Sunday, August 29, 2010

Memory



The in topic in my life this week seems to be 'memory'. Last thursday, our reading class discussion was on memory. I think the students found it stimulating too. Even though this is a general topic, one would hardly think of learning the terms like explicit memory, implicit memory, and such. Everyone suddenly started analysing if they encode memory visually, acoustically or semantically more. Or if they use implicit or explicit memory more.

It occured to me that my implicit memory might be more prominent than my explicit one. I remember things that happened when I was very young, like 2 or 3 years old, but only the 'feeling' of what they were. Once, I got hurt by a nail when my grandfather's house was under construction. I somewhat remember that it was at night, and that I felt the pain, and I remember seeing blood. But I can't recall who were there, what was the occasion and what I was doing. At other time, I remember feeling happy to watch my grandfather's buffalo grazing on a deserted rice-field. And I was wearing a pretty orange dress made of chiffon. LOL. Weird. But that's the nature of memory.

The little one, forced to do his Bahasa Melayu home edition school work this morning got really excited when he 'listened to his brain' and got everything correct. He proudly held his book to me and said, "my brain says if there are two things, the 'penjodoh bilangan' is 'sepasang', if it is animal, it is 'ekor' and if it is something long, it is 'batang'!" And he went on and on on how his brain is always telling him correct things. Well, I said to myself, it's good that the little one has discovered the way his brain works. And most especially, that he's beginning to make sense of the 'penjodoh bilangan(s)'. Way improved from his last attempt :-). Memory is amazing.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Unleash the child in you



I've heard some wise people say that in each of us is a child. It's the child in you that helps you enjoy the little things in life. That prompts you to act on impulse on things that bring you a lot of laughter. That lets you feel deeply and sincerely. That preserves your innocence. And when you stop unleashing the child in you, you become 'old', too serious, unable to enjoy life.


That must be true. I keep finding myself learning a lot from children. Things that I have almost forgotten like being spontaneous, and honest, and forgiving. Most of all, they remind me that everyone needs a laugh now and then.


Having said that, I think it's good to unleash the child in us whenever we can. It keeps us youthful and it makes life such a joy to live...

Thursday, August 12, 2010

life's blessings



Counting my blessings again. Amidst life's busyness and the constant fatique, life is a joy. I may have to conduct night classes of 7-10pm because some people wrongly scheduled me to teach at night, but my students are a joy to have. I am thankful to see fresh, energetic faces every time I enter the classroom. They must be tired too- some started their lectures as early as 8am, but youth does make a lot of difference. Coupled with a positive attitude, these young people keep looking fresh even after a long day.

Coming home after to a wonderful husband and children, I can only say I'm blessed. Seeing their smiles, or peaceful faces sound asleep, I offer up my thanks to the powers that be. All around me are life's blessing, if only I stop awhile to look and feel them...

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

shocking 6 year old


My little one has never ceased to give me heart attacks. Maybe a 6+ boy is meant to do that anyway. Just last week he got punched in school and came home with bloody lips. Then this week he tried his 'power' on a classmate, and got himself in trouble with the boy's mother (serves him right). When I asked him what he did, he said he jentik the boy on the hand :-). In return, he got a jentik from me, plus a ban to go to anyone's house for two days.

Yesterday he threw tantrum at his cousins' house, resulting in him breaking something, which, naturally gets more punishment from me. This time, it's a week's ban from visiting the cousins.

Of course when he feels like it, he'd be an angel. He'd offer to dry the dishes when I wash, or arrange his books neatly on the table. He'd speak sweetly to me and use all the magic words of 'please', 'thanks', 'good' etc. That, when he's fishing for compliments and rewards, or maybe to test whether he is still loved after being a naughty boy.

Today another shock awaited me at home. Since I wasn't the one who picked him up after school, I only found out when I went home. He excitedly announced "mom, I've lost my shoes at school!". I froze on the doorway, unable to believe my hearing. "What, how could anyone lose their shoes at school?" I said. He explained to me that during one of the lessons, they had to go to another room and were required to take off their shoes. When he went out of the room, his shoes were gone. Suddenly an image of a little boy walking barefoot in school gave me the giggle and I decided not to give him a long lecture of taking care of one's belongings . "I still have a sock though", he said, as if a sock would be of any use now.
 

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