bzzzt 2012

Reading Renee's super awesome 2012 recap made me think back on this year for myself too :D

Okay, I am beyond blessed. Here's just some of the highlights of this year:

- Got that scroll with ma fwens ohh yeah
- Turned the "glamorous" 21. Hello taxes!
- Had a life-changing experience at Manila Missions
- Visited 2 new countries! :) Indonesia & Philippines
- Spent more time with a NEW CELL! :O I'm loving it!
- Learning and growing at my job :)
- Gave up something significant


In a similar vein, here's what I got in mind for 2013. You know what they say...if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Also, with the lack of formal education and the goal of scoring in exams, I find my life a little less intellectually challenging. You know, it's rather depressing for a nerd like me.


- Get a certificate. (Maybe in natural disaster crisis management, Joyce told me about that once and it sounds really applicable in today's time)
- Learn how to file my taxes!
- Elyon Malaysia Tour 2013 & Elyon Concerts 2013. God be with us!
- Visit one other new country. Taiwan, Vietnam or Korea :)
- Spend more time with people instead of...social media
- Learn & grow more at my job & work at a career instead of a job! (no worries boss, i'm not quitting anytime soon LOL)
- Learn to Matt 16:24

Mmmkay since you've read till the end here's a derpy face for you. (I love giving derpy faces on the Innernet. That way no one can blackmail me with an unflattering picture of myself)

Happy new year!

last movie watched in 2012

Watched this today with HT, Sher & B. Bukit Raja cinema is really awesome now, after renovations! I'm totally watching all my movies there from now onwards :)

from mashable/quickmeme

I can't explain to you Les Miserables, but I can teach you the proper pronunciation of it. 

Lay Mee-Zuh-Rub

It's French, that's why it's not Less Miserables. But I called it that for my whole life! bahaha.

Jack Hughman Hugh Jackman as the main character, Jean ValJean

Russell Crowe as the antagonist Javert 

Anne Hathaway as Fantine

These two are my faves. Helena Bonham Carter & Sacha Baron Cohen.

You know why you should go watch Les Miz? Because it's a great movie. And sometimes you gotta watch movies that are food for thought in between not-so-serious movies. 

It is made with a goal in mind and I think it pretty darn well told its story.

If movies were classified from shallow to deep, this would be the Mariana Trench. (Hah! I thought of that while in the theatre)

the story of love

i don't normally watch 18 minute videos, but when i do they change my life.

parachute - you got me

last saturday crafts of 2012

I bought two rolls of washi tape (okay not really washi cos they're from Typo but the material does look washi-ish) for half price this week :D I hate buying stuff at full price unless I really need it. (Last week I also bought a pair of earrings from Diva which I've been eyeing for a few months. I normally don't care for it but it re-appeared, at a discounted price! :O buy lah what else)

Today is the Saturday to trump all Saturdays. It's the final Saturday of 2012. 

there's always a first for everything...(apple earpods)

my face when trying on apple's earpods for the first time:

Who put that orchestra in my ears?!

the harmony silk factory

I finished another book! :D This one took me two to three months to read from cover to cover. I read this in the bus on the way to work, at the bank but rarely at home.

(Tash Aw was born in Taiwan but raised in Malaysia and now lives in UK, so I'm not sure if it's 100% accurate to call him a Malaysian writer. The Harmony Silk Factory is his first critically acclaimed novel)

The story revolves around Johnny Lim, a typical Chinaman with a "side business" (which I'm still not clear what's it about!) during pre-Independence Malaya. His life is chronicled through the eyes of three characters: his son, Jasper, his wife, Snow and his BFF, Peter.

I love the way Tash writes. It's not an easy read, but the fluid flow of words is there and I really dig the descriptive narrations here and there of Malaya.

Side note: I do not like the one-word reviews normally printed on the cover and back of novels. "Seductive" "Unputdownable" "Mesmerizing" were just some found on this novel. Like bro, I don't need these positive one-worders planting ideas in my head before I finish this novel!

christmas 2012 for me...

Merry Christmas to the four readers of this blog! 

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Facebook has new features for their uploading photos function. I just realized that after updating it not too long ago, hah! Twitter also has these funky filters. Ugh, everyone is totally trying to be Instagram. You like the pic above? It went through an FB filter :D

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Ps. Phil said that Jesus had the lowliest birth of ALL births. If you think about it, isn't it true? This baby, SON OF GOD no less, was born in a manger/stable! That's where animals live and stuff! How lowly could God himself have entered the world. Food for thought. 

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So if you all don't already know, my whole agency was given a week off work *thank you Jesus thank you boss* until 2013. It's pretteh awesome. Though I still have to work a little every half an hour each morning. Not complaining :) I'm gonna savor every moment of this week off and:

- go for an overdue facial

- open that CIMB bank account I meant to open for the past half a year

- do stuff

Starting with finishing Harmony Silk Factory. I'm nearly two thirds done and there's still zero mention on the actual Factory -.-"

chrissymass!

Slim Aarons, 1954

From the Heart: Geronimo!

I love reading about small businesses that start from the heart, like...

Geronimo Balloons. Quite possibly my favorite balloons thus far. Huge-mongous, pretty and the center of attention, it's just the thing to light up a room! 

source

Just look at that and tell me you don't want it at your birthday party. Ugh. Too cute, and it's super photogenic too! 

The lady behind all this crazy party ornaments is Balloon Artist, Jihan. Read more about how she ventured into Geronimo! here on theeverygirl.com. Pretty inspiring! 

You know you've made it when Tampax ropes you in for an ad campaign: 

She totally redefined balloons. Balloons, guys. AND she's managed to make a living out of it!

source

it takes guts to...

...follow your heart! 

source

ugh i love these two ladies

I sometimes say UGH when I see something I really like.

UGH puppies. 

UGH banoffee pie. 

UGH cheap stuff.

set a fire

Song of the camp: Set a Fire

more of fuxion camp

I enjoyed the friendship and the bonds at this camp. After Hydrowar, I shared a little bit of my life story while piggybacking someone in the middle of the sea, watching the campers play football on the sand and attempting to dunk an unsuspecting target.

At the beginning, I was tired beyond words, exhausted, mainly because I slept at 4am (I've never slept that late before!) the night before camp - and this fitting verse was brought to me just before I slept that night: 

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit," says the LORD.

And it could not have rang truer! Everything that happened was by the Spirit of God. It's been so long since I admitted this, but God is the one who does all the workings - we are just his vessels. 

Walking back to our room one night, I had a rubber lizard in my back pocket, an extra dorm key in my hand, an extra pillow from another dorm under my arm, and I remember thinking, this is the only time this will ever happen.

fuxion camp 2012

At camp this year I learnt to step out in faith and just GO pray for someone. I've never prayed for so many people in one night in my life, and with almost a word for each of them - it's scary but so exciting how God speaks and uses me as His vessel! I'm still terrified sometimes of being asked to pray for someone - especially someone in dire need - but at camp I just felt like I should lean on God and "take the first step of faith though I see not the whole stairs", you know?