Everything went smooth and audience had a bit of a laugh seeing how happy she is on stage. Waving and winking at me from the stage was super cute.
Saturday, 10 December 2011
Second Performance
After the traumatic post debut performance, I was extra alert with any kind of possible meltdown pre&/post performance.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Art Class and the End (of it)
A bit overdue with the art class updates due to the failing of Google Chrome and perhaps my aging laptop itself.
But here they are although I'm afraid they'll be last bit of colourful drawings that I will get in a long long time.
To cut long story short, I'm pulling her out of this art class as the last impression I had from the teacher was that she was more concerned about bragging at every opportunity about her own kids rather than her students.
Oh yes, there are a lot of teacher of her kind and that is not what I envisioned education to be like. Especially this type of subject that supposedly has to flourish under inspiration, it depends a lot on the teacher's ability to dig the child's own imagination.
Here's an example of the conversation that I had with that particular teacher/owner (T/O):
T/O: "Who? [my kid's name]who's mother?" <---my thoughts, hmm ok, my kid's been there for 6 months and if she needs her memory jog, that's worrisome.
Me: "I'm [my kid's name]'s mother who goes every Saturday morning?"
T/O: "Oh, yes, I gave her 3 warnings already by now." <---we're talking about a 5 year old girl here, what warning??? She's a kid for heaven's sake, she needs loving care to pique her interest in art, not warning!
Me: "Oh, really? What kind of warnings?"
T/O: "Well, she doesn't really bother the other kids in class, but she has problems in concentrating in finishing her drawings. We only have 2 hours to finish each drawings." <---my thoughts, hmm, no explanation of what kind of warnings. But I did not want to elaborate.
Me: "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about today, I want to see how my kid is doing in class because I am concerned about her development after visiting a professional about it. Say, do you know that my kid is a cousin of one of your student [his name]?"
T/O: "Oh, he's a bright kid, his drawings are always winning the competition."
Me: "How long has he been in your class, was he difficult in the beginning when he just entered? How long did it take him to be as what he's like now?
T/O: "Oh I don't know, quite a while, he was as difficult as your kid, too. I even had to exempt him from paying the tuition fee because his dad told me that he can't afford the tuition fee anymore." <---my thoughts, yes, I knew this beforehand and he still owes me millions up to this day, I don't need to hear it from the art teacher, it has nothing to do with me and I'm not paying for his past tuition fee just because we're related. Not appropriate to say that to me, at all.
Me: "Right, but how long has he been with you in that class?"
T/O: "I'm not sure, a long time I guess, years and years and now he's primary 2, big boy." <---my thoughts, really, if he's that outstanding (i.e. not paying and bright, that should covers both), she would've remembered. Won't you? I would.
Me: "I see. Well, I'd like to see if my daughter can be move to a smaller class since there's been an observation that she was treated rudely by one of your assistant. Is that possible?"
T/O: "Of course, just go into one of those classes not on Saturdays. My kid used to need special care too because he's ADD, but now he's doing great at school, number one in his year and when he slips into number 7 that could make him go into one of his episodes and brought him just to the bottom of the emotional stairs and it's bad. He used to find it really hard to concentrate especially at dictation and maths, oh it's not because he wasn't able to spell or remember, but it was just because of the distraction around him, e.g. his friend tapping the pencil, that kind of things. If he has to spell "My mother went to the market this morning to buy vegetables", he'll be writing market vegetables in the morning instead because he was distracted. He goes to therapy sessions and is doing really well now, look his IQ is 142 it's amazing isn't it? Art is a good way to keep them concentrating." <---my thoughts, and you have no comment on your student, i.e. my daughter??? Who's paying to be in your class? Oh I could go on but I think with this kind of teacher, I better not because clearly she wasn't concerned about her students, just about her own brainy little kid.
Me: "Well, my daughter is not ADD, but anyway so she can come in say on Tuesday at 1pm?" <---my thoughts now, there's no point in talking to this teacher. She's running a business, not inspiring students.
T/O: "Yeah, anytime beside Saturday would be better."
Me: "Ok then I'll choose Tuesdays class from now. Thank you."
Enough said, her tone, did not reflect someone's tone who's concerned about their students at all. But it is my daughter's life after all, eventhough she's only 5, I had to ask her about this whole thing.
Me: "How do you feel about art? Drawing? Colouring? Do you like it?"
P: "Oh I like art, but only at home. Not in art class."
Me: "Why is that?"
P: "The teacher always gets mad at me. I ask her why are you angry at me, but she never says why."
Me: "But do you love art? Drawing? Colouring? Do you want to do it if it was on different days there? Not so many kids, you can get the teacher all to yourself."
P: "I like art but only at home."
She continues to draw on her pieces of papers, never looking at me straight in my eyes for the whole conversations and left me alone with my thoughts. No more doubts, only determination that I've been given somebody special in my life, to care for and nurture the way that she needs to be nurtured.
I've been a teacher before, I've had teachers who inspired me, the best teacher one can ever have is probably their own mothers. That's why there is a local saying that heaven is at your mother's sole.
I'm happier if she comes home with these drawings.
But here they are although I'm afraid they'll be last bit of colourful drawings that I will get in a long long time.
To cut long story short, I'm pulling her out of this art class as the last impression I had from the teacher was that she was more concerned about bragging at every opportunity about her own kids rather than her students.
Oh yes, there are a lot of teacher of her kind and that is not what I envisioned education to be like. Especially this type of subject that supposedly has to flourish under inspiration, it depends a lot on the teacher's ability to dig the child's own imagination.
Here's an example of the conversation that I had with that particular teacher/owner (T/O):
T/O: "Who? [my kid's name]who's mother?" <---my thoughts, hmm ok, my kid's been there for 6 months and if she needs her memory jog, that's worrisome.
Me: "I'm [my kid's name]'s mother who goes every Saturday morning?"
T/O: "Oh, yes, I gave her 3 warnings already by now." <---we're talking about a 5 year old girl here, what warning??? She's a kid for heaven's sake, she needs loving care to pique her interest in art, not warning!
Me: "Oh, really? What kind of warnings?"
T/O: "Well, she doesn't really bother the other kids in class, but she has problems in concentrating in finishing her drawings. We only have 2 hours to finish each drawings." <---my thoughts, hmm, no explanation of what kind of warnings. But I did not want to elaborate.
Me: "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about today, I want to see how my kid is doing in class because I am concerned about her development after visiting a professional about it. Say, do you know that my kid is a cousin of one of your student [his name]?"
T/O: "Oh, he's a bright kid, his drawings are always winning the competition."
Me: "How long has he been in your class, was he difficult in the beginning when he just entered? How long did it take him to be as what he's like now?
T/O: "Oh I don't know, quite a while, he was as difficult as your kid, too. I even had to exempt him from paying the tuition fee because his dad told me that he can't afford the tuition fee anymore." <---my thoughts, yes, I knew this beforehand and he still owes me millions up to this day, I don't need to hear it from the art teacher, it has nothing to do with me and I'm not paying for his past tuition fee just because we're related. Not appropriate to say that to me, at all.
Me: "Right, but how long has he been with you in that class?"
T/O: "I'm not sure, a long time I guess, years and years and now he's primary 2, big boy." <---my thoughts, really, if he's that outstanding (i.e. not paying and bright, that should covers both), she would've remembered. Won't you? I would.
Me: "I see. Well, I'd like to see if my daughter can be move to a smaller class since there's been an observation that she was treated rudely by one of your assistant. Is that possible?"
T/O: "Of course, just go into one of those classes not on Saturdays. My kid used to need special care too because he's ADD, but now he's doing great at school, number one in his year and when he slips into number 7 that could make him go into one of his episodes and brought him just to the bottom of the emotional stairs and it's bad. He used to find it really hard to concentrate especially at dictation and maths, oh it's not because he wasn't able to spell or remember, but it was just because of the distraction around him, e.g. his friend tapping the pencil, that kind of things. If he has to spell "My mother went to the market this morning to buy vegetables", he'll be writing market vegetables in the morning instead because he was distracted. He goes to therapy sessions and is doing really well now, look his IQ is 142 it's amazing isn't it? Art is a good way to keep them concentrating." <---my thoughts, and you have no comment on your student, i.e. my daughter??? Who's paying to be in your class? Oh I could go on but I think with this kind of teacher, I better not because clearly she wasn't concerned about her students, just about her own brainy little kid.
Me: "Well, my daughter is not ADD, but anyway so she can come in say on Tuesday at 1pm?" <---my thoughts now, there's no point in talking to this teacher. She's running a business, not inspiring students.
T/O: "Yeah, anytime beside Saturday would be better."
Me: "Ok then I'll choose Tuesdays class from now. Thank you."
Enough said, her tone, did not reflect someone's tone who's concerned about their students at all. But it is my daughter's life after all, eventhough she's only 5, I had to ask her about this whole thing.
Me: "How do you feel about art? Drawing? Colouring? Do you like it?"
P: "Oh I like art, but only at home. Not in art class."
Me: "Why is that?"
P: "The teacher always gets mad at me. I ask her why are you angry at me, but she never says why."
Me: "But do you love art? Drawing? Colouring? Do you want to do it if it was on different days there? Not so many kids, you can get the teacher all to yourself."
P: "I like art but only at home."
She continues to draw on her pieces of papers, never looking at me straight in my eyes for the whole conversations and left me alone with my thoughts. No more doubts, only determination that I've been given somebody special in my life, to care for and nurture the way that she needs to be nurtured.
I've been a teacher before, I've had teachers who inspired me, the best teacher one can ever have is probably their own mothers. That's why there is a local saying that heaven is at your mother's sole.
I'm happier if she comes home with these drawings.
Monday, 24 October 2011
First Ballet Performance
I still remember my first piano performance. In front of the congregation, I was a tiny 6 year old to play a simple piano piece. I remember that I was calm and composed, not knowing what stage fright was, but definitely my hands were a bit cooler than usual even when the temperature was around 26 degrees celcius.
After that first performance, everything became blur, piano recital, orchestra performance, choir graduation performance, don't forget the odd bits of wedding performances, I liked those ones because I got to wear the nice party dresses instead of the boring black dress code. However, with nice party dresses, came the odd wardrobe malfunction of slipping shoulder strap, and the rest.
This little girl I have, however, could not contain her joy of being told that this is her debut ballet piece and she'd remember it for the rest of her life. That, got her behaving like a firecracker the entire evening leading up to the actual performance.
Totally messed up her ending courtesy bow because she opted to jump up and down in great joy instead. Her joy was infectious because her dance partner followed her.
Of course, the hair bun I made at home,
fell apart completely even before the dress rehearsal was started. The dress she wore was soaking wet before she even had to change into her costume.
After that first performance, everything became blur, piano recital, orchestra performance, choir graduation performance, don't forget the odd bits of wedding performances, I liked those ones because I got to wear the nice party dresses instead of the boring black dress code. However, with nice party dresses, came the odd wardrobe malfunction of slipping shoulder strap, and the rest.
This little girl I have, however, could not contain her joy of being told that this is her debut ballet piece and she'd remember it for the rest of her life. That, got her behaving like a firecracker the entire evening leading up to the actual performance.
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| "Backstage pas de trois" |
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| "Partners in crime" |
fell apart completely even before the dress rehearsal was started. The dress she wore was soaking wet before she even had to change into her costume.
Backstage after the performance, looking rather intoxicated I would say. She ended up throwing up twice past midnight.
Quite traumatic for me, but I think she would do it all over again and be exactly just like that.
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Marriage
Many people are afraid of being alone so they stay in a bad marriage.
Some are already lonely in their bland marriage.
Most just too lazy to get to know another person all over again, so they stay in their troubled marriage.
The lucky ones woke up one day, 30 years into their marriage, to find they don't really know who this person is that sleeps next to them every night. Others thought they had a good marriage.
But they themselves know, that it is not.
So, for what reasons should you stay in a marriage?
Stay in that marriage only when you know that you're happy being alone (single and lonely) and being in the marriage makes you happiER.
Think of marriage as a flavour enhancer, all ingredients are there in the pot, you can eat it without any additives, but add MSG, it tastes better. Beware though, it is addictive and shrinks the brain. e.g. Elizabeth Taylor R.I.P -married 8 times to 7 husbands- (guess Richard Burton was a powerful MSG).
Think of marriage as a bonus, it's a plus to be in a great marriage, but to have a great bonus, you have to work your butt off. Unless of course you'll settle for a good one only. There is a difference between good bonus and great bonus, you know what I mean, don't you?
But the point is, it is a bonus after all.
What really matter is whether you are happy by yourself, being alone, so single and lonely?
Some are already lonely in their bland marriage.
Most just too lazy to get to know another person all over again, so they stay in their troubled marriage.
The lucky ones woke up one day, 30 years into their marriage, to find they don't really know who this person is that sleeps next to them every night. Others thought they had a good marriage.
But they themselves know, that it is not.
So, for what reasons should you stay in a marriage?
- Love? Trust me, after the ceremony, the bill comes and you start to wonder about this point.
- Kids? They have their own future, unless you're a control freak and want everything to be perfect.
- Honour? Hello? What century are you still in? If it's bad, get out of it.
Stay in that marriage only when you know that you're happy being alone (single and lonely) and being in the marriage makes you happiER.
Think of marriage as a flavour enhancer, all ingredients are there in the pot, you can eat it without any additives, but add MSG, it tastes better. Beware though, it is addictive and shrinks the brain. e.g. Elizabeth Taylor R.I.P -married 8 times to 7 husbands- (guess Richard Burton was a powerful MSG).
Think of marriage as a bonus, it's a plus to be in a great marriage, but to have a great bonus, you have to work your butt off. Unless of course you'll settle for a good one only. There is a difference between good bonus and great bonus, you know what I mean, don't you?
But the point is, it is a bonus after all.
Monday, 17 October 2011
First Day Back at School
The question that I always get ask by her every morning is:
English: "Where are my shoes???"
I think she drew this because she grew tired of asking and decided to flash this instead the next time she misplaces her pair of shoes again.
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Art Class
My question was: "Why the kid at the back is so happy compare to the one at the front?"
And at home:
No wonder I always run out of envelopes and sticky notes.
No wonder I always run out of envelopes and sticky notes.
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| At the parent teacher meeting |
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| "Playing in the snow" |
Thursday, 13 October 2011
New Novels for the Mid-Term Break
Another break at her school. How it scares me, it means 24 hours of headache.
So we trot along the local imported bookstore and bought these for her:
At first she refused to buy the Monkey King's tales, I had to tell her that it's for me. But, at home, it's a different story, she read a page, and started to question about the immortals and enlightenment, this is the book she kept on asking me to pass to her. How wonderful. Surely it'll take her longer to finish, right, right?
So we trot along the local imported bookstore and bought these for her:
A more story packed book with less illustration.
Is there really?
A question came onto my mind amidst my already hectic day.
Is there really someone for every one? Or will there be ones that will be left without a better half?
Perhaps they found that perfect person but can't settle down with him/her? And would not have second/third best in line?
Ah well, I guess this piece of sentence that she wrote today sums it up perfectly well:
Is there really someone for every one? Or will there be ones that will be left without a better half?
Perhaps they found that perfect person but can't settle down with him/her? And would not have second/third best in line?
Ah well, I guess this piece of sentence that she wrote today sums it up perfectly well:
Friday, 7 October 2011
The Bed Sheet that Did the Deed
Any of you who ever got married, will know that one of your friends/ family, will give that precious set of bed sheet for your first night with the husband.
Likewise, I had my set of bed sheet. Not 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton, but it was nice enough and perhaps NOT have those sweet memories they were supposed to produce.
After the marriage ended prematurely, the bed sheet was a permanent resident at the back of the wardrobe until........one day, I had the urge to snip snip snip away those memories.
So this is what I did:
How's that for a lazy Sunday afternoon?
Likewise, I had my set of bed sheet. Not 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton, but it was nice enough and perhaps NOT have those sweet memories they were supposed to produce.
After the marriage ended prematurely, the bed sheet was a permanent resident at the back of the wardrobe until........one day, I had the urge to snip snip snip away those memories.
So this is what I did:
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| Humming the "Sound of Music" tune....somehow I'm reminded...of the movie that is... |
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| The 2 pieces of the pyjama pants to be |
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| After the right sewing (I managed to make it into a skirt, before making it into the pants that it should be) |
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| A closer look |
The (only) Downside of Singledom
So, I have 2 invitations for 4 tonight, to attend the lucky draw function held by one of the banks here.
My parents already bailed out when the invitation came. Who can blame them, they're aging and had 2 friends that tag along with them all the time, namely Mr. Parkinson and Mrs. Osteoporosis.
What a girl got to do when left with 2 invitations for 4 people? So, this is what I did:
1. begged my daughter to have her afternoon nap so she can boogie the night away with me.
Result: She gave me 2 choices, either she goes to the function tonight and skip her ballet lesson (which she has an upcoming performance to do), or, she goes to her ballet lesson and skip tonight. Tough choice, obviously I'm a good mom and discipline is numero uno. So, I'm left without a partner again. Who says it's easier to have a little girl than a little boy?
2. called my BFF in town and ask how she likes to have free dinner on me. She can drag her husband along therefore giving her the freedom to come and go as they like (I thought what's the point of calling her if this is the option she's taking, silly me, I'd still be left without a partner).
Result: She's probably a sweetie and doesn't want to make me feel bad in the end by coming with her husband and leaving me yet alone in the middle of the function because it was getting too late. So, I'm left without a partner yet again.
3. took a deep breath and start thinking that I've been to a lot of functions alone since I've became a single mom. Certainly beats having to carry a sleepy girl all the way to the car park. Beats having to try to have a conversation the whole night with whoever I came with. And most of all, it beats having a lifetime of headache from a lifetime partner.
So, is there really a downside to being single? I think not, hey, if I win that major prize tonight at the function, at least I'll be anonymous enough not to share it with anyone. Ha ha ha. What a lie, I know what I'd do first thing first. But it'll also be anonymous. ; )
My parents already bailed out when the invitation came. Who can blame them, they're aging and had 2 friends that tag along with them all the time, namely Mr. Parkinson and Mrs. Osteoporosis.
What a girl got to do when left with 2 invitations for 4 people? So, this is what I did:
1. begged my daughter to have her afternoon nap so she can boogie the night away with me.
Result: She gave me 2 choices, either she goes to the function tonight and skip her ballet lesson (which she has an upcoming performance to do), or, she goes to her ballet lesson and skip tonight. Tough choice, obviously I'm a good mom and discipline is numero uno. So, I'm left without a partner again. Who says it's easier to have a little girl than a little boy?
2. called my BFF in town and ask how she likes to have free dinner on me. She can drag her husband along therefore giving her the freedom to come and go as they like (I thought what's the point of calling her if this is the option she's taking, silly me, I'd still be left without a partner).
Result: She's probably a sweetie and doesn't want to make me feel bad in the end by coming with her husband and leaving me yet alone in the middle of the function because it was getting too late. So, I'm left without a partner yet again.
3. took a deep breath and start thinking that I've been to a lot of functions alone since I've became a single mom. Certainly beats having to carry a sleepy girl all the way to the car park. Beats having to try to have a conversation the whole night with whoever I came with. And most of all, it beats having a lifetime of headache from a lifetime partner.
So, is there really a downside to being single? I think not, hey, if I win that major prize tonight at the function, at least I'll be anonymous enough not to share it with anyone. Ha ha ha. What a lie, I know what I'd do first thing first. But it'll also be anonymous. ; )
Monday, 3 October 2011
A Parenthesis
LOYALTY in question.
A break from the "real life"?
What is the "real life" and what is the parenthesis?
How loyal are we to each?
For some, the parenthesis is their real life.
Jet setting from one airport lounge to another, coming back to an empty apartment, staying for less than a day, before settling in again yet in another airport lounge. They'd be lucky if they get 48 hours in where they call "home".
The warmth they get is from the free blanket on the plane.
For others, they'd be lucky to jet out of their real life once a year.
They're always wishing there's more than 24 hours in a day because they feel they could've done a better job dressing their sick mother by just spending a little bit more time putting her make up on, or because they just feel that they could've stayed a while when their daughter asked them to sit and chat over afternoon tea. There's hardly enough time to groom themselves.
So many people in their life, wanting a piece of them. Any kind of break would be savoured to the last bits. Even when that parenthesis would jeopardise their sacred-est vow.
So, what do you think is the parenthesis for English rugby captain Mike Tindall?
Read here and judge for yourself.
A break from the "real life"?
What is the "real life" and what is the parenthesis?
How loyal are we to each?
For some, the parenthesis is their real life.
Jet setting from one airport lounge to another, coming back to an empty apartment, staying for less than a day, before settling in again yet in another airport lounge. They'd be lucky if they get 48 hours in where they call "home".
The warmth they get is from the free blanket on the plane.
For others, they'd be lucky to jet out of their real life once a year.
They're always wishing there's more than 24 hours in a day because they feel they could've done a better job dressing their sick mother by just spending a little bit more time putting her make up on, or because they just feel that they could've stayed a while when their daughter asked them to sit and chat over afternoon tea. There's hardly enough time to groom themselves.
So many people in their life, wanting a piece of them. Any kind of break would be savoured to the last bits. Even when that parenthesis would jeopardise their sacred-est vow.
So, what do you think is the parenthesis for English rugby captain Mike Tindall?
Read here and judge for yourself.
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| In the land of the long white clouds... |
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| the once was bright blue sky and sunshine... |
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| had just turned overcast and gloomy |
Friday, 23 September 2011
Art Class
Inside the art class, the drawing looks consistently different from......
outside class......hmmmmm. Also the size of the drawings gets smaller and smaller. Is she testing my eyesight?
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| "Hide and Seek under the Moonlit Sky" |
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| "PPG" (Power Puff Girls) |
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| "Thumbelina" |
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| "Baby Thumbelina"??? |
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| "PPG@the background" |
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| "Key Rings" |
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| "Mommy and the Key Ring" |
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| "Me Dancing" |
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| "Me Putting on Boots" I'm going to need reading glasses soon with these minuscule drawings.... |
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011 fever!!!
I'm not a huge fan of any kind of sport involving sweaty men. This time however, I educated myself through Wiki and I was sucked right inside the RWC fever. It's happening at home and it unites everyone more than ever. Even when I'm far away from home, I felt the excitement as I watched the highlights of the opening ceremony & match online.
For the fans in NZ, there is "FANZONE". Nice place to take a long Saturday morning stroll.
An education on the scrummies / WAGS here. Anyone spotted a royal yet? I wonder...Auckland is pretty small.
For the fans in NZ, there is "FANZONE". Nice place to take a long Saturday morning stroll.
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