angeline's page

Easter Dance 2006

2006-04-24T06:46:00.000-07:00

From top left:
John, Jeremy, Benedict, Joshua, Oliver

Second row from left:
Rachel Lim, May Lyn, Daniel, Me, Rachel Yeoh

Front row from left:
Yuen Chern, Sybella, Caroline, Wilson

Don't our multi-coloured polo tees look so nice! :)

Hangover

2006-04-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

I suppose I have contracted what they would call the "Easter hangover". Finally, our Easter outreach is over. Praise God for the excellent performance and for the equally enthusiastic turnout over the two nights.

As for now, I'm not only hungover, but sick as well. I wonder it's whether because of the lack of sleep over the past few weeks, or I've just caught some bug that's been floating around. Oh well..I sure hope I get well soon.

I guess it's back to work for me. Have to battle the rest of the day with a heavy head and a runny nose. Ouch.

Timely reminder

2006-03-31T14:58:00.000-08:00

How timely indeed is today's reading from Our Daily Bread (Friday, March 31 2006).

"Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am." - Psalm 39:4

The front page of today's Star newspaper flashed the words "Copter Horror". A general manager of a developer company had his brains literally blown out by the rotating blades of a helicopter that was used to survey his property development site. A colleague of mine mentioned that it was akin to a scene from the movie "Final Destination". Indeed it was tragic, a freak accident which may never have happened had he not gone back to check on something. Many people deem it as fate, that his "time was up". However, for me this serves as a timely reminder that our lives are so frail, as the Psalmist says. We do not know how many more days, months or years we have left on this earth. God alone knows and He alone determines our existence. He has put us here for a purpose, and if we were to truly live out that purpose, we will truly learn to appreciate the real meaning of life, and everyday that we still breathe, we will remember that life is indeed a blessing, a gift from God.

2006-03-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

The River Has No Name

Dance, dance, we're falling apart...

2006-03-29T06:24:00.000-08:00

The song by Fall Out Boy keeps ringing in my head.."Dance, dance, we're falling apart..." (I have no idea what are the rest of the lyrics). Coincidentally enough, that's exactly how i felt when I woke up on Monday morning. My bones literally felt like they were falling apart due to dance practice we had on Sunday afternoon.
PCC is again this year having our Easter Outreach dance and drama presentation at Dewan Sri Pinang this coming 14th and 15th of April. And since this year I am not hampered with nightmarish thoughts of exams, I figured I could participate again after a few years' absence. Nevertheless, I do realise I am not as "young" as I used to be. Its probably due to that as well as lack of physical exercise that makes my bones and muscles ache after a whole afternoon of jumping around (okay, maybe i'm exaggerating :p)
Anyway, although I may not be perfect at it, I find it to be definitely liberating, a good stress reliever after a long week's work.
Nevertheless, I am constantly reminded that it is not merely a performance. We do not do it for praise or for self-satisfaction. Dance is an act of worship to God and He alone deserves all the glory.

My Heart Will Trust

2006-03-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

I heard this song again yesterday after so many years and also had the privelege of playing it for youth. It's such a beautiful song that I really must post the lyrics here.

My Heart Will Trust
Words and Music by Reuben Morgan

I walk closer now on the higher way
Through the darkest night will You hold my hand
Jesus guide my way

O You mourn with me and You dance with me
For my heart of hearts is bound to You

Though I walk through valleys low
I'll fear no evil
By the waters still my soul
My heart will trust in You

O You counsel me and You comfort me
When I cannot see, You light my path

Though I walk through valleys low
I'll fear no evil
By the waters still my soul
My heart will trust in You

My heart will trust in You
My heart will trust in You

1998 Reuben Morgan/Hillsong Publishing

:p

2006-03-25T17:13:00.000-08:00

I have been told that I write on topics of general interest, or rather that I write "in general" as opposed as to writing "in specifics". By "in specifics", meaning personal issues. I know that this is supposed to be my blog, my online "diary" so to speak, but I somehow cannot bring myself to write about my deepest darkest secrets or my innermost feelings, being somewhat a private person.
I cannot understand those who pour out their expressions here for the whole world to see. After all, blogs are for public viewing. It's not like it can be hidden away, kept under lock and key. Having said that however, I am a strong advocate of freedom of expression. I guess anyone should be able to express themselves in whatever way they choose, regardless of what other people think.
I believe I just wrote again on a topic of "general interest". Oh well.. :p

I'm Back..for now anyway.. :)

2006-03-19T07:10:00.000-08:00

I've been on quite a hiatus. I think the last time I posted anything here was about 5 months ago. Which means that more than half of my chambering period has gone by. Which means that I may have to start serious work in soon-coming months. Which means that I will no longer be a "student" but a young working adult. However, enough of that for the time being.

Since I have not written anything here for so long, some people have even removed my link from their blogs. Sad but true. I guess I deserved that, nevertheless. However, I don't see them removing other inactive blogs, and I can name quite a few. Oh well. It's okay.

Anyway, the only reason I'm posting something here again is because apparently some people have "found" my blog, the most unlikely people I know who would be searching through blogs. I hardly think any of them are bloggers. But since they have so kindly and graciously made my blog "alive" again, I suppose it's only fitting that I should post a new entry here.

I believe that 5 months worth of news is too much to post here and so much has happened to me in these past months that I myself can't even remember everything. To put it all here would be a torture to me, and to all those who have to read it. So I won't bore anyone with the nitty-gritty stuff, I'll just summarize it into one sentence. These past months have been a whirlwind, with some of the best and worse times of my life. Want to know more? Ask me the next time you see me. Till then, I hope to keep my blog going again. Let's hope that it lasts longer this time. :)

A First for Angeline

2005-10-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

I finally did it! I finally drove across Penang bridge into the mainland and all the way to KL. I know it's not anything great to shout about, but it is an achievement for me, in a way. Anyway, last Thursday I had to go to KL to file my chambering papers at the KL High Court. I figured driving down would be easier than taking a flight or bus since I had to travel to a few other places in KL as well. Of course, I wasn't alone, Kit was with me, but since he's not that fond of driving, I drove most of the way. It was rather exhilarating driving on the highway (cos it was probably the first time I drove past 90 km/h :p ). Nevertheless, it took a lot of patient advice from Kit who was probably fearing for his life at the rate I was driving. He (as well as other honking drivers) needed to remind me time and time again that highway driving is much different from city driving, and I guess he was right. Many times I forgot that I was on the right lane and apparently drove too slow for the drivers behind me. Hence the honking.

Anyhow, it was a first for me, and despite what other people may think, I am proud of myself :)

Grr..

2005-10-07T11:49:00.000-07:00

After weeks of procrastination, I finally turned on the word verification thingy. Cannot tahan those spammers anymore. I thought I was safe, after not having being hit for quite some time. I guess it was just a matter of time...

Coincidence?

2005-10-06T17:10:00.000-07:00

I'm currently on a 2-week break from work. My boss was so kind to give me a short holiday before I start chambering, because she warned me that when I start working for real, it's not going to be a bed of roses. Anyway, I've managed to take the time to catch up with some new TV shows (I'm trying to convince myself that subscribing to Astro is worth the money).

Just this week, I watched 2 relatively new shows on TV, both hospital dramas. The first was "House" on AXN. I found it to be rather refreshing . Something about Hugh Laurie's dry wit and sarcasm brings a different edge to stereotype dramas nowadays. It's nice to see that TV doesn't always have to be politically correct all the time. (Bear in mind that this is my personal opinion and it may not necessarily appeal to everyone.) Anyway, this week's episode was about two teenage boys who were suddenly seized with epileptic-like fits and admitted to the hospital in a coma. Turns out that the cause of their seizures were what Dr. House termed "poisoned pants". Both boys were wearing new jeans that were contaminated with a form of pesticide, hence releasing a virus through their skin which in turn infected their brains. So that was "House".

The very next day I decided to watch "Medical Investigation" on Star World, a sort of "ER meets CSI" type of show. This time 4 teenage girls were admitted to the hospital, also in epileptic fits, and all 4 in coma. And surprise, surprise... the cause of their seizures? New jeans which were poisoned with toxins from pesticide.

Watching these 2 shows made me think, are screen writers nowadays really out of ideas? Either that, or who copied who? Or is it just a strange coincidence? Poisoned jeans are something quite out of the ordinary. It's a really unsafe world when you can even be poisoned by something that you are totally unaware of, especially something so common as your clothes. I've never heard of it happening or even thought that it could happen before till this week. I guess TV shows nowadays should really be viewed and taken with a pinch of salt.

Overjoyed

2005-09-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

What a nerve-wrecking morning. Today was the day that my CLP (Certificate in Legal Practice) results were due to be out. Due to the history of the unpredictability of this exam, I really didn't know what to expect. Under normal circumstances, I figured that I could probably just scrape through, but when you have to fight to be the top 300 (which includes conditional passes) amongst 1000 over candidates, I imagined the odds against passing were too high.

I never expected it to actually come out today. Not after weeks of them telling us to "call minggu depan". So when a friend sent me a message telling me it was out, I realised that today really is the day. Further, she was a reliable source, and not given to pranks like some other people I know.

The most aggravating and frustrating part was trying to get through the phone lines. Again, this would be another ongoing lesson in patience. After trying about an hour, and learning in that time what all my other friends had got, I was biting my nails, half in fear and half in anticipation. I was about to give up calling and decided to try again in the afternoon (the redial button on my phone was beginning to look a little scruffy), when suddenly the line connected through. My heart was beating so fast I could literally feel and hear it thumping in my chest. As calmly as possible, I gave my candidate number to the lady on the other end. She then asked me in a jovial tone, "What do you think you got?" I was thinking to myself, "This is no time to joke, woman!" But what I said was, "Er..I don't know..but I'm scared!" Then she laughed and said "Congrats. Second lower." I almost couldn't believe my ears. I just told her thank you like a million times (okay, I'm exaggerating) and hung up. Like as if she was the one who marked my papers :p

Anyhow, it was a generally good day. I think like most of my friends who also passed, we couldn't wipe the goofy grin off our faces the entire day. The truth is, I'm so glad to have passed and gotten over this ordeal. This is one exam that I never want to take again. Also, I just want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have kept me in your prayers, during the exam while I was in KL and after. Above all, all glory and praise to Our Father in heaven, without whom nothing would be possible.

Patience, patience...

2005-09-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

I'm not a very patient person by nature. I like things to be done straight away, and I really dislike messy, complicated stuff. However, right now, I'm learning a real lesson in patience.

Just last Sunday, my car was rear-ended by a Kancil along Greenlane at about 4.15 in the afternoon. It was truly a miserable state of affairs. It was grey, gloomy and drizzling with rain. My bumper was not too badly damaged but the front of the Kancil was wrecked. I can only be thankful that I did not stop too close to the Honda City in front of me or else his car would also be sacrificed to the unfortunate event. Anyhow, after taking a few seconds to recover from the shock of the impact, I got down from my car, stood in the drizzle and inspected my car. As it turned out, the other guy was very apologetic and after some discussion, we decided to go and make a police report since it was unlikely that both his car as well as mine could be repaired without making an insurance claim.

So the very next day, I decided to pay my insurance company a visit. To my frustration, I couldn't use the "express" system provided by my insurance company because I was not the registered owner of the car, which was my mother. The "express" system would be much easier because they will pay you on the spot after approving your claim, possibly on the same day itself. After that, you can take you car to any workshop of your choice to get it repaired. However, since I was only the second driver, this option was not open to me. Fine. I had to do it the conventional way. Take the car to a panel workshop, apply, wait for approval, etc. etc. Even with this, I learnt that I could not sign the relevant documentation, but had to get my mother to sign it as well. Following the conventional way, I had 7 days to file my claim, and it would be practically impossible to get my mother to sign the documents from all the way in Australia in such a short time. Further, they wanted her original signature. Really ma fan. This morning, I called up the insurance company in KL (the way they make you hold the line is really annoying, and for such a long time too!) and fortunately enough, they allowed me 14 days to file the claim, and I didn't have to courier the documents to get the original signature, which would have been time-consuming and costly as well. They said that under these circumstances, they would allow the documents to be faxed. Nevertheless, my mother would have to write a letter to them explaining the circumstances.

I was really frustrated these last few days. I've never had to deal with this type of situation before, and feeling like a spoilt brat, I wanted my car to be fixed RIGHT AWAY. After receiving a well-deserved lecture from my dad after I poured out all my grievances to him, I realised that this indeed is a lesson in patience. Patience to wait for things to happen step by step. Patience to follow procedure. Patience to know that my car will have to look ugly for a while. And above all, patience to have faith in God and to know that He is in control of all situations.

Question..

2005-09-13T22:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received a notice in my mailbox from PBA saying that "akaun anda masih ada tunggakan". Fine. So maybe they still haven't received my payment which I made on 29th August 2005. The thing is, they're now charging me RM1.00 just for issuing the notice which was absolutely unnecessary. This will be credited to my next water bill. Should I just pay the extra RM1.00 and forget the whole thing, or should I make a fuss as a matter of principle?

Just one of those days...

2005-09-09T23:49:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days where nothing turns out the way you want it to. Let me recap:

7.00 a.m.
I awoke to my alarm with a horrible sinking feeling that today was already Friday and I had forgot all about a very important appointment yesterday evening. I didn't even realise that Thursday had come and gone. I lay in bed and groaned.

8.30 a.m.
I called up the person and apologised profusely. It was a good thing that she was nice enough to say that I could make it up some other time. Believe you me, this wasn't the first time that I had forgot about it. Sigh...

8.35 a.m.
Set a reminder on my cell phone to remind myself.

9.01 a.m.
Arrived at the office one minute late. The whole morning I was in a blur. Firstly, I was feeling really bad about forgetting my appointment the previous day. Secondly, I could barely keep my eyes open due to a previous late night out with some friends. Either it was lack of sleep, or the red wine was finally kicking in. Thirdly, my stomach was growling due to the fact that I had no time for breakfast that morning. Fourthly, I was suffering from my sinus problem, which had conveniently chosen today of all days to attack. Fifthly, and probably what all the other problems can be attributed to, I didn't have time this morning to read my Bible and spend some time talking to God.

1.15 p.m.
Probably the only highlight of the day...lunch!

5.30 p.m.
My significant other called up to say that we probably couldn't go out tonight because he was coming down with a bad flu. We had initially planned to go to 32 The Mansion (a fancy-schmancy restaurant here in Penang) for drinks and to check out their jazz band. We had planned it for today cos it was one of those rare times that we didn't have cell group on a Friday night. Bummer.

6.00 p.m.
Arrived home and turned on the kitchen tap to wash my hands. A pathetic trickle flowed out of the tap, and then nothing. I then tried all the other faucets in my house. All produced the same results. Puzzled, I called my aunt who lived upstairs and asked her if there was a water cut. Upon further investigation, I discovered that my main tap had been clamped! Talk about adding salt to the wound, or rather, more thunder to the little rain cloud which was hovering above my head the whole day. So I then called up the friendly people at PBA and asked them very politely (and sarcastically, I may add) why my water supply had been cut off when my bill had been paid. The man at the other end of the line was equally as polite and said that he would send someone to check on it.

6.30 p.m.
The guy from PBA came to unclamp my main tap. Finally, I got that much needed hot shower.

6.55 p.m.
A friend of mine called and said that a bunch of them were going to SS (a not so fancy-schmancy club in Penang) that night and asked if I would like to join them. I told her that I would confirm with her later, but it wasn't like I had anything else planned for tonight.

8.00 p.m.
Kit arrived and asked if I would like to go and have dinner, even though he wasn't feeling up to 32 The Mansion. So out we went to have mee goreng.

10.30 p.m.
The friend I was banking on to send me home tonight called to say he didn't feel like clubbing and so he wasn't going. To be honest, of all my friends, I think I only trust his driving as compared to the rest. At least he won't be so wasted to the extent to make me fear for my life by getting into the same car with him.

11.00 p.m.
Decided to come home and blog about my lousy day. But now as I'm doing this, I guess a day is only as bad as you choose to make it. I probably should be glad that I'm home early so that tomorrow I won't be as disorientated as this morning. And speaking of which, I should probably end my day with God since I was too much in a hurry for Him this morning. At least I can look forward to a good night's rest with a brighter outlook for tomorrow.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
His mercies never come to an end
They are new every morning
New every morning
Great is Thy faithfulness O Lord
Great is Thy faithfulness

Broken spinners

2005-09-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

I think my washing machine is nearing the end of its cycle (no pun intended). Lately it has been emitting a burning smell at the end of every wash. Also, the clothes come out dripping wet, and not in the semi-dry condition they should be in after washing and spinning. I think something is probably wrong with the spinning whatever-you-call-it thingy.

Likely it's high time I invested in a new machine. To heed my mother's warning, I wouldn't want it to short circuit and burn down my house. It really is too bad. I kind of like my washing machine. I often grow a certain attachment to things that I've had for some time, e.g. my blanket, my mechanical pencil, my mobile phone etc. I guess my washing machine is one of those things. But every good thing must come to an end (or as in this case, must cease to spin).

Oh well, a-washing-machine-hunting-I-go. Any recommendations?

31 August 2005

2005-08-31T00:38:00.000-07:00

Today our country celebrates its 48th year of independence. Reading through my friend's blogs, no one has yet mentioned anything about "merdeka" (with the exception of Alvin), so I guess I'll add my two pennies worth.

Am I a patriotic person? Much as i would like to be, I hardly ever think about this issue, except at this particular time every year. Especially now, when all the patriotic songs are playing over the media, I can't help but get this warm fuzzy feeling thinking about the fact that I'm proud to be a Malaysian. Think about it. We are blessed indeed. We have been spared from wars, natural disasters and diseases which have taken the lives of so many people from neighbouring countries. Up until lately, that is. However, what we've experienced from the tsunami, haze, SARS, bird flu, the hike in fuel prices etc. is only a fraction of what others have suffered.

Above all, we're blessed to be able to worship God freely with no restrictions. Only today, the paper highlighted that the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) held prayers to remember our nation's independence. Others in countries such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and a host of others have suffered and even been martyred just to be able to tell others about Jesus.

We Malaysians have been too comfortable and complacent all this while. Looking at what others have gone through to share the good news of the gospel, we should really get off our rears and start doing something about it. With or without realising it, all the events that have hit our country in recent years can be likened to little electric jolts from God, telling us that it's time to wake up and realise that we are not really safe, even in our little piece of heaven here in Malaysia. As pastor put it, " No one is really safe till they are saved".

This Merdeka let us reflect on our lives thus far, and see how we can bless others the way God has blessed us and blessed our country. It's time to give back to others when we have received so much. It is our mission and our ministry as Malaysian Christians.

Karaoke blues

2005-08-25T23:57:00.000-07:00

Just this past Monday, a friend of mine had a birthday, so a bunch of us (or rather, he) decided to go to Redbox to celebrate with him there. Bearing in mind that it was a weekday night, the guy who arranged for us to go out (he was the 'Ahmad" of the day) promised that we would be back early as all of us had to work the next morning. The initial idea was to wait till midnight to wish the birthday boy happy birthday (his birthday was actually on Tuesday), after which we would leave and head home, latest by 1 am. I reached home at 3 in the morning.

Having said that, we did have an enjoyable time. As a general rule, I'm pretty shy and dislike hogging the limelight. Thus the microphone was hardly with me, despite the badgering from my friends to "faster choose your song!" I've since realised that most people don't really care if they can carry a tune or not. It was all I could do to keep from laughing when my friend repeatedly began all his songs off-key or in a different pitch.

Which brings to mind another topic, rather off-tangent, but related nonetheless. I now know why those folks on American Idol or Malaysian Idol even bother joining the competition when their rendition of songs is enough to turn the composers in their graves. Somehow they're disillusioned by the fact that they can actually sing. To their own ears they sound great, but pity those other poor folks that have to bear with their singing. So it's not really a matter of being thick-skinned or whatever, but they actually think they're good at what they do.

Coming back to Redbox, I did reluctantly take the mike probably once in every 10 songs, after further hassling from my friends. Fortunately for me, after a while they got too engrossed to bother about me anymore, so I busied myself with the coke and kacang. Looks like I won't be getting an invitation to anymore karaoke birthdays anytime soon.. :p

Monday already!

2005-08-22T00:50:00.000-07:00

I take back what I said in my earlier post. The "long week ahead" has gone by in a blur. I can't believe it's already Monday. And Monday means back to work, sigh... How nice it was those couple of weeks that I could sleep in until noon.

I wish this was a longer post, but I'm too sleepy... my eyes can barely open... *yawn* I'll just have to blog another day...

Long week ahead

2005-08-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

I forsee it's going to be a long week. I've just come from reading a couple of my friend's blogs and it seems that everyone is still rather blue that Joel has left. Funny isn't it, how one single individual could have made such an impression on other peoples' lives? Well, what can I say? I did wish that he didn't have to leave on a Monday...makes for a dreary week. They don't call it Monday blues for nothing. Joel has been and always will be a dear friend. I will miss him.

Also, today my significant other has left for Bangkok on a working trip. I'm supposed I've been so used to seeing him almost every day, so today was rather strange for me to go out and run errands and get dinner by myself. I suppose I'll have to get used to it, though, if his job plans on sending him outstation or overseas more. I'm going to miss him too. However, I've already managed to overcome this by planning my week. Today I'm supposed to do laundry, tomorrow wash the bathroom, and on Thursday clean the floors, so that I'll have a spick and span home to host cell group on Friday.

The whole plagiarism mess has finally been cleared up. What a relief. I hate being at odds with people.

Well, there is plenty more that I'd like to say, but the laundry beckons...sigh...

Retaliation

2005-08-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

I feel mortally offended. It's past 2 am after a long, excruciating day, but I don't think I can sleep till I have posted this. I have been accused of something that I was not even aware that I have done. I have been accused of plagiarism.

Okay, here's the long and short of it. I was really impressed with a blog of a certain friend of mine, particularly the music on a radio station on it, and I told him so. So thereafter I always made a habit of visiting his blog whenever I could. I had no idea that I could even copy or paste or whatever...(refer to the post about me being clueless). Then one fine day, as I was chatting with another friend, he asked me if I would like the html code for that particular radio station so I could post it on my blog. I didn't ask him where he got it from, assuming that he was more "computer-conversant", which was probably my fault. Anyway, so I happily put it on my blog, ending up in my being accused of plagiarism...sigh... Worse still, it was plastered all over the chat boxes of various blogs. In the spirit of things, I could have said that talking about it amounted to defamation i.e. when you accuse someone of something without getting the facts straight. I think this is what rather upset me, even more so than the plagiarism itself. I always believe that if you have an issue with someone, you should discuss it with that particular person first rather than spread it around to everyone else.

Anyhow, it has since been removed and I just wanna apologize to my friend for "cheesing him off" as he put it. It was never my intention to do so, and never my intention to plagiarize. So anyway, this is just something to get off my chest ya, and no hard feelings... Hopefully, my friend feels the same way. I think this whole episode has given me blog-phobia. Better hope I can get over it fast or else I might not feel like blogging for a while...sigh...it never used to be this complicated...

February baby

2005-08-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

I got this off my Friendster bulletin board. And speaking of Friendster, I have one word to describe it. Phenomenon. I don't necessarily know whether it's a good thing or bad thing, but it's definitely caught on like wildfire, especially when it first started. Anyway, I found this to be rather true of myself, but anyhow I shall put my skills to good use and analyse some of these traits.

Abstract thoughts
Is this the same as a wandering mind? Rambling ideas? Because if it is, then this is certainly true of me. I find it particularly annoying when I'm trying to concentrate when studying or even when reading the Bible, my mind drifts off and suddenly I'm thinking about everything else other than what I should be thinking about. Sigh..I suppose I have to train my brain not to get distracted.

Loves reality and abstract
This seems to me a contradiction in terms. As for loving reality, does this include reality TV shows? If it is, that's me, the reality show junkie. Blame it all on Survivor.

Intelligent and clever
Should I be a narcissist here? :) Well, I thank God that I do have some brains.

Changing personality
Hmm...I don't think this is so true of me on the outside. I don't really think that I display a Dr Jekyll-and-Mr Hyde disposition. However, I suppose what happens on the inside of me only God can fathom.

Attractive
Err..well...heheh...you decide la.

Temperamental
I am a phlegmatic-melancholy. What that means I have no idea. Or rather, I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, I think y'all should know. And if "temperamental" means to show temper, or to experience extreme mood swings, that's not me at all.

Quiet, shy and humble
I am quiet. I am shy. Well, most of the time, anyway.. :) As for being humble, I really do try. But sometimes pride rears its ugly head in my face.

Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted.
I suppose this explains my bouts of deliquency as a teenager... :) I think I was rather repressed as a child. Nevertheless, I do appreciate my parents setting clear boundaries for me when I was young. If they had not, just imagine what I would be like now. Being independent for the first time in my life has taught me a lot, and if anything, to treasure my freedom.

Gets angry really easily but doesn't show it
Well, I seldom get angry, but if I do, I don't show it. So I suppose this is half correct. I think many of my friends can testify to this.

Loves entertainment and leisure
Me to a T :) Movies, shopping, dining, watching TV, lazing around, reading a good book, listening to great music - love 'em all!

Spendthrift
Well...did I mention that I love shopping? :) More specifically, I love hunting for good bargains. I managed to get this great pair of jeans in Australia for 7 Aussie dollars. So even after conversion, it only cost about 21 ringgit. That's what I call a good buy.

Tries to learn to show emotions
I think this may be one of my biggest struggles. I am not good at expressing outwardly how I feel on the inside, hence my inability to display anger or other strong emotions. I suppose I'm slowly learning that my feelings have to be sometimes channelled out so that they don't eat me up inside. It's a difficult journey, but one that I have to walk, with the help of God, good friends and family.

So what do y'all think? Have I "analysed" myself accurately? Any feedback is most welcome. :)

First 2 days of work

2005-08-10T00:32:00.000-07:00

I started work on Monday. I only have two words to describe it. Sheer Exhaustion. I guess no more chatting/blogging/surfing until 3 in the morning for me...not when I have to drag myself out of bed at 8 am every morning. I know most of you will think that that's not early at all. I know, I know, most of you are awake at the crack of dawn, before the sun comes up. But when you have been waking up at close to noon the past couple of weeks, 8 am is quite a challenge.

Working in a legal firm is not much fun. Most of the time you're surrounded by files which eventually block you from sight. It's paper work, paper work and more paper work. And woe to you if you miss out a single word, or maybe even a comma. But anyhow, it's really not that bad, especially for me, since I intend to do this for the greater part of the rest of my life. I guess I will just have to learn to rely on God for His infinite strength and wisdom so that I will be able to do whatever tasks put before me to the best of my ability.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel and might;
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
His delight will be obedience to the Lord.

Isaiah 11:2-3 (TLB)

2005-08-09T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm sure most of you have read or heard of the book "Charlotte's Web". This is an abridged version, written and illustrated by yours truly :)

Clueless..but then again..

2005-08-04T02:20:00.000-07:00

I am so clueless when it comes to "beautifying" my blog. I have spent the last hour and a half putting up the extra things that weren't there before e.g. links, clock, weather etc. And even then, it doesn't come anywhere near to what Mike or Danny or Alvin's blog looks like...sigh.. I guess I have a lot more to learn, and I'm sure the abovementioned people will agree :)

Anyhow, as I was putting up the links, I realised that many of my friends do indeed blog, especially those who I had never imagined would do so. Among them you'll find romantics, poets, musicians, narcissists :p etc. Anyhow, I want to say a big thank you to Caroline for all her tips in helping me to set it up. Sisterhood rocks! :)

And speaking of cluelessness, many people out there were clueless as to their meaning and purpose of life. Nevertheless, as the 4o Days of Purpose campaign is coming to a close, I just wonder how many folks out there have truly discovered their purpose, what on earth they were put here for. Indeed as this event nears its end, there are many blessings to thank God for. Discover Groups have been formed, new friendships have been made and old ones rekindled, loved ones have been saved. I do regret not being able to be more a part of it due to my being away most of the weeks. However, what I have been able to see invested in the lives of others is reward enough. This Sunday will be the grand celebration/PCC anniversary at Equatorial Hotel. Indeed, it will be a joyous occasion.

Fantastic Facts

2005-08-02T01:45:00.000-07:00

Human beings blink their eyes every six seconds during their lifetimes. This means that you will blink about two hundred and fifty million times - sounds frightening doesn't it?

Did you know that the average person has about five million hairs on his or her body, and that the only place where hair does not grow is on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet?

If you wanted to count a thousand million pound notes, one by one, it would take you seventy years to do it - without losing count of course!

If you ever want to make friends with a pig, sing to it. Pigs are very fond of music.

Is your surname Smith? if it is, you're not alone. There are enough Smiths in England and Wales alone to fill the Wembley Stadium eight times over.

There are plenty of unusual hobbies around, but Peter the Great of Russia had the strangest - he loved dentistry. The Tsar practised on members of his court, who were not always keen to volunteer.

In 1978 a doctor paid a visit to a woman who had been bedridden for forty years. He could find nothing wrong with her. He discovered that years before, her doctor had diagnozed that she had flu, and had told her to stay in bed until he returned. He forgot to come back, and she had stayed in bed ever since!

Taken from "Fantastic Facts", Cliveden Press

Bukit Genting

2005-07-31T22:55:00.000-07:00

I went for dinner today at this place called Bukit Genting. It was supposed to be a post-CLP celebration-cum-dinner with a bunch of my classmates. Apparently the view from the top of the hill is something to shout about, so we decided to be slightly more adventurous and go there instead of heading to the usual hangouts.

The journey there was rather treacherous...apparently they don't call it a hill for nothing. A friend of mine commented that after she went there previously, her car had to be serviced. Anyway, we made it to the top, and it was as if we had emerged into some fairytale world. There were miniature statues all around, all brightly coloured. It was like a page out of a storybook. Also, the view was simply breathtaking...lurvely! You could see for miles around. Immediately the camera came out and my friend started clicking away...it was his "kodak moment" as he described it. Too bad I can't reproduce any of the pictures here at this moment, maybe some other day...

Unfortunately though, the food was not as impressive as the view. I think I personally can cook better fried rice than that. Sigh.. I suppose you can't have it all...

Finally back

2005-07-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

I have terribly neglected my blog these past few months. Let me just recap: first, I was struck by this terrible affliction called writers' block. Subsequently, my computer decided to die on me and I was left pc-less and somewhat disorientated. Following that, I had go through an ordeal called the Certificate in Legal Practice exam...and believe me, that is something that I never want to experience again. Having said that, I should probably elaborate.

In my aspirations to be the next high-flying attorney of "The Practice", I have decided to put myself through a gruelling exam just so that I can obtain a measly piece of paper and therefore make my signature "laku", as they say. The worst part of taking this exam is that everyone has to sit for it in Universiti Malaya, which means travelling down to KL. So there we were, early on Thursday morning, bleary-eyed, loading the car, to travel down. If you ask me, it was more like loading equipment getting ready for battle. My friends travelled down with me, and don't get me wrong, I love them to bits, but did we have to leave Penang at 5.30 in the morning?

Since we were on a tight budget, having had to stay for 2 weeks, we settled for the YMCA, which turned out to be much better than expected. It's a good thing it was recently renovated. There were horror stories circulating around about how I might need my own non-bug infested mattress and extra cans of insect repellant. Since I travelled with 3 guy friends, it was unlikely that I could share a room with any of them, so I had the luxury of my own room. Although, they did occasionally turn my room into a guys club house, especially on Friday nights when they would cram in to watch Malaysian Idol. I suppose I was the honorary member of the club :)

The entire period of the exam was excruciating. The only time we left the room was for meals, and that was the highlight of my day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. I still remember the 1st day of the exam: Monday, 11th July 2005. We arrived at the exam hall at about 7.00 am, 2 hours before the exam was due to start. I couldn't believe how many people were already outside the hall, cramming, pacing, muttering to themselves. It was a scary sight. But what was more scary was when we went inside the hall...it was a sea of people, so just imagine the competition. And especially when the invigilator said "Awak boleh mula sekarang", the rustle of papers was so loud it was deafening. Never in my life have I heard anything like it. To say it was scary is a understatement. You have to be there in person to know what it was like.

One thing that I was extremely blessed with was that there was an "in-house" church at the YMCA itself which met every Sunday at 6.00 pm. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to go to church, but since it was provided, I went. I'm glad I did because it was then that I received the much-needed encouragement and fellowship of the body of Christ.

And so the last day of the exam arrived. The adrenaline was pumping through my veins and I'm sure my friends felt the same way. We just couldn't wait for it to end. At the end, everyone just breathed an enormous sigh of relief. Upon reaching home (YMCA felt like home to us at this point), we dumped our things down and straight away head out. To quote one of my friends, "We can do whatever we like and can go wherever we want. Let's make a list!" So indeed we went everywhere that we could possibly go that day, shopping, eating, clubbing, to see and be seen. All in all, it was a blast. And I think it was extra enjoyable because we felt that we truly deserved it.

Well, I suppose having said all that, it was not necessarily a bad experience. In fact, like one of my friends said, it definitely helps to build character. It has made me a stronger person and makes me feel like I can take on any task, no challenge is too difficult. As for how I fared, well, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?

2005-04-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

The sun lives in the heavens
where God placed it.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom
after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete
eager to run the race.
The sun rises at one end of the heavens
and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.

Psalm 19:4b-6 (NLT)

First Love

2005-04-05T10:59:00.000-07:00

Dedicated to Wilson

I fell in love for the first time when I was 12 years old. He was the first person I really, truly loved. People around me thought I was crazy, they couldn't understand how I could love someone like him. To me, he was so special, so caring, just so very wonderful.
Our relationship started like any other. At first, there was such a bond between us, the desire to get to know one another better. I couldn't get enough of talking to him, learning more about him and just being with him. We used to have such deep, meaningful conversations. I discovered that I could tell him just about anything under the sun. He knew so much about everything. I also couldn't stop talking about him to anybody that would listen. Usually people just listened amusedly about what I had to say about this great guy that I had found. Sometimes they even brushed me off distractedly, but that didn't stop me from telling people about this wonderful relationship of mine.
Surely, there were times when we disagreed, and I pouted and sulked when I didn't get my own way. Nevertheless, he was gentle with me, coaxing me until I saw where my mistakes lay. Then I would cry penitent tears, pleading with him to forgive me. He never held grudges , but always held out his arms to me, taking me back, enfolding me in his embrace. How could you not love someone like that?
However, as I grew older, I found that I had less and less time to spend with him. My days were taken up with new friends, new hobbies, new career, the hectic schedule of life. My conversations with him waned, time spent with him grew less and we rarely spoke of the things that were once so dear to us. He did make an effort to talk to me, but in vain, as I curtly pushed him aside, making excuses that I was too busy with this, that, or the other. Gradually, he began to leave me in my own world, too much of a gentleman to impose himself on me.
Nevertheless, as time went by, I found that I missed the conversations that we had. I missed having him there beside me. I missed asking his opinion on decisions that I had to make. I missed knowing that he would be there to pick me up if I fall. Worse still, I found that my world began to crumble. People who I thought were my friends began showing their true colours. They began saying nasty things behind my back. All the money I had in the world did not buy me true happiness, neither did it bring me genuine friends. I was like a leaf being blown in the wind, swaying this way and that, with no direction, no purpose in my life. I was filled with guilt, shame, and regret.
It was then that I remembered that I still had one true friend, one who would never leave me nor forsake me. Even if my world were to fall apart, he would still be there. In my anguish, I cried out to him to save me, like he did so very long ago. I thought that he would never respond to me, considering the way I had treated him all these years. But still he came to me, gentle and forgiving, as always. Slowly, I began to let down my wall of defences that I had built for so long until it was completely broken, until I was completely broken. Only then could he begin to heal my wounded heart.
Today, I have rekindled my relationship with him, and nothing burns brighter than my love for him. To think that he could have abandoned me and turned away. And yet he still forgave me and accepted me back. Best of all, he gave his life for me. He suffered a cruel cross so that I would be pure and blameless before God. He paid the price for my sins so that I can enter heaven some day. His body was broken and his blood was shed in order that I may live forever with him, Jesus Christ.

My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus 'tis now.

(William R. Featherston, 1846-1873)

2005-03-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

Caroline and I :)

Unmasking the masks

2005-03-27T07:29:00.000-08:00

In the pitch-black silence a pitiful, heart-wrenching cry is heard...the lights slowly come in to reveal a figure kneeling on the ground, huddled in front of a seemingly haunting green teddy bear. Our church Easter production may have just ended, but scenes such as this will forever linger in my memory. There has never been a drama such as this, and there may never be one again, but hopefully this will inspire bigger and better productions in the future.
I must say though, that half the fun of putting on a show such as this happens behind the scenes, where chaos reigns in between scenes, with the actors scurrying around to change their outfits, fix their microphones, touch up their make-up, etc. One thing I have certainly learned: that face paint and contact lenses definitely do not make a good combination. In the drama, the character of Satan had to have his face gruesomely painted to give him an evil look. Unfortunately, due to the paint on his face, his contact lenses simply refused to go in or to come out, for that matter. And when it finally got in, it dropped out again. But I must say that he did a fantastic job, despite not being able to see clearly. Well done, El. Indeed you are professional :)
Referring back to the scene mentioned above, I simply must commend Shari on the excellent job as her role as Hannah, a woman abused by both her father and husband. I have seen this friend of mine acting in plays since she was young, but there never has been anything to what I have seen this weekend. She played Hannah, she was Hannah. The rendition of her role brought tears to my eyes. Sharz, you were simply amazing, and I could truly see your passion and zeal for Jesus as you worked so hard for this production. All the tears and hard work have definitely paid off.
What more can I say? Oliver, Daniel, Tim, Noel, Emily, Rachel O., Rachel Y., and everyone else; all of them did such a great job that I have no words to express myself. Standing backstage with Claire and Ruth, we have never felt prouder of them than we did yesterday and today. This is what the youth of today are capable of, youth on fire for Jesus, blessed with the gift of creativity.
But indeed the greatest blessing of all is seeing people saved, and this drama contained such a powerful message that shook the very core of their beings. And isn't this what Easter is all about? To know the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and to accept Him into our hearts and to reign in our lives. We live in a very visual generation these days, and people are more affected by what they see than by what they hear. To see a drama like this must indeed have touched the deepest parts of their soul, the parts which need to be "unmasked".
Congratulations Playwrites. We are all so proud of you... looking forward to the next production! :)
Blessed Easter, everyone.

My Best Friend

2005-02-23T22:41:00.000-08:00

Taken from "Here I Am Lord" by Anita Corrine Donihue

Our friendship

Here I am again. It's that special time I get to talk with You - just You and me, Lord. I feel as though I'm sitting at Your feet, telling You all about my day. Thank You for being my dearest Friend.
Those close to me are more precious than gold. But You, Lord, are priceless. I love You and want to honor You with my friendship. When I felt others didn't care, You understood and loved me. You recognized worth in me and developed my abilities. I love how we walk and talk together. I tell You my deepest secrets. You take time to listen. Thank You for never being too busy for me. Each day You unfold new lessons and help me mature. In turn, I listen to You and learn.
Thank You for looking for the best in me, Lord. When I feel I lack beauty, You make me lovely inside. When I struggle and fail, You help bridge the gap.
Now You speak to my heart. I know Your voice. I stop and listen. I trust in You and will do whatever You ask, for You are my Friend and know what is best. In this quiet time, I enjoy the fellowship we have with one another and want to honor You.

I really love this book because of the "conversational" way she writes, as if we are talking to God as our friend, and there is nothing more true, for indeed He is our friend. God is not someone far away, but He is like our closest friend, every ready to listen to our smallest gripes and seemingly ridiculous problems. We may sometimes catch ourselves and think, what am i saying? This is all so silly...just meaningless ramblings about how our lives are so complicated and problematic. Nevertheless, if it is bothering us, however small or insignificant the problem is, it matters to God. It never fails to amaze me how we can reverent and fear our awesome God, and yet at the same time love Him like a friend. That is our God, the God we serve, our Best Friend.

Holiday Down Under - Part II

2005-02-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

Day 4 - I love Spongebob!

Today was another theme park day. Like I mentioned before, theme parks are rather wasted on me because I flatly refuse to ride anything that looks like I could die on it. So the good thing about Dreamworld was that all their rides had classifications on it - "high thrill", "moderate thrill" and "low thrill". I don't need to say that I did not go on anything beyond "moderate thrill". However, there is much more to this place than exhilarating rides which puts your heart in your mouth and your stomach in your shoes. What I enjoyed most was Nickelodeon Central, home of Spongebob Squarepants (I love him!), the Rugrats, the Wild Thornberrys. CatDog etc. So it was absolutely great to be able to meet them (shows how much of a kid I still am). The day was even hotter than yesterday. Clever me decided to wear a tank top and shorts today because I was cooking in my jeans at Movieworld yesterday, and as a result I got a nice tan. Now my skin has two tones to it..ugh.

Day 5 - Birthday girl

I probably forgot to mention that part of the reason for this trip was a birthday present from my parents. I woke up this morning and realised that I am now 24 years old. In just a year, I will be quarter of a century old. I don't like the sound of that. Anyway, to be honest, I didn't feel like 24 years old. I didn't feel any different from the day before when I was only 23. Sigh, how time does fly... So, today was shopping day, something that a girl will never say no to :) My dad decided to take us to the largest shopping mall in the Queensland, but on the way we stopped over at Surfers' Paradise because that was something that I really wanted to see. The view was just awesome, something I had only ever seen on TV or in the movies. The sand under my feet felt just like powder and seeing the surfers riding the waves was absolutely incredible. Made me wish I could do it too! At night, my parents took us for dinner on a cruise and that was memorable too. To sum it up, it was a great birthday and I just want to also say thanks to my gal pals (sisterhood! :) ) for all the birthday smses - Caroline, Mabel, Sybella, not forgetting Hann-ah :) Also to El, thanks for the email :)

Day 6 - Finding Nemo

My mother complains that I always fall asleep during long car journeys. It's funny how I cannot sleep in planes, but I have no trouble dozing off in the car. Despite this fact, today we went on a long car journey to the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane. We went there to visit Underwater World. I did see a lot of Nemo look-alikes but somehow none of them had his cute cheeky face :) There were also giant sharks and sting rays in the underwater tunnel, much like the one we have in Langkawi. I have always wondered what would happen if the glass were to break and all the sharks came tumbling down on the peoples' heads. It would be quite a scene. We also passed through the Australia Zoo, home of the Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin. I have never stopped being amazed at how enthusiatic and excited one individual can get about reptiles. I myself shudder at the thought of them. Anyway, just to say that I've "been there" to Steve Irwin's habitat, we stopped and took a picture with a giant signboard picture of him outside the zoo.

My journal ended here...so I guess that's it for my holiday stories. :)

Holiday Down Under - Part I

2005-02-16T18:37:00.000-08:00

This is a day-to-day journal of sorts of my recent holiday in the Land Down Under. Sorry for the long absence from my blog, but as I said, I was away on holiday :)

Day 1 - "If you can finish it, you can have it"

I opened my blurry eyes slowly waiting for my vision to clear...this is what happens when you sleep, or try to sleep for about 7 hours sitting uncomfortably in an aeroplane chair. Usually I can never sleep on the plane, however, this time due to the fact that I had not slept properly for 3 nights in a row immediately preceding my flight, this was an exception. Anyway, I collected myself together and proceeded wearily into Adelaide International Airport, bracing myself for another long wait. It takes forever in this place to clear immigration and customs due to Australia's very strict regulations on bringing in any form of food or plant produce. I stood in line waiting for my turn at the counter. Finally, I was through but I still had to collect my luggage and clear customs. Nevertheless, today seemed to be a day of exceptions. Normally, if you have nothing to declare, you will be able to get through with a minimum of fuss. Today, however, Mr Customs, Robert something-or-other, insisted on turning my bags inside out. So there were all my most personal belongings a.k.a. underclothings etc. sitting on the counter for the world to see and all the while Mr Robert what's-his-name was making small talk like he did this kind of thing every day (which he probably does). The funniest thing was when he asked me about my water bottle. He asked if the water in it came from the plane or from Malaysia. When I said it was from Malaysia, he told me, "If you can finish it, you can have it". Well, I wasn't prepared to let him take away my beautiful purple bottle which has served its purpose as more than just a water bottle (it has been known to protect me and my friends from unwanted predators). So there I had to stand and finish the water, amidst his telling me to take my time. Good thing there was only a little bit left, otherwise I might have had a very bloated tummy.

Day 2 - Sandcastles on the Broadwater

The very next day, I was on a plane (again!), this time on the way to Brisbane for a week's holiday with my family. Upon arrival, the first thing that struck me was the weather, which was so like Malaysia, hot and humid. You sweat and get sticky, much different from the dry hot weather in Adelaide. We then proceeded to our holiday destination on the Gold Coast, a small block of service apartments quite aptly named "Sandcastles on the Broadwater". Broadwater was the name of the area where the apartments were located. The place was just perfect for the four of us - two rooms, a kitchen, dining, and two bathrooms (most important!)

Day 3 - Movieworld

Apparently this is the home of Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman, The Flash (I just found out his name- I always refer to him as the guy in the red suit) as well as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and all their friends. I must say that it was rather an entertaining day. I'm not much a person for roller coasters (my sister says that theme parks are wasted on me), but I did enjoy browsing the souvenir shops and shaking my head at their ridiculous prices. Also, there was a main street parade Disneyland style where all the characters strutted down the street in their costumes as well as on floats. I couldn't help thinking that they would be cooking in those outfits as the day was extremely hot. But oh well, it's not anybody who can put on a funny suit and entertain children (as well as adults) day after day after day. Thus after a day of taking pictures, watching silly shows and going on a few rides ( yes, I did go on some), I came back hot, tired but thoroughly happy. I guess there's still the child in me who likes to take pictures with Bugs Bunny and Batman :)

The Box That Fell From The Moon

2005-01-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

This is a story that I wrote and illustrated for school when I was 6 years old, studying at the Canonbury Infant School in London. The story has been reproduced here in its original spelling and punctuation.

THE BOX that fell from the moon
by Angeline

One day I was walking along the road. Something fell from the sky it was a box. It had a label which said Handle with care. This was found on the moon! My mummy made me pick it up. I thought it was something interesthing so I picked it up. It had silver dots on it I Gasped I didnt know that something would fall from the moon. I went home and opened the box and inside the box was a dimond ring. I put the dimond ring on my table it Glowed. In the morning it changed into a dirty dimond. I din't know it would bring me good luck so I chucked it in the bin. That night it walked back to my table. In the morning I saw my dimond back and it said to me crossly you shouldn't have chuked me in the bin you know you shoulden't. So I left it there on my table at night. I watched it all night long. The dimond brought me good luck I Send myself flying out of my window. I flew up up up. I Picked a Star and landed on the moon I heard a voice and I Said what is that. and a face appeared. He said come in and have tea. I said yes. After tea I went home and lay down to sleep

The End

Rude Malaysians

2005-01-18T07:18:00.000-08:00

Just recently a local newpaper had a feature article which required readers to vote for what they thought was the rudest behaviour of a Malaysian. Do we really think of ourselves as rude people? It's sad but so, so true. Some of the suggestions of rude behaviour were horrendous driving, talking on the cell phone in the cinema, taking too much from the buffet table etc. Nevertheless, these are all the realities of our Malaysian lifestyle. What would make a foreigner to our country lift up his hands in horror are taken to be "normal" parts of our everyday life. Just yesterday I was driving along a relatively clear stretch of road when suddenly a car from behind started to weave his way in and out of traffic trying to overtake every car on both lanes of the road. Note: An example of horrendous driving. Needless to say, he did not get very far ahead. Also the other day, I was with 3 friends driving along the winding road coming back from Batu Feringghi when a bus suddenly cut directly into my lane causing me to swerve two or three times before getting my car properly back on the road. (Aside to my sis if you are reading this: don't tell mummy and papa!) Note: An example of horrendous and EXTREMELY DANGEROUS driving, forget about being rude!
As mentioned, Malaysians also have the habit of talking loudly and incessantly on their cell phones in public places. It's annoying enough when you are in a noisy coffee shop and the uncle sitting opposite you wants to make himself heard above the noise. Just imagine if it were in a quiet place. Only last night I was at a evangelistic meeting at the Geodesic Dome in Komtar. Even before the meeting began, it was announced for everyone to turn off their cell phones or to put them to silent mode. Some people just don't get it. So at intervals there were all sorts of ringing tones going off across the hall, and it is especially loud when there is a hushed atmosphere all around you. How distracting.
There are certainly many more rude behaviours attributed to Malaysians but it would take too much time to list them all down. So is there really no hope? Are we as bad as all that? Nevertheless, there may be a glimmer of hope yet. Just today I had an encounter with a very pleasant security guard at a shopping mall. As I entered the mall, the security alarms started going off, startling me in the process. I was unsure of whether to proceed into the mall or to try another entrance. Fortunately, a very nice guard came to my rescue and advised me what I should do instead of yelling at me for making his life difficult.
So I guess we should not give up altogether. Malaysians really are nice people deep inside, we just need to dig a little deeper to find it.

Ball-o-phobia?

2005-01-09T07:07:00.000-08:00

I'm deathly afraid of balls, be it basketball, football, netball, volleyball...you get the picture. I wonder if there is a specific term for it...ball-o-phobia? I have a horror of the ball careening towards me and slamming into my head. Which is why I generally shy away from team sports of any kind.
Today, however, I made an appearance at Youth Park to play captain ball with a few friends from church. It was at least 2 years since I had been last, rather like coming out of hibernation. Actually, the original plan was for me to go home and have a nap after lunch, and IF I wake up in time, then I would go for games. At the back of my mind I really had no wish to go, due to the aforesaid phobia, so I did not set my alarm clock on purpose, hoping that I would sleep through the afternoon. However, things do not always turn out the way you plan it. In the midst of my slumber, I received 2 text messages and one phone call asking me if I were going or not. One message can be ignored, even two. But after the third, I was more or less awake and since I told myself that if I could wake up I would go, there really wasn't much choice in the matter. Dragging my unwilling body out of bed, I got ready and drove to the park, half an hour later than the time we were supposed to meet.
But when all's been said and done, I had no regrets going. I may not have played that much, due to the fact that I ducked or ran away most of the time whenever the ball came in my direction (much to the chagrin of my teammates), but I certainly enjoyed myself. Oh well, I hope the fear will dissipate in time...

Bored until blur

2005-01-02T22:34:00.000-08:00

Have any of you ever felt that there is really, absolutely nothing to do, especially after a hectic season of rushing about here and there, doing this and that? I'm sure that this is not alien to many of us, especially my circle of friends. Just the other day I was talking to a friend of mine who had just gone home to Johor and he spoke these words, "I'm bored until blur!" Which quite appropriately describes most of us right now.
December 2004 was a really busy month for me. With so many activities going on, there was hardly enough time for me to even sit down and rest. My home became a hotel, what with me just coming back to eat, bathe and sleep.
But now, in the first few days of 2005, I think it is time for me to sit down and reflect on what I want to achieve for myself this coming year, not merely pack it full with activities but rather to focus on what would bring me the greatest satisfaction and fulfillment. One of the ways I believe I can attain this is to have a closer relationship with the Most High God. Which is why one of the top priorities for me this year is to have a deeper, more meaningful time spent with Him each day, and not just to fulfill a duty or obligation. Also, with the help of my buddy :), I will strive to read through the entire Bible this year. This will not be an easy task, as I have attempted it before and only managed to do it half way through. Nevertheless, I believe that this year it will be possible with God's strength and the encouragement of my buddy.
As I am typing this, my boredom and "blurness" are slowly diminishing, and I am getting truly excited about what God has in store for me this year in all areas of my life. There is no need to be bored when there is nothing to do, but it is a good opportunity just to rest and be still in God's presence, to listen to His voice and to know that He is always there.

"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him."
Psalm 91: 1-2 (NLV)

Out with the old, in with the new

2004-12-30T20:16:00.000-08:00

At the time of writing this, it is approximately 12 hours to the dawn of the new year. Looking back, this is has been a somewhat interesting year for me. I feel rather melancholic now, knowing that 2004 is coming to an end and 2005 is just around the corner. It's simply amazing how time flies. This year has seen me doing things which I have never done before. This blogging thing, for example, is one of them :) However, I do regret not starting it earlier... it somehow grows on you. Also, what I am most thankful for this year is for getting to know people whom I have since formed close relationships with. All of you have truly made this year special for me and I certainly hope our friendship will carry on next year, and the next... and the next.. :)
It never fails to surprise me how people can have such an impact on my life, sometimes even without me knowing it. I tend to think of myself as not so much of a people-oriented person, but more of a task-oriented person. Before this, I never placed much emphasis on forming relationships with people, but this year has shown me the value of close friendship and again I regret not regarding people as important in my life. Sigh... it just shows that life has many more lessons to teach me.
Another thing which I am grateful for is that this year I have been able to extend my ministry in church beyond the corner of the musical instruments of which I have stood for the past 7 years. I do remember that I did say quite some time ago in a cell group meeting that I would like to serve in other areas and I specifically mentioned childrens' ministry. Which is why you should never say things that you don't mean... God hears you! This year, it has been my privelege to help in the KidsGames held for one week during the school holidays. At first, I volunteered my help out of necessity but I must say that I have absolutely no regrets. To see 800 over children praising and worshipping God is a rewarding sight in itself. To see so many of them being saved and accepting Jesus into their lives... the feeling is indescribable. After the event was over, I thought that was that. However, whoever said that God works in mysterious ways could not have been more true. A few weeks after that, the youth ministry intern called me up and said that pastor wants all the youth leaders to serve once a month in childrens' church as a team. After hearing that, I could only say...wow... God has granted the desire of my heart which I myself had forgotten after such a long time.
2005 is a mere 11 hours away now. It has not been a habit of mine to make new year resolutions all these years, but to keep up with my tradition this year of doing things which I have never done before, I think I have just enough time to add one more new thing to my list. So till next year, here's wishing all of you a blessed 2005!

The post-Christmas post

2004-12-29T03:50:00.000-08:00

My Christmas presents are still sitting on the table where I left them. There they lie, amongst the colourful wrappers, ribbons, cards, etc. It's almost as if that I do not want to put them away, hoping that with the sight of those presents, Christmas is not over yet.
Reflecting back, Christmas this year has come and gone in a whirl. I have been so busy with so many things that it is only now I realise I had almost forgotten the true meaning and spirit of Christmas. Christmas is not about giving and receiving presents, Christmas trees, singing carols or even performing in Christmas musicals. Admittedly, these are all part and parcel of the Christmas season, and yet...and yet...
The natural disaster which struck our country and many others in this region on the day after Christmas really put things into perspective for me. Especially after Christmas, people have been questioning, "Why did God allow this to happen?" Funny, isn't it, how people blame God when something bad happens and yet fail to acknowledge Him for all the good things and blessings which they have received.
From this tragedy, I truly believe that the true spirit of Christmas is to have sincere thanksgiving in our hearts always, whether in good or bad times. What more can we be thankful for in that God sent His one and only Son to be born as a child into this world to save us from our sins. If we do not remember Christmas for this reason and this reason only, everything else we do will be in vain. And with this spirit of thankfulness, it is then we can reciprocate by showing to others the grace which we have received from God. Especially in this desperate time of need, we as God's children need to show our love and practical help to the victims of this tragedy. Only then will they realise that someone still cares for them, amidst the grief and loss that they are suffering.
Thus, even in times of great tragedy, I believe God has in purpose in allowing it to happen. We need to take hold of this opportunity that we have to show God's love to those that need it the most and also to be thankful for every circumstance. This I believe is the hearfelt message of Christmas, to be demonstrated in our lives not only during the Christmas season, but all the year round.

Of tidal waves and tsunamis

2004-12-26T02:38:00.000-08:00

Tragedy has struck our beautiful island today. I never thought I would see the day, but it has. Tremors from neighbouring Sumatra has brought about a tidal wave to our shores and also to our other neighbours in Asia. So far 11 people have died here in Penang and the number is rising.
In my small comfortable world, I have been blissfully ignorant of the plight of the people who may live just across the border or across the ocean. Until it happens right here, I can think of no other words than this is truly a wake up call. I have been so painfully naive that I had no idea of even what was a tidal wave. The first I heard of it was this afternoon when I received a text message from a friend. Dismissing it as nothing, I prepared myself for what I felt was a well-deserved nap. Later on, however, I received another message from a very reliable source i.e. a good friend confirming what had happened. In my sleep-deprived condition, I called him and thereafter proceeded to demonstrate my utter lack of knowledge on anything concerning tidal waves or tsunamis, as they are known in some parts of the world. Shame on me..
After hanging up the phone, I looked out my window and observed my surroundings. Everything looked normal. The sun was shining, the weather was calm...there was nothing to indicate what had just happened just on the other side of the island. A thought then struck me. This indeed is a sign of the end times and what have I done to prepare for it? Everyday I live my life as if I intend to live on this earth forever. Sometimes I tend to forget that the earth is the Lord's, and just like He created it, he can take it away in just the blink of an eye. Nothing is impossible.
We should all be aware that life indeed is very fragile. Just as God created the earth, so He created us in His image and just like He can destroy the earth, our days here are numbered. A scary thought, but so real. The reality of it all just hits home. Indeed, a true wake up call.

"For I, the Son of Man, will come in the glory of my Father with his angels and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I assure you that some of you standing here right now will not die before you see me, the Son of Man, coming in my kingdom."
Matthew 16:27-28 (NLV)

Intro to me...

2004-12-26T01:55:00.000-08:00

Well.. I guess it's finally time for me to join the world of blogging. It was never my intention to do so in the first place but for my good friend who persuaded me to "rekindle the passion for the pen". And since it's the broadband age :), this is a perfect platform for me to express my thoughts instead of hunting out scraps of paper which will be eventually lost in my house under the piles of books and other things.
Anyway, I do hope you enjoy your visit here and please feel free to post comments. Have a nice day! :)