The Wilful Sunflower http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/ en Copyright 2008 Thu, 15 May 2008 22:07:17 +0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mom said GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) Philippians 4:8 without realising it:
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.
In the past five years or so, more or less ever since I graduated and started working, I've not been doing much of this. I haven't been reading anything very edifying; mostly fiction or romance novels, if I were to be honest. I think I've fallen out of the Phil 4:8 habit. Plus, I haven't been reading the Bible much. Err... make that at all. Except in church services and cell group meetings. Oops. And I think, perhaps, where I am today is a partial result of having built that foundation during those years. Despite having spent the past five years sort of rebelling against going through the motions of Christianity (and thus ceasing to do any of the things I did before), I never really went through the motions. Everything I used to do, I did because I wanted to, because it was meaningful to me and I believed it would improve my relationship with God, or help me to live a holy life for His sake. And so all these things helped to form the core of who I am, what I'm living for, why I choose to live the way I live. So I think I've been piggybacking on the past. I'm thankful for my past, but maybe it's time to live Philippians 4:8 again. The problem with losing good habits is that they are hard to reinstate because they then take work!]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/mom_said_gigo_garbage_in_garba.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/mom_said_gigo_garbage_in_garba.php Walking the walk Thu, 15 May 2008 22:07:17 +0800 Amnesia *phone rings* Friend: "What do you mean, you don't know how your resumé ended up on his desk?!" Me: "I really don't know!" Friend: "You emailed your resumé to me two weeks before that. I TOLD you there was an opening for English teachers!" Me: [blank and doing some fast thinking] Friend: "You don't remember? Oh my goodness, you're so terrible!" Me: "Now that you mention it, I vaguely remember emailing you my resumé... you're saying that was two weeks before he called me for the interview?" Friend: "Yes lah! Haiyo, you ah... how could you forget such a thing? I spoke to you on the phone, and a day or so later you sent me your resumé!" Me: "Oh. Well, if it was two weeks before the interview, I probably forgot it in all the stress of exams and moving house, I guess..." Friend: "No wonder you didn't say anything to me! I was wondering how come you didn't keep me updated or anything. You owe me, okay!!" *** I checked. My email to her was March 22. The interview was on April 14. Holy cow, I'd completely forgotten that I'd emailed my resumé to her!!! Ohmigosh. If I can't even remember something like that, how am I going to remember the names of all my students?! -_-" http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/amnesia.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/amnesia.php Bread & butter Friendship Wed, 14 May 2008 23:01:39 +0800 Newness I have great good awesome amazing wonderful news. I'm going to do what I've thought of doing and hoped to do for the last three years -- I am going to teach!! Woohoo!! I signed a six-month contract this afternoon with one of the colleges in town. So excited and, at the same time a bit scared. I start June 16! Since there's always a story where I'm concerned, let me tell you it. *grin* One day, out of the blue, I got a phone call. "Hello, is this Sunflower?" "Yes, Sunflower speaking." "I am Mr XYZ, programme director at ABC College. I have your resumé on my desk in front of me and I was wondering if you would be free to come over..." I'd stopped hearing anything by then. My resumé? On his desk? Where I got submit any resumé??? Puzzle aside, I went for the interview. He wanted me to teach sociology. I know nothing about sociology apart from having taken it as a subject under my pre-university programme way back in 1996. But, I thought to myself, how hard can it be to read up? Plus, sociology is interesting! So I said okay. A week later, he called and said he was interested in hiring me, but first he had to finalise the schedules and stuff for next year, so that he'd know how many staff he'd need and where he'd need them. A week after that, he called and offered me the job, conditional on the HR (Human Resource) department checking out my references. Then we hit a snag. Turns out the National Accreditation Board (LAN) wasn't so happy with a law graduate teaching sociology. The funny thing is, my boss had already enquired about this prior to calling me for interview, and at that point, he'd been informed that it was okay. But when HR enquired, it seemed to be not okay. Confusion!! (Government bodies and their inability to make up their minds... haih) "I'm going to sort this out," my boss told me. "I remain committed to getting you in." Always nice to hear that from a future boss ^_^ A week later, he called to say that he was still working on it, "But I think you have nothing to worry about." A few days after that, he called again and told me that because of the LAN problem, he would have me teach English instead, which is what I've trained to teach (my Masters, remember?) and what I've always wanted/intended to teach anyway. "We are delighted to have you," he said, closing the deal. What has me so happy is more than just the fact of being gainfully employed. It's also more than the fact that I get to teach English after all. It's the way my boss handled this whole process. He kept in touch with me throughout and continually updated me on what was happening. He didn't leave me to wonder what was going on. I thought that was very professional and very considerate of him. And the way he fought to hire me... I had no idea anyone could want to hire me that badly! It's a bit scary -- what if I mess up??? Anyway, I'm excited and a little scared at the same time. Still haven't figured out how my resumé ended up on his desk. In June 2006, I passed my resumé to a friend who works in the same institution, for that friend to pass it to his boss. But that was in 2006, and it was a whole different department altogether! There ya go... the story of how I got a job I didn't even apply for. And at just the right time too! God does like to do things in unexpected ways... http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/newness.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/newness.php Bread & butter Tue, 13 May 2008 20:40:46 +0800 I've had it. Bob to help me figure out a way to automatically close off comments on all older entries), ALL comments will be moderated. I will personally decide whether your comments are good enough to be published on this here blog. Muahahahahah. I HAVE THE POWER!!!!! *goes off to plot world domination*]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/ive_had_it.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/ive_had_it.php BlogWorld Tue, 13 May 2008 01:51:07 +0800 "The boy" decent!" "Then where do you expect me to hang them?" "I don't know." *** Mr TDH helped me to move some stuff to my uncle & aunt's place for temporary storage (till Blink can take them back to his place). So, when Mom & Dad were in town last week, and we were all sitting down to dinner with my uncle and aunt, I told Mom, "Hey Mom, Uncle and Auntie have met my new housemate. You can ask them what he's like." "The boy??" Mom asked. "Yup, the boy." "He's a very nice young man, very sensible," my aunt said. Giggling at that description, I texted the news to Mr TDH. "Oh. I guess I should be more open-minded," Mom commented. But she still keeps referring to him as "the boy". Hehehehehe.]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/the_boy.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/the_boy.php That's life Mon, 12 May 2008 13:20:46 +0800 Happy Mother's Day! Facebook account (it won't recognise my password and claims my email address is unregistered)... but I just wanted to say, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there reading my blog :) My parents are in town, so Blink and Chen May came up too and we all had lunch together this afternoon to celebrate our mom on Mother's Day. Blink paid :P I must say that although I tend to rant and grumble about my parents and find Mom exasperating sometimes, when I stop and think about it, I'm very thankful for Mom & Dad. Especially when I hear friends' stories about their parents! Overall, my parents are GREAT. Really they are. I couldn't ask for a more caring and concerned Mom ever. (She could be a little less concerned... okay, I'll stop now :P) All right, I'm too sleepy to say more, so I'll leave you with this video my cousin showed me. It had me in stitches. My friends and I have always believed that all moms go to a secret school where they learn "Momspeak", and this video is proof of it!!
]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/happy_mothers_day.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/happy_mothers_day.php Family matters Sun, 11 May 2008 19:45:59 +0800 Oh looks! I has Internets! *RED-FACED* "I thought you would need to send a technician over or something to get it fixed up." "No need, miss. It is automatic." "Okay, let me turn the modem on, and if there's a problem I'll call you again. Thank you." *** Excuse me while I go pretend to be invisible...]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/oh_looks_i_has_internets.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/oh_looks_i_has_internets.php That's life Fri, 09 May 2008 23:14:52 +0800 Telekom Malaysia... needs new employees I'm writing this from an Internet cafe. Nope, still no Internet connection at my house! I called up Telekom Malaysia yesterday and demanded to know what was going on. "I'm so sorry miss. Nobody called you, miss?" "No, not at all." "Okay miss, I will put on the report 'Must call customer'." "When can I expect to have Internet access?" "I will file this report and it will take three working days to process..." "When I disconnected the phone line, I was told seven to ten working days! Now you're telling me three working days for this report?! I might as well just cancel the line and apply for a new one, that would be faster wouldn't it?" "I'm sorry miss, I will file the report and they will contact you as soon as possible." *** Miracle of miracles, I get a call the same day at 7:00pm. "Hello miss, your new address is A11-11 XYZ Apartment?" "Yes." "What floor is that, miss?" "ELEVENTH FLOOR!!!!" "Oh. I see. Eleventh floor." "Unit Eleven, Block A." (thinking I should just clarify all the rest of it) "Oh, eleventh floor and unit eleven also?" "..." [customer has fainted] *** So now I know why it's been taking them so long. It's because they don't even know how to read a freaking ADDRESS!!!!! http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/telekom_malaysia_needs_new_emp.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/05/telekom_malaysia_needs_new_emp.php That's life Tue, 06 May 2008 17:17:44 +0800 One last post from the old place Sze Hui has been my voice of reason... "Even if you do slim down enough to wear those clothes again, there'll be much nicer designs by then!" I don't know what I'd have done without her. She's helped me lots with the packing and stuff while I floated by in an assignment-and-exam-induced haze. I'm emerging from the haze for the weekend, then it's back in the haze for Mon & Tues :P I'm not sad to say goodbye to the house, but I'll really miss the space. I see this move as symbolic somehow, like embarking on a new phase of life. It's good to throw out the old (things which are hampering you and holding you down) and start anew. As I go through my stuff, I see I have so much junk which I could really do without. There'll never be a better time to get rid of 'em :)]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/one_last_post_from_the_old_pla.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/one_last_post_from_the_old_pla.php That's life Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:09:56 +0800 Don't miss me! 7 to 10 working days to get the telephone and Internet connection up and running again at my new place, can you believe it? So I come home, not expecting to have Internets, but the router has all 3 lights on, and I think to myself, okay, let's just try it... Well, whaddya know! It's still working! o.O Now I know why they need 7-10 working days. Coz they don't know how to turn it off. And then they need some time to find my new house. And after that they don't know how to turn it on. Okay, I'm just being snarky :P Having said that, if you don't hear from me for the next week, now you know why ;)]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/dont_miss_me.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/dont_miss_me.php That's life Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:04:19 +0800 Ohhh yes, excitement lol Sze Hui and my future housemate, who shall henceforth be known as Mr TDH on this blog. That, my friends, is short for Tall, Dark, and Handsome... well, he is tall, and dark, and... err... okay, no further comment :P It's past 1.00am, and yes, I am in the midst of exams, why do you ask? hehe. Yup, it's craziness all right. Thank God no papers tomorrow (next one is on Friday, the day after tomorrow). The lorry is coming on Saturday morning and it's just hit me, MY GOSH so much packing to do... arrrgggghhh. But there's all of Friday afternoon and night to pack, I guess, after my paper ends at noon. I also got my first good look at my new room tonight and it is much -- MUCH! -- smaller than my present one. My desk won't fit in there together with the bed; I'll have to park the desk outside in the living room. Heh. Oh well, my housemates will soon be able to recognise my Second Life avatar on sight :P I'm hoping to move most of the stuff by Sunday. Will already be staying at the new place come Saturday since the bed will be there. If I go back to my current place, where would I sleep?? Then after all that excitement over the weekend, another exam paper on Monday afternoon (3pm) followed by the last paper on Tuesday morning. Good grief. I hope I'll still be alive and have all my mental faculties intact by then. Not that the latter have ever been very intact anyway :P]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/ohhh_yes_excitement_lol.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/ohhh_yes_excitement_lol.php That's life Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:45:07 +0800 A different place I don't have to worry trying to prove myself to You You know before I start what's hidden in my heart You can change me, rearrange me into somebody new And best of all, You promised to see me through.It was sung by Evie in the 1970s. My parents had it on cassette, of course; I can't find it on CD or mp3, although her more popular songs like "Pass it on" and "Give them all to Jesus" have been re-released on CD. Yes, I am a throwback :P Anyway... I find it interesting that this song is playing in my head. Years ago I would sing this song as a way to reassure myself, to comfort myself. But now I can sing it with the knowledge that this is really true -- I don't have to prove myself to God; I'm a work in progress but I'm His work in progress; and He will see me through. I'm amazed I've come this far, actually. The changes come so slowly, they creep up on you before you realise it. One day you wake up and notice that you're different. You feel different, you think differently, you approach life, God and friendships differently. I'm more at peace, less insecure. Content and less driven or fearful. It's a really good place to be in and I didn't trust it at first; I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the 'phase' to end. But it didn't. It hasn't. And, hopefully, it won't. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit surprised this has happened after all the years of angst and railing at God for being so slow (and sometimes so silent). Life is interesting, isn't it? ]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/a_different_place.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/a_different_place.php Walking the walk Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:48:16 +0800 Double whammy :P http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/double_whammy_p.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/double_whammy_p.php That's life Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:50:32 +0800 Frogs! Yummy! :P say anything, of course, and not by a flicker of the eyelash or a twitch of a muscle did he reveal his true feelings, but I KNEW he was thinking it. I KNEW, I tell you! Dinner was good; we had steamed fish, pork ribs, fish head curry, Japanese (egg-based) tofu, some leafy green vegetables, prawns, and frogs. (Yes, I did say frogs hehehe) And grandma gave an ang pau (cash gift) to everyone! Not a huge amount, of course, but it's always nice to receive a gift :)]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/frogs_yummy_p.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/frogs_yummy_p.php Family matters Tue, 15 Apr 2008 23:17:25 +0800 Sze Hui to the rescue! "SUNFLOWER!!!" *blearily opens the door* "Yeah?" "It's nine o'clock! Isn't your interview at 10am?" "Oh shit! Really? I didn't hear my alarm ring wor..." "It rang. I heard it." "Really? OMG... I set it for 8am you know!" That is the story of how Sze Hui saved my ass. Thank God for housemates!!! And so... there I was, fresh out of the shower, all dressed up, fiddling awkwardly with the hair dryer. I never blow-dry my hair, but it wouldn't do to go to an interview looking like a drowned rat, would it, and besides, since I've just changed my hair parting, the hair is not behaving properly yet. I intended to blow-dry it into submission, only I was hopelessly inept at that, and the hair was gaining the upper hand. Sze Hui rolled her eyes. "Come, let me do that for you," she said, taking pity on me and lifting the hair dryer out of my unskilled grasp. After blow-drying, she stood and looked at the hair with her head cocked to one side. "You need something to make your hair stay in place." "I don't have any Product," I wailed. I never put Product in my hair, either. "I do!" she responded, and went back into her room, emerging with a bottle of thingy which she sprayed into her palms and then brushed through my hair. Wow! My own personal hairstylist! If I get this job, I owe Sze Hui BIG TIME. *sheepish smile*]]> http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/sze_hui_to_the_rescue.php http://www.wilfulsunflower.com/2008/04/sze_hui_to_the_rescue.php Friendship Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:05:38 +0800