I'm reaching the last lap for this academic year, and before i begin mugging like never before for my end year exams, i need to complete this very last cognitive psychology essay assignment. Wah, major stuff, until did research at national library also ok? A first time ever, during this year that i've put in this amount of effort.

Until the next time when i think that something needs to die die be blogged or if I just get so tired of the same old post, I think i will be on a blog halt.
Quite sick of the word "hiatus".
Anyway.

Actually ah, knowing myself, when i begin mugging, i BET i'll have plenty of nonsense to spout. *rolls eyes*
Anyway.

Onward too, all ye taking examinations soooon! We shall overcome and win this war.


Till Then.
"The Lord is my Strength and Portion forever"

Mooncakes are the new evil

(ok, i censored one photo that was suppose to be here because it actually looked quite scary, even for an anyhowly edited-to-look-like-something-evil mooncake)


:-(
I haven't even begun my mooncake binge, when i realized that my face already resembles something like mooncake proportions. So sad.

But my cell mates are coming over to my place for... what else, a Mooncake PARDEE tomorrow, so how can i NOT eat, right? RIGHT?!

Be gone you, thoughts-of-not-joining-in-the-gastronomic-fun. WA HAH HAH!

:-9 *slurp!* (my newly discovered/created emoticon!)

It's a long journey to discover oneself, and it's an equally long one to get to know more about someone else.
Even mom and dad are discovering new things about one another (eh, well, now and then), and it's been about 20+ years.

As I'm discovering your likes, dislikes, characterisitics and quirks, i am amazed and delighted each time at how i see that both our similarities and differences go neatly together.

The similarities enhance and enrich, while the differences (of course not all the differences are positive.) fit together nicely to complement one another. It's almost as if everything is fitting bit by bit into a complete jig saw puzzle.

(yes, an overused and probably certified hackneyed analogy. Please forgive me.)

In a jig saw puzzle, each piece is cut out differently, each subtly different in shape, each with a different printed picture portion, no piece being the same.
Every little jig saw piece has its rightful place in the picture and not one can take the place of the other. Without one single piece, the picture lies incomplete, even unsightly, not giving the beauty that it was suppose to convey its full credit.

Yet in all their differences, they fit and fuse together snugly, colours and shapes, to reveal a perfect masterpiece at the end of the day.

(kudos to Picasa 2 that allows techno dodos like mua to edit existing photographs.)

(original post has been censored)

*** ***

Went through and still going through some emotional upheaval crap. I read and re-read that post and felt that i couldn't keep it posted up.

Something that amused me yesterday, an SMS conversation:

Jo: (not the exact message i sent)
YARK! There's this UNCLE UNCLE NEXT TO ME (on the bus) WHO IS LITERALLY USING 2 TEN CENT COINS TO PULL CHIN HAIRS! Very tempted to take a photo... I'm never going to think of or look at coins the same way ever again anymore.

Sister:
Er. You never see before meh? After they are done, they'll store the 10 cent coin in their ear. Seriously.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Imagine the possibility of what might happen if that uncle meets a student with a donation tin can...

Flipping through the Ikea magazine makes me think of going to furniture stores with tastefully designed wares, hand-in-hand with my err, imaginary husband.

Oh! How i would love to have those simple but chic kitchenware with clean and smooth finishes without the ah-mah looking motifs and prints often seen on cheap porcelain kitchenware you get at late night pasar malams or heartland hardware shops and...
Oh! How about those deliciously gleaming and sleek stainless steel cutlery with them generous curves (oooh, sexy!) !
And...
OH! What i would give to have those funky rainbow bedsheets. Ok fine, but they are available only from the kid's section. :-( *pout*

I just love the idea of coming up with a concept for my future home, filling the white empty space with new fixtures, breathing in the smells of the fresh and newly opened/set-up, having the choice of how cluttered i want my home to be, with ornaments and whatnot.

(Too much stuff sitting on the floor traps dust and grime and makes it hard to sweep and mop, you see.)

But I'm also a fan of deep, warm colours as well... *puuurrrr*

Maybe more later.

Yesterday ah, the Technophobe went to Techno Heaven. (The less dodgy looking one.)

And so right now, after feverishly ripping apart with her vicious fangs and sharpened claws and drooling over the items complete with bulging bloodshot eyes opening the tough plastic boxes that barred her from her prized purchases.... Her lappie, a.k.a Adele, (it's a Dell lappie) has new friends!



YEAYYYYY!!!
















For a person who fears knowing about IT related stuff, she does actually like such (simple enough) gadgets.

My mouse is funky because its cord can be retracted and STORED IN THE MOUSE. HOW FUNKY IS THAT. No mess!

*** ***

Jolly Jean had a bug. She loved that bug so much, she bought a bug run for it, put in lots of sand for bug burrows, sometimes bought bug friends that eventually died (oh well) and fed the bug all its favourite food. Jolly Jean made sure her pet bug was well taken care of.
The bug felt so very loved.

And whenever Jolly Jean leans over the bug run to tell the bug how the bug is the only bug in her Jolly heart, the bug... Well...

=D

*** ***

Did i already say that i am very happy, fortunate and blessed? lalala. My happiness isn't stemming from the fact that all my gadgets work so no need to go back to Techno Heaven to make a goods exchange.

I am aware that this might be an incoherent post. To most people at least.

;D

This is Skinny. (not its name.) They're no longer identifiable by markings on their bodies, but by who's fatter. I kid you not.










This is Fatso, lying on its back in sheer hedonism. See its little feet? And see how it's practically PIAK-ed out, SPREAD OUT, SPLAT, like a slug? Munching on something fresh out from its pouch too, no less.















He's got the most doofus-ty face that i've ever seen. More doofus- ty than mine, and that says a lot already.







*sigh* Yes, he placed himself there, the little sandwich filling, he is.












You know, they just make life a tad more bearable.

*** ***

I can safely say that i've been banging on my white and black keys for about 2+ hours? Since... i don't know, 12+pm, 1pm? (about 3:45 pm now) Not too sure. It's been a long while since i've stared at "tao gehs" because i've begun taking keyboard classes since the beginning of this year that required me to play chords (which we derive from looking at alphabets) for praise and worship in church.
Been too accustomed to alphabets lately, so reading notes had been slightly alien just now. Had to stare quite hard at the bass clef notes to figure out what they were.

David Lanz has some seriously nice piano pieces that i've conquered years ago but argh, i sound really bad playing them now. It's the entire lack of practice and to rub salt to the wound, i've got short and fat fingers. Playing chords that range one octave is challenging enough, but some chords need me to stretch beyond that.
Arrr, saya taboleh lah.

But what was freaky, was that while i was banging away, i kept hearing this strange tap-tap sounds coming from the room(s) on my right. And each time when i would stop to listen, i wouldn't hear them anymore.
I got up from where i was seated and went to investigate. I didn't see or find anything strange (a ghostly figure sitting in a corner hammering wooden pieces or something?) or anything that would explain what i heard.
Even Jed was sleeping soundly in my room which was in the direction of the funny sounds.

Went back to the piano feeling puzzled and as i continued playing, the back door to the kitchen SLAMMED really loudly. You know how doors slam shut when the wind blows too strongly? Yeah, that kind of slamming. But i looked out the windows, and saw that the trees were still and unmoving under the hot sun. And then i sat still trying to ascertain if i could feel any winds going through the house, but no, i felt nothing. Zilch.

Sigh. I guess i really suck so bad on the piano, reading tao geh, that even the fellas in the other dimension lost their patience and had to tell me to quit making such a din.

NB: Anyway, i checked again and found that it was indeed windy downstairs lah. So, no ghosts. =)

*** ***

I've just finished the second last assignment for the year and i'm taking a break as well as psyching myself up for the last and most major essay that will actually account for the grades of two whole assignments. How scary is that.

Out of 4 questions, i am suppose to pickity dickity 1. And wow. Each question is SO GENERAL, SO GENERAL that i think every single cognitive psychology resource out there in the entire universe is applicable to the question. Now, i am beginning to feel mortal fear growing in me because, bear in mind, i have a very anal retentive tutor whom i have dubbed "The Oracle", and he has no qualms about failing people as he deems "fit".

Oh, how i cower in horror!

Anyway.

*** ***

This post was originally suppose to just say that... I am very happy. And fortunate. And blessed.

Dum dee dee dum.
=) =D
=)) =DD

What makes a good or not-so-good archer?

Very simply, a good archer is someone who has a positive attitude towards teaching, constructive criticism, learning, has patience and does not give up. It would be a bonus if the person is a natural, but it's ok if one is the sort who'll do ok but just with more practice.

A not-so-good archer is simply the opposite of the above, OR, someone who isn't able to handle the physical aspects of the sport.

I absolutely hate it when certain people do not see potential and do not consider the other essential external factors, but straight away look only at the end result(s) to pass unfair judgement upon others.
Shallow, i tell you.

The worse part is when they themselves don't show results, STILL think that they are good archers, and have the cheek to use their same shallow mode of classification to label other people.
DUH, please go look at yourself in the mirror first ok?

Ok, i was pissed.

I relayed to Jed all your well wishes and he says that he's so happy and touched *woof!*
that he wants to now, errr, reward you with his, errr, Killer Cute Faces:
(Don't look at me, I simply follow his instructions like the good slave i am. The little Narcissist! Anyway, please don't kill the messenger.)



Translated Message:
"Thank *wheee!* you everyone! *wag* *adoring eyes* I woooov yooooou." *wet kiss* *scratchy paws*

(Now gimme a biscuit, i'm a lot better now. Plleeeaassseee?
*Arrf? Aarrff??*)



Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?
Please?




A word from the author:
Hi everyone, would just like to say Thank You! for your comments. Jed's been our family's precious (and irritating) pooch, albeit an organic monster vacuum, which was probably the trait in him that caused his food poisoning. A habit that originates from his genes that cannot be kicked, i suppose.
Really appreciate your concern! Aaaarrrwoooo, Have Goooood Day! :-)

Never been this ill

He weakly slid hopped off the chair and proceeded to stand about weakly and hunched over on the marble floor, with his 3-4 vertebrae worth of a tail tucked against his furry brown backside. I watched him, not knowing what he was going to do next.
Vomit? Collapse and die?

His hind legs seemed like they were about to give way but then he circled around a couple of times, as dogs do before they lie down, and collapsed on the floor and lay on his side in a stiff pile. His little legs stuck out from his body like toothpicks in a cocktail sausage, his chest suddenly ballooning to an abnormal size.

Now, he wouldn't do this because he's a creature of comfort! I thought. And then i recalled with fear in my heart, how my previous dog collapsed and died in the animal hospital, right at the waiting area before anyone even came out to save his life.

Before i could decide on how to assist him, almost instantly, he got back on his feet, wheezed a few times, hunched over and released a torrent of pinkish-orangeyish lumpy gunk from his tiny mouth.
Must be his breakfast and then some.

"It's ok Jed, that's a good boy... (pat pat) I won't scold you for puking this time... (strokes his head) Just DON'T EAT IT BACK..." (Yes, he does eat his puke if you don't stop him.)

I have discovered that i don't find watching animals puke as disgusting and puke/retch-inducing as a human puking.

I figured he felt better after getting all that crap out of his system because he managed to lie down for a while although his breath was laboured at regular intervals.

Awaiting vet's beckoning call.

And so after:
- a telling off from the interesting vet (*holds his little snout shut and joggles it a bit* "You ah! Must've eaten something bad!"),
- being sodomised by a thermometer (Oooo, nasty!),
- a nail trimming (he hates it. *struggle, struggle, whine, whine*),
- a jab on his thigh for his vomiting (Oww!),
- a bath (he hates that too. *whine*)
- another scare when he passed out blood
- another call to the vet who spoke reassuringly and suggested starting Jed on the medication anyway
- 4 pills to swallow (To a greedy min pin, i wonder if that's half bad)

He's now resting in a bed of dry, clean towels in my sister's room and being kept under close observation.
My poor baby.

I received these smses from a friend from my keyboard class (it's been some time ago and they still sit in my inbox), and i thought i'd share them because they're really meaningful:

First one:
Only God, can turn
a mess... Into a message
a test... Into a testimony
a trial... Into a triumph
a victim... Into a victor

Second one: (she sent me this during Easter and i just loved the simple phrases that yet meant so much because it just captures the very essence of who Jesus is in just 3 short sentences)

His Destiny was the CROSS,
His Purpose was LOVE,
His Reason was YOU.

*** ***

(3:20pm)

Some time ago, i think, last year, i decided that i wanted to try/re-learn blading. Since my family would go to Pasir Ris some certain sundays and since the blades in the home needed to be taken out for a whirl, dad and my sis became my blading coaches at the same time. I was never any good on blades because my sense of balance on just, two rows of straight lined wheels, was pretty poor. I had no confidence on ground that wasn't completely flat too.

But strangely, before the day we adjourned to said park, i had a dream that night, that i was blading with NO difficulty whatsoever. My balance was perfect, there was confidence in my rhythm and gliding, and what a joke! I could even do tricks while on them blades.
I could actually FEEL very tangibly the emotions going through me as i moved with the sense of smoothness and perfection in balance in the motion.

(sunday morning)

*clicked on dad's blades and stood up shakily like a newborn calf*
*Thanks lucky stars that there was a little area of flat ground on an otherwise hilly-ish park*

Ok, for the most part of the beginning, i was trying to blade based on previous knowledge and also on the physics of what was happening there and then and so was trying to figure out how not to topple over. Altogether, it was ungainly though i was moving.

And then i remembered my dream and for some reason, i decided to tap into that dream, tapping into that really vivid and fluid sense of ease in the motion and tried to recreate that confidence. And before long, i actually felt my feet obey me, and i found myself moving, gliding like how i was SUPPOSE to.

I was REALLY surprised at what was possible! I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of bringing an unreality into reality and seeing it work for you. Bringing the (un?)consciousness into consciousness.

So, the next time someone says to you: IN YOUR DREAMS AH!

They might not be too far wrong, eh?

*EYES POP WIDE OPEN*

Oooo... So maybe, just maybe... .. My dreams of owning that soprano saxophone was actually my inner fortune teller speaking?
(please please please please please!!!)

Take up space oni

I just discovered that people with no photo editing skills whatsoever can fiddle around with peekchores too. Just by making some ready made program do the work. All i need to do is simply click, click, click. Yeayyy.

BUT.

I am having so much fun that i'm not done with some shots so... these're here to just share stuff i've come across.



Close up of this plant that i find rather unnerving, as you shall see below. It looks like it is diseased or something. But the outgrowths are just simply more leaf buds. Whatever you call 'em.
















Eeew. :-S












My baby.

















I sneaked up on him to take photos. Thank goodness he's not a grumpy dog that snaps when disturbed.
















Took this one when i realised that the way his ear met his paw in the original photo's angle looked like a dog head already, so well... i couldn't help my itchy fingers.

Self Talk

Stolen Ideas:
I lower my brows and grit my mental teeth when people snitch my original ideas and pass it off as their own. Pooh. Thing is, it's inevitable and naturally occurring. But don't you feel as if you were being done an injustice? Part of your creativity stolen from you, like your "copyrighted" ideas were er... raped.

So i think of it this way: They liked it, so be flattered. And it's just too bad and your bad luck that they cannot attach citations, so live with it. (but at least give verbal credit lah!)

Well unless the person who used the idea isn't someone that you think has a very good sense of humour (in a personal case). Then unfortunately, that ain't no compliment, sadly.

How and When do you say...
We were just talking about how often those sacred 3 worded phrasES must be spoken to a significant other. It should be enough, so that each of person gets a pleasureable warm buzzy smiley feeling every time (most ideally), and should not be said too often that it becomes as cliche as "what's for dinner"?

I can only say that, satisfying someone comes with the deep understanding of the other. You'll be able to sense the right time and moment and feel the need of the other person to be loved and affirmed.

Even with a fast thumping heart, the words at the tip of your tongue, the moment hanging in a void in time and space, when everything else seems to go slow-mo and there's the fear pulsing through you that at any second the moment would simply fizzle into nothingness and then, drat!There went your chance to say those heartfelt words.

Sometimes you just don't because it's just not in your character to display such acts of affection even though your imagination/wilder party animal side says you can. Other times, it puts you in such a vulnerable position that you feel that you just can't allow yourself to be looked over, cross examined, prodded about, grinned at, like the bug in a box.

You better tell her pronto before...
Yes, we all like being complimented especially when the other person does it voluntarily, out of the blue, and without being asked to, directly or indirectly.

(Directly)
Eg. Dear, am i smart?/am i pretty?/do i have a good sense of fashion?/do i have a great smile?/Do i look fat?/Am i fat?/How much do you love me?/Would you do anything for me?/Am i childish?, etc.

(Indirectly)
Eg.
XX: Wow! You look really good!
XY: You look good too. (must say mah, to equal out the score)

The men obviously CANNOT run away from these questions once they're asked. So, you'd better go and tell her how beautiful/smart/blah blah... she is, so that she doesn't have a reason to suddenly corner you, pin you down and make you squeak out an answer and risk being misunderstood if you so much as hesitate even for a second before answering.

Whether or not you tell her now or later during interrogation, Do i even need to mention that you have to mean it?

Ah, but then: But how leh if I want to tell the truth which is unfavourable to her?
Then I tell you: Tact, tact, tact... And lots of love love love...

As for the woman? Be mature about it lah. He love and accept you as you are, very good already leh.

Then again, i wonder how many words a man would speak if they (hypothetically) only speak what they mean.

(ooooh, a mean girl, you are, Jo!)

Married life:
There's this saying that goes something like: The transition into a married life shouldn't be all that different from when you were in a relationship. It shouldn't shock you, and leave you in a position where you feel as if everything feels alien.

In a way, it's true because after all, being together for a while, you would pretty much know your partner's quirks and habits, how to make rational decisions together, blah blah, the works. Ok, i am NOT an expert on this.

Sure, with marriage comes its challenges and new (and scary) situations where spouse and you have to deal with.
But you do get where the saying is coming from, don't you?

I suppose it's referring to, when a couple marries, it happens as if it was suppose to happen at the end. And when it does, it's comes with such a natural flow, that when the couple eases into married life, it's just a beautiful extension of more to come, in couplehood.

A far too romanticized version of married life? Perhaps. What do i know eh? I'm just two decades old, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Vainpot Speaking:
Speaking of bushy tails. I think i am going come up with an entry where i will take a mug shot of myself with my current hairdo and use some VERY rudimentary editing, to experiment with other hairdos.

Hoo hoo hoo. How bo liao and i think it's going to be either a disaster or i might think the better of it and just not risk putting up pictures of myself. I risk being sued for visual assault, you know?

Itchy Hands:
I love weapons. Yum. I see a weapon even in a huge melon. Yep, i'm talking about that Hami Melon...

In other News...
Meeting up with my good ole' JC mates later today. Ooohh, i cannot wait. Pizza, talkrot, girl talk (for a guy, P's always a good sport when it comes to such things) and other matters.

This is bad. I am stuffing myself with ice cream to keep awake (oh how convenient an excuse to go full steam at my favourite brand of ice cream!) while typing out an essay. The ice cream parlour at my place sells freshly made stuff and it's got me addicted since the first day it touched my taste buds.
Ever heard of "Earl Grey Tea" ice cream? No? Well, it's because these guys are creative with the stuff they make.

Yum.

I shall introduce my pals to my new found love. Yay!

(5pm)

Gosh. I'm wondering if it's normal to spend 10 hours with someone and not get sick of the person, and talk for 5 to 7 hours without tiring on certain days, and on every other day almost consecutively, we talk for at least 2-3 hours.
And on my side, it never once feels like it's a chore. (Dunno about the other party though.)

If it sounds a little absurd, then this is a very gooood sign.

*slitted eyed stare*

Ok, ever since yesterday, there's been this person who has been dropping bead-like or stone-like objects on the floor CONSTANTLY. And this person lives above me and apparently, seems to be doing this repeatedly, and directly above my room, above my study area.

It's annoying the hair off me because it goes:

(person drops object)

Tock.... tock..... tock.... tock... tock... tock.. tock..tock..tock. tock.tock.tock.tock.tock.tocktocktocktocktocktocktocktocktock

(you can imagine that right? the sound increases its frequency as the objects bounces closer to the ground before stopping entirely)

and then repeats all over again.

And after which, the person now and then adds a second object, so its double the tock-tock-ing.
It's been two days already.

My mom said (in mock seriousness of course, because she's more civilized than i am):
"Eh? Then why you never go and take something (indicates the likeness of a broom with her hand gestures) and poke poke poke them back?"

(in English, that translates to: Why didn't you take a broom/pole and lift it to the ceiling of your room and make a din back at them as well?)

Like i said, she was just kidding, because she is a civilized human being. For now, the person has ceased the annoying activity. Hope it stays this way.

*** ***

Now, when was the last time i felt both this happy and wretched at the same time?

I feel silly for exclaiming so loudly yesterday, but hey, i couldn't curb my happiness. ;-D

Want to get an insight into the Man/Woman's world? Please read Marilyn's 23rd August (Tue) post.
The Man's portion sounds like something i read off MSN, but the Women's portion written by Mari herself, is for the most part, pretty true. Melikes Mari's writing, thumbs up from mua!

I hate Wrigglys

Today, mommy decided that she would fry us some keropok ("koprok" as dad once mistakenly pronounced it as. I laughed myself silly because it sounded so alienly funny.).

After she did the frying, being the neataholic of the home, she decided to open up and probably had in mind to clean out one of the many metal tins we had stashed at the back kitchen. (inside contained uncooked keropok)

Lo and behold, when she opened the metal tin's circular cover, according to her:
"A MOTH flew out!"

Think about a moth flying out into your face as you open up a tin not really expecting to have anything LIVING in that tin to begin with. *gag*

Now, i didn't see this happening but i was apparently told this when she walked out from the back kitchen to the sink where i was and held in her arms was that disgusting moth-housing tin, with the lid off. As she spoke, she drew out one dried piece of was-keropok.

"YAAAAAAAAARRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!! There must've been worms in there and when they matured, they flew out when you opened the tin!"
Smarty Pants Jo exclaimed in both fascination and horror.

"Yeah..."
And with that, she tilted the was-keropok-now-feeding-larvae(maggots?)-piece-of-***p in my direction such that my vision was given the honour of being transfixed upon that wriggly, juicy, white entity with a black spot on each end for a head and butt.

Smarty Pants Jo was now reduced to Screamy Jo.
I screamed/yelled bl**dy murder as mom shut the tin and prepared to throw it down the chute. But no... Horrified as i was, fascination took over me and i decided that i WANTED to see the rest of the maggot family.

Thinking that i was going to be safely staring into the tin without having contact with those disgusting creatures, i took a tablespoon and reopened the tin.

And once more, my vision was greeted by another juicy white wriggly crawling along the side of the tin's interior. Needless to say, i was jumping up and down and yelling in excited disgust and flinging my arms about as if the worms had gotten onto my skin.

Steeling myself, I leaned over the opening of the tin to get a glimpse of the rest of the family... But promptly jumped backwards again because i promise, i SAW A FREAKING FLYING THINGY hop up and down and back into the tin again.
AAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I am SO NOT going to breathe in wormy carbon dioxide saturated air and have flying creatures zoom up my nostrils.

Having screamed enough and having had my adrenaline fix (cheap thrill, huh?) for the day, i prepared to hammer the lid back onto the tin. Holding the lid aloft preparing to shut it for good, i turned to the tin once again only to find that centimetres away from the opening, a wriggly had managed to crawl out.

AArRGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gingerly handling the lid with my arms held out far from me, i covered the tin back and with great awkwardness, managed to wrap the relatively large tin within a plastic bag before tossing it down the chute.

*shudder* Worms, caterpillars and snails bring out Screamy Me. *shudder*

You can lie to everyone with slick words, with well churned out phrases, with even something that sounds well meaning.

You can lie to yourself even. Pushing the matter to the back of your mind with a rationalization that you know isn't true at all. But you think that it is enough to satisfy that nagging lie, just so that you can escape and not think about it anymore.
Well, that's until the next time round when your conscience decides to play guilt trip.

But i tell you, you can never lie to God. You cannot hide from Him. He is light and darkness has no place in the light. If you live in darkness, then... well, no prizes for guessing where you stand.

He knew you ever since you were being formed cell by cell, and He knows you better than you know yourself.

*** ***

"She had been hurt by both Christians and non Christians...

And then you just don't have anything left to say when she tells you that, because you can't apologize for what other Christians have done."

This was something a church mate said that struck a chord in me.

Everyone makes mistakes. Christians and non-Christians alike.

To the public eye, Christians are suppose to be "like Christ" in character. Therefore when we make mistakes, the label of "Christian" becomes tarnished and sometimes to the point that it obscures the person him/herself, as the mistake maker.
And people therefore think that we're (Christians) hypocrites, because we have failed to be gentle and kind and loving, etc.

There's little that we can do to change the mindset of the myriads of people who see us this way, so if you cannot beat it, then work by/with it.

It is not my desire to see people turned off because of what we do and say. We need to be careful and yes, follow the example that Christ has been to us.

We need to honestly look at ourselves and be objective about our strengths and flaws. Since we can be our own worst critic sometimes, why not make good use of it now.

What have people around us said to us about ourselves? Their honest feedback that you thought was utter rubbish or unfounded.
Have you noticed a repeating problem trend in your communications with others?
Do you notice how some people react to the things you say or do?

True, at times, people do diss us off with their honestly unreasonable or insensitive responses.

But sometimes, it's not about the other person. We sometimes think: It's their fault, and not mine.
But really, sometimes, the problem lies with ourselves. And we need to admit that.

Please.
Let our words and actions be edifying and kind.
Let our words and actions build each other up, and let them NOT be tools that tear us down to cause rifts, discord and resentment.

Please.
We're the ones going forth to others to share Christ's love. Let us be honest and strive towards changing the areas of ourselves that cause hurt to others. What good would it do if we continue in our own abhorrent ways and portray these ways to the very people we want to reach out to?

It is entirely counter-productive. Agreed?

I miss archery. My bow sits against the wall at the side of my room, just waiting for its mistress to take it out for a field trip.

Patience, my dear... You and i will go inhabit the outdoor range when the holidays roll over... When the national team leaves for the SEA Games, ah, then we shall have a good time, you and i.

I miss the drawing, the aiming and the power of the release and seeing my arrow land on the target with a... a... Hm, i've forgotten the sound already. ACK! I miss shooting.

Ah, patience.

*** ***

I am a walking concoction of emotions, and well, i gotta say they're all balancing themselves out.

I haven't much to blog really. Perhaps it's because i am happy. And being happy kind of erases the turmoil of thoughts and the processes themselves, so yeah. Here i am, talking about zilch, nada, null.

Was thinking of posting up a photo post, but again and again, i am reminded that i haven't gone on a photo trip yet. Think i will bring the camera along with me the next time i go out, just so that i can catch whatever that in turn catches my eye.

Wish i could shrink cumbersome items into Mini Me sizes and put them into a little pouch bag of sorts. Each time i need to use any one of them, all i'll have to do is pick it out, blow on it or something, then it's expand to its normal size, so that i can use it.

Things to do after the exams:

- go to the BEACH.
- Watch sunsets/sunrises.
- go on photo trips. (which includes exploring Singapore)
- get work.
- go to the zoo.
(hey! maybe, i should get work at the zoo, if they, er, want me. I have experience picking up poop everyday! Or maybe i'll work at the souvenir shop or something where i think they sell items at rip off prices...)
- shop.
- ARCHERY.
- Do all the routine exercise stuff i've been deprived of. I hate running but i miss it. (told you that i am mad) And hit the gym and pool!

(more later)

This list is here so that if i ever so much as utter that i have nothing to do, well, here's the pre-exam post-exam to-do list.

Trying to get into the rhythm of sleeping normally these days, which shouldn't be all that hard since i like to sleep.
Arrr, my eyes have been taking such a beating they don't deserve this year.

This is such a rubbishy, zero post. But it's going up anyway.

Oh and YEAAHHHH...
HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY ASPS!!! *muaaaakkk!*

Yesterday was a day of celebration... Because there was a glorious salvation! <--go see!

Now i understand what and how it feels like when you see a soul come to Christ, when you know for a fact that when someone chooses to walk with Christ, you know that Satan has no more hold on one more soul.

Did you know that when a soul comes to Christ, all the Heavens rejoice?

And oh, how we all rejoice along TOO!

An excerpt of a song that touched me some years ago:

"And you loved me, before I knew you
And you knew me for all time
I've been created in your image
Oh Lord

And you bought me and sought me
Your blood poured out for me
A new creation in your image oh Lord
You rescued me, you rescued me."

Boring talk of hair and non existent fashion.

Everytime i come to my page and see the same old post, i cringe because it's so stale. Ack. Here's a bimbotic post that was drafted in June.
Read only if you want your IQ to drop drastically below 100.

*** ***

My hair's a wild bush, safe for birds, including pelicans, to nestle in. I've always wanted to try straightening it or curling it, but you know, i'm quite a chicken when it comes to these things so i end up sticking to my natural waves.

Which in the end, i find that it's gotta be one of the most unique styles to have today, because like i said in a past post... How come suddenly all these chinese women sprout such exotic curly (or stick straight) hair?
It's gorgeous, but not to mention fake and not lasting anyway.

Ah but well, who wouldn't be up for a nice change anyway right? Nothing wrong with doing something new to your looks. As long as you don't get obsessed such that you cannot see yourself in any other hairdo but the artificial one.

I know of people who cannot revert back to their natural hair style because it'll clash with what they've got now. So, how? Keep rebonding lor. And mind you, it costs money. Care to continue rebonding for life? Hm.
If you're loaded then fine, but don't start crying and regretting when you find that your hair drops and all that jazz when you get older.

O.o Did i just say that?
The last time i checked, i was found to be just 2 decades old.

Anyway, it's not been too long ago that i've snipped off my final dyed bits of hair.
But i am so going to dye it again after my exams. Ok, only if i have enough dough.

Oh and did you know, that I am a closet "Wear-Your-Fashion-Loud-and-Proud" type. Heh heh. Betcha didn't guess right? Yeah, all my berms and boring repeated tops didn't give that away now, did they.

The Sims i created (you know, The Sims 2?) are the images of what i want to really look like, but if only i could summon the courage to. My created female character, Mikal Wolfe, has a uber cool mohawk, green eyes and wears dark lipstick and goes around clad in her sporty attire.
Hiak hiak.

But back to reality. I have neither time, money, the attention span nor that unexplainable enthusiastic female energy to *keep* "looking stereotypically attractive".

As i have said, I am the Epitome of Female Laziness. Ok, not that i go around willfully trying to emulate Chewbakka from Star Wars (but i am not far from that on any normal day).
I just make do with what i have and i don't try too hard to go out of my way to get "a certain look".

Besides, i believe in comfort in dressing. For example, wearing heels does not look comfortable nor has it ever gotten shining track records for doing your feet any wonders either.

Sure, the heels might accentuate the calve muscles and make you feel like a million bucks strutting around in it. Think i'll save that heel moment for strange vain occasions or for dinners, when i don't have to walk around a lot and can still feel like a million bucks when... I get up to go to the loo?

Now that i've come to think of it... I realize that each time i do bother to dress up a little (ok, the word is: When i do wear something That's-Actually-In-Fashion because i always wear stuff that's, er, from many seasons ago), i get people looking at me and i squirm uncomfortably inside.
I know that i haven't grown a second head but i keep wondering whether i'm missing something, or whether i'm wearing something inside out, or whether i remembered to zip my fly.

See? That shows how often i go around looking like a So-Chai (i quote my dear D), such that no one looks at me. Muah ha la. :-D

*** ***

For something entirely unrelated:
I want to go to Mustafa to get toiletries, which is something i've never done before.