A Continuation

So it's the new year. Happy New Year! Everyone's celebrating it with lots of positive zing and hopeful wishes. It's nice to see to a point where you kind of realised that these people who are talking about changes and new beginnings, they're not actually talking about themselves. More like what they expect to get from the new year, from the universe, from the superior being they believe in. For me, I've checked and crossed on the sheet where I wrote my 2013 resolutions on. Realising that a yearly resolution isn't gonna work for me, I did a half-yearly one. I learned about this resolution model from a motivational coach two years ago, it's pretty brilliant as it encompasses all aspects such as studies, finance, mental, etc. instead of the sole aspect which agitates us the most. Writing them down, you realised how weak you are at certain aspects. You realised how lost you are and how much effort you've put into running away from it.

I've come to face my fears, writing things that I'd probably laugh at years later. But I think having the gut to pen it down shows enough interest to give it a try. Looking back, 2013 has been one of the most life-transforming and enriching years. Of course, the active involvement in AIESEC contributed the most to who I am today. I've always been an active participant in clubs and societies, taking up leadership roles since high school. It's not for the extra credits and what not, it's just a channel of spending my time, enriching my experience in the particular educational institution, learning new things, doing things out of the classroom, perhaps meeting new people too. I'm grateful for all the doors opened for me, the genuine souls I met, the nurturing hearts I've connected with, the generous people who embraced my unique personality and the lovely companion at all moments.

January, faced with exam and attended MyLDS. Dramatic me on one of the nights during the conference, I'm truly glad that I let myself loose and share the challenges I was facing. At the end of it, I was motivated to take up more challenges instead of the initial thought of quitting. Then comes the festive season, the usual overeating and meet-ups with friends and relatives. I got myself a smartphone too XD. Elections was nerve-wrecking, glad I passed and given the chance to experience this learning pathway. Attended SEA Congress in April, where I met lovely people from the whole SEA region. It's amazing how we still keep in touch and buzz each other every now and then. Studies got more hectic nearing the middle of the year, glad I passed all my modules. If you're wondering if pharmacy is tough, it is. I don't know, maybe it's my bad habits. Throughout the year, I've met many new people and bid farewell to many as well. The beautiful thing in each relationship you build is the memories you leave behind, it's never really gone. Attended more local conferences, this time playing a different role of the driver instead of the receiver, jumped into a random opportunity of facilitating for the very first time and man, at such lovely venue; Port Dickson beach! Speaking of randomness, the most random thing of 2013 was the honour of organising the 45th Anniversary of AIESEC Malaysia. The most intensed, stressed, craziest two months the team had experienced which bonded us so tightly. And I can safely say that my 20th birthday was over-celebrated and exaggerated. Seriously YOLO or what those people. But grateful, I really appreciate every surprise, effort, wish, gift, love, care and blessing showered upon me. I don't know what I've done to deserve all that but it made me more determined to give back more this year. Thank you to everyone who has played a part in enriching my 2013 and it shall continue on with greater force in 2014. Let's live it to the fullest! :)

Lessons of 2013
#1 Friends who bring you out for dinner and willingly be your driver are super rare
#2 Everything you do involves commitment, there's no reason of being afraid of it
#3 Love is a verb, not a feeling
#4 It's okay to not have a passion, but not discipline
#5 Stop running away
#6 Take the things you do seriously, not yourself
#7 Being able to give is a gift

We've come too far to give up who we are

So let's raise the bar and our cups to the stars

Bygone spring

The interaction we make each day serves as a support system. It may be just a hello and goodbye but the fact that it is some sort of an acknowledgement creates a ripple effect of heartfelt gratitude to the rest of the world. It's amazing how such mechanism works. The vibrations produced from the vocal chord materialised as sound waves and eventually travelling through the nitrogenous-filled fluid medium, reaching out to a number you don't usually keep a mental record of. Or, if virtual, the optical mechanism pathway.

It's not easy being out there, vulnerable to other's flexible reach and conveniently made-up expectations. But the experience is worth it. The crazy things you went through with these bunch of people are things you never ever thought of since before acquaintance and now, you're flipping through immortalised memories of it in the form of photographs. You can't turn back time but memories will stay on for as long as humanity lives on this planet. And when the topic of death is popped, the bitter scent of regrets starts to fill the air. It'll go by.

Above everything that has been communicated, nothing is ever as what it seems like. As we see, feel, hear, taste and smell, we're making mental judgments at the back of our head which at the end of the day, may be entirely deceitful. That's the truth of it all. There's always the possibility of going wrong if we only rely on a sole entity. Hence, connections. Various depths and distances of it. 

Well, that was super random. Good day!

Veinte

Hi amigos. How's it going. It feels so good to finally get to catch a breath even if it's for a while. The past few days, got to spend time a bit with the medicine peeps before they go on their break. Somehow, it's kinda envious seeing how they could bond so closely, such strong togetherness. :)

Things been crazy but great, keeps us alive. So much has changed, it's only going to go in this direction. I hope it's a starry night every time I shut my eyes thinking of all the beautiful shinies that made it happen, from the very beginning of time. Some things stay with you for a very long time: they are words that you feel for very deeply at the particular moment. It shapes you from that very second.

Happy March :).

The Great Escape

I don't know how this would turn out to be.

 But I am just going to give it a valiant go.

 Not gonna think how it's going to change me or my life as a whole.

 Just have to have faith that it'll bring me to somewhere right.

 An experience that I want to have and give up things for.

 May it show in me and the things I say and do.

 No regrets, only motivation all the way through.
(This snap reminds me of a friend's photo taken in Phuket)

 I can do this. For I have you and the glowing fire in this lil' body.

"If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven't danced in the rain."

Good day! :)

New

Every once in a while, you screw up. Doesn't matter on what magnitude. After some time, after a period, a transition, you'll realise that it's totally fine. Well it is still something that affects you but you grow out of it, sometimes it only takes you seconds of the right thoughts. Cause you know the fact that you're not in it alone. It's quite comforting to hear whispers in your little heart being spoken aloud by others, reassuring yourself that you're only human. And acceptance, it's one very magical and powerful thing amigos. Fearlessness and acceptance.

The next few days will be a cocktail of pressure cooker, out on the beach sweetness, warfare adrenaline rush, boardroom professionalism, kindergarten excitement, anything you let yourself to be I guess.

Dream.

..till it scares you. 

;)

Explosions

Once upon a time, I was a wooden pencil. Red and green stripes, the colour of Christmas. How boring is it to exist as something as rigid as this, I thought when I was six. Everywhere I looked, I saw more exciting beings than myself. I thought, maybe it's fate, maybe it's karma. But I was lucky to be borned with a rubbery material on top of my head. It helped erase frustrations caused by accidental mistakes done by my owner or her friends whom I don't really like being groped by(they have weird, rough, sweaty palms), but most of the time, it's that four-letter word she really likes doodling on my other friend who's white as ghost. Sadly, I've never got the chance to clearly admire that special word because it's too low below and I have short-sightedness. However, I remembered the way my body swayed every time she held me. One night when she was out with her bunch of sweaty-palmed buddies, I fought my way out out of the rough pouch she zipped me in and subconsciously moved on Monsieur Ghostly White like it's the most natural thing you see a pencil do. Then I gently laid on him and finally saw it. It spelled S.H.H.H. That was the end of me as I knew it.

I wonder how I'd score if I wrote this for an autobiography in primary school. Lol. Tenses, I always messed them up. Still do. 

Revamped.

Gemini

Got on a crazy huge ship at Penang Island and off we sailed. Away from the structured-landscaped view. Away from people, literally. One of the best travelling experience so far. Thanks to my dear parents for always giving us the best lifetime experience and momentous moments like this. Got the chance to get to the shore of Phuket and Krabi as well by tendering boats, and did some sightseeing at the town. Beautiful people, amazing food, lovely tour guide, great weather, breathtaking sceneries, awesome companies. Twas perfect.

Being 'stranded' in the middle of the deep sea, not having a clue of where you are and what to do if anything were to go wrong, twas just amazing. There's no separation of the sky and the sea. The horizon is endless. You turn around 360 degrees and all you see is the same serene, soothing scenery. But sometimes, a lil' change is needed. I never knew it could be so uplifting to see the mountain-like dark patches appearing above the skyline. That's when I realised, no one could ever live alone.

If you compare yourself in the day and at night, you wouldn't see much of a difference in the way you live, your lifestyle, the people you meet, the things you do and such. It's pretty much consistent and in the 'safe' zone. I met this guy, Matt, who was our tour guide in Krabi. He has knowledge and experience as vast as you can imagine. Was a former Thai boxer, he met people from all around the world. One awesome guy I'd like to meet again.

The Gala Night taught me how diversity could bring people closer and not the presumed opposite. People from Philippines, China, Nepal, India, Finland, Sweden and Vietnam running that one ship. That's something there. Sometimes, we get too comfy in the same environment we overlook things. We assume and demand for our rights that we forget to be considerate and sensitive of other's needs. It's only human, ain't it. Think again. And also, extreme joy or sorrow brings the most kilos. Yeap. Oh well, as long as there's

..peace, love and understanding. :)

Unencumbered

It was great. It was exciting. It was meaningful. It was memorable. It was joyful.

I've nothing much to say really. Or rather too much for a quick post. After watching Life of Pi, tomorrow's adventure seems so much more exciting. Will be back in four. Take care, amigos. :)

One

Two

Three

Four

Every chapter is like one of those stones. Parallel with your collection of stones are the people you encounter's collections. Not everybody's stones are similar yet they exist on the same path. 

That's the beauty of it all.

Happy January!

Cosmic.

You may be having a good time or cramming for exams, everybody's hyped out in one way or another for the new year. For me, it serves as a very good excuse to stop for a moment and look back at the things that I had and more importantly, had not learned. Call me old-fashioned, I had my resolutions for the year 2012 penned down on a piece of paper and frankly, I only managed to cross off one out of the five cause the four, I don't even know why I wrote such things down as resolutions. Read the papers? Lol. SO this time around, now that I have the skills and reliable guidelines, I wrote up a pretty 'judgeable' one which will be of more help for me to decide if I've achieved them or not. 

I thought this year was quite a brief one cause everything still seems vivid. Picked out some random snaps and thought I'd say something on each one of them. :)

January

First cousin to tie the knot, on the New Year.

Twas simple yet so sweet. 

More weddings next year! :D

CNY!

February

My first time to a concert and twas a treat. :)

March

This were our looks after our mid term in foundation.

Post-exam symptoms.

April

Somebody graduated. ;)

May

Celebrated Mother's Day with the entire fam.

Food was goood.

June

End of another chapter.

We graduated from foundation. *toss hats*

I thought I'd never see Cat again but she came back for me. LOL. =)

July

Blown away.

August

High school, where all the crazy stuffs happened.

It's funny how you'd look at each other and still have that smile.

The 'I know what you did back then' smile. :D

September

Sugar cubes. Sweetest thing ever.

October

The crap-just-got-real month?

November

Asymmetrical.

I woke up one day and saw an entirely different person through the mirror.

Only to say, come closer, it's different in here.

December

Lovely shinies. :D

And lastly, fearless.

Do not be afraid to do anything at all, amigos.

Courage does you wonders.

Good day!

Exceptional

It was amazing. Been fed with lots of cocktail hot dogs, long dogs, burnt chicken and yummy marshmallows. Hee. :D

Most beautiful and lovable people I couldn't possibly ask for. ♥

Little Things

It's been a hectic but fun-packed week last week. Kudos to the OC of the School of Pharmacy Sports Day 2012 for pulling off such an awesome one within the span of mere two weeks. It was really well-executed and everybody seemed to be enjoying themselves. Jillian and I were the official photographers of the day but I ditched my camera every now and then to have fun myself. Came off fifth for the 1km run and my team, Team Orange Juice! championed the dodgeball competition. Of course, everything comes with a cost; bruised my knees badly and gave my muscles a humongous shock. Woke up the next morning with the expected entire body ache and had the time of our lives at the AIESEC LEAD Conference. Extremely awesome, inspiring and funny speakers. One of them looks and speaks like Russel Peters. :)

It's a really joyful feeling spending time you don't usually have doing things as simple as just talk and laugh in the library as if there's no one around. It's rare to come by someone whom you could jump straight to comfortable zone and just surprise them to the core. It's amazing how simple food like the food court's could give you such great contentment. It's beautiful how two people could sit over nothing and share a good time together (okay one had a sandwich, a cookie, a drink and a very hungry tummy and the other, lots of stories and time to kill intentionally) Lol. I've known them for a year now. If it wasn't for them, everything wouldn't have been as it is now. I know I'm blessed and cared for dearly when I had to postpone invitations or jot down 'dates' scheduled for weeks ahead. :D. Owh it's the winter solstice festival tomorrow. Thought of the time I packed them to uni last year and Cat had so much. Haha. 

Focus on what you have right now especially the little things, you'll realise that you're a very very spoilt kid. ;)

This is our family. The SOP family.

Aren't we nerdy? :D

Getting to Zero

Ahoy! Happy Decemberrr. The best month of the year if you ask me cause it's when I get fat. :D

And yesterday was the World's AIDS Day. I think it's important to know and be aware about things around you although it doesn't directly affect you, yet. Before being a part of the HIV/AIDS project, I was as ignorant about it too. But if you know what it does to people, you would want to do something to curb the situation. Things are always there in front of, around us. Choose to care.

Ahead are some snaps  from the Setiawan-Sekinchan trip with grandma and mom the week before. I did learn a thing or two about paddy planting-harvesting thingy and saw what goes on behind the seafood export industry in Sekinchan. Massive stuffs.

Great week ahead, lovelies. 

*still excited for Mondays :P*

Plantlets of the paddy plant before transferring them to the soil.

It actually increases its survival rate.

Heap of gold!

Nah it's actually rice with clothes on. Or the conventional way of saying it, 'husks' on.

LOL.

The beautiful sights of the Setiawan temple.

What were they thinking. Lol.

 At Sekinchan village.

A sight you don't see every day.

 Malaysian oysters anyone?

'The Lucky Tree House'.

Some tv series were shot here.

♥♥♥

Restrain when you need to

Express when you need to

Everything in balance

You aim for