It is done!

This is a little belated cause I was busy from Friday all the way to yesterday. It was a long weekend in Penang and the boyfriend is around so I need to nua on the bed with him. Hey, it is very taxing ok?

So....the title of this post shows that....we have finally confirmed the booking for our new house. It will only be done in 2017 but I am so happy!!! Like FINALLY! No more house hunting and going round and round. No more looking at not so nice houses and just resorted to my fate of not having a dream house. No more going to some neighbourhood and sighing cause I really don't like the neighbourhood.

Thank You God for this gift. Thank You that we stumbled upon this roadshow in QB. Thank You that the price is within our range and thank You that the house we saw after that was horrible and expensive which make the decision to get this one so much faster.

So from now to 2017, it is about working hard, saving money and dreaming for our dream home.

Unexpected Blessing

I was taking a nap just now and I got a call!

An unexpected one. And I woke a grumpy boyfriend up with my high pitched shouting after I hung up.

Will blog about it as soon as I can physically feel it.

Thank God for this blessing. It was unexpected and He really caught me by surprise.

Got a job! I think

I was taking a nap.
A friend sms-ed.
I replied.
He asked if I want to work for a lecturer as a RA.
I was rolling on the bed, still blur, I said ok.

I was doing my laundry.
Someone called.
The lecturer (who used to be my lecturer) called.
3.50pm.
4.10pm, I'm in her office.
She passed me several documents.
I walked back.

So I was hired, at 4.10pm on Thursday.

You dare say it's not God sent?
I was practically DOING nothing. I did not ask for it. I did not apply for it. It came to me. The previous RA ran after 3.5days. How possible is that?

Anyways, I am just doing it for the time being. I'm not sure how long this job is, I'm not sure how she is going to pay me since I'm working at the odd-est time frame (work 2 days, off for holidays, come back and continue kinda thing).

But I shall embrace God's blessing for now.

Love the pastel coloured balloons! And that slightly plump cartoon is kinda cute. No? =)

Being average

If you were from my circle of friends, you would know that I'm always somewhere slightly above average or average in terms of studies. I've never been the top scorer mainly because I'm pretty lazy if I so admit it myself. I've never finished reading any of my text book until I got to Form 6. I liked Economy back then so I finished reading that book (for the first time in my life). I can walk into exam hall, reading only HALF of the whole syllabus but I looked like I've read the whole syllabus 10 times. Nobody believed me when I told them I was clueless. Mainly because I've never like failed so badly in my exams. I somehow scrape through every exam with a B. As are only for subjects that do not need lots of reading like language and Maths and Moral.

Entering university, I continued being an average students. I don't do too shabbily but lecturers don't exactly remember me for my academic achievements (not that I have other achievements to brag about).They either remember me for being very loud and noisy or other reasons but my achievements.

So imagine my joy when my own supervisor told me that she is proud of me that I pulled through with the course and dissertation. I've only had a handful of teachers who were proud of me like my English teacher (Pn. Yee whom we affectionately called her pineapple head) and...I think that's all. Some had high hopes for me but none actually felt proud of me. She told me that I was just a few marks shy from getting into the Resource Room (with a B+) and looking at how I was adopted and now I'm just few days away from getting my Master's Degree, I'm glad I made her proud.

And to hear it from my supervisor is even better cause I used to think that she is slightly scary. So I was grinning from ear to ear the moment I left her office until I bump into the boyfriend at the gate cause he cycled over to accompany me back.

I need to write this down in my blog because it's not something that you get to experience every day. I hope I made my family and the boyfriend proud as well. All Glory to our Almighty God. He has blessed me throughout my time in USM. Now it's time to venture out to the world and glorify His name (after I had my break =p)

Procrastinator

I am a perfect example of senang-senang dahulu, susah-susah kemudian. Basically rolled on the bed and watched drama last week and now I'm staying up late to work on my thesis cause I have to submit them to my lecturer tomorrow. PURRRRFECT! *buries head under my thesis.*

My first sign of freedom

I have officially passed my Viva which means if I do all the necessary editing, I will be graduating with my Master's Degree in April!!!!

Of all people, the boyfriend should know best how hard these whole thing was for me. I have not imagined that it will be this hard but it was a bumpy ride all along. It doesn't help that I procrastinate a lot and my attention span is almost non-existence when I was doing my thesis.

I was literally working on my work from morning till the next morning and then take a few hours sleep and wake up to continue for about 2 weeks straight before I finally submitted my work (which also resulted in super late lunch for both boyfriend and I). The weeks after that was filled with baking, resting, cleaning and selling fruits before CNY. Then CNY was filled with going out, eating and doing nothing. Then I came back to prepare for my Viva and it's officially over!

I praise Lord for everything He has done for me. Without Him, this degree is not even possible. I have always been the last person to get any scholarship and this time around, I was only late by one semester. Praise the Lord that I do not have to fork out a lot. Then I smoothly passed all my papers despite being clueless in some of it. When I registered for my dissertation, I was among the few who found a topic last minute yet had to change my supervisor and find a new topic all over again within a week as my initial supervisor had enough in her plate.

I was going one room to another to look for lecturers to adopt me and my current supervisor kindly adopted me. She took up my first topic and guided me and walked with my closely till I submit my work. I am forever grateful for her as I didn't want to be under her initially cause she seems scary. But she is a real angel at heart and if this is not God's will, I don't know what is. I mean I had my own plans but God brought me to the one He has prepared for me.

Then during my Viva, I was among the few who had it the easiest and came out the quickest. I went in and briefly (and I mean briefly) explained my dissertation. My examiner was on sabbatical so I had another very kind-hearted lecturer who sat in and read out the comments. There was no questions asked and the dean and deputy dean had no questions for me too. So I was out within like 7-8minutes? And then 2 minutes later I was called back in and the dean actually said that it was the quickest deliberation they had and gave me a PASSED!

This is truly His plan and His mighty work. With my human effort, and my human nature, I cannot have made any of those happened. All Glory to Him.

Now I'm just working on my editing to get it submitted to my lecturer by Monday. Then we can discuss if there's anything else to edit before we send it for printing and get it ready to be submitted by 12th March! Last lap!!! Got to finish it strong!

This lengthy post is to remind me of how faithful God has been in my life, throughout my Uni days. =D And No, Master's is NO JOKE.

Thank God

for boyfriend who cleans house and cook lunch.
for boyfriend who will cook whatever you crave for because you are so stressed up.
and for Thermomix to cook the thing I want to.

T_T I can't wait for it to be over but I don't want time to pass faster. Because I've a WHOLE lot more to do.

I need a nap.

=(

2013 Resolution in Action

One of it only. Which is to exercise and lose some weight. With CNY coming soon, I kind of need that quick.

Mad love the boyfriend cause I've been very lazy. He'll think of a fun activity and even offers to do it with me but after one two weeks, I'll stop and he'll stop persuading. But then few weeks later, he'll think of something else and get me to do with him. It's really done out of love. Who would persistently try his best to find one that will suit you despite knowing that it's really just laziness?

Now my whole body aches from yesterday's workout. He is in the next room, snapping pictures for Dsparkles.

Check us out at www.facebook.com/dsparkles12

or shop with us at www.dsparkles.com

or follow us on instagram at www.instagram.com/dsparkles12

After all these is over, I'll spend a month or two doing what I'm passionate about, blogging, cooking, baking and maybe turn my life around and dress up a bit more.

And also, rekindle my relationship with Him.

Unending Battle

This battle with my dissertation has been going on for so long I'm losing my mind over it.

It's like after you submit a draft, you have to work on it even more because you don't know what is coming back to you and you need to edit it within a short period of time.

And it's like it'll never be good enough and you doubt your title till the last day.

And it starts to give me sleepless nights and lots of pimples.

T_T I want this to end quickly! I need to be happier.

Thank God I know HE is in control.

Love is NOT just a feeling

I was having casual chats with the boyfriend in the car one day. I chat a lot =P

Me: Bii, will you still love me like 5 years from now?
Him: Why? Of course I'll still love you 5 years from now.
Me: How about 10?
Him: YES!! Why you like to ask questions like this?
Me: No, just wondering cause many people got married and then divorce. So I'm worried la. What if one day you realize you got no feelings for me anymore.
Him: I told you many times already. Love is not about feelings. Cause feelings can change. But love is a commitment. The day I asked you to be my girlfriend, I've committed myself to you.
Me: What if got one hot girl comes along, very kind and don't simply tickle or whack you? Will you fall for her?
Him: I will not even let her try to come near me. I will let her know that I'm attached and will stay attached and she can go talk to other guys.


And I believe that's what keeps a marriage together, don't you think so? I mean I know feelings change (otherwise why would I ask him the question right?) But time and time again, he reminds me that yes, feelings can change, if you allow it to change. If you allow someone to walk into your life, and show you the flowers and butterflies and all the sweet things in life, feelings will definitely change. Like it or not. Love takes effort. Love is commitment, love is an ongoing project. The moment you tell yourself I don't have to work for and in my relationship, that is the day love slowly fades. Love is constantly letting your other half know that you care and you are in this together. It is not a battle between two.

Love is not happy days every day. Love is not smooth sailing with flowers and chocolate. Love has its down days. It is how you pick it up. How you avoid feelings from changing?

1. NEVER let anybody come into your life to tell you that love can be chocolate and flowers and honey and bees. Of course unless your boyfriend or husband whacks the crap out of you and NEVER show any love la. Cause 10 years down the road, if you keep the same mindset, feelings will still change.

2. ALWAYS work on your relationship, on your problems. We talk, we cry, we fight, we throw things. And then we say sorry and we make up. If you don't fight and you keep everything inside, IT WILL EXPLODE.

3. Marriage is not the end of a relationship, it's the beginning of another phase of your relationship.

4. ALWAYS keep it fresh. Do new things together. Go new places together. Be interested with one another's life.

5. NEVER say I give up until you actually try! Cause without trying, there's nothing to give up.

6. Marriage is not just a document, a paper you signed. Marriage is a promise. That you are in this together. That no matter what happens in the future, you will not face it alone. That you commit yourself to work on this marriage till the day you die.


That's really just my opinion. Although I'm not married yet, I believe in setting the heart and the mind right. Otherwise why waste time quarreling with someone and sharing with someone when it's going to end up with a lost feeling anyway.


ps: of course I know what the boyfriend will answer but I ask him all the time =P

2012 to 2013

Before 2012 ends, I must pretend pretend make resolution also la. Making is one, keeping to it is another. I always make but never keep. =P

So my resolution, like I said previously, is to Be Healthy :- Physically, Mentally and Spiritually. So that can dipecahkan to :-

Lose some weight. Have time to take break. Walk with God and Talk to Him and Read Bible. These are really the essence of it all.

But we just stocked up some junks in the kitchen so the first resolution has failed in the beginner stage. Let's hope it'll be better after this.

As I grow older, in fact after I passed 18 years old, I don't seem to celebrate any occasions AT ALL. I don't celebrate much of CNY, nor do I celebrate much of Christmas (other than going to church, we don't do the whole gift exchange thingie). And I don't celebrate New Year. We kind of celebrate all these at home, watching tv and not going anywhere. My friends will be out partying with their friends, clubbing and all. But nope, not for me. I am not old, I'm just not suitable for all these partying.

I should throw a small party for those who dislike noise and smokey places and going home at wee hours in the morning!!! Oh yea, I said that last year too. =P And the year before. HAHA.

Anyway, have an AWESOMEEEE time. 2013 is coming and let's not repeat what we've done wrong this year alright? (For me, that's putting on all my weight and some.)

ps: I had a good 2012, not great but it was good. =)

I can't multitask to save my life

And they say women multitask very well. Maybe I am less a woman. T_T

I'm horrible at multitasking if that means watching shows while writing my thesis. Or reading blog or facebook-ing while doing my work. But I find the former the worst of all.

When will I ever learn? The boyfriend has been warning me off my Ugly Betty (because I took it from him, promising him that it'll only play at the background). Problem is, I can't get anything into my head when there's conversation. Either I concentrate on my work or I concentrate on the show.

=s Now I'm still awake to write a few more pages before I go off to bed and start again tomorrow. Let this be a lesson. Though I'm pretty sure it'll happen again. It just happened two weeks ago. Bad bad bad lesson learner I am.

A letter on Friday

I've been reading a few blogs (read : here, too lazy to find another example) and I noticed that they usually write like a letter of gratitude or something, whether to people or things to sum up their weekdays before stepping into weekends and I find that an awesome idea so I am going to write mine too, to show gratitude and give thanks to God for all He has done the whole week.

taken from Pinterest; source: unknown

The boyfie
Thank you for enduring my mood swings and frequent break downs. My 'what ifs' and whining. My late start of the morning and laziness. For pushing me to get my things done although I don't usually show my gratitude to that. For supporting me in whatever I do and telling me that I am so much better and that I can do everything I set out to do.

The fam
Thank you for always helping me to get my things done (read: secret) and making my weekends more colourful. Thank you for being weekend escapade and supporting me in all I do. Thank you for bringing laughter into my life and for sponsoring me all the time. <3

The gram
Thank you for the good recipes that you passed down. Your granddaughter can cook a few dishes too! Thank you for being so cute and funny without knowing it. Thank you for folding all the clothes so nicely but I failed to master that skill yet.

The girls
Why our Marshall's burger date tak jadi? Make it work alright? Will probably head down and try them this weekend if the boyfie is up for it. Miss you girls. Thank you for all the crazy things we do and all the crazy things we will do in future to come.

Dissertation topic
Y U NO COME UP WITH IT YOURSELF? It's not easy and I am trying (or maybe I'm not). I will do it. Soon! Soon!

New Year Resolution

I've stopped keeping a list of resolution because seriously, NOTHING WORKS FOR A LAZY ME. Nothing can motivate me to move an inch. Not even a naggy boyfriend. But because I am turning 24 #gasps the horror, I need to be serious for JUST ONE TIME. And I know how this blogpost will come biting me in the buttock when Daniel reads it.

So resolution for 2012.

1. to actually remember to do my devotion daily.

2. Buy less, earn more.

3. Be serious and persistent in what I am doing be it my small business or my studies.

4. Be less critical about things around me, especially about what he does which ticks me off.

5. Cook more, bake more, sew more, read more.

6. Be grateful each an every day for God's providence.

7. Try to exercise. =P Daniel will push me nevertheless.

8. Be more positive and confident in life.


I think 8 is enough lest I get poked for every single thing I do. Now, I really should get some of my stuff done. =)

You keep learning each day

I learnt that not everyone is going to be nice to you, swallow it and move on.

I learnt that though some people may be nice to you in front of you, they might be talking behind you. Swallow it, move on.

I learnt that everyone has their own secret weapon and never underestimate other people.

I learnt that there are bound to be many advices (if you are lucky). Choose wisely and do not follow blindly.

I learnt that people will use all their effort to make you think like they do. But what matters is, what does He think? It is okay to say no to people and move the other direction if He told you to.

I learnt that life is an on-going learning process and you don't stop learning.

It's okay to not know now. But learn so you know it tomorrow.

Holiday starts

And it rains this morning. On the first day of my holiday. How lovely is that?

However, there's a few note to self that I must remember.

Do not be lazy.
Do not eat so much.
Do not sleep so much.
Do not sit in front of laptop whole day.
Get a healthy life since I move less at home.

Pray hard that I don't gain back the weight I painstakely lost the past few weeks. Ok la, not exactly painstakely la since I come back every week and got amazed that I lost some weight. But still, it's so much easier to put back on all the weight that losing it.

Note to self, when I start working, I MUST JOIN GYM.

First week will be spent finishing up my work so that the second week of holiday I can spend it hanging out with friends. *tap fingers on the table* Waiting for someone to come back. =) You know who you are so get your butt back soon or we'll go out without you! No la, tak sampai hati. Heh, we think of you 24/7 okay? Excited with plans so win, come back quick.

It's back

Do not trust me to go to the market (or anywhere at all) without coming back with something.

I thought I killed those shopping bugs but they are still lingering around, waiting for the right time to reappear.

T_T I bought clothes in Tesco, I bought shoes in the market. Seriously, I can buy wherever I go.

Need to stop this or I will have to find a job. Or get a rich husband. I think the former is easier.

Gonna label it as things I should remember lest I forget. One day, if I'm like super poor or something, I'm gonna look back at this and say, "Serve you right Ping!!".

But I love my shoe. /shy. *wave to shoe*

Mask down

I'm stressed and scared. I think I've subject myself too much to people's opinions and criticisms. I know all that matters is God but it's so hard to not be bothered of what people will think. Or if it's not good enough, what will people think? Will people think I'm not prepared? Will people think I did not put my best?

Wait a minute. Count the number of times I mention the word 'people' and the number of times I mention 'God'. I need to get myself together and pray that God will guide me to plan this. It's supposed to be a fun outing where we gather God's people together and welcome them to our PKA family but now it's stressing me out. Am I losing the point here?

I don't know. =( All I know is that I don't enjoy it as much now. Need to find back my purpose of doing all these.

Mask up again. It's tiring but it's easier.

The Dash, My Dash

During Camp Cam, Grandma Annette shared this poem with us entitled-The Dash. The dash is the dash between the day we were born and the day we die on our tombstone. It is not merely just a small horizontal line but it's the line that matters. It's not the date we were born that matters or the day we die but how we live that little dash in our lives.

The Dash – Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning..to the end.


He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears, 1964-1994
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.


For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth..
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.


For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars..the house..the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.


So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.


If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.


And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.


If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile..
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.


So, when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash..
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

*******

Today I went to help out some friends at Door of Hope where they give English classes to kids. Teaching them, I know this is one of the things I want to do while I still living my dash.

Things we totally should remember

I think with uni assignments, commitments and all, there are times we felt so pushed to our limits, so suffocated with things in life, we tend to forget what's important in life. And I believe this is what we should keep in mind at all times. I'm sure with this, we'll be able to cope with uni assignments better, cope with people around us better, whine less and be grateful each day. =) Copied from Shan's blog.

The Daily Survival Kit

1. Toothpick

To remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone including yourself .

(Like totally!!! It helps you to feel good about yourself and make people feel good about themselves which is super important.)

2. Rubber band

To remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

(Come on, life is too short to be petty over small things and be too particular.)

3. Band-Aid

To remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

(love)

4. Eraser

To remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay we learn by our errors.

5. Candy Kiss

To remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.

(*hugs*)

6. Mint

To remind you that you are worth a mint to someone known or unknown.

7. Bubble Gum

To remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

8. Pencil

To remind you to list your blessings everyday.

(grabs a pencil)

9. Tea Bag

To remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.

(Above all, thank Him for each and every day for He made them all possible for you)

10. It's ok to make goofy faces if it makes you happy.

(I add one. Cause I feel happy when I make goofy face)