"How did you meet them?"

I dropped J and her husband back and the hotel yesterday, and continued the cab ride home. The cab uncle asked "how did you meet these friends?"

Whenever I was going to visit a friend overseas, or have friends visiting Singapore overseas, people asked me the same question.

Not sure why, but most people are intrigued that these friends from afar were neither schoolmates or colleagues. They are friends that somehow walked into my life at different seasons of my life - through other friends, or are relatives/friends of friends and somehow stayed in my life, despite the distances between us.

And when we crossed oceans and caught up in person, it's as if we were never apart.

I am so thankful, for all my friends, from here, there and everywhere. =)

Blessings... seen again!

I am very blessed.

Love from family and friends among the other numerous blessings that God has given me.

Interestingly or should I say, ironically, I have a BAD habit of forgetting how I have been blessed in many ways. It's in times when I am struggling and suffering that, somehow by contrast, that I can see the blessings I have.

Perhaps my pride has cast a shadow so huge, I no longer can see the blessings. I forget to be grateful. And I start to count on my own limited abilities and vision.

In the past few weeks, my face can only be described as "black and black-er". I am thankful for friends who came forth to help me in a variety of ways. Offering comfort, assistance to solve current problems as well as seek future alternatives, encouragement and advice, and in some cases, stern-yet-compassionate rebukes when I start to go into "why me?" modes.

Thank you, friends. Thank God for sending me friends like you. Not only are you loving and wise, you're very brave too... I know how volatile I can be, in times of great distress =)

Just A Phone Call Away...

I can't say enough thank-yous to the friends who I haven't talked very often with, but yet, they are really just a phone call again. To ask for a favour, to ask for advice, to pour my heart out, to get internship placements for my kids, to bounce off ideas... I feel extremely grateful, and very guilty and embarrassed at how I don't spent enough time with these friends. Thank you... I am not sure I deserve the nice treatment but I really appreciate that! I need to make time for the more important things in life!

My Gentle Giant

My brother is a tall and chunky fella.
My gentle giant.
I came home after teaching night class.
Upset because my o2 Zinc died AGAIN - 3rd time this year.
So I grumbled and grumbled.
I needed to be contactable!!!

"You can use mine.
I'll use my old phone in my office.
I'll switch the SIM cards now."
And he acted on it before I could respond.

"But what if anybody's looking for you from now till tomorrow?"
I asked as he passed his Sony Ericsson to me.

"The important people know how to get me at home."

I am thankful for this gentle giant.

Oh... did I mention this is my YOUNGER brother? =)

Don't forget to PLAY!!!

I sat next to an "aunty" in her late 50s on the bus today. She was playing tetris on her handphone!!! She held out the phone as far as her arms could, while she played. I bet the long-sightedness explained many of the "tsks" as she dropped the tetris tiles on the wrong lanes.

Somehow it made me smile, reminding me that we must always remember to play, regardless of how old we are.

I have been feeling like an old cow of late. And I know it's because I have been working too hard, neglecting to play, neglecting myself.

Aunty...Thank you for reminding me that I need to play =)

It meant a lot to me... Thank you.

A colleague offered to help me mark the MCQ Section of my paper. Although it didn't take more than an hour, I am very GRATEFUL.

especially when the size of the gesture is magnified manyfolds at a time when I am tired, and sick and trying so very hard to find reasons to stay motivated.

One day at a time.

I will remember today

I cannot remember which book did I read this from. Something along the lines of "every lecturer will remember with pride the first time he/she delivered a lecture without referring to the notes or the words on the slides at all.

I thought that the rostum created more than a physical distance between me and the students. And I always hated the "ice-cream cone" mike that I had to drag around, made me feel like a dog on a leash. So I ditched the mike, and started to walk in front of the rostrum and started the lecture.

And I didn't refer to the notes at all.

Yes, I will remember today with pride.

I did not use the mike, only the laser pointer, which allowed me to walk around the lecture theatre. I did not read from the slides for once and I was able to provide examples I didn't think about earlier, on the spot - I have no idea how I did that, especially when I slept only 3.5 hours and this was a 9am lecture.

Thank you. God.

It went well =)

Turn-out of field trip - good
Punctuality of students - not 100% but MUCH better than before
Behaviour at field trip - good

Thank God.

soon...

It'll be Mid-Semester Test Week starting Monday, followed by 2 weeks of Term Break. Contrary to what many think, I still need to go to work. TONS of marking. Night classes to teach still. And I MUST start to build an "inventory" of teaching materials so hopefully it'd be less of the "Put Out The Nearest Fire" going forward.

But at least there will be no classes.

See you very soon again, pool! =)

the bad boy is responding!

This may be a bit of a cheap thrill but that devil-may-care bad boy in my class is responding.

That "full of attitude" boy who showed utter disinterest in the first two classes, actually emailed me his draft assignment this morning and asked if I can go over it and give him some feedback. You should have seen how pleased I was. I looked like someone just filled my freezer full of Ben & Jerry's, in all my favourite flavours.

Many will say "don't count your chicks before they are hatched". I say "Let's give him a chance, and let's encourage him every step of the way".

I know I can't take the credit. Still, I'd like to think that some of my hard work have something to do with this. Perhaps the extra effort put into being strict but fair, helpful but pushing them to do more, trying to listen to them, and offering them a new perspective that may serve their need all the same... perhaps it helped.

If it did, I am very thankful.

Even if it's just a mirage, I am still thankful.

I am holding on to all the hopes that I can get.

Thank you Professor Pausch!

Found this GREAT video - Lots of HEART, Plenty of HUMOUR & 100% WONDERFUL & INSPIRING.
(not sure why my Youtube link isn't working well but click on the title to bring you there ya?)

Thank you Professior Pausch... thank you Youtube, Freeware and all the technology that helps people who are willing to share. Thank you.

the chance to learn

I am thankful to be given the chance to learn, on an everyday basis. I never seem to find enough things that don't enthrall me into wanting to learn more. I am so glad I am still feeling excited and feeling the desire to learn new things, explore new grounds. I think this means that I am not stagnant and rotting away, especially if I can use the new things I have learned in a fruitful manner. A-ha... perhaps this is why I am in the teaching profession.

the look of pride & joy on many faces

Graduation Day. Parents beaming with pride. Their smiles that simply say "It was worth the hard work I put in everyday."

I consider it a privilege to be able to congratulate the proud graduands and their parents, and a delight to speak to them. I am reminded of how blessed I am when I hear the stories similar to my own. How they slogged so the kids can go to school, how they never had the opportunity to go to school. I am thankful I have the chance to see those loving faces.

And I am thankful that I have been given the opportunity by my parents.

Parents

Stayed over at my folks' last night. 2 hours saved from commuting = 2 hours more sleep. And I can definitely use more sleep.

Pa just came back from a rushed business trip to Malaysia, and he looked absolutely tired and told me last night, he'd sleep in and couldn't send me to work. It's ok, I said. I can take the bus. And that I'd put 2 alarms on, so I won't oversleep.

Groggily I greeted Ma good morning. She knew I was worried about oversleeping and came to ensure I wouldn't. And Ma whispered with a smile, that Pa asked her to wake him up.

So, Pa sent me to work, just like when I was a little girl. After Ma fed me with 2 soft-boiled eggs.

Thank you, my wonderful parents.