Secondary 1 Week Week 34 Update

This was another week which just flew past.

I was very upset at BB at the beginning of the week. On Sunday night, just before bedtime, he came to me asking me to get a Science class test signed. He had failed in the test! And this was his strongest and best subject, one that he loves! He got strongly scolded by everyone (including his beloved grandmom and grand-aunt). I ended up revoking all phone privileges, squeezing his phone time to the minimum and also started supervising his studies again (I had given it up when they both entered Secondary school). I also spoke to his Science teacher, who also happens to be his form teacher. End result of that conversation was that his sitting place in class was changed to a seat close to the teacher and also the conversation meant that the teacher will be keeping a keener eye on BB in class.

GG started her first duty as a student councillor and her duty this term was basically patrolling the other exits of the school before the actual start of school and making sure no student enters through those gates when the bell rings. She seems to enjoy this, making new friends with her seniors.

Another two weeks for this term to end and then there is a week long term-break. After the term break, both the children will be busy with the year-end exams….

 

2016 Week 33 Update

This week just flew past. Having a public holiday in the middle helped, I guess!

I’ve been feeling quite off this week, but I just can’t put my finger on why I feel like this. Headaches have also been plaguing me this week. I feel I was mildly depressed, and hopefully, I’ve managed to pull myself out of it. Job search is also at a standstill, and as the days pass, the less I feel confident of landing one soon.

Singapore celebrated its 51st National Day this week and I enjoyed watching the show on TV. I’ve always been drawn to national day celebrations, even as a child growing up in India and would pester my dad to let me watch the Republic Day parades, which no one else was interested in watching. The pomp and grandeur of the show always made me feel happy and when the national anthem was invariably played, I always get goosebumps!

Singapore also had another bit of fantastic news to round off the week. Singapore swimmer Joseph Schooling upset the ‘greatest Olympian of all time’ Michael Phelps to win the 100 meters butterfly finals at the Rio Olympics to win the Gold and at the same time, created a new Olympic Games record of 50.39 seconds. This was Singapore’s first ever gold medal in the history of the Olympic games and the first time the national anthem was played during the victory ceremony.I was at the doctor on Saturday morning for my monthly medication and blood test and wanted to get home to watch the final. I didn’t get out of there on time, but by the time I got my medication, it was time for the match, so I, along with all the others in the clinic, watched the match with bated breath. We were all rooting for Schooling

I was at the doctor on Saturday morning for my monthly medication and blood test and wanted to get home to watch the final. I didn’t get out of there on time, but by the time I got my medication, it was time for the match, so I, along with all the others in the clinic, watched the match with bated breath. We were all rooting for Schooling and when he was first at the end of the 50 meters, it seemed that Singapore was destined for a podium finish. But when he came in first, almost a second ahead of the three silver medalists (including Phelps), everyone in the clinic was shouting, so much that the doctors came out to celebrate with us! I rushed home to see the victory ceremony and when Majulah Singapura was played, I literally got goosebumps!

 

Today, my country of birth, India, celebrates her 69th Independence Day. Wishing all Indians, both in India and elsewhere a very Happy Independence Day. May the country grow from strength to strength.

 

Have a joyous and productive week folks!

2016 Week 32 Update

Another week has flown by and I am still unemployed. I think I will give it a month more and then probably then stop looking for the rest of this year. I plan to go to India in November/December for BB’s thread ceremony and I would feel very awkward taking leave from my new employer if I start work after September.

I have mentioned before my helper’s contract ends next month and we have decided to renew it in the hope that I will get a new job soon. She is a good helper and more importantly a very nice and decent person. If I am going back to work in a few months, I do not want to lose her, at least until GG & BB are competent enough to be alone at home after school.

 

My ex-boss who told me he will put me in touch with someone whom he thinks I will be able to work with also ghosted me! I emailed him last week after the dinner – after he said he will help me connect to someone who he thought would be great for me to work with and asked me to write to him – and he replied immediately asking for my resume. So I sent him my resume the same day last week and there was complete radio silence after that. No response to my email to even acknowledge the resume. I let it wait for a week and then at the end of last week, sent him another note asking if he could share that person’s email or telephone number so that I can contact them directly. No reply to that also! So I think I can legitimately say I have been ghosted!

 

 

Anyway! With the hope that this week is better than the last one, here’s wishing any Singaporean reading this blog, a very Happy National Day tomorrow and a great week ahead to all the others!

 

Secondary 1 Week 32 Update

The week and August started off with some good news from GG. If you remember, before the June school holidays, GG was nominated by her class teacher to try to become a student councilor aka prefect. The good news is that she made it! However, for the rest of this year, she, along with the rest of the Sec 1 student councilors are on probation. They still have to do duties, but they will be assessed on the way they behave in school, on how they maintain their grades and decorum as well as how they go about doing their duties. Then at the end of the year, sometime in November, before school ends, if found to be fit to continue, they go in for a council camp after which they become full-fledged student council members.

I am really happy for GG. She suffered from some serious self-esteem issues, especially when she didn’t do well in her PSLE exams and was placed in a stream lower than her brother and friends. However, she has started shining in her new school, winning the Model Student award for Semester 1, doing well in her Sem 1 exams and now on the verge of becoming a student council member. She has also become more focused in school and now wants to top her level this year.

BB, on the other hand, is still as playful as ever. He seems more interested in playing his games than school work. I guess it’s true that boys mature much later than girls and once his life ambitions kick in, he will start becoming more responsible and start working hard to achieve his goals.

Have a happy Sunday folks!

2016 Week 31 Update

 

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We’re on the first day of August and as of today, I’ve completed three months of unemployment and being a SAHM.Hopefully August is a better month for me than the last three. I’ve enjoyed this time, but now I am more than ready to go back to being a productive member of society!

Last week, I met some old colleagues for dinner. My old ex-boss was down in Singapore for some meetings and so we decided to meet him and some of the others who were still in touch for a catch-up. It was a fun evening, reminiscing and gossiping about old friends. I and another colleague who stays not too far from my place decided to leave around 10:30 pm, but the others were still at it till later than 11 pm.

My ex-boss also asked me to send him my CV and said he will put me in touch with some people he knows who may need someone with my skills. So hopefully something clicks soon.

The latest Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child released yesterday and all three of us, GG, BB and I were super excited about it. We had pre-ordered the book and so went down to collect it from the store. Both BB & GG were fighting about who gets to read it first and I had to give in! But, since they are in school now, it’s all mine today. I’m off to read the book now, so catch you later….

Have a fantastic week people!