~Fruit Sherberts Chapter~

Yesterday was history, tomorrow's way too far ahead and today's......erm......oh I forgot how the darned thing goes. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, yesterday's post was non-existent (sorry) and tomorrow's post is still uncertain so for today, we shall concentrate on the main thing: my post. As it is, I'm still recovering from the aftershock of my Economics presentation which was a mega humongous disaster. I stuttered a few times, had lyke really awkward pauses to find my words and basically couldn't pronounce simple, basic English words like "externalities". What came out instead was a pathetic excuse of "eks-nel-ta-lee-ties" that humiliated me to my very deepermost core. I mean like, wtf?? I pronounced words not properly for the first time in my whole schooling life! Ahh to heck with it......there's a first for everything no?

But yeah, apart from that, the aftereffects of my examination stress and the pressure of getting grades that are good enough to qualify me for a scholarship is making me highly jumpy and constantly on-the-edge. As it is......eh no, I'd rather not talk about my vaguely disturbing plans to end my life in the most honorable way possible in order to avoid what those mere mortals call "exams". HAH!! xD But now that my little secret is out (hehehe~~), I just want to say that I'll be living for as long as need be. Which is until all of my cousins and my tiny little baby of a sister (she's 16 this coming December, but really, I do think she is one) get married and I collect all of the angpaus given out *cue evil laughter*

As it is, college days were the funnest everrrrr and better than high school and primary and kindergarten (though my kindy's playground is super cool!). It still is kinda fun if you minus all that crap about homework and assignments and exams and goddamned presentations (there we go again~). Here's a random comment afore I sign off: "I love me, myself and I......but not so much as I love my bolster and my plate of Penang fried kuey teow." Zany? You better believe it. It's the stress talking.

How I am everyday, basically.

~Elderberry Mints Chapter~

For today, folks, I want to put a pause on my NS tales and instead, wax lyrical about the many unfair incidents that I get while in college. Yes, I need to let lose some steam in order to retain what little bits of sanity I have left due to the unjustness of things I perceive to be.

For example #1, I don't speak Mandarin. Or Cantonese, for that matter. Period. I am what they refer to as "OCBC" (orang cina bukan cina) and I'll be damned if I ain't proud of that. I noticed that while I was in NS, I mixed around with many people and all of them accepted me for who I bloody was, spik chinise or no spik chinise. But oh noooo, not here in college, no sirree. The people that I know, oh yeah, they think I be a class lower than they are just because I don't goddamned speak what they do. Let me count the ways of how t'is be so: I get left out of most conversations even though they just know I'm not on the same wavelength and yet they continue to talk in a language that means as much to me as gobbledygook does, really; I can sense that they think I'm an embarrassment to the Chinese people since I don't spew Chinese languages from my mouth, I prefer to talk in English see?; I even get left out of many events that take place among the people (ahh hell, I won't say who) just because I can't bleedin' talk in the same language as them; I get laughed at when I try to talk in "their" language, because it seems I have a matsalleh accent; Not only that, when I ask for help for translations or to learn a new word, it's all "Malaslah" or "Err.....you ask that person lah".

Sure, I know it's hard for you to communicate with me in English, I know many who do actually. But hell, you sure can see me trying to learn the languages now don't you? A helping hand every now and then wouldn't be too hard now would it? This whole nonsense also doesn't include licenses for you to exclude me from every goddamned thing that's happening and neither does it include you shunning me every single time. The whole irony is, I wholly prefer to mingle with those who accept me as me: the Malays, the Indians, the other races and that tiny minority of Chinese. The funny thing? Many Chinese people ask why I don't mix with the Chinese instead. Lyke.....uh-huh.

Now we have example #2 where many people, if not all, know about. This is where people who are blessed with good looks in the beginning shun others, who let's just say aren't as lucky in the looks department in the first place. I notice how it is, if you aren't a size zero, fair and petite, you're not one who's good enough to be associated with. This whole problem takes place just about everywhere possible and yes it does happen rampantly right here in Taylor's. I get to see it everyday where people who are legally classified under "non-attractive" are all grouped together and hang out together. Tsktsk........a nice delicious serving of discrimination and looks-ism anybody? Well then, coming right up and oh, while you're at it, do you want fries with that? People who are labeled as "the ones without the luck in the looks-department" are the ones with the nicest possible characters; they know how to make up for what they supposedly lack with their great personality traits. The shallow, superficial, petty, trivial small-minded ways of humans just boggle me most times. You could knock me down with a feather with all this nonsensationalness. No, really, you could. If you'd only tear yourself away from that mirror and get up enough guts to.

“We are so vain that we even care for the opinion of those we don't care for.”

P/S: Lotsa ♥ to my friends in college who accept me for me.....you know who you guys are =)

~Double Lollies Chapter~

Wokays then, here's part 2 of my NS stint (as far as I remember it, that is):

After meeting like tons of new people both in my company and from other companies as well, I finally got round to deciding that NS wasn't such a mean, bad monster that everyone was making it out to be. In absolut fact, iz kinda likz it~ One fine sunny mega-hot sweat-inducing sweltering day, the trainers at camp decided our dressing from home ain't fit for trainess that were one day going to protect Malaysia with our very lives (uh-huh, you "bet" I will). So they up and get us to march down in orderly file to the laundry/clothes area to get our proper outfits and uniform and such for the 3 months we were going to be there. It kind of failed though, the whole marching-in-orderly-line-thingy; I mean, how do you get around 300+ city kids who're so used to having their own ways and moving in any way they damn please to travel in what is called "orderly"?? Nope, so ain't happening. What really transpired was this sudden rush to be one of the first there with the whole bloody intention of getting the best outfits..........ruyte.........like ALL the outfits aren't the same. Typical kiasu-ness~

That over and done with, it was back to our dorms for another chilling session with the sound warning of "MESTI pakai itu punya outfits mase jalan-jalan di luar kawasan dorm!". And so began our time officially complete with the NS clothes. After the initial shock to many trainees of having to wear the outfits provided by camp every single time you step out of the dorm area (whaddya expect? some kids haven't been exactly exposed to the outside world), we got another message that we would have to attend "character building classes" every weekdays for, yep you guessed it, building our character. Lyke, "EH?", didn't we get enough moral classes throughout our schooling years already? But noooo.......we still had to attend those classes whether we wanted to or not because they said so. Ahh well~ they turned out ohkay in the end anyway, but that's a story for another time.

If that wasn't all, they told us that we've to berkawad for at least an hour around 2pm, sometime after our lunch breaks. The first time I saw our camp unite was that very day when they told us that... "WHAT?! You want us to kawad under the sun?? Very panas wor....kenot another time when lebih sejuk ka? Sei la wo men!" Yeah, that's what they wanted us to do and hell no they aren't budging from it. It's to make us stronger, they said. We'll thank them later on, they said. Iz kill 'em, I say. Enter the fact that there was this constant thick haze and the other fact that many trainees were pampered and you have the perfect formula for grumpy chaos.

Oh and before I stop on this section, I have one other topic that's equally important to b!tch about: the godawful FOOD. Ohmygawsh you wouldn't believe the type of food you're served there every day! If you're the type used to having good ol' homecooked food or eating out at nice restaurants every now and then, DANG are you gonna suffer! Most of the time it was either dry-ish or overcooked or funny-tasting or a major weird colour *puke*gag*choke* The only thing that made me continue going to the mess hall and eating? Two factors: #1 My friends went and they made me do it too #2 The mess hall is situated next to a man-make lake that's just gorgeous, I kid you not. And therefore, I stop here with a hearty sayonara and to the next time! Here're more pictures~:

Main stage & mess hall (background)

Lake & kayaks near mess hall

Lake as viewed from class

~Coconut Mallows Chapter~

I iz busy majorrrrr now..........

Homework mucho me do...........

Spik properly me can't............

Be right back post laterrrrrrr...........



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Current Status: Dead *beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep*

~Bubblegum Crystals Chapter~

After a day's break to allow my poor brain cells to recuperate after that harrowing first day of blogging, I'm BACK on the online blogosphere~ Didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily now didja?? Anyway, since this is day numero duez of my backbreaking, monumental effort to get all my thoughts out and flowing like the rest of the zombified.........

..........eh wait, did I say zombified? Scratch that! I meant to say modernified (YES, there is such a word where I am concerned, thank you very much. Refer to picture in previous post for what I'm thinking please).........

..........world whereby everyone else is telling the rest of the world what they think. In which case I shall get on with today's post, the topic of which is my stint at National Service. Now hang on, before you jump at my throat and shriek blue murder about how horrible it is, how the death rate has been on the rise, how torturous the trainers can be and yaddayaddayadda, let me ask you a simple question. "Are you the type to rise to the challenge and take any new experience that comes your way by the friggin' tail as well as consider yourself an open-minded type?". If your answer was a resounding "YES" to that, ahh go boil your own head. You're being nothing but a hypocrite and you can stop reading now 'cause what I'm about to detail today and in the next few posts along the way will definitely stuff a schtinkee sock where it should belong (you know where it is, ain't gonna say it, nuh-uh).

Anyway, down to business. The very first time I got the news that I was chosen happened when I was safely at home and sitting down (it's a precaution leh). I keyed in my IC number and VOILA: "Tahniah! Anda telah berjaya dipilih untuk mengikuti Program Latihan Khidmat Negara 2008...." Initial reaction: Faint..... Next move: Scream to (unlucky) family members that I'd been chosen (me mom says her hearing has never been the same since O.O)..... Final reaction: Hyperventilate about the stuff I'd have to bring, where I'll be going, will i die, ohmaigawd i'll be ALONE for the first time in my whole teeny existence and yea, random stuff like that~ After that, we get down to PACKING. Major serious biz here. Which parts of the house get to come along with me? My wardrobe, my bed and the fridge or the washing machine, the TV and my wardrobe?? Tsk, t'was simply excruciating to have to choose, I give you that.

I finally get sorted and on the 29th, am sent to the Shah Alam stadium by my lovingly devoted parents (my biggest fans!) around 9-ish to register and get on the bus (had a minor mix-up and nearly got on the bus bound for Pahang). That done, I sit all alone in the second aisle on the driver's side (you tend to notice those little details when you're waaaay bored) and conveniently fall asleep like 3/4 of the way (didn't sleep much the previous night, was still wondering whether the microwave would fit into my backpack). Upon arrival at Kem Princess Haliza in Sepang, they made the new trainees and parents listen to a long talk bout I-forgot-what (mostly bout how awesome it'll be and the history of the camp, usual stuff). Later on, we go through the whole process of listing our names, having a quick medical run-through (any chronic illness? allergic to anything? dying anytime soon?), checking in and finally getting our dorms (got dorm A2, alpha company).

Boy, was I happy to have a friend, Shazana, right next door in dorm A1. Said goodbye to family, had last huggles and bravely walked off to find my new dorm that was to be home for the next 3 months. Grabbed a bunk near the back door (6th bed along the row, opposite the door itself) and decided to make new friends. First people I knew on that day itself was Tan Ping Yee (Pinky!) and Mellissa Lee (Mellie!); still felt miserably lonely though so I found Shaz and off we went to explore as much as we could. Later on, we ate together in the mess hall and chilled together in my dorm after the tediously monotonous process of unpacking. At night, cried myself to sleep and TA-DAH! that was basically it. The next few days were basically the same long process of getting up, hanging around the place, eating, sleeping. We did nothing much except for listening to a few "welcoming" speeches by various people that I've completely forgotten and making new friends. Here are some pictures of sort:

The main entrance

The toilets near my dorm

My dorm!

Well, that's just about it for today folks. I need my beauty sleep afore I turn panda-ish tomorrow morning so for now, I'm Liyun. Over and out!

~Almond Nougat Chapter~

Right down to business we are getting to.....after that little note of course.

After 18 years, 6 months, 11 days and still counting, I finally become savvy to the importance of what the geeks call the "blogosphere" *cheers to ME, now where's that bottle of champagne?!*

Seriously though, I never was one to get into this whole 'pour-your-heart's-content-out-into-the-online-media-for-the-world-to-read' mood. Heck, I never was able to kiss and tell everything I had thoughts about, since I don't seem to subscribe to the practice of spillin' yer guts to teh nearesh sturanger........

........moving on! Why I be doing this postings, I hear you ask. For the simple, yet utmost important, reason of keeping in with the crowd. Yepyep, I get influenced mighty easily see? So this bloggingthingamajiggy is one surefire way of getting what really matters (my opinions la, what else?) out into the open without insulting people in person. To the face. WHAM right where it hurts! Oh you get the picture.....

At the beginning of every post, you might see these adorably cutesy pictures with VERY catchy titles. This is only to give you that very subtle hint of what I'm thinking. About you? Nah, that's only if you want me to *wiggles eyebrows* And from this post onwards, it'll be a mix of what recently happened with snippets of favourite events that happened to yours truly in the past 18 years of my life (and counting!).

Keep on reading y'all and enjoy!