Parent's Response to e-Bookshelf

Firstly, here is the link again to my eBookshelf.

Okay. This blog entry is basically to get this other point-of-view about my electronic bookshelf: from my mother. Here is what she thinks:

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" This is an innovative way to encourage the habit of reading. Hopefully the children will carry on this habit after leaving school. Thank You."

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Right, I know that it is a rather short piece of opinion from her. I suppose you will understand what is phrased in just a matter of a few words :). However, right up till today, I still can't seem to understand the meaning of maintaining such a bookshelf - for exam marks?

Nevertheless, I guess my mother is rather on a neutral scale (maybe it is because she is busy when I asked her). Anyways, even if it means I do not understand why I am keeping an electronic bookshelf, it sure doesn't hurt to maintain one - keep a lookout for updates on the shelf =)!

Mother's Memorable Read

I have never known that my mother enjoyed reading English books. In the past, she was brought up in an almost completely Chinese Environment. Most of her childhood was spent under chinese exposure, so it was really unexpected that she did have a favourite english book.

Okay, now on to the book itself. It's title is: The Secret Island by Enid Blyton. Actually, she cannot really recall what the story was really about, but that was the first answer she gave me when I asked her the question. Apart from that book, she has also read classics like Gulliver's Travels, Aesop's Fables, Treasure Island and the like.

From her response, I can only conclude that she really enjoyed reading when she was young, and this includes a wide spectre of books from various genres. Hitherto, I have finally found out her real passion to books when she was young.

Perhaps this was my mother's first response simply because of the title, which could have caught her eye both when she was young, and emerged from her memory when she was answering my question. My mother enjoys exploring (even now, she loves to go overseas because she likes adventures) and maybe the title of the story suggests mystery and adventure.

On the other hand, it could also be because of this book that she began to enjoy adventures. Whichever it was, I suppose my mother remembered this read after so many years also because she found it meaningful. I have read Enid Blyton's stories when I was a pre-schooler, and I am fairly aware that Enid Blyton can create stories that seem so vivid. This is why my mother can still recollect these memories after so long.

However, she told me that it was also because she wanted to improve on her English (Don't forget: Chinese environment) and Enid Blyton's books were considerably thicker and her stories are longer; my grandfather bought many other series of such books for my uncles and my mother so as to raise their standards of English.

I believe that this book would stay in my mother's memories for a long time to come, and in the meantime, I guess she has many other more books in mind;

That would be another story.

(Image courtesy of: istockphoto)

Braced myself for these Braces

It has been quite some time since I last blogged, but anyways, it was today that I put on metal things that would last me for another 1 and a 1/2 years. Agonising...

It is already aching really badly - and so far, I don't see any improvements from how my teeth are aligned. Also, I didn't know that putting on braces costed more than $3000, and it took the dentist 45minutes to do all the assembling of the braces. I assumed that he would put some form of anaestatic substance onto the oral region, but no, he proceeded to put them on - that was something I did not expect.

Now, I would have to go for cleaning appointments on a monthly basis, and I must go on a soft diet, and my front teeth cannot close or it would hurt really badly, I must use a special toothbrush to brush my teeth, the metal pressing against my teeth is really aching - it is just so hard to adapt to these overnight. I wonder if sleeping would be a trying experience because it aches consistently, and it does not seem to die down at all.

I suppose my schoolwork would be compromised on - because I cannot concentrate on my work with the pain going on. And how am I going to play the saxophone in my school band with these on? I really don't know, and I don't really know why I am complaining to a blog either.

Maybe it is because I have just started with this and am not yet experienced - amateurism. If you can offer me any form of advice (except to remove them), please comment. I would be more than appreciative to hear from you.

In the meantime, I would have to bear the pain. Thank you in advance..now why does my mouth taste of blood...