Moving On

Currently Reading The Case of the Foot-Loose Doll (Perry Mason Mystery S.) By Erle Stanley Gardner see related

Vision

 Guess what?

Yes! I accidentally broke my specs AGAIN!

So, now I'm stuck with this new frame (which I happen to think is ok, except it looks rather fragile).

Well, anyway, the guy on the left (white t-shirt, Renlly) also happened to break his specs while playing football, and the other dude (in yellow, Rohlist) has been without specs since forever, and has had blurred vision ever since he came into school. Even while sitting right in front of the class, he had vision problems.

I had been meaning to take Rohlist to make a pair of specs a few weeks back.

So when my specs broke, I thought, what the hey, let's take a nice trip to Kudat and get those specs done.

When we went into the shop, Rohlist recorded a 150 power on both eyes (I know the English is bad here, but whatever la!). That's a real serious short-sightedness, and to go for so long without a pair of glasses, I wonder how he survived.

So, we had to wait for Rohlist's and Renlly's new specs (couldn't change the frame only, dunno why!), which (thank God!) took only less than 2 hours to get ready (maklumlah, their power so low, and no astigmatism). Anyway, while we were waiting for MY specs to get re-framed (I found a shop that was willing to use the same lenses I had in the old frame, thank God!) I was specs-less for about 2 hours. Pure difficulty.

So now, here we are, all with our brand new specs, the talk of the school. Haha!

I'm glad I took Rohlist to go and get his specs done. Now, at least, he can see properly, read properly and do his work properly. So much improvement in terms of his work this past week. Maybe a slight drawback is that everyone keeps calling him Harry Potter now. Haha!

Well, anyway, since I was in the mood to snap some photos, I thought I'd just show you some of these.

Two of the shortest guys in the school. Can you believe it? Guy in white is 13 and the other one is 14. Cute!

We took so many photos to get this one right. Haha! Dunno la, sometimes when you're shutter mad, you just take as much as you want. Anyway, this photo is supposed to remind me of a lot of things (or at least it SHOULD remind me of a lot of things). Hence, why I took so much trouble to get it right.

I can't believe it's September already. I've had a love-hate relationship this year with the school (and everything in it). Maybe I'll blog about it some time at the end of the year, when I do my annual year-end reflections. Right now, part of me can't wait for the year to end, so I can be rid of some things about school life that I'm really tired of, but part of me wishes that the year end doesn't have to come, so I can be with some students for a longer time. There seems to be so much left to do with them, but little time to do it with.

It's hard to believe that you only have a maximum of 5 years with your students. Can you really impart much and change them and mould them in that span of time?

Currently Reading Gospel of God: Romans By R. C. Sproul see related

Merdeka di Telaga

Have been doing some reading together with Raffly on Romans (in Malay) and personally for me, also this commentary. Sproul is really something.

Anyway, I hope to spur this student to read his Bible as much as possible, to understand it and grow spiritually with the knowledge and fear of the Lord. My first attempt at mentoring. So far, we've covered Luke and Acts, and now we're in Romans (which is a really tough book, some more in MALAY!).

Please pray for us. 

Ok, so I haven't blogged lately. When I tell you what happened during Merdeka, you'll know why.

So what have I been up to?

For the past one and a half months, we've been busy with the Sports Carnival, everyday is just one match of one game after another. Craziest and longest Sports Carnival ever, I think.

And then, the climax of the entire event happens on Merdeka Day. We started our 31st with...

Merdeka Aerobics! Then...

Merdeka Run!

And then, after that we had tarik-tali and sukaneka before prize giving. Loads of fun in the sun, before a sudden storm hit us and we had to move into the Great Hall.

It wasn't bad all in all. We emerged 3rd out of 5 groups. And we were football champions and volleyball runners-up (both boys and girls). It was a good month altogether.

Then in the afternoon, was the MERDEKA CONCERT, organised by the Form 3s and Form 5s.

Which Merdeka Concert would not be complete without the good ol' Tanggal 31 song?

Then the Form 3s came up with their routines:

Songs, Sumazaus and Jogets.

The Form 5s were next. They did Akademi Fantasia ala Telaga. Not bad at all.

The 7 pelajar AF Merdeka.

They even had their own 'Aznil', their own 'pengkritik', all the 'kezutans' and even the AFUNDIs! Students were given a chance to vote for the most popular singer.

As always, I was in the best place of all... the background scene.

I really love stage managing.

So, anyway, that's what we've been busy with these past few weeks, along with classes, extra classes, and preparations for exams (which are just around the corner!).

This month?

Trial exams, completing syllabi, preparing students for exams. Among the grueling things about to come.

After PMR activities (Form 3 annual concert!), Hari Raya celebrations, Prize Giving Day, SCHOOL HOLIDAYS!

Will be going to Sibu this Raya hols to visit a friend there.

Will be climbing Mount K (yes, finally!) with 2 students. Need to start training, and getting rid of my slight fear of heights.

You know, I've been feeling a little homesick lately. Maybe I have been away from home for a bit too long.

Oh, well. Maybe I'm just tired.

Blessed Merdeka.

Of Ostriches

Ok, my Library working committee and a few selected Librarians went on a lawatan sambil belajar yesterday to an ostrich farm about 3 hours from our school. In this:

There were 10 of us at the back. And I sat right at the back, where all the dust hits first. Needless to say, at the end of our trip back, I was sporting a new hairstyle.

So here's a few things I thought was interesting about ostriches:

• They only have two toes! Very, very interesting, especially in terms of how they can manage to balance themselves.

• The mass of an ostrich egg can be as heavy as 1 - 1.2 kg! I'm holding an empty egg shell here, costs RM 10. A "full" egg for cooking can be bought at RM 20. And guess how much one egg can fill you?

• See the dish on the right? All fried eggs. Or should I say, all fried EGG. Only ONE ostrich egg and you can have a proper egg fest. Best part is... One ostrich egg has the same amount of cholestrol as ONE CHICKEN EGG.

• Ostrich meat is a red meat, unlike chicken. Btw, tastes like beef or deer.

• The full height (when the neck is all straight up) of an adult ostrich can range from 6 - 8 feet tall. This particular breed, the Blue Neck ostrich, is 9 feet tall! Btw, 6 months is already teenage ostrich, 9 months is adult ostrich, and ostriches have been known to live up to 60 years! Oh yes, and the mass of an ostrich brain is only 40 grams.

• Ostrich bones are very, very soft when they are young. This 2 month old baby ostrich has a slight defect on it's right leg, due to an accident.

• Ostriches can actually DIE from tiredness, especially long period of carrying baggage or people. Interestingly, they can carry a mass of up to 120 kg. 7 of my students went on this particular ostrich, I was the 5th one. Poor thing.

So, it was a fun day, and I learnt much. Ostriches even have a kind of dance, which is hilarious. It involves running around, and then spinning around in circles. Reminds me of a ballet exercise.

The group with an albino ostrich.

Of Bengkaks and Weddings

Well, with the recent addition of a self-made volleyball court, the whole school staff and students are excited about playing volleyball, myself included.

Three days ago, I tried to set the ball for spiking, but because of wrong technique, I sprained my fourth finger on the right hand. Swelled like nobody's business. Hurts like teruk.

You would think that I would rest till my finger got better.

Think again. I'm stubborn.

That small glitch didn't keep me off the volleyball court. Hence, while playing yesterday, and trying to block a spike with my good hand, I sprained the middle finger of my left hand this time.

Talk about not learning your lesson.

So now, I've learnt my lesson proper. Anyway I can't pretty much do anything now, since both hands hurt like mad. Even writing is an ordeal. And my two swollen fingers look like fat German sausages now.

I'll just sit down and watch them play volleyball, with sad puppy dog eyes. Haha!

...

Anyways, the main point of this post....

CONGRATULATIONS to the newly-wed couple, and welcome to the new member of the astounding Khoo family!

My bro and his wife Karen are registering today for marriage. The ceremony another day, but today, it's official.

I HAVE AN IN-LAW!

THERE'S ANOTHER MRS. KHOO IN THE FAMILY BESIDES MY MOM, MY AUNTIES AND MY GRANDMA!

Gosh! Am I to be an uncle soon?

Anyhow, to you, the happy couple, wish I could be there to celebrate with you guys. But, don't worry, I'll be there at the ceremony. Promise.

In the meantime, may you have many great years ahead together.