Presented and demostrated by my brother, the Chem/Math teacher, who has to put up a “Show & Tell” for his school’s Open House this coming Sat.
He is kinda shy, didn’t want his face to be on camera, but doesn’t matter lah… Btw, he is currently single and if anyone out there would like to know him, pls leave your email.
DIY – Homemade Bomb Bag Part 1 (Pardon the occasional background Hokkien, it’s my mum and the confinement nanny chatting away)
DIY- Homemade Bomb Bag Part 2 (There is a sudden jerk when the “bomb” pop, cos I was afraid that the bag would explode into my N80)
I had bought this lil’ shirt from a shop in S’pore last year and has stuck it onto my cubicle wall to remind me daily.
Especially now that it’s back to work in another 7 hours after a good break, it’s good to keep things in perspective and start of on the right foot with the kids who will be stuck with me for another 6 more months.
Poor kids.
Haiz, can’t wait for the next hols… Chinese New Year break and back in S’pore from 15 Feb to 25 Feb.
Three things I found out about myself after the camping trip @ Tung Lung:
1. I am able to sleep in tents.
2. I am able to scramble up and down the rocky path on the way to the Technical Wall much faster than before (since I have to accompany the kids to the wall).
3. I didn’t suffer from diarrhoea after eating all that food the kids prepared.
And oh, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to take a shower for 2 days and was resigned to that. But Mrs Lee (the nice shop owner at the “Holiday Stall”) came to Tung Lung on Thursday and we were able to use her very bare-necessity shower. That really made me feel like I am human again.
On the whole, the last 3 days have been great, but work has piled up: loads of worksheets to mark, reports to write, ironing to do etc. I am glad that I have this day to catch up with some sleep and rest of aching (and slightly swelled) left knee.
The typhoon was brewing somewhere off HK, and Signal 1 was hoisted. On Tung Lung, the wind was strong and temperatures dropped. Nonetheless we had good weather in the day, and I am glad to see Tung Lung’s other sights (besides the usual Technical Wall) . We hiked quite a lot and been to the Bag Puss Boulders (which are bolted), the very disappointing dam etc.
The waves were really having a go and the rocks, and the Technical Wall area was flooded. On the first day, pupils were supposed to abseil down the Technical Wall but we had to call that off since the waves and wind would make it dangerous for these kids. Hence all abseiling and rockclimbing were down on the wall just before the Technical Wall section.
The kids really enjoy themselves, and I am glad they did as this is one (and possibly only) experience they had to stretch themselves and step out of their comfort zone.
As for me, I don’t mind camping as long as there is proper bathroom and shower facilities nearby.
At a “grand old” age of 30, I am actually going on my very first camping trip. Er, Camp Christine when I was 15 doesn’t count, since we MGS girls were staying in dorms with simple hard mattresses and had proper sanitary and bathing facilities, albeit communal.
So for the next 3 days, I will be “roughing it out” with the P6s, snugging up in my borrowed sleeping bag and sharing the tent with another colleague; possibly bathing in the open in my bathing suit (how to hide my tattoo from the kids?) and visiting the hole that is supposed to be the toilet.
Haiz, D is absolutely amused at my predicament since he is used to camping and trained to sleep anywhere during his army training as a Guardsman. I, on the other hand, have been totally sheltered from all these (my parents aren’t that adventurous) and all the supposed camps I had been to were indoors anyway.
I just have to think happy thoughts, especially, the end of the camp. I don’t mind camping, as long as there is proper sanitary facilities … I don’t really care much about where I sleep but I need a proper toilet and bathroom lah.
But who knows, I may be a camping convert :)
Haiz, I am missing my bed, my toilet/bathroom, and D now.
Will blog my experiences when I return to civilisation.
Maybe I should stop saying that ”Sianz” (Singlish for “boring”) to myself or out loud to D. I have been saying “sianz” for some time now, and wonder how life could be boring at times, and BAM, God answers my request. Now that He has kinda “spiced” up my life, I am thinking that boring isn’t such a bad thing after all. And so, the crappy days had continued from yesterday and it all came to a head this afternoon.
I reckon it’s not easy to change people’s perspectives or opinions since they only see the aftermath of things and make their assumptions based on what they had seen. What’s the point of explanation when people’s opinion has been fixed by what they saw? Even decisions made at that point in time could backfire and what am I left with but sweeping up the shattered pieces and hoping that time will blow them away.
Why is it that all the right/good things that I have been doing are considered to be expected of me, but it only takes just one decision that I made (which I felt was correct at that time but resulted in a sucky situation) to negate all the good I have done. I don’t expect to be acknowledged to all the good things I have done, afterall I am no saint. But it still hurts to know that when you try so hard to do the right things, sometimes you need to play the game of the world and conform to what is expected in the institution.
Is it the way of life, a normal Cause & Effect phenomenon in this Me-Myself-And-I world we are living in?
Do I doubt myself now? Yes, this has affected me, shook me up and maybe even caused me to blame myself, given what people had said to me. D and another fren helped to put things in perspective for me, but yes, it will affect me for awhile.
Awww, $%#^#$F***, I am angry with myself but letting this affect me more that I need to, and I need to get a grip. It’s a waste of my energy and it’s been awhile since I went back to my personal bible verse, Psalm 18:2.
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress, my deliverer; my God and my strength in whom I can trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
I was searching for some examples of superheroes that some colleagues and I could consider for the coming Community Involvement Programme (CIP)’s “Dress Special Day”. The theme is obviously “Superheroes” and everyone (including pupils) are encouraged to dress up as one besides donating some money to charity.
We reckon that instead of just putting on a shirt with a superhero picture in the centre or a mask, it will be fun to actually dress up as one.
Here are some possibilities: The Powerpuff Girls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Incredibles… Not quite decided yet.
I have been given a new location in the staffroom this academic year. In a way, I am glad that I am somewhat “hidden” away from the aisle and it’s a location which is very near to the printers. Especially good when I send stuff to print, ‘cos I don’t have to walk too far to retrieve it.
But, colleagues have been using my already narrow space to “squeeze” their way to the printers. I am generally ok with it, especially if I am NOT at my seat. However when I am deep in my thoughts planning my lessons or marking my never-ending stacks of Math books, I really don’t like having people using my area as a short-cut. Even if they apologise or say “Excuse Me” seconds before squeezing by, I still don’t like it. Thank God it doesn’t always happen.
I am tempted to print this sign and stick it on the wall behind me as a notice to everyone, but a certain someONE had informed us that we are not to print coloured stuff cos it’s very expensive, especially for private usage, but this is in a way it is still related to my wellbeing in school. Sigh.
Some of my colleagues and I have been wondering what the letter Rs in “R&R” stand for ‘cos the last 3 days and 2 nites were anything but Rest and Relax. The programme was packed from 9am (I woke up around 7am for breakfast each day) to 9pm; lots of team-building activities (maybe an overdose of it) and discussions. I reckon it was hard work for those involved in organising this entire retreat, and even though the hours were long, it’s nice to go to bed in a nice comfy hotel room and have some good food and service.
The last 2 nights, we basically had some drinks and peanuts at the hotel pub just to chill out.
There were the usual laughs over the interesting antics by a certain someONE, the usual boo boos when speaking to all of us; and the brisk walking the certain someONE did on the second night which caught all of us by surprise.
There were 2 major team-building activities that we did, the first was coming together to stage a performance (the theme was African Culture) and the second was the physcial High Elements. I like both actually, cos I get to learn to play the African Djembe (a drum made of magohany and goat skin) and challenge myself on the physical height-phobia tight-rope walk.
I think it’s been a good 3 days 2 nights, even though there is always some other things that I would have preferred to do during that time, still it has been fun hanging out with the people I am working with.
This time tomorrow, I will be in Gold Coast for a 3 days 2 nights Staff Retreat which will be filled with meetings and team-building activities. This Staff Retreat is an annual affair which gives us opportunities to get to know one another (especially for the newbies) and allow us to build trust and rapport while participating in the team-building activities.
For me, this will mean that school is going to start very soon, in a week’s time actually, and that my days of waking up no earlier than 10am are over. Drats.
I suppose it is necessary to get myself ready for the new academic year especially since I will be taking my first Primary 6 class. By the end of this 2006/07 academic year, I would have taught all levels except Primary 1. In my short teaching career (almost 7 yrs, hmm, does the “7 years itch” apply in this case?), I have been teaching mainly Primary 4s and 5s, and never a P6 class.
I am all packed up and still mulling over whether to bring my Toshi along to do some blogging at night, ‘cos the hotel website states “Wireless Broadband Internet Access Service”. Or maybe I should just be friendlier and hang out with my colleagues instead.
Sigh, I will miss D the next 2 nights ‘cos he usually tucks me in bed.
Oh, 3 days 2 nights could be too short a trip for Gold Coast Australia, but it’s just right for Gold Coast Hong Kong. Heheh. ;P
Thursday and we were able to use her very bare-necessity shower. That really made me feel like I am human again.
The waves were really having a go and the rocks, and the Technical Wall area was flooded. On the first day, pupils were supposed to abseil down the Technical Wall but we had to call that off since the waves and wind would make it dangerous for these kids. Hence all abseiling and rockclimbing were down on the wall just before the Technical Wall section.
I am tempted to print this sign and stick it on the wall behind me as a notice to everyone, but a certain someONE had informed us that we are not to print coloured stuff cos it’s very expensive, especially for private usage, but this is in a way it is still related to my wellbeing in school. Sigh.
packed from 9am (I woke up around 7am for breakfast each day) to 9pm; lots of team-building activities (maybe an overdose of it) and discussions.
I reckon it was hard work for those involved in organising this entire retreat, and even though the hours were long, it’s nice to go to bed in a nice comfy hotel room and have some good food and service.
I like both actually, cos I get to learn to play the African Djembe (a drum made of magohany and goat skin) and challenge myself on the physical height-phobia tight-rope walk.
