MY FORMER STUDENT

I keep meeting my former students who are now working adults. As a teacher I find it most satisfying to learn that boys and girls that I have taught have become responsible adults and that means that what my colleagues and I have done was worthwhile.

The young man pictured above with me is Azizol Hakim. I was his English Language teacher for two years, 1999 to 2000. I met him when I went to the teacher activity centre this afternoon. For your information, Hakim is the new technician at the centre.

TWO KITTENS

I had a fright last night when I was about to take a piece of my clothing from a rack in my store room. I had heard some sounds and when I looked closer I saw two balls of black and white fur nestled among my clothings. I actually felt rather squeamish as newborn kittens do not look too cute. Furthermore, I was afraid that the mother cat was around and I could get attacked by her.

So, today after school I asked Sharveen to help me get the kittens out from the room and out of my house. When we opened the door to my store room, we saw the mother cat was around but on seeing the two of us, it climbed out through the airholes of the window.

Sharveen then went to work to lift the two kittens out of my rack. Actually, they looked very cute with their big blue eyes. Earlier on I had talked with the school guard and he was agreeable in taking care of them but Sharveen said that the kittens were too small to be taken away from their mother and could die. So what we did was that we put the two kittens in a box lined with newspaper and took it to the back alley. I guessed the big cat would be waiting there and we made sure she saw her kittens before I drove my student back to his house.

SPIRAL GINGER

Scientific name: Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm.

Common Names: Tabubungiaw (Bis.), Setawar (Malay), Spiral ginger (Engl.)

Medicinal use:

In some places, the juice of stems used for dysentery. In India, the rhizome has been used as famine food. Roots used for catarrhal fevers, coughs, dyspepsia, worms and skin diseases.In Malaysia , the juice of the rhizome is used as a purgative. In Java, the rhizome has been reported to be used for syphilis.

MISGUIDED SENSE OF BEAUTY

The pictures below are all of the same person. It seems that this 47 year old Korean lady was so hooked on plastic surgery that she kept wanting more and more. When the surgeons refused to give her anymore injections she injected her own face with oil and parafin which later solidified and also bloated up her face. Scary, isn't it?

From this
To this

'Repaired face'

Read the full story below:

Pretty singer gets hooked on DIY plastic surgery
Sunday March 29, 2009 Korea

HER face may still be far from 'normal'.

But Ms Han Mi Ok, 47, is finally at peace with it.

The Korean woman was once so addicted to plastic surgery that she took to injecting her face with cooking oil and paraffin, when no surgeon would touch her any more.

She shocked the world when she appeared on TV in 2004 - jobless, depressed, her head three times the normal size, as the oil had solidified under her skin. She was also diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Donations poured in to help her get her former face back. Now, after five years and 15 operations (during which 4kg of foreign material was removed), her head is almost back to a normal size.The ravages of years of self-abuse are still apparent but Ms Han doesn't want to change her face any more.

The chairman of Kangbuk Samsung Hospital's department of plastic and reconstructive surgery, Professor Chang Choong Hyun, did all 15 operations to repair Ms Han's face. He told The New Paper on Sunday: 'I think for cosmetic purposes, it's necessary (to have more procedures). But she doesn't want another operation, because she is happy with her face now.' He said Ms Han, once the object of horror, now holds a job in clothes design and fashion.Said Prof Chang: 'Her face is much smaller now.

Also, many people know her, because she was on television. She can work safely, she has a good job.

'The New Paper first reported Ms Han's plight in 2005, soon after her second corrective operation.

Downward spiral

She was once a pretty singer, also known as Hang Mioku. Her downward spiral began when she left Seoul to perform in Japan, at the age of 28.Unhappy about her chin, she started getting illegal silicone injections in Japan.

She said in an earlier interview: 'I couldn't accept people who were more beautiful than me. I was jealous of them. I had to be the best. I wanted to be a perfect beauty.

'Even as her face became bloated from the injections, she thought she was beautiful.When she returned to Korea in 1998, her shocked family couldn't recognise her.When they realised what she had done, they tried to convince her to go for corrective surgery.But she was not satisfied with the results and decided to do it herself - only to make things worse.She claimed a voice in her head ordered her to inject bean oil into her face.

By the time a production team from Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) discovered her in November 2004, her health had suffered greatly. Her vision was affected, her ears hurt, and her face ached due to the extra weight. She was unable to turn her head or close her mouth.

She shunned her family and lived like a recluse, leaving her home as little as possible, to avoid the horrified stares she received. Whenever she made the necessary trips to the nearby supermarket to buy food, kids in her neighbourhood called her 'fan-faced' auntie or 'standing fan', because of her big head and small body.

She told SBS: 'I hate to look in the mirror. I hate my own face. I feel miserable.

'She was also broke, surviving on government handouts. When she showed her bank book to SBS, she had only 1,836 won ($2) left.She even lived in the dark for six months. The electricity was cut off after she failed to pay her bills.Her story was widely featured and raised alarm bells about the worrying trend of more people resorting to plastic surgery.

Public donations poured in, and reached 27 million won, which was set aside for her medical bills, said Prof Chang. He first saw her in late 2004, and operated on her for the first time in February 2005, after she was discharged from a psychiatric hospital and certified as mentally healthy.She assured doctors she would not inject herself again.

On the 15 operations, he said: 'This is not cosmetic surgery, so it is not our aim to make her beautiful. We can only decrease the size of her face, so that she can lead an ordinary life.

'Her mother surprised her with a hospital visit after her first operation.That tearful reunion turned out to be the last time Ms Han would see her mother alive.Five days later, the elderly woman died in her sleep.

At her mother's funeral, Ms Han wept uncontrollably. Ms Han still lives alone, though near her family members, said Prof Chang. She still comes to his hospital on social visits, even though she no longer wants cosmetic repair procedures done. Said Prof Chang: 'Last year, we had a (year end) farewell party, and she sang many songs for our (staff). She sings very well.

'He last saw her face on TV about two months ago, in a Japanese show. She said: 'I was insane when I injected myself. I regret it now. 'Now I'm more cheerful... and I'm happy that I'm going back to normal life.

New Paper

Source: http://asianfanatics.net/forum/Pretty-singer-gets-hooked-on-DIY-plastic-surgery-talk640635.html

COMMENTS

I think we should learn to be contented with what God has given us and not try to meddle with nature.

BE ON GUARD ALL THE TIME

I have heard of so many cases of robberies and burglaries recently to be on guard all the time. Kamariah's neighbours were burglarised during the one week school holidays. The scariest bit was that none of the occupants of the three houses involved were aware that the burglars were having a gala time in their homes. It seemed that they had used some 'black magic' to cast a spell on those people.

Then there were stories of those who were robbed when they stopped their cars to open their gates on reaching their homes. Watch the above video to see the CCTV recording of how the robbers operated. It was a house in Taman Maluri in Cheras.

WHY HELL BANK NOTES AND NOT HEAVEN BANK NOTES?

During Ching Ming and the Ghost Month, the Taoists would burn Hell Bank Notes to those in the spirit world. The Hell Bank Notes are a special form of joss paper. You can consider them as an afterlife currency which is burnt by the living to their ancestors as a form of worship or veneration.
The Chinese burn these notes during funerals and other festivals for the dead in order to ensure that spirits have lots of good things in the afterlife. One belief is that Hell Bank Notes are sent by living relatives to dead ancestors as a tribute to the ‘King of Hell’ for a shorter stay in His realm or to escape punishment, or directly to the ancestors to be used for spending on lavish items in the afterlife.
So, now back to my question ... why are there only hell bank notes and no heaven bank notes? I have come up with a hypothesis about this. I think that not many people will qualify to go to heaven and if they do, they don't really need to use any form of money there at all. Those who are deemed not fit to enter heaven would be placed in hell and they would most probably be in the majority. Thus, the no-gooders would have a lot of vices and would need money to spend to continue their indulgences in the netherworld. Anybody has any other ideas about this? Do comment.

THE 'INFAMOUS' TREE

What has the tree done to deserve so much publicity and attention? Well, it was actually an ordinary tree until the 6th of February 2009 where a political gathering was held and henceforth it has become very famous or rather infamous.

Miss Busybody went to have a look at 'the' tree this afternoon with her mum and aunt. Besides us there were also a few others who had also come in their cars to have a looksee. One man also stopped his car to snap a picture of it.

Hopefully, the tree does not get destroyed or cut down. I am more worried for the tree than anything else. By looking at the pictures, I am sure that you will agree with me that it is a majestic and handsome tree.

GOT HEAD, GOT TAIL

My foreign visitors might be wondering what the blazers I am talking about, right? Well, if you are Malaysian or Singaporean, you'd know what "Got head, got tail" means. For the benefit of those who are in the dark, Oo Tau Oo Boi (Hokkien dialect) or Yau Tau Yau Mei (Cantonese dialect) is a Chinese saying which means completeness from start to finish.

Now that I have gotten the explanation of the saying done, let me fill you in on the practice. Actually, my mum told me to go and buy some sugar cane to put on top of the piece of auspicious paper that she had bought from the prayer shop. The paper was to be put on top of the tombstone and should be weighed down by the sugar cane. The sugar cane would symbolise sweetness and the meaning would mean that the descendants become so rich that they have more than enough gold to lend to others as well.

Well, when I told my cousin brother Thim Fook to stop by at the Gopeng market for me to buy the sugar canes, he told me that in the Northern states like Kedah and Perlis, they use pineapples instead of sugar canes. He had observed his relatives using it and suggested it as an alternative. He said that the pineapple would be offered to the ancestors first and then after the veneration ceremony, the leafy part of the pineapple would be placed on top of the tombstone and the edible part would then be taken home. When cutting the pineapple, the words Oo Tau Oo Boi or Got Head, Got Tail will be uttered. The edibile part will be taken home and eaten for good luck. By the way, my cousin brother is a Christian and I believe he does not really believe in the potency of the Ong Lai or the pineapple. Me neither! Both of us did it as we felt it was a fun thing to do. Besides our main objective was to clear and tidy the graves of our ancestors and to pay respect to them. He as a Christian brought along flowers and prayed according to his beliefs and I as a Taoist carried out the ceremonial ritual that my mother had taught me to do.

CHING MING 2009清明節

Thim Fook trying to locate the graves of our maternal great grandparents. Next time, we might need our youngest Aunt to come along to show us where the graves are so that we can show our respects.
The food, drinks and prayer paraphernalia that I brought along. Did not bring much as both of us could not carry so much stuff up the hill.
The workers helping to clear and clean the grave of our paternal great grandparents and three grandaunts.
See the hole! Below it is the urn without a cover

The exposed urn after the water had been drained

The cleaned grave of the great grandparents and grandaunts

The workers clearing the weeds

Thim Fook inspecting the cracks on the tombstone of our paternal grandfather

The worker scooping out water from the urn of my paternal grandmother

The mini feast laid out for the ancestors. Those from the other grave were invited to my grandpa's grave for the 'makan' session

The coloured flags put on the grave are as territorial markers

My cousin brother admiring the view from where the grave of our ancestor is. There are mountains in front. I'll blog about the Yin Feng Shui of burial grounds tomorrow or the day after. So do make sure you come visit my blog

Me at the gravesite

The Cantonese call the festival Ching Ming while it is referred to as Cheng Beng in the Hokkien dialect. For the Chinese, it is actually a time to reflect, honour and give thanks to the forefathers.

Ching Ming Jiet 清明節 or Clear and Bright Festival when literally translated was meant actually for the descendants to go and clear and clean the graves of their ancestors and to pay respect. From what I see, it has become very commercialized and the living are praying to the ancestors to become rich and prosperous. Yeah! You can see people burning paper replicas of LCD Plasma television sets, IPods, computers and other hi-tech gadgets to use in the netherworld. Little do they know that it is the traders are the ones who will become rich and prosperous. Wonder if the dearly departed will really receive the prezzies burnt by their loved ones?

Do you know that the Ching Ming festival was created by the Tang Emperor Xuanzong in 732. It is said that because the wealthy held too many expensive, elaborate ancestor-worshipping ceremonies, in a needed effort to lower this expense, Emperor Xuanzong declared that respects could be formally paid at ancestor's graves only on Ching Ming?

Here in Malaysia, the Chinese would visit the graves of their departed family members at the nearest weekend of the actual date. According to the ancient custom, grave site veneration is only feasible 10 days before and after Ching Ming festival.

The visiting of the graves is usually done in the morning. Some make it like a family outing whereby all the members of the family would be present. After the ancestor worship at the grave site, the whole family or the whole clan would feast on the food and drinks they brought for the worship at the site or nearby gardens in the memorial park, signifying family reunion with the ancestors.

In my case, my cousin brother Cheah Thim Fook and I were the only ones who went for Ching Ming in our paternal grandparents' graves at Gopeng. My mum did not go this year as she had a fall yesterday and was resting at home. Thim Fook also made it a point to try and put covers on two of the urns that had been exposed and were filled with water. He had help from some of the Indian workers at the cemetery. Oh Yes! Before both of us concluded our annual visit to our ancestors, we asked that we be blessed with good health, safety and job security so that we would both be able to continue paying respects to them yearly. By the way, before we said Bye Bye to Ah Yeh, Tai Yeh, Tai Mah, Ah Ma and the three Ku Pohs, we also asked to be blessed with success and prosperity luck. Very Kiasu Mah!

SPECIAL AFFINITY

I locked my study room and left the keys in it on Saturday. I had to get help from my two students, Solihin and Safwan to help retrieve the keys from the room. However, after they managed to get the room opened, we realised that the keys were in the living room. I am really getting very absent minded, aren't I? Or could it be because I was suffering from a bad headache since Friday night and the pain plus the pain-killers had dulled my senses.

Anyway, the two boys were worried that I wasn't well enough to drive back to Ipoh alone and both wanted to accompany me back. In the first place, Safwan was going to hitch a ride back to his home in Lahat with me but he did not know how to drive. Solihin was the one with the driving licence and he said that he could go along until I reached Ipoh and then take a bus back to Manjung. I assured him that I was able to drive back as the headache was not too bad. Besides, Safwan was going with me and if anything happened he could call for help.

See! I am proud to say that my two former students are so considerate and caring. In addition, I have a special affinity with the two of them as all of us were born in April and our birthdays are very near to each other. Furthermore, they were born in the year of the Goat and according to the BaZi analysis of my birthdate, I can easily get along with those born in 1955, 1979 and 1991 (all Goat years). These people will help me in my career, teach and guide me in my career/studies. In short they are suitable individuals to be my friends and allies. For your information, this is very true as many of the people that I trust and like very much are born in the years mentioned above.

People that I need to be careful of are those born in the year of the Rat who were born in 1948, 1960 and 1984.

** Don't forget that what I have mentioned is a personalised BaZi analysis done by the sifu of my feng shui teacher based on the time and date of my birth and so it is very specific unlike the general ones for the Zodiacs.

LIGHTS OUT

It was lights out for an hour on Saturday night. Actually, my mum was more enthusiastic about the whole earth hour than I was. To me it was something fun to do with my mum. Both of us could rest our eyes and stay away from the telly and computer for an hour.

To be honest, I think that people participated because they thought it was a fun thing to do and it sort of gives them the idea that they are doing their bit for Mother Earth. However, I bet you that after the 28th of March, people would continue using electricity like there is no tomorrow. If and when people could make it a daily practice of saving electricity by turning on only the necessary lights, then there could be hope for the Earth.

STAR SHAPED DESIGNS

Stars symbolize fire element in feng shui. Star designs or shapes are believed by enthusiasts to give power, energy and cheer. When you have a strong purpose to achieve a goal, this design will help make your wish come true.

Haven't you heard of the famous lines from Walt Disney,

"When you wish upon a star

Makes no difference who you are

Anything your heart desires

Will come to you"

EARTH HOUR

Today from 8.30 to 9.30 p.m., Malaysians are encouraged to participate in Earth Hour. What must we do? Simple, just turn off the lights in your house or work place at the specified time.

ABOUT EARTH HOUR

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.
Earth Hour will next take place on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm, local time.

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Hour

WAH! PEOPLE PAY MONEY FOR THIS?

Eeks! Do you know that there are people who actually go to the lengths of having the back of their bodies pierced in such a way to resemble a corset.

How is it done? The piercing is placed in two columns vertically along the back, imitating the position of the eyelets on a corset and to intensify this illusion a lace or string can be threaded through the jewelry. This type of piercing is not cheap, it cost abour US$100 for the six piercings to be done.

Aiya ... and I thought that people do the piercings for religious reasons during Thaipusam and the Festival of the Nine Gods as a form of penance. Now, I read that this is for the sake of fashion. What next???

SOURCE: http://www.bodypiercingblog.com/entry/new-fire-in-body-piercing-corset-piercing

HEART SHAPED

According to the 5 element theory, the shape and designs of certain objects are representative of one of the five elements (metal, wood, water, fire, earth).

Heart shaped designs symbolize both water and earth elements in feng shui. Heart design brings love opportunity and happy relationships, beauty and a healthy life. Some Feng Shui enthusiasts believe that if you wear a heart shaped design, you may have warm , calm and sweet feelings. Actually, having this design around you would also have such an effect but maybe to a lesser degree.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Look at the ultra beautiful babe I have posted above. The beauty goes by the name of Lee Hyori and she certain is eye candy.

Like viewing the pictures above, we would also form initial judgement of a person from our first impression of him or her from the outer appearance. Likewise, the front facade of a home or business premise would also have the same effect.

Let's begin with the front door. The front door and entrance of a house or business is one of the most important places to start when assesing feng shui. It is believed that besides letting people go in and out of the place, the other intention of the front door is to allow money, health, a new job and relationships to come into the place. It is said that Qi and opportunity from the Universe comes to us through the front door.

How to do an initial feng shui check on the house.

1. You can start by standing in front of the house from the opposite side of the street and have a good look at the house.


2. If the front door is blocked by trees or bushes, is difficult to see from the street, has a rusty lock, the door bell is broken, or is on the side of the house, then it might hamper opportunity coming into our homes or premises. If you can see the back door from the entrance, the energy is running through the building too quickly.


3. Look at your front door and entrance to see how others view it and be objective.
   

Here are some Feng Shui front door tips that you can use as a guide to make a good first impression on your visitors.

• Seek a feeling of spaciousness near the front door so that opportunities are not cramped and choked away.
  
• A wall directly in front of the front door stops the chi from moving through. Hang a mirror so the energy can go through.


• Try to have the front door as close to the living room as possible so that visitors will come and support you in life.


• Make sure that the front door has good lighting to enabel opportunity to find a way into your home.


• Use live plants or flowers in the entrance to attract blooming possibilities. Remove unhealthy plants immediately.


• Make sure the front door opens smoothly and quietly. Do not store anything behind the entrance or front door so it swings widely open inviting opportunity.

THE POWER OF ONES BIRTH DATE

The above is a picture of the Korean Prince of Shuai, Lee Jun-Ki. Like me, Jun-Ki was born on April 17. Do you know that according to numerology, the date one is born on would have some bearing on ones personality and also luck? Read the article below to find out the significance of your own birth date.

How to attract luck by your birth date ?

In feng shui , it’s believed that numbers have hidden powers and each person has their own personal numbers from their name and the date they were born. And by knowing the meaning of each number, you may know your personality. Based on the number, you will know how to increase your own luck.

Birth date - 1, 11, 31

It symbolizes the beginning of season , things, and action. You have power of determination and once you decide to start something, you will slowly get to your goal no matter what hazards come into your life. Sometimes you may feel left out (by others), and don’t feel comfortable to belong to a group or organization, but your strong ambition , and not easily being influenced by others is always the key to attract luck.

Birth date - 2, 12, 22

It symbolizes both yang and yin. You have more than two faces , and sometimes you may be misunderstood because you are rather complicated . Because you think a lot, it’s easy to get wishy washy when trying to make a decision, the key is always to take quick action before you think too much.

Birth date - 3, 13, 23

It symbolizes cheerfulness & development . It has been given the three atrributes of intelligence, beauty and originality. There is a warning for relationship and alcohol trouble . The key to increase your luck is always be optimistic, think more positively, dwell in the future instead of the past.

Birth date - 4, 14, 24

Was born in Lucky star and is protected by four gods, especially the wealth god is behind you. The more you work hard, the more your income will increase. You have strong opinion and sometimes it causes relationship and friendship troubles. Keeping harmony with others is the key to increase your luck.

Birth date - 5, 15, 25

It symbolizes five elements and balance. Social, and good communications with others. A bit sensitive. Doing things that are linked to your hobbies and work will increase your luck.

Birth date - 6, 16, 26

Has mysterious power. You are nice to everyone and fair , and can attract great new opportunity for your desire. Sometimes your stubbornness may be the cause of attracting bad luck. The more you struggle with your life in your youth, the more you will have a happy life in old age .

Birth date - 7, 17, 27

It symbolizes heaven, celestial. You have independence, going your own way and won’t be influenced by others. Warning - it is easy to get trouble with others because of your opinionated nature. In good way, having tact and diplomacy will increase your luck.

Birth date - 8, 18, 28

Has strong tough mind. No matter how difficult the situation coming into your life , you will always survive. Determined, effort type. Not good at relationships, In older age, you will have a happy life.

Birth date - 9, 19, 29

It symbolizes perfection. Ultimate yang energy, Clear headed, intelligent, unique , and a sentient person. Your uniqueness may be the cause of you being left out by others ( especially in a group or an organization ) and being alone. The key is having good communication with others to increase your luck.

Birth date - 10, 20, 30

It symbolizes perfectionion. Everything has to be perfect. Once you start something, will do it until you get it. If it’s going the wrong way, it may be cause big trouble in the end. Keeping cheerful and take it easy will increase your luck.

Source: http://fengshui-tips.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-01-05T14%3A05%3A00-08%3A00

If what is given in the article is reliable, then if I want to be lucky I must practise more tact and diplomacy. Hmmm ....