Weddings and what-nots... Deux

I've survived! Well, more like cruised through my first week back to work. Was a bit stressed out on how to teach my Year 12 Physics, but looks like things will be ok. It is going to be a very weird Term 01 this year, because it is only about 7-8 weeks long. And taking into account with all the interruptions and public holidays, it is going to look like a 7 week term for the senior students. Monday and Tuesday all the Year 12 will be away for the study camp - so there's definitely going to be just one weeks worth of work done in 2 weeks. Not really a good start as they really need to get into the rhythm ASAP for the mid-year exams.

My Year 11 Physics kids are just too damn quiet. They don't talk at all - just sit there silently and don't really like to discuss things (this is compared to my previous Year 11 kids, now the current Year 12). Just to eerie... I don't really like to talk too much, just get them to copy notes, tell them the important stuff and let them off to explore and discover themselves the important investigation. I think I really need to dedicate some time to discuss their experiments after they hand in their assignments.

I already gave my Year 11 General Mathematics kids a quiz, and already some are complaining. But this year, I've got quite a few regular geniuses - so I think I need to make things a bit harder.

My potato's are growing healthy - the plant is nice and tall - gotta transfer the pictures from my mobile and upload it here, so keep an eye out for them! ^.^

Came back to Melbourne this weekend to attend Dickson & Pei's wedding - a picture perfect, sky blue day. They had, in the foyer, a 2000 piece Mickey & Minnie Mouse wedding puzzle that they put together. Cool thing was that the pieces were metal and the frame they put it on was magnetic (or was it the other way round?) Anyways it was really cool to see someone enjoying the joys of puzzles. I just don't have the time or space to do one. In fact, I think me and LY put together a 1000 piece puzzle but still haven't got it framed up yet!

It was a great wedding ceremony - only thing that I found a bit funny/weird was the tea ceremony. Usually in Chinese weddings, there'll be a tea ceremony where the bride and groom offer tea to parents and close relatives. And there will be this lady that will chat and make things lively through out the ceremony. And usually during the ceremony there will be loud talking, laughter, funny comments, words of advice, etc, etc. Basically a loud affair. But I guess since their wedding is done here in Australia, it's done as a formality - the whole ceremony was quite solemnly and very quiet. Just didn't feel right to me... ^.^

And then there was the 'scene' that occur right after the ceremony as the bride & groom were standing around for the family picture. After a short outburst the whole crowd suddenly became quiet and the awkward silence ensued. You try to say something nice and lift the joy of the crowd, but it just seems that the wedding is ruined. You feel for the bride - I mean, it's your happy occasion and to see something that makes your mother-in-law sad doesn't seem to fit. Anyways, it's not my place to say too much about it, but my point is - what do you do when such awkward things happen at happy occasions? I don't believe in moving away and trying to ignore what has happened, but I also don't believe in being a sticky-beak and try to find out every single detail of the incident.

And weddings seem to be worst place to be when you are about the same age as the groom. There is going to be people who would ask you when it is your turn. But I guess it's a sign when most of the people you know are suddenly, one by one, 'handcuffed' at the end of the aisle. :P

I can't wait to get back to M'sia this March/April holidays. I'm dreading it a bit because of the work that I will need to leave behind before I leave. But then again, who can say no to Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai. MMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..... can't wait to get back to the Mamak stalls and Kajang Satays...

Oh, one more thing to mention. I looked at my finances recently and I suddenly realized that I had about the same amount in the bank as I did exactly one year ago. That really scares me because, what the hell happened to my 1 year's worth of salary PLUS the teaching scholarship I got??!!! I know I spent a fair bit on my car, but that only accounts for about a third of the total income. My PSP and Playstation purchases shouldn't be over $1000. *wails*

Woe is my wallet...