Today I am letting my boys and girls watch a movie. I know they are tired after long hours of answering exam questions this morning. So I think it's best to let them unwind with a funny animation 'BARNYARD'. Let them watch farm animals go about with their life at the barn. IF... they did not fall asleepin the middle of the story. I'm still struggling with their answer scripts. It's really tiring and challenging to mark their essays. At times I almost doze off while reading their essays zzz.... Oh... I do need to get myself anoher red ink pen. Maybe I'll get one after work *sigh*
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Today I am letting my boys and girls watch a movie. I know they are tired after long hours of answering exam questions this morning. So I think it's best to let them unwind with a funny animation 'BARNYARD'. Let them watch farm animals go about with their life at the barn. IF... they did not fall asleepin the middle of the story. I'm still struggling with their answer scripts. It's really tiring and challenging to mark their essays. At times I almost doze off while reading their essays zzz.... Oh... I do need to get myself anoher red ink pen. Maybe I'll get one after work *sigh*
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Finally... I can spare some time to write some thing here. The last few days were spent with celebrating Eid with family and friends. My family and I visited our relatives during the day, exchanging stories and enjoying the food served. Then, at night we were busy entertaining friends and relatives who came over to the house. There were so many of them, that it took me almost an hour to clean the dishes. At one time, I still haven't finish doing the dishes used by the previous visitors the next group had already arrived. Luckily the food was enough for everyone. Well... though it was tiring, I really enjoyed myself this Eid.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Well... I don't read or undertand Tamil, so... I never knew that people have been speculating on their relationships for the past years. All I know is that, whenever I watched them together in movies, they really made a very compatible couple on screen. That's why I always hope they would end up together in real life. And they do! They are so sweet together *sigh* ^_^ Hope their marriage will last for a very long time.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Looks like once again we're celebrating 2 festivals together, Deepavali and Hari Raya. Hence, we have the name DEEPA RAYA. We're forever creative in inventing new names. Used to celebrate Raya with Chinese New Year, and we called it KONG XI RAYA. Maybe the next time we'll celebrate Raya with other festivals, THAI RAYA (Thaipusam + Raya), GAWAI RAYA (Hari Gawai + Raya), RAYA MAS (Raya + Hari Krismas). We'll just wait n see ^_^
The celebrations will be twice exciting and unforgetable. There'll be more open houses and crowds. Tomorrow is the start of my official break for DEEPA RAYA. I'll be off work for the next 10 days. What do u think I'll do? Go figure!
Finally... my new clothes for this coming Raya have arrived. Phewh! *sigh*
Selamat Hari Raya or Happy Eid Mubarak To all Muslims who happens to stop by at my blog. May U have the best celebration this year.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
At evening when the lamp lit,
Round the fire the parents sit;
They sit at home and talk and sing,
And do not play at anything.
Now, with my little gun I crawl
All in the dark along the wall,
And follow around the forest track
Away behind the sofa back.
There, in the night, where none can spy,
All in my hunter’s camp I lie,
And play at books that I have read,
Till it is time to go to bed.
These are hills, these are the woods,
These are my starry solitudes;
And there the river whose brink
The roaring lions come to drink.
I see the others far away
As if in firelight camp they lay,
And I, like to an Indian scout,
About their party prowled about.
So, when nurse comes in for me,
Home I return across the sea,
And got to bed with backward looks
At my dear land of storybooks.
Robert Louis Stevenson
and the hardest may be
yet to come.
But remember… the best things
in life
don’t come easily.
Changes must sometimes be made,
and we must not be afraid
to make them.
For if we always remain the same,
we will fail to grow.
But, if we can grow…
Together…
we will have a love
that is known by
so very few
Doug Konst
Here are a few stories on good values taken from Aesop's Fables. Hope you'll enjoy reading them.
THE DOVE AND THE CROW
A dove, locked up in a cage, was congratulating herself on how many children she had hatched, when a crow came by and said,"stopboasting, my friend! The more young ones you have, the more slaves there will be for you to groan over."
We must have freedom to enjoy our blessings.
THE LIONESS
Once when all the beasts were arguing among themselves as to which of the animals could produce the largest number of whelps at birth, they went to the lioness and asked her to settle the dispute.
"And how many do you have at birth?" they asked.
"One," she said defiantly, "but that one is a lion."
No matter how much you have, never argue with quality.
THE CRAB AND ITS MOTHER
"Why do you walk so crooked, child?" said an old crab to her young one. "Walk straight!"
"Mother," the young crab replied, "show mw thw way, and when I see you moving straight ahead, I'll try to follow."
Actions speak louder than words
THE CREAKING WHEELS
As some oxen were pulling a wagon along a bumpy road, the wheels began to creak and make a tremendous noise, whereupon the driver cried to the wagon, "Brute! Why do you groan when those creatures who are doing all the work are silent?"
Those who cry the loudest are not always the ones who hurt the most.
THE FOX AND THE GRAPES
A famished fox crept into a vineyard where ripe, luscious grapes were draped high upon arbors in a most tempting display. In his effort to win a juicy prize, the fox jumped and sprang many times but failed in all his attempts. When he finally had to admit defeat, he retreated and muttered to himself, "Well, what does it matter anyway? the grapes are sour!"
It is easy to despise what you cannot get.
THE WOLF AND THE SHEPHERDS
A wolf looked into a hut and saw some shepherds enjoying a joint of mutton in great comfort.
"If they had caught me enjoying such supper." he remarked, "there'd be certain hell to pay."
Men often tend to condemn others for the very things that they themselves practice.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
TETAPI AWAS,
KETIKA ITU,
Yang perempuan,Pakai mini sekerat.
MAKNANYA KETIKA ITU, IBLIS MULA MELOMPAT.
Sebagai sesama insan sama2lah ingat mengingati sesama insan!!!
Once, there used to be a young man who loves to spend his time at the library and read books and novels. One day, while reading a novel, he found a girl’s name and address written on a page of the novel. Written there… “Catrina… lonely and need a friend”
The man was touched and decided to write a letter to the girl. He wrote a letter stating that he wanted to be friends with her. A few days went by, and he received a reply from her. She agreed to be his friend.
Days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Their friendship developed into something deeper. They had fallen in love. However, the two of them had never met. The young man really wanted to meet her. She felt the same too. Though they had never met each other, their love was so strong.
One day, the young man was called to battle to protect his country. He was worried that we would never have the chance to meet the girl. He wrote a letter telling her, “If we are really meant to be together and you still loves me, we will meet at the railway station where you live on the day the war is declared ended. I’ll be wearing my army uniform and holding a red rose. I’ll know you if you are holding a red rose too. Then, please let me take you to dinner and home to meet my parents.”
The young man left for war….
A few months later…
On the day the war was declared ended, the man went to the railway station where the girl lives holding a red rose in his hand. He looked at a girl after another whether she is holding a rose.
Suddenly, he saw a plump girl sitting on a wheelchair searching for someone around her. She had lost one of her arms and legs. She was holding a red rose in her good hand. He was surprised… but he braved himself and approached her.
“Catrina?” The girl turned to him and smiled. The young man handed the red rose to her and said, “I really missed you. Please accept this flower and my invitation to dinner. My parents are eager to meet you.” And kissed both her hands.
The girl said, “I don’t know what is happening, but a pretty lady gave me this flower just know. If you ask me to dinner and meet your parents, She told me to tell you she is waiting at a nearby café.”
How many people have a sincere heart like this young man? He looked at something deeper which is not the girl’s physical appearance but her HEART. He kept his promised and held on to his LOVE though at first he thought that the handicapped girl was Catrina.
Are men like him still exist in this world??? Accepting everything the way it is… with the purest and sincerest HEART???
At night we would light up the kerosene lamps around the house and play fireworks. Raya eve was the best time as mum would be very busy cooking and preparing the Raya dish. We can smell the aroma of her Chicken Rendang and beef curry, which made our mouth water... Her ketupat will be left on the stove for a few hours until they are nicely cooked. Then we would hang them on a piece of stick to dry off some of the extra moisture. At night we would help mum clean the house, hang the new curtains and others. We could hardly sleep as we were eager for the Raya morning to come.
In the morning we would dorn ourself with new set of Raya attire and have all the delicious dish prepared by mum. Afterwards we would go around the village from one house to another with the intention of visiting the people. But, they know that our main motive was to collect as many Duit Raya as we can. Once we were home, we would start counting our Duit Raya and thinking of what to buy with them :D
Hmm... those were the days where we were able to collect duit raya instead of giving it. However, now... I'm the one who have to part with some of my bonus and hand them to the children... Well... that's what u call payback hehehe.... *sigh*
SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILFITRI TO ALL, ESPECIALLY TO MY FRIENDS WHO HAPPEN TO READ THIS BLOG. MAAF ZAHIR BATIN ^_^
Great, wide, beautiful, wonderful world,
With the wonderful water around you curled,
And the wonderful grass upon your breast –
World, you are beautifully dressed,
The wonderful air is over me,
An the world wind is shaking the tree,
It walks on the water and whirls the mills,
And talks to itself on tops of the hills.
You friendly Earth! How far you go,
With the wheat fields that nod and rivers that flow,
With cities and gardens, and cliffs and isles,
And people upon you for thousands of miles!
Ah! You are so great and I am so small
I tremble to think of you, World, at all.
And yet when I said my prayers today
A whisper inside me seemed to say:
“You are more than the Earth, though you are such a dot;
You can love and think, and the Earth cannot!”
William Brighty Rands
Monday, October 16, 2006
Having this blog is simply a way of expressing my thoughts freely. It’s just for fun after a hard day at work. Writing a story or simple thoughts of the day. Sharing some interesting facts or photos. I’ve just changed my blog address so that I can still stay invisible to those who know me. I am also still trying to update my blog as frequently as I can. But… after a tiring day, your brain can just refuse to function. There are incidents where I sat in front of the computer and my mind just blocked. Can’t think of what to write. So… I was left staring at the screen for almost half an hour with a blank page!
Last night I actually fell asleep while updating this blog. The computer was one and I was still online. I started at 9.30 and did not know when I fell into a deep slumber. (That’s show how tired I was) Luckily I woke up at 2.45 a.m. and realized it. My eyes might pop-out if I get the internet bill this month *sigh*
My friend, redenclave is a little worried that she had been found out by me after she had successfully made herself invisible to her close friends for the past 2 years. But it was a pure coincident dear. Let’s keep our secrets together K :D
Well… today, there’s going to be a breaking of fast at the school hostel. I almost forget it. Since I had signed a survey agreeing to attend it, I better show myself at the majlis. Can’t make people wonder why I did not turn up. And can’t bear thinking about all those delicious food put to waste. Heard that we’ll be having nasi beriayani, YUMMY! I’ll do the disappearing act after devouring all the food hehehe…
I’ve asked those who agreed to attend last week, but they are not going to turn up tonight. Guess they’re too tired coz we go back at 4 p.m. today. Well… less people means more food ^_^
Sunday, October 15, 2006
The sun is careering in glory and might
Mid the deep blue sky and the clouds so bright;
The billow is tossing its foams on high,
And the summer breezes go lightly by;
The air and the water dance, glitter and play-
And why should not I be as merry as they?
The linnet is singing the wild wood through,
The fawn’s bounding footsteps skim over the dew,
The butterfly flits round the blossoming tree,
And the cowslip and bluebell are bent by the bee:
All the creatures that dwell in the forests are gay,
And why should not I be as merry as they?
Mary Russel Mitord
I also sow my room's curtains. I really hate sewing coz it needs a lot of patience to finish a piece, and I don't have a lot of it when it comes to sewing. Luckily I used an electric sewing machine *sigh* thanks to my elder sister.
Saturday, I was involuntarily forced to redecorate all the three rooms at home by my sister. A back - breaking task especially when u r fasting!!!! We felt into a deep slumber after we've finished ZZZZZZ.....
Tomorrow is school day! Ooo... I'm having some of those monday blues symptoms already. Not to worry it's only for a week, then yahoo!!!!!!! a week break! Finally... I'll have that much needed rest and sleep. Can't wait.
Here are some unique 'trademarks' of a true blue Johorian. They were forwarded to my e-mail by a friend. I find that they are really interesting. As a Johorian myself, I can't deny these 'trademarks' as most of them are true. So... If you happen to meet or become friends with a Johorian, why don't u check for yourself wether the 'trademarks' are true or not. It can be fun...
1.They end 9 out of 10 sentences with Ekkk... Ekk ialah trademark orang Johor. Digunakan di hujung SETIAP ayat menggantikan tanda soal (question mark). Contoh :- Ni awak punyer ekk? Nama awak saper ekk ? Kenapa kite kaler tak cantik ekk ? Dan macam-macam ekk lagi.
2. They refer to Johor Bahru as Johor and not JB. Kalau orang di negeri Johor sebut Johor, it meant Johor Bahru (JB), the city dan bukan Johor, the state. Biasa digunakan oleh mereka yang tinggal di luar bandar Johor Bahru seperti di Masai-chusettes umpamanya. Contoh : Beb, gua nak turun Johor laa. Lu mahu ikut gua tak? So, if you ARE already in Johor, tak kira di daerah mana - if the locals kata nak pergi Johor, it means nak ke Johor Bahru. Jangan pulak buat lawak bongok berkata, "Eh, lu kan dah ada kat Johor?" Or worse, jangan memandai nak tambah ekk with that question.
3. They pronounce Muar as MUOR. (kena juih bibir sikit) In fact you pronounce everything that ends with "AR" as "OR".Contoh : Aku kena pakai seluor besor untuk main bolor kat Muor besok. (Aku kena pakai seluar besar nak main bola di Muar besok). besar, BESOR ? Slipper , SLIPPOR ? Aku tergelak. Lapo (lapar), penampor (penampar), ulor (ular), pagor (pagar) dan lain-lain.
4. They are brash with a CRAZY sense of humour. Honestly, belum pernah jumpa orang Johor yang serious or square to a T. Or cannot take a joke. Walaupun pendiam atau pemalu , but their sense of humour boleh tahan gak. Almost all of them are either loyar buruk or bigor. Baik di kampung mahu di Bandar.
5. Diorang ada ENDUT. Kalau tak pernah berendut, sure pernah ada endut or busuk-busuk pun teringin nak ada endut. Contoh ayat : Haa... kau dah ada endut yer ? Kau pergi berendut kat mana ? Orang berendut dia pun nak berendut.
6. Diorang Makan Gula Tarik, Sagun, Gula Kandy, Bobotok... . Dah lama tak tengok atau makan gula tarik, sagun or kandy. Ada lagi ke bebenda ni kat Johor ?
7. Pernah (or berangan nak) jadi Mat Rock . Rasanye sebab kedudukan Johor dekat dengan Singapore, sebab itulah pengaruh Barat di Malaysia masuk melalui Johor dulu. Itu teori je lah. So, tak heranlah kalau kumpulan Rock kat Malaysia ini semua ada susur galur dari Johor. Amy, Zainal Abidin, Nash etc. Boleh pakai ke teori ni?
8. Kenduri Kawin Ada Telur Pindang Telur pindang ialah telur ayam yang direbus dengan segala macam rempah dan dedaun untuk mendapatkan that special taste. Lepas rebus, telur akan berwarna cokelat. Both kulit dan isi. Normally orang buat telur pindang ni for special occasion, seperti majlis perkahwinan. Zaman dulu-dulu, you can tell the social class of the tuan rumah - normally orang kaya-kaya jer buat telur pindang ni sebab ianya rumit dan makan masa berjam-jam therefore menggunakan kos yang tinggi.
9. Tidur atas LECA (rhyme with letak and baca, the non-baku way). Baju simpan dalam GEROBOK. Tido pakai GEBOR.
10. They never watch RTM sebab semua cerita dah tengok kat TV Singapore! When I was growing up, prang cukup suka tengok TV Singapore sebab iklan dia semua dari overseas, very menarik. Besides the cerita yang terkinilah. Well, TV Singapore cuma dapat ditengok oleh penduduk JB dan kawasan yang sewaktu dengannya. As you go further up north (of Johor), you can see aerial TV semua setinggi pokok kelapa - semata-mata nak dapatkan siaran from Singapore!
Friday, October 13, 2006
Yup! Today I had the chance to weigh myself and I lost a kilo. NO!!!!
If this continues I’ll definitely look like a moving skeleton, Freaky huh! *shivers*
Hopefully after Hari Raya I’ll be able to gain my weight back, at least a kilo.
Well… let’s see what’s new today?
I was supposed to go to the bank after work and pay my car loan, but I managed to make myself sleep through the day and woke up just in time for the bank to close. Guess I’ll just do it next week.
I went through my photo albums and down the memory lane…
The photos were taken when we lepak at the Merdeka Square after our final exam. We spent the whole day going around KL. Shopping, eating and having LOTS of fun that day.
I have lots of sweet memories with my friends in UM when we were in our Pre-Esl and TESL years. Those were the best days of my life. We used to have a lot of funs doing stuffs together. We spent a lot of time lepaking at the faculty’s stairs chatting, gossiping, doing our assignments, observing people passed by and …
Wonder what u guys r doing right now?
I guess the married ones r busy entertaining the family and the SINGLE ones (like me!) are really enjoying life and spending our hard earned money :p
Thinking of staying up late tonight, watch some movies or surf the net or something… don’t have to wake up early for work tomorrow, I’ll just indulge myself with extra sleep (if my mum allows it!)
Hmm… it’s fasting month. Looks like I’ll be getting slimmer(my sister prefers to describe me as skinny) this year ;-( hopefully not!
My weight is decreasing each year. Last year I lost 1kg and never gain it back. Others might think losing a kilo in year is nothing but for me it’s a MAJOR thing as I am underweight (that’s what people been telling me, they are right!) I’m not ANEROXIC k! (just in case if u r wondering)
As far as I can remember I’ve been losing weight but never gaining them back… If ever my sister happens to hold my hands, she’ll say that it’s like holding a stick as she can only feel my bone. There’s no extra FAT in me!
I’ve been keeping myself from freezing every day in the staffroom due to the non-existing fat in me.
Since Hari raya is coming, everybody is busy promoting, selling, buying and ordering kuih raya, baju raya, pinggan mangkuk raya and macam-macam lagi…:D
It seems that everyone has a thing to sell… and everyone is eager to buy!
Mmm… I still haven’t get my baju raya. Hopefully I will not get them on raya’s eve! :(
I wonder…. what will I eat for the breaking of fast today?
A hot creamy mushroom soup with some hot from the oven garlic bread?
A steamy and hot fried noodles with a lot of prawns in it?
A hot and spicy Seafood Tom Yam with kerabu mangga?
A big glass of cold and refreshing pink air sirap bandung?
Well… I’ll just wait and see what my mum cooks. I’ll just enjoy anything she cooks without any complaints… I don’t eat much when breaking my fast, but I do drink plenty of plain water (a good recipe to look young) *wink* *wink*
Thursday, October 12, 2006
It’s been a while since i wrote my last thoughts on things here. Well... what to do? I was busy preparing the accounts of the school cooperative as they are needed to be sent for auditing. Crazy huh! An English language teacher preparing all the needed accounts on her own… I can see numbers in anything, even my sleep. They are practically flying and swimming around me…. I don’t know how I survive this task for the last 3 years as I hated numbers and mathematics. I used to hate maths in school and if I scored an A for it, it was like a miracle. I also used to get less than 15 marks for my additional mathematics.. *sigh* *wink*
Anyway… hi friends, how are you? Hope everyone are happy and cheerful…
Just got these photos. They were taken when we had our mini reunion in April 2006. Though only a few of us can make it,it was fun meeting old friends and catching up on the lastest news or gossips...
Hopefully the plan to have our next reunion in Pangkor will come true....
Shireen, I'm definitely not at the top of the list, like u, I'm single and very much lovin it.
We'll wait for Shah k! let her be the first to break the cycle hehehe... she'll kill me if she read this!
sorry Shah... Shireen - ayu but sexy...(^-^)
Shah- chatty and all smiles...
Sue - sweet and cute...
Rizal - what can i say bout him?!!