overwhelmed.

when you know how much your friends sacrifice just so that you can travel,

together.

Ambitious travelling, you say? Not quite.

Put it in a more appropriate way - it is that little urge, that makes you go for what the heart says, rather than that of the head. (But  it's impossible to count the head out eh? One cannot not think, right..)

A week in February, away from the cold, the snow. Malaga - imagine 24 degrees, feel the cool breeze and the warmth from the sun!  - had me rediscovering the raw excitement of really 'travelling', being in a foreign place, with close to zilch knowledge of español. Try living in sub-zero temperature climate, you'll appreciate the sheer delight of staying in the sun as long as possible. It's like sunlight automatically converted into energy, really. London however, was colder, but not as bad as it is here. Somehow it was a real blessing to have three dry days, for walking and touring - rainsuit in bag, unused. Good to note that a day before arrival it was pouring. Not by chance, I'm sure! : )
One important lesson - knowing who to travel with. It's not just about planning, obviously.

Marching into March. Three classes weekly. Closing off with a six-hour paper. I'm terrified just thinking about it. Brrr..... Also petrified, stupefied, mystified by the price of books here. Heartburn, heartburn!

Speaking of terrifying things... One of which I'm baffled about is how inconsiderate people can be when it comes to being civic/neighbour-conscious.Clashes of culture - can't be avoided, for sure, but honestly speaking, it is difficult to tolerate. Especially unreasonable cases, in which I do not wish to point out here. Quite a frustration! Pretty much ruins almost any day. You cannot expect people to change just because you want to have things your way, or just because you were here before I was so you think you are more superior. Your problem? Go find your own solution. Simple as that.

It might sound disheartening to see myself behave this way when we're told to offer the other cheek. Alas, there is a limit - a threshold of peace. I did my part, and I am not going to be bullied. If that's not good enough for you then you'd just have to accept that fact (and tolerate me instead) Unfair? I don't think so.

Disebabkan nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga. Won't let it happen here, though. 120 days to go. There's so much more to do! Places to go to! With good company of course.

One perfect stress-buster is to get busy in the kitchen(-ette). Glad måltid maketh en glad människa! Cures a bitter heart, too!

Studies? Well, you can't study with an upset stomach and a bitter heart, can you? You know the answer. haha. Hej då : )

seriously missing Malaga,

M.

A change of pace, a shift of ways.

Out of  place? Perhaps it's haste.

A quiet gaze. Maybe more.

Days.

To cherish and to embrace.

Here's to a week here in Göteborg! Weather's been unwelcoming. Sunny one day; cloudy and windy another. Anyway, Rosendal is beautiful, in fact among the most scenic. Looking forward to spring - maybe late March. Härlanda Tjärn - now frozen, is within walking distance. Nice park for jogs and walks.

Classes have yet to start, and seeing friends busy with homework and lectures gives me the nerves. Would it be different? In what way, I wonder.

Liability of newness, eh?

m.

Above: the Göteborg Centralstationen.

bomb-astik!

time is impatient. it's been almost two weeks

the fumes of garlic, one reeks

chopping leeks; repairing leaks

thank the lord, geek isn't sick!

rivers of light; blue skies

in the bright daylight

ah! even in the darkest of nights

it's such a comfort they bring delight!

a tailwind, perhaps to fly a kite?

sixty days. to spend - many ways.

live 'em like the blue jays

gay, yet never astray

Alas! remember your outlays.

roadtrips, foodheaps

it's always nice to have them

with the best of peeps!

Seems like Year Two

for this here Ngoo

wasn't all

"Boo..." and "Goo..."

haha.

through trials and (near) revivals

I'm sure we will all prevail!

wail not!

with the Big Man

how can we be frail?

blessed, indeed.

no, I don't kid.

Here's to these quirky friendships.

Ridiculously serious.

Seriously ridiculous.

pasture beside still waters

27/5/2012 6:21pm

(Adapted from Bob Fitts' I Love to be with You)

You give me reason to breathe again

In fact, Lord, You make it possible

like a flower blooming in the spring

like the colours of an autumn leaf

like the sea and all its majesty

that is why I love to be with You

You whisper Your love in the morning

And You cradle my head in the evening

You give me reason to dance in the sun

After I have been in the cold

an antidote to the anxious mind.

future concerns and the want-to-know-it-all tendency.

it's already been paid for.

why the despondency?

Your peace, I ask.

the seventh-week-(gl)itch

shouldn't life be as carefree as floating in mid-air?
it's a choke hold here!

help me find the way.

the skies
overcast and gray

to make hay

while still bright
is the day.

even when it means saying nay!

the humble abode

a house which was once a home.

in the absence of contents dear to the heart.

leaves nothing but an empty, desolate shell.

who can tell?

there's no other place , not even Rome.

called home, only in the presence of the beloved.

a feeling no body can tear apart.

in loving memory of #150@f-7

why is a raven like a writing desk?

Lewis Carroll:

'Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat, and it is nevar put the wrong end in front!'

can't wait to get them papers done with! 

fight the good fight!

Herzen Alexander:

Life has taught me to think, but thinking has not taught me to live.

Live.

don't think too much.

Sting: 

Many miles away there's a shadow on the door of a cottage on the Shore of a dark Scottish lake. 

daydreamer

what a joy if one could just spend the whole day, doing nothing and yet be not bothered about all the hubbub and hullabaloo. boo-hoo!

fly! set sail! and drift away to neverland!

run free! like you're in the plains of the grasslands. a happy lark in the meadow-field.

ahem, that'd be too good to be true.

but yeah, pretty well looking forward to the breaks.

soon, soon. bearded baboon.

i sure don't want t'end up like a goon.

'Well, are you rich?' 

'No, but I been rich wunst, and gwyne to be rich agin. Wunst I had foteen dollars, but i tuck to speculat'n', en got busted out.' 

'What did you speculate in, Jim?' 

'Well, fust I tackled stock.' 

'What kind of stock?' 

'Why, live stock. Cattle, you know. I put ten dollars in a cow. But I ain' gwyne to resk no mo' money in stock. De cow up 'n died on my han's.' 

 - Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn 

you got skin over your bones

yes, it comes in many different tones

you try to keep it all in

cover up, don't get yourself screened

perhaps find a place

where it spells comfort and solace

nobody sees, no man hears

not even the sight of your tears

alas!

just when you think

for a camouflage,you'd pass

your skin made of brass

exposed, bare

you're caught unaware

it's not even a proper snare

sometimes simple things

turn out to be surprise-things

sometimes feelings

can be quite nerve-wracking

and you know what, uncertainty can still be king

only You know

yeah, You know

hey dol merry dol

Slip into your most comfortable at-home clothes and just bask in the ever familiar sights and sounds of home!

A time to work the kitchen. and work the bulges, too! 

 f r e s h   i d e a s .
f r o m   g o o d  o l '   h i d e o u t s .

c a t c h i n g   u p   w i t h   e v e r - g r e e n s .

S t i l l .  y o u  g o t  r o o m  f o r  m o r e !  

given only once. the choice is yours.

four moons may seem long.

well, I'd never want to believe that!

hey dol merry dol, ring a dong dillo

ring a dong, hop along, fal lal the willow

Tom Bom, jolly Tom, Tom Bombadillo!

happy hols! : )

escapade.

musings from a much desired break.

sometimes we fail to bask in the richness of life's intricacies. 

sometimes we prefer to lock our minds in our own imaginary boxes. 

sometimes even simple things can make you go 'ooh... and aah...'. 

 sometimes we need good food to fill up our physical (and psychological), tanks. no?

 sometimes we may feel that there's nobody around to befriend you.

 and when we're trapped; closed in from all four corners, we fail to look up.

pictures for thought.

from a city called Kuching.

love,min.

 nice one by yeun : )

beyond necessity.

to sleep and wake up without relying on any device.

heaven.

sorry

that'd be hardly possible

will make sure this happens

after I'm done pestering with second semester!

just when you think picturebooks don't matter.

I'm sure some of you might have read The Little Golden Book titles before right? Well, several numbers by this cool guy, are really entertaining reads. (Informational, too!)

p/s: Richard Scarry, you make cats look cute.
Well at least in my childhood memories.
But they still are, anyway.


Do check 'em out! 

homeward bound!

h o m e .

s u r e f e e l s g o o d t o t h i n k o f i t.

f i v e d a y s.

j'aime!

>:O

the past year: what the dog saw

07/31: Orientation month - at the queen's

At this point of time, the freshies just got tired
of one whole week of orientation,

and off they went to escape from the place we call
menara gading.

08/30: Merdeka countdown - at the Times

Still remembered the pandan flavoured putu mayam we had

before visiting the still-new Penang Times Square,

where the hbp students had
their performances and artworks publicized,

as part of a programme in a concert.

08/31: Morning sky

Sight to behold. Taken before a hike
to a not-so-near beach, at my very own residence. 

08/31: En route to monkey beach

This is Muka Head. A place for biology/marine biology
students to carry out research,

sadly, during the holidays.

Okay, after rushing through group projects, mid-terms,
online quizzes and finally, final exams,

it's funny how a bunch of students would want to be

voluntarily put into another race,

where more than 20,000 people compete. 

11/21: Catching the sunrise in 10K fun run
- from the queen's to the bridge then back

This is what you get by paying rm15,
provided if you run there. Haha.

11/22: Early presents from friends : )

Happy moments worth living for that make you go "aww..."

sueanne, tienhui, audrey, stephanie,
fongwan, waiquan, jiaowei

Many thanks! : )

11/23: Discovery of a hidden nook - at komtar

...with the assistance of a Penangite friend.

get cheap felt, here!

11/23: A necessary yet, non-reliable,
mode of transport

11/23: Noon at the queen's

11/23: English tea; un-English way

11/26: To the town - by the streets

All through semester one we never really took time to

walkabout, lose our way, and just dive into
the many quiet, quaint, little streets.

11/26: Old - as seen in new; First Avenue

12/10: Give us this day our daily bread
- a private getaway tucked in the corners of KL

...where friendships were rebuilt? refurbished, I'd say. heh.

12/10: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive
those who've trespassed against us

12/10: Refuge

12/10: Escapade

12/11: Celebrated celebration, as quiet as it may seem

12/11: The undiscovered

12/11: Lowly, but unappreciated

camps. christmas. melt-in-your-mouth shortbread.
molten chocolate cakes. last-minute packing.
one month. gone, baby. gone.


semester two.
like it or not.
91 days to live through.


Okay, I'll leave the rest as it is. No use killing time documenting all these if I'm being unproductive.
hahah. Can't wait to be back home!
and, looking forward to get the new camera, Pam! :D

wheeee!


and, oh, it's good to end the day
with some chuck-time before bedtime.

folly.

People who bite the hand that feeds them usually lick the boot that kicks them.

Hoffer, Eric 

paip bocor.

post-christmas syndrome
far away from home.


Never got the much desired rest,
but assured that He'll provide
the very best.


Wither the roads may lead, you wonder.
Alas! it is the little surprises that create that very itch to wander.

brick by brick,

as the mason does.

walk on by,

we walk on by.