BLOG's 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

"MY VERY FIRST POST ON MY VERY FIRST BLOG!! Well, not quite... I've abandoned 1... oh nvm that, it's a new beginning!!!"

Can u believe it? That very line was written exactly a year ago, at the 5th of June 2003!!! My blog is 1 year old now!!! Woohoo!!! Man, time really flies!!!

I juz finished reading the entire blog entry for the past 1 year!!! There's almost 360 posts I think!!! Whoa... Took me more than an hour to finish it...

Here are some highlights!!!

MY 1ST DAY OF TEACHING, JUNE 11 2003, WEDNESDAY


CHAOS, ANARCHY N MADNESS

Chaos, anarchy, madness... Those are the 3 words I can think of about the classes I thought today... Now I understand what Piggy must have felt in Lord of the Flies... These kids are uncontrolable!!! Most of them have no interest in learning at all!! Everytime I tried to teach, my voice was drowned out by the voices of the students!! ARGH!!! >=@ Oooo I'm so tempted to ignore them all and just continue on my teaching!!!

Yet... yet there are always this small group of ppl who are sincerely interested in learning... I'm really in a conflict now... Should I just do my stuff and finish the sylables (really need to rush, the last teacher didn't finish the sylables for last semester), ignorant of the chaos of the classes, or should I spend more time on making them understand, helping every single individuals?? While I was teaching, a few male kids keep playing with the human anatomy model... It was a upper part of a female body chopped in half... plastic of course... The guys keep playing with the supposed female u-know-wat!!! Eeeww.., it's sickening!!! Then there's another girl crying at the corner bcos the class monitor blacklisted her... And there was a guy who was constantly bullied by a group of losers... AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I also am in charge of the reading session of the ENTIRE MORNING CLASSES!!! I actually need to recite a Chinese poem everyday, then read out the explanation of the poem n the biography of its author!! Me, reciting a Chinese poem?! Every morning from Tuesday to Friday?! And I also need to come for work at Saturday bcos of co-curriculum... AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIII!!!! NUTS NUTS NUTS!!!

And how am I going to teach without having all the books the students are using?? The whole thing is so disorganized!! I'm like thrusted into another world without any guidance except for a few oral instructions!!! Out of 9 periods, I need to teach 7 periods everyday!!! I'm teaching Math, Science, Kajian Tempatan n Kemahiran Hidup, in 5 different classes!!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! I'm going mad!!!!


A CONFESSION: WHY I LIKE TO VISIT OTHER PPL'S BLOG (JUNE 26)

Y do I like to visit other ppl's blog?? Well, it all started when I enter college... I met so many different kinds of ppl, so much different from ppl I have known for so many years b4... It all these ppl... fascinate me... I get to see things differently from other ppl's perspective, and understanding others needs and desire... I'm like... experienced so so much different... sensation... and it really thrill me!! All of my life, I've never seen n heard so many different thoughts, so many different views, so many different thinking, so many different opinions!!!

And then, I've found out about this amazing thing called blog... I've discovered it when I was looking at the ICQ user details of a few of my frens... And on Jayne's, I've found this address to her blog... I visited it, and it was then that I've found out that through blogs, u can.. like... step into the shoes of another person, and looking at things in his or her perspective temporary... I dunno for others, but it's very effective to me!! I'm kinda like... getting a taste of other ppl's life... A life I never have... And sometimes... another life I LONGED to have...

Well, I guess here comes the negative side... When I'm very depressed or intimidated, I've this tendency of wishing I'm not me... Wishing that I'm someone else... Wishing that I dun have to go through what I'm going through... Longing to be more... normal... Yes... normal... part of the group... not an outcast... I suffered from severe loneliness in my form 4 and form 5 life... I'm just... so so different from my peers... I tried to be like them, I tried so so hard to fit in, I wanna be... accepted... and I failed... It's so so depressing... <=( Even now, I suffered from that too... from time to time... By reading all these entries, I get to see things from others perspective... To see what keeping them up... and down... And to know that... we're not very un-alike after all... We all have our ups and downs... And after I felt better, I'll go on with my life...

I often feel bad when this cycle repeats again and again... Why am I so... weak?? Why can't I depend on God totally?? Y must I be a slave to my emotion?? But I guess no one can give me the answer... Unless God chose to unveil it to me... So I'll keep on searching... keep on searching... as I did b4... keep on searching for the answers... for the solutions...


LAST DAY OF TEACHING

SO IT FINALLY ENDS... OR IS THIS JUZ THE BEGINNING??

Today's the last day I'm teaching at SJK (C) Kong Hoe... Wa... Many students want me to write my personal details in their memo books... Last minute rush... I must have wrote in at least 15 books, without including 20+ others I've wrote earlier... They keep surounding me at my desk and asked me to remember to sign... Kinda felt like a star... Heehee... I've met the teacher that will replace me yesterday... Explained all the stuff he needs to know... Hopefully he can handle the kids better than I can!!!

As I tidied up my desk b4 I leave, I can;t help but feeling a bit sense of loss... And as I walked to my car, thinking that I may be leaving that school for good, I kinda felt a bit sentimental... I've drive here to teach for 23 days only, yet I'm already missing this place... if not the students!! Weird... I could almost swear about a month ago that I'll be glad after I quit my job and will never teach again... But now, I can't help but wonder... Will I return to teach again? By the end of the second semester, the students are probably having their holidays already... But perhaps... next year? Dunno... perhaps... perhaps... For now, I can't wait for next week!!! >=)


MEETING ASHA GILL (SEPT 21, 2003, SUNDAY)

Today is an unusually GREAT Sunday... Have lunch at Shangri La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur... The hotel is juz BEAUTIFUL... Easily the most beautiful hotel I've seen... The design is juz so interesting... The food is SUPERB...Ranging from fried mee, to dim sum, to oysters and baby lobsters, to wasabi, to cakes n ice creams... But something even better happened... Well, while eating, I noticed a bunch of ppl who really look out of place... Punkish hairstyle, female smokers, tattooed arm... But there's this one girl who really look VERY familiar... It was not until I finished my meal, when I walked past the bunch of ppl, that I heard THE voice... The unmistakable unique voice... EX-CHANNEL [V] VJ, ASHA GILL!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! I turn n look, n I saw IT'S REALLY HER!!!! She look kinda different without her makeup... but IT IS HER!!! Juz to confirm it, I keep walking past the table... Asha was smoking n chatting with her pals... ASHA... at the same restaurant with me!!!

I soon told all of my relatives about her presence... No one seemed impressed... Sheesh... That's one girl who's known all over Asia, and they're juz so... so... ignorant bout her!!! My mind was racing then... Should I ask for her autograph?? But she's no longer a VJ... Could it make her sad or mad if I reminded her of her past job?? Maybe I should juz gave her privacy... So I end up did nothing... No more then 5 minutes away from the hotel, I regretted my foolish choice... I mean, wat is there to lose if I ask for her autograph? NOTHING!!! Oh Thomas u fool!!! >=( Now I'll regret it for the rest of my life... :'-( It's a chance of a lifetime... and I let it slipped... SOB... I've learned my lesson anyway... Seize the oppurtunity!!! Some of them only come once in life... I let them slipped!!! Sigh...


MEETING WITH A LONG LOST FRIEND (DEC 6 2003, SATURDAY)

The highlight of the day: I've finally met Jarrett again! After 4 years since we last seen each other in the airport, returning from the Gold Coast- Sydney tour! I entered the bowling place at Sunway Pyramid at 4.50pm, walked towards lane 31 (he told me he's there), and a guy sitting on a high bench caught my attention at once. Funny, I know it's him even b4 I recognize his face. Kinda like an instinct or sumthing. He dun seemed to notice, so I juz walked towards him, and sit beside him. Still he seemed oblivious. I turned and juz said one word, "Jarrett!" He instantly smiled and ask how did I recognized me... I was so happy then! Here's a long lost friend, finally found! Hahahaha...

We chat quite a lot then, but he seemed a bit nervous with the bowling tournament... No, not nervous, tensed... He has some friends along with him, but it's ok, I guess... I nv get to know their name, but I did talk with them, a little... The tournament lasted from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. He dun do so well in the 1st round, but on the 2nd, he improved much. On the 3rd, he started off with 3 consecutive strike, and almost made a full consecutive strikes but for a couple of glitches. He seemed very controlled all the time, and mildly confident. When the tournament is over, he said that he'll probably get around the 10th place, and we juz lepak there, waiting for the results and announcement...

It seems that they really take a long long time... about 30 minutes! I felt a bit bored then, since Jarrett moved around talking to his friends... When the results are out, turns out that Jarrett was in the 3rd place! He himself was truly surprised!! So he got his prize (the "ceremony" didn't start till another 20 minutes... Dang slow!) Guess wat? RM 150... and that's it! No cert, no trophies, NOTHING!!! Duh... his friend won 1st prize, RM 500... Anyway, we went for A&W for dinner... And Jarrett belanja my meal and his friend's. It was then I felt a bit bittersweet... We're about to parted again, and the next time we may, MAY meet again is next year, or even 5 years later... Sheesh... Well, at least better than nv get to meet!

I followed him back to the bowling alley again after that (he has to passed a key to his friend), then the guys were moving towards the exit... They're going to Jln Chow Kit by taxi, and I figured I better dun tag along, since I will be back home VERY late if I did follow. So we parted at the entrance/exit... And the feeling I have when I parted with Einstein that day returned... Until now I'm still wondering did I made the right choice... It soon rained later (heehee, suckers!)...

Sigh... Now I have this mixed feeling of mirth and sadness... Nevertheless, I really thank God for that short 3 hours of reunion... I'll always cherish it!! Since I've always pray for guidance and comfort, and rarely praising God for all the blessings he gave me, I'll take this oppurtunity now: Thank you God, for the wonderful 3 days you have given me! How much more so for the prom tomorrow! Thank you! ;)


CAUGHT IN THE ACT (DEC 12, FRIDAY)

Imagine this... Me and my family went to the Kampung place at Berkeley Garden, and a pirated VCD/DVD seller approached me. I asked for the DVD folder, and I flipped through it, searching for any DVD of interest... A while later I noticed a malay approach the guy and give a light slap on the back, but I dun really took much notice of it. If I did think more about it, I'll realize it's weird... Cuz that place dun sell halal food. Suddenly, a stranger grab lightly on my wrist, and fear gripped me in that fraction of a second.

I raised up my head, and saw that it's also a malay guy, in his middle age. He said he's a police, and showed us his ID, and a few other guys behind him. Then he asked me for my IC. My mum looked stunned, and later she told me that she feared they gonna arrest me or sumthing. But knowing that looking through pirated VCDs/DVDs ain't ILLEGAL, I asked back, "What for?" He replied, "The DVD folder was urs, rite?" "Heck no!" "Then whose is that?" "That guy over there!" After that they juz ignored me and arrest that vendor. I instantly felt relieved, but was alert all the time, until I went home safely without getting arrested... Heehee

I guess the cops thought I was a pirated VCD/DVD vendor too, selling the goods to my family. I guess the clothes I'm wearing was a bit out of place, and therefore suspicious... I was still wearing the long sleeves shirt I wore to the CPU graduation! I must have look like a salesman indeed! Lol. Well, gotta wear plainer clothes to eat next time! =D

Well, it's a relief that nothing bad happened. Guess I'll be more careful buying all these pirated stuff in the future...


MOST EMBARASSING MOMENT IN MY LIFE (MAR 12 2004)

EMBARASSING INCIDENT AT THE MAMAK STALL

I was eating at the mamak stall with Heng Jeng and a few of my batch mates (Brandon, Ling Wei, Darren and Michelle) after having CG at Dexter's place... After we finished our food, it's 2.20am already, and I'm really very sleepy then. We walked to my car, and I was really surprised when somehow my key only fitted halfway thru the keylock. I looked into my car, and noticed that the lock was only half-locked, and the front door at the other side was not locked. I went to the other side, open the door, and tried to open the driver's seat door.

A strong smell of tangerine fills my nostrils when I did that, and I was a little confused when suddenly a man half-shouted at the driver's door side, "Hey man, is this your car?!" (in Cantonese). I was so shocked that I looked around the interior of my car, and realized that IT'S NOT MY CAR AFTER ALL!!! I was like, "Oh shit man this is so embarassing!!!" and kept apologizing to the angry guy. Imagine how this all must have looked like to him... A bunch of uni students surrounding his car at 2.20am in the nite and trying to open the doors! We must have looked like a group of thieves stealing a car rite in front of everyone! Gosh...

I embarassingly rushed towards my car a few parkings down the way. That guy drove his car angrily away, and I was a bit worried then will he be following my car back and bashed me up or sumthing... Thank God none of that happened. My friends then kept on laughing and saying that they're confused when I approached the wrong car and about to ask me whether I git the rite car etc etc. I wasn't really listening then, for I was so embarrassed I feel like sticking my head into the ground! Wat a doofus I am!


There u have it, folks! Man... I really wanna celebrate this great day! It's a birthday after all!!! Maybe next morning!!!