Class of '96

Well, I met my primary school friends. Its odd how I actually did end up talking to them and having fun. I never thought we even clicked back in school. I always don't think much of myself anyway - and how I don't really click with most people. Maybe it's time I stopped analyzing everything and just accepted things as they are.

Seems like the right thing to do. Right? Yeah, I think so too.

Hmm, I finally unpacked today. I brought very few pieces of clothing (more like an excuse to purchase more) because I am so tired of travelling with so much stuff. I dream of travelling light but also having everything I want. Seems a bit impossible huh.

Ooh, Keanu Reeves has plans to get married. Listen up Selene! :) Hahaha. Selene and I used to have a joke about how the closest she could get to him would be to be his housekeeper. Selene's my former classmate who has always adored Keanu since we were 13. Well, the door's open Selene! Good luck :)

Back Home

Well, I arrived in Malaysia last night. It was eventful - I had a Krispy Kreme douhgnut (first time in my life) at the Sydney airport. It was really good. I'll get another one (or maybe more than one) when I go back this time *grin*. Hey I will have friends who will be picking me up at the airport. I could get them doughnuts as a "thank you" gift ;) Or...alternatively, I could just sit in front of my laptop, watch a good movie, and eat the doughnuts. Right? Hehehehe. Oh at the airports (Brisbane domesti and Sydney International) I had coffee. Hmm... good coffee is just too good to resist sometimes :)

Mom said I have lost weight. Oh my god, that was so nice to hear. Totally made my day (more like my whole holiday, but yeah!). I went shopping today. I can fit a "7" in some of my favourite clothing stores. How cool is that? I have tops from there that were sizes 9 or 11. Yay, I feel good already :) Mom bought me three tops and a pair of sandals. Quite cool stuff.

I saw the sarees she bought me as well. One is limey green with slight glittery bead work while another is black with thread work. They do look good :) I wonder if *I* would look good in them. I doubt it. Somehow I lack the grace and confidence my sisters have. Hahaha.

I had a good lunch and dinner tonight. Lunch was "Popiah" - one of my favourite asian dishes while dinner was "Bak Kut Teh" - my brother in law's favourite dish. It's quite good actually, he really enjoys it. I find it tasty too - but its something I won't eat often - like a delicacy or some sort.

It's funny how my supervisor can drive me insane without even being on the same continent as me. He's not replying my e-mails and I am getting worried. I really need to sort things out with him - am running out of time. *sigh* Hope it gets better :)

Next Chapter

I have finally finished all my assignments and all my exams for this semester. That means I only have one more semester to go before I graduate. My exams were not easy but I am really hoping to pass and get them out of the way. God willingly, everything will be okay.

I did something totally out of character today. See in primary school, some of my "classmates" used to call me Blackie. I don't know why. Of course, I am dark and being called Blackie did hurt a lot. Until now, I am very sensitive about my skin colour. Like when my friends joke about dark people or how they cannot see them in the dark and stuff like that, I get slightly offended. Like I do "feel" it.

My primary school mates are still very much in touch. They've had many reunions over the years and I have been invited for a few of them, but I always decline. Why? Because I still carry it with me I think - emotional baggage perhaps - the fact that a few of them used to insult me because of my skin colour.

It's childish, I know. But sometimes it still hurts when you sit and think about how terrible you used to feel - being an outcast and all.

Lately I have been talking to one of the girls who is still on my ICQ list (yes I still use ICQ) and she was telling me how we should meet up. So I agreed. And today she was asking if I wanted to meet up with the rest of them too. I declined at first, but then while we were talking, I realised that maybe I should. You know, just get over it. Move on, to the next chapter of my life. Past is past - right?

Let's see if these people have changed. I shall attend the gathering with no expectations. So, I won't be disappointed for sure. It is the right thing to do. Right? It's been 10 years....I've hidden enough. Time to face it. They never liked me in primary school. Who cares? I have my own friends now anyway. Doesn't matter anymore :)

I haven't blogged much because I'm trying not to wallow on a few things. I'll be cryptic and say that I am not really having things "my way" right now and I don't think there is much that I can do about it other than wait and see what sort of cards time deals me.

I've been taking some photographs of the sky again :) Yes, the obsession is back. I've also been studying - have exams on 17th, 20th and 23rd of June. My Dad actually sent me my sister's Engagement invitation card. It's quite amusing how he has "officially" invited me. Hehehe, I was laughing when I looked at it.

I bought the not-so-new Robin Hobb novel at like more than half the price at a nearby shopping centre. It's titled "Shaman's Crossing". I plan to read it on the flight - more like in the air port since I will be spending quite a bit of time "in-transit". I'm hoping to save enough of my allowance to pick up a not-quite-funky-and-slightly-formal-looking watch at the duty free while travelling back to Malaysia.

Hopefully I get that done, otherwise I have to wait till I actually earn some money to get a new watch. Somehow the older you grow, the more difficult it becomes to ask your parents for money to buy yourself things. Makes me feel pathetic.

Winter in Brisbane

Well, it's June and winter is here. Let's see..

What I like about Winter in Brisbane

• I get to wear my boots. Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do - look nice.


• I get to wear jackets. Sometimes its nice to know that you get to dress up - even though I do it rarely, but yeah, it's still nice.


• More excuse to drink good coffee. Well, with my sad student budget, I don't get Starbucks every week but I can afford coffee at the little cafes at uni. Now those are quite good.


• Nice and windy enough for a walk. When it's summer, it's sooo hot. Seriously, you get all sweaty and sticky - eww. Now it's so cooling for long walks.

What I don't like about Winter in Brisbane

• Showers. When you come out of the hot shower, it's cold and I have to leave the window open for awhile so the steam escapes and then only can I open my bathroom door. Otherwise, the fire alarm might be set off.


• Freezing toes. My toes are always cold - with or without socks. It's irritating.


• Slow drying clothes. Takes more than two days sometimes.

Well, Deepa asked me how I found Da Vinci Code. I liked it. I think it was a good movie. Of course, they did change it a bit compared to the book but a movie is only about 2 hours plus whereas a book takes about 8 - 9 hours to read, so you can't really have everything exactly the same. If you experience them as two separate things: the book and the movie - it is quite interesting.

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I am almost done with all my assignments. I have one last Matlab programming one left. Otherwise, it's time to start cramming for my final exams. Other than that, I'm not up to much. I've watched a few movies, and all the series I follow. It's a bit sad to know that I won't get any episodes of House, Desperate Housewives, Smallville, Ghost Whisperer and Grey's Anatomy until Summer is over. I think they resume sometime September.

So yeah, that's all I've been up to. One assignment after another, and a lot of research for my thesis. My supervisor is just impossible to please - one day he tells me he thinks we're making excellent progress, another day he tells me he doesn't like my presentation. Yeah, *I* lack presentation skills it seems. As arrogant as this sounds, I really don't think so. I am disappointed because I don't think I lack presentation skills and I don't think my slides were lacking in content. Hmph, some people are just such perfectionists they make other people feel so inadequate for no reason. I'm stuck with him till end of this year...hopefully things go well...