tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106213642024-03-09T05:08:24.499+08:00nat tanthe simple lifenathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.comBlogger536125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-13172169329045781302014-06-07T01:12:00.005+08:002014-06-07T01:13:33.474+08:00how long have i loved you? it's been awhile.<br />
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2 years ago.<br />
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gosh...<br />
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where do i begin about the times that came after that? so much changes. so many travels. so many. but for now, i just want to say that perhaps it is time i pen my thoughts into words again. this feels great. a blank sheet. black ink. blinking cursor. the <i>tap tap tap </i>of the keyboard.<br />
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bliss.<br />
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welcome back.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-91742969755410885262012-12-04T22:44:00.000+08:002012-12-04T22:44:05.360+08:00collide today has been a mixed bag of emotions.<br />
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annoyance. crankiness. excitement. overwhelmingness.<br />
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it's quite baffling how some people let their fear dictate the way they response to their surrounding. a simple nudge, pull and fix would have suffice but all this person could do was lay the blame, shut the door and bid<i> adieu</i>. it's a man made machine for goodness sake, i'm pretty sure we won't break the damn machine if we did as instructed clearly on the screen. and to strike fear like a child threatening to tattle to her mother, please grow up. you are old enough to speak your mind and not resort to <i>"i'm going to tell so-and-so about what you're doing". </i>respect is clearly not highly important to you because any ounce of respect for you has gone down the bin and here i was wanting to give you the benefit of the doubt.<br />
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and if that's not enough, another incident involving someone else. to snap at me in front of a child, who incidentally needed you by the way, not me, is <i>beyond</i> me. we work together. i don't work for you. i don't think that gives you the right to snap at me. there's a time to be cranky and there's a time to be professional about it. your professionalism in your workplace is clearly lacking and you've clearly been at it far longer than i have lived.<br />
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it's clearly not a generation difference. work ethics clearly doesn't exist.<br />
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<i>/end of rant. </i><br />
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it's December and the past 3-4 months have been one heckuva journey.<br />
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what i've discovered is that plans are just that; plans. they don't necessarily come to fruition the way we want them to. sometimes, straying far, far away from the plan brings with it a new perspective and a much better outcome than we can hope for.<br />
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it's been a chain of events that brought me to where i am today, on both a personal and professional level.<br />
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and the view is pretty amazing.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-72097809726069498292012-07-02T23:11:00.002+08:002012-07-02T23:11:44.686+08:00doin' dirtmistakes are the easiest to make. finding the right one is the trickiest. it seems that the path laid out before me is filled with making one mistake after another. i seem to be building up a long laundry list of what i don't like and not what i like.<div>
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le sigh. </div>
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i need to gather up all my strength and energy for tomorrow's heavy battle. i literally feel like i'm heading into war. psychological war more like. need to be self-composed and assertive. not a pushover. if nothing works for the better, there's only one way to end it. and truth be told, i'm ready for that ending. </div>
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and this time, that's going to be permanent. like a tattoo. no turning back once the ink hits the skin. </div>
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here's to making the next one count. </div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-34158571982885222932012-06-26T21:53:00.000+08:002012-06-26T21:53:06.933+08:00knocked out.sometimes, third time isn't always the charm.<br />
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nope. it's my third time now and am totally in deeper shit than when i first started. <span style="background-color: white;">if anything, it's as though i haven't learnt anything from my past. how frustrating. </span><br />
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to those who are reading this and have found yourself doing something you enjoy/love, good on you. i can only wish i will find mine soon. like when i thought i did but really didn't. i don't regret that because at least i tried and decided that it really wasn't for me. but now, for me to actually go back when i've repeatedly told myself and countless others how much loathe i had for it, it's unheard of! it's as if i've just lost that part of my life to denial and psyched myself into thinking i can force love it.<br />
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either that or i just love torturing myself.<br />
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one way of looking at this is that i'm learning the hard knocks of life. no school will ever prepare you for this.<br />
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better this than a relationship with a destructive lover perhaps?<br />
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oh, grow up. so what if it's tough work? deal with it. everybody else is.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"> fuck this. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">need to organize my thoughts.</span>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-48204317495054879332012-06-25T23:47:00.002+08:002012-06-25T23:47:44.905+08:00the grass was so greeni need to start writing down whatever pep talk and warnings i give to myself on a piece of paper so that i can look at it clearly and let it help me along the way.<br />
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i've made a mistake, yet again. jumped emotion first into a pool that i clearly have no intention of swimming in. i made a u-turn instead of moving forward and i guess desperation can do that. i have to finally admit now that i was desperate and slightly depressed about the situation i put myself in. i'm a highly emotionally charged person. more often than not, i let my emotions get the better of me. it happens one to many times which is why i need to put the words in my head into paper so that i can remind myself why certain things will never, ever work. ever.<br />
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ever.<br />
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but with every mistake made, comes experiences and lessons learned. this will be one mistake i will never make again.<br />
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here's to hoping for a fruitful and hopeful wednesday. my monday was definitely given a ray of light.<br />
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i am only young once and making mistakes is part of growing up. and right now, i'm taking a masters in growing up and taking charge of my life.<br />
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<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-62144683281658675742012-02-06T01:24:00.000+08:002012-02-06T01:24:37.710+08:00i'll follow you flightless birdmy love affair with the twilight series started when i first read the books. i bought the first book on a whim. read the back cover and was intrigued by the storyline. i must have swallowed it in one sitting because i was hooked and got round to buying the other three books in one swoop.<br />
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which was very bad for me. i started reading the series right around the time of my exams. this was back in my second year. oh boy did the books screw me over. i suffered, grade-wise thanks to my reading of the book and not enough of my textbook!<br />
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but that's water under the bridge now.<br />
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i can still remember the first time i watched twilight the movie. i was in the states then but i didn't catch the movie till almost the end of its run in the cinemas. it was literally empty save for the bunch of us but i could have imagined the throngs of girls screaming for edward/rob pattison as my friend regaled me with stories of opening night.<br />
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fast forward 4 years now and i've just finished watching breaking dawn part 1.<br />
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the twilight series is kind of a love-hate one for me. i gobbled the books up when i first read it but try for the second time? i could not for the life me turn the pages! it was horrible and that's maybe because i had let 'bad' reviews infiltrate my mind. even the movie was like a sore pain in my ass. the second movie was a huge improvement cinematographically and budget-wise and what a huge difference it was but the acting was horrendous! i'll take it in the first time but the second time? i want to take out the torn that's sticking in my thumb.<br />
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but i'm going to have to say that i quite liked the fourth film. yes, it's a lil slower than the others but the actors weren't so annoying this time round. kirsten stewart's characterisation of bella was much bearable in this chapter and taylor lautner's jacob and his bothersome/tiresome love from a not-very-far distance wasn't as annoying. i guess this has to happen seeing as they've been acting this part for 4 years now and <i>spoiler aler</i>t wtf he has imprinted on a baby. half vampire-half human baby, seriously stephanie meyer?!<br />
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i thought that there would be more juice in the lovemaking scene but i guess there are 12 year olds watching this movie too so they had what they had. i guess the book had more action going on for it or at least that was how i remembered it. might just read the book again to find out what happens next.<br />
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despite some of my criticisms of the movies, i actually look forward to watching them. i'm a total fangirl really, just don't make me say it out loud. i also look forward to listening to the soundtrack every time the films come out.<br />
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i'm probably going to miss the anticipation of watching the latest twilight film once it ends this year. just like the harry potter films. but i've got the next series to keep me going; the hunger games.<br />
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i think i read all 3 books within a week. i even had to finish the last book on my flight to shanghai! i couldn't not finish it and wait the 3 months to come home to read it.<br />
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clearly i haven't left my youth seeing as i'm still actively reading YA novels.<br />
<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-16733673150711622422012-01-27T01:29:00.000+08:002012-01-27T01:29:11.230+08:00roll<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8UVNT4wvIGY" width="560"></iframe><br />
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i first heard gotye's <i>somebody i used to know</i> while driving my mother to go look for outdoor furnitures. the opening beats of the song, according to my mother and in her words; <i>hypnotic</i>. i totally disagreed with her and was like <i>wtf. </i>there are hypnotic sounds and there are <i>hypnotic </i>sounds. this wasn't the case. at. all. super catchy beats <i>lor!</i><br />
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save to say this song is now playing on repeat.<br />
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and i'm checking out the cover versions as well.<br />
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can't believe i haven't heard this song before till a couple of weeks ago! it came out last year for crying out loud! i pride myself in knowing the latest songs but sadly, i don't listen to enough radio anymore. some of the songs that i hear on the radio are like cats claws scratching the walls.<br />
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and maybe it's because i listen to lite.fm a lot because my mother blasts it in the house, i'm getting familiarized with music from the 80s. hello, <i>gypsy kings!</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mifnMC_Kn1Q" width="420"></iframe>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-45088140613555798992012-01-25T01:35:00.000+08:002012-01-25T01:42:56.976+08:00year of the dragonHappy Chinese New Year!<br />
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didn't want to miss the boat and not spread the festive love around. it's now day three of the new year! it's definitely going to be a good year, be it in the western calendar or the chinese calendar although i'm pretty sure it being the year of the dragon helps too ;p<br />
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reunion dinner was major awes-<i>yum!</i> my mother is a superstar, managing to cook 8 dishes that night!<br />
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fireworks was in abundance on new year's eve too that some started blasting their firecrackers at 2 in the morning! +___+ my mother says it cause they're inviting the god of prosperity (?) into their home. chinese culture is very fascinating and interesting but sometimes, it just boggles the mind the kinds of things that needs to be done in the name of tradition!<br />
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this week is pretty jam packed with dinners and visitations. just the right kind of busy, if you ask me!<br />
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Gong Hei Fatt Choy!!!nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-70930455058000290452012-01-12T21:13:00.002+08:002012-01-12T21:13:39.335+08:00the world as i see it<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wfXrvN7jm_g" width="420"></iframe><br />
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somebody once told me that jason mraz must be high when he writes. not that i'm implying this particular song is weirdly worded. in fact, it's just the opposite! i'm not in love or anything crazy like that. heard this on the radio, whipped out my shazam app and youtube-d it immediately. oh mr mraz, when are you going to serenade us with your poetic words?<br />
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was running on the treadmill for the first time this year yesterday and it got me thinking. you see, i was prepared to only run for about 10 minutes (my excuse? cause i didn't want to exert myself. fuckin' lame is what it is and just plain lazy) but as i was running, i increased it to another 5 minutes. when 5 minutes came and went, i added another till i was running for 30 minutes. the recommended training time. i did it!<br />
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this kind of reflects life, doesn't it? we start something like say a new job and the first few weeks will be easy peasy just like the first 5 minutes on the treadmill. you start off slow and easy. then the toughest part comes, that first incline and the faster speed gets thrown in. that new job is slowly becoming a routine and tough one at that as more responsibilities get thrown into the mix. this is probably the time where questions of life enter; what am i doing here? is this going to be the rest of my life? i can't live like this anymore! and you get the drill. you start looking for escape routes. you start setting up time frames.<br />
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as you are running, you see that you're almost at the 10 minute mark but just as you've touched it, you realize that you can go on for another 5-10 minutes and you start pushing yourself further. same like work. just as you think that enough is enough, the hardest part comes to past and you say i can stay for a while more.<br />
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and that's life. we push further. we either up and quit right after and move on to something else or we hang in there and see that all that hard work pays off eventually and for some, it will most definitely pay off. there really isn't a right answer. it's what we want.<br />
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what do i want?<br />
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to keep running on that treadmill till i hit my target (by years end, i <i>will</i> lose them kilograms!!! <i>RAH RAH RAH</i>!) or find an alternative way to lose them (<i>diets?!</i> self-control needs to be obtained +__+ which i'm lacking very much of but am actually slowly practicing <i>teehee</i>)<br />
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my china/christmas weight is off the roof and i'm totally freaking out every time i weigh myself :( and then i get really depressed. <i>sigh</i>.<br />
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now with new years in another week or so, it's just going to be <i>eat, eat, eat</i> and more <i>eat</i>! all those dinners and cookies, self-restraint will be put to the ultimate test.<br />
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God give me strength.<br />
<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-34102170609062625832012-01-01T21:00:00.000+08:002012-01-02T01:58:12.008+08:00hello 2012!Happy New Year, guys!<br />
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this will be the month where writing the date will require some getting used to. it's finally here, 2012! it's been an eventful 2011 but i'm definitely looking forward to new adventures and challenges this new year brings.<br />
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i was working crazy lots in 2011 what with me switching gears career-wise which lead to my career-crisis mid-year. not the highlight of my year but i wouldn't change any of it. it was a learning curve in terms of me realizing what i wanted out of my life. i'm thinking this year there'll be more realizations and explorations on my horizon. i think i've said it before in previous posts but i'll say it again; 2012 is going to be a <i>good</i> year.<i> i feel it in my fingers, i feel it in my toes. </i><br />
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i'm probably setting myself up to be judged but who the fuck cares? i'm only young once. if i live my life trying to fit myself into a mold, i'll become less of a woman wtf.<br />
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i didn't really make any new year's resolution except for one which sits highly at the top of my list (not really a list if there's only one item on it):<br />
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<i>losing weight. </i><br />
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everyone probably has a similar resolution on their list but for me, imma make this <i>happen</i>! i will eat healthily and do exercises although i'm still considering bootcamp (it's too <i>hardcore</i> for my liking!) that treadmill will not be a white elephant in the corner of the room, no no <i>NO</i>! <br />
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three cheers for the new year!<br />
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<br /></div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-30119524041547435322011-12-30T23:30:00.000+08:002011-12-31T00:20:51.068+08:00love you like a love songit's a day before new years eve!<br />
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and just for fun, i thought i'd share some tracks that i'm listening to right now.</div>
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i'm totally obsessed with this new song from taylor swift featuring the civil wars, <i>safe and sound</i>, taken from<i> the hunger games </i>soundtrack. </div>
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i've read all three books. i first bought book number one after reading recommendations and great reviews and once i started, i couldn't stop! immediately after finishing book one, i went to the bookstore to get the other two books! crazy or not? </div>
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this is fairly new on the web but it's gone viral! i've seen it all over facebook and twitter and how can it not when it features zooey deschanel and joseph gordon-levitt! </div>
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i was squealing when at the end of the video, joseph gordon-levitt gave that <i>cute</i> shrug and smile combo! <i>aiyohhh</i>...! i'm gonna go all <i>cheeseballs</i> and say i hope this two are together for reals cause they totally make a cute couple! plus, it's <i>new year's eve</i> ;) </div>
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florence + the machine finally, <i>finally</i> releases their second album, <i>ceremonials</i> and it's bloody amazing! </div>
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one of my favourites off the album. my mum listened to it and she says it's pretty good. <i>of course</i>, mother! </div>
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and for the title-sake, why not add in selena gomez's <i>love you like a love song</i>? </div>
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<i>and i keep hitting repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat! </i></div>
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<br /></div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-65845518525580097342011-12-27T02:23:00.000+08:002011-12-27T02:23:45.899+08:00a very merry christmasChristmas celebrations are officially over!<br />
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Loads of family time and catch-up times with friends and food, <i>oh glorious</i>, food! there's still leftovers (turkey sandwich for breakfast!) and great kodak moments.<br />
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my christmas tree! </div>
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christmas eve candlelight service with lips and rach. </div>
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christmas day in church! </div>
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christmas day celebration with our props! </div>
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boxing day! </div>
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hope you guys had a great christmas! </div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-77910099388515397702011-12-24T02:06:00.002+08:002011-12-24T02:06:20.329+08:00guide to shanghai part 2this isn't really a guide but more of an information regarding the visa. not your credit card but the visa for entry into a country. and by information, i mean personal experience.<br />
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i made the unfortunate mistake of applying for a 30-day visa when i could have applied for a 3-months or 6-months visa. i obviously did not know such a long validity visa was available because i was under the impression that i could apply for a student visa which was not an option for me because i was enrolled in a part-time course and not a full-time course. feedback from the admin person in the university advised me that i was able to apply for a business visa upon my arrival so hence my 30-day tourist visa.<br />
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<i>ding dong bell </i>later, a business visa was not advisable because it was really expensive and by expensive i mean it costs thousands of ringgit! so it was down to two viable options; leave the country and then re-enter again <i>or</i> i extend my visa.<br />
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no brainer. leave the country and go to hong kong!<br />
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i <i>wish</i> it were that easy. actually it would be that simple really but the cost just didn't justify the means. plane ticket, accommodation and general expenses would have amounted to a minimum of RMB2000 for a 3-day trip whilst a visa extension would only cost RMB650.<br />
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<i>no brainer there! </i><br />
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just a little more information regarding visa extension (based on personal experience); <br />
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1. you can only extend up to a maximum of 2 times. 30-days for each extension.<br />
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2. it's a single entry visa so if you're planning to leave the country and return, make sure to get the relevant visa for your re-entry! i actually wanted to fly to hong kong to visit a friend but finding out that i had to apply for another visa? thanks but no thanks.<br />
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3. it only costs RMB160 to extend your visa. where does the RMB500 figure into the equation? chinese speaking agent. if your chinese language skills is zero to non-existent, you may want to hire an agent to help you with the visa extension process but honestly, it is really just bull because the second time i was there for my visa extension, i find out that the officers could actually speak english! at that point i was like <i>fuck this shit</i> but i had some hiccups along the way so i suppose it was RMB500 well spent wtf.<br />
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4. i think your visa agent comes in handy when you're going to the local police station to get your pink slip which is your accommodation slip. you only need to go to the police station if you're staying in a house i.e. friends place, relatives place etc. most hotels have the pink slip available so make sure to ask for it when you're checking-in. i'm saying this because i tried to get the pink slip from the police station since i was living with a friend but the policewoman who was attending to me could only speak chinese so that was one situation where i wish i had someone who was able to translate for me. long story short, i got myself the slip from a hotel instead.<br />
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5. passport size photo with a white background needed. i read through forums and various sites and was under the impression that i needed to have a 2x2 photo. well it was wrong information. don't discount information you find on forums though because most of the time, what you need to know can be found in the forums. if only i remembered what forums i've read so that i could share my experience for future references to other people in a similar situation. <i>oh wells</i>, that's was blogs are for, eh?<br />
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since this <i>happened</i> a couple of months ago, i think it's safe for me to share my experiences for the two times i extended my visa.<br />
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as i've mentioned above, i didn't get my pink slip from the local police station but from a hotel. i was absolutely lucky in my first visa extension process. i did it on a sunday. the bureau was open on a sunday because they had a one-week break courtesy of the china national week. there was no crowd on that day and i had a male officer attending to me. now, when you get a visa extension, obviously you're gonna be spending at least a week in wherever it is you're living in but because i was using the slip from a hotel, i only had one night checked-in! now this would be ringing alarm bells in the officers mind already but because it was a male officer and i'm a girl (this was what my visa agent told me), i got the green light for my extension!<br />
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this will make more sense after you've read about my second time extending my visa.<br />
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once again, i didn't register at the local police station because i was fortunate enough to know someone who was checking-in into a hotel so i had this friend get the pink slip for me. this one had 3 nights checked-in. i'm thinking, if i could go through easily for my slip with only one night on it, three nights would be an even smoother ride!<br />
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totally jinxed myself.<br />
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i had a lady officer attend to me and all hell broke lose. i was questioned a lot and even my visa agent tried to help but the officer was adamant. i needed to stay in the hotel for at least 7 days or no extension for me. her solution to the problem? go see her boss at counter 7.<br />
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boss on duty that day? lady boss.<br />
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she was no help either. i had to get a slip with a minimum of seven nights stated on it in order to be able to extend my visa. by then i was absolutely shittin' my pants. together with my visa agent, sophie, we brainstormed on ways where i could extend my visa. we decided on going to another bureau office the next day where i was told the officers weren't as strict when suddenly i asked sophie if we should give it another go because perhaps this time, i would get another officer and hopefully a male one at that, even better if it was the same officer for my first extension.<br />
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and so we took another number and waited in the furthest corner of the room, making sure the first two officers we met wouldn't spot us. ninja mode on wtf. i can honestly say i was fuckin' nervous at that point. imagination went overload thinking of all sorts of bad outcomes scenarios for all the rules i was breaking but God was definitely on my side because it was close to closing time thus we didn't need to wait for our numbers. we could just queue at any available counters. i made a mad dash to the male officer, the one who processed my extension the first time round.<br />
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damn unlucky because i had this bunch of foreigners in front of me and they were taking up loads of time. fuck this shit. and while waiting for my turn, i tried to hide my face from the lady officer who rejected my extension. my heart was beating fast and my hands were sweaty! i had to face the officer alone this time because my agent, sophie didn't want to risk getting spotted by the officers and thus ruin my chances. she's done this before and i'm thankful she was there for me at this crucial period of my life *insert grateful emoticon here*<br />
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<i>ding dong bell</i>, the bunch in front of me still weren't done yet and i was pushed to the next counter with a, you guessed it, lady officer!<br />
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<i>die lah this time! sure kena one. </i><br />
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i played it cool, calm and collected and handed in my documents. inside, i was all nerves and butterflies.<br />
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<i>30-days visa? </i><br />
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<i>yes.</i><br />
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and that was it. she accepted my documents and handed me my receipt. if there's ever a time i can truly say that i was saved by the bell, this would be it! therefore my advice to you if you are ever in a similar situation as i, go there before closing time because chances are the officers won't bother you as much seeing as they want to leave already!<br />
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sophie tells me that i was really, really lucky the first time i extended my visa because it shouldn't be that easy what with my one night checked in stated in the pink slip. in fact, it should be that my second time be no problem what with it being 3 nights checked-in.<br />
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<i>God is good to me. </i><br />
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i left the building literally feeling as light as air and with this feeling of nothing is impossible because PRAISE THE LORD, nothing is impossible when i do all things through Him who gives me strength.<br />
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the whole experience has definitely made me stronger and wiser. it was definitely a <i>life experience </i>because i was so afraid i would be sent to the lock-up!<br />
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<i><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. </i>Philippians 4:6-7<br />
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<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02187769728318946088noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-42477493018956378502011-12-22T14:26:00.000+08:002011-12-22T14:26:57.616+08:00guide to Shanghai 上海 part 1spending close to 3 months in Shanghai, i thought i'd share some insights about the things i've learned while i was there. i actually did two posts on my tumblr on sites to use while in China, what with the great firewall and all so do check that out if you're so inclined to. reason why i did it on tumblr was because it wasn't affected by the firewall and while i could still access blogger, i had to share the proxy server with 2 other people in the house which made for a lot of disconnections and lost posts. now <i>that</i> my friends, is a real test of a woman's patience. bad internet connection and i was ready to drown my sorrows in alcohol!<br />
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<a href="http://cleverinmypocket.tumblr.com/post/10483049802/navigation-1-0">navigation 1.0</a><br />
<a href="http://cleverinmypocket.tumblr.com/post/10980509223/navigation-1-1">navigation 1.1</a><br />
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let me first begin with your arrival at the airport. the one thing every traveler needs when navigating in a foreign land is a GPS and enough money to burn on really expensive data roaming plans. but then we're not all born rich or have a money tree growing in our backyard so we'll go old school and get ourselves a <i>map</i>! if you know how to read a map, that is. i'm saying this because i recently watched a movie and this teenage girl commented that <i>our generation can't read maps.</i> it's sad but true. <i>kids these days</i> wtf. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJp8uK2Bqf0gTlr01Z-wTtq2n9auBPhJ5uuBmg8cheUsWDcbbYlmiqMUR20A62tOHc_UtAxy5veFwVoyKUdp4FA2ftjqqzOCKSLfhcdI94VpmZCzuNtpV9-FJV1q7R2hC0P3w/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJp8uK2Bqf0gTlr01Z-wTtq2n9auBPhJ5uuBmg8cheUsWDcbbYlmiqMUR20A62tOHc_UtAxy5veFwVoyKUdp4FA2ftjqqzOCKSLfhcdI94VpmZCzuNtpV9-FJV1q7R2hC0P3w/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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thankfully in Shanghai airport, they have them at the ready for you. if i'm not mistaken, you'll see these maps when you're queueing at immigration. grab them because these maps will save you! they've got the entire metro lines mapped out for you which makes planning your journey a breeze! almost all the major areas are connected by the metro lines so this is a great way to save on cab fare! taking a cab in Shanghai is not as cheap compared to Beijing but the service and attitude of the Shanghai taxi drivers are gold! </div>
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before i proceed further, i would definitely suggest if you have an ipod touch or an iphone to download 2 really great apps.<br />
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<b>1. SmartShanghai</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrshjkhGk6bKHb8QdJBdZn-eR_kmIj-Av4Spm9Fo8v0ZxvBWoOW7ZRjXgn2855iDbJzKDhpHsp-A0XTDRkOuJ95prtJ8IK3kox3BKRl6-h5jgrotTAK93ohqRGlZk5JTqlYjy/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-13+at+1.29.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrshjkhGk6bKHb8QdJBdZn-eR_kmIj-Av4Spm9Fo8v0ZxvBWoOW7ZRjXgn2855iDbJzKDhpHsp-A0XTDRkOuJ95prtJ8IK3kox3BKRl6-h5jgrotTAK93ohqRGlZk5JTqlYjy/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-13+at+1.29.51+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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i found out about this while i was surfing around for things to do in Shanghai. i was led to their website <a href="http://www.smartshanghai.com/">www.smartshanghai.com</a> which is a similar concept to TimeOut.<br />
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<b>2. Shanghai Taxi </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwcH2b-ym-9gvjkXIBRVVjIMPgVFboD_p81kr-PNJSl-JMIeSrUQAlJDv1IiConjWIRpESwOkDdkJB1-IIU-rRiRM64bwYug-yGAwb0N1GHZW0u4jEPxMxyevyEEvFx2vfazl/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-12-13+at+1.36.08+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjwcH2b-ym-9gvjkXIBRVVjIMPgVFboD_p81kr-PNJSl-JMIeSrUQAlJDv1IiConjWIRpESwOkDdkJB1-IIU-rRiRM64bwYug-yGAwb0N1GHZW0u4jEPxMxyevyEEvFx2vfazl/s400/Screen+shot+2011-12-13+at+1.36.08+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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this is also a great app for navigating the treacherous <strike>Shanghainese roads</strike> language barrier that is the chinese language, mandarin. i think most if not <i>all </i>the taxi drivers don't speak a word of english so if you can't speak the language, it will be very difficult for you to get around plus it won't help you one bit if you have the name of the place in english because they don't know it. you always, always have to have the name of where you're going in chinese and in chinese characters too! whenever i had to take the taxi to go to a mall or wherever else, i always did my research online to find out what the chinese name was.<br />
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for example, <a href="http://www.superbrandmall.com/index/index_cn.asp">Super Brand Mall</a> is called <i>Zheng Da Guang Chang</i> 正大广场。see what i mean in finding out the chinese name of the place? but with this really convenient app, all you have to do is search for your location and <i>voila! </i>address and location name in characters for your taxi driver's convenience and your peace of mind.<br />
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they have it for Beijing as well so if you're in the area, download it for uber convenience!<br />
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<b>3. Zhongwen Chinese Pop-up Dictionary </b><br />
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i recommend using Google Chrome as your internet browser when in China because of this really amazing life-saving extension/app! chances are when you're surfing around local chinese sites, everything will be in chinese and while google has an excellent translation tool that translates the whole page to your desired language, i find myself sometimes needing to read particular words in their original language and finding out the pinyin for certain words.<br />
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simply hover your mouse above the word and there'll be a complete description of the word! how convenient is that? this way, i was able to enhance my learning experience and extend it to the online world as well besides just learning from my textbook.<br />
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so this is it for moving around when in Shanghai.<br />
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i've got a confession, i've had this post sitting in my draft for close to 2 weeks! been a lil' busy what with Christmas coming but i'll try to churn out a new post soon on what i've done and seen when i was in Shanghai and Beijing. </div>
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<span id="goog_514807509"></span><span id="goog_514807510"></span></div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-35460006475887690712011-12-10T12:25:00.001+08:002011-12-10T12:35:02.778+08:00and they say, she's so luckyit's good to be back! <div>
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i'm finally able to access websites properly without having to go through a proxy which is a hassle and a pain in the butt especially since i was sharing the proxy access with 2 other people. i'm a bloody cheapskate, i know. i didn't want to pay the 2 months subscription. so now that i'm back, i truly truly appreciate being able to access blogger, facebook, twitter and youtube properly! </div>
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ohh, unifi, how i miss you so! being constantly disconnected can really test your patience. and i mean, <i>really</i> test your patience.</div>
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i've got tons to say but first, i'd really like to share this video i just saw on someone's blog. </div>
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being away for two and a half months, i've really tried to figure out what i want. and sometimes, figuring out what you don't want is easier than finding out what you want! </div>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-1608114260265972542011-09-26T22:12:00.000+08:002011-09-26T22:13:02.212+08:00rolling in the deepit's now the turn of the second week of me being in Shanghai and my response so far to anyone who has asked me how things are is '<i>so far so good</i>' because so far things have been honestly pretty good. save for the first couple of days when i got here. i was a complete and total mess. i had internal battles with myself all day long and even all night long. i couldn't eat and i couldn't sleep. nobody knew of this battle but myself. i was lucky i had the flu and the cough so it was easy to put the blame of my lack of appetite and tiredness to the fact that i wasn't feeling so swell.<br />
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3 months ago, when i was planning this i was pretty damn sure of myself. long story short, i made a huge leap of faith and took a whole lotta risk at the same time. it's not like i had THAT much to lose but when i first got here, it felt like i was spiraling out of control (not in a drug, alcohol and rock & roll kind of way wtf) but it kind of hit me that i was just <i>lost</i>. plain and simple. it's like i fell down the rabbit hole and am in wonderland. i was honestly THIS close to flying back home together with my dad because i realized that i didn't want to be lost in a foreign city where i can barely string a coherent sentence in the local language! i just wanted to go home and bury myself in my home and just stay there till the wave of insecurities washed over me.<br />
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week two and i'm getting a grip of my life now. i'm slowly getting into a routine which won't last for long because guess what? i DON'T have to have a routine that will dictate the rest of my time except when it comes to classes of course. there's a sense of liberty when i know that i can just pack and fly off or take a train somewhere, anywhere and not have to worry about responsibilities. a bit reckless, eh? but i guess it's because i've been living so structured a life that this inch of freedom seems a bit overwhelming! not that i'm complaining.<br />
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i still have the luxury of accessing my favourite sites (even the banned ones!) and also having the added advantage of walking. lots of it. i will have legs of steel by the end of my time here!<br />
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however, i do wonder what will become of me by the time i finish up here. will i go start job hunting again? will i hop on a plane and fly somewhere else? will i go fishing wtf? there are days where i crave the familiarity and routine of going to work and working and then there are days where i'm yeah man, this is the life! hippie hippie shake shake wtf.<br />
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like i said, so far so good...<br />
<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-69733865038484078132011-09-16T00:24:00.001+08:002011-09-16T00:24:39.607+08:00i can see the way.wow, this shit is about to get real. some times i get really excited and then there are times where i get really...homesick? i know! i haven't even left the country yet but these thoughts do run around in my head and i do try to push them back. i mean, it's only gonna be less than 3 months!<br />
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pfft, i'm such a baby sometimes.<br />
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i'm still in the midst of packing and will most probably have to write down a list later to make sure i don't forget anything but ohmaigawd this is all still so surreal. one day i go from having a set routine and now, i'm packing to go abroad! hopefully the next 10 weeks will be enriching in every sense of the word.<br />
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i heard blogger is banned so i may or may not be able to blog. i might just be living in the year 2000 where i'm going.<br />
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till we meet again.<br />
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xx.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-60089392817713143812011-09-09T00:25:00.001+08:002011-09-09T00:25:16.139+08:00the elephant in the roomi have the attention span of a 4 year old. it's taken me 2 days to spring clean my room and i'm still not done yet. i still have to look through my drawers to see what treasures *cough* i've hidden in there. trust me, when it really boils down to it, i've NEVER used 90% of the stuff anyways. out it goes, into the trash.<br />
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and i'm enjoying the process of chucking things out. de-cluttering my space to make space for more junk wtf. of course not! from now onwards, i will only keep/buy things that is of absolute necessity. a need more than a want. disclaimer: does not apply to clothes, shoes, handbags, books, makeup...oh fuck, who am i kidding?<br />
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let's just say i will have a stronger willpower and spending control from now onwards. like why did i spend RM22 on a sparkly elephant from toys r us? because of my lack of control towards all things shiny, cute and because it was a pink elephant! HOW CUTE IS THAT?<br />
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i have no shame.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-84393041243450298082011-09-05T22:32:00.000+08:002011-09-05T23:12:24.430+08:00patterns all arrangedthis monday was unlike any other. for the first time in a long time, i didn't dread waking up.<br />
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<br />nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-67484110499979541672011-09-05T02:21:00.003+08:002011-09-05T02:21:58.412+08:00running up that hilltoday has been an insightful day. i didn't have an epiphany nor have i finally figured out what my next step is. but it somehow got me thinking deeper.<br />
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i'm going to backtrack a little here so bear with me. i've never really carved out a proper career path when i was younger. if i were to look through my school report books (remember those blue books that had ALL our grades and comments in it?) i think you will find that i've got there listed somewhere <i>businesswoman</i>. honest to goodness, i probably didn't think much about it then. i think it's because i wasn't exposed to the various options out in the market at that time. early 2000s.<br />
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the only time i started seriously thinking about what i wanted to do was after SPM. i wasn't farsighted then. i didn't know anything about pre-U or diploma. when i started shopping around for the types of courses i could take, it was then it became <i>real! </i>i had to make serious decisions and i still didn't know what my ambition was! do i take pre-U, foundation studies or jump straight into a diploma program? from there i discovered communication studies. i didn't know what i want but i knew what i<i> didn't</i> want. why is it so easy to know what you don't want but when it comes to finding out what you want, it's the damn hardest thing!? it then becomes a process of eliminating what i wanted and what i didn't want.<br />
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ok, so i knew i wanted to take up communications and that i did. now i've got myself a degree from a pretty reputable university. what now? i don't know if this is an attitude problem on my part or a part of me that just doesn't want to conform but i didn't want to take the traditional path of securing myself a degree and then finding myself a proper job and all that shebang. i've never seen myself in a corporate environment till i landed myself a telephone interview april 2010. i can still remember where i had that call and what i was doing. for a sliver of a moment, i could envision myself in a power suit, in an office with glass windows and high-backed chairs and wide tables. i literally saw the ladder that i wanted to climb!<br />
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the telephone interview was an international call and i was told that i would be notified if i could move on to the next round which was the face-to-face interview to be held at a later date. i have to say, applying wasn't as simple as submitting a resume and keeping my fingers crossed that they'd pick me to be considered. i had to answer a gazillion questions on top of writing a cover letter and fine tuning my resume. i probably spent about 2 hours applying for it. what i'm trying to say is that i didn't think much about it after submitting my application. the position wasn't even something that was related to my field of studies! but after researching on the background of the company and pretty much matching most of the criteria, what the heck! i haven't got anything to lose.<br />
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long story short, i made it through each and every interview round. an amazing feat considering i was probably the only fresh graduate to be shortlisted, there were those with work experience and even a master holder! i was shitting my pants with excitement. this was a huge moment for me because i made it on my own accord. no strings were pulled. my hands weren't held every step of the way. it was as though God made the way for me.<br />
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till i screwed it up. i think we all know the ending to this story.<br />
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so what i'm trying to dig from this tale is that for a moment, i actually wanted to climb that damn corporate ladder! i was burning for it. for the chase. for the rush.<br />
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eventually i did work in a corporate company. make that two. that fire i had when i first got the phone call back in april 2010 wasn't there. in turn, i resented it. hated it. the politics behind it. the thought of spending the rest of my life in the same place for two, five or twenty years scared the bejeezus out of me! i wanted out and i wanted it bad.<br />
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and that i did.<i> from the pan into the fire</i>, some may say and right now, looking back in retrospect, i absolutely agree. would i be able to make an informed decision like this if i didn't go through what i went through? heck no. i'd rather go through the pain and suffering than wonder <i>what if?</i><br />
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<i>what if</i> is such a dirty word, isn't it? it mocks you till your deathbed and it could be the one unfinished business as you have as you lay there dying. i could never live with that, could you? prior to entering my second corporate company, i had many discouraging me from doing so. i was caught in between. i was comfortable where i was yet i had this burning a hole in the back of my mind. i was even settled comfortable into the current job prior to the switch. i was doing pretty good for someone with zero experience. if anything, i felt absolutely blessed. God was truly blessing me. all honour and glory i give to Him.<br />
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but my curiosity and my <i>misled passion</i> had me taking the jump. fuck it. if i don't make the change now, i never will. i had stumbling blocks along the way. both experiences were not smooth sailing. they were both bittersweet but lucky for me, i tend to remember the better part of the experiences more than the not-so-great ones hence my positive outlook. i'm not trying to be preachy but it's hard to deny the fact that a greater being out there is looking out for me. i remember once when i was down in the dumps and i said;<br />
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'<i>sometimes it's hard to be so optimistic all the time when everything is just not going well' </i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(how profound of me wtf)</span><br />
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<i>where's the silver lining in all that negativity?</i> i'm not ashamed to say that i've cried about my situation. y'know why? cause crying helps. <i>especially</i> the kind where you're really crying with your body heaving and your tears are big and overflowing. let them suckers out. if anything, it's your body's way taking care of itself and also a way of physically letting the emotions out. your sadness, anger, disappointment and frustration's need an outlet too. just make sure to cry on the weekends when you don't have to see anybody the next day. swollen eyes are pretty hard to cover up even with concealer wtf. somehow though through all that i've been through, it's something that i <i>have</i> to go through. like a rite of passage wtf. i've been thrown into the deep end in both companies and survived! nothing can stop me now!<br />
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<i>can't touch this, ice ice baby</i> wtf.<br />
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once again, i've made another jump. this time, it's not into another corporate company although i still think that i can do way better than become a corporate slave! ultimately the goal is to be my own boss. how and by what means, i haven't figured that out yet. if i have to work in more corporate companies to achieve that goal, then so be it.<br />
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will it be pretentious of me if i say that i believe the year 2012 will be an <i>AWESOME</i> year for me? the next three to four months will somehow be a determining factor for me. i feel like my life is about to<i> take off</i> for real now.<br />
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i shall end with something that i learned recently;<br />
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<i>slow in, fast out. </i><br />
<i>fast in, <b>NO</b> out! </i><br />
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this is actually advice for when driving in roads that bend or when you're cornering. you must turn in slow and then you can accelerate safely out. going in fast will only lead to you crashing or jamming your poor brakes senseless which will lead to you slowing down at the end and barely making it out.<br />
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there are many wrongs that i would like to make right but for now this will do.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-91541580233612125932011-09-04T02:17:00.000+08:002011-09-04T02:17:24.696+08:00wide open space<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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i'm a hopeless romantic at heart. i read chick lits and i watch rom coms, even the horrible ones. reading this quote somehow validates the fact that not everything is picture perfect. i've certainly seen enough bad rom coms to see that not even the perfection of kate hudson can save a terrible terrible chick flick. sure, i don't need Bob Marley to tell me this, we're living in an imperfect world anyways. but when it comes to dating, i think we tend to put a certain degree of perfection to the partners we chose, choose or will eventually choose. we're not perfect beings so obviously we'll pick partners that are. find a flaw and out he goes.<br />
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when people find out that i'm single/unattached, the next question will be '<i>how come? is it cause you're choosy/picky?</i>' i'm stumped and at a total loss of words. is that a rhetorical question? are they expecting me to have a valid answer? first of all, not being in a relationship is not the end of the world. i'll have you know that being single is not a crime and just because you are in one, that doesn't mean everyone has to be too. and second of all, yes. yes of course i'm picky. i am potentially engaging myself into a long term relationship that will have one of two possible routes; marriage or break-up. so excuse me for not getting into a relationship with every tom, dick and harry. sure, i'd go on dates but to be in an exclusive relationship? i think it's a given that i will be picky. of course this doesn't work out for the best for all. i've heard of people dating and committing 9 years of their lives together and end it. nobody knows. but the start of something new is something that i can have a say in.<br />
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but of course i don't say such things. i'm not itching to be in a relationship. in fact, i'm embracing this part of my life right now. sure, i've never been in a relationship before so don't expect me to give relationship advice anytime soon but at this point in my life right now, being in a relationship would be hazardous. this is the time for me to find myself and figure out who i really am. it's me time.<br />
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my friend recently started a dating 101 blog just for me! i say it's for me cause the blog add pretty much says it all <a href="http://1014nat.blog.com/">1014nat.blog.com</a><br />
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101 for nat, get it? so go ahead, click it and read it. it's new and will be updated every week. leave a comment or whatever but just read it. it may just give you some fresh perspective on dating. now, if only i know where all the single men hang out.<br />
nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-53530808363902742172011-09-03T01:35:00.000+08:002011-09-03T23:51:39.554+08:00pumpernickelthere's a sense of liberation in the air. my morning's are no longer filled with dread. <i>does the air smell fresher today? </i>my head isn't filled with justifications and excuses. no more snoozing the alarm, no more. it's been a year of this and finally, finally, i feel like the knots are finally loose. there's nothing final now. no more being tied down. seems like i can hop and skip and let the winds take me on its wings. instead of a fixed stability, i take courage in going into the unknown.<br />
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and from there, my journey truly begins.<br />
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this whole process took 3 months or so in the making. an idea sparked and a heart to heart later, here i am. i believe it was the situation that led to my decision. a very desperate one at that. i suppose you could say my limits were tested and pushed. i stood my ground. i reasoned. i plotted. i made no sudden movements on the surface but underneath i was a waddling duck. my head was filled and my heart heavy but i didn't want to rock the boat. i was set. for life. well, i was wrong. so very wrong. i'm 23 and i don't have it figured out. career wise i've probably hit a dead wall. i've done what i thought i wanted. you know the saying 'you want what you can't/don't have'? this was one of those moments. i got it but when i got it, it just didn't click and that humbles you as a person. i could work my whole life towards it and when i've finally reached it, it doesn't really add up in the end. up to the point of reaching it, everything is rosy to the point of idealistic. and just when i've grasped it, every illusion is shattered.<br />
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perhaps if i hadn't had the exposure prior to this, my situation would be different. i don't regret the past year. they helped open my eyes to a much bigger world. my perspectives are not what they used to be anymore. i was an idealist. my views were rose tinted and they were pretty. i wasn't in the most ideal situations but i had that build up in my head. i thought i achieved bliss and serenity but what i got was a very valuable lesson.<br />
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so here i go, moving into new territories. watch out world! here comes natasha wtf.nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-64889386693717260122011-08-12T20:41:00.000+08:002011-08-12T20:41:00.583+08:00this ain't a scenethought i'd share a scene from one of my favourite dance movie, Center Stage.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uo3_U4jquTk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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this is the final dance scene in the movie. i remember the very first time i watched this movie and i was just so inspired. everytime i went for my ballet lessons i would take inspiration from this movie and strive to dance better.<br />
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i wasn't the best dancer in the room. i didn't ask my mother to enrol me in ballet class. she did it behind my back and i was furious! i was probably 4 or 5 years old when this happened but i've been dancing for close to 10 years before i quit.<br />
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just. like. that.<br />
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one day, i just told my mother i didn't want to dance anymore. and that was it. i remember the day i told my mother this. in retrospect, i think that was a form of rebelliousness on my part. what was i rebelling against? i have no idea but when you're on the brink of teenage-hood, i guess you just do crazy, unexplainable things.<br />
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if you were to ask me what my biggest regret is, hands down this would be it. looking back, i would have slapped my silly young self in the behind and talked some sense into her! but the past is in the past and we learn from our past, eh?<br />
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and that i am...nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-71432878246977761802011-08-10T22:55:00.000+08:002011-08-10T22:55:44.499+08:00make or breakit can only happen here. the moment i shut down my PC and pack my bags, i get the phone call from hell. but this is all in a day's job and after close to 6 months in it, i've gotten so used to it that i'm bordering on comfort levels with it. so comfortable am i that i don't seem to have a huge reaction to it any more. you know like how if you're allergic to seafood or alcohol, one of the ways of curing it is by eating more seafood and drinking more alcohol. that's how it is here too. but there are bad days too where things really make the patience level skyrocket to the moon.<br />
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situation isn't exactly happy happy joy joy now seeing as the only thing that cools anything down these days isn't doing its job properly. i'm actually beginning to sweat in the office when i'm practically sitting under the air-cond! all its blowing is hot air, taunting us, mocking us. is this life, a routine and a laundry list of pros and cons?nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10621364.post-9168867250531611432011-08-08T16:58:00.000+08:002011-08-08T16:58:59.948+08:00big yellow taxifor someone who hardly ever takes a cab, i just broke my record today.<br />
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first cab ride of the day was when i was walking down hill towards my office. i park really, really, really far away. average walking time from my car to the office is 10 minutes. usually i welcome this walk because this walk will be the only form of exercise i will ever do (but i need more than just a 10 minute walk to shake off all this excess off me... i really need to start jogging!). actually, everytime i'm walking down the hill, i pray for a taxi to drive by so that i can hop in and save that 10 minute walk. surprise, suprise! a taxi DID drive by and i didnt flag him down but he kept turning his head, probably wondering where in the world is she walking to when all around me are houses and he slowed his taxi down. my mind and legs were thinking two different thoughts; i'm like shit, this is it, should i be a cheapskate, suck it up and just walk all the damn way down or pay 3 bucks to save myself the walk. but my legs, oh my legs, they just merrily walked towards the taxi and that's how the battle between my mind and my legs went. sometimes in life, there are things you should be cheapskate about and then there are things you should not be cheapskate about. wisest 3 bucks i've ever spent.<br />
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oh the second and third cab ride of the day is the desperation to eat good food. when you've been working where i've been working for the past few months, you will do anything to get out into the world and find good food. and a change of environment. despite the limited choices we have when it comes to lunch, we always, always ask "where to eat?" sometimes, when there's a choice, limited choices or otherwise, a decision has to be made. and what a tough decision it is!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tvtJPs8IDgU" width="560"></iframe>nathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03121268954972550802noreply@blogger.com0