Sem 5!

So another new semester just started. Again. I can't believe how fast time flies, it's incredible.

I'm introducing myself to American Literature, Cross-cultural Communication and Sociology 102 this semester. Within the first week alone I've had my mind expanded considerably. With the help of self-awareness.

Currently I'm loving this new semester! I get to understand issues from different perspectives and with a depth I didn't realize it could hold. I get to have long discussions with le petit ami about it, which is even better. One sort of doesn't realize how many things one certain issue can be linked to until some serious discussion is made. Also one doesn't realize how much exactly what you learn in classrooms are actually useful.

I'd love to write a huge long essay on feminism and sexism (mainly what we've been discussing these two weeks) but I'll keep the thought in mind until the day I can sit down and write more. As it is this post has stayed a draft for too long!

Fastest Holiday Ever; and How It's All About the Company

In preparation for our weekend at the Golden Palm Tree Resort, we had our bags packed and ready to go by lunchtime. Suffice to say we were all really excited, when six people are packed into a car on the way for a vacation. With beaches. Sun, sand and swimming. (And sunblock!)

And then everything changed when the fire nation attacked. I mean; we should have seen it coming. Haha! What is this it? ...MAGIC. I wonder, if any of us have contemplated the worst that could happen, would anyone have figured we might actually not even have our holiday?

The drive took about an hour and a half, maybe more since we stopped somewhere for lunch. Along the way Waze reported numerous traffic jams; that should have been the first clue. The roads should have been clear all the way- this is the stretch of no man's land between the airport and the city we're talking about. 

The second clue was when we turned into the resort and saw cars lining up at the drop off/pick up point  and the people that swarmed around the place like ants. It was the school holidays, so I saw all these high schoolers in their little packs hanging around the lobby. And families. With babies. Or extended families and their twice-removed aunt. Basically there was a lot of people in the lobby and there were no fans. We sat there on the lobby floor sweating and running low on battery because I was busy playing Wind Runner while my mom and aunt went to check in.

I even brought Danbo and took a picture, which was supposedly meant to convey the intense boredom and unease at waiting with the clever play of lights and reflective surfaces.

We weren't the only ones. Like I said, the crowd was incredible. Families sat around; kids were engrossed with their iPads and iPhones and PSPs, mothers waited impatiently with haggard faces, older kids on their phones talking and gesturing with a hard line to their mouths as though they were much older than they're supposed to be. They all looked like they either really, really needed a vacation, or they just had a shitty one. Family vacations aren't supposed to suck. If they do then it's time to really look over your family chemistry.

In the end it turned out that there were some communication problems and there was no reservation for us. So we had a good laugh about it and turned back. It was like a one-day trip in a car.

We got home in time to jump into the pool. I whined about being fat for a good while but forgot about it as I splashed water around like a beached whale with my uncle and his family in the crowded pool. After a while my mom and sister appeared; my sister in swimwear, ready to jump in as well (with much persuasion from us) and my mom in casual clothing, refusing to join us. She's not fond of swimming.

After swimming we went for a fabulous dinner of great Indian food. I've seen Sagar restaurant many times as I travel home but never thought of eating there. I'm glad we did. 

The exterior of the place was rather grand in a subtle sort of way; with surprisingly witty elements of a glass walkway. The moment you opened the door pretty much the smell of India assaults you. My sister who has spent a considerable amount of time in India said the smell was very authentic and then "I can't wait to try the food." This is a good sign. I love indian food.

We ordered simple, typical dishes. Curried mutton, cauliflower, tandoori chicken, briyani rice, mashed up spinach, naans. The food was fantastic. 5/5 for everything except the other sort of chicken (which isn't really in the picture) but the tandoori chicken made up for its mediocracy. (The other chicken wasn't bad, but next to the variety of brilliance it didn't shine.) We even had a second serving of tandoori chicken, and the second serving was even better.

The atmosphere was great, the service was great, the food was great. Company, even better.

I'd like to say, at the end of it all, that really it's the company that makes the difference. Even the most mundane of things, like going to the bank or buying groceries can be just a little more fun with the right people around. And I'm blessed to be surrounded by the best of the lot.

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.

Sprucing Up Old Things

I need to update I know, but I've been stuck on the post-GE13 post for much too long so I figured I might as well take a break and write about something else.

Since I've been hit with the craving to make some stuff ever since going for the Pipit Zakka exhibition, which has been hugely inspiring, I got around to buying a whole lot of wrapping paper to make my own notebook.

Okay that sounded much too impressive. I simply found an old notebook I had which was lying around, forgotten, in a drawer and spruced it up a bit.

Yay for blue themes!

The front cover.

The inside of the front cover.

The back cover.

The inside of the back cover.

The front cover at a long glance.

Since I was unprepared and silly, I didn't take before and after pictures... And even until now I don't take before + after pictures. I suppose I'm not really one to stop halfway and take pictures LOLOLOL

It's my first attempt at redecorating a notebook and I honestly can say I think I did pretty well! Hahaha! What tested my patience was trying to cut the square holes for the rings... with a blunt paper cutter. (After many distressing rips in the paper I ditched the blunt paper cutter and bought a new one.) I'm sure if I wasn't so excited making it I would've just lolnopedon'tcare.jpg and simply poked holes.

I was lucky to have the shell-star lying around. It was previously a necklace my mom bought for me, which I adored... Until the string broke one day and I couldn't fix it. So I kept the pretty shell pendant and luckily I didn't throw it away! Just to make it clear, I am not a hoarder!

....Except maybe I have a slight tendency to keep all sorts of things.

The blue ribbon was actually a very old strip of ribbon that was from the dark corners of my drawer. Basically I don't where it came from. But it works and I'm just glad it does.

In a way, fixing up this notebook also spawed a very very very very very deeply hidden organization urge. I managed to dig out all the bits and pieces of ribbons I had kept throughout the years and kept them in a small bag to make it accessible - and easily distinguished for future projects! :D And the organizing didn't stop at ribbons - my buttons, my colored pens, my glitter glues all have a proper space to themselves. At least they're not lying haphazardly everywhere. >_> (My room is rather neater now, even I am amazed at the change.)

At the end I suppose I have to thank my sister for bringing me into the whole hand-made craft world... It has opened my eyes a great deal. To the extent that when I go out now I think to myself, 'Hey, I don't need to buy this; I can make it.' as though I am gifted with the talent to do so.

But hey, it looks pretty good for a first attempt. And at least now I know how to gift people personalized notebooks without actually having to fork out a whole lot of dough! xD

Another Semester Break

I finished my Philosophy paper just this morning, and I'm currently "on sem break" for two weeks. But of course my sem breaks are never enough. I always find something to do.

This marks the end of yet another semester. My fourth semester in ADP. I have two more semesters to go. A little more than half a year.

Time flies so quickly. Without notice it's already May, and I'm starting to panic.

Because I'm running out of time.

.

The many things I have planned to do have not been done. The many things I am working on is left alone. The many things I wish I could do...

Dreams and hopes and silent nights. My tired mind runs lethargically through confused thoughts and spastic colors.

Perhaps it's too late into the night right now. I'm running on not-enough-sleep and cheap coffee that wore off a little after noon. Maybe that's why my vision is swirling and my mind feels cottony.

.

Tomorrow will be the first day in a long time that I can look forward to. Just a simple Saturday that I can spend with the people that matter. A morning of tender hearts and an afternoon of the best kind of friendship.

.

My eyes are closing on themselves, I can feel my consciousness fade within me. Even typing this post is so hard...

Politicians Should Be Changed Like Diapers

This is fast becoming the dirtiest election possibly the world has ever seen.

BN really has magic in their sleeves. Do they think that throwing powder in our eyes would actually fool us? Wait. The point is they're not even trying to fool us anymore.

There is no secrecy involved anymore. BN is blatantly bringing in "extra ballot boxes" and adding them to our legit votes after a convenient black out. Even after the public protests by forming a human wall to block all vehicles from entering counting halls they manage it.

Lembah Pantai was so close to losing. Only thanks to our brave Bangsarians do we have Nurul Izzah coming out victorious. Even though in the beginning Nurul Izzah was leading by thousands in the end she won with a slim victory of 1k+. A victory is still a victory, but it was escalated to the point that tear gas was actually used against the people. And there was nothing we can do.

To get a fair win we actually have to be beat up like dogs. Of course that's what BN views the people of Malaysia as. Dogs. And cash cows.

What had looked like a clear win for the People's Coalition is now being marred by dirty low tricks of the worst kind. Thinly veiled dictatorship has caused the people to be helpless and frustrated. BN is not at all interested in the rights of the public. It is already pretty obvious that BN isn't interested in the people at all unless they are of some use to them. Their whole attitude towards the public is disrespectful, not only during the campaigning and the counting of the votes, but even before. For 56 years. The disrespect continues, and it will not stop if BN wins this election. They will think they can do everything- and for once they are right, because we are helpless against the massive corruption of this country.

It is past midnight and BN has nearly crossed the 112-wins line to form government. AGAIN. For the next 5 years we will under BN's thumb and this time they will not forget when they nearly lost. And they will never let us forget that no matter how hard we try they will not let us win.

Ini kalilah, the people chanted.

Lain kalilah, Najib smiles.

Sweat and Heat and Determination

It's GE13; the day everyone has been waiting for. Or at least, Malaysians. Weeks of hard work and incredible passion. Tonight we know the results.

In the past months since the dissolution of our government and the beginnings of the campaign we have been bombarded with flags, banners and advertisements. Even the most ignorant of people cannot possibly miss it. And it is also at this time that we see the true colors of each party - in their way of campaigning we see what they would be doing to our country.

I strongly disagree with the dirty tactics BN is using. I say dirty with no bias because they are simply just dirty.

Keep in mind that UMNO right now holds no true power under the name of the law since they are not the ruling party. Najib is no longer our Prime Minister. I could possibly write more if I took Political Science.

What I can see, however, is how BN spends too much of taxpayer's money on banners and flags to advertise themselves. Not only that but all they are is full of empty promises. "KITA JANJI", they say. We don't want your JANJIs, where is the result? BN has been in the seat of power for 56 years, fattening their personal pockets and gone delirious with power. Your power wasn't God's Allah's gift to you. Malaysians have always been afraid and oppressed by the government. We don't dare to stand up for ourselves, instead relying on the government who spoon-feeds us sugar and lies while they keep us locked up in a baby's cot.

Najib understands the impacts of the Internet. His face was across the home page of Youtube. In Google if you search for "Malaysia GE 13 campaigns" only pictures of the blue scales come up. There is not a peep from the People's Coalition. Not surprising considering how the "government" is forcing the media up against the wall. Malaysia never was a country of freedom of the press in the first place. But the one thing he did wrong was to underestimate the younger generation. He underestimated how fast social media can spread and how most of us really aren't that ignorant anymore.

I'm more angry at how these scumbags hoodwinked the rakyat with their lies and left the rakyat unable to do anything but complain. They use the country's money like it's their own, wasting it on god-awful binoculars or submarines; giving cows luxury condominiums to live in; Rosmah's ridiculously gaudy ring as well as her myriad of expensive luxury items; and the list doesn't stop there. To pull the topic back to GE13, where did UMNO get the funding for their excessive advertising? The flag wars all over the country irritate me. It's a blatant misuse of funds, a waste of resources and it's actually a hazard on the road as the flags have a habit of falling out of place onto the roads after storms. Which isn't all that uncommon in Malaysia by the way!!

This is "probably" too much.

This is too much.

They even go as far as to "threaten" the people with unrest and promises of riots if they lose. Another 5 years of such defeatist attitudes? Please.

News of UMNO supporters causing problems and even going as far as to start a brawl in Ipoh with the Pakatan Rakyat supporters was shocking enough. UMNO is now employing gangsters to do their dirty work for them as well! Well I guess we now know where the Mat Rempits are when they're not busy endangering the lives of other people.

Yet this morning as I stood in line with my sister to vote, I was empowered to see so many people show up. At such an early hour people were lining up patiently, waiting to cast their votes and create history. It was an empowering moment, to know that I was involved with the movement.

My happiness was short-lived however. The inedible ink that was supposedly used to make sure of no repeat voters washed off with a dab of dishwash liquid.

This is also reportedly because the ingredients were changed to comply as halal. In that case what was the point of the ink? Again the ridiculous billions of Ringgit put into purchasing the ink for its close to uselessness is worthy of a rant itself.

And then in the afternoon the shitstorm hit the proverbial ceiling fan. Floods of reports of Bangladeshis being chased out of voting halls into the waitings arms of the police (who ultimately let them go again) and videos of them being abused exploded throughout social media. Do Malaysians not see that they are not the ones in the wrong? They don't know any better. Even then they are still human. If we stoop so low as to abuse them, whether verbally or physically, it doesn't make us look any better.

That's not where the dirty tricks end though. In the voting itself there seems to have been some serious foul play.

How does that even happen? Does that mean all those people who woke up and lined up so early had spoiled votes? Are you kidding me? They're not even apologetic at screwing up so badly over something so simple (stamp and tear; stamp and tear) yet has exponential results on the country's future. Such is the dirty world of politics! But I'm pretty sure it only happens in Malaysia, no? The Land of the Corrupt.

There is possibly more, but I'm getting highly upset over GE13 and I don't want to wrongly accuse any party of this... We're 20 minutes away from knowing the results of our votes. Tension is thick and emotions are running high.

1Malaysia!!!!