School - then and now

I left secondary school 11 years ago. I cant remember every single day of those 11 years (primary and secondary), but I can remember the highlights of them.

Today, as I was driving to work, I saw secondary school children walking to school and I realised how much I missed school and how different it is now and then.

My niece at home goes to school with colourful clips in her hair. I remember back then, it was only black pins. No colourful or fancy hair clips in school. If you are going to tie your hair with rubber band, it had to have a black or dark blue ribbon over it. Nothing else. If not, be prepared to hear a long lecture, have your hair re-tied with the correct colour ribbon and clips upon entering school compound.

I remember once in school, the discipline teacher threatened to cut my fringe because it was "almost" touching my eyebrows. Today, I see students with hair covering their faces going to school freely!!

One good change in schools these days is the usage of English for science and mathematics. I find it challenging trying to help my nephew with these subjects. I have to think before being able to answer him.. sometimes I get confused and have to sit down and study before being able to help him.

I use to enjoy walking back from school, rain or shine.. we preferred rain actually ;) I remember for every major exam that I sat for. If we were alllowed to take home the examination questions, I would burn each one of it. I knew friends who would go through the paper and refer to the books to see whether they had answered correctly.. But to I never liked doing that. I think it was because I was afraid that I had more wrong then right answers. I told my mum what was the use of checking for answers now, when I cant change any of it? :D

After working for 6 years now, I want to go back to school. No worries. Just books - reading and writing, with a few lab sessions now and then...

Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed & Thur

We were too tired to do anymore shopping on Sunday .. or should I be just honest and say that we had spend a little more than expected on the phones on Saturday ;)

In the evening, I sent my niece for her tae-kwando class and picked her up in heavy rain at around 6 p.m. We didnt know where to go and what to do. So I suggested, lets drive to Bagan Lalang!! Yes .. !!

We drove there in the rain, but luckily enough it had stopped in Sepang by the time we arrived. We ordered our usual kerapu, pepahat and ketam. Yum yum .. Dina jie-jie was so jealous .. Just like I was jealous that she was having burger!

I also had video calls with Toby tobs .. he's arriving in 4 weeks!! Hurrah!! (Say this and he will clap :D)

Its Thursday and I am already drained out. Just tired. My fingers are hurting. I am giving myself excuses not to see the doctor. I think I should if the pain doesnt go away by this week. Its getting more painful to even open the door or lift the laptop .. :(

In one week...

It feels like I blogged recently. But then I realised it was last Monday! So here goes..

Monday Apr 14th.
I was suppose to go to the gym, but mama bulat was out sick. So I wasn't feeling up to it to go alone AND I had too much work to do.

Tuesday Apr 15th.
Mama bulat came back to work and told me her ice-cream eating tragedy on Sunday. After finishing all baskin & robbins, papa & mama bulat decided to finish the ice-cream in the freezer, only to end up with food poisoning! Thank God there are two toilets in their apartment ;)
Feeling stressed at work, we decided to have dinner at the Penang House. I had penang curry noodles and mama bulat had beef noodles.

Wednesday Apr 16th.
My back was aching and my stomach was not normal. I was off sick. But had to endure more than 6 hours in the KIA service centre. Luckily for us, the service centre offered coffee and dvds AND most importantly free wifi connection. Hurrah!! After that, it was pain killers to sleep.

Thursday Apr 17th
Back to work. Unfortunately, had to resolve a sev2 :( Conference calls with DBA, backup & restoration.. what's the ETA? Ever favourite question of business partners .. then after its resolved and service availabe .. what's the RCA?? People have got to learn to let others breathe a little.. and have patience. From one thing to the other. Never a time to sit and think. If I dont sit and think, will I give you an accurate answer? OR should I just give you an answer that you expect? You can NEVER reply to an email honestly. BECAUSE either your boss will tell you off, or your business partner will turn the table around and it will be as if you are shooting your own feet. People are never satisfied or happy with anything!!

Friday Apr 18th
Sev2 issue the previous day is not over.. I still have to reply and answer to odd and funny questions. Why cant they make it simple for everyone? *sigh* Bulat isnt feeling well, so mama bulat had to work from home the second half of the day. Our friends in Europe had an awesome night out, so they are all working from home ;) I remember when I was there, Thursdays nights is when everyone goes out till wee hours of the morning, get home for a shower and change of clothes, then goes to office, hoping that there will be no major issues ;)

Saturday Apr 19th
This is an eventful day. We had appointment at Crimpers for our haircuts. I just couldnt take the messy hair. Sometimes I go to work looking like a crazy woman. After getting most of my hair layered, we went for lunch (note: this was at 4:30 p.m.) Then we decided to go and hunt of new mobile phones, since I am going to give my current one to my mum - nokia 2630 BIG FONTS!! We went to Atria. After comparing phones and prices. We finally decided on one N82 and one 6500 slider. Both black. We were concentrating so much on the phones that we didnt realise that it was raining "anjing kucing" outside. So we were trapped. Where else to go? Coffee and toasted bread! When the rain stopped, we headed home. Just like "red indian dapat senapang", we didnt talk to each other. We took our new phones out and started to explore, while airing P.Ramlee's Nasib Labu Labi on the laptop :D
I had two video calls to Toby tobs. One during his lunch and one after his dinner. I should get a video of him when he comes back. You should see how engrosed he can get when eating his rice biscuits. He looks at it as if its the best thing in this world. He doesnt have one, but TWO. This is after having his main course - sphagetti/chicken/lamb/fish, pudding - most of the time yoghurt. Just like his ah ee!! AND he started calling out "ee ee ee" We think he's calling me :D :D My mother will be so jealous!!

Another trip home..

I was home with parents over the weekend, to celebrate their 37th wedding anniversary. Mum contributed to the alter flowers in church on Sunday, because it was koko's birthday.

We went shopping for cloth, as mum is in the midst of making a patch blanket for the "golden piglet". While at the mamak cloth shop, I noticed a piece of batik sarong which looked exactly like the one that was being sold in the office for RM 80 .. I took it and looked at the price .. RM 18!! Ha! I could buy a dozen and sell it for RM 30 AND still profit RM 12 from each piece. Hmm.. good idea?

As per my usual routine back home, I went to visit my grandmother. She's really excited about her ang-mo gread grandson's visit next month. Its just another 6 weeks before Toby tobs arrives in Malaysia. Everyone is excited and I'm hoping the next 6 weeks will pass really really fast.

I'm not tired from travelling, but the journey can be too quiet at times.. AND I realised that I have started talking to myself on these trips.. *sigh*

Newsflash!

I am now in facebook! Ha ha .. lembap betul. Orang lain dah berkurun zaman ada kat facebook, aku baru minggu lepas.. Better late than never ;) I've also "found" many friends from teenage years. It's so fascinating to see how many are married and with children of their own. I feel old.

HIGHLIGHT - Toby tobs has gotten into calling me!! Yes .. according to my sister, whenever I call, he will start saying "gee, eee, eee" So he must be calling Ah Ee actually ;) Perasannye .. The other day the duck came to the backdoor for a peep and he got really excited and started calling out "dak, dak, dak". Then just over the weekend, fat cat was at the stairs and he pointed and said "kat, kat, kat"

ALSO, these few days I've been tuning into red fm at midnight to hear horror stories from the listeners. It is scary, listening to it and driving home alone .. but keeps we awake! Try it out one day.. ;)

Weekend come and go

On Friday I was hoping that the weekend would come sooner .. today is Sunday and I want it to be Friday ..

I havent been out because my other half is on the day shift this weekend. So I've been a good girl and stayed indoors.. and also because I hate driving in the rain.. not drizzle, but heavy heavy rain.

I was also suppose to be on standby for work, but last minute was told that was no longer necessary.. so no work, no plans..

*sigh*

Lights on! Lights off!

I travel daily to my office, using the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) to Cyberjaya. I realised one thing, which is very odd. In the afternoon, the road-lights are ON. Then when I travel home at midnight, the lights are OFF. This is really odd. WHY DO WE NEED LIGHTS ON WHEN ITS BL**D* BRIGHT!

Tell me .. tell me ..

The parents are in town!

My parents travelled down from Kuantan on Wednesday to attend Aunty Lu's funeral. They arrived at around 1 p.m. at Pudu Raya .. the ever famous bus station in the heart of KL. I waited for them at the corner of 7-11 and brought them for lunch at home. My aunty and I had gone to the market early in the morning, so that she'd be able to prepare curry chicken, ratatui, ikan jacket sumbat i.e. ikan cincaru sumbat and fishball soup. After a heavy lunch, I sent them to the hotel to rest before the wake service in the evening at Nirwana Memorial Centre.

Just after 4, it started to rain very heavily. *sigh* disaster, I can foresee us in the jam on the way to the service. True enough, we were stuck after the Sunway toll, as I was heading for Sg Besi. I think it was a culture shock for pa & ma. I dont think they expected to be stuck in such a terrible jam and see so many cars bumper to bumper heading for the same direction. Pa actually wore his safety belt even though he was sitting at the back seat!

We arrived at the Kuchai Lama exit. We could see Nirwana Memorial Centre, but we didnt know how to reach it. I just drove following the sign board to Sg Besi and finally reached the centre just about 8:30 p.m. Everyone, including the assistant pastor was late due to the rain and jam. It was a sweet and short wake service.

The next day, we arrived KL Wesley just before 10:30 a.m. The family were already there. Pa & ma met up with a few old friends who were mutual friends when they were young and had left Kuantan for many many years. After the service, we went to the Cheras Crematorium then back to church for lunch. Uncle Ed was there was well. After making sure their stomachs were full, I sent them to Pudu Raya to catch the next available bus home to Kuantan, away from the jam and heavy rain.

It is on occassions like these that make me realise how important family are, especially pa, ma, cece, koko and Toby tobs. I think I would rather die first before all of them. I couldnt bare to loose them first and be alone.