Chinese New Year Day 6

Visited 2nd Aunt's house, as a continuation of the festive celebrations. Was looking forward to more gambling, the sumptuous dinner at Gim Tim, and NO seaweed rolls and honey walnuts (Ah Sir knows I am coming, that's why). Spent the afternoon lazing on Ah Sir's bed reading Archies, and soon after more relatives started to stream in in the late afternoon.

Kicking Ah Sir's pillows and messing up her bed

In the evening, we had our annual yusheng dinner at Gim Tim. Before dinner even started, we already had a verbal tug-of-war concerning the switching on of the air-con. Luckily a Filipino server was kind enough to accede to our request to turn it OFF (not down). We started to make fun of Ah Bee's weirdness again, and true enough, he was indeed sitting beside 1st Uncle and chatting animatedly with him!

Tossing the various ingredients of the yusheng

Haoling, me, bitter-faced Wee and Ruru

I tried to cheer her up but she sulked even more

Wee wanted me to take and post this picture which showed Ah Sir and Haoling gazing lovingly at a handphone like sentimental lovers.

With matching pink shirts and picture perfect expressions

Halfway during a dinner, some comical and robust auntie was announcing something to her guests using the restaurant's mike. She started to crack jokes and sang a little and we were amazed at her audacity because there were other diners in that restaurant too. Maybe an inspired 4th Uncle took the cue and wanted to spark a talentime concert in the restaurant, because when the auntie stopped speaking, he took over the mike and belted out an classic oldies song LIVE. I must admit I was impressed with his ability to hit those notes and stretch the "Laaaaaaaiii".

The "Lai lai lai" chorus garnered really shrill cheers from us

The yam paste was delicious but it was unfortunate that there was not enough to go around. Back at 2nd Aunt's house, we continued with the gambling and left reluctantly in the midnight.

Chinese New Year Day 2

Today was quite a bore, because I spent most of the day doing work. Plus, I did not even get to recoup my losses, so let's not talk about it.

Chinese New Year Day 1

Had been looking forward to this day for weeks! Although it was the same old routine of snacking and gambling, I still enjoyed it, especially in the great company of my relatives.

Nothing really much to describe for this year's Chinese New Year, except that the 4th generation kids had grown bigger (ALL got the guts to call me Ah Qing), angpow money received had increased, and we found that Ah Bee was getting weirder (because he was always sticking and chatting with 1st Uncle).

ALL running all over the place and 2nd Aunt looked exasperated

Ah Sir and Haoling wanted me to post these two silly pictures of them:

Don't you feel like slapping their mouths shut? Haha!

Day 1 ended with me being left nearly $60 poorer. Better luck the next day!

Night Out with Dappy and Peiying

Took a breather from work and met up with equally exhausted buddies at Beer Belly in Boat Quay. Then spent the night singing and bitching about work, school and incorrigible colleagues. And not forgetting the well-deserved booze.

Dappy and me!

Toasting to a great night

Later, we got to know some weirdos: a daidee beginner who would whoop in joy whenever he topped our cards, a humsup guy who was engrossed in playing dice with Dappy, a boring guy whom Dappy and Peiying found irritating because Dappy was the target of his spurting saliva, and another guy who was into old '80s Canto classics (rare find!). Their common point was that they could not believe we were teachers, but what mattered most was that we were too glad to be rid of them when the night ended.

NIE Investiture

Have been looking forward to this day for weeks! Because firstly, it is an excuse not to go to school, and secondly, can get to meet up with Dappy and Peipei, and all my other dearly-missed schoolmates again!

At 2pm, we took our seats at the Nanyang Auditorium and awaited the start of the ceremony. It was followed by the entrance of the academics, the reciting of the Teacher's Pledge and speeches given by the valedictorian, Paolo (my Practicum mate and NIE's star student), and some important person (couldn't be bothered to remember who).

Peipei, Dappy and I always taking photos via permutations

Standing up to recite the Teacher's Pledge (which is too idealized)

So each of us went on stage to receive our certificates, and when the ceremony ended, it was off swiftly to the reception for some refreshments and photo-taking!

With Ai Kit

Trying to be like owls

With Dappy

With Jieying

With Anisah

With the Geography mates

I am so going to miss those days stoning and fooling around during Geography and especially Social Studies lessons. Sigh.

After that, the three of us had some great catching up to do at Fish&Co at TM.

Sadly, was brought back to reality as the day drew to a close - back to school the next day! Groan!

Day Out with Slug

Nothing enhances the CNY atmosphere in my heart better than a walk along Chinatown's night bazaar and a sumptuous meal at Yum Cha. Slug and I could hardly finish the food we ordered - Peking duck, seafood sheng mian and savoury prawns.

However, I could not enjoy the outing thoroughly as I was mentally exhausted and the thought of waking up at 6am the next day was really a party pooper.

Chinese New Year is Coming!

Getting into the CNY mood, especially with my students dressing up the classroom with glossy streamers, ang-pow fish and lanterns.

Taping the red and gold streamers to the windows

Girls are so much delicate with their hands

A sense of achievement experienced by these two boys who created this red dragon

Chinese New Year is the best time of the year!

Overview of 2008

2008 was not spent in vain - had the leisure time to do a variety of activities, forged meaningful friendships and strengthened existing ones, and most importantly, was happy and carefree everyday (except for those darkest days during Practicum). Come 2009, a slow-moving and uncertain year, which marks the start of my three-year bond to my profession. I am grateful that I still have a job in this economic gloom, but I know most days I will just be too tired and disillusioned.

What I have achieved in 2008:

• A credit certificate from NIE (incredible considering that I was not so focused on my studies)
• Scaled Dragon's Back and hiked Lamma Island
• Another happy and peaceful year with Slug

What I have learnt (or rather what is reinforced):

• Teaching is not what I want afterall. Today's youths are such a challenge, and the stifling education system and laborious administrative work make it worse. Shan't reveal more (see point three).
• Looking forward to life's little pleasures helps to make me happy - Fridays, strawberry bubble tea, manicures, Mum's cooking etc.
• Self-censorship is a must, especially when online.
• Live to work, die to rest.
• Importance of investing in time spent with family and loved ones - the emotional rewards reaped are so much more enriching than job satisfaction.
• Subconscious desire to take up permanent residence in HK

What I want to achieve in 2009:

• Work life balance. I don't believe in selling my soul to work.
• Steel myself to go to work everyday. I just need to pull through the next three years and I will be free.
• Continue to strengthen the bonds with the people around me, some of whom are my pillars of strength whenever I am down
• Start building the love nest and prepare myself for domestication
• Update my blog regularly (easier said than done, actually)
• Be happy
• Take time to figure out what I really want to do in life (still wallowing aimlessly in what Babs and I affectionately term the quarter-life crisis)

Shall not overwhelm myself with too many tasks, but my priorities still remain very clear, and hopefully they will guide me to achieve the ideal life that I want. Here's to a great year ahead!