Am I A Procrastinator Or What?

Answer: YES

I finally got around to revamping my blog after *starts counting* ... 30 days?! I rmb leaving a mental note to myself that i MUST change my blogskin during this holidays like ages ago... Guess the mental note was lost and only found after a month. haha... So ladies and gentlemen, may i present to you, my latest blog skin! TADAA~!!! ;)

I fell in love with one of the skins initially, and was dead set on using it... But alas, the skin was already used by Grumpy!! (Great minds think alike eh? lol.) So, i had to settle with the next best skin i liked - it's named Magic Paper. Love the name, love the design! If only it was only 2 columns. hmm...

Oh, and i've upgraded my blog to the new version after sooooo long. I was hesitant to change the last time cos i was lazy to find for blog skins.. Now it's upgraded, i think you guys can subscribe to my blog's feeds now! hehe. Oh but then again, i don't think u'll need that service for my blog, seeing i seldom, in fact, NEVER update my blog. HAHA.

That's all for now, folks! =D

Rewind to Retro

As loyal readers of this blog, you get a sneak preview of my course night first, right here on my blog. =)

Summary of last night's event:
It was a very hectic day yesterday. And to make things worse, it was a rainy night, and the traffic towards the hotel was terrible, horrible totally incorrigible. Nevertheless, it was an amazing night, and definitely one of the best nights to remember. It so happens that for many of my frens, last night was the last night for them in usm. No more lectures, no more tutorials, no more exams. It was the last time all of us would be gathered together like this. *sobs, wipes a tear off* Good luck to all of them who will be starting a new life in the working world soon!! I am surely gonna miss you all...

For the rest of the pics, stay tune to my Facebook update! haha. =D

Toodloos~!

Don't dream, it's over!

Yes, it's over. Finally over now!

My Final Year Project is finally over!!! *sighs of relief*

I don't have to dream anymore. It has happened. I've been waiting for this moment since the beginning of the sem. Waiting to finish all my assignments for this semester. Having 3 core 100% coursework paper in a sem is really crazy! It's freaking insane!

I am so glad that my FYP was subtitling though. I have always wanted to do subtitling, cos of my love for the TV and all those foreign language (yep, including Mandarin) films. I think doing subtitles was actually much easier than doing literature or technical translations. I actually had fun doing subtitles for Perempuan Punya Cerita (or Chants of Lotus). It is an Indonesian indie film containing 4 different short stories about 4 different women's life in 4 different parts of Indonesia. It is a pretty good movie really. I was dealing with the second part of the movie and it was about a story of Dangdut Club dancers and a little girl's pursuit for fame and fortune which ended up with the child becoming a child bride in Taiwan, while the second story was a about a Chinese HIV+ single mum and her daughter facing discrimination, even from her own husband's family. It was an educational movie and I really wish they'd show it here in Malaysia.

Anyhow, now that i'm done with it, i can proudly say i have done subtitles for a movie! hahaha.. ^^Y

Anyone interested in watching my work? hehehe. Just let me know ya! ;)

Time Past

I'm back again! This time from a very familiar old place - the DK Foyer. I'm waiting for Vince while wasting time before my meeting at IO starts at 830pm later. And gosh, it seems like aeons ago since i was here in one of the dewan kuliahs. Feels nostalgic being in one of the halls, without a lecture, onlining with the ol' lousy USM Hotspot. Reminds me of the days when i walked here almost every night, to get some decent internet surfing done. Back to the days when i was still staying in a hostel with my best roomies ever: Jelina, Boon Sin, Chin Yee and Jojo. How i miss them and how i've failed to meet up with them since i came back from Canada. Sighs... Time is flying past so fast!Just a few more weeks and soon, they'll be gone for good. Graduation for my batch is looming, and yet i can't be too happy about it. Cos i'm still stuck with another extended sem to go. Argh!! A part of me wants to join the rest of my friends, another part knows that it can't be helped and that it's a good thing (what with the bad economy these days). Sheesh.. =(

BATI Night is happening soon too! Retro night is the theme this year. Everyone's so pysched about it, even my lecturers! It's their era after all. haha.. =D Sadly, i haven't had the time to go shopping for retro-ish stuffs! AHH!!! What's going on this sem lah? Why does it never seem to end?? Hmmm.. I wonder how it would turn out. Really looking forward to April 3rd. The final huge gathering for my batch of BATI coursemates. Looking back, we've been through thick and thin, rough and smooth, dramas and bitchings, every kind of situation u can ever imagine! Seriously. Makes me dread leaving my friends, and joining my juniors next sem. Would they ever be as happening as my batch? Guess i'll find out in a few months time.

Oh, one of my lecturer, Dr. G has asked me to be his research assistant this coming holidays. Have to assist him for 40 days. Looks like i won't be going back to JB for a very long time again this time. Sighs~ The thing about Dr. G, is he's scary, sarcastic and yet very knowledgeable. Makes me honored, admiring and yet very scared to be helping him in his research. Dunno how much of a help i would be, but hopefully my pitiful knowledge of Mandarin would be useful in his Mandarin - BM translations. Also, hoping my vague memory of Mediacorp period dramas would come back to help me in his translation of "Water Margin" (Shui Hu Zhuan). @.@ haha.. Guess, watching too much Mediacorp dramas has its pros after all eh? Mediacorp TV is the best!!! (don't care wat Vince says). hehehe. =P

I'm not busy, i'm just lazy

Just as what the title says, i'm not THAT busy actually, just plain lazy. I dunno wat's got into me, but lately (by that i mean months) i don't surf blogs or appear online on msn anymore. I just don't feel like appearing in the virtual world. It's weird i know. I can't even understand why myself. Everytime i open my internet browser, it's always Hotmail, multiple online dictionaries, and once a while a little Facebook.

I seem to have become sort of an introvert. I also don't hang around my phone that often anymore. Msgs tend to be left unreplied. I know it's disturbing and irritating to those who sms me and I apologize to all of you who have been irritated by me. I promise i'll try to reply asap whenever i can.

Gosh, i beginning to realise i'm such a bore!! I need something to get me out of my humdrum life asap!!! Any suggestions anyone??

Oh, on a brighter note, i met up with Ally for the first time in more than a year!! And the interesting is, we both met not in our hometown, but our bf's hometown, Penang. hahaha!! She's still as pretty as ever! ;) Oh no, I'm turning into a Pg PR eh?? This is bad... haha.

Wonder where i'll go after i grad? Stay or move? Hmm.. That's something for me to ponder for now.

Ciao tutti! =D

A First on the First

It's the first day of the Lunar Ox Year. And the only reason i'm blogging on the first day of chinese new year is because i'm stuck at home. Unfortunately, my mum fell sick last night - vomiting and purging all night through. The exact same symptoms as vince who's all the way in Kelantan. Weird eh? Thus, my family and i are all staying home on the first day of this great celebration and not out doing "bai nian" rounds. Imagine the amount of red packets i'm missing out on!! Sad nia.. But truth be told, i pity my mum n vince more. Feeling disgusted at the sight of food during this festive occasion, where food is the main focus, is horrible and terrible. Poor things... Hope they get well soon.

That aside, it's the first time i'm enjoying the chinese new year so much more. Staying at home with my family beats running about under the hot unforgiving sun in high heels and pretty clothes. hahaha.. Every year, it's the same routine -- moving around from one relative's house to the next, putting on fake smiles, making small talks, yet avoiding all sorts of awkward embarrassing questions. There's always the same old trusted questions of the year:

1. "How old are you now ah?" (for those who only see you once a year)
   
2. "How's studies? When are you graduating??"
   
3. "Got boyfriend/girlfriend d not?"... which leads to....
4. "When are you gonna get married??"

I bet you all know it by heart already. Hmmm.. Do you guys know other more irritating questions? haha..

Nevertheless, just this morning i've chatted with ppl in Vancouver, Quebec, US, UK, HK and Malaysia! Getting connected with frens during the new year is not such a bad idea eh? Surprisingly, many Malaysians are at home online-ing too. haha.. At least i'm updating myself with the latest stories albeit at the price of a few red packets ($$). lol..

On a brighter note, there's plans to meet up with Convent frens!! Babes, hear this:

28thJanuary 2009
Wednesday
Tebrau City
1.00pm

So far, there's michelle, suitheng, CK, roejin, myself, and ah pang (who needs a 2nd reconfirmation ish..). Please ask more ppl ya! The more the merrier!! =D RSVP to CK or me as soon as possible k?

HAPPY 'NIU' YEAR
&
GONG XI FA CAI!!!

Home for CNY!

I'm sorry for my long absence and this really forsaken blog. Really had no mood to update at all ever since i came back to Malaysia. So many stuffs going on, and the longing to be back in Canada didn't help much either. Well, a quick summary on what has happened in the past one month:

1. Ate all my missed favourite Malaysian food - still on the list: Laksa, Chee Cheong Fun, Hokkien mee, Lei Cha (bcos only available in JB haha..) =D
2. Catching up with coursemates and my courses
3. Trying very hard to recollect my Malay vocab
4. Failing terribly at Eng-BM simultaneous interpretation
5. Distributing most of the souvenirs i brought back - there're still maple leaves in between my books somewhere...

Latest update:

I'M BACK IN JB yo!!!!!

Arrive this morning, and man it feels good to be home. But kinda weird at the same time when there's so many small changes and new arrangements in my home. And the house is in a mess -- which my mum conveniently left it for me to tidy. How wonderful. Sighs. This is wat happens when you're the only child who's around to be ordered about. Damn. Margie, you better come home quick to help me clear your stuffs! Our room is like a store room now!! *stress* haha..

Looking forward to Chinese New Year!!! It's time to go shopping for new clothes!! *excuses* haha.. And of cos, the long awaited meet up with all my JB frens! Ming Eng, Rojak, Ah Pang, Allison, CK, Sheeli, Chai Lyn,Yu Hooi, Su Jun (if i can find her that is), etc.... Please spread the word around: I wanna meet you guys ya!!! *jumps about in excitement* Will be leaving on 30th, so let's try to meet up say... 28/29th?? Just drop me a msg! Thanks! =D

Baju Kurung and Snowman

I DID IT! I DID IT!! I DID IT!!!

I want to make snowman and snow angels!!!
I want to make snowballs and throw at Joe!
I want to take lots of pretty pics in the snow!!

It snowed for the 2nd time!!

Joe and I were watching an old black/white Christmas Carol movie in the common block when it happened. It was so pretty, it felt surreal! The sky was dark, snow was falling gently (like in the movies!), and street lights were shining on the lovely snow... And with the Christmas Carol movie playing, it felt so Christmasy!!! ^.^ The instant the movie was over, we rushed outdoors. It felt nice, albeit a little chilly without a jacket. haha.. And on the way back, we had a super-mini snowball fight. We were rolling snowballs with our bare hands (cos we had no gloves with us) and throwing snowballs like kids! lol.. We played and took pictures till we couldn't feel our hands! And that was just 30 minutes and 3 snowballs. haha..

Our Resident Advisor, Andrea from Jamaica.

Snow reflected off the ground!

The cold numbness was so terrible, i couldn't feel my hands even when under running hot water, and over hot burning stove! Nevertheless, barely a few seconds of slightly warmed hands, Joe said we should grab this opportunity to go out in the snow in our baju kurung! Since i made a pact with Mel, and Joe made one with me, we both braved the cold and did it! haha.. And so here it is, the long awaited picture.

This is for you Mel.

I think seeing snow for the first time in our lives, sort of made us very hyper. After taking a hot bath, we're out again at 1am making a SNOWMAN!!! Crazy but fun!! Because Christina was out studying, so it was just Joe and I making the snowman..Well, it was more like me squatting down making the snowman, while Joe just run around ordering me to get snow from here, snow from there, and squirting water on the snowball. sheesh! hahaha.. And after 1 hour and 1 failed attempt, Mr. Snowman was born! Christina came back just in time to accessorize and take pics with him. haha..

Me making snowman!

My 1st snowman!

Mr. Snowman 1.
He's made with choc M&M eyes, and leans dangerously to the left.
It's no wonder he crashed a few minutes later... =(

Mr. Snowman 2!
Made this time with almond eyes and bottle caps buttons. =D

Our snowman made a fashion crime wearing a cap - looks like a China snowman. lol..

Joe and snowman with a better snowcap!

Me and my snowman!

Roomies of 2101 with their snowman! hehe.

Our snowman guarding our entrance. He's really small.. hehe.

The entire night was a truly remarkable experience and I'm glad Joe was there to make it more memorable. Only she could make me go out in the snow at an ungodly hour just to build a snowman!! lol..

However, this wasn't the end. My worst experience was about to happen. I woke up the next morning to a sharp and burning pain in my left hand. To my horror, my 3 last left fingers were sore and swollen. It was just a little prickly feeling the night before.. but it worsen in the morning. It might have been a very mild superficial frost bite!!! Gosh.. Thank god it was nothing too serious. It was so weird though, cos only 3 of my left fingers had it. Anyways, after 2 days of wrapping it up in icy cold towel, the swell subsided and my fingers felt alive again. =)

I wasn't the only one with a terrible experience. Joe had a worse one.. Her laptop crashed the same morning!!! It was working fine that night and suddenly it wouldn't start up properly in the morning. And it became worse by the hour... In the end, it wouldn't even start up. Poor thing. Both of us tried to repair it ourselves, but to no avail. We followed precisely as the online help said, but they didn't tell us wat to do if we faced some differences. We were that close, yet so far! So, in the end, instead of making it right, it became worse. haha!! Guess we're not meant to be IT technicians. hehe. Then Joe decided to buy a new Dell laptop here cos it was so much cheaper. But sadly, it would take them 2 weeks to deliver it, and we didn't have that amount of time! So, all her hopes of buying a new one were totally dashed. We worried and cracked our brains for nothing at all! lol.. Just hope her hard disk is recoverable.. all her 4 months and more worth of pictures are all in there!!! Poor Joe..

Anyhow, both of us have experienced everything "wintry" we could in just 2 days. hahaha.. To end my post today, here's a picture of snowflakes! I saw snowflakes for the first time ever in the middle of the night, outside my window pane. Enjoy!! hehehe..

You can't see the snowflake pattern here. But in person, u can really see the pattern clearly - like those on X'mas cards. Very lovely they are!

First Snow

This morning when i woke up, i rmb the room was dark as the curtains were still drawn and the first thing i did was to rush straight to the washroom cos the only reason i'm up so early was to pee. lol. After relieving myself, i wanted to crawl back into bed, back under the comfort of my warm blanket, but something told me to check my comp for any msn messages. True enough there were 3 tabs - one guy asking when i'm coming back, vincent replying my offline msgs, and then.. there was Mary (who brought me to the Aquarium) who left me a msg saying

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!

Joe and I were planning our remaining 13 days in Canada last night, and today, we were supposedly going to Gastown for souvenir shopping. Being in Vancouver, we can't go out without checking the weather forecast before hand. So, last night when we checked, the weather forecast said it was going to rain and snow today. Everyone who are in Europe have been telling me it's snowing wherever they are. And just the other day, Norven was complaining, why it isn't snowing yet in Vancouver. hahaha.. But rain and snow?? We totally couldn't imagine what it would be like. But the thought of snow was enough to make us excited yet worried. haha... Little did i know, when i threw open the curtains right after seeing Mary's msg, watching snow fall is the most breathtaking experience ever!!!

You know how you've seen real snow and fake snow on TV all your life.. You more or less know how it is - white small puffy drops falling softly on to the colourful world. But this morning, what i saw wasn't exactly how it is on TV. On tv, u see the first snow is usually dropping or floating gently down... The ones here... they were FLYING!!! The winds were so strong, the white snow drops were flying right across my window! lol.. I was totally speechless as i watched the scenes outside my window. I could only stare at the snow for like minutes and thinking to myself.. "Wah..It's finally snowing!! My very first snow!!! I can finally take a pic of me wearing Mel's baju kurung present in the snow!!" hahaha!!! Well, that's what Mel promised me to do: "Pakai baju kurung saya dan tangkap gambar dalam salji ye!" I have no idea wat made me promise her i would do that, as crazy as it sounds. Even though i know it was a joke (altho when it comes to Mel, it may be for real), but I was thinking, how many times in your life can u see snow and wear a baju kurung out in the snow?... And so, hanya untukmu Mel, saya akan memakai baju kurung dalam salji! hahaha..

After the random crazy thoughts, the first thing i did was to take out my camera and snap like crazy - as though the snow's gonna melt anytime soon. haha.. Then i opened my door wondering if the rest of the house knows about the first snow! Joe's room was dark, so i ran over and knock on her door shouting IT'S SNOWING!!!! She opened the door with her sleepy face not really registering wat i just said, so i had to tell her again to her face - IT'S SNOWING outside!! Immediately, we both went to her window, where i continued to amaze myself with the snow. haha..

Wanna know how it looked like? Here are the pictures!!

My very first snow picture!
This is the view when i opened my curtains. ^^

If you didn't see the ground, you'd think it's just heavy rain.

One thing about Vancouverites, come rain or snow.. they just walk without any umbrellas.

View of our block's common area from Christina's room.

Isn't it pretty?? hehe..

I really love this white house opposite my room.
Even more so when it's covered in snow!

Erm.. if u were waiting to see the baju kurung in snow pic, sorry guys, i haven't done that! Because the snow wasn't really frozen.. it melts the moment it touches anything!!! It's like rain actually.. So sad... =( Hence, i banished all thoughts of stepping out in the pretty kurung under rain/snow so early in the morning. hehe.. But fret not! The forecast said there'll be more snow next week! By then, i'll definitely go out and take that pic!! Just wait and see. hee..

And because of the weird weather, Joe n I also decided not to go out at all.. Thus, we continued to watch movies and dramas in our rooms the entire day. I'm currently watching Bad Love starring Kwon Sang Woo. lol! Oh, i found this perfect website to watch subbed korean, japanese, taiwan, hk, china dramas! And that's why i'm hooked onto dramas these days. So far i've watch It Started With A Kiss 2 (i know it's lame.. but once u've watched the 1st one, u wanna watch the 2nd just so u know the ending) and Last Friends (a very interesting and meaningful Jap drama). hehe...

Alas, my winter wonderland didn't last long. Just a few hours later, the snow became heavy rain! And it rained till the evening. What a lousy weather. And the sky turning dark at 3pm ain't helping. It just makes ppl wanna hibernate and not step out of the house at all!! Sheesh..

The rain after the snow...
Snow on the ground begins to melt.. and soon it'll turn into slush. =(

I want it to snow MORE!!!
I want to make snowman and snow angels!!!
I want to make snowballs and throw at Joe!
I want to take lots of pretty pics in the snow!!
So please let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

The speechless reaction when i see snow video. haha...

The Way I Am

It's about 38 hours away from my LAST final exam in UBC now... Linguistics, urghh! I'm getting so blur and sick of it already! Can't wait for it to be over. haha.. For once, i finish earlier than the rest of my friends!! wahahaha..

Am very excited yet sad to know my time here is slowly coming to an end. Seems like there's still so many things to do around here. Many places i've yet to explore.. but right now, all this can't compare to the thought of finally going back to my homeland. Not that i'm looking fwd to starting stupid classes in USM (duh..), it's more of the joy of being in a familiar environment and eating REAL food for once.

But then again, when i think of packing up to go back, i just wish i could stay here for another sem! Even if that means i've to go through rainy winter times and eating lousy food for another 4 mths. I don't wanna go back to Malaysia where the sun shines 12 hours a day, where 5pm looks like 12pm, where i'm busy all day long, where i can't live without a phone for 1 sec, where internet sucks, where... sighs.. where everything i have here is not there basically. lol..

Anyways, i shouldn't be blogging rite now. So i'm going back to my books and ending this blog with a cute song i found..

The Way I Am
by Ingrid Michaelson

If you were falling, then I would catch you.
You need a light, I'd find a match.

Cuz I love the way you say good morning.
And you take me the way I am.

If you are chilly, here take my sweater.
Your head is aching, I'll make it better.

Cuz I love the way you call me baby.
And you take me the way I am.

I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair.
Sew on patches to all you tear.

Cuz I love you more than I could ever promise.
And you take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.
You take me the way I am.


*p.s.: This song goes out to you vincey! =D