In this page, you will get to explore the mind, events and feelings of a Chun Jui... ok, fine, judging from the past 24 years, my life is far from what you call "eventful" (in fact, "dull" might the be more appropriate adjective) but I'll try to keep my entries interesting!
Thursday, January 27, 2005
It was soooo cold, well, yesterday, I guess (it's after midnight right now as I'm writing this)!! As I was busy being annoyed with the recent frigid weather and silently cursing the slush and salt that stained the hems of my jeans, I walked by a homeless man sitting on the side. He was cold, obviously, and he was bundled in a jacket that had to be too thin and a tattered sleeping bag but he still managed to give every passing person a smile and polite uttering of "Have a good day!", even though he rarely got any money. Immediately, I felt ashamed of myself because here I was wrapped up in my warm, down-filled jacket with warm gloves, hat and boots, and I had the luxury of going to Tim Horton's to buy a hot coffee (the homeless man was sitting right outside Tim's). What do I have to complain about?? This man had nothing, barely enough money to get him a medium coffee, yet he was still positive, still polite. And no, he wasn't one of those "scary" homeless people either, though those people with the mental illnesses deserve even more sympathy... Anyway, as I was lining up to buy a coffee, I pondered whether I should buy the man a hot coffee. I knew that I was going to give the change I got back to the man but I wasn't sure if he would want the coffee. Seriously, what if the man is diabetic and I give him a coffee with sugar in it? That would do him more harm than not giving him a coffee, right? So, when I passed by him again, I bent down to gently toss in the coins (enough for him to get a coffee, if he really wanted one)and made sure I made eye contact with him when he said, "Thank you Miss, have a good day." He deserves at least that much.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
The title of this entry is "Ahhhh!!! What?!?!" First of all, after a week or so of somewhat mellowness (is that a word??), I've become extremely overwhelmed once again!! Why is there sooooo much stuff to do??? Presentations here, presentations there, meetings here, meetings there, papers here, papers there, readings here, readings there PLUS my part-time job AND job applications to school boards!! I could just scream... AHHHHHHHHHHH! Ok, there, I screamed.
Second of all, on a more light and humourous side, yet just as baffling, is that I've recently learned that some people, upon first meeting me (not even talking to me yet), they've assumed that I was from Hong Kong and not capable of speaking English!!!! Apparently, it's not the way I dress, it's just how I look... Great, you know what that means: I look like a FOB!!! :S
Monday, January 24, 2005
You know how you thought you were being completely friendly and diplomatic when doing something and then, in the end, you just feel sad and disappointed? I'm wondering why I do this to myself-- do I never learn?? Anyway, forgive me for not being more explicit about what it is that I'm talking about (kinda personal) but I just needed some way of expressing how I'm feeling right now... Don't worry either, I'll be ok! :)
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Gosh, I thought that things would start to settle down a bit, three weeks into the semester but nope... Still so overwhelmed!! Never stops!! Just when I think that I've completed something and before I can even enjoy the satisfaction of that, it's onto the next thing... And where I do fit into this? I mean, where do the other parts of my life fit in?? I want to be healthy, I want to get into better shape, I want to hang out with friends, I want to go shopping, I want to go out and have a nice meal at a restaurant without feeling guilty. *sigh* The days and weeks are going by so quickly and just when I think I can relax and kick it for an evening, I remember that I have to do another assignment that's due. *sigh* Ok, I've sighed twice in one paragraph already-- that can't be a good thing!
At the same time, I feel inspired somewhat. We have a briliant professor for Language and Literacy (she's actually one of the world's leading literacy expert-- I think!) and she's so passionate about her work. She doesn't just do research nor implement professional development for Canadian schools, she also goes down to the States regularly, like once a week to implement language and literacy programs in very poor schools--- for free! She's also passionate about teaching as well, so she's very respectful and kind towards her students (us), opening up her treasured resource room to all of us. I honestly don't know how the woman does it-- does she ever sleep??
Anyway, with that kind of an inspiration/example, it makes me even more eager and passionate about teaching. It would be the greatest gift to ME if I could one day contribute my knowledge and expertise to those who need it. In a way, I'm sort of doing that right now with my new duty of developing new preschool programs. I've come up with very basic blue prints of preschool language and literacy programs so far and even just discussing these with my supervisor, I get very excited! :P This would be sort of my final contribution to the preschool before I leave (after SEVEN years!!) for a "real" job as a teacher in September-- I hope my "legacy" will live on! Hahaha...
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Want to know me better (No, not really? Oh well, tough! :P)? Click here for,in my opinion, a very accurate description of who I am. You can also check out your forecast for 2005! ;)
Monday, January 17, 2005
Oh boy, I think all that work is getting to me! Tonight, on MSN messenger with a couple of friends, I revealed a very bonkers/giddy side of me! :S First of all, I couldn't stop gushing about Christopher Wong , the one male HK singer I'm TOTALLY in love with, then I kept poking fun at engineering guys (hehehe... sorry, all you out there! I didn't mean to! Caroline started it! :P). Anyway, I think now both Jehan and Caroline think that I'm boy-crazy... but in my defence, I'M NOT! (Not a very good defence, though, eh??) Anyway, in case you've forgotten how he looks, here again is his pic (autographed too!):
In case, you're wondering why he's so appealing to me, let me explain (it's just another excuse for me to gush about him some more! hahaha). Chris Wong is a talented singer, writes the majority of his songs, has written many, many popular songs for other HK singers; he is a talented musician (he can play the piano and guitar very well); he also writes novels and other literature (that's one of THE most appealing quality about him-- you know how much I love reading!!). He's well-educated (graduated from a university in HK majoring in English, which leads to the next appealing quality); he can speak and write in English very fluently. He also minored in fine art, so he's talented in drawing and painting. He also has started to dabble in design, designing and producing his own line of furniture for a HK furniture company. He also did some interior design when he lived in TO (another bonus: he's officially a Canadian citizen!), not to mention, he's not that hard on the eyes (though I wish he was a bit taller)! :P And he's got a few houses in Canada that he rents out, so $$$ too! ;) heehee... Need I go on?? The one downer: he's 43 years old, which means a 19 year gap between us!! OH, and he's single... :P
Ok, I'll shut up now... I think I need to get off the caffeine and get some sleep...I will be normal again next time I update, I promise (I hope!). :)
Saturday, January 8, 2005
Updated @ 11:59 pm:
My tears fall not only for those who suffer from the tsunami in South Asia but I'm also moved by the kindness, generosity, and love that the world has shown in such tragic time. I watched the charity concert that HK performers put on yesterday (broadcast here in Canada too) and right at the beginning of the concert, I was unable to hold back my tears. I know it sounds really corny but I was very moved to see all of the performers' solemn pleas for donations. I was very touched and proud that the Chinese community both here in Canada and overseas in HK has shown such love. The HK entertainment industry put on a live charity concert for SEVEN hours straight and admission was obviously free. It wasn't just HK artists who performed but singers from Mainland China and Taiwan also flew over to HK to perform. All political tension was forgotten--- another thing that deeply moved me. While the concert was broadcast here in TO, donation hotlines were also open for Chinese-Canadians here to donate as well.
A few popular HK artists were also sent over to the hardest-stricken areas in South Asia to experience and report back the conditions over there. The video clips that they took depicted what hell on Earth must look like. Shots of people searching desperately for their loved ones were absolutely heart-wrenching. Many people told stories of how they've turned over thousands of badly decomposed bodies in a desperate search to find their beloved. My tears fell harder and quicker when they revealed that one-third of the dead in Sri Lanka were children. These children were playing innocently, just like they do daily, by the shores on the beaches, curious about the living things under the water when they were swallowed by the monstrous waves. In a matter of minutes, too many parents were left childless.
All of this got me thinking about all of my material possessions that I have piled up in my room and in my house. Why do I need all of that stuff??? All of that can be swept away in a few minutes! Why do I need so many purses, sweaters, t-shirts, etc, when all the tsunami victims in South Asia want is their loved ones to be found, dead or alive... I'm no saint-- I still desire material things and I still want to make money but I will not make acquiring those as my lifelong goals. I pity those who need to find their happiness and satisfaction through expensive objects (like that NY girl, right, Caroline?). Anyway, take a stock of your life as of right now: what can you do to make it more meaningful, in light of the tsunami disaster in South Asia?
Updated @ 6:06 pm:
Happy New Year! Well, it's 2005, another year again, in the blink of an eye (yes, I am aware that the January 2005 calendar is not posted up yet). New year, new beginnings, and new work to do. :( As I headed back to school this week, I was more than overwhelemd with the huge workload that was dumped on us. I hope you don't think I'm a whiny baby because honestly, there is a LOT of work. For my benefit and for your pleasure (!), here is a complete list of the all the school work that is demanded from us:
HDP 2212 (Theory & Curriculum II: Mathematics):
And of course, there are at least 50 pages of readings each week for each of those classes, and I can't not read them because there are either questions, papers or quizzes on the readings... oh, plus all my job applications crap... *Sigh* Guess I won't be having a social life for the next 13 weeks! Like I said to a friend, it's probably a good thing I don't have a boyfriend right now cuz I wouldn't have the time for one! :P
Anyway, New Year's Eve was again spent at Caroline's and again, it was so much fun! :) One of these days, I'm gonna finally learn how to drive to her place all the way in Etobicoke, so I won't have to rely on others to drive me every year to her party. :P Anyway, that New Year's Eve gave me a lot to think about this time because of the tsunami disaster in South Asia. I looked at all the plates of wonderful, delicious, heapings of food; I looked at all my friends, new and old, around me, and felt the warmth (figuratively and literally)--- how lucky am I to have all of this when just on the other side of the world, thousands and thousands of people were experiencing just the opposite? Although I wasn't there and did not experience first hand of the tsunami, this tragedy taught me a valuable lesson: Don't take anything for granted and learn to appreciate what you have and all the people around you. I learned that nothing lasts forever, no matter how much you think that it does. In the flash of 2.5 hours, everything you've ever known or had could be completely washed away.
I pray that all the people who were killed by the tsunami have finally arrived at a peaceful place where tragedy never occurs but I cry for all their unfulfilled dreams and goals. I pray that all the people who lost loved ones will find the strength to go on but I cry for their losses. I pray that all the newly orphaned children will find a loving family to take them in but I cry for their short time with their parents. I pray that all those still missing will be found soon, dead or alive, so that their families can have some answers but I cry for all of their suffering, both the victims' and their loved ones'...
If you haven't already, please find it in your heart to donate some of your wealth (and we ARE wealthy) to a reputable charity now. The Canadian Red Cross is where I donated-- it's easy, quick, convenient, and safe. Wouldn't you want people to help YOU out when you are in a time of need?
<-- I look like a FOB?!?!
HDP2211 (Theory & Curriculum I: Language and Literacy):
HDP2230 (Designing Educational Programs):
HDP2292 (Assessment for Instruction, a.k.a. Special Ed.):
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