2007

It's been a great year.

God's been good.

It'll be even better next year.

Coz God IS good.

I'm holdin' on to His promises...

Have a great year ahead.

The Camp

Finally. I have time to breathe. Here's what I've been up to lately...

INFUSE CAMP '07 SATURATED

Beautiful place....coz it was like Adelaide coolness in the middle of autumn, minus the wind. Purrrfeccctttt.

Nice envelopes for us to put in encouraging notes for each other at the beginning of the camp.

Erm... Nice envelopes at the end of camp. Everyone is a kokoi. Except Joy. She became Joy Chow, then she became Gay Chow.

Sigh...Joy and I look like jakuns.

Miciahhhh. My group mates. President of the Kokoi Club in the first row, on the left.

Pastor super strong. Can throw every guy over his shoulders. And spin them a few times while they're up there.

But no one can carry him. Not even two people. Heh. INFUSE guys scrawny lahhhhh.

Sharon the movie star. Lilian the fan. Tiffay paparazzi. Joy Sharon's assistant who badly wants to be in the picture too.... :P

Fern.... Go to her blog for more camp pictures.

Infuse Chirstmas and Carolling pictures and some mangkuk videos up soon....

It's not about me.

So... It's been almost a month. Lalalalalalalalalalallalala.

Ok. First of all.... go and check this out --> www.simplyblatant.com. Awesome shirts. Awesome designs. Awesome people designing them shirts. Buy Buy Buy! Where esle can you find shirts with Turkey Santa?! heheh

NO 2. I know it's a bit late telling this coz I got the news bout a month back, but my blood test results are finally normal. "Excellent", according to my doctor.

Third. For those who are in Ipoh on the 21st of Dec, come join us for an amazing INFUSE Christmas Celebration. It's Friday, at 7.30 pm.

Fourth. It's not about me.

Job 42v1,2. Then Job replied to the Lord: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."

It's not about me. It's not about us. It's about God. It's about us answering Him, it's about us saying yes to Him, it's about us being available to Him, it's about us saying Here I am, use me. It's about us being obedient to Him.

And if we're not obedient to His call, well then, He can easily raise someone else to do what He wanted to use us for. No plan of yours can be thwarted. Think you're indispensible? Then think again...

So it's simple really..... It's whether we're willing to put God in the center of our world.

Fifth. I'll be going back to Adelaide in Feb. Wanna visit me, better come soon lahhh..... :)

:) :P :) :P :) :P

Yes! I finally hit the 5000 mark! That means 5000 visitors! Or to be precise, 5004 visitors! nyek nyek. Now just gonna have to wait for another year before it reaches 10 000. Hmmm... unless I refresh the page every 10 times a day. Hehe. then maybe can reach 10 000 in 6 months instead of a year :)
___________________________

Eh.... Can you people in Adelaide hurry up and get your butts here. Coz I'm missing you guys lar..

I miss Esther Goh. I miss Esther Goh coming to my room and lying on my bed AND FALLING ASLEEP ON MY BED EVENTHOUGH HER ROOM IS JUST NEXT DOOR! I miss knocking on her door and eating up her food.

I miss Jez. I miss Jez's rediculous way of laughing at everything. I miss her funny-ness. I miss my very small size friend.

I miss James. I miss his lameness. I miss his super lamesness. Yes, I miss lames lams very much. I miss his super comfortable chair. Can I rent it next year instead of renting a room? After all, all I need is a place to sleep. Don't really need a table, I do my work on the bed anyway... Place to sleep and a toilet. That's all I need. I rent you chair yea? Please?

I miss Huey Chi. I miss going to her house..... I miss you Huey Chi!

I miss Su Ling! Nobody can talk nonsense like you lahhhhhhhh.

Haiya.. so many people I'm missing. Can't type all the names here. I miss everyone in Adelaide. I even miss Adelaide. heh. Though I love Ipoh. How now? How now? How now?
___________________________

Samson smells today. He hasnt had a bath for more than two weeks now. Stinks man.
___________________________

INFUSE INFUSE INFUSE!
inspire instill saturate empower
INFUSE Camp!
lalalalalalalalala
___________________________

I feel like I need to pangsai now. But I already pangsai in the morning. And it was very stinky.
___________________________

Zephaniah 3v17
The Lord your God is in your misdt,
The Mighty One will save,
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love
He will rejoice over you with singing.

He will quiet me with His love. He will quiet me with his love! HE WILL QUIET ME WITH HIS LOVE!
Amazing.
___________________________

Infuse

Check this out

www.infuse.weebly.com

:)

Heh

Oy. What you doing reading my blog.

GO STUDY LAHHHHH.

Hahahahahahahahahahaha

Wait.

I asked God for a rainbow the other day. Coz it was raining and i was feeling terrible. And I spent the whole day straining my neck in weird angles to look for a rainbow. And no rainbow!

I asked why. Why don't you wanna give me a rainbow? Rainbow only wat! Just seven colors across the sky! Don't even have to be a full rainbow! Like i don't need to see where the rainbow ends lah you know?

And I felt Him say Because I long to give you something better. Something better than a rainbow, something just for you, especially for you. But you must wait.

*God, if I wait long enough can I have a double rainbow? like the ones I use to see in Adelaide? Please? Pleassseeeeee? Pretty Pretty Please?*

You...

You

You make me want to dance,

You make me want to sing.

You make me want to laugh,

You make me want to smile.

You make me want to stare, to gasp for air,

You make me mad and keep me sane.

You make me want to love,

You make me want to live,

You make me want to be lovely for you, as lovely as I find you.

Yet I cry

Because you don't know how you make me feel

So I pray

That one day you will

And one day

You too will feel

And when you do

It will be real

Doggy updates

Samson is one pampered dog. A very pampered dog.

People call and say they're dropping by my place. To see my dog.

He's been called darling, he's been called dear and the latest - baby.

"Baby, do you want some milk?"
"Baby, you havent poo poo lah today."
"Baby, why are you under the chair?"
"Aiyo baby, gor gor so bad, never switch on the fan for you ah..."

He's got the most toys in the world. Even my Pooh Bear belongs to him now.

Poor Pooh Bear. Shaken and bitten, tossed and hidden.

Ahhh and he loves socks. Put on a pair of nice clean socks, and you'll have to run for you life.

Nice socks, comfy socks, now poor socks, holey socks.

Still I love him. Oh how I love him.

Coz no other welcomes me the way he does.

WooHooooooooo

WooHoooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last dose of steriods today!
No more tomato face!
Lalalalalalalalalalala
*Dances around and shakes backside*

Blown away

This year I asked for some drama. I got more than I asked for. My life has been more than dramatic this year. I should change the title of this blog to "My Much-Too-Soapy Soap Opera".

It's been a frustrating seven days. I have been emoing.

I was having a chat with someone the other day, asking him the usual questions - what he was doing... blah blah blah. Likewise, he asked me the same question. And I told him the summarised version of it.. sick, hospital, back for a break till next year.. blah blah blah. Anyway, at the end of our little chat, he asked if I've ever watched some DVD on healing by a speaker (I can't remember which speaker). And for some reason, I got angry. Annoyed. Though to the fella I was chatting too, I was the picture of cordality. Heh.

But inside I was boiling. I think it was because I felt like "Hello, it's been 17 years. I think I'm way pass the watching DVDs on healing" stage.

I went home and almost cried myself to sleep. God, it's been 17 years! I have been waiting for 17 years! Is that not long enough?? How much longer do You want me to wait?

Maybe I also felt a little jealous of others who have gotten healed. God, when is it going to be my turn? How come they get healed and I don't? You said faith the size of a mustard seed. Don't I have that? Am I resigned to the fact that I am going to have to cope with this for the rest of my life? Am I THAT disillusioned?? And if I were to be dissapointed, would it mean that I'm not happy with Your will for me?

I'm stretched enough already! I feel like a rubberband that's about to loose its elasticity. God, isn't this enough?

But along with all this, I have so many things to be thankful for. And I can see God working even in this period of time.

Which is so unfair! Because I'm upset with You, God, for not healing me and You're making it hard for me to do that. Ish.

And You make it even harder when You tell me to turn to this passage. Double ish. Ish Ish.

2 Cor 12:7-10

v7 And least I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

v8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.

v9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Chirst may rest upon me.

v10 Therefore, I TAKE PLEASURE in infirmities, in reproaches, in need, in persecutions, in distress, for Christ's sake For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God, You blow my mind.

Matters of the Heart

Many have asked if I ever ask why this has happened (this being Ulcerative Colitis and all the other not so nice stuff that has happened this year). The answer is YES.

Of course I've asked why. I've repeated that word in my mind a hundred thousand times. I've questinoedI've questioned God a million times. I've cried and sobbed and gotten angry. And I have to admit that a couple of times I've almost given up. People have come up to me saying they think I'm brave, that they wouldn't have handled everything as well as I have; but I don't think I'm brave. At all. What other choice do I have? I CANNOT NOT cope with it. Because not coping with it would mean giving in, giving up, and ultimately, succumbing to the circumstances.

But why? Why? WHY?

I can ask till I'm blue in the face, but there still might not be an answer. It's frustrating, not knowing the answers. So I've decided it's high time for a little perspective modification. Change the 'WHY' to 'WHAT'. What have I learnt from this? What can I learn? What is it about this that I can share? What has God done throughout all this? What is He doing now?

What? indeed. It's amazing what a little change in perspective can do.

However, the one main question I'm asking now is 'What does God see in my heart?' It's a scary thought! Because He sees everything. The good, the bad and the ugly. Oh-uh..... Time for a slef-check.

Besides the fact that there definately will be stuff in my heart that needs correcting and changing, I believe that asking this question, accepting the answers and doing something about it is another step in His preparing me for my dream and my purpose.

So, difficult though it might be, I am ready for Dr. God to perform an open-heart surgery on me.

*What does God see in YOUR heart?*

Beware of Dog!

Beware of Ferocious Samson, guardian of the Oon family home!

Make sure you don't step on him..

Ahhh.... I'm STILL in love with that stupid dog. Looks like it's going to be a serious love affair. He's so tiny! But I think he's put on a bit of weight since I came back seven days ago. Espeacially around the tummy. Coz I feed him. He's having difficulty squeezing through the grill now. And he doesn't walk. He waddles. He waddles and shakes his backside. Waddle waddle shake shake waddle.

hhahahahhaha.

So we've decided that his full name is Samson Oon Fui Keow aka DaRugg (Fui Keow = fat dog in Hakka, DaRugg coz he looks like a rug when he lies down). I give him a scratch till he falls asleep everyday. And he snores. He's such a lazy dog, no wonder he's a fatty fatty bom bom. But I still love him anyway. He's totally stolen my heart. With doggies like Samson, who needs men (sorry guys...).

Muahahahahahaha.

I'm teaching him to kiss me now. Me and only me!

Samson

I'm in loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Samson Oon, the most beautiful, smarterestest doggy in the whole wide world.

Honestly...

Aku sudah potong rambut.

Speaking in Malay sounds weird. I like it.

Sometimes I ponder agonizingly over whether or not I should blog about something. I ask myself all kinds of questions before I put it down (otherwise waste two hours typing for nothing lahhh).

Would it be offending to anyone? Would it be too revealing? Would the post tell others a little too much about myself? Do I really want others to know that? Would it make me look weak/vulnerable/arrogant/proud/selfish/needy?

I suppose I could create any impression I want blogging. It's not that hard blogging about something funny or creating an illusion that I'm totally in control of everything. I find the difficult part is to being honest.

Honestly, being honest is not easy. Especially now. I've never really been one to pour my heart out to even the closest of friends. It's not that I don't want to, it's because I don't know how. Or maybe I don't want to seem vulnerable. Either way, it causes a word jam in my throat, I have no idea how to begin and it's exhausting. Other times, when people actually ask me how I'm doing and what's going on, I'm just to tired (or maybe lazy) to explain everything so I just give them a really pleasant smile that I practice in front of the mirror everyday and tell them that I'm good. I'm OK. Everything is OK.

But right now, everything is not bright and peachy. I am not OK. I am struggling. I am struggling with what is happening, I am struggling with how I feel about myself - physically and emotionally. I am struggling with guilt, I am struggling with fear. I am struggling with my walk with God, I am struggling with God.

Yet deep within me I know no matter how i feel and what happens, I am still a child of God. I am his daugther, and because He is King, I'm a princess. I'm HIS PRINCESS. This beautiful thought puts a genuine ear to ear smile on my face and for a moment, I can be honest with myself, and I can be honest with you.

I'm broken, I'm vulnerable, I'm scared. And in this state there is nothing I can do but to give it all to Him.

*relief* :)

In keeping with being honest ----- I cried when I got my haircut. But I'm Ok now. Honest. ;)

Hair Affair

Would you still love me if I were a bald tomato? My hair is dropping from all the medication lah. But... before I become a tomato botak (I'm not planning to have all of it drop in one day) I can decide to

1. Trim my hair (Obviously, I'd rather not be dropping any hair).
2. Cut it short and hope that I stop shedding.
3. Wear a cap/hat/bandana/scarf/tudung until everything falls off and starts looking really scraggly (Like the bad witch in cartoons where you can see her scalp in places and it looks really gross).
4. Just shave evreything off and pretend it's a fashion statement.
5. Buy all types of wigs and wear hair with different styles and colors everyday.

How?

You know why I never blog for so long?

Because
My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah. My backside pain ah.

Because my backside pain.

Bliss = Sparkling wine, chocolate and semi-emo songs before bed.

Muahahahahahahaha!

Last day of nine to five classes!

Yeah behbee

yeahhhhhhhhh

2007 Mid Year Re-Cap

There's only one way to describe the past two weeks - madness. So many things happened, so many things to write about. Funny things, stupid things, just the madness of it all. But this here is going to be a 'serious' entry. I'll post a light hearted one soon.

To be truthful, 2007, so far, has been an emotional tailspin. I have been up and down, swerving left and right, right side up, upside down. I wonder how is it that I have yet to fly off my handle and go abit cookoo. Although my mom did mention that arranging M&M's according to color in a jar before eating them is a tad bit weird.

1 kg of M&M's arranged according to color

The beginning of the year started with a flurry of activity. I was back in Aussie more than a month before class started for a Summer Scholarship, which turned out to be almost a total waste of time.

Then classes started. And I was (and still am) the only international student. It was disconcerting to be an outsider. I'm never an outsider, except for a short spell in standard four. Or three. I can't remember. I'll admit that I did have some 'almost no friend' points in my life, like when I started college and started uni, but these times never lasted more than 2 weeks before I found my niche of buddies.

But this year, it was difficult. I couldn't even seem to say anything to anyone. It was morifying at times. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't relate to any of them. It wasn't that I didn't want to. I just couldn't. And it was hard.

So I threw myself into my studies. Pretty soon the excitement of doing an honours research project die out - how long can it last lah... the amount of energy taken to read all those monkey backside journals can send people to the moon already lah..

But time passed. Slowly and painfully. But it did pass. And suddenly, I was hit with revelation upon revelation of God's purpose for me. I knew it was from God, and it was amazing. And in all truthfulness, I have never felt this close to God. Not for a long long time.

Even as this happened, however, there were more questions than answers. When? When God, is it going to happen? How? How is it going to happen? I wanted answers, and I wanted them NOW. How long do I have to wait? I'm ready. Make it happen. Now.

But the answer was No. Not now, not yet. You're not ready. We've still got lots of work to do before you're ready. And after some struggling, I had to agree. I'm still wrestling with things that I know I have to work on. And right now, at this very moment, I'm tired.

I'm tired of the lessons that I have to learn. I want a break, and I just want to crawl under my covers and sleep till the moon turns blue. Because under the covers, sleep is certain. I hate uncertainty.

I've almost never been uncertain of the steps that I've taken in life. I have my plans for the year, my five year plan, heck, I've even got my long term ten year plan. But now, everything is uncertain, because I've decided to follow God's plan instead. And I don't know what's going to happen next. It's unnerving. I know there's nothing to worry about. and nothing worry can do. But I still really really dislike not knowing what my next step is.

Then mom came. And I never realised that I missed my family so much till she came. For two weeks, she made me feel like I was home. Like Adelaide was home. And then she was gone. And the implications of staying long term in Australia hit me. Hard. I barely fit in here with my Aussie classmates, though it's getting better. 99% of my friends are Malaysian students who WILL eventually pack up and go home. Do I really want to stay? Can I really create a new life here? I shudder at the thought of going home to Malaysia only once a year. But yet, I know that my time in Adelaide is not up.

I have also come to realise that I am not ready to have a partner. It sounds cliche, but it's true. Because truthfully, i'd prefer it if I had my very own someone. But I still have too many things about myself that I need to sort out. And this sucks.

However, in the misdt of this all, I have grown much closer to God. Learning, listening, leaning on Him. Struggling most of the time. I have never cried this much before. I've always prided myslef to be strong. No wearing of hearts on my sleeve! The one who is able to do anything, no matter how hard. Not anymore. I need His help.

And help me He has. In many ways. And I know that He's never going thrust upon me anything more than I can handle. And I am glad. Because when God says I can take it, that means I CAN take it.

So, it's been six months of blood sweat and tears, mixed with peace, joy and laughter. I'm on a roller coaster, and God is my seatbelt. When the 2007 ride ends, I'll be glad to bungee jump to my next chapter in life. With God as the bungee rope, of course.

Mummy's gone home

Still alive......

Mummy says...

My mom and two aunts are coming down!!!! WooHoo!! Let me report to you the conversation I had with her on her coming here.

Mom: Hey.. I'm coming down. Booked the tickets already.
Me: Oh.. OK. Er Ee (2nd aunt) coming or not.
Mom: Yeah. And your Sar Ee (3rd aunt) say she also wanna come.
Me: Wah.. so many people. How come all wanna come suddenly?
Mom: Well, don't you think it's about time me and my sisters take a trip together ah?
Me: I suppose so......
Mom: Ya lah, it's about time. We're not that young anymore you know. Better go holiday together before one of us dies.

Aiyoyo... so morbid rite?

Chasing Cheese

Something to add to my "things to do before 30 list" - Run (or roll) down a super steep hill after a wheel of cheese.

Looks fun no? :D

Wonder if they eat the cheese after they eat it. Hmmmm......

I'm gald to report that I've made headway with the darned essay. I've read a grand total ooooooffffffffffffffffff ONE article. Only to realise that it wasn't related to the topic. *semua orang tepuk tangan* *Hip hip hooray! (x3)*

Ergh *so dead*

I am so in trouble. 2000 word essay due on the 18th. A super impossible essay question to answer in just 2000 words. People write WHOLE books on this topic. And the silly lecturer wants me to do it in 2000 words. Lemme show you part of the question.

"Present day psychology is characterized by some psychologists as a rich and varied science in pursuit of a common goal..........At the more extreme end it is seen as 'fractured', by lack of agreement on fundamental philosophical questions (such as epistomology, ontology), with some promoting the strengths of emulating the sciences, and others who feel 'desperate by the human vacumn in its content, and a longing for psychology to embrace problems over which it is possible to feel intellectual passion. Your own position may be one of the above or a variation of thereof. Indicate what you think characterzes psychology today and explain the historical influences (ideas, people, socio-cultural environment) that have shaped it, and what is its future."

That's not even the whole question yet. Seriouslyyyyyyy. How the heck does she want us to write on historical influences, our stand on it and its' future in 2000 words?! Psychology didn't start yesterday lah. It's got years of history and she of all people should know it right??!!

Pissing me off! I can write anything I want and yet still be out of topic. It's like trying to fit one whole semester into one assignment. Siow! Someone is so not gonna get nice teaching evaulations for her class.

Bah... never learnt anything from her except that old people with sagging boobs should wear bras. Especially on cold days. And this was a very visual lesson. I shudder at the memory.

And the essay is not the only thing due! I have a lit review draft to hand in two days after that, and an exam on the 27th. And the I have to get the materials for my research ready on the 28th and the 29th.

And then my mom and two aunties are coming down on the 30th for two weeks. This is the exciting part lah. But it's so stressful lah. I have to finish everything before they arrive, and at the rate I'm going, it seems super impossible. Gilar betul.

Adding to all this is my housemate's sudden interst in the degideroo. Is that how you spell it? I don't even know how to pronouce it. I can say it in my head but I can't say it out loud. But yes, he's taken up that blasted Australian instrument and he sits in the backyard blowing that blasted thing. And all that blasted instrument can do is go 'bbuuuooommmmmm, bbbbuuuuuuoooooommmm' in a very low tone. Bising betul. Oh, did I mention the fact that my bedroom faces the backyard and is right above the place where he sits his nice little backside when he plays that nice little instrument?

Wanna take that thing and break it into 300 pieces and make him swallow all of them. One. By. One.

I've found my future husband. His name is Leonardo Dicaprio. Stop laughing. I WILL marry him.

Memory Lane 1

I feel nolstalgic. So let's take a walk down memory lane.

LIFE at HELP, '04-'05

Best picture from the 2005 30 hour famine. This is what happens when we don't eat for 30 hours. Esther tries to kiss the camera. I try to lick Esther and Jamie's trying to bite some poor person's finger.

I have antennas!

Group of Lalas. Look at Aaron wei, Everyone doing peace signs he go put finger beside his mouth. Smile until so humsap summore.

But of course no one can beat Jason in the humsap area lah....hehehehe

And this is Shu Hui and I. Just imagine the gilar things we did as housemates. Ahh.. the dinners together. BSC. Bangsar. And who can forget the MidValley incident were the guy makes her order her food in Chinese. Hmmm... I must go look for a picture of Yih Min doing something crazy. She was my other housemate. Loved the time I stayed with both of you.

One of the first few pictures I took in HELP. I look like a kid lah! Ching looks like a kid too :P

I don't care what you say. My hair color was great. GREAT I tell you. GREAT. It was great for the VCD business as well.

Hmmm... Jason trying to do something.

Ai Rene the only normal person in the picture......

Ahahaha.. Nope. Ai Rene not very normal either. All my friends are freaks. Freaks I tell you.

Sigh... Don't ask what I was doing. I'm a freak as well. Hang ten man, hang ten!

More silly pictures to come. Soon.

Showers

In the summer, I can't wait to hop into the shower coz it's so hot and sweaty.

In the winter, I can't wait to hop into the shower coz it's so freezing cold.

In the summer, I don't wanna get out of the shower coz I'll start sweating again the minute I do.

In the winter, I don't wanna get out of the shower coz I loathe the cold that strikes me the minute I step out of the shower.

No wonder Adelaide has water restrictions..... :p

P/S: If corn oil is made of corn, what is baby oil made of?

Missing home

I feel antiosocial. I'd rather stay in my room so that I don't have to mumble out a very fake 'Hey, how's it going?' to my housemates. Heh. Antisocial betul.

I just wanna go home. I miss it. Ahhhhh. Tiffany's last post was not much help either. Wanna go home. Wanna go home. WANNA GO HOME :(

Hahahaha... funny!

Ask!

Amazing. Time and time again He amazes me. What did He do this time...I've been having some problems recruiting high school students to participate in my research. Mainly because to get the students, we (my supervisor, my research partner and I) have to email high schools, send in our proposals and wait for them to agree to allow their students to take part in my research. Needless to say, they were less than interested in what we proposed and we didn't hear from any of them. Which was not surprising, since the research wouldn't benefit them in any way.

We were getting rather worried because our research totally depended on that sample of participants. And after weeks, they still hadn't even replied to the email. Plus, we had to include the school's in the ethics applications.

So... no permission = no ethics approval = no research = oh no! big trouble = fail honours year = live of my parents forever and ever. Muahahahahahha *evil grin, rubs hands together*

So yes, we were getting worried. THEN, yesterday during OCF prayer meeting, the research project was prayed for and commited to God - just a simple prayer, a humble prayer. Nothing fancy.

And today, TWO out of the four schools contacted us saying that they would be glad to allow their students to take part in my research! After weeks of ignoring our requests! Waahhhh. So cool! Coincidence? I think not.

All I needed to do was to commit it to God. To just ask. And He provided. Wow!

Conversations with Mom

Mom: Hey, guess what happened.
Me: What?
Mom: Guess lah....
Me: Lazy lah, tell me only la.
Mom: Your brother's prized star tortise died.
Me: Har.. which one? What happened?
Mom: The smallest one. Probably starved to death.
Me: So what did he do with it? I suppose he can't say a prayer and pull the toilet flush like he did to his fishes due to the hard shell.
Mom: Oh no la, he didn't flush it down the toilet.
Me: Then?
Mom: He buried it in the neighbour's flower pot.

And you think I'm weird...

Today

Today I woke up at 6.30 am, had breakfast and went back to sleep.

Today there was a super macho guy, wearing a balck macho guy shirt with black macho guy sungalsses on the bus learning super not macho guy Italian/German/French verbs like 'to dance', 'to smile', to sing'. So not matching.

Today I went to the police station and the Mr.Policeman said that I was a good girl.

Today I had to walk 40 minutes to a camera shop that specializes in SONY cameras.

Today SONY conned me of $25. Super cut-throat lahhh... 25 bucks just for a quote of how much the repair is going to cost. Pretty sure the repair is going to cost lots more... Ahhh..Magic fingers....

Today I went to collect my graduation cert. Only to be told that it's been put in the uni archives.. hahahhaha....

Today I realised that I like the bad guys in movies. I like Sylar in Heroes. I liked Scar in The Lion King. I liked Harry Osborne in Spiderman. I like Lex Luther in Smallville. And I loved Sher Khan in the Jungle Book.

Today I couldn't help but smile at the father and daughter who were sitting by the kerb.

Today I stuck out my toungue at a cute little baby boy who was looking at me (No, he didn''t cry. Yes, he was looking at me coz I'm very pretty).

Today I walked round the city for two and a half hours.

Today I blew bubbles in the air. Haven't done this since I was five, I think.

Today I set myself a goal - to publish my honours research paper.

Today I realised that I'm becoming more confortable with my classmates and my housemates. I now actually talk to them...

And today, I realise that I need to do my laundry, otherwise I will not have anymore underwear for the day after tomorrow

Eh, still no boyfriend ah?

Going to a friend's engagement party today made me realize that I'm not a kid anymore. I know, I know, my parents are still my ATMs and my bed is still my trampoline.

But it's true. I've grown up. Wedding invitations are not addressed to my parents anymore. Instead, they're all addressed to me! Last year, I was invited to three (of which I attended none). This year, already two, and it's only April.

Wahhhh.. Growing old. Growing old! But I'm loving it. It's just such joy to share the happiness and celebrate with those who have decided to say 'I do' with each other.

And the way God brings people together is just...amazing. I'm trusting Him to bring one for me. Heheh. Sooner better lah, then I can have kids as soon as possibe and live to see my great great great grandchildren. And see them get married! Yes, the main mission in life is to get married and have kids.

But right now, I'm STILL single. Haha. Dad asking if I got boyfriend already or not. Mom asying that she'll help me look for potentially suitable guys. I think they wanna give their ATM duty to someone else. Friends threatening to pick someone from the roadside to be my boyfriend after I answer no to thier 100 millionth time asking 'Eh, still no boyfriend ah?'

I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that everything will happen in HIS time. All I have to do is make sure that I seek first His kingdom, that I'm doing what He wants me to do. And to do it wholeheartedly. Everything else will fall into place.

So whether I'm single or I'm double or married with 100 grandchildren, there isn't a need for me to worry about. And just the thought of not having to worry about anything at all is liberating, because without my worries, there is peace, there is joy and there is happiness :)

Joe is 14

How fast the years have flown by! Joel turns 14 today. I still remember the first few days when he just arrived. He had jaundice and was incubated under super bright lights. But still he was super adorable. And he grew into an adorable little boy with curly brown hair. Everyone wanted to hug him. He got passed round alot in church. Hahahahhaa...

But this little boy grew. And grew. And is STILL growing.

And he learned to talk. And once he did, he didn't stop. And he STILL hasn't stopped :P I remember the time when he couldn't pronouce the letter 'L' so the word 'club' would come out sounding like 'ki-ap' and 'walk' would sound like 'yo-alk'.

And he definately couldn't pronounce 'leopard', his precious soft toy. It sounded like 'yea-pord'. There was once when mom got angry with him for taking his Mr. YeaPord everywhere, yes including to the dinner table and she threw him to the hall and Mr. YeaPord hit the wall. Joe proclaimed him dead, said he was murdered and didn't touch Mr. YeaPord for one whole week! The things we did to try and get him to hug his soft toy again.... It was hilarious.

But yes, this little boy is now at least 5'6" and is clebrating his 14th Birthday today.

So bro, as you embark on this new year, I'm hoping that you grow in wisdom (no more getting suspended k), love and character. And also grow taller and taller, till you can tower over me!

Retarded... So hard to find decent pictures of him.

Muaks!

And how could we forget Mr.YeaPord??

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE! save a piece of cake for me yea....

Wahlauuuuu

Amazing.
My God is amazing.
I'm stunned to silence as I finally understand what the word 'awe' means.
And I stand in awe.
In awe of His mercy and grace
In awe of His love.
In awe of Him.
Simply amazing.

Holidays? What holidays?

Easter break... wheeee. First week of it is almost over, and I have yet to find a day where I can get my very much needed 14 hours of sleep. Cacat holiday. So many things to do. It's soooo not a holiday. Why the heck am I doing honours? I urge you people not to do honours. Otherwise you won't have time to breathe. Like me. No time to breathe. *Needs air* *Gasp*

I shouldn't be blogging. I should be waking to uni to pass up the hard copy of my assigment. Cacat punya lecturer wants two copies of the assignment with two cover pages per copy!. Cacat assignmnet summore! On Darwin and how his theory influenced the view on human nature in psychology. I think it's the worst essay I've ever written.

Oh.... I think Darwin looks a bit like an ape... hmm. should upload a picture of him but lazy lah... not enough sleep leh. Go google his picture.

Something's going to happen this weekend. I can feel it.

Word Association!

Got this off another blog. I tag myself! hehe...Put down the first thing you think of when you see these words.

1. Beer: Urgh

2. Anorexics: Food for me thanks. Nasi lemak with rendang. I also want fried lengau, kangkung belacan, laksa, tomyam, chicken rice, duck rice, curry chicken, satay, roti chanai, roti tellur curry mee, char koay teow char bee hoon, black bean soup, ham choy, cheese baked rice.......

3. Relationships: Next question please!

5. Power Rangers: Marcus Toh. My cousin who used to make me sit with him for hours to watch DVD after DVD of Power Rangers.

6. Life: Interestingly hectic right now.

9. The President: If I were the last president of the United States I'd steal all the "W" letter keys from the keyboards and bury it somewhere in the garden before George moved into my house.

10. Awesome: Over-used Aussie phrase. Everything also they say 'OH-SUM'. Dunno whether they got listen to what I'm saying or not. Probably not.

11. Cars: Buy one for me?

12. Gas Prices: Buy car for me already buy gas for me also lah!

13. Halloween: Another comercialized holiday larrrrr

14. Sex : Female. Really. That's really the first thing that came to mind. The second thing you don't wanna know.... heheheh

15. Religion: Jesus is my Savior, my King

16. Myspace: Urgh

17. Fear: Sleeping alone after watching scary movies. I slept with the lights on for two weeks after watching sixth sense. And there was once when my friend asked me to watch a movie and it turned out to be a horror movie, this was how I sat: Legs up on chair, knees right below my chin, eyes closed, peeking every five to ten seconds, ears plugged with my fingers. Oh, and I think I was the ONLY ONE in THE WHOLE CINEMA who screamed because of a scene of a balck cat suddenly jumping on the car. Hahaha. Who ask them to put the scary music in that scene??

18. Marriage: For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do us part. Together always and forever.

19. Blondes: Why was the blonde fired from then 'M&M' factory????? She was throwing out the 'W's ........................Why did the blonde bring a ladder to school???? Because she was going to HIGGHHH school................ Why did the blonde climb the glass wall???? Coz' she wanted to see what was on the other sideeee

20. Brunettes: Why are all blonde jokes one liners??? So that brunettessssss could understand them.

21. Redheads: Archie Andrews. Heheh. Sorry, can't remember any redhead jokes

22. Asians: Me!

23: Pass the time: Sleep la. Nothing to do go and sleep lah.. Can never get too much of it!

24. One night stands: Are a No. No.

25: Cell Phone: Can live without it.

27: Smoke: Urgghh. Smelly. Makes me wanna immediately wash my clothes and hair.

28: Vanilla Ice cream: Only with apple pie. Otherwise chocolate please.

29: Port a Potties: Can put them anywhere. So that means can poo poo anywhere!

30: Highschool Life: SMK Convent Ipoh! Loved it! Slept in all my classes!

31. Pajamas: Sleep naked lah, then don't need to do so much laundry....

32. Stars: Are awesomeeee. So many. Makes the sky look so high and so big

33. Wet Socks: Urggh

34. Alcohol: Urggh

35. The word love: love is in the air, everywhere i go.. lalallalalalala. Say it, but demostrate it too!

36. Friends: Muaks!

37. Money: Sidestepped issue. Go press ATM only lah

38. Heartache: Urggh

39. Time: Please, Sir, may I have som'more?

40. Divorce: See marriage lahhhh

41. Dogs: Urggh.

42. Underpants: 40. I have 40 in my drawer.

43. Parents: Awesome.

44. Kids: Awesome. I want 4 - Lucas, Ethan, Megan and Emma

45. Stripper: Urrgh. Awesome. Urrgh. Awesome. Urrgh. Awesome.

46. Blogs: Come and read mine lah

47. News: Opinionated.

48. Weddings: So many this year! I've realised that it's not my parents' friends' chilren who are geeting married anymore. Now it's my friends who are getting married. Wedding invatations are now addressed to Miss Mindy Oon, not Mr. and Mrs. Oon. My turn soon, I hope! :)

49. Pizza: Yum Yum. Can eat everyday.

50. Kleenex: Aiya...Use so expensive tissue paper to wipe backside for what? Backside made out of goal ar?

Muhibahnya.....

I've moved. Again. The second time this year. I am now living with two Aussie guys, One French girl and one American girl. And three backpackers came to stay today for a few days. One from Germany, on from UK and one more i forgot from where. Then next door to me there's one from Norway, one from Mexico and most importantly the three donkeys from Malaysia... So muhibah hor. Sounds so fun...

Anywayssssss... Easter break is coming --- YAY!
Research project is due --- BOOOO!
Easter camp is coming --- YAY!
Essay is due ---BOOOOO!
I've shifted to a place with internet connection --- YAY!
The people in my house are messy --- BOOOO!
My room is nice --- YAY!
I have to walk to uni --- BOOOO!

Heheh. I wanna go to Kangaroo Island. See kangaroos hop hop hop. I need a vacation. Badly. Very badly. Easter bunnies hop hop hop too. Vacation. NOW! Please.

My Awesome Parents

I received a message from my mom yesterday saying that my dearest 14 year old brother had been suspended for being a criminal in school. I shall refrain from stating the offence here for fear that he might smite me with his plastic sword that he hides under his bed. The shocking part of the message though, was not the fact that my brother had been suspended - I've always known that he was a criminal - but that since he was suspended, my mom was taking him out for a movie! Wah.... getting suspended for school = holiday plus watching movie!

So I questioned my mom as to why he got to watch a movie. Shouldn't he be sitting at home studying or scrubbing the toilet floors as punishment for his criminality? A movie, at the cinema, no less would be rewarding his behavior, would it not? And she replied saying that my brother had punished himself enough. He hadn't been able to eat, to sleep, even to play tennis properly. And tennis is like the love of his life. So he deserved some comforting love.

Amisdt laughing at the fact that my brother was loosing sleep and not eating for getting caught red handed doing xxxxx, I realised that my parents knew exactly what they were doing. They knew exactly how my brother was feeling and how to deal with the situation. And I find that amazing. Because if it was I whos son had had been caught, I would most probably have metted out my own punishment, without a second thought, in addition to the suspension.

My parents, however, knew exactly what would work on my brother. And it's the same for me and my sister. They know exactly what makes each of us tick. And I think that it's no easy feat to be able to so elegantly handle three very different personalities.

My parents are awesome.
I only hope that when I have kids of my own, I'll be able to teach them as well as you have taught me.

I love you, Mom, Dad.

Weirdo

Tagged - 6 weird things about myself

1. I can sleep for 10 hours, wake up for brunch, go back to sleep and then wake up for dinner.
2. I like to pull my white hair (maybe that's why there seems to be more and more or maybe I'm just growing old)
3. I like to be by myself, I don't really need company when I go out. Sometimes I even prefer to go out by myself.
4. I suck at any sport with more than two people per team.
5. I drink Milo everyday (almost) in Malaysia, but I have yet to make even one cup of it in Adelaide.
6. I like to tear paper, espeacially those with the dotted lines. My mom used to give me her megazines to ripwhen I was a kid.
7. I can sit down the whole day and watch re-runs of tv series that I've watched 100 times before, so much so that I can recite the lines along with the actors.

Oops... 7 already things already.. supposed to be six only. Oh wells...

Semester 1 week 1

Being the only person in my program who doesn't speak with an Aussie accent isn't only intimidating. It's tiring. My days end with me being exhausted from listening and speaking Aussie. It's insane.

Valentines Day

He told me he was coming to my place at 10.30 p.m. I glance at my mobile to check the time. It was already 15 minutes past the agreed time. I wondered if he was really coming. I wanted to give him a ring, check where he was, but i used every inch of self control I possessed not to touch my mobile. I lay my weary head on my pillows and soon fell asleep.

The phone rings. With a start I realised that I had been asleep for an hour.

"Hello? I'm in the city. Be at your place in ten minutes", says that voice at the other end.

Finally, I thought to myself. "Sure", I replied.

I see him walk up my very dark driveway. I smile. I see another person with him. I continue smiling, but they couldn't even really see me in the dark.

"Mindy?" one of them says.

"Yeap", I reply. "Come on in"

"Wah, so big lah", the guy in the green shirt and pink crocs says. And then he's on the phone telling someone where my house is.

"I'll go out and wait for them", the other guy says.

As I wondered who they were referring to, three other guys turned up at my door. Wahh... Call one, get five! Not at all bad a deal. Very nice.

"So how do you want to do it?" says one of them. I jolt back to reality.

"Let's just pull it out, slide it to the door, change position, and then lift it up to the trailer", says another.

They were here to help me shift my fridge. And two matteresses and two tables. Think wat..I got five dates meh? Yes people, I spent my Valentines Day shifting and cleaning. And I spent the day after Valentines doing the same thing. So romantic right.... But thank God for the wonderful guys who helped me shift. Don't know what I would have done without them.

The hunter

Got this off someone else's blog, who got it from someone else's, who got it from someone else's.

Wanna volunteer to be the hunted? Promise I won't shoot - just trap you, skin you, and mount you on my wall.

What should I do?

So in one of the previous posts I mentioned that I may like SOMEONE. The response to that was.... incredible. I never knew that 3/4 of the world population were busybodies... hehehehhe.....It was funny though, hearing the suggestions of what I should do to gain that SOMEONE's attention. Some were resonable, most were ridiculous.

1. Next time, look at him with 'I'm so glad you're here with me eyes' (something I have yet to learn to do)
2. From an A+ student: Call him. Wait. Don't call him. Have some self control. No, I think you should call. Don't call. Call. Heck. Miss call?
3. Take his hand and play with his fingers (!?)
4. Be physical a bit with him....brush your hand against him, stand closer.
5. Go read up on all the sports teams he likes. And pretend to support them.
6.From a guy: Guys are stupid (sorry guys, looks like you might have a traitor in your misdt). Tell him.
7. From a girl: Guys are stupid. Tell him. And if he doesn't like you back, push him off the ledge. Oh.. just make sure when you tell him, you're standing on the balcony of a 34 floor building.
8. Go pash up with him.
9. From a certain lecturer: Oh, JUST GO AND KISS HIM.
10. From my mom, very disturbingly: Go have his kids. I want grandchildren.

Like I said, ridiculous.

Go Figure

So my tummy wasn't feeling too good today and I needed the toilet REAL bad. And hey... whatdaya know... Toilet! Only thing was, it was for the handicapped. Oh who cares, I REALLY need to go. So I went. Ahhh..... feel sooo much better. Ahaha... handicapped toilet got sink. Excellent... nice smelling soap summore. There, all nice and clean now. Let's go. Turned the lock and pull open door. Darn. cannot open. Hmm.. there's another handle. I'll try that. Still cannot open. Hmm..... perhaps it'll move if i slide it open. Uh oh.. still not budging.

I shall not panic. I shall not panic. Maybe I didn't turn the lock properly. Turn lock again. STILL not budging. I shall NOT panic. No. No. Cannot panic. Breathe.. It's a nice toilet. Nice mirrors and nice smelling soap. Don't panic. Breathe.... Ok, let's try again. Turn lock. hand on handle. Pull. Not working. Push? I'm gonna DIE in a handicapped toilet! Slide you stupid door. Slideeeeee. Breathe Mindy, Breathe. Ok. I will not allow myslef to die in a handicap toilet. No. Try again. Recall how you usually open doors. Step one. Turn lock. Step two. Hand on handle. Step three. Pull/ push th HEY hang on a moment. There's ANOTHER LOCK UNDER THE LOCKKKKKK.................................

Yes, I got out after turing THAT lock. But can somebody please explain to me why a toilet made especially for the handicapped would not only have TWO locks but also TWO handles on both ends of the door? Pengsan...

Moments of Disarray

A week since I arrived, and I'm still longing to be back home. Seems to me that I'm having a chronic bout of home sickness. Anyhow, I'm trying to keep myself as busy as possible so that I can go to bed without drenching my pillow with tears. And also so that I don't spend a bomb calling home. Here's my update........

Since everyone I talk to has been asking me bout the Summer Vacation Research Scholarship, I start with that. So far, so good. Except that I feel stupid whenever I talk to the researchers who work there. Having said that, I learnt how to stick electrodes on people to measure their brain waves, and I can now officially apply to places where they need sleep technicians. Whether or not they want to employ me is another story lar... And though the electrode thing sounds cool, I find if really gross beacuse I have to touch people's oily skin and actually clean it before i can stick the electrodes on. Sticking the ones on the head is even worse. You cannot imagine to level of grossness it is to stick it on oily and unwashed hair. Oh, and I have a research supervisor who eats sushi everyday.

Number 2. I've come to a realisation that I may just actually like SOMEBODY very much. And that somebody's name is....... you think I'm gonna tell you meh?? And I can't wait for him to get back to Aussie, though right now, I'm telling myself that I need to snap out of it. Some say I'm in denial. Others say that the SOMEBODY has given up on me...... For more juicy details, gimme a ring on my mobile. I'll be glad to spill.

Number 3. I'm blessed. Though very few are around, I've been surrounded by love and kindness ever since I've come back. I thank God for them, and I'm really amazed at the way that He has taken care of me. Plus.... I have a car fro two weeks :P

Number 4. A Member Of the Opposite SEx (MOOSE) asked me today if he could 'buy me a drink' when I was waiting for the bus. Now, normally, I would be flattered if a MOOSE decided that I was the one he wanted to have a drink with. Unfortunately, this particular MOOSE was at least 50 years old, had missing front teeth and was more than interested to know where I lived. I wanted to run home instead of wait for the bus.

Number 5. I think I'm turning into a vegetarian.

Man... I'm thinking that I need to get a grip....

Miss Lonely

Boy, it's quite here back in Adelaide. There's no one here. Only three days and I'm missing everyone back home already. How to last for one and a half months??