Seven Days of Cakes

'Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday... Friday, Saturday, Saturday to Sunday... get, get, get, get, get with us, you know what we say, say 'Party' every day, p-p-p-party every day!'

Before this week began, I always thought those words would only apply to crazy clubbers who would literally party every day and not work. Well, this week, I found myself living life to those same words. No, not that I partied at the club every day of the past week but it was a whole week of parties - my birthday parties, that is!

Oh boy... what can I say? Surprised? Touched? Overwhelmed? I was all of these and much more... grateful and moved beyond what my face could express in their midst.

It all started on Saturday night at Uncle Chilli's. My Heng Tai - Shan, Seong, Teej (and Ai Leen), Jun Fey (and Cynthia) and of course my 'twin' brother Yengs, celebrated my turning a year older with an absolutely smashing meal. I was so full, I nearly burst - and I do mean burst as in I could feel the food coming up to my throat. Okay, that's a bit disgusting but just to illustrate how good the food was and how much I had! I even ended it by sharing a Molten Lava Chocolate Cake. There's always space for dessert! Thanks guys!

Next up, a quick stop at Steffi's house to receive an awesome gift of classic comedy in 'Mind Your Language'. It was something which never crossed my mind. All the more awesome! Then, it was to meet my ex-students, Ying Shien, Seah Ni, Nian Sin, Chi Wah and Pei Sun from Mega Yakin Class of 2008 at Station 1. The surprise was really last Sunday when they booked me one week in advance. Now, that has to be one of the earliest bookings I've ever had. I felt like an eagerly anticipated new movie in the cinema. Haha! Well, it was really good to meet them again as our reunion plan in December had failed to materialise. Thanks dear friends for organising and for the Tiramisu.

Now, on Monday, I really wasn't expecting anything. This turned out to be the biggest surprise for me, especially since my students were such good actors, giving lines like, "Eh, yesterday was your birthday ar? Oh, sorry I forgot!". Yeah, RIGHT! This bunch nearly made me blow my top by purposely not paying attention and then in the next moment, nearly made me cry by presenting me with a coffee cake, a hilarious but meaningful and touching song performance and a huge box of Liverpool merchandise. I was dumbstruck to say the least. Thank you so much Wawasan Form 5 friends. I feel vindicated!

On Tuesday, I was still feeling the after-effects of Monday's wonderful surprise. I set-up my laptop and projector as usual to begin the class and as I turned on the first slide, I breathed a quick smile to myself. My mind rewound to this very same moment yesterday when my dear student Wann Jhuin, walked in with my cake. I quickly brought myself back when suddenly, the lights went out and in walked my dear student Chuan Liong, singing 'Happy Birthday' with a vanilla cake in hand. I couldn't believe it! It was deja-vu! I had to blow the candle out more than a few times though as they naughtily placed one of those trick candles that were impossible to blow-out. It was good fun. Thanks, my friends from Mega Yakin Form 5.

I was smiling all the way as I walked into the hall of Alam Gemilang on Wednesday. After what had happened the past two days, there was no reason not to. The students were late in coming to class but I was happily smiling away. Some were even walking in and out, preventing me from starting my class properly but I was still smiling away. Then, the smile got even bigger. 'Happy birthday to you...' they sang as my dear student Yee Wei, walked in bearing an American Chocolate Cake. It was like a dream. Thank you Alam Gemilang Form 4 friends. This is the 2nd time you've surprised me.

By Thursday, it was all getting a bit sentimental for me. I kept shaking my head at the surprise birthdays of the past three days. I just couldn't believe my students had done all these for me. Surely, nothing was going to happen tonight as I was going through grammar lessons with my Form 4 bunch. By the time the last fifteen minutes of class arrived, I was sure it was back to normal. And then... the all too familiar song filled the air yet again. This mischevious bunch had me blowing the candles three times as they re-lit the candles each time I went out after I had blown them! Haha! You just gotta love them! And so, we shared a Vanilla Koko Crunch Cake that night. Thanks, dear friends from Mega Yakin Form 4.

Early Friday morning. It's the last day of my working week and I was looking forward to hanging out with my ex-students after class. I delivered my introduction to Phantom of The Opera in my usual hyper-self and didn't even smell anything coming. It possibly couldn't. This bunch had already wished me last Friday and two of them had even given me presents. So, no more celebrations. I was sure! That was until my dear ex-student Qao Shaun, walked into the darkened room with my Vanilla Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake. On top of that, I received two cards (one of which was hand-made) and a huge box of Ferrero Rocher. There were no thoughts of crying now. It had been too wonderful a week to cry about it. No, I could only smile from ear to ear. Thank you Alam Gemilang Form 2 friends. For the laughter, the love and the hugs.

For the past seven days, some of them have been filled with a tear or two as I lay myself down to sleep... but for the most part, there has been a huge smile in my heart that will be forever etched into my memory. This has been, quite simply, the most unforgettable seven days of my life so far... and I think it just might get better... I gotta feeling.

The First Week

So 2009 came and went just like that. In what was considered a tougher year than the rest of my teaching years, 2009 ended quietly and almost unnoticed. No crazy countdown in KL and Sunway like years before and definitely no dancing the morning away at clubs like years much earlier. A sign of old age perhaps?

As much as I wanted the year to pass due to the difficult challenges I faced, coupled with the disappointments in my love life and the pain that often comes along with it, I didn't really want 2010 to come so soon. This year, I will face a host of new challenges and with it, I'm sure disappointments as well. I just hope my love life stays trouble-free. Especially with what happened last year. Phew!

The first week, as every year is, has been a week of uncertainty. There's the need of getting used to a new schedule (remembering it more like it!), the need to prepare new lessons and schedules and the need to search high and low for books; and I do mean, high and low. Some of the bookstores these days stack books up to the roof!

Then, there's the uncertainty of who will show up for class. Over the years, I've learnt to accept that former students might not return for class just as some new ones will show up but this has got to be the first year that NONE showed up! I hadn't gotten any confirmation from any prospective Form 3 student to begin with, so I was more or less prepared to see only one or two brand new faces but I ended up sitting there in class on Tuesday, waiting for no one. I guess that famous saying from Forrest Gump comes to mind, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." (which in this case is none). Haha! Well, I guess I'm still sane enough to laugh about it sadly, if that's possible.

After a rather interesting and surprising first week came to an end, I took the opportunity to unwind during the weekend. So, I headed to an old favourite - the fish ball 'kuey teow' shop under the old Klang bridge. When I reached the shop, I was told by the 'bah kut teh' lady that the two brothers had retired. 'Deeply devastated' doesn't even come close to describing how my stomach felt. I'd been craving so much for that bowl of 'kuey teow tah' that I was almost about to cry. I want my 'kuey teow tah'! Boo hoo hoo!

Sad and lonely, I took the long walk back to my car but not about to give up, I curiously went in search of my 'kuey teow tah' along the old colonial shops. To my surprise, there was an uncle who sold something similar. Actually, it wasn't similar at all. But heck! I wanted my 'kuey teow tah' and I was gonna get it!

After finishing my less than satisfying bowl of 'kuey teow tah', I walked to my car sad and lonely yet again. How I wish I had gone back sooner so that I could have a taste of 'kuey teow' heaven one last time. If only I had known...

That's just how life is, isn't it? We're so busy living our lives that we sometimes take things for granted. We forget the things we cherish and when we want a little piece of what we long for, it's gone before we even know it.

I want so much to post a picture of my favourite 'kuey teow tah' here so that I can share it with you and perhaps, so that I can at least stare at it. Sadly, in all those years of eating it, I never took a picture... and now it's all gone - how delicious it looked, how wonderful it smelled... all gone. Now, all I have is the memory of it, just like all the things that have disappeared in my life. Some things in life... they just don't last.