I feel swamped

Teaching in SA is really taking its toll on me. No, let me correct that .... Working in SA is really taking its toll on me. I am tired, physically and mentally. Part of me is protesting vehemently about the amount of work that lands on my lap. It doesn't look like a lot, but the amount of time and energy spent on them, not to mention the amount of money I actually spend on them, is really more than many expect.
It is especially taxing when a lot of my work deals with outside people. This is especially so with a few things I do : Cheer, F1 dance crew, magazine, and anything that some people don't know where to dump, and it lands on my lap. I am tired.
Just this afternoon I got a call from someone who complained ... not about me, but to me about some other people. I felt so weary after listening to her. Why? Because I know I could not stand by and NOT do anything. Because I felt for her, though I know she was probably a bit too much for some other people to bear. Because I felt I had to do something. So I did something .... and it is tiring settling other people's problems and issues.
My other "usual" amount of work is also getting too heavy to handle sometimes. Part of me is just burnt out and occasionally I feel like throwing in the towel. But I can't.
And I just got news I am supposed to go for district level sports duties, like every year. Why can't they just take other people? Why must it be me? I'd like to think it's because I do a good job. But I cannot be everywhere doing so many things and not having my focus in the things that matter. So, for the first time in over a decade, I am REFUSING to go. I simply cannot afford the time to be away from school and all the work that is waiting for me. I don't want to always play catching up with all the work that gets neglected when I go for sports duties.
Yeah yeah ... venting. I needed to.

Disappointment of sorts

I see a replay of a scene. I'm in it. And in it, I am upset, disappointed and also angry. Part of me wanted to blow up, the other wanted to weep. All these from having too much of an expectation of others. Perhaps I am naive. Perhaps I am too idealistic. Whatever it is, once again, I opened myself to being let down, among other things. I am being emotional about it because I do not want to deny how I feel about it. And it doesn't do anyone any good leaving it and not facing it.
I will not write at length about it. I just want to sleep on it and let it pass. Hopefully, when I wake up tomorrow, I will have got over it. And I will face the next week with it behind me.

This is too good to not blog about

Today is a very special day for SA. Though we have been getting 100% practically every year or so for SPM, we still shake with fear that something could have jeopardized the result. Just as the students and parents worry and stress over the results, the teachers too, were anxious.
So kudos and CONGRATULATIONS to all in SA, especially teachers, who have worked hard to help the students. NO most of the students did not need a lot of help to pass, but we still did our work and helped them to excel. I may not have taught Form 5 for many years, but I know I have a hand in helping to mould the students. Maybe not much, but still, I am proud of the girls whom I protect fiercely if needed.
Like what the principal said, we are not a boarding school, not an elite school allowed to choose all the students. Yet we have still managed to hang in there year after year. All these can only be done through the cooperation among the members of the SA family.
And a very special congratulations to Grace who managed to get 15 A+s, in all the subjects she took. The Graces of the world only come once in a few years. I am honoured and proud to have been your teacher once.
On another note, my good friend attended an interview today. I hope she will be chosen to attend the Talkback Classroom programme as a chaperon/accompanying teacher. She is more than qualified to do the job. I hope the interviewers see that.
As for the 4 gentlemen who have been with us for 2 weeks, tomorrow is your last day. I know you have never taught before and you're just being exposed to life as a teacher these 2 weeks. I hope that SA has shown you and taught you what it means to give your all, to mould the lives of those you will one day call, STUDENTS! Do not take for granted the work that you will be doing one day. Go and study to be a teacher, and then come back and do a GREAT job.
Phew! What a day!

Diverse Interests

I am in the midst of organizing an outing for my group of friends. We have been lamenting that our husbands got to go on an overnight trip last year and we wanted to go off somewhere too, this year. So I was tasked to find out information on places we can go to. Trouble is, all of us have such diverse interests that it is difficult to please everyone. We have the shopping ones who prefer to go to places where we can literary shop till we drop. We also have the ones interested in relaxation .... read : Spa. And we have people who do not like the hot weather, so the beach is out. And we don't want to get sea-sick, so cruise is out. We don't want to spend too much time travelling, so anywhere outside the country or outside west Malaysia is out. We don't want to spend too much money on accommodation, so places like Langkawi and some resorts are out. We don't want to drive too far, so we are now restricted to, say, 250km radius of KL/PJ. So now I am wondering ... WHERE CAN WE GO?
It is super frustrating because we have to cater to everyone's needs, likes and wants. Some of us are okay with practically anything, as long as the place is nice and accommodation is clean. What we do there is secondary as we just want to fellowship and enjoy one another's company. I am really stumped now. And it is sooooo time consuming looking up information. Honestly I feel like throwing in the towel.

The Captain is hurt

Firzana is hurt. She'll be out of action for a few days at least. This is sad. Trouble is she is so okay about it, although it's probably painful. Instead, Meetra is upset for having bumped her. And CW is upset because he is the coach and it happened while he was there. And I guess the squad is a little affected. Come what may, I hope she will recover soon, and take care of the team again soon.

F1 Dance Crew Audition in SA

Today marked a special day for SA. The SIC organised an audition to pool a group of dancers for a performance during the opening of the Malaysian edition of the 2010 Formula One. Around 40 girls auditioned, some in groups, some individually. Out of that number, 33 were chosen, I was told. These girls who are chosen will receive a pair of tickets to the F1 race day, plus goodies and a chance to be filmed as part of the opening during F1 race day. Congrats to all who made it. Feel proud that you have been chosen.

The pictures above show the audition in progress as well as some of the girls who passed the audition. Sepang, here we come!