Ty's Blog of Epiphanies

Pretty Pout

2012-01-22T19:15:00.005+11:30

Source: lifestylelebanon.com

So if you read my recent haul post, you would know by now that I bought a MAC lipstick and I love it to bits. There's only a tiny problem in our lipstick-owner relationship. My lipstick doesn't love me back as much. My lips shrivel up within minutes of application. I don't know if its the ingredients/formula for Plink! in particular or if all MAC lipsticks will have the same effect on me. As much as I love the colour, it's causing me a lot of grief. There is no way I'm going to throw it out (it costed me a lot of money).

As I desperately tried to get my full pout back, I slicked on my Bobbi Brown Lip Balm religiously, day and night. It helped my lower lip but it couldn't save my upper lip. For a while, I thought I was doomed to have a shrivelled upper lip forever. I've done some reading and I learnt that there's a difference between lip balms and lip moisturisers. Some lip balms help keep moisture in but does not actually hydrate our lips. So if your lips don't have much moisture to begin with, those lip balms aren't going to do you much good.

I recalled reading a post on TBD some time back. It was on a DIY lip scrub. I even read on a number of websites (one of which was beautyheaven.com) that lip scrubs exfoliate your lips, removing all those dry and dead skin cells, and make your lips softer and smoother. I decided that I have nothing to lose, so I gave it a try. I followed the instructions on TBD's post (well, more or less). Here's what I did differently:

- Instead of a teaspoon, I used a tiny teaspoon (yes, there's such thing) for the raw sugar and honey.
- I did not leave the lip scrub on for a few minutes. Once I slicked some on, I started to scrub my lips gently in circular motions.
- Afterwards, I remove the lip scrub with water and pat my lips dry with a towel.
- I then apply a layer of Lucas' Papaw Ointment, if not olive oil.
- I stored it in a small container. The recipe is for multiple uses. It doesn't go bad because honey itself is already "too sweet" for bacteria to survive on.

The results are astonishing. I did this on alternate days and after a couple of times, my lips were no longer shrivelled. They're now smooth and soft, almost completely back to its former glory! Unfortunately, I did not take a before and after photo. You will just have to take my word for it.

There are some variations for homemade lip scrubs. The most basic one is the one I tried. If you are up for something more complex and even more beneficial here are a couple of good ones:
Deliciously Organized's Lip Scrub
Pink Pistachio's Lip Scrub

Want kissable lips? Michelle Phan shows us how to achieve it.

Enjoy!

Song for the post.

Missoni Nail Art

2012-01-21T16:58:00.007+11:30

I was inspired by TBD's post on missoni nail art that I tried it out myself. I only did it on my thumb because I wasn't even sure I could pull it off. Plus, it's time consuming if you are meticulous, can't stand crooked lines and want to get it absolutely perfect.

Mine doesn't look all too good up close. But if I hold my thumb away far enough, it looks pretty cool. The fun thing about this is that the colours don't have to go in any specific order. You can change the colour order for different fingers. It's up to you which colours are to be repeated and which aren't. If your nail polish doesn't come with a fine tip brush, you'll need a small and thin paint brush.

Colours I used:
Dark purple (as the base)
Black (one with fine tip for nail art)
White
Bright orange
Bright yellow
Turquoise

Get creative! You don't have to stick with the colours I used. Google "Missoni" for some ideas. After having done it on my thumb, I feel like doing it to all my nails now. I should really be studying though! Enjoy.

P.S. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment and I'd be happy to answer it for you.

Songs for the post.

Style Files

2012-01-18T18:18:00.008+11:30

If I were to skim through Lookbook.nu or the Fashion category of Pinterest.com, which outfits do I like and would wear? I'll give you a few ideas. Note, this is just for fun and I'm not saying that these outfits would suit me or be flattering on me.

I found this on Pinterest and the original source is Tumblr. Ever since I saw this photo, I've been searching for a similar-looking blazer. I wanted the same colour as well. So far, no luck. I reckon this would be a good day out look.

I saw this next one on DDGD, the original source is Lookbook.nu. This looks lovely for a night out during summer. I absolutely love how the photo was taken as well. I'd love to pull off a dress like that but unfortunately, I am not tall enough.

I really like the look of those button-up skirts. They can be made from men's work shirts. This outfit is so wearable. I can imagine myself donning it to uni during winter. Source: Lookbook.nu

I really like how she matched her lipstick to her scarf. Or it could have been the other way round. I think it is a really cute look. A pop of colour amidst all the white snow! Source: Lookbook.nu

That's all I have for now. Till next time!

Song for the post.

Converse Convert

2012-01-18T17:39:00.008+11:30

Allow me to introduce a new addition to my shoe family...

Purple Chucks!

Aren't they just handsome? The word gorgeous is reserved for my high heels.

Song for the post.

The Last Song

2012-01-17T17:28:00.005+11:30

I just finished reading The Last Song. I've been wanting to read a Nicholas Sparks books for a very long time, since Myra recommended them to me and since watching The Notebook and A Walk To Remember. I finally went to the library and borrowed the book, not because I watched the movie and love Miley Cyrus, but because I heard that it's a good story.

Image source: fanpop.com

It's a known fact that Nicholas Sparks' novels make people weep. I was sure I wasn't going to cry because I was armed with the knowledge that someone always dies in his novels. It's like Shakespeare, except in Shakespeare's case everyone dies. Anyway, back to the main point. Boy, was I wrong. Even with foresight, I was taken by surprise and the tears came without warning. The ending wasn't what I expected, which is good, for I hate predictable stories. It's not a gripping novel but it's definitely touching and a page-turner.

My version of a non-spoiler blurb:

City girl, Ronnie, has to spend summer with her dad in a sleepy small town. A series of events leads to Ronnie changing her attitude, behaviour and beliefs. She never thought that a small town like Wilmington would be so full of life and drama. Within a span of a few months, she experienced hatred, anger, happiness, sadness, betrayal, regret and love. It was the best and worst summer of her life. A summer that she would never forget.

I know that's probably a really dumb blurb and can be applied to a dozen similar novels but I don't want to ruin any surprises. I never read blurbs, they just kill the story for me. It's better if you read it and find out!

Suitable for ages 13 and above (in my opinion).

Song for the post.

Birthday Surprise!

2012-01-14T22:39:00.008+11:30

My best friend Nop, who lives in a city several hours of air travel away from me, visited me during the Christmas period. I spent a wonderful two weeks filled with tears, laughter and sheer madness with her, doing things that we have and haven't done before. I was quite sad on the day she left. I was emotional and a bit choked up on tears that were threatening to escape but I did my best not to show it. Because I knew that it would not be too long before I see her again. Plus, we email each other a lot.

So after dropping her off at the airport, my mum and I got home and sat down for lunch with my brother. I was halfway eating when there was a loud knock on the door. My mum went to check and found that the postman was delivering a package. I took one look at the writing at the front and immediately knew who it was from. The cute little stamp of Christina and her cat also confirmed it.

It was a birthday present from Christina, Myra and Megan! Although my birthday was more than a month ago, I didn't mind it one single bit. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised, thrilled and touched to received this beautiful present. (Note, I am not being sarcastic here. The paper bag only looks ugly because it took some battering on its way to me.)

They bought a scrapbooking materials set from smida paper (my favourite craft store) for me! I didn't bother taking a photo of all of its contents but this is what it looked like before I opened the packaging. It was a already opened (because the seal/sticker was broken) and I believe it was the customs going through the package to make sure no illegal items were being mailed in.

My friends also included a card. A Christmas/Belated Birthday card. Christina made it herself. Isn't it beautiful?

Now here comes the funny part. Inside the package was also another little package for Nop. Nop, who was visiting me, has already flown home on the same day this package arrived (literally a couple of hours after she left)! I did tell Myra about her visit and if the timing had been perfect, we would have received this package while she was still visiting me! Oh well, I'll just have to mail it to her. I must admit that I'm dying to find out what's inside though!

So I would like to say a very big thank you to my three friends. Best friends. For this wonderful and delightful birthday surprise. Even from a different continent, you guys managed to brighten up my otherwise dim (not exactly gloomy) day! And you may or may not have already stopped referring to me as your best friend (and I don't blame you), ever since my lack of presence but I can assure you that I have always and will always refer to you guys as mine.

My Addiction to All Things Makeup

2012-01-14T21:27:00.013+11:30

It feels wonderful to be truly back and participating in the blogging community. That's right. You guessed it! We finally have internet at home!! I'm beyond euphoric. It took us two months to get it because the stupid company kept stuffing up our order! Anyway, better move on before I sink into a bad mood about that matter...

I've been wanting to do "haul posts" for a while now but I haven't had the time and the access to internet to do it. So this is a "collective haul post" and I'm doing it in chronological order.

In October, I went on a mini shopping spree to reward myself for doing well in a few quizzes. I bought a MAC lipstick, Katy Perry's perfume Purr and a red lipliner from Natio.

Out of all the items, I think I was most excited about the MAC lipstick because it's my first one. Well, it's not my first lipstick per se. My first one is a Rimmel London lipstick in red. Anyway, this one is pink and it's called Plink!. Isn't that cute name? It's under the Lustre range and it's a pretty pink with shine and very minute bits of (what appears to be) glitter in it. When applied, it looks a bit sheer (like semi-matte) but it's obvious that you're wearing a pink lipstick! I love it so much that I wear it everytime I go to work.

I used to be a member on dropdeadgorgeousdaily.com and I earned a fair bit of DDGD$, which I could exchange for some "SWAG". I exchanged almost all of my points for a Natio set. It looked like such a good deal that I couldn't resist. After all, it was free! The set consists of a mascara, a liquid eyeliner and an eyeshadow palette. I haven't used any of the items yet. I initially wanted to do a giveaway on my blog with the eyeshadow palette but I somehow managed to make a big scratch on its plastic top that I see it not fit as a giveaway item.

The eyeshadow palette contains four colours. The shades are called Light, Gold, Bronze and Black. I must say that the "Bronze" looks more like a "Brown" and the "Black" looks more like a "Navy".

I've been wanting Urban Decay's Naked Palette for quite a few months now. I've read so many blog reviews and watched so many Youtube reviews and tutorials that I was convinced that my life would not be complete without it. So at the start of November, I ordered myself one from beautybay.com (I made sure there was a discount going on first!) and by the time it arrived, my end-of-semester exams were over. The timing was perfect.

In case you've never heard or seen the Naked Palette, this is what it looks like. It is the ultimate eyeshadow palette. All its colours are neutrals and so it is universally flattering. It comes with an eyeshadow brush and a small bottle of their famous Primer Potion (eye primer).

Here's a quick swatch that I did for each colour. I was a bit stingy so you may not be able to see the colours well on my skin. Do Google or Youtube it. It's AMAZING! Here's my favourite Naked Palette tutorial done by itsjudytime. My favourite colours are Virgin, Sin, Toasted and Hustle. So if you're a makeup-junkie-to-be, I suggest you get this palette. I can positively say that when it comes to eye makeup you can survive on this palette alone because you can come up with tons of looks with these 12 beautiful colours.

Then, came the dinner that I organised to celebrate mine and R's birthdays with some friends. That evening, I purchased a pair of MAC false lashes and wore it to the dinner. R was the one to pick them out and boy did he have a good eye! I'll upload a good photo of my makeup for the night once I get hold of them. It's on R's camera. I also bought a really gorgeous pair of Shu Uemura lashes a couple of weeks but I forgot to take a photo of it. I'll save that for my next beauty post. It costed me a lot of money but it's so beautiful that I reckon it's worth it.

But here's a photo of me wearing makeup for Christmas using the Naked Palette and my MAC lashes. And yup, that's my best friend Nop who was visiting me at the time.

Phew! We're finally at the end! You must be thinking. I actually wanted to put up more photos but I thought that it'd make this post way too long. So if you'd like to see more photos (up close shots) of the Naked Palette or my makeup for my birthday dinner and Christmas, just leave a comment below. If you'd like me to review any of the items that I've mentioned, please leave a comment as well. I hope you've enjoyed reading this post as much as I've enjoyed writing it!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T18:55:00.003+11:30

Happy New Year!

I know it has been more than a month since I last posted something. I've been busy with exams, moving, visitors and the summer course that I've been forced to take (no thanks to the degree that I'm studying). To make things worse, our new place still doesn't have internet. I've been surviving on mobile internet for more than a month now. Hence, the lack of activity on this blog.

Anyway, to keep this post short and sweet. I'll be making more time to post once I get proper internet. Yes, that means more ramblings about beauty, hauls, arts & crafts and anything remotely worth my acknowledgement! I should probably add that to my New Year's resolution list.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and good break from all the stress from studying/work. Whoever you are, my dear reader, I hope the year 2012 brings you many wonderful things (not necessarily just material things!) and I wish you best of luck with all your endeavours!

P.S. The well wishes made to you, the reader, were based on the assumption that you are a good person. :)

Grow It & Grow It Right

2011-10-09T21:51:00.016+11:30

Image source: http://casarei.net/2011/06/ruiva/seaofshoes/

I've been a bit busy lately and so I have yet to do up my Clinique vs YSL mascaras post. I decided that to do this one first because I've planned it for a very long and would be able to whip it up within half an hour or so.

Currently, I'm embarking on a journey to grow my hair long. I've only ever had short to shoulder-length hair until last year when I decided to grow it long. Why? Why did I leave it till now to grow it out? It's because I attended schools that did not permit long hair. If you're one of those people who are taking on the challenge of growing and maintaining long hair like I am, you might want to read on because apparently, it's no easy feat! I've done a fair bit of research over the World Wide Web. So now, all you have to do it read or watch some of the Youtube videos that I've included.

Things that I have learned:
1. Wash your hair once every TWO days. You will hear this over and over again. It cannot be stressed enough. Even if you have and are keeping short hair, you should only be washing once every two days. This is because you don't want to completely strip your scalp of all the natural oils that it produces to keep your hair healthy.

2. Any form of heat damages your hair. You're meant to apply heat protectant on your hair when you blow dry to keep it from drying out. It goes without said that you have to do the same before straightening or curling your hair. You want to retain the moisture in your hair. I've included some links to blog posts that will teach you the technique of blow drying your hair.

TBD: Blow Dry Basics
ROH: Blow Dry Your Way To Beautiful Hair

3. If you wash your hair with hot water, STOP! It removes the moisture from your hair and that's how you get dandruff. Here's a little more on why. Be sure to check out "the cuticle" link that's in that post. The best is to wash your hair with cool water. If you're afraid of the cold, try this: adjust your water temperature until it matches your body temperature. You can tell because you would not be able to tell if it's warm or cool. Then turn your cold water up just a tiny bit more and ta-da! You have water that's just cool.

4. You should wear your hair in a braid to sleep. It doesn't have to be tight or proper. Just a loose braid would do. Otherwise, when you thrash around in your sleep at night, your hair gets tugged and pulled against your "rough" pillowcase. I find that ever since I started sleeping with my hair in a braid, I hardly find any loose strands of hair scattered on/around my pillow! How does that work, you might ask. Well, think of it this way: it's very easy of you to snap a single twig. But if you gathered and bunched ten twigs together, it's much harder for you to snap them all together. The same applies for hair. Together, they are stronger. Another option is to use satin pillowcases.

Here's an extensive guide to taking care of your growing hair. I know the web design looks a bit old but the content is still very much relevant.

5. You'll probably experience a lot more hair fall than when you had short hair. Don't fret, my pet! It's natural. Our hair has a cycle of growing, stopping growth, falling and regrowing. It does not mean that you are balding. Luckily, TBD's Kristin Ess has done all the research for us! Read her post to get the details on how/why hair loss occurs and how it can/cannot be fixed. Here's a simpler hair loss article. Just in case you're sick of TBD!

Lastly, if you want seriously lustrous and gorgeous hair. Follow Kristin's hair bootcamp! She's written out hair routines tailored to most, if not all, hair types. If you don't have the time, you don't have to do it. You can live without constant treatment. It's for those hardcore hair lovers out there. Here are some of her more general tips.

Another hair guru whom I love is Krista Bradford. Watch her videos for some tips on growing healthy hair. Krista's hair FAQ and foods for healthy hair.

If you want a list of hair products Lets Make It Up! has made a pretty good video about it. She also covers some basic hair care rules. So you can pretty much watch this instead of reading everything but you will miss some other important info.

Here are some easy DIY hair treatments!
TBD's version
Krista's version

Do you have any tips for growing long hair? Please do share it in the comments section below! I'd love to hear them.

Do It Yourself: Half-moon Nails

2011-09-29T18:29:00.005+11:30

I know it's spring now (well, over here anyway) and I should be donning light, bright and fancy colours like pale blue (which is the "in" colour right now). But ever since I saw this tutorial on thebeautydepartment.com, I've been obssessed with trying to get my nails done that way. It's so cool you should try it too!

Follow the instructions and you should be able to "reproduce Lauren Conrad's nails"! I bought my transparent reinforcement stickers for about $6 from Officeworks, which works like a charm. As you can see, I haven't perfected the art yet. My hands are still unsteady when it comes to painting my nails in general. Going to need more practice!

I used a glittery gold from The Face Shop, which was given to me by a Korean friend, as the base. So don't ask me what the name of the nail polish is. It's in Korean. However, you should be able to find them in malls in Asia. Otherwise, there are plenty of other brands here in Australia that stock something similar. On top, I used Iris by Witchery. In the photo, it looks like navy but with the naked eye, it's a dark purple hue. My camera somehow picked it up as blue. It rhymes! Man, I sounded poetic! If you want other colour combination ideas. Check this out. And if you're feeling really glamorous and want to shake things up a bit, try this one, I dare you! Enjoy!

Coming up

Clinique vs. YSL
Who has the better mascara?

Grow It and Grow It Right!
Tips for growing and maintaining long hair.

Do It Yourself: Bookmarks

2011-09-28T22:10:00.002+11:30

A couple of weeks ago, my dad handed me a few of his optical seminar freebies, this included a hand sanitiser (which I was happy to receive), a writing pad and a set of mini cardboard laminated pamphlets (I'm not sure if there exists a word to describe the thing). Anyway, my dad suggested that I use them as bookmarks. A dose of inspiration hit me. I decided that if I was going to use them as bookmarks, I might as well make them pretty ones!

Here's how I did it:

1. Remove the chain and separate them out. (Duh! Well, I just had to match the photo with a step)

2. Flip the "bookmark" over and use the end of another one to trace out it's "end shape". Do it just below the metal eye because you want to get rid of it.

3. With a pair of scissors, cut the "bookmark" following the line that you have just traced. This removes the metal eye and you're left with a rectangle "bookmark" that has rounded corners.

4. Select a card stock with the design/pattern/colour that you want on your "bookmark".

5. Flip your card stock over and lay your "bookmark" over it, faced down as well. Trace the shape of the "bookmark" onto the card stock. Tip: align the bookmark with the corner of the card stock so that there's less tracing and cutting to do.

6. Cut the shape out from the card stock.

7. Line the top side of your "bookmark" (the side with the advertising) with double-sided tape. You may use a glue stick but I find that they are not adhesive enough. They are many other types of glue that work as well. Align the cut-out and the "bookmark" at one end and then slowly smooth it down (just like how you would stick a protective film on your smart phone). It should fit perfectly... assuming that you did everything perfectly.

8. For me I didn't do it perfectly, so I had had to trim the edges a little afterwards. But that's no biggie. So voila! A pretty bookmark!

As you can see I made a few. I gave one to my mum and one to my dad. I did this a few days ago and yesterday, I made two more but I can't be bothered to take another picture and post it up here. After all, you get the picture already (excuse the lame pun). Enjoy!

Love Letters

2011-09-17T23:40:00.017+11:30

Bet you thought this post is gonna be about letters that I've received from an admirer or a lover/paramour or a boyfriend/love interest or... you get the picture. If you're a food lover, perhaps you thought of those tasty rolls of chocolate wafers? Yum...

Anyway, this post is a continuation of my previous post. Remember I mentioned that I keep letters in my folder? Well, here are some pretty letters and postcards that I've received and would like to share with you.

Christina sent me this postcard when she was visiting Perth.
Looking at it just make me feel so loved!

My cousin and his wife sent me this when they were on holiday in Cambodia.
Pretty cool, huh?

A friend of mine sent me this postcard when she moved to SA.

Christina sent me this one when she was on holiday in Japan.
I'd love to go to Japan one of these days!

A friend from England brought me postcards when she visited.
I reckon it's pretty cool. I like it.

This is another one.
Please excuse my poor photography skills.

Sometime back, Myra, Christina, Jess and Megan wrote me a really funny letter.
They decorated the envelope. Isn't it beautiful?

Megan and I used to write each other letters.
She'd use these really cute Peanuts envelopes.

That's all I have for now!

Procrastination, Thou Art My Enemy

2011-09-17T23:10:00.005+11:30

Last week, I found myself going through my five-year-old new clear folder. I use it to keep newpaper article, letters, print-out of lyrics (ah, those days when I did not own an iPod...) and artwork that I recived from friends as gifts. "Why?" you may ask. I was evading the grueling task that lay ahead of me ...... Studying.

As you can see, it was quite a mess! I collected a lot of items of sentimental value over the years. But I decided it was time to move on. I recycled the lyrics, the newspaper (goodbye Twilight and Cathy Kelly, I'm so over you!) and some wrapping paper that I saved from presents. Yes, I keep wrapping paper that I find really pretty. Everything else went back into the folder.

After an hour's worth of procrastination, my folder was in good order again. Time to study... Ahhhh!! Before I finish off this post, I would like to share with you two lovely pieces of artwork that my best friend, Nop, gave to me.

Simply gorgeous!

Makeup Diary's Birthday Giveaway!

2011-09-11T19:25:00.003+11:30

Image source: http://www.makeupdiary.org/

I bet your eyes are bulging or on the verge of popping out of its sockets. The blogger of Makeup Diary, JC, is having this amazing giveaway to celebrate her 23rd birthday! So if you're up for scoring yourself $200 worth of Sephora goodies, head over to her blog and enter.

But WAIT!!!

Before you do that, I'd just like to say that it'd be nice if you actually took a few minutes to go through her blog. Don't just hit Follow because of the giveaway because it's a pretty great blog to read!

I really like JC's taste in makeup (and handbags if I may add!). From MAC to NARS, this Hawaiian lady is constantly on hauls* and documents it religiously, something which I am in awe and jealous of. Her swatches** are pretty helpful too. You get to see what the colour of the eyeshadow or lipstick looks like on skin. Well, it's helpful for me anyway because my skin tone is somewhat like JC's. To top it off, her posts are enjoyable to read. She's doesn't ramble on... like I do. She gets straight to the point and you feel like she's actually tell you about her day or what she has bought!

So, give her blog a read. She didn't just hit over 2000 followers for no good reason. You might find yourself listing her as one of your favourite beauty blogs!

Now, back to her giveaway. Don't forget to read the instructions carefully. You wouldn't want to mess it up and miss the opportunity of a Sephora shopping spree. You can't fool JC, she goes through all the entries and disqualifies those who don't follow the rules. Don't miss out! So, good luck!

* Haul - a mini shopping spree
** Swatch - have a quick look at or testing out the makeup product

Oh M Gee!

2011-09-10T00:08:00.004+11:30

I've had this epiphany sometime back and it took me a while to carry it out and finish it off. I wanted to turn the word/phrase "OMG" into a picture.

What I did was put on some lipstick, took a few shots of myself, mouthing each letter. Then, I had to crop, resize and edit them on Picnik (as mentioned in my previous post). It's not perfect, I know. When I took a photo of "M", somehow I managed to capture more lighting. In other words, it was over-exposed. My teeth looks yellow in "G" because of the Effect I used on it to enhance my skin colour and red lips.

I think what I need is more practice. I'll post my next Photo Epiphany if and when I do have one!

University Survival Guide - Saving Money

2011-08-17T18:05:00.006+11:30

After half a year of university life, I've pick up some tips and tricks that I would more than likely remember for the rest of my life. I've decided that I'd share them here on my blog. Hopefully, they will help anyone who is about to start or has already started uni. So this post may actually be a "no-brainer" for some of you. Some of the things that I will point out may also be obvious to you. However, I find that a lot of people at my uni are either unaware of those tricks or choose not to adopt them.

Seeing as the economy is potentially at the point of another meltdown, I think it'd appropriate for my first USG post to be about saving money. It is not easy being a university student, especially a full time one. Depending on the course you take, you may find yourself taking up to 4 subjects, 5 being the worst case scenario. Apart from attending lectures and tutorials/workshops, you're expected to put in some extra study time at home. So what does this leave you with? Very few hours to work, to make some moolah. "But hey, that's okay. I'll just make a little less. I just spend on whatever I want and save very little." That's where you're quite wrong. If you want to be a high achiever at uni, you'll have to "invest" a fair amount of money into it. Unless you're really rich, you'll find it a struggle to keep your High Distinction dream and your social/personal life "afloat".

Textbooks

Most of your subjects will require a textbook. If you're willing to constantly fight over the measely few copies of textbooks in the library with dozens of other students, by all means, be my guest. The library copies are hardly freely available and depending on your uni, you may only have them on loan for a few hours or a few days or a couple of weeks. It'd be more efficient for you to have your own textbooks. But they are not cheap! Yes, I know. At first, I was dumb enough to buy all 4 of my textbooks brand new from the bookshop. Now, I desperately want to get rid of 2 of them, which were pretty useless to me. Luckily, the other 2 are essential for my course and I'll be using them profusely throughout my time at uni. So, my number one tip is to do some research! Your lecturer will recommend which textbook to purchase. Then, try to buddy up with a couple of seniors. Find out if the textbook is essential part of the subject. Did they manage to do really well without one? How did they do that? If you must buy one, look out for any "Textbook for Sale" ads on student noticeboards. Otherwise, check with your seniors,
they might be trying to sell their old textbooks. There's also this website called Student VIP. They have a lot of info and resources just for uni students. You can sign up with them. It's free. Go to their Textbook Exchange and hunt for secondhand textbooks there! If you're lucky, your uni may even have their very own secondhand bookshop!Still find those secondhand books really expensive? If you did your research way before you started uni, you'd have enough time to order your books online. You can check Amazon, Better World Books or Book Depository. Their used books range from $20 to $80. Remember, you have to do this at least a month before uni starts because the books are likely to be shipped from USA. "What if I've already started uni and need the book straight away?" You'll just have to buy a brand new copy. But don't fret! You can always sell it to the juniors next year or the year after when you are done with it.

Printing
Even in this technological age, you'll probably find yourself printing out the lecture slides, notes and practice questions. It's just easier to study them that way. I find that as much as students wish they want to print more "cost-effectively", they simply don't know how to. I didn't know either until my friend taught me how to do it. Instead of printing each individual slide on an A4 paper, you can and should either 4 or 6 slides per page. I've even seen someone go as far as printing 9 slides per A4 page. You can print PowerPoint lecture slides as a handout. Personally, I find that handouts are too small and I can't see the diagrams and figures clearly. What I do is convert them to PDF. Then, under "Page scaling" I choose "Multiple pages per sheet". If I go with 4 slides per page, I would have the page setup as a landscape. For 6 slides, I stick with protrait. This is to maximise the size of the slides. I would also choose duplex printing (means printing on both sides of the paper). I find it more practical and cheaper to print in Black & White instead of colour. Sure, you wan to see the images in colour but that's where your textbook comes in. Most, if not all, lecturers take images from the textbook for their lecture material. In fact, if you've bought your textbook, you don't need to print those slides with the textbook diagrams and figures. I always delete the useless slides. Other than images, I delete "title slides". They serve no purpose when it comes to studying. I manually write the title onto my printed lecture materials. This can sometimes be a time-consuming process but once you're used to it, you can edit lecture slides really quickly and efficiently. Not only will doing all these save you lots of money, it'll save the environment too! Prior to learning these tricks, I used to spend $20 every few days on printing alone! Now, I only top up my printing account with $20 about every 3 weeks. I mean, why "waste" all your money on printing when you can use it to buy a skirt (in a girl's case) or a pair of earphones (in a guy's case) that you've been eyeing.

Food
Generally, at our age, we eat a lot. Studying demands a lot of brain usage and our neurons need a lot of glucose and oxygen to function well. Here's a fun fact for you: if it must, the brain would starve the rest of the body to feed itself, with the exception of the heart, which feeds itself first before it feeds the brain. Food sold at universities should be cheap, seeing as they are catering for students, most of whom are not rich. However, this is not necessarily the case. They can be costly in the long run. You're better off bringing your own lunch. I bring a homemade sandwich to uni for lunch every day. Yes, you're allowed to be skeptical at that statement but you can believe me. I do have friends to vouch for me. Sometimes I bring an apple and/or a muesli bar in addition to my sandwich. And I buy them from the supermarket/local food & fruit shop. How can this be saving money? Allow me to do the math for you.

Say you have to attend uni 4 times a week. Let's also say you're really thrifty and you only spend $7 a day, which would afford you a small box of rice & curry or greasey fish & chips. This means that you would be spending $28 a week. "Hey, that's not bad at all. I can afford!" Okay. But compare it to mine. If I buy a loaf of bread ($2), ham slices (~$4), lettuce (~$1) and cheese slices (~$4), which will last me at least a week or two, I'll only be spending $11 per week! Although that's just an estimation, add a couple more dollars to the cost and it'd still be cheaper than buying food from uni every day, plus it's healthier. I'm NOT saying that you absolutely must not buy food from your uni at all. I'm just suggesting another way for you to save more money. To bring you closer to buying that gorgeous Wheels & Dollbaby dress that's at the top of your wishlist... Ahem. I mean, my wishlist. So I hope you do see my point. You don't have to stick to sandwiches. You can make something quick, easy and cheap like a pasta salad. Another tip is that if you enjoy snacking whilst studying in your uni library, you can buy your mixed nuts or
packet of biscuits from the supermarket (especially if they are on special!). It costs more to buy those things from uni because they don't have as much buying power as the large supermarkets. Not that, I'm discouraging you from supporting your university food outlets! I do buy food at uni very now and then.

Transport

This is a really long blog post. It's the longest I've ever composed but hang in there! We're almost at the end! This is the final money-saving tip that I would like to share. If you live more than a couple of suburbs away from uni, like I do, I strongly recommend you take public transport. Why are you better off taking the train/bus/tram to uni than driving your own car? I'll break it all down for you. With the next inflation just around the corner, petrol prices are on the rise. They already have risen quite a few cents. I remember 3 years ago, they were on average 100 cents per litre. Now, they are at least 130 cents per litre. If you drive your car to uni every day, you'd be spending around $50 a week just on petrol. Let's not forget, you'll have to pay for parking at uni. Not only are they expensive but the spaces are usually limited, depending on your campus. Imagining circling around looking for a parking spot when you're already 10 minutes late for your lecture! Where I live and where my uni is, we're virtually at opposite ends of the city. By bus, I have to travel for at least 45 minutes to reach uni. The same goes for going home. But guess what? I spend $50 every MONTH, as oppose to every week, on bus fares, thanks to concession prices. Again, you won't just be saving money, you'll be saving the environment! And here's another perk for you. If you're really studious, you can use your time on the bus, to peruse lecture material or study!

That's all the tips and tricks that I have for you for now. Hope you enjoyed reading them and found them really useful. Good luck at uni!

Giveaway coming!

2011-07-30T23:25:00.004+11:30

I notice that my Total Pageview increases whenever I check in on my blog. I don't know if it means that people (yes, you!) have been reading my blog. Or people are just "blog-hopping".

Scenario
"Oooh! This blog sounds interesting! "
*clicks on link to Ty's Blog of Epiphanies*
*looks at first post*
"Meh!"
*clicks on link to a different blog*

Don't worry, guys. I'm not offended. The purpose of my blog is so that I can brush up on my writing skills. However, I do love the notion of having heaps of people reading my blog and loving it to bits! That's in an ideal world. This is the real world. Meaning less than 10 followers for me.

So, I've decided that I will throw a giveaway, like a lot of the beauty blogs that I follow do. This is to boost the number of followers to my blog. Yes, I'm cheating but hey, you stand a chance to win some serious goodies! My target audience will be females unles a large number of male followers voice their presence. Okay, it all sounds good so far. So what's the catch? I will only post the giveaway once I hit a hundred followers.

What?! You might say. From 7 followers (currently) to 100? That would take FOREVER! Well, no. It won't. It may sound like a huge gap to fill but going by the way my pageview increases on a daily basis, if everyone who visited my blog followed, we'd hit 100 within a week!

Okay, so where's the guarantee? What if I go back on my word? Well, you guys trust all the other bloggers. Why not me? I'll try to give a sneak peak at around the 50 mark. I'll start gathering the goodies. For now, I can only tell you 2 things you must do to qualify for the prize.

1. You must be an Australian resident
2. You must follow my blog via Google Friend Connect.

Will keep you guys posted with more deets! If you have any suggestions as to how my blog can be improved or what you would like to see me write about, please drop a comment. I won't bite. In fact, I'd love you for the constructive criticism! Try not to be harsh though. Thank you!

Crafty

2011-07-30T22:45:00.009+11:30

I'm not ~~very~~ talented when it comes to arts and crafts. I have friends who can fashion pieces of cardboard into amazing-looking photo frames or make a scrapbook style "passenger's logbook" from scratch. What do I do? I make greeting cards. Christmas cards, birthday cards, thank you cards... You get the idea. I'm not extremely good but I guess I do have bursts of creative juice running through my veins now and then and produce something remotely decent.

Three years ago, if you told me to make you a Christmas card, it'd look something like that. Really amateur-ish, I know. But in my defence, I have to say that the card looked a lot better in real life than in photo.

Here's a Thank you card that I made. I took a picture of it before I wrote anything on it. It looks much better than my Christmas card. I apologise for the poor quality of the photo. We didn't own a very good camera at the time. Just the other day, when I visited my best friend, whom this card was for, I saw the card again and I was literally astounded. I'm not boasting here but I actually forgot that I was capable of making a good piece of artwork.

So this year, I've branched out a bit. If you read my Buttons post, you would have seen my Christmas snowflake artwork. Apart from that, I've bought and decorated paper folders. This was my first attempt and I wanted it to be fashion themed. No, it doesn't look professional at all. In fact, it looks like something a pre-teen girl would produce. However, from memory, the friend that I gave this to said that she liked it. Who knows, maybe it's been discarded somewhere, left forgetton and to collect dust? I wouldn't blame her at all.

Then, I made another for another friend. I would like to say that I got better at it but I wouldn't dare say so. You judge.

The latest one that I've made. I thought that perhaps simplicity was key. So I created a button theme. I would have liked to take a better photo of it but I wanted to give it to my friend in the morning. So this photo was taken at night. Hence the poor lighting. I did improve on one thing though, this one certainly looks neater!

4 Pairs of Shoes & a Handbag

2011-07-23T16:17:00.010+11:30

So I have this thing for shoes. I know I'm not alone in this. It's a female thing I suppose. Okay, I don't mean to generalise but I think it's the case for a lot of us girls. We've past the half way mark for 2011. And guess what? In those six months (from January to June), I managed to buy myself 4 pairs of shoes. Oh! And let's not forget a handbag as well. I was going to name this blog "4 Shoes & a Handbag", just like "4 Weddings & a Funeral" but I opted out because it'd be grammatically incorrect.

A bit extreme huh? Some people only buy shoes once a year and I managed to go through 4 years worth of shoe quota in 6 months. I do feel guilty and am appalled at myself. But they are simply irresistable! I'm not kidding. You'll understand what I mean once you see them.

I bought this pair of heels from Forever New. I think they are called Floral Harlows. Yes, they are one of the most impractical things that I've bought in my life but I love them! And that's all that really matters, right??! They cost $80 but I think it's worth it because they are of good quality. They are surprisingly comfy for a pair of peep toes!

I purchased this pair of smart-looking heels from Famous Footwear for $50. They are not of the extremely good quality, not very comfortable but hey, they look great! I simply couldn't sleep at night unless I owned it! I'm thinking I have some kind of "shoe disorder" going on? What do you think?

I made a bold vow that I would not buy another pair of shoes for 2011. Then, my ballet flats disintegrated after a month of traipsing around uni in them. I threw them out in outrage. I bought them at Famous Footwear for $15. I guess when you think about it, it's not so bad. Just $15... But if I had to buy a pair of ballet flats every month because they fall apart and can't handle all the walking, I'd be spending $180 a year! So, I decided that I could break my vow just this once. I got myself this $70 pair of pumps from Betts. It should last me AT LEAST a year... Hopefully!

Then winter came around and I wore my boots to uni everyday. Before long, I had worn the heels out and holes were forming there. They are 3 years old, so I didn't blame them. After my exams, my mum took me to DFO as a reward and bought me a pair of new boots from Wittner! It was on SALE! I got them for $100. Well, my mum paid for them, so my vow is still intact! Aren't they beautiful?

I've never owned a proper handbag before. The free beach bag from Elle and the simple, young girl-ish and brandless handbag that I own don't count. While we were at DFO, my mum spotted a collection of bags from Fossil. She really adored this bag and bought it for me. From $90 to $50, it was a bargain!

So, there it is. The tale of 4 (pairs of) shoes and a handbag!

Alluring Apothica

2011-07-22T18:29:00.006+11:30

In case you're wondering what Apothica is, it's not a bottle of perfume or a brand of cosmetics. It contains both those things but it's not a magazine/catalog or a pharmacy that "has gone back to its apothecary roots". It's the name of a website where you can shop for all of your beauty essentials. To quote from Apothica.com, "(we are) an online beauty boutique, which carries the finest selection of skin care, body care, aromatherapy, and cosmetic products on the market today, including the most natural, organic products available. We are dedicated to providing you with high quality products formulated to promote and enhance your natural beauty."

It truly is an impressive online store. From cosmetics to candles to hair care products. It's like many online shopping sites combined but even better! They carry brands from CHANEL to Clinique to L'Occitane. They cover more "ground" a department store can! What makes them even better than your average online beauty shop is that you can send them questions through LIVE HELP. Just click on it and ask away! It even tells you if there's anyone available at the other end! So check them out a.s.a.p. They have a SALE going on at the moment and you could potentially find some goodies at a cheaper price!

Talking about cheaper price, this reminds me. Ever since the 2008 GFC, many countries are still finding their economy down on its knees, trying to get back up. In these tough times, if you still long for a new lipstick or a fresh tube of mascara but need to cut back on spending, I would like to suggest the brand Stila. Their makeup are of reasonable quality and at a very affordable price. Personally, I have yet to try them myself but I have heard and seen good reviews of them on the internet.

Image source: Makeup and Macaroons

So if and when I do get my hands on any of these money-savers, I will post a review. If you are using or did use Stila, drop a comment and give us a quick review! If you want to get your hands on some Stila products, you can find them on Apothica.com. In fact, just click on the link and it'll take you there straight away! Have fun browsing/shopping!

Did you know?

2011-07-08T16:47:00.003+11:30

I've decided to share what I know about uncommon but wonderful uses of certain household items that you may not have known of. I hope this post will help you solve a few of your everyday problems!

Baking Soda/Bi-Carb Soda

Apart from helping your cake expand, baking soda can help you eliminate horrible odour from almost anywhere! I've tried it myself. It "sucked" the rancid smell out of my aunt's car. Here's what I did: I poured some baking soda into a rectangle plastic container. I spread the powder so that it covers the entrie base of the container. Then, I left the container (without its lid) at the passenger's foot area for a few days. By the 3rd day, most of the smell was gone! It's a great alternative to buying an air-freshener, which only masks odours instead of getting rid of it.

Tips
1. The larger the base of the container, the better.
2. A large suface area is more important than large amounts of baking soda. But if you only have a container with a small base, you'll have to put large amounts and mix the baking soda now and then (so that more powder is exposed to the air and able to remove the odour).
3. Place the container where lots of air can come in contact with the baking soda. It's no point if you put it in the glove box (then only your glove box will be odour-free).
4. Have smelly shoes too? Sprinkle some baking soda into them!

Charcoal

I'm sure most of us have found our freezer rather stinky from storing fresh fish frequently. The trick to removing the odour is to place a small block of charcoal in the freezer. The smell should be completely gone within a matter of days. I leave mine in the fridge until the odour returns, which by then means that the charcoal has already "sucked up as much smell as it could". That's when I replace the block with a new one. Try it and you'll be amazed!

Tip
1. Place the charcoal in the far back corner of your freezer so that it does not get in your way of storing/searching for food.

Salt

Feel a sore throat coming? Mix yourself a concentrated solution of water and salt and gargle your mouth/throat after meals. This should stop the sore throat from developing. Why does it work? In simple terms, just like how salted fish is preserved, the bacteria would find your throat a difficult place to survive in if it's salty. Their water gets drawn out in a hypertonic environment and thus "killing" them.

This one is for all females who have trouble removing period stains from their clothes or bed. You don't need any special washing detergent. Simply squirt some soap/handwash onto the stain and sprinkle some salt over it. Scrub before and while rinsing. The stain should come off easily. I do not know the science behind it but it seems to work.

I hope you've found this post useful. I've tried all of them myself and they have worked for me. It's not a guarantee but I sure hope they work for you too. I'll be testing out the lemon-pimple trick next and will let you know if I'm successful!

Katy Rocks

2011-07-07T22:21:00.006+11:30

So I haven't been infatuated (smitten/besotted/call-it-whatever-you-like) with a star in a while. Two months back I attended Katy Perry's California Dreams concert and it was A-MAY-ZING! I am not exaggerating. That may have been my first concert but I can feel it in my gut that no other concert by any other singer can rival hers. ~~Okay, perhaps I'm being a little bit bias here.~~ Apart from being exceptionally sexy (voted by FHM as the sexiest woman alive), Katy is incredibly gorgeous in real life. Her performance was impeccable, sending all rumours of her sounding terrible live to the grave.

Katy's Last Friday Night music video was released recently. Playing the role of a nerdy teenage girl named Kathy Beth Terry, she was transformed into a hot party girl in the video. I was impressed by her acting skills and the Last Friday Night MV was a huge step up from her out-of-this-world E.T. MV. I won't rattle on anymore about how wonderful Katy Perry is. If you haven't seen her music videos , I recommend that you do. Last Friday Night will have you laughing, E.T. will leave you mesmerised and California Gurls will either leave you utterly speechless or make you have wet dreams of Katy!

Songs by Katy Perry that I like
Teenage Dream
California Gurls
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Not Like the Movies
E. T.
Waking Up in Vegas
Peacock
Ur So Gay
Hummingbird Heartbeat
Hot 'N Cold

The Makeup Guru

2011-05-28T22:36:00.004+11:30

A friend of mine downloaded all the issues of Marie Claire 2010 (US version) in PDF format and gave me a copy of all of them. I don't think Marie Claire would be too pleased to hear that! Anyway, for a while I became addicted to reading Tim Gunn's column called Gunn Laws, tips from The Careerist and anything to do with "styling your hair". In the October issue, one of their articles caught my attention. It was titled "Your future in their hands: 18 women who are changing the world". Marie Claire chose 18 talented "high-powered" career women, from different backgrounds and fields, to feature. I was interested in one woman in particular. Or should I say girl or young lady?

Michelle Phan, in her early twenties (the magazine says she's 23 but she could be 24 now that it's 2011), is a video makeup artist. If I got my facts right, she's the first person to start posting makeup tutorials on Youtube. She's earned the name "Makeup Guru" and has at least a million views on almost every single one of her videos! I've checked them out and they are good. So ladies, I believe we can learn a trick or two from her. Apart from makeup, she also teaches about hair and fashion. She's now a spokesperson for Lancome. Amazing? I know!

Here are a few of my favourites! They are worth checking out. You might want to watch them on Youtube or view with full screen. The full size looks better.

Hope you've enjoyed the videos as much as I did! Check out her Youtube channel for more.

Male vs Female

2011-04-30T13:46:00.002+11:30

I won't say much for this post because a picture paints a thousand words! Click on image to see a larger version.

Edit

2011-04-30T12:27:00.005+11:30

Photos! A wonderful way of capturing memories that we one day may or may not forget. These days many of us no longer have our photos "developed" and stored in photo albums. Instead, we keep digital copies of them on our hard drives or upload them onto online albums. The good thing about keeping photos digitally is that they don't take up space physically and won't fade. Online albums are convenient whereby you can easily share them with friends and family who live in another country (as long as they have a computer and the internet!).

Technology has really come a long way. Apart from taking and storing our photos digitally, we can edit them. There are a number of photo-editing softwares which we can buy from shops. However, since most of us edit our photos as a fun hobby, we don't feel the need to spend a few hundred dollars on a photo-editing software. Luckily, there is also a range of free photo-editing websites available to us.

My favourite one is Picnik. You can edit your photos without the fuss of creating an account/signing up with them. Even without the premium edition you can do lots! From changing the brightness of your photo to softening or fading it.

Before Picnik

After Picnik

Photoshop (the online version), is pretty good as well. It also gives you the option of not creating an account and simply editing your photos. If you wish to store your photos on their site, you'd definitely have to sign up. There are a few things that Photoshop can do that Picnik cannot, vice versa. If you have the time, you should play around with both of them and decide which one you like best... or use both!

Before Photoshop

After Photoshop

The website that I use to store some of my photos (for forum use), is called Photobucket. It does have editing tools but I find them inferior to Picnik and Photoshop. What I like about Photobucket is that it generates links and codes for my photos that I can easily copy and paste. Besides that, with so many people uploading photos, you get to browse through millions of them. Among them, you'd more than likely find a good photo of your favourite movie star or a beautiful scenic shot that you want a copy of. Photobucket also holds photography competitions some of which you can win cool prizes from!

There are plenty other websites for you to try. I'm simply too content with the three that I have listed to explore others. Other photo-storing websites that I know of are Flickr and Shutterfly. You must create an account with them as well if you want to use them. Shutterfly is a bit different whereby you can create photobooks and buy it from them. If you wish to download a free photo-editing software, you can try Picasa. Apparently, you can create amazing collages with it!

Happy editing!

Spontaneous Finds

2011-04-27T17:41:00.008+11:30

I'm pretty sure most of us, if not every one, have found ourselves wondering through the mall and coming across an unexpected SALE. This is exactly what happened to me a couple of weeks back. Lovisa, one of the chain female accessories stores, had a all rings for $5 sale. It turns out they were clearing their old stock out and bringing in new ones. I've checked out their rings before and often found them too chunky for my small hands or too expensive for my pocket. As fate would have it, I found a black fabric rose ring. Its original price was $6.99. It wasn't as much of a saving compared to the more expensive rings but it suited me. It was the right size, right price.

As the day progressed, I was making more and more unplanned but "sensible" purchases. By sensible, I mean affordable and reasonable. JR and I went to Officeworks after we left Lovisa because he wanted to get a refill for his fountain pen. We stumbled upon a section of "designer" stationery. The notebooks had wonderful hues of blues, reds, greens and purple. The pencil set was designed with care and creativity. I was instantly drawn to it. However, I have many pens and pencils at home, a lot of which were free.What I did buy was a set of 4 funky badges, something I'd always fancied having. I also bought a set of decorative magnetic pegs. There were both of good value.

After that I decided to search for a fabric shop that I walked past a few months back. I wanted to buy some laces and black tulle for my craft projects. With JR's "trusty GPS" (iPhone), we walked through busy city streets, looking for it. The GPS led us to a nearby location. From there, I followed my instinct and found the shop. And indeed, they had black tulle, laces and frills as I expected. These are what I bought.

What a day of spontaneous finds!

Blog Of Interest

2011-04-06T22:23:00.004+11:30

I apologise for the lack of activity on this blog. I promise you 3 new posts once my exams are over. (Ugh!!! Can't wait!) Out of guilt I've set my Health Law notes aside and am hastily putting together a simple post for you. I sure have poor discipline for a uni student...

Sportsgirl is one of the many wonderful clothing chains in Australia. The apparel they sell are gorgeous but unfortunately exorbitant to poor uni students like me. Currently, I'm eyeing one of their silky grey tops, waiting to pounce the moment its price falls below $50 (SALE!). In order to stay informed of any impending sales, I subscribed for their electronic newsletters. Hey, it's free and they email it to you!

Yesterday, I checked my email and found myself looking through yet another Sportsgirl newsletter. What caught my eye was not the expensive new Winter wear that they were advertising but was an ad for a DIY competition. I won't waste time explaining what it's all about. You can check it out yourself: http://www.sportsgirl.com.au/blog/post/2011/3/win-a-sportsgirl-winter-wardrobe/freebies

One of the links at the sidebar of the webpage grabbed my attention. 365 DAYS OF CRAFT was what it read. Apparently, this really creative lady in Melbourne decided to make 2011 a year full of craft. Every night, she would make something, take pictures of it and post it on her blog. I checked out her blog and it proved to be interesting. She is capable of transforming trash into treasure, tea towels into cushions and scarves into skirts. If you're someone who really loves getting your hands busy and dirty with craft work but you're out of ideas, you should check out this blog. It'll give you ideas, if not inspiration. http://www.365daysofcraft.com/

Sexily Vintage

2011-03-13T22:01:00.007+11:30

As I booted Firefox, a popup appears, suggesting that I update my Personas Add-on. Without hesitation, I clicked 'Install'. Almost within seconds, it was done and I was presented with the latest set of "skins" for my web browser. I usually close the tab and proceed to surfing the net because I was contented with my anime Persona. However, this time, there were a few interesting ones that caught my eye. After "trying on" a couple, I searched through the Fashion category and bingo! I found something I liked. The Persona is called Retro Chic. It's of a sexy 1920s woman, in red lipstick, fingernails painted red, elegantly smelling a delicate red flower.

That spurred me on to find a gorgeous perfume ad poster that I saw in the city. The perfume is by Vivienne Westwood and is named "Naughty Alice". It's picture of a sexy-looking "Alice" in a figure-hugging red dress and old-fashioned red heels; her curly red locks billowing at her shoulders; her sultry lips lined in red and her eye lids touched in baby blue. She rests her forearms on a gigantic bottle of perfume named after her and stares lasciviously back me, mesmerising me. It didn't take me long to find it, save it and set it as my desktop background. Sexy, isn't she?

From there, I was driven to find a few pictures of vintage pin-up girls instead of revising my uni work. I've spontaneously decided I'd start a collection of them. Here are a couple of my favourites. I think I have a new found "fetish"! *gasp*

I bet all the pervs really enjoyed this post. Jokes. Not that anyone really reads my blog.

Buttons

2011-01-17T17:33:00.007+11:30

Doesn't the title just make you think of that Pussycat Dolls song? This post is about buttons, literally. Or more like buttons that I bought. Yes, I have to boast about it because they were two big bags for a really good price. I probably won't need to buy anymore buttons for my artwork for the next ten years!

Aren't they beautiful? Well, I hope I'll be able to make good use of them. I'm not as good as Chris or Nop at arts and craft. I'll get there. Just need more practise! On a side note... And I know that it's way past Christmas. I made this snowflake Christmas decorations, thanks to the materials Smida Paper provided for me! Isn't it lovely? I gave it to my parents and now it's hanging at the "fan knob" in the dining area.

Be enlightened

2011-01-13T22:52:00.004+11:30

It's interesting how lunch with elderly neighbours meant coming home with two websites to look up. We'd think that old people would be clueless when it comes to computers, mobile phones and the internet. One guest surprised me by suggesting I look up the following things on Google: Death of Common Sense and The Calf Path. You may have seen/heard of both of those webpages but have you actually read it? I think it's safe to say that majority of internet users these days go straight to Facebook the moment they get online. People get on twitter, formspring, tumblr and occasionally Wikipedia. I know someone who checks emails like a form of OCD. Teenagers play online games (MMORPGs) without blinking their eyes or ever leaving their seat in front of the computer.

I know I'm generalising or in the last case, stereotyping but I don't think anyone can deny such internet users exist. It's not a crime. It's just a pity. A pity that some people never really explored other parts of of the World Wide Web and enjoy it to the fullest. Yea, you can call me a hypocrite for now. I'm a blinkered internet user as well but I plan to change that. I vow to search up any random but awesome stuff that's hidden or barely touched. I'll then introduce my findings to the readers of my blog, if there's even any. So for now, here's two:

Death of Common Sense

The Calf Path

The first one is a sardonic yet amusing obituary for an "old friend" of the human race. What the writer says is true. Just in case you're too lazy to check it out. Here's a paragraph that I find is very important. Seriously though, just take your eyes off Farm Ville or Ocean Party for a minute and read it. It's worth your while. I even made it easy for you by putting a link.

"A most reliable sage, he [Common Sense] was credited with cultivating the ability to know when to come in out of the rain, the discovery that the early bird gets the worm and how to take the bitter with the sweet. C.S. also developed sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting strategies (the adult is in charge, not the kid) and prudent dietary plans (offset eggs and bacon with a little fiber and orange juice)."

The second one is a lovely poem with layers of meaning underneath all that rhyme. It explains why things are done in a certain way, especially when it comes to administrative bodies. It's because "things have always been done that way" and people tend not to change it. If you've read the poem, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Feeling enlightened?

Referenced!

2011-01-05T23:23:00.003+11:30

Something really interesting happened. Something unexpected...

It was only this morning, I ripped out my old Post-it notes and threw them into the bin. Okay, that's not the interesting part. I have to tell you the boring bits first. Please bear with me for now. I always scribble down whatever I have to do on my Post-it pad and refer to it from time to time. Think of it as my version of a to-do list. Here's what I wrote:

- Job
- Driving lessons
- Gym ?
- Scholarship!
- iPod
- Delete blog
- TFN

I'm not going to go through each item and explain what each of them means. For one, it's none of your business. But what would interest you is that this morning, or many mornings ago, I had set out to delete my blog. Yes, I was going to delete this blog. The one you're reading right now. Well, technically, for all I know, no one is reading this at all, except me and the occasional friend or two. So I hit up "hotheadedbutcreative.blogspot" on Google. I was going to sign in and remove this blog from the World Wide Web forever. Three years of hard work, my fruits of labour going down the drain... Okay, so maybe not three years. I haven't really been paying attention to it last year in particular. I decided that I would not have the time or energy to post on it anymore.

Now here comes the interesting part: this blog has been referenced! Well, it was a poorly done job but still, it was something, Something that never happened to this poor, lonely, neglected blog before. This blog called SAVIORXXX, copied a picture of Jared Koronkiewicz from my blog and referenced it. I have to hand it to the guy, it was really nice of him to acknowledge his sources.

The strange thing is, after seeing that, I felt a surge of inspiration. Something I haven't felt in a very long time and I usually need those to start typing up my post. Yea, I know that my posts are usually long and boring, pretty painstaking for you to read it. I don't have Queen Chris's wit or Myra's humour or Jess's bluntness to make my audience laugh. What I do know is that I love writing. And I'll keep posting because it simply is my passion. It doesn't matter whether this blog gets the attention of some big shot publisher or not. What matters is that I will be continuing on the wonderful journey of writing, something that I've taken a break from for far too long.

A Change of Blog

2010-04-06T12:48:00.001+11:30

Once again, after leaving my blog to decay in the corner of the massive dark void called the World Wide Web for several months, I've finally got around to "revamping" it. That meant changing the background and text fonts and colours, removing and adding images and adding another quote to it. It may not seem like a lot of effort to you but this is me: I take ages to choose colours. I try my best to bring out my creative side and try to match the text colours with the background colour. And of course, I suck at it... Immensely.

Now to the main point. Apart from revamping it appearance-wise. I've decided that I am not going to blog about the little quirks and mishaps in my life. Not that there's a lot of quirks in my life at the moment. I also have a tendency of forgetting the existence of this dear blog of mine. And so do many of my friends but I guess it's because I forget to post on it in the first place. But never mind that... No, this blog isn't going to be about me, me, me. I am not going to be self-centered and brag about the time I got triple straight A pluses on my Physics extensive experiment and report and there wasn't a single mistake to be found on it. Not even a single full stop or comma was misplaced. No, I am not going to mope about the time I bawled my eyes out in class and had to be dismissed because I got a B for the harder senior Maths that I felt obliged to take because of my cultural inheritance. Yes, I really cried for an hour and my neck hurt for the next days from sitting in an awkward position so that my hands can cover my face as I sobbed my heart out.

No. This blog isn't going to be about the epic failures and triumphs of Ty anymore. It will mainly consist of Ty's creative work. Just as the Blog Title states, it's going to be Ty's Blog of Epiphanies. I've always aspired to be a writer since the beginning of high school. I'd embark on crazy writing frenzies only to be shot down with comments like, "Hey, this reads like Harry Potter!" I have yet to give up. My best friends have been really encouraging and supportive of me. They were the ones who gave me the constructive criticism that I needed. I owe them a lot. Now, I am just going to post whatever creative nonsense that spirals into my mind. This is going to be easy for me but not so easy for my dear friends.

You see, my creative nonsense aren't that creative or nonsensical enough to be funny at all. So it can be concluded that Ty's blogs usually are boring. I don't have the talent of blogging, I must admit, but it's a skill I hope to obtain. Christina's blog has a great flow of words, accompanied with pictures that look like they were taken by professional photographer when in fact was mainly taken by Christina herself with her trusty SLR camera. Great language + Great pictures = Successful blog! Myra, on the other hand, doesn't have to try hard with words, it comes to her because she's good at English, too. Although simple, her blog is full of anecdotes that are bound to make you cry from laughing too hard. It's just its down-to-earth-ness that keeps you going back for more. As for Jessica, she may not have posted much but there was certainly one memorable post that I had my heart churning for her. Yes, heart churning, not stomach churning. Otherwise, her posts were of really amusing YouTube videos and at a stage, about Twilight and her trip to Bangkok where she bought Myra and Christina Team Jacob and Team Edward caps respectively.

I guess these friends of mine would most certainly to dreading to return to the days when I bug them about their opinions on my work. Christina would be straightforward and yet hesitant at the same time, trying to phrase the thoughts and feelings in her head. She craves for romance novels and told me that if I didn't include any form of romance into my writing, she wasn't doing to read them. Myra would help me more on the grammatical errors that I make from writing too slowly and thinking too quickly. Jessica would do the same but try not to offend me, seeing as we're not close enough to spit at the each other without being slightly appalled or affronted like she and Myra can.

So there you go. That's my introduction to my upcoming posts on this blog. Don't say that you weren't warned... Let the nonsense begin!

Dairy of a Blonde

2009-07-04T18:03:00.003+11:30

Ahahaha!

Okay. Maybe it wasn't all that funny. When I read it, I kept saying "WTH".
Even Jacob's blonde jokes were funnier...

Awesome Randomness!

2009-06-20T20:49:00.002+11:30

Exams are finally over! Since nothing much happened to me recently, I'm just gonna blog about awesome random stuff!

Okay, so Myra didn't like my previous top 5 hot guys list. So, I decided to make a new one. I have to admit that my previous list was not all that great and it featured Christina's model hubby who I doubt she still remembers (sorry, Chris!). Anyway, this is my new list.

Ty's Top 5 Hottest Guys (Countdown)
At number 5 we have.... Alex Pettyfer, from a model to an actor, he has starred in Stormbreaker, Wild Child and the much anticipated new movie, Beastly. He's British and he's such a gentleman in Wild Child. Am jealous of Emma Roberts for getting to work with him!

Beating Alex Pettyfer and coming in fourth in my list is Max Theriot. He has acted in Catch That Kid, The Pacifier and Jumper. I like him 'cause he's cute, especially with his blue eyes and slightly baby-ish face.

And omg! We have an Asian on the list! 罗志祥！He sings, acts and dances! He's really funny and pretty good-looking.

Anyway, let's move on. This was a pretty hard decision. But... the second hottest guy on my list is *drum rolls* Zac Efron! Yup! The HSM and 17 Again actor. At first he had been removed from my heart 'cause the Aussies here reckon he's gay, just because he can sing and dance. But ever since I watched 17 Again, I've fallen in love with him again!

And lastly.... *long drum rolls* (Myra this is your fave!) The number one, the hottest, the best guy on my list! Taylor Lautner! He is hot and I mean super hot! It wasn't obvious when he did Shark Boy and Lava Girl and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. But he sure grew up to be a hottie! Starred in Twilight the movie, he is reprising his role as Jacob Black in New Moon!

Okay, now that the list is done (and I hope both Myra and Christina approves of this list this time) Let's move on to more random stuff. I know that this coming from me may sound weird and I will clarify things now before we move on. I did not make this up! Whoever made this must have been a guy! If you were to pass this on to other people for laughs, do not say you heard or read it from me! 'Cause I got it off someone else! So the sweet and innocent image of me in your eyes shall not be tarnished! lol.

Question: Why are bra sizes categorised with letters and by alphabetical order?

Answer: Because each letter represents something!

A : Almost boobs
B : Barely there
C : Can do
D : Damn fine
E : Extremely big
F : Fake

I was a bit affronted when I heard it (and you guess why) but I've gotten over it. And I must admit that whoever came up with this is quite creative. =) Anyway, the E one might be wrong 'cause I only remember it vaguely but it's along those lines. Lol. What's your bra size? Bahaha!

Anyway... Was that random enough for you? I wrote a random poem the other day when I was (or should be) studying biology but I've already read my textbook three times and my notes countless times, so I was bored. And I got creative. You might like this one more than my Recession poem, 'cause this one is not verbose. It hasn't got a title yet though. And I think I might enter this one for the Literary Comp instead of the Recession poem. I'll have to ask my English teacher for her opinion.

Casting a quick glance at the clock;
how long has she had this writer's block?
Sitting in her chair and searching her mind,
she tried to look for words that rhyme.

Pen poised and ready in front of her notes,
then she randomly and aimlessly wrote:
"Humble bumble, bees that rumble.
Tumble mumble, old men that stumble."

She stops.
Biting the tip of her pen, her bubble just popped;
It rhymes but it doesn't make sense.
With a sigh, she gave up her little pretence.

She's not a writer but an ideas person;
No creations but merely interesting notions.
Then she said aloud,
"Humbl bumble, bees that rumble.
Although I've stumbled,
I'll still stand tall and proud."
Copyright (C) Ty Phang

So, what did you think? Hope you were able to see pass it's childish exterior and like it. =)
Okay, that's all the "awesome" randomness from me now! Adios!

Sing, Laugh and Talk

2009-04-17T15:33:00.003+11:30

PCGHS was, and still is, the best Chinese girls school in our state. It's notorious for its crazy rules but well-known for great exam results. Our hair are to be no longer than 5 centimetres down from our earlobes. They measure our hair every week with a tape! The face of our watches must not be bigger than a 50 cent coin. We're not allowed to bring combs or hairbrushes, CDs, any pictures of the opposite sex or any paper than contains song lyric or anime pictures. We have a book of these asinine rules that we have to memorise because we tested on them during the first and third term exams. I could prattle on about rules but I think I'd be a waste of time.

So, that was one of the worst memories I have of that school. Despite all that, my three years at PCGHS were the three of the best years of my life. It's all thanks to my four best friends: Christina, Megan, Myra and Jessica. I've known Chris and Megan, the two inseparable best friends, since primary school. Although I didn't get along extremely well with them up till second year of high school, I have to say that our differences have taught me a lot of things. Chris's and Megan's frankness helped me correct myself and eliminate my short-comings. They are the wittiest people I've ever known and I believe that some of their wits have rubbed off on me.

I sort of met Myra before but we never talked to each other because we were from different primary schools. We were put in the same form class for three years. During the first year, I had many different best friends. They came and went, leaving both good and bad memories. It wasn't until near the end of the year that the friendship bond between me and Myra really strengthened. We were the girls who spoke good English and we constantly impressed the teacher and class with our fluent dialogues. Besides that, Myra taught me to love music. I was never really into music until she introduced pop and rock songs to me. She also recommended good chick flicks, ones that I'll always love watching.

Then came, Jess, who I don't know very well because I was never in the same class as her. And yet, we managed to hit it off. Like Myra, who she was best friends with since primary school, she has great taste in music and movies. She never cease to amaze me with her beautiful and mellifluous singing voice. She's a natural at singing and I always will envy her.

It was during the second year of high school that the five of us really came together as sort of a gang. I was somewhat the medium that brought Chris and Megan, Myra and Jess together. Being in the same class as Chris, Megan and Myra meant a lot of laughs and fun. We'd sing, laugh and talk our way through the school hours. Myra and I amused our classmates by performing a funny but not very pleasant to the ears version of High School Musical Soundtracks. It was a very "in" thing to able to sing HSM songs back then. We had a fun time teaching Megan how to sing and act lady-like. Chris was simply the best at laughing and pulling sneaky tricks.

Chris, Myra, Jess and I worked, at the school book/uniform shop before class and during recess. During our duty sessions, we'd sing when there are no customers or chat endlessly about the latest cycle of America's Next Top Model or about hot guys like Wentworth Miller. Occasionally, we'd smuggle food into our station and eat whilst the teacher was on duty was not there yet. Then, we'd put on the most innocent face as possible when we got caught.

Those three years went too quickly for me, both the good and bad times. Now, Megan has replaced me at the shop. The four of them are the top committee members of the co-operation. Whilst my life changed drastically during and after migrating to another country, their routine has not changed too much. They continue to sing, laugh and talk like we used to, except without me in the picture. However, I'm still grateful for the three years that I got to spend with these very special people.

This was submitted for a 17 Again writing competition titled "High School Flashback". Let me know what you think of it. ^^

Awesome movie! A must-watch! Two thumbs up from me!!

"When I met your mom-" Mike (Zac Efron)
"My mom?" Alex (Sterling Knight)
"Uh... Is your mom hot?" Mike (Zac Efron)

もって　がんばれ！

2009-04-04T00:57:00.004+11:30

もって　がんばれ　means try harder. It's pronounced as mot-te gan-ba-re. I had my exams the week before and on the Tuesday that just passed. It was a bit of a disaster. First time ever doing Year 11 exams.

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. -Jim Ryan.

My first paper, on Monday, was Maths B paper 1. I walked out feeling a bit confident. I knew how to answer all the questions. But I also knew that I wasn't getting a 100% like Myra did for hers. Tuesday, Maths C paper 1, still felt pretty confident. I did know my stuff after all.

He that would have fruit must climb the tree. -Thomas Fuller.

I had to do two papers on Wednesday. Maths B paper 2 and English paper which I had to stay back to do (because we usually get to go home during lunch instead of doing sports for Wednesdays, Senior Privillage). Maths B, still okay. English? Uh... Not so sure... The standard here is so much higher (duh! It's an English-speaking country). if I were still in Malaysia, I'd have aced English easily. But I'm not in Malaysia now, am I? But I do know that I did include whatever important information that I was supposed to include in that essay. I have my fingers crossed.

One must learn by doing the thing, for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try. -Aristotle.

Then, on Thursday, I had my Maths C paper 2 and Physics exam! Worst exam day ever!!! I froze on a question in Maths C. There were only 4 questions in the whole paper. So you can imagine how important it is to score on every single question. I spent ages on the problem and I coouldn't figure it out! I panicked. And by the time I walked out of the classroom, I was ready to kill myself. The solution was somewhere in my head, niggling at the back of my mind but I couldn't get it out. I wasn't in any mood for another exam paper. Earlier in the morning, my Physics teacher, also my form teacher, told me not to worry about the Physics exam and that it's gonna be easier than I thought. He was NOT true to his word! I fricking studied all the unimportant things! It's like Buffalo from PCGHS has suddenly appeared in Craigslea and written the exam paper! When I handed in my paper, I told my teacher that I gave up.

I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do. -Russell C. Taylor.

Then, on Tuesday, I did my Biology paper. I walked out feeling pretty confident. Biology is was my fave subject! I'll tell you why later.

Okay... Results.

For Maths B, I got A for paper 1 and A+ for paper 2. Yay! *applause*

For Maths C, I had a fricking heart attack! Well, close to... I thought that my results had gone down the drain!! I got an A for paper 1 and an A- for paper 2! Hurray! But I can still work on it.

For Physics! Omg! The humiliation! I got an A- for part 1 and a B+ for part 2! I wasn't the top in class! Ryan's been going on and on about it. Rubbing it in my face that he's top. Sam, a new guy, from China, came in second or more or less tied with Ryan. I tied with J R. It was really annoying! And I was pretty disappointed in myself. I failed to answer the questions on household circuits! Things we've been learning about since Form 1! I looked so emo and depressed that my Physics teacher checked my wrists the next day, just in case I slit them. It was funny and nice of him.

Nobody's a natural. You work hard to get good and then work hard to get better. -Paul Coffey.

I haven't found out about English yet because our English teacher is away on holiday in New York for her birthday (I'm assumming 50 something or 60th). So, she hasn't marked our papers yet.

Now... For Biology... Fricking hell! My dad was right. He told me that bio was hard to score. I got a B and a B+!!! I was super annoyed because I liked bio and I understood what the teacher was teaching!!! I guess it was my fault for not writing in the good bits at that point in time. I vowed that I'd do better. I had the highest marks I think. Well, I tied with Noel. Which really irritated me because he was this annoying boy who falls asleep in class and thinks that he knows quite a lot!!!

He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor. -Menander.

I certainly hope that I'll be even more motivated and hard-working for my next exams. They definitely won't be easier than these ones!!! Still waiting to find out about my chemistry assignment result. Apparently, my teacher likes my assignment. I dunno what grade that's going to land me. *shrugs*

I'll have to もって　がんばれ!!

Merchandise

2009-02-27T23:40:00.004+11:30

J R bought me two Twilight Merchandises. Although the sticker is not as cool as the Team Edward and Team Jacob caps Jessica bought for Christina and Myra, I still like it. Too bad they didn't sell Team Alice stickers. I would have prefered that.

Team Edward!

And a Cullen Family Crest keychain.

Thanks J R!!

Guys, I know you probably reckon this is lame. Posting about "Twilight gifts"... I must be really bored... LOL.

Year 11

2009-02-15T01:48:00.011+11:30

Man, Year 11 is a whole different world to Year 10. What a huge jump! Even on my first day (the second day of school), the teachers kept going: "No bladging (an Aussie word: Bladge. Means Tou Lan, being extremely lazy)! You're not gonna get away with it! You might wanna drop out 'cause Senior English/Biology/Chemistry/Physics/Maths C might be too hard for you!" And the teachers were right. It doesn't help that I took the suicidal 6, which consists of Bio, Chem, Physics, Maths B, Maths C and English, all the hard subjects!

You guys are probably thinking: What the hell is she complaining about?! Well take a look at this!

These are my textbooks. From top to bottom: Maths B, Maths C, Physics, Bio, Chem!

Just to give you an idea how thick they are.

Thank goodness there's only four periods each day, English doesn't require textbook and good thing my Bio teacher says that we don't have to bring our Bio textbooks to school. We have to use it at home for revision and homework. And oh yes, we've got new calculators this year 'cause Maths B and C requires Graphic Calculators.

Just to give you an idea how big it really is! The scientific calculator is so small next to it!

And to show you how thick it is!

Gosh, I feel as though I am obssessed with taking pictures of my school gear! LOL. Anyway, I'm reading autobiographies for English at the moment. I've read Unreliable Memoirs by Clive James. Kinda dirty if you ask me. So, I decided to read another one 'cause we have to write speeches based on the autobiographies. Something about being asking the publishers to reprint the book. The one I'm reading now is Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin. I haven't finished it yet but so far so good.

A bit funny but too detailed on some things if you ask me!

Really nice. You can learn a bit of China's history, during Mao Ze Dong's ruling.

There's a lot of new people in Year 11 this year! There's Amber from NSW (ah moh!), Christina from Vietnam (I told her one of my best friend's name is Christina too!) and heaps others! Haven't got a pic of them yet but I might be able to snap a few shots of them if they allow me!

That's it from me for now. I dunno when my next post is gonna be... Been a bit lazy to blog lately...

Don't Cha Just Hate It?

2008-12-06T00:00:00.002+11:30

Hey guys, I'm starting this "Don't cha just hate it" articles... Inspired by Maureen McCarthy's Rose By Any Other Name... Join in if you want. Don't have to write about things you hate... You can write about things you love...

Here it goes...

Don't cha just hate it when people talk? Whether it's behind your back when and where it's easy to eavesdrop or right at your face, oblivious that it's taboo the topic they are broaching. I'm not talking about bitching, bad-mouthing or back-stabbing here. Talk; as in prattling away like old housewives did about soaps, except I'm not referring to the master cheating on his wife with the maid and the brother stole millions of dollars whilst the son dropped out of school and the daughter ran away from home. People talk and when they do, it's not necessarily the most pleasant thing to the ears. Even if it comes from a beloved family friend who you have not seen in a while since you moved-and the only thing you could dislike about the person is her bad smoking habit-and has flown across the Indian Ocean to catch up with you.

Although the freshly brewed coffee smelled heavenly and the homemade biscotti tasted divine despite its hardness that came from being cut too thick, you still end up having a pretty bad day from hearing people talk. This friend updates Mum on the latest gossip about their rich friend's daughter's "downfall", which basically meant dating a man of a certain race that they are not fond of. As the traditional (translated) old saying goes: " We, people of the older generation have had more salt than you, younger generation have had rice." In other words, they are wiser and have more experience. I'd say in modern day language, it pretty much sums up to: "We're smart; you're dumb. So, shut up and listen to us!" If my parents were to read this, they'd be outraged and would without a doubt protest. Yes, Mum. Yes, Dad. This is how I perceived it!

Even the oldest living person in the world is not omniscient-and I am certainly not implying that I am. He or she may know ten different ways of reading the newspaper (back to front, bottom to top, sideways, upside down, etc.) and has unmasked the secret codes hidden in every ad but that still does not make the person a know-it-all. I'm saying this because I wish that I could smack the good ole "don't judge a book by its cover" at my parents' faces, and possibly every other well-intentioned however slightly racist adults. "Just because one guys is a jerk, doesn't mean he represents the rest of us." was what I got from an email. Sure, my parents could flip that around and say something true and similar. "Hey, just 'cause one guy is nice, doesn't mean the rest of them are."

This brings us back to judging a book by its cover. What people need to do is stop. Halt in their tracks of their busy little stuck up-ish lives for once and think. They go on and on, talking bad about other people. Speak for yourself! We're not that great a race! Nobody is perfect! The world would be BORING if everything was perfect! Heck, I wouldn't have to waste my time writing this entry and just enjoy chatting on MSN! Okay, I know it's really bad, those men lying to women, mooching heaps money off them before running off with another younger and prettier one. But look at the bright side people! At least he didn't kill the lady or harm or abuse her! Yes, she did go into depression... The poor thing... Goes to show why males are still the dominant gender.

Okay, what happens if the daughter of that wealthy family stumbled upon a fine young man, who just so happened to be from a notorious place? Couldn't the mother, who has all the free time in the world, spare a precious few hours to scrutinise this boyfriend fairly? You know, instead of spending a few minutes having a huge row with your daughter and ruining a great mother and daughter relationship? "Oh! This poor girl! She's gorgeous and smart! So successful! Such a pity she's falling into a trap!" They didn't even prove if the guy's bad!! Why couldn't people say stuff like she's been blessed with a rare treasure? Okay, maybe something less corny but you get my drift.

It really does ache my heart that I still can't voice my opinions. Not in a million years in front of people who talk. I just hope that guy proves these 'gossipers' wrong!!

All The Girls Like It...

2008-11-30T00:07:00.008+11:30

Okay, I just hope that J R doesn't see this post... lol. Nah, it doesn't really matter...

My Choice of Top Five Hottest Guys are:

1. Jared Koronkiewicz a.k.a. QueenChris's hubbie

2. Taylor Lautner a.k.a. Myra's bf

3. Oliver James can he be mine? lol

4. Mitch Hewer OMG! Isn't he just hot?

5. Jared Padalecki *drools*

Having a nice time girls?? LOL!

My Choice of Top Five Hottest Fictional Guys from Novels are:

1. Jesse from The Mediator Series Suze is so lucky!

2. Adam Vader from The Boys Next Door I really did have a crush on him!

3. Edward Cullen from The Twilight Series He's number three because-I can't believe I'm saying this-I am a bit bored of him... Bella can have him...

4. Hunter from Wicca Series According to Myra I need a Hunter-like bf...

5. Drew from Major Crush He's simply charming...

Okay, there are good reasons why I put up the pictures of the book covers instead of illustrations or actors or models of those hot characters... They are hot because of the author's words and hot because of my imagination...

My Choice of Top Five Hottest Fictional Guys from Mangas or Animes are:

1. Kiryuu-kun from Vampire Knight

2. Kaname-senpai from Vampire Knight

3. Train Heartnet from Black Cat

4. Lee Syaoron from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

5. Yuri Shibuya (in his demon king form) from Kyou Kara Maoh

I'm sure everyone enjoyed the first part and not so much of the second and even less of the third... I guess that's it for now... Till I spot hotter guys... lol =]

Sweeeet Sixteeeeen

2008-11-28T23:19:00.001+11:30

Oh yea! I am sixteen now! Although I didn't do anything special-but some people did something special for me-and didn't want to make a big deal about it-but some people did make a big deal out of it-I've decided to do a little something called sixteen things you oughta know about me, since I am sixteen now... (Inspired by footballfreakarse.blogspot.com)

Anyway, let's begin...

One. Writing is my way of life... I'm sure I've drilled that into your head by now...

Two. My 'new' random catch phrase is now "Oh shoot me." New to you?

Three. I have a purple teddy bear named Violet. Bet you didn't know that! lol.

Four. I'm still hot-headed, impatient and bossy but I reckon I've cut down a lot...

Five. The suffering ends when you die... My time on earth is bearable so I guess I don't mind
suffering a bit more... Freaky?

Six. I think I'd do pretty much anything to be hot-like Megan Fox!-for a day! XD This is just weird...

Seven. I'd like to meet Oliver James! He's sooo cute!

Eight. I am calm around spiders now. I even try to save them-as in not kill them but take them
out to the garden-if I can... No reason to freak out over a small insect, right...?!

Nine. I reckon the hairdryer is a good invention. Why not? I depend on it a lot!

Ten. I don't detest soccer/football as much as I use to... *shrugs*

Eleven! The dictionary is my favourite book! It hardly disappoints me! Once in a while, I can't find the occasional word... But that's okay!

Twelve. I have a new favourite anime! Vampire Knight! Super hot guys in there!

Thirteen. I'm kinda addicted to an online game... www.gaia.com A bit lame sometimes but fun!

Fourteen. "Check Yes Juliet" by We The Kings is a favourite of mine now! Awesome song! Thanks Myra!

Fifteen. I’m going to do my best to make my 16th the best age of my life! Duh! That why it's called Sweet Sixteen! *Smacks palm into forehead*

Sixteen! I can't wait to turn eighteen!!! Yea, who can?

Loved

2008-11-16T00:41:00.002+11:30

I feel loved!!!! Thank you sooooo much, Christina, Myra, Jessica and Megan!!!! Watch this video. They made it for me for my sixteenth birthday!

Passion and inspiration

2008-11-09T12:23:00.020+11:30

Writing is my way of life...
Be inspired...

Or at least that's what I'm trying to do... Be inspired...

As you can see, I haven't updated my blog in a while. "Cyber cobwebs" are beginning to form on my blog page. So, I decided to search google for some images and quotes that hopefully might inspire me. And this is what I came up with:

"If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you." -T. Alan Armstrong

Inspirational enough? Hmm... Better keep going...

"Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it." -Unknown

Ooh, I like the multi-coloured lipstick. Although it'd be weird to see someone wearing that in real life...

"We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it."
-Che Guavara

Oh! I found more!!

"There is no end. There is no beginning. There is only the passion of life." -Federico Fellini

I really like this one...

"When work, commitment and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible." -Unknown

This is nice. So positive... So... happy...

"A great leader's courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position." -John Maxwell

Ooo... Vibrant... Yet... So dark...

"Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief, It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead." -Joss Whedon.

I like her eyes. The blue is like pool water at night illuminated by light. Get my drift?

"Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you've got to say, and say it hot." -D.H. Lawrence

Nice and simple...

"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins." Benjamin Franklin

Anime has always been one of my many inspirations.

"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." -Field Marshal Ferdinand Foch

Hot? Lol.

"Passion spins around love and I am always dizzy around you." -Albany Bach Reid

Cool eye shadow...

"One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested." -E.M. Foster

Awesome! I'm beginning to feel something sparking...

"Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul in it. Stamp it with your personality. Be active, be energetic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Who doesn't love iPods?

"Passion and purpose go hand in hand. When you discover your purpose, you will normally find it's something you're tremendously passionate about." -Steve Pavlina

Let's try something totally different now. Something out-of-this-worldly beautiful...

"There is no greatness without passion to be great, whether it's the aspiration of an athlete or an artist, a scientist, a parent or a businessperson." -Anthony Robbins

Okay, I know this doesn't really have anything to do with passion and inspiration. But it does subtly... I mean, one day when I can write romance, I can refer to this!

"Love. Fall in love and stay in love. Write only what you love, and love what you write. The key word is love. You have to get up in the morning and write something you love, something you live for." -Ray Bradbury

I guess it's about time I summed things up!

"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion." -Georg Wilhelm

I think I am going to live by that quote from now on... So... What's your passion?

P.S. Did you get any inspiration from any of those quotes or pictures? Which are your favourite ones?

Brisbane Writers Festival

2008-09-19T19:01:00.016+11:30

I got to go to the Brisbane's Writers Festival today!!! It was fun and great!! Well, to some of you, it might have been boring but for a die-hard writer like me...

Well, the fest is situated right next to Southbank, which is in the city. There was a group of us: 15 students & 2 teachers. We took the bus and got there in approximately half an hour's time. Anyway, when we got there, we were told we're allowed to choose three sessions out of six sessions that was running for the duration of our visit.

The first session that we attend was Libby Gleeson's. Here's a photo of her...

Pretty interesting lady, listening to her talk. Her talk was more enlightening than humorous... In fact, the session was kind of sombre. You'll see why...

Libby's latest novel... Here's a summary:
Mahtab and her family are forced to leave their home in Herat and journey secretly through the rocky mountains to Pakistan and from there to faraway Australia. Months go by, months of waiting, months of dread. Will they ever be reunited with their father, will they ever find a home?

This compelling novel by one of Australia's best-loved children's authors is based on the true story of one girl's voyage to Australia with her family.

She told us about her encounter with Afghanistan families, who she interviewed them and asked them if it was okay if she wrote a novel based on their story... I'll definitely be hunting for a copy of this novel at my local library. She read two sections of her novel aloud. The first one was thrilling, gripping and full of tension and suspense. The second one was enjoyable, funny but later on a bit sad...

Then, Lori's bf, Liam arrived. He's 18 and out of school. So he had to take the train there himself although he took the bus with us later when we headed back to school. Anyway, we had planned to attend Alice Kuipers's session together. Lori had insisted that she didn't have breakfast and that she was really hungry. So, Liam took her to Southbank to grab a bite. JR & I kinda promised them that we'd save them seats...

But it turned out... Alice was a hit... By the time JR & I made it back to the auditorium where the session was held, the auditorium was almost full and JR & I were lucky enough to have two seats together at the front row... Lori and Liam missed out... Oh well, at least they had the lunch that Lori wanted...

This is Alice Kuipers...

I know it's small but I opted for a colour photo instead of a big black and white one...

Anyway, she is my favourite author by far at the fest. Alice Kuipers was born and raised in London, England. She now lives in Saskatoon, Canada. Life on the Refrigerator Door is her first novel. www.harpercollins.com

Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined.

Heartfelt, touching, and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door is a glimpse into the lives of mothers and daughters everywhere. In this deeply touching novel told through a series of notes written from a loving mother and her devoted fifteen-year-old daughter, debut author Alice Kuipers deftly captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world. Moving and rich with emotion, Life on the Refrigerator Door delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative.

It was really entertaining to listen to Alice talk about the process of writing and her debut novel... In some ways, I can relate to her... And when she read a section of her novel as an opening to her session, it was just wonderful! Everyone had a good laugh! Her novel was good fun! Well, she read the nice bits... Apparently, this novel can make guys weep too!!

And guess what? I got her autograph!! *grins*

Well, I'll type it out for you just in case you want to read it:

To Dana,
Thanks for coming to the BWF! (Brisbane Writers Festival)
Good to see you at the session.
Keep writing, reading, enjoying literature...

Before she wrote the last sentence, she asked me if I write and I said yes. Then, she asked me what I write. I replied, fantasy, fiction and a bit of poetry. She said that I pretty much covered the whole lot.

If I had the time, I would have been able to stand there and talk to her more but I didn't. I was running late for the next session. Well, thankfully the author was caught in traffic and was late himself! JR & I thought that there weren't anymore seats and we were prepared to sit outside of the Marquee when I spotted Lori and Liam. Liam turned around, saw us waving at him and indicated that they saved us seats. We settled ourselves next to them. It was a while before John Marsden arrived.

This is John Marsden...

He has written over 40 novels... And last term, I had to read one of his book for English, Tomorrow, When The War Began. I admit that it wasn't my cup of tea and it was a bit boring for me but nevertheless, it was a good book. His latest book was an adaption of Shakespeare's Hamlet:A Novel...

As in... He translated the original Hamlet, which was in Elizabethan English, into modern English... Which makes it more interesting and easier to understand for teenagers who are studying Hamlet for English...

Hamlet, the Danish prince, is brooding in the wake of his father’s death. His mother barely waited for the king to go cold before marrying Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, and their perfidious union is driving Hamlet mad. Not even the arresting Ophelia can console him. The new regime simmers until the ghost of Hamlet’s murdered father visits the young prince, calling on him to avenge his death. Then we watch the kingdom unravel. Marsden’s bold and playful novel beautifully captures the teasing innuendo, the restlessness and the maddening frustration of the classic tale.

Staying close to Shakespeare’s play, Marsden only detours to condense the plot in parts, make a playful nod to the Bard or delve further into these intriguing characters. We find Hamlet is his ever-hesitant self, but Ophelia is hungry for sexual discovery, and Horatio quite adores the beautiful young prince. Although we sometimes feel at risk of slipping into the modern day, Marsden breathes new life into the characters of this accessible read and will thus be forever loved by high-school students everywhere.

John Marsden is a funny, nice and interesting man. He's an English and Drama teacher and started teaching Maths three years ago. Now, he enjoys teaching Math so much that he's hoping to drop his English classes to teach more Math... His fans kept asking him if he'd continue to write even though he's switching to being a Math teacher... He said that he doesn't have the urge to write anymore but he says you never know...

The Brisbane's Writers Festival was a great experience for me. I picked up quite a few tips from Alice Kuipers and John Marsden. Not so much from Libby Gleeson, though. And JR bought Life on the Refrigerator Door for me. Well, I was short on ten dollars and I plan to return him the twenty-five dollars although he insisted it was a present and that he won't accept any money from me. As if! Watch me!

This is the Australian cover...

You guys really should read this book if you can get your hands on a copy... It's published in over 38 countries... Hopefully, Malaysia is one of the countries...

I am definitely going to Brisbane's Writers Festival 2009!!

A Hundred Questions

2008-09-19T19:01:00.003+11:30

I've been tagged by Chris... Thus, being a good friend that's sporting and a bit bored... I'm gonna do it...

A) People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs.

B) Tag 8 people to do this quiz & those who are tagged cannot refuse. (SO WHAT IF I REFUSE?!?!) These people must state who they were tagged by & cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by.

C) Continue this game by sending it to other people.

I'm just doing this for fun... And I am NOT gonna torture anyone by tagging them...

01. What have you been doing recently?
Went to the Brisbane's Writers Festival, reading Angels & Demons...

02. Do you ever turn your cell phone off?
Yea.

03. What happened at 10.00am today?
I was at the Writers Festival listening to Libby Gleeson talk...

04. When did you last cry?
Do I really have to tell you when?

05. Believe in fate/destiny?
Yea, I'd like to...

06. What do you want in your life right now?
FREEDOM!

07. Do you carry an umbrella when it rains, or just put up your hood?
Umbrella...

08. What's your favourite thing to have on your bed?
Quilt...

09. What bottom are you wearing now?
Erm... Is this even a question?

10. What's the nicest text in your inbox say?
Marj: Naww i didnt knw that. Yepp =]were cool (Y) no were awesome lol.

11. Do you tend to make a relationship complicated?
Seriously? Who'd want to?

12. Are you wearing anything you borrowed from someone?
No.

13. What was the last movie you caught?
Erm... I think it was Prince Caspian if you're talking abt the cinemas...

14. What are you proud of?
Erm... My achievements?

15. What does the oldest text message in your inbox say?
Refer to Question 10...

16. What was the last song you sang out loud?
Inseparable-Jonas Brothers

17.Do you have any nicknames?
Yea... I don't have to list 'em right?

18. What does your last received text message say?
Marj: Was jst gona txt practice now.
Why so KPC abt text messages?

19. What time did you go to bed last night?
1.30a.m.

20. Are you currently happy?
Hmm... Is this a trick question? Cuz I have two answers...

21. Who gives you best advice?
I think that award would got to Chris... No. I am serious...

22. Do you eat whipped cream straight from the can?
Yuck. No thanks.

23. Who did you talk on phone last night?
No one. Althought I wish I did talk to someone...

24. Is anything bugging you right now?
Erm, do 2 science write-ups and a science booklet due in two weeks time count?

25. What/who was the last thing/person to make you laugh?
Chris & Myra's latest blog entry...

26. Do you wear toe socks?
No. Who does?

27. Who was the last person you missed a call from?
Liam, Lori's bf, looking for JR & I at the Writers Fest.

28. Have you ever had your heart broken?
Er, yea...

29. What annoys you most in a person?
Rudeness, ignorance, lackadaisical attitude...

30. Do you have a crush on anyone?
Need I say it?

31. Have you ever done cocaine?
Do I look like a drug addict?

32. What is the colour of your room?
White...

33. Would you kill someone you hate for a billion dollars?
Arguably possible... It all depends...

34. Do you believe in the saying of :talk is cheap?
What are you implying?

35. Who was the last person to lie in your bed?
My Edward Cullen... I wish... (I don't literally mean that Edward Cullen is mine... I mean something else...)

36. Who was the last person to hug you?
I think you have a pretty good idea who...

37. Did anyone see the last person you kissed?
I hope not!

38. Do you have a life?
As if I'd be here doing this dumb survey if I didn't have a life...

39. Have you ever think someone died, when they really didn't die?
I think so...

40. What is the reason behind your profile song?
Don't even have one...

41. Who was the last person you saw in your dream?
Hmm... I think it was... (Not gonna finish that sentence)

42. Last time you smiled?
Was I supposed to keep track?

43. Have you changed this year?
I honestly don't know... But I am crossing my fingers that I have changed for the better...

44. What are you listening right now?
What I Go To School For-Jonas Brothers

45. Are you talking to someone when you doing this?
No.

46. Do you walk with your eyes open or closed?
WTH?!

47. Is there a quote you live by?
I live by too many quotes... Thx to Chris's "influence"...

48. Do you want someone you cannot have?
Nup.

49. Have you ever played an instrument?
Piano (a bit) & Guitar (a tiny bit)

50. What was the worst idea you've had in this week?
It'd probably be killing someone...... Hey! It's just an idea...

51. What were you doing last night at 11.00pm?
Staying up attempting to create a master piece...

52. Are you happy with your love life right now?
Yea.

53. What song best describe your love life?
Inseparable-Jonas Brothers

54. Does the person know that you like him/her?
Duh.

55. Who always make you laugh?
My best friends and good friends...

56. Do you speak other language other than English?
Chinese, Bahasa Malaysia... dialect - Hokkien... maybe I can count Japanese as well...

57. favourite website(s)?
google!

58. What's your middle name?
Tze... Don't even try to pronounce it! But it means knowledge/smart...

59. What are you doing tomorrow?
Reading...

60. What do you think you are like?
Erm... Need I say it again? Hot-headed, impatient... bla bla bla... Get the picture yet?

61. Who will you choose to die with?
Uhm... My soulmate?

62. Where have you been today?
Southbank, where the Festival was held...

63. What game do you play often?
Sing-along-to-the-iPod-horribly...

64. Who are you missing right now?
*ahem*

65. If you have to choose between friend n loves, who will you choose?
What kind of question is this? Wait don't tell me. A dumb one... Seriously, do you want me to be bias or what?

66. What are you doing right now?
WTH? What else?

67. Which primary school are you from?
SRJK(C)Hun Bin... You're not planning on digging up my old exam results, are you?

68. Name 3 colours that you like?
Purple, Green, Black...

69. What emotion you like to show?
I think I'd rather remain impassive... Of course, HAPPINESS! Sheesh...

70. What is your life to you?
Meaningless without the people who make it meaningful... Get my dirft? *sigh*

71. If you have something troubling you, what will you do?
Fume and rage inwardly... I'd scream out loud if I could...

72. Who did you last chat with in msn today?
Noel...

73. Who do you admire most?
Edward Cullen...

74. Which month are you born in?
November...

75. How are you feeling right now?
Normal...

76. What is the time now?
It's time to get a watch...

77. What kind of person do u think the one who tagged u is?
Erm, a perfectionist...

78.What colour did you use to dye hair?
It was black, it is black and it will stay black. Didn't dye my hair, am not dyeing my hair and probably will not dye my hair in the near future...

79. Why are you doing this test?
Because Chris tagged me!!!

80. What do you do when you're moody?
Go really quiet and snap at who ever who pushes the worng button...

81. At which age you wish to get married?
Dunno... It really depends... I think before thirty but after twenty-five...

82.Who is more important to you? boyfriend or friends?
WTF??!!!

83. If today is the last day of your life, what will YOU DO?
Let me get back to you on that when you can actually tell me when the last day of my life will be...

84. Who is the person you trust the most?
Hm... Tough question... I think it'll have to be My best friends and JR...

85. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after a rain?
Yea, I guess I do.

86. If you have a dream come true, what would it be?
ONE dream? I have heaps of dreams... And I want all of them to come true...

87. What is your goal for this year?
Erm, to publish a novel? But kinda unlikely now... Will never be able to meet the deadline...

88. Do you believe in eternity love?
I'd love to...

89. What feeling do you love most?
Love? Satisfaction? Joy?

90. Do you really think its Global Warming now?
Obviously.

91.What feeling you hate the most?
Jealousy. Hatred. Anger. Sadness.

92. Do you cherish every single friendship of yours?
Yea, as long as it's genuine.

93. Do you believe in God?
YES!!!

94. Who cares for you most?
Erm, althought it doesn't seem like it to me, I think it'd be my parents.
But definitely my grandma too.
And JR.

95. What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
EVERYTHING!

96. What will you bring when you fight?
I'll definitely bring it on...

97. What have you done regretted doing in your whole life?
Making the wrong decisions...

98. What would you feel if no one no longer cares for you?
Hm, that's hypothetically impossible. Thus, I am not answering this question...

99. What if your boyfriend/girlfriend two-timed you?
Huh! We'll see what happens...

100.HOW DO U FEEL NOW?
Ridiculous... Why did I even bother with this survey?! This must be the worst survey that I've ever done!

I apologise if this was boring, inappropriate and ludicrous for you to read... Not my fault...

National Tree Day Poem Competition

2008-09-12T21:36:00.007+11:30

I entered a National Tree Day Poem Competition in July. Yes, all you have to do is stare at trees and be inspired. Technically, I didn't stare at trees when I wrote my poem. I was imagining them. Sitting at my study table with nothing but a patch of blue sky, a part of a house and a wooden fence to gaze at out of my window, I began writing my poem...

Please, Grow, Live and Be Free

Please, great oak tree,
I wish you could live, grow and be free;
I know how cruel this world can be;
Amputating parts of your body with menacing tools;
Carelessly transforming them into tables, books and stools.

Please, great mahogany tree,
The world would be lifeless without you, literally.
The world would suffer with you, excruciatingly.
The world would fall without your support, horribly.
The world would cease to exist without you, unfortunately.

Please, great eucalyptus tree,
May the most mellifluous voice sing for you.
May the most glorious sunshine shine upon you.
May ample amount of water quench you.
May you grow, live and be free.

By Dana P.

Guess what? I won something! I just received the prize and cert yesterday. Yeah, go ahead and laugh. This poem wasn't all that good. But the cert says: Highly Commended Awarded to ...(Insert my name)... for her outstanding poem.

I was actually surprised that I even got a cert. I mean, seriously, when you read that poem, did you think it was good? I didn't think it was that good at all... Anyway, I was freaking out when they called out my name during assembly. The person pronounced my name as "Da-na Fang". Go figure. Lori, who was sitting beside me was like: "Dana! That's you! Go!" I was like: "What?" and I got up. It was scary on stage. All eyes were on you. It was a good thing Lori's best friend Zoe got a cert as well, so she was standing next to me. The top three winners were three kiddos younger than me. I wasn't insulted. I simply admire their capability... Anyway, I guess this whole thing was an encouragement 'cause I haven't been feeling confident about my writing...

Happy Birthday

2008-08-30T00:11:00.002+11:30

Happy 16th Birthday Myra!!

Hope (I'm sure you did) you had a fab birthday!!

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN!!

I really dunno what else to say... But I guess that's all, buddy... And congratz on taking off your braces for the top row of your teeth!! You look great!!

Devil To You, Angel To Me

2008-08-17T12:39:00.003+11:30

When I saw him he looked my way
and I knew I was over my head
Spiky hair and a charming look
with a great attitude that could knock me dead
suddenly
I heard his voice when he called my name
suddenly
I knew my life was gonna change
Well, he's hotter than hell and he's cool as they come
and he's smart and he's kind all rolled into one
Yeah, you say I'm a girl that you wish you could be
It's not easy to see
That he's a devil to you,
but he's an angel to me

Devil To You, Angel To Me-Ty and Myra
Parody of Angel to You, Devil To Me-Click Five

That was a parody that was written by Myra and I a while ago. Back then, we didn't complete the full parody but I've completed it not too long ago. But I guess I thought that I didn't have to show you guys the full version of it cuz that's not my main point here. Myra and I came to an agreement. We agreed to disagree with each other. We were talking about our taste in guys. And Myra simply couldn't see things through my point of view however I can kinda see things through hers. Anyway, we also made a deal. We'd make a post on our respective blogs, stating what type of guys we like. Chris, Jess, you may join in if you like.

I'm gonna start mine now.

What I want/like in guys:
1. He's gotta be smart (that's essential) and necessarily smarter than me. (Cuz if he's not smarter than me, then we're both in big trouble cuz I am not all that smart.)

2. He's gotta be kind. (Duh! They all have to be nice people in order to get girls!)

3. He's gotta be cute (to me, anyway. Myra reckons I have horrid taste. But guys don't have to look like Taylor Lautner or Chase Crawford to get my attention. What I am looking for is on the inside.)

4. He's gotta be down-to-earth. (I don't want someone who's hovering up in the clouds!)

5. He's gotta have good humour. (Good humour means: able to make me laugh.)

6. He's gotta be fun-loving. (Who doesn't want a fun-loving guy?)

7. He's definitely gotta be caring. (Need I emphasize more?)

8. He's gotta be calm, cool and patient. (Cuz I am not calm, cool and patient.)

9. He's gotta be a bit athletic. (Guys who can do sports are way better.)

10. He's gotta be able to cook. (Cuz I am not a cooking kind of person although I can cook but not extremely well.)

11. He's gotta be hard-working and able to tolerate some housework. (Well, the housework part is not so important. The important part is the hard-working part.)

12. He's gotta be humble. (Who'd want a cocky guy?)

13. He's gotta be generous. (But not too generous for his own good. I am talking about being selfless here, people.)

What I don't want/like in guys:

1. He mustn't be dumb or impulsive. (Although I can be dumb or impulsive sometimes... But that's why he has to be the opposite.)

2. He mustn't be mean. (As in intentionally MEAN. I'm talking about malicious and malevolent kind of mean.)

3. He mustn't smoke or take drugs or binge on alcohol.

4. He mustn't be too fussy about things.

5. No Mr. Perfectionist! Thank you very much.

6. He mustn't be rude.

7. He mustn't be too clingy.

8. He mustn't be unfaithful.

9. He mustn't be too dirty-minded.

10. He mustn't be too easily jealous.

11. He mustn't be bloody-thirsty or yearning for a fight all the time.

Here's a song to sum everything up...

How To Touch A Girl - JoJo

[Verse 1:]
I think I could like you, I already do.
Feelings can grow, but they can go away too.
You're taking my hand, looking into my eyes.
Don't be in a rush to get me tonight.
I feel something happening; could this be a spark?
To satisfy me baby, you gotta satisfy my heart.

[Chorus:]
Do you know How to Touch a Girl?
If you want me so much, first I have to know:
Are you thoughtful and kind?
Do you care what's on my mind?
Or am I just for show?
You'll go far in this world
if you know How to Touch a Girl.

[Verse 2:]
I think I could like you, but I keep holding back,
'cause I can't seem to tell if you're fiction or fact.
Show me you can laugh, show me you can cry.
Show me who you really are, deep down inside.
Do you feel something happening? Could this be for real?
I don't know right now, but tonight we'll reveal:

[Chorus:]
Do you know How to Touch a Girl?
If you want me so much, first I have to know:
Are you thoughtful and kind?
Do you care what's on my mind?
Or am I just for show?
You'll go far in this world
if you know How to Touch a Girl.

[Bridge:]
Bring me some flowers,
Conversation for hours,
to see if we really connect,
and baby, if we do,
I'll be giving all my love to you!

[Chorus:]
Do you know How to Touch a Girl?
If you want me so much, first I have to know:
Are you thoughtful and kind?
Do you care what's on my mind?
Or am I just for show?
You'll go far in this world
if you know How to Touch a Girl..

How To Touch A Girl-Jojo

Crazy In Love

2008-08-17T12:16:00.004+11:30

Got me looking so crazy right now, your love's
Got me looking so crazy right now (in love)
Got me looking so crazy right now, your touch
Got me looking so crazy right now (your touch)
Got me hoping you'll page me right now, your kiss
Got me hoping you'll save me right now
Looking so crazy in love's,
Got me looking, got me looking so crazy in love.

Crazy In Love-Beyonce

I have to say, I am a bit obsessed with taking pictures of flowers lately. Well, I guess that's cuz I take better pics of flowers than of myself. I'm a different kind of cam whore. Anyway, here are pictures of flowers taken at my house. I think I am crazy in love with photography of flowers!

Waddya think? Is this a good angle?

Those two pics were supposed to be vertical but I forgot to rotate them before uploading them. But I decided to leave it that way cuz I thought that it looks like those two pics were supposed to be joined together to form one big pic. If you get my drift...

Purple! My favourite colour! *Grins*

These are really gorgeous flowers.

Nice eh?

Got any suggestions as to what other things I should take pictures of other than flowers?

Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky

Because You Live-Jesse McCartney

P.S. I LOVE THIS SONG!

A Pair Of Clean Underpants

2008-08-15T23:29:00.001+11:30

Awarded by
Queen Christina
to Ty

Hahahaha! Thx, QueenChris... Are you telling me that you want me to get dirtih? I can do that, you know... LOL.

Photograph

2008-08-15T21:51:00.021+11:30

Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me laugh
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey's head

Photograph-Nickelback

On Wednesday, my family, I, Auntie Rosse, Uncle Heinz and Auntie Elaine went to Montville and Milany 'cause there was no school. It was Ekka Day. Meaning a day off for people to go to the Ekka (this is only for Queensland). Anyway, the Ekka is like an exhibition as well as a fun fair. A bit like Pesta Pulau Pinang. So, this trip to Montville, I found myself taking lots of pics. Lemme know if they are good enough pics...

P.S. Montville and Milany are tourist spots...

Here's a very adorable and funny-looking cat for sale at one of the shops.

I find this piece of art appealing. Mum was tempted to buy it but she refrained herself.

I was crazy about taking photos of flowers during that trip. This one is rather dangerous 'cause the bees were buzzing around and my hands and the camera was really close to them.

I thought that these flowers were dainty and sweet...

We went to Montville because Uncle Heinz purchased paintings at this particular shop there. Thus, we found a few beautiful paintings... I think QueenChris might agree with us. This is a photo of my mum's fave.

Photo of my dad's fave.

Photo of everyone's fave! Dad loved it so much that he placed a deposite on that painting. He said that it'll be my mum's birthday present.

And the view there at Montville is better than any paintings!

This is Milany...

The first place we went to in Milany was a flower shop or whatever you want to call a place that sells plants and flowers. Note: it's not a florist... I really love this pic 'cause the stalk of the flower is really tall and I actually had to tip my toes, extend my arms, hold my camera over the flower, hope that it'll capture the whole flower and SNAP! This was a second shot of that flower. The first one I only caught a section of the flower...

I like this one too!! And it's PURPLE!!

I like these two too. There're so lovely.

These look like bells, don't they?

I really like this one. It's so bright and cheerful. Auntie Rosse bought my mum a bunch of red coloured ones.

What do ya reckon? Should I be a photographer? Not bad, eh? the pics I took. *sarcasm inserted* LOL!

Your beautiful,
That's all that I can say.
Unforgettable,
I'm caught in every way.
Don't every let the mirror tell you lies,
Just look at your reflection through my eyes.
Your beautiful.

Beautiful-Nick Lachey

Big Girls Don't Cry.

2008-08-12T19:04:00.004+11:30

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But Ive got to get a move on with my life
Its time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry

Big Girls Don't Cry-Fergie

Yea, that's right! Big girls don't cry! I may miss 'em but I don't cry cuz of 'em. Although my eyes were watery but that didn't count as crying. Here are the answers for the "I'm Not Missing You" post.

"So my suggestion is you go over the Indian Ocean (and never come back), and then you send me another Christmas Card or whatever card, which makes me owe you another card, then when I get your address, (if you ever have a house) then I can slowly retutn you what I owe. See? The wonderful smartness of Megan. " -quoted by Megan Teoh. (Obviously!)

"I know you'll enjoy yourself at Australia. You've been talking about it since... I donno, we were friends? Lucky you with all those Aussie bums and washboard abs... *drools*. co-ed school? I hope!! *evil grin*..." -Queen Chris. (Duh! Her royal highness is famous for appreciating hot guys! LOL!)

"You already know my e-mail add and if you don't e-mail me I'll kill u... WE"LL MISS U (NOT)!!" -Myra Goon. (Yes, you guessed it right. Myra who doesn't miss me. =) )

"See, We're go(ing) good... We're helping u to work ur brain... hahahaha" -Jessica Tan. (If you read my Cbox, you would have heard her cackling.)

"I wanna die already la! I haven't studied Chinese yet!!" -Carmen Law. (That's right! Presenting the dilligently fabulous Carmen!!)

Oh I hear the wind call your name
The sound that leads me home again
It sparks up the fire - a flame that still burns
Oh, it's to you - I will always return

I Will Always Return-Byran Adams

That's right, people!!! I shall return!! *Plays horror music*

Addicted

2008-08-09T22:28:00.001+11:30

I'm trying to forget that
I'm addicted to you
But I want it and I need it
I'm addicted to you

Addicted-Simple Plan

There's a lot of things in this world that I love.

There's a lot of things in this univerese that I am obssessed with.

I know that there are a lot of people who love the same things.

Which makes it a bit hard when it comes to some things.

To name a few things...

Chocolate!!! Whoever who destests chocolate is abnormal!! Okay, I don't mean it literally... But, I can look at it positively. If you don't like chocolate, it means that there's more for me!!

Music! iPod! I reckon the iPod is a great invention although it can be attacked by "worms"... I can't live without music!! Thx, Chris, Myra, Jess, Curveen! You people have great taste in music! Thx for giving me songs. Thx for introducing good songs to me!

Dogs!! Puppies!! They are sooo adorable...

Let's not forget... I absolutely LOVE books!!! I am obssesed with reading! Although I don't read really fast, I still consider myself a bookworm...

All hail J.K. Rowling!!

She's the one who brought us our favourite wizard, Harry Potter. Too bad Daniel Radcliffe ruined it...

There's one more thing that I love even more in the world!!!

Throw me papers or any blank book! I LOVE writing!!! I've been writing for as long as I can remember...

So, friends... Can you make a bit of space in your hearts for my books??

I am serious about this... I treat writing like the way I treat Maths... I treat it seriously and with respect... I believe I, like many other teenagers in this world, have a passion for writing. I live, breathe, eat, sleep writing... I am sure if you're a best friend or a buddy of mine, you would know about this...

Remember when I was on a writing frenzy for three years? Yes, I am talking to you Myra, Chris and Jess and whoever else who knows about this... Well, I have to admit that this year... I am a bit stuck... Yes, just like the model in the picture above, I bite my pen and think... I only wish that I could pick up my mobile like her and dial S.O.S. !

Hmm... What should I write?...

More pen biting, chewing and thinking really hard... Minus the make-up and the gaudy top!

Just like how the apple that dropped on Sir Issac Newton's head and gave his an idea... And idea came to me...

Once upon a time...

There was a girl
loved lots of things
in this world
especially writing

I'd say that was the shortest poem I've ever written. Yes, you may call it lame... But that is true! I really love writing and I am not ashamed to admit that I'v composed six (or seven) stories! Myra, Chris and a lot other people were my editors.

I could never deal without u
Heal without u
Begin without u
End without u

Baby, Im in need
I can't breathe
No, I don't wanna be...
Without u

Without U- Jesse McCartney

I'm Not Missing You

2008-08-03T23:54:00.001+11:30

Three of the five culprits... You'll know what I mean later as we venture further...

I'm not missing you
You might have had me open
But I must be going because
I got life to do
I know I'm usually hanging on
I used to hate to see you gone
But this time it's different
I don't even feel the distance
I'm not missing
I'm not missing you

I'm Not Missing You-Stacey Orrico.

Well, I have to admit... I came up with this whole thing after I read one of Jess's recent blog entries, Partay~. So, you can say that the inspiration came from her... Thanks Jess! You can sue me later and charge me for plagiarism later... Right now... Just read on... But you may swear along the way if you like...

For Jess's 16th birthday, she celebrated it at two venues... The first birthday destination was a dinner at 32... After that, they head over to Heritage Club for a "singing" session... Jess posted two videos of their karaoke adventure... They sang to A Thousand Miles and Bleeding Love...

And yes, Jess was quite right... My ears were close to bleeding from listening to them belting out Bleeding Love like drunkards on a high... No, to be honest, I didn't think of it that way... All I could see from the videos were the amount of fun everyone was having... And that made me feel a bit sad...

No, I didn't wail like this poor kid here!

But I have to concede that my eyes were kind of watery... Why? ~~Because I'm not missing them...~~

So, this is how this whole notion for this bloody entry started... I'd have to say... Thanks to Jess (once again) I've my creativity flowing and perhaps might be able to entertain my friends again with my oh-so-not-hilarious blogs... And because Jess was the one who gave me this idea... She'll be first up...

Culprit Number One: Jessica

I don't have any photos of her on my laptop... Thus, the old 13th birthday photo was posted... She's the girl wearing the green top... But she looks a lot different now with longer hair and she appears a lot more mature, if you get my drift... (see the "current" her in www.jessswears.blogspot.com)

Apart from being really smart, I must point out that Jess has an amazing voice and is great at singing (but I have no idea what happened to her voice during her birthday party... No mellifluous voice managed to reach my ears when I watched those videos)

And she'd probably be really dangerous if she was armed with a guitar along with her singing voice... Not that she can't play the guitar... She took guitar lessons with Myra before...

Carmen and Christina... When I first saw this gift that my buddies gave to me as a goodbye gift, the first thought that came to my mind was: Hang on a minute... Carmen and Chris? Are they angelic? Nope! Carmen feigns innocence and dumbness... One minute she's complaining about being not prepared for the exam, the next she is smiling gleefully because she knew all the answers to the exam paper... As for Chris, she is full of cunning ideas... All of her akai comes from that cunning mind of hers... It's impossible for them to be describe as angelic...

Culprit Number Two: Christina

Chris is the one on the right...

She is bloody creative and that's no joke... See that piece of art? Well, she can create something ten times prettier and more breath-taking than that... No joke...

Let's not forget... She loves hot guys like Chase Crawford, Wentworth Miller, etc.

Culprit Number Three: Carmen

Carmen's the one on the left...

She's constantly worrying about her studies and studying... I guess she looks something like that when she studies, except a lot more model-material with her prettiness, gracefulness and elegance... (a bit over the top? but what other words can you actually use to describe her?)

Nuh-uh! This is so not right... The photo frames should be swapped... The M&Ms are the more angelic ones... Sure, they are smart but they aren't sly or cunning... And they are definitely not devilish...

Culprit Number Four: Myra

Myra's the one on the right... Cheerful, happy-go-lucky, annoying-once-in-a-while and like Chris said (from www.everybodyloveschris.blogspot.com) karaoke-from-hell...

Let's not forget... Myra's lastest guy is none other than the hot Taylor Lautner who plays Jacob Black in Twilight (movie)... Sorry, ladies... I tried to convince her to share but unfortunately she remains adamant to have Taylor all to herself... She's staked a claim on him... (check www.myrasbras.blogspot.com)

Culprit Number Five: Megan

I know that you've noticed that instead of putting a pic with Megan in it, I've put a pic of a pair of round framed glasses, something similar to what Harry Potter wears. Well, Megan dons a similar pair of spectacles... And if you want to see what she looks like, scroll back up to the very first pic, she is the girl on the left (Recommended 'cause pic is clearer)... Or, you can just look at the pic of "devil photo frame", she's the one on the left (Not recommended 'cause pic is not so clear)...

Megan has plenty of wonderful ideas brewing in that head of hers... She oftens spews them out and praises herself... You'd think she's boastful but when it comes to Megan, it's different... You'd be too fascinated the by the idea she's come up with to be mad at her for being boastful. Whenever her idea pops into her concious mind, she'd have that look of exuberance and her index finger will be in the air and anyone could literally see a light bulb glowing above her head...

And yes, she calls herself a genius... Well, we can't exactly blame her 'cause she is a genius... And many of us, often, would find ourselves saying, "Megan, you're a genius!"
"Yes! I'm a genius!" quotes Megan, the genius...

Yes, I would have to say that's about it about my five culprits... ~~Anyone would think that I miss them but who am I kidding? Watching those videos and reading from Jess's, Chris's and Myra's blogs...~~ Let's see if you can match the quotes to the right person...

"So my suggestion is you go over the Indian Ocean (and never come back), and then you send me another Christmas Card or whatever card, which makes me owe you another card, then when I get your address, (if you ever have a house) then I can slowly retutn you what I owe. See? The wonderful smartness of ______. "

"I know you'll enjoy yourself at Australia. You've been talking about it since... I donno, we were friends? Lucky you with all those Aussie bums and washboard abs... *drools*. co-ed school? I hope!! *evil grin*..."

"You already know my e-mail add and if you don't e-mail me I'll kill u... WE"LL MISS U (NOT)!!"

"See, We're go(ing) good... We're helping u to work ur brain... hahahaha"

"I wanna die already la! I haven't studied Chinese yet!!"

I can say they are quite difficult to match but some of them are a bit obvious... Anyway, I shall reveal the answers... hmm... I actually don't know when... but we'll see... (Man, is this the longest blog that I've ever written??!)

And when I get back to M'sia for a visit... I bet there will be a lot of "OMG! What the **** are you doing here?!", "I told you to never come back!", "Ah! It's a ghost!"

Just go
I give you my word and I promise to ~~love~~ hate you
Go, it's over
You have your chance
Just go
There's nothing inside me that still feels connected to you
To me you're already gone

(Parody of) Just Go-Jesse McCartney

Misery Business

2008-07-19T21:11:00.000+11:30

Okay, I got tagged by Jess... I guess I have to do this no matter how foolish I will look! I mean, I have really lame songs. So ~~laugh~~ cackle if you want. At least I won't be able to hear you...

a. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc on shuffle.
b. For each question, click the NEXT button to get your answer.
c. You must write the song name down no matter how silly it sounds! That's why I am doing this...
d. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
e. Put this on your blog. Yikes, I don't like this part... LOL.

1. If someone says, "Is this okay?"
S.O.S (remix) -Jonas Brothers
S.O.S! Of course this is not okay!!

2. How would you describe yourself?
Behind These Hazel Eyes -Kelly Clarkson
Whoa? So sad? I don't even have hazel eyes!

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?
So I thought -Flyleaf
omg! This song is so depressing... How does it answer the question?

4. How do you feel today?
Going My Way -Girls Bravo
Oh cool! Yea, I like going my way. Btw, just so you know, this song is a Japanese song.

5. What is your life's purpose?
Suteki na Shiawase -THE STAND UP
Okay, so am I going be happy or what?

6. What is your motto?
Fully Alive -Flyleaf
Why do I keep getting Flyleaf songs?! *shakes fist in the air*

7. What do your friends think of you?
Right Back In The Water -Jesse McCartney
Oooh! I love this song. But am I that bad a person?? Then again, you guys can't leave me!

8. What do you think of your parents?
Mandy -Jonas Brothers
Hahahahaha!! This is so not right!! But one part is right: I am probably a nuisance! Or is it the other way round? *raises eyebrows*

9. What do you think about very often?
It's Gonna Be Love -Mandy Moore
omg! This is so weird. I guess it is kind of true!!

10. What is 2+2?
True -Ryan Cabrera
Yup! It's true I know what 2+2 is!

11. What do you think of your best friend?
Complicated -Avril Lavigne
I wonder which one is so complicated?? Hahaha! I am usually the complicated one!

12. What do you think of the person you like?
Time For Me To Fly -Jonas Brothers
@_@ ??? Seriously??!! Who's escaping who??!! Omg, I am beginning to hate this! LOL.

13. What is your life?
The Anthem -Good Charlotte
Whoot! You...don't wanna be just like you.What I'm saying is this is the anthem. Throw all your hands up, you, don't wanna be you. That's what my life is like! LOL.

14. What do you want to be when you grow up?
不会爱 -飞轮海
WHAT?! I don't want to be someone who doesn't know how to love when I grow up! (Translation of song title: Don't Know How To Love.)

15. What do you think of when you see the person you like?
O -DBSK
DOUBLE WHAT?! I don't even understand what those dudes are singing about! It's in Korean!!

16. What will you dance to at your wedding?
If That's OK with you -Shayne Ward
Cool! I like the video for this song! The dance Shayne Ward did was cool! I wanna dance like that at my wedding! LOL!

17. What will they play at your funeral?
Aozora no Namida -Hitomi Takahashi
Damn right! You people better be crying when I die! Hahaha! Kidding...

18. What is your hobby/interest?
Holes Inside -Joe Brooks
WTH??!! Do I leave holes inside people all the time as a hobby? Hahaha!

19. What is your biggest fear?
CHAIN [MAGNIFICENTRAL MIX] -Skankfunk
There's no lyrics for this song! It's just music! Ha! Does that mean I don't have any fears?!

20. What is your biggest secret?
Only One -Yellowcard
My biggest secret is that I have an Only One! That's TRUE!!!

21. What do you think of your friends?
Disillusion -Tainaka Sachi
I guess you can put it that way... I mean, they are so nice to me that it feels like it's too good to be true!

22. What will you post this as?
Misery Business -Paramore
Hahaha! This thing really is a misery business!

23. What song would you play during your first time having sex?
Hate That I Love You -Rihanna (feat. Ne-Yo)
WTF??!! Hahahahaha!! Of all songs!!!

Ta-da! I did it! I guessed I just officially embarrassed myself! Just so that I am not alone... You can check out my buddies' blogs... They did the same thing... I hope this is okay for them...
http://www.jessswears.blogspot.com/ <<< ~~the culprit~~
http://www.myrasbras.blogspot.com/
http://www.everybodyloveschris.blogspot.com/

Btw, you just got TAGGED the moment you read this entry... So if you have a blog, do this! Join in the FUN!!

The Recipe To A Good Life?

2008-07-08T17:23:00.000+11:30

Okay, I'll have to say I am doing something a little unusual here... I am gonna let you into my head... I mean, I am gonna show you the kind of things I think about... Don't worry. It's nothing ridiculous or perverted... Well, maybe it might be a bit ridiculous to you but it definitely isn't perverted... Let's begin...

What's the point of life anyway? That's something I often pondered about... I wouldn't say that I am having a hard life and am suffering. I am way better off than a lot of people in this world. I get to have three meals everyday. Some people barely get to eat at all in a week! I get to wear comfortable clothes. Some people only get to wear rags! I have a roof over my head and a steady one. Some people don't even have one over their heads! That's also something I always think about. Why is this so? I mean, I am grateful with what I have but sometimes I still find myself complaining and feeling dissatisfied. Things like grades, wants and desires... That's all I have to worry about... But other people have it worst. They have to struggle to survive. And yet, you won't hear any complaints from them. Have you ever thought of that? Then again, I've felt angry before. Angry at the people around and the world. Angry enough to have a notion of committing suicide. Things would have been so easy if I was dead. I mean, it's easy to die. You won't feel a thing if it was quick and it'd be the end of all of your suffering and torture. What about those people who have it worst than me? Wouldn't they be madder at the world than me? And I am talking about those who were born unlucky. Not those people who are capable of improving their petty lives but refuse to do so because they are too lazy.

I guess I would consider myself lucky... But why am I always comparing my lives to others? I mean, I look at the girls that walk pass me in the mall. First thought: Lucky them... They get to have the freedom to roam around without a parent breathing down their neck and watching their every move like a hawk. When I see people with something new and cool. First thought: Lucky them... They get to have whatever they want... Not that I don't have all of the teenage necessities... An old iPod nano, a third-hand phone, a laptop that i worked my butt off for... Why am I complaining? I guess I am just human... Never ever satisfied with what I've got... Have you ever felt that way? Or have you always got what you wanted? Lucky you...

Look at him! He has it soooo easy!! It's so unfair!! All he has to do is eat, live, breathe, sleep and watch TV!!!! I am referring to my younger brother... I mean, I am always the one who gets shouted and scolded at for no reason and yet every time, I am not the one who walks out. I am the one who stays and helps...

But in the end... There's still something to learn from that brother of mine... And I've only realised this a moment ago... He takes things easy... He doesn't demand so much out of life like what I do... He is happy with the things he has or receive... Of course, he still does get unhappy when he misses his favourite TV show or when he won't be able to get his computer-related gadgets as soon as possible... Apart from that, he doesn't need anything else... He doesn't need the freedom to loiter in the mall or a brand new iPod or a mobile phone to satisfy himself.... Is that the recipe to having a good life? Not complaining and be grateful with what you are given?

Have you ever thought of that?

Quotes

2008-06-24T18:33:00.001+11:30

23.6.08 Started at 20:08 (Aussie time)

After working on my draft for my English essay that I have to write on Thursday as a class test-working on quotes of characters from Tomorrow, When the War Began to be more specific-I discovered that I had a sudden craze for quotes. No, I don’t mean I’m suddenly spewing out random quotes from famous people. An idea suddenly struck me and I have to say-unabashedly-I am inspired by Christina’s blog entries. She can charge me for plagiarism if she wants to but we’ll be talking about originality here. I am not copying her blogs words for word. I am just taking some of her ideas. You can compare our work if you want. This is her blog site address: everybodyloveschris.blogspot.com

Let’s begin. This entry is all about quotes and I am writing these quotes from memory so they might not be a hundred percent accurate. Some of these quotes may not make sense to you because they are written in Malaysian slang.

“You mangkok lah, you!” –Christina Soh. She often said that when one of her best or good friends did or say something stupid. Apparently, since I left, she has changed it to “You noob lah, you!”

“I dunno. She weird one lah, she.” –Myra Goon. She always told me about her friends, be it ones that she just made or ones that she’s known for a while. She’d describe them and tell me about something they did that was out of the ordinary. I’d say something like, “Uh, why does she do that one?” then Myra’s reply would be none other than “I dunno. She weird one lah, she.”

“Yes, I am a genius!” –Megan Teoh. Yes, she may be a genius with her crazy but wonderful ideas. Chris, Myra and I often called her muka tembok. She is not ashamed to call herself a genius. After all it is true. Megan can think up of great things that no one has ever thought of. I’d definitely vote for her if she runs for the Prime Minister of Malaysia!

“Aiyah, I am going to die lah! I have to study!! I have to get an A for Chinese!!” –Carmen Law. This quote is the least accurate but I believe it is close to whatever Carmen always says when I the exams are around the corner. Carmen, the all-rounder, stresses a lot about her studies and pretty much everything else that she does. You name it! Piano, violin, ballet, guitar, sports.

“I don’t give a ****ing damn lah!” –Jessica Tan. Okay, Christina can definitely sue me for plagiarism for this quote. Jessica pretty says that quite a lot, regarding her studies. But when her results come out, you can clearly see that she did give a ****ing damn. It doesn’t look like she did any studying but her results speaks for themselves.

Okay, that’s before I left for Australia. I am sure they are all still using these quotes because quite obviously they are still themselves, judging from the emails I received from them. It’s a good thing. Chris(tina), Myra, Megan, Carmen, Jess, let me know where I went wrong if you see this blog entry.

Just to be fair, I’ll quote the friends that I’ve made here in Australia.

“If Ms. Henry says anything about my _____, I’ll rape her.” –Velouria Brausch a.k.a. Lori. Well, there’s a space there because the answer ranges from earrings to bracelets, to hair. After Lori says something like that, I’d go, “Why would you want to rape Ms. Henry?” Then, she’s laugh, “God, no, who would want to rape her?” Of course she didn’t mean to literally rape her least favourite teacher. She just says that out of habit.

“Oh my God! That’s such a Rodney thing to say! _____________________!” –Claire Maniti. She and Rodney are like buddies. She says that she loves Rodney but not in that way. Rodney would say something, then she’d say said quote and then mimic whatever he said in a mocking tone. After that, she’d laugh her head off. That’s Claire for me!

“F***!” –Marjorie Cawayan. Okay, I know that this by right shouldn’t be a quote. But she always says it like she invented it. That word belongs to Marj. She is sweet but she swears like Gordan Ramsay. Okay, maybe not as bad as him but close to it! She says that word instead of “Oh my God” or “Oh no”. It’s a good thing that she has cut down swearing a bit now.

“Guess what? Guess what? …. Nothing!” –Matt I-don’t-really-know-his-last-name-‘cause-it’s-too-long-for-me-to-remember. That’s one of Matt’s weapons to annoy people. He may have the prettiest blue eyes and be a great friend sometimes but one thing remains a constant variable, he is damn annoying when he does the “Guess what? Guess what? … Nothing!” thing. It annoys the hell out of me and plenty other people and he enjoys it.

“Guess what? Guess what? … I’m cool!” –David Corby. I don’t know who copied off whom but compared to Matt’s, David’s is less annoying. David would sometimes change it to “Guess what? Guess what? … I’m sexy!”

“See, I’m smart!” –Melanie Singh. Mel would make a “‘clever’ dumb blonde remark” and then pronounce her self as smart. I am not saying that she is totally hopeless and dumb but honestly, if you heard her, you’d pengsan (faint in Malay). Okay, maybe I am contradicting myself here. How can a dumb blonde make a smart remark? Well, Mel managed to pull it off.

I’d quote myself but I can’t remember what I usually say. It’s probably something very annoying or dumb as well. Do refresh my memory if you know what my quote is!

Completed at 21:01 (Aussie time)

Cezka's Performance on Women's Day

2008-06-22T13:41:00.001+11:30

She has an amazing voice! I am sure she'll get discovered by the age of 21. If she doesn't, there's definitely something wrong with this world!!

Friends.

2008-06-21T22:35:00.001+11:30

This was Poh Chen's request. She wanted me to write stuff about school and friends. So, I'll write something about my friends and school!

Lori: She is extremely funny, friendly, fun, lovely, beautiful and kind.
Ms. Henry is our year level coordinator and most of us don't really like her 'cause she is fierce and strict. Anyway, Ms. Henry is fat and she wears purple most of the time. So, purple is probably her fave colour. Anyway, Lori really hates her 'cause she gets in trouble with Ms. Henry a lot for wearing the wrong earrings. Then, there was once, before roll class began, Lori suddenly said, "Here comes big fat purple and ugly!" At first I was puzzled 'cause I didn't know what or who she was talking about. I turned around and saw Ms. Henry walking towards D block, wearing a purple top, with a scowl on her face. I burst out laughing after that but it was a good thing Ms. Henry didn't catch what Lori said.

Claire: Hilarious (in a strange and annoying way, sometimes.), nice, smart, responsible and interesting (as in not boring at all). She came from America and now she is back there 'cause her visa was stuffed up and she had to go back to reapply before coming back here again.
She loves drinking iced coffee and gets high after a few swigs. She gets really hyper and squeals at anything she finds interesting. And she'd talk a hundred words per minute. It's funny and yet scary sometimes.

Marj: She is lovely (only when she is not swearing), nice, kind, pretty and a good-listener.
There was once she decided that she was going to cut down swearing 'cause she pretty swears every few minutes. She told everyone that she was going to cut down to only five swear words a day and that if she exceeds five swear words, she was going to give everyone 50 cents. I was with her before roll class and we had science and then drama together. Within the first two and a half hours of the day, she managed to swear more than five times. I was like, "Marj! That's your fifth one!", "Marj! That was your sixth one! Now you'll have to pay all of us 50 cents!" She moaned, "I'm broke!! Shh! Don't tell anyone else. I'll give you and Claire 50 cents 'cause you guys are the ones who heard me swear." In the end, I didn't take her money. In the end, she chucked the resolution. In the end, she's still swearing a lot.

Cezka: Cute, petite, has a beautiful singing voice, cheerful, funny and friendly.
She was practising singing. When they stopped a while, Marj's boyfriend, Anthony, decided to take the microphone from her and burp into it. Then, Cezka got the mic back and burped into it. Then, Anthony had another go 'cause Cezka burped louder than him. Cezka retrieved her mic and burped again. Then she tried again. It was one loud burp for a small person like her! Then, she shuddered, disgusted with herself and then grinned.

Mel: Pretty, funny (in a clueless way), a kid at heart and heaps of fun.
She is quite clueless sometimes. She is still a bit like a little kid although her physique tells you a different story. She was asked if a submarine had everyone she knew and loved in it and it sinked, who are the two people she would save first? She answered my best friend (I don't remeber what her best friend's name is)... We didn't let her finish 'cause the rest of us burst out laughing. She was like, "What?" We tried to explained to her that submarines sink to move underwater but she just went "huh?" but after a while she managed to get it.

Angel

2008-06-21T13:40:00.001+11:30

Luckiest girl alive. That’s what I consider myself to be. After all, I was sent an angel, to protect me, to watch over me, to guide me… to love me. As I neared him, my heartbeat rate increased up to a hundred kilometres per second, slamming hard against my ribs. It was so loud that I thought everyone around me could hear it. My face flushed as he looked up and met my gaze. It was… magical. The corners of his mouth lifted into a mesmerising smile. My heart stopped instantaneously. For a moment, I had forgotten how to breathe.

“This must be a dream,” I thought to myself in amazement.

But his voice gently yanked me out of my reverie. This wasn’t a dream. This was all real. Although it may seem that he was too good to be true, too good to be mine, too good for me to deserve him, he was anything but a dream. He was as real as the rays of sunlight that emitted from the sun, as true as the law of physics, as existent as gravity is. He was just as real as you and I. He was a human that was an angel in my eyes.

“Hey,” he greeted me softly.

His voice was like bells that chimed gently and soothingly. I looked into his eyes and almost drowned in them. To me, they were a perfect shade of brown, intense, intelligent, eloquent, gentle, sincere and unmistakeably full of love, affection and adoration. He had an aura of pure good, making him by the far the closest person to a saint that I’ve ever encountered.

I could barely believe that a person like him acknowledged me, let alone loved me. Am I really that loveable? Do I deserve him? Those questions were repeated several times in my head each time I laid eyes on him. Yes, I was the luckiest girl alive and I can unashamedly admit that I want to be that for the rest of my life. I am lucky and selfish to have him. He’s the angel that I’ve been waiting for.

Eyes

2008-06-21T13:38:00.000+11:30

I stared into his deep brown eyes. They were always intense, sincere and eloquent. Eyes that had always made my heart flutter and beat ten times faster whenever I gazed into them. These were a different set of eyes. I was looking into a different person. He was hurt and in pain. I couldn’t believe I had done such a horrible thing. I don’t deserve to live anymore. I want to run away. No. I don’t want to run away. I want something bad to happen to me, to hurt me in a way that I had hurt him. I couldn’t bear to look into his sad eyes any longer. I tore my gaze away, tears pooling in my eyes. I don’t deserve him. He deserves someone better than me, someone who truly loves him.

“It’s not your fault,” he managed in calm voice. He was faking his calmness. I saw the hurt and betrayal in his beautiful eyes. He was only being calm for his own sake, not mine. At least that was what I thought.

“I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t have hurt you,” I said in the steadiest voice I could manage. I stared at the ground, too afraid to look into his eyes again.

“There were a lot of things you shouldn’t have done. There were also a lot of things that I shouldn’t have done as well. We all make mistakes. We’re only human,” he sighed.

“But what I did was unforgiveable!” I exclaimed.

Why was he being so nice to me? Why won’t he scream at me? Why? I don’t deserve any kindness. He is being cruel by being kind to me. I was encompassed by guilt. I was completely tormented by the guilt, pain and remorse I felt. I was furious with myself. I was also angry at him for letting me get away with this.

“Why won’t you shout at me? Why aren’t you angry at me for doing this to you?” I shouted in a shrill voice as hot tears began rolling down my cheeks.

“Calm down. I am not angry at you. I won’t be able to resolve anything by shouting at you,” he replied meekly.

“Why can’t you be angry at me? Why? You think that you’re making me feel better by being all kind and forgiving?” I sobbed uncontrollably. I was surprised that I was still able to talk or shout.

There was silence for a long time. The silence went on for so long that I thought he had walked away and left me. That’s what I deserved. I had my eyes closed but I decided to lift my head, open my eyes to check if he actually walked away. He was still standing there just like a few minutes ago. Our gazes met. This time, I couldn’t tear my gaze away from his eyes. His eyes glistened with tears but shone with love.

“That’s because I love you.”

How to steal a girl’s heart

2008-06-21T13:30:00.000+11:30

1. Talk to her whenever you can. Listen to her when she has something to say.

2. Spend as much time with her as possible but not so much that it appears like you’re a stalker. Just start off as friends.

3. If she considers you as a good friend, take that as a good sign. Keep up with whatever you’re doing.

4. Show her that you can laugh and smile. Girls don’t like guys without humour. (But of course, it has to be the right type of humour)

5. When she cries, don’t panic. A lot of guys panic when girls cry. You shouldn’t. All you have to do is hold on to her (if she doesn’t mind you doing so) and tell her that everything will be alright. Sometimes, crying helps girls recompose themselves.

6. Remember her birthday. Girls make a big deal out of birthdays and we’re not ashamed to admit that. Get her something. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gift. It’s the thought that counts. They’ll cherish your gift forever.

7. When she makes mistakes, tell her that it’s okay and help her sort things out if you can.
Show her your support in whatever she does or participates in. (but of course, it has to be good things that she’s doing, not bad things)

8. Text messages, emails, letters, cards. Girls love them. They’ll read them over and over again and never get bored of them. They’ll keep them like treasures. Even a few simple words can mean a lot to them.

9. When a girl begs you not to do something, it’s very likely because she cares about you and doesn’t want you to get hurt, so don’t do it if you can.

10. When her arms are not folded or her hands are not in her pockets, take her hand, it’s very likely that she let them out because she wants you to hold one of them.

11. When she moves up close to you, it means that she wants a hug.

12. When a girl asks you “how are you?” she genuinely wants to know how you’re feeling. And if you lie to her and she detects the lie, she will think that you’re pushing her away. You won’t be helping yourself by keeping your problems to yourself.

13. Most girls love flowers even though they wilt easily. For Valentine’s Day, you can get her flowers. Even one stalk means a lot.

14. Guys sometimes have different tastes in music from girls. It wouldn’t hurt to try to listen to the type of music she listens to. Girls are thrilled when there are people who love and listen to the same songs as they do.

15. Don’t get overly jealous when you see her talking to or laughing with another guy. Girls don’t like guys who get jealous easily and who are overly protective. It annoys them.

16. Don’t be clingy. You don’t have to hold on to her 24/7. Girls also want to spend time with her girlfriends, just like how guys want to spend time with their mates.

17. To ask a girl out, you don’t have to plan anything special. You may if want it to be really memorable. Just as long as you ask when you two are alone. Don’t blurt it out in front of friends.

18. When a girl says she needs time to think, be cool about it. Don’t panic. It doesn’t mean that she will say no. In fact, it’s a lot better if she thinks it through instead of answering you impulsively.

19. When you praise her or give her compliments, don’t be affronted if she denies your praise or compliments. In actual fact, she is quite pleased but she doesn’t want to appear arrogant.

20. Don’t be bothered when she does better than you academically. Girls like to be known for their brains besides beauty. Congratulate her. Keep up with her if you can. It makes her happy to see her boyfriend do well in school work just as well as she is.

21. Girls love sweet things that guys say but they mustn’t be lies.

22. When a girl wants a kiss, she seriously wants it. She’ll give you signs that may not be very obvious but you’ll have to observant because it does slightly frustrate her if you don’t kiss her when she wants you to.

23. All girls have flaws just like every other human being. Don’t be fussy because you’ll never find a perfect human being. Just accept some of her faults and help her correct them if you can. (Unless she is a total b**** then it’s a different story)

24. It really breaks her heart when you don’t get along with her friends, especially her best friends. You’ll have to try harder to cooperate. If you don’t like her friends, just give up because it’s likely that you will find yourself not liking her later on. Birds of the same feather flock together.

25. When a girl really likes you, she’ll act differently in front of you compared to when she is with her friends because she doesn’t want you to dislike her because of some of her habits etc.

26. Don’t be surprised when you catch her doing something out of the ordinary because that’s her true self that’ll you’ll hardly be able to catch a glimpse of.

27. If she acts really cool in front of you, she’s actually really anxious or panicking.

28. It’s great if a girl acts like her usual self in front of you. It means that she is extremely comfortable with you and has nothing to hide. Remember, what you can do is act like yourself as well. Don’t pretend to be what you’re not.

29. Girls try really hard to impress guys. Then again, it’s very easy to impress them. Be a gentleman. Be thoughtful. Be kind. All those are more than enough to impress a girl.

30. There are some guys who are jerks and they enjoy annoying and teasing girls which isn’t the right way to get their attention. Make sure you’re not one of those jerks because girls loathe and despise jerks.

31. The words “I love you” are a big deal to girls. Make sure you mean it when you say it. It means A LOT to them. When she says those words to you, she truly means it. (But there are cases when they are liars but that’s a whole different story)

32. “I miss you” are also words that they love hearing. Let her know if you miss her. Because she won’t feel like the only one suffering from the temporary separation. You’re also letting her know that you love her.

33. Lastly, you can learn a bit about touching a girl’s heart if you listen to Jojo’s “How To Touch A Girl”. Give it a go if you want. That song can teach guys a few things about stealing a girl’s heart.

Guys, repost this if you want to share it with your mates.
Girls, if you think that what I’ve stated is true and you want your friends or a certain guy to know, repost it.

Good luck winning a girl’s heart.

Created by D. P.

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