masterwordsmith-unplugged

In 2002, I said goodbye to my last cohort of A-level students in college. Amongst them are fourth year medical students Nicholas Aw (PMC), Nisha, Danian (University of Queensland), Selena Cheah (IMU), Wei-Lyn (PMC), a few of them who just graduated including Xinch, Nadia, Nicole, Pin Pin, and a few who are still in university including Wei-Zi (NUS final year engineering), Van (Masters in Journalism) and Huey Sian (final year Deakin microbiology/forensics) who visited me this morning.

Without fail, Sian will always visit me each time she comes back to Penang for her vacation and will bring me chocolates :-). The last time she brought me three boxes of liquer chocolates and today, she gave me handmade chocolates and Whittaker's Roasted Almond Gold. Thanks Sian! :-)







Sian is the most level-headed girl I know and it has been a wonderful seven years to get to know her better and to watch her grow into a mature young woman. She could have graduated this year but chose to extend her course to convert her units into a masters degree. Most diligent, Sian helps out at a pharmacy on weekends to get first-hand experience in her field of study.

Right from day one, Sian and I could get along in our General Paper class. Despite encountering many difficulties, she persevered and got through the A-level exam. I was very touched when she told me that she still has all the essays she wrote for me and the lecture notes for my classes.

Naturally, we discussed various issues from IT to guys and I am so happy that Sian is not the type to lose her head or heart over a guy or to be distracted from her desire to excel academically and to do well in her studies. We had a wonderful time chatting away for hours this morning! Thanks for the memories, Sian, and also for the precious moments we can share..

As I enjoy my retirement, I am also touched by the following gifts....I broke down on Tuesday at the eleventh hour when Eugene was about to leave my house for the last time...Here's the lovely Hilly wallet that he gave me. Thanks, Eugene. I love the color and the design. I will miss you lots and Tuesdays will never be the same again...



Elaine, Hobart's mom, gave me these lovely fine bone China mugs..I do not know how she could guess my taste and instinctively know that I collect fine bone china but I truly love the design.....Thanks a lot. I will surely miss Hobart. I wish him the very best as he begins his IB course in KL.

Through the twenty odd years, I have received many farewell gifts from my former students and I have always told them that the greatest gift they can give me would be their homework or an invitation card to their graduation and also their love, friendship and respect through the years.

William Hazlitt once said, "To be capable of steady friendship or lasting love, are the two greatest proofs, not only of goodness of heart, but of strength of mind." I pray that they will move on to build steady friendships with many other people and to find lasting love in their lives.

How time flies! I cannot believe that many of my former students have become parents themselves and are very successful in their own way be it professionally or as home-makers.

As I enjoy my retirement, I often look back to those times spent and am glad that I had the opportunity to impart knowledge, skills and inspiration into their lives. Some kept in touch consistently while for others, we have grown apart and there are some with whom I have lost contact. Whatever the case, each of them have a special place in my heart.

At the moment, I am trying to find my way around to ensure that I do not waste my time on unproductive activities and I cannot believe that there is so much to do each day. By next week, thanks to Mrs. Fan's encouragement, I am going to start my line dancing again LOL!!! At the gym, I used to have a wonderful time during the line dancing classes because I would move in the wrong direction and must confess I was a major distraction in class as I would burst out laughing when I ended up in the opposite direction :-). I do not know what will happen next week but I know I am going to go out and have LOTS of fun and laughter and move it before I cannot groove any more! :-)

In the mean time, here's wishing you a very lovely weekend with your friends and loved ones! Thanks for dropping by. :-)