27 Beginnings

Big City Lights

2010-05-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

The city lights shine so bright,
Never fading, ever awake,
And yet how many solitary hearts wander, lost in its plight,
Looking for a place to belong in its wake?

Ticket Stubs

2010-05-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

I should keep count of the number of movies I watched alone in KL, just to show myself what an independent young lady I am =p

Lone ticket stubs to date : 3

Fairy Tale Love

2010-05-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

Everyone dreams of a fairy tale love.

I can say that I wish I had a fairy tale love, that after years of being with my one and only, we have decided to settle down happily ever after, in typical fairy tale style.

I can say that, but then I'd be lying.

It is never easy when a relationship ends, I don't think it is possible to have invested time and energy into a relationship and not harbour at least some images and dreams of your future together.I have seen my dreams taking a slight detour twice and ending reality-style, as opposed to fairy-tale stye, but I do not regret it. The time and energy poured into those relationships at that point in time was given with sincerity and hope, and I would not have done it any differently had I known how it would have eventually ended.

At the same time, it is easy to wish that the next relationship comes with a gurantee that it will work, and easy for the heart to set up barriers and protection to make you hurt less. But does love have to be safe to be good? And even if it is so, shouldn't the "safe-ness" come naturally from two person's faith in each other, and not because you set up walls to numb the pain?

I believe love, in all its forms, fairy-tale or otherwise, is beautiful. Fairy tale endings are great, but only if it was a great story in the first place ;)

Two Weeks and Counting

2010-04-11T04:41:00.000-07:00

Two weeks and counting in my new place, I still feel somewhat out of sorts.

Work-wise, everything feels so new and I'm still struggling to catch up...it's a bit disheartening at times, it is as if what I have learnt and achieved in the past 3 years plus holds no relevance in the new place :( New people, new jargons, new tasks...I feel so overwhelmed by it all. I've been told to relax and it is normal to be clueless in the beginning, but I suppose the perfectionist voice in me can't really take this helpless and "not knowing" feeling. I have to consciously remind myself that when i first started out in this company I felt the same way, and things will eventually get better.

Home-wise, I still face "settling-in" challenges =p As of now I am sitting in a living room with no lights :( The living room lights at the place I am renting went out within a few days of moving in, and the landlord has yet to send in the technician to help. The water heater is also not working, and I also seem to be having slight problems with the gas stove. I think my parents will freak out if they knew but I don't tell them because I don't want them to worry....with that said, I DO like my new place :) It's having some teething problems at the moment, but I love that it is my own private space, and everyday I fill it up with things that makes it more and more Jess :)

Pray that all will be ok soon, and that I will survive this tide of change in my life with a smile on my face and soul intact ;)

Didn't We Agree that there is Only One God?

2010-01-08T20:20:00.000-08:00

Here are my simple thoughts on the current issue a-brewing in our own beautiful 1Malaysia. Pray I do not get arrested for posting this up =p

If one religion says there is only one God, and the other religion says there is only one God, won't simple logic tell you that, it is the same, one and only God? So what's the problem with calling him the same name?

I understand the concern if the publication is by some unknown occult or "ajaran sesat", and you do not want to have God's name associated in any way with any deviant teachings, but this a religious group as old and as respected as any, with billions of believers across the globe.

Are they so concerned that followers of the other faith will be confused with such usage? And that such confusion will result in deviant practices or even worse, conversion? Please. I think they have to give their followers more credit than that.

All I'm saying is that, I don't think God is exclusive to any religious groups, even if they are the majority. If you go back to the essence of any religion, it is about respect, it is about love, and it is about YOUR faith. I sincerely do not think God (who is only one) will agree over these petty fights.

The Age

2009-10-31T05:38:00.000-07:00

27 is the age of Doubt.

You have your so called "dream job", being a working professional who earns enough to enjoy the little luxuries in life, and yet there are some part of you that still feels empty, unfulfilled.

I thought I was alone in feeling this, but turns out 2 of my dearest friends (fellow 27-ers ;)) also feels the same way. We have achieved what the 4 years ago us would have thought the epitome of success, and yet...we feel, strangely detached from it all sometimes.

Yuk Mee says, maybe that's why humans have to constantly grow and seek for something better, while Own Chai just wishes that all of us, who have ever felt this emptiness, have the courage to let go of the familiar and just live your dream, whatever that may be.

I say, and hope, that the imminent move to KL in my 27th year, might not be such a bad thing after all...

Why Turning Older Isn't So Bad After All...=p

2009-10-25T03:10:00.000-07:00

Some of the perks of turning 27 ;)

A bouquet of fresh Red Roses sent to the office....

A lil' Pinky Baby to match the pink lappie...

A new arrival White Hearts bag from AliceWonders.com :)

My own Little Miss baby Tee :)

...and countless other birthday wishes, SMS hugs, Facebook Wall scribbles, free meals and cakes from loved ones...thank you all for remembering and giving me something to smile about in the midst of the performance review madness...:)

Got Boobies?

2009-10-14T06:31:00.000-07:00

This blog entry, is solely in support of Woonie's "Got Boobies" campaign, which you can read more about here http://www.alicewonders.com/gotboobies/php

Was reading through the campaign's information, when I noticed that one of the partners of this campaign is actually a parenting blog and forum called Mysuperkids.net, which is actually the blog of one of my staff here (but who has been assigned to KL)...so the old adage "What a Small World" rings true, yet again ;)

Anyways, hugs and kisses to Woonie dearest! Once again you have outdone yourself and made a difference in your own way! :)

With that said, I got to go and check my boobies! =D

I Did It!! :)

2009-09-27T05:21:00.000-07:00

After putting it off for AGES, I finally managed to do a full wardrobe housekeeping =D

Chucked quite a few clothes that were either/ or all of the below :

Did not fit anymore (Yes, the company feeds me well and I have expanded horizontally over the years :( )
No longer fashionable
Probably things I will never wear again

But...I did keep some of my AIESEC T-shirts, the Cheongsam which was my 16th (I think!=p) birthday present from my high school friends (though it does not fit anymore=p), and the blue Cheongsam top Woonie got me from China (also a bit too tight now hehe=p)

Look at the pics below, and tell me that you don't think I deserve a pat on the back ;)

Before I

Before II

After I

After II

Changes

2009-09-26T06:05:00.000-07:00

How do you continue to have faith, and believe that everything will turn out all right when the changes are so intimidating?

How do you break through the fog of insecurities and hold on to that belief?

How do you find reassurance in a world that often times lets you down?

Either Way You Look at It

2009-09-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

Love, and being in love, whether you feel it is overrated, or underated, either way you look at it, the honest truth is that, Love is Hard.

It kicks so hard, it breaks your bones,
It cuts so deep,it hits your soul,
Tears your skin and makes your blood flow
It's better that we know, that love is hard
Love is hard, love is hard
If it was easy it wouldn't mean nothing no

- "Love Is Hard", James Morrison

Revelations

2009-09-14T06:09:00.000-07:00

Just breezed through the first chapter of "He's Just NOT That Into You" by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, and it was...revelations =p.

Suddenly all those past faces floated through my head...

You, who never asked me out though everyone said you fancied me (and you knew I was single all those years damn it!)

You, whom I thought I had such great chemistry with, who always were just in the friend zone (but I do notice that you tend to talk about yourself most of the time in our conversations ;))

You, who said you were not good enough for me (I haven't reached that chapter in the book yet but I'm sure it's there somewhere)

And You, who didn't trust in our wings when I wanted to fly.

I guess, all of YOU, were just NOT that into me.

I thought that by giving myself options I was protecting myself, when perhaps I was just making it easier for you to make excuses and hurt me.

And You? Where would you be at the end of the book? Where would I be? The exception? Or just the rule...once again?

Musings on Hanoi

2009-09-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

A week after my trip to Hanoi, I still can't really figure out what to make of the place =p Whenever friends or colleagues asked me whether it is a nice place, I still can't really answer them straight-up.

I suppose it's because nice is such a subjective term (or if not subjective, perhaps too general? Or is it one and the same?=p)

Hanoi is a city that's...different.

My perception of a city has always been a bustling cosmopolitan centre with lots of (often times fashionable) people, lots of high-rise buildings, swanky places etc. I guess this is very much influenced by Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, Seoul and Bangkok...all the Asian cities that I have visited so far.

But Hanoi is different. No doubt about the bustling part and lots of people part, but the others...Sometimes it feels like the place is an overgrown town, or a city that has yet to catch up developing in line with the population, I don't know. Basically it was different, an interesting study in contrasts.

And the amount of motocyclists/ cyclists is mind-boggling! In a place where most purchases are still made via cash, motorcycle and bicycles are the common mode of transportation. Cars are pretty much considered a luxury there and those that can affort one are actually the priviliged (well, how many people do you know of that can buy a car with CASH eh?=p). That said, crossing the road takes great faith and resolve =p. The sea of motorcycles may overwhelm you, but as my friend said ( and I noticed too), it's the cars/ cabs/ buses that you have to really look out for, as the motorcyclists/ cyclists will always find a way of swerving around you =p I think they have an unspoken language between them, and for that I am grateful, for I survived the Vietnamese traffic ;)

Having said that, that is not too say I don't like Hanoi. There are several things I loved about Hanoi :)

The Food :)

It just totally sits with me :) There was never a time when I felt hesitant during meal time, and never an unsatisfactory dish. Everything was new, and yet still familiar at the same time because most dishes reminded me of Chinese food, with noodles, rice and pork being the main staple. I wasn't adventurous enough to try out "thit cho" (dog meat) and "thit meo" (cat meat but not sure if I got the spelling right=p), and I doubt if I will ever be THAT adventurous haha, but other than that, everything else sat well with me (and my tummy of course) :). My foodie picks :

Foodie Pick #1 :
Spring Rolls (fried or fresh) - This is such a common dish in Vietnam that I think I had it pretty much everyday=p The main difference between the Vietnamese Spring Rollls and our local Popiah is the use of Rice Paper as the wrap. Paired with fresh ingredients and a bowl of fish sauce (nuoc mam) for dipping, it's great for snacks or as one of the lauk (dish) during mealtimes. Contents of the Spring Rolls may vary though, during my trip I tried fillings like pork, prawns,vege, vermicelli etc, but regardless, all YUMMY =D

Example of fresh Spring Roll. This one had prawn, tomatoes, steamed vermicelli etc. Absolutely delicious when dipped in the accompanying nuoc mam :)

Foodie Pick #2 :
Banh Cuon - This is similar to Chee Cheong Fun. It has pork fillings in soft Wantan-like wraps, lots of fried garlic on top and poured with the Banh Cuon gravy. When you eat it you get your own individual bowl of diluted fish sauce (so that it's not too salty). Then you just take your individual Banh Cuon wraps, dip it in the fish sauce (which comes with small meatballs) and eat it :) My friend and I had 3 of the Banh Cuon at one go, it was really good heheh :) The experience was also pretty special for me in the sense that the Banh Cuon dish was my first time eating at a Vietnamese roadside stall. This might sound like normal (Malaysia has its fair share of roadside stalls after all), but Vietnamese roadside stalls are slightly cozier than ours ;) (see pic for reference :))

Foodie Pick #3:

Man Tou - I'm not exactly sure what is it called in Vietnamese but the Man Tou (bun) that I had for one of my breakfast was seriously the best man tou I had ever had :) Most of the Man Tou I tasted before needs to have some sort of spread as it might taste bland on its own, but this one was, to quote Gardenia, so good you can eat it on its own =p

The Ca Phe (Coffee)

Another thing that I loved is of course, the celebrated Vietnamese drip coffee. A self-confessed Starbucks junkie, this was definitely something that I had to try ;) Is it any good? Yes it is!! =D Although it was still a bit thick for me (even the kopi susu version), there is no denying the rich aroma of it. Roadside cafes can be found everywhere, and the most famous brand of coffee is Trung Nguyen. My friend told me that one can actually buy the coffee drip set together with the coffee powder in the supermarket, but I only managed to get the Trung Nguyen instant coffee this time around, Maybe next time eh? ;)

The coffee powder is pressed in the little container on top, and then it will slowly drip to the cup below, hence the name Drip Coffee

The Bags

Hanoi definitely can't beat Bangkok as a shopping haven (clothes-wise), but if intricate, beautiful handmade bags are what you looking for, I'm sure you will find something (or more) that will catch your eye :) Handbags/ purses/ pouches etc made of silk with embroidery are commonly found, and makes a nice (and affordable) memento. Just how much varieties of bags are we talking about here? Take a look and see below :

The Ha Long Bay Cruise

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site which is 3 hours' drive away from Hanoi. A popular way of visiting Ha Long Bay would be on an overnight cruise, and you can take your pick from the gamut of cruises available, from the basic to the luxurious. We went on the regular 2 days, 1 night cruise which included kayaking, swimming, chugging around the bay and visiting the limestone Cave of Surprises (if you have been to Mulu, you know what to expect ;) ). Ha Long Bay consists of 1,969 limestone islets as far as the eye can see, and the calm waters makes the cruise a relaxing experience. My favourite memory of Ha Long is throwing open the cabin door in the morning to be greeted with a scene not unlike this one:

This picture was taken slightly later in the morning after breakfast =p

For more pictures of my Hanoi trip, go to http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=121687&id=530052055&l=aeb3b8f8de :)

Just Write

2009-09-07T02:22:00.001-07:00

For the longest time I have been considering opening a new blog account. Not that I don't love my previous blog "On Love, Life and Everything in Between" (http://www.quirkycutethoughts.blogspot.com), but as I grow older, I feel more and more distant from the quirky cute girl who wrote all those thoughts in the past few years.

There's also the insecure feelings which I find creeps in so easily these days, of doubt at my writings, of wondering whether there is a point in recording these moments in life...

Does this mean I am already jaded with life? Less hopeful, less dreamy?

Perhaps.

Regardless, there's a little voice in me that pushes through and tells me to "Just Write". To just write and to not care if my voice is but a drop of water in the sea of blogs out there, but to just write. Because some things deserves to be remembered :).