mmmm...sundays

It's economical how Iona and I share best friends. Sam was with me at church, Khadi with Iona at Aeon. We all met up at Aeon and swapped quality time with the one we had.

The following is is a catalogue of sorts for cards I've made over the year, mostly for birthdays. :D

Pastor Henry always says that the day you were born is a very important day. It is the day you were brought forth into this world, a blessed day indeed, and shall we not rejoice in it?

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you,"
declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future,"

Enjoy!






























It is all very juvenile now that I look back on it. Just paint, color pencils, color paper medium on paper.
No attempts whatsoever on 3D. Ah well, it is the thought that counts. LOL


Signing off,



they closed =(

saturdaaay

Did you know that you can now MONETIZE your blog?
It's true, Blogger has finally seen how investful adverts on blogs are.

On another note, I realise that around my birthday (hehe) is a great time for singers to hold concerts in Malaysia.
2007-Kanye West
2008-Celine Dion
2009-Jamiroquai AND David Archuleta

Personally I'm not a big fan of cutie boy Archuleta, but I would not give up the opportunity to catch Jamiroquai at Sepang International Circuit.

he's bri'ish, yow

I'm sure most of you have never heard of Jamiroquai.

Me neither, till I heard his song while working at Dome. Yeah, Dome music is a lil bit mixed up.
He's a singer. Not sure what genre. But he sang Deeper Underground, the funky theme to Godzilla the movie back in the late 90s.
Virtual Insanity was one of the most-talked about music videos back in the times (you'll see why-the vid is at the end of this post). Personally I think that is the best MV I've seen yet, beating Coldplay's The Scientist by a mile. Or two. Or thirty.


He's performing on the day of the Sepang F1 race (April 5) at 7 pm.
Which is great!
You know, there's the bus shuttle service from KL Sentral to SIC on the race day itself, which is awesome, cos then there's no fuss in looking for parking at the venue.

All that sounds fantastic, no? And the best part is, the RM 100 ticket also covers the entrance fee for the race itself! Economical and a bargain.

ALLL great. Except for the fact that my exam finals start on the next day, April 6th. So there's no way I can go, since the concert will end super late, and sufficient rest is vital to a good start in exams.

And I've got papers to sit for on my birthday and the day after that. Oh wellies!
Here's Virtual Insanity. The walls are the ones that are moving, by the way.



*images were results of Google

best fruit cake ever (2)

The following are pictures from the same event (refer previous post), taken by me and Kelly.
All are edited by Aidee.
I didn't know editing pictures would make them look better. heh heh















I love Lilian's expression here. Doesn't it just read :O ZOMG


An unedited picture of Gaby to end this post:

=)

best fruit cake ever

Venue: Bandar Botanic
Date: Wednesday, 25th March 2009
Occasion: Gaby's seventeenth birthday/picnic
People: Gaby, Kelly, Lilian, Joyce, Jian Quin, Aisha.

^ Birthday card. Heh heh.

Jeremiah 33:3
"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,"

secret: i wish people didn't depend on me

3 tests
2 assignments
1 presentation

In these three weeks.
"It is not the lack of resources, but the inequal distribution of it that leads to conflict."
That's the topic for a thousand word essay for Moral Studies, due next Friday. Apparently, Gandhi is involved. I know one of his quotes to be used in this case.

There's a three-chapter mid term for Econs next week, which I've yet to tackle.

My health is getting worse these days. The sinus is coming back every morning without fail. It used to be so good. Look at the ulcer in my mouth

The thing that's supposed to be happening now in college isn't materialising. And you know where it's going.

I'm gaining weight.

Above all of this, through all of this, I do not feel burdened. It is only when I'm invited to partake in someone else's suffering that I feel burdened.
Why?
It's a known fact that no one wants to suffer.
But why do I hate partaking in their misery?
It makes me feel cold, selfish and heartless.
Believe you me, i do not want to be like that.

Perhaps this is the journey to self-actualization: when my own needs can be placed aside in order to concentrate more on helping others.


It's a long journey.

PS: if you think i'm talking about you, sorry lah, not today. =P

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
and He'll make your paths straight.
-Proverbs 3:5,6

10 rules of lomography

It's all here. But you don't have to read it. So says rule no. 10.

ANYHOO
Wiki page for lomo-g
Lomography is a kind of low-tech form of photography.
Basically, it's this camera thing, that has settings and functions that you don't have to adjust to take pictures.
And it's all about the moment of taking the picture.

The pictures normally come out as strange, over/under-exposed and sometimes has an orange/old tint to it. Ooooh...

Even the development of lomography is interesting-the distributor/producer is monopolistic, and the marketing relied mostly on viral marketing.


For pictures of lomography and lomocams, check out Flickr.


Why am I talking about lomography?
Because I cannot handle a DSLR.
And a lomocam would make a great *coughbirthdaycough* gift.
Oh, but not those that take four pictures simultaneously.

^Joyce. Not a lomo picture

tuesday makes one tired and thirsty

Wee Han sings, "Can't read my, no he can't read my poker face,"
Rachel says,"No Wee Han, you can't sing that cos you don't have a poker face,"
LOL


The video below is from Andrew's blog.
If I didn't read the title of the song, I wouldn't have known it was her.
:O
She's marvelous, she's marvelous!

rough tough stuff and fluff

i LOVE what Aimee says about blogging these days.
About how advertisers pay money to bloggers to blog about the same thing, and how money affects everything:

But i suppose money does make a person sway differently. Heck if you give me enough money, i'd strip down to my panties, jump into AIMST's pond, singing Womanizer oh oh! with a flamingo on my back.

i LOVE bashing bloggers who blog lies. Or are hypocrites. Or something. Whatever.

i'm having a BAD headache now. =D That explains...well, nothing actually.

candles

2007 was the year I celebrated my birthday one day early.

It was resurrection Sunday.

Nisha and I were to perform for the Vietnamese congregation at night with GHM, and we were to help out at the CF's Easter party at Emily/Ashley's house at that same time too.

We left, we came back, and SPLASH! The whole compound was wet. Everyone was running around barefooted, throwing water at one another. Nisha and I ran into the house to change.

When we came out, someone shouted "There's the birthday girl!"
To cut the long story short, there was cream and the following conversation as people carried me to the pool:

"Eh, who's this ar?" (it was quite dark)
"There, the birthday girl lah!"
"Alright, let's go!"

My screams didn't work ._.
SPLASH





2008 was the year I celebrated my birthday one week early.

There was also one cake in late March at cell.


Zlwin's magic at cell

One week before my birthday, Iona, Khadi, Albert and I were to meet up to watch 27 Dresses.

Then Khadi said she wanted to go makan first, so we went to McDs. There, Iona wrapped a piece of cardboard around my eyes (of all things, Iona) and led me to the loong table. The one at Aeon. And the birthday song started.

Anyway. There were so many people! I didn't even realise Yin Xian, who was supposed to be at NS was there too, till after I cut the cake. Haha.

lovely cake


jian quin, sarah, iona, amanda


miaw miaw and kenneth


poignant albert

Oh gosh.
Thank you all!

what's your purpose?

Do you know what they say happens to you when you grow old?
Like retirement old. Like nursing home old. Like senior old.

They say it's the only time you seek spiritual encounter with a higher being.
They say it's the only time you search for forgiveness for all the sins you've done along the long way of life.
They say it's the only time you give your all to God.

Why is it that we wait till the end of our lives on earth to seek spiritual attainment?
What is stopping us from finding out our purpose in life at a young age?

Perhaps it is the pace of the world.
There is a form of pleasure that we derive from the we-want-it-and-we-want-it-now syndrome. That pleasure numbs. And it clouds.
Believe me, if there's one thing that pleasure cannot do, it cannot give true pleasure.

Personally, I can thank God that I've found what I need to live life to the fullest.
And I found it when I wasn't even looking for it. Well, maybe it found me. The leading hand of God, you may call it.

It's been almost three years since my first encounter with GOD.
The first time I felt His presence was when I was avoiding Him the most. Long story.


Along the three years, I've found out that to live life to the fullest ISN'T
to get a high paying job
to find "The One"
to make a family
to carry out religious duties and obligations

Instead,
1. knowing who God is
2. knowing what God wants you to do in this life

was all that was needed to live life to the fullest.

As Rick Warren said, Life on earth is just the dress rehearsal. The show will start when our life here ends-and it starts in Heaven.


Take time to learn about your beliefs. Challenge them if you must.
And remember to seek God through it all.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name,
he gave them the right to become children of God-
children born not of natural descent,
not of human decision or a husband's will,
but born of God.

-John 1:12-13

blah on par

mindless chatter
oh so indulgent
but very pointless.

There's a verse in Proverbs that I really like.
"If a even a fool keeps his mouth shut, he is seen as wise,"
or something like that.

Oprah says to Rihanna, "I don't care what his plea is, he will hit you again,"
Talk about needing Rehab.
It's not just about Rihanna being a celeb and all.
It's deeper than the superficial.
Abuse.

tsktsk.

don't believe what they say; breakfast is your most important meal of the day

Listening to people talk is better than talking.
Sometimes.


Last Tuesday, I skipped breakfast and went straight to class! It was horrible!
Breakfast is your most important meal of the day.
And now I know why.
I was thinking of lunch the whole class. Wasn't even paying attention.
Thinking about what should I eat for lunch. Chicken rice? Loh Mee? Thosai? McDonalds Stimulus Lunch Package?
Decisions, decisions.


Last night, I had a dream.
It involved a flying hug.
aaaaand someone i've not seen in a looong time.
huh


Flying squirrels!


You guys know the book Carrie Bradshaw read at the beginning of Sex and the City: The Movie? The one with loads of love letters from famous people.
You can find it in Popular at Aeon. I am not kidding you. It costs RM 80+.

Happy birthday Khadijah S.! One in a gazillion, you are.

Roland Piano Festival

cher on stage

After a particularly memorable rendition of Watermelon Man by a young chap, it was Cherylyn's turn to take the stage.

She sat in a comfortable posture on the black plushy chair, making sure that she was in a right position to give her best performance ever. The beat started and she began her song.

Gliding across the notes effortlessly, she seemed to complete the grand piano, and the piano was like an instrumental extension of her. The song flowed out of the the piano's chamber to the audience in the hall, who were seemingly entranced by Cherylyn's rendition of What's Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner.

As she ended her performance with a confident flourish, I felt so proud that she gave an excellent performance-many times more dramatic than an acapella version. There was competition, definitely, but Cherylyn had an advantage-it was a recognisable song and she managed to bring it to life from the 80s.

She won first place. :D I'm so proud and happy. Congrats Cher!
Those who went were Iona, Brendan, Yin Xian, Shirlyn, Chiong Jee and E-Foong.

To all the musicians out there, you are a certified:

Guy's shirt from FOS. It was too cute, I had to try it on.

ironically idiotic

On the way home on the KTM today, a few people were seen wearing the same shirts exiting the train to the Klang station. Their shirts all bore the words PPSMI with a red bar across the acronym. I wonder what was that about; the guys who wore them look pretty old, you know?

Then, on TV3's news today, it was reported that these bunch of hooligans were protesting the teaching of mathematics and science in english at Masjid Negara in the afternoon.

Yes. There's a group for that. If you HATE the english language being spread in your country by means of education, more specifically in Mathematics and Science subjects, you're an automatic member of this society. Like WHADDAHEK?! Dungu.

As a student who studied Maths and Science in English for my secondary years, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY TO PPSMI: YOU THINK YOU DAM RICH AR?!

Look at the current economy situation! What makes you think the government is made of money?

*Reverting the syllabus back to BM would mean spending a GIGANTIC amount of money to re-write the books, not to mention the re-training of M&S teachers.

*Going back to BM means that students who have been learning in English would have to revert back to BM. Not a good move, as there are more than a few thousand students who are always sitting for some major public examination every year (UPSR, PMR, SPM). Do you honestly think that these hormonal teenagers will enjoy this language flip flop and not say a word about it? Huh? DO YOU?!

I have nothing against BM. BM is a beautiful language, just like any other, and yes I KNOW that BM is our national language, and we should learn it, blahblahblah. I just wish that these policy makers would realise that we're studying more subjects in BM than in English. This may sound ironically idiotic, but even M&S is taught in BM by certain quarters!
So what the fuss lah, seriously, what the fuss.

The PPSMI might also say that they're fighting for the cause of rural school children who have no grasp on the English language, and therefore will fail their M&S subjects in major public examinations.

*I'd like to say to them: why so negative?
Think of the Galatea effect!
If a student is bad at a subject, he or she should take the initiative to improve himself in that subject.
*If there is a lack of teachers, well, the government can take care of that!
Provide more incentives for English teachers in rural areas!
Get foreign teachers to teach in these kampung areas under the guise of Tourism Malaysia!
Come on, we have the resources to go ahead with MS in English, if only we are motivated.


I feel really sorry for my sisters and friends who are still in school, who have to put up with this kinda crap.


edit: why am i even arguing for this?! *sigh* must be the pms. *bang wall*

secret: i never wait for a video to load on anyone's blogs

My current youtube fascination are songs done in sign language. It looks like a form of performing arts done with hands and facial movements. Of course all videos come with actual music for non Deaf viewers.

This is what Britney Spears' Piece of Me looks like in American Sign Language (ASL):


And this is what Circus would look like:


Okay...back to psychology.

i will wait with a hammer and a mace

very copacobana-ish! credits to ivan

In April, there will be a Penang Food Trip organised by Iona for our coursemates. Response, though steady, has been lukewarm so far.

pretty right pretty right?! credits to andrew

In August, Hollywood Glam aka Prom will take place, organised by the college, with most of ADP students holding major roles. I've just checked out Andrew's blog (he's the designer for the prom) and there's even a promo video up! Very flashy and attractive; I'm definitely buying a ticket.

The ticket for a one night prom is RM 88.
The fees for the 3day 2night food extravaganza out of Selangor is RM 165.
Do the math people! Prom's in August.

now my feet won't touch the ground

It's been a busy week so far. Hence, the lack of updates.
What with the exams and assignments, and the occasional homework. =)
I'm loving it! College's work load is so much more easier to handle than secondary school's. Of course, it helps that the Lord is showing me how to enjoy this lifestyle too.

By ignoring all things that require me to worry.
By leaving out all trivial matters of the day.
Depending on the inner strength that is the Holy Spirit!

This Saturday I'm off with a few friends to KLCC to support Cherylyn in action! She's a finalist for the Roland Piano Competition (or stg like that) under the jazz category.
Gambateh! =D


-image googled
-title from Coldplay's Life in Technicolor II