MY7THLIFE.NET

.. I’m a bad girlfriend.

Thank you for the congratulatory messages, everyone! (My mom, being the uri ((roughly, a worrywart)) in this family, said that I shouldn’t be telling people just yet because I haven’t even signed anything. But I was too happy not to share the good news. And it was too late anyway, so I’m not telling her that I posted the good news online. Hehe.)

I bought four DVDs tonight, three of them thrillers. Turistas, Hostel 2, The Invisible, and Transformers. I’m going to watch them after sahur.

Then I’m going for a haircut and facial at 2PM tomorrow, if the salon is open. (The salon I’m talking about is the one I’ve gone to for over 8 years now.)

So looking forward to doing all these things before I start working. Hee.

Anyway! I’ve been tagged! (Usually it takes weeks before someone tags me with these memes. LOL.)

Name, age and occupation.
Tina, 22, and part-time radio DJ. Can I throw in ‘analyst’?

Which schools did you go to - since kindergarten up till your current/last educational institution?
Kindergarten 1: Nusa Laila Puteri school. Kindergarten 2 until primary school: PGGMB ((Persekutuan Guru-Guru Melayu Brunei)) School Telepok (moved to Sungai Akar in 1996, my final year.) Secondary school: STPRI ((Sekolah Tinggi Perempuan Raja Isteri)). Sixth form: Maktab Duli PMAMB ((Maktab Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah)). Tertiary school: ITB ((Institut Teknologi Brunei)).

Favourite subjects [throughout the span of your education, e.g. you can include what you enjoyed in high school, college, AND university]. Why?
I had a knack for:

• English Language, I don’t know why, but I do. I think it’s fun.
• Mathematics, because I thoroughly enjoy doing equations and solving problems. This passion, however, faded in upper and sixth form.
• Biology.. loved the lessons, hated the exams. Every time I come out of a Biology lesson, I literally feel like I know more about the world.
• Java programming, because my lecturer was perfect and I loved using my logic to figure things and problems out.
• Interface Design Principles, because I was doing something I enjoy, and consider a past time.

Favourite teachers? Why?
I have a LOT! Let me start chronologically. Teachers and lecturers, however, are in no particular order. (You might want to skip this question, I have a feeling it’ll get really long.)

Mrs. Marsh, English teacher, PGGMB. She is the best. I love her. My whole family loves her. When my dad was alive, and he was picking up my sister, Mrs. Marsh would ask about me, and how I was doing. She still remembers how I look like, and, she still calls me “Tina Turner”. And I don’t even mind.

Cikgu Roseliza, Mathematics teacher, STPRI. I hope I get her name right, because I have a feeling I’ve gotten it wrong. But I loved her. She doesn’t rely on textbooks, she makes her own and photocopies them for her students. Every chapter had different covers on them. She taught me up until form 3.

Miss Tan, Biology teacher. She is very witty, and she’s the one who realized that there’s a ‘rat’ in my name. (Full name, mind.)

In Maktab Duli PMAMB, all my teachers who taught all the four subjects I had taken up, Mr. Ian Franklin a.k.a. Md. Yusuf (Business Studies), Miss Salwa (General Paper), Cikgu Munah (Biology), and Cikgu Masni (Mathematics) were my favourites. Why? They treated me like I was their friend, and they didn’t talk down to me. I love that in a teacher.

Dr. Sophiana, Advanced Programming lecturer, ITB. She doesn’t stop until I understand how such a code works.. she is like a miracle worker. She interacts well with us, the students. She relates real-life situations with Java! I know right!

Sir Idham, Interface Design Principles lecturer, ITB. His lessons are always fun and interactive. It doesn’t get too static. He has a good sense of humour, and is a good sport.

Ms. Wida, Introduction to Computer Communications lecturer, ITB. She is fun to talk to, and I can talk to her about anything under the sun. Very friendly, and practices the open door concept. Plus, she’s Osh’s sister!

Sir Irwan, Systems Analysis & Design, ITB. He knows his stuff! He’s just like Dr. Sophiana, he doesn’t stop explaining until you get it right in your head.

Well, basically all my lecturers during my years in ITB were my favourites. They were cool in their own way. And some of them read my blog too.

What qualities do you feel should a good teacher have?
I believe that a good teacher should earn respect instead of demanding it, easy to talk to, patient, and never, ever talk down to their students.

What are/were the impacts teachers have/had on you?
Here are the bad ones: I remember when I was in lower form, a particular Commerce teacher had said to my face that I will never pass my Commerce paper in my PMB. A Chemistry teacher in upper form had called me a ‘loser’, and a ‘liar’ to my face, and in front of my other classmates. (These, by the way, are what good teachers should not do!) I ended up hating Commerce (and anything business-related) and Chemistry. I do not wholly blame my insecurity based on these experiences, but they are hugely a part of it.

Also, based on these experiences, I am determined not to become an educator because I am impatient and I might hurt my students the way one or two from my past did.

The good ones, however, was when I crawled out of my high school life, my lecturers took me under their wings and sing praises.. They are tiny ones, like when you tell others about it, they may seem like they don’t matter. But, as always, it is the littlest things. This made me more confident as a person, and they made me feel like I can do anything, as long as you have the will to do it.

I actually had a plan to become a lecturer, if everything else doesn’t work out for me. Yes, I am still scared I might not be a good teacher.

There was also this one time where Mr. Franklin, Business Studies tutor in MD, said that, “Why on earth do you want to have a job which you dread to wake up to in the morning?” He inspired me to do what I want after MD. Technically, he’s saying “follow your heart”, but in a cooler way.

Describe the most memorable moment/s you’ve shared with a teacher/teachers?
This. Enough said.

Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher? Yes or no? Elaborate on your answer.
Yes and no. Please refer to the previous question on impacts/effects teachers have on me.

If you’re working, are you still in contact with any of your teachers? Why/why not?
With some of them, yes. And these ’some’ are all lecturers from ITB. I told you they were cool. I might be seeing them for a sungkai gathering with the rest of the CIS20 gang, but we’ll see.

I would really love to read what these five have to say:

1. Shasha
2. F
3. Faz
4. Ani
5. War

First things first: I GOT THE JOB! In October, I’m going to be an “analyst” at BAG Networks, according to Nadd. Hehe.

I was baking marble cake from scratch when I got the phone call. Before that, I was angry at my mom for something, I just can’t remember what it was now.. because I was too happy. I jumped for joy, and practically skipped to my mom’s side and said, “I GOT IT! I GOT IT!” Pathetically ecstatic, but I didn’t care.

I dropped my mom and sister off to my Liz’s house, because they were going out with her family at Millennium Restaurant in Beribi. We were just sitting around in their kitchen, when Alim (Liz’s brother) leaned on the kitchen door frame and said, “Hello there, mate.” Then I realized that I’m going to be his colleague soon! (Even that thought excites me! Hahaha!)

But, anyway, I didn’t join them because I had sungkai with the girls. And, as promised..

Happy teachers’ day, Miss Yusrina!!

Of course, pictures can be viewed on the album, but I want to show off my besties. Especially Zawanah, and Hamizah, who are apparently my silent readers. I have already threatened them to comment, so hopefully we’ll be hearing from them soon.

This is Izzah, of Izzerstastic. 8)

These three are the naughty ones, from left: Hamizah, Zawanah, and Amalina.

Group picture! Yusrina’s missing because she left early to send someone off at the airport.

And an additional picture that Izzah happens to like.

Izzah and I.

I had a great time with them, and I also bumped into her!

That’s about it for now, will update again soon!

I’ve been meaning to post this up in an entry, because I really want to show off, but I keep diverting to other online activity. Hmph.

Anyhoo. My sister and I main bunga api ((sparklers)) and a few badil ((firecrackers)) yesterday. It was fun, felt like a kid again. When my dad was alive, he would be entertaining my sister with everything, but now that he’s gone, I don’t have the heart to say no to her.

So I took it to another level, asked her to form shapes and I took pictures! Here’s one. (You can see more here. And in their original sizes too.)

In the photo album, you’ll see that I had some of the fun, too.

[bookcover:1401303277] I just finished reading the book a few minutes ago, and it was great. I might be biased as Mitch Albom is one of my favourite authors.

A few chapters into the book was a bit slow.. Tuesdays With Morrie had more touching moments, and also moments when you look back in your life, and think.. think very hard.

What I loved about this book was that it teaches us about our childhood, and how to be better people, better grown-ups, better parents. It teaches a lot about regret, and valuing your life.

The ending was hard.. saying goodbye is always hard. NB: A tiny spoiler ahead. [spoiler]Even more when saying goodbye for the second time. I cried so hard when it happened.. it just brings back to the moment where I wished it was even possible to say goodbye to my dad when he left. But with Chick, he was given the opportunity to properly see his mother go..[/spoiler]

For One More Day is more like The Five People You Meet In Heaven.. by the end, then you see the bigger picture. I still maintain that Tuesdays With Morrie is my favourite book out of those I’ve read from Mitch Albom. But you can’t miss this novel for the world. Spend time on your own and read it. It will be worth your time.

On a different note (nothing to do whatsoever with the book), I feel so lost.

I had a walk-in interview on my best friend’s birthday, September 3rd. Then I had a follow-up a week or so after that.. and today, I had the final interview. How did I do? I think I did well. I’m just not confident if I get the job or not. My last interviewer didn’t really give away much. But I hope I get it. Pray for me, people.

I’ve never had interviews that last around two hours before. But my two follow-up interviews had been more than an hour and a half, and both were during the fasting month, so it made me thirsty to talk. I’m a talkative person and because of that, I embarrass myself sometimes.

Sigh. I’m feeling really exhausted.. hearing the news of the boyfriend’s grandfather’s passing gave me a sleepless night. It made me cry the way I cried when my father passed. It feels as if I lost someone close to me too. The boyfriend’s hurting, and so am I.

Sungkai-ing out with Liz’s family today. Pictures? Maybe.

P.S.: Comments will be replied to when I get back.

The boyfriend’s grandfather passed away yesterday, and the news has upset me immensely. My sincere condolences to his family, I am very, very sorry for the loss.

I am asking everyone who reads this to recite the al-Fatihah. Thank you.

Al-Fatihah..

I just remembered that my family will not be opening up the house for Hari Raya guests this year. We will still be celebrating, but just not at home. I don’t know when it will feel okay to celebrate at home without my dad.

About For One More Day, Mitch Albom’s book I just bought.. truth be told, I’m quite scared to read it. I’ve been reading a bit of it, and I’m so scared it will talk about someone’s loss of a loved one.

I would like to say HAPPY TEACHERS’ DAY to all the teachers out there, teaching locally and internationally!

Also, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO KA ETY!

In other news.. What a packed day yesterday was..

My mom, my sister and I went shopping after school and work ended for the both of them. We bought a fair share of things, after walking around The Mall for about 4 hours or so. Who would’ve thought that there were so much stuff to look around? Well, if you’re a Muslim lady, then there’s a lot of things to browse through. There are tudongs, shoes, books, clothes.. okay, maybe a small range of clothes.

I bought tudongs, my mom bought shoes, my sister bought herself a purse for upcoming Hari Raya.. I also bought a book by one of my favourite authors, Mitch Albom, called For One More Day. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet because I had work last night, and when I returned home, my time was completely wasted on playing Super Granny 3. It reminds me of playing Sandman back in the day. Was it called Sandman, where you dig a hole so that the enemy will fall into it and be buried alive?

Back to the book, it seems really interesting, and hopefully it’s another tearjerker. My life is in dire need of drama, it’s been boring. Haha. I told my mom of Mitch Albom, and she wanted to read Tuesdays With Morrie, but I still don’t know who I lent it to last.

I want to be baking, but I lost my copy of the baked Oreo Cheesecake recipe, and I can’t find it online anymore. The woman who had it online took down all of her posts.

But never mind. My sister and I bought violet, blue, and green food colouring, so we’ll be decorating mini cupcakes soon. Haha.

One of my personal song favourites of the moment.. It’s catchy, and Jordin definitely doesn’t disappoint.

No matter what you say about love
I keep coming back for more
Keep my hand in the fire
Sooner or later I get what I’m asking for

No matter what you say about life
I learn every time I bleed
The truth is a stranger
Soul is in danger I gotta let my spirit be free
To admit that I’m wrong and then change my mind
Sorry but I have to move on and leave you behind

I can’t waste time so give it a moment
I realize nothing’s broken
No need to worry about everything I’ve done
Live every second like it was my last one
Don’t look back, got a new direction
I loved you once, needed protection
You’re still a part of everything I do
You’re on my heart just like a tattoo
Just like a tattoo
I’ll always have you

Sick of playing all of these games
It’s not about taking sides
When I looked in the mirror didn’t deliver
It hurt enough to think that I could stop
Admit that I’m wrong and then change my mind
Sorry but I’ve gotta be strong and leave you behind

I can’t waste time so give it a moment
I realize nothing’s broken
No need to worry about everything I’ve done
Live every second like it was my last one
Don’t look back got a new direction
I loved you once, needed protection
You’re still a part of everything I do
You’re on my heart just like a tattoo
Just like a tattoo
I’ll always have you

If I live every moment
Won’t change any moment
There’s still a part of me in you
I will never regret you
Still the memory of you
Marks everything I do