Here's More...Gee..Am I crazy or what? Nah...I'm bored!

(1) Ultimate Personality Test

Seer


The ULTIMATE personality test
brought to you by Quizilla



(2) How do ppl look at you?


people see you as a loving, helpful person, but
they don't really know who you are... you
sometimes feel pain on the inside but you
hardly show it.


how do people look at you? (anime pics!)
brought to you by Quizilla



(3) What Kind of Artistic Temperament Do you Have?
Solo Artist

It sounds as if you're the type of woman who is going to make her artistic mark as a well-regarded solo artist. Whether as a writer, singer, photographer, or something else, you work incredibly well when you're left alone so your fertile mind can be at its most creative. Don't let people pressure you to join in if you really don’t want to (although some socializing is good for even the most solitary types!). Enjoy being so independent, and keep working towards your goals.



(4) What Makes You Unique?
Vic, your most unique quality is that you're unusually Intense

You're wound up and have a lot going on. Others may have trouble understanding what you're going through, but they generally find your intensity very compelling and are drawn to you. This happens even without effort on your part. Compared to others who are also intense, you are unusually quick to listen when others give you critical feedback. Only 2.1% of all test takers have this unique combination of personality strengths.



(5) Center Stage or Backstage?
Flashlight

Is that you lurking in the shadows? Hey, come out now! Sometimes life can seem embarrassing and awkward and all you want to do is crawl under a rock. But don't do this so often that you miss great opportunities. You need to let yourself shine. Getting more confident usually comes from pushing your boundaries — so even if you don't feel comfortable being the main focus, you just have to put yourself out there anyway. And you will get used to it, hey you may even grow to like it!

More Crappy Personality/ IQ Whatever Test Results

(1) Shakespeare Test

Hamlet Hark, Ye scored 54!

Ahh, You are Hamlet, the protagonist from, duh, Shakespeare's Hamlet. You have an inherent need to wax philosophical and figure out everything... no matter how painstaking that process may be. You need to plow through all sorts of thoughts before you make a decision, and normally, you waste way too much energy in doing so.

My test tracked 1 variable How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 36% on SC

Link: The Shakespearian Character Test written by LoudmouthLee on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test

(2)Swirve Character Test

On the Swirve Personality Test, I am a Healer. About me: You are a rare individual. Idealistic almost to a fault, the Healer is known for his or her selfless and caring nature. Oftentimes a quiet sort, you have a hidden passion for life that no one ... read more or take the Test yourself!

(3) LOTR Personality Test

What LoTR Character Are You?

(4) Pulp Fiction Character Quiz

It has to be YOUR way. When it isn't, you panic, but hold your ground. You keep your gun pointed and trigger finger ready, but you'd never really hurt anyone. Though you like being tough, feeling control, you often enjoy blending in and being part of the ordinary human race. Take the What Pulp Fiction Character Are You? quiz.

(5) What Candy Are You?

discover what candy you are @ quiz me

(6) Which High School Stereotype Are You?




Take the What High School
Stereotype Are You? quiz.

(7)What Kind of Care Bear Are You?
See what Care Bear you are.


(8) Powerpuff Girls Character Quiz




(9) Which Harry Potter Character Are You?


Which HP Kid Are You?


(10) What Cute Animal Are you?
href="http://www.wiredreflection.com/tests/pets.html"
target="new">
border=0 frameborder=0 alt="You are Ein!">


Take the href="http://www.wiredreflection.com/tests/pets.html" target="new"> "Which Anime pet are you?" test!


(11) Which Historical Lunatic Are you? (*Haha...this is funny*)

Which Historical Lunatic Are You?
From the fecund loins of Rum and Monkey.
Sometime Marquis of Tichfield, Earl of Portland, Viscount Woodstock, Baron of Cirencester, co-heir to the Barony of Ogle and renowned as the finest judge of horseflesh in England, you took the tradition of aristocratic eccentricity to unprecedented heights. Having inherited the stately home of Welbeck Abbey, you proceeded to construct miles of underground tunnels and a ballroom, in pink, beneath it. The ballroom was complete except for one small detail. It had no floor. Despite this vast home, you lived exclusively in a suite of five rooms, each one also pink.

Having been turned down by your opera singer objet d'amour, Adelaide Kemble, in your youth, you suffered a broken heart and never married. This did not stop you from caring deeply about the wellbeing of your servants. Occasionally you would even help them muck out the stables. However, you did not neglect discipline, forcing disobedient underlings to skate themselves to exhaustion on your subterranean skating rink. Servants were given strict instructions regarding conduct: if they met you in a corridor, they were to ignore your existence while you froze to the spot until they were out of sight; and a chicken was to be kept roasting at all times in case you felt like sneaking into the kitchen for a snack.

You became ever more eccentric with age. You built another tunnel, this time to the railway station, through which you would ride your carriage. When you reached the station your carriage, with you inside, would be hoisted up onto the train in its entirety.

Upon your death, your multitude of titles passed to your cousin, who was obliged to delve into your curious domain to find your body once the servants had reported your absence. Entering your private rooms, he found that, aside from a commode in the centre of your bedroom, the only objects in the whole suite were hundreds of hatboxes, each containing a single brown wig.


(12) Which High School Clique you Belong to?

You scored as Loner. YOU HAVE NO SOCIAL LIFE! thats ok Loner 60% Geek/Nerd 53% Goth 40% Emo Kid 40% Hot 13% "Ghetto" 13% Jock 0% Stoner 0% Punk 0% Prep 0% What Highschool Clique Do You Belong To? created with QuizFarm.com

(13) Which Shakespeare Tragic Flaw are you? (*Geesh..again...there goes this Hamlet Guy! Am I such a spoonge head? Golly!*)

To be, or not to be?


What is Your Shakespearian Tragic Flaw?
brought to you by Quizilla


(14)What Desk Item Are you?





(15) Auto Personality Quiz
Take the quiz: "Auto Identity"

Average American Car
You have more important things to worry about than the car you drive. You need something that will last for a long time, dependent, not too expensive, and easy to fix

(16) Which LOTR Elf character are you?

border=0 align=bottom> My top result for the SelectSmart.com selector, Which LOTR Elf Are You, is Arwen

(17) Where's Your Brain?

In Limbo!
Take Where's your Brain? today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.

Your brain's in Limbo! You seem to be on the horizon discovering things about yourself and the world, though something may be holding you back. Consider this quote, and don't give up, there is still time to realize your full potential.:)

"We are conditioned to notice and emphasize the differences among ourselves, instead of the similarities. The corporate-style partitioning begins early in life: fetus, newborn, infant, toddler, preschool, lower school, middle school, junior high, senior high, pre-teen, teen. Get in your box and stay there!"

-George Carlin,Brain Droppings

(18) Which Classic Book Are you?

	Which Classic Book Are You?
Book:	Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.
Synopsis:	Daniel Defoe relates the tale of an English sailor marooned on a desert island for nearly three decades. An ordinary man struggling to survive in extraordinary circumstances, Robinson Crusoe wrestles with fate and the nature of God.
Excerpt:	It happened one day about noon, going towards my boat, I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a man's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen in the sand. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition; I listened, I looked round me, I could hear nothing, nor see anything; I went up to a rising ground to look farther; I went up the shore and down the shore, but it was all one, I could see no other impression but that one; I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy, but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the very print of a foot, toes, heel, and every other part of a foot; how it came thither I knew not, nor could in the least imagine.
Amazon:	Robinson Crusoe
	Which Classic Book Are You?

(19) What Kind of Social Software Are you?



(20) Are you an Independant Thinker?
Take the quiz: "Are you an independent thinker?"

A Passive Independent
You are an independent thinker but you don't feel the need to fight everyone on it. You shake your head and quietly snicker when you hear all the propaganda, and you grumble to yourself when you hear the gossip. But hey, what are you gonna do?


(21) Which F1 Driver Are you?

Take the F1 drivers quiz on supersonicsquirrel.net



(22) Which Finger Are You?
You are the Pinky finger!!!!!

Just like the pinky toe that went weeweewee all the way home, you are shy. You are intelligent, but like to hide it behind books. Like the girl from "She's All That," you are very artsy. Don't be afraid to step out of your shell once in a while... you never know where it could take you!!! :)


(23) What Disney Princess Are You? (*Hahahahahha... I belong to the CPC-Coach Potato Club*)
Take the quiz: "What Disney Princess Are You?"

Sleeping Beauty
You sleep a lot, but atleast you have those cool lil fairies by your side.


(24) Finally...An IQ Test
(* Which really isn't much of an IQ test to me--try it to see if what I'm saying is true...True geniuses have IQs of over 160 or more, those with IQs of 140-160 are only the above average ones okay!*)
Take the quiz: "Find your IQ (pictures)"

Genius IQ 141 and above
Wow. Your IQ is 141 and above. Meaning you are smart as hell. Intelligence probably runs in your family but you are probably very modest about your intelligence and may down play it to feel like you belong. Rock ON Smart Ass!


(25) HAHAHA...Your Future Career Test
Take the quiz: "What is your future career? (((w/pics)))"

business woman
Your intelligent. You're committed to your work. You like to have fun, but you are serious with you work and future. You only want the best for your life and your later family that you plan to make. You know that all the schooling will eventually pay off.


(26) What Kind of Student Are you?
Take the quiz: "Are you an A, B, C, D, E, or F student?"

A-student.
You are an A-student. If you continue your studying habits, you will achieve many of your dreams and goals.


(27) Are you Popular...or a Geek?
(*Awww...that was funny...does that person reeeaaally look like me?...Owwwch!!*)
Take the quiz: "Are you Popular or a Geek?!?!"

Geek, fix yo style
Look you may be cool to your friends, but you need to rap up your style and get it together, keep your shirt not tucked go get a whole new wardrobe


(28) Another LOTR Quiz
Take the quiz: "What Harry Potter Character Are You?"

Hermione Granger
You are hermione Granger extremly smart , and love to read ,and study , and the top person in your class


(29) Which X-Men character are you?
Take the quiz: "Which X-Men Character are you most like?"

Jean Grey
You are the support of all your friends. You enjoy reading and writing and have many close friends. When you find someone you may get confused on what you truly want.



(30) Which Word Best Describes you?
Take the quiz: "Which word describes you?"

Smart
You are very very smart. You love reading and doin your homework..good luck with your social life!


(31) Which Famous Novel Are you?
Take the quiz: "Which Famous Novel Are You? (Pictures)"

A Christmas Carol
(By: Charles Dickens) You can't find anything better than a classic book. You are fascinated by the writers back then and always want to find more. You are smart and clever.



(32) Which LOTR Character are you..again?

Take the quiz: "WHICH LOTR CHARACTER DOES YOUR PERSONALITY MATCH?"

Sam
Your personality matches Sam. You may not always be the sharpest or the most witty person but you are the most loyal, determined, reliable person anyone could ever wish to meet. You will stick by your friends through thick and thin and your strength is a credit to you.


(33) What kind of Dessert are you?
Take the quiz: "What dessert are you"

cupcake
You are a cupcake! Innocent and sweet more than every one else. Everyone loves someone like you!



(34) How Do Others See you?
Take the quiz: "How do others see you?"

A nice and caring person
Its nice that you're so helpful but maybe letting people do things on their own once in a while would be nice.


(35) What's your Inner Soul?
Take the quiz: "What's your inner soul like? (AWESOME ANIME FOR GIRLS!)"

Shy Soul
Your so cute because your SO shy. Just calm done a bit, relax, the world isn't wait for you to mess up..

Psychology Test

Did a couple of psychology tests today... one of my favourite past times.. hehe... aiming towards a clearer understanding of myself. Here are a few the links and my results, and my comments about the results:

Pattern Test: (2 Mins)
http://www.psicologi-psicoterapeuti.it/test/testpersonalita.html

My results: * supposed to choose one pic only, but I selected 2 pics - my fav and da 2nd fav one*

Main: Romantic, Dreamy & Emotional--You are a very sensitive person. You refuse to view things only from a sober, rational standpoint. What your feelings tell you is just as important to you. In fact, you feel it is important to have dreams in life, too. You reject people who scorn romanticism and are guided only by rationality. You refuse to let anything confine the rich variety of your moods and emotions.

Secondary: Introspective, reflective, sensitive--You come to grips more frequently and thoroughly with yourself and your environment than do most people. You detest superficiality; you'd rather be alone than have to suffer through small talk. But your relationships with your friends are very strong, which gives you the inner tranquility and harmony that you require. You do not mind being alone for extended periods of time; you rarely become bored.

Comment: Gee, most of what it says are pretty true about me, but don't quite agree with the part about rejecting ppl who scorn romanticism. Hey... I'm not such an extreme as that, I can be rational too okay! Aren't we humans born with two hemispheres of the brain, as well as other parts that control both rationality and emotions. Anyway, this is just one of those personality tests.


Color Quiz: (5 Mins)

http://www.colorquiz.com/
* Did this many times before.. but decided to take it again to find if there are any changes in my personality*

My Results:

Your Existing Situation :Readily participates in things that provide excitement or stimulation. Wants to feel exhilarated
* Gee, how true*

Your Stress Sources:
Wants to overcome a feeling of emptiness and to bridge the gap which she feels separates herself from others. Anxious to experience life in all its aspects, to explore all its possibilities, and to live it to the fullest. She therefore resents any restriction or limitation being imposed on her and insists on being free and unhampered.
*Golly, u read my mind--EERIE*

Your Restrained Characteristics:
Believes that she is not receiving her share--that she is neither properly understood or adequately appreciated. Feels that she is being compelled to conform, and close relationships leave her without any sense of emotional involvement.
* Oh-Oh..the secret's out*

Your Desired Objective
Needs a change in her circumstances or in her relationships which will permit relief from stress. Seeking a solution which will open up new and better possibilities and allow hopes to be fulfilled.

Your Actual Problem
Feels restricted and prevented from progressing; seeking a solution which will remove these limitations

Your Actual Problem #2
The fear that she may be prevented from achieving the things she wants leads her into a relentless search for satisfaction in the pursuit of illusory or meaningless activities.

*My--how accurate those descriptions are* Hehe... that's why I love doing these tests!

Ok..Ok.. wanted to share more. But the lab's closing. Hv to go now...bye bye!

Exam's finally over! HURRAY!

Phew, It's all over, the one whole week of intense cramming, whole semester of assignments, studying, it all finished for this semester! Yippee! Just finished my last paper just now, about...hmn..an hour ago...a pretty thought-provoking Critical Appreciation paper. Couldn't answer some of the questions since I spent most of my time yesterday sleeping and playing computer games instead of studying. It's always been like that for the last paper... u get lazier, refuse to let ur mind work. Nvrmind, I had to rely on my imagination and creative, analytical skills instead to 'create' some crap of an answer. Felt like dying when I was answering it, nearly went 'ohmigod' when I read the questions. I didn't finish reading the novel "Old man and the Sea" I was supposed to study..forgot to read it yesterday again, but luckily a fren managed to brief me on some of the important aspects of the novel, which happened to come out in one of the questions just now... hehe..what a blessing that was.... All I had to do was just 'goreng-goreng' something... add some pepper, sauce, chilli..blah blah..whatever into the essay ... then da question's all set, urm... I hope. As for d other questions.. yikes.. I really don't wanna think of it! I'll see images of that man in a black hooded cloak swinging that horrible, gleaming blade down your neck... with a cynical, diabolical smile on his face..then they'll be this putrid of smell of death...Okay, okay... no use to get so imaginative larh! It's time to enjoy, isn't it~!ooh lala!
So, enjoy the holidays, I will. Think of nonsense, I will not. But I do wonder if I can retain that record of getting a Dean's Award this semester. Ok, please don't think of it anymore. To be worried, or not to be.. that's merely a question of how one can overcome anxiety and learn to relax, right folks? I'll relax, savour this moment of release, to dwell in the joy and sheer comfort of complacency and idleness.. now, that's what I call fun! Yee-harh.... it's gonna be fun after this!
Ok, I don't wanna crap some more... have fun this hols, folks! Cherrio!

Here I am again!

Gee, can't really believe how long it was since I've last blogged here. Did try blogging a few days ago, but somehow couldn't log into blogspot to update my blog...some server connection problem I guess, dunno...but I ended up venting all my pent-up frustration in my (accesible) friendster blog. For my two latest *angry* blog entries (just updated last week), check it out at:
http://vic_idealistpoetica.blogs.friendster.com/poetica_haven_encapsulati/

*Mind you, watch out for some red-boiling-hot fiery stuff written there* Uh-huh!

Ahh..things have been finally settling down for me...with "only" 1 assignment left and a string of semester exams to go. Exams will start on the 9th, then end on the 18th... and there's this critical essay literature assignment to be passed up on the 11th..hmnn, but it's a more peaceful week...really...compared to that crazy past 2 weeks when I got in-and out of fever, then nearly went ballistic over certain things...phew, things have toned down a lot...my emotions have cooled down too. With God's help, finally found a way to manage all the things going around me, and not-to-mention--those ruffled emotions. But I'm still questioning and searching for answers to many things in my life- like...What is it I really want to set out to achieve through this life? In what ways can I really serve God? Is TESL really for me? or rather, should I really teach in schools when I graduate? and other general things about life. Been pondering a lot about the future these days...re-evaluating my preferences, my new desires, my slightly shifting interests & my revamped life goals. I don't honestly know if it's merely a matter of my raging hormones and emotions, or a sudden philospical trigger or insight, or a resurfacing of some of the previous questions I'd raised long time ago, which could've previously been buried in my subconscious. Emotions can be both a wondrous blessing and a cumbersome plague in your life...I can't safely vouch for that--being an intensely emotional person--It's makes you a slave to your own shifting moods (it swings too furiously like a freedom-starved pendulum at times)...the morbidity that results is both psychologically damaging and socially stifling. But ironically I don't show a lot of emotion on my face most of the time, like it's encrusted in ice or something--hard and heavy.... but I like spilling it all out in writing....*AH* nice to have this lil' spot to pour everything out...It's both comforting and exciting--like a philosophical version of my safety blanket.

Golly, had a really interesting time last Monday...specially stayed over the weekend in UNIMAS just to watch the play 'Pygmalion' performed by the 3rd year TESL and ESL students in UNIMAS last Monday night. It was truly awesome...remember 'MY FAIR LADY'-starring Audrey Hepburn....and 'old' movie I know...for those who dunno, it's about a cockney English speaking flower girl--Eliza Doolitle, who, under the tutelage of this professor in phonetics--Henry Higgins, learns to talk & walk like a fine lady...in order to be passed off as a duchess at a garden party. Had always loved the story since I last watched it years ago...and would always remember that song 'Wouldn't it be Loverly'.. so watching the seniors performing the play in UNIMAS was like a rekindling of that old passion...*A dream come true*--truly enjoyed the performance... I was esctatic,man... There were actually two versions of the 'pymalion' performed that night... the first one, performed by the first group-- was the original 'London' version, which followed the original play quite closely...then, the second one performed by another group was a re-adaptation...a Sarawakian *Lundu* version of the original...It was interesting to see how these two versions vary...Each version was interesting in its own way...For the first one--Golly, I just loved the acting--truly professional, really...this came from a non-TESL friend of mine, who couldn't believe that the performers were TESL & ESL students...She thought they were all pros. And the singing was spectacular--For that brief moment then, all I could hear from the stage was that rich, sparkling voice-- truly beautiful...The same thing goes for the second play--which was a wonderfully humorous, very local, Sarawakian version of Pygmalion. Loved the use of those cute local accents...and the 'ayang' 'ayang' part...hehheheh...as well as that chilly evil laughter and that 'bomoh'-style stage-jumping & elegant-walking-talking antics of the witch--Ursula. Apparently Ursula took the place of Prof. Higgins in this re-adaptation of the play, and taught a very typically 'kampung', rough-talking Lundu girl how to be 'SOPISTIKETED', and transformed her, in the course of a few weeks, into a national speech competition champion. It was a comical one. Heh-heh..so to all who were involved in the production of the play--BRAVO, BRAVO indeed! Truly a remarkable performance! Learnt a lot about drama & performance that night! Wish I could watch it again.

EEK..you seniors really sent chills down my spine when I watched the play...reminds me of the BIG TASK ahead of we second year folks next year...Eeeeepss...Wonder how we r gonna match your performance...you guys have really set the mark...With the bar raised, it's not gonna be a piece of cake to jump across the hedge--if you get what I mean. Garrrhhh...I'm both excited and petrified at the prospect of being part of our own drama performance sometime during the third year! Hah, but i'm definitely looking forward to it. Bound to have lotsa things to learn and do! Oh-yeah!

Hmnn..as always...this is another long blog entry. That typical 'loso' style of mine at it's work again! Okay, okay, gotta end this before you guys doze off. Bye! Bye folks! For those students of UNIMAS..**ENJOY** your study week..heheh-u know what I mean... really *savour* the tension that this holiday entails..Oh yeah!... gotta go now...Sayonara!

A Locked-out-of-room-door drama

Hi! It’s weeks since I’ve posted anything. Pretty busy…and tired about things in my currently dull life. Read my next entry for details about my life and the issue of dreaded monotony and changing interests.

But something slightly funny happened a few weeks back—I got locked out of my room, not once, but twice in the course of one week! Once during the weekend just minutes before my Mum came to pick me up for my Friday night church life group, then once again a few days after that, just an hour or so before a club meeting I was supposed to attend. And I even seriously contemplated of trying out that acrobatic leap into my bedroom window from the balcony located near my room. Hehe… luckily, after looking down from three floors on top of the balcony, I quickly freaked out. Any daredevil attempt would probably give me a mini lesson on aeronautics and its effects on the human anatomy, and a huge lesson on why we humans aren’t cut out for the flying race. Maybe I should have tried it out, but my mind kept imagining what my balcony railing might look like the moment I stepped onto it, with my chunky weight and all, or what I will eventually look like the moment after flying lesson starts. I may have the gift of changing the course of balcony railings, but leaping from balcony to windows wasn’t my idea of fun.

Luckily I had my daring little sis, Deb to help me out later. With the help of 2 sturdy long planks placed from the balcony railing and the window sill and a cable chord tied across her bod, my sis agilely crawled across the plank into the window and whalla, my door could finally open! I tried to imagine what it would be like if I were the one doing the crawling, but the picture turned out to be too horrible to describe. What morbid imagination! So, instead of a good lesson on aeronautics, physics and kinesics, what I got instead was a sound lecture on the effects of forgetfulness, carelessness and the dangers of cowardice. I must admit, it was very enlightening, but it’s effects didn’t last long.

So, sigh…days after that first incident, I made another ‘bu-bu’ and locked myself out again, in my haste to produce to load of squeaky-clean clothes. There was no sister or Mama to help me out then, but I had a great friend next door to lend me some raffia string to tie around my waist and to hold the chair as I climbed from the balcony to the railing. Needless to say, I was both ecstatic and disturbed by the prospect of undergoing that leaping trauma. All I could remember was finding a best angle to climb from, listening to my friend whispering frantically about being careful, then me climbing onto that steel balcony railing, and trying not to think of the horror of taking the plunge. It made me feel somewhat like an acrobat in a circus freak show, or one of those participants in ‘Fear-factor’. Then, I made the worst mistake any potential climber could make— I glanced down at that patch of dark, greeny, murky grass below, and my stomach churned. With a yelp, and in reflex, I quickly leaped down, not onto the window sill, but back onto the balcony, with that ugly image of me dangling from the string attached to the balcony horrendously imprinted in my mind. So there goes leaping and flying lessons. I had to find some other way to get in.

Since I knew the hostel office didn’t have a spare key to my room (I tried asking already, and it was no use). The only way into the room was to get my bag from that room, since my room key was kept in there. Fortunately for me, my bag was just placed directly by the window on my study table. All I had to do was to hook that thing up with a long stick, and then I could get in. Why didn’t I have the foresight to try out this option first instead of that daredevil attempt to climb-leap into my room, I don’t really know. I was absolutely frantic at that time, and didn’t take the time to consider any alternative options. Anyway, my friend got a long stick, I tried several times to ‘fish’ my bag out through the window, and then after several minutes, phew, I finally managed to hook it out! My key was retrieved and the drama was finally over. And to avoid this drama ever happening again, I made a few spare keys after that, which I gave to my mum and that friend for safe-keeping.

As for other incidents in my life, nothing practically amusing happened aside from doing my own cooking in my dorm. Well, if you would call cooking and frying rice, opening cans of sardine and warming them up, frying eggs, making egg and mushroom soup, and cooking maggi mee amusing or fun. Wanted to cook veges and some substantial stuff, but thanks to not having a refrigerator, and my not being much of a cook, I couldn’t. I was lucky enough to have a multi-purpose electric cooking pot from home last week, which I brought to save my money up on eating out. Electric—meaning I didn’t need a gas stove to cook (we’re not allowed to have that there). But what I instead ended up spending my money on was on some crappy stuff during the convocation fest in Unimas the past two days—fridge magnets, a t-shirt, a ‘cheap’ watch with straps too long, different types of drinks I’ve never tasted before etc.. etc. No substantial meals brought there—since I wanted to ‘save it up’ for my own ‘substantial’ cooking later, which turned up to be merely fried rice (with eggs and sardines) yesterday. I’m seriously planning of doing some kind of community cooking with my pals next door the next week. They’re better cooks than me, since my ‘culinary expertise’ mostly consists of the menu I mention earlier – it’s mostly fried this, and fried that, and sometimes some kind of weird soupy concoction. Well, I could gain some cooking tips from them. It’s a feeble attempt to spice up my currently boring, stale life.

Ok, gotta go now. Don’t want to drag this on and on…for other details, read my next entry, which I will post soon. Cheerio!

Golly, it's weeks since i've posted anything. Can hardly get hold of one of the computers at the unimas library lab or faculty lab, that's why. It's almost always fully booked during the time i'm free to pop in inside the lab. And even when I'm lucky enough to get hold of one...there are always plenty of assignments or tutorial info to search on. Sigh..that's uni life. Can't have the privilege of close proximity to the unimas lab like the previous semesters anymore. I'm living much further away now from my campus...about a 5-minute bus drive away. And since I always cherish my sleep at night, and a good rest during the groggy hours after 7pm, taking a bus to the unimas library at night didn't seem like a sound idea. I'm getting lazier...and lazier by the semester, I realise now too. Getting a reference book to read sometimes seem like sheer torture right now..so the idea of haggling up the bus to get to the unimas lab or library seems pretty daunting.

But I'm pretty much enjoying myself with the lectures. I'm taking up to courses that has to do with literature..something I can exercise my analytical mind on for a bit. Enjoying myself trying to figure the characters, symbolisms and plots out. Critical Analysis and Reading Narratives---hmnnn..sound like yummy subjects to me...you can practically taste the sheer joy of going through them. Nah, I didn't mean it literally. The poems for the course were well chosen too--Blake's " To See the Word in a Grain of Sand" had always intrigued me, and now I'm studying it! Haven't read all that I'm supposed to read though. But I just love those two courses! Hope I'll do well with them this semester..and hopefully get an A for each one of them.

Other updates: Just got a new handphone. So for those who didn't know about this---this means that you can contact me via hp now.

Oh, and I just went for the "Puteri Hang Li Po" musical at Stadium Perpaduan just last night. I've been to dramas, but not a musical like this, so this was the first time. Yeah, I know, I was busy, but someone gave my family free ticket, so why should I miss out on this golden opportunity? Anyway, I had hoped I could go watch it the first time I saw a promo poster on it pasted in front of the ET-the unimas theatre. In fact, I dreamed about going, since I'd always loved dramas. I love reading dramas, watching it, writing scripts for it, and even being in it. And since it was staged by Istana Budaya, I had a good idea how professional the set up would be. So the experience was truly phenomenal for me. Saw Louisa Chon, Soong Ai Ling in action. Aman Yap was truly amazing as Laksamana Ming You...his stance was professional. The dances were spectacular. My sister, Deb, ever the experienced dancer, couldn't help pinpointing the tribe of origin those different chinese dance steps came from. Yeah, she went to China once for a summer dance course, so she had a clear idea of what went round. And the set up of the props were very detailed. A truly professional performance and set up on the overall, albeit with a few flaws (as usual). But it was a great performance nonetheless! What's more to say? It was a privilege even to be there!

Hehe...that's all.....or else my other commitments shall be at stake. Piles of assignments mounting up--I've 6 coming up, and have to edit all of them. It's tough enough doing all of them, even tougher when you have to edit every one of the pair and group assignments too. Always the so called "English Teacher". Then there's also this TEACH 2005 I'm going to attend too--the only student going for my year. Busy, busy me! So, Cheerio folks..bye bye!

Back to Unimas!

It's been a pretty tiring 2 days for me...now that I'm finally back to unimas. And I'm now acessing and typing out this entry via one of the computers at the unimas library lab. Just registered at the new hostel in the new unimas campus yesterday...and had to went through a 3-hour ordeal (from 5pm-8pm)just to get the key to my room. Apparently they didn't have a proper, systematic system to allocate students to their specified rooms. There were only a lady and 3 or 4 other guys at the counter servicing over a hundred students cramped and jam-packed in a small room. So you can imagine how stuffy it was in the registration office.Just imagine hundreds of sardines tightly packed in a container....that's how the situation was like. Then as I finally fought my way to the counter, alas, I was told that my key was taken away by my roomate. So I carried some of my stuff from my car, then dragged them up to my room, which is on the 3rd floor, only to find that it was locked! No one else was there! It seemed that I was the first one, or so I thought! So it was another trip to the stuffy room and counter again. And boy was that lady there pretty cranky! Since my room key could not be found at the counter, just run around the different blocks and try to find one of the staffs who may..'MAY' have my room key, she told me. It was a wild goose chase all the way after that! I managed to get hold of one of the staffs, who told me that the key was supposed to be at the counter. So I went back again..was shoved off. So my Dad who drove me there got pretty mad, yeah, and you could see how cranky he was when he complained to that lady at the counter about my key problem, and their haphazhard system. Immediately she took action, gave me a single room instead, and a key! Hurray, a key! Happily we rushed to the room, opened the door, and found--oh no, the room was occupied by someone else! Then it was another trip down to the counter again. And by that time, I was so drenched in sweat, and so tired that I nearly fell asleep. To cut the story short, I was given the whole bunch of keys to all 6 bedrooms in my apartment instead, and was asked to choose a bedroom I want! Hehe.. it was better than I had expected! So I found a single room I wanted, in fact the only unoccupied single room in that apartment (which incidentally had a faulty fan and lamp. So I went back to the counter again, and that lady gave me a "oh, not her again!' look, returned the bunch of keys, then told her about my faulty lamp and ceiling fan case, but was then told to report it to her tomorrow, which means today, though I hadn't done it yet. Will report it tonight. So guess where did I stay last night? Couldn't possibly sleep in that boiling hot, dark and eerie bedroom. So I hopped into a friend's room just next to my apartment(hers was a shared room with 2 beds), and 'borrowed' her roomate's bed for the night. Thankfully her roomate did not turn up last night. Hehe..

But today..sigh today. I'm in a pretty weird mood today..both very happy to see my pals, but at the same time extremely tired of the waiting and pushing to register business. Guess I got pretty spoiled after my 3-month holiday! And I'm getting a bit cranky now....just got out from one of the stuffiest room you can find in unimas, after attending this soft-skill module session for nearly 2 hours. Very sleepy now. But I have a choir audition or something to attend afterwards at 3pm. Which reminds me, I've got to go now! Bye readers! Cheerio!

to unimas I will go!

Ah, the sweet beckoning of unimas...the tranquil ambience of the small, humble campus...it's going to be part of my world again. Can't wait to be back to that old place, the place I'd been studying and staying the past few months. And best of all, I'm going to be there tomorrow! Yeah, TOMORROW! Though I'll be in a totally different part of unimas...the new world of UNIMAS...the new campus, a brand new dorm, a totally brand new experience. Everything's going to be pretty BRAND NEW! Hopefully my pals wouldn't be totally brand new too! Nah, I'm not like that...old chums mean too much to me. Wouldn't ever trade them for new ones, though I'd most likely have some new ones coming into my life, and of course an old church pal, who's coming in as a brand new unimas freshie! Oh, y'know who you are, it's ******. A great gal, truly one of a kind *****, and i believe, a future great student of TESL, one that will bring sunshine plus enthusiasm towards knowledge (including literature), plus great joy to her class! Hopefully she'll be a future dean's list student too!

But I just can't help but be reminded of a terrible thing. You see, a close pal of mine, a truly amazing friend will not be coming back to join the gang in unimas again, due to unforeseeable circumstances. *SOB* *SOB* will truly miss her A LOT! Well, to that great friend, you know who you are. *sigh* Will truly cherish the times of joy and laughter, even the heated moments of boiling pressure and dark frustration; times we would always sit together in class, times we shared our deep thoughts and experiences....will really miss having you as part of the gang, especially with the four of us always together. This semester will definitely be different without you, and I'll definitely remember you as that cheerful, bright and cute gal who was always there to lend a listening ear; also as my counselor who would advise me, cheer me up in my frustration. I'm so glad to have met a wonderful, sweet, sunny and caring friend like you. You rock, girl! You truly rock, my dear friend, not only through your name--Rocky girl (Haha...I'm referring to a private joke, you know what I mean lah), but also through your thoughtfulness, cheerfulness, determination, and a whole host of other things.In fact, in truth, you're the most cheerful and the cutest among the four of us. Yeah, you truly rock! But I'm glad that things have been ironed out for you, the muddy paths and uncertainties, it's pretty much over for you, I'm glad. You've found your own place, your own area of joy, a new avenue much more suited for you. And all I can say is...you've made a wise decision to move on into that other world, that other area (one which is more relevant to your current interests), instead of being stuck in your present one. So don't ever worry about what the future may hold. But knowing you, I know you'll always trudge on with confidence and determination, like a rock, you'll stand firm, I bet. YOur presence will be greatly missed...and I'll definitely not forget that drama performance we did together, our little walk around the golden triangle of Kuching, our meal at Tun Jugah and the conversation during that last meal at Samarahan. Hopefully our paths will cross again next time! Don't forget to visit us when you happen to drop by humble ol' Kuching! All the best to you friend! Enjoy Penang to your heart's content! Will definitely keep in contact, once I get my new hp!

Well, but whatever the circumstances, nothing will stop me form savouring old and new Unimas, my new dorm, the new semester to my fullest! Oh, btw, just heard from a friend that my new dorm in the new campus is ready, fully brand new (of course), and best of all, it's no longer going to be that 4-in-a-small-cramped-room tiny abode...I'm going to have 7 other roomies, all housed within an apartment-like large room, containing 2 single bedrooms and 3 double bedrooms! Isn't that great? And I'll probably be staying with 3rd year or even 4th year or Master's Degree seniors. Probably, I guess, from what I read about the list of students accepted into the dorm. Well, can't wait to transfer my stuff into my new room, meet new roomies, get back with old pals...which means I'm currently also busy packing my things to be carted to that new place.And trust me, this time, I'm bringing nearly 60% of all my belongings there--majority of my clothes, books (Oh yeah, my books, definitely, and other nitty gritty personal items I may need... no harm bringing as many things as I can since I may need them, sometime in the future, and I don't want to trouble myself to jot down and bring from home the things I'd forgotten to bring in the first place during the subsequent weeks to come. Yeah, I can do that since I'm studying in hometown Unimas. Hehe..don't have to worry about exceeding luggage weight limit...so it's going to be a full car of stuff. My last record was a car bonnetful (to the brim) of stuff, plus my backpack and other bags on the car's backseat. oh yeah, that's amount of stuff I would bring to uni. Hate packing, but just love bringing lots of things along, which will turn out to be unused, dusty items anyway! Oh well, just can't help it! Better safe than sorry, right? Ooh, it's late now, gotta rush off to sleep, bye folks! Enjoying the new uni semester, for those of you going back or just entering uni! Cheerio! ^_^

Unimas--I'll be back soon!

Sigh! 10 more days..10 more short, few days before it's time for to head back to Unimas. And it isn't going to be as convenient this time round, I bet. No longer staying in the same dorm, with the same bunch of close friends living just minutes apart from you. It'll definitely be different. And the worst thing is, I've been given a place in this new dorm in the new Unimas campus, 5-minutes drive or so away from the current old one! It was my 'smart idea' actually to not rent a place near the current old unimas campus. And a few of my friends followed suit. I was worried that we unimas students will be moving to the new campus soon. Didn't want to sign that a one-year contract after renting a place nearby, a condition which most tenants are required to fulfill, aside from the 2 or 3 months downpayment we have to dig out from our own pockets. There'll be too many complications after that. So applying to stay in a hostel sounded like a better option. And I was so glad I was given a place to stay inside unimas...yeah, inside... but in the new campus. This means that I'll have to find some kind of transport to the old campus each day, since classes will most probably be held at the old one. Well, transportation-wise, it didn't seem that bad, until I got quite a disturbing news from an 'inside source' working in the current new unimas campus today. Apparently, the new hostel in the new campus, the one I'm supposed to stay in during next semester, may or may not be ready when semester reopens. If it's true, then I may be stuck, lodging-wise. Possibly have to ask someone to drive me from home each day to unimas. How troublesome! Now I really wish I didn't let my driving phobia stop me from hitting the road. But I don't know how true is this piece of news. I'm hoping this will just be pure gossip, some untested pre-assumption. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that things will eventually work out well.

So till then, till the chaos starts... well, I guess it'll still be holiday time for me. Or working time. And until then... I'll just have to enjoy these few days while it lasts! It includes having a good sleep, something I'll definitely be deprived of when holiday ends...hehe! So bye! Got to have my precious nap now. Cheerio! ^_^

The Craft marathon

Just came back from my church's ministry centre just now, after a full whole day of designing, cutting and gluing. Guess what I did today?...Well, obviously it has something to do with craftwork, in fact, almost EVERYTHING to do with that tedious thing called C.R.A.F.T, which to me is a combination of the following descriptions:

C

-- Cutting till your hands get numb

R

--Redesigning, after already designing the things you're supposed to put up, then take them down again to make sure the deco is perfectly & strategically placed! Believe me, craftwork projects can be extremely, and excruciatingly tedious!

A

-- ART form that requires A LOT of patience, plus delicate hands, plus creative improvisational skills to make do with the whatever resources you already have ( if u want to cut down the cost).

F

-- Fun. ‘Are you sure?’ you may ask. Oh yeah, I sincerely do mean FUN...not the sarcastic form of ‘FUN’. Especially if you’re doing it for a shorter period of time, for the FUN of it (there… there’s that ‘F’ word again—FUN), then yeah, you know…it’s FUN to do it. But when you’re required to go through days upon days of thinking, drawing, cutting— a full-fledge CRAFT MARATHON, it’s a different scenario altogether.

T

-- Time consuming. Whether you’re doing a teeny-weeny, cute and simple lil’ craftwork (like a little cardboard and sponge photo frame), or a slightly bigger project like a board deco, it’s still pretty hard work, and very time consuming.

So there… I’ve given you a hint. No..no, nothing to do with photo frames. Yes, it has something to do with display boards… yes, and I was decorating it (well, my Mum and I were decorating it, to be precise). Ok, Ok, I’ll throw away my stick and stop beating around the bush, (don’t wanna whack your brains out trying to figure out what I’m talking about). I was actually helping to decorate two large promotion boards and a game stall for an upcoming FAMILY DAY EVENT organised by my church. The whole CRAFT MARATHON started the week before last, to be exact— from searching through the photos to be developed and displayed, then delicately cutting the pieces of coloured paper and gluing it to make some shapes and patterns out of it. My sis was supposed to help me out with the craftwork and deco stuff, but was too busy with her sport’s day training, marching training, piano & violin classes, piano exam.. blah blah blah. So it became this one-girl task at first, until my Mum stepped in the help me cut and draw out things for the promo board on Monday night. She did a major part of the craftwork for one board, and I did the other. Thank God for Mum’s help… I can’t imagine what would have happened if I’d done this alone. So I spent the whole night in church yesterday, decorating the boards with my mum & bro. The team of other church helpers came too, but they were doing other stuff—decorating the whole hall, and their individual game stalls. So, with that dire lack of time & manpower, we couldn’t finish decorating the boards and my game stall on time, and had to continue our task early this morn till nearly evening today. Took the day off from church office work. But phew, at last a major part of the task was completed! A few alterations, adjustments, and a game’s rules display cardboard left to do, which I’ll complete later. Yahooooooooo! I’M JUST SOOOOOO GLAD IT’S ALMOST FINISHED! But I’m feeling pretty sleepy now, since I didn’t sleep well the past few nights… So, I’ve got to catch up on my sleep… which mean I’ve got to tchao! Au Revoir, folks! That’s all for now. Cheerio!

P/S: Oh, yeah, I promised to write about my miracle healing..so here’s quite a quick one: I was miraculously healed of a severe sore throat I had on last, last Sunday, one that was pretty bad that I could hardly swallow my saliva without experiencing some intense discomfort. Couldn’t even talk properly, much less sing during worship, since the pain was quite excruciating. Healed during the Sunday service itself, the pain gradually disappeared over the following few hours after the service. And by Monday morn, the pain was totally gone. Praise the Lord! But I’m now down with flu. Got it from I-dunno-who, and I just infected my mum with it. Oh my! So don’t get too close to me if you happen to see me… unless of course if you want to get infected, which I hope not. Sheeesh, I sound like a leper now. Oh boy!

Hi there folks!

I know, it was days since my last entry..partly because there seemed to be nothing particularly interesting happening in my world, except for a miracle that occurred last Sunday. Believe it or not, I was miraculously healed of a throat infection... thank God...or else I won't be able to speak for days! I'll still call it a miracle healing, whether it is a minor miracle or full-scale miracle, nothing is too small for God to deal with. This is one of the interesting thing about the nature of God— He's never too bored or too tired to look at the tiny, minuscule details in your life. Our slightest needs and desires get met each day, sometimes even without our realization. Come to think of it, it’s truly amazing that an all-powerful, omnipotent God, would be so interested in such a relatively insignificant thing like a puny, fallible being’s needs and desires. A perfect of balance of God’s great power and authority, as well as a deep love and compassion for the people He created. What a great God He is!

Oh, about my testimony...I'll give the full details in my next entry (which i'll post in a few days time, if possible). Didn't blog much the past few days since I'm suffering from this weird pyschological & situational 'malady' I'll call the 3Bs. phenomena:

(1)

B

logger's Block (but it's on the verge of a 'cure' now or else i wouldn't be writing this)

(2)

B

usy few days—with church children's ministry deco and scriptwriting stuff to do, some other personal stuff, books I MUST READ too (can't leave that out...an integral part of my life). But I tend to get too ambitious.

(3)

B

iting sense of frustration over things I can't control, future plans..blah blah blah ( The reasons are too many & too personal...hehe).

Oh, about my reading…a topic I can talk about for hours, if possible. B-O-R-I-N-G topic, I know. But I’m currently in the midst of reading a few books, mostly pertaining to my current topic of interest—relationships (no, no, not that kind...but about how to get along well with the people around you, being more compassionate), books like Alan Loy McGinnis' “The Friendship Factor” and Les Parrott's “Relationships:How To Make Bad Relationships Better and Good Relationships Great”. I’ve also just finished reading the following fantastic book:

John Ortberg's "Everybody's Normal Till You Get To Know Them"

This book’s definitely a great read …among Christian literary circles. Ortberg currently tops my list as the most witty and humorous Christian writer yet, with such a magnificent and unique gift of narrating. Almost every single page made me chuckle… and the message he wanted to put across was presented in such a powerfully mesmerising, insightful, yet creatively witty way. It made me saw a whole new dimension to relationships between people and a fresh style of writing that could captivate readers no matter what topic was discussed. Boy, I truly enjoyed every single detail written in that book, and literally couldn’t put it down. A must read, definitely!

Well, that’s basically all for now! Don't want to get into other nitty-gritty details right now. So, enough of my my blah-blah-ing this time round....and stay tuned for my next post! Cheerio! ^_^

I'm so tired, or was tired, or was extremely tired! Whatever...

The only thing i can think of right now are two BIG WORDs-- 'SLEEEEPPY'and 'TIIIIRRREED'...Zzzzzzzz. It was the cause of my not wanting to post anything for the past few days after my trip. WHY? Well, just wanted a break, then helped out at the NO APOLOGIES seminar for three days, together with Esther and the bunch of other church youths. Dunno what NO APOLOGIES is all about--it's a cool program tailored to promote abstinence among adolescents and young adults (ages 12-25)--something u don't hear very often.My mum was one of the facilitators, and the students were taught via various activites--drama, games, role play etc, and also through a video, slides and a No Apologies Workbook. It's a great program--join it the next time round. I'll inform when the next one starts.

I was given a cool Focus On The Family calendar and journal for my effort. If u all dunno where the Focus On the Family Kuching office is--it's at Jalan Mendu (Just before Sekama Road), somewhere next to my cousin's coffee cum steamboat place--"Tokyo Corner". It's a cool place--I mean the Focus Center, with plenty of books and resources by various authors like the famous Dr James Dobson-the founder of Focus On The Family.

Ok, back to the topic about the No Apologies seminar--the closing session of the three day program ended yesterday. So I'm now back at the church office today, and tomorrow too..and the week after.. till my semester break ends. Sigh! I'll miss working, can't imagine going back to that crazy jungle of uni life.The burning mid-night oil stint,piles of assignments...arrgghhh, i can't bear to think of it! Sigh!

The KL trip I was supposed to write about:

Sorry I didn't write anything about the KL & Genting trip I promised to write about...was too busy with things….slightly too lazy and tired to type out something to be exact. But now that I’m back to my old self, and old hometown Kuching… here’s a juicy bit of stuff about my 5-day trip:

The trip went on pretty okay, albeit it taught me a little lesson on patience and self-control, and of course the benefits of everyday exercise since I became quickly exhausted after each ‘marathon’ tour or lengthy ‘walk’ around the streets of Malaysia’s capital & Genting. Woke up at 4a.m on Sunday afternoon (29th May, and was off to the airport and to the plane at approximately 5.45a.m. We took an early flight at dawn because the seats were fully booked due to the school holiday season. The moment we touched down at KLIA...it was a quick rush all the way to my Aunt's apartment at Subang, then at 10.30a.m, we walked, caught a taxi, then a train, then a bus all the way to Genting, and after that it was a horribly long wait at the Genting Skyway.... Horribly long because there were practically hundreds of bobbing heads milling around, and not the mentioned the long queue which packed up the entire waiting area. The waiting alone swallowed up an entire 2 hours of our time. Imagine that--Two long hours, carrying and dragging my luggage across the whole way! I was sweating profusely, arms terribly aching by the time I was in the sky cab.

I thought our torment was over…but we were clearly in for a mega shock, and another round of sheer torture---we had to get a number (like those you get while waiting for your turn at banks or polyclinics) before we could check in at the First World Hotel at Genting, and worst still…we had to wait for over 200 families to check in before it was our turn—the number we were given upon reaching was a 970, and number flashing on the screens at that time was just slightly over 700.Yikes! Even with 32 reception counters at the waiting lounge, the hotel was clearly under-staffed since I believed over 1000 rooms were due to be booked by that day. So you can imagine, by the time we haggardly and tiredly waded into our rooms over two hours later, momentarily relieved from the intense fatigue of having to lug our large luggages all the way up and down from the taxi’s boot all the way to torture zone, it was already almost 6p.m.

Our state of elevation didn’t last long…for another surprise came uninvited: The room was small—but it didn’t matter at first, until we discovered that it didn’t have many of the facilities deemed appropriate for a deluxe room—no clothes cabinet, mini refrigerator, small coffee table, plus poor air circulation around the room, which we had to bear for the rest of the two days we were there. And we spent over RM 130 for that room! My Mom, ever the fighter, couldn’t believe it was a deluxe room, and walked all the way back to the reception counter to request for an explanation and possibly some help, since no one picked up the call of enquiry she made. And although after some amount to probing, and demanding for an explanation, she was given the confirmation that that tiny hole we were given was and is actually a ‘deluxe room’. Bear it or leave it!

Not that I want to sound too critical, but not having a refrigerator really spoilt our plans of having a fresh meal. We brought loads of roasted chicken, cheese, fresh milk and other food to cut cost, and we ended up having to throw away a whole piece of chicken after that. What’s more, the stench of human excretion had to be endured with bated breaths, and ignored to the best of our ability. But it seemed that our rooms were not the only ones direly lacking in resources---we were confronted with the same odour as we hurriedly scrambled past the other rooms too as we made our way to the lift each morning! It just goes to prove how misleading advertisements can be at times.

I enjoyed myself tremendously at the outdoor theme park though. Could finally try out the many different rides I missed the last time I was in Genting. Tried one of those slightly hair-raising rides twice (can’t remember what it was called), once in the morning and once at night after 9 p.m. The impact I got was clearly different—it was freakier and dizzier at night, as expected. Then we went around the indoor park, and did a lot of window shopping, a bit of arcade game playing, then on the last day at Genting—a few rounds of bowling, which definitely showed that I needed A LOT of practice at it since the ball I threw became too attached to the little ‘drains’ at the sides of the lane. Haha! Well, at least those fascinating rides and games somewhat made up for the bad experiences we had with our sleeping arrangements. So it wasn’t that bad after all.

Went back to KL on the 31st May…and the journey ‘home’ to Aunt Helen’s condo was much smoother than I’d expected. We didn’t encounter any other hassle, strolled around KL Central, then a train ride down to Carrefour and Parkson at Subang Jaya for ‘a few’ hours of shopping. Bought plenty of reasonably cheaper items there—a new canon printer, sewing machine, food items and stuffs. We finally arrived at my aunt’s apartment pretty late, loaded with a whole bonnetful and armful of boxes and baggages. Phew!

1st & 2nd June saw a flurry of activities that included window shopping, hopping onto one bus to another, etc. To cut the long story short, we covered many places—KLCC, Mydin, Petaling Street, Tesco, Ikea, The Curve, 1 Utama, Giant, Sunway Pyramid and so forth….I couldn’t remember all the places since there were too many. We tried out as many different modes of transportation available—Taxis, metro buses, KTM trains, Putra LRT, and the oldest form of transportation—our two feet. I finally knew what it was like to have blisters on each of your feet, and a sore heel to match. A very sufferable but enlightening experience I must say. And my Dad even commented that I walked like a duck the whole while…haha, I didn’t know I had the talent to wade around like one of those Quakers. Not bad! Maybe I should try perfecting that duck quack a bit—you know, to be more authentic. Oh well!

3rd June—phew, it was back to home sweet home. Took a final tour around every single floor of KLIA before boarding the plane home—to the serene and peaceful Kuching. Sigh, nothing, not even the so-called dizzying glamour of big city KL could match the tranquility of humble old Kuching. Oh well, as they say, nothing beats home!

P/S:We didn't manage to get hold of a digicam, so we snapped photos with a manual one instead. Will upload photos of the trip when the photos are ready.

A new Poem

Just wrote a new poem a few days back.. while i was in Genting, watching a TV show, listening to one of those dialogues between a daughter and mother, when a thought just ran through my mind. So this poem is the byproduct of a quick, few seconds of jumbled ideas and personal ideologies, flashing across the cerebral cortex at lightning speed;fleshed out by a few systematic choice of words all quickly compiled into a concise poetic form of art. I prefer to call poetry an art, though some may choose to debate on this--calling it some form of nonsensical gibberish or sheer waste of time and effort. Anyway, read my poem-- comment on it as much as you can, even if u think this poem is utterly silly. But if u consent to the opinion that any form of poetry isn't worth your reading, then just keep your opinions to yourself. If otherwise, read on, guys and gals, and enjoy:

Façade of Fear

Sweetness gingerly staring forth
beneath the secret wishes, tamed
stunted by fear’s clamour
for an unleashing, so unrefined,
thus, strained.

It jerks forth a cry
murmurs under dark blankets
dripping, soaking, seeking comfort,
tugging muscles, a pale grin
pulled wretchedly, exhausting

Not in purpose, unlikely,
a farce, though subconsciously,
pressure found, misunderstood,
the reasons for its likelihood,
in a weakling haunted
by Honesty’s conscience.

ARGGGHH! A knapsack theft case..

I just can't believe it... for a whole year, with that precious hp of mine with me, day in, day out... it's suddenly gone, stolen to be exact. Sigh!

It all happened yesterday... during the wee hours of the cool Thursday morning. Due to my Mum's departure to Singapore, i was left transportation-less.. i mentioned that earlier, so i hitched a ride to work with Uncle Tony and Aunty Janice. We stopped by at a coffee shop to have a quick breakfast, left my knapsack with my hp in it in the car, then got off. And the next thing i knew when i got back in the car was... my knapsack was gone. SOMEONE HAD STOLEN IT.. through lock doors, through that web of alarm mechanisms!!! Those thieves definitely are experts in stealing... and knew the innards and workings of the a Wira from inside out. ARGGHHh!

well, this just proves Kuching isn't safe anymore. Sigh! So the lesson: don't leave your bags, how inconspicuous or dirty they seem, in your car. U'll never know when ur car window will be smashed!

I'm in a hurry to go off, so that's all for now. Cheerio!

Driving Phobia and a pretty busy week ahead!

<strong>Notice: I wouldn’t be posting anything else the next week or so since I’m off to KL and Genting from 29th May to 3rd June. I’ll be taking the next few days off from blogging too, to prepare for my upcoming trip and 2 writing competitions I'm thinking of joining. So stay tuned for my next post after the 3rd, featuring details of my family-trip. Hopefully I could get a few photos uploaded too (if we managed to get a digital camera).

Sigh! I’ll be spending the next week day transportation-less since my Mum just flew off to Singapore yesterday afternoon to attend a parenting facilitator-training conference for a week. That means I’ll be taking lifts from Aunty Janice to the church office every morning till the 28th. I hate the idea of not being able to stand on my own two feet and drive myself to places on my own. It’s a major concern I’m so worried about now. It’s about time, time for me to get a major breakthrough in this area, despite the cold chill which will run through my spine (a direct consequence of my plummeting courage and confidence) as I step into my Mum’s old Nissan. But it’s both funny and annoying to see how many times the car will jerk, and how blank my mind could get when I drive, so much so that a simple maneuver around a bend seems more complicated than analyzing the strengths and flaws of any given theory, or critiquing Keat’s works, for that matter. Being too absorbed in your own fears could do that you in a twinkling, turning all your rational sense of perspective into a mass of confusing jumbles.

My whole week shall be quite packed with getting things ready for the trip, buying stuff for my Aunty in KL, going to the bank and making sure the house is spic and span before the trip (so we wouldn’t leave with the house in a great mess), aside from my usual working hours and daily obligations. Can’t wait for the trip to KL—a slightly different one from the usual, since we’ll be cramming in an Aunt’s apartment in KL. My younger sis, Deb will not be joining us this time around since she has her own agenda—a dancing camp to attend in Singapore on the 29th too. It’ll be different without Deb’s gleeful chatter, witty jokes and happy dance around the place. But I’m sure looking forward to it! Oh yeah!

Just for fun, I read an ‘old’ article by Olasky on 20th May about the infamous Guatanamo Koran-flushing story on Newsweek. Tsk, tsk, how amazing what a deadly furor a false accusation could cause…which reminds me that religious issues are not laughing matters to be taken lightly. Newsweek’s blatant disregard for the need to ascertain claims from the questionable source and foolhardy ignorance of the severity of such claims are indeed appalling. Sekarang sekurang-kurangnya 16 nyawa dah melayang, macam mana ni? Too late to say sorry and retract it now loh! While the pot is boiling at that part of the world, I wonder what is Malaysia’s reaction to this issue. My limited at-home internet-access time and lack of access to other newspapers other than The Borneo Post explains this severe lack of knowledge. Oh well, till my next read, I can’t comment any further. So, tchao!

2nd semester results finally out!

It’s a relief the hassle of waiting and worrying is all over, phew! After 3-4 days of calling up and getting no results, then mulling over and worrying about what could’ve happened, it’s all out. I finally got a GPA of 3.69 (a drop from the 1st semester’s 3.78) and an overall CGPA of 3.73…yippee, a Dean’s Award for my 1st year’s result is on its way! Thank God for those As in the 4 subjects: Sociology of Education, Sociolinguistics, Progressive Grammar and Power Tools for Knowledge Workers (a compulsory computer course), an A- for Learning Styles and Theory of Human Development, and B for TESL Methodology.

Really must give God the credit for my results. I wasn’t expecting that many As, though Socioedu, Socioling and Grammar were all my strong subjects. Progressive Grammar was a breeze (it was easier than the Form 6 MUET paper). The A- for the LS and Theory course was an unexpected bonus… since I botched a 20-mark assignment for it. I didn’t expect an A for the computer course either, which I thought I’d barely scrape through. It gave me such a headache and took me weeks to figure out how to create a website using a combination of Macromedia Flash, FrontPage, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Microsoft Access programs (which I had absolutely no knowledge of), then teaching my teammates how to use them. The 2-hours a week lab-classes we went through wasn’t much help either. The lecturer for our lab sessions (who was actually a senior year student) was so busy that most of the lab-classes had to be cancelled. Fortunately my teammates could help me out with the report, and I had a course-mate who’s a computer expert to help me out with the Active-X coding and advice on inserting this-and-that. So it was a miracle, considering that my computer skills were (and still are) nothing to shout about. I guess the mid-term and final objective-question papers on computer theory and history (taught by another lecturer, who was pretty good) also pulled me through. So, thank God for that!

Wasn’t too glad about my TESL Meth results though, since I scored well for my mid-term and other assignments, and thought I could get at least an A- for it. But it wasn’t surprising, since it was a pretty difficult subject, and considering the fact that I missed out on a 6-mark question in my finals and couldn’t answer a few questions pertaining to the last few chapters I was too lazy to read. My night-before-the-exam cramming habit, coupled with too much computer games and yakking with friends/ roommates dulled my desire to strive hard for the finals. Not a big fan of memorizing the boring details of TESL teaching approaches, obviously… I thought understanding the basic concepts could get me through (as with most other subjects). So I was just too complacent, and took my speed-reading ability for granted. I guess I deserved that B, truly, and I ought to be grateful for what I’ve got. This reminds me of what I learnt about thanksgiving on Saturday during the People Who Know Their God session.

I guess that’s all, for now..Cheerio! ^_^

All in a day’s work!

I was back to that mundane job of internet surfing-researching and calling people up to remind them of this-and-that all morning last Thursday, albeit with a slightly educational time teaching a group of 5 adult church workers (from the BM congregation) English from 2pm-4pm in the afternoon. At least that initial awkwardness and jitter of having to teach a group of people all older than me, every Thursday afternoon has toned down somewhat, since this was my 3rd lesson with them. But they seemed slightly nervous and pretty quiet today, especially after I tried out an English speaking activity with them for the first time. Imagine the apprehension of having to share your personal experiences or feelings from completing a Bible study course, in a language pretty foreign to you….and worst still to your friends who are all supposed to listen intently and point out any grammatical mistakes you have made during your little ‘speech’. Owmigosh, no wonder most of them stuttered and practically mumbled most of the words! Maybe I was a bit too hard of them, I don’t know. But given my lack of time to undergo an intensive grammar study with them, this activity has hopefully helped them to be attentive of their grammatical mistakes. Thankfully, during the lesson feedback section at the end of each ‘speech’, they were able to accurately pinpoint a few of each other’s mistakes. Not bad! So, I guess I’ve helped them somewhat. A few of them could actually speak pretty good English, but the rest of them needed some help with it. Hopefully in the future, their confidence in the usage of English will soar as they proceed from taking baby steps to making large leaps.

Haha! I finally had a haircut at one of those hair saloons in Sg Maong today! Finally, after 3 months, suffering through that process of long hair-growth! I actually had nearly- shoulder-length hair before this, which wasn’t long enough for me to tie into a bun when I played Ah Ma in the CFC-version of a PCK skit during Parent’s Day (held in Church during Mother’s Day). Had to use fake hair for that. But it was sooo irritating, especially when those strands had this bad habit of getting in my way each time I’m eating a meal. I actually had to wear a hair-band every day during exam week the past semester to tame those stubborn locks, or else the only thing I would be staring at are the black strands of my hair instead of the exam paper in front of me. Phew, its amazing what miracles a few snips and cuts on your hair could do for you! Less hassle, no more hair- frenzy, and less time spent tucking your hair away while eating or reading. The slightly boyish, shorter hairstyle I’m sporting now seems to fit me better too, since the old one was a wee bit untidy.

It’s funny though I when think of it-- this blog’s supposed to be a part poetry site, and yet I’ve not posted any of it yet. I’ve been suffering from a bad case of poet’s block for months. Haven’t quite written any good one lately. It’s a terrible state to be in. So here’s only one I’ve read today—a beautiful, insightful poem written by Rebecca Barlow Jordan shown below, courtesy of Life College (sender of the poem right to our doorsteps) and my Dad (who showed me the poem):

Difference:
It’s not how much you accomplish in life that really counts,
But how much you give to others.
It’s not how high you build your dreams,
But how high your faith can climb.
It’s not how many goals you reach,
But how many lives you touch.
It’s not who you know that matters,
But who you are inside.

Believe in the impossible,
Hold tight to the incredible,
And live each day to its fullest potential,
You can make a difference in your world.

Reminds me once again of the God’s plan in our lives—not that we may keep on achieving and build a empire of fame and fortune just for ourselves, but to reach out and make deep impacts in peoples’ lives. It also reminded me of something a children’s ministry expert from Singapore mentioned a few years back: We ought to live today as if there will be no tomorrow, and put all out energy in doing what we’re supposed to do today —so that we will live each day refreshed and excited to do God’s work. Now, that’s a great thing to put into practice!

A pretty mundane day for me…brightened up by an unexpected blessing!

The early hours of today were utterly boring; undisputedly, frustratingly and infuriatingly so. From 9a.m to 5.30p.m, mostly what I did was to pin my already tired eyes on that computer screen in my church office, due to my job description as an odd-job worker cum internet surfer. I’m currently working full-time at my church office during this nearly 3-month semester holidays which started a month ago and will end on 11th July, (been working there for the last 3 weeks or so, you see). But the Lord sure has blessed me with caring and loving church leaders who are my bosses for now. Oh, blessed me! A brief jog down memory lane revealed the following ‘interesting’ things I did today the past few 20 hours:

9 a.m: went to work, started off by counting boxes-full of CGI Bible course booklets, then packing them back into containers and boxes.
10.00 a.m.-1.20p.m: Updated a course attendance record and surfed the net to research on parenting and character building issues and tips for Pastor so that he can compile and use the info to re-create his own course curriculum for a series of parenting talks, seminars or conferences.
10.45p.m.: Received a message from a Uni friend, stating I could call Unimas to obtain my last sem’s results. My heart started beating, furiously.
11.00 p.m. (approximately): The Lord was wonderful to me. To ease my boredom, and inject some joy into my dull day, a Church leader suddenly popped into the room I was working in and gave me a cute little cake box containing 6 pineapple pastry balls from Fujisan. Owmigosh, those pastry balls were one of my favourites from that bakery shop! The last time I had eaten them was when a friend in church ‘chia-ed’ me with a piece 2 weeks or so ago. This was not the first blessing from those church leaders, who have been teaching me so much ever since I entered the office weeks ago. God sure is good!
12.45p.m.: Ate the lunch I brought from home--consisting of home-made ham and sausage ouff. (No, I didn’t make them, my Mum—the wonderful cook and baker made them, which explains my large size and the baby fat on my thighs and tummy).
1.00p.m-5.30p.m.: surfed the net again for some other topics on the theology of family and marriage for Pastor. Nearly fell asleep mid-way. My former habit of afternoon napping seems to be rearing its sleepy head again. And the ‘fun-filled’ job placed upon me didn’t help much either. My younger bro, Hubert drove me home from work after that, thankfully.
6.00pm: tried out driving into that terribly narrow parking spot right outside my house to brush up my driving skills ever since I freaked out from driving nearly 2 years ago. My mega-phobia for driving started after I dented my neighbour’s car 2 years ago. Well, in truth, a mini-phobia actually presented itself even before the car-denting incident, and after I realized my coordination skills weren’t satisfactorily refined, although I’ve obtained my driving license already. Nevertheless, I finally emerged from the car, still safe and emotionally sound, albeit with a wet shirt and wet hair all from perspiration. Ouch! I hate to say this—but physical coordination sure isn’t my forte, Sigh! And my being a nervous wreck sure worsens my current situation drastically.
After 6.00p.m.: As usual, I ‘makan-makan’, ‘bla-bla-ed’, then did what I’m supposed to do. You know, my daily obligations. Tried calling that number to Unimas at 7p.m., but alas, my results weren’t in their computer database record. How did Jodie get her results then? I’ll try it out again, tomorrow morning, at work perhaps. Then after that, well, I don’t wanna go into the mundane details anymore and my eyes are really droopy.

So, bye for now! Read my next post for my future ruminations and ramblings. Cheerio!

Another ‘brief’ intro-haha, anything but!

I believe I’ve quite ‘aptly’ introduced myself, especially with that long-winded description about my turmoil and perks, flaws and forte (if you want to take it that way) all jotted down in the profile section. And only after reading it again did I realize I seem more like a nagging, irritating chatter-box than anything else. The culprit lies in my complexity. I’m so complex that to me, a simple emotion or thing like anger or fear cannot be fully expressed with a simple sentence alone. It must have a taste and feel to it. And that’s why my descriptions tend to be too wordy. A seriously disconcerting bad habit, I admit. My being a less externally developed INFP may have something to do with it (if you are a MBTI fan, or a psychology enthusiast, you will know what I mean). Emotions and hurts in me seem to loom so large that it sometimes engulfs my entire being. And frustratingly, I have this terrible habit of swinging between the extremes and focusing too much on my own emotions (and the evil and ugliness within)—from fever-pitch or dark self-anger to cold indifference. It’s both irritating and humbling at the same time. But thankfully, my being a Christian has help keep these conflicting, perverse and self-indulging tendencies in tandem; focusing more of my sympathies outwards rather than inwards. Not that I don’t care about others in my outer world. My heart bleeds when I see people I love getting hurt- especially when I all I can do is to sit and listen to them. It tears my heart to pieces, leaving me frustrated, again. But as for my self-indulgence--I’m still working on it. Diligently, I hope.

Haha, a chatter-box---my pseudo persona may be anything but. But deep beneath that gloomy, dull exterior, hidden from the naked eye, lies a hidden irrepressible chatter, a repressed rigour only waiting to come out should a listening ear be near. This reminds me of the analogy of a butterfly emerging from a dormant cocoon. Although not totally accurate in representation, my situation still has an inkling of resemblance to it. And this somehow also explains my love for writing, though my writing skills are nothing close to satisfactory. But hey, before you start flying into that accusatory mode of labeling me a two-faced fake, (which I’m definitely not!) let me clarify this important fact: my silence and gloominess are also an inextricable part of me, a fraction of my personality which dwells in the subconscious. It surfaces when the need to protect myself from the impending danger of losing my security arises. Okay, to make this simple, I’m quiet because I’m shy, and also because I fear rejection from people. My shyness is also a weapon I wield to protect myself from getting hurt when people can’t accept me for who I am, due to my diminishing self-esteem. See, very simple. But this sure isn’t biblical, nor is it what God intended. Oh what feeble beings we humans are! So I’m also working on this too... hanging on tightly as the Lord carries me through those turbulent storms of my inner life on His back!

Well, before I start sending anyone off into nocturnal bliss, I think I’d better end this wordy jabber and ranting about my inner soul ASAP! I’ll concentrate on something less inward-looking. So, read my next post, and bear with me, for a moment!

Hi There! Welcome to my first post!

This shall sort of a personal site featuring my thoughts, what i've gone through during the day, and if possible, some of my stories and poetry

I've actually created 2 other blogs at:

http://victoriabong.ebloggy.com
(an e-journal of mine featuring my thoughts and the insights God gave me as i read the Bible and reflect on His work in my life).

http://vic_idealistpoetica.blogs.friendster.com
(can't add posts on it anymore, but stills retains my old posts)

And there's this webpage featuring a nearly complete list of the previous poetry i had written the past 2 years or so at:
http://www.poetry-today.com/poetView.aspx?PoetId=1470


I seem to have this bad habit of starting new blogs when i find one with better features in it. Better cut that habit or else i'll have to spend loads of time mantaining them.

Anyway, welcome to Vic's site... i promise u, my writings can be pretty bizarre at times, not to mention pretty unusual too. But sometimes i'll write all kinds of mundane stuffs that's been happening to me. So, enjoy and visit this often. CHERRIO!