Life Goes On

New York City 2012

2012-03-09T01:50:00.000-05:00

This past Reading Week (a.k.a Spring Break), I took the opportunity to include NYC into my list of visited destinations. Although a discounted bus ticket was booked in advance, it was a rather spontaneous trip in the sense that accommodations, trip itinerary and so forth was only planned a week before the scheduled 19 February departure from Toronto. My travel buddy was Yi Ming, a fellow housemate and friend.

I shall be organizing my post into 4 separate sections for easy reading, so please bear with my overdue post.

18th February
Departure from Toronto bus terminal at 7PM, us anticipating cold weather and a long journey having to pass through Niagara Falls, Buffalo, and several other stops before arriving at New York City. We braced ourselves by purchasing a few buns in case we got hungry along the 10 hour journey, which we obviously did.

19th February

After a bumpy and almost sleepless ride, we finally arrived at NYC at 5.30AM! Megabus stopped us at 7th Avenue, which we only found out after walking to the subway and locating ourselves on a map. We had our game plan to conquer New York. We could only check in to our hostel at 3PM, so we decided to cover a few places downtown, as well as to collect our New York Pass purchased online. So, lugging our luggage around, we headed north, in the direction of Times Square. On the way, we felt terribly cold, so we stopped by Madison Square Garden for a cup of Timmies and to warm up. Service was not particularly pleasant and some local decided to fool around with us, causing us to be on our toes throughout the day, for me at least.

After journeying for about 10 streets along the same avenue, we finally set our sights on the famous pedestrian crossroad Times Square! To describe the feeling is close to impossible. Being able to be at a location made known throughout the world via the social media, I was in awe for most parts of the walk through Times Square.

I took tons of pictures, and constantly stood still, turning 360 degrees to soak in the entire NYC experience.

We walked till the edge of Broadway, and decided to have breakfast at Applebee's, just because I've heard of it once, and we were rather open to a feast. Breakfast was light and cheery although we were feeling the effects of a 10 hour bus ride.

Next up, Carnegie Hall. We did not enter as it was closed, but being at a location where music geniuses once set foot to perform and a place I've heard countless of times on TV, it felt special.

Further on, it was Rockefeller Centre, with Top of the Rock (an observation deck with a full view of NYC), NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall to be visited.

Visiting NBC was awesome because they are the company who show Chuck, my favorite TV series, as well as the famous House. I bought myself a tee shirt and a key chain as souvenir.

Another stunning location was Radio City Music Hall with it's rich history and stunning decor. We were in luck as we were allowed to go on stage where people like Lady Antebellum from this generation as well as the famous Rockettes (amazing dancers who consider RCMH to be their home turf) perform.

With all those walking around, we were bound to get hungry, so we decided to visit Magnolia bakery, as it was a recommended stop for cupcakes and we didn't really have to go searching for it as we saw people holding bags with Magnolia bakery heading from a certain direction. Damn it was good.

It was about 3PM when we ended our RCMH tour, so we decided to head to the hostel. I called them up, but there was some technical issue with my booking it had to be cancelled. Worried, we headed to a hotel nearby to inquire about rates and we found out that it was mighty expensive. So, I used my data plan (after charging my overused phone for photo taking in the lounge) and searched online for a place to stay for the remaining nights. We found a place near Chinatown and grabbed it without any hesitation. We took a map along with us to navigate around the city, and headed for a much needed rest. Passed by many landmarks along the way, so I snapped away.

20 February

Started our day with a visit to Madame Tussaud's was museum. Then we went to Empire State building, the Guggenheim located uptown, and Central Park which was huge!

Went to the 86th floor observatory deck. Amazing view.

After that, we headed for dinner at a Malaysian restaurant which served food that tastes closest to home.

I also ordered myself a pair of custom Converse!

21 February

This day was spent visiting the Brooklyn Bridge in the morning and the entire day dedicated to the Statue of Liberty. It was a windy day, and we had a lot of walking to do just to get to Liberty Island. It was fun though. Then, after dinner at Jaya restaurant once again, we went for our first Broadway production, one which is the longest running ever on Broadway - the Phantom of the Opera!

Day 4 was mostly spent shopping, and day 5 at noon, we headed home.

All in all, it was a spectacular trip which allowed me to experience so much and to see the world as it is. NYC, a must-visit destination!

P.S/ Always carry a map around as the subway system is messy.

His Eye Is On The Sparrow

2012-02-12T22:50:00.004-05:00

It makes a difference how people around you are.

It makes a difference to your confidence, your posture, and your self-esteem.

Above all, it helps your growth, to look at things in a lighthearted manner, and to be thankful.

And, having these people would be God's blessing.

Today at church, I sang during the offering service.

It was nothing complicated, just three guys and a microphone.

*flashback*

We had gathered the night before for a quick practice session,

but the difficulty of the song was beyond what we normally encountered.

The title of the song was "His Eye Is On The Sparrow".

Anyhow, the longer we practiced, the better we were at the song.

We managed to mix and match melodies from different versions of the song,

and subsequently come up with one that was suitable for our level.

Back to the present,

I usually feel nervous and edgy every time I have to perform in front of a crowd,

but today was different. I felt peace, and I felt the excitement of performing.

I have never had this sensation before.

I felt calm, and walked up confidently..

All was well until the second verse, and based on my past self and judgement,

I would have labelled it a disaster.

We got stuck. The music stopped. We stopped singing.

We tried again but it was out of tune.

We tried again but it didn't match the melody.

Oh gosh...

Something amazing happened. God intervened!

Our leader who was sitting among the audience started singing,

and we managed to keep on going.

What struck me was how we kept at it, singing with our heart

and never allowed thoughts of giving up overwhelm us.

God is good all the time and all the time God is good!

We finished the song, and everyone clapped.

I was touched by how people were appreciative of the effort.

It gave me confidence and courage to never give up.

It showed me that no matter how much I valued or judged my own abilities,

God who is my creator, will guide me through, and amaze me with His love.

I know some people will tell me otherwise, but I know that God loves me

so much more than His abundant love toward a sparrow.

Thank you Father.

I want to keep singing for You.

Please give me courage to be Your salt and light in this world.

I want to be in this world but not of this world.

* On a challenge to eliminate vulgarity from my vocabulary.

What I Really Want To Do

2012-02-05T14:55:00.002-05:00

I'm studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Toronto. The experience has been great, really. I would never have imagined myself to be part of a terrific faculty, at a top notch university, being classmates with brilliant people.

Thing is, I don't feel a terrible draw in being an engineer. Being here has sort of opened my eyes in terms of what I want to pursue - sports, history, writing. These are the major areas that drew my attention being in high school, and I have the inclination to bring it forward.

Question now is, how?

I'm torn between ambition and obedience.
Is being obedient equivalent to sacrificing my ambition?
Or does being ambitious mean I am disobedient?
How do I be ambitious yet obedient at the same time?

I like engineering for the practicality, for the rationality, for the meaning behind all of the pain and suffering I endure on a daily basis, but liking engineering does not mean I should forego my love in sports, writing and history, does it?

Please pray for me. :/

My Parents

2011-12-17T15:14:00.001-05:00

It's the Christmas season, and I know it is common to think of Christmas as the season of giving (which in fact is not wrong), but instead, I would like to focus on what matters to me, the birth of Jesus, God's gift to the His people. In a nutshell, Jesus came to the world, and died for us to cleanse our sins and to mend the relationship between the Father and us humans. I would love to tell the world more about this amazing relationship that God wants to establish with us, but for now, let me blog about something more relate-able to most people.

The particular thought of our Father wanting to establish a relationship with us naturally led me to think of my parents and the relationship I have had with them over the years (20 short but memorable years). Thank you mom, thank you dad, for the love you have given me. It may be a little late, but now I realize that love was all I really needed. Without love, nothing else really matters. I'm in university, struggling to get to grips with so much that is coming my way, and I'm in the midst of learning more about myself and my surrounding. Needless to say, I thank you for being by my side since my birth till now. Thank you mom, for caring for the family (cleaning the house diligently and keeping it in order) when you could have headed out with friends. Thank you dad, for being the head of the house, and even more (cooking, keeping me in line the best you could, and being reasonable) when you could have partake in so many different other activities. I thank my Father for amazing parents, who know their role as parents, and executing it close to perfection.

I love talking and listening to the both of you. Yesterday (16Dec2011 - Toronto) was one of the most enjoyable Skype session I have ever had. It just made me reminisce the moments where we sit down around the dining table as a family, and eating, talking and just plain enjoying each other's company.
I thank you also for keeping me in line. What I remember most is how dad would sit us kids down because we were out of line and give us extended lectures.

Remember the moment when I was about to move into Casa Subang after the briefing at Taylor's for sponsored students? Instead of being joyous, I was actually down because what crept into my mind was not how I could begin a new adventure in life as a college student, but how much comfort from home I had to leave behind (although the silly part was I could head home every weekend). Thank you mom and dad for talking sense into me.

Life is a struggle, yet we strive. Life is a pain, yet we persist. Life is a challenge, yet we combat. Under most circumstances, we are required to fend for ourselves, and constantly battle for survival. So often, we think of how to manage our problems individually, but I thank you ma-da (mama and dad), for providing me with the opportunity and knowledge to grow and fend for myself. You inspire me, just by being yourself, having your values, loving and serving God, and showing me what love is.

"What I encourage parents is to be a proud role model to yourself, to live your purpose, and to be driven by your own values. Then your children will be inspired to do what is best for them,”

"Leadership of the family, she maintains, is not about “command and control” but the relationship cultivated within the family."

Both are quotes from Dr. Yvonne Sum, a motivational speaker highlighted on The Star. I couldn't agree more with her when she said it is how your cultivate the relationship within the family. You know how I was advised to stay in Canada if I have the opportunity? I would, but after a few years of gaining experience, I would head home - because I need to be by your side. Nothing else matters, not even my future, if I lose the companionship of two people that provided for my past, guiding me to a better future. You inspire me, both of you! I love you! And I'll be back! See you on Skype! God bless! :)

Futsal

2011-11-27T14:06:00.001-05:00

Today at futsal, it did not go so well.
In game 1 for FLOM vs. Triceps - second game of the entire day,

X kicked me in the shin, twice (albeit claimed to be unintentionally).
I yelled, at XX (who always shouts orders to his team, a 'friend').
End of game, I went up to the referee to complain about player protection with my leg as the case in point.
Basically, I was told that "it's part of the game". Dude, this ain't no pro-league. It's just a normal league of Malaysians wanting to play futsal away from home albeit the lack of courts. My leg gets me to class, not yours. Plus, you didn't make us sign any consent form at the start of the league. Still, "it's part of the game". Fine, whatever, so I stormed off, (reason being: it's for me to know and you to find out). Cooled myself down, got pissed at XX who "wanted to talk". I can't talk when I'm mad, so I asked him to stay away from me so I can cool down. Apologized to my Father, got up, went on to referee the third match.

To think that the day was done for after game 2 for FLOM, fourth of the day, dear Sunday took another dramatic twist. One of my players, went up to XXX, the organizer and complained about the referees. XXX asked him to go to his captain (me) and ask me to inform XXX. XXX's reason was that he didn't want to speak to 40 other players if every one of them had a complain. They went on and on and ON and ON about who "salah faham" and tried explaining each other's situation.

Seriously.... STOP IT!

I stepped in, trying to diffuse the debate. I basically told XXX that if my player wanted to inform him about a concern, I think XXX should take it seriously and consider it, not necessarily calling a meeting. Then, XXX claimed he isn't the organizer, just another captain. So I asked him, "Who called the first meeting?", reply being "Me", and I went on asking "Why?", reply given "because I'm the organizer." -.-

Anyways, XXX still insisted that my player inform me only about his concern, and I tell XXX so that a meeting can be called. I just don't get it. I lost it, and went "then why the F are you the SD?". XXX lost it too, and I could read that XXX was about to hit me, and threatened to resign just because I was telling him I could be a better SD. Sigh. Communicating is just so difficult. I obviously apologized, because it was my fault, and he admitted he took it too personally.

Finally, we were willing to talk, and explaining (forced to accept) that my player only talks to me, we also had a quick character evaluation. We came to a conclusion that both him and I were hot tempered (no thanks to futsal) and him being the executive should not lose it as I did. Talk about setting an example.

So the above is what made me begin my day with a literal BANG, and a bruise on my shin.

Praying to have a better day ahead.

Career Test - I don't see engineering. @@

2011-11-27T13:38:00.001-05:00

ISFJ - Conservator

ISFJs are service and work oriented and are very loyal. They make good nurses, teachers, secretaries, and librarians. 6% of the total population.ISFJ's respect established authority and they tend to accept others’ opinions and desires as their own. In work situations, they provide a stable and standardized service. Disorderly situations and constantly changing rules can cause them undue stress. At these times ISFJ's need to be more assertive and direct because, owing to their kindheartedness and sensitivity, ISFJ's can be taken for granted and even taken advantage of. This can cause them to feel resentment and anger — feelings that the ISFJ has a tendency to deny. If the situation worsens and uncomfortable feelings build up, the ISFJ will begin to feel insecure about their status. Worrying that they are not secure or protected enough, they may become overprotective and excessively nervous about foreboding events. This can cause others to feel resistant or defiant which then contributes to the disorder of the situation.

If stress continues, the ISFJ will experience increasing anxiety. Their fear that things will continue to spin out of control will result in a general feeling of dread and apprehensiveness. They become both wary of change and unrelentingly pessimistic about the future. ISFJ's will eventually become immobilized by physical symptoms associated with their anxieties. Providing care for others will become secondary as their own bodily symptoms — resulting from their fears of abandonment — disable to such a degree that they cannot assume their responsibilities. Yet, abandoning service-orientated obligations prevents ISFJ's from accessing opportunities that allow them to fulfill their basic needs.
Careers

This lists represent careers and jobs people of your type tend to enjoy doing. The job requirements are similar to the personality tendencies of your personality type. It is important to remember that this is not a list of all the jobs possible. And it is very important to remember that people can, and frequently do, fill jobs that are dissimilar to their personality... this happens all the time...and sometimes works out quite well.

counseling
ministry
library work
nursing
secretarial
curators
bookkeepers
dental hygienists
computer operator
personnel administrator
paralegal
real estate agent
artist
interior decorator
retail owner
musician
elementary school teacher
physical therapist
nurse
social worker
personnel counselor
alcohol/drug counselor

Innocence, Yes or No?

2011-11-20T19:04:00.001-05:00

Recently, walking along Chinatown, two ladies called out to me, offering me "services", but I looked ahead, enlarging the steps I take. That is not the point though. What struck me was how fuzzy the line between innocence and guilt was. Innocence, defined as the lack of guilt, is the coveted personality that humanity strives for. It crossed my mind how dangerous being completely innocent was. Is innocence defined by our actions? Why should it be? Is not having an evil thought as bad as committing a crime?

In my personal opinion, I would say that a person should be aware of existing evils, yet remain strong in the truth. If a person is completely innocent, that would put them in a very risky position where they would not be able to detect the presence of danger or temptation once it arises. An analogy that would describe it would be how our skin does not have the sensory nerves such as the pain sensor. Having those sensory nerves would allow us to detect the presence of danger, and on the contrary, it would be dangerous to not have the sensory nerves as we would not be able to detect the presence of danger.
~ ~ ~

Lately, I've been involved in one too many fights. It's demoralizing to know that no matter how much you battle, it just seems impossible to end the war. The war waged against my own is just taking me over, eating me up. I need you, Lord. I need to regroup myself, focus my focus, and change my mindset which is terribly weak and flawed. I keep thinking that I am worthless, useless and above all, hopeless. Please pray for me. I want to snap out of this condition. I want to be confident in the Lord, and in myself.

Butterflies and Sacrifice

2011-11-19T13:09:00.001-05:00

The chance to blog has finally presented itself. For the past few weeks, it's been quite a ride. Midterms have been harsh on me, and I have consistently struggled with preparing and especially sitting for them. The ghost of me has haunted me, with unnecessary pressure from people who expect me to do well really adding to the unnecessary strain of it all. I don't blame them, of course I don't. It's just that the expectation is there to do well just because I managed to get past high school decently. It's just a totally different environment, and I am still doing my best (maybe it's not enough) to adapt. Life's like that. I've got to buck up, and I am seeing how weak and "motivated" I am. Thank God for letting me see.

On another note, winter is coming. I am dreading the cold I would have to face for a couple of months at least. If only there was a weather-mixer so I can customize the weather to my suiting. Haha. That would be a dream. It'd mean I am playing God, which is totally unacceptable.

"Butterflies are God's prove that there is a second chance in life." - Nikita, S2E9.
Butterflies are totally my favorite insect right now. :)
Watching Nikita has made me realize that love is sacrificial. Yes, indeed we may long for the person we want to be by our side, but instead of channeling all that hope into satisfying our desire, why not channel our effort and energy into helping our loved one get what he/she wants? It's definitely difficult to manage our emotions, but we must know that we are entitled to having emotions in the first place, and suppressing delicate emotions would just cause more hurt in the long run.

Over and out. Probably after finals. Sacrifice.

Cookin' It My Way

2011-09-27T20:17:00.001-04:00

Hello there!

Having a packed schedule and also plenty of keeping up in terms of studies have caused me to be absent. I'm taking this opportunity as week 4 of the academic year ensues to provide my blog with a little information about my current status.

Besides increasing my frequency of nerd-ing, I have also decided to participate more actively in clubs and societies in order to provide me the necessary information to be included in my soon-to-be-real resume. I have decided to get involved with Spark (a society that has a vision of transforming the university study environment into a more interesting one by creating small but distinct devices that would pique interest from passer-by's and make them go "wow!". They meet occasionally for a workshop to produce said articles, so I am pretty sure my schedule would not be heavily affected. It helps satisfy my urge to build logical yet magical machines.

LED floor panels, taken from Spark.skule.ca

I have also decided to participate in a design team known as U of T's Human Powered Vehicle Design Team a.k.a HPVDT. This team designs, builds and races bikes powered by human (obviously!) and record speeds (133km/h) are sought to be broken. Mind you, these machines are powered by human, and the design has to be inch perfect in order to accomplish this feat. My decision to participate in this team is due to the fact that this is a new (2 year old) and growing club which would allow me to learn more and play a part in helping it grow. Local competitions are constantly won, and in the World Championships just this year, we placed third.

HPVDT.skule.ca

Last but not least, I am also participating in ASME or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Why? Because I am a Mechanical Engineer, and also because I am interested in helping to organize events such as Plant Tours, Design/Consultant competitions, and much more. My participation in this club does not just end when I graduate. They are an international organization that allows me to be involved even as I work.

Also, I have started cooking with Jian Wei and Raymond! :) We buy our ingredients over the weekend and once during weekdays, and we cook on days that are not so packed. We're really getting the hang of it, and it's true that watching my dad cook as well as watching food channels on TV back in Malaysia helped! I'm psyched to discover more of what I can do with a wok and a ladle. :)

Over and out!

* It Is Well, an album by Kutless has really amazing and repeatable songs.
God loves us!

I'm at the University of Toronto ..

2011-09-17T21:46:00.000-04:00

.. studying engineering?

I've always wanted to be an astronaut, a doctor, a lawyer, and even a professional football player. I'm never been a child with too much to yearn for, being easily satisfied with life. My ambition as a child, when people asked, was "to be someone useful in life." Plain.

My underlying desire is to be able to help people in life. I can never save a life, but I want to improve lives. I want to bring glory to Him by being His instrument.

Every single day, after hours of lectures, I ask myself, what am I here for? Why in the world am I at the U of T, being a member of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering? Why in the world am I here, toiling and working away when I could easily be back home, doing something else with my life? Why aren't I on the pitch, practicing my free-kicks, in hope that I would be scouted by a huge football club?

Questions always arise. I always doubt my purpose. I always wonder about the road not taken. Then again, I think of the reminder that God has brought me to Canada for a purpose. His plan for me is real, it is true, and it is what I must strive to accomplish. I am studying engineering because He wants me to. At the end of the day, nothing I do will matter if it isn't in line with His plans for me.

It then brings me back to the engineering orientation week that took place just a week ago. It was during matriculation in con hall, that I was awestruck at how God reminded me again of how He has been so gracious in blessing me with plans that allow my desire to play a part in it. A senior reminded of what a professor said about engineering. "We as engineers are not the same as medical practitioners. If they screw up, they only affect a life. If we screw up, we cause damage to lives by the thousands!"

I realized that, I could play a part in people's lives. I can change lives, toil my heart away to bring slightly more comfort in people's lives. God has brought me here for that. Studying engineering is His way of blessing me. All I need to do, is to keep at it, and to perform the best I can, for Him.

P.S/ Romans 12:1 - 2 (Verses that a man spoke to me about along Yonge Street when I asked for a free Christian book). Thank you Lord, for impressing upon me that, it is important to renew my mind, and it is not a one off process.

Thank you Jesus.

F!rosh Week 1T1

2011-09-07T22:56:00.000-04:00

As much as university is said to be a scary to place to be or a nerve-wrecking place to be post high school, let's face it, whatever being said makes no sense. Anyway, I am officially in year 2 at the University of Toronto! Well, that means a ton of things, but one of the most exciting things that I can't wait to share about is F!rosh week!

F!rosh week is the engineering orientation run by SKULE (Engineering U of T) which goes on for (obviously!!!) a week. This year, it began on the 5th of September. Classes begin on the 8th, so major events were held from the 5th to the 7th. Here a few activities that I would like to highlight just because they are cool that way, and they really pique my interest. :)

5th of September

Day 1 of F!rosh week! Who isn't excited??? Nobody! :P

Got up early and put on my coveralls for the first time. I'm super psyched!

So, Jian Wei and I departed for the Front Campus, with passerby's giving us strange looks as to why we were dressed up with coveralls. I was brimming with pride and glory for being able to be a F!rosh leedur, helping my Head Leedurs and the F!rosh to make orientation an awesome one. I was part of team Beta, co-led by Michael Stranges and Jocelyne Chan, and we gathered on the field with the F!roshes, explaining rules to them, as well as teaching them chants.

After lots of "When I say Master, you say Beta! Master! Beta!", and "Better get ready cause we're better than you, we don't give a s***, f*** you!", we gathered in Con Hall for matriculation. The F!rosh were given welcome speech by important people, and pranks were played. The most common one was "Jump up and down!" and "Drop your pants!".

Lunch was served, and then Campus Tour was scheduled followed by Downtown Walkaround. Along the way, our team stuffed 57 members in a glass bus stop! :D How cool is that!

We crashed Eaton Center and Nathan Philips Square during the downtown walkaround. Police were on site to help manage traffic, as well as cars honking their horns to "Honk your horns!". :)

6th of September

F!rosh Olympics was the main focus of the day.

Teams gathered on Back Campus and games that were organized by different clubs were played.

Frisbee catching, Obstacle course, Human chair, and a few others took place.

Chant off between the arts and science students took place as well. That was loud and fun!

At night was Havenger Scunt! Basically, a list of tasks are given out and points are awarded upon completion. Tasks like stealing the student union leader and blowing up condoms were on the list and it was crazy running around at night trying to fulfill the tasks. :D

7th of September:

Eve of classes.

Buskerfest was the highlight. It started at 2pm, where groups were tasked to head around Toronto to collect money for the Canadian Cancer Society. My group was made to be near Eaton Center, and we performed tasks as well as asked for donations. Some people really caught my admiration, while some (especially those in suits who did not donate) really caught me by surprise. We did the human pyramid, sang songs, and met happy people along the way who made us happy. :)

Up next was the Hypnosis Show by Casey St. Jones and my, was that a cool show.

He really managed to hypnotize volunteers and they really complied to what he actually wanted them to do or say. Impressive stuff.

And I guess that was the end of being part of Beta for the remaining of F!rosh week.

Go BETA!

Voices of My Heart

2011-08-03T20:25:00.002-04:00

Today is the day that the Lord has made. Today is the day that my faith has been strengthened (in the Lord and in you), my hope has been renewed, and my love has been prospered.

This is Edmond’s account on the August 2 event that sees both Su Ann and himself brought together, officially.

3pm. “I really can’t wait any longer to be official with her. Must we wait till we buy the ring for me to finally break it to her? You know what? Never mind, let’s do it today!”

So I decided to propose to her as my girl friend today. Hooray! But what’s the plan?!? I can’t just go without a plan, especially not in my shorts and jogging jersey. Let’s think of something…

3.30pm. “So I’ve thought of just giving her the card I made that day. Would that be enough? The only cool part about it is the invisible ink. No, that won’t do! Argh! Think, think, think, think, think!”

Still out of ideas, and every imaginable scene running in my head doesn’t seem to be working out. Gosh. This is so not cool. Fragments of ideas begin to form in my head. Secret lane, flowers, tee shirt, card…

4pm. “I know! I’m going to do this!”

So, I pack a plain shirt, marker pens, UV light key-chain, and off I go! No wait, I forgot to bring my blue plaid shirt, I need that to cover up! *runs upstairs, stuffs the shirt in my bag, and runs down and into the car* I then drive all the way to a neighborhood, and runs/walks to the flower shop. I buy a bottle of water anticipating how to keep the flowers alive till the execution of my plan.

4.15pm. “I want to buy three of the roses. Two pink/white and one red. No need to wrap, just with newspaper would do.”

I then rush back to my car, puts the rose in the bottle, and tries out several spots in my car to make sure she will not be able to spot them in any way imaginable. I then drive off, and craps, traffic is horrid. I have to find a detour already, but I’ll be late, and I’m still not done with writing on the shirt. Sigh. Maybe I should just text her to tell her I’m late. *zoom zoom zoom, finally gets onto Kesas and reaches the housing area near IMU in no time.*

5.10pm. “Okay, let’s get driving into the secret lane to get the shirt ready. So I draw (I love you, Chan Su Ann) at the front, and (Will you be mine? (my girlfriend)) at the back of the tee.” *looks up to make sure no one is staring at him from outside, and wears the tee shirt and then plaid shirt over his body ; makes sure the words cannot be seen, and hides the flower*

So, I’m freaking nervous. I drive to IMU, and I see her waiting by the bus stop from afar. Mental scenes keep running in my head. What if I screw up? What if she says no? Whatever, just man up and do it! She asked me why I dressed up, and I just tell her it’s because it was my last day of the week as her driver, so I have to dress up! :D

5.17pm. “Hi Su Ann! I have a story to tell you.” I then tell her about our story, showing her the gifts she made me. The story of how she’s been by my side all this while, even through hard times. She smiles and continues listening. I’m glad to be by her side. I feel so blessed. So I drive her to the secret lane, and decide to tell her how I feel about not being able to express myself in words completely. Then I take out my note to her.

She reads it, and I can see she is pleased. :) Yes! This is going well. I quickly moved to her side of the car, saying I’ve never sat beside her before in the car. I move and sit by the side of the road, staring at her immense beauty. I ask her to give me a hug.

… pm. “Su Ann, now, I need you to unbutton my shirt. Just do it and you’ll find out why.” I close her eyes as she unbuttons my shirt. Wala! She sees the (I love you, Chan Su Ann) Yay! :D She laughs so adorably, and then I move on to my next surprise. I present to her the flower! She’s shocked, once more. And finally, I unveil my ultimate question, and step. I turn around, remove my shirt, and let’s her read (Will you be mine? (my girlfriend)).

She says yes yes yes yes yes! Wow! Immense excitement builds up within me. I couldn’t help but to hug her and gives her a big kiss and telling her thank you for choosing me. And then, off we go, happy as ever! :)

Chelsea vs Malaysia

2011-07-21T22:17:00.001-04:00

I am just at a loss of words.

My dream team.

My favorite color.

My favorite and most familiar sport.

And now, my dream has become a reality.

I have finally managed to see Chelsea Football Club in action!

***

Free training passes, complimentary of the RM388 tickets that were bought,

enabled me to attend the training session on Tuesday (19/07),

and the match vs Malaysia on Thursday (21/07).

Training was pretty plain, but seeing the players practice,

reminded me of why I love the game so much.

It was just fun going to Bukit Jalil stadium with

Wei Zheng, Chee Siang and Hui Yan to watch the team practice.

***

Match Day was even more spectacular!

Traffic was already at snail's pace around 6PM,

although the match was only scheduled to begin at 8.45PM.

Anyhow, Shanggar was my Chelsea fan companion for the day.

And trust me, he is one heck of a fan! ;)

We parked at a nearby tertiary education facility, IMU,

and began walking towards the stadium.

The match was a sell out!

It was packed to the brim, bar the rare empty seats

few and far between.

Outside, Shanggar and I bought

our 2011/2012 away kit at a bargain price!

Then, we headed into the stadium to grab our seats.

Flags were being waved, horns were blown,

and fans were cheering throughout.

The atmosphere was electrifying!

When the Malaysian and Chelsea line up were introduced,

the stadium erupted into a roar!

The usual handshakes were exchanged,

then the match started right on the dot at 8.45PM.

Both teams attacked, defended, held the ball,

and made slight errors that sent the other team on the offense,

and the fans on the edge of their seats!

It was a tense affair, where Chelsea,

who deployed two completely different line ups on either half,

could not break the deadlock,

and had to succumb to Malaysia's attacking pressure as well.

Heading into half time, the match was tied at 0 - 0,

and everything was seemingly in Malaysia's favor,

although I have to say that Chelsea had more chances,

but far less polished finishing skills.

The only stain that did not go well for me

was the boo-ing that Yossi Benayoun got

for being an Israeli.

Second half is underway, and Chelsea,

now playing with John Terry, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka,

instead of Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard in the first half,

were still struggling to carve open Malaysia's defense.

I was sitting on the bench, hoping so hard that Chelsea won.

And when Malaysia had an open goal,

I thought the inevitable was going to happen,

but the striker, did not score!!!
One thing I have to mention is that Malaysia's goalkeeper,

he played an exceptional game, saving every shot that came his way.

Approaching the end of the match,

Malaysia committed a foul on Didier Drogba,

and much to the fan's delight, he scored, amid controversial circumstance.

His free kick crossed the line, but the goalkeeper brought it back out.

The assistant referee though, awarded a goal.

1 - 0 to Chelsea! I was much relieved.

Not long later, the match ended.

A trophy was given to Chelsea and time out.

Or so I thought..

***

After the match, instead of heading home,
Shanggar and I decided to go to One World Hotel,

the official hotel for Chelsea as they were touring Malaysia.

We went to 7-11 beforehand to buy a marker to get their autograph,

and little did we know, as we arrived, many other

Chelsea fans were already in line, hoping to catch a glimpse of their stars.

Around midnight, the Chelsea bus arrived,

and everybody was screaming!

The players exited the bus and fans were hustling and bustling,

wanting to get the players' autograph!

I did not hesitate and went toward Fernando Torres.

He was holding a marker pen, and was about to sign,

when I threw my Chelsea flag towards him.

He took my flag and signed it!!!

I was awe-struck and could not believe my luck!

I even got a few photos of him and my favorite player,

John Terry.

It was so awesome, being able to see them up close,

and to get their signature.

Thank you Lord for all Your blessings. :)

Looking Into The Mirror

2011-07-16T08:42:00.000-04:00

Imagine yourself staring into the mirror, right now.

Then, stop and think how you would look like

as you eye yourself in the mirror 10 years from now.

Would you be putting up a smile, :)

telling yourself "You've done well, dear self."?

Or would you be frowning your tired looking face, :(

silent, and wishing you had done more to be able to smile?

Personally, I wouldn't know what I'd look like,

or what I would have accomplished 10 years from now.

I've always said that it doesn't matter what I look like,

or what I've accomplished in the coming years,

but now, I say that, it was wrong for me to think that way.

The truth is, it DOES matter.

The question that begs answering would be

how would those 10 years past for me?

It's just been a short two decades for me.

In the process of it, I grew, I learned and I experienced

because I fell, head first sometimes, but basically I just fell.

I barely picked myself up most of the time,

but by the grace of God, I did.

I want my next decade to past by in a flash,
because I feel that happy moments past by the quickest.

And within that flicker of an eye,

I want to still be able to at least look decent,

and I want to have accomplished something worth shouting out for.

Heck, I've noticed something different about me as to 3 years ago.

I don't regret the decisions I make any longer.

A life which used to be filled with regrets and "how I wishes"

is no longer a life I live.

And that's why, it doesn't matter to me

if I missed a party, because I have my reasons,

and those are the reasons that I stick by, based on my principles.

I know my goals in life now, and they're simple.

God, health, family, friends, career and YOU.

I'm going to live my life, and stare at the mirror daily,

telling myself that it isn't worth putting on a mask any longer.

It isn't worth being the actor,

because all I get at the end of it is loss.

I lose my heart, I lose my life, I lose my mind, and I lose my soul.

I got to grow up, and I will.

To YOU,

"It's been a whirlwind ride for the both of us.

I didn't realize the treasure in you right under my nose,

as I was busy trying to create something out of nothing.

It was like trying to turn iron into gold.

And I admit, how silly I was.

In all sincerity from my heart, I am truly thankful to our Maker

for blessing such a beauty, and such a character into my life.

I'm glad we started off as friends, before being buddies,

and I'm absolutely delighted at where we are right now.

The only thing I know is that I'm right here waiting for you.

People say distance is not healthy for a relationship,

but I believe that distance does not dictate our relationship.

He is in control, so I have complete faith in us.

People doubt us, just because of their failures.

People doubt us, because they think they know what is going on.

All I ask of you is to believe in us,

believe that we are meant for one another,

and believe that our relationship is not going to be easy to manage,

because if it was, it wouldn't be real.

I will work hard, and pour in every ounce of effort

to keep us together, and to care for you.

I serve you willingly, much like how He has commanded me.

Although I know you have forgiven me,

I still would like to apologize for

the hurt I've caused you countless times before.

"I am not afraid of action, only inaction."

And because of my inaction, I have scarred your pure heart.

I am sorry. "

And so,

my life begins.

Genting Trip - 11/07/2011

2011-07-11T22:19:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I was up at Genting HIghlands! :D

I took the 8AM bus with four other friends,

and we decided to enter the outdoor theme park,

instead of having a buffet lunch.

We played the usual rides such as

the Twister, The Haunted House Ride,

Space Shot, Bumper Boat, Peddle Boat,

Mary Go Round, Ferris Wheel,

and we finished these so quickly,

we had time to go into First World for lunch

and a 2 hour long bowling session

before heading to the arcade,

and back into the outdoor theme park to play some rides twice.

I also got the chance to go into the casino! :)

Oh!

The worker at one of those booth

where you had to hook a duck with the correct numbering beneath

to win a prize actually tricked me!

He rang the bell immediately when I hooked the duck,

but when he flipped the duck over, it was the wrong number.

-.-
What he did was not cool...

We headed out to the cable car station,

where a long wait was in line, say an hour,

before we could actually get a 20 minutes ride

down to the main station.

We then headed to a mamak once we reached Subang,

and good night came after.

It was a really fun and eventful day!

We Need Him

2011-07-05T22:27:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 5:8

For your thoughts are not my thoughts,

and your ways are not my ways.

Often enough, we experience suffering,

mentally, emotionally and the occasional physical pain too.

Being in such a situation does not allow us to

be objective about our condition,

and we often wonder where God is during that time of trial.

Little do we know that God has always been by our side,

holding us hand in hand, guiding us to safety.

He only allows us to face challenges in order to mould us,

wanting us to know that no matter how hard we try,

it is never enough, because we never were capable in the first place.

We must constantly rely on Him,

hoping on His promises.

Of course, everything I've mentioned above

is hard to digest, especially if one is in a difficult situation.

The fundamental idea is to know that God has saved us,

not because of something we have done,

but because He loves us and is graceful toward His children.

If that is still hard to grasp,

maybe this sentence would help.

"I never question God's presence in trial and tribulation,

because I never question Him in times of happiness."

Thank you Father for giving me the comforting knowledge

that I can rely on your promises through Jesus

even though I may be facing so many unknown challenges.

It is your Word that carries me through,

and your Spirit that sustains me.

I want to thank you for blessing me with my loved ones,

as their support has been very encouraging

as I brace myself to overcome this particular challenge.

I need you Father, always,

and I will never give up on You,

even if I may not understand.

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

The FINE City

2011-06-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

Singapore!

The neighboring country of Malaysia,

the country I've read and heard of so much but never got to see.

I have finally been there! :)

On Monday, 20 June 2011,

I met up with Wei Zheng, Hui Yan, Cheng Lu and Hui Jun

at the Subang KTM Station and we traveled all the way to

Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) at Tasik Selatan.

We boarded a bus which would take us to Larkin, Johor,

before switching to the SBS bus co. which would bring us

all the way through customs and subsequently within Singapore.

We reached our backpackers inn known as

The InnCrowd located within Little India,

checked in, got ourselves settled before heading to Bugis Street.

We definitely treated our four senses at Bugis

as it was buzzing with noise, colorful in sight,

aromatic in smell, tasty in the fruit juice I bought.

After that, we headed to the Esplanade to take pictures

at the Merlion statue, as well as the Esplanade itself.

OMG! The Fullerton Hotel right beside just stands amazing!

I was just awe struck at it's architecture,

and definitely the size of it.

We went to take a few pictures at the Merlion statue

before heading to the shopping mall inside,

they City Link mall.

The Garrett's popcorn there is just off the hook!

Free samples went round, so it was cool!
I got to try the Caramel popcorn,

and the Cheese Corn flavored popcorn,

and they were just so delicious!
Nothing beats it as far as I know.

Dinner at Chinatown, People's Place

of economy rice and lime juice was just satisfactory.

Day 1 was ended by spending it at Clarke Quay.

It was a little high end,

but beautiful nonetheless as well as

exhilarating with the DX Extreme

and unique with bars like Clinic. :)
Definitely worth the visit.

~ ~ ~

Day 2 started off a little late,

but we had breakfast of toast, coffee, and hard boiled eggs

provided by the InnCrowd,

before meeting up with Andy and Felicity

at Vivocity, Sentosa to be at Universal Studios Singapore! :D

Universal Studios = AMAZING!

I totally loved it!
Madagascar, Shrek, Jurassic Park, Battlestar Galactica, Mummy

and all the Disney stand outs brought me to Far Far Away. :)

Everything was so fine tuned, that I had such a blast being there.

I can't say much about it, but I'll let the pictures (uploading soon)

to do the talking for me.

I definitely have to give credit to Lights, Camera, Action

which gave me a better understanding of how films are made,

and also to all the live performers who thrilled the crowd!

No thanks to the souvenir shops who gave me a hard time

selecting gifts I wanted to buy. :P Haha.

Dinner was at Vivocity, Bento being the main meal,

before we called it a night.

~ ~ ~

The last day in Singapore was spent

shopping at Bugis Street again.

We took a little while shopping for souvenirs,

and also to have lunch at Albert Street,

where I had chicken rice which is apparently famous.

Cheng Lu had Katong Laksa,

which was really yummy,

and they advice everyone to eat with spoon and not chopsticks,

as it seems to be a little tastier.

Then, we met up with Alvin and Felicity

at Orchard Road, snapped some pictures,

had ice cream in bread,

before heading off to Somerset for shopping!

Orchard Central, 313 were the main malls there,

and I bought a pants from Uni Qlo. :D

We then headed off home after

Wei Zheng met his aunt at Woodlands.

It was a really good ride home,

considering we didn't purchase any tickets

and we were approached by a tout just as we

reached Larkin from Customs.

It was a journey well spent, well worth,

and thank God for blessing the trip.

Pictures shall be up soon!

To The One and Only

2011-06-15T12:11:00.001-04:00

This is just a note to you.

The one I care for, the one I'll wait for.

I've told you countless times,

that all I ever wanted was for you to be happy.

I'm sorry if I made the mistake of leaping ahead of time,

but I meant well, never meaning to hurt your delicate feelings.

You know that I'd die for you,

or to quote Bruno Mars,

"I'd catch a grenade for you"

or "jump in front of a train for you".

For me, God presented you to me,

and I believe that, to the bottom of my heart.

And yes, what you told me is true too,

being miles apart is not going to do us any good.

Of course, it stings to hear the truth,

but I know it's the only way to go,

trusting in God's plan for us,

no matter what it may be.

I would repeat this,

saying it's not my responsibility nor is it yours,

to find out what God knows,

but to obey Him, serve Him, and have faith in who He is,

together.

Whatever I have hope in,

whatever I believe in about us,

whatever I want to convey to you,

it's all in the ring.

I just want to thank you for being by my side all this while.

God bless. <3
I'm right here waiting for you.

I'm Joining the Two-O Club!

2011-06-12T12:58:00.000-04:00

Hello dear readers! :)

Apologies for the lack of updates, but I was occupied.

This post is especially to describe how my birthday went, in my eyes.

Since I was in Toronto, I've always wondered how my birthday

would be like, celebrating it at home,

since I've celebrated about 4 birthdays in Toronto already.

Would it be as fun? Would I be lonely?

Those questions were definitely answered on June 11 and June 12.

So, a day before my birthday, which was June 11,

something really funny happened.

The surprise that my family from church planned

happened to backfire on them. :P

Here are few of the clues that I observed.

It was the end of Discipleship class when Ivan

invited me to have dinner with him.

I was still unassuming at that point,

but I had to mention that I had this feeling something was up

during the entire lesson.

I was not sure whether I could join him for dinner,

as I imagined my dad had already cooked.

So, I called to check.

True enough, my dad did not cook, as Ivan had told me.

How he knew my dad did not cook already triggered my curiosity.

I then agreed to join him for dinner.

The next thing he said was weird.

He told me to meet at 7.30PM, but it was only 6.30PM then.

Usually, we go straight for dinner, so I was surprised.

Anyhow, I then offered to fetch Jia Ying home,

but Ivan kept insisting he fetched her, so that was unusual too.

I was then about to head home, just replying a text in the car,

when Ivan and Jia Ying came over to tell me that

they meant to hold a surprise for me,

and I was even suppose to fetch my sisters to Skewers Subang Avenue. :P

One last clue:

When I reached home, my sisters were already waiting by the gate,

when I did not even tell them that there would be dinner with Ivan,

*they had no idea I knew about the plan then*,

so that really gave it away! :D

The dinner went really well, with 16 of us in total.

We had a great time of fellowship, and laughing!

Then, there was the White Chocolate Macadamia cake

which was totally delicious!

I even had one bite of it with chili sauce, KJ and Edward too!

Thanks for the dinner y'all! :)

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

So that was all the crazy stuff for day 1.

On my actual birthday, it was equally superb!

In the morning, I attended church,

where I won a book for memorizing a verse,

and everyone was so nice to wish me,

especially the youth who sang me a birthday song! <3

Then, I mingled around with the crowd after service,

and it was really good talking to everyone.

I then headed to The Curve with Su Ann,

who was amazing by treating me to Paddington's House of Pancake.

We had our fair share of food, then we took the time to

"walk around aimlessly". :)
We bought a mickey to paint on,

and a Lego Frankenstein at Toys R' Us,

before heading home.

Dinner was mamak rice with mutton, cabbage and calamari,

with teh ais! Simple yet heavenly! :)
Ended the day by watching "Lemonade Mouth" on Disney

with the cool sisters! :D

Thank you Lord for blessing me with another year to celebrate.

Gift from Elson and Irene. :) Thank you!

Family Trip to Penang

2011-06-02T21:51:00.000-04:00

Good food, great accommodation, perfect company.

That sentence sums up my short break-away to Penang.

Stayed at Paradise Sandy Beach Resort with the family.

On our way to Penang, we had breakfast at SS14,

and also stopped by Ipoh for lunch,

where I got to savor the real glutinous rice in chicken.

When we got to Penang, we checked in,

and wasted no time by heading to the beach.

I canoe-ed and as it was already late,

it was dinner time at a place called Sea Pearl Lagoon.

Then, at night, the entire family played taboo. :)

It was really funny and exciting seeing the adults participate.

Day 2 saw us get an early start, where we spent it by the beach.

Gramps and dad were by the beach,

but the rest of us went for the banana boat ride.

Then, I also managed to ride the jet ski with the cousins.
It was really exciting and fun to be doing it with them.

We also played a game of monkey in the swimming pool!

Lunch was nothing but noodles and nap after.

For dinner, we went to a hawker center

and it was definitely the best thing ever,

as we managed to savor practically all the famous Penang delights.

It was free and easy after dinner,

right till the next morning till we checked out.

Thank you to the adults for organizing and sponsoring this trip. :)

Apong Telur on Burma Road! :)

Shopping Day

2011-05-30T08:24:00.000-04:00

Today, I spent the day with my family at Sunway Pyramid.

My mom and sisters wanted to shop for healthcare products,

so I tagged along and got myself a few things I always needed/wanted.

Got myself a new pair of sneakers, a G-Shock watch,

a pair of jeans, and in the process,

bought my sister a new iPod Touch,

and had lunch at Wong Kok, with dessert being Chatime bubble tea.

Double Delight drink: Dragonfruit with ice cream.

Sabu-sabu rice.

Grape and strawberry bubble tea

Converse!

G-Shock!

iPod Touch 4!

Will be heading to Penang tomorrow for two days

on a food trip, stopping at Ipoh/Taiping in between.

29 May - The Second Sunday

2011-05-29T10:05:00.000-04:00

Attended church! :)

Lunch with the church peeps at SS15 - economy rice.

Badminton with Denyse, Adrian, and Jason.

Bought Chelsea's Malaysia Tour tickets with Shanggar at Parade.

Dinner at Old Klang Road - fish head and vege.

Satay for dessert!

28 May

2011-05-28T06:44:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Caribbean, Sushi Zanmai, Discipleship class.

UEFA Champions League Final!

A Beautiful Day

2011-05-27T12:10:00.000-04:00

Waking up at 2AM due to jet lag was not part of my holiday plans.

So I was suppose to have a long day ahead of me,

but Mr. Jet Lag did not do me any favors.

I had breakfast with Yih Shan and Dhivya at Peppercorn.

Then, I went home for a quick nap before meeting with Lisa for lunch.

We decided to suddenly pop by TTDI for Penang style food

before crashing at Candy's place for some random chit chat.

Then, it was time to head to Monash to meet up with

Ji Soon, Jia Chen, Wei Zheng and Charmaine for dinner.

We went to Pavilion and also Petaling Street!

Thank you everyone for the perfect day! :)

So I'm Back In The "Oven"

2011-05-23T16:15:00.001-04:00

"I'm going home, to the place where I belong." - Daughtry.

Indeed, I am home!
I've finally touched down at Kuala Lumpur International Airport,

on the 21st of May at 12PM.

Thank you Ivan and Su Ann for fetching me.

I spent my 19th of May (Canadian time)

with my friends in Mississauga over lunch and we had a great chat.

I was at the airport for quite some time awaiting to board my 16 hours flight.

My plan was to surprise my parents at church the next day,

which was a Sunday, the 22nd. :)

I told them that I was only arriving on the 23rd of May,

and thankfully, they fell for it.

I went to watch Fast Five with Ivan after

having chicken rice for lunch with both Ivan and Su Ann.

I really missed the taste and smell of chicken rice.

So, at night, I attended a potluck dinner at Connexion.

It was fun, with Leonard, KJ, Bryan all surprised to see me. :D

Slept over at Ivan's before departing for church the next day.

So, Ivan and I arrived at church pretty early,

and everyone was pretty surprised to see me,

and called me 'naughty' after they found out about my surprise plan. Haha.

My sisters and parents were so shocked to see me,

and they kept claiming that they knew I was up to something,

but maybe they just said that to help calm themselves down.

It was a really memorable moment seeing my family,

and they love I felt just seeing them and hugging them was overwhelming.

It was pretty much it then, and service began.

I went out with the youth group for banana leaf rice,

and then got back home to get a phone number,

as well as to sort my belongings.

Feeling jetlagged,

but yesterday, Monday,

I went out to meet Shanggar to purchase tickets to the Chelsea Tour,

but it was sold out, having us to wait a few more weeks.

I then went to renew my Identification Card,

as well as meeting up with Jia Chen and Charmaine briefly. :)

I honestly am not re-accustomed to the weather and sleeping hours.

Till my next post! :D

The Wheelbarrow Farm Adventure

2011-05-23T13:45:00.027-04:00

I am back! It's been a really long while since I blogged,

and I'm not going to make any excuses about it.

My apologies to my faithful readers.

I'm going to break it down into two sections,

which would be my farm adventure, and my arrival in Malaysia,

as well as little things in between which might have meant something to me.

For the farm adventure, I would have liked to make it as many as 13 posts,

but thinking about it, I've decided to go with one post with all the

quick highlights about everyday that I was there,

for the sake of easy reading and time saving.

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

THE WHEELBARROW FARM ADVENTURE

Being on Wheelbarrow Farm in Sunderland, a meager 42km from Toronto,

a 1.5 hours of bus ride via the GO bus, it was definitely an amazing experience.

On the first day, I got on the GO bus a couple of hours earlier than I planned,

so I had to lie on a picnic table and wait for Tony, my farm host to pick me

just because he does not have a cell phone to be contacted with.

I felt nauseous throughout the entire bus ride as I tend

to be car sick being in Canada. Weird, I know.

Trees, green grass fields, blue skies, the serenity of it all

greeted me when I reached Uxbridge town.

I was embracing all I could just by being there.

ACTIVITIES:

Day 1 (5 May 2011):

Unloading the truck of shingles, groceries etc.
Moving my luggage.

Being introduced to Jason and Jessica, Tony's apprentices.

Watered plants in the greenhouse.

Cleaned dishes.

Harvested onions in a 10m by 10m plot.

Met the dogs - Boomsy and Toast!

Bed time at 10PM. Too early but I just crashed!

Day 2:

Got up at 745AM and had cereal with banana for breakfast.

Began working on the roof of a cabin, "The Octagon".

Shifted soil with a roller (big metal tank filled with water).

Saw how an electric fence was set up,

(It's actually more of a psychological barrier than a physical one

to keep animals in the place you want them to be).

Amazing first farm lunch -

toast, egg, gerkins, french surreal, pasta with rooster sauce, cheese.

Dinner - lentils with rice and cheese on toast.

Time really flies when working on the farm.

Day 3:

Carted leaves which took me 3 hours.

Prepared lunch for the first time! :D

I made asparagus, pasta and the lentils with rice which was leftover, and fried egg.

Carted compost, and discovered a mole rat burrow!

I was digging, and suddenly the soil caved in and mole rats appeared.

It rained so my day was practically over.

Day 4:

Collected eggs, and fixed a chicken coop.

Helped lay plastic mulch for planting grapes, and wheel hoe-ed.

Continued work on the roof - cutting shingles, filling in the gap between walls.

Lunch - tuna with macaroni.

Painted the walls of the cabin.

Dinner and Hot Toddy.

Day 5:

Planted potatoes - special cutting method.

Worked on the roof.

Went into town to get pizza and hardware with Tony.

Dinner.

Day 6:

Made pulled pork in the morning.

Off day, headed to Sorauren Park.

Eaton Center trip with KKC -

Had KFC for lunch, bought a sweater, sunglasses and had ice cream!

A little beer after the farmer's market at Grapefruit Moon.

Got back at 11PM, crashed!

Day 7:

Plastic mulching.

Brunch by Tony.

They had a quick meeting while I cleaned the dishes.

Painting for the cabin.

Floor boards for the trailer.

Had honey and rested as I was sick.

Day 8:

Weeding and hoe-ing.

Lunch.

Finished painting!

Made dinner, and had a great conversation and laugh -

about dolphin nipples, bat-man and such.

Day 9:

Finished with the roof!

Saved a rabbit but it ran away from me with its hind legs injured

after being bitten by the cat and dog.

Planting cheeries and clover abbeys - compost and shifting.

Slept in after lunch as I was down with fever.

Tony cooked beef casserole.

Cuddled with the cat!

Day 10:

Rest day.

Fixed the bicycles that were damaged at the chains,

and cycled to Rooster Fries for hot dog and onion rings + choc milkshake.

The heel was really steep along the way,

and my bicycle suddenly gave way when the inner tube burst.

I had to walk back all the way,

and when I got back, I tried slack lining with Jay!

It's basically walking on a rope tied between two trees. Fun!

Day 11:

Weeding.

Prepared for party at night.

Party! Food and beer was awesome!

Day 12:

Cleaned up the post-party mess.

Movie!

Relaxed.

Day 13:

My final day!

Harvested vegetables.

Swept the house clean.

Went to the market before meeting up with KKC.

Dim sum.

Beer drinking at Queens Park.

Overall, my entire farm adventure provided me with the experience,

confidence, and skills that I definitely know I require to survive.

I would totally recommend it to anyone interested. :)

Center Island Experience

2011-05-03T23:20:00.000-04:00

Center Island.

The day I was anxiously awaiting since my return from Niagara Falls.

So, I took the street car with Emilie to Queens Quay

where we then transferred to another one that brought us

to Harbourfront. We were suppose to board the ferry there.

While we were awaiting the ferry,

we grabbed a bite at a nearby Bagel Stop and Booster Juice.

It was raining for most parts of the journey,

but that did not deter us as we brought along our handy umbrellas.

We boarded the ferry and there were only three passengers including us,

as the rainy day did not serve as encouragements for visitors.

Nonetheless, we finally arrived,

and began walking around in the chilly weather.

No shops opened as it was not a weekend, nor was it summer,

so we took the opportunity to explore the island our way,

since the island basically belonged to us.

The highlights were the regatta stand,

where a swan was parading itself in front of us,

and it pecked Emilie's bag,

probably because of the floral designs. Haha.

We spent quite some time there snapping pictures of the swan,

and also of ourselves staring and admiring it's beauty.

Then, we headed to the bridge,

and we could see the plants beginning to bloom,

as well as shops that were not open but still stood there pretty.

We went as far as the docks that stood outstretched into Lake Ontario,

passing a maze, seeing a black bird with orange highlights on its feathers,

as well as withstanding the strong blowing winds along the way.

We then decided to head back to downtown Toronto for lunch,

at a place called Future along Bloor Street West,

where they served bar style food, and AMAZING cakes.

A little exploration of Hart House where I had a meeting

served as the closing adventure for the both of us for the day.

Summer Break, Niagara Day 3

2011-05-02T18:11:00.001-04:00

I have been to Niagara Falls!
One event off my bucket list of places to visit. :)

I got up early today to shoot a video,

and it was really misty, where I can't even see the falls from close by.

It also rained pretty terribly,

and it was just not a really cheery morning.

Nothing much happened,

just checked out, showered and boarded the bus which

sent us back to downtown Toronto.

Sent my friends back to Mississauga,

and just hung out at KKC's place.

Can't wait for my next adventure!

Summer Break, Niagara Day 2

2011-05-01T17:30:00.000-04:00

Day 2 started off pretty late due to the fact that

the entire group was feeling the effects of a hectic schedule.

We planned to meet at 10.30AM, but we only departed at 11AM.

Some of us grabbed breakfast at a nearby Tim Horton's,

and continued walking to the Welcome Center to catch

the People's Mover a.k.a a shuttle bus with a futuristic design.

Walking there, we snapped pictures, fooled around, and laughed out loud.

So, reaching a stop, we took the bus to head North,

to an attraction known as the White Water Board Walk.

It is located at "one of the most dangerous rapids in the world",

and is home to white water rafters, canoe junkies,

and many more extreme sport fanatics.

We took the escalator leading us 70m down,

and we walked along the rapids.

For me, someone who has never seen anything so surreal,

it was one of the most amazing sights ever.

Water rushing so quickly and the formation of the waves

were just magnificent to me.

Closing my eyes, the sound of the crashing waves

was like music to the ears.

After that, we hitched a bus ride, and headed North again

to the Whirlpool Aero Car ride.

This time, as the rapids end up downstream,

the sheer magnitude that the waves have allow for

the formation of a whirlpool.

What we did was we took a cable car that passed through the

entire whirlpool, and we could see the start and the end of the rapids.

Perfect, even with the rain. :)

After that, it was just lunch, and rest time.

Nothing crazy happened and such. :)

Till then! :D

Summer Break, Niagara Day 1

2011-05-01T03:51:00.000-04:00

Summer break has officially begun for me!

After my final test on the 27th, 28th and 29th of May

were used to complete the packing of my belongings

and also to purchase souvenirs and such.

Tiring times I have to say, but all worth the effort and toil.

So, the 30th of May marks a new beginning.

I'm done with year 1, and now to celebrate it,

I will be visiting Niagara Falls, one of the seven wonders of the world,

along with 24 other friends.

Checked out of New College around 12PM,

and we boarded the chartered bus, heading toward Niagara Falls.

We reached within two hours, and we left no time checking into

Comfort Inn Clifton Hill, where the rooms were spacious and comfy.

Then, we walked out to Niagara Falls, which is just a 5 minute walk away.

We snapped pictures at every possible opportunity,

and also enjoyed the beautiful surrounding throughout the city.

As we got closer to the main fall, Horse Shoe Fall,

we could feel the water vapor on our body.

We wasted no time heading behind the falls for a view,

and it was worth the walk and wait.

Called the Journey Behind the Falls,

we were brought into a tunnel, 38 meters underground,

and was able to view the fall from portals (hole in the tunnel)

as well as a deck. It was a surreal experience.

I've never seen so many people,

and definitely not so much water in my life.

We were literally drenched when we went on to the observation deck.

Perfect experience.

Then, we went for Niagara's Fury,

a 4-D movie experience that describes the formation of the falls.

It was a unique experience, with tilting floor boards, water, smog

and sound effects to keep the viewing experience at a peak.

Then, it was dinner, rest, Illumination (lights shining onto the falls),

and a round of arcade before supper and finally here blogging.

Well, I'm off for a good night's rest before starting a hopefully exciting day 2!

Happy Holidays! :D

Done With Year 1

2011-04-28T00:43:00.000-04:00

Year 1 of Mechanical Engineering has finally come to a close.

When I initially began as a Frosh, I was pretty excited and nervous,

not knowing what to expect out of the entire course.

As time passed, the excitement grew into anxiety, stress,

and many more negative emotions as I battled through term 1,

the study methods I picked up before hand not doing favors.

The arrival of winter break at the end of term 1 was

more of a need than a want.

It allowed me to regroup myself, and prevent

the negative emotions from suffocating me further.

And when term 2 began, I was psyched,

all fully charged and raring to go.

This term round, I was not as swamped as I was in term 1,

instead more composed, mainly due to the lack of quizzes,

but also, I told myself I shan't be affected.

Although, once in a while, the workload got to me.

And now, I can say, I'm done with year 1.

I'm heading into year 2 after summer!

The Cliched Movie Theme

2011-04-19T18:14:00.002-04:00

I've been taking breaks in between my study sessions,

and what better way to fill them other than movies!

I've been watching Valentine's Day, Titanic and Love in Disguise.

It is pretty clear to see that the overarching theme of the movies

would be nothing but the ever-mysterious love.

I am not about to embark on a recap of all the synopsis,

but one thing I can say for sure is that I was touched by all three.

A renewed sense of hope has been instilled within me,

and I dare claim that my outlook on "love" has matured.

In all three movies, the protagonist clearly had inner struggles

that were not aided by the surrounding situations.

Where help should have arrived, it did not.

Disappointment ruled the roost for most parts,

where fear of the future, sadness, emotional struggles

all grabbed onto the heart of the character, causing much confusion.

If we were to watch on, this is when we begin to doubt the presence of love.

"How sure are you that love exists?"

"How can we confirm the presence of love?"
"What if it is just an illusion we are experiencing to comfort ourselves?"

*I bow down and admit that I doubt, constantly*

And just when we thought love is but an illusion,

there it goes, appearing when least expected.

It's mere presence substantiates the claim that love is blind,

for when it exists right under our noses,

we see beyond it, wishing to the stars for it to be real.

The concrete definition of love I dare not quote, because in my opinion,

I feel that love can only be understood through experience.

The protagonists clearly had to experience

setback before being set free by love.

They had to learn about love the difficult way,

and it altered their original outlook and understanding.

Love is mighty, love is strong.

As cliched as it might be, I enjoy watching the movies

because no matter how many movies I watch,

or how many times a particular type of scene is re-enacted,

I feel goosebumps watching them, filled with hope and fire.

One thing I will always believe from now on,

love is sacrificial.

I have had my fair share of disappointments,

but I thank God for them.

With them, I know how precious one's feelings and emotions can be,

how easily it can be damaged, and also how difficult it is to mend.

I believe I will experience more love when the time is right,

*the question of when the time is right begs a whole new discussion*

and for the time being, I have to be comfortable in my own skin,

strong in my beliefs, confident in my approach before I deserve it.

True love develops over time and trespasses all obstacles.

Love removes fear, and challenges you to a whole new dimension.

Love is there even when we try to run away from it.

I Keep Letting Go

2011-04-18T01:08:00.000-04:00

One I let slip because I miscalculated and didn't know how to appreciate.

One I let slip because we're just better off the way we are now,

and she called me "brother", so that explains it.

One I let slip because I was blind to what was in front of me.

One I let slip because I was confused, and mistook a crush to be more.

There's one left, and I'll make sure I don't waste this opportunity.

With Arms Wide Open

2011-04-15T12:05:00.001-04:00

It's the time of the year again.

A third of year 2011 is about to come to an end.

Amidst my revision for my final examinations,

I leap at this opportunity to blog, relax and calm my mind.

I have four courses' finals to sit for, and as of now,

I have completed my Electrical Fundamentals paper,

with the remaining being

Dynamics, Fundamentals of Computer Programming

as well as Calculus in that particular order.
Sitting for the Electrical Fundamentals paper,

it's not so much of how difficult I found the paper to be,

but how much strength the Lord has given me to approach it.

Personally, I have never been comfortable sitting for examinations,

because I continuously doubt my capabilities.

On the flip side, I know that He is there
guiding me through every step of the way.

Thank you dear Lord.

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

Sitting here, in my dreamy wonderland, staring blankly into space,

I wish, hope, imagine and picture how things have changed.

I had a conversation with a friend where
she said nothing has changed back home,

and that when I reach Malaysia, I would feel like I never left.

I beg to differ. I have always believed that
change is the only thing that never changes.

We all change. That is the only thing that kept us alive. Change.

Be it for better or worse, it is still a difference as compared to the past.

If I didn't change, I'd still be behaving like a child;

I still do sometimes, but that's not the point. :D

I'd still be the angry kid I was back then;

I would never have given myself the opportunity to learn;

I just would not appreciate my family and friends like I do now.

I am grateful for the change that has taken place,

because one important thing that it has taught me is love.

I've fallen into it, and fallen out of it.

I've hurt, and been hurt, but that was pretty much my 'growth potion'.

I am sorry (I always will be) about my past mistakes,

I am sorry for the opportunities that I left hanging,

and I am sorry for the words that never found it's way out of my heart.

And to change, I welcome with arms wide open.

I Always Thought

2011-04-08T09:36:00.002-04:00

I've always admired those who were able

to be with someone who cherishes them.

I've made some mistakes in life, and I do regret.

Although, I've clearly been taught a lesson.

I always thought that I had to be special,

to stand out, in order to be liked.

The truth is, I am special. There is none like me.

I may have a few similarities with the boy next door,

but only my history, pain, suffering, regrets,

as well as the joy, hope, love and peace that I encounter

has molded me into who I am today.

I always thought I needed to like a different genre of music,

I always thought I had to be a master of a musical instrument,

I always thought I had to have a certain hairstyle,

I always thought I had to dress like a certain someone,

I always thought I had to watch a certain television show,

I always thought I had to behave like how you want me to,

I always thought I had to like what you eat and drink.

I wish I could, but it is impossible for me to

behave like somebody I am not.

I'm just going to be me, and you just have to live with that.

True friends accept one another for who they are,

and they do not attempt to change the others' character,

because as friends, we love one another for our uniqueness.

Wedding Dress

2011-04-07T19:57:00.000-04:00

Discovered this song through a friend.
I really enjoy the beat of the song, and the underlying meaning to it.

...

2011-04-06T03:44:00.001-04:00

It's almost the start of finals, but I am still caught up with assignments. -.-

I wish I could express to you openly how I feel.

Sometimes, when I look around, I wish,

that you will be able to have an open mind,

to accept the things I say to you to be true.

Lies, deceits, pretense. They linger among us,

denying us complete truth to what we really should know.

Making us harbor hopes for our desires,

when in fact, only pain and suffering will come our way.

I really should start behaving sane.

Till next time.

Boyce Avenue Concert

2011-03-25T13:29:00.001-04:00

"And it goes on and on and on .. yeah!

I put my hands up in the air all night, saying ay-yo, baby let's go!"

I was doing that last night when I attended the
Boyce Avenue concert in Toronto!

Reaching the Sound Academy at 6.30PM, along with Victor and Jian Wei,

we waited in line to get into the building where
the concert was going to be held.

It was freezing cold, but the anticipation and excitement kept us warm.

Suddenly, Fabian, one of the three members
came out and shook hand with us fans.

It was really a touching experience to see someone so famous humble himself

into the cold, thanking his fans for waiting in line in the cold weather.

With Fabian! :D

When we finally got into the balcony zone,

the atmosphere was just off the hook!

The place was playing with music, and everyone was really psyched up

and energized to be able to just be at a BA concert!

Jian Wei, Victor and I took our seats after looking around,

and after a short while, the concert ... began! :D

The opening act was done by Juliet, a fellow You Tube artist as the BA,

and she put on a really amazing show with her sensuous voice,

and her sporting attitude. She was really friendly on stage,

and she took pictures of her fans, even continued singing even when

there were some problem with her guitar cable. Now that's awesome!

She did 7 songs and they were all full of heart.

Next up was Alex Goot, a fellow You Tube artist with

amazing skills on the piano! His voice complimented his playing skills.

One of his most memorable song was the Backstreet Boys'

"I Want It That Way" meshed with Rebecca Black's Friday!

It caused an uproar! Haha! It was really good.

And, the moment where everyone had been waiting for.

The appearance of Boyce Avenue! :)

They started off with "Tonight", with a Rock beat, and it shook the house!

They went on to play a few other songs which were all massive hits,

and on between, throwing a few lines about how they appreciate the fans,

and how much they love their fans, as well as promising to come back! :D

Overall, it was the best concert experience I've ever been to!

Go Boyce Avenue!

Sugaring Off

2011-03-20T03:27:00.002-04:00

I shall make this a really brief post about my Saturday.

It was not filled with activities, just one which was really meaningful, and fun.

Sugaring Off at Hart House Farm. :)

Departed Hart House at 10.30AM, and headed to the farm

which was located about Mississauga.

Had a light snack of cookies, bread and cheese, with coffee

before beginning a tour of the farm.

It really did not comprise of many buildings, but the land was vast.

We took a trail toward the East of the farm,

and the scenery was just breathtaking.

Then, we headed to the other end of the farm where the spa was located.

Along the way, we passed several lakes/ponds that were frozen,

and my friends and I managed to stand on them without falling into them.

We then reached the spa and saw a guy axing the ice.

He was really friendly, and even offered us vodka to drink. :)

After spending some time talking to him, walking on the frozen pond,

and snapping pictures, we eventually headed back to the house

for some lunch (pancakes, sausages, and cakes - amazing!).

Some dudes even jumped into the pond after their sauna to "cool off". -.-

Then, we went to peek at the machine that produces Maple Syrup from sap.

The handler gave us some general information on sap processing,

and I have to say, it was really informative.

Hung out with the seniors, snapped more pictures,

and just enjoyed the scenery around us.

We also proceeded to make Seed Bombs,

where seeds are mixed with clay and organic composts to

"facilitate nature in doing what it does best"

where we just have to throw those bombs anywhere,

and when it rains, the compound breaks down and plants would grow.

The best part was it could be of any shape you like! :P

We waited for the bus and headed back home after. :)

What a wonderful way to spend a day.

Get It Right

2011-03-18T14:47:00.004-04:00

Glee - Regionals "Get It Right" Full Performance.

I've never been so encouraged by a performance,

but this tops it off with the heart, the soul and the strength put into the song.

It gave me goosebumps every single time I watch it.

Lyrics:

What have I done? I wish I could run
Away from this ship goin' under
Just tryin' to help, hurt everyone else
Now I feel the weight of the world is
On my shoulders

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me?
To get it right
To get it ri-igh-ight

Can I start again with my faith shaken?
'Cause I can't go back and undo this
I just have to stay and face my mistakes
But if I get stronger and wiser
I'll get through this

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?
'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things
I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many it times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me?
To get it right
To get it ri-igh-ight

So I throw up my fist

Throw a punch in the air
And accept the truth that sometimes life isn't fair
Yeah, I'll send out a wish
Yeah, I'll send up a prayer
And finally, someone will see
How much I care!

What can you do when your good isn't good enough?
When all that you touch tumbles down?

'Cause my best intentions keep making a mess of things

I just wanna fix it somehow

But how many it times will it take?
Oh, how many times will it take for me?
To get it right
To get it ri-igh-ight

Happy Birthday Dad

2011-03-16T23:19:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday dad.

You are the man of the house, and that is a lot of responsibility.

"Talk is cheap", and you clearly demonstrate that with your actions.

The state of our home, my one and only home is one filled with love.

Love from you and love from Christ.

I've never felt more at east than at home, especially by your side.

Not many man do what you do, not many man lead the way you do.

I still remember seeing you drenched in sweat
(as disgusting as it is, I think it is awesome),

not only from work, but also from cooking our meal in the kitchen.

You carry out gardening with mom, you wash the car (occasionally),

you keep the house as clean as possible (except for some habit of yours :P),

and you keep the house safe and you keep it real.

And yet, you still find time to serve the Lord,

carry out your duties as an employee/employer/partner with your colleagues,

and also participate in activities that relate to the society.

I love you dad.

Thank you for upholding me in prayer.

Thank you for marrying my pretty mom.

Thank you for being who you are.

Thank you for caring for your family members sincerely.

Thank you for keeping my sisters in check (sometimes).

Thank you for trusting me.

Thank you for encouraging me.

Thank you for your input in my life.

Thank you for your sacrificial love.

Thank you for forgiving me whenever I make a mistake.

Thank you for teaching me skills I appreciate.

Thank you for being my dad, THE dad.

Thank you for being my inspiration.

Your voice is forever in my head, your love forever in my heart,

wherever I maybe, whatever I may be doing.

Happy Birthday yet again!

May you age gracefully (in a manly manner! :D)

Love,

your son.

I Know You Are Watching

2011-03-12T20:46:00.001-05:00

A day filled with sunshine does not mean there is no darkness in it.

A tree at full bloom does not mean there is no worm eating away at it's leaves.

A glass filled with clear water does not mean the water is clean.

It boils down to the question of whether

the cup is half full or half empty.

If only I were able to continuously tell myself that the cup is half full,

but I have to be honest with myself, I can't, no matter how hard I try.

I really wish that everything would go as well as I hoped it would be.

I really dream that one day, no problems will trouble me.

Hats off to those who find it easy to get through anything,

no matter how little you try, things just happen for you.

I just have to hang in there. Hang in there I say.

Hang in there and never let go.

I know God never makes mistakes.
He uses trials and tribulations to test my faith in Him.

He allows for things to happen in order to mold me in His image.

He wants me to be strong, and have faith, trusting Him with all I have.

He will never let something I cannot handle to happen.

I think I am on the verge of breaking my limit, but only He knows my limit.

He who made me knows best.

I am constantly discouraged by the devil,

the question of "why NOT? why CAN'T YOU?" troubling me.

I will just have to stand strong in my faith,

believing and claiming that this is just a test that will pass.

I may be able to get all the worldly material I want,

but if I lose my soul, that gets me no where.

I believe! I believe! I believe!

Yes, having good test results feel good.

It gives you the confidence to speak up, state your mind,

but even if I don't get the marks that seem feasible to me,

I know He already has a plan in place for me.

I want to listen harder, and be who He wants me to be.

It is not easy to pick myself up from such a discouragement,

but I have to, for I want to move forward.

Designapolooza

2011-03-05T19:16:00.000-05:00

Children, Science, Managing a group.

Topics I enjoy discussing, not necessarily participating in.

Have you ever seen children so enthusiastic about science?

Have you ever seen children behaving in such a manner,

that you would be embarrassed to call yourself knowledgeable?

Have you ever seen children ask questions with such determination and desire,

that it puts you and your fondness for knowledge to shame?

Have you ever seen such creativity from a group of children,

you wonder about your capabilities as a grown up to build?

Today, I witnessed all of the above questions for myself.

At 10AM, I volunteered for an event organized and managed by

the Hi-Skule Committee, known as Designapolooza.

With quirky names, enthusiastic committee members,

every bit of the event was truly an eye opener.

Getting there early to help set up the classrooms,

shifting tables, getting ourselves briefed and informed,

ushering the children when they arrived, snacking on pizza,

and having fun on our own, we basically facilitated the process

of children from grades 3-4, 5-6 and 7-8 build a design of their own.

Grades 3-4 built a boat that was to float when tested for speed and strength.

Grades 5-6 were to build a car containing an egg when crashed against the wall.

Grades 7-8 built a catapult that was to launch rubber balls hitting target.

The kids were really fun to be with, obeyed instructions,

and they portrayed such talent and creativity that it put me in awe.

I was with two other volunteers, and we managed to run an entire class of 36.

Here are some of the pictures of the kids.

Be blessed! :)

Detached

2011-02-23T20:02:00.000-05:00

Have you ever felt so detached,

you constantly feel that someone's out there to get you?

Have you ever seen such notorious expression of pretense,

that you know there is a knife behind those smile and laughters?

I wonder how, and I wonder why,

are we befriended based on such shallow understanding of love?

Or are we just here to make up the numbers?

You've never been truly wanted, bar the one's who love you.

You've never been truly appreciated, unless someone's in trouble.

You've never been seen, until they turn blind and need your guidance.

You've never been truly heard, except when you turn mute.

Life sucks a little sometimes.

A Tale In Medieval Times

2011-02-21T21:14:00.003-05:00

One might have watched a movie about a king,

with valiant and brave knights, living in a castle,

with an obedient, loyal, respectful and brave prince for a son.

Often, it is the task of a king to ensure the safety of his people.

That is usually accomplished by signing treaty with neighboring kingdoms,

in order to seek peace and cooperation that would help him achieve his goal.

I was literally in such a scenario today,
being a part of the Medieval Times show.

Outside the Medieval Times building.

The brochure with map and our entry tickets!

Together with Emilie, we went to Dufferin Street by streetcar about 2.30pm.

We sort of got lost, and as soon as we felt
we were heading further than where we intended to head,
we got out of the streetcar and called a cab,

just to make sure we arrived on time, and not miss out on anything.

As soon as we entered, a "Wench" as they call it (a servant),

asked us for our tickets and helpfully directed us to the counter to sign in.

The entire building was decorated into a castle-like environment,

with banners hanging from the ceiling, swords and armors on the walls,

and knight suits located in several strategic locations
to emphasize the medieval theme.

We were continually addressed as Lord and Lady. :) How special.

You feel terribly special. :D

Torture equipment.

The chancellor.

Banners hanging from the ceiling.

Basically, the entire dinner was based on a story,

where King Philippe sent his son to sign a peace treaty,

but along the way, there was a knight (Green Knight)

who killed his entourage, and captured him hostage.

The knight then went to King Philippe's kingdom,

and challenged his 5 other knights into a duel of jousting, and sword battle.

The five other knights were with the colors

Red, Blue, Green, Red and Yellow, and Black and White.

Emilie and I were assigned to the Red section of the battle field dining court,

and we were supporters for the Red knight (who happened to be awesome)!

The battle field dining court.

"Lord" Edmond and
"King Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." Hahaha!

Before we entered to dine with quite a number of visitors

(as it happened to be Family Day),

we had a quick look about the Medieval Times building,

with every section decorated to my awe.

Emilie wanted to head into the Dungeon to view some torture equipments,

and as we were queuing to purchase the entrance ticket,

I noticed a package that sold two goblets, and a lord-ship by King Philippe.

I didn't think thrice, and bought it immediately.

Originally, I bought the package as I wanted to have the goblet as a souvenir,

but when the nice receptionist asked me what I wanted to be lord-ed for,

I had no clue as to what I should celebrate, and she eventually suggested

that I be lord-ed in celebration of "Being Awesome". Haha. :D

I am Lord-ed! :D

Here's the proof. :P

It was really a unique experience as the chancellor

would call out your name in public, and you had to proceed up a stage,

kneeling in front of King Philippe, as he anointed you with his sword

while you were draped in a blue cloak, and a photograph was taken

and given to you as a souvenir.

Everyone else were celebrating birthdays, events and what not,

but I was the only one celebrating "Being Awesome",

and that really got the public laughing when the chancellor announced it.

Truly a wonderful experience. :)

After the ceremony, it was then time for dinner.

We entered a dining court that was centered around a battle field,

one that consisted of real sand,
and occasionally had Hollywood style special effects.

As we were served the "Bill of Order", i.e the menu that consisted of

Dragon Blood (Tomato Soup), Garlic Bread, Chicken, Ribs,

Apple Pie, Sprite and coffee, we were presented the entire show that

I have already described in the third paragraph.

One thing though, we had to eat everything with no cutleries.

I drank Dragon's Blood by the bowl itself holding the handle,

and ate chicken like a soldier using his hands.

One of the best roasted chicken I've ever tasted.

Dragon's Blood a.k.a Tomato Soup

Stallions were paraded, knights jousted and fought with weapons,

a falcon master demonstrating his bond with a falcon,

as well as presentations by the King, and his princess were made.

Everything was so surreal, and I've finally had the chance to experience

such an event after all the movies watched when I was young.

Falcon master and his falcon.

The prince battles the enemy.

The prince was captured.

The valiant knights!

The knights before jousting began.

After the Green Knight was killed and the prince returned to his castle and wife,

the show ended, and we headed to catch the bus and streetcar home.

I had so much fun, and I still feel excited as I type this post. :P

Thanks Emilie for being a part of it!

Now, for some much needed rest.

Irony

2011-02-17T17:53:00.000-05:00

I'm feeling so emotional lately.

I don't express it to my friends for it might frighten them,

but seriously, I just have this throbbing feel in my heart,

thinking about the people I've encountered,

my friends, my family, and my love(s).

I'm gutless when it comes to expressing how I feel,

but I still desire to express how I feel.

I'm hoping in due time, my courage can be summoned

before the opportunity passes by.

Moment

2011-02-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

After a healthy dose of Chuck, Glee and Vampire Diaries,

I'm finally feeling the groove to hit off a blog post.

My life has been progressing smoothly I suppose,

with no uninviting surprises around the corners.

Probably I've grown to accept things as they come,

disregarding the element of surprise even if I was suppose to be surprised.

One stand out event that took place in my life lately

would be Moment, a Valentine Ball brought together by SKULE,

the engineering organization at the U of Toronto.

It was held at Hart House, one of the most architecturally stunning

infrastructure that I have ever came across.

The design, the material used, and the sense of belonging it gives

the moment you step past its wooden doors are just captivating.

I was feeling really excited about the event through out my day,

and thankfully I didn't have any lab sessions to attend,

or it would have made me more nervous, with less time to prepare.

So, I had my dinner by 6.30PM, and was planning to walk to

Emilie's residence to meet her, but I ran a little late,

and I actually scrambled to get to where I was suppose to meet her.

Swapping my plan to walk, I ran to the subway station, into the train,

and was constantly checking the direction that the train was heading

while putting on my tie. It was nervy, but thank God I pulled through.

So, to think that the action-packed evening just to meet up with her was over,

it wasn't. I called for the cab to be at her residence at 7.40PM,

but it didn't actually arrive on time. Not wanting to be late,

Emilie and I sat down on a couch and chatted our time away.

At 8PM, the taxi still did not arrive.

That was when the event was suppose to begin!

Expecting the cab driver to call (we called dispatch a few times),

we just waited for the cab to come.

I realized it was my mistake, when we were standing by the door waiting,

and a taxi didn't seem to be moving.

The cab company didn't seem to be the one I called,

but when we went out, the driver mentioned a name, and to my surprise,

my name was mentioned! I was pretty sure I called a different co.,

but much to my despair, it was indeed my fault for calling the wrong co.

Having gotten the transportation out of the way,

we headed for the Great Hall of Hart House for the dance to commence.

After having our coats checked, we headed to sign ourselves in,

and to our pleasant surprise, we both won a box of chocolates!

The reason we did was because we purchased the tickets early,

and if I'm not mistaken, the first or second pair to buy 'em tickets! :D

We then headed into the hall for the complimentary dance lesson.

The instructor Suzette, a gorgeous lady,

taught us ladies and gents how to move on the dance floor,

to styles such as the Waltz and Swirl.

It was really enjoyable learning a new dance with an awesome PRO partner. ;)

Suzette, myself and Emilie

We made mistakes, laughed it off, and started over.

Then, after the lesson, the dance floor was open to couples

wanting to dance to classical music played live by the SKULE Orchestra.

SKULE Orchestra!

We also had a delicious desert bar served with cakes, cheese, and

tantalizing food to keep our energy levels up and running!

There was also a photography section for formal shots.

It was really fun, and great dancing ballroom,

something I've always wanted to do and I'm glad have done it.

After that, our night ended at 11.45PM when the last dance was called.

Awesome night! So would do it again, and again, and again! :D

Edmond.

Despair

2011-02-09T00:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, I just feel so let down, and discouraged.

Things doesn't seem to go well for me at times I feel it is crucial.

I'm always left wondering what I did wrong, what I should have done.

I'm always left to be in awe of others, and irk at my own effort.

Then...

I stare in the mirror, and look at myself, concentrating...

I notice that I am not the Edmond I was before.

The Lord has made me into who I am.

I know I shouldn't doubt, I know I shouldn't question,

but it is difficult at times to behave the way I should. I'm human after all.

I'm just trying to draw positives from what's been going on.

I'm just trying to stay strong.

Maybe I shouldn't assume that the things I want are the best for me.

I don't know what to think, or how to think anymore. I need time to heal.

P.S/ I think I've been put where I am for a reason - in engineering.

I have a feeling I'm better off studying a different course, because

my strengths and advantages seem to lie in the other direction.

Not that I'm going to give up, but work harder, to close the gap.

Then, I'll be stronger, in both aspects.

Mental De-Fragmentation

2011-02-02T13:43:00.003-05:00

Several items are on my mind right now, and it's distracting.

To kick-start the mental de-fragmentation,
I actually missed the first lecture for this term.

No big deal you say but considering that I have never ever skipped a lecture,

I took it seriously. Hence, I did some sleuthing, and I figured the reason out.

Not the best excuse in the world, but I expected a snow storm to arrive,

cancelling class for the next day. I did some homework till late 2am,

and then followed it up with an episode of Chuck.

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

That being put out of the way, I have another issue which I would want to address.

Do you find it hard to understand yourself sometimes?

Not sure why everything you say turns into poison in someone else's perception?

I'm currently facing that issue of not knowing how to behave accordingly.

Things I say tend to be serious when I should have lightened up, and vice versa.

Things I say tend to be considered hurtful, and when I ask how so,

the reasons I get turn out to be diabolical reasons.

Honestly, in my defense, I was just trying to help,

but if not one, but a few people have suggested to me

that my speech is not filled with love and peace,

I intend to make necessary changes to improve.

[Shall not think twice before a speech, but thrice]

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

Here's something to ponder.

As a child, no matter how hard you try to fit into a group of people,

sometimes you just don't.

Why that is so is something I have yet to encounter,

but I know for a fact that you can't be a part of everything.

We know we have (a few but certain) friends whom we can rely on,

but we always want to be a part of something we are not

and possibly will never be a part of.

Don't be discouraged. There is always a chance,

because there is always two sides to a coin.

Continue churning your character,

and then let people come to you, because being yourself is awesome.

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

P.S/ I'm missing you both terribly. Can't wait to get home.

Upcoming post: "From sport shoes to sneakers."

Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

2011-01-31T00:37:00.000-05:00

.. or does it not?

Being far away from where my home country, 13 hours in the time zone,

I would say that distance does make the heart grow fonder.

I miss being with my friends and taking part in activities.

I miss joining in the laughter and jokes made up for the sake of a tease.

I miss going out spontaneously in my dad's Kelisa.

I miss wasting my time at the mall, watching a movie, shopping,

having a meal, or even hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl of my dreams.

I miss playing futsal, volleyball, basketball, badminton and even swimming.

I miss going out for dinner at the same place repetitively with my family.

I miss going to my uncle's house and just hanging out,

listening to the adults deep in a conversation.

I miss going to church and meeting the people I love.

I miss so many things and so many people.

Can I run home in the morning and make it back in time for a lecture?

Sigh.

Sometimes, there is a feeling I would like to call "evil" which creeps

to the back of my mind and fill me with incomprehensible thoughts.

This feeling causes me to feel that my friends, my family and my home

does not miss me and I am just an outcast, forgotten and lost.

I know that this is totally untrue, and that I am always welcomed home.

This is the feeling that actually causes me to miss home more,

because I know that it is untrue, and I want to prove it wrong.

All I can do now is to wait till May, when I can remove it.

The World Is Changing Me.

2011-01-27T20:29:00.001-05:00

"I can feel the world is changing me, it's changing me for good."

Above is part of a song titled 'September' by Marianas Trench.

It touches me within, it digs deep down into my soul,

and exposes the truth that I sometimes feel afraid to acknowledge.

Living in a foreign country without my family by my side,

something never attempted as a child, I'd say it's not simple for a day to pass.

Yes, I've bemoaned this fact a couple of times since my arrival in Canada,

but the fact is, I'm living in denial by trying to ignore this fact daily.

Although, there are always ups when it comes to any matter.

I'm being changed by the world, the people I live with,

the friends I share my life with, the environment I spend my time in,

and almost every other item that serves as a learning tool for me.

I'm faced with difficulties daily, but I seek and get help from Him.

I'm faced with a mountain to climb daily, but He serves as my strength.

I'm faced with an ocean to swim in daily, but He carries me through.

I'm faced with the emotional roller coaster due to the workload,

but He serves as the seat belt that grounds me to my senses.

The fact is, I can never resist the change that comes my way,

but I can refuse the resistance I put up,

preventing myself from advancing in my thoughts, emotions and actions.

To quote a dear friend, Jia Ying's blog, where she quoted the Life,

I hope everyone is able to live a life they deem worthy.

... If we accept blessings from God, we must accept trouble as well ...

- Job 2:10 -

People I Miss (3)

2011-01-24T17:00:00.002-05:00

Edward Tan and Leonard Yeoh. I miss you guys, kind of. :P
I'm kidding, I actually miss the both of you pranksters.


Leonard in White, Edward in Black. Photo courtesy of Facebook (Peilin).

The both of you are the funniest people around!
Always ready to play a prank, make a joke, or at least
attempt to make a joke, and also share your contagious fun around.
Looking at the picture of the both of you above,
it just makes me laugh, but also makes me know I'm missing out
on a lot of fun time back home.
Knowing the both of you for sometime,
it's not hard to provide a description that depicts the both of you.
Talented musically (Lenny the Drummy) and (Edward the Rockstar),
it's nice seeing the both of you worship whenever you do.
We need youthfulness injected into the team ey? :)

"I know it's probably a hard time for the both of you,
considering Edward, you've just headed into college for a short time,
and Leonard who is about to undertake SPM soon,
and it's not easy to fit in and adjust your life to recent commitments.
Just know your priorities, have FUN (loads of it),
but at the same time, keeping your eye out for any holes in the ground.
Even if you jatuh masuk longkang, don't worry,
because you'll be able to get up one way or the other.
*points to the sky* He'll provide you with a ladder. ;)
Continue rocking the youth, and I'LL BE BACK! soon.
Can't wait to meet you both, and share our stories :D."

Edmond

People I Miss (2)

2011-01-23T16:54:00.001-05:00

Part 2 of People I Miss would feature two beautiful ladies.

Marissa Law and Toh Jia Ying!

Marissa's in white, Jia Ying's in pink.

Crazy, outspoken, wise, and mature would only

brush the tip of the iceberg describing their unique personalities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marissa, I consider her to be one hyper bumble bee. :P

She's forever active, constantly cheerful, kind,

nice to be with, and definitely not one to mess around with.

She's musically talented, smart to be top in school,

and definitely a friend to many.

From Earth (Edmond) to Mars:

*crackling sound from a microphone*

"It's a blessing knowing you, and I'm pretty sure we'll meet soon,

but in the meantime, continue being who you are, be the best you can be,

and strive to achieve because you have all it takes in you."

Thumbs up! :D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toh Jia Ying. :) Wow, it's hard to describe you.

Not that I have nothing to say, but I have too much of good things to say.

I've known you for a short time, but the bro-sis relationship

I consider us to have, seems like it was since forever.

One of the stand out of your character is your maturity.

You think different than other people your age,

you behave different from others in a wise way,

giving most of your actions thorough thought and consideration.

Did you know you have a not-so-secret secret weapon?

I'm sure you do, but I'll remind you of it again.

That would be your laugh!

It's tendency to become hysterical is so infective,

making everyone wanting to laugh with you,

although they might be clueless about what they're laughing about.

You're special in that way, and many more.

"I wish you all the best in dealing with matters that concern you,

and I'm proud to know you. I also respect the future you plan

to undertake, as it is definitely rare but honorable.

Keep in touch via WhatsApp!" :D

We'll go McD when I get back. ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Week 4 of term 2 is about to begin,

and I might not have that much time for blog updates.

Do bear with me as I promise I'll churn out the remaining parts

of this section I intend to blog about.

Be safe!
Edmond.

People I Miss (1)

2011-01-22T18:31:00.003-05:00

I miss the awesome, bombastic, crazy,

friendly, lively and lovely youth group back home!

This is not a one-off post, so I'll take my time,

and most definitely, a few reasonably long posts

to describe how much I miss everyone, a person or two at a time.

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

Two people I miss the most would be Adam (Khoo) and Ivan (Tan).

They are like older brothers to me, respected but cool at the same time.

They're experienced, talented, sociable, and fun to be with!

Looking at the picture,
Ivan's on the left, Adam on the right.

Adam has been one hot shot great brother to me.

He's kind, friendly, nice, and the only thing you would

be able to do around him is be happy.

That's exactly how I felt whenever I'm around him,

because he's able to draw you with his charm, guys and girls alike.

He's the president "taiko" of the youth group

before I left for Canada, and he's brought much success in terms

of activities and bringing the youth closer together.

At least that's how I perceive it.

"Adam, I wish you all the best, and I hope that

your future holds opportunities for you to allow

you talents, and wonderful personality to shine through.

I hope to meet you soon!"

Adam in maroon while I'm in red.

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

Ivan! Ivan! Ivan! How I miss you so.

I used to be afraid of you, thinking you're going to yell at me

when I was a child back then in the old church building,

but now, that perception has definitely changed.

You're warm, kind, generous, wise, and my drum hero!

You've introduced me to so many new things,

and even when we weren't doing the crazy stuff which we enjoy,

the subtlety of being in your presence is contenting.

It feels safe to be around you,

and that's a great thing for an older brother to have.

"I wish you success in your studies, career,

and I hope you continue to be the awesome self you are

and bring more fun and life into other youths.
I'll always look up to you for your opinions and wisdom,

and I can't wait to hang out with you when I get back."

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

I miss everyone else and more posts are coming up!

Stay tuned!

Edmond.

Joy

2011-01-20T20:06:00.001-05:00

Joy, defined as an emotion, i.e Happiness.

I have no qualms about agreeing with it, because I feel happy.

What is missing from the definition by my standards would be

the source of joy, or the source of happiness.

For me, I would say that joy can only be derived in one way,

and that is to seek it your way, within the limitations of righteousness.

I would not want to argue on the definition of righteousness,

as it may differ from person to person.

The only thing I would point out with regards to that point would be

that if you feel joyous doing something,

and that your conscience is not troubled by an event,

you are definitely on the right track.

About seeking joy your way, and no other way,

I believe that it is achievable for everyone.

People grow up under different circumstances, different conditions,

different environment, and different customs bounded by society.

What I think would make me happy might not apply to you.

It is important to know who you are, what you are,

how you are, and work on it, enabling yourself in every way.

I would say looking to God, finding your inner peace is

a crucial way to begin understanding yourself.

My point is, to live a life, we should be seeking joy and happiness,

continuously pursuing immaterial riches, or in other words,

seeking emotional, physical and behavioral wellbeing.

I'm sure anyone can do it, because nobody is deserving of sadness.

If you find it hard, try harder, if you still find it hard, try even harder.

We are the only limits we set on ourselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On another note, I've started a new schedule weekly.

Swimming!

I've come to realize that I love doing it, because it brings me joy.

Blame it on the endorphins, but I just enjoy doing it.

For one, it allows me to keep up my cardiovascular health,

and secondly, I enjoy the pain that I feel while exerting myself,

and the tightness of my muscle thereafter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that's it from me for now,

I hope everyone is doing well.

Look out for random posts about people I miss back home. :)

P.S/ My dream to work on a farm is close to becoming a reality.

Edmond.

She's ...

2011-01-18T00:39:00.000-05:00

My best female friend! :)

Chan Su Ann. Chan Su Ann. Chan Su Ann.

You have told me how common your name is,

but to me, it still holds a significant place in my heart.

I remember (after being reminded) the first time we ever crossed paths,

during the church skit for American Dream by Casting Crowns.

Back then, I had no idea who you are, or that you even existed.

Even after we collaborated in that skit,

we still didn't really communicated as friends would,

until the term that I was enrolled at Taylor's College.

It was my first day in Taylor's as an ICPU student,

and I was feeling a little out of place even with my new friends around.

In your pretty pink shirt, walking along the first floor facing the main gate,

I saw you and you gave me a friendly wave.

That brought confidence to me,

as I knew I wasn't alone being introduced to a new surrounding.

The next morning, you were kind enough to sit beside me

in the morning before classes began,

introducing me to Kirstin and JJ.

Little did I know that action of yours was the initiation

that spurred our seed of friendship into life!

You invited me for lunch, brought laughter into my life,

performed antics that were hilarious even if you didn't know it,

and most importantly, brought life back into me,

as I was going through a little of an emotional roller-coaster

as I initially entered ICPU.

You allowed me to forget the hurt and pain I was suffering,

and turned them all into faith, hope and love.

I truly thank God for that.

We've been in constant communication since then,

maturing together, growing together (albeit still in the process),

and verbally jousting one another for the sake of it.

We've argued over petty matters, but by that, we've grown stronger.

We've almost fallen through with my immature thoughts,

and we've even almost fallen through for my insensitive words.

I miss the times we hung out spontaneously,

I miss the times we had Starbucks (by the drain),

I miss the times we walk side by side (when you caught up :P),

I miss the times you yell "Ouch!" (;D),

I miss the times we went to post-church lunch with the youth,

I miss the times we decided we were not going to do anything but nothing,

I miss the times when we were blur at the same time.

I miss you, all the way from Canada.

Please don't cry when you read this,

I'll see you in a few months time. ;)

P.S/ Miss the crazy times the most!

Hope you're coping well in university, and staying bimbo-tic! ;D

Love,

Edmond

3 Items on My List

2011-01-17T13:37:00.000-05:00

Now that semester 2 has really kicked in

with tutorials being activated and workload increasing exponentially,

it's really difficult to grab an interesting topic and blog about it.

The first two weeks of term 2 has been blissful.

Plenty of introductory lectures were given,

and workload was still at it's minimum.

This term is going to be different for me in not only one way,

but in terms of many other factors as well.

For one, I will do my best to summon my discipline,

and with God's grace, I will be doing more fruitful revision.

Secondly, I have began and intend to keep my life

filled with healthy options.

Heading to the pool, using the gym more often

are all part of my initiatives to lead a healthier life.

I hope and pray it works out well.

It's not just about having a body to die for,

but not panting when I walk up 10 flights of stairs for instance.

Finally, I am trying to be a better person personality-wise.

I use to speak without putting much thought into my speech,

but knowing full well that I am not one who disregards

other people's feelings, I am going to alter my character a little.

P.S/ Pray by Justin Bieber and Back to December by Taylor Swift

are nice songs I'm listening to currently.

Be safe everyone!

Edmond.

Call It Good? ODB (14 Jan 2011)

2011-01-15T14:02:00.001-05:00

Can we really know whether to label

life’s circumstances as good or bad?

We may not be able to control events,
but we can control our attitude toward them.

Friend's Friends

2011-01-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

I was just browsing through Facebook,

and I couldn't help but notice how much my high school mates

have grown, mature, and engaged their lives.

I see so many of them happily enjoying themselves

in the presence of new friends,

and that just put a smile on my usually serious face. :)

It is always a blessing to have cross paths with someone,

and if you're fortunate enough,

to maintain in contact with that person till whenever.

Even if you don't (which you will never know),

it is still nice knowing that you have made an impact

in at least one life, which is something precious.

I'm just happy everyone is doing well.

I miss everyone back home in Malaysia,

and I'm just waiting for the right time to express my thoughts.

God bless everyone!

A Randomly Awesome Spontaneous Trip

2011-01-09T21:56:00.000-05:00

Sunday, mild snow-fall, plenty of sunshine,

and turns out it contains plenty of fun and laughters!

Bright and early, Thien and I headed to a subway station

after buying some soft drinks to meet Zakkeeyyah before

making our way to Mississauga via TTC and a transit bus.

The train and bus ride was long, but we eventually reached

our destination of Erindale Park.

Before I go on elaborating on my day, I think I'm officially

a no-no for vehicles that accelerate and decelerate swiftly.

In other words, I'm car(bus and car)-sick! -.-

I hate the feeling of wanting to barf and migrain whenever

I hitch a ride on one of these vehicles.

Anyways, we made our way to Amirah, Syuhada and Fairuz's

house near Erindale Park, a location which has a steep hill as

a short cut to enter their housing area.

We went in and the aroma of sambal (pounded chili paste) filled

my nostrils. It was tantalizing and I was looking forward to the meal.

Indeed, after about half an hour, food was served!

Nasi lemak with ayam rendang and sambal

were served as the main course, and it was delicious!

The situation of sweating when eating spicy food,

and the sensation of a torched tongue was throughly missed

for four months, and today made up for it!

Dessert was Cheese Fruit Pie, also delicious!

After eating, we booted up and went out to have some fun in the snow.

We had a snow ball fight!
Four of 'em ladies teamed up against Thein and I,

and we made snow balls, flinging it into each other's faces.

Some even carried snow and walked up to someone,

pouring it into their overalls. Haha, that was fun.

After that, we made a snow-monster!

We initially wanted to make a huge snow man,

but because we were so tired, and it didn't turn out

as expected, we made a snow-monster with a 'dress'.

Shoveling, using water, scooping, we did put in a lot of effort.

Later on, we tried tobogganing (sliding down a hill covered in snow)

with a cardboard, but I think there was too much friction

for it to turn out good at all.

As we were busy enjoying ourselves,

a nice neighbor came out and offered us her child's toboggan.

It was a purple round shaped plastic with handles at the sides,

and it worked so well!

As we were walking to U of Toronto Mississauga's campus,

we made two stops to toboggan!
It was so fun, running up hills, and sliding down hills

with such adrenalin and enjoyment!

I would do it every day!

We finally reached UTM and we made a few rounds,

resting mostly in one of the huge athletic complexes.

Took some pictures, and had some chit chat,

and I even had a quick nap on the couch.

Took the subway and bus home,

reaching residence in time for dinner!

What a wonderful day!

Stalactite formed at a bus station.

Interesting Day

2011-01-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

Today has actually turned out to be quite wonderful.

I woke up at 8.30am for a shower and headed for a lecture,

which ended at 10am, and a one hour break ensued till 11pm

where I then attended a programming lecture till 12pm.

That was then the end of my lectures for the day!

I then headed to meet some seniors to pick up some books,

and subsequently headed back to residence for lunch.

I did a few interesting activities today.

1) I downloaded WhatsApp and I can finally use the internet

to chat with friends back in Malaysia through my phone.

2) I went to several travel agencies comparing prices,

and I think I have set my mind on returning on a particular date.

I'm looking forward to a few trips back home, Reunion,

and meeting up with you, you and you!

3) I met up with Miss Nicole, my 2nd semester ICPU teacher

who is back in Toronto for holidays with a few students.

It was really fun catching up with her, seeing her doing well.

4) I went for my Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) app

accompanied by the awesome Azim at Toronto General Hosp.

It went pretty well I'd say. The receptionist

was extremely helpful and we actually got a conversation going!

I asked her a few silly questions just to get things going,

and she actually responded. Ha Ha.

Then, I changed into this ridiculous gown,

that exposed my back so bad I was worried about

heading into the waiting room as there was this pretty lady

sitting there waiting. I had to walk like a crab to hide my back. :P

Then, a doctor brought me into the MRI scanning room,

and I was asked to lie on the machine,

my targeted left leg made to rest on a device

that locked it into place, and allowed the huge circular magnet

to capture images of my knee section.

Intervals of 5 minutes were used to take images,

and I was instructed not to move a single bit,

with my left hand grasping a pump that allowed me to summon

the nurse or doctor if I were to feel I needed to.

After a little dozing off, staring at the timer right in front of my face,

and having to endure whipping noises with the help of ear plugs,

I was finally done!

I bought some Tim Horton bagels and hot choc to end my day.

Happy days! :D

Obstacles Overcome(d)

2011-01-06T22:59:00.000-05:00

I've just received my final marks for term 1

and I am just relieved I need not re-sit any courses.

Thank God for that because

at the beginning of term 1, I was really under-performing,

and having those poor quiz and mid term marks were just depressing.

On another note, I'll be attending my MRI scan this coming Friday

to determine the extent of my injury.

I'm feeling a little anxious about it, but I'm hopeful it'll go well.

Tis' all.
Happy days! :D

Winter Holiday Update

2011-01-04T15:59:00.000-05:00

Day 14 (4 January 2011)

Oh dear, it's the last day of winter holiday,

at least for an engineering student like me,

and I'm unsure of my feelings right now.

On one hand, I feel happy that I am able to resume Skule,

but on the other hand, I feel like I haven't really rested enough.

Today, sleep was insufficient AGAIN as I had to wake up early

to pack my clothes and belongings after a shower in order to check out.

Things went according to plan, and by 11am, my friends and I were

on our way back to our residence.

Dragging our bag in the snow, having to deal with slush,

and worst of all, having to endure the cold weather made it challenging.

We eventually got to our destination,

and we didn't waste any time settling right back in.

Doing our laundry, cleaning our rooms,

having lunch, things just seemed endless.

Tomorrow is a new school term, and I'm looking forward.

Winter Holiday Update

2011-01-03T23:36:00.002-05:00

Day 13 (3 January 2011)

After the karaoke session which ended at 3am,

it was difficult to wake up but I had to

as I had already promised Andrew to meet him for breakfast,

and subsequently assist Vanessa who just

moved to Canada from Malaysia.

We had Chinese food for breakfast,

and then took a stroll to the Metropolitan hotel where

Vanessa spent the night, accompanied by Carina.

We took a cab to York U where Vanessa would be studying,

and the most unbelievable thing happened.

I suffered from car-sickness!

I couldn't believe it myself when I started feeling dizzy,

had migrains and felt like barfing.

Andrew, Carina and Vanessa were really kind as

they continuously asked how I was coping.

We eventually reached Vanessa's residence

after a little confusion as to the location.

After helping her move her things in,

we took the bus and subway back to downtown Toronto

as I met up with my friends for a game of badminton and basketball.

It feels really good to be playing sports after a long lay-off.

Thank God my leg held up.

We played from 4pm till 8pm,

and had dinner right after that.

Chinese food in the same shop as I had breakfast.

Then, we headed to the drug store to purchase

some body care products and headed back for rest.

Winter Holiday Update

2011-01-03T23:28:00.000-05:00

Day 12 (02 January 2011)

Time really flies.

Before I could realize, it is already the second day of the new year,

and I have not done anything significant.

Early in the morning, I joined Azim travelling to Sherbourne

by subway to a thrift store where I bought two long sleeve shirts

at a very very reasonable rate.

We walked from then on to Chinatown,

which was quite a distance for a Korean lunch.

It was sweet, spicy, and very much something I would eat again.

Then, I went on foot to St. Andrew's station to meet Andrew

who just arrived from Mississauga.

I assisted him in checking in at Canadiana where we were staying,

and later on accompanied Thien to Foot Locker

with the intention of buying a pair of sports shoes.

He was unable to locate the shoe he desired,

but at least he bought a sweater he really liked,

so the trip was not in vain.

The highlight of my day came after that.

I went to an NBA game!

I really see God working in my life

even for such "petty" matters such as this one.

Here's the story. It was about 4pm

and I was lying on my bed, feeling restless.

I have no idea why but I decided to call a senior

to ask how her holiday went.

She did not know I had totally forgotten about the game,

she immediately unveiled to me that I was about to miss

a game between the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors.

No way I say! I immediately travelled to the Air Canada Centre

to meet up with the seniors.

To describe the game would be arduous,

as it was just beyond description.

Pre-game was exciting with pictures taken with cheerleaders,

free gifts around every corner,

and so much to see and digest.

The atmosphere was just spectacular.

As the game started, there were many events during time-outs,

and the players really did put up a great game for us fans.

Boston eventually won 91 - 73 although Toronto

did put up some good fight and some spectacular plays.

After the game, I joined my friends

for a karaoke session till 3am.

What a fun way to spend my day!