Stress, De-stress, Work, Play

Work has been quite busy for me the past few weeks. BUSY plus STRESSFUL.

I know I can handle it and will always mange to do it eventually but I really cannot stand the grueling process. There was this week when the work was so overwhelming that I could not see half my table. I had to come back on my 2 off days just to complete them.

When I do fall asleep, I have very weird dreams. And for the 2nd time, I dreamt that Simba died. In both dreams, I was crying and screaming like mad and my voice just disappeared.

Amidst the pressure, I was quite surprised that I hadn’t lost myself and vented my anger on my family members and on kh.

I was quite surprised that I haven’t cried to de-stress coz crying always makes me feel better.

I was quite surprised and thought that I had grown stronger. (I’m actually someone who tears and cries easily)

With all the extra commitments from being in charge of kindergarten curriculum and opening a new class which required preparation of materials, I would just have to endure till last Saturday and most of the major stress would be alleviated and I needn’t have to cry. That day happened to be the last day of June and I thought of going crazy doing last minute shopping before the GST hike. I even reminded kh that I needed to de-stress after work that day and warned him not to restrain me. He was such a sweet boy the whole evening, accompanying me to shop with nary a hint of complaint and even offered constructive suggestions when asked.

Then, just an innocent remark over MacDonald’s breakfast broke the fuse. He asked me not to read my magazine at the same time and to finish up my food quickly.

The next moment, the tears flowed down my cheeks uncontrollably and my nose just went all runny. Yes, in public.

In between sobs, I just let it all out. “Do you know that I’ve been really stress at work? I eat in front of my computer and only take a break to go to the toilet. Can’t I just sit down and eat my breakfast slowly and read my magazine?”

I dunno what else shot out from my mouth but kh thought that my reaction to such a small remark was downright ridiculous. He understood the stress I was going through at work but he thought that his words didn’t warrant such a huge and ludicrous reaction. Also, he actually meant for me to finish my breakfast quickly so that I could go home and take a really good rest.

Misinterpreting his intention and visibly upset by the fact that he made me cry in public, I could not see it in that way of course. All I felt was that he was restraining me from relaxing myself and I was seething with rage.

After I got home and cried myself silly, I began to see things more clearly and realised that I had just released what was bottling up inside all along. I was not as strong as I thought I could be. SIGH… in the end still must cry.

For now, things are beginning to look brighter. The co just hired a full-time staff to help me out for the time being. Even though, it’s only for the time being, she is quite efficient and she did lighten my workload quite a fair bit. See, now I can blog long long and with photos some more.


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Touched

Touched by this little gift from my favourite P2 boy…


No student has ever given me gifts after returning from a holiday and I feel all the more happy and touched coz it’s from my favourite boy. I wouldn't in the right state of mind think of buying things for my teacher is I were to go on a holiday. Oh and I just found out that his birthday is one day after mine! Such a coincidence. I hope he remains and doesn't withdraw.

My tutees got these from HK. [Click to enlarge]



Such a practical gift. It’s a gold medal winner red pen with revolutionary design. The little tortoise handphone accessory is from his sister. Remember my cutecute C? Now I’m also teaching his P1 sister. They’re just so cute sometimes la. Naughty and cheeky at times but very cute.


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Lelong lelong day at HH

Last Wednesday, the hh babes gathered for another “Exchange Your Clothes Day”. The event was proudly organized by my. It was good that my cousin postponed the tuition that day, leaving me with only 1 tuition session and a whole lot of time to do what I wanna do OTHER THAN WORK. I purposely forced work outta my mind that day.

Being overambitious, I planned lotsa stuff on my imaginary itinerary that day:
1. To visit a dentist after procrastinating for the past 11 years and after my wisdom tooth gave me problems
2. To thread my eyebrows
3. To do manicure and pedicure
4. To upgrade my sim card
5. To clear my wardrobe and meet the hh babes.

Maybe I could even shop at TPY and go for facial (the bioskin people haven’t seen me for a year since my 2nd session).

Alas, all I could accomplish was the clothes exchange. Oh well, the rest could be put on hold. My teeth aren’t painful for now, my eyebrows aren’t that thick for ticks to frolick in, my nails are painted haphazardly in an ugly shade by myself. Yes, these could wait.

I was so thrilled to be able to clear some wardrobe space yet again. I don’t mind not exchanging as long as I could give my clothes away. I would rather exchange and give my clothes to my friends than to have yahoo auction people haggling for prices of my clothes when they are already priced so reasonably and at times so cheaply.

We started introducing and “advertising” for our clothes, which is so hilarious cos they are all gonna be free anyway. It was really like a “lai ah lai ah” kinda flea market.

We were all frantically trying to give away our clothes. It was so fun trying to see which clothes suits whose style and holler together “Oh that’s so XXX’s style!” “You should really take this, it’s so you.”

Lelong Lelong


Trying out some clothes…

Before changing

I actually wanted to include this top in the clothes exchange but I tried it on again and changed my mind. I even took it off my auction. Luckily nobody bidded for it.

my’s bubble dress

It’s cute, it makes me look like a present but I can’t forsee myself wearing this dress on any occasion. Had to give it a miss.

Some T-shirts…

I think wy looks damn cute popping her head in the background.


I love the bright yellow scribble-drawing Beatles Tee. The drawing looks so amateurishly ugly but so quirky and unique.

We are just trying to take a good shot of the visitor and the visited. In case, you’re wondering, I’m flaunting my visitor’s pass. Haha so tacky to have a visitor’s pass.

Finally wy sported a different and much shorter hairdo, is not wearing the same sports shoes and not carrying the same white bag. She always laments that she is still the same in everything. Love her heels! I feel so short and stumpy in my birkies. my can really capture good candid shots. I don’t even recall doing those actions but doesn’t wy look so sweet in the 3rd picture?

Fwah fwah… Big metro bag.


Dear wy,
I didn't talk to wy much during the wedding dinner so it was really great that we could talk more that day. I was really happy to see you. I saved your sms! It's so heartwarming.

Oops I just realised picasa cut off wy’s heels. Here goes…


It's so good how everyone isn't selfish when it comes to exchanging, giving and receiving clothes. We do not even bother who is getting more, who is getting less, who is getting brand new with tags clothes or worn clothes, expensive clothes or cheap clothes. There were so many good clothes which fitted nobody. Such a waste! While some were carted to The Salvation Army, those with potential are up on my auction for $1 Clearance Sale.

Before: My huge paper bag was tightly-packed, squeezed out of any unwanted air and filled to the brim.

After: It was slightly less than half full with loosely packed clothes.


It felt so good to come home with a lighter bag!

Even though I feel kinda stress not doing any work that Wednesday, I was glad to be able to exchange some clothes and meet up with the hh people again. So happy to see "auntie" too. The few times I went back, auntie wasn't around. She still remembers me and even asks if I still suffers from headache as often. She is one of those who is always so concern about the teachers, sometimes buying snacks for us when she doesn't even earn much. Such a nice auntie!


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Simba’s visit to the vet

Simba had lots of scabs and wounds all over her and she was getting really thin so my 2nd sis brought her to a vet. Damn that on a fine Sunday morning when I was having my tuition, the vet had to be good-looking. I’m so gonna bring baba to the vet the next round.

Anyway, it turned out that baba had mites. My sister thought there was something more serious than some minute mites and reminded the vet that she has really lost a lot of weight. The vet replied, “Yes, senior cat will definitely lose some weight…” He paused, looked at the weighing scale and continued, “But it’s ok to lose some weight coz she is already fat.”

Wahahahaha… For the whole day, we just pointed at Simba and said “You’re fat.”

We threw her collar away and she became a domestic hazard. She is those kind who would suddenly dash in font of us or walk between our legs and without the bell, there was no warning of when she would dash into our way. Really very dangerous.

Simba's medicine


Q: How many people does it take to feed a Simba her medicine?

A: 4. One to push the plunger, one to hold her down, one to hold on to her paws and one to open her mouth. It would have been 5 if only I was around to film the whole process. Luckily that was only on the first day.

Night shots of Simba under dim orange lighting using my Z5.

One of Simba's unique features: 1 black paw and 1 white paw

See baba so pretty, got eyelash.


Beady eyes peeking between her black and white paws.

Looking surprised...


Looking like an idiot with her head cocked to one side…


Fatfat being forced by my dad to stare at the arowana.

Check out my sis's reflection in the tank. Ugly baby top. I wonder why she and the aussies like it so much.


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I love my super chio Z5...

coz it is the only digi cam that is able to capture Simba's Big eyes w/o flash. Flash makes her eyes very ugly. So far, all cameras weren't able to capture her big eyes under low light. And the best thing is, I don't even have to switch to night mode! It was on auto mode and it automatically balanced the lighting itself. The background lighting is actually that kinda dim orange light but from the pic, you can’t really tell right?

Can’t believe that I didn’t even know such a good fashionista camera exists until one fine day, I saw it, thought it looked like the pink Sony T20 and decided to do some research on it. It turned out that many camera enthusiasts agreed that it is a really good point and shoot fashionista camera.

Those who asked me about the Z5, this is all I could say for the moment as I've not really played around with it yet. Oh one more chio factor would be the Z5 words at the front of the camera would illuminate when the shutter button is pressed. Such a headturner! Enuff to make wy and my go "WAH!"


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All I bought on the last day of June was this magazine...



I felt like it could nourish my soul for months. My mother scolded me for not buying more before the GST hike. Very funny mother I have. Well, at least the mag had a 20% off at Kinokuniya.