Bye 2009!

the year is ending...and i see i've really neglected this blog....

anyway, been attending my home church since returning to KL. This American pastor, Mike Constantine (who is a former Jehovah's Witness) was speaking on Christmas day. He made this interesting remark:

Anne Rice left vampires for Jesus.

Are we leaving Jesus for vampires???

He said this after giving us some background about Anne Rice, famous author, formerly known as Queen of Goth.

new puppy

I was just reading an article about Michael Jackson's heartfelt conversations with his rabbi friend. It's sad whenever I read how much he went through as a child and realise how judgemental I can be of so many people. It's amazing how when I actually listen to them share their inner feelings and thoughts, it makes me realise how human they are and somehow why they behave like that. It somehow puts away judgemental and any other unloving thoughts. God cares about them, and at least most people would have parents who love them so much, just the way they are. It hit me most a few months back as I was talking to someone's mum, and as she told me the "agony" she went through , i thought of how i was at that time and how I did not have the depth of love she had for her son and how I did not see the risk he was in and the depth of his courage the way she saw it. If our parents are so able to love us despite our flaws, God is even more so able to see past our ugly self and understand us, and yet love us so much and that love does not equate to ignoring our ugliness.

The saddest thing was watching the video of MJ's daughter crying and saying how her daddy was the best. No matter his potential wrongdoings that some people may profess to be true of him, his life just shouts out to me not to judge and condemn or make jokes, but to speak of him in the best way of love. And not just him, but whoever else.

Easy to say again..but difficult to do, especially when I meet people who are just beyond me..

Anyway, my dad bought a new female puppy. My brother says " she's smooth as a baby's bottom, long tail, grey in colour.." Both my brother and sister are asking for names...any thoughts? They are thinking "Beanie". She looks quite cute =)

love

Been thinking about love, God's love ~1 John 3-4

And recently, this passage comes to mind a lot:

Love is patient and kind;
Love does not envy or boast;
it is not arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
it is not irritable or resentful;
it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,
but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.

Love never ends.

~1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (ESV)

Values

Back to Christian Values - the word "values" is kinda playing on my mind but i haven't thought really that much about it. All I've thought about is that I don't think what I told my auntie were the core Christian values. I'm doing this Christian ethics course now, and we've been looking at the differences between duty (things we do) ethics and virtue (the way we are) ethics. And I would say to love God with all your heart, soul & mind and to love others is more an action thing rather than values (similar to virtues? or character) we should have.

Anyway, just reading this Purpose-Driven Life devotional entry by Rick Warren (24/8/09 - "God says you are valuable")

The question he posed was - What determines value in life? (Value here not exactly similar to the value I was talking about above. However, it's interesting how words u take for granted - which I often do & can't see beyond unlike some ppl who can- suddenly seem more meaningful. How the simple meaning of a word is expanded to use in different areas but somehow its meaning has its core origin still retained)

Anyway, what determines value in life? He says 2 things:

1) Depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it - if he's willing to pay $50,000 for that piece of art crap, then it must be very high value to him

2) Depends on who owned it in the past - if that piece of smelly stinking sock belongs to Michael Jordan, then yes, some crazy person is definitely going to be willing to pay a lot for it.

Rick Warren's point being if you're a Christian, do u see how valuable you are?

God was willing to pay the highest price for you (who would give up his own son for anyone?)

and who owns u? God does because he bought you.

Thus, you are acceptable and just worth so much value in God's eyes.

Anyway, in what way does this definition of value relate to what are core Christian values?

another time....going to have a shower now.

if anyone (whoever reads this) feels like thinking and contributing, please feel free to do so :)

Had a surprising conversation with my aunt today. This morning as I was walking out the door (and i was late, mind you...after oversleeping...again in 2 weeks, what is wrong with me?), she asked me what the core values of Christianity was. I was like, uhm..."I think: Know and love God with all your heart, soul & mind and love your neighbour as you love yourself. Those 2 sum up all the commandments in the Bible." And then, she said she felt like she was doing the 2nd one, but not the 1st one. And she explained how she was doing/not doing each. I just suggested to her to challenge herself more with the 1st one.

Then in the evening, over some really yummy blueberry yoghurt cake she had just baked (mann the whole place smelled so good), she showed me some print-outs of "Core Christian values", some quotes what ppl say "what the meaning of life is", some values from Taoism and Buddhism (Explanations) etc which she found online. And she told me for the past few days she felt like she had put her life on hold because she wanted to find a house to buy first. And that includes even material life on hold (eg buying furniture, going on holidays)...Life had been to her recently just: work, come home, eat, sleep, and the cycle repeats itself. It was Christmas and now it's August?!! Where has time gone?

And it's going to be September - as my workmate says :when the -ber months approach..time just FliES!

Anyway, it was interesting. Just casually mentioned if this was a mid-life crisis thing...quarter-life crisis..all the same thing. She laughed and said must be a 3/4 life crisis (and no, she is not that old but 3/4-life could mean 3/4 of one's life too, so she may be right).

My aunty wants to play badminton with me this Saturday - shld be nice =)

In my Father's keeping

"Father, what is sex?"

.. He turned to look at me, as he always did when answering a question, but to my surprise, he said nothing. At last he stood up, lifted his traveling case from the rack over our heads, and set it on the floor.

"Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?" he said.

I stood up and tugged at it...
"It's too heavy," I said.

"Yes," he said. "And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load. It's the same way, Corrie, with knowledge. Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it. For now, you must trust me to carry it for you."

And I was satisfied. More than satisfied -- wonderfully at peace. There were answers to this and all my hard questions -- for now, I was content to leave them in my father's keeping.

Source : "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom

all-you-can-eat SUSHI

Sushi All-you-can-eat for AUD 20!! in the Sydney CBD

looks good...

http://www.notquitenigella.com/2009/07/08/all-you-can-eat-sushi-for-20-sushi-choo-sydneycbd/

Just in time

...Death had only been a word. Now I knew it could really happen - if to the baby, then to Mama, Father, to ...!

...That night as Father stepped through the door, I burst into tears, "I need you!" I sobbed. "You can't die! You can't!"

...Father sat down on the edge of the narrow bed. "Corrie," he began gently, "when you and I go to Amsterdam -- when do I give you your ticket?"

I sniffed a few times, considering this.
"Why, just before we get on the train."

"Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we're going to need things, too. Don't run out ahead of Him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need -- just in time."

~ Source : "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom

Yesterday's history. Tomorrow's a mystery. And today's a gift. That's why they call it the present.

Sounds like some line from a forwarded email that either makes me stop and think for awhile or one that makes me keep scrolling and hit DELETE.

But no, it is from some cartoon that my brother was watching. I think said by a wise old turtle.
Somehow, it made me stop and think and repeat it over and over a few times - my brother ignoring me of course.

Rings a lot of truth. Everyday is a blessing from God and an opportunity to be a blessing to others and not wallow in self-pity.

I think - A big part of life is about relationships - at work, with family, with the horrible neighbour upstairs, with that person who just likes kicking my chair. Of course it's just so much easier with ppl of the same personality & mindset, ppl I just naturally click with. But when you can somehow bring yourself to love the unloveable (like that person whose side of the face no one's seen), i really think it's a test of genuine love. By my depth of unloveliness, how do I even know how to love if not for God's help in me. By my unloveliness, how can I call others unlovely when I am so too.

Every person - An opportunity to be a blessing to them in one way or the other, to show love and to share in the richness and depth of relationships. A simple smile, a nod of acknowledgement, a casual hello, a simple chat and getting to know you, a conversation that shares the struggles of the heart...But simple is good if not more. Even if somehow our relationship never gets as close. How much can we thank God for the times our paths cross and we can share what part of our life is appropriate at that time - for you enrich my life in little ways and time with you is never wasted. Or you or you...

Every moment of the day - being in a relationship with God. He's there and he upholds your day, your life, the life around you. When I so easily measure satisfaction today with the things I have done and not truly being satisfied and enjoying what God gives at every moment of the day. For the present is truly a gift from God. God's presence in the present is a present undeserved by us who naturally reject this present.

Just some thoughts after a period of discontentment, not that it's over...Easy to say...but difficult to do.

Another friend send me this forwarded email today about a handicapped sibling - another one of those forwarded emails that like to touch your heart..u know.
But somehow I didn't mind reading it all the way. Kevin who does not see the mundaneness in his everyday routine. He looks forward to his daily ritual of waking up to go to his school, to having his same favourite dinner, and going to bed. He gets excited just to do the laundry or vacuum the floor and saturdays are the best when daddy takes him to watch the planes at the airport. His anticipation is so great that he can hardly sleep on Friday nights.

I'm thinking about that book by John Piper now - "don't waste your life" ? think it's called that..
would like to pick it up again soon.

ok, back to what I have to do ....

Christian, the lion

www.readersdigest.com.au/lion

A really touching story about a lion....

so intelligent, and just also filled with so much gratefulness and love for 2 people whom he hadn't seen in a year but took care of him with much love.

More about him on Wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_the_lion

and more (looks like a good article) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-452820/Christian-lion-lived-London-living-room.html

Today i forgot my wallet again at the petrol station - the first time it happened earlier this year, i finished pumping petrol in my car and realised I forgot my wallet. Had been driving to work for 2 days without it - what an idiot right.. Today the same thing happened but thank goodness, this time my workmate was with me.

Anyway, I kinda started being nicer to those guys behind the payment counter , not that I wasn't polite before. I see almost the same people every week - they're from bangladesh (I think - i forgot now). But i think they're Muslim and just hardworkers who do their job decently and try to live uprightly. Like a lot of those Indian people (north indian, indian muslims) i used to work with at Coles before.

anyway I came home after that to dinner.....last week, I came home Mon-Thursday to dinner - and the other days when he was out, i really wanted to say "how about my dinner?" haha

...The blessings of having a brother around who has no work/study responsibility just yet...

Why flowers are a waste of money and not

I came home from work

and whoa, a big bouquet of beautiful flowers was perched on the coffee table

Purple and white and yellow and pink they were

in a small fish bowl

yes, a vase which looked like it

So, Aunty, where did you get those flowers?

"The patient was discharged from the hospital

and left those flowers behind

the cleaner asked if I wanted to have them

and i said, they're beautiful, so why not"

So,

1) patient does not appreciate those flowers which probably cost over $100.

Bright and healthy and alive they were, in a beautiful fish bowl - and the patient left them behind??

and

2) the flowers will die soon and fade away

So, flowers are a waste of money.

Well, hmm..maybe a waste of money on that patient.

But cons aside,

- i'm sure those flowers were an unexpected surprise that brought a smile to the lonely patient after his/her ordeal

- the visitor probably cared enough to spend that amount of money on a patient who didn't truly appreciate those flowers per say. His/her intention for care was beyond the issue of money.

- the flowers brightened up the room, brought colour and life to the patient's spirits

- the flowers are still alive, and now bringing colour and life to our living room.

- maybe the patient wanted to pass on the beauty of the flowers to someone else and not keep it to him/herself.

and we'll all die soon and fade away anyway...i guess flowers deserve care and appreciation just as much.

but i'm not going to that Canberra Floriade (flower show) again..once was enough.. =P

Why am i talking about flowers? i don't know. I just felt like it. --> having a mental variation from what i was doing prior...

bye now

March has come and is going...going going gone...!!

I think a lot's happened this month - but now, it feels like a blur. Being 30 will be a reality...soon enough. If God wills it. ..anyway, been listening to this talk in the car again..it's so good.

One thing that Kailing said she realised this time round was that there are different seasons to life. No point looking back at the previous season and wishing we were back there. But to enjoy the current season in life and God's goodness to us in blessing us with what we have and using the season to teach us in many ways.

Anyway, she's gone back home now...it was really really nice having her around. Even though a number of other things were going on simultaneously in my life, i didn't feel like she was a burden to me at all. She's like one of the best guests you can ever have, and more importantly, she's an amazing friend and sister-in-Christ. One night, she was helping me draw all these cute pictures, and i told her i wanted her to draw a cute sun and at first she drew/pasted this pink military-looking sun...couldn't help teasing her about it. It was really fun that night=) she's always been this creative encouraging sister who makes us encouraging cards and mummies us. haha

oh and news-- my brother is coming....in 2 weeks!!! ...indefinitely!!!

my life is going to change ...but i don't know yet how

hahah

i'm joking

i mean it in a good way

honest

Work

On march 1st 2 years ago, i started working at my current company - can't believe it's been 2 years!!

A few things I've been thinking about recently about work. One, when something goes wrong, and i feel like blaming someone, it really was not their fault. For example, I had to send out this parcel to NZ for a workmate going over there to do a presentation with a big important client and DHL assured us that it should leave on Thurs and arrive by Friday and since it's dangerous, because of customs, possibly next week. But then...i kept tracking it online...and it still hadn't left on Thursday OR over the weekend!! and my workmate needed it by Monday. So come Monday, I rang DHL to find out what was the problem and i really tried to be polite, but at the same time...i'm like...WHY hasn't it left Sydney yet???? what do u mean it hasn't left??? I NEED IT IN NZ TODAY!!! Okay i didn't raise my voice or speak fast, but I think i did sound a bit let down. In my head , I'm like "stupid DHL" or stupid Australian customs. And then as I thought about the reasons DHL gave for the hold up : packaging issues...and talked to my other colleague about it, it was I THINK coz we used a recycled box to package the parcel instead of a new box. And this problem has happened a few times before and we still hadn't learned from our mistake... So in other words...the fault is really ours. Judging others before I even look at my own faults.

Secondly, I was kinda worried over this. I worried for how my friend was going to cope in NZ without the parcel. I thought about it on the weekend and after i found out on Monday from DHL that it was still in Sydney, I called him while he was in NZ to explain the "sad" situation. But u know, it all turned out okay for him. He had brought a spare set of food powder mixes with him (he was just afraid the strict NZ customs wouldn't let him thru with them) and so, he just couldn't have one flavour for a dessert and so, he had to just use something else. I was kinda relieved...and thought, why do i worry about things like this? Really...i should just have enjoyed the days that passed -i couldn't do anything about it anyway! and worrying was just taking up brain cells. Anyway it was just a food presentation...who cares?! The company would just lose a bit of face & not get the sales they want if things didn't turn out well but it wasn't life-threatening. Just that very weekend i spent my time worrying (on and off), i found out a friend who was in a nearly life-threatening situation and it just made me think again about important things in life.

Thirdly, before this, there was something else that made me a bit mad at someone at work because I felt I was being chased and blamed when to me, it was a collective blame. And i could just feel my manner towards her starting not to be very accommodating to her questions for indirect responsiblity of something important. It's not my first time being a bit frustrated and i'm not the only one from comments I've heard. But see...I'm making comments. So I'm going to STOP right now...And then after overhearing a conversation about her, I realised how difficult it must be for her here - an expat, single mum, how loneliness can kick in, fitting in etc..How I can so easily forget that she's human, and to treat her graciously. And how about looking at my own self?? Anyway...whatever that problem was,it turned out okay in the end too.

And whatever I said in earlier posts about the job not being demanding and not stressful, i take it back somewhat. There was another incident quite early on this year that made me nearly cry and really think of a career change but that turned out okay in the end.

It sounds like I hate my job somewhat or my working environment but that's not true. I really like my workmates and working as a team especially in my lab team (btw, we don't call ourselves that)- think i'm just learning even more what working in a team is like and developing effective communication even on a personal level. One of my workmates is going over to S'pore for 2 months for training on Monday - seems so long!! Felt a bit sad today but there's email and a phone call costs nothing since it runs over the internet. I even like my company - sense of loyalty somewhat.

anyway, other than work, and among other things, my cousin, Marcus is around for the weekend which is nice and Kailing, my good friend, is coming to Sydney for close to 3 weeks for a holiday.

Happy weekend everyone :)

Just got off the phone with my dad - recently he's been into talking about good movies. A bit funny in a way to me. So he was just telling me about slumdog millionaire - I should watch it..it's so good, winning awards, the director took 10% of profits into education fund for the child actors etc..And he's happy I've watched it.

At the airport the night I was leaving, we were sitting at a restaurant waiting. Him, my bro, sis and me. And he told us about this movie which was so good : TAKEN . He forgot the name but emailed me a few weeks ago about it. He told us the whole story and my father is pretty good at telling stories, I reckon. It made me interested in the movie but till this day, i still haven't watched it (but i'm still interested). I think he was captured by how this father (i think played by Liam Neeson) , divorced from his wife, ex-CIA, leading a bit of a depressed life now, was driven to go save his daugher who had gone to Paris with a friend, thinking of having a great time, but got kidnapped, thrown into prostitution (friend ended up dead) etc. My sister kindly listens on...and when my dad asks if she knows about this movie, she says, "yes dad, you already told this to me before"...hahahha
and just now on the phone, he mentions it again.

And supposedly Slumdog millionaire is up for the big Awards (which shld be over) against this other really good movie which he'll find out for me. Oh, besides watching a lot of dvds, he went to watch Redcliff 2 with this Uncle a few weeks ago but he didn't elaborate so I guess it isn't that great.

I watched a dvd my aunt borrowed from the library a couple of weeks ago called Empire of the Rising Sun (1987) - starring Christian Bale as a young boy. He was was this little talkative British boy (which he is in real life! ie. british) in China during the japanese invasion . He has so much energy, and just watching his survival and how he survives throughout his ordeal is kinda inspiring.

Anyway just felt like rambling on about movies

G'nite!

For those of you who know Kylie H.

And if you don't know- she's given birth!!!!!!!!!! 2.3 kg little Maddie on thursday 19/2 evening

It was really very funny ..amazing actually when I saw her msg yesterday at about 2 pm. I was really tired at work after a very very busy morning and was just sitting on my chair about to have lunch and then i went WOW etc so loudly, my colleague was wondering if i was really okay.

It's so amazing COZ i just had dinner with her on Wednesday night and she was supposed to be due in 2 weeks!!! we even talked about the baby etc among other things, i saw her little cot, Kylie was feeling okay, what do contractions mean etc etc etc....and before i left, i asked her " so how am i supposed to know when u've given birth?" so i made sure i took down her husband's mob no.

I'm so thankful we met on Wednesday. We've been planning to catch up since end of last year. Glad we nailed down the time and stuck to it!! And wow, just perfect timing.

When things like this happen or even other things, it always reminds me how opportunities come and go. Even when you're not in the mood to do certain things. After evaluating the reasons and constraints, I'm usually glad when I just did it! Whether I'm reacting to opportunities or proactively looking for them.

Anyway, it is always so nice to meet her. It was nice to chat and also talk about deeper things and pray together. She is such an encouraging older sister to me, and wise.

ahh such exciting news :)

Slumdog millionaire

Today is my aunty's birthday!
(and yesterday was my mum's)

We went to watch "Slumdog millionaire" just now....and I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

A great movie. Unique, funny and just a lovely movie.

and those kids running through the slums in India....they will move your heart!

Another car.

Not me.

My aunty put down a deposit for a car today. We were just going to go to different dealerships and check out some cars and test drive them but in the end...see what happened!

The 1st dealership was ...not so good...he really seriously needs to learn some sales skills.

The 2nd one was so good, we ended up staying there for like 4 hours...!!! Every single person we were passed on to (salesman --> finance --> girl who talked about anti-rust protection etc etc --> guy who talked about the insurance partnership available) must have all been trained very well in smooth talking and image and how to treat customers.. The sales person just practically answered our questions without us having to ask them sometimes and at least didn't treat both of us like women-who-don't-know-anything-abt-cars asking dumb questions. Even offered to get us something to drink. Even though his English wasn't that great, but he knew his stuff so well and had an answer to everything, and he just knows how to please a customer's needs.

The finance person was different. He's just contracted twice a week and our visit to him shld have taken like 3 minutes. But he started chit-chatting about whether this was my aunty's first car and it led on to other stuff (like Darwin and beaches there) and he'd go online to google images and see what the picture is. And then we found out he was raised on a farm..in Zimbabwe..or was it Zambia? And then he googled it and showed us where it was in Africa and then my aunt asked about some famous waterfall there, and he googled that too. It was really interesting - suddenly remembered my childhood dreams of travelling here and there, which hasn't really been alive for the past few years. The chat about Africa was inspiring enough. I even saw he had a webpage open - Sydney Children's hospital - can't remember on what it was exactly. I wonder what this guy is on about and what drives him. I didn't ask him. He asked me some questions about myself and if i enjoyed my job. I said it was okay, and he agreed likewise for himself. It's just a job.

And then the lady who talked about different car protection schemes was super friendly but she talked about the schemes most of the time instead of other things. But she also reveals to us that the boss at the end office is like 23?! And then, she told us our next stop would be the insurance guy but since he was busy with another customer, she asked us if we wanted anything to drink, made us tea and showed us to some leather chairs in front of a tv and switched the channel to tennis.

And then, the insurance guy who's 57 but looks more grandfatherly like, comes and apologises that he's late and shows us to his office. And he's also very nice and explains the insurance policy quite well. We find out he came out of retirement after being bored, and now works 70 hrs a week and drives 2 hours one way to/from work. He works hard because he has to send money to his nieces/nephews (not sure if he means real nieces and nephews) in the Philippines. He's Caucasian but he said he was raised by Asians and was in the national karate team till he was 26. And his surname is really linked to that international tyre company.

Oh my gosh, we were really blown away by the professionalism of the whole team. Just one person to the next was memorable in their own way. My father would have been impressed. He gets ticked off easily by ppl who give bad service. Maybe it was the sheer "manipulation" of keeping us longer there and making us happy.

Wouldn't it be great if the whole world was like that, service to the core, but driven by sincere motivations and the importance on the things that matter?

Also, ever looked at professional people like that, who earn big bucks, and even look the part, and wonder....do all that matter? Easy to say no, but if surrounded by such ppl, such thinking, such "power"...what would you say? Or maybe, some ppl say ,with validity, there's nothing wrong being rich and making money, if indeed you're a money-making machine but amidst the realities of the world, it's the heart and where your deepest desire really lie. But sometimes, you wish, till the point of frustration, that some ppl would stop talking about such stuff, as if such things really matter but maybe they're influential weeds that can grow strong enough to choke you if you're not rooted and grounded in the good soil of divine truth and watered daily.

I think I'm thankful I don't have such a high-paying job which increases my daily stress levels.

Back in Sydney )= =)

Arrived back early afternoon - wow, it's been a month.

Mixed feelings. Adjustment is easy, it's like I was just here and I was just there. Just going to different places and spending the night here and there.

Just the other day I was watching "twilight" with my sis at the cinema and we played badminton twice at that RM16/hr court. A bit $$ rite....but i think i've improved somewhat after a long spell of not playing and becoming extremely rusty..

Just the other day we both went to Sunway Lagoon - I learned somewhat how to stay calm and not scream like a madwoman when I watched my sister. I was doing just that all the way through.

Just the other day I was in Singapore - being there has always been enjoyable for me because of truly great singaporean friends

Just the other day, was out walking the dogs with my sis. Boe Boe and Noni - they just want to be play and be loved.

Just the other day was with my grandma...She is so skinny and frail, I just see loose skin wrapping her thin thigh bone

Just the other day, was talking to my mum and dad. Followed my mum to see this nice aunty.

Just the other day was at FWC - with brothers and sisters in Christ who enocurage me in my walk with God. What can I do without them?

and just last night, as I was leaving and went to say bye to my bro...he was sleeping but I caught the book I gave him and my other bro on the floor by his bed...
Nice to know when ppl actually read what you give them =)

and so on and so on....

So, it's now back to work tmr =( Not really looking forward to it. It's going to be different. Coz I won't see this workmate again at work - her contract wasn't renewed when it finished at the end of 2008. What a shocker.. I don't know how I'm going to feel tmr..
Sometimes I think I should be the one to go...she can have my place
and I will go do something different with my life. Something drastic, I don't know..

back home in M'sia =)

Being back home has been..an added weight of burdens. But then again, everyone has their own set of burdens, huh?

But since coming back home 2 nights ago, I thank God for everything that has happened. I thank him for the conversations I've been able to have & time spent with various people within my family, and also a few other people and dear friends. As I write this now, my bro is studying for his professional accounting paper for his exam next monday and i am using his work laptop. He just allowed me to see all these photos from his company annual dinner and his girlfriend's facebook. It feels kinda nice that he's willing to let me see them and tell me the names of these people. Now i know what a "socialite" he's been! =P And he changed my wallpaper of my mobile phone to pink leaves (looks pretty nice actually) AND he added a "special" picture with the words "sze wen sux" that comes on when i switch on my phone after turning it off. I have no idea how to do all these things. That cow =P

It's a little weird how I'm back home now and not in Sydney and it's almost the end of the week already!! Like we always say at work..."Finally it's Friday!!". To be honest, I didn't feel that excited on my last day of work for the year last Friday. I was busy all day and rushing to pack up stuff to go home. As i was driving out of the office compound, thought to myself "this is the last time I'm going to see this place for the year. last time I'm going to see these roads for the year."..And I'm missing out on the christmas lunch!!! ....strange...

But yeah, Monday came, and i was glad i didn't have to get up for work!!! I went to watch "Australia" with my aunty - thought it was funny and touching...I liked the movie =) and I don't care what other people think but I like Nicole Kidman.

I wasn't really ready to leave Sydney on Tuesday. And my grandfather (and everyone in my other aunty's household) made me stay the night before at their place when it was only 11 pm! I left at 6+ am through even more traffic but beautiful scenery. And I don't regret going to visit them so late the day before as unexpectedly, i had a really heart-to-heart talk with my cousin about what was happening in her life now as she was feeling very down. So, that Tuesday, was rushing all the way to do last minute stuff. wished i had more time...as usual. But then my fault for my last-minuteness. I can't really complain after what happened to poor mandy jie.. (go ask her).

The things that struck my heart most the days before i left were two people whom i felt difficult to talk to. One gave me a hug and told me to enjoy my holidays and that they'd miss me --> it was nice in a way. i was just touched by her warmth in a way - even for that little bit. The other friend - i felt touched by the amount she talked and opened up to me and willingness to spend the time with me. I really thank God for how he's worked in her life this year.

Anyway I should go to bed now...It is like 7 am in Sydney - time for me to get up to go to work. 4 a.m. here....yes, I'm still up - i was falling asleep just now at 1 am. but a late shower and coming down to disturb my brother and use his laptop has made me awake. I'm going to see if my sister has woken up yet - she has crazy work hours seriously... and my other brother...he came back at 2 am just now!!!!

crazy crazyyyyy

actualy i think i hear her upstairs - she must be awake....

good night