Category: Random rambling

It has been more than a month since it happened.  At the moment, since the ceiling was replaced yesterday (10 August 2020, Monday), I am starting to do the cleaning process.  Bit by bit.  Yup.  I need to move the old moldy book shelves out (I need to repaint one of the shelves – still can be used as the mold is not that bad).  But the moldy shelve?  Total lost.  The wood is damaged.  It starts to rot.

The smell of rotting wood is what contributes to the current smell of my room.  It will be better sooner or later once I start cleaning.  Alhamdulillah I have Pandanus amaryllifolius  at home.  So, I brought some to my office.  I also bought charcoal and put it inside the office. On top of that, one of my seniors lent me her air ioniser.  I put that as well.  This is my way to get rid of the smell au naturale. 

From the first day since it happened, I try to look at what I can gain from this incident rather than the loss.  It is not about the monetary compensation, but what I can “gain” from this incident is more about what I can do to move on with my life.  There are so many junk that I have been wanting to throw away but I keep on postponing it because I think that I might use it or some of the students have not graduated yet so I need to keep their assignment as evidence.  The incident gives me a valid reason to get rid all of those junks.  Alhamdulillah.  Finally, I am able to get rid of it.  A lot!!!!!

But since that happened, I know that I take quite a long time to start cleaning my room.  For obvious reason, the ceiling has not been replaced.  It is unsafe for me to be in the room, cleaning and whatsnot in which I know there are rodents lurking and overlooking me from the ceiling.  Something might drop from above due to their “movement”.  Well, there are traces of its existence every where.

So, for now, one thing at a time.  Slow but moving.  I will do things according to my pace.

When I was young back in the 90s, one of my comic magazines is Ujang which was a big hit circa 1994.  But due to lack of financial budget, I never subscribed or bought the comic on monthly basis but rather borrowed from those who had it.  I am such a cheapo, right?  I admit that.  But I remember it well, somewhere in 1996, Ujang came to Pelangi Leisure Mall (I worked at MPH at that time while waiting for my SPM results).  I bought a bandana (I lost it now).

Somewhere in the late 90s, there was this controversy that somehow affected the comic badly.  But I remember well one of the cartoonists, Sireh (Lawak Student).  Well, I was a teenager at that time and somehow the cartoon characters and story line resonate with teenage life.  Years passed by and I am no longer a big fan of any comics (it does show how age is catching up).

But I vividly remember that what I like about Ujang (and the cartoon characters that the other cartoonists created) is the variety of social issues that happen in day to day life depicted in the story line of the characters.  It could be related to teenagers life, university students (young adult) or mak cik or pak cik at villages.   The social drama is translated into comical descriptions without losing the seriousness of social issues that is being highlighted and emphasized.   This can be exemplified by one of the cartoon strips by Sireh.  It is hard-breaking yet it depicts the real issue that we are facing right now.

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.

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“.

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.