Random rambling | Hadijah binti Jaffri

Why does my electricity bill so expensive during MCO?

When I got the bill, I could not believe it myself. Normally, I would pay less than RM50 per month for my electricity but during the MCO, it was RM300+. But then, I remember there were ten of us in the same household last March until early May. With constant washing clothes, cooking (using air-fyer and whatsnot) and using other electrical appliances, it is a little surprise why my bill is like that. Alhamdulillah, I don’t have air-conditioning at home.

I am not really know how to calculate that. But I find a video about it. This guy is able to explain in simple way that I can understand well.

Losing my patience?

Students are different. No doubt about that. But what I cannot stand the most is the clingy-super-dependent type with a sense of entitlement (I pay the fees so you need to serve me). With such attitude, anyone can lose their patience any time.

When I went to UK, the Malaysian government had to pay the fees more than what the local students aka Brits has to pay. But, did I feel that I was more entitled to receive better services? No. I never felt that way. In fact, I feel that I need to work harder because I need to learn as much as I could from among the best people in the field. My supervisor went to Oxbridge. Not having the opportunity to go there myself, I feel blessed to have someone who was trained by among the best intellectuals as my supervisor. His word “I suggest…” is a command that I would oblige without any single question. Some might say, it is just a suggestion and why do I have to go extra length to do it. Well, I respect him as my teacher. I don’t need to wait for him to say “I want you to do this” to take action.

But things are different. Is it because of our cultural differences? I don’t have any answer to that. Yet, based on my observation having a student coming from similar culture like my supervisor does not guarantee that this student will be independent and less clingy. So, apparently there are similarities of clingy students across cultures.

When I got an email from this student asking me to remind whatever deadlines that this student needs to comply, I was thinking back in my mind “Since when I have become this student’s PA?” Again, it might has something to do with the intention of learning on a first place or the question of “Why”.

When I was a student, I know clearly WHY I should learn. So, I aligned my intention on how can I learn the best I could from my teacher/ lecturer/ supervisor. I would figure out the strategies that I could use to learn the best I could from them. It is always about myself. What should I do to learn? This is the question that I ask myself numerous times.

I ~~don’t~~ expect my students to be self-directed learners. After all they are not primary nor secondary school students. I just wish that I could say what one of my mentors used to say to me “Kick your a** before somebody kick yours“.

#fsshteachingstar

I am really slow with this. I admit that. I need to keep up with this. Even though, I don’t have any Instagram or Twitter account. So, I had this meeting relating to our teaching. A new thing for me.

Anugerah Webometrics 2019: Should I?

How time flies! Like what Norah said last year, I should try to participate in this competition this year. Nay! That is my initial thought. But, I started to think otherwise. What am I going to lose, right? A senior also urges me to participate in this competition this year. Not only that, there were others who also gave the same advice. On top of that, we need candidates as representatives from the faculty. At least, if I don’t win, the faculty has candidates for this year nomination and finalists.

Well, I guess, no harm in trying.

Black and pink Baby G?

We went to get this a week after I bought the mobile modem. Alhamdulillah we went a bit earlier. My sis wore it immediately as I went to pay at the cashier. No need fancy box. Just straight away she wore it on her wrist. Had we went a tad later, this watch might belong to someone else. As I was waiting my turn to pay, a customer went in and asked the sale person about a Baby G with pink interface. Yup. She was asking the same Baby G. But, the Baby G was already on my sis’s wrist.

I went to search for mobile modem with my sister yesterday. Off we went to Giant Plentong, but unfortunately the U mobile kiosk inside Giant does not have mobile modem. The sale person suggested us to go to Taman Molek i.e. the U mobile centre.

Before we went to Taman Molek, we had a quick shopping. While going to the car park, my sister reminded me that it is May and her birthday is in May. She wants a Baby G as her birthday gift. So, we dropped by to browse some Baby G in a shop. But it was so tedious to browse as both of us were not allowed to be in the same shop at the same time.

So, I went in first. I did not find something “that” interesting. I thought she would agree with me that there are not many attractive designs available. How wrong I was? Immediately she went in, she looked around the watches and looked at me while pointing at this watch and said “I want this. I want this pink-black Baby G”. I could not see it from afar. I replied half-halfheartedly “Not nice” trying to dissuade her. Am I successful? You bet. I don’t.

But one thing for sure, I will use lowball technique to request for my birthday gift.

A laggard. Indeed.

The Telekom cable was stolen again. The 3rd time since MCO. It drives me (nearly) crazy. So, I went with my sister to search for mobile modem. We choose U Mobile. We picked GX68 which costs RM58 per month. Postpaid. But the device itself costs RM180.

Some of you might think that I am really slow when it comes to this thing. Yup. I admit that. But according to the Law of Diffusion of Innovations (Everett M. Rogers’ idea in his book Diffusion of Innovations, 1962), we can categorise people into five categories: Innovators (2.5%), Early adapters (13.5%), Early majority (34%), Late majority (34%) and Laggards (16%). I belong (self-claimed) to the laggards. Yup.

My thought is “Why should I use mobile modem when I can use the normal internet modem?”. But when I face with the difficulty of not having internet at my disposal due to the same reason i.e. stolen cable, I think that it is the right time for me to have a mobile modem. A laggard. Indeed.

Hand-stitched face mask, anyone? Not for sale.

I was without internet connection (literally) for few days because the TM cable was stolen. This is the second time since MCO.

So, as I was left with few assignments that I had reviewed (but cannot return to students), examples of case study activities and a half-written article (I feel stressful of doing this because I would think about the materials that I left in my office at UTM) which can be done without internet connection, I started to experience “certain symptoms” that indicate that I am stress. Not a good thing. I need to take a break.

So, in line with Labour Day holiday, I took a chance to re-purpose some materials. Yes. Another left-over fabrics material. A cloth face mask. It is so hype and trendy nowadays to have one with the lack of supply of face mask on the market. I left a gap so that I can put non-woven material in between. To make it 3-layers face mask.

There is a gap in between two cloth so I can insert a non-woven material in between

Running out of left-over fabrics: What are the alternatives?

My left over fabrics are running out. I left with many irregular, out of shape fabrics. Too small for a pouch. So, I made scrunchies. I look at the eldest grandniece who uses whatever scrunchy that she could find around the house. I will put the picture here later on. For now, I need to divert myself to relieve stress. Things can be stressful at times. Indeed.

I was feeling a bit tired from reading 100+ pages of a proposal yesterday. I need to take a break. As I put aside my notes, I noticed some of the left-over fabrics lying around nearby my laptop (I was too lazy to put it inside a container again after my little face mask project last week). I looked closely on the fabrics. It is too small to make a pouch but it is a bit long and I can make a belt. But who is wearing belt made out of cloth this day? So, while stroking my head to get some ideas, I got a light bulb moment. Aha… a scrunchy. The eldest grandniece likes to tie her hair but due to MCO, she does not have much choice rather than to use whatever hairband, scrunchies that she can find around the house.

Hand-sewn face mask

I still have the normal face mask. But I am feeling a bit stress out off lately. There are many things contribute to that. Alhamdulillah I can still recognise some symptoms and thus, I know that I need to slow down a bit. So, I divert myself from my work for few hours to do this little project. I googled and found some tips and instructions that I can follow.

Here are some of the materials: – Left over fabric – Scissor – Ruler – Needle – Stretchable thing (I don’t know what it is called)

It is a pandemic, for goodness sake!

Majority of us are struggling to learn a new thing. It is a fact. But, the question is “How willing are we to experience “disequilibrium”?” Most of the time, we are not willing to learn new things, to do something new because it disrupts our mental equilibrium.

But, what a heck! Just do it! With Wifi connection like Chipsmore in my room, I lugged my laptop and stuff to search for other possible places with strong internet connection. Yesterday, I found the perfect place which happened to be empty (no class at that time). So, I knocked on the door of the technician in charge and asked his permission to use the room. I had a blast! The internet connection is so fast but my excitement did not last long. Yeah. Congestion = Traffic problem with the server when everybody wants to use BigBlueButton. Panicky messages kept on coming in (I also sent a message to add to the panicky mode)

But the thing is, we are in this moment together. We do our best and don’t give up.

When I heard that one of my colleagues who is under the category of PUI (Person Under Investigation) still conducted the class using face to face means, I feel shocked, angry, bewildered, confused, numb (the list can go on).

How can a person be so _______________ (fill in the blank)? What was this person thinking? Have you gone ______________ (fill in the blank)?

Astaghfirullah. I rest my case.