VGC and Sign Vocab Learning

Our VGC activity ends on 6th July. I didn't manage write on that day because my car broke down at Jln Pudu and end up, I only manage to come back at around 12 something am. SO bad luck. And the next day I got exam.

Then for the first SVL also, I didn't manage to write an entry here because the following day i have an exam. For the First SVL class, we have learned, alphabets, numbers, people, occupations and the days of the week. At first it was kind of tiring because our fingers were not use to it. But as we practice, our fingers gets better and better.

Now for thesecond SVL class, we had learned signing for time, money, animals,colors and pronouns (I, you, yours, we, all, yourself). It was quite a fun activity as usual.

Our class seems to be getting smaller and smaller. For yesterday, there's only 6 of us. maybe they're busy with their things so they didn't come, I don't know. :-)

41 - VGC (4th session)

The traffic was quite smooth today. it took me only 35 mins to reach Brickfields. Since I was early, I lepak in the Shiok Cafe. I ordered a mushroom soup and garlic breads. then later, Sri joined me. We chat quite a bit about brickfield's environment and the traffic. haha....

TOday, there's only 7 of us in the class and our instructor was Esther. She was a nice person and funny. LOL.
We learned to describe colors today. Rupa-rupanya the Deaf describe colors through objects's representation. for example, red, they will show the apple/blood/the lips. It was quite interesting.

We also did some revision on the last class by playing some games. It sounds easy, but actually no. The first part was a drawing game. Esther showed us the gesture and we were required to draw it out. i get 5/9 correct. not bad huh...haha...
Then we played Kim's game. We were divided into 2 groups and each group will send a representative to see the object Esther show. Then we need to describe the object. It was quite fun. A lot like charades. :-)

we did a flashcard game as well. We needd to show the facial exxpressions. FUnny game. And there's also one creative game. Esther pass around a piece of red cloth, then we ned to try to come out with a creative idea on how to use that piece of cloth. Later, she pass around a drum stick..everyone did very well in this.

As usual, i Am looking forward for the next session. =)

40 - H.E.A.R.T (part1) -another story

Another story that I am working on now...

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The moment when you keep mentioning her name, my heart was really aching. Why? AM I not as good as her? Do you really know her that well that you can fall in love with her just like that?
I don’t know whether to tell you about her or not, I scared that you will think I’m jealous…. which I actually am.

Deep down in my heart, I wanted to tell you how I feel about you all these while, but I just can’t open my mouth to say it out. Am I being stupid or what? Can my heart really take it if you really were together with her? Everyday, I will be sitting with you and listen to all you stories about her. Last night, I fell down from the stairs and my hands and legs were full of bruises. You didn’t even notice about it. You use to take care of me so much. But now, you didn’t even notice me.


Evy was sitting under the tree, staring at her lunch box. These few days, she didn’t really eat her meal properly. Either she kept vomiting after eating the food, or she will just tell her dad that she had taken her meal before she got back home. She has also got insomnia that made her looks very restless the day after.

Her feeling towards her childhood friend has developed into a feeling where she dare not express it to him. This has made her very worried over it. She realized that James has hanged out with her not as often as last time. She realizes that she was actually quite dependent on him in many things. These few days, Evy keep waking up late for classes because James don’t wake her up anymore in the morning because he need to fetch Ginny from her house. He was too busy with Ginny that he didn’t realized that he’s actually ignoring Evy.

Evy is an average girl who is very friendly and sporting. Evy was brought up by her father only because her parents had divorced when she was very young. She and James have been friends since they’re 7 years old. James always helps out Evy when she has a problem. And without James’ knowing, Evy has actually fell in love with him since 2 years ago when James saved Evy from drowning.

Now both of them are 22 years old, studying in a same university and took the same course, they had actually grew less closer. Many people has been wondering, isn’t it should be the other way round? Shouldn’t they be closer? But no. James is very busy chasing after Ginny that his relationship with Evy has grew apart. They still sit together in the lecture hall but James always talks about what he did with Ginny the day before to Evy. Evy can just sit there and listen to all the stories and with an aching heart in her.

One day, Evy had decided not to be so dependent on James anymore and she had tried to avoid James as much as she could. Everyone around her can see that she’s trying to avoid James, but James did not notice it at all. Poor Evy. She has to bear all these pain by herself. 3 days after she starts avoiding, James called her on her handphone. He did not even ask about Evy’s well-being and straight away tell her that he and Ginny are together now. At that moment, Evy can only grip hard on the phone and try to stay as calm as she could. After a while, she excuse herself from the call and she hang up. She covered herself with her blanket and start crying. She really can’t control it at all. She felt so heart broken deep inside. She thought that she could let him go, but no. She can’t. Now Evy is in a dilemma. She don’t know whether to tell James about what she heard from Ginny or just let James to find out by himself. She thinks about this all night and at last, she has decided to let James know. She doesn’t want her friend to be betrayed and get heart broken.

The next morning, Evy called James and ask him to see her in the cake house near the school before the class start. James agreed and later they meet up. Right after James order his drink, Evy start telling James what she heard Ginny and her friends said at the university. Ginny was actually on a dare to court James. Right after James ask her to be his girlfriend, she will leave him.

James just keeps quiet when he hears this. He stares at Evy as if he’s trying to read her mind. Then James said, “ Evy, are you jealous because I am with Ginny and I did not spend much time with you anymore? How can you say this? Since when you like to talk bad about other people? Do you expect me to believe you?”

Evy was stunned. She couldn’t believe that James said this to her. James was the second person in this world that knows her well. Evy just stay in silence, looking away from James. She doesn’t want James to see her teary eyes. “I think we should stop meeting up until you’ve get your mind straight.” James walked away without looking back.

A week after that, Evy did not see James anywhere in sight. Now she knows that James has actually trying to avoid her. Evy could not do anything about it. She tried to call James but Ginny picked up the call and always says that James was away. She knows that James must have told her about it. She doesn’t sounds very friendly on the phone.

On the Friday evening, Evy and her friends have gone out for shopping. Evy was waiting by the roadside when Ginny walk towards her. The first thing Ginny did was slap Evy on her face. “How can you tell James about that. Can’t you just mind your own business? Who is he to you? Your boyfriend? Why do you want to care so much? You nearly spoil my plan in this. I am warning you to stay away and mind your own business. I don’t care what you want to tell James, but wait until I’m finish with my plan first. UNDERSTAND?”

At that moment, Evy just felt like slapping her for saying so. How can she do this to James when James loves her so much? But before she manage to do anything, Ginny pushed her backwards as a sign of warning, but this push was too strong that Evy was pushed to the busy road. Evy tries to get back to the side, but it was too late. An oncoming car came, honking from far. Evy was looking at the car with her mouth wide open, all the passer by were too shocked to do anything. Everything happens so fast.

39 - Visual Gesture Course (3rd session)

Today the traffic was quite smooth. Not to say there's not many car, there is, it's just that those cars were moving unlike last week, stuck at one spot. LOL.

Today we learned to describe shapes. We described 1D, 2D, and 3D shapes. Then we described textures and also haird. All using gestures. It was quite fun. There's copy and paste gesture as well. haha....really didn't know that we can apply that action when we want to show repeated patterns.

There were 8 of us today in the class including Josephine. There's one part where we were given flashcards and we need to describe the item or shape on the card using gestures. Some of the actions were quite tough. but after a few round of practice, it became quit smooth.

We learned a few signs today.

Remember: both hands show the thumb. then the LH put it infront of us and the RH at the side of our forehead. Then our RH thumb touch the LH thumb. and this means remember. Unique right...

Understand: Hold our Rh in a fist and place it at th side of our head, at the same level as our forehead. Then then raise the finger next to the thumb...it ives us a bit of the 'light bulb' sign feeling.. :-D

Easy: Place both hand with the palm facing you in front of you. then brush your RH palm against the back of your LH (brush along the finger's length)

Sign language is really an interesting and unique language. Hope that the following class will be more fun. :-D

As usual, I will be lookin forward for the next class.

39 - Visual Gesture Course (3rd session)

38 - Sleep~~ (theStarOnline, Health, June 24th, 2009)

Getting some sleep
THE DOCTOR SAYS


A look at ways to manage insomnia.

THE body rests and recovers from previous activities during sleep. Normal sleep comprises cycles of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). NREM sleep is followed by REM sleep, which occurs four to five times during the usual eight-hour sleep period.

The first REM period of the night may be last less than 10 minutes, while the last may exceed an hour. The NREM and REM cycles vary in length from 70 to 100 minutes initially, to 90 to 120 minutes later in the night.


Restful: Normal adults need six to 10 hours of sleep.
During the first third of the night, deep NREM sleep predominates, while REM sleep predominates in the last third of the night. REM sleep takes up 20% to 25% of total sleep time.

Insomnia

Insomnia refers to the disturbance of a normal sleep pattern. The different types of insomnia are:

·Difficulty getting to sleep (sleep onset insomnia) which is most common in young people.

·Waking up in the night which is most common in older people.

·Waking up early in the morning, which is least common.

·Not feeling refreshed after sleeping, leading to irritability, tiredness and difficulty concentrating during the day.

·Waking up due to disturbances such as noise or pain.

The duration of insomnia varies. It may be:

·Transient, lasting two to three days

·Short-term, lasting more than a few days, but less than three weeks

·Chronic, that is, it occurs on most nights for three weeks or more.

Everyone has experienced insomnia. It is generally accepted that about one-third of the population has insomnia.

How much sleep?

The need for sleep varies with age. A newborn may sleep 16 to 20 hours, and an infant 12 to 14 hours. Toddlers may sleep 10 hours or more. Primary schoolchildren need nine to 10 hours of sleep, while normal adults need six to 10 hours of sleep.

It takes an adult about 10 to 20 minutes to fall asleep. Most of those who have less than five to six hours of sleep are probably not getting enough sleep.

After a good sleep, a person would feel refreshed on waking and can stay alert throughout the day, without the need for naps or sleeping in on weekends.

Symptoms and causes

The symptoms of insomnia vary. They include lying awake for a long period at night prior to sleeping, waking up several times at night, waking up early in the morning and not being able to go back to sleep, feeling tired and not refreshed, inability to function properly during the day, and feeling irritable.

The causes of insomnia:

·Physiological: working at night, light, noise, snoring, partner’s movements, and jet lag.

·Medical: pain or discomfort caused by arthritis, headaches, back pain, menopausal hot flushes, gastrointestinal disorders and pruritus (excessive itching).

·Psychological and psychiatric: examination stress, work worries, relationship problems, anxiety, depression, bereavement and dementia.

·Sleep disorders: sleep apnoea and sleep walking.

·Medicines: antidepressants, appetite suppressants, beta-blockers, corticosteroids and decongestants.

·Alcohol.

Management

Consult a doctor. He will look into the history of your condition and conduct a physical examination. The doctor will enquire about your sleeping routines, previous and current medical conditions, psychological or psychiatric conditions, if any, consumption of caffeine, medicines and alcohol, substance abuse including narcotic drugs, diet and exercise. The cause may be detected through this approach in many instances.

If the cause is not obvious, the doctor will ask for a sleep diary to be kept. This involves recording the time when one goes to sleep, when one wakes up in the morning and when one wakes up at night.

A referral to a specialist may be necessary if the cause is still not obvious. Laboratory tests and polysomnography may be carried out. The latter is used in the diagnosis of sleep apnoea and sleep disorders. This involves recording many parameters when one is asleep, including brain electrical activity; movements of the eye, jaw and leg muscles; and heart and lung functions. The doctor will discuss with the patient prior to any videotaping which may be considered necessary.

Once a diagnosis of the underlying condition has been made, the cause will be treated. For example, if the cause is anxiety or depression, the problem will go away once it is treated.

General measures which do not involve the use of medicines are preferred. It may involve counselling if the insomnia is due to stress or bereavement. Cognitive behavioural therapy which involves changes in thinking and behavioural patterns is useful. Measures like limiting caffeine or alcohol intake, exercise and keeping to a regular sleep routine are helpful.

Sleeping pills may be considered by the doctor for severe or short-term insomnia if general measures do not work. Doctors are usually reluctant to prescribe sleeping pills as they relieve the symptoms but do not address the underlying cause. An individual can also become dependent on sleeping pills, which are not without side effects.

Many of the sleeping pills available belong to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines which require a doctor’s prescription. Benzodiazepines are anxiolytics and hypnotics, that is, they reduce anxiety and promote calmness and sleep. Benzodiazepines can lead to dependence and side effects like a hangover and drowsiness during the day. This can lead to accidents when driving. Examples of benzodiazepines include lormetazepam and temazepam.

The short-acting “Z-pills” that is, zopiclone and zolpidem, act on the same receptors as benzodiazepines but are not classified as such because their molecular structures are different. They were initially thought to be less addictive and habit forming than benzodiazepines but this view has changed with reports of addiction in the past few years. The side effects are similar to benzodiazepines.

The lowest possible dose of sleeping pills should be taken for the shortest possible time. One should only take them under medical supervision. There is no place for self-medication. Do not stop intake abruptly as this may cause withdrawal effects. The doctor’s advice is crucial here.

Melatonin is a hormone that is involved in the regulation of the sleep cycle or circadian rhythm. It is a short-term medicine for insomnia and cannot be consumed for more than three weeks. Although side effects are uncommon, they include dizziness, migraines, irritability, constipation and abdominal discomfort.

Getting good sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is vital. This can be achieved by various means:

·Having a routine facilitates sound sleep. This means going to bed and getting up at about the same time every day. It is important to relax before getting into bed as activity just before bedtime may keep one awake.

·Having an early dinner helps. The digestive system goes to sleep at about 7 o’clock. A light dinner is helpful.

·Avoid caffeine after lunch as caffeine keeps one awake.

·Avoid alcohol as its breakdown produces chemicals that stimulate the individual. It also increases the likelihood of snoring as it relaxes the muscles. This leads to lighter and less refreshing sleep.

·Avoid naps. The afternoon nap may keep one awake at night.

·Avoid light. This is because melatonin, the hormone that helps a person sleep, is produced in the dark.

Dr Milton Lum is a member of the board of Medical Defence Malaysia. This article is not intended to replace, dictate or define evaluation by a qualified doctor. The views expressed do not represent that of any organisation the writer is associated with.

37 - BSL (2nd session)

Gosh...it was raining cats and dogs in the evening today (hmmm i wonder why its cats and dogs..haha). It took me around 1 hour 30 mins to reach YMCA today and i was late 30 mins for the class..haihz~~~

Today's class was more on introduction of SL. It was quite fun. We learned about the SL background, the sign name, then about the dominant and passive hand. There's this new girl in the class, she was very participative...that's good...we can learn from the questions she asked. Overall, again, its amazing and i will be looking forward for next week =)

36 - Sign language course (1st session0

220609

Today was my first day of class for the sign language course at YMCA. We had a self-introductory session. No Spoken language and no writing for this session. We were required to use our drawing, body gesture, hands movement and facial expression to introduce ourself and give a brief background on our family members. It was an interesting session. Before this, I had never done something like this and it was really new to me. All of us keep laughing when we see some unfamiliar yet funny actions.

I had learned something new today as well. For the deaf, when we give an applause, they will not be able to hear it. So in order to let them know that we're clapping our hands, we raise our hand with open palms and shake our hand... it was quite interesting.
I can't imagine if I was to live in a world of silence. Through out the class, it was really very quiet. TIme is ticking but we don't seem to notice it. Is it because of the activity or because of the quietness of the room???

The participants in this course were all working adults and there were 3 Korean girls there too. I wonder why they're here and were they working or studying. I'll find it out next session i think. :-)

I amreally looking forward for the Wed session. I wonder what'll we'll be learning. And other thatn that, I really did not expect to be assess in this course like in Uni. We were required to do a quiz, writen test, and assignments....gosh...hahhahahaah...But I think it'll worth my efforts....

35 - Upcoming presentation

coming Monday (8th June) will be my presentation day for PSY 220. I know that its only a 2 minutes presentation which is way much shorter and easier compared to the MC100, but i am feeling kind of nervous each time i thought about it. Can someone give me some hint on how to present it well and how do I overcome my nervousness. GOSH!!! Is it because I am worried about the feedback that others will give to me? I just don't know.

I am now having a mix feeling of nervous, happy, excited as well as scared. (calm down, calm down)....
Hope I can do this presentation well...

34 - Results~~(my view and thoughts)

Got my result for my last sem's subject....as expected...C+(65-69) for both.....My overall results for first year was not excellent..but I am satisfied with it. I don't really set a high expectation for myself in academic studies all these while. Because??

1) i know my own capability (lol....poor memory)
2) the higher the expectation, the bigger the disappointment...
3) I think that academic results on a piece of paper will not proof everything. So by doing average will be good enough for me.
4) I'm kind of lazy (need to improve myself in this. Time management is what I'm going to focus on this sem. I'll try my best for it)

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Some people may want to strive the best in their academic studies but wouldn't it be stressing yourself up? For me, yes. The thing I don't like. Being stress all the time. I love carefree life. Not to say I don't want stress at all, but not stress from my studies Studying for me is to add knowledge to ourselves, to search what we want and what we're striving for. If we stress up ourself too much in this, will we be able to enjoy the whole process of studying? (Ask yourself this)

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The things I wish to achieve this sem:
- Perform better than before for my presentation (improve me nervousness)
- Discipline myself~~~ (time management)
- Complete my assignments~~ (of course I must)
- Find out what I want to do for my internship
- Reults??: er~~~ Above average if possible~~ ahhahahaha...(work smart for it)