In 2013...

It's finally the end of the year, the last day of 2013 that I'm bittersweet about meeting. Just like every year, I suppose, every year has to come to an end and a new one is on its way. And like every ending, comes a beginning. Before 2014 arrives, I would like to look back on this year which really really has been an odyssey for me. A roller-coaster ride that gives me thrill. I think 2013 is the year that I learnt a lot. Because it is when I officially stepped inside the school of life. Which is also known as social school. You're out there, in the world. No longer in classrooms.

It's the dawn of the last day of the year. And here I am writing all these. Looking back at the past 364 days have been really quite overwhelming both in a good and bad way. I suppose so many things happened in this year that I truly feel "heavy" as I look back on these days of 2013. Well as many things happened, so did I learn a lot of lessons. I am definitely a different person than who I was, 364 days ago. So, thank you for that.

So here are the list of lessons I learnt in this year. And also the list of things that happened too.

In 2013 I learnt that the only person who can fully feel your own achievement and accomplishment is yourself. The only person who can truly feel the joy of the path you chose is yourself. Not your parents, not your siblings or your friends, but yourself. And you can feel it more when this decision, this path you take, is made by you and your heart. Because at the end of the day, this is your life. You're the only person in charge of your happiness and how you feel about everything. In my case, I am truly proud of what I've achieved in the past 3 years, or 11 years of my life. Because these years truly shape who I am today. Without them, I am not the me today.

 I'm really proud of how far I've come thus far

In 2013 I learnt that there's so much more things you earned in school, rather than just a certificate and a title you'll get at the end of it. I'm proud of my diploma, I think it is the biggest achievement in life, in terms of academics (since I will most probably not go to a university). My hard work for the past three years have been paid off and I am happy with my final GPA. But I am also proud of the things I learnt outside the classroom. Socialising with people, leading people, the camps and trips I went to have shaped who I am today too - and not just what I learnt in the classroom.

 When riding a boat, don't just think of the destination, enjoy the view!

In 2013 I choose to believe that school is a place I go to earn knowledge and not a place where I solely go to, to secure a place in the workfield. If I learnt how to make pizza, can't I make pasta for dinner? Surely I can make pizza for lunch next month or something.

In 2013 I learnt that life is tough, so don't make it tougher. Like what Confucius once said "Life is really simple, but we insist in making it complicated". And well sadly I learnt too that the only person who make your life difficult is yourself.

 Life's tough so... Don't make it tougher!

Also in 2013, I learn that doing what you love is tougher. Especially when what stands between you and your dreams is your heart. If you go either way, it will cost you, your heart. I've been stuck but well I will just keep on doing what I love and when there is a will there is a way.I've always believed that dreams are like pollen grains that are hanging on bodies of bees. We simply cling onto them, not knowing when we'll land on a stigma of a flower that would pollinate it and grow into a fruit, which is the fruit of our labour. So instead of losing hope, I will still cling on to the things I love doing.

 Always remember that a seed planted won't flower overnight

In 2013 I learnt that things happen for a reason as always. Life may not give you the reason three hours or a day after a particular event happened. In my case this year, life gave me a reason to why I should return home 7 months after I'm back. I made the right decision to go back, not just for myself but more for the others here. I couldn't imagine the things that are going to happen if I don't return back. So yes, life gave me the reason why I should go back, 7 months after I'm here. And I'm pretty cool with that. Everything surely happen for a reason!

 Things happen for a reason. Like how you can walk on this sandbank

In 2013 I had my first solo-trip to Bali. And it is truly an exciting and eye-opening experience I will never forget. Taking a morning stroll along Kuta beach, then panicking trying to find a shelter cause there was a sudden storm.Walking along the streets of Ubud, looking at the arts and crafts over there. Have a sip of tea in a local shop. Walking along the streets of Kuta at night where everyone asked me to go inside bars, and I choose not to be drunk alone heh. It's an eye opener, because after this trip I fell in love with traveling alone.

 Sunset in Uluwatu, March 2013

In 2013 I learnt that traveling alone is wonderful. People associate "alone" as something negative and sad. When I told people that I was going to Bali alone or that I went to Bali alone, most of their response was "Why?" and they told me that wouldn't it be a sad experience. I hereby recommend everyone to travel alone at least once in your life (especially when you're young) because it will truly open up your horizon, and well hopefully, like me, you'll enjoy the experience. But please do your research before the trip, and keep safe when you're at your destination!

Here's to more solo-travels!

In 2013 I also learnt that going to concerts alone isn't a bad thing at all. I went to quite a lot of concert/symphonic band concerts alone in Singapore and I think it's quite normal. At least I'm going there to either support a friend, or I'll bump with someone I know. This year, my favourite band, Sigur Ros, came to Indonesia. And since no one in my family listens to them except for me, I decided to go alone because I wouldn't want to miss this chance! It was my first time watching a concert in my own homeland, and my first non-classical concert alone too. And it was an amazing experience. I love Indonesian Sigur Ros fans, and I was able to enjoy the concert to the fullest - cause I was able to move, and do, however and whatever I want. Takk Fyrir Sigur Ros!

Istora Senayan, 10/5/2013

In 2013 I graduated from SP. I have formally ended my polytechnic education, and most probably (or actually) my institutional education since I will most probably not continue to a university (long story, shan't talk here). I have obtained a Diploma in Biomedical Sciences and it is my highest achievement in life in terms of education. I have graduated with my target GPA and I'm proud of that too. It is rather sad to realise that everything has come to an end, because I truly enjoyed my 3 years in polytechnic. I'm so ever thankful to the lecturers who have taught me (Special mention to Dr Simon Tan, my FYP mentor) and to all of my friends, whom I have forged friendships and carved memories with. I will miss you, and I am still missing my days there, actually.

 Photo credit to SP

You only graduate once!

In 2013 I left Singapore for good. The eleven years I spent there, from my days learning English at NYU language centre in 2002, my primary school days in Pei Tong from 2003-2005, Tanglin Secondary school days, from 2006-2009, and last but not least SP days from 2010-2013, were really the best 11 years of my life. I've learned a lot both as a student, a small kid, a teenager and a young adult. And I'm ever thankful for the experience to study abroad since young. I've learned the value of independence and diligence. I've cherished the memories, friendships and relationships I made with the people there. I have treasured the flavours of solitude, which I truly miss. Singapore will always be a second home to me. Going back there will never feel like going for a holiday. It's just like going back home lor. Cause nothing seems foreign to me there.

 My room. Missing the mess, and everything else.

In 2013 I had a taste of the working life. Returning home, I began to help my father in his business and well, though I don't "formally" have a job here, like I don't have a fixed working hour and stuff, I still tasted the working life. I caught a glimpse of the life I might probably have to live here? I suppose? And well, working life is... Tough, in many ways. School's definitely more fun. But we can never stay forever young (we can feel forever young though). So yes even up till today I'm coping and coping with this transition. I hope in 2014 I get to pass this transition gracefully and beautifully.

 Hope I can grow beautifully like this green Shamrock

And in 2013 I had a taste of growing up. I turned 21 in July and to be honest, it feels... Nothing. I mean it feels normal, not sure what's the big deal of turning 21, why is everyone feeling so afraid of growing up. You're not alone, don't worry! But I surely had a taste in growing up. The times when you realise you're no longer teens and you begin to think about life more and more. I suppose, growing up means a lot of things. Like when you begin to hold responsibilities by yourself. When you begin to separate your rights and your wrongs. When you begin to get more confused with life (congrats!). When you get puzzled by your own actions and you're confused with what to do. Many people say one of the most difficult times in your life is in your 30s, when you have to juggle a career and a family. I think the twenties are also one of the most difficult times of your life. Because you're exploring, and trying to define who you are. And yes, it's very difficult to do that.

 Quoting Avicii's song

"All this time I was finding myself, and I didn't know I was lost"

In 2013 I learnt that the older you grow the lesser time you have for yourself. Well the older you grow, the faster, and the more the amount of things that will catch up with you. Your job, your responsibility and this and that. And yes you will have lesser time for yourself. When I mean for yourself, I'm referring to the times where you can do things that you want to do. Be it having a cuppa in Starbucks, or cooking your meals. Or simply lazying around the bed watching TV or surfing the net. You'll have lesser time for traveling too. So yes, in this year, I took every opportunity to be alone. Because I know the older I grow, the lesser time I have for myself. But I believe in the saying I come across with. "We don't find time, we make time". So yes, I think I'll need to plan my time better to enjoy some me-times.

 Alone time is ALWAYS welcomed!

In 2013 I learnt that school is more fun that working. The big big difference between these two is simple. In school, I will only get stressed when there are exams nearby, or when a big project/assignment is due. But once I got through all these, I can take a breather and do the things that I enjoy. It seems like I just need to brave through one storm, and once I get pass through it, I get to take a breather for a while before braving another storm. Whereas in working, problems never stop appearing heh. Because I guess in work you don't only have to deal with your "work", but you're also dealing with the people and everything else around you. So yes to my friends who are still schooling now, please enjoy your days there.

2013 has been... A year. Really. If 2012 was a year of patience to me, then 2013 was a year of change. It was a year of change because well, of the things that happened above. And change is the only constant in this world so I accept that and I learnt this year that you have to go with change, not go against it. It is when you go against it that you'll find everything wrong.

2013 was a year I wish wouldn't come because I knew in the beginning that this year will be the year where I'll be returning home for good. And well I really don't want to leave that sunny island but I know I have to. Time has proven to me why I have to. But like I said before I'm truly thankful for these 11 years because they have truly shaped who I am today.

When 2013 begins, there is nothing much that I was expecting out of this year. I don't know why but I feel emptiness within. When 2012 begins I was really hopeful, and I begin to jot down the things I want to do and such. But this year was pretty much different. I didn't write a lot of things, and well the end-result was quite surprising actually - I learned, and did more things that I expected myself to. So it's good that this emptiness actually bears a fruit.

In 2013 I learnt to not get over ambitious with resolutions. I think resolutions should start small, and small and achievable, and manageable and yes, I think these resolutions are easier to achieve. And I think cut it with the "lose weight" "travel a lot" "do a gazzilion things" resolutions. Instead of listing down all the places you want to visit, just pick a few and really work towards planning it, to achieve the resolution. Make your resolution SMART - Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-specific. Wow I still remember this! Hehe. (No I actually just remembered the S, M, R, T).

I have a few failed resolutions. I promised to blog often although I'm back here and my posts are actually cut by  62.2%! And yes it's quite depressing. But well I have my reasons too. I wanted to do a scapbook of my poly days when I graduated and once again it never happened. But well I'm quite thankful that I actually managed to keep most of the promises I made to myself. Which I shall not post here heh. So yeah, it's a game of give and take I suppose.

Alright, what a long post, and what a long year it has been. A lot of things happened and a lot of lessons learned. I'm sure I've learned more than what I've written above. But these are just the main things that I've learned. Thank you 2013, the people, the events, and everything else in between for the lessons learned and the memories cherished. This year of change has officially come to an end and well, here I am saying my farewell to you.

2014 is coming up ahead. I have yet to write my new year's resolutions and wishes and hopes and dreams. But well, here's to everything in 2013, and to a bright new year of 2014 ahead. Once again thank you everyone, especially those in Singapore, for making this year a truly memorable one for me. Goodby 2013! Thanks for everything really!

So long, and goodbye.

Best of 2013 - Part 2

Hi everyone again. Yes I could have blogged this series of best of 2013 in the past 8 days but they never happen. So I'm just going to end it off here since tomorrow is the last day of the year damn! Ah well, I'm going to write a really long post about the year tomorrow so do watch for it! Here's the 2nd and last part of best of 2013. And it's about travels.

[] Best of 2013 - Travels []

Since this year, I've decided to add a new resolution to every year. And that is to travel to a new place that I've never been before, if possible out of my country, every year. And this year I'm glad I went to a couple of new places and it's pretty nice to know that. I have plans for next year too and I'm going to make it happen. I love traveling to new places. Like I said isn't it such a waste to not see the world while you're walking on it, living on it? Right right? Hehe.

So yes let's begin to new place number one and that is Thailand! I've never been to Thailand. The only time I went there was for a 2 hour transit in Bangkok Airport while I was heading for Sweden heh. This year at least I managed to travel there. In Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi woots! Looking forward to more adventures in the land of smile. 

 Wat Arun, Bangkok

In March I headed to Bangkok and Phuket with Jolene, Melissa, Sharon and Weilun for our grad trip! We spent 4 days in Bangkok and another 4 in Phuket. I really love Thailand. Everything about it like the food, the places, the people. Well I kinda dislike the heat heh cause Bangkok's pretty humid but living in Singapore for 11 years I'm really used to it.

Somewhere in Phuket

Phuket's pretty lovely as well with the lovely beaches and bustling night life. Will never forget those times swimming in clear blue water with fishiiies haha. And somehow Thailand really reminds me of my country too. Just that everyone speaks Thai there (duh). And the food really suits my tongue. I really really love som tum AKA papaya salad.

Krabi!

And just recently like 2 weeks ago I just went to Krabi with Adeline and Jeslyn! I kinda prefer Krabi than Phuket because Krabi is more chill. But when it comes to night life Phuket excites me more. And yeah I just love how chill Krabi is despite of it being a tourist place. The locals are nice too and yup, beaches are lovely. I really hope I can explore the other provinces in Thailand! I just love the country and hope I can come back there one day :)

Train odyssey to Bogor

As for Indonesia, well I went to a few places I haven't been before or haven't explored before. I suppose one is Tasikmalaya, for my sister's friend wedding and another is Bogor which I took a train with together with my cousins last month. I think my country is a beautiful country and seriously speaking, there are so many places I've yet to explore. Exploring more new places in my country is definitely a new year resolution for 2014!

Sunset in Uluwatu

And to end off this post, I just wanna say that this year I learnt that traveling alone is a wonderful experience! My solo trip to Bali taught me that. Alone doesn't necessarily mean emo and negative. It's an eye opener which I highly recommend to everyone. But of course safety comes first so do research on the place you wanna go before you leave.

 Here's to more solo-travels in the future - and one adventure in 2014.

Best of 2013 - part 1

Hello hello I'm here again, at last. After countless times of asking myself to blog, I finally drag my fingers on the keyboard to type here. But anyway, it's another winter solstice! Wow wow time surely flies. I just made tang yuans (glutinous rice balls) last night and gonna have to eat them today, according to my age + 1 according to tradition so yep.

Anyway, usually I'll do reflection of the year kind of thing right. For the past two years I've been reflecting on the past 12 months of the year during the last 12 days of the year. But hmm I feel that... This year I wanna do something different. Besides, I feel that not every month has something really special to reflect about. I'm sure there is, just that this year feels really different. Anyho so yeah I'm just going to give the highlights of this year. Be it events, concerts and travels.

So today, let's talk about best of 2013 - concert edition!

[] Best of 2013 - concerts []

This year I actually managed to go to a few concerts, great ones. It's kinda sad and regretful that it was only last year that I started going to concerts apart from symphonic band concerts. Like Corrinne May and Sigur Ros concert last year, were my first two concerts! How sad right. I should and could have went for more but well, I'm glad this year I managed to do so.

In January this year I had a really eargasmic 12 hours thanks to Laneway Festival Singapore! Managed to catch a few of my favourite bands/singers there. Like: Of Monsters and Men, Kings of Convenience, Gotye and Kimbra! And I managed to discover awesome music as well, coming from Alt+J, Bats for Lashes and the other artists. Really nice!

Being under the sun, singing and dancing to Little Talks by OMAM, dancing to "I'd Rather Dance with You" by KOC, which sadly was one of the two songs I caught them singing cause I was late haha. Seeing Kimbra's explosiveness and then ending the whole day with Gotye singing Somebody That I Used To Know. Listening to Alt+J while laying on the grass was also therapeutic. And getting lose in Nicholas Jaar's music was lovely as well.

Laneway was such indeed an Indie Heaven! Thanks to Lizzie and her sister for helping me get the 4-bundle ticket price. It's cheaper heh heh.

Then in January I was ecstatic to find out that Sigur Ros had decided to come to Jakarta in May for a concert! Akthough I was kind of worried that the day will fall during my graduation or something. But thankfully it wasn't. In fact it was like 2 weeks before so I quickly went to buy the ticket, a festival ticket, and it became the first concert which I went to, alone. And it was truly a wonderful wonderful experience. So worth everything!

The night Indonesia sang Hoppipolla with Sigur Ros!

I could still remember waiting outside Istora Senayan waiting to go in, 1 hour or so before door opening. I could still remember getting goosebumps seeing the band taking the stage. I could still remember the goosebumps I get when Yfirbord started playing. And how my heart skipped a bit when Jonsi sang the first line of the song. I could still remember shouting in joy when the screen dropped during Ny Batteri. The moment where we sang Olsen Olsen in chorus, and Festival too. Where we only stopped until Jonsi said "Thank you very much" then. 

I could still remember tearing up during Hoppipolla when Jonsi hit the high note during the part after he sang "Og ég fæ blóðnasir, En ég stend alltaf upp". Singing Hoppipolla with the audience was definitely something I'll remember for life. And then simply losing myself during Popplagid, where I stopped recording, taking photos and stuff. When Orri beat the hell out of his drum and everyone seems to "lose" it. Including me. Where I feel like I got possessed and be lost in a trance, only to regain my consciousness after the concert came to an end.

And the concert felt like a dream that I would never want to wake up from. Istora was a dreamscape where I escape from reality for that 2 hours. And when everything comes to an end, I just simply feel sad about everything else that comes back to me. Well, Takk Fyrir Sigur Ros for coming to Jakarta for the great concert! Definitely one of the best nights of my LIFE!

And last but not least I got to watch Richard Clayderman in concert as well! It was in June and he's really my piano idol since young. Listening to his songs in my dad's car, and collecting his CDs and so on. He's the one who inspired me to learn the piano and his songs will forever stay with me. It was such a bliss to get to meet him, get his signature and even shook his hand! I thanked him for the music and told him "Tres Biens!" and he even wished me good luck and all the best. Wow, my childhood dream just came true that night haha. Merci Beacoup!

And this is not a concert but watching Phantom of The Opera in August was definitely a highlight as well. It's so amazing! Another childhood dream come true. Still remember playing the main theme in Pei Tong, with the Angklung and Kulintang ensemble, and then from Broadway Essentials in TSMB, and of course with SPSB during my first IBM concert. To watch the musical with my eyes was just amazing. I'm seriously lucky to have the chance to catch it! :)

Hmm come to think of it 2013 was a not-bad-year for concerts. I get to tick off my bucket list for concerts, like watching OMAM live, cause I thought I'll never be able to do so haha. And then watching Richard Clayderman in concert, and catching Phantom live. And to catch Sigur Ros again in my homeland was definitely one of the greatest experience in life. And hey, I learned that going to concerts alone is perfectly fine. So here's to more concerts in 2014! Even if I have to go watch them alone. 

It's just sad that I don't live in Jakarta so... I have to travel there to catch concerts.

Alright that's all from me now. More of Best of 2013 coming along! Have a great Sunday everybody. And happy winter solstice! :)

Thailand Trip II

 I was in paradise indeed

Hello hello! I'm now back from my Thailand trip a few days ago! On Wednesday to be exact. But I went to meet Jing jing and her friend, Faith, in Bandung on Thursday and Friday so yup. The trip was so awesome! Had been feeling really empty due to the withdrawal syndrome I'm having yesterday. It's so... Haha, well the usual thing, after returning home from a trip.

Won't give much details to the trip but here it is anyway!

Met Jeslyn and Adeline last Sunday (8/12) at Bangkok straight away! My flight landed at 16:30 Bangkok time. Took the train to Ratchaprapop station and we met there. Walked to our hotel to drop off my luggage and we went for dinner at MBK, at the MK restaurant! Seriously good roast pork and duck there omg. Seriously THE bomb haha. So good!

Spent the rest of the evening walking along Pratunam, and got my sister 3 shirts there.

The next morning we're off to Krabi with our flight at 11 AM. Reached there at 1, and explored the Ao Nang area first before heading to the beach. And heading to the beach made us go back to the hotel to change to our swimwear cause we can't stand it! We just simply want to swim at the beach haha. Oh and by the way, Ao Nang beach is really beautiful!

 Ao Nang beach!

The next day we went for a 4 Islands tour which we booked before the trip. Actually we went to 5 islands (yay!) haha well not really "went" to 5 islands but at least we were there. First island was Tup island, which was connected to the second island, Chicken Island by a sandbank! It's really cool, but we didn't get to walk across cause the tide was getting higher.

 Boat at Tup island

The third island was the... I forgot the name oh dear. But we went for a short snorkeling trip there which is fun too. Umm I find that the water wasn't as clear. But seeing the fishes made me happy hehe. Went back to Chicken island for lunch again, then we headed to Porda island for a nice swim too in the clear blue waters! And lastly we headed for Phra Nang cave which I found out that Phra Nang is a sea-goddess and people prayed to her to seek blessing. Very interesting indeed.

 Phra Nang cave

And we headed back to Krabi, had an interesting ride back to our hotel, where we had to stand outside the transportation truck cause it was full hahaha. Cleaned up, went for dinner at a nice Muslim restaurant and ended our last night in Krabi with a SUPERB traditional Thai massage (for me and Jes) and Adeline had a great foot reflexology too. And we decided to have supper by buying food from 7-11. I wish we had nice food at 7-11 here!

 Sunset in Ao Nang

For the last day we just had breakfast and spent the rest of the morning walking along Ao Nang for the last time before heading to the airport. Jeslyn stayed back in Bangkok as her sister is coming to join her while Ade and I went back to Singapore/Jakarta respectively. Oh man, I swear I really don't feel like going back on that day. Krabi was just such a lovely place!

And then on Thursday I headed straight to Bandung to meet Jing Jing and her friend, Faith. We went to the volcano (Mt Tangkuban Perahu) first exploring the place there, and then to a Factory Outlet (Rumah Mode) and PVJ for dinner at Pizza e Iberra which is great! Friday was spent with last shopping trip at Jalan Riau and then we had a nice massage too. Seriously a great week for me. Just too awesome! No wonder I'm having severe withdrawal syndrome.

 Ratu crater at Mt Tangkuban Perahu

Oh well, all good times must come to an end, but well I really enjoyed myself. So thank you to Jes and Ade for making the Thailand trip such a wonderful one! And to Jing Jing and Faith as well, I'm glad to be your host and I hope you enjoyed yourselves in Bandung! :)

What a great way to end my year!

Alright I'll stop here for now. I'll write more about my trips soon, maybe :P

December

 Clouds of Tasik

I'm rather slow but well, somehow I always, or I don't realise that we're already entering December. We're already inside the last month of the year and well, we're only left with 26 more days even. It feels rather quick and sad that the year is coming to an end but well, like I said the last time I somehow can't wait for this year to be over. So yeah, what's coming for us I wonder.

December is probably my favourite month of the year. It's the month of reminiscent, the last month of the year, where I bid goodbye to this chapter of my life while feeling eager to anticipate the next. With the increased frequency of rain and the drop in temperature, it just makes reminiscing something inevitable really heh.  So it's my favourite month. For a sentimental person like me.

It seems rather weird to realise that the year is coming to an end when it feels like yesterday that I opened my diary and think of what to write, to expect and to hope for this year. And now here I am thinking what have happened in the past 339 days. And yes it feels sad too that I wrote very little in my diary. Because I don't have the time to, somehow.

So I decided to reuse my diary for 2014 - save the earth and save the papers.

Been long since I blogged so here's a few update I guess. Last Sunday I went to Tasikmalaya, which is is town about 6 hours drive from my hometown! Went there with my sis and her boyfriend to attend her friend's wedding. Once again, it feels weird to attend a wedding of someone whom you know (rather close) when you're young. Time flies! Anyway happy wedding to the new couple, may this new chapter be a happy and great one for you! :)

Tasik is really quite a big town but I really find the streets rather empty. Maybe because it is big and the population is spread well throughout the city, unlike my small hometown where everyone seems cramped inside haha, and thus looking crowded-always. I was having diarrhea when I was there and it wasn't pleasant at all. Urgh, but well I survived so yeah.

Heading back from Tasik we went to Cipanas to attend another of my sis friend's engagement! Wow! Haha, oh man my primary school friends (or seniors) are getting married. It seriously made me feel really old haha. Anyho all the best to her too for the engagement. Looking forward to attending the wedding hehe.

Aaaaand 3 days later I'll be off to Thailand with Jes and Ade! Yes I know the situation over at the capital is a bit bad with the riots, but I'm glad to hear the news that the condition is starting to ease. And I hope by the time we go there the condition will be fine again and we'll just have a great time at the land of smile. I seriously can't wait to go, because I've been really looking forward to the trip, and I really need a holiday haha. So yes Sunday come faster! :P

Alright that's all for now I suppose. May December be a great month ahead to close this year. And happy reminiscing folks! :)

Of travel, adenture and discovery

 Wanna runaway, with you.

Today was definitely a beautiful wonderful and adventurous Sunday! I really had a great time today and I wished my day was longer but anyway I'm really glad that I experienced this date. This Sunday is a special one because I went to Bogor with Ani, Febi and Felix via train! Yup my hometown's train system has just been revived after a long time so now there's an available route from my hometown to Bogor (which is a town between here and Jakarta).

And also this was the first time that I took a train in my own homeland.

We took the 5 AM train, and I didn't sleep at all the night before oh dear. The journey there was really lovely because of the great sights outside and the camaraderie atmosphere inside the train. It was made complete by dangdut music blasting through the speaker haha, though sadly (or thankfully) the electricity of the train got cut off and they stopped playing halfway haha. Was planning to sleep on the way but I got too excited I didn't sleep at all haha.

When we reached Bogor it was 7 AM and we were planning to head to the botanical garden first but it was closed so we decided to have breakfast at a nearby market. Had a delicious chicken noodle with an awesome springy (though a bit undercooked) noodle and the stall was really crowded. It's nice to walk along the market in the morning.

And we spent the morning walking along the botanical garden which is nothing much but trees haha. But I'm pretty awed by the big big trees! They have strong and big trunks that look really grand. I wonder how old are all these trees. We were excited to see the Rafflesia flower but uhh it wasn't there for some reasons. So we ended our walk and headed for a famous bakery in Bogor called Tan Ek Tjuan. They have some awesome coconut ice cream! 

Our main plan to go to Bogor was to catch Catching Fire so we headed for Botany Square which is a mall in Bogor where the cinema is located. We were rather early again so the cinema wasn't opened yet, but we hang out at Starbucks to get our coffee fix and my sleep-fix too haha. I fell asleep for a good 30 minutes there. And we headed to get the tickets and well just wanna say Catching Fire is so damn good! I went straight to the bookstore to get the final sequel Mockingjay. I regretted not continuing to read the sequel really.

Now I have to patiently wait for a year for the last movie to come haha.

After the movie we had lunch, walked around and then headed for the train station to catch our train back to Sukabumi which was at 6 PM. We reached back at 8 PM and yup, that's how this awesome Sunday come to a wonderful close.

On the way back I was listening to music and I couldn't stop feeling happy, and telling myself what a great day it was. I really enjoy experiencing new things, especially when it comes to traveling. I've been to Bogor, but all I did was to eat. So to go there and explore (kinda) the city on feet, and public transport, at our own will, feels pretty pretty amazing. Today I did so many first times, and revisited a few things. And it's always good to have them.

I took the train for the first time, I sat on the front seat of an Angkot (a public transport here) for the first time, I get to experience how these Angkot work (really interesting, kinda different from my hometown), and of course I get to explore Bogor. I truly enjoy being there. Being at the moment, at that place, and just exploring and exploring the new place. Trying new things and just bask in the moment and the day. It's refreshing too.

Well I mentioned in my blog a few times of how much I love traveling. And today I come to a realisation that well, the more you want to experience new things, the more comfortable you will be when it comes to experience more new things in the future. Well basically it means you need to have that wish and want to experience new things if not you'll just do the same old thing. And same old thing is a boring thing. Spice up your life yo.

And of course, travel as much as you can. Because the more you travel, the more open you and your mind will be, and thus the easier it is for you to adapt to a new place. And traveling will broaden out your mind. Sure, the comfort of our homes are more inviting but to me, I think the vastness of the world seems to be more inviting to me!

I really wish I can have more days like this in the future. Exploring new places, traveling with my cousins or friends, and experiencing new things. I want to die knowing I have done a lot of things and experience a lot of new things. Well I suppose the older you grow the more responsibilities you'll have but of course, seize opportunity when you have them.

Alright I guess that's all for now. It's the last week of November oh gosh. Time, where did you go! Alright wishing everyone a happy end to November and remember, travel more! Haha. Have a good Monday everyone :)

Shining Light

 This universe is so huge!

We're just tiny little things

Yet there's so many things

We can do, and become

Just now I had a really depressingly beautiful time. It was a clear night, stars were shining and the 3/4 moon was shining bright too. Little clouds were spread along the sky and we decided to head for the mountain. I took my camera with me, and my tripod, hoping to catch a beautiful scenery of my hometown from the top. I set up my tripod and camera and when I switched it on, two words sent shiver down my spine, and killed off my excitement.

My camera screen says "NO CARD"

It was so depressing really! I was transferring some files last night and you know I usually rushed off to sleep and forgot to take my memory card out of my laptop. Ah well, lesson learnt of course. But well whenever this kind of situation happens, like when there's a beautiful scenery but I don't have a camera with me, I just simply told myself that well, I'm thankful that I got to witness something like this with my own eyes. Though sadly I couldn't capture it.

The stars were so amazing tonight. The moon was shining bright on the clear night sky and it's so pretty. It was so quiet and all I could hear was just the rhapsody of frogs and crickets. I looked up at the sky, glittered with sparkling diamonds. And I felt really really small.

Whenever I'm at an open space, be it an empty field, or beneath the clear blue sky, or like just now, below the starry sky, I feel really insignificantly big. I was looking up just now and there were so many stars. And it made me think that I'm just one tiny living thing on this universe. I feel that we're just this tiny planet in such a huge, yet-to-be-discovered-more universe. And it feels pretty amazing to be "small" and "tiny". It gave me hope and joy.

We might be small but I feel really wonderful. Although we may seem small, but I truly feel the power that anything and everything can happen to us. I feel the bright warmth of our capabilities - of the things that we can actually do in life. And it feels pretty amazing to have such feelings really. To realise the things that can happen to us, the things we can do, and the people we can become. Yet, we're just one tiny little thing in this universe.

So one day if you feel like a poop, remember this! So many things we can do and become!

Alright that's all for tonight. Feeling pretty amazed tonight. Hope I can feel like this, everyday! :)

Growing Up

 Life only gives a one-way ticket to our final destination!

I've been wanting to write about this, but well umm yeah, you know me, it's very hard for me to write and blog at my ease so anyway here I am. Today I've been gathering my thoughts about the two words above - Growing Up. I suppose it's two words everyone is kind of afraid of? And we're all quite in denial about these two words. But, we have to accept them.

I'm 21 now and I suppose, I'm in this phase of "growing up". I'm not a young kid anymore but neither am I an old guy (though ironically I always tell myself that being 21 is old). And like what I blogged about last time the twenties is a very interesting time of your life. Interestingly beautiful and difficult too, because that's when life reveals itself more to you.

Do you remember when you were young, when your parents/teacher/other adults told you not to do something? And when you asked "why?" to them they will either give an answer you don't understand or they will just simply say "because I told you so" or "because it's meant to be cannot". And being young we just do as what we were told to.

And we grow up, physically and mentally, and our minds expand like the universe. We learn (to our dismay perhaps) that what we were told to when we were young didn't make sense. Or we discover the truths ourselves and so on and forth. As we begin to embrace our mind and knowledge, we slowly separate the truths and myths.

We begin to separate our rights, and our wrongs based on our judgements and feels.

Humans, we're never perfect. Like what the old saying says "One man's meat is another man's poison", what's right for us may not be right for others. What's wrong for us, may be right for others. Now that our minds are being expanded, our heart comes in the way with emotions. You'll begin to think if what's "right" is right for others, because it may hurt them and so on. You'll begin to fear that your right will be deemed wrong by others.

My dad always asks me a question, "Do all nice, are right things? Or do all right things are nice things?" and I always ponder. Doing something nice may not be a right thing to do but doing something right, will always be a nice thing to do (although it may be hard to swallow).

This is just one of the many examples of course.

But I suppose today I come to a conclusion that well, another thing that tells you when you're growing up, is when you begin to get confused on differentiating between the right and wrong. Because you're affected by many things when you come into this two-forked road. Your mind, which is shaped by the things around you and your heart, which is you own compassion and emotions. Separating right and wrong seems harder and harder as you grow up.

Of course not everyone finds it difficult. Those with a strong personality can easily differentiated those two because they're really strong minded. And neither am I saying everyone else is a softie because you couldn't  differentiate. I suppose it takes time too. Experience will help you through this. As you grow older you'll find it easier to follow your heart, with your mind helping you to make a decision, or to even carve out your own road.

I suppose, is this how growing up feels like?

When you get confused by so many things and everything seems so overwhelming to you. When you feel that the past was so much better than the present, and you wish you will forever be a kid. Growing up feels overwhelming but remember that it's a process everyone has to go through to get to our final destination. So just enjoy it. Life only gives a one-way ticket to our final destination so make sure you enjoy this journey for good.

Well, I suppose you know you're growing up when you begin to get the answers to why Peter Pan doesn't want to grow up. It's a complicated story.

Happy Tuesday! :)

Lost track

It's already the eleventh of the eleventh month of the year and... I truly have lost track of time. It feels like it was yesterday when October started. Last week I thought to myself that it was still October. Well obviously it's not haha. Well I suppose things are getting busier for me so that's probably why I lost track of time. But anyho it's good I think?

Currently feeling really sleepy right now. So I'll end of here. But anyho here's a poem I wrote last night. It's been long since I wrote one so here goes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sit, I sit and I sit

Sometimes I sit and stared at emptiness
I wonder to myself what am I doing here
Listening to my yearnings that no one can hear
To travel the world and see its greatness
To explore and go to places I’ve never been
And so, what am I doing here?

I sit, I sit and I sit
And looked at my own two feet
I wonder to myself why am I sitting down
Why am I not out there, out of town
Chasing my dreams, grasping them with my hands
Fighting for what I believe in, on faraway lands

I looked at the sky, up above the trees
Puffy clouds and leaves swaying in the breeze
Birds chirping, flying up high above me
Leaving their nests, go wherever they wanna be
And they seem to sing an endless happy melody
While I stand quiet and listen to a soulful remedy

I sit, I sit and I sit
And wonder to myself, why am I sitting down.
Shouldn’t I be out there, chasing my dreams
Shouldn’t I be out there, no matter how hard it seems
Doing the things that I love, passion as my fuel
Here I am, troubled and entangled by a constant duel

I sit, I sit and I sit
I couldn’t find the answer to these questions
But stirred in a river of a thousand motions
Why am I here, why am I not there.
No one knows why, and I don’t dare,
to know the answer to the question

Those nights

 Time

I was just listening to Golden Lotus by Asiabeat from the Buddha Bar III album. The song reminds me a lot of nights in Singapore. Because well, it's kind of a silly reason but anyway, I miss those nights in Singapore where I would turn my TV to Vasantham Central just to listen to their off-air songs from 12 AM/1AM onwards. And sleep.

Although eventually I found out that the songs are from Buddha Bar III album and I bought the album via Amazon too cause it was rare. Even though I already had the songs back then and could listen to it via my iPod, I still preferred to listen tot hem via Vasantham central. Silly reason, but I just love doing that. The feeling of knowing that the night is no longer young and the silence and calmness of the night begins to creep in with the songs.

Same goes for Channel Newasia off-air music too. Which sadly till now I can't find the songs used by them, which are really really nice! I even recorded my favourite.

It now seems and feels really silly to know that back then I would literally switch on the TV just to listen to these songs. But I really miss those nights more than ever now. Back in those days where I can actually just chill and wind down at night by listening to these songs, although I was, or wasn't dreading tomorrow. It's pretty much liberating and calming.

Life is pretty much different now. The comfort of the past is always welcoming to me.

Anyway, November is here now, we're left with like 58 more days to the year and time seems to fly faster and faster. I suppose it feels right to feel that time seems to fly faster as we grow older? Maybe because as we grow older we begin to appreciate and to feel the presence of time, unlike when we were young when time seems to be non-existing.

2013 has so far been an ever-changing journey for me and I'm not sure how to feel about that. I suppose like what Hercalitus said, that change is the only constant in life. And I feel that when you go against it things will go pretty much difficult for you. So I choose to go with it and flow with it, although at times I feel that it is quite difficult to do so too.

I've always spent the last two months of the year reminiscing and reflecting about the year, how has it been for me and etc. December would be the highlight of this reminisent. And well it's always good to look back, and also to begin looking forward to the new year ahead. In fact I already set some new year resolutions for the upcoming 2014!

Ah well, I suppose tonight is just those nights where I miss the past.

Have a great Sunday everybody.

Alone

Hello. Whew today seems like a very very busy day, although actually nothing much happened. I just felt like I was rushed through time towards the end, and that I had so little time but well actually I do have time. Somehow everything seems really fast and yeah, rushed and so on. Felt really busy somehow! But well I'm glad it's over. And that the weekend is here!

Talking about fast, today marks the 5th month since I'm back here. Can't believe it's been a good five months! I thought graduation was a month ago or something. But well I suppose I've been pretty pre-occupied with (new) things that time seems to flow at an unnoticeable rate which makes me forget about time. And oh gosh it's 6 more days to November.

The past few days I've been missing my life in Singapore. My friends, the things I used to do, the people, and the places. And it seems rather enriching too to know that I've lived my life there and so on. Sense of pride, happiness and sadness all mixed up whenever I'm reminiscing about my life on that sunny island. But I suppose it's all for a good note.

Of course life here, and there are two very different conditions. In many different ways. But I suppose, there's a major difference that I had noticed about my life here. In fact for the past 5 months I feel that there's something missing, something different in life. I've been searching and searching for that missing piece but I can't seem to find it. And today, I did.

It's the time spent being alone. 

I recently came across a thoughtcatalog post on "How to handle a quarter life crisis at 22" [link can be found here] and also a few other blog posts regarding the same issue (about living your twenties) and they have a common point about taking time for yourself. Setting time for a me-time, for yourself to do things that make you happy.

And I truly agree with it. It's been a habit for me now, ever since I went for LEAP Foundation camp which I learnt to take some time off for yourself, to take some time everyday to do things I love, if possible alone. Be it watching Youtube videos, or simply listening to good music on my headphone (even before I sleep!) and so on and forth.

I spent most of 2012, or more like my last academic year in Singapore, alone. Of course I have my friends, I mean... I stayed in Singapore without the company of my sister. So I tried to find ways to make me happy and do things I enjoy alone. Or most of the time, I have to be independent, for I'm living alone. So I did grocery shopping alone, have food outside alone. I mean I wouldn't want to starve myself just because I couldn't find a partner to eat with right. So I suppose, I'm so used to being alone and do things all by myself.

When I was young (I mean like 4-5 years ago) I always view being lonely as... Something bad. I'm even guilty myself for finding lonely people weird and anti-social. But I suppose last year I found the benefits of doing things alone, and taking some time off to yourself. I'm not saying we should all be alone, don't go to an extent where you want NOBODY in life to accompany you and stuff. Like you want to be alone and you hate everyone else hahaha.

But if it makes you happy, go ahead :)

Anyway, so yeah, I must say I enjoy being alone (too much) that I found it such a huge drastic change when I come back. I am meeting people everyday, learning new things, and so on and forth. In a day, I don't really have time for myself. The only time I have for myself is that 2 hours before sleep where I'll be on my laptop surfing the net, and watching Youtube videos or reading articles on the net, and of course blogging and lately, I've been tumblr-ing too.

So a few people here asked me why I sleep so late everyday (PS: My day start 5 hours later than you all, and ends 5 hours later too), and my answer is that because I want, and I try to set myself some time off everyday for myself. And it doesn't really affect my sleep because well I think I can cope with it so yeah. It's not that I purposely use my sleeping time for my me-time. Although sure, I can choose to trade my me-time for sleeping time but nahh.

Even right now there's no such things as a "holiday" weekend for me. There are always things to do and so on. Maybe this is the real working life that we're all entering? The life so different from school life? I don't know. Unlike my life in Singapore where I can go anywhere I want, alone, and enjoy myself there. To Starbucks, Labrador Park, walking around Clementi, go for a long run and so on. Feels like I "own" my time here and there.

Now it seems like I can't control my time here because it is kind of unpredictable. And there are a lot of restrictions that I have to do the things I want to do. I suppose the culture here is different so people will think of a shock when I tell them that I want to be alone. Imagine if I tell my mum that I want to go to a nearby cafe alone. My mum surely would ask me "Why alone?" and she would ask my sister to go with me, or anyone else. Although to be honest mum, I'm really fine to be alone :)

I can't go to places alone here because it is kinda unsafe here (or maybe it's not). And again, I would get the questions from my parents to why I want to go there alone. That's why I want to learn driving ASAP so that I can drive and go to places alone. Have a nice cup of tea at that cafe to chill, or just drive around my hometown listening to music and so on.

Or maaaybe.

I need to change this mindset of mine that doing things alone is fine and so on and forth.

Well I don't know, but I think the issue really lies with me not having to balance and cope well with the life I have here. Currently I'm still learning so perhaps, life isn't at my fullest control now. Although I know when I grow up that I will keep this habit of mine alive, that I will set some time to be alone and do things that I love. If you haven't tried, maybe you should. It's an amazing experience and habit you can keep for life, and good for the soul too.

Although I know some people really can't stand to be alone.
And I think it's fine if you can't be alone.

Anyho, it's the weekend again. I'll be joining my sis to Jakarta till Sunday! Hoping for a nice trip away from my hometown to the big city. Man, I really need a getaway to somewhere far. And I kinda miss the beach you know, or simply to go somewhere far.

But well, to end this post, here's a line from MGMT's song "Time to Pretend"

I miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone.

Autumn

 I miss the colours of autumn

Currently listening to Nigel Tay's song "Song of Spring" (Thanks Jinnyboy TV for introducing this awesome song!) and it reminds me a lot of graduation which was like, 5 months ago. Still remember listening to this song on the way to SP for the ceremony and although it was a cloudy day, everything seems beautiful to me. Whew, it's 5 months huh.

Anyway it's mid-October already! Can you believe it. Life's been awesome I guess. Rather busy with work because we're getting more customers for the flowers and so yeah. Very interesting. When you work with living things you need patience because well, you can't make them as and when you want to be, you can't set a date to when they wanna be manufactured, and you can't stock them when you over-produce. They are not dead things.

But I suppose, they taught me a lesson that everyone in this world is unique. Right?

And as for the title above, it's not autumn... Well it is, in other parts of the world. It's October so well temperate countries are experiencing autumn I suppose. And I love autumn. I think it is my favourite season. Well I have experienced the four seasons like in other countries, each season for a country so it's kind of a biased judgement heh.

But I love autumn. I experienced autumn in China, Inner Mongolia to be exact. The weather is more on the cooler side but at the same time the colour of autumn makes everything seems warm. I've also experienced it in Beijing but it was more of late-autumn so it was really cold that it felt more like winter to me. Love the colours of autumn!

Autumn reminds me that we're 3/4 on our way to the year already. So we're left with 1/4 of the year more. Well actually it's like we're left with 1/6 of the year heh. But anyway yeah, 2013 is ending. And I don't know why but I really can't wait for this year to end? Although logically and technically speaking, I have no reason why I want it to end. Like it doesn't do anything to me except for bringing 2014 to me. Right?

I suppose I'm excited to see what lies ahead of me. 2013 has been a year of big change to me where I close a big chapter of mine and start writing a new one. So what will I do in 2014? How will I do? I don't know and no one knows. Although I have a big plan coming up in August next year. Hopefully it will come true. No. It will come true because I'm going to make it happen! :) It's for me to know and for you to find out nyehehe.

I've always loved the end of a year because I have the chance (although you can practically do it anytime actually) to look back to see what I've achieved in this year and so on. And from this I can carry myself to the year ahead and set goals and dreams about the coming year. Life goes on and we want to try and write a great story. To write a great story we have to close chapters we have already written and think of what to write next, beautifully.

It's kind of sad that these days I've lost track of time. To an extent that I don't know what day it is, or what date. I just realised today is the 20th of October when I thought the month has just started a week ago or something. Time seems to fly faster at the end of the year. Or is it just me haha. Time seems to fly when you grow older too. Meh.

But well as I've always remind myself, time flows at a constant rate. No one in this world has the ability to make time fly faster or slower, but yourself, by the things you do, to make it seem to flow faster or slower. Right?

Alright I'm going to stop here for now. Happy autumn everyone!

Comfort in reminiscence

 

We're all seeds in the maker's hands

Youtube is being a bitch tonight, no idea why but I can't stream videos there (works fine for videos on Facebook though) so I decided to... Scroll down my blog and read all the posts back till December 2011. Wow, that was almost 2 years ago. Well I come to a conclusion that I'm really glad that I enjoyed blogging. Although yes I have not been blogging as often as I used to back a year or two ago. But I still enjoy blogging alright! So don't worry.

We're coming to the middle of October already and well, time flies! So I decided to read my blog starting form October last year to see what was I doing back 365 days ago. I was in ITP, and stuff. Reading my blog too, I realise that well in life you really don't know what's gonna come on your way and what will happen to you. What great things will happen to you and what no-so-great things will you come across with. Life's one great journey.

I've been missing the past for quite a few days. When I mean the past, that would be my life in Singapore as a student. But well I suppose it's just one of those days where your mind plays around with you and time. Ever since I got back home, things have been pretty different of course, from the life that I once had just a year ago. But time is time.

Tomorrow SP students will return back to school from their first semestral break. And well, of course I can safely say and ask them "School? What's that?!" Hahaha. But at the same time I realised that there's also no such thing as "holiday" for me. Or I must say for everyone else who has started working. Unless it's a leave or public holiday.

I think school is and will be the greatest time of your life. The times you hate but will miss when you grow up. So to all my friends who can't wait to work, don't fall into the trap. Enjoy school to the fullest now! Haha. Because trust me after you start working you'll miss school a lot.

I've failed quite badly in trying to finish the things I've been wanting to do. I have a couple of items on my to-do list yet none of them is done. Maybe I should start writing notes for myself.

Anyho, as I was reading my past blog posts again, I come across those blog challenges which I did a year ago. And I was thinking maybe that will be a great thing to do again, so as to revive my blog. I'll search for some blog challenge again and start reviving my blog! :)

Okay I think that's all for now. Feeling rather sleepy so night night! It's gonna be an awesome week ahead with Hari Raya Haji tomorrow weeeeee. To all my SP friends wishing you a great semester/term ahead! And for the rest, have fun at work!

Stars

Today there was an electricity shutdown in my hometown, and it was quite long too. Electricity shutdowns (or mati lampu, we call it here) are quite common. There might be some maintenance going on, or some boycotts done by some people and so on. And usually I don't bother much. I'll stay at home and do nothing to wait for the electricity to get back to life.

But tonight was different. The sky was clear and stars flooded the darkness. It was a pretty sight, because we're in total darkness and so the sky shows its true potential to us and it is really really pretty. So I decided to go up my room with my camera and tripod and start shooting some stars above. My sis accompanied me for a while then she went off to bathe.

So I was alone from then on. And it feels really nice. To sit under the star-lit sky with music playing from your phone. The wind blowing, and you see a couple of shooting stars (and you should know what I do next) and yup, it was just so surreal that everything in front of me is so beautiful and real. I mean how could it be fake haha.

After shooting for a while, the electricity is back to life and the lights turn on like a big bang.

And some of the stars began to disappear.

From this experience, I learned quite a valuable lesson in life.

When it was dark, the stars are there to accompany you. But when lights are on, they begin to disappear,. But you know they're always there. I suppose life's like that too. When things seem fine, we tend to neglect what's always there, who's always there. It is only when things go dark that we realise what we truly have in this world, who we truly have.

When we have things we want (lights), we tend to forget what's always there for us (the stars). When we don't have what we want, we realise the stars are there accompanying us, and they make us happy with their beauty and so on.

And I suppose stars are like hopes too. When things are dark, they will always be there to guide you. There's always a hope in every darkest situation you're in.

Tonight was such a beautiful night.

The twenties

 You're off to great places

Hello hello and hello! I know sorry for not blogging on Saturday, the night I would usually leave aside for blogging. But well I decided to blog today. October's moving pretty fine I guess, moving on to the tenth month of the year, slowly and surely. And soon we'll say goodbye to 2013. Then we'll be amazed on how quickly time has passed us by.

Talking about time, I just went to Ko Harry's wedding last night. Well he's someone who works with my brother. And I suppose I came to a realisation that... You know you're growing up when you start attending weddings of people who you know well, or you're close with. Like your family, friends, colleagues and so on and forth. Not "strangers".

You know when you were young your parent would ask you to accompany them to weddings. And when you ask whose wedding? They'll say their name, their relationship to your family and so on. But you'll still end up with a question mark inside your head. Unless of course if this person is related closely to your family like aunts or uncles or so on.

But now that you grow up, you will attend weddings of people that you clearly know so yes.

Recently I've been seeing lots of people sharing blog posts about being in the twenties and growing up etc, be it people's blogs or even posts in buzzfeed. I enjoy reading them not only because I'm in my early twenties, but also I think that it applies to most of us in life. Like you don't have to be in the twenties to apply what's written on the post heh.

Reading these posts have really got me into thinking about my existence too. About my age, and the age of my friends, and other fellow people who are in their twenties. What is the significance of being in the twenties. What's so special, and so on. The twenties, sadly saying, to me, is one of the toughest years of your life. For various reasons.

To me the twenties, like I said once before on my birthday post, is the year where we're in the middle of choosing between the things we have to do, and the things we want to do. And in some cases, the things we promise to do. When reality gave us a call and like tell us "hello time to wake up from dreaming, I'm here waiting for you to be seen"

It's going to be the year you left the school, or academia as I would like to call it, and enter the school of life. The real life, not those you seen on TVs that shape the way you think about what life is. It's different, sad to say (ha ha). And when you step into it, you'll be shocked, amazed and puzzled by this "real life" that you start to go in denial. Just kidding, I'm just being dramatic.

But yeah, you seem to can't accept life as the way it is.

Perhaps you will start to pile up regrets after regrets in your head. You'll blame yourself, you'll blame others to make it better. But no it won't. Whatever happened, has happened. There's no way you can turn back time to rectify whatever you want to rectify and so on. You can only make do with what you have now, and work well to get what you want.

I saw this on TV a few days ago. Like the rice has turned into a porridge, so what do you do now? Eat the porridge! Don't waste the porridge away. Hahaha

Of course this doesn't apply to everyone. I know some individuals who know what they want to do, choose the path they want to be and at the end of the day, ended up at the destination they want to be in. And good for them!

The twenties may seem daunting but I suppose at the same time, it is the years where we explore. We'll go to places we never been before, try new things, do things we hate, enjoy things we love and so on. Perhaps the years we find our love and soulmate and then settle down and so on an forth. I suppose it is daunting at the beginning. But sweet in the end.

And remember, only us, can make it a sweet ending.

Alright, that's all for tonight. I just want to share my feelings with you and I hope you enjoy reading the post above. Here's to a fanta-bulous second week of October for everyone! You're off to great places, you're off and away!

Hello October

 Það Besta Sem Guð Hefur Skapað Er Nýr Dagur 

-The best thing god has created is a new day-

Sigur Ros, Viðrar vel til loftárása

Okay there was a short earthquake JUST now, jolted my bed for a good 2 seconds and I'm awake now. Was really going to sleep so might as well blog now! Heh heh. Anyho yes can't believe it's October now! We're only left with 3 more months to go through and we're done with 2013, forever. I thought it was yesterday when 2013 begins!

Well it's another month of the year, closer to the end. Hmm comparing to last year's October, I suppose this time round October will be so different, duh, I'm back home already haha. I hope it's going to be a great month ahead. I know it will, and only I can make it a great month ahead. I don't know why but I'm looking forward to year-end heh.

My grandpa's piano is back, as seen from the previous post! I was playing my heart out on Sunday haha. It's so exciting to finally own a piano and be able to play it! Although sadly everything is brought down by half a step because if it's tuned to the original tuning the strings will snap as told by the repairman. So C becomes B and B becomes Bb and so on.

I am so going to be a good transposer after playing the piano for a while haha.

I'll try to play the piano as much as I can, when I can. Although currently the piano is placed at my brother's house. We're planning to make a small room beside my room where we'll put the piano at, so that I can play it easily. Trying to find ways for cheap soundproofing haha I think I can make it. Thinking of using the foams or the egg cartons.

Well September has come to an end so I hope for October to welcome a great smoother ride ahead. Perhaps this will be the month where change is going to take place, for the better. So yup. Only I can make this month an awesome one! :)

Alright that's all for today. Feeling sleepy now so... Good night! Or morning