The Ending of Fall

I sat facing the glass to watch the scenery outside as I ate my dinner alone in the crowd at the dining hall.

The beauty of leaves changing colour and filling the ground when the wind chose to show its might had all withered away.

In its place, a solemn atmosphere filled up. What once was is now no more.

A new kind of beauty exists - a dignified strength, with roots intact and branches holding strong.

When all colour has been taken away from you, stand strong and hold on. Colder times are ahead. Hold on and you will see Spring again. With every part of you blossoming to uncover a different kind of beauty.

Are you sure, as sure as the day and night?

When something as certain as the day and night
becomes questionable,
how would you look at the world today?

All my life, I knew that night hit at 7pm and
the bright morning came knocking at about 7am.

When I arrived in the US,
it mind-boggled me that the sun shone into my room as early as 6am! How could this be?
I could not go back to sleep even if I wanted to.

Now, after getting used to the fluctuating temperatures too,
my understanding of day and night got shattered with
THE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME!

As thrilled as I was to get an additional hour in my day,
it was rather surprising to see night at 4pm!
Back home, everyone was out around this time (or in, if it was too hot!).
Even right now, I feel like I've been up all night, but it's only 7pm!

Makes me wonder, when something you've known all your life to be certain
becomes uncertain in a different context, are you willing to see a different perspective?
Would you now question everything that you held to be true?
Will you be open to have your strongest ideologies questioned?

Noticing your own pastures..

Only when something is taken away from you
or when you choose to remove yourself from a familiar environment
do you get to see how green your pastures are..

People are surprised to know that Malaysians
generally are tri-lingual and are fluent at it too.
Aren't we a lucky bunch!

It has been so ingrained in our system
that we don't even see the efforts of the people before us -
People who made this happen are long forgotten
but the impact of their decisions and efforts
are a wonder to watch.

New Food Options

Being in the US, I'm getting a healthy portion of food every day.. Yes, I've been eating wayyyy too much than I usually do but I've also got to see the tasty healthy options that I may just start incorporating in my daily diet when I'm back.

1. Smoothies!!
They are an easy way of getting all that delicious goodness. The people at the dining hall get creative and change the ingredients once in a while and so far they've been doing a GREAT job.
They've experimented with strawberries, strawberry and orange, peaches, bananas =)
All you need extra is yogurt and crushed ice!

2. Grains and Oatmeal
One of the combination of food I created here was to scoop up a ladle of oatmeal (or cream of rice), add a thin layer of brown sugar, then a big blop of yogurt (I love the strawberry flavour here), and a big spoon of grains or cereals. Yum!
It is an acquired taste though. I love how you have a crunchy, cold feel first, followed by a warm and soft feel after. I usually dig the spoon deep into the bowl so that I could feel all of it in one spoon =)

3. Meat options
We are also served with a slice of meat every day. The type of meat and the way it is cooked is changed every day. Marinate the meat well few hours prior, grill it and have a slice for breakfast or lunch, and I'm satisfied!

4. Omelettes
This is one of my favourite! Every weekday morning, one of the chefs makes an omelette for you with ingredients of your choice. A choice of ingredients include paprika, mushrooms and onions. You are given a bowl to pick out your ingredients (and how much you want of each) and you have the option of adding cheese to it. Delicious!

5. Sandwiches
While I'm use to having sandwiches back home, it is a useful idea to mix up the ingredients every once in a while. Try out different vegetables, maybe a slice of meat, different type of bread perhaps, toast it and you've changed it!

One of the things I learnt here is the importance of watching what you eat. The dining hall staff go as far as listing out the calories in each meal. They even make suggestions for what would be a healthy portion of serving! How could you NOT eat healthy after that?

A New World..

...is created when the bigger picture

gets BIGGER!

One of my all-time favourites :D

MICHAEL BUBLE: Feeling Good =)

Motivation to pick up that heavy book...

Apparently, my old technique of placing books by the bed side helps me pick it up a bit more often.

I used to do that when I was an avid fiction reader. Later, I just felt that fact, more than fiction, was a bit more appealing.

To return to my nerd-ing abilities, I had been sifting through all sorts of methods, forgetting completely about this technique that worked ever so well in the past.

And now, after accidentally stumbling upon it by myself, I hope it serves me well.

Speaking of covers...

I was randomly clicking on Youtube videos when I came across this interesting piece:

Alex Goot - Break Even

Gonna make the last month of the year so worth remembering 2011 for!

That's my DEC 1ST FB status.

And I'm gonna make it happen.

As of now, I have these lined up:

• Signature Hunt in KL
• Buy new shoes for Signature Hunt
• Attend Toastmasters Christmas Special that my friend is organising (a bit nervous as to the requirement of having to do an impromptu speech!)
• Work on a project online during my break with an interesting new friend who comes up with inspiring ideas 
• Read a biography (still in search of one :p)
• On that note, I should probably finish the books I've not read that are piling up on my shelf :p
• Write up a Wikipedia article (I have a particularly interesting topic that is gonna make one of the entries)
• New saree on the way! Can't wait to see it. 
• School reunion (Thinking of doing something different this time around. Will update!)
• Make special gifts for classmates (I hope they like it! I have to complete them first!! )
• Do some fun nail art (I've gotten into this lately after being 'exposed' to it by my little cousin and my fun-loving sister)
• Sleepover! (at my uncle's place who has moved into a new neighbourhood!)
• Cook!! (hoping to learn up some proper dishes and be proud of them hehe)
• Practise some new songs on the piano (inspired by all the covers my sister keeps showing me on YouTube)
• Co-choreograph a dance routine with sister and cousin (for a special secret project hehe :p)
• And with all customs of life, something surprising always shows up...

The peculiar human

Out of all the electives I got to choose from, Criminology stood out. It appeared interesting, it had inclinations to matters that were of interest to me, and I don't regret it one bit.

One of our lectures was done by a fresh graduate who was employed by the college while he completed his Professional paper with them. He was a walking encyclopedia, with knowledge ranging well beyond our required scope and basic understanding. An inspiration in a sense that we are not confined to one man's theory but are open to see the world and how it views itself.

One very interesting point that he had read and shared with us was the state of the human mind. With inevitable death looming, how come we are striving to survive? Why do we have dreams and hopes when we know that our lives on this earth is brief?

He explained that it is in our genetics that we know of death but continue living the way we do: Innovating, dreaming, believing.

Interesting point don't you think?

Contrast that with those who feel that their lives are hopeless and worthless; Those who feel that life is so meaningless that they are willing to strip themselves of that opportunity to live - suicides, suicide bombers and the like. What about those who are looking for the meaning of life itself?

pic from http://management411.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/WhyAreWeHere1.jpg

There was a commercial on National Geographic once with the question : Why are we here? I Youtube-ed it for about an hour to no avail. The closest I got was a 3 part documentary on that very topic by Richard Dawkins.

Knowing that life's a brief candle that can be blown out at anytime, I guess my job here is to make sure that I leave it in the hands of the next generation that are blessed to enjoy the gift of curiosity, the wonders this world has to offer and the freedom of choice to make it better than it already is.

D E S I D E R A T A by MAX EHRMANN and a poem by Helen Rice

Found these in my folders. Wonder why I saved it =.= Thought of sharing =)



MAX EHRMANN
AMERICAN POET AND DRAMATIST
(1872-1945)

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they, too, have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for on the face of all aridity &disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue & loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the     trees & the stars; you have the right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever you labors & aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its sham, drudgery & broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy.

There is no thinking person

Who can stand untouched today

And view the world around us

Slowly drifting to decay

Without feeling deep within them

A silent unnamed dread

As they contemplate the future

That lies frighteningly ahead…

And as the Clods of Chaos

Gather in man’s muddled mind

And he searches for answer

He alone can never find,

Let us recognize we’re facing

Problems man has never solved

And with all our daily efforts

Life grows more and more involved,

But our future will seem brighter

And we’ll meet with less resistance

If we call upon the Father

And seek Divine Assistance…

For the spirit can unravel

Many tangled knotted treads

That defy the skill and power

Of  the world’s best hands and heads,

And our plans for growth and progress.

Of which we all have dreamed

Cannot survive materially

Unless our spirits are redeemed… .

For only when the mind of man

Is united with the soul

Can LOVE and PEACE combine to make

Our lives complete and whole

Helen Steiner Rice

Dynamic View?

I've been wanting to change the layout of my blog for a while now. Even looked at some options and was asking a friend how to go about them.

Couldn't find the time. Priorities were not here obviously.

And when I finally return, Blogger's offering new templates.

The others are all too classic for my liking.

So I decide to go with the dynamic view which seems to be messing up the page. Dislike! Dislike!

And it's all GREY!!!! Life needs COLOURS... NOT dull shades of BLACK AND WHITE!

I may as well revert to my previous template until something better comes along =)

A New Academic Year

Getting through the First Year, I am so grateful for passing all my papers. Not that it was to my expectations, but I'm getting through aren't I?

A dear lecturer of mine told me that it takes ages to fully grasp what you study in law school. You will only ever fully comprehend when you're out there practising. I guess alot of what we studied even in school didn't make sense right up to now. It helps you out along the way. Ideas click when you see new perspectives. You've still got to make an effort to collect those ideas as you go along.

As for second year, I am hoping not to burn out. Yup! Excitement can kill ya! You're all pumped up the first month or so, doing everything that needs to be done. Planning, executing, monitoring. Then, it all kicks in - the tiredness, mental exhaustion and laziness :p

So, how in the world do you keep up with a programme that demands so much and still keep your sanity intact? I have yet to figure out some easy, practical ideas, but right now I'm doing fine thanks to my family. A few days gap in my schedule allows me to come home and deal with the insanity my family has to offer. 

Therefore,

Insanity x Insanity = Sanity

Second Year is challenging but I'm starting to get the hang of it (I hope)!  It's a continuous learning process. I love attending lectures, though they tire me out fast. I am trying to bring my level up to reading proper law texts. Reading judgments are on my to-do list. During First Year, I used to jot down ideas, thoughts and questions alongside notes that I read. This year, I've got to make an effort to compile them and put them down in my written work. 

That's about it!

I am looking forward to some exciting times ahead.

Oh ya,

My double surprise birthday celebrations by my family was just A-MA-ZING!!!

Love you all <3 <3 <3

Is This What Death Feels Like?

I had to undergo a surgery last year and was given General Anesthesia (GA). I had never been put through it in my life and the thought of having to go through the whole process was exciting to me underneath all the pain.

I was pushed into an extremely cold theatre; Looked around while awaiting my turn. Then, if my memory serves me right, I was pushed into another room. People fully covered in green uniform were walking about, masked. Felt like a human abducted and brought into an alien ship.

They approached me. As I was given an oxygen mask to inhale from, another man injected something into me.  That was it. That was the moment.

I felt extremely tired; Didn’t do much to fight the drowsiness. I may have tried for a second and that was all.

The next thing I remember was waking up. I tried to speak as they called my name; Could not hear my own voice. I groaned and moaned. I was in pain. It hit me that the surgery was over. The pain indicated that but, the drowsiness was something new.

They injected more painkillers and pushed me to the ward after a while. I glanced at my mother and both grandmothers. I felt safe, and slowly dosed off.

Every time I woke up, I wanted to fall back asleep. When I was finally out of the drowsiness, I could not recollect anything. Bits and pieces of my memory came to me. Nothing of the surgery did. As I tried to make sense of it, I wondered, is this what death feels like? You feel yourself slowly falling asleep. The body could not feel any pain. The mind was completely oblivious to its surroundings. There was a deep wound on me and yet, there was no recollection of its existence.

I had to be put on GA for the second time later on to stitch up the wound. This time, I noticed that my conscience was submissive towards this drowsiness. It was not much different from the earlier experience. This time thinking, if I did not wake up again, would that have been death itself? 

Post - Ketchup Post

My ketchup post (The Ketchup Conundrum) got me thinking even more. So I pitched the author's ideas to my father who had a more eastern view to it.

For one, I suddenly recalled that what is ketchup there, we address it as sauce here. What is ketchup or kicap here is soy sauce there!

Next, Asians generally serve a completely cooked meal. Here in Malaysia, u'd find the goreng stuff, the steamed ones, and the baked options all served in a complete set. Unlike Western dishes that for example cook the meat and leaves the choice of sauce and its amount to the eater.

However, I did think of the curry element. Nowadays, we have the choice as to amount but traditionally, for example when you were to dine at a wedding reception, you are served as the guest. So the person serving had the choice as to the amount. Ultimately, I'd suggest that it is the food eater that plays with it finally. I may be a little off on this concept but do bare with me.

What makes ketchup (tomato / chilli sauce) so special then? I'm thinking that it is probably so in the context of the book where the author draws an analogy with mustard (which comes in a variety of flavours). Ketchup has not come in such variety. To compare with Asian spices : they come in a string of variety but all unique in their own way, hardly ever sharing similar qualities. They bring in different flavours, different preferences according to type of dish, and are just plain unique from each other. Ketchup, too in my opinion has taken that sort of a form. Pretty genius if u ask me.

Still, it is not to be forgotten that it is entirely man-made. It can be tampered with and altered if a better methodology were to be found. Isn't that how Heinz came up in the first place, starting off as a rebel by altering the status quo. It does also mean that if a better ketchup were to be made someday, it'll probably revolutionise the culinary industry.

The Name Game

My friend just started her own blog as part of our group initiative to get something done during our break.. Since another friend and I had already had ours from way-back-when, our other friends joined in the bandwagon, not to mention got me more followers ;)

Back to where we started, my friend had done this post titled The Name Game which rang one of those bells in my head about a really old song I'd heard on the radio. It's a really catchy, fun tune.. so here it is:
*lyrics from digitaldreamdoor.com

Shirley!
Shirley, Shirley bo Birley Bonana fanna fo Firley
Fee fy mo Mirley, Shirley!

Lincoln!
Lincoln, Lincoln bo Bincoln Bonana fanna fo Fincoln
Fee fy mo Mincoln, Lincoln!

Come on everybody!
I say now let's play a game
I betcha I can make a rhyme out of anybody's name
The first letter of the name, I treat it like it wasn't there
But a B or an F or an M will appear
And then I say bo add a B then I say the name and Bonana fanna and a fo
And then I say the name again with an F very plain
and a fee fy and a mo
And then I say the name again with an M this time
and there isn't any name that I can't rhyme

Arnold!
Arnold, Arnold bo Barnold Bonana fanna fo Farnold
Fee fy mo Marnold Arnold!

But if the first two letters are ever the same,
I drop them both and say the name like
Bob, Bob drop the B's Bo ob
For Fred, Fred drop the F's Fo red
For Mary, Mary drop the M's Mo ary
That's the only rule that is contrary.

Okay? Now say Bo: Bo
Now Tony with a B: Bony
Then Bonana fanna fo: bonana fanna fo
Then you say the name again with an F very plain: Fony
Then a fee fy and a mo: fee fy mo
Then you say the name again with an M this time: Mony
And there isn't any name that you can't rhyme

Every body do Tony!
Pretty good, let's do Billy!
Very good, let's do Marsha!
A little trick with Nick!
The name game

And yeah,

HAPPY 100TH POST!!! ~to me~

The ketchup conundrum

i am working my way through this book "What the Dog Saw" by Malcolm Gladwell; my cousin recommended the author.. it's been a while since i read anything but my law books and all that are related.. so it has been an uphill task but i'm not going to give up on this book.. it looks promising =)

the topic i'm reading now is my post title.. pretty weird title.. and i thought to myself, he's going to talk about ketchup? really?? i mean what can you say anyway? alot, i found out. i've been forcing myself through the pages only to find it easier to flip the intriguing pages as i move on..

what really caught my attention was the way we looked at ketchup..
- it was a tool used by the food eater (not the food preparor) to control the taste of the food
- it was a condiment, not an ingredient
- it made an unfamiliar taste, familiar (that's why when i was served a totally unedible meal at the cafeteria, i poured tomato ketchup all over it! )

and it made more sense when he pointed at the leading brand,  Heinz's, to show that ketchup pushed all our primal taste senses! it would start off at the tip of the tongue, and move across till it got to the end, touching the familiar sweet, sour, salty and bitter parts (plus umami, which he describes further)..

we did all these unconsciously.. the power of tomato!! not to mention that it crosses boundaries and cuisines!!

Tomato ketchup!! what a world of its own!! And i haven't even completed the chapter!  

new girls in my life =)

2 new cousin sisters in a day!!

born within hours apart.. both overdue hehe.. guess they wanted to take their time..

Judea and Ataana!!

haven't seen pics yet.. but i'm already loving them..

interesting right? how u can already care for an unborn child and love them when they're born even without laying eyes on them..

plus, the next addition would be a new sister-in-law.. yup, my cousin has decided to tie the knot early.. don't think we'd be able to make it for the wedding.. but we're here for the emotional support.. :)

aren't they the same?

i ws js scrolling down facebook when i came across this statement:

Girls fake smiles,
Boys fake feelings.

So gender-stereotypical
and aren't they the same thing??

what i watched on tv..

The only limits in life is the ones u set yourself!


And so, I continue preparing for my examinations, breaking down all limits and moving forward.. Why confine yourself when the world is laid before you? Go forth and explore :) And be brave to accept success and failure on equal footing (this one I picked out from a poem)..


Have a great day everyone!