Sorry I have not been updating this blog recently. Busy with exams. There are actually a few stuff that happened in December that I would like to post but did not have the time. Some other day I guess.
So last night we bid 2009 goodbye and say hello to 2010!
Man, isn't it scary how time flies so fast?
It is a new year, out with the old and in with the new!
But let us review 2009 shall we? It has been an awesome year. Hectic, but fun. Not to mention stressful as well. Stretched? More like dumped into the washing machine and spinning without the water on. Ouch...
Nevertheless, 2009 has been a rather good year, full of memories and amazing journeys. Last year I did the Big 8s of 2008, I now present to you the 9 big events (arranged in chronological order) that made 2009 a great year for me. Most of the things have been mentioned before in previous post, but I shall walk you all down memory lane together with me :)
1. I WON!!!!
Never in a million years did I expect to win the college book review competition (student category). I have never written a review before, so when Ms Hema
I wrote a review on the book A Thousand Splendid Suns. Click to read!
The prize, RM500 and an Ipod Nano!
College banyak duit mah. Haha
But I am very grateful to the Lord for letting me win. There were two other people that can share the joy with me. Ms Hema won the review for the lecturer's category, and Yvonne came in second place in the student category.
Ms Sathya was so proud of us that she baked a cake for us!
For those who are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of trying one of her cakes, you and I both know that it is very VERY delicious!
2. Best Musical Ever
When Alep told me about the Puteri Gunung Ledang musical that he watched a few years ago, he really got me excited about it. All the more since they were performing in Istana Budaya again, making it their third season of doing that show.
I was even more excited when 7 of us bought tickets to watch the show! Half of us skipped class especially to watch the show, and the other half paid double taxi fare just to get to that place. But it was all worth it. Every single penny.
Our tickets were expensive. Rm80+, after student discount. For good seats what. Of course expensive. You get what you pay for.
The view was spectacular, and the show was superb. Even if it cost RM200, I tell you, it is worth it!
The main cast was amazing, and even the extras were brilliant. They really brought the show to live.
This is one show that I would not mind watching again.
I have watched a few other plays and musicals, but none can compare with PGL. Being able to watch PGL is a really big deal to me. No regrets whatsoever!
3. I am not a DIVA. I am just an actress/dancer
This is my second stint in acting. And also the first musical that I am in.
Love=tan90 came after a request from Ms Sathya that we do another play since we did really well in our small class play in September 2008. She was impressed with what we did and demanded that we do another play, big scale, in the auditorium and invite hundreds of people to come.
And so we worked on tan90 for months. Practised into the late nights, especially during fasting month.
There were a few conflicts among as, but it was something that we always managed to work out. It was a very stressful time for us. I even sprained my ankle, which added to the stress.
Nevertheless, everything turned out to be alright, and Love=tan90 was a hit. So much so that the other departments requested for an encore performance from us!
Acting and dancing were not the only things I did. I worked mostly behind the scenes and helped make everyone else look good. Haha I edited the music for the first sub-plot, became the behind the scenes paparazzi, and did the booklet for the play as well. I was rather surprised when Ms Hema passed me off as her co-director to her father.
We really had fun during practises, and even on stage. Just look at the crazy things that we do. Like little kids only.. Even the lecturers were shocked to see the way we behave. Ms Hema had a hard time explaining to them that we are always like that in class and by nature. She is immune to our insanity already. I suppose nothing can surprise her anymore. Haha
One of the most important thing about tan90 was not the fact that we put on a great show, or that our tickets sold out until the audience had to stand for two hours just to watch the play because there were not enough seats. It was the fact that it brought us all together as a family.
We started to bond during the first play in September, but tan90 really superglued the bond. It also did wonders for a few people's personality. From introverts to all time jokers. It really brought out the best in us.
4. Evil AS Exam
Suprise surprise.
Yes, the Cambridge exam was a very big deal to me. It did not really make the year amazing, but it definitely meant that I am halfway done with A-Levels. And yes I canNOT wait to finish!
While we were studying for the exams, I believe that most of us, including myself, went nuts. I mean, just look at these two...
Haha anything to kill boredom right?
But yea during that period we hogged the library and made a hell lot of noise. Haha very stressful, but it was fun.
One important thing that came out of the exam was that I got an A for Chemistry, something that was deemed impossible by Mr George. Haha I felt so glad to prove him and everyone else wrong! But, I have to say, all glory goes to God in the highest :)
5. We Graduated as Eagles!
Ever been to camp before?
I have been to a few, but I must say, Soaring The Eagle was by far the best camp ever.
STE was not just another fun play camp that Petronas put together for all the scholars. It was an amazing journey of self-discovery, and a lot of values were placed into our hearts. Not to mention the fact that we became close friends with the other scholars from Sunway, Taylors, Nottingham and UTP.
The program was also a close and personal way that we can get to know one another, see a different side of each other. And most importantly, learn to forgive. We also learn to speak our minds and stand up for what we believe in, and I did a whole lot of that even though I am actually a very shy person in nature.
No, really. I am shy! haha
The facilitators were really sweet and encouraging. They were very understanding and always willing to lend an ear. And the Indonesian workers working at Agrotek were very friendly as well. They made our stay a whole lot comfortable.
The classes that were conducted was serious business, but that does not mean that we can't have fun! The people there are insane! Which makes it all the more fun.
My group, PRIMAX
And we totally rocked! We emerged as the winner group in Group 2.
During STE, we learnt to step up to the plate and take on challenges despite our fear.
Mine, singing in front of everyone else.
When I first sang, it was HORRIJIBLE!!! I was so terrified! Haha and our three STE idol judges were not the least bit merciful when it came to the comments, except for Sarah acting as Paula Abdul.
Despite all that, I was chosen to represent Group 2 to compete again for the STE Idol during the final night. I lost out to Suzie dear. But I would never forget that moment.
I loved that experience not because I was chosen to sing, but because of the love and support my friends and groupmates showed me that night. It was just awesome.
I am very grateful to Petronas for organising this program for all of us. I wish I can turn back time and re-visit this moment.
I LOVE YOU. I FORGIVE YOU!
6. Proud to be a Sheep
I did a lot of stupid things in 2009, and I did a few smart things as well. Having said that, I have to say that one of the smartest things that I did was to join an SIB KL college zone cell.
Since Joshua was in Sheep United, I thought that I would just tag along. And so I did.
And I do not regret a single moment of it, even if it meant that I had to give up my Friday nights. Let me tell you about the cell.
Sheep United is whacked man!
Not only do we fellowship and meet every Friday, we do lots of other stuff together.
We celebrate each other
We watch musicals together
Have supper together
And play weird and funny ice-breaking games during cell!
Cell was also an opportunity for us to do things that we never thought that we would be doing. The Sheep played paintball and are climbing Mount KK in June this year.
Through cell, I had the opportunity to participate in the crazy Couzmazing Race and won second place together with Joshua, Andrew and Beatrice.
Lets not forget the most important part of cell. To grow and learn more about God :)
The people in cell are really wonderful and are like family to me. We can relate to one another and understand each other.
Allow me to introduce the crazy car gang.
We are crazy in the car.
Crazy in the cell.
Crazy in the arcade.
Crazy in Italianniese.
Crazy everywhere.
With extremely loud laughter from each of us.
We go to cell in one car every Friday night. Well used to. Now that Ronald is back in Kuching, Zoe and Woan Na have no means of transportation to cell anymore.
The cell is multiplying next month, but until then, I am going to enjoy every single moment together with the other sheep.
7. This is Our Night
Malam Kebudayaan Melayu has always been part and parcel of a scholar's life here in KDU.
But this year, the simple and small event turned into a big scale college event. It just spun right out of our hands.
I did not have my hand in organising it, but I was occupied with conducting the MKM choir. May I point out the fact that I have never been in a proper choir before, and that would be my first time conducting the choir!
I had the idea in hand, but I was still lost. But thank God there were a few people that gave me good advice and helped out alot.
Especially this guy.
Brandon is responsible for making the whole choir look good on stage. And they do.
The choir turned out really well. And I am so very proud of them all. This is one experience that I will never forget. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and further proves that you can do anything as long as you have the passion for it and if you set your mind to it.
The other performances went really well too. All in all, MKM was a huge success. All that time and money spent, was all worth it. We spent the whole day in college. Classes from 8, practises at 5 until 9-10.
Yes it was a very stressful moment as well. But again, it brought us all together. Including the juniors.
I think everyone can look back at MKM and be as proud of it as I am.
8. So I Ran
Never in a million years would I expect myself to participate in a marathon. I guess there is always a first time for everything.
I took part in Run For the Nation in October. We ran 5km and prayed along the way for Malaysia. I teamed up with Melody and Shin Yi, together with our manager, Joshua.
Not only did RunNat got me jogging before and after the run, it made alot of us realise how important it was to pray for the nation.
The typical mindset that most Malaysians have is that the country is going downhill due to unwise decisions made by the leaders, corruption, economic crisis and a long list of never-ending problems.
We are doomed. So they say. We so easily give up on this matter without remembering the fact that we have a chance to turn it all around. We can surrender all our issues into the hands of the Lord and miracles will happen.
A very powerful reminder.
RunNat is definitely something that I am proud to be a part of. They are running again in May, and there is a big chance that I am not going to miss the run. It is actually during my exams, but I hope that I can still participate it together with global day prayer.
9. Snuck Up On Me
I expected a lot of things to happen to me in 2009, but I never thought that something like this would happen to me.
I am happy.
Very happy.
I feel special now.
I want to make you feel special too because you are :)
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Ok folks. There you have it. The 9 biggest thing to hit me in 2009. Wait till the end of 2010, and I will give you the big 10.
Until then, smile people. Its a brand new year. Forget all your hurts and forgive those who offended you. You do not want to start the new year with a hating heart now do you?
God bless people :)
