Thank God

Sometimes, the pace of life is so fast, we tend to forget to Thank God for the good things that happen in our lives and we only know how to keep requesting. And I really want to Thank God for finding my friend Hui Hui! Although it has been quite some time since Huihui and I last contacted, she is still a friend in my heart and the past few weeks, she's been constantly in my mind and my prayers. A sigh of relieve.

Something cute happened today while I was observing one of the teacher's class. She has this girl who kept looking at me and smiling at me. And just before she went off to do her work, she told Ridhwan that I'm hers! I was a little stunned at first, but then, it also goes to show that she likes me. For what reason? I don't know. I didn't even teach the class! But it is still so heart warming to know that students find me approachable. (At least that's what I hope). Ridhwan says because I am female and that girl likes female teachers. Hehe, I don't know. Thank God for the little ones. They just make your life filled with colours.

Basically these few days have been busy doing lesson plans. Completed 4 lesson plans in 2 days and have halfway more to finish my overview weekly plan too. Hopefully, I can finish up most by tomorrow because I do not have any lessons to observe and so, I will be sitting in office the whole day, doing up my lesson plans.

What's with the rain again? It's been raining everyday and the rain is really heavy! Freaky weather. People, remember the umbrellas!

Teaching Practice: Day 1

It's the first day of practicum. We survived. All 6 of us and on the first day, we were already called up to do relieve! I can't believe it. Can't they just let us off? Although we have free periods, it doesn't mean we've got nothing to do. Grr.

Now it feels really different, in such that I plan my own scheme of work and not wait for my CT to tell me which day to do which portion of the chapter. I am in charging of my own planning. I just have to let her see my weekly lesson plan for her approval I guess. My main CT's great, she's guiding me along quite well.

I've decided to nickname Ridhwan the laughing hyena, because he was feeling so hyper today, for God knows what reason and kept laughing and irritating all of us. He has a sugar daddy, Alan, who unwittingly became his victim. And there's Adrian whom Ridhwan can't stop teasing. Of course there are 2 angels, me and Ting Yue (ok, I know I very thick skin =p) and one soccer maniac, Wesley. It's a cool bunch. We're taken out from the staff resource and back into our tiny cubicle, using canteen tables as our desk!

Today, my colleagues asked a very valid question. Why do they complain they they do not have enough teachers when they also do not have enough space to house the teachers? Doesn't make sense to us. Furthermore, they are aiming for AQ (above quota) teachers to students ratio. Heard a few politic stories in my school. Finally saw it happening this morning. All I can say to myself is, welcome to reality!

Was so bored and didn't have any mood to do my work, and so I decided to play Theme Hospital, with the most difficult level. Lost at level 4, after one hour plus. Grr. Oh well, it took my mind off work and now, I think I'm going to sleep. Gotta get used to waking up at 5.30am!

Urgent! Please help!

Please help to look for my friend, Cheong Huihui. She has been missing since 12th Feburary 2007. Contact me or go to the link below to message the relevant authorities.

http://www.crime-library.org/story/embody.asp?id=38152

Huihui is a good friend of during my SP Choir days and I hope that she is still safe and sound. Please help if you can.

Thank you.

Dear God, please protect Huihui from all harm. Watch over her and keep her safe so that her family and friends can all have a peace of mind. Lord, I pray that you will be with her through this period and bring her back to us. I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, Amen.

Chill out

Assignments are all handed in finally! It's a relieve. Went out to celebrate the end (kinda) of NIE life and a new big step into being a teacher now. After handing in the assignments, went to vivocity with Sul to catch a movie. Just before the show, laogong smsed me that he was in vivocity too! Ended up having lunch with Sul, laogong and Keith at Long John Silver. It's my first movie since June last year. I've been talking about wanting to watch this show and that show but I never get to. Wanted to watch Norbit but since Sul already watched it, I decided to watch Just Follow Law at the GVmax theatre just for the sake of experiencing the theatre. And my verdict is, the theatre is good, but I rate the show 3 out of 5. For rememberance sake, here's the ticket.


After the show, we walked around vivo for a while before I went to laogong's workplace to meet him. We went to Holland Village thereafter to go to Eski Bar. My brother met us there. Spent $114 there. Ordered garlic bread, potato wedges, sex on the beach, sleeping polar bear, screwdriver and a jack daniels jug among the three of us. I love this bar! Ok, I just found out the difference between bar, pub, disco, club.

Eski bar at Holland V. has two types of seating. One in just a normal air-conditioned climate and another at a freezing temperature! After we ate, we went to the freezing room. It was so cold that we needed those winter jacket and we were still shivering! Why I like the place is because, there's no smoking and it's unique! I love the coldness (though it was a little too cold that my toes were frozen). On the higher end in terms of pricing, but if the cost is shared among all, then it's quite alright.

Since that place is so unique, how can I not take photos?
Laogong and I


My brother couldn't stand this picture. Said that it was so japanese. Hmmm, is it? Oh well, it's just me at the bar. Brrrr, cold.


I had fun and wouldn't mind going back there again. In a few weeks time. I don't like the alcohol though, its just the nice chill out environment with friends.

Fun aside, it's time for some serious matter. Practicum!

We had the briefing yesterday and there will be 6 of us. 4 of us as before and 2 more new PGDE trainees. This time all of us are only given Primary 3 and 4 classes. My CT was my primary 3 and 4 teachers and I still have some of the things she made and gave me as a reward (positive reinforcement). It feels really good and I am looking forward to working with her. She is my favourite teacher and it was because of her I wanted to teach. As for the 2nd CT, well, can't say much, just gotta get to know her more. We'll be housed at the staff resource room. Good and bad. We won't be able to interact with the teachers but yet we have our space. My timetable's not out yet, probably on monday or tuesday before details are confirmed.

That's all for now. After effects of alcohol, making me sleepy.

Mahjong!

I'm drained. Had quite a busy day yesterday and today. Went visiting some relatives living in the east in the early part of the afternoon. After that, dad gave me the car to go out. I was rather surprised he allowed. So I ended driving to laogong's place (with my brother in the car) and then to blade's house and then to steven's house, all of whom are laogong's buddies. I guess I am still not that confident yet, but there's still improvement. So by the time we reached back laogong's place, I could only play mahjong for a tiny while. And they (laogong and his sisters) offered be a brilliant plan.

Drive home, return the car, pack my bag, shower and laogong will drive down and fetch me later when his parents are home with the car. Seems so brilliant! We can finish up the game and I don't have to wake up early for ktv today.

Overnight mahjong and ktv. Seems like a life of a tai-tai. My dream life. Throw in a manicure, pedicure, facial and spa. I'll be on cloud nine. Anyway, when's the next mahjong session?

First time playing mahjong overnight and it was so fun that when we ended the game at 5+am, I was still so awake, both physically and mentally. Took me a while to sleep. Finally I slept about 4-5 hours, and was a little tired and so didn't really sing well during KTV today and fell asleep during church service for the Ash Wednesday today.

There finally is news from the practicum school and that we have to go down for a briefing tomorrow at 2pm. Hope I get nice CTs and good classes.

Chinese New Year

Wishing everyone chinese and well non-chinese too a happy lunar new year. 恭喜发财 万事如意I've been so busy the past few days that I do not have the time to update. I shall update what has been happening the past few days.

Eve of the eve of the lunar new year

Friday, and officially the last day of lessons at NIE for us year 2 DipEd teachers. It was a feeling of happiness and yet we will miss each other and start facing the reality world of being teachers! Took some photographs that day during DCM and DCS class.

From left to right: Me, Sultanah, Linda, Gillian.. oh how much I am going to miss them. DCM class has always been fun because of all our jokes and teasing each other.


What can I say? Linda and I got a little steamy together. Heehee. Ok, we were bored and so took some really silly photos.


And of course, there's me and Sultanah too, while I was trying to act cute.


Later on in DCS class, we took some photos too. We had this fortune to have a really good tutor with us for 3 semesters. Well, Claudia stayed back too and so we ended up all taking this photo together.

From left: Me, Sultanah, Claudia


After that, all 3 of us headed to Chinatown Point to have our hair done. It was fun having Claudia with us. Unfortunately, it was the last day of school and there was not much time to really get to know each other even more. But just that day was good. The good side of it was, it is never really too late to get to know each other more. Now that we have each other's msn contacts, we can still keep in touch.

Eve of Chinese New Year

Traditionally, it's the reunion dinner at my house this year. And we usually have Yee Shang or Yu Sheng. My family does not believe in buying it because it is far too expensive. So, we prepared everything. Ok, consider that I prepared almost everything because mum didn't have the energy to do it. Early in the morning, I had to shred 6 carrots and 2 radishes. Then, cut the preserved fruits, ginger and onion. Peel the nuts out from the shell and pound them. Decorate two plates of yu sheng and then the mixing and tossing of it started. It's a lot of effort. At least it tasted good.

My big family tossing the yu sheng and shouting well wishes


I also helped my dad to prepare the steam fish. So much cutting to do! Ginger, tomatoes, red chilli, salted vegetable, etc. The day passed by so fast and I was totally drained by night time.

1st day of the Lunar New Year

Went to church early in the morning and then went visiting. Places covered: Cheng Ee (6th Ee), Ma Ee (Dua me / 1st Ee but because of the age gap with my mum, she's like a mother to me mum, so we call her Ma Ee), 4th Ee, Ah Kong + Da gu (fathernal side, but unfortunately Da gu wasn't in and Ah kong was sleeping), Gek Ee (5th Ee), Godma+Godpa.

It was such a busy day and I was knocked out by night time.

2nd day of the Lunar New Year

Everyone was so tired, we slept till late. Had lunch before leaving house about 2.30pm. I drove down to Laogong's house, together with my family. Stayed there for a while before going to my mum's godparents' house. Their zoo is like a mini zoo. They have an overly active dog which couldn't stop licking my brother and kept trying to lick me too (and I was super terrified by it!), a spotted dove, a rabbit and many fishes! And finally headed to Gu-gu's (my mum's only brother) house for dinner. We watched Ice Age 2 there. It was cute.

And now, I am at home, updating this blog, and shall try to finish some my assignments.

The plan for tomorrow. Maybe go to Ah Kong's house, Storm kor's house and Chris' house. Shall see how.

Happy Valentine's Day

I know it is past midnight but still I would like to wish everyone out there a Happy Valentine's Day. Mine was nothing special, except if you want to consider waiting for laogong at cineleisure for more than an hour, seeing countless couples walking pass me. Anyway, I don't see the need to celebrate it. Doesn't matter much to me anyway.

Injured my foot again! I was washing my clothes yesterday and while walking out of the toilet, I slipped and nearly fell. Managed to grip onto something and my foot just scrapped against the step. It was still painful and now, it's swollen and bruised.

Don't know what happened. Have a bad sore eye now, on my right side! And when my right eye closes, my left eye automatically closes too. So I'm nearly blind!

Today's the last day of my DCE201 lesson. How fast her tutorials go. I'm going to miss her and the class. It was such fun.

Poem

Guess what. I woke up late again. And I set 3 alarms this morning at 7am, 7.05am and 7.15am. I did get up, but I thought another 5 more minutes wouldn't kill and so plop! I went back down. I was supposed to meet Ridhwan earlier to go for the briefing together. And he was the one who told me to give him a morning call because he might have overslept. Alas! I was the one who overslept. Faster showered and packed my stuff and we shared a cab to school.

I managed to survive the 4 hours break somehow. Was at the library doing my p2 lesson plan and I managed to get the library staff to help me set up the internet connection and so I could also come online and chat. The 4 hours passed by rather easily. At class today, my tutor gave some comments on the lesson plans and now it seems like I have to redo my lesson plan, the one I did while at the library. Luckily, it's not completed and so I can still redo. After redoing this, I may want to redo my P5 Oral one too because I can't convince myself that that lesson plan I did is fun and interesting. Depends on how much time I have left.

I've managed to come out with an interesting idea for my P2 lesson plan already. As a result of my interesting idea, I had to write poems. It's been a long time since I wrote poems. Bet that you didn't know I used to write them, almost every alternate day. I just shared with Vivien my poems and she was amazed. To me, my poems are very basic. I shall post one of my works and maybe you can comment on it.

Forget You Not

I guess I don't stand a chance
I didn't even have a chance
How did I ever fall in love
Oh why oh why must there be love

I cry because of you day and night
I think of you before I sleep each night
Being always here for me
It is just so foolish of me

You led me to believe I meant something to you
However I do not blame you
I pretend that I'm fine though I hurt inside
If only you could feel my heart inside

I can't seem to move on
My love for you will always be on
I don't mind whether you love me not
But for sure I'll forget you not

This is 1 out of my 20+ pieces of poems I did while in secondary 4. My masterpiece came at the end of sec 4 before our graduation ceremony. I did a graduation speech on behalf of my class, in the form of a poem. Maybe I'll post that one of these days. Did you know I used to wonder if I should become a poet? But I just felt shy to really speak out and ask my literature teacher on how to go about publishing my works. And now since I just chatted with Vivien, I thought, why don't I just slowly post it in my blog and see how people feels about my works. I do hope that you enjoy it.

Time wasted

It's a wasted trip today down to Takashimaya. Specially waited 143 on SBS 9815H for about half hour (one of the better buses) and spent about an hour walking by myself and found nothing. My brother came and we still found nothing. Laogong came later and then I still couldn't find anything that I really wanted to buy. Maybe it was the price. Even though I have the vouchers, but to spend $50 on a shirt? No way! Couldn't convince myself to spend like that. Looks like I am going back to BEGA to get some tops. Shall try the outlet at JP tomorrow.

It's back to school tomorrow. The sort-of-holiday is gone in a flash. And I only managed to finish 1 assignment, not 2. Decided to install office on the laptop and bring the laptop to school tomorrow and finish it during my 4 hours break. Oh well, I've learnt how to eat by myself outside and I've learnt how to go shopping by myself (even at Orchard, although I got lost for a while), now passing 4 hours at the library shouldn't be a problem. I've learnt to be independent, in some way. Or maybe I'm just not a social butterfly.

Mission accomplished!

My aims for today were:
1. Clean up my bedroom
2. Finish my P5 Lesson Plan
3. Change my bedsheet

And I'm proud to say that I've done all 3 today with sheer determination.

My room is not exactly squeaky clean but just neater. You can't really blame me for having too much things. I can't throw away my poly lecture notes (who knows when they will come in handy right?), can't throw away my NIE notes for the same reason and then there's all the presents and cards from my friends collected over all the years, too sentimental to throw.

Being a teacher, I have started collecting teaching material. What consitutes teaching material? Basically anything! Think about it. Even a CD can be a teaching material. I can use it for P2 Math class on shapes or P6 class on finding area and circumference. Another example, hole puncher. I can use it for P5 Science on levers. So you see, all these things can't be thrown! I also have so many textbooks that I took from twinnie's brother in case I need them and so I had to clear shelve and cupboards just to fit them in. After hours of clearing, finally.

Lesson plan lesson plan lesson plan... when is it going to end? Down with one and left 1 more. And just when I think it is over, practicum starts and I would presume it will come out to about 2 lesson plans a day, minimum.

Ridhwan called me earlier this afternoon, asking me to meet my NSC (NIE Supervising Coordinator) on Monday at 9am with him and Wesley. Now this sucks big time. Not that meeting her sucks, but the timing sucks. Since everyone can make it at this time, then can't for my sake change right? Supposing briefing ends at 9.30am, then that would mean a 4 hour break before my class starts at 1.30pm! Goodness! What am I going to do? Coming home also doesn't sound logical because I would have to leave soon after. Staying in school... in the library... 4 hours... to do my P2 Lesson Plan maybe? Ah, damn, laptop does not have microsoft office! School computers? Nah, hate the computer lab. I shall think of something.