Seasons

April, May, June..July... and still quirky!

2008-07-29T23:37:00.012+01:00

Greetings...

Its obvious angloes-seasons.blogspot.com has been left an orphan in the past 4 months. Its almost half a year! hehe.. Apologies to whoever came and saw stories from "yonks".

ITs been a very eventful 4 months!
From Hola to Bonjour..
No Clubs to 1 Club
From Grafitti to Salvador Dali,
Transportation to Bridges,
From Milk and Juice to Chivas and Coke (in moderation..ok maybe slightly over once..in C...we wont go down that embarassing road.. im sorry Lord)
And through the whole circle of emotions..

But some things never change...
From Sodomy (1998) to Sodomy (2008).. "Berapa kali mau tipu rakyat?" DSAI

*ponders* checks most recent posts, checks where he left off..

Ive made my maiden trip to Paris. Met Dad, his colleagues, uncle and aunt and got to know a few achievers from AmBank. AS was the architecture in Barcelona was stunning, so was it in Paris. The Eiffel Tower did not disappoint either. :) it did not end there.. we visited Champagne, Reims.. yup, thats right.. the origin of Champagne.

And finally Jon too made his trip to WItham! Woo! With an 'expert amateur' photographer comes brilliant pics. Even making WItham look a decent place. =D

>

It was great meeting up and of course Thanks for the alcohol training, Jonathan!.... heres cheers to you!

1st TAG answered in my lifetime

2008-04-13T23:28:00.003+01:00

Tagged by THe Rachel Ong

Instructions: Remove 1 question from below and add in your personal question, make it a total of 20 questions, then tag 8 people in your list, list them out at the end of this post.

1. At what age do you wish to marry?
-- Hmm...folklore suggest 27 years old.. Lol...U've got to ask the golden ring.

2. What will you do when you feel really emo?
-- This happens at night..so would listen to jiwang songs.. if that doesnt work...try to exercise till tired enough for bed

3. Describe the current situation of your life at the moment.
-- Relatively relax. Got stuff to do but ive got time. Life is flexible...enjoying the freedom working life gives atm. ;)

4.Where is the place that you want to go most?
-- Europe! tour around Europe with gurl gurl..teehee

5.If you have one dream to come true, what would it be?
-- Hmm...ro be able to live a fullfilled contented life

6.Do you believe in seeing the rainbow after the rain?
-- Yes. Keep giving me questions like this.

7.What are you afraid to lose the most right now?
-- Same..friends, family and who i am.

8. What cheers you up for the rest of the day?
-- A nice "wind down" chat with my dear Rachel.

9.If you meet someone you love, would you confess to him/her?
-- OF COURSE!...wah i sound so confident.. lol...initially id hesitate, but if enough hints come my way than i would. Ive got someone now !wee! Its not a dreaded problem woop! lol

10.List out three good things of the person who tagged you.
-- Rachel
a) A deep down sweet heart

b) A lovely voice... :)

c) Her dedication when she puts her heart to it.

11. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
-- Someone who im able to share my day with..can talk.. can encourage each other. of course despite the noble thought that looks dun matter. i guess it does at first. Id like my other half to enjoy what i enjoy.. and is patient, loving and gentle ... :) ok..getting touchy feely. ergh. K Whats next.

12.What type of person do you hate the most?
-- Hmmm... i dun hate but i do get irritated by certain personalities...which im learning to accept. I find it hard to relate with people who portray how capable they are.. Like a facade in a kiasu world to avoid being perceived a "losër"..and we know where this is prevalent LOL....I believe in quiet confidence.. LOL..okok its just a personality im learning to deal with. :)

13.What would you do if you won a million dollars?
-- Wee Rachel will visit me with a Million Dollars. If i won a million dollars ..ill bring Rachel here for hols ..give my parents a world tour...n i would invest it, donate some, get a nice place to stay..and get on with life..

14.What is your ambition?
-- Financial security ...a happy family and a God focused life.

15.What would you wanna be after you're dead?
-- A soul in heaven :) - i second that.. woot woot!

16. If you have a chance, which part of your character would you like to change?
-- Drive...time management.

17. What is your favourite colour?
-- Pastel colours

18.What do you think is the most important thing in your life?
-- Relationships.... i agreee with this TOO! VEry much so!

19. If there’s one thing in your life you want to do but yet unable to, what would it be?
-- Warren Buffet's insight! Being the next Warren Buffet :D

20. What's one thing you learn in the past one year?
-- People change :) Not entirely a bad thing.

OK.. who I'd like to TAG not many hardcore bloggers lerr... so id tag whoever reads this.

Although im interested in ANSWERS from those below.

1. Abdul Rahim
2. Bryan Wee
3. Hui Lin
4. WIlliam Lau
5. Jocelyn Eng
6. Simmie G
7. Xiu Mei

Woot... God bless peeps. half an hr on this. what a great way to spend my time :D

woop! a spanish touch to my eventful february

2008-03-28T22:44:00.009Z

A landmark. A first. My first trip to mainland Europe. Was rather excited although it started on a low. Nudge me for details.. lol...but thankfully i it did not affect the rest of the holiday. Had a blast with Jon and Ben. Been awhile so great fun!

Pics and more pics..

It was a whole change of culture. I found it really unique. The language, the way of life. Getting 2 hr lunch breaks, closing bakeries and shops too! I was really shocked.

Gaudi's architecture is stunning..His vision amazing although his financial aptitude is suspect though..with all his designs costing a fortune!

Although the place was nice, time spent meeting up with Ben n Jon made the trip a brilliant weekend getaway ;)

Time flies when you're busy...sure does...

2008-03-20T01:24:00.003Z

Speaking of consistency and this blog has been consistently ignored. Sad, true but to an extent unavoidable... 1 task down...2 main stuff to go.

Start on Final Year Project
Start on Placement Folio...

Gosh a tiring 5 months to go... hoping to update pics soon. =)

Highlights from my Singapore Trip - Round 1

2008-03-03T19:30:00.010Z

2 weeks late...but its better late than never.. its been a busy busy two weeks... 1 week with jet lag...getting over it, half the week catching up on things another half of the week in Barcelona! Pictures and stories on that trip to follow. Tired, fun yet in some parts feel i disappointed some in the past two weeks....

As many of you know, I visited Rachel in Singapore for a week. It was one of the best week I've had in a long long time..dun get me wrong Kch was fun..no pics though..

My top 10 and here goes...owh let me rephrase the..first 10...more to come..

enjoy ppl! Hope you liked the pics as much as i liked the trip..hehe...LOve you lot (those who visits my blog) ...UR an amazing bunch...amazingly patient i got to say haha...wee! God bless..

A Summary of my Trip Back Home - Edited

2008-02-23T12:58:00.004Z

as Esmond hangs his head in shame... he apologises to all the Agape Youth he met for breakfast at Jln Song.. really din mean to leave you guys out..but blotches of memory became fuzzy...yup appreciated the meet up.. hope to see u all soon! hopefully..

***********************************************************************************
Hi all,

The visit counts to my blog has been dropping..hehe...due to abandonment of it...hehe..yeah it has been for the past month. I've been away, back to Malaysia and also to Singapore for 2 amazingly fast weeks. Boarding the plane back to the UK, i thought i just landed the day before. owh well..as they say all good things must come to an end...although in this case not permanently..phew.

The journey back was incredulously long. Left my house here in Witham at 7am on Saturday, 2nd Feb and it took 30 hrs to reach Kuching Airport...with 2 "pit stops" (ahh... forgot the word) one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Kuala Lumpur.

The idea was to enjoy the most of 5 full days and 1 nite and 1 early morning in Kuching before heading to Singapore for a week with Rachel =)

The moment I touched down in Kuching...it felt like "Wow..its so good to be home!" Total bliss! But as expected since it was close to CNY the airport was packed...the atmosphere was great ..you could almost see the anticipation in everyones eyes towards the New Year.

With limited time, the time in Kuching had to be quality time spent with my "nucleus" family, extended family and old friends...not forgetting catching up on Kuching's food. =) So there i was waking up early on most days going out for breakfast with the family, getting some new year stuff before the 7th (CNY day 1)

Highlight of my Kch trip..
Met Rahim, Hui Lin, Lawrence, Adrian, Bong, Ehren, Wilfred, Jason, Poh Peng and Teck Leong..
Explored the Spring and Boulevard
Went up the new flyover near the airport
Saw the new Dewan... something... opposite Waterfront
Saw the rainbow coloured Star Cineplex
Visiting my grandma n relatives..receiving Angpao..always a + point =D
and the elusive new year eve dinner..wah i love the Fish Bladder soup..even now my stomach is grumbling for more!
wow...so nice thinking back..and thats my 5 days gone..

Unfortunately, ive still not got the habit of taking pics so most of them are left to ur imagination..hehe..

Not to worry...there is still my Singapore trip..not all is gloom...happy thoughts still filled my mind hehe...although i was a lil hesitant that i would enjoy it as much as rac was having lectures during the week but she switched and changed her times...spending as much time as she possibly could with me exceeding my expectations... thanks Rac... =) =)..

Havent been to Singapore in like 4 years so yea i knew it would be a lil more exciting? ..Yes it was..pleasant indeed!

Shopping was the name of the game..or rather u can almost say the theme for most days lol..jkjk..there was plenty to see and plenty to do since both of us were not that familiar to Singapore. Rachel with her few months of staying in Singapore did however manage to be a reasonable tour guide...haha...not bad la...really really..hehe..explored NUS a lil,

It was special as we manage to spend Valentine's Day this year.. which was great... had a really enjoyable time with Rac. We also went to Sentosa which was sweet! The beach was clean, looked pretty, the water fountain show, 'Oscar' was really good, and the flower show was superb. Couldnt have asked for more really. Made for a perfect day out..

There is so much more! The trip deserves another post..wit pics..hehe.. Till Then.
:)

what about the chickens...

2008-01-24T23:30:00.000Z

could our beloved box of all, the tv change the world?

Jamie Oliver is currently running a 'chicken crusade'.. fighting for the welfare of chickens which ultimately becomes food...the irony.

I've heard of three type of chickens... caged chicken, free range chickens and organic chickens
...normally id just go for the cheapest one..words that just pass me by, never really meant a whole lot.....the cheaper the better... right? kiam siap...lol..

and then...one day..

as boredom engulfs me i flicked through the channels as most guys would.. *click* News...boring..hmm, *click* news.. boring...*click* talk show boring.. *click* chicken? hey...Jamie Oliver...hey..ok..lets see what this dude's got to show..

the first thing he showed were little chicks separated into two cages, male chicks and female chicks...the male chicks are placed in a gas chamber (reminded me of the holocaust) they get all drowsy and faints then fed to animals in zoos...so ok...feel a lil bad right..see the chicks pengsan like that..

what about the female chicks? they are placed in small wired cages after 20 weeks which remains home for basically their life's purpose to produce eggs..as in any industry...productivity is everything..the most production with as little space..they are fed well, and on average produce an egg a day...its madness isnt it? and after a year..the quality of eggs deteriorates...these older hens are 'discarded' as pet food or processed food with newer hens taking their place...

a modern hen's home

effects after a year of confinement...the feathers starts falling off and would normally have problems moving about

thats how we get our 15eggs for $1.25 ...on the contrary we have to pay almost that amount for 6 eggs from free range chickens.. living in a much better place...somewhat like this..

ultimately, ..how far should people go to preserve the welfare of chickens whose fate is not any different...

as of now..15eggs for $1.25 still sounds about right to me.

FWD EMail.....lols

2008-01-24T07:44:00.000Z

Why Dr. Mahathir insists on using English for math and science. Because globally people use the language as information and/or technology language at this moment. How dangerous it is if we were to use these words in Bahasa, especially in schools. See example below.

hardware = barangkeras
software = baranglembut
joystick = batang gembira
plug and play = cucuk dan main
port = lubang
server = pelayan
client = pelanggan

Try to translate this:

ENGLISH :
"That server gives a plug and play service to the clients using either hardware or software joystick. The joystick goes into the port of the client."

BAHASA :
"Pelayan itu memberi pelanggannya layanan cucuk dan main dengan menggunakan batang gembira jenis keras atau lembut. Batang gembira itu dimasukkan ke dalam lubang pelanggan."

aiyo! 10 days to total bliss..

2008-01-23T19:56:00.000Z

so whats been up?.....seems like works been down....seriously work has been very crappy...its at an all time low...i fail to see out of this self inflicted deep hole...hrm...

speaking to my alter ego....he tells me "Positive thinking Esmond".... ...lols...

besides work, been watching one litre of tears....bit by bit...its real sad, yes i agree Bong. U were right after all..lol..so not to overload mental anguish im taking it one episode at a time...

found out there was a bowling alley in the industrial estate in Witham. wasnt too bad....at least right. ;)

hmm work life is boring atm...ill stop now.

see u soon mates! u lot have been a blessing :)

in retrospect...

2008-01-23T18:30:00.000Z

25th December 2007
Christmas was pleasant, spent with my extended family slightly up north. The hope, the weather forecast all led to my childlike anticipation of a white christmas... cold as it was, it just didnt want to snow....gutted to grumbles lol.. its another year to wait for me to delight (hopefully, fingers crossed) in a white Christmas.

...................................

31st December 2007
iTs New Year's Eve, to London i leave.

With nothing much happening in Witham, I packed a backpack with a drink, an apple and a jacket to London.. supposed to meet Sim and geng (Northerners..hehe..) who were in London for the New Year. woohoo...not bad not bad...killed the boredom in the hype of festivities...

early afternoon was spent in Westminster Abbey...brilliant architecture, deep in heritage, every corner having a story..love it..although graves are everywhere....from graves of royalty to graves of poetry.. okay that just sound wrong... :S ...i remember King Henry and Tennyson...owh and Charles Dickens too...cool...

but my time of celebrations was just about to start...soon after, met Sim..plans were to see the fireworks although i had no idea where it was to be held lol :P...

it was amazing...best ive seen.. enjoy =D

the official BBC video ..worth the time i reckon hehe...

Yeah..definitely something worth remembering.. =).. and the company? yeah they were a cool bunch ;)...
cheers!

Wow....its been awhile since i updated my blog

2007-12-17T22:13:00.000Z

Work has been hectic..got more stuff to do nowadays..but i guess having work is always good. going out on site for visual surveys are always fun as u get to travel a lil bit..i find travelling theraputic :) lol.. but its winter now and its COLD...another site visit tomorrow and its going to be 2C. Hmm..ok ive been through this so i should be used to it but no..ive not got used to the cold... OK, thats my ramblings for the day...

living alone eh uve got to channel ur ramblings to friends through your blog :)...ok now thats depressing...Alone MAN...haha..OKOK dun worry its not that bad...i am enjoying the kind of life im living now.

So weekend was filled with my usual saturday, break day (wash clothes, clean up house abit etc),watch footie and watch taiwanese series..not bad not bad..Romantic Princess recommend). Sunday church and shopping.

SHopping when Christmas is approaching is a treat. Go to each aisle and go wah.. :0 christmas pudding, wah..:0 2 for 1 pringles, wah cheap chocolates...wah :0 why all reduce, wah... so i though wah must buy must buy...so i bought a whole basketful of food. bread, apple pie, pringles, chocolates, biscuits... 20pounds of food for the week. :) im going to have an expected buldge soon.

Hehe..so what made my day was having my own fireplace..Wee!! was so excited when i got back, walking in the dark gloom of winter..eh why got light from my house... so i thought okok dun worry shouldbe alright. den when i entered the fireplace was lit..felt so happy.. thank GOd for such a lovely landlord and landlady.. to keep me warmer they lit the fireplace. woot! u both rock!

it looks brilliant in the dark but cant see la.. my christmas experience is almost becoming perfect...still banking on a white christmas which at this rate is highly likely. Yeah...its gonna be superb hehe..

Okay..thats something different from the monotony of working life..and im working this year its cool receiving christmas cards placed on my desk..woo..cool cool...haha..will post my collection soon.lol..

for KCH ppl, check this blog out,
http://hokkienlang.blogsome.com/2005/08/03/ki-si-lang-ah/
its superb...

going home brings a sense of patriotism

2007-12-06T03:32:00.000Z

troops, attention! *serious face*

by cash, cheque or credit card

2007-12-06T01:35:00.000Z

Please Contribute to the Esmond's going home FundWelcome Home Esmond!
Dear friends,

This is not an extract of a forwarded mail where u send it to ten people and i get $0.01 for each person you send it to. I wont. Sadly. =( *wails* So please dun copy and forward.

Im now 500quid poorer sobs..but nothing beats the anticipation on the flight back home. To any kind souls out there, all help will be greeted with smiles, cheers and possibly a hug. =D. If you want to see a young man cry of joy, donations to 100quid will get you just that. Lol..okok..

you can contact me at esmondchua0909@gmail.com for further details.

details on my trip back ..returning to the favourite rendezvous of friends

I would be going back to MSIA on the 2nd of February 2008 woot! woot! by Etihad Air. Reaching KLIA about 1350 on the 3rd. Hopefully getting a ticket back abt 3-ish to Kuching. At least i know who's waiting for me with open arms on Monday...her picture is below.. Aww,..isn't that a nice bowl of LAKSA.. adoring..
Yummy..

And still its tentative that ill be leaving mid day on the 9th.TBC

Ahh tahts all for now.

Take care y'all!

Checklist
Backpack
Laptop
DL movies, songs
Buy biskut
Find money (if only i had a secret stash of cash somewhere..still looking)

PS: This post has not been meant to offend. PLEASE do not send me an email of a grandmother story about ur life and yada yada about it. Once bitten twice shy. Thanks :)

God bless peeps.

ever so busy...

2007-12-02T20:03:00.000Z

i say i love God,
yet at times reading the Bible seems like a chore,
5 minutes of prayer and sometimes it feels i would say,
ok..Lord right after i've done this this and that i'd pray to you again.

im busy Lord,
give me 5 minutes, erm 10 minutes and ill read ur word..
10 minutes came, an hr came..2hrs came..
i felt too tired..a verse was all i could muster.

Actions speak louder than words,
Im sorry Lord, please change me,
Teach me to love u more and more each day.

Having felt a trickle of what i've done,
When man say I'm busy,
Oh, not now..maybe later,
It hurt, it made me wonder,
It made me understand the verse John 3:16 a little more,

the NIGHT OUT....the "uninterestingness" of the day after

2007-12-01T17:11:00.000Z

before arriving..imagining the scene:
meals first, a pint and loud music well through the nite..hrmm.lets see how things will turn out..

setting the real scene:
arrived at Colchester Playhouse at 6.30ish and half of those going were about to start their chirstmas dinner, most had down a pint...as time went on..the table was filled with empty glasses..and im only guilty of leaving one ;) and a small bottle..

so i had a tipsy night the night before...not an avid fan of beer, drinking in general, it seemed almost an adventure, an unlikely sigh holding a bottle of beer...wondering if i should get a glass, my mate, C said, "Drink from the bottle, thats the manly thing to do!"..aye and it was so..

here's the first drink for the day.

tick tock tick tock..the time ticked but it wasnt the easiest of drinks..frivolous as it may seem, its bitter after taste which lingered at the back of my tongue was evident on my face..lol...okok...maybe not to that extreme...it made me hungry, it made me order a chicken tikka masala.. hmm not bad...

second round of drinks for me was a pint of Magners Cider, courtesy of Mr. C...whose goal is to make me an alcoholic by the time i get to 3rd year Uni..
"Drink up Esmond, this will get you well through Uni without you realising it." Mr. C. with his evil grin...

haha..okok..wasnt like that at all..it was a cool nite hanging out with mates....in the end we were sitting down for the whole nite.. Magners was my choice of the two :) ..Next on the list of drinks to try would be Fosters.

Any obvious after effects..abit tired after but was able to last well into the night.. walked home without a hint of drunkenness..at least i thought so :D..

bedtime at XX.XXam

today was filled with simple yet essentials for living, washing of clothes, cooking, watching tv (Old Bond movie..so old i din even noe this movie existed)... 4.14pm..the gloom of the day sets in..owh well hoping SUmmer would come soon :P

anyways thats all for today..just a glimpse of my life in a little town, Witham
...loving life but missing friends.. ironic...lol..okie..

God bless peeps..

Christmas is coming! CNY is coming too!..thursday rambles..

2007-11-29T23:27:00.000Z

Woo..was just thinking about the holidays ill be getting next month for a week..spending Christmas with my uncle's cool family in attleborough .. woo woo! <:o).. Pay day is tomorrow...money money money..oo yeah!, having the night out in COlchester with mates from work..more woo woo! <:o)... Come February and I get to eat all the laksa, rendang, kari, kolo mee, bak kut teh, tu ka peng, gu bak mee, matahorn, ABC, Cincao, Chicken Rice, and my beloved mani cai..the list is endless and can get angpao...woo woo!<:o) ... 3's a charm. life is good again... YEahoo..my supervisor's visit went well..Thank you Lord :)..You rock! WOrk is usual, went to Lowestoft, Suffolk another new place..though did not see much of the place but yeah love moving about sometimes away from the office. Lemesee..i was browsing through my pictures and found it odd the pictures i've been taking in the past 2 weeks. there's a theme to it..astonishing.. :0 ..how can it be? is it a sign? okok..thats abit of lame-ism..lol anyhoo. each pictures was taken for a reason other then the theme.. so here goes.

Dun mind the mess on the table...im normally much neater =D ..these baloons are exercise balls when work gets abit dry and boredom starts creeping in

YogFruit Digestives are the loveliest biscuits for now..its new and its great. Try it if you get the chance. ^.^

This was just perfect...a clear night perfect for a full moon..

My soon to be fried eggs..hehe..3 eggs but in my defence they were SMALL EGGS! whats with this pic? As you can see, there are 2 small egg yolks and one larger one and they cost the same! boo hoo..I'll never buy eggs from Tesco ever again! Iceland wins my vote..lol

ahh i suppose you've got an idea what the theme of these pictures are...circles huh.. -_-..

a bored engineer to be says "symmetry is beautiful"..toodles..

God bless peeps..

Frosty...fading colours..

2007-11-21T19:52:00.000Z

The weather has just been close to disastrous, unpredictable, just plain uncool... lol..

Anyway thought i'd add some pics to my seemingly wordy turning blog..

I was just about on time for work but unique sights kept me away from work..afterall there are more to life then work haha..k k....ekks..jkjk..some pics taken on the 14th November

18 mins to work (17mins walk)..Just outside my coach house..frosty grass..so take pic....ahh and just by the house thats a New Zealand shed like thing (those in NZ i need ur help here ;))...for my landlord's grandchildren to play in..Jerry made it..so sweet huh..

16mins to work..just thought this was nice..the pond, the frost covered grass, the still slightly green bush...pretty!
10mins to work..but still abt 13 mins walk..k late di....i stumbled upon this frozen leaf...the perfect contrast among the frost covered grass..

ok..now im late and im cold.. -_-...a winter - like tree/bush..bare and lifeless...it just reminds me in life while facing seasons of winter 'cold, dry and lifeless' the seasons of spring 'perfect weather, scenic, bright' is bound to come by..looking forward to my season of spring.. :) ..

but...even in this, I've got to thank God for giving me a shot at a life i once thought was a dream.

ahh...closer and closer to work...guess what i saw!
lol...jkjk

be blessed peeps. come back soon ^.^

Thrown Back to Reality

2007-11-21T19:25:00.000Z

July - November
I've been on honeymoon for the past *count with fingers* ...August September October November ok.. 4 months...

There were simple things which added spice into my 4 months..a few which came right to my mind..
Went for Hillsongs London :) ...first time ..great
Sim and Ben came over..always wonderful when old friends drop by
Dad and sis came over...cool..went doing touristy stuff..life was slightly more happening then..

4 months on...Lecturer calls..
Dr. R : "Helo Esmond, I'm going to visit you on the 26th November, Monday. How is work? Have you been filling in the ICE 3005 form. I want to meet your supervisor too."

Omg..i din even know i was suppose to fill this form..its not a 3 page form ok..like 15 pages need to fill like essay...DIE!...no wonder i've been so free -_-.. Must have enough records if not my year in industry not valid....wah tension..will be ok or not?...tension...my work im doing relevant or not?..hmm..

...Met the ICE "Institution of Civil Engineers " Rep... I need my MEng to get chartered..hmm..so confirm I really need to do my Masters....What to do? Cant afford it here le....what can i do? who can i boo? lol..okok..no joke..serious...need to seek God's guidance..got to start thinking of what I want in life yet again..hmm..will what i plan now be right for the future..ultimately the decisions i make must be in God's plan. Lord, I need your wisdom.

BM sastera

2007-11-19T19:10:00.000Z

Can someone please tell me what the name of the guy in form 5 sastera is?..its really bugging me..i know its R...

the day as it is...drifting thoughts..

2007-11-14T21:45:00.001Z

hmm...the monotony of work can sure make a boy as dull as jack.

highlight of the day?
A 4-course meal..ok..it was a very very lazy 4 types of dish meal. :P.. so simple ppl will shoot me if i listed them down..

the world around me is getting colder, my heater is on 24/7, its not as cold as NZ or Russia but still its cold enough for me..its going to be a dreaded walk from work everyday soon..all 17minutes walk..and so my winter gear is coming out of the closet.. and one lonely scarf is finally going to make its debut ;)

..drifting thoughts...

the strings attached to life..
sometimes it feels life is like living a puppet's life..controlled by a puppeteer..yet not a person that controls but rather circumstances in life...strings from the past, pulling me back (regrets, decisions which affect the present, contemplating the what ifs)...strings from the future (worries on achieving career goals, lifestyle, where to go?, what can I do?, is life going to be the inevitable rat race?), pulling me forward...sometimes i do feel im being thorned to shreds.

Yet, while God's peace has always been there, metaphorically as the knife to cut this strings that bind me(sharpen and ready), letting go and cutting loose to live in the present is sometimes a struggle...

Being a child of God, a God of love, mercy and strength has given me an assurance that in our weakness, He'll not ditch us but shine through us for his glory. Poetic, sublime, Victorious.

A verse of assurance: Psalm 23: 4
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

ahh...thank you Lord =)

ok..i must seriously do something with my appraisal..tata..be blessed okie..

actions that tell a story...

2007-11-13T01:48:00.000Z

To be continued....

..dinner..

2007-11-12T20:35:00.000Z

for dinner ill be having... belacan!.. :) dun mock me! belacan aka prawn paste is as good as gold.. lol..thank God for planes and family...

owh yea friends too..din forget din forget *phew* lol..peace peeps :)

Dear Diary....

2007-11-12T19:58:00.000Z

very cliché..very feminine wakakaka....the chill of the night gets the brain all boozy and light headed.

10pm (flash back...semacam sastera tingkatan 5 can remember the name.. :S was his name Rempah?..k..doubt it )
Wrote 2 sentences for my upcoming appraisal..mood was gone...

10.15pm
Watched HOUSE - Season 4 ...its getting interesting. like a reality show. Got it diary..worth a watch.

11.10pm
Getting tired - Browse the internet for songs..facebook and blogs.

12.00am
Good Night..

7.30am
Rise and Shine Esmond...the snooze button was too tempting..zzz...

8.00am
Rise and Shine 2..moved in bed abit and went to shower

8.40am
Left for work..got out of the house..Woosh...should have check the weather forecast the night before..REGRET..shivered to work.

9.00am-5.00pm
The monotony of work..EXCITING! =D

...6.00pm....2°C...and ITS FOOTIE TIME....
The experience..Everywhere was numb, cant feel hands cant feel nose..lol..but yeah was cool to play at that temperature. the sakai-ness of first times lol...Another session next week? at 0°C? worth exploring that possibility...

8.00pm...dinner time...

a site cracked me up! lol ...slangs~

2007-11-07T23:35:00.000Z

i stumbled upon a website...a website of slangs... 10 is the lucky number for my blog, so here goes =+) ...

1. nice lambchops u got there = nice sideburns u got there.

2. you're like a lounge lizard= you're someone who is very lazy and unenergetic

3. love spuds = lychees = testicles...lol

4. AC/DC = bisexual..a classic

5. tally - ho! = goodbye

6. tickety -boo! = fine, alright

7. deek = a look/ a glance...ooo..this one can be controversial..

8. mugging up= studying up... mugging up for exams...

9. wicked = great/ cool..surprised its on the list? trust me u never know. lol

10. phat! = excellent/fashionable! Tell a girl "u look phat!" mati man.

okie...thats all folks...rather interesting ey..okie.. be blessed!

autumn is here...winter is near

2007-11-04T15:47:00.000Z

its that time of the year.....trees shed their leaves...its the season for leave pile jumping for kids as gentle giggles fill the air.

walking back home today..approaching the driveway into the 'estate' where i live..i found myself staring at a sight to behold...below are 3 pictures taken

the colour contrast is best in this pic =)

ahh...loving it..after a long day at the office =)

on to Guy Fawkes and the Bon Fire and Fireworks Display on Saturday.

Brief Background:
It all started in 1605 when Guy Fawkes was caught trying to blow up the House of Parliament, want to kill the King la.. in protest of negative treatment towards the Catholics. On the very night the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then November 5th was known as Bonfire Night.

In Witham though it was held yesterday.. should be because of school going children hehe...There was a life band, children rides and food! But the highlight was of course the Bonfire and the Fireworks.

On a cold day, the Bonfire was just very pleasant. Pics Below!!

Not clear but some guys setting up the fire

small

medium
Bonfire in its glory..lol..ahh nice and warm

Half an hr passed and the fireworks began. could not take the best pictures but 1 pic would do no harm. :)

and in this picture if u strain ur eyes towards the bottom right hand corner u could see bunny ears. thats another highlight of the night..they're everywhere..geared with glow in the dark wrist bands and blinking accesories. lol..

ahh...all in all it does have a romantic feel to it..perfect for a short romantic experience.. hehe..okie..signing out ..be blessed all my peng you :)

something struck me!

2007-11-04T13:21:00.000Z

i wanna be a SUPERSTAR!!..the glitz and glamour *bling bling*, flashy cars, humongous mansions, clicking cameras...woo! woo!...lol..

okok..serious back down to earth 'me' thinks life is worth more than that... =) okok..i admit boring abit. hehe..

today's sharing in church struck me today, its from the passage of 2 Peter 1: 3-11

towards a godly life..

The verse that really stood out to me was from verse 5-7
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

earlier,
2 Peter 1: 2 says:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord

By faith, the promise of grace and peace is given.

With these gifts, we are to add goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection and finally love.

hmm...what i come to understand is in living a godly life, to add these characters of strength into our lives require peace and grace that can only be received by faith.

a tough act to follow:
Knowledge of being Christ like and the self control to practice it n persevere in practicing it..hmm..only by God's strengh..

the love hate relationship

2007-10-31T21:30:00.000Z

ok..nothing mushy, nothing controversial :P

my top 10 difference (likes/ dislikes..whatever you call it) about what life is in Kuching/ Malaysia and the UK

1. In Malaysia, I live to eat
In the UK, I eat to live

2. In Malaysia, I use 4 wheels to get around
In the UK, i use my Bus 11.

3. In Malaysia, when directions tell you its a 5 minutes walk..it is a 5 minutes walk
In the UK, when directions tell you its a 5 minutes walk, well..its hard to say how long it'll take

4. In Malaysia, rm2 will get me a bowl of Kolo Mee
In the UK, £2 will get me enough meat for the week

5. In Malysia, i will manage to get a reply when i ask "What thing?"
In the UK, i will get "Huh? Whats that?"

6. In Malaysia, the la's, ma's and lo's is like the most 'English' word you will hear
In the UK, hearing it is like listening to an old friend

7. In Malaysia, having ducks in a public pond will get you roast duck at the nearest kopitiam
In the UK, ducks will breed in the pond

8. In Malaysia, thrash is thrash
In the UK, recycle or you'll be fine.

9. In Malaysia, I can't live without the aircon
In the UK, I can't live without the heater

10. In Malaysia, a painting of unclothed beings in public will be the next National Debate
In the UK, its a piece of art.

So, there you have it. Its neither good nor bad...just different ;)
okie...signing out...
god bless peeps!

Christianity imbedded in Culture..

2007-10-30T20:38:00.000Z

on sunday evening, Jerry (landlord) invited me to join him to go for a concert. my landlady, Anne was part of the concert.

Now what do you think happen? I did not know what to expect. of course i wasnt expecting hard rock..i mean obviously but still i was curious what to expect. he did not want to tell me either!

so we head off to a village, Coggeshall. Another place for the well to do's!! ...its another really peaceful village.

it was held in another church, St Peter ad Vincula, as most church deep in history. it looks really good.
short history: this glorious church was built by wealthy wool merchants during the thriving wool industry in East Anglia (thats where im at) in the first quarter of the 15th century. It is one of the very few churches in the country dedicated to St. Peter ad Vincula (St. Peter in chains). It is reputed to be one of the very best specimens in the County of the Perpendicular period.

impressive as it is, it isnt the warmest of places..high ceilings mar....lol..ok..so back to the concert..there were three distinct teams in this concert. You have the choral group, or better known as the choir, a philharmonic orchestra, and the four soloist for the four voices (bass, tenor, alto and the soprano).

Two pieces were performed. Both were by Beethoven, The Mass in C and Christ on the Mount of Olives

Ok, im sure you all follow me so far.. we had lyrics to follow too..the concert began as the conductor swung his hands and a strong chorus was sung. i tried to follow..like most of you would if you had lyrics ud look to follow the words... ignorantly i asked "where are we? where are we?" to Jerry. only then he told me The Mass in C would be in Latin and the Mount of Olives in German.

as there were certain headings in German, Jerry and I always tried guessing which section we were on.....we had to look out for words like Kyrie, Credo (Latin, ..i think) and Jehova, du mien Vater (..quite possibly German). lol...

albeit that, it was brilliant. i enjoyed it! the soloist will sing their recitativo notably and were replied by an equally impressive chorus by the choir...

the sanctuary

the choir

another one of those experiences to store in my little box of cherished UK memories. =) =)

what say u?

2007-10-30T19:15:00.000Z

u might be wondering what is up with this dodgy picture. well i thought its cool ba..lol..ok spare u that dire thought of going through this lil eye exercise. =)..

well i thought this picture was unique kerana:
1. photo is an integration of the reflection and the 'non' reflection..ok..i forgot what to call it so its 'non' reflection
2. the brick looks like it fades off to the sky.
3. the tree is just that perfectly 'shady' tone
4. the red Railings look right in place (not clashing)
5. the colours, exquisite...lol
6. it is radiating yet serene..haha..

taking time off engineering.. and you come up with a list to describe a pic..time well spent!

haha.. ok so what do u guys thinK? cool or uncool?

O my Lord, make this song really really real to me!

2007-10-30T18:08:00.001Z

living in reality, desperate for that breakthrough with God that will set me free..let me really dwell in You Lord.

In Your Freedom

Hillsong United

Compositor: Marty Sampson, Raymond Badham

I search for You God of strength
I bow to You In my brokenness
And no other king could have so humbly come
To save my soul and heal my heart

PreChorus:
I have nothing more
Than all You offer me
There is nothing else
That’s of worth to me

Chorus:
And i love You Lord You rescued me
You are all that i want You’re all i need

Bridge 1:
I pray to You God of peace
I rest in You My cares released

Bridge 2:

In Your freedom I will live,
In Your freedom I will live
I offer devotion, I offer devotion

same ol~ same ol~ ...random thought

2007-10-28T09:41:00.000Z

just pondering... (ok dun get me wrong..im not a dreamer who sits in front of the com all day long =P)

anyway thats besides this 2 minute post.

I was having ham and toast for breakfast today. munching down my 'premier' quality ham with bread i thought..hmm how much have I changed since form5?

physically: my weight have fluctuated within a band of 15kg..yes thats true..maybe is my fluctuating metabolism rate...maybe the food exposure within that period.. owh GOSH im going to have elastic skin..hope not. losing fat on my cheeks thats good.. height..hmm about the same. face looks older! chey...matured ba ;) ..okok..jkjk..

new skills: learnt to cook, learnt to drive (ive crashed my car and proud of it!) lol..okok..had crash courses on the fairer sex..*ahem* learn footie =) and learning to be a happier go lucky dude, cant be so intense man!

toodles~

as the weekend looms =) & My little adventure Post 2

2007-10-26T20:58:00.000+01:00

have the feel of the atmosphere around me,

moving to the tunes of random songs on Deezer (ill never do this in the company of people =P),
dimmed lights, leaning against my convection heater, having my duvet (blanket) by me, winding down after a long week.

it has been a typical working week for me. Getting surprises from my boss, lol (new task each week). Getting my weekly exercise again, footie and badminton and my sister went back (too bad =( ).

A doze of fairy tale filled my week. Ratatouille and Stardust contributed to it. To avoid spoilers if any, ill just say both were very nice to watch with someone special. Personal favourite was stardust because its more 'jiwang' haha..and it was more majestic. u'll just have the happy, 'cloudy' feeling..where the 'aahs' and 'uuhs' comes at the end.

So today these are the pics.

Like all tourist, you've got to visit the Tower Bridge, more confusedly known as London Bridge due to our Nursery Rhyme, London Bridge is falling down, falling down, fall... Remember those times? ahh..when life was simpler..the most complicated thing was probably hopscotch. . Ok..after a brief trip down memory lane, lets get back to the present and live in the moment.

Tower bridge opening,..a rare sight. hehe.
the all too famous Harrods, where you can get anything posh,

its very pretty inside, especially the Christmas Section (bells, angels, christmas tree decos, christmas bears) makes it appear somewhat enchanting.

while dad was here we went out for dinner in an English Restaurant with dad's ex colleague. i like to eat...lol..so i ordered a main course, a steak and a dessert. the steak was pretty good in taste, size and presentation, then came the dessert. look below:

First impression could have been a) you've got to be kidding me b) wow, nice, such art. As im a fan of laksa, that should give you a clue. haha.. nah..it was lovely although the portion was small. i guess i got my share of fine dining in London.

3 for today folks. as always, be blessed =)

okok...chat clarification.

2007-10-26T20:02:00.000+01:00

think i messed up the chat a little bit. so scared ppl think im a bit cheeko n call girl babe i repharse.

James: Im still in WItham, still working. Enjoying it. Learn loads. Not much Civil stuff though i admit. More communication and report writing stuff..good though =) hope u are good there.

Rac: Ok, thanks rac. =) .. hee.. =)...hee...*blush* lol

and the possible misunderstanding, to BRYAN!

Bryan: U got blog too babe. hehe..

just a lil 'wu liao' stuff to liven up my blog..be blessed peeps!

recent recreation

2007-10-24T00:32:00.001+01:00

sports: football - still learning la k. still miss kick at times but its ok. weekly exercise

movies: ratatouille (recommended) , star dust (halfway - also recommended)

blogging, enjoying sis company =)

the meaning of Love..

2007-10-23T22:59:00.000+01:00

i remember reading about the different kinds of love in the Bible, so I thought hey! lets see what the world wide web will be able to show. so i googled "Biblical Love".

a whole long list came up, but one stood out.
Love Defined (by the Bible)

The Greek language uses two different words to describe and define love. The most commonly used Greek word translated "love" in the New Testament is "agape." This love is represented by God's love for us. It is a non-partial, sacrificial love probably best exemplified by God's provision for our rebellion:

"For God so loved (agape) the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. "(John 3:16)

In contrast, our love is usually conditional and based upon how other people behave toward us. This kind of love is based upon familiarity and direct interaction. The Greek word "phileo" defines this kind of love often translated "brotherly love." Phileo is a soulish (connected through our emotions) kind of love - something that can be experienced by both believers and non-believers. This is in contrast to agape, which is love extended through the spirit. Agape love requires a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, since the non-regenerated soul is unable to love unconditionally. Agape love gives and sacrifices expecting nothing back in return.

extracts from http://www.godandscience.org/love/biblicallove.html

Just a short post on God's love.

Visit http://www.godandscience.org/ for a good read.

God bless!

Shere! the most beautiful village England!

2007-10-22T22:07:00.000+01:00

On Sunday, me and my sis headed off to visit my cousin Jennie, Jake and Mel. We had the privilege to go to Shere, a pretty cosy village in Surrey. Its a "posh" little place too. Its just very serene. Loved it!

Its famous of being in movies, one of the famous of them "Bridget Jone's Diary". Apparently the wedding in the movie was filmed at the St James Church there. And of course being a typical curious Asian boy, I muttered "erm..can we go down and take a photo?"
it looks a nice little church, agreed? ( thats me, Jennie and sis in the pic)
another angle of the church
thats Mildred, Jennie and Jake's pet chicken. One of the most well fed chicken I've seen. Mildred was approaching me expecting food. A unique chicken who eats almost anything lol.. i was amazed! :0 ....but im not elaborating here

and the highlight of the trip was curry and pak choy for dinner, dumplings, kaya bun.yum. hehe..getting spoilt away from home too..heee!! regret no pics =( too appetizing mar..

thanks Jake, Jennie and Mel for making it an enjoyable nite.

i never profess to be Holy!

2007-10-22T21:43:00.001+01:00

yet far from it.

Being exposed to the Christian faith ever since i started saying "gaga", i feel blessed! but yes being born in a Christian home wouldn't make me a Christian. It just helped me in my early stages of my Christian growth. after which, it depends on our personal relationship with God which sometimes goes rocky, to me personally. Not exactly great. Slacking, a common word.. To learn to live in total surrender in Christ, thats what I pray He will teach me.

Yeah, I believe I will!

i cant believe when i came back i wanted to blog!

2007-10-22T21:10:00.000+01:00

hellos to u guys for dropping by. *waves*

i have to confess to have been an anti blogging kind of person! not anti bloggers, just not my thing! but after enough persuasion and blog browsing den *ponders* *wonders* *hmm*...wala! i started blogging. its like a ripen fruit ready to be eaten. ok. its not the best metaphor but you get the point.

blogging grows on you man! i wonder how long this will last. lol. it depends on how much i can share ;) anyways keep coming and ill keep posting. hehe.

go blog too Bong! :P U'll see what i mean haha...

Confidence in my cornerstone.

2007-10-20T22:53:00.000+01:00

Romans 8: 38-39

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't and the demon can't. Our fears for today, our worries for tomorrow, and even the power of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above in the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Inspirational. My failings to live up to his perfection has been taken care of. My worries I lift up to him. I want to get to know Him more. deeper and deeper in Him.

Be blessed. =)

A little London Experience Part 1

2007-10-20T08:45:00.000+01:00

London is just an amazing place to visit. Not exactly the ideal place to live at but certainly offers almost anything you want. Its deep history will make many of us "Malaysians" just as I to be in awe. A touch of royalty and sovereignty can be seen in many tourist attractions. although dark secrets are evident in many of them. And the unique markets, wow and the cathedrals?... Okok. More pics and less talk might do some good.

Brief overview: My Dad and sister came all the way to visit me so we toured London for a bit.

St. Paul Cathedral's famous Dome (me with sister, Erica)

At the Tower of London with my beloved Dad! =) the central Tower (the White Tower)

Kensington Palace (a magnificient building in its own right), on the inside. but of course no pics from the inside.

Yup thats the few places for now. More to come!.. May God bless. Till next time.

Welcome!

2007-10-20T08:31:00.000+01:00

Opps it should be the first post. Just want to welcome whoever took the time to actually visit my blog. This blog will be mostly about the 'happenings' in my life, random thoughts, how I have been blessed and hopefully to encourage people about God's love, for us all imperfect creations. We are born in his own image after all, unique in our own right.

PLEASE NOTE: Nothing in this blog is meant to offend anyone. Please forgive me for any WORDS, PHRASES, EXPRESSIONS, PICTURES that you find offensive.

In a little town, Witham

2007-10-20T07:16:00.000+01:00

I'm now working as an industrial placement student in Faber Maunsell. To those who do not know me that well, I am taking a BEng in Civil Engineering at the University of Plymouth.

Coming back to the UK for a stint in working life was exciting, you have to be. Being able to learn from people right out there in the industry, doing transportation and roadworks all over the UK, wow am I blessed.

My journey into my new world here did not go as smooth as I'd like it too. I found a place to rent before heading back to Malaysia. First impression was good. A decent double bedroom. TO my horror, the shower was not what i thought it to be. You had to literally squat for hot water. Not exactly the best thing when you are trying to settle down in a new place. Matters did not stop there. my landlady started changing moods, shouting and picking at little things. Every little noise would wind her up. U had to tip toe to get to the bathroom in the morning to avoid her fury! I had to move out!

Do you believe in the grace of God? Owh ok, let me add the church i currently attend. It is called the United Reformed Church Witham (will elaborate further). I went around looking for a room. I also ask if my colleagues and a few uncles from church if they knew any rooms available. A few days later, one of the uncles' called me and told me someone was just about to put a room up for rent at the local estate agent. By God's ever flowing blessing i got the chance to see the place first. It looked beyond what i expected. Take a look! i get the whole 1st floor to myself. Im blessed! The blessings don't just end there. Its the people there that really made the difference. God led me to such a nice couple and they are dedicated Christians too. Owh, how could i ever thank God. (Appreciation which is 2 months late) hehe..

My Crib

My working life is quite what i expected though. Just learning designs and just how the whole industry works. What i find unique is I am able to get involve in all aspects of Engineering work! Its great.

my work station, huge table, huge working space

So thats the two unique place that I spend most of my time at. 1 provides me a nice place to chill. 1 pays the bills (not taking the experience i get k).