1/2 + 1/2 = 1

A message

2008-05-12T19:26:00.002+08:00

To my dearest parents,

As I embark in a new chapter of my life, I just want to say how much I love you and how much you guys mean to me. Our family has never been a very vocal one when it comes to emotions - we are *so* Chinese in that sense - so I don't think we can ever say what's really on our minds most of the time. Thank God for the invention of the writing system and more recently of blogs.

I just hope that though I am an adult now that I can still count on both of you for support and guidance. You don't know how much I appreciate your opinion and your ideas.

I just hope that what I eventually decide on my own does not disappoint you. I can't after all rely on you for everything and wait for you to decide everything in my life. Failure and mistakes *are* part of life's lessons that I do have to learn.

Thank you for raising me to be a responsible person and one who respects disciplone, elders and one who is although unable to speak Chinese properly most of the time, still retain her Chinese values (well, some). It's something that I can be proud of and something I am sure to teach my own children in the future. Thank you that you have provided me with an environment that is both Chinese and Western at the same time, which has shaped me to be the person I am today.

Thank you for your love and your care and for providing for me as best you can. Thank you also for not giving me everything I ever asked for. Not getting a coveted toy as a child is a tough lesson to learn but because you never spoiled me that way, I have learned to appreciate all that I *do* have. Now that I have to pay for my own bills, I know how hard life is. Thank you for slogging through all sorts of toil in life to bring Jack and I up. I hope that we've turned out the way you had hoped we would be.

Thank you for caring for me. You guys are amazing and wonderful. I hope that you don't feel like you've been robbed of that responsibility now that someone will be taking over the responsibility of taking care of me.

I just want you to know that both of you have done an excellent job as parents. I will be very busy soon with work and other things. I just hope that you know that despite that, you will always be on my mind and that I'll miss you always.

I love you Mum and Dad!

Teafy Addict

2008-05-11T17:07:00.002+08:00

Blogging from the Outpost...

I have just one thing to say...

I'm so glad that I can have TEAFY again!!!

I shall endeavor to get an Internet connection soon!

3 Awesome Years

2008-05-08T10:36:00.004+08:00

I never wrote about our last day together as a class - well, firstly because I didn't have the Internet connection to do so. Secondly, I had a TON of things to do - mostly chores for the Word Works conference that I had gone to on the first and second of May. Thirdly, I guess it's because I'm too much of a nostalgic person that if I did write something I'd just end up bawling my eyes out for some time... And since Shane's here, he might be alarmed at my sudden burst of emotions.

Anyway, that said, I'm probably not going to write a long post about it as a couple of my good friends have already described it.

I'll just say that I agree with one of them that the past three years have indeed been an amazing experience - an experience I would not exchange for anything at all. Nothing can buy the kind of experience I've gone through.

And words cannot express enough what I feel about the people I've met and made friends with. You guys are amazing, awesome, and the best people I've ever met in my entire career as a student. You've taught me so much and we've had so many happy moments that though there was friction more than once that the happy moments just erase them away.

Also, I agree that we probably won't ever get something like this ever again. It's such a unique time - University.

I would advise those who are still in Uni to enjoy it while it lasts.

I'm about to embark in a new chapter of my life and I must say that it's different and I don't think I'll ever get friends like those I've made in Uni ever again. We were just in a stage of transition between maturity and immaturity that everything was just a laugh and everything was just fun. When we start work, we probably will have less of that. That's what I anticipate anyway.

In my case, I'll still be tied to the University life but I'll be standing on the other side, watching people do what I had used to do for three years - giving grief to their lecturers. I'll probably see the warmth of their friendship, the laughter they share, the in-jokes they have and the like. Probably seeing all that will rekindle all the good memories I've had with my friends during my University days.

I don't know. It might.

One can only hope.

To all my University buddies, again I wish you all good luck in your future undertakings. I know we'll all lead separate lives now - so many of you have dreams of going away, I hope you guys find happiness in all that you do. I am standing firmly in these soils so check back with me when you're all back. I'll still blog here - though for work rants, I might have to start a private one to protect the ugly (I'm just kidding!). I'll still have Y!M and MSN on so you'll always be able to IM me anytime you want. Facebook is just a click away too.

I hope we maintain the friendships we've forged. 3 years ain't a short time. I know that I would love to hear more about the exploits of some of you - Sue, Su Lyn, Shuba, Izyan, Edmond... Everyone in fact! (I hope those who didn't get named won't be upset! :P).

Anyway, I said that it wouldn't be long but I guess when it comes to the matters of the heart... I can go on and on like an Energizer bunny!

Class of 2008, I'll miss you all.

A cute couple giggles

2008-05-07T18:29:00.006+08:00

For some of you who still have no clue... SHANE'S IN MALAYSIA!

We haven't really taken many photos but for those that we have taken... All of them are my favourites!!

Taken on the first day - on our ugly naked couch...

On the bus...

Since there was no one to help us take the photo, Shane had to hold it - I was experimenting on the angle. I look spazzed.

I think this is our best shot... ;)

And oh yeah... I PWN N00BS! ROFL!

Another update

2008-05-06T19:43:00.004+08:00

I haven't had much time to update lately. Been busy running around doing errands mostly. I've had to go and buy new clothes for work which will start soon.

Man, I despise working clothes but alas... Because of the nature of my job, I have to dress that way...

Anyway, I just wrote to update that I've been watching a lot of movies lately too.

IRON MAN ROCKS!

Lady in the Water was so profound that it tickled my imagination and my creative bone...

Update

2008-05-04T22:41:00.002+08:00

Just a short update that I am alive.

Just Internet-less for a while.

I'm back in Penang for now.

Till the next Internet opportunity....

2 fun years

2008-04-29T22:50:00.003+08:00

To the Gohs,

After tonight you won't have to put up with me anymore! LOL!

But in all seriousness now...

Thank you for your hospitality these past 2 years. It's been a wonderful time for me and a great experience. Never have I felt so much warmth in a family towards someone you barely know. It was great to stay with you guys for that long a time.

I hope that you'll all be well and that you'll enjoy the extra room now that I'm going. LOL! ;)

Also, I hope that we don't lose touch and that we'll still keep in contact with each other.

Again, thank you for everything. 2 years had been a long time and I'm glad that we've had a nearly frictionless time together.

THANK YOU!!!

PS: Sue, please show this to your parents! :P Thanks!

Outpost outing

2008-04-29T20:56:00.001+08:00

It's Tuesday and I'm at the Outpost...

Yes, that's right... Again...

Life is so good without classes...

And I think the more I come here, the more I eat...

I suspect that all the weight I've lost and all the muscles I've built are wasting away...

Worst of all is how I hardly have any time to go to the gym...

Damn....

PWNERER!

2008-04-27T19:39:00.003+08:00

=

Munchkin Tournament - Outpost

After 2 whole hours of intense strategizing, back-stabbing and 'munchkining', the winner was clear...

Say hello to the new "MUNCHKIN GOD" - ME!

Can you believe that I beat King, my SGCM General and a veteran Munchkin player???

I WON! I WON! I WON!

Due to some trump cards on my behalf and the fact that the other three players had used up all their power cards to defeat Ronald and King in the earlier round, I was left unscathed. I played a Level 1 monster from my hand - I was Level 9 plus 14 bonus points which made me a Level 23. After trying their best, King, Ronald and the guy whom I forgot to ask for his name could only level up my monster to a Level 8. I had 3 standby cards to help me if they had tried to up my monster more. I had a card to plus 5 points to my level making it a Level 28, plus a card to discard the monster in play as well as to get another player to battle the monster for me while I get the loot!

Finally after about 10-15 minutes of trying to find fault with my cards, the three guys I was playing against gave up. They called Richard (the manager of Outpost) to tally the score. I was declared the winner and officially the Munchkin God! WHOO!

Oh our deck was a mash-up of the original Munchkin deck and also the Munchkin Bites! deck. Get this... I played with 99% original Munchkin cards and I had only one power card from the Munchkin Bites! deck while the rest of my opponents had a mix of everything.

For the prize, I was given three options:

1) RM30 off a Munchkin deck - which cost RM115 originally.
2) A Munchkin expansion deck - which does me no good as I don't have the base deck.
3) Free Outpost food.

The third option was tempting since I am so ADDICTED to the Teafy but I figured I'd be better off with option one.

So when I can have the cash, I'll get a Munchkin deck so that I can play more! WHOO!

Munchkin Tournament

2008-04-27T16:39:00.001+08:00

The first round of Munckin has just ended.

My group - the "Odd numbers" group had finished the game with 2 winners, as did the "Even numbers group". My group comprised of Kenny, Darren, Ronald and myself. All of us were 'noob' players with bad luck and not very good hands.

In the end, Ronald got first place and I second.

We will start the Finals in 1 minute. I just have enough time to say...

"King, I'm gonna take you on!"

Munchkin

2008-04-26T18:16:00.001+08:00

Transmission from the Outpost:

6 players...

One game...

ONE HUGE CHAOS!!!

Gotta get back to the game now...

MUNCHKIN!!!

Transmission out!

Yesterday...

2008-04-26T09:38:00.002+08:00

First there was this:

2 hours later, this happened to my writing hand:

Then 2 hours after that torture... We had these!!

Mussels Fra Divolo (if I'm not mistaken that's what it's called!)

Caesar's Salad

Shrimp Linguine - this was FABULOUS!

Angel hair Pomodoro

Cappuccino Pie

There were loads and loads of talking, eating, joking, laughing and not to forget... CAMWHORING! There was so much camwhoring that I can't even post all of the pictures here because I just have difficulty choosing which pictures to post! Yes, there were THAT many!

Now it's the last day of exams (for me) and although I can't wait for that to end, I WILL really really miss my friends. We've known each other for 3 years and that has been an amazing 3 years for me.

Oh and now after all those rich and amazing food... I am sick. GAH!

Brighter days

2008-04-25T01:53:00.002+08:00

And suddenly the sun shines through...

The fence that was broken,
Now mended with words spoken,

Soon it's time to say goodbye,
How fast time flies,

Holding on to the fond memories,
I will leave,

Bringing with me a lifetime of friendship,
The lessons learnt,
The tears cried,
The love shared...

The sun seems brighter now.

~Jules

A reflection

2008-04-25T00:00:00.002+08:00

Picture 'stolen' from Sue's blog

I don't know about you but when I look at this picture, I think it's perfect. It captured a moment in time when all the persons in the picture were really happy and really at ease with one another. It depicts that one perfect moment where nothing is wrong and everything is just peachy...

I look at that picture with great fondness and I start to wonder...

What happened?

Looking at the picture again I again I saw something else. Something that reminded me of this picture:

Stargate SG-1 - source unknown

Do you see it?

Maybe it's not very stark but it's there.

It cuts deeply into my heart. It wounds me very much.

I can be very emo sometimes and you know how much I think about stuff like this. I think a lot and I doubt that it's very healthy. Lately I've been angsty and acting like a real jerk. I'm restless, I'm proud, I'm just so hyped up with no way to vent that excess energy.

The poison is seeping, I know. I thought that it had been stemmed some time ago. I guess it's not...

It's just mutated into a boil - a boil that has festered over the years. A boil that is threatening to pop.

When will it I wonder? Will I be able to stop it? Am I too late?

Maybe I'm too proud to admit it. I feel the unquenchable desire to stroke my ego. You're probably thinking, "Wow... She's such a huge ass!" I would not be angry if you did. In fact, if I could just step out of my body for a while and join you on the sideline, I would think the same thing too.

This is not a bid to feel self-pity. It's a reflection that I've been doing for the past couple of years already being brought to the surface. I guess it should have been written a long time ago. I would have saved a fair few people from the heartache.

Though I also wonder... If you had had a problem with it... Then why was nothing said upfront?

We all go through our rough patches and we always hope that we'll survive. I mean it's only normal to not feel 100% but I wonder why we never express that?

I guess you were probably thinking as I did... That it was best not to stoke any fires and fan any flames. That perhaps it's just a small thing - it's temporary, it'll go away. Perhaps that had transpired between us for the longest time. Perhaps it's time to put all that aside and just get down and dirty with it.

This probably isn't the best of times - what with us being highly strung and stressed out and all... But this is a good time as any isn't it? Maybe this is just the stress talking... But the poison needs to be removed for the wound to heal - if it will ever.

Maybe I'll be foolish to think that it will. I don't know. You tell me.

When it all boils down to it, it probably wasn't anyone's fault. Stuff happens. It's up to us how we're going to handle it.

Maybe it's selfish of me to hope so but I would hope that we have more pictures like that one up there. Looking at it makes me feel hopeful that we will.

50 today!

2008-04-24T09:18:00.003+08:00

To my dearest Pa,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

This is one important one eh? You've turned 50 today!!!

I hope you'll enjoy this day and can reflect back on the past 50 years of your life and see that it's been full of joy and happiness. Thanks for being an awesome dad! :D

Sorry for the sloppy artwork, was rushing out the door for my exams... -.-"

Wow

2008-04-23T22:56:00.001+08:00

Hallelujah!

PRAISE GOD!

It's been an interesting day I must say...

Wee Munchkin

2008-04-23T17:41:00.000+08:00

Copyrighted image taken from SJ Games' site HERE.

Although I've only played 3 games so far (and won 2 of them), I now consider myself a "Munchkin" because I crave playing that game a lot! I've always like board games and card games so when I was introduced to this game, I was hooked at the very first go!

Now everytime I am at the Outpost, I'll try to persuade those around to play Munchkin with me. Yesterday there was only Allen and I and since we need a minimum of three people to play, my plan had failed.

In any case, it's a really fun game which is played to parody Dungeons and Dragons and RPG games in general. From this basic pack there has been several spin-offs such as Star Munchkin which parodies scifi related stuff, Munchkin Fu which parodies kung-fu and Asian movies, Munckin Impossible which parodies espionage movies, Munchkin bites which parodies vampire and horror and a few others as well. Daren and I have tried Munckin, Star Munckin and Super Munchkin (which as its name suggests, parodies superhero comics!).

The game is really simple in a way but requires a lot of back-stabbing (in a sense) and a lot of strategy. Otherwise it's a really funny game and nothing is to be taken seriously as it's made to be a 'fun' game and not one to stress over...

That said, I've registered myself for the Munchkin Tournament at Outpost this Sunday at 1500hrs. If I win I'll be able to bag a set of Munckin cards for myself. I hope I am 'sneaky' enough to win... LOL! If not it would be all in good fun! I can't wait for the exams to end!

My Translation paper went okay today. I was just a bit irritated with it but I guess it was alright.

Tomorrow is Varieties... Ooh fun...

Transmission from the Outpost

2008-04-22T18:37:00.002+08:00

Blogging from the Outpost...

What a great place to be in indeed...

Taking a leaf from Daren's post in his blog, I decided to blog here too. It's really fun being in the MySciFiFan Outpost - especially on Tuesdays since it's Rosti Discount Day today!

Not only is the food good, the Teafy drink is addictive as well as thirst-quenching. The environment is also cool and conducive to work in. It's a fun place for friends to hang out too. And best of all, it's a hideout for movie buffs, fantasy and scifi fans, and cosplayers.

Everytime I come here I get to put on my SG1 jacket and wear it with pride. Sure some people might not know what the patches mean but it's still cool! LOL! I'm a geek and I'm not ashamed of that - especially not when I'm here where all geeks converge.

Ever since I became a more 'serious' cosplayer, the Outpost has been a place that I could come and meet new people of the same interest. It was here that I've made some new friends who turn out to have interests from scifi to fantasy to comics and games!

Anyway, Richard, if you're reading this, I sure hope I'll get a free Teafy the next time I'm at the Outpost!

OK... Advertisement time over...

Colonel_Jlel out!

Strange advice from a stranger

2008-04-21T20:27:00.003+08:00

I've never had a stranger tell me "Study hard and please pass your exams so that you can graduate ok?"

Until today that is...

The interviewer, Mrs Ho, told me so - not only once but twice throughout the interview that I had with her and her colleagues today.

After seeing the campus, I really would like to join this institution. It looks like a great place to work...

Oh but the hell of a headache I'll have to endure from the students I'm sure...

I know what it's like because I'm one handful of a student as well... I guess payback'll be a bitch...

Countdown

2008-04-21T20:19:00.002+08:00

9 more days and counting...

I can hardly wait...

Not only will I be totally free from exams (for at least one or two years!), but I will be meeting my darling!!!

WHOO!

Exciting things are ahead of me!

Prayer Request

2008-04-19T22:21:00.002+08:00

University Malaya's examination building caught fire. This might mean a change in our schedules.

If there is a good time as any to ask for prayer requests, it's now.

I ask for all Christians who read this to help me pray that my exams will not be postponed. I'm really worried about that because I do not want to be hindered from going to the Word Works Conference. Also, I hope to be able to start working ASAP for various reasons - one of them being ministry matters...

Thank you all for your help!!

I am walking in the rain

2008-04-19T19:15:00.002+08:00

My car's battery is flat so I had to take the LRT to church earlier and walked. It was just my luck that by the time it was 1800hrs, it was raining buckets. I decided to take the LRT anyway because I didn't want to bother Daren anymore than I already have - or to bother anyone else for that matter.

So when I reached my destination and exited the station, it was raining even more. I thought that since I had an umbrella that I would be okay. Boy was I wrong! 1 minute into my walk in the downpour my shoes started to squelch which meant that water had entered it.

"It's not so bad" I thought as I continued walking.

Within the next 20 seconds, my shoes became so filled with water that not only was I squelching as I walked, it felt like I was wearing water balloons for shoes! My socks were retaining water and it was uncomfortable.

By that time too the rain had started to fall in a slanting position. No matter how hard I tried, water kept getting to my body. Then I had to walk on the sidewalk. Some cars were kind and they slowed down when they saw me but two bloody (insert expletive here) cars weren't. One Pajero just zoomed past me which caused the puddle of water next to the sidewalk to engulf me. I was pissed but oh well, I thought, it could be worse.

All I was really concerned about was to keep my bag dry and safe - because in it I had a thick book called "The Doctrine of God" by John Frame bought for RM80. I would be soooooo annoyed if anything happened to that book! Also, I had my Bible inside as well as one of Robin's books and a few of my own books.

At one point my jeans were so soaked that they weighed a ton. Walking became difficult and it was labouring.

I was cold. I was tired. I was wet. I was dirty. And worst of all, I was hungry...

When I finally reached home I was a little disorientated. I was so hungry that my hands were shaking, my feet were numb and the stomach acid was going to bore a hole in my stomach! I ate two Tim Tams in my hunger, the only thing I could find which was edible cold.

Final result... I was soaked to the bone... The walk had been one of the longest and worst I've ever had...

I truly feel sorry now for people who have no mode of transportation and have to walk everyday. Especially if they're caught in bad weather...

I'll be more sympathetic in the future.

"Simul Iustus Et Peccator" wallpapers

2008-04-17T23:38:00.003+08:00

"Simul Iustus Et Peccator" is a phrase in Latin coined by Martin Luther during the Reformation to mean "Simultaneously justified and a sinner" for all who have been saved by Christ but are still living day-to-day life in this world.

I wanted a wallpaper for my computer to reflect that statement and to reflect my belief that the Cross should be central in a Christian's life but I couldn't find any so being an experimental artist myself, I thought I'd make my custom wallpaper.

Here is the wallpaper I came up with:

Simul Iustus Et Peccator Version 1

and its variation.

Simul Iustus Et Peccator Version 2

The images here are a little small.

If anyone is interested in using these wallpapers, please leave a comment with your email address to this post and I can send this off to you. The wallpapers are made for the 1024 x 768 screen resolution.

One more!!!

2008-04-17T15:49:00.004+08:00

Stargate Chevron by ~jlel on deviant ART

To my darling Shane,

Has it really been that many months??? Wow... Time certainly does fly when we're having fun!

Following the alternate Halo-Stargate drawing gift, here's the Stargate one for this month! I love you very much! I can't wait to see you soon!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Addicted

2008-04-16T23:00:00.000+08:00

Being a fan of the Call of Duty (COD) first-person-shooter game franchise, I was really excited when COD4 came out. However, even though excited I knew that I wouldn't be able to play the game for a long time because of the system requirements that the game would come with. My humble laptop can only play some of the older games as I don't have a good enough video card, processor, or memory.

This didn't stop me from watching lots of videos on the game and reading up on it though. Even with Halo 3, I did the same though I knew that it would be ages before I could lay my hands on an Xbox 360...

Anyway... When I first got the taste of COD4 on Daren's laptop, I was hooked. I've always liked COD but this time COD4 has surpassed its predecessors. I couldn't help but gawk at the graphics... The details are just simply amazing. The gameplay was even better!

Recently Daren and I played again on multiplayer and boy it's a freaking awesome game!

I've been playing Counter Strike since, just trying to get that itchiness in my fingers away but it's just not the same! I can kill loads of enemies in CS but compared to COD4, CS is just too easy! And well it's just different I guess...

I can't wait till the next time we play again...

PS: I have nothing else to blog about as you can probably tell...