Random pictures...

I'm feeling really nostalgic thinking about the many things I'm gonna miss when I'm gone. I've "left" home many times before, Hong Kong and Germany and countless long/short holidays, but something's different about this leaving. I can't quite place my finger on it, but its different no doubt.. God has a plan for me, for all of us, and something tells me there's an adventure awaiting me. God willing I'll walk the narrow path daily...

I've chosen some random photos to put on the blog. There are SOOO many other people who have made a difference in my life I can't begin to name them all. There are many other people I want to "show off" on the blog, but my photo collection isn't extensive enough. haha (I'm not a photograph person la)...





Graduation 2005











Elliot and I














Cel and I on the indiana jones heh












Cari and I freezing our pants off













preeettty ladiesss












haha CLAR :P with CC in the background hahah










Mike and I














Tennis with Kate....














... and me cuz



















Christabelle and I in transit

Some things that I will miss...

The reality of me leaving Singapore to start a new chapter of my life in Sydney is taking a while to set in. No doubt many new challenges will come my way in the months to come. But for now, I'm content to just take things one day at a time, making the wisest decisions I can for each day.

Some things I know I'll miss dearly when I'm gone are:

1. My family - As much as I yearn for my independence and as much as I appreciate living on my own, doing my own thang, I know my family will always be "home" and the people/place I seek comfort in.

2. THE FOOD!!! OH MY GOSH!!!! THE FOOD!!!! - I eat and eat and eat. I LURVE eating! Goodbye Char Quay Tiow, Roti Prata, Nasi Lemak, Mee Rubus, Fish Bee Hoon, You Tiao, Hokkien Mee, Sambal Stingray, Chilli Crab, Ba Chor Mee, Chee Quay oh my gosh I could go on...

3. The PUNJers/ARPC - PUNJ has been so much a part of my life the past 6/7 years. PUNJ has been instrumental in my growth as a Christian. Praise God for how faithfully His Word is taught there, with godly leaders setting very good examples.

4. My friends - The close ones and the not so close ones... You know how there are some people that you're not that close to, in the sense that you don't meet up regularly or share your life intimately with, but they're still people that you treasure? Close acquaintances I call them. I'm gonna miss everyone.

5. The kids that I've had the privilege of teaching over the past year and a half - Man, what makes me sad is that I may never see these kids again. They grow up, leave school and start a life of their own. Hopefully I'd have made some sort of positive impact on them. There were many frustrating moments and times when I questioned why I did what I did (leaving the law and pursuing teaching). But its been a tremendously fulfilling time and I've learnt SO much. Sometimes I wonder whether its the kids or I that have benefited from my teaching stint.

6. The familiarity of home (and by home I mean Singapore) - Its hard leaving a place you've lived in for most of your life. And depending of what God has in store for my future, I may or may not come back.

There are probably a million other things I'll miss but won't know it till I'm in Sydney. So I'll leave it at that.

I now have about three weeks to prepare myself for what lies ahead. There are so many things to do, and so many people I want to meet up with to say bye. I hope I'll have the time...

My first major blow of the year

2007, as with most other years, started marvellously for me. I was looking forward to starting a new phase of my life as a graduate student (gasp!) and anticipating many new challenges i would face as I (grudgingly) inch my way through my 20s (GASP!!). You can imagine my emotional high as 2007 approached.

Then came the first blow.

It had to come.

Not that my university withdrew my place.
Not that my parents suddenly decided to withdraw the funds meant for my education.
Not that I didn't get the hostel of my choice.
Not that I put on 3kg (which I did, by the way, but that's for another discussion)

But that... Brace yourselves now...

JUSTINE HENIN-HARDENNE PULLED OUT OF THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN DUE TO "FAMILY REASONS"!!! MEGA GASP!!!!

The unthinkable happened. The current world number one, the player who reached all four grand slam finals last year (shut up those who are scoffing under their breath that she only won one. That is irrelevant), the female player with the sweetest backhand ever, IS NOT PLAYING IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN!!!

Sometime in late November last year, I was a mouse-click away from buying tickets to the Australian Open and minutes from a phone call to my travel agent to shift my flight to mid-January so that I could watch the games live. (Watching replays on cable is so last year, hahaha).

Thank God common sense and practical fund management got the better of me and I resisted the urge to make my way to Melbourne like a crazed fan. What's the point of watching the games live if my favourite player isn't playing?

Which brings me to my next point. Why oh why isn't she playing?

Quick research on my part unravelled this: She is having marital problems and may divorce her husband. Aparantly he's having difficulty being second fiddle to the other man in her life- Carlos Rodriguez, her coach.

A tinge of disillusionment crept through me as I read the report online. When I was a little girl there were always these celebrities I'd imagine as having the perfect fairy-tale life. Mariah Carey, Andre Agassi, Princess Diana just to name a few. I'd always imagine them as the ones who had it all, fame, fortune and a happy family life with many happy kids. But Mariah divorced Tommy Mottola, as did Andre from Brooke and Princess Di from Prince Charles.

I guess the celebrities from yesteryear have long been taken off my "idol" list and I've since outgrown the whole happily ever after notion. (At least on this physical world. I still look forward to my happily ever after with God in heaven) But watching Justine play over the seasons reminded me of how I'd always use to look up to random celebrities and attempt to model my life after them. Only to realise that they're far from perfect and suffer as many problems as we mere mortals do.

For the first time in a long time I thought maybe Justine will be the one. The one who'd live a "good" life. Do her thing, be a good wife, give lots of money to the poor, make her marriage work.

But yet again I was proven wrong. Again I'm humbly reminded that the only person I should ever attempt to model my life after is Jesus. That he is the ulimate "good" guy. The only ever truly perfect person to walk on earth. The only person who can bridge the gulf that separates God and I.

I do wish Justine all the best. I sincerely hope she can work her marital problems out. But better yet, that she (and many others who don't already) may come to know God and who Jesus is and the salvation he has to offer.

That way I can always watch her play tennis in heaven, forever. Though, I know for certain, the joy and awe that I'd experience in heaven would far exceed watching my mere worldly idol play tennis.

The dictator in my life

I recently read Animal Farm by George Orwell. Though the book is an allegory of the Russian revolution of 1917, Orwell wrote it to warn readers about the dangers of the rise of any dictator, not just the Russian ones.

For those who haven’t read the book the plot is as follows: A visionary speech was made by Old Major (a white boar), who incites the animals on the farm to start a rebellion against their human rulers as they are, so he claims, inferior to animals. Humans, he reasons, cannot produce milk, eggs, pull the plough, etc unlike animals, who can do all that and more. Humans, therefore, have no right to lord over them. He goes on to argue that the animals will be better off ruling themselves. A rebellion subsequently takes place, shortly after Old Major dies, led by Napoleon (a not white boar).

Napoleon appoints himself as leader over the animals after the rebellion, marking the start of his rise to dictator. As the story progresses, Napoleon gradually increases control over the animals, aided by his sidekick, Squealer (a pig) and his guard dogs. Eventually his dictatorship is complete.

This book reminded me about how every dictator the world has seen so far has risen to power only to eventually fail with terrible consequences (for themselves and the countries they control). The one thing that strikes me is how much dictators are driven by “self”. Every action they undertake is to promote their “self”. No expense is spared, not the lives of their countrymen, not their economy, not even their loved ones (Saddam had his sons-in-law executed. Reason given: he suspected them for secretly plotting against him) for their betterment. The reality of the maxim “absolute power corrupts absolutely” was evident throughout the book.

Reading Animal Farm made me appreciate that God is the only “dictator” I would completely give my life to. In many ways God is a dictator. Following him demands our all- he has absolute control of not just my life, but the whole universe as well. Unlike human dictators however, God will never fail and he is always good, right and loving in his actions. The day I accepted Jesus as my Saviour was the day I let God be the perfect, loving, benevolent dictator in my life.

Never in my life would I have expected making a conscious, willing choice to submit to any authority, let alone God’s authority. Those who know me well know that I don’t like being told what to do, that I like doing things my way, I speak my own mind and am not easily swayed. But all that changed. All because of the person I now call my God. With his help, I hope to live all my days with God as my dictator. For all reading this (with whom I share a positive relationship, haha) I give you full permission to keep me in check with regard to this. Heehee…

First fish!!

So I had the privilege of heading down-under in October/November. While I was there, I spent some time with my dear friend Christabelle in a little, but not so little quaint town called Toowoomba. Her soon to be brother-in-law-in-law brought me for my first fish at Cooby Dam about 40 minutes out of Toowoomba.. AND I CAUGHT A FISH!! Haha a 42cm yellowbelly to be specific. Talk about first time lucky. I would have loved to eat the fish heehee, but we threw it back into the water.



Check out the Medusa Hair in the jumping shot. haha. That's Bondi Beach in the background.






The Sydney Opera House needs no introduction.

Cheers to a new year, and a glorious one past

How eventful is it for me to start my new year creating a blog. Guess the main reason for this is because in less than 2 months i'll be in a far far away land, far far away from my friends and family (and, most importantly, my FOOD).

This blog will (hopefully) help in my efforts to keep in touch with me loved ones here at home. (Though the concept of "home" is relative and highly temporary)...

I will try to update regularly. Though past attempts at maintaining a blog proved futile. But I will try my darnest. Promise. I will also try to come to terms with the voyeur (think clean guys) in me, or lack there of. I find the whole notion of online identities/personas disgustingly self-gratifying and indulgent. But I will try. Try to use this blog as an effective form of communication, and as a platform to share my views on things that i think matter. Like Jesus and Salvation and Man's inherent sinfulness and why pink is my favourite colour. Amongst other things.

So to all who will read this blog to humour me. Thank you. Do drop by from time to time and encourage me to keep at it- blogging and the Christian Life, (in reverse order of importance).