My Blog is Carbon Neutral.

The environment is in one bad state. I'm sure you would agree. I'm taking steps to reduce global warming, albeit tiny ones. My family is practising the 3R's (Recycling, Reducing, Reusing), but I still think more should be done for the effects to show.

This is something I stumbled across.

"Make It Green" is a programme which originates from Germany, with a goal of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide. For one, carbon footprints have got to go. Surfing the web often doesn't help. With each web page you go into another large puff of CO2 punctuates the air, even when blogging. 

On the other hand, I can't imagine myself not blogging, which leads to the "My blog is carbon neutral" initiative.

For every participant of this initiative, a tree would be planted at the Plumas National Park. And for that you can reduce YOUR carbon footprint each time you blog. All you have to do is post something up like this, and paste the badge on your wall. Cyber wall, I mean. The website will shed more light.

So...why not? Now my blog is carbon neutral. (Or at least, the carbon is reduced)

Every little step counts, especially in the long run.

Part of my Childhood

I've just returned from my grandma's place, where part of my childhood was spent. Nothing much changed. Or maybe things have changed but frequent visits blurred those lines.

In the morning, my ears pick up the sounds of tractors rumbling outside, busy feet shuffling across the floor and telephones ringing. Of course, that's when I wake up slightly later than I should. By afternoon, the kitchen starts bringing out food. They have some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted, and in large portions. I help out where I can. And when I can't, I keep myself amused with a book or random writing. By night we sit together in the living room to watch a TVB series.

I'm going to miss them when I leave. I really am. And for one whole year! *tears*

PS. I'm also waiting for my visa, which hasn't come. What do I do??!! What can I do? Sigh.

Fresh Start - The Rest is Still Unwritten

For some reason or another, I feel as if there's something different in me. I don't know what it is exactly, or how this came to be, but I'll do my best to describe it. Please bear with me - This was not how I intended the post to be initially, but deleting this would mean a restless night. I've strung the words together as carefully as I can as this is hard to write.

I've always kept many things to myself, holding back emotion to avoid conflict, putting up with people's judgements of me. It's not easy to live up to so many expectations. You'd understand. You're probably expected to be at your best at all times. No room for mistake. The thing is, I just can't do that anymore...

"It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul."

~Invictus, by William Ernest Henley~

Well, everything is changing and I sense it. Let's start afresh, shall we? I shall make do with what I have done with the layout so far. Other changes will come only later on. Now to look back at my blogging experience thus far.

I've been a blogger since May 2008, when I was a high school student in my senior year. I've been going through my archive, reading almost all my previous posts. Very different styles, and I'm not surprised. With each new entry I've become more comfortable with expressing a little more of what I truly feel. I used to think that every post must be perfect; that less traffic is not a good sign. Today that doesn't matter (except when it comes to grammar and spelling). It's almost a diary after all.

The bottomline: I enjoy blogging and I'll be here for a long time. Here's a toast to a new day.

Today is where your book begins

The rest is still unwritten

~Unwritten, by Natasha Bedingfield~

Changes for Progress

Changes are inevitable. Got to make way for progress, no? I've decided to give my blog a scrub and, to the best of my digital abilities (which is not that much), made changes to the settings, design etc. I used to refrain from switching to the new templates and updated blog editor, but thought, what for?

It's not like I'm fighting convention. These days, perspectives are more subjective. And because of that, more people are vocal. Resisting convention is a convention itself.

So the changes I will accept.

It's almost done now. I'm still deciding whether I want to share posts on other social networking sites.

And whether there's anything I'd like to do with it.

Till then.

Fast Forward Five Years

Time is one sneaky little spy; one crafty thief. It slips through the cracks of our fingers and brings with it everything we see, touch and feel. Time is always a step ahead of us; when we reach tomorrow, it'll be yesterday sooner than we think. But that, I suppose, is nothing more than the expected.

In a sudden impulse (and possibly several films later) I thought of a time capsule. In it time is trapped, confined within a claustrophobic space. While the world continues to spin, day by day and night by night, I'd like to think that time inside the capsule cannot weather as fast as the outside.

My cousins, my siblings and I did a little craft project two weeks ago, using a lovely bottle, coloured papers, a ribbon, tape, pens and thoughts. I daresay it looks as good as that in gift shops.

Our whole family took part. Well, almost.

This is our plan. For five long years, this time capsule will remain kept away. Perhaps the messages will increase by then. After that period, when time has taken a toll on the world, it'll be opened and the spy (or thief) is allowed to roam free.

What we were, what we thought, what we felt, what we dreamt of...all in a bottle tucked away by time itself.

I hope that five years would not extend to a decade. That just sounds a little too long. Anyhow, it'll be something to look forward to or work towards.

Someone told me that I have a tendency to be nostalgic, sometimes a little too much so. She's right. I am. Sometimes I do hold onto memories like an anaconda who hasn't seen food in months.

But it's all not THAT bad...is it?

PS. Five years begin now.

Genting Trip

My two aunts brought Pei Wen and I up to Genting last month (I am aware that this is overdue, but here is the post as I promised)

On the way up, we visited the memorial of Lim Goh Tong who, to me, is an epitome of a hardworking individual that eventually succeeded. The roads he built took a turn up to the mountains and grew into an empire. An inspirational Malaysian, no?

While my aunts went for Justin Lo's concert, Pei Wen and I went our own way. We raptly watched Dazzle - I particularly liked the shadow performance and the quick change act. How they change their clothes in the blink of an eye, I will never know. Then, we went on several indoor rides.

Dinner up in the highlands is usually expensive. This was no different, but at least the portion is big.

The next day we walked around to enjoy the cold air.

Thank you again for bringing us up with you.


My cousin and I.
The moment I told her I'm taking a photo, she struck a pose.

So did we.

Passion in a Choice

Choose a job you love,

and you will never have to work a day in your life.
~Confucius

When it comes to choosing a job or (as a student) a course, would you pursue a passion or give in to other equally important considerations? There's no right or wrong answer, I assure you. People do need financial security and acceptance after all.

I love writing and I'm going to study English Literature. In many ways it is unconventional, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. It is one of those decisions that you make and know you will never regret.

Going with the flow can be exciting, even if I'm not sure what it is I would do after three years. All I hope is that I can live off something I enjoy doing. Then it would hardly be called work, would it?