Thursday, May 27, 2010

All Things Good Must Come to an End....

As I am writing this - I am actually watching the Grand Finale of American Idol - Season 9 - which also marks the departure of the much loved (or hated - it's a thin line between the two) of the eccentric judge - Simon Cowell.

                                          The Winner of Season 9

The show today is as much about Simon as it is about the crowning of America's Idol. Simon looked genuinely emotional - especially upon seeing his eye candy (that will be Paula!). I'm not sure how the series will fare - once Mr Mean is not there anymore - I mean, I always look forward to his comments - which I typically find less credulous than the others (don't let me start on Ellen!). 

                                              The One and Only

All good things will (eventually) come to an end....This month also marks the departure of my beloved obsessive compulsive detective. Yup, I had to finally say sayonara to Monk.....it was a bitter sweet...I will miss him terribly...I will miss his eccentricity - I will miss his lame jokes - I will even miss Randy's lame jokes! But (luckily) they make the last episode to be such heart warming. What with Monk finding the killer of the Trudy, Natalie found love again - someone eerily resembles his departed husband, Her daughter away in Berkeley and even Randy promoted and in relationship - with Sharona! I shall get the DVD - just to make sure I revisit Mr Monk from time to time.....

                                                   Sayonara....

This month also mark the end of Heroes. The series that started with a bang - that showed so much promise - but somehow managed to fall flat by it's second season! I have to admit that I was Heroes crazy - by halfway thru second season - I started missing episodes - then finally I watched it when there is nothing else worth watching! 

                                       Heroes no more....
                               

With the departure of these favorites - the door is now open - for new series to tantalize viewers. For now, other than Glee - I am also a sucker for Leverage, House and Criminal Minds. And don't forget - Midsummer Murder (which never cease to amuse Mr Hubby)....

Till then...sayonara all....






Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Selamat Hari Guru!

I missed publishing this rambling on Teachers' Day - but  hey, better late than never, right?


Teaching is one of the most noble profession - not to mention glamorous! Glamorous you say ? Well - other than Doctors - teachers are the only ones to be called 'cikgu' - from the first day they teach until the day they die! Our village head was Cikgu Joned - though he retired from service like 20 years ago!

You might be a big shot - a CEO of a GLC or a software genius - but people will not address you as Ali GM or Leong CEO! Well, people do address you as YB, but it is as long as you are one!

Teachers - we surely can't leave without them. They are trusted to educate the future leaders of the country. These days  with most family having both parents working, the heavy responsibilities of educating our young ones are (most of the times) solely on the shoulders of these teachers.  Very few are privileged to be home schooled. Which reminds me the blunders Gaby (of Desperate Housewives) had when trying to home schooled her daughter, Juanita. And don't get me started on the Malay genius -  Sufiah Yusuf!


                                        Gaby and her cute daughters

I have had some near misses experience with teachers. Mostly when I was in primary school. Not coming from a middle or upper class family meant that I don't look as polish as I like to be. And there were some teachers who were definitely leaning towards the well to do!

But for most of my growing up years, I've had inspirations from my teachers. I love my English teacher - who was so creative that we actually enjoyed learning. And my favorite is Ms Ng - the one who inspired me to take up Chemistry. Her enthusiasm, swayed me towards the subject. I had no qualms in majoring Chemistry for my degree. 


Teachers - they can surely inspire us in a lot of ways. I had a (harmless) crush on my chemistry lecturer in ITM. He was actually a no-nonsense kind of lecturer - but oh, looked sooo..adorable! After every tests, he would announce the student with the highest mark. So I made it my mission to get the highest mark - every time - just to hear him call my name and collect my paper from him - in front of the class! That's what I call a genius! Ha..ha..ha....

When I was in USM, I had an English lecturer, for some unknown reason taken an interest in me. Before you got any wrong idea, the lecturer is a female. She would ask me to join her for lunch and tell me stories - including of her life. I guess, being a young lecturer (and a new one to boot) - she did not have many friends and decided that I fit the bill - I am so honored!

Teachers - words cannot describe the appreciation that we bestow upon them...I love you all, Cikgu.....







Sunday, May 9, 2010

Happy Mother's Day !

These days, celebrations are too commercialized - be it the highly anticipated Hari Raya, Christmas or CNY - or the special occasions such as Mother's Day. You can see the so-called specials - advertised everywhere - from diamonds to dinners. 


Well, I am not writing about that.....it's just that today happens to be 'Mother's Day' and I do want to take this opportunity to update my blog! Do we need a special day to celebrate mothers? No, we don't - but since we are living in fast lane - it is good it we are reminded to celebrate our mothers - who love us unconditionally. Show me a mom who takes a look at her newborn and does not think that he/she is the best looking baby, ever! That's how 'bias' moms are towards their loved ones. 

Different people have different parenting - or mothering - styles. I was not as close to my mom as I was to my dad. But that does not mean that I do not love her wholeheartedly. Dad was a driver with the Public Works Dept whereas mum was a housewife. Dad worked hard to make end meets for his family and  mum worked hard managing it. My childhood is filled with lots of happy memories and the financial constraints does not deter us from having fun - in our own way. 

Dinner was a big thing for us - a time for the whole family to sit down, enjoy our simple dinner and shared stories with everyone. It's the tradition I held close to heart - trying as hard as possible to make sure my family enjoys our dinner together.

I remembered my dad's stories about the times of the Japanese invasion. They actually landed in the serene island where my dad were born - and where one of the top Generals ended up marrying one of the local girls. There were stories on how the kampung folk would dig up holes as shelters from the raining bombs!  How they survived on the staple food - ubi kayu. How my granddad- who was a Thai Kelantanese - used to bring my dad to the durian orchid (in Narathiwat) - on elephants! I always enjoyed these stories - and looked forward to it - no matter how many times I heard them!

Being a mum myself, I do hope that they will enjoy their childhood as much as I enjoyed mine. Thanks for a very loving and understanding hubby - we might  just make this happens - God willing, Insyallah.....



I don't expect much from my children - only for them to be healthy, do well in their studies and turns out okay in life. I believe firmly in Qada' and Qadar - that said I also believe in Karma. If you do good deeds, you will reap its benefit - and it goes both way - if you do evil, evil will come back and bite on on the a**! 


To all super moms out there - please bear in mind in mind that the hands that rocks the cradle - ROCKS! Have a blast in this special occasion to cherish us!