Kudos for today

So today all 20 official D*starz members turned up for practice. That's a first and I hope not the last. The tshirts are all ready for sale and I know some people have started wearing. I hope they will all pay up, or else!!!
As for drama, things seem to be moving along better. I don't know ... I am worried. And I think the people who are most worried are a few of us. The same few who made the most noise, as usual. We shall see how things go.
In the meantime, chins up ... and we are moving on!

Can't we just get going?

It has been frustrating working on this big project. Everyone wants to do a good job but not everyone is willing to put in as much effort in it. There are those who just simply don't see the urgency and the fact that we are ONE MONTH AWAY!

• Firstly we have some people who just cannot make up their minds.
• Then we have people who just can't be bothered to go the extra mile.
• Next we have people who behave like primadonas.
• We also have people who did not start feeling the heat (how urgent things are) until the last few days.
• And we also have people who just have NO clue on what is going on.

It is frustrating working this way. Somehow we (the people who are so directly involved) are saddled with the bulk of the worries and problems. Everything also ... you all do lah, can settle as soon as possible, oh I cannot come lah. It is super frustrating because we are in the frontline of the production and there is no letting up for us. With all the various problems that are already existing, we just don't want to see problems coming from the team itself - whether teachers or students. I might be putting my head on the chopping board for expressing this but, we HAVE TO GET GOING!!!!!!

Happy birthday to my 2nd born - Jeremy

These are photos of Jeremy all dressed up in a tuxedo as the ring bearer / pageboy in a wedding. His partner is Chloe, the flower girl.

A very happy birthday to Jeremy. He is my 2nd born, my middle child but certainly a well-loved child. He is the only child I have who is not preceeded by a miscarriage. Jeremy is also my biggest and heaviest baby at birth, weighing at 3.82kg. He is my first natural-born child. He is my first successfully nursed baby.

Jeremy is a very loving boy. He is full of life, so full of affection for people. Of all my children, he is the "people person". He enjoys getting to know people. He says hello to almost anyone and everyone. He can be shy at times, but he generally likes to get to know people. He can be quite temperamental with his brothers but he loves them. Try telling him that someone wants to take one of his brothers home and he will cry. Speaking of crying, he is my drama king. He cries easily, he can be very dramatic in the way he expresses himself. He likes to be in new clothes, he chooses what he wants to wear and can sometimes be difficult about how he is dressed! Sigh. I wonder where he got that from. LOL. To my little drama king, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

My youngest - Happy birthday

Tomorrow, well, another half an hour to go, it will be Joel's 4th birthday. This little boy is a precious child to me (they all are). He was not expected and when I knew I was pregnant with him, it was such a joy to me. I loved him from the moment I knew he was growing in my womb. He was the lightest of my babies, at 3.24kg. He was also the only one who was born the most naturally. No c-section. No epidural. And his birth was the fastest too. I checked into Sunway Medical at about 10 to 10:30pm. He was born about 12:30am. Just 2 hours. Joel, I love you. I will always be there for you and I pray that you will grow up to be a loving man, a responsible man. Forgive me when I have been less than the perfect mother to you. But know that my heart is always with you.

Laughter

Laughter is a VERY good thing. I think a lot of people actually have forgotten to laugh and just let go of any inhibition. It is something you can do and just enjoy. You can even laugh till the tears roll down your cheeks.

So I had a good laugh early this morning. Those of you who saw me laughing probably had a good time laughing back at me .... at some of us. So yeah ... laugh, by all means. Those in 1Hormat in 2006 will remember the same laughter I had in class. And this year's 2Amanah too. I am prone to that ... laughing until I cry!!!

But it was certainly something good, being able to laugh early on Monday morning. Though I did not count on being watched by over a thousand students and about half the teaching staff. Oops!

A day to honour teachers

Many years ago, when I was in primary school, to fill up those Kad 001, my teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I said I wanted to be a teacher. Then as I grew up, I wanted to be many other things. I wanted to be a lawyer, a psychologist, an actress, a singer (ok, no need to laugh), among other things. But somehow, through divine intervention (yes, I believe it was that), I came back to my first ambition, to be a teacher.

So 16th May, every year, Malaysia celebrates Teacher's Day, on a national level. It is a day to honour those of us who have given ourselves in service to educate the next generation, to build them up, to guide them as they grow into adulthood. Whether the teacher teaches kindergarten children, or college students, each of us has a role to play. A lot of teachers have actually given a lot of themselves to the schools and students they encounter. The pepatah that teachers are like candles that burn themselves in order to light the way for others ... that still holds true although not in everyone.

Today I'd like to remember a few of my former teachers. In Std 1, I had Mrs Pathi, a motherly woman. And that's all I can remember, sorry. In Std 2, I think I remember Mr Diong, then in Std 3, Mr Choo. Can't remember much about them except what they looked like then. Then in Std 4, Ms Maheswari, a real tigress of a woman. Also Mr Yuen CK who was a trainee then (and now lecturer in UKM!), who was a sight for sore eyes and ears (because he took over some of Ms Maheswari's classes). Std 5 there was Ms Oh Teik Joo, who is a wonderful person, caring and dedicated. Std 6 I had Mr Chan Weng Yin, whom I remember as also the basketball coach. Yes I was also in the basketball team then (unbelievable, I know). Even Mr Veerasingam (now Dato Veerasingam, a politician) was my teacher at one point.

In Form 1, Mr Joseph Lai was my class teacher, but I remember enjoying BM with En Mat Saad. Form 2, Mrs Sundram was the class teacher - someone who loved decorating the class and we almost always won cleanest and most beautifully decorated class. Her best friend, Mrs Ng Weng Hong was my Geograph teacher. Form 3 is a blur, maybe because we were all too busy preparing for the SRP. I think I remember Mrs Peter Chan as the Science teacher that year. Form 4, we had En Aris, the Bio teacher. I still remember his BIG eyes and very funny hair. Form 5, Pn Noraini was the class teacher. But through the years, teachers like Ms Cheong Mee Lin, Mrs Wong Tong Chow, Mr Arthur, Ms Irene Cheong have to be mentioned. They were a beacon of light in the school, helping those of us who needed the guidance and help from them. Mr Tham Leong is another teacher I should mention. He was the discipline master, and I still remember how he punished a student for shouting and saying bad words to a prefect - me.

In UPM, how can I forget Mr Malachi Edwin (now Dr Edwin), En Baharuddin, Dr Zain, Cik Sharifah Zainab (now Dr Sharifah), Pn Sharmeem (now Dr Sharmeem), and a few others. They all had a hand in inspiring me to be a teacher, and not just any teacher, but to be a dedicated teacher.

Yes, I had some, very good teachers, even those whose names I have forgotten. I'd like to dedicate this day to them, and I hope that they are well, and still have a passion for education (whether they still teach or not). And I pray that I will not fail them. I hope that as they have passed the torch to me, I will be able to pass the torch to others. And may the flame of knowledge, wisdom and humanity burn in the heart of each and every teacher in the world.

Crew for drama - Recruitment

Those of you who are interested to help out as a crew member in the drama, please see Geh Su Wei as I have appointed her as the leader of the crew. I'm not sure how many I'll need but I will conduct a session, and maybe interview to pick suitable candidates. If you want to be a crew member just to miss classes, FORGET IT! If you want to help genuinely, I will see you around. Just be prepared. You will be required to do a lot of work, and don't be surprised if I scream at you. QMs can attest to the fact that I can scream at people who don't do their work. You will be required to sacrifice some class time after the holidays. You will have to be at the Civic Centre from 25th to 27th June, and it'll be all day on the 27th. It will be tiring but it will be a rewarding experience.

Pre Mother's Day and Mother's Day

Yesterday was a nice and pleasant pre-mother's day for me. Even more pleasant than today since we didn't really do anything today as a celebration.
The day started like any non-working Saturday ... going to the market to stock up food for the week. Then, we (mum and I) came home and I cooked pasta for the kids, while hubby took Jon and Jeremy out for a swim. Joel didn't get to go, so I opened up the inflatable pool for him and let him have some fun.
Came lunch time, hubby and I went out on our date to The Ship. Been a while since we have had time to just go out without the kids. Lunch was nice, and we got to just have a relaxing time just the two of us. For those of you kids .... YES, your parents need time to date too. After lunch we went for a walk at Tropicana City Mall, just for a look-see, and for grocery shopping (I know, boring, according to a friend). But it was a good opportunity for the two of us to be without the kids and anyone else, for that matter. Then we went home.
That evening, hubby was taking all of us out for dinner. I knew it was not just going to be US. When we got to Bella Italia, some of my church families were also there. We were all going to celebrate Mother's Day together. It was nice because we were in a cosy restaurant and we pretty much conquered the place. The husbands planned this together. They also got bouquets of roses for the children to give us, mums. And hubby got a card for the boys to sign and give to me. This has got to be the most elaborate Mother's Day celebration I have ever had. I was very touched and certainly, it was a nice and meaningful day for me. Meaningful because I celebrated it with my family, and also my mum was there as well. It was a treat for her though she didn't get a bouquet from me. She got a hamper instead, the day before!
Today, we went to church. The Sunday School children (including my 3 boys) sang a song for the mothers. I was very touched although I knew the song and I knew they were going to sing. Somehow, I was reminded why I am a mother. It is because of my sons. They made me a mother. And they made me realise that I'm capable of loving so much. Even the message today spoke to me ... about my role as a mother, a parent - how I need to mould and nurture my children so that they do not get lost on their journey of life. After the message, the speaker asked all the children to stand with their parents and since my boys were still in Sunday School, I went to my mum. I hugged her and we all prayed .... for all the parent-child relationships there are. And I cried buckets. Because I realised that I had unresolved issues with my mum. That will be another story.
After that we went for lunch and then we were supposed to go home. Instead, Jeremy and I ended up spending the afternoon in Pyramid. We walked around, had Baskin Robbins, bought things and then went home. It was nice. Something that I had not done in a while - going somewhere with Jeremy. He is my drama king, he is the manja one, the one who cries the most, and the one who shows me his affection the most.
So that's my Mother's Day weekend. The most important thing I have learned is that my children are precious to me, and I love them with all my heart. Happy Mother's Day to all mothers (biological mums, adoptive mums, god-mums, mums-in-law, anyone who plays the role of a mother to others). May all that you have given and sacrificed come back to you as a hundred fold blessing.

The pace picks up

It is now May, which is basically halfway through the academic year. May signals the coming of the mid-year exams. May also means we will be having our musical drama NEXT month. And May also means Cheer 09 is less than 2 months away.
The exams - let's see, yes, I get the typical question of "What's coming out for exams?" And my typical answer is "Questions!" Everyone is supposed to focus on exams and everything else is supposed to give way to academic excellence. Nothing wrong with that. But that doesn't sound all correct either. Tell it to the people who have to prepare for numerous school activities that will take place SOON.
The drama - We FINALLY have a title. It's called "I have a dream". It will be staged at the Civic Centre on 27th June 2009 .... for the benefit of those who still ask "When is it, ah?" and "In the school hall, ah?" And we had a meeting today for those of us directly involved in the production. It was a fruitful meeting because we finally settled a lot of issues and answered a lot of questions as to the roles of each committee, and the kind of things we can expect to do. Some of us finally see the need to get moving with their work. We have less than 2 months to prepare, actually 7 weeks. And I think it was good that everyone finally SAW how massive the whole production is - how much money it was going to cost us, how much man/woman/girl power we are going to need, how much effort is going to be required of everyone concerned. A word of warning to those of you reading this : If you're involved in the drama, DON'T BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING ELSE. Alternatively, if you cannot give your time to the drama, QUIT before it is too late. I am sorry I have to say it but you will not be able to give your best to many activities. And we don't want HALF-BAKED commitment. Having said that ... I welcome volunteers for stage crew in the production. Come and see me and let me know that you are interested and able.
Cheer 09 - This is going to happen on 4 and 5 JULY. In case you haven't noticed, that is the weekend right after the drama. So it will be a MAD MAD 2 WEEKENDS that I am going to have. The squad? Not ready. We are so jinxed this year with all the injuries and other circumsances. We have the co-capt injured, and another having hip problem. We have someone with a growth somewhere. We have some people who will NOT be around during Cheer 09 or the week leading to it. We have people who will be going away for a while. We have people who have been away from practice due to other commitments. So, yeah ... we are far from being ready. But on the bright side, we are now forced to look at the juniors and see potential in them. They may not shine this year, but they will, by next year. And supporters t-shirts will be here soon, another week, I'm told. So, get ready and buy the shirts!!! We need all the support we can get.
So you see, the pace is really picking up. I might look and behave strangely once in a while. It probably means I am too caught up in all the tasks at hand and feel overwhelmed. If I look upset, or extremely stressed, stay away!!! LOL. No, just give me a few words of encouragement and remind me that things will fall into place.
I think I have been sighing a lot the last 2 days. So I am not going to sigh again ... lest I get a whack on my head from my BOSS! I am going to smile, and I am going to laugh. And I am going to look on the bright side of things and be positive about all that come my way. And most importantly, I am going to learn to release to God the things I cannot control and stop trying to do everything myself.

Photos from the Hannah Montana Rock with Shila - Courtesy of Su Wei

Hi all, photos not in any particular order. Thanks for the photos, Su Wei.

The signage outside the hall

The transformed stage

The crowd outside the hall waiting to enter

Shila, Farish and some girls

Kaiyisah giving HER rendition of Best of Both Worlds

All dressed up as Rockstars. That'll be Iman on the left.

Alyssa showing her moves

Alyssa again

Alyssa receiving her prizes, with Ms Liew, Shila and Farish

The new-found star, Pn Ngau! (Anybody uploaded her on youtube, yet?)

Childhood friends

The last week or so has been amazing because I found (or was found by) some childhood friends. These are people I used to go to school with, my school mates and classmates. One is even my friend from way back when we were toddlers. The wonders of the internet, indeed.
DF was my "oldest" friend from when we were toddlers in Chenderoh. We used to live practically a few houses away from one another then. Later, we got separated. I went to Johore, and then to MN. Amazingly, then her father got transferred to MN and we met again and we were in the same school. Then after Form 5, we went our separate ways. And we did not meet up until now, in cyber space. Good to know she is married and has 2 beautiful children. My mum was surprised to know that we have reconnected.
AH was one of the friends whose house I used to frequent, especially during Hari Raya. I remember the few times I went there and had delicious rendang and lemang. I have not met her since Form 5.
GS was one of those gila gila guys in my class and we used to joke a lot. We were not in the same class in Forms 4 and 5. I don't think he was even in Science stream but ... he is now a nurse, a person in the medical field. Amazing! And he is now in Melbourne!!!
LJ and I used to be in the same class. We were such chatterboxes. We both had very strong personalities and we used to argue ... in a friendly manner. I last met her in Penang during a function and did not manage to get her number. Now we met again in cyber space.
Sigh ... wonderful indeed that we have managed to find one another. I hope to find some other friends, especially those I have not met since primary school!!!

Labour Day

Today was a relaxing day for me, and a wonderful day for my 2 older boys. They spent the day with their dad at FRIM and then Kids' Zone in Seri Hartamas. Me? I went out with some friends to Concorde Hotel, KL for High Tea and a time of fellowship.
We were mostly hungry when we got to Concorde and really tucked in. Nothing too fantastic to shout about but more than sufficient for us, ladies. It was nice just to not worry about the kids and hubbies. We all had a pleasant time chatting and eating and sharing our stories.
Today is actually a meaningful day in another manner. Today is my father's birthday, my LATE father's birthday. Though he is no longer alive, I have always remembered his birthday. And I never fail to say a little prayer for him. Our relationship was not the closest of father-daughter relationship, but I did love him, and he did love me, in our own ways. So, Pa, I just want to remember you today, and the times we had though it wasn't much. May your soul rest in peace.