Atonement

So Evelyn and I went to the theatres on Thursday. I had this coupon thingie that allowed me and evie to share the price of one ticket which Elysia had given me ( Thanks Elysia!!!)

We didnt quite know what movie to watch as Palace Nova Cinemas only showed movies like Lust Caution, No Country for old men and stuff like that. you know, serious artsy movie that nobody really watches but yet somehow always wins Oscars...

We settled for Atonement for a couple of reasons. One, ( for me anyway) James McAvoy. Yummy. I didnt realize why he looked so familiar until only just now when i found out he was actually Mr. Tumnus the faun in Narnia!! anyway. Second, Keira Knightley. I love her movies, i think she's just fantastic. And third, the director, seeing as Joe Wright's first film was Pride and Prejudice, i decided Atonement couldnt be that bad, cause i just loved Pride and Prejudice. And fourth of course, the trailer just hooked me.

Boy oh boy did we make the right choice.

Superb!!! Simply superb!!!!

Elysia, if you're reading this, do watch Atonement!!! It's probably been out ages ago back home but watch it!!!

the plot's fantastic, acting mind-blowing, dialogue's great. and so many other things combine to make this movie just so POWERFUL. and the soundtrack was cooooollll. there's no other word for it!!! the sound of a typewriter's keys for a sountrack??? Waaaayyyy cool. Oh you'll know what I'm talking about when you hear it.

Towards the end, I was bawling my eyes out and couldnt stop even after the credits had started rolling on screen!!!!! Seriously!! thats how goooood it was!!!!!

Joe Wright is really really good. Keira Knightley shines and James McAvoy is just perfect.

This movie is, to sum up, simply mind-blowing. Watch it.

Look how much i've grown mom!!!

This is me. December 2007. I was looking through my past pictures and i realized how much my looks have changed. Most probably cause its so expensive to get a haircut here haha.
November 2007. with pearl's teddy bear. Fascinated with my hair. didn't realize it was so long!
see, this was me. February 2007. seriously dark skin, more pimples, and short hair....just got back from National Service, that probably explains the dark face.
This was me last year. Super short hair, thinner i should say as well but more pimples anf a bit darker....
well... i can't figure out which me i like more... head-scratcher.. whaddya think mum????

here you are, Elysia!

There you are.... haha we should take more pics...we're so photogenic!!! hahaha......

Why did you have to go?

Why did you have to go, grandma?
Why did you have to go?
You were just fine the last time I saw you,
A little tired but fine.
And now you’re gone for good,
And I’ll never see you again.
I won’t hear your voice again,
Or hear you pronounce my name wrongly.
I won’t ever be able to touch you again,
Or taste your awesome cooking.
Perhaps I used to complain,
That you used too much salt.
But believe me, grandma
I never tasted better.

I remember how you used to carry me,
When I was sleepy or cranky,
You’d let me just rest on your shoulder awhile,
Sp I could get some rest.
I remember how you used to wake up,
Early in the morning,
You’d sit around and gossip with mom,
Waking everybody up.
I wish I could go back,
I really wish I could,
Then I could be awoken,
By your voice downstairs again.
I remember how you used to bring me lollies,
Whenever you were in town,
And then you’d promised me more,
Before you went back home again.
You never broke your promise, grandma
You always brought me more.
But now you’ve gone to heaven,
Now who’s gonna bring me lollies?

Please don’t just leave me, grandma
I know you might be tired.
But I miss you so much, grandma
And I’d like just one last look at you,
Or a walk, or a chat or anything I can get.
You’re probably peaceful now,
You’re probably with grandpa.
And maybe all I can do now,
Is keep these memories close,
Close to where my heart is,
So I can keep you close there,
Close to me for always, never far away.
I should stop crying now,
And perhaps try and let you go,
But my eyes just keep filling up,
Even though I’ve wiped them.
I hope you’ll miss me too, grandma
Wherever you may be,
I hope you know I love you, grandma
I’m a granddaughter who loves you,
And I always will be.

I remmeber it was the year 2005 right before Christmas when my mum called me to tell me that my granddad had passed away. it came as a shock and i had one of my worst Christmas when we had the funeral on Christmas day. Well, we had our class concert today and it was really fun. we were all hyped up and excited about it. so imagined how i felt when i received a message from my mum telling me my grandma had passed away. my heart just dropped and i felt like just curling up in a corner to cry my heart up.
i can't believe she really is gone. i don't have my grandparents anymore. none of them are around anymore, and that makes me sad. i miss her, my grandma.
i remember how she used to come to town to visit us, and we'd crowd around her while she gave out candies. we usually got a roll of mentos each. i loved it when she came to visit.
what makes it worse is that i had a chance to visit her before i came to Australia. but i didn't take it. I didn't see her. And now she's gone. Right before Christmas too. She's gone and i won't ever have the chance to see her again. ever.
How can life be so full of joy and pain at the saem time?
Why did she have to go?

Food

Some people say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. well, I sure as hell ain't a man, but the way to my heart is definitely through my stomach ( among other ways.. ;p ) I am not ashamed to say that I live to eat, and there is nothing I like better than talking about food ( besides Guys, Movies, Books, Latest gossip and guys of course) And you bet your ass I'm gonna talk about food right now. Especially my favourites.... Sighhhhh...

My utmost favourite is Italian Food!!! Pasta in particular. But i wouldnt say no to pizzas and lasagnes as well! My favourite pasta is the Carbonara Linguini. I never get tired of eating that! It's spaghetti gloriously drenched in crrrreeeaaammyyy white sauce with strips of beef or turkey ham. Add in some spices and voila!!! You've got my favourite pasta. the aroma that comes off it is heavenly, absoolutely fantastic. the sauce seems to slide off my tongue, leaving its tantalizing scent there and white sauce on my lips long after i swallow. Everytime i take my first swallow of it i want to fall on my knees and thank whoever created this wonderful dish.

I have to say, Mexican food isnt very far away on my list too. Tacos, Banditos, Tortilla chips. Whats not to like about it? Where Italian food brings to mind of couples sitting in candlelit restaurant with wineglasses in hand and romantic violin music in the background, Mexican food is hot and spicy. and brings to mind images of men playing hot licks of tunes on their guitar and drums while women with long, curly hair and long, full skirts dance around in time with foot tapping and flirtatious winks. Mexican food is somehow so full of passion. The herbs, spices, olives, lettuce, meat all combine to create such an exquisite and unique taste.

And we musnt forget dessert as well!!! Who can say no to a rich, well-made Boston Cheesecake??? A cake designed to make men shoot straight for the stars after the first bite??? Or even a cup of Baskin Robbins ice-cream????

i suppose extra credit should really be given to the cooks. Be it professional or amateur cooks, or even my mother who makes irresistible cheese cakes and great 'lui cha'. I admire their creativity and skills. As seen from Ratatoullie, cooking is an ART. Even a well-done burger needs creativity and skills. So thank you, all you chefs out there who make my life a never-ending discovery of dishes to make my taste buds sing praises.

My stomach is rumbling.

A sign for me to fill it up again.

Maybe I'll grab a bite of something after this. I have a huge craving for a well-done burger with fries. after all, life is short. better enjoy it while i can.

WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven't yet watched Stardust, i have 2 words for you.
WATCH IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously. Watch it..... if you missed it at the movies, download it, buy, rent or borrow the dvd. Just watch it!!
whats not to like about it???? Hmmm.... lets see... um... nothing!!!!
it has EVERYTHING.
Romance- a fallen star( Claire Danes) and a gorgeous heir( Charlie Cox, gorgeous i tell you, gorgeous!!!)?? SSSLLLLUUURRRRPPPPP!!!!
Magic and fantasy- A Prince, an evil witch( a very evil Michelle Pfeiffer) and a boy dsperately in love all racing after a fallen star, a magical world called Stormworld behind an old wall beside England, unicorns, flying ships that produce lightning led by a captain with a sissy side( Robert De Niro)
Action- you've got witches fighting with kings, unicorns barging into inns to save fallen stars, heroes riding on horses to save his true love, what more could you want????
Humour- Oh you bet your ass there is humour!!!
plot- It is AWESOME!!!! need i say more?
Soundtrack- Absolutely fantastic.
So please everyone out there. WATCH STARDUST!!!!!!

World Youth's Day Cross

The next World Youth Day is going to be held in Sydney in the middle of next year. there's this cross that has been all over the world and is now in South Australia. it came to Adelaide last month and to my hostel for a few minutes. the priest who was there told me my hostel used to be a seminary, he even showed us his old room. we were like 'oooooooo'. Above are the pictures of the cross and the picture of the Virgin Mary which follows it.

Correction....

I was reading my past entries, you know, just for fun ( Shows how bored i am)

And i came across the one where i was blathering like an idiot about my horrendous night duty.

well, i would like to make a correction.

That Dirty, old pervert i was complaining about?

Turns out he's not a dirty old pervert after all, just a really really nice and friendly man.

He really did need that back massage. Teehee.

Okay, i can sleep better now tonight.

FINALLY

Whew.

Finally. FINALLY.

I am FINALLY online again. See, i haven't been online for DAYS and DAYS and DAYS.

All because uncle had the stupid idea to change our whole stupid internet network thing. Goodness. Things were fine the way the way they were!! Why change!! And now after days and days of trying i am finally online.

But i CAnt get on MSN!!!! It drives me KERAAZZZY....

I hate computers..

I @*&%#$? hate them.

Down With Hay Fever

Obviously, from the title.... I'm down with hay fever.

I hate spring.

I can't sleep at night cause i'm coughing up a storm and my nose is blocked and i'm sneezing non-stop. either that or i've got snot dripping from my nose every minute.....

when i go to work i get loads of sympathetic stares and questions.... hate that too...

i'm also losing my voice....

And the weather is whacked during spring!!! It can be 30 degrees one day and 18 the next!!! Tsk Tsk... how can anyone NOT be sick??????

Did i mention i hate spring??????

Shoes and Shopping: Best Therapy For Stress

We'd been working like ants during our 2 week break. So we figured we just HAD to find some way to relax and just have fun the whole day. I'm not being sexist, but being girls, there is one surefire way to have fun.... especially after you've been working for days non stop trying to make more and more money.... and that is to shop.. till you drop... And thats what we did... Literally. If you live anywhere in Adelaide, everyone knows the best place to go to shop till you drop and get all the stuff cheaper is Harbour Town. And since it doesnt close till 9 in Thursdays. That was precisely where we went last Thursday. Well, the picture above isnt us in HArbour Town...thats just us outside our hostel.. on the way to the bus stop. To be honest, we never take pictures in Harbour Town, not our usual amount of pictures anyway. Cause we're too busy doing you know what.
See, this is us at the bus stop. You will notice that after this picture, there are no other pics from that day. we all know why ;) We missed the bus to HT and had to wait nearly 45 mins for the next one. But never mind!!! cause i managed to get gorgeous shoes at the cheapest price ever!!!

Look at these. We walked into this Sports shop and zeroed in on the shoes section. Converse shoes on sale!!! And when i say on sale, i mean on sale. We scrambled to get the best ones. And we did...

So i also zeroed in on the sheet music part of Allans Music. Drove me crazy when i saw a lot of the songs i'd been looking for for ages!!!!!

Me and Evelyn couldnt resist. we changed into our new shoes right away on the bus and wore them home proudly..... I have to say, it was a day well spent. We even managed to catch episode 2 of Heroes when we finally got home. *GRIN*

FAMILY

Some people say that God gave us our families, thank goodness he let us choose our friends. This is one of the few sayings i remember the most, though i'm sure that there are a lot more sayings out there which sole purpose is to make out what a trouble and a nuisance families are.
Well, i guess sometimes its true. Families can be a nuisance. They nag, They pick fights with you over who gets more fries at dinnertime, they complain or whine over who gets to watch MTV, Discovery Channel or Nickelodeon, and they are sometimes so utterly BORING compared to what we ccan do with our friends.

It can be pretty miserable at home sometimes, can;t it? Mum nagging you to study, clean your room ( or in my case, exercise more to lose the extra weight i gained and make my butt look smaller) Dad sitting around yelling for you to help him with this and that ( not that Mum doesnt yell at you to help as well, its just that when dad yells, its much more effective xp) Your siblings just plain annoy you, borrowing your stuff without asking, reading your diary, listening to your telephone conversations, picking fights ( of course its always their fault, not yours. you;re always right) making too much noise when you're trying hard to study ( or doodle in your textbooks, whatever to make it look like you're studying so you can go "Mum!! Ivan and Ivory are making too much noise and i can't concentrate!!!) Of course, this gets maximum effect when you're facing major exams like UPSR,PMR or SPM.

Then sit smugly in a corner when they get told off.

But now that i'm a thousand miles away from home and family, I miss them. I miss their annoying quirks andhabits ( not my mum's nagging though, she still does it over the phone, MSN and Skype haha) I miss the fights and dramas. I realize that all these are what makes a family a family. And I've come to treasure those moment i used to take for granted. Going to church together, playing a duet with my sister on the piano and the violin, going swimming together, even a simple dinner together where we talk about our day and discuss world-changing issues such as who will win Malaysian Idol and whether Sarawak will be the overall champion for SUKMA.I miss celebrating Christmas, New Year and Birthdays together.

Although we're a family, we're all very different. And with all these different dynamics, we complement each other.

My dad's more generous with his money, not as organized as my mom and more laidback. He was the one who would bring me to the swimming pool once a week when i was much younger and taught me how to ride a bicycle.
My mum was stricter, tighter with her money. ( Or, like my dad likes to say... She's a cheapskate! just kidding, ma) She always put family first. She was the one who studied with me, quit my piano lessons when i didnt want to practise, went shopping with me, sewed my KH project for me when I messed my shelf cover up trying to sew it myself.

None of her children are tidy like her ( a fact she always sighs over) and all her children have very different characters. Imagine what she has to put up with everyday.
My family's AMAZING.

Well, its not that i'm that lonely here. I've got a family here as well. My good friends a.k.a classmates a.k.a hostelmates ( in other words, i see these people 24/7) they're the ones I lean on, support and seriously, they ROCK.

So I'm really glad God chose this family for me. ( saves me a lot of work and energy too) I couldnt have chosen any better myself. With them, I BELONG. And they accept me, flaws and all. So yeah, I LOVE MY FAMILY.

p/s: Mum, Dad, Ivory and Ivan, if you;re reading this, Now would be the perfect time to get all teary and get me a fabulous CHristmas present!!! CHEERS.

The Most Horrendous Night Duty I Ever Had

I was scheduled for a night duty last night.
Night duties are usually pretty easy as all the residents in the nursing home where i work are fast asleep and there's nothing much to do. The hardest part is usually trying to stay awake.
so when my friend Jojo called me to tell me that she was going to do the night duty with me that night, i was overjoyed. this meant i would not only have a bus buddy, it also meant staying awake could be easier as i had someone familiar to talk to and stuff.
Now, I don't know if my nursing home hired a town crier or something to announce throughout the whole nursing home that there were going to be two carers on duty last night ( there's usually one) but it seemed to me soon that ALL of the residents was intent on making sure they made full use of the extra pair of hands.
Our butts had barely touched the seats- much less warmed them!- when the call bells started ringing. and ringing. and ringing. and ringing.
Oh, they timed it all so perfectly! As soon as we were finished with one resident, the screen would light up again and show us which room was ringing. To top it all off, sometimes room 51 would ring when we had just come out of, say, room 3. that meant that we had to walk all the way down hallways and turn corner after corner to get to the OTHER end of the nursing home. And as soon as we were done with room 51, Room 14 would ring. and we would then have to haul our weary butts all the way down ANOTHER end. It is safe to say that none of us were very happy that night.
Especially when faced with comments such as " You're not a qualified registered nurse, are you? i want to talk to someone who knows something." or "I am usually tended to by Registered nurses and doctors at the hospital." Then there are some fussy ones who complain the room's too cold one minute, and too hot the next. I think i had at least 3 " I need to go to the toilet" and "I can't breathe" and "I need to move up the bed more". it seemed pretty obvious after a few minutes into my shift that their sole purpose that night was to drive us up the walls and out of the nursing home, screaming and tearing at our clothes. But i resisted the temptation to do so and prevailed.
Oh yes, i prevailed through 5- and i repeat 5!!!!!!- COMPLETE bed changes, 3 poo-cleaning processes and a MULTITUDE of wandering insomniac residents who scared the hell outta me when i ran into them in the darkened halls in their long, white nighties. Yes, i managed to stay sane after all that. *give myself a pat on the back*
i even managed to overlook the sadistic resident who thanked me after changing her dirty drawsheet by wetting her entire bed ( which consists of 5 different sheets) and her nightie ( which meant a change of pyjamas for her as well)
But boy oh boy, the worst was yet to come.
a new resident had just been admitted. it turned out he was one of those-in my enrolled nurse's own words, " Pervert and a dirty old man"
He requested a BACK MASSAGE at bloody 3 a.m.... 3 a.m!!!!
And when i was rubbing his back with some moisturizing cream, he asked me to go lower, and lower.
of course, i stopped right above his bum and told him that was the lowest i could go.
then i got the hell outta his room and tried my best to avoid going in there again.
All right. i've got all that outta my system now. After all this whiny complaints and pointless blathering about what a miserable night i had last night, i will now sign off and pray for much better night duties to come.
Cheers.

Why Do We Have To Grow Up???

Why do we have to grow up???
Seriously.
i see no need to go through that tiring, time-consuming process..
if growing up wasnt a natural thing and i had a choice. i'd stop growing at 17.
then i could stay forever as an adolescent and would never ever have to shoulder all the stupid responsibilities and troubles and worries that come along with adulthood.
With adulthood comes nagging worries, stupid responsibilities, high expectations..
i have to say, i desperately admire all those who have managed to grow up, and done it so well. you guys are my heroes, my IDOLS. How the hell do you do it???
the only things i used to worry about when i was still in high school was my studies, my swimming ( before i quit) who had broken up with who and who was together with who, what clothes to wear to tuition classes.... and maybe mindless stuff like if i was gonna get grounded for spending too much money....
Now, i the only stuff i think about when i'm free is Bills, Rent, Studies, Work, My Weight, My Money, My Fees.... oh and did i mention Money????
i hate money. i absolutely abhor it with a kind of passion never seen before. why do we complicate our lives with these coloured paper that makes your hands smell funny after holding it for too long?
In the words of Shakespeare ( i think): Lord, what fools these mortals be!!!
why, if i didnt need it to pay my bills and buy my essentials, i would gladly do without it!
i used to be an i-came-i-saw-i-bought sorta person.
now i'm an i-came-i-saw-i-considered-i-came-back-again-i-bang-my-head-on-the-wall-i-dunno sorta person.... this is what growing up does to you!!!! it feels your head with worrying nonsense and adds more weight on your shoulders!!!
Come to think of it. Growing up only has two advantages:
1. Alcohol ( i Dont take alcohol anyway)
2. Driving( which i still havent learnt yet and probably wont for a very long time to come)
So see?
there really is no point in growing up!!!

Erica's Birthday

It was Erica's birthday. we went to Caffe Primo for dinner to celebrate it. Erica decided that we all had to wear dresses. it was quite bad news for me at first but then i started to really get into the spirit of choosing what to wear and it turned out ti be quite fun!!! pearl and i were the first ones who were dressed and ready. again, SNAP!! Another Picture!!! yeah we took quite a lot of pics that night as well. even of our reflections!!!

of course, then came my favourite part of all!!! THE FOOD!!!!!! i tried to eat Ivy's but she wouldnt let me....

here's a picture of us all together( well except Ivy, she was behind the camera.) and me with the Birthday Girl!!!

We bought a Cheesecake for Erica. CHEEEEEZZZZEEEEE!!!!!! and we didnt want the traditional old candles on her cake. so we opted for a fancier one. a Sparkler!!!!

oh did i mention i finally got my own food????? see, this is me trying to inhale my fries..... cheers. it was all good fun,

Port Adelaide's TAFE campus

well. i study my diploma of nursing with TAFE. but i've never been to one of the campuses yet. we went there about two weeks ago. to the campus at Port Adelaide. needless to say, we were pretty excited. therefore, a lot of picture taking was involved. partly because we were bored too. or maybe because we just love having our pics taken. *wink wink*

we ran outside first chance we got cause it was just too beautiful outside and we just HAD to take pictures!!! see? afraid we went a little crazy. here's pearl trying to push me into the water. i always knew there was something suspicious about her!! *grin*
then we decided to climb trees!!!! and remembered the good old days when we used to sit at home watching those old bollywood movies.. i guess we got caught up by the whole bollywood thing...
and i think i couldnt come down. that should teach me to climb trees!
we saw jellyfish in the water as well. beautiful ones. couldnt take any pics thought too bad but here's one of me sitting next to the water where the jellyfish are!!! not as pretty but oh well, cant always get what you want!!!

we had fun that day i suppose. didnt study much that day cause we were so busy running around but like they always say, all work and no play makes John a dull boy!!!

What Do You See?

Walk into a nursing home, tell me what you see...

Wrinkled skin and limbs bent with athritis?
Faded eyes and teeth long gone yellow?
Or maybe you hear their whiny complaints and annoying nagging;
Maybe you look at them and see old sacks of bones,
Forgetful minds, always losing something.

Well, i'll tell you what I see...

I see lovely people, with hearts full of love and kindnesss to share,
I see skin that once was soft and mild like ours, but now full of lines- laugh lines from all the joy and laughter they've had in life, worry lines as proof that they've lived life long and well enough.
I see eyes not faded with glaucoma or cataracts; but eyes filled with wisdom, experience; eyes that have seen things in life we might never see; eyes that have seen the birth of their children, their grandchildren, or great-grandchildren.
I don't hear their whiny complaints or annoying nagging
I hear their voices raised in melody as they sing songs from their childhood;
i hear their laughter as they watch their grandchildren take their first wobbly steps.
I'll tell you what i see when i walk in a nursing home
People, individuals who led a long, full life
Lovely people who deserve a chance to live again through the lives of their children and grandchildren
I see people still need love and affection like any other being
And I know that one day, i'll be like them too
So tell me,
What Do You See???

Working working working...

Finished my first 2 weeks of work... did my first night duty ( Which was amazingly booooring) and will soon be getting my very first paycheck!!!! man, cant wait!!!!
though i have to say, i do wish there was a job i could get that offers 7 days off a week and involves sitting around doing nothing...
anyone out there know of jobs like that??
Anyone at all?????

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows..

Finally, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... the day it was released, my friend evelyn took the earliest bus to pass stop 26 to the city to wait. i was a bit slower, i overslept. i was then rudely awakened by my phone ringing. it was evelyn telling me to catch the next bus down to the city. apparently there were 'we love harry' balloons and people dressed up as the characters of Harry Potter. i missed all that though and arrived outside Borders to see the long-ass line starting from the entrance all the way to goodness knows where. people of all ages where there waiting with coffees in their hands. there were even a few who had brought foldable chairs and sat themselves right outside to start reading their book straightaway. the atmosphere was fun i suppose, and exciting.

well. the book was awesome. so many twists and turns and surprises. i couldnt put it down!!! it was so unputdownable it had me reading it till 2 in the morning. but it was sad in a way, so many people died!!!! Hedwig, Mad eye Moody, Fred Weasley, Dobby, Lupin, Tonks.. had me crying my eyes out when dobby died, it was just so sad. well, thats life. people grow up, people die... was a little disappointed at the fact that harry really didnt return to hogwarts and that there wasnt any quidditch in this book but all in all, it was a good one. and an unforgettable ending to one of the greatest series of the decade.