Too Good To Be True

I knew it is NEVER as easy as people say it is when it comes to dealing with the government. I thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt, you know, since I've not been back to this country in over a year- hoping they'd somehow come to terms with their tardiness and pick up slack. But, I'm happy to laugh in your face and tell you, "HAH! nothing has changed!"

I wonder what is the whole point of having a microchip embedded in your ID card if it doesn't have ALL your information keyed into the big system. I had a name-change about two years ago (also due to the incompetency of the government- particularly the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara). Logically thinking if I had a state-of-the-art changgih-fied ID card that hold ALL my personal details, then this information should be included in as well...right? I mean, seriously, would someone tell me if I've got it all wrong? Now I can't renew my passport without going all the way back to the rego department in wait for it, Putrajaya to get a letter authenticating the name-change! I can't believe I've to take the fall for their incompetencies and screw-ups! As Always.

Ok, so I'm venting my frustration. I'm sure I'll be okay in a couple days. Seriously though, I had a hunch it was gonna be a bad day as soon as mom said we were going to face this government. All I can say is these numbnuts better not send me on another wild goose chase when I go to Putrajaya to get that bloody letter!

I've just been too lazy to blog...so lazy that all I long to do to is go back to Mickey's and watch House with Ju and her...I've become such a homebody for the last one week and it's not even been in my own home to be a homebody in!

But on a side note, it felt absolutely amazing to catch up with my girlfriends and just be able to be myself again, without having to bother about "behaving myself". I've missed that.

Thank God, Thank God, Thang-God!

THANK YOU LORD!!!

Skip. Hop. Run down the street (not naked!). Scream. Shout for joy. WOO-HOO!!!

Reason? I did so much better than I expected for my Video Production paper! My first A-grade paper! Nevermind the fact that the rest were like, B-minuses; I suppose I can't have it all, can I? There has to be some part of it that's not as satisfying and so I will admit that I'm not the brightest star around. But to be fair, those other papers were theoretical and factual ones; I'm not wired to always remember every single fact about the New Zealand media industry- only the ones that matter. So really, I am a wee bit guttered that I didn't score as high for those papers but then again, I console myself by saying they're not the determining papers.

That said, however, I'm not about to slack off on those kinds of papers. Hopefully I'd do better next year. But for now, I'm perfectly content and quite happy with basking in my little victory in just that one paper.

Thank You, God! Trully!

You KNOW You're Back In Kuala Lumpur When:

1. You feel the heat wave wash over you as soon as you step out of the airPLANE (note: I didn't say airPORT)


2. You're able to have a "maggi goreng" at 11pm at your neighbourhood "mamak stall"


3. Your aunties fuss over what to cook for you because they KNOW you've missed good 'ol Malaysian Indian cuisine


4. You drive around and all you see is highways, cars, more cars and resultantly heavier traffic


5. Malls are your hangout spots (as opposed to beaches and mountains and parks and farms)


6. You wake up and go to bed at ungodly hours for the first few days (eg: Sleep at 8pm and wake up at 4am) Note: I'm making progress now though...I woke up at 7.30am today


7. One shower a day is not enough =)


8. The smell of raw fish greets you at the entrance of morning markets.


9. Your "la's" come back to you instantly upon arriving at the airport =)
10. You can depend on your friends to order your dim sum dishes ;) Thanks girls!

Oh, and on a side note, my now three year old niece is speaking in full sentences! And now that she can, she just wouldn't stop talking altogether! (not that it isn't oh-so-adorable)

But despite that, it certainly DOES feel great to be back!

Mr. BIG!

I've always known that the God I serve is a big God. And just two weeks ago, I took a little trip down south to Wellington for a conference and then detoured to New Plymouth (out west of New Zealand's north island) and I had a whoa-God-is-SO-big moment throughout the drive. I saw magnificent mountains, breathtaking seaviews, beyond awesome beaches, rip-roaring waves crashing over rocks and I stood in absolute awe as I looked at Mount Taranaki and Mount Ruapehu in all its glory. At night, I could literally feel the blanket of stars wrap around me as I looked up from the field. I've not seen THAT many stars all at once in the longest time!

And to this that God created all this AND MORE...in less than a week! I'm convinced that HE is indeed a BIG God- a God that cannot and will not be boxed; a God that not only created this huge universe and all that's in it (seriously, HE's got a name for every possible star in the universe!) but is also a God that lives in me and who loves me enough to want to have a relationship with me; A God that knows me and sees me for who I am and still wants to forgive me despite the many times I've hurt Him. I do trully serve a magnificent God!

I finally understand the meaning of the word "breathtaking". I honestly could not breathe for a few heartbeats, just standing in absolute wonder at God's handy work! Man, I think everyone who has the chance to visit New Zealand should seize it, it'll be worth it. I LOVE New Zealand for its raw and untouched beauty. Let's hope it stays this way...

Oh, and on another note, I'm flying back to Malaysia for the Summer and I'm sooooo excited! *does a little happy jig*

Emotions Within

Joy: the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation; a state of happiness or felicity.

Perfect: excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement; entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings.

Passion: any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling; a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything.

* Picture and meanings courtesy of Gettyimages and Dictionary.com respectively :)

Holding My Head in My Hands...

...and breathing. Just...breathing. Gosh, it's been one rollercoaster of a week, but it all came to an end at 3.30p.m yesterday when I filled up my cover sheet, bounded the essay together and tossed it into the assignment box (with such flair if I do say so myself!). "Wendy's" and "sleep" were the only two words my mind could process as meaning. Well, "run", "shout", "top of the building", "badminton", "guitar", "bass" and "flatmate" were in there somewhere too but those two were the prominent ones! You know, it's like that feeling you get when you ask someone out on a first date and he says yes; you just wanna jump up and click your heels and run around the street hugging absolute strangers, singing your heart out for the sheer joy you just can't contain. That is exactly how I felt yesterday. "Finally", I thought, no more Red Bull. No more flat whites with an extra shot (or 2) of espresso. No more stepping on peoples' toes. No more falling asleep to the thought of which assignments to do when I wake up. No more weird dreams of referencing (APA style). NO MORE!

That is not to say that Im completely rid of assignments though. I've 2 more practical pieces to work on in the coming weeks and let's not forget the "be all" of all ends-of-semesters: Finals. But my consoling thought is the fact that Summer is in sight and so is my trip back home, where I can finally have those long awaited "pasta and beer" nights with my girls. As I've just typed that out, I sudenly thought of what next year might have in store. But that thought has fleeted as instantaneously as it has entered. I'll worry about next year when next year comes. "Baby steps, Naveena" is what my mom always says. For I know my God will sustain me through the weeks to come. Thanks for not letting me crack under preassure these few weeks.

On a lighter note, Char discovered this awesome new Malaysian Cafe in Newmarket and has been wanting to go there. So when we finally made a date with each other to check out that place, Steph decided she'd come along. Had a wee little trouble finding the place but when the menu was brought to our table, we decided it was worth the trouble. And then the food came; now I know why Char was so keen on going there. The food was a-MAY-zing! I kid you not when I say I felt like I was transported back to one of the "makan spots" in Gurney Drive, Penang! All those of you who live in the city should definitely pay that place a visit. Will post up the address next time. For now...this is proof:

Pan Men (please Spellcheck)

Curry Mee (the curry is seriously out of this world! Ok, out of New Zealand maybe...)

Hainan Chicken Rice

This is not just any tea; it's TEH TARIK!

Of Comfy PJ's and Comfy-er (I know it's not in the dictionary) Flatties

So I'm finally sitting down to do my long over due readings (well, I will once I've posted this entry); Readings that were meant to be completed during my holidays about two weeks ago; Reaadings that WILL cost me my grade should I decide to tell them to take a hike; Reaadings that are quite gruelling; Readings that drone on and on...AND ON about New Zealand media policies and politics; Readings that I absolutely have to finish before Wednesday, lest I flunk the assignment that's due a week from now.

I sit here with my comfy shorts and my favorite stripped long-sleved t-shirt ater a nice shower, smelling of lavander. My hair pulled back with a pink gripper that make some of the shorter strands fall on my face, and my black square-framed glasses sitting loosely above my nose. And with all my colored pens and highlighters, I am ready to take on this challenge. The plan is to finish two out of the eight readings I have before I get to bed tonight. Will it be possible? I'm not sure; Will it be absolutely positively dreadful? Not all of it I hope, but I'm still optimistic that it's do-able; Will I try and get this challenge under my belt? You bet your bedroom slippers I am!

Oh, and I should also peobably mention that I've a well fed-now-I-can-concerntrate stomach now. It was just one of those nice Sundays where both my flatmates and I were home so we had dinner together- definitely not something we do often enough because of our whack time-tables. You know, this is one of the very many moments I treasure about this flat. I've two beyond amazing girls with whom I share it with and let me tell you, that makes ALL the difference! Oh, and because I'm the youngest, I can bring out the child in me a little more often and get away with it....or so I like to think!

Ok, ok. So, here I go! Media Comm, I shalt conquer thee...even if it's the last thing I do!

Blessed Be Your Name

This song has been the recurring theme for me these past few weeks (again). I was just sharing with a dear friend of mine today how I finally understand the meaning of this song and when we sang it at church today, with all my heart, every fiber of my being cried out the words to this song- such resonance! Truly, it's always easier to praise God and be thankful when things go right. But when calamaties (hope I spelt that right) strike, when your world suddenly begins to fall apart and pulvarizes into a million different pieces, it becomes very hard to still give thanks and praise Him. You start to question Him and what exactly is it that He's trying to do. For those of you who have suffered losses and been in a situation where faith and hope seems frail, you'll know what I mean. But then you learn to still trust Him because you know He knows what's best. And so, you (or rather I) still bless His name.

This is the full words to the song (refer to previous post). And sorry, I got the lyricist wrong in the last post. It's not Chris Tomlin:

Blessed Be Your Name (by Matt Redman)

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Great is Thy Faithfulness

You'd be pleased to know that I actually won the war (refer to previous post) and came out well and kicking at the other end, no thanks to that stupid "Diflam Forte"! Turns out, all I really needed were paracetamol are razene to do the trick. Oh, and nearly a dozen lemon-flavoured Throaties which one of my flatmates was so awesome to get me some =)

But that's really not the point of this post. My post today is to celebrate my God's goodness, nay, FAITHFULNESS to me. See, for the longest time, I thought He'd forgotten all about me and left me to cry in the corner somewhere. And just when I thought things couldn't get worse, He took one of my uncles away from me. An uncle I didn't quite get to say goodbye to; an uncle who thought me how to play the first few bars of 'Silent Night' on the harmonica; an uncle who despite his short temper, I still loved and appreaciated; an uncle who made my 12th or 13th Christmas one of the best memories ever; an uncle I so wish I got to spend more time with. My dearest uncle Edwin. I was mad at God for taking him away so soon. I was even more mad at the fact that I left with the complete assurance that I would be back this year to see him and spend time with him. And now I will never have that. I think I'm finally realizing the enormity of loosing him as I write this...

But I also believe that things happen for a reason. I don't mourn his going-away because I don't want to remember him like that. I want to remember him as he was on my 13th Christmas. That is how I want to always remember him. I'm not mad at God no more. I don't know why He had to take my Uncle Edwin but I know. I guess sometimes He takes away in order to make room for another thing He wants to give...my heart will still bless His name

It's like that song by Chris Tomlin:
"You give and take away
You give and take away;
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name"

So, no, He hasn't forgotten me. Just when I'm about to let out yet another cry of frustration, He renews my faith in Him by showing me His faithfulness. My God is a faithfull God. I now know.

I'm At War...

...for the second time this month with Mr. Sore-throat and Ms. Influenza. This time however, I think I'm gonna win becasause I've these fellas on my side:

The pharmacist said it's a seven-day battle so hopefully I come out on the winning side then.

I will blog about something more thought-provoking/insightful and of better content during the holidays when the madness of this "war" and my assignments are over. But for now, this is all I can manage..

Look Out Auckland City!

...and I'd like to apologize in advance for being a pain on the road. You should know I would not have done that intentionally =)

Bus Stop Sales

I was walking along Britomart (kinda like the Pasar Seni of Auckland City, except perhaps a wee more organized) the other day with one of my flatemates when I came across this on one of those floor spotlight thingamajigies:
The idea of this is basically, when the lights go on, the shape of that l'il bat will be reflected onto the of the bus stop. I thought it was a clever promotion...made me wonder if the local television networks go through this much 'trouble' to promote the shows they air on TV. I've not been back to KL in a while so I can't say for sure.

Oh, this was done by Television New Zealand, by the way (the equivalant to Malaysia's RTM).