Old Thoughts

Looking back on many things that have transpired in my life, I can say I’ve really changed a lot–for the better in some ways, and lost aspects of myself in other ways.

When you’re aware of the things you’ve done over the years, it either makes you cringe or laugh. I do a little of both. But at the same time, the things that make you cringe are things you wished you never did, because they had a lasting effect on people you loved (or still love). 

With your mouth, you can speak LIFE or DEATH.

I choose to speak life, and all its accessory words. Whatever hurts I’ve caused in the past, I wish to address now, and halt what could potentially be a cycle of pain, suffering, and more hurts. Hurting people hurt others. The truest adage I’ve ever heard, and something that took a while to sink in.

God has really been teaching me a lot–and I daresay it isn’t all fun and smiles. Sometimes the realizations and understandings, the little “Eureka!” moments? They turn into quiet, gray, somber times where one just wants to reflect, ponder, and sit alone in front of a pulsing screen, wordlessly typing out the barrage of thoughts avalanching into their mind. 

I’ve grown quieter and calmer. Less of those “hyperriffic glee” moments that seemed to strike every other minute or so during my high school life. A little slower. I don’t catch things as quick as I used to. More considerate–to the point where it’s sometimes socially paralyzing. I know my parents better. I don’t know my brother well anymore. I haven’t sung in a while. I haven’t written in a while. Nor have I read or drawn in a while. RO’ed today, yesterday, and the day before. Still enjoy lazing in bed long after the sun has risen. Still have the same best friends, with one or two additions since university. Still a geeky nerd on the sly–guilty pleasures of torrented anime, cheap manga, pirated PC games, fantastic exam results and photoshopping.

I don’t fall in love every other day anymore.

Haha.

Growing up is interesting, especially if one keeps a diary. :)

Of Jazz, Dessert, and Love

Life has really been throwing a curve ball my way, with me barely managing to slip on the catcher’s mitt as it hurtles closer.

It’s 1.15am Tuesday as I write now, but let me tell you about my weekend. Last Friday I had off because there weren’t any lectures scheduled. :) Glee and joy! Took the opportunity to traipse down to KL with Rae in tow to collect my poor, mishandled cellphone (which has been “in repair” since CHINESE NEW YEAR). Hello!*cough*Service*cough*centre is really slow, and has awful customer service.

“Miss, we’ll call you when your phone is ready.”

Never received the slightest hint of a ring. In fact, I’d only discovered repairs were finished when I called them two months later. I won’t say anything about how on my first trip to collect my phone I discovered the defect wasn’t fixed and had to come back two weeks later after calling them myself again.

:) So yes. I have my dear Nokia 6500c back in my hands!

Being in KL, we couldn’t resist heading over to Pavilion to visit a Japanese sweets & desserts shop, Ministry of Food. Heard about it ages ago from Cecilia’s blog, and tried it before with Jo. Rae looooooved it. We ended up on a sugar high and took fantastically dumb yet fun pictures. <3 Read all about it on Rae’s blog. I’m lazy to retell the story and she did an awesome job of it, hahaha.

After MOF was Groove Junction @Sri Hartamas for MORE lovely jazz. I’ve blogged about the David Gomes Jazz Band ft. Junji Delfino in a previous post, and they were playing last weekend again at GJ. :)) Of course, I HAD to go! And I brought Sufen, Rae & David along with me. Nothing like some jazz to end the day with. Once again, we were treated to a delicious spread of devilishly-devised tunes, with ‘that David Gomes touch’. I mean, HELLO, they did The Carpenters andThe Beatles ala jazz! AAAAND one of my long-time favourites: The Rose. Wow. Simply WOW.

I love jazz. It puts me in a really relaxed and reflective state, and lets me marvel at the wonderful synchrony and communication which takes place when a band comes together and makes beautiful music.

The lineup for the band was different from the last time. As usual, it was David Gomes on keys & vocals–Junji Delfino, his lovely wife, on vocals. This time, there was Daniel Foong on bass, and Jonathan Jacob on drums. They sounded so good! It felt like the bassist was struggling to keep up in the first set, but in the second set he was ON. It was so beautiful. So united. So grooovy.

I love it when my friends fall in love with jazz. Rae almost died with a huge sigh when David Gomes laid his hands on the keys and coaxed out the first few notes. She couldn’t contain herself when Junji joined in the fun. I was waiting the whole night for Junji to start scatting, and couldn’t stop my foot from tapping along when she did! Jonathan was mindblowing and cheeky with his drumming solos, dishing out surprises where you least expect it. Solid beats. Daniel was a little awkward at the beginning and kept going up and down the scale, but he really shined when the slow and sentimental songs came into play. As in Rae’s words, “Damn ON weiii!” He didn’t really solo much, though.

Junji & David, if you’re reading this, I just wanted to thank you again for a yet another fantastic night! You’ve got yourself another faithful follower right here. :) Definitely coming for more of your shows. It was an honor to be able to get introduced and properly meet on Friday.

Well, that’s “Jazz” and “Dessert” taken care of. Two down, one more to go.

Click to read about the last of the three. <3 Because it’s ranty and I don’t want it on the main page.

Nature-inspired

Au naturelle encouragement:

You are a plant,

Your notes are water,

And you are THIRSTY.

THIS IS DEDICATED TO RAE BABY, LOVE OF MY LIFE.

And my beloved batch, MEDT 1/08.

Randomness after midnight, while studying DCM/HCM/RCM/Arteries/Veins/all that wonderful shiz. D: I’m soooo behind.

And a big thank you to Thomas for answering my random questions through smses & msn, haha.

Happy Birthday, Dea-chan!

Wishing the most GORGEOUS, BEAUTIFUL, and TALENTED LADY in my life a HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY! <3

Dear Dea-chan, we’ve been friends for 11 years and counting now, and I’ve loved every single moment of it! Even though I’m not the most awesome friend and hardly manage to see you from time to time, I still love you lots, and want you to know I am ALWAYS ALWAYS here if you need me. <3

It’s been an awesome time knowing you since you were 10… The first memory I have of you is when you taught me how to fold origami in class (or was it the other way ’round?) and you exclaimed, “Li Yen, you’re so nice!!” Hehe.

All those times that we skipped class to “practice piano” for the SKKT Prizegiving ceremonies, hanging out with Encik Ghazali in the music room, trading off on the little keyboard that was blasted over the main speakers, and exchanging Sailormoon stickers… Making FF8 Triple Triad cards when we went through the fangirl phase (me loving Squall and you loving his father, Laguna Loire, president of Esthar…), writing fanfiction, making up love stories, watching the FFX underwater kissing scene 40 times over in your upstairs TV area, playing FF music on piano, teasing you about your cockroach man (Gojyo, right?) and the one that looked like a woman (Tokiya Mikagami :D hehehe), and all the other “men” in your life. :P

Then when we went into secondary school, we were separated but still hung out and did dumb stuff together–I have photos to prove it! Our “dress-up” as all our favorite characters, the overnight stay at Duta Vista and masquerading as Japanese peoples in your yukata, attending Bon Odori, random crazy hysterical times in my old room (which was never tidy, and still never is, haha)… OHHH, and don’t forget the time we made our first website together: The Kawaii Shinzo clique. Then it was the “Broken Dolls” phase + Gothic clothes, which I think we’re all still into. :P

Now, we’re all grown up and in med school together, where we occasionally see each other because I’m too busy working my butt off doing 100 000 000 things that I can get my hands on, and you’re off happily doing things in your usual, quiet little way.

Dea, I think you are truly a beautiful woman. You possess an inner, tensile strength that has enabled you to just cruise through life even though challenges are thrown your way. Your exterior is a polished, smooth veneer that speaks of elegance and refinement, yet for all I know of you, you’re a cute, sweet little goof that is secretly blur and disorientated at times. Hehe.

And now, you’re OFFICIALLY an adult! Wow. We’ve grown up together, from little girls to teenagers to adults. Remember our song and your verse in it? :P

In moonlit shadows of darkened nights
I wait in silence for the coming light;
To think I’m one– To think I’m whole
I’m but a patchwork with many folds.

You are a patchwork of a gajillion talents, abilities, and capabilities. <3 And you are beautiful. I’m so honored to be your best friend of 11 years, and so proud of you, Dea-chan. I hope that today will be one of the most special days in your life, and that you will always have the best memories of the day you officially hit adulthood. I wish you all the happiness in the world, all the strength and confidence in the world, all the intelligence and ability to become a FANTASTIC doctor cum astrologer cum manga-ka cum model (hehe, childhood ambition?), and ALL THE LOVE I CAN GIVE!!!!

HAPPY HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY TO MY BELOVED DEA-CHAN!!!! <3333333333333333 I LOVE YOU TONS HONEYY!!! GO ROCK THE WORLD!!!!

p/s – I’ll eat chicken (with bones) in public for you anytime.

Finale

Time has clasped us firmly around the wrist, then pulled us through the year’s happenings in a breakneck fashion. The last new year was ushered in reverently, amidst a charged atmosphere of fervent prayer for the Year of New Beginnings. This new year’s–at least for me–will be the same, except that the year to be heralded in brings with it much change, and maybe, much disappointment for some of us.

Though knowing that and having church leaders tell us it will be difficult, I still rest easy and in confidence that the Lord will continue to watch over my family & I in all our endeavours in the coming year, whatever they may be. For now, since I’m not a soothsayer nor fortune teller, I’ll just look back in time and count my blessings. :)

It’s been a while–and it’s been fast. It still feels like only yesterday that dad brought home the new Starbucks 2008 planner, and I began filling out my days in it. This year has really been one of new beginnings for me, in many, many ways. :)) Though nothing romantic began (I’m still waiting, God!! :D Haha), lots of other randomly wonderful things did. I’ve grown up a bit more (I think!) as a person, and for the better (I hope).

I wouldn’t be who I am today if not for God bringing all these different people and events into my life this year.

So: HAPPY NEW YEAR’S EVE, and may you all have an amazing time tonight ushering in the new year and a new season, wherever you may be.

As for me, I’ll be at church. :3 Har har, who didn’t expect that? After midnight, however, I may go hang out til the wee hours of the morning with my loves. :D

DISCLAIMER: Image-heavy and seriously LONG post, only read if you’re interested in spotting/reading about yourself or kaypoh-ing about the uselessly random things I’ve done in my life this year.

A Highland Getaway

:D I have just returned from the Cameron Highlands road trip that I went on with Rae, Sufen, David & Patrick from the 8th until the 9th of December~!! It was an aweeesomee time, and a truly refreshing & rejuvenating getaway. The weather wasn’t the greatest, but it was definitely cooling enough to make us all happy.

Since it was a 2-day 1-night affair, we crammed as much as possible as we could into the first day! We left PJ at the unbelievable time of 5am on Monday morning, having dimsum at SS2 before setting off on our journey. I drove all the way from home sweet home in PJ up to the apartment where we stayed in Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands!! We took the NSE all the way to the Simpang Pulai exit, which was the new route up to Cameron Highlands. The route bypasses the towns on the other side of the mountain, so you reach smaller towns first, then only Brinchang and Tanah Rata etc.It wasn’t scary in the least–in fact, I was having so much fun maneuvering up the windy, winding trail that I refused to surrender the wheel to either Rae or Pat, haha.

After we reached at around 10am, we K.O.’ed for about an hour before going off to have lunch at The Downtown Cafe (which was pretty sad in terms of servings, though). Strawberry tea costs the SAME PRICE as mineral water!! So strange.

Following that, we began our whirlwind visits to Ye Olde Smokehouse (where we saw a gorgeous, fully-blooming English-style garden and inn), Cameron Highlands Resort (a very, VERY posh YTL hotel), a random strawberry farm & souvenir shop (where we camwhored with a big, ugly strawberry monument & I got a strawberry umbrella), the BOH Tea Plantation Teahouse @ Sungei Palas (a treacherous drive, but THE most rewarding experience awaited), a random flower nursery (where we found very interestingly-shaped cacti, LOL), and finally, the Brinchang night market (bought our dinner & found BEER ICE-CREAM WHOA).

Phew. All that in 8 hours! And I did all the driving again, cuz I was still having fun…

The excitement for the later part of the evening consisted of my left eye developing conjunctivitis (oooooooh) BECAUSE of my vanity and insistence on wearing contact lenses despite it irritating that eye for half the day. Went to the pharmacy, confirmed my suspicions, and got antibiotic eye drops to make it better… We played Monopoly in Starbucks (yes, CH now has its very own Starbucks, which is actually really nice for ambience and chilling) for the rest of the night while my eye recovered and we wound down for bedtime.

Rolled out of bed the next day at around 7.30am before we left the apartment for good and headed back down. Stopped at the morning market to pick up highland sweetcorn and strawberries before we left! Rae drove down the mountain, then Pat took over when we hit the NSE so we’d reach home faster (they wouldn’t let me driv because of y eye and the fact that I got a brief bout of motion sickness). I was SO sadddd when we passed the “Terima kasih jumpa lagi” sign… It was so relaxing, and going with the four of my loves was really, REALLY fun. Totally awesomeee roadtrip gang. I loved every moment of the trip–even when my eye got conjunctivitis. NEXT TRIP SOON K. <333

All in all, I gotta say my most favourite spot in CH is now the teahouse at the BOH Tea Plantation @ Sungei Palas. To get there, you drive up from Brinchang towards the Orang Asli villages, and on your left, there should be a sign pointing towards a VERY NARROW, STEEP ROAD, labeled “Boh Tea Plantation” or summat. I must warn future visitors that the road is very narrow, and although it affords two-way traffic, only one car can cross. There are lay-bys for opposing traffic to slip into so the other can pass, and it is FULL of bends where you can’t see the rest of the road (i.e. you have no idea if another car is heading your way or not). I suggest sounding your horn every time you reach one of the blind bends.

After navigating through the REALLY NARROW road, which has DISGUSTINGLY SHARP HUMPS towards the end, we reached the lovely teahouse and tea factory! The view of the tea plantation is absolutely breathtaking. The undulating, verdant hills of the thousands of neatly ordered tea bushes was truly a sight to behold as we enjoyed our tea from the teahouse. It is built to overlook part of the plantation, and one can just sit there for hours, solely taking in the surroundings. The snacks and cakes aren’t much to rave about, though.

I just sat on the balcony for a quarter of an hour, gazing out into the green fields as far as I could see. Even though the people around me buzzed with excitement and noise, I tuned out and only took in the peaceful, settling view. Thinking about it now, all I did was just sit and stare at a couple thousand tea bushes and a view that was nothing but greengreengreen while being drenched by the mist and rain until my friends thought I was weird; BUT this sense of serenity just overcame me, and I had to be still and soak it in. It was so calming–something I’ve needed for a while. Is this what we call the voice of creation, speaking to our souls of the wonder and beauty that our Lord has infused into this world? :) If it is, I’ve been blessed by my trip there. Really, really blessed. (Rae said I was dreaming and floating, hehe)

God definitely blessed and protected us on our journey to and from CH. :) Hehe. Noob drivers, but we made it!! ALL IN ALL, I enjoyed myself up there, as did the other four. David, Rae & I K.O.’ed in the PJ heat for a while after reaching home. Poor Suf & Pat had to go for class and work, though…

Siggggh. I already miss CH. Can’t wait for next time.

The rest of the photos will be uploaded on facebook. Check back on this entry for the links soon!