Sympathique

Don't mind the title, it's a song by pink martini! I discovered the band through their rendition of Que Sera Sera in Youtube. It's such a catchy song! And the best thing? It's in French mwahaha. C'est une magnifique song! And their rendition of Que Sera Sera is lovely as well. I like their style of songs, pretty simple and nice (Y).

Anyway today was a nice Saturday. It's literally a I-didn't-do-anything-Saturday. I failed when I told myself I want to study in the morning. But anyway as I once said to myself, I want to make Saturday an off-day for me. I want a system where I work hard on weekdays, and and off on Saturday, and then back on Sunday to study. It's not good to have a 7/7 studying days uh.

Anyway a friend of mine SMSed me telling me that she's stressed. It's only the beginning of the year and she's already stressed. So I told her to constantly take breaks, and don't stress herself up! It's not good either to study hard for the sake of getting good grades, while you're jeopardising (okay that word is too dramatic but..) your health, and your mind.

I believe one should spread their workload in one semester long. Don't do things on the 11th hour of course. And neither do we push our work in the early times, and let us suffer in the beginning. Life is all about balance. There's time to play, there's time to study, there's time to give yourself emptiness, there's time to do something you love. Many.

Was reading the 7 effective habits book, and it says something like if you're being too school centred, you tend to only focus on getting good grades. While actually, you're going to school to study and earn knowledge. Not grades. So if you go to school saying you want to top the cohort, you want to be the top in class. Then you shouldn't come to school at all.

You can make being the top of the cohort a goal. But not something you go to school for. Well who doesn't want to be the top of the cohort right? I want to be it too (even though I know I won't). But yeah, ultimately don't just study to get good grades. Ultimately in life, life will test you not based on the grades you have. Life isn't only about getting good grades after all.

It's like well, personally, I don't want to study so hard that I literally have no life at all. I don't want to focus on just getting that 4.0. I want to lead a balanced life between studying, and playing, and resting. That's why if I see a shooting star, I won't wish for a 4.0. I'll wish that I have balanced life between studying, resting, and playing. Make more sense no?

And so why am I talking about studies!! Hahaha.

Alright I guess that's all for today. So love the fact that Monday is a holiday, and I'm going for an outing with my lovely FLC editorial mates :D Sweet. So... I have to study tomorrow! Make full good use of the long weekend. Remember, it's balance! See ya all.

Sublime emptiness.

Laughter

Right I know you may find this weird, but I'm currently listening to a Buddhist chanting as I'm writing now. It's the avalokiteshvara chant. Hmm I just know it's a chant of compassion. I listened to this chant when I was young... Back when I was in P3. In my uncle's house. I remember watching a video of Tibet, and the chant playing as a song.

So now I'm reunited with it, and.. I finally rediscover the peace, again :) I just feel so peaceful as I listen to these chantings. I may not understand the true meaning in the chant (it's in Tibetan, or Sanskrit, I'm not sure). But it's just peaceful.

Anyway today was a great day. Pretty chemistry-ful day! A bit tough on the brain but I can do it, as usual need more reading. But anyway... To Ms Yulia, I hope you'll get well really really soon! Dumb me for thinking that I'll have prac today... And it's only on odd weeks. Thankfully I forgot to bring my labcoat heh. Blessing in disguise.

Lunched with KX, Candy and Vith at FC5. Talking about lots of stuff haha. And Vithya was so funny about Kai Xuan's way of eating haha. And guess what.... I SIGNED UP FOR SAILING FOC! To band members don't worry I'm not quitting or whatsoever, the dates are not clashing with anything so don't worry eh :D

Went home first to gra something before meeting Sharon and Jolene. We were meeting for dinner at prata house :D And now we have Wei Qi and Yang Peng too! Sadly Brenda couldn't make it :O Well we talked about lots of things... It was really funny in a sense it's like... Some are totally-doesn't-make -sense at all but at times they are so freaking funny! :D

Ah well I think it's been quite a long time since I had a great laugh with people. We were talking about like what we gonna be in the future and stuff. Then YP told us that he just wants to be happy right now, anytime. And I think he's right! Life's already so tough, might as well live it to fullness, and live everyday with a wide smile on your face.

Think positively, think happily, and create the best in the worst. That's why of the 7 effective habits, I feel that the 4th habit, Think WIN-WIN is my favourite :)

Haha this might be lame or what... But when I was young, people would tell me that we shouldn't laugh too much, okay or maybe like excessively. Or be EXTREMELY ra-ra and happy cause if you're in an extremely happy situation, later you'll cry. Hahaha I don't really know whether it's true. But here's my "theory" to the situation.

We won't cry. Maybe we'll feel sad. If like bad things that upset us happen, that might just be a co-incidence. But my theory is this. When we're having fun, we're being happy for some moment, then we have to sort of "leave" that moment away, forever. You can't relive the exact moment again, can you? Cause time will always flow.

So the fact that you gonna leave the happy moment, and get back to reality, that's one part of this "sadness" you'll feel. You might not PHYSICALLY feel it, or even emotionally. But there's one part of you that will just feel... Empty. Feel like oh man that was fun! Yes you'll feel a sense of happiness and satisfaction. But also, a tinge of sadness or... Withdrawal. Hmm?

Or well maybe it's just the fact that the you'll-cry-after-happy-moments are planted in my head. But well, that's my theory of that theory I used to cling on. I'm trying to get rid of that. But well that's my theory hoho.

Alright off to study again! Bathing first though. I wanna wake up early tomorrow to study in school, while waiting to meet Brenda :D :D So yup! See ya then.

The past was a story, the future a mystery. Live your present to the fullest, and be positive always. Thus you shall be freed from misery :)

Ganbatte Concert!

Music is a freedom.

Photography by Yours Truly

Freedom of everything. Of anything

Hello! OMG I just performed in the Ganbatte concert for Japan and it's freaking awesome! I really really love the ending. I think it was just.... GRAND. And happening! I really love the response that we get from the audience. It's just so uplifting and nice and... Aww! Haha. This is what I love about being a musician - the happiness I get from the audience :D

Anyway reported to SPCC just now at 3, some people were late... Oh well. Rehearsed till 5 PM or so. An Chun was so funny when conducting just now! :P Anyway dinner-ed at 6 plus, I went to change first though. And reported back to the convention centre at 6.30. The funny thing was... I wasn't feeling nervous or scared before the performance. Only until Mr Chiang came onto the stage :O

But... I think the concert was awesome! I love the last 4 songs especially! As I previously said it's my first time accompanying a singer in a band. So it was really an interesting experience :D And I love Do Enka Medley! Cause I am familiar with the songs there (except the first one). I used to listen to them while in P6-Sec 1 era.

However... We Are The World! That is like the boomz! I really enjoyed playing the song with the band. Just so lively and nice. The arrangement is also awesome in a sense that it starts with a daunting and mysterious melody (like the earthquake) and then with a lively bang! It's a very spirited song. And once again, I love the response from the audience very very much!

Honestly speaking I've never donated a single cent for Japan, since the earthquake started. However, I hope that performing in tonight's concert just now can be a form of "donation" I can give for Japan. I feel donation doesn't just mean money. It all comes back to heart. Your prayers, your wishes, in one way or another will reach the people and heart of Japan! :)

And to the new committee of the band, I think you guys have done a wonderful job! Sadly some people didn't do what's told by all of you but seriously, you guys did a great job :)

Alright, I've lots of things to do tonight! Hope can finish them in like 2 hours.... Alrighty see ya all! Have a good rest to the band members :)

This is why I love music, why I love music.

For Japan :D

Hello! I'm so excited right now.. Well, umm pre-concert fright/excitement haha. SPSB will be performing in a concert tomorrow! With the SP Daiko Drummers as well. We're performing in a concert for Japan! :D It's my first time performing in a charity concert, and also accompanying a singer in a song :D So yep pretty excited!

The past two days have been quite... Hectic. Both band wise and school work wise. So gotta make more time for catching up! But anyway I'm sure the hard work we've put in for this concert will pay off beautifully tomorrow! So good luck to my dearest SPSB members for tomorrow's concert! Lets pull off a wonderful one :)

And let us all send our hopes and wishes for Japan through the language of music. A language the world knows, no barrier. Nothing :D

Alright just a pretty short update. Pretty sleepy right now -.- so I'm going to sleep! See ya soon aye. Pretty excited for tomorrow's concert! As usual, I'll give my 100% effort but most importantly - enjoy myself there, and have an awesome time :)

Music is a language that knows no grammar, tense, or vocabulary.

Genuine Happiness

It's 12:53 AM and I have to wake up in about 7.30 hours more time. And what I'm doing now? Blogging of course :P But anyway yeah I just feel like blogging cause it's been a great weekend spent with my cousins and I just feel like I should blog it. Plus I wanna say something heh. Wanna write something about the tittle.

Anyway yeah I spent the weekend with my cousins. My long weekend, as I previously mentioned. It was an awesome one :D I went to Universal Studio yesterday! So freaking awesome, I love the rides especially BATTLESTAR GALACTICA :D I told myself in the beginning that I'm so not going to take that but apparently, I just can resist! And it's so bloody awesome :D

But I went for the human side. Cylon is just too :O

Then spent the evening at Sentosa itself, walking around playing Luge. It's like a finally for me. I've been studying in Singapore for like 8 (soon to be 9) years and I have never been: Luge-ing, watching song of the sea, go to the Merlion park in Sentosa and of course to USS. So I've been doing these things (except song of the sea) while my cousins have all went there! Hahaha.

So I'm glad to have done all those things yesterday :P

Today was spent umm mostly on the shopping side. I went to the Red Dot Museum with my cousin, Febi, today too! It's such an awesomely inspiring place. I couldn't imagine how, and urrghhh where those wonderful ideas come from!! It's just so awesome. You should go there seriously. Then the rest was spent outside, shopping heh. Shopped for some stuff as well :)

And oh well, that's all for this awesome weekend. And tomorrow, or in fact a few hours later, school is starting and it will end late cause of rehearsal. It's like being back to reality! Haha. But c'est la vie! We can't do anything about it can we, life has to move on, as the song by Leann Rhimes (correct spelling?) says, Life goes on. Oh well....

But it's been a really awesome weekend with my aunts, uncle and cousins, seriously!

Talking about the tittle of the post, here it is.

You know we always feel happy. We always feel happy when happy things happen to us. When things we love happen to us. When we just feel happy. And nice. But not all of these happiness are genuine happiness. Not saying that our feeling of happiness is "fake" in a sense like we're in denial or something like that. It's more like the happiness that we feel OUTSIDE of our feeling.

Oh dear confusing much.

But like anyway take it this way. Happiness is like eating your favourite cake. You feel happy cause you eat something you love. Genuine happiness is like when you find a toilet after holding your pee after 3 hours. Or when you join a competition, and you win it without knowing, or expecting that you're going to win.

Happiness is felt for a moment, then the feeling lingers for a little while, and it leaves. Genuine happiness is felt for a moment, then the feeling lingers for a longer while. And plus, you feel other "positive" feelings coming into you. Like satisfaction, pleasant, glad, and accomplishment. It's just different.

And we feel happiness often, but we seldom feel genuine happiness.

And that's why it's so hard to get genuine happiness, and when you get it, you can't really feel it. It can only be felt by the inner you. Not something that you can truly feel, happy. It's like feeling happy, and then with that something else, but you can't feel it yourself, physically. Oh man sorry for making it so complicated, but you get a tinge of it yeah?

Anyway I thought of all these while in Starbucks just now with my cousins. Amazing huh, thankfully I can still remember them. I should bring a small notebook next time, anywhere with me so that I can jot down these wonderful points uh! Haha. Alright that's all for tonight, ciao! Hope I'll have an awesome day, and not-so-tiring day tomorrow :D

Happiness, it's really a pursuit.

Long weekend ahead!

First of all to those celebrating... Happy Easter Day! :D And to both, happy holiday and hope you'll have a great long weekend ahead. Well I will! Cause my cousins and aunts are here in Singapore now. So I'm going to go out with them for the weekend. So it sort of "relieves" my slight home sick I have, for I've just returned for one week here in Singapore.

Anyway Thursday was alright, OCRM is a bit... No no, I can do it :D Hehe. Yes it's slightly hard to understand, but after reading a couple of times I get the hang of it and yeah, so conclusio more reading! Had band in the evening, finally get the chance to play all of the 7 pieces. And yes I need more practice. That's why I bring home my instrument to practice in anytime I can.

Today I went out with my cousin and friends. Poor them for only having one our of sleep last night! So I hope they'll have a great sleep tonight for we're going to USS tomorrow :D My first time there as well hehe. And went out with them around Orchard area, and brought one of them, who is my sis' friend as well, Fenny, to eat frog's porridge! In Geyland...

I really had an "interesting" walk there just now... Don't worry NOTHING HAPPENED. Just that I saw some things for the first time. Pretty interesting... And creepy at the same time. Cause we were walking along this street (lorong) and some guys were looking at my sis and her friend -.- Thankfully my sis bf was there and so I pretended to be Fenny's "boyfriend" heh

Alright I need to wake up early tomorrow so... Off to bed! See ya :)

PS: Trying out posting pictures without captions :)

Semarang trip photos :)

Hello! I didn't post pictures from my Semarang trip... Cause I've decided to make a photo montage! Anyway here it is, enjoy the pictures :D

Won't be blogging much today cause not really on the mood of blogging but... MY INTERNET IS BACK :D :D :D But Singtal called shortly after that saying something is still wrong with the internet (even though I'm perfectly normal with it). Oh well hope for the best :O

Alright enjoy the video! :)

Music

Relax, life's already fast.

Photography by Yours Truly

Take a break when you can.

It's day 2 today! Umm alright I'm itching to blog everyday, but I doubt that can happen, for I once said that blogging takes quite a lot of my time. Cause when I write it's not a pretty "smooth" process thingy. But anyway I'll try to blog everyday :) Day 2 was awesome I guess. So gonna love odd-week Tuesdays cause lessons start at 3! :D

Today we learnt Biochem minus the basic. So we're getting down into reaaal business! :P Thankfully our lecturer is Mdm Mah! Oh man she's such an awesome teacher. Even though today's lesson was a bit tough for me, she made the class fun and enjoyable! Anyway yeah Biochem is pretty "complicated" if I were to say. But take one step at a time huh.

Then we have OCRM, Organic Chemistry Reaction Mechanism. And... Miss Yulia is our teacher once more :D Awesome or what. Umm from the word reaction mechanism, it sounds pretty scary, and in fact she says that this module is not going to be easy. "Hiccup". Hmm but anyway, lets take one step at a time, there's no need to rush. It's like learning to fly... Yeah.

Had band practice today finally! Were trying out the pieces... And yeah I'm playing 2nd! Umm a bit shocked by that heh. The pieces are okay I feel, but yes I need more polishing and practice. I guess it's really fun to play pop songs, cause in one side, I know the songs, and in another... I don't know, it's just fun. But that doesn't mean that I don't like playing non-pop songs.

I love playing music :) Just that pop is sort of more fun hehe.

Anyway, days can be tiring but I feel that listening to chillout songs on the bus home is pretty blissful and peaceful! I love it when some songs just sort of rejuvenate me, or make me happy instantly right after I listen to them. So sometimes after a long day, I can "take a rest" before reaching home, just by listening to these songs!

But I still feel that I need to find the inner peace of myself :)

Alright that's all for today! I'm going to revise Biochem. That's my resolution this semester... Or this year... Or for the next two years... To revise my day's lesson everyday! I will try my best :D When I think I can, I will :)

Something about music, that makes you smile

Year 2 Day 1

Let the wind carry the troubles away

Photography by Yours Truly

Think positive! :D

Hello! Currently at Spectrum with Candy and Kai Xuan. Candy is waiting for her Dip Plus, Kai for the CLS FLP dinner and me for band. Lessons ended at 4, so we decided to wait till our activities (which co-incidentally all start at 6.30 :D) to start hehe. Whew, it's the first day and I'm a bit washed out :O But thankfully it's rather... Manageable hehe.

We learnt quite a few things today, like Genetic and Molecular Biology. I'm saying hello again to my beloved genetics which I don't really like heh. And the Punnet's square! Brings back Biology memories. Thankfully the words still ring in my head. What I don't get is the lab biorisk management... It's (sorry) pretty dry, and I don't quite get what the biorisk is all about.

But nevermind, I guess I'll let time be my teacher :)

Hopefully I can get through these lessons well this time. I'm changing my studying habits hopefully. Wait, I mean I AM changing haha. Hopefully isn't as convincing as the word AM. Anyway the plan is that I'm going to at least everyday, and revise my work (given the time) everyday or at least once every 2 days.

Something tells me that year 2 is gonna be hard. Well the modules today say so, and that's only 2! 4 more remaining to be discovered. Nevertheless I'll never say no. And I won't give up :) Think positively, that's my mantra for this sem onwards hehe. I can do this :)

The reason why I'm blogging now is that so I can have more time to rest tonight. Blogging takes up quite a lot of time of my night sometimes. So yep, since I have the time now, and since I'm not doing anything (just read through the biorisk stuff), so I just blog now hehe.

And talking about band, we have an upcoming, or should I say very very upcoming concert! 7 pieces to learn, and like 9 more days left :O Oh dear, shall do my best to learn and catch up with the rest. But the concert is for Japan! Nothing beats the joy of doing something good I suppose :)

Alright I guess that's all for today I guess. Shall blog more hopefully. I feel like I should change and manage more of my after-school activities so that I can have more/equal time in studying as well :) Alright ciao ciao

Jia you! One day gone many more ways to go :)

Big smile!

Goodbye year 1, hello year 2 :)

Photography by Yours Truly

Year one ends, like how a day ends

Hello! Here I am, back in hot and humid Singapore. And school is starting tomorrow! With a new semester saying hello to me. I felt so "haiz" when I stepped out of the plane just now. Cause I saw the monitor showing the flights, and there were like flights to London, Athens, France, Sydney, you name it. And me? My next flight is Singapore Polytechnic I suppose haha!

But anyway, as much as I hate the fact that school is starting tomorrow... Lets welcome the new semester with a big smile and an open heart! I shall think positively and eagerly to welcome year 2! I know I sound nuts but anyway I'm pretty much pumped out and excited (not really...) about year 2! But whatever the case, lets be positive about this.

Don't dread school, and school won't dread you :)

Alright I guess I won't talk much now. I still have a bag to unpack, and I feel like.. Dropping on my bed and just watch TV. Just reached Singapore and I already miss the joy of doing nothing like what I've been doing for the past 2 weeks, or more -.- Oh well school's starting! Lets go and head's up and... Welcome Sem 3!!!

Oh well oh well.

Time flies

Right here I am blogging again as I said in the afternoon. The reason I wanna blog is that I'm going back tomorrow :/ So as usual I would blog, if you haven't realised heh. Anyway yep. I hate myself for procrastinating. Wanted to blog at 11:48 (stated time) but now it's 2:24 AM and I just blogged. Nevertheless here we go!

I'm both sort of "lazy" and excited to go back tomorrow. I guess my holiday is awesome, so it's pretty hard for me to try and go back to reality. But anyway c'est la vie, there's no way the days can remain as holidays, can't they? Lazy in a sense yes, I want a longer holiday and excited cause it's... Year 2! It's research baby :D

Can't believe that one year has passed by so quickly. I'll be a year 2 student starting on Monday onwards. And well it's pretty much exciting and heartbreaking to sort of moved forward to year 2. My result in last sem wasn't something I expected. But I told myself I won't let that be something that will hold me back. I'll work harder, I know that.

Research is pretty interesting as well. I've found out what we'll be learning this semester. Some modules sound scary, others quite interesting like pharmacology! OCRM sounds hmm, threatening heh. But never mind, shall work equally hard for every module, maybe some harder. I'm hoping to brace year 2 smoothly and joyfully. Hope year 2 is as good, or better than year 1 :)

So my holiday has come to an end. I feel that this holiday has been an awesome one :D Not only that I did quite lots of things, activity-wise, I also travelled to Central Java for a trip! It's pretty lonely in a sense my cousins weren't here, but thankfully my aunts were here for a few days in the first week as well. It's kind of a pity that the holiday wasn't long enough for me :/

But hey look on the bright side! June is coming soon and I'll be going back again anyway, even though the dreaded exams are around the corner, AKA after the June holidays (I don't know who came up with that brilliant idea). And I may even go back on the 30th cause my aunts are going to Pelabuhan Ratu, so was thinking of going together with them, plus 1st May is holiday :D

Oh well as ironic as life can be, we always want time to fly as slowly as possible when we're having fun. And to fly quickly when times are boring. But well time flows like how it will flow. No human can control how fast time flies. One can only feel that time flies more quickly/slowly, but never be able to make time fly quickly.

I've not been feeling so "not-excited" about going back. Usually in the past, something is happening after I go back to Singapore. Like the O-level result, sec 4 year (AKA O Level), my concert and more. But now... Not sure why I feel so crappy to go back. But usually I feel crappy too heh, who doesn't feel such way when leaving your hometown after a holiday uh?

Anyway, I've written 9 writing topics this holiday. Say hello to my OCD-ness, I shall write another one to make it a nice 10!

Holiday writing topic #10 - Mind

In year 1, and in this holiday, I've learnt something. I've learnt that you mind is a powerful thing. It's more powerful then your strength, your body, and it's what control you. I'm a firm believer of believing in yourself-theory. Like I said once, if you think you can, you will and if you think you can't, then you won't. I have proven this, and I'm going to carry it with me to year 2.

There are some situations, which I told myself - I'm challenging my mindset, I'm challenging______ (fill in the blank). And in myself, I told myself that yes, I'm challenging this. And somehow somewhat, the situation is really challenged and it goes the way I want it to be. You may call it co-incidence, luck, probability etc. But I firmly believe, it's yourself.

I was talking to my uncle about this. And he was telling me something about this as well. You may know it as the law of attraction, or more different things. I call it the mind. The mind is a powerful thing. If you firmly believe in something, and you always have a certain mindset, then your life, or a situation will revolve around that mindset.

It's like what I've learnt in the FLP camp. The paradigm. Our lives revolve in the paradigm that we set in ourselves. If we firmly believe in one thing, then our lives will revolve around that thing. But sadly, whether that thing is good or bad, it lies within time, and the impact we left on others, and the situation itself.

Okay so that's all for today. But this is what I'm going to carry with me all year long, or in fact, all life-long. I'm going to have a positive mindset about everything. I want to make the best out of every situations. I will try to always look on the bright side of things. For to every negative things, there will always be something positive lurking behind it.

It's all up to us, whether we wanna find it or not.

Back again, back soon :/

Hello! Oh dear I've been wanting to blog since I return from the Semarang trip but apparently I've been feeling so sleepy that I fell asleep while, or when going to blog. Anyway I'll just update the trip here I suppose :D

So anyway the first day was spent at Juwana, a small town 2 hours from Semarang. Had delicious dinner there! 3 types of food in total, and in a row. There's stir fried frog meat and frog meat soup, very spicy and tangy :D Then we ate beef satay with the internal organs also included. So yummy, love the "fats" there, I don't know how to say in English. Last but not least we had the ox satay as well! The meat is grounded so it's soft and nice. Me favourite :D

The next day we drove to Yogyakarta in the late morning. We headed to Borobudur first, it's an ancient Buddhist temple. I've been wanting to go there, and when I saw the monument I just went :O it's so huge! And snapped lots of pictures there. Sadly some of the Buddha statues' heads are taken off, should be due to some foragers :/

Had dinner in Yogya then, as we met with my brother's colleague. There's this shop called SS = Serba sambel = Everything with chillies. It's very spicy! But so yummy as well :D And addictive. We also went to Malioboro, it's like a shopping district of Yogyakarta, and it's pretty bustling with lots of shops and restaurants and food vendors etc.

The next day's morning was spent in Yogya as well. Had a delicious bowl of meatball soup, but with fried meatballs in a soup! Very nice and crispy. And we also went to this shop, it's like "Everything with mushroom"! Very nice, I love the food there. Duh, I'm a mushroom lover :P After that we start our journey back to Semarang.

Before going to Semarang we went to this place called Bandungan. It's like a highland so the weather in nice and cold. We went to this SPA resort (without going for one) where the view was so beautiful! :D And we also had freshly made soy milk... So freaking fresh and nice :D And also tofu, also fresh and lovely.

In the night, we checked in to the hotel and we drove around Semarang in search for food. There's this Semarang chicken rice. It's rice + chicken + soup. I love soupy rice :P And the seller is a nice lady as well. Went to this cool handout/chillout space as well called S2! And to this nice cafe where we can see the view of Semarang. Light glittering etc... It's so wonderful.

The last day was spent more on food as well heh. But we went to this temple where it's built to commemorate the arrival of Zheng He in Semarang. Then we drove around to look for nice food. I love the Leker, or Semarang's creppes. Very nice :D And then we head to the airport at night and then yeah, that's all for the trip.

It's pretty sad to realise how fast those 4D3N passed by. I love the life of the central Java people. They are nice and friendly. Life is sweet and simple there. The street vendors are willing to talk to you while you're eating. And they cycle everywhere! I really hope life can be as sweet as the life there seriously :/

Anyway I shall blog again tonight. Heading off now first. Continue tonight! :)

Semarang :D

Hello back to blog again... REFRESHED! Haha. Yes I was sick on Friday, but was feeling better on Saturday! Was a bit feverish and headache-ish still, but was feeling even better today hehe. But currently having a slight headache, and oh my gosh I'm going to Semarang tomorrow! It's in central Java, so I'm hoping I can really be fully recovered tomorrow :P

And I hate the fact that I have to wake up at 5 AM tomorrow, which is like... A few hours time! Gosh, and I can't sleep, not sure why I'm not sleepy -,-

Anyway won't be blogging so much. Today was another prayer to mark my grandma's death anniversary, but according to the Chinese calendar. Thankfully most of my cousins were here so it was rather lively, my house that is hehe. Played hide-and-seek with them today as well! Never had so much fun for quite some time :D

So yep I guess that's all for now! Will be away in Semarang for 4D3N and I'm hoping that this trip will be an awesome one! Been quite a long time since I travelled somewhere domestic, out of West Java. The last time was Bali, and that was when I'm in kindergarten -.- so I'm excited to go and explore the cities that I'll visit :D

Alright! See ya, will be back with photos from Semarang and other cities :)

Sometimes I wonder, will we still play hide-and-seek 10 years later?

Sick :/

Hello! What an early post today eh, well anyway.. I'm sick, damn. I was not feeling well when I woke up today. It's like headache plus nauseatic feeling, I thought it was alright so I just ignored it. At about 2 PM, I returned home from my grandma's house as the feeling was unbearable. I felt cold, nauseatic and I know I'm going to have fever...

Then ate a bit of lunch and... VOMITED. But it felt darn good haha, but well I threw up this medicine which I ate before I vomited, so have to eat a bit more and ate the medicine again. Fell asleep till about 5 I think, and then my body was damn freaking hot! Like I think it's 38 or higher degree celsius. Then my dad's colleague (a doctor) came and did a check on me... Everything's fine!

So the conclusion is that I'm having "masuk angin" or winds in the stomach or the medical term will be stomach flu I guess.

And thanks to my allergy to paracetamol, I didn't have anything to reduce my fever. Thankfully ibuprofen comes to the rescue! Took one tablet and then go to sleep. That was about 7.30 PM I think, and I just woke up a few while ago. About 12.30 plus. My fever is sort of gone now, but I'm feeling pretty light-headed. Must be due to too much sleeping -.-

Anyway I seriously didn't know the times just now. I was in constant sleep-and-wake cycle thingy, so I was really oblivious about the time etc. I'm feeling much better now, must be thanks to my mums "kerokin". It's a traditional way of chasing the winds away from the body by scraping coin on my back, which medicinal oil is added then. And my back was freaking red. And the redder the back, the more winds are inside your body (aka more severe).

Alright I guess that's all for today! Hoping to get better ASAP, or by tomorrow, as I'll be leaving for Semarang (central Java) on Monday! But thankfully feeling much better now. Alright see you then!

Simplicity

Nice sunset :)

Photography by Yours Truly

I love sunsets, and skies.

Hello! Today was a great day! Many things happened so I was sort of pre-occupied today, but nevertheless, it's somehow fun and sentimental at the same time. In the afternoon went to my grandparents' graveyard! It's... "fun" I guess, I know it's pretty much contradicting but well, it's been 5 long years since I visited the graveyard, and many longer years since I went there for the qing ming jie. So yup.

Anyway going to my grandparents' graveyard today just reminded me of how fast time could fly. It's been exactly 5 years ago since my grandma passed away, so yeah it's pretty quick huh. And I sort of like the cemetery (I know this is weird). The weather today was awesome and cooling, and the sky was beautiful. The cemetery was really quiet and peaceful so... It was a nice surrounding I guess!

Ate lunch with my aunts and we were talking about travelling. My uncle was telling me his life in Austria while he was still studying in the 80s! And damn he makes me feel like going there too :P I think Austria is a beautiful place, as he and some of my aunts mentioned and described. Oh and I feel like going to Greece as well! Cause one of my aunts went there last year.

In the evening I went to my dad's garden, and my aunt, dad and I were "ngoyos-ing". AKA plucking out the wild weeds that grow in the flower patch. Well we don't want them to take the food of the flower plants so we pluck them out! It's really fun and addictive, cause you're sort of urging to find as many weeds as possible to be plucked out. Plus, it's like an exercise! We were quite sweaty after that :O

And I think what my aunt said is true. While plucking out the weeds, our minds are... Empty. It's true! It's like I wasn't thinking of anything else while plucking the weeds, just getting the weeds out, that's what's on my mind. So it was sort of mind refreshing and fulfilling to do that. Well it's pretty rare in our lives that we actually have a moment of blankness in our minds eh?

So here goes my holiday writing topic #9 - Simplicity

If you were to give me a choice, in a holiday, to go out shopping in a city for 6 hours, or going to a beach for 6 hours, I'll definitely choose the 2nd choice. If you were to live in a metropolitan city, or a countryside house, I'll choose the second choice again. I love being simple, I love the fact that simplicity should be the way of living. Yes, even though I love a bit of indulgence (like food) but I still want, and wish and try to be as simple as possible.

I guess that's why I love taking random shots of objects, I love simple things like a simple notebook or mugs, I love simple songs, not too rara yet not too quiet. I love simple. I guess it's really the way to make life easier and nicer. I love simple food, with simple decorations etc. And I would really love to lead a simple life. Living in a small town, nice breezy weather etc.

I really don't mind working in a farm, in a small quiet countryside, leading a simple lifestyle. That's why I really enjoyed plucking out the weeds just now, cause it's a simple and yet fun job. I love and prefer things to be simple, sweet and nice. If possible, the way I live, the way life goes, everything, lets keep them simple shall we?

So yeah, I really love simplicity. You might not see how this is reflected in my life. But I love simplicity. Sometimes, life seems tougher now than those in the olden days. Cause I guess life was much simpler last time than of now. Try to make your life simple and sweet, and you'll see how much sweeter it can be :)

Brr

Life needs some direction

Photography by Yours Truly

Taken yesterday :)

Sorry for the title, it's really cold here right now, so... Yes it's pretty Brr in here! But well I'm in my room once again, and so.. It's not that cold heh. In fact it's cosy and nice, but I just opened the door cause it's pretty stuffy and hot just now earlier, I was cleaning up my room for something. And was also tidying up my photo frames, they were infested with... Moulds! But it's clean now, and I just did another round of wiping.

Today was a normal day I guess, just that we did some praying for this Tuesday's 青明节! Wow first time typing Chinese in my blog, and I hope it's the right spelling... So yep, we were praying before the day itself. So my aunt and uncle came, together with my cousins Via, Frans and Febi! I was playing chase with Via and it was so fun haha, feels like been a long time since I played that.

In the afternoon went to do the weekly grocery shopping as usual with my mum and sis, followed by my grandma's house! It's pretty funny, we were on our way home from my grandma's house back to my house when this uhh meatball seller came by. So we instead of heading home, we actually stayed longer to have a bowl of meatball soup! Sorry I really don't know what to call it in English, just meatballs I guess.

Umm yeah that's all for my day. My aunt from Jakarta is coming tomorrow though! She's joining us for the 青明节. So guess it's gonna be fun and yeah, less empty I suppose to say it.

I don't know what to talk again... So lets start my...

Holiday writing topic #8 - Childhood

Honestly, I don't know why I picked this topic. Perhaps due to the fact that I played chase with my cousin just now? So was sort of like thinking and reminiscing of my childhood. I'm not absolutely sure actually. But nevertheless, lets start. Hmm childhood is I'm sure something everyone wish to relive. Unless it's something bitter and painful, which is pretty unusual and rare I guess.

Sometimes... It's pretty foolish of me to think why didn't I have my camera when I was a child! I know nuts about photography then, let alone, a passion for it. But well pretty pictures of lanscapes, skies, events and more are inside the memory of my childhood. But well, there's no way I can "see" it again like a photo when it is now a memory.

I remember those days where Saturdays are like my favourite days. Well apparently here in Indo, we don't have a holiday on Saturdays. So I remembered how happy I would be every Saturday! After school I would wash my shoe, dry them, and then play with my cousins. 3 of my cousins stayed opposite of my house by the way. And we would play till the evening.

Every Saturday we would either go out. And my definition of going out is not like an outing at a nearby cafe or whatsoever. It's to go to my dad's factory in the evening for cycling or chase. Or we would "venture" to a nearby shop that sells snacks and drinks etc. Why venture? Cause we have to either go by this jungle-like place or this place with lots of drainages and yeah. So it's pretty adventurous.

On the special occasions, another 2 of my cousins would come for a stay over! I remember we would be so happy, they would either stay in my grandma's house, or my house. And on Sundays, we would wake up early to go and have a nice breakfast of porridge which is quite a far walk from my house. And we used to call it our "morning exercise".

And on Sunday afternoon I would still go with my mum for grocery shopping. I remember how I would beg my mum for things and if I didn't get it I would go bad-mood-mode. And my mum would scold me heh. On Sunday nights, those are the study-licious nights. Cause Monday is the next day and somehow I wouldn't just do my homework on Saturday, but Sunday night.

So those were my childhood weekend. Wonderful isn't it? Unlike now, every weekend I have to study, or I'll be pre-occupied with some things. Sometimes I would ask where have all these beautiful bliss go to? Life were so much simpler, sweeter and wonderful back then. Well now it's not as sweet as those days. But nevertheless I long for the day where these memories will be re-lived, re-captured, and replayed :)

Back

Hello hello! I'm back home now, on my comfy bed in my room, blogging here :D The weather is nice and cold, it just rained here. Such a pity that it was sunny and blue in the afternoon but well the weather changed drastically then :O But caught some awesome sunset pictures just now!

Okay shall make it a quick bloggy cause my battery is dying soon.

Anyway the flight yesterday was awesome, it was delayed for 20 minutes but nevertheless the rest is alright. Quite bumpy on air though, must be the clouds heh. After reaching the airport... Something "once in a million blue moon" happened! Shan't say it here but yeah, I'm both happy and shocked heh. But anyway, made our way back from then on. There was quite a heavy jam then.

We decided to take the Puncak route. Well it's not the usual route we took from Jakarta to my hometown, but we took it anyway cause the road in the usual route is really badly damaged. So the journey's going to be bumpy. It was my first time taking the puncak route at night, and it was beautiful! Cause the lights of the houses glitter and they look so beautiful.

Plus we can see the city from on top. Oh by the way puncak means "mountain top" so yeah, we can see the city on below. The lights were really pretty! Wish I could take a picture of the scenery but I don't have my tripod with me. Plus we wanna reach home ASAP so yeah.

Alright anyway I have to go now, shall blog more in the next few days! Ciao ciao

Going back

Hello! Currently at boarding gate A11 of Changi airport's terminal 3! It's really awesome there, I love the design of the terminal, so abstractly-beautiful. And it's my first time here as well. Thankfully Garuda has changed their terminal to T3, cause honestly I've been wanting to go here heh. And now waiting to board my plane, thankfully I have some time to blog at the gate :D

So this is my 2nd time blogging at the airport, seriously I feel that the airport is one of the most "inspiring" places to write? To pen down my thoughts or in this case.. Type them heh. Currently I'm facing the huge window again, looking at planes either touching down or taking off. The sun is shining through the windows creating a wonderful silhouette of the window.

And talking about silhouette, I was taking picture just now when the security personnel shouted from afar "No photography!" Oh man it's so embarrassing with the fact that there are other passengers there. But anyway lets abide the rule and I kept my camera back. But one of the passengers behind me was saying "but there's no sign that says no photography..." true enough!

Wow an A380 just landed :D

Well yesterday I went out with Jolene, Ben and Pow. Watched Hop together at JP and then we ate at Mr Prata! Apparently Jolene was having cravings for it so yeah. And then we slacked all the way till night, walking aimlessly at Clementi and drinking the not-so-okay OK tea heh. No offence but I feel the taste of the milk tea is... Weird. I'm not sure why either.

Anyway I'll be going back today, obviously from my title and my previous paragraph. I'll be going back for 2 weeks, finally. After all the camps and activities, I can take a break! But anyway this time round the holiday was pretty jam-packed with lots of things. But nevertheless these things are things which I enjoyed being at, and enjoyed doing! No regrets for joining the CLS FLP camp and being the photographer of the CLS FOC :D

Really looking forward to have a great holiday, for two weeks before hell starts. Just kidding, I mean year 2. It's back to reality in two weeks time! Well it feels really odd to start school, I think I have been having awesome fun for the past three weeks, so it feels a bit weird to go back to school in the next two weeks.

But anyway, I'm looking forward to year 2! Cause I'll be one student from the pioneer batch of Biomedical research :D IT's so gonna be awesome. Not sure how it will turn out but I'm looking forward to learning the things about research! I think it's gonna be fun hehe.

Alright I guess that's all for now, shall blog when I return home later. But seriously, I wish I can take a picture of the scene right in front of me now, it's really awesome and you'll know why I called the airport one of the most inspiring places to pen down your thoughts. Alrighty see you! :)

Lets have an awesome holiday!