Random Shots

IDragon @ Queensbay Mall

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:13:00 +0000

This was a trip on impulse to buy books. And we had lunch at IDragon in Queensbay Mall. The Christmas deco is up at Queensbay and this year but I don't like the colour scheme - kinda dready; black and white overwhelming the traditional Christmas colours. The flavour of the day, I supposed, since the dreary world of the Cullens are dominating centre stage now.

Noticed they had chairs outside the restaurant too for people to wait. This must be a popular place. But it was quite empty when we were there.

One of the first things which came... steamed chicken rice and jellyfish; the latter is a cold dish. The steamed chicken rice came first and the smell was quite good. We thought we were off to a good start. The jellyfish came next but it was a letdown. A little too oily and not really tasty.

Another cold dish - bamboo shoots. Nothing to shout about here. Presentation was good enough but taste wasn't that nice.

Braised pork which was not too bad. It went well with the dumplings. But one can only take so much meat.

The cute bite-sized dumplings.

The xiao lung pao or dumplings steamed with soup in it. This was okay. But it's not so nice once it's cold. This dish is meant to be taken hot. My lil one got slightly burnt by the hot soup and drained the pao of its soup onto the plate. LOL!

One of the two deserts we ordered - almond jelly with fruits. Almond always has a taste which I don't quite like but it was okay. Looks made it appetizing... 8)

This is mango pudding with pomelo and sago. The mango is blended with ice but there is a generous portion of sliced pieces too so that you have something to chew on with every bite. The tangy taste of pomelo gives this desert the ooomph. Sago also compliments this desert quite well.

Well, the bill for the 3 of us came up to RM130++ and I'd say this place is rather expensive. Their dishes are not what I'd rave about. Deserts were not too bad too but at that sort of price, it had better be. But still it was a good dining experience.

Books? We ended up buying only 3. LOL! 2 Max Lucado and one on Asterix. Jusco was having a good sale and we managed to get some stuff at bargain prices; which reminds me, if the price differs so much during sales-season, then it's really not worth buying anything during the off sales-season.

Third week into the hols...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Time flies. That's how the first 2 weeks have been like. Son sitting for his exams basically means that we're all tied to his schedule. We've been reduced to being drivers! But I remember a conversation which I had with a friend's niece sometime back. She was lamenting how much she missed driving her kids around for tuitions, etc, etc... LOL! I don't think I'll miss that! Anyway, in between driving him to and fro exams, we still managed to squeeze a little thrill here and there, one or two short excursions with the Lil One.

A lot of my time is spent at the squash court, gym and the pool. Add that to the tennis lessons which have been extended, I end my days quite tired. I'm off to Zzzzland the minute my head hits the pillow most of the nights. I am teaching my girl and a friend's son squash too. I enjoy playing with them and I guess they enjoy play with me since I can send nice shots for them to hit. 8) Well, my girl's ball sense is coming along. Can at least hit the ball against the wall repeatedly. Am trying to develop her game sense now. 8) In between her swimming, squash and books, she is rather occupied too!

Also had the most excruciating moment when my back 'froze' early in the hols. Went through half a morning incapacitated by an inflamed ligament... at my back. And for the first time, I was literally semi-immobilized by bolts of pain. It's a terrible feeling. Ligaments should best be left to heal by themselves. Any form of rubbing seems to aggravate ligament injuries. Anyway, I am reminded of the frailty of life.. of how we take our health for granted.

Son still has a week or so of exam time to go... Most likely no NS for now as his name did not appear in the first list. But he's still keen to go if he gets called up for the second batch. Noticed that there seems fewer people who got called this time. Are they reducing the number of intake? Anyway, it'll be a good time for him to seek God and ponder over his future. Maybe Jeremiah School? But he seems to have set his eyes on SUSOM..... and he's been given a place. Will see how things work out in the next couple of days. Moving on to 4th week... the hols are flying by too fast for my liking...8(

Online Social Networking and Its Pitfalls..

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:19:00 +0000

..and many there are. Used to be tabloids which laid bare all the sordid stuff. But these days, people themselves lay bare their closets for the world to see and read. Of course those cool 'sordid' details have not quite turned to skeleton yet, but we'll never know if some of the info they post now might one day turn out to be that skeleton. After all people make a lot of hoo-hah even about Clinton's pot smoking days!

But discretion doesn't seem to be exercised in many cases. You can read all kinds stuff... from a guy who chronicled his drug habit, suicide online, videos of online gang rape, bedroom conquests.... it's just quite sickening. And many get caught up by this 15-minute of fame thing.

Many of our not so judicious young people put their private lives up for all to see - from their partying frenzy to private antics everywhere. I guess the future doesn't seem to feature much in their minds now cos it's kinda like going on a I want to enjoy my life the way I feel it and everyone else either just sing to my tune or don't at all. Somehow too, it feels to me like our Pendidikan Moral and Pendidikan Islam which are compulsory for all students for the years that they spend in school are not leaving an impact as hoped.

It's frightening how easily the young embrace such culture; with that kind of openness that announces their escapades, conquests and dares. And many of their friends embolden them by cheering them on. Folly at youth.... I'm beginning to understand better too what the Philosopher meant.

There seems to be a lack of netiquette education. What many of these young people seem to have failed to take note is digital information leaves trails. And these trails can be resurrected and embarrass us later in life. There are so many mirror sites that store the information. You think you've deleted one but if you dig long and hard enough, you might still find those things which you might want to be forgotten. There is a need to educate our young how much they can reveal about their personal lives to the world. More to safeguard their own future.

We used to do crazy stuff too in our youths... but the info on them was very localized and there weren't any trails, except in the memory of those who knew us well. But mostly, they get forgotten. Today FB and all the other social networking sites seems to do the job of keeping alive sordid details very well.

Youths need to be educated. Some sense of modesty still need to prevail here. Bare all for all to see... that's a dangerous thing to do.

Bahasa Mencerminkan....

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:15:00 +0000

This was quite a while ago. I was having a nap one evening when my phone rang. As soon as I picked up the phone, the voice over the other end greeted me with an Assalamuailakum... to which I replied yah! He repeated his greeting... and I said yah again! Still he continued with the same greeting... and this time I switched off my phone thinking that it was some prank call. The phone rang again.. it was the same number and I answered... the same guy... the same greeting first.. but this time he asked for me by name. I asked him to identify himself. He was someone from the Department but I didn't know him.

He immediately went into a tirade cos apparently to him I was supposed to send him some data. I am struck by how egoistic men in the gahmen offices can be. And also how their world is only one colour, one 'language'... one everything. And the way these men talked to ladies.. they probably expect ladies to cower and shake in fear each time they invoke some name of people in authority to back their demands and request. The language this particular officer used that evening... if really 'bahasa mencerminkan budaya/bangsa... then I'd say this... the way he talked, the way he greeted.. he's one uncouth fler; tidak mempunyai budaya.

What did his bahasa reflect about him? I think he sounded like a bully. He didn't realize that certain names are universal - Chinese can have 'English' names which are also used by Malays but obviously his world is kinda rigid. I think he's a male chauvinist cos I think if I were a man, he'd talk to me differently. Then when he realized that I wasn't Malay, he toned down a bit... does that mean Malay men think lesser of their women? Cos I get that impression quite often in my dealing with my students and some of my colleagues. Or is it just a male thingy??? The ego and need to show they are in control thingy?

Bahasa mencerminkan...... even in the young people's language today, I notice the free use of 4 letter words, swear words, words with negative meanings. I supposed it's no longer cool to use polite words. Bahasa mencerminkan.... well so many things, doesn't it? Our parents didn't teach us, our teachers didn't stress on the importance of good language, our friends' language taking root in us.... take your pick.

Christmas Muffins....

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:49:00 +0000

... Yuletide is in the air. 8)

Muffins get prettier these days too. Other Half came home with this a few nights ago and I must say the muffins look really pretty.

And Christmas colours to match too. These days, cakes, cookies and muffins are all quite beautiful.

My favourite is this little Santa Claus... but because they used so much red, this Santa didn't get eaten. I didn't eat any of the muffins either because chocolate flavoured ones aren't exactly my favourite. But still, they were nice enough to be admired. But these days, cake deco has become easier with all the ready-made stuff.

Ipod Touch... and Reading

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:23:00 +0000

... and this time it's mine. I 'fell in love' with the Touch... LOL! I was 'borrowing' Other Half's to read an e-book (Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom) and I realized how much I missed reading. I truly enjoyed it so much that I finished the book in no time. And that is also one of the main reason why I have not been updating here... brain too tired. Did 5 books in 2 weeks! Haven't done a marathon like this for a long time....

Last week I decided then that I would get my own Ipod... a smaller capacity one; 8GB. Enough for me to read and fiddle around a bit. And I've done another 4 books! In slightly over a week. He Chose The Nails by Max Lucado and Twilight, New Moon and Breaking Dawn. Twilight, New Moon and Breaking Dawn need no introduction as they're best sellers and many young people I know seem to be swooning or drooling about one thing or the other from the books. My reason for reading them? I wanted to know why it's so popular. However, in my ignorance of the order of the series, I overlooked Eclipse. Anyway I'm giving that a miss. Have had enough of vampires and werewolves!

Harry Porter is mild compared to this vampire series. Are the books interesting to read? Yup! But deception, compromise, recklessness, endangerment, selfishness, I see all throughout the novel. In Breaking Dawn, we read about Bella using illegal means to get travel documents. Illegal is okay to the Cullens... kinda like the ends justify the means. The vampires are portrayed as good vampires but they kill without mercy too. Snarling, hissing.... these seem the cool words. Bella gave up her soul for immortality, to be with her Edward.. Vampires are looked upon as seraphs, angels.... Evil endeared.... entrapment in its finest form. If our life is to be used as comparison, I think many of the compromised values, morals, thoughts... they're are reflected in the novels. Decadence in a refined form!

Though I can appreciate some literary aspects of the story, I am also reminded that the occultic nature is made to sound so acceptable and right all throughout. To me this is a matter of concern as what we put into our minds do influence us. And for the young, it's just so easy to blur the lines. Even we adults blur the lines all the time to justify what we want.

I just realise that my kid has gone through 2 major 'dark' series... Harry Porter and Twilight. Whatever happened to books which contain all things noble and honourable???? Those kinds of books don't seem to be making it to the best seller list these days.... *sigh* And such is the world that we are living in today.... compromises after compromises; the ends justify the means...

I guess maybe next will be a series on how Lucifer was just a misunderstood fallen angel..... and something endearing will pop out about him as well...

Anyway, I think I should read something else that will remind me the need to watch out for my soul... after all this dark matters. Anyway, another 5 more books and my Touch would be worth every sen that I spent on it... 8)

Clueless...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:29:00 +0000

...that's what parents are. Bumped into ex-neighbour recently. And when neighbours bump into each other, of course we'd talk about each other's kids since we watch them grow up, and sometimes even play with them.

So, as the conversation went in and out of that topic... I enthusiastically said, "Eh! Your gal has a bf ade?" Mother stared at me blankly. Father was just as clueless.

They asked me how I knew... I said, don't they read the blogs??? Oooops! Forgot! Could've kicked myself. I'm in the habit of following blogs.... most of those in my and the older generation don't. So I asked the sister who was also there but she made some excuses about not knowing and it being not accessible and all that... Aiya! I keep forgetting, parents today don't read about the happenings in their kids' lives digitally.

Kids also don't tell their parents what's happening most of the time. That hasn't change much. But in the old days, the siblings would serve as informants plus also the parents' friends. These days, siblings don't play much of an informant's role. Secret keeper more like it. And parents are too busy. Their friends are also too busy to notice!

Parents... if you are interested to know about what's happening in your kids' lives, spend some time following them digitally also.... Clueless is how I'll describe most parents now. Their kids announce events in their life to the whole world... the whole world knows but their parents remain ignorant in their own little cocoons. Aiyo!

Then over lunch yesterday. Bumped into friends. We had such a good laugh when Mom said she is often clueless about the relationship status of her son. But at least Dad keeps tab of his FB. So Dad tells Mom... Mom calls Son to enquire... at least one parent in the know. But this type of parents, at least where I am are still the minority.

Lunch @ Tao Cuisine, Autocity

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:02:00 +0000

4 'aunties' (read that as middle aged), one young adult and 2 kids. We've been making plans to go for a makan trip for some time but somehow it never quite got off. So, at the very first break in my boy's SPM timetable during the first week, we gave it a go. Left my boy at home to do his revisions. Took my girl.

And Tao Cuisine at Autocity was our choice. We also threw in a short shopping trip at Sunway Carnival as well.... Started early from Alor Setar as we wanted maximum time to enjoy the food. Lunch is from 11.30 to 2.30 p.m. We got there a little early and had to wait for it to open.

But it was good as we had the opportunity to wander around a bit. Tao at Autocity is a nice place. Good ambience and decor. I've been to the one in E-Gate on Penang Island but this one is really nice.

We were the first customers for lunch.... our hunger pangs quite pronounced as most of us didn't take our breakfast. Being there early was good cos it meant a quick appearance of the first orders.

Dining is ala carte buffet. This is scallop with cheese. I think we did 3 or 4 rounds of that! With 7 people, it was quite easy to sample most of the nicer stuff on the menu. You can order in as much as you want but make sure you clear all the food. Can see that the place is very popular cos there was a steady stream of patrons. It's best to make reservations if you want to dine there. And oh! Lunch is definitely value for money.... Eat all you want for RM36++ per person, minus the sashimi (RM46++).

We enjoyed the cheese fried in crabmeat, scallops with cheese, steamed abalones, grilled lamb shoulder, a whole range of tempura, salmon teriyaki, chicken, mantis prawns, shisamo (almost everyone of them is filled with roe), steamed octopuses, sushi, fruit salads... we were stuffed to the brim!

Then to allow the food to settle a bit... we went over to Sunway Carnival to do a little window shopping. I wanted to go to East India since sales are everywhere now. In the end, Shin Hui bought the most... LOL! The bargain was too good to resist plus she had the 3 of us to 'convince' her. Not forgetting also the kind of body of our yesteryears. Managed to get one really classy looking laced black dress.

So a makan outing which I think all of us enjoyed very much. Just the gals.... one one boy. But when we asked him whether he would like to join us again the next trip, he enthusiastically said yes... 8)

Games With The Wall...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:45:00 +0000

I actually enjoy the wall games. What are wall games? Basically you can hit a ball to the wall and it bounces back to you... LOL! And these are my 'wall games'. And they have been a source of blessings and release for me!

Volleyball was my first 'wall game' (my version anyway) that I played in earnest. This was a couple of years ago. I used to do my digging with the wall in the afternoons to improve my skills. Plus because I was terrible at it, 15 minutes would work out a good sweat. It laid the foundation to a better game control for me! Recently I lost that ball I used to dig against the wall during our tournament. I was touched when my team mate bought me a ball as a replacement lately... My wall game has also given me the opportunity to see the thoughtfulness and generosity of a friend.... 8)

And then squash! Another wall game. You can play it alone or with a partner. But lately, we've been playing quite a bit of it... just hitting the tiny black rubber ball into the wall and keeping it in play for as long as possible. Quite, quite fun too. And the best part is, it takes around 30 minutes per session. Son is now getting the upper hand over his dad! The advantage of youth! But dad is fighting back... he's putting in more effort into honing the basic skills! LOL! Am trying to get my gal to play... my mission for this hols! She's progressing.... from just picking balls to finally hitting the wall. She can do a volley of more than 10 now, after about 2 weeks!

Then there is also tennis... started some weeks back but stopped for a while due to the volleyball season. But found that I can enjoy hitting the ball at the wall too... ha! ha! Not good at this game yet but hope I'll get somewhere with it....

So, wall games... just me and the wall... and walls don't make poor line calls, dump you at its whims, basically like a friend who lends a listening ear sometimes and passes no comments. However, walls can also be very unexciting but sometimes that's what might be needed.

Still.. wall games. I've discovered that at some points it can provide calming and settling effects.

A Page From the Past Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 02:32:00 +0000

My page from the past was revisited recently; thanks to technology. I still marvel at how I've been able to track down old friends (and be tracked down also).

We were on different continents. Yet we were able to talk for hours! What I find amazing is the familiarity and ease of flow in the conversation made me feel as though we had just picked up from we left off. Feelings like this is good for the soul. Fond memories and stuff only an old friend can remember. Funny how over the years we still hang on to some memories.

So yup! This is something worth noting down. We've all changed - grown older. 8) And also in some other ways. But we remained the same still in so many ways. She said my voice has grown 'deeper'. That must be one of my occupational hazards... from shouting on top of my voices to be heard over the din of a class! And I've had almost 2 decades of practice. LOL!

Anyway, it was a good 'catching-up' session. My sensible friend is still very sensible.... her feet were very firmly planted in the ground back then... still are today. But she has mellowed somewhat too... time does that to most of us, if we allow it.

So yup! I'm glad for this blast from my past.... somehow as we grow older, being able to get reconnected with our friends from that age of innocence and idealism is one of life's bonuses. Through them, we get a glimpse of how the years have changed us (or not). They're like mirrors with the capability of a time machine.

Good friends are important. They are like the lighthouses that dot our paths, pointing us in the way to go and helping us keep our feet firmly on the ground. And this is one of them! And for that I am thankful! 8)

I Got Myself A New Set of Wheels...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:29:00 +0000

.. and driving feels smooth again. Been thinking about getting my wheels checked. And since I'm planning a trip with my friends, I thought I might as well have it checked. Didn't want to have the tires skidding because the grip is no longer good. Neither did I cherish the thought have having them burst - one of the tyres had what seemed like a gash on it.

Anyway, I took it to my friend's place. Told him to do the necessary. In the end all the 4 wheels had to go.

Driving back and the pocket lighter, I could feel the difference. Four new wheels, none more worn out than the others and all properly aligned. The ride was silent and smooth. Felt good!

But, I know in a couple of months... maybe a year down the road... when the tires start to wear out again, the jagged sounds will come back. There might even be some unevenness again. And the grip might somewhat loosen up also. Our bodies - it's kinda like that too. At birth, supple skin, fantastic complexion.... then we get worn out as we age. The wear and tear of the journey called life... it's inevitable! So, do we get a set of new wheels as we move on? A renewable set of wheels beyond this divide? .... And not those nip and tuck types.

Science Centre, Northern Region

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:28:00 +0000

This place was opened early Nov; soft opening. We took Daughter there last Saturday. Son is now house bound. The Science Centre is located behind the Muzium Padi and beside the Aquatic Centre, which now seems to be lying idly. Nearby you can also see a huge sign - Gua Gunung Keriang... looks like there is a cave complex opening up soon too!

Entry to the Centre is still free for now but I expect they'd be charging soon. It was drizzling when we arrived. A few cars were already there. The complex is huge. Lots of empty space on the ground floor. The gallery is upstairs. The first exhibit which greeted us was a Proton car.

When we got in, we were disappointed that it was only one floor. There weren't very many exhibits. But a few weren't too bad, especially the 'Disaster' displays. Found the earth shaking house quite fun.

There were workers still putting up some more exhibits but work seem to be progressing rather slowly.

However, already we could see signs of vandalism. And rubbish strewn in one of the exhibits.. this huge man made tree (on the left of the photo) which you can climb up into the Playland. Kinda like Th Magic Faraway Tree.. 8) Children would find this fun!

However, they should put more guards on duty. Some components of the exhibits were already missing. Many of the exhibits did not have any instructions. Wonder what their Science Officer is doing. It can't be that difficult to put up all the instructions.

The rain got slightly heavier while we were there and it was very noisy from the inside. I dread to imagine how it'd roar when it pours. Roofing seems to lack dampening material.. either that of the roof sounded like zinc sheets!

Street Smart is there too... one of the reasons for this 'soft opening'.

They have activities for the kids, which is nice since it's school hols now. It's nice to have another tourist attraction up here. But the relevant authorities better step up on the maintenance as well as enforcement.

On our way out, saw this dying plant. So many workers around, so much rain falling onto the ground outside, yet this poor plan is dying cos no one remembered to water it.

Have A Little Faith...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:11:00 +0000

by Mitch Albom... and that's the most recent book I've read. Haven't done a book for some time. My reading has turned quickies these days. Read it via the Ipod. It's got a screen that hardly taxes the eyes. A few pages here and a few minutes there, in a small and convenient gadget like the Ipod made completing it something quite possible cos it's like 'stealing' time to read. LOL!

It's always nice reading Mitch Albom's books. Have read The Five People You Meet In Heaven, Tuesdays With Morries and For One More Day. Enjoyed all of them and this latest one is no different. Always liked the way he puts life's experiences so succinctly in a simple narrative.

Preparing for death. The main character started preparing for his death 8 years before it came. And he got the writer to agree to do his eulogy. Thus a relationship was started... or rather continued as Albom had been with the Reb since he was a kid.

Have a little faith... yeah! Faith is the thing that gives us hope. Faith is all that will matter when we leave this world. I like the illustration from the sages that he wrote in his book. A baby comes into the world with his fist clenched; as if ready to take the world. A man dies with his fist unclenched, open; he knows he takes nothing with him. An open fist holds nothing. For all that we own or even achieve, we take none of those with us when we leave this world. I could draw parallel comparison from the words of the Philosopher in Ecclesiastes. But one of my friends says she believes that we live and die.... and that's all there is. If that is it, what is there to stop us from doing the things which go beyond the boundaries of good morals?

Have a little faith.... life is about taking those leaps of faith into what should matter. Relationships with God and man. We live in an age where we constantly seem short of time, short hellos, conversations via social networking sites; Facebook is just that... faces on a page on the digital screen. No face to face; the human touch....

I'd give this book a must read. Light reading but contains many gems of life.

Do Our Students Measure Up?

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:12:00 +0000

For the next 6 weeks, no school but this school related post was written earlier... 8)

Been teaching for almost 2 decades.. and I seriously feel that there is deterioration of standards from then till now. We are more technologically advanced, yet we don't seem any better from the generation of yester years. Maybe it's because I've been teaching in the mediocre day schools for the most part of my career but my observation also tells me that it's closer to the actual situation.

We get avalanche of A(s) but students with no better problem solving abilities. Sports is also dead in many schools. Actually I find most of our students disinterested in the matters beyond their small little cocoons.

Schools are generally equipped with computer labs, powered by wi-fi etc, etc... but we seem to be drifting no where. Softwares are available to aid with the teaching but we hardly seem able to arouse much curiosity or inquisitiveness. By the time students get to secondary school, they're are generally more inclined to go for rote learning - regurgitation being the mode of spewing out what is in their brain. Or worse still, no learning! And these while away their years (till F5) at school. They become our nightmares! You need a few in each class and they disrupt the whole learning process. Exactly like the old Malay proverb; kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga. Whatever happened to the 'for the greater good' concept?

So, when you get news that a former top SPM student (Nur Amalina with 17As) flunked her 2nd year medical study in a UK university, you wonder why. Failing is not to be totally unexpected as there are always reasons beyond our control. But when many other JPA scholars also seem to struggle to pass in their respective courses in unis all over, then something is grossly wrong. Jaguh kampung... I'm reminded of that!

Today it is an accepted notion that many of our local grads simply do not measure up when it comes down to performance. Majority seem more like robots who need input, be told what to do than have that independence and drive that used to be the taken for granted before.

Decades of crutches, years of compromising quality for quantity and race - this is where we have gotten ourselves. On the surface we look good. But go beyond, the tell-tale signs of cracks are beginning to appear.

We seem successful on the outside. The recent release of the UPSR results - so many straight A(s). Successful kids aren't they all??? I wonder... Amalina was a very successful kid. Today I am reminded of this verse from Proverbs... "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Success as what we understand may come at the price of the way they should go....

An Afternoon at the Dewan Undangan Negeri Kedah..

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:45:00 +0000

That's where I ended up last Tuesday afternoon, after work. A bunch of us from school went to the Kedah State Assembly to attend the tabling of the 2010 Kedah State Budget by the MB, Datuk Azizan Abdul Razak.

Being the first time, it was kinda exciting at first. We took our seats and the bell was rung at 3 p.m. The announcement of the entrance of the Speaker marked the beginning of the session.

Actually I had no idea that it was the tabling of the 2010 Budget. I was expecting to see some 'debates'. So it was kinda disappointing. Listening to the tabling takes a lot willpower to stay awake cos like the National Budget, the MB rattled off lots and lots figures.

Anyway, the first thing that came into my mind when I entered the hall was how small the it was. Noticed that the various Pengarah(s) had seats in the Dewan too. Makes sense cos they need to be at the forefront of policy making. The DUN is after all the state's legislative body. I noticed that only one seat from the State Gahmen was empty but a couple from the Opposition (which is BN) were emtpy. BN reps are well known for their ponteng habit. The High Court declared Seputeh seat vacant because the Rep went missing for two consecutive State Assembly meetings without the permission of the Speaker. The hearing for the stay of execution of the ruling by the Election Commission will be on Monday. The EC had earlier over ruled the Speaker. Sometimes the EC seems like the BN's running dogs.... A rep who keep missing the State Assembly meetings should be booted out.

Spot the sleeping DUN if you can. Many observers took their 40 winks also... including some of my colleagues! LOL! Anyway, the sitting lasted only around 50 minutes before being adjourned to the next morning. It was only to table to the budget and it was utterly boring. But it must be kinda fun being the MB cos I noticed that as soon the tabling ended, all the reporters rushed down to snap his photos.... like movie star only.

Anyway, we were given a simple tea after the tabling upstairs. Not bad. He! He!

This is a shot from the press vantage point. LOL! My friend and I were among the press people! We went down to listen to the press conference while the rest ate. The MB can talk well... that's one of their job requirements I supposed, else how to convince the people to vote them in!

My impression of the sitting.... nothing much! Most of the reps looked bored. Some of them looked 'tak larat'. There's just no 'oomph' from them.

Exercise...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:39:00 +0000

.. was reading about exercise and its effects. Anyway, these are some of the interesting stuff that I learned. No exercise is not good for us. Guess everyone knows that.

3 groups of mice. First group was allowed a sedentary life. The second was made to 'jog' leisurely for about half an hour and the 3rd group gets marathon runner training, a 2-hour run; daily. Then all the mice were exposed to a flu virus. Guess which group had the most mice dropping dead like flies?

The group that had most survivors was of course the 2nd group. But this is where things start to get interesting. In the first group slightly more than 50% of the mice succumbed to the flu virus. In the second group an amazing 88% survived the flu onslaught. But the surprise is in the 3rd group - the die-hard exercise freaks. More than 70% kaput from the flu virus. Looks like the more and harder you exercise, the lower your immunity becomes and the more likely you are to succumb to infections or take a longer time to heal. Too much exercise apparently lowers one's immunity if this study is taken seriously.

The next surprising thing... brawn equals to not-so-smart guy; kinda like Big Moose from Archie. Gym workouts on the muscle does not seem to make you any smarter. You still have to go for those more endurance type ones, those that make you pant and puff. Cos when you do the latter, your brain gets a higher dose of oxygen and other stuff and that is supposed to help increase your cognitive abilities. How's that? LOL! But all these data are just research. There are many things which we still don't understand... I just read today that jumping up and down (despite it being on the high impact type of exercise) is good for the bones...

Finally some breather...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:11:00 +0000

A busy week... and I'm happy for the break from work. Been a 'maddening' year at work. And I learned this also, all you need to do is be difficult a couple of times and it'll negate whatever positive things that you've done.

Also, we have very short memories. Short memories are good and bad. The word 'merapu' took on its true meaning for me too this year! At work there seems even more of this now. One merapu when one tries to show that one is 'very good'. But the more you merapu, the more you show your ignorance. It's maddening that this seems the norm now. And oh yes! Confirmed!. The rot indeed starts from the head and can spread to the rest of the body.

Also a brief respite from in-house training. To go for a course only to come back with an empty folder... it happened. We were given a folder and after sitting through 4 hours of listening and listening, our folder remained empty. That was how prepared each of the 4 speakers was. Or to have courses, where we only to sit and yak, then come back with a certificate of participation; that's the level of integrity we're exposed to. So, a resounding yes... break means no need to attend such shams.

And also a respite from the paper push. The teaching fraternity does a lot of that now. Count heads (Headcount), updating countless files (which incidentally are dotted with false information), beautifying the school which actually hides the lack of everything else that is supposed to matter. In the mean time, I see more of all sort of prayers and ceramah keagamaan going on at school. More of what is supposed to be good but no better results. I see more ustaz (and ustazah too) with less than exemplary lives, more teachers who keep saying that we need to make sure our deeds are halal but seem to me like they condone a lot of haram behaviours themselves.... yup, people need God. Now if only God can come down and give us a ceramah about what hypocrites we've all been... wouldn't that be good? It's good to have movies like 2012 to remind us that. And it was also discouraging to read that the rot which has set in the MOE has finally hit MOH.... from Berita MMA Oct 2009 Issue, go read pg 26. I've been hearing some of such things. But to read about the level it has gone to.... makes me reevaluate many things. I always thought the medical fraternity would tahan longer....

Oh yes! Exams are on. Flood victims are still camped at the school. Day before the Meteorological Dept declared the Orange Status, one notch up from Yellow. But today, things seem slightly better. Candidates are maddening this year too. And we are reminded that we are responsible for the candidates' absence for their exams. It's crazy! What are their parents for? Somebody even wanted to suggest that the students call the schools if they need transportation. Doubly crazy! Like that might as well tell people to go beranak more since the cikgu-cikgu will also double up as their parents. At some point, we must draw the line between the jobs of parents and teachers!

So, hols again.. I know many drool at the fact that we get so many weeks off but I think we need that break. Next year when we walk into our classrooms... at least we'll be charged rather than drained as it is now. But most of us still have to go back to school for a day or two; some more. There will also be those of us who are invigilating... Some of us will be spending a couple of weeks grading the exam papers. And there'll be those who will be jet setting around. Ah yes! The kenduri season is back on too...

But a break... that is still welcomed. I'm looking forward to working on my tennis this hols.... and also for the exam to end..... and also some time to clear out some stuff... and also moving on! Games is in Sabah this year but I'm not going. Volleyball not in the list. I mean I'd probably be called under badminton but the friends are not there!

Good bye Form Four Literature...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Next year we start with new lit stuff for Forms 1 and 4.. I shall miss these familiar poems.

Sonnet 18 - I don't agree with Mr Shakespeare. Beauty is fleeting. Anyway, if 2012 happens, no amount of immortalizing in any forms will make any difference.
Si Tenggang's Homecoming - my favourite line in this poem has to be this; "Travel makes me a seeker who does not take what is given without sincerity; or that demands payments from belief."
There's Been A Death In The Opposite House - no one escapes that. Even a little boy has to witness it but death comes with its own 'festivities' too.
Monsoon History - it reminds me of the good old days when the pace was slower and we had time to pause and look at the snails and flowers. I remember spending a long time, watching snails make their way in my little garden back home when I was young. I wonder whether kids still do that. Mine watches snails in the aquarium... and I think she sees more snails on screen and pictures.
The Road Not Taken - all of us have that road(s) not taken in our lives. My favourite in class cos I can 'story-story' so much with it.
If by Rudyard Kipling - this is all the ifs in one's life but too deep for most of them. I usually end up really tired from trying to translate it into BM for them to understand better. Majority of my students are just not ready to handle this slightly 'higher' level of thinking.

There are the Short Stories (The Lotus Eater, The Necklace, The Drover's Wife, The Sound Machine, Looking For A Rain God)... I shall miss them too I guess cos we see ourselves in each of the stories. But it's time to change cos I think they've run out of questions to set. They seem to have opted for something more local and contemporary but this time around, the MOE is quite slip shod as we've not been sent for any refresher's course. So, next year we start on our own, raba-raba dalam gelap ourselves. So very typical of the way things are done. Holiday assignments... to read up the Lower Form lit... Rumpelstitskin is in in drama Form I hear... At 13 and still doing fairy tales.... I dunno. Maybe 'To Kill A Mockingbird' or something along that line would be more suitable. Menjana minda kritikal in teenagers via children's fairy tales?

And holidays coming up... no enthusiasm like last year's. The skies are gray, the river water is up, water, water everywhere and my boy is sitting for his exam. Plus my faith in people got really dented this half of the year.... but like the lit thingy probably there is a life span.

But still hols are still hols! 8) And it's still a cause for celebration!

Where to go for oysters in Alor Setar?

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:33:00 +0000

I'm in the mood for oysters now... We used to have oysters when we were younger.

Mom used to buy a packet of shelled oysters from the market and she would lightly scald them in hot water before throwing in cili padi and some vinegar. Those were small oysters, not the big ones that we see on television hosted by gourmet chefs. Then she would keep the pickled oysters in the fridge to cool. I used to love it even back then cos it was nice to be eaten with rice. But it was a luxury that I got to enjoy occasionally.

That was years ago... I stopped eating 'raw' oysters after I left home except for the occasional 'oo-chien' (oysters fried with eggs and batter). Anyway, oysters are not something you get from the eating outlets here.

But Kaede (the only Japanese Restaurant in town) serves them. It's located right in the centre of the town, at where the Stesen Bas Baru used to be. I tried some a few months back. Then I took some friends to try it. And there has been no turning back.... 8)

Just learned that there are 3 broad classifications: Pacific, Olympia and Atlantic. Oysters have good nutritional values but because we take it raw, there is always a possibility of bacteria being swallowed together. Ah! The price one has to pay for food that is liked!

SPM 2009

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:36:00 +0000

.... the awaited day for years, so one young man I know said. I guess it's quite true for many. Freedom awaits! A whole new life, even a new world may await... or maybe the same world. But whatever it is, it is another step forward, forced or willingly.

My boy will be sitting for his also this year. My hope? Of course like any parent, I hope he will do well, score as many A(s) as possible. He'd probably want that also.

But I guess what's most probably more important is this... that he wants to do his best. Doing well and trying to do his best I feel are two different things. To do well these days is slightly easier than before. They've lots of reference books to help them, lots of last minute cramming sessions they can attend at various tuition centres and of course buy all those tips going around now. Not forgetting the pushing from all quarters that seem unrelenting. I hear too there are some tips costing up to RM600 that one can buy! And there seem not to be a lack of buyers. Alleged 'soalan bocor' is always sought after. Everyone wants that 'A'.

To try to do his best.. that comes from himself, the drive comes internally and not externally. In wanting that, he'll himself, make time to study and work to remedy his weaknesses, etc.... at the end of it, he'll walk away from it probably with more treasures like being resolute, disciplined, organized, matured, etc, etc.... Cos I guess for me the crux of the matter will be whether he can live a life that is pleasing to God..... and we need all those 'treasures' to help us along.

So, SPM here they come... almost 500 000 of them this time around! And my life for the next couple of weeks will also be tied to this exam.... in more than one ways; mother, driver, teacher......

The things which should concern us but don't seem to...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:24:00 +0000

The famous VK Linggam's former secretary Jayanthi LG Naidu said that she used to withdraw large sums of RM100K to RM300K and then wrapped them in gift boxes to various judges. What have the authorities done despite such claims? They closed the investigation documents! Big names here...
It seems Indians are more likely to be shot dead if they criminals or suspected. In a way, I feel sorry for many of them. There is no affirmative action for the poor Indians. Affirmative action (such as NEP) is only for one race. 1Malaysia? Takes lotsa convincing.
The Negeri MB (Hassan) apparently transferred RM10 million out of the country via a money changer, an act that is against the country's law... so far no action. Maybe case closed also???
The Bar Council has been ordered to pay RM70,000 in costs to lawyer VK Lingam in connection with the decision to set up a tribunal to investigate a complaint against him over an alleged vacation in New Zealand with former chief justice Mohd Eusoff Chin in 1994. That despite confirmation from his secretary above that Linggam paid for the holidays. I am no lawyer but what I understand from this is the Chief Justice got a free holiday......
PI Bala is back... best known for... conflicting Statutory Declarations, both to do with the woman whose name cannot be mentioned and the head of an ASEAN country...
PM Najib says he wants to bring back the Malaysian diaspora... our country long bled of her talents and brains. Now he says he wants to attract them back. Old news... we've been talking about this for years. Each time the same problem will happen - spouse's PR cannot be arranged, no meritocracy, cronyism, inefficiency... the list is the same! Same idea, stale problems.
The death of 3 students in Kampar when the bridge collapsed.. where is the 1standard for 1Malaysia. Face it, the 2standards that we practise is responsible for their deaths. Teachers, organizers, local authorities, engineers, contractors.... all of them were responsible. Yet no one has been made accountable... if my child were involved... I'd probably be cursing them to hell.... I cannot imagine the anguish of the parents. I dare not....
The Herald's publishing permit was renewed then revoked and then disclaimer of the latter as a misunderstanding.... the word Allah is one of the contentions. I thought freedom to practise one's faith is guaranteed under our Constitution. But the rights to build houses of worship for other faiths is under threat.... only we don't seem to see it.
And it's cool what the residents of Subang Jaya are doing regarding the construction of an LRT route in their area. They've started a blog to gather feedback. We know how most government agencies work... their "We'll gather the necessary feedback.' and 'We'll be acting on it.' often sound hollow. And very often what matters to the people are swept under the carpet... There should be more of such initiatives to hold the local, state and federal authorities accountable. A blog (or anything that is online) makes information very accessible... very.

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Taking a cue from Haris Ibrahim's initiative...

I am first and foremost a Malaysian. I've never pledged allegiance to any other country. But there have been many points in my life when I harboured intentions of migrating but those were brought on by moments and opportunities which I felt I was denied by virtue of my skin colour. But generally, this is my birthplace and so far this is where I've spent all my life.

I think my country is a blessed country. A country of sun and fertile soil. All it takes is some effort. Other Half's grandma used to say this... in Malaysia, you can throw a seed anywhere, and it will grow. She came from China, a land with 4 seasons and natural disasters. Winter months were harsh. Death induced by nature was not something rare.

Technically, I too am also a daughter-of-soil here. I was born here. My race should have nothing to do with the rights that should be accorded to a citizen of this land. Yet, my race has stood in the way of many opportunities afforded to those who say they are the sons and daughters of this soil. I've had to work doubly hard and very often pay more. I get no discount for house purchase too.

In this land, religion which is supposed to be the face of compassion has been used to divide and sow seeds of mistrust. Faith which we say guide our lives are used as tools to entrenched ourselves in the seats of power. We damned the principles of fair play and justice and replace them with skewed values; those that fit into our agendas. So it is no surprise that within that skewed values you'll find even more skewed ones like the Marina Undau plight.

Recently we had to fill in a HR form and in one of the columns we had to tick either Bumiputera or non-Bumiputera. I ticked both! I am Malaysian, no? Najib said so... 1Malaysia.. not 2Malaysia or 3Malaysia. In 1Malaysia, everyone is Malaysian. Everyone is supposed to have 1equal opportunity. But I am still hopeful that change for the better will come. I only ask for 1scale, 1yardstick, 1measure for everyone not the 2standards (sometimes 3) that we seem to be practising.

SKT...

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:14:00 +0000

...that's short for Sasaran Kerja Tahunan. And this is how gahmen servants are appraised. Appraisal is part and parcel of any jobs. Appraisals are important cos through it we canpick the right people to reward and identify those people with potential for greater responsibilities.

Tis the time of the year when we have to fill in the SKT forms. Throughout this later part of my teaching career we are constantly reminded that all teachers are the same... there can be nothing extraordinary from any individual (or groups of) teacher where classroom teaching is concerned. All of us are supposed to be same! Sama-sama mediocre or cemerlang, whichever way you want to interpret. Maybe the people up there think we are all like the ants... worker ants, warrior ants - semua can work and work the same way; with no brains of our own.

Our bosses never fail to remind us that to be awarded the APC one must have lots of outside involvement... (which makes up 5% of the total). That 5% is supposed to determine whether we are par excellent, not whether we are able to teach effectively, or whether most of our students do well in their exams... but how kaypoh we are in and out of the school... but if we look further I think it's lip service cos finally award goes to those favoured ones; those who 'jack'.

Being a good teacher doesn't seem to matter much these days. The business of teaching has taken on a different face, I feel. It's leaning more towards the art of hoodwinking others into believing that you have done exceptionally well when it's not so. It is also important that you learn the art of dressing up your SKT forms.... it's the content that will get you the recognition, not the actual work done. Some of us call it survival skills. And you wonder how the admin people fail to arrest that. And then realization - and it's with horrors of horrors; they got where they are now with the same modus operandi. A vicious cycle has now been perpetuated.

And oh yes! This year I overheard this from a very senior teacher who has been stuck at her max for 9 years. Apparently the second boss told her not to expect anything.... What a way to tell a teacher... your work didn't really make the grade. Then I overheard again, how the PK HEM wrote about 20 pages worth of SKT (leaves me scratching my head what's on it....) Wonder the outcome of this whole thing... since we've been about visits to the boss' house, etc, etc.... Well, looks like paper work is the way to go....

So mediocrity, cronyism and inefficiency; like the Chimera, a monstrous creature made up multi-animals and which has also come to represent the foolishness that we've brought upon ourselves, continue to be the hallmark of our teaching profession... at least from my standpoint.

The Minister of Education recently said that schools that perform will be awarded high performance standard...We already have so many different categorization of schools, so many awards like Sekolah Harapan, etc, etc... This latest effort seems to point to the fact that we are still trying to find a way to get ourselves out of this mediocrity pit that we've gotten ourselves into. Sinking... sinking... sinking... trying to grab hold of something....

Cocooned....

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:52:00 +0000

The insects and us have more in common than you think... 8) A cocoon is a protective casing that is either silk or some other similar fibrous material that is spun around the insect during the pupal stage. Pupal stage is the life stage where the insect undergoes transformation before it becomes an adult. One of the most popular example is that of a butterfly... I always think the creatures enter the cocoons quite hideous looking but come out totally transformed into something quite beautiful.

Cocooned... today I just thought of how each of us cocoon ourselves. We have many cocoons that we build for different areas in our lives. From faith to friends to work and the way we lead our lives. From home to work place to worship places such cocoons exist. Within each cocoon we adapt an even modify those set of rules and way of lives which suit us... right or wrong defined by us. I guess the clear rights and wrongs are easy to set apart. It's the gray areas... in our little cocoons we justify such things. For example, it is common belief that in order to secure a contract with the gahmen, a company has to give 'gifts' (in other words bribe) to gahmen officials. So in our cocoon we justify by saying that it is a necessary evil to do business here. Corruption legitimized....

Or for those who deem themselves religious... their little cocoons might be places where they impose harsh laws and pass them as God's. As in one email that has been circulating about how an 8-year-old Iranian boy had his hand crushed by a vehicle for stealing bread. In such cocoons, the laws are harsh because the 'faithfuls' think they are being faithful for following God's laws. I'm sure God must be aghast at how easy we forget to be compassionate.

Then there are those cocoons whom we built to insulate ourselves from the morality issues. Living together before marriage used to be frowned upon. But in our little cocoon, we justify it by saying that living together provides a testing ground for compatibility. Or even things like social drugs...

In the cocoons that we spin for ourselves, we apply practices, indulge in rituals which sometimes only serve to satisfy the order that we create. We use rituals as excuses for our saving grace... to pay penance for our wrongs and say I've paid my debts and am now good again before my Creator. In our own little cocoons we spin casings for ourselves, away from the transformation that awaits us if we break free from its walls...

Cocoons allow us to insulate ourselves from coming face to face with what should be... But if you stay too long in such cocoons... you eventually die too. The effort must come from those who cocoon themselves to break free.... we have to struggle and work to transform for if it's done any other way, it might be a very short lived thing.

Dunno why I thought of cocoons today.... ramblings, rumblings...

A Family Member Called TV

noreply@blogger.com (AJ7) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:03:00 +0000

TV is undeniably part of most families in this country. It's hard to find homes without a TV these days... such is its prevalence.

TV started to make its presence felt in homes beginning from my gen. We had our first TV set while I was still in primary school and the colour TV (it was a big deal to have a colour TV back then) made its appearance in my home when dad bought a 20" Philip TV housed in a wooden case with 2 speakers by the side when I was in Std 6. It took up quite a lot of space in the hall.

The worlds of Giant Robot and Ultraman were what we waited eagerly weekly. We'd wait for 5 p.m. on those days Giant Robot was supposed to be shown. But mom never allowed us a free hand with it. TV hours were regulated... highly. It could only come on in the evening when we were kids. But by 6 p.m. when the door of the house was unlocked, we generally prefered to be out in the field beside our house to play... different seasons brought different focus - kites, tops, marbles, firecrackers, skating and games as we grew older..... On weekdays, the TV went off after the news at 8. My uneducated mom would made us listen to news in BM. Then it would be switched off. On weekends, we were allowed longer viewing hours... that was how we got our dose of P. Ramlee. We loved his shows!

As we grew older, my sis and I would occasionally sneaked out at night when we thought mom had gone to sleep to watch Peyton Place and Dallas. But we'd switch off in a hurry when we thought she was going to wake up. But as we entered into our late teens, the rules were relaxed, partly because by then we, more or less, could self-regulate. She would still nag occasionally when we 'over-watched'. But tv was something she never encouraged. Till this day, she still prefers to potter around the house than sit glued to the tv.

So how much TV does an average kid watch these days? I'd say quite a lot. I've seen parents put their toddlers in front of the box. I've seen kids who have not yet learned to walk placed in front of the box, eyes locked to the animated pictures on it. I see mothers and grandmothers with kids of all ages in tow, glued to the TV when the serials start. I've seen TV now being used as a baby sitter... The TV has evolved into a non-living family member which actually contributes something to the family... LOL!

It has come a long way; from those tubes housed in wooden boxes.. and then growing in display size to the super thin lcd/plasma screens that hang on our walls. It's gone sophisticated with all the HDD and what have you not tech jargons in tow.

But is it good? I think my mom was right... too much tv is not good for the kids. In the make believe world of TV, everyone is too perfect, even the villains. And way too much flaunting takes place... The real stuff in life becomes trivialized through the reality shows.... they focus too much on winning, too much on the rat race values.

As for me, I have a TV at home too but it sits in our room. Kids usually watch when one of us is at home. I'm trying to ensure that my kids grow up where the TV does not become their main preoccupation.....