glad no more dealing with them

Some annoying things some parents did or didn't do that really get on my nerves.

1) Honking outside the school. Two of the mothers almost never get down from their cars or walk the children into the school. They always honk outside and expect the teacher to bring the child inside or bring him to the car. Gentle reminder didn't work!

2) Yelling/wailing in the classroom. I do not allow the parents to go inside the classroom before the class ended so not to disturb the concentrating children. One mother would just ignored this rule and when she came earlier she would walk right into the classroom and start yelling at her child.

3) I don't expect the parents to do any teaching as I do believe family should do family things together as a family, and let the school do the school. They wanted to see results, yet told you they don't have time to listen to a child who brings home a story book once in a blue moon, to show mummy daddy she can read.

4) Need a few reminders before paying fees, you thought cash must be tight, but then you see they drive a bigger and newer car, buy all sorts of fancy toys for the children, you know finances may not be THE problem.

I am glad that I no longer have to deal with this bunch of nonsenses. I realised that it's how I market my school that attract this kind of parents. I didn't charge an exorbitant fee that people associated with quality! Which make people think they do not get the same quality and thus make people behave in perculiar ways. I know the same mother won't insist entering the classroom and yell at her child at another school, because she saw tons of written work given and she is happy with the "high standard" of the worksheets. One thing I learn, sad to say, if you wanna attract quality parents, you got to charge higher!

Slow Teachers

In the past two years, I learnt that children who can't read are not necessarily "slow" as they often get labeled at. In fact, most of them are very bright, the teachers who failed to see THAT are the ones should be called "slow learners"!

Teachers like to gather at the staff room complaining about these children who are lagged behind and conclude that they are "stupid". I often felt like telling them, why don't you get an education about your subject - how your students learn before you put every blame on this poor children.

Maybe some of the children have not shown a history of intelligent acts, but if you pay close attention and observe, you will realise that they are very fast learners for things that interest them i.e. games and toys. They may take 10 hours to learn the 10 words that teacher assigned for spelling test, but they remember names of all the Pokemon without much effort! And, how can you call this children anything other than brilliant!!

The white elephant

Do you know of someone who owns a set of home fitness equipment but never use it? I have a few friends who bought a set of fitness equipment that end up as white elephant at the corner of their living halls or ended up in their store rooms.

They may start with all enthusiasm about the plan to get healthy and the convenience of having the fitness equipment at home, which they could exercise whenever they like. However, they forgot to factor in the fact that they are very sociable people, they do not like to be alone, and could not stand the solitude of walking on the treadmill and exercising all by themselves. :-)

Forgot this and that

I am so preoccupied with paid posts today I forgot to do a few things. I forgot to put the leftover lunch into the refrigerator and just saw it on the table a minute ago! I forgot to unload the washing machine and just found out I have not hang the clothes out in the sun this evening!

Rushing out to help Moley this morning and spent whole morning at the hospital did put me in a tight schedule whole day. It's unfortunate that I have let all the paid posts expired and the $$$ flew away. But, being able to help a friend in need and being there for her do make me feel good.

Me such a procrstinator, should learn not to leave things until the last minute. But, have been so tired last few nights, don't have energy to stay late to blog, by the time I finished dinner and read the day's newspaper, already so exhausted, just went straight to bed last few nights.

Can't finished all the assignments

I couldn't work at all the pending assignments this morning due to the unexpected event, my friend called me to help her as she was admitted to the hospital for second degree burn. Now got to rush off to teach a class at Tzu Chi Centre, so very likely this assignments are going to expire by the time I come back tonight. What to do? I hope I don't get blacklisted for not completing reserved assignments.:-)

My sister's first job

Though the job market was not fantastic, my sister didn't have to spend a lot of time in job search after her graduation. Her first job was with a recruitment company. She was always working late and busy with recruitment exhibition projects. She dealed a lot with many MNCs to help them with the recruitment. It's definitely not an easy job, it requires a lot of communication and humanly touch.

Since it is so crucial for recruiters to maintain a good standard and build a good reputation in the recruitment field, the staffs felt a lot of pressure working until tight schedules. Though it was a job that she didn't enjoy too much, but the experience was a great exposure for her and she got to widen her verizon through this job.

Preschool teachers need to be trained

MW is an 8 years old boy in the SWR class I am teaching in Tzu Chi Centre. He has shown some dyslexic tendencies during the class and it was rather obvious to me that he has some learning difficulties. I asked to meet his mother since two weeks ago, but the boy disappeared too fast after the class and never remember to tell his mother that I wanted to talk to her.

This evening, I finally got to meet MW's mother. She confirmed everything I suspected. His mother is very open to ideas to help her son, and according to her, she has another son that has shown the same traits. She is not very educated, works as a hairdresser, but she is very observant of her children, she shared with me how she suspected her children have vision problem and went to an eye specialist for check up, and how she used to keep her son's writings that shown a lot of reversals to different people, so that she could find out why and how she could help him.

She is a deligent mum who tried very hard to help her children, but she didn't have much help from these people who called themselves educators. It's very sad actually, she sent her son to a so called "Montessori" school for 3 years, he didn't even know A-Z after the three years, and the school doesn't even do practical life and sensorial, I wonder what do they do?

WM was in the "Montessori" school from 2.5 to 5 and another preschool at 6, it's so sad that even after years of schoolings that do not producing any learning, not even one educator noticed or identified his problem. WM is not a slower learner, he just learn differently! Though this children usually have above average IQ, it's so sad that they are just being wasted away by ignorant preschool teachers and close minded parents.

Moley is fine

I stop by the hospital just now to see how my friend is doing. She is resting, and the doctor had burst the blisters and gave her some painkiller, so she is not in pain. Her hubby had rushed down from KL, so she would be fine.
The doctor happened to be someone I know in the church, he is a very kind and patience person. It's good to see that he is the same kind and patience person at work, not just in the church.;-)

Have you used NOD32 products?

Since we always leave the computer on and stay online almost 24/7, security is a major concern. We do need good antivirus program that does the job.

The antivirus program that came with the desktop purchase two years ago is going to expire soon, we haven't decide whether to just renew the subscription or get a new software.

What do you think of NOD32 ? Someone told me he found the most comprehensive Security Software that does everything in each threat category including Anti Virus, Anti Spyware, Exploits, and Firewalls with them. He also mentioned they have outstanding customer support and are affordable for consumers and small to mid-sized businesses. Do you have any experience using their products?

Second degree burn

This morning, the phone rang at 7.00 a.m before the alarm, I got a call from Moley, my ex-colleague. She was crying in pain on the phone, asked me to rush over to drive her to emergency room. She just had an accident, pouring a whole bucket of hot water on her hands.

Since I was in my pajamas, I quickly get changed and drive out, when I got out of the door, I quickly called to see how she was. She told me her neighbor is driving her to the emergency. So, I went straight to the hospital, which is just opposite her apartment.

Both her hands, from the finger tips to the elbows, were full of blisters, the nurses applied some cooling cream on her hands after running the cold water through her hands for about 5 minutes. She was screaming like hell. Then, the doctor came, gave her an injection of painkiller, after about half an hour, the painkiller kicked in and she stopped her wailing. I stayed there till about 1.00 a.m, until I settled her admission to the ward and called her company to fax letter of guaranteed payment to the hospital. It was quite an experience, I must say.

How about learning centre for children with LD

As I am folding up the preschool, I should be more free starting from next week, until the new project is confirmed and/or I get to sell off the current setup. I am thinking of putting up another ads in the classified.

With all these children with learning difficulties that I kept bumping into, I have thought of starting a learning centre specialised in this group of children. But, it would mean a little bit of re-marketing, and probably need to charge more than what I am charging now, as these children usually need individual attention.

From banker to beautician

My friend PL has a teaching degree, but she never teaches for a day. She currently works in the bank. However, what she really wants to do is to be a trained beautician. She is saving up to get the training she needs.

Finally, after six years of working in the bank and pinching every penny, she has saved up enough money. Early this year, she checked out all the beauty schools and enrolled herself in the cosmetology courses. She is still working in the bank and goes to school in the evening. She plans to quit her job in the bank once she lands herself a job in the beauty line.

A question that I don't have answer

Today, I bumped into Ivan, one of DH's friends. He asked when is he coming back here. Honestly, I am equally blurr. That's a question that I don't have the answer.

I have given up asking when. Plan and schedule apparently are not found in some dictionaries and have different cannotations in some other dictionaries. One thing I am pretty sure is a plan is not a plan when the dates keep shifting.

Snippets

I don't know why my throat is still feeling scratchy, looks like this strep throat just wouldn't go away. After whole day of running around and talking so much, it seems to get worst.

Have been wanting to blog about the Independent Day on the other blog, but looks like won't have energy to do it after such a busy day! Happy Merdeka Day to my fellow Malaysians! May you have a relaxing weekend!

Thank goodness tomorrow is a resting day for me, will be going to parents' place and stay for lunch and dinner, hallelujah !!

Online store for Radiators

I found Radiator.com, an online source of automotive radiators. The online store maintains an inventory of over 80,000 parts of Honda motor vehicles. It keeps a full stock of Accura and Honda radiators.

My brother drives a Honda Civic, though his car is still very new and the radiator is unlikely to break down anytime soon. I must let him know that he can get order the original Civic Radiator directly from a distributor with a greta price that comes with no hassle lifetime warranty on parts and labor.

In fact you can find informative articles on radiators and cooling systems on the site too. In addition to that, those who do not wish to install their own radiator can use the site to connect with a certified installation center in their vicinity.

Photo blankets for a two years old

My friend's baby whom I help to babysit occasionally is going to turn two next month, I have been thinking about what to get him for his second birthday. I definitely don't like the idea of buying him those rattling noisy plastic toys. Have been toying with the idea of sewing him a quilted blanket or a knitted Afghan since two days ago, but was afraid I may not complete it before his birthday.

When I saw these photo blankets and picture Afghans, forget about sewing or knitting one, I told myself. Isn't technology just great? You can actually dyed your your favorite photo or digital picture into the blanket fabric with the newest production method! Apparently, this technique is gentle with the fabric texture, the blankets will feel and wash just like the clothes we wear daily.

Why buy used cars?

New car is a luxury item, people should not be buying a new car unless they're filthy rich. There are alternatives to buying new. Used Cars dealers are overflowing with millions of used cars, you can save money by buying a used car because of depreciation. Used cars have already depreciated 40-50% in the first 5 years. Buying used allows the person who bought the car when it was new to eat the cost of the depreciation. Then the person who buys the car used can get a great car for much less than the new wholesale prices.

If you want to know what Used Cars are selling for these days, look online, call some of the banks in your area and ask them how they dispose of their repossessions. If they have a repo auction in your area, this is a great way to find good deals. But the best deals you can find are usually from individuals because they are trying to get rid of their vehicles. Look in your area papers and find what's for sale.

Vacation in Orlando

No wonder the Disney World in Orlando is such as hot spot for vacation, where in the world you can have this many theme parks at one place and beaches within a short driving distance? There are endless accommodation choices when you are in Orlando, from resorts to vacation homes, hotels to Orlando Villas. Not only that, there are so many top rated golf courses within a driving distance anyhwere you choose to stay and Orlando is also home for the second largest convention centre in the world

Though Disney World is the biggest draw, but Orlando offers more than Disney. If you have not been to Orlando in the past 3-5 years, the chances are it's no longer the same as Orlando is ever changing, you may want to go back to visit.

Liars

I have problem with people who don't keep their words. I hate being habitually lied to and have hard time forgetting and/or forgiving the perpetrator. I don't understand why would people say one thing and expect people to forget about it because they aren't going to do what they say? Or better still, just tell the other person that she misunderstood it or heard it wrong!

But, don't they know though words said might not be recorded, written words don't just evaporated in the air, it screamed back and boldly told "LIAR"! Is truthfulness too much to ask for ? Are promises mean nothing to this people?

The master plan

I went to check out the building that housed Jo's non-profit organization. They were a couple children there for after school care and two volunteers handling them. It's a huge building, currently only two out of the four floors are being used.

The building may not be suitable to use for preschoolers and logistically may not be viable too. So, Jo is talking about praying for a bungalow or semi-D in the same area through a well-wisher. She told me that when they started the ministry for single parents and elderly, she didn't expect a donated four storey building too, so we must trust that we have a god who provides.

I certainly do not plan all this, but things are leading to a direction that can mean a lot of implications to my own life, from for profit to non-profit, from a business to a community outreach. I am open to all this opportunities that present themselves and would gladly take up the challenge as long as god's willing. Actually, I am surprised that the potential financial setback didn't bother me at all, I felt so much peace and assurance that it's a tiny part in the master's plan.

What do you think of Las Vegas?

What conjures up in your mind when Las Vegas comes up? I think most people just think of it as a sin city, city of entertainment and a city that never sleeps.

I have never been to Las Vegas though DH used to live there for two years before we met. He had a good time there and live quite close to Rio Las Vegas, but it's not a city that we would consider living nor raising a family. But, I do not mind visiting the place as a tourist, enjoy the best of the entertainment of the world.

First Impression Counts

Was in Baltimore few years ago, was stranded at the bus station on the way to visit a friend in PA on the eve of Thanskgiving. Being new in America, I didn't realise that the traffics would be that bad. The Greyhound I took was caught in the traffics on the freeway for hours and needless to say: I missed the connecting bus. It was 10.00 p.m at night and the experience I had at the bus sttaion was not the most pleasant one. To me, the impression of Baltimore is always based on the experience of that night and it wasn't a good one. I would not even think of living there or buying a piece of Baltimore Real Estate.

The Montessori schools in names

Link to youtube

I would say 99.9% of preschools who called themselves "Montessori" in Malaysia and Singapore are like the Yip's Montessori and Music School featured in this program.(I wanted to say 100%, but just give 0.01% for the benefit of doubt.)

Sad to see parents who don't know much about Montessori, are paying ridiculous high fees to get nothing close to a Montessori education. Personally, I wouldn't buy into the justification that Montessori is not sufficient as the schools often claimed.They are not adjusting or adapting the curriculum to the local needs and conditions, they are changing the fundamental things about Montessori, which they should not called the schools Montessori in the first place.

Managing your personal finance

With so many people couldn't even balance their checkbooks, are you even surprise that Personal finance is a phrase that generates worse reaction in most people other than the word bankruptcy?

Having a financial plan is important, but having tools that help you to execute and keep track of the plan is even more crucial. Financial software like Quicken Premier not just saves you time, money and sanity by taking care of the details, instead of having to worry about the state of your finances.

It also allows you to creates graphs and reports to determine how your money is spent, instead of wondering where it goes. On top of that, you can use it to pay bills online, manage your 401k portfolios, transfer your financial and tax data to your tax return and a bunch of other
cool functions.

How I lost all of them

This last month, I lost my students simply by telling the parents:

1) Please pick up your children at the time we agreed and you paid for.
One girl stopped the following week. Her mother had paid till 1.00 p.m for the past 18 months but only pick her up at 5.00p.m everyday. She has two months outstanding fees that I don't think she is planning to pay.

2) Please arrive on time between 8.30-9.00 a.m.
One mother who was often late for pick up(often more than 1/2 hour-1 hours) and arrived late every day (after 10.30 a.m at least 2-3 times a week) decided to stop her girl.

Another mother who often claimed that it's too troublesome for her to drive home and come out again, so she dropped her children at the school on her way to get grocery, sometime as early as 7.15 a.m.

3) Teacher needs a short break.
Though there is a calendar and it's stated in the enrolment pack that we would have 2 short breaks and a longer break at the end of the year. A busy mom who helps out with her husband's business and a top performer insurance agent was very upset with that and thought it was such an inconvinience for her to have a sick child at home. She decided to stop her child this week.

None of them care to inform their withdrawls, though I should return part of the deposits if they care to withdraw formally.

Time to think of Christmas gift ideas

It seems like 2007 just began yesterday and hardly even notice two third of the year has passed us by. Time really flies!! That also means it will be Christmas before we know it. So we better come up with some christmas gift idea while it is still early.

Every year I told myself that I shouldn't rush like mad to get all the Christmas gifts, but always ended up doing last minute shoppings. Maybe time for a change? Stress-free Christmas, please. :-)

Stealing time

My whole day is breaking into tiny slots, I can't really afford to sit down in front of PC for hours. What I did was stealing 20-30 minutes here and there from 12-6p.m to blog. In between, I cook simple lunch and dinner, do laundry, clean the house, make materials, babysit my friend's son (occasionally), take a nap, pay bills, print receipts and read a little.

I wouldn't be doing much tutoring starting from next month and is planning to end the preschool to move on to something else. It will be still Montessori and preschoolers, but not in the form of a daycare. It may be playgroup/parent-child group.

Actually, have enough things to keep me occupied even without the preschool and tutoring. The SWR classes are still going strong, the two classes at Tzu Chi centre will keep me busy 2 nights a week for another two months. May even get an extra class spin-off from the volunteering because some of them have approached me for private tutoring after the classes at Tzu Chi.

Missed the opps I really want

Saw an opp about homeschooling just now, I really wanted to grab it, but alas the slow internet, by the time the page loaded and submitted the CAPTCHA, got the dragged message "All of the available posts for that opportunity have already been taken" instead.

Education and homeschooling are something I deem closer to my heart, would gladly write about them or help to promote the sites.

Drug addiction is a complex issue

Many of us have known at least one person in our lives who was or still is a chronic drug users with relapses after relapses. In my family, we have a cousin who was a heroine user for years, he was going in and out of drug rehab centres for many times. Even in the face of severe consequences to his personal relationships, career, marriage and finances, he continued to return to his compulsive craving. Not until he found a drug rehab that deal with the deeper roots of his addiction problem, helped him to change his destructive behaviors, taught him strategies to avoid relapse, and finally he succeed in removing himself from a life of substance abuse and addiction. So we learnt that drug addiction is complex, it's more than just physical craving, it plays into a person's mind, but it's not impossible to be restored or rehabilitated.

Though most drug treatment programs have the immediate goals of reducing drug abuse and improve functionality of an addict, the drug treatments should also aim to gain lasting abstinence. Looking at the long term success rates and the relapses of some drug rehab treatments, it's not difficult to tell not all drug treatments are created equal. It's also detrimental to the confidence of a person who has been a chronic drug user with relapses after long periods of abstinence and this leads him to feel he will remain a slave to drugs forever.

Recovery from drug addiction is a long-term process and frequently requires multiple episodes of treatment. In fact, no single treatment is appropriate for all individuals. In fact most effective treatments attend to multiple needs of the individual, not just his or her drug addiction. Research had shown that remaining in treatment for an adequate period of time is critical for treatment effectiveness so as counseling and other behavioral therapies are critically important. Thus, only through drug treatment that tailored to individual needs and deal with the long term effect and nature of addiction can help people with drug addiction to recover and lead productive lives.

Addiction problem that go untreated can bring great lost and significant grievances to families and communities. A community plagued with drug abuse problem almost always translated into higher crime and unemployment rates. It affects everyone of us because our tax money get diverted to those related to enforcement of crimes, prison expenses, health care utilization, foster care and welfare costs, instead of upgrading the health care and educational facilities.

The journey of recovery from drug addiction can be a long and winding road, family and friend's support during the course of drug intervention program does make a vast difference. If you have a friend or relative who needs such help, do check out the links. Even if you don't need it right now, it's always good to learn more, isn't it?

Lifeline for women in crisis

Talked to my friend Jo yesterday, she told me about the Lifeline that the non profit organization just setup to help women in crisis or unplanned pregnancy situation.

I was rather shocked to hear that the small town we live is famous as a cheap place to get abortions and thousands of unborn babies are killed with the help of private doctors. Jo believes that many of the young women need assistance in such traumatic situations in a caring, sensitive and confidential manner.

The Lifeline provides direct assistance and indirect referral services that can empower one to make her own informed decision. The service also provides a resource for mothers to put the "unwanted" babies up for adoption instead of choosing abortion or abandoning these precious lives. Ongoing support would be also offered during the woman's pregnancy, the birth and for as long as she wishes after delivery. Counseling service is also being developed for women who have previously given their babies for adoption and are still experience unresolved grief and emotional trauma.

Memory Walk

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people. Although symptoms can vary, the first sign usually is the loss of memory and other intellectual abilities. The forgetfulness may get severe enough to interfere with daily life. Currently, there is no cure available for Alzheimer's disease. However, treatments for symptoms, combined with the right support, can help millions of people who suffered from Alzheimer's disease to live a more dignified and fulfilling life.

The Alzheimer's Association in July 2006 had awarded about $21 million in research grants to 96 projects. As the populations aging fast, there is an urgent need to find better ways to treat the disease, delay its onset, or to prevent it from developing. The Alzheimer's Association had organized various campaigns, conferences and training programs to equip health care providers and direct care workers in assisted living and nursing homes, so that they may provide quality care for Alzheimer's patients.

One of the largest fundraizing event organized by the Alzheimer's Association since 1989 is the Memory Walk. The event is carried out to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer care, support and research. It's a nationwide event that held in hundred of communities across the country. The event needs volunteers of all ages to join in the cause to fight against Alzheimer's. In the past 18 years of Memory Walk, more than $225 million was raised.

Currently, the organiser is calling for Team captains to sign up! If you are interested to sign up as Team Captains, you do need to sign up early to ensure you have enough time to recruit a team and raise funds for the cause!

teachers can't do parenting for you

I am running a preschool, I am supposed to use my professional knowledge to help children to learn, to explore and to build good habits, but I can't do that without parenting support. I can't be the surrogate mother to this children who desperately want their parents' attentions. They are good children, they don't misbehave in school, but they often would do that at home to get their parents to spend time with them.

I was never intended to get into a daycare situation where parents can just dumb their kids at the centre and expect miracles happened. Today, a girl didn't show up. My sixth sense told me that she is going to stop coming. I could tell that her mother was not happy the centre was closed for one week break (though it was stated in the enrolment pack) which inconvenient her.

The said mother called me last Monday and asked me why her daughter's friend's school is not closed. I didn't know what to say except told her that it's stated in the enrolment pack when the school would be closed. I know they are schools who are willing to open 365 days round the year to stay competitive, but not us, unfortunately.

Shape up or ship out

Found out yesterday that DH had spent a few hundred dollars buying comic books, figurines, hot wheels on Ebay over the last two months. Rather upset with that, we are supposed to save money. The way he kept splurging on his hobbies, I doubt he would ever have enough money to make any plans.

Maybe I should learn hypnosis, use it to shape DH up. I heard that it's a powerful tool to transform a person! Maybe it will get him to behave like an adult should. I don't know what else and how else to say, life needs a little perspective and being childish is certainly not going to go very far with our current situation. BTW, if you are facing the similar situation, you may wanna check out the link, seriously.

Blogger new video feature

I just noticed that Blogger came out with a new feature, we can insert a video easily, with a click now! No longer have to upload to Youtube and try to embed it. I have some short videos taken with the digital cameras sometime ago, but never go around learning how to embed it. Got to try this new feature out this days.

Sew or Buy

The curtain tracks are already installed in the spare bedroom since two weeks ago, but due to the flu and the strep throat, haven't been able to sew up the tab top curtains this week. Should I just purchase the ready-made ones?

Alas, it takes time to go to the store to find the right one. Some more I have already bought the materials, what a waste to just let it sit there! Like Anna said about her busyness with the new house, just have to move together with the pillars and the cloud like the Isralites, one thing at a time!:-)

Doors suddenly open

Anna talked to me after the bible study meeting tonite, she asked me whether I would be able to help out at the homeschooling group for 2-3 days a week. Two of her children are in the homeschooling group and they are looking for teacher for the new school year right now.

It seems like doors are suddenly opened to many possibilities, I just pray that I am able to sell the current learning centre as quickly and move on to do something else.

Trip to used furniture store

I was at the used furniture store just now looking for an extra shelf for the materials and an office table. There was none available.

The owner of the shop (whom I know quite well since I used to frequent the store and bought all the shelves in his store one time) told me he is getting a new batch of used contemporary office furniture, asked me to check back in a week.

I like to shop at the used furniture stores, not just you can good bargains and good values for your money, it's an addictive treasure hunt ! Sometime, you can find really nice pieces for a steal!

Smoky Mountain

The summer is almost over and the kids are getting ready to get back to school. Have you taken time to go for a vacation as a family? Have you gone for a camping trip with the children? Come on, your children deserved good memory of their summertime, work can always wait!

Have you been to the Smoky Mountain in Tenessee? You may want to check out this inexpensive Pigeon Forge vacation rentals ! What beautiful log cabins, you get a large cabin with an amazing floor to ceiling stone stacked fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen with everything you need to cook a full dinner or just to heat a snack. You can also cook out for lunch on the gas grill or…you can unwind that evening watching the sunset!

Buying Concert Tickets Online

For the regular concert goers, nothing compares the experience of seeing your faourite singer or band live in concert. You definitely do not want to miss the hot concert tickets for hot events!

Ticket Solutions has tickets to all the hottest concerts, it doesn't matter your mood or taste,be it Country, R&B, Pop, Metal, Rock, Alternative, Rap, Hip-Hop, and Punk. They can even get you sold-out concert tickets to any artist you choose!

Purchase concert tickets online hasn't been any easier, you just have to search for an artist and click on the link to make your ticket reservation or you may call a Ticket Solutions customer service representative at 800-477-5285.

Velvet is the brand

One of my current favourite is Velvet, preferably those that are made of cotton blend with lycra. Since I bought my first piece of Velvet clothing, a gorgeous purple three quarter sleeved v necked top with a brooch in the middle two years ago. Since then, I have been hooked with velvet apparel. It can be simple yet trendy, Velvet pieces are elegantly wearable, flattering, fitting, comfortable and super soft. They feel absolutely divine!

Unfortunately for us, even though Velvet clothes can be found in almost any department stores, there is precious little of it found online (Needless to say I've spent many hours typing 'velvet fashion' to look it up). But I did find a collection of Velvet clothing from http://www.tobi.com/

They are perfect for effortless chic look, aren't they? These are the definition of simple yet stylish. Seriously, it may not look to interesting to you, but it feels and looks fabulous on person. So go out and try it on for yourselves

The draping Lucy top from Velvet has a relaxed hem that swings in the breeze, so it’s perfect as the outer layer for fall. The deep scoopneck is a supersexy style that would look great layered over your favorite bright tee. Done in my favourite Velvet’s stretch-fit cotton-lycra blend, the soft Lucy top hugs curves and feels great. You can anytime wear it over jeans for a no-fuss style that look hot in a matter of minutes!

The simple scoop neck can be that light everyday basic that adds color to a lazy day outfit. Thin cotton blend is signature Velvet, and shirred neckline adds texture. Cap sleeves match the scoop neck to make this top perfect for sun worshipers. Wear with jeans and you’ve got a hot look that’s ready at a moment’s notice.

Finally we are meeting up

After almost 3 months of trying to meet up and a few cancelled apppintments, three of us - Jo, WN and I finally are able to meet up for a brain storming sessions tomorrow. I am sure each one of us has ideas of what constitute learning and how it can be cultivate in children. This is our first meeting to see whether we can work out something/start a playgroup/learning cooperative/parent-child group.

Jo is a Stay-at-home mom, but her youngest son is already 13. She started a non-profit organization, the organization had kept her busy for the past six months. They just started a senior citizen group, a single mom meet and an after school care for children of single parents. Jo is very well-organised, articulate and rather well-connected due to her advertising background, circles of BBGS Old Girls and her optometrist husband.

WN is trained in accounting, previously worked as an auditor, currently work as a tutor in the university. She has two young girls 3 and 5 years old. She is dying to get out of the university so that she can spend more time with her girls. She is actually talking about getting a masters in early childhood.

Mom's mix-up

Over the weekend, my mother told me to reserve my 3rd September free so that we can go attend my youngest brother's university graduation. Today, as I took a glance at the calendar, I realised that 3rd September is a Monday, that's very unusual and uncustomary for the university (which also happened to be my Alma Mater) to have the convocation on a Monday.

So I thought I better find out from the horse's mouth, I called up my brother and asked him, it turned out that my mother mixed up the date of the starting of the convocation carnival and the actual graduation ceremony itself. It's actually on a Saturday, 8th September to be exact.

Anyway, we ended up talking on the phone quite a bit about his plan and other stuffs. My youngest brother and I are the so called "black sheep" in my family. We don't always follow the well tracked paths, and sometime that could mean taking a lot of detours that ended up no where. Well, sometime it also could mean a more interesting journey, it's all in one's perspectives. Not that I don't remember my mother had told me long time ago to stop influencing my little brother with weird ideas.:-)

A Restful Week

Have been sick for the past one week, sore throat, aching body, just felt so fatigue, no energy to do anything. Have been resting on the couch, drinking lots of water and going toilet every half an hour for the past four days. It's sad, the one week break that I am so looking forward to is going to an end, have not even touched one thing that I planned to do.

I know it's impossible to plan for a getaway to stay in one of those Hawaii home rentals for a short break of one week. But, I don't plan to get recuperate from sickness for one whole week !!Maybe god knows me better, if I were not sick, I would not be resting, I would be working to get the backlogs cleared!! Only being sick had forced me to have a restful week.

It just showed that we human only can make plans, but don't have the power to make things happen.:-)

A near escape

Yesterday, it was drizzling when I came out from the grocery store. When I turned out from the parking lot, the left side of the front bumper was knocked by a car trying to avoid a collision. It was my fault, I looked right, looked left and didn't notice a car coming fast from the right. The driver of the Land Cruiser was kind enough to get down and asked me whether I was ok instead of showing me his middle finger.:-)

It was a near escape, if he didn't swirl his steering fast enough, the Land Cruiser would have hit right on the side where the driver sat. The left corner of the front bumper of my car is broken and one of the rims of the Land Cruiser got a bit dented. I offered to pay to get it fixed, he got my phone number and said he would give me a call after he got an estimate from the workshop.

This morning the he called to tell me that it didn't cost much to fix it, so I don't have to pay him. Thank god for the kind gentleman. I still have to get my bumper fixed, hopefully can do it tomorrow before the one week break ends.

Sore throat is still bad

My sore throat is still pretty bad, it's painful to swallow anything, even just liquid. I tried to drink a lot of water, honey and lemon juice to sooth it yesterday. It got better yesterday afternoon, I thought it's recovering. But again woke up this morning feeling really dry and painful.

I didn't go to a a doctor, I knew there is a virus going around that caused strep throat. Seeing a doctor means getting antibiotic that I don't like to take. I would just let my body immune system to fight it off. This usually mean lots of rest, drink lots of liquid and it will take longer to get well. And, while that happens, you will hear me whining in the blog about my sore throat.!!:-)

My way to relax

I love rattan and wood furniture in its natural finish, it's simple elegant and is in line with the kind of mimimal look I prefer.

The rattan/wicker chair with footstool like the one pictured is from Century furniture. I love to read, there is nothing more relaxing than sitting on a comfortable chair in the sun room, putting my legs up, with a good book on my hands during the weekends.

This set has removable upholstery that you can take off to wash and change. In fact, I prefer a pale floral designs that is a little more summerly than the stripes in the picture. I may just dig into my fabric stash to sew a new clothes for the chair and stool.

Well, Other people may have different ways to unwind and relax. DH for one prefers to relax in front of the idiot box with a movie or a ball game. What he will love is a comfortable sofa in front of a home theater system!

Robbery in the neighborhood

This morning when I passed by the neighborhood cafe and saw a few police officers and a small crowd gathering inside the restaurant. As busybody might do, I went in and asked the mother of the restaurant owner what happened. She told me that they were robbed in the wee hours this morning.

The robbers took a few thousand cash, some jewelry and drove away in a van belonged to the restaurant's owner, Mr T. He uses the van to deliver orders for his food catering business. I remembered the van, it's a rather old Nissan C-20, and Mr. T had recently spent some good money installing a van rack on it. Hopefully the robbers will abandon the van after they got away, Mr. T does need the van to run the catering business.

What biology has to do with banking?

My youngest brother who is going to graduate in September just finished a bachelor degree in Genetics and Biochemistry.

In fact he is the only one among my five siblings who is interested in biological science. The rest of us were more inclined with physical sciences and math. He liked insects and plants since young and liked to enlighten us about HPLC, Mass Spec Analysis, peptide synthesis, Acid Amino Sequencing and such jargon we noobs don't have a clue.

We thought he wanted to pursue a higher degree or continue to do research work. But, he surprised us when he found a job with the bank after completing his final year dissertation. Maybe he is tired of loneliness of working in the laboratory. Weird brother!

Brother's convocation

My baby brother finished his bachelor degree in April and have started working. His convocation is coming up in first week of September, we are going to attend his graduation ceremony.

He is the last of five siblings to go through college and my parents are obviously very happy they have done their duty - provide us opportunities for education!!

It's not an easy task for my parents to provide five kids' college education especially they are just farmers. I am thankful that they planned well and saved for our education that we do not have to make our future hostage to student loans. Unlike us, DH had to take up a student loan to pursue his education and ended up with student loans that he still keep till today as though it's a pet.

Prospect or pervert?

I put up an ads in the local newspaper to sell the tutoring centre 2-3 months ago, yesterday got a call from a man. I was taken aback when the first thing he wanted to know was the address of the centre.

He sounded very suspicious for a couple of reasons:
1) He didn't identify himself and didn't even ask for my name.
2) Is there anyone would dig out old newspaper to look for business to buy? (The ads is 2-3 months old!)
3) His primary focus was "Where are you? I am coming to see you!"

A little red flag raised and got a little cautious, so I told him the general area and asked him to give me a call when he reached the KFC nearby. I would go meet him there and decide whether I should show him the centre. He didn't call back, so I assumed he is one of those perverts who look for phone numbers in the classifieds to play pranks.

Actually, it's quite safe to let him come in the daytime, the centre is not isolated and our Indian neighbor who runs catering and wedding services is always busy with many workers loading and unloading goods outside there. These Indian migrant workers are nice people, they always look out for me. If anything happens, I can just shout and they will come look for me. But, I am hesitated to give out the address because you never knows what time this man will show up, if he shows up in the evening when the neighbors are home, it can be dangerous.

Memorable Summer on a Farm in Connecticut

We visited our friend, Heidi and John on their parents' farm in Connecticut in the summer many years ago. One of the things that impressed me a lot was the family tradition of grill and barbecue gathering that attended by all their immediate family members and many extended family members i.e. aunts, cousins, uncles, nephews and nieces.

It was a 3-day event, some stayed on the farm house, some stayed in the motels and many actually pitched tents on the 500 acres farm. It was really like a carnival!

Heidi's parents have an impressive outdoor kitchen with beautiful outdoor kitchen cabinets. John was the designated residence barbecuer for the entire weekend. And I had the most hotdogs in my life for the entire 3 days event.:-)

It's a memorable summer and a fun experience for me!

Western Cedar Mailbox

The mailbox for the school was attached to a piece of wood and nailed onto the wall beside the front door. It fell off and broke when the piece of wood came off as the nails loosen. The mailbox is rather old and rusty, I have thought of replacing it. So now it's just the opportunity to scout for a new mailbox. In this small town, we don't have many choices of mailboxes, the designs are rather conventional and boring.

Don't you think this Western Red Cedar mailbox is just lovely? I think it will lend a natural sense of character and distinction to the school. You can finish the Western Cedar in a wide variety from stains to paints, I would prefer the natural color and maintain the mailbox with a clear finish. I have heard that Western Cedar mailboxes last an long time with the aid of a clear finish, stain or paint. Problem is, how I am going to haul this to the small town we live?

God provides

A friend from our former Church visited us recently and told us some good news. Our former Church has started a prison ministry and there are plans undergoing to setting up a drug rehabilitation centre and a skills training centre for ex-addicts.

A well-wisher donated a huge building for the project, the Church is paying the landlord a nominal $1 monthly rental for the sake of documentation. The committee had also raised enough money in a recent fund raising carnival to start the project. I would say God provided everything needed!

Widescreen LCD monitor

My brother bought a widescreen lcd monitor recently. It's quite an impressive 22" screen. The wide screen gives more elbow room for multitasking and allows simultanneously working with more than one application at a time.

The monitor came with integrated speakers. Since we do not have a LCD television, we actually used it to watch movie the other day. It has quite a remarkable contrast ratio and the colors are rather outstanding.

Gearing up for college

Maybe you're thinking about going back to finish your degree or to get another degree. Maybe you are wondering if it's worth it to start from scratch again. Before you jump right into it or forking out the cash to pay for a classroom education, consider this:

1) Going to college is not necessary for you to exist on this planet. Education is absolutely wonderful and vital, just don't go thinking that a diploma will be your ticket to a successful life!

2) Don't get me wrong. I think education is extremely important, everyone who wants to go to college should. However, it's ridiculous to go into debt in order to get a degree that you will never use. Afterall, it's your desire, attitude, diligence, people skills, and other qualities that determine whether you will be successful at work, not necessarily a degree.

The reasons to pursue an education should be: if a degree in your chosen field will open doors to career opportunities. It's not true in many fields, a degree won't open doors, you got to balance the costs against the financial rewards. Secondly, to improve your life quality through the pursuit of knowledge. If your reason to further education is for personal growth, make sure you go slow and avoid getting into debt to pursue that.

Start with grants and scholarships, which means it would be a great idea if your GPA was higher than average. Good grades are an excellent investment, if you are student in the top 10% of your class, you have better options.

Work part-time if you need the money. You could go to an affordable local college to get your first few years of required classes done. Then transfer to the school of your dreams if you can pay cash. For the sake of your financial well-being, private student loans or federal student loans should be your last resort, to avoid making your future hostage to student loans.

You can also try to find out other alternatives i.e. Internships with commitment to hire after graduation, Private scholarships and grants, Working prior to college admittance and
Working on campus or while in college.

Lovely but...

Do you just love those ornate crystal chandeliers with dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass shapes to illuminate the room in many intricate patterns.

I am always fascinated by the beauty of chandeliers, but I am a practical person when it comes to decorating the house. Though it's lovely to have all the beautiful chandeliers around the house, I know I won't enjoy cleaning them. So, you will find all round lamps with smooth surface that can be easily clean in my house!

Want to get a notebook

We had good experience ordering our desktop from Dell two years ago. We will most probably do it again when buying a notebook. We have recently thought of upgrading the Dell Memory, but decided against it. We changed our mind, decided that we would like to get a laptop instead of upgrading the current desktop.

We are eyeing the Inspiron series, but is hesitating with the current offer of Window Vista Home Edition instead of Window XP. We are afraid of incompatibility issues because we have heard many experienced problems with their existing softwares. We are still waiting and looking!

Safety Utility Knife

I have just cut about ten pieces of 2'x3' mounting boards into 3" x 3" squares and 3"x6" rectangles for pasting blue level pictures and words to match. My next project is to make the same for green level pictures and words. Since I am constantly making materials for the classroom, I decided to invest in a safety utility knife that's ergomical and safe.

I got one of the Martor’s SmartKnife safety cutters. It has a safety spring provides for automatic blade "shoot-back" into the handle in response to any uncontrolled movement - even with thumb on the slider!

No sleep

I am having trouble sleeping, I feel like I’ve barely slept in the last two weeks. I am having trouble sleeping tonight because I had some really severe soreness and pain over whole body especially the joints. After about two hours of trying to go to bed, I ended up getting up, getting downstairs,turning on the PC and started blogging.

It's two clock in the morning, it's so quiet outside. I just squeezed some lemon juice and drank with honey, and this is the third glass I am at. It sooth the throat but it makes me go toilet every half an hour.

I think I am going to make some warm milk and get some sleep.

Falling sick again

Had a flu two weeks ago. Though recovered from it rather quickly still felt fatigue and lack of energy. And this weekend, was unusually tired and sleepy whole weekend,woke up from a nap Sunday afternoon found the throat sore and scratchy. Have not have the energy to update the blogs, that explains the lack of entries recently.:-)

I think it's the result of strep throat because the children in the preschool had it last week. Well, this is the occupational risk of working with children, you are exposed to a lot of bacteria and viral infection!! I am more prone to getting flu/sore throat compare to last time.

The sore throat is bearable, but the body soreness is keeping me awake. The whole body kind of aching, like after carrying tones of boxes. I hope this will get away soon. I hate to get sick when it's holiday break, and it seems like I am getting sick whenever it's time to rest, it happened last school break too!!

Moving is time to renew

Moving can be stressful but can also a great time to renew both inside and out. So as tough as the actual process seems, focus on the opportunity to make broader changes in your life and in the end the packing won’t feel so painful at all. In fact, I am in the midst of packing up the school materials, getting ready to move by the end of the year.

The past experience taught us that loading and unloading boxes can be very strenuous to people with weak backs like hubby and I. So, we would forget about doing it ourselves but hire a mover to do it. Fortunately there are moving companies we can seek help this days. The challenge is to select the right moving Company to trust with moving our belongings.

In fact, you want to find a reliable, reputable and trustworthy mover, not just any Tom, Dick or Harry or one of of those fly by night businesses. It's always good to ask around for recommendations and called a few movers to ask many questions i.e. is the agent certified? Have any complaints files against the company? Does the van line have a formal quality ratings program? If so, what are these scores and can you see them? Is there a third party service provider that will be involved in auto transport? If so, who are they?

Humboldt storage and moving company is based in Boston, but it's not just a Boston Moving Company, indeed they are in the business of packing, storing, moving and unpacking the lives of the whole nation. Their Relocation Consultants and Customer Service Specialists will work with you to plan and coordinate every aspect of your move. First, they will take a complete inventory of your possessions, then accurately estimate the total cost of your move.

It's always good to ask whether the estimate is binding or non-binding. These things can tell you a lot about the company philosophy and how comfortable you'll be in working with them. Think you're getting an ironclad, binding, "not to exceed" contract? Read the fine print. Some companies will have the small print that says it won't exceed that price unless the weight of your belongings is more than the estimate. You want to be guaranteed in writing that this is THE final price - or feel darn comfortable with the weight estimate you were given.

Struggles with children school work

How many of you parents struggle with your school going children daily to complete his/her schoolwork and assignments?

The main problem lies in the concept of "required work which needs to be completed each week/day" - the very notion that is contradictory to the notion of "following the child". Getting a child to learn something or do work that she is not interested in can be done gently or harshly, but either way it is asserting your own will (or that of the school or the state or society or whatever) onto the child. This is not free choice and it is not motivation.

In fact, the complete opposite approach was suggested and supported by Dr. Montessori's own writings or lectures. The child's free choice is important even if the child chooses to avoid these areas completely. You have to drop this idea of work to be completed and find out what the children really want to do, and how they want to do it. She has made it clear that she doesn't want to do the work assigned, but what does she want to do? Sculpture, music composition, plant a garden? In a child has chosen any of these (and a million other possibilities), it should be seen as far more important than anything a teacher/mother may prescribed.

Tough indeed for us who are brought up being brainwashed that we must study hard, do well in the core subjects, in order to get a good job later in life. But, think about it, if your child is happy doing what he chooses, he will learn more, he will be motivated to learn more. We learn most successful people are those enjoy and passionate about what they are doing.

But, if you are in the public school system, you are stuck with an unhappy child and a hair pulling mum. The only way you could turn this around is to homeschool your child, in order to give back the freedom of choice to your child.

Plans for the one week break

I am looking forward to the one week break starting this Saturday. I have no plan to travel but plenty of things line up.
(1)Tidy up the other montessori blog, take more pictures and environment and post more photos. Take pictures and post the materials or printables.
(2) Work on the newly acquired food related site. Blog more on the personal site.
(3) Packing the montessori materials and get ready to move next year.
(4) Make more materials.
(5) Research the prices and buy more materials.

(6) Meet up with Josephine, to talk about organising playgroup or mother-child group. I do want to move away from the daycare scene and if the community is not ready for a Montessori preschool, I am considering starting a playgroup or mother-child group to do some education and spread awareness.
(7) Relax, rest and rejuveniate. Can I? :-)

Hunt for wedding rings

My cousin Veronica is going to get married soon, she was asking my opinion about what type of wedding rings she should get. Not that I know much about jewelry, but since her rich father is going to pay for everything, she can probably afford to get the biggest diamond rings in town.:-)

It's actually quite a task to find the "perfect" wedding rings, she and her fiancee have been shopping for the rings forever. In the small town we live, selection and quality of diamonds are quite limited. Well, I suggested for her to go to the city to scout for the rings, she may just do that!

Have you been to hot springs?

There is a hot spring near my parents' place that DH and I used to frequent. They have a few public pools for bathing. There are also private rooms with hot tubs that you can enjoy soaking with more privacy.

These hot springs are the type that emerged spontaneously from the core of the Earth, are said to be able to exert therapeutical effects which relieve or restore health. They are many elderly people go there in the morning, they believe thermomineralizing baths can also help with rheumatic, cardiovascular and arterioesclerosis conditions, and metabolic processes in general, muscular system and articulations.

It's actually quite sedative and relaxing, ideal as a form of relaxation to fight stress. I must make time to go there more frequently.

An old schoolmate

Yesterday, I bumped into a schoolmate. Though we never study in the same class, I sort of know her because she is married to one of my classmates from elementary school. We had seen each other at a few social occasions in the past, but I have not seen her for the past 10 years. I have heard that she worked as a music teacher in Singapore and I also heard that she moved back to open her own music learning centre 4-5 years ago.

I didn't have many opportunities to get to know her, partly because our paths never really cross as she has her own social circles and I have mine. For some reasons, she came across as really stuck up when she was talking to me yesterday. She has an opinion for everything I said and came across as really a close-minded person. One of the reasons could be because I was in my T-shirt and khakis while she is all dressed up in her power suits. She certainly had gathered quite a bit of confidence to look down on mere human like me since she dropped out of school after 5th form.

It irked me a bit when she insisted that Smart Reader is good (she went for the training but never used it to teach) and Montessori wouldn't work. When I told her it didn't work because many were not authentically "Montessori" in the first place.

I maybe blunt to say there are no Montessori schools in Singapore and Malaysia, the minute they gave up multi-age classroom and freedom of choice, they are just Montessori in name. She insisted that they are Montessori schools in Singapore and her argument sounds ridiculous to me:"Singapore won't allow that(Montessori in name only)."

But, it's really no point arguing with a stranger, I just let it go.

BTW, I bumped into her when she was distributing fliers for her new branch of the music learning centre. Look like we are bound to bump into each other more often as we are sort of in the same line.:-)

Payments do not have to be the norm

Many people asked me why am I driving an old car, isn't it buying a new car require minimum downpayment or doesn't require downpayment at all this days?

I hate making a car payment each month, so I don't. Don't get me wrong, I love new, beautiful, shining cars, but I just can't stand writing that check each month for something that doesn't pay me back in one way or another!

I fancy the idea of paying myself the amount of a car payment, save up the cash and pay for a replacement car later in cash! That will help you to work less for the bank and it certainly take a lot discipline and will power!

Right now I am driving a 1989 Nissan Sunny that is in mint condition with 250,000 km. It works fine for the amount of driving I am doing. Furthermore, it's a super gas saver and low maintenance, only used up 20-30 bucks of gas per week. If I need to go long distance,(which I seldom drive, on long journey), I could always borrow my parents' better car.

50 bucks for a security device

How much do you think this little gadget cost?
HSBC introduce this security device sometime ago as a measure to increase security for the online banking service. It can generate random numbers that need to be keyed in when signing on to the online bank account. It was given to us for free the first time.

I haven't seen mine for a few weeks now. I just remembered I saw it last when my niece asked me what was it when she came to visit me few weeks ago. I suspected she might have taken it. Anyway, I have to pay 5o bucks to get a replacement! It's obviously being overpriced, I don't think this little gadget cost that much! How come the banking bureau or central bank doesn't control what kind of exorbitant fee this banks are charging?

Tablecloth that lasted for 10 years

My two sisters bought an apartment and are going to move in a few months time. Over the weekend, we went through the list of stuffs they need for the new home. I am supposed to help them to get "sponsors". They reminded me that they need to replace the vinyl tablecloth and preferably the dining table too.

That was the tablecloth they got from me 10 years ago! It must be very durable. I remembered it was quite costly, but I just bought it because the bright sunflower motives has the ability to brigthen the dining room or any room for that matter.

Much anticipated break

I am so glad that the school term is going to end soon. I am so looking forward to a much needed break. Have been working non stops since January and my voice box need a rest too.
Have no travel plan for the holiday, will just take it easy.
May work on the new website that I wanted to start and blog more on the personal blog. Actually, there are a few things that I would like to do, i.e. put up all the 3-part-cards and Montessori printables that I have made on the other Montessori blog. Take more photos of the environment. How I wish there are more than 24 hours in a day!

Got my first Text Link Ad

Yahoo, sold the first Text Link Ads on the other Montessori blog. Unfortunately, it won't work on this non self-hosted blog, which has better rank and traffics. It's time for me to work on the new blog more.:-)

I am trying out different way to monetise the self hosted blogs, so I can diversify the income streams and rely less on paid posts. After the crazy three months of bombarding this site with paid posts, made quite a handsome sum that can use to buy some niceties for the classroom (I am going to do that once I got time to do a little research, the coming school holidays, maybe?) But, in the long term, wouldn't it be nice to have some residue streams that don't need me to stay up late night to work on it.

Also currently working on a website(not a blog) with interactive community, I would just say it has to do with food. Which most probably will stay out of paid posts, but will monetise Text Link Ads and Linkworth. This site is also monetized with Google AdSense and it works quite well so far, I have received my first check and the revenue is growing .

The annoucements are getting out

My cousin is getting engaged at the end of this month. She called to ask me to help with the announcements. She knew we DIY ours last time and she wanted me to do the same.

Actually, her father is rich, they could afford to just order from the store. Many of the cards specialty store would have the perfect invitations and announcements to celebrate any special occasion. Well, since she is a dear cousin whom I am very fond of, I would do it, just for her. :-)

A daughter-in-law's sacrifices

My ex-neighbor passed away recently at 103 years old. She was our nanny when we were young. My mother would make sure we visited her now and then. The last time we visited her was in June this year. She had a slipped disc and was lying on bed not very conscious of what was going on.

Her daughter-in-law is really a good woman, although she helself is catching up with age(approaching 70), she never complaint about being a caregiver of her mother-in-law for the past 20+ years. Her mother-in-law had been in tranquility diapers for several years and she had to clean up after her day in and day out. I really admired her, her sacrifice was the major factor that her mother-in -law was able to live her last days in dignity.

Choose the right moving company

Society is getting more mobile this days compare to lets say 50 years ago? People get relocated all the times as they change jobs, change life styles or change partners.:-) There are many people who move cross-country, from one end of the town to the other or even overseas. Moving can be quite challenging a task but with the help of a good mover, you can make moving quite an enjoyable task. In the past ten years, I have moved not less than 6 times, while I’m sure there is a few more tips to learn, some of which might even become more relevant by the time the truck reaches our new residency.

Moving can be stressful and leave you feeling off-balance, fortunately there are moving companies we can seek help this days. The challenge is to select a right moving company to trust with moving your valuables. The traditional way is, you have to browse through the yellow pages, called a dozen, ask many questions repeatedly that will help you learn more about the companies you're considering. Not to mention you need to find out how long has the company been in business? Is the agent certified? Have any complaints files against the company? Does the van line have a formal quality ratings program? If so, what are these scores and can you see them? Is there a third party service provider that will be involved in auto transport? If so, who are they?

Have you ever wonder if someone would do some pre-screening for you and have the pre-screened movers on a moving directory, that would save you much work and time on the phone? Check out www.mymovingquote.com if that's what you have been thinking! They can provide you with free moving quotes from several movers in your area. Whether you are moving from one end of the town to the other, across the country or even overseas, they have moving companies that can help to take the worry out of your move. You can save time by selecting among moving companies that specialize in the types of moving services that best suit your needs.

Most moving companies also provide coast to coast moving, some may or may not do international shipping. If you are relocating internationally, you need an actual freight forwarder that can coordinate each step of the international move process to ensure all shipments are handled in a timely, efficient, and professional manner. Highly experienced and skilled relocation experts plan, track, and manage every aspect of every move. This attention to detail ensures a successful and cost-effective international relocation.

In the end, moving is a great time to start new both inside and out, so as tough as the actual process seems, focus on the opportunity to make broader changes in your life and in the end the packing won’t feel so painful at all.

Okay, enough procrastinating. Time to go back to packing.

The fever that we don't need right now

DH and I are two very different individuals, he said it's a good thing that he had me to cool down his fever for cars. We are driving a junk right now, because we do not want to have car payments. We are saving to pay cash for a newer but slightly used car, hopefully by next year.

If you have read this blog for a while, you know that we don't believe in getting in debt buying a new car, which prices drop like a bag of rocks in its first four years of life. We believe only the rich can afford buying new cars, and we are not one of those(rich people), we had to work hard to earn the money, it's our blood and sweat, buying an asset that depreciate doesn't sound like a brilliant idea to us.

But, back to the car fever thing, if DH has his way, he would probably dashed out the next second to get a black crew cab or extended cab. In fact, he has a isuzu pickup before we were married, before he sold it to relocate here. Well, the last thing we need at this stage of our marriage is car fever, take a cold shower, as I always told DH when he started going ga-ga over the car magazines or car exhibits at the mall.

Happily ever after the weddings?

When we got married three years ago, we have a civil ceremony but didn't have a wedding reception. I started the business a few months before we got married and went through crazy two and half years trying to bring the business to a leverage.

When we first got married, DH did talk about having a small reception, but knowing that I would be the one that had to do all the planning and leg work, the idea was shelved. Hiring a wedding planner is out of the question as our finance was tight and setting up the school used up most of our savings. DH also tried to pull me away from work to go for one of those all inclusive honeymoons, but I couldn't just leave the school for two weeks. I bet he regretted marrying a workaholic now!

Oh, maybe when things settle down a bit, we should think of a little vow renewal ceremony at our home Church. No, it's very unlikely we would be able to afford to have it at one of those resorts famous for destination weddings. We believe that wedding is fine in itself, but the marriage is one that need more planning and nurturing. It's not like we are going to live happily ever after the wedding, we still have a marriage to work on for the rest of our life!

Getting all dolled up and wearing fine corsets to look good are not exactly the kind of "fun" stuffs I am into. :-) You can tell we are not big on nor do we believe in big reception that invite people you don't really know. Oh, tell me about it, I get invited to weddings of people I just met once or twice all the times. Last year, I did something really bad, we were invited to a wedding, I don't even know the groom, met the bride twice and had a brief conversation, so I conveniently forgot about the invitation and didn't attend. I bet they were not very happy about it but we never see each other again, so do I care how strangers feel?

No mood to work

Most of the children got rid of their flu bugs and back to school on Wednesday. For myself, still feeling a little fatigue though am recovered from the flu already. Last night, I skipped the Friday's bible study meeting and tucked in early. Had a solid 8 hours of sleep and got up at 5 a.m this morning.

Actually, have not have mood to work, have not been deligent with the paid posts, so guess the revenue will drop this month. But, I am ok with that, this is just a side job, whatever it brings it brings, just a little nice extra to have to get a little more niceties for the classroom.

SWR at Tze Chi Learning Centre

Had the third class of SWR for children at Tze Chi Learning Centre this evening. There are 9 children attending the classes. They are taking in the phonograms at their own strike. The classes went on quite well except that I have to learn to manage the 12 y.o Nick who was not very motivated and very disruptive in the class.

Nick didn't spell well judging from the diagnostic test I gave. He does understand English well and speak quite well consider the fact that he attends the Chinese school. The other children are pretty excited about saying the sounds and twisting their tongues along with me. They had a chance to move around while we were playing some reinforcement games, I think they really enjoyed the Phonograms Bingo.

We over shot the 1 1/2 hours session by 20 minutes, partly because we played the games a bit longer than originally intended because didn't want to disappoint them when they were all excited. Secondly because the dictations took longer because Nick kept interrupting the flow and didn't want to follow instructions.

Take in the view

I can't think of a better way to spend your summer vacation than relaxing on the beach and then going inside to enjoy the privacy of your own Caribbean vacation rental. Why would you want to vacation any other way?

Why stay at a hotel with hundreds of other people looking at the same view when you can enjoy one of the Caribbean villas offered by CVOA and get a view that's all yours. Their Virgin Gorda villas and St. Croix villas all offer beautiful views from exquisite locations while offering all the amenities of home in a comfortable Caribbean vacation rental.

Frugal ideas

We love to shop for home furniture at the used furniture store. It not only save us money but the environment by saving the furniture that otherwise ended up at the landfill.

They are two used furniture stores that we frequently stopped by for treasure hunts. One of them usually has good selection of used furniture imported from a neighboring country, another one has mostly furniture from hotels that went out of business or hotels that refurbished. They carry rather good quality solid wood furniture. Well, we are solid wood people who do not like chip board type of furniture, though the heavy-weight furniture can be a nightmare when it comes to moving time.

Our latest hunt is a set of almost new rattan settee for a fraction of the retailed price. We have so far bought 70% of our furniture used which includes bookcases, dining table, study table, settee, and dresser. I must say even our millionaire doctor friends started to shop there for "antics" looking furniture after they saw the bargains we bought.

Hapiness is not a new car

We are driving a junk right now because we are trying to stay debt free by not buying a car on credit. We are saving up to buy a better car with cash!

For those of you who are servicing your car loans, it certainly seems like it never ends, doesn't it? The media is always plastered with ads from car dealerships who are offering super, close-out, blow-out deals, and by the time you are half way through the loans, it's almost time for another car fever and got into another never ending debt.

In my opinion, unless you're filthy rich, average Jones who want to stay debt free cannot afford a new car! Prices of new cars drop in value like a bag of rocks! A new car loses more than half of its value in the first 4 years. If you save up money and pay cash for a used car. It's much easier to save a few hundred dollars a month for a year and buy a used car than to sign up for a payment plan and pay thousands of extra dollars in interests for several years!

We must keep in mind that the purpose of a vehicle is to get us from point A to point B. When we are working, playing with our children or helping a friend, we are not thinking to ourselves, "I am so happy since I have a new car. Life is beautiful!" Well, happiness is not a new car, so don't pay for it like it is!

The evil eyes are everywhere

The Chinese says only the not so good didn't have people envy at them. So, be still if you are attracting envious people flocking to you, that means you are good.

The Jewish Kabbalah in fact has a name for it, the evil eye is the name for the negative chi or misfortune transmitted by someone who is envious, jealous, or covetous. The Kabbalah believes the envious eyes and looks of ill can affect or harm us, stopping us from realizing our full potential in every area of our life.

And how do you confront this negative influences? Kabbalah teaches that this intrusive negative influences can be eradicated forever, one popular way to ward off evil is to wear the Kabbalah Bracelets and Jewelry in red strings.

Even if you are not into Kabbalah, this beautiful Kabbalah Charm Bracelet can be quite a fashion statement and add to your Gypsy look collection. This picture on the right shows a Kabbalah Bracelet with multiple symbolic charms on red silk including the Hamsa, Heart and Fish Charms. It also includes the Traditional Kabbalah Three Letter Combinations Cube includes four names for: Happiness, Prosperity, Protection from the Evil Eye and Physical Well Being. Of course, these names are written in Hebrew. In fact, these names are taken from the 72 names in Kabbalah, each generating a different meaning and energy.

According to Kabbalah, the critical need to get rid of this negative influences cannot be underestimated. If you failed to activate a protective shield through positive and proactive actions to wart off this negative chi, you will eventually become victims.

Actually, went blog hopping half way through blogging and learnt that some envious monger reported Elaine's blog to the ad network and resulted in her blog being suspended with the service. Well, may be Elaine who got stabbed at the back by envious people should go check out the bracelets.:-)

The virtual world is getting real

Just learnt that someone reported Elaine's blog to the ad network and resulted in her blog being suspended with the service. Don't people have better thing to do with their time instead of going around spying and policing on others. Wonder how much they get paid for doing that!

This is getting so much like the real office politics. There were these group of ex-colleagues whom I nick-named them "the policemen", they worked hard spying on a few of us who unfortunately with offices located on the same floor as theirs. For goodness sake and for the record, we worked flexi hours and we were required to be in the office during consultation hours only. It's perfectly ok for anyone of us to not show up at office everyday (though most of do) as long as we get our work done and students' feedbacks are good.

But, they never failed to casually mentioned during department meeting that they couldn't find so-and-so in their office on what day, just to imply that people might have sneaked out and not working. They were mad at me when I told them: "Hello, there is such a thing called "make an appointment", people are not on calls 24/7, you know?" and the boss agreed to that.

Many ex-colleagues used to envy of my seemingly better English (actually, just better than them, coz they were really lousy and poor in English) and thought that's because my family is rich to have me study oversea. Little did they know that I graduated from a local university and my parents are poor farmers. Little did they know what kind of hard work I put in to improve my English conversation and writing. No amount of persuasion can convince people with PhDs and think they don't need improvement. It doesn't matter the students complained about their English perioidically in the evaluations and the boss didn't appoint them as speakers at international events. Instead, they were all green eyes because so-and-so got good evaluations and being appointed as MC at international conferences.

But, thanks to these green eyes monsters, I got fed up dealing with them for 4 years and took the plunge to setup my own business three years ago. I believe feeling envious will lead us no where. If you are not satisfied with your present condition, most probably it was not caused by another person's seemingly more rewarding experience. People worked hard to be successful, have you?

Getting a Sony Camera, finally

Youngest sister called yesterday, she wanted to know whether I have purchased the sony camera that I wanted. Well, I haven't got around to buy it. She has good news for me! She called to ask whether I would like to purchase the camera with a staff discount. For once, my procrastinating works for me.:-)

She was able to purchase Sony products at a discounted price when she was working at the Sony factory in Bangi. She left the company early this year. Since she is asking her ex-colleague to help her to get a camera for her, she said I can "tumpang" her ex-colleague too.

I have been eyeing the Cybershot cameras, but couldn't decide to get a t-series or a w-series. The w-series ones are more affordable and seem like fitting the needs of the moment. But, I want the good looking t-series for the many extra functions and better pixels. Should I fill the needs or the wants ? :-)

Under the weather

Have not been able to blog over the weekend and the last few days as I was feeling a little under the weather. In fact, almost all the children were sick. Only one of them showed up on Monday. Even the girl that showed up had a very bad cough and a slight fever. She did a little bit of writing and fell asleep on the sofa during her break! That's how tired she was. Of course, it didn't help that she didn't go to bed until 12 a.m the night before.

I don't know what more to say about parents who have set no bedtime for their little ones and allowed them to stay up way past midnight. Not just this sleep deprived children tend to be more prone to sickness, they were like zombies in the class especially on Mondays!

Monitor your ads

One of the blogs I visited today talked about how to drive traffics to your site by putting up ads. According to the article, it's rather inexpensive and it's one of the most effective way to increase traffics and thus blog's ranking.

Well, either we are using any forms of ads, we want to be able to tell whether the ads have been effective or not. AdSymetrix gives you exactly that :the tools to track and monitor any responses created by any advertisement you place anywhere.

Check out the link for an effective way to track your ads. Whether you are using press releases, post cards, direct mailers, billboards, radio ads, television ads, classified ads, fliers, t-shirts, banner ads, bus ads, web ads, email ads or anything else you can imagine, AdSymetrix lets you know what ads caused what phone calls, website clicks. or emails. Best of all, AdSymetrix Signup is as simple as the tools that help you to focus on your business and make smarter advertising descisions.