Visits Don't Happen Often Enough

It was a beautiful, action-packed two days that just passed. I skipped things I was supposed to do but we were entertaining international visitors so it was excusable. It should definitely happen more often but alas uni starts in less than 2 days and it turns out that Malaysia is sometimes just too far for a weekend trip to Wollongong. Nonetheless I was very glad that some from my other home got to experience our original home and life, albeit for just a day. It was beyond our normal activity for sure, but just a glimpse of what Wollongong is really all about.

And then the next day (after an impromptu overnight stay) the city of Sydney looked more attractive than ever to me.

Our time together though has made me miss Malaysia that little bit more...but I can still manage a smiley.

(:

Wollongong beaches are the best. Wollongong cannons are also the best.

I'm sure this is the only blog titled 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' online. Ever.

The beginning of the end. I officially have less than 7 days left in this oh-so-beautiful experience we call the Malaysia trip. It is going to be a busy one too due to a little thing we call Chinese New Year. As Keith aptly pointed out, the Sino calendar predates any Anglo or Roman calendar by several millenia (assumedly), so put that in your pipe and smoke it. 

In the week since we've been back from Thailand, people have been busy with work, school and college, so it has been a bit slow in terms of activity and the such. (All except Lauren and Zoe of course, who are hanging around in limbo with us Loos). Unfortunately, while this week is a holiday for most it is still going to be a pain to organise activity due to family commitments as this is the main  point of CNY. 

Likelihoods of movie night, swimming day, badminton, CC outings, ramly burger? Sadly, slim. I'm sure if we put our minds to it, we can achieve something worth remembering. Super Friday perhaps? 

Tomorrow is CNY eve and so the festivities begin! 

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We had steamboat buffet tonight. Holy crap we ate so much they gave us perfume and an umbrella as free gifts for having such a large bill (20 people at 20RM ++ each.) and probably for setting some sort of consumption record. Had conversation with JLim, Keith, PB and adrian (the green tea circle) and I have concluded that I find malaysian politics/sociocultural study very very interesting. I noticed that Jason also has a knack to explain financial matters in an actually interesting manner! Good work Jason!

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I tried uploading photos, but it didn't work, so screw it. Here's my review of the Mogwai gig! Maybe you can see photos another day. Refer to facebook for any info on photos i guess. (:

Will be in Wollongong by Sunday the 1st Feb as far as I can tell.  

Watching TV At 2am Never Felt More Important

It's rare in life that we get the opportunity to experience such an important moment and bask in its historical significance with the awareness that in 40 years time we can look back and say 'I was there'. I can only remember a few thus far in my life: the 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony, hearing about 9/11, watching the official beginning of the Iraq invasion...monumental events all through the television funnily enough. 

Well last night I was more than happy to watch Obama's inauguration (I was way too full to sleep anyway. Char Chen Teng peanut butter french toast. wow. doesn't go too well with pork though...). 

I read once that this generation has grown up knowing only one US government that used fear and ignorance to maintain its power. The invisible war on terror sparked by 9/11 has existed all around for nearly a decade. That generation has had suspicion and xenophobia written on their subconscious. War, or at least the consciousness of war, was prevalent throughout people's entire teenage years. I felt sorry for that generation when i read that article. 

Then i realised that i was part of that generation. 

This kind of makes me want to become an American just to skip out on the sociopolitical apathy of Australian culture. It makes me want to do and be a part of something bigger than myself (in the words of Obama). If the son of an African immigrant can become president, then truly anything is possible.  

Anyway, I never intended to write a political rant. I just relish the promise of progressive leadership on this dawn of a new age. I hope and pray that the hope and promises aren't empty.

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Going to see Mogwai tonight in KL with Adrian, PB and Keith. Bought their new album before leaving for malaysia, but it didn't import on itunes. And i forgot to put Young Team on my ipod so i am unfortunately unable to listen to any!

Of course this means i miss volleyball, but a couple hours of Scottish instrumental post-rock never hurt anyone! 

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A Poem

When a phone has no credit

When an ipod has no battery

Technology is useless plastic

And i get frustrated

Carpe Diem Coram Deo

We all know what carpe diem means. It's the coram deo that has stuck to my mind this past week. It means in the presence of God and is no small task by any means. To live every moment and seize every opportunity is a popular notion, but to constantly do so with the awareness of God's presence is something else altogether. 

The 27th to 30th of Dec. were spent in a small property 2 hours north of KL with 60 other youths from the church we're involved with here. It was a jampacked schedule and an incredible amount of fun was had. While there was little time to actually sit down and hold one of my much-loved dnm conversations (as seems to be all too common these days) I felt a strong sense of joy pervaded the entire camp and we were all enriched by the passion sessions.  

I guess this is something of the presence of God. 

Some of the many many highlights:

• Using the 'Just-Whack-Only' philosophy to full effect in our Zeal group to win most if not all the challenges. Somehow we didn't win the whole camp though.
• Rachel Tan's killer line in talent time: 'Now your training is a success, go out and kick some ass!' followed by David Ho's not-so-killer-line 'What do we have here, a little boy do we have here'. His vocab ain't so big i guess... 
• Making JV laugh and finding PJ's secret talents which made us laugh a lot harder than Jason did. Also included: KQuah's toybox routine and Matt's snake dance
• World War YF which made less sense than Eugene's morning exercises sometimes but was fun nonetheless
• Caving yet again
• Getting to know many new people; especially seeing the younger ones and helping them come into their own

The point of the matter is that the camp was an incredibly enjoyable and meaningful time and only confirmed itself as a highlight of our Almost-Annual Malaysia vacation. Too bad there wasn't more time to it. i.e., forever perhaps? Wishful thinking. :)

So with this we welcome 2009. Seems fitting to renew our zeal for life with such a camp. New year's was spent at church watchnight service (refer to last year's blog on my facebook if you're interested haha) and a quick mamak after. A slightly sobering start to the 2nd decade of my life. 

Just the way I like it. 

I was going to upload some more  photos but it was taking too long (this also explains why i may be quite slow in replying to things if i can bother at all. The net is a lot slower than i remember it to be). So check out my facebook for photos or my sister's yeah? 

not much of a blog but just letting you all know that all is very much well and we are still eating a heck of a lot. happy new year all! And many grats to Erin and Jarryd. May the loving continue on far into the future! 

:) 

Week 1 Consisted of a lot of eating

Week 1 has passed by. I could say that it was quick but I don't think it actually was. We've been very busy with family and friends a heck of a lot of eating. Holy crap I've never eaten so much. Our stomachs are perpetually full to breaking point; yet even midway through lunch we are already discussing what to have for dinner. It really is a beautiful routine. 

By this time there are 12 Loos/Tans/Phuas hanging out in the house plus Michelle's friend Sheila from the US. From what I can gather she has been enjoying every minute of our eating adventures and otherwise. She has a great hearty laugh. 

Catching up with friends from church feels a bit like what I imagine a second album would for a band. Last year's trip was amazing, so how could we top that experience? A whole year has passed since seeing these wonderful people and no doubt we have all grown and changed somehow. Could we in fact connect as we did last? Thankfully the answer has been a cautious yet optimistic yes. There's plenty of catching up (and mamak) to do still guys! 

Went to A Mantle The Sea (cousin's band) gig the other night in the city at a very swanky club called No Black Tie. They played well but their nervous energy (first proper gig in four years) translated into near unmanaged tempos. Their acoustic songs came across much more confident and their rendition of Sufjan Stevens' 'O Come O Come Immanuel' was bold and nothing short of beautiful (definitely have to buy some of his stuff). There were other bands and they were of pretty high standard too. For some reason we went out for supper after (dim sum/ yum cha) and had at a meal at 1 in the am. We didn't get back until 2!

That's exactly what we need in the gong. Food at any hour of life (other than Macca's). Would anyone be interested in starting a business with me? Ha.

had my 2nd PROSPERITY BURGER yesterday with YJ and YC (cousins from Dad's side of the family) who I spent the day with at 1U shopping mall. They were en route to Japan, which I should be on too but for some reason am not. We went bowling and didn't want to pay 2RM for sock rental so we bought our own socks for 7RM each. We sure showed that bowling alley.

I've always said that life in Malaysia is hectic and I think I finally know why. If you remain stationary long enough here, the heat acts as a blanket of lethargy and you are basically drained of the will to live. Every minor movement of the body is smothered unless you can gain enough momentum to continue living and eating.

And with this, I simple wait for the Christmas celebrations to begin.

Cheerio! (:

Congrats to all friends who graduated this year! Special shout out to the physics crew- because no one can integrate to alpha centauri like you guys can.