27 Feb 2015

TDVL Day 4 of 20

On the 3rd night, I had realised people were arriving later than usual. This didn't go unnoticed by the trainer either. 10 mins past the start of class and people were still trickling in.

By the 4th night, it became apparent that people were beginning to feel drained. The carpark was emptier than usual as I sat in the vehicle munching my styrofoam boxed dinner. I felt really sick of overstuffing myself and actually thought back to the first night when I had remained full on a packet of groundnuts. It crossed my mind that I might just munch on some nuts some nights to feel lighter and not so weighed down by a terrible takeaway dinner. I think yesterday's Bee Hoon just did me in. It was so MSG laden I had so much phlegm build up after that. Yucks.

Last night, we got to go home earlier. The trainer mentioned that some of the attendees might have to go home to pray as it was an important night for them. I was just happy to be let off earlier than usual. As I had been one of the earlier ones to arrive, I had followed the cue of some guys and 'choped' (reserved) my usual table with my notes before heading to the lobby to attack the coffee vending machine.

During last night's lesson, I had yawned a few times. Some men were nodding off. One poor chap nearly fell off his chair, falling asleep. The trainer had to keep asking him in a sarcastically polite manner if he was okay. I guess for most of us, we are occupied with work in the day, that's why we are attending the night classes.

Sometimes, the pronunciation of English spoken by the trainer makes it difficult to understand the context of what he is asking. (UPDATE: By Day 18, I can tell you, we fully understand the trainer, having gotten used to his pronunciation. I realise he is a very hardworking and serious trainer and I thank God we had him.). I think of my Math teacher while I was a trainee teacher and thank God this chap doesn't speak anything like her. I'm pretty sure I mentioned this before. She used to say 'leeladed' when she had meant 'related'. The whole class had remained clueless the whole time she was explaining the math sum until I had asked her to SPELL that word she was using. Suffice to say, she did spell it but I remained in her bad books thereafter. LOL.

Oh and darn. I have caught a slight cough. I have NOT had the flu bug for some time because I had been popping my multi-vitamin. Could it be the hospital visits (to see my father) or the irritant who had a bad phlegmy cough? Hubs is always telling me not to blame anything I catch on anyone else. Okay, so I have to say, I caught the cough bug all by myself. Spread to myself. Sheesh. But he has a point. A taxi driver needs to contend with all sorts of passengers, including sick ones. I can't be blaming anyone if I catch someone, can I (someone?! No, I mean something. Haha).

When I got back home, Hubs was surprised I was let off early and we discussed a few things of the course. He looked at my notes and asked me if I was aiming for 'best trainee award'. LOL. I told him the notes I had taken were so slipshod, like I couldn't care less but he said it was apparent he was so glaringly different from me when attending the course. He asked me if I could see it. Of course, lah. I've been seeing it my whole married life. Hahaha.

One phrase the trainer keeps repeating. "Even if you have right of way, give way and avoid conflict".
I told him it sounded like marriage. The trainer asked me to repeat it. I did but I think he didn't catch me because he went on to discuss how it was like marriage. Hahaha. Peng San.

So, I've mentioned the key words here and there already. I'm blogging about Day 4 but I'll be attending Day 5 of my TDVL course today. Yes, I am in fact, studying for my Taxi Driver's Vocational License. 5 days down. 15 more to go. Bluek.




26 Feb 2015

TDVL Day 3 of 20

When I say Day, I really mean Night.
I'm attending 20 nights of TDVL classes conducted well, at night, lah. I'm not sure why anyone would wish to attend 20 nights as opposed to 10 full days if one could. I'm sure those who do so, like yours truly, already have something going on in the day. For me, it's because I work in the day.

Hubby and son both asked me how I felt after attending 3 nights. I told them it was quite okay and I was surprised I wasn't as tired (upon returning home after class) as I had anticipated. I told hubs that I think it's because I have been trying to sleep early (also forgot to mention the copious amounts of coffee I have been gulping). The trainer is quite animated and he thankfully, does NOT read off the slides. He intersperses his lessons with personal anecdotes and in that sense, makes it quite interesting to listen to him. (By the way, why, why, why do some people read each and every word off a powerpoint presentation? NEVER do that in a presentation. You bore the crap out of your audience and you make yourself obsolete! I had an econs teacher in JC who did that for 2 whole years! She just droned on and on and on...and she completely lost me and I her -_-)

Ok, back to Day 3. The humans decided to change seats. My theory is some people who had by default gotten seats at the back, had decided to be more attentive and move up front. Some others who were half asleep during class and seated by default at the front, were happy to move further back. I chose to sit back in my original seat now that I had different people surrounding me. It's near the front so I have a clear view of the screen and I can hear the trainer well (although I think the trainer cannot hear us that well. LOL). By the way, perhaps it's because I do not look like a pretty, young thing but some people are determined to ask what I am exactly working as. It's not good enough to mention vaguely the industry I am in (because I really do not wish to divulge too much to a person I hardly know) but it seems they want to know WHY if I am working as THAT, I should be thinking of working as THIS.

On the first day, we had to introduce ourselves and among other things, had to state our years of driving experience. Caught unawares and being the 2nd person called up to the front, I did a quick mental calculation and surprised myself that I had more than 20 years of driving experience! I could hear the men go, 'Waaaaaaah'!
Huh? Really very impressive, meh?
Wait till they learn that I have a motorbike license even older than my car license! Haha.
The baby of the class had only 1 year of driving experience.

Anyway, re-learning Basic and Final Theory points is really good. Many of us had already forgotten the detailed meanings of some road signs. Some of us have been driving a long time but really, that's about the only thing we long-timers haven't forgotten. The demerit point system interested me the most because everyone only ever says, "If you get 24 points, your license kena kantong" (I highly doubt I spelt 'kantong' correctly but it's phonetically there! Loosely translated to mean 'license will get axed'). I find it very difficult to remember the demerit points and fines one can get but hubs told me I had better concentrate and remember! (BIG TIP from one who has already passed and gotten his TDVL) Alamak. I've told him a few times that this might be the only exam he has passed which I might not.

I still find it very annoying to have to find collared shirts or blouses to wear (and iron!!!) and feel very tomboyish in the required dress code. I am still wearing the crappy pumps I found and in cleaning it after the 1st night, I realised the insides were peeling. I DON'T want to wear running track shoes. It looks so...well...Taxi Uncle.

Dinner was bought at lunch again. Just a simple packet of noodles turned cold. As I sat in the lobby before class, sipping my Nescafe and chatting with someone who had also bought his dinner during lunch time (LOL), I was asked the ages of my kids. Person did a double take and asked if I had been a child bride (LOL even more). Nah, I told him. If the govt had not changed the CPF rules, I would be collecting my CPF in a few years' time. I think he nearly choked on his dinner. He mentioned the (younger) age group he thought I was in. It was my turn to nearly choke on my coffee. Need to buy this guy a decent dinner! LOL.

Went home and hubs spoilt me rotten by laying out Ayam Penyet. Sigh. Instead of losing weight, I'm gonna grow fatter after these 20 nights.

(I don't really have time to edit. I am just shooting off my thoughts and typing as quickly as I can so bear with me if there are grammatical or spelling errors. 20 consecutive night classes is considered an arduous journey for this U-Turn Aunty).









25 Feb 2015

TDVL Day 2 of 20

After the first night of the TDVL course, I woke up the next morning with my eyes being the only things that were able to move. I could barely reach over to my alarm to shut it up. Pretty much how I feel after I have cooked for a party the day before.

This time round, I bought dinner during lunch time. Arrived early in typical kiasu (scared-to-lose) fashion so that I would secure a parking space and sat in the vehicle to munch on the packet of cold noodles. A rickety van arrived and settled next to me and I felt compelled to laugh aloud when I saw the driver pull out his styrofoam dinner box too. We both sat in our vehicles munching away, not knowing each other but sharing a common task. I had more than enough time to peel mandarin oranges, touch up at the loo and even buy a cup of hot coffee from the dispenser. It was then that I realised that there were in fact 2 food dispensing machines. One for drinks and the other for snacks, including cup noodles *face palm*. I could have saved myself a tedious milo and groundnut dinner and a phone squabble with the other half!

Drinking my coffee at the waiting area, I realised that I was indeed swarmed by variations of males. Some sat silently. Some could not sit silently. Put off by the show off shooting Hokkien expletives next to me, I threw my disposable cup away and headed into the classroom. It seems everyone sat back at the same seats they had taken the night before. The night before, I had been one of the earliest to arrive at the classroom but had left to find my dinner. I ended up being one of the last few so most of the seats had already been taken when I returned.

Nothing uneventful happened. The trainer is not young. He has had a lot of experience in the Civil Service. Not sure if he has actually been a taxi driver before. Important thing is his diction is decent and I understood most of what he said. Again when I reached home, the other half fed me very well. Haha.

Why did I apply for my TDVL?

The year 2014 was a wake up call for me.
By the end of 2013, I already had a feeling that change was coming. I was excited for change and I really had no idea what the Lord had planned for me. At home, some good changes took place. At work, not so good. It was a terrible year for me. By far, the worst I had encountered. Why?

ONE SINGLE LAZY BLACK SHEEP that caused all the crap. How to work with one lazy a** whose motto is to never go the extra mile unless it is to impress the bosses?
The joke is in trying to clean house, I was chided together with the black sheep. That was how the situation was handled. Really? After more than a decade, above and beyond. It was then I decided that the company deserves that black sheep. It does not deserve me.

Totally bad management calls. Bad. Bad. Bad. Possessing good business acumen does not make you a good manager. It became so bad I wanted to bite the hand that fed me. My physical self got injured due to a bad switch in job scope. I did not take action. It was suggested to me that I already had that injury and it was perhaps not due to work. I am a Christian. I do not believe in Karma but I think this says it aptly; "Karma come and bite your backside!"

I took it in my stride, complained a lot (poor hubby, kids and BFFs!) and prayed a lot. I knew that only the prayer part would amount to anything. The Lord reminded me one day during prayer time, that He was my provider, not my employer. So I am carrying on. I used to work with gear on overdrive if you know what I mean. I used to give my all. I no longer do. I have lost the will. There is no meaning. Can you really blame me? My health is important to me because without it, I won't be able to support my family. If management cannot take care of my well-being, it is my own duty to do so.


Yes, so, that is why I decided to apply for my TDVL. I wish to be ready when I get axed. I can no longer see myself working for anyone but myself. Yes, I can teach but no, I wish to try something different. Salary wise, it will never match up but you know what, I trust in the Lord's providence.

24 Feb 2015

TDVL Day 1 of 20

Happy Lunar New Year to those who celebrate the Chinese New Year!

The Chinese New Year weekend went exceptionally well for me. Due to a number of reasons, the weeks before that, we were struggling to do basic chores, much less to clean it (the apartment) thoroughly. I spent the few days before CNY running about buying goodies, drinks and stocking up on food ingredients. Anyway, guests came, we ate and were merry and who cares if our place wasn't spick and span? I just need to add that we are fortunate to have both the NTUC Xtra supermarket (like hypermart) and the Ang Moh Supermarket (for good bargains) within walking distance from our abode and that it is a terrible feeling when they shut down for the Chinese New year holidays! It's a really good thing for the staff that they close for a few days but oh my goodness, I had to face the snaking queues before and after the Chinese New Year (even early in the morning)!

The weekend ended on a high note for our family as our father got baptised as a Catholic. He is in his 70s and has had quite a medical history. It is unusual to get baptised now but time waits for no man, especially a man who may be on his last leg of the run. So, all praise and glory to God!

I attended Day One of my TDVL Course at Sin Ming last night (google it if you must know what I am up to). It will only be by God's strength that I will be able to continue and complete 20 night classes in a row after a day at the office! It's 20 straight week nights, hor. Not once a week but every night this week and next and the next and the next!

My first concern: OUTFITS
I wear dresses. I am a girlie girl. I like wearing body hugging dresses or skirts to the office. I like wearing heels. Not that high anymore but nonetheless, still with heels.
Ditch dresses. Ditch high heels.
How to find pants and blouses to wear for 20 nights, I have still not figured out.
Cannot wear shoes which reveal toes (for safety reasons). Sigh. I like sling backs which reveal toes. Ditch.
Praise God I opened the shoe cabinet this morning and an old pair of flat pumps stared out at me (and their soles haven't fallen off yet). I was thinking, worse worst case scenario, I still have several of my hand painted Cartoon Lagoon flats to wear to class!

Second concern: DINNER
If I am driving to the centre, I will need to rush there immediately after work because parking spaces are limited. That's what I did yesterday. I was happy to learn that there was a canteen on the 2nd floor of the building but disappointed to learn it had already closed at 5pm! I CANNOT go to class on an empty stomach because I have a noisy stomach. I'll just wanna sink into the ground and disappear if my course mates hear my stomach. So, at a loss, I decided to cross the busy Sin Ming road to get to the makan stalls at the golf range. Great. Chinese New Year shut down. Only the drink stall was open and a Thai Mookata Stall.
How does one eat Thai Mookata by oneself in 30 minutes?
I sat there and ordered a hot Milo. I stared at the small packets of groundnuts on sale.
Desperate, I called my husband and we ended getting mad at each other because I felt he could have just passed me some bottle of CNY kueh kueh from home to eat since he was on his way out to an appointment anyway and he felt I was too demanding. Miffed, I hung up and ordered my groundnuts. Sigh. So that was dinner on Day 1; Hot milo and groundnuts. Actually, it kept me very full. Just that I'm not a big fan of Milo or groundnuts! Thought if I kept it up, I'd perhaps get to lose some weight over 20 days but oh no, hubs felt bad and greeted me with a delicious packet of fried rice from a zhi-char stall when I reached home! Dang. Ate up the whole packet; greedy thing that I am.
Tonight, I'm gonna make sure I have dinner before I arrive there.

Third concern: Got CHABOR or not?
Wow. Saw nearly 40 names on the list outside my assigned classroom door. Spotted a girlie name. Ok. So I wasn't the only female in the sea of men. Not sure why that made me feel comforted. It wouldn't have made a difference to me if I had been the only female. But definitely felt better learning that there were in fact at least 4 females, including myself. Me being the oldest aunty there, I suspect.

Day 1 went well and we received our course materials. I was quite surprised that when I reached home at 10pm+, I wasn't as tired as I had expected and was still able to clean up the kitchen a tad (let's not talk about the laundry though). Ate my fried rice, took my bath and collapsed into LaLa land.

Ta!