Ah Mei LIVE

Had the opportunity to watch Ah Mei live over the weekend @ Arena of Stars, Genting.

She sounds good in her CDs, yeah? Live? She's waaaayyyy better! I literally went 0.0. Speechless. The impact of her voice is simply amazing.

Couldn't find any of her videos from the Genting show (where her performance was so, so much better!!), but managed to get these 2 videos from her other touring shows:




And this song when she got the crowd to sing for her:


Trust me, she is x10000000 better if you were there at the stands! Definitely the best concert I've been to thus far.

Note to Self #1

There's a Chinese saying which goes: When someone is right in front of you, you don't appreciate him/her as much as when that person is not right beside you.

I have this habit where when I'm around people, very often my mind is drifted to other things; and my actions show - through playing with my mobile phone, mental planning of other things, and sometimes worrying too about unnecessary stuff.

I never thought this issue was really an issue despite people telling me that.. till today when I was driving my grandma to her friend's place. In my mind, I kept thinking of my day's plans, of how I have to decide on a job soon, and of a certain someone which I am trying hard not to think of. Basically, doing everything BUT engaging with the person right beside me.

And I don't feel right. It's not right at all. So I snapped out of that zone and started focusing on my grandma. Instead of just asking her usual Q's like what time and how she is going back, I turned the attention to that little pink bag she clutches so tightly on her lap.

I asked what was inside that bag, why isn't she carrying her normal handbag. She replied saying she has her medicine inside, all packed up. I teased her, 'You have your toothbrush and all too inside so you can prepare to stay over in case your mahjong session prolongs all night??'

She's even better than me in this teasing business!

'Yeah, I have my pyjamas all kept neatly in my friend's place too.'

Wah. Then we both just laughed. It was a nice feeling :)

Note to self: To truly appreciate the ones present around me, to seize and maximise the moment. And not just be there physically, and engage on the 'surface' level. Mom's favourite motto used to be carpe diem, now she finds 'The Power of Now' - Eckhart Tolle more meaningful. Hmm, I indeed have a lot to improve on. 

to Sri KDU-ians SPM batch of 2004/2005

Guess who I bumped into yesterday during my first ever yoga class?

OK, no points for guessing as you can obviously see who in the picture below. Hehe.

Why, ALOHA Mr.Selvam!

My BM teacher who was strict as hell and one of the only few teachers whom I thought did not like me. (Just because I answered most questions correctly?? Kinda like how Snape reacts to Hermione's ever-rising hand in class? Haha I kid!! I don't even put up my hands that often in class). However, it turned out that he had so much faith in me, and sang praises to me in my class that made me so shy.

Was good catching up with him, though in a very awkward environment. While he's so flexible stretching & working his yoga, I struggled to even lift my right and left leg backwards.

I think I will just stick to my good ol' Body Pump from now onwards. Yoga is just too hard. :( 

**

P.S. to my 4 & 5 Mozart classmates in year 2004/2005, Mr.Selvam misses you all and he does think of you all from time to time. 

Supper road trip!

Two nights ago, Keat and Seth texted me to confirm our supper meet-up session for the night. And this crazy idea popped into my mind! I thought of hitting 3 supper places.

It’s fine if I haven’t had dinner….

I had dinner at 8.30 p.m.

Supper started at 10pm.
(!!!! I know what you are thinking....)

Anyways, our #1st stop: McDonalds @ Centrepoint! or Mackers as how the Aussies put it

It seemed only normal if we shared, and not order a set each. So it was a 20 pieces nugget, large fries + large coke.

My favourite, favourite McD’s food choice of all time - McNuggets!!!!!

Sitting by the booth really brings back memories where Keat and I used to study for our A-levels examinations. A perfect place to “kap lui” for him… and a perfect place for me to concentrate on my studies. True story. I really enjoy studying in these public places sometimes. I feel that as long as we can remain oblivious to the surrounding noises, these ‘noises’ can actually prove to be a studying catalyst (kick) to us. Or in my case that is, at least.

#2 stop: Hokkien mee @ DU

Look at that girl there - all happy and excited. Besides the delicious hokkien mee, the fried rice there is also B.E.S.T.

Seth is a hokkien mee lover, and for him to say that the HM is pretty good… it has got to be pretty good!!

#3rd stop: Mamak @ Kayu, Aman Suria (the boys’ favourite place)

Roti tissue!!!! YUMMMM.

Seth, Keat & I

Amazing company + amazing food + CHEAP PRICES = LIFE

My rock

My dearest family; my rock, my pillar of strength, my everything.

As I write this, they must have landed in KL already. True enough, I’ve just received an sms from mummy that they have arrived safe. That’s mummy for you - always thinking of others first, making sure we have nothing to worry about. She handed me my graduation present last night:

Mummy has given me a few good books over the years with special written notes inside. At different age and point in time, she would have different words of advice and encouragement for me, but the message she tries to get across is always the same. This time, on my graduation, the message was particularly heartfelt. Among the few sentences mummy wrote that touched my heart deep down were:

“You are meant for a great life, filled with True Wealth. Always do remember to keep a balance in everything you do - health, family, career, friends and spirit. First wealth is health. Without it everything is irrelevant.”

“Mummy wishes that each night: before you retire for the day, you can reflect on your day, smile at what you have accomplished; and each morning when you wake up, you are grateful for being alive, healthy, and full of zest to live another wonderful day.”

Love you, mummy, papa, mama, ken and shaun - for everything, and everything else. Papa for being the man of the family he is - always watching out for us, providing for us, giving us nothing but the best, instilling the value of money in us. Mama for being the caring, concerned grandmother she is - and though sometimes she is naggy, she only means well. Ken and shaun - for being the most patient brothers ever, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything else in the world.

Blood is truly thicker than water

Sydney for the 2nd time

I miss Sydney. Can’t believe it’s only been 4 days since I left this city.

It’s so different this time around- no hurricanes ribs, no opera house, no bondi beach. Instead I got to experience how my friends here go about in their daily lives. One thing I’ve realised- my friends here don’t live very near their universities, even the ‘nearest’ will have to take a bus ride of 15 mins to uni. I feel so pampered now, living right in front of uni.

Throughout my 10 days stay in Sydney, I was lucky enough to be chauffeured around. It feels surreal - each time I plan to take the public transport, a shining armour just comes and save me. I feel so blessed to have good friends like these. Rest assured that if they ever need any help from me - be it in Melbourne, or KL - I will be there for them.

TJ - for allowing me stay at your place for a week, for driving me to dinners with the Wesley gang, for being the usual you - teasing me, making fun of the silly me, making me so furious at you it’s funny. TJ brought me to the suburbs of Mosman (sort of like Melb's Chapel Street alike), to Manly beach for ribs at Ribs n Rumps (he claims it's better than hurricanes...), and for those little talks and chats.

Drew - for picking me up from the airport despite living an hour away, taking me to supper at chat thai the night I arrived Sydney, dinner at honey wok, driving me to bondi junction at night to catch a glimpse of winter festival. For taking the day off work and drive me all the way to blue mountains just because I really wanted to, for bringing me to this place where we can cook our own steak @ west ryde hotel,  for coming home early from work and bring me to paramatta (the place he works) westfield shopping mall.. for not going to work and instead work from home, so that you can bring me out for lunch. For driving us all the way down to have dinners with our highschool friends. For letting me stay at your awesome granny flat. For being so patient with me, and for accompanying me the night before I flew back to Melb despite having work the next day. For your warm hospitality, amazing company, and everything else. I can only say three words - you are awesome.

Su yi - one of my closest girlfriends in highschool. It's always so good to see her.  She has this warmth and genuity about her that I like so much, and I am glad she is still the same Su yi I know since years ago. We may have lost touch for a bit, but seeing her this time definitely reminded me of the friendship we have, and the good ol' times in highschool. Thank you for the mirror, marshmallows and chocolates dear. And for coming to dinners despite being so tired after work. For the pork wrap from Surry Hills. For wanting to bring me to breakfast. For being so accepting and kind. I love you, always.

Kb - for being the nice, gentleman guy he is. Always willing to plan, always willing to accomodate, always willing to organise dinners. All I needed was to ask. Thank you for everything - for taking me to the language centre to apply for IELTS, for taking me to the usual lunch place university students go to, for inviting me to watch Inception with the rest, for accompanying me to the Aroma festival, and for planning dinner at Madang, the korean place.

Yh - despite only having met you once (or twice hehe), thank you for accompanying drew and I to blue mountains, and for being so tactless in your teases mm haha. Also, for picking me up all the wayy from drew's, to the fish market, to broadway for movie, Makoto for Japanese dinner and passionflower for ice cream desserts. You've been such an amazing company, laughing at my lame jokes (giving me face, I know... lol), and for making me laugh at your even lamer jokes. Thanks for sending me to the airport too :)

M.tiah - for driving me, kb and rest of us around, to lunches, dinners, Usyd, aroma festival and for the times we shared in Sydney. Thank you so much :)

Sydney- July 2010, a trip unintended, a trip extended, a trip which turned out to be unexpectedly amazing.

Do you know what I realised after this trip?

Friends like these are so hard to find. They are as rare as treasures. Having met them, and being close to them is one of the most beautiful things that has happened in my life. It also made me realised that- yes we all have flaws, but if we choose to focus on the best side of everyone, we’d be amazed to find beauty in each and everyone of them. As Confucius says, ‘everything has beauty but not everyone sees it’.

*yes you can imagine me tearing a bit now, happy tears! :)

On graduating

It definitely feels good.

I was always a determined student, hard worker, and a high achiever since primary school days, all the way till A-levels. But these traits did not exactly follow me a hundred percent when I got to Uni. I guess after so many years of studying hard, I just lost the little mojo in me, and started slacking relaxing in Uni. Or put it in a better way, I started realizing results are not everything.. hence I've focused less on academics. *Disclaimer: all students out there should still aim to score to their best potential. I am just writing based on my experience/thoughts.

Despite me slacking, sleeping 10-12 hours a day during winter time... (oh god, I know what my parents are gonna say when they read this). And sometimes even skipping lectures and not preparing for tutorials *for those epm students out there, I only found out what was interactive and diagnostic tools 3 days before my paper. And can you believe we  have been learning that all sem.. Goodness WL, sleeping throughout your case seminars ah?!*.. Despite all these, I am thankful I made it through 3 years of Uni with good, or at least - okay results.

For this I'd like to thank a few people whom I have gone through group discussions with over my last year in Uni: tax law with erick, FA with dinesh, product management with chak etc. And of course my last sem: Audit and EPM with ken and ronald, service marketing with chak. My dad always tells me that learning through oral discussions are the best. I have to second that. Though one must also know his or her stuff before engaging in oral discussions.

It definitely feels good because this is my last semester, and my exam scores were good. I am very satisfied. I guess I put in slightly more effort compared to other semesters, making sure I studied till I know at least 90% of my material, instead of my usual 75% (Ah okay lah, I know most of it.. then can go to sleep already- hoping to rely on my supreme crapping skills in the exams...). So everyone, moral of the story is: strive hard and don't think you can get away with just knowing "most" of it! Doing a little more definitely will give you the results.

Now that I have graduated (ceremony only in August), many of you ask what are my plans hereforth- to apply for Australian PR, get a job here; or go home.

Well, I have decided to go back. I have thought hard, and decided that it does not really matter where we are in the world, as long as we are willing to learn; and that we have a set goal/plan in mind to head towards to, we will eventually be successful.

On one hand I am anxious and worried of what the future beholds... but on the other hand, I am excited, and ready to face the real world. I believe with the right guidance from my parents, support from family and friends, and most importantly, a good grounding and mindset- I will be able to take on what challenges there may be out there.

I love Mandarin and have always loved the language since primary school days. I would love to keep in touch and do something related to the language in the future. I am not sure what yet- could be teaching Mandarin, working in a position where I am able to make of this language (my dream is to work in shanghai one day), or maybe get into chinese newscasting. I will definitely keep this dream in mind :)

With this I would like to end my post with a quote, this goes out particularly to all my other fellow melb uni graduates:

"Whatever course you have chosen for yousrelf, it will not be a chore but an adventure if you bring to it a sense of the glory of striving, if your sights are set far above the merely secure and mediocre."
-- David Sarnoff (1891-1971)

*Lastly, thank you for all the wishes and comments - fb, emails, sms-es. I really appreciate it. It reminds me again and again how blessed and grateful I am to be surrounded with people who love me, and people who care. :)*

Hop Suisse!

In conjunction with Switzerland's win over Spain two nights ago, I decided to write a little post on the winning team. I was supporting Swiss that night, the underdog- instead of the favourite & popular Espana. As quoted in the Herald Sun, 'SPAIN arrived in South Africa as one of the favourites, but someone forgot to tell Ottmar Hitzfield.' Ottmar's Swiss head football coach. Spain played well, maybe luck just wasn't on their side that night.

Anyway, the bits and pieces of Lucerne, Switzerland that I visited in December 2009:

the famous Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) & Water tower; landmark of Lucerne

such serenity at the Reuss..

the cool funky hotel we stayed at- facing the Reuss; and also happens to be the bar Ken frequents for his football matches

bottom-up view of our hotel; spot mummy from our room!

another connecting bridge; love the houses and architecture at the backdrop

family love

love candid, care-free pictures like these!

a very typical swiss breakfast filled with all sorts of breads (i am not complaining, i LOVE bread, esp with lots + lots of butter or nutella on it :P)

and definitely not forgetting the local Lucerne beer :)

the streets in the city.. spot Bucherer on the very left!

and the oh-so-famous Credit Suisse bank.. stepping in is like stepping into Gringotts hehe :p

another famous tourist attraction: the Lion Monument

having gluhwein @ one of the christmas markets with Uncle Das, mom's highschool friend who now lives in Basel

*gluhwein is a commonly consumed drink during winter, and is served warm! practically sold at every christmas market i've been to in europe. my first time having warm wine. it helped soo much in the blistering cold i tell you :)

the almighty Bucherer glowing at night! (where i got my first pen knife carved with my name on it years & years ago..)

the SBB (which basically stands for the Swiss railway) in Zurich

Ken's school's dining hall - facing Mt Pilatus. (i know, the view is simply omg right??!!)

oh and not forgetting the reason why we went over to Swiss.. hehe. to attend Ken's grad :) congrats my darling brother!

*was in shades cause i had a very bad eye infection and both my eyes were swollen..! and only visited the eye specialist that morning of his grad. sigh. not because i am paris hilton ok

Finally, to sum it all up...

Reflecting on good times like these :)

I love Switzerland, I want to get married there. Or have my honeymoon there.