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I like the idea… November 18, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Culture, Family, Love, My Views, Relationship, parenting.
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I am a Christian, and I practice most what a Christian should. With regard to Fengshui practices, well, I do practice some of which I think, yes, I think, are relevant to my daily activities.

Fengshui says “keep under your bed as clean as you keep other part of the home”. I agree. One cannot sleep properly when the room is dusty and cluttered up. Devils like to stay in dirty places but heavenly beings hate them.

Fengshui says “keep aside any objects with pointed ends or tips – they resemble poison arrows”. I agree too. I have never heard of people being kill by these poison arrows, but I have heard of accidents at homes caused by such objects. Misplaced knives, for instance, pose hazards to anyone who step on them. Thus it’s best to put them in drawers. Kids are curious, so, never let them see any knife around.

To me, Fengshui beliefs are still relevant to my family and I. Human have weaknesses, thus we have to keep away anything that can endanger ourselves and anyone around us.

I like the idea.

Oh NO!! I knocked someone’s car November 13, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Culture, Family, My Views, Relationship.
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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.

Another New Member of the Family October 6, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in Family, Relationship.
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Ethan Brody was born to my 22 year-old daughter, Fionula, on the 3rd October at around 2.30 a.m. He weighs 3.2 kg and cries very loud. Ethan is my second grandson, while his cousin, Iskandar Zulkarnain, 2 years older, being the first and is Theodore’s first child.

The name “Ethan Brody” is his parents’ choice, while “Insol” is my wife’s choice. His parents had been searching the internet for the baby’s name and final came to conclusion. Before his birth, my daughter had asked me which Iban name would suit the baby. I told her if it is a baby boy, I prefer they name him after my dad – “Timban”, while my wife would prefer “Insol” (i.e. her dad’s). But anyway, I did not mind much on the child’s naming. As long as it is easy to say, read or spell.

Now Ethan is a few days old and his mum is recovering. My wife and I are taking into account all the proper dietary to ensure her health and her baby’s. Yesterday my wife took Ethan to the clinic for his first medical check-up. The medic took his blood sample and as his jaundice is noticeable, they found that his blood-sugar level is 7.0, which I believe is quite high for a very young baby like him.

Facebook June 12, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Computer, Culture, Education, Ethnic, Family, Forum, Love, My Views, Relationship, Writing.
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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.

Lester Called June 9, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Celebration, Education, Family, Festival, Forum, Gawai, My Views, Relationship, Sarawak, Writing.
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Lester, our engkabang.net portal member, called me at 4.00 p.m. today, telling me that he and his family made a short stop in Betong. It was his first time coming to Betong, as he and his family was on their way back from Kuching to Roban. As Lester is from Miri, and his wife is from Roban, I learned that there’s no reason for him to come to Betong. But it was me who had suggested to him that he should drop by whenever he has the time. I was glad he and his family had made it today for stopping in the town. Unfortunately I did not have the chance to meet them as my wife had used our car to meet her sister at a sewing workshop. But Lester did not mind I could not meet him, as he said that they were just looking around the town. We greeted each other Happy Gawai over the phone before he hang up.

Gawai Dayak 2009 June 5, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Celebration, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Festival, Gawai, Language, Love, My Views.
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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.

Check out my Slide Show! May 24, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Celebration, Education, Family, Language, Love, My Views, Relationship.
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My Trevor is into Lower Six May 14, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Education, Family, Language, Love, My Views, Relationship, School Activities.
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Since the MOE announced that former SPM leavers are to enter Lower Six, my wife and I talked a lot about it to our third child – Trevor Jullian. Iniatially Trevor did not like the idea of joining form six as he has a lot of reasons:

1. Some of his buddies are not with him;

2. He is still attending the same school, meeting the same teachers;

3. He feels that the two years is ‘waste of time’ (studying and sitting for the 2010 STPM exams).

He did not tell us his reasons but those were our assumptions. Before the ministry’s announcement, he had received a lot of mails from various colleges offering him courses. I did not like the idea as those colleges are IPTSes – private ones, and are ‘very dear’ to attend. Trevor understands my standings, but, yes, he is not dissappointed.

I explained to him that his form six would only take him a year and a half, and it’s almost equivalent to pre-U (please, readers, correct me if I’m wrong). Should he go to Kolej Komuniti (whilst, there is one in town) by end of July 2009, he would have to undergo a two year-course. Each semester would cost him RM200, and at the end of the course he would be awarded a certificate. Of course both certs have their own pros and cons.

Most of his friends went to the school on Monday 11th May, 2009, and when they came home, and met Trevor in the evening, they persuaded him to ‘take the challenge’ – go for 2010 STPM! After two days of making the decision, eventually he smiled at me, telling me that he would take the 2010 STPM exams. Phew! My boy! Another ’sixth-former’ from the family after my Fionula “Dara”, who is now an expecting mum!

“Dom” Theodore Joins His Family… May 4, 2009

Posted by rbjtimban in 2009, Career, Culture, Ethnic, Family, Love, My Views, Relationship, Tradition.
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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.
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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!