Friday, August 31, 2007

What is Merdeka to you?

This year, for our National day, I am having a different set of sentiments as compared to last year.

Perhaps it's after reading pinkpau's piece, but I seem to be a little more solemn this year in greeting our nation's 50th birthday.

It's true, that most of my love for my country originates from, sad to say, the good food. Occasionally, I take pride in Manglish. I agree that we are a melting pot of cultures, we are a collage of harmonious races. But sometimes, I think I miss home so much because the people I love are all back there. Meaning that, if you move my family, my boyfriend, all my friends and all my favorite food places (please come with me, my staple mamak man) to say, Africa, I will happily trot my way there.

It scares me sometimes, when I talk to my peers, especially those studying overseas currently, and when asked about their plans upon graduation, they go "Anything but to go back to Malaysia." Since when has our home country become the last place that you want to be? And when I inform them that I have plans to go back to Malaysia, I am greeted with astonished faces and loud exclamations of "WHYYY????"

People tell me that Malaysia is a dying country. People my age.

The same people tell me that they don't want to go back to Malaysia to work, because the country has not been fair to them, and thus, they do not want to service the country.



The scariest thing is, I am actually at a point of my life where I can actually choose where I want to be. Should I desire so, after I graduate, I can stay in Melbourne, and not step foot in Malaysia. It finally comes down to: how much do I love Malaysia?



Don't tell me corruption is Malaysia's identity, that it's what makes Malaysia, Malaysia.

Don't tell me that that, hey, we are the epitome of racial integrity, because do tell me, how many friends of a different race do you have.

Don't tell me "Aiyo, Malaysian time mah!" when you are late; the defiance in your voice is not justified.

Don't tell me that there's no hope in Malaysia, because you are the who lost hope.


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I am not purportedly being unpatriotic or negative, I am just taking a step back this year, being... pensive.

And I rather it being like that, then blindly shouting "Merdeka, Merdeka!" at the top of my lungs, and chanting along our national anthem, but not knowing what does the act truly stand for. :)



Merdeka coundown at Sharmiana last night.


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FINALLY got to meet up with Rebecca and Victoria.
(left to right: Rebecca, me, Jac, Victoria)


Some individual pictures with the girlies.
Yea, I could take loads of individual pictures 'cause I wasn't even tipsy last night. :P



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Jac.
Whose only patriotic-looking item on her for the night was a blue bag, which you can't see as it has blended into my dress.


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Mey.
Who wore green with a tinge of yellow, and proudly claims that little bit of sunshine color as her patriotic bit.


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Victoria.
Blue, pass. 'Nuff said. ;)


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Rebecca.
AAHHH, whom you can't see the cute little red bow on her hair! :(
And who was sick but still made it to the event. =)



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This is how much Mey needs to stoop to my level! -____-



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Group picture of the girls.
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.




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Jin Yin. This is true love for our country yo.
*edited* To correct some misconception (*cough* Jac *cough*), I wasn't pointing at my boobs k! T__T


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Wai Keen! My ex-MUFY mate. He calls himself IT geek.
And it's true. Haha!



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Trying to fit into the DJ girls clan, HAHAHA.
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.




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Kai Yau, whom I met at the costume party I went recently. :)
So far, out of the few times I have been clubbing in Melbourne, I have seen him at least 3 times, I think! Tsk tsk! :P



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August, whom I met in a my recent ski trip distress (when my boots were slated over with ice, and I couldn't wear my skis).


We met once again during a recent career fair, and we ccould actually recognize each other beyond his ski mask, and erm, my cute ski hat and cheap Sportsgirl sunnies; and well, the rest is history. ;)


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Haha, this picture is so cute!
I swear I don't remember what I was looking/pointing at k. -_-



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Pictures of the flat hair flat makes me happy. :)
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.



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Yen Jun, who looks SO hot here! :)



And Audrey, sorry ya, but these pics will make you green in envy, haha!

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Wen Loong, whom I met through Audrey.



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Nemo aka birthday boy! Wen Loong, me, and I am not sure who, but I think she's Hong Sze.



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Free-styling on the dancefloor.
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.



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Me, Yen Jun, Smalls, Jac.
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.




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Isaac, with the MOST AMAZING memory ever.
I met him momentarily through a uni mate 1 and 1/2 years ago, and he remembered me! :)




Erm, some random shots of my fave camwhoring partner. :)


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Darren aka Yeff aka Tan Jin Fei.



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I like this shot of me. :)




And presenting you with a newfound art-- wall-slutting.


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We love Malaysia.



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And oh oh oh! Did you know my dress is only 5AUD????
Tell me I am good. ;)



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Showcasing the back of my 5AUD dress.




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Happy birthday, Malaysia! *kiss kiss wtf.
SMALLS WONG, WHERE IS YOUR RED HEADBAND.



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Oh my god, I am seriously ASHAMED.




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Puckered.


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And this is Arnold, who emo-ed because I took picture with everyone, but only asked him to help me snap the shots. So I had to pacify him, haha.



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And he studied film and cinematography! So I asked him to snap a shot of us to show off his skills.
How's it? :D




Not a drop of alcohol in my system,

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.. and yet, I am still like that. -_-




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In the midst of the Merdeka countdown. :)





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Halfway during Rihanna's "Umbrella"-- those are umbrellas!




Happy 50th birthday, Malaysia, my giant umbrella, my shelter, my home. :)


Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A day of my uni life.

Because Auditing lectures last an eternity.


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We have to find ways to entertain ourselves.

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Taking pictures in the middle of a class calls for a lot of skill k, haha. :P



And can you balance a pencil between your nose and your top lip!!!

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With aid of her hands.


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Raw talent. -_-



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This is Dennis, who was napping.

I know he was napping (although his back was facing me), 'cause his head kept on nodding off again and again. ;)



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Hee.






And, presenting you, Art Attack in class.


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Oh my god, Project X seems to be finally materialising! Fingers crossed. :)

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes.

Thanks to our beloved tour guide, Jaclyn Wong, who made our Mt. Dandenong trip materialise, and whom also ensured that we have an itinerary for the day, and that we followed it.

Thanks babe, I am getting you a flag and maybe a whistle for your birthday next year.





I swear! I have never done such a long post before. -_-





In the car.

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Jac, with the lozenges that KitMey lovingly handed out.
Yes, the whole flat minus Smalls is sick now. :(



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Kit Mey who has motion sickness and I.
Thank you for not throwing up on me! T_T



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Jac and I.
That's my Chanel bag there, and if you peer closely, you can see my Mount Franklin mineral water bottle peeking out. How unglam! -_-


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We went to Miss Marples! Which is famous for its scones.


I LOVE SCONES! :)


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The most charming waiting room. :)
And of course the most charming people too, haha.



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The whole restaurant just resembles a quaint English cottage, and I loved it!


What to do, a childhood of Enid Blyton books has made me a cottage girl at heart. :)



There were so many of us that we needed to split tables...

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Table 1 (anti-clockwise): me, Mey, Smalls, Thean Aik, Chun Yin, Shaun.



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Table 2: Lionel, Jac, Randy, Rebecca, Kijin.



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Abandoning all self pride and started camwhoring in the middle of the restaurant.




Our food:

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My mocha-in-a-mug.


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Cottage pie.

Cheesy with potato and chicken! Very nice, but potatoes make me feel guilty (carb-attack). :(



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Scones!

The scones are so fresh and soft, and the jam is obviously homemade-- you could see the seeds! Best jam I have ever eaten... And even the whipped cream, gawd it was fresh! And yes, I am typing in a pool of drool now.



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Quiche with ham and egg.


Potentially, this looks the best, but I guess I am just not a quiche person. But damn, the picture looks good!



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And the guys damn bad, they said that Miss Marples look like that, no wonder she remained an old maid and everyday make scones only. -____-




Next stop, the National Rhododendron Gardens. Which I came to know about like this:

In the car.
Me: Jac, where are we off to next?
Jac: Rodent Garden.
Me: WHAAATT?? Why do we want to go see rodents! Why mice!!! *blabber blabber*
Jac: Rhododendron Gardens laaaa!!

Hee.



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Bird house! Another Enid Blyton signature wtf.

Speaking of which, I have always wanted to have a birdhouse. My dad refused to build one for me, but I wonder why he didn't let me put my Barbie doll house outside for the birds.

The bird might like pink! Hmmph.



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Balconies make me pensive.




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I wanted a guy in the picture, so that I could caption this picture 'roses amongst thorns', but none of them was sporting enough, boo.
So roses among roses, it is.

Never mind that those aren't rose plants, you wouldn't know if I didn't say so right!!!


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WHAT AM I DOING HERE.



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Jumping jellybeans!
Please tell me my crotch isn't showing.


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And HAHAHAHA, I was supposed to take a picture of Mey and Smalls jumping mid-air, but why in this picture, they looked like they are in the midst of a dance move!!!
Dangdut? Boogie? Hahaha!



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Group picture!
We went to great lengths to take this picture k, we had to balance cameras on unstable rocks.




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Another group picture.

HAHAHAHA Smalls was actually in the picture, but 'cause she's too short, you can't see her silhouette at all!



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So here you go. Smalls and friends, haha!



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Crossed arms on the winding roads.



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Crossroads.
Would you take the road less travelled?



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It was a very fine day.
Sunny, but fine.


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And we know too much sun always make people go a little woozy.
Or in this case, loony.



Spring is approaching. :)

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So many flowers.

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But of course, Lionel chose to present Jac a thorny bush that he picked up in the toilet.
Men, and their sense of humor. -_____-




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Rest spot.



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And I got my Reese's peanut buttercups in a candy shop on Mt. Dandenong!

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My greedy face, and my grubby hands.


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Golliwogs!
And I realised our outfits match. T_T


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This is proof that Mey is too tall.


Another one of the highlights of the trip...

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...which serves award-winning pies.


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Bustling with people. And pies!




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My Tandoori chicken and spinach pie.
Look at the heart imprint!


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The famous floating pie. :)
I didn't have this, 'cause it's steak, and I try to avoid beef when I can.



And our final stop for the day:

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Which is the peak of Mt. Dandenong.


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Where we saw a bride and her groom! :)


I want a garden wedding. =(


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Another group picture, and I am so pissed at Shaun for not sitting on the chair!! *growl*



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Midgets on the Giant's chair.



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The view.
It would be so much more beautiful at night, with the night lights and all! :)



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Mountain air makes us high.




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Spot the Keds!
And my chunky calf. :(



That pretty much sums up our Mt. Dandenong trip. I am praying for more outings like that-- I really want to see as much of Melbourne as I can. :)


And if you have always wanted to know my friends and I more, here's a short introduction clip.


UNGLAM. That's why I was. Unglam. T_T



And when I take candid picture of people striding in the park, they look like that:

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Calm, cool, and collected.


And my candid strolling-along picture looks like that:

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Hi, I am scratching my butt.


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