Be sure to catch "My School Daze" premiere tomorrow night, 29^th April at 9pm on Channel 8.  The Chinese title literally means "Heavily Loaded School Bags".  Yes that's right, it's a drama weighted on the present state of our education & taking a closer look at the role of what being a teacher means.

I remembered when I read the only first few pages of its ep 1 script, I was too quick to judge it for being "another" family drama about heavily highlighted stress factor of youngsters trying to be elite students, or struggling to stay afloat in a competitive education environment.  I dislike the idea of stereotyping & portraying a Chinese teacher who doesn't know or speaks very poorly English AGAIN.  For me, the actor who is acting that Chinese teacher, Chen Hanwei, is still pretty young maybe in his 40s?

But as my job happened to require me to watch all the episodes, I soon found myself drawn to the story.  For a change, I am awfully thankful to the scriptwriters to have a wife character who is supportive of her husband, especially Ann Kwok's role who is acting as the wife of Chen Hanwei.  Finally our ears can be spared from all the screaming & quarrelling between husbands & wives in dramas!  The actual best reason is seeing how husband & wife works harmony together solving family issues or crisis.  Respecting each other is so important in a marriage to work.

I think the scriptwriter did a good job layering the stress factor of the students as the story unfolds.  There are heartfelt scenes that are very well done which are further spiced up by the actors as well.  I even found myself in tears in some of the scenes.  I am dead serious.

Not to worry, you won't get drown in this drama.  The scriptwriters didn't forget to add entertainment to it.  See the sparkling chemistry between Lin MingLun & Xu Meizhen as the screen couple again!  Audience who have witnessed their fantastic chemistry in the drama "Little Nyonya" (who are acting as screen lovers in it) would agree with me that it's their reincarnation in modern days from "Little Nyonya".  I think the kid actors are also very watchable!

To all those people who said "I don't watch local dramas!" And those who think very lowly of Chinese dramas, I just want to say," Just because we ain't Hollywood, we ain't shooting film etc etc... they ain't the criteria whether it's a successful work or not.  Before we even start comparing with one another, some times accepting one for what it is, allow us to see the precious gem inside.  Beyond the daze, there is a larger picture behind.  And it takes a sincere heart & an opened mind to see it.

when I saw this picture at the side of the toy figure which was stacked at their sides like a book among other figures. 

I reached out my hand & draw it out from the shelf. 

The picture beside the figure confirmed my guess.  It's David Bowie as the goblin king, Jareth, from the movie LABYRINTH!!!  The shop attendant saw my stunned expression & I was glad she didn't give me a ridiculous price for it when asked, since there were no price tags on all the figures.   For a 1986 movie, I must say, it was hard to come by to see its figures.  It's a movie that will stay forever young in my heart...

"It's only forever, not long at all..." - Jareth

 Finally...

Before...

Pls come Back Soon...

This story pick up my heart one fine day & made me smile... ...

Here to share :

 A True Duck Story From San Antonio .....  

Michael worried all night how the momma duck was going to get those babies safely off their perch 
in a busy, downtown, urban environment to take to water, which typically happens in the first 48

hours of a duck hatching.  Tuesday morning, Michael watched the mother duck encourage her

babies to the edge of the perch with the intent to show them how to jump off!

The mother flew down below and started quacking to her babies above. In his disbelief Michael 
watched as the first fuzzy newborn toddled to the edge and astonishingly leapt into thin air, crashing

onto the cement below.  Michael couldn't stand to watch this risky effort. He dashed out of his office

and ran down the stairs to the sidewalk where  the first obedient duckling was stuporing near its mother 
from the near fatal fall.

At this point Michael realized the duck family had only made part of its dangerous journey. 
They had 2 full blocks to walk across traffic, crosswalks, curbs, and pedestrians to get to the

closest open water, the San Antonio   River   The on looking office secretaries and several San 
Antonio police officers joined in. They brought an empty copy paper box to collect the babies.

They carefully corralled them, with the mother's approval, and loaded them in the container. 
Michael held the box low enough for the mom to see her brood. He then slowly navigated

through the downtown st reets toward the San Antonio River The mother waddled behind

and kept her babies in sight.

As they reached the river, the mother took over and passed him, jumping into the river and 
quacking loudly. At the water's edge, he tipped the box and helped shepherd the babies toward

the water and to their mother after their adv enturous ride.

All ten darling ducklings safely made it into the water and paddled up snugly to momma.

Michael said the mom swam in circles, looking back toward the beaming bank bookkeeper,

and proudly quacking.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.  Leave the rest to God.