Oh NO!! I knocked someone’s car November 13, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Culture, Family, My Views, Relationship.add a comment
I had too much beer last night, and I signaled to my wife it’s time to go home. It was around 12.00 a.m, and it drizzled a little bit. I started the engine and reversed, and suddenly I heard a sound of denting metal. Oh no! My wife told me that I had hit a friend’s left front car door. I paused for a moment, then off we went home. Without even bother to tell our friend about the incident. All I knew was I must talk to her about the damaged door the following morning.
This morning she called my wife up and insisted me to look for the door replacement. I had to comply as it was my mistake. A first mistake since owning a car for more than a decade.
When I looked at the calender, I was struck in awe at today’s date – Friday the 13th. I had refuse to believe that such date would bring bad luck, but when I looked back at the time I hit the friend’s car, then I had to accept the fact. No… after this, Friday the 13th is just an ordinary date. It was simply me, who was careless and had had enough beers. It’s a good lesson learnt.
Facebook June 12, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Computer, Culture, Education, Ethnic, Family, Forum, Love, My Views, Relationship, Writing.Tags: Connie, Family, Festival, Fionula, Gawai Dayak
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Sometimes ago I was invited by some friends of mine to sign up with Facebook (FB). Iniatially I turned down their invitation, but I did not give them any reasons. I simply kept the reasons to myself – workload, not ready to ‘expose’ myself, etc. But not until recently when a particular friend ‘re-invited’ me to sign up. I could not turn down the invitation for the second time. Then, after our Gawai festival, I signed up with FB. After the sign up, I added some familiar friends, and to my surprise, most of them have been with FB for a long time. It was me who was ‘left out’. As time flies, I added more friends and most of my request to add the people were accepted. It is fun to see their pictures and read comments. Like in our portal, engkabang.net, I do not post much comments on other’s FB, but simply click on the “like” link to show how I feel towards what they had put up. Am I introvert? Perhaps. In real life, too, I do not talk a lot. I prefer sitting down and ‘read’ – reading prints and people. What do I mean by ‘reading’ people? It’s simply an act of looking at another person and studying or observing his/her moves, with the intention to understand what type of person he/she is! Mind you, most of my observations are fruitful! But I do not want to be a psychologist, since I am not one by profession.
Back to FB: In FB I am now among my friends and even relatives. One interesting thing I found in FB, was, my daughter, Fionula Connie Duie, have been with FB 2 years ahead of me! Besides her, two of my cousins, Marilyn and her sister, Olivia, have accepted me in FB. I guess who is next I’d meet in FB.
Gawai Dayak 2009 June 5, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Celebration, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Festival, Gawai, Language, Love, My Views.Tags: 2009, Celebration, Culture, Family, Festival
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This year’s Gawai Dayak the family still maintain it’s tradition where everyone comes home. Chester arrived on May 29 from Song. My daughter, Fionula and her husband, Dalton on the May 31st. Seeing eveyone present around the dinning table was delightful. Mum’s place was once again filled with laughters and joy. I could see that everyone was happy. That night, my family and I went to Buloh Antu to join my brother-in-law, Ken and his family celebrating the Gawai.
The next day, June 1st, we went back to mum’s place downtown. Upon reaching home, Chester, and I decided to see our sister in Pais, Skrang and we went there around 10 a.m. in his Kenari. We had a good times in Pais. By 1 p.m., we returned to mum’s place. Upon reaching home, we told mum that we are going to Stambak Ulu to join the Stambakians celebrating the Gawai. It took us about 10 minutes to reach the longhouse. There, we joined our cousins, Ansi and Jenir and the other families celebrating. By 10 p.m., Chester, mum and I returned home – exhausted!
June 2nd, everyone seems tired of yesterday’s booze. Sis Suzie and her family came from Pais. Chester suggested that the three of us and the other family members would have a simple barbeque outside mum’s house. And once again, the Gawai “mood” rolled back. Chester invited our cousin, Philip, and his family from Entanak to join the barbeque that evening. On that evening too, right after the barbeque (an a steamboat ‘meal’), Fionula and her husband, hit the road back to Kuching.
On June 4th, Suzie and her family left for Kuching, and today, June 5th, Chester was the last person to leave for Song. Despite my brother’s and sister’s departure, the Gawai ‘mood’ is still felt by my family and I. From this point, we are looking forward to meet again next Gawai season.
“Dom” Theodore Joins His Family… May 4, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Love, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.2 comments
It has been Theodore’s decision to move out and joins his family. He had talked about it soon after he and his family came to Betong from Kuching, back in 2007. He understands that he and his family should not pack mum’s place as his religion now differs from ours. Yes, he understands that.
And by 4th May, 2009, he moved out and rents a house nearby. My wife and I, and, even his grandma felt a bit uneasy. But the ‘reality’ is – all married children have to leave their home for their own. We are like birds. Once the we are able to ‘fly on own on’, off we go. Birds leave their mum’s built nests to build their own nests. And the ‘tradition’ goes on and on.
Actually I am monitoring Theodore’s moving out. There would be times when he needs my assistance, and I never know when. All this while, when my wife misses our little Iskandar (Theodore’s 18 months boy), she we would sneak to their place and brings him home. And the little boy really like it. He did not bother being ’snatched’ at any time of the day, as our old house is very much bigger for him to run around. By 5 p.m., when his mum and dad are back home, we would send the boy back.
April? April 5, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Education, Family, Language, My Views.Tags: apolitical, by, election, KEMAS
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In and around, there’s so many happenings… there are 3 by-elections in the country – Bukit Selambau and Bukit Gantang in the peninsular, and Batang Ai, here, in Lubok Antu. The polling day for all three constituencies would take place on the 7th April. Not much to comment here on the three by-elections.
This April too, my friends and I are expecting a payout from KEMAS, after which we have been hired to conduct a week long course at a nearby school last month. The course was mainly on guiding KEMAS pre-school teachers on the teaching of maths and science in English. It was tiring, but everyone enjoyed the program. Imagine – every day the course started at 8.00 a.m., and ended at 5.00 p.m. At night, it resumed at 8.00 p.m. and ended at 10.00 p.m!
“Dom” Marcus passed away March 12, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Funeral, Language, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.Tags: Stambak, Ulu, Car, peace, rest
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Around 9.00 a.m, 5th March, I received a shocking news from our aki Gadang. A news about a fatal accident that had killed one of our cousins, Marcus. Initially, I could not believe my ears, as Marcus was only 34, a decade younger that me. But after aki Gadang had related to me of the news, I have to take it.
Marcus was killed in a car crash along Mukah-Sibu road, sometimes around 2.00 a.m. His parents and the other Stambak Ulu villagers were informed by the Betong police officers at around 8.30 a.m.
The funeral was held three evenings later – 8th March, at his parents’ house in Stambak Ulu. A lot of friends and relatives came to pay their last respect to a humble young man whom we called Dom (Marcus).
During the funeral, my family and I shared Uncle Kimpek’s bilik to prepare all the meals. This was because, our own bilik was not completed yet. We were not the only family who shared the bilik with Uncle Kimpek. Her sisters, Anggil, Dut, and Limai also came from Kuching to share the bilik. Beside Uncle Kimpek’s place, Ansi’s bilik was also packed with the other families such as Uncle Abit’s siblings. Like ours too, their biliks were not completed yet.
On the 9th March, the late Marcus was buried at St. Augustine’s Church’s new burial ground, a hill locally known as Munggu Sabut. It was about 10 minutes drive from Stambak Ulu. All had mourned for his demise and prayed that his soul rest in peace.
Gong Xi Fa Cai January 23, 2009
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Celebration, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Festival, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.add a comment
Wishing all my Chinese brethrens nation- and worldwide a very Happy Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai, brothers and sisters. Our school holiday would be on Monday and Tuesday (26th & 27th January). The school admin did not apply for occasional holidays as there are no Chinese staff or students in the school. We did not mind as the long school holiday has ended about three weeks ago. Our neighbour, SMK St. Augustine, will be having a week long holiday, from 26th January – 1st February 2009.
At the point of writing, I have yet to decide on what my family and I would do during the CNY holiday. Visiting nearby Chinese friends is one of the family’s ‘obligations’. This year, my wife had decided to join her sister, Maria, to visit their friends in Engkilili. Am not sure whether to join them or not.
Coming Home for Christmas December 23, 2008
Posted by rbjtimban in Career, Celebration, Christmas, Church, Culture, Family, Festival, Love, My Views, Relationship, Tradition, Village.3 comments
Chester, my younger brother, called me from Bintulu. Told me that he would be home for Christmas. He also told me to call Juliana, to come home, as he could not reach her by phone. I told Chester that Juliana and her family had just left for Serian a day ago after a very brief visit to Betong. After a brief conversation over the phone, Chester insisted me to call Juliana asking her to come to Betong for Christmas. I was wondering, is Chester having something in his mind this season? Could it be regarding our bilik in Stambak Ulu? … or something else. Only God knows. What I know for sure is that, Chester is missing all of us all these while. He longs for a ‘once in a while’ family gathering.
Chester's eldest daughter
Year End School Holiday December 22, 2008
Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Computer, Culture, Family, Games, Love, My Views, Relationship, School Activities, Tradition.add a comment
It’s holiday time for the kids, and me, again. Starting mid-November until early January 2009. One should find a long holiday a time and space to sit back and relax. But not me. There are other things that need attention – a long list for me to post here. Trevor is sitting for his SPM and by mid November, the exam was over. He didn’t look worried but I did. My kids find the long holiday a very relaxing one. Most of their time were spent in front of their PCs – playing games. Sometimes I’d advise them to look for precious info online rather than playing online games. Their choice during this holiday is Dekaron SEA.
Waiting Anxiously August 6, 2008
Posted by rbjtimban in Career, Celebration, Culture, Education, Family, Language, My Views, Relationship, Writing.Tags: Air Asia, hotel
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Since I sat for the final papers in April this year, I have been preparing for my convocation which is due on the 24th August. Am very excited and anxious. What else could I say. It’s a once in a life time experience. I will be accompanied by my wife, my younger children – Trevor, Timothy and Theophilus (all school going). Theodore was not included as he now has his own family to look after. Same goes to Fionula who had just being employed by the college where she obtained her certificate in front office recently. She is now working as a part-time tutor there. All these days, my laptop was used to surf the varsity’s portal to keep myself updated of the matter on convocation and graduation. A few weeks ago I have booked for five air tickets and two double-bed rooms to accommodate my family and I. That’s what I called ‘anxious’. I made all the bookings and purchases online – a way of doing business which I really ‘hate’ to do. It’s a phobia really. I fear that the business would be fraud of some kind. But any way, both the flight and rooms bookings were ‘clean’. From today, my family and I are waiting for the trip.
