Archive for the ‘Life’ Category

It is usually when the weather is cold and gray that I reminisce about the days when I was back home where it is either raining and chilly or dry and hot. I tend to get a little homesick sometimes regardless  of how many times I denied it when ever someone asked me the question of being homesick. Seems to me that if I said yes, the feeling would just get worse, so it was better to just lie.

In fact, if I feel the homesickness is a little unbearable, I would simply give a call back home. It is nice to hear familiar voices that you miss so much. Calls are cheaper these days, if only the signals are better. I think in one call session, I would be disconnected at least 2-3 times. Just made me think of getting a wilson booster for cellullar signal amplifier. Oh well, an interrupted call is better than no call at all right?

With the temperature outside being really cold and dark right now, I really wish I am back home where it is warm and sunny.

We had our Christmas dinner and gift exchange session with the in laws on Christmas eve. After the dinner, we spent a quite evening playing ‘Mancala’ and ‘Labrinth’. Our 6 year old was the happiest I suppose. She received at least 8 or 9 gifts last evening. For a 6 year old, that is overwhelming. She was so excited and it was a gift in itself to see her smiling and laughing and jumping with joy.

I gave her a little radio/mp3/cdplayer and a bottle of child perfume. Those were last minute gifts as I really had a little trouble finding her something. Especially with a limited budget. She likes them though and I’m glad. I was thinking of getting her a music instrument that she can start learn to play. A guitar or a violin or even a flute – I saw on an online store where they are selling a gemeinhardt 2sp flute at more than 50% discount at the moment. But since we don’t think she is ready for it yet maybe next time. Music lesson is indeed in our next agenda for her.

As for the adults, we only had one simple gift each – either chocolate, wine or biscuits. We’ve already informed each other that it should be a minimalist sort of Christmas for the adults. After all, it is not really the gifts that matters in this special holiday but the feeling of togetherness. In the end we all enjoyed ourselves. Tomorrow we will be visiting more relatives.

Have a Merry Christmas and may the New Year bring joy and prosperity!

Weekend came, weekend went. A new week is starting. The last week before we go off on a one week holiday. I just can’t wait for Friday to come!

We’ve done most of our Christmas shopping. Due to the not so good economy in Europe, we’ve decided to just buy for the kids and each other only. The other adults in the family will only get a bottle of wine or desserts. I already know what I’ll be getting. Just a present from the husband.

I’m just counting the days till Christmas.

Now that I am the head teacher of a group of children, I do a lot of singing with them everyday. There are times when I think that I really should get back to learning how to play the guitar. My Fender cd 60 acoustic is up on the cupboard for such a long time. I’ve only played it for some months when I got it as a Christmas present four years ago. I asked for one because I really like the sound of the guitar, be it acoustic, classical or electric.

I was really happy with it when I received it and thought that if I get to learn how to play an acoustic I would eventually move on to an electric one – a rickenbacker perhaps. But then, without a teacher I started to slack in my practice routine and in the end stopped. That’s how most people end up I know. Sad isn’t it?

But as long as I have the guitar there and I still have the intention to learn, I know I can always pick it up and start back again. I can only wish that I have more time for work, family, rest, blogging, Japanese studies and guitar practice. I just started working for a few months at the new place. Once I feel stable at the new job, and I have a daily routine with my Japanese studies (I study minimum an hour everyday ) I would definitely include guitar practice in my schedule. The children would really love to sing accompanied by the mellifluous tone of the guitar.

Days become weeks, weeks become months. After years staying at home as a SAHM, I started working few months back. And now it has been nearly 7 months. Time flies they say and it is so true.

I love my job, it could be better in terms of working condition, and salary but not too bad. At least I’m out of the house, I work, I earn and I do actually have time to study a little while the children sleep. They are talking of improvements and someone again mentioned about having our own working clothes (Some daycares do give out to their employees scrub tops like uniforms). So it isn’t totally hopeless I suppose.

I’m just going through the days one day at a time. I am – just like million others – is a natural worrier, and I try not to do it. Do the best I can for the day and hope for the best for the next day.

The problem working with local employers sometimes is that they do not like to follow ther rules when it comes to employing people. Or they take it for granted. They think that people are desperate enough for work that they can do anything they like thinking that employees won’t leave. Well, that is true here I know.  Not only speaking for myself but also for my previous colleagues whom I worked with before.

I love working in kindergartens and daycares but my morale is pretty low right now following the knowledge that my current employer was trying to cheat me on no paying my healthcare and tax – I still doubt that they pay even now. For that, I am not going to linger if I can help it. If I had the money I’d venture on my own, be it selling eyelash growth products online or open my own daycare! Well, but the thing is, I’ve no money to go on my own. But at least I can really try to look for a different job. I’m trying to go for multinational companies this time. I am not sure whether they are better than local employers, but from what I heard from friends and acquaintance, at least they do things professionally.

So yes, I’m going throught the job search all over again now. But I am much more determined after getting 2 employers that lack in credibility. God help me. I really need an employer who has  integrity and believes in fairness.

I went out with a friend today. She wanted to watch the 3 musketeers so I accompanied her. The movie was oookaayy… but not that good in my opinion. To me cool effects doesn’t mean a movie is good. Just okay. The storyline is too simple and predictable.

After movie we had lunch and did some shopping. I wanted to get some Fimo clay. Though we started out carrying a few things at the hobby shop, but ended up buying not even half of what we picked up because they had a little problem with their POS system as they could not key in the prices of some merchandise. Too bad really.

I was out with the friend for nearly 6 hours. The feeling of being single – child at her grandmother’s and husband at work. It felt good.

My little daughter just lost her first baby tooth. One of the lower incisors. Well, she had the ‘shark tooth’ syndrome (I think that is what they call it) where the new tooth is growing right behind the baby tooth, pushing it out. I had 2 or 3 of my teeth that came out just like that.

It was interesting to see other people close to us reacted to it. They were surprised of course, but it was something quite normal. I had 3 just like that at turned out fine. They even suggested us to send her for a check up at the dentist. But in the end she managed to pull the tooth out herself.

Good thing about baby teeth, is how easy to pull them out yourself. Seeing a dentist isn’t cheap. I just never can really understand why this is so. Perhaps they need to get wholesale dental supplies then they can offer services cheaper? or is it because they had to study longer so to compensate their time and money they charge people more?

Anyway, that is another stage of her life. I can still remember the same front incisors peeking out of the gums when she was a wee baby. And now she is a big girl with her first permenant tooth.

Time flies.

Perhaps, just like most animals, human beings have the tendency to collect things be it food or items that makes us happy. Be it antiques, collectible sports memorabilia or even rock collections. At the moment, I find much happiness in collecting Pez dispensers. Currently I only have about 20 over dispensers but my collection is growing somewhat.

Sample pic.

People who collects sports memorabillia like, sport helmets, jerseys or equipments from their favourite sports teams,collect the items for the love of the sport. As for me, I love pez dispensers not because I love Pez candies – I don’t really have a sweet tooth – but just for the cuteness. Yes, I really do think they are cute. So most of the time I give away the candies to the two family members with sweet tooth, and I keep the dispenser. They are so interesting that even my little daughter is helping with the collection.

At the moment I just keep them in a drawer, but as soon as it grows bigger, I would like to build a few shelves for display. Well, what’s the point of collecting when you can’t share them right?

I’m supposed to be taking up a course on how to manage a daycare. Though there are quite a few places where I can do it, the only problem is none of them really provide a course in the English language.  I’m quite sure it would take sometime for me to find one that would allow me to do it in English. I suppose it would be easier for me just ask where can I buy tv video cables for and absolete tv and be able to find it in an instant. But never fret they say cause you never know till you try. Anyway, if they do find one, the course only takes about 4 or 5 weekends to complete. Once I have the certificate it would be quite useful.

I have bigger plans for the future along the same industry. This is like one of the few first steps towards the execution of that plan of mine which I set to happen within 4-5 years time in the future.