:)

da : )

2006-05-21T23:23:00.000+10:00

sometimes things happen and you don't know and you're not there...
i just want to say to one of my closest friends that i'm sorry i was so far away when stuff happened and that i did not know... thanks for trusting in me and sharing with me, and do know that no matter how far away i am, i am here for you. you have a friend in me, just as i know i have a friend in you... a real trusted friend who i care bout lots! :)
*hugs* see you back home in about a week or so~! :)
we'll go to redbox... :)

snug : )

2006-03-09T11:00:00.000+11:00

Listenning to music, laptop whirring softly atop duvet, me snuggled under duvet, back leaning on bed rest, cold wet and rainy london weather... but that's outside... pitter patter... it's lovely warm and dry inside... whirr, singing serenade, tippity tap, housemate on phone, heater on, feeling snug, time to sleep but mind is wide awake... thinking about people i care for, thinking about experiment, thinking about friday night...

pondering...

wondering...

wandering...

mmm... g'nite~ :)

personality report : )

2006-03-09T10:45:00.000+11:00

did a personality dna report and i found it pretty interesting...
definately worth doing it (takes 5 mins):
www.personaldna.com

i wonder if what they 'tested me to be' really is me...
http://www.personaldna.com/report.php?k=syinqyMxOgEKiXe-HO-ADAAD-a9e3&u

droplets, images, captions... :)

2006-02-22T23:16:00.000+11:00

it's been a long while indeed. how am i supposed to update you on month's of events on a mere page? i know... with photos and captions... come journey with me... from London -> Italy -> Ireland -> Malaysia -> London -> Scotland ... and finally back to London where I am now. :)

Let's go~! :)

us three: pey eing, alison and pam :)
housemates, workmates and good friends :)

fellow department mates - i see them everyday! :)

bowling match... our challenge. :)
hehee..

jer, pam & sue wen clowing around in edinburgh! :)
it's my first time going to scotland - and i loved
it very much! :) but i don't fancy haggis much. :)

it was great catching up with milin in edinburgh!
we're college mates, but different intakes...
MSN is a lovely form of communication...
we kept in touch all these years and actually
met up in edinburgh! woohoo! :)

great minds think alike,
clowns dress alike. :)

us three in glasgow. :)
the bridge is swaying... eeee! :)
sue, what's the name of this bridge?

GISians on a platter :)

su chuen & pam in chinatown! :)

stem cell differentiation research
imperial college - faculty of medicine
tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
chelsea and westminster hospital...
oh what a mouthful. :)
can i just say i'm a medical student from melbourne uni
who is here in london for a year of exchange? :)

Chinese New Year reunion dinner at our house :)

goofy, but it's quite a nice pose rite? :)

i've often seen stretch limos,
but a stretch 4 wheel drive?
wow, you have gotta be in london. :)

hannah and pam aboard a double decker bus...
hehe, they're fun! :)

moose from work...
we got him free for ordering a batch of serum.
sounds so morbid somehow,
but this lil moose is cute! :)

it's so nice to be home, walking behind my parents and aunt... :)
oh i miss them so much...

eunice has graduated and is back in msia! :)
we're still the same, super close buddies... :)

cheese! :)

shireen and shirin :)

yenni! :) you are truly so much like champagne!
happy 21st! :)

eric and pam in genting :)
til we meet again in july~! :)
*

best friends always...
shadalacey :)

bro and sis :)
parents are taking this shot... ehhe...

cuddlies :)

german dolls
each one has one... :)
they're a set :)

milan - where pigeons are oh-so-friendly! :)
and where shopping is oh-so-plentiful! :)

ice-bar in milan :)
everything in there is made of ice...
the chairs, tables, walls... even cups! :)
brrr...

a gondola along venice cruising towards
the famous rialto bridge along the
grand canal... :)
it'd be nice if there was some singing and music...
perhaps some nice relaxing tunes? :)

reminds me of 'over the rainbow'
-verona amphitheatre
that's where juliet's balcony is...
any of you well versed with romeo and juliet?
"oh romeo, wherefore art thou?"
hehee...

giving the leaning tower of pisa an extra push.
i never knew i was that big! :)

on the 10th day in italy, i got rather sick of italian food, so i took drastic measures:
bought a huge pear and went back to the hotel room to munch!
oh it was nyum indeed! :)

mantua - where romeo was from. :)

it's a beautiful and serene place...

florence - our room was absolutely amazing!
i felt like a princess there. :)

florence at night -
looks like a fairytale land... :)

pey eing and pam at the vatican city.
this is a self shot, that explains why our chins are
not captured. hehehe... :)

rome - within the colosseum! :)

dublin - ireland :)
it was so cold that i ended up buying a thicker jacket!

doolin castle. :)
imagine living there...
so secluded, but so pretty and peaceful...
would be a nice holiday home... hehe. :)

cliffs of moher - beware! some people have fallen off
those cliffs while posing for photos... and have
fallen to their deaths. pey eing kept telling me not to go
near to the edges. hehe, i won't ofcourse. :)

cold indeed!

eskimos! :)

at the aran islands.
this has got to be the least developed major island
that i have been to. wow. to be here for a day is bliss...
you feel as if all the hustle and bustle of city life just can't reach you here...

at the movies with stacey and her housemate esther! :)

moo moos wearing earrings :)
i thought cows wear noserings... hmmm...

i love the beach - but it would be better if the weather was better! :)
salthill in galway is fab! :)

feeling and looking cold in galway, ireland :)

where are we?

aah... a warm fireplace awaits us at home...

we're now in cork and about to climb to the top of
blarney castle to kiss the magical rock of eloquence -
the blarney stone! oooohhhh...

fireplace roasted marshmallows...
i like! :)

stacey and pam :)

pey eing and pam showing how windy
it is in ireland! oh so cold!

is it just me, or does it look as if stacey's cap has
blended into the sky?? i can't see it!

travel buddies :)

...

2006-02-22T21:41:00.000+11:00

it's been a long time...
i'm thinking what to post. :)

its been awhile... : )

2005-11-07T21:14:00.000+11:00

blazing blue and winter white sparkles create a magical atmosphere along river thames. :)

nothing beats coming home on a cold rainy day and have a lovely housemate prepare lunch - bacon & eggs + roast tomatoes + wedges + maltesers hot choc!!! WOW!

Heyho~! :)

Sorry for being M.I.A. (missing in action) from the world of blogging. :) Not that i've been overly busy with things here in london... it's just that i didn't want to get into the habit of refering friends to my blog when they ask how i've been... y'know what i mean? Communication is so important... and i don't think communicating through a blog really fulfils what it takes to nurture a friendship.

However, i still believe that blogging is a good way to keep in touch... and i will continue to maintain this site~! :)

*grins* Being a person who leaves the best part of the dessert to be savoured at the last moment... I shall blog accordingly...

Crowded areas are the perfect place for pick pocketers. My role changed from that of a shopper - to that of a victim... when I was chosen as a target along High Street Kensington. - thankfully alison was there with me - she helped me pay for my item (which i still wanted!) and helped me rationally think what action needed to be taken...

Chelsea streets aren't too safe at night either. There are plenty of drunken people.. and people who are just plain cheeky. :P There is indeed a sense of security when you're walking home with others rather than when you are alone... and i'm thankful for the friends who give me that.

Other than the above - that have to do with a sense of safety - I have been loving it here! :) I've come to appreciate mushy peas - truly a disgusting sight, but a tasty gastronomical delight with a gentle texture - it makes you realise that looks often aren't the best way to judge something. :)

I've also come to realise that you shouldn't believe everything you see: 'tea' in a pub is not really tea - yes it does have floating debris and looks exactly like tea - but... it's an acquired taste.

I've learnt that the sun is a cheeky thing indeed. :) In the mornings, it sulks away behind dense clouds... but come afternoon and it peaks out to shine in its full glory... tempting us to leave the indoor realms to soak in the warmth of its penetrating rays... that seem to melt you right to your core. truly a safisfying feeling.

Ballet, musical or opera... which would you chose? i enjoy musicals the most. Ballets are beautiful. Operas are not really my cup-of-tea. :P i fell asleep in the 4th hour or Midsummer Marriage (an opera)... can you blame me? :) too much of anything is often not a good thing.

Speaking of which, too much of blogging is a bore too rite? I have so much to say... but I know no one enjoys reading essays... so I'll stop for now. :)

I'll leave you all with a photo... taken today during lunch time... :)
Ask me about the significance of this photo...
pictures paint a thousand words indeed...

lunch munch... :)

2005-09-15T02:58:00.000+10:00

why should we stick to the norm and stay in the canteen?
why should we busy ourselves so much that we do not have time for lunch?

how about...

stepping out...
walking an extra 15 minutes...

to a nice green area...
perhaps a playground or park?

don't worry about how dirty the grass is...
dirt is everywhere. :)

don't worry about being burnt...
soak as much of the sun as you can before winter blows in.

don't worry about going back to work...
work can wait.

sit back...
relax.

watch the pace that nature takes...
learn.

squirrels come begging for food...
doing their little dance~
oh how well they do it!
i surrender my half eaten juicy plum
to the one that has charmed me!

pigeons and ravens squabble side by side in harmony...
they don't discriminate white from black... why should we?

"i wonder what those squirrels think when they see pigeons..."
"maybe that they taste good roasted?"
good company makes it all the more merrier... :)
cheers! :)

Flutterby... : )

2005-09-10T21:02:00.000+10:00

Wow! It's the 9th week that I've been here in London. Time surely goes go by fast! Sometimes I feel as if I'd like time to go by slower... but then, there's the saying that "time goes by fast when you're having fun"...

I think we've all pretty much settled here... and we're getting used to living here. Ask us which grocery shop sells a particular item cheapest, where to go shopping, where to find good food, where's a nice place to have a picnic, where to hang out, how to take public transport... and we'll happily smile knowing the answer (at least we think we know). However, ask us to name you all the types of beer or what all the hand signals for cricket signify and we'll politely shrug... some things are easier to learn and more appealing to pick up than others. :P

Summer has been gorgeous... the weather has been surprisingly beautiful... warm sunny days and bright sunlight... definately have become tanned. Beautiful weather is always a good reason to have an extended lunch - in the outdoors, or a picnic... anything... as long as we're outside. It's as if the sun is teasing us to step out... tempting us... drawing us out...

However...

it won't last. Everyone keeps telling me, "pam, the weather has been lovely, but soon it'll be dreary, dark and cold... be prepared for winter blues..."

I'm a person who quite likes rain... but i agree that it isn't too appealing when your shoes get soggy and your clothes get wet. Being splashed by cars driving in puddles and slipping on the wet pavement can be exciting - but messy. I'd like rain if it didn't mix with the dirt on the floor and splash back on you. :) Heheee... imagine if rain was clean... I'd love to go in the rain everyday - it'd be like showering - with your clothes on. :P

Another thing - I sleep better with the sound of rain pitter pattering down on the roof - and... I study better with rain too. :) I guess rain has two opposite effects on me - it helps me relax, but it also helps me concentrate. It's refreshing! :)

sadler's well theatre - alvin ailey's modern dance was fantastic!
BBC Promenade @ Royal Albert Hall
royal albert hall
regine is in london!!! :) i'll come visit you in nottingham one weekend!! come to london more ya? :)
royal albert hall
rebecca, eileen & pam
wez's crazy angels. heee. :) the joys we have at the hospital... :)
calculated risks...
someone says you can tell the person's character by how they draw a pig... we tried it out... :)
so full...
lovely sunny day at hyde park
ally & pam
pey eing & pam
red wine, white wine... but ribena tastes sweeter. :)
which one?
we support one another... :)
'chef' with first attempt at roasted turkey drumstick!
sweet indulgence. two dozen krispy kremes is... erm... too much... help us!
the focus of my research here in london - stem cells & tissue engineering. he's a photo of an embryoid body.
pey eing, pam & alison :)
hanging out on the balcony to watch the nottinghill carnival + parade! :)
pink gerberas – my favourite flowers
massive crowds at the nottinghill carnival. It’s a public holiday – and the one day that nottinghill is so crowded
i spy with my eye, police... they are everywhere! Mainly to give directions? Or do they fear yet another terrorist strike?
Feeling drained... bumpy ride on a bright red double decker bus
Hanging out with waxy Beatles. :)
You get every famous person (& animation) at Madame Tassauds!
You’re not allowed to touch the Queen... but she’s wax, so I reckon that’s alrite. :)
Buffy
Pink bergonias, brighten up my workplace
Tower of London... lots of towers, prisons, weaponry...
At the feet of Wellington…
Ancient toilet at the Tower of London. It’s basically just a hole... no pumps or flushing systems…
Knight in shining armour?
Lindsay morris from melb uni came to visit... and brought us out for lunch! :)

Shakeaway milkshake... it’s SO good... you can blend in whatever you want. I blended in kinder bueno... mmm...

Beach hopping – as usual...

There’s Brighton Beach here in London too... wow!

What would you like in your shakeaway?

Doodles paint many words... :)

Brighton pier – I like!

Trust my driving? Hehe...

Look at the sky! It’s summer indeed!

Soft spot for soft toys... looks like I’ll never grow old...

cruising below london bridge (that isn't falling down) : )

2005-08-11T03:00:00.000+10:00

Four and a half weeks since I arrived... wow, that was quick. Have been at work in the hospital from 9am - 5pm every weekday... I really feel as if I am already working, but I have to keep reminding myself that I am still a student, and one year later I will be going back to being a student. :) Though the hours have been long and though there are times when I almost fall asleep at my desk while reading journal publications... I've really enjoyed it! :)

My fellow workmates are friendly and cheerful~ they make work more interesting. I enjoy lab work a lot... and eventhough I don't get patient contact, I get to fiddle around lots with cells... stem cells... and one of the highlights of last week was when they matured into heart cells and were beating on the dish! I'll never forget the happy and excited expression on my supervisor's face when he called me to go and check out the cells! haha... "they're beating!" :) It's interesting how such minute and simple things can be so exciting and fulfilling.

I guess sometimes it's the small simple things in life that satisfy. We often strive for huge magnificent achievements, and neglect the things in life that are far better achievements... such as a happy loving family, dear friends, good living conditions, friendly workmates... even cells that grow and live well! :) *grins* I expected work to be more mundane and boring... I mean, how interesting can cells get? But through these few weeks, I've come to quite like this research year... especially since things are not fixed to rigid rules. Even the dresscode is totally casual. You can rock into work in slippers and a tee... and that's perfectly fine. :) You can leave early and come in late... :)

But work has also taught me about responsibility and commitment because when it comes to dealing with these cells, you can't just say "i'm lazy today and i don't want to bother with em cells" because at certain points in the cell's early life they require feeding everyday... and if you miss oneday, they change and may die. Some things you can't leave for tomorrow... :)

Work is only from monday - friday... so what's up during the weekends? Travelling, sightseeing ~ exploring London! :) Here's some pics... so you can explore london together with us... wish you all were here too... miss ya~! :)

lovely cruise on a beautiful summer day along river thames ~ from westminster to greenwich :)

i dunno where we are... but i thought the pillars here were beautiful. :) reminds me of roman architecture... greenwich is so pretty! :)

london eye~ with the sun streaming through... like a shining star! :)

jessie & i in monochrome. :)

spectacular background of the tower of london and river thames... this was one of the best cruises ever! :)

to not only hear about greenwich meridian time... but to actually be here and step on the line... and put one foot on the East and the other on the West... wow! :)

tower of london... magnificent! :)

"lets go out to watch balls drop!" ~ alison innocently said. :) hahaa... well, it's not balls, but it's the greenwich meridian ball that rises at 11.55am and drops at 12pm... it's what sailors sight so they can synchronise their clocks. :) we watched it... and my conclusion was "is that it??". I was half expecting something more spectacular... :)

this is the royal naval college! :)

pey eing and i... with big ben magnificently looming overhead in the background. :)

my supervisor (nick) and i at work in chelsea and westminster hospital. he was teaching me some complicated chemical equations and i was looking a lil lost... then reza said "pam and nick, look here... smile!" *click*

us gals at Ed's. :) it really has the 'grease' feel... really retro! they have HUGE milkshakes (i could only drink half mine!) and authentic hamburgers and hotdogs! Did someone just say belgium waffles? yes they have those too... drizzle on warm choc or maple syrup... but i reckon it's a bit too sweet... :P

krispy kremes! the best doughnuts ever! i used to think they originated from sydney... but now that i'm here... i realise they originated from.. the States! Yea! mmm... original is my fav. didn't over indulge... cos i'll never forget stacey's pic of regret and a box of dozen krispy kremes. :) one will do for now. if you wanna go, they are located in the food hall of Harrods! :)

london is breathtakingly spectacular. :)

trafalgar square on a somewhat gloomy day... yups, that's london weather. it's not always summery and sunny...

ally and i at the fountain outside buckingham palace, after watching the changing of the guards. wow, that was one tiring day!

houses of parliament... along river thames. :)

changing of the guards at buckingham palace at 11.30am everyday of summer and every alternate day during other seasons. i felt like going up to them and feeling their nice fuzzy black hats... reminds me of marge simpson!!! :) anyone knows the purpose of those hilarious hats? is it to scare the enemy off? :) does it make them look more manly??? :)

picnics in the peaceful luscious gardens... i like! :)

buckingham palace! :) look at the massive crowds!!!

distorted image. in the natural history museum.

at piccadily circus on a drizzly evening... topshop here we come! summer sales. :)

big ben. really BIG and TALL! :)

i spy with my eye... :) (london eye) :)

westminster bridge on a breezy afternoon. :)

london escapade... :)

2005-07-24T08:09:00.000+10:00

marble arch :)

my bear :)

real four leaf clovers! wow... it's not just a myth? :)

i love the scenery here! :) serpentine river. :)

speaker's corner ~ where everyone is free to say whatever they want... :)

imperial college :)

natural history museum :)

on the bus... 2nd level. :)

shrine of remembrance... restored. :) is it real gold? :)

*pam points excitedly* that's where we stay! :)

at the hospital ~ growing stem cells... :)

beautiful painting by a girl with cataract :)

chelsea & westminster hospital :)

where we work :)

imperial college halls of residence that i'm staying at :)

regent street :)

chinatown :)

harrod's sale :)

royal albert's hall :)

thanks for the yummiest trifle ever! :)

vivid piccadily circus :)

dipping my feet in to cool down on a hot summer day in hyde park :)

yups jun ming, i've tried out the duck rice that you say is the best at 'four seasons'... i agree with you! :)

such pretty scenic views everywhere! :)

double decker on the move... :)

us three roaming the streets of london together... :)

paddington! :)

subway... is it safe anymore? what satisfaction do the bombers get out of causing pain and suffering to others?

london traffic and beautiful arches. :)

statue of eros :)

yay! :)

2005-07-15T08:42:00.000+10:00

here i am in london... let me introduce my new house and housemate... oh wait... it's roommate! :) this is the first time i'm sharing a room with someone... hehe... and thankfully it's someone really nice and kind! that's ally! and behind us is where we are staying... 63 Evelyn Gardens. :) Shall not tell you my room number or else you may pop up and shock us! :) hahaa...

How has it been sharing a room? Truthfully speaking I wasn't used to it initially... cause I missed the times when i could just be alone and do whatever you want without someone else in the room... it's as if someone else is in your private space (room)... but over the days, i've gotten used to it. i think we both have gotten used to it! and just today we talked about it and said, "hey you know what? i'm getting used to having you around... i'm glad you're here." :)

and i really am glad... i can imagine how homesick i would be without both alison and pey eing around... but since they are always around, there's never a moment i'm alone or lonely... thanks! hehe they'll never see this, they don't have this blog address! :) la la laaaaaaaa!

take care dears! :)

2005-07-08T02:57:00.000+10:00

I seem to be saying a lot of goodbyes recently... seems as if i'm always leaving.
Leaving places...
Leaving people...
but no matter how far we may be, i'll always keep you all close at heart... and hey, it's not like we're not going to communicate the whole time we're apart... we have internet, phone and good ol snail mail! :)

It is 3am... my flight is leaving in 9 hours. I've finished packing everything, said my goodbyes, cleaned my room and done just about everything that I could think of that I need to do before I leave. After typing this I'm going to make a birthday card for my mom... cause I won't be here to celebrate with her. :) I'm really going to miss home. This holiday has just been too short! Indeed I am fully satisfied with every moment, but as usual, the feeling I have is... "if only it were longer..." *grins* I guess holidays can never be long enough ya? :)

Did you hear about the bombings in London? It saddens me that people would want to do such a thing. I see no pleasure gained from causing chaos and suffering to people... why all this hatred and revenge? Everyone suspects that it is the doings of the terrorists, but since it hasn't been proven, perhaps we shouldn't be so quick to point fingers.

I'm touched by everyone's concern. It's as if you all think of pam when you hear of news in london... and i'm not even there yet! :) Received lots of messages and calls updating me about what's happening in London and urging me to be careful. Some of you told me "pam don't go!"... and truthfully it did cross my mind that perhaps i should delay my flight... stay home another day... :) but in the end I decided to go! Things happen and we can't always run away from risks... and moreover, I wouldn't want to leave Alison arriving in London all alone! It should be alright... don't worry ya? :) I'll come online to report my safety when I'm able to get internet access. :)

I love you all! :) Take care and keep in touch! :)

smiles, pam :)

trust... : )

2005-07-04T14:14:00.000+10:00

today my parents said to me, "pam we trust you". :)

i thought that was very heartwarming... to know your parents trust you. they said this when they asked me how much i'd need in london and i came up with an estimate figure... then i asked them if they needed to know how i came about that figure. maths has never been my forte though. :P i asked them what they thought about certain things and they simply answered with "pam we trust you and your judgement".

i realised recently how important trust is. with trust many things can proceed smoothly as there is no doubt and suspicion. i value being trusted and not having to explain things though often i'd still explain anyway. how can one be trusted? i don't think it happens overnight... and neither does it happen by a single action to prove one's trustworthiness... but it's something built upon over years and over a lifetime... bit by bit... :)

missing melb...

2005-06-18T14:48:00.000+10:00

wow, haven't blogged in ages...

thought perhaps i should revive this blog... cause it's a good way to keep in touch with friends... though i must say, let's not just keep in touch through a blog ya? it's kinda impersonal cause it's just me blabbering on and on... and i don't really get to hear from you much. :) it's gotta be a 2 way conversation... :)

my last week in melbourne was definately the most emotional week ever... so many things happening, so many dear friends i had to say goodbye to. last meals together, last walks together, last chats on phone, last time to cook for one another... so many lasts. i felt so much like a returnee... eventhough i was only going to be away for 1 year. why did you all have to make it such a big thing? hee... couldn't we just have said, "take care, see you next year!!!" Why did it have to be "Gonna miss you so much... you're going to be so far away... we won't see you..."? Though i try to keep a happy face, there were many times i felt real sad... it's really hard to say goodbye. I just realised how much I've come to love melbourne. :)

Did you know that the night before I was to leave, someone called me asking me some sort of questionnaire on how i find life in melbourne. :) One of the questions was, "On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the best ever... how would you rate your happiness here in Melbourne?" Without hesistation I answered, "10!!!" heee... and the reason for it being 10 is not because Melbourne is the most liveable city in the world... but the reason is you all. :) It's the people that make Melbourne the best place ever~ it's you all! :)

heee. :)

You know, back at home, there are things I do subconsciously that show how much I've gotten used to living in Melbourne. In the past 2 nights when I have showered and am placing my towel back on the rack... I still fold it in half before placing it back... then I realise, "hey pam, the whole rack is yours, you don't need to fold it in half!" and then i unfold it and leave it there to dry. :) I've been so used to sharing the washroom with my housemate Thyn Ling... heee... and not just the washroom... but my life with you all. :) Some things will never change... I miss you all... and I just want to say that you'll always hold a real special place in my heart... and since its in my heart... you'll all be with me no matter where I may go. :) (unless i have a heart transplant ya?) heee... but then... you're also on my mind. :)

take care dear friends... lets not say goodbye... but let's say, "til we meet again!" I believe our paths will cross again... I really do... and I'm looking forward to seeing you all again! :)

Keep in touch ya? :)

much love, pam :)

2005-04-02T17:55:00.000+10:00

always... :)

here's a photo to share with you all~ a captured moment from yesterday.

an elderly couple, walking hand in hand... supporting each other. i think to that lady, the best support was not from her walking stick, but the one whose hand she was holding... :)

Unagi~! :)

2005-03-04T11:08:00.000+11:00

Japanese dinner cooked by edwina and i last night~! :)
hehe... i know some of you don't like grilled eel, but we do! and jap rice is yums. :)

Mmm... am so happy to have internet connection once again! :) Have been internet deprived for 3 whole weeks~ that's pretty long ya? :) Everyone asked me, "how did you live?" but surprisingly enough, it wasn't that bad afterall~ but the thing i missed most about not being able to come online was you all~ cause couldn't chat with you all or reply e-mails. :) Yep, I could have used uni computers... but somehow its so 'inconvenient' using the uni ones... and sometimes you just want to go home and not linger around in uni after a long day of lectures, pracs and tutorials. :)

How've you all been? :) Hope everyone is fine. I've been settling into a new place with two new housemates.. and they are both very friendly~ superb housemates! We are the happy healthy household... hahaahha... was just joking around... cause us three are studying health sciences. :)

really have to say thank you to my internet-life-saver for all the effort and time put into fixing this internet connection~ super glad and grateful!!!

okokies... it's now 11am... and i have some things to do before heading to uni for lunch and tute! take care everyone! :)

Greetings from Melbourne~! :)

2005-02-17T13:34:00.000+11:00

Dear all,

I've safely arrived in Melbourne~! :) :) :) Settled into new room with two really nice housemates~ and things have been good so far. Lectures are rather boring (we're learning Microbiology & Immunology... all those little bugs that cause you to have diarrhoea!) but the lecturers are trying to spice them up so it's not too bad. :) Weather has been good!!! I enjoy the sunny weather~ yet it's not too hot because there's a cold breeze. Oh I overslept this morning, but my housemate, Edwina woke me up by knocking on my door... hehee... it's good that we both have the same timetable so we make sure we're awake on time! :P

Saddened to say that I still don't have internet connection at home. Will need to buy a router... and I'm contemplating asking my bro to get it for me back home in Msia, and asking a friend to bring it over. It's cheaper.. and my super nice brother offered to do so. :) hehe... haven't asked my friend yet though... :P

Am in the library using the computers now. Time now is 2pm. Have finished classes for the day~ going to go for lunch soon. Hope you're all having a good week! Thanks for your SMSes & e-mails~ really enjoy keeping in touch with you all!!! :)

Take care~! :)

Till we meet again... :)

2005-02-12T15:41:00.000+11:00

Dear all,
Flight back to melb is tonight at 9.30pm...
Will be arriving there at 8.10am on sunday morning~ nice and early~
to start of the new day, and new semester there... :)
Am already missing home... eventhough I'm still here...
Take care dear friends...
we'll keep in touch ya? :)
much love, pam :)

Gong Xi Fa Cai~! :)

2005-02-10T04:05:00.000+11:00

Happy Chinese New Year of the Rooster dear friends~! :)

Good ol Ipoh is the hometown where I belong. :) Canning Gardens to be specific. :) Driving back is always such a joy~! Eventhough the journey is long, it's not at all boring~ infact it's enjoyable! Why? It's what I'd call as 'spending quality time with your family'. :) We're all stuck together in the same car, driving to one location and chatting with one another to keep my dear dad awake for all our safety's sake. ;) Lots of stories come up... including a confession from my dad. :) Hehe... they told us last time how they were robbed when dating (ages ago!) and it was such a tv-show-drama whereby the guy is held with a knife at his throat, and he screams to his gf to run and RUN~ but the gal on seeing him at cut-throat just can't run and instead comes back! hehe... I've heard all the saga before... and how when my mom ran back the two robbers got a little distracted and my dad fought with them and in the end my parents were safe... though quite badly slashed with the knives. But thankfully safe.

What I did not hear was that my dad went back on his own the next day with a spear and a knife... looking for the robbers to 'get back' at them! Whoa! Even my mom didn't know. I always thought my dad was such a patient and easy-going guy... so I just can't imagine him walking around with weapons, with the intention to kill!!! :P What happened? My dad actually came across those two robbers again and they were robbing a malay couple. From a distance, my dad threw the knife at the robbers and they ran away. I had to bring an anticlimax to the story by asking a seemingly innocent question, "dad, did you get them?" and my dad replies, "err... no... i missed." :) *grins* My bro just started laughing as if I asked the silliest question ever. :)

There's this happy feeling when you're almost there.
Clues along the way...
1) many mountains along the highway~ i think they look like broccoli~!
2) sighting tesco (it's new!) and jusco. :)
3) this little playground with about 6 swings painted in multi-colours.
4) bulatan canning. this is the round-a-bout of canning gardens. :)

It's great that Chinese New Year is a time when families all get together as one big family to celebrate the new year. To me it signifies togetherness... and family unity. It's so easy to lose contact with your relatives as each has their own family and lifestyle... but it's also important to maintain the family ties and strong caring and loving relationships. :)

My heart sank today when I saw my grandpa seeing us off, peering over the garden wall at us and waving to us as we pulled out of the driveway, and even as we drove off on the road. He was there to see is all the way off, and continued to wave until he couldn't see us anymore. I could sense that he didn't want us to go off so soon. It made me think, how often do we go back to visit those that we love? Do we ever show that we care? If we do, do we care enough? love enough? Are we there? My grandpa requested that I call him on the first day of chinese new year next year, when I'm in london. I said, "ofcourse!". Thinking over it, is that all I'm going to do? Just because I'm far away, is that an excuse not to care? I don't think so... distance should not be an excuse. I'm going send him a postcard or write a letter every month... maybe that's not much... but it's a little way to send some love across the miles and show that i do care. :)

ivan~! :)

2005-02-07T04:01:00.000+11:00

meet ivan~ my nephew (cousin's son)~! isn't he gorgeous? :)

Recently came back from visiting my mom's hometown... and whoa~ there is a BABY BOOM there! it's as if all my cousins are getting married and raising a family. :) There wasn't a moment of silence (or peace) in the house as there were 7 cheeky (yet adorable!) children running around and 3 bawling babies! :)

7 cheeky toddlers + 3 crying babies = havoc. :)

i experienced my nephews and nieces licking my camera, trying to pull my pants down (don't ask me who taught them that), asking me to play computer games with them, throwing balls at me, dragging me to jump on the bed with them, sitting me down to teach them piano & even pointing to huge cookie tin cans while looking at me with their beady eyes that you just can't resist. :) *grins* All that made me think of how I was as a little child. :) I'm sure i was like them... perhaps you may say naughty... but i kinda like them naughty and cheeky... cause that means they are active~ and bursting with energy~! :)

It's only with them that I speak my terrible cantonese without hesistation and embarassment. :) They are so accepting of all my mistakes and don't smirk when i say something wrongly. :)

They mimic what we do and at the same time, there is so much to learn from them... their childlike innocence, simplicity & cheerfulness~! :) They have the sweetest smiles too~! :)

31st~! :)

2005-02-01T04:20:00.000+11:00

31st are often special days~! :)

it is on every alternate month but it's in the last yet also the first month of the year. :)

you'll get a 31% discount off handpacked ice-cream at Baskin Robbins on every 31st. :)

since it's the new year and time to try new things, i'll make it a point from now onwards to blog every 31st and share with you some photos of 31st that make me smile. :)

31st january 2005...

archery~! :) our instructor was younger than us... ;)

bowling~ trying to copy others and do that leg stance... but when i try i end up getting a gutterball... i guess bowling with style takes more practice! for now i'll stick to my usual bending over bowling... hehe... :) also i'm the only blur one who takes a 9 pound ball thinking it's a 6 pound ball... :P but it turns out even better. :)

gary at kim gary's. :) here's to french toasts and hong kong cuisine~! :) and erm... egg in boiled water drink? and boiled coke with ginger? :) even when surrounded fully by taylor-ians, i'll still chirp that sunway is the funway~! :)

since there's 31% off ice-cream at baskin robbins today, how can we miss out~? :) i am holding the hugest ice cream ever... it glows too~! Would you like some of the ice-cream i'm holding there with a huge grin? it's called 'lightbulb'. :) *grins* ofcourse it was too hot and too hard to consume. :) it hurt my head too when i bumped it while leaning back laughing. :)

Gardeners... :)

2005-01-28T05:13:00.000+11:00

siamese twin friends. :) *grins*

I couldn't help but laugh when I heard Shireen refer to our fellow high school friends as 'Gardeners'... but it's so true. Garden is the first word of our school's name. :) I'm a Gardener~! (But we're usually called GISians). :)

Drove to our school and whoa~ I can barely recognise Mont Kiara~ it's so developed~ and what happened to the beautiful hill next to our school that we used to go for 'Green Garden Runs'? It has been replaced by condominiums. There's also a new tennis court and the basketball court has been shifted. :) What I find impressive is the new Art Block~ ! One whole building for the art faculty~! :)

The swamp lined walkway with lots of lalang that we used to walk through to reach McDs has been replaced by... (can you guess)... more condos... :P Ohno... no more shortcuts for the students to go buy sundaes! :)

Stirred my first yee sang for the new year. :) It's interesting how we all gather to toss it... the higher the better. :) Tossing it signifies happiness, harmony, luck and fortune for the new year... LOE (=mix)! :)

Time is going by so fast...
i forsee myself in two weeks time...
feeling like
i just
can't bear
to say
... goodbye.

Five memorable words/phrases of the week:
1~ shimmies :)
2~ atrium :)
3~ chinese-pancakes :)
4~ damai sri :)
5~ root beer :)

Negaraku... :)

2005-01-22T19:55:00.000+11:00

Am embarassed to say that until yesterday I did not know my country's national anthem.

A few months ago during a picnic in Melbourne we played some games and I had a forfeit which was to sing my country's anthem. To me that was the worst forfeit because I just couldn't do it! Thankfully they all helped me out and stood to sing it with me. :) Since then I was determined to learn the anthem... and learn it well! :) Came back to Malaysia this holiday and asked many high school friends if they knew the anthem... and most didn't. I guess it's because our school never thought us. But I shall not blame my school... because if we really wanted to learn it we could have done so by other means. :)

Thanks jay for the lyrics... :)
Here goes... :)

Negaraku :)

Negaraku
tanah tumpahnya darahku,
Rakyat hidup
bersatu dan maju...

Rahmat bahagia,
Tuhan kurniakan,
Raja kita
selamat bertakhta... :)

For those who don't know malay and don't understand the lyrics... here's Pam's translation (i'm not very good at malay... but will try). If i'm wrong, please correct me:

My country,
the land is covered with our blood,
The citizens live
united and progressing...

(i have no idea what rahmat means so i checked the kamus, malay dictionary and rahmat = mercy/charity)
Happily giving,
God has blessed us,
May our king
safely reign~! :)

i really don't know if the above translation is right. Please do correct me if i'm wrong!

I love my country!! (and am ready for the next forfeit!) ;)

Rise and shine~! :)

2005-01-18T19:59:00.000+11:00

Rise and shine~ it's a brand new day~! :)

It's lovely waking up early... drawing the curtains and watching the sun peek from the horizon~! :)

Had a pretty rough week as a few unhappy things happened... it's strange that they happened at the same time... was really unexpected and was unprepared... but how often are we ever ready when problems arise? When they happen we're left having to decide whether to run away from it or face it. :) Both ways are tough... but with support from others it's much easier... cause they'll help you face it and pull you through. :) No worries... am fine now and feeling happy again~! *smiles* :)

It's amazing that eventhough I didn't tell many friends about what I was going through... I've been receiving lots of encouraging SMSes and calls... just to say hi and nice warm words. Thanks pals~! :) Perhaps friends are actually psychic... they think of you at the right times. :)

You all warm my heart and help me lots, and I'm really thankful~! :)

Am going now for a swim. :) Take care and have a good week ahead! May you wake up each morning looking forward to the brand new day and willing to take on whatever challenges may arise~! :) We'll help each other through! :)

Resolutions? :)

2005-01-08T18:18:00.000+11:00

New Year... new resolutions...
While sitting around, listenning to jazz with friends, we somehow came about to this 'deep' subject of new years resolutions. I was so impressed by friend's resolutions~! Wow they sure did think about their goals and aims for the next year, here are some:
~ to be more tolerant of others and less snappy.
~ to spend less time out at night and instead stay home to study.
~ to quit smoking.
~ to reduce drinking alcohol (cause it's bad for the brain! ehhe).
~ to love more. :) be less afraid to love, and more willing to.
~ to keep fit!
~ to get a flower for his gf every time he meets her! (never heard anyone put this as a new years resolution!)
~ to build strong relationships.
~ to settle into working life well and complain less.
~ to save money.
~ to drive safely.
~ to work harder and be less lazy. :)
~ to better manage time.

I myself have not taken the time to sit down and think about resolutions. I see this year as a year of many changes for me. A year when I'll be moving many times and having to settle in new environments. When I arrive in Melbourne I'll be moving into a new place with new housemates. New responsibilities and commitments. Perhaps even a new part time job. :) Then in July I'll be moving to London to do a year as an exchange student. That means having to find a place to stay and having to settle down all over again in a totally new environment. I've never been there before and there are times when you fear changes and dislike separation... but at the same time are excited about it all~! :) I hope to be able to adapt to changes this year... and a continuing goal I have is to love others more... to love all. It's something that i agree is much easier said than done...

Sometimes when discussing resolutions with one another, we raise our eyebrow in disbelief that our friends will actually be able to keep to them. *grins* I admit I do my fair share of, "yeah right! you sure???"s... but deep down we know these goals are good and is something great to aim for. :) I think it's good to have an aim... or how will you know where to shoot? Even if you don't get it right the first time... or even the hundredth or millionth time... if you try hard enough...
oneday you'll hit bullseye. :)
i believe you will. :)

spot the poser~! :)

2005-01-07T19:58:00.000+11:00

sabrina loves posing at home for the camera~! :)

Guestmap :)

2005-01-06T20:38:00.000+11:00

Ooh... just got a guestmap. :) Hehe... be my guest and stick your pin where you are! It's the blinking Guestmap icon on the right, above 'Previous Posts'. I can guess where most of the pins will land... :)

Maxis SMS donations... :)

2005-01-04T20:00:00.000+11:00

I just received this sms from maxis on my mobile:

"Join us in helping the Tsunami victims. To donate, SMS < Donate > to 22999 from now till 31/1/05. RM1 donation / SMS. Send as many times as you wish. No SMS charges."

It's great to see the mobile companies helping as well and waiving the SMS charges so the complete $1 goes to those that need it most. Let's all work together to help the Tsunami victims. Every SMS and every ringgit counts... together we can help in a BIG way. :)

A new beginning... :)

2005-01-01T20:05:00.000+11:00

A little treasure. A garden discovery. Two halves of a bird's egg. :) Looking up, I see mom perched in the cradle of a nest (didn't look very comfortable) protecting her young. Little birdies, eager to grow up and soar in the vast skies! :) What a warming sight to see... and it's so relevant to today~ the new year!

1st January 2005. A brand new year~! Like an egg that has just hatched... there is this sense of excitement and anticipation~! What will the new year hold in store for us all? We do not know what will happen this year... but we can try to make the best of whatever comes along... whether it be joyful or tearful.

There was no countdown or raving party to usher in the new year. Instead nations gathered to show respect to those affected by the tsunami by having moments of silence and prayers. It's amazing how countries help one another. Perhaps it takes a great disaster to bring us closer to one another as we overcome difficult times together. :)

tsunami...

2004-12-27T19:12:00.000+11:00

Tsunami, a sea wave of local or distant origin that results from large-scale seafloor displacements associated with large earthquakes, major submarine slides, or exploding volcanic islands.

Primary 5, searching through Encarta and other various encyclopedias to find out the meaning of tsunami... the title of my geography project. I compiled an impressive array of information about it...

but it was only yesterday when I really got a glimpse of the horrors and verberating effects of this natural phenomenum. Ripples... similar to those produced by droplets... but rising high and crashing down to have disastrous effects. Waves of force.

Am deeply saddened by the news of the thousands of tragic deaths.
Fishermen were strolling home after casting their nets...
Little children were building sandcastles...
Surfers were enjoying the waves.

I asked my parents why there was no large scale warning eventhough the first large wave appeared earlier in the morning.
One simple answer:
"we never expected it to happen here..."

I learnt today that
life is so unpredictable.
You never know when your last day is.

Makes us reflect on how we've been living our lives.

I know i've always been procrastinating.
There are many meaningful things I wanted to do
... but ...
I've always been too busy.
Or is that merely an excuse?
Caught up in the daily hustle and bustle,
I've ended up pushing these things aside.

Perhaps we can learn from this tsunami~
to say the things we need to say
as well as do the things we need to do...
today.

Dear all, :)

2004-12-25T22:12:00.000+11:00

blessed Christmas~! :)
love, pam :)

picture this... my room. :)

2004-12-24T16:03:00.000+11:00

Every morning~
I wake to the sound of music...
At night~
sleep under a blanket of stars...
and when i can't sleep?
i count sheep~! :)

*grins*

Explanation:
-> radio alarm clock
-> glow in the dark stars (hundreds)
-> glow in the dark sheep ~ 32 (i counted!)

baa... :)

chewy... :)

2004-12-24T00:47:00.000+11:00

Thank you for the yashizawa butterfly you made for me years ago...

and thank you for the yashizawa butterfly you just gave me today...
a symbol of friendship and love. :)

it's with true friends you can be grumpy with... :)

and silly with... :)

or just plain happy~! :)

thanku su~! :)

dong... :)

2004-12-22T00:26:00.000+11:00

mmm... :) Happy Dongzhi~! :)

bet this is the first time you're seeing a heart shaped 'tong yuen'! :)

you know it's done when it starts floating in boiling water. :)

three at a time~ that's the max i can do at one go. :)

Today is Dongzhi (Winter Solstice Festival). :)

I never really knew the significance... but found this exerpt online:
"The festival marks the start of a 14 to 15-day season in China when day is longer than night in mid-winter.
During the old days, the people in China used to consider the festival as the beginning of a new season and New Year, when longer sunshine meant more brightness and positive energy. The whole family would come together to make rice balls, which were symbolic of fullness and being together. "

It's fun making those 'tong yuen'... was competing with my aunt to see who could roll the most balls on one hand... i only managed to do three at a time. :) Other than that, I was playing around and making heart shaped tong yuen... :) hehe... i've always wanted to make multi coloured balls... but somehow my parents disagree... *grins* imagine red, purple, green, yellow, orange, pink and white balls bobbing~ oh man.. it'd be like Christmas~!

But by far the best part of Dongzhi is the symbolism of family togetherness... *smiles* :)

cough cough :)

2004-12-21T17:20:00.000+11:00

Nothing soothes a bad cough more than a cup of warm green tea with honey... and lots of care + concern. :)

visiting, celebrating, catching up. :)

2004-12-20T22:17:00.000+11:00

There's always this happy feeling when you're on the journey to visit your relatives. Here's is my whole family huddled in a car... on our way to ipoh~ we're nearing... see the mountains? :)

Happy Birthday Jon and Hannah~! :)

No need to fight for the cake... :) hehehee...

smiles. :)

more smiles! :)

catching up with friends is always awesome... and eventhough we haven't seen each other in a year~ it's great that we still feel comfortable being silly infront of each other... :) (okie... perhaps i'm the only silly one...)

dancing lights on a fully accessorized tree... brings a warm glow to home sweet home... and adds a festive cheer... :) It's lovely being home~! :)

a droplet today... :)

2004-12-16T02:28:00.000+11:00

A little boy in the swimming pool asked me in cantonese, "jie jie, lei hoh mm hoh yee pong ngo bei choy ah?" (which means: sister, can you compete with me?)

Haha.. he's so cute... wanted to race me to the other end using breast stroke. :) I just smiled and replied in cantonese that I'd be embarassed to lose to him... but why not... sounds fun...
and we raced. :)

Home Sweeeeeet Home~! :)

2004-12-05T19:17:00.000+11:00

It's really lovely being back home. :)
I never realised how much I missed home until I got back. :) All the simple things that truly warms my heart... its what I missed when I was in Melbourne, but admist busy schedules I almost forgot how good these things were... until I came back and experienced it all again... :) Aaah... *warm fuzzy feeling*
~having dinner together with family at home :)
~running after kenny and sabrina (my dogs) :)
~driving around rather timidly and getting quite a few honks! Proudly displaying my 'P' sticker. :P
~going for swims at the club at sunset. :)
~hanging out at the usual spots (MV, Pyramid, BU, KLCC)
~chatting on the phone until our ears burn!
~sipping coffee and chatting for ages... :)
~staring out of my window watching the huge raindrops land on the roof...
~blasting the radio when I shower... not having to worry about disturbing my housemate/neighbour. :)
~having broadband. :)
~wearing shorts and slippers... :)
~learning how to play the guitar... fingers hurt, but it's fun! :)
~eating chilli padi eventhough i know it'll make me tear and sniffle. :)
~being teased for my terrible malay. :)
~... and my terrible sense of direction. :)
~playing my dear red yamaha piano i've had ever since i was 7. :)
~friendships that are not watered away with time... but strengthen, grow and blossom~! :)
~the 'ring-a-ling' sound of the copper bell when the auto gate opens/closes. :)
~my room. :)
~snuggling under the comforter with the aircon blasting cos it's hot outside! :)
~10 cents SMSes! :)
~daily doses of mom's home-boiled soup! :)

hot hot hot~! :)

2004-10-13T20:45:00.000+10:00

It's spring, but it sure seems like summer~! :)

Yesterday was a whooping 32 degrees Celcius!

Makes me feel as if I'm back home...

Home sweet home... :)

Am looking forward to the holidays...

will you all be going back?

Hang in there everyone.

I know that exams loom ahead

and can really stress us out...

but...

lets do our best

then truly enjoy

the holidays

that are

just around

the corner ya?

Gambate everyone~!!! :)

*pam cheers you on* :)

Spring is in the air... :)

2004-09-05T21:36:00.000+10:00

aaah... such a lovely sight... lush green grass and beams of warm sunlight streaming through the trees... indeed spring is here~! it's still quite chilly though. :)

Can't believe how fast time has gone by... have already been back in uni for 7 weeks! Wow! This semester is known to be the hardest semester... and I agree that the workload is plentiful, but it's been surprisingly interesting~! :) It's so fascinating to learn about the brain and how it controls each and every part of us... our physical body, thoughts, emotions, memory, personality... :)

Oh yups, one interesting fact I learnt in lecture: men's brains are slightly larger than women's brains... but it hasn't been proven that men are smarter than women. *grin* :P

Have a great week everyone~ welcome spring!!! :)

2004-08-13T17:28:00.000+10:00

*sheepish grin* I've been a lazy blogger ya? Have not updated in quite a while. Thought I'd leave you all with this photo of us med friends during Vanessa's 21st birthday celebration~!!! :) Yups, studying is not easy... but lets all encourage one another to do our best... and ofcourse enjoy our 'carefree' years of being a student~! :) Happy studying~!! :)

One week just flew by... :)

2004-07-25T20:39:00.000+10:00

Wow... it's been exactly a week since I came back to Melb... I really do miss home lots... but at the same time, it's also nice to be back here in Melb... we all have to get back to work at some point ya? Can't be on holidays all the time. :) And who said studies can't be enjoyable~ it's what we make of it. :) Pictures pain a thousand words, so I'll just share some pics that shall tell my story of the week that just went by... :)

2004-07-25T20:35:00.000+10:00

fellow med friend, near neighbour and ocfer~ mei ying. :) she's really sweet. :)

2004-07-25T20:34:00.000+10:00

us all!!! :)

2004-07-25T20:33:00.000+10:00

smiling in different directions... :)

2004-07-25T20:32:00.000+10:00

It's drizzling... but without a drizzle there wouldn't be the beautiful rainbow ya? :)

2004-07-25T20:31:00.000+10:00

Somewhere over the rainbow... :) love the scenery there. :) Went there for July Camp! :) Was really cold... but wonderful! :)

2004-07-25T20:30:00.001+10:00

Mornington Peninsular... can you see the rainbow? :)

2004-07-25T20:30:00.000+10:00

First lecture on monday morning.. lecture 1.1= Biology of neurons. For the first half of this semester we'll be learning about the brain!

2004-07-25T20:29:00.000+10:00

Melb uni! I was asked to look studious and pre-read my lecture notes just for this photo... in reality, we don't sit so nicely to read here outside the lecture halls... we usually pre-read at home or in the library.. or we often don't pre-read at all!! :) But this sem I hope to be more consistant with studies and actually keep up with pre-reading and revising... think i can do it? :) will try. :)

2004-07-25T20:27:00.000+10:00

posers trying to look bored... i can never hide a smile... guess i'm just not an actress... :P

2004-07-25T20:25:00.001+10:00

cold weather affects us mentally... :) hehee.

2004-07-25T20:25:00.000+10:00

tramming in melb...

2004-07-25T20:24:00.000+10:00

we love you gene! :)

2004-07-25T20:22:00.001+10:00

gene and her brother!!! :)

2004-07-25T20:22:00.000+10:00

mmm... you spoil us all with food gene... :)

2004-07-25T20:21:00.000+10:00

us the 5 sisters! :) Best of friends in uni. :) All studying medicine together... we go through many things together... even tequilla... only for you cause it was your bday gene... happy birthday!!! :) All of us are flushed...

2004-07-25T20:19:00.000+10:00

Dinner with friends in OCF cell group... at Ong's. :)

2004-07-25T20:17:00.000+10:00

how about a suckao? it's really fun! there's a candle underneath that warms the milk and you drop in chocolate bits to melt... stirr wit the metal stirrer that is also a straw, and enjoy freshly brewed hot choc! :)

2004-07-25T20:11:00.000+10:00

a drinkable hug. :) ordered a 'hug'... keeps your hands warm and tastes so sweet! :) If you didn't already guess, I'm talking bout a nice hot cup of hot choc! :)

2004-07-25T20:10:00.000+10:00

enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate at Max Brenners after uni... :)

2004-07-25T20:08:00.001+10:00

can you guess where this was taken? :) yups, in the msian airport!

2004-07-25T20:08:00.000+10:00

tasted as good as it looked! :)

Special Double Birthday~! :)

2004-07-11T00:02:00.000+10:00

Hehe... that somehow reminds me of a double scoop ice-cream~ what a lovely day today is... it's Linda's and Pei Ting's birthday!!! :) Happy birthday Pei Ting~! :) Happy Birthday Linda~! :) Love you both~! :) *smiles*

In the past week...

2004-07-08T18:07:00.000+10:00

I have learned that...
1) When on an escalator do not turn back and laugh... I nearly fell down... but maybe that's just me because I am often quite a klutz~! :)
2) There is a lovely biscuit shop in Ipoh that sells all types of biscuits! :)
3) The name of those small round biscuits with yellow bean filling from Penang are called 'loong chui' = dragon ball/pearl. :)
4) My grandpa loves two things: authentic chinese tea &... nougat! :)
5) KLCC is a nice place to go for a walk, even outside... I have finally ventured out of the shopping mall & discovered that it's lovely. :)
6) We are not saved by good works but we are saved for good works.
7) Want to make me cry? Serve me Tom Yam. :)
8) Parking is a difficult task to master... but I shall try... and hopefully not damage my parent's car doing so. :)
9) To avoid long ques for recent movies... go to the cinema at 10.35am in the morning... there's no one queing up, and you can make it just in time for the 1st screening at 10.40am. :)
10) I'm going to miss home...

Happy Birthday Sha~! :)

2004-07-07T01:26:00.000+10:00

Dear Sha,
Happy 21st birthday~! :)
*hugs & smiles*
much love, pam :)

Half of the holidays left... :)

2004-06-30T14:08:00.000+10:00

Wow, holidays have gone by so fast... have been back for almost 2 weeks... and i have slightly more than 2 weeks left of hols! Hmm... what have I been up to? Mostly spending time with family, catching up with friends and visiting relatives. :) It's really been a good two weeks~! :) Holidays just seem too short ya? But it's also good that it's short as you will use the time well. :) Some days are just so packed that you end up rushing from here to there... but there are days that you reserve to spend fully at home... :) I enjoy staying at home as much as going out... because what I really miss most when I am away is the company... of family and friends... not so much the big shopping malls and food... but definately the people!

Am impressed that my mom is so tech savvy! Just taught her how to send free sms using www.sms.ac and on top of that, she knows how to use it to check her sharemarket, send e-mail, MSN chat and also voice-chat using skype! :) Wow~ i'm impressed~! :)

Chit chat... :)

2004-06-26T02:59:00.000+10:00

It's lovely catching up with friends... really thankful for the chance to have these long talks. Sometimes I feel I haven't been as good a friend as I would have liked to be. When I hear of the struggles that my friends have gone through in the past half year that I was away, I feel bad for not being around to help them through. We do keep in touch... but somehow it's just not the same as when you're all nearby and can just call each other often or go out together. Even if I'm online often, I'm usually away from the computer... so my status on MSN/ICQ will usually be 'away'. Makes me think whether I've been an 'away' friend when I'm in Melbourne... and that I'm most available for my friends when I'm physically back.

It warms my heart when friends call and really take the effort to meet up when you're back... and the times of sharing is really something I feel is precious... it's as if we go through the whole half year in a super-long conversation... really summarized ya? :) Summarized... yet detailed at 'important' bits... hehe. :) I'm happy to hear about how things are going well for friends and how they've grown and matured in many ways. I'm glad to hear of how friends have overcome the struggles they faced bravely... and how they've become stronger and learned a lot through those situations. I'm happy to share about how the half year has been... the ups and downs. :)

We often say 'Friends forever' and 'Keep in touch always'... I think it's really special when we really keep to those words... and do indeed keep the friendship strong through the years~ it'll be fun to sit down with the same close friends you have now when we're all old and wrinkly... and start talking about "those days..." :) *smiles*

What's right?

2004-06-24T03:03:00.000+10:00

Received this forward from linda:

> > A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in
> > use while the other disused. Only one child played on the disused
> > track, the rest on the operational track.
> >
> > The train came, and you were just beside the track interchange. You
> > could make the train change its course to the disused track and saved
> > most of the
> > kids. However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the
> > disused
> > track would be sacrificed. Or would you rather let the train go its way?
> >
> > Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we
> > could
> > make.............
> >
> > ..
> > ..
> > How do you decide?
> > ..
> > ..
> > No cheating...
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > What is your decision?
> > ..
> > ..
> > ..
> > Most people might choose to divert the course of the train,and
> > sacrifice only one child. You might think the same way, I guess.
> >
> > Exactly, I thought the same way initially because to save most of
> > the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision most
> > people would make, morally and emotionally. But, have you ever
> > thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in
> > fact made the right decision to play at a safe place? Evertheless,
> > he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to
> > play where the danger was.
> >
> > This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday. In the office,
> > community, in politics and especially in a democratic society, the
> > minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority, no
> > matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how
> > farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are. The child who
> > chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was
> > sidelined. And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear
> > for him.
> >
> > The friend who forwarded me the story said he would not try to change
> > the
> > >course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on
> > >the
> > operational track should have known very well that track was still in
> > use
> > and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens.
> > If
> > the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because
> > he never thought the train could come over to that track!
> >
> > Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.
> > If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives
> > of all passengers on board at stake! And in your attempt to save a
> > few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing
> > hundreds of people to save these few kids.
> >
> > While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to
> > be made,we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the
> > right one.

"Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right."

Everybody makes mistakes, that's why they put erasers on pencils~ :)

haze...

2004-06-23T19:39:00.000+10:00

dum de dum... feel quite lazy to blog today... :)

it's very hazy now in kl. passed many tourists on the way to klcc... and they were taking photos of buildings and scenery. i can't help but think that everything would look much better without the haze. miss fresh air and clear skies... hope it'll clear soon. :) i remember my parents buying us masks to wear when i was in primary... i also remember some of my classmates being forced by their parents to wear the masks to school... but they'd ofcourse remove them once they entered the school gates and were out of their parent's sight. that shows that even at such a young age we were already so vain... and were willing to... erm... sacrifice our lungs for our looks?? hehe... it wasn't just us gals... but the guys did too!! :)

Ooh... tried something weirdly yummy... erm... chendol with blended ice, santan and durian~ (i can imagine my housemate scrunching her nose in disgust...) :)

Bullseye~! :)

2004-06-23T01:53:00.000+10:00

ooh... bullseye~! :)
*grins*
Felt quite happy to be able to get that on the 2nd shot... but let me honestly say that was really fluke!!! I'm terrible at archery... but that doesn't stop me from liking it~! :)
Often we like doing things that we are good in... and avoid things that we are bad in... but sometimes it's also good to make mistakes. As embarassing as it may be to be bad at something... that shouldn't cause us to avoid it... because the only way to improve is to continue trying rite? :)

Specially for Kat ~ :)

2004-06-22T01:54:00.000+10:00

This pic is specially for Kat, my housemate in Melb~! :) Hi Kat~! :) sorry I can't bring over mangosteens for you... but I can capture it in a pic~ let me introduce a lovely mangosteen to you. :) Yups, I didn't know how to describe it to you properly... so a pic is much better ya? :) Next i'll take a pic of a durian for you... ;) Hope you're having a good holiday in Melbourne~! :)

The Present... :)

2004-06-22T01:43:00.000+10:00

Finally got about to some proper reading today... and read this book called 'The Present' by Spencer Johnson. I highly recommend it! :) It doesn't take very long to read... yet it is such a meaningful book that you can really learn a lot from!

Okie... here's a little exerpt from the book:

The old man said, "Consider this: Even in the most difficult situations, when you focus on what is right in the present moment, it makes you happier, and gives you the needed energy and confidence to deal with what is wrong."
What the old man said surprised the young man. "So being in The Present means focusing on what is right now. And it also means focusing on what is right, now."
"Yes," the old man said.
The young man thought more about it. "You know that makes sense. When I'm in a bad situation, I usually focus on what's wrong and that gets me down and discouraged."
The old man said. "Many people do that. In reality, most situations are a mix of good and bad, right and wrong. It depends on how you look at them. The more you look at what is wrong, the less energy and confidence you have. That's why, when you find yourself in a 'bad' situation, it's important to look for what is right even if it is hard to find. Then appreciate it and build on it. The more you appreciate what is right at the moment, the happier you are..."

Learning some cooking skills... :)

2004-06-22T01:39:00.000+10:00

Mmmm... learned how to cook curry chicken today~! :) Yups, stayed home for dinner and followed my mom here and there in the kitchen and out to the wet kitchen. :) Helped with cooking... though my mom warned me to stand far away when stirring cause it may splash all over me... :)

Happy Father's Day~! :)

2004-06-21T02:24:00.000+10:00

tadaa~! :) welcome to a patch of floor in my room... i'm such a messy person ya? I have a nice big table to work on, but i like to do things on the floor. :P All that mess was when making a card for my dad... Happy Father's Day~! :)

Get well soon kelly~!

2004-06-18T03:26:00.000+10:00

I hope and pray that kelly gets better soon...

Home sweet home ~ :)

2004-06-17T14:52:00.000+10:00

It's nice to be back...

Coming back home always fills me with this 'warm fuzzy feeling'... nowhere can compare to home. :)

I have no complaints about Melbourne though. I like it lots there... really like the freedom I have there... and even the way I feel safer walking on the streets at night, the weather there (though the wind is often too strong and makes my umbrella flip~ which is quite embarassing!), the warm friendly people there... and even my apartment on Grattan Street... indeed it's a very liveable city with good public transport and a nice atmosphere. But though Malaysia may have dirtier streets that may not be so safe, and though the weather is very hot and humid and I can't just step out of the house and hop onto a tram to the city... I still like Malaysia... because that's where I'm from, and where I've always called home. :)

*grins*... am going to KLCC later... just got back and am already going shopping? Well... there's sale... and you know... all of us can't resist... and things here are so much cheaper than in Melb~! ;) Gotta go and get ready now... aaah... it's nice to be home... :)

5 sisters ~ :)

2004-06-17T04:34:00.000+10:00

Hmmm... what can I say... they are like my family in Melbourne. :) Being so far away from home, it's great having close friends whom you can be who you are and feel comfortable with~! :) We attend the exact same lectures so we see each other nearly every day~!!!

Can't imagine how uni would be without them around. Let me introduce them to you~! :)
'Dai Kar Chea' = Wendy~! :)
'Yee Kar Chea' = Natasha~! :)
'Sam Kar Chea' = Michelle~! :)
'Sai Mui' = Gene~! :)

How did we meet? Met Wendy even before we both went to Melbourne... during a pre-departure briefing held by IDP... :) Then met Michelle and Natasha during the Downtown Tour in Melbourne~ and met Gene through Michelle~! :) I'm not sure how we became such good friends... but I remember that one of our first 'outings' together was when Wendy, Michelle and I spontaneously decided to go shopping at Richmond one sunny afternoon when we finished classes early... lol~! :)

I think we've seen each other in our best and worst times... through all the fun times we've had and all the stressful times, we've stuck with each other... and I'm truly thankful for such precious friends~! :) ThankÜ~! :)

Shadalacey ~ :)

2004-06-17T04:31:00.001+10:00

Let me introduce you to 3 very special friends... Stacey, Sasha & Linda. :) We've been the best of friends since our college days... and I wouldn't trade them for anything or anyone else~! :) How did we get to know each other? Well... Stacey and I were both from Garden International School and we sat at the same cluster of tables during Literature classes... but somehow we never really clicked and never really talked... until we both discovered we were taking the same classes in Sunway College... then we really became best friends~! :) Sasha and Linda? Got to know them through an A-level's musical production that we took part in called "Love is a many spendoured thing" whereby we performed lots of oldies songs... it was really fun... but stressful too because we were all rushing to make it in time for the performance. :)

aaahhh... college days~! :) I loved every moment in college (except exam time... but I think no one really likes exams ya?) I'll always remember how we all would go to Pink Place or Corner Shop for lunch~ my favourite lunch was Toasted Ham Cheese Sandwich with one huge glass of watermelon juice~! And... chee cheong fun with all the delights at corner... :P mmmm... and not forgetting the $1 taufoo fah from the van along the road... yups... those were the days... and how can we ever forget how we'd spend our lunches at the shops behind Pink Place... where we played pool... then moved on to larger tables... to play snooker. :) lol~ always will remember when Linda said "the red one!" ;) It's okie... we all have our moments when we say silly things... but the best part is all laughing about it together and just being happy to be friends... really want to thank you three~ and look forward to catching up with you all these hols... but yeah... first concentrate on your exams... then we shall all go and celebrate afterwards yup? :) *hugs*

Back blogging?

2004-06-17T03:49:00.000+10:00

Hmmm... I'm really wondering if I should resume blogging... :)
I remember starting to blog in college... really have to thank Stacey for recommending Bogger to me~! :) Kept blogging for the whole time I was in Sunway College... then I went to Melbourne Uni... and after half a year, I got lazy... posted less often... and then decided to take a break from blogging and left a 'Take care' note on my blog. :)

Have been thinking about resuming blogging... but never really had the drive to get about to starting... I know that once I start... I can't just stop... so have been pushing aside this thought of blogging for a while... and now... i think i shall start again~ and i chose the title 'Droplets' because though small, the impact they have and the beautiful ripples they create are amazing... i like to watch rain droplets and the way the ripples spread out. it's like the lives we lead, we may feel that we are just one person in such a huge world... and that we are insignificant... but just like a droplet... we send ripples out... impacting others in many ways... often not knowing.

This blog shall be a reflection of small things... things that refresh and warms my heart, ripples spreading cheer... :) I'd like to share these droplets with you... :)

:)