Archive for the ‘Life’ Category

I go tutoring twice a week. Today is tutoring day.  Since I am bilingual, I am teaching the kid 2 languages. Hence, the twice a week tutorial. Teaching isn’t all fun. There are good days when he actually wants to listen and do what you ask him to do. But there are also bad days when you simply have to lecture and raise your voice just to make him write down 2 words. On days when the weather is warm and nice, we’d even have our lessons outdoor in the garden. They have this nice koi fish pond complete with a pond skimmer to keep the pond nice and clean. However, since it is still cold, we have lessons indoor.

Although I feel like staying home and just read or study Japanese, I do look forward to tutor. Seeing how well your students do in their studies, keeps you motivated.

Young children sure do love to imitate what adults do. They love to play pretend games. I can still remember how I love to play house with my friends. Now, my young daughter loves to pretend making coffee or cook something for me. And sometimes we would even play shop together. For now we would play using real money and some items we find around the house as merchandise.

So now I’ve decided to get her a toy cash register. I have to say even I myself enjoy play shop with a cash register. Even though it is just a toy one.The cash register is simple - no Epson tm-t88iv - but it provided us hours of fun.

As a child I never really like dolls or play with dolls. Even now as a mother, I even prefer my daughter to play pretend games like this rather than dressing up dolls. I think she learns more this way. She practice counting the money, learn about what having money means, etc.

I just wonder when can I be the shopkeeper sometimes.

Sometimes people say that having more choices in life is good, like when you want to choose which college to go to, the delicious food that you may order in a restaurant, truck accessories that you want to buy, etc. But choices can be a cause of problem or headache. Times when you just don’t know what to do or choose to do.

There are days when I feel like wanting to get a full time 9-5 job. While other days I feel like continuing tutoring and have flexible teaching hours. Both have their pros and cons. So which one should I really concentrate on? Looking for a job of finding more students?

I suppose I have to use the old method that I used to do when I’m in such circumstance. Write down on paper the pros and cons of both. From there I see which one is the best choice to make.

There was a time as a teenager I would collect inspirational articles I found in the newspaper and magazines. One particular magazine that I loved to read due to the wonderful articles was ‘Reader’s digests’. There were many stories by real people about their love, sacrifices, overcoming of hardships that would make my tears just well up everytime I read the articles.

Now, again thanks to the internet, I read and collect articles online.  Here’s one of my favourites that I found on the reader’s digest website.

“Forget Me Not -Suffering from extreme amnesia, he remembers nothing — except the woman he loves.”

It’ is a story of Clive and Deborah Wearing. Clive was a renowned composer and music conductor, while Deborah was a choir singer when they first met. They were just like any other loving couple, who wanted to start a family of their own, until a tragedy struck them. Clive was infected by the herpes simplex virus, cause of the cold sore. The virus was never detected - lay benign for years - until he lost all his memories.

Reading about the Deborah’s patience & sacrifices, Clives pain of not being able to remember anything longer than seven seconds and yet never fail to tell how much he loved her , is sobering. I realize how lucky I am, I realize how life can just turn upside down in just a few moments. Make the best out of what we have is what I’ve learnt. Things may not be going right at times, but at least I have hope to make it better, and I still have those whom I love dearly with me.

According to the famous groundhog, punxsutawney phil, there will be about 6 more weeks of cold weather because he saw his shadow.

I don’t know whether it would also apply to Europe, but according to  local  weather forecasters, cold weather will be with us for at least 2-3 weeks more. Anyhow, doesn’t Punxsutawney look cute?? Interesting name, maybe I’d give our next hamster a name like that.

To be frank, I am really looking forward to spring and then summer. Thinking about doing a thorough spring cleaning - beat the carpets in the open air, wash and change the curtains, dismantle and clean the sconce lightings, air the mattresses, etc.

I like snow but I think I had about enough of it for now. Can’t wait for summer as well, for our bbq parties.

My job search is progressing rather slow at the moment. Looking at the requirements that most jobs here need, make me wonder whether it is a good idea to continue looking or just consider self-employing myself. Self-employing myself means that I just continue to tutor.

When I look at most of my friends who are working for years now and having a career, I must admit, I do feel a little jealous. Though I am sure that some of them are envious of me for being able to be a stay at home mother. In my case, it is not that I am ungrateful that I am able to stay home with my daughter for nearly 5 years. But our financial situation doesn’t allow me to be comfortable and feel secure.

I suppose what I should do now is just tutor and at the same time not to give up on my job search.

End of last year, my husband and I decided that this year would be the perfect year for us to make serious plans for our big move. Both my husband and I aren’t getting any younger and so is our little girl. She is growing up. If now isn’t the time, then when?

So currently I am in charge of collecting information on Scotland. Yes, we chose Scotland to be our potential next home. Why? because of the nature, the currently low population (about 5 million. Don’t really like crowded places) and also the education system for our girl. Whether it is a good choice or not, we will know when we’re there.

If you have been moving between countries yourself, most probably you would know how confusing it can be when it comes to collecting infomation about a place you’ve never even set foot in. You have to make decisions based of what people say or advice - which, I must say,  isn’t all that bad compared to no advice or information at all.

Therefore right now, I’m just reading about the law, the living costs, places that is good to stay, not forgetting to check online life insurance quotations, housing rentals, car prices, employment opportunities etc. Not easy, but it’s exciting.

After a week of reading and searching for a laptop to replace my dear PC that died on me last week, I finally orered a Pink Dell Inspiron 1545 today.

I already know what laptop I wanted ever since last year. It was just that, the specs and the price range that’s within my budget that I needed to look for. Nevertheless, despite knowing what I wanted, it wasn’t any easier for me to choose the right laptop as it would be for me to look for the right herbal weight loss products that would be safe enough for me to consume. It all took so much time to learn about this and that - the processor, the video card, the memory etc.

The laptop is something that I’d like to use for years. So I hope that my choice is a good one. Most importantly, right now, I’m glat that I don’t have to read more about laptop or PC specifications.

I suppose for many people, the year 2009 wasn’t really such a good year - with the global economic downturn, loss of jobs and all. But for us it was a mild year, which means it wasn’t such a good year yet it wasn’t a bad year either. Our daughter got into kindergarten for the first time leaving me plenty of time to do what I wanted and needed to do without distractions. My husband got a new package deal from his employer, 3 days work away from the office which requires him to report to office 2 days only in a week, and also a reasonably good pay raise.

As for me, I am hoping to get a good job offer anytime soon. Though even if it didn’t turn out well, I have another plan coming up for myself. As anyone should know, there should always be a back up plan.

I have plans to tutor more students, find myself a Japanese language teacher or class, and learn to sew. Other than that, other things that I’d like to achieve or getting this year: a new laptop perhaps (my pc is getting slower and problematic), some new modern office furniture - smaller desk and swivel chair and also more happy family time together.

Sounds simple doesn’t it? Well, those are my hopes for 2010.

You may have heard the saying, “the hand that gives is better than the hand that receives”. Years ago I didn’t really understand why it should be so because it is always better to be on the receiving end when it comes to presents, right? Well, it is right. But the feeling is the same if not even more wonderful when you give and the reward would be, to see the happiness of the person whom you gave the presents to. That is exactly what I love about giving presents. To see the happy smile.

I have been thinking about what sort of gifts to get my husband, daughter and family members. Hoping to get them presents that really like or would find very useful.  I’ve got all the presents for them all ready. Can’t wait for Christmas to come.

P/s: got to prepare with some appetite suppressant too with all the food to be eaten on Christmas day. I really don’t need the extra weight.