Having faith. Believing. Reach for the sky.

Goodbye ol' boat

2012-01-22T13:25:00.004-08:00

As the tide draws in,
Tears of joy and laughter evaporates into the heavy air,
The winds of reality steadily move away from our direction,
The sails are drawn up,
The steady wind blows, guiding the boat into the distance,
Away it goes, into the realm of truths,
The oceans will separate, but the bonds of friendship forever remains,
Thus a new life begins.

Goodbye ol' boat, you'll forever be remembered.

with love,

How to be a gracious B**** - Just for laughs

2011-12-03T20:41:00.001-08:00

this was copied from an email I received earlier today, have a read! [ especially if you're a female ].

Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement - not even her parent's nasty divorce.

Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear, and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!

A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new, young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother!

Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused. “Absolutely not! I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it,”she replied.

Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, ''Never mind sweetheart. I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.''

A few days later, they went shopping, and did find another gorgeous dress for her mother.

When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, ''Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."

Her mother just smiled and replied, ''Of course I do, dear.....I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night BEFORE the wedding.''

Freshmen 15 rants

2011-12-02T00:07:00.001-08:00

I was reluctant at first, to step on that scale of horror.

But I did it anyways. I mean, how bad can it get?

I ran for half an hour, did rowing exercises, burned some calories,

I'll probably weigh lighter after that you know.

and then the moment of truth arrived.

I stepped on the scale, and.

this is the heaviest i've ever weighed in my entire 19years.

my roommate and i always complain about the extra layers during the nights

just cuz.

and you know how you'd always say

" im so going on a diet starting tomorrow"

and you see something you like at the cafe or bakery and you forget

all about it. and this so called diet rituals carry on forever!

But nevertheless, girls, embrace your college curves! ;)

For the first year, your body is going through a transition so,

just let that be an excuse.

You can go and worry during Sophomore, junior and senior year!

One thing tho, never forget to kept a more active and healthy lifestyle

alongside devouring those sinful delights!

On another note, i finally got to skype with my family yesterday and

it was amazing. i miss you guys heap loads :(

And somehow, I tend to be more hyped up and loud when it comes

to them. lame too :)

i just had to include this photo my brother slyly took of me. so hilarious! haha

I have been missing on this blog for awhile now. It's finals week and it has been a hectic one. another week and I'll be off to Cali! Well I hope you're having an amazing day there! If the day hasn't started off great for you, then i wish you'll have a brighter and more positive day there! smile and remember to start living :)

The casual post

2011-11-15T11:20:00.001-08:00

I have been shopping.

I found that most of the shirts or sweaters

have a similar theme : baggy and loose.

Coinciding with the winter fattening season and the tighter pants,

I have been craving for over-sized sweaters.

It's so comfy, and loose! therefore you dont have to worry too much

about those muffin tops protruding out during the yummy,hibernating,food-filled

winter season! :)

Mid Sems

2011-11-02T01:47:00.000-07:00

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.
- Socrates, in the Apoplogia, Plato

Philosophy for midterms tomorrow. So much to read and acquire.
but i have to admit, I am enjoying this subject quite a fab bit :)

Trying to keep the stress level at a proper level.

I know most of us studying class men will be having exams around this time period,

I wish you guys all the best and will definitely be keeping everyone in my prayers.

God Bless!

Just for laughs : the haircut

2011-10-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

A teenage boy had just passed his driving test and inquired of his
Father as to when they could discuss his use of the car.

His father said he'd make a deal with his son: 'You bring your grades
Up from a C to a B average, study your Bible, and get your hair cut. Then
We'll talk about the car.'

The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the
Offer, and they agreed on it.

After about six weeks his father said, 'Son, you've brought your grades
up and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible,
But I'm disappointed you haven't had your hair cut.

The boy said, 'You know, Dad, I've been thinking about that, and I've
noticed in my studies of the Bible that Samson had long hair, John the
Baptist had long hair, Moses had long hair ~ ~ ~ and there's even
Strong evidence that Jesus had long hair.'

You're going to love the Dad's reply:

'Did you also notice that they all walked everywhere they went?'

The Road trip to The Colombian Basin Vantage, Eastern Washington.

2011-10-12T16:18:00.001-07:00

So during the weekend, on Saturday, all the geology students had to go on this road trip

from 8am-6pm to Eastern Washington .

It was you know, a short two hours journey by van to get there.

The van is a bad way to go if you have the tendency to get

car sick tho!

Well, we visited the sites that we have been studying and reading about in class.

Those sites visited were : The Scablands, The Colombian Basin, Puget Wind Farm

and the Petrified Forest.

The petrified forest being an outdoorsy research center displaying various specimens of

wood-rock that have been turned into rocks due to the infiltration of magma - which occurred

millions of years ago.

We were blessed to have such an amazingly beautiful weather that day, for photos and

for research as well as sketching.

Twas a charmingly pleasant day,

getting away from the city life and from technology [except the camera].

Well, I had fun taking photos till the memory card ran out of space,

and just relaxing - appreciating all the overwhelming beauty the place had to offer :)

God's a genius really.

The Colombia River

as for this whole area, i was first formed due to a massive megaflood which swept
away huge parts of the area, causing all these geological structures and landscape.
The flood was so massive, that in just a few hours, a flat land became all of this! [pictured below]
the pictures could not tell the depth of the area. hence, it doesnt do it justice.

all of these were once flat lands!

The wind farm.

Dont you just love the color of the sky and how the clouds are positioned?

my edited photo : the backseat view.

And as for sunday,

as excited as I am, I woke up way earlier than needed on the day itself because

I was overly excited - to go to an outlet store in Everette called Tulalip!

Woke up at 2.30am, 4am and finally 7am. Got ready, took a bus

to Udub and met with Syadishy and the other msians and we were off

to SHOP! I usually prefer cheaper shopping cuz you get more for less!

SO, my goal was to find sports stuff for tennis. it's all about the running shoes and

sports jacket. [which im in love with at the moment : my first tennis jacket! ]

Ps. no one wears a tennis jacket in Malaysia. so when I watch tourneys

on tv, Im like ' i want one of those someday!' :)

And as for the evening, I rushed to Paramount Theater for a

Blue man group concert. it was very different and it was definitely hilarious

to watch them perform. Only heard of them because of Fine Arts class.

We had reasonably good seats.

Words to sum up the entire night - amusing, funny, comedy,

flying orbs with lights in them, toilet paper rolls tossed in the air,

PVC pipe instruments, twiggies, colourful, vibrant, interactive and

simply just fun to watch :)

Yups, it was a productive weekend.

I'm a happy person now. :)

2011-10-08T21:37:00.001-07:00

Suddenly, I miss my guitar.
I think it's the college environment,
or maybe the need to have another method of stress relief.

A Reflection

2011-09-27T12:04:00.002-07:00

So I'm sitting here in my newly rearranged room, Adele's 'Someone Like You' plays in the background, the occasional chilly wind blowing past my window, sleeves are pulled down, a slight shiver, and it takes me to this nostalgic reflective mood or phase, I'm not so certain.

Why am I here exactly? I go in and out of class ritually, nobody stays back for a short chat. It's a repetition and a series of college-like practices. Is this what college life is really about? Self discovery?
I come to believe that it is a phase (which some of us blessedly fortunate people could experience)where we are able to have a better understanding and placement of what we want in life. Like I questioned earlier, it's a self discovering journey.

No more spoon feeding like what you get back in high school. No more running home for comfort. No familiar culture or practices that will remind us of home - for some; ie being the only Malaysian around. No more petty thoughts.
This is real. This is here. It's time to pick ourselves up and find out our purpose in life.

When I was in the chapel yesterday, reflecting, I questioned God over and over again. What is my purpose on this Earth? Why haven't I got the clear directions or signs? Why are the things I'm experiencing happening to me? Why not someone else?

So I made a promise, to myself and to God. I'm going to spend a certain amount of time in the chapel each and everyday to reflect. To pray. To pray for the people around me. To pray for those I know and for those I've yet to get to know. To pray for the gift to appreciate everything that has been laid out in front of me. Really, I am sometimes annoyed with myself with complaining about certain things that has happened and is happening. I need to practice the ritual of appreciation a little more. We have the natural tendency to take things for granted. Don't. Or things will pass you by ever so quickly that you'll just lose grasp of it and regret it for the rest of your lives.

Pray. Keep your faith in mind. Be strong and believe.
I try to remind myself everyday that God has plans.
Things happens for a reason :)

Hope you'll have a blessed day there my friends!
with love, xx.

Hello S.E.A.T.T.L.E!

2011-09-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

ETA : 7th September 2011, 7.50pm.

Flight arrival from Taipei.

Touchdown : Seatac Airport

I had ten days [and counting] to explore this amazingly pretty city situated up north west

of Washington State.

Was welcomed by an entourage of the amazing AWs :)

Definitely nice to know that I've got a home away from home here.

Well,it has definitely been a busy week. International Students orientation took place earlier this week,

Freshmen Orientation starts tomorrow! So far so good.

Started off being a little ~~very~~ lonely and depressed and homesick but as the days progressed,

the man up there has blessed me with better tomorrows everyday!

But i definitely still need some time to fully open up and be who i am when I'm back

home : crazy.

Still a little bit reserved and shy. and sleepy. My grandma says that I always have

a 'sleepy face look' everytime she sees me. something must be wrong with my exterior profile.

must be the eyebags. the ginormous annoying eyebags.

I need that boost of sugar rush to get my happy bones smiling and dancing at full potential again!

One thing tho, I do start to miss Beijing school life a little bit.

I have no idea why! :(

Maybe once class starts, and once tomorrow starts, once

i meet my roommate, once i truly settle in, hopefully, the sun will shine brighter.

Nevertheless, I'm having the adventure of my life : starting a new chapter.

Meeting new people and learning. Gaining knowledge.

Honestly, i cant wait for classes to start!

NERD.

Who doesnt want to be a nerd. havent you heard? It's the coolest thing around town

-even Einstein rocked that fluffy hair style of his.

People here has definitely been extra friendly and helpful.

The hall I'm living in is nice and cozy. place is pretty.campus is pretty.

Reminds me of KTJ hallways a little bit,

just that it's coed now.

FUN FACT : We had to represent our own country for a presentation in front of the entire

international group. Guess who's the only Malaysian in town?

AND the toilet has automatic towel dispenser machines! -sakai

the room!

The highway between the American and Chinese culture

my grocery shopping ;)

100% my motto.

The Gum Wall - Downtown Seattle

Thefirst Starbucks - quaint little coffee shop by the Public Market

Pike'splace market - by Seattle's waterfront

been addicted with editing photos. the waterfront and college grounds.

more photos coming your way soon! xx.

M.I.A

2011-08-31T20:48:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, I have been lazy to blog these few weeks and before you know it September has arrived!

If you have been following my older posts, there's always something that I constantly find
myself saying : time flies.

And that is for sure. Over a month ago, US seems to be something so far away. Today, I'm counting the days left in Kuching. Just yesterday, it was a week to go. Today, 6 days to go. The crying/watery eyes season has definitely started.

I'm so excited to be heading to Seattle yet I'm so nervous! Will the people there be friendly? Will I be able to cope with the American style of teaching? How's my new roommate gonna be like? Will I find myself trapped in the category of the 'Freshman fifteen' [ vain thought; anyways ]?

Just for your info if you have never heard of that term before:

'The Freshman fifteen refers to an amount (somewhat arbitrarily set at fifteen pounds) of weight often gained during a student's first year at a college or university.

The expression is commonly used in the United States and Canada. In Australia and New Zealand it is sometimes referred to as First Year Fatties, Fresher spread, or Fresher Five, the latter referring to a five kilogram gain.'

Then again, the man up there has plans for you and i :)

I've packed one luggage, on more to go. spending time to choose what and what not to bring. so stressful really! choosing which skirt, which blouse, which dress, which pair of sunnies. haha jokes. I come to believe that I've become less worried about how I dress and how I look as much as before. maybe it's the age - hitting the big TWO [not yet]! the level of vanity has depreciated. hence chopping off about 10inches of hair due to the extremely humid weather here. BUT of course, every girl loves to dress up and look pretty once in awhile :)

Sometimes, a little extra effort in dressing up could boost a whole lot of confidence in one self especially when strutting down Orchard road. I specifically mentioned Orchard road because, my cousin and I realised that people there really do dress up even if they dont, the girls there are all so slim and long legged! I honestly do envy them ~~a little bit~~ . If ever, till pigs fly, that I decided to really really go on a fitness regime, I want to target a healthy slim look. Not the model skinny type but more of the athlete type with lean muscles and assets :) i'm just saying. no harm in dreaming big eh? ;)

Counting your blessings

2011-07-30T10:25:00.002-07:00

One of human's biggest flaw - not having the capability to appreciate and be contented with what they have got.
[ I think I have written a post before regarding this but nevertheless]

You, me, I am sure you come across one of those days where questions beginning with -
'If only I was that skinny..' 'If I were a millionaire..' 'Why is it so unfair..'
It is perfectly fine to have big dreams and ambitions, 'cuz those will be the fuel and motivational drive you need to achieve success in life.
By success, everyone has their own definition of it.

I have been a culprit for being unsatisfied of things - be it the cause of vanity or decisions made, I always had something to complain about. But of course I have been and am trying my best to appreciate everything I've got and it has definitely made me a happier and satisfied person beginning year 2011.

Just as I was complaining about a group of girls cutting the queue while I was queuing up to board the plane back to kuching today, a group of juniors of whom I happen to know were apparently chased by a swarm of bees the very same afternoon. All of them were admitted in the General Hospital after the incident. Some went into a coma and most were injured. When I heard of the news, my heart literally sank. Twenty two of them in total.

[Just two weeks ago, I was around the same area with jian ming burying dead jelly fish that were swept to shore - i had multiple huge gross sand fly bites from that incident of which I was fussing about , but come to think of it, it is nothing compared to the pain of being stung by bees.]

I couldn't possibly imagine how their parents must have felt to hear of the news and the thought of having to wait for your child to wake up from a coma, the anxiety must be overwhelming. Right now, it's best if we just offer them our prayers and that God will pour his blessings unto them.

It's so scary. And the shooting incident in Norway, taking away lives of innocent kids - where is the compassion in that?

Anyways I shall not go astray from the topic I intended to write about.
Yes, counting your blessings.

Honestly,I do sometimes meet people who tell me that I'm weird because I smile too much, or that I try to be too positive and such. One or two gives me weird faces of annoyance telling me that I do not want to accept the truth that there are hardships in life. Wrong.I can, and I will face any hardship life throws at me with a positive outlook and a smile.

Since the beginning of 2011, I have been praising and thanking the man up there for all the things that has happened in my life so far. Well to be honest, it hasnt been a walk in the park for me. So many obstacles came in the way and altered much of my future that has yet to come. But coming to think of it, maybe all of these happen for a reason. I always tell myself, God has plans.

During my time in Tsinghua, I got to experience so many new things, and meet so many wonderfully colourful individuals. My initial plan was to stay back in Beijing to continue my undergraduate course in Global finance, however, mid april, I received a phone call from a professor saying that my name was not in the registration list and that I would not be able to enter the undergrad course. I was horrified by the news, how could that be? I registered ages ago! And so, after crying and comforting myself with overseas calls to malaysia and the uk, the registrar finally agreed to let me reapply even though the deadline has passed - not knowing that I had to sit for a physics, chemistry and maths paper in CHINESE. I've only started to pick up the language and to be able to memorise all the names of molecules and atoms in a week's time, is just not possible! I was mortified. Mortified was not even close to how I felt. Thank god I was busy preparing for an exam and performance at that time to take the stress and worries away temporarily.

*A few months earlier, before this whole 'chaos' in my life occurred, I have applied to a few universities in the States as well.Well, I've gotten offers from those I have applied to, and I had to choose which one to go to. As advised, go to the one with the best scholarship and warmest staff members. So I accepted. Actually, I went for the one which I thought suited me and my study interests best, and the one with a pretty campus and surroundings. This became my safety net. Not knowing that this was the University I was heading to for real [ back then I thought I would have most probably end up in Beijing for undergrad ].

And now, come to think of it, maybe it's a blessing in disguise that I'm heading to Seattle now. maybe it was all god's plans after all. Amidst the stress, tears and hair loss I have gone through, things are finally looking brighter! But of course, throughout the whole phase, I am so thankful to have such amazingly supportive parents and friends to help me through. So thankful for the chance and opportunity to be able to discover a different country even though it was only for a 5 months course! So thankful for everything that has happened - the good and not so good.

I was watching a documentary last week of how this boy from south sudan had to find work to support his family of 5. Four months walking barefoot from village to village, looking for work and there was none offered because jobs were scarce. His mother had to go and beg for food, which left him feeling like a failure [although it was not even his fault that jobs were extremely hard to come by] the entire family's breakfast lunch and dinner was a plate of some sort of flour, poured some water unto the flour, the dough-like mixture was the only available source of energy of which they survived on.
That compared with stress over where to study? No maths needed.

And to you who happens to be reading this, don't forget to count your blessings,
you don't know how lucky and blessed you are :)

Hope you have a blessed day there!
with love, :) .

As the crow flies..

2011-07-19T23:33:00.005-07:00

Approximate distance as the crow flies in miles from Seattle United States
to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia is 8037 miles or 12931.53 kilometers

From Kuala Lumpur to Kuching 208.9 miles or 336.18 kilometers

Total Distance : 8245.9 miles / 13267.71kilometers

OMG

Proof reading is a dying art

2011-07-11T18:05:00.010-07:00

So I received a hilarious email from my mother about headlines gone wrong. Have a read! :)

Man Kills Self Before Shooting Wife and Daughter

Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says
No kidding, really?

Police Begin Campaign to Run Down Jaywalkers
Now that's taking things a bit far!

Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
What a guy!

Miners Refuse to Work after Death
No-good-for-nothing' lazy so-and-so's!

Juvenile Court to Try Shooting Defendant
if that works any better than a fair trial!

War Dims Hope for Peace
I can see where it might have that effect!

If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, It May Last Awhile
Ya think?!

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures
Who would have thought!

Enfield ( London ) Couple Slain; Police Suspect Homicide
They may be on to something!

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridges
You mean there's something stronger than duct tape?

Man Struck By Lightning: Faces Battery Charge
He probably IS the battery charge!

New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
Weren't they fat enough?!

Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
That's what he gets for eating those beans!

Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
Do they taste like chicken?

Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
Chainsaw Massacre all over again!

Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
Boy, are they tall!

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Did I read that right?

Goodbye Beijing

2011-07-02T05:25:00.001-07:00

Well,I will be heading back to Malaysia tomorrow noon,

so this will be my last post from Beijing -having to go through an international

IP server avoiding china proxy settings, the whole nostalgic feeling

of leaving a familiar place, familiar faces and familiar habits starts to set in once again.

Well, it's about time for me to say good bye to Beijing and Tsinghua.

Over the past few weeks, I have been going to farewell dinners and gatherings,

saying good bye to people who will definitely leave an impression in my life.

There is absolutely no regrets in coming to this beautiful,colourful country,

although I have to put up with people spitting, pollution and lengthy commuting,

my stay in Beijing has been an interesting, educational, mind-opening one.

Having the opportunity to come here and undergo an intensive chinese language course,

I feel blessed to have done so.

Well, I'm gonna miss you for sure Beijing.

And most of all, the wonderful,awesome,beautiful people that

added sugar&spice towards my experience here.

orientation crew!

the last K-box session :)

Stephen and Mei Lan(the first person i met in tsinghua :) )

the Malaysians

my dearest aunty of a friend, i am so gonna miss you :( late night chats,
xiao chi days and all :( see you in Phils and msia soon!

3D, you will be missed!

My Update

2011-06-28T03:11:00.001-07:00

So i've added pages onto this blog.
If you dont get it, it's basically the two links entitled
-About me
-The journey

I honestly am one of the worst people to come asking questions about html, technologies,
microsoft excel and all. the 'pages' were only found by accident. I accidentally
clicked on the wrong tab for writing a post [blogger talk :P ]
When I saw it on other blogs, I started googling 'How to add extra info and tabs on blog'.
It came across too complicated and I didnt have the time to read all the steps.

In the end, it was in blogger.com the entire time!

Anyways, its my last week in Beijing, been catching up with friends and revisiting all my
favourite places! AND ,although Im not a korean drama fanatic, my friend introduced me to a short 16episode drama called 'Playful kiss' and honestly, I have been enjoying every bit of cheesiness in it ;)

June June June

2011-06-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

Well It has been 20days since i've visited my blog,

one week since I went on facebook,

reasons being,

1.)Family was in Beijing,

2.)Finals finals finals!

all the hundreds of chinese characters that needed to be memorised and understood!

Well, Ive got 1.5 weeks left in this new,busy,polluted,colourful,interesting,diverse,cheap food delivery,eye opening,hot,humid,cold,breezy,sardine packed city!

Am gonna appreciate all the time left here,

ordering korean/japanese food delivery at least once a day,spend quality time with my new awesome aunty of a roomie (hug), eat all the 小吃, travel, shop, a few more outings, final few 'reunions', and it will be good bye Beijing and hello Malaysia for me :)

TLC - Unpretty

2011-06-03T19:50:00.002-07:00

Was in a pub the other day and No Scrubs by TLC played. Real music :)
So I went on youtube to look for their music videos and I found this one pretty cool -
reflecting on one's inner beauty which most important :)
Seriously, sometimes people get too obsessed with vanity -
covering themselves layers and layers of make up, undergoing plastic surgery, going on
crazy stringent slimming down diets..
Of course light make up for a normal day, heavier ones for special occasions and healthy diets
are perfectly fine. But what is the aim of all of that?
Some to feel good about themselves, some, to attract the opposite sex.
But wouldnt you want a man to love you for who you are and not just the way you look?

Through this song, building on your inner beauty and self confidence should be your priority first.
Once you're sure of yourself and if you think surgeries and being stick thin will make you feel like a
happier individual, then do it. But if you havent gotten that self confidence and inner beauty thing
up to par - DONT. cuz once you know how amazing you are inside, you'll naturally become even
more attractive and beautiful on the outside :) and you'll realise that you dont have to change or hide
a single thing about yourself.

Love your life, love yourself.
short tall chubby skinny dark fair - everyone is beautiful in God's eyes :)

Temper

2011-06-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

-a post i found on my other abandoned blog. I wrote it when I was really upset during one of those days back in high school. but anyhow, I thought I'd share it over here as well cuz I sometimes, everyone do need the reminder :)

Temper is an art.

It brings about the worse in people.
Reacting at the very instance as the adrenalin rushed through their veins.
Thundering bellows and grey comments.
It ends up with frustration and unhappy hearts.
If only we could stop for one moment.
Stop and count to 3.
The world would be a happier place.
Fewer wars and less violence.
More unions and more love.
Understanding the human mind,
is an art we have to teach our own selves.
Patience is a virtue to all things.

Last Night

2011-05-27T17:54:00.001-07:00

After class yesterday, I went out with a few friends to Xidan,a shopping mall district, for a chilled out Friday night. We had a literally piping hot Ajitsen dinner. Salads, Japanese hot stone pots and Tom yum goong noodles. Diary queen for dessert :)

We walked around, went into small little shops,trying on the accessories - even the guys had some vain moments, jokes and pollution on the young innocent minds, Werner teaching meryl and I swear words in cantonese, Sheryl having weird cravings for bun with vanilla fillings, Dunn and Lily having a good dose of sibling rivalry. Decided to leave before the train service stopped, reached school before midnight, and we decided to fetch our bikes - yes I'm cycling now :), and we went to the supermarket and bought a bottle of cold drink each, and sat on our bikes outside the building yapping away.

Chatting till our butt bones hurt, so we went for an impromptu bicycle ride around school campus and when the heavier butt sore came into place, we called it a night :)

I have to say, it was a good, happy, and contented night - there was no need for a loud,wild night accompanied by calorific booze or a fancy club to put a smile on my face to get me on a sugar high mode.

Honestly, reflecting upon the many nights of getting to know each other better, i'm gonna miss all of this.

Although I cant wait to go back home to the familiar taste, smell and touch - I'm gonna' miss all this Beijing adventure and experience and the wonderful multi-colored people I've met and gotten to know :')

Well at least now, I've gotten to know people from almost any and every country -you name it.

A whole lot places to visit when I become rich and wealthy enough to take a whole year off for vacation.

“ 你做梦了吗？”

My weird disease

2011-05-26T07:38:00.002-07:00

OH I MISS BLOGGING!
Have not been able to use facebook or any prohibited websites for the past few weeks!
It was pretty dreadful indeed.
My weeks has been filled with class dinners and late nights, day trips, tests after tests and a whole lot of
smile,joy and laughter.

Went for an exam 2weeks ago. It was an English paper. 3hours. had extra time so I decided to
write the silliest no-sense poem ever. out of boredom and patience :)

Here it goes, don't die, it only took me 5minutes of figuring out meaningless rhyming words :

Paper planes and paper cranes,
Thrown up in the air with despair,
One was blue, the other stuck with glue,
I have no clue if I have gotten the flu,
So I flew to Peru with my crew,
My friend said I grew, I said maybe a few,
I created this rhyme, because I had the time,
Although it makes no sense, lets put this in past tense,
OMG this is so lame, I bet you're the same!
Sat for a test, lets forget the rest!

Trust me, I died and am dying as I type this out, reading it for the second time.

Sad Sad case of the weird disease

Reflection

2011-05-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Over the past 2months, since the season of lent started,
I have been more disciplined in reading the bible and spending time talking to God.

First thing when I wake up every morning,
I thank him for giving me a chance to live a day more,to see more and experience more.

When the sun is right in place and when the weather is perfect,
I thank him for letting me wear my shorts and comfy T-shirts.

When someone reaches their destination safely,
Amen to that.

When I am able to eat all the food that I have been craving for over the past few days,
I thank him for being fortunate enough to eat whatever and whenever i want to.

When the you manage to catch the last bus back to the dorm,
I thank god for saving me the long walk back.

After my daily good night skype calls with my parents,
I couldn't ask for anything more comforting :)

And the list goes on..

The problem with us humans us that there are just so many wants,
greed takes-over. But do try, to STOP. relax a little while.
Appreciate everything that you've got; the ability and chance to believe.

Give thanks. Pray. and spend some time reflecting on what you have
done for the past few days. It sure helped me to be a more grateful and
contented person.

My impromptu visit to the saloon

2011-05-08T05:45:00.000-07:00

Well, just the whole before and after pictures of my hair -

out of vanity sake!

having lunch after church :)

i felt like i was one of the anime wannabes :S so blonde!

the shockingly unexpected bright colour comes in..

ta-dah! not that much, but i feel pink :)

A dedication to my best friend,

2011-05-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

Zoe, you're an amazing friend,individual and sister.

I only wish you the best and all the nicest things on this very special day.

I know exams are near, but do give yourself a break as well.

you deserve it!

Wishing you a ~~hell~~ heaven

of a wonderful 20th Birthday there!

Lots of love, xx.

i had to put this pict up,its so cute! it has been one year! still remember ms pathma
coming in halfway through? haha :)

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?

2011-05-06T20:40:00.001-07:00

From an email I received, no matter the religion, this is a beautiful message :)

This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen and is so true:
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ' This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section, my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed." How is it that there is no work going on here? ' I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments"

"How does one acknowledge God's blessings? " I asked..

"Simple," the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you, Lord. "
"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. "

"And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."

"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness .. You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day. "

"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world."

"If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world."

"If your parents are still alive and still married ...you are very rare."

"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair......."

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.

"Thank you Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it. "

A trip to 张家界 AKA Avatar mountains

2011-05-05T07:19:00.001-07:00

I set my alarm on the 27th night.

7am, 28th April 2011.

Woke up before the alarm sounded that morning. Had a long nice shower, avoided the use

of hair conditioner so that my hair will remain dry and oil-free for the next 30hours.

Waited downstairs for the rest to come. Well, there were the 7 of us from

Tsinghua who joined the tour -Sheryl,Lily,Dunn,Sarah,Ben,Heng

all from a different country. I call it - a mini Model United Nations :)

We took the cab to the train station,ate our KFC and MacDs and were off to

ZhangJiaJie, better known as the Avatar Mountains.

6 bunk beds in a rather small cubicle, 3 levels.

thought the rest the meaning of the word 'sakai' when I reacted to the 'cool-ness'

of sleeping on a triple bunk bed. And seriously, I think sakai is a Malaysian thing.

OkLAH.

The entire train ride took us about 23hours.

Everyone squeezed on the lower bunk and

bonded. We sang. We gossiped. Ate oreos and chips.

Instant noodle cup was an abundant

resource. I shant mention about the squatting toilets and male babies with

big holes under their pants to make pee-ing a whole lot convenient.

But I guess it's part of the whole experience!

10.30 am the next day,we finally arrived!

Met up with the tour guide and tour group.

Much of our time was spent sitting on the bus,

lunch breaks and toilet breaks were essential -although sometimes,

I would try to hold and control my discharge in until we reach a hotel.

The next morning,a few hours after breakfast.

What I thought I had - a strong Malaysian immune system;

failed on me. Suffered a horrid uncomfortable case of food poisoning.

The black non transparent plastic bags became a necessity in my bag pack.

Horrid horrid feeling - this lasted on for the entire trip although it improved slightly

on a day to day basis. End result - weight loss [which was not too bad of a compensation

I have to say, I wont go through it again tho].

However,once we reached the mountains, the majestic aura the whole area

brought immediately erased the uneasiness I was having. The massive rock structures

and the abundant natural habitat that encircled the area we were standing in -

neither words nor pictures can describe.

It would not do any justice to the place.

The immensity of the entire area was more than I had imagined it to be.

Two words : God made.

Over the millions of years of corrosion,earth movement,precipitation,look what Zhangjiajie

has become.

and this was just a small part of it.

No doubt there were tonnes of tourists in the area. The queue for the

cable car ride up took us a whole hour! But the cable car rides were fun!

Felt like a roller coaster ride at a minor scale but as scary and much much higher up.

You could see a few Avatar movie posters pasted on the billboards.

pin pointing which mountain matches the one shown in the movie as well;

details of each rock structure were circled in red as proof.

Overall, it was an amazing trip. Made a few new friends, gotten to know the rest a

little better than before. Despite the long travelling hours [29 hours back to Beijing by train] and

not-so-good hotel food[hotels were better than expected], tummy upset,

the trip was definitely worth remembering.

Well, here are some pictures of the trip.

Cheers!

Zhang Jia Jie : Avatar Mountains

2011-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

It has been a busy couple of weeks!

Am heading off to Zhangjiajie with a few friends tomorrow,

23hours train ride!

I dont know how I would survive but am so excited to visit this UNESCO Heritage site.

From the pictures,word of mouth,and Avatar,

this place seems pretty spectacular and amazingly magnificent :)

I will definitely tell you how the trip goes, as well as for the

unforgettable Tsinghua 100 years gala experience.

Click here for our dance video :)

Busy Busy Busy

2011-04-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Well I havent had the time to blog much lately due to recent exams and the really tight schedule these few weeks! After classes, have dinner, then it'll be off to the stadium for dance practice.
On the 24th [Easter Sunday], there will be a huge gala held in my school as it will be my school's 100 years anniversary. So therefore, there will definitely be a big do. Our dance instructor works with the CCTV, various artists are coming to perform, choir groups from the US are coming and all, as well as Mr Hu himself.

So yeah, I have been busy with the practices and all. At least the exams ended today!
Well, a couple of bad news this week, so am giving myself a break by ordering korean delivery and watched a few episodes of 'How I Met Your Mother'.

Nothing's better than some good food, skype dates and some comedy to put some sunshine in my weekend :)

A lesson learnt

2011-04-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

In class today, we were debating about which gender gossips more.
Male or Female?
As it was clearly WRITTEN and PRINTED in a recent survey,
more men gossip than women and I SO DEFINITELY AGREE!!
I'm not trying to be a sexist or anything but seriously, the amount of
rumours I recently heard created by guys ~~from my previous school as well~~, and me
hearing them now [of how impossible and of how 'perasan' the rumours were]
i could not help but to laugh and shake my head at the same time!
Sometimes all you need is a good laugh from all these funny stories!

To any male readers, sorry, this may not apply to you :)

PS. I think it's the ego factor.

My Sweet Tooth

2011-04-06T19:14:00.001-07:00

Well, i've decided that I needed to give the things
i did the past weekend some justice.

Since there are just too many things to do at the moment
I cant write a proper long summary,

in this post, I wanted to share something that I have recently found a liking for and have recently discovered

while walking back from the korean diner : SWEET POTATO CHIPS!

They come in different shapes and sizes!

three colours - yellow,orange and purple

I was a little skeptical at first, because it was sold by a random street vendor beside the train station, but

a friend of mine has been promoting it to me a few weeks earlier, and they were and are little packets full of flavour and moreover, they are oven baked! - not fried.

Hence, I found my new snack to replace my constant Lays cravings :)

PS. if you have an oven, you should try baking em! slice a potato thinly, sprinkle some olive oil, salt, pepper, arrange on a pan, toss in oven for about 15-20 mins with a temp of 400F :)

A mini preview of my weekend so far

2011-04-03T07:32:00.001-07:00

i just realised : identical pictures!

will only write a longer post once tomorrow ends because we're going to

go to the cherry blossom park! :)

Nothing Closer to home,

2011-04-01T03:07:00.000-07:00

than a homecooked meal :)

the food was for 8 people, leftovers were ascertain.

cantonese male chefs imported from england,holland and the US!

tapao anyone?

Well,

2011-03-30T18:09:00.002-07:00

sometimes distance is a factor to many changes in one's perception of things.

Was having a many hours chat with my flat mate and she told me of how people's perception and reaction towards things alters with the influence from the people around you.

Sometimes, my naive self hopes not.

Jay Park :)

2011-03-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

He's pretty cool, just discovered him on youtube :)

A stroll In Tsinghua

2011-03-25T18:50:00.003-07:00

So my friend and I decided to take it easy and took the afternoon to explore the

Uni's campus. As we were walking along one of the many streets,

we came upon this really handsome and alluring park as well as a few

red brick study halls, libraries and dining halls! :)

To be very frank, I never expected pretty places such as those I saw yesterday to

be situated in Tsinghua. The view was pretty amazing.

Moreover, it almost felt like I was walking along Hyde's Park in London

[Just with more adorable Chinese toddlers all chubby and bundled up in their

over sized jackets- I dont know what's with me but I find the local chinese toddlers

here so cute and 'fluffy'! their cheeks are so round and squishy and rosy pink! ]

Anyways, back to the mini tour, Cherry Blossoms are starting to bloom and

you can see many little buds all ready to come out on a nice warm day!

I have not been to the lake at the West Gate yet, but until then,

I am going to bring my camera with me whenever I plan to go for a long stroll :)

Here are some pictures I manage to take before sunset.

My Blazer Craze

2011-03-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

Been looking around for the perfect casual blazer for my Spring time wear!

Haven't found the right one yet tho :(

I think that blazers which are more casual-styled are so convenient and you get

a nice semi stylish-formal pull off!

Honestly, I love seeing people being able to pull off the blazer look,

girls look classy and chic.

and if boys dress it right, yum-my!

hahahaha no.but seriously,

which girl doesnt like a guy who dresses with style sometimes.

you know, the rolled up sleeves look with the plain tee on the inside :)

*day dreams*

The New Addition

2011-03-24T09:34:00.000-07:00

I've changed the fonts for fun again :)
ANYWAYS, the new addition to my blog is the 'Rate this post' poll under each post!
If possible, do help me rate it so that I know what I should change or improve on :)
thank you!

Anyways, hope this blog doesn't bore you too much!

*hugs*
Hope you're having an awesome day there!

My 19th of March

2011-03-23T08:12:00.002-07:00

just a picturesque summary of the trip to the Great Wall and the Silver Pagodas.

The Great Wall of China

Hike to the Great Wall

horrendous steps!

my legs went tofu when i looked down!

the tour group!

Because hoodies are cool :)

We were tourists,hence the horse in the background :)

The Silver Pagoda

Credits to Kaned; the official photographer :)

Why I Love My family

2011-03-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

The only reason why I dont feel homesick is because I have the chance to

see and talk to the people I love and care about everyday!

nothing beats a good session of family time :')

with love,

xx.

The Procrastinator

2011-03-21T05:45:00.002-07:00

I.am.well.a.slight[huge]procrastinator when it comes to diets.
I dont know whether you get that feeling or not but anyhow, I shall continue with my rants.

On Saturday, I was out with a few friends for a hike at the Great Wall and a night out at San Li Tun [三里屯]
two things I realised:
1. I NEED to start exercising again
2. Why is everyone so fit and slim?

So I went back that night, and told myself yesterday,
Sam, it's time to cut down on the carbs and the unhealthy fatty food and the sugar.
Just as I was feeling slightly down about the weight issue, I consoled myself with a helping of
[absolutely comforting and faithful] high energy Lay's Original flavour crisp! -I finished the entire bag

Sometimes, I dont get why people have to be so weight conscious all the time, but then,
I guess it's often due to peer pressure placed on one's self and the constant fear of health issues.

I haven't done sports for over an entire month!
After the hike on Saturday, as well as some good happy hours of dancing on saturday night, my right leg isn't doing justice to the rest of my body.
sore sore muscles from the knee all the way up to the thighs. argh! the agony of sitting down,standing up,lifting my legs and walking down the stairs!Not exaggerating,but I'd rather fall down and suffer bruises [touch wood] than endure this uncomfortable sore-twitching pain.
So in the end, the promise i made to myself about jogging this morning has been postponed. HAH!

As I sit down to write this rather 'rant-ful' post, a box of really really yummy raspberry jam swedish cookies are calling out my name. CONSTANTLY. help? =S

Food.Diet.Sam - the three things that will never go together.
Food + Sam = Happiness :)

*sigh*

The New Church :)

2011-03-20T02:37:00.000-07:00

My saviour, my comfort

I CRAVE for a slice of that sinfully yummy cheesy pizza at the moment

2011-03-16T11:55:00.001-07:00

and it is 3am right now.

Dear Lord, Please shower your blessings upon Japan

2011-03-12T23:09:00.002-08:00

I'm very sure you have heard of the recent earthquake in Japan.

Well,my friend told me that her classmate felt the tremors in school on friday.

And we're all the way in Beijing.

It's really so saddening to see such a beautiful country turn into ruins overnight due to the massive massive earthquake.

We have to play our part, at least by offering our prayers.

Whichever religion we believe in, every prayer counts :)

Our own Home cooked meal

2011-03-10T17:13:00.000-08:00

A few of us decided to have this weekly dining thing at Jonny's place,

Whereby each of us have to cook up something for the night.

Our little own version of 'Come Dine With Me'.

As for last week, it was Jonny's turn,

Spaghetti Bolognaise with steak

[Not minced-especially for Ben]

I have to say, pretty successful there!

We were also introduced to this rather strange Phillipino drink combo by Sheryl -Soju and Yakult.

And hey, I wasnt expecting that it'll taste that good! :)

As for desserts, pudding and panda cakes!

Ps. If you ever ever come across these panda cakes,you must try them!

Small packets of joy! Chocolate stuffing and an outer layer that has

the right amount of moisture [Been promoting those cakes in class yesterday!]

After a few generous servings of mango pudding, and a few

impromptu song dedications for the rest of us,

I have to say, not bad at all :) Pretty awesome stuff.

Anyways, just a few pictures for show, taken by our photographer,Sheryl,who

is turning 20 [or 24? ;)] , tomorrow :)

My craving,

2011-03-08T01:23:00.002-08:00

我真的想打网球! :(

My first week in Beijing

2011-03-03T06:18:00.000-08:00

因为现在我在北京时，让我撰写这句话用普通话.

北京真的是一个非常丰富多彩的城市.

多吃,多做练习,多聊天儿.

anyways, back to this rather more familiar language,

Beijing has been great so far.

The Tsinghua campus is huge!

When it snowed the other day, I could not help but to smile and prance around in my room. Snow! fresh snow! the snow coated scenery outside my window was so soothing and rather welcoming.

Immediately, I went out to take a few snapshots of a small perimeter of the school campus.

No gloves were needed amidst the cold snowy weather - my sense of pure excitement and rather inner childlike self of letting the snowflakes melt on my palm kept me toasty and contented on the inside.

I know I sound so 'sakai' but I have not really experienced a snowy weather before; I have touched,play,see,made snowballs,etc before BUT those were up at colder regions where there were snow but it wasnt snowing. -if you get what I mean.

My very brief summary of my stay so far:

~Classes have been educational :) learnt a lot! and I've never had so many spelling tests in a week tho! But I like the teachers, very passionate in what they do.

~The food here- Yum-my! especially the street food! my good friend sheryl and I have this craving for this spicy crispy chicken every time we think of food! And the korean food and take outs! and the bbqs and hot pots.and the beijing roast duck.and the strawberries!and the multi-flavoured pocky sticks! haha basically,the calories are worth it :)

~and have I mentioned?I've got a flat mate,so we share the kitchen and bathroom and have our own separate rooms.I was so worried I would end up with an unfriendly person,but god bless,i've now got an older sister :)

~people here are friendlier than expected to be honest! made a number of pretty awesome and interesting friends of who came from many different countries-a mini MUN.haha

~and the city itself is cleaner than many cities I've been to! despite the polluted air, the view from Tiananmen Square and the forbidden city is spectacular.the vast landscape and snow coated buildings,I was pretty proud of my Chinese genes,haha.

Well, so far so good. The man up there has been very kind to me. Amen to that.

But one thing tho, I do miss everyone back home and those studying in the many different countries dearly :'(

*hugs*

sending all my utmost sincerest love to you guys over there,

all the way from Beijing :)

my food supply!

sheryl :)

my new love :)

Hutong street

hot pot!

feels like chrismas again :')

just one of the many things Ive done so far - dj pete rock's concert

Hello

2011-02-27T00:50:00.000-08:00

Hello there,

just to let you know,

Im back in action :)

In short for now, Beijing has been treating me well.

Much to write about and much to tell.

Am off to appreciate some fresh snow right now,

so Ill write later :)

Cheers!

Goodbye, for now

2011-02-14T00:55:00.000-08:00

the 14th of February has arrived,

and once again, time flies.

I will be off to Beijing in a few hours to mark a beginning of a whole new

chapter of my life.

I doubt I will have access to my blog for the next 5-6 months, not till I'm back for

the summer holidays. UNLESS I can figure out the IT solutions over there and

how to surpass certain proxy settings.

However, things remains unsure.

For the last post on my blog, I would just want to wish you a blessed year ahead.

Life is short, live it to the fullest and take chances.

Jump if you want to,

Fly if you want to,

Nothing is impossible.

Stay true to yourself,

Stay true to God.

Take care and God bless.

Mum and dad, I know you guys will see this one of these days when I'll be in

Beijing already, but anyways, I just want to say, thank you guys, for sticking with me

through all these many years.

Thank you for all those many years of patience and devotion :')

although I might sound like a toughie, I am definitely going to miss you guys

a whole lot more than you think.

Love you guys!

As for the rest, [EH] dont forget our skype dates,emails and yeah the new found whatsapp :)

hope to hear from you real soon!

well, you'll definitely hear from me real soon once I settle down.

Lots of love.

well, Valentine's in kuching wasnt bad at all, look what came in the mail a few days before
the special day :) some crazy stalker sent flowers! haha hmm just wanna say,
thank you :') *hugs* you know who you are!

The transition to adulthood

2011-02-12T19:16:00.000-08:00

Oh the feeling of getting older suddenly sets in for me.
I'm no longer a teenager this year.
I remember how excited I was back then, when I was
just about to turn 13, thinking that it was so cool to be able to be in the 'teenagers' category.
So you start to change your hairstyle, start dressing up a little nicer, start having baby crushes
on the opposite sex.

And now, I'm hitting the twenties!
Just a few days ago, my parents advised that I should start addressing people by their names
instead of just calling them uncle or auntie because I am getting old and just [JUST] in case
some might feel offended.
But of course, I will still call those who I am so used to calling uncle or auntie all these years, the same.

It feels weird though, I dont know who and when to call this or that.

Honestly, it is a transition.

I dont feel like a twenty, people still say I can pass for a 16 with my look and up till now,
the word 'Seh-kia' still remains among the list of nick names I have :)

But then again, I guess age is just a number.

I hope I'm not the only one going through this transitional stage of realising you're not THAT young anymore.

LIFE!

and tomorrow!! It's gonna be Valentine's day and, maybe, good bye blogspot for 6months! :'(

A Valentine's Day dedication to all

2011-02-11T07:29:00.000-08:00

My friend and i came up with this idea to dedicate a song to

everyone out there.

the title is 'Fearless'.

100% home made.

100% filled with TLC

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

hope you will enjoy this rather girlie-happy video of ours.

With much love,

xx.

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

2011-02-06T07:41:00.001-08:00

I just came back from Kelantan, after a long awaited five days of Chinese New Year's celebration.

Anyways, this post isn't about my CNY celebration but about a couple I personally know of.

What I am about to tell you, to me, is one of the greatest love story that makes me tear up every time I think about it.

My grandaunt, suffers a serious case of dementia. Just in case you are unfamiliar of the term, it's where a person losses the ability to remember,talk,think properly,solve problems or abilities related to those. Before she contracted the illness, I used to remember her talking ever so happily. She loves to bake and there's even secret family recipes she kept all these while; her layer cake was absolutely delightful. I remember visiting her many years ago, where she would still remember all our names and offers us ginger beer in the old glass bottle.

However, recently, she dont even remember her closer relatives. And it is really heart breaking to see someone lose their memory just like that. The most beautiful thing was that, her husband, my granduncle, stuck by her side the entire time. From what I heard, he never left her side. Never went travelling without her eventhough she wouldn't know a thing. He takes her to the hair saloon to dye her hair once every few months because before her illness,she enjoyed getting her hair dyed. He holds her hands and reads to her daily. When she's asleep, he would just sit by her side and keep her company. My grand uncle is much over 80years in age. Yet, he still remains ever so devoted to her.

After hearing about what they have gone through together, I could not help but cry. It was the purest love and sincerity I have ever known. How many people would stick by each other after so many years? Moreover, millions get a divorce or separate over a small disagreement.

This beautiful relationship, helped me realise that, through thick and thin, we mold ourselves into what we want to be. It is our own decision to make things work or not.

I would like to end this post with a Bible verse, that many are familiar with, but it is now, that I understand it with a deeper understanding.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but I have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:1-8a)

Wishing you a blessed Chinese New Year

2011-02-03T00:56:00.000-08:00

A one filled with prosperity,love,happiness,joy,blessings ans good fortune.
A year where there should be more laughter,more patience,more forgiveness,more appreciation and more of every little good thing New Year's brings :)

A time where calories SHOULD NEVER be counted,
The colour red should be displayed proudly,
Red packets and fireworks,
cookies,cakes,soft drinks and a good dose of home cooked meals.

I've had my fair share of 6meals today so far and it's only 5pm at the moment!
Well, the pants are getting tighter. Oh, no one's looking ;)
Embrace the curves and embrace the wonderfully sinful calories!

With much love,
all the way from Kelantan.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR ONCE AGAIN!!!!

Whatsapp/Skype

2011-01-31T08:48:00.000-08:00

Seriously, THANK GOD for whatsapp and skype!
makes communicating a whole lot easier and reasonable :)
texting people overseas for a price of almost close to nothing,
LDR seems a whole lot nearer!
life simple pleasures :)

Flying.Soaring.Touch the sky.

2011-01-30T23:10:00.000-08:00

Close your eyes,
Count to 3,
Make a wish,
and then you'll see.

God has plans for you and me :)

Kids

2011-01-30T08:27:00.001-08:00

Ahh, kids nowadays.

I had my patience. I am sincere.

but one thing I cannot tolerate, hypocrites.

and as for blogs, your family and friends reads them. be more ethical.

as for today, the last straw broke MY camel's back for sure!

Why the Change?

2011-01-28T23:15:00.000-08:00

Well, I've decided to change my blog's layout for a number of reasons,
First : It's a new year, a new fresh change
Second : I feel older this year,well,I AM hitting the twenties and I thought of something less
'heart-sy' and something brighter and colourful.
Third : I wanted to try out the features on the design templates!

Dont you think the back ground suits this coming festive season? ;)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chinese New Year is coming up!
But something has been rather disappointing to me lately.
Although some might feel embarrassed by one's culture, I believe that everyone should embrace their own roots and culture. The blood that flows through those veins, makes an identity.
An identity we should not try to change. But accept, embrace, and appreciate.
Whether we're Chinese,Malay,Asian,European, it's still something we're born with and this,cannot be changed.
It's nice to know that people in the country I live in are more comprehensive and accepting of each others' culture and belief. Accepting the other for who he/she is.
Everyone loves the idea of unity and peace,
well, once we start to learn how to live with each others' differences,
the whole process will seem a whole lot easier :)

PS. Life isn't all perfect, it takes effort,so dont complain!

My New Blog Layout

2011-01-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, I really do want your opinion about this.
Do you prefer this new layout or the previous one more?
I've added a 'Voting Poll' on the left sidebar of this blog,
do help me decide as well!

Thank you!! :)

2011-01-27T00:13:00.000-08:00

Fear

the scariest thing in life isn't death,
it's the thought of losing someone you love and care about.
That, is my greatest fear.

2011-01-26T06:52:00.001-08:00

Patience and acceptance

is what I need.

Sometimes, life is just too short to worry about all the small things that will bring you astray.

all the minor details of imperfections in another.

all the complaints, all the worry, all the small insensitive things.

If you look at it in a larger picture, there are so many greater things to worry about.

Health, Family, laughter, love, and God.

Put the imperfections aside,

clear your deceptive thinking,

and start with that clean white sheet of paper.

"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,

Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time,

And all our yesterdays have lighted fools

The way to dusty death.

Out, out, brief candle!

Life's but a walking shadow,

a poor player

That struts and frets his hour upon the stage

And then is heard no more:

it is a tale

Told by an idiot,

full of sound and fury,

Signifying nothing."

-William Shakespeare

2011-01-25T06:17:00.001-08:00

The fuzzy feeling

Have you ever have had that warm, fuzzy, comfy, tingly feeling

that will send shivers down your spine and

brightens up your cheeks?

Well, if you have not, once you experience it,

it'll only make you smile all day and it'll comfort your nightly sleep.

trust me. you know it when you'll feel it. I wont tell you in details.

but, like I said, you'll know it when you do feel it.

and to me, it's one of the nicest, safest feeling there is :)

to those who have felt it, you know what I mean ;)

2011-01-16T18:21:00.003-08:00

The story of the Pencil and Eraser

from an email I received..

'Pencil: I'm sorry....

Eraser: For what? You didn't do anything wrong.

Pencil: I'm sorry cos you get hurt bcos of me. Whenever I made a mistake, you're always there to erase it. But as you make my mistakes vanish, you lose a part of yourself. You get smaller and smaller each time.

Eraser: That's true. But I don't really mind. You see, I was made to do this. I was made to help you whenever you do something wrong. Even though one day, I know I'll be gone and you'll replace me with a new one, I'm actually happy with my job. So please, stop worrying. I hate seeing you sad. :)

I found this conversation between the pencil and the eraser very inspirational. Parents are like the eraser whereas their children are the pencil. They're always there for their children, cleaning up their mistakes. Sometimes along the way... they get hurt, and become smaller (older, and eventually pass on). Though their children will eventually find someone new (spouse), but parents are still happy with what they do for their children, and will always hate seeing their precious ones worrying, or sad. '

........................................................................................

Through thick and thin, love and appreciate.

A quote that had me thinking all day,

The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least.

think about it :)

My Penang trip

2011-01-14T03:52:00.002-08:00

My Penang Trip of 2011

People asked, why Penang?

well, for the food of course!

8meals a day, 4consecutive days,big puffy shirts,

short loose shorts, sunblock and a good appetite!

If you asked me to describe my trip I'd tell you,

I ate

and ate

and ate.

some sight seeing.

back to eating.

Was lucky to have a family friend who came all the

way from kl just to take us around.

the food was good and satisfying. i had my cravings satisfied

on the very first day actually. char kuay teow and bak chang.

However, the thing i enjoyed most there was a particular

stall's goreng pisang!! and the fried 'nian gao' with sweet

potato and yam coated with a layer of batter :)

If you do have a chance to go to Penang, first place to head to

is Kimberley/Cintra Street.

Dont go eat at the overly priced and not so good and overly

commercialised food stalls outside Gurney Plaza cuz those are

mainly for tourists.

If you'd walk along the Penang road, and you see many locals

sitting or queuing up outside the shop, you cant go far wrong ;)

After the short trip to Penang I was surprised that I only put on

400grams, well, 400000milligrams, 400000000micrograms :)

It's time to hit the gym and stop procrastinating about being lazy to

sweat!

Because of the weather now,

the rain and the showers, 23degrees,

it's the most perfect time to sleep,

or read a book or two.

It's winter in Kuching!

oyster pancake

ikan panggang

curry mee

Beef noodles

kuay teow

bak chang

contented&well fed :)

what i want this new year

2010-12-31T18:42:00.001-08:00

What I want this new year of 2011,

Happiness

because, when you're happy, it means you're satisfied with life
and everything else that comes with it.
because happiness is a feeling everyone strives to have.

Wishing you a blessed,beautiful,wonderful,optimistic year of 2011 :)

A thank you note :)

2010-12-30T16:41:00.004-08:00

Just my way of saying thank you :)

well i've just turned 19,
and honestly, there's no change with the age.
Spend the night before at kimmy's with jan baking cheese cakes which i've yet to try!lol :)
As as for the next day,i decided to spend my birthday with my family.
A rather quiet one, and homework was needed to be done yesterday and datelines were due.
Learnt a lot from a talk I had with my parents last night.

But I just want to give a shout out here to,
jian ming, thank you for the english cake :) *hugs* and everything else.
zoe, i havent spoken that much in awhile ,seriously wishing you were here :(
kim and jan, thank you for the sleepover and we should catch up soon okay, lots of love!
chien, I miss you! the call made me reminded me of our irinah time :')
su ann and joyce, you seriously,lol surprised me with the calls! :) :) need to catch up soon!
qiqi, or the virtual cake :) *hugs*

and to my family, I love you guys to bits! am just really grateful to have you guys here with me

and also, a big hug to all the texts and fb wishes and emails from you guys :)

Honestly, birthdays are different without friends.
to me, it isnt the whole idea of a celebration any more, but a reminder of a year lived and
another year to come.

And to thank the man up there for all he has done and given me.

christmas celebration 2010

2010-12-26T07:11:00.001-08:00

My Christmas 2010

honestly, I didnt feel all christmassey this year. I guess it's the age, but I did love
all the family time and the carolling after Christmas lunch, the family photos, church, and
all the laughing over the craziest things people do.

Well, it's a new year, a new set of resolutions!

Just got back from a dinner with my relatives, and it was hilarious.
I havent laughed until tears came out for quite awhile now, and blowing the mini-trumpets
and whistling at the restaurant along with other little children that we didnt know,
and my dad and uncle, and more hustle and bustle, it was a sure lot of fun.

When you feel like laughing, laugh.
When you feel like jumping, jump.

Tonight, I feel like laughing, jumping and having the after-smiles :)

25th, almost midnight :)

ahh...i love my family :)

Christmas

2010-12-24T03:31:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you guys a blessed,

wonderful,beautiful and very merry Christmas over there!

Filled with lots of love and laughter.

Where ever you are, what ever time zone you're in,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ahead!

with much love!

Water Rants

2010-12-16T00:11:00.000-08:00

Water!!!

OMG, a day without water supply in this house of mine due to

some nearby construction, IS SO DEVASTATINGLY ANNOYING.

It hits me hard, without water, there's so many things you cant do!

Cant use the toilet, cant brush your teeth, cant wash your hands,

cant wash the grapes to eat [so you end up snacking on junk food],

cant boil water for my daily dosage of coffee, cant cook, cant do my laundry,

cant kill any mosquitoes [cuz i tend to wash my hands after],

cant bake ['cuz i cant wash the utensils] ..

Rants after rants, yet, how glad I am to be able to have

access to clean water everyday except a few unfortunate occasions.

Life, nothing's ever enough huh?

All needs are wants, all wants arent all needs.

My unspoken chocolate raves

2010-12-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

My Chocolate Cravings back in action

I was having this awesome dream about ...chocolates.

The taste of buttery cocoa cream delighting your taste buds, and the

way the outer layer melts and fuses with the praline or filling.

Ooohh just gives me the tingles and excitement :)

Remember what people always say about

chocolate being a girl's best friend?

I used to be so skeptical and now, hypocritical about it.

Now, there's no harm in appreciating a slice or two of that chocolate you crave for.

Who cares about the calories when, there's so few years in one's lifetime?

There shouldn't be any guilty feeling after indulging in some of that awfully good stuff,

except if it's the sense of guilty pleasure. Yet again, there isnt anything to feel guilty about.

Hence,I've compiled a picturesque list of my few favorites in the cocoa market today!

aboolutely lovely if you love berries and jam!

the minty taste has the right balance in it!

oooh my favourite is the one with the hazelnut praline!

saving the best for last, alcohol filled choco sticks! the best thing about this one is that the chocolate still remains crunchy after a long storage period. and the alcohol isnt overpowering hence, a really, impressionistic taste from the combination of the two ingredients!

cheers!

Ebay is the word

2010-12-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

Ebay is the word

I cant believe I'd actually wake up in the middle of the night,

for two consecutive nights! to bid for items at the very last minute.

So FINALLY today,after a few major disappointments, I've got myself

a belly dancing hip scarf! :) well, the thing about ebay is that, if

you're lucky enough, you could get things for a much more reasonable price.

I like it because, it's honestly, pretty exciting to win a bid!

Like an auction house :)

Bought items as cheap as 80cents including shipping [iphone casings]

was pretty happy about it. haha

Anyways, the thing I was most excited about was this hip scarf, as pictured below,

I've finally gotten the one I wanted for a pretty long time.

Well, I actually wanted a lighter blue shade but some horribly quick person

placed a higher bid at the very last 10seconds! :(

But anyhow, I'm a contented young lady :)

Christmas Mood

2010-12-10T20:06:00.001-08:00

My Christmas

the ginger bread houses my cousins and i made :)

Well, as you would have heard by now, before even reading this post, that I'm gearing up for this festive season. Honestly, I've been so caught up with work that the 'Christmas mood' hasn't come up yet. So the songs are a way to create the happy mood Xmas always bring :)

But anyways, I'd like to share a little bird's eye view of how my Christmases were celebrated.

According to wikipedia:

Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed generally on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus,the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar,or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts 12 days!

As much as how many, would think that Christmas is over Commercialized and losing it's real meaning and value to the real reason for the celebration itself, Christmas is still Christmas.

Santa Claus and rein-deers, elves and pixies, don't tell me you never believed in those things when you were young. I think that having those things, as a child, it lets our imagination grow, it gives me the chance to imagine and live in wonder. Creating a sense of joy and excitement within one's self.

When I was younger, my parents would hide the Christmas presents in the store upstairs and leave the door open.

Anxiously waiting by the Christmas tree right before midnight, waiting for Santa to come. My brother and I would then hear this rustling sound, which was actually made by my dad, and we would get all excited about it.

My mum would then create an atmosphere of excitement and ask my father to go see what was the cause of all the noise upstairs. It was then, he'd bring down the two pretty wrapped presents. Oh, I remember how delighted I would be! racing to my dad to see what my present was!

It's amazing how things like this would create a childhood memory that I will never forget. And now, it's my younger cousins turn to enjoy and be amazed with all the 'magical fairytales' and Santa Claus :)

How nice was it to be so naive and innocent! Gone were the days!

I really do hope that people would just appreciate this tradition and the true meaning of the celebration too.

It's all about giving and giving more. It's always nice to see a smile on another's face.

Share the love and spread the Joy :)

Life lessons

2010-12-09T20:26:00.002-08:00

Life as it is

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his

Feet. He held up a sign which said:

"I am blind, Please help."

There were only a few coins in the

Hat.

A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and

Dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.

Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy.

That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how

Things were.

The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one

Who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?"

The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but

In a different way." I wrote:

"Today is a beautiful day but I cannot see it."

Both signs told people that the boy was blind. But the first sign

Simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people

That they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we

Be surprised that the second sign was more

Effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Be

Creative. Be innovative.

Think differently and Positively.

When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show

Life that you have 1000 reasons to smile.

Face your past without regret.

Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future

Without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear.

picture

2010-12-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

A couple of things that I've been up to for the past few days

summarised in picture form :)

Steffy & mich back in Kuching

second supper

supper before george leaves :)

Hokkien mee in kl :)

Yummy beef at Jack's

and lots of chinese characters and words!

2010-12-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

I.must.utilize this blog.

and facebook.

and gmail.

and you tube these

two months.

*sniff*

abstinence from my favourite sites.

happy

2010-12-05T06:48:00.001-08:00

i am onehappierstressfreewell-fedchubbybutsatisfied girl

for today and tomorrow and a long time since yesterday finally ended! :)

and this below,my friend, is awesome :)

from kl

2010-12-02T23:59:00.000-08:00

Stressed. one more day to go and it's all gonna be alright.

pray for me! :)

reporting from kl :)

the land of the awesome Hokkien mee that I just had for lunch.

2010-11-23T08:14:00.000-08:00

THE story of 'THE BRICK'

you can find it here

to me, a touching story :)

Thought for the Day:

If God had a
refrigerator, your picture would be on it.

xmas time again

2010-11-22T18:36:00.000-08:00

It's that special time of the year again.

Where the Christmas tree is put up for, to me, the best season of the

year :)

Christmas songs, turkey, roast lamb, potatoes, pasta and trifle with a whole

lot of family love to go around every year.

How can one not love Christmas?

and the presents! :)

al though, it's still a month away, early preparations always pay off!

401

2010-11-18T23:17:00.001-08:00

Hej, Hvor er toilettet?

(Meaning : hello, where is the toilet in Danish)

I just realised that this is my 401 post!

Over a span of 3years of semi-active blogging I suppose.

Any ways, over the past couple of weeks, the Danish Ambassador and wife

came to Kuching for a visit and my family had the opportunity to bring them
around and I sat through two dinners with them.

One was a casual one, and one was a small event held at Tom's;

well, lets just say, my dad was given a
'knighthood' honor during the second event.

Hahaha my dad, the knight in shining armour!

My mum and I tend to imagine him with a real armour and a big white horse,

and without fail, burst out laughing.

Not literally but,yes, it was just a Danish way of saying

'Thank you for your services throughout these years'.

Well, it's nice to have to dress up slightly for events.

Have been busy with so much writing and workload that I needed something

different for a change - besides my over sized shirts and shorts while staring at
the computer and books for hours everyday!

my grandpa

granny

fairytale

2010-11-17T08:24:00.001-08:00

Once upon a time..

I'd wish for a fairytale,
and i'm still wishing i had one.

fear

2010-11-14T06:18:00.000-08:00

The truth

'When we do not stand up for something, we will fall for anything'

-lesson i learned from church today

and it is true.

fear is just a distraction from the goal you want to achieve in life.

I keep telling my parents, one day,

there'll be a day for bungee jumping for me :)