Just to show that I'm alive and kicking!

Have been wanting to put up a post for ages and ages. It's been MONTHS!! Gosh!! Didn't realise that. But well, this post just shows that I'm alive and kicking. Wanted to put in nice photos too...So here goes! :) Warning: Photographs chosen are purely at random, at Blogger's discretion and fancy!

My Baby n me at My Secret Garden on my birthday - a very nice and romantic place!

*BEAMS*

Some pretty scenery photos from my field trip to the Maliau Basin - Lost World of Sabah! (P.S. Not all photos are at the basin itself!!) I avoided taking too many photos during the field work process because I was looking a little too cha-chat, all the mud and the sweat...But I included the photo of us in leech socks, just a glimpse of how toot we might have looked in the field! :P

Let's see...What other photos should I put up? Here's ending off with the photo of the sweetest-LOOKING dog...BAMBI!(Underneath that facade is one rough-tough little girl!)

Told you photos were at random!

Radical Inferno.

I love meeting nice people. Sam is one such nice person. Such people make the world a nicer place to be.

He is a professional bowler. Yet, there are no airs about him, none at all. He is skilled in what he does, as a bowler, and as a person dedicated to helping others live out the sport. How? He now owns the pro-shop on top of enjoying the game, where he is committed to drilling bowling balls custom fitted to a person's hand and his or her style of bowling. And he goes right down to the little details. Why? Because he believes in it.

I was just so super impressed at the way he swiftly worked with those tools, and how he precisely drilled those holes into Pat's Radical Inferno. Every step of the way he explained what he was doing and everything he said was just ooooooozing with his love for the game. His enthusiasm was truly contagious.

After he placed the striking blue-yellow-wispygrey bowling ball that is full of character into my darling's proud hands, he didn't just smile and thank us for buying a ball at Sam's Pro Shop. To him, his job was not done. He made sure he saw the ball take its virgin journey down the smooth lanes. He gave a very nervous Pat some tips on improving his style (though I must say, I was so impressed at my baby's skills. WHOAAA...).

Sam's passion is truly contagious. Not only do I appreciate the game better, but he's taught me the beauty of having such a passion in life. God gave us the hearts and souls to be passionate for Him, yes, but also, to have other passions to pursue, to enjoy, to live out. Wow.

Grr...Historians.

* Disclaimer: I have many Historian-friends and have nothing against them. I think they are very nice people. The following complaints I have have stemmed from a module that I enjoy but feel very very small doing.

Historians are confusing. They analyse the questions so thoroughly yet don't seem to be answering the questions when they study the events.

Historians think a lot. I thought I thought sensitively about issues. I'm wrong. There are no simple answers in History class.

Historians go through events chronologically, systematically. Rather than discuss issues in themes, which I am way more familiar and comfortable with, they discuss the articles step by step, paragraph by paragraph.

Historians make me go totally quiet during tutorials. I know nuts about history, how to talk history. I am a Geographer.

Historians make me feel silly.

Historians make me feel small.

Historians make me feel stranded.

*Sighs*

Black Forest Cornetto.

Worrying makes me eat ice-cream. There was some comfort as the chocolate and vanilla ice-cream slipped down my throat with the cherry sauce following after. There was some comfort in crunching down that chocolate cone into a million bits.

Yet, that experience was not the sweetest.

My concentration on the Cornetto and my self-absorption on my own worries had made me fail to realise that there are more important things to take note of, blessings that totally overwrite those worries. Blessings that truly make life worth the living.

I may have sensitive teeth, teeth that sometimes sting at the bite of the cold ice-cream. But I definitely do not have the most sensitive heart. But work hard at it I will.

Truly happy.

Truly happy. Blessed. I think of what's happened to me in the last couple of months, take a deep breath and am amazed. I guess it hasn't been long. There's still a long way to go. Yet, I am full of hope, full of that fluttery-heart feeling that makes me excited about what is to come. You know how it feels like when you take a deep breath and feel this overwhelming sense of joy as you close your eyes, recalling those moments and a smile overtakes your face? That happens to me, all the time.

Sure, there have been plenty of dampeners. External, mostly. I understand.

Yet, thank you for those who believe with me. Those who have said there's a new glow on my face.

And Sweetie, thank you that you are the one who's brought that glow to my life. For your selfless giving, tearing down the walls that I used to build up to protect myself. For the encouragement whenever I've felt in the pits. For believing in me whenever I feel I'm a failure. For pampering me like a princess, even though I really am not one. For the loving moments. For truly being who you are. *HugS*

A tribute to Granddad.

So, I don't call him Granddad. Affectionately known as "Gong Gong", I just do feel that Granddad has a warm feel to it, and that's exactly how he was as a person.

Granddad worked with KGB. No, he wasn't with the secret Russin police. That is the family code name for Kong Guan Biscuit. I remember when I was younger, how each time we visited his place, he would load our hands with Kong Guan Biscuits - those creamed ones that we loved as kids, those with pretty coloured icing on top, lemon-cream biscuits, Marie biscuits (best dipped in Milo/Ovaltine) etcetc. He had a sweet tooth as well and enjoyed these sweets with us.

In the Asian context, love is being shown in a less liberal, quieter sort of way, especially with the older generation. Granddad was like that, but he loved us all. He always made sure we were well-fed and made sure we got what we wanted, in the smallest of ways (like making sure we got to watch the TV programmes we wanted to). He sat in his favourite spot, quiet, most of the time, but we always got very warm welcomes when we got to his place.

Granddad slowly started to suffer from dementia, but he always tried to remember our names. He always wanted us to know he remembered us and loved us. Then, he suffered a stroke. Yet, through it all, he was oh so strong. I remember the times he mimicked my hand movements. Thumb for thumb, forefinger for forefinger. It was so amazing. Though he couldn't talk and couldn't even walk then, it was nice to just be with him. And through it all, my mom has been so strong for her dad, so patient, so loving. Wow.

We all believe Granddad is in heaven. And that's the best place to be...Take care, Gong Gong...

A long, fruitful day.

Today has been truly amazing. So many things have happened, and God's presence has been just amazing the entire day. I love You Lord.

To a dear girl, you have been such an encouragement. You don't know how the light in your eyes just makes me so excited for you. So excited for what God wants to do in your life, so excited about the lives that you are going to touch for Him. I was truly touched by what you wanted to commit to God. And I really do believe that you will reach the goals that you've set. I will be here for you. You are such a sweetheart, and I just pray with you and for you even as you strive to know God more and more intimately. And I pray He grants you the desires of your heart, for yourself, for your family. *HugS*

To a dearest, dearest person, you've been through so much in life. I can't say I understand half of what you've been through. Yet, I want to be there for you, just as you have been for me. You really don't know how much of your lifestyle has come into mine. I smile just thinking of how your passion for life has seeped into me. You have always encouraged me to allow the light in me to shine and I am not afraid for it to. The smile of yours that goes right to your eyes (and translate into laugh lines...) is just amazing. I really have become a better person under your inspiration and influence. You are made to be a person of greatness for the Lord, and I'm glad that I get to participate in your life, to be able to experience His hand of grace in your life and the work He has done, is doing and is about to do in your life. *HugS*

Thank You sweet Lord. I have never felt as though I were living such a victorious life for You, as I am now. It's totally not me, but You, Holy Spirit, who's living and working through me. I choose to believe this is not just a momentary high, because I know Holy Spirit, You are in me, all the time, every single moment. Praise You, God! :) Hallelujah!! I'm excited about life!