All of a Sudden

All of a sudden, three weeks have flown by. All of a sudden, it's time to return to reality. Reality begins tomorrow. While posts will slowly but surely pop up about what I've been up to, there is much I will miss of it.

Before August ends, I must add. Happy Merdeka to all! (That's Malaysian's Independence Day, by the way)

Now September usurps the throne. Sigh...gone are holidays.

Summer has come and passed

The innocent can never last

Wake me up when September ends...

~Green Day~

First Angsanian Reunion

5 Angsana '08 reunites!! While it was only the first time we had an 'official' outing, 17 people arrived, which I consider good response. Thank you, guys, for making time for it!! (I can't thank enough)


The idea was to keep it simple, so dinner it is! We had Japanese fusion food at 'Pasta Zanmai'. Familiar anyone? I came here for a different reunion a year ago. Anyway, it serves variations of pasta, rice and even pizza infused with Japanese delicacies. Really creative and lip-smacking, actually.

I'm quite sure the workers there were sighing over the noisy bunch we were. Well, we did have lots to catch up on since the last time we met. As a class, I mean.

I like the fruit tea! Actually had the solids in there!


Before we ate, we followed this Japanese dining etiquette by holding the chopsticks as you see in the photo above. Together, we said in unison, "Itadakimasu!" before we started dining. Sharing food gave us more to try! YUM!

I'm not posting up a lot of photos here as that's what the class blog is for. So if you want to see them, it's just a click away!

A movie moment: "Who wants to watch 'Up'?" I asked, and all of them literally looks up. Definitely a moment to be captured!

PS. Did I mention that being an Angsanian is great? It's a congregation I'm glad I'm part of. Can't wait for next reunion!

PPS. Because 'someone' has been debating with me, I prefer the term 'Angsanian', not 'Angsana-ian', just as 'Canadians' are not 'Canada-ians'. I rest my case.

PPPS. This is a scheduled post. I really am MIA until next week.

Happy Birthday, Mummy

This is to someone who has been and has promised to be there every step of the way...

As I climb or when I fall

You remind me to give my all

Through the sunshine and the rain

You tell me it's both the same

That rainbows will come and ease the pain.

This is to someone whose birthday will be celebrated as seven of us fly across the sky...

Happy Birthday! We love you!

PS. Will not be around for several days.

Sugar Rush at Delicious

That morning isn't something I'd like to talk about, but the afternoon was gastronomically amazing. I find first times fun. It was my first time in Bangsar and definitely my first at 'Delicious'. Kim said it's her favourite restaurant!

The prices are quite astounding, but that wasn't something to worry about. It's the yearbook editorial board luncheon!

The food really lives up to its name, and the portions are huge! But I'll cut to the chase...the highlight of the day was the sinfully delectable desserts!!

Almost all of us got into sugar rushes.

Chocolate brownie (still warm) topped with ice-cream and oozing with chocolate syrup...SLURP!!

I must say, though honestly quite 'diabetic-sounding', it was amusing to watch the rest indulge in their doses of glorious glucose until they hit their hyperactive meter. Suddenly there will be giggling while sharing all the desserts between us.

Golly, I was lalala~ing over MSN soon after.

Note: Go crazy with desserts once in a while...it makes you euphoric...as if drunk but without hangovers.

Warning: Don't feel guilty. It's once in a while.

Group photos up next.

Quote of the day:

"Why share(the desserts)? Half the calories, twice the fun!"

End with a SPLASH!!!

Another one shall soon be flying off to a different world. Before she did, Wei Fen, Hsu-Cherng and I went to meet her. We had to knock the door down, mostly because...the doorbell didn't work. Anti-climax, wasn't it? Anyway, I digress.

She's flying off to another world, as I said. So we decided to sit by the pool for our chitchat. Tempted we were to push her into the pool, but, well, it was all imagination and too much tenderheartedness.

No worries, we thought, let us roll up our pants and go in together!

It's quite relaxing, actually, as four of us sat in a row. And guess what happened after that? A classic example of the proverb, "Where there is a will, there is a way"...

As the day was about to end, all of a sudden, Mirah started fumbling and stumbling, unable to control herself although she was firmly holding onto the rock. SPLASH!!! In she went, without us even helping her to it! Odd as it is, that's one way to immortalise the day for us.

Mirah! Farewells are hard to say. And it's unfortunate that I won't be around to watch you fly off to that other world. We'll remember it all...

So instead, why not I say "see you later"? Now that sounds comforting enough.

PS. I love this photo.

Why did I? Now I know why.

Sometimes I don't know why I still do it. It isn't easy! Yes, and I know what it is like, so why again did I put myself into this?

Now it's crystal clear. After that everything fell right into place, and suddenly there's so little to do, and everything is in order. At the same time, there is no need for too much order.

It just takes a little bit of fun, simply wonderful people and cameras.

Well, I guess there is a reason for me to put myself to it each time. I'll always be reminded why I did so when the day comes to an end.

It's all worth it.

Why did I?

Sometimes I don't know why I still do it. Even though I know that it is not easy.

It isn't easy! In fact, I'm practically stressed out over it. Why, in the first place, did such an idea pop up? GOOD WORK, Rachael, for volunteering, and since you've actually had experience in this before. Yes, and I know what it is like, so why again did I put myself into this?

And it doesn't help that the time isn't all that convenient, but a promise is a promise, right?

It's a busy weekend, I'm aware of that, but we're all busy. I should be rushing on my work and research and my piano exam!!

Okay, I'm so sorry. I just need to calm down and really think about it. Calm~ Meditate~ Forget the pressure~ Answer in the most stable tone you can~ Politeness~ Filter~ Just do what you do best~

AARRGGH!!!

GREAT, Rachael, GREAT!! Next time, remember to smack yourself before you feel like doing this.

Perhaps then you won't feel so alone.

blue+yellow=green

I had a great day. Honestly! Meeting up with many friends on the same day, and with so many months to catch up on, we were laughing, pranking and snapping photos all day. Bittersweet in a way, at the same time, so delightful.

Normally I'd go post them all up by the end of the day, but something else is on my mind.

And that of many other A-level students.

I'm a little better now. It was frustrating at first trying and trying and trying for half an hour to find the website and log in. Then I was disappointed. Half disappointed.

Thanks for the comforting words and telling me that I'm not alone, and that we'll get through it together.

Well. No use feeling blue for so long. Have to add a bit of yellow into it, then it'll be all green and calming. Haha..how did that pop out off my mind? Randomness.

Hehe...I'm feeling perky now. Maybe it's the work of that chocolate I ate. I'll post the photos from today as soon as I can!

Try to Appear Like I've Got It Together

How I loathe it. And the fact that it will never stop makes my stomach curdle.

Somehow the moment you enter this phase, the world suddenly seems to revolve full speed ahead.

They start leaving on that boulevard of dreams. Most of them do, some with a history of several years, and GOSH! some only several months.

I've uttered so many good byes this year that I should be numb to its call by now. How many? I can't remember, yet the numbers keep adding up each month. I know this had been foretold and sticks as an undying reminder, but I find that it still hurts, even if just a little.

Sometimes I'm so tired of thinking what to say. Good bye. Be careful. Stay safe. Make new friends. Miss us. Don't miss us too much. Have fun. Call us when you come back.

With each time I feel that farewell parties are a necessity. If no one does it, who will? There is no telling when they will be back, or if they ever come back. Perhaps if they have no intention of returning, they'd appreciate the farewell party, won't they?

My head and my heart are colliding chaotic
Pace of the world I just wish I could stop it
Try to appear like I've got it together
I'm falling apart.

~Slow Me Down, by Emmy Rossum~

Sigh. I'm so sorry for that overwhelming splurge of emotions. Blame that haunting song on the radio.

2 friends leaving this month, 2 cousins leaving next month. I'm feeling blue.

200th Post

Lalala~ 200th post! Here I shall recall one of the many movie-like moments in life.

Remember when this was taken, Melissa? We discussed our ideal future and how we can prove cynics wrong. How we'll conquer the world achieve our life goals and feel satisfaction someday. How we'll have houses with turrets and soar higher and higher each day.

Come to think of it, we still are discussing it without end, over Thai food and Secret Recipe cakes.

We'll still keep that promise, shall we?

And may our lives have a plot almost like that of a movie.

row and rows and rows and rows...

Well, for our Literature research, we have to look for critiques and information before we decide on the thesis we would write. Five of us went to the UM library - from left, me, Chiah, Jan, Elisa and surprisingly Jia Yu was not on any photos for once.

At first: After looking up for a long list of titles we wanted from the online catalogue, Elisa and I went on a look out for them on the second floor and imagine our surprise when we saw...

...that there were only a few racks of books. Ad we found nothing of what we wanted.

So we decided to look for Jia Yu, who said she'll be by the computers.

And we walked down the corridor, reached a large opening, looked to the left and imagine our surprise when we saw...

...ROWS and ROWS and ROWS and ROWS and FLOORS of books!!

We felt very much as if we were entering one of those libraries you see on movies, with never ending books. The pages mostly yellowish and fragile, with the musty smell that sticks to your hand after a while.

The three of us decided to embark our tiresome search for the books...

...and this is where it got tiresome.

We've always wanted to take a photo like the ones you see in film shows, where they peek through the bookshelf. And that was exactly what we did.

No doubt we paid attention to our research. This was the end result, our messy table in a huge library, the ceaseless sound of the photocopying machine, the flipping of the fragile pages, the tap-tap-taps on the computer keyboards, while a thunderstorm roared outside.

What a curious comforting feeling.

How does your Garden Grow?

Last Saturday, five of us decided that an outing won't do any harm. We met up in 1U at different time intervals, which we found rather curious.

The Rach(a)els were the two earliest to arrive...

...while the other two in pink (and wearing newly-bought shoes) were simply lost.

Before we headed to the cinema, our stomachs craved for lunch at the Gardens. The setting is tranquil and beautiful, with the white furniture, lush floras either creeping along the railings or in lovely little pots, and a white grand piano. Had we more time, we would have taken more photos of the restaurant, but our movie awaited!

During our little gabfest (of course over a feast), Jia Yu decided to discover the art of 'taking-photos-of-oneself'. Until I find a synonym for this, the name of this narcissistic activity shall remain as such.

Her photos on that day will be kept confidential.

The master, Cheryl, shows her exactly how it should be done.

And us? Oh well, that's what company is for, isn't it? Notice Rachel and her 'angel' necklace.

Jia Yu, Jia Yu, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?

With jugs of tea, and friends with me,
I'll have flowers sprouting from below.