5 MINS FROM 2012 and I'm alone at home

This holiday season has been whooo! Someone give me a slap if I ever volunteer to make calendars from scratch again, attempt to cook a 5 course dinner for 6, make cupcakes for 40 people in 2 days, and then plan a thanksgiving dinner for 111 people. Suffice it to say I am now very convinced that I perform best under pressure.

Honestly, today does not even feel like New Year's Eve. How should Christmas Eve feel anyway? How should one feel when a single movement of the minute hand on the clock makes a difference between 2011 and 2012?

Time, time, where do you go

December has once again creeped up on us, bringing to some the anticipation of merrymaking and others a sense of lost time. It has always been my favourite month: gatherings, food, presents and songs. It means that however hard a year I had, it was coming to an end; it also means that I was going to spend time with people whom I had no opportunity to do so with in the year. 

This year though, just seems different. Minimal anticipation and a great deal of sense of loss. I feel I am squandering my time away even as I type this. 

I suppose I should go forward with the intention to celebrate Christmas for its true meaning and not linger over my lack of enthusiasm for the season, and remember that everything that happened this year was in His plan. I just cannot help feeling a tad depressed though. Seeing people talk about their futures on social networking sites makes everything worse. 

So school's finally over

and I still can't believe that we're halfway through November already! Where on earth did the last 10 months go to? I feel like I haven't done anything meaningful or useful. On the other hand, I have some vague memories of slogging away before a computer in an office earlier this year. I need to chronicle my life more systematically, however boring it may sometimes.

Anyway, just a really random thought, since when were we allowed to start our sentences with 'but'? Or was 'because' the forbidden one?

J.R.R. Tolkein

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost. The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

La Noche

I only seem inspired to write at night, when my door's closed, the air-con's on and I should be asleep. Like I need the whole day to settle myself down; like my soul only comes alive then.

Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe. One of the most famous actresses of all time.

Sadly, the world has limited her to a billowing white dress. There is so much more to her.
The photo on the right is my favourite.

I just sent off a friend who is currently on her way to London for her uni studies. And I can't help feeling a little sad at the thought of not seeing her in church for the next three months. And it'll still be different even she's back during her holidays. Then I started thinking about how much worse her parents must feel. They may be with her now, to help her settle in and everything, but in the end they still must come back, no?

Then, I began to doubt my desire to work overseas. I'm probably overthinking things, but I can't help feeling a little guilty about going overseas to work and leaving my parents here. Although, in actuality, my mum had done it to us. Okay, that makes me feel better actually. I feel a little silly now.

Anyway, to my little friend who is now on the plane either trying to sleep or watching a movie, thank you for the lovely card. Take good care of yourself, keep a lookout for Jude Law (!), have the time of your life, and always remember that God is with you.

The Dream Job

When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be a teacher. Mainly because that was the only occupation I knew.

When I was secondary school, I wanted to open a bookshop with a cafe because of a book I read.

When I was in poly, I wanted to plan events and such. I also wanted to be a barista.

When I graduated and started working in an exhibition company, I wanted to be barista again. And a professional photographer.

When I got tired of working from 9-5, I wanted to become a student again.

Now that I am a student again, I want to work in a 9-5 job again. I also want to own a small restaurant. Or maybe spend my whole life working from home as a translator. Perhaps marry the man I love and be a good housewife? Or work overseas in the Singapore embassy, or as a translator and meet interesting people.

When I was young, all I wanted to be was a teacher.

Disappointing Myself

Since 2009, there are two times in a year when I would feel very determined to make myself into a determined person, and tell myself that I will be a conscientious student; attend every class annd spend more than three hours on each assignment. So far, this make myself a determined student plan hasn't been working very well. I rarely attend class, leave my assignments till the very last minute and lose my textbook the night before an open-book examination.

The time has come around again. This is its second and last appearance for the year. Will I disappoint myself again?

Mayhem in May

May has never been so crazy. In the past, Boat Asia would have ended by now and my workload would usually be much smaller by mid-April. But this year is a total different story. My cousin's ROM, exams, my uncle's illness and subsequent death on top of Boat Asia really filled my time to the max. Out of all these though, there is a reminder somewhere inside of me telling me that this is nothing. Compared to my cousins who suffered together with their father and watched him slowly lose his life, I think I'm living it pretty well.

The mayhem has come to an end. I think. And hope. And it's past time to get on with life, to get past Boat Asia.

I want this!



From Aldoshoes.com



Further Consolation

In short, I did not manage to complete my list. I'm still looking for a place to do spa, and Bangkok was simply too tiring.

Things have been crazy at work. I really need God's grace. The number of things happening in May is astounding. Boat Asia, Ling and Qin's ROMs, and my exams and my birthday. I need to find time to study!


My sentences are so short.

Steps to Consoling Joy for her Failed Japan Trip

Step #1: Get my nails done  *check*
Step #2: Shop online  *check*
Step #3: Stuff myself with good food in Bangkok
Step #4: SPA
Step #5: Shop like crazy in Bangkok

Once in a while, you suddenly realise that a decision you made a long time ago actually plays a very important role in what you're doing currently.

It only recently occurred to me that my internship stint in Shanghai played a very important part in the things I'm doing now. Studying translation and doing designing; both started in Shanghai. I would probably be clueless about both skills now if I hadn't gone there. It was really, quite an important point in my life.

Many have asked why I chose to study translation and interpretation. Truthfully, I do not have an answer myself. So, hopefully, I made the right decision.

Love is a Great Thing

Love is a great thing, yea, a great and thorough good.
By itself it makes that which is heavy light;
and it bears evenly all that is uneven.
It carries a burden which is no burden;
it will not be kept back by anything low and mean;
It desires to be free from all wordly affections,
and not to be entangled by any outward prosperity,
or by any adversity subdued.
Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble,
attempts what is above its strength,
pleads no excuse of impossibility.
It is therefore able to undertake all things,
and it completes many things and warrants them to take effect,
where he who does not love would faint and lie down.
Though weary, it is not tired;
though pressed it is not straightened;
though alarmed, it is not confounded;
but as a living flame it forces itself upwards and securely passes through all.
Love is active and sincere, courageous, patient, faithful, prudent, and manly.

-- Thomas A Kempis

The Inspiration to Write - Version 2

It is frustrating, not being able to think of something to write about when you really want to do so. Your hands are itching to type but your mind refuses to churn out anything; you feel like pouring something out of your chest, but you don't know what exactly; you sift through your memories of the past few weeks and even try to remember an interesting dream you started to forget the second you woke up so that you can write about something, but there's just nothing. And it is exactly how I feel right now.

The Inspiration to Write

So I went to Ho Chi Minh City a few weeks ago.

Before I went, many people asked me what I was going there for and there were basically 3 reasons. First, I was quite desperate to travel somewhere. Second, my mother wanted to go there. I really cannot explain the first reason; I just had this deep hankering to go somewhere, to visit a foreign country. So I decided to tag along with my parents, who being my parents, fully sponsored my trip. Which is really my 3rd reason.

So off to Ho Chi Minh I went.

It actually is quite a nice city. It reminds me of Bangkok maybe 10-15 years ago, before the huge influx of tourists and expats, before the BTS, before they all started to learn English. There is no doubt that there are places that are obviously set up for tourists, but it isn't as painful. We chose not to stay in town, District 1, and booked a hotel that is (duh) out of it. My mother kept lamenting about that fact that we should have gotten a hotel that is in town and while that would have been much more convenient as almost all of the places we wanted to visit were in District 1, we wouldn't have had to chance to eat the very fresh and succulent mussels and clams, the Vietnamese cendol, or visit the market.

So as you can see, it was another food-filled trip.

Which really, should fill every one.





The REALLY good buffet

 



I love cendol!

  

He really was one of a kind

No one else sings, dances, and gives the smouldering look like Elvis did.