OUTRAGEOUS

Rachel's guide to shopping bargains!

2012-01-21T03:37:00.001+08:00

HELLO AGAIN EVERYBODY!!!!

I am back, to blog!

I was quite caught up with the new year and the new semester and the 'so-many-things-to-do-I-can-die-but actually-I-am-enjoying-it' kind of stuff. But it has been a happening few weeks in Kampar...
I was doing craft stuff for an art exhibition in UTAR Kampar next month, some UTAR orientation week stuff and yeah... stuff. I also went to Kayelle with the lovebirds, Jym and Aimi, and yes, I am used to being a lamp post, I don't think I mind... though I am not too sure if they minded (well, I don't think they mind, or else Aimi would not call me and urge me to go with them right??)

ANYWAY, I went to KL to do shopping because there was this HUGE sale for SOGO members (I am not a member, Aimi is) and of course, how could I possibly miss a sale right?
I only got two pairs of shoes from the sale. You must be thinking, 'WHAT??? All the way to KL and you only got two pairs of shoes?'
Yes, my dears... and at a fab price too!

RM89.90 + RM139.90 = RM59.90???

Yes, two pairs of shoes (ballerina flats and heels) for RM59.90.

I am a happy girl!!!

Okay, how do I start telling you how I shop? Your preferences may not be like mine but hey, I am just sharing, and if you think it is useful, you can apply it too! =)

1) Always buy things that look more expensive than it really is
That is what I call a good bargain. Fool people by making them think you spent RM50 on a belt when you only spent RM9. But seriously, if you spent RM50 on a belt that is not leather, I will do some 'knock knock, is anybody there??' on your head.
To buy something that looks more expensive than it really is, you have got to check the prices! Look up the fashion magazines (it's not compulsory to buy them, just flip them through in Borders) or just go window shopping and see the price difference between the brands.
I mean, even if you can buy a bra that looks RM50 for RM15 (and if you like it and please tell me it fits), do it!

2) Only buy things that are on SALE!
I almost NEVER EVER buy things that are not on sale, unless it is an emergency, or unless it's the shoes that I am dying to get and it is the LAST PAIR in my shoe size. Even if you are dying to get the shoes to die for, always think, can I get it somewhere else for a lesser price?
Just look at Padini, look at the sales! It's insane!!! That just shows how much those people mark up the price during non-sales period. You always get 50% and 70% off during the sales in Padini or Vincci. Please, if you buy their stuff during non-sale periods, I will knock your head too. (Okay, I wonder if it is legal to write about the Padini company that way?)
I tell you, even during those crazy sales where you get a top for RM17.90, they are still getting profit from you. The essence of capitalism. I am just advising you, like I am advising myself to not be a bigger victim of capitalism than I already am. After all, we are all a victim of capitalism.

3. Know your brands
I don't know if you keep up to brands in fashion but I do, sometimes, on occasion. If you are like me, then, get to know their price range and their sales. If you get to know them, then you will know what is a good buy and what is not. It's a matter of how low they can go.
If you know that Forever 21 items can go down to RM5 for a top (yes they can), why pay RM39 for it?
If you know Aldo shoes can go down to RM109, why pay RM299 for it?
There was one occasion that I really wanted this pair of beige pumps that was not very cheap, I stopped myself from buying them because I wanted the price to go down before I bought it. It didn't! Well, there was a 20% off at one time but seriously... 20% only? If you are talking 50% and above I would have snatched you out of the shelf, but no, 20%, no way! In the end, I just didn't like those shoes anymore.
Also, you can get to know other brands like Salvatore Ferragamo and Christian Louboutin (that is in the shoe category), and stay up to date with the latest fad. However, Vincci plus ain't gonna fool me with red soles resembling Christian Louboutin, but there are Salvatore Ferragamo type of ballerina flats that you can get that is a classic.

4. Patience is really a virtue
I know how it feels when you see someone wearing the latest fashion on the streets and you absolutely LOVE it. It is as if the girl just snatched them from the runway and decided to flaunt it off on the sidewalk. When you go shopping, it makes you want to buy the latest fashion too. But wait! Be patient. What you think may be a fashion LURVE may be just a fashion flop. You would not want to buy something that is only in fashion for two or three months. What you need is a classic and a flattering classic too. If the style prevails, then you can always get it when the BIG SALE comes along. It is worth it when you get to know that other people are paying more than double than what you are paying for.
The oxfords that I want to own? Well, I am still waiting and searching for it. If I can't get it for a good price, then I won't get it!
Well, my mom says the price will drop...so I'll get it when it does...

5. Limiting your wallets' abilities
My friends often ask me,'What are you going to do with six bucks in you wallet? I thought we were going shopping??'
Yes, I sure am going shopping, but I ain't buying anything more than six bucks! With limited money, you choice is limited and you do not need to be so 'rambang mata' about what you want to buy.
With the six bucks, I bought a pair of earrings from Forever 21.
Of course, there were many other nice earrings that cost RM19 and RM29 or RM39 but my RM5 earrings look nice too, and it definitely looks like it costs more than RM5!
I am not suggesting that you go out with RM6 everytime you shop, but give yourself a limit. I do bring RM100 or more on certain shopping occasions. I feel like a math whiz sometimes when I go shopping. Haha.

6. When in doubt, come back for it later. If it is gone, then you were not meant to get it!
When my mom first used it on me, I didn't get it. I mean, if you like it, GET IT!!! Why wait? Sometimes, when I really like a pair of shoes or a blouse or anything buy-able, I just buy it and later, I regret. I have bought shoes that I regret buying, clothes that I eventually didn't wear and gave it to other people. Sooooo, even when everything is on sale and it looks SOOOO GOOD, just hold your horses.
What I do is I pray. I would tell God, 'Lord, if this shoe is meant to be mine, please let it be available when I come back on whatever day I am coming back to the mall...' If it is, I would buy it, and I would still like it. Sometimes, when I come back, I find that it is not that fantastic after all and I am glad I didn't buy it and at other times, it's gone, and so, I go elsewhere.

7. Search HIGH and low
When a store displays SALE, go in, and go through EVERTHING. The best bargains are usually hidden underneath a chunk of horrifically ugly clothes or stuffed between some really expensive ones. If you want great bargains, it takes time. Also, don't be to lazy to try. If it's cheap and if it looks not so nice, that does not mean it does not look nice on YOU! Try it, and you'll be amazed how some clothes that look horrible, make you look great!

8. DON'T forget about the PRICE TAG
I know Jessie J shares different views with me on this but hey, if you don't look at the price tag, you don't know how much you'll be paying for it!
Make it a habit to look at the price tag first. If it's what you can afford, try it. If not, PUT IT BACK, unless you know that you can't afford it and you are trying it for fun. That reason is excused. I know people who try things and if they like it, it's trouble because they will want to buy it.
For me, I ain't gonna try a top that is more than RM50. I will make it myself.
This simple habit of checking the price tag will help you make wiser decisions. If it is more than your budget, don't try it! Why tempt yourself?

9. Markets or Malls
My vote would be for malls. I do go to the market to take a look at what clothes they sell there and I tell you, of you follow the above instructions, you are going to get branded items, with nicer seams, and a decent place to try your clothes, and at a cheaper price, than at the market. No joke. Maybe it's just Penang and KL but from my shopping experiences, there are more bargains in malls than markets... unless you are in Bangkok I suppose.
Of course, it is great if you know which outlets are offering more bargains. Take for example, Parkson. You have them in Penang and KL, but do you know that there is a Parkson outlet in Sungei Wang that sells unbelievably cheap Sisley and United Colours of Benetton stuff? And I mean REALLY CHEAP like, RM10 for a top. Of course it is not of the latest fashion but hey, it's your personal style that matters.

10. Mental checklist
There are many many many many nice things out there at the malls and more often than not, I wish I had a million dollars to spend on the shoes I am lusting after. Earth to Rachel Yeoh, and I find myself with RM20 in my wallet. Don't use 'BUY ONLY WHAT YOU NEED' because seriously, you don't need anything that is in the mall, you already have clothes at home, and you are only lying to yourself when you say you need this top of this pair of shoes. Ask, ' Do I have anything similar to this?', or 'Do I already have anything in this colour?' and if it is a yes, put it DOWN. Also, touch the material! Know what is quality. I don't know how people can spend on GAP in Malaysia. It may be cheap in America but come on, a normal shirt and it is more than RM100, and the material is like crappy. Well, if you are rich then go on and buy them.
This is a tough one to apply but practice makes perfect. By doing this, you are also learning to be contented with what you already have. Lately, I have been stopping myself from buying any clothes because I simply have enough. My cupboard in Kampar and Penang is like vomiting out clothes. A natural disaster (avalanche) happens every other day and for the first time in MY LIFE, I told my mother, 'I have enough clothes for now.'
I think her heart leaped for joy when she heard it and when I came back from Kampar, I find a new blouse waiting for me in her sewing room.
A present for being contented? I would like to think so. =)

Here is to all the shopaholics, may we be filled with wisdom when we go shopping!

It was GOOD!

2012-01-06T08:34:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year EVERYONE!!!!

Yes, it is 2012.

Are you all excited??

Okay, I know I am trying to get all of you hyped up here but I am not sure how I feel about this brand new year. But I am hoping and trusting God for the best that has yet to come.
2012 holds many challenges that can be seen and predicted such as my Final Year Project research, the UTAR Ball, my internship and the usual examinations and assignments that come my way as a student.

The ones that I can't see coming? Well, that is another hurdle.

BUT let's not talk about things of such gloom. Instead, let me reminisce on my FANTASTIC 2011!

Yes, it was fantastic!!!!

I came out of it stronger, a tad more organized and amazingly, more contented!

I am quite amazed that I am quite contented with where I am and what I am doing now because I was never...maybe rarely, contented.

Well, maybe I've got many reasons to be contented. HAHA.

I am not trying to brag or anything but I just want to give God the glory because I wouldn't and COULDN'T do it without His mighty hand guiding me.

=D

I got Dean's List for the May Trimester, the Dance Drama went superbly well that we got a two page spread on The Star newspaper and my paper on Political Philosophy is going to be presented in the Philippines THIS YEAR!

I don't know about you, but that is something big to me.

Of course, there were a lot of stress and tears and urge to just GIVE UP but I pushed myself to have faith and just put it all in God's hands and I tell you, He is just UH-MAY-ZINGGGG!

So, on the 31st of December 2011, after an inspiration from Mariel, I wrote to myself a SIX PAGE letter, to be opened and read on the 31st of December 2012. I think it's good to do that because at the end of the year, you get to evaluate and reevaluate where you have been and where you have arrived after 365 days and for 2012, it's 366 days because it's the LEAP YEAR!

So anyways, what are some things that I hope to be able to do for myself this year.
DO note that these are NOT resolutions, these are the things that I have planned to slowly build up and keep it as a good attitude. Or well, a habit.

1. I want to groom myself better. I have no idea why I give the impression that I am a vain person when I know I am not. Maybe it's because I am sooo into shopping, people just naturally think that I live a very extravagant and vain lifestyle. Well, if you are one of the, put a full stop there. Thank you!
I just want to get myself into the habit of combing my hair daily, or maybe to just untangle it before I go for classes, and dress nicely, and maybe add a bit of colour to my face. To keep it simple, I just want to look good and I believe that, to do that, I need to take a step upward to spend time to groom myself. Yeah! At my age, I don't think a little bit of make-up is bad... I don't want to start putting on make-up when I am hitting 40. Right???

2. I want to use the phrase 'wait' less and just get on to do what I am supposed to do. Yes... now I am still trying to convince myself.

Urm... I don't think there are anymore....

But another thing, and this regarding my spiritual walk... I shall embark on a journey to finish reading the Bible this year. I have read most of it... just some little little chapters that I haven't quite gone over... so yes, THIS IS THE YEAR TO DO IT!!!!

I wanted to post up some pictures that represented the highlights of my 2011 but time restricts me to do so. Therefore, I'll have to cut this post short and leave the pictures for when I come back.

Yes, I'll be on the highway, AGAIN. All I do is go up and down the North-South Highway, but no complaints, I love travelling.

So here is to a blessed 2012.

P/S Dear OUTRAGEOUS, I will revive you. <3

Monogrammed Pressies

2011-12-31T01:20:00.001+08:00

Like almost every year, well, it has been so for the last few years, I like to make gifts for friends during Christmas.

It is a yearly routine. Around May or June, I would start thinking about things I can make to give away during Christmas.

Please, hold your thoughts if you think I am some Santa Claus or whatever. Now, with that thought held, banish it!

That is because the reason for gifts this festive season is because God first gave us the greatest gift, His Son, Jesus Christ to forgive us of our sins.

Ain't that great??

Okay, now back to the gifts I made this year.

I decided to make monogrammed bowls. Actually, my initial plan was to make monogrammed mugs... but when I got to Ikea, there were no mugs that I could scribble on, not that I wanted to scribble...

ANYWAYS, I just got bowls.

If you want to know where I got my inspiration from (and the reason that my initial plan was to monogram mugs) you can click the on the link.

Monogrammed Mugs

After I bought it, I Facebook messaged my cousin from New Zealand asking her if she got me my porcelain pens because they don't sell them in Malaysia.

She said no.

She didn't get it!!!

Dilemma, dilemma, dilemma.

WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO DO WITH SO MANY BOWLS AT HOME????

MY MOM IS GOING TO KILL ME!!

As it is, I am (to her) a hoarder.

I know I am not one, but she classifies me that way, so I am going to tell you what I am classified as.

Next move?

I need to get through to her to HELP me!!

I mean, I can't use Sharpie to write on bowls, the ink would just come off after one wash! And I am sure you would not want to have poisonous ink stuck to your food stuff.

EEEEEK!

So anyways, I prayed and I begged and bla bla bla...

And, look below!!

I GOT IT!

She came back around a week before Christmas and passed those precious pens to my hands.

It is around NZD8.99 so... okay, I shall not convert it to MYR. Too lazy.

Almost instantly, I started on the project!

Catherine (my cousin that brought back those pens) and I got the fonts printed, cut and traced, using graphite paper (or carbon paper).

One important tip is to use a pen to trace. I don't know why but with a pencil, the graphite does not really stain the bowl well. I guess carbon is softer that the tip of a ball point pen.

After sticking them and tracing them...

It was all going according to plan.

After tracing, we slowly peeled off the two layers. If you want to do this also, remember to check if the graphite is transferred before you peel of the whole thing.

Then, it's the scary part.

Writing on the alphabets that were traced!
I didn't dare to do polka dots and other designs because I was afraid that I would ruin it. But I don't think it looks that bad from the picture right?

After 24 hours, I baked it in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for 35 minutes.

AND IT IS DONE!!!!!

After looking at it, the bowl looked a little weird to be given as a Christmas present just like that so I baked sugar cookies, thanks to Martha Stewart.

So yeah, mine was not that great, seriously.

But I hope those of you who ate it felt the LURVE I poured into making the cookie.

That was about what I did for Christmas pressies this year.

Last year, it was skirts for the girls and chocolate cookies for the guys.

The year before last was box files with some memorabilia...

I wonder what I'll be up to next year. =)

MERRY BELATED CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR folks!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T11:45:00.000+08:00

It's the season again!

The season to celebrate the birth of my savior in a humble manger and it is all because God wanted to save us from ourselves!

I love this season!

I am writing this blogpost in a very non-traditional way, an that is, on an IPad, in my hotel living room.
No no, I don't own an iPad, it's my cousin's.

But I am not here to blah blah blah about my shopping trip, maybe because I have not found my Christmas shoes. But it's okay, Christmas is not about new shoes. Maybe God is trying to tell me new shoes don't matter, I can find them another day. :)

Okay, in the last post, I asked all of you to stay tuned for something special, and yes, it is special, to me,
That is because I have never done this before.

Let me breathe a second, it's scary and exciting at the same time.

I recorded something.

Well, actually Nirosha helped me record something for this blog post.
So yeah, the video below is me singing Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

So yeah, I hope you 'enjoyed' it.

Merry Christmas everybody!

And may Jesus be glorified!

Where are my Oxfords?

2011-12-20T03:17:00.000+08:00

If you know me well, you would also know that I am also very particularly obsessed about shoes.

AND, since my exams are over, the focus shifts to the pair of shoes I want to get for myself for Christmas. But let me tell you this, there is a very very high chance that I ain't getting any Christmas shoes this time around.

Sigh.

I know what I want and they are the Oxfords to die for!!!!

Sadly, they are also non-existent, except for the only pair that is only available in my imagination and they are not for sale.

I went to KL two weeks ago with the hopes of hunting for my perfect pair of oxfords but nothing. I got nothing. Four days of hunting high and low and nothing.

That was when my mom introduced online shopping to me-not that I don't already know that, it's just that I usually check the items out and get it because I am able to try it out then, but desperate times call for desperate measures...

Guess what?

Still nothing!!!

Well, there was one that caught my eye, but it takes two weeks for delivery. By then. Christmas would be over and it would be Chinese New Year shoes instead.

Don't even talk to me about Chinese New Year because it just spoils my Christmas mood. I mean, I don't get why some people are hanging up Chinese New Year ornaments and decorations and playing horrid Chinese New Year songs when we should be dreaming of snow and Christmas trees and Jesus coming to earth to save us from eternal damnation.

Okay, there I go again, digressing from my own topic.

Back to shoes.

I went online to find if the shoes I want does exist, maybe somewhere in the world.

The closest I got to was this picture below.

Don't ask me who it is from because I was more concerned about the design of the shoes. I regret not finding out who it is by.
But yes, I really like the design of this oxford, the heel is thick and retro-ish, just like I want it to be. It would be PERFECT if I could just delete the platforms and paint it ruby red.

No such thing.

This is okay but I don't want anymore of shoes with heels like this because I think I have a couple of heels and my mom just shakes her head when she sees them because she says she goes weak in the knees when she sees the height and the width of the heel.

Sorry mom, but I am just crazy over shoes!!!

And this season, it's just oxfords. I don't know why but maybe because I have been introduced to more corporate functions that I usually am and it is (I guess) natural to crave for something more hip for the occasion.

The outcome of the online shopping only led me to this pair which is, amazingly, less than RM100 and it is suede!

But nah, it is not appropriate for me to wear this kind of shoe in Malaysia. I mean, fashion is fashion but I also believe in functional fashion. I certainly do not want to be a fashion victim when it comes to shoes. I do have to admit that I have been a casualty of fashion because of my laziness...it is almost incurable but I believe that the good Lord is changing me even right now, one reason why I am up at 3AM in the morning still typing away on my bed.

What do you think about the pair? It would be great if I could strut along with this pair in like some other country that is blessed with four different climates in a year. Don't get me wrong, I do love the climate in Malaysia. In fact I love a lot of things about Malaysia... there is just some problems between... oh no, should not say it here...

So there, my dilemma on getting new kicks is still a dilemma. Should I go down to KL again to hunt for them? Or just hunt for it in Penang? I don't really know.

Well, I must remind myself that Christmas is not about new shoes but is about Christ. So yeah, I have a little surprise coming up in my blog and I really do hope you people will like it.

Stay tuned!!!

P/S Please whisper a prayer for me so I can find a pair of shoes (Oxfords please!!) that I want for a very good/cheap price. Thank you. =P

Have I Told You Lately...

2011-12-16T23:40:00.000+08:00

No no... the next phrase does not say... 'that I love you'.

To all of you who didn't understand that, well, you are forgiven for not listening to more songs on LiteFM.

But, yes, I would like to announce something.

JENG JENG JENG

I am quite over mysterious Chinese guy!

YAYYYYY!!!!

I must admit that I was rocking to and fro, to and fro and I was heart broken and I was trying to be strong and I was also trying to understand myself and the problem I have gotten myself into.

It took pleading prayers, on the fence prayers, reasoning prayers and all that nonsense.

It worked.

It WORKED.

I am so relieved.

There were also a few other things that helped me get over him.

For one thing, it was not seeing him. At all.
We never talk much, so that was not an issue.

I talked to Mookie, Gabe, Benice and Rachel Ooi to get it out of my system. However, everytime I tried to get it out of my system, it kind of hit me double or triple fold before I became normal again.
But it's a process, and I am so glad I got support from my close friends.

I also thank God for this friend who set the point of my complete change of heart.

THANK YOU NIROSHA.

I remember her saying, 'If you were ever going to have a relationship with him, I would never have approved because you deserve so much more, even though he is so nice and all that stuff.'

She also went on to say, 'You are a class above, you do not need to dwell on this, you need to know that you are worth more than that and it is your loneliness talking.'

Then another was, 'I see that you pray to your God and I am sure that he has that someone in mind for you, you just have to wait because this guy is not the one.'

Well, thank you my dear.

I am almost at the end of my recovery and NO I am not interested in anyone just yet because I just want my heart to be so lost in God and when the right guy comes seeking Him, He will point him to me... when the time comes.

Praise the Lord for He is truly good!

At Broga

2011-12-16T22:32:00.001+08:00

Seriously speaking, it is not even legal to blog about this because this happened like...AGES ago.

Well, before I write anything more, I would like to say sorry for delaying every single post I have ever wanted to write ever since my last. It has been really hectic in Kampar (and yes yes and yes, I keep saying the words hectic and busy and no time all of the time) and now, despite my upcoming exams, that will be Public Administration on Monday, I have allocated my time for procrastination for blogging.

Do I hear a resounding 'YAY'???

Okay, nevermind.

So at the beginning of this semester- that would also be ending this coming Monday when my exams are over- the student leaders of UTAR and I went for a leadership camp in Broga which is somewhere at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. I am not too sure which part of the state we were in because at one point we passed the border to Negeri Sembilan but we were still in Selangor?

A teeny bit confusing.

But that information is not very important so let me just skip that.

TAADAA!!!!

The picture above is a campsite at Broga called Outbac, the place where we had our camp. It is a rather pleasant place, though we had to sleep in containers and had a detached public toilet which I am not too used to.

But who cares, I was ready to have some serious FUN!

And maybe you would like to read the above notice that the management stuck to the walls and doors in the toilet.

Some sense of humour eh?

I didn't know what to expect for this camp. It's just that I have been organizing camps for the past few years I have forgotten how it felt like to be the participants in a camp. I also forgot the feeling of being forced to do silly things.

And some of them were so crazy tough!

The first activity was fairly easy... just some rope crossing which was quite easy. *beaming with pride*

But that was not all, that was just the surface, the rest of the camp just proved that I am such a wimp.

Sad story.
True story.

Cool picture of Vancy doing the Nitro Crossing.

Thank God there was none of me.

I tried to do it, after a disastrous round of the obstacle course where I got all dirty when I did the commander crawl (seriously, it was easier in National Service), and the horrific jumping and slippery monkey bars which I am always able to do but could not because all the strength that was left in me has depleted.

I scored bad scratches from the commander crawl and when I did the nitro crossing, I just fell in the middle of my flight and I landed on (no points for guessing) my badly scratched knees.

I got up.

I felt the pain.

Then it went numb.

And then I could feel the warm trickling blood flow down to my feet.

I ignored it. Not good to create a scene.

No worries, I got some people to tend to my wounds afterwards.

The next day was the worst of it all.

Everything had to do with defying gravity.

The one above sent a branch (with a diameter of approximately of at least 8 centimeters) falling near our heads!

The next one was called Leap of Faith.

THAT WAS THE WORST!

I thought I was going to die!!!!

Each one of us had to climb up a tree that was about two storeys high, stand on a tiny platform and jump off to catch a stupid stick in front that was, to my brain after deciphering what my eyes see, quite far and I have relatively short arms and and and..... UGH!

I was on top of the tree for more than seven long minutes screaming for help while everybody, at first amused, got bored and counted for me to just jump.

I jumped at last, to everyone's relief, not to catch the bar in front but I just slid down to my imaginary death.

Heights is this incredible phobia that I can't seem to get out of.

Sigh...

Next up was the Flying Fox.
I think I have done this a thousand times so I am not too jittery about this one.

But oh, this flying fox was like FOUR CRAZY STOREYS HIGH!

The biggest challenge was just to get up because the stairs was so NARROW and I was just focused on looking up because it was WAYYYYY to scary to look down.

But I did it!

THANK YOU LORD!!!

Above his Yong Jian doing his victory pose after a long way down from the scary platform where we lift off to do the flying fox.

Goodness.

Now I know why I can never ever go on fear factor or anything that needs me to get off good 'ol earth.

Thank God I am not a bird or some flying creature.

Okay, enough talking about stuff that requires my feet to be off the ground.

Let's talk FOOD. As a Penangite, it is what matters most.
Unfortunately, it is not what matters in camp.

I.AM.NOT.JOKING.

The food was like, little?

We had ONE chicken wing per meal, one clove of whatever vegetable that was cooked that day, and maybe a little pickled cucumber and oh, I need to tell you how the egg was served. It was plain omelette, cooked thinly, like at the max it was 3 milimeters thick and you only get a little SLICE of it.

It was sad.

The bare minimum to eat so you know that you have eaten.

But actually, it was good, for me.

I just kept that habit for the whole semester and VOILA, I lost 4kgs.

FOUR KILOS!

Woot woot!!!!!!

I thank God that on the second night, we were not just limited to those dishes because we get to BARBECUE!

Phew...

Later, we had this camp fire stuff that was SO AWESOME!!! There were fire eaters and other performances that were very enjoyable but the most fantastic thing, I will reveal at the very end of this post.

Hold your horses and don't cheat by scrolling down to the very last picture of this post okay? Promise me this.

The next day, all of us woke up at 4.45AM.

Yes.

After an exhausting day, we just had to make plans that require us to be up at a ridiculous time.

Why?

BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO HIKE UP BROGA HILL!!

I was so hyped my eyes just flashed open at the sound of my alarm.

At 5.30AM, we were walking out from the campsite to the foot of the hill. Not all the campers went up for the hike, we were just some of those crazy ones eager to be 'on top of the world'.

But let me tell you this, it was WORTH IT!

It was a scary climb because when we were nearing the top, there was like this really steep slope where you have nothing to hold on to because it's just, well, the red earth! At your back, it is the view of everything you should see when you actually reach the top, it was scary. Like I told you before, heights are not good for my heart and my head.

But of, the sense of accomplishment when we reached the TOP!

SEE SEE SEE????

Of course, I would not dare stand up on the rock like Mr. Paul there because, yes, complete the sentence for me... I am afraid of???

Wonderful!

You have reading quite intently.

Or maybe I have just been repeating myself for throughout the whole post.

With a great hike, I also had WONDERFUL company.

With the the other SRC members plus the ever caring Jeannie and the very quiet Ah Pang, it made the hike complete.

After a long time at the top of the hill, taking pictures and doing really silly poses, it was time to go down. My new Nike soles gave way. (Seriously Nike, you are so not doing a good job, I shall resort to Adidas next time)

At the foot of the hill again, we had a good time drinking up coconut water, took pictures of some tree vipers we saw while the rubber tappers were tapping the rubber trees.

But those were the minor details.

When we went back, the others were playing some hide and seek game we were not too keen on playing much less ask for details of the game. After packing and all, we were ready to leave for Kampar, of course, after dropping off all the other students from the Sg. Long, Petaling Jaya and Setapak Campus students.

And oh, before I forget...what I wanted you to see!!

ISN'T THIS SPECTACULAR??

I absolutely loved this!!!

It was more wonderful to be able to see it. The flying circling lights!!

It was so lovely and romantic. Of course, if my non-existent boyfriend was there with me, it would have been much better, but then, I was quite satisfied having my two girlfriends, Vancy and Jeannie with me to watch it.

There was so many other stuff that happened during the camp that I could not possible narrate to you here, but oh, it was lovely. It was tough and yucky because I had to get down and dirty in mud and stinky water, battle with my fear of heights and all that but everything done with friends will always be fun.

Precious People

2011-11-09T01:03:00.000+08:00

Beth Moore could not have spoken better about good and Godly company and I am SO GLAD that I have them.

And I love them to BITS!

You know, when one hears Godly, they would think that these 'people' would quote verses and rebuke your ungodly character...

Please.

Think again.

They are the most irritating, insulting, crazy and yet, the most wonderful people I will ever get to know!
(I wonder if my effort to appear oxymoronic is working?)

My first night out was with Benice Malini, Jamie Loh, Wilson Ooi, Benedict and Daniel Chan and that was when I told them my secret. (If you don't know what was the secret, you can just read the post before this)

They were shocked, and later, they start to BAWL away in laughter.

Of course, they inquired so much about my new fancy and I was so glad I was able to let it out!

The next day, it was a GIRLS DAY OUT with Sarah Choong, Mariel Nonis and Benice Malini.

We were supposed to go hiking but it was raining and raining and raining. We ended up having breakfast and ditching the idea of hiking.

That was when Mariel asked about my previous blog post.

I must say it caught me by surprise. I mean, who still reads my blog? It has passed its glory days and what I am doing now to my dearest blog is like pumping botox to an already wrinkled old face to boost a little of whatever beauty it still holds.

Anyway, I told them about the non-Christian crush (see Daniel, my guts in admitting what I couldn't admit the other night!), and they were not like, 'OH MY GOODNESS YOU SINNER!!' of course, if they said that, I would have walked straight to the car and left them at the coffee shop.

Would I?

Nah, I don't think so.

BUT ANYWAY (why do I always change MY own topic???), they started to tell me about their own experience about being somewhat involved with guys who are not of the godly kind.

Oh am I just blessed with such friends!

I asked them to pray that I get out from this matter as soon as possible. It's not like I was looking out for any potentials whatsoever, but sometimes, feelings just emerge out of nowhere, sometimes out of loneliness and sometimes out of desperation and other times, I am not too sure.

But you know what, when I start questioning myself about my faith, I know, deep down in my heart that I will not compromise.

Why?

His LOVE for me is too great, His mercies, His grace, how am I even able to comprehend it.

I like how John Mark McMillan puts it in his song 'How He Loves'.
There is a phrase, 'If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.'

This dude, this little feeling for him does not make a drop of water from that ocean. I might be distracted by his smiles and his humour but looking at the bigger picture, it pays off to just obey the One God.

I quote Beth Moore again,
'Disobedience to God DEFORMS the heart but Obedience to God REFORMS the heart.'

Of course, when interest comes in, I sometimes wish everyone I come across with is a Christian and that the older Christian men I actually meet would not be such 'humourless poppy-cups' and that, I quote Elizabeth Bennet from Ang Lee's rendition of 'Pride and Prejudice' that I have watched at least 30 times.

So there, I am on my way to redemption thanks to my much needed trip back to Penang. I wonder what my mom will have to say after she reads this.

Hmmm.

But really, I thank God for wisdom to discern the problem and work towards solving it. I thank God for such fantastic friends that are such an encouragement (though I don't think Wilson's 'Stage Three' is of any help!!!).
Oh they are so precious!!!

Playing it Safe

2011-11-07T02:19:00.000+08:00

Caution.

This is another of my nonsensical blabbing that is caused by late night blogging.

Most of the time, I will wake up the next day and regret what I wrote and posted but I won't delete the post because...I don't know, I just won't!

It will be documented.

Haha.

Have you ever had a dude say something really lame and stupid to you and you ROLL your eyes but inside your heart, you are smiling from ear to ear because you are amused by his silly humour.

No?

Then that just proves that I am weird.

But, embracing my 'weirdness' I will still continue to type.

And most of you would have already guessed, 'Is this post about a guy?'

Yes.

Like some desperado, yes, it is!

I've got the guts to write this here because never in a million years will the dude read this and so, that boosts my confidence a bit more.

But no, I know he is not the special someone that I will eventually meet. (After writing that sentence, I am not really sure)

Why?

Because he is SO not who I have always dreamed of. Like, he cannot be more opposite.

Lets take the basics that will send you shaking your head to my latest interest.

The differences?

Faith and spoken language.

And there is also the frequent problem about height.

And rare meetings.

And... and...

Sigh.

I am enjoying the smiles and keeping my distance. I think about him and I am trying to pray for an escape. I am considering and yet, I am abhorring the idea.

Maybe I should just have fun, and play it safe at the same time???

Bad idea.

Matters of the heart are sometimes very hard to be diagnosed.

But whatever it is, my only conclusion is that I WILL NOT negotiate the Word of the Lord and no, I won't be unequally yoked, even if it kills me slowly inside.

Happy Diwali in Teluk Intan

2011-10-30T23:37:00.000+08:00

What is with the picture?

I'll tell you, soon.

BUT FIRST (chronological stories are much more appreciated by public than non-chronological ones);

Like last year, we were invited to Shangaree's house for Deepavali and so like last year, we went!

I mean, seriously, do you think I can give up eating tons of muruku's and her mom's fantastic cooking?

Nope.

I am going there even if it takes two hours (or less) for me to get there!

Well, with Jym's driving, one should take off one third of the time of the estimated travelling time. You get what I mean.

In this case, it took us an hour to reach.

Oh the joy that befell upon us excited (more like greedy) fellows when we reached!

MURUKU'S!!!

We also had some cookies made by our very own Shivashangaree. As you can see, the pineapple tart above is made by her, after (according to her) calling Nirosha countless times for the recipe.

Ah, now is the time for me to explain about the first picture you saw in this post. If you have forgotten, you are permitted to scroll up but please, come back here after you have had a good look.

See the cookie in the jar?

It was some cornflakes cookie that she made which was... EWW!

She added too much Planta and the cookie part of the cookie (if you don't understand, just pretend that you do) looked plastic-ky, and by just looking at it, my next reaction was just to close the lid and put it back.

Aimi and Jym did try it... a little.
Just the cornflakes garnished with chocolate part.

But since I am a good friend, I am going to tell Shangaree, 'Good job, do better next time!'

HAHA.

After a few LONG minutes, lunch was served!

Best part of the day.

And my dear friend was serving us.

OH MY GOODNESS, THE YUMMY FOOD!

We had like prawns, fantastic mixed vegetables, three types of chicken (something like rendang, another with potatoes and another with curry), idly and others.

We ate till we were bloated.

Later, Suren, Shangaree's older brother put up fire crackers and pop-pops and all those sort of stuffs.

Seriously, we are so OneMalaysia.
I mean, our culture is so amalgamated and I think it is really cool. We have learnt to accept and adapt each others cultures to the extent of embracing it!

MEANWHILE...

The two love birds.

Enough said.

So there, our once every year adventures to Teluk Intan. The next trip there will be early next year for Shangaree's sister's engagement.

That's it for our Deepavali celebrations. I was so sad I wasn't able to wear my saree because I didn't have time to get my saree blouse done.

Sigh.

But anyways, HAPPY BELATED DEEPAVALI to all you people who celebrate it!

(My house in Kampar celebrates any and every festival, and next up will be my favourite time of the year... CHRISTMAS!!)

Revving up my engine

2011-10-28T21:28:00.000+08:00

*Vroom vroom* is how it should sound.

But nah, use your imagination.

I am just trying to make myself be more active on my blog. It's just so hard when your schedule requires you to have more than 24 hours in a day. And what is more, I have so many things that I want to blog about and I just can't because time restrains me from doing so. BUT, I will do it.

I will!

Therefore, this post is just to tell you guys, if you are reading, because sometimes, if they are just words, then they will just skip the blah blah blah and find for pictures.

I have digressed myself.

THIS POST.... is to tell you guys that I will be posting up some, old new, and some new, of course. I have not been too busy during my semester break, but busy enough, and also, I was quite busy (that is totally an understatement) ever since the semester started.

It's the short semester, the semester I like most because it only has seven weeks instead of 14!

HURRAY!

Alas, it is not so happy after all because I am stuck in Kampar.

Yes. The free-est and busiest of all semesters.

Oxymoron's can sometimes ruin my happiness, though it sounds cool sometimes.

Kill joy.

But forget the babbling, I should write a real post soon...like, in the next hour!

Wait for it!

Loss

2011-10-20T23:59:00.000+08:00

There are so many things that I want to say. So many things have happened these past few days... but for now, I just want some space to just let out my feelings.

My first shock was when I got an sms from Daniel Jr. asking me if I heard the news, and another that told me that Aunty Kam has passed away.
I was at camp and I didn't know how to respond.

Today, my 2-3 month old kitten died in the hands of another owner. Well, not exactly owner, but just the 'penjaga'.
I can't believe it.
She got run down by the 'penjaga's' car.

So yeah, I have burning eyes from all the crying.

But I have to 'man' myself up for leadership camp tomorrow.

Sigh.

Lord, help me. Sustain me.

Teluk Batik: Get Up and Go's!

2011-09-29T03:44:00.002+08:00

That was what I was anticipating for the first time around when I planned it.

Silly me.

I totally forgot that there is an east and west to where the sun arises and sets.

I forgot.

It was a Sunday and at 3AM in the morning, Aimi and I were still awake. Andrew was over at my house snoring away on the couch and Aimi was teary eyed, watching a Hindi movie.

I was...

I can't remember what I was doing.

OH YEAH, I was watching another round of Lord of the Rings.

After that, we decided to catch the sunrise at Teluk Batik. It would be good to get away from Kampar for a while and escape the exam heat that is emanating from every nook and corner of this student county.

No transport?
No problem.

I was checking bus times from Kampar to Ipoh and from Ipoh to Teluk Batik.

I got a score alright.

It's just that... I am not too sure about how long it takes to reach Teluk Batik.

Nevermind, I told myself and Aimi. I ran upstairs to tell Nirosha that we were leaving soon and she shot me a look.

'You didn't tell Jym?'

Well, the rest is history because the next thing we know was he had his car parked in front of our house and Nirosha and I were busy making sandwiches and Milo for the trip.
So now what we needed to do is just get to Teluk Batik in time to catch the sunrise.

Yeah right...

The trip there was...FAST, and that, I tell you, is an understatement. Nirosha had to tell him that she didn't want to die yet and that she wanted to get married and have children first.

WE REACHED SAFELY!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!!

But no sunrise... because one can only see the sunset from Teluk Batik.

I know, I know... *face palm*

But we did get to see a nice brightening-of-the-sky.

Pretty right?

RAINBOW!!!!

Then of course, we had food to fill our tummies, and Milo, which Aimi grumbled about because Nirosha added sugar into it.
We proceeded to relief of our stress by walking by the beach...

Have I told you enough times how much I love the beach and how I will always want to have a home by the beach and how I don't care if a tsunami hits or if my steel equipment rust faster than normal?

Yeah, you pretty much get the idea right?

And of course, no one goes to the beach without having contact with the sand!

The two monkey boys and Nirosha was having a competition on who can build the highest.......sand hill?
I don't know.

Anyway, all of them cheated so they made the 'thing' above.

If you look at it properly, it is actually a remake of 'The Lion King' Pride Lands stone hill that the baboon (I can't remember his name) carried Simba and all the other animals bowed before the little baby.

Aimi was not into sculpturing an all that and proceeded to send future wishes.

Just so you know, that is for Nirosha.

Yes, my congratulations to you too!

Anyways, we just did a lot of photo-shooting and a lot of...relaxing. It is quite a pretty place. The water was quite clear, as you can see... not much rubbish in the sea, only rotting wood and stuff of that sort.
The upper side of the beach is a little dirty though, but just shut your eyes and run to the beach.
Not a fan of the toilets here either.

But what can be done... it's the essence of Malaysian public toilets.

On the way back, it seems like we were still on with taking pictures. We took a lot of silly pictures that I would not bore you with here.

I was so happy I went!
We reached home at 11AM and the three of us just dropped of our beds and slept.

It was not over.

A few days after...

On Thursday.

I was done with my Journalism 2 paper and I was taking an afternoon nap on the couch before I rushed through to finish revising my Culture and Communication notes for the next day.
Yes, a back-to-back paper.

As I was sleeping there was so much of a commotion going on.

My other housemates (with an exception of Nirosha, who was out with *ahem ahem*) was done with their papers and were celebrating.

I heard Krystle leave for Kuantan (after I gave her a sleepy hug) and I heard Jym talking and Aimi talking and Shangaree talking.

OH MY GOSH, SO NOISY.

But I was to tired to comment on anything when...

'GET UP, FASTER, LET'S GO!!!!'

'Go where???' I questioned, preparing to answer no-can't-you-see-I-am-sleeping?

'GET UP GET UP GET UP!!!!!!'

Stupid Jym.

I got up and vaguely remembered that Aimi had to go to the KTM station to get her train tickets.

Seriously?

Can't those two lovebirds just go on their own?

Grrrr....

'WAKE UP, WAKE UP.... (and some gibberish in Mandarin)'

'Don't want to go, HELLO, I AM SLEEPING!'

Oh my gosh, it went on for a few minutes before I gave up. He was crazy persistent.

I went upstairs to wash my face when Shangaree asked, ' You are going to Teluk Batik also ar?'

I stared at her, dazed.

'What????'

Nothing was registering in my brain.

Then I realized that we were actually awaken to go to Teluk Batik.

I thought I could strangle Jym.

And I thought I was spontaneous, looks like I am at a loss.

Anyways, I went, with my notes to study.

Eric and his friends came too...well, they could well afford to, their exams were over.

So anyways, the heat was not in me for long. I mean, that is what the beach does to me. It drains the stress away.

Janell and Shangaree was picking shellfish (and later came over to fry them and eat them), Aimi and I was just walking... and walking...and walking. The guys were swimming.

So yeah, two episodes of Teluk Batik in less than a week. I guess stress drives students up the wall and to the beach. Three cars on convoy to the beach... quite fun I must say.

But not so fun when you get back home at 11PM and it brings you to another all-nighter because there is an exam.

But I did it, thank God.

Shangaree RAWRS

2011-09-27T23:35:00.002+08:00

Just a few minutes more before another day begins.
But before that, I just want to wish a special lion, a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

She may be irritating and annoying at times.
She may nag a lot and is very cheeky most of the time.
But I am sure the people in 615 think that she has a heart of gold...
And we are so happy to be able to call you our friend!

So, Happy 23rd!
I am so happy you are older than I am.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Thank you for the great times we have shared and for being there for us through thick and thin. We certainly shared a LOT of memories together in just a span of one and a half years.
You have also blessed me LOADS with your childlike faith and your encouragement.

SO, may God bless you with more than enough and give you wisdom as you go through your life and of course, may you live to be more and more like Jesus.

LOVE LOADS!!! =D

4 Days of Work

2011-09-24T08:58:00.000+08:00

No no, I haven't been working DURING my finals.
I was working before my finals...which made my three weeks of exams quite disastrous because I had to forgo sleep and call in MANY all nighters.

It is so bad that I am officially nocturnal. I can't sleep at night, AT ALL. It is almost 7AM in the morning and I haven't slept, yet.

So anyways, when I came back to Penang for my study break, I met up with Jamie and Benice who was, at the time, working part time in Forever 21 and they asked if I would want to make a few extra bucks and of course, I could not resist.

I went for it.

And I few days later, I found myself scurrying around Forever 21, putting clothes and arranging them back to where they belong.
The worse was when I had to memorize the floor plan on where each apparel of each collection goes. It's not very hard to do it, but to find where it was hung was..well, quite a challenge.
It was easy to remember where the maxi's, shirts and knitted wear were but when it came to cottons with stripes, my, there were so many in various thickness and colour...and most of them were from totally different collections.

Oh well, at least it is over...and I get paid.

It was, an experience. I don't think I can survive more than three months of being a sales person in a mall. I mean, I love malls, don't get me wrong but to work in them? No matter how much I love fashion and all that, being close to the same thing and just helping people out with folding and hanging clothes just throws the inspiration out the window.

Do I even have to start with the ache on my feet?

FOUR DAYS and I am done.

Phew.

Another thing was that time passes ever so slowly when the brain is not actively working to solve something or to think about something.

At the end of the day, I find myself playing the hide and seek game with prints.

Okay, so yeah, that is about my very short experience with Forever 21. I thank God that is over, and that my exams are over too.

PRAISE THE LORD because now I can bake... and I know what is first up on the menu... Lemon Walnut Tea Cake!

Stop right now, thank you very much!

2011-09-12T18:46:00.000+08:00

Oh my gosh, so many things to blog but so little time.
I am supposed to be catching up with Contemporary Malaysian Politics but here I am, blogging.

Kampar is still Kampar, real boring but my friends and I are up to a lot of 'action' and 'drama'. But oh, I can't wait to be home in the comfort of knowing that I don't have to attack my next exam paper.

So far, two has passed and I have four more papers coming up. I console myself by muttering stuff like, 'YOU CAN DO IT RACHEL' and 'YOU CAN REMEMBER THIS RACHEL!' and 'YOU CAN KNIT,BAKE and SEW very SOOOOON!' and stuff...

The best motivator you can have, after all, is yourself.

So people, just a little encouragement if like me, you are facing your examinations and feel like you are at wit's end.
You can do it. You just have to believe in yourself and strive smarter, and not harder.

What I do is that I set short term goals. My friends say I am WEIRD because you see me studying like a mad person for a second and the next thing they know, my iPod flashes out on my hand and I am slicing away on Fruit Ninja.
I know, for every page studied thoroughly, I will reward myself with a one minute game of Fruit Ninja!

It actually challenges my mind to be more active...
I don't want to just activate one side of my brain...it takes two to work and keep me awake anyway. :P

By that statement you would know that I didn't sleep huh?
I didn't.

Well, I did.

One and a half hours.

Not bad lahhhhhh.

But yeah, i have my buddies to thank because they are not those who STRESS too much, which is good because stress can be very contagious.

So guys, take a chill pill and study. Also, believe in yourself that YOU CAN DO IT!

I pray a lot too and this time, they are like a dozen arrow prayers for good memory and creativity and that the lecturers will be able to decipher my handwriting shooting up to heaven.
But yeah, I have faith that I will do well.
I must.

One thing that keeps me having this faith is that, just the other day, I was reading my tweets, (Oh my, did I tell you that I tweet so often I tweet the instant I wake up sometimes,HAHA) and there was this tweet by Rick Warren that reminded me that to DOUBT is SIN.

So no way I will doubt now. At least I will try and with God's help I will not doubt.

So people, ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR EXAMINATIONS. =)

I am going out to buy stuff for a spaghetti party my housemates and I are going to cook up today.
Short term goals! HURRAH!

I irritate myself

2011-09-06T01:32:00.001+08:00

Like seriously....

Have you been so irritated with yourself you don't know what to do?
It's not like you can ask your babbling brain to shut up and focus on something you desperately need to work on right?

Well, is it just me?

I don't know.

Since I am not being productive...and I HAVE NOT BEEN PRODUCTIVE for the past one and a half weeks, I might as well blog.
And I hope blogging heals my irritated nerves.

ARGH.

It all started today when I woke up at 3PM in the evening.

I get really irritated with myself when I wake up real late because I know I have to work with limited hours of sunlight. And just so you know, I delight working when the sun is up although I don't have the discipline to wake up early.

Another thing that made me forgive myself for getting up late is because I have been working for the past four days in a store called Forever 21 in Queensbay Mall which I was going to blog about when my computer and handphone irritated me to the max by a faulty bluetooth connection.

So yeah.

I am irritated.

With myself.

I am trying to study.

I am.

But I can't.

I am scared.

My heart is thumping because I have not studied.

I am not making myself feel better by thinking of people who have studied much much more than I did and I am here...BLOGGING.

I am irritating myself AGAIN.

Sigh.

Plus, I don't feel right.

I can't put a finger on what is really wrong here but... ARGH.

You know what? I think I should just wash my face and start afresh.

I will RE-try to study. I know there is no such word but I will stop trying to irritate myself by trying to correct myself.

I am one confused girl.

Help?

SandWITCH

2011-08-27T17:53:00.001+08:00

BEHOLD, our SandWITCH, as we chose to call it!

AND, according to our satisfied customers, it is DELICIOUS!

Okay, what in the world am I talking about?

Last Wednesday, my friends, Nirosha and Shangaree opened a little stall in my uni, because it was Flea Market day, and we sold sandwiches. :)

Well, we wanted to earn some money. We were broke and we desperately needed money. At least we have something in our pockets to last us through the holiday.

So yeah, that was how it goes.

The list of sandwiches to choose from?
1. Sausage + Egg + Cheese
2. Chicken Ham + Egg + Cheese
3. Stewed Potatoes + Cheese
4. Sardines + Egg
5. Crabstick + Cheese + Egg

This is our only sign that people kept blocking. Ish... But it's okay... and I think I am not taking the story chronologically.

First things first, I fell asleep at 4.30AM after cooking the potatoes and packing them..it was so late I am just so tired and.... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

The next thing I know, I heard,
"Rachel, wake up, it is almost nine"

"WHAT????" was my immediate reply and my eyes flew open and I got up, jumped into the bathroom got ready, ran down to cook the crabstick that I left to thaw a few hours before my lapse into dreamland.

The problem is that we had to be there by 8AM to set up and all that stuff because the flea market opens at 9AM...and here we are, still at home, sound asleep.
After rushing to get ready, we called for a taxi to bring us into the uni because we had loads of stuff to carry.
Sigh, the lousy taxi man charged us RM10.

LIKE HELLO!!!

Nirosha tried to argue for RM5. I shut the man up but shoving him RM7.

We so do not have time to bargain for how much a taxi ride costs. It's take it or leave it at that time.

I ran to the hall and GUESS WHO I SAW!

Leong Min Zhi and SaYang!

I was pleasantly surprised.

They shook their heads once they saw us.

"Hey, you are HERE! For??" I asked and at the same time, exclaiming.

"Waiting for your SANDWICH!" Min Zhi replied.

Isn't that sweet?

They were waiting for us to open our stall and according to them, they have been waiting for us since 8.25AM and at the time, it was already 9.50AM, almost 10AM.
Customers waiting for our stall to open!

Wr went in to search for our stall and Min Zhi, which I presumed must be rolling his eyes led us to our stall.
WOW, customer found the stall of the sandwich seller-to-be's.

They also bought like SIX sandwiches from us. =D

The rest of the day went on with us wondering if we can cover the costs for our sandwiches because the money we spent just on making the sandwich was already more than 100 bucks!

But no worries, we got our sales.

In fact, we finished our butter and our four jumbo loaves of bread and Jym had to go and get another 3 loaves and a block of butter for us even though he had his assignments and presentations to settle.

THANK YOU JYM!!

Our neighbours also bought our sandwiches and said that they were delicious, especially the sardine and the potato.

It smelled good because as you can see from the first picture, we lay everything nicely and we shut it up and let it...what do you call it...bake???
Well, whatever, cook, in the sandwich maker.
But the smell is sure to tickle your tastebuds.

At 5PM, we finished selling every piece of bread and packed to go back home, happy, and hopefully, a few Ringgit richer.

AND WE DID!

The total amount collected was more than RM230 and after covering the costs, each of us, which is the three silly people above, got ourselves RM37 each!

YESSS....a little money to spend when I go for my holiday in Medan.

Farfetched... but... who cares!

I am just so happy we managed to make some money.

So, care for some SandWITCHes?

None of the above

2011-08-22T02:21:00.000+08:00

Don't you know why I run away?
Do you realise that I shrink, duck and hide?
Let me tell you now
Though in some ways, it may not be clear.

In many ways I am driven away by fear,
Fear that it may and may not be
I do not want
But at the same time,
I don't know what I need.

I keep pulling the thread
Lengthening it so it will not hurt you
Maybe if it gets long enough
Maybe when the line is loose
I can let go and set you free.

* * *

You, in many ways, are troubling
I don't need you
I don't want you
And I can't have you
But why am I writing about you?

I literally died when you smiled
I used to laugh at what you say,
I used to mock your sarcasm,
Now I don't even bother
Because you don't bother anyway.

I am sick and tired of you
I need to get you out of my system
But you also keep my thinking
What if things didn't turn sour this way
Where would we be today?

* * *

You, my dear, are my dearest,
My shoulder to lean on,
But never to cry on
You are my 'jolly good fellow'
And I love you in every way.

Though I know you are not here to stay,
Though I know you will fly away,
I don't know why you act it,
I don't know why you look it
I don't know why you even make an effort.

It does not make sense,
But I'd just do with the ignorance
Cause it hurts too much to be away
Cause at the back of my mind I know
I know I can still fall back on you.

* * *

I'll know when I am ready.

Yes, I'll be waiting.

Provoked via FB

2011-08-15T00:54:00.000+08:00

I have rather idiotic friends in Kampar.
They are a good laugh, but seriously....

If you do not have the time to read it, then don't, the conclusion of this story is simply, I AM INNOCENT, I was dragged into the scene by Aimi Huwaina!

Aimi: Krystle, Kampar ada earthquake ke? Or its becoz Nirosha laughs & Rachel screams? Shangaree, can you feel the house shaking? x)

Comments:
Krystle Patut la.. ingatkan kampar ada earthquake tadi... *wipes sweat off forehead* xD

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran heyyy i tout earthquake..no ah???

Aimi Huwaina dunno... aishhh... *worried*

Leong Min Zhi patutlah... here oso can feel, i tot malaysia got dinosau

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran i scared la....nanti something happen to our house..some more we all in upstairs

Aimi Huwaina omo. omg. its shaking again!!

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran OMG again..again

Leong Min Zhi i dun think it is safe anywhere pun... i can see the lakewater started broiling already... worse than tsunami i think, nowhere to hide.... and i saw the mountain nearby, i think oso got landslide... whoa;sodhgs

Krystle Low ‎*Grabs onto Aimi Huwaina*
....

Krystle Low WAIIIIIIT.

Leong Min Zhi oops, the last word was written like that because the tremor made me mistyped

Krystle Low ‎Leong Min Zhi, YOU ROCK.

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran weyyyy faster2..run away from here...no safe at all

Aimi Huwaina omg. 3rd time shaking!!!

Aimi Huwaina come on guys... lets pray to our own god...

Leong Min Zhi Shit.... i can't feel GRAVITY!!!!

Krystle Low ‎*smacks* If you didn't feel gravity, you'd be FLOATING, you idiot. LOL

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran hehhehehhheheh....no gravity??? lol

Aimi Huwaina he must grab his laptop along then~

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran wey its tsunami i think

Aimi Huwaina OMG. THE WORST SHAKING....!!!

Krystle Low ‎*shakes head* our house is a goner..

Leong Min Zhi yala... i was shaken off from the earth surface..... trying to pull back.... ohmygod,myspacebarjustgotshatteredintopieces.

Krystle Low Our neighbours are SO gonna kill us.. x]

Leong Min Zhi wasrachel'svoice?orwasitathousandgrandpianojustbeingpushedofffrommounteverest?

ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran wey its getting worst...

Krystle Low OH NOES! EARTHQUAAAAAKEEEE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!

Leong Min Zhi ‎***I CAN SEE PLUTO*** (driftingi into space)

Krystle Low MIN ZHIIIII~! NUUUUUUUUUUUU

Leong Min Zhi it's amazing i m still able to grab my laptop and wander to the stars beyond... first human ambassador to galaxy

Krystle Low MAYDAY... ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran sees PLATO!

Nirosha Niro hahahaha.......u all should have watched the show....

Aimi Huwaina ‎ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran u can watt?? see plato?? omg. r u sure u still alive after d earthquake???

Leong Min Zhi LOL... i m trying not to laugh, so that i won't induce another earthquake...

Krystle Low I think if you laugh, it will be the end of the world...

Aimi Huwaina ‎Kay Chua, ur hse safe from the earthquake??

Krystle Low So quiet.. When normally his house noisy wan.. I think his house dah runtuh kot...

Rachel Yeoh WOIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Krystle Low Yes rachel? *blinks*

Rachel Yeoh aimi nak kena cekik ke? HUH?

Leong Min Zhi OMG!!!!!!!!! I saw boeing 767 just explode... according to the pilots, they heard a loud "WOIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" believed to be extraterrestrial in origin
Aimi Huwaina another earthquake!! run away people!!

Krystle Low ‎*high fives Leong Min Zhi*

Leong Min Zhi ‎*high fives Krystle Low*

Rachel Yeoh MIN ZHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! swt.

Rachel Yeoh u 3 monkeys better watch out.

Krystle Low Monkeys? Where? *chews grass* mmbeeekkkk.

Leong Min Zhi OMG!!! the ET refers us as MONKEYS!!! IT is soo advanced till IT called us primitive monkeys!!!!

Leong Min Zhi The Earth is no longer safe... the ET talks by shouting WOIIIIIIIIIIIIIII and yelling MINZHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Aimi Huwaina ‎*roar* mana2?? i dunno there's monkey in the hse... i think the earthquake left some effect on u Rachel Yeoh...

Leong Min Zhi and it sings the christmas song... 'u better watch out, u better not cry...'

Rachel Yeoh pffft.

Leong Min Zhi OHMYGOSH!!! the ET is attempting communication with me!!! IT posted on my FACEBOOK wall!!!!! Help!!!! I don't want to be zapped into ash!!!

Aimi Huwaina another small earthquake Krystle Low, ShivaShangaree Chanasekaran!! goshh... i thought its stops ady...

Leong Min Zhi ‎2012 is near

Rachel Yeoh yes min zhi u better have a panic room cos i am gonna land my flying saucer on your rooftop, kidnap you and let my children eat you.

Krystle Low I think it went along the lines of 'OHMYGODTHATMINZHIARRR!!!'

Leong Min Zhi It speaks ENGLISH!!! Oh god, its learning speed is way too fast to comprehend... and WAIT, the ET has CHILDREN?... oh my god..... i m on my way to Noah's Ark now....

Leong Min Zhi anyway, i am in space, remember? I just saw Pluto passing by

Rachel Yeoh noah's ark is made of wood, i think u better be more advanced that THAT.

Leong Min Zhi Oh, didn't I mention, it's Noah's Ark 2.0? It is rocket powered.

Leong Min Zhi better than ur rotor blade....

Leong Min Zhi even u find my house, the roof is TRIANGULAR, how u land, I wonder?

Rachel Yeoh FYI, it does not need to land. humph!

Leong Min Zhi i tot u just told me u will land ur flying saucer on my rooftop? omg.... its advancing every minute... farewell, humanity

Rachel Yeoh yes, i'll teleport my kingdom here soon enough. :)

Nirosha Niro ahahahahaha........

Leong Min Zhi please, ur presence here is outweighing the earth's limit of weight... and u bring ur kingdom for... wat? by the time u breathe one gram of air, the earth is overweighted

Krystle Low ‎Leong Min Zhi, she's gonna teleport her KINGDOM. Be prepared to meet someone who looks like the HULK.

Leong Min Zhi oh please, krystle, she is already the hulk

Rachel Yeoh ok, i am officially going to eat u up.

Leong Min Zhi i just called Ultraman, he told me it is out of his power to help, he just peed in his pants

Leong Min Zhi Rachel, is there an official announcement somewhere? I can't find it on CNN, BBC, or even RTM

Rachel Yeoh just as planned.

Rachel Yeoh ultraman is no match to my POWER

Leong Min Zhi the power of SALAD, time to change costume krystle

Nirosha Niro rachel i juz called transformer to in....will be reaching soon...

Krystle Low Erm... Dude, we need to power up our powers first..

Leong Min Zhi LOL..... hope optimus prime wil throw his spare tyres on rachel's 'spare tyre'

Krystle Low ‎*HANDS BLADE*

Leong Min Zhi LOL..... i m using lightsaber now

Krystle Low The Jedi Broccoli... *gapes*

Leong Min Zhi the cauliflower musketeer... *faints*

Rachel Yeoh is that all you have! the first universal wars.

Leong Min Zhi I thought most aliens say "we come in peace", i think this Hulk says "we tear u in pieces".... serious shit man, no kidding

Aimi Huwaina ‎Abraham Sebastian, how r u? ur house still safe??

Abraham Sebastian hahaha...entah lah...ade gegaran sikit kot... hahahah...

Leong Min Zhi i tell u, even the toilet bowl oso scares of me... before i used it, it flushes it self.... dun scare me with wat wat first universal war, I dun scared pun.....

Krystle Low I think the whole of kampar has gone to pieces.. We're the only survivors of the hurricane RACHEL

Leong Min Zhi Abraham, ur house is made of shock asorber? wow... gegar skit oni... *envies*

Krystle Low OMG, Abraham Sebastian ANOTHER SURVIVOR!

Leong Min Zhi make her an alien name, called Rach ely eoh. Stupid long name though

Krystle Low too long la. Payah nak pronounce..

Leong Min Zhi ok, just call her ET, done

Krystle Low ET for Enormous Thunderous One.

Abraham Sebastian oh i thought you meant my house in taiping... got feel tremors lah... but i heard the origins from kampar...

Leong Min Zhi i tot malaysia no more existed?

Krystle Low There still might be survivors out there..

Aimi Huwaina wow... can see that the earthquake just now was sooo powerful... i wonder whats the magnitude...

Rachel Yeoh swt

Rachel Yeoh oh my gosh...almost one hundred comments! insanity.

Abraham Sebastian so it was actually the hulk's roar that caused it...??? interesting... no wonder no alerts went off, not natural earthquake... we should prepare a hulk roar detector or something...

Leong Min Zhi im copying the whole thing into my blog now...

Krystle Low We're gonna be FAMOUS! *blinks tears away*

Aimi Huwaina tissue please!

Krystle Low ‎*Hands you a whole box*

Rachel Yeoh yea. so i am playing the antagonist????

Krystle Low Rach, I think you're playing the TERRORIST. xD

Nirosha and I was watching this show on 8TV which made us laugh hysterically and I don't know how LEONG MIN ZHI picked up on the conversation and there goes... a roller coaster ride. I went up to my room after the show and to my UTTER SHOCK!

Well, they are going to pay for it one day.

I was being a nice girl... therefore, I must say that I was provoked to be...well... provoked to entertain the comments.

Again, I am innocent.

P/S I am not so hardworking like Min Zhi that coloured all the names. You should do your homework as well. :P

Music Muse

2011-08-12T04:19:00.000+08:00

Again, a weird time to blog. But it is just a random statement that ran through my mind.

I think I have more or less cone to a conclusion about my taste in music. Yes, pop, rock and all, but there are just a few things that make me click.

Bring on Sara Bareilles, Brooke Fraser, Zee Avi and Michael Buble.

A definite NO NO to noise makers like Nikki Minaj and Ke$ha. (Though maybe one or two songs, I don't mind listening to).

But give me music makers like the four above... and I'll probably melt.

But, just to caution you, it is of my preference, it may not be yours.

Anytime of the day, their songs make me smile...and maybe cry.

:)

And so now I shall conclude and get on with reading journals for Political Philosophy and Contemporary Malaysian Politics.

:(

I Can Wait

2011-08-09T23:32:00.001+08:00

I go home very often...as in, back to Penang. Many would say, 'You are going back this weekend again?' and those whom I see in Penang every weekend would say, 'Oh, you are back again!'

Yes, I wouldn't want to stay in Kampar!
I need to keep in touch with the world!!

So what was happening lately?

Weddings.

Yes.

In just two months, I have attended 3 of the most BEAUTIFUL weddings ever!
3 of my friends got married.

One of them was Shari Chong. I didn't actually attend the wedding ceremony, but more like a wedding dinner at a hotel bar and grill. She got married in Singapore and hence, they brought the wedding videos over during the dinner and as I watched it, I cried.
Just so you know, I have never cried at any wedding before. I don't get why people cry during weddings. No one is DYING for goodness sake.
But, I must say I have to swallow my thoughts and words.
It was a beautiful wedding. Not so much of a super duper grand wedding, but the simplicity and the focus on what matters most is what shook me to tears.

Next was another friend of mine, Joel Chan. The wedding ceremony was held in church. Of course, his father is the senior pastor after all.
A week before the wedding, I asked him, 'How's the planning for your wedding? It's next week!'
'I am not sure, I don't have high expectations, I just want to keep it simple,' he answered.
Well, it was simple and real beautiful.
You've guessed it. I cried. AGAIN!
But, I was not the only exception, most of the people in the sanctuary was also brought to tears. Not sad tears but tears of JOY!
I don't know how to explain it but it was just utter joy. Joel cried, of course...he teared even as he watched his bride come down the aisle.

Then just two weeks ago was the wedding of one of my closest friends, Esther Ban. And this time, (yes, I teared up too) I got to be the Maid of Honour!

There she is!
Esther and her husband, Joseph Lau.
We have been sitting next or very close to each other since Form 1 up till Form 5.
Well, except in Form 3 when we were in different classes...but who cares, we still met up in between classes at the balcony to chat and to study...and sometimes, we would sneak out of class to the balcony and talk softly while our teachers were teaching in both the classes.
I would like to tell you all about the crazy things we do in school but time and space limits me. Maybe another time. :)

But getting back on to the subject, yes, we got to dress up and I got to walk down the aisle before she did, get to do the stuff all maid of honours do. It was crazy FUN!

And of course, I had to carry her beautiful flower bouquet and had my own corsage. I loved the colour of the African daisies.

I was telling Priscilla (who was also one of the bridesmaids and one of my closest friends too) that it was so hard to believe that she is actually married!!!!
I mean, that was what we always talked about when we were in school! Betting on who would get married first, drawing our wedding dresses, promising each other that we'll be the bridesmaids of those who got married first and so on.
To actually see it happening, was OVERWHELMING!

Later that night, after the wedding dinner, we went up to their suite (which we were messing up the whole day, rolling on the bed, doing up our hair, painting our faces with make up) and decided that we should clean our mess up and make it presentable for the newly wedded couple.

Check it OUT!

Fulffed up pillows, rose petals adorning the sheets and red wine for two!
Isn't it romantic?
Credits to Priscilla, Stephanie, Manyoke and I...and Jimmy's coat..and Jimmy was also creating a romantic atmosphere in the bathroom for the couple as well. LOL.

So, after all is said and done- vows taken and the celebration over, I know that there are at least two people who had the same thought.
Priscilla and I.

So who is next?
Both of us are not attached, and not like we want to but at time, we can't help but to ponder who is that person that we are going to end up with. After all, you can only have one husband that will last a lifetime. No second chances.

Then I would, in one way or another, feel like I am missing out on something. Like, oh God, where in the world is he? Why hasn't he appeared yet? Is he lost? Or did he miss his train?

But then, I think again.

God has prepared someone, and therefore I will wait and I can wait.
Sure, sometimes, I also can feel like, lousy, but please, being a sanguine, I don't think I can feel lousy for too long, or emo for that matter.
I can wait.

And I am waiting.

It's not a race to the aisle. But I am sure curious on who is going to be NEXT!

P/S Photo credits to Arden Khoo and Manyoke.

Here Again

2011-08-02T11:08:00.000+08:00

I can't apologize for not blogging for a terribly long time, and I suppose no one will read it anyway.
So I shall start where I have started a few years back. I'll blog whatever that comes to my mind. Not a promise that this blog will be alive again, but, just an outlet for me to just blah before I get into the gist of real things that are worth blogging about.

Yeap, I am here again.

And I think I am jaded.

I am reminded of how I lived my life in LifeGame, when I ran all over the place, getting money, paying debts, running away from police because I took stolen money from a thief, getting married, and just doing everything and getting nothing.

I feel that way now.

I am in uni, and I am doing so many things. I have my hands full, it has overflowed down to my toes, and it seems that my toes need to draw, weave and braid.
Weird image, but that is how I feel.

I can't seem to move on with my assignment and that is why I decided to blog, let it all out and I hope that this writer's block won't interfere with whatever that needs to be done because assignments have no mercy for this thing called 'writer's block'.
Sadly.

Exams, events and assignments.

I just realized I need to interview one of the university officers for an investigative report that needs to be handed in this Thursday.
SERIOUSLY?

Sometimes, I wonder if I am lazy.
I like to be in a pretense (MAYBE it is not pretense, I am busy and hardworking and all that) that I am not lazy because lazy people won't even commit to any responsibility, and here I am trying to juggle everything.

Sigh.

I do not want to see myself like this in a year's time.

I NEED A BREAK.

And by a BREAK, I mean that I get to bake, knit, and sew. I can sit at home and sing, continue trying to play the guitar and even go for a jamming session with my lovelies (though they will puke if they know I just classified them as 'lovelies').

FIVE weeks to the exam and add another TWO weeks, and I'll be able to swim myself to the surface of the water, take in a few breaths, before I drown in the workload of my last trimester in my second semester.

Pray for me!

2.31 AM on Easter

2011-04-24T02:48:00.000+08:00

Have you ever had the urge to scream JESUS for the sake of screaming His name? Just because He is so AMAZING you just HAD to do it?

I am studying and listening to Avalon's 'Can't live a Day' and I just can't help it!!!
So since I can't really SCREAM (the neighbours would report me or something) so I will do it here.

I came back from a refreshing talk with Mook Chen and about the existence of God and seriously, how can I say I don't believe in God when, He IS!

Get it?

He IS!!!

Remember when he told Moses?

'I AM'

I sorta get the gist of it now.

Isn't it absolutely and ultimately FANTASTICAL???

Sometimes, it's just UNIMAGINABLE that a majestic GOD, would love me.
That JESUS, would die for me. I am unworthy. You are not worthy.

Isn't that just GREAT GREAT GREAT FAVOUR?

When we think of it this way, doesn't that make us so shallow?
Sometimes, (not to say that it is wrong) I just feel so silly asking God for things that are just so puny like 'Oh, God, can I please get good results, or give me a parking space because I am running late' when God is fit to do stuff like moving mountains and raising people from the dead, filled with so much power that with a word from His mouth EVERY SINGLE THING ON THIS EARTH is created?

Try to compare it.

AND YET...AFTER ALL THAT, God still listens to us, still answers when we ask for a parking space, or for Forever 21 to have a big sale so I can get those shoes that I have been eyeing for a few weeks.

Isn't that just LOVE, when we are so unworthy of it?

Often I forget, but when this REALITY sets in, it hits me and I just can't do anything but proclaim His GLORIOUS GLORIOUS GLORIOUS....oh my gosh, I can't even put it into words!

What are we doing? Isn't there more to life than just what you are concerned about now?
Sometimes, I think that we are expecting God to revolve around us when all we do should revolve around Him.

Sinners, we are.

And YET, oh my gosh, the YET, and YET, HIS LOVE IS SO GREAT HE CAME DOWN, to a place even lower than of angels to be one of us and suffer one of the worst kinds of deaths, on the CROSS, for us.

What are we?

Who are we?

Us?

Isn't that just pure LOVE?

Cute and Pleasant

2011-04-01T23:38:00.001+08:00

Zee Avi makes songs that are just so pleasant to the ears.

I really like this song. They are so much better than the nonsense that they play on the radio.

What have you done? Huh?

2011-03-29T01:52:00.001+08:00

Allow me to be frank.

You have done nothing much.
Suggested a lot.
Promised a lot.

But the sweat and tears only come from the few who actually sat down, talked and encouraged each other to push on further.
Those few kept on pressing on, although they could not see the light at the end of the tunnel.

What have you done?
I can't trust a word you say because they are just words. They don't mean anything at all.

So what authority do you have to MOCK me?
What are you standing on that gives you the right to BELITTLE me?
What have you done so far that I can give credit to you for?
And there you are, trying to sugar coat lies that make others think that you are so merciful towards me?

Well, I don't need pity from you because I can function without you. There are others that I can lean on that are far more responsible and not as power crazy as you are.

I admit, I make mistakes. But have you not made any?
I have lost my respect for you, my friend, just the way you never respected me.

I will forgive you, but at the meantime, nothing you can say will bring me down because I know how much I have done, I know there are people who have seen me work and I don't go around talking about it as much as you do.

So thanks, I will be aware of such people in the working world next time. :)

And I am feeling better.
I feel vindicated.
And so I am not ashamed of myself.

P/S Lord, help me to forgive that person. It would be great to not think of nasty things when I see that particular person. Amen.

Stress and pimple popping

2011-03-15T23:58:00.000+08:00

Goodness.

I am SO SO SO tired but I don't know what is keeping me awake and supplying my finger muscles enough strength to push the letters on the keyboard.

Actually, I do know why I am writing this.
Last week, I rushed back to Penang to get some stuff for this event I am orgainizing in UTAR and I saw Leonard for a rief moment and he asked me, 'Rach, why you never update your blog?'

'I did, last week!'

'I read already laaaa...'

And I was, pleasantly surprised.

I know my blog is almost dead now and I don't generate as many readers as I used to and there he is, still reading my posts!
That is an encouragement on it's own.

Thank you Leonard! :)

I think I will blog tomorrow, my eyes hurt....

Oh God, give me the strength to survive tomorrow, and also remove the disgusting pimples from my face. Please?

Sob sob.

Dreams

2011-02-28T17:57:00.000+08:00

I am back in Kampar after a weekend of fun in Penang. There is nothing like Penang. Truly.

But I am not here to talk about Penang, I am here to talk about me.
It sounds selfish.
But it's my blog so here, most of the posts revolve around me.

Sigh.
Not I realise how selfish I am.
Tsk.
Now I am beginning to feel bad.
Should I change the topic?

But if I did then, then, then, I would not be bringing up the topic that I want to bring up. Right?

Right.

I am going to talk about my dreams.
It's good to review your dreams every one in a while. It is to assure yourself of YOURSELF! :D

So what do I want to achieve? (Do note that these are my own dreams, it is subject to changes when my Daddy in Heaven calls for change of plans)

1) I want to record an album. Yes, and fill it with happy songs that can bring optimism to people. There is too many pessimists and emo people around these days. What happened to the spirit of living life that is given by God?

2) I want to do fashion designing. It was my ONLY dream when I was young but it kinda slipped lower down the rank when I found my passion when it comes to singing. But STILL, I want to just sit down, look and fabric and imagine what it will become once it goes through cuts and stitches. Who doesn't love beautiful things?

3) Next, to write a book. I often start writing but I never finish.There are plots for stories popping out almost every night before I sleep but I just can pen it down in time before it gets diluted by my other imaginations and other responsibilities. Like Bilbo Baggins, I just need some time to sit down and finish my BOOK! But I guess I will have time to do that soon. This dream that I cling to is one of the reasons why I am contemplating to take my masters in literature after I am done with my degree in journalism. I know no one needs masters in literature to write a book but sometimes, I just think I am not quite ready yet. I don't know. Maybe I am just being ambitious. I mean, to get Masters in something is quite a something for me. LOL.

4) Open a business with my mom. Yes, I am trying to talk her into opening a business that sells fantastical stuff! Okay, fantastical stuff being very vague and general, let me let you in on the 'secret'. I want to have a business that does retail. I think my mom is so extremely talented when it comes to putting together pieces of fabric and coming up with something beautiful. And I like to work with my hands, making absolutely anything. I want to sell clothes, accessories, and decorations. I want a place like the antique shop Melinda has in The Ghost Whisperer.

5) I want to be a traveler. I don't just want to say hello to the Eiffel Tower or go up the Empire State Building or even take pictures of Giza. I want to really travel and look deeper into the lives of the people, I want to know what others don't know, I want to have my share of the green and grey jungles. As much as I love the city, I do love the serenity of nature. I want to run in fields that are endlessly green and slowly watch the changing landscapes of deserts and pen them all down in less than flamboyant words.

6) My little music box is what I want to create. Well, it is what people would call 'band' but nah, it's going to be my music box. Now I feel like Anne Shirley, from the book Anne of Green Gables where she gives Barry's Lake another name called Lake of Shining Water (if I am not mistaken). Yes, I do give my own names to stuffs. No wonder Mookie says I am a little like Anne. I don't mind, after all, she married Gilbert (LOL). So anyways, my little music box, called 'The Holiday Project' comprised of Reuben, Jordan and I. Those two boys are such darlings. :)

7) Bible College. I don't know, I just want to know more, more and MORE! The Bible is something FUYOH! To those of you who read the Bible, you know that when you read one passage and get the meaning, the next time you review it again, it speaks to you differently. The thought scares me but for now, it ends in my list because it seems fun to know more about this God that I serve. Not just in my relationship but in knowledge as well. I don't know if I will ever come to it but hey, I would do it.

So that wraps up my dreams. I also have other short term dreams like a lean body (which, once I get myself working out like crazy, I would be rewarded with one) and to bake good desserts (I am still working on my lemon cake and cookies).

But I was told by Rachel Lutz that whatever my dreams may be, we serve a God that dreams dreams for us that we can never ever imagine. It's like a wish list that you hand to your parents and what you get is much more than you can ever wish for. That, let me tell you, is what my God does.

Let me introduce to you, my Saviour and my Lord, Jesus Christ! :D

Jazzing Up a working night

2011-02-25T02:27:00.000+08:00

Oh wait, maybe I should say jazzing up a working morning because it is 2AM and as always, the whole house is still very much alive in Kampar. It is living breathing and storming with energy tat is slowly dimming...........................and it is OUT!

These few days, my days are just surrounded with political terms and political issues that need to be solved. I actually quite enjoy politics but then, too much of anything is never good for anybody.

So what do I do when I am relatively stressed on a weeknight/morn?
Sara Bareilles!! :D :D

Okay, that makes me feel so much better...now back to work.

It's political socialization tonight and it is a really nice journal I am reading now...many pages buy very nice.
So not so bad, I am actually enjoying what I am studying.

Sometimes.

Head and not the Tail

2011-02-19T23:48:00.000+08:00

It's times like this when I wished I lived in the world of Enid Blyton. Where every kind of mystery will be solved, every irresponsible boy or girl will be punished and where there is almost always a happy ending.

I wish I could read myself like a book, where I can just flip to the last chapter to check if it was going to be a happy ending or not. Well, if it was not a good ending? I don't know. But somehow, I have always thought it would be a good ending at the end of the story.

My story now?
Not fantastic.

A few years ago, I received a prophecy that God has great and wonderful things in store for me and that I do not have to worry about the financial problems that my family would usually face. along with it came with a promise that I will be the head and not the tail.

Head and not the tail.

I was hoping that I would be the head in academical terms but maybe not after all.

After I received the promise, I went for National Service. There I was chosen as Captain for my troop. I mean seriously.
Let's imagine...

Rachel Yeoh in blue military uniform with boots that weigh at least 1kg each side, a silly cap and socks that are knee high shouting commands asking others (who are definitely more experienced that I am), to march, march and march under the hot sun.

After one week, I resigned. I wanted a peaceful life in National Service.
It all went quite well and I held other smaller leadership posts that I could not say no to which eventually helped my troop to get FIRST in one of the competitions. :D

Then later, I hurried along home to start my form 6 education in Penang Free School. I hated it and I wanted out. But God wanted in.
I was transferred to St. George's after writing a letter to the authorities stating the reason I wanted to shift to St. George's was because there were boys in Penang Free School.

I have told you this and I will tell it to you again, when God wants it that way, no matter what kind of stupid, ridiculous reason you make to twist the hand f God, it won't work.

Yup, I studied in St.George's.

And guess what?

I became the Class Monitor.

The worst in the history of St. George's I think.

I never ever wanted to hold posts in anything. Give me my friends, give me time, give me fun and give me school trips and I will tag along but to take up responsibilities?

So not me!

So form 6 ended and I struggled a little to get myself registered to a university to continue my studies.

I ended up in UTAR.

And guess what?
God is not done with me.

I was elected as the Dance Drama chairman after attending the first meeting ever and it was a real shock. I told myself I won't resign. I will try to take it up. I will try to do this. If this is where He is leading me, then so be it.

Oh my gosh, how I wished I resigned.

I don't want to be dissing people but I have had the 'privilege' to work with the most irresponsible people EVER! And some people who are politicking their way up to my position.
I mean, I was a leader in ISCA, and my youth were never THAT irresponsible. Or THAT power crazy.

Ugh.

But I guess when I get out to the real world it will definitely be bigger and badder. Sigh.

From this, there is a pattern that I can see for sure.

I am under construction. Under construction to change by God to get my pride traded to humility, from independent to being dependent to the move of God's hand, because, I have never been capable of doing the things I am doing here.
It's a little scary sometimes but I can see the obvious hand of pure grace on me in everything. The peace, even though I am panicking, is there. Sometimes I choose to put it aside so I can pressure myself to finish certain tasks.

Man.

Even as I am writing, events are beginning to unveil.

What a wonderful God I serve.

Can I hear an AMEN to that?

Move and Wash

2011-01-18T13:00:00.000+08:00

It has been like.... FOUR DAYS!
Four days ago I came back to Kampar to clean the house and move our stuff in the new house, and after FOUR DAYS, things not are are not quite done!

We have been scrubbing floors and wiping fans,windows and walls. I must admit my favourite part is the shopping!
I have been visiting a few furniture shops here and it has been...quite satisfying.Why furniture? Despite the house being fully furnished, we still think we need a few more extra pieces to make it 'home'.

It's really crazy to know how many things girls can have. We have a total of almost NINE LITRES of washing detergent up to date, three big packets of detergent powder, 4 litres of floor cleaner liquid and I have no idea how many boxes of biscuits we have.

Sigh.

Hopefully, we get it all cleaned up soon...before I come back for my Chinese New Year holidays. That is the only thing I am looking forward to.
I miss home already.

Okay, I have got to go, I have class in another hour and I have to rush off, since I stay quite a distance from the campus now.

P/S
I'll put pictures up after we are done with the house. No one wants to see the mess we have made so far. Trust me. :)

Instinct or Advice

2011-01-10T11:52:00.000+08:00

This post might just appear useless as some of you, after reading would say, 'You'll have to just choose one Rach.'

Yes, a choice I must make but then, the question is, which would be the right choice?

You know instinct. A good friend that is mysterious and yet always there with you. Instinct may be right most of the time but sometimes, it can mess things up.
Advice. Some people react to it positively, and some, negatively. Some are passive, appearing to listen and feeding on what is given and yet, no responsive.

What I am trying to get here is when you are served with an advice that sounds good, and a feeling that tugs at you that asks you to do otherwise. Mind you, it does not have to do with anything sinful. Note that if you know something causes you to sin, flee from it.

So anyways, back to what I was saying, I was very confused the other day. To take advice or to follow my instincts.

I don't know.

What would you do?

Resolution 2011

2011-01-04T00:58:00.001+08:00

Usually, I don't make resolutions. If I ever did, I would just tell myself to try to do a few things that I want done and forget it a week after the New Years Day.
But then, I think, this year, should be different.

When I started this blog, I was still a teenager, and now, I am a young adult. Don't you think the word adult sounds so BORING? It does to me, but I can assure myself that I won't be a boring young adult and pray in the hopes that I won't be a boring 'real' adult either.

Seriously, what am I blabbing about above?

The good news is, I AM REVIVING my blog with this post!
It has been so long and my fingers feel weird typing all these words here. So now, I shall unveil my resolutions for the year. Having it written will certainly help me by keeping them. So here goes....

1. Prioritize when it comes to my time with God.
This, I admit, it is hard! It would definitely be convenient to just chuck the last moments of my day to read the Bible and pray and if I have extra time, fill in my prayer journal and hurry to sleep. But you know what? THAT WILL NOT DO! I have convinced myself many a time to read His word first before I log on to Facebook and play FarmVille or MouseHunt and sometimes, I succeed, but most of the time I don't. Shame on me.

2. Pray for others and my nation.
I am glad I have forced myself to start this last year. It is rather enjoyable actually. It feels good to not be selfish and hog all the time I have to pray to just pray for myself. Though, I must tell you, it is very disheartening when prayers for others don't get answered immediately or quick enough. It is easy to pray for the same old thing for yourself, but when it comes to praying the same old thing for others, it did test my faith. But whatever it is, I am going to continue praying. There was one time, (here I go with my grandmother stories again) I was on the way from Kampar to Ipoh in a 'bas tambang' and the environment was very noisy. I was sitting down alone feeling very frustrated. I was praying for a cell group member of mine who was hospitalized for almost two weeks and it just seems like she is getting from bad to worse. At that time, after praying every single day for so long (yes, that was long for me) I was getting edgy and I wanted God to heal her THERE AND THEN! So I just started praying out loud in the bus, though no one can hear me because it is so noisy and I was the only one in the bus minus the conductor and bus driver. I cried and sang and pleaded for God to heal her and when I reached Penang, I got the news that she was getting better. Better was certainly good and I am still praying for her today for complete recovery.

3. STUDY and do really well.
The problem with my course is that everything is very subjective. It is based on the markers likes and dislikes. Though I have a few subjects that have definite answers for exams, there are quite a number that are subjected to how the marker interprets it. That is why it is so hard for me to do better than what I have done the past year. So my aim, 3.5 CGPA by the end of this year, by the grace of God!

4. Do not use your coins!
I know, it is weird right? But that is the only way I can make myself save for a rainy day! I don't spend much really,well, except during sales when I know something is REALLY WORTH IT or food when I go out with my friends. But seriously, I must practice a little frugality with myself!
Sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit!

5. Be nice!
I believe I grace pride and hostility sometimes and that needs to STOP! I have talked to my mother about it and she does agree to it. I don't realise it, mind you. I have no intention on being prideful or hostile, it's just that, believe it or not, I don't like to be among a crowd of new people. I really dislike it. I feel weird when I am at a party where I know less than 50 percent of the people there. I know I am not friendly if I don't know you well, I just don't warm up to people that fast. IF you do know me and remember me being friendly at our first meet, let me tell you this, there is mental preparation made before words come out to say a simple, 'Hey!'

That is all for the major resolutions for the year 2011.
The others,well would be like updating my blog, learning to walk properly, exercise and get my flat tummy and get rid of the jiggly fats under my arms and my soon to appear double chin.

Peeps, do help me along. It is really hard doing this alone.
2011, a year to overcome these challenges and I hope to see myself at the end of 2011 as a changed person.

Glimpse of Christmas

2010-11-20T17:04:00.000+08:00

Can you guess what is above.

I sincerely hope you know what it is or else....*crack*.... my heart will shatter into a million pieces.
Hmmm...not that the *crack* I typed above resembles the sound of a real shatter, but oh well, you know what I mean.

People, that is my version of a Christmas tree!!!!

Nice nice nice?????
Say that it's nice!

It is hand made by yours truly and I used the cardboard you find after one is finished using the roll of toilet paper.
Or simply, 'pang sai chua cardboard'.

I've been collecting it for almost half a year now and I got help from my parents back in Penang to help me keep and I keep them in Kampar too. Also, my dear friend Adeline Wok saved loads of them for me.
Thank you for your contributions!

I am all out for Christmas since...well, since Christmas was over last year!

Why did I come out with such a, many people would think, ridiculous idea. Well, I love the earth and I try, as much as I can, try to save what can be saved. Remember reduce, reuse and recycle?
Well, I am recycling unwanted cardboards to give them a whole new look and feel.

Of course, it will look much better with lights and a little more decoration.
Maybe I should sell this!
LOL

I am currently in a real festive mood and I am listening to Christmas songs over and over again. AHHHH!!!
Can't get enough of it.

Pause

2010-11-06T01:27:00.001+08:00

HELLO ALL!!!

I haven't been posting for quite a number of days now, BUT I do have some interesting posts coming up. Just that there is this problem with Blogger when it comes to saving my half written posts.

Sigh.

I was typing and typing when I had to get some sleep, I tried to save it but it could not SAVE!!!
It was almost FOUR in the morning and my friends and I were going off to Teluk Intan early the next morning.
What was I doing?
Trying to save my half written post.

But to no avail.

So I'll have to rewrite again.

Tsk.

But it's okay, I shall do it..tomorrow...after I hit the gym and finish my assignment that I promised I will get done by this weekend.

I was wondering what to do this weekend since I am stuck in Kampar without anything to do and no Saturday class because of Deepavali...but we found some stuff to do after all!

Saturday.
HIT the gym.
I am serious.
While Krystle works on the choreography for her dance class on Monday, Aimi and I will...work out and try to sweat all the crazy fattening food we have been consuming for the past...one week? Or more?

Sunday.
We are going to cycle to GOPENG!
It will probably take 2 hours for us to reach Gopeng. But who cares!
We are EXPLORERS, or wannabe explorers perhaps.
Though I am not ready for that body aching adventure, I am keen on getting leaner thighs and legs...though sadly, it will not do anything for my stomach.

So this is just a little update before I continue doing my assignment. I've got the Genting post to post up tomorrow but for now, I shall have to bid you au revoir.

P/S I am getting better at French, I think.

The Dreadful Dengue

2010-10-26T14:38:00.003+08:00

Well, just as I promised, I shall tell you the tale of the dreadful dengue.

Just so you know, two weeks ago, my brother, sister and I got hospitalized because of dengue. The Aedes mosquito decided to be funny with us and BIT us.

Sheesh!!!

Anyways, it all started with my brother, Timothy, who got fever, and the next day, my sister caught the heat too. I took pride that I was still as healthy as can be. When we went shopping, I got to eat whatever I wanted and my siblings were confined to 'sick people' food.

HAHA!

So anyways, the next week,three to four days after my brother started his fever, he had is PMR examinations. On the day of his exam, I was down with fever. A mild one. I didn't care about it. The second day I had fever, I still had the nerve to crave for McDonald's. Anyways, my mom and I fetched my brother from school for lunch before he had his Geography paper when...

'Mommy, my friends ask why I have red spots on my hands and arms. They ask me to go see the doctor.'

My mom turned around to face him.

'What?'

'Look!'

'Cham la....'

She picked up her cell phone and speed-dialed my dad while she was driving. (Desperate times call for desperate measures)

Well, after all that, and after McD, and after Timothy's Geography paper (yes, he went back to school to take his paper) my sister (who had high fever) and brother (who had red spots but by then, recovered from his fever) was sent to the General Hospital for a check up to see if it was dengue.

However, I was at home trying to stay alive as my body temperature skyrocketed from a mild fever to a high fever.

My brother and my sister got admitted almost straight away. When my mom and I went over to visit both the doofuses, I started to get dizzy and by that time I had started vomiting. When I reached the hospital, I could barely walk because I could not feel my hands and my feet. But then, I managed to slap them to make them work for me.

Sigh.

But then....after I visited them, I could not even feel my neck!

Weird right?

Si anyways, my dad said I it was better if I went to check my blood. So I did.

And the next thing I know, I had to sit on a wheelchair and I was pushed to the emergency ward (not because I am an emergency case but because there was no where to wheel me to)

After a little more than an hour, the doctor told my parents that I had to be admitted because my blood count was way too low.

So off I go to the ward close to my siblings and my sister came over to laugh at me.

Tsk!

But ten, despite the horrible hospital stay, I was happy that my brother and sister was there too. I mean, to stay alone would be even worse! Nobody to talk to!

At least with the two monkeys, we can talk, laugh and quarrel. :)

So what did we do?

Well, we got our hands punctured and got drips.

Have you people been on drps before? After a few days, you can see that your hands are like, POOFED!

It's like, squishy.

So yeah, we were so bored we named the condition of our hands 'The Squishables'

My aunt and mom came the next day and brought SO MANY kiwi fruits! And I mean, A LOT!

Why?

Because it is said that kiwi can increase platelets in our blood.

We could not really eat, so we were mostly taking in fluids.

My fever was up and down, up and down, when the nurse comes over to my bed and checks my temperature, she seems to be always saying, 'High fever', 'high fever', 'high fever'.

Sigh.

So anyways, I downed like GALLONS of water to make myself heal quick.

I was not joking.

I mean, when you go to the loo almost every 15 minutes, you know you are taking in A LOT of water!

This is how we look like when we are sick. Well, my brother was not feeling any of the effects from dengue because...I don't know why actually...so he was not really sick in the picture, it was only my sister, who, at one point, could not breathe because of...hmmm...I can't remember what...and I, who still had high fever.

But whatever it is, PRAISE THE LORD!

I mean, we had visitors!

And visitors make us HAPPY!

On the first day, three of us were swimming in the pool of boredom but on the second day, we had more visitors! :D

LOOKIE BELOW!!

A fruit basket AND flowers from church!

Both my sister and I were so overjoyed to receive it. My brother was already discharged. :/

Then later Wilson came with some rotten fruits.

Like the one you see in the picture above.

Haha.

No LAH, he bought us some fruits for us but he said the shopkeeper cheated him and gave him this rotten fruit instead.

Thank you anyways Wilson. :)

So this is to show you, that if you ever have anyone you want to visit in the general hospital, these are the visiting hours. They are SO SHORT!

And everytime the visiting hours are over, there is this guard who comes along,ward to ward and with a baton saying, 'MASA TAMAT, MASA TAMAT!'

Sigh.

But despite the short visiting hours, we had quite a number of visitors too.

And one of our visitors bought us SIEW MAI!!!

Like a lot of siew mai!

And that was not enough...there was bread, egg tarts and STRAWBERRY JAM!

Can you believe it?

I mean, fantastic isn't it?

I could open a stall downstairs and start selling these goodies man.

I am not joking, we had SO MUCH FOOD and FRUITS.

Amazing man.

We feel so LOVED!

So to all of you who came to visit us and those who prayed for us...THANK YOU!!

Let me try to name you people okay?

Auntie Mary, Uncle Stephen, Auntie Mei Mei, Auntie Angie, Auntie Grace Tay, Mookie, Gabe, Ah Ling Che Che, both my grandaunt and grand uncle, Uncle Michael, Auntie Grace Tham, Derrick, Auntie Siew Pheng, Uncle Khay Hoong, Pastor Lydia, Pastor Thomas, Pastor Chai Bee, Auntie Bit Ching, Benedict, Benice and...I can't remember!!!

My aunt and uncle bought like SIX CANS of Milo and six boxes of Ribena.They also bought kuih.

Seriously, I really can sell all these stuff and get a pair of Charles and Kieth!!! :P

Though the nights were long, and the place was really cold, and some nurses were really horrible, you people made my stay in the hospital not so bad.

It could be much much much worse and I thank God for you people.

There are also some who called, like Daniel Thamesh and Leslie and some people who laughed at me like...hmmm, actually there was only one person who laughed at me and that was Yuen Chern.

Seriously, what a horrible friend. Tsk tsk tsk.

Joking joking.

And those who sent us all those get well messages, thank you. I can recall messages from Oon Feng, Sarah Choong, Timothy Kok, Peng Chin, Kai Ning and Adeline Wok.

So yeah, I am almost very well, just not as fit as I was, not that I was really fit anyway, but I am just weaker la, but I will bounce back, and you can expect me to be as crazy as I was before that bite.

Actually, I think I am crazy enough. I should just stop there.

P/S

The siew mai, buns,tarts and STRAWBERRY JAM was bought by Mookie. Sweet RIGHT???? *hearts*

P/S/S

Do you write P/S/S that way???? Well, who cares. Just want to say a BIG BIG THANK YOU to my Mommy and my Daddy who came to visit us every visiting hour to bring porridge and food and for feeding us kiwi because we were just to weak to do anything. Thank you for your patience and your time and for everything. :) *hearts much*

A friend indeed

2010-10-20T01:11:00.000+08:00

DAY ONE into the new semester and I am dying from homesickness. This time, it is quite bad, I don't know why!!
I mean, I am supposed to be a survivor, I am a strong lady, but I can't help but to crumble under no pressure whatsoever.

MAN, I MISS HOME.

So today, I was just bumming around in my room, thinking of just walking back to Penang if only my legs were to allow me. The dengue effect also hit me, I was too tired to do most of the things I used to be able to do easily. I mean, I run up a flight of stairs and I have to lie down on my bed because I could not simply go an inch further without fainting.

I hate that feeling.

But anyways, I got to get back on my two feet home or no home.

Thank God for three things.

One. God.
Yeah, speaking in tongues really does wonders for a spirit that is downthrodden.

Two. Brooke Fraser.
Her voice I mean. Love her songs.

Three. A friend.
Well, a funny friend like Daniel Jr.

Thanks for the silly MSN and Skype conversations.
Sometimes, I just need moments where I can talk about silly stuff that does not revolve around university life, when I should wash my clothes, what I should eat for dinner and when I have to wash the bathroom. It's great to hear a familiar voice and laugh at absolutely lame stuff. It's good to just talk about food and cars and why we have conversations and argue about stupid things that do not require the processing of much of my grey matter.

So yes, I am feeling better.

Thank you.

So RACHEL OOI HUI YING, when are you ever going to come on Skype?

How la like that????? Paramore or not??????

2010-10-14T19:43:00.001+08:00

As most of you would know, PARAMORE is coming over to Malaysia and I am..well, I really want to go, to put it really simply.

However, I really do not know how I am going to get there? Go there alone? By what? Bus, train?
I don't know how to get around Kuala Lumpur that well... I mean, I know how to get around Bukit Bintang that is for sure but that is about all of K.L. that I know. How am I going to get myself to Bukit Jalil and back to Kampar?

BUT I REALLY WANT TO GO!

I really really like Paramore...like, no joke...AT ALL.

I think Hayley Williams' voice is amazing and it would be fantastic to hear her sing live. I know she sings live well. So...anybody going?

Man, next Tuesday and I would be so moody if I find myself sitting on my bed wishing I was rocking on to Brick by Boring Brick.

So what do I do now?

I really don't know.

If you have free tickets, PLEASE DO SOME CHARITY AND GIMME ONE!!!

I could use THAT pick me up.

So it's a show or a no show for me, and I really don't know what to do.

Road to Recovery

2010-10-13T18:28:00.000+08:00

Oh so look who is back!

Just so you know...well, most of you might already know that I was down with dengue fever...but I don't want to talk about it yet...no no...that post will have to wait, but just to tell you people that I am doing good now.

I am recovering from the horrors of dengue.

At least I didn't die right?

I mean, there are people who die from dengue and here I am, A SURVIVOR...along with my brother and my sister.

Yeap, I was not the only one. That brutal mosquito bit my brother and my sister too and we were all shipped to the General Hospital for free treatment.

But well, a few days left for my holidays and I really thank God that I am not six feet under instead. Hehe.

To those of you who prayed and visited us, I just want to say THANK YOU!

I will write in detail as soon as I want to try to relive the smell of antiseptic and frequent blood tests that filled our week...but for now, I just need a break from...THAT.

So yeah, I am on the road to recovery now, Praise the Lord.

3 tone scarf

2010-10-03T14:18:00.000+08:00

At last, I am done with this scarf.
This scarf took extremely long to finish...because I was to busy concentrating on stuff and sometimes managing to knit only ONE ROW in the course of two months. I didn't exactly sit down and try to finish it but hey, I did finish this!

SO yeah.the first pink scarf was for Rachel Ooi and this 3 tone scarf is for my darling Esther Ban. I've promised her this scarf since I started making it and it took me a very very long time to finish it.More than a year I think...hahaha.

I am so sorry Esther, I hope you like it...when I pass it to you this coming Friday.

You are officially the owner of this scarf. :D

Now I am off doing the next project...for myself.
Yes, ever since I started working on knitting and purling, I've never done a scarf for myself...and so, the next project for me...is not as tedious as this three tone scarf so I hope I can finish it before Christmas.

No prize for guessing the colour of my scarf.

PURPLE!!!
Hahahaha...and silver threading which reminds me, I need to go get silver thread.
So yeah, like it???

The scarf I mean, not the picture. I am just part of the 'illustration purposes' category.
:)

Paper Rolls

2010-10-01T01:49:00.000+08:00

I have just chopped my hair off...so the pictures you see are taken a really long time ago.
Hmmm...well,not that long ago but...long enough. 2 months if I am not mistaken.

Anyways, I am not writing to ask you to help me count dates and days but I am going to SHOW you what I found out as I was screening through You Tube.

I am not a big You Tube fan but I do go on sometimes to get inspired.
And that day, I was particularly inspired.

There was this video by Michelle Phan (if you don't know her, you can just Google it, she is quite famous) and she was giving a tutorial about how to curl your hair without the curling iron.

AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT SHE USED?

PAPER!

Yup, you heard me alright...

P A P E R

Isn't that AMAZING?

I mean, no heat would mean no electricity wasted and paper would mean clean recycled paper and after you use it, you can reuse it again (provided you take good care of the paper you used) and you don't really have to discard it into the waste paper basket, you can just dump it for recycling.
Well well, talk about reduce, reuse and recycle.

I am ALL FOR IT!

So what do you need?

Your hair.
Used paper.

If you have dry hair like mine you also can use baby oil to add that extra sheen after you have curled your hair.

Firstly, wash your hair and wipe it dry.

So yeah...towel dried hair and comb it to get rid of knots and tangles.

I am sure you know how to do that.

When I did this, I still had long hair, I don't know if I can still do this with my short hair but when I do, I'll let you know. :)

NEXT, get you paper ready!
Michelle Phan used paper bags for her tutorial but hey, don't need to go buy paper bags, use used papers! Remember the ones you take calculate Mathematical equations?
YES, use that.
I don't recommend you to use newspaper, it might be dirty and the ink does not stay as well as the ones on normal white paper.

Back to paper.
Using an A4 paper, tear it to half horizontally and fold it until you get strips like what you see in the picture above.

Tie half of your hair up and make sure your hair is combed thoroughly.
And when it's done, it's time to make your arms ache.
Well, ache for a good reason!

Fold your strip into half 'V' like you see in the above picture and stuff the lower section of your hair in between the fold.

Then...

*jeng jeng jeng*

DO THE TWIST!

Secure it and start twisting it up. Just like what you do with rollers!

ROLL ROLL ROLL

TWIST TWIST TWIST...

Roll it up until it becomes like what you see in the picture above.

Take the two ends of the 'V', now twisted into a roll and tie a knot. You ca do double knots of you want to. Some people would prefer only one but s for me, I have thick hair and I need to secure it, especially when I go off to sleep.

What you will get after rolling and twisting all you hair?

THIS.

I know it looks funny but seriously, who cares.
It's time for SLEEEEEEEP!

One thing good about paper is that you can sleep with it and it won't cause discomfort.
I mean, imagine sleeping with plastic rolls on your hair. I've never tried it but from the looks of it, it ain't going to be a comfortable experience.

Though paper can poke you at some places, it is WAY WAY WAY better than those plastic curlers.

After you are done and just before you go to sleep, pour some baby oil on your palms and scrunch onto the paper rolls. NOT TOO MUCH!!!! You don't want a case of greasy curls...you can get them at McDonalds.
Come to think of it, those curly fries are really yummy.

What was I saying?
Oh right, baby oil...approximately 10 to 20 cents coin will do the trick.It depends on how thick your hair is.

So yeah, I went to sleep. If you are not going to go to sleep, leave it for at least 4-5 hours so that those curls will stay.

The next morning, the first thing I did was to undo the knots SLOWLY!!!
You don't want to end up having super frizzy hair. There was this one time I did in a rush...oh my goodness...it was like..curls everywhere!
It was almost half afro.
SO take my advice people,it's good for you. Tried and tested be me. The hard way...

Would you look at how the curls can form overnight?

Use loads of strips if you want tight curly wurly curls.
If you want natural wavy curls, I recommend that you use only 4 to 6 strips of paper.

After taking off the paper, check the condition of your hair, if it is dry, use your favorite hair serum to tame it.

I am sorry I can't let you people see the wavy ones I did but just to let you know, for those of you who want it less curly but want the romantic look, don't roll it too tightly and use less strips. After you are done and it is time to undo the knots, undo it, again, carefully and try to separate the curls.
Trust me, it looks natural all right.

This was my first attempt with the paper roll and it came out poodle like. It takes some practice to master the curls you want but it is worth it.

Just to let you know, the curls will take around one day to settle. So it really depends on what kind of hair curls you want to achieve.

So just go crazy with paper!!!

All the best.

Hello Again

2010-10-01T01:12:00.000+08:00

It is going to be a sweet sweet October.Or...at least, I hope so.

I know it has been ages since I posted ANYTHING at all and yes, can you please forgive me? It's just that the internet connection in Kampar is really...really...sigh.

It has PMS okay?

And I did have my finals for almost the whole month of September leaving me with...very very little time to come up with posts for my dear OUTRAGEOUS.

Don't get me wrong, I am not some nerd studying and studying and studying. I DO have a life. It's just that I can't...or, I don't have enough hours in a day to document those events and post pictures up.

You see I did try,mind you, I really did. It just stops after I upload my pictures and then VA VA VOOM, the Internet goes off. Also. I should tell you that the weather in Kampar is really crazy, it can be raining cats and dogs one moment and the next (and by next, I mean that it can very from 10 to 15 minutes) it is bright and sunny again...and not to mention scorching hot at some instances. Once the thunder and lightning starts, you might as well call it a day and sleep it off.

BUT, PRAISE THE LORD THE LONG TRIMESTER IS OFFICIALLY OVER!

Now I can breathe and go out with people, eat as much as I can and just PLAY PLAY PLAY. You PMR and SPM and STPM students must really envy me now eh?

But don't fret my fellow friends, your envy will only last two weeks as I will be heading back to to study.

Next semesters subjects are SO UBER COOL!!!

I mean..like seriously!

Introduction to French

Photojournalism

Sun Tze Art of War

Three subjects...not that I am particularly excited about the Sun Tze thing but it only takes ONE CREDIT HOUR AND NO FINAL PAPER!

*woot woot*

Okay okay,maybe I should just start blogging about REAL stuff than just telling you people the blah blah blah's of my life.

See you soon. :D

Grrr

2010-09-10T01:39:00.000+08:00

Seriously, I should really blog more.

But...

I don't know how to find time....and now, I am worried about my exam.

And, I have so many good things to tell you people too.

Sigh.

Maybe I should just stop FarmVille-ing and start blogging more.

And also studying.

So yes, exams are next week and I need all the prayer and time I can get because I need to take this seriously and start studying.

Sien.

But no no, cannot say like that wan... :P

Lord, strengthen me.

Okay, back to studying my first chapter of Advertising.

And...I promise to post soon.

Bring on a REVOLUTION

2010-08-23T14:36:00.000+08:00

As I was going through today's prayer item for the NECF 40 Days of Fasting and Prayer 2010, I was struck to write something.
Maybe I should start writing my opinions about it...that way, I hope I can encourage others to do the 40 days of Prayer and Fasting too.

I will come out transparent. I didn't have the time to follow up on it every single day without fail. but yes, I make it a point to... I am not perfect, there are times I am so tired I just leave it for the next day until I become guilty and I decide to open the book up and just PRAY.
Also, I haven't started fasting yet. But yes, I pray.

So today, I told God.

'You know what? I don't want to just pray and pray and pray, I want to PRAY, like, different than I am usually praying.'

I was also struck by what Wilson preached last week in ISCA about Nehemiah. I mean, he was an Israelite, but he was staying in Babylon ever since...ever, and he was struck to pray for his people and the land where his people were from.

So last night, I read Nehemiah.

The sermon and the name Nehemiah was like, mentioned to me almost every single day ever since that sermon Wilson gave.

When I came back home, my mom was telling me about a prayer that someone prayed during the prayer meeting regarding Nehemiah.

Nehemiah AGAIN!

Hmmm, God must be trying to tell me something and He is definitely not being subtle about it.

Okay, confession time. I don't think I ever read the book of Nehemiah. I mean, I know the story. Building the walls and stuff.
OF COURSE I KNOW, I've been to CIDS Church!

So anyway, I read Nehemiah and yeah...that is about it.
I feel happy.

And today, I realise that when I see and pray about the topic that was stated in the booklet, I know my heart has changed.
I don't just pray. But I PRAY!

It's like, a different yearning.

So, on the list today was to pray for teachers in Malaysia.

'Good,' I told myself.

But even as I started praying, the Holy Spirit began to take it's toll to pray.
Don't you just love it when it happens. Whatever you are not thinking about suddenly comes out in words and you ACTUALLY know what you are praying about though it was not in the list to pray for a second ago.

Did I just confuse you?

ANYWAY, I began to see that it is extremely important to pray for YOUR teachers!

And also pray for teachers of the next generation. The amount of Christian teachers in school are not just slowly reducing, but reducing quickly.
This led me to think about the teachers I had in Convent Green Lane.
All my science teachers when I was in Form 4 and 5 were Christians. For Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

I remember my Biology teacher, Ms.Choo or most of you would know her as Aunty Sook Chan talking about evolution. You see, most of my friends had to have debate sessions with their teachers about the ridiculousness of the evolution idea and monkeys turning to humans kind of ideology. For me, I just sat there, because Ms. Choo knew what to say.

She believed that the world didn't come into existence because of some BIG BANG. It was because God created the universe. A God that values order, created order in the making of our universe. How can something so random create something so orderly that we can have faith the sun will shine the next day.

What she said was funny.

'Girls, I hope you don't believe that we came from monkeys please, it is not true okay. My goodness! Who here believes that we came from monkeys???'

A few hands raise.

'Please, we do NOT come from monkeys. Take note of that!'

So far, she is the only Biology teacher that I have seen to reject Darwinism.

Also, she also took time to tell my class not to sleep around with men. She told us about AIDS and told us how easily it can be transmitted. She told us time and time again to not have random sex.

In a world so corrupt like what we have today, I believe we need teachers like her to lay down a good foundation for students to see what is good and what is bad. The line between good and bad is now blurring. It's not good or bad. It is what you think is good for you, nowadays.

Ms. Choo has already retired, but I do hope whoever took her place would be sensitive to what is happening among the youths these days and to counter it with what is right.

I pray that all who read this will pray for your teachers. Their salvation for those who have yet to know Christ and the boldness to stand up for Him if they are already believers. These are the people who will have first hand contact with the next generation and they play an important part when it comes to molding their character and values. Now, being a teacher is not highly valued in society. Let us pray for the change of mindset too, that talented people who know how to connect with students will have priority in teaching the next generation, that the society will value them too.

I know most of the students are involved in the Recess Revo but let us heighten up the challenge and also pray for a revolution among the educators. That THEY will start the revolution in the students too.

Choose to Praise HIM!

2010-08-08T03:14:00.000+08:00

On Thursday night, I was doing and just doing my assignment.

English for Mass Communication.

OH HOW I LOATHE THAT SUBJECT!

Anyways, it HAS to be done.

So after class at 5PM, I got back home, sat in front of my laptop and played Pride and Prejudice.

I didn't watch, I just listened to the music and their conversations.(YES, that is how crazy I am-in fact, I memorized most of their lines).

The important thing is, I was doing my assignments. I tried not to rush and I took my time to make sure everything was right. I checked my research papers, got the right sources, wrote it in the best way I can and just trying to love what I am doing.

I knew I couldn't sleep that night at the rate that I was going. But I didn't want to rush lest I forget some important stuff that I have to cite and stuff in the report. I just did it slow and steady. It was past midnight.

SUDDENLY, the screen faded and words that stated that my Microsoft Word was not responding appeared on the screen.

No worries, Microsoft Word always has back up and recovery. Well, at least for my laptop it has...

So I just closed my program and reopened it.

But when I opened..there was NOTHING.

Nevermind, just try again.

I closed it and reopened.

NOTHING AGAIN.

My heart skipped a beat.

There were a lot of documents and the assignment was half done. I was typing my 22nd page. I HAD to have it recovered.

I tried again.

NOTHING!!!!!!!

I panicked and I decided t post my problem on Facebook to see if I can get any help.

All I got was a series of replies that expressed shock from my group members.

SO, I switched off the laptop and tried again to switch it on.

And when I opened the file again... NOTHING!

OH MY GOODNESS!!

I prayed.

And I prayed.

This CANNOT be happening to me!!!!

My assignment was due that same day at 5PM!

By the time I gave up hope of the recovering, it was already 1.30AM.

I prayed.

It was a disaster!!

It's one whole report filled with stupid graphs and tables and letters and case studies.

HOW IN THE WORLD AND I GOING TO RECOVER THAT FROM THE MEMORY IN MY HEAD AT SUCH A SHORT TIME???

I prayed.

Then, I stopped.

I had two choices to make.

One.

COMPLAIN AND CRY! And just...cry!

Two.

Praise God and start doing the assignment all over again.

I remembered Paul. When he was in prison, instead of getting all sulky and expressing negative attitudes, he chose to PRAISE GOD!

I also remembered Job. He lost everything!!!! Not just what he worked for during the week like I did..but everything he worked for in his ENTIRE LIFE!

So what does that leave me?

Let's do a simple comparison.

OF COURSE THEIR LOSS IS MUCH GREATER!

Phew.

So I forced a smile on my lips and started to PRAISE GOD!

"Lord, if this is a test, I hope I can pass this. Lord, I don't know why this thing is happening but I choose to praise You even at this time."

Trust me, it was NOT easy. I kept telling myself, you are doing the right thing Rach!

You are not just saying and not doing. You said it and you are acting upon it NOW.

After praising God, I continued to work all over again. It was 2AM.

Tears rolled down my eyes but I just kept doing.

After a few minutes, I got a call from my friend.

It was Shangaree, a friend of mine that just accepted Christ about a month ago.

She told me that she read my Facebook post and said that she and her friend, Nirosha can come over to my place and help me with the assignment.

I said okay.

So at 3AM, both the girls rode their bicycles to my place with their laptops to help me with my assignment.

What's more?

English for Mass Communication was not even in their list of subjects!

So I gave them some stuff to work on until 4AM when i could not take it any longer.I HAD to have some sleep.

To cut the story short, I finished it.

I finished it.

Though it was not as perfect as the first copy that I lost, I believe I gained something far greater.

I mean, who would have friends awake at 3AM that are willing to help you with an assignment that has nothing related with them?

I guess God provided...like He always does.

It's like God sending angels to help open prison doors and helping me escape, though I have to run away on my own.

So yeah, I am glad I chose to praise Him.

I hope you will choose to praise Him too!

Oh August

2010-08-02T21:51:00.000+08:00

It is August!

Can you believe it?
I have got another four weeks and I AM DONE!
I AM DONE WITH YEAR 1 SEMESTER 2. Done with the long semester this year.

One more month.

Two more months until the holidays! Trust me, I so need a break. For a person who loves to blog, I am not blogging at all. One or two posts is NOT blogging..it's making my blog barely survive...drifting on the surface so that it has enough oxygen to still welcome trickling readers.

But all is well...the pimples and dark circles will go...soon.

Late nights has not been doing good for my health. My head is spinning most of the time and I think my blood level has hit an all time low. I always prided myself that I have enough blood in my body, and not just enough, but good blood too. I routine myself for blood donation drives and now I m wondering if I should donate blood this coming August 15 over at PCC.

We'll see if I have enough blood for one before I think about giving. I'll end up looking like a vampire after giving blood and I might have to gulp dozens of iron pills to get me back to where I was.

*pause*

Why am I talking about what I am talking above?

I don't know!

I just miss blogging, that is all.
But for now, this is the most I can say.

I will post soon. I know I will...assignments are almost done. I just have to stretch a little more.
Do keep me in your prayers.

I need time. I need sleep. I need a spongy brain. I need a clear face and I need to lose weight.
HAHA.

Happy August everyone!

iPAD 2010, not yesterday or today but everyday

2010-07-30T15:08:00.001+08:00

OH MY GOODNESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...

I mean seriously Rach!

iPAD happened like a million years ago!

If you are a constant exaggerator like I am, then those would be the words you would say when you read this.

But hey, it's okay to talk about this now and rekindle the appreciation for your parents TODAY!

There was one day ages ago when a cell group from the north of Penang Island came together to serve their parents.

They got together, practiced walking, bringing dishes to their parents.
It was, in my opinion, very meaningful.

Just look at Joshua's brilliant smile!

Any parent would have their face lighted up with that kinda smile painted on their children's faces!
So, do something to appreciate your parents today!

Service with a smile...

You can see that it works right?

Oh yes, that day, my family and I was seated at table 20. :)

Later there was a dance item by some of the youths. My sister included.

They danced to Britt Nicole's 'Like a Star'

Well, I am sure your parents have been working OVERTIME everyday.
It's not just work, they come back home and they have YOU to take care of. :/
And I have to admit, even I have not been making the work load any lighter. So, treat them like a star!!!

By the way, the dance was choreographed by Wong Shu Wen and Justin Lee.

Then the dear Ariel with the Lau sisters, Esther and Emily entertained us with 'Because You Loved Me' by Celine Dion.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I was just thinking, my memory is not bad eh? I still can remember stuff from ages ago!

And try looking closer to Emily and Esther's dress.
THEY ARE A FLIP SIDE OF EACH OTHER!!!!

When I saw it, I was like, COOLNESS!
Hehe.

SO yeah, the son Ariel sang was just a reminder that our parents raised us up and NO they didn't pick us up from the rubbish bin nor do they treat us like rubbish okay!

And here is my Reuben all dressed up so handsomely...HAHA.

Not to forget Sarah Choong, Cassandra Tham,Oon Feng and Jewel Tan's parody of Stand By Me, that became Stand By YOU!

It was a really cool parody. For those of you who heard, you MUST agree with me! :D
So yeah, our parents have stood by us, no matter how old you are, that is how long your parents have stood by you...so for a change, let us stand by our parents!

Then not to forget Showers of Blessings.

I am still thinking about the diamond necklace that was given away......

Next up was a movie the Southern Sheep made for the parents. The storyline is similar to that of the prodigal son you find in the Bible...but this they named it Prodi-GIRL...because the girl was acting as the 'son'.

If I just confused you, I am sorry, just ignore what I said above because YOU should have been there! :P

Here it looks like Isaac is texting someone ON STAGE...but in actual fact, he was getting ready to recite his poetry.

So nice right?????

I don't suggst that you recite poetry to your parents today, and I am not decided against it either..but during special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, it would be wonderful if someone did that.
It's so.............heartwarming.

Next up is also another dance.

Seriously, I love to watch dances...it makes me..want to get up and DANCE. Though nowadays I only dance in the privacy of my own room.

The P'n'B's danced to Yolanda Adam's 'I Believe'

Right now, I am trying to come up with a message to you readers that links to the phrase 'I Believe' but unfortunately,nothing is clicking.

I can't possibly give an detailed account of what happened that night. Like I said, and you would agree, that night was...TWO MONTHS AGO!

But nevermind, this shall serve as a reminder. After all, I uploaded the pictures here ages ago...I just, can't find any time to compose this.

Lookie the sunnies!

It's after the event that we began to get all crazy and started to snap pictures like there is no tomorrow.
Personally, I love the picture above. It so...YEAH!
Get it?
When I look at the picture, it makes me say, YEAH!
So...yeah....

They wanted a little 'Hope Givers' picture, so here it is. All the girls dressed up so pretty!
Even my sister is in a dress. Seriously, if you know my sister well, she'll kill you with her stare if you ask her to wear a dress or a skirt.

It's god that everyone still looks good in pictures. We were here at 3PM and when this picture was taken, it was already 10PM.

What is Parents Appreciation Day without a family picture!

I am glad everyone smiled for this picture. Usually, my dad would do his 'Don't mess with me' face, which,does not do much good because it just looks like he is blur...like sotong.

AND OH WHAT DO I SEE HERE???

Self interpretation is advised...but keep it to yourself.

Again, I am not suggesting anything. I am just afraid I write something wrong. :P

And of course...

The three musketeers.

The barkers of ISCA. Let's hope Benice does not read this. She would be like, 'RACH!!!!, what do you mean by barkers?'

SO yeah, to end my little outdated post, remember to appreciate your parents everyday. Or be like me, longing to go back home to Penang every weekend.

So, just a little activity for you readers. Try to find a time where you can actually go out with your parents and spend some time with them. I have learned to treasure it a lot.
In my case, it is Monday morning breakfast. This is when my mom, dad and I go and have breakfast before I go back to the dreaded Kampar.

So yeah, do something to appreciate your parents today.

FifTim

2010-07-20T07:45:00.000+08:00

The title FifTim is just trying to catch up on how lame my brother is...not sometimes, but most of the time.

My lil (not very little and has never been) brother is officially FIFTEEN today!

My sister turned seventeen last month but I didn't manage to dedicate a post to her because I was too busy..but now,at 7.30 AM in the morning, I have a few minutes to spare.

So yeah, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMOTHY YEOH ERN SHI.

Thanks for all the fighting (not squabbling but with our hands and feet-betcha didn't know that eh?), the 'Timothy can you please take my bag for me,' finishing up my food when I can't (which happens very rarely), tagging along when I am shopping (and complaining later-who ask you to follow in the first place???) and more.

And may God bless you even as you get a little older today, may you be able to carry more shopping bags for your sister (this is a joke, just in case other readers get shocked and think that I torture you), and may you reduce your food intake (HAHAHAHAHA) and may you grow more and more to be like Christ (not joking there).

And for sarah, just in case she gets green because Tim has got a birthday post and she has none, Happy Belated One Month Birthday then...as usual, you have been a very annoying sister.

So I have an annoying sister and a lame brother. What more can I ask for??

I suppose I have something to toast to.

May God bless the dysfunctional siblings.
HAHA.

Like what Sarah and I always say....'IT'S IN THE GENES.'

Cheers.

Reflections

2010-07-14T14:42:00.001+08:00

Wilson was talking about life...and death last week in ISCA.

Which reminds me of the half written post I failed to finish 2 weeks before.........
One message from Wilson.

Little did I know that the content of the message would be so heart breaking.

A little girl from CIDS church passed away..
A little girl named Anya Michelle McKinney.

After I read it, the processes of my mind went numb. It was as if it was a self defense mechanism so I won't break down by the news.
Two things went through my mind as if I was a robot with no feelings.

She is a young girl.
She passed away.

I collected myself and sent Wilson a text message stating how shocked I was.

He called and at the same moment,tears started rolling down my eyes. I resisted the temptation to ask God why. I resisted the temptation say how unfair I feel it was.

This led me to think about the little four year old boy who passed away after my grandma that was buried next to where she was buried.
Four year old boy.

However, there were a few workers at the cemetery who told my aunt that after the incident, God blessed them with twins.

I am not stating anything, or trying to.

But, God is sovereign, and He still reigns. It's all in His plan...but before we think about how cruel this God is, we also must know that we play a part in it. The decisions we make also play a part.

But I shall not dwell on it any longer, and neither should you.
I believe little Anya is rejoicing in the presence of our maker.

Let us take this time to rearrange our lives. A life that is God directed, like Anya's.
I was not there at the funeral but from all the stories I heard about the journal, I believe that she is spiritually more matured than most of us.

So yes, something to not only think about, but to act on.

Here is something I want to share from Journey through Heartsongs by Matie J.T. Stepanek.

Heavenly Greeting

Dear God,
For a long time
I have wondered about
How You will meet me
When I die and come to
Live with You in Heaven,
I know You reach out
Your hand to welcome
You people into Your home,
But I never knew if You,
Reached out Your right hand
Or if You,
Reached out Your left hand,
But now I don't have to,
Wonder about that anymore,
I asked my mummy and,
She told me that You
Reach out both of Your hands
And welcome us with
A great big hug,
Wow!
I can't wait for my hug, God.
Thank You,
And Amen.

March 1996

(Btw, you might want to Google dear Mattie)

And a song to inspire...

Joy Williams- Every Moment

So here I am, back in blogosphere.

God bless you all. :)

About the blogging

2010-07-07T08:57:00.001+08:00

I am sorry...I will blog after I am done with this pile of assignments.

I so MISS blogging.

There you go, one post for those of you who are complaining.

*ahem Sam ahem*

iPAD preparations

2010-06-19T04:09:00.000+08:00

These days the only thing that registers in my mind is...BUSY BUSY BUSY BUSY!

But I am back in Penang again, like every other weekend. But this weekend is iPAD weekend...and Father's Day too.
So I am back, with a purpose!

And I am excited about iPAD, though I am not in the big picture, I am glad to be able to help out in the bits and pieces when I make my occasional trips to church and...of course, Wilson's messy cubicle. Still the same, still the same. You can almost say that it is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Anyways, just a little post to get ALL OF YOU excited for iPAD this Sunday!
There are so many fantastic prizes to be given away and special performances...even though I am not a parent myself, I am EXCITED about it...
I even forced my sister down one of my black dresses...which, SHE WILL HAVE TO WEAR THIS WEEKEND!
Or else she won't be going out of the house. MUAHAHAHA!

Oh and look at the picture above!
Cute eh?

Magically appeared in front of Wilson's cubicle!
Hehe...

We'll see if the balloon couple will make a special appearance this Sunday during iPAD, but in the meantime, let's get excited about it!!!

Ah, can't wait!

ISCA's First Music Video!

2010-06-13T13:02:00.000+08:00

Most of you people who are in Penang realise that you see me almost every week...every week in fact.

Bored of me yet?

But anyway,thank God that he provided me with relatives that are able to get me there and back from Kampar every week!

Why?

Because I am a city girl (not that Penang is such a big city) but because I can't bear to miss the excitement here!

WHEEE!

Isn't the picture above just pretty????

Yes, I am on my way to superstardom. :P

Anyways, I am here to tell you about what a fun day we had last week, making our very first ISCA music video for IPAD...which stands for ISCA's Parent's Appreciation Day, not the newly released iPad by Apple.

Let me tell you the song we were making it for...

We're all in this together by Disney's High School Musical.

HAHAHAHA.

I know, I know.

SOme of you HSM haters would be scrunching up yr faces by now...but hey, it's not that bad.

In fact, it was all so much fun!

Eash cell group was supposed to come up with dances for each part of the song and dance to it on stage.

Southern Sheep 2 didn't really practice anything at all...
So after discussing it right before church service the day before, we just arrived at the venue and started practicing from scratch.

The theme we decided on?
Hip hop with colourful socks.

Crazy eh?

Well, all of us run on crazy. It's our fuel!

That is a snippet from Passion 'n' Buhnanas.

RAWR!!!!!

That pic is so CUTE!

Anyways, as we are practicing and dancing...my gosh, I tell you, the whole hall is being blasted with 'WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER for the whole afternoon!!!!
It's like, you walk out of the hall being a High School Musical zombie...

But of course, us being US, we will take any opportunity to take pictures.

All I did all afternoon was choreograph dance after dance and dance after every other dance and take pictures and count beats for some of the choruses and verses, not forgetting to scream for attention. :P

But seriously, though some parts are majorly lame, it was SO FUN!!!!
I suppose better than the Convent Green Lane Gathering that night.
I heard only bad news about it.

So after dancing turn after turn and waiting for our shoot...
OH, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU PEOPLE that we are not really singing for it..it's like lip sync-ing... but we have to sing along with it so that it's as if we are singing it.
Like most music video s nowadays...

Lastly, we all got together and did this massive dance for the finale!

It was very easy actaully, the harder part was making everyone seen in the video!

After a few practices, we heard what we wanted to hear...

IT'S A WRAP!!!!!

But also something we don't want to hear...

EVERYONE, GO AND HELP TO PACK UP!!!

Brings us to realization what we are not superstars after all.

But anyways, it was cool.

After hurrying to pack up... everyone rushed down to play CAPTAIN BALL...and a few of us creep of to get Ais Kacang and Chendol.

Yummy.

We should do this more often....

P/S

Thank you Uncle George for help us out with the video! I can't wait to see it! I heard my sister and some of the others saw it and it was rather funny.

Hmmmm....

Also, I can't forget you fantastic bunch of ISCAlites.

Heart you all! :D

Chocolate Moist Cake :D

2010-06-08T07:22:00.000+08:00

I have officially started baking.

The last time I baked was over at Adelene's with Haan Ming where we did our Orange Poppy Seed Cake.
It was...okay, just, not enough butter so it was rather dry.

But this, is the work of my mom and I..and occasionally, my dad.

It was our first time baking a cake.aside the muffin and cupcake success.

But, we are no professionals okay. We had to get a pre-mix mixture and added the other stuff on our own. But hey, we DID IT!

So first, butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and beat until real fluffy. This takes and enormously long time to be fluffy. (don't worry, I purposely put enormous and long together to see how it sounds like)
I kept asking my mom if it was fluffy already and she just went, NO LAH, NO LAH, NO LAH and..yes, you got my groove, NO LAH!!!

After it fluffs...add eggs and fluff it summore!

Milk and pre-mix mixture into the fluffed sugar and butter.

But this,no beating,just, fold in.
This is when the mixture gets heavy.
But oh, the chocolatey smell. YUMMY!!!

Seriously, the only inspiration to continue fluffing the mixture is the thought that I can eat it after it is baked.
All I think about is food. Sigh.

So yea, that is what it is supposed to look like after it has been folded in with pre-mix ingredients, milk and water.

BUT, we had so much extra!

So, another brilliant idea.

CUPCAKES!

I dug into the closets for little paper cups to fill them in.
AT LAST!
I found it!!!!

Then another brilliant idea!

CHOCOLATE CHIPS!

Add more.

And my mom came up with another idea...

Almonds!

So chop chop chop chop.
We've got almond crumbs!

Usually, we don't bake almonds and stuff..we just eat them raw.

So anyways, the mixture is ready and into the oven it went.

I was so excited.
Please note that we started baking at 12AM in the morning.

Who bakes in the middle of the night?
Well, my family.

And after less than an hour...
JENG JENG JENG!

The cake.

It is ready.

And when I ate 'em, oh-so-YUMMY.

The cupcakes don't take that long, around 15 minutes at 180 degrees will do.

So when is the next time I am baking?

When I get back to Penang.

Which will be soon.

Yes, I go back almost every weekend. :D

Fantastic isn't it?

I think it is fantastic.

Second Start

2010-05-31T21:50:00.000+08:00

Okay..so my first semester is over.

And I am on my first day of my second semester.

Introduction to Political Science is the subject to mark how crazy this semester can get with a total of 23 hours of tutorials and lectures per week.

Oh LORD, You know I need Your strength.

But you know what?
God has been really faithful to me.
And He will continues to be faithful even in the second semester...

No pictures until I get my camera working. :/

But then again, I should not blog so late at night (note that it is only 9.49PM and I wrote late referring to the time :D) because I have 8AM classes almost everyday.

The good news?
I can come back home more often than I did the next time.
So don't miss me too much people. HAHA.

I know what you are thinking right this moment.
'This Rachel is SOOOO perasan.'

Well, I already know that.

Aimlessly

2010-05-28T16:44:00.000+08:00

An uneasy heart makes it hard to blog.

There are so many things running through my heard I can barely catch one to focus on and to deal with.
I guess everyone has their days.

I can't post up any pictures on what I did during my semester holidays because my phone just won't connect with my laptop.
Another alternative is to get my camera...but...when I got it, I couldn't find the batteries!
Seriously, I have no idea where the batteries have gone.
You can have all the memory cards lined in a row but if you don't have batteries, what use is it.

So, I officially have no device to capture pictures.

And I am officially not in a good mood.

I don't really know what is the catalyst leading to this emotional downturn but I guess it's one of those days.

One of those days when one of your friends leave Penang.
One of those days where you just sit down at home and start to cry.
One of those days where you just despise the thought of going through it again.
One of those days where you lack sleep and your body systems go for a spin, a spin that is out of the ordinary.
One of those days where you get your results and are not quite satisfied about it.
One of those days where you just don't know what else to do with yourself.

Don't you just hate those days?

Another thing.

The thought of going back to Kampar.
It's not like Kampar is a bad place or anything. It's just the thought of going back to routines of daily stress and deadlines.

Me?
I live on inspiration and optimism.
Not deadlines and stress.

It's hard to believe my second semester is approaching so soon. And the thought of leaving my family and friends for a couple of days makes me so down.

I need to get a grip.

It's time to put a smile on my face.

Hold on to Jesus' hand.

Close my eyes and trust Him.

Yvonne, if you are reading this, I wish you well.
You are a person that goes on giving and giving and..giving.
Your cards, shoes and things. You really have inspired and encouraged many.
And I would like to thank God for you.
You are such a blessing.

And a note to self...you have got to get the ball rolling.

And if I have the time and the resources, I shall blog the way I used to blog.

Not aimlessly...like this post.

Crowns

2010-05-26T01:46:00.000+08:00

Let's talk about hair.

Yes.

Hair.

There has been this massive thing going on my Facebook wall on shaving my head and all that...but I won't address it here.
There is no need.

I already did something about it.

But on Monday (just recently), a few of my friends and I were at supper after a fantastic badminton session in Convent Pulau Tikus (YES RACH, miss your alma mater?) and our focus suddenly turned on to the topic of hair...or...the absence of it.

One my one, my friends let their 10 Ringgit bills slide to my side of the table, to go bald.

Not bad eh?

Eventually, they collected quite a sum of money.

I mean, I've always wanted to try it out. To shave my hair off and all. It was a challenge. It was attention.
I toyed with the idea.

But this post is not about my decision to go bald or not but...

WHAT DO GUYS REALLY THINK!

Some guys.
Most guys.
Not all guys.

I went back home and told my mom about the decision to go bald.

She laughed.

And she was quite open to it. She said it is a cheaper alternative than curling my hair.

No shampoo.
Less styling.
No use of hair dryer.

Cheap.

Later that night, my dad came back and I told him about my decision to go bald.

He laughed (thinking that I was joking).

His reply was brief, " Lu eh meh?"
Meaning, 'You think you can do it?' in Hokkien.

I thought he was challenging me.
Challenges are good right?

So I said, "Okay, then I should shave tomorrow?"
I will also be truthful and say that I am quite nervous and quite scared about waking up with no hair and later when hair starts to grow, I will look like a pineapple head.

Well, my dad was SHOCKED!

He thought I was really joking.

That was when he started to give me a talk.

Yes.

It's 'TALKING' time.

He talked about regrets.
He talked about pineapple head.
He talked about whether it was wise or not.
He talked about loss and profit.
He talked about good causes and materialism.

All in all, he talked about almost everything you can think off to stop me from going under the monotonous buzz of the electric razor.

I talked to Benice about it later and she siad that actually, guys (young and old) really care about hair on their wives, girlfriends and daughters.
Even Pastor Lydia asked, "What if I told Xe Hui to shave her head, would Leslie allow it?"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

In many ways, is true.

I know for one that Kah Heng will not let his girlfriend (WHEN he has one), to have short hair...so don't even talk about shaving it off.
And seriously, how many of you would let your wives or your girlfriends shave their hair off their heads just for a few hundred ringgit?
If it was for a cause then I will retract my words, but for fun?

I think, for guys, it's just the matter of having hair on your head.
Bald girls and crops on girls may define the new sexy but how many men are willing to let go of the hair of their beloveds.

I won't say there are none.
Daniel Chan Ming Charn would gladly allow his girl to go bald...when he has one.
Though I am quite sure Daniel Chan Shih Ping won't.
When I told him about the bet he thought I was being silly to accept it.

I don't know why but I feel that there is a gravitational force from guys about hair on their girls.

'Crowns,' Benice would say.

So, seriously, would you let your mom, girlfriend, wife or sister go bald?
Don't ask my brother, he does not care one bit, he'll just be laughing his way to jollyland.

Forgive me, O Lord

2010-05-23T17:49:00.000+08:00

Forgive me for I have been ignorant.

Ignorant about the happenings of my nation.
Ignorant of the people who are lost.
Ignorant about the blessing that You have poured upon my nation.
Ignorant of the praying for Your nation.

Forgive me for I have been selfish.

Selfish about what I want.
Selfish because all I pray about is for myself.
Selfish because there is not enough compassion in my heart.
Selfish because I don't spend time praying for others.

Forgive me for I have been blind.

Blind to the needs of others around me.
Blinded by materialism.
Blind to the lost who need You.
Blind to the potential You have set before me.

Oh Lord, let this be my prayer to pray.
Lord, give me this URGENCY.
Give me the PASSION.
Soften my heart and teach me to travail in the spirit.

Lord, I need You.
My friends need You.
My nation needs You.
Come and have your way.
As I humble myself to intercede and pray.

Thanks Rach!

2010-05-19T17:51:00.002+08:00

Try to guess what distorted/deformed animal you see above.

It's an..ELEPHANT!
Without ears.

You know those big flapper ears?

Last Sunday, I was telling Cassandra about the picture above and she literally BURST out laughing.

So, to humour you reader's, I shall tell you this story about Rachel Ooi.

It was around 6 years ago, one of those weekends when I bunked over at her place because we had to attend Sunday service early in the morning.
So anyways, I was bouncing on her bed like I always do and she was complaining about how I can manage to mess up her room the second I enter.
She started picking up my bags,my shoes, my towel and my books when I set to roll on her bed...when I saw some blue book and I picked it up.

Hmmmm....

NILAM BOOK!

My gosh, Convent Pulau Tikus still uses this????
Convent Green Lane is like so over these flimsy blue books and asked us to settle with writing the synopsis of the books we read on normal exercise books.
I opened..and to my horror...THEY HAVE TO DRAW A SCENE FROM THE BOOK?????

I almost burst out laughing.
Seriously...secondary students asked to draw scenes from a book they read. Not that it is bad or anything,but it just didn't fit.
I asked Rachel if they HAD to draw it, or was she drawing out of pleasure.
It was a rhetorical question actually because Rachel Ooi can't draw to save her life.

HAHA.

So yes, they were all asked to draw.

Matters aside, that was when I noticed something amiss.

I was looking at this picture she drew...

What.........is.....THAT?

I opened my mouth to ask.

And her answer was an ELEPHANT!

YES!!!!

Scroll up people.

Right to the first picture.

You see the deformed elephant. (Cassandra wrote the word deformed at the right hand corner just so you know, I just, did a good copy of what she really drew :P)

That was when I toppled back to bed and laughed like there was no tomorrow. I showed Carin and she laughed along too.

Oh my dear friend still didn't get it...until I told her that her elephant had no ears.

Seriously.

But anyway, I don't want to embarrass her further. She will try to choke me all the way from the land down under.

But this post is to tell you Rach, THAT I GOT THE PRESENT!!!

YES!

Pastor Lydia gave it to me when she met me...which, I THANK GOD it was a bag because I was desperate for a bag that time. I had so many things to carry and I had this seminar going on and I was holding too many things on my hands and..PHEW, new handbag comes to the rescue!

But it was not just any bag that flew over the sea to get to me...it was my 21st birthday present.

THANK YOU RACH!!!!!!!
I love it, though it is YOUR favourite colour, not mine.

My hunch is that you bought this pink bag for me so that I can remember that it is your favourite colour and you are waiting for something pink for your birthday at the end of the year.

You know what?
It's going to be purple so you can remember that PURPLE is my favourite colour. NOT PINK!

Anyways, thanks Rach. Miss you loads.

Haha.

Just keep thinking about the deformed elephant okay? I hope you haven't thrown the book out the window.
You can show it to your children and your grandchildren...

Miss Joethi's Wedding

2010-05-17T15:45:00.000+08:00

I have got to admit,I have been putting this off for quite sometime.

There were exams and after exams I was up on the next bus that leaves to Penang from Kampar.

Once I touched the land of flowing food, there has been no pause.

Buzzing here and there, I find myself here at last, on a peaceful Monday afternoon..when my noisy siblings are in school and everything is just...how it should be.

I shall not chatter much about Penang now but I shall tell you what I did last week. :D

I attended my lecturer's wedding!

YES!!!

My lecturer, Ms.Joethi got married last week and we were invited to her wedding in Ipoh. It was right smack in the middle of our final examinations but WHO CARES!!!

We are not going to miss this!!!!

So off we went in Hui Kia's beloved car from Kampar to Ipoh,that took us a little more than an hour thanks to the crazy traffic jam along Gopeng and Batu Gajah.

But all is well, we reached there safely and I thanked God that we didn't take the bus the senior's took (*hint hint to Chin Eng*).

To be invited, we must get an invitation right..so there it is!
Our invitation!
Note the Y1S1 darlings. :P
Y1S1 meaning Year One Semester 1 students in her journalism class.

Oh, I forgot to say that the is my journalism lecturer.

The theme was royal blue and white and the buffet spread was in the middle of the cultural hall (the wedding was held in the Ipoh Cultural Hall) resulting to much joy because we were seated in the middle of the buffet spread, close to the desserts and the only dilemma we had was which buffet line to queue on.

This was the first time I attending an Indian wedding and it was really really colourful. So many people with beautiful sarees!!!
There were Chinese and Indians in sarees!
Makes me want to own a saree!

Let's imagine... a rich purple hue adorned with gold trimmings and sequins.
Amazing!

The only not-so-amazing part is the dry cleaning.
Haha.

Of course, being an Indian wedding, there are sure to be cultural performances such as Indian dances and singing.
In fact, they started off the event with a little kid singing a hymn to the Indian god called Ganesha and later there was this Sai Baba choir with a few Chinese women in the team that sand in Tamil. And the Chinese lady was singing the lead. Fuyoh...don't play play okay...

(The expression above was Wayne inspired)

And let me introduce to you...

The bride and groom!!!!

I remember talking to her about her wedding saree during one of our tutorial lessons. It is all the way from India.

The buffet spread was like some 1 Malaysia food spread. There were Chinese food, Indian food and also Malay food. I must say I had my fill. To much maybe, but Ms. Joethi kept on asking us to eat and eat and eat.

Sadly, I realise I am not a bottomless pit. Fortunately and unfortunately.

Anyways, after having our fill...we went to wish the newly weds our best wishes.

And here, she was telling her husband about us being her first year students.
Only five out of the class of nine attended the wedding. The others...well, I think they were at home studying.

Thank God I went, I am not missing this for anything, and I DEFINITELY can give studying Introduction to Electronic Publishing a pass.

We took tons of pictures with Krystle's camera which I won't post up here. If you are interested, you can always check my Facebook.

But there is one picture I like from the whole stack of pictures that we took that night.

These are my classmates.
At the far left is (of course) the author of OUTRAGEOUS, followed by Hui Kia, Aimi and Shangaree.

But before I end this post, I know Ms. Joethi reads my blog...so...

CONGRATULATIONS MS.JOETHI!
(Though I don't think I should be calling you Ms. anymore but the title is quite stuck in my head)

I wish you and your husband well on this new journey in your life.

God bless you.

We people in JR Y1S1 2010 will miss you.
(Especially during stormy days when we think about hot tea and coffee in Block A)

Thank you Ms. Joethi.

Visibly invisible

2010-05-11T23:42:00.000+08:00

I am going back and forth about whether I should post something up or not.

I've got so many things to say and tell but sometimes, typing is just not the way, especially when you are right smack in the middle of your finals in your first year.

I want to ace it.

I want to feel what I felt when I was 15.
That I can do well. That I can score. That I can still relive that part of my life when I was academically ahead of most.

That was before I started spiraling down and was introduced to a drug called giving up.

Giving up is easy.

Take a dose of it and it will lead you to a state of euphoria where you think, 'You know what? Exams are simply electrocuting my system. There is more to life than this! I can balance serious fun and minimal study and still can scrape through too.'

This drug does not send signals to your brain that you are actually giving up. It's like an overdose of alcohol doesn't tell you that you are too drunk to walk in a straight line.

And so I falter, at the expense of my potential.

And it was the same in almost all the other areas of my life.

I often settle for fast food when it comes to my studies and my devotion.

To get things done and over with is my goal.

But last Friday, I was listening to one of Irvin Rutherford's sermons on cutting the ropes of mediocrity.

That was when I suddenly see.

I am not made to be a mediocre. I am not made to blend into the crowds of people searching for something the cannot find. I am not limited to myself. Because I had God on my side.

How can we be mediocre when we call our God creator of the universe. It just...doesn't make sense!
We say we live by faith and not by sight. By to tell you the truth, I was not living on as much faith as I want to.

There was a part where he said that to be mediocre, there must be a time when we were above average. We were conquerors.

Once.

Upon a time.

But what happened?

The world seems to shift into view. And takes a part of our view away from what matters most, from what God has in store for us. It takes our faith away when we begin to see what is seen, and what is not unseen. Be begin to believe in only what we can see, touch and hear. And our faith on the unseen One who made us see touch and hear shies away.

So now, I am leaning on God's strength. Not my own. I definitely can't do it. But hey, who is my source of strength and source of hope?
I don't want to be just visible here and yet invisible by not acting with love, by faith and through the strength He has given me.

So, I will start now.

And this, will serve as a reminder.

And...I shall got hit some books for my Cultural and Religious Studies examination tomorrow.

The Big '****-*'

2010-05-05T12:57:00.000+08:00

So....the girl has aged one year.

How depressing.

I don't know what is the matter with me but every time I hit a digit that is larger than the last, I would wallow in sadness.
I hate the thought of aging. It started ever since I turned sixteen and it has been this way, and it is still this way today.

For most, twenty-one (whoops, I let cat out of the bag) is something great to be celebrated. You get the 'key' you are legal to do what was once illegal and you officially an adult.

But seriously, I would rather remain a teenager.

So like almost every other birthday, I stay at home,feeling quite unwell and refuse invitations to go out of the house. With my eyes locked on the screen of my laptop, I spend my whole day enjoying depression.

But of course, I didn't just stay home for the whole day.
After the sun sets below the horizon, I went out for dinner with my family...and they had a little celebration for me.
I am really really thankful for that.

We went to the restaurant where Leslie and Xe Hui's wedding reception was at last year to have dinner.

And I had Butterscotch cake.

No cakes with keys and stuff..just simple and delicious...

I was great to spend the evening with my family, not that we don't do often because we do it quite often actually, but to have people who were always there with you since...since...you opened your eyes to the world..THAT is meaningful.

And...the food was great too.
(Yes, food food food...that is all I think about sometimes)

But yes, I ate until I was so bloated I could not move.
I only stood up to blow the candles on my cake!

So yeah, even as...I age...(my gosh I sound like an 80 year old great-grandmother), I am also beginning to ponder about the bigger picture. What does God have in store for me this year? What does he want me to do? What are His plans for me?

And I begin to think, what have I done in the twenty-one years that I have been breathing. Is my heart beating for something far greater that I can ever imagine. I want to think so.

Why?

Because I have a God that dreams for me. Dreams that I can't never imagine as a mere mortal.

Though I am not very happy with myself for turning twenty-one, I should listen to what my mom and Daniel Jr. said.
Thank God that he allowed you to live till you are two score and one.

Yes yes, I know.

AND OH!!!

I want to show you people this!

CHECK IT OUT PEOPLE!

It is a microbe plush toy!

Staphylococcus aureus to be exact.

THANK YOU JONATHAN AND SARAH CHOONG!

I absolutely LOVE it.

In fact, it is sitting on my bed right now. :)

I am not a big fan of soft toys and such. Give me a bear and...and...I wouldn't know what to do with it. I would just chuck it at the corner and...and...forget about it.

But this is really cool. IT IS A BACTERIA!

Well, maybe because Sarah knows that I absolutely love biology and anything to do with such pathogens. WHEEE!

Jonathan got it from Germany and Sarah also has penicillin and others. COOL RIGHT?

Just so you now Staphylococcus is a bacteria found on your skin and when there is an excess in your stomach, it give you a stomach ache.

Haha.

Cool stuff dude.

OH.MY.GOSH!

2010-04-28T08:05:00.001+08:00

OH MY GOSH!

This tops the rest.
Seriously.

I should really get some sleep, but I can't. I just can't.
Especially after what just happened.

I.AM. TRAUMATIZED.

FOREVER!

Oh my gosh.
Oh my gosh.
Oh my gosh.

I feel like vomiting.
But I am trying to calm myself down and trying to comfort myself, forcing myself to think that vomiting everything out won't make me feel better but make me feel 10 times worse.

If you are wondering that I might be having a bad case of a hangover. Think again.

I WOULD RATHER HAVE A HANGOVER AFTER DOWNING 100 GLASSES OF TEQUILA THAN THIS!

ADD ANOTHER GLASS OF MINT RUM!

Just so you know, I hate rum. Tequila's are nice, but 100 glasses will make me really really drunk.I wonder if I'll survive with that amount of alcohol in my blood.

Anyways, no, I am not having a hangover. Never had it before because I don't drink.

Okay.
Let me take a deep breath and tell you people about it.

Still breathing.

And still breathing.

Okay.

Okay.

I am okay.

It was 6.18 in the morning when I 'woke' up.
I didn't actually sleep. n fact, I didn't sleep at all. The whole night through.

When my dad woke up and started to wake my sister up for school, I decided to get up and study. After all, how productive can a person be rolling in bed.

I got up.

Made myself my daily dose of Milo.

Sat down.

Started studying.

My dad,my brother and sister left for work and school.

I was still sitting down with Facebook displayed on my desktop.

I was chatting with Catherine, happily planning our reunion with Priscilla and Esther in KL and all the stuff we are going to do there in June.

I reached out for my Milo again.

I was cold. Sigh. The morning was quite chilly.

And read carefully now...

I gulped down a few mouthfuls of Milo and when it was almost finished,something bumped at the top of my lip.

'That's strange,' I thought.

I looked into it.

Nothing.

I stirred.

And there was something!

At first glance, I thought it was a lump of Milo that didn't dissolve.

I stirred again.

And what I saw made my hair stand on it's ends.

A DEAD LIZARD!

A DEAD LIZARD IN MY MILO!

I HAVE BEEN DRINKING MILO WITH A DEAD LIZARD IN IT!

I CONSUMED REPTILE JUICE!

My arms grew limp.

With all the energy my body has not yet drained, I ran to the sink and started spitting what I could spit out and started to rinse my mouth violently.

Then a thought came to my mind.

I must be DREAMING!

After all, I have been awake for the longest time. Sleep deprivation must be giving me hallucinations. Really bad and scary ones for that matter.

I went over to the mug.
Slowly and silently, as if a lizard would just jump out of it.

I peeked into it.

OH MY GOSH!

This time, I didn't even have to stir it.

I COULD SEE THE LIZARD TAIL.

My whole being turned jelly.

I really really truly drank reptile juice.

Now my stomach is queasy. And I flinch everytime I burp. I don't know why I keep burping. Must be the lizard.

Oh my gosh.

I can't believe I had to go through that.

Please pray I won't get food poisoning.
Or worse, suffer from complications and die.

Oh my gosh.

LORD, HELP ME!
I am scared.

*burp*

Showcasing Ying Shan's work

2010-04-28T03:28:00.001+08:00

One fine day, as I was studying, a MSN window popped out on my desktop.
It was Ying Shan.

She told me she has written about The Mad Scientist.

What was it about?
Well, she was planning to join this essay competition by RCS Commenwealth Youth, open for youth below the age of 18. She asked if I could help her proofread and I said, 'OF COURSE!'

When I read what she wrote, I was amazed. It was so nice to read. It was original. It was easy to read. And it really let me to a place where I could imagine how Baltimore looked like in the modern day, a tower that stood higher than the rest in the city, home of an impatient mad scientist.

So here is a post to showcase this special talent my dear Ying Shan has. :)

I proofread, with minimal changes. Minimal! She is THAT good. I am sure Haan Ming agrees with me. Three of us tried to write a book together once, with no avail. LOL.

Do read on...

The Mad Scientist by Khoo Ying Shan

The day was getting dark, almost close to dusk. The tall building in the centre of Brooksville City empowered and towered over every other building there – houses, hotels, shopping malls(definitely) and even the tall glistening office lots made out of glass panels.

An evil laugh came from the hollow room of The Lair. “Once everyone sees my wondrous creation, they will all marvel at me. They will worship me!” Professor Drunkus dreamt. “They will -” he got interrupted by his short servant, Bordin.

“WHAT IS IT, YOU IDIOT?!” Prof. Drunkus thundered onto Bordin’s face.

Squinting, Bordin leaned back, depending on his knees, pleading silently. He whispered, watching his breath, “Project #88 burnt down, Sir.” He made sure his breath was completely fresh and minty before talking to Professor Drunkus. He could see the professor’s face turning completely red, eyebrows bending sharply, nose cringing and his teeth showed so much that it began to look like fangs. The short, white hair on his balding head and skinny arms started to stand in fury.

The next move Professor Drunkus attempted made, Bordin was very thankful. Usually, the mad scientist would throw his anger on Bordin, screaming, cursing and sweeping the broom over his apparatuses filled with poisonous chemicals onto poor Bordin. Tonight was different; he flopped on his current project on the windowsill– Project #89. Without warning, he swept the flasks, papers, blueprints, burners and chemicals off the table. He kicked the table with his hard legs and strongly pushed it aside.

“How is this possible? How is it possible – that my oh-so-lovely potion would BLOW UP just like that?” Prof. Drunkus mumbled to himself. It was a pity to see him like this – though he sees it all the time in the lair.

“I WILL NOT DO THIS AGAIN! I will keep them in my personal safe, and no one shall know about it - NOT EVEN THAT IDIOT,” Prof.Drunkus continued angrily.

He stomped down the stairs, dragging along his pet dog – Jameson. His white suit brushed against his calves when he walked and the pet would hop a step to catch the ends of the laboratory coat.

Meanwhile, Bordin wandered around the second floor as though he’d never got the chance to. He picked up bits and pieces of shattered glass, torn pieces of paper and collected drops of chemicals on the floor using a dropper and placing them in designated vials.

With these items, he started imagining how many better “projects” he would be able to do. He had a better mind, indeed. He had more patience, that was for sure and of course, he was more capable of handling these apparatuses and preventing them from burning.

“Dear Professor Drunkus,” he read from the pieces of paper he’d managed to put together. “I am disappointed to see how you have not been performing well. Your project reports show that you haven’t been patient with them and have not treated them with care. Signed, Mr Corben.”

‘Of course, I would be a better scientist than this idiot,’ Bordin thought. While Professor Drunkus was downstairs checking on Project #88, Bordin thought of the most wonderful things he would do if the professor was gone forever.

In fact, he even wrote down the list of things he would do. As he wrote, his mind flashed with imagination, his eyes bloomed in happiness (and evil), and his legs shook with complete excitement.

“~~Dear~~ Helo, Drunkus. I think you are a louzy bag of pup, and your hare stinks of dog pee. You shud be ashamed of yoursef. This is what I plan tu doo when I am fri from you:

1 I wil ruin all of your projacks.

2 I wil burn daun this lair an kil you at the same time.

3 I wil stil your munny, I will remake this tawer an mek it my lare

4 I wil rool this werl.

Gudbai, Drunkus. I wil leav unteel you discarver this paper.”

And with that, Bordin fled from The Lair, where his plans of being a mad scientist, more powerful than Prof.Drunkus will ever be, awaits.

It ends there. Ying Shan's masterpiece.

Isn't it interesting? And just so you know, she is a thirteen year old girl turning fourteen later this year. I see talent here!

And Ying Shan, I am so proud of you!

I hope you win it. :D

Seafood at Last!

2010-04-28T03:13:00.000+08:00

These few days, I am just spending my days eating and sleeping.
No wonder I gained weight. :/

BUT, I shall worry myself about weight gain later. It was time for a celebration!
My uncle celebrated his birthday last week and we went over to this place called Gertak Sanggul (if I am not mistaken) for SEAFOOD!!
I am not really a fan of seafood but I haven't eaten seafood for quite sometime, so it was time to INDULGE!

This place called 'Hai Boey' prepares really nice and interesting seafood. Not that it is quirky or anything but it serves the type of seafood that you can't find anywhere.
It was really delicious!

The first picture above is deep fried brinjal (did you know that it is also called mad apple in English???) with delicious filling. I don't even know what was inside but all I know was it is so delicious I just ate piece after piece.
Fattening, oily and yummy.

SINFUL.

It was time for shell fish.

Seriously, I don't know how to eat shell fish. I shun the smell and the texture. But I usually take they gravy that comes with it. And this gravy was also YUMMY.

The rest on the table can dig into the shell fish. I ain't touching it!
But the gravy was amazing.
There was a lot of garlic (loves), and is sour-ish.

This next dish is some fish soup. The thing is, they have YAM in the soup!
I am not joking. What a queer combination.
It wasn't my favorite dish...but I love fish any way they are cooked.

FISH IS MUCH BETTER THAN CHICKEN!

Next dish...

PORK!

My family calls it the 'chun-chun' pork.
Why?
Because 'chun-chun' means shaking in Hokkien and the pork fat shakes everytime you shake it!
The ladies in my family do not really eat pork. Only very very rare occasions. The men are the pork eaters, but I had some anyway. It was delicious!

I mean, I really don't eat pork. I order 'bak kut teh' without pork, except the pork balls. But I must say it was delicious, it had like red bean sauce on it.

My favourite.
Long beans together with 'buah petai' and lotus stalk fried with 'sambal'.

I just digged into this. I know it says SEAFOOD but...this vegetable dish is yum yum.

After this, I didn't take anymore pictures because I was busy breaking crab shells and fighting with my brother for the swing.
Yes, there was a swing by the beach that over looks the dark sea at night where I can enjoy the sea breeze and watch the waves lightly roll in.

So relaxing.

I am so buying a house by the beach next time. :D

And, I loved this desert so much I am still dreaming about it...

Its COCONUT!
They kinda like juiced the coconut meat and the blended the frozen coconut water and its like an ice blended coconut dessert.
It was fantastical!
When you put it into your mouth, it just...AHHHHHHHHHHHH...works better than Pepsi or Coca-Cola and less calories too.
It was so refreshing!

AND, before I forget, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY UNCLE KONG!
Thank you for that YUMMY dinner.

Man, writing about it just made my stomach growl. Now where an I going to find food to nurse that noisy stomach at this unearthly hour?

Burger Nite :D

2010-04-26T20:05:00.000+08:00

CHECK OUT MY BURGER!!!

I made it! WOOT WOOT!

But, I shall stop hooting like an owl and tell you about it.

When I came to Kampar, I was in search of a church.I didn't know where to go and I didn't have any Christian friends who are in Kampar. I joined the Christian Fellowship a few times but it was very very hard for me to attend because I have class until 8pm every Tuesday and CF is on Tuesday.

But then, during one of the CF meetings, I met Sarah Thum and she told me about the church she attended and extended an invitation to me.(Fancy meeting my tuition friend after so long)

That was when I went to Canning Garden Baptist Church, CGBC.

It was quite weird to have to make friends in a place where I know almost no one. It was very easy in PCC because I know people and all you have to do is just to make friends with the newer ones. But getting to know a majority of people in a new place and a new atmosphere is tough...especially why you are having trouble remembering names.

Unfortunately, I suffer from 'What-is-your-name-again???' disease.

Although it was hard, I always stay on for fellowship. I didn't really have friends but I just stood there, waiting, watching and learning.

Yes, learning.

But there are people who were really friendly and by almost the end of the semester, I have lovely friends from the church like Adeline and Shu Yi to name a few.

So anyways, there was a celebration two weeks ago and it was BURGER NIGHT!

When I first saw the announcement, I was quite puzzled.

So what are we going to do for burger night? Eat burgers? That's it?

BUT, we were actually supposed to MAKE our own burgers!

That was where the FUN began. :D

We had three portable stoves and all of us were set to work on our own burgers!

We had egg to fry,sausages, beef and chicken burger patties, cheese, sauces, vegetables and more!

Adeline was frying FRENCH FRIES and Chin Eng (who was cordially invited) was helping me with the burger.

The end result was amazing. IT WAS SO YUMMY and I've never eaten a burger so full of filling before. The juice from the sauce just bursts into your mouth. Chin Eng couldn't stop taking pictures of it.

After eating, we were SUPER BLOATED. I couldn't move. I felt like so fat lady on the ground...

Later Adeline asked us to go upstairs where they usually have their cell group in.

SO COSY!

Eugene was there giving guitar lessons (which I intend to take up too) and he challenged me to sing to what he played to see if I could pick up.

Of course can la! LOL

Perasannya.

So in the end, it was one big group singing and singing worship songs.

It was wonderful. Just as Eugene and Daniel were strumming their guitars and the rest of us were singing, God's presence was upon us. I could FEEL it!

I remember voices singing...

I love You, I need You,

Though my world may fall I'll never let You go,

My Saviour, my closest friend,

I will worship You until the very end...

Yes, the Lord has helped me every step of the way. To find a church, to find friends and a place where I can belong to in Kampar.

That makes life in Kampar not so bad after all...

Fame Up! The Musical

2010-04-22T18:36:00.000+08:00

I had the car for that night so after picking up Kah Heng, along with Ying Shan, Sarah Choong and my sister we went for a light dinner before heading for the long awaited event.

I had to say my high expectations were crushed when I heard so much bad-happenings during the gala-show on Friday.
I heard the music was not up to par, the handling of the mouth piece were horrible and also something about somebody touching somebody's ass amplified to the whole hall.

My heart was crushed.

In my head, I was thinking, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED??'

'Brace yourself Rachel Yeoh, you shall watch it on Sunday,' I told myself.

That was when my dear Kah Heng trotted to sight with great news!
He liked the musical!

'REALLY???' was my exclaim.

Kah Heng watched the musical on Saturday but he watched it again on Sunday just to accompany me. How sweet eh?

But before heading to USM, John claimed that we were 'raping' his iPhone.

Seriously John, that TAP TAP game is so addictive!!!!

Okay, I am not just going to tell you about what we did during the musical...
I am going to do a little review about it.

An unbiased, truthful (which can sometimes hurt) review on what I really thought about Fame Up!
I can't really remember everything in detail,forgive me, but I am going to give it my best shot. :)

Before I head into the show itself, I must say I am impressed with the ticketing people this time around. Organized and in-the-know (though quite time consuming), but, it was all good. Four stars out of five for them.

And I wanted to ask, why must we pay an extra RM3 for the agenda book thingy?

Also, I will compare this musical to HOPE(SGGS) and Phantom of the Opera(PFS) for sure because I think it is healthy to do so.

OPENING

The hosts were...okay. Though I thought the Chinese host exerted a little too much 'fake' enthusiasm. I would prefer something less pitchy and more welcoming. The Malay host was rather pleasant.

We were then greeted with good music from Disney's list of evergreen songs. It was okay. I mean, it would be better if there were more violinists. If I were to compare this to PFS's band performance during Phantom of the Opera last year, I would have to give it to them. They were better. I could still remember it from last year...

The curtains open and what do we see?
White figures moving in the background.
The lights come on and what I see is rather breathtaking. On stage were around 10 ladies dressed up in white with silver sequinned trimmings on stage.

Dharshini opens with the song, Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend which was nice...though I would love to see more synchronization from the ladies.However, I am impressed.
I absolutely loved the costume and make up.

The dancers reminded me of them...

The singers from Disney's Hercules!
HAHA.

IN THE FOREST

Here, Eleasha/Princess Violetta steps on stage, unhappy about being overshadowed by her older sister, played by Dharshini (I can't remember the character's name though).

Along came Garlic and Ginger, the two squirrels residing in the forest. I must say I am really impressed with the make up. it was as if they were imported from the characters from Disney on Ice or something.
Also, the two squirrels played their part really well.
When I first went to watch the practice, I really wondered how it will turn out on the real day. There are only two consequences. It will be really good, or it will be really fake.

Well well, it was really good!!! :D

The stage light dims and ultimately goes off and a few seconds later, comes on again and our friendly squirrels hop in along with a poster advertising Fame, School of Performing Arts.

Other events roll in. Princess Violetta decides to enrol for it, after begging her governess to confide in her plans.

However, she can't just attend the school as a princess and so they decided to create a disguise.

I actually like the way the 'transformation' went...from the Eleasha/Princess Violetta to Andrea/Rose.
Some people thought it was really confusing, but I thought it was smart and really nice.

I especially love the red trench Andrea walked out in.
SO NICE!
Flashy and not trashy.

BAM!!!

The next thing you know, Rose is in school.
FAME itself!

And the scene I loved most was when they danced and sung to the song 'The New Girl in Town'.
L-O-V-E it!

Beautiful choreography, costumes and good use of the space on stage. Though I would love to have seen more levels.

The dance to FAME is also wonderful.
Some of them lacked that energy...but I won't complain that much. It's not like I am watching some Broadway musical.

My personal favourites scenes were from when Rose first appears in Fame and until Noah/Paalan caught Rose dancing on her own.

I saw good angles toward the audience, beautiful costumes, sparkly characters and great dance moves...though I wished it would be a little more synchronised.

SCARLETINA'S LAIR

Scarletina was played by Luvenia Kalia, the antagonist of the show. I really like the red light that spilled in an exaggerated manner over the stage when she was releasing her feelings of envy and anger towards dear Rose.
Her little 'hench-ladies' were irritating enough. :P

FIRST LOVE

Unaware of being accused of stealing Scarletina's limelight, Rose continues to shine on with her talent in dance. She is now being promoted as head choreographer and it just drove Scarletina mad!

Blissfully happy with her new 'secret' life, Rose also stumbles unexpectedly into love.
It looks like everyone is after Noah but dear Noah has his eyes set on Rose.

Love blooms and settles on a garden bench.
Quite literally.

The tinkling sounds of 'Sixteen going on Seventeen' embraces the hall and love unfurls itself. Extracted from The Sound of Music, they still managed to inject a little bit of originality from what was already on movie screens in 1964.

SECRETS

After that dancing-on-the-bench-The-Sound-of-Music-style, Scarletina appears form the shadows and picks up something that would lead her to Rose's real identity.

Meanwhile, the headmistress of Fame announces that Rose's team of dancers will be dancing for the royals of Baltimore...which was...the king...which was...Rose/Princess Violetta's dad.

At this stage, Scarletina's anger is boiling out of control because, Rose is the head choreographer and to have such an opportunity to perform your own piece before the king? Priceless.

Slaps and screams follow.

THEN, there is another part that I like!!!!
When Noah was trying to pacify Rose's sadness, even Kah Heng leaned over to ask,'Imagine if a guy did that to you.'

Whatever Kah Heng!
LOL

After this was a few events that I could not really pick up...

The thing here is, the hype started to drop a little bit at this stage. I could sense that the actors and actresses were dead tired.
But I guess it was forgivable. After all, it was the third night of performance and they have been practicing day after day for the whole week.

But,the show still has to go on..and it is the same for the show Fame was putting up for the king.
I won't go much into detail about how it all went...because, if you didn't watch it, well, it's a loss for you. :P

Scarletina was all out to get Rose. By then, she knew who Rose really is. Halfway through the 'show' Scarletina comes in and strips Rose off her costume and the Princess Violetta emerges again.

Okay, let's pause her for a minute.

I was quite dissapointed here. It was not really enough for me. When Scarletina violently slaps off Rose's disguise, it was...hmmm...there was too much distance between to seem real. :(

Another not so nice thing, was, the king's costume.
I couldn't help but notice that the king didn't wear socks.HAHA.
If he did, he must have been wearing ankle socks then.

But all is well...the show picked up again after Noah and Princess Violetta's governess(who turned out to be Noah's mother!!!!!) was thrown into the dungeon because they disobeyed the king and Eleasha and Paalan starts singing that AMAZING song!

'If I Never Knew You'

Seriously, I just MELTED!
And if I could take it to the extreme, then I could have evaporated listening to them.
AHHHHHHH... :)

How heartwarming.

We are coming to the end of the show. Usually, everything ends well in a show, and 'Fame Up!' is no exception.
Gathering all her courage, Princess Violetta confronts her father, who changes his mind and agrees to free Noah and mom.

When Scarletina came to know of her plan that backfired, she decided to set the palace on fire. Now she has evolved into a serious lunatic.
Her little 'hench-ladies' turned their backs on her. (I thought that turn of event happened too fast and a build-up was not present)

FIRE

Scarletina puts what she says into action. She did set the palace on fire BUT Princess Violetta is not to be found!
Later, Noah sets off the be her knight in shining armour and carries her out of the palace, unconscious.

But hey, don't forget that love conquers all. A simple utterance of 'I love you' can bring everything from it's worst state to it's best. (If you can remember what happened in Transformers 2-Revenge of the Fallen)

I love happy stories. That is why I read Jane Austen books, they all end the way I want it to end. :)

And, this is why I am here to say I love 'Fame Up!' too.
There may be minor glitches here and there but the story holds tight. It was amazing to say the least...

But wait...

FINALE

Who said it was the end of it all?
They saved the best for last.

The dancers came on full blasts in black silhouette and heels.
There were also dancers doing hip hop. (Though I didn't like the beatboxing at all)
Ballroom is never excluded here too.

Plus, throwing Cheryl up in the air was one of the epic moments of the musical. Everyone was in AWE. My heart skipped a beat.
Amazing stuff people. Very grand!

And that does it.
'Fame Up!' in a blog post.

When it ended, the feeling of pride rushed through me.
When the houselights came on, I saw Afi and screamed!

She got my drift and started screaming too.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

We understood each other.
We knew we missed what we did last time. At that point of time, I wanted to laugh and I wanted to cry. she dragged me on stage and when we arrived on stage, more screams and hugs were shared.

Afiqah, Hannah Ooi and I during the 15 minute break. :D

I guess this is a thread woven from the first musical to this. It was like I was having a flashback of Dewan Sri Pinang there and then.

More hugs and screams...I was overwhelmed.

This is what I call the SGGS spirit. It never really dies, even though I was only there for two years.

And guys, you people did great.
I loved what I saw and it was worth every penny I put in.

I am proud of you Georgians.

You did not only fly, you soared.

Instant Wedding Deco

2010-04-21T17:40:00.000+08:00

Fame Up! will have to hold for a while...
I've got so many things to blog about,they are just drafter in my lists of posts that are undone. But I shall blog, when the time is right.

For now,I would just like to show you what a few of us did for CIDS last weekend.
CIDS (Children in Divine Service) is a children's service in Penang Christian Centre where they learn stuff other children learn during Sunday school...

The difference?
CIDS is way way way cooler

Last week was my mom's turn to serve in CIDS and she was in charge of the decorations.

What were they up to?
They were having a WEDDING!

Cool huh?

The team that week had to reenact a wedding and teach the children about marriage. They were also teaching about Adam and Eve.
I think this is crucial especially at this time and age, when people think marriage is just a contract.
Good to train those 'kiddo's' from a young and tender age, before their minds get messed up with corrupted views of the world.

On Saturday morning, my mom was in a sudden dilemma.
She was talking about decorations and butterflies and stuff.

She looked around aimlessly around in websites,knowing what she wants but not knowing what to find.

This is where I come in! :P

"Search butterfly templates mommy!"

Lo and behold, Google has it all!

Later, I suggested that we get some branches, since they were trying to have a 'garden' wedding.

My whole family had to pitch in!
On the way to church, we drove up to Bukit Jambul to grab branches.

"YES DADDY, stuff all of them IN!!!!"

My mom also got pink and red heart balloons.

When we got to Jireh Hall (the hall we were supposed to decorate), we just got to work almost immediately!

There were a few people who helped us along like Joy Ong, Isaac Chew, Jacob Lee, Maylyn, Calvin Ooi, Benice Samar, Mabel Ang, Ying Shan, Justin Lee and Fong Yi.

We had to cut out butterfly templates, arrange chairs and plants,blow balloons (which were supposed to heart shaped but came out distorted, mush to my mom and my dismay) and get all the decorations hanged!

In ONE HOUR...we came up with this!!!

TADAH!!!

Maybe you can't really see much...and there is not much of a wedding air to it...but hey, one hour is a good time.
We had butterflies stuck on veils at the end of the aisle along with streams of flowers attending the path.

For a closer look...

Not bad right?

To the people who were tracing and cutting the butterfly shapes, thanks so much!
Although it was not planned, the whole wedding did have a colour theme...eventually.

Pink and yellow!

Beautiful match eh?

And for those who helped me with the hanging of lace and confetti spreading...thank you for meddling with it.

Also Maylyn for doing a wonderful job with the balloons at the front door.

I didn't take any pictures because my phone was dead. (At least I have got a workable phone for now.)
The pictures are courtesy of my daddy... :)

My mom was so relieved when everything was over. As usual, it is a last minute thing.
Seriously, what is never last minute?
By God's grace, we were able to finish it, before we got shooed out of the hall because the program was going to start.

My mom is happy, I am also happy.
Even Pastor Lydia told my mom it was very nice.

YAY!

A very blur group picture!

We were all looking the other way because Joy was the one taking the picture.

Not bad, not bad, for something so last minute and all in the time frame of one hour.

KUDOS people. :D

Little Fire, Big Dreams

2010-04-16T02:13:00.000+08:00

Uncle Peter of Canning Garden Baptist Church, Campus Connect, Kampar was preaching. (CGBC,CC is the church I attend in Kampar, just so you know)

I interrupted myself.

Anyway, he was preaching when...he started sniffing and asked," Is something burning?"
AND, our smelling senses became as sharp as a dog (or whichever animal that you think has a sharp sense of smell) in less than a nanosecond.
I guess it's just this thing that humans just do.

When someone says something smells not-so-right, everyone hikes their noses up in the air and starts sniffing. I suddenly thought that reaction is funny! :P

Back to the story...
KLynn went out to check out what was burning. After a few moments she RUSHED back into the sanctuary, grabbed the fire extinguisher and RAN out!

Okay, I started getting curious, what you would call 'hati yang berdebar-debar' in the Malay language.

After prayer and right after Miss Shirley said the service has concluded...my friend, Shu Yi and I RUSHED to the door and out of church.

I know, KAYPO right?

What greeted us was a group of almost 100 people gathered out of a shop lot just two doors away from us. We could see KLynn with her fire extinguisher.

I ran to see what was happening. That reporter/journalist spirit in me was surging to life!

However, with only a camera phone, I couldn't catch much of the action.

When I was busy trying to be a busybody, I bumped into someone.
CHIN ENG!
He was not alone. For obvious reasons...
He is always accompanied with his beloved camera.

Seriously, HOW IN THE WORLD DID HE KNOW THERE WAS A FIRE???

But yes, he later explained that someone sent him a message about the fire and he rushed to the scene.
So dedicated huh?

The fire started (Chin Eng and I guessed) because of a short circuit from the wire attached to an electronic stove. I don't have the pictures but Chin Eng does.

When the people around the area were aware of that smoky smell, they went hunting for the source and found out that it originated from a hair saloon parlour. BUT, it was closed with shutters and glass doors.

What did they do?

THEY BROKE INTO THE SHOP!

They pulled out the shutter ad smashed the glass doors!

After smashing, they went in to help evacuate the fire.

A few minutes later, the 'Pasukan Bomba dan Penyelamat' came. There was still smoke coming out of the parlour.

I also noticed this lady who was wearing the uniform of the shop crying. I thought she was the owner of the shop, crying because she found her shop damaged but I later found out that she was crying because she was the last one to come out from the shop and was in charge of closing it down for the day.

Hmmmm.

Sorry I can't give you any other better images, a phone on the camera just can't do wonders, but I'll have to live with it for the time being.

When the firemen went in, they had to put on special equipments, like those 'astronaut' like masks and stuff like that. Must be those poisonous plastic fumes. We could smell it from two doors away with our glass doors shut and air-conditioning on.

Can you see the people surrounding the place?

No, it's not for you to observe the fireman's butt. It's just to show you the firemen was there.
Sigh.
I am such a horrible photographer.

Anyways, while I was busy looking around, talking about it, and having questions in m head, someone was getting his questions answered.
It is none other than Chin Eng.

You know what? He is really really good!

He decided to cover the news for our UTAR online news portal.
What did he do?
He started talking to witnesses. He went up to the fireman and asked them questions. He went up to the crying lady and asked her questions.He also went up to the boss of the parlour and asked him questions

Not that the lady and the boss was responsive. Sigh.

I decided to tag along with him and see what it is to be ON THE JOB!

Seriously, it was such a small fire. I could have just looked at it, shrug it off and cycle back home. Even Chin Eng is contemplating on the relevance of writing a report on it.
The boss didn't want to say anything. The crying lady didn't want to say anything either, lest reveal her name.
The man in charge of the firemen were just eager to get back home and we were left with virtually nothing much to build up on.

We were just piecing up an incomplete jigsaw puzzle!

BUT, I stayed on.
And i am glad I did because I learnt so much.

I realise that Chin Eng was always with a pen and paper.And his camera.
He would just write down anything and everything.
He would open up his mouth and ask.
He would be persistent in asking.
He would think of ways to get the news.
He also said that we should always have our student ID with us, just so we need to interview, it is like our passport.

These are the things I must pick up. And fast.
It's a whole big world out there where everyone is just rushing and competing to get the stuff they need and I'll have to learn to rush a little.

He also said that it is important to build contacts.
I was just taking it all in!

And you know what?
I really enjoy what I am doing for now. I realise that I have to make a move, set my sights on the right things and stuff like that.

I have big dreams for myself.

IT IS SO EXCITING!

You know, this petty fire matter may seem like nothing, but what a learning process for me!

But, I should pick up a number or languages so that I can communicate with people.
Like MANDARIN, and cantonese and TAMIL even. Sigh.

How la like that???

But no. Big dreams don't falter because of language barriers!
I shall break the language barriers with God's help.

And I guess I am ready to go.

Today is my last day in campus as a newbie.
BYE BYE YEAR ONE SEM ONE!

It's time for exams.

P/S When you see something happening that is worth reporting, TELL ME OKAY! CALL ME, TEXT ME or WHATEVER! I would want to try to be there. :D

Big dreams, big dreams.

Sleep Experiment

2010-04-14T01:51:00.001+08:00

It looks like I still have limited time to blog.

Why?

Because electricity was cut off thanks to the INSANE storm.
Most of my friends came back home shocked to see the room FLOODED, assignments soaking wet with water and...a non-functioning laptop.

Yes, the storm was that crazy. I thank God I was home and had the chance to shut the balcony door before water spilled in...and I had a long long long sleep in the afternoon thanks to the power cut.

That will just create a portal for what I am going to write about today. :)

SLEEP!

Yes, I know you people love to sleep. You love to sleep when your lecturer or when your teacher is blabbing nonsense in front of the class. You also love to sleep when it's raining in the morning, you roll over to the other side and say school can wait.

But TODAY, I am going to share with you something that I have been experimenting for quite some time now.

My gosh, now that I am an art student, I still can't shake off that 'sciencey' part of me. But I guess that is a good thing. After all, if I didn't take journalism, I would most probably take Bio-Med or something of that sort.

BUT I DIDN'T.
Because I don't see myself doing that stuff. It's nice to know,not nice to do.
You get my drift?

Back to sleep!!!!

Experiment 1

Last year, I had so much time to waste after hearing about my rejected applications to local universities. I had so much time on my hands I decided to analyse my sleeping patterns.
And analyse I DID!

Here is what I realised on my own. No reading of books, research or whatsoever. I was the guinea pig for my own experiment.
The one and only.

For you people studying science or you aspiring scientists...I know one guinea pig is not enough to prove anything.BUT, haiya ,close one eye lo!

Okay, I studied my ability to sleep with the way I conduct my daily activities.

RACHEL YEOH'S FINDING.

1) When I stay at home the whole day without going out at all, I can't seem to sleep at night. I am only able to sleep at 3AM.
2) When I go out with my mom for lunch, to pick my brother up or send my brother and sister to school back I sleep earlier. As in, the insomniac pattern does not occur. I sleep as early as 12.30AM

So, with what I felt prior to the 'experiment', I created a hypothesis that...
When exposed to sunlight during the day, my body reacts to allowing me to snooze earlier. When sunlight is absent, my body reacts by allowing me to be in wakefulness for a longer time...

Which results to me sleeping late!

I tested it for one month and the results were quite accurate!
Why did I say QUITE accurate? Because sometimes, the ability to sleep early is subject to stress and tiredness from the day's activity too.

Experiment 2

I came to Kampar and following my mother's advice, I started sleeping early (with the exception of this week because I had so many things to do).

THEN, I also realised something.
My biological clock is actually FUNCTIONING!
I start getting drowsy by 10.30 PM and I wake up at 7.45AM.
No joke.

I don't even need the alarm clock anymore.

So I thought is was because I slept early. Like what people say, sleep early, get up EARLY!

So there was once, I slept at around 3AM (Because I had to finish my assignments), BUT, I still woke up at 7.45AM.

I had to scrape off that hypothesis.

I told my friends Denise and Sebastian and their conclusion was that I was getting OLD.
I could not accept that!

NO WAY!
I may be turning 21 this year but I won't admit that I am old. Seriously, there are a lot of people that are older than I am.

I scraped that 'hypothesis' off IMMEDIATELY!

EUREKA!

We were supposed to do some exercises for Communicative English last Friday and there was this reading comprehension addressing sleep.

AND, it answered almost all my questions regarding what I have been experimenting for the past year!

Let me introduce to you,my new found friend...

MELATONIN!!!

Yes, it's my new hormone friend. I have made friends with adrenaline that is produced from glands that are located on top of both your kidneys..and others that i can't remember after ditching biology for more than a year.

But yes, back to melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone produced by a gland called the pineal gland situated in your brain.

And what does it do?
Melatonin makes you SLEEP!
When you have melatonin in your body,running through your veins, you are naturally SLEEPY!
So when you are sleepy, blame it on MELATONIN!
When your melatonin is low, it is hard for you to sleep because, your brain is signalling that you are not sleepy and therefore you should not sleep!

And the amazing thing is, melatonin is affected by SUNLIGHT! Hence proves Experiment 1!
Usually, when the brain registers sunlight, it registers morning or afternoon or evening or..whatever!
But the systems gets a little messy when there is no sunlight exposure because it is hard for your brain to register if you were awake at night and sleeping in the day and stuff like that. Not that it will create much havoc, it is just that your brain does not register that well. Not to say you will have insomnia. Usually this happens when non-exposure to sunlight is in constant occurrence. :D

AND for experiment 2!
Melatonin reduces when light sheds to your room in the morning.Sunlight reduces melatonin production in your brain. When you have less melatonin flowing in your veins, you will WAKE UP!

For those of you who study biology, doesn't it work like AUXIN'S in plants?
Melatonin and auxins!
COOL RIGHT?

Anyways, every morning, light from the balcony falls on me at approximately 7.45AM and without the pounding sound of my alarm clock, I wake up NATURALLY thanks to my well behaved hormones called melatonin!

I can say that my experiment is quite a success.

Kau Tim Sai

2010-04-11T20:32:00.003+08:00

One week has passed and week 13 approaches.

And the reason why I have not been blogging was not because I was studying.

It is because of my FINAL PROJECT!

Sleepless nights and constant eye straining on my laptop is not so bad when you have a goal in mind.

And my goal was to put this newspaper project together as quick as possible and get it done and over with so that I do not need to cast a thought on it anymore.

And guess what?

I DID IT!

I FINISHED writing my designated reports, editing other reports, compiling pictures, interviewing people and finally putting EVERYTHING together.

I feel so contented now I just want to lie down and read the book I am reading now, Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman, a well written story on a juvenile murder case.

BUT, I am not here to tell you what I want to do. This post is to SHOW you what I have done.

WHEEEE!!!

This, people, is the first and last page of the 'newspaper'.

The wave challenge news was HOT STUFF and it was havoc for me, finding and interviewing people for facts.
Perseverance was a lesson I learnt.

It was so so tiring.
I kept calling my brother up for information and most of the time, he could not really recall what really happened..but it is all okay.

Thank you's are for later.

I shall show you the second page.

Running for news is also exhausting. For the past few days I was just ready to jump on anything that could make a good report.
I would annoy and irritate people on MSN and Facebook for facts and pictures.

What to do?
It's called survival of the fittest.

It was fairly easy to cut and paste the news I got from my team members into Microsoft Windows Publisher..but...when it comes to editing and verifying...
*faints*

Thank God I endured it anyway, forcing myself to sit and just...DO IT!

Along the way, collecting news was quite fun! Being able to visit SGGS again and having a sneak peek of what is going to happen during 'Fame Up!' was great.

But wait, here is another page!

This was a group assignment where we need to create our own newspaper and common sense would tell you that we will have to hunt for our own news.

And HUNT we did.

Like a pack of wolves hunting for prey.

This thing took me SIX DAYS to write,edit and compile.
And then.. KAU TIM SAI!!!
Why kau tim sai?
Because that is one of the only Cantonese phrases that I know,and all locals in Kampar speak Cantonese.

But before I sign off, I have something very important to do.

I would like to thank Wayne, Carin Ooi and Jonathan Choong for all the details about the happenings in Brisbane, Melbourne and Aachen. (Guess what? I went on Wikipedia and listened to the way Aachen was pronounced and now I can't keep it out of my head!)
Wayne for the flood story,Carin for the hailstorm story and Jon for the bomb story.

Thank you Garren Chin and Sarah Yeoh. I quoted what you two said in my article on Wave Challenge.

Thank you also for giving me information on Captain Ball. Let me recall....Yvonne Low, Aaron Cheong, Reuben Tor, Timothy Yeoh, Garren Chin again, Sammie, John Chia, Sarah Yeoh and Josh Wong.

Also, thank you TIMOTHY YEOH for helping me with the picture taking. Sadly, I didn't take your pictures. SORRY! I took what Uncle George took instead. Thank you very much Tim. :)

Special thanks also to Jeremiah Chee for the tree falling on Kit Siong story. If it wasn't for you we'd be one story short. And Sarah Choong, the picture you took when we drove out to catch news made it into the paper!
WHEE!

I am so glad this is done and over with. PHEW!
A ticket to blog more often arrives on a golden platter.
I'll just have to dig in... :D

Fame Up - I believe they can fly

2010-04-05T22:33:00.001+08:00

FAME UP!

A musical by St. George's Girls School.

Before I say anything more, I just want to say this...

I AM SO EXCITED FOR IT!

Last weekend, I arranged a trip back to Penang because I had to settle a few things.

Number One: It was the baptism of both my siblings.

Number Two: It was Easter Week.

Number Three: I miss Penang.

Number Four: I arranged a meeting with Andrea to have a sneak peek at Fame Up rehearsals.

Number Five: I just wanted to watch how Fame Up was doing and write a news piece about it for my assignment.

So before Fame Up actually premieres, I shall write about it. A reporter has to always be a step ahead right?

I was supposed to arrive at 11AM but because my sister was sleeping like a pig and couldn't wake up, and I had to wait for her, I reached school at 12PM.

Sigh.

I rushed into Dewan Perdana and they already started their rehearsals.

Ni Wen and company decided not to tell me the plot so that I can slowly figure out what is actually happening in the show.

Let me introduce to you, the main actress of the show, Andrea Ong.

She is an amazing dancer and choreographer. In addition, she can shout really loud when she needs the attention of the cast.

She also admits that she enjoys shouting.

Hmmm...

You will have to see the cast to really know what she is going through.

And the darling dancers, Shu Wen and Ni Wen.

Urm, no they are not sisters. They just happen to have the 'wen wen' thing going on with their names.

Just so you know, I love the songs they dance to in this musical.

They have a variety of Abba, Michael Jackson and of course, Irene Cara's FAME!

And what is a musical without the drama that surrounds it?

Oh that vicious Scarletina Harlock, played by Luvenia Kalia.

She is really really good!

She has got the voice, the intensity, the looks and the height.

Okay, I know you may think I might be biased since I was from St. George's and whats more? I was in Andrea's shoes too.

Well, I will not deny that I MIGHT just be a little biased but hey, if you are still reading, then you really want to know what I am going to say right?

Overall, I understood the plot well.

That is the most important thing.

Sometimes, original pieces can be tough.

Why?

Because creators understand the script and play fully but the audience might not. Unlike musicals that are adapted from other musicals and movies, the crowd attending would already know what would be happening and understanding of the plot would not be necessary.

Next, for you people who LOVE to watch dances, you will love this!

This musical has more dances that HOPE-The Musical 2008 and The Phantom of the Opera 2009.

And mind you, it is a mix of ballroom, ballet, jazz and hip hop.

A little something for everybody!

And a little of everything for me, since I love any kind of dance.

Plus, it is a mix of fairytale and real life. A little bit like Enchanted, but not like Enchanted as well. It shows the leisure of being a princess and also the strife she has to go through in the REAL world.

The pictures here are taken during a photo shoot for Fame Up!

As you would have already figured, the picture above is Luvenia Kalia, starring as Scarletina Harlock.

Can you feel her VIBE?????

Haha.

And the beautiful dancers!

Don't you just love the pictures???

And THIS!!!
Jeng jeng jeng...
You must be wondering what the fuss is about. This penetrating angst that you can feel from looking at these pictures generated by pixels on your computer screen.

Alas, I would not be fair to readers if I didn't say that there is still a lot of room for improvement. The plot is the kind of cliché that I like. And that is a compliment!
The music and dance are beautiful, but I feel that something is just lacking.

And what is it?
C-O-N-F-I-D-E-N-C-E.

Dear cast, (aside to Andrea, Eleasha and Luvenia) you just need to hype up your confidence and it would be PERFECT!
I would like to see faces that are in tune with the music, with your role, adorned with correct smiles for the correct scenes. (Yes, there are many ways you can smile to add depth to a scene)

I want to see pride in that passion.
I want to see eyes that penetrate into the emotions of the audience.
I want to see energy in every move you make.
I want to see levels and correct positions on stage.

Remember that no matter how small or insignificant your role is in the musical, at least one of the audience has his or her eye on you every second.

Plus, Andrea needs your whole hearted dedication to do this perfect and flawless.

Though I absolutely liked what I saw during the practice, I hope that Fame Up can still amaze me when I watch it on the 18th of April 2009.

Time is running out and many many people are prepared to be amazed.
Are YOU prepared to AMAZE?

And to those of you who have not bought tickets to FAME UP, what are you waiting for?

It't the event of the year held in Dewan Budaya, University Sains Malaysia on the 16th, 17th and 18th of April.
Tickets are selling like hot cakes and Saturday tickets are almost SOLD OUT!

As for me, I am going on Sunday.
Yes, I am coming up to Penang just to catch this.

AND I AM SO SUPER EXCITED FOR IT!

Georgians, I am so proud of you.
I believe you can fly.

It flew out the window...

2010-04-02T01:10:00.001+08:00

I think rejection is something I have to get used to.

It is NOT an option. It is life. And life all the more when you are studying journalism.

There are many aspects that I am learning to grasp even as I go about my classes each day. It is just so different from just studying. Every class contains something you have to understand, something you have to work on, something that triggers thought in your mind in a way that you can't just accept what is taught but you have to question the relevance and see it in a way that connects to when you are actually reporting news.

I have to admit it.

It is tough.

Here, I learnt to think critically. I learnt about the inconvienience of life. I see different worldly views and manners of speech that are trying to assimilate itself into my conciousness (which I am trying to keep out). I learnt to see many things in a different light. I find it easier to see two sides of a coin.

I have yet to learn the art of keeping my opinions to myself when it is not called for.

Today, I handed up my first hard news piece I wrote.
It was about abortion and I did quite a lot of research on it. It is not about the technicalities of abortion but to exert something that will entice readers on a human interest point.

Sigh.

I handed it over to my lecturer and she gave it back to me.

REWRITE.

*faints*

Almost all of the articles were given back and asked to be rewritten.
There was one girl that started tearing.

Yes, it is that bad.

I was very very dissapointed with myself too. After reseaching and knowing so much about it through my secondary school days (NO, I never had an abortion but I was indirectly involved in something of that sort) my piece was rejected. It flew out the window...

Thus, the name of my post.

It was a horrible feeling. After being attached to your story, searching and finding facts, experiences and trying to insert your point of view into a hard news- it gets rejected.

But hey, I have to remind myself that my pieces will get rejected a whole lot of times in the days, months and years to come. It ain't like blogging where you write and it gets posted everytime you click 'publish post'.

I need to get used to this.

Rejection.

I hate it but I guess I'll have to live with it.

Rejection.

My remedy would be to pray that I'll get used to it but not leave it as it is as well.
Another remedy would just to drown myself with Paramore, The Corrs and Zee Avi.

I have something to share with you about abortion...which I will write about later. Not now. It is ONE IN THE MORNING and I usually don't sleep this late.

I am zombiefied. All thanks to the rejected piece of hard news.

OUTRAGEOUS

Rachel's guide to shopping bargains!

It was GOOD!

Monogrammed Pressies

Merry Christmas 2011

Where are my Oxfords?

Have I Told You Lately...

At Broga

Precious People

Playing it Safe

Happy Diwali in Teluk Intan

Revving up my engine

Loss

Teluk Batik: Get Up and Go's!

Shangaree RAWRS

4 Days of Work

Stop right now, thank you very much!

I irritate myself

SandWITCH

None of the above

Provoked via FB

Music Muse

I Can Wait

Here Again

2.31 AM on Easter

Cute and Pleasant

What have you done? Huh?

Stress and pimple popping

Dreams

Jazzing Up a working night

Head and not the Tail

Move and Wash

Instinct or Advice

Resolution 2011

Glimpse of Christmas

Pause

The Dreadful Dengue

A friend indeed

How la like that????? Paramore or not??????

Road to Recovery

3 tone scarf

Paper Rolls

Hello Again

Grrr

Bring on a REVOLUTION

Choose to Praise HIM!

Oh August

iPAD 2010, not yesterday or today but everyday

FifTim

Reflections

About the blogging

iPAD preparations

ISCA's First Music Video!

Chocolate Moist Cake :D

Second Start

Aimlessly

Crowns

Forgive me, O Lord

Thanks Rach!

Miss Joethi's Wedding

Visibly invisible

The Big '******-***'

OH.MY.GOSH!

Showcasing Ying Shan's work

Seafood at Last!

Burger Nite :D

Fame Up! The Musical

Instant Wedding Deco

Little Fire, Big Dreams

Sleep Experiment

Kau Tim Sai

Fame Up - I believe they can fly

It flew out the window...

The Big '****-*'