this valentines' day
im using my 'foreigner' status to let this season fly by without
having it affect me in any form (or, so i try)
though, at the very front of my office window is a flower shop
and today, everytime i look out the window
i see the splattering of rose petas both in white and red on the path way leading to the shop
it was splendid.
the arc made of rose plant at its very door is just icing on the cake
it was so that inviting...
that i did not fail to notice a number of unknown faces leaving the shop carrying huge bouquets
in consequent succession
keeping the shopkeeper very busy
and i assume it will be more so tomorrow.
is valentines' day all about flowers, champagne, and chocolates?
and dare i add teddy bears?
because if it is, i refuse to fall victim to a celebration
that is feeding on consumerism.
im not griping at all.
it's just that i think there are far more
creative and personal way
of showing that special someone how special they truly are.
i would think that my dream valentines day
would be a getaway
- to paris.
spending it with someone who i know will be there with me
50 years later
and will make every waking day extraordinary
just because we are beavering through life together.
I want more than just a valentines day you see
i want a lifetime.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Thursday, 7 February 2008
waiting for heaven sent
have i been bitten by the love bug in this love month?
I refuse to admit to or own up to anything.
if technicality is a point to be taken for all I would say
I would very well conclude that the love bug has evaded me again this year.
liking - i have learned, (in the harshest possible way)
is far too different from loving.
And as much as I LIKE lots of guys
I am very far from falling in love with any of them
I need not elaborate how infatuation is just that... and nothing more
at a younger age I used it as an excuse for my foolishness
but now I know how destructive it can get.
love is a fruit of something wonderful
and it leads to something that undeniably exceeds any product of wishful thinking or daydreaming
at least, it should be in my vocabulary
i used to long for someone
to be 'coupled'
to feel loved and special
but this is all immaturity.
because i was settling for something (or someone?) that was unsuitable
in inumerable ways
i was going for something
that was wrong in almost all aspects
i dont claim for them to be the only one at fault
i did my share of shortcomings
love truly is a risk
a jump off a mountain
a plunge to the deepest ocean
but at then end of the day it should be a conscious decision
a decision that may lead to regret if done blindly
i don't think that love is blind
in fact, it should enable us to open our eyes
and entail for us to see clearly and vividly
what is real and what is not
it is something that everyone at one point or another wants
but not all may get during the time we want it most.
I have made my stand.
I CHOOSE to remain single
not because im undesirable;
but because I am so gorgeous i deserve the very best
not because I am unlovable;
but because I know I have too much to give to waste on someone fleeting
not because I can't have someone;
but because I intend to hold out
and wait for the one
- who is truly heaven sent.
And I am not settling for less.
I refuse to admit to or own up to anything.
if technicality is a point to be taken for all I would say
I would very well conclude that the love bug has evaded me again this year.
liking - i have learned, (in the harshest possible way)
is far too different from loving.
And as much as I LIKE lots of guys
I am very far from falling in love with any of them
I need not elaborate how infatuation is just that... and nothing more
at a younger age I used it as an excuse for my foolishness
but now I know how destructive it can get.
love is a fruit of something wonderful
and it leads to something that undeniably exceeds any product of wishful thinking or daydreaming
at least, it should be in my vocabulary
i used to long for someone
to be 'coupled'
to feel loved and special
but this is all immaturity.
because i was settling for something (or someone?) that was unsuitable
in inumerable ways
i was going for something
that was wrong in almost all aspects
i dont claim for them to be the only one at fault
i did my share of shortcomings
love truly is a risk
a jump off a mountain
a plunge to the deepest ocean
but at then end of the day it should be a conscious decision
a decision that may lead to regret if done blindly
i don't think that love is blind
in fact, it should enable us to open our eyes
and entail for us to see clearly and vividly
what is real and what is not
it is something that everyone at one point or another wants
but not all may get during the time we want it most.
I have made my stand.
I CHOOSE to remain single
not because im undesirable;
but because I am so gorgeous i deserve the very best
not because I am unlovable;
but because I know I have too much to give to waste on someone fleeting
not because I can't have someone;
but because I intend to hold out
and wait for the one
- who is truly heaven sent.
And I am not settling for less.
Monday, 21 January 2008
suvival guide
admit it.
life is difficult.
it can be too hard on you
it sometimes throws you off the side of a cliff straight into the harsh-cold-raging waters
that will smash you on to the rocks.
my top 5 survival guide tips.
(please don't quote me on anything, or blame me for whatever)
5. Choose the people you surround yourself with.
Relationships can be complicated,
whether it be with relatives,
friends -
or even the ones with the opposite sex.
it takes effort to maintain relationships
you go out of your way
you act nice
you even change things
so, it better be worth it.
and if it does you more harm than good,
why bother?
just walk away.
don't let people pull you down
don't let anyone (peers, lovers,bystanders) mistreat you in any way
in life, loving yourself is the first rule
because if you don't
you really can't expect others to do it for you.
i'm not saying you should be selfish or self-involved.
just try to be wise in dealing with people around you
it's great to be kind
but allowing yourself to be abused,
now. that. is. stupidity.
4. Take time to smell the flowers.
take time to feel the wind blow your hair all over your face
take time for a walk even on your own.
LITTLE things matter BIG.
the cliche, 'the best things in life are free'...
well, there's truth to it, you know
insisting on things that just isn't there will just keep you miserable longer
instead, try to focus on things that ARE already there
even the tiniest details that we ignore
make a big difference when we start taking notice.
3. Be a toughie.
be a tough nut to crack.
or at least, act in a pretentious nonchalance
or act cunningly confident
because when you act weak, you get taken advantaged of
when you act like a softie,
people start walking all over you
don't think for a bit that people would take pity on you
nobody likes a cry-baby
everybody tries to get rid of a clinger
people will see you as their equal if you SHOW them that you are
i don't know about you but i'd rather be feared than be bullied.
one wise guy said (actually its George from Grey's Anatomy):
'show no weakness and you'll go straight to the top'.
(or something like that)
2. Decide to be happy.
the old adage that says, 'happiness is a choice', is true.
it is indeed subjective and relative.
don't let the little things bother you
coz' you cannot control everything
but you can definitely control how you react to things
inordinate happiness is a good thing (watch Robbie Williams' movie 'Patch Adams')
even if there seem to be no reason to be happy about
i think this is one of the hardest things to do
because it requires a certain maturity
and strength of willpower
but it's also the simplest solution
just. be. happy.
don't let life get the best of you
instead, get the best out of life.
1. Count your blessings.
(I do this almost every time i ride a bus now.
because it keeps my sanity intact)
you never know just how blessed you are unless you start counting
even in your darkest moments
try hard and just start counting
you'll be surprised.
Pray HARD.
thank God for these blessings.
you'll never know what hit you.
-----
these are just my opinions
but it wont hurt you to try
i came up with these because my life has never been this challenging before
i've never had to experience too many new things in such a short span of time
and i've never had to make these much adjustments until now
i admit that i'm terrified pretty much all day everyday
there are lots of times that i don't even know what i'm doing or where i'm going
but i no longer bother to complain
because i think all these will be worth it in the end
i believe these all will make me a better person.
it's all in perspective you see.
it's a decision you make to survive.
life is difficult.
it can be too hard on you
it sometimes throws you off the side of a cliff straight into the harsh-cold-raging waters
that will smash you on to the rocks.
my top 5 survival guide tips.
(please don't quote me on anything, or blame me for whatever)
5. Choose the people you surround yourself with.
Relationships can be complicated,
whether it be with relatives,
friends -
or even the ones with the opposite sex.
it takes effort to maintain relationships
you go out of your way
you act nice
you even change things
so, it better be worth it.
and if it does you more harm than good,
why bother?
just walk away.
don't let people pull you down
don't let anyone (peers, lovers,bystanders) mistreat you in any way
in life, loving yourself is the first rule
because if you don't
you really can't expect others to do it for you.
i'm not saying you should be selfish or self-involved.
just try to be wise in dealing with people around you
it's great to be kind
but allowing yourself to be abused,
now. that. is. stupidity.
4. Take time to smell the flowers.
take time to feel the wind blow your hair all over your face
take time for a walk even on your own.
LITTLE things matter BIG.
the cliche, 'the best things in life are free'...
well, there's truth to it, you know
insisting on things that just isn't there will just keep you miserable longer
instead, try to focus on things that ARE already there
even the tiniest details that we ignore
make a big difference when we start taking notice.
3. Be a toughie.
be a tough nut to crack.
or at least, act in a pretentious nonchalance
or act cunningly confident
because when you act weak, you get taken advantaged of
when you act like a softie,
people start walking all over you
don't think for a bit that people would take pity on you
nobody likes a cry-baby
everybody tries to get rid of a clinger
people will see you as their equal if you SHOW them that you are
i don't know about you but i'd rather be feared than be bullied.
one wise guy said (actually its George from Grey's Anatomy):
'show no weakness and you'll go straight to the top'.
(or something like that)
2. Decide to be happy.
the old adage that says, 'happiness is a choice', is true.
it is indeed subjective and relative.
don't let the little things bother you
coz' you cannot control everything
but you can definitely control how you react to things
inordinate happiness is a good thing (watch Robbie Williams' movie 'Patch Adams')
even if there seem to be no reason to be happy about
i think this is one of the hardest things to do
because it requires a certain maturity
and strength of willpower
but it's also the simplest solution
just. be. happy.
don't let life get the best of you
instead, get the best out of life.
1. Count your blessings.
(I do this almost every time i ride a bus now.
because it keeps my sanity intact)
you never know just how blessed you are unless you start counting
even in your darkest moments
try hard and just start counting
you'll be surprised.
Pray HARD.
thank God for these blessings.
you'll never know what hit you.
-----
these are just my opinions
but it wont hurt you to try
i came up with these because my life has never been this challenging before
i've never had to experience too many new things in such a short span of time
and i've never had to make these much adjustments until now
i admit that i'm terrified pretty much all day everyday
there are lots of times that i don't even know what i'm doing or where i'm going
but i no longer bother to complain
because i think all these will be worth it in the end
i believe these all will make me a better person.
it's all in perspective you see.
it's a decision you make to survive.
Friday, 18 January 2008
of competition and purpose
(just a bit of self-evaluation)
i don't believe that i have even a bit of competitive streak
but its omnipresence isn't lost on me.
even before in school, i see people competing for honours,
friends and boyfriends and even attention
looking back,
i think i was more of a wallflower
im there but i didn't really count that much
i have no regrets, i enjoyed my high school life immensely
and with any chance of re-living it, i wouldn't change myself much
when i reached college
i consciously persevered harder
but not in the name of competition
not even for the marks
i worked hard because it provides me with purpose
because it makes me feel good
people asked me if i studied for a recitation, and i'll most definitely 'no'
they asked me for my grade later, and i have good grades
this makes me giddily happy
and plasters a smile on my face for hours after
and puts a spring on my steps
makes all the hard work worth it
to prove each and everytime that hard work does pay off
i keep it a secret that i study hard not to deceive
but i don't want them to think that im part of the game
i didn't want to draw attention to myself
i have my own silent mission
and it has absolutely nothing to do with theirs
i just wanted to be happy and content with myself
and a sense of purpose does the trick
call me selfish, because it really is self-serving
but i want a balanced life
i don't obsess over the marks themselves
i don't need my peers' acceptance that i am one of them intelligent ones
its enough that i have a bit of their respect
now, the competition stakes have been raised
its now all about 'the money', 'the power' and 'the success'
it still doesn't work for me
i still don't work to win
i set my own goals because it provides me with purpose
and because purpose makes me happy
i still do things for ME, ultimately
because i don't need people to take notice
i don't need people to approve
i don't need people's envy
because my existence is not so i can compete
but to find my purpose in life.
i don't believe that i have even a bit of competitive streak
but its omnipresence isn't lost on me.
even before in school, i see people competing for honours,
friends and boyfriends and even attention
looking back,
i think i was more of a wallflower
im there but i didn't really count that much
i have no regrets, i enjoyed my high school life immensely
and with any chance of re-living it, i wouldn't change myself much
when i reached college
i consciously persevered harder
but not in the name of competition
not even for the marks
i worked hard because it provides me with purpose
because it makes me feel good
people asked me if i studied for a recitation, and i'll most definitely 'no'
they asked me for my grade later, and i have good grades
this makes me giddily happy
and plasters a smile on my face for hours after
and puts a spring on my steps
makes all the hard work worth it
to prove each and everytime that hard work does pay off
i keep it a secret that i study hard not to deceive
but i don't want them to think that im part of the game
i didn't want to draw attention to myself
i have my own silent mission
and it has absolutely nothing to do with theirs
i just wanted to be happy and content with myself
and a sense of purpose does the trick
call me selfish, because it really is self-serving
but i want a balanced life
i don't obsess over the marks themselves
i don't need my peers' acceptance that i am one of them intelligent ones
its enough that i have a bit of their respect
now, the competition stakes have been raised
its now all about 'the money', 'the power' and 'the success'
it still doesn't work for me
i still don't work to win
i set my own goals because it provides me with purpose
and because purpose makes me happy
i still do things for ME, ultimately
because i don't need people to take notice
i don't need people to approve
i don't need people's envy
because my existence is not so i can compete
but to find my purpose in life.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
they say it's a nightmare...
i think this day rocks!
the feedback for the 2 papers i've turned in before christmas are out. well, they are not the actual grade per se because they still go into deliberation at Glamorgan University but im happy with what i got. i know i should work on getting a distinction. but it could really be hard specially now with setting myself up in my new job.
since my instructors knew about my new job they asked me about it...and i told them that i kinda need to get to know everything about UK, the legal system, the benefits system, the laws on housing, on employment and everything else really... and my ops management instructor said; "oh...that's a nightmare!'
yes, indeed...
it is.
what im trying to do is really damn difficult. but i just have to try . and i'll work really hard on it too.
i just hope that it will be good enough.
well, so while waiting for the final grades to come out in june, i'll starting with new MSc modules next wednesday and busy myself with my new job.
Top 5 ways to survive all these:
Top 5 : wake up early and stay up late
- yeah, right!
Top 4: stop watching friends reruns, smallville reruns, UK daily top10, cbbc cartoons,
and study instead
- again, really?!
Top 3 : stop spending too much time tinkering with the laptop, stop updating my friendster profile, my multiply profile, stop downloading songs and looking for gossip. also, stop updating this blog!
- i don't think this is possible...
Top 2 : start eating on time, especially lunch! - i haven't been doing this because i have no time
- ok i'll try
Top 1 : Pray a lot, and hard.
- this is definitely something i will do.
the feedback for the 2 papers i've turned in before christmas are out. well, they are not the actual grade per se because they still go into deliberation at Glamorgan University but im happy with what i got. i know i should work on getting a distinction. but it could really be hard specially now with setting myself up in my new job.
since my instructors knew about my new job they asked me about it...and i told them that i kinda need to get to know everything about UK, the legal system, the benefits system, the laws on housing, on employment and everything else really... and my ops management instructor said; "oh...that's a nightmare!'
yes, indeed...
it is.
what im trying to do is really damn difficult. but i just have to try . and i'll work really hard on it too.
i just hope that it will be good enough.
well, so while waiting for the final grades to come out in june, i'll starting with new MSc modules next wednesday and busy myself with my new job.
Top 5 ways to survive all these:
Top 5 : wake up early and stay up late
- yeah, right!
Top 4: stop watching friends reruns, smallville reruns, UK daily top10, cbbc cartoons,
and study instead
- again, really?!
Top 3 : stop spending too much time tinkering with the laptop, stop updating my friendster profile, my multiply profile, stop downloading songs and looking for gossip. also, stop updating this blog!
- i don't think this is possible...
Top 2 : start eating on time, especially lunch! - i haven't been doing this because i have no time
- ok i'll try
Top 1 : Pray a lot, and hard.
- this is definitely something i will do.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
knackered
i feel both great and exhausted today
its officially my first day at work
and since im behind schedule on my MSc work, i have to do school stuff
as well as cook dinner when i got home
there's really much to say
but i can't go on right now.
so my top 5 for today will be on the highlights of my day but, without much explanation
top 5 : waking up in a very un-Godly hour -- and here that's 6am
and i snoozed my alarm at least 5 times before i got my butt to move
top 4 : walking to the bus stop before break of dawn - and that's 8am here
it was raining and all, but since it was really dark and freezing cold this morning,
i think Rhyl looks very peaceful early in the morning
top 3 : meeting tons of people from my new work because they're adorable and lovely and inspiring
- although im still having a hard time remembering everybody's name
top 2 : riding a 2-door-topdown, sports car mercedez (although we had the top on cause its winter)
nice...hot car...
'nuff said
top 1 : finishing question #5 of my finance paper
that left me with not much energy. so im off, for now.
its officially my first day at work
and since im behind schedule on my MSc work, i have to do school stuff
as well as cook dinner when i got home
there's really much to say
but i can't go on right now.
so my top 5 for today will be on the highlights of my day but, without much explanation
top 5 : waking up in a very un-Godly hour -- and here that's 6am
and i snoozed my alarm at least 5 times before i got my butt to move
top 4 : walking to the bus stop before break of dawn - and that's 8am here
it was raining and all, but since it was really dark and freezing cold this morning,
i think Rhyl looks very peaceful early in the morning
top 3 : meeting tons of people from my new work because they're adorable and lovely and inspiring
- although im still having a hard time remembering everybody's name
top 2 : riding a 2-door-topdown, sports car mercedez (although we had the top on cause its winter)
nice...hot car...
'nuff said
top 1 : finishing question #5 of my finance paper
that left me with not much energy. so im off, for now.
Monday, 7 January 2008
silver linings
i feel very blessed today.
considering i was so worried yesterday about it (to the point that i hardly slept at all) i feel relieved and really thankful that i got through it without any huge hitches.
in lieu of this, i would like to dedicate this entry to God (cause i knew He's going to check it out, and also because i know that He definitely laughed with me on my funny moments today)
so here i go... the top 5 reasons why i feel very grateful today:
5: i was supposed to show up at work today, not really to get any work done but just so i can have a word with my line manager... since i still haven't got my own premises keys (cause im going to be having my own set, you see) i was really stressed how i'll get in (and not everybody knows me yet) when i got to the door my boss was just letting herself in which solved the problem, and made things really easy
on top of that, i was able to tell her that my National Insurance Number (which is a requisite for working in the UK) is still in process and i was worried i might get in default or might not be allowed to work... she assured me that as long as i have applied for it already there shouldn't be any problem...its just that my pay might be delayed (instead of getting my first pay by the end of january, i will wait till end of february) which will actually work better for me, because that way i won't get my hands on it and all of it spend on nonsense
my line manager also assured me that everything will be sorted out tomorrow so i shouldn't really worry.
sigh...i felt really light headed after i left (i just pray that my stint at work tomorrow would be as stress-free) at least i know quite well what to expect for tomorrow because i'll be spending the whole day in our Denbigh office.
4: so i headed straight to the station to catch my bus to school...at the waiting area, i was very thrilled to find my friend carol already waiting and that the bus is just about to leave. this really is something to be thankful about because the weather today IS (cause it still is) quite unbearable (its about 4c and the wind is really having a go at blowing everything away). so a need to wait another ten minutes for the bus could easily translate into more frost-bitten toes (i've got quite a lot already and doesn't fancy more, thank you very much)
3: on my first class back; 'Working and Living in the UK', i was happy to learn that the instructor will be helping us out with work in our courses (cause all international students are doing unique stuff) every monday and all we need to do is bring some work in and ask her about it. i just hope that when i go next week and show her my finance assignment she can enlighten me. because im still very much in the dark.
there's also a new guy from vietnam, he's called 'Huey' or something. he said he just arrived after new year's and i just feel very lucky that i didn't have to start in the middle of the year like he is doing because it's just harder to cope that way. im proud to say that we were all really nice to him and showed him around. i think he's still in shock because i later found him sitting alone in front on the reception area. i really hope he'll be fine though...
he reminded me of myself when i arrived back in october and the class has been going on for 3 weeks already (the release of my visa was late, not my own fault at all) and i'm just glad that i settled in really well (with school stuff and submitting work on time, meeting and befriending people and finding a job)
it's a wonder how noticing things can now make me realize how good life has been treating me. (thanks to the new vietnamese guy for making me think at all,because i've been feeling down since the new year started last week)
2: i'm supposed to hand in a paper on my 2nd class for the day which is called "World Cuisine". so the moment i had the chance i sat in front of the computer and tried to access my finished work from my flash drive (because i don't have a printer at home). i used a 2007 version of MS Word because i was able to download a trial pack online for free. imagine how my face drained with colour when i cannot open the document because it was not compatible with the word processor installed in the computer we have in that classroom (all classrooms in this school have at least 7 desktops). i tried to convert it but all i got were lots of tiny squares. i really didn't know what to do.
i tried to calm myself enough to take in some food for lunch. then i decided to just talk to my instructor and tell them the truth. so i went to the kitchens and it was stroke of luck that he was passing the corridor. and i told him about my dilemma.
he said that there isn't a problem because he was planning to use the class time to do a workshop on the assignment for everyone and that the deadline have been extended till friday. he said that if i want to take the day off, he'll excuse me from class since i have it done anyway and that i can hand it in on wednesday (see...not all chefs are grumpy and insufferable).
although he was really rather nice about it, i still feel a little bad because i spent time on it and it was really finished and i was looking forward to handing it in today. but carol said not to worry about it anymore, so i stopped (worrying, that is) and we went to Llandudno to while away the time and checked out the sale there
1: when we returned to the college, we met with sheena (who i was doing the 'World Cuisine' class with) and i told her im not coming to class because of the technical problem with my work. she proceeded on effectively convincing me to come. she said it really doesn't matter if i hand it in today anyway...so i ended up promising her that okay, i'll catch up with her in class just as long as i can take a few minutes to run to the HE (higher education) room, where they have better and faster computers to try to print it again.
so i went. when i got there, most of my world cuisine classmates where doing their work on the paper. and so i knew that its okay to be late for it for just this one time...
i tried to open it using yahoo mail (because i sent it as an email attachment to myself) and i was able to get a preview of it. so what i did was just copied it to a blank word document and printed it!
then i was running off again...this time to the kitchens with my paper, hot off the printer and ready to be handed in...(yipee, relief, sigh. sigh... it was really exhilarating)
and when Chef Hindley browsed through it he said it was actually pretty good...(yay!!!)
i did it.
another assignment out of the way
now, i can focus on the last 2 (work assignments) from last term that i have to hand in this month (that is, on top of tons of reading and training materials that i still have to finish for work)
but it's all good. one day have passed. a really fine day at that
... another 24 days and its half term break again
(there's 10 weeks to 1 term, and we get one week off after the first 5 weeks)
so, thank God for this day. i couldn't have survived without Him providing me with strokes of silver linings on this rain drenched day.
considering i was so worried yesterday about it (to the point that i hardly slept at all) i feel relieved and really thankful that i got through it without any huge hitches.
in lieu of this, i would like to dedicate this entry to God (cause i knew He's going to check it out, and also because i know that He definitely laughed with me on my funny moments today)
so here i go... the top 5 reasons why i feel very grateful today:
5: i was supposed to show up at work today, not really to get any work done but just so i can have a word with my line manager... since i still haven't got my own premises keys (cause im going to be having my own set, you see) i was really stressed how i'll get in (and not everybody knows me yet) when i got to the door my boss was just letting herself in which solved the problem, and made things really easy
on top of that, i was able to tell her that my National Insurance Number (which is a requisite for working in the UK) is still in process and i was worried i might get in default or might not be allowed to work... she assured me that as long as i have applied for it already there shouldn't be any problem...its just that my pay might be delayed (instead of getting my first pay by the end of january, i will wait till end of february) which will actually work better for me, because that way i won't get my hands on it and all of it spend on nonsense
my line manager also assured me that everything will be sorted out tomorrow so i shouldn't really worry.
sigh...i felt really light headed after i left (i just pray that my stint at work tomorrow would be as stress-free) at least i know quite well what to expect for tomorrow because i'll be spending the whole day in our Denbigh office.
4: so i headed straight to the station to catch my bus to school...at the waiting area, i was very thrilled to find my friend carol already waiting and that the bus is just about to leave. this really is something to be thankful about because the weather today IS (cause it still is) quite unbearable (its about 4c and the wind is really having a go at blowing everything away). so a need to wait another ten minutes for the bus could easily translate into more frost-bitten toes (i've got quite a lot already and doesn't fancy more, thank you very much)
3: on my first class back; 'Working and Living in the UK', i was happy to learn that the instructor will be helping us out with work in our courses (cause all international students are doing unique stuff) every monday and all we need to do is bring some work in and ask her about it. i just hope that when i go next week and show her my finance assignment she can enlighten me. because im still very much in the dark.
there's also a new guy from vietnam, he's called 'Huey' or something. he said he just arrived after new year's and i just feel very lucky that i didn't have to start in the middle of the year like he is doing because it's just harder to cope that way. im proud to say that we were all really nice to him and showed him around. i think he's still in shock because i later found him sitting alone in front on the reception area. i really hope he'll be fine though...
he reminded me of myself when i arrived back in october and the class has been going on for 3 weeks already (the release of my visa was late, not my own fault at all) and i'm just glad that i settled in really well (with school stuff and submitting work on time, meeting and befriending people and finding a job)
it's a wonder how noticing things can now make me realize how good life has been treating me. (thanks to the new vietnamese guy for making me think at all,because i've been feeling down since the new year started last week)
2: i'm supposed to hand in a paper on my 2nd class for the day which is called "World Cuisine". so the moment i had the chance i sat in front of the computer and tried to access my finished work from my flash drive (because i don't have a printer at home). i used a 2007 version of MS Word because i was able to download a trial pack online for free. imagine how my face drained with colour when i cannot open the document because it was not compatible with the word processor installed in the computer we have in that classroom (all classrooms in this school have at least 7 desktops). i tried to convert it but all i got were lots of tiny squares. i really didn't know what to do.
i tried to calm myself enough to take in some food for lunch. then i decided to just talk to my instructor and tell them the truth. so i went to the kitchens and it was stroke of luck that he was passing the corridor. and i told him about my dilemma.
he said that there isn't a problem because he was planning to use the class time to do a workshop on the assignment for everyone and that the deadline have been extended till friday. he said that if i want to take the day off, he'll excuse me from class since i have it done anyway and that i can hand it in on wednesday (see...not all chefs are grumpy and insufferable).
although he was really rather nice about it, i still feel a little bad because i spent time on it and it was really finished and i was looking forward to handing it in today. but carol said not to worry about it anymore, so i stopped (worrying, that is) and we went to Llandudno to while away the time and checked out the sale there
1: when we returned to the college, we met with sheena (who i was doing the 'World Cuisine' class with) and i told her im not coming to class because of the technical problem with my work. she proceeded on effectively convincing me to come. she said it really doesn't matter if i hand it in today anyway...so i ended up promising her that okay, i'll catch up with her in class just as long as i can take a few minutes to run to the HE (higher education) room, where they have better and faster computers to try to print it again.
so i went. when i got there, most of my world cuisine classmates where doing their work on the paper. and so i knew that its okay to be late for it for just this one time...
i tried to open it using yahoo mail (because i sent it as an email attachment to myself) and i was able to get a preview of it. so what i did was just copied it to a blank word document and printed it!
then i was running off again...this time to the kitchens with my paper, hot off the printer and ready to be handed in...(yipee, relief, sigh. sigh... it was really exhilarating)
and when Chef Hindley browsed through it he said it was actually pretty good...(yay!!!)
i did it.
another assignment out of the way
now, i can focus on the last 2 (work assignments) from last term that i have to hand in this month (that is, on top of tons of reading and training materials that i still have to finish for work)
but it's all good. one day have passed. a really fine day at that
... another 24 days and its half term break again
(there's 10 weeks to 1 term, and we get one week off after the first 5 weeks)
so, thank God for this day. i couldn't have survived without Him providing me with strokes of silver linings on this rain drenched day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)