Selamat Hari Gawai

For those who do not know, Gawai Dayak is celebrated on the first of June every year by the indigenous peoples of Sarawak as a thanksgiving to mark the end of the paddy harvesting season and the beginning of the new planting season. Often , there is singing, dancing and considerable drinking of tuak or rice wine in the local longhouses. Although ostensibly a festival for the dayaks, many non-dayaks actually join in the fun and celebrations in the spirit of 1 Malaysia.

So to all who are celebrating this year's Gawai, I bid you Selamat Ari Gawai, Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai. Remember : Ngabang, ngabang juga tapi don't drink and drive.

P/S Yours truly is taking a long drive back to Kuching to see most beloved MUM.

He is 11 today

My beloved son,

MUHAMMAD NURWASIL AQIL BIN DR. HAJI ANJAH,

is 11 years old today.

Happy Birthday, son.

Semoga panjang umur, sihat selalu, murah rezeki & diberkati Allah SWT.

We love you MORE than you will ever know or realize.

Seeing RED on 22/05/2010

RED SHIRTS seem to be such sensitive issues lately, but that was what we wore last Saturday morning for the 1 Malaysia Mammoth Dance and Cultural Performance held at the Miri Outdoor Stadium in conjunction with Mayfest (Miri City Day Festival 2010).

Other schools came in tees of other colours, but personally, I think red was better!!!!!!

My son met up with one of his pre-school mates, John Jarrel aka J.J.

The event saw the creation of three new records for Miri in the Malaysian Book of Records, which were:

1. The most number of seasonal drums in a performance (160)

2. The most number of ethnic groups in a performance (45 ethnic groups)

3. The most number of lions in a lion dance performance (168 lion heads)

HISTORY made ............

and, YES, WE WERE THERE

(together with 4000 other drenched Mirians)!!!!!!!

DISAPPOINTMENT

Today, I am DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED with one of my superiors. Something important she should have informed me......yet she didn't. And when I finally discovered it, it was already way after the expiry date. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be her duty to inform me. However, what buffled me is that if she can sms another teacher who was not in the school at that time, how is it possible that she can forget to inform me when I was in the school all the time???????

I really thought we were friends.....maybe I was wrong. Maybe we were NOT friends enough!!!!!

It's not just a game, it is CHESS!!!!

Last Sunday (16/05/2010), my son Aqil took part in the chess competition organized by Persatuan Melayu Miri in conjunction with Mayfest (Miri City Day Festival). It was the first time he took part in such competition since he took up the hobby less than a year ago. There were 28 participants, some coming from as far as Kuching and Brunei. He was the youngest participant there.

Competition in progress

Not bad for a first-timer in chess competition as he emerged 5th in the teenagers' category.

SON, we are TRULY PROUD OF YOU!!!

Mothers' Day 9/5/2010

Suddenly, today of all days, I have this inspiration to blog. Probably because today is Mothers' Day.... not so much because I'm a mum myself, but more so because I have a great mum, myself! No

TAN SAI CHOO, that's her name. A woman who has gone through all odds to bring up her kids almost entirely by herself. She didn't have a lot then, but what she had, she used it mostly for her kids; and made sure that they turn out ok. I remember, life was tough then, but she never complained, and took on life with all its challenges. So much sacrifices she had to make and so much pain she had to endure, just to bring us up. Definitely not an easy task as there are 6 of us.

Someone once said, "A mother holds her children's hands for a while, but their hearts forever". Mum, you have held my hands not just for a while, but for a long time; and you will hold my heart forever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever, and ever.......

Happy Mothers' Day, MUM. I love you everyday. Your strength is truly amazing, your sacrifices unbelievable, and your love truly unconditional. Thanks for everything.

From one teacher to another, on Teachers' Day 16/5/2010

I got this article from a dear friend more than a year ago, and re-read it today coz it's Teachers' Day today.

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WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach". To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)"Well I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an IPod, Game Cube or movie rental. You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

''I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read and read. I make them show all their work in maths. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, raising their hands to pledge the Rukun Negara, because we live in Malaysia.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life".

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) "Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?" His jaw dropped, he went silent.

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To ALL TEACHERS out there :

"Happy Teachers' Day. Yes, we do make a difference in the lives of our students."

To ALL TEACHERS who have taught me through my years in :

SRK Tebakang (1973 - 1977),

SRB St. Mary (1978),

SMB St. Mary (1979 - 1983),

SMB St. Thomas (1984 - 1985).

"Thank you for bearing with me through the years. You have made learning fun. From the bottom of my heart I say this :

Thank you, thank you and thank you.........

"

'Guru Pembina Negara Bangsa'