I made Nasi Goreng Istimewa to share amongst three families. ahhahaa. Making friends with neighbours is fun! I never used to be close to mine. Anyway, I am waiting to go work off the Carls' Junior calories soon and then will have tuition with Hayden in the late afternoon after his swim.
I wonder if the the forever-absent-without-apologies-student will be absent again tonight? Our second ( and last) tuition was two weeks ago. It's very rude of her and I have saved her two of my evening slots every week, only to discover (or be informed at the last minute) that she would not be coming for tuition. And the WORST is she NEVER apologizes! NEVER. I guess she's an only child, very used to getting what she wants and imposing on others to achieve her goals. I can't stand it. I shall source for more students and then let her go. *fumes*
*yawnz* I havent even ploughed thru' half of HOLES yet. I'm screwed! Sunday's the lesson. ahhahaa. Nevermind, there's always the poetry section :D
7:21pm and I have just come back from tuition. Of course the forever-absent-without-apologies-student will not be coming again tonight. Her excuse? It was raining at 3pm and therefore at 7pm the roads will be congested (her prediction is that the rain would continue). Alan's right, I doubt she's gonna pay me my dues. Oh well, yet another charity case again.
Hayden wrote a composition today about Xiao Ding Dang and his solving a fight between the moon and the rainbow. The mum was so impressed that she decided to up my pay automatically even after I tried to refuse. Hahaha. Wow this has never happened to me before! *gets down on knees and thanks her father for forcing her to teach*
Dinner will be in tonight and I am going to busy myself with reading about HOLES! Jiu Ming Ah!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The True Tai Tai Experience!
Wow what a fulfilling day! It truly started when I left for Hayden's house to give the 5-year-old tuition. Hahaha. He had brought "Gavin Bear" to the movie The Waterhorse last Sunday and was to write a diary entry to his teacher about it.
I went fully equipped with my bag of goodies (stickers, nice bear bear writing paper 'n' an envelope, glue, scissors, lil paper flowers etc). The boy was enthralled and together we wrote a lovely entry for the teacher and decorated the pages with my tweety-bird stickers and lil red roses ! What a lovely time!
After the tuition Shirene and I chatted animately away and then she invited me to join her for a salon visit. She was to drop Hayden off at another tuition and she had some time to burn. We were chauffeured around in the mercs and had a utterly fulfilling time at the salon with Peter scrubbing my short and traumatised tresses and giving me a head and neck massage.
Then it was off to the Thursday-only high-class for-expats Pasar Malum nearby in Mount Kiara. I bought some mangoes and grapes and a RM12 shawl for myself whilst Shirene picked up dinner for the family and some stickers to motivate Hayden with (purchase was done at my recommendation).
We picked up the satisfied Hayden (who had baked 2 butterfly cupcakes) and was happily stuffing his face with one and spilling chocolate rice all over the car and made our way home. I then invited the boy over to play with Jay Jay whilst Shirene went to throw some grains into the rice cooker. We then spent sometime writing to Hayden's father to inform him that his son was missing him and wanted him to bring him pony-riding. I told mother and son to get the letter 'posted' in the letter box downstairs. hahahah.
Mr Tan picked Mrs Tan up and they both had a fulfilling and utterly sinful dinner at Mid Valley's Carl's Junior. I hung my head in shame as I had only worked out once all of this week. But that did not stop me from chomping down my portobello mushroom beef burger! *slurps*
We did a quick grocery shopping expedition at Cold Storage and even picked up a bottle of wine to satisfy my cravings. A-A here I come! *clink* Then headed home to rest and relax and chill.
I went fully equipped with my bag of goodies (stickers, nice bear bear writing paper 'n' an envelope, glue, scissors, lil paper flowers etc). The boy was enthralled and together we wrote a lovely entry for the teacher and decorated the pages with my tweety-bird stickers and lil red roses ! What a lovely time!
After the tuition Shirene and I chatted animately away and then she invited me to join her for a salon visit. She was to drop Hayden off at another tuition and she had some time to burn. We were chauffeured around in the mercs and had a utterly fulfilling time at the salon with Peter scrubbing my short and traumatised tresses and giving me a head and neck massage.
Then it was off to the Thursday-only high-class for-expats Pasar Malum nearby in Mount Kiara. I bought some mangoes and grapes and a RM12 shawl for myself whilst Shirene picked up dinner for the family and some stickers to motivate Hayden with (purchase was done at my recommendation).
We picked up the satisfied Hayden (who had baked 2 butterfly cupcakes) and was happily stuffing his face with one and spilling chocolate rice all over the car and made our way home. I then invited the boy over to play with Jay Jay whilst Shirene went to throw some grains into the rice cooker. We then spent sometime writing to Hayden's father to inform him that his son was missing him and wanted him to bring him pony-riding. I told mother and son to get the letter 'posted' in the letter box downstairs. hahahah.
Mr Tan picked Mrs Tan up and they both had a fulfilling and utterly sinful dinner at Mid Valley's Carl's Junior. I hung my head in shame as I had only worked out once all of this week. But that did not stop me from chomping down my portobello mushroom beef burger! *slurps*
We did a quick grocery shopping expedition at Cold Storage and even picked up a bottle of wine to satisfy my cravings. A-A here I come! *clink* Then headed home to rest and relax and chill.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Security Breech
Hello Hello
I've just finished tuition with Anviksha and a chit-chat with her mum (like all tai tais do). Everyone in the condo is getting worried about security breeches here in Sri Tiara. It's not a very safe place to live in. Gonna censor all the gory details to spare my mum the worry but it's safe to say that it's not a very safe place to reside in for now. HAHAHA.
The management has brought in a HUGE German Shepard though to combat the above predicament. Ahhhh I love big dogs. We should have gotten a Rotteweiler. The one you saw in my blog months ago, when Zesa and Sheng were visiting. I'd feel safer with one. Of course, there's no telling when the Rotte will turn around and feast on my limbs.. But that'd be another story. My previous Rotteweiler, Champion, was a sweetie. He would run up and down in my garden in the terrace and dig holes to bury his imaginary bones in. My Boxer, King, was a stoner who snored in his sleep and chased irate boyfriends (mine and yvonne's) around the dining table in our apartment. Ash has since replaced him, much to the delight of my mama. Jay Jay's a real guard-dog, I must say and he growls and barks at the top of his voice when he hears footsteps or voices outside our unit. However, one wishes that he could grow to look a little more intimidating. Ok ok , to keep trespassers away, I vow not to dress Jay Jay in his cutesy costumes anymore! hahaha.
I'll have the whole day today to lounge around and I really need to start ploughing through the book, HOLES asap for I have Literature tuition this Sunday at 10am.
Anviksha's mum also wants me to tutor her 7-year-old son. hahahha. He's a cutie. Last week, he brought his certificates of achievement (in football) to me for me to gasp over. hahaha. I'm great with (other people's) kids!
I've just finished tuition with Anviksha and a chit-chat with her mum (like all tai tais do). Everyone in the condo is getting worried about security breeches here in Sri Tiara. It's not a very safe place to live in. Gonna censor all the gory details to spare my mum the worry but it's safe to say that it's not a very safe place to reside in for now. HAHAHA.
The management has brought in a HUGE German Shepard though to combat the above predicament. Ahhhh I love big dogs. We should have gotten a Rotteweiler. The one you saw in my blog months ago, when Zesa and Sheng were visiting. I'd feel safer with one. Of course, there's no telling when the Rotte will turn around and feast on my limbs.. But that'd be another story. My previous Rotteweiler, Champion, was a sweetie. He would run up and down in my garden in the terrace and dig holes to bury his imaginary bones in. My Boxer, King, was a stoner who snored in his sleep and chased irate boyfriends (mine and yvonne's) around the dining table in our apartment. Ash has since replaced him, much to the delight of my mama. Jay Jay's a real guard-dog, I must say and he growls and barks at the top of his voice when he hears footsteps or voices outside our unit. However, one wishes that he could grow to look a little more intimidating. Ok ok , to keep trespassers away, I vow not to dress Jay Jay in his cutesy costumes anymore! hahaha.
I'll have the whole day today to lounge around and I really need to start ploughing through the book, HOLES asap for I have Literature tuition this Sunday at 10am.
Anviksha's mum also wants me to tutor her 7-year-old son. hahahha. He's a cutie. Last week, he brought his certificates of achievement (in football) to me for me to gasp over. hahaha. I'm great with (other people's) kids!
TODAY'S SPECIALS:
Sweet and Sour Pork
Prawn and Soba Noodle Salad
Stir Fried Snow Peas and Oyster Sauce
Tom Yum Soup
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Another Lobang!
Dear all,
Let me first relate to you my trauma from yesternite~. I found myself having 4 students in their early to mid 20s , sitting in my dining room. 2 guys and 2 girls. 3 out of the 4 were really horrendous. They utterly lacked the basic understanding of the rules of the English Language. One of the guys could not even spell or read properly. I admit, the book I had bought them to teach Grammar with is much too difficult.
And the weirdest thing is, you know how Chinese have difficulities pronouncing their "l"s and "r"s??? This guy WROTE them wrongly! I asked him to write 'l', and he would pen 'r'. I am AMAZED. To date, this is the most challenging student in all of my years of teaching. Errmm.. to further illustrate the shock I suffered last night, I noticed that this fella even pronounced his surname , "Koh" wrongly! *gasp*
Malaysia should quickly move their medium of teaching in schools to English or suffer the repercussions of an inadequate labour force. Of course, my sample size isn't the most appropriate, but aren't the results appalling?!!? Apparently a "bold move" was undertaken by the Ministry of Education in 2003 when the ministry introduced the teaching of science and maths in English. However, sadly, today (1 April 08)'s newspapers announced that the "policy is yet to be fully implemented" and the ministry is carrying out an assessment of the programme only now.
Oh well, I guess this means more tuition jobs for me! Muahahahaha *evil laffter*
Anyway, I can't hide the glee anymore lah. We have a new addition to our family. :D Email me if you want details :D
This morning, my new whiteboard came, whilst I was baking my butter cookies in my spacious oven in my airy kitchen. It replaced the kiddo one we had accidentally ordered. Haaaa. now I can finally give PROPER lessons already. (errr but must buy marker pens first)
Then the phone rang (rinnnnnnnnnnnnnng - cannot write this in the O Levels hor!) and the caller was a Singaporean living in our condo!! My other tuition kid's mum had given her my no. (n she had seen my advert on the noticeboard too) and she wants me to teach her little one (yes he's little - 5 years old!) how to write in English properly! Aiyo so cute!!!! I can't wait. That's going to be a challenge as well as the youngest child I had ever taught was in Primary school (and I was in JC then hor). But I think I will have LOADS of fun! yay
To date, my tuition 'clients' are : 5 adults, 2 teenagers and 1 5-year-old! hahahah Now isn't business booming? :P I should have just been a tutor in Singapore and earned all the big bucks. Now I am stuck here earning ringgit and explaining English terms in Mandarin. HAHAHAhahahHAhahahah. *shakes head in resignation*
I shall go and relax now. Fixing up the whiteboard was tough on my small lil' fingers. But it's done!
Let me first relate to you my trauma from yesternite~. I found myself having 4 students in their early to mid 20s , sitting in my dining room. 2 guys and 2 girls. 3 out of the 4 were really horrendous. They utterly lacked the basic understanding of the rules of the English Language. One of the guys could not even spell or read properly. I admit, the book I had bought them to teach Grammar with is much too difficult.
And the weirdest thing is, you know how Chinese have difficulities pronouncing their "l"s and "r"s??? This guy WROTE them wrongly! I asked him to write 'l', and he would pen 'r'. I am AMAZED. To date, this is the most challenging student in all of my years of teaching. Errmm.. to further illustrate the shock I suffered last night, I noticed that this fella even pronounced his surname , "Koh" wrongly! *gasp*
Malaysia should quickly move their medium of teaching in schools to English or suffer the repercussions of an inadequate labour force. Of course, my sample size isn't the most appropriate, but aren't the results appalling?!!? Apparently a "bold move" was undertaken by the Ministry of Education in 2003 when the ministry introduced the teaching of science and maths in English. However, sadly, today (1 April 08)'s newspapers announced that the "policy is yet to be fully implemented" and the ministry is carrying out an assessment of the programme only now.
Oh well, I guess this means more tuition jobs for me! Muahahahaha *evil laffter*
Anyway, I can't hide the glee anymore lah. We have a new addition to our family. :D Email me if you want details :D
This morning, my new whiteboard came, whilst I was baking my butter cookies in my spacious oven in my airy kitchen. It replaced the kiddo one we had accidentally ordered. Haaaa. now I can finally give PROPER lessons already. (errr but must buy marker pens first)
Then the phone rang (rinnnnnnnnnnnnnng - cannot write this in the O Levels hor!) and the caller was a Singaporean living in our condo!! My other tuition kid's mum had given her my no. (n she had seen my advert on the noticeboard too) and she wants me to teach her little one (yes he's little - 5 years old!) how to write in English properly! Aiyo so cute!!!! I can't wait. That's going to be a challenge as well as the youngest child I had ever taught was in Primary school (and I was in JC then hor). But I think I will have LOADS of fun! yay
To date, my tuition 'clients' are : 5 adults, 2 teenagers and 1 5-year-old! hahahah Now isn't business booming? :P I should have just been a tutor in Singapore and earned all the big bucks. Now I am stuck here earning ringgit and explaining English terms in Mandarin. HAHAHAhahahHAhahahah. *shakes head in resignation*
I shall go and relax now. Fixing up the whiteboard was tough on my small lil' fingers. But it's done!
Monday, March 31, 2008
A Way Back Into Love
Hey folks,
I'm listening to the Music and Lyrics soundtrack now and ooooo Hugh and Drew can sing!!! ahhaha. Very sweet movie which was showing on HBO recently. Apparently because of the screening of the movie on Astro, the soundtrack was sold out in many places here in KL! Hahaha.
I am now in the midst of earful pleasures and preparing for English lessons tonight. Coughing up a lesson plan now and some diagonistic 'test'. Ahhhh. How evil! Going to teach grammar simultaneously with pratical Oral and Written Skills.
Also need to quickly read the book "Holes" as that's the novel my tuition girl, Su-Li is studying for her SPM. Her chosen play, "An Inspector Calls" was my Literature text in Secondary One. Hahaha. How coincidental :) She's coming again on Sunday for tuition. I admire this girl's mother. A single mum, she strives to give her daughter ample opportunities in life and she strongly encouraged Su-Li to sign up for SPM Literature, even though she is not taking that in her school. And the best is Su-Li shows great aptitude towards the subject and complained about her other tutor who does not accept answers which are not 'model answers'. God, how teachers stifle the creativity of children without knowing! I vow not to fall into that pit. (",)v
Yesterday was spent at the stove. In the morning, fluffy pancakes sufficed as breakfast until around 1+pm when I made my specialty Thai Beef Tunghoon salad for a light lunch. We wanted to hit some balls at the golf club but predictabily, dark clouds started gathering and roars of thunder could be heard almost immediately after I put on my new Ashworth golf attire. So, for the upteenth time, we put off going to the country club and headed to Mid Valley Mega Mall.
I had to exchange some books I had purchased wrongly and we headed to MPH after purchasing movie tickets for RM20 each. The Gardens cinema boasted new seats and screens and apparently all the seats came in couple-pairs. The seats could also "recline", we were told but we were disappointed when we found out later we could not put our legs up. The seats were cushy and alittle bouncy, but that was it. But the good thing was, because of the price, there was no snaking queue at the ticketing counter. :D The Gardens shall be our latest favourite haunt.
We bought the Music and Lyrics CD and a DVD to watch at home before heading to MPH. The customer service people were very, very helpful and allowed me to exchange my books for vouchers! *touched* Apparently, not all service sucks in this country :)
We rushed back to watch our movie and were tickled by the 27 Dresses.
Dinner was at "Gurney Drive" in the Gardens. I don't know what it is with our faces or luck but our orders were taken and then forgotten. It was not until I pushed the waiter (after noticing that a hundred guests were served before us) again did our food arrive. The Penang Laksa and Pork Rib Beehoon soup and minute pohpiah left much to be desired by our palates but the fried cockles with sambal belachan made up for half our disappointment.
Then it was Home to watch The Hitcher, which turned out to be a stupid flick and we gave up on Casino Royale cementing my conviction that Pierce Brosnan makes the sexist Bond ever. *slurps*
I'm listening to the Music and Lyrics soundtrack now and ooooo Hugh and Drew can sing!!! ahhaha. Very sweet movie which was showing on HBO recently. Apparently because of the screening of the movie on Astro, the soundtrack was sold out in many places here in KL! Hahaha.
I am now in the midst of earful pleasures and preparing for English lessons tonight. Coughing up a lesson plan now and some diagonistic 'test'. Ahhhh. How evil! Going to teach grammar simultaneously with pratical Oral and Written Skills.
Also need to quickly read the book "Holes" as that's the novel my tuition girl, Su-Li is studying for her SPM. Her chosen play, "An Inspector Calls" was my Literature text in Secondary One. Hahaha. How coincidental :) She's coming again on Sunday for tuition. I admire this girl's mother. A single mum, she strives to give her daughter ample opportunities in life and she strongly encouraged Su-Li to sign up for SPM Literature, even though she is not taking that in her school. And the best is Su-Li shows great aptitude towards the subject and complained about her other tutor who does not accept answers which are not 'model answers'. God, how teachers stifle the creativity of children without knowing! I vow not to fall into that pit. (",)v
Yesterday was spent at the stove. In the morning, fluffy pancakes sufficed as breakfast until around 1+pm when I made my specialty Thai Beef Tunghoon salad for a light lunch. We wanted to hit some balls at the golf club but predictabily, dark clouds started gathering and roars of thunder could be heard almost immediately after I put on my new Ashworth golf attire. So, for the upteenth time, we put off going to the country club and headed to Mid Valley Mega Mall.
I had to exchange some books I had purchased wrongly and we headed to MPH after purchasing movie tickets for RM20 each. The Gardens cinema boasted new seats and screens and apparently all the seats came in couple-pairs. The seats could also "recline", we were told but we were disappointed when we found out later we could not put our legs up. The seats were cushy and alittle bouncy, but that was it. But the good thing was, because of the price, there was no snaking queue at the ticketing counter. :D The Gardens shall be our latest favourite haunt.
We bought the Music and Lyrics CD and a DVD to watch at home before heading to MPH. The customer service people were very, very helpful and allowed me to exchange my books for vouchers! *touched* Apparently, not all service sucks in this country :)
We rushed back to watch our movie and were tickled by the 27 Dresses.
Dinner was at "Gurney Drive" in the Gardens. I don't know what it is with our faces or luck but our orders were taken and then forgotten. It was not until I pushed the waiter (after noticing that a hundred guests were served before us) again did our food arrive. The Penang Laksa and Pork Rib Beehoon soup and minute pohpiah left much to be desired by our palates but the fried cockles with sambal belachan made up for half our disappointment.
Then it was Home to watch The Hitcher, which turned out to be a stupid flick and we gave up on Casino Royale cementing my conviction that Pierce Brosnan makes the sexist Bond ever. *slurps*
A Way Back into Love
I've been living with the shadow over head
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on
I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again some day
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind
All I wanna do is find a Way back into Love
I can't make it through without a Way back into Love
I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but I just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's gotta be something for my soul somewhere
I've been looking for someone to shed some light
not somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
and I'm open to your suggestions
All I wanna do is find a Way back into Love
I can't make it through without a Way back into Love
and if I open my heart again
I guess i'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end
There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation
All I wanna do is find a way back into Love
I can't make it through without a way back into Love
And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to soar again
You'll know that I'll be there for you in the end
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Sunday Blues?
It's mid-day and Alan has just commenced battling rifle-armed terroists. Talk about Men and their Guns :P I am getting ready for my first tuition class with 4 young adults tomorrow. Hahaha. Quite excited :)
Body's aching from all that pumping and I do hope I resemble Jessica Alba soon. hahahah. Ya rite :P Maybe from 2km away? The stuff dreams are made on....
Ahhhh I am waiting in anticipation for my Taipei rendezvous. Shopping! Shilin Chicken? Oyster Meesuar!!? Ahhhhhhh... *skipS*
And then Singapore beckons!! And my ol' so sweet 4C1 gals are arranging a get-together!!! *excited* It's been so long since we've got together as a "family" and I can't wait!!! They are the sweetest class ever and my best days in Crescent were when I was their form teacher. *beams with nostalgia*
Body's aching from all that pumping and I do hope I resemble Jessica Alba soon. hahahah. Ya rite :P Maybe from 2km away? The stuff dreams are made on....
Ahhhh I am waiting in anticipation for my Taipei rendezvous. Shopping! Shilin Chicken? Oyster Meesuar!!? Ahhhhhhh... *skipS*
And then Singapore beckons!! And my ol' so sweet 4C1 gals are arranging a get-together!!! *excited* It's been so long since we've got together as a "family" and I can't wait!!! They are the sweetest class ever and my best days in Crescent were when I was their form teacher. *beams with nostalgia*
The last Saturday in March
It's Sunday at 12:12am and god I'm feeling tired. The Husband is busy battling terrorists on the silver screen and I am sitting with Jay Jay on the coach and just relaxing.
I gave Litereature tuition today and had a nice two hours with this lovely girl who is smart and speaks very well. Ahhhh I miss all this stimulation! Then we left to bring Jay Jay for grooming as his hair was getting very unruly.
Lunch was at the huge ma-mak shop opposite Corus Hotel which Mrs Lee, Karen and I had eaten at, together with the ACSI teachers when we went to KL for scholar recruitment. I was craving for a good briyani but was not satisfied as the Indian man on the other side of the coutner, purposely picked the boniest piece of mutton for me to go with my rice :P
We hit KLCC after that and bought tickets for the Jessica Alba flick, Aware. Coffee Bean sunrise brightened my day and so did the good plot of the movie. After the movie, we went back to retrieve our exhausted doggie and sent him back home. Then we hit the gym (my 4th time this week) and worked up an appetite.
Dinner was an adventure. We went to this restaurant that was highly recommended by Alan's Sales Director, just behind our condo. It's called restoran Xiu Xiu. Not bad. We steamed a fish and had vege and pork to go with it. The interesting thing about this restaurant, is not so much its food, but the location.
It appeared in the clearing only after driving a minute or two through the wilderness. The path was foggy and eerie, the perfect setting for a murder scene. The food? Quite average.
I gave Litereature tuition today and had a nice two hours with this lovely girl who is smart and speaks very well. Ahhhh I miss all this stimulation! Then we left to bring Jay Jay for grooming as his hair was getting very unruly.
Lunch was at the huge ma-mak shop opposite Corus Hotel which Mrs Lee, Karen and I had eaten at, together with the ACSI teachers when we went to KL for scholar recruitment. I was craving for a good briyani but was not satisfied as the Indian man on the other side of the coutner, purposely picked the boniest piece of mutton for me to go with my rice :P
We hit KLCC after that and bought tickets for the Jessica Alba flick, Aware. Coffee Bean sunrise brightened my day and so did the good plot of the movie. After the movie, we went back to retrieve our exhausted doggie and sent him back home. Then we hit the gym (my 4th time this week) and worked up an appetite.
Dinner was an adventure. We went to this restaurant that was highly recommended by Alan's Sales Director, just behind our condo. It's called restoran Xiu Xiu. Not bad. We steamed a fish and had vege and pork to go with it. The interesting thing about this restaurant, is not so much its food, but the location.
It appeared in the clearing only after driving a minute or two through the wilderness. The path was foggy and eerie, the perfect setting for a murder scene. The food? Quite average.
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