Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 @ 22:40 Amazing, isn't it? Its so weird to think that a whole 365days (or so) has passed me by. I keep wondering to myself if its real - if I'll stop writing xx/xx/08 in my work and change it to '09, and wonder, where did all that time go? 2008 for me has been a really tumultuous year. Without a doubt, it's been one long rollercoaster ride. There was so much tears shed this year, so much stress, so much grievance and annoyance, yet at the same time, there was so much laughter, so much fun, so much sun, so much smiles, and definitely a lot, a lot of love and cheers. It has been, without a doubt, the best year I have ever had, in my whole 17 years of existence. I had no idea what 2008 had in store for me when I first stepped into it; sure it was exciting, but the anxiety it held, was well, epic. I mean, this year I stepped into a new school; leaving all my memories of Cedar, leaving my old friends, and all the old memories, and even possibly leaving the old me behind for (what I thought of as) a new me. SAJC was sheer fate for me. I had no intention of actually going there - its not as if I've been working my ass off for SA, and neither did I expect myself to be there in the first place. It was something that I had no idea about - I wasn't the most informed when it came to SA, lets just say. But I must say, that coming to SA was one of the best and worst thing that has ever happened to me. I met a crazy-ass bunch of 25 beautiful people, not to mention the loveliest 3 people whom have made my year so much less horrid than it could've been - the angelfish, the 100/4 and the hk.drama.king! The year has provided me with many opportunities too, such as the PREUseminar (memories I'll never forget) and being the Vice-Captain of Gomes House, with 23 other House councillors - wonderful wonderful wonderful memories of Malaysia, Willy Wonka, and well, everything! And, well, my love, pride and joy, the SAJChorale, providing me with one of the greatest times of my life, especially meeting the 3 gorgeous girls that left me in fits of laughter, all the time. I am blessed. This year has been really really hard, but I survived it. I'm blessed. Because many worser things could've happened to me, my family, my friends and the people I love and cherish, but they didn't. I am blessed. No matter how many hardships I face, tears I let out, heartaches I feel, I know God has a plan for me; for all of us. I am blessed. 2009. Oh boy, that's gonna be a hell of an interesting year, as far as I can foresee. Starting new, and starting fresh again - well its gonna be one tough ride, I'm sure. But I hope and pray that it'll be different, in many many good ways, more than bad. I hope that my friendships will stay forever strong; that even though we separate, we stay close together. I hope that I accomplish something this year, that I don't give up, and that I behave becomingly and be myself. That is what matters most, isn't it? Resolutions? Just a few. We know they're just mindless musings, but eitherway.. To never judge others - I've learnt that there is always more than what meets the eye, that every person has a story, a history behind them, so I should treat others with love and respect that I hope to be due. To take every challenge, and well everything really, into perspective, and to be strong. I hope to swear less. Hard for me, to some extent, but surely doable. Be more active, more fit, and live more. To be more organised and disciplined - I'm starting a new year, so to make sure the mistakes made never ever come to light again, this would be good. And lastly, to stop procrastinating. The most evil habit in the world, if you ask me. hee. Goodbye 2008. Hello 2009. The year's not going to be sugar and spice, but I just hope it'll be a memorable one. Filled with good, positive memories of course (: back to top?
Monday, December 29, 2008 @ 18:12 I love you guys! (: back to top?
@ 14:32 Alrighty then. So well, I've been in Malaysia (yet again) recently, and this time, for my cousin's actual wedding reception. Which is like...2days? Yeah, cos well in Malay-ish weddings, they do the whole bride's side and then groom side. SO well it was jolly fun, meeting all the cousins and all, it really was. Though, there were still some rifts here and there. Like as usual between me and my mom. You know the occasionally often oh-god-i-could-so-strangle-her moments. Hahaha, oxymoron much?? Okay then lets get to the picturessssss! Well me and my brother made our way to Malaysia via taxi and to my uncles house. There we did the necessary. If its a Malay wedding, AND if you're a direct relative, there is NO SUCH thing as sitting down and being all high and toity, cos what you're SUPPOSED to do is well, help out, and be the help. Cos well its the whole malay tradition concept of "bergotong-royong" which is like everybody, togethergether help out ah! (: (i feel like a bit of a MAT!) The bride getting ready!! Okay well you see there's this thing they do at malay weddings. The whole concept goes like this - the wedding is first held by the bride's side. So the groom will travel down from wherever to go to the bride's place and well meet his bride. Its like the whole walking down the aisle thing, only the groom does it. At the same time, the bride sits on the "pelamin" or the couple's platform, waiting daintily and face hidden from her husband whilst waiting for her hubby to come. This i think is more relevant in the past, cos of the whole arranged marriage thing, where the groom seriously has never seen his bride, up till the wedding day. HAHA. SO ANYWAYS, point is, as the groom "walks down the aisle"-ish to get to the couple's platform, there's the whole bride's family being what they call, toll barriers. This is actually quite fun, cos well what we do is we STOP the groom where he is (and there are many of these, human barriers in his path to the platform) and well we say if wants to pass then he has to pay up. So his best man will take out some greenpackets, and well give it to everyone forming that human barriers. SO imagine about 6 human barriers, with about who knows, 8 people each. He still has to pay up! our toll barrier. after making through his third barrier! Syafiq - the groom!! to his SECOND last barrier! Taking out the cash! THE most important barrier of all, the "mak andam" - the make-up artist/stylist everything, basically the bride's most important person of her day, besides her husband! Syahidah! The cousin! (: Paying up!!! Finally, together at last! The reception tents. Whereas singaporeans go all void-decky, Malaysians pitch tents! One of my cousins. Like i said, we're all the help! Cousin! Aliyah! The purreety bride! Me and my aunt! Me and more cousins (TSKTSK, what is up with my skills?!) Us (: The gifts for the bride. This is another cool tradition. Well I can't exactly recall how much of it is religious and how much of it is Malay tradition, but well both the bride and groom exchange gifts, LOADS of them usually. And well there's the wedding dowry and the wedding gift money. The dowry is like little, cos like there's something said about it should be a small amount that is well troublesome-less. BUT THE WEDDING GIFT MONEY, ooohwee. hahahah Me, Balkiah, and Amirah. (COUSINS) Me, amirah and aqilah! Bride & Groom, after changing! So my cousin's actually dominantly Arab, unlike the rest of us who're just teensy bit arab. So in the evening, Arab tradition, they had this thing called the Samra, which is actually a dance like party. You know, the whole belly-dancing ish kinda things. Only this is more, well modest. Cos ladies out in the back, and men outside. (: The bride & groom's wedding platform. Its supposed to be like a throne, cos well wedding couples are known as "raja sehari", meaning royalty for the day! The whole percussion-arabic music-whatnots ensemble The men doing a pseudo-zapin. (a type of dance) The women getting their jiggy on. ahahha ANYWAYS, so that was kinda how the night ended. NOW for the men's side, they held like a dinner at this hall, and so that was nice, AND airconditioned! WOOTS. ahahahha. Syafiq's Indian, so they went with the whole BOLLYWOOD theme! Bride & groom! The V.I.P table, where the Bride & groom sits, with parents and like a pair of elders from both sides! (: My partner in crime in ALL the family weddings so far! Soraya! This is only with 8 of the 14 aunts and uncles, and well with only one family bringing all their kids. haha. Me, my cousin, my mom and 2 aunts went to hang out at Coffee Bean after that! Tonnes of pictures taken after that! (: But i'm only posting 2 phew. long night, over! Toodles! (: back to top?
Saturday, December 27, 2008 @ 05:10 you know, i'm having a charmed flashback. I was totally into charmed my whole life, in primary school all the way to secondary school. Obsessed would be a better word. And I just remembered one thing. I always thought Piper (Holly Marie Combs) reminded me of my dear dear sister. maybe thats why i loved it so much. back to top?
Friday, December 26, 2008 @ 22:07 HAPPY BOXING DAY. So well Christmas was.. well GREAT. Pretty much so, I mean, how bad could mine have been. This is kinda how it went.. I woke up late in the afternoon and stuff, so well rushed my way over to my aunts' place, which is really near home. (AUNTS being my chinese side of course!) There were some church people over at their place, so we had a christmas lunch together, filled with... TURKEY, BEEF, LAMB, GRAVY, CRANBERRY SAUCE, SALMON, POTATOES, VEGGIES, BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING, VANILLA SAUCE , LOG CAKE, PIE AND FRUITS! yes, i feel verry potato-ey and mushy and veryvery fat inside. hurhur. SO well I had to meet SOFEEYAAA! (sofia, lol) at 2.30pm, so I rushed my butt off from Kovan to town, and made it in time! SO, we met and watched... Bedtime Stories. Totally toooooootally the BOMB! (: Must catch it if you can yo! Adam Sandler and all well just totally hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing! And we sat at Borders Coffee Bean after and chatted, had a hazelnut ice blended and a gingerbread man, and we camwhored. It was a serrrrrrrriously lovely day! OHOH, and sof just passed me some of the pictures we took when she came to visit me at SA and we hung out at PPMACS! (: After which, I had to head back to my aunts, and well we had dinner, and we talked about my Prague trip, and we opened PRESENTS! (: I got back home at... one am i think. hahah, then ME AND EECHEERIIEE, had the LONGEST phone call. So long, we slept at 6.10a.m. after the call. >.< hahahahah well can't be helped - I had a great time chatting to her about the weirdest and random-est things! I had a good day. AND I STUDIED today. still not enough tho. JIA YOU jannah. heh, love! back to top?