The ups & downs

Time really flies. 31 days of 2007 had just "flown" by. Taking stock of the month, a lot had happened. Ruth started her secondary school education, a new phase in her life. She is still adjusting to her new school, additional subjects and medium of instruction, which is Bahasa Malaysia. Although science and mathematics are taught in English, the remaining subjects are in Bahasa Malaysia. Being educated in chinese (mandarin) for the past six years, she had to mentally shift her language "gear" to English and Bahasa Malaysia, which at times can be quite confusing and bewildering for her. She needs a lot of guidance and patience and it's not surprising that I often had to sit and study with her. So, it's back to "school" after more than twenty years. Hopefully, she will gain confidence and improve her cognitive skills.

Studies aside, it has been raining cats and dogs since the beginning of the year. Downpours greet you almost every morning, afternoon and evening. It is as if the heavens just could not contain all the tears. Alas, the wet laundary accumulated for days and the maid had to iron the more "urgent" clothes, especially Ruth's and hubby's uniforms. Roofs began to spring leaks at unexpected places. A friend, who runs a hardware store informed me that business for waterproofing materials and roof sealants were so brisk that his stocks were sold off faster than he could replenish the supplies.

I am thankful that, we fellow Sarawakians are much more fortinate than our Peninsular neighbours who suffer devastation, loss of properties and lives during the recent floods.

As we travel along........

Just recently, I read about a South Korean actress and pop singer who was found hanged in her home in Incheon, Korea. It was claimed that she committed sucide. Of course, this was not the first suicide that I had read about. But it set me wondering, why? She had it all, beauty, glamour, fame and the paper even claimed that she was a favourite pop star among teenagers in Asia. Even her fans were surprised as they were awaiting the release of her latest album in February. But she suffered from depression and emptiness. It's a sobering fact whatever she had could not fill nor give her a reason to go on living. She allegedly posted on her website that " I feel everything is empty." I am again walking down a path to reach a destination that I don't know". Sometimes, I could identify with her. Depression and emptiness had been part and parcel of my life when I was feeling really low, despondent and over-whelmed with my lot. Somehow, there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. A lonely and frighteneing journey, I could say.

But, looking back, my life also has its share of blessings and good times. Family members, close friends, fellow co-workers all chipped in to add variety and colour as we travel along. No doubt, challenges and difficult times do crop up once in a while, like a bend down the road, but it is how you respond to them that matters. They can be important lessons learnt along the way.

In anticipation.......

It's been quite sometimes since I updated my last blog. Been busy with office work and supervising Ruth's projects and assignments. She's slowly catching up and adjusting to her new school, teachers, classmates and studies. But there's plently of homework, assignments and projects. Being chinese educated, she sometimes faces difficulty in expressing herself fluently in Bahasa Malaysia and English. Hopefully, she will improve and gain confidence with more practice and reading.

Hubby decided that we will spend the coming Lunar New Year in Bintulu. During the last two years, we had been away, visiting relatives and friends elsewhere. In 2005, we visited my auntie in Ipoh and then my uncle and other friends in Kuching last year. The journey's tiring and hectic but it's good to catch up with relatives and friends whom we have not visited for quite a while. With the new year less than a month away, the festive mood is in the air with most of the shopping complexes, supermarkets and even the main streets gaily decorated with red '"tanglungs'', banners, buntings and new year music blaring at almost every corner. Let's hope that the year of the boar will usher in health, wealth and prosperity for everyone. It's a celebration of life, hope and renewal.









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Just a line.............

The lunar new year festival is only about a month away. I was doing my usual Saturday afternoon grocery shopping with Ruth at Bintulu's newest supermarket when I saw the workers hanging up chinese "tanglungs" or lanterns, banners and new year music blaring from the loudspeakers. All the colours were conspiciously red. Red is considered an auspicious and lucky colour for Asians, particularly the Chinese. A symbol of wealth, happiness, prosperity and it is believed to ward off evil spirits.

Ruth, like most teenagers is looking forward to the festive occasion as it means new clothes, "ang pows" and fun. We visited the departmental store upstairs and she bought two new blouses to add to her wardrobe of jeans, T-shirts, blouses, etc, etc. She has her own taste of fashion and styles and insisted on selecting her own clothes, unlike before when she did not mind wearing anything that I selected for her. So much for growing up.

For most adults, the new year is also a busy time, with the annual spring or house cleaning, preparation of cakes and biscuits and ensuring that there is sufficient budget for new clothes, angpows, etc. I must say that my culinary and baking skills are somewhat lacking, so most of the cakes and biscuits will have to be ordered from the bakery.

Some updates

It's about a week since school started. Ruth dutifully reported for classes with some apprehension and a tinge of excitement. Hubby escorted her to the designated classroom and she managed to secure a "good" seat right under the ceiling fan. She met her new teachers, some old and new classmates. The school perfects then brought the "freshies" for a tour of the school facilities, canteen and compound. We arrange a school bus to pick and send her to and fro the school. She attends tuition classes both at home and at a tuition centre.
It's certainly a new and exciting experience for her, having to learn several new subjects and meeting alot more other students. Almost everyday, after school, she would relate the interesting and funny episodes at school. My! She's growing up real fast.

With Ruth back to school, the pace of life at home had taken to some routine. It's supervising her schoolwork, sending her for tuition classes and swimming lessons. After almost 2 months of once-a -week swimming lessons, she could swim and float fairly well.
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Sick bug and things..........

I was taken real sick on new year's day. Diagnosed as diarrhoes and food poisoning. With my stomach churning and head spinning, I had to stay put in bed. It was such an agonising time, having to visit the loo at 5-10 mintes intervals. With all the private clinics closed on a public holiday, I had no choice but to drop by the pharmacist for medicine. Sigh........I could not put my finger on what exactly was the culprit, but with all the barbeques, parties, good food, etc, etc, it's not surprising that I got down with the sick bug. It's fortunate the hubby and Ruth were alright or else you could imagine the nightmare .........

New Year celebrations in Bintulu were somewhat quiet with the usual half-hour display of fireworks to usher in year 2007. Of course, most of pubs, bars, karaokes were well patronised by revellers eager to welcome the new year.

Celebrations and sickness aside, it's back to school for Ruth on 3 January 2007. After a long break, Ruth was dragging her feet and less than enthusiastic over the new school term. Last Saturday, we paid a visit to her school, copied the class timetable, made a beeline to her "new classroom" and did some last minute shopping for her school stuff and things. Life had began in earnest. It's back to assignments, projects and examinations.

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Celebra