But I can't do so now because I have 2 controls tomorrow.

And one "Моя Семья" to write.

Why-lar Russian teacher so evil?

And I'm having a badass headache too. :(:(:(:(

The moment my eyes landed on the 2-1 on my iCal icon this morning, inner Margie was a lot like...

"What the?? Two months plus in Russia already??"

Then, I thought again.

Day 1 - "Yes, yes, I'll take pictures of Kursk" - partly done.

Day 2 - "Yes, yes, I'll blog about my life here" - errr, yeah, err...

Day ? - "Yes, yes, I 'll take pictures of my room??" - there's nothing to compliment, but okay, fine, I'll do it today!

This post is very much overdue. And because I am lazy, will be mostly pictures.



See this door. That's not mine. That's my neighbour.



And this is mine (and my roommate's). Room number 308a! :)



*Creaks* - no kidding, it does. =.=



This is my roommate's. Since she is a fifth year, you can see that she is already equipped with necessary electrics such as the kettle, iron, lamp, fan and MOST importantly, the rice cooker.

**(Special note)** Somehow, she and I share a lot of things in common, we both are left handed, uses Mac, have the same type of comb and the hanging Ikea thingie. XD



And this is my humble corner. A little messy at the moment (more like every time) but I am happy with the condition. Because my luggage bag is too big, and I couldn't put it below my bed, I've propped it up to be my bedside table. Very creative? I know, thank you. Most of the time I do my home tasks and studying here too because internet is too big of a distraction.

My bed sheet is yellow and covered with tigers.... if you see the choices I had, you would pick this too. Besides, it matches my blanket. :)

The rice cooker on top of my shelf does not belong to me, I've simply borrowed it from a good friend of mine. :) So is the bear on my bed. But I shall return it to the rightful owner when mine comes, okay? >.<



See, I told you we share the same Ikea thingie. I've also bought a 5 gallon (?) bottle so that I don't need to go to Eropa every week. XD This can last me for some time. Quite neat right, my bed?? On a random note, my blanket is really comfortable. XDXD



Of course, not forgetting is my "beautiful" time table. This is pinned on the notice board I bought from Metro.

Classes from Monday till Friday. (B-Biology, P-Physics, C-Chemistry, M-Math, R-Russian)



This mirror is directly on the left hand side of where I sit. Therefore, when I have the sudden urge to look at myself, I just have to turn my neck. HAHAHAHA.

**(Family:)** I DIDN'T GET FATTER RIGHT???



Signing off with a cam-whore picture,
and missing everyone in Malaysia, and those continents apart,
Margie. <3

P/s: See, due to change of weather, I had breakouts and am still recovering from them.

Someday, I swear, I will end up diabetic.

I can't help it that every time I stop myself from obsessing over a certain type of sweet, I get attracted to another. It is like I'm a butterfly, and the wonderful aroma of flowers keep seducing me to suck its nectar.

Yeah, it is so bad that each time I'm studying, I'll have a type of snack held securely in my hand.

And to think that I have tests almost everyday...

You do the math.

It does not help either that in Kursk, the prices for chocolates and sweets are wonderfully cheap.

It started with a beautiful looking dessert. Then it blossomed into honey flakes, yoghurt, ice cream and now chocolate marshmellows?? I'm sure cakes will come next.

To make matter worse too, I don't think this obsession will stop anytime soon.

I'm even too afraid too count the amount of sugar I've consumed, let alone the calories.

It burns a large black hole in my pocket but obviously, I'm not hitting the brakes just yet.

I'll rather eat desserts than a full course meal.

Why can't I live in a house made of sweets? Like the one in Hansel and Gratel?

I need a bite.

I have a Biology Test tomorrow.

My brain is sending signals for me to reach the damned sheets of notes. BUT, obviously, my limbs are not in sync. 

Just. GO. Study.

BEGONE, PROCRASTINATION!!!!

O.O
margie~

 This ain't a lie.

I write and act with a reserved mind most of the time. It isn't that I'm trying to be considerate, it is just the way I am. Every word I breathe life into, I have to think about the consequences. There is always the constant "What if" at the back of my mind. It makes me a neutral person most of the time.  Or at least, it makes people think that I'm always on the fence.

Being too afraid to offend people has its plus and negative points.

For one, you risk not getting "shot" at. On the other, people think you do not have a mind of your own.

It is okay if the boat sails with the wind. But sometimes, it does hurt your ego when people look at you as though you are stupid. Especially, when you are acting in a false manner to be considerate. For them, no less. 

You feel like a flat tyre, too worn out to function. You start to question if everything is worth it.

Sometimes, it does. Sometimes, it doesn't. This would be my normal response.

But since this is a truthful truth, it isn't worth it. 

You're bound to know that I am right.

I'm happy and safe in this foreign land. 

Yes, I do miss family and friends. But it is bearable.

I still remember my purpose here. And I'm still not losing focus.

I've met many nice people here and it is with them that I'm not homesick.

It is a simple life. But a life that I'm quite happy living. 

After a topic, there is a test. So, I have tests every other day. Below 70% is a fail, which will be marked as two, 70%-79% is a three. 80%-89% is a four, and 90% and above is a five. The key is to pass every class, if not, you have to repeat the tests until you pass. So far I had 3 Russian tests, 4 Biology tests, 2 Physics tests and 1 Math test. In a little more than 2 week of classes.

It is still pretty simple now, so I'm doing fine.

I've tried Vodka, had Martini shots and downed a bottle of beer in one go. And I might be having Vodka again tonight.

But, I know my limits. 

I eat chocolates almost every day. I think I gained weight. The snacks here are delicious and cheap.

Eating out is expensive, and I cook with my friends every night now. So we do experiments. So far, they are edible. They tasted good too.

My roommate is very nice and she let me use her microwave, fridge, hangers, iron, kettle, filter. Therefore, I didn't buy a lot of things when I came.

I still dislike washing clothes. Wish I have a washing machine of my own.

And now, I have to wash clothes.

Toodles. :)

It dawns on me.

I'm finally leaving.

The pursue to my future is beginning, the clock is ticking, the ball is rolling.

In less than four day's time, I'll be in a foreign land. A different continent. A different place. A different weather. A different language.

People keep asking me, "How are you feeling?", "Are you excited?"

I'm ecstatic. Yet I have a lingering fear at the back of my mind. 

I can't make up my mind. 

I'm leaving Malaysia, a place I call Home. I'm leaving my comfort zone. There will be roti canai no more. There will be Char Kuey Teow no more. I have to cook my meals, manage my own time and finance. I have to make new friends, learn a new language. There will not be anyone waking me up from my deep dead slumber (not easy kay, I sleep like a log). No more family dinners, late night movies, suppers at ungodly hours. I am going to miss everyone.

And most of all, there will be no one there to stop me if I attempt something stupid.

I have much faith in myself and God, but who knows right, the line between good and evil is a cell thin. Anything can happen. 

I'm trying to prepare myself for a new life. So far, everything is going well. Except...

I still can't wake up myself.

I rely to much on my mum. Dang.

LOL.

Just got my hair ironed yesterday. And now, it's sleek and silky.

And sticking to my face like second skin. :(

But,

The Vietnam guy, me, Adila and Addie. (thanks guys, for being there!)

Truly an event of a lifetime.

I really enjoyed myself, I must say. In one afternoon, for approximately four hours, I spent my day in the Royal Ballroom of the Palace of the Golden Horses.

22nd of August 2009 will be marked in my soul. Forever.

Every journey has its first step, and on that day, I took mine. Never in my life, I had met so many people of different colour. The diversity of culture is overwhelming, so powerful it makes me want to know more about people; about the world.

It is not because I'm "traveling" the world that I'm happy about. It is the harmony in the room that I'm amazed about. I could see everyone in the organisation put in a lot of effort and sweat in making this event a success. I'm not an AIESEC-er, so I don't really know what they did. But what they did portray to the public was more than satisfactory.

More than 600 delegates of 107 countries and regions of AIESEC attended the event. And that is excluding the public (and the AIESEC-ers in Malaysia, I think).  Each country was given a booth and they were alined in a zig zag manner so that we could round the area more comfortably.

To broadcast their unique aspects, many of them wore traditional clothes and had a variety of food and ornaments on the tables. Most of them are very creative like Vietnam - had some of their straw hats prepared for photography, Hong Kong and Canada gave out small pins, Greek - with their unique head wear, Japan - a free calligraphy experience and a lot more.

That day coincided with the first day of the fasting month for Muslims too, so some of my friends didn't get to try the food. The were great, by the way. One of the more memorable events which happened was that I tasted a type of bread spread from New Zealand and it didn't really go well with my taste buds. No offense intended.

Photography was allowed and I wasted no time taking pictures with some of them. Everyone was very warm, and some were willing enough to do poses with us! I really had fun with them. I have to admit, I was biased. I briefly looked through Malaysia's section only. I did spot a canai on the table, though.

Of course, not everything is bright and shiny. There were times when I felt too claustrophobic and seriously wished for bigger space. The PA system was also not loud enough that I had to strain my ears to know what's going on. And the stage was also a little too small.... but other than that, everything was good.

I got home with priceless souvenirs and an even more priceless memory. :)

You may find more information and photos from facebook too. The link is here.

Well done, AIESEC-ers (is that what you call yourselves?)

Because, Marcus is just so cute, it has to be the main picture.

For all that's being said and done, my family and I finally took the liberty to empty our schedule for the weekend and took a quick drive to my homeland, Penang.

I have to say though, the experience was not fulfilling, although I did have some great moments. Mainly, it is because we have simply defied our reason being there. My sister is back from the United States, she has been back for almost a month now. And I will be leaving to Russia very soon. It is only natural that my grandparents and my other relatives would want to spend more time with us. The end result? Neither of us, not even my mother as well had a proper conversation with all of them. 

Let us all start from the beginning. Although the trip was pretty much planned earlier, we still had to see if the company is "free enough" for us to leave. My dad, having agreed that he would drive us there this time, instead of them coming down or us going back by bus, didn't give us the confirmation until the day itself. Even the day before, when I had asked him whether we would be going back, he had simply answered me with "I don't know". Oh, yes, anxiety does kills...

So, on that Saturday evening, at approximately six , we left for Penang. My two other younger cousins came too, and my younger sister had to sit at the back seat of my dad's Naza Ria with them. Too bad for her. At least, I remembered to bring some pillows for extra comfort. 

One of the better things that happened is that my dad insisted that I drive, say that it is good practice and all that. With his guidance, I took the wheel and had 6 lives in my hand. Of course, everything ended well, since I'm here writing this post. :) And I didn't get to drive when the sky got darker too, since he said I might not be able to handle the highway and the nasty curves on the way. 

We took a pit stop at one of the resting areas. I can't remember the area much except that they have many fruit stalls and a not-so-bad food court.  And they hang gigantic FAKE mangoes on the sidewalks. They looked blardy real, for heaven's sake! Still, the other fruits are real and edible and not plastic so we bought some.  After some tea and a lil freshen up, we continued on the journey. We reached around 10 something and got directions to my uncle's place. Kiu2 was out with Kiu Niong and Nicole and only my grandparents, Megan, Ayuun ee, Uncle Darren and Marcus were around. And the maid too, but that's not important.

My parents had a discussion with them about where we were staying. And after all the talk, we decided to stay in Ayuun ee's place. Apparently, my mum said my grandma was not pleased. Then, we left the place and proceeded to our next agenda. MAKAN.

Since I'm not good with the areas, can't really recommend any names. We ate a lot, went to three places and had assorted food. Food such as assam laksa, char kuey teow, chee cheong fun, wantan mee, bubble tea were needless to say swept clean on the first round itself. Unfortunately, I was too tired and sleepy, and full from the 1st round to enjoy the rest of the evening. So I was left out from lok-lok and grilled fish later on. 

We wanted to take a ferry ride too, but due to traffic, we have to forgo that idea. Then, we departed to Gurney Drive where Ayuun ee stays. They have an apartment with a beautiful view of the sea. And from there, we get to see Jackie Chan's and Andy Lau's condo. Although, I don't know how true that is. 

Next morning came, and after everyone took turns showering, we took off for breakfast. We met up with my other relatives (grandparents included) at one of the kopitiams that's famous for curry mee. Unfortunately for me, I dislike curry mee to the core. So I only had toasted bread and half boiled eggs. Not too bad actually.

After that, we left to Queensbay Mall for shopping. Spent a few hours there and got a few socks and a head gear from Soxworld! Funny, but I don't seem to remember much about the mall. I guess nothing major happened there. Except that my dad insisted to buy a jacket for Jeremy and took him to every shop possible to get one. Of course, luck was on his side, and we left the mall with a nice hoodie from Guess. 

We went to a nearby food court for lunch afterwards. Though they had a great variety, they weren't fantastic. It was below expectation. But we ordered quite a lot, and shared with each other. It was three o'clock when we were done with lunch and after some persuasion, we stopped by Kiu2's place before heading back. Kiu Niong recommended me some books, and I think I'll go search for them. They sound good, totally my type.

So, while my dad was napping, my cousin put on Camp Rock and  all of us ended up on my uncle's bed watching tv, And I have to say, it's actually better than High School Musical. That's what I think anyway.

It was nearly six thirty when we started packing our things into the car and we bid our goodbyes. And we had to stop at every rest spots because my dad ended up with severe diarrheoa. In the end, we reached Puchong at 11 something. And my dad vowed never to eat those nonsense food again. Can't blame him, he went to the toilet for at least 15 times that night. Kinda scary, right? He didn't even want to see the doctor. 

So, that was the end of the trip. No grandmother's cooking, no gambling, no resting. Too short of a period to call a holiday, eh?

Bored. Took a personality test found in Adila's blog.

Do try out. The link is here. I think it's pretty accurate. :)

Your view on yourself:

Other people find you very interesting, but you are really hiding your true self. Your friends love you because you are a good listener. They'll probably still love you if you learn to be yourself with them.

The type of girlfriend/boyfriend you are looking for:

You like serious, smart and determined people. You don't judge a book by its cover, so good-looking people aren't necessarily your style. This makes you an attractive person in many people's eyes.

Your readiness to commit to a relationship:

You prefer to get to know a person very well before deciding whether you will commit to the relationship.

The seriousness of your love:

Your have very sensible tactics when approaching the opposite sex. In many ways people find your straightforwardness attractive, so you will find yourself with plenty of dates.

Your views on education

Education is very important in life. You want to study hard and learn as much as you can.

The right job for you:

You're a practical person and will choose a secure job with a steady income. Knowing what you like to do is important. Find a regular job doing just that and you'll be set for life.

How do you view success:

You are confident that you will be successful in your chosen career and nothing will stop you from trying.

What are you most afraid of:

You are concerned about your image and the way others see you. This means that you try very hard to be accepted by other people. It's time for you to believe in who you are, not what you wear.

Who is your true self:

You are mature, reasonable, honest and give good advice. People ask for your comments on all sorts of different issues. Sometimes you might find yourself in a dilemma when trapped with a problem, which your heart rather than your head needs to solve.

 I like Chocolate.

My elder sister like Vanilla.

My younger sister like Strawberry.

Put them all together.......

BANANA SPLIT!!!!!!!!

Hahahahahahahhahaa.

 Hoho.

The dark ages has passed. Finally.

The INTERNET CONNECTION at home is working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hallelujah, all praises to the Lord.

And to Mr. TMnet too. Whatever your name is, today you saved a household. :):):):):):):)

I saw a man who caught my interest. 

I was in the car, in the passenger's seat, my mum's the one who was steering the wheel. We were on our way home, after office hours, turning into the market area when I spotted a well dressed man. He wore nicely, clean and tidy with a pair of sunglasses perched at the bridge of his nose. An indian man, I presumed, taking in his dark coloured skin and tall build. He is a middle aged man who walked with an air of confidence and I can't help noting some similarities with a certain someone.

Then, my mum spoke beside me. "He's crazy" she said in casual hokkien. Both my eyebrows rose in surprise, taking in the new information.

"How do you know? He looks pretty normal to me" 

"He's known here. He was a famous singer, in the pubs, before he became crazy. He wore multiple jackets once too. On a hot day, no less."

I kept quiet, silently contemplating the words in my head. A random thought crossed my mind.

We always tell people, though not seriously, "You're crazy", "You're lame", "You're dumb".

But when I actually met the real deal, it felt... strange. I couldn't phantom to acknowledge him as "insane". Somehow, we had used these phrases so casually, we had taken them for granted. Although I do not see these challenged individuals differently, the words that we use do imply that we look down on them. These phases have negative motives lacing them.

I didn't realise this before, until now. I can't decide whether I should be disgusted or amused. I think I'm both.

It is astounding how time can just fly pass like the wind. Before I knew it, it has already been a week since my birthday. One week is not a short amount of days, but everything seems to just zap by me in a blur of colours.

So I was on my way home after dinner, thinking about last week. And I conclude that this year's birthday is the most memorable birthday I had in my *** years of life. Not that the other years were bad, although there were some bitter moments in between, but this year was specially memorable for me. 

This is one of the rare years papa actually remembered to wish me "Happy Birthday" without me or anyone else reminding him to. That by itself is a bonus, a pleasant surprise. :) It felt good, yes.

He came over at night, about half an hour before twelve, asking if I want to go somewhere for supper. In the end, I chose the comfort of our home over Coffee Beans and watched TV together while snacking on McDonald's. Fattening right? I thought so too, but I decided to treat myself on my special day (not that I don't treat myself on other days, hehehe). Then, I went to bed with a full stomach.

I woke up early, because it was also my ex-high school's St. John Gathering. And I was in the committee, in charge of games. A wave of surprise gripped me when a cake rolled out in a trolly at the end of the event as they sang "Happy Birthday" together while someone passed me a bright red and glittery top hat. It is a good present, I have no idea how they know I like head gears... either it was a wild guess or someone tipped them off, I'm not sure. 

Went home, and after a short nap, which I begrudgingly woke up to, I had to prepare for our Rite of Send-Off.  Some of my group mates remembered my birthday and wished me when I reached CDM, which I really am grateful for. During the mass, I actually cried. I have no idea whether it is more the fact that I'm in church on my birthday or I'm just glad that God me gave me this day. Hands down, it was the greatest present a person can get. After the sunset mass, there was a fellowship gathering organised by the facilitators in which my family and I had to regretfully (and rudely, I might add) leave early. And the group of RCIA actually sang "Happy Birthday" before I left. How thoughtful, right? I'll always remember them. :)

For a person who hardly celebrates her birthday with crowds (my birthday had always fall on a holiday when I was in school, or an exam date when I was in college), this year I got TWO sets of crowd singing me the birthday song! Needless to say, I was overjoyed. 

Not forgetting are my birthday wishes, birthday calls, facebook comments, smses, presents, cash and random outings. They are all dear to me, and shall be locked up deeply in my heart, mind and soul.

Thanks, for I'll never thank you enough. :)

I feel blessed. And God bless all of you.

Reading mami-san's fictions.

Won't be online until God knows when.

There's no purpose in this post.

Haha. I think I'm going insane.

Schuldig is prolly toying my head. haha. 

Yeah, I'm crazy.

Imagine, that you are a parent. 

You have three wonderful kids growing up beautifully. You nourish them with all the love and care a parent could give to a child.

You go to work, because that's how living is. You thought about your kids as the clock strikes six, going to a shop nearby to buy their favourite food.

Happily, you come home.

The first thing you notice is that your home is destroyed and your kids... are all.... gone.

How would you feel?

I was not at the scene, but my mum told me, how it happened. 

There were a few twigs and two drops of droppings on the normally clean floor. A pot plant was mutilated. The nest was tilted.

My mum knew something was wrong, and took the extendable ladder to look at the nest. It was empty, so she took out the nest. Not even a full five minutes, the parents came back with angry chirps. The mother still held a worm in her beak.

Afraid that they would attack her, she went back into the house. Both the parents flied up and down and spotted the nest at the corner of the floor. They kept looking at the hanging fan where the nest was. They went away, and kept coming back, searching for their dear babies.

But they were all gone.

Even this morning, we heard their unmistakable chirps.

It is part of nature. They are weak against the strong.

It is dog eat dog world. When you are down, the snake strikes. And for the birds, the cat strikes.

I don't even know if I should be angry at the cat. She knew the baby birds were there. But must she wait till they grow a little bigger to eat them? 

It is painful to be so helpless. 

The babies never had the chance to live independently. They hadn't the chance to learn to fly. 

It is part of nature.  

All we can do, is watch.

ADAM LAMBERT did not win American Idol 2009.

I'm heartbroken. That's an understatement.

Anyhow, he is still the idol in my heart. Not that I do not like Kris Allen, just that I prefer Adam Lambert. He is a better performer and singer. 

I await your album, Lambert!!! 

All the best in your future, you will go far!!!!!  

During the trip to Malacca last december, we visited the Portuguese Settlement. It is one of the best places to be at. We sat alongside the beach, watching the setting of the evening sun while waiting for our food to arrive.

It was magnificent.

There was a man steering his sampan to the sea. And we wondered why he would in the dark. It was too late to fish. Perhaps for crabs?

We watched in fascination, as he rolled up his baggy pants before slowly untying the ropes securing the boat to the shore. He moved in grace, in a relaxed manner, as if the salt water was his second home. Then, he went inside, and maneuvered himself further into the water. It was not long before he sat there quietly, pulled out a packet of cigarettes and took a drag.

In about 15 minutes later, he swept his way back to the shore and went back, not before tying the ropes like how it was originally. 

We were stunned. Because, he took the trouble to steer the boat to the middle of the sea just for a cigarette or two.

It clicked in my mind, how simple of a life they lead. They are contented with the little things everyday life offers. It must have been enjoyable, sitting in a rocking boat, looking at the setting sun and smoking. Although, I would rather not have the smoke.

Life in the city is pretty busy, everyone just rush over things. You wake up, and the next thing you know, you are hitting the sack. Parents become obsess with their work, they overlook their children. People get tired easily and with the Sahara weather, it is worse. Everything just flies by. 

There is no time.

Perhaps it is a sign to stop the run for a while. Life's not a marathon.

"Time Waits For No Man", yeah, it waits for everyman. Pause the moment. Look around. Just like the man. 

And you will realise, there is more to life.