You again!!!

Picture courtesy of Matton Images

Every year at the start of the school year, all the teachers are anxious to see the roll of their students they will teach for the year. And that is what some of us did today!

Some of us have all the luck! We get the same students who just drives us up the wall all year round!

Sometimes it is quite scary, too, because you will realize that if you have a student 3 years in a row, you are actually the main influence on whether they like the subject or hate it!

The subject I am teaching was one I dislike when I was in school, too, but after teaching it for over 4 years now, I find that I actually enjoy some topics now.

It is also quite interesting to follow the progress of some students through the years. Some actually do get better while some fall along the wayside. I must admit the way we are able to bond with the students does have an effect on how the students feel about the subject. But then there are times where you will never bond with a particular student at all. It is also easier to talk to their parents on parents teachers night because you already know a little about each other.

So on to 2008 and here's to hoping that 2008 will be a good year in school!

Are we eating right?

In Michael Pollan's book:  In Defense of Food : An Eater's Manifesto, he claims that what we are eating is not food as we eat in the car, in front of the tv (guilty as charged!) as well as alone.

If you are a health food person, read on as one study found the among 18 - 50 year old Americans, roughly a fifth of all eating takes place in the car! 

 This really reminds me of how often my daughter and I have take-outs in the car while rushing to her lessons of one kind or another!  I dread to count when school starts, how often we do that!  As her ice skating lessons are in the morning we do end up eating breakfast in the car or car park!

I know they say only buy food at the end of the aisles and surrounding the aisles where all the fresh foods and fruits and vegies are but easier said than done!  And if you are also feeding a picky eater, it is worst!

So what are we to do?  To eat or not to eat???

Trouble with teenagers?

                                             Photo from tinypic

A couple of years ago, one of my good friends was having a lot of trouble agreeing with her growing teenager and she was at wits end on what to do as they were always arguing or shouting at the other. She mentioned it to me and I suggested she try the method I use with my students when they test my patience.

This is what I usually do. When a student misbehave, after a couple of warnings, we can withdraw them to another room. Instead of threatening them with "You either behave or you are out of here!" which is usually our very first reaction, I will use," You have a choice. You can behave yourself and stay in the classroom or you can go for timeout." Nine out of ten times, the students will say," I'm sorry, I will be good for the rest of the period and I want to stay."

My friend used this same method and gave his son choices and she called it the enpowerment!
She said it worked really well! Now she is getting along fine with her son.  She was really grateful for this tip so I thought I'll share it with you!

The method works because they think we are giving them a choice and they are choosing what they want to do! But instead you are giving them the choices you want so whichever they pick it will be one of your preference!   In my years of teaching, so far only one senior student caught on to my method, i.e. they really do not have a choice at all!   Either one they pick, you still win!

What are we teaching our kids???

The results of the New Zealand exam results are just out middle of last week. As like any dedicated teachers, I was also looking and comparing the results of my students against other teachers. There were some pleasant surprises but also some disappointment in my students' performance.

As teachers we have to be up to date and I found this video clip on Teacher Tube and somehow agree with the video message. Just as students try to outsmart us by texting in class, we also text their parents if they are not in class, too! So click here and see for yourself!

Awesome picture!

A close friend of mine send me this picture with the caption:

"Sometimes you are in the right place at the right time, and you get a picture worth 1000 words"

and I agree with her totally! To me it feels like a sign to the photographer from God and I hope he or she felt really wonderful, too!

Crunchy broccoli - Stirfry Vegies with Prawns

If you like crunchy broccoli in your stirfries, read on.

Some people like well-cooked broccoli but if you like your broccoli just cooked with a crunch, it is quite easy.

1. Boil some water and add half a teaspoon of salt in the water (salt keeps the broccoli from turning yellow)
2. Add your broccoli into the boiling water to blanch. Remove after about 30 - 45 seconds depending on the amount of broccoli.
3. Remove and set aside. Keep the water for use later.
   

Stirfry Vegetables with Prawns

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce (I like Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/4 of a head of broccoli
• Half a red bell pepper
• 1/4 of a head of cauliflower
• Half a tin of baby corn
• 10 - 15 medium sized prawns * ( as desired)
  

Cooking instructions:

1. Heat up oil and add in garlic and fry for a minute.
2. Add in prawns and oyster sauce
3. When prawns are just cooked, add in the bell pepper, cauliflower and baby corn.
4. Stir fry vegies and when cauliflower is about cooked, add in broccoli.
5. Add in half a cup of the water that was used to blanch the broccoli if you like more gravy with your stir fry.
6. Finally add in the salt and sugar and mix into the stir fry and turn off the heat.
7. Serve with steamed rice.
   

Note: You can substitute the prawns with chicken or beef if desired. Sometimes I use fishballs, too.

1939 London Tube Map

My grandfather used a 1939 diary planner to record all the births of his children and deaths of his parents and my grandmother. I found that it has a London Tube Map so I thought I'll share it with you. It is incredible to me that this little book is almost 70 years old!

All my uncles and aunties who are still living were amazed at my grandfather's meticulous records and it enabled them to learn of both their Chinese and English birth dates. I was shown this diary when I was a teenager but I was surprised to learn that some of my uncles did not know of its existence until last Christmas!

First ever Santa Parade in Kuching, Malaysia

For those of you who missed it Dec 22, 2007 was a significant date for the Christians as they were allowed to carry out the first ever Santa Parade in Malaysia. It was simple with a few floats but with lots of carolers singing in both English and Mandarin.

My daughter was so happy that she got to join in the parade with her godmother, my cousin and also my uncle. We went to watch them and halfway through, my 8 year old nephew rushed in to join in the 4 km walk.

About four thousand Christians took part in the parade with a majority from the Methodist denomination and a branch of the Catholic church. It is great that we Christians are finally allowed to celebrate our faith in public in Malaysia! Kudos to the Kuching authorities who granted the permission to hold the parade. Surely GOD IS GREAT!

How to get lipsticks to stay on longer!

Do your lipstick disappear quickly? Are you one of those ladies who has to open your compact at the dining table to reapply your lipstick? If so, here's two tips which will help you!

1. After you apply the first layer, use a piece of tissue paper and place it between your lips and hold it down with your lips for a few second. Then reapply your lipstick again. The more times you repeat this process, the longer your lipstick stays. However, it will depend on your preference of strength of colour though.
2. Instead of applying your lipstick directly, use a lip brush and apply the lipstick with the brush onto your lips. Somehow lipstick stays on longer this way!

Now if you do no. 1 and no. 2, you definitely will have longer staying power!

Gold or Petroleum?

Over 25 years ago when I took my first geology course, one of my associate professors said, if you are thinking of becoming a geologist to have a career in the oil industry, you will be disappointed. Back in the early 1980s, he predicted that at the rate we were producing and using petroleum, we will not have a job for long! Well, we still have oil and gas but it is dwindling fast! I am out of the petroleum industry now but still read about it from time to time to update myself of the latest.

Now gold? That is an interesting question! There will always be a demand for gold. Why? Let me share a personal experience with you. When we Chinese get married, it is traditional to give gold jewellery as presents for relatives and even close friends. When babies are born, we also give gold jewellery. Most of the time, we do not wear this jewellery. They are mostly kept in a safe somewhere. Now that I think about it, it is really a wise gift. My mother made some money with the ever increasing price of gold and this helped towards financing our tertiary education in the USA.

If you get a piece of gold jewellery 10 years ago, you probably have made about 200% (read gold price 1998 and gold price today) from selling it! Wow! You wonder why Chinese always buy gold! Indians buy a lot of gold, too! Now there are about 2 billion Chinese people in the world and over a billion of Indians! You do the Mathematics and you have the answer as to why there is always a demand for gold and thus the rising price!

Petroleum, you use and it will be gone! Gold, it can be melted and resold again!

Are you dating a competitive sportsperson?

My daughter is a competitive figure skater and the ice rink is like a second home to me! Most parents of skaters will chat and compare notes.

And I found out an interesting possible fact that I thought I'll share with my readers. If you are dating a competitive sportsperson and not one yourself, then read on.....

A couple of the teen senior skaters were having trouble with their partners demanding that they do not hug a member of the opposite sex or to skate with them as a dancing or pair partner. Their partners actually gave them the ultimatum that it is either me or them!

Guess what?! They got dumped! Just think! If they have dedicated more than half their lives to their sports, they will always choose their sport! Hugging after a bad or good competition is automatic and considered as part of emotional support for your friend. It is a given!

It is always hard if you put your partner in a position to choose between you or their sport. Of course, they will choose their sport. So be more patient and understanding and do not demand them to give up on things they have been doing for years for you. The chances of this happening is slim to nil. You may end up single again!

Sir Edmund Hillary - 1919- 2008

It is a sad day for all Kiwis today as Sir Edmund Hillary passed away this morning (Friday 11th January) in Auckland Hospital, Auckland. He was 88 years old. He was a great New Zealand icon.

He put New Zealand on the map when he conquered Mount Everest in 1953.

Sir Edmund was a well liked and humble man who devoted most of his life to charity work and his adventures.

He will be missed by all New Zealanders and all those who knew him.

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Product review

Education is NOT FREE in New Zealand!

The New Zealand government likes every interested possible migrant to believe that primary and secondary education is free. But sorry! I have to burst your bubble! I have just done the shopping for my daughter's new school year. She is entering into her Year 7 this year. Her stationary supplies came to almost $100. Her summer uniform gear came to over $1200. And that is not counting the winter uniform which she will need in Term 2.

Then when school starts, there will be activity fees, too. Yes, textbooks are free but you have to buy any essential workbooks yourselves. Then there are fees if you are in integrated schools or in schools with vary high deciles where government subsidies are reduced as parents are supposed to be able to afford to pay more....

New Zealand education free?! Dream on!

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Scenic New Zealand

When I first decided to move to New Zealand back in 2002, I never thought that how beautiful New Zealand countryside is so I would like to share with you some of the lovely sights as well as some of the places we have visited in the last 5 1/2 years or so.

But I found some really great photos from this site www.accommodationinnewzealand.co.nz just now and it just reminds me the winter and springtime scenery commonly seen in south island and also in the mountain area in north island.

So stay tuned and check out my blog for more personal photos in the future.......

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Miracle of Birth

Photo of Jun and Regor

In the past few years, a couple of friends of mine have been yearning to have babies after trying for a period of time. When I found out how much they want to have a baby, I decided to pray for them. I always tell God that if it is His will, then give them the babies they wanted.

My good friend Jun was trying to have a baby after a 10 year gap. She conceived after about half a year after I started praying for her. Baby Regor is now over 2 years old and is a lovely boy whom his parents adore!

A closed childhood, Betty got married in her late 30s and decided to try to get pregnant. She managed to get pregnant but unfortunately had a miscarriage shortly after I got the happy news. I started praying for her and after a lot of trying and continuous praying, I am happy to announce that Betty is expecting twins this month in her mid 40s! We were told that the chance of women conceiving at 45 years upwards is about 1 % and she is one of the 1 percenters! Praise God for rewarding those who are patient and perseveres!

Car Parks - Advanced technology!

While I was back in Malaysia, I had a few hours stopover in Kuala Lumpur so my brother and his family whizzed us to a newly renovated shopping mall. As we were in the car park looking for a park, the three kids noticed red light indicators above each parking space. Then they figured out that if you see a red light, the space is occupied. A green light meant a free space. We all decided that it was a great gadget as we could see where there is parking in huge car parks from a distance without driving round and round looking for a space! The kids had great fun observing the indicator changes to green as a car leaves the space and turns to red when we took it up.

It's good to be back!

After a 24 hour trip including transits, it is good to be back in Dunedin again. We went from 30 deg Celsius to 16 deg Celsius! And it is summertime in New Zealand!

The two weeks in Kuching, my birthtown were packed with shopping, meeting up with family, relatives and friends as well as eat all we could! Yes, we had bowls of laksa and in my daughter's case, make the 'kolo mee' a special noodle made fresh everyday that does not travel well. We also had lots of other delicacies and managed to bring back some Chinese New Year cookies, too! My poor 'kuih mangkit' (sago cookies) survived a custom officer shaking the tin container! I told him off with a "NOooooooooo! Don't do that!" He looked stunned that I told him off! I then opened up the tin to show him why I was upset!

Apart from the usual Christmas home trip, unfortunately I had to attend a close friend's father's funeral, too. She mentioned to me that it was funny how things turned out! She could not meet me at the the airport in Kuala Lumpur while I was on transit but we met up anyway due to her father's sudden passing so we got to spend some time together afterall......