A chapter has closed. Another one opens.

Last weekend sent a torrent of emotions - from maudlin to relief to forward-loooking and to nostalgia. For last Friday officially marked the last day of practicum in school. What can be more befitting to celebrate this occassion than having a wonderful teachers' day dinner on Thursday evening with colleagues as a school function, with the day only duly completed when some of us chilled out till wee hours of the night at IndoChine near Clarke Quay.

The following day was hardly any less eventful. After all, it's that judgment day for teachers - either rose or rues. It's that day among that 365 days where teachers sit to watch concerts, receive compliments (or don't receive) them and reminisce how the past few months have been. It was the same day that I had to lugged my goodie bags in the fashion of a slimmed and healthy albeit equally ruddy Santa Clause to my four classes, doling out my farewell gifts to them and made.. what else a farewell speech.

Equally well received with lots of gratitude were gifts and cards from my erstwhile students. What made them special was that they encapsulate both gratitutes (as teachers' day presents the opportunity) and farewells... with languages only reserved for those last days.

So merciful was the one week holiday that I had the time to read the messages they had left for me, and to do some pigging out of what has long been overdued. Below, I was feted to a wonderfully fashioned cupcake given to me by a Sec 1 kid until I realised I should take a shot of it. With a little bit of imagination, recreating the cupcake in your mind's eye should not be too difficult

Of course, I'm also paying tribute to those students who have given me some encouragement in my teaching stint, either through asking questions or just a wonderful smile along the corridor.

I said the holiday was a gratefully received one because the following Saturday I had to wake up in the early morning for a durian tour in JB! Being an absolute die-hard durian fan, no fatigue can stop me from this escapade to taste one of wonderful God's creations on earth - the spiky art of nature that mellows your heart when you finally manage to crack open it and savour its greatness.. Ahhhhh.... Seems like for the first human who came across this this durian, the tenacity to find flesh of treasures inside certainly pays off!

Indeed it didn't disappoint. Thus was my resolve that was made that I shall make this yearly pilmigrage to the durian plantation in JB... and stopping for a Thai body massage at Jusco shopping centre later!

To quote Great Eastern - Life is Great!