Napping: My School Time

School! I’m pretty much done with school (because I’ve graduated). Anyway I don’t think that I’ve spent much time in school because I always absence. Well, I categorized absence here into three different things:
1- Skipping class, and sometimes school too.
2- Daydreaming
3- Taking a nap

Among these, I like number 3 the most. I don’t really know why I like it. But I do know why I took a nap in almost 75% of my school life.

Let me list them down, see if you and I have anything in common.

1. I don’t like the teacher (but I’m not scared by him/her)

This is my top reason. I mean, if you don’t like someone, if there any better way to tell him/her? I’m not being rude, just being honest.

2. I’m all exhausted

This could happen. Honestly. When I was in Form 4, I always complaint of the timetable. Whoever arranges that bloody timetable should be more understanding. The trouble is on Beta Mondays (we got 2 different week-Alpha and Beta) my class got Biology in lecture hall for 1st and 2nd period. Then we go straight to P.E for 3rd and 4th. Then we got recess, which we can hardly get something to eat because we need to change to our school uniforms and the P.E coach always let us leave at the very last minute. After recess is Add Math double period, and after that is Physics (also double period). And so on until 2.05 p.m.

One day, we got this test (I don’t even remember what the name for this test is). It required us to do different sort of things including push-up, sit-up, a few rounds of 400 m and lots more. I could still survive add math class, because I always love math. But then, at physics lab, I can’t open my eyes. So, I sleep (it is no longer a nap if you sleep the entire period, is it?)

3. There is no teacher, neither a substitute

This is what I called free time. Yeah, usually excellent student would use this time to finish their homework and do extra revision, but I choose a nap over that boring task (which I can do later, when my grades aren’t impressive enough).

4. I’m in holiday mood

I should blame the Ministry of Education for this. Who said they can make us substitute our leave on the weekends? Well, of course they can because they are the government. But, the teachers aren’t in the mood too, why should I?

5. It is afternoon (damn hot atmosphere)

I love my country, and the weather. But sometimes I wish I live in the artic. And I do hope there is someone brilliant enough to stop global warming.

6. It is in the lecture hall (and I’m in the most strategic seat)

Lecture, as we all know, BORING! I must let my mind have a good rest, mustn’t I?

I've got lots more good reason as why to take a nap in class, but I couldn't think of it right now. Maybe I'll continue someday. Who knows?

How a TV ad influence me

Credits for my friend, Murali who talks about “How are the stories around you influencing you?” in his blog, Lifetime Learning.

I just want to share just a minor (not major) story of one of the PETRONAS ads. All of PETRONAS ads have been known as touching and always meaningful by people in my country. And I’m going to talk about this particular one:

You can watch it for free at

THIS LINK

If you can’t understand the language, I guess I can give a picture of it. The ad starts with the male doctor release the old man to rest in his daughter’s house. But then, the man insisted to get back to his own home.

Anyway, his daughter asks him to come and live with her family. She even promises him to take a good care of him until he really is healthy again. As soon as he heard this, her husband ask her can’t he stay in the hospital at least until after Raya (this is a celebration by muslims, commonly known as Eid ul Fitr). Unfortunately for the husband, the public hospital is always full, so there is no way that his father-in-law should be allowed to stay once he is stable.

Then, they show several scenes of the family having dinner (actually at first it is them breaking fast, so we can say it is dinner too) and the old man keep breaking glasses and making messes and things like that.

He husband and wife have finally had it and they isolated the old man, providing him with his own table, and his own dining set, which is made of plastics. And they let him to eat alone.

And the couple finally realized their mistakes when their own children are imitating their unfair treat to the old man by saying that when they grow up, they will let their parent to eat alone while they are enjoying their meals inside of the house. Obviously they have sent the wrong message to the little children.

And now I’m telling you how this ad has influence me in a way. I do have parents, who are apparently old and they often get sick and being admitted into hospital every now and then. When I saw this ad, I made a resolution that when I’ve fully grown up (apparently I still didn’t finish my tertiary education and I’m jobless) I won’t treat them like that. I mean, that is far beyond humanity, isn’t it? I will take a good care of them.

Well, maybe that is too early to say anything ambitious like that. But then, right now, I try my best to fulfill my parents’ wishes. For example, once I was too busy with my study and I’ve been busy for weeks, and I’ve been away from home for quite a long period, I simply don’t have time for anyone. But then, my mom calls me and asks me to sit right by her side and just accompany her. Not much to ask. I mean, she didn’t ask me to hike up Mount Everest, did she? I was just going to say no but when I remember this ad, I couldn’t say no. What would I feel when my children do the same to me in the future?

Giving 100%

When I found out that I was recruited to National Service, and I’m going to be sent across the South China Sea in order to report myself in one of the NS camps in Sarawak, I have two choices. I’m going or I’m not. Two tough choices I must say.

If I’m not going, then I’ll break the law. If I’m going, then I’ll spend over two months of my precious time just to do things as I’m told to? I mean those time could be used to collect money, to gain work experiences, and to get my driving licence.

Anyway, I’ve made my choice. I choose to go (or they said to serve my country, whatever). And I left the comfort of my home with one objective- this is not going to be just a waste of time.

The first week is killing me. Boring….. And I don’t know the people. I kept thinking of how am I going to make friends? I still remember our Vice Commandant of Training (TKL) gave us a welcome speech. She said that they (the management and trainers) are going to give us many chances, but it’s up to us (the trainees) to grab those chances. We won’t get anything unless we choose to involve a 100%.

Initially, everyone (trainers and some trainees) always use that phrase. “Are you going to let yourself involve 100% or not?” they kept saying, whenever someone refuse to do things as they were told to do. At first, I couldn’t understand. What’s up with a 100% involvement? Yeah, I admit that sometimes I can be a bit naïve and clueless.

So, I try to keep myself low-profile. I try to avoid disciplinary problem. And the result is not only I’m miserable, but I’m lonely.

Towards the end of the training programme, I finally took the TKL’s advice. I don’t care of what others are thinking. I want to do things not because I’m told to, but I want to do it for myself. That is the true meaning of involving by 100%. So, I joined the basketball team knowing that I’m nothing like the Chinese players. I represented my company in chess because I know that I can do this. I joined rafting team even though it is my first time. I speak up my opinion even though I’m going to hurt others. I tried ‘flying fox’ despite the fact that I’m scared of height. And only by that point, I’m happy to join NS. And of course, this is definitely not a waste of time.

Additional Links

Program Latihan Khidmat Negara

Away Message

I’m going to be away from the comfort of my house and the pleasure of internet until March next year. National Service, here I come!!!

So, there will be no posts from me until next year. Sorry for any inconvenience. But, please stay tune. I do hope to have visitors when I came back.

Happy New Year!

I Don't Wanna Grow Up

There is this old photograph of me standing in front of our previous house in JB, which my parents absolutely adored. In this particular photo, I was holding a pink umbrella on one hand, and one of my favorite cuddly toy on my other hand. This cuddly toy previously belonged to my older sister. When she grew up (she’s 10 years older than me), she gave it to my other older sister (who is 5 years older than me). And by the time this photo was taken, the cuddly toy finally belongs to me. From the looks of my expressions in the photo, I seemed very happy and probably of the fact that my mom was holding the camera, focusing on me. I had this smile across my face that shined with personality and gave the picture a bit of innocence.

What innocence and decent times those were; I was yet unaware of the cruel realities of life. Everything was care free and easy. I pretty much do my own thing. This includes spending almost every minute of my early days in front of the television. Power Rangers, Ultraman, and Kampung Boy are my favorites. I sure miss the days with countless hours doing absolutely nothing stressful; I would give anything to be a child again.

As a little kid, I used to be happy and active. I have countless scars on almost every part of my body due to my mischievous act. I didn’t mind when people laugh at me since all I care is having fun.

Thirteen years later, my parents took another photo that they absolutely cherish. It was the same star, it’s me but this time I’ve become taller, and gained extra weight too. The cuddly toy that used to be my buddy is nowhere to be found since I don’t have any younger sister to pass it on.

I’m no longer interested in Power Rangers or any other action-figure. I get headaches whenever my little brothers or my nephews get their hands on the remote control. I lead an inactive lifestyle since I am too busy trying to improve my grades and to impress people. I rarely do what I really want to do since I am scared of what other people might think of me.

Nowadays, whenever I look at my old photographs or watch my nephews and little brothers, I think back at how great those times were when I was a kid. It’s quite sarcastic that as a kid you always want to grow up fast so that people treat you differently and hear your voice. However, when you grow up you wish you could turn back the time.

Life is full of misery, loneliness, and suffering- and it’s all over much too soon. –Woody Allen-

More Weird Facts About Me

A friend of mine asked me to tell more about myself. It took me quite a few months to reply the mail. This is weird. Why in the world I could not write anything despite the fact that I do love to write? I mean, the English Unit of my school asks the students to write journals and submit them to the teachers. And I’m the only one (I think) in my class who writes more than what we have been told to write. I write anything about school, my life in hostel, my family, my pets, my nephews, EVERYTHING. And now I can’t write simple things about me, myself, and I????

After giving it some thought, I came up with a simple explanation – I don’t know myself anymore, and I need help immediately. Argh!!!! This is pathetic, I know. But I’m not the one who should be completely blamed of. I said so because I was just too busy with school and activities at school, and busy to fit myself in the school community that I don't do things that I enjoy very much anymore.

I really miss myself. That's why I'm using this holiday to be with me, myself and I again. Yay ME! (hey, I sounds like Kuzco!) I tried to recall ‘the Me’ in the past by browsing my photo albums and my writings and I found out that I used to enjoy spending most of my time indoor with my computer, chess, books or anime. But I also enjoy outdoor activities, close to nature. And it's great to be able to do all of this during this holiday.

Today (or should I say yesterday since it’s already 1.30 a.m in the morning) I enjoyed myself once again when I went to Kampung Pasir, where a friend lives. It was nothing much really but I like the journey across the busy and diverging roads which are full of cars and heavy vehicles. Everything moves so fast. This is so me again. I can’t find these back at my school. Things get better since two other friends were there with me too. We get to exercise and use our muscles to cycle up the hill, and it wasn’t easy after I lead quite a slow an inactive life at hostel.

Well, not too inactive actually since sometimes I manage to jog with my beloved warden. She doesn’t mind taking my friends and me to the Maxwell Hill or the Lake Garden. That reminds me that I have never been able to reach the top of Maxwell Hill due to packed time. This is quite a loss to me, what am I doing by entering the chess competition???

Enough of babbling, it’s good to write something again in this blog after focusing so much on my study and SPM. Got to go.

weird facts about me...

My behavior... I have to admit that I do weird things. Well, everybody does, right? In my case, I love to talk to animals. Cats especially. I talk about my problems, feelings, thoughts, curiosity, desires and express myself to animals, any kind of animals. It can be a monkey, a bird, or maybe a cow. The reason is I don't really trust people, and sometimes they are not here to listen to me. Animals can be a good listener and of course they can keep secrets. Sometimes I even talk about what I learn in school. I think that this is a good way to do revision. ;p

My character... I'm not sure but many of my friends told me that I'm not the same person they thought I would be. I mean, when they first met me, they'll think of me as a typical city girl, who cannot do her job on her own, and a lot of other impression. What could I say, I'm not really friendly with people on the first meeting. Again, it's because I don't really trust people easily. I'm not sure whether this is good or bad, but at least i don't harm people.

What I like... I like adventure. I mean even though I'm not that physically fit, I still enjoy outdoor activities like riding bicycle, hiking, jungle trekking, and some other stuffs. I think it is nice to be close to nature. And I can assure you that Malaysian rainforests is really nice.

I don't like wasting my time for something I hate. I hate people who don't know how to be punctual. Time is gold. I can understand if people were late because of traffic jammed or maybe any other obstacles, but I can't tolerate people who were late because they woke up late, or because they don't know what to wear, or because they spent 2 hours in the shower.