Friday, February 24, 2006

a new spin on Monday Blues

Firstly, all the pictures are super BLUE!
Secondly, don't I look like I'm being towed by a helicopter?
Thirdly, I did eventually manage to cross back over the wake, even tho the guys had given up taking photos by then. :)
Fourthly, how retro is this song?!
Fifthly, nothing else. Here are the pics. :P







Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Displacement Activity

I have an article due tomorrow, and here I am posting on my blog. :P

I have decided to make a list of what I miss about being in Melbourne.
Don't misread what I'm saying.
I lurf being back in Singapore, and I'm glad to move on, but from time to time, I find myself remembering stuff about Melbourne that I wish I had in Singapore. And for all you happy people who are going back, or already back there, ENJOY! :)

Okei, here it is!
(It's in random order, btw.)

I MISS......

1. Being queen of my domain. Haha! Which also means...
2. Having the freedom to go home anytime I want, but ironically, I tend to stay home a lot more in Melbourne. :P
3. Going for car rides, when my frens are willing and available to indulge me.
4. The parks and beaches, great for some alone-time.
5. Both cell groups and the fun we have hanging out together.
6. Watching Friends non-stop! Haha.
7. My driving lessons. :P
8. The higher probability of taking road trips or ski trips or some form of holiday.
9. The weather.
10. That my complexion is much better there! My face has been breaking out ever since I got back! :P
11. Kuai Le Zhan and all its combinations of housemates.
12. Writing letters to my frens. I imagine that, like me, they'll be happy to get something from overseas. :)
13. Bratwurst and Spanish donuts at Queen Victoria Market.
14. Having the time to meet up with people impromptu.
15. Finding clothes that I actually want to buy....window-shopping at Sportsgirl on my way home from school.
16. Having my own corner in the bathroom for my whole horde of chapalang toiletries and what-nots. Haha...
17. Studying with the LRC bunch.
18. Having people over at my place.
19. Going past the War Memorial.
20. Seeing a bigger piece of the sky when I look up.
21. The toy shop on Mt. Dandenong (Issit called Geppetto?).

Monday, February 20, 2006

sunburnt from wakeboarding

My arms are crying out to be slapped, and I have a natural flush on my cheeks.
I have the ugliest swimming costume strap AND racer-backed tee print on my back and shoulders.
And I was emanating heat on the bus earlier.
I'm pretty sure my neighbour thought I was super feverish.

But the weather was nice today, albeit the latent viciousness of the sun....and I think I'm better at steering now.
I was reminded that I have hips.
They are very useful if you don't want to bore yourself out boarding in a straight line all the way.
Heh heh.
Must remember to bend my knees more though. :P
And it was strange, but I got tired and breathless on my first run!
And my arms ached more than the last time.
Hm....I think my body is settling into its comfort zone, and it wasn't too happy to be woken up today.
But, this beats the gym anytime! Haha...
At least I have fun, even though it's not exactly the cheapest of sports. :P

Okei, if you see a gal wobbling along in suntec the next few days, that'll be me with my shaky knees.

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

my v-day

I spent my Valentine's Day with more than 100 people.
It was rather special lah.
You can pay any amount you want for an 8-course dinner.
Every table gets a free photo-shot.
And there's champagne too.
My door-gift was a cute little white and pink salt-n-pepa shaker set.

At this point, you're asking yourself "What kind of a V-day dinner is this?! And you can pay any amount?!"
All the guys are going, "Shar, why you never tell me?!"

Well, this should give you a hint.
Halfway through, we all stood up and went "YAAAAAAMMMMMMMM SENNNNNGGGGGG!"
We raised our glasses to the wedding couple and gave them our best wishes.
Haha.....gotcha!
Yes, I attended a wedding dinner on Valentine's Day.

It was really rather unique.
Malay food served Chinese wedding dinner style.
The food was YUMMY!
Ayam panggang and nasi kuning and sop buntut, amongst others.
Oh, and I met Louis' fren of the Cynthia there too...
You know it's a small world when your ex-housemate's fren turns out to be your cousin's classmate.

No, no photos as yet, but Daphne looked gorgeous.
Then again, she's always been pretty.
Except that now, she also looks grown-up and....married. :)

Monday, February 13, 2006

some recent tots on the heart

"Most people would rather be certain they're miserable than risk being happy."
Robert Anthony

Is it because they think their heart is not strong enough lest they are disappointed?
Or despite what they say, some masochistic part of them actually enjoys being miserable?
Haha.

The heart is a tricky thing to trust.

Few years back, I concluded that my heart is a little....stupid (for lack of a better word), and I need to tell it what to do so it doesn't end up running around in circles.
It's like the caterpillars following head-to-tail behind each other on the rim of a flower pot.
Even though there's food for them right in the middle of the pot, they don't know to change direction and so they end up circling the flower until they starve to death.
They are determined to stick to what they know, cos what they don't know is too scary.
What can I say....the heart knows what it wants, but it can't think for itself, and hence it can't lead for nuts.
Most times, it doesn't even make sense.

And it's unpredictable.
Just when you think it is strong enough to withstand any form of disappointment, it cracks under the slightest pressure.
So, you build your fort to try and protect it so that it doesn't crack again, but guess what, it is now stronger than you thought it was.
Sometimes you wonder if it's out to embarrass you.
So, people kept telling me, "You have to guard it," because...

You shouldn't trust something that is never constant.
You should fort something that keeps wanting to break out.
You should quelch it when it keeps wanting to hope.

Actually, you don't.

Because, hope deferred makes the heart sick.
Throughout the Bible, God wants to give us our 'heart's desires" to our "heart's content".

Not to say that everything that the heart wants is good.
But it's about being honest with that which the heart wants.
"But you desire honesty from the heart, so you can teach me to be wise in my inmost being." (Psalm 51:6)

And when it comes to the good things, I recently came to the conclusion that it's not about guarding your heart.
It's about trusting that God will protect it on your behalf.

That's how Jesus managed to love the people, even though they rejected Him.
That's why he eventually died of a broken heart.
If He had hardened his heart, there would have been nothing to break on the Cross.
He put it out there, regardless what it cost Him.

So it doesn't make sense.
So people let you down.
So they talk behind your back and backstab you.
So they assume things about you and act accordingly.

You don't have to keep that room in your heart under lock and key, because...

It's okei to trust in a constant God.
It's okei to trust in Him, the Fort and Protector.
It's okei to keep hoping.

I feel like I've gone a whole round in a span of 26 years, and I realised that I should have kept the heart I had when I was growing up, to save me the journey of a few years.
But well, it's the journey that matters, isn't it? :)
And God has come through enough in my 26 years to prove to me that He's a protective Father.

Sunday, February 12, 2006

what's auld lang syne?

Year after year, I cross over to the new year singing Auld Lang Syne, wondering, "What exactly does it mean?!"
I've always thought it had to do with forgetting the past and moving towards the new.
But turns out, it's about remembering old acquaintances and frens! Haha...

For those who have wondered the same thing, here's the English translation. :)
It's a Scottish folk song btw.

Auld Lang Syne (Old Long Past)

Chorus.
And for old long past, my joy (sweetheart),
For old long past,
We will take a cup of kindness yet,
For old long past,

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And days of old long past.

And surely you will pay for your pint-vessel!
And surely I will pay for mine!
And we will take a cup of kindness yet,
For old long past.

We two have run about the hillsides
And pulled the wild daisies fine;
But we have wandered many a weary foot
Since old long past.

We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till noon;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since old long past.

And there is a hand, my trusty friend!
And give me a hand of yours!
And we will take a right good-will drink,
For old long past.

Thursday, February 9, 2006

we dressed up for bry's berfdae




dim-sum feast with val, rose and na

rosy's berfdae



Rebekah - Me - Rachel


Dad - Jon - Uncle Richard


Sigh....I look ba-ba hor? For the Hokkien-uninitiated, "ba-ba" means fleshy.
Oh, but u know what....now that I've started work, I think I'm losing weight naturally! Woo hoo! :)

my dad's berfdae is on Christmas Day. :)



My dad said, "Jesus is coming back....." !!!
I took this photo when we were at Jumbo celebrating my dad's berfdae.

ah'm a-wake-ah-boarding



Hm....I realise I can't highlight or bold or italics my text when I am posting on my iBook!
How strange.....

Anyway, it's been a while since this blog has seen something other than cryptic entries and song lyrics, so here are some pics for eye candy! :)

melb gang at my place

Tuesday, February 7, 2006

take off my shoes

In the Old Testament, every priest that went into the Holy of Holies had a rope tied around his leg.
If he was impure or had secret sins in his life, the holiness of God was likely to strike him dead.
The rope meant the people waiting outside could pull him out without getting killed themselves.
This song is about a man's cry to disregard his life for that presence of God.

TAKE OFF MY SHOES (Delirious?)

I'll take off my shoes
I'm coming in
Untie this rope
I'm staying with Him
Love of my life
I'll live and die
Just for the moments
For my King and I

Why did You call
Why did You wait
For someone so guilty
Someone so fake
There are no words
For my beautiful song
Now I'm in the arms
Of my beautiful One

Hold me, blow all the pride
From my bones, with Your fire
Hold me, breathe on this heart
Made of stone, keep it pure
Hold me, Saviour of heaven and earth
King forever
Hold me, Love of my life lead me on
Through the fire, lead me on...

I'll take off this crown
And fall at Your feet
The secret of joy
Are the moments we meet
How could a man
With all of Your fame
Pull me from darkness
And call me by name

So hold me today
As I carry Your cross
Into the desert to
Find who is lost
Look at my hands
They're still full of faith
God keep them clean
Till we finish the race

____________________________________________________________________________
I'd rather crawl forever in the presence of God than to walk a mile outside of it.