Sunday, August 10, 2008

Bittersweet

Defining the profoundness of loneliness, he struggles for words.
Amidst pseudo-smiles and leaden feelings, he seeks trueness.
In deafening silence, he trails echoes that are not forthcoming.
And the world stops.
The world watches.
It grimaces disapproval,
But it speaks no words.
He knows, the mute majority of nothingness has spoken…
…with a resounding roar.
The delirium of joy of long ago has evanesced into oblivion,
But the grasp of guilt keeps him pursuing forlorn feelings.

Qi

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Turning The Page

Haven't blogged for way too long.
Busy like a nut. Here are the things going on in my life in Sydney:

College of Law
The main purpose of my coming here, and it is nearing the end. 2 more weeks of College to go - I have done 13 weeks and it feels like I'd only started College yesterday. Because it's a relatively small class, with about 24 of us, we are a close-knit bunch. This makes the struggle easier and less painful, I guess. Within the next 2 weeks I have:

1) Civil Litigation Hearing (where we appear before a judge);
2) Criminal Law Hearing (where we appear before a judge);
3) Criminal Law File Note (an assignment);
4) Will and Estates (60% Assignment);
5) Will and Estates (40% Assignment);
6) Legal Ethics 2,500-word research essay; and
7) 3 Legal Ethics 1,500-word modules.

Leaving home at 8:00am and back home at 9:00pm, it's pretty full-on I'd say.

Jobs
I am going to get a job in Sydney. I am going to be applying for permanent residency, and as such I will have to be in Australia for the next 3 years. I have two job interviews tomorrow, one in the City at 11:30am and another one at Castle Hill at 2:30pm. Bus ride from City to Castle Hill is an hour. At the same time I am also applying to other law firms, in hope of getting into the best-paying one. Having said that, I am not compromising my desire of working in a personal injury law firm. Quite a plethora of criteria for me to juggle with...

Permanent residency
This is causing much distress. Apart from the fact that it is going to cause me close to AU$4,000 applying, I will also have to make sure I comply with all the requirements (reading them and interpreting them is a mind-boggling process). I have to get police clearance, medical report and character witnesses.

Grandmother
My beloved paternal grandma, affectionately known as Ah Po, passed away peacefully approximately 2+ weeks ago. Amidst the hustle and bustle of my busy Sydney life, I was swept away by inconsolable waves of melancholy and homesickness. I wanted so much to go back, but I was held back by 2 things. Firstly, I could not just leave College since there were compulsory classes to attend; and secondly, I simply did not (and still don't) have the money to fly back. I surfed the web and tried all sorts of flight combination but the final price still proved unpalatable come the end of the day. I will break out of my poverty-stricken state in a few years time. I hate being poor.

Girlfriend
I am sorry for abandoning you and not talking to you enough. I am sorry for not replying to smses and I am sorry for not returning your emails. A lot of things have happened, and they will continue to happen over the course of the next 2 months. Nobody knows what is going to happen in the future, no one could tell. I believe as long as their is belief, there is hope. And as long as their is hope, there is a chance. Hang on, baby.

Exploration
Despite being swarmed and challenged by the onslaught of ridiculous amount of work, worries and money issues, I have been taking some time just for myself, doing what I love most - travelling. With a Weekly Pass which costs AU$35.00 per week, I have been visiting quite a few places in Sydney after College or library sessions. The most memorable ones include my visit to the suburb of Leichardt, aka Little Italy, Bondi and Strathfield, aka Little Korea. The number of Italians and Italian restaurants and shops at Leichardt was insane. Same with the Koreanness of Strathfield. It's like visiting a different country.

I miss my family, I miss all my close friends in Malaysia.
At the same time I am excited by the prospect of a brand new life...
... as an Australian lawyer.

Qi

Monday, June 23, 2008

冲动

冲动是强烈的情感.
冲动是薄弱的理性控制.
想念她,想把电脑屏幕上的她紧握...
... 是一种冲动.
想下一秒把时间停止,接着将它倒流...
... 是一种冲动.
这并非洪水般的激情.
这是令人陶醉之中的缱绻柔情.
我又冲动了.



Monday, June 16, 2008

考验

距离的残酷,时差的折磨,相思的苦涩...
... 盼望的,是紧紧握着妳的那一天。
往日的平淡,转变成有了彼此后的绚烂...
... 明天的不可能,既是妳我一定战胜的考验。



Thursday, June 12, 2008

Exam Tomorrow

Telling, then doing.
Doing, then telling.

These are two very different things.
I tell, then I do.
If I have done, I won't tell.
Because doing, then telling, is like not telling at all.
Doing, then telling, is like saying "I don't care what you think."
Telling, then doing, is respect.
Telling, then doing, is honesty.

That's what I feel anyway.

I am only human.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Smell the Beans

It's funny how people get to a certain age, and all of a sudden everyone starts to engage in the same activities! Shyang mentioned about coffee - Dodo seems to be into coffee as well - and so it's time to disclose my addiction as well.

(Above) The best coffee around St Leonards.

This is the best coffee around St Leonards, where my college is. Cafes are everywhere in Australia. Takeaway coffees are just way too common. On a busy morning with people rushing off to work, a lot would be seen carrying these little cups with them, sipping as they go. I am one of 'em.

(Above) One on the way to the library today

Unlike in Kuching where people drink Kopi-Os and Kopi-Cs, here it's a little bit more complex. Cappuccino, Latte and Flat White are my usual ones, but there are other common ones as well. Ever wondered what their differences are? Found the following:

Espresso: 30 ml of black coffee produced from 7g of ground beans.
Long Black: 60ml of espresso with 120ml of hot water added after brewing.
Latte: 60 ml of espresso, steamed milk, little froth
Cappuccino: 60 ml of espresso, 1/3 cup steamed milk, 1/3 cup froth
Macchiato: 60 ml of espresso, 5 ml milk on top, dollop of froth.
Mochaccino: 60 ml of espresso, 1 teaspoon drinking chocolate, steamed milk
Flat White: 60 ml of espresso, in regular cup, steamed milk

My usual order would go something like this: "Can I have a Flat White takeaway, no sugar, with soymilk!". I think sugar damages the coffee taste, and I take soymilk because I would usually have milk for breakfast already... so more milk would trigger my lactose intolerance.

Sad part is, every coffee sets me back from AU$2.80 to AU$3.50.

Addictively yours,
Qi

Friday, May 30, 2008

A Kind of Missing

I long for the day we see each other again.

To feel your every breathe, every heartbeat, as you lay near.
To feel your every touch.
Every smile.

I long for that day, everyday.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Graduation Pics

(Started post Tuesday, posted Thursday)
.
Just finished the 1st assessment of very many more throughout this 15 weeks of intensive training. It was called a settlement viva, basically requiring you to settle a property transaction in front of an examiner, and then get asked questions.

Anyway, got these graduation pics from my brother. Yes, I know I graduated back in March, but I only ordered these pics 6 weeks after that (the deadline for ordering! - yea procrastination is the way to go). Then I am sure it took the studio people in Perth another couple of weeks to arrange for shipping. Here are some of 'em.

For more pictures, proceed (click!) to http://www.friendster.com/viewphotos.php?a=461771124&uid=4359136


Qi

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Qi in Sydney

Alright guys, pardon me for the lack of updates. Very busy! A lot of people have been messaging me via MSN, facebook, friendster and what not, asking a lot of questions regarding what I am doing in Sydney. So I guess I will clear everything here. Oh, and about my status as well. Hmm.

-----

Questions & Answers:

Q - Where are you, dude?
A - Sydney, er, dude.

Q - Oh, working already. Nice. Where? (The most assumed-and-asked question)
A - I am under training.

Q - Oh, sweet. Which firm?
A - Er, no. I am training at the College of Law.

Q - College? From University to College? Downgrade ar?
A - No. Everyone needs to go through it you nincompoop.

Q - No way. Why do other law graduates can qualify in their home states of WA, SA, Queensland, Vic, and not you? (Alright syntax error, as per Nicole! Let's re-ask, ahem: Why can other law graduates qualify in their home states of WA, SA, Queensland, Vic, and not you?)
A - You see, I am an international student. The rule is such that if you need a student visa to study this course, you must do the course on-campus. For others, they can do the course online back home! There is only one campus for the College of Law, and that is at Sydney's St Leonards.

Q - Poor thing. So how do they train you at the College of Law?
A - Well, we are learning basically how things are done in the various areas of Law.

Q - Stressed ma?
A - Stressed daoooo...

Q - I see. Sorry for my ignorance. So, for how long?
A - Well, the Coursework Component is 15 weeks. Law graduates will also need to do another 15 weeks of legal work in a Law Firm to satisfy the Work Experience Component. I have already done the Work Experience Component - so it's just 15 weeks for me at the College of Law.

Q - Oh, swee lah. After that can sue people liao la...
A - Well, no. Since I did not do the topic "Legal Ethics", I need to do an online course for another 7 weeks. Yuck, I know.

Q - Then? Come back to Malaysia to practice, right?
A - As of now, I am not sure. I am looking at the prospect of becoming a Permanent Resident in Australia. But then that means I need to live in Australia for at least the next 2 to 3 years.

Q - That is a dilemma dude. Good luck deciding! Oh, I heard about this girl from Penang...
A - Er, yes. What about her?

Q - Well, is she your girlfriend?
A - Yes. No more questions.

Q - Wait lah. Is she going to Sydney?
A - For holiday, very likely. For work, very likely not. No more questions.

Q - Aiyah. Wait lah. What does your girlfriend think about you going to Sydney, not knowing when you would be coming back?
A - She is fine with it. She is extremely understanding. Love should do the rest. No more questions - honestly.

-----

I wish I could just go home and do this everyday...

(Above) At my fave Laksa place at Sekama. Photo snapped by Ing Ling 3 weeks ago...

But as it stands now, the best Laksa I have tasted in Sydney thus far is at Chatswood. Apart from that, I have been eating the extremely delicious food cooked by my Homestay Family. They are Shanghai people who have been living here for 6 years. Shanghai food tastes fantastic!

Qi

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Leaving Kuching

Time in Kuching was fun.
I am currently in Singapore.
It's 3:12am now on the 4th of May. Been here since the 1st.
... Will fly off to Sydney on the 5th.

Had a blast in Kuching throughout my 5-month stay.

(Above) Jerry, Kenny and Lionel @ Starbucks, Kuching "International" (insert jokes here) Airport before departure to Singapore, 1st May.

(Above) Shu Wei looking to pot into the middle pocket at Snooker 2000 - a day before departure after dinner at Hartz, 30th April.

(Above) Buddies slugging it out for one last onion ring - yes, it was staged, at Oregano, 27th April.

Within the final 2 weeks in Kuching, I managed to catch drinks/food with Khai Ching (sorry wey - I name you 1st... so I must be forgiven!), Cassie, Chween Wee, the long lost Chew Hock Yong, the busy-at-work Harry Ting, Perth buddy Mark Wong, close friend Ing Ling, primary school dude Tan Chun Liang... and my band of brothers - Lionel, Jerry, Kenny, Shu Wei and Mei San (sister?).

Unfortunate case Shyang is in Sibu (or "was", rather, since he is now back for good in Kuching), Dougie is in Nottingham (time to get out of the library mate!), Dodo is in Moscow (eh dude I went to Lucky Plaza and no I did not see the futsal shoes you asked for), Chow Yee is in London (it's an addiction - shh I didn't say a thing hehe!), Hsiao Siang is in Oklahoma (to Liverpool's CL exit I offer you my heartfelt condolences), Laura and Lawrence are in KL... caught up with Siang back in December though, and that was awesome. Good times, mate.

Of course in my 5 months in Kuching, I have met almost every friend imagineable. Caught a trip to the Mulu Caves with Perth buddy in crime Ricky (and returned with a friend named Theng - more on that in the future), visited Lawrence in KL with Lionel for a full 7 days, caught up with Melanie, Matty, Stevie, Jeremy, Nicole, Joe and Nut in Perth, and worked alongside awesome people at my attached law firm - June, Ang, Mag, Alli, Imr, Maia and Val. Asrul was back in Kuching from Perth as well so a few football sessions took place at Sports Planet. Oh, saw Charlyn a few times, Kaeshih on a couple of occasions, Zhang Han often at yum-cha sessions or under my workplace running his photography business, Adrian, Kion Ming, Vera, Ying Ning and Ai Shih (last was unplanned) during Chinese New Year... I should really not forget Ying Ying, Yi Ping (yes I remember that awkward-for-you Laksa session), Diana & Joanne (Diana's a gem - met in Kuching, then was the warmest person in Perth) and the rest of the Perth people who Mark introduced a year or so ago - Bryan, Wui Hao, Xin Chen and Gerry... cheers for the Futsal session while I was in Perth for grad and the dinner at Sparrow!

(Above) Perth amigos @ Lil Sparrow, Northbridge, 14th March.

Can't name everyone but heck you all will be gayly, brokebackly missed.

A new chapter is unfolding in Sydney.
Could take 8 months, could take 3 years, or 4, or 5...
... uncertainties up ahead!

23 years old. I feel if changes are not taking place...
... then I am not progressing.
So on that note, I think I am on the right track.
Cheers for the future, and I see all of you in it.

Qi

Friday, April 18, 2008

雪中送炭

I feel grateful.
Really really grateful.
A couple of days ago, I was bogged down by a crisis, a dilemma that I thought I would never get over. No one within close proximity could help - not dad nor mom... certainly not my brother.

But the beauty of having a close relative doing a "雪中送炭" is very much appreciated and cherished.

That act of kindness eases a lot of tension between certain individuals and myself, and also lessens my sense of guilt - at least for the time being.

I am thankful.

Qi

Sunday, April 6, 2008

倒数

30天.
我们要珍惜.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Thigh Injury

I injured one of my quadriceps muscles during a futsal session on Monday night...
... and it hurts like hell.
I tore the muscle while I was taking a shot on my right foot, but surprisingly, due to poor footing...
... my left thigh was injured as opposed to my right thigh!

Cursed!!

-----

Thigh Muscle Strain Injury

A Thigh muscle strain is quite common in sports like football, where kicking is repeatedly practised. A Thigh muscle strain refers to a tear in the Quadriceps muscle group. The Quadriceps are located at the front of the thigh and are responsible for extending (straightening) the knee. A tear in a Thigh muscle is referred to as a strain and depending on its severity it is classified as a first, second or third degree strain.

The immediate treatment for a Thigh muscle injury consists of the RICE protocol - rest, ice, compression and elevation (never apply ice directly to the skin). As a general rule grade one Thigh strains should be rested from sporting activity for about 3 weeks, and grade two Thigh strains for about 4 to 6 weeks. In the case of a complete rupture the Thigh muscle will have to be repaired surgically and the rehabilitation afterwards will take about 3 months.

Common Thigh Muscle Strain signs & symptoms:
- A sudden sharp pain in the thigh.
- Pain when stretching the thigh.
- Thigh pain during a resisted muscle contraction.

-----

So now it seems I have to rest it for a little while.
Even gym sessions might have to exclude thigh-related exercises...
... so basically that's most cardiovascular exercises.

Poor thigh!

Qi

Monday, March 31, 2008

熟悉的哈囖

他躺着, 傻望着寂寞的天花板.
想着距离的残忍.

听着的...
...是 England Dan 的 "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight".
旋律的背后, 伴着窗外的细雨声.

此刻, K800i 的 SMS 铃声响了.

Friday, March 28, 2008

珍惜

不再向往更漂亮的风景了.

你见过, 更是曾经拥有, 很多迷人的风景.
你从来就不曾去珍惜.
你好玩.
你常跟自己说, 去吧, 去体会, 去试探, 去享有, 拥有.
还年轻嘛, 去吧.

不了.

别跑了, 傻瓜.
看看... 眼前那闪耀着的晨光.
多美.

是时候你学习怎么去...
... 珍惜.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Too Much Heaven


Chorus:
Nobody gets too much heaven no more.
It's much harder to come by; I'm waiting in line.
Nobody gets too much love anymore.
It's as high as a mountain and harder to climb.

Ooh, you and me, girl, got a lot of love in store.
And it flows to you, and it flows to me,
And I love you so much more.
Then my life: I can see beyond forever.
Everything we are will never die.
Love is such a beautiful thing.
Oh. you make my world a summer day.
Are you just a dream to fade away?

*Chorus

You and me, girl, got a highway to the sky.
We can turn away from the night and day
And the tears we had to cry.
You're my life; I can see a new tomorrow.
Everything we are will never die.
Love is such a beautiful thing
When you are to me the light above
Made for all to see our precious love.

*Chorus

Love is such a beautiful thing.
You make my world a summer day.
Are you just a dream to fade away?

Nobody gets too much heaven no more.
It's much harder to come by; I'm waiting in line.
Nobody gets too much love anymore.
It's as wide as a river and harder to cross.

*Chorus till fade

-----

This one is for you baby.

Qi

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Their Story

He forbids himself from saying those words.
He knows these words, if said, will bring about a change of two lives...
... but the short-lived bliss that is to ensue is not worth the many months, even years, of mental torture being physically away from each other.

In the most unlikely of circumstances, they found each other.
The most unlikely place, perhaps.
She was brought there by the simple passion for travel.
He was brought there by chance.
He arrived defeated in morale, for amidst all advice not to go, he persuaded himself to accompany his best mate for that presumably once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Little did he know, that what was right around the corner, would be a gem, an individual so similar to himself.
It started with a coin-trick he picked up on the trip - and the surprisingly "friendly as if they have known each other all their lives" conversation they shared after dinner. The acquisition of phone number did the rest.

The couple of months that followed was a process of discovery.
The meeting-up, this time planned, went beautifully.
He and she knew right there and then there is something more.

... those words, however, must not be said.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Graduation Fortnight

Currently blogging from SS2, Petaling Jaya. The past week has been memorable, quick and eventful. Well, not quite, but I went to Perth for just over 5 days, living with my Granduncle. Mom and Dad went to Perth for the 1st time, so Granduncle, Grandauntie and I brought them around, showing them around the city I have lived for the past 5 years. It was a rewarding experience showing them the place I have come to know so well.
(Above) L-R, Granduncle, Me, Grandauntie, Mom

Among the things we did include driving along the scenic West Coast Highway, going to King's Park at night, visiting places like Mandurah, Cottesloe and Subi... etc. Not going to detail every mini trip that we made, but yea it was good to be back in Perth. I got to dress up too, for my graduation ceremony! ... I present to you...
(Above) All dressed up.

Graduation ceremony was held on the 11th of March - a Tuesday. The regalia was hired for a whopping AU$85.00. For pic of the regalia, see pic below. Dad dressed up for the event as well, which was, with all due respect, an exceptionally rare thing.
(Above) Me with Dad

More pictures from the graduation will be posted up as soon as the studio pics get sent to me! Bloody expensive pics as well mind if I add, but the quality is top notch... so "bo ho hiam" really. Early on the 14th we departed Perth to spend over a day at Singapore. Met up with sis and Uncle How-Chiat, the latter briefly. Went to quite a few places during my short stay there, but the highlight must be the Japanese food at Wasabi Japanese Restaurant at Causeway Point. The Sushi Platter, costing S$18.90, was kick-ass good.
(Above) Me, with MY Japanese food

Alright, Lionel is pestering me to get ready so we can go out... for food or what not. Lawrence's car is a real blessing for we do not have to take the taxi like previously! Lawrence's house also means we do not have to live in a hotel! Great stuff, I say.

Will blog further when I get the chance to upload more pictures from my mobile phone. Going up to Genting tomorrow.

Gah, bye for now!
Qi

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Leaving On A... Jet Plane

I am flying off to Perth today.
Will not be able to blog for a while.
Picking up my regalia, and a letter from the Law Office, on Monday.
Graduation ceremony is on Tuesday.
Wednesday and Thursday will be spent taking my parents around Perth.
Friday and Saturday will be spent in Singapore.
Sunday I will be in KL with Lionel until the next Sunday.
Heading up to Genting in between.

Take care, fellas.
See you guys soon.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Hermit Crab

Face up to challenges, and grow.
Disagree with what the enemies agree, and grow.
Agree with what the enemies disagree, and grow.
Step out of the comfort zone, and grow.
Think outside the box, and grow.

I will not back into my shell.

I am not a hermit crab.

Friday, February 29, 2008

An Ineluctable Growth

Moving out, away from the more-apparent-than-real comfort of the place one calls 'home', is a challenge one has to take up at one point or another. After a while, I have come to realize one thing: that to really grow is to move out of the place you know too well, and venture into something one deems less comfortable, less familiar and less mundane.

Time alters a lot of things, the tangibles and the intangibles. Time alters realities, ditching old ones with new, how ever unanticipated and unwelcome the new ones are. The changing tides lend a shift in context and dynamics of people's thinkings, and more often than not, that shift triggers a kind of psychological suffering, a kind of heartache that is indescribable.

An elder's reluctance and inability to let go, more often than not, will result in a sort of power struggle that ends in torment to self and others. The ensuing bouts of cold shoulders and silent retaliations do make one wonder if these are ever going to get better, and if they do get better, when are things going to turn pear-shaped again. A day? Or two?

I believe one is not destined to thrive in an environment where the presence of a living volcano waiting to explode is so strongly sensed. The tense, occasionally poisonous, atmosphere may well render one insane, assuming one is ever sane to start with. If day in day out, one is stared in the face by the prospect of raw emotions spiraling up into a cloud of unrelenting misery, or down into a pit full of anger and vengeance... then I feel it is indeed time to take a step back, peruse the whole picture, and bid the painful but necessary goodbyes.

The gratefulness will be there for life, the love will stay for eternity. Perhaps, stepping out of the shadows, one might actually find the experience of basking in the sun a rewarding one. And perhaps, one could better serve one's responsibilities as a child.

Qi

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Detoxifying Laptop

A few months back I was looking at buying a new laptop (still is, actually). Problem is, I do not have that kind of money, and I cannot bring myself to ask from my parents.

So on Thursday evening, I decided to do a massive clean-up of my computer! Anyone who saw my laptop prior to the "cleaning-up" will know my desktop was clustered with icons and what not. I downloaded a few programs to help detoxing my dying laptop - Start-up Optimizer, Registry Optimizer, Tune XP, Advanced WindowsCare V2 Personal, HijackThis, Tweak UI, SmartDefrag and Normal Malware Cleaner. I also had some pre-installed programs - Registry Mechanic, AVG Anti-Virus and CCleaner. Some programs I would suggest, some less so, depending on your level of tech-savvyness.

Apart from ridding my computer of spywares, tracking cookies, empty registry entries etc, I also arranged (at long last!) the files in my computer, moving some into one of my many external harddisks! After running SmartDefrag (which defrags, obviously), another program downloaded for Mission-Clean-Up-Laptop, a few tweakings using Tweak UI, and some beautifying, my laptop's desktop looks like this...

Yea well I could make it look more like a Mac by using StyleXP or WindowBlinds to alter the theme but my laptop is dying - as such, memory-consuming changes are kept to the very minimum! I need a new laptop goddamit.

... how about you contribute to the "Buy Charles a Laptop Fund"? Where's the love.

Qi

Monday, February 18, 2008

Cousins

I have more cousins than you can poke a stick at.

By cousins I mean the offsprings of my dad's siblings.
... so really, specifically, it's , paternal first cousins.
Haha, offsprings - I just made them sound like animals.

Let's see how many of them in total (I've never counted before!).

Jin, Bon, Kee, Pun, Ying, Ben, Shang, Zai, Zhao, Sharon, Yiping, Qing, Kiun, Jun... in that order.

(Above) With Kee, Ben and Sis

(Above) With Pun

(Above) With Qing, Zhao, Yiping

(Above) Kiun, Bro

14 paternal first cousins. Throw in Me, Sis and Bro and my Grandma has a total of 17 grandchildren. Oh my, that's a lot of grandchildren. In terms of order in the Liew Family, I am the 5th eldest. In terms of order of boys in the Liew Family of my generation I stand 2nd.

If I add the number of maternal first cousins I have, I will end up with a number closer to 30. Shocking - we could have 2 football teams with 2 full benches of substitutes.

How many do you have? I win laaaaa...

Qi

Friday, February 15, 2008

Irony of the Tragedy

Flowers during Valentine's Day are truly overpriced.
We laugh at the absurdity of it all.
We slag the day off for being a sales gimmick.
We condemn huge spending on the day.
We dismiss the V word with disgust, contempt and disdain.

But you know?

At the end of the day, we freaking give in.
Oh don't give me that - you know you did.
We all did.
We are suckers.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Ramblings of a Smitten Mind

(Above) 12:00am on Chinese New Year, Fireworks

If distance is a barrier let us bridge it with undying love.
If distance is a barrier let us rejoice for at least having each other.

古人说:
纤云弄巧,飞星传恨,银汉迢迢暗度。金风玉露一相逢,便胜却、人间无数。
柔情似水,佳期如梦,忍顾鹊桥归路。两情若是久长时,又岂在、朝朝暮暮。

距离产生美.

Qi

Friday, February 8, 2008

1st Day of Chinese New Year

First Day of Chinese New Year today (or was it yesterday seeing as it is now 1:56am?) and it was hell tiring! I got to shower in a minute so I will make this brief just so I have a record of where I have gone today...

(Above) 1 of many uncles, 2 of a few aunties, 2 of a handful of cousins, bro, sis and me @ Po's Place

1) Went to grandma's house @ 10:30am, met sooo many relatives it's almost criminal.
2) Visited Lawrence's house @ 1:30pm, wished the parents HCNY then I drove off with their son!
3) Attended Lionel's Open House @ 1:50pm. Great "masak merah" from the mom.
4) Went to Ing Ling's house @ 3:00pm - oh my don't get me started on her "dressing-up" (or lack thereof!).
5) Went to Harry's house @ 4:00pm.
6) Went to Adrian's house @ 4:30pm - haven't seen him for a long time, great to catch up.
7) After a short rest, I joined my family for visit to Auntie Leng's place @ 7:45pm. She has pretty hot daughters. Shhh!
8) Then off we went to Auntie Ngo's place @ 8:30pm.
9) Last visit of the day was at Sam Shook Goong's place @ 9:15pm.

9 houses in total, holy whack.

(Above) Me and Lawrence @ Lionel's Place (or room, rather)

Align Center(Above) Lionel, Ing Ling, Me and the very hip-hop Lawrence @ Ing Ling's Place

(Above) Me and Harry @ Harry's Place

After all that, I went back to grandma's place and engaged in some pretty meaningless conversations (haha!) with Auntie Moi, Auntie Lin, Uncle Goo, sis, bro and I.

Drove to Lionel's house @ 11:00pm to play a couple of hands of Black Jack (or African-American Jack?).

Long day tomorrow again - as per usual!

Qi

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

迎春花开报春来

春去春又来. 春来了.
春节既是万家团圆、其乐融融共渡家庭美好的时刻.
春是Spring.
Spring 也来了!

The Spring opened its doors to coincide with the Chinese New Year (aka 春节 for the bananas out there) shopping craze, and boy was it a masterstroke. Sure, The Spring may not be big compared to the other mega malls I have been in West Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, but it is easily the biggest in Kuching. The Spring redefines the meaning of "variety" by making a mockery of the choices available at previous shopping hotspots Ngiu Kee, Riverside Parkson and Tun Jugah.

Not one to miss out, I have lost count of the number of times I have been at The Spring. I guess you could say I am well and truly Sprung...

Yea, Sprung, definitely.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Hello.


"... I know I've never really treated you right,
I've paid the price, I'm still paying for it every day"

Every, yes every, little part of Savage Garden's song "I Don't Know You Anymore" speaks to him.
He never took her seriously, he had her for granted, he fooled around, he dated and looked elsewhere, when all the while the person he really needed was there loving him.

Has realization come too late, he wonders.
Has she let go, for good.
He stares into space wondering if this could be one mistiming too many.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Get Paid Per Post, Literally

I saw on Laura's blog about payperpost and I was like "Wtf, they actually pay you to blog?"... Yes, get paid to blog.

Since I have heard a lot of negative reviews about sites like payperpost, I decided to head on over to the website to see what it is all about. I was instantly taken aback by the quality of the website, and how professionally done the site is as a whole. Hey! I am not going to judge a book by its cover, I say... so I googled. True enough, a lot of people are benefiting from participating!

Bloody hell, I am not going to be left out now, am I? Afterall, I spend so much time on the internet, so why not earn a few bucks along the way? I am just kidding - I intend to not just earn a few bucks hahaha. If I could get paid to blog about the things I love, surely it doesn't feel like work. So basically, it's just free money. Okay, you can stop rubbing your palms together now.

Laura said she put in an application in October 2007, and only recently did she get approval. I was reluctant to wait that long, so I sent an e-mail to the pretty people (I am sure!) at Customer Love yesterday (which was the day I signed up) and I got this reply almost instantly: "Thanks for the ticket!Upon reviewing your blog, I went ahead and approved it. Thanks again, and if you have any questions, please let us know! Happy Blogging! -Jenn".

Fantabulous! Join me at payperpost - you really have nothing to lose. If the most sceptical person (that is me by the way) can be convinced, surely you can be too.


Thursday, January 24, 2008

Go Make Memories

Look at us. This picture was taken approximately 7 years ago. A lot of us in the Red Crescent Youth Unit Number 4 have gone on to become tight friends. Everyone is now off pursuing their own desired future paths.

Top (from left): Miss Tay, Puan Lim, Johnny Kiu, Yee Shin, Ying Ning, Wan Yin, Chau Ling
Middle (from left): Lionel Lim, Kenny Chang, Chee Yong, Tze Tung
Bottom (from left): Lawrence Wong, Lenny Kueh, Sze Shyang, Me, Heng Teck, Chang Sa'ar

Those care-free days will never come back.
Such is the beauty of memories. Go make them!

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Have you?

Have you ever felt you are in a position where you need to get someone to do you a favour but the other person has been putting it off and it is causing you hardship and stress and loss of money in buying replacement items but you cannot get him/her to hassle because he/she is not obligated to do you that favour and you do not want to put further strain on a friendship that has already loosened considerably over the past couple of years?

I have.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Reality

Mypic134

Been rather stressed lately with all the new things that are either happening or going to happen in my life. Been thinking heaps, about how the future is going to pan out; about whether I should be doing this or that bearing in mind the fact that I would be away for potentially a long, long time; about life, surprisingly; about family; about all the different obligations expected of me by the people around me; and about myself.

I like it when I am thinking.
I feel alive.

Friends around me will know I can get rather philosophical at times. I guess I am one who tries to read beyond what is on the surface... and occasionally that can be to my detriment. Behind every action of others I will seek an explanation. Behind every word I will decipher its underlying meaning.

Most of the time, I can use the "reality" concept to good effect.

I think everyone has their own reality. The world one lives in is one's reality. One's perceptions of the world through one's own lenses is one's reality. If one thinks money is hard to earn and money is evil, that is one's reality, and there is nothing anyone can do to change that reality.

When two humans interact, we see the coming-together of two realities. This is where it gets interesting. I love noticing the clashing of realities. To me, realities are what separate the financially rich from the poor, the elitists from the egalitarians, the powerful from the weak. There are different degrees to realities as well - some people's reality is stronger, and some is weaker. No two realities are the same from my observation. As such, if we put everyone's reality on a scale, we would end up with a hierarchy.

Let's have an example - a rather common one I think.
"A" and "B" have an argument over a fact (that is, something set in stone).
"A" says the movie is at 7.45pm.
"B" says the movie is at 8.45pm.

The conversation goes something like this:
"A": Movie is at 7:45pm.
"B": Nope, it's at 8:45pm, I checked.
"A": It's definitely at 7:45pm, you saw wrongly.
"B": Impossible, this morning I was reading the papers...
"A": You saw wrongly, mate... it's at 7:45pm.
"B": Really?
"A": Yes.
"B": Oh okay.

Bear in mind the fact that "A" and "B" are both convinced of the time. In this case, "A"'s reality is superior to that of "B"'s, even though he did not check the papers nor did he back his claim up with evidence. "B" read the papers, saw the time, but due to his weaker reality, "B" succumbs to "A"'s persuasion and confidence.

I am sure you have experienced this before. You argued with someone, but were convinced that you were wrong... and then after you have checked, you found yourself to be right, and the other party was wrong! Your reality, in that instance, was weaker.

One's "reality" is affected by a lot of things, but the main ones would be self-confidence, persuasion and the ability to express an idea exactly like what you have in mind. I think someone of an extremely high IQ but with a weak reality will do a lot worse than someone of an average IQ but with a strong reality. However, I think more often than not, smart people have strong realities... it makes sense really, because smart people are credited for being smart all their lives, and from that they know they are better than the average person. Having said that, when someone smart meets someone smart, there will be a "power struggle" yet again, with the person with the higher reality taking home the bacon at the end of the day.

I have a lot more to say about my perceptions of everyone's reality, and how I believe one can enhance one's reality, but this post is getting too long.

Next time, maybe.

Qi

Saturday, January 5, 2008

回想

Mypic127

听了这首歌,想起了妳.
一首 "you don't know what you've got until it's gone" 的感觉.
"雨天", "你给的伞", 很真, 很有意思.
没想到放弃妳的我也会猛然想起你吧?
Take care.

雨天
站在十字路的交点
该怎么走
我却只剩回头
除了你给的伞我再也没有
别的借口
去拥有你的什么

Chorus
你能体谅我有 雨天
偶尔胆怯你都了解
过去那些大雨落下的瞬间
我突然发现

谁能体谅我的 雨天
所以情愿回你身边
此刻脚步会慢一些
如此坚决
你却越来越远