Scrabulous Addict October 31, 2007

Thanks to Flo for introducing to me this addictive game, I am now occupying almost my entire online life with games after games of Facebook’s Scrabulous. And that with multiply players. Hehehe. Currently I have 33 active games and adding one or two more each time I complete a game. Well, I’m not winning much but it certainly is exciting nevertheless.

In other news, the new semester has begun. I’m teaching about 16 hours a week and meeting at least 56 students weekly. I haven’t really gotten to know most of them but there are at least 12 international students from the Philippines. Some have already caught my attention and will be writing about them soon. Hopefully.

OK, I better go. Have a certain Hannah waiting to kick my ass (yet again) on Scrabulous. Haha.

Busy October 25, 2007

Been a busy, busy little girl this week. Don’t even have time to mow and shape my eyebrows. What more plucking my pokilok rerambuts? Man, getting older can be an ugly task.

I’ve been occupied with the language assessment the whole week. And the follow-up marking for 300 plus students isn’t fun after a while! Actually, there are plenty of things that I’ve been meaning to write about but that can wait till later. Until I’ve replenished my batteries.

Night-night.

By the way, I’ve noticed something lately. Some visitors have stumbled upon my blog using the search engine but with a very interesting key phrase/words: gay, Dr. Sheik Muszaphar. In fact today, the whole phrase used was “Dr. Sheik Muszaphar gay in space”. My first thought was, Really? And the second is, only in space?

Hmmm. Is this smoke and there is real fire somewhere? Or it’s just some cigarette smoker’s mouth fart.

Tired October 21, 2007

I’m tired. I sat down the whole day instructing students to curve their fingers on their piano, to count while playing their pieces and to stop shaking their legs while doing so. Sigh. I’m so proud of my resistance to scream like a wrestler each time a mistake is being repeated over and over again.

Anyway, I’m on my way to bed. I just got off Facebook and have stolen some pictures (from Flo) of our lunch together with Heyz last Saturday. Definitely no signs of food here, just (mostly) goofy pictures. I die laughing looking at pic no. 3. We vain ladies wanted to have our picture taken and so Flo approached a hotel staff. Well, try guessing by our awkward poses what kind of errr… misunderstanding took place… Hehehehehe.

           

An Emotional Cat October 19, 2007

Being emotional. Is this is a strength or is this a defect? Some people I know tend to get disgusted by any signs of emotional distress. More so at any signs of tears and melancholy for reasons that seem trivial or petty. But who knows what is trivial or petty?

I read a short story about a child who lost her mother to the class one day. It was one of those story that tends to evoke sympathy and sadness to the listeners. Everyone seem to be listening nonchalantly except for one of the girls. She was about 20 or 21. Not petite in built but pretty. She was looking down on the floor and started sniffling silently. Some began to snicker but I made a face to hush them up. I continued reading and thought, Ahh, here’s an emotional babe. Just like me. After a while she excused herself and left the room. I wrapped up the story a few seconds later and gave the students some work. I went to the restroom and found the girl there crying full-swing. Well, this is over-emotional, I thought.

“Are you OK?” I asked.
“Ya… I’m sorry, Miss. I couldn’t control my tears while listening to the story,” she said.
“That’s alright. It’s OK to cry,” I said and patted her back.
“Miss… I kesian (pity) the child because… because… I am also a mother. I miss my son very much.” New tears were streaming down her face at that point.

My jaw dropped and I couldn’t say anything for a while. I was so taken aback! She? A mother? “My friends do not know about this,” she said quietly. And she told me her story. A story with not an uncommon plot. She got pregnant while still a student at another college. Her boyfriend refused to take any responsibilities and even urged her to have an abortion. Naturally her parents were livid with her. Against all odds, she decided to keep the baby. But she’s been struggling ever since between work and study while her son was being taken care of by her parents back at her hometown.

I miss my son she had said. I couldn’t imagine her world. It was just too difficult to put myself in her shoes. Hmmm.

Who would have known? What I had labelled as emotional at face value in the first place turned out to be an insightful experience for me. Who would want to know? For every tear shed, there must be a story behind it, a situation to be understood, and a new perspective to gain. For every tear shed, there must be a reason, even if it’s just a catharsis. As usual, I get off the topic. Wasn’t I suppose to decide whether being emotional is good or bad? Anyway, I got an SMS from this young mother a couple of days ago. She’s back at her hometown, has a steady job and most importantly she’s with her son.

Tamu Tamparuli October 17, 2007

It’s been ages since I last went to the tamu (a weekly market) in Tamparuli. I took a day off today and had the chance to re-experience the sight, the sound and smell of a tamu. People from all over the district would come by the truckloads either to sell their kampung produces or to buy the necessity. Others came just to loiter around or to meet up buddies. And as usual, the lihing huts would never run out of patrons until the last of the darken bottles is dry. It is not hard to spot the “enlighten” ones, with their pink faces, slurring voices and a toddler’s gait to match.

The tamu today was not much different from the one I remember 20 years ago. Sellers would still use make-shift tents and the dirt grounds as their shops. Their wares and produces are laid on canvas mat. Some had theirs on portable tables made of plywood with metal stands. Tamu Tamparuli would be handicapped without the blarring sound system of mister cassette vendor who’s forever playing Dusun pop songs. You’re a walking sponge without any choice at all. Absorbing the rhythm and getting a tattoo in your head that even hours later, you could still feel the echoes in your ears. Grrrr. Well, surprisingly there was no mister cassette vendor today. (Did he die?) In place was a terrible noise polutant. The recorded yapping of yet another vendor. “Lelong, lelong, mulah, mulah… Kain dali Sinjiapoh. Mali! Mali!” It went on and on and on like a train of thoughts.

Well, Ma and I left after a two-hour leisure getting our groceries for the week and even some lelong items (hehe). Despite the crazy and funny things that I see in a tamu, it reminds me that somewhere out there could have been a piece of me and my life in its simplest form. I had a good refreshing thoughts strolling in the tamu today. And I’m looking forward to another one soon.

Visiting Doulos October 15, 2007

Never forget that life can only be nobly inspired and rightly lived if you take it bravely and gallantly, as a splendid adventure in which you are setting out into an unknown country, to meet many a joy, to find many a comrade, to win and lose many a battle. (Annie Besant)

A quote from one of the books I purchased off Doulos, currently docking in Kota Kinabalu till the 26th this month. Today was still a holiday so an apt time I thought to visit the ship and do some book browsing. When we arrived, the pier was so crowded people were lining up for a quite a good distance to get into the ship. My colleagues and I spent a nearly half an hour standing and waiting for our turn to get on board. Luckily the sun wasn’t exactly burning but I pity those parents with very young kids. Babies were crying and little children were complaining about the heat (then the rain) and the long wait. But once inside the ship, it was obvious why the kids had to tag along. There were plenty of things to see and to do: arts and crafts, watch-and-learn booths, demonstrations, cultural costumes try-out, and of course, books. I would say 50% of the books were for kids and teenagers – story books, popular (clean) literature, activity books, etc. As for me I was interested with the CDs (mostly Christian artists), cookbooks, arts and DIY room make-over books, literature (for my English classes) and some motivational books. All prices were in units and the conversion to Ringgit was done when you pay at the counter

So how much did I spend in the end and on what? RM86.00 for four items: 1) Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling – a collection of short stories,  2) Dictionary of Music by Michale Kennedy – although it really isn’t going to be my daily dose but at least something I can refer to when (when ah?) the need arise, 3) 21 Surprisingly Simple Steps to a Great Life by Dr. Steve Stephens – Yes, yes, I am in need of a great life. He he.  4) Autumn Life – An instrumental CD, very light jazz and which is good to put on during a long queue.

Well, I’m happy with purchase but I feel like going back. When it is less crowded and I can think clearly about which books to get. Maybe to get some more CDs too.

Halos in the Sky October 11, 2007

Sometime before 1pm Ben called me up and said, “Find the sun and look at it.” Normally once I get inside the building, I won’t be aware of the sky, the sun or the weather because there isn’t a window near me. Well, when I did find the sun eventually I saw what must be the strangest thing I have seen so far. The sun was shining alright but it was encircled by a very large rainbow-coloured halo. The area inside the halo was a little dark. Actually, there appeared to be an outer halo although it was not as bright as the inner one. These two complete circles looked as if they were imprisoning the sun. We oohed and aahed for about 15 minutes then I had to leave for a class.

Well, I am still intrigued even though after googling it up, I found out that this phenomena isn’t really that uncommon. You can read more about 22º Circular Halo and other atmospheric halos from this site. I also stumbled upon Halo Report, a blog by a group of halo watchers from around the world. No doubt the natural world is really fascinating – but only if you make time to be fascinated.

3-2-1 Blast Off! October 10, 2007

Ladies. Tell me you don’t appreciate looking at this specimen of an Adam :)

Isn’t it just our luck to have such a good-looking space adventurer? Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor is Malaysia’s first spaceflight participant (or if you prefer astronaut, hehe that’s fine with me, too). I was watching the TV a while ago. And I’m sure milions of other Malaysians too as rocket Soyuz TMA 11 was launched from Russian Baikonur. While waiting during those few seconds before blast off, I was actually recalling my own excitement and apprehension of having to travel to destination “unknown”. Will I arrive safely? What awaits me on the other end? Is this going to be a successful trip?

Well, this man is travelling on a mission – a big mission that has been partly accomplished when he was chosen to fulfill Malaysia’s aspiration to send someone to space. Personally, I haven’t read enough of what he really plans to accomplish while at the International Space Station for 9 days. Even if it’s being said that his flight to space was only made possible through an exchange of a fleet of Russian fighter planes, having the first Malaysian in space has captured our imagination. Well, my imagination at least. The possibility of achieving a dream or something beyond your wildest imagination. Probably Dr. Muszaphar has never thought that he would be looking at earth from a distance. Or imagined during his entire orthopedic training that he would later be trained for a journey beyond the sky.

If there is anything I want to remember about today, it is about dreams. I want to start dreaming again. To dream the possibilities. To have aspiration. To remain hopeful. I’m dreaming even now – fuelled by our Malaysian spaceman.

A Sleepy Driver October 9, 2007

I had piano classes after work today. When I finished with the kids, it was already 8pm. These days I dread driving alone especially after a tiring day. I think I have gone through enough experiences involving driving misadventures to last me a lifetime. And they contribute to my nervousness each time I am at a junction. Anyway, I was feeling sleepy again. So I stopped by the gas station and got me a can of Livita and a bag of corn chips. Earlier on someone told me Livita or Red Bull had that instant energising effect. After gulping down the whole can, I thought I did feel the current of energy rush. Yahooo! Slightly about 10 mins of driving, my eyelids started to put on weight again. Instant energy indeed but gone instantly as well! Munching on the corn chips helped a bit but that wouldn’t be good if you were driving for another hour. Luckily home was approximately a 40-min drive away. I don’t know what other people do but here are some things I’ve done to avoid sleeping on the wheels (again!):

1)  Put on very loud and fast music.
2)  Scream or sing at the top of my voice.
3)  Slap my face silly.
4)  Talk to self animatedly.
5)  Chew gum.
6)  Stop at a gas station and take a nap.

The last one is no doubt the best thing to do for a sleepy lone driver. Certainly it does help to have someone sitting beside you while driving home at night. (Though, let’s hope it’s not a pontianak!)

King Cup Sardines for Holiday October 8, 2007

Eid celeberation is just around the corner!

Most of the students are away for the next two weeks and our “campus” on the 8th floor feels a little deserted. I’m far from free but I feel like holidaying like the students. Hmmm… Can’t help but reminisce about my own college days back in Bethlehem. The thing I looked forward to was breaking free from the compartmentalisation of time: instead of zombie-waking-up at 5:30am it was strictly after 9:00am; instead of having breakfast at 6:00am at Ling Kuen’s cafeteria, it would be brunch at the kedai kupi (coffee shops) followed by general loitering 101 with the rest of the holidaying Borneoan SAUCians. Being a drifter was a very precious thing back then – even if it were just for two weeks.

How time has changed all this! Though I am a person of the past but it is deceiving to believe that the past was always better. Hmmm… My mother has nostalgically expressed more than once how King Cup sardines in the 50’s were much tastier than the ones today. Well, it’s impossible to argue with something that you can’t know about nor tasted. But there are more brands to choose from these days, aren’t they, Ma? Surely one of them, would be twice better than your 50’s King Cup sardines!

Wait. Why am I talking about sardines???

Actually what I really wanted to write about was my holiday in some far away paradise. Unfortunately, it is all a dream as fact is I’m broke. Mr. Big Boss just came out of his office a few minutes ago to declare that Friday is an extra holiday for us. I guess that’s just a compensation for the late pay (yet again). Sigh. That means a four-day gloriously long weekend. With no money.

On a second thought. Maybe Ma’s King Cup sardines in the 50’s were really that great. Hmmm.