Update

2016 January is coming to an end; time files!!  Before my blog posts become all CNY 2016 related, I shall do an update here with a few photos..

(I) Lynn. 

Pass it on.. There was a conversion on Yap family whatsapp group on CNY clothing.  I think Winny and myself are the top 2 vain-pots, cos seems like only the 2 of us are engaged in that conversation.  Winny commented that Clara can wear the Chinese traditional costumes passed down from Chloe.  I scanned through FB and blog to see what the kids in our family have been wearing in the past many years.  Saw quite a few photos, of items passed down from one cousin to another.  Anyway, this one photo is my favourite while I was browsing, so I shall post it here.  Lynn was 2 years, 3 months here, quite many months older than Clara who is 18 months now.  I wonder where this piece (of clothing) is now....

Long hair.. She started P1 and P2 with need-to-tie\-up shoulder length hair, which was cut short a few weeks into the school year because she was not ready for long hair yet (untidy, sweating, not cleaning properly, not that interested, etc).  Finally, she was ready in P3, and thus, for most part of P3 her hair was long.  Now, at the start of P4, it has reached the longest length thus far.  I'm not intending to let it grow longer.  Here 2 photos of weekend, slightly more fanciful hairstyle.  The joy of having daughter!

 

The minister said "Every school is a good school".  There's a lot of sarcasticism on social media on his comment.  The education system is not perfect, but parents are as much at fault as the policy makers in creating the problems in this system.  

Lynn's school conducted it's first briefing session for parents last weekend.  In the past 3 years, there were only 2 sessions, one in April (AY and AS), and one in May (PTM), which I find very useful.    This year, it created one more in January, such that the sharing about the focus of that academic year (AY) is discussed in January instead of in April.  This also means that the April session this year will fully concentrate on the academic syllabus (AS).   This is definitely another improvement from the school.  I'm very appreciative of the efforts of the school and teachers, such that I sent a thank-you cum encouragement chat-message to Lynn's form teacher (Ms Chua).  Lynn's very lucky to get 2 good form teachers in P1/P2 and P3/P4.  Having the same form teachers 2 years in a row is also a great feature in her school.  I missed the parent teacher meeting (PTM) session with Ms Chua last year, and this year I'm determined not to miss it! 

As far as my experience goes, this neighbourhood school is a good school.  As long as parents make the effort to engage the school.  Although she is in the top 2 classes, the attendance of parents for this session is only <50%.  I wonder if those who did not turn up were engaged in more important stuff (like I was away on biz trip last year PTM)?  I wonder if they are the ones/not the ones who pass sarcastic comments about the system?  

Here's an article for reading pleasure.  This is a great article; I think I will put up a separate posting when I'm free, to discuss my views on this article (read the interesting comments to this article too)
http://hedgehogcomms.blogspot.sg/2016/01/when-students-in-top-schools-dont-make.html

(23 Jan, 2016.  It was Mr. Wong the VP who gave the briefing this year.  I like his straight to the point style.  Err, ok he is not in this pic). 

While sitting in her classroom last Sat (listening to Ms Chua feeling a bit bored), I saw this very familiar looking watering can :).  Took a photo, and chatted with Lynn about it at home.  She told me that she did a great job last year when she was the environmental monitor.  This year, because the EM is not really doing a decent job, so she actually took care of the plants even when she's no longer the EM.

Recognised this as her work (pasted at the back of the classroom) too, because of the stickers :)

Many kids in her class (about 15) were selected as prefect this year.  So I wonder if it is to give them a chance to learn about leadership, and if there will be more stringent selection next year?

(She wore her band as she was on duty last Wed)

Our new pet..  Sigh.. my first experience with tortoise.  MIL says that some vendor sell tortoise that is too young, and these tortoises will not survive because they can't feed yet.  I didn't really believe her.  This tortoise which we named "Tiffy", is now about 2 weeks in my home already.  Still alive, but not feeding well.  In fact I have not seen it eat at all.  I wonder if it will die eventually.  Everyday I look at it, I feel sad actually.  Tiffy, please eat..

(II) Office.

Here's a funny story to share about my BD (at office).  There's a colleague in my team (Mov) who shares the same BD as me.  I told him before that he is the first person that I know to share the same BD as me.  But for him, he said he knows a lot of people who share the same BD as him.  This conversation took place probably early last year. 

On my BD (Monday), we were having lunch and I said happy BD to him, but he didn't wish me back.  On Wed or Thurs, we were having lunch in canteen, and he asked me if my BD is on 19 or 20 Jan, because he thought that one of his friend's BD "story" (not sure but he thinks it's me) is that it is on the "cut-off" between Capricorn and Aquarius.  I told him definitely it's his other friend's "story", because the "story" that we exchanged was about "sharing same BD".  This sweet young chap must be extremely embarrassed by this conversation, that he bought me a BD cake that afternoon (he sneak out of office).  So we had cake that afternoon, and took a group photo. 

Mov will be moving back to Cambodia, and working for another plant within our company's group.  So we had a group lunch yesterday for his farewell.

I also had dinner with SY (together with Eva and LS), who's also a Capricorn. Nowadays it's quite fun and easy in whatsapp chat to send pictures, just to put cheer in someone's day!