My sweet memories in 2014 =)

Good morning bloggie~

    It's 6:45am, 9th January 2015. I'm going to board the 10am MAS to Sibu later. This is it. Kinda excited to look at my new time table and what other positions will be assigned to me this year.

    Back from a good sweat. Woke up early and joined daddy for a brisk walking at Reservoir Park. We reached at 5:50am, it was pitch dark still, but several uncles and auties were bidding farewell to dad. Salute them!

One of my favourite pic! Straight from the airport from Kapit, March 2012!

    Dad can walk very fast, I couldn't keep up with his pace after half a round. Dear Lord, thank you SO MUCH for blessing with such loving parents. As I grow older, I ... it makes me so grateful to have these precious moments with my family. Dad retired last year, throughout the holidays, he never fail to wake up early and helped mom with the household chores and gardening. Yesterday, he joyfully showed me the first batch of vegetables he grew! Guess the corn could be harvested in another week or so =)  AND, dad picks up cooking! He taught me how to bake bread and ...why are my eyes wet typing these down.. haha. LOVE YOU DADDY & MOMMY!

Taiwan, Dec 2012.

     Due to a 'special mission' this holiday, we didn't go overseas for vacation this year. Mom thought 2014 wasn't a good year to fly too. Hope we'll go somewhere together this year. They're not growing any younger and .... Dear Lord, please bless my parents with good health! I hope they'll see my children get married! hahahaha

     10 more minutes here before breakfast and packing. Oh ya, I MUST email my supervisor my draft, thanks so much to my awesome bf for he took a leave to help me with my paper.

Christmas Dinner with Phil's family and relatives @ Riverside Majestic. Grandpa gave him a 'thumbsup!' when I was introduced. Cute! =D

Met up with Ying and friends. Cheers to our 23 years of friendship!

Attended Huey's wedding, Nat delivered her 2 child =)

    

Hope to be MORE involved in God's work this year =)

Looking forward to our graduation day this year!!!

Phil attends my CG, while I attend his LG. Which church should we stick to in the future? Hmm..

Still couldn't believe I coordinated a district level workshop. Thanks Mentor!

Get to be a tourist in Kapit! Wee~

Buddy Pam is back from London, with him! =)

Attended buddy Ed' wedding in Johor. Are you a papa dy?  =P

Thank you Lord! Award aside, I'm grateful to meet these awesome teachers/leaders =)

My pretty colleagues, our Annual Dinner at Sibu . See you girls shortly! =)

 

   

Happy 2015~

Blessed 2015 to all!  With the incomplete thesis in mind, I've yet to really sit down and plan for my 2015. This is one reminder-article from by Gary and Joy Lundberg http://familyshare.com/marriage/wives-you-can-make-2015-your-most-happily-married-year-yet

 

Wives, you can make 2015 your most happily married year yet

Try these 10 simple steps, and you'll have a happily married 2015 — and a "happily ever after."

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Gary and Joy Lundberg

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• The New Year is here, and happiness awaits. But then, so does misery if we choose. That's the point — we get to choose. Here are 10 surefire ways wives can make happiness happen.
  

• 1. Remember how you felt about your husband on your honeymoon

  You were over-the-top in love with the guy. Close your eyes and recapture the memory. Think about what you did and how you felt. Relish the thought. Choose to feel those same feelings again (at least for a few minutes) often.
  

• 2. Look at your husband with new eyes

  See the hardworking guy he is. If he has a few — or more than a few — gray hairs, think about the sacrifices he made for you and your family that brought them on. Fill your heart with gratitude for all he's done to bless your life.
  

• 3. Wipe away any negative thoughts about him

  While we all have flaws, chances are you married a quality guy. Otherwise, you never would have chosen to say "I do." Focus on your husband's good qualities. Write down a few to help them stay riveted in your mind. It's too easy to forget them when little marital misdemeanors — like dirty socks on the floor — occur. Get rid of negative thoughts and think of the good.
  

• 4. Pamper him with a back rub after a hard day's work (at least sometimes)

  He'll love the attention. It will tell him loud and clear that you're thinking of him and his needs. Say "I love you" with your hands in a way that will touch his heart. Your tough tiger will be purring like the family feline in no time.
  

• 5. Look for opportunities to compliment him

  Catch him off guard with a fun compliment, like "I saw you helping our elderly neighbor with her trash can, and thought it was really nice of you," or, "You are so handsome. You make that Walmart shirt look like it came off the rack at Neiman Marcus."
  

• 6. Praise him in the presence of others while he's within earshot

  This is especially effective when done with his in-laws. It's simple. When you're having dinner, for example, say something like, "I wish you could have seen Jim (your husband) playing catch with Johnny yesterday. He's an amazing father." Or in conversation with your friends say, "Jim cooked dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious."
  

• 7. Talk with him

  Let him share his feelings without interrupting him. Listen to his hopes and dreams. Sometimes he just needs to know you care about what he's going through. It feels good to have a wife who genuinely cares about what's on your mind — without trying to fix you. The great poet, Maya Angelou, said it this way: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This definitely applies to our mates.
  

• 8. Doll up for your guy

  It's fun for a husband to see his wife looking pretty for a special occasion. That special occasion can be in the kitchen cooking pancakes for the family or on a fun date night out. Of course, looking good in the kitchen won't be the same as when you dress for a night out, but you still look pretty darn cute in nice jeans and a flattering tee — all worn with a big smile.
  

• 9. Make snuggle time with him memorable

  No need to elaborate here. Just be sure to have some fun, intimate times together, enjoyed by both of you.
  10. Pray together and, when it's your turn, thank the Lord for blessing you with a good man. Praying together is a great way to increase your happiness and deal with challenges in life. There's nothing quite like bringing this powerful third party into your marriage.
  Do these 10 things, and you will be sure to have a happily married 2015 — and "ever after."

In everything, give thanks :)

12:28am...another two days to 2015~ are you already excited?

So, out of the 8 goals, I accomplished 1, 2, 5, modified 8 to walk @ Merdeka Plaza considering it rained, and currently doing 4. Ha!

Felt very awake still as P brought me to my favourite Gong Cha. So, we first had our Gong Cha @ Changi Airport, 9 months ago. Who would have thought a relationship could have blossom from an impromptu vacation? God sure is amazing in arranging all our encounters with others. And I truly believe and am very thankful for each and every person who came into my life. As an estrogen filled human, I won't hide my sadness to acknowledge the fact some people are meant to just be passengers and they'll leave at some point of life; I do hope those good ones who alighted will board again in the near future....

4pm chatted till 6:16pm =)

So, back to my story. Today, I'm very happy as I get to meet my VIP's gf and him meeting my bf. haha. I've reduced socializing with my old friends and the meet up with Y, L and M yesterday reminded me again how wonderful it was to just relax and really catch up with each others' lives over a cup of coffee (I chose smoothies, again, for the 3rd time this week.Btw, Coffee Clinic is a cozy place to chill out)....which led me to the next story:

glad to have my favourite unagi here^^

Was introduced to a friends' friend over lunch. She's a health consultant. My blood test 2 months ago showed that I was healthy....thus, I sorta ENJOY all the delicacies I can have back home, 5 bowls of Laksa...more prawns at Riverside Majestic & home-cooked...8 course-meals 3 wedding dinners (another one tomorrow night), ....and only one badminton session and two strolls at the park these 2 months!! which let me to the next story:

The cute health consultant used a portable machine to check my body index, excess fat etc...the ones you stand on it and hold on to the bars and it'll give you your health results...the wonder of invention. This free consultation (gosh, I don't even ask if we need to pay her for this...at least we foot the lunch bill) really alarmed P and I. Both of us appeared slim but our body fat is on the high side. Deng!!!

Why didn't I snap photos back then....worked as enfa promoter for months. Enfakid is yummier than enfagrow. haha

Anyway, we rejected the product she's trying to sell us. I'd certainly support all young sales-friends should I be laden with money. Thank God for my 6 years of college & uni part-time promoter jobs, I experienced the hardship of pushing sales and hitting targets.  Recalling back my uni days in UPM, how daring of me to accept weekend promoters job for a RM180 daily salary when it was the exam week!  And I actually skipped a lecture to go for the job interview, took the LRT and bus, alone, all the way from UPM to Damansara.  Geez, thank God for journey mercy back then....the walk alone to the office which was a stone's throw away from the bus stop I alighted. Side track to my memories as an undergraduate: the job interview was fun.  most of the applicants are undergraduates. some of us got Class A promoter 'RM120-150 per day', followed by Class B promoter 'RM 100' to class D 'RM 35'....I still remember my heart sank when I learn from the aunties they had to stand the same hours as us, 11am - 10pm, doing more challenging tasks like frying in supermarkets but for a mere RM35...i remember customers asking me why work as a salesgirl when I can speak fluent English, then they smile when they learn we're undergraduates.

No sugar added.

It's 1:02am... thanks to the Gong Cha signature green tea, I'm wide awake...still waiting for my supervisor to give me her feedback...it's not a good feeling to keep people waiting...worst, being ignored. Therefore, when my students msg me, I'll feel my privacy is intruded at times, but ... am once reminded again, our time on Earth is counted. My students are my clients.  They will be ones who will lead my children in the future.  What goes around comes around. ha!

So, dear readers, would you mind sharing how you manage your finance?

One drawback of growing up is we've to shoulder more and more responsibilities.  I remember telling my colleague once 'What's the use of me earning my monthly salary when there's no one to share my life with.'  He answered 'save.  save them.'

Great. God is all wonderful.  He sent a wonderful man into my life.  Will he be my husband? haha. I guess ladies my age who decided to be engaged in a relationship ain't 'tasting the water' anymore. Deepest apologies to the men I've hurt in the past...and to those who wounded me, I forgave you instantly for because of your departure, I've room for my soul mate. hahaha....

Try the test. Know your partner better. It helps.

So, tonight we discussed Gary Chapman's 5 love languages. There's much to build on still, a strong friendship as foundation...currently, finance is one area that I need enlightenment: I believe earning more is way better than struggling to save.

Give thanks always, for the good times and the bad times. It has been a wonderful day, thank you Lord.  Good night all :)

p/s all photos are grabbed from Google image. Why la didn't I take photos with friends more often like before? hm...it's not like we're getting any younger. but hey, I didn't get to eat tang yuan this year, and guess what? the health check this afternoon showed my body age is one year younger than my actual age! Praise the Lord! hahahaha....thanks to the countless hours of beauty sleep I had this holidays \(^_^)/

a bro posted this to be his resolution in 2015. it'll be mine too :)

 

 

    

Self Talk

10:40am, three days before 2014 ends...

Gotta accept the fact that as we age, the days and years passed by even faster.

Switched on my laptops, staring at assumed-near-completion thesis, (it's not even a thesis, but a project paper of 16, 000 - 20, 000 words).  I've tried to relate on teaching theory to my research and link them to the findings in chapter 4, but still, at this point, I find my work not up to an A standard. Has been waiting for my supervisor's feedback but ... wonder if this happens to most distant learners. Instead of lamenting another 20 minutes, will try the second day trial of 20mins-goals-planning-for-the-day.

8 Goals (6 work related and 2 personal, since it's a weekday; weekend vice-versa)

1.  Read up on Krashen's theory.
2.  Link Krashen's theory to a few of my findings. (how...will think later)
3.  Paraphrase the Chapter 5 (closing eyes)
4. Update my blog (doing so, I've always wanted to write)
5.  Buy a slice or two cake, remember the candle.
6.  Clear 20% of my wardrobe.
7.  Blend fruit juice for darling (if....haha)
8.  Evening walk at Friendship Park or Reservoir today.


Looking forward to lunch date with a few V.I.Ps today =)

Dear Project Paper, be good....thanks to the extended one week holidays, please do our best and get it over and done with. 2015, I will plan you soon....a stronger relationship with God and loved ones, enjoy my career every day and hope I'll fall in love with house-cleaning & cooking soon....haha. We'll see. Krashen, see you now :)

Seminar Professional Learning Communities 2014

This trophy meant a lot; sadly there's only one and my partner expresses his desire to have it. Thus, I shall keep the photo and memory here.   I remembered how nervous I was prior to the presentation, 380 audience! Am I grateful (and still in disbelief) that our paper was selected out of the 68 papers that were submitted and won second best presenter award. Presented  my our collaborated paper 'English Remedial Instruction to Enhance Low-Achievers' Vocabulary Competence' at the State Level Seminar Professional Learning Communities (PLC)2014.  You see, the whole idea of PLC is eliminating the ME and substitute with US.  It is really a golden opportunity for me to be part of this seminar as I get to see and meet many SISC+, principals, professors etc. The way they presented themselves and the knowledge they shared made me realize how little I know and how much more WE should do to really help improve our Malaysian Education.

 

 

FANTASTIC presentation Mdm Catharina Stephen! "Fun-Tasks-Tick Group Work Activities in the Language Classroom". — feeling excited at University College of Technology Sarawak.

Finally, Mr. Vincent Liong Shou Chuan (Pegawai SIPartner+, PPD Sarikei). He believes in process over programmes. "The right person for the right job, at the right place and right time melalui agihan tugas yang cekap." — feeling inspired with Vincent Liong.

 

Another applause to PPD Sarikei! "Pelaksanaan PLC Satu Amalan Terbaik ke Arah Transformasi Bilik Darjah" presented by Guru Besar En. Wong Hing, SJK Kwang Chien

Take away: The PPD appreciates the schools; the school appreciates the teachers and students through words and acts of encouragement — at University College of Technology Sarawak.

" If you love your job, you do not have to go to work." Foooh, love her philosophy!

Third speaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hajah Zaidi Mustafa, Dean, Faculty of Education and Social Sciences, UNITAR International University Kuala Lumpur, presenting

Plenary 2: 'Personalizing Learning Via Coaching: Touching the Heart, Touching the Mind'.

Plenary 1: "Professional Learning Communities (PLC) dan Pembudayaan Kemahiran Berfikir Aras Tinggi (KBAT)" by Dr. Balasandran A. Ramiah, Pensyarah Kanan, Institut Aminuddin Baki.

"For a person to become a teacher, you need three qualities. 1) You must love your students. 2) You must love teaching. 3) You must love knowledge. "

check? check? check? — at University College of Technology Sarawak.

"We want to learn from our weakness; we want to be challenged. We want to improve ourselves to be better." -Tuan Haji Abdul Rahman bin Bolhassan, Timbalan Pengarah Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak.

Check out "schoology", free VLE!

"Why must our students be confined to a fixed curriculum if they are ready?"
"We have to help our kids to overcome English phobia. "

Personal favourite, speaker Dr. Ng Kee Chuan, Pensyarah Kanan, IPG Kampus Gaya, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, presenting "Classroom in the Cloud". — with Dr Ng Kee Chuan.

 

Hallelujah! Glory be to God^^

"Welcome to our PLC Sharing Session
In tandem with English Remedial Instruction
For which is a spur to quality education
Aiming to produce proactive generation."@ Semry Semtin

Thank you JPNS, PPD Kapit and SMK Kapit for giving us this opportunity to share the little we know. My blessings to meet these awesome teachers Mdm Nona Stephen, Mdm Catharina Stephen & humble Mr Hailmi^

This virtual trophy is dedicated to my mentor, Mr JikKam Yong. Thank you!!  

 

 

 Woke up at 4:30am this morning feeling rather disoriented as I've to go back to Kapit shortly. Met an experienced and successful teacher last week during the seminar, she expressed her desire to go back to serve at her hometown in the village as the principal for she wants to see change for her people.  I think she'll be an awesome candidate; we Malaysians need true leaders that will bring positive change to the nation, state, division, school. 

18 more days till the year end holidays start.  I bet school will be rather quiet as SPM started yesterday and many teachers left for invigilation.  So, it's English paper today. I wish my girls will excel and ideas, ideas, please flow into their minds.  God bless you all!

Memories documented.

Dear Bloggie,

My Final Observation for the year 2014, this time by Principal Mr Manggie Nyegang himself! He gave me a 'near cemerlang'.Out of the 3 classes I have that day, he chose this, 3K. Well, it must be my lucky day for all of them are very cooperative and the Remedial Instruction cum i-Think lesson was carried out successfully! Kids love them, I was smiling and my principal was smiling away looking at their active participation....Love you guys!

         I've 15 minutes to blog. There's so much on my mind that I need to share it out in words, as memories. So, PT3 started this morning. I was appointed as the Invigilator as I've 4 classes of Form 3 students. Just this afternoon, another students messaged me to ask about tips for tomorrow's exam. Personally, I find PT3 gave teacher extra workload, like stapling the questions, marking them and keying in the results. It can be seen as just any usual examinations in school, but this is considered a public exam and we teachers have the responsibility to increase the English standard of our school. Imagine, you having the questions on your hands, but at the same time, you are obliged not to reveal anything to the students.

       My greatest weakness is I can't keep secrets, especially from close ones. Or was is consciousness. Recently, I made kind of a big mistake at work. I dare not admit, thinking no one will realize if I brush it aside. What an irresponsible act. Nonetheless, it haunts me. So yeah, I finally have to talk to someone. Conclusion: do what is right. For the sake of good night sleep.

       Side tracked. Anyway, back to this morning. This is the first time I invigilate a public exam, meaning we can't be playing with phones, reading or marking. We can walk around to stay awake, but of course our main task is make sure the candidates do not cheat during the exam. I am very grateful to my team leader for she knew I am more suitable to invigilate the good classes. Reason: I haven't mastered the fierce look that students will shudder when they saw me stare into their eyes. Well, today I did try my best to be stern while reading out the instructions. As for the second session, I wished them well with a smile and I guess that class felt lest tensed.

      Anyway, I finished my tuition at 10pm tonight. The form 2 kids will be sitting for their final year examination tomorrow. I had such a wonderful time with these two boys. It's really more enjoyable to teach a small group. I felt bad for sometimes I allow other students to replace their missed lessons at this slot, thus neglecting them.  Both of them (Fung and Qiang, I hope I'll remember their names and faces when I'm 45 or 65) are from a well-to-do family, both doing business. One expressed his desire to  follow his father to be a chef, an outstanding one, not merely Chinese cuisine but western and tepanyaki. I have not really sat down to listen to their stories for a long time. Tonight, we managed to revise all 4 poems: The River, Mr. Nobody, I  Wonder and Heir Conditioning.  They aren't proficient in the language nor are they the good boys in school.  Nonetheless, they are the reason I wanted to blog tonight. It's just their innocence, listening to their perspectives of life.  When I asked them what is their purpose of life, one tell me honestly, I don't even know what's the purpose of studying.  The other replied, to spend time and because mom asked me to do so.

      Yap, at that age, most of us will follow blindly what our parents ask us to do. Well, parents know best, aint? At this age of XX, I still always turn to mom when I've problem.  Since dad is retired this year, I called home more often to chat with him.  I love my parents a lot and I know, no matter how old I am, I will still always be their youngest princess. haha. okay, minus the fact they've now Xin Yu and Yu Hui. Ahhh...I miss my two nieces and two nephews so much!! DEAR GOD, PLEASE APPROVE MY TRANSFER AND SEND ME HOMEEEEEEeeeee....

      Last but not least, I wonder if it's time to announce the love of my life. haha. I bet he'll read this sooner or later. Yeap, I'm in love! Hallelujah! Love is a magical thing huh. It just gives you the force, the meaning of life. Despite the heavy workload and occasional PMS mood swing, life is really more colourful and meaningful having a significant other. Should you read this one day, or  I read it myself in the months or years to come, I hope our relationship will be fruitful. Fruitful as in building a family of our own. I love how you understand me, tolerate me, talk to me, listen to my stories, sincerely care for me and the list goes on. Oh, priority: you love God! Stay that way darling, I love to listen to you play the guitar during praise and worship. I love to listen to your sharing bout God's words and how every time during our 'serious' topic, you'll bring in God.  Thank you for coming to join my church activities as well as inviting me to yours. Looking forward to spend more quality time together so we can get to know each other at a deeper level.  *2030*

     ops, exceeded 15 mins. Haha, time to....virtual date :P

Faith, peace, love.


p/s to all my dearest form 3 students, all the best for your examination tomorrow ya. praying for you!!