This year has been a good one for me.  

Tonight, as I await the clock to strike midnight, I shall be contemplating on everything -good or bad- that have happened to me this year.  This year is rated among the best of my 22 years of existence.  I once thought that life after college would suck for me, but I have come to realize that it's just another phase in my life that I have to go through.  And this year has proved to me that it's not that bad to be in the 'real' world. 

Next year, things will be different.  

This is my last post for 2008.  So, HAPPY NEW YEAR to all! :D

Won't be blogging for a few days. 

Family gathering. Friends. Engagement. Parties. 

These will keep me away from staring at the computer for a few days.

A song for today - "It's About The Cross" 

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,
for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away
like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.
The good you do for others is good you do yourself...
~Norman Wesley Brooks, "Let Every Day Be Christmas," 1976

Enjoy the remaining days of 2008...

A letter from Santa

I was looking through some of my stuffs from when I was a kid and came across the letter my brother and I received from Santa. 

I don't believe in Santa Claus.  Wait...maybe when I was a kid, I did. Because I remembered I was really excited to receive the letter! 

Here it is...

The letter goes like this:

Dear Juji & Julie,

You can hardly imagine how pleased I am to write to you and all my other good friends. Every evening when my little helpers have fallen asleep, tired after making so many Christmas gifts, I sit down in my rocking chair and think nice and happy thoughts.  That's because I believe that kind thoughts will always reach the person one thinks of.

Every now and then I throw a glance through my frost-covered window out to Christmasland to admire the Finnish Lapland and the starlit night sky where the Northern lights dance in all the colors of the rainbow.  Only wolves, bears, hares and other arctic animals wander about in the mountains.  Otherwise the stillness is complete.  That's the stillness people travel long ways to hear, often from the other ends of the Earth.  Yes indeed, you can hear the stillness.

Did you actually know that my home is in Korvatunturi, which really is a mountain in the shape of an ear.  That is why I hear the voices of all the world's children and grown-ups, both the happy laughter and the small whinings.  I also have an enormous horn that I place on my ear to hear everything, even your voice.  Wait a second, what was it you said right now...?

Try to guess how many baby gnomes were born here in Korvatunturi this year.  As many as five newborn, tiny gnomes are rocking in their cradles in Santa's Nursery inside the mountain.  

Soon it will be dawn and I and my helpers must again start packing gifts for the sleigh drawn by Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.  But I think that we can agree already here and now that we'll together bring the Christmas light to the hearts of all people, and when we meet let's embrace each other as old friends. 

Don't forget that you are always welcome to visit me and Santa's Post Office here at the Polar Circle to see how we answer the countless letters we receive from all around the world.

Happy Christmas to you and your beloved ones.

Santa Claus

I had an uncle who stayed with us for a few years after he returned from the U.S.  His work at that time required him to travel to different countries.  And once, it brought him to Finland.  I don't exactly remember when I found out that he was the one who did it - I mean, he was not the one who wrote it but I guess there's a place in Finland where one can request "Santa Claus" to write letters to their children.  I don't even know whether "Korvatunturi" really is a mountain in the shape of an ear. It probably is. 

-------

Anyway.

I love it when this time of the year comes around.  This is when the family would hold gatherings and reunions.  This is when I get to travel around with my family and just enjoy being together.  That is what I love about Christmas and I enjoy Christmas the most when I'm at home.  I did enjoy the two Christmases I had in Thailand, maybe partly because of the weather.  But MC had interesting Christmas programs planned out too and though I was not home with my family, I was spending Christmas with my college family. :)

The month of December this year will be packed with family gatherings, possibly a reunion with good friends from high school, traveling, parties and gaining weight.  

So, here I am wishing that you have a wonderful Christmas wherever you are!

I had a really nice weekend with my childhood friends.  Whenever we get together, there's no surprise how loud we can get. Sometimes we laugh over nothing funny at all.  It's embarrassing, but that's just...us. 

Friday night after vespers...

adieu, straight hair...

Then on Saturday we went to Dantai beach.  We took pictures (as usual) and even played king-king (hopscotch).  It was Lem's idea.  We ended up walking towards the right end of the beach, drew the squares on the sand and actually had a good time playing! :D 

anak-anak gembira...

friends...

Last night was also a good one.  11 of us went out to eat at a restaurant in 1Borneo. 

I was so surprised to see the 'pla krapong' dish inside! didn't get to taste it though because the price was just ... hmm!

On our way back, we decided to stop by Jesselton Point to chit chat and have a drink.  I was so disappointed because they ran out of avocados! So I opted for carrot juice. Not bad, but I still wished they had avocados...

And today...I'm stuck in my brother's shop.  It's raining outside and all I'm thinking of at the moment is my bed at home.  I just want to lie down and sleep right now.  

ZZZzzzz.....

I'm home.  Back to the usual routine of life at home. 

It was a fun trip, and I hope to do that again sometime soon. 

On the other hand, I'm happy because I am liking how my hair looks now! Just the way I like it, not small ones, but big ones! Never mind the cost and time, as long as I'm happy with the result. *grins widely

Okay, it's almost midnight. 

I don't want to be left alone here, so have a good night people!

Another farewell...

I tried to spend as much time outside as possible today...

The morning began with a series of unfortunate events...actually only an unfortunate event in which I refuse to elaborate further because of the extreme embarrassment it caused.   Then we had pad pak, ka pao ghai and tom yam ghai for brunch at New Zealand, and later went to the cafe to accompany D for her lunch.  Oh, I also did a stupid thing and totally regretted doing it.  

Anyway.

Today...

Met with one of my favourite teachers, Mrs. Nebres.  Had a little chat about our lives as teachers - she shared some insightful thoughts about being a teacher and how to handle the students.  :D

Stopped by Julie's office too! :D

Auntie Ritha and family brought us out to dinner in Texas.  Had a good meal! 

It felt really good to be back in MC.  I still feel closely connected to this place.  Being here brought back the memories of the good old days of college - four years full of good friends, food (glorious food!), motorbike adventures, traveling, laughter, music, heartbreaks, happiness, arguments, study, study, study.  

Okay, I'm being so nostalgic. I'm so not ready to leave this place just yet.  

---

Will be leaving in 2 1/2 hours.  

Thank you to all of you who have made our stay a very pleasant one! :D 

And so it goes...

Camera's alive again.

Adventures continued...

Wednesday night:

DALAH RESTAURANT - we came and we experienced.

The fish was uberdelicious!

Thursday afternoon:

At D's office the whole afternoon.

sempat lagi...

Thursday evening:

Food adventures in MC continues.  See, that's the advantage of being in an International college.  Thanks S for the very fulfilling dinner.  It sent me to heaven...

Got this back too. :D

The adventures continue.  Tonight, tomorrow, the day after...I so don't want this to end! Not just yet! 

I feel like...

...I can just go to heaven now. *grins*


Had a really nice dinner (thanks Sandy!) with friends a while ago. Sedapppp!! Pictures will have to come later as my camera's dead. It will be resurrected in the morning.

~

The weather is cold and I'm loving it. I don't need the sound of the fan to make me sleep. Oh, I'm so gonna miss this weather when I go home!

~

Tomorrow is Friday. On a normal working day, I would say TGIF, but at this moment I am not liking it. I'm so not looking forward to Friday, because it means the weekend is just around the corner. Weekends pass by quickly! Saturday...Sunday...Monday...Tuesday...then it's back home to rain, mud and humidity. Oh no, don't get me wrong.  It's not that bad being back home. I just miss being here, that's all.


Eyes closing... Soon.

I'm off to la-la land.

Taking it all in...

Just came back from brunch with Deanna, Ivonne and Tina.

Green tea noodles + prick pau + som tam + cha yen=aroi mak!.   I couldn't ask for anything more.  Perfect.  Just perfect.

This used to be my bike and it felt really good to be able to drive it again! :D  It took me a little while to get used to driving the bike again after more than a year.  

After lunch, we stopped by the sunflower garden to take pictures.

More pictures here. Looking forward to more adventures in the Land of Smiles!

Destroyed...

Photo by Lola

This is what is left after the fire early yesterday morning.  My brother smsed me at 5 a.m. and woke me up just to tell me.   It will be a different sight when I return home next week now.  This block is located just before the junction to my house, so I'll have to pass the site every time I go home. 

I used to stop by one of the shops in this block every morning before heading for work. Now, it's gone. Tiada apa-apa lagi yang tinggal.   The Tamparuli town will no longer look and feel the same without these shops.

Sigh. 

~~~

I'm feeling hungry.  

I can't wait to eat the green noodles.  MMmmmmm.....

It feels good to be back.  Foreign land, familiar faces.  Just what I need after a year of working.  Relaxation.......

All I want for Christmas is...

Haha!

Currently feeling this song. 

Thankful.

Have a great week ahead!

What makes me smile...

The picture above is my current wallpaper. It just makes me smile. Puppies always makes me smile! :D The members of our family seem to grow in numbers as a result of the addition of animals.  Before the school year ended, one student gave me two rabbits and another gave me two guinea pigs and two mice (I didn't ask for those, she wanted to give them to me).  Juji has a snake too, but I don't think I will ever warm up to a snake, it freaks me out!

I especially like the rabbits (we have three, the other one is Juji's). I play with them every morning and evening - it's therapeutic. No, seriously, for me it is. I do the same with Patches. Playing with them makes me happy. I don't know why, but it does.  I remember Fiona telling me last year that there was this one kid in the Special School at SRS Seri Insan who needs to see the fishes in the pond before starting his day at school. The kid is autistic, and the teacher says that the need to see the fishes is therapeutic for him. Sometimes there are days when I just sit in front of the aquarium and stare at the fishes. Or watch the snake eat its food. Or watch the mice play. It has become a habit, and I somehow don't feel the day is complete without doing any of the above.  

Just some random thoughts and another fact revealed about myself. 

Well.

Going to KK soon to do some business.  

Enjoy this song by Third Day - "Mountain of God". 

God is good. 

All the time.

Blessed Sabbath everyone! 

Britain's Got Talent Final - Connie Talbot

Awwww! :D

HALLELUJAH!

Reading this gives me a sense of relief.  

Finally! :D

I read here that the PAD agreed to leave the airports within 24 hours. 

I'm praying they would.  

The other day, I was watching the news with my relative. He liked watching the news.  As for me, I was just waiting for the update on the situation in Bangkok.  We were talking about the situation in Thailand and the possibility of bloodshed between the anti- and pro-government people. Suddenly he said, "it's getting nearer, I won't be surprised if it happens in Malaysia soon." I wouldn't too. 

Hopefully the PAD will really get out of the airport soon. 

The Book Game

Okay, I'm playing the Book Game. 

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 57.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence along with these instructions in a note to your wall, and post your sentence in a comment here as well. Include the title of book and author.

My book:

"And I actually ran forward toward my own reflection with a smile, ready to welcome that girl whose name I had lost but whose face was so familiar."

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

Wordy Wednesday

This is for this week's W.W.:

"WORDS" 

The Real Group

Words

A letter and a letter on a string

Will hold forever humanity spellbound

Words

Possession of the beggar and the king

Everybody, everyday

You and I, we all can say

Words

Regarded as a complicated tool

Created by man, implicated by mankind

Words

Obsession of the genius and the fool

Everybody, everyday, 

Everywhere and everyway

Words! 

Find them, you can use them

Say them, you can hear them

Write them, you can read them

Love them, fear them

Words

Transmitted as we're fitted from the start

Received by all and we're sentenced to a life with

Words

Impression of the stupid and the smart

Everybody, everyday

You and I, we all can say

Words

Inside your head can come alive as they're said

Softly, loudly, modestly or proudly

Words

Expression by the living and the dead

Everybody, everyday

Everywhere and everyway

Words! 

Find them, you can use them

Say them, you can hear them

Write them, you can read them

Love them, fear them

He is my hiding place...

I love this song.

Have a great weekend and Happy Sabbath to all! :D

If life is all about relaxing...

I wish.

Based upon your current Body Mass Index (BMI) of ..., you are currently classed as at a healthy weight.

A healthy BMI for your gender and age is between 20 and 24 and a reasonable weight loss rate is 0.5-2 pounds a week.

Okay. I'm not over- or under-weight. That's good.

Wordy Wednesday

Category for today: New Meanings for Old Words.

Cannibal, n., someone who is fed up with people.
Chicken, n., the only animal we eat before it is born and after it is dead.
Hangover, n. The wrath of grapes.
Oxymoron, n. someone who is as dumb as an ox.
Yawn, n. an honest opinion openly expressed.

These words are taken from alphadictionary.com

If you come up with something, do share with the rest of us.

I have a new commitment - a commitment to keep this blog updated. But I'm really struggling for topics to write. I read all these blogs by wonderful people and most of the time, I just find nothing worthwhile to share.

But I will try to share something worthwhile, or maybe just randomly babble about something. For the sake of keeping this thing alive, I will do just that.

Maybe I should make up something like "A.Word.A.Wednesday". Or something like "Stuff Portrait Friday", as can be seen here.
Just maybe.

So this is it. A new layout that comes with the new commitment.

It's almost two months since I last updated my pathetic blog. And Shimona just tagged me, hmmm... so I guess I have to tell you 5 facts about myself.

It goes like this...

Tell everybody 5 facts about yourself. Usually something unique or that you think few people know about you.

At the end of your facts. Tag 5 people (list their names down) and those people who are tagged will write 5 facts about themselves and tag 5 other people and so on and so forth!

5 facts about myself:

1. I like to look at the clouds during the day, sunsets in the evening, and stars at night.

2. I used to hate playing the violin, but am now loving the fact that I can play the instrument even though I am not so good at it.

3. I want to bungee jump before I reach 30.

4. I wished I had perfect eyesight.

5. I love speed.

I tag:

1. Kim

2. Amy

3. Lola

4. Roy

5. Ita

I just finished reading this novel and I must say this is the first ever novel that I have read that has made me shed some tears.  

"My Sister's Keeper" has a bittersweet and a surprise ending, and that's what makes it a thrill to read.  At least, that's what I think.

Definitely worth the RM32.90 I spent.

I don't know whether there are still souls who have the time to stop by my blog. Anyway, here goes a new entry after a long hiatus.

Deanna was back for a week, and we had the chance to get together last wednesday.  I knew she was coming but Tina didn't so we planned a surprise for her which worked out just nice (I think! :D)  Fie and Dee wanted to try the mee sup Tamparuli, however, the stall was closed so we ate at Restoran Istimewa instead. I had a really nice time getting together with them again, teringat masa-masa silam.  We had our picture taking session, and had a gila-gila time taking lots of pictures! Too bad the lighting in Tina's class was not that good, but what mattered was that we had a great time together!

Here are some of the pictures:

On Saturday night, we went out again, this time with Freda, Fiona S. and my brother.  We melepak at Jesselton Point and talked..laughed...talked....until it was 30 minutes past midnight!  I really had a good time! 

---

Tomorrow is Wednesday, and soon it will be Friday.  Next week is a holiday, which is great! I can catch up on my lesson plans, recording music for the upcoming school annual dinner, correcting students' books, etc., etc...Ahhhhh, the joy of being a teacher! 

Latest interest: FISHING.

I think I got it from my parents. I have never thought of fishing as being interesting and fun, but now I think I do. :D I have already joined my parents and their gang going fishing, and it's really fun to listen to the old folks talking, even though I can only listen and laugh at their stories (I understand the Dusun language but I can't speak it..embarassing, I know). Going fishing sort of de-stresses me (so I figured). :D


Moving on. I am in my 6th month of being a teacher. It's stressful, but it has its fun side too! I complain a lot, but at the end of the day, seeing the kids learning something from the lesson is really rewarding! The little things that they do (especially the Primary 1 students) can really cheer me up in school! On my birthday, for example, one of my students went around the school singing "Happy Birthday to you!". Mind you, he was loud (for a little boy)! I tried to shut him up, but he continued singing! My class even invited me to their mini birthday party for me! Haha! Luckily, the tradition of throwing water + flour + eggs is not known to them. *Phew!*

Anyway, the internet connection is quite bad, so I'm just gonn end my post here for now. Uploading pictures with this connection is almost impossible with this connection, I'm not even going to try. So, pictures will have to come some other time. Hehe!

The past week was great! Surprising people and getting a surprise myself! More on that later...I have a class to teach.....

Will be uploading pictures later.

3 months have gone by and being a teacher has taught me to be more patient and aside from super naughty children who just don't have respect for their teachers (sometimes), life as a teacher is good. I am learning how to be a good teacher, to turn to God whenever I have questions and doubts about my abilities, whenever I feel like blowing up when the students just don't listen. It's certainly not easy, but I am taking baby steps, and hopefully, someday I will have an impact on the students' life.

I am facing a few situations regarding working on Saturday, and one is coming up just around the corner. I believe that God has taken care of this way before hand, and I just have to trust Him. Two others are coming really soon, but so far my colleagues have been very understanding of my situation (even though, they are probably a little upset about this). It's really not easy for me whenever this comes up, but I rather please my God and do what is right than pleasing my colleagues.

Moving on.

I am really looking forward to the month of April! Miss Julie is coming, and I heard from Fiona that a small group of people from MC are also coming to Sabah! I really miss travelling with the MCCC during the Songkran breaks of 2006 and 2007. Those times spent together as a group are memories that will stick in my heart for a very long time. I used to doubt about my decision of going to MC to study, but now, as I look back at the four years that I've been there, I realised that the decision was probably the best thing that I did at that time. I have no regrets at all, just thinking of the circle of friends I made and how I have grown spiritually. Definitely no regrets.

Have a great weekend everyone! :D

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! I received an sms from a cousin which said "May 2008 be as good as 2007 had been, if not better" - the same goes to all of you out there! For me, the year 2007 was a roller coaster ride: my grandma's passing, a fun (though tiring) promotion trip with the Chamber Choir and Strings Ensemble, final FINAL exams, graduation,job interview (and getting a job!), and other small happenings that sort of made the previous year a mixture of experiences for me. That is the past, and as the saying goes, "The past is the past."

A little update on my life (after the long hiatus)...I officially started my job as a teacher at the school today. The first day of school was hectic! Running here and there, asking lots of questions, getting the students to shut up (hehe!) and being bullied just because I'm a new teacher. Sheesshhhh.. I am in the real world now, and I have to learn how to take care of myself and at the same time defend my rights. I'm like a fish out of the water, but I hope as time passes by, I'll be able to swim freely.

Honestly, I am not sure whether I will be able to stand the pressure/stress of working in a non-Adventist school because of the Sabbath problems that I might face. If it's not too much to ask for, please somehow include me in your prayers. :)

I hope that 2008 will pass by as quickly (if not quicker!) than 2007. Haha! Have a great year ahead everyone!