Nona Manis

PMR Results - New Year's Eve 2009

2010-01-03T01:14:00.001-08:00

24 Dec 2009 (Thurs) - PMR results were announced on Christmas Eve. After some anxious waiting, it was a merry Christmas for some while for others, it was not-so-merry!

Christmas Eve Cantata

2009-12-26T03:24:00.000-08:00

24 Dec (Thurs) - The Wesley Methodist Church's cantata on Christmas Eve entitiled "Love Beyond Measure" was a resounding success. Under the capable choir conductor S.T. Cheong (she improves with each passing year), the choir performed beyond expectations.

Pictures from top:
1. The interior of the church which was beautifully lit to give one the special magical feeling of Christmas.

2. Young Life presented a spirited pantomine "Glory To God" which had a bit of everything - dance, drama, song, comedy.

3. Part of the choir. On the left (in black coat) is Dr. Lim Boon Hock, the narrator. Age knows no bounds when it comes to being a choir member; you can see that the choir consisted of the very young as well as the er... "more experienced ones". Victoria is standing second row third from left. On that night, she looked as if she had such flawless porcelain skin, like one of those Korean actresses! I have to learn some makeup skills from her...

Here we go a carolling...

2009-12-23T23:28:00.000-08:00

Photos from top

1. Tues 22 Dec - At Ailin's Home. You can't help but feel sorry for the aged over there. The elderly lady in the middle (in floral blue print) is Mui Jie who spent a large part of her life as a cook at the Shellabear Hall hostel for girls.

2. Part of the carolling group - at the Everly Resort, Tanjung Kling.

3. Wed 23 Dec - Victoria (first from right) at Dr. Francis and Gillian Yip's residence in Taman Sentosa, Bukit Baru. Since Chiangmai 2008, she's lost about 15 kg, all thanks to a healthy diet, exercise and an iron will to be "The Biggest Loser".

4. William (second from left) at the residence of Jerry and Karen at Pertam Jaya.

Far from the madding crowd

2009-12-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

14 - 17 Dec 2009 (Mon - Thurs) My idea of a dream holiday - one that is unhurried, unharried, with lots of time at hand to sit and stare. I found all these in Lake Toba, Indonesia. By about 3.30 p.m. each day, after a little sight seeing and shopping, we had the rest of the day to sleep, watch satelite TV, go for walks, and live a life like Thomas Wilson in 'The Lotus Eater' (Somerset Maugham).

Pictures No. 1 & 2 - The hauntingly beautiful Lake Toba, Parapat. It's the largest volcanic lake in the wolrd.

Picture No. 3 - At the Siposo Waterfall area, where one gets a last view of the lake

Picture No. 4 - Beautiful flowers in Brastagi

Picture No. 5 - The Sultan's Palace in Medan. With me is a fellow tourist Mrs. Goh from Singapore. In her 60's, she's cool and she rocks!

Verdict: A good holiday with lots of time at hand to do nothing but marvel at God's magnificent handiwork. The lake is beautiful but the towns of Parapat and Brastagi are dirty and there is poverty everywhere. Makes us appreciate all the comforts that we have back home.

Early Christmas cheer 2009

2009-12-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

11 Dec (Fri) - Christmas came early to Wesley Methodist Church, Melaka at a combined Senior Citizens, Baba Gathering and Methodist Women party.

Photos from top:

1. The audience was entertained by Ng Kong Peng's sharing. They were far from bored, judging by the looks on their faces.

2. Pastor John Baru (left) receiving a gift from Senior Citizens' president Mr. Lee Char Kuen. This will be Pastor John's last Christmas with us as he'll be leaving for another post in Ipoh Wesley next year.

3. It's not Malaysia if there is no makan (feasting) at any get-together, be it a sad or happy occasion!

4. The Myanmese in their colourful traditional costumes entertained us with their songs and dance. Although we did not understand a word that they sang, their lively music captivated us. It was proof that music transcends language and culture.

5. Where there's Methodist Women, there's line dancing led by Rosalind Goh (front in black). Without her, most of us would have been lost! I blame it on age for my inability to remember dance sequences. The Myanmese were real sports and joined us in the dances.

Verdict: It was a fun night, with a good message from Kong Peng, good food, good sing-a-long and entertainment, good dancing, good everything...

Golden 50th Muar 7678 Reunion

2009-12-19T01:16:00.000-08:00

12 Dec 2009 (Sat) - It's been ages since I last updated my blog. I had thought of giving up blogging but what encouraged me was the many comments I got from ex-MGSS Melaka girls that they had read my blog, so how can I not go on?

On 12 Dec my class/schoolmates got together at D'99 Hotel in Muar, Johor to celebrate our joint 50th birthdays (although some of the old boys and girls had already reached the 51st milestone as they had spent one extra year in remove classes). For quite a few, it was their first get-together as they had missed the one held two years ago.

It was a good thing that we had name tags for everyone on that night because truly, it was sometimes hard to make out who's who, after so many years. Moreover, being "golden" girls and boys, our memory often fail us! The event helmed by KC (Tan Kee Chung) and ably assisted by Chua Chor Kuan, was a memorable one with karaoke (or rather croak-aoke; at 50 years, we couldn't be bothered if we were tone deaf; we just sang with gusto), a "Got Talent" contest and a "star" among us Shieh Pay Tee (Astro Golden Voice contest finalist) serenading us with Mandarin and English oldies from yesteryears.

What struck me after the evening was that many of us have changed in appearance - more portly, rotund, with wrinkles (wisdom lines) - but essentially, we are still the same - Michael Chong as entertaining as ever; Hui Chen aka Nora Meow (soon- to- be cast of 'Gossip Girls') still the reliable source of information if you want to know the latest about old friends; the old boys KC, Chor Kuan, Venu, Hiang Choon, Woon Han, Su - still as charming; Margaret Ngiap still her health conscious self; and my gang from the old days like Magdalene, Linda Bee Ling, Angie Siew Kieok, still as fun loving. Sigh... north, south, east, west, old friends are still the best!

Photos from top:

1. My friends and I (from left) - (Terrific) Teresa Tan, me, (Attractive) Angie Siew Kieok (she's already a grandma!), (Marvellous) Margaret Ngiap, (Amazing) Angelina Lee Poh, (Energetic)Evelyn Hwee Yong, (Lovely) Lily Low, (Magnificent) Magdalene Ng

2. Pay Tee (right) and me - I won the "Got Talent" contest ("I never knew I could dance like this...") and a RM1.00 contract to perform at the next reunion.

3. The golden girls and boys

4. It was a tad difficult to pop those poppers

5. That's KC (in blue with mike) lecturing us on why we should make it a point to attend the next reunion in 2011.

Cross-country Run 6 Feb 2009

2009-02-08T01:36:00.001-08:00

After the one-week Chinese New Year holiday (with lots of good food and feasting), it was good to go back to my regular line dancing and ballroom dancing schedules whereby I get the chance to shed off all the accumulated flab (if I can!). For the MGSS students, the cross country run was their opportunity to get back into shape.
Pictures from the top:
1. It's me - "I Believe I Can Fly..." The warm-up session. It was scary going up the stage structure and exercising on the small space but I told myself "I Will Survive" and I did!
2. My naughty Form 5K1 girls in action, doing the "Joget Pahang", no?
3. It's registration time for runners...

4. MGSS girls starting their run.

4. Putting their best foot forward... "Take me home country road..."
5. And here are my cheeky (but nice) Form 4K1 girls (waving and making signs) from left Aisha, Nik Camelia, Iman and Athirah. Who's Aisha waving at, I wonder... must be Mr. Goh Tai Peng, their favourite teacher in MGSS...

Peace, love and goodwill to men - it's Chinese New Year!

2009-01-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year is a time to spread goodwill and cheer amongst family members and friends.
Pics from the top:
1. We went to Muar on the 28th Jan which was the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year to visit my brothers. From left: Hoe Kian (3rd brother - he lives in Muar), myself, Hoe Lee (eldest brother) and sis-in-law Kwee Imm (Hoe Lee's wife).
2. This was taken in Stella and Cyril's house in Semabok, Melaka. Stella is Henry's eldest sister and she is sitting first from left, figuring out her mobile phone. This is part of Henry's BIG family(believe me, it's really HUGE). We had a good time getting together and renewing ties.

3. My former boss and friend, Nga Johnson, came over for a whirlwind visit. Currently based at the Shanghai Singapore International School in China, this lady has boundless energy. Just seeing her zooming around from one place to another wears me out!
4. Victoria had her friends over and we specially prepared halal (kosher) food as there were Muslim friends who came. It's really heartwarming to see young Malaysians of different races coming together for some good clean fun and laughter.
5. William didn't want to be left out and he invited his Malay friend, Mohd. Irfan (left) over. Irfan came with his family and we were only too happy to host them. This is another example of the muhibbah (multi-racial harmonious) spirit at work.

Gong Xi Fa Cai 26 Jan 2009 (Mon)

2009-01-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

26 Jan marked the beginning of spring which is the Chinese New Year. It's a time of great rejoicing, as we thank God for having seen us through the past year of the rat, and we pray that the new year of the golden ox will be one in which we will be blessed with health, wealth, happiness and everything that is good.

The best part of Chinese New Year is the family get-togethers and the "open house" hosted by relatives and friends. For the children, nothing beats the excitement of receiving red packets ("ang pow") and watching the dazzling fireworks in the night sky. Gone are the days when fire crackers (dropping in a string from 1st floor balconies/roof tops to the ground) were let off and the whole street was covered with a sea of red paper (from the fire crackers) in the aftermath of the lunar new year celebration. Today, we have to settle for the tamer firework displays.

Pictures from the top:

1. Some of my favourite relatives: (seated from left) - Major Goh Choon Beng (Henry's brother), his wife Siew Hong, Stella (Henry's eldest sister), Shamuz (Stella's son) with William (my son) on his lap. (Standing from left) - Angela (Shamuz's wife), me and Henry. My family decided to go traditional on the 1st day of the Ox year to keep our culture alive.

2. Henry's parents (both deceased) on their wedding day. This pic was taken by Henry on the 1st day of the New Year at his family house. The Peranakan outfits that his late parents wore on their wedding day were truly amazing! The photo reminds me of our roots and rich heritage.

3. "Open house" at Sam and Christine Koh's residence takes on a very different concept. There is good food and cheer as in other houses but what makes it so special is the live music that the musically inclined and talented host family provides for their guests. On the piano is Christine and she is ably accompanied by her children (from left) Vanessa, Sebastian and Kenneth. Their repertoire of songs range from Chinese to English, rock 'n roll to waltz - you name it, they play it!

Chinese (Lunar) New Year Fever in MGSS

2009-01-27T08:14:00.001-08:00

One of the best times of the year for the Chinese community is the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year). This year, we bid farewell to the Rat year and instead, welcome the Ox.

The MGSS community celebrated the Lunar New Year on Friday 23 Jan 2009 with much gusto and cheer. The Chairman of the School Board of Governors, Ar. Kua Chong Beng launched the celebration which culminated in a traditional Chinese costume fashion show. The show took us on a walk down memory lane, starting from costumes of the Tang Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, Republic (Sun Yat Sen) era and finally transporting the audience to modern Malaysia.

Pictures from the top:
1. The MCs, dancers and traditional costume models posing together. On the extreme right is Mdm. Chung Kia Wah (more popularly known as Mrs. Wong aka "Roti Wong") who has been my close partner in producing school dance performances. This time around, we worked hand in hand to come up with a Chinese Peranakan (Baba Nyonya) dance.

2. Our Chinese Peranakan dancers (from left): Joanne, Huai Lin and Minali.

3. A section of the Chinese Language students from various forms entertained us with Chinese New Year songs.

4. (From left): Yun Qi and Huai Lin performing a duet.

5. The very capable masters of ceremonies (from left): Kathleen and Noelle.

For me, the celebration was a good way to awaken the Chinese New Year mood in me, which had otherwise been lying dormant due to the endless work demands. After that morning, it was "Gong xi fa cai" and "Happy holidays" all the way for me!

Baba Nyonya Convention - Melaka 2008

2008-12-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

The 2008 Baba Nyonya Convention (Baba Nyonya - "Straits Born Chinese") saw the Babas (the men) and Nyonyas (ladies) from Melaka, KL/Selangor, Penang, Singapore and Phuket, Thailand convening at the Equatorial Hotel Melaka from the 5 - 7 Dec. Henry (who has Straits Born Chinese blood in him) and I were too busy to attend the convention but we made it to the subsription dinners that were held on the 5th (opening night) and the 6th (Hula hula lao jiet night - lao jiet means merriment in Hokkien dialect).

One of the highlights of the convention was definitely the Miss Kebaya International Contest that was held on the opening night. Contestants ranged from 19 to 76 years of age! A clear crowd favourite was contestant no. 13, Mdm. Molek Lee Saw Im ("Molek" means pretty in the Malay language) who oozed glamour and grace at 76. Someone commented that she's our very own Baba Nyonya version of Marilyn Monroe! She also enthralled the crowd with her hand-stitched kebaya outift and accessories, and true enough, she was crowned winner.

The Miss Kebaya International contestants were not adjudged on their figure or looks; the authenticity of the costumes and accessories was one of the criteria among others. Ha!!... this is one contest that many like me stand a chance of winning (at last)!

Another thing that impressed upon me was the zest for joget (a Malay dance) that the Baba Nyonyas have. The ladies can dance in their tight-fitting kebaya tops, sarongs (long skirts) and manik (beaded) shoes. There was no need for the masters of ceremnoies to cajole the crowd to go down to the dance floor - every inch of the dinner halls on both nights was occupied by the Babas and Nyonyas dancing the night away! Truly, seeing is believing...

Pic s from the top:

1. Contestant No. 13 Mdm. Molek Lee surrounded by admirers. I'm on the extreme right. Next to me is Rosalind Leow in red kebaya outfit. Standing next to her, I look ... fat!!!

2. Moment of triumph - the crowning of Miss Kebaya International 2008.

3. The Melaka Baba Nyonya choir

4. Young members of the Singapore-based Main Wayang Company keep the Baba Nyonya culture alive.

4. The Nyonyas from Phuket, Thailand entertaining the crowd during the Hula hula night.

From Chiangmai with love

2008-12-16T17:19:00.000-08:00

While the Thai anti-government protestors were closing in on the Bangkok airports (which they finally took over on 26 Nov), my family and I flew to Chiangmai on the 25 Nov. Thanks to Tony Fernandez, the CEO of AirAsia (now everyone can fly), we were able to go there for a 4-day 3-night getaway holiday.

My family members and friends having read about the turmoil in Bangkok were concerned about our safety during those few days, but I am glad to say that everything was peaceful in Chiangmai and Chiangrai during our short stay.

The holiday was memorable for a number of reasons: there was overflowing supply of great tasting food at all meals; the Thai ladies lived up to their reputation for beauty (all slim ones, much to my envy); the weather was cool in Chiangmai while the northern towns were cold; the tour guide John was friendly and helpful. What else could we ask for?

Photos from the top:

1. The family at a hot spring, on the way to Chiangrai. William had this habit of posing James Bond-style throughout the course of the holiday! Aaah.. maybe he had this idea that he was on a spy mission trip in Thailand. Fertile imagination...

2. On a Mae Ping river cruise for dinner. The food was great (as usual) and the setting, absolutely romantic...

3. We trekked a short distance to the Karen village where the Karen women have long necks. This Karen woman holds the world record for longest neck in the world, serious...

4. At the Maesa Elephant Camp. Victoria Goh in action feeding the elephants.

5. At the Kantoke Palace where we had dinner and watched cultural performances. William is surrounded by pretty girls, much to his delight!

One thing that struck me during the trip was the poverty in Laos (at a border town in the Golden Triangle). It was such a sad sight to see children begging but we were warned not to give money to any of them as there'd be many others who would swarm us in no time . At the end of the holiday, we thanked God for the many blessings that we have back home in good old charming historic Malacca!

To God Be The Glory

2008-10-20T21:00:00.000-07:00

The month of October has been a good one for me. I celebrated my 49th birthday on the 8th Oct over a simple halal Western dinner at my favourite eating place, Seafarer.

This was followed by the English Language Teaching Materials Conference that was held at the Equatorial Hotel, Melaka. It being held in my home ground, I took the chance to present a paper 'Thank You For The Music' in which I shared with my audience how I used songs in my Form 4 English Language class. My thanks go to my friend, Mdm. Noorainun Anuar of the Melaka State Education Department, who arranged for my sponsorship to the Conference.

The icing on the cake at the end of last week was the news that I had been emplaced on DG52 scale. I was elated and after many anxious moments, finally got a faxed copy of my appointment letter from the Human Resource Ministry. I have to remind myself again and again to always stay humble and to give all glory to God. The promotion would not have been possible if not for divine providence and also my dear colleagues and friends who had seen me through thick and thin, from the time I submitted my form till the time I got my faxed copy of letter from Putrajaya (the Malaysian admin hub).

6th St. Theresian Line Dance Anniversary

2008-10-13T06:01:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest bunch of ladies in Melaka town gather at the St. Theresa's Church along Jalan Gajah Berang every Monday from 5.30 to 7.00 p.m. to line dance under the tutelage of Mdm. Chin Siok Hoon. 11th Oct saw the ladies (and a few brave men) gather at the Melaka Peranakan Chinese Association to eat and line dance the night away.

The theme for this year's St. Theresian Line Dance Anniversary was fancy dress and you can see from the topmost and 2nd pictures that everyone made an effort to dress up. The young student in white shirt, turqoise skirt and tie is me - still under 18! In our midst, we had a (Somali) pirate, matchmaker, clowns, gypsies, Red Indians and even a rag doll, among others.

The 3rd picture shows the ladies lince dancing. The lady in red (she's in front - the tallest and dressed as a gypsy) is our teacher, Mdm. Chin. We students exasperate her each week because we forget the dance steps and even the dance names, all within the hour! Our common comment is : "Eh, what dance is this?????"

Next pic shows my dear husband Henry in action, dancing with Rosalind Leow. Henry brought the house down, dressed as a belly dancer who hailed from Istanbul! Even now, I have a good laugh whenever I see the photos of him on that night, swirling and twirling to the strains of 'Arabian Nights'.

In the fifth and final photo, everyone is trying to stomp each other's balloons in one of the games that we had. What a night of good clean fun! We are already looking forward to the next anniversary...

6 Oct 2008 Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

2008-10-08T07:27:00.001-07:00

One of the best things about Hari Raya Aidilfitri is the amount and variety of food that greet me when I go to Raya open houses. This year was no different and believe me, by the 3rd day of Raya, I had piled on more fat and needed a new wardrobe to accommodate my rounder figure!

The one-week Raya break was a welcome one and when we went back to school on the 6th Oct which was a Monday, the Raya mood spilled over into the school.

Photos from the top:

1. Mr. Md. Taha Sarip, the School PTA Vice-chairman, giving away duit raya.

2. Siti Fairus Musa of Form 4K1, a seasoned performer, recited a poem about Raya.

3. Form 4K2 girls put up a sketch about a young man who forgets his roots when he marries a rich girl. The sketch had a good plot and a strong cast.

4. MGSS has got talent! Mr. Alias (left) and Mr. Azmi (right), both from the school support staff, belted Raya numbers and even did a joget. It was a good show from the veteran performers.

5. Everybody singing Raya songs. Nobody cared if they sang out of tune because it was a time to celebrate.

You can do it Senior Citizens! - 22 Aug 2008

2008-09-07T05:53:00.000-07:00

SCAM (what an acronym - Senior Citizens' Association of Melaka) had a dinner on 22 Aug 2008 at the Pay Teck Chinese Primary School. The seniors put up a good show of karaoke, choir, line dancing and there was even an Elvis Presley impersonation. All these just go to prove that "Orang Tua Boleh!" (the seniors can also do it).

Pics 1st from top: In the middle of the back row is Rosalind Goh, our SCAM line dance instructor. We have proven to be quite hopeless students, always forgetting dance steps which we have learnt. Look at her - she's got a figure I'd die for... tall, slim, fair... Sigh!
Middle and bottom pics - I am surrounded by veterans. In the second pic, I am at the back (shortest one) with my face turned to my left and my arms swung to my right.

Prayer Blessing 8 Aug 08

2008-09-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

While the world was waiting for the Beijing Olympics to kickstart on 8 August 2008 (08.08.08), MGSS held a Prayer Blessing for the non-Muslim PMR and SPM students on that auspicious date at 8 a.m. (the Muslim students had a Solat Hajat in the New Hall, Tan Cheng Lock also at the same time). The Prayer Blessing was held for the first time in the Bickley Hall which stands in the MGS Primary 1 compound. It was an uplifting time for all and I am very sure that each of us were "blessed because we came".

Pics from the top:

1. The singing team and musicians in action. The young vioices of the girls sounded angelic!

2. Mdm. Tan Lay Heong (the Senior Assistant for Co-curriculum and also Prayer Blessing co-ordinator) with the girls singing the rousing songs of praise.

3. A dance item led by Esperanza Ng and Eunice Teoh. A very touching dance which reminded us of the extent of our Lord Jesus' love for us.

4. Dr. Lim Boon Hock, the Executive Director of Methodist Council of Education, was the speaker that morning.

Oh to be young and healthy 28 July 2008

2008-09-01T19:13:00.001-07:00

When I was younger, I chose wealth over health but today as I edge nearer to the half centruy mark, I would definitely go for health. The best things in life are free and simple, and which many of us take for granted each day - to be able to live, to breathe, to see, to be (not-so-) young (sigh...) and to be able to exercise...

Pics from top:

1. Front most is Chu Shir Ling from 4K1. She's a very talkative girl in class (sometimes, no often times, I'd like to give her a good spanking on her bottom) but deep down, she's a very nice girl.

2. Here is our school counsellor, Mdm. Ng Gaik Lam, leading the aerobics pack. Is she doing an Indian dance - Made In India, no?

3. A section of my Form 5K5 girls in action. I have got to take deep breaths and have lots of patience when I go into that class. Basically all pretty nice girls when you get to know them.

4. A sea of faces but each girl is special in God's sight.

Back again... School PTA AGM 26 July 2008

2008-09-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hi I am back again after quite a long while. The 26 July 2008 (Sat) saw MGSS holding her 34th Parent-Teacher Association Annual General Meeting. It was a good meeting with food galore. What was most encouraging was to see proud parents going up on stage to receive cash prizes on behalf of their daughters who couldn't be present on that day.

Pics from the top:

1. Asilah Mohd. Shariffuddin - one of the top PMR (Form 3) students for 2007 - receiving her prize from the PTA Vice Chairman Mr. Md. Taha Sarip. Asilah is the editor of this year's school magazine (The Gleam 2006-2007) and has proven to be a gem of an editor. I am glad I nominated her as editor and that she accepted the challenge to head the editorial team.

2. My colleague Mdm. Tee Geok Chwee (right) receiving a prize from Mr. Chua Hong Pioh (PTA Chairman) on behalf of her daughter See Tian Feng. Tian Feng scored 12 distinctions in the SPM (Form 5) exam last year to emerge best student in the school SPM results. Congratulations to her and her parents.

3. Lai May Ling (centre) receiving her Student of the Year for 2007 award. To share her moment of glory was her beaming mother, Mdm. Kua Koon Lay. May Ling was the school head prefect for 2007 and she has a list of achievements which would take a few pages to chronicle!

4. The PTA Committee of 2007-2008. Note the batik outift that several of us were wearing. Sponsored by Mr. Md. Taha, the batik outifit is our unofficial PTA "uniform".

MGSS Staff Development 12 July 2008

2008-08-10T04:03:00.000-07:00

The MGSS staff development on a Saturday morning when everyone should be tucked in bed at that (unearthly) hour proved to be a pleasant one.

Pictures from the top show:

1. A section of the staff during the warming up. The lady in pink clapping enthusiastically is Mdm. Ng Gaik Lam, the school counsellor.

2. Mdm. Ong Choon Chin (left) and Mdm. Haslina getting to know each other better by pinching each other's nose.

3. "United we stand, divided we fall" is the message that the staff seems to be conveying.

4. The staff doing the hula dance? It was a much-needed exercise after the heavy and sumptuous tea that we had.

5. Propelling the principal, Mdm. Koh Tuat Guek, into space.

Exercise, exercise, exercise! (7 July 2008)

2008-07-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

The 2nd exercise session proved to be fun (once again). The students and several teachers, led by the school counsellor Mdm. Ng Gaik Lam (aka Miss Aerobics MGSS), stretched, huffed and puffed to the strains of good music at the assembly grounds. Even the very pregnant Physical Education teacher, Mdm. Mong Chiu Yen who is due this month, did part of the workout. In front of her is Mdm. Yeo Kim Choo (aka Linda Yeo) - our cookery consultant (for dummies like me).

Get Healthy! (2 July 2008)

2008-07-07T06:48:00.001-07:00

2 July 2008 saw the beginning of a series of morning exercise sessions held in conjunction with Bulan Kecergasan KPM (Ministry of Education's Fitness Month). When I was asked to conduct the first of the exercise sessions, I couldn't help but laugh because I am one of the unfittest teachers in the school! Even climbing up a flight of stairs would leave me huffing and panting, what more conducting a fitness exercise class! But, hey, I survived, with a little help from my daughter and her friend.

Topmost pic: Iman (extreme left) and Victoria (centre) leading the stretching session. Phew... thank God I had them to see me through. That's me on the right, looking slim for once. It's the outfit playing tricks on the eyes...

2nd pic: Form 5K1 girls in action.

3rd pic: A cross-section of the girls who were selected to join the exercise session.

4th pic: Form 5K1 girls doing the Macarena. It was absolutely fun doing it!

MGSS Open Day 28 June 2008

2008-07-07T05:53:00.001-07:00

Parents had to go to school to collect the report cards of their daughters on MGSS Open Day. Students were anxious to get their mid-term exam results but much worse was the fact that their form teachers would meet their parents - and goodness knows what horror tales the teachers would tell the lattter about their children!

Top picture shows Mdm. Sutinah Sidan who is the Head of the Language Department doing brisk business, surrounded by eager girls and their parents. Photo was taken in Form 5K4.

In 2nd pic is Mr. Lee Chee Heng with Nur Amiera of Form 5K3 and her mum.Nur Amiera is one of the nicest girls in the class. Knowing that one of my passions is gastronimcal delights, she bakes me cakes (she's not the only one in the class who does so) and even supplies me recipes which alas, I have scant time to try.

3rd pic shows the fiesta-like atmosphere in the school compound. Mr. Wee Pang Woon (left) and Mr. Lim Kim Swee (right) are seen welcoming the Parent-Teacher Association chairman, Mr. Chua Hong Pioh (centre).

So you think you can spell?

2008-06-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Sun 30 June 2008 - The RHB-New Straits Times SIR (Spell-It-Right) Challenge for Melaka state was held last Sunday 22 June at the Mahkota Parade. MGSS was represented by four enthusiastic Form 5 girls who sacrificed their day of rest and tuition classes in order to test their spelling skills. The spelling competition was a challenging one and I myself couldn't spell quite a number of words. MGSS did rather well in the competition (see results below) and we are looking forward to staging an even better show next year!

Photos from top:

1. Priyadarssini in action.

2. The MGSS team got 3rd place and won RM1000 for their effort. Standing 4th from left (all in black and the shortest of them all) is yours truly while next to me holding the mock cheque is Cristal Tan. The students behind us are (from left): Priya, Rachel Sheow and Chong Kar Yeen aka Wendy.

3. Cristal got richer by RM1500 when she emerged runner-up in the individual category.

4. The contestants giving the thumbs up to the SIR Challenge after the prize-giving ceremony.

MGSS Co-curriculum Day 18 June 2008

2008-06-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Sat 28 June 2008 5.15 a.m. - The MGSS Co-curriculum Day was a busy day for teachers and students alike. Highlights included a marching competition, prize giving for those who did well in co-curricular activities, jumble sale, hair dressing and movie screening.

Photos from the top:

1. Where else can you get your hair done for RM5 but in MGSS? The hairdressing from Team Hair Saloon hard at work in the Lee Kuo Chuan Hall.

2. For the health-conscious - Health screening for blood pressure, BMI, etc. at the New Hall.

3. St. John's Ambulance team - the proud winners of the marching competition among the uniformed bodies, beating the fancied Police Cadets. In 2nd place was the Red Crescent while Puteri Islam clinched the 3rd spot. Well done!

4. There's no sale like an MGSS sale! - Students preparing for the jumble sale which proved to be very popular.

5. No event in MGSS would be a success without the kitchen crew. With the students is Mdm. Hasrinawati.

Honouring Parents and Fathers

2008-06-19T06:23:00.000-07:00

19 June 2008 (Thurs) - It was a weekend of food galore to fete parents and especially fathers. The Persatuan Peranakan Cina Melaka (Peranakan Chinese Association of Melaka) organised a dinner to honour parents on Sat 14 June. The food was good, and the music and dancing were excellent, from line dancing to ballroom dancing, then the joget, twist, etc. We were left breathless on the dance floor!

The following day Sun15 June was Father's Day and at Wesley Church, we celebrated by making several fathers cook fried rice after church service. Bro. Tony Khoo emerged champion but honestly, if you look at the last pic above, all the plates of fried rice looked so inviting, a testimony to the fathers' cooking prowess.

1st pic on top - My dancing friends and I (from left: Barbara, Rosalind, Carol and yours truly)

2nd pic - My former boss, Mr. Yoong Yee Seng (ex-principal of ACS Secondary Melaka and now principal of Methodist High School, Melaka) cooking up a storm! He'd get my vote for best husband award, if there had been such a competition ...

3rd pic - Pandemonium outside the church as fathers showed off their cooking skills.

4th pic - Fried rice mania - Good to see, good to eat!

World Environment Day - 5 June 2008

2008-06-07T02:40:00.000-07:00

Sat 7 June 2008 5:44 p.m. - As a run-up to World Environment Day, the New Straits Times (NSTP) Press and Shell ran a series of workshops nation-wide some time in March/April on 'Global Climate Change'. The one-day Melaka workshop was held at the Mahkota Hotel and MGSS Melaka was represented by 4 girls (two from Form 3 and 2 from Form 4) accompanied by an English Language teacher, Mdm. Roseline Sik.

As follow-up, the girls had to write an essay on what they would do to save the environment. My daughter Victoria Goh (Vic in short) sent in an essay which she wrote last year and surprise, surprise... her essay got published in the NSTP paper on 5 June in conjunction with World Environment Day. We received the news rather late about the publication of her essay and frantically went to the shops, called up relatives and friends, etc. to get hold of at least a copy of the day's paper.

I have been nagging Vic to practise at least half of what she preached in her essay - take short showers (four minutes maximum) and carry her own shopping bag to the malls. I strongly believe that shopping malls should stop providing plastic bags at payment counters so as to force shoppers to carry their own bags (it is already practised in England) but knowing the habit of Malaysians, it'll be something pretty hard to enforce in this part of the world. While at Tesco Melaka this afternoon, we put our groceries in Vic's shopping bag and got strange looks from the people around us, as if we were aliens or downright stupid or something. Thanks Vic, for through your essay, I have been made more aware of the need to reduce, reuse and recycle.

2nd International IPBA Conference (2-4 June 2008)

2008-06-05T08:06:00.000-07:00

Thurs 5 May 2008 11.08 p.m. - The 2nd International IPBA Conference (IPBA stands for Institut Perguruan Bahasa-Bahasa Antarabangsa or in English, the International Languages Teacher Training Institute) was held at the De Palma Ampang Hotel, Kuala Lumpur from 2 - 4 May 2008. Melaka was represented by 3 English Language teachers (more were supposed to go but didn't, most likely due to communication breakdown). The conference was one which I enjoyed thoroughly because of its well-thought out organization and stimulating paper presentations. I had the privilege of presenting a paper entitiled "A Pot-pourri of Grammar Activities" which was well-received.

One of the things I like about attending conferences is the people I meet. I found the IPBA secretariat to be a helpful, pleasant and friendly lot, both lecturers and its under-graduates alike. The latter I found to be oozing with confidence, and I think it can be attributed to the overseas training that they have had, in countries like England, Australia and New Zealand. A record of thanks to the organizers for a job well done (keep up the good work!) and to my friend, Mdm. Noorainun Anuar of the Melaka State Education Department for giving me the opportunity to attend and present at the conference.

Pics above show me in action. The final picture was taken on the 3rd June at the Conference Dinner which was a highly entertaining evening. Maya, my fellow Melakan, is on the right while on the left is Zamrudah Ahmad Rashidi from IPBA. Zam, as she is fondly known, was one of the nicest persons (together with her students) whom Maya and I met at the Conference.

Romance of Gunung Ledang

2008-06-05T03:22:00.000-07:00

Thurs 5 May 2008 8.50 p.m. -Being a Johorean (my hometown is Muar), I take pride in the natural wonders that the state has to offer. Tucked away in the small town of Tangkak in the state of Johor is Gunung Ledang and the Sargill waterfall. My family took a much-needed two-day break (30 - 31 May) and travelled the lonely road lined with oil palm and rubber trees to our destination. We were not disappointed by what Gunung Ledang and the waterfall had to offer us. It felt good to be surrounded by nature - trees, trees and more trees!

Unfortunately, the same could not be said of the holiday-makers, whether local or from out of town. Malaysians are notoriously renown for littering and the waterfall area was not spared. Rubbish was overflowing and flies were having a heyday. As a result, we in our Gunung Ledang Resort room could not even open our glass door to welcome the slowly descending morning mist. We just had to open the door a wee bit and the flies would make a beeline for our room! Such was the sad state of affairs.

Anyway, for those who are not aware, Gunung Ledang (formerly known as Mount Ophir) is shrouded in mystery. Legend has it there was a beauitful Majapahit princess who lived in the mountain. The last sultan of Melaka, Sultan Mahmud Shah, was so besotted with her that he pledged he would do anything to marry her. However, the princess asked him for something which he could not give - seven bowls of his beloved son's blood. As such, the sultan's hopes of marrying the mysterious princess were dashed. It is said that her free spirit still roams the hills of Gunung Ledang. Fortunately, or unfortunately, we did not encounter any sign of her!

Nanyang Girls' High School visits MGSS Melaka

2008-05-27T07:07:00.001-07:00

Tues 27 May 2008 - This morning, MGSS Melaka played host to 39 students and 3 teachers from Nanyang Girls' High School, Singapore, who were on a 3-day 2-night visit to Melaka. The morning programme began with a speech by Mdm. Zaharah Tahir (Senior Assistant I of MGSS), followed by a PowerPoint slide show and icebreaking (picture 1). The chicken dance taught by the school counsellors Mdm. Ng Gaik Lam and Mdm. Ungku Safiah was absolutely hilarious and for about 5 minutes or so, the Lee Kuo Chuan Hall was turned into a chicken farm!

After a short tour of the school, it was time to savour some local delicacies - onde onde and kuih cara (picture 2). Up next was the playing of traditional games which consisted of congkak, hantu galah (picture 3), batu seremban (aka five stones), cap teh (feathercock kicking) and teng teng (hopscotch). The present generation of children are only familiar with computer games but do not know anything about the joys and pleasures of these simple and fun (and sometimes silly) traditional games which can be played absolutely free. Besides, playing these traditional games foster closer ties among children and families in the neighbourhood, something which is sadly lacking due to our so-called "progress".

I think our Singapore guests enjoyed those games so much that they continued playing in spite of the fact that the time was up. The morning ended with an exchange of gifts and a group photo (picture 4).

When our big city guests had left, we browsed through the Nanyang Girls' High School 90th anniversary magazine that had been presented to MGSS and our jaws almost dropped out when we saw how modern, affluent and high tech their school is. While in MGSS, the students run bare foot (I always call them jaguh kampung i.e. village champs) in the green field dotted with sprawling rain trees which are as old or even older than our grandparents, in Nanyang they run on bitumen track. And their hall is an auditorium while their library is of at least two-storey high. And, their school magazine was hard-bound, all glossy colour photos, with no advertisements at all... what a world of difference!

Ah, well... in spite of our shortcomings, I am thankful that I am a part of MGSS Melaka, where we are surrounded by lots of greenery and where life is simpler and not so harried. It is a place with a heart and a soul and "where everybody knows your name" (tagline of the sitcom Cheers).

Of MELTA, PPCM and deaths

2008-05-19T01:46:00.000-07:00

Mon 19 Tues 2008 - On Sat 17 May, MELTA (Malaysian Eng. Lang. Teachers' Association) Melaka Chapter held a successful half-day workshop on "Creative Methodology for Primary and Secondary Schools" at the Dewan Bestari, Education Dept., Bukit Baru. The workshop, conducted by Azlam Khan, saw 49 teachers from as far as Batu Pahat and Besut attending. High School Melaka alone sent 7 teachers! Congrats to the Melaka Chapter especially the chapter leader, Rodney Tan (Chai Whatt) on a job well done! I would love to show you some photos of the workshop but my dear husband says that he can't find the cable to download the pics from my camera-phone.

The afternoon saw the line dancing ladies gather at the Persatuan Peranakan Cina Melaka (PPCM) for a jamming session from 3 to 6 p.m. Organized by the PPCM honorary secretary, Chin Siok Hoon, the jamming was a huge success and the pot luck was simply delicious! Thanks to her for organizing the afternoon of fun and fitness! (Pictures above)

Today I head the unfortunate news of the passing away of Dr. Annisa Nor Jettey's sister and father. I am proud to count Dr. Annisa as my friend and learning about her loss dampens my spirit. Although I had never met her dad, I remember that he was a primary school headmaster and everytime I rang to speak to Dr. Annisa, he would answer in his impeccable English and very rich baritone voice. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.

MGSS celebrates Teachers' Day 2008

2008-05-18T16:00:00.001-07:00

Mon 19 May 2008 - Today is Vesak Day. Happy Vesak Day to all practising Buddhists!

MGSS Melaka celebrated Teachers' Day on Fri 16 May. Pics from the top:
1. Teachers singing the Teachers' Day theme song. Judges' verdict: Great singing from great teachers! (That's me in brown on extreme right)
2. Cutting of Teachers' Day cake.
3. It's a tradition that on Teachers' Day, we give out Good Conduct Awards to students. That's Zaition smiling sweetly, receiving her award from Mr. Kua Chong Beng, the Chairman of the School Board of Governors.
4. Teachers' Day would not be complete without presentations from students.
5. Here are the aspiring "MGSS Teacher Idol" contestants! The teachers presented two songs - you can see from the photo that the line up of singers consisted of young faces. We "bullied" the young trainees and temporary teachers to sing on our behalf.
6. Teachers' Day is a great opportunity for students and especially teachers to put on weight! This is Form 5K2 ('k" for Kelas - i.e. class) during their class party surrounded by food galore, posing for the camera. Remember everybody, 'Eat in haste, repent at leisure...'
7. The best gift I received for Teachers' Day was a simple homemade card as the message from the student said it all. Often times, I regret joining the teaching profession but the card reminded me of my chosen vocation and calling.

I'd like to share with you some of the many SMS messages I received on Teachers' Day.
The first one went like this: "A teacher is like PEPSI: ASK FOR MORE. A teacher is like NIKE: JUST DO IT. A teacher is like NOKIA: CONNECTING PEOPLE. A teacher is like McD: I'M LOVING IT!"

A serious one was: "A teacher is someone who is wise, who cares about students and wears no disguise but is honest and open, and shares from the heart, not just lessons from books but from life."

The most light-hearted one was this: "Don't kiss a lawyer; he will say, 'I object!' Don't kiss a doctor; he will say 'Next one, please.' But kiss a teacher and he will say, 'Do it ten times!' "

Happy belated Teachers' Day to all teachers!

Footnote: Several of the photos above are courtesy of Elynn Suah, MGSS Head Prefect 2008. Thanks, Elynn!

The MICELT 2008 (12 - 14 May 2008)

2008-05-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

The topmost pic is me on right presenting my paper in the Ampangan I Room on 13 May. I was worried that I would not have much to say but once I started, there was no full stop!

The 2nd pic was taken on the 2nd night (13 May). Seated from left: Rahanim from PPD Petaling Utama, me, Noorainun Anuar, Lila Kassim, Mageswari and Kasturi. Standing from left: Rodney Tan (another teacher presenter), Zaily, Rizal and Hau. Except for Rahanim, all of the others are from Melaka.

The 3rd pic shows the Melakans with Datuk Hajah Noor Rezan Bapoo (Deputy Director-General of Education). She is standing in the centre. She oozes class in speech and bearing - always has been that way.)

Thurs 15 May 2008 - Once again, it was time for the MICELT (Malaysian International Conference on English Language Teaching) - the 7th one, and this time it was held at the Royal Adelphi Hotel, Seremban. I had the good fortune of being sponsored by the Melaka State Education Department, thanks to my good friend, Noorainun Anuar (Head of English Language Unit, Melaka Education Department). The Melakans had a good time at the Conference and among the many memorable moments that I had were:
1) The very slow registration of guests at the hotel's reception counter on the night we arrived on 11 May which was also Mother's Day. It was a drag...
2) The very long and hungry wait at the D'Mamak Corner for our food on the first night but we all agreed that the naan (Indian bread) and tandoori chicken were simply divine and worth the wait.
3) My paper presentation on 'Writing Is My Friend: Getting Form 5 Students To Write' on Tues 13 May was well-received by conference participants. I was encouraged by their warmth and response.
4) It was good to see old friends and to know that they are well - among others Rahanim from PPD Petaling Utama, Datuk Noor Rezan Bapoo who is now the Deputy Director-General of Education, Rahmah Sayuti from Kluang Canossian Convent, and a host of others...

However, there was something disheartening about the 7th MICELT - out of the 176 paper presenters and speakers, none came from the primary schools. Only 5 paper presenters were from schools and this constituted a mere 2.8% of the total number. Many school teachers have this notion of inferiority and are awed by the word "international" in the MICELT. How I wish that these school teachers would stop viewing themselves as "small" and instead, start taking up the challenge of presenting papers at national or international conferences. Yes, it is never easy, it is never stress-free but one can savour the satisfaction of a job well done at the end of the day. I am proud to say that my previous paper presented at the 6th MICELT held at Melaka is among the 160 papers selected for compilation and publication. (The paper documented my efforts in running the WISE (Wisdom In Sharing English) programme for my school's Maths and Science teachers.) I thank the Almighty God for the many opportunities that have come my way in the course of my career and I look forward to more to come!

Mother's Day celebration

2008-05-14T08:42:00.001-07:00

Wed 14 May 2008 - Mother's Day (Sunday May 11) at the Wesley Methodist Church was a grand affair with sale of roses (all sold out), performances and distribution of gifts to mothers as well as Methodist Women. Church service was followed by a lunch at the Enliven Delight Restaurant. Cost per head at lunch was RM12. I thought that it was an increadibly good price in view of the present inflationary prices of goods and services. Pic below shows Jo (right) and me at our table. I must admit that I look fat and extremely fierce! Do I blame it on a lack of expertise on the part of the cameraman (the angle from which the photo was shot, the lighting, etc.) or do I blame it on the sharpness of the camera (it captures images as they are!)? I would prefer to think that it is the former, hmm!

Senior citizen - Who? Me?

2008-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Sun 11 May 2008 - When I was a young girl, I viewed anyone in his/her 30's onwards as "old". Sigh, at this point in my life, the world could easily consider me "old" or worse still, "ancient"and "irrelevant"! (I can't divulge my exact age for I believe that, as Oscar Wilde the playwright puts it, "One should never trust a woman who tells one her age. If she tells that, she'll tell anything.")

Still I have to admit that I am going on in years and I'd better prepare for the day when I would be inducted into the "golden girl" age. So the night of Thurs 8 May saw Henry and I trudging the stairs up to the Senior Citizens Association which is situated above Premier Cafe along Jalan Gajah Berang. We saw a number of faces we knew - one of them being Uncle Liew Chin Fong (pic above). Uncle Liew was belting out a Chinese number (he sure can sing!), accompanied by members (all senior citizens) of the resident band at the association. There was singing, singing, and more singing, followed by eating, eating and more eating, and then finally, dancing, dancing and more dancing to the music of the band! The senior citizens at the Association certainly made our first visit there an enjoyable one, and they gave me a glimpse of what it is like to age gracefully. They certainly proved that no matter what one's age or state of health is, one can still have an insatiable zest for living and life. Syabas (Congrats) and well done to all seniors!

Food aplenty at Kolej Yayasan Saad

2008-05-08T03:14:00.001-07:00

Thurs 8 May 2008 - This is the team of teachers who will be helping out in the National Level Teachers' Day Debate that will be held on 15 May (at Kolej Yayasan Saad) and 16 May (at Taman Budaya), both in Ayer Keroh, Melaka. The person responsible for roping us in is Mdm. Hjh. Noor Lena, the very attractive lady seated 3rd on the left. The above picture was taken today at Kolej Yayasan Saad, a very elite college for secondary students, where we had our rehearsal. The college grounds were sprawling and nicely manicured (like a holiday resort) while the students speak good English. I had the privilege of talking to two of them (they graciously showed me to the car park) and they were oozing with self-confidence! Anyway, can you see all the food that was laid out for us? Sigh... when I set on my eyes on the food, my determination and resolution to cut down on food intake was immediately thrown out of the windows and doors, goaded on by Christine (seated nearest to camera on the right). Malaysia sure is a land of plenty... I am fortunate to be an "anak Malaysia" (anak means son/daughter).

Stars are born...

2008-05-06T05:34:00.000-07:00

Tues 6 May 2008 - Today I had the privilege of being the emcee of the Actology - Petrosains National Science Theatre Competition, thanks to the recommenadation of Baba Koh Kian Choon from the State Education Department. It's hard work being the emcee - rehearsal, change of programme at the last minute, and mind you, the lights were so dim at the Auditorium, Taman Budaya that I could hardly see what was written in my script! This was a regional competition (southern-central zone) and it was good to see my alma mater Convent Muar (team in the pic above) representing Johor. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to say hello to the students and teachers of Convent. The drama presentations were so interesting, believe me and SMK Tinggi St. David of Melaka was declared the winner at this regional competition

The cute primary school girls of SK Bukit Beruang stole our hearts away with their dance performances during intermission - so graceful, and always smiling. The audience just adored them! It was as if they were recording a "Melaka, Truly Malaysia" segment. As I watched them, I recall my MGSS girls - often we had to coax them to smile when they perform, snd all we get is a 2-second show of teeth, after which they'd revert to their very hostile looks. Why is it that some people find it so difficult to smile?

Exam (or rather siesta) fever is on

2008-05-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Mon 5 May 2008 - The mid-year exam for Form 5 students
started today. Pictures show 5K5 students sitting for their Bahasa Malaysia I paper. They don't seem to have been hit by the exam bug and in fact, many regard the mid-year exam as a good time to catch up with lost sleep... Now, who says exams should be abolished when it does good rather than harm?

Bible Knowledge class... only for the goody goody ones?

2008-05-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

The picture on the left, taken on Fri 2nd May 2008, shows my BK (Bible Knowledge) class students. Seated from left: Jonah See, Daniel Chia, Johannan Sim. Standing from left: Thai Wei (Matthew), Ming May, Ruth Ong.

MIA (Missing in Action) were Anna Teoh (busy mugging for her mid-year exam) and Kay Lyn.

Sat 3 May 2008 - I conduct BK classes in the MGSS Media Room every Friday from 2.30 to 4.00 p.m. There is a host of reasons why I should NOT be teaching BK - that's the best time to sleep (yawn), I'd rather be marking my exercise books (school inspectorate coming...), aiyo such a dull subject, and hey, I'm so so so unChristian so unfit to teach such a 'holy' subject! Sigh... I took up the challenge of teaching BK and so here I am!

I started with about a dozen students at the beginning of this year but one by one, they dropped out like flies with common excuses like "no time" and "too tired". Syabas (Congrats) to all those who are the "tahan lasak" type (hardy and tough) and are still with me! The students come very very punctually and entertain me with their jokes and antics for the next one hour and a half. The boys are the talkative ones, positively and effectively dispelling any myth that girls talk a lot more than boys! If I were to give the students awards...

1. The most "mulut murai" (talkative) - Daniel Chia from SFI (Jonah and Johanan tell me that actually, Daniel is from Infant Jesus Convent...)

2. The most "missing in action" award - Jonah See also from SFI. I had struck his name off my list when one day, he suddenly appeared at the Media Room doorstep. I asked him whether the whale in the biblical Jonah story had finally spewed him (Jonah See) out of its belly... (By the way, he and Daniel are both from SFI but during school hours, poor things, they have no chance to talk to each other so during my BK class, they make up for all the lost time...)

3. The most serious student award - Matthew Leong Thai Wei from Methodist High School. He is future pastor stuff (looks the part too) - a young man of few words.

4. The most helpful student award - Tan Ming May from MGSS. She'd faithfully open and close the Media Room every Friday. See what good exemplary students MGSS produces...

5. The "latest to arrive" award - consistently goes to Johannan Sim from St. David (in Bahasa Malaysia, the school name is roughly translated as "Lebai Daud") but I understand, he has to zig zag across town in order to reach MGSS.

6. The "Miss Demure" award - surely goes to Anna Teoh also of MGSS. Sweet, fair, angelic-looking...

7. The "newest student" award - Ruth Ong of MGSS who joined the class yesterday.

8. The "most considerate" award - Kay Lyn of Gajah Berang School. So sweet... when she can't attend BK, she calls to send her apologies.

It can be physically challenging teaching BK at the siesta hours of 2.30 - 4.00 p.m. but I have no regrets taking it up although it means extra work (and less beauty sleep) for me. BK students, if you are reading this, take note that we will meet for one final lesson on Luke Chapter 24 on 24 May, and BK test is on 13 June. Please don't give me nightmares and heart attack(s) by not being able to answer the test questions. I don't want to be saying to myself each time I mark an answer, "Forgive them, Father! They don't know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34)

P/S The Mr. "Mulut Murai" told me I was blur and I have to agree with him. At least I have an excuse - my age which is creeping close to half a century. My apologies to Eunice Teoh - I had inadvertently called her Anna Teoh (her elder sis), thanks to my daughter who ill-advised me on the sisters' names. Well, whether Eunice or Anna Teoh, a rose (Eunice) by any other name would smell just as sweet (Shakespeare).

Of public speaking and debate...

2008-04-30T16:14:00.000-07:00

Thurs 1 May 2008 (Labour Day) - Hurray, it's a holiday - thank God for small mercies!

The topmost picture is that of Emily Uma from Form 5K2. Emily did the school MGSS proud by emerging as the runner-up in the State-level Public Speaking Competition that was held on the 22 Apr at Mahkota Parade. Right from the moment I asked Emily to represent the school for public speaking at the Tanjong Zone level (she was runner-up), she agreed almost immediately and was BRIMMING with enthusiasm with lots of ideas as to what she wanted to say for her prepared speech. Congrats Emily and thank you for neither letting me nor the school down!

For the 2nd consecutive year, MGSS played host for the State-level Parliamentary Style English Language Debate (28 - 30 Apr). MGSS was represented by (top 2nd picture from left) Cristal Tan, Shahirah and Noelle Tan. On the final day (30 Apr), when MGSS met St. David, the panel of adjudicators [3rd picture, from left - Indera (ex-principal of Cannossa Convent) , Noora (PPD Jasin), Noor Lena (PPD Melaka Tengah), Sheela (UiTM Alor Gajah) and Loh Wen Khin (ex-JPM, now director of Edu-Excel)] declared St. David as the (deserving) state champ. I heaved a sigh of relief when the 3-day intense competition was over. I must thank the MGSS staff for helping me to run the debate - I couldn't have done it alone without them. Congratulations and thanks too to the MGSS debating team managers, Lim Chow Khoon and Rajendran, who poured heart and soul (and money for Pizza Hut) into the training of the debaters. Better result next year!

Happy Labour Day!

Losing battle against the bulge, unlike Koh Tuat Guek

2008-04-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Mon 28 Apr - MGSS welcomed her new principal,Koh Tuat Guek - ex-Mgss girl (1971) and ex-MGSS staff of 24 years until 2003 when she left for Notre Dame Convent. Today she has come full circle and is back in MGSS as principal.
Koh Tuat Guek has always been fair and slim, sigh, much to my envy. You can see from the picture above taken at today's school assembly that she looks very much the same despite having been away from MGSS for 5 years. Many of us who know her would testify to that. Compare to this scenario - Just the other day I was having dinner with my good friend Jo and her family in Bukit Baru. I hadn't seen her for three weeks and she commented that my face was "puffy" (in other words, fat-lah) and asked me whether I was on any medication. Huh... if Jo weren't my good friend, I would have been eternally insulted. If all the big buttered prawns, 'yew char kuay', 'bachang' and 'roti canai' be the food of love, well then, let's eat on!

With a little help from my friends

2008-04-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Mon 21 Apr 2008 - How time flies! The days and weeks roll by and soon we will be saying goodbye to the first quarter of the "new" year 2008. This blog has been inactive of late as I have been busy and lazy, as usual. Between my last blog (in March) and now, I have been up to mundane as well as crazy things. The school inspectors came to see me, adding to my flurry and blood pressure in the process. The latest news about extending retirement age among civil servants sends me the shivers - truly, enough is enough! The upcoming school debate next week will also prove to a challenging time for me. So far, I have managed to get all 17 adjudicators required to run the debate and hopefully, none of them will pull out. More news about the debate in my blog next week.

Through all the insanity of work and the family, I have managed to stay sane with the help of good friends around me. They say that laughter is the best medicine and today when I discovered the picture above (taken last Christmas), I couldn't help but be tickled. Where did these two reindeer come from and how did they land in my house? Wait a minute, they look really familiar. Huh, they resemble my dear/deer husband Henry and my daughter Victoria. Coincidence?

I am so proud of you, 5K3!

2008-03-15T08:04:00.000-07:00

My ties with the Methodist Girls' School, Malacca go as far back as the pre-World War 2 days! My late mother was a pupil in the primary school way back then. She was staying at the Shellabear Hall hostel when British Malaya fell to the Japanese and Miss Eva Sadler, the hostel warden at that time, had to hurriedly bundle off the school children to their respective homes.

2008 marks my 9th year of service in the Methodist Girls' Secondary School, Malacca. This year, I have the privilege of teaching Form 5K3. I took over the class from my colleague, Mdm. Elaine Tey and didn't know what to expect from the girls in the class.

When the school principal Miss Nga Johnson was about to retire in February this year, I challenged the girls to give her a simple gift from the heart - an autograph book from the class. I told the girls that it wouldn't cost much and only required paper, pen, some effort and someone to take the lead. I was so caught up with work and forgot entirely about the project that I had entrusted the girls with. However, to my utter complete pleasant surprise, on the day of the principal's retirement which fell on 22 February 2008, the 5K3 monitor Pei Kin proudly presented Miss Nga Johnson with the class's autograph book. A quick check with the newly-retired prncipal allayed all my fears - the book was tastefully and creatively done, never mind the grammar mistakes!

5K3 - all of you deserve a pat on your back. You just prove that with your own iniatiative but little or no adult supervision, yet you can do something beyond a teacher's (and principal's)expectations. I am so proud of all of you! With you as the future adult citizens and leaders of the country, there is hope yet for Malaysia.

Happy birthday, Nga Johnson!

2008-03-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

How can one forget a name as unusual as Nga Johnson? What's her surname - Nga or Johnson? Is she a Chinese married to a 'Mat Salleh' by the name of Johnson? Is 'Nga Johnson' male or female? I've explained to many people a thousand times over - 'Nga Johnson' is a Chinese female, Nga is her surname, she is single (and available) and she was given the name 'Johnson' by her father because she is a 'son' of the state of 'JOHor' (she was born in JB, all plump and cherub).

The Sri Peranakan Restaurant, Hotel Equatorial, Malacca was where Nga Johnson had her 56th birthday bash (and retirement celebration). The theme colours for the night were yellow and white, and there were presents galore - lucky draws, free novels and even awards for the best dressed male (Lee Hock) and female (Anne Khoo) guests, and oldest guests (Helen and Swee Lim Wong) . The prima donna had many changes of costumes (like in a typical Chinese wedding) and one of the costumes was should I say, simply outrageous for a 56-year-old woman! (No, I won't show THAT photo here!)

Here are 10 things you should know about Nga Johnson:

1. She and I were living in Muar back in the 1970s, down the same road too (Jalan Khalidi). I was intrigued by her name. Our paths crossed again when she came to my school (Methodist Girls' Secondary School, Malacca) as principal in 2003.

2. She prefers drinking coffee (the thicker the better) to simple healthier plain water.

3. Her apartment (and office) always appears to be hurricane-cum-tornado-cum-tsunami struck (a perfect 10 on the Richter scale) - only she can find her things amidst the rubble.

4. Her favourite food - pork cooked in any style. Deprive her of this culinary delight and she'll perish.

5. Gas tank and packet of rice bought in 2002 (year she uprooted herself from KL and came to Malacca) are still intact in 2008. She's a very undomesticated goddess.

6. Her part-time job - pirated Korean DVD distributor to the school staff. Our DVD supply has been cruelly cut off since she retired on 22nd February this year. Sigh...

7. Favourite off-office hours attire - spaghetti string tops and shorts.

8. Her announcements over the school public address system can be heard over a radius of one mile, no kidding. That's how strong her lungs are!

9. She was the primary mover behind efforts to restore the school's 1953 Shellabear Block and the building went on to win the coveted 2004 National Heritage Award in 2005.

10. Her pet hobbies - Reading, travelling and eating (gluttony). She's a real foodie and knows where the best food in Malacca is served. Local Malaccans also 'kalah' to her...

The 11th thing you should know about her - she's a slave driver where work is concerned but she has a heart of 24-carat gold. Happy birthday, Nga Johnson!

Photo on top left shows Jo Chua (left) in her kebaya finery and Indera Devi (right) in her Bollywood gear, clinging to each other for dear life lest the balloon dropped.

Photos below from top left: The birthday girl (in kebaya) greeting guests. Right: It's Saturday Nite Fever time! Below: My son William striking a cheeky pose, with from left Daniel, Nga Johnson, Jo and husband Keong.

Happy 50th Birthday, Henry Goh!

2008-02-16T23:43:00.000-08:00

Henry's birthday cake. Yummy!

Singing the birthday song.

That's me with William and behind is Victoria.

When we go to Seafarer, we dance the night away.
That's the ladies doing a line dance.

It's been a long time since I last wrote. No excuse - been busy and rather lazy. Henry celebrated his 50th birthday with relatives and good friends yesterday 16th February 2008 at the Seafarer Restuarant. To me, celebrating one's 50th birthday is an important milestone in one's life - it tells the whole world that, "Hey, I've made it this far in life, and I'm looking forward to many more birthdays to come." I have been so busy lately and absolutely forgot to order a birthday cake for Henry. Shame on me - he had to order one for himself! When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, he replied, "Just one thing - nag less." Okay, I've got his message loud and clear - and from now on, will only be seen and not heard!

Happy birthday, Henry and may you be blessed with health, wealth, happiness and may you look young always. Thank you for being my dancing partner. I never knew that you could dance. Wonders never cease...

Muar 76/78 Reunion

2007-12-13T05:37:00.000-08:00

A quiet meeting with Angelina Lee Poh one September evening somwehere in Batu Pahat over a cup of tea and an assortment of mouth-watering goodies (that explains our size) was where talk of a Muar 76/78 (Muar Convent Form 5 1976 & Muar High School Form 6 1978) first-ever reunion started. Lee Poh mooted the idea and I fell for it immediately.

The idea took flight and culminated in a group of Muar 76/78 old girls and boys congregating in the Nusantara Ballroom,Muar Traders Hotel on Sat 10 Dec 2007 from 6 p.m. to 12 mid-night. Several old girls and boys lugged photos and heavy albums from yesteryears, complete with microscopes so that we the soon-to-be senior citizens could see ourselves better in the photos. How considerate of them!

My heart was warmed as I met friends, friends and more friends - those with whom we parted ways after Form 5 (Jenny Soo Fen, Ruby, Florence, Sadiah, Bee Eng....); the pals from Form 6 (Kee Chung, Chor Kuan, Kenny Boo, Lily....); the quiet ones (Upper 6 Bio Maths B - all the brainy ones, still serious after all these years); the noisy ones (Philip, Woon Han, Gurch... still as nosiy). Many, to my great envy, look young and trim like Joanne Chun Khim, Jane Siok Kim, Liew Eng (so trendy), Linda Bee Leng .... and the old boys, just gorgeous (like Gurch who used to be so thin but has "bloomed" nicely). The presence of the old teachers made the reunion even sweeter and the game of "guess who is who" even harder! I for one couldn't recognise Mr. Teah - remember Convent girls, he was so rake thin we used to call him "Skeleton"!

All of us laughed our hearts and lungs out as the old girls and old boys had a battle of the sexes, weighed ourselves in order to fight for the Miss Lightweight crown (Yoke Eng of Convent 76 at 45 kg) and Mr. Heavyweight title (Michael Chong at 90 kg), won prizes for silly categories (the most Towkay-soh look, the most number of children, etc.)

This reunion would not have been possible if not for the following people. A vote of thanks to them:

1. Miss Business Acumen - Margaret Niap. She saw to the food, accommodation, photography session, ... down to the cake. Don't play play with her - she made sure that the hotel gave what it promised.

2. Misses "Money Face" - Teow Yen and Hui Chen (aka Kuching aka Nora "Meow" aka Kitty - more sophisticated name). They collected money and made sure everyone paid!

3. Misses Know-all - Lee Poh and Hui Chen. I suspect they are running some detective agency. If you want to locate anybody, anywhere, anytime, they are the ones you should call. But seriously speaking, they managed to contact so many old girls and boys. Amazing...

4. Miss SK II (her beauty secret - she swears by it!) - Linda Bee Leng for painstakingly preparing the door gifts.

5. Mr. Ji Pa Ban (One hundred million) - Michael Chong for starting the Muar 76/78 group making communication easy and hassle-free. Thanks for sharing the song "Ji Pa Ban" in our group - it's so hilarious.

6. Mr. Generous & Mr. Nice Guy- Kee Chung and Su (Tiang Joo) for all the prizes for the night.

7. The children of the organizers (forced labour) - no choice, they had to help their mum and dad to make the night a success.

8. All the old girls and old boys for all the contacts you provided, for encouraging friends to come and even driving them to the Muar Traders Hotel, for making an effort to attend.

Take care all of you, till we meet again. God bless each and everyone of the Muar 76/78 group.

* Top right picture - Convent girls singing the Convent school song. Reminded me of Mrs. D' Cruz ("Hold........!" "Breathe......!)

From left - Shee Poh, Philip Chua (with his trademark smile and Dennis the Menace-like mop of hair), Gurch.

High School alumni trying hard to recall and sing the school song. Mr. Michael Parry (the school principal during our time) would have caned the old boys and sent the old girls to detention class for the absolutely awful singing!

Seated from left: Richard Eng Tee, myself Ai Ling, Lily Low, Magdalene (my best friend - we used to go cycling every evening during our crazy days together) , Teresa.

Standing behind from left: Vincent Juh Quek, Hui Chen (always latest to reach school on her bicycle built for two), Mei Yoong, Michael

P.S. Added in on 14 Dec 2007 - Thanks to Lily for correcting me. The reunion was on 8 Dec, not 10 Dec. I got all my dates mixed up - blame it on old age!

Restoration

2007-11-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

Sat 22 Nov 2007 - The building in the photo on the left is Bickley Hall. It was built in 1933 and was named after the Rev. Bickley who was the Bishop of the Methodist Church in Malaya at that time. The Hall stands on the grounds of Methodist Girls' Primary School 1, Jalan Tengkera, Melaka. This photo of the Hall was taken on Sat 10 Nov 2007 and you can see that despite the age of the building (74 years), it looks as good as new. Just a few months ago, it was a different story altogether - the Hall was a sight for sore eyes and was unsafe for use. Today, Bickley Hall has been restored at a cost of RM172,000. The money was raised by the old girls and boys of the Methodist schools in Melaka (Methodist Girls' Primary Schools, Methodist Girls' Secondary School as well as the Anglo-Chinese School).

My late mother studied in the Malacca (now Melaka) Methodist Girls' School during the pre-2nd World War days and she would have used Bickley Hall when she was a primary school pupil then. Thus, it was an honour for me to be involved in the restoration efforts of the Bickley Hall which culminated in a Dedication Service on Sat 10 Nov in the Hall itself at 4.00 p.m. The Restoration Committee was expecting a crowd of 50 people at the most for not many people are interested in old buildings. However, the crowd that turned up for the Dedication was overwhelming (at least 100 people) and we were much encouraged to see the old girls and boys of the Methodist schools coming back from far and near (e.g. Singapore, UK), the local Wesley Methodist Church members and my line dancing friends, turning up for the occasion. To each and everyone of you who came, many thanks for your support.

The Restoration of Bickley Hall drives home the point that "old is gold" and that our rich and diverse heritage should be preserved for posterity. It also reminds me that we can restore old buildings as long as we have the means to do so but in life, there are some things that can never be restored, one of which is youth. I know that I am growing old when I see my children growing up before my very eyes, and when I have this strong desire to re-connect with my friends many of whom I have not seen or heard from for some 30-odd years. That is why I am looking forward to my first-ever class reunion of the Convent Muar Form 5 1976/High School Muar Form 6 1978 alumni which will be held on Sat 8 Dec at the Muar Traders Hotel at 7.00 p.m. To all the Muar76/78 group members, I hope to see you there and may the many years during which we lost touch with each other be restored to us.

P.S. The photo on the left is that of the Bickley Hall Restoration Committee. I am the sweet but not- so-young thing on the extreme right. The lady next to me is Nga Johnson (Muar High School Form 6 1972). Ng Bee Ling is 4th from the left - she is from Muar but studied in MGS Melaka. Muar is famous for her food (especially along Jalan Haji Abu, the glutton street) and of course, the charming people......

The Doors of Life

2007-09-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

Fri 21 Sept - This week has been quite an unpleasant one as I have been deluged by news about the passing away of friends. The one that jolted me the most was the news of the demise of my former classmate, room-mate and house mate - Lydia Ng Lee Tiang.

Lee Tiang joined my Form 5 class in 1976 in Convent Muar. She had failed her MCE (now the SPM) and was with us as a retainee. Being a retainee in "Upper Five" (her very own words), she kept a low profile. When the MCE results were announced, it was learnt that she had obtained a Grade 1 and was eliglible to go to Form 6 in Muar High School. While in Form 6, we were fellow Interactors, and later we went on to University Malaya together where she read Economics. We also became room- and house-mates while we were staying in Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Lee Tiang was always a jovial and diligent girl. She was tanned for a Chinese ("kopi susu" type of complexion) and was tall and slim. We had good fun together. It's sad that not having seen her or got any news about her for about 25 years, I should learn about her death through my good friend, Hui Chen. Thanks Hui Chen, for keeping me informed.

I learnt that Lee Tiang died of liver cancer. It shakes me to my very core because she was young , only 49. Surely, funerals are meant for the old and aged, not someone like Lee Tiang who should have had so many good years ahead of her. Her death is a timely reminder to us all that every day is a bonus, a gift from God, and that life is temporal and transcient and as such, I had better be more appreciative of the people around me - my spouse, my children, my extended family members and all my friends who are dear to me.

May I end this posting by sharing with you the lyrics of the song "The Doors of the Life". It's a beautiful Japanese song with a mix of English lyrics, sung by Mariya Takeuchi, and it aptly reminds me that life is short but hey, it's worth living!

"When spring comes again, one year will be added
The scenes reflected before the eyes will be changed slightly
The innocent and naughty young days have gone far away
As I sense it now, I am already on the way beyond 50s.

I say it's fun to be 20
You say it's great to be 30
And I say it's lovely to be 40
But I feel it's nice to be 50

With unbelievable speed, the time has fleeted away
If I knew it, though small things, all would be kept in mind, said my heart
The full-bloomed cherry blossoms or the colour-changed mountains and maples
Such scenes can be seen how many times henceforth?

I say it's fine to be 60
You say it's all right to be 70
And they say it's still good to be 80
But I'll maybe live over 90

To open and close the door of the life, every single thing is so heavy
For the sake of the beloved ones, every single one should live on
The blue of your denim will fade increasingly to its beauty
At the end of the long journey, everyone has some sort of its splendour

I say it's sad to get weak
You say it's hard to get older
And they say that life has no meaning
But I still believe it's worth living."

Relax & Unwind

2007-09-01T04:59:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have found a good place to unwind in Melaka - Seafarer Seafood Restaurant, that serves halal local and western fare. If you are travelling along Tengkera Road and are heading towards Masjid Tanah, Seafarer is on your left, a short distance past the Bukit Rambai traffic lights. We go there most Fridays for a round of drinks or light supper in order to relax after a week of hard work.

Winston is the musician at Seafarer on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I enjoy his music as he has a wide repertoire of songs - from the sultry rumba, heart-thumping rock and roll, to the romantic waltz numbers. Best of all, there is a dance floor for dance lovers like me. The dance floor can be crowded but it adds to the fun of dancing! However, it is an uncovered area so when it rains, any plans to show off your dancing skills will be dashed.

Yesterday night (Merdeka night), I was pleasantly surprised to meet my primary school teacher, Mrs. Neo. She was a teacher in the Convent primary school, Muar (my hometown), back in 1970s. Well, last night, one look at her sitting at the next table and I called her name. I recognised her instantly as she has not changed after all these years. She is still the same - hair immaculately in place with interesting, daring colours; flawless complexion with not a wrinkle or signs of aging; her makeup faultless and dewy-looking. Mrs. Neo has always been a trendsetter even back in the 1970s - she coloured her hair back then and even wore bare backs.

Another thing that made her stand out in the crowd last night was her dancing skills. In her pair of high heels that went well with her stylish pair of jeans, she twirled with grace on the dance floor. Her well-executed movements reflected her zest for life. At 60, Mrs. Neo would easily put any woman (including me) to shame. So inspired by her was I after meeting her at Seafarer that upon reaching home, I applied a face mask in the hope that I'll look as good as Mrs. Neo does!

One lesson that I learnt about life last night: One can still look good inspite of one's age if only one takes time and effort to pamper oneself.

Hello

2007-08-31T02:09:00.000-07:00

31st August 2007 - One of the best places to learn ballroom dancing from in Melaka is run by a 77-year old man by the name of August Teo. His studio is nothing to shout about - it's not air-conditioned but it's well-ventilated, floor is basic cement and the studio is on the top floor of a four-storey building along Jalan Tengkera (opposite side of the Methodist Girls' School).

What's so good about this dance studio, you may ask? Well, the walk up will do you a lot of good, burning off calories that have been piled on. The instructor August himself is an accomplished dancer - I learnt that he was a ballroom dance champion in the 1960s. I have tried to ask him about this but August is modest and doesn't want to blow his own trumpet. He is patience personified and his charges are reasonable - RM60 per couple for every 4 lessons. Each lesson lasts about an hour.

How effective are his lessons? My husband Henry and I finally joined his classes some time in March/April (on Easter Sunday), after much procrastination. Henry has got two left feet ('lefter' than anyone else) and I had been teaching him to do the basic cha cha for 15 years since we got married but alas, to no avail. But 15 minutes with August and viola, Henry was actually cha-chaing away! What I couldn't accomplish in 15 years, August accomplished in 15 minutes!

Another plus point about August's lessons is he coaches couples on a one to one basis, i.e. there are no other dancers around when he teaches us, and so we don't have to fear being laughed at by other people. We make silly mistakes but we laugh at ourselves, and I believe that it is healthy for our well-being to be able to laugh at ourselves, our (stupid) mistakes, to accept our own weaknesses and limitations.

Oh yes, if you are a dog lover, you'll find something in common with August. He keeps a few dogs in his dance studio and they welcome you when you get there.

I am blessed to have found a ballroom dance teacher in August. He may be 77 but he is nimble and moves like a butterfly (no, he doesn't sting like a bee). To readers out there who think they can't dance, believe me, that's a fallacy. If Henry can dance, so can anyone else, in just 15 minutes!