Naughty or Nice?

  Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything. Mainly because I was busy with the Chinese New Year celebrations, my studies and other who-knows-what stuff. What triggered mii to my addiction to the keyboard was (argh! Still angry at the thought of it) the pure hippocrisy and attitude of a person towards the people among the latter. Are they actually Naughty or Nice?

  Nevertheless, friendship was to be built on a concrete base of understanding, tolerance and acception. In my life, I've had seen for myself people of all characters, uniqueness and flaws all together, but there are of some that still bugs mii no matter how much I try for myself to tolerate them. Not to be pointing fingers at anyone, it is just a simple fact of life that some people just can't change no matter how much people try to help. Are they confused? Are they lost? What are they seeking to regain happiness? Or is it hurting and bossing people around a sense of pleasure for them?

  It's hard to judge a person form their looks, as what I did at the very beginning. To be honest, I even some sort of had the feelings to move on to another step at one point. But then, getting to know closer only made mii realise how dark the evil side of a human could be. While everyone detested at the character portrayed, I stuck with the believe that a person could change. There were no true friends for the latter, even if so, many of the 'friends' had hatred carved deep inside the core of their hearts for them people. Sympathy and curiosity hijacked and I soon found myself wanting even more to indulge their life, to understand what they think and how they feel towards those around them. Hence it started with the motivation to try to change a person. Many told mii that I would fail, and although I stuck to my believes, I did fail terribly. Not only did I fail, I was trashed by my own kindness, pummelling mii with all kinds of words and sent mii spiralling into my own black-hole of failure.

  They say you'll start to miss a person only when you had lost them. Ignorance was my first reaction when my hopes back-fired. None spoken words, none eye contact, none communication. It was only then will I be treated nicely, purely Hippocratic! Then then comes a situation where you start to wonder what are you gonna do? Leave it or embrace it. Sadly though I came out too soft, and with the urge of some friends, I proposed a second chance.

  Usually, second chances work out well, well it did actually for some time. But as you become too nice, the other starts to take you for granted, stepping all over your head, treating you like rubbish and what not. That's when you give in totally, devastated by the fact that some people are jut incorrigible. It isn't that they aren't just nice even a bit, they are very very nice these people, but it is just those words and actions that slit you right in your throat, slicing through your spine and crushing out your heart. You'll never suffer anything more devastating than the fact that they could at anyhow, any time destroy all your hopes and believes for the latter.

  I've endured enough to be frank, and it seems nothing will work out as the latter has none of the words 'conscience' and 'friendship' in their vocabulary. Whatever will happen to these group of people is still a mystery, but this a mystery I would never want to get myself involved in any more....




* Be reminded that this article wasn't meant for any specific target, it was just an accumulation of my perception on how people treat each other in a way that presents mii with a 'food-for-thought' situation. To any party feeling offended by this article, I sincerely apologize before-hand. Thx! XD

Reunion Dinner, A Symbol Of Togetherness!

  Here I am, hammering away at my keyboard once again, an hour before midnight, in which past that symbolizes the new year of the Chinese race. Chinese New Year, the most important day of us Chinese, bringing new life and hope, portraying the start of a new beginning. And this year, it's the year of the Dragon!



  Well, before this, I believe many of us Chinese had our reunion dinner, together with our closest family members. And on this special occasion, it is the bonding amongst us that counts most, allowing families to mangle with each other after being apart for almost a year. Families get together having dinner; they talk, they eat, they laugh, a moment that one should and must be treasured.

  While we as young adults and children are still unable to understand the importance of this dinner, it certainly is a tear-shedding moment for those elderly, for those parents who have not seen their children in years, now finally back in their arms, back to the place where their children once called home. We'll never know how they feel when we as children get together visiting them, but it's in their eyes that one could see their utmost joy after being lonely for a period of time. Some parents do not even get visits from their children, mostly because their children are busy working, put no priority or take this reunion dinner as of no importance in their lives. Hence sadly, many parents were left unattended, being stranded out of this wonderful tradition that has been pass down for generations.

  As of that, I've heard teenagers of my age, younger or older, they're all complaining that reunion dinner is nothing but a waste of time, taking no interest in this meaningful tradition. Many do not take it seriously, not to say attending it whole-heartedly. They simply do not see the importance of this dinner. Yes, all families are different, some tend to make the dinner grand, some simple due to financial difficulties. However it is, it is the meaning of the dinner that stands-out! Imagine yourself in your final stages of life, when how much you yearn the visit from your relatives and family members, but they were unable to attend due to the same reason you so strongly believe on in the past. How would you feel then?

  The modern world has change the perspective of these teens and young adults. How on earth do they think reunion dinner is of no importance is still a mystery to mii. Well then, you'll never know what will happen in future next, right? That aside, to mii, I've already felt the power of this very very meaningful dinner. The moment my brothers and sisters all came back, I felt united once again, with my parents of course!

  This tradition must go on, and while many are still loitering on the reasons to celebrate this occasion, there are many more who have the heart to keep the spirit pumping! There are even some who don't even have a chance to have the dinner together, hence grateful must we be for what we have now, for we'll never know what we might or might not have next. Take this special celebration to express your love towards your family members. And to add to this, it's once again the beginning of a new journey ahead of us, a new chapter in life for many of us, and also a renewed spirit to welcome the year of the Dragon!

  On saying, it's CNY now! Fireworks are blasted here and there, marking the beginning of the new year, deafening yet exhilarating! The smell of smoke from joss sticks also represents the hopes and spirits of the traditional Chinese, praying for the best to get through another challenging and promising new year. So here, I would like to wish all my family and friends a prosperous and happy Chinese New Year, the year of the Dragon! XD

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!


Signing off,
Nickel Low CJ

A must remember day, 14th January 2012

  Well, the sequel to being T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R! 

14th January 2012, a day to remember.... Erhem, okay if you take it as someone taking a marker pen and drawing a big circle on the date on the calendar, marking a must for mii to remember, haha!  As Ah Kong, (that's what Candy and Pauline called mii anyway) it's a day to remember my  ''grand-daughter's '' birthday --- Tadaaaa! Pauline Ng.

  And the celebrations started a day earlier, first with a surprise for her in the auditorium. Well planned by Joey Lim (a short cheongsam lengmui) and Yvonne Jee,  the occasion kicked-start with a cake introduced into the dimmed auditorium. I'm not so sure about the 'surprise' part but then, everything went quite smoothly and soon birthday songs filled the auditorium with all the students forming a choir. 

Mission accomplished! 

At T.G.I. Fridays

The birthday Gang!

The fluffs on the angle-white cake certainly looked tempting but before anyone got a chance to taste it, it was wrapped up and was said to be making an encore at our next destination --- T.G.I Fridays!

Opss!!!

Han Chuan posing...

Manmeet feeding Pauline...

And where there's Manmeet, there's Jen Boon too, doing the same...

  Then now at Friday's, a glance at the menu made our eyes bolted! But anyhow, the sense of priority rationalized and soon everyone was busy chatting away, the birthday girl as the centre of attention. Joined by Jen Boon, Manmeet, Han Chuan, JJ and Ooi, the long-awaited food soon came, so did the cake making its' second début. 

  Soon after we began a round of truth or dare, and when everything was coming to a standstill, Kevin, Johnny, Mei Kim and Mei Yee joined in the fun, bringing a self-made cheese cake and an album to add with them. Passed on to Pauline, it was clear in her eyes she was deeply touched and amazed by the effort put into the cake and the album itself! Well done to the four of you!! XD

  

From right, Pauline, Mei Kim and Mei Yee

  Next stop, the Fantastic Four ~~~ mii, JJ, Pauline and Candy soon took a trip all the way down to Sepang Gold Coast for a BBQ session. And with a few Huffs and Puffs, we soon got the fire starting and the party running. The sea breeze did let us down that day, but other than that it was totally worth it! Not to mention my super-hand grilled BBQ chicken! XD

Super BBQ!

  Soon, everyone was filled up and lying down on the beach, staring at the black sky, no stars though that night. And at the stroke of midnight, a war of sand started as Pauline was pummelled with an arsenal of sand grenades! Pauline, a sand monster, totally epic! We reached home at about 3am that day, all covered in sand, and oh a reminder to them: Please help mii clear up my car, TQVM ^-^

3 kids playing with the sand

  The next morning, we planned to leave for KL at 10am, but those two sleepy log-heads just couldn't wake up, ending up us leaving at 11.30am. Believe it or not, it was Pauline who set the time! Waahaha! Anyway, we were soon on our way to a famous bakery, well I wouldn't say very famous, but a very cottage-like French style Levain Boulangerie Patisserie bakery (is my spelling right?).

The Bakery itself....

  Soon, we were savouring on all kinds of dough-made delicacies. It was a first time experience for mii, who knew dough could create such wonders? That aside, we soon took pictures of that place, and it really is worth every second being in there. Posing here and there like models, I was suddenly picked to be the camera-man for that day, while they be erhem, the models. Well, the pictures will tell you more then....

Superb mushroom soup! Must try!

Star-shaped hazelnut bread, I think that's what they called it...

Yummy spaghetti!

And as usual, photo sessions!

Deja-vu!

A lucky chance to get a photo-shot with the author himself! XDD

And bullied once again......

A whole-shot of the bakery!

  That almost sums up the celebration till now, though we had a little trouble getting about KL and we also did some shopping soon after. Overall, it was great being able to spend time with my bests friends. No matter how it is, I still LOVE you guys and gals....

PEACE!

Levain Boulangerie Patisserie

Please visit this site for more info on the bakery itself, adios!!

Oh wait!, look at a picture they took of mii that day! 

Awwww, soooo sweet, not! XD

All photos courtesy from Candy! XD

Signing off, 

Nickel Low

Destined to be ~~ T.O.G.E.T.H.E.R

  Sometimes, it's a wonder how destiny brings us together. Yeah, we may have lost some through time, but what is left in concrete is us, the final four ~~ Mii, JJ, Pauline and Candy. Three years now and counting that we have been through hard and happy times together. Mistakes have been made, misunderstandings had occurred, but certainly, memories have been created ever then since. And hence, this our exciting friendship, it just happened! Well, most of it because of a coincidence that a friend they invited couldn't join them for a mid-night snack, so in his place, Mii! XD
However it is, it soon turned out to be more than just a coincidence ~~~

Miss old 21year old gur, Ng Poh Ling

  Today, it is the birthday celebration of one of our dear friend Pauline, and the place for the celebration, BBQ at Sepang Gold Coast. Well for mii, it certainly took mii a long time to finally make a move back to a place where I once found love, and to track back my footsteps all the way to the beach certainly made mii thought that I heard my heart shatter many a time. The pain was just pure agonising.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

  That aside, being there with the three of them certainly took mii into deep thinking of how such a long way we've come through together. Looking from afar, they look like a bunch of silly kids in a world of their own, the way just as I'd known them 3 years ago. But, each with a quality held within of their own, they do! Lying down on the beach together, gazing at the pitched-black night, it brings us closer with each passing moment (though I got commented by Candy of mii being 'emo' while I was typing this article, xp).

You really wouldn't wanna know what sculpture they are making....

  Well, today is a special day for Pauline, and she's 21 by the way, making things even more special! Getting the fire on and going symbolized our friendship; it was hard at first, but as time gets on, we soon understood each other, maybe did loved each other haha, but most importantly we stuck to each other. The whole outing was fun yet fruitful, but even greater still to know that we could be what we are today in time to come.

My special hand-grilled BBQ Chicken!

  Though the future might be unpredictable, but with what and where we are now, I truly believe anything is possible. Happy Birthday Ng Poh Ling (Pauline), may your dreams all come true....

Woots! Who was this meant for? XDD

PS: Please refer to my next article on each and every moment during Pauline's 21st birthday, coming up next... ^-^
Stay tuned....

Signing off:
Nickel Low CJ

我还是放不下

  A year passed by just like that, my heart still aching as it had before. It all seemed just as if it was yesterday, just yesterday when the flowers were blooming; but now, withered, fallen, buried deep into the earth. Fresh it was in my memory, how those times we enjoyed together, but now what's left is nothing but a faint, distinct, tattered bits and pieces of that heart-breaking past.

  Unsure of the reason, but I dream still of those images, in which they just kept playing over and over again in my mind. They looked so surreal, and many times have I come to a stage of really believing that all of this was just a bad dream. But alas, waking up ever since has been the starting of my nightmares. I'm dried out of tears to be honest, I tried to adapt, I tried to find happiness, but everything was just as falling apart. Time did give mii time to heal, but time had tried in vain in doing so.

  Of what I've said and done, it's all vivid in my mind, in my past. I tried to move on, everyone tried to tell mii to do so, but things are easier said than done. But gradually, surely, I've improved a lot in terms of my personnel and feelings. I can smile again, I can laugh again, but deep down, there is always a heart-full of an anchoring weight, pulling mii back to where I was once.

  It's funny to feel like this every-time I am alone, or whenever I listened to this song, 我介意, 金沙。It just kept playing over and over in my head, maybe it's because of the lyrics? When the song plays, everything seemed meaningful much to mii. Every word, it's just that damn meaningful!

  No, I've not forgotten everything, though many things are starting to fall apart in my memories. I tried to love another person, but it's this loyal heart that kept pulling mii back. It just aches and burns, the pain is utterly unbearable. Sometimes I wished we've never met, but if that were to be so, I'll never be able to experience what you've given to mii. My heart still beats for a person, and it'll take a whole lot of love to make it re-beat for another once again.

  我还是放不下，it means that I still can't let it go. Many think of it as a stupidity, but I just don't know, maybe I really am stupid, or it's either I've loved a person too much. My wrong-doings, my misunderstandings, I really am sorry for all that. Moving on is always a challenge for mii, it always has been. And now to take my challenge seriously, only time will tell, only time will heal......

  My life's now but a masked personnel, hidden within, a lonely soul~ I really hope to overcome this as soon as possible, hence, one more year, please just one more year to forget everything that has ever occurred. One more year to rebuild myself, one more year to forget us. All it takes is one more year.......

A Night At The Airport

  And here I was, at the airport, all alone, with coffee (frappucinno) to add to company, soothing in the midst of jazz music at Starbucks LCCT while waiting for my flight commencement, enjoying the view outside from the glass window pane. People of all colours, nationality, characters embedded within them, the view from my window pane. Well I think that's what you get having staring blanks at a window for long periods of time. Its 3am now by the way.


  Tired much was I, but I just couldn't help my hands getting onto my keyboard, thus here I was typing away again. Now then, with the aroma of coffee beans still floating about in the morning air, cars of all standards passed by in style ~~ a Proton Wira, a Nissan Murano to add, oh oh, and a Porche too! Well, I think those cars do somewhat resemble the people driving in them, a class of each and every own. With the National flag waving from afar, from where I'm sitting, people are just moving about, heaved with luggages and backpacks, some rushing, some just strolling, and some standing still like trees in the woods. Oh, did I mentioned that a pretty air-stewardess just passed by? XD


  Hitting the keys on at 3.30am, four Germans just waltzed in, communicating in a language in which I can't really understand, but yeah, it's just pure German language. And as they were sitting themselves down next to mii, a Chinese woman from China just walked in and talked to another customer right behind mii. Ears-dropping on, you can just hear their slang and all, tongue-twisting Chinese language, yup! China alright! And well, they just can't stop talking now would they?

  The Germans are back, and they didn't come back empty-handed though. Would you just look at all those food their about to devour on, amazing! 20minutes passed, and the two Chinese women are still talking and talking behind mii, they do have their right to communicate anyway, so that aside...


  While minutes pass, the whole coffee shop certainly has just burst into life. People are all chatting away and the barrister was seen to have stepped up to the occasion, doing what they do best, brewing coffee the old Starbucks style. Seriously, the air-port is really an interesting place to be where you have a cocktail of nations, cultures and languages all confined into one place, all but enjoying a universal drink ~~ COFFEE! Addicted enough?

  A blink of an eye and I've been here for 5hours since 11.30pm. Cars and buses are slightly increasing in numbers and so are the people here. Away from 'my' window pane, diverting my view now to the opposite side, you could see people lining up for the toilets and bank-machine-tellers. Shops are filling up with customers and people pushing baggage trolleys here and there. Another air-stewardess walks by and Oh ya, the two Chinese women behind mii just left.... XD


  I still have 2 more hours to my flight commencement. Hitting the refresh button again on my Facebook, a friendly wish heard from where the barristers are. 'Good Morning' they shouted as a few customers walked in. Courtesy just makes ones' day doesn't it? And, behold! As I was staring and looking around, I soon found myself staring at a teenager staring blank back at mii. Well, I've seen him playing his games on his laptop hours ago, and now he's staring at mii, 'are you thinking what I am thinking?' He goes back to his games anyway, while I go back to my, erm, more staring.


  When I thought everything was over, Walla! He just walked up to mii and spoke to mii in a familiar language. Said him to mii in Malaysian-slang Chinese, ' Could you please take care of my belongings coz I need to take a leak?'. After a simple 'Yes', off he goes scrambling to the toilet. I should have noticed his agonizing look moments ago, it's hard to hold it in you know. I suppose he was just checking on mii whether I was or wasn't a Malaysian that's all. Well, he's back anyway, a nice 'Thanks' and he's back to his games, funny guy.... XD

  The Germans had just finished their healthy breakfast by the way, and now happily chatting away. Just to mention, they consist of two parents and their two kids, no wonder I was amazed by the amount they ate. Anyhow, it's 5am now as a BMW 7series passed by with elegance carved on its black body. Sounds of whipped cream being smooshed onto Frappucinos are heard from the kitchen and the jazz music now has been changed to classical piano. People scurrying here and there while a street light starts to flicker on and off. It's dawn now, a new beginning for another new day. Not to mention it's my sister's birthday today! And I really can't wait to get home to celebrate it with her...


  As two more air-stewardess come passing by again, and the barrister comes to his routine cleaning of the tables, I think I've had enough staring for now. It's not so boring after all given what I've seen and heard so far. Thanks once again to Starbucks LCCT for their warm service and providing mii a hang-out spot. I've gotta check-in now, so, adios my friends! Goodbye KL and hello Kedah! And, OMG, the two Chinese ladies just walked in again, and their behind mii once more, well, you could guess what they're up to by now....

情非得已, A Song To Savour

  2.21am, was going through my books when I suddenly thought of a Chinese song, 情非得已 by 庚澄庆. Well, before this, I've heard this song many a time, but due to my not-to-up-to-date Chinese language, I really didn't know the song title, and to make matters worst, I didn't even have the initiative to find the song title! XD

  Not untill my two friends Kevin Wong and Johnny Goh asked mii to teach them to play this song on guitar last week, only did I start to learn the title of this very very beautiful and meaningful song. To mii, this song holds and portrays a very meaningful yet touching story of a person who describes of his experience during his first crush or love towards the girl that interests him. Put together a handful of romantic Chinese words and ''Kazamm!'' you get this song, 'qing fei de yi'.

  I chose this music box version because it gives you a light, happy, and romantic feeling; bringing out the happiness in oneself. And trust mii, when you get the hang of this song, you'll find yourself humming the song itself! This song also means a lot to mii, because 2 years ago when I was working at a restaurant, this song was the one that kept mii smiling throughout the day, no matter how tiring it was for mii to face so many customers at the restaurant. It was the song too that I listened often whenever I was in chat mode with the ones I loved as it really soothes ones soul, no matter how vibrant or frustrated one could be. It also brings back happy memories, a chance to savour what I've gone through past these few years...


  Well, I hope everyone feels what I feel while listening to this song. And then, here are the lyrics.... ^-^

情非得己(流星花园主题曲)

演唱:庚澄庆

难以忘记初次见你

一双迷人的眼睛

在我脑海里 你的身影 挥散不去

握你的双手感觉你的温柔

真的有点透不过气

你的天真 我想珍惜

看到你受委屈,我会伤心

只怕我自己会爱上你

不敢让自己靠的太近

怕我没什么能够给你

爱你也需要很大的勇气

只怕我自己会爱上你

也许有天会情不自禁

想念只让自己苦了自己

爱上你是我情非得已

难以忘记初次见你

一双迷人的眼睛

在我脑海里 你的身影 挥散不去

握你的双手感觉你的温柔

真的有点透不过气

你的天真 我想珍惜

看到你受委屈,我会伤心

只怕我自己会爱上你

不敢让自己靠的太近

怕我没什么能够给你

爱你也需要很大的勇气

只怕我自己会爱上你

也许有天会情不自禁

想念只让自己苦了自己

爱上你是我情非得已

什么原因 我竟然又会遇见你

我真的真的不愿意

就这样陷入爱的陷进

只怕我自己会爱上你

不敢让自己靠的太近

怕我没什么能够给你

爱你也需要很大的勇气

只怕我自己会爱上你

也许有天会情不自禁

想念只让自己苦了自己

爱上你是我情非得已

爱上你是我情非得已

Despair, a challenge in life

  Life seriously rocks. And I do not mean that kind of super, electric guitar punked-up rock rock. I meant, life, it just sways and stumbles at will. At every corner of your walk in life, there is certainly a wall that hits you hard in the face, knocking out a few teeth as it pummels its unforgiving blows onto you. Maybe that's what makes our lives more interesting as we move on, or for most of us, maybe not!

  However interesting as it might get, still our life remains in debt of a set-back waiting to come. How we are going to stand up to that is mainly based on how we react to that dilemma faced. For most people, including myself, they plunged into a black-hole of sorrow and despair, dissapointment to be exact. And then comes the latest trend ~~ emo-ing. While some people think of it as an act of protestantism, many take it as an act to express how they really feel using their facial muscles and nerves (sorry for the over medical terms). As much as they hate themselves, they also transfer the hatred to the people around them; AND as much as the people around them detest the way the latter acts, they themselves to plunge into the swirl of emo-ness without themselves even noticing it! Epic!

  Truth is, life is just that cruel. Sometimes, you feel you are not treated fairly and you also feel your life not worth living. Yes again, life is nothing but a path carved out of blades and knifes, thorns along the way, testing the endurance of us mankind, pushing us to the utmost brink of tolerance, and destruction if the edge is surpassed. Some people tend to take advantage of a person's despair, provoking them as if things doesn't mean anything to them. And while many think despair is something one could just turn a blind eye and just walk away, well, they are right and wrong at the same time, due to the fact they could NEVER understand the person's feeling at that time. We can never predict our future, and that's what bothers us the most. Hence, most of us live our lives as a guessing game, wondering and guessing what might come next on..

  But then, there is always a silver lining, hope for us to grasp on, and there is where your life starts to change for the better, provided we managed to get pass that challenging hurdle. To be honest, it really isn't easy getting through, especially that very last one. As many say, time is the very best medicine, and time will tell when you really have gotten through unscathed or otherwise. Some may even revert back what they used to be, starting all over again, while some tend to get worse as time passes, unable to uphold the magnitude of their dissapointment.

  No matter how, sadness is one we humans could express, and expressed very well indeed. While many adviced others to put an end to their sorrow, not knowing that they could never understand one's feelings during that time of  break-down. And while some tend to keep things at heart, some like to express their feelings. We all have our ups and downs, its just a matter of fact that how much that matter means to us, and we as naive beings, well we just react to it....