to us. They were covered from head to toe and all that could be seen were the eyes. I'm sure you know what kind of people I'm talking about.

I looked or rather stared at them and discovered quite a few things. They are not local. Rather fair looking and narrow eyes. Very young...probably in their early twenties. Most of them are very slim as most yuppies are nowadays. I think many of them are quite good looking; which made me even more curious to get a closer look at them. The closest I could see was when one of them lifted the veil to shove some food into her mouth. I looked at them from top to bottom; trying to see if they wear anything else beneath the black outfit. Think did see something colourful jutting from the bottom of one of the gowns. Lovely walking shoes.

On my left were a few ladies in their normal outfit...scarf, baju kurung etc. Nothing unusual. Seen everything and all the same. Didn't even give them a second look.

But.....the other group....really made me curious. Now if a woman like me can be so curious by such a covered -up dressing; what more of the opposite sex?

So to cover or not to cover???

Tony Roma's

We were in KL for the usual books hunt (we do this every holiday....the kids hunt for new books to read). Decided to have a belated anniversary celebration with the kids. So we tried a new restaurant...Tony Roma's. Seen it but never been into one before.

17 years of marriage to this clown. He is holding an imaginery balloon. We saw some balloons in the restaurant. Somebody was having a birthday bash. He is like a clown in a way...his mouth is always tilted up like a smile unless he is angry (which rarely happens). His disposition complements mine as I'm a rather serious and grim faced person and I'm real grateful that God has blessed me with him who is not like me....(can't imagine having two sour-faced and hot-tempered character at home....war everyday!!!)

A bib....this was meant to be Dan's. The waitress took a look at Dan and decided he is still a junior; gave him kids menu (which offended him) and later came with a bib (he was TOTALLY offended and upset). KC, as usual, sporting, put it on and had his picture taken.

The tomato juice which he alone drinks. All of us dislike tomato juice...it's like diluting tomato sauce in water. He never fails to order tomato juice if he remembers!!!!

The waiter showed us the four different type of sauces they have. Quite good service.

Seafood pasta....Lyn likes pasta.

Fish and fries for the only person in the family who takes only fish and fries at a western food restaurant.

They are famous for ribs. So KC ordered ribs. Very good.

Atlantic cod with rice. The fish alone would be enough....the rice was just too much. Both fish and rice was delicious.

Our conclusion......the serving was too big. The first few bites were delicious. The food was definitely good. But towards the end, we were struggling to finish it. We must remember to share our food the next time we visit such a restaurant. Normally, we eat very little...thus we get real 'jelak' when there is too much food.