THE ENCYCLOPEDIA WAS MY TEACHER, NOW IT’S YOUTUBE

Remember the encyclopedia?

I had an uncle who kept volumes (from A to Z) of the Encyclopedia Britannica in a cupboard. No one could touch it. It was as if these books were put in there as a display.

At the school library, I use the encyclopedia as my reference books. Just like the dictionary, only the encyclopedia had a lot more information than just on words alone. It was my teacher. I refer to it mostly when teachers can’t give me a satisfactory answer to my questions.

These days, kids (and adults, included) have Google and the many search engines available. All they need to do is type in what they want to know and voila … the answer is there for the taking!

But it is YouTube that has replaced the encyclopedia as my teacher.

Some of the things I’ve learned and become good at are because of the videos on YouTube.

Baking is one of them. Decourage is another. The third will, insya’Allah, be playing the guitar.

When I was in school, I used to follow my mother to her baking and cooking classes. I get to eat what ever she learned at class.

Now, I signed up for baking classes on my own. Nothing can compare with seeing it live being done by the bakers/teachers.

At the first baking class, I wanted to learn the technique to making cream puffs as mine always sank during cooling period after baking. The second class was mostly for cake decorating.

But these “live” classes don’t come cheap compared with YouTube, which is free, although some sites can be premium content (payable through subscription).

YouTube have taught me to bake other cakes and desserts and decorate these cakes and cookies. A teacher taught me how to make a peony from fondant at a cake decorating class but I learn how to make other flowers on YouTube.

As for decoupage, I happened to chance a YouTube video on the art.

After watching a few videos on it, I said to myself, “I can do this.”  All I needed was the tools for it. I headed to a crafts store at Garden and got everything needed to start it.

This is a hobby I take seriously.

If you follow my Facebook and/or Instagram, you would have seen some of my work. Family and friends have asked whether I am selling my work. It’s too pretty to sell but there are way too many to keep at home. I may just consider giving it to close friends and relatives.

A vase which has been decoupaged with floral paper napkins

Playing the guitar? Yes. I already have a guitar. Classes conducted by a colleague are dependent on whether he or the students are available. I have not made any headway in class.

So, I will be turning to YouTube for this.

If I can learn to play one song, even if it’s “Happy Birthday”, it would be an achievement.