Thursday 20 August 2015

Depending on When You Met Me...

Depending on when you met me, I might have been: a drama queen, the kid with the longest braids in school, a poor example of a team sport player (but a great spectator of rugby), Mr. Blobby, a Bharatha Natyam artist, 1/6 of an Indian classical violin ensemble at the Temple of Fine Arts, a graduate of the University of Hertfordshire, an environmentalist, a bass guitarist, an amateur photographer who continues to work on the macro feature, a mirdangam (south Indian classical drum) novice, or a Dr. Who fan.


ImageNadaraj, Geetha. Slug Shows off at Grange Park Opera, Winchester. Digital image. 2013. 2 Mar. 2015.

Monday 6 April 2015

Slice of Life #29 2015

I've embarked on a new adventure.

I'm learning how to play the south Indian classical drum, the mirdangam.

I've always wanted to learn this instrument, largely because I love rhythm and also because pappa excelled at it, too. Instead, I took up Bharathanatyam, a south Indian classical dance form. Turns out I was a natural, allowing me to become a small time performing artist from the age of five and into my 30s. This became a passion until my knees finally gave way, denying me further opportunities to express myself through my art.


But, with age come wisdom... and the ability to seize new adventures without the fear of failing. With age also comes the ability to feel no shame. This is the best thing evah (ever)!

Now, I'm the only lady in my class, surrounded by young boys who seem a little confused by my presence. Tha, Thi, Thom, Nam are the very first beats a beginner learns. These bounce around in my head as I attempt to coax my hands and fingers to establish a harmonious relationship with the two faces of my mirdangam

An hour and a half into my first class, the basic beats in my head transform into Tha, Thi, Thom, NUMB. I see my legs but can't feel them! I cease my practice and listen to the rhythms emanating from the mirdangams belonging to the seniors. Groovy! Maybe I'll play like them some day. Maybe I won't. I don't care. These rhythms awaken my mind, body and soul and I let out a loud "Whoop!" as I leave class. Judging from the of shocked faces looking back at me, I'll probably have to contain my excitement next week. 

Or not. 

Image"Mridangam The Classic Instrument - Blogger." 2014. 6 Apr. 2015 <http://classicmridangam.blogspot.com/>

Slice of Life #28 2015

Geetha prepares to demolish 
her slice (and two scoops) of life
Spring break saw me walking 3-4 kilometers everyday, then coming home and stuffing my face with rolled oats, healthier meal options, and copious amounts of water and Marks & Spencers detox teas. Unfortunately, when I exercise I tend to eat a lot more. I'm not sure if the huge quantities of healthier meal options helped even the slightest bit in my hope to tone up some and shed a pound or two.

I obliterated any ounce of success from my new regime on Friday, though. My sister and I decided it would be an awesome idea to hit the shops. This was a big deal, I tell you. BIG. See, 
we're both misers and despise shopping. Anyway, we figured we had some needs requiring satiation and decided that the Mid Valley Mega Mall would suffice. 

Between 10.30 A.M and 3.00 P.M. we trawled the halls of the Gardens and Mid Valley, in search of our 'needs'. All of mine fit into my handbag, except for the electronic contact spray can which was bigger than my head(!). I stuffed that into my sister's shoe bag.

And then... I spotted Haagen Dazs in the distance. Heavenly voices sang in my head as I sprinted over to the counter. I had a need. The need for a HUGE, extravagant dessert. My sister, on the other hand, took a detour to the OSIM store and secured herself a 'U-Durian', some sort of a hand-held massager that looked like half a durian - I kid you not. She found me just as I was about to decimate my fat waffle topped with two scoops of ice cream and promptly snapped the picture above for posterity.

Dessert makes life worth living.


Image: Courtesy of Ratha Nadaraj's smartphone.

Friday 27 March 2015

Slice of Life #27 2015

When I seek comfort in food, I find extreme satisfaction in the simplest of options - yoghurt rice. Literally, all I need is some good yoghurt, cooked rice and salt to taste. Homemade yoghurt is the ultimate, however, I do settle for the Greek variety when I run out of the former. To make this happy food a little more interesting, you may add whatever you want to meet your individual needs. Here's one way of spicing things up:




Ingredients
1 cup of rice
Yoghurt - a medium-sized tub (depends on how moist or yoghurty you want your dish to be)
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon of clarified butter (ghee)
1 - 3 dried red chili
8 -10 fresh curry leaves (chopped roughly)
1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
Fresh cilantro (chopped)

Preparation
Once the rice is cooked, let it cool first before adding the yoghurt and salt. Mix in gently and set aside.

Heat up the ghee in a small pan.

Drop in the black mustard seeds and wait for a few to 'pop'.

Add the dried chillies into the heated oil and remove when these have darkened (avoid burning!). This should take a matter of seconds, depending on how hot your oil is.

Pour all the contents of your pan onto your rice-yoghurt mixture. Mix in gently then add the chopped cilantro.

I recommend chilling this first before serving.

Enjoy! 




Curd Rice Recipe.” NDTV Food, NDTV Food, 6 Sept. 2017, food.ndtv.com/recipe-curd-rice-77.

Thursday 26 March 2015

Slice of Life #26 2015


I recently came across this lovely thought of the day and it struck a deep chord to my life and my wonderful relationship with my parents. Don’t get me wrong, I do not claim to possess great character nor do I believe that I am close to achieving this status in this lifetime. However, my folks have successfully drilled into me that it is attainable – if you persist.

While in primary school, I always resisted having to read the news out loud to Pappa. He reminded me that my teachers had gifted me the skill of reading and that the newspapers would help me acquire new vocabulary, style, and some knowledge of the world, too. This continued way into my angst-ridden teenage years. Pappa corrected my enunciation, checked my knowledge of vocabulary in context, and educated me on global issues regardless of my scowls and loud sighs of frustration. My awareness of the world’s mysteries and troubles grew, though, and many a discussion and debate transpired at the dining table owing to this. This simple practice also brought us together as a family.

I remember Amma, an English teacher, deliberating the term ‘tolerance’ and finding it rather disturbing to her psyche. She maintained that ‘tolerance’ was merely the very first step to ‘acceptance’, with patience and kindness – regardless of colour, creed and beliefs – being the ultimate key to peace. She made it her duty to drive that into us. Pappa was, and still is, the purveyor of all things right. His father imparted the wisdom that to be happy, one must avoid police stations, courts of law and hospitals. To achieve this state of contentment was to do no wrong (fortunately for Grandpa, he did not live in a world of purse snatching, divorce and rich, Malaysian food as we do now).

As for me, I continue to practice acceptance and forgiveness everyday. But, there are also days when I don't - I now aim to have fewer of those. 

Image "Last Lemon | Happiness is…." 2005. 26 Mar. 2015 <http://lastlemon.com/>

Slice of Life #25 2015


Dear Pappa,

Where do I begin? 

Thank you for your strength for it's equipped me with the resilience to face the world through the good times and the bad. In the years of my childhood, you kept me grounded in more ways than one without undermining my imagination. You brought George Lucas' most awesome masterpiece into my life. And then, there were the Airfix models, Look & Learn subscriptions, Playhour and The Magic Roundabout, dance and music class, great dinner parties... all filling my childhood with many moments of joy!  

As much as I huffed and puffed at your deadpan response of "Look it up" to my questions, it taught me be to be resourceful. I discovered that I could actually figure things out for myself (and knowing that you would check up on my research was an added motivation)! 

Your attempts at home DIY continue to make us laugh out loud as a family, earning you the endearment, "Frankenstein." If only we had recorded these for posterity, there'd be a coffee book with your name on it. In time, your daughters will perceive these creations as an artfom.

You've given so much more, more than I could ever begin to list here. Thank you for moulding my mind and soul, pappa. I love you.

Love always, 
Geetha


Image: "Father's Day on Pinterest | 28 Pins." 2014. 26 Mar. 2015 <https://www.pinterest.com/ldaswell/fathers-day/>

Slice of Life #24 2015

The claim out there is that fresh water is a renewable resource as it comes back to us in the form of rain. If this is the case, then why are we experiencing shortages in our tropical land that hosts some of the world's oldest rainforests? R-A-I-N-forests. Hah!
The painful fact is that this priceless resource is on its way out. Only some 3% of fresh water is suitable for human consumption and this number is decreasing by the day, owing to contamination and pollution from man's insatiable desire for industry and monoculture. Research states that we still have a couple of centuries yet before this truly reaches severe levels, yet here I sit wondering if I'll be able to shower tomorrow...
Then there's the issue of water levels decreasing while the world's population increases. According to an article I read recently, water reserves are being used up so quickly that these are unable to replenish and keep up with the demand. I'd say the frequent droughts in KL exemplifies this to a 'T'. 
It's inevitable. As long as we live the way we live, there will be no renewal of that precious resource we call water. 
Image and Info: "peak water | The Quantum Revolution." 2013. 26 Mar. 2015 <http://www.quantumrevolution.net/tag/peak-water/>

Slice of Life #23 2015

An Apology to all Slice of Life Challengers

I fell off the Slice of Life bandwagon.
Apologies
From the bottom of my heart.
So, I've added a picture
of a rather cute puppy,
A clever distraction
(I'm sneaky like that)
to help you forget,
or, just maybe,
to help you forgive... ;-)



Image: "Zully's Land :) | I welcome you!." 2014. 26 Mar. 2015 <http://www.zullysland.com/>

Slice of Life #22 2015

On any given day, I find it necessary to add to one of my numerous lists for school, home and social engagements. My school lists are updated daily - yes, listS. I'm going to avoid expanding on these as they are never ending, some may say epic, even. It's the case of getting one thing done, celebrating for 30 seconds, and then having to add three more 'to dos' right after. Proof that teacherie responsibilities never cease.

My lists at home are numerous, too. I have the weekly necessities (veg, milk, eggs, consumables), the monthly reminders (bills), and the dream list. Yes, I have a dream list and it goes something like this:

Things to do over Spring Break...

1) Fix washer / purchase a new one (can't decide, but leaning toward being a responsible global citizen and doing the former
2) Clean out guest bedroom (hah! Might have to postpone till summer)
3) Fix dad's mridangam (immediately - I commence beginner classes in April!)
4) Purchase cheap sound system (to inform upstairs neighbour that techno is like totally dead, dude
5) Red Lazy Boy (hopefully, in this lifetime)
6) Personal chef (as above)
7) Personal shopper (as above)
8) Toyota Vios (postponed to December '15 owing to sudden urge to embark on a Graduate Certification in Inclusion Education)
9) Macbook Air (Yay! Had a lovely surprise yesterday)
10) Exercise and eat healthy - everyday (might have to postpone till summer).

So many things to do... so little time. Life is good. 

Video "Mridangam Master - YouTube." 2007. 26 Mar. 2015 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI9RJbljBLw>
Image: "Pudina Kobbari Pachadi - Coconut Mint Chutney Recipe ..." 2010. 26 Mar. 2015 <http://www.sailusfood.com/2010/04/05/pudina-kobbari-pachadi-mint-coconut-chutney/>

Monday 23 March 2015

Slice of Life #21 2015

The great Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett lost his battle to Alzheimers recently, a week after my birthday. How strangely empty I feel at the thought of not being able to look forward to more wit and satire that is typically Pratchett. 

Rather than mourn his loss, I shall re-explore all the literature he has gifted me, rediscover the wonderment I never fail to obtain from these readings. 


Rest in peace Mr. Pratchett and thank you for making me laugh out loud no matter where I am. You will be missed.

Image"The Colour of Magic – Terry Pratchett | Tom Girard." 2015. 23 Mar. 2015 <https://tommygirard.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/the-colour-of-magic-terry-pratchett/>

Slice of Life #20 2015

Saturdays are always a good time to reconnect with the friends that matter, and feel like one matters after all. My Saturday to reconnect happens once a month and is usually with Armitage1 (not her real name) and her daughter.

A typical experience involves us meeting up either at BSC or BV once a month, usually after one's hair cut, or the other's weekly meni-pedi session - I'm the former 'one'. When we find each other, sarcasm is common place as we fault each other for not meeting up sooner. Her daughter, the only child under 10 who seems to love me unconditionally, often chides us for using what she thinks are 'rude words'. Bless. She is promptly reminded not to repeat what she hears until she is 18 and residing very far away from us.

We always seem to head in a very specific direction, either toward Jason's or Village Grocers. In no time at all, the shopping cart is filled with organic foodstuffs (and the occasional Lays Salt and Vinegar, Eggo waffles and 1.5 liters of Coca Cola because Aunty Geetha subscribes to a monthly trans-fats experience).

Next on the agenda is a quick drive back to Armitage's where I immediately assume the slacker position on the left end of the couch facing in front of the telly. My dear friend sets about warming up something organic prepared ahead of time and brings this over on a large, white tray.


Then, the highlight of the day commences - marathon viewings of our favourite ITV Choice series. Lewis, Arthur & George, Come Dine with Me, Shetland, and repeat viewings of Benedict Cumberbatch and/or Tom Hiddlestone in action.

By the time we are done catching up with our gossip, consuming copious amounts of food, and indulging in television marathons, it's usually way past 10 P.M. and time for me to head on back to jolly Ampang.

Good friends make life a whole lot better.




1I earned the name 'Shanks' following an extremely silly event involving bathroom fixtures of a specific brand in the good old days when we were footloose and fancy-free. 

Image: "Salisbury-Inspired Southwest Chopped Steak - Cooking On ..." 2012. 23 Mar. 2015 <http://highlandsranchfoodie.com/2012/03/salisbury-inspired-southwest-chopped-steak/>

Thursday 19 March 2015

Slice of Life #19 2015

To Sharon

A walking
Brain.
A Mind
not unlike an 
educational encyclopedia.
A soul
so Deep.
A Heart
so Big.
Humour so... 
Excellent(!)
it always
hits the spot.
Thank you, Sharon,
For being.
Period.

Image:  "Pictures from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lenny's ..." 2004. 19 Mar. 2015 <http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/alice2a.html>


Wednesday 18 March 2015

Slice of Life #18 2015

This weekend, I saw a lamb playing on the back of a crocodile... maybe it was an alligator, I couldn't tell.

The sky was a clear azure, a rare event these days, and served up a multitude cloud forms. I had to indulge the senses while driving. The moment took me back to my childhood, sitting in the back of our trusty Peugeot on some long drawn journey to some place completely different from home. We sang songs, played "I spy..." and spotted those milky clouds feigning forms only recognisable by humans, or so I thought. 

I used to wonder if my other family - Ginger, Junior, Juno, Dawn, and Dopey - ever dabbled in cloud spotting while they lay out in the yard on their backs, their chubby tummies attempting to absorb the golden rays from the sun above. It seemed to me that they were, as they always seemed to be grinning, tongues hanging out the side of their muzzles when in this position. Now and then, they would flop their heads over to the other side, as though following the movements of these intriguing puffs of purity. Were they waiting to see what shapes would follow and grin some more? 

I'd like to think so. 

Image "Low-level clouds - Met Office." 2011. 18 Mar. 2015 <http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/clouds/low-level-clouds>

Tuesday 17 March 2015

Slice of Life #17 2015

As we neared our destination, my nieces promptly retrieved their compacts out of their branded bags and reexamined their make up which had taken about an hour to apply back home.

"Aunty, it's important to look real good when one alights from a taxi," mumbled Gayatri, as she made those funny faces women make when we check our make up in a mirror.

We pout, stretch our faces, raise the eyebrows, teeth smile, and then smack our lips together to ensure the lipstick is coated equally on both lips.

Meera "uh-huhed" an agreement as she rummaged around her dinky, sequined purse for some other important layer of make up.

I was simply happy to have managed to have my hair coloured in time for the night's outing.

Feeling a little left out, I groped around in my little sling bag from Chatuchak Market, Thailand, and immediately felt victorious when my fingers found lip balm.

"Yes!" I cheered in my mind, as I pouted accordingly and added on an unnecessary layer of lip balm.

Monday 16 March 2015

Slice of Life #16 2015

The 5.45 A.M. shrill of the alarm jars me awake to another day of adulthood. I roll over and put an end to this excruciating mechanical war cry against all things remotely connected to a peaceful slumber. I linger in bed, breathing in the cool morning air as it caresses my being. But, quiet it is not. The machine-like whirring of cicadas in my forest backyard hits a thrilling crescendo before winding down to a reluctant solo from a nearby tree frog. And then, the gibbons take centre stage with their haunting, mournful, high pitched howls, marking and defending their territories. 

Calls
"Gibbon's call - The Silvery Gibbon Project." 2012. 16 Mar. 2015 <http://www.silvery.org.au/home/gibbon-s-call/>
"Common Tree Frog - Quack (frontal view) - YouTube." 2012. 16 Mar. 2015 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT_rCIW_ZuI>

Slice of Life #15 2015

There is much to be said about a quiet weekend.

The recycling was organised and deposited in their respective bins. There wasn't much, so I must be making some good choices.

The iron finally saw the light of day when I discovered his trusty ironing board under a mound of clothing. Owing to my attempts at domesticity, I realised it was time to streamline again...

My formula is simple, just like I'd life my like to be:

Streamlined wardrobe = less ironing + more time
or
Streamlined kitchen = less washing + easy cleaning + more time

I gave my hair a little pampering with revitalising oils and a little massage. Hair seemed happy and I continue to live in hope.

Updated myself on the RBS 6 Nations. Awesome show, Wales!

Managed to catch up with an old friend, resulting in a jolly good good chin wag over coffee and an organic breakfast of coconut oil wraps stuffed with fresh salad and tempeh. Mmmm!

Back home, my washer decided he had had enough of life and retired - with a full load still in his big, wide belly. I commenced draining the poor machine by hand, spending two whole hours on this endeavour, mind you. Then, I had to finish the large weekly wash - again by hand. My poor back did not take kindly to all this domestic excitement rebelled all through the night. Hence, I'm sleepless in ISKL.

Image: "Wales hold off Ireland in a Cardiff classic : RBS 6 Nations ..." 2015. 16 Mar. 2015 <http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/wales/28096.php>

Slice of Life #14 2015

I contemplate. A lot. I weigh the good and the bad, cogitate on numerous outcomes, and try real hard to consider how my actions might affect those around me. Unfortunately for me, all this takes time. Some accuse me of having slow processing abilities. I often find it frustrating, especially when I HAVE to make a decision pronto, or simply share some of my own thought and ideas. 
The painful truth is I learn by doing. I learn with practice. Words on a document often don't make any sense unless I've put it into practice. I would've made someone a wonderful apprentice way back when these were the norm. 

On the upside, though, there are some folks who appreciate my prolonged thought processing. Turns out that it's helped me become a more thoughtful individual. That's not too bad, eh? People seem to share their troubles with me because they know that I won't judge. I'd say this 'affliction' seems to have its benefits. It helps me to think before I speak (for the most part) as it always troubles me when I discover I have hurt someone's feelings through my actions and words. I guess I'd like to treat people the way I'd like to be treated - with some respect. We're all imperfect, but that doesn't mean we can't try to achieve some level of compassion.

I think I'll keep my 'affliction', thank you verry much!

Image: Nadaraj, Geetha. Slug at Grange Park Opera, Winchester. Digital image. 2013. 2 Mar. 2015.

Friday 13 March 2015

Slice of Life #13 2015

Nokia 2690

Unobtrusively efficient,
Phone,
Calendar,
Keypad -
to text
without looking(!)
Snuggled
in the palm 
of my hand;
Hiding 
in the smallest of pockets:
refusing to distract
at social occasions;
A student of
the school of hard knocks;
My PA...
seemingly for life.


Image: "Prodinvestz: August 2010." 2010. 13 Mar. 2015 <http://prodinvestz.blogspot.com/2010_08_01_archive.html>

Thursday 12 March 2015

Slice of Life #12 2015

Just yesterday, Mohamed and I were hanging out, chatting about all the things we would selfishly acquire should we ever have the good fortune of becoming wealthy in the not so distant future.

Mohamed wants to live on an airplane, spending his time watching movies on his personal in-flight entertainment console. To add to this, he'd have friendly sterwards serving him copious amounts of his favorite food so he would not have to interupt his favourite passtime.

Me? I've always known what I would selfishly acquire if I should ever find myself rolling in wealth. This dream of mine has not wavered in a very long time. 

First, I'd hire a chef who was an expert at creating the healthiest of food, but with lots of flavour. He would prepare my breakfasts, lunches, dinners, smoothies, snacks... anything I might fancy during the course of the day. Please note that I despise cooking and the kitchen is where I store my microwave oven and kettle. 

Next on my list of things to acquire would be a presonal trainer. Someone who comes to me every day to help me stay fit and healthy. This way, I can't make ANY excuses about the weather being bad, and feeling tired, and having a headache, and... - yes, I have the gift of talking myself out of exercise very easily. 

Last, but not least, I'd have to secure a personal shopper and errand person. I hate shopping and having to leave the peace of my home. Basically, he or she would do the shopping and run all my errands while I laze about on my ample daybed, reading, flipping through TV channels, and enjoying what my personal chef produces out of that room called a kitchen... where the microwave oven and kettle are stored. 


Image: "Too many cooks on small screen | Otago Daily Times Online ..." 12 Mar. 2015 <http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/television/154700/too-many-cooks-small-screen>

Slice of Life #11 2015

You always heard amma coming around the corner. The glass bangles on her right wrist would jingle-jangle as she strode purposefully, warning us of her imminent arrival. Any mischief was promptly filed away under 'KIV' and, if lady luck happened to side with us, we'd get away with it.

She smelled of sandalwood, her favorite soap brand being Mysore Sandal Soap. When puberty hit and hormones usurped all control, she prescribed sandalwood paste to soothe those eruptions akin to miniature volcanoes pebble-dashed upon what was once my face.

At home, she wore housecoats designed and stitched by her own hand, which remain her personal trademark till this day in the eyes of those who loved her. She had three of these at any one time. Should one tear, she'd patch it first before replacing it with another. There were maybe six saris to her name, all of which were printed silk. She was terribly partial to this soft, light, silken fabric that compared to a gentle breeze against your skin - and the fact that they dried in a matter of minutes when stretched across the clothes line. Indeed, she was a practical lady, my mom.

"Happiness is not in getting more, but in wanting less," was her personal mantra - and she stuck to it.

Image: "Mysore Sandal Soap : Bath & Body Review - Bois de Jasmin." 2014. 11 Mar. 2015 <http://boisdejasmin.com/2014/11/mysore-sandal-soap-bath-body-review.html>

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Slice of Life #10 2015

Currently, I am...


Listening to Ms. Boswell being the superior educator she is,
Ruminating on 7th grade placements,
Drinking in the silence surrounding me as my students engage in quick writes,
Wearing the hat of EAL consultant and co-teacher,
Reading student writing from a recent assessment,
Feeling a little overwhelmed,
Wanting some medication to feel a little better
Needing to drink liters of water to soothe this sore throat,
Thinking about birds and how I've neglected one of my favourite pastimes,
Enjoying my students being proactive.


Image: Nadaraj, Geetha. Duck at Lymm, Cheshire. Digital image. 2013. 10 Mar. 2015.

Monday 9 March 2015

Slice of Life #9 2015

Shopping Cart

A cavernous metal stomach
on four wheels
rolls down each aisle,
screaming, "Feed me! Feed me!"
Targeting
Chocolate Frosties,
organic quinoa, milk and veg,
tofu, eggs, 
Eggo waffles, 
yoghurt, cheese,
detergent, softener,
floor cleaner, dehumidifiers...
It eats.
Image"Vehicles For > Half Full Grocery Cart - 2." 2015. 9 Mar. 2015 <http://motor-kid.com/half-full-grocery-cart.html>

Slice of Life #8 2015


My birthday cake was an attempt at replicating the Tardis, courtesy of my older sister who dabbles in baking and jewellery when she's not saving lives in the ER. A simple butter cake cloaked in Tardis blue (not quite Tardis blue, but close enough) that insisted on assuming the leaning stance of the Tower of Pisa. Hence, the reason for the finger 'scaffold' you see in the picture. The tasting of my edible Tardis revealed moist cake topped with creamy, blue icing. Mmmm... 

Image: Snapped with Dr. Vicky's smartphone.

Slice of Life #7 2015

I'm probably the luckiest person alive, thanks to the people in my life. I don't have many friends, but the ones that stick are simply wonderful because they get me. My team at school is the top reason why I experience job satisfaction. These unique individuals inspire curiosity, perseverence, passion, reflection, and a whole lot of laughter. Laughter. That's an important element in the ever so challenging industry called 'Teaching'. My BFFs outside the 'teacherie' world, all of two, keep me grounded by keeping things real. Honesty and real life keeps us connected, and our monthly meetings are typically accompanied by comfort food rich in transfats. 

This birthday, I'm thankful for the gift of friendship. 

Life is good.

Image"10 Grown-Up Realizations About Friendship - KazzleDazz." 2015. 9 Mar. 2015

Slice of Life #6 2015

The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo is almost forgetable at first glance - a smallish, dark coloured creature, perched high up in the foliage. Its beauty dawns the instant it takes flight and its tail extends into a pair of long, curious streamers, like two feathers in desperate pursuit of their host. Extremely efficient binoculars with major magnification features reveal an exquisiteness unrivaled. I am unsure if its feathers are so black that they seem an iridescent shade of blue. Nevertheless, the drongo is a beautiful sight indeed. Apparently, the metalic call of a drongo often mimics other birds, possibly to allow them to forage in mixed-species flocks!

Resources
"Drongo - Malaysian Birds." 2010. 6 Mar. 2015 <http://www.malaysianbirds.com/bird-family/drongo.htm>
"Greater racket-tailed drongo - Wikipedia, the free ..." 2005. 9 Mar. 2015 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_racket-tailed_drongo>

Friday 6 March 2015

Wednesday 4 March 2015

Slice of Life #4 2015

I unlock the front door an begin to drag my aching body through. The burdensome laptop bag thuds against the wooden frame and rebounds rudely against my weary right knee. This little distraction inspires my left hand to forget the one duty assigned to it - to hold on tightly to the car keys, door keys, handbag, and lunch box. Just at that very moment, my new neighbour strolls out to say "Hello!". My response of "Oh, hello..." is drowned by the lunch box crashing angrily onto the wooden floor, the contents of my heavy handbag bouncing off in every direction down the steps, and the keys finding some magical momentum to fly backwards out into the corridor. Everything around me seems engaged in a brief mad dance as I stand frozen under the door frame, eyes wide open and mouth attempting to form a sentence as the brain seizes up.

Hello new neighbour. Hope you enjoyed that impressive show of Geetha.
Image

Tuesday 3 March 2015

Slice of Life #3 2015

Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, 4... how many is that now?!! Assessments are a tad tedious. Thankfully, my students get me through each day. They have been extremely supportive about the whole process, showing up as scheduled and trying their hardest to use their best English. I'd say I'm rather blessed to have such lovely souls in my life on a daily basis. Sweet!





Image: Assessment. Digital image. Eeco2 Engineered Efficiency. 1 Oct. 2014. Web.