TERBILANGNEST

Tok Penghulu

2011-06-10T02:06:00.002+08:00

I had the opportunity to interact with a young Tok Penghulu today. He attended my class and shared his vision of introducing Scrabble games to attract the young to learn English and avoid social ills.

For people in my age group, Tok Penghulus are older pakciks or tokciks with serban and white beard. This Tok Penghulu enters my class wearing a blazer and he carries a netbook.

I'm looking forward to assist this young chap in setting up the programme. Scrabble has been my cup of tea since school days and I share his views on the more tactful ways of handling teenagers nowadays. Yup, the young are no meekies dollies we can tell them what not to do. Give them the options and make them responsible for what they choose to do.

A productive day.

Alive and Kicking

2011-06-09T16:11:00.001+08:00

Howdy folks!

Hmmm... MIA for more than a year. Not too bad. There are worse :)

So whats new?

Plentiful, I guess. Depending on how one looks at it. But that's life.. with eventful happenings. I laughed. I cried. I got angry. I felt loved. Serene. I got angrier. I laughed louder. Blablabla..

I got smarter, too.. kehkeh :)

Well, life is good. Let's just hope it keeps on getting better :)

I Love Being 50 :D

2010-05-16T01:20:00.004+08:00

I had a wonderful 50th birthday over and over. My dearest ones are at their kindest and lovest. I have enough people I can call true friends. Nothing else really matters :D

Age never scares me. I never really bother what people say about age. That one should start or stop doing this and that once one reaches a certain age. I'd say these are purely myths.

I'll keep on doing things I like and won't start doing things I don't like to fit in the age. No, sire, I won't.

I'll do things better, yes. Or do better things; which ever which. And yes, I repeat; respect doesn't come with age.

Misteri Anak Kucing

2010-05-07T02:02:00.004+08:00

When I came out from the car to open the gate yesterday, I heard stressful meowing of a kitten nearby. Thinking it must be one of the kittens at home, I just made sure none was on the driveway and parked in. Then I heard the meowing again. Only then I realised it came from the engine compartment of MY car!!

Horror of horror, I quickly pulled open the engine boot and looked inside. The sound was still there but I couldn't see a thing. The day was pricky hot and I could feel the heat from the engine compartment piercing through my face. The car was parked under the hot sun since morning and it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon.

Thinking that whatever kitten stuck in there would come out on its own later on, I left the hood opened and went inside. Afterall I only traveled around 2 km just now so if poor kitten was still alive by the time I parked, it must be alright.

It was just before bedtime I went to check the car again; switched on the engine and listened for the meowing. There was none. Though I was not quite convinced that everything was ok, the quietness was very much welcomed.

The following morning, as usual I didn't have much time to warm up the car but I spent a few second listening for the meowing again, if any. There was none. Convinced, I started the journey of 28 km to school.

I was just passing by the town when I heard the meowing again! Oh my God, the kitten was still stuck somewhere in the car! I had a tough time deciding what to do. I hate arriving late to school. I could apply for leave and have the car checked and serviced today. But no, I was not in school last 2 days and had missed many classes...

I drove unusually slow, thinking. The meowing was getting fainter until there was no more sound. I prayed to dear God, poor kitten would still be alright and I would do something once I reached school.

I had someone to look at the engine compartment but he too was convinced nothing was there. No traces of blood or fur or anything kitten-like. I was not satisfied but there was nothing I could do then.

Now after a thorough checked by hubby, still there was no traces of kitten what-so-ever. Have I imagined the sound in the morning? Very unlikely. I could tell the sound was fainter; the kitten was getting weaker... it was still stuck up there. And now it probably had died exhausted. Oh gosh, poor kitty!

The mystery is still not solved. I'm going to send the car for service tomorrow...

Update:
I had the car serviced on Saturday; and I practically went under it to see with my own eyes that no remnants of cats were stuck in there. The mechanic was amused, of course!

I know I did not imagine the cat. It was there. But how it got off the car still puzzles me. I just prayed to dear God, it is alright. I definitely would keep it if I get hold of it.

On Monday I was still thinking of the cat and believe it or not I drove ever so slow looking for remnants of a dead cat along the way! Gosh, it was like I was being spooked of some kind.. There's no way I can be sure of what really happened, but most importantly I did not see what I had hoped not to see. To me it's one of God's many blessings. Alhamdullilah.

Peeewiitttt!

2010-04-26T18:32:00.004+08:00

That one is supposed to sound like a whistle blowing, by the way.. haha!

I mean it's not too bad coming up with one entry per month despite the absent mindedness, out of focus; to the extent of feeling sorry for oneself. I hate self-pity. But self-pity sometimes we need to wallow ourselves into to get back that fighting power.

I've been so disorganised I don't even remember the date correctly. No, it's not age catching up. And it's also NOT the hormonal changes or whatever you call it. It has nothing to do with biological transform of what-so-ever...it's whom and what I surround myself with.

A friend wrote of feeling like a worm on a hot roof. Another friend replied it's better to be on a hot roof rather than in a closed tin can. Well, I'm one tired worm on a hot tin roof but watch out, I can jump off if I choose to do so!

Posting Takder Tajuk

2010-03-30T21:00:00.005+08:00

Phew!

I'm still pretty much a zombie. Thank God for the cats. They are the only lively creatures around here. They multiply too. Now I have 5 extra mouths to feed!

Haywire is too mild a word to describe this blog. There are almost a hundred comments I have to delete very soon. Damn those spammers!

Here is something I would like to share with readers of this blog, if ever anyone stops by here with the exception of those spammers :P

Powerful New 3-Minute Exercise Improves Memory and Brain Power
By Paul Fassa

An unusual exercise to improve mental health and acuity has been going viral on the internet lately. It was featured in a Los Angeles CBS News report that has an MD, a Yale neurobiologist, an occupational therapist, educators, and parents endorsing it.

It is a simple routine, and it has created positive results for learning disabled and autistic children as well as older Alzheimer's victims.

And it's useful for any kind of brain fog or dullness, even emotional instability. It can improve memory and focus, and it's even made some a little smarter. It seems to work for everyone regardless of mental condition.

How to Do This Simple Exercise

With your feet pointing straight ahead, spread them apart about shoulder width. Grab your right earlobe with the thumb and finger of your left hand. Cross over your left arm and do the same using your right hand on the left earlobe. Then squat as fully as you can, breathing in. That's a little counter intuitive, but that's what you do. Breathe in as you squat.

Then breathe out as you stand. So the breathing needs to be synchronized with the squats. Continue this motion repetitively while holding both earlobes for three minutes. That may be too much at first, so start with one minute. One can go up to five minutes, but three is good enough. This can be done by anyone at any age and should be done on a daily basis until the fog lifts!

Haha!!
In Malay we call this exercise ketuk ketampi. Those born in the 60s and 70s must be very familiar with the word. I'm very sure they had had a share of ketuk ketampi one way or the other. But ketuk ketampi then was carried out more in the form of punishment rather than exercises to improve mental health. And for that reason, it was barred from being practiced in school.

Now if any teacher is caught ketuk ketampiing any of his students, we can be sure to read all about it in every newspapers on the very next day!

Weren't we old people a lot luckier? We didn't need rocket science to do things correctly, no?

*Read the full article here.

zombie like

2009-12-10T14:28:00.002+08:00

for the next 5 weeks i'd be walking around the house aimlessly like a zombie.. talking to the trees and the stones. the cats will love it because i'd be feeding them excessively, mindlessly..

this blog will go haywire too...

New Toy

2009-12-06T02:38:00.002+08:00

Aidil Adha

2009-11-27T15:30:00.003+08:00

Today is Aidil Adha. Prepared nasi dagang and nasi minyak for the day. Got some lemang, rendang and nasi biryani masala from my sis next door. Ate some ketupat at a neighbour's house - done with food for today!

Skyped with Ams. And Ginger. Haha.. just realised the laptop camera for Sony Viao is able to monitor movement and focus accordingly. Ginger was very surprised to get VIP treatment today!

Awi is upset he has to go to Kerteh for intern. Literally kicked him out of the house to have the car serviced late yesterday afternoon. Shopping is in view. Mama is doing her part; and yours is to buck up and survive.

Oh. Got me a new toy a few days ago. Planning to go for a trip to make use of the toy. Ciao!

Shocking!

2009-11-08T18:44:00.004+08:00

It is shocking!

I didn't update the blog for the whole month of October! Good gracious me! My time was filled up with scrabbling, facebooking and kampoing... all mind-boggling activities with the third only understood by my exschool buddies!

I read an anonymous comment on the post PPSMI. The writer thanked me for writing the entry. I presume he/she is having the same view as I am on the topic. I've stopped writing and talking about PPSMI now. I want to remain apolitically inclined whenever the subject is brought up.

And I cringe to write about work condition now. It's like living on a time bomb. Anything anytime can happen. Very unhealthy situation.

As the saying goes, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything!

Ramadhan and pre-Syawal Post

2009-09-16T06:04:00.003+08:00

I'm very guilty for neglecting this blog. Not that anybody out there is wishing for an update, but I hate it too to be stumbled on an abandoned blog!

It's OK if the blog has evergreen contents like the other blog I have. Anybody searching the Net for Andrea Bocelli's video would be thankful to find The Treasures though some of the links are no longer working...

Gosh, what am I blabbering about???

Well, this entry is to accommodate Ramadhan as well as Syawal post. It has been a quiet Ramadhan this year with only hubby and I at home. Though we experienced this when both boys were at boarding school, but it was different since our weekends then were busy visiting them. Their schools were at the opposite direction of one another so imagine the rush when on some weekends we had to visit both places on the same day!

Well, those days!

And this year Syawal is going to be incomplete with Ams away. Thank God Awi is coming home on Thursday. His room is done up. I hope it's going to be a pretty normal Eid for us.

Honestly I haven't planned anything for Syawal except for a few fresh plants to replace the dried ones around the house. School will be closed starting Friday but gosh I'll be busy visiting other schools these last two days that I'll be doing lots of travelling. Thank God I'm done with the marking of SPM trial papers so come Friday I can start concentrating on preparing for Syawal.

A very blessed Syawal for all friends and whoever stops by at this blog. Keep ourselves safe wherever we are during this festive season. Drive safely and eat healthily. God bless.

77 Brain Hacks to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

2009-08-31T13:31:00.006+08:00

I haven't finished reading this article and I'm sharing it here with visitors of this blog. Happy reading!
_______________________________________

Source: Online Education Database

If someone granted you one wish, what do you imagine you would want out of life that you haven't gotten yet? For many people, it would be self-improvement and knowledge.

New knowledge is the backbone of society's progress. Great thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and others' quests for knowledge have led society to many of the marvels we enjoy today.

Your quest for knowledge doesn't have to be as Earth-changing as Einstein's, but it can be an important part of your life, leading to a new job, better pay, a new hobby, or simply knowledge for knowledge's sake — whatever is important to you as an end goal.

Life-changing knowledge does typically require advanced learning techniques. In fact, it's been said that the average adult only uses 10% of his/her brain. Imagine what we may be capable of with more advanced learning techniques.

Here are 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for self-starters, or those learning on their own. Happy learning.

Health

1. Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration. If you've been sitting in one place for awhile, bounce one of your legs for a minute or two. It gets your blood flowing and sharpens both concentration and recall.

2. Food for thought: Eat breakfast. A lot of people skip breakfast, but creativity is often optimal in the early morning and it helps to have some protein in you to feed your brain. A lack of protein can actually cause headaches.

3. Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch. Heavy lunches have a tendency to make people drowsy. While you could turn this to your advantage by taking a "thinking nap" (see #23), most people haven't learned how.

4. Cognitive enhancers: Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a natural supplement that has been used in China and other countries for centuries and has been reputed to reverse memory loss in rats. It's also suggested by some health practitioners as a nootrope and thus a memory enhancer.

5. Reduce stress + depresssion. Stress and depression may reduce the ability to recall information and thus inhibit learning. Sometimes, all you need to reduce depression is more white light and fewer refined foods.

Balance

6. Sleep on it. Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote about in his book Psycho-Cybernetics about a man who was was paid good money to come up with ideas. He would lock his office door, close the blinds, turn off the lights. He'd focus on the problem at hand, then take a short nap on a couch. When he awoke, he usually had the problem solved.

7. Take a break. Change phyical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress that can sometimes occur when you sit in one place too long, focused on learning. Taking a 5-15 minute break every hour during study sessions is more beneficial than non-stop study. It gives your mind time to relax and absorb information. If you want to get really serious with breaks, try a 20 minute ultradian break as part of every 90 minute cycle. This includes a nap break, which is for a different purpose than #23.

8. Take a hike. Changing your perspective often relieves tension, thus freeing your creative mind. Taking a short walk around the neighborhood may help.

Perspective and Focus

9. Change your focus. Sometimes there simply isn't enough time to take a long break. If so, change subject focus. Alternate between technical and non-technical subjects.

10. Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. If one isn't working for you, try another.

11. Do walking meditation. If you're taking a hike (#25), go one step further and learn walking meditation as a way to tap into your inner resources and your strengthen your ability to focus. Just make sure you're not walking inadvertently into traffic.

12. Focus and immerse yourself. Focus on whatever you're studying. Don't try to watch TV at the same time or worry yourself about other things. Anxiety does not make for absorption of information and ideas.

13. Turn out the lights. This is a way to focus, if you are not into meditating. Sit in the dark, block out extraneous influences. This is ideal for learning kinesthetically, such as guitar chord changes.

14. Take a bath or shower. Both activities loosen you up, making your mind more receptive to recognizing brilliant ideas.

Recall Techniques

15. Listen to music. Researchers have long shown that certain types of music are a great "key" for recalling memories. Information learned while listening to a particular song or collection can often be recalled simply by "playing" the songs mentally.

16. Speedread. Some people believe that speedreading causes you to miss vital information. The fact remains that efficient speedreading results in filtering out irrelevant information. If necessary, you can always read and re-read at slower speeds. Slow reading actually hinders the ability to absorb general ideas. (Although technical subjects often requirer slower reading.) If you're reading online, you can try the free Spreeder Web-based application.

17. Use acronyms and other mnemonic devices. Mnemonics are essentially tricks for remembering information. Some tricks are so effective that proper application will let you recall loads of mundane information years later.

Visual Aids

18. Every picture tells a story. Draw or sketch whatever it is you are trying to achieve. Having a concrete goal in mind helps you progress towards that goal.

19. Brainmap it. Need to plan something? Brain maps, or mind maps, offer a compact way to get both an overview of a project as well as easily add details. With mind maps, you can see the relationships between disparate ideas and they can also act as a receptacle for a brainstorming session.

20. Learn symbolism and semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. Having an understanding of the symbols of a particular discipline aids in learning, and also allows you to record information more efficiently.

21. Use information design. When you record information that has an inherent structure, applying information design helps convey that information more clearly. A great resource is Information Aesthetics, which gives examples of information design and links to their sources.

22. Use visual learning techniques. Try gliffy for structured diagrams. Also see Inspiration.com for an explanation of webs, idea maps, concept maps, and plots.

23. Map your task flow. Learning often requires gaining knowledge in a specific sequence. Organizing your thoughts on what needs to be done is a powerful way to prepare yourself to complete tasks or learn new topics.

Verbal and Auditory Techniques

24. Stimulate ideas. Play rhyming games, utter nonsense words. These loosen you up, making you more receptive to learning.

25. Brainstorm. This is a time-honored technique that combines verbal activity, writing, and collaboration. (One person can brainstorm, but it's more effective in a group.) It's fruitful if you remember some simple rules: Firstly, don't shut anyone's idea out. Secondly, don't "edit" in progress; just record all ideas first, then dissect them later. Participating in brainstorming helps assess what you already know about something, and what you didn't know.

26. Learn by osmosis. Got an iPod? Record a few of your own podcasts, upload them to your iPod and sleep on it. Literally. Put it under your pillow and playback language lessons or whatever.

27. Cognitive enhancers: binaural beats. Binaural beats involve playing two close frequencies simultaneously to produce alpha, beta, delta, and theta waves, all of which produce either sleeping, restfulness, relaxation, meditativeness, alertness, or concentration. Binaural beats are used in conjunction with other excercises for a type of super-learning.

28. Laugh. Laughing relaxes the body. A relaxed body is more receptive to new ideas.

Kinesthetic Techniques

29. Write, don't type. While typing your notes into the computer is great for posterity, writing by hand stimulates ideas. The simple act of holding and using a pen or pencil massages acupuncture points in the hand, which in turn stimulates ideas.

30. Carry a quality notebook at all times. Samuel Taylor Coleridge dreamed the words of the poem "In Xanadu (did Kubla Khan)...". Upon awakening, he wrote down what he could recall, but was distracted by a visitor and promptly forgot the rest of the poem. Forever. If you've been doing "walking meditation" or any kind of meditation or productive napping, ideas may suddenly come to you. Record them immediately.

31. Keep a journal. This isn't exactly the same as a notebook. Journaling has to do with tracking experiences over time. If you add in visual details, charts, brainmaps, etc., you have a much more creative way to keep tabs on what you are learning.

32. Organize. Use sticky colored tabs to divide up a notebook or journal. They are a great way to partition ideas for easy referral.

33. Use post-it notes. Post-it notes provide a helpful way to record your thoughts about passages in books without defacing them with ink or pencil marks.

Self-Motivation Techniques

34. Give yourself credit. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. If you learn to focus your mind on what results you want to achieve, you'll recognize the good ideas. Your mind will become a filter for them, which will motivate you to learn more.

35. Motivate yourself. Why do you want to learn something? What do want to achieve through learning? If you don't know why you want to learn, then distractions will be far more enticing.

36. Set a goal. W. Clement Stone once said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." It's an amazing phenomenon in goal achievement. Prepare yourself by whatever means necessary, and hurdles will seem surmountable. Anyone who has experienced this phenomenon understands its validity. [Related Article: How to Write Your Goals]

37. Think positive. There's no point in setting learning goals for yourself if you don't have any faith in your ability to learn.

38. Organize, part 2. Learning is only one facet of the average adult's daily life. You need to organize your time and tasks else you might find it difficult to fit time in for learning. Try Neptune for a browser-based application for "getting things done."

39. Every skill is learned. With the exception of bodily functions, every skill in life is learned. Generally speaking, if one person can learn something, so can you. It may take you more effort, but if you've set a believable goal, it's likely an achievable goal.

40. Prepare yourself for learning. Thinking positive isn't sufficient for successfully achieving goals. This is especially important if you are an adult, as you'll probably have many distractions surrounding your daily life. Implement ways to reduce distractions, at least for a few hours at a time, else learning will become a frustrating experience.

41. Prepare yourself, part 2. Human nature is such that not everyone in your life will be a well-wisher in your self-improvement and learning plans. They may intentionally or subconsciously distract you from your goal. If you have classes to attend after work, make sure that work colleagues know this, that you are unable to work late. Diplomacy works best if you think your boss is intentionally giving you work on the days he/she knows you have to leave. Reschedule lectures to a later time slot if possible/ necessary.

42. Constrain yourself. Most people need structure in their lives. Freedom is sometimes a scary thing. It's like chaos. But even chaos has order within. By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time.

Supplemental Techniques

43. Read as much as you can. How much more obvious can it get? Use Spreeder (#33) if you have to. Get a breadth of topics as well as depth.

44. Cross-pollinate your interests. Neurons that connect to existing neurons give you new perspectives and abilities to use additional knowledge in new ways.

45. Learn another language. New perspectives give you the ability to cross-pollinate cultural concepts and come up with new ideas. As well, sometimes reading a book in its original language will provide you with insights lost in translation.

46. Learn how to learn. Management Help has a resource page, as does SIAST (Virtual Campus), which links to articles about learning methods. They are geared towards online learning, but no doubt you gain something from them for any type of learning. If you are serious about optimum learning, read Headrush's Crash course in learning theory.

47. Learn what you know and what you don't. Many people might say, "I'm dumb," or "I don't know anything about that." The fact is, many people are wholly unaware of what they already know about a topic. If you want to learn about a topic, you need to determine what you already know, figure out what you don't know, and then learn the latter.

48. Multi-task through background processes. Effective multi-tasking allows you to bootstrap limited time to accomplish several tasks. Learning can be bootstrapped through multi-tasking, too. By effective multitasking, I don't mean doing two or more things at exactly the same time. It's not possible. However, you can achieve the semblance of effective multitasking with the right approach, and by prepping your mind for it. For example, a successful freelance writer learns to manage several articles at the same time. Research the first essay, and then let the background processes of your mind takeover. Move on consciously to the second essay. While researching the second essay, the first one will often "write itself." Be prepared to record it when it "appears" to you.

49. Think holistically. Holistic thinking might be the single most "advanced" learning technique that would help students. But it's a mindset rather than a single technique.

50. Use the right type of repetition. Complex concepts often require revisting in order to be fully absorbed. Sometimes, for some people, it may actually take months or years. Repetition of concepts and theory with various concrete examples improves absorption and speeds up learning.

51. Apply the Quantum Learning (QL) model. The Quantum Learning model is being applied in some US schools and goes beyond typical education methods to engage students.

52. Get necessary tools. There are obviously all kinds of tools for learning. If you are learning online like a growing number of people these days, then consider your online tools. One of the best tools for online research is the Firefox web browser, which has loads of extensions (add-ons) with all manner of useful features. One is Googlepedia, which simultaneously displays Google search engine listings, when you search for a term, with related entries from Wikipedia.

53. Get necessary tools, part 2. This is a very niche tip, but if you want to learn fast-track methods for building software, read Getting Real from 37 Signals. The Web page version is free. The techniques in the book have been used to create Basecamp, Campfire, and Backpack web applications in a short time frame. Each of these applications support collaboration and organization.

54. Learn critical thinking. As Keegan-Michael Key's character on MadTV might say, critical thinking takes analysis to "a whole notha level". Read Wikipedia's discourse on critical thinking as a starting point. It involves good analytical skills to aid the ability to learn selectively.

55. Learn complex problem solving. For most people, life is a series of problems to be solved. Learning is part of the process. If you have a complex problem, you need to learn the art of complex problem solving.

For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents

56. Be engaging. Lectures are one-sided and often counter-productive. Information merely heard or witnessed (from a chalkboard for instance) is often forgotten. Teaching is not simply talking. Talking isn't enough. Ask students questions, present scenarios, engage them.

57. Use information pyramids. Learning happens in layers. Build base knowledge upon which you can add advanced concepts.

58. Use video games. Video games get a bad rap because of certain violent games. But video games in general can often be an effective aid to learning.

59. Role play. Younger people often learn better by being part of a learning experience. For example, history is easier to absorb through reenactments.

60. Apply the 80/20 rule. This rule is often interpreted in dfferent ways. In this case, the 80/20 rule means that some concepts, say about 20% of a curriculum, require more effort and time, say about 80%, than others. So be prepared to expand on complex topics.

61. Tell stories. Venus Flytrap, a character from the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, once taught a student gang member about atoms, electrons, and protons by saying that an atom was one big neighborhood, and the protons and neutrons had their own smaller neighborhoods and never mixed. Just like rival gangs. The story worked, and understanding sparked in the students eyes.

62. Go beyond the public school curriculum. The public school system is woefully lacking in teaching advanced learning and brainstorming methods. It's not that the methods cannot be taught; they just aren't. To learn more, you have to pay a premium in additional time and effort, and sometimes money for commercially available learning tools. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but what is taught in schools needs to be expanded. This article's author has proven that a nine-year old can learn (some) university level math, if the learning is approached correctly.

63. Use applied learning. If a high school student were having trouble in math, say with fractions, one example of applied learning might be photography, lenses, f-stops, etc. Another example is cooking and measurement of ingredients. Tailor the applied learning to the interest of the student.

For Students and Self-Studiers

64. Be engaged. Surprise. Sometimes students are bored because they know more than is being taught, maybe even more than a teacher. (Hopefully teachers will assess what each student already knows.) Students should discuss with a teacher if they feel that the material being covered is not challenging. Also consider asking for additional materials.

65. Teach yourself. Teachers cannot always change their curricula. If you're not being challenged, challenge yourself. Some countries still apply country-wide exams for all students. If your lecturer didn't cover a topic, you should learn it on your own. Don't wait for someone to teach you. Lectures are most effective when you've pre-introduced yourself to concepts.

66. Collaborate. If studying by yourself isn't working, maybe a study group will help.

67. Do unto others: teach something. The best way to learn something better is to teach it to someone else. It forces you to learn, if you are motivated enough to share your knowledge.

68. Write about it. An effective way to "teach" something is to create an FAQ or a wiki containing everything you know about a topic. Or blog about the topic. Doing so helps you to realize what you know and more importantly what you don't. You don't even have to spend money if you grab a freebie account with Typepad, Wordpress, or Blogger.

69. Learn by experience. Pretty obvious, right? It means put in the necessary time. An expert is often defined as someone who has put in 10,000 hours into some experience or endeavor. That's approximately 5 years of 40 hours per week, every week. Are you an expert without realizing it? If you're not, do you have the dedication to be an expert?

70. Quiz yourself. Testing what you've learned will reinforce the information. Flash cards are one of the best ways, and are not just for kids.

71. Learn the right things first. Learn the basics. Case in point: a frustrating way to learn a new language is to learn grammar and spelling and sentence constructs first. This is not the way a baby learns a language, and there's no reason why an adult or young adult has to start differently, despite "expert" opinion. Try for yourself and see the difference.

72. Plan your learning. If you have a long-term plan to learn something, then to quote Led Zeppelin, "There are two paths you can go by." You can take a haphazard approach to learning, or you can put in a bit of planning and find an optimum path. Plan your time and balance your learning and living.

Parting Advice

73. Persist. Don't give up learning in the face of intimdating tasks. Anything one human being can learn, most others can as well. Wasn't it Einstein that said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"? Thomas Edison said it, too.

74. Defy the experts. Dyslexia, in a nutshell, is the affliction of mentally jumbling letters and digits, causing difficulties in reading, writing and thus learning. Sometimes spoken words or numbers get mixed up as well. In the past, "experts" declared dyslexic children stupid. Later, they said they were incapable of learning. This author has interacted with and taught dyslexic teens. It's possible. Helen Keller had no experience of sight, sound, or speech, and yet she learned. Conclusion: There is more than one way to learn; never believe you cannot.

75. Challenge yourself. People are often more intelligent than they realize. In a world that compartmentalizes and categorizes everything, not everyone is sure where they fit in. And genius can be found in many walks of life. If you honestly suspect that there's more to you than has been "allowed" to be let out, try an IQ test such as the one offered by MENSA. It's unlike the standardized IQ tests given in many schools. You know the kind — the ones which traumatize many young students into thinking they are stupid, simply because the tests don't really assess all student's knowledge and learning ability. And the ability to learn is far, far more important than what you already know.

76. Party before an exam. Well, don't go that far. The key is to relax. The worse thing to do is cram the night before an exam. If you don't already know a subject by then, cramming isn't going to help. If you have studied, simply review the topic, then go do something pleasant (no more studying). Doing so tells your brain that you are prepared and that you will be able to recall anything that you have already learned. On the other hand, if you didn't spend the semester learning the ideas you need, you might as well go party anyways because cramming at the last minute isn't going to help much at that point.

77. Don't worry; learn happy. Have a real passion for learning and want to share that? Join a group such as the Joyful Jubilant Learning community [via LifeHack].

This article was originally published at the Online Education Database

Eczema and Low Nickel Diet

2009-07-30T01:50:00.010+08:00

It is exactly a year ago I wrote about eczema. Eczema is an allergy someone has to live with, no complete cure for it but it is possible to be kept under control by limiting our activities.

Except it is always a very tough choice to do so!

After quite a major recurrence recently, I searched the Net for more info on eczema. The entry before this, Dyshidrotic Dermatitis, is the new finding on the type of eczema that I'm suffering from.

The reason for the recent recurrence is very disappointing to mention. It makes me feel less a person. Further reading makes me believe that one of the reasons for eczema is stress. So OK, everything seems to be related one way or another to stress. Do you believe that? I honestly thought that was complete nonsense!

Well, that's not all. Another shocking finding is vegetables and some kinds of food supplement are sources of nickel - a big no-no to eczema sufferers!

Now you tell me. From young we were told that vegetables are good for our skin. Eat more spinach, eat more fruits! Now they are saying meat is OK!!

This I copy and paste from this site:

Low-nickel diet (taken from a medical text on eczema):

Permitted foods: All meats, fish (except herring), poultry, eggs, milk, yogurt, butter, margarine, cheese, one medium-size potato a day, small amounts of the following: cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, lettuce, polished rice, flour (except whole grain), fresh fruits (except pears), marmalade/jam, coffee, wine, beer.

Prohibited foods: Canned foods, foods cooked in nickel-plated utensils, herring, oysters, asparagus, beans, mushrooms, onions, corn (maize), spinach, tomatoes, peas, whole grain flour, fresh and cooked pears, rhubarb, tea, cocoa and chocolate, baking powder.

Click the link above to read more. Be sure to close your mouth :)

So:
1. I'm going to throw away all canned food inside the cabinet. OK la, I'll give them away!
2. Buy dimethylglyoxime and carry out a test to eliminate the source of nickel from all cooking wares in the kitchen. Throw everything that is tested positive!
3. Use and buy only glass wares from now on.
4. Eliminate all sources of stress. How to do that, eh???

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis

2009-07-27T22:24:00.003+08:00

Dyshidrotic Dermatitis
A collection of cells that look differently from the rest of the skin can be a growth, rash or blemish. They can be different is color, size and texture. They can be painful and itchy at times. You can better help your doctor make a correct diagnosis if you know your symptoms which will help you to get the appropriate treatment.

Also known as pompholyx, dyshidrotic dermatitis is a type of eczema that attacks the hands. It will usually start as itchy bumps on the side of the fingers that turns into a rash. The tiny bumps will appear to be deep in the skin. For the individual that develops them they can become very itchy.

Who Can Get Them?
Dyshidrotic dermatitis can affect anyone and all races are equally affected. Women have it slightly more than men. Individuals between the ages of twenty to forty are also more likely to develop the condition.

What Can Cause Them?
It is unknown exactly what causes dyshidrotic dermatitis. It looks like people who get it are predisposed to it. A contributing factor may also be stress and reactions to detergents and other chemicals. Some evidence shows that smokers may develop this more often than non-smokers. Individuals may also have this skin disorder if they experience an abnormal amount of sweating.

How Does It Happen?
When an individual experiences a high level of stress dyshidrotic dermatitis will often start. It is indicated that some change will trigger the skin disorder. Tiny blisters will appear deep in the skin as the skin starts to peel. An itching and burning sensation may also be experienced by individuals.

Where Do They Appear?
The hands and/or the feet of an individual is often the only area where dyshidrotic dermatitis appears.

What Are The Symptoms?
The development of bumps on the side of the fingers and toes that gradually become an itchy rash is a symptom of dyshidrotic dermatitis. The side of the fingers and feet can start to peel. After two weeks the skin disorder will usually clear up. Mostly one stage of the ailment or the other is experienced by individuals, but some may experience both at the same time.

How Can It Be Diagnosed?
Since the symptoms are easy to recognize a doctor or dermatologist can easily make a diagnosis. The tiny blisters and rash on the sides of the fingers and/or feet are a unique characteristic.

What Treatments Are Available?
Depending on how severe the condition is, individual treatment will vary. Most of the time no treatment is required and the rash or blisters will clear up on their own. The skin will take awhile to recover from this ailment and it can recur so you should be careful and take care of your skin.

Often a topical steroid can be prescribed to help reduce the itching and inflammation. To treat any secondary infection that might develop antibiotics are commonly given. When handling certain chemicals and putting their hands in the water individuals are advised to wear gloves so they don’t get further irritated. You should wear socks that are mainly cotton if you develop this ailment on your feet. The inflicted area should constantly have a moisturizer applied to help reduce the itching and soften the skin. At least two or three times a day it should be applied liberally and the area should be kept dry.

To relieve and dry up the blisters cool compresses and soaks can be used. The solution for these soaks should be vinegar and water. However, this should be done four times a day for a period of fifteen minutes.

It can be very difficult to have dyshidrotic dermatitis since it can have an adverse affect on your day to day activities more than other types of rashes and growths. It is crucial to protect the skin from further damages. Most of the time the ailment is simple and not life threatening, but if it becomes uncomfortable then you should speak with your doctor to try and relieve some of the symptoms.

http://www.beautyassist.com/skin-disorders/dyshidrotic-dermatitis.html

Medical Check Up

2009-07-26T14:45:00.008+08:00

In one of the district functions I attended recently, the education officer talked about taking care of one's health especially those over 40 years old. At last someone does talk sense.

In the speech he mentioned that the ruling is already out there; there are circulars stating that government officers are allowed, even encouraged to step forward to do a free full medical check up by the time they reach 40. Thus, he said, principals should collect data and send the names to the local hospital.

I dare say, nothing is going to happen.

First, not many principals were present that day. Information was given to the wrong audience. Whether the principals are aware of the circular, I do not know. But even if they do, without proper instructions from the district or state offices, I bet it's as good as nothing.

Secondly, even if somebody is kind enough to pass the information to the principal, I honestly don't think he or she will take it seriously. Again, without proper, in this case, repeated instruction from the said offices, one can just dream about it.

So if you are a teacher past 40 years old, go and do medical check up on your own. If you don't mind spending money, go private. The doctor will praise you for being health conscious.

But if you want to exercise your rights as a government officer, go ahead. The people at the hospital will entertain you, no doubt, but be prepared to answer questions on why you are there at each examination room. Even the doctor will look at you like you are some kind of an alien when you tell him that you are not sick but you would like to do a full medical check up!

In other words, have your speeches ready.

And be prepared to have an earful on how you should have gone to this hospital or that clinic, because it's less busy there; you should have come last year or two years from now; or you should have let them arrange for a time more convenience to you or more likely to them, bla bla bla...

The last time I went through all those, my blood pressure went up for the first time in history!

So, mister officer, thank you for trying. At least somebody did...

WWW

2009-07-25T06:26:00.008+08:00

Do not reveal too much on the Internet, IT experts say. They are not taking about body parts. They talk about identities and personal information.

It is worse when all social network websites are sources of free data. Everybody knows everybody. Bloggers are no exception. They wear their hearts on their sleeves. Most bloggers (of blogs I follow) are purely unsuspecting people. They are just sharing their thoughts with whoever like to share.

Nowadays I found out more and more of these blogs are gone. Either they go private, or the posts are deleted every few days. They do that because of violated privacy.

What a waste. Some great thoughts and comments were erased every day. Gone. Kaput. WWW is no longer a friendly place. Nowhere is.

Note: Despite the warnings here, I couldn't resist posting this pix of me and a close friend in high school, LYL.

Cancer and Cause

2009-07-24T22:47:00.007+08:00

Stress can cause cancer. Our significant other is a source of stress besides other factors.

Well, I didn't say that. I read it in an outline of a talk, scheduled for sometimes this weekend, to be delivered by a cancer-survivor and a cancer care-giver.

If I'm somewhere near the place where they are having this talk, I would certainly go. Reading the outline, I'm curious to know what is the main point of delivery - the cause of the dreaded illness, or the source of that cause.

Which details are the more shocking discovery, I wonder.

Minority

2009-07-09T18:01:00.005+08:00

A report says 85% teachers nationwide rejects PPSMI. I'm proud to belong in the minority 15%.

The Power of Small

2009-06-26T17:15:00.004+08:00

Read about the book in someone's blog and proceeded to read the reviews... Well, SMALL is exactly how I felt these few days so the reviews were very comforting.

Oh yeah, bigger isn't always better... have to always remember that :)

Let's get SMALL, people, and get going!

Micheal Jackson Dies at 50

2009-06-26T14:04:00.007+08:00

The first two songs that I remember when his name is mentioned are Ben and I'll Be There. He was then the youngest member of Jackson Five. His voice was still very much child-like, and him looking very much the same as his other four siblings.

MJ went through a lot of changes over the years but one thing remained the same, his creativity in music.

Highly creative people are often weird, so was MJ. With a series of controversies which were good for his business anyway, MJ was one of the people I admired for their talent.

Rest in peace, dear MJ. "And may Allah be with you, Micheal, always." - Jermaine Jackson.

Talk VS Walk

2009-06-24T19:33:00.004+08:00

I have to get away from writing about teaching and teachers. At least for today. Right now I have a very low perception of the profession, my own profession, so it's best to shut up.

I'll just do what I'm paid to do, quietly.

Monday Blues

2009-06-22T20:09:00.003+08:00

Entri hari ini ada kaitannya dengan entri semalam.

Masih tergiang-giang kat telinga apa yg disampaikan oleh para penceramah. Cikgu kat sekolah ni dok buat macam-macam kesilapan - silap buat analisis, silap mengawal pelajar, silap mengajar, silap ambik tindakan, silap buat perancangan, bla-bla-bla... semua silap!

Kesilapan-kesilapan inilah yg selalu disebut-sebut di setiap perjumpaan, dan diulang-ulang sebagai momokan. Yang herannya, tukang gelak hahahaha adalah dari kalangan cikgu juga!!

Ha ha ha ha!!!

Sunday Rambling

2009-06-21T15:24:00.003+08:00

Hari ni nak berceloteh dalam Bahasa Melayu.

2, 3 blog yg I dok tengok hari-hari, kebanyakannya menyampaikan rasa tak puashati tentang keadaan dunia sekarang. Di Malaysia terutamanya. Dari layanan di service industry hinggalah ke pentadbiran negara.

Seorang kawan yg menguruskan syarikat kerajaan mengeluh kerana walau bagaimana komited kerjanya, the end picture masih bergantung kepada penentu polisi.

Itu satu hal.

Dalam pengurusan overhead pula, nak tak nak pengusaha terpaksa bergantung kepada tenaga kerja luar. Ni bukan syarikat persendirian yang target utama nak cari untung ni. Ni syarikat yang nak bagi kerja kat penduduk setempat. Asal boleh sambung operasi, dah. Itu pun tetap sengkek dek melayan kerenah pekerja tempatan yang merugikan.

Kata kawan ni, pekerja tempatan nak gaji tinggi dan tempat kerja yg selesa. Overtime tak mau. Kalau kerja susah sikit terus nak berhenti kerja. Biar melepak kat rumah mak pak tanggung daripada kena berpayah sikit.

Seme spesis takdak telo!

Yours truly terasalah pulak bila kawan tu dok mengomel gitu. Kita bukanlah pengeluar pasaran buruh tempatan, tetapi lebih 50% clients semasa rasanya tak pergi jauh ke mana. Akan ke ladang/industri tempatan juga akhirnya. Kalau pun bukan setaraf mat bangla dan indon tu, mereka akan duduk atas sikit kat pengurusan kawalan tu.

Tapi kalu boleh kita komen sikit, memanglah mereka ni tidak dilatih untuk menjadi buruh. Mereka semua diperasankan supaya menjadi tuan. Tipu takper as long as boleh jadi tuan. Maksudnya tak paham ujung pangkal takper as long as boleh jawab soklan peksa ikut skema jawapan dan dapat 1A!

Dari satu segi sepatutnya meraka ni boleh jadi pekerja yg menurut perintah. But then klau dah terlalu diagung-agungkan merekalah yg terbaik, patutlah pun mereka besor kepala. Tak mahu ikut peraturan dan arahan!

Akceli kita boleh lihat situasi ini dari beberapa segi. That's for next entry!
Ciao!

Permai Inn, Terengganu

2009-06-20T15:47:00.005+08:00

The hotel is beautifully renovated so it was a comfortable stay though the meeting was a bit... rough!

Ams (2)

2009-06-14T11:37:00.005+08:00

By now Ams must be breathing in American air, albeit through the closed buildings of LA Airport, waiting for the connecting flight to Nashville through Chicago.

We left the house at 3.20 in the wee morning of Saturday June 13th. The flight was on time, we had ample time to do all the necessary.

It was an event of its own in KLIA. The management was well-prepared for the crowd of 41 students with contingents of relatives from all over Malaysia. Ams himself had 25 people sending him off!

All the best, Ams. Mama is still trying to believe that she won't be seeing you in a longggg time. Just don't do anything that make her regret for not being there with you, for you; for she just would want to do that. May Allah the Mighty always be with you. Amin.

I'm a Mediator!

2009-05-26T21:21:00.006+08:00

Ha ha...
I thought I'm done with that.

Those school days, it was easy being a peacemaker between two fighting friends. You just act normal, take them both to the canteen and viola they'll be in speaking term in 5 minutes!

But when it's between two male adults... urghh, it's worse when men fight. You don't see the fire. Not even the remotest sign of smoke. They sit sipping coffee facing each other at the same table, and laughing at the same joke. But once they open up... whoa, you'd be surprised at the amount of anger they have for one another!

And they have quite an adequate vocabulary for that, too!

It's best to let them talk. Of course they will say the worst thing possible. Just be prepared to have an earful. But as people began expressing themselves, they are bound to see things clearer. You don't have to say anything, they'll soon realise they've been behaving rather childishly.

End of problem.

Mothered or Smothered

2009-05-24T16:34:00.006+08:00

When I was doing my first in-service course in the late 80s, I had a lady supervisor whose no 1 blind spot was being told she was wrong.

She would never admit her mistakes. Being an innocent young teacher then, I was very frank with my opinion. I stood my ground without having a second thought on why some matters were treated differently.

A few times I was called to the Head Department office. The office head was a very nice lady, moons apart from her sub-ordinate colleague. She apologised for what had happened between me and the instructor. She mentioned that this instructor was normally a very concerned supervisor and had high expectations of her supervisees, thus the hard push. She went on saying I could choose whether to be mothered or smothered.

I chose neither.

No 1 - I didn't enjoy being mothered, except for my mother. The way to my heart is to treat me fair then I'll get along fine with just anyone.

No 2 - I don't mind being smothered for the right reason. I'm not perfect, so is everybody else.

I'm afraid I haven't changed much. If anyone else ever ask me again either to be mothered or smothered; I'll tell them go get a life!

Ams

2009-05-23T23:33:00.005+08:00

Ams will be leaving for the USA in 3 weeks' time.

I was somehow numb when the JPA personnel called to convey the news. I simply told him Ams was not available at that time because he was attending another interview. I couldn't even recognised the name of the university that Ams was chosen to attend!

But somehow I managed to convince Ams to accept the offer, first; and as time goes by and he receives more offers.. he can choose which suits him best.

I remember Awi was very straight forward and a lot more focused when he was at Ams's stage. He wants to do Chemical Engineering and he wants to do it locally. The Petronas offer is his first and he nonchalantly rejects all other offers later on. But Ams's case is different. He applies for a number of different courses, in a number of different institutions, both abroad and locally.

And he prefers to go to UK!

But as we read more on the programme, I told Ams it's a blessing to be chosen and he may as well grab the opportunity. Thank God he agrees.

So all the time is for him now. School will be closed for mid-year break in one week, and Ams's first request is to have some time off at his birth town. We are going back to Melaka for a few days for Ams to meet with his primary school buddies. Then after that is all shopping and packing for Ams's departure on 12th June.

Thank Allah the merciful for all His blessings.

LADAP 3 2009

2009-05-23T22:21:00.005+08:00

Finally it's over! I've been carrying the baggage for over a week preparing for stuff to present for a 4-hour in-house training for my colleagues.

The one-week notice given was a bless and it gave me enough time to prepare something quite entirely different from the normal everyday school affairs. I tell you it's very boring to gossip about the students year in and year out!

Although I only had the materials ready by Friday afternoon (and stapling was done exactly 10 minutes before the session began this morning!), my style of working is I need time to ponder and think and sleep over the topic before finally sit down to do it.

Thus the one-week notice is necessary. Unless they want a repetition; to the students it works because I'll be meeting different groups of students each time... but today was the third time I handled LADAP in my own school, so naturally I would want to do something different.

So it was Johari Window this time. I first heard about it in my second year in Uni, a brief mention by the instructor but somehow it lies deep inside of me. I further read about it long before this, and as I was preparing for today's session, I learned more.

Which reminds me, I still have a book I bought months ago, kept in the car for easy access in case I need to save myself from some mind-killing moments; and I have yet to read the second page! A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle and it is a book that Oprah Winfrey is telling everybody to read!

Have a good weekend, people!

Rain oh Rain

2009-05-14T20:12:00.005+08:00

Alhamdulillah for the rain.

At home I seldom use the air conditioner. The house was built with high ceilings so normally we only use the fan. But for the past two weeks it was unbearably hot. Even though the air conditioner was turned to the lowest, I could still feel the hot air blowing.

Today I could sit watching TV peacefully while taking my turns at scrabble. What bliss... ahhh!!!
:D

Celcom Sucks!

2009-05-14T12:35:00.004+08:00

I finally managed to get online after 40 minutes of waiting for Celcom Broadband to work! FORTY-BLOODY-MINUTES-to-open-a-page!!!!

Celcom is actively promoting new products nationwide, but even the old Streamyx sucks! The connection is constantly unstable. Yesterday, for the whole day, hubby was complaining the line was disconnected.

Try complaining to Celcom and they say please bear with them. It's a normal problem with wired internet connection. I wonder what their excuse might be for the slacking of Broadband!

For goodness sake, Celcom, please upgrade your services!

Language Week Day 2

2009-04-08T10:38:00.010+08:00

Today is scrabble day.
"Bismillahirrahmanirrahimmm! Pleaseee, give me Z!!"

"Hurry up! You've exceeded the time limit!!!"

"Hmmm... good! Let's see if we can add in more words here..."

For the record, yours truly has turned into a scrabble addict, the online version that is, no thanks to my dear Pae and HMom :D

Language Week

2009-04-06T23:09:00.009+08:00

As the head the Language Unit, my programme includes the activities for the other languages taught in the school.

For Language Week this year I have lined up activities for Bahasa Melayu as well as English, Tamil, Mandarin and Arabic.

Today we started with essay writing competition in English and Bahasa Melayu. The pictures below tell how hardworking my students are :)

See the amount of writing they have done! And they are still writing!!

Everybody has a unique way of expressing their thoughts. The keyword is hardwork. They are doing their best to give the best. Well done, gals and guys!

Happy Ever After, My Dear Girl

2009-04-06T21:39:00.009+08:00

Kak Long, as her mother fondly refers her as, has blissfully wedded a very handsome Farid, her beau of high school days.

Such a sweet love story to recall and such a blessed son-in-law one can ask for.

I'm very happy for my dear friend, Safi. Spending the night at her house gave me the opportunity to get to know everybody in her extended family. Everybody that had heard a certain story about me; everybody that she often wrote about throughout our correspondence days, which has graduated into emails and sms-es of the recent years.

Shorter and simpler forms of correspondence but still as meaningful.

And I also found out, after 37 years of friendship and as a prominent figure in her community, Safi still tells people about our friendship proudly!

Now, how else can your friend make you super happy? Super touched? I don't have the right words to express how I feel, dear Safi, only thank you and may Allah bless you always. Amin.

As for the wedding, I especially love this picture I snapped during the wedding rehearsal on Saturday. May you have a blessed married life, my dear favourite girl!

Our First Win

2009-04-02T16:29:00.010+08:00

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! The school English debate team won the competition for the district level!

Never mind the fact that we were in the underdog category. If not for that, probably we would never had the courage to enter the competition at all.

Imagine to compete against the team from Ams's former school! That would bring cold sweat to my students!! For the record, Ams's school was the champion for the district and the first runner up at state level - for two consecutive years - which Ams was one of the speakers for both years!

Nevertheless, a win is a win. The joy felt by my students was very visible. They spent the whole day of yesterday searching for materials and writing their texts, and I had to miss accompanying Ams at his interview centre to provide support for the team!

No pain no gain, as they say. Congratulations to the team as well as my other two colleagues who had shown full commitment!

Congratulations Ams!

2009-03-12T17:35:00.008+08:00

Alhamdulillah.

Ams is among 1,676 students in Malaysia who scored all A1 in 2008 SPM. There are 5 straight A1 achievers in his school; not a bad record for a normal day school.

His father and I agreed that it wasn't a bad decision to leave boarding school after all. He couldn't have scored any way better anyhow :) He had the experience of two-year secondary school commuting back and forth from home in the hot sun or falling rain, and he was able to complete student grade in electone, in time before starting college studies.

But most of all he enjoyed mingling with students from all races, from all walk of life. Something he would not have the opportunity to do in boarding school.

Well done, Ams. The path is well lighted for your next journey. It is still a tough one to go but you have the strong foundation. May Allah bless you!

Good Morning, Ladies

2009-02-28T21:59:00.008+08:00

Two elderly ladies never fails to brighten up my day each morning. I see them on my way to work along the small road that connects my house to the main road. They are taking their routine morning walk while having a little chat.

It's such an endearing sight. One with her long pants and oversize shirt and a cap on, while the other walks an old 'apek' bike all the way!

Depending on how early I managed to leave the house, I sometimes wound down the screen and yelled a quick hello. Most times I just waved from inside the car though I doubted they could see me through the heavily tinted glasses!

Still the very sight of them cheered me up.

It's nice growing older feeling contented and to remain active. Body and mind included. The ladies are certainly savouring their simple joy each morning. On their own. They really put some people to shame for their endless grumpiness and negative outlooks. Opps!

OBT: PPSMI some more!

2009-02-26T16:29:00.008+08:00

A friend nudged me on Facebook and said I could be kidnapped for posting this!

She was joking, of course, but she was also right. For all I know I could be in hot soup one of these days; in more ways than one. Nevertheless, I stand firm on my opinion that PPSMI should go head on. If it's wrong for me to express my view, then it's also wrong for 'them' to air theirs.

If one asks me why PPSMI is a failure technically, I would say because too much interference from unnecessary people. The programme started in 2003. By now it's supposed to show positive outcomes as the first batch of primary students had completed the 6-year cycle. But no, UPSR question papers were still written in two languages following the cry of the public.

We have one very accommodate government to a fault!

I'm sure the programme is way out of the original laid out blueprint. The same fate received by Smart School introduced a few years earlier. Honestly speaking, it was when I thought I would find complete satisfaction in my career. Teachers would sing pride producing thinking people instead of idiots vomiting formula on test papers. But no, Smart School dies a natural death earlier than expected.

Will PPSMI too?

I mentioned earlier I'll write on why the teachers fail PTP after 2 tests... I think I'll pass that. And I'll reserve further comments on PPSMI from now on, for the time being at least.

Have a good weekend people!

OBT: PPSMI again!

2009-02-25T11:21:00.007+08:00

The top people in MOE must be really desperate to fix the hole in PPSMI. There are thousands more M&S teachers who did no pass the mark after two proficiency tests.

What was the real reason?

Only by understanding the cause(s), the problem could be tackled. Right now the government has no choice but to clear the mess. By hook or by crook, the teachers have to pass. They shouldn't be allowed to escape the exam, nor should the government abolish it.

Frankly speaking, I'm just too tired reading all the comments on PPSMI. From the public or of personnel. PPSMI is a failure. PPSMI shouldn't have started. PPSMI weakens the Malays; the kings of the lands! What rubbish!

It is a failure because too many people wanted it to fail. If you are looking for faults, then faults you will find. Of course there are shortcomings in the implementation of the programme. Nobody had ever implemented a flawless project. Hiccups are part and parcel of a progression.

PPSMI is a progression!

I just don't see why learning a few subjects in English is such a big issue. For the sake of upholding Bahasa Kebangsaan? HOLY. DAMN. SHIT!!

I love my Bahasa Melayu. I can say something to the effect of the above in my Bahasa Melayu as well. Learning other languages doesn't weaken the grip on one's own mother tongue. If it does happen, then the individual is at fault; not the system.

If these so called nationalists think that those budak kampung will not be able to do mathematics in Bahasa Melayu due to PPSMI, and that would kill the language, they are too idealistic. Or stupid.

Please stop all the nonsense. Help these budak kampung to have faith in their ability. They are ruining their future because you foul mouthed people are giving them false hopes that the programme will end one day. They simply refuse to learn because doing the wrong thing is always juicer. You provide the false excitement.

The same goes to the teachers who refuse to adapt to the changes for the wrong reasons. Thank God there are none within my working parametre. Or they skillfully hide their true colour in my presence? Anyway I thank them for the kind consideration :)

I'll write why some teachers still fail the PTP in my next entry.
Enough cursing for one day!

OBT: PPSMI

2009-02-21T10:27:00.010+08:00

The whole nation is battling on the very subject. People vs people. Oh yeah...? Somehow I smell a rat!

There will be a meeting for teachers at state level on the implementation of Buddy Support System (BSS) for 2009. Those who are not familiar with the junk; BBS a national programme by the Teacher's Division of the ministry to help Science and Mathematics teachers to handle teaching the subjects in English in classroom.

And this year, the organiser insisted that the senior assistant (SA), the person who is in charge of the programme at school level, to be present at the meeting. SA and a critical friend; the later being the nick for teachers who are assigned to help these S&M teachers at school level.

Assigned to help and in charge are two very different entities in BBS setup.

Confused?

Nothing new about that. I have been in confusion for as long as I can remember on the organisational set up of any of the educational bodies, but anyway let me try to unconfuse you.

SA is only at the administration level. They were briefed on what and how the programme is all about but many of them are not actually into the implementation of it mainly because they are not English speakers.

They don't teach English nor they teach S&M in English.

So what they did mostly was to attend meetings, chair meetings, sign minutes, tell others what they are told to do...

Well, frankly I don't blame them. That's what the structure is. Everybody is doing just that. So it's not actually their fault.

And they have other things to do. Bigger and more important things about the school. BBS is not the only pressing matter in school!

I presume, the reason why the organiser calls these SAs is because after 2 exams, there are still thousands of S&M teachers who still do not hit the mark as competent in teaching the subjects in English.

The reason being some S&M teacher just blindly refused to attend BSS classes and failed the exam.

So the organiser needs to tell SAs to their faces to make sure these teachers are responsible for their course of action. Critical friends are not apt for the job. In school set up, teachers are not allowed to comment on other teachers. Even if you are given the task to carry out a programme, you only carry it out. Any problems occurring on the job, you have to handle them to the administrators.

The joy of government protocols.

In other words: you are expected to do your duties problem free. If there are problems arising, you are not a competent worker.

And a very fine analysis.

The same goes with teaching in class. And that's another big story for another long day!

As a friend mentioned recently, being teachers nowadays do not only require the skill of applying teaching approaches to students, but more on personal abilities to handle human. Which no three or four-year course can handle that.

On the contrary, if one masters that skill, one shouldn't be a teacher with a meager pay. What say you, my friend?
:)

OBT: Mind Power

2009-02-12T20:27:00.006+08:00

I've always believed in the strength of the mind.

The mind determines what we are and what we become. A strong mind and a smart brain is a powerful combination. Could be a dangerous one too.

Today we listened to a talk by a private motivator. When I say private, it means the person was not sent by the state office. It was a programme arranged through the school PTA.

It was good listening to a person outside the education circle. Though I would not take everything the person says at face value but still an outsider's view is refreshing. It represents a different perspective of routines. Thinking outside the box.

However, nothing he said was new. There's no question on the mental capabilities of the students here. They are as potential as everybody else. But the bigger question is, how willing are they to use their strong mind and smart brain to excel in studies and to secure a place in tertiary education?

In the first place, how much of their youth are they willing to sacrifice to secure a better future?

That is exactly the teachers' battle. Here and everywhere else, I'm sure. And it is a battle we are fighting very much on our own.

I've yet to see the changes in the few students the motivator had singled out that day. Would they change as much as the others in his successful stories? I'll keep an open attitude and report here.

5 Steps to Start Your Day Right

2009-02-07T02:56:00.005+08:00

Did you ever woke up one day and felt like everything is bound to go wrong? Waking up at the wrong side of the bed is probably the worst way to start your day. You feel weak even though you just completed your eight hours sleep.

Many of us experience this excruciating morning. But you can make things better by starting your day right. Following these simple steps will surely give you a head start.

1. Always think of something to look forward to when you wake up. As soon as you hear the sound of something or someone that will inspire you to get out of bed. You can either think of the new suit you are going to wear at the office. You can also think of someone you want to see during the morning.

2. Do some stretching and/or meditation. Stretching in the morning will also make you feel better. And if you have the luxury of time, try to meditate. You will have a more peaceful mind set if you include this in your morning routine.

3. Freshen up! You will feel fully awake after freshening up. Feel good about yourself after taking a shower. Wear your dress and finish you make up. You will feel much better once you like what you see in front of the mirror.

4. Eat your breakfast. Always keep in mind that you perform better when you have enough energy. Having your breakfast will ensure that you do. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and if you are not going to have one, you deprive yourself of having a wonderful, complete and healthy morning.

5. Smile! This is probably the simplest yet most effective way of starting your day right. Smile to your family, neighbours or even to your cats! Appreciate the new day. Smiling will generate positivity. And this is what you need to have a good day ahead of you.

- UrbanHealth, Sept 2008

Pesceterians

2009-01-31T19:00:00.015+08:00

I don't know where the word comes from but I read it means a group of people who eat only fish and vegetables. Fancy, eh?

So my dear friends and readers, shall we all become pesceterians now?

Ramblings

2009-01-26T18:59:00.009+08:00

I took a stroll at the open market on Sunday; something I've not done for almost twenty years. The last time I did was with my single friends when we were renting a small flat in town. We were not exactly looking for something to buy, just like what I did yesterday; browsing through the stalls looking at displayed goodies... and watching people.

Oh, a student said hello and offered a drink :) She was helping her mother or a relative selling drinks. I didn't stop. I just waved at her and mouthed thank you. In my mind, I said I didn't want to make her feel uneasy. Wait! Was I afraid for her or was it me? Thinking back, I avoided her because I was uneasy thinking she doesn't need my classy teaching in class to get-by in life!!!

Conflict of interest. The barrier that causes teacher-student relationship always at strain in school.

On my way back to the car, I met two ex-students who were on holiday from higher institutions they just enrolled in. This lightened up my feeling. They were saying how much my teaching helps them in the present studies. They were able to catch up and scored high marks not like when they were with me, always in-between boarderlines, ha ha!

Two very significant events in one morning, and I'm a little wiser..

Bringing Up Teenagers

2009-01-25T20:28:00.005+08:00

The topic above was discussed at length in my alma mater mailing group. Different people have different approaches on how to didik their kids. Some ended up satisfied and thankful while others become sorry.

There's no hard and fuss rules on parenting. No specific modules to follow. Mostly we go about doing what was done to us. We treat our kids the way our parents treated us. How can anybody say we are wrong?

But with the increasing complaints on teenagers' behaviour nowadays, who else to blame but the parents. How ever other related system works, parents still play the main role in children upbringing. Or more specifically, whom ever closest to the child.

Complaints aside, the more pressing question is how to help these parents to work things out? Do we have centres where these parents can go to seek professional help? Or do we just keep blaming them and say serve them right?

P.S I did some bloghopping just now and read comments on parent bashing. Well, those successful parents should table their success stories so as to help the unsuccessful ones. Or reserve your comments!

Bentong Hot Spring

2009-01-25T15:56:00.011+08:00

This place has been in existence for as long I can remember but like everybody else we tend to appreciate faraway places and neglecting the ones we have at home. The place is not 5-star rating. Not even 3 for that matter.. but what can we expect, being a public property, I must say it is good enough for free usage. Basic facilities are there. Cleanliness is no big issue :( After all the hot water is supposed to kill all germs, no?
If you look closely, the boy walking by the pool is wearing a mud mask of his face. I was told it is good for acne and other skin ailments. Yours truly had feet-dip too :)There are two pools actually. The first main one is tiled all around and the water is less hot. The second one is natural and I must say you can make half-boiled eggs anytime. I prefer the natural pool though.So anyone game for a dip during this CNY break? Just a few km from Bentong town along the old KL road. I'm going one of these days... :)

Why Should I Care

2009-01-16T00:04:00.004+08:00

Why Should I Care - Diana Krall
Was there something more I could have done?
Or was I not meant to be the one?
Where's the life I thought we would share?
And should I care?

And will someone else get more of you?
Will she go to sleep more sure of you?
Will she wake up knowing you're still there?
Then why should I care?

There's always one to turn and walk away
And one who just wants to stay
But who said that love is always fair?
And why should I care?

Should I leave you alone here in the dark?
Holding my broken heart
While a promise still hangs in the air
Why should I care?

Lives

2009-01-03T13:27:00.004+08:00

Which life do you live most?
Errr... what kind of a question is that?
Well, all of us who have online profile(s) are living a minimum of two lives. OK, got it? Need I elaborate further?
So getting back to the question - which life is it? The virtual or the physical??

Some thinking to do in 2009!
Ha ha!!

P.S I created this posting on my immem.com profile. AndreaS - that's me!

Happy 2009

2009-01-02T16:16:00.003+08:00

Today is already the second day of 2009.
Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous year throughout with plenty of love and blessings. Amen.

Reunion at a Wedding

2008-12-28T09:26:00.010+08:00

An ex-schoolmate hosted a lunch reception for his daughter's wedding and we took the opportunity to have our 31st reunion! Verrrrrry bad old girls and boys :)

This pic was taken as soon as we arrived, because some friends had been there for some time and needed to leave for other appointments..

But see....... the handsome tall chap in the first pic was still there until we were all ready to leave four hours later! Talk about hi and bye... it just doesn't work when old buddies meet.
Standing from left: Amdan, Mazha, Ismail (the host), Jamaluddin, Dahniel, Borhanuddin, Wan Sharuddin, Mahmud, Japri, Payit and Chung Chin Huat.
Sitting from left: Faridzah, Nonie, Azlina, Sharipah Esah, Fatimah and yours truly.
Mustafa Kamal, Rosnah, Rosita, Razali, Shamsul Kamar and a few others had left early due to family commitment. Bravo to Jamal, PakWan, PakBor, Nonie and Idzah whose spouses and children waited patiently until the end.

So whose reception is next??? :D

Dear Friend and I

2008-12-13T21:41:00.005+08:00

Venue: KLIA Duty Free

OBT: Myperfectfuturehusband

2008-12-10T10:19:00.007+08:00

I really love this:

"The last characteristic must have in my perfect future husband is have a good job. This also one factor the family happy. If just touch the princips with love we can happy, the relationship will not succeed. I say like that because, if you don't have the money you will feel this life is empty and nothing to do. But if you have the money and clever to used it you will feel happy in family."

Notice the sentences on having enough money are almost error-free. I bet the writer has been thinking along this line for quite some time before having to put it on paper.
Wise girl!
He he!!

Qurban

2008-12-09T16:51:00.026+08:00

As not to upset the 'qurban', I did not use flash while snapping these pictures. Originally they were quite blurry but thanks to Picasa they look presentable enough, rite?

To understand the principles of qurban, read here.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha

2008-12-08T17:39:00.005+08:00

This year I have the means to participate in 'qurban' at the local community centre. Will post some pictures here, insyaAllah.

Get Comfy!

2008-12-07T00:40:00.010+08:00

December has always been a hectic month. It is when invitations come pouring in. Weddings, engagements, get-togethers, long-postponed visits...

In December too, I have pressing deadlines to meet. It is a choice, really. I can always say no but for the next few seasons I think I'll just carry on while the demand is there. After all a few extra bucks in the bank is always welcome, he he..

But age is really catching up. I need complete comfort to deliver my best. Not to mention to work in style :) So, off I went shopping!

Taadaaaa! My new comfy working chair :))

A peek at my working table at home.

I-AM-ANGRY!

2008-11-21T21:36:00.015+08:00

Cute

2008-11-20T00:05:00.003+08:00

A friend I've had not met for quite some time commented that I gained weight..

Uwaaaa!

Seeing me looking so aghast, she added cheerfully: "You look cute with your round face!"

Double Uwaaaaa!

Safina VS Bocelli

2008-11-15T10:27:00.012+08:00

If you follow my blog, you know I'm a big fan of Andrea Bocelli. I have a blog of his video collection here which I've long neglected! Hu hu..

I still listen to Andrea but am too lazy to change the CD in my car and for half a year I've been listening to Diana Krall! Another hu hu...

Well today I found another handsome Italian tenor with another fantastic voice, also happened to be another duet partner of Sarah Brightman!

Welcome to my world!

And let's watch my Andrea singing the same song..

So who do you choose?

SPM- Day 1

2008-11-11T01:33:00.007+08:00

To AMS and all his friends, also my students in SMKLB.

Diana Krall - Only Trust Your Heart

2008-11-10T23:52:00.003+08:00

The sound of the piano is so mesmerizing... Enjoy the song, folks!

Only Trust Your Heart - Diana Krall

Never trust the stars
When you're about to fall in love
Look for hidden signs before you start to sigh

Never trust the moon
When you're about to taste his kiss
He knows all the lines and he knows how to lie

Just wait for a night
When the skies are all bare and then
If you still care

Never trust your dreams
When you're about to fall in love
For you're dreams may quickly fall apart

So if you're smart
Really smart
Only trust your heart

P.S If you are a member of imeem.com, you can listen to the full song by login to immen in another window and refresh the page.

Good Luck Awi

2008-11-09T16:46:00.007+08:00

With utmost blessings from mum and everybody at home. May you shine and reach the stars like you always did. Ameen.

Bravo, Abby!

2008-11-09T14:36:00.006+08:00

The way actor Norman Hakim reacted when confronted by his wife, actress Abby Abadi, not only enraged the lovely lady but all women reading about their marital crisis. Norman just reflected to the whole nation how shallow men can be.

What I can say to Abby, be rational. Assess the pro and cons of the divorce. Make a list of what you expect to gain and lost being divorced or separated.

The problem is, in Islam, there is no 'separation' in marriage. Not by the wife, incidentally. But in the case of Abby-Norman chronicle, I'm sure no woman can stand being together with a man like Norman, husband or not.

Unfortunately, this is the time men like Norman misuse their manly rights. They expect the wife to succumb to their ego. And to pull the rein further when wife refuses to give in.

This is the time men chant their rights:
1) Wife should not leave the marital home whatever happen
2) Wife should not refuse advances made by husband regardless of how they feel
3) [got to revise reading to add in more points :)]

So no wonder there are many husbands like Norman. Their rights are assured. What they failed to see is such supremacy is given for a reason. Allah SWT is great. It is man's stupidity to abuse such blessing.

I just hope Abby has all the support from her family and close friends. Just be there for her, saying a prayer or two.

Be strong, Abby. Your fans are behind you.

Phone Hacking

2008-11-08T16:51:00.003+08:00

Do you know that people can hack your mobile phones?

Ams was fumbling with my phone at dinner last night when he said he can read my smses through his phone and make my phone call a number!

He did. Without touching my phone he made it rang a number and if the other party had accepted the call I would have to pay for it. Horror of horrors!

Of course both phones have to have bluetooth installed and switched on. I need to accept an invitation to 'parallel service' too when prompted to enable the connection.

Besides reading, downloading, and stealing whatever we have in our phone memory, the hacker can lock our phones too. That's scary!

So Ams told me to hide my bluetooth icon and switch it off when not in use. And never accept invitation for 'parallel service' or any kind of weird requests from parties we are not familiar with.

The same goes with our bluetooth enabled laptops.

A hacker only needs a simple software to do all those. Such is the advance of technology!

Just be aware, people.

OBT: Stormy Cuppa

2008-11-07T18:00:00.006+08:00

Or teapot.

It is the situation where I work now.

I'm not happy at all. There are plenty of work to be done but many of us are losing focus and we are drifting aimlessly :(

OBT: Duties

2008-11-06T01:50:00.004+08:00

Part of the responsibilities of a pentadbir in school is to attend to visitors.

For the past two weeks I handled two visits from primary school students and one from parents.

The concerned mother was worried her daughter refused to go to school because she hated a teacher.

I will not write more on the parent's visit. The matter was immediately referred to the expert. I couldn't waste precious time at the end of the year just to lend an ear. In fact I think the local community should form a support group to handle cases like this.

As for the students' visits, I was surprised I found the primary 6 students to be very child-like at 12 years old; in appearance and manner.

I taught in primary schools for many good years, and I can safely say I know how they should behave.

I used to have discussions with kids of that age range; they were able to chip in ideas, asked the right questions... at least I was able to make them listen!

The kids I had recently were restless, unable to concentrate even for a short period of time and they talked non-stop among themselves!

What a turn off!

Pecal

2008-10-28T13:37:00.008+08:00

I googled "pecal" but couldn't find any references except that it is a vegetable dish originated from Indonesia.

However, there are versions of pecal recipe on the Net. I've tasted pecal of different flavour but my favourite is still the original as how I used to savour during childhood.

Those days we didn't prepare the dish; we bought it at the day-market. I learned how to make pecal when a helper prepared the dish one evening. From then on, it's one of the regular menu on the table.

This is pecal paste made from roasted peanuts, fried chilli, onion, garlic and cekur - a kind of herb plant.

Add boiling water to make thick gravy.

As for the vegetables, I can safely say it depends on one's fancy. Here I have blenched pucuk ubi and kangkong, fried tofu, sengkuang and cucumber.

Pour in the gravy. Very appetizing, isn't it?

Burppp! Too big a serving to finish...

Chess

2008-10-28T01:00:00.008+08:00

I don't have too many decor items in the house but this is one of my favourite piece.

Although a bit too small for my liking, this chess set is something that would bring joy whenever it is in sight. I got it from Reader's Digest a few years back and it costs quite a bit.

It's in the limelight today because I just did some polishing up due to some colleagues coming over for makan-makan. That's always the case, we busy house manageresses tidy up when and if necessary :)

A ship, three stalks of purple roses and a chess set - an odd trio :D

I cant remember when and how I learned to play chess. It must be during secondary years in SEMSAS. But I remember introducing the game to my younger siblings and they turned out to be chess champions in their schools!

I continued promoting the game and started chess club in every school I teach. Presently I head the Indoor Game Club of the school. My rationale is simple: students' recreational needs are varied. Some like physical exercises while others prefer mental challenge.

I also believe that even the very sporty students need some tuning down somehow. A game of chess is the answer!

Chamang Waterfall

2008-10-24T22:33:00.021+08:00

I was very surprised to see a well-maintained picnic area in Bentong! Thanks to my students who made the effort to organize a picnic here. I joined them for the barbeque.
Enjoy the pictures!

This year's batch of students reminds me of my days in school. These beautiful young people organized outings on their own. Resourceful, creative and capable bunch. This could be the third of their end-of-year class-gathering series, and not yet the final :)
Look at the setting of today's event. They did everything. I was a guest.
I'm so proud of you, guys.... but you've got to study as hard, ok :)

And a close peek at my pretty girls...

How Was Your Raya?

2008-10-13T00:23:00.011+08:00

People asked me the same question and I have only one answer : TIRING!

Being the only female in the family has its disadvantages. I cook, I clean, I play the gracious hostess... hu hu... I am the superhuman.

Well, I shouldn't complain when I receive this as my reward:

And later on this from dear hubby:

So being the only female in the family has its advantages too, ok...
Hope you had a wonderful raya too!

P.S Pictures taken with my E71. The Olympus camera was not even charged for the occasion and that answers your question, Tabib :)

P.S.S Notorious from Ralph Lauren is my choice of perfume for this year in place for the Diana Krall's Live in Malaysia which I deliberately missed. Not that I didn't want to go or couldn't go to watch this jazz queen - I chose not to due to priority.

P.P.S Oh by the way, I went to watch Mamma Mia the Movie with hubby. Loved every minute of it. That's exactly my idea of growing old; enjoying every minute and be contented with what goes by. No regrets no grudges only blissful acceptance of events. And lovely people to grow old with :)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

2008-10-02T23:54:00.002+08:00

Wishing all friends and readers Selamat Hari Raya. Maaf zahir batin.

Online Profile

2008-09-21T16:24:00.003+08:00

Updating my profile on Hi5 today made me wonder what the heck I need so many online profiles? Hu hu... got to do some soul searching....

I've been on the Internet for hmmmm...17 years?!! Woohooo, a blooming teenager!

I remember during those early years, chatting was among the things people did online. ICQ was my first Instant Message account. Here I befriended people from all over the world. We talked about similarities and differences in our life - family, government, education, etc.

Those years Dr Mahathir (now Tun Dr Mahathir) was the PM. People around the world read about him and it was an easy connection to Malaysia. A maestro in Brazil used to be a great fan of TDM (probably still is) and he declared he read the Star Online every day! Hi there, Flavio :)

Reading email and newsgroup was another activity. I subscribed to a few emailing groups and reading the postings took up most of my online time. Reading TMNet newsgroup postings really opened up my eyes to see diversity of views.

..to be continued

10 Bad Things That Are Good For You

2008-09-08T19:00:00.006+08:00

Reader's Digest is still one of the reading materials I opt for. Below is an extract of an article appearing in September issue.

10 Bad Things That Are Good For You

1. Listening to Loud Music
There is scientific proof that the greater the music's intensity the more pleasure it brings, according to research from the University of Manchester. Never doubt that but then I guess our tolerance towards loud noises decreases as we get older. The music too. The only time I listen to loud music is in the car and when I drive alone :)

2. Texting, Not Talking
Although some might have said text messages kill human interaction, but a survey by YouGov, an international internet-based market research firm, found that 43% respondents felt mobile phones improved family communications. Texting appeals to young people so they don't mind keeping constant in touch with their parents. Yeah, agree!

3. Pounding the Pavement
Running, particularly on the roads, has been blamed for wear and tear on the knees which can lead to osteoarthritis. But a new study shows that those who regularly run are actually less likely to develop the condition than those who don't. Applies to those who run. I don't, heh! heh!

4. Being a Bit Overweight
If you worry that being even a few kilograms over your target weight is a death sentence, fret not. A US study of mortality rates of 2.3 million people found that those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 to 30 - technically "overweight" - were no more likely to die of cardiovascular disease and cancer than those with a "healthy" BMI of 18.5 to 25. Good news, Koolmokcikz! But personally, I avoid putting on weight for the sake of feeling free of extra baggage and clumsiness.

5. Full Fat Dairy
If you've trained yourself to touch nothing but low-fat or no-fat, That's me! you might want to relax. A study at the University of Wales of 2375 men over 25 showed that those who consumed the most full-fat dairy were 63% less likely to develop "metabolic syndrome," a cluster of symptoms such as high blood pressure, blood lipids and glucose levels that can lead to diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Aye? It is nice to know that but really...?

6. Caffeine
Many people assume that decaffeinated coffee and tea is somehow healthier - and there have been suggested links between caffeine and heart palpitations and pancreatic cancer. But there's a growing list of ways that it might actually be good for you. I read about these often too but I love coffee so much that I just ignored them! I drink coffee before bedtime and I go to sleep as soon as I hit the pillow. If there are occasions I couldn't sleep, it had nothing to do with my coffee! I hate decaffeinated coffee too - the taste of coffee is ruined.

7. Booze
It says that red wine in moderation helps protect against heart disease and beer which is rich in vitamin B6 can prevent the build-up of homocysteine which causes heart attacks. Beer also contains polyphenols for controlling LDL cholesterol. Errr, no comments...

8. Computer Games
They isolate children socially and distract learning. But researchers have found that kids who clock up regular console time can improve their hand-eye coordination, their grip on science, even their IQ. Games like Sim City and RollerCoaster Tycoon developes children's strategic thinking and planning skills. Also a great way to explain the basics of physics. Agree, agree.... Good news for Momilo :)

9. Sugary Soft Drinks
So many people opt for soft drinks in diet form. But a study found that those who regularly drank diet soft drinks were far more likely to become overweight than those drinking the same amount of non-diet drink. It is better to drink one sugar drink a week and enjoy it, rather than a lot of diet drinks that don't satisfy you. True. You cannot fool your body. Be very aware, sometimes it fools you!

10. Being a Working Mum
We say that the stress of caring for family while holding down a job will drive us crazy. We complained that we don't have enough time to pamper ourselves and we look forward to retirement. A 2005 study found that women who combine a career with marriage and motherhood are less likely to have poor health than those who stay at home or have no children. Also found was 38% of long-term homemakers were obese by their fifties, compared to 23% who had been working mums. Hooray! I opted for 58 then! Ha ha!!

11. Allergy Risk
I added this point, also taken from RD Sept issue, on how people think (my betterhalf included) that cats and dogs are bad for children. Dr Dennis R. Ownby of the Medical College of Georgia says that children who grow up with dogs and cats in the home have reduced risk (up to 50% less) of developing common allergies. Woo hoo! But isn't that too late for my household? Nahhh...

OBT: Teaching Science and Mathematics in English: ‘Wrong to learn language this way’

2008-09-04T20:39:00.008+08:00

This article was published by NST today.

I wrote in my previous post, here, here and here, on how some senior members in the teaching profession were still unclear about what PPSMI actually is. When they mistaken ETeMS as another name for PPSMI, or EMS as a replacement programme; well, what kind of understanding can one expect from the public?

Reading the article, I have to conclude that the public, including the said "educationists" have all these while, been misled on the main objective of PPSMI.

Or could it be the present outcome of the programme, and its unpopularity, manipulate their thinking to look at it from a totally different angle from what the programme was supposed to be?

Dr Choong Kam Foong, Deputy Director of English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) who is also the Head of Taskforce of PPSMI in 2002, wrote an introduction to PPSMI on the webpage.

While many people still think English as the colonial language, and to use it as the medium of instruction in school would project the image of "colonized mind", the implementation of PPSMI is actually aimed at upgrading the technological capability of the country, and as a consequence, improving the general English language proficiency of students, within the overall framework of meeting the challenges of a globalised, knowledge-based economy in the 21st century.

It is clearly stated that if there should be an improvement in the conduct of the language, as the result of PPSMI, it is only the by-product. It is never meant to be the main aim.

As a language teacher; as a person who fully support the programme, I feel sad whenever there is an obvious lack of English proficiency shown anywhere in the world err… Malaysia, every head turns to PPSMI!

It’s truly a very unfair allegation.

While one may argue that some non-English speaking children might face difficulties in grasping Science and Mathematics concepts in the early stages, but what concepts are we talking about in Year One?

There are other factors to the deteriorating standard of English amongst Malaysians. One of them is the non-stop debate - to continue or to stop PPSMI. That I'm sure is the biggest contribution to the deterioration.

Ramadhan

2008-09-03T22:49:00.005+08:00

Today is already the third day of the holy month.

Alhamdulillah I had a good start this year. In more ways than one. It's a truly blessed Ramadhan. A month of gifts. A month of bliss for the soul.

And I must work harder to express my gratitude to Him.

I hope to lose a few kilos of unwanted baggage before the month ends. I normally did. With no trouble at all.

But this year I have to make sure I lose a little extra. Got to get healthier in every way!

The medical test I did a few weeks back was not that satisfactory. The cholesterol level was alarmingly high, despite my consciousness of what I put in my mouth, and for the first time I had a red mark for blood pressure reading.

Still in denial mode, I blamed the waiting and having to explain to each and every medical personnel why I needed to take the test. But it's a fact that dealing with local hospital is stressful.

Well, after three days of fasting, as far as health is concerned, I haven't gained much :(
Have to try harder! Harder!....

School Break

2008-08-17T13:10:00.003+08:00

I have a week break starting tomorrow. But as both PMR and SPM are just around the corner, and the fasting month too which adds to the constraint, the students are going to have a full 5-day extra classes. A 4-hour duration each day.

Which means teachers are involved too. Mine will be on Tuesday. A full 4-hour class with a half an hour break. Hu hu..

But that's not all. I've been looking forward to this break to do a list of personal errands. Loads of them. I also have an exam to sit for and it means some serious reading to do. On top of that, I just received an instruction to attend a 3-day workshop in Ipoh, some 200 km away, on Wednesday!

Oh sheeeesh....there goes my holidays..

Is Language the Barrier?

2008-08-11T20:20:00.003+08:00

Whenever I mark essays, I could not help but assessing the validity of the content. I mean a sentence can be grammatically and syntactically correct, but is it contextually correct too?

As a language teacher, part of my job is to assess the written language. The validity of the content is none of my business actually. Supposedly. But can I live with that?

When I read semantically incorrect sentences, I wonder what cause them. Is it the limited grasp of the language that the writer is unable to state his or her thoughts adequately, or is it the limited knowledge of the subject?

It’s obvious the latter is the cause in many of my students’ cases. But of adult learners? And professionals?

I don't know. I don't know. Please tell me.

Olympics 2008

2008-08-11T17:43:00.004+08:00

I'm not following the event. I don't know who's the fastest runner or the best swimmer now.

Somebody commented that Malaysian contingent was at their worst during the opening ceremony. They couldn't even hold the flag pole high enough :(

I didn't even watch!

Is it because Malaysians in overall are ashamed of their country... I don't know. But people I met from different classes of society seem to have a collective opinion - they are sick and tired of what is going on now.

Where is all these going to lead us??

A Reminder

2008-08-03T21:08:00.002+08:00

I'm still marking the PTP papers and there's this one word that keeps disturbing my concentration – a range of a word actually – the word ‘straight’.

I must keep in mind to include this word into my next EMS class – a range of it – which includes street, strait, straits…. and the other meaning of ‘straight’!

Reminiscing

2008-07-31T01:38:00.003+08:00

I posted the previous entry almost a week late.

Quite a lot on my mind lately. The eczema is beginning to take effect on my consciousness. I become easily irritated. I picture a situation where I don’t have to lift a finger each day, just concentrating on getting rid of the problem.

Of course it’s not possible. Period.

Ok, after five days of carefully avoiding harsh elements on my skin, it gets better. The flakes are almost gone and no new skin outbreaks are visible.

Today I went to see the doctor again, and she confirmed that’s the only way to solve the problem. I have to keep doing what I’m doing now. Even when all traces of flakes are gone, I still have to keep using the gloves when doing house work.

Ok, so the cheese tarts Ams requested recently have to wait. More packed food are going to reach the dinner table. Thank God Awi has gone back to his university. He is the more hopeless one where house work is concerned, obviously!

I NEED A HELPER!

Anyway, I’m in a better mood now. Here comes the entry I promised you..

Unrecorded Leave

2008-07-31T01:37:00.003+08:00

If I'm not mistaken, this is the second year that teachers are given annual leave. Before this, we are given what they called Unrecorded Leave - a maximum of seven days a year for all teachers regardless of the number of years one has served in the government.

The difference is for unrecorded leave, teachers were only allowed to apply for the leave, for certain given reasons, namely serious illness or death of close family members, sending off spouse or parents or spouse's parents to the airport for haj (but no leave is given to welcome them home) and a few more I’ve forgotten now.

Whereas in annual leave, no reasons are required. However, it’s still seven days a year for all teachers considering we have about 10 weeks of schools holidays throughout the year.

There were lots of hanky-panky went round regarding the application for unrecorded leave then. Some, or I would safely say the majority, would make up reasons to be eligible to apply for the leave. It was an inside joke that some teachers were known to have a number of dead grandmothers or grandfathers, because they applied for unrecorded leave for the same reason a few times over the years!

But still, unrecorded leave was in practice until very recently.

I, too, had my share of ‘bohong sunat’ – unintended lie as they say. My first niece whom I helped to look after while waiting for my SPM result, died at a very young age of 12, a few weeks before UPSR exam. Devastated, I simply had to go home to say my last goodbye (I was in Melaka then) but a niece’s funeral was not amongst the reasons that qualify for unrecorded leave.

My headmaster, a very nice Chinese gentleman, did not ask many questions when I told him I had an emergency. But when I submitted the form upon returning, he told me I had to change the reason to something that was acceptable.

I’ve forgotten whose funeral I attended but I remember feeling really sad. It was something I hated doing. I even asked the HM to just deduct a day of my salary if that could justify my absence from work.

The headmaster gently told me, it was better to 'bohong sunat' than to be regarded as having a kind of serious problem in school that HM needed to deduct salary. I followed the advice but I did not read between the lines. Naïve me!

Well, you see… only the principal or the headmaster is concerned when a teacher is absent from school. If you can convince these people that it’s ok for you to be absent, there’s definitely no recurring problem…..

However, I prefer to do things the right way. When there were occasions I had to apply for emergency leave especially during those times I was living far away from other family members, I did it properly. But I had problems telling my headmaster/mistress I needed to take leave every time the boys were down with fever. Even when I knew it was not the usual cold and flu.

Thank God I met a pediatrician that understood my situation and suggested that he provides medical leave for ME whenever he thinks I have to be with my sick child. I stayed faithful to this doctor until both my boys passed their baby stage. At the same time I make it a priority to inform my superiors of my where-about whenever I was absent from work.

Well, nowadays new teachers do not face these kinds of problems. When unrecorded leave was still in practice, I heard lots of complaints from principals. Teachers absent from school and nobody knows where they are. Some young teachers were really daring.
They still are.

That’s all, folks. Got to continue marking the PTP papers…. hu hu….

Anual Leave and Eczema

2008-07-26T22:29:00.008+08:00

Yesterday was a record. It was the first time I ever took leave from work to completely do nothing in particular but to catch up with sleep. Later in the afternoon, I went to see a dermatologist, something I should have done months ago.

For almost a year I've had a kind of skin irritation, eczema. It started with a spot on my left foot and it got bigger by the day. The culprit was a pair of Nose sandals I bought about a year ago.

I was slow to notice that the metal trimmings on the straps were elements of allergy. Early self-remedy treatment didn't help. In fact it worsened the condition and now my blood system is sort of contaminated. My skin easily flakes off whenever it becomes too dry. Normal home detergents, shampoos and even everyday facial cleanser are way too strong for my vulnerable skin.

The doctor told me to keep the infected skin moist at all time; moist but not wet. She prescribed two types of cream, to be kept inside my handbag, and to be applied as often as necessary. She also told me to have minimum contacts with any kind of soapy elements - which mean no washing bare-handed; even to hang up machine-washed laundries, I have to put on waterproof gloves.

That's aging for you. With God's blessing, I've had quite a hassle-free life where health is concerned. I must really thank God for that. This is a small problem. One that I should be able to handle.

Talking about the leave; in English the term is Annual Leave. Employees are given a number of days each year which they can, not coming to work. The number of days varies following the number of years one has worked, and also the rank one is in - the higher the rank, the more annual leave days are given.

I will write more on annual leave for teachers in my next entry. Cheers everyone!

Private Candidates

2008-07-16T21:25:00.008+08:00

Testing oral skills of SPM private candidates has its hilarious moments. No matter how I tried to look and sound professional, sometimes I just couldn't hide my amusement...

To ease the tension, so that the candidates did not feel that they were being mocked at (they weren't, I swear) I tried making the situation humourous for us all.

Thank God, so far nobody got angry. I can safely say all of them were very responsive. The fact they took the trouble to sit or re-sit for the exam already tells us something positive about their personality.

Whenever possible, I asked them why they take the examination.

Because we Malaysians are busy-body, huh?

On the contrary, in my culture, it's a sign of compassion. But how we Malaysians translate compassion may take another three or four entries which I'm not ready to do now :)

Back to the private candidates, I must say English is not an alien language in Malaysia. The weakest group of candidates from the most remote area were still able to introduce themselves intelligibly and answer some simple questions in English.

When non-Malaysian speakers of English are able to comprehend what they say, they pass the test.

Except we invigilators had hard times pretending we do not understand our mother-tongue. How to bluff... when we look so much like Malaysian aunties, hihi...

Weekend Ramblings

2008-07-13T19:50:00.006+08:00

It has been a quiet week. Except for Tabib who would always come up with fantastic pictures of his new chicks, I mean birds :) other smspian bloggers are sort of hibernating...

Not only smspian bloggers but I noticed a marked quietness in the blogsphere. The few blogs I frequent are also dormant. Enough is enough, one screamed. People are sick and tired of the cheap comedy... or is it a tragedy?

Oh, I forgot. Momilo just started a new blog here and yes, she posted a few entries. And yes, it's obvious what she needs to vent out!

Well, ever since I started this blog more than a year ago, I've been very careful not to write on sensitive issues. Particularly those concerning the government. As an employee of the public sector I'm bounded by the code of etiquette. Which, I have no problem adhering to all these years.

But that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion.

Running a government is no easy job. Not all Tom, Dick and Harry can do it. So much so when the government we are talking about is the one that runs entirely by the string of the elected leaders.

They are the ones that make or break the country. The consequences of their decisions will carry for generations to come.

What I'm saying is, our present leaders are responsible for what is happening in the country now. They are accountable for what they did, or what they didn't do. If a strategy worked 5 years ago and it doesn't today, it's their fault for not being able to see into the future.

And if they feel that they are not up to the expectation, by all means, give ways.

But that's the problem. Not too many people are ashamed of poor performances nowadays. I'm not at all new to bad management. Too many people in the public sectors get away with half-past-six kind of work and still get promoted.

Nonetheless, it's enough for me there are motions to the betterment of the goverment now. I still feel there's no need for a complete turnover. The wake-up calls have been made. The leaders are wide awake. Well, at least a majority of them. All are forewarned.

As for us the people, we need to be patient and sincere in hoping for the best. In times of uncertainty like this, advantage-takings and boat-hoppings should not be the options. It's like a marriage. One doesn't throw away years of good life just for a one mistake however bad it is.

Have a good week ahead everyone!

I've Got You Under My Skin - Diana Krall

2008-07-03T23:07:00.001+08:00

Under My Skin - Diana Krall

I've got you under my skin
I have got you deep in the heart of me
So deep in my heart, you're really a part of me
And I've got you under my skin

I have tried so, not to give in
I've said to myself this affair it never would go so well
But why should I try to resist when I know so well
That I've got you under my skin

I would sacrifice anything come would might
For the sake of having you near
In spite of a warning voice, that comes in the night and repeats in my ear
Don't you know you fool you never can win
Use your mentality, wake up to reality
For each time I do, just the thought of you makes me stop before I begin
Because I've got you under my skin

A Case of You - Diana Krall

2008-07-03T19:50:00.003+08:00

I wanted to post the video of I've Got You Under My Skin by the same singer, but for a certain reason YouTube doesn't allow that video to be inbedded... so readers, watch this one... Diana Krall has fantastic vocal.

Terengganu Trip

2008-06-21T01:18:00.013+08:00

In between writing modules for oral test, my colleagues and I spent the time in Terengganu browsing Pasar Payang for batik materials.

I presume it is a national directive that government officers of Malaysia wear batik to work on Thursdays. Being obedient workers, the lady teachers forked out at least RM200 for a piece of material suits for kebaya or baju kurung.

And many went home with more than one piece, I think. How could you wear the same clothes every week?

Indeed batik is luxurious. To common people. Check for the prices here.

This simple yet nice blouse is very catchy. The temptation was very great :-)

Oh, I went to see the crystal mosque too. But it was night time, and the surrounding area was not fully completed so at night it was quite deserted. Beside my colleague and I, only one other car was parked in the compound.

Indeed the mosque is fantastic. But due to limited light, and the simple camera that I have, I couldn't picture the complete architecture.

But you can see how the name crystal came about. Most of the building was made of glass. Including the dooms, walls and doors.

This is the scenary from the window of my hotel room. Far across behind the bridge is the crystal mosque. Terengganu is still very captivating in term of nature beauty. A right choice of destination for a quiet holiday..

OBT: Provocative LM

2008-06-15T03:01:00.009+08:00

This happened during the first few months I was in this school:

LM: Saya cadangkan kita buat satu program peningkatan penggunaan Bahasa Inggeris untuk guru-guru Matematik dan Sains...
Sher: OK. Apa cadangan cikgu?
LM: Cikgulah yang kena buat program ni.. Cikgu dapat BISP tu kan?
Sher: Grrrr????

That conversation took place almost five years ago. I struggled hard not to feel offended because my intention was to stay long in this school.

I mean there was no need to threaten me to carry out any programme. No need to remind me that I receive an incentive to do extra work. I didn't even say no in the first place!

I don't know if other members of the staff feel it's OK to be spoken to like this. I did asked among the close ones and yes they felt it too. But they would brush off his offensive remarks as a burst of unsettled mind..

Until now, during meetings, LM is still as provocative and will say something not really insulting but to me is unappropriate communication amongst colleagues. Very unprofessional!

And uncalled for.

I wonder if it's the normal way he connect to people???

Over the years I've somehow managed to reduce my level of expected politeness but when it comes to work related procedures, I still have to question LM on many occasions. More often than not, I am the only one who ever does.

LM always manages to upset people with his words but his instructions are seldom clear and sometimes contradicting. Other staff choose to remain quiet and only ask the questions when it is absolutely necessary. Normally they would do as they think fit and address any problems later on as they arise.

I don't know if doing things this way is a better option but my orthodox thinking still inspires proper planning, transparent and friendly but precise dispersed of instructions... because we are doing things for an organisation - not our own personal matters which we can do following our every whim and fancy!

But above all what I hate most is when the job is done, then only come the instructions that it should be done this way and that! WTF!!!

For that, I guess LM is looking at me as a rival. Or a threat. Or a forever potential enemy... Which is something I really feel sad and guilty about but I just could not help it when he became offensive.

May be it's time for me to move else where.

OBT: A Bad Apple

2008-06-14T23:48:00.018+08:00

I thought for a long time whether I should write this. Well, this is a reality. Reality sometimes bites real bad.

A conversation I had about a month ago:

Sher: You didn't receive my sms, did you?
IG: I did but I ran out of credit.. I couldn't reply.. And I was in the exam class when you smsed so I cannot go to the office to call you..
Sher: I smsed you at nine in the morning! You could have done something. Not that it's very important that you should reply my sms but when you didn't, I thought everything was OK and you'll take the class!!
IG: I assumed you would do the class yesterday because last week you cancelled the class... Any educated person will know that she will have to replace the class she cancelled...
Sher: Any educated person will not assume but will make sure and that's why I sent you the sms! (I was getting angry.. this girl is testing my patience!)
IG: Hmmmmmm...
Sher: And you didn't answer my calls too! I saw your car was still in the garage when I called..
IG: I was speaking to my husband when you called... didn't you see on your phone that I was answering someone else's call...
Sher: No, I did not! (rolled eyes...)

Would you believe a teacher could give such an excuse to skip a class? It happened during the week before the mid-term break. I'm talking about Buddy Support System classes which we have every Wednesday after school hours. IG is one of the trainers besides another English teacher and myself.

Among the three of us, I've already worked out a schedule on each's turn to carry out the class but as a teacher's job is subjected to many ad hoc activities, the schedule is only a guideline.

Almost every week I have to readjust the timetable and so far we had no problems. The practice was we tried to accomodate each other.

A week prior to that, I smsed IG if she would like to do the class. I did the previous week and since she was applying for a transfer which might take effect immediately, this could be the last session she would have with the teachers and I thought it would be an occasion for her to say a proper goodbye.

She smsed back saying she had something on that day and she would do the class the following week. So fine, I readily filled up the vacancy but due to some last minutes changes, the class was postphoned.

So the following Wednesday I smsed IG again just to remind her that class is on. When IG did not reply, I did not think something was amiss. We in the panel have some kind of an understanding that whatever differences we have, we can always talk it out. At least that was how I look at the situation...

I only suspected something was not right when IG was not in the staffroom when I went there and the other teachers were asking me why I was looking for her when she had TOLD THEM she was not doing the class!

My first reaction was she might have not received my sms. She could have left her phone at home as it happened to me on a few occasions. So I asked if anybody had seen her on the phone. The answer was yes.

So she deliberately avoided the class but was too proud to admit it! But why?

It was really a hard blow for me because I've always had high regards over the commitment shown by the members of my panel for the past years. I was ever proud to tell other teachers that I have such a supportive team.

IG did complained during the first meeting that she was not happy having only a class of English. There was nothing I could do because her minor subject is History and the school is lack of history teachers. I gave her the best class in Form Four, the most I could do to make her happy although I know she would be leaving by the middle of the year. She just got married and her husband was posted to Sarawak for a promotion.

Early in the year I tried not to feel disappointed when we had to miss a district annual event, the first ever happened since I head the panel in this school, because IG could not come out with the representatives!

She said the students she picked left for another school so there was no time to train other reps and that we had to let go the event. I accepted the excuse with good grace but she must have thought I was easy to fool...

Maybe I was a fool because colleagues from other schools laughed their heads off when I told them the story!

IG had already left for Sarawak. She apologized for the misunderstanding on the first episode but she was really not bothered about showing her true colours. During the last week, she asked if the class was on and when I gave an affirmative, she offered to conduct. But once a spade is always a spade. On the early Wednesday morning, her sms came saying she'd be on leave over some matters. To the office, she called in sick!

To say the least, I'm glad she's off my back!

Ginger and Her Four Babies

2008-06-07T12:38:00.021+08:00

I have no choice but to accept responsibility of taking care of another four little kittens. Being unspayed and uncaged, Ginger just didn't have the means to avoid getting pregnant.

But four?

I suspected the late Ceasar was the culprit. He was a sextet and one of the kittens is black with streaks of its mother's colour.

Ceasar died before the kitten were born. Instead of being left with a single pet, now I have five!!

The un-named quartet in their castle..

By the way, Ceasar left us an icon to remember him by. My sis who lives next door is presented with an exact replica of him.

In fact handsomer!

Alvin is just as cheeky!

So anyone fancy a furry friend?
:-)

Two Faults

2008-06-06T11:58:00.003+08:00

Men are fantastic creations. They ONLY have two faults - everything they SAY and everything they DO!

Fuel Hike

2008-06-05T17:33:00.010+08:00

I dragged out Ams to accompany me to save RM40 last night. We queued up for one hour. Thank God Ams brought along his laptop so he wasn't too grumpy!
That was the scenario following the announcement on fuel hike. Every station in town was packed with cars waiting to fill a last tankful at RM1.92 per litre.

At the old rate, I have to burn about RM6 worth of petrol for a return trip to school everyday. But somehow whenever I have extra classes or meetings later in the afternoon, I still dash home for a shower, lunch and other necessities before resuming work.

When fuel increased in price last year, I thought of buying a smaller car so that I would not feel so tight up making round trips to school as the need arises. So I bought the 1.2cc Savvy while waiting for my Matrix to be repaired after the accident.

True enough, there was a big difference in monthly fuel consumption. I slashed almost half of my normal budget every month. I even worry looking at the petrol gauge meter when I've travelled miles and miles back and fro and still it doensn't move :-)

Now Awi is using the Savvy and with his monthly RM500 pocket money, he is loudly complaining. Like it or not, we have to adjust our lifestyles to accomodate the change.

Among other things.....

Independence Memorial

2008-06-05T02:36:00.006+08:00

This must be one of the most important historical buildings. Proclaimation of Independence of Malaya (then) was done here by the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj.

The building sits facing the famous Fort of Melaka, the A Famosa.

I only climbed the hill once. Or twice. Looking at the picture now, it's something I want to do again very soon...

The steps up still look quite friendly, eh..

Pahlawan Mall

2008-06-05T02:01:00.005+08:00

Dataran Pahlawan still exists!

In fact I must say it's properly taken care of compared to the non-commercial grass field I saw 17 years ago.

I read some articles somewhere, people were unhappy and making a big fuss on the rapid developments done there. Now I must say the development is for the better. In every sense of the word.

The building at the far back is Mahkota Parade, another shopping complex already in existance in 2000.

Modern shoplots underneath the field.

World class merchandise.

Pulau Melaka Mosque

2008-06-05T00:45:00.009+08:00

When I left Melaka in late 2002, the mosque was not yet built.

It faces the Straits of Melaka, part of it being built on the seawater.

The area where they build the mosque is actually what they call the reclaimed land - part of the strait which they fill up and made into commercial area. But sadly, most of the shoplots were still untaken.

This part of the town is practically deserted except for visitors to the mosque.
The view of the mosque from the hotel room where we stayed.

It looks like the mosque was built on an island, so the name Pulau Melaka comes about I guess. Actually there is a road that joins the proper land to the man-made island.

The building on the right is Mahkota Medical Centre, where my two boys (now rowdy teenagers!) had their early encounters with doctors and nurses.

Melaka Bandaraya Bersejarah

2008-06-03T09:14:00.003+08:00

I lived here for almost 13 years. Melaka is my second home. Yesterday I came here as a visitor; a tourist, walking the length of Pahlawan Mall imagining the vast green field I used to see.

Will upload the photos later.

No Thanks

2008-05-31T13:12:00.005+08:00

Two days ago I received two cheques from a bank I have an account with. Two cheques for an already approved loan - one with a stated amount and the other, unbelievably, was a blank one. I just have to fill in the amount and take the cheque to any bank to get the cash!

Amazing how people do business nowadays, don’t you think so?

Actually I've been receiving loan cheques from another bank for quite sometimes. Thank God I never had the need to respond to them. The amount was not that substantial but enough for a comfortable weekend at Genting for the family, minus the casino of course!

The offer was good. I can pay back the loan in 6 months, interest free, but the catch was… I need to pay for a one time processing fee which is about 4% of the loan amount.

I should say it’s a very good bargain if I really need the cash. Or I’m very business minded, or I’m in a kind of a business which brings more profits with more cash in hand…. For sure those unsolicited loan cheques are godsent.

But I’m just a normal school teacher. Not a very ambitious one, I’m afraid so. So thank you, people, for your confidence but no thanks..

Friday and Craving

2008-05-09T16:01:00.013+08:00

It's Friday and suddenly I crave for nasi biryani. Must be the aftermath of something.. heheh...

There is this restaurant which sells fantastic biryani near the school on Friday so I made a mental note to buy a few packages enough for lunch today.
(I mean enough for everybody at home larrr... He he, talking about getting the correct message across!)

But I had to attend two meetings before noon, and by the time I reached the restaurant, it was closed for Friday prayer. Oh shessssh......

In town, there are a few other Indian Muslim restaurants that I'm sure they serve biryani as well. So I made a round to these restaurants, already salivating biryani, but it was really not my day. The restaurant owners are all devoted Muslims who will never give up Friday prayers for anything.

Well, these restaurant operators have wives, mothers and daughters. I've seen the ladies helping in the shop once in a while but you will never see them taking over the business completely even for a few hours.

Another mental note: Find out why...

Back to lunch-mission, I had to settle for normal rice-routines... white rice and dishes of vege, fish and chicken. Borrrrrring!

Maybe it was my foul mood but I felt really angry seeing my people of the opposite sex, crowding all three stalls I went to, helping themselves to lunch when others were dutifully serving their time at the mosques!

And these buggers had the nerves to steal glances at this fuming aunty. Like an injured tigress, I stared back showing the sternest face I could muster..

For goodness sake, even if they are on the run on something very important that they have to miss Friday prayers, at least have some sense of obligation to respect the occasion.

Wait for a decent period until prayer is over before showing your shameless faces, moron!

I was really frustrated. I pray to dear God, the gentlemen in life would not fall into this category of blatant people. Amen..

Beef Biryani I made many moons ago :)

Eat Less Campaign

2008-05-07T12:22:00.005+08:00

I wrote about the abundance of food here in Malaysia especially during festive seasons, Hari Raya in particular.

I moaned to some friends that we almost do not have the opportunity to feel hungry!

Imagine that... hunger is not a threat here in Malaysia, in the every day community. It is something we miss, something we no longer have the privilege to feel....

To put it very simply: I fully support the move. In fact, we don't need campaigns. We know eating moderately is healthy.

But of course we are all poor self-disciplined homosapiens. So we need the government to tell us to eat less. We can no longer afford the affluence because there is food shortage everywhere around the world, no?

A friend invited me and a few others for lunch at her house sometimes ago. Being used to loads of food on the table, I was surprised to see quite a selection but in very much lesser quantity. Also the choice of menu was not something to scream about..

I suspected my other friends felt the same too but were too polite to say anything :)

But in the end we had a nice filling lunch, felt very much at ease to continue doing what we were doing then... and ok, all were well with a moderate feast... I must say it was in fact a better feeling!

Of course if the lunch had been rich and surplus, the praises would be endless pouring from our shameless lips, lo and behold.

I'm not suggesting that my friends and I are some spoilt bitches with plastic faces... but isn't it the expected thing to do to say ahhhh....and ohhhhh.... when we are brought to the serving table, no?

So I warn you; unexpected visitors very rarely get affluently treated in my home. Get it?

He he..

OBT: Learning and Sharing - LADAP

2008-04-27T00:33:00.009+08:00

On Saturday, I was invited to give a talk on the importance of Buddy Support System in one of schools here.

Looking at the given topic, I decided to begin with the necessary lexicon; the jargons and acronyms. I know many teachers are still blur of what is which in PPSMI. Even to the senior teachers by age and profession. Which is a very sad state of affair.

So there I went bla bla bla... in front of about 35 participants. Such a dry one hour and I completed 3 sets of slides on lexicon, the literature of PPSMI, and the implementation of Buddy Support System.

Well, I call the session a learning and sharing experience. I did not teach, I did not tell them anything. I shared with the participants what I know, how much I understand on the subjects and at the same time it was a huge learning experience for me.

The session was scheduled for a 2-hour duration so I had one hour to torture the participants: twisted their tongues and wrecked their brains out... and they enjoyed it!

As for the importance of BBS... well, I showed them a list of notices found around the world, which were meant to convey some useful messages to the intended readers, but came out as something very silly to people who understand English :)

Just what do you perceive when you read a notice in an unfamiliar restaurant that says CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER!

Ha ha!!

It was hilarious once the participants understood the implied meaning of the notices. I'm sure they now see the importance of saying things correctly. Or at least be little careful to know what message was actually passed across to the intended receivers..

Our students may have constant difficulties trying to understand what we say in class. It is worse when both speaker and listeners have limited grasp of the language.

Which means to say, the step by the government to change the teaching of Mathematics and Science in English is really a giant leap. We don't know for sure who the exact person behind it, I dont, I can only guess, and I do believe no ordinary man would chance such a huge shift. No ordinary state of mind would. The foreseen obstacles are obvious, not to mention the unforeseen ones.

It is still the most daring idea. Brilliantly daring. I wonder how long the idea has been in the mind of the person just waiting for the right time to be implemented.. My salute!

By the way, LADAP is a kind of professional training programme for teachers, conducted at school level, and a sum of money is allocated for the purpose. Teachers have to complete at least 7 days of such courses before the year ends. Funnily, those who are called to give talks are not considered going through a learning process. Yeahhh, because they are not one of those sitting on their butts listening to people's ramblings, as to what learning is all about huh...

Boy, boy... I do have weird ideas in my head, no?

OBT: Taking Sudents for Activities - Safety First

2008-04-24T16:49:00.010+08:00

Whoa, I managed to write two parts in two days! That’s an achievement... a pat on my back :)

OBT is the short form for Of Being Teacher. From today onwards, whatever I want to write about how I feel concerning my job will carry this heading. I hope to write about other things too.

A current happening triggered the writing of Part 1 of Taking Students for Activities. It is a lil’ something I have to do as the head of English Panel at the school. A programme is scheduled to take place some 200 km away. A teacher and 3 students are invited to take part in the programme and being the one singled out in the district, the school has to oblige even though the boss did mentioned to forget the whole thing if transportation is a problem.

As we do not have the privilege for own transportation facility, as I mentioned earlier, we teachers including yours truly ferry students in our own personal over-run cars, for all outside school activities since many decades ago :) And recently a colleague lost his means of transport due to an accident while on one of such duties but that’s another story for another day!

But for this programme, I do not advice the teacher-in-charge to drive WITH the students in the car. If s/he wishes to drive for his/her own traveling convenience, fine, since as usual s/he is allowed to make mileage claim but do not, I repeat, DO NOT take the students along.

But then again, a teacher’s expected role is not only to facilitate students’ academic or cocurricular activities but we are more of a chaperon; to be responsible of not only the welfare of the students but also their lives.

So like it or not, the teacher in question has to travel together with the students. My advice to her was firm – DO NOT TRAVEL IN YOUR CAR.

As a seasoned driver, I myself would hesitate to take the route. It’s not so much of the distance or the hilly and winding road but it’s the burden of the students’ lives. It’s a heavy load to carry to feel you’re responsible for one young student’s limping walk, due to a minute’s error. To me, a trip around the town is not so bad. Although chances of disaster knew no boundaries, yes, but…. well, you know what I mean….

But here is my weakness. I do not tell no to the teacher and expected her to come out with a brilliant idea to solve the problem. I can see she has none. So it becomes MY problem to provide the transport. And that’s another whole story to tell!