This week’s topic for Illo Friday is Under The Sea.
I have very mixed feelings about what is under the sea. On one level, I enjoy the awesome sight of colourful fishes and corals when snorkeling. Yet, on another deeper level, I’m very fearful of what lies beneath. Which is why I never took up diving. In fact I wrote an entry about this fear last year titled Splashing Aliens. Here’s an extract:
Actually, I have always feared the unfathomed depths of the sea. To me, it is another dimension which we cannot totally comprehend. Even though we have the ability to access it, we aren’t able to explore all the depth. So it is not possible for us to know every living organism that dwells within that deep blue sea. Perhaps there is really another kingdom that we are not even aware of?
What about you? What are your feelings towards the world under the sea?
I brought Gavin for a haircut at Supercuts Hair Salon yesterday assuming it would be a breeze.
They have this cool little kids’ corner equipped with child friendly haircutting stations. A car chair and a motorcycle seat, each complete with a TV set. Surely, I thought, that would keep Gavin well entertained and happy especially since he loves cars.
Well, what I hadn’t anticipated was getting a hairstylist who was not experienced with toddlers. He was rather slow and Gavin was squirming about in his seat after 5 minutes and pulling at the cape wrapped around his neck. It got increasing painful after 10 minutes and Gavin was visibily traumatised. He even tossed away the cape creating more irritation for himself when hair fell on his skin, and more fidgeting. I was half afraid that his ear might be snipped as a result. Luckily we managed to pull through and I didn’t have to bring home the boy with half a haircut or half a ear.
For about the same price, I think I’ll be wiser bringing him back to his usual salon at Kitz Kid’s in Parkway Parade next round. The hairstylists there are definitely better with children and can cut his hair in less than 5 minutes. While the place may not be that nifty in terms of equipment, it at least is less stressful for us.
I think I’ll go broke if I ever become a primary school teacher.
Why?
Because I’ll have to spend lots of money buying the children sweets and cute stationeries in order to keep them motivated and happy in my classes.
Don’t underestimate their POWER. These are not just trivial giveaways for activities and games. I’ve recently learnt about their importance and how they can make, or break my workshops with kids.
When the kids are noisy, tell them they won’t get any of these rewards.
= INSTANT SILENCE
When the kids are not cooperative, tell them they won’t get a prize.
= INSTANT COOPERATION
When the kids are squabbling, tell them they’ll get nothing unless they stop.
= INSTANT PEACE
Of course there are some naughty ones who don’t fall for these threats. Thankfully, these are rare as most kids can’t seem to resist these sweeteners.
So I can afford to forget everything else in my workshops but I can never forget these little goodies. Small no doubt, but they’ll go far to let me survive relatively well through a day’s workshop with the young ones.
Ha! This is my second meme this week. Got tagged by Eileen aka blur-blur of Our Love, Our Life, Our Moments. Want to do it fast so that I can arrow some people. HIAK HIAK HIAK! 
1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.
“another hapless stone into the pond. I really don’t want to…” from Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami. (I’m on a Murakami marathon.)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can.
Takuya Kimura’s desktop standee that I swiped from a Levi’s store a few years ago.
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?
The Swinging Girl based on Chu Thi-yong’s comic on Channel 54.
4.Without looking, guess what time it is?
9:00am
5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
9:00am (On the spot! Cos I just took a glance a few minutes earlier!)
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Songs of Dadawa which I’m playing now.
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
7.35am when I brought Gavin to school.
8. Before you started this survey, what did you look at?
Reading blogs!
9. What are you wearing?
A green t-shirt and a pair of bermudas.
10. Did you dream last night?
I cannot remember.
11. When did you last laugh?
This morning, with Gavin when he woke up and laughed at something I sang.
12. What is on the walls of the room you are in?
A Chinese calligraphy and a poster on Coffeeology.
13. Seen anything weird lately?
Hmm…someone painfully thin. Definitely anorexic to me!
14. What do you think of this quiz?
Ask too many questions! Want to knock the head of whoever created this!
15. What is the last film you saw?
“Be With You” a Japanese movie on DVD.
16. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?
Clear all liabilities and invest in a new property!
17. Tell me something about you that I dunno.
You don’t know my age.
18. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
Get rid of all types of diseases.
19. Do you like to dance?
Definitely. Love to boogie and trying to learn Madonna’s moves from her Hung Up MTV.
20. George Bush.
Now I know. This is created by an American or someone living there or someone in love with George Bush. I don’t fancy him.
21. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
I’ve always thought a name with “Min” is very nice. Probably use it as part of her name.
22. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
My first child IS a boy and he’s Gavin.
23. Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yes, I’ve always wanted to live in Nepal. But I certainly don’t mind Australia too.
24.What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?
“Come in and have fun!”
25. Five (5) people who must also do this meme in their journal.
- Domestic Rat of Amuse-Bouche
- Ashleigh of My Spellbound
- Erika of Diary Of A Boring Young-Adult
- Hsin of Life In A Petri Dish
- Ally Bean of Crazy Dust In My Coffee
Have fun ladies!
This morning, I was in the mood to play the occasional housewife.
After sending Gavin to school, I went to the mini wet market near our place. I wanted to buy a piece of pork leg for braising but I felt a little lost standing in front of the meat chiller.
WHICH PART OF THE LEG SHOULD I BUY? FRONT OR HIND?
Luckily, there weren’t that many people and the pork seller was kind enough to educate me.
So that’s how I managed to whip up a simple one dish meal consisting of braised pork legs with eggs and bean curd. I even ventured further to made tong sui for dessert today. Terribly rare!
I think I make a very clueless housewife if I ever become a SAHM.
I only know how to shop at the supermarket. I barely have any idea of how to buy stuff from the wet market. Besides not knowing which part of the pig is meatier, I don’t know the names of the fish either. But I like to believe that this is the case for most modern mummies these days.
Another thing is I seldom cook and I’m not fantastic at that. The only time I did on a daily basis was during the period when I was a pregnant full-time housewife.
Then I was responsible for whipping up decent meals for my husband during the weekdays and also taking care of my own nutrition. Just standard Chinese cooking of three dishes including a soup, nothing fanciful.
After Gavin popped, I only cooked functional meals. Meaning, dumping everything in a pot of soup. Ha, easy peasy kind of cooking that can last for two good meals. With a baby on hand, it was impossible to be too creative or fussy about food. It was only when our domestic help arrived a year later did we enjoy some decent home cooked meals again. I taught her most of the cooking and left the task very much to her except for occasional supervision of new dishes. Very thankfully, she’s a fast learner even though she’s young.
So it’s about 3 years since I’ve prepared meals for my family. Even when my in-laws come over the weekend, it’s my husband who whips up the meal. I have to admit that he’s the better cook between us. Definitely more creative and more adventurous.
Hey, another hopeless thing is I don’t know how to bake a cake too. I suppose I can manage with a recipe, but… there’s always the bakery isn’t it?
