Port Pics

I have never been to a port like this one. Probably most of you have not either, so here is what I saw.  I was not able to witness the training but probably glad I wasn't.  Not sure I want to ponder the fact that a helicopter carrying someone I love would need evacuation procedures for emergency escape.  When the day ended, we met in the canteen and then headed back to Kota Tinggi.  I think Ry was preparing to take a picture of my while I took one of him.  

I think too, that we were a very clever team finding the training location with very little help from madam GPS, google maps, and live humans.  Of course, MS. GPS was very efficient for me for my return pickup after the massage. Only because I had found the location and programmed it into the device.  I still scratch my head while I wonder what good is this thing if I have to find the location myself, feed it to the device, and then hope that I will need it again in the future.  The thing is - I don't usually need the guidance after I have found something once - I tend to manage on my own.  Maybe one day Malaysia will be able to market a GPS device that actually has some information programmed in it before you buy it.

Today is end of visit for my house guest. He has been a delight, the time has been too short.  He has also seen how I live during a work week - not exactly spic and span. But we did have fun, at least I did.   I feel very fortunate that I have had 2 visits from him with a short time span between.  That is something a mother looks forward to wherever they are on the globe.  

The Diver is Not Only Great Company

Ry arrived on Thursday afternoon, and I had already purchased a new shovel. My outer garden has become a jungle and I cannot manage to do anything about it.  But a strong strapping man who is family is someone I hoped would help me out. He did.  The poor guy was enticed into my web with my whining about needing to get the red palm tree out of the ceramic pot and directly into the soil. Once that was accomplished, by Ryan, not me; I was able to whine about many other plants in the same situation. Before you knew it, the entire garden was reconfigured and I am a happy resident.  He definitely earned his keep while here.  Maybe to the point he will never come back.  With scars from the nasty thorns on many of the plants etching his fingers, he then went off to some emergency recertification he needed, down in Johor Port. That itself was a test on our ability to locate something not on a map or in the heads of anyone we asked. But we did it and with the time I allotted, we arrived one minute before the start of the class. Not so shabby.

I have not been the best host. By the end of the day I am almost blind with weariness, so I have consistently left him to entertain himself while I hit the hay. I think I should be able to do better tonight. Yesterday morning we had to be up and gone before daybreak due to the travel time and searching for location for his day long program.  Of course he was more engaged than I was - he actually was in the water doing dangerous stuff, while I headed back to JB town and had a 2 hour massage and picked up a few eats.  But a two hour massage is tiring, and I had to drive several kms again after it. So, understandable why I was weary last night. Right?

I better figure out how to prepare a nice dinner. This is the last night he will be here, so I need to be creative.  Last night fare was compliments of Mr. Nando.  Good, but not mama food.  Maybe a big fat watermelon for the afternoon munch will be the starter.  Then we will go from there as I forage through the fridge and what I can find in the metropolis of Kota Tinggi.

Pictures soon of the perfect son visiting with his ma.

Diver Arrival

Glad this is not a picture of him.

Now waiting for his arrival across the causeway.  I am clearly excited to have him come for another visit - and am honoured that he is.

Better get some Heineken on ice.

It is Already Raining

It is only 5 AM and the rain is falling.  I guess I can anticipate what will be my day today.  My own car is in for servicing, so I don't really care about the car.  Might as well get this one mucky and turn it in once I get my own back.

I wonder if the road crews are going to try to pave in this weather?  Probably will - which would explain why no road repairs really work. Freshly filled potholes tend to wash away by the next day, and I can see why.


And for a rainy day

This is far cheaper and more efficient than using that messy road repair stuff.

More Driver Ed.

I guess I really don't have a great deal to talk about these days, so it appears that road conditions are mostly on my mind. Talking about the weather when one is bored is not really an option here. It is hot, it is sunny, it is rainy and then the cycle begins again.

Now, for the Driver Ed.

Lately, it has been a challenge navigating the highway, or shall we say, Jalan Kota Tinggi or whatever community it passes. I should be delighted, they are re-surfacing the road, so that hopefully the true monsoon season will not have us all falling into potholes that would swallow up a cow.   But, ranting seems to be what I am proficient at, so here goes.

When coming upon a blind curve; which is inevitable on the roads here, it is very efficient to mark this with a loss of lane sign to prepare the nutbars who want to always be first in line to jockey for position. There is no need to indicate which lane is ending or for that matter, even better if you indicate the wrong lane.  Watching the scrambling that occurs as a result of misinformation regarding which lane ends can have you laughing and talking about what you saw for days.

Choose A or B.  Circle your answer.

A.  Be sure to erect a sign like this if the left lane will disappear around the corner.

B. Be sure to erect a sign like this if the left lane will disappear around the corner.

Perhaps you find this trivial and picky.  However, put yourself behind a wheel and join half of the state in a free-for-all on the highway that consists of blind corners and various other road hazards along the way.  Now, approach a blind corner with both lanes - that is correct, there are only two lanes, not three - filled as close to bumper to bumper you can get without colliding, and then think that the right lane is going to end because you saw a sign just like option A above.  It comes as quite a surprise when you and everyone else has jockeyed to the left lane to guarantee your spot in the traffic jam when you quickly discover that the left lane is actually the one discontinued.  If you stay there, you will be playing chicken with a steam roller. Who wins that one?

I guess we should be happy they are giving any warnings at all, however,  this new signage they have offered is kind of generic and definitely saves the money to produce two - one for left and one for right lane warnings. They are telling us something, just not the full message.  They must be thinking, 'yup a lane will end, but what the heck, we never told you any of that information in the past, so count your blessings that we even considered any warning at all'.

For those who need further training:

Another Good Reason to Have WIne Around

My friend who lives in Melaka called today for a chat. She had left a half a glass of wine on the table overnight.  When she got up, there was a dead cockroach in the glass; having passed on after attempting to do the backstroke.  She told me she has tried all the various cockroach sprays and potions and never been able to kill the varmints.   Guess wine is more than something good for your heart and your social life.

Other good news - the diver might be coming for a visit next week.  

Do You Want To Go To School?

Take a look at this!  https://www.coursera.org

Once again, online has built something for everyone. If you want to continue to learn, and have no funds to cover this, Coursera has been developed, originally by Ivy League schools to assure credibility, for the common people.  There are tons of courses available, and you end up with a certificate at the end.  No degrees, but enhanced learning.

I have enrolled in the Think Again: How to Reason and Argue course.

I thought it would give me some insights into how I can help my mentees how to think for themselves and defend themselves in an argument if they have strong feelings.

Take a look, I think you will find something FREE for yourself.

Countdown to Canada

63 days until I am on 

 soil

TGIF, HWYS, MONSOONS & ROADBLOCKS

Yes, it is Friday. Finally.  There have been roadblocks on the highways daily for some reason or other, so I guess I must brace myself for another reason today.  Yesterday it was on the short strip of pre-highway before I got onto the main road.  Once again, the curve led to a congestion of cars and trucks all stopped.  The fellow directly in front of me stopped, and lucky for me that I leave a gap, he put his car in reverse and began speeding backwards toward me.  I must say he is a skilled driver; he managed to dodge me very nicely and continued on his way in reverse, into traffic coming toward him, at almost the same speed as we normally drive forwards.  Once I got to the roadblock I saw the clump of polis cars and many men in black with flags waving all of us down.  They normally take a look at me and wave me on, but today, they flagged me over as well.  They looked inside my car, looked directly at me, motioning that I take off my sunglasses, and then waved me on.  I thought about what I should have maybe said to them. (The dude in front of me frantically getting out of that queue and going elsewhere)  They were clearly looking for someone, perhaps more than one, but someone was on their hit list that day.   I decided against volunteering the information because I would likely still be there now if I had attempted to do so.  I wonder why that guy did not want to meet up with them?  Guess that is something I will not know.

As for the drive home - floods on the highway.  It has clearly become monsoon season early. That area that floods is a regular occurrence these days and I really don't enjoy it.  A few face-fulls of water because I always forget to close my driver side window when huge semis rush by left me gasping for air on several occasions as well.  By the time I got home - sunshine and hot without a trace of what I just came through.  My car dripping and shiny clean was very much an oddity here.

One more day and I can stay home for a few. Now off to wow the teachers at their conference.

Where My Brain is Hanging Around

I have to put together a presentation for the new year three program which will join our methodology in January. Besides talking to an assembly that is half way through a four day conference, I need to have fun things to engage them.  They need to learn how to deliver classes that are student centred and produce project based learning.  In my mind I cannot think of anything more fun. What could be more fun than going to school and playing games or making crafts? Kind of like camp every day huh? In the minds of my audience, they cannot think of what to do.  But some that I have worked with already have begun to learn.  Now I have another challenge.  A new batch.

I came up with a project for the students to become great sentence writers.  It can even be modified to the early year students by having them begin basic sentence structure in first year, and then develop more interesting sentences in year two.  Then, in year three, they can wow themselves with very creative sentences and be ready for the big years of real testing on composition - where they constantly fail and eventually give up.  That group is out of my hands, but if I can make this task fun, I think I can help the little guys become accomplished writers when it is time for the big tests.

I have read to all the little people from my library carts and one character they love is Curious George. I bought a baseball cap and glued a monkey on the front.  (I found some monkey glittery sticker that was intended for the front of a cell phone).  Problem with that was I ended up gluing my finger to my thumb because I did not realize I had purchased super glue that bonds INSTANTLY. I think I figured out how to remove finger prints from one's fingers.  Maybe I am on to something for all those thieves that try to file them off without success. I ripped my fingers apart and have a nasty fingertip right now. Anyway, with that resolved, I then put together another kit - Mickey Mouse. I bought a stuffed toy, a lined book with him on the cover, pencils ablaze with M.M. and did the same with Pooh Bear because I have read both those character stories to them as well.  Another favourite is Spongebob Squarepants. I bought a no name lined book and began my artwork. Finding a Spongebob online I printed and laminated him for the cover.  No pencils and no stuffed toy.  But there are sponges here. I bought various coloured sponges,  spongy scouring pads,  and a pail and began my project.  I had to offer and model something for the teachers to do on their own and it had to be inexpensive. They will find ways to not do something if it involves too much outlay of cash.  They are far more artistic than I.  I might just be setting myself up for a good laugh at my expense. Here is the result.  Am I daft?

As you can see - Spongebob Squarepants in a pail.  The students will each take a turn taking him home in the pail with the pencil and notebook. They will write their letter to him and then return all to the class the next day. Another student will do the same, until all have entered their letters into the book.  Kind of modelled from those delightful published books  of Letters to God that I am sure you have all seen.  Once completed, the students can read each others's letters and practice reading, and perhaps learn even more creative sentences from their peers.  A project based learning assignment fulfilled. The notebook is not in the picture because my laminator was taking a break and would not heat up. 

Oops, there have been comments. Bob's tie does not exactly look like a tie to some. So, a snip of the tie has given him a new look.  Hope everyone likes his new ensemble.

A Brain Game

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1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5!

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17 WA5 H4RD BU7

N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3

Y0UR M1ND 1S

R34D1NG 17

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W17H 0U7 3V3N

7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17,

B3 PROUD! 0NLY

C3R741N P30PL3 C4N

R3AD 7H15.
PL3453 F0RW4RD 1F

U C4N R34D 7H15.

a twist on the previous one which moved letters around, this one is replacing letters with numbers. How did you do?

Understanding Women - now in paperback

Yes, we women are complex, so there are many things to understand.  Probably not a book to take to read at the beach, and likely one that would implode an iPad.  

I am spending the next few weeks working with my mentees on their self assessments. Most of my mentees are women.  I think this book might have a few chapters on them.  Add a cultural aspect to a woman and there becomes many new chapters.  I find these self assessments exhausting. I am sure they do as well.  The format is a series of questions, asked several different ways, to find out if they are actually answering them honestly. The first page is a benchmark appraisal of English.  That is where we have a great deal of difficulty because they are afraid that they must score high there or be in trouble with the ministry.  I cannot fully convince them that the ministry will not see this.  It is simply an assessment for them to see where they are, and for me to know where to work with them. So, a result in artificially high levels of English is always claimed; because they have the final say in the assessment.  It is true, some of the mentees yesterday do have ability to speak fairly fluently, but definitely not at the level they chose.  That also often tricks me, because I think they are higher levels then they actually are; but when responses are required, there are none, or if some are given, they are wrong.  I constantly tell them that a second language will produce this until mastered. I could not even begin to respond to them appropriately in their language anywhere near what they can with mine. Forget about verb tenses for my efforts (although there are none in their language), my speaking is a series of words, pictures and mimes to get my point across. I proved (somewhat) to them by speaking at the level they chose for themselves, asking them a question.  They usually recognized the words I spoke, but did not realize they had been asked a question and just stared at me, waiting for something they could reply to.  Once we made our way through that section, we moved on to pages that they had to score for their own teaching skills broken down into about 30 categories.  Again, not wanting to appear low, they scored themselves higher than they were. They are learning well, but what I am teaching them is a completely foreign methodology and it takes time to learn a new trick.  Even after explaining in detail that they will have to defend these choices on another page, the scores were high.  Now, at the defending page they freaked out.  And rightly so.  There was no defence, because they did not have the words or mastered skills to back their statements.  So, back to the other page, and a tad more honesty was revealed, always with whiteout because what they do is always immaculate with no scribbles, cross-outs, or corrections.  Each of these takes about 3 hours to complete.  So, imagine the intensity of communication that goes on during that time.  Do this 25 times and you can see why I am exhausted.  Only four more to go, and then my own report for each and the exercise is over.  Those four should be available to me next week. For the next three days I will be attending the new training for year 3 student methodology with some of the mentees. I think it only fair that I go along and support. I will be like the coles notes for them. I don't understand why other mentors do not do this.  Imagine a bunch of people being placed in a room for 3 days to learn a methodology that they do not understand in a language that is foreign to them?  I will be there to interpret and remind them of what we have been doing for the past two years which will now apply to another year of students.  And like last year, I will be presenting a topic that I know will be useful to them applying this new language arts teaching.  They are ravenous for resources, so that is what I am taking and modelling for them. You can be sure that next year in year 3, my mentees will be able to incorporate at least one language art into this new syllabus.  Now, to stuff my bag with the Mickey Mouse and Pooh Bear,  and little books and pencils I have purchased, along with a giant sponge and the tools to make a spongebob squarepants doll I am off to teach the gang how to write letters to these critters - just like they will do next year with the students. 

Pomelo Peels,Mosquitos & Heath Care

Be careful with pomelos! Here is what the little pomelo looked like after I peeled it.  Only about the size of a regular grapefruit, and every bit as delicious as the best red grapefruit you could find.  If you look at about 12 o'clock, you see the fruit.  The rest is all peel and pith.  Some take the peel and make marmalade with it, but the pith is just trash.  Be careful with the white fluffy stuff (pith) in a pomelo.  That seems to be where you are going to have an irritant if you are inclined.  I know from experience.

I did enjoy the fruit, but unlike eating an entire grapefruit, I could only eat about half of it before I thought I would explode. I had to put the rest in the fridge for another nosh.  Something else concerned me as well.  While I was peeling the fruit, my hands began to tingle, then burn, and then, after I had eaten the fruit, I had hands the size of hockey gloves.  I attempted to wash the irritant off but with no luck, they just kept burning and growing in size.  I also had a quick look at my face and where I had touched the pithy stuff near my mouth I had developed lips that could challenge any collagen injections and win.  Nothing would stop the sting and the burn.  Lucky for me I have a pharmacy of antihistamines here.  Not wanting to be drowsy, I took a claritin and waited.  No improvement, but not getting worse either.  Four hours later, I decided that I needed to get something done about this. I could not close my hands, I could not touch my lips.  Avoiding the local clinic, I drove myself to JB to a private hospital.  Upon arrival, they greeting me and took me immediately to an exam room. I guess the big lips was an indicator that something was amiss.  Blood work and monitoring done, they prepared to admit me. No thanks.  They insisted I stay once the blood work was returned. Seems I had another bite or two from virus laden mosquitos. Dengue Fever back.  I know I had been feeling crummy lately, with muscle cramps and headache. I also recall a couple of itchy spots - must have been bites, but never thought anything of it.  I refused to stay over, so with a fresh supply of claritin and heavy duty pain killers I got back in my buggy and headed home.  No fever to speak of, I think I only had a mild case of Dengue this time.  I will return in a week and have blood work done again.

So I guess it was a good thing to have a reaction from the pomelo. I would not have gone to the doctor otherwise.  And then I would not have known that I once again have Dengue.  As for the pomelo, I guess it is somewhat common to react as I did.  I have found I cannot touch lemon or lime peels without the same reaction so I have bought a citrus press. But a pomelo will never fit into one of these, so full contact was the result.  I have a stash of vinyl gloves so the rest of the fruit will be peeled carefully so that none of that mean pith touches my princess mouth again.  I still have one and a half here and intend to eat them all.  

antihistamine caution

There was a caution advised. Only use non drowsy antihistamines when needed for pomelo reaction. Apparently the mixture of this fruit and the drowsy form of antihistamine can cause severe liver or kidney damage.  

Glad I went to the hospital instead of the clinic. I know they would not have known these cautions and I know too that I would not have been checked for Dengue.  They do not have the facilities to do that. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - Make Your Own Hat

Now here is a lady who does not put anything to waste.  She either had a left over piece of lino when reflooring, or found a small patch unworn when she lifted the old flooring.  Now this demonstrates good care of mother earth.  A rain hat, a sun hat, all in one.

computers et al

Someone sent me this link
is this where we are going?

I am sharing this one with you because it speaks to communication, collaboration, and connectivity. All things I am very interested in. All things I see seriously changing in how we perform these undertakings. I may be very wrong with my perspective, but I do not see leaders being born through this technological forecast.

Now, much like a movie I watched last night titled My Sister's Keeper  we are looking into the future and trying to fit into that design that scientists are predicting.  I wonder how we will fit.  If we buy into this technology that is being predicted, where is imagination left for the common people.   The movie I watched was sort of about technology we have now. A mother faced the death of her young daughter because she had leukemia.  A doctor told her of the option of conceiving a petri dish child that would be an exact copy of her sick daughter's DNA. He also told her he was ethically bound to not tell her of that option, but the words were already said and the mother was grasping at all chances; like a mother would do.  This new daughter would be able to constantly share her good health with the dying daughter.  What happens is a mother losing sight of the rights and responsibilities of one child over another child.  This was not a movie of a real story, but it was a movie of some real situations. How do we choose when faced with this situation? Do we choose the victim over the saviour? If we do, does the saviour not become the victim? Then what?

The scenes in this link are fascinating. But where does it leave opportunity for imagination. Is imagination not what fuels new discoveries and inventions?  Maybe the video is telling us there is nothing left to discover or invent.  Or maybe the video is telling us that big brother will look after discoveries and inventions. Or maybe the video is telling us something else.

Marquees are Waiting

I think the celebration day is tomorrow for Malaysia Day.  I received some hand delivered invitation in my mail box, but have no idea what it says. Yes, I could get a dictionary and decipher the words, but I am pretty sure it is an invitation to some gathering at a neighbour's.  I think this because on Friday I watched a marquee being set up down the way from my own house.  That means party.  For the weekend, the neighbours in that direction all get to drive through this portico enroute to their own homes.  I probably should show up at some point. I was invited.  But knowing that I cannot read the invitation, I also know that I will have difficulty communicating with the group.  And I will not be eating the food.  Maybe just a drop in on my way to downtown to the nice lady that does alterations for me.

Finding the alteration lady was funny.  I had purchased a pair of Berkenstocks shortly after arriving here. They were not selling - I wonder why?  They were white. They had buckles over the foot and around the ankle. They were very large.  Yes, that was why.  But they were only RM8.  That means they were about 2 bucks.  A nice pair of shoes to wear when hosing down my patio, right?  Well, the cute old guy who runs the shop tried them on my feet. It was hilarious.  My feet are not tiny, but they looked miniature in these large white soles, and the ankle straps left gaps big enough to drive a car through even buckled onto the last hole.  Not to lose a sale, he took the shoes off, found a hole punch and popped holes into the straps about half way up the strap.  Now the shoes could not fall off my feet, as long as I slid my feet on the ground.  I bought them and they have serve me well on the patio hosing days.  The blinding white has mellowed to a dirty greyish white so that worked too.  For a while I donned them, buckling the straps and sliding around the patio. I finally bought a pair of heavy duty scissors and cut off the straps that were dangling off my ankles and made a pair of slip ons.  Maybe not perfectly matched on the trimming, but works for me.  So, now to the alteration lady.  I had picked up a belt from the Pasir Malam one night because it was inexpensive and leather.  When I got home, I looped it through my jeans that drive me crazy because they seem to be made these days with a zipper so short I wonder why they even bothered. This short zipper means the jeans hang off your rear leaving you with a lovely plumber butt so I needed a belt to hoist up the pants.  Now, this new belt fell into the same category as the Berkenstocks. You see, the locals tend to be built rather square. That means their feet are almost as long as they are wide. Hence the fat footbed of the sandals works for them. They just cannot afford the cost, so they shoes sat until I came along. Their bodies are the same shape. The belt, that could have bound a car shut, was a hot seller, and I happened along and bought it. But even my chubby waistline was no match for the amount of leather offered in this belt.  It could wrap around my middle a couple of times. I was not going to give up on this. Back to the Berkenstock man after I realized I had nothing to cut through the leather or make a hole in the belt to make it fit. Berkenstock man could do it, he has done similar in the past.  He speaks Chinese. He speaks Malay.  I speak English. No common ground.  When showing him the belt, showing him how it does not fit, he raised his arm and pointed to Mecca.  What the heck? I pointed behind his desk where the elusive hole punch lived. Again he pointed to Mecca, but this time with a kind of u turn.  Finally, knowing he was not willing to help, I began to leave the store and was heading for my car.  He scurried out the front of the shop and made noises to get my attention. Again, pointing in the other direction and kind of u turning his finger.  His shop is near a corner of sorts that leads into a sort of alley.  What did I have to lose? I started off that way, and like a mother watching their child walk to school for the first time, he stayed in position and kept an eye on me.  Once I reached the alleyway, he began his vocal directions again with the u turn signal.  I looked back and then entered the alley.  What the heck, there was some little cubbyhole of a shop that was so full of stuff I did not know how to get in.  But, there were belts, bags, and whatnot hanging everywhere and toward the back I could see a sewing machine.  I found the belt hole puncher!  It worked.  The fee was RM3.  The belt now made the jeans stay up, but being usual construction over this way, the piece that holds the buckle in place was made of some painfully thin piece of leather that fell apart in about 3 wearings. That's ok, I went back, and had her rebuild the belt, using the belt itself to anchor the buckle.  Now, this cheap belt has cost me a grand total of RM23.  (RM15 for purchase, RM3 for hole punch, RM5 for repair).  Still cheaper than a leather belt back home.  Cheap yes, but the equivalent of 8 bucks makes this belt rather pricey over here. This weekend I am taking some dresses for alterations to her.  I wonder what that will cost?

TGIF and another long weekend

We seem to be blessed with long weekends almost every week.  Wont complain about this.  Last weekend's day off was called National Day. This weekend's day off is called Malaysia Day.  I cannot see a difference, but wont rock the boat. If so, someone who mans the holidays might realize they have duplicated a celebration.  I don't intend to stray too far from home. I will let the drivers have the highways to themselves so that I do not have to write any further defensive driving tests here.  Well, maybe a couple right now to help them during the weekend.

When hearing a siren, turn up your car radio so that you are not distracted by the sound because:
(a) YES - an ambulance, fire truck, or police car can drive through a ditch or other difficult areas that you cannot do as easily.
(b) NO - look for the source of the siren, pull over to allow that vehicle to pass - they have an emergency to attend.
(c) YES - Definitely stay in your own lane of traffic - you earned that spot and if you are in first position you should never give it up without a fight, especially to one with an unfair advantage using a siren.

When you need to drive somewhere and do not want to be distracted by the sounds along the way, it is always wise to wear large headphones plugged into your iPod.  (this seems to be a foreigner's pattern moreso  than a local)

(a) True
(b) False

Happy travels.

What is the Purpose of a Movie?

When a movie is produced and causes unrest around the world, was it a good movie?  When a movie is produced and the content is about religion, is it fact, fiction, or frivolity? When a movie about religion is offensive to some, does that make it a good movie to others?

I have not seen the movie, and I don't intend to see it either.  We have enough problems in the world with religion appearing to be the fuel for more problems. Why would a person goad another group unless they enjoy watching conflict.  What was the producer thinking when this recent movie went to the masses?  If that producer does have a religious background, how would he feel if some person produced a film depicting the Pope, or Jesus as some individual without morals?  Does this producer have a history or a theological background?  Or was his film just some frivolous entertainment. If so, I am sad that a person would stoop to this level.  As for the reaction around the world, I am saddened further.  I am pretty sure that religion evolved to bring people together - not tear them apart.  Doesn't appear to be working that way these days, does it?

I am proud to be from a country that allows freedom of speech.  I am proud that I am from a country that does not offend others unlike ourselves.  The only media I have read concerning this film is that the producer has gone into hiding. Whenever someone produces a blockbuster film it is usual to do interviews, take bows, and preen before the cameras.  Doesn't look like this is one of those. Maybe the country where this film was produced needs to realize that we are all different. We all have rights, and we all need to respect the rights of others when we exercise our own.  Isn't there enough conflict in the world without stirring the pot with a cheap jab  like this?

All This Social Media Makes My Head Hurt

I really thought I had become quite a wizard when I suggested to my friends that I would write a blog to keep in touch with them.  After all, many of my friends did not even know what a blog was.  And some that did were afraid to read it.  They had some idea that some big brother was tracking their movements on the www and if anything on that blog had a 'flag' word they would be tracked.  I guess when I have some of my rants there likely are some flag words written. But I also think everyone is safe reading my blog.  We get fairly little information from the rest of the world over this way, unless it is pretty news or news that might be considered western media that differs from the views here.  Those bits of information tend to have a filter, and when a filter is not available, then our internet seems to be less than reliable.  No matter.  I have some idea of what is going on elsewhere.  And there is always Skype to keep me in the loop.

Now back to this nattering about social media.  I can twitter, I can digg, I can reddit, I can Youtube, I can Google Buzz, I can Facebook, I can LinkedIn, I can blog, I can wiki, I can text, I can e-mail.   I can do all those things, but I do only a few of them.  But now, there is a  new kid on the block. Pinterest has grabbed the attention of many.  I am shocked that people take the time to build a bulletin board of their likes and post it to the web.  I guess it is better than hanging some corkboard in your kitchen or elsewhere and looking at that clutter on a daily basis. But when a housewife has time to gather all the pretty things she likes to change the decor in her home and a young to-be bride gathers wedding plans I am thinking those people could put that energy to far better use; couldn't they?

What I have witnessed, as an educator, is that social media is creating a new generation of people who do not know how to carry on a conversation.  With their ability to write compromised; writing 'r u 2' instead of 'are you two', they have begun to talk in short messages too.  They try to speak as fast as that text, and the result is a blur of sounds that are just partial words.  I teach phonics.  Try to imagine someone from Georgia (USA) teaching phonics.  The sentence would go something like this: Y'all gonna sez tha souns wi'me. These communicators I speak of only use, at best, one or two phonetic sounds of a word when they speak.  That results in a new language.  Is that where we are headed?  A new language?  Maybe so.  If so, I better find somewhere on the internet to get a certificate in this new language so that I do not find myself out of a job.

As for Pinterest, I am befuddled.  Yes, we have discovered another way to convey a message to others without having to speak a word.  Just build a Pinterest board of your favourite restaurants, your coveted designer clothing, the various hardware items so hard to find for your next renovation project and you have now used Pinterest for the commoners.  I suppose this new social media will be useful to marketers, public relations firms, and who knows what else. But really, if you want your friends to know what you did on vacation or how you renovated your home, why not pick up the phone and invite them over for show and tell.  It will enhance your communication skills.

I am afraid to admit it, but Pinterest could work as an education tool for what I do. But I resist.  I draw a line. At least for now.  I remember how difficult it was to train my mentees how to use a wiki.  I am not ready to try this one on them.  Besides, how will I know if they have a question for me?  They are not forthcoming when we are face-to-face. The only way I know if they don't understand something is if I watch their body language and ask them a direct question. I will not have any feedback online.

Social media is definitely changing how we interact with each other.  Picture life in 2030.  There will be no need for large spaces for people to gather. All we will need is a device to tap our fingers on and access to the www.  That way we can send a poke, a text, or a smiley face to our friends and envision them smiling back at us. Or better yet, we can build a Pinterest and see if they can find us. I wonder if it will be quieter too?

Do Not Send Mail To Me

I have discovered that two pieces of mail from S Korea never made it to my mail box and another package from Salt Spring Island in Canada as well.

Now, recently, I sent a package via our courier services which requires a signature on delivery, and it has gone missing.

Clearly, the employees of our fine postal system here have light fingers.

So, until I say otherwise, no mail to me. I will never see it anyway.

thanks

Mentee Who Makes My Work Worthwhile

Here you can see some pictures of the hard work a mentee has done with his class the past few   months.   Everything I model and suggest to this mentee becomes even better production with his class. You can see by their faces that they love his classes.  Here, we celebrate teacher's day when a day is spent playing sports, playing games, and generally just hanging around with the teachers. Students bring gifts for their teacher's that day as well. This particular teacher had such a load of gifts from everyone that he had only a small space of room for himself to get in his car when the day was over. It was completely packed with gifts from happy students.

You Gotta Get Out of This Place

If you are old enough to know this song by the Animals, then you are old enough to know that I need to do just that.  I am thinking that there are more things that annoy me than things that give me joy.

The latest:  The overhead power lines screech at a high pitched noise to the point that I feel like sticking a knife in my ears.  Just when I am looking for a knife, the sound stops. Just as I feel I can survive, the bloody noise begins again. The only thing I can figure out is my google search for this, and moisture or condensation on these lines can cause some arcs or something akin and the noise begins. Well of course I can expect this to drive me crazy for quite some time. It is so bloody humid here I need squeegies to clear my eyes.

I was ill in August - pneumonia - picked up at the schools - and had to stay home for a week. Our lovely health care system here does not give medical leave for more than 2 days at a time. So, ill as I was, I had drag my weary a** out of bed and get another extension for the medical leave.  Now I must get these documents to the company office. Postal system here is corrupt beyond belief.  I sent the documents via the national courier service which is trackable and accountable. Ya, sure.  I checked with the office to see if they received the documents. No.  They were sent a week ago and they are guaranteed overnight.  Ya, sure.  I checked the tracking number. It indicates delivered. The office said they do not have them. So, now what?  Who cares.

Colleagues will use any excuse to not work. Latest is quite something. Kind of like the dog ate my homework.  Award winning excuse: I had to go home (except they never left home) because there was a flood in the house. First, how would they know if there was a flood - no one would call to advise this. Second, the houses never really flood - the floors go up and the floors go down, just for that reason, and every room has a drain hole so that a flood cannot occur.  Bad choice.


More defensive driving questions:
When doing roadwork on a highway just after a blind curve in the road it is really interesting to not post any signs indicating that there is only one lane ahead  because the two lanes of race car speedway have to merge into one lane and that is
(a) fun to watch
(b) extremely dangerous
(c) cost effective because no signs are needed or workers to place them

And the usual - staying very close to the car ahead of you is a brilliant idea at night.
(a) you save your headlights because you do not have to turn on your own
(b) is there any other answer?

the next part of the song in the title is if it's the last thing you ever do!

Pomelo for Levi

Continuing on my hundred mile diet,  I am now noshing on pomelos.  I still am buying pomegranates and some lovely mangos that are similar to honey mangoes but go by another name. It is nice to discover that I actually do like mangos now that I can find varieties that are other than the ones we get in North America.

I have taken a photo of the delicious pomelo so Levi can see what he is missing by not being here. They are so good and so huge.  Beside a mango in the picture, you can get an idea of the size.  Yummy breakfast for me, and all topped with pomegranate seeds.

It is about the size of a small soccer ball!

Chicken Anyone?

The first time I saw this sort of event I ran home and decided to be vegetarian.  I was not able to capture the other part of the chicken that really freaked me out. They even have their heads on - completely plucked but fully intact.  Oops, I do see a little face looking back at me. Does that not freak you out?  And all this is in the entrance to the food shop, not chilled, no glass barrier between you and the birdies, and waiting to be grabbed by a foot while flies buzz around the entire mass!

I have since found a vendor at the wet market, which is a big kind of building thingy, that sells veggies, fruits, meats, and fish all raised locally.  The chicken I buy is on ice, and they grab a chicken breast when they see me coming. I have managed to train them to debone it and wrap it up according to my instructions.  How they prepare it is a bit unnerving.  If one is not ready for me, they grab a whole chicken, lean it into a Red Green kind of saw and whiz it through the circular blade until it is buzzed into about 5 pieces. Now I understand why you cannot ever get a chicken thigh here without getting some nasty bony mass attached. The thigh is not just a thigh, even at KFC.  It is an event with shards of other bony material that is not nice. But then, how can one be very precise when they are working with a circular saw and not a knife?  As for buying fish here, you can imagine. I quit after a fish monger murdered a snapper so badly I did not know what I had in the bag when I got home.  The locals just buy the fish - guts, face,  and all and take it home and do who knows what  to it to prepare for the family.

For Those Who Took The Test

Answer Key
1 (b)
2 (a)
3 (b)
4 (b)
5 (b)
6 (b)
7 (b) for safety
8 (b)
9 (b)
10(b)
11(a) yes best way to see who is in the car, but bloody stupid!

Defensive? Driving in Malaysia

I am certain there is nothing taught here about defensive driving. In fact, I am not sure there is any teaching for driving here at all.  There are no rules, or if there are any, none seem to be adhered to.  I thought I should write a driving test for those in the category I speak of to take online.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ANSWER

1   When driving through a parking lot and you come upon another vehicle ¾ of the way out of a parking spot you should:

(a)          speed up so you can hit them

(b)          stop and allow them to complete the maneuver

(c)          stop fairly close because you want the spot, but they cannot get out with you there

2   When coming to a stop light you:

(a)          wait until the light is green

(b)          start inching ahead and go through the red light so you can be ahead of all the other cars

(c)          open your door and spit a huge yellow goober so that those watching can throw up

3   When driving on the highway you should

(a)          always sit on the dotted line of a two lane highway

(b)          choose a lane and either drive in it or signal that you are changing lanes, then do so when it is SAFE

(c)          sit extremely close to the person in front of you, because they feel safe with you so near

4  When you approach a Berhenti sign you should always:

(a)          keep driving through because someone else will beat you

(b)          stop at the sign because it translates to STOP in English

(c)          just do a U turn – Berhenti does not apply here

5   When you cannot be first in line, then always  cut off the driver who really is first in line.

(a)          true

(b)          false

6   When you drive a scooter on the highway and end up behind everyone because you can’t keep up, it is really smart to squeeze between all the cars at a traffic light so you can be first.

(a)          true

(b)          false

7    Leaving your signal light on when on the highway – left or right - is fun because those behind you never really know what you are doing.  Besides, it lets you stay in first position.  (this one can have either answer – depending on what you think is fun)

(a)          true

(b)          false

8    Driving a scooter in flip flops and no helmet keeps you cool in the tropical sun so you are much safer doing this than wearing shoes and a helmet.

(a)          true

(b)          false

9  When there are only two lanes on the highway (or a jalan) and you cannot be first, then make another lane.

(a)          true

(b)          false

1 When the highway department makes a shoulder lane occasionally, (look it up if you don’t know the term) then consider it your own private lane to use for passing everyone on the wrong side.

(a)          true

(b)          false

1 Once again, driving very close to the car in front of you is the best way to see who is in the car, which makes it easier to describe the person you hit when you could not brake fast enough.

(a) true – but you should drive a certain number of car lengths behind the car – all according to the speed you are going.  Never tailgate.

(b) true – it is always good to know who is in front of you so you can pick them off the next time you see them ahead of you