29 and Long Distance

Before 2012, I honestly never imagined that I would find someone to fall in love with. I was apathetic and cynical about love, because I simply didn't believe in it. I scoffed at things like "true love" and "unconditional love" because to me, a relationship was about politics and carefully calculated chess moves.

I am so happy to tell the world that I was wrong. It's without a doubt that I've found the most wonderful person to join me on my life's journey, someone to hold hands with through the worst days and the best days, someone to tell me the things I need to hear as well as the things I don't want to hear, someone to put a smile on my face regardless of bad tidings or good.

I've found someone who planned his life to mine, who waited for months away from me while slowly reaching towards our goal, who supports me all the way. He shoulders the weight of responsibility quietly, always two steps ahead of me.

I don't want to lie. Long distance relationships aren't easy. It's so fucking hard. We always miss each other (in both ways), and our texts get replied hours late. Someone ends up losing sleep (usually him, even though I insist he shouldn't). We run out of things to say, sometimes, because our worlds are so different now. We exhaust the usual jokes and reminisces, our "do you remembers" because we haven't made a new "do you remember" in so long. Our excitement for gifts and parcels fizzle out because it's been forever and asking "did you get it?" every 18 hours doesn't make the parcel magically appear. Sometimes, I admit, I nearly forget the sound of his voice because we haven't spoken in so long. Sometimes we fight, sometimes we go to sleep crying separately, sometimes we say things we don't mean. Sometimes we feel like it's the end of the road, where do we go from here, and sometimes we just say nothing at all.

But most times we try our hardest. Most times we laugh over stupid YouTube videos, or play a campaign (or three) of Left 4 Dead 2, or watch a movie together. Most times we update each other on things we eat and things we do. Most times I remind him there's only a couple more weeks left before I come home. Most times we spend hours telling each other in detail about why we love each other. Most times we talk about anything and everything. Most times we have no cloud in our future together.

We've missed our second anniversary, Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day. Yet I'm still so ridiculously happy that for the past two years we could properly celebrate these special days that I never used to celebrate. I never bothered, I never cared. Now I do, only because it means I get to spend time with him and look back on our journey.

For the days that don't require looking back though... We look forward. Because we're so young, and the world still has so much potential, and regardless of where life takes us we'll travel together.

Because I'm your tsuma, and you're my otto ♥︎ Happy 29th monthsary love! I miss you lots!!

5 More Days

Here's to a great journey ahead with

new space

new room

new thoughts

new friends

new food

new air

new experiences

But never forgetting the

ones that stay back

places I've been

food I've tasted

pink bedroom

grey car

Malaysian air

.
.
.
.
.

5 more days until the bluebird flies away but she will always, always come home

Valentines' Day and White Day

So~ White Day has just passed us by, and it dawned on me that I should probably blog about all the amazing things le petit ami has done for me. That would take at least a couple of lengthy blog posts however, so I'll just write about the significance of Valentine's Day and White Day instead.

I finally got to cook for him after a long hiatus. Also because I've been craving for fried eggplant, so I decided to give it a shot and try my hand at it.

I'm not tooting my own horn here but it turned out pretty awesome. xD

The onion cutting ninja at work.

Look at that!

Making curry~ It turned out too thin, as usual... @@

A relatively healthy... vegetarian meal, ohohoho!

Because of course we were saving ourselves for dinner, since le petit ami had already planned a pretty extravagant Valentine's dinner at La Risata! (The food explanation is copied from the menu given. I pretty much have no idea what it means, but it sounds terribly fancy and I'm compelled to type it.)

Super romantic setting! (I couldn't resist burning some of the petals on the table... I see fire and I want to burn things, sorry. xD)

A shot of something that made my whole body heat up into warm fuzzy chocolately feelings.

Cappasana e Fragole

Pan seared scallop on strawberry carpaccio and almond flakes topped with deep fried bresaola beef julienne

Paccheri Rippieni di Anatra

Pipe shaped dry pasta stuffed with chocolate flavored duck ragout on green peas cream

Okay, a little something about this dish. I was at first skeptical of it, because really, duck and chocolate? But I was floored, because it really tasted like duck and chocolate and it was good. I was so confused but yet delighted so I think it deserves a special mention. The cream went really well with the pasta and the stuffing, but imho they should've offered a main course (see below) that wasn't so thick and filling because this did a really good job of cream, meat, carbs and thick sauce already.

Guancia Brasata

Red wine braised beef cheek with oven baked pumpkin and potato cake

Like I said, a mouth full of carbs. Makes me full just looking at it.

Salmone con Risotto ai Funghi

Butter fried salmon steak served with mushroom "chiodini" risotto with spring garlic butter and sautéed beetroot

Millefoglie di Banana

Layers of thin chocolate and banana mousse on Berries Coulis

Okay so technically there was only one raspberry and one blueberry but oh well. The mousse surprised me, because it's banana flavored but yet it was strangely appealing. Three wasn't enough. xD

We took at short detour back to Lake Gardens, the place we spent the beginning of our relationship to have a proper sit down and talk about everything under the sun moon. I'm really grateful we did, because we cleared away uncertainty and doubt and made way for trust and love. :)

And now onto White Day~! White Day is one month after Valentine's day (March 14th) and is generally considered an "epilogue" of sorts of V day. Since I forgot White Day last year (though it's totally the guy's responsibility to celebrate! Hahaha!) I got le petit ami chocolates, because #typical and #generic.

He surprised me more than what the chocolate was worth though, in a way. Even though I knew he had won Avril Lavigne's concert tickets from RedFM's Instagram contest, it was only one ticket... By sheer luck and generosity on RedFM's part they gifted us two instead, so... FREE CONCERT!

We had by far the worst KFC ever (it came in a big truck... guys never buy food from trucks.) and I accidentally hit a lady with our complimentary glow sticks and despite the eager crowd that rushed to the barricades and blocked everyone else's view, I enjoyed every minute immensely with this adorable baka! ♥︎

Too bad we weren't really prepared for the concert... Otherwise we'd have lightsabers ready! Whoop! xD

In a way I'm thankful I've never been the butthurt type to hate on these couple-days when I was still single (ohohoho) so I can say without being hypocritical that sometimes being stupidly in love on special days really is just so much fun! xD

I can't stress how awesome being in love with your best friend is. :') Good times are to be had, always!

OneRepublic Concert @ Sunway Lagoon, 2013.

So... finally. After discovering OneRepublic four years ago and falling deeply in love ever since, I finally get to see them live.

My heart, it quivers.

I love le petit ami for getting VIP tickets for us~! Really dear, it was so much better to see them up close and personal!!!

Too much feels, I started crying the moment Ryan Tedder started to sing Light It Up... The music sent shivers down my spine and prickled my skin. The feeling was amazing... The absolute delight at finally getting to see them perform live.

Many times I was just absolutely lost in the music and the atmosphere... These were the songs that I've made to be a part of myself, that I've lived and breathed and sang to and cried to and fell asleep to. These were the songs that bring themselves forward whenever there is an appropriate situation, the songs that comforted me and the songs that gave me hope and let me live again.

The band was wonderful... It was all my favorite songs, all our songs, the songs that saved my life... No band is quite as integrated into my life and such a deep, critical part of me as OneRepublic is.

Something in their songs speak to me, being just the right amount of tender and wonderful. (Of course, Brent Kutzle's cello-playing skills are simply irresistable.) It's honest and longing and love and wishing and things we've missed and things we've gone through all in one. To experience it live, with Ryan Tedder's amazing energy, just reinforces it all.

Even better than that?

I had a lovely, perfect man holding me through it all. :) I love you, hatsukoi~ ^^

Sparks

I love how you're my motivation

and when you smile I hit the ground

and when you kiss me gently I melt

and I end up thinking of all the things I never thought I would.

.

I love how I try my best

and I won't even get tired

because at the end I know

it's worth it; you're worth it.

.

I love how we hold hands

hold pinkies hold hearts

and the silence is nothing

but warm and comfortable

.

I didn't fight so hard

fight my self my mind my life

if I didn't hope for this

and it's so much better.

.

I think I want to keep you.

Prom Night

What a prom. What a prom.

Sure prom is overrated and silly, but it was still an amazing night. Probably one I'll never forget.

It saddens me how the aptly named theme Bittersweet struck a chord. The thought that after prom, we're all going to be leaving to different places. Ali and Leanne won't be in Taylor's to hang out with anymore... No more lunch sessions or girl talk or dirty little secrets.

Le petit ami dressed incredibly for the night. <3 I'm so proud of him! Whoever knew the guy with the hobo pants and sad house shirts could clean up to be the best gentleman in town? Because that's exactly what he is, a proper gentleman through and through. And I'm so happy to be his lady. His princess.

It was such a sight! Dazzling lights and pretty girls all dolled up in great gowns; guys in suits with ties and bowties and slicked-back hair; the chattering of friends over dinner and poses and cameras on record.

A red carpet laid down to make us feel like we were more important than we really were, the food were all gone astonishingly fast, and the ever-flowing of fruit punch sweetened words and moods.

I'm just really glad how everything came out... That short moment on the dance floor with you was incredible. I felt like we could take the world by its reins and pull time to a stop. That we could go blazing down the red carpet and set it on fire. That we could do anything we wanted if we set our minds to it.

Thank you so much for a wonderful memory... And I'm thankful to be in ADP. :)

(Picture credits to Leon Yap)

Reason Why I Love Starbucks

It's not that I love their coffee, or even coffee for that matter. I do concede that the drinks are pretty good. Expensive and pricey, but yummy. Though Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has better coffee just saying. 

Okay so I won't even pretend to be an expert in coffee. I'm a noob in this coffee business, all I've ever had is mocha fraps so I can pretend to like coffee while actually I'm just in it for the chocolate and whipped cream and chocolate drizzle yum. Fattening sugary things to satisfy my craving for sweets.

Ever since I started studying in Taylor's I've been drinking Starbucks more frequently- granted it's just right there, and also it's 7205239485234 times better than Chatime. I doubt it's social pressure, though it could contribute to why I am willing to spend a meal's worth of money on sugared coffee drinks.

I always enjoy my Starbucks. Be it my own drink or two sips of a friend's cup when they're not looking, it's always when I'm surrounded by friends. A warm day with a chilled drink in hand, walking into SLC to see the TAS people and my ADP family. Sharing stories and laughter over Starbucks coffee- it's probably a part of uni life I'd miss terribly.

Starbucks also managed to bring out the generosity of le petit ami... Buying me Starbucks during their Buy 1 Free 1 promotion many months back gave us ample opportunities to spend some time knowing each other better. Such a darling he is.

The Starbucks card I'm holding now was given to me for free by a friend- a very pleasant surprise indeed. We weren't all that close- indeed I was only friends due to a close mutual friend- but it's warming to see how some people are simply just nice.

Starbucks makes me happy. I guess that's reason enough to be a fan.

*insert sparkly flowers*

So despite some major bumps in the road, I'm still really grateful and happy to have such tremendous support from the loving le petit ami!

Thank you, dear, for a wonderful six months! ^^

Made good use of Groupon because we're cheap college students like that and the food was surprisingly good! As well as Manhattan Fish Market holds quite a special meaning to us. C:

Another Groupon deal (this is becoming a Groupon post lol) in which we spent about an hour laughing at our own brilliant fail and general confusion.

I don't want to make this post too long and full of mushy nonsense, but thank you so much for everything. I wish we don't fall into the usual relationship pitfalls, but here's to wishing that even if we argue or that if bad feelings arise or if anything happens- we'd still be there for each other at the end of the day. :)

Love you!

Pipit Zakka + Make A Notebook

So I decided I've had enough of my fabulously dramatic posts recently that are much too emotional. Instead we shall do with something nicer.

Like cute handmade stuff. I've always liked cute handmade stuff and today my sister brought me to Pipit Zakka in Cheras for a peek, since they have a handmade notebook exhibition as well.

The place was really nice and soothing. A little cramped, since there were quite a lot of people that turned up, but it was a generally nice atmosphere, occasionally punctuated by the smell of bacon. Mmm bacon. It was quite delicious, I think I shall make my own sandwiches to uni now. I'm quite sick of campus food right now.

I don't have much pictures, but we did buy a lot of stuff. xD Both my sister and I are suckers for cute things. Surprisingly, things weren't as pricey as we expected handmade things to be! (Or else maybe we're just more lenient with our money in this aspect...?)

Just a few pictures of what we got!

My sister bought me this wonderful charm bracelet! :) Animal themes for the win!

Matching phone plugs for le petit ami and I ♥

Such a cute sketch book!!! I feel so inspired just looking at the cover itself!

Vanille and the absolutely gorgeous cat notebook my sister got! ^0^

Look at the amazing detail that went into this notebook! x)

A caricature in a refreshingly great style, so good!

Although there actually wasn't really much to look at, it's a great place to go when some days you're just sick of city life and you crave for something pretty. It's great to just sit back and enjoy life. Who knows, maybe you'd be inspired to beautify your life and change some things? :)

Pipit Zakka's info can be found here.

The Puddle Phobia

I've gotten a case of the Puddle Phobia, in which I am now deathly afraid to drive past/next to/into a puddle of water at any speed above 20km/h.

Malaysian roads are terrible. Flyovers are not supposed to flood after the RAIN HAS STOPPED. Even so there shouldn't be a puddle HALF A TYRE DEEP. So deep that when you go past it the water actually goes over the roof of the car on the other lane.

In other words, MY CAR.

I literally felt my life flash before my eyes in that instant I got blinded. What the absolute fuck. The water- muddy water, on a damn tar road- covered the whole windscreen, all the way to the driver's side. It basically enveloped my whole car. Mind you, I was on the right lane. On a curved flyover. Which is maybe two stories high. Dear lord I could have died.

I am eternally grateful le petit ami was there to work things out for me- talking to the other party, helping me settle the issue, driving me home... Honestly I think I would be absolutely useless if I had to face it alone so late in the night. (Then again I probably would have sped away...) Thank whatever deity that I have someone who cares so much for me. <3 How many people would actually truly walk through the bad patches with you and be right there, supportive and reliable. (Reliable, what a word to be used!) I am lucky. Considerably so. Today just helped me realize that.

Tired of being such a hazard to other people and myself... What a night. What a day. I can't decide whether it's my fault or whether life just likes to bite me in the rear on days like these.

At least I know I'll never really fall too hard without someone catching me.

ERMAHGERD BUSES

I'm high! No actually I'm just lacking sleep. It happens that I get really restless before I crash so right now I'm just at that bit where I can't keep my eyes open and can't keep my mouth shut. This is also why everything I'm typing! Ends! In exclamation marks!

Currently sitting on the bus to Penang with Eu Jin, Andrea, Wei Lim, Sheryl and Nelson! :D Eu Jin and I are having fun trying to make Andrea miserable, not that she isn't already. But more so. HAHAHAHA!

Oh dear god I'm so tired...

Missing people already. Le petit ami, for one, but more of my mom. :\ the Snickers she bought just makes me miss her more. What nonsense is this tho, I won't be seeing her for the weekend. Ugh! >_<

This broadcast is disturbingly noisy and unintelligible. And so long! Ugh, #rude! == tsk. Please,
1. Better speakers and
2. Better microphone and
3. Better broadcaster, generally.
I'm not sure which of problem 1 and 2 is the main issue but problem 3 is a definite big issue here.

Oh at least the blankets are really soft and nice.

I'll sleep. I gotta sleep otherwise I will not be able to function properly past the weekend. >_<

又来心酸

还没开始我就明白自己站在什么立场

明知道会辛苦 却 硬着头皮坑下去

。。。我到底是白痴还是自虐狂？

该理智的事情 该无情 该不理

可是看见你所写的一切 让我不尽想对墙壁喊

喊，但我不知道要喊什么

呆呆地

站在那里。

＊

看见朋友经历我所经历的。

同样的感受。同样的无奈。

想飞去英国看看他

但是有心无力、对不起。只能上网陪你度过难关。。。

就如那时的我

也有朋友 陪我度过难关

＊

人生 这条漫长的路

才走不到一半！

我

啊  笨蛋

我在慌什么

We Work In Threes

I feel as if it has been ages since I've last seen my two favorite girls, and when I think about it, it has been so long.

It is rare for friendship to last six years past they day we all separated- indeed, we all went to different schools and hung out with different people. We didn't even try to keep in touch for months. It's just that whenever holidays draw near, either one of us would pick up the phone and text the others. "When r u free? Go crash Ru house lor." would be one of the best texts to ever receive.

Due to SPM last year, we missed the chance to properly hang out- until Monday, exactly a week past Ru's birthday. And also because I have become the designated driver for most outings, we were suddenly open to more places to go, more flexible times.

And of course we took advantage of that.

ST and I first hung around Times Square, where we wanted to buy Ru's present. Halfway through we ended up shopping for clothes, so we got matching shirts for us all.

 I despair at my figure compared to those two.

As you can see, we are shamelessly pimping the US of A. LOL.

We did see a really pretty Union Jack bag, but since we weren't sure whether Ru would like it, we left it at that. (Only later did we learn she DID want a bag, so we despaired again, but we'll go to Times Square during the May holiday, 'kay?)

And because I was deathly afraid of being stuck in traffic jams, we left early for Ru's house. We got there super early, in the end. So to entertain ourselves, we did what we could: play with the cameraaaaaa! xD

...Not only limited to cameras, of course.

Took even MORE photos.

We were actually kind of lost in Mid Valley, since none of us was sure what to do there. We sort of drifted around the top floor, as Ru wanted to watch a movie, yet both ST and I had just about finished watching all the recent movies. Ru went all == on us. We got ourselves some Chatime, which was a rather painful experience to recall...

In the end we decided to go bowling. It was one hell of bad day for me, 'cuz my marks was exceptionally terrible. Who goes gutter 4 rounds in a row? I never want to go to Cosmic Bowl again, for the love of god. xD I'm going to stick with TS bowling alley. ST got two strikes though. Now let me go wallow in shame for a while before I come back.

Dinner was Domino's pizza. We tried the new Extreme Edge crusts, which was surprisingly good, although a tad bit salty.

And since we were waiting for the food, we took... even MORE PICTURES. Haha! xD

LOL WAT. xD

(Tbh I like the third frame the most. xD)

Current FB cover pic. :3

"Okay, so how do you use this? What do you press?" Yes, I really don't know how to use anything that isn't an iPhone. /FAIL

FINALLY, FOOD! xD

Ah~ it was amazing to just catch up on everybody's lives again, after so long. So many stories to be told. So many things to talk about.

So many weirdest antics ever. Like taking pictures in front of an open stall and literally blocking the way. xD

Yay for best friends for life! :D

ILU ♥

Insert Obnoxious Title Here. Insert Exclamation Marks here.

So as you can guess, I. Got. My. iPhone 4S.

LIFE IS GOOD. :'D

I like the DiGi store employees. This is because when I walked in and asked, "Have you got iPhone 4S in stock?", he just grinned knowingly and said, simply, "Yes." You have no idea how much that word MADE MY DAY.

"The 64GB in white?"

"Yes."

"wtf Awesome! I'll take one."

"I suppose you already know what plan you want?"

"Of course."

Finally we find someone who understands that we don't do things half-assed. Of course I know what I want. I've dealt with adults that, for so long, never understood the powers of the internets. ;A;

Either way, there is no phone like the iPhone. THERE IS NO PHONE LIKE THE iPhone.

Now I'm just waiting to get my iPhone cases because they're all in orange and my iPhone needs clothing. xD

I will most likely update soon on the epicness of my iPhone. I have yet to test out Siri. Mostly because I don't have a reason to call anybody yet. (I wonder how Siri will pronounce 'Chyi Ong' LOLOLOL.)

GAIZ GIVE ME A REASON TO CALL YOU!!!