Appreciated

In academic line, it is very heartwarming to know that all the hard work and commitments to your work are appreciated. It's towards the end of the semester, and some of the final year students will be sending off for industrial training for three months before their graduation in November.

Within these few days, I had received many thank-you cards and presents. All not to bribe, but to express their sincere thanks towards me. I felt appreciated.

Not that I love to receive cards, good words or gifts, but these simple gesture of appreciation had boosted up my passion towards my profession. Perhaps it's the way i deliver my lecture, or perhaps it's my yankee-slang Englsih, they found my lectures easy to be understood, light to be digested.



Some of them decided to give little gifts. Gifts that will only reminds me to work harder and to do better.


While some, decided to give awards. Hahahahah...I pray to God for strength, that I will be able to do better, so that I will be able to give my students the best I could.


Oh well, it's all because I had an apple a day. An apple a day, keep you smile always. hehehe

Frankly, the proudest moment come only when they're on the stage receiving their graduation scroll. And the greatest gift of all, is to see them excel in their future and remembers this 'old man' as their friend.

'Do Not Disturb'

It's 'Musim Jangan Kacau' again.

All sorts of paperwork seems to pile up at the end of each semester. And all datelines seems to be too soon. These datelines had left many of us with no choice but to put up the 'Do Not Disturb' sign. On top of these paperwork, other tasks and responsibilities were also expected to be fulfilled.

Got chance to invigilate together with Puan Lala. As usual, with her 'muka menyampah dengan mamat yang ambil gambar ni'. ;-D

I'd noticed this guy's interesting character in exam hall since his first year. One dozen of black ball pens and one dozen of sharpened 2B pencils during every single paper, without fail. Fuyoooo.......


My eye-sight used to be perfect or near perfect all these years. But my work had somehow 'jeopardized' this pride of mine. If I were to start wearing glasses, blame on these that some came with torturous hand writtings...

Jangan Kacau! Tapi kalo nak ajak makan, silakan.

Foot Massage & Reflexology

My sinusitis pain was killing me. The pain persisted even after some medication. However, I refrained myself to give in to antibiotics easily, I'd been taking antibiotics since I was 16.

One night, my wife suggested foot reflexology. And off we went to this massage centre near to my place. At first glance, the ambience of the centre was calming. Dim yellow light with cosy sofa. There came this sifu from China, carrying a wooden pail of warm water with chinese herbs. He guided my feet into the pail and ..... aaaaaah.... that was so comfortable. The soaking took 10 minutes. The sifu dried up my feet with towels and my food message begins.

Indeed it's easy to tell whether these 'sifu' are really well-trained 'sifu'. Minutes after the massage and reflexology began, he started to point out my health problem....... my internal organ... my liver... and then to my sinus problem..

This sifu Xiao Wei had been working in Malaysia for two years but still unable to speak nor understand English. As he continue his massage, a few officers from the local municipal council came in. Kononnyer nak spot check lah, kot-kot ada aktiviti-aktiviti yang hanky-panky. They talked to the person in-charge, toured the centre, and took some photos before they left. This centre was up to their satisfaction. Clean.

After one hour of relaxing massage, my sinus pain was relieved. RM36 was charged for the service. Cheap ah?

Relax A Bit

After a week-long tight schedule and heavy workload, all i want to do is to relax a bit over the weekend. The much needed Sabbath.

I'd not been spending quality time in my garden for quite sometime. Indeed there'd been much changes. The purple senduduk flowers like crazy, and the white senduduk will be flowering soon. I'm excited (will blog about the senduduk once the white flower blooms, and I'll explain why I plant them). While the most 'attractive' one goes to this lotus.


Gosh, the lotus flower was so beautiful. It blooms for 24 hours before the petals fall within an hour or two. I would have missed it if I did not spend time there. Why would I need a garden I if don't spend time to enjoy it's beauty?? (Thank you, God!)

Oh ya, it's always enjoyable and rewarding to spend time with friends over a cup of tea at the mamak stall. My wife and I had great time with Mr. Wan and family last night. Come to think of it, it's sort of a luxury to spend time with friends nowaday. Too many things had occupied most of our time, so much so that 90% of our time were spent either in the office or busy with office work.


These relaxing activities were what i could afford for the time being. I really, really need a Loooooonnngggggg holiday after all these crazy schedule ended.

Sinusitis Strikes At The Wrong Time

I'd been too busy lately. And I ended up having sinusitis, and it strikes at the wrong time.

It's the time of the year that I got the tightest and busiest schedule.

And i thought an apple a day would keep the doctor away.... it doesn't work.

Sigh.... i need long rest.

Busy Weekend and Easter Gifts

Last weekend was extremely busy. Beside the weekend routine (bring mother-in-law to wet market and have breakfast with her thereafter, Sunday service at Church, and Training), my time was fully occupied with work that I brought home from office, and numerous meeting at church. YIKES!

The amount of work in the office is piling up. I wish I have 3 brains and 3 pairs of eyes which can function separately.


Hours were spent in meeting at church. The construction of our new church building is near to completion, and series of activities and events will be held after that.

In the midst of doing my work, Honey Larling called. She wanted to drop by to pass us some Easter gifts.. Fuyooo....
Eventually, she'd just got back from a two week long holiday in UK and Paris. She bought us two keychains, one for me, one for my wife.

Some delicious easter egg chocolates for my indulgence... hehehe

... and this cute little hippo biscuit. Hmm.... reminds me of someone.

Thank you Honey Larling! Err...... Jia Hua, don't get jeles ya!

Psst... sibuk-sibuk pun, Josh sempat masak grilled salmon, mushroon soup dan vegie salad untuk wife on Saturday night. Rajin tak? ;-P

Ikan Terubuk Masin

Frankly, I'd never tasted ikan terubuk masin (salted terubuk fish) though I'm from the land famous of this product. But every time I go back to my hometown, friends and colleagues will sure ask for ikan terubuk masin. Really so good ah?

And frankly, I never knew that Kuching is so famous with ikan terubuk masin until i came over to Peninsular Malaysia to further my study two decades ago. Course-mates and friends had been talking about the delicious and mouth-watering salted fish. But then, i have not tried this delicacy even until today. Selama ni beli untuk orang je, tak pernah rasa.

During my last trip home (a work trip, along with some colleagues), like two weeks ago, my colleagues were excited seeing the salted fishes and bought some. I too, bought a huge box of ikan terubuk masin. Still, didn't thought of keeping one for myself. Really, i just don't really know how to cook them. Or rather, i don't know how to process them, cook with what, or when to serve... aiyoo....


Therefore, for those of you ikan terubuk masin enthusiast, please do share your recipe.

Erm... I might not try them, or maybe i would.

When He Was Young And Slim

I was trying to re-arrange my computer's folder and re-organise my photos, I found these photos that reminds me how slim i was by then. It was more then ten years ago. Tadaaaaa...... pandai tak Josh posing maut??

I was pursuing my first degree and masters by then. Very enthusiastic in photography. With two SLR cameras at hand that time, photography was my favourite pass time activity.
I was practically 'under-weight'. At 50kg only, i barely survived strong winds and heavy rain. However, pose maut tetap ada.


And in the year 2000, i started to gain weight, 54kg by then. And on January the same year, i decided to keep facial hair: moustache and trimmed goatee. No turning back since then.
Once upon a time, many many years ago... the prince charming was young and slim..... hehehe

Grinning From Ear To Ear!

I had been grinning from ear to ear since yesterday afternoon. I received a piece of good news from a colleague and the good news was confirmed to be TRUE and AUTHENTIC this morning when i received this letter.

My two and a half years bitter ordeal had come to an end. Finally. Exactly a year ago, I blogged about Perseverance Pay. The man mentioned in that entry was officially charged in the court last month. Frankly, I was not happy reading the news. I was rather sad that it actually happened in my workplace.

Our new boss joined us last month. And within a month, many damages that caused by 'that' man had been remedied. And my case (together with few others) was brought up and settled in their recent meeting. The letter that I received this morning was a letter of instruction to the bursar, requesting the issuance of the payment of my long overdue arrears.

I'm grinning from ear to ear now.... hehehehe. Hmm...... Canon DSLR 50D, here i come!!