You

Nightminds - Missy Higgins

Just lay it all down
Put your face into my neck and let it fall out
I know I know I know
I knew before you got home
This world you're in now
It doesn't have to be alone
I'll get there somehow 'cos
I know I know I know
When even springtime feels cold

But I will learn to breathe this ugliness you see
So we can both be there
And we can both share the dark
And in our honesty, together we will rise
Out of our nightminds
And into the light at the end of the fight...

You were blessed by
A different kind of inner view
It's all magnified
The highs will make you fly
But the lows make you want to die
And I was once there
Hanging from that very ledge where you are standing
So I know I know I know
It's easier to let go

But I will learn to breathe this ugliness you see
so we can both be there and we can both share the dark
And in our honesty, together we will rise out of our nightminds
and into the light at the end of the fight

...and in our honesty, together we will rise out of our nightminds
and into the light... at the end of their fight...

What is it about Green?

I guess a lot of people would assume that I either know or do this but I don't....not really anyway. I'm talking about going green. I'm sure a lot of people talk about eating organic food or reducing pollution and this movement is gaining momentum in Malaysia but in the US, it's been going on for a while now.

Being my day off (the morning anyway), I decided to take a little trip in the afternoon to the local grocery store and organic shop. For that one hour I spent cycling there and looking around, I felt like a tree-hugger hippie. I brought my backpack along with me so I reduced the amount of plastic bags I used and instead, put the groceries into my bag. In addition to that, I bought some organic and free-trade food. I tell you one thing for sure, it ain't cheap.

One bag of sesame seaweed rice crackers cost me $3.19 and a bar of free-trade organic Mint Dark Chocolate was $4.19. For price comparison, I can get a Hershey bar for $1 or less on sale. They say that organic foods tastes better but I am skeptical so I decided to try it for myself.

Honestly, I would rather eat a bag of Cheetos any day, complete with extra sodium and msg than eat this if I had a choice. I mean, it wasn't bad but it wasn't fantastic either. I usually snack on chips when I have a craving for salty food and sadly, this does not satisfy. They are kind of bland but I'm sure if a little more seasoning was added, I might just change my mind in spite of the price I have to pay for it.


The organic chocolate was a different story however. I must say the people who run the Equal Exchange for cocoa have extremely good marketing skills. You don't just buy a bar of chocolate, you also get information about what you purchase.


Information about fair trade cocoa is printed on inside of the wrapper for you to read and digest and basically pat yourself on the back on how you did good by helping out some poor cocoa farmer in Peru earn a better income and how you helped stop the exploitation of cocoa farmers by buying Fair Trade chocolate. I like to call this..."Feel Good Chocolate". As if the endorphins that you get while consuming chocolate isn't enough... But I guess it's a good thing to not take advantage of people who don't know any better but then again, at $4.19 a bar, are people willing to pay that much for chocolate? In spite of the hefty price for a bar, I must say that it was some good s**t chocolate... Call me weird but I like dark chocolate (which most people hate) with mint (which most people hate also...) and this company produces what I want exactly...so I'm not complaining.

In addition to my green exploits, I'm proud of the fact that I bought a vintage second hand bicycle for $15 and I love to ride it. Here's a picture of my bike; it is at least 30 years old!


However, I also have a confession to make. I haven't been recycling like I should...only because I couldn't find the green bin that some person put behind my house! I feel guilty already! Will recycle this coming week when the garbage truck comes on Friday...

Summer 2008

My two BF's....boyfriend and best friend. Heh!


Who'd think that I'd meet my high school physics teacher's son here in the US! The world is really small....


Shalina looking somewhat nervous but happy at the same time. She's only 23 or 24 which is about my age. Americans tend to marry early still...very unlike Asians.


Group picture!


The four of us were waiting to get into this dim sum restaurant (Mountain View) for brunch the day we arrived in Chicago. Who knew Chinatown would be so popular on the 4th of July.


I can't remember if this was taken before or after we ate but boy...did we stuff ourselves!


The same day but it was at night. We were sitting by the beach waiting for fireworks but little did we know that the show ended half an hour ago. Apparently it started 30 mins earlier than scheduled.


The beach at Lake Michigan which just happens to be 2 blocks from where Calvin lives. =.="


The tall buildings and the Drake Hotel mark the beginning of the Golden Mile @ Michigan Avenue. When I went there, I just walked from the apartment to the shopping district. Ultimate shopping bliss!


I'm surprised no one said anything about half-naked pictures that were posted on Facebook. Muahaha...


Malaysian BBQ party at Gray's Lake. The area was flooded a couple of weeks back so when we went there, the grass was mud soaked and really gross. I think it'll be a while before I would want to go back again. Can you spot the odd one out in the picture?


The entrance into my room. It is still awfully bare but slightly different now since I bought myself a desk. More updated pictures to come.


The bed that you see is actually a former dorm bed that Sam and I managed to salvage from one of the dorms before it underwent renovation. It is still in really good condition and it beats having to buy a new bed etc.


My kitchen! I love the large floor space in the middle...I can already think of the many dinner parties that will be thrown over the course of my stay at this house.


The living room. The area is larger than it looks because I did not take the pile of stuff that is lined up against the back wall. Will post more pics when the sofas are moved in.


The bathroom! The house was remodelled just before we moved in so everything is nice and new. New paint, new carpet, new fittings...cabinets etc.


Doing the "Karen Cheng" in a formal dress from XOXO that I picked up for $17. ;)

Going Home!

I just booked my flight to go back home to Malaysia at the end of the year! I am really really excited! XD I am looking forward to seeing my family, friends and eating all the delicious food that I've been deprived of. It'll be a somewhat short trip...4 weeks or 27 days to be exact. I'm not complaining but on the way back, I might have to bum in Singapore for a day which is nice. A mini personal vacation just before school starts. :)

My friend Jon is heading back today for the rest of the summer before school starts. I was tempted to ask him to smuggle me back in his suitcase but figured it would be an uncomfortable journey and I would have to do a lot of explaining to my bosses. And besides, I need the money for school. Bleh!

At least now, I have something to look forward to during the dreary months of November and December.

Malaysian Pop

This is a random post that was generated by my news reading and forays onto Youtube. I was reading about how this Indonesian dangdut singer, Inul Daratista's concert was banned in Malaysia because of her suggestive performances. Naturally, I googled her and did a Youtube search.

Honestly, I've seen worse.

Think about all those hip/hop and rap videos that are shown on MTV. Additionally, she can't sing...really. Somehow, when I was looking on Youtube for videos of her, some of Siti Nurhaliza's popped up.

I'm not a big fan of Malay songs (but I like Indo-pop) but I find it hard to hate Siti. She has an amazingly sweet face and that girl can sing. There was a video of her singing at a ceremony in Taiwan and she sang a Mandarin song...with Lee Hom!

I was completely blown away!

She might not have the best pronounciation but heck, I think she's even better than I am with my half-assed Chinese. The thing about her is that she has personality and she tries. I'm still not a fan of her English songs...she sounds a lil weird but other than that, no wonder the Malaysian public generally loves her. My favorite song of hers still has to be her first single...a classic...Aku Cinta Padamu.

Today

Even though I find myself pulling out my hairs every time I read the local Malaysian news, I cannot help but admit that it entertains me. It's one whole big drama that goes on in parliament and one can only shake their head in disbelief when reading about the antics of politicians. True, their antics can be likened to that of "monkeys" with no sense of decency or etiquette. In spite of all this, it is comforting to know that Malaysian citizens are sick and tired of all the nonsense that seem to be splashed across the news headlines every other day. People are starting to grumble and voice out their complaints and the government better take heed else there will be uprisings later on if the situation gets worse.

On a lighter note (maybe..), I will hopefully be moving for the last time this year to my new house. Yeap, you heard it...its a house and it will be nice to finally be able to sleep in my own room. I miss having that as I've had to sleep with earplugs ever since I got here. I'll be doing a whole load of packing today after I get off my job and hopefully I'll be able to finish packing by tonight so that I can move everything by tomorrow. I need to do laundry as well. Sigh...so many things to do. But it'll be worth it! I'll be posting updates and pictures soon.

Half Past English

I'm not here to personally critique the people who can't write a paragraph without committing some grammatical errors because I do it as well. However when it comes to spelling, that becomes a little more iffy. My favorite site of the moment would definitely have to be the Star Online Citizens Blog where the general public (aka. us) post their views about the current political and social situation in Malaysia. I happened on a post by a UM student complaining that the health facility (or clinic) on campus refuses to treat seniors because of some "rediculous" policy set by the university.

Something wrong with the sentence? I almost fell off the couch when I saw that incorrectly (and very obviously so) spelled word glaring me in the face. Then I got to thinking...it could be that when he/she wrote that post, they forgot to use spellcheck which is a very nifty tool when it comes to writing term papers (in my opinion). But then again, it seemed like the error was deliberate, not accidental. So what now? For a college student...let alone a medical student like this person, I wonder what will happen when he/she graduates and finally becomes a doctor and starts prescribing medication and carries foward his/her spelling shortcomings. I shudder to think of the possible consequences.

But then again, it might not be his/her fault. UM is purportedly one of the best places of higher learning in Malaysia that STPM students would try and get into. After this incident, I don't think I missed out on much. So shoot me for being partial. But to unite our interests, let's blame the government and their poor education system of the country. Woohoo! =.="

All Will Be Well - The Gabe Dixon Band

The new day dawns,
And I am practicing my purpose once again.
It is fresh and it is fruitful if I win but if I lose,
Oooooo  I don’t know.
I will be tired but I will turn and I will go,
Only guessing til I get there then I’ll know,
Oh oh oh I will know.

All the children walking home past the factories
Could see the light that’s shining in my window 
As I write this song to you.
All the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true,
All will be well.
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself,
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.

The winter’s cold,
But the snow still lightly settles on the trees.
And a mess is still a moment I can seize until I know,
That all will be well.
Even though sometimes this is hard to tell,
And the fight is just as frustrating as hell
All will be well.

All the children walking home past the factories,
Could see the light that’s shining in my window 
As I write this song to you.
All the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true
All will be well.
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.

Keep it up and don’t give up
And chase your dreams and you will find
All in time.

All the children walking home past the factories
Could see the light that’s shining in my window 
As I write this song to you.
All the cars running fast along the interstate
Can feel the love that radiates
Illuminating what I know is true,
All will be well.
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself,
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.

All will be well.
Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself,
All will be well.
You can ask me how but only time will tell.

You can ask me how but only time will tell.