deformedmodernist's Xanga

Moving On

Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:42:50 GMT

The time has come for me to move on.

Goodbye, Xanga, thanks for being my first blog.

I'll now be at marcuskhoo.wordpress.com

See you there.

Vision

Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:55:06 GMT

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?

Friday, September 01, 2006

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 03:28:58 GMT

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.

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Sun, 13 Aug 2006 06:03:46 GMT

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.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Wed, 02 Aug 2006 03:54:15 GMT

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.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 01:19:20 GMT

Creativity II

More drawings from my student.

And of course, the one that started it all...

Notice the difference between this version and the previous versions? The nail pierced hands...

Meet the artist, Jexson Bidin.

He's one of the few people I know with a really infectious laugh, and it's really, really cute!

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Sat, 15 Jul 2006 05:23:55 GMT

Creativity

One night, while talking with a student of mine during prep time, I came across this.

Isn't it something? I like to think of it as a nice way to picture the father running with arms open wide to greet his prodigal son.

Or an interesting interpretation of Matthew 11:28.

By the way, my student actually created and drew this himself.

Really, really nice.

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 06:30:05 GMT

Love and Trust

Before I begin, have you seen this? Quite cool, really.

Also, to Tabby, Teddy Geiger is a bit too much like John Mayer, if you ask me. Corrine Bailey is much more therapeutic, but she's also a clone of someone, I can't remember.

Ok, back to the topic.

Anyway, earlier this week Eklin's History teacher came up to me and asked me to follow up on him regarding his PMR History Folio, which was due last Friday. Apparently, he hadn't submitted his Geography Folio either.

So when I asked him, he first mentioned that he has finished the Geography folio and passed it up, but has not started on the History one yet.

Then when I questioned him again about why his Geography teacher told me he hadn't submitted yet, he finally admitted that he hadn't passed it up but he has already finished it.

This was on Wednesday, mind you. Only 2 more days before the submission date.

So I pushed him to finish everything by Friday, which he did.

Only to find out, that he actually had not finished his Geography folio. He only did the titles for each page. Content wise, zero.

Still, he managed to finish his Geography folio on Wednesday itself, and then History on Thursday, so everything is fine.

Think so? Think again.

Last Monday, we took a trip to Kudat to buy him some necessities and other keperluans. He met up with his uncle who gave him RM 20. I gave him a couple more bucks and some spare change and told him to make sure that he took care of the money properly.

Yesterday, I asked him what happened to the RM 20 that his uncle gave. He said that he sent it back to his kampung via one of our school security guards (who's from the same place as him).

This would be fine, except that the guard that he mentioned left for his kampung last Saturday, before we went to Kudat. He only got the RM 20 on Monday.

Then, he made up another story, and told me that he kept his money with the hostel warden. And then, when I said, "Ok, then you won't mind if I ask him about it, right?" he took out his wallet and showed me the RM 13 balance from the RM 20 given to him.

"You lied to me TWICE this week. What's with all these stories?" was all I said.

I took his wallet from him, demanded every cent he held in his pockets, and told him that he could not have the wallet and money back until the time is right. Then I stormed out. Well, not stormed out la, just walked away.

Today, the whole day, all I could think about was what happened.

What do I feel?

Hurt, because I gave him so much, bought so many things he needed, and this was how he repayed me.

Dissapointed, because everything I taught him all this while seemed to be forgotten.

Betrayed, because he lied to me twice, for no good reason.

Yet I wonder...

Am I doing the right thing? Have I been doing ths right thing all this while?

How does he feel now?

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 00:43:58 GMT

Pride and Joy

I just cannot contain it anymore!

For the past few reading sessions, Eklin has been making tremendous progress. He can now read, albeit still a bit slow, but he's beginning to recognise words, even some difficult ones.

Only setback is that he has a low level of stamina for concentration, so after 40 minutes of concentrating or so, he begins to wander off and things begin to slow down.

But I'm just SO proud of him that he is progressing, and that our hard work is finally paying off.

To date, we have finished 8 buku cerita kanak-kanak. We're moving on to comics and simple novels after this.

What does a father's pride and joy for his son feel like?

Like this.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 01:30:59 GMT

The One Where It's Finished

I've finally finished all 10 seasons of Friends.

Quite sad actually.

Partially because towards the 10th season, it got less and less funny and more and more predictable.

Partially also because it has ended. Saying goodbye to the series was also somewhat a moving experience.

Still, life must go on.

****

Will be going to KK tomorrow, to chaperone 45 students to a camp organised by UMS. My role there is just to send them there and to make sure they get back safely. So it's practically a holiday weekend for me. Haha!

Movies here I come!

Cars, The Omen, RV!

****

Yesterday during reading and writing class, I made a startling discovery about Eklin when we were talking.

He's partially deaf, on the right ear.

He can hear sounds, but if too soft, he can't hear a thing, especially on his right ear.

It WOULD explain why he seems to be hard of hearing at times.

But then again, it may just be all in his wild imagination (which can get pretty out of hand at times).

Still, if he really is deaf partially, poor thing.