Round 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, Part 1

Bcos of mambo, I skipped the usual WWF Sat morning ride. Thinking that I have the Saturday morning to spare, I decided to be a nice mummy and bring the kids to their aggro classes. Daddy Lim had been working too many weekend mornings. 

Just when I offered to bring the kids, Nana had to fall sick and missed the session. Daddy Lim woke me up at 6.30am and we were soon on the road. I felt like I had just lay on the bed not long ago. Lol. Daddy Lim managed to drive us to ECP and bfast with us. I tried to sneak a cat nap but was unsuccessful.

Look at how mini my suasage mcmuffin is compared to the boys' bfast. 

We arrived at ECP skatepark at 7ish. Then Zaky realised that he only brought 1 knee guard... zzzz.. at least he brought both skates, unlike the last time. There was no options and Zaky had to skate with 1 knee protected. 

Oooo..they have the same skates! Ya, Coach pro and doesn't need guards. Daddy Lim and the kids are always protected from head to toe, but yet still ending up with abrasion and blue-black somewhere. Not long after lesson started, Zaky scrapped his unprotected knee. Zzzz.. and ended up using one of his elbow guards as knee guard. #makedo

The remaining class was uneventful. I took some videos while nicely seated in the shade only for Zaky to tell me that those were the bad attempts. Zzzz. Well, I tried what I could in my zombified state. 

We took a grab home. Strangely, tired as I was, I still couldn't nap. Anyway, round 1 done. 

I was hoping for a nap back home but there wasn't enough time. We unpacked, showered, snacked and it was time to exit the house for round 2 - Zaky's Learning Device (LD) collection in school.

We took a bus to SST and I was intending to attempt a nap. 

Unfortunately, we sat in front of a pair of China Chinese JC students and their conversation about which JC is good and culture was so interesting. Yes, I was eavesdropping (they were loud) and my mind couldn't switch off. The boy finally alighted at Clementi and the next moment, Zaky jolted me awake. Ya, in that split second when there was peace and quiet, I actually fell asleep but SST was 3 stops awake. Zzzz

SST uses MacBook wor. The whole unwrapping of the LD was so ceremonial.it felt a bit like Christmas came early. Lol.

 

I didn't even have to worry about Nana when she received her LD. One day, she just came home with the ipad. This MacBook "unrevealing" is like a different level. The parents were invited to set up the admin account and made aware of screen time function. The MacBook uasge is quite control (I think) anyway, and I don't think the kids can do much rubbish. Zaky has done much more gaming and YouTube and wouldn't go crazier now that he has a MacBook. He was telling me that his classmates don't game... maybe that is why. Anyway, round 2 done. 

Mummy Lim

Bcos We Want to Mambo

It was an easy date to arrange... eh, Mambo coming on 24th Feb.. Free? Deal. Hoho. 

It was just Auntie S and I. Auntie SR has a medical checkup the next day and had to fast from midnight onwards. Cannot, will die of thirst. Auntie SL has a DnD to attend. A colleague was previously interested but her plan was thwarted by a persistent cough. Daddy Lim was very surprised that I went ahead when it was just the 2 of us. No problem, we will still be very "entertained".

We met at 9.30pm, with the intention to chill somewhere, maybe drink a coffee or something. We wandered alittle around Clarke Quay and stopped for a cocktail at Warehouse. Why that place? Bcos it was crowded (probably means that it is not bad), had a band playing and we decided to channel the funds into some alcohol instead of caffeine. 

Oh yes, very meitu-ed. Hoho. Auntie S had a Lychee Martini and I ordered a Hawaiian Samosa. We shared a basket of fries and enjoyed the band from the TV screen bcos we were seated outside. 

At about 10.40pm, Auntie S said that it was almost time to go and rushed me to finish my Hawaiian Samosa. We had to glup the remaining half glass. I know right, I drink so slowly, my colleagues always say that I 养金鱼in my glass. 

We took a quick walk inside the restaurant before making our way to Zouk. There is a super mini "dance floor" in the restaurant,  so small that it can barely fit 10 people. 

It was super ironical that Auntie S was telling me while paying for Mambo entrance that maybe the club would be empty bcos it was "still early". Zzzz... then why we rushed to finish the drink ah? And she was right, even at 10.50pm, it was "too early" and the DJ looked like he had just taken his spot. 

The dance floor only started to fill up at 11ish. 

This time, we saw the young girls entourage 2x during the night.

Zouk also put the platform back to the centre of the dance floor. Gone were the days that I would attempt a platform bcos there were no mobile phone camera in my times. Now, everybody took out their HP when someone is brave enough to step on the platform. I don't think I want to be on I-duno-whose IG/ Tik Tok the next moment. 

The dancefloor started to get very crowded at 12ish - 1ish. We left Zouk at 2am. The moment I left the dancefloor and walked normally, my knees hurt like mad. When I got into the grab, I realised how bad my back was hurting and how desperately I actually needed to sit down. Lol. 

So did we have good fun? Of course. I did grow sick of retro songs and the 油腻大叔 who crowd the platform. No joke, out of the 10 "Mambo dancers", 9 of them are middle-age men and they proudly bathed in the Mambo glory. The next round, we talked about trying the Total Recall event, playing 90s and 00s music. I am just not sure what kind of crowd though. 

Oh ya, Auntie S asked why the sudden urge to go Mambo. Simple, I grew sick and tired of my usual exercise reigmn and dancing sounded like a great workout, just a bit expensive though. Hohoho. 

The last picture at the taxi stand before we hit home. 

Mummy Lim

Tuitions

All tuition and enrichment are dropped the moment the kids cleared their PSLE and doing my pocket a great favor. Tuition would now be a need be basis; there are simply too many subjects. 

Nana asked to continue with Maths in Sec 1 bcos she struggled. She probably didn't like feeling so, having aced Maths all through primary sschool. After a while, she also thought that she needed help with Humanities but took my advice to give herself  little more time. It is a new subject, I think she just needed to figure out how to "study" humanities. It all went well for her lower secondary years. 

Zaky too, enjoyed months of no tuition after PSLE. FREEDOM! I had asked if he needed help in Maths too but he thinks that he is doing fine. We will know after WA1. 

Recently, Nana said that she is struggling with physics and needed help. I asked her to ask her peers of good tuition centes. As the days gone by, there is no news of which tuition center but instead of her mounting desperation for help. T.T

After some exploration, she attended a trial at her current Maths center, but they specialised in Maths. She is going for another trial on Sunday and another one next Saturday. I hope she finds something. 

A few nights ago, Zaky said that maybe he would need help in Chinese. Then, a question strikes me....

Unlike PSLE, where the kid has no choice but to work hard for all 4 subjects, we only need 6 (max) out of the 8 subjects that the kid would be taking. With that option, do we struggle and tutor the weaker subjects or simply focus on the strong ones? I don't see Zaky getting an A1 for Chinese and if it is not going to be an A, then should we just pray for a pass and focus on his stronger 6 subjects? I sort of did that too when I was taking my Os, "giving up" on my Literature and A Maths. 

Interesting thought, isn't it? 

Mummy Lim

Such Coincidences

Zaky and I attended the 9am service as he was attending with his youths, followed by cell. While we were getting up and about, Nana was up too (which is rare for a weekend morning) and said that she was attending the 9am service too. Ahhh.. I didn't know CNL (the church that she is attending now) has 9am service too.

Zaky and I rushed off, to be in time for the meet up (with his youths) at 8.45am. Just when I was seated in the worship hall, Nana texted that she had forgotten to bring money and for me to pass her some. Huh? How? It was then that I understood that she too was attending FMC 9am service. Lol. She is still in contact with some of her FMC youths and they had invited her to service. So nice. 

It was funny, that the 3 of us attended the same service, but we were seated in 3 different parts of the hall. At least we managed to snap a picture at the end of the service. #proof

Zaky then went on with his cell and Nana went to attend her 2nd church service at CNL. Daddy Lim was at work and I was alone. Zzzzz. I haven't learnt how to keep myself busy/ entertained during weekends yet. I ended up running some errands at JP and did what I do well - shopping at NTUC. Lol. Got free sample coffee somemore.

Later the in afternoon, Nana asked about the dinner plans and that she was (studying hopefully) in the JE library. Hey, Zaky was there too! He was meeting his classmate to work on some school project. Yes, SST has plenty of group projects and he is starting to get a taste of them. 

Such coincidences, 2x in a day somemore. Hoho. 

Mummy Lim

NH's Turn - Parents Engagement

It is now Nana's turn. The school has invited the parents for an engagement session - the very 1st in my memory. 

The session was made up of 2 parts - 3.3pm to 4 30pm was the Pricipal Speech and Award Presentation, to be attended with the kid, followed by 30 mins with the class teacher, without the kid.

When filling up the response form, I was very excited to find out I could choose to attend only 1 of the 2 segments. I asked Nana if she was receiving any awards. Unlikely.. ok, skip the 1st part then. Hoho. 

I took time off from work, rushing down after a call ended at 4pm. I barely had chance to go to NH and was very lost. I called Nana, who came to my rescue. 

I joined the rest of the parents and students in the hall. Nana was sitting with her classmate, who told us that the session was coming to an end. "Very good!" I said, a little too loud. The session must be not too exciting bcos a few parents looked at me and gave me that "I know" smile. I made the right choice. 

The only thing that I got to hear, which is probably the most valuable information to me, is how great the last O level cohort has done. 

75% of the cohort went to JC, which is a great %. SST only 55%. What is more impressive, is the number of students who scored 7 points and below. 7 points leh, a whooping 45% of the students! Moreover, this does not include students who did equally well but decided to head to poly. I am very impressed. 

The parents were then ushered to the classroom and the students released. Nana's classroom is on level 6. Zzzz. The teacher session was more so about the class' moto, strengths and weaknesses. Nothing too specific actually.

I was glad to leave when the session ended at 5ish. I got no questions leh. I did leave, feeling that the race has started, that things have gotten serious now that Nana is in upper secondary. Scary siol. Secondary 3 just started, isn't it? 

Mummy Lim

The Aunties Gathering

Bcos we are such a big group now and bored "big" kids are no fun, we think hard before deciding if we should include kids in our gathering. We decided that February should be a no-kid gathering, bcos we have entertained them enough for Christmas and CNY and also that we have time to catch up. 

Speaking of which, this was from Christmas, with the kids all trying to stand very tall, so that they can be taller than others. The teenager girls and boys tried very hard. 

Two months later, we have this.

Nana insisted that she is the same height as C. Ok lor. Hoho. 

For this month's gathering, we met in town, somewhere central, so that no one will cry murder about the distant. I headed to town early, after the 9am church service. Why so early? Bcos Zaky has joined Faith Methodist youth group and they do 9am service, followed by cell. I was early and had the time to do some shopping in town. Town leh, so rare. 

Lunch was sumptuous and desserts were good. 

More catch up was done over cups of kopi and teh. Old people lah. 

Little G was the only kid and our photographer. The picture was so well taken. Catching up and spending time with the aunties is always good. 

Speaking of being old, I have conceded defeat to my old flower eyes. Several months back, after suffering from the inability to read small fonts at near distant, particularly in the morning and night and when the lights are dimmed, I went to the optician and got my 1st pair of cheapo long sighted glasses to try. 

These are only $15 but so helpful in the past months. The lousy frame broke and I super glued it back. It is time for new glasses but I wasn't willing to spend on old flower glasses. 

Eventually, I got myself these from lenskart. 

There is an one for one offer. Regardless of whether I buy 1 or 2 pairs, it is at $148. Even though I don't need a second pair, I got it anyway. 

Why didn't I let Daddy Lim or the kids have the 2nd pair? Bcos they have complicated eyes and need expensive glasses. Lenskart simple lens are no good for them. Hoho. 

Mummy Lim

Bye JCube and the Rink

A couple of years back, there were news that the Rink would be closed for renovation. The Rink is about 10 years old and high time to do a major overhaul. This would require the Rink to be closed for a good 6 months or probably longer. The news never materialised, we kept hearing rumors but it never happened. 

Then, a bigger news came - the land that JCube is sitting on has been identified for future commercial and residential use. The Centris model immediately come to mind and there is now obviously no need for any renovation anymore. 

It was all quiet again and no more updates on the Rink's future. Soon after on FB, the advertisement to indicate interest on the future JCube condo kept popping up. The developers obviously smelt money and moved fast, much faster that the coaches and skaters were being updated of the Rink's future. 

Few days ago, the news finally came. 

Not that it affects us greatly, but any news about ice skating still tugs at my heart. Nana was just telling me last week that she did miss ice skating a little. I also wonder what would happen to the Coaches' livelihood. 

The same week, I saw the SISA email about the upcoming ice skating competition. My heart skipped again. We would probably be busy practicing for the competition if it had been 1 or 2 years back. My heart... I need a plaster. 

I missed seeing Nana dancing on the ice. 

Mummy Lim

Parents Engagement Session @ SST

It was on Monday morning, 8am to 10am. I contemplated skipping it but the parents' chat made it sounded like such a big deal. Of course I kiasu and attended the session. 

It was a late day for Zaky but he woke up early, so that we can go to school together. I have been to SST more times in the last few months than the 3 years Nana had been in NH. 

Zaky appeared to like his school as much as Nana's loyalty to NH. He voluntarily stayed back most days after school to work on the class decoration, something that I don't see him doing when he was in Primary school. I was told that he lacks initiative when his Primary School relinquished his Assistant Head Prefect duties. Oh yes, I am still bitter about it. 

Bcos Zaky spent so much time and effort on his class decoration, he excitedly talked about it and asked me to pay attention to this particular board. He said that he singlehandedly put it up, not the design portion, but he fixed it up as per the designer's instruction. He is hoping that his class would win.

The boards were indeed impressive. I peeped at the other classes' board and the others paled in comparison. 

This is the one put up by Zaky. Not bad.

The parents were seated by 8am and the form teachers gave a quick run through of what had happened in the last month, the class' aspiration, etc. We then moved to the auditorium to listen to the school management. 

Now, this part was boring. There wasn't much take back except for this timeline.

Even the questions from the parents were very similar and old. I think I almost fell asleep. The auditorium chair was comfortable, the aircon was nice. Hmmmm... The session overran. I left at 10am sharp. 

I was more interested in the CCA selection. The students went through 3 weeks of tryouts and Zaky kept telling me that he doesn't know what is the next step. Then the same afternoon, Zaky shared that he was shortlisted for basketball and the Singapore Youth Flying Club, with the latter being one of the most popular CCAs in SST and usually only shortlisted students are selected into the CCA. Robotics and media are equally popular. Hmm.. you can tell why these are popular in SST, right? 

What did he choose? Basketball of course. I had been strongly encouraging him, luring him with the idea that he needs the exercise to be tall, lean and strong. Hoho. Speaking of which, he lost weight, largely from skipping lunches. He said that he is not hungry. Losing weight is good but I think growing taller is better. Hoho. 

Nana is officially the shortest person in the Lim Family. Hoho.

Mummy Lim

Japanese Classes

The story goes back to almost 30 years ago, during my 1st ever aeroplane overseas school trip to Japan, Nagasagi, with the SHSS ladies (girls then). I fell in love with Japan and opted to major in Japanese studies in my university years. I am not sure how majoring in Japanese studies helped me in my career but there were many interesting modules and I had an enjoyable time in my university years. Hoho. 

Among the many modules, there was the Japanese language. Unfortunately, I have no flair in languages and struggled through the Japanese language modules. I finally gave it up after 2.5 years, barely scripping through the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficienct Test) level 4, which is the most basic level test then. I had so many hours poured into learning the language and memorising vocab. Those were the days. 

I have forgotten most of the language and I couldnt speak or understand Japanese anymore. This was proven in our last Japan trip. While I didn't enjoy the Japan trip as much as what I imagined I would be, I still missed the language very much. 

Come 2023 and I am bored. I have been trying to find something to learn and my interest in the language was re-ignited when I started working with my new Japanese colleagues. Then, there is the skillsfuture credits given by the Government. 

I found a "Japanese course for busy people". Yes, I am busy people. The facilitator had suggested that I start from the beginner course given that I last learnt the language more than 20 years back. 

He is very wise and right. When I 1st received the notes for the trial lesson, I barely remembered the hiragana and the katakana, lack alone the many vocabs that I have poured sweat memorising. I got motivated and started revising and memorising them. 

These are like alphabets or hanyu pinying.

 

The trial lesson took place on Wednesday at 7pm. They have online class but I wanted to experience if physical classes work better. It was a brain draining 2 hours lesson for me, who still retained a little bit of the language and I wondered how bad it was for those who have zero knowledge. But I like and am excited. Hohoho. 

I have been looking at the notes, trying to memorise some of the common phrases, ranging from greetings to saying thank you and sorry. 

It is painful but interesting at the same time. 

Yes, I have signed up for the full 12 weeks weekly lesson. After the skillsfuture $550 subsidy, I only need to fork out $150. Good deal. I duno how much I will learn/ remember after 12 weeks but I am looking forward to the next lesson. Yay!

Mummy Lim

Mummy Lim