Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Haven't blogged lately. No pics either. I really should get a new digital camera so I'll be inspired to start clicking again. Ok, I will get one soon and I'll charge it to the $400 I'm entitled to every year. MOE gives like $400 to education officers to buy stuff or attend courses and such to upgrade themselves. In my opinion, a new digital camera will upgrade the quality of my blogging so there.

Been thinking of my career lately. Bullshit stuff like why I became a teacher in the first place. I mean, it's reallymuch too late to regret my choice. I'm really stuck. I have a family to support...which brings me to the next option, which is to move to a new school. I've been thinking about it for a while and lately, there are so many push factors. I'm not going into the details here but it'll suffice to say that I am leaning towards moving on. Whether that's possible right now, I have no idea and my mind isn't made up yet but I think my teaching career here at Dunearn has hit a hard, solid, brick wall. I am truly uninspired, jaded and just going through the motions each and every day. My positiveness has flown out the window. Yes, sad but true. I really don't know what's gonna happen but I hope everything turns out well in the end.

Family wise though, I'm pretty happy. Roshan has been so kind and supportive to me. He really is my best friend as well as my hubby. I'm glad we made the effort to improve our relationship because deep down I know, my life really wouldn't be complete without him. Come November, it'll be our 10th wedding anniversary and our 20th year together. So much we've gone through together and while I regret the bad times, I rejoice in the good times. While no relationship is perfect or man is perfect, the one that I have is the best one for me. Haha...so soppy. Blame the romantic in me.

Alright, work beckons. My diet is working...coz my tummy is growling! Haha... what some women do to stay slim. Will write soon.

The Dawn of a New Month = Renewed New Year Resolutions

Hehe. It's Friday. It's a long Friday (I only end work at 9pm) but hell, it's still a Friday.

Went to Pizza Hut on Wed. Nothing fancy but it was nice just to spend quiet time with one another.



Anyway, here's a pic of the completed collage we did for Ayra for her birthday. We thought of dressing it a bit more with pink boa feathers. I hope she likes it.



I have so much marking to do it's crazy.

I think I'll renew my new year resolutions today. Starting from this minute, I

i) will put in more effort in my work, especially marking.
ii) will spend more quality time with the family.
iii) will start losing weight again. I'm feeling FAT.

Yup. It's the end of Feb..It's still not too late. Positive thinking mates.

An Excellent Birthday Gift

Midweek. Wednesday. Why the mid week post? Coz I'm tired (of work) and I need a pick me up. My student Mirza says I'm always complaining about work. Well, I'm sorry...I'm just so tired all the time. Okay, I'll stop whining for now...

Yesterday, an idea just hit me. Ayra has been such an industrious little artist lately. She never fails to meet me at the door with a drawing or a card which is really sweet. I usually just put it in a file in my room. Last night, however, I decided that An and I will make a collage of her finest artwork and frame it up and present it to her as a birthday present! Cool huh? The trouble is we have to hide it from her and she's always poking her nose in our room so it's gonna be tough. It'll be worth it though.

I'm reaching home late everyday coz I have to conduct orals and on Friday, it's the Sec 3s parent-teacher's meeting so I'll only be home after 9. Bummer. I never used to cherish my weekends so much coz when an worked shifts, we can still go dating, run errands etc like during weekday afternoons. Now, all we're left with is a few hours with the kids in the evening and that's it. Sad. So we try and make up for our lack of presence during the weekends and we also try to fit in some couple time which leaves us, haha, pretty much exhausted. Tonight however, An is bringing us out for dinner. Nothing fancy (maybe just pizza) but it breaks the mundane weekdays routine.

Yeah, I've come to realize, it's the little things in life that matters.

Spongebob is in town!

It's 5 pm on a Friday. Still at work. Just finished my orals. Told my 4N Lit kids I probably won't be here to see them through their O Levels next year. I'm kinda sick of the school. Seriously. It's time to move on. I dunno. Maybe it will work out; maybe it won't. We'll see.

I had a pretty nice weekend. Went to Mustafa Centre with An after dropping Ayra off. It was good to spend some time together although the place was pretty packed. Went for dinner with Ayra and An at night coz we had a Swenson's voucher. Service was slow (Bt Panjang branch). Food finally came about 9pm but it was worth the wait. Nice. Had a mini earthquake after that which is oh-so-sinful but yummy.



Here's father and daughter waiting patiently for their food! Haha!

Sunday morning, we went to the libaray and ran some mundane errands but the highlight was swimming! Yes, again. Fuddin had his new sexy, purple swimming tights on. Sooo cute I tell you. We also missed out on the "wave" last time so we made sure we stayed for it this time round. The kids love it. Fuddin just lies down and let the waves push him everywhere; even into people's laps, backs, etc. So funny.



Okay, I need to go. Before I go, let me post a pic of Spongebob Squarepants. Hee...yah...it's the "monster" aka piniata we (well mainly Dad) created. Pretty good huh? You can't imagine the effort that went into making that thing...Ayra loves it though so it's worth it.



Anyway, I've created a Facebook account. Yes! Now I'm connected to the rest of the world. It's really cool to get in touch with mates you haven't heard from for years...like my secondary school friends. It's weird...in a good kind of way.

Alright, rushing off...

It's Friiiiiiiday!

In class with my 4 normal acad Lit class. They've really grown on me. I enjoy myself when I'm in class with them. Despite being weaker in their language, I think they try hard.

That's the thing with me. I don't particularly admire intelligent kids. I mean, it's great if they are but what's more important to me is that they try hard and make progress; in their lives and their studies. I like teaching the hardworking "Ah Beng", "AhLian", "Minah" and "Mat". Is it because I understand them because I was like them as a teenager? Haha!

I remembered the teachers I had when I was in secondary school. Straight-laced disciplinarian who didn't bother listening to my version of any story. The angrier they became, the more satisfied I was. Wicked but true. That's why today, I try to listen to these students. No, I don't let them step on my head. While they know they can joke around with me, they also know how far they can go. It's a win-win situation.

Gone are the days that I would lose my temper in class. No more shouting, screaming or tears (God forbid). Now I simply let them choose. I usually give them an option. Do my work (like everyone else) and I pretty much leave you alone or don't do it and I'm pretty much after you. It's common sense. Why get all hot and bothered and screaming like a banshee (that's just so un-glam).

Anyway. I'm going to this Learning Journey today to some Touch Centre. It's like a centre to treat gaming addicts la. Like for real. I don't really wanna go. I can think of 101 better things I can do instead but like many things in life, I don not have a choice.

Weekend coming up. An's pretty excited. Eversince he's been attending school, he cherishes his weekend with an urgent fervour. We try to cram in as many activities as we can in those two days and while it's fun, it's exhausting! I was just telling Roshan how I need a holiday. Urgh! Nope, no holiday anywhere in the near future. Sux.

Gonna send out the invitations to Ayra's party out soon. We're inviting people we've never invited before. Like Fiza says, Ayra should be grateful for all the effort me and the other family members are putting in. Everyone is chipping in. It's like we're preparing for a wedding! Haha! It's all in good fun though so it's good.

Fuddin has a toothache; which reminds me that I need to call the National Dental Centre to set an appointment for him. Okay chiao... write soon.

Oh wait. Here are some zoo pics which I "borrowed" from my sister's blog.

Our Hectic Weekend...

What a hectic weekend. It was fun though. On Saturday morning, Ayra skipped her religious lessons to go to the zoo with us, Fuddin, Bibik Linda and family. The weeather was unforgiving and Fuddin was sweating profusely soon after we arrived. We knew Fuddin wouldn't appreciate walking in such hot weather so we got tram tickets. Initially, he was wailing when we first got on but he soon decided that he liked standing on the seats as he felt the breeze around him. In fact, he liked it so much that we decided to go one round on the tram, just taking in the sights. We didn't really see many animals at all although we did manage to view the notoriously infamous white tiger. We also went to the Kids World where the kids splashed around. Ayra enjoyed herself while Yusuf was a bit cautious. Fuddin decided to merely sit in the pool. He didn't seem to enjoy his time there like he does at the swimming pool. Anyway, we left a bit earlier while Ayra stayed with Bibik, Yusuf and Uncle Steven to watch the animal show. Me and An were so beat when we got back but amazingly, Fuddin and Ayra both skipped their afternoon naps that day although they were evidently tired as well. Kids...you wonder where they get their energy from.



Then in the evening , Roshan and I went to Fort Canning to attend his colleague's wedding dinner.



What a grand affair. As soon as I entered the place, someone shouted my name. It was one of my closest friends back from my secondary school days! What a pleasant surprise. We exchanged numbers and promised to catch up again soon. We left soon after dinner to celebrate what was left of our Valentine's Day but guess where we ended up? At the 24 hours NTUC outlet at Jurong Point where we did our monthly grocery shopping! How romantic. It wasn't so bad actually... being the nerdy parents we are, we actually enjoy grocery shopping! Anyway, by the time we got home, it was 1.00 am and we were exhausted. Off to bed.

On Sunday, we got up bright and early. We brought Ayra for a Macdonalds breakfast, then practically drove around the whole Western part of Singapore to buy stuff for her upcoming birthday bash. We managed to get some stuff then off to the library. I've decided that Sunday morning, with or without Roshan around, is library day. I once had this 17 year old student whose Dad brought him to the library every Sunday morning since he was 2! I think it's a good way to bond as well as inculcate a very good reading habit as well! Again the weather was pretty darn hot (what's up with the weather eh?). We went homeafter that but I was unsatisfied with what we bought for the party so An and I headed out again (minus Ayra this time) to complete our shopping. We did manage to get most of the stuff so that's good. Then, at 8.00 pm, the very tired but wonderfully doting father brought his beloved daughter to her adored Kakak Anissa's house to play while I stayed behind to spend some quality time with our baby boy.

Then finally at 10pm, me and Roshan finally managed to retreat peacefully into our room. It was a marathon weekend indeed. Still, I'm looking forward to another equally hectic weekend next week. Parents... they're such suckers when it comes to their kids. Hehe.

We built a toilet!

It's Total Defence Day. The school commemorated it with a food rationing exercise as well as an emergency exercise. We're supposed to imagime the school is being engulfed in some sort of poisonous gas so we have to stay in the classroom and seal up every possible crack Weird. Here's 3 Amber in action.



We also had to build a makeshift toilet and thanks to Shaun, we came out with a pretty good one! We do hope to win the toilet Award (yes, I'm not kidding!)!



After all that hard work, we just had to squeeze in one group photo to remind ourselves that we are prepared for an emergency (yeah, right). We had fun though.