Dog-haters should leave dog-lovers alone

Isn't it unfair that you have to have license to have dogs? I mean, I'm sure it is for safety reasons that they have such a ruling. But to give the owner 7 days to get a license or action would be taken is a bit harsh, don't you think? And the worst part is that I had wanted to get a license for my dogs long ago but I don't know how and where to get it! I used to ask my friend from Terengganu to buy them for me as it was very easy for her to get until I found out that you have to get the license for your dog from your City Council or Majlis Perbandaran (MP). After being sent on a wild goose chase from one department to another, I gave up. After all, life was peaceful for me and my dogs for years.

Somehow, someone in the neighbourhood must have lodged a complaint and my father received the warning letter last Thursday. I wished I could go and settle it but I am having examinations this week. So, my poor dad who never liked my dogs had to go on a wild goose chase. First, someone told my father to go and get the license from the MP. RM 20 only for a license. Then, another person  told my father that he should actually get it from the local government animal clinic. When my father went to the clinic, someone from the clinic told my father that he has to get the dogs over to any vet to be vaccinated so that the vet can write a letter or something so that he can apply for a license in the MP. And I have to take a photo of the dog. Mug shot and side view.

My dad gave up because he cannot handle the two dogs alone. I normally had to bring the maid along or bring the dog on two separate trips to be vaccinated. Luckily the two dogs enjoy car rides, but to get them out is a problem because they know what awaits them at the vet: injection and de-worming pills.

Sigh..sometimes I feel that the government is just trying to make life difficult for us nons who have dogs. Why don't they start a ruling to make cat-owners, hamster-owners, iguana owners, snake owners to apply for a license as well? They can be health-hazards, a nuisance and dangerous as well, right? And the fact that you have to renew the license every year? Just trying to make money, I think! It used to be RM 5 a license, a year. Then it went up to RM 10. Now, God-knows how much they are charging. *edited...RM50 a year a dog* And even then, you have to apply, not just buy like last time.

And I curse the person who lodged the report. Baby has been with the family for 12 years!! And the dogs have been trained to stay in the house compound until recently when Baby is a bit senile that she loves to go out for a run round the neighbourhood. And even then, we make sure that she doesn't disturb anyone (she would avoid people and animals on her runs out since she is half blind and helpless). I hate the injustice of it all! Hope you step on dog poop every day even when there are no dogs around!

Does anyone know the proper procedure to get a dog license? Please help. *For those who live in Selayang, can download the form from their website. But only 1 dog for an area of 300m squared allowed. You also need to bring lots of document along*

Bleak future

Thanks +Ant+ and mNhL for your comments. :) I haven't tried eating grubs although I had plenty of opportunities in China and Thailand. How does it taste, +Ant+?

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Another day of having my body cells die by the millions: what has happened to our children these days? It is sad to know that many children these days are emotionally unstable or just plain spoiled to the point that you wish to blame their rudeness to a less-than-happy family upbringing.

What would you do, parents, if your child tells you that he/she cannot show you the exam paper because the teacher has kept the exam paper from him/her? Would you believe your child and blame the teacher or would you clarify it with the teacher first? Or what would you do as an adult, or put yourself in the shoe of a teacher, if a child tells you that another teacher has asked 4 of them to stay in the class to finish their work when the entire school (inclusive of the said teacher) has to be at the assembly? Would you believe what the child says?

I think many people are blinded by their love/guilt/protectiveness over the child that they would leave their logic behind. I mean, why would the teacher keep the child's paper when he/she has returned all the papers to the others? And, would a small fry of a teacher dare to excuse 4 children from an assembly when even he/she has to attend it?

I am really afraid of how our future leaders would turn out to be. Liars. Rude boors. Spoiled brats. Unthinking generation.

What is your take?

Change your destiny? Dream on...

It is worrying, this thing about life and health. My family is basically a ticking time-bomb. My parents have almost all the hereditary diseases that you can name: heart problem, diabetes, kidney problem, hypertension...so my 3 siblings and I are basically just waiting to catch any of it. I, myself, am waiting to catch the diabetes ball. Well, my mom had diabetes when she was pregnant with me. After I was born, my mom was clear of diabetes for about 3 years. Although, subconsciously, I know that I have to be extra careful with my diet, I could not bring myself to eat the way my mom does...

Today, I am overweight and probably tripled my chances of getting diabetes at a very early age. I got a wake-up call this morning when my most health-conscious sister fainted and the doctor thinks it is most probably diabetes-related. She is only 34. I mean, how unfair can the world be? She is gorgeous, has a great life, eats healthily, exercises regularly and is probably diabetic??!!

What is God's intention? That we should not strive so hard to achieve anything because it can be taken away from us in a blink of an eye? That He has the power to give and to retract? That He loves us all equally and would therefore give us a little impairment in return for the blessings we have received so far?

Well, I don't understand it and I sure as hell do not like it. But what can we mere mortals do, right? To hell with we make our own destiny. It is all in His hands. Have mercy, won't ya mate?

Lousy service providers

Oh my...Malaysia's network service providers are really lousy!!

My Celcom broadband has been rather hopeless for the past week. Maybe it is because of the thick rain clouds, but the connection was horrible. I haven't been able to log on to Yahoo for 2 weeks now. And my facebook is also neglected. Sigh..."bik chik".

The other day, my phone line got barred. Ok, so I forgot to pay last month. Since the line is under my father's name, I pay in advance as though I was using pre-paid to avoid my father paying for me. So, my last payment of RM 500 was in December and I forgot to pay last month. When I got the message of possible service interruption, I went to the nearest branch to pay. But they only open during office hours (coincidentally, the time where most people would be at work). So anyway, I saw a new payment machine that was not there the last time I paid. So, I paid using the bank card, thinking that it is so convenient for me to make payments now. Two weeks later, my phone line got barred. I could only call the customer service.

Me: Hello, my line got barred today but I paid via the machine number XXY. This is my transaction number ABA.

Woman: Oh, the system was not updated. How much did you pay?

Me: RM 200. Can you un-bar the number for me?

Woman: May I know who is on the line?

Me: (My name). The number is under (DAD).

Woman: Oh, then I need to speak to your father to un-bar the number.

Me: What for? I can give you his IC number and details. Just un-bar the number.

Woman: Sorry, Miss. It is the procedure. Just ask your father to call us and we will un-bar your number.

Me: That is ridiculous. You barred my number. My father is not anywhere near me. How am I supposed to ask him to call you? I can give all the details that you need!

Woman: I'm sorry Miss. I'm sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Angry, I was ready to go to war with people in DiGi. I had to wait for an hour before anyone served me. Most of the customers were there because their Iphones had problems (hahaha...too high tech dy...use the traditional phones, no problem one...). So anyway, the person who served me was very nice and unbarred my number right away. Apparently there was some problem with my bank or something. I was given the transaction number as though it was completed even though the transaction was not successful. So, I had to pay a second time at the machine, using cash.

Seriously, sometimes I wonder...procedures are important, but I am making payment. I am not asking for an extenion of credit. Why the heck do you need to speak to my father to un-bar my number??!! If I had just asked any man to pose as my father, the person wouldn't know either right?

Sheesh!!

Complaints of a teacher

What would you do if students whom you used to like do not do your work? What would you do if the child of a gangster did not do your work and you have punished all the others who did the same thing? What would you do if a child has no manners and is in your class? What would you do if a child does not want to learn and wastes your time and his time and all his other friends' time?

These are some of the things that make a teacher's life miserable. Of course, there are also some things that make teachers enthusiastic about teaching. But, more often than not, these cases of stubborn learners make a teacher's blood boil and make the teacher want to squeeze those scrawny necks of theirs (in the teachers' minds only-lah)!

It's sad that these people would grow up being rude and remain uneducated even after 11 years in the school system. In fact, I actually feel that the uneducated people of the past actually behave better than these people we forced into schools.

The government blames the teachers for not producing quality manpower. The secondary school teachers blame the primary school teachers and the primary school teachers blame the parents who in turn blame the teachers. So, who is at fault? I believe all of us are at fault. Don't think that primary school teachers don't make an effort to teach individual pupils. But when they are younger, most of the time is spent on controlling their discipline rather than teaching. And even with teaching, demands from the parents and society require the teachers to teach at bullet train speed so that they can move on to bigger and better things in the next year. How are the pupils supposed to cope when they can't even understand the basic?

I have 3 Year 6 pupils who can't even pronounce the BM "ba", "be", "bi", "bo" and "bu". 2 of whom I have subjected them to writing 3 to 5 lines of words daily. The other child told me that s/he doesn't want to do that as s/he thinks that his/her tuition teacher can do that for him/her. Of the 2, only one has progressed to a vocabulary of almost 50 words. The other child is still stuck at Ahad, Isnin, Selasa, Rabu, Khamis, Jumaat, Sabtu, Januari, Februari, Mac, April.

Today, I had asked the pupils to copy a piece of karangan from a book and then use the points to write a Laporan. I explained, written the draft, showed them, reminded them that although the points are similar, the format is different. Yet, only the usual 6 handed in both pieces of karangan to me. I gave them 45 minutes and 3 pupils were still unable to finish COPYing.

Stupid? I don't think they are. Lazy? Perhaps. My fault because I did not make sure that they copy? Maybe but mind you, I have 33 pupils and only 6 to 10 rather dependent learners. What can I do? I am very afraid. Afraid that I would have ruined it for these Year 6 kids because I did not do enough. Because I was not strict enough. But how much can I do if the parents and more importantly the learners are not willing to pull their weight?

This is only my second year of teaching and I get so frustrated. So angry. The school administration is not helping by giving me all sort of donkey work. Sports team leader, secretary for this and that, Advisor for a club, RIMUP leader...SIGH...and you people thought that teaching is easy. It is easy if you don't care for the children. At this point, I still care for some of the children. I just hope that I will continue caring for them and that they will respond to the effort that I have put in.

Just another day of a teacher's life...

Jumbled thoughts

Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intention of throwing it at someone else. You are the one who gets burned.- Buddha

Phew..the past two weeks had been horrible. With 3 assignments due, exam in school, teaching and clerical job...I was in a wreck. The worst part of it is that your hard work is not appreciated. This year, I got a heck lot of responsibility. And my direct superior has not been helpful at all by asking me to do a lot of nonsensical or small stuff that she could have done herself. Is this her way of showing her superiority? While doing what she has asked of me, she would be constantly at my back saying that what she had wanted me to do, she needed urgently. When I have given her what she had wanted, she scrunched up her face and said that it was not good enough! Dang!

On top of that, I was starving myself like no body's business. One, because I was on a diet; two because I didn't have the mood to eat; and three because I didn't have much of a choice. The shops that are walking distance from my place has been exhausted. I can tell you that I am super sick of old town white coffee and almost completely sick of McD. To drive out for food is also another headache because of parking and the fact that I don't know what to eat. I suppose it's the syndrome for having too much to choose from. Ironic, right? :)

So, with all the stress of work, studies and no food, I've been picking fights with people around me, namely Jimmy. Poor fellow had been taking nonsense from me for the entire 3 months now. Which reminds me, working and studying part time is really difficult. I kind of regret taking up masters now, but then again, it has been great experience (enjoyable too) to be able to learn new things and know that I am improving myself in some way. :)

Phew, am I glad that it is the holidays now. Maybe now I can practise to be a forgiving person now. I just hope that I don't see the woman when I get back to school tomorrow. Hahaha...

Jiawen is emo~

Dear all,

It's the holidays again. Ironically, instead of feeling happy or excited, my holidays have started off wrongly. Perhaps I am just too demanding, or comparing too much. What is it that they say? The grass is always greener on the other side. Yes, that's it. How can I not compare my situation when I am so unhappy now? Yes, I count my blessings too. But humans are always not contented, aren't we? And isn't it that when we want something that we will strive to achieve and thus improve ourselves?

So what is it this time that I am unhappy?

Well, I am unhappy that my mother thinks that I waste my time. First day of the holidays, and I was reading a storybook in my room. When I finished, I came out and my mom gave me this disgusted look and said that I was wasting my time, not knowing that I have been awake for a few hours already.

I am unhappy that Jimmy is always unhappy. There is nothing that I can do to make it otherwise for him and I'm quite annoyed with myself. I mean, I know that when you are unhappy, the world is supposed to bow to you but...

I am unhappy that I am fat and I can't seem to bring myself to lose the weight.

I am unhappy that money seems to vaporise when you are earning your own living.

I am unhappy that I get cheated all the time... be it magazine subscription, broadband, books. I hate cheating Malaysians...may they rot in hell.

I am unhappy that my life is not as happening, or as sweet as others'.

I am unhappy that I am unhappy when I should be contented and happy.

I am unhappy. So help! Make my day!

Cracking, cracking, CRACKED

Ok...most of the times I think of myself as an unfilial daughter. I didn't spend enough time with my mother or father (I'd prefer to sleep or go out with my friends). I am not patient with my mother (nowadays I snap at her when she cannot comprehend what I am trying to say). I don't like the fact that my mother gives stinging comments (I know I am fat, you don't have to keep reminding me AND tempt me with food while you do it).

I appreciate the fact that I am VERY lucky to be born into this family, but I am not contented. I love the fact that I have a lot of time to spend with my parents, but the thing is, when you know that someone is waiting for you and just hawking on the time to spend together with you every single time eventhough you were thinking of doing something else, is tiring...that's why I never thought having children is a good idea. Haha...

I mean, I know that my mother is lonely. In many ways, I am like her. I don't need many friends. Leave me alone with some money and space and I can spend my time happily and fulfillingly. My mother, unfortunately, has had too much alone time that she is just waiting for company, which her children can't provide. And accompanying her is not a problem at all...I mean I love my mother...but I can't stand it when she grumbles at me for not tidying up my room, or when I sleep in (on weekends, for God's sake!), or when I changed my mind about doing some chores. Give me a break...I've been doing things at my own pace for 5 days a week, I can't change my habits just because I come home on weekends! I've been tempted to not come home for the weekends. It didn't work out because of the guilt factor and the fact that I can't stand being in the house with my housemates the whole weekend either (more on that in other post). I mean, I admit...I AM WEIRD.. I AM A LONER, so LEAVE ME ALONE!!

Sigh...am I really that bad? I mean, working from Monday to Friday (and sometimes Saturday), I just want to spend a day of doing nothing or doing things that I want at whatever time that I want on the weekends. I don't know if other people feel the same way as I do. Torn between wanting time alone / time to spend at your leisure versus time with family members / fulfilling their wants? I see that my siblings will advise me to be patient and just spend time with our parents, but I hardly see them doing the same...

Sigh...a week at home has taken its toll...and the stress of my sister's family coming home, and the fact that my boyfriend was almost non-existent the whole week, and that I am just a whiny, lousy person over all. Hate you, world. Hate you too, God! Hate MYSELF the most!

I am 50 goin on 24!

Weeks at home have added a few unwanted kilograms onto my already fat body. Yup, life is tough for the glutton with a too loving mother and an efficient maid. The situation was made worse when people seem to have the urge to tell me that I have put on weight after not meeting for some time. Hey, didn't your mama teach you not to say anything if you don't have anything nice to say? Telling people that they have put on weight is under the category of "not nice", ok? I was cursing and swearing about the person who made my days ahead gloomy when my skinny sister laughed at my anger. Wtf? I believe in karma...may those skinny people who laugh at a fat person die obese or put on lots and lots of weight after giving birth to children!! Muahahaha...

So anyway, I noticed that my mother who is approaching 60 was still making an effort to look good and do things that make her feel and look good. Compare that to me who is only 24 but look and feel like a woman 50 years older. I was devastated. I haven't even started enjoying my life as a teenager or a vibrant 20 something and I am already ancient. I kid myself about being in the teaching profession was the reason I look and feel like a mothe rof 30 children, but the fact is, I have just not been LIVING like my age!

I have been conservative my whole life. My only attempt at wanting to follow the fashion and wear a spaghetti strap top for shopping was frowned upon by my father. And that was it...I never did try to wear anything that is considered fashionable or acceptable to a young lady after that. Haha..not that I am blaming my father; my yoyo weight did not help either.

So, today I experimented with my boundaries. I bought an orangey halter top last year for my sister in Australia but it was too big for her. I have kept it with my growing pile of clothes that I hoped to wear someday because they are either sleeveless or too tight for me just now. So, I've decided to live a little today and wore the said orangey top out on my date with Brian.

It took a lot of Dutch courage. Haha...I had to get a boost from coffee and whiskey. Nah, just kidding. But it did feel weird wearing something that bares your shoulders when you are out in public. I think I shocked my maid who has never seen my shoulders! Muahahaha...

Although I felt uneasy at first because it is SO not my style, it made me feel good, overall. I felt that I somehow fit in the "young" crowd in KL. And I was finally wearing clothes that I longed to wear but never dared not fear of being laughed at. Surprisingly (or thankfully) no one made the attempt to laugh at a fat girl who's trying to wear skimpy clothes! And no one looked twice either, which is good! It means that there are more (ugly) girls wearing ugly clothes in Malaysia! Haha...Hmmm...or maybe there are just too many old aunties in KL trying to look young by wearing so not age-appropriate clothes for the KL youngsters to care anymore? Hmmmmmmmmm....

Anyway, my mom was also shocked by my "sudden change" as she could not recognize me when I came home. I don't know, it may sound stupid to you, but wearing that top made me feel refreshed, rejuvenated, reborn! Haha...it may be another few months, weeks or days before I may try to attempt to live my age, but at least I am trying to do some stuff before I die!

Well, laugh at my flabby arms if you want to but I felt like a million dollars when Brian took this photo of me! Ahh..the power of being loved. :P

Golden Jail Bird

Hello everybody! Sorry for having not posted anything for quite some time. I have been officially "captured" and back in my "golden cage" (refer to my analogy of a chick who has learnt to fly and stuck in nest...my perspective of the nest has since changed to a cage). It was an eventuality actually but I am angry because I was dragged home 3 days earlier than I planned. My father gave me the order to return home when I disappointed him by returning to Cheras the moment we came back from Singapore. I didn't mean to disappoint him - I had just wanted to have my freedom and my own room for a little while more. Is that a crime? Apparently, it is a crime in my family law.

The transition from having my own room in a rented room to not having my own "permanent" room has been horrible. For the first few days, I resolved to sleep near Charlie's cage in the living room. But my mom who sensed my unhappiness had kept coming out to check on me in the middle of the night (and anyway, the living room is half of her bedroom). So, after 2 late nights in the living room, I moved temporarily into my grandmother's room. I am still unhappy with the arrangements, what with my clothes are in bags and my newly washed clothes back in the room that I have no access to AND the fact that I cannot find many of my things which are all in bags and arranged clumsily in the living room!

My attempts to escape from the "cage" by re-reading the Harry Potter series (ooh, the last book makes more sense to me now) and by going out to KL on my own have received comments and criticisms too. The worst part is that I could not even o out for drinks in the mamak stall with Brian! My parents are seriously driving me crazy! Their determination to lock me up in the house and my resistance to relinquish my freedom has resulted in a cold-war of some sort. Yes, I love them and I know what they are doing is a way of showing their love towards me. But enough is enough. Wasn't it true that children learn to be stronger when they fall? If they keep locking me up and keep ushering me towards what they want me to do, when will I get the chance to learn? When they pass on to the next world??

Do I sound like an ungrateful brat? Someone I spoke to did say that...Well, how would you feel if you were in my situation? I am truly running out of patience. HELP!

The story of a toilet (and maybe children)

The story of a toilet (and maybe children)

What's with guys and toilets? I don't get it. No, I am not talking about leaving the seat up. That is not an issue for me. The seat's up? Put it down before use lor...what's so difficult? I don't understand why girls like to nag about that though when there are MORE serious issues than that.

See, I share a toilet with three guys. Ok, so I can understand if they don't wash the toilet because I have the most free time. I can understand that they don't flush after peeing because they are trying to save water. I can understand that they smoke in the toilet, the smell will go away. I can understand that they throw the cigarette butts into the toilet because they don't want to burn the house down. I can even understand how they forget to turn off the water heater but turn off the water source that the heating element of the water heater (that Brian got for me, mind you) melted part of the plastic inside.

So, having tolerated all these nonsense, what am I fumed about?

Spraying everywhere.

Like, serious. For a few weeks I thought it was Woon's dog, Pluto who made the toilet stink. Can't blame me la, he did shh shh in the toilet a couple of times because he couldn't get out of the house. And once he shh shhed outside the toilet because someone was inside and then the floor mat outside the toilet was soaked in it. And I understand that no one bothered because their noses was stuffed that they couldn't smell the stench.

But hey, come on la...haven't these guys been toilet trained yet? It isn't enough that I wash the toilet every week or two weeks. I had to spray lots of water everywhere around the toilet and scrub it every time I go to the toilet now because someone couldn't aim properly? Damn it! Do they move around or dance while spraying?

Aim for the light, you idiot!

And you thought leaving the seat up is such a serious offense?

ANGRY

Damn I'm angry today! Yeah, I was in a great mood in the morning (for a while) but it deteriorated as the hours ticked by. What ticked me off? Well, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't you just hate those three words. Ya, I understand how you feel now when I always reply with those three stupid words. I suppose I say a lot of stupid words!

ARGGGHHHHHH!! I can feel my heart pumping boiling blood everywhere! Just feel like taking a dive out of my window right now!

GREY - THERE YOU HAVE IT!!