Macy gray, Exams, Convo and Sat Nites Out

So.... what's a cantor? I don't really know either but I'm guessing it involves singing.... :p which I can't do much of these days, 'cos my old Macy Gray cough has come back again. The same old phlegm in the throat that enabled me to successfully imitate her rough, grating voice to a T. Most of it has cleared by now, so I can still speak and sing somewhat normally, though subject to sudden coughing attacks at times. Lao Mao Ping by now lah, so I just drink tons of water and honey nowadays. Can't even be bothered to go to the doc's anymore.

The irony about it is that fried food for some reason makes it better. I donno why, but when I eat soupy stuff and hot liquids that's supposed to help me, I still end up coughing loads. But when I eat a BK meal, after downing the whole cup of ice lemon tea, I feel better, and my throat feels slightly cleared. Weird......

Anyway, the coughing mostly affects me when I'm teaching, cos when I start talking for too long, *HACK HACK HACK* Not only that, but all my kids are entering into Mid-Year Mode, which sort of is like a performance appraisal for me once their results come out.

"Miss Tan... I see X has improved by 5 marks in his English... how come only like that?"

"Er, um, er...."

"And his Maths marks stayed the same. Hmmm..."

*Squirms uneasily*

"Hmmm.... We'll call you after June if we still want you."

Ok, so thank goodness the above conversation hasn't taken place yet with any of my students, though I have to keep in mind the possibility that I may lose a few students ( if not all ) after I come back from Europe. The funny thing is that now as soon as I get bad feelings about a student, I lose that student after the one-month trial period. I have no idea whether my instincts are that strong, or is the power of suggestion really that powerful. Hm.

Most of my kids are doing ok, but others....... I really gotta pray. This one kid, I was supposed to be teaching him P6 Eng and Math, and suddenly the mom is asking me to tutor him in Sci as well?? Bad thing about this job is that there's no contract. "Mrs Yeoh, it is clearly stated in my employment contract that I am to tutor your son in the following subjects for the price of $XXX and if you wish to add another subject you have to raise my rate by the following: [$XXX * ( X + Y/2 )]/ ( XY ) and as you can see, after I have done all the calculations, you should be paying me an extra $XXXX for 3 subjects."

Bleah. I wish. Anyway, some kids I just gotta hope and see lor. I don't think you should except miracles from me if I've only taught your son for about 2 months before his exams anyway. If I was that good, you won't be paying me that little already. I just hope those parents understand that and keep me around after the exams and after I come back. Otherwise I'd be totally jobless after my holiday. Argh!

Sigh. Never thought I'd be experiencing exam stress again after graduating from NUS.

Oh, and incidentally my convo is supposed to take place the same week I come back from Europe. Holy cow. I hope I make it back in time. After all the shit I went through NUS, I may as well have the fun of going for convo, enjoying the free snack buffet, and wearing my jeans and sandals underneath my convo gown to collect my degree. Hee. Sorely tempted to do the last option, if not for potential shame on family name.

Japanese also starts again this Sat, after a one week break. Ii-desu-ne! Nuahing for 2 saturday nites at home is enough for me. Flipping through the remote last Sat with my mom, I realised just how deadly boring saturday nite tv was.

Mom: "Forget it lah! There's nothing on TV on Sat nite one!"
Me: "Wait! Let me check Central! Maybe there's something!"
Mom: "Central the whole nite is Indian movies lah!"
Me: "The whole night?? Indian workers don't go out on Sat nite meh??"
Mom: "They don't wat! That's why!"

So my mom ended up watching some docu on CNA about bittergourds' healing properties, [bleah] and I escaped to my room to lose myself in a good book. This sat, Yenn, DEFINITELY have to go out somewhere! Even if we end up nuahing at Esplanade again!

And LINKIN PARK is coming to Singapore on the 22nd of June, when I'M IN FREAKIN' EUROPE!!! ARGH!!!!! LINKIN PARK!!!! *Wheeze wheeze hack cough POOI!* why why WHY!!!!!