40

I like it when my colleagues make fun of my Cantonese dialect :)

It's weird, to like them doing that. Because I grew up speaking Cantonese to my father and everyone from my paternal family. And I've never mixed up with Teochew dialect when I communicate with my mum and everyone from maternal family. These dialects are part of my identity as well, and something exclusive to my family members and relatives. I never use dialects to communicate with peers until I start working. It's a big thing to me, to connect with my colleagues with bonds this exclusive and personal.

But as I started to fit into their circle, I find the friendship built worthed redefining exclusivity. I love them. I love the way I don't have to worry about taking side for office politics because there's none (at my level, least). I love the time we had lunch together and talk about book fair, sales, kids and schools, vacation trips, etc.

I love them making fun of my Cantonese :)

41

One thing that I really like about the city I'm staying in now is the convenience to travel around without owning a car. Well, relatively convenient, for someone who's a technophobe, decidophobe and geographically challenged. I am both a person who satisfies with what I have around me, and at the same time, cannot wait to try out more things available. Almost everything I need to survive is easily accessible and abundant in choices, public transport is a pleasant blessing. Many activities made possible because of the high expectation by the population living in this city which pushes the boudaries of every systems that work here.

And because of this, many actitvities are organised here because it is easy to get the crowd. I love happening cities. I love interesting events. Events which I may or may not be attending. But nonetheless, I love the fact that there are many new ideas flood this place and challenge us to keep up with the flow.

And the people! The wonderful people I manage to bump into and meet up, again and again.

Five years ago, when I first set foot in this city as a student, I wouldn't have believed I actually say this out loud now. I am beginning to see the beauty of this city which I once thought to be pathethically empty and soul-less. And I am loving what I have seen and experienced thus far.

Thank you, Lord.

42

Event: IIU Open 2010

Incident: Buying ice-creams

Me: Isabel! Are you getting yourself an ice-cream or not?? (I've asked this for the N-th times)

Isabel: Are you? I feel like to, but..

Me: Yeah, it's kinda wrong to eat ice-cream in the middle of the day in public, in IIU!

Isabel: Oh the ice-cream looks so good!

Me: Rawr. Maybe we'll have to hide at some where to eat it?

Isabel: Toilet?

Me: Hahahaha!

KOK JOO: Oh no, you don't want to eat ice-cream in toilet, that just sounded so wrong!

Isabel: But we weren't thinking about that!

Me (towards the cashier): Kak, kalau kami beli ais kream, ada tempat kami boleh makan?

Cashier: ..(smiling) boleh je makan kat mana-mana.

Me: Oh, haha *still unconvinced*scan around corridor for some nice spot*

Me: Isabel! How about that corner?

Isabel: Yeah, looks ok.

Me: Yay! Faster buy ice-cream!

:D Ice-cream in a hot, boring afternoon while waiting for debate to start. Awesome! We were laughing at yourselves for being so anal about eating in public during fasting month and the fight (and eventually the failure) against temptation. The joy to find someone who crazed for the same thoughts. The whole incident was just so memorable. If I have the chance to do it again, I'll still pick Isabel to repeat this incident :)

KF Training

Me: I can't have training on every Friday night because I have my Bible study.

Trainer: OK. How about this Saturday?

Me: Oh, this weekend is unavailable because starting from Friday I'll be going for a debate tournament. I am taking a day off from work for it :)

Trainer: What time does the debate start?

Me: I think around noon.

Trainer: How about we catch a movie on Friday morning before your debate?

Me: Hmm, I think it should be able to fit in. OK.

Trainer: Well, since you have time for a movie, why not you just come for a kick-boxing training session then?

Me: ..... *burst out laughing*

Sick

It means very much to me when someone knows that I'm sick and wishes me get well soon. When one is attacked by sickness and feeling vulnerable physically and emotionally, the best treatment is your attitude towards the patient. I don't want a doctor who treats me because I am his job. Please treat me because you really care.

I wonder if a doctor can't be nice to a friend who is sick, would he be able to be nice to his patient who is a stranger to him?

On being nice: How to tell the difference if a person is nice to you because he is generally a nice guy, or because he values you as a friend? Boy I really wish to know.

I don't know what caused the diarrhea, but I am sincerely thankful for toilets available. If one day I have to divorce with washing machine, toilet will be my next target.

I also think I should take it as a sign to slow down on my busy schedule and actually listen to God. It's tiring to work with own strength. But Lord, please grant me over-flowing strength of Yours to fulfill my purpose.

Chinese

He is not. For the N-th times, too. He is a Bajau.

Is this a record breaking list or what?

Again

I guess I've lost count of the days we went out together, for movie and meal and shopping, for great company and heart-lifting conversations, and ends with a comfortable ride home for me. Just the both of us. Again, it's totally not a date, for the N-th times.

You'll always laugh at me, for reason I still do not know. But you always make me laugh as well. We never run out of conversation topics, until we're really exhausted at the end of the day, and decide to just enjoy the silence. For many people, moment of silence can be awkward. But it isn't for us.

This time, you actually brought up something we did during our last outing - the restaurant we've been to, the menu and the Jazz musics. It amazed me because you thought it's something worthed to mention again, and the fact that you actually still remembered the details.

And you said that I've known you well. At least the decidophobia part of you. You always make me get so excited to see you again. And when you're right in front of me, you make me feel so calm and peaceful. You always do, ever since the first time I know you. How do you do that? :)

Thank God for a warm person like you. Thank God for a wonderful Saturday evening spent with you. I think, the farewell-party ride I mentioned a few months ago, is at its peak today. It is crucial for me to properly close the chapter of you in my life before I move on.

Exhausted but happy,

me

深呼吸

最近都过得很充实。我的确是较忙了点，每天放工后都有活动。连看书的时间也渐渐少了。偶尔会上网看些文章或报导。现在，搭巴士或地铁时是我唯一阅读的机会。但有时连在这种情况下我也累得只想偷闲发呆。

我。。一直以来都在想，我们分别的那一天会是怎样的呢?是在什么情况下或什么原因使我们必须道别?自从这年头，我已经较认真地考虑放下。我曾相信，只要慢慢的准备好心情，总有一天我会勇敢的面对那一天的到来。这么久了，我真的觉得那段感情已经慢慢变淡了。放下你们似乎是如此轻松的一件事。

直到今晚，你们俩发生口角。我听了，心马上就乱了。我是第一次如此的分心，什么都听不近耳了，脑子里想的，就是要如何让你们俩和好。因为我当时的心情不止是心乱如麻，也是心如刀割。因为手心手背都是肉。原来，我仍然是如此在乎你们。你们仍然在我的心里拥有如此重大的意义。认识你们好几年了，一起度过了这么多难关，我真不知道如何能不爱你们。

天下没有不散之宴席。那一天，总会到来。而我自己也知道日子已近在眼前了。不过，我踏出去的每一个步伐将代着你们曾经给我的温暖和勇气。

过路人

又是这种不规律的心跳，特别在乎你的感觉，迫不及待地想再见到你的心情。想念你，却开不了口。在你面前得时时刻刻留意自己的举动， 才不会流露出那非凡的感情。这一切，都是如此的陌生，却也如此的熟悉。想念你的时候，总令我嘴角微笑起来。看来，我又中箭了。

这一切，应该很快就过了吧? 就像往常一样，一瞬间，这振奋人心的经验就只剩回忆。 而你，也只是个过路人。

Aww..

Hey, look up!

These two pictures of clouds are definitely word-thieves. I lost my words to describe them. I stumbled upon them both on the same day at friends' Facebook profiles, and their similarities really knocked me over :) Awesome God, Awesome Works:

1. from Wye Li's:

2. from Eunice Tee's Tabur trip:

Bazinga!

Jim Parsons