After the hols

I've created a class blog for my darlings. Ironically, I updated it more frequently than I do my own blog. And even more ironically, my tone in that blog is definitely and infinitely more positive than my in this blog.

The hols have zoomed past. Submitted the lesson plans that apparently are not done to the satisfaction to the Head. Being nice and trying not to hurt my feelings, he said he wanted 'detailed' lesson plans, but not 'sooooooo detailed' ones. And he's nice enough not to make me redo them. I guess I'll have to try harder next term.

The Polliwalk shoes that I bought via Bulk Purchase have arrived (another 'sigh!'). The size is too big for Coco. I'm so disappointed. Her feet measured 19.3 cm and the next smaller size is 19.1 cm. I was worried that it might be too small for her, so I bought one size up (19.9 cm). Who knows it's too big.

What hols?

(Long sigh) The hols are going to be over in a couple of days' time.

It's like 'What hols?' I've been mulling over, agonising over, and doing up detailed lesson plans for every Science lesson for a particular framework. I can't believe this. I'm out of NIE already and still need to do lesson plans with nitty gritty minute details when I've other minute admin stuff to do. I really feel like marching into the Second Boss' office to tell her,"I really think that it's a waste of manpower and time. Can we just scrape this?" Yet how many of us know that it's not possible to voice your sincere opinion in our bosses' face?

I haven't even finished it yet. One more lesson to go. And that's only for next term. I try not to think about the term after next - I'm going to have 10 lesson plans to do. And has anyone heard of lesson plans for remedial lessons? ANYONE?!!! I can't believe it.

Every year, we churn out worksheets, like a workplace that's been 'established' for more than 70 years doesn't have any resources. Who'd believe that? And as if that's not enough, we're asked to do up lesson plans for each and every lesson. Honestly, I for one am not going to read up all those lesson plans. I'm so disappointed with the new Second Boss. I'd thought she's good - to implement some good changes around the place. Alas! Looks like this is another person living in her ivory tower and thinks that we got nothing better to do than to shake legs.

I can't help but wonder why we can't go back to the good old days when teachers only teach and mark. I really so much want to plan a good lesson for my kids, but doing up all these nobody-in-his-right-mind-would-read lesson plans is killing my enthusiasm for planning a smashingly great lesson. It's like feeding you with burgers after burgers, until you full already still force feed you with burgers. Yes, that feeling is call 'want to vomit'.

I don't even get to take Coco out for this holiday. She's so cooped up at home that she's imagining things, although I do believe that The Perfect Cut 2 has something to do with it too. One moment she believes that there's something wrong with her non-existent breasts. She claims that her nipples are too far apart from each other, and that the hormonal imbalance thing resulting in big breasts for guys would happen to her. It doesn't help if you tell her that girls having breasts is normal. She believes that the breasts would give you disgusting skin - what happened on the show was the guy applied some cream on his bosom and it resulted in itchy skin. He scratched it real bad and when he couldn't take it anymore, he stabbed himself. Coco is afraid that the same thing, whatever that it, would happen to her. The next moment, she tells me she has 'a hollow feeling in her heart'. I decided to send her back to my parents' place to play with the boys to take her mind off all these nuts. She called me a while ago to say that the 'unease feeling' was still there.

Poor Coco! She must have been traumatised by the show. Darn me for not anticipating that!

Huge Debts

I'm done with William's debts. He has just been sent another lawyer's letter urging him to make a payment of more than $6k to a bank and he's still nonchalant about it.

I'm turning my attention to my elder sister.

She has run into a heap of financial troubles. I don't know what exactly happened but it seems to me that it has something to do with her recent acquiantance of a supposedly-rich Indonesian tai tai. Heard from my father that she screamed at my mother,"Don't talk to me unless you have $100, 000!" And my younger sister told me that she saw on my elder sister's laptop a tabulation of more than $160, 000. Oh my goodness, how is she going to repay that big a debt? It will take me 16 years to save up this amount, provided I live frugally. I wish I can help, but who can?

She has looked so good for as long as she was a property agent. And she kept saying that this Indonesian lady is very rich. It seems that she's totally blinded. She always scolds us for being stupid when we are cheated. Who would expect her to be cheated big time? How could she not see it coming? Banks are sending her lawyers' letters. I'm so worried for her.

But when I call home and if she's the one picking up the phone, she continues to sound chirpy. I don't know how to start asking her about the problem. I don't know if I should just sms her "Has it occurred to you that R (the Indonesian tai tai) is a swindler?" But I'm quite sure she would rebut me with "You're crazy!" As it is, she refuses to talk to anyone in the house about her financial matters. She seems to be in a state of denial - which appears to be very common to people in huge debts. Look at William.

Within a short span of 6 months after getting acquianted to the Indonesian woman, she's in a huge debt of close to $200, 000. My sister has a First Class Honours Engineering Degree. She strived so hard, went overseas on her own, survived the loneliness to get that degree. She prided herself on enjoying good credit with the banks. How did the woman get my sister to make all those payments for her? How did my sister come to believe the woman without seeing all the big money she claims to have or has invested? It's really quite spooky.

If my sister needs help, I would definitely help out, although I don't have much to chip in.

Stopping the pump

I've decided to stop pumping and pass the pump to my cousin who has just given birth.

It would be crazy to pump, work, take care of Coco and Baby at the same time.

Besides, pumping leaves me feeling weak. I keep getting numb feet and painful kneecaps. I suspect it's the pumping. I think it's because I've a weak constitution to begin with and so, breastfeeding takes a toll on me although I really haven't heard of anyone feeling giddy and weak after breastfeeding or pumping. Tried searching on the net for such symptoms and wasn't successful.

I still experience a little hardness on the boobs after more than 24 hours. I got my Avent Manual Pump on standby just in case I really really need to pump the milk out.

As a product review, I would strongly recommend Pump-in-Style if anyone needs a pump. Pumping was a breeze with it, and true to its claim, it does increase milk supply - my supply went up to 70 ml every 3 hourly. Best of all, it doesn't give you mastitis or sore nipples. It's really worth the money spent. Really regret not heeding the advice of those forummers who gave good review on it.

A few good things

I've gone back to work. Since last Friday. Been feeling tired after work.

But there're a few good things that happened: I got a new laptop!!! That would mean a working USB port and the ability to access intranet. It's not exactly something worth being thrilled over but I won't feel handicapped by the non-accessibility to intranet and the need to trouble my colleagues to use their laptop anymore!

The next thing is my class. I am not sure what happened but I'm given the best class for the level. I didn't ask for it since I'd indicated in my staff deployment survey that I would prefer a middle-ability class, knowing that I would never be given a high-ability group. The kids are nice. I feel that I can probably realise my dream of having a classroom of my own, the way I REALLY want it to be run, with ideal kids (although you can be sure that they are not THAT ideal in terms of academic performance).

I started with creating a blog for the class today. I'll inform the kids tomorrow about the blog. I intend to do quite a few stuff that I've always wanted to do with these kids, like Readers' Theatre especially. I imagine that we'll enjoy ourselves immensely. I believe I'll love this year where my form class is concerned.

One more thing that thrills me is the fact that CCAs are fitted into our curriculum time. I can't believe that it actually happened! I always find it dreadful that I need to stay till 5 pm at least one day a week. It's really very exhausting to run a CCA at 3.30pm after doing intensive presentations for 6 hours.

I am starting to like this school. :)