 | rbjtimban on Stambak Ulu – The C… |
 | jeffreyson esley bed… on Stambak Ulu – The C… |
 | 2010 in review … on Gawai Dayak |
| 2010 in review … on Stambak Ulu – The C… |
| 2010 in review … on Lulung Gawai Dayak Betong… |
A couple of months ago, I was invited by a relative of mine to join a group of writers to write two textbooks. The books were for our language – Iban. One is for Year 2 and the other, 3. Both books are supposed to come in a set of two books – a textbook and an activity books. This simply means a group of writers have to write two books.
On our first meeting all the writers were required to map their work. The session was called a 100% mapping. The session was attended by writers, proof-readers and book-illustrators. As this was my first experience in the field, a formal experience, the feeling was mixed. Anxious and nervous.
This September all the team members will meet once again. This time it will be called a 50% mapping. Every writer should come up with half the book done, and the work, to be analysed and proof-read thoroughly.
I am looking forward a good progress of the project as I am very new in this field. The task, despite being a daunting one, it is a good lesson for me.
This year’s mid-year holiday was from May 28th, and ends today, June 12th. Or shall we call it Term 1 holiday? Never mind the name. What matters most is the holiday itself – a time where every teacher and pupil would enjoy their rest days. On June 1st, Dayak teachers and pupils alike celebrate their Gawai Dayak, to mark the harvesting season. Gawai Dayak is celebrated in Sarawak, while the Pesta Keamatan, in the neighbouring state of Sabah. Being located on the island of Borneo Sarawak and Sabah share the almost similar ethnicity and culture.
On June 2nd, a Thursday, was declared a public holiday. This had given the Gawai celebrants enough time to spend with their family and friends. Two days later, June 4th was also a national public – the King’s Birthday.
For teachers and pupils alike, the two weeks holiday is more than enough. A long holiday like this would make some pupils become ignorant towards their books. Yes. Some lazy and reluctant ones. Some teachers too, would become uneasy with the long holiday. Some would become unoccupied and eventually makes them lose their ‘pick up’.
On the other hand, teachers have plenty time doing their marking and correction on their pupils May test. Yes, especially tests with subjective and essay questions which demand great time and effort to check. Diligent pupils are seen with books on their hands, and some could be seen busy with their homework, especially those who will be sitting for their Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah. The same goes to PMR, SPM and STPM students.
But whatever it is, the two-week holiday is seen as a ‘boredom-breaker’ to all teachers and pupils. Continuous school days going on for many months would be monotonous and boring, thus would depreciate both the learning and teaching performance. So, let’s get ready all our school bags and clothes for tomorrow! Selamat kembali ke sekolah!
My younger brother, Chester, came home from Song on the 30th May for the recent Gawai Dayak with the family. After a few conversations with him he complained being cold, and he said it has been 3 days like that. I suggested that he take a couple of panadols to get rid of the uneasiness.
But after half an hour he didn’t seem to improve but was able to continue with the conversations until it was bedtime. During the night Chester was heard going to the kitchen, probably taking the same medication and I thought his cold didn’t subside.
The next morning he woke up early and so did I, and I asked him whether his cold was alright. He said he couldn’t sleep the whole night. That morning, after our 9.00 a.m. breakfast he asked me to drive him to a private clinic. An hour later we went home and he told us that the doctor had prescribed him some cold and flu medications.
In the evening, 31st May, my mom and I had to go to our long house for a meeting. I invited my brother to come along but he turned it down, saying that he was not feeling well, and he needed to rest, as the following would be the Gawai Dayak celebration.
After the meeting, my mom and I went home, as it was about time to welcome the celebration. When we reached home, Chester had just lighted the fire-cracker he had brought home the previous day. When we asked him how he felt, he said his cold didn’t improve. I began to assume – could he had contracted malaria?
The following day, 1st June, the Gawai Dayak, everyone was merry. But Chester didn’t seem sick at all, and I thought his cold or flu had subsided after taking much medication prescribed by the private doctor. My wife and I went to my in-laws’ house, but Chester stayed home with mom to receive any visitors that day.
My wife and I came back in the evening and Chester was already in his jacket. He was still feeling cold but he could still move around the house.
On the fourth day of Gawai Dayak, i suggested to him that he seek medical help, despite it was a Saturday. We reached the hospital around 8 a.m. and by 11.00 a.m. the dressers confirmed that he had malaria! He was admitted at once and I had to call his family.
Today, 5th June (Sunday), his daughter, Cheryl Voilet Semaya, took him to Kuching for further medical assistance. At the point of writing, she confirmed that her dad is admitted at the Normah Medical Center, and he is fine. Everyone is praying for his fast recovery.
About a couple of weeks ago I came across a very tempting blog on sunglasses, a well-known sunglasses brand. But they were actually selling replica glasses and the pricing was OK for my wallet. I didn’t mind the tags they put on each pair there. Actually I have been searching for such sunglasses for many years already since I lost my first pair back in the late 80′s.
Not to say that I am too obsessed for the brand but I really like the design. Since I lost my first pair, I had put aside my intention to ‘hunt’ for another pair. Yes. It was a long time ago. My first pair was bought before I graduated from my teachers’ training, and now, after more than 2 decades, I decided to buy another pair. Not a sunglasses lover actually.
When I found the manufacturer’s website, I know I would have to pay dearly for an authentic pair – at least a few hundred ringgits, and it would be putting a big hole in my wallet. Finally I surfed and studied othe sites that offer replica sunglasses and compare with the authentic ones, and they differ slightly but the prices were reasonable.
Once I made up my mind to buy the pair, I sent the seller my order and confirmed his name and bank accounts numbers, which he put on his blog. After a few messages exchanged, I executed my online payment via my bank’s online inter-bank giro facility. I was also made to understand that the IBG took a bit longer than the other services, as it has to go through more meticulous procedures. After a few days of making the payment, I texted the seller again, as I had not received any news from him, either via phone or email. He didn’t answer. I decided not to call him up, as it was quite late in the evening. Two days later I texted and emailed him, but again he didn’t reply. Now, I was wondering about my money. A hundred ringgit might not be so much for some people, but to me, money is money. It’s something that we worked for.
After quite sometimes of no news from the seller, I called my nephew up, a law graduate, and asked him about the possibilty of me using the law to get the stubborn seller. My nephew said that it’s not worth, as it had involved on a hundred ringgit. But if I were to nag the seller, he advised me to use polite words to avoid my texts being used against me in future. I did. After listening to his words, I kept sending the seller a couple more texts, among them, requesting for a full refund, but I didn’t even mention my intention to lodge a police report. That would be my last resort in case the seller still refuse to respond.
After keeping myself quiet for the Gawai Dayak festival, ‘out of the blue’ a post man came to my house to deliver me a brown paper package. And I knew it was the sunglasses which I had ordered more than a couple of weeks ago! Yes, it was! After opening the parcel and inspecting the glasses, I quickly texted a thank you message to the seller, but like before, he didn’t even bother to reply me. But I didn’t mind, for I have what I had paid for.
There are, of course, risks involve in online purchase – payment being denied, damaged goods during shipment, non-delivery, etc…
Would I shop online after this? Well, yes. Need to be more careful, especially when dealing with a stockist who doesn’t own an actual store. In Malaysia, Lelong, Cari and Mudah, to name some of the online shopping portals that host trades are better and safer to deal with. Online purchase is as good and safe as the common purchase.
Why do I blog? Hmm! This is a very subjective question to answer. Before I answer my own question, I need to come up with some ‘probabilities’ on why people blog. Okay, to be honest: I’ve read some articles on why people blog. Some see it as ‘a must’ whereas some blog for fun. One of the many blogs I had came across, www.chrisg.com, gave me a very simple and precise answer – we blog for many-many reasons.
In my case, I blog for pleasure. That was one of the reason my blog does not look consistent in all its entry frequency. See that? When I have the mood to blog, I’d post two or three entries in a month. But when mental block is around, I’d come up with two or three months without any entry! Ha! Haa!!
There are people who blog for business and profits. That would demand a lot of time and energy I guess. This group of people either blog to promote their own business; to make money from their blog; to blog for their employer, and to get paid to blog. I really envy this group of people as they are able to generate some income from their capabilities – writing.
And, according to chrisg, there are two motivating factors that ‘drive’ people to blog – primary motivation and secondary motivation. The first factor is of course used by those who are more serious, and of course, by people who depend on their blogs to generate income. On the other hand, secondary motivation is used by people who take blogging lightly – like myself. But both factors can be used interchangeably. That would depend on one’s need.
So, to my blogger friends, let’s blog at our own pace, speed and need. Happy blogging.
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings – nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!
Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)
[http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/Rudyard_Kipling/kipling_if.htm]
From Jan through Dec 2010, life is a wheel. There were ups and downs. But that is life. Nothing is too perfect each and everyday. It’s like the weather – it rains and shines alternately.
2011 should be more interesting. Am expecting a lot of goodies coming in, both for me and my family members. But definitely I’ll turn 48! Wuhuu!! That’s 4 times 12 years cycle of the Chinese calendar. The rabbit comes the 4th time now.
Being 48, it would certainly mean that I have another 10 years of public service, as I am opting for the age 58 retirement. God willing, I shall serve with the same strength I had 23 years ago. Yes. God willing.
For the next 10 years, my younger child (turning 12 in 2011) will be 22 years old. A young man. Prior to my retirement I would definitely drive to work alone. Why? Well, because all the school going kids would no longer study in the same primary and secondary schools anymore. If am not going to work alone, I’ll have to send a “cucu” or two to school! In 2011 my eldest “cucu” turns 5 years old. By 2012 he’ll be attending Primary One. Initially my wife and I suggested that he should go to the school where I am working now. But that would depend on his parents. They should be thankful of our suggestion, as that would lessen some of their burdens.
Okay! So much of a new year or new years dream. With this, am wishing every reader a very happy and prosperous new year – 2011. May GOD bless each and everyone of you! PEACE!
Merry Christmas again! May the peace of the LORD be always with you! It’s time for joy. Every year the family gather at the little house dad bought more that 30 years ago. It’s really small, wooden but when everyone is there, we always feel it’s spacious. We’re always content with how we live in it. It’s wearing too. But we love it so much. It treasure all our childhood memories.
Some say Christmas is a season for sharing and giving. Some say Christmas is a time for merry-making. These are all our views on Christmas. It’s subjective. We hear about children being given presents and gifts during the season. We know that during the season, everyone feels joyful.
Shall we change our view? What if, Christmas is everyday, all year round? It should be wonderful. We give and share all year round, wouldn’t that be nice?Our kids might be well fed, but there are kids who sometimes miss their daily bread. We may be able to sing and dance once in a while, but there are families who sleep on cold beds.
Let’s assume that Christmas is celebrated everyday. We’d give and share everyday. We’d pray everyday. I believe, God would be happy with us, and the devil’d stay away. Yes, devil dislikes good deeds. But that’s how I see it. How I feel it.
Thus, let’s celebrate Christmas – everyday. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, as it’s around the corner now. It has also been a long time I did not blog. Was too busy to even go online. Prior to the year end school holiday, we were busy bees then. The general cleaning of the classes and closing of the school had been very taxing. 
Recently, when I checked my blog, and surfed to read other’s blogs, I was in awe to find that I was mentioned in VK’s blog. He wrote how great he felt by the small donation I made to help him with his book project. The outcome of the project should be treasured and passed down from one generation to another generation of ours. Personally I am thanking VK for his humble effort to help the family members treasure the many stories which had been told by our elders.
Personally too, I should thank those who had generously contributed towards his book project. Let’s pray that the project would material in near future.
