Adelaide Winter Adventure (Episode 3)

Day 3 started slightly earlier than the day before. At least we didn't wait until after midday to begin our journey. We were, however, lost en route Whispering Dam. It's great how travelling in a small (and overheated) Holden with three young men can be so exciting! The Holden is just classic - it can't move on flat roads but driving across small bumpy and hilly roads at 100kmph was no sweat! Along the way we passed flocks of 'meh-meh's, 'baa-baa's and 'moo-moo's. I just had to ask them to stop to let me take pictures of the sun atop a crisp green hill:

And then it was time to cam-whore!

Josh: Oh, so take picture with me you stand far far away la??
Me: =P

Josh: Wah, then you take picture with them you stand with them la?
Me: =P

The boys, or rather Josh, decided to bring me to Whispering Dam on this day. The name derived from the echoes that could be heard from the opposite side of the dam. You'd have to turn your speakers up REALLY LOUD if you want to hear the voices of Yu Sheng and moi. We were on the other side of the dam from Josh and Lucas.



The dam was a sight to behold although it was somewhat small-sized. Cannot imagine what Bakun would look like. I was so terrified with the volume of water the wall was holding. Just looking at the water made me feel sick...

Unfortunately, the grapevines were barren. I still took pictures! I mean, how can you come all the way to the Wine Central of Australia and not take pictures?

And, look at what I found!:

We headed back to the city to have dinner. We had to collect Jenny from uni before heading over to Lucas' old apartment. If I recall correctly, it was a Belgian restaurant that they took me to. Apparently, this place is famous for mussels. Boy, did we eat plenty of 'em - all three big pot-loads of' em!

They came with complimentary fries, which were presented in a fashionable manner:

Of course, how would the night be complete without dessert? Around the block was Adelaide's version of Max Brenner, Cocolat:

I seriously have no idea how our dessert session became a ghost story sharing session... I covered my ears the whole time.

My last night in Adelaide was spent playing Monopoly with the boys! First time since I was 10!

I was tricked so many times by Josh and Lucas (anyone who ever plans to play Monopoly with them, please remember where they were BEFORE they roll the dice so that you'd know if they were trying to cheat!). Those two ar, I tell you, bullied me like don't know what!

Oh, and I had to take a picture of Yu Sheng's food collection for keepsakes:

All in all, it was a good albeit short breather from Sydney life (and life in that Epping apartment that houses strongly-opinionated individuals). Many thanks to the three gentleman and the smart young lady who were generous enough to bring me around and introduce Adelaide to me. =)

Adelaide Winter Adventure (Episode 2)

My second day in Adelaide started really late in the morning. Why? Because dear old Josh didn't finish work until half-past one in the morning. I didn't get my usual hours of sleep! We ended up in Hahndorf in the arvo, in time for lunch. This time, Lucas and his girlfriend, Kiki, joined us. It was so hilarious to watch Lucas drive his small little Holden! And oh, in my opinion, Lucas is such a gentleman... =)

Now, for some pictures....

Loved the architecture of the place. I was very impressed with how well-preserved the buildings were. The German bricks, the grapevines, the structure of the roofs. Definitely deserving of the 'Tidiest Middle-Sized Town' award they'd won a few years back.

Oh, and Hahndorf is where the famous Beerenberg jam is produced:

One last pic of Hahndorf - German sausages!!! Just look at that pretzel!

After Hahndorf, Lucas and Kiki went home while Josh, Yu Sheng, Jenny and I continued to Glenelg. Hm, nothing much really at Glenelg. Resembles Manly a little. Oh, but they have this really cool building which houses an arcade and water slides! So tempting but it was winter and freezing cold.

We then headed to Uncle Shiang Foo's house. It was great to catch up with Aunty Gaik and him. It was also great to see Darryl again. Had the most amusing conversation with them at the dinner table. Coincidentally, it was Uncle Shiang Foo's birthday so we were treated to yummy ice-cream. Took pictures with the cousins and Anton showed off his skills on Darryl's guitar playing a short bit he had just learnt.

And then it was off to Casa de la Yu Sheng for some mahjong!!!

Adelaide Winter Adventure (Episode 1)

I can see so many heads nodding and thinking, "Finally, this Chrys decided to updated her blog!"

Sorry la, I have been busy with work and other things, such as my graduation, my PR application, a new housemate and touring parts of this rock of an island. So, shall we embark on a travel back into time?

I am going to post mainly photos of my first day in Adelaide in this post because I more or less summarised the day in one of my previous posts. Don't worry, I will introduce the more peculiar-looking pictures...

That's Josh's room and yup, that's his 'whiteboard'. Creative sial...

Rundle Mall is like Pitt Street Mall in Sydney, just WAY shorter. Seriously, if you compare, Sydney allows you to shop non-stop while Adelaide, um, you can finish 10 times quicker. And of course I had to take a picture of this shiny twin globe structure in front of David Jones. According to Yu Sheng, I was lucky to be there AFTER they had cleaned and polished the thing!

My next stop was the University of Adelaide. Just one word - impressive!

First thought that went through my head when I was shown this plaque: SIA is freaking rich!

Spot the similarities... haha... we Malaysians sure bring our gastronomical habits with us to every corner of the world, don't we? Oh, apparently Adelaide and Penang share a very strong connection - both were founded by Francis Light.

Yu Sheng, Josh and Jenny then brought me to other parts of the city to enjoy the sights and sounds. Yu Sheng exclaimed, "There, Adelaide in 45 minutes. Not bad!" Try doing Sydney in the same amount of time. I think you'd only cover one place - the Sydney Opera House. But then again, I shouldn't be comparing. Totally different community in these two cities. One is fast-paced, one is slow, literally. Heck, I don't even have to walk as fast in Adelaide as I do in Sydney! I find South Australians friendlier, though. More angmohs, less Asians. Less humans for that matter.

Later that night, Yu Sheng introduced their friend to me. Well, we had to get acquainted because we were riding in his car to North Adelaide to have something called the AB for dinner. I don't know his name but he's called Ah Boon. So Hokkien, eh? Well, he's Bruneian, if that explains anything. Ex-national swimmer for the rich country. And he knows Wu Chun! Yes, Wu Chun as in the latest craze of warm-blooded teenage girls across Asia. Ah Boon said that everybody knows everyone because the Chinese community in Brunei is very small hence they are close-knit. Makes it really hard to do something naughty as well - news travels extremely fast. He sounded like he was speaking from experience. Hahaha....

Monstrous, just monstrous. I meant the dish, not his friend. After that, we headed to a dessert place called Elephant Walk. Cool set-up. Like the decor and atmosphere. The food, totally heaven!

Chocolate banana pudding - the best I've ever had!

Strawberry pancake - they can give Pancake on the Rocks a run for their money!

Take a close look at the piece of paper deco placed under the spoon... look familiar? We collected the other pieces and placed them together and look at the revelation:

Looks exactly like the kind of paper the Chinese use during All Soul's Day, doesn't it???

As Josh had to work, I waited for him to finish at Yu Sheng's place. Ah Boon and he graciously taught me how to play mahjong. See, I had to travel all the way to Adelaide to learn this art. Sigh...

How fares the cabbie?

Pet, I know I've told you this before but I have to stress this again: This is your best piece of writing so far. So proud of you.

How fares the cabbie?
by Petra Gimbad

I saw the lanterns today. Lit from within, they provided a breath of fresh air and light-heartedness to an otherwise stuffy shopping mall, filled with teeming customers. Then I realised: I look for hope everywhere.

It amazes me still to discover how misplaced our judgment can be. One of my closest friends blames it on my starry-eyed optimism and adamant refusal to have anything but faith in humankind.

In this case, I was surprised at the venom with which acquaintances responded to the recent request from cab drivers to raise their base fee of RM2. "They’re all cheats, they’re rude, they all are greedy," I heard again and again.

When my mother informed me that cab drivers were going on strike for two days around the Merdeka weekend, I asked every driver I met the week following that: "How did the strike go?"

The first said he did not go on strike and that the rest who did were crazy. He needed the income. But just in case, he drove only around his kampung, lest he incur the wrath of his fellow colleagues. He did not know what might happen to him otherwise.

The second talked about how the prices of goods have gone up, that cab fares in Kuala Lumpur are cheap compared to say, Penang.

I agreed. I pay RM10 for very short distances in Kota Kinabalu. Forget about the meter.

Another told me his meter was broken and I could pay whatever I liked. This was after I saw a few customers refuse to enter his taxi. Since it was the Merdeka weekend, he could not find anyone to fix it. He was not looking forward to paying a couple of hundred dollars on Monday.

"Is it not your taxi company’s responsibility?"

He laughed and sighed.

The most memorable chap started yelling about how ludicrous it is that Malaysia produces its own oil, yet we pay above minimum prices for gas. "Tak masuk akal! You tengok Singapore-ah, mereka tak ada gas sendiri pun masih boleh beli minimum price!"

The friend whom I narrated this incident to, grinned and remarked, "You can’t argue with that."

Which brings me back to hope and misplaced judgments. I use cabs on a daily basis, and rarely encounter drivers who lack courtesy. In fact, they gauge my facial expressions before opening up – with advice on how to live a good life, chats about the economy, politics, race and religion and asking what really causes rape when they discover I work for a feminist organisation.

Some of them quake when I say it is up to them which route to take, A or B. "Customer marah oh," they tell me. "Bagus kalau you bagi tahu saya mana mau pergi, nanti you tak happy, I pun tak happy. Nanti you cakap saya tipu dan tak mau bayar."

Smelling their fear, I suspect that Malaysian consumers of cabs are not exactly the paragons of graceful speech.

Once, I responded: "Saya ingat mungkin uncle prefer guna jalan itu kerana ada lampu. Saya dengar ramai driver kena attack lately."

He laughed, then sobered and told me it was true. A few days before, someone he knew picked up a young slight girl of my age. Upon reaching their destination, he was attacked and robbed by her friends. It happened in my area.

A couple of these cab drivers finally asked, "What’s your opinion on the fee raise?"

I responded honestly: Malaysians complain too much, their claims of virtue smacks of hypocrisy and their solutions are utterly misplaced.

If, for recreational purposes, Malaysians must fill the malls to the brim with the aid of a cab, then as far as I am concerned, a cab ride is a luxury. We do pay a lot less for cabs by the meter in this part of the country.

Malaysians complain that cab drivers show no respect. However, what about our respect for them as human beings? Too many instances of customers yelling rudely at waitresses instead of making a gentle request come to mind.

Most pressing: if what we want is efficient and affordable transport, we are barking up the wrong tree. We should be coming up with new ways to pressure the state to provide good bus and train services.

(A good friend, incensed with KTM, is now on first name basis with the main office after writing a flurry of letters to the press. A quick phone call from her complaining that the train is late gets an announcement two minutes later that the train will be arriving soon.)

The last I asked, there has been no response as of yet as to what has been decided on the issue.

This cab driver sighed. "Aiya, expected la."

Petra likes feminism and social justice. She is a media officer at the All Women’s Action Society. Comments: feedback@thesundaily.com

What a wonderful world...

Yes, it truly is...

I hate it!

I hate how I need to be in touch
With friends far and near
For I miss them oh so much
For reasons crystal clear

I hate how I don't seem to mind
Initiating, maintaining
For it's relationships that are on the line
Memories and futures worth keeping

I hate the price I have to pay
For the efforts I have placed
For at the end of the day
I am not the one with the last say

But what I hate most of all
Is the fact that I do not hate
Being the person making the calls
The person who gives and not take

Just one thing though
It is people like me
Who provides telecommunication companies their dough
Paying exorbitant fees

GAH!!! I SO HATE IT!
Someone confiscate my mobile from me, please!!!!!

Break The Shackles Of “Tribal Think”!

Pet emailed this article to me this morning. Like freaking early la.

Authored & submitted by Jayanath Appudurai

For a long time, I have agonised over writing this piece to challenge my fellow Malaysians. Finally I said to myself – "what the heck? If I don't do it now, I may not live long enough to see if they really care about the future of this beloved land".

What better time to challenge my fellow citizens if not the approaching 50th year of nationhood. So here goes.

For too long, we have allowed to our own detriment a "cartel" of self-serving politicians and their coterie of entrepreneur buddies to set the agenda for this nation. They have moulded our thinking and controlled our thoughts, behaviour, responses and actions using the time-tested symbols of manipulation – race and religion!

We readily succumb to their clarion call to defend the race and religion and have fallen victims to our own comfort zone of categorising and stereotyping our fellow Malaysians along these lines. We, without a thought, consciously and sublimely succumb to grand generalisations and condemn our fellow beings based on these categories.

"All Malays are stupid, lazy and dependent on government handouts!"

"All Chinese are greedy, uncouth and are prone to using any means to accumulate wealth!"

"All Indians are dirty, untrustworthy and are prone to alcoholism and criminal activities!"

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your worldview very little is heard by way of generalisations on Kadazans, Ibans, Dayaks, Melanaus and other minority Malaysians because we ,especially in Peninsular Malaysia, have rarely taken the trouble to know about, let alone understand our East Malaysian brethren.

God forbid, if and when we do so, I am sure some equally ridiculous generalisations will spew forth from our warped minds! And we will spew it with relative impunity with nary a thought!

Just for a moment reflect on these generalisations…..better still say it out aloud!

Can you honestly with a clear conscience say that you have no family member, relation, friend or associate of your so called "racial-religious tribe" that is not stupid, lazy, greedy, uncouth, dirty or untrustworthy? If you can I would really like to meet you and your pure tribe! You really must be specially selected by the Creator.

Have you not ever come across Malays that are intelligent and industrious and self-reliant; Chinese that are generous, civilised and not wealthy; or Indians that are clean, trustworthy and "teetotallers"?

What about the Malay cardiac surgeon who did a triple by-pass on your father and saved his life? What about the Chinese hawker who donated his day's entire earnings for the tsunami disaster victims? What about the Indian who donated his kidney to save your cousin?

Have you not ever come across, heard of, or befriended a fellow citizen of the "other" tribe who was kind, considerate, generous, moderate, rational and objective etc.

Surely you have but you would in all probability have rationalised it as he or she is "different" because….. You would have subconsciously enumerated a host of reasons not to "upset" your comfortable worldview.

So why do you do it? Because it is so easy when you stereotype and rationalise your way through life using tribal categories. You don't have to think and waste your precious brain cells. It makes you feel secure. It gives you a warm feeling of oneness, ownership and identity with the ilk of your tribe.

You reinforce your ignorance with equally ignoramus tribe members and everything is honky-dory! The bonding feels good! You feel great wallowing in your misplaced tribal pride.

And of course the cartel has ensured that you continue to muddle along this way because they will always benefit from this tribal mindset. Ah! But have you for a moment reflected on what the cartel does to control and reinforce your thoughts and actions.

Consider these "symbols" of thought control and manipulation so creatively used by the cartel:-

"Bangsa Malaysia versus Ketuanan Melayu"

"Perpaduan Negara versus Perpaduan Ummah"

"Malaysian Malaysia versus NEP"

"Secular State versus Islamic State"

"Bahasa Malaysia versus Bahasa Melayu"

"Bumiputra versus Non-Bumiputra"

"Constitutional Liberties versus Social Contract"

Think! How many times have you fallen for these Machiavellian machinations?

Worse still how many times have you used them to achieve your own ends?

Did you really feel good about yourself?

Did not an "inner voice" say something to prick you?

Of course it did, but you rationalised it anyway!

So my fellow citizens the buck stops with you!

You and only you, can do something about breaking the shackles of tribal group think!

And this 50th Merdeka will be truly meaningful if you take the first step to liberate your mind from the insidious control of the cartel and your respective tribes.

I challenge you not to meekly accept your tribe's group think and let the cartel's agenda hijack your mind! Pledge that from this day on – to rephrase Martin Luther King – "I will not judge my fellow Malaysians by the colour of their skin or their religious affiliation but by the strength of their character and the courage of their conviction".

This Merdeka Day commit to beginning the process to really take charge of your thought processes. Once you have sorted out the obvious "inequities" in your mind, move out of your comfort zone and go forth to "liberate" your family, relatives, friends and tribal members.

And Oh Yes! – don't forget your fellow Malaysians. They are waiting to bond with you and discover the true meaning of nationhood!

Selamat Merdeka!

24 July 2007

Greetings from SA!

We were ahead of schedule. I was welcomed with fine weather into Adelaide. Josh was late in coming to pick me up from the airport but I'm in no position to complain.

Adelaide reminds me a lot of Melbourne, actually. The roads, the designs, almost everything. Feels very much like Melbourne. I've taken heaps of pics already. Some of you may have already guessed that most of them would not contain much of me in them. Unfortunately, I am only able to give a simple recount of what I've done or seen. Pics would have to wait till I return to Sydney.

Josh lives very near the airport. He shares a 2-bedroom place with an Indonesian bloke. Nice fella. Not that far from the city either. Had lunch at Sushi Train, where a friend of his works (the friend who lent the car to him to pick me from the airport). She was nice enough to give us a generous discount on our lunch and ahem, sushi here is yum, I tell you. We met up with Yu Sheng and Jenny (his bubbly girlfriend) at Central Market. Nothing like the wet markets in Malaysia. Well-maintained and well-designed.

Quickly, I'd just recap my day. I visited Rundle Mall, ate some glorious chocolate, visited the University of Adelaide (that has the most spectacular library I've ever been in) and had dinner at North Adelaide. Oh, met some really cool people here, too - Rudy, Josh's housemate; Disha, the girl who provides the car; Boon, the Bruneian swimmer; Jenny, Yu Sheng's girlfriend and their housemate (whose name has slipped my mind at the moment); as well as Wendy, a CPUian.

Oh, and it's amazing how waiting for your friend to finish work can let you learn the art of playing simple mahjong.

Tomorrow, we plan to head for apparently superb yumcha at this place called City Zen. Then it's off to some place that is famous for Beerenberg jams. Then I think I'll be paying Darryl a visit. Hm, time permits, Ben would be in for a surprise, too.

MERDEKA!

Yes, I AM FINALLY DONE!!!

Today, as of 1600 hours, I am no longer an undergraduate student. Provided that I'd pass my exams (which I know I will and with almost flying colours), I am now able to call myself a graduate. Muahahaha.... after four years of staying up late, listening to iLectures, printing notes, completing assignments, rushing for the bus and watching television dramas illegally.

But, is it a case of really merdeka-ing or not? (That question sounds grammatically wrong =/). Or is it just the beginning of the journey? I think life has just begun for me. I have been told numerous times how lucky I am to be 'still a student'. While my other classmates have begun their working lives, I am just venturing into it. But hey, who says learning halts?

Knowledge is the result of lifelong learning. The knowledge I've gained through my experiences (not only from studying but everything else) in uni I will use as a stepping stone for my future endeavours. I've always believed that it is not WHAT we learn and achieve that is important. Instead, it is HOW we use what we've learnt and the lessons we've GAINED from achievement that are vital in self growth and development.

What will I be doing after this now that I'm done? Plan the itenerary and recollect enough strength and equipment for my next expedition, of course!

Found something!

Hey fellas!

As some of you know, I religiously read The Star Online every day. One day, there was an article relating to a 'modern Buddhist teacher' in KL. Caught my attention straightaway. Thankfully, the article also had a website link for me to check out. The link is now in my sidebar under His Eminence's name. It's pretty cool, really. There are links to forums, to Kechara House, to activities and even MP3s and videos of His teachings! Heck, if you YouTube His name, you'd get around 6 pages of videos! Love watching his videos - super funny but enlightening at the same time. Now I realise that my knowledge of my own religion is like THAT little. =(

Okay, okay. I admit I've not talked much about Buddhism to many of you (other than Rick whom I argued with back in college regarding the matter). Heck, I still remember how some classmates in Form 5 were shocked to realise that I was NOT Christian. And you guys call yourselves my classmates... classmates for 11 years even! Okay, classmates may not know everything about me but my cousin?!?! She thought I was Christian, too! Bah!

Not that I mind. To me, it is like we do not follow one particular religion. I mean, we live in a modern world, or so we think. We have access to information from around the world and thus learning about other religions is no difficult task. We listen to people talk about, debate and share their experiences of their religions and beliefs. I think it is only natural that we absorb and reflect on our own beliefs. Who is to say that whatever we do and believe in now is the result of only ONE religion? For me, I think it's a mixture but we focus on one as our main light of guidance.

Have a think and see if your thoughts flow along the same line as mine. Maybe yes, maybe not but it doesn't really matter. Meanwhile, I will be checking out some books by Karen Armstrong. So glad that I finally have the time (and motivation - yes, yes, I can see some heads shaking...) to actually read up more on not only Buddhism but also other religions.

NOVA Cruise

Pretty straightforward. It was a cruise. We had dinner on the cruise. There was a freeflow of beer and carbonated drinks. There was a DJ. Lots of loud music and not to mention people. The food was... erm... not worth the money but I guess that's how it works. So what was so interesting about that night?

Well, it was an excuse to just lepak with friends. Since we've not seen both Nic and Miow's new girlfriends, we decided to kepoh. You want to know what I think about them? Haha.. not telling you anything. My opinions I'll keep to myself. As long as those two fellas are happy, I'm fine. Even if they aren't happy, it's not like I can do anything. It's ultimately their life.

Also, it's my final year in Sydney as a student. Well, for now, that is. Not sure if I'll be returning to do postgrad or not yet so let's just say this is my last year in Sydney. That means it's my last year of cheapER fares. So after 4 years, I've decided to finally show face at this event organised by the Malaysian student bodies from all 4 Sydney universities. When Taufoo and Jona found out, they were shocked.

"How can you not support the activities? So anti-social ar? Why like that? Cannot like that! Mix around ma..."

Hello, but, I am perfectly fine NOT mixing with fellow Malaysians whom I have seen for the past few years of my life. If I want to mix, I wouldn't be paying so much money to mix and catch up. I'd rather go somewhere where I could actually hear what you're saying and eat proper food that would fill my stomach. Anti-social? Coming all the way from Malaysia to mix around with Malaysians again? A bit pointless, don't you think?

Sigh, is it just me or what? Why can't people just accept that not everyone enjoy the same things? Or have I grown old? Too old to mix around with the 'happening' generation.

I enjoyed myself but not to the max. It was surface enjoyment. Very erm... not sure how to put it. Doesn't come from within I guess. It was definitely tiring. I don't know how the other girls could dance on heels that are way higher than mine. They must have very strong legs. Oh, and the seasickness.........

Oh well, now I guess I'd have to think twice before attending the Annual Dinner and Dance. I would be seeing, well, the same people all over again anyway.

I like!

The message this ad spreads is just... inspiring....

Congrats!

This post is especially dedicated to a beloved member of our household here in suburban Epping.

She is a person who is way different from me. She is intelligent, has plenty of discipline and determination.

She has a fiesty persona and has a very contagious cute laugh.

She is hardworking in every aspect: studies, exercise, watching One Tree Hill and making fun of her cousins....

And gosh, her eyelashes can sweep dust off your face if you let her come close enough!

I would say that she's tough on the outside but tender on the inside. A little like her bro.

Okay, main point of this post is to congratulate her on receiving the International Merit Scholarship from the University of Sydney, which is worth AUD5,000! Woohoo!!! All the hard work paid off!

Oh, so looking forward to the buffet, whenever that will be!


Erin, we're so proud of you!!! Love ya!!!

Wa!

A little observation of my own:

What's the diff between the following?

1) Walaueh!
2) Wasai!
3) Wakao!
4) Wabiang!

Haha... actually, they all mean the same thing, right? All expressions of surprise, astonishment or disbelief. The diff is in the people who would use the terms.

If you use walaueh, you'd be either Malaysian or Singaporean.
If you use wasai, you'd be Taiwanese.
If you use wakao, you'd be Chinese from Mainland China.
If you use wabiang, erm, actually, I'm still finding out more about this one. I know of only one person who would use this and she's a Hainanese young lady from Kelantan currently working in Singapore. A bit the complicated.

(I can see some people with their brows arched wondering what the hell I do here in Sydney....) Haha!!

The weekend

Another weekend passed. Another 6 more weekends before I end this semester in uni, my very last as an undergrad. How time flies.

Another weekend, another trip to the city. It's funny how time makes you change your perception of people and places. A place once thought to be polluted, busy and a waste of money is now 'Grand Central'. Meetings with old faces and new acquaintances, posh restaurants and inviting cafes.

It's not that I used to hate the place. It's just that there was no reason to go to the city. Maybe now I have less time in Sydney, I feel that I would take any chance I have to be there. Having dinner with Melvin also made me realise that you can find a friend in the most unlikely of people. Take him for example. He's an ex-swimmer I got to know from Josh and we hardly spoke. He's always not available and he enjoys travelling alone. But we meet more than the swimmers. How funny is that? Perhaps it's his company that I enjoy, his calm demeanour and seemed level-headedness that belies his years. He listens intently and his words are precious. Maybe sometimes we need to take time-out from the people we normally hang out with.

Another weekend, another movie. If you have not watched Spiderman 3 and you have already seen the first two, please go watch it. It will not be a waste of your money, in RM or in AUD. Really. It was my first experience in a double-storey cinema and the screen looked huge! I thought the sound system was great but Shaun felt that GSC has better ones. Oh well.

Spidey thinks that "with great power comes great responsibilities" and I agree. I guess it can be taken as both a good thing and a bad thing. Good as in you have the power to make change in the world. And bad, well, not everyone knows how to handle power, you know. It can sometimes overtake you instead.

Another weekend, another book-buying spree. I bought three books at Big W, as there was a sale. All three for less than AUD50. Not bad, don't you think? I didn't buy novels this time. I bought hardcover coffee table books. Haha.. if you get what I mean by that. Humanity: The Complete M.I.L.K. Collection is a collection of photographs from around the world of people. Of children. The other two books; The Words and Inspiration of Desmond Tutu; and Mahatma Gandhi. I think I will enjoy reading those.

Weekends are good. They make me stop and ponder on the week that was. They make me think of the week that will be. They make life stop for a while, allowing me to smell the crispness of the air, to feel the wind that caresses my face and to smile at the antiques of two rainbow birds lovingly stroking each other on my balcony.

Weekends make me think about life. And life is good. As William Blake says - life DELIGHTS in life.

Happy Wesak Day

Happy
Wesak
Day


My
warm
wishes and
thoughts go out to
everyone

Our passion

This is my refuge.
This is where my heart lies.
This is where I feel happiest.
This is my passion, the reason for living (other than eating, that is).


Tadika & Taska Kembangsari
More commonly known as Honey Bee
Mum's sweat and blood

Sniff, sniff...
I wanna go home!

Do Some Charity!

Yes, I'm talking to you. Who are you looking at? Charity can be done in many ways and Oxfam has a really cool (and cheap) way for you and me. Have you heard of the White Band? No? Shame on you. Hahaha.. ok ok.. neither have I until Oxfam set up shop in Mac Cen. You know how we get yellow LIVESTRONG bands? Yup, they have white MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY bands and they're only for $2! Imagine! I sometimes wonder how much help we are really giving by contributing just that small amount. Hmm....

And, this thought came to me while I was reading my notes in the kitchen with Shaun cooking in front of me: are those bands biodegradable? Are they harmful to the environment? They'd better not be! Shaun said that they could be recycleable. But hey, even recycling uses energy and produces greenhouse gases right? So, what's the point?

Sigh, I guess you can't have the best of everything, eh? Even if you don't want to buy it for the sake of helping, buy it because it looks cool. Ok?

Changes

A change is occuring. Not only in the weather but also in life. Yes, it is the time of life when big, adult decisions need to be made. Now I really wonder why when we were younger we were so eager to grow up. Seriously, now I actually want to turn back time. I seriously do miss high school, when personal problems were the end of the world, when nothing else matters other than turning up for volleyball practice.

Like how blue skies of white clouds can become a plane of grey pouring down with rain, decisions made long again can be questioned now. I feel that I'm a little 'slow' in that sense. Or am I too 'fast'?

I've always wanted to teach. I know, almost all little girls would reply 'Guru', 'Penyanyi', 'Pelakon' or 'Doktor' when asked by the class teacher in primary school. I almost always said 'Guru' as I believed (somehow) that I was meant to teach. Not only teach, but to help others in life. And guess what? Mum started her childcare centre when I was 10 and being an early childhood educator has been my aim ever since.

I've never thought of leaving home. It wasn't until after CPU that I was persuaded to continue my tertiary education in Sydney. Yes, I understood the logic behind coming here. I mean, ECE was practically non-existent in KL! Even here in Australia, it's one of the more lower-paid and lowly-regarded professions around! Funny how this is the case when in fact, it is the most noble profession there is. So I left home with a heavy heart but 4 years on, I'm thankful to my parents for allowing me the space to actually choose what I wanted to study. And yes, coming here has opened up my mind slightly. Not sure if it has done my temper any good, though.

Upon completion of my degree, the plan was to return home to help mum. Even if I don't, I wanted to start a children's library and art gallery in Sri Kembangan. A far-fetched dream? Hell yeah! But it doesn't mean that it will not come true. I've always been different to everyone else. So why should it matter this time? I won't earn much but it's satisfaction guaranteed (for me at least).

However, that might have to wait. The falling autumn leaves are reminding me that life only happens once. Like how they spring up in lustrous green and wilt in golden splendour, life does not wait to happen - it just happens. And if we don't make full use of it, we will miss the chance to live. But what is life to most of us?

I've realised that coming to Sydney does not open my mind up to new horizons. I've only seen yet another one - that of Australia. Worse, that of only Sydney and Melbourne. That's not much of the world, is it? Hence, I've decided to move on. Yes, I miss home dearly but home can wait until I am prepared to face reality again, to face commitment and responsibility again. I am still young and I feel that it is now that I should explore new faces, new beliefs, new 'lives'. Exploring the new would help me grow even more.

I need to feel challenged. I don't care if the next route I take in life requires me to sing in public, memorise 100 Chinese characters in an hour, speak in Korean, traverse snow fields or act in a movie.

I don't feel like I'm growing anymore. I need a change.

Missing you

Yesterday, I was at Bondi with friends. While some of them went surfing (and they had great waves yesterday), I stayed on the beach. Had a stroll and when the rest of the gang came back from the beer session, I joined the guys in frisbie.

We ended the day with great food, naturally. We had steak at Hog's Breath. Sumptious, just sumptious. Went home contented and surprisingly, still slightly bogged down with the thought of my assignment.

Decided to sleep in the hall with Shaun and Alfred, just for fun. I woke up this morning with my body aching as the mattress was super soft in comparison to mine. I prefer hard mattresses, as I think they are better for your back, and they are definitely more comfy.

But I was happy. Why? I had a dream. A dream of a person very dear to me. He was someone I got to know back in Form 2, back when we were 14. Actually, we weren't exactly 14 as my birthday is on Nov 19, his on Oct 10. I still remember the day his dad brought him to school for his first day. He was standing outside class, peering in every now and then. In my head, I was thinking, "Hey, is he joining our class? Hm, not bad wor. He's quite cute. A bit small though".

That was then. High school was lightyears ago. We developed a friendship, which to me, that was special. We'd have lunch together. I'd get Mum or Dad to send him home. We'd have arguments over the smallest issues. We'd laugh till we had stomach cramps.

I still remember the fight we had over some silly thing in volleyball. He came out to the bus stop to yell at me. I ended up crying and not talking to him for the next few weeks. Don't know how I managed to not talk to him for so long but I was glad that I didn't. Haha... at least I preserved some amount of dignity for myself.

We used to talk over the phone for hours although we'd just seen each other in school. To say that I did not feel attracted to him would be a lie. But I wasn't his type. Definitely not. And so what did I do? I helped spur him on in going after this chun chick who was 4 years our junior. She was a Malaysian-Chinese/French girl. Part-time model. Very sweet-looking girl with blue eyes, blondish hair but a Chinese name.

Did it hurt? Hell yeah. But I did it anyway. I figured that it would be selfish of me to hold on to him. I mean, we wouldn't have worked out anyway. Too unlikely, seriously.

I felt happy for him. I've always felt happy for him in everything he does. He's one person I find really hard not to be happy with, actually. That's so weird!

Even in the dream, he made me happy. Not indirectly like in real life, but directly. It was at his place. In real life, he lives in a condominium but in this dream, it was rather hard to tell. It was his birthday (or was it Ee-Lane's?) Oh well, it was a party celebrating something la. And I was there. I was invited to attend with the rest of our schoolmates. Ok, fast forward. Suddenly, my friends pulled me into the crowd. They were surrounding something or someone. I then saw him in the middle with a big bouquet of flowers. He called my name. I blushed.

Oh no! Did he just say my name? Ok, turn around and run away now. ARGH! So paiseh! Why would he give me a bouquet of flowers?? Why?

And Jeunn, you didn't help! You actually held me back! I so wanted to dash out and just fan myself before I passed out. I turned around to face him again. He walked right up to me. Looked straight into my eyes. I had to look away. I could feel my cheeks were warm. So were my ears. When he arrived right in front of me, he held my hands. Very gently, he put the flowers in my hands and he hugged me. I struggled to hold back my tears. He whispered in my ear like he did so many years ago: Happy birthday, Shij.

But we've moved on with our own lives now. I'm here in Sydney. He's back in KL. He hardly replies my SMSes. He doesn't even answer my calls. I seriously wonder if he's really THAT busy with work.

Am I angry? No. I should be, though. Am I upset? A little. And why? I think it's because somewhere deep inside, I know he still cares and thinks of me, too. He may not think of me everyday but that's not what matters.

What matters are the footprints that he has left in my journey of life.

Hey girl...

Hey girl,

What does life mean to you?
What do you want to gain?
Sure you'd know that life is cruel
Full of suffering and pain

But girl,

Regardless of how near or far
Expensive or cheap
Whether by plane or by car
Clayton or OUG

No matter how life is for you
May it be during your ups
Or even your downs

I am here to support you
In person, over the phone or online
to complain
to cry
to flare up in rage
or just to hear you sigh

I am no Leo
so I would not understand
your real role
or your real strength

But I do know that Leo or not
we are all human who make mistakes
this is not your first, the last it will be not
but you will stand tall and be proud of what you make

You have made it through various obstacles
And this is no exception
Maybe you don't always climb up spectular
But you get up and that is your Leo fashion

Hey girl,

What matters is that you learn
It is painful now

But hey, smile!

For this is only the beginning
You have a long way to go
I'm only a small pebble in your threadings
To help you along your flow

~ My dear, there's no use in me asking you to cheer up but I believe in you and you have to believe in yourself, too. All I can do is just talk and listen to you and be there for you. That's all. The rest is up to you. So remember, you have me (and the rest of us) here for you. ~

Tagged by Auds

This is tagging season I tell you.... gosh...

6 weird things about myself:

1. I prefer a stone hard mattress compared to a comfy one (Shaun thinks I'm weird because of this)
2. I don't mind working or helping out for FREE (Nic thinks I'm weird because of this)
3. I don't wear tops that are sleeveless out of the house (Nic and most guys think I'm weird because of this)
4. I enjoy cleaning and tidying the house (anyone's house for that matter and yes, it's also Nic and the Mahjong Inc. people who think I'm weird because of this)
5. I prefer a manual to an auto car (Auds, I'm pretty sure you thought I was weird because of this)
6. I'm a girl who doesn't care what others think of my appearance (most guys think I'm weird because of this)

So there, even I think I'm weird sometimes... how did I manage to come up with all that?

Tagged by Josh

LAYER 1 : ON THE OUTSIDE
Name : Voon Shi Jing
Birth Date : November 19
Current Status : Enjoying life
Eye Colour : Dark brown or black, up to you to distinguish
Right of lefty : Right


LAYER 2 : ON THE INSIDE
My Heritage : Pure Malaysian-Chinese Hakka
My Fears : The unknown?
My Weaknesses : I'm a very sensitive person.... so keep away!
My Perfect Pizza : One that doesn't make me fat?


LAYER 3 : YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW
My thoughts first waking up : Where's my phone? I have to turn it off!
My bedtime : When I seriously can't keep my eyes open anymore
My most missed memory : My high school days


LAYER 4 : MY PICK
Pepsi or Coke : Neither, they both have high contents of poison
McDonald's or Burger King : Burger King definitely!
Single or grouped dates : I don't really mind as long as the group dates are with people I enjoy hanging out with
Adidas or Nike : Does it matter?
Tea or Nestea : Tea - no flavouring or colouring
Chocolate or Vanilla : Chocolate la of course!
Cappuccino or Coffee : Trying to cut down on both but I thought cappuccino is a kind of coffee?


LAYER 5 : DO YOU...
Smoke : Hahahaha... NO
Curse : No again
Take a shower : Everyday
Have a crush : Maybe on the current hotshot Malaysian badminton men's doubles pair
Think you've been in love : What is love?
Go to school : Yes, the world is my oyster
Want to get married : Hahaha, that depends....
Believe in yourself : Heck YES!


LAYER 6 : IN THE PAST
Drank alcohol : Yes
Gone to the mall : Yes
Been on stage : Yes
Eaten sushi : Yes
Dyed your hair : Yes


LAYER 7 : HAVE YOU EVER
Played a stripping game : No and I never will
Changed who you were to fit in : Do I look like a person who will do this?


LAYER 8 : AGE YOU'RE HOPING...
To be married : If I ever do, hopefully it would be before I turn 30


LAYER 9 : IN A GUY...
Best eye colour : No preference
Best hair colour : Natural
Short hair or long hair : Whatever makes him comfortable


LAYER 10 : WHAT WERE YOU DOING...
A minute ago : Typing out the answers to the above queries
Hour ago : Watching the finals of the Super Series Swiss Open 2007 Men's Doubles on YouTube
4.5 hours ago : Shopping in Eastwood
1 month ago : Preparing for the first day of uni
Year ago : Probably lazing around in the house when I should be studying


LAYER 11 : FINISH THE SENTENCES...
I love : teaching the kids at mum's
I feel : a tad sleepy
I hate : having to type up documents just for the sake of typing them up
I hide : my feelings only when I really want to
I miss : home
I need : to buck up with my time management!



LAYER 12 : TAG 5 PEOPLE

Not tagging anyone. Not in the mood to think of 5 people to harrass at this moment.

F.Y.I.

Hey guys,

Just to let all of you know, if you would like to have a look at my photographs, you should click on the first link to your left called 'Childhood Innocence'. Once in there, click on the link called 'Albums' to your right. You'll find many of my photographs, dating back to perhaps 2005.

Also, I will be starting my fifth (and last) prac tomorrow. Wish me all the best! It's my first prac in a preschool setting and yes, I think I will be quite jittery. I will be spending the rest of tonight typing and printing off pages of stuff to put into my prac folder. And I guess I wouldn't be updating very often. Perhaps I would post one update at the end of the week to release some 'stress'.

Until then, take care and check in at the end of the week. Who knows, I might actually keep to my word this time?

Dedicated to You

Do you realise that you have grown since arriving in KL?
Can you visualise my grin everytime I read your emails?
Do you know why?

You sound happy. Yes, many of the events are tear-jerkers but you sound like you. Finally.

You constantly 'remind' me of how 'wonderful' I am. Now, I'm going to do the same for you because, honestly, you are an amazing person so please, be proud of yourself.

You went through a childhood different from others. The most notable difference would be your treasure trove of literature. Who else reads like you? You are well-read and I believe by talking to your mum about what you read has helped your analytical thinking tremendously. You do not take things at face value. You go deeper. You are not afraid to think out of the box.

Same goes to how you watch movies. Would you care if it has good-looking actors and actresses? Not really. What matters to you are the messages the movies are getting across - racism, gender issues etc. You prefer to watch movies that do not have a clear-cut ending because you like things that are open to interpretation. That's just you.

Not many people would get you. But you don't mind. Yes, you'd get hurt but that's how you grow. And that's why I think you're stronger and more learned than most of us. In high school, your neighbour looked down on you because you couldn't understand the concepts taught in Add Maths. I connected to you in that way because I seriously sucked at Add Maths, too. You were hurt because you offered her support but you were put down instead. You felt (and I believe, still feel) that you deserved better. I think that it's fine to feel that way because this negative feeling helped you improve. Not in Add Maths but in your dealings with others. Who else talks with confidence and a sense of 'I know a lot but I am still learning more' like you?

Also, how many people in our class volunteers? Does this word even exist in their vocabulary? You are not bothered with material wealth. You are more interested in gaining a different kind of wealth - emotional. This is much more worthwhile as this affects others more than material wealth does. The manner in which we touch others inside is different from superficially impressing others on the outside.

Correct me if I'm wrong but you have much to be proud of. Despite what you think your parents' images of you are, in my opinion, you are unique. You hold your head up high eventhough you choose to go on a path less ventured. The courage mustered just to be yourself is something worth mentioning.

So please my dear friend, smile at your own achievements. People like you do not need rows of trophies or stacks of certificates. You require more meaningful accolades - hugs, warm wishes, an occassional chat with a close friend, smiles from people you've helped, seeing people change due to your efforts, however small.

No one can take all of that away from you. Your pride, your wisdom, your life experiences, your strength, your humility. What am I compared to you? Close to nothing. But I am growing along with you. And I thank you for that.

Impromptu

Guess where I'm at now... Melbourne!

Yes, yes, I didn't plan to visit Melbourne but when you are all alone in an empty unit in Sydney with Ta Seng not living around the corner any longer, you tend to make decisions just like that.

I called Mum on Sunday to talk (as I was seriously bored out of my wits) and I told her that I was toying with the idea of heading down south for the Chinese New Year. I was whining about the silence in the house and how inconvenient it can get when I stay over at XW's. I was not prepared to spend the CNY alone, at a dinner with unknown people or with Petrina's in-laws (how can I have reunion dinner with angmohs??!??) so spending CNY with family, as in REAL family (my bro and 2 cousins) sounded like the best choice.

So I informed Dad that I was going to use his credit card to buy my Virginblue tickets and off I was to Melbourne. The weather here has been fine. Unlike Sydney, which is wet at the moment, Melbourne is warm with cool breezes. At least I managed to sweat when walking Mei Mei to school.

Went to have a look at bro's place. Not bad I have to admit. The house has character. In my opinion, his room has the best layout and size, although I thought that by facing the kitchen, it would smell the worst as time goes by. But the place was clean and looked well-maintained. Hopefully, it will stay this way for a long time to come.

And now, I'd need to call Sydney to arrange my observation days (yes, I am doing work while I'm here, too. It's not all play, you know). After that I'd need to change as we're heading to the city to meet up with Wen Jun for lunch. Hopfully, we'll be able to catch Sharkfin's yam cha session.

Until my next impromptu holiday, Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!!!

SMS

Just received an SMS from Malaysia:

What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want - Mignon Mclaughlin

Sender said that this quote reminds her of me.

How sweet...

Vox is Up!

Hello everyone!

You must be wondering what Vox is. I'ved added a new link to my sidebar for Vox. It's an online magazine for women. Well, of course guys are allowed and welcome too but when I say 'for women', it's along the same lines as magazines like Cleo. BUT, Vox does not focus on what Cleo focusses on - clothings, hairstyles, sex, boyfriends and break-ups etc. Vox is a forum where the voices of young women (like yours truly) are heard. It's a humble website, with a handful of contributors, mostly university, high school students or fresh graduates.

I just had to write about Vox because I am very proud of it. I'm proud of it not just because I have an article published there but because it is a symbol of preserverence and self-belief. It is the brainchild of a very dear friend, of when she was her happiest as a uni student. She, with her best friend from childhood decided to turn her dream of publishing a magazine to reality. They decided to go electronic as of course, this form requires less financial commitment.

Personally, I feel that Vox is not just abother e-mag. Vox is about empowerment. Vox is about respect. Vox is about rights. Vox is about striving for your own success. Vox is about trying.

Just click on the link in the sidebar if you want to know what I mean.

Who Do We Think We Are?

You know, they don't treat us fairly. Just because we are not of the same race. You stay there la. You apply for PR you will be given a fair go. Just like them.

Who is them? Who are we? Why are we classifying ourselves? Why are we practising Otherness when we want our children to learn equity and respect?

I'm not saying that other countries are not as good as ours. All I'm saying is that we all grew up in different environments and thus our view and expectations of life vary. Why impose your thinking on me when I do not expect you to remain in our country? Yes, I sound very passionate when I talk about our Motherland. That is because I truly am. I do not see any shame in being proud of our country and to want to understand her more.

I am often told that the majority race takes advantage of the minority races - they are lazy and expect 'us' to do all the work, to bring fortune and prosperity to the country. We boast about being good at business and that without us, our country will not be in its current state. But why must we think that way? Are we all that special? What makes us more deserving of benefits than the person next to us?

But they are all lazy one la. They prefer government jobs. They prefer to be spoonfed. And they get all the benefits. They don't need good grades or brains, they'll still get what they want.

Do they really? Do we know for sure or are we just really cocky when it comes to making sweeping generalising comments? We don't like it when others say that our race are kiamsiap and are money-minded.

My father asked me a really interesting question - How many friends of the majority race do I have? I was silent. I only have acquaintances, not friends. Even that I can put them all on one hand. Many of us did not grow up with other races. We only have friends of the same race. In a way, I think our perception of other races are skewed because of this. I personally feel that we are the ones who lose out. We are not learning and yet we assume the worst of others.

To be honest, I am not in a position to talk about this issue either because I do not know other races very well. What I do know is that we have no right to criticise others when we do not know better. Yes, we can think. Analyse our situation. But to point fingers? No, that is something that I think will not improve anyone's situation.

Can we stop patronising ourselves? Talking about things is simple. But where does the talking lead to?

Sabah

Finally, some pics from Sabah. For those of you who do not know, I was in Sabah for 4 days with my parents. As usual, AirAsia was late so we were at the LCCT till 7:30pm. We arrived in KK pretty late and guess what we had for dinner/supper... bak kut teh! Spent the night at dad's development company's apartment and the next day we headed off to Ranau, where the national park is. I did not enjoy the trip. That is the truth. I enjoyed the scenery very much but because of the time we spent on the road, it was more or less hell for me. Yes, I have motion sickness.

Ok, I'll let the pictures do the talking. However, I would like to let you guys know that if you have not been to Sabah, please do. The greenery there is amazing. I'm glad that our government has managed to preserve some parts of Malaysia. This part is especially precious due to the vast rainforest, or should I say, botanists' heaven. Some say that the rainforest we have in Sabah may be the oldest in the world! Whoa, the proud feeling I felt when I heard a British lady say that while trekking....

Yes, yes, I'm zipping my mouth now...

Mount Kinabalu in all her majesty...

To get to our little chalet, we had to go up this steep hill...

There's even a balcony for you to relax and enjoy the view from your room... and check out the fireplace and Astro!

And look at the grey stones on the white wall. Don't you think they add character?

I saw my first green snail in Sabah...

On the last day of our holiday, we had so-called dinner at Jesselton Hotel. According to dad, they served really good curry laksa when he was there 5 years ago. Now, it seemed as thought they had switched to Italian cuisine. They even had an angmoh chef (presumably Italian). Two thumbs up for the food! Below was what I had for dessert. It's ice-cream (vanilla and chocolate) filled in a ball of hard chocolate coated with coffee powder. Hmmm......

Sabah, Land Below the Wind, the place where I began my year - year 2007, the Year of the Golden Boar.

New Year, New List

If you take a closer look, my long list of books has been replaced by one book. Watching the Tree by Adeline Yen Mah was the first book to be read this year - year 2007, the year of the Boar - my year! Bought the book in Berjaya Times Square so that I wouldn't be too bored while waiting for Shaun.

Not going into details today. Have to sort out photographs for distribution. I have to call VK, too. Not sure if he's too happy with today's cancellation.

And yes, thank you all for your patience with the photographs!!!

P/S: I've added Arts and Earth's link as well. Please visit the website to find out more about the lovely people who do more than just TALK about making the world a better place.

Year End

Hey everyone,

Yes, I have been missing in action yet again! (Many of you know that I have stuff to do so thank you for being ever so patient and understanding. Hugs!)

Have been helping mum and also have been catching up with lots of people. Of course, when there's catching up there'll be food la so yes yes, it does seem that I have not gone done in size or weight one bit. Sobs!

Today is the last day of orientiation (and pure madness!) over at mum's. Next week will be a killer week as it will be the first week of the year (and first of their lives!) for many of the kids. Crying, lots of crying, shouting ,screaming, tantrums and drama for sure. I don't blame them. Who would want to feel good in a place full of strangers?

I will be in Sabah this evening (yes, that anonymous message was me) until late Monday night. So buzz me or text me on my mobile if there's anything urgent. Until then, my thoughts and well wishes go out to the victims of the earthquake in Taiwan and the victims of the floods in Johor, Melaka, Terengganu and Kelantan.

Oh, and Happy New Year to all!

Peace

Grandma left to join Grandpa and Greatgrandma for an early Christmas this morning at 3:10am. All her 5 children were at her bedside, along with Mum, Bro and myself. I am glad that I managed to make it to see her breathe her last breath. It was a peaceful passing. Thank you for all your well wishes and concern.

I will be back in KL late Sunday night. See you guys then.

Grandma

Grandma was admitted into hospital at 1:30am. I was suspecting something as dad's mobile rang a few times throughout the night, which is unusual. He was speaking very softly and did not want me to know what was happening.

The doctors would not operate and told us to let her go. All the 5 siblings (my dad, uncle and 3 aunts) all also agreed to let her go. She is 72 and who's to say she did not lead a good life? Well, it depends on what good actually means to you guys.

Grandma is expected to leave today. She was given 24 hours. She's still sleeping peacefully and according to Dad, she's breathing smoothly and has a steady heartbeat.

Why must I have my IELTS speaking test today?!?! I'll be heading over to the hospital as soon as I finish and I honestly hope I will make it to say my goodbyes.

2 Forms of Contentment (Shij Style)

Emma wanted to speak to me personally. I gave her a call. She was in her office. She wanted to let me know the situation of my marks for my thesis. One marker gave me a Credit. One gave me a Distinction. So now my status is still pending. Still have no news. But I'm happy. Distinction or not, I enjoyed myself a lot and I found my writing style different. I learnt so much from Emma and I am humbled by the vast amount of knowledge my lecturers have and their approachable persona. I am glad I decided to enrol in the Honours program.
------

Thom Son (9), Dickson (6), Wi Xi (5) and Wi Zi's (4) mum has not arrived. It was 7pm. By right, if mum implemented her OT strictly, their mum would've needed to pay qutie a large sum. But we're a service to the community and they've been coming to us for so many years now. Thom Son will be 10 next year. He's been coming to us since he was 3. Why bicker over something as trivial as their mum not coming before we close shop?

While driving them to their dad's mobile phone shop, this conversation took place:
WZ: Shi Jing Jie Jie, how come you only have one of that thing?
SJ: What thing?
WZ: Neh, that thing (pointing at the wiper).
SJ: What do you mean?
WX: She said that 'cause we have 2 of those things!
Dickson: Yeah, we do! Many cars have 2. Why do you have only one?
WZ: Is one enough?
Dickson: Oh, I know! I know! Hers is longer! Look, it's almost reaching the side of the windscreen!
WX: Yes, yes!
Dickson: They have to make it longer because her windscreen is bigger.

Thom Son was quietly observing. I smiled. They have figured it out for themselves - their hypothesising, their reasonings, sharing of thoughts. I am definitely in the right field.