tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58751143442466436312024-02-08T09:19:13.791+08:00~ SOMEBODY'S MIRACLE ~Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-9536338475507887852012-10-18T13:07:00.004+08:002012-10-18T17:56:35.468+08:00House hunting: food for thought<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>________________________________________</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>A new home?</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Always Intimidating. </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>A new home where I'm the new house-mate? </i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">Positively Nerve-Wrecking.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>The demanding new job that caused me to move to the new home, giving me new freedom to meddle in other people's lives without worrying about curfews and naggy parents? </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">FREAKING PRICELESS.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>_______________________________________</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-21582551089776241602012-08-14T20:36:00.000+08:002012-08-14T20:36:11.184+08:00To begin again<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><b><span style="background-color: white; color: purple;">"There's always gonna be another mountain; I'm always gonna wanna make it move."</span></b></i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The first time I felt real fear of the unknown, it was right after a recce trip to Lanchang Pahang, where I would end up spending my whirlwind three-month practical training days. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The fear hadn't really set in until I had my butt safely at edge of my bunkbed, thinking over and over again of the isolation and hard work I'd be facing over the next few months. I had wanted to become a wild child, so a stint at the jungle-deep national biodiversity center had seemed appropriate. But nothing could have prepared me for even just a preview of it; the overnight visit had left me feeling as if I'd finally bitten off more than I could chew. I remembered thinking I must be nuts, and that I should forfeit the placement immediately. Surely training at the local zoo would be much more fun, and more suitable for the physically challenged girl I thought I was.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
That fear was a very long time ago. A good six years. As it turned out, Lanchang had a lot to teach me about having faith in myself; that I was good enough, and that my dreams were well within reach. Finally, I had learned to try. I had learned to give everything a chance before I count myself unable. I made it so I had little reason to be afraid of what lay ahead.<br />
<br />
Until now.<br />
<br />
Work wise, I'm changing directions. I can't honestly say it is where I want to be at the moment, and that alone is scaring me to bits. It's not so much the fear that I wouldn't be able to perform my new-found duties. Honestly, I have enough confidence in my abilities where the job is concerned. It's just, I can't shake the feeling that I am somehow shirking my one true path, and it weighs heavily on my chest. I know, I should give it a try; who knows I might like it? If anything, I'll have the experience. And it'll certainly look good on my resume.<br />
<br />
I just wish I could be rid of this sinking feeling every time I think about it, ya know?<br />
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-77381823570442352372011-12-07T22:46:00.024+08:002011-12-14T22:09:40.887+08:00A trip to the Sungai Buloh nurseries ^^Honestly, I never thought this place existed. Buried somewhere in the back roads of Sungai Buloh is a long street full of living colors! My camera was in love.. ^^<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAfXW_1vaQs_yA3KDX-IFxPALzt08RfHnzeWuvbdeZ8WMWGAdXGhx3SlwXTS6J8Dajng8ny8ppDDwGVfHuzc8UWrsT1cnOvNFEcckVR41onk4fzCK-PONxSgiJwfYH_FAaDmEgUoxnQk/s1600/IMG_7862%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685963847317498114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuAfXW_1vaQs_yA3KDX-IFxPALzt08RfHnzeWuvbdeZ8WMWGAdXGhx3SlwXTS6J8Dajng8ny8ppDDwGVfHuzc8UWrsT1cnOvNFEcckVR41onk4fzCK-PONxSgiJwfYH_FAaDmEgUoxnQk/s400/IMG_7862%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bougainvilleas! I've been searching for this exact color.. ^^</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdzxbd7z9h73HP3bVXsDG_QOF72mkfgVE6tiNVVw47-tPwkfqGrnpqzKkdca03kTOts8cbSS7d7e5qYCKlIRio1LNlM6fTPt8hPLJnt_PuR7JB4J2uJKXhwK2_MwYEDfK_1XaGfczzQk/s1600/IMG_7858%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685889254124064658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdzxbd7z9h73HP3bVXsDG_QOF72mkfgVE6tiNVVw47-tPwkfqGrnpqzKkdca03kTOts8cbSS7d7e5qYCKlIRio1LNlM6fTPt8hPLJnt_PuR7JB4J2uJKXhwK2_MwYEDfK_1XaGfczzQk/s400/IMG_7858%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Orchid terracotta pots.. so cute! ^^</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWK0av4zf1kGMFF6xhqVj5ZmWUUa8GwrFFCBxkpgg0skEVfVwRfC_kP0L0sp4tiwjMUry7kgSdMGPZtc3wFaJMWVPW19G1rhWP1N-c-wG0-eWHWvHF_29ELm_xLX3Kby_B9O1C4vKQ_g/s1600/IMG_7847%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685887670469015474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsWK0av4zf1kGMFF6xhqVj5ZmWUUa8GwrFFCBxkpgg0skEVfVwRfC_kP0L0sp4tiwjMUry7kgSdMGPZtc3wFaJMWVPW19G1rhWP1N-c-wG0-eWHWvHF_29ELm_xLX3Kby_B9O1C4vKQ_g/s400/IMG_7847%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My mother's favorite, yellow daisies. Fashionably messy..</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCAiqr9P7FPolwVovAZNg7KKvJkhORQsije5Z5uVqFkUUdCXStKJCAODS2dHpsnG9XSfj-iFMXPGCVSQncQT_bmcPDii42g-3zcjFwGT2pd0o2FjoAbpySVWmc25KAyb9hpe1iZtydkc/s1600/IMG_7845%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685882886391403714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCAiqr9P7FPolwVovAZNg7KKvJkhORQsije5Z5uVqFkUUdCXStKJCAODS2dHpsnG9XSfj-iFMXPGCVSQncQT_bmcPDii42g-3zcjFwGT2pd0o2FjoAbpySVWmc25KAyb9hpe1iZtydkc/s400/IMG_7845%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not sure what these are, but pretty..</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAH8Zo9xXDiFgwFvfBCYqHneI8un6RbCaTD26EkNMNrohyphenhyphent1DmL3EoL43dAVsparcXEK7tgiif_G5S5gBClp3AreI30LvZwHodaRQYgrTFCaEzFg5t9d6dTZh49yZKjDZkR2m1o5ci74A/s1600/IMG_7852%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685880898230748578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAH8Zo9xXDiFgwFvfBCYqHneI8un6RbCaTD26EkNMNrohyphenhyphent1DmL3EoL43dAVsparcXEK7tgiif_G5S5gBClp3AreI30LvZwHodaRQYgrTFCaEzFg5t9d6dTZh49yZKjDZkR2m1o5ci74A/s400/IMG_7852%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These flowers remind me of China. I've never been there, but... yeah. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIljx9o8SMY8YuYEHo0SR8MDURkzkbnT960C9yWVcIqI0vQKN-_Gdj0_OfaqZuPMGKoT5r8shS4jR6EB034xDfqN8sumQU3pTk7mqbv67FgeFfp6g2xr87XoS5XxyLFcyNLDDs0aGaNuk/s1600/IMG_7844%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685876694040996194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIljx9o8SMY8YuYEHo0SR8MDURkzkbnT960C9yWVcIqI0vQKN-_Gdj0_OfaqZuPMGKoT5r8shS4jR6EB034xDfqN8sumQU3pTk7mqbv67FgeFfp6g2xr87XoS5XxyLFcyNLDDs0aGaNuk/s400/IMG_7844%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">So many varieties of Hibiscus these days.. can you call this one a national flower?<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-E2cilxrvPk8W3oU1U5VUq0PymP8fLFguMJiDyIYRKUUE3gNzx2vHMdEd0Dwz8AClf-wY7fTq1jSYZ_f5RU9L5kVs-a-ZJJp2zRB1Zcc9CGLzRjrVgPO5N7mrQpx7TsviF1FTv6w3Cp4/s1600/IMG_7819%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685875465087223090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-E2cilxrvPk8W3oU1U5VUq0PymP8fLFguMJiDyIYRKUUE3gNzx2vHMdEd0Dwz8AClf-wY7fTq1jSYZ_f5RU9L5kVs-a-ZJJp2zRB1Zcc9CGLzRjrVgPO5N7mrQpx7TsviF1FTv6w3Cp4/s400/IMG_7819%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">These remind me of my late Opah, for some weird reason..</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUrGWycQG7eCT65XTQhTLHUHZrOcNc0xUS7nku1dNKedAcO8l4P5JgiU9_ZuwYP1hvBE7DnDr-QURhw8NC0NqF_Ugg1Wvew-ZHLE_61o6MlEfUrBFGFNQRUZXIQmCGQeMStmR5MIfjhk/s1600/IMG_7803%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685873090240305858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUrGWycQG7eCT65XTQhTLHUHZrOcNc0xUS7nku1dNKedAcO8l4P5JgiU9_ZuwYP1hvBE7DnDr-QURhw8NC0NqF_Ugg1Wvew-ZHLE_61o6MlEfUrBFGFNQRUZXIQmCGQeMStmR5MIfjhk/s400/IMG_7803%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Might be good for ant-control around the house..<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryTptkM-LfPDdbuzPrejXyI20_ISuQVpmNaQB5asj63hZ1n4TZG768hEUjo2IP3Xre_b-K7T33EnVgL5VlCMzvrMmCYoy8OlF76JTEizJCM7_G9Vw2fssQQKHxzMJKiR_cwPRwTfJmwA/s1600/IMG_7840%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685835244741606178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryTptkM-LfPDdbuzPrejXyI20_ISuQVpmNaQB5asj63hZ1n4TZG768hEUjo2IP3Xre_b-K7T33EnVgL5VlCMzvrMmCYoy8OlF76JTEizJCM7_G9Vw2fssQQKHxzMJKiR_cwPRwTfJmwA/s400/IMG_7840%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilies (?) originally white with yellow centers.. very pretty flowers.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4sLDFO4buHGfrilIHwigudrQYWafnxHuBUHg4pgSRL_z2XKC5y2vACPYCaYm_Bm9EDMDqUsdbSkBrU5aWZRGrNKvAedPYKoALZAapTtgDIdTeaD8aegc5L7sFSNxacZ0ZAicP2FLhOw/s1600/IMG_7801%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685833809859359122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4sLDFO4buHGfrilIHwigudrQYWafnxHuBUHg4pgSRL_z2XKC5y2vACPYCaYm_Bm9EDMDqUsdbSkBrU5aWZRGrNKvAedPYKoALZAapTtgDIdTeaD8aegc5L7sFSNxacZ0ZAicP2FLhOw/s400/IMG_7801%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tiger orchids! I wanted one, but orchids are expensive, and fickle..<br /><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT2ffxYwUG8mCuVyaOiCJW_tvPOySxo171BVu5aCavaLltUIuOzZoIkEXh6ymXUTLUYGWiLabJ2SzA78SocO7Bmj4srksTaCnWJlLqwW1DxK3bx_Xx51pnsE0rEe_VrNovm3MA_rAQCY/s1600/IMG_7813%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685832834017541010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHT2ffxYwUG8mCuVyaOiCJW_tvPOySxo171BVu5aCavaLltUIuOzZoIkEXh6ymXUTLUYGWiLabJ2SzA78SocO7Bmj4srksTaCnWJlLqwW1DxK3bx_Xx51pnsE0rEe_VrNovm3MA_rAQCY/s400/IMG_7813%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 267px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Who is that in the background? XD</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685831300364569250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgGY1aRtpHU5P5NF3agy3S0Z7Hk1DPZIYgz3K3tyX51CfKpho53NBxrBv1KMPHckkW5oIvBerez18UsQidYUhPT-p_oMBFeXtzBw6rZLJ4ZKzr4EjcbFVoWy69FOr6iEp_ODriWsdrKU/s400/IMG_7798%25282%2529.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 267px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My 'kampung' flowers. The white version of this one grows all over my grandma's house..</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Actually, it wasn't because I loved gardening that I took to the nurseries. I love plants, yes, but gardening meant pruning and trimming and all that <i>controlling</i> stuff. I like my plants awry and wild, thank you very much; let them stretch their limbs ~branches, creepers, whatever~ wherever they please! Honestly, the way my dad was wielding the garden at home, I was afraid of getting any sort of plant at all for fear they would be confined to such limited existence...<br />
<br />
My sole reason for the trip was actually, photography. I've been learning a bit, and I thought I should apply it using whatever mediocre means I have on hand (that would be my Canon EOS 500D with standard 18-55mm lens, folks). Don't get me wrong, I love my camera. I was just trying out my skills, if I have any.<br />
<br />
They say if you've got talent, equipments won't matter... What do you think?<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-75043696308799222572011-09-23T11:23:00.004+08:002011-09-23T12:18:39.459+08:00Unique vs. Dysfunctional..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJ2pTKpUEQvmXY6mf2r2Ej7ZXjwPtlpNYk8UGpn1VoTXkzpOWzL3yFA57FShbUGEdjf-gpHGwDyZATusIdziBKIMDk1aiV0N8GAy0OOmTU7loGXKyTYwuRHdsBYepXV2tu52eOq7jOuU/s1600/dysfunctional.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 257px; height: 196px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEJ2pTKpUEQvmXY6mf2r2Ej7ZXjwPtlpNYk8UGpn1VoTXkzpOWzL3yFA57FShbUGEdjf-gpHGwDyZATusIdziBKIMDk1aiV0N8GAy0OOmTU7loGXKyTYwuRHdsBYepXV2tu52eOq7jOuU/s400/dysfunctional.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5655401170801186306" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">..dan aku selalu sangka yang aku the <i>former.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bila kita kecik dan berdepan dengan hidup yang tak berapa mahu nak serupa dengan orang lain, kita akan cepat-cepat pretend macam kita memang nak hidup kita camtu. Kita perdaya kawan-kawan, kita berlakon sakan. Boleh main ramai-ramai tiap-tiap petang, tapi jangan bawak <i>member</i> balik rumah, takut-takut nanti dia tak mahu lagi berkawan dengan kita..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kamu pernah rasa risau camtu? Orang selalu kata, <i>life is what you make of it as long as you’re happy</i>. Kut tak happy pun, convince yourself that you are..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bila kita kecik, <i>unik</i> ialah satu perkataan yang sangat berguna. Bukan saja untuk tutup aib kita sebagai manusia yang sebenarnya susah nak berfungsi dalam komuniti, tapi juga sebagai penyedap hati yang mungkin dah berkira-kira nak label diri sendiri tak betul atau menyimpang dari adat. As long as kita unik, tak ada siapa yang boleh kata apa-apa. Kita lain dari yang lain, and that’s always a good thing, right?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">RIGHT!! Cumanya..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bila dah besar, kita akan cari makna sebenar hidup, dan untuk mencari makna itu kita akan selalu memandang ke belakang.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Unik </i>hanyalah satu perkataan; satu tirai tipuhelah yang cuba menggambarkan secara positif apa yang kita tak faham, atau tak mampu nak jelaskan. Kalau aku mahu jujur dengan diri, unik hanyalah alasan untuk membenarkan zaman kanak-kanak yang tunggang-langgang; mengakuri perlakuan kasar dan kata-kata kesat orang lain; sebagai pengubat parut-luka bila berkelahi dengan <i>psyche</i> sendiri..</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">‘Keunikan’ aku memang tak boleh nak diubah. <i>It’s done and over with</i>. Aku bersyukur yang disebalik tirai itu aku masih lagi mampu dewasa menjadi manusia yang berguna. Mampu berterima kasih, dan mampu juga memaafkan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tapi aku dah serik dengan unik ini. That <a href="http://www.mudrashram.com/dysfunctionalfamily2.html"><span class="Apple-style-span">curtain</span></a> is coming down. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">ps: if you choose to click the link (the word 'curtain'), I'm apparently a hero..</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-18160618666048657692011-08-03T15:22:00.014+08:002011-08-03T16:21:53.799+08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgzOpaCr0t-1r8srnvS2kJrlUkWZGDjCgcNu1qaC9TRg-bf00bFgXTJGEMjerK60BUgHvbBypjWcGtSxDRcsr691qD3fDDEZoGPM_eL6nlPRZs4f-h80qcy4euDvN9jljHBkq22rwzsE/s1600/rent.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgzOpaCr0t-1r8srnvS2kJrlUkWZGDjCgcNu1qaC9TRg-bf00bFgXTJGEMjerK60BUgHvbBypjWcGtSxDRcsr691qD3fDDEZoGPM_eL6nlPRZs4f-h80qcy4euDvN9jljHBkq22rwzsE/s400/rent.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636533229670041010" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div><div><br /></div>Balik dari solat subuh di Masjid, mak kata:<div><br /></div><div><i>"Ni kamu dengan Pura dah kerja ni, mama nak mintak kamu handle bil-bil rumah."</i></div><div><br /></div><div>Yang tak terkeluar dari mulut: </div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>"Nak kitaorang bayar sewa bilik sekali ke? I mean, you know.. cuz that would be like, the </i>ONLY <i>thing left we haven't contributed to.</i><i>"</i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For those of you guys renting your own place, living out of your own pockets and missing home? I ENVY YOU~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">At least you've got someplace where you can still go back to being the child, ya know? </div><div style="text-align: center;">(-_____-)v</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-39074591069317381312011-07-26T12:35:00.007+08:002011-07-27T17:08:38.908+08:00Worth the effort<div style="text-align: center;"><i></i></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"To quietly fall for someone is to give them the power to harm you. Whether or not the other person actually needs or wants that kind of advantage and responsibility over you, realization of it will dawn on them unfairly, and often too late." </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- When Fallen Angels Fly -</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">The way I see it? Anything that is done out of moderation constitutes a risk, and if there was ever anything out there that absolutely could not be expressed <i>in</i> moderation, it would be <b><span class="Apple-style-span" >love</span></b>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Our heartbreaks, letdowns and disappointments - while very painful to deal with - are necessary risks we take to venture out in life. If we are as sensible as we claim to be, then we must also accept that we are accountable for the things that we do (and feel), and the consequences that befall us. Perhaps the best way to heal is to reach into ourselves and find the source of strength that allowed us to take that first courageous step to begin with.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">It takes two to tango, no matter how the dance ends. But in the larger scheme of things, what really matters is the effort <i>you</i> made to turn it into an amazing performance.. :)</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-92125407065114613532011-07-22T11:58:00.004+08:002011-07-22T16:36:02.727+08:00Be careful what you wish for..<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Three weeks ago, my favorite physician diagnosed me with a mild case of acid reflux.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Surprise, surprise! and here I thought I was going to use that as an <i>excuse</i> to cover up the real reason for my, er.. unusual eating habits and weight loss. Turns out God has a very cynical way of punishing people huh? well, serves me right I guess...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I'm on Gaviscon and prescription medication (Zantac), and my food choices dwindled even more, at least for the time being.. No sour or spicy stuff (most fruits, tomatoes, chillies), no high fat (butter, pasta, sour cream, ice cream, chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes.. you get the idea) and absolutely no caffeine or soda of any kind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JoYhre6MjQRJ_TEHkBStuMDto22JbAJvMVRfPsRWHJwPo9X1QG8EL_meLvI3MBqRBbD1H5T9qDaGr-cnLYs_0JUMXu_Btr85r0XTi8hyphenhyphenv9OJS5-6S9su1xJTZE-yjewAmwtWGmiI51g/s400/Acid+Reflux+Foods+to+Avoid+.jpg" style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 129px; " border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632090229461305938" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've tried pushing boundaries with foods that are restricted to me. I'm the type not to give in to stereotypes, so I want to know for myself what I really can and cannot eat. The result? Well, I now know that caffeine & soda really is NOT good for reflux! I don't drink soda often but my family drinks tea a lot and I will usually bring a tumbler to work. I find that aside from causing major chest pains, tea also tends to prolong reflux symptoms. I've since stopped having them and opted for milk or milk-based beverages instead.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Which causes another unexpected problem... (-__-)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">See, milk is usually good for the stomach, right? old people say it calms it down. But what I <i>didn't</i> know was, milk will cause acid reflux while sleeping, and OMG I cannot tell you how painful this is! (>_<) Imagine suddenly waking up in the middle of the night with acid in your throat, and you instinctively go into a coughing fit to get rid of it. I've been through a few episodes, and only found out what's been causing them <i>this</i> morning.. (=_=)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So now I have to be careful with milk, which is unfortunate because it's the only protein source I can actually stomach right now. And the same goes with anything that includes it. For example, I find that I'm okay with Milo, only if it's the "O" version.. yuck! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the past three weeks, I have gone a couple of days at a time without food, simply because my stomach just wouldn't handle it. The thing that drove me nuts though? my brain keeps telling me I'm hungry, so despite my condition I am always tempted to try to put something down my throat.. which I would upchuck again 5 minutes later, dammit!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Haish, I'm thankful this is still <i>mild</i>.. I shudder to think what chronic reflux feels like! (O_O)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div> </div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-35504085525128173442011-07-12T12:06:00.006+08:002011-07-12T12:25:28.865+08:00Independent.. OMG like, really!?<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A good friend’s back-bending efforts to track her monthly expenditure have left me a little breathless.</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Honestly I admire her diligence in micromanaging her budget. It is exciting for me to see all the figures come together on the ledger she posts every few weeks on her blog. Not to mention, of course, a small degree of envy at the headway she’s making towards her future financial freedom.. It is a subject I spend a lot of time thinking about these days; among other things freedom-related, that is.</div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In our close circle of friends, I feel we have learned most from each other. That said, I have tried (though not nearly as earnestly) to manage my own salary in the hopes of bringing about positive change to my constantly erratic month-to-month spending pattern. I started with what I thought couldn’t go wrong; I relied on the same managing software, and the same simple approach to saving: <i>stop buying things I don’t need, and stop needing things I can’t buy! </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">My enthusiasm however, yielded very different results. And my one true mistake – if I could call it that – lies in the fundamentals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">I came to this realization too late: <i>my life is not my own to work with.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the exception of some money set aside automatically every month in a separate account, I have very little savings to speak of. Looking at my own ledger for the last couple of months, I realized my cash flow went mostly in contribution to household duties: groceries, house phone and internet bills, small funding for brothers still in school, cars, cats.. They are all necessary things, and ones I cannot help but pay for.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hey, all that on a student stipend of RM1200 a month.. I’m lucky I can still afford dinner with friends every few weeks!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">See, independence is a relative thing. To a lot of people, it <i>does</i> mean being in control of our own lives; to finally break free of all holds and limitations previously imposed. By becoming self-sufficient we gain licence to adulthood and the <i>carte blanche</i> that comes with it. We begin crafting the future we’ve always wanted, and for most, it is one that is necessarily <i>outside</i> the direct influence of family and friends.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">But to the select few – and yes, I’d like to think myself special in this way – it is just another way of saying, “hey, I’m financially ready to take over family headaches. What can I start paying for?” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>What does not kill you will only make you stronger..</i><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>BRING IT ON.</b></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-78112087651183588252011-06-13T21:49:00.004+08:002011-06-13T22:33:24.604+08:00patch of memories<div style="text-align: justify;">This used to be just one of the many songs I knew growing up. I was too young to understand it back then, and in any case life was never that complicated to warrant deep self-reflections. But my life has changed drastically since, and I find myself surprised at how much these words have the power to suddenly - and strongly - affect me..</div><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I took my love, I took it down..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Climbed a mountain and I turned around..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Till the landslide brought me down..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Oh mirror in the sky, what is love?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Can the child within my heart rise above?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Can I handle the seasons of my life?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Well I’ve been afraid of changing,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'Cause I’ve built my life around you..</i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>But time makes you bolder,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Children get older,<br /></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I'm getting older too..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>So..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Take this love, take it down..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Climb a mountain and turn around..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills,</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Well the landslide will bring it down..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Well well, the landslide will bring it down..</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>- Landslide</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">By Fleetwood Mac</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><br /></i></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-41985710966307729002011-06-03T11:12:00.007+08:002011-06-04T00:50:36.261+08:00Mata turun ke hati<div style="text-align: justify;">Ada teman meminta saya (<i>saya??</i>) mengulas pengalaman menunaikan ibadah Umrah di Tanah Suci baru-baru ini.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sejujurnya, saya tak mahu menulis tentang Umrah. Saya melihat ibadah serta amalan di Makkah dan Madinah sebagai satu pengalaman sangat unik. Jika saya utarakan di sini, saya takut akan mengundang berbagai persoalan dan mungkin kritikan - secara senyap tentunya - tentang kedudukan iman saya saat ini. Saya tak mahu nanti dari pengalaman yang mengajarkan, kisah saya di Al-Haram menjadi sesuatu yang penuh was-was dan kesal. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saya tak perlu kepada semua itu. Saya mahu istiqamah bersangka baik dengan yang maha Agung. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saya baru sedar, kita ini terlalu banyak stigma tentang Tanah Suci.. Kalau begini pengalamannya, alhamdulillah! Umrah mabrur! Kalau begitu pula.. sah, Umrahnya panggilan Syaitan, na'uzubillah! Yang tentunya, kita bukan Tuhan. Kita bukan pemberi rahmat dan keampunan. Dan dengan sebab itu saja, kita tak layak memberi nilai atas kerjaan ibadah dan amalan kita sendiri, apa lagi atas kepunyaan orang lain.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Muhasabah untuk setiap pengalaman itu, sama ada yang ditafsir baik atau buruk, adalah milik mutlak pelakunya sendiri. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cuma ini saja yang mampu saya sampaikan kepada yang akan pergi: </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1. <i>Iqra'!</i></b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Baca dengan sebanyak mungkin sirah para Anbiya'<i> </i>(terima kasih Nurul atas pesanan yang satu ini ^^) Saya bermula dari sirah Nabi Ibrahim AS kerana menziarahi Jerusalem. Bila kita tahu cerita, kita lebih sensitif dan <i>appreciative</i> dengan persekitaran.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2. <i>Slow down! </i><i>Take the time to realize where you are, what you're there for, and what it all means. </i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i></i>Sungguh saya banyak belajar kalau Makkah bukan tempat untuk tergesa-gesa melakukan sesuatu. Terasa seperti banyak yang perlu dibuat, macam tak sempat-sempat! Lalu kita bergegas ke sana ke mari, mencari itu ini, hingga kita akhirnya kurang menghayati apa sebenarnya yang sedang kita buat.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Susun apa yang nak dilakukan setiap hari, dan buat persediaan awal. And for heaven's sakes,<i style="font-weight: bold; "> </i>rehat dan tidur itu amatlah penting! Ada jemaah yang semangatnya meluap-luap hingga tak mahu langsung meninggalkan masjid, hingga jatuh sakit dan ketiduran dalam saf.. <i>Is this really necessary?</i> Pada pendapat saya, untuk beribadah itu harus ada <i>presence of mind, </i>dan untuk menghadirkan minda, jasad harus peka dan tenang.<i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>3. </b><i><b>Keep it simple.</b> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i></i>Ini saya cadangkan buat yang pertama kali pergi. Kalau dah berkali-kali pergi, tak baca <i>entry</i> ni pun tak apa.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sungguh, kita semua ingin lakukan yang terbaik di Tanah Suci. Kita nak baca du'a yang panjang-panjang, yang mustajab, yang <i>all-encompassing</i>.. Tapi sebagai langkah permulaan, saya saran biasakan diri dengan ayat-ayat lazim. Ini sangat penting, supaya bila kita akhirnya berdiri di hadapan Kaabah buat pertama kali misalnya, kita tak panik nak keluarkan itu ini dari beg sandang, atau terkial-kial mencari kalimah tepat di lembaran buku ringkas. Saya teringat ungkapan Ustaz Misbah yang mengiringi kami:</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><i>Cukup dengan mengucapkan Syahadah ketika melihat Baitullah pertama kalinya, andai terlalu terpegun sehingga lupa segala zikir dan du'a.. Kaabah adalah teras ibadah kita (sebagai qiblat), dan Syahadah pula adalah teras iman kita. Lalu apa yang lebih sesuai bagi seorang hamba selain menyatakan sumpah setia kepada Tuhan ketika datang menghampiri rumahNya?</i></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Ayat-ayat lazim juga sangat membantu ketika Tawaf dan Sa'ie, terutamanya bila suara mutawwif yang sedang membimbing jemaah dalam doa panjang ditenggelami suara para mutawwif lain yang turut semangat membimbing jemaah mereka sendiri.. (-_-)v Dalam situasi begini ramai yang jadi tergesa-gesa dan bertolak-tolak untuk mendengar dan menuruti apa yang dibacakan mutawwif, hingga mengganggu jemaah lain dan perjalanan tawaf. Fokus ibadah jadi teralih daripada Baitullah, dan lenyaplah <i>spiritual connection</i> dengan apa yang sedang dikerjakan. </div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Sayang sekali bila yang dapat dilengkapi hanyalah <i>ritual </i>Umrah itu saja.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><i><b>4. Don't be afraid.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Ada segelintir yang takut nak kemana-mana di Tanah Suci. Bila tak ada kawan tak mahu pergi ke masjid. Kesana kemari harus berteman. Ya, hati manusia siapa tahu, kan? Kita kena selalu berjaga-jaga..</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Namun, bersangka baiklah dengan Allah SWT. InsyaAllah kita terjaga. Bukankah kita tetamuNya? ^^</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Sebenarnya ada banyak lagi yang mahu saya kongsikan, tapi buat masa ini, biarlah itu saja dulu. Saya bukanlah ilmuan agama, jauh sekali. Saya cuma berkongsi tips mengikut pengalaman saya sendiri. Semoga berguna, ya! ^^</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-24821488806838003492011-04-15T08:41:00.010+08:002011-04-29T14:33:41.593+08:00The State of Religiousness<div style="text-align: justify;">In about a week, I'll be heading to the Holy Land for a short pilgrimage. This is something expected of every able Muslim, and though it isn't exactly full-blown <i>Hajj</i>, the thought of performing this religious deed still sets me very much on edge.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Is it normal to be terrified of God's call? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my current life, I will admit <i>Umrah</i> isn't exactly high on my to-do list. I mean, there are mundane, everyday religious tasks I have yet to perfect! Surely those should be given top priority? Umrah requires dedicating all focus and intentions towards submitting to Allah SWT. Point is, how do I do that in Mecca when I can hardly achieve it five times a day, at home<i>.. (-___-)v</i> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We all have <i>faith</i> skeletons hiding in our closets. And as far as closets are concerned, mine is the walk-in kind.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-32842155475373549382011-04-02T22:21:00.007+08:002011-04-02T22:56:19.967+08:00Going Home: Preview<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>I<span class="Apple-style-span" >'m going home. </span></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >To the place where I belong,</span></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>And where your love has always been enough for me.</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>I'm not running from, </b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>No, I think you got me all wrong.</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>I don't regret this life I chose for me.</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>But these faces and these places are getting old..</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><i><b>So, I'm going home.</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AAz7zCjsE39NTtnZ8xPy8UJclcYDwqVAFibQqIt2B47U33GYGYiMtw_ftdmnRrx0hA76nrXTMShI5KsA1tH2YnjOTSWKb6tinQAzNCK4ALjLKElq3D0mNqp4m7Ju47FRgcorz6Gxyz4/s400/IMG_5105.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590992946984107442" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-82058256556608065962011-03-14T16:20:00.023+08:002011-03-14T22:23:35.790+08:00Putrajaya & Bagan Lalang Pics<div style="text-align: center;">To those who have been waiting for pics, I'm sorry for not posting sooner. Needed to tweak them a bit.. Enjoy! ^^</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>PUTRAJAYA</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsfeNonN7XFnydPoZkmh_Cjto-AdHbVB1Hg7mJC7gQIn8rISbbjHA4T_qRXyqF5OhfiDao-_I-lOVLbgyrzqrmyhYpLvaaNw8DtZJywbGNu2taA9XqPJXWinoTcAJe2CvFoXl5H1Fm_E/s1600/cruise1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTsfeNonN7XFnydPoZkmh_Cjto-AdHbVB1Hg7mJC7gQIn8rISbbjHA4T_qRXyqF5OhfiDao-_I-lOVLbgyrzqrmyhYpLvaaNw8DtZJywbGNu2taA9XqPJXWinoTcAJe2CvFoXl5H1Fm_E/s400/cruise1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583879544186793314" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Nak naik Putrajaya Lake Cruise..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcJ6KzH5BzhO4_hJbogebDhPYNdds-_EZv3PYNVmkpWrg3JSg9IG_KnrWx5GQq7dY6yRk3qzBJX79LykS1FikFMa-0KphYyZ3PbA0VIXzLHNXlC6MPtJEhJDLKkm2VWld03YO2t1-7j8/s1600/cruise2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcJ6KzH5BzhO4_hJbogebDhPYNdds-_EZv3PYNVmkpWrg3JSg9IG_KnrWx5GQq7dY6yRk3qzBJX79LykS1FikFMa-0KphYyZ3PbA0VIXzLHNXlC6MPtJEhJDLKkm2VWld03YO2t1-7j8/s400/cruise2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583879310449873794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Time ni gak la bangla-bangla dari mana tah sibuk nak naik cruise sekali. Dah la ambik semua kerusi tepi tingkap, hampeh!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiVeTXhSe_mL_GU8KEbuf7iDbJcY-5ys2q2JSLxGpBqXH3nO1eIvMT2CjWOqonH2gyOUn3NQc8QVg3QER163ReCHWB1NM1-fixfHvznfKTghfSh_QOTdj7jE3K_Oyt6lf0ISM51if4Jk/s1600/cruise3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBiVeTXhSe_mL_GU8KEbuf7iDbJcY-5ys2q2JSLxGpBqXH3nO1eIvMT2CjWOqonH2gyOUn3NQc8QVg3QER163ReCHWB1NM1-fixfHvznfKTghfSh_QOTdj7jE3K_Oyt6lf0ISM51if4Jk/s400/cruise3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583879041470426130" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On the front deck of the boat..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwBCvZRhhs06R6_8Mu3IyxLBcQANoEAVa7YOP1dvzkAVLTkidXdQ4X5eEbcouVf0Mm-EoAoNEE_ujIHQZJz62T0HJM-BHSbrVHbkQ2_EKgIFrX0OCSdnbE6-wxBQSR5O8MzeTapXoZ3c/s1600/cruise4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwBCvZRhhs06R6_8Mu3IyxLBcQANoEAVa7YOP1dvzkAVLTkidXdQ4X5eEbcouVf0Mm-EoAoNEE_ujIHQZJz62T0HJM-BHSbrVHbkQ2_EKgIFrX0OCSdnbE6-wxBQSR5O8MzeTapXoZ3c/s400/cruise4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583879034038204210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ati gelakkan Lim Kok Wing jatuh lam air main waterski..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6TsesH0KnbUH5LtATcO_5arNczX41dGbGa4ZM5tEI8KuUkbuyyjLEE8bASDmNJB1YJY1Olfj1P_ju9_eGO7G-I8OvNDRBdJinFEM3Ak3vM6RCKaOcbCmymecs2gxhVTV0P44XGtd1Vw/s1600/cruise5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY6TsesH0KnbUH5LtATcO_5arNczX41dGbGa4ZM5tEI8KuUkbuyyjLEE8bASDmNJB1YJY1Olfj1P_ju9_eGO7G-I8OvNDRBdJinFEM3Ak3vM6RCKaOcbCmymecs2gxhVTV0P44XGtd1Vw/s400/cruise5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583879030880848690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ann dengan cermin mata hitam 'otomatik' dia. Cermin mata sitot old-fashion punya..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmGXfcUfCVhtXI71dpkv86q7Tvizx5-R0xKrAwfMxjHs2VLh2SL_WSc7vWWBVknJkSsg-tEoPYIg7BUnLWpuRFf7KkFmSgmdCG1HRKT3LBc5_Yi2ejhQJPnuRn7F2LwwTGswbs8k4Da0/s1600/cruise6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmGXfcUfCVhtXI71dpkv86q7Tvizx5-R0xKrAwfMxjHs2VLh2SL_WSc7vWWBVknJkSsg-tEoPYIg7BUnLWpuRFf7KkFmSgmdCG1HRKT3LBc5_Yi2ejhQJPnuRn7F2LwwTGswbs8k4Da0/s400/cruise6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583878516255182466" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Kak Long ni tetiba je hilang. Alih-alih tengok dia sibuk mengurat Kapten Ramli..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPTgIbjJK_KAsuBwxCFV56nt1YBFpVQ3kMqB8n3NYRVr3he_VTU4g9BJGi35onl6XZhkWQz9y3AB_CQ31DV2theIcNnGPIpzSYiu2vuKqw7klllKwkVNfiYUZbI_XQNjUr3nqY1nrvvE/s1600/cruise7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPTgIbjJK_KAsuBwxCFV56nt1YBFpVQ3kMqB8n3NYRVr3he_VTU4g9BJGi35onl6XZhkWQz9y3AB_CQ31DV2theIcNnGPIpzSYiu2vuKqw7klllKwkVNfiYUZbI_XQNjUr3nqY1nrvvE/s400/cruise7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583878510069184082" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Kekura yang sangat comel kat kedai cenderamata. Nak beli, tapi kakak kat counter tu kasi <i>evil eye</i> sebab amik gambar, langsung tak jadi..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZD8_CBIO7S_x4hqsXcL559CL6qEs3_Tb8tTXyBZUNnqswODGEjEAgz4gYKhyYR9PeJ1OmgDd37Y80wKHj7jpTD2JdyeKRrT2jCjkffUcTkvS2ZP_WrO48zSBzvzlH_oAXFtC3JFIbFo/s1600/cruise8.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZD8_CBIO7S_x4hqsXcL559CL6qEs3_Tb8tTXyBZUNnqswODGEjEAgz4gYKhyYR9PeJ1OmgDd37Y80wKHj7jpTD2JdyeKRrT2jCjkffUcTkvS2ZP_WrO48zSBzvzlH_oAXFtC3JFIbFo/s400/cruise8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583878507383677634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">History repeats itself.. 6 years later! Wey, mana eskrim korang?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWisBC8ICcSBcmxdYufPgZdgUMuMnzpJsqcLIwKunsoaaP8PfMB7V-d_SlMCg4Pl_WbMSE0RaxwEGQPHRwigjsC9P58UcKyeNpGlynX9yBa2ZK-BpN84V5LXEY2WTDYP1B12MCRggSHo/s1600/cruise10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 285px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWisBC8ICcSBcmxdYufPgZdgUMuMnzpJsqcLIwKunsoaaP8PfMB7V-d_SlMCg4Pl_WbMSE0RaxwEGQPHRwigjsC9P58UcKyeNpGlynX9yBa2ZK-BpN84V5LXEY2WTDYP1B12MCRggSHo/s400/cruise10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583877754745582562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lunch kat Abdullah Chan. Tak selera nak makan, so tangkap gambar pun jadi la.. Ni nama dia buttered prawns..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5LfLUAxycabIARxARHNb_WSDUB38XdN9_H6D3uw-QEjSiCtSDwonJXL7ZRezVyViMSlOwk46uGuB9VbjXHEM12FYU3pXFJbHFJ21SttPKWWa-jHumFMluWo1OFe3sF38Nq58XnbpQhM/s1600/cruise11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs5LfLUAxycabIARxARHNb_WSDUB38XdN9_H6D3uw-QEjSiCtSDwonJXL7ZRezVyViMSlOwk46uGuB9VbjXHEM12FYU3pXFJbHFJ21SttPKWWa-jHumFMluWo1OFe3sF38Nq58XnbpQhM/s400/cruise11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583877744570588258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Um, <i>something</i> ikan masin? Bukan kailan though..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2aUesUVse_-i_MJB0Wp9Wkq777Dg_S464IVyQfQkmbUQfpkB-FRpRhNDiizjvOsRs5xKEsENl5I_IPCZ9pV5K5cc1QFumZMUJbToXxzKKnyo18pH5k5IMacRgr_s3byoSMsAx-2s_g0/s1600/cruise12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI2aUesUVse_-i_MJB0Wp9Wkq777Dg_S464IVyQfQkmbUQfpkB-FRpRhNDiizjvOsRs5xKEsENl5I_IPCZ9pV5K5cc1QFumZMUJbToXxzKKnyo18pH5k5IMacRgr_s3byoSMsAx-2s_g0/s400/cruise12.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583876181645919074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ayam masak..... ??</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx9ZZWnufh8pUcBGfoB1tYW8BW3iCSsxrmcpAT3S-02Mr9XOxFM2NO0huqdHPVgbYPwJwzqumVfoYTJ9-Ekjq8lBW6Qz2Rw4eXJh2C9PjFavxKqJRSWyvcUUxQmi84Se8T1LQYaIOa_Q/s1600/cruise13.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghx9ZZWnufh8pUcBGfoB1tYW8BW3iCSsxrmcpAT3S-02Mr9XOxFM2NO0huqdHPVgbYPwJwzqumVfoYTJ9-Ekjq8lBW6Qz2Rw4eXJh2C9PjFavxKqJRSWyvcUUxQmi84Se8T1LQYaIOa_Q/s400/cruise13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583876175139611042" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sup tauhu dan bebola ikan! Ingat nama sebab ni je yang boleh makan! ^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ8uWw4bBuDNnalfsMOMvS5njQB3ukrsZdyBcRgxBpmuO4ogKg4MiixzzCar5UUY3g7AfGKtoy4K3w4oQB0IAC7EF9NAnYWyf7iGETRNtI6qnY9YwcS8LlomtK3pgrlgzOrfnaSfOCtg/s1600/cruise14.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQ8uWw4bBuDNnalfsMOMvS5njQB3ukrsZdyBcRgxBpmuO4ogKg4MiixzzCar5UUY3g7AfGKtoy4K3w4oQB0IAC7EF9NAnYWyf7iGETRNtI6qnY9YwcS8LlomtK3pgrlgzOrfnaSfOCtg/s400/cruise14.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583873422437461138" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Daging... masak merah? I'm sorry people, I just can't remember. Sedap tapi!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>BAGAN LALANG</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVlQg0DNTDTnY1siaVzxxmKSOVnYo8EOVlYw764HYc_V64Z_zX9ZTjlVBnnZWio7oyPP2VACYS5NLbs4kryOXXckeO_QzhKyB2VkV0tO5AEKS4R5jbsjsua7Buqo3pIhwKyxs0IPn1PE/s1600/crab.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVlQg0DNTDTnY1siaVzxxmKSOVnYo8EOVlYw764HYc_V64Z_zX9ZTjlVBnnZWio7oyPP2VACYS5NLbs4kryOXXckeO_QzhKyB2VkV0tO5AEKS4R5jbsjsua7Buqo3pIhwKyxs0IPn1PE/s400/crab.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583872988856938370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Bagan Lalang banyak tul ketam. Satu pantai tu penuh dengan tahi bulat-bulat dia.. comel kan? ^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfJf-0Y7FQ4Z8VkxBvhWy6iaukETkoJlFqMzrHVn9k3tFdRFVZMSteu35OqE9MO58hyF_h_KcO4gOc1AfY7lPk2jF-8uRioBSWm7VASu9-7q6VUx2AjdB-MGfAxi_XuLgvwGTngTmAQQ/s1600/crab2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRfJf-0Y7FQ4Z8VkxBvhWy6iaukETkoJlFqMzrHVn9k3tFdRFVZMSteu35OqE9MO58hyF_h_KcO4gOc1AfY7lPk2jF-8uRioBSWm7VASu9-7q6VUx2AjdB-MGfAxi_XuLgvwGTngTmAQQ/s400/crab2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583869375441330818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Sukun goreng.. Yum! tapi last time aku cuba benda ni muntah tak habis.. so tak berani nak usik lagi dah.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4od0zCIS5g9xZlIEtCqIhDBFMiYc6MtWimx_VDe6hboa2J_bEXds3PHq81hTVU6aw2wlwx5qvwDBELPi3YCooOxh5GD_NtS1_lhzPWgDwI-SjWW-7W3Lt_1Yk5XFvN3DPfhu1dTdVac/s1600/crab3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4od0zCIS5g9xZlIEtCqIhDBFMiYc6MtWimx_VDe6hboa2J_bEXds3PHq81hTVU6aw2wlwx5qvwDBELPi3YCooOxh5GD_NtS1_lhzPWgDwI-SjWW-7W3Lt_1Yk5XFvN3DPfhu1dTdVac/s400/crab3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583868238890981906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Cik Mun makan sukun sambil anyam ketupat..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0c9NtyPVM9_QbIcQM1ghLwAFoEan8q6S04qiqbcHs5vedf6rEifmtfeQxa-ARV9hCThpXuNV2_2Asrt95DjAxixUd1sfNWd9w2W-sXz4MhzUqATDyJ6b-CewHyVh52zpa_APRX0xDCg/s1600/crab4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0c9NtyPVM9_QbIcQM1ghLwAFoEan8q6S04qiqbcHs5vedf6rEifmtfeQxa-ARV9hCThpXuNV2_2Asrt95DjAxixUd1sfNWd9w2W-sXz4MhzUqATDyJ6b-CewHyVh52zpa_APRX0xDCg/s400/crab4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583868073235280002" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Dan anyam lagi...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAXSQucI3XMQuBxJgENZGu4nCjG17CVSE6J9NeUIF6njgfwMCdbzih1DRw45MXnpOtEQb8UF-fzMSdsFGo8HfAJufRdMd2iSlb9WA7h15CkGWaXQZKoy1MQ9QEsTihEwCRL9RFhuQjWk/s1600/crab5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvAXSQucI3XMQuBxJgENZGu4nCjG17CVSE6J9NeUIF6njgfwMCdbzih1DRw45MXnpOtEQb8UF-fzMSdsFGo8HfAJufRdMd2iSlb9WA7h15CkGWaXQZKoy1MQ9QEsTihEwCRL9RFhuQjWk/s400/crab5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583867809417898450" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Dan lagi...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMIQ6kHeJiWEG1rNrdPD6dJLl6_4yTOfQkx_f0gOEBeApiSyA8O5rHIvqtKfSGltVn8fW6iOKpoRn3_SATGH-85YhChUhkzb2F0BhV4_4fUJjkM-bjSpQ9BQu0qBcsT4Pm6r2FBP3jTs/s1600/crab6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 262px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMIQ6kHeJiWEG1rNrdPD6dJLl6_4yTOfQkx_f0gOEBeApiSyA8O5rHIvqtKfSGltVn8fW6iOKpoRn3_SATGH-85YhChUhkzb2F0BhV4_4fUJjkM-bjSpQ9BQu0qBcsT4Pm6r2FBP3jTs/s400/crab6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583865427956046706" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The entire time dekat pantai ni, macam takut-takut terkena tsunami. So duduk jauh-jauh sikit dari gigi air..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBiv06gsx9Dw8or4M9ZC6Htr6g4FDxOjLaUn76NIFnSYiQpmtFzhQUHieRgXZOkSWC5hJoJGLf6PG08ih3-tg3E2Viud2hcHaOF55AQh8jKFGoFcKnQUYYb1kTaTd6i5R97xwDDkRGEE/s1600/crab7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBiv06gsx9Dw8or4M9ZC6Htr6g4FDxOjLaUn76NIFnSYiQpmtFzhQUHieRgXZOkSWC5hJoJGLf6PG08ih3-tg3E2Viud2hcHaOF55AQh8jKFGoFcKnQUYYb1kTaTd6i5R97xwDDkRGEE/s400/crab7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583861243574658114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tiga dara: hyper... keletihan... mengantuk...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaleADY7qtkWqIeegyg8aOjP4V5U94ES7rea5iCVHtODuWKDz2nuOmgzHw4kudYY-2N8zW4E6_qrdBwxLQKE102Ip0GrZu7nsKDl_TX2v9Ogn0UEmXZ5R0JVpMHowhglGwEvbi_e6MMs/s1600/crab9.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcaleADY7qtkWqIeegyg8aOjP4V5U94ES7rea5iCVHtODuWKDz2nuOmgzHw4kudYY-2N8zW4E6_qrdBwxLQKE102Ip0GrZu7nsKDl_TX2v9Ogn0UEmXZ5R0JVpMHowhglGwEvbi_e6MMs/s400/crab9.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583858838110003250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Hah, tahi bulat-bulat ketam.. Lagi besar bulatan, lagi besar la ketamnya. Nature really is a work of art!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3dLRIe9XIGYmF4h5Gk-g7fq4pw-2TyE-RcoFnL1CYij2mkt_WGvzAgev1YGpqLO_B3X8xZ70c-OU-l8tPF_yOEuv1NrOppZW3Itpn2B_lHV-mPh9zNzTcTK_BWsJ9lwZjyhyphenhyphen8IVpFms/s1600/crab10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3dLRIe9XIGYmF4h5Gk-g7fq4pw-2TyE-RcoFnL1CYij2mkt_WGvzAgev1YGpqLO_B3X8xZ70c-OU-l8tPF_yOEuv1NrOppZW3Itpn2B_lHV-mPh9zNzTcTK_BWsJ9lwZjyhyphenhyphen8IVpFms/s400/crab10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583857723288357762" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Tengok apa tu?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdV9WdOWPIoV6MKPvxRfY8KN-X-el0L0FudnZp6p83Lu6CIU9RqFjEpcXT6pdaD84cyIgXl9mlGu9to83YTfm_EmEf-K9Ob_HN2L1V3bXOz4ltRjQg5Dt4ptLtXkGX9pTo88w0pzpWuLw/s1600/crab11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdV9WdOWPIoV6MKPvxRfY8KN-X-el0L0FudnZp6p83Lu6CIU9RqFjEpcXT6pdaD84cyIgXl9mlGu9to83YTfm_EmEf-K9Ob_HN2L1V3bXOz4ltRjQg5Dt4ptLtXkGX9pTo88w0pzpWuLw/s400/crab11.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583848852415169906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Senja kat Bagan Lalang, taken just before leaving.. The floating chalets are part of the rather famous Golden Palm Tree Resort.</div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">THE END! ^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-51879030487005072022011-03-11T21:06:00.004+08:002011-03-12T02:16:23.875+08:00Doctors in the House!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjDWO2Jd6DTIrx9Pnqgp53NevvAzxQwxO7ZOFtDCjuI12Js-V5A2cgTfe56Ckl9XVCfLG05i4NaNJ65ufivtBHgFTNTedROCxEHtzBQUZTcur02DUdcwYoP5-s1DmlWzP_l2LNYGWZPE/s1600/doctor.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 138px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjDWO2Jd6DTIrx9Pnqgp53NevvAzxQwxO7ZOFtDCjuI12Js-V5A2cgTfe56Ckl9XVCfLG05i4NaNJ65ufivtBHgFTNTedROCxEHtzBQUZTcur02DUdcwYoP5-s1DmlWzP_l2LNYGWZPE/s200/doctor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582808917034527890" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The relationship I have with my specialist is very similar to the relationship I have with my MSc supervisor: they both expect great things from me, they both want me to do well.. and obviously, I'm the one who has to work very hard at it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yes yes, for my own sake, <i>of course..</i> but the three of us probably couldn't deny that it'll make <i>them</i> look good in the end! ^^</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But there is one major difference.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">See, I tend to grit my teeth and take it like a grown woman when it came to my SV. I quietly listen to whatever complaint she has with my higher education and it's progress, and then I go home and chart my own friggin' plans because, admittedly, I feel like I know what I'm doing. Of course, I probably couldn't ignore all of her concerns (she's not an idiot, and I DO take her advice seriously..) but I feel like I'm allowed to do things my way... somewhat. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With my specialist? I seem to have developed a totally different approach.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I <i>whine. </i><b>Literally</b>.. (-___-)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I know, I know.. you're going to say it's because he's a <i>man</i>. To be more specific, he's a man who knows what's wrong with me and how to fix it, and he's charming and sweet about getting me to do the things I really need to do to get better. I mean, if I was seeing a female specialist, she'd probably give it to me straight, without the sugar-coating ~<i>If you don't change this habit, be prepared to die young!~ </i>or something like that, which unfortunately I have heard before.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Instead, I get the ~<i>Help me help you! We'll set a target for this much weightloss in three months, okay? We can do this!~ </i>from my cute, highly sympathetic male specialist.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And the even funnier thing? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With my SV, I tend to be in agreement up front, but retaliate in private. At the end of the day, I always feel like I want to do things my way, despite the numerous suggestions that have been made before. It's not that I don't respect her wishes. Really, I do. But with her, I seem to desperately need to show that I can handle it. I want her to know that I am capable of solving my own problems.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But with my specialist? I tend to retaliate up front, but end up going with whatever's been suggested.. Yes we argue, but for some odd reason I find disappointing him not an option. I may not like his suggestions, but I take them seriously; at least finding them worth a try.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Aish, the art and power of persuasion.. (-__-)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-50679356977456525272011-01-27T09:43:00.006+08:002011-02-01T00:01:50.042+08:00Crystals... what?<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX_8EBN1k2L1wayJe3zLI7H2kl-1-QAx6eSCWVPTB-vp-RMsaLlhyphenhyphent9nA_3tm789KJNOo_fc4GD6AAMN799XcIPfdAXei3wxUu2UND-wqSOs2styQIg3NedaiplYq5MQohVNFSd9g83I/s1600/IMG_3265.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCX_8EBN1k2L1wayJe3zLI7H2kl-1-QAx6eSCWVPTB-vp-RMsaLlhyphenhyphent9nA_3tm789KJNOo_fc4GD6AAMN799XcIPfdAXei3wxUu2UND-wqSOs2styQIg3NedaiplYq5MQohVNFSd9g83I/s400/IMG_3265.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566675520196393810" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It was 12:30 am and I'd just switched off the TV after an interesting rerun of <i>Mean Girls </i>when..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Piii! tengok Bear ni ha.. something's wrong with him!"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Bear</i>, one of my four precious hand-raised kittens (pictured above) seem to have finally come home after disappearing the entire afternoon. I'd been checking the front and backyard all evening, hoping he'd turn up at some point. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was very worried, because not two weeks ago his little brother Chume was found dead in the bushes at the back of my house, and I wasn't able to identify the cause of death. My cats were the kind that roamed, and the residents of my neighborhood exercised little restraint in the use of pesticides and rodent poisons around their homes. I've lost more than a few of my beloved feline friends to their ignorance. Bear's mum was one of them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I followed my mum out into the backyard to see him standing on the cement, both front paws immersed in the large bowl of water we used to supply drinking water to the cats. He was wet all over; it looked like he'd been trying to empty the bowl of every last bit of liquid it contained by pawing them out. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The scene was weird enough, but I continue to look for other signs. I called out his name, to which he responded with a soft huff. His movement was slow and he seemed in a daze, almost sleepy-like. But when I saw his back legs start to wobble and give way, I knew he was in trouble. </div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">As per usual my mum lost her mind and hyperventilated around the kitchen, blaming idiotic neighbors and their ignorant use of chemicals. I had to tune her out as I scooped Bear up in a dry towel and quickly arrange a cat carrier to house him for the night. After he'd settle down, I rushed up to my room, turned on my laptop and googled the nearest 24-hour vet clinic. Thank God, there was one near Jalan Pekeliling, downtown KL.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trip was surprisingly calm. I made it to the vet in under 15 minutes, and I had Bear registered and on the examination table in less than 5. He was plenty scared, coming close to me and mewing every few seconds. After the initial check-up, I found out he wasn't poisoned. Nor was he having a viral infection, which was the next common thing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He's got crystals in his urethra, which makes it hard to pass urine. See the spasms in his back legs? toxins are being recirculated in his body and it's affecting his muscles and balance."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, <i>that's</i> a first.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Apparently cats can develop something like kidney stones from eating processed catfood such as Friskies and Smarthearts. Although high-end brands such as Science Diet may reduce the risk, some cats still develop them due to the high content of sodium and oils in these foods. If not treated, it will cause damage to the kidneys, and in most cases lead to death. According to the doctor, we were the third case that night. One of the cats that were brought in didn't make it. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A five-day treatment was prescribed. Have you ever 'warded' a pet before? It's not cheap, I can tell you that.. I ended up splitting the bill with my mum. The deposit alone was RM600, and because Bear was <i>my baby, </i>it's only fair that I share the cost. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It's a price I'd pay to make sure he's alright though. I've spent money on him since he lost his mum at two weeks old. The baby wipes, the feeding bottles, and 1 kg of Dutch Lady's Honey powdered milk every two weeks.. Not to mention the time and care I'd given. After all that, I definitely wasn't going to lose him to some effing crystals!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To the producers of Friskies, Whiskas, Smarthearts or what have you... please, please, pleeaase do some actual R&D work on your products. We spend loads buying them - they aren't exactly cheap! - only to spend loads more rehabilitating our pets because of them. How is this fair?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, starting next week I'm buying fresh fish for my kitties. Believe it or not, it's actually cheaper than buying catfood. What's surprising though, is that the doctor doesn't recommend fresh food, because it doesn't have "complete nutrition".. O_o </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Can you spell <i>r-u-b-b-i-s-h</i>?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Seriously, if I can eat rice and fish and still <i>live, </i>I doubt my babies will have much of a problem! :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpgfWICyZ59OeUhjm3P5c47PA59Q_fAsGJ23R0tGRPFG-i_yCOJFACxNCzPQZiMW9JAhA9rlkdRqQ1ith72Z2LUjNBtlw9xsamUih3AT64nloUMRSULhiu78GL2o_F16uWS4UiOrZYY6w/s400/IMG_3272.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chumie-yah, omma ga chungmal pogo shippuh suh.. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i></i>Chume, mummy miss you so very much.. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-66015657484631360172011-01-26T11:08:00.000+08:002011-01-26T11:09:12.298+08:00M.I.A<div style="text-align: justify;">Why does this always happen when I leave the office to get some labwork done?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Boss</b> : Hey.. so I'll see you tomorrow at 3pm?</div><br /><div> </div><div><b>Author </b>: Hm? what's at 3pm?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Boss</b> : ....... haven't you been checking your email?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Author</b> : I have! but I haven't seen anything from our unit lately..</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Boss</b> : We're leaving for Pasoh tomorrow. There's a dinner tomorrow night and a meeting the next morning.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Author</b> : What!? but I've lined-up all my labwork up till the end of the week. How..?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Boss</b> : *sigh* you <i>really </i>need to get out of your cave and come back to reality sometime.. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just so you know, it wasn't entirely my fault. My email address was left out of circulation when the announcement was given out. I'm still kind of bummed out to be missing the family dinner tomorrow. The past few months I finally felt like I was connecting with my colleagues at the office. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just my luck. I am the ecologist slash molecular biologist slash MSc student, and it seems that whenever I retreated to labwork, other realities fall apart, without me wanting it to. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I feel like such a coelacanth.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-11549549962135562232011-01-11T22:34:00.004+08:002011-01-19T17:01:42.285+08:00Happiness and Meaning<div style="text-align: justify;"><i></i><blockquote><i>The ways of happiness and meaning are not the same. To find happiness, a man need only live in the moment; he need only live </i>for<i> the moment. But if he wants meaning - the meaning of his dreams, his secrets, his life - a man must reinhabit his past, however dark, and live for the future, however uncertain. Thus nature dangles happiness and meaning before us all, insisting only that we choose between them.</i></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;">Jed Rubenfeld </div><div style="text-align: right;"><i>The Interpretation of Murder</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">What does it mean to give meaning to life? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I thought it was all about taking responsibility, about making it count, about taking the less traveled and necessarily harder path of existence. Experiences from these certainly make for interesting tales and reminiscence. And that, in its essence, is the <i>true</i> meaning of life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Or is it?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the larger scheme of things, I'm beginning to wonder if it would it be so wrong to have it simple and easy..</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-4991095380921517072011-01-04T15:04:00.016+08:002011-01-04T23:16:50.244+08:00France: Montpellier<div style="text-align: justify;">Montpellier was our actual destination in France. My mum had a five-day discussion and conference with a French counterpart she was working with. This place had a really nice small town feel. There weren't really big skyscrapers or busy traffic or people rushing all over the place.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just sunny weather, and really warm and polite people.. Unlike Paris, I absolutely loved this town! ^^</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH6czEllv4OtJIn45uwKSRMBmohLEk6iehsUj_3_59U0yeHSLSjF21vmxtM1c7RKDDm1SXEvuf3vkHCt-UAbOqp_A-k9FY4jboJ0A6DAEU4l8E7M7K-SH1t1KP7qfP2axplRizrnGy7M/s1600/IMG_2639.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWH6czEllv4OtJIn45uwKSRMBmohLEk6iehsUj_3_59U0yeHSLSjF21vmxtM1c7RKDDm1SXEvuf3vkHCt-UAbOqp_A-k9FY4jboJ0A6DAEU4l8E7M7K-SH1t1KP7qfP2axplRizrnGy7M/s400/IMG_2639.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558251011816173554" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kyriad Hotel has a chain all over France. I'd hoped to be staying at the same chain in Paris. Their services are to die for.. ^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWvicmwQKPjZRcfptO9RszqK2zzOlSrJyGhzjZAVJcFxR-Z-pOadJrg3mHbw4j_NPmDyXJIf99MEVtaxMFB_MJ3cjYka2W0OJ-qFGn_1eAjC_edkGGeOvN2HBGh3C2_zufh80x8o7PA0/s1600/IMG_2637.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDWvicmwQKPjZRcfptO9RszqK2zzOlSrJyGhzjZAVJcFxR-Z-pOadJrg3mHbw4j_NPmDyXJIf99MEVtaxMFB_MJ3cjYka2W0OJ-qFGn_1eAjC_edkGGeOvN2HBGh3C2_zufh80x8o7PA0/s400/IMG_2637.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558250998016523570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Breakfast at the Kyriad.. and this is just one third of the dishes served! But, on the downside, I only got to have hotel breakfast twice the entire time I was at Montpellier. You see, while our rooms were paid for two people, breakfast is only provided for one person.. so my mum and I gilir2. An extra person for breakfast would cost EU10 per day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr0wydKqBUmO-zdpBTLGQJ4VuGdjtwFXaMk1e5if67_tTOs6NXJc5pOJYaA4QlrXQokdHUz3xRcFCw-6HbrvKwCp_C-h5XTA131nCtpDPG51zjmAxq2YSR6oflqpixrdcGZTwKxRKdA9U/s400/IMG_2668.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Something worth mentioning: Since our room didn't come equipped with a fridge, I kept my butter from melting by placing it on our windowsill during the day.. it was <i>that</i> cold! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKqO4JId1khjHRJDMTadDMujt-RrEv99QOs8Z8jmmJzM3keR9igI3TigIw_w3T9oGtEJAiiy78YHXbgOm0dzi5PMVhyMoCWL_JNTvo0sJmQK72EXm_8_SQhLVpbRQjw9vXtB_-5I_22M/s1600/IMG_2646.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKqO4JId1khjHRJDMTadDMujt-RrEv99QOs8Z8jmmJzM3keR9igI3TigIw_w3T9oGtEJAiiy78YHXbgOm0dzi5PMVhyMoCWL_JNTvo0sJmQK72EXm_8_SQhLVpbRQjw9vXtB_-5I_22M/s400/IMG_2646.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558250603995659506" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I went on my first excursion through the town on my own. One thing about France, you'll often see these chalkboards placed outside shops, restaurants and cafes, listing their offerings. And what does this particular cafe serve? various tartines (toasted breads with toppings), assiettes (platters) and of course, wine..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1xwzY5AX1_IooK5bvJjEqceW00r2aTm_oI0K-zClxl1O6Frjz9byhcTJqNshvzhy4goRXa5PnWDeM-fecfos3aJ1Vt7WOGT_SS92yNFcQej3u5vNzV2VGlP9cj4F2g4lwPYhUbvFbnc/s1600/IMG_2645.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1xwzY5AX1_IooK5bvJjEqceW00r2aTm_oI0K-zClxl1O6Frjz9byhcTJqNshvzhy4goRXa5PnWDeM-fecfos3aJ1Vt7WOGT_SS92yNFcQej3u5vNzV2VGlP9cj4F2g4lwPYhUbvFbnc/s400/IMG_2645.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558249877721405954" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know why, but I've noticed that temperate countries tend to have bluer skies... I loved the color, and the leaves are of one of my favorite trees: Maple! Haih, I haven't had maple anything in so long... (-_-)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFKIbsSMGHEczYeNTwfiQh3AHCZfwqtzq_Z_Dhhx2tXDGzya1T1TLy-4Ae9lRB117VU4g_DhQcg-Ngd4CGs-A42kqUYv46aBNJ73h5H2LURRP0syDJfGZgTvZd5j9eHDZDUB4UOKulws/s1600/IMG_2647.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFKIbsSMGHEczYeNTwfiQh3AHCZfwqtzq_Z_Dhhx2tXDGzya1T1TLy-4Ae9lRB117VU4g_DhQcg-Ngd4CGs-A42kqUYv46aBNJ73h5H2LURRP0syDJfGZgTvZd5j9eHDZDUB4UOKulws/s400/IMG_2647.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558249874918000434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Walnuts! I was so excited when I saw this that I actually ended up buying some to bring back home. Of course, my dad wasn't too ecstatic about them since the darn things were so hard to crack..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMhTE6jaF25Il-skt4gLrtsVL2BbFovlWgv1MU4J2dkSfvaEcv7Ze3ApHzOxD_nXb9weUBUdNkDMfncTv5ez2QV65yy71__3UXssG8VMSmx-aKd1-6GRT1s0kdsf-ci4Xwrw6r3ZQE6A/s1600/IMG_2687.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMhTE6jaF25Il-skt4gLrtsVL2BbFovlWgv1MU4J2dkSfvaEcv7Ze3ApHzOxD_nXb9weUBUdNkDMfncTv5ez2QV65yy71__3UXssG8VMSmx-aKd1-6GRT1s0kdsf-ci4Xwrw6r3ZQE6A/s400/IMG_2687.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558249517367335762" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My one and only dinner out the entire time I was in Montpellier! My mum's colleague took us to a halal Morroccan restaurant in downtown Montpellier. This is a traditional vegetable stew that you eat with...</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9tGV_527W3WPpocqXU1N7OFqamNZZsPiF5tKtd-zCS0IqPh03BAjvJOkV1gKNQcj98P6f_AAufwiEyjkvMZxS6pshvwCC-KyZgsQgR_AL_20xZIZSNs_POFjymMUfWDm-hjIGYkEyW8/s1600/IMG_2688.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh9tGV_527W3WPpocqXU1N7OFqamNZZsPiF5tKtd-zCS0IqPh03BAjvJOkV1gKNQcj98P6f_AAufwiEyjkvMZxS6pshvwCC-KyZgsQgR_AL_20xZIZSNs_POFjymMUfWDm-hjIGYkEyW8/s400/IMG_2688.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558249485140668050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Couscous (this used to be something I ate often when I was in the US)..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEdTiuiS3iykNYc2HafxAobBertI_22zt_IRB4e7bYNgQAXgpRPDLyRnQ9wuusptlqYOzrOfYN813_6noodNJCqGVVnVwfqMrvlCtqhN6lDcB2-UcsBk_3npZodNyT4yGdDwiNi2oEfo/s1600/IMG_2690.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEdTiuiS3iykNYc2HafxAobBertI_22zt_IRB4e7bYNgQAXgpRPDLyRnQ9wuusptlqYOzrOfYN813_6noodNJCqGVVnVwfqMrvlCtqhN6lDcB2-UcsBk_3npZodNyT4yGdDwiNi2oEfo/s400/IMG_2690.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558248945300263170" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">And berbecued beef and lamb..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-sSrx6qH8iELIjgA2fUNMQ5rglHkG15AiBetgPZDFwawL_5Nb_MRbpZHKseaZTYM6BsrNCrFtQ4yASkLpyn-IGqxgB3PzTwNUvffInIOW_5SV-xUPYzBN0X_XHYRuK74Fg8gG0bPygQ/s1600/IMG_2692.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-sSrx6qH8iELIjgA2fUNMQ5rglHkG15AiBetgPZDFwawL_5Nb_MRbpZHKseaZTYM6BsrNCrFtQ4yASkLpyn-IGqxgB3PzTwNUvffInIOW_5SV-xUPYzBN0X_XHYRuK74Fg8gG0bPygQ/s400/IMG_2692.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558248934218324258" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Middle eastern desserts! I had the one in the middle. It's made with fine semolina and dates, and then drizzled in sugar syrup... Highly diabetic, but yum!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjfRNC7ZXVrq_S3Xu8eN5xHKfxPQfKBObh7gGXrx8jeTiAPY9i4LKCNJlE1DUA5RxXFHgyDHsDl2wgW7w3W9n71CPzOrQOlXGLf1c3bqxS5fB43LzY0JneqJc1yKZ9_Btj3HET0Zc_eg/s1600/IMG_2750.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjfRNC7ZXVrq_S3Xu8eN5xHKfxPQfKBObh7gGXrx8jeTiAPY9i4LKCNJlE1DUA5RxXFHgyDHsDl2wgW7w3W9n71CPzOrQOlXGLf1c3bqxS5fB43LzY0JneqJc1yKZ9_Btj3HET0Zc_eg/s400/IMG_2750.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558248312808074978" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">On other days, this is what I usually had for breakfast, lunch and dinner.. baguettes with butter and jam. Of course, there were also the obligatory sambal ikan bilis, serunding and instant noodles, but those didn't look too pretty or interesting on camera.. ;p</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTUZ-SiaMRla04Z42IwZ9vrGrgvQbmNAYyAx9QHgPwYTcEKGJf-yu3mbEZ5Lj7vfW9mzwga34Os_DMw1Pl5VGMNryKdIbpUrtprSJ7tG8DvEzevNHH0G-rUg0vJDLLkEGlJEjKBRz_Xs/s1600/IMG_2768.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTUZ-SiaMRla04Z42IwZ9vrGrgvQbmNAYyAx9QHgPwYTcEKGJf-yu3mbEZ5Lj7vfW9mzwga34Os_DMw1Pl5VGMNryKdIbpUrtprSJ7tG8DvEzevNHH0G-rUg0vJDLLkEGlJEjKBRz_Xs/s400/IMG_2768.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558248310398522994" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Despite being a small town, Montpellier has very good public transport. This is an above-ground train called the <i>tram,</i> and it functions just like our Komuter. The only difference? our Komuter is less user-friendly.. (-_-)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQEVQrwiR70emJaZIz9sOR5OrUwCb9DFtNoZxIwtDibE4OIoCj9gQ3aKnQusjdmCXfGCt_MpdCK-reb7UlEXRB0U1AeJh_VSU11PA3C3uzmQil98XLGvqhNjH0zM7nUEosXmRwX5dLsU/s1600/IMG_2777.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVQEVQrwiR70emJaZIz9sOR5OrUwCb9DFtNoZxIwtDibE4OIoCj9gQ3aKnQusjdmCXfGCt_MpdCK-reb7UlEXRB0U1AeJh_VSU11PA3C3uzmQil98XLGvqhNjH0zM7nUEosXmRwX5dLsU/s400/IMG_2777.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558247576111039634" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">There are fountains all over the place, especially in courtyards and public squares. I took this one because I love the pigeons that bathe there. They would circle the fountain rim for a while and then slowly dip a foot in... these two were following each other for fifteen minutes.. cute!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9q72lM-olA1HG5U-MSGESG8HKZuH6vLEKDPbNLpGV2UZO70AEjsEPFfhw2po9t0m5QcmBT0iY6anuJ5gffE3vKFj7Scs9IXLya9cXe-BW5ESVXyAOo_2Le5F6UHV4A0Ju7jZwFpt7xk/s1600/IMG_2785.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9q72lM-olA1HG5U-MSGESG8HKZuH6vLEKDPbNLpGV2UZO70AEjsEPFfhw2po9t0m5QcmBT0iY6anuJ5gffE3vKFj7Scs9IXLya9cXe-BW5ESVXyAOo_2Le5F6UHV4A0Ju7jZwFpt7xk/s400/IMG_2785.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558247569870767298" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">An apartment complex in the Antigone district. I want a house like this one! ^^</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqysylIHpYzTaqctzesqoG0yQNtsnUPxNqZftvTfc9Vn0NPS0dd676150OWeFwCoV42lozazSmkNLaishDI_9jt2nvvQ12XHVaDEf1RqembpV6GZcyebudrSkSv1f2YJylFryLYGZsScM/s1600/IMG_2794.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqysylIHpYzTaqctzesqoG0yQNtsnUPxNqZftvTfc9Vn0NPS0dd676150OWeFwCoV42lozazSmkNLaishDI_9jt2nvvQ12XHVaDEf1RqembpV6GZcyebudrSkSv1f2YJylFryLYGZsScM/s400/IMG_2794.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558247057238602114" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is called Place de la Comedie (Comedic Place). Some parts of this place is very old.. Somewhere around 1200s..?</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0BBhF0xkude9bmeRGd0Ah2VuwWztLsvaoLrhRmDRXn8DOSF2Szft2Ep45gvns6ticLxWoTbEOuPuwBlcs5sAy1vApprwt1RumHJ0iNbXb77TgU1tWY1sBpSMQqKd6kwVrGSB-6iBwzQ/s1600/IMG_2807.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0BBhF0xkude9bmeRGd0Ah2VuwWztLsvaoLrhRmDRXn8DOSF2Szft2Ep45gvns6ticLxWoTbEOuPuwBlcs5sAy1vApprwt1RumHJ0iNbXb77TgU1tWY1sBpSMQqKd6kwVrGSB-6iBwzQ/s400/IMG_2807.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558230892093928930" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is probably the building this place was named after: the Comedic Opera. I guess this is the entertainment center back then...</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hLuIQxm1avpPoWCp5GT1ojYrCBP5gD-csYvivF0a3wG3kM8ZD_66S8mykDXl1J5e-_SGKtOhQBkrwStuYJemWrQ8ASWTThxYRnHU6BKWYl8sG7_ihdT8lDLXIR7UtMqmxUmUfWnm2MQ/s1600/IMG_2860.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3hLuIQxm1avpPoWCp5GT1ojYrCBP5gD-csYvivF0a3wG3kM8ZD_66S8mykDXl1J5e-_SGKtOhQBkrwStuYJemWrQ8ASWTThxYRnHU6BKWYl8sG7_ihdT8lDLXIR7UtMqmxUmUfWnm2MQ/s400/IMG_2860.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558230884183043282" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A roman aqueduct. What is that? it's an ancient waterway system that uses gravity to provide water to the residents of a town. These can be found all over France, as well as Europe and India. This system is no longer in use obviously, but many of the structures still stand..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq-QIqCyJc8u3eHVriX7S-P88nlSvIVm8fpfwRrBd0hnZL4mXz_9Uarc9ejsmQ2zB-ulBbCBJabaPZJIm9mZb7RlmCArQgA-xVmlRwxwlcsnweBzSCyaiUDlpdLsi0KMKv6bljx1qHgc/s1600/IMG_2846.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlq-QIqCyJc8u3eHVriX7S-P88nlSvIVm8fpfwRrBd0hnZL4mXz_9Uarc9ejsmQ2zB-ulBbCBJabaPZJIm9mZb7RlmCArQgA-xVmlRwxwlcsnweBzSCyaiUDlpdLsi0KMKv6bljx1qHgc/s400/IMG_2846.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558227143812891058" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I forgot who this is, but he might have been the founder of Montpellier. I just love the horse sculpture.. so detailed to the point of including veins! (I can't even <i>draw</i> a horse..)</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ge2LKF8oD79A-RUW9JuNDkv4RQPo9d9ZtqvwkmgzQBLk5iL-kMCMsbK873DrRTiE3kDc_G8jgffGWN5oD77EKoW-V2YIn99IvyL0ESSevRhQa_4afUDWIA5MzxDX1yY0EPkUs90PC7s/s1600/IMG_2849.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Ge2LKF8oD79A-RUW9JuNDkv4RQPo9d9ZtqvwkmgzQBLk5iL-kMCMsbK873DrRTiE3kDc_G8jgffGWN5oD77EKoW-V2YIn99IvyL0ESSevRhQa_4afUDWIA5MzxDX1yY0EPkUs90PC7s/s400/IMG_2849.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558227137519447874" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Chateau D'eau... aka the Water Palace. Remember that aqueduct I showed you? well, this is the reservoir. And because aqueducts uses gravity to channel water, Chateau D'eau is made to stand on a hill overlooking Montpellier..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZm2c6XgZ7bGahKUOx16ODah52V5AieXgLdBL0LUcHRD6cCSpqzA3YVxSWOx6XFYaajo7d8LYygedATmZEXGDysBINT-B0581PF034VZEZCmNMQUUsw7Ge9pPcyVeXQKPuvjEhZVTOYs/s1600/IMG_2869.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 398px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZm2c6XgZ7bGahKUOx16ODah52V5AieXgLdBL0LUcHRD6cCSpqzA3YVxSWOx6XFYaajo7d8LYygedATmZEXGDysBINT-B0581PF034VZEZCmNMQUUsw7Ge9pPcyVeXQKPuvjEhZVTOYs/s400/IMG_2869.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558225169920205810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Porte du Peyrou (the entrance to Peyrou). I guess romans really love arches. You can find these everywhere in France. Historically, this is the entrance to the city, and to the Place de la Comedie..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tiN9PZHEVDfPQSShdBZs7I4dCWu7kQTiQCFnjwhyMqAQMRP_IxIF9Pi5Jbp3TXuBMtZDCvhPz_J9-ttAtEEJu5ECHiBOp5hBEH8phI3RRXFjrBnSEC8an9XYdPrvFrIhqJ6M5MPg6_Y/s1600/IMG_2880.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0tiN9PZHEVDfPQSShdBZs7I4dCWu7kQTiQCFnjwhyMqAQMRP_IxIF9Pi5Jbp3TXuBMtZDCvhPz_J9-ttAtEEJu5ECHiBOp5hBEH8phI3RRXFjrBnSEC8an9XYdPrvFrIhqJ6M5MPg6_Y/s400/IMG_2880.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558225160762045394" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Saint Anna's Church. I wasn't very sure if I could go in, so I didn't risk standing in front of the entrance. I love the rose windows that are featured here. Although present in many churches throughout Europe, stained glass and rose windows are French in origin. These windows are usually placed on the west side of the building..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sJ4U5lDY3yR3QF0tMkEAeqlNCAWM4RrHnI0aGc6gkcQRTSUh_kxarX2pcG2gfxxRAx3b9d11EEsssP0XKURlrAAS6wRw5rfw5ay7r6YNLzM2inyBJS6fill3_6TzreU6HkDZkzXS4dA/s1600/IMG_2819.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9sJ4U5lDY3yR3QF0tMkEAeqlNCAWM4RrHnI0aGc6gkcQRTSUh_kxarX2pcG2gfxxRAx3b9d11EEsssP0XKURlrAAS6wRw5rfw5ay7r6YNLzM2inyBJS6fill3_6TzreU6HkDZkzXS4dA/s400/IMG_2819.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558224175666485810" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ah, I love flowers! they seem to be blooming all over Montpellier, even in the cold! Many of the houses and apartments sport some sort of greenery on their balconies and porches, so I've taken the liberty to capture some..</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFlgN_Om2budowGVeYCwH7UlQTcs7mQszpo8NgVH_xYAKm2pbK6VeRBYs1wIuRUmXayg7MpTogccpYKFj4x2B8sH0RGz5S5nln0Y_4EnFIkZCxoRHImXiVfyv_SfhmFcv61-0SXvf4JA/s1600/IMG_2824.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFlgN_Om2budowGVeYCwH7UlQTcs7mQszpo8NgVH_xYAKm2pbK6VeRBYs1wIuRUmXayg7MpTogccpYKFj4x2B8sH0RGz5S5nln0Y_4EnFIkZCxoRHImXiVfyv_SfhmFcv61-0SXvf4JA/s400/IMG_2824.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558224173688953826" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Helianthus! Amazing colors, but I wonder where the seeds are...</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHDCBr0sKVoBI8N9rQS7nL9dgnWEINJk-rEwhOSzItL_fYHB0adgye8n_wMaoFM4uzeFxC6bwCTnXNvN8aIYkiKd867rOlBPnXhsSewpC2km_eBc4DbuLcWqLFNXuqPbiPtL-c7Mphws/s1600/IMG_2882.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHDCBr0sKVoBI8N9rQS7nL9dgnWEINJk-rEwhOSzItL_fYHB0adgye8n_wMaoFM4uzeFxC6bwCTnXNvN8aIYkiKd867rOlBPnXhsSewpC2km_eBc4DbuLcWqLFNXuqPbiPtL-c7Mphws/s400/IMG_2882.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558224168635570050" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know what these are, but they were planted side by side, and they make beautiful contrast against one another..</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And that's all from Montpellier. I didn't get to go to many of the places, like the Aquarium or the Zoo, or the Mediterranean beach for that matter.. I was alone, and I didn't think straying too far from the hotel on my own was such a good idea, so I had to make do with the nearest attractions. I'd like to come back here, more than I would to Paris, actually. I heard that from Malaysia you can take an Air Asia flight to London, and then a local flight straight to Montpellier! :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">AND, you can extend your visit to Italy or Spain, the countries that border France! ^^</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-6292982088918034642010-12-22T00:32:00.023+08:002010-12-31T14:33:30.055+08:00France: Paris<div style="text-align: justify;">I know this is late, but November and December has been hell! my workload increased 300%, and in the middle of that I had to go through some really big changes.. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm in no mood to write about France, so i hope pictures will do, ne? ^^ By the way, these are pictures of the city of Paris. They are more or less in chronological order..</div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAaG465a6jKK3z_sNEt3x8kOK_3PHXfEfwuTzVgZFOuwTAgUw1wti71EbunqF3T-nYNYFwCVc9wOLFw3v5yhQhVhpaZ6hTe1eFxGrGHL6CIoA1ykaRcZ_bepGuo4S1yodx_WB2kof9_8/s1600/IMG_2928.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAaG465a6jKK3z_sNEt3x8kOK_3PHXfEfwuTzVgZFOuwTAgUw1wti71EbunqF3T-nYNYFwCVc9wOLFw3v5yhQhVhpaZ6hTe1eFxGrGHL6CIoA1ykaRcZ_bepGuo4S1yodx_WB2kof9_8/s400/IMG_2928.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556344894446570530" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Street vendors selling towers of all sizes! and they're real iron! Most of them wouldn't let me take a picture, but I got lucky..</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2O0iWvBeyBspUxjMlkmOpgV98rFnw0GQ43wInqHkkM2GfzjMZ4NtPS3MJ8KFHQQTeDYDXdxyyVWUXrgV_kvKbpJK1HURq_n0s_ToL51k18uy-985hAGdEqa1urkGCp9YeRw7UkiRiHE/s1600/IMG_2937.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2O0iWvBeyBspUxjMlkmOpgV98rFnw0GQ43wInqHkkM2GfzjMZ4NtPS3MJ8KFHQQTeDYDXdxyyVWUXrgV_kvKbpJK1HURq_n0s_ToL51k18uy-985hAGdEqa1urkGCp9YeRw7UkiRiHE/s400/IMG_2937.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556344888933425122" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Paris is famous for the arts.. I just love the way the sketch captured the boy's eyes...</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Aj8ZKURHxY44w9lZmgnbTduMxQwx1XwJsuWKGVPTQ_1Mkk2lqHqtKePxA8kfMHGM0y7mZTlfrzaVmbkqTys9wqbIP-aIqR5yA2mp2o1kAYqBjnflViSYUrooQpVP-teTBeGPx7zyxFc/s1600/IMG_2940.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Aj8ZKURHxY44w9lZmgnbTduMxQwx1XwJsuWKGVPTQ_1Mkk2lqHqtKePxA8kfMHGM0y7mZTlfrzaVmbkqTys9wqbIP-aIqR5yA2mp2o1kAYqBjnflViSYUrooQpVP-teTBeGPx7zyxFc/s400/IMG_2940.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556338900129146946" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Aww.. there's never a cuter couple than a daddy and his precious little girl~</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXFlIjA4UBKrPb84zd9LQAJioK4LZGm3JYaOKNb0vOPnAEN94hb5RCizarHDkZSro3C7guafDPOb7xML-WXFm4sdXYzLLVsIj00nl4116OeJ36RW2vifYj0BS062SMOZ0Acf0w30AUs4/s1600/IMG_2945.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXFlIjA4UBKrPb84zd9LQAJioK4LZGm3JYaOKNb0vOPnAEN94hb5RCizarHDkZSro3C7guafDPOb7xML-WXFm4sdXYzLLVsIj00nl4116OeJ36RW2vifYj0BS062SMOZ0Acf0w30AUs4/s400/IMG_2945.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556338896322521074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A boat cruise on the Seine River, which coursed through much of the historical sites in Paris. There are many cruises to chose from, but this one leaves from the Eiffel Tower, which is close to my hotel.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6r2VJz59DR-NXD5UgDCDsIuVEG5MD0By1UR1fJRDj-MjuBAIA_2BDawgKuLu6hEu72FfcCUIlmVAOXIC1cnUL-OrlXQFDckNp9dgdUfbdQDUiKfMNvJyOcusvJ9BNHFtWR5aKpNWCelg/s1600/IMG_3009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6r2VJz59DR-NXD5UgDCDsIuVEG5MD0By1UR1fJRDj-MjuBAIA_2BDawgKuLu6hEu72FfcCUIlmVAOXIC1cnUL-OrlXQFDckNp9dgdUfbdQDUiKfMNvJyOcusvJ9BNHFtWR5aKpNWCelg/s400/IMG_3009.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556336821192982610" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Life on a boat! I've always wanted to try that... remember Pergau? ^^</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAo5s6o8NN9iWg5KoxFGrF9MWO8bBlwfQgpFvnYqJnjtj52UUI8QbrAVximXqpbq0i_LxULhS_CVF-s6lboj1VYbgRhq3sIyY6NanZgxGkWA26mtjnfuWeXdyJpCj9dLTK_oGBW2SZ4o/s1600/IMG_3019.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaAo5s6o8NN9iWg5KoxFGrF9MWO8bBlwfQgpFvnYqJnjtj52UUI8QbrAVximXqpbq0i_LxULhS_CVF-s6lboj1VYbgRhq3sIyY6NanZgxGkWA26mtjnfuWeXdyJpCj9dLTK_oGBW2SZ4o/s400/IMG_3019.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556336811340897250" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Autumn riverbank from the cruise.. I love fall colors!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJowME0bKU8Ck5c7LKj_CMRxUEOIp2LGvfpwHhUCTs7-50Lodp5Um5Pj1CrZGbgbyz4u2TrA2hNbzXc7rBfPEb_MFdi5tKrRuN0l3Biy2CUVCkFR5CD-0b4-7xcDRsjAm3zwOi9B3Aoo/s1600/IMG_3089.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJowME0bKU8Ck5c7LKj_CMRxUEOIp2LGvfpwHhUCTs7-50Lodp5Um5Pj1CrZGbgbyz4u2TrA2hNbzXc7rBfPEb_MFdi5tKrRuN0l3Biy2CUVCkFR5CD-0b4-7xcDRsjAm3zwOi9B3Aoo/s400/IMG_3089.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556323723694253570" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Eiffel Tower from the cruise dock..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YoKsw2oJpKmQFolpo8vcDnvE3-NmFULYwZTRtcPeL-q5rpBHzaSAc8mqFh1WlTFEYyghFviczL-hcYTH8bm6BBBDAYUjWAWuhtMnk6_t2D4vUoEQbQBIwLXbkAWzMgVhYJqLPMeRS1A/s1600/IMG_3107.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8YoKsw2oJpKmQFolpo8vcDnvE3-NmFULYwZTRtcPeL-q5rpBHzaSAc8mqFh1WlTFEYyghFviczL-hcYTH8bm6BBBDAYUjWAWuhtMnk6_t2D4vUoEQbQBIwLXbkAWzMgVhYJqLPMeRS1A/s400/IMG_3107.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556323707483069330" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I didn't actually get to go up onto the tower.. :( Way too many people waiting in line, and I couldn't leave my sick mum alone. So amik gambar je la..</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QtnukpYFf786WNf8FwJEVlK9chZxovxU-vXiDEzizMUgmlSGcf0GMZUlU2sqM_1sVMtNjQKcreAzY5_Q2Ml4v2_Wlx6Qytx2s5zgISBMFNHpLV70VFnAvWz5xi6XWJdYfhuc2PzaXzg/s1600/IMG_3111.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 288px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QtnukpYFf786WNf8FwJEVlK9chZxovxU-vXiDEzizMUgmlSGcf0GMZUlU2sqM_1sVMtNjQKcreAzY5_Q2Ml4v2_Wlx6Qytx2s5zgISBMFNHpLV70VFnAvWz5xi6XWJdYfhuc2PzaXzg/s400/IMG_3111.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556306795326739586" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">If you've read or seen the Da Vinci Code, you'd know where this is! That's my mum and behind her is the famous glass pyramid of the Lourve Museum.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDke1bjRdR4hH7qXuOhBFa0R_NG0LF9VjxfJA2wDcbjV8BccxLPmWKWh7sa73EV03tEY0tj6apOXNsxsjWpvT4Q6wab5aQLxYIM3xZoFIHqK_xVUPoptYKWKtxZ8KftEjMZ5nphz8C6I/s1600/IMG_3113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDke1bjRdR4hH7qXuOhBFa0R_NG0LF9VjxfJA2wDcbjV8BccxLPmWKWh7sa73EV03tEY0tj6apOXNsxsjWpvT4Q6wab5aQLxYIM3xZoFIHqK_xVUPoptYKWKtxZ8KftEjMZ5nphz8C6I/s400/IMG_3113.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556306790442846482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I love ancient buildings.. They have such a feel to them.. By the way, The Louvre grounds are a lot bigger than the pictures show. It's HUGE!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphg_7W8660MFIftf6x7gvMT0_2PjJX8WqMMDBJU7xH4-Ae28-uK39qzadQqvrXwzfnlhPNt4TPqC5vDVds4Wy7WLR4avdbVyhhoYJW9tjh0ZMYsopc_7w7AkV4r9Mq6yhcwFbsaSjjy4/s1600/IMG_3116.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjphg_7W8660MFIftf6x7gvMT0_2PjJX8WqMMDBJU7xH4-Ae28-uK39qzadQqvrXwzfnlhPNt4TPqC5vDVds4Wy7WLR4avdbVyhhoYJW9tjh0ZMYsopc_7w7AkV4r9Mq6yhcwFbsaSjjy4/s400/IMG_3116.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556299855875032178" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I wish my DSLR had better zooming lenses.. *sob* the artistry on these buildings are awesome!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMhqdO24L11FOiv4es7Ntam0EPsOdcD1LMyJG2ZYs1-C2_EFv5d3y1XuADDgpdnF0hSYdKd1wAQ3V7hgEvofOrE9Jxp3fhtOCbrcgF2cmWtsHijAJuVFnssGev4dR45HLOc_bHzOTwIQ/s1600/IMG_3120.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgMhqdO24L11FOiv4es7Ntam0EPsOdcD1LMyJG2ZYs1-C2_EFv5d3y1XuADDgpdnF0hSYdKd1wAQ3V7hgEvofOrE9Jxp3fhtOCbrcgF2cmWtsHijAJuVFnssGev4dR45HLOc_bHzOTwIQ/s400/IMG_3120.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556299847783150386" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The glass pyramid is surrounded by shallow fountains. Sometimes you'll see gulls (that's a bird, people!) swimming and floating around. For some reason, they can detect camera lenses..</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9wl7cCQrF7PY-icuWiUMUnQRc82LmwV0BVgzYjEmrF1fuFKNOKem_ue-E6PpSqMjAmLlm1SEmMSsfAjuuzWNmAe1qJvzYX00oxym2cEu1e5nmBcty57vgnvPiCCvsIJdkSbsl5pINP0/s1600/IMG_3123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9wl7cCQrF7PY-icuWiUMUnQRc82LmwV0BVgzYjEmrF1fuFKNOKem_ue-E6PpSqMjAmLlm1SEmMSsfAjuuzWNmAe1qJvzYX00oxym2cEu1e5nmBcty57vgnvPiCCvsIJdkSbsl5pINP0/s400/IMG_3123.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556297565852687522" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My mum insisted that we visit the Egyptian exhibit. Actually, you aren't allowed to take pictures in the museum, but I couldn't help it.. Cats! ^^</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0JCiHQ9tjkhT6RMK_7oxjXaGAN0jumONGCBTk0cl8usTuzsE5T8UjAUorkHfTolCTxLNxqUHXmWwNU39V-ZLlb4Ik-e9Tbg2zgeeGlP591YCIGjCjM7I5oKh9uE9vSBZcsdXGFKRJio/s1600/IMG_3128.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 344px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM0JCiHQ9tjkhT6RMK_7oxjXaGAN0jumONGCBTk0cl8usTuzsE5T8UjAUorkHfTolCTxLNxqUHXmWwNU39V-ZLlb4Ik-e9Tbg2zgeeGlP591YCIGjCjM7I5oKh9uE9vSBZcsdXGFKRJio/s400/IMG_3128.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556297559518322146" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">These jewelries belong to the ancient Pharaohs (Fir'auns).. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Beauty truly is a timeless thing, isn't it?</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRDWr5hsyeCstzoPuWzqT9Mxj2U32C6rIMvrmJg_h8cr4-b7aeEWOT1ikxzIWkrLtT6yu0gMtYPdVrEJfpLVOf1PCW16ihFvxA1cGBrejbXZQo65FfoRUayxA9DMoAfl7MqIQZVpvchE/s1600/IMG_3130.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRDWr5hsyeCstzoPuWzqT9Mxj2U32C6rIMvrmJg_h8cr4-b7aeEWOT1ikxzIWkrLtT6yu0gMtYPdVrEJfpLVOf1PCW16ihFvxA1cGBrejbXZQo65FfoRUayxA9DMoAfl7MqIQZVpvchE/s400/IMG_3130.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556294997491699074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">You know that heart shape everyone makes these days? well, this is literally the ancestor.. This is a 'heart' pendant. Back then, this means love... XD</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACGxEjwmbmQeStA_ne2mFDY6LByNC3zBnOQ2hEYuf2LM4e4j4s_O1KeLZq5SEkVzk0PacLCL1ECUKY__Ve6AAErJhxPvEGYBTbe1QyRVx6h2-2uTf4X9IoVMq7CU6pcvE73-zAVwB_Bg/s1600/IMG_3135.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgACGxEjwmbmQeStA_ne2mFDY6LByNC3zBnOQ2hEYuf2LM4e4j4s_O1KeLZq5SEkVzk0PacLCL1ECUKY__Ve6AAErJhxPvEGYBTbe1QyRVx6h2-2uTf4X9IoVMq7CU6pcvE73-zAVwB_Bg/s400/IMG_3135.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556294991807977890" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ah, the beauty needs of a Queen~the darn face cream containers are made of marble people! does it get any more indulgent than that??</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0SFvI1u5iKJLdr5Q3fWghypQhpC4Ccb9gSrwAYpTEVFdm6KEwM2QLJAK1MCYI2rAXtKQk5U80zkx0BfBxNTYXLOiE0yLnknCzbQb4kHWsDJ4CG3SsKDwQwZjvegyseNB1fbTpINWA24/s1600/IMG_3143.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0SFvI1u5iKJLdr5Q3fWghypQhpC4Ccb9gSrwAYpTEVFdm6KEwM2QLJAK1MCYI2rAXtKQk5U80zkx0BfBxNTYXLOiE0yLnknCzbQb4kHWsDJ4CG3SsKDwQwZjvegyseNB1fbTpINWA24/s400/IMG_3143.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556293911972208562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">Just so you know, the painting's ancient... I'm not sure if that's real gold on the ceiling, but knowing the french, that's not at all impossible~<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXFjKq_pL1ANfY5eSa2RGe7k_oPb0igih5mavWQyZLkR3_nTTIJgXAFQB0aJ0SqiNt-l9wxWHqgsblKAKnmiiwIKO61NhQ5ZIAV0JNaK7-xIF0bvv0t2iQ4PKX7KLTp7trsx939ANlQs/s1600/IMG_3146.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFXFjKq_pL1ANfY5eSa2RGe7k_oPb0igih5mavWQyZLkR3_nTTIJgXAFQB0aJ0SqiNt-l9wxWHqgsblKAKnmiiwIKO61NhQ5ZIAV0JNaK7-xIF0bvv0t2iQ4PKX7KLTp7trsx939ANlQs/s400/IMG_3146.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556287575073169106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">More really old paintings and more gold.. There were also sculptures on the walls, but I need to keep this entry as U rated as possible. The ancients really loved detailed body parts... (-_-)</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhCSfak2bAUPe_3Wzb-uIrTBvPkxpR3HlSGqoW-6YekWHtwPn3hPVmUVZR0_n19yvwg2eqKQVbz6KXYkBBItFCNG9aC3Qak37kaVV_UZ1Daql4rFdQlPy2HkgaZ3Z7M4q165s1tqMpPM/s1600/IMG_3149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhCSfak2bAUPe_3Wzb-uIrTBvPkxpR3HlSGqoW-6YekWHtwPn3hPVmUVZR0_n19yvwg2eqKQVbz6KXYkBBItFCNG9aC3Qak37kaVV_UZ1Daql4rFdQlPy2HkgaZ3Z7M4q165s1tqMpPM/s400/IMG_3149.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556287568683276818" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">See the bright gallery behind my mum? Those sculpures are so amazing in that they are proportionate and so detailed. Not to mention 'anatomically correct'..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcsf9RlNarsVOIm6GL2GxroMYKI2jGLIYFrztgRP2Mu65XIWvjzItxdH0yTXP0bHb_y4_o0-ep2PM8DWd-bd325SPrT9BMHvlts44E08-H8l9tOcSGAGGwmXnuKasOjJPwHgUcqPJeKA/s1600/IMG_3156.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 336px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwcsf9RlNarsVOIm6GL2GxroMYKI2jGLIYFrztgRP2Mu65XIWvjzItxdH0yTXP0bHb_y4_o0-ep2PM8DWd-bd325SPrT9BMHvlts44E08-H8l9tOcSGAGGwmXnuKasOjJPwHgUcqPJeKA/s400/IMG_3156.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556283693955550514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This famous lady.. Just to get to her you'd have to walk to the end of a very long hall! And when you get there you're immediately disappointed, because she's protected by a 10-inch bulletproof glass, and no one's allowed within ten feet of her. Hence the real bad photo. BUT! she really is worth the trip.. Monalisa's smile really does make you wonder..</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRDxlwvFidKgaMRkz0m94L57dFIKk0I1B9pkikervwRZFZ11kvIoua29iqviqs88gnwai1e4NdhwkpxFTZ1sNReA4zej9_URl2AmEqbmVHBJXHQH6aRXTQtEbBpKepjLEjrLt9TTrz6Y/s1600/IMG_3159.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxRDxlwvFidKgaMRkz0m94L57dFIKk0I1B9pkikervwRZFZ11kvIoua29iqviqs88gnwai1e4NdhwkpxFTZ1sNReA4zej9_URl2AmEqbmVHBJXHQH6aRXTQtEbBpKepjLEjrLt9TTrz6Y/s400/IMG_3159.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556283689620559234" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">A big red hall with paintings the size of Godzilla.. My mum loved the paintings in here, but taking pictures of all of them would take me all day..</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3hQeCVE2x7LAozcFAb0BK09NJXVPxvw9SoiuYNO-J3FqAIdlTF1Gu4xpQA0RGll43ZzX4scy1k6s-YBg1GMFdNspVQbuIJdjSUOuJ94Wzlg5REc7hATYrGtUsPW2rVyJ4H0RUyoCtU0/s1600/IMG_3164.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil3hQeCVE2x7LAozcFAb0BK09NJXVPxvw9SoiuYNO-J3FqAIdlTF1Gu4xpQA0RGll43ZzX4scy1k6s-YBg1GMFdNspVQbuIJdjSUOuJ94Wzlg5REc7hATYrGtUsPW2rVyJ4H0RUyoCtU0/s400/IMG_3164.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556276453970635074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This is my favorite painting: The Coronation of Marie de Medicis at the Notre Dame Cathedral, a day before the death of her husband King Henri IV. Out of the many French historical personality I learned of back in highschool, her name stands out the most... </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0deDJnG5hKpEbb1vwZkGvbbQzv7vGEsODdXXswRpgfvtjb8ikByO7QWUGTZDk4Qf2YQTyrpWxEHRz2dwPvHIe5MNlXt5SzMb838J1QY4ug28y-5xEgXo2iSZjmikPmfTqxSVmXP_5JI/s1600/IMG_3171.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ0deDJnG5hKpEbb1vwZkGvbbQzv7vGEsODdXXswRpgfvtjb8ikByO7QWUGTZDk4Qf2YQTyrpWxEHRz2dwPvHIe5MNlXt5SzMb838J1QY4ug28y-5xEgXo2iSZjmikPmfTqxSVmXP_5JI/s400/IMG_3171.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556276088257002226" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>Pont Neuf </i>(New bridge)<i>, </i>is one of the many bridges that connects Paris to the small island in the middle of the Seine River called <i>Ile de la Cite </i>(Island of the city). This particular bridge is four hundred years old.</span></div></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrTt-Jn_aafVxmn4GfseJGeo_eMQkgPFPHTPJFn8A5M3ivbSdr70vzrnsTvGcm8js_rEJAhqOvyLsOpcgzdPK0FnSwSy_tFo20czdUlepR0P4VyJREvLZvdc9AvewjuXFP7u69WBhI3I/s1600/IMG_3202.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikrTt-Jn_aafVxmn4GfseJGeo_eMQkgPFPHTPJFn8A5M3ivbSdr70vzrnsTvGcm8js_rEJAhqOvyLsOpcgzdPK0FnSwSy_tFo20czdUlepR0P4VyJREvLZvdc9AvewjuXFP7u69WBhI3I/s400/IMG_3202.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556274951310789682" /></a><i><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i>L'arc de Triomphe </i>(Triumphal Arch) was built by Napoleon Bonaparte. It's a very famous landmark and it is historically rich. However, I didn't get to go down to see it. Pictures were taken from a double decker tour bus.. :( </span></div></i></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCIY9ETX7EAv4mLk1obNav8WbQ8sG3aG1f5H6B4dZLR3sbm5ApGhOxHedaWBKTARU18E5G50Lt_cKK-h-U7wf4UvRpFTmnbQM7c2Tb8_xknC54EcQtOUgysPoribpHBfBOZhYSXDNbZ8/s1600/IMG_3201.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCIY9ETX7EAv4mLk1obNav8WbQ8sG3aG1f5H6B4dZLR3sbm5ApGhOxHedaWBKTARU18E5G50Lt_cKK-h-U7wf4UvRpFTmnbQM7c2Tb8_xknC54EcQtOUgysPoribpHBfBOZhYSXDNbZ8/s400/IMG_3201.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556274945904024418" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">Look at the carvings.. How long do you think it'll take to carve stone??<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0F6sY8nPdMfavJmpL8wVwNu7xRpSbpVYw8UE9I5JqatKoY3NbneaekZt6vY7D0tjhmpYjqLfoiG8vbq9fLcztGOxD6DEVkBtvuWYSMmrz1xQSbc5gMZYgbDZ8_zREvUQu78ndjokALc/s1600/IMG_3199.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0F6sY8nPdMfavJmpL8wVwNu7xRpSbpVYw8UE9I5JqatKoY3NbneaekZt6vY7D0tjhmpYjqLfoiG8vbq9fLcztGOxD6DEVkBtvuWYSMmrz1xQSbc5gMZYgbDZ8_zREvUQu78ndjokALc/s400/IMG_3199.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556274939405106050" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">Under the arch there is a tomb built to commemorate all those who have died defending France. There is an eternal flame burning at the tomb. I wanted to see that.. T-T<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bxQvWYUa53EtFF7AfTRLTbJ8wp5433rHC-r4m6JKsY_ueLFMnjyqhG1PO2DBuIatnjW3DYwOvCTQC0vwiKAO4My6It5ssQFboBuAx_I7lmySb2UVB3KSt_id791_UJKnoKdRsSefKdo/s1600/IMG_3218.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4bxQvWYUa53EtFF7AfTRLTbJ8wp5433rHC-r4m6JKsY_ueLFMnjyqhG1PO2DBuIatnjW3DYwOvCTQC0vwiKAO4My6It5ssQFboBuAx_I7lmySb2UVB3KSt_id791_UJKnoKdRsSefKdo/s400/IMG_3218.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555198645945160738" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Eglise du Dome, at Les Invalides. This is the place where french war veterans used to retire. There is also an extensive hospital and infirmary apart from the church. Napoleon was buried at this complex. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjuwdpdqjHN8RIo8VknFgkmZA98v8h7j20aVeN40ERoR9FxWZiwafF1q6uQcsVRj3GKhRS646wESL_mtvoigAXwpCxDm0jdBBh6NX1KErysnym2BLRXnRRy9OWE8EfmXj420rAPMamG4/s1600/IMG_3223.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWjuwdpdqjHN8RIo8VknFgkmZA98v8h7j20aVeN40ERoR9FxWZiwafF1q6uQcsVRj3GKhRS646wESL_mtvoigAXwpCxDm0jdBBh6NX1KErysnym2BLRXnRRy9OWE8EfmXj420rAPMamG4/s400/IMG_3223.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555198638445818034" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">One facade of the Invalides. Note the weird shape of the trees.. This garden is one of fifteen in this complex.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMOAH0flmbQpLjnsBXxYrK6htUcqiJF2sFSnGQjCEl13jRDurAzAye9EoQUHVCSWxb23IRlUxbm0YDjMpENjF8vKkl8jb7ptwvrOI1f9AmisgAEq4q0ofhamjuVS2-_CbieOuUsZijGY/s1600/IMG_3005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 344px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFMOAH0flmbQpLjnsBXxYrK6htUcqiJF2sFSnGQjCEl13jRDurAzAye9EoQUHVCSWxb23IRlUxbm0YDjMpENjF8vKkl8jb7ptwvrOI1f9AmisgAEq4q0ofhamjuVS2-_CbieOuUsZijGY/s400/IMG_3005.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555197643793250306" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ever watched the Hunchback of Notre Dame? This is the famous cathedral. See the two towers?They house five church bells, one of them weighing 13 tons!</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTLR_qgL96fqtFoBmyY24_z0eBDaBEowt42C6arfzYoMSAxrwO0B55bKnSpw3Oh0AXmA5nxBB92B6eljv0heAq6TwcOlnnD7ZBpzz5u39tX9WFzvH2sJcm7PN1fqz7Y2bVOVtPA_USUM/s1600/IMG_3173.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTLR_qgL96fqtFoBmyY24_z0eBDaBEowt42C6arfzYoMSAxrwO0B55bKnSpw3Oh0AXmA5nxBB92B6eljv0heAq6TwcOlnnD7ZBpzz5u39tX9WFzvH2sJcm7PN1fqz7Y2bVOVtPA_USUM/s400/IMG_3173.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555197643346806466" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">Had to take this from the bus, since my mum was too weak to get down and have a look. See the crowd? Haish, what I would give to go inside.. (-_-)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-MY"><br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NNtxGdTJYsTelA2pEDtUHGVWpd5weU0QNnBiHqih7ioJN-jZaNEhAYveAnJx-0FdodIhhH_8D_JrKsbc0kwKr1MeHhWVRp_gHcJBszEiJZZGcR-zd9GyjbW2m1MeqmG3QB8DjFXR-CM/s1600/IMG_3252.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NNtxGdTJYsTelA2pEDtUHGVWpd5weU0QNnBiHqih7ioJN-jZaNEhAYveAnJx-0FdodIhhH_8D_JrKsbc0kwKr1MeHhWVRp_gHcJBszEiJZZGcR-zd9GyjbW2m1MeqmG3QB8DjFXR-CM/s400/IMG_3252.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555196831177236162" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">I like this pic, even if it is a little blurry.. This is the west side of the cathedral, taken on the bus practically during Magrib. Instead of Azan, the loud bells were chiming 7 pm.. This picture literally ends my two day adventure in Paris..<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-MY"><br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihhcb2odn4NWQrUV-NhF79BhhX0TQde4XZ1Erd273BJybbVC1PQvyH47sUOwfdiMN6uQ7_50SRSD8sPJhAGN0-nbXW2km_68OlRUtRUEOCbs_jGpvVd_pY76jEG8Feq6xl8CaV6GN0Vw/s1600/IMG_3254.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihhcb2odn4NWQrUV-NhF79BhhX0TQde4XZ1Erd273BJybbVC1PQvyH47sUOwfdiMN6uQ7_50SRSD8sPJhAGN0-nbXW2km_68OlRUtRUEOCbs_jGpvVd_pY76jEG8Feq6xl8CaV6GN0Vw/s400/IMG_3254.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553183628284922194" /></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">In front of our hotel on the day of departure back to Malaysia. This was right before I had to hail a cab to take us to the airport. My mum was happy here, but she wouldn't be an hour later when she found out our taxi fare amounted to EU 61 (RM 240)!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family: "Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-MY"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center;line-height:normal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black; mso-fareast-language:EN-MY">I'd like to go back to Paris if I have the chance. I didn't really get to see the place; I didn't even climb up the Eiffel tower! Next time, I'll have a better idea where to go and what to see.. where to eat even! Anybody wanna come?? ^^<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">PS: Next entry is France: Montpellier!</p><p></p><div><div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-46401333055567102802010-11-24T13:23:00.005+08:002010-11-24T14:36:25.802+08:00It has to start here..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvkzwQHhLZ6a-EGMw2XLommsOg4CTNS87r2kZsY6sINwaBOayJvzE4inoXIdtzn8zc0mGkv0fSoVrgQtk0O21JRXsw-7A8bsXQzyBcR-W78FFH0968P8iDT9g_RAM6FWSAWb47dkCrj8/s1600/weightmanagementscale_1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 294px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543000867783085538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvkzwQHhLZ6a-EGMw2XLommsOg4CTNS87r2kZsY6sINwaBOayJvzE4inoXIdtzn8zc0mGkv0fSoVrgQtk0O21JRXsw-7A8bsXQzyBcR-W78FFH0968P8iDT9g_RAM6FWSAWb47dkCrj8/s400/weightmanagementscale_1.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="justify">Counting calories is torture enough, but counting calories on a 800 kcal diet?<br /><br />FYI, the average daily recommended calorie intake per person is anywhere between 1500 to 2000 kcals, depending on gender and weight. Most overweight people are recommended to lower their calorie intake to 1200 kcals a day if health reasons so dictates. So, where does 800 kcal measure in all this?<br /><br />Simple: <em>starvation</em>.<br /><br />But before we all jump to the Sofie's-tryin'-to-kill-herself conclusion, let me just say I'm doing this under professional supervision, and only for the next two weeks. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I guess I'm sharing this for the experience. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">And as warnings to those who may have made plans to invite me over for brunches, barbeques and or eat-outs of any kind any time soon.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">And as a strong reminder that I don't want to do this again, EVER!</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-72724693261371815562010-11-08T09:21:00.004+08:002010-11-08T09:54:15.980+08:00A woman is independent when..<div align="justify">... she found out she's locked out of her house, and the first thing she does is:<br /><br />1. Find the nearest masjid for Maghrib and Isya' prayers,<br />2. Find meehoon goreng and iced tea at the nearest mamak stall,<br />3. Beg her neighbor for a metal saw,<br />4. Proceed to cut through the front grill lock by the light of her car..<br /><br />... all while entertaining phone calls from the so-called guys in her life: 1) the out-of-state dad who started the problem, and 2) the younger brother who is just too busy to help.<br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536988003391829682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCk7xpcuQ97Km2893W2aF9OMjDApaWzkk0srQJ7WSIunkVTTrTEXyMu-U78Da6OvtN6KD-OqHLj72PP4qe1oDYgD74NgUnWw1a7hCNSPKimazzyYRLZCEUH_At5xktcaoMAwkKno5tY0/s400/IMG_3387.JPG" /></div><br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /><strong>They say men take action. I have yet to see that actually happen.</strong></div><div align="center"><strong></strong> </div><br /><div align="center"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-87410002673946823062010-10-19T09:48:00.003+08:002010-10-19T13:24:48.544+08:00JYJ Showcase..<div align="justify">The constricting feeling in my chest got worse the further I moved away from Stadium Negara. By the time I'd settled into my KFC early dinner an hour later, I was thoroughly depressed.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Seriously, I <em>tried</em>. </div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">I tried so hard to be supportive of them. I bought the pricey tickets. I roasted myself in the sun for nearly three hours waiting in line for admittance. I bought the CD afterwards (because I sincerely loved the songs). I even joined the crowd in kicking and screaming whenever they performed live - which cumulatively sums up to about half an hour tops - all so I could see them happy at our show of undying love.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">But that's the problem. They weren't happy.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Xiah toned-down considerably, compared to the usual happy virus that he is. There were no jokes, no attempts at gags. There was not even a hint of that trademark laughter everyone loves so much. Just plain, serious Junsu giving textbook answers to equally textbook questions.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Yuchun was visibly strained from having to involuntarily lead the team. Gone was the cheeky Micky we couldn't help adoring. Being the only one of the three to understand english, questions were inadvertently directed to him. He tried including everyone else in the conversation, particularly the despondent Jae, but that just serves to make the situation worse.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Speaking of Jae.. </div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">My heart really went out to him. Joongie seemed so out of place, and restless! Like a lost child looking for someone to belong to. He skirted questions, and left his best friend scrambling to handle the show alone. Honestly, he looked as if he was desperately wishing a certain beloved member would just pop out onto the stage to hold him and calm his nerves. </div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">It was heartbreaking to see Jae hug himself, so much that the image has become the only thing I remembered about the show. </div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Diehard fans can say what they will, but it is clear to me that at least for now, the trio is lost without Yunho's leadership and Changmin's strength.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">No, I'm not saying JYJ will never make it. Heaven knows they have all the potential. They are afterall, the three lead vocals of TVXQ. It's just.. there are some things in life you just can't go without. Talent is a great posession, but talent without love and support from the those who mean the world to you won't really go anywhere.</div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">TVXQ, AKTF.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-6043966933873446532010-10-15T10:50:00.003+08:002010-10-15T13:41:56.531+08:00SOMEONE LIKE ME?<div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#990000;">Enggang sama enggang.<br />Jika aku mahu kamu, maka aku harus berubah. </span></em></strong></div><p align="left"><br />Mak aku tergelak bila aku minta dia doakan cepat bertemu jodoh. "<em>Doa saja?"</em><br /></p><p align="left"><br />Nenek aku lagi best... "<em>Kamu? nak kawin? rupa tu!?"<br /></em></p><p align="left"><br />Hn.<br /></p><p align="left"><br />Tak tahu apa nak cakap.<br /></p><p align="left"><br />Aku cuma nak elak semuanya dari luruh ke hati.<br /></p><p align="left"> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-47058930627073420612010-10-04T15:36:00.023+08:002010-10-05T15:18:05.959+08:00The Everything Entry<div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Well, isn't this nice...<br /></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">I haven't been writing for what, more than two months now? I'm sorry.. It's been way too hectic. I've been chasing after things, and you need to stay put to write. And when I did get to stay put, the mood just turns out all wrong.. (-____-) </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I find myself a little apologetic over the past few weekends, and I feel like I should make amends here (at least the first two points). Bear with me as i go th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMNKf0yeACNvD4l6w8kYxAHdulOHhgG_s98DfMqIKtNf_-gV_hhki3LaykwkUIlOyQlRPAChO-RVykV0bIGQiqpJI2vOGfUbfoRLRAvB8l3AjndBvvVpszFuFlIlkQMulhCLxERJ3qhBg/s1600/linklove_graduation_051509.jpg"></a>rough these; if your name comes up, know that Kak Sofie is really sorry..</div><div align="justify"><br /><br /><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>1. Ati's Graduation</strong></span> </div><div align="justify"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9-zzyeDTpc7UFwhrLINmdtkd6d_bAhzXSFU8oOJtiu38yjsJJjZcYp_Tv4OSr_CGXCefpBW19H4xTYPzFZYxKuw4vmJK3q60aYLn_W9jNjVaJ1aaGBa0-K7QISVgdsOWEWxmfyeRS2U/s1600/linklove_graduation_051509.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524433696129660194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ9-zzyeDTpc7UFwhrLINmdtkd6d_bAhzXSFU8oOJtiu38yjsJJjZcYp_Tv4OSr_CGXCefpBW19H4xTYPzFZYxKuw4vmJK3q60aYLn_W9jNjVaJ1aaGBa0-K7QISVgdsOWEWxmfyeRS2U/s200/linklove_graduation_051509.jpg" /></a>This is just one too many mishap piling together at the wrong place and at absolutely the wrong time! The night before Ati's big day, my cellphone died and refused to charge. At the same time, one of my close relatives had a stroke, so you can imagine where I was after that. To make it worse, I was also the designated driver for this occasion, which got Ann and Mun dragged into the whole mess. </div><br /><div align="justify">None of us girls made it to KLCC, but thank you Lutfi for making the trip! ^^<br /><br /></div>Ati, I'm so very sorry for missing your graduation. We girls would like to take you out for eats to celebrate some time. We'll make it a grand one ya!<br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>2. Majlis Kikah Azkiya</strong></span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fciitzbCy7vRtsAa53RMsL9bv0QWMrpAnoGNqS0WuZyVAUBZvhBxLNigKQ9Fp-J3m0xoMfHsOOUH4JN_7OLLEhaBM7UnYkS5-Ke0Fm7YdcaoFYQ7mD_cVaPmxikE-1CXSkEAz2J6nM0/s1600/kurma_kambing.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524399582683414146" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fciitzbCy7vRtsAa53RMsL9bv0QWMrpAnoGNqS0WuZyVAUBZvhBxLNigKQ9Fp-J3m0xoMfHsOOUH4JN_7OLLEhaBM7UnYkS5-Ke0Fm7YdcaoFYQ7mD_cVaPmxikE-1CXSkEAz2J6nM0/s200/kurma_kambing.jpg" /></a><em>Sebab tak mau Pojan confuse, akak tulis dalam BM ya.. ~.^</em><br /><br />Sabtu lepas bertemankan Mun, Ann dan CD SuJu, aku penuhi jemputan Dayah dan Pojan ke majlis kikah Azkiya di Ipoh. Kami sampai dalam pukul 2.30 petang (aku driving sambil lewa, bawah 100 km/j). Time tu makcik-makcik marhaban baru saja nak jejakkan kaki ke dalam rumah..<br /><br />Sampai je time makan, aku pulun <em>kurma kambing biri-biri</em> (read: lamb). FYI, aku sangat suka <em>lamb!</em> Tapi, selesai makan, sedang aku asyik bersembang dengan Mun dan Ann, saga 'Hari Paling Menyeksakan Dalam Hidup' bermula..<br /><br /><div align="justify">Kamu pernah keracunan makanan? Baru sekarang aku tahu bahawasanya sebelum ini aku tak pernah kena! Selama ni apa yang aku sangka <em>food poisoning</em> tu adalah dongengan belaka, cuma angin dalam perut yang degil tak mau keluar..<br /></div><br /><div align="justify"><em>The real thing</em>, sakitnya Subhanallah! Aku tak pernah rasa sakit camtu. Tu tak kira lagi sesi muntah, trip ke bilik air dua tiga kali... Mulanya aku ingat nak tunjuk 'terrer', ada hati nak <em>drive</em> balik KL! Mun dengan Ann skeptikal tahap dewa. Pojan risau, terus belikan aku pil <em>Chick It Take On</em> (amende tah berbiji-biji cam tahi kambing tapi bau cam makjun opah aku..) dan sebotol <em>Gatorade.</em></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Kesudahannya, kami balik KL dekat nak Maghrib: aku dah tak sedarkan diri kat <em>seat</em> belakang, Ann jadi long-distance driver with Mun as co-pilot.</div><br /><div align="justify">Pojan & Dayah, akak minta maaf mengkucar-kacirkan majlis. I know you guys were really worried. Mesti fikir benda-benda cam, <em>Kak Sofie sakit sebab makan kat rumah kita ke?</em> Jangan mengarut! I probably ate something weird the night before, and the lamb (or something) triggered a reaction. Salah akak la pun. Sapa suruh pi makan kambing sampai tahap tak ingat?<br /></div><br /><div align="justify"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 255px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524408596905065634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3sRYv99S43lya5D0cnmouuyT7IYHRrsL1hIemqfoLVi2y4mMpm_s-1dWeBoEPb1SrDws80yCNJX1Uh7nd-VVJvdwUerVnmAzx-Mey3ehLqWg_IUpGYJ3_h950-Olk-53O8pwko58cvY/s400/scaredman.jpg" /> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Ann & Mun, akak minta maaf korang kena strok driving atas highway malam-malam buta time hujan-ribut-halilintar-menyambar.. It was not my intention to give you impromptu driving lessons. But, now you know what it really takes to drive out there. It's scary, but as you've found out, it's also not impossible! ^^<br /><br /></div><div align="justify">I am very proud of you guys for making it all the way back to Kepong (with me unconscious, thank you very much), and then to Serdang and Bangi. Next time kita pi driving dalam hujan, Ann jadi supir, kay!<br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>3. Happy 23rd birthday Pura! ^^</strong></span></div><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span></strong><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0n55ULEg-NN-5z2uwgscKjZvm0hfpweM9casS4UyHb9p6L_K0ChTVJYUxN5-euXy6PZur4v7CsReZniUAEKSrjK0jQXg1e8qLBBKseOyDrE4aV66wW8DA4CWP1uGlM31N86Mg2Ml4CE/s1600/birthday_cake.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524400098135582882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0n55ULEg-NN-5z2uwgscKjZvm0hfpweM9casS4UyHb9p6L_K0ChTVJYUxN5-euXy6PZur4v7CsReZniUAEKSrjK0jQXg1e8qLBBKseOyDrE4aV66wW8DA4CWP1uGlM31N86Mg2Ml4CE/s200/birthday_cake.gif" /></a>Along feels so old now that you're creeping closer to 25.. and she feels a whole lot older with the next event the both of us will be involved in.. (-_-) Luv you so much, hunny! </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Er, as per birthday presents.. Well, I've bought you at least two things this month, so.. I know that's not exactly a birthday present because I didn't buy it for the occasion... but you know, technically it <em>is,</em> because presents are what you want to have and the things I bought you were what you really wanted..<br /></div><br /><div align="justify">Yeah, I'll get you something else, kay.. (-__-)<br /><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#cc0000;"><strong>4. Fanmeets</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 205px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524416984746305202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9HJwpmQ7kh2cKt9hgs520GuYLuKAYSn-oF5kyktdZT3EGZjr0juxySqW4nLn6iUiIGm6aeGlmJGnAZy602zM6vxcCbKNRzO7aK4KHwch2IjFmooEQOFt5Q3uzbIIBn8f2CZ0bJMQ5ag/s400/Tiket+JYJ.png" /> <p align="justify"><br />Who knew that after 12 years of listening to Korean music, I'd be attending my very first showcase? I've never been to a concert in my life (well, technically this isn't a concert, but whathehey..)<br /><br />So, I guess I'm excited....?<br /><br />I love the complete version of this group - which goes by the title DBSK - but sadly, for the JYJ showcase my favorite member won't be attending. But my little sister begged me to accompany her because obviously <em>her</em> favorite member will be present, and as most of you are painfully aware, I seldom say no to whatever she wants..<br /><br />So, can you imagine the Godfather surrounded by teenage fangirls, screaming chants and waving glowsticks? (O_o)<br /><br /><br /></p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524408989324732354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUsFaKHKlmB0lp5kGX0vwHVe_UU6IpE3DpCR8HQoz8oWZz-NhZ9fLczoK90HSLR-Xv64Ge50iwZ7un7JVTzg3gTRpA9SJAl44GjDPu50sMqChj0WphgZvzUErETHr2FGvkIRP8QK8W5g/s400/Red+ocean.jpg" /> <p align="justify"><br />On the plus side though, the phenomenon pictured above is something I want to be a part of at least once in my life, which can only be observed where DBSK members perform: Cassiopeia's Red Ocean! ^^<br /><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">5. Paris, attendez moi!</span></strong><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAwy4_oC6X7h1BT5frbrqkbutOpy5FYW64VHJHI2P-sF92oPUgRMWJlzUwvz9qnxQ-51HZ5jtyCLaRG64EqrL1x2idy9Oy5sCJbrRDNuzW9GveEutLmRMWRkRlJlYb1j21F8ihbxapPQ/s1600/paris.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 130px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 387px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524451981431545394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAwy4_oC6X7h1BT5frbrqkbutOpy5FYW64VHJHI2P-sF92oPUgRMWJlzUwvz9qnxQ-51HZ5jtyCLaRG64EqrL1x2idy9Oy5sCJbrRDNuzW9GveEutLmRMWRkRlJlYb1j21F8ihbxapPQ/s400/paris.jpg" /></a>Sepuluh tahun selepas aku mula melupakan bahasa Perancis, baru Tuhan berikan aku peluang untuk jejakkan kaki di muka buminya.<br /></p><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Aku pergi sekadar untuk temankan mama ke headquarters CIRAD di Montpellier, Selatan Perancis. Tah kenapa kali ni dia takut nak pergi seorang (my mum is definitely not the fearful type!), hatta dia sanggup sponsor penerbangan aku ke sana. But it makes sense. Walau aku dah tak berapa fasih bertutur, tapi berkat kelas intensif Monsieur Rose waktu aku di Highschool, aku masih boleh memahami bahasanya. So in a sense, I'm my mother's personal guide on this trip! </div><br /><div align="justify">Aku agak excited, sebab Montpellier berdekatan dengan laut Mediterranean. Bandarnya dikatakan sangat cantik, tapi aku masih belum dapat menemukan warga Malaysia yang tinggal di sana. Susah juga kalau tak ada local guide ni, terutama yang Muslim. Soal halal haram sangat penting, lebih lagi la bila Perancis sangat terkenal dengan makanan-makanan <em>exotic</em>nya (read: pelik-pelik)..</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Dua hari sebelum balik, kami cadang nak singgah Paris. Serius, terlampau banyak tempat yang aku nak visit! Ni la padahnya belajar bahasa dan budaya orang lain.. Eiffel Tower isn't even at the top of my list! Aku nak pergi musium Le Louvre, Pont Neuf, Cathedral Notre Dame, L'Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysee, Kediaman Marie Antoinette, Montmartre, etc etc!</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Haish, so much to do, so little time to do it. On top of all this, I've got less than 8 months to finish my Masters (thesis writing included). But, buat masa sekarang ni aku malas nak fikirkan. I just want to go through things one at a time. </div><br /><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I'll get there when I get there I guess.. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5875114344246643631.post-38725101775533895462010-07-13T16:44:00.003+08:002010-07-13T17:02:36.177+08:00It's all about the money!<div align="justify"> </div><br /><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">“Long, ko jangan la ego sangat!”<br /><br /><em>Ego!?</em> Tangan aku sikit lagi nak naik ke muka dia, tapi aku tahankan. Nak bercakap dengan anak jantan umur 27 tahun ni kena ada caranya. Terutama sekali yang tengah defensive nak pertahankan minatnya yang <em>latest</em>..<br /><br />Minat yang cukup la aku tak setuju.<br /><br />Sejak cuti sem aku dah mula rasa semacam. The twins balik cuti tapi dua-dua tak lekat di rumah. Keluar entah ke mana sampai pukul 3 – 4 pagi. Telefon bimbit kalau tak lekat di telinga mesti saja di hujung jari, SMS tak henti-henti.<br /><br />Aku tahu mereka ada ‘bisnes’; <em>some internet MLM thing</em>.. Aku dan Pura yang dahulukan duit modalnya, tapi selain tu kami tak tahu apa-apa. Dah diaorang beriya, kami tak mampu nak tolak. We thought, biar la diaorang cuba cari <em>side income</em> sendiri.<br /><br />Tapi bila tengok keadaan diaorang yang makin rancak <em>grouping </em>sana sini sampai ke subuh adam, aku mula rasa tak sedap hati. Parents aku tak tahu cerita. Walaupun mereka awalnya tak menegur, aku tahu mereka dah mula menghidu perkara tak elok. Bukan apa, kembar ni dua-dua masih lagi belum tamat pengajian. Kalau awal-awal lagi tumpuannya lebih kepada bisnes daripada buku, aku dah dapat <em>forecast</em> haluan adik-adik aku ni.<br /><br /><em>It ain’t good, that’s all I gotta say</em>...<br /><br />Bila dipecahkan tembelang, mak ayah aku naik angin. Lebih-lebih lagi bila the twins kata mahu tumpukan perhatian pada bisnes, nak buat MLM seumur hidup. Katanya, belajar tinggi-tinggi pun, gaji permulaan cuma tahap RM1500 sebulan. Nak kena belajar lagi kalau nak naik pangkat. Kerja makan gaji ni menyusahkan, asyik duduk bawah telunjuk orang. Tak ada <em>future</em>..<br /><br />Katanya, dengan MLM boleh dapat<em> financial freedom</em>. Contoh sukses yang mereka beri? Remaja belasan tahun yang tak ada pelajaran tapi ada kereta mewah tiga empat biji, rumah banglo sana sini dan duit berjuta-juta dalam bank. Nah, dengan bisnes seuntung ini, kenapa perlu susah-susah nak belajar, nak dapat sijil..<br /><br />Logik? Memang logik, kalau duit yang dijadikan kiblat mata hati.<br /><br />Aku cuba mengembalikan pemikiran mereka ke arus normal, tapi langsung tak berkesan. Malah aku dianggap egois kerana enggan ‘bertukar mindset.’ Katanya aku tak pandai mengambil peluang, terlalu terikut-ikut dengan gaya hidup yang mementingkan <em>ranking dan hierarchy.</em> Yang paling aku tak dapat terima, bila mereka memperlekehkan ilmu dan seperti memperkecilkan impian aku dan Pura untuk belajar sampai ke peringkat tertinggi. Katanya aku hanya omong kosong tentang impian aku untuk tubuhkan perniagaan sendiri, sedangkan aku masih tak punya modal pun untuk memulakannya.<br /><br />Haish, macam mana tu?<br /><br />Dalam hidup ni tak aku nafikan yang duit tu penting. Serius, siapa tak suka ada duit, dan siapa yang tak suka ngabiskan duit? Aku rasa aku paling suka kedua-duanya! ^^<br /><br />Kalau ada duit, boleh bawa adik-adik keluar makan, pergi shopping ramai-ramai kat One Utama. Boleh belikan mama dan papa <em>Big Apple</em> donuts, atau aiskrim King’s perisa <em>Caramel Almond Fudge</em>. Boleh merayau kat pasar malam dengan Pura tiap-tiap Khamis beli ayam, ikan dan sayur untuk rumah. Boleh balik kampung, bawak nenek pergi pasaraya dan beli apa saja yang dia bubuh dalam troli; sebab selalunya dia akan taruh benda-benda yang dia selalu tengok dalam iklan TV tapi tak pernah rasa lagi - haish, comel! ^^<br /><br />Dan paling best, boleh plan <em>surprise birthday parties</em>... beli hadiah, belanja orang-orang atau makhluk-makhluk (read: cats) yang sangat aku sayang.<br /><br />Rumah banglo dan kereta BMW tu walaupun wujud dalam fantasi, bukanlah sesuatu yang aku <em>target </em>dalam realiti aku. Serius, kalaulah aku diberikan rezeki menjadi cukup kaya untuk beli mahligai dan kereta mewah, dan apa yang aku lakukan ialah <strong>beli mahligai dan kereta mewah</strong>, aku rasa aku la khalifah yang paling tak berhati perut dalam dunia..<br /><br />Harga satu kereta BMW tu, agaknya boleh beri makan berapa ramai orang? Boleh sponsor berapa ramai anak-anak nak pergi belajar? Boleh bangunkan berapa rumah kos rendah, rumah kebajikan, masjid, perpustakaan, etc? I’m just sayin’..</div><div align="justify"><br />Maksud aku, apalah salahnya berkerja makan gaji, simpan duit sikit-sikit, menabung untuk masa depan? Kurang-kurangya pendapatan aku stabil; ada elaun, ada pencen. Ni tak, semua nak cepat. Nak duit banyak, nak kereta mewah, nak rumah besar.. all before 30! Wow.. Duit yang datang sebanyak tu dalam jangkamasa yang begitu singkat.. aku sangsikan halal haramnya.<br /><br />Tapi yang lebih aku risaukan di sini ialah keadaan rohaniah adik-adik aku. Peribadi apa yang dapat dibentuk dari pekerjaan yang semacam ini? What kind of knowledge can be gained? Apa sumbangan yang dapat diberikan pada ummah?<br /><br />For the record, “Kitaorang dapat tolong bumiputera-bumiputera lain untuk jadi kaya,” is the biggest nonsense I’ve ever heard..<br /><br />Aku suka teringat pada kata-kata Sr. Fatimah, seorang guru sukarela kacukan Siam-Mesir yang gemar mengajar aku hikmah di sebalik <em>Islamic Finance</em>. Ketika dia terlihat aku mengira hasil kerja <em>babysitting</em> di bilik bacaan masjid waktu aku berumur 16 tahun:<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Sr. Fatimah</span> : <em>Sofie habibti.. you want to know how to make money grow?<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Aku</span> : <em>Grow? Er, yeah.. sure..<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Sr. Fatimah</span> :<em> Good, it’s very simple! Here, you keep a little bit.. Then the rest—<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Aku</span> : <em>The rest, I keep in piggy bank?</em><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Sr. Fatimah</span> : <em>What means piggy bank??<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Aku</span> : <em>(O_o)? Then, the rest...<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Sr. Fatimah</span> : <em>You give away habibti, give away! ^^<br /></em><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Aku</span> :<em> Owh...<br /></em><br /><br />Sampai ke hari ni, ini la satu-satunya petua yang tak pernah menghampakan aku.<br /><br /><em>To me, it doesn’t matter how much money you have. As long as you keep it only for yourself, you’ll always be poor..<br /></em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5