Air is expelled from your 'lumps'...

I went for my first Mandarin lesson yesterday at the Bukit Batok East Community Centre. Arriving about 10 minutes late because of the pouring rain and because the stupid suction of the GPS holder kept dropping thus making me lose my way (Ya, blame it on the GPS...), I was given a set of notes before siting down beside an Ang Moh dude.

I was supposed to go with my BH but she had gone to meet Man Padi instead...well, ok, I did tell her to carry on with Man Padi since she was there since late afternoon...

In any case, it wasn't my first stab at attending formal Mandarin classes. I had attended one at the SCCCI (Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry) in Hill Street many moons ago. The teacher then was this native mainland Chinese guy.

My teacher yesterday was a Mr Tee. A Singaporean obviously. He spoke softly and cracked the occasional joke here and there. His English was ok but his pronunciation of some words had me controlling my laughter! It reminds me of my JC and secondary school days when some of my teachers did the same thing...

Mr Tee: How do we make sounds?
Me: Thru our vocal cords...
Mr Tee: Good...that is one place air will pass thru...
Me: Mouth?
Mr Tee: Actually, the air starts from your 'lumps'...
Me: (blank look)
Mr Tee: When you breathe in...the air fills up your 'lumps' and then expells it out...

That nearly had me in stitches...Another occasion...

Mr Tee: Vowels, unlike consonants are easier to make...How do you pronounce 'ah'?
Me: Ah?
Mr Tee: Yes, when you say it your mouth will open up. That is why the dauter will ask you to say 'ah' to check your mouth...

Ok, ok, let's get on with it. I've always wanted to understand AND speak Mandarin. I mean, we are surrounded by Mandarin-speaking people. And for me especially, it's good to converse in Mandarin with my men (some of whom don't speak-e-de-English too well). Oh, of course I know all the Hokkien swear words...you don't get to be in the Army for 15 years and not know ANY Hokkien swear words! But Mandarin is different. In any case, Mr Tee went through the basics of pronouncing the Hanyu Pinyin - the 6 vowels, the consonants and the tonal language. Ah, the tonal language...that always trips people up. Then we went through some conversational lessons.

Well, I hope by the end of 3 months, I would have improved my Mandarin and can 'spar' verbally with my peers in my current course. Then onto French and Arabic we will go!

Man Padi

This is a warning to all husbands of the above creature...once your BHs have a taste of Man Padi, they will never leave 'him'... Once they have tasted 'his' pleasure, they will come back for more...The MRS (Mars, Rina, Suzlynn) went to see him yesterday evening in preparation to making their husbands 'widowers' to another 'evil' that is Chatuchak. Why? I dunno...Man Padi and shopping just doesn't mix right? By the time they go thru shopping, Man Padi's effect will be gone. But that is the allure of Man Padi...they just have to do it...Yesterday was the 2nd time my BH went to have Man Padi. And it's a different Man Padi. And it was a French one!!

How do I negate the effects of Man Padi? I guess 'cutting grass' would calm me down a bit...I will be 'cutting grass' at Sembawang Country Club next week...yeah...maybe that will calm me down...

Oh, BTW, the BH did end up with nice nails, so all was not lost!

Chatuchak 'widowers'

This weekend will be a first for me...and Fauzi, I think... We will lose our BHs temporarily to men's most dangerous adversary...shopping! And not only shopping at that. This is shopping at its most insidious - shopping in a foreign land, in what some people call the biggest flea market in the world (or something like that), with no husbands around, with cash to spend (hopefully not all dear!), with cheap stuff to drive you crazy, shopping from about 1000hrs to sunset for 2 days!

I'm kinda looking forward to taking care of the kids for the next 4 days alone. Let's see how life looks like from a different perspective!

Ok ladies....enjoy yourselves...but not too much...come back safe and happy! Hah...it just crossed my mind...their initials make up their status...MRS!!! Cool...

My Princesses!

One of the results of the family shoot we just had at nbyn...

First swimming lesson

The first daughter (FD) finally started her 'official' swimming lesson today. We had been looking around for an instructor to teach her and with another 3 neighbours, have chosen Uncle Jimmy (one of the few swimming instructors 'registered' to teach swimming at our place) to teach our kids. Together with Cheyenne & Fatin (Erika couldn't make it), the 3 girls were taught systematically the various methods and techniques necessary for them to be able to swim. It was quite a sight watching Shahira gleefully swim towards the floating rings that Uncle Jimmy threw. She is already very confident in the water and can paddle fast. Well, let's see where this 'venture' will bring her...