Flight of Fancy

something borrowed, something blue.

2011-06-30T06:03:00.000-07:00

i draw the violin case from beneath a muddle of books and bags. i think to myself how strange it is - the fact that I've ceased to notice it for so long, and yet, when the need arises, i know just where to find it.

its case is weathered and frayed and at first, i take it out carelessly. it's after all, just another object, an object which used to be mine. but then again, my fingers jerk in disagreement. my fingers, my palm - they have memorized this feel, this supple grip, this delicate curvature. and so, i slow down, consciously and deliberately drawing it out - as i have done so many times before.

opening the case of something musical, something of such sentimental value for the first time in a long time can be indescribably profound. it's as if the butterflies of a forgotten past, a cobwebbed corner in your soul suddenly comes alive. hastily, i unzip the case, not quite realising that my breath is held. i am imbued with anticipation; i am not even sure why. and then there's this sudden still in the air as my eyes fall upon the instrument.

for some reason, my heart sinks. it hurts deep within; i am inexplicably torn - torn for feeling so connected and yet, so irreparably distant. this amorphous veil flutters limply between us and there is this stale feeling of loving something that will never quite be truly yours again. it hits me like a surging wave - the endless hours of practicing, the orchestra days of blindly playing along and sliding small fingers up and down fingerboards, the trembling hands as a recital begins. it starts off as a single note, a harmony which then escalates into a full-blown symphony.

i catch my breath as i gently let my fingers run across the exquisite wood, the fingerboard, the bridge. i caress the strings almost longingly, hoping somehow that my touch would elicit the same sounds that had resonated in my dreams once upon a long time ago. i am surprised at myself, for never had i imagined that i would feel such an infinite attachment to this music-making thing in my hands.

but this moment of epiphany passes (as all moments do) and crumbles away. the wings of the butterflies of old slow to a still. i cannot help but wonder why after all the things we have been through together, you still seems like something borrowed, something blue.

Jesus Loves You!

2011-01-23T01:48:00.000-08:00

I stood there, before the notice board, my eyes skimming through the school calendar.

The morning was still dark and the quiet peace which only comes with early mornings such as these still reigned. One word jumped out at me, continuously.

Peperiksaan.

Yes, that foreboding word kept appearing, again and again, until all that was left of the calendar to me was the word PEPERIKSAAN, hugely printed in block letters. I could feel my heart beat;I could feel it thumping as wave upon wave of fear and worry consumed me. A string of incomprehensible thoughts ran through my mind, collided somewhere in between and all I felt a second later was enshrouding darkness and total disintegrated confusion. The dark morning was only getting darker and that peace had been tainted by a seizing panic. I had to tear myself away from the board.

Breathing unsteadily, I sat down on an orange stool in the common area (where students usually try to get homework/some studying done in the morn). In a desperate attempt to shake off the clinging panic, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. And it was when I opened it again that I saw a pencilbox with the most reassuring words I've seen for a long time.

Plain and simple, it said: JESUS LOVES YOU.

And suddenly, I felt the gripping worries fall away, the fear torn asunder, for I knew that amidst those terrifying thoughts, Jesus loves me. And all He has called us to do is to do our best and leave the rest to Him.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

You see, Jesus loves each and everyone of us SO UNIMAGINABLY MUCH - and that love will never fail you. And so, if worry has somehow seeped its way into your heart as it so easily does, I'd like to encourage you to take heart and to trust in Him. He will never fail you, He cares for you :)

And so, on an entirely different note together, I was browsing through YouTube the other day and I came across this AMAZING guy and I was just blown away by the extent of which he was willing to go to just to bring love into the lives of people. It absolutely inspired me to share this love that I have been blessed with. But most of all, I realised that really, love should be freely given without expecting anything in return for we have the greatest love we can find, EVER in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

4 am

2010-11-24T18:08:00.000-08:00

I trash around in bed on what seems to be yet another sleepless night. I flail around for something solid to hold on to - but find myself sinking deeper instead into an indefinite abyss. I toss and turn in semi-consciousness, kept awake by the mosquitoes which feast on me. My dreams are hazy, as if glimpsed through a filmy veil. They are terribly disjointed - but have enough of a nightmarish quality for me to recall the feeling of longing, the pining for days past and for the beloved faces of people too far for me to hold on to. A stinging pain in my left eye jolts me awake - and in hasty panic, I grope my way down the staircase. I grab a bottle of Eye Mo and douse my eye with it. Thankfully, the pain ebbs. It occurs to me that some fresh air might do me good. I stumble into the vast space - and the dark night. I immediately miss the cold, cold fall nights. The moon is shining dimly and the house next door is blaring Chinese opera tunes. I realize with peculiar pride that I am back in Malaysia, back in the melting pot of cultures - where anything is possible. A gnawing hunger eats at me - and I have a sudden hankering to practice the piano.

Is this jet lag? Or am I missing this:

To a vivacious, young lassie who has too much explosive energy in her small frame.

2010-08-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

Meet Miss Abigail 'Fally' Chew. She thinks she's very cute. I'm not sure if I agree :P

Well, well, let's see what we have here. Today is my little sister's 13th BIRTHDAY! My oh my. These years have indeed flown by all too quickly. She's officially a teenager! (oh, you have no idea how many childhood days I have whiled away wondering how Abigail would look/be like when she's finally 13) And now, here I am, sitting at the computer, calmly blogging as she turns the rosebud pages of being a young lady. I smile. I'm sure she'll cringe when she reads this later. Hehe.

So, on this very special occasion, I figured I'd do a little tribute to my bouncy, explosive sister.

1. Miss Photogenic. (Kononnya ;D)

Right. This little sister of mine - she happens to be very, indescribably fond of taking pictures of herself :) Hehe! (But I'd have to admit that she is the only one out of us three siblings who can pull off the very many different 'creative poses' Asians have fabricated!) Let me describe to you a typical scenario which happens every night.

Bored that I have AGAIN drifted off to Dreamland all too soon and she has no one to converse with, she lolls around in bed, trying very hard to think of something which will entertain her until she too, joins me in Dreamland. A thought bubble appears on top of her head. ELEASHA'S HANDPHONE! She creeps around my room. OBJECT ATTAINED! And there's pin-drop silence for the rest of the night. And all's well with the world. Till -

I wake up the next morning to discover that there are NEW, sometimes disconcerting pictures on my phone of a certain type. I shudder. And go on a deleting spree ;)

[the above story is slightly exaggerated]

2. Miss Giggles

Abigail is a strange specimen. She laughs too much. ALL THE TIME. Sometimes, I wonder how her little kiddy self can contain so much laughing gas. What makes it even queerer are the mundane unfunny things which trigger her laughing bouts. Which mind you, last a long time. There was this one time when she sat - laughing uncontrollably over these two lines.

Whaddya have for lunch?

I had fruit.

Do not ask me what's so funny about it. I have no idea. But I notice that she finds the last line especially hilarious. She happens to love cartoons like Phineas and Ferb & Shaun the Sheep because they make her laugh - a lot. As for the reason behind it? Je ne sais pas.

Just yesterday, the name Horatio tickled her funny bone and she decided to come up with an awkward dance sequence for that name. (Which I admit, quite unabashedly, was rather laugh-worthy!)

3. Miss Darling-after-all

Aww. So innocent looking, squashed between her two elder sisters ;)

When all's said and done, I guess both Sarah and I are incredibly fond of our cheeky little junior for so many reasons it's hard to list it all down

1. as I have to finish this blog post before midnight (which is in approximately 15 minutes)

2. there would just be too many things to write about

So, excuse me as I attempt to fit her warm, loving self into a paragraph.

Despite her repeatedly telling me that I should go sing in Oscar's garbage can, she is the most supportive, sweet little sister one could ever have. She deals with my ramblings every night, switches off the air-conditioner for me when I'm too exhausted to do so, animates my school powerpoint presentations in her higgledy piggledy manner, gives me great big hugs and keeps me grounded with her shrewdly honest comments. She is able to break the awkward silence in any occasion with that contagious laughter of hers and extinguishes any form of mounting pressure with her ridiculous sense of humour.

An incident which comes to mind: During my most recent school examinations, I was really stressed and could hardly think of anything but my papers. Stressed and pretty much disillusioned, she plastered a big smile on my face when she drew me a card which read 'ELEASHA ROCKS HER EXAMS!!! *smiley face* *smiley face* *yet another smiley face*' It was a simple gesture - but it gave me the strength to get through that week of examinations.

And I think that's the perfect embodiment of Miss Abigail 'Fally' Chew. She's really, after all, a good little girl who is perfectly content with being quintessentially her - now - forever. And so,

BLESSED BIRTHDAY ABIGAIL! WE LOVE YOU! <3

How does one name this feeling?

2010-08-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

It's when you're down in the dumps and you feel so insignificant that you discover with a fresh understanding all over again that Mummies and Daddies are the most amazing people alive.

And I thank God for them.

Because He is.

2010-07-30T06:50:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing quite as beautiful,

As seeing those rain clouds gather,

Wrapping the world with an all too familiar,

Wispy, hazy, splendor.

There’s nothing quite as beautiful,

As watching those first rain drops fall,

Like crystals, laden with myriads of colour,

Harbingers of hope and wonder.

There’s nothing quite as beautiful,

As walking in the falling rain,

There’s freedom, elusive freedom in all its glory,

Free from pain, free from worry.

Things look different through the rain,

Lights resonate with warmth,

Trees bend and sway with grace,

Nay, this beauty will not wane.

There’s nothing quite as beautiful,

As believing having ne’er seen,

The good things the Lord has in store for us,

He has already quenched our thirst.

There’s nothing quite as beautiful,

As knowing life is beautiful,

Neither a desperate attempt at optimism,

Nor a penchant for altruism.

Life is beautiful,

Only because He is –

Beautiful.

The Pau and I.

2010-06-23T04:44:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was the cloudy, deliciously drowsy weather. Perhaps it was me being imbued by a wave of deep retrospection. Or perhaps it was the weather that caused the wave of profound retrospection.

But either way, the fact remains - just for today, I am entirely in love with steamy, spongy, ambrosial paus, smothered with heaps of hearty red bean paste. (I know, it's an overuse of food-licious adjectives but I just HAD to. Check this out to create your own string of food adjectives!) Eating that fluffy round ball of goodness was not so much of a hunger-satisfying experience. It went much deeper than that. It was almost - philosophical!

I shivered as a gust of wind swept past me. The rain was pouring down in sheets and the leaves hung on the boughs, trembling. Mr. Pau Seller smiled amiably as I exchanged the money in my hand for the pau. I clutched it tightly, cupping it in my hands as I contentedly made my way to my seat, scrumptious images playing in my mind. I smiled rather stupidly at the pau and I believe it grinned right back at me. Ironic actually - since it was about to be eaten. But then again, maybe it was honoured to be of service to me ;)

I slowly and deliberately peeled off the white layer around the pau and simultaneously, I felt the troubles of the day fade away into obscurity and I was drawn higher and higher, past the clouds to my own little unburstable bubble of Pau and I.

I've always believed that la nourriture vrai has never existed for the superficial purpose of filling one's tummy. It nourishes one's soul. As I sank my teeth into the luscious spread of nectarous red bean, it dawns upon me that the common passion most people have for food is quite justified. You see, good food is something that leaves you with an aftertaste so divine, something which warms you, thawing the sleets which envelop your soul on particularly bad days - freeing you to love again.

And that is the story of the magical moment my Pau and I shared. Maybe someday I'll write a book on The Philosophy of Perfectly Perfect Paus.

I felt a need

2010-03-19T03:57:00.000-07:00

to write. So I did.
:)

Eternal Bliss?

2010-03-06T00:48:00.000-08:00

So, it's Sports Day. I'm in the car, on my way to the Stadium to get toasted :)

I look out the window and a sign atop a shop lot catches my attention.

It reads: ETERNAL BLISS.

And then, below it, 24 hour funeral service.

I couldn't help but stifle my laughter.

It was just - just

strange.

Dear God, are you there?

2010-03-01T05:19:00.000-08:00

Dear God, are you there?

I cannot help but ask. It's 6 am in the morning and I am constantly shifting between consciousness and semi-consciousness. Sleep seems especially inviting at the moment.
It's not that I doubt the existence of my Father in Heaven. Not that I think He doesn't care.
It's just that down here on Earth, He seems so far away. The spaces between Him and me seem especially magnified this morning.
I'm lost and a little confused.
A little more confused than I ought to be.
Sometimes, I wish that Jesus would come visit me sometime. At least, there would be someone to touch and see and talk to. Maybe believing would be a little easier that way.
All I need, all I'm asking for is a word, a sign, some sort of assurance to keep this little flame of faith brightly burning.
'Are you there God?' I ask.
Not because I doubt.
It's because every time I do, He seems just a little closer, just a little nearer and I know - that I am going to be just fine.
:)

Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28

The Best Class In The World: A Tribute to 3 Aked

2009-12-18T00:19:00.000-08:00

It's December. Lovely, delightful, rainy December. I am relishing every moment of Christmas magic. Being caught up in a whirlwind of festive activities is sheer joy! But amidst that joy, there is a certain nagging feeling of nostalgia because at the back of my mind, I also realise that year 2009 is drawing to a close. And suddenly, I'm overcome with an overwhelming need to relive this year. I rummage for this year's school magazine and flip to page 232. Yes, page 232. And I smile.

I remember the first day of school this year. I remember how an anxious group of second formers huddled together, awaiting news of which class we were going to spend the rest of the year with. I remember gaping with amused excitement when I learned that for the first time in the 123 years of the existence of St. Georges, all 37 of us music students were going to be put in ONE class. And I thought dryly to myself, 'This sure is going to be one interesting journey'. And guess what? I was entirely right! Except for the fact that my year as a 3 Akedian was so much more than being merely 'interesting'.

Being the largest class in the school, we were always one romping, noisy, obnoxious and yes, incredibly infamous bunch of teenagers. There was always a lack of space and it was always a tight fit but I loved every moment of it. In fact, in my first week of being a 3 Akedian, I already knew that 3 Aked was going to be and IS the best class in the world. Very quickly, it was as if every one of us found our own place in the class and BELONGED to it. We took pride in the words - I belong to 3 Aked. And I still do.

I love 3 Aked for being the only class with people who are excessively creative - often coming up with very inappropriate inside jokes (Tee hee!) crack me up with their hilarious statements, and inspire me by being just wonderful individuals, special and unique in their own ways. But most of all, I love 3 Aked for how it overflows with empathy, compassion, understanding and LOVE. School life can be intense and immensely pressurising but the fact that 3 Akedians were so generous with 'hugs and I love yous' made this year so much easier for me. Especially during the rather trying PMR period, I cannot quite put in words how much all your hugs and words of encouragement gave me the strength to persevere on. I cannot even describe how all your wonderful jokes and antics lightened me up and made PMR actually enjoyable!

I always knew that somehow, 3 Aked did not comprise of different individuals, leading separate, detached lives. 3 Aked had a plethora of diverse individuals, rich in ridiculous idiosyncracies and fancies but the difference was that we were one.

Change is inevitable, and rightly so, for if change were not to occur, time would not be able to mould us, shape us and give us wings to soar. But I'll always consider myself extraordinarily blessed to have spent an entire year learning, growing, laughing and loving the best class in the world - 3 Aked.

I love each and every one of you 3 Aked darlings.
You mean so much to me.
Have a very blessed Christmas and a WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!
<3

Dreams at Fifteen

2009-09-04T23:29:00.000-07:00

Fifteen,
No one can tear away our dreams,
Ours to seek,
And ours to keep.

Dreaming,
By the glow of the rosy lamp,
Thinking everything's possible,
Knowing we can.

Laughter,
So sublime and clear,
Joy overflows, its presence so dear,
Youth, vibrance, lingering near.

Yes,
You want things to stay this way,
Life, colour - a splendid array,
You speak, but somehow all you say,
Is -
Sixteen, oh please, won't you come another day?

:)
I <3 being 15

Anger management & Abigail!

2009-06-20T08:53:00.000-07:00

Current mood: Mischievous, very mischievous
I am convinced that Character Education classes at Fairview are very effective - especially on my sister :) If you are wondering which sister I am referring to, it is my always-up-to-no-good lil' sister - Miss Pancake Chew. Oops, I meant Abigail 'fally' Chew! =P

She is always ready with the naughtiest tricks up her sleeves and the queerest nicknames to label you, not forgetting her infectious fit of giggles. If you haven't had the privilege of meeting her, you will get a faint idea of her personality just by knowing the songs of which she finds particularly endearing. Among them are 'Bellybutton' and 'Pizza Angel'. Even the titles speak for themselves! Oh yes, and her all-time musical hero is - Larry of Veggie Tales!
Any common thing can activate her laugh-non-stop-until-you-pop mode, such as a potato bun sitting on a toaster. Geddit?

Right. So I was talking about Character Education classes. This week, my little sister learned about anger management in school, which in my opinion, was much needed. Every time we make her the least bit annoyed, she shuts her eyes tightly and counts to ten. I find it quite amusing actually (and wonder if she does it more to subdue herself or to amuse me) :) My oh my, I'm so glad they taught her that because:

1. She doesn't really get mad anymore. After her 'therapy', she goes about as normal. It's always nice to be around happy people! :D :D
2. I find it easier to tease the little sweetheart because well - she's milder now in her reactions :P
3. It's way more convenient for me to tickle and poke her without having my actions reciprocated.
4. I can steal her cookies under her very nose because her eyes are shut for 10 WHOLE seconds!

Haha.

Moral of the story: Attend Character Education classes! - if your school has one. Not only do they make you better people, they make life easier for your siblings!

Oh no, I bet Abigail will have to count until a thousand this time to calm herself after reading this.

Anger management therapy, please do work. Pretty please??

On nights like these...

2009-06-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

I falter
And wonder if -
I'll ever get where God wants me to be.

On nights like this,
Doubt casts its dancing shadows,
And I try so hard to believe,
But fail.

But then again,
God is good,
And His mercies are fresh and new each morning.

And for that reason, I know that I can look forward to tomorrow.
I can embrace the sunshine and kiss the rain.
I can see life through rosebud-tinted glass.
I can believe!

Lamentations 3:22-23

22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

:D

All she wants is to forget..

2009-05-25T04:20:00.000-07:00

I am currently drawing a map. And am being overcome with a blustery gale of poetic inspiration. There is something entirely thought-provoking and wonderfully beautiful about a map. I haven't sorted out my thoughts yet but I have a faint feeling that it runs along the lines of the wonder in simply living, never knowing what awaits you at the bend in the road.
:)

Anyways, before I digress, as I so often do, what I really wanted to do was to share with ya'll a little something that I wrote on yes, you guessed it - Narnia.

People often ask me why I harbour this crazy fetish over the last few minutes of Prince Caspian. Well, I find it particularly endearing - not so much because of the rosy glow that the little hint of romance casts upon the scene, but because of the beauty in the underlying feelings in it. It is my greatest hope that in the little piece of fluff below, I am able to encapsulate the painfully beautiful feeling of being torn away from something so dear, of letting go and of saying goodbye. And yet, there is a faint glimmer of hope of redemption- of a happier ending, of knowing that one day, we too will reunite.

You'll come back,
When they call you,
No need to say goodbye.

All she wanted was to forget.

'Susan, watch out!', sqealed Lucy. Susan whirled around, her eyes dancing and twinkling as she neatly sidestepped a wet snowball. White fur from her velvet coat lined her face, fluttering in the cold winter wind.

That fair winter morning, snow glistened under the rays of the golden sun and the snow-capped mountains which lay yonder looked like jewels amidst the creamy blanket of white.

Snow. Infinite snow.

That one word brought back shattered recollections of herself and her Caspian romping in the snow and building snowcastles - what could have been, should have been but was not.

She would have liked to believe that he didn't matter to her anymore, that those fleeting memories were made to be locked up in the very depths of her soul. But the aching void that nothing could fill told her that she certainly was wrong.

As sun dawned the next morning, wet patches stained her pillow, where bitter tears had fallen the night before.
The hardest word to say is indeed, goodbye.

There you go! =) Shedding a tear or two?
XD

P.S. Please do, do, do go watch Prince Caspian if you haven't. At least, watch the last part. It's such a - beautiful letdown. If you know what I mean :D

Sweet Surrender =)

2009-05-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

Lord, I offer my life to you
Everything I've been through,
Use it for your glory.
Lord, I offer my days to you,
Lifting my praise to you,
As a living sacrifice,
Lord, I offer you my life.

Oh, the joys of sweet surrender
:D

Art is magical

2009-03-14T22:51:00.000-07:00

Art is a form of unspoken beauty that speaks directly to the soul. It is something so incredibly real and something so wonderfully tangible. Just gazing at it inspires, and awakens some form of untainted delicate allurement.
And so, take this gorgeous work of art by Thomas Kinkade as a brilliant example:
It's a simple painting but yet, it speaks volumes to the observer, feeds a withered, frail soul and breathes life into an observer's very being.

If you still harbour any doubts, let me give you a personal example.
:)

Right. I happen to be playing Sonatine by Maurice Ravel at the moment, and sometimes, I play with the book closed. And guess what's on the cover.

Well, actually, it's just his face. :)

But there's something about his very air and aura in that picture that just spoils his ethereal, beautifully dreamy music for me. Everytime I happen to glance at him, it seems as if he is looking at me condescendingly, rendering me downright unworthy to even attempt playing his piece. What a naughty little chap!

And I can't help but crinkle my nose at him and make faces. The sticking out of the tongue also greatly abounds.

Haha. Maybe it's just me.

But the point I'm trying to make is that art is perfect loveliness that one should appreciate.
And I'm sure you agree, right?

Food For Thought :)

2009-03-09T06:12:00.001-07:00

You Scored as English/Journalism/Comm

You should strongly consider majoring (or minoring) in Communication, English, Film, Journalism, Literature, or Writing.

It is possible that the best major for you is your 2nd, 3rd, or even 5th listed category, so be sure to consider ALL majors in your OTHER high scoring categories (below). You may score high in a category you didnt think you would--it is possible that a great major for you is something you once dismissed as not for you. The right major for you will be something 1) you love and enjoy and 2) are really great at it.

Consider adding a minor or double majoring to make yourself standout and to combine your interests. Please post your results in your myspace/blog/journal.

Psychology/Sociology

94%

English/Journalism/Comm

94%

French/Spanish/OtherLanguage

88%

HR/BusinessManagement

81%

Visual&PerformingArts

75%

Education/Counseling

75%

Accounting/Finance/Marketing

69%

PoliticalScience/Philosophy

69%

Nursing/AthleticTraining/Health

63%

History/Anthropology/LiberalArts

56%

Biology/Chemistry/Geology

56%

Religion/Theology

50%

Mathematics/Statistics

44%

Physics/Engineering/Computer

31%

. J'aime beaucoup le cloche de l'école .

2009-02-07T02:07:00.000-08:00

“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” - Kahlil Gibran

Music is something very powerful - it holds the power to heal broken hearts, to strenghten frail souls, to breathe new life into withered lives, to create magic in the very lives of ordinary people.

School can be a very wonderful place with the most amazing people but sometimes, classes and homework do get a little taxing.

Which is why I am so delighted with the new school bell.

Imagine being able to pause between classes and just listen to the enchanting strains of Disney classics like 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'A Whole New World'. It's almost rapturous - being able to escape to something entirely foreign to studying, to some far-off world, to some halcyon bubble even for just a few seconds.

Et pour cette raison, j'adore le musique et j'adore le cloche de l'école.

I really do.

Blessed Chinese New Year!!

2009-01-23T06:44:00.000-08:00

IT'S that time of the year again - a festive season of people trickling in and out of our houses all day long and xylophone-like songs being blasted in the shopping malls. It is the time when we take out all our clothes and have a horrible time trying to decide what on earth to wear. (Criteria: The level of striking-ness, how it will help us stand out in photographs) * hint* It is the time for last-minute shopping and loads of forbidden food to be purchased and well - eaten :)

In the nook of my kitchen, there is a huge pile of never-before-seen food stashed there. Every time my eyes rest upon that indulgent sight, it is as if a huge smiley face with a cheeky grin pops out. It sticks its tongue out at me and lures me, compels me nearer-nearer-nearer...

Haha. Maybe the festive season is making my imagination go wild :D

Well, I guess everyone is in a delightful flurry of collecting fat 'ang pows', stuffing yourselves with juicy, refreshing mandarin oranges or perhaps feasting on Chinese New Year goodies.

So, have a wonderful, amazing time but most of all, have a meaningful CNY!

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

=)

P.S. If you somehow haven't gotten into the CNY spirit yet and can't get yourself excited over it,

I might just have a remedy for you.
WARNING: You might not be able to enjoy mandarin oranges after this

Lots of love,
moi
xoxo

I see the moon...

2009-01-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

I see the moon,
The moon sees me,
I love the moon,
The moon loves me
Jesus loves the moon,

Jesus loves me :)

I have no idea why - but these days, I look alot more at the sky. And I have come to newly appreciate the infinite, vast, endless beauty of the sky. A full moon, bathed in a warm, incandescent glow graces the stretch of sky and sprays of little studs of glittering stars twinkle and wink at us, making even the most despondent person feel loved. Sometimes, a stray airplane glides across the fluffy clouds, its blinking lights flashing until they disappear far yonder. Nature has its own special way of making you forget your problems and despairs. It heals you, envelopes you and reminds you of the unfailing love of our Lord and Saviour.

I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles - Anne Frank

Looking at the white, pale moon, I am reminded of a time when I was still in Sri Pelita and we were given the assignment of drawing the phases of the moon every single night for 2 months. And nostalgic memories of running out the door into the blustery yet silent night would fill me. For a few delightful moments, I would be gazing at the velvet blanket of night and drawing the moon in whatever phase it was in - be it half moon, full moon or crescent. It was a lovely task to methodically carry out. I remember, some days I would entirely forget to carry out that task. The next day, I would be cracking my head and be trying and trying to remember how the moon looked. Of course, if my memory simply refused to cooperate with me, I would make it all up :) *grins guiltily*

Tonight, on the way back from church, from the car, all I could see was a beautiful blur of trees but the moon kept on shining - sometimes being blocked by a branch - but always shining. And it made me feel secure and loved. So secure and safe in the arms of Jesus. I'm right on the brink of turning fifteen ( Oh no! I'm old :D) and though a lot of things are changing, I know I have a rock to hold on to that will never change. So, change. Change is sometimes such an overused word. And although change is something that all of us have to go through, it can be really hard to accept it, much less to love it. As for me, I kind of like change as it is an embodiment of hopes and dreams, new chapters, and fresh pages turned. It is so wonderful to be able to reach 'a bend in the road' and dream about what lies beyond. However, some changes are so drastic and so unexpected that they pain us instead and we become blinded to the bittersweet, intricate beauty of change. But we know, that through those times, we can trust in the one person who loves us and cares about us and will NEVER leave us - Jesus!

For some reason, I feel so warm and fuzzy inside :)

Just a shoutout to all my friends and dearies ( If you are reading this, it's for you!) I am really so grateful and thankful for all of you darlings for always being there for me, to share my sorrows and rejoice in my joys. I love all of you dear people and know that although things may be changing, although we may be growing up, nothing will ever change the bond of friendship that holds us together and we'll come out of turbulent times stronger than ever :) God bless you and keep you!

Lots of love,
Eleasha C.

Happy, Happy Birthday Yimei!

2008-12-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

A loyal friend since like forever not only to me, but to both of my sisters

My partner-in-crime

The one person who floods my house with the incessant ringing of the phone with her one-billion-and-one calls at the queerest hours each day

(Well, maybe I'm exaggerating) :P

Her favourite colour is very obviously pink

She defines a value of a person by who the person really is and is blessed with the special ability to mix with anyone and everyone

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

Oh yeah, her name's Lim Yimei!

Yimei NOT Yi-mei NOT Yee May

Haha.

-A Year has Passed-

2008-12-09T06:26:00.000-08:00

It has been a year since I first learnt the meaning of pure, untainted beauty...
It has been a year since I first tasted the luscious, rich taste of warm homemade pies..
It has been a year since I first saw delicate, adorable, tiny little snowflakes fluttering on an aeroplane window....
It has been a year since I was overcome with awe and joy that seemed to gush out from this bubbling brook within me when I stood right in front of the endless, roaring waves of the ocean...

It has been a year since I have found such pleasure in simply throwing pebbles into the countless rippling lakes...
It has been a year since I last found myself amidst such poetic allurement and enchantment which I thought only belonged to some far-off, magical land...

It has been a year, yes, a year since I have been to New Zealand...

You may ask, what inspired this random, out-of-the-blue topic?
Well, I was rummaging through my drawers and was rather surprised to come across this teeny-weeny stack of papers, which were pretty much crumbly and falling apart. The top of the sheets of paper bore the words - Camelot Cathedral Square Hotel, New Zealand.

The Cathedral

The stack of papers were filled with interesting accounts of our trip, usually scribbled down while driving from town to town in the rented car - before of course, dropping off to Dreamland. There was something so very cosy about New Zealand, that made me feel deliciously sleepy all the time especially during looong journeys. :)

And so, let me share with you some excerpts from my little diary that I kept during the journey:

A little warning: I was feeling rather dreamy and wonky in New Zealand ( I have no idea how these two qualties can reside in a person at the same time) so alot of these entries are rather repetitive and well.. :P In fact, some of the sentences have been gramatically rephrased for your understanding :)

2nd day - Dunedin (pronounced The.nee.dun)

1. Ashburton Garden
The flowers were simply lovely but it was cold, cold, COLD! New Zealand, is really THE most beautiful place on earth. Every dear spot is so, so, wonderfully lovely. We visited an aviary with birds like cockatoos and peacocks. There were even ducks! I accidentally dropped a duck's egg into the pond *sob*

2. Small Town
We stopped by a small town and bought some entirely delicious, ravishing lovely pies. Abigail was full of praises for the pies - using words like FANTASTIC, MARVELLOUS and TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE! :) On the way to Dunedin, we saw wonderful, breathtaking scenery and lotsa, lotsa sheep. Cute sheep. And Cows. And Horses with 'blankets'.

3. Meandering Road
We drove our car through a very windy and meandering road. It was simply enthralling and beautiful. I am at a loss for words. We made our way to Larnach castle which is really high up. Unfortunately, we couldn't go in as it was far too expensive and we didn't quite fancy walking around the quiet grounds of a castle. And so, we went to the Royal Albatross Colony. This consists of a cliff and an awe-inspiring ocean and flocks and flocks of gorgeous birds. Now, believe me. I have never felt such a surging, wonderful feeling when standing on the edge of the cliff looking at the deep, deep ocean.

However, there was this giant kelp which lined the rocks which was - a little creepy but lovely all the same.

3rd day - Te Anau

1. On the way
On the way there, we stopped by a lovely English-style cottage which went by the pretty name Peggydale. It served wonderful English food. Let's see - among them were warm vegetable soup, pumpkin soup, chicken pie, Quiche, garlic bread, veggie sandwiches and lamb sandwiches. After satisflying our stomachs and our tastebuds, we drove in a closed farm :( But, there were cute, fluffy sheep! :)

Then, we took a few pictures at this lane with very quaint, darling-ish English houses. From there, you could see these wonderfully, majestically, 'splendiferous' snow-peaked mountains. The locals are indeed 'blessed enough to call this place home' ( I got that out of a tourism magazine and was so caught up with it) :)

2. Te Anau Lake
We went to the beautiful Te Anau lake. Abigail and I throwed stones into the water. My hands were practically freezing but I was having too much fun to even notice - which is why my hands are now dry and cracked. :)

3. Awful Experience
This is the most awful thing ever in the world. We missed this Gloworm Cruise which cost about RM 470 of which we had alrealdy paid! I can tell you that was an immense disappointment. Since, everyone's spirits weren't exactly high, we had a rather subdued night of doing laundry in the basement.
Though looking back, I find it rather comical. Don't you?

4th and 5th day - Queenstown
1. Actually, we were supposed to make our way to the daunting '8th wonder of the world' - Milford Sound. Most unfortunately, an avalanche occured and the cruise was cancelled. A bit of a disappointment really as I was really looking foraward to being right before wonderfully majestic mountains. So, we had no choice but to go to Queenstown one day early as it seemed like the most sensible thing to do. Our first stop was the toilet XD. But as usual, all the New Zealand toilets are really lovely and clean. As there was a playground opposite Abigail and I played on the swing to sort of swing away our disappointment.

2. Aspen Hotel
We checked in the Aspen Hotel which is a sort of a countryside resort with a breathtaking view. The room overlooked Lake Wakatipu and the Alps mountain. So, it wasn't scarce to find Che-che, Abi and me climbing over the balcony to my Mum's and Dad's room as we ncould not get adjacent rooms. We fondly called ourselves the 3 Intruders.

Caught In The Act!

3. The Cheese & Wine Factory
We tried a few types of cheese and ended up buying some crumbly cheese and blue cheese - which tasted delightfully like salted fish. We paid $5 to start trying 4 different kinds of authentically special wine. It was my first time drinking wine by the way =) Mummy, Daddy and Abigail drank most of the wine. It was rather fortunate that Abigail did not get drunk or I wouldn't have imagined how she would have been. Haha.

A few pictures at Lake Wanaka:

4. Earnslaw trip
This is to me one of the most enjoyable days as it was all planned out. We boarded the 90 year old steam ship which runs on coal, known as the 'Lady of the Lake' or the 'ESS Earnslaw'. While on the ship, travelling across L. Wakatipu, there was this guy called Bill The Piano Man. He played all these folkish songs and entertained everybody on the ship.
Then, we went on to the VERY blustery deck of the ship and felt the immense power of the wind. I am sure if I did not hold on to the railings, I would have been blown away.
Anyways, we reached Walter Peak, a sweet, dear, lovely, lovely place. We were led to the feeding pen of the sheep and were able to feed them =) It was a rather interesting experience as they were too adorable but some of them were rather greedy and would come nuzzling at you for more food.

Well, that was pretty much what I have in the little papers that I kept. :)
What else do I have to say?
I hope you have enjoyed the little tour of NZ and hope that one day you will be able to go there to discover its beautifully beautiful beauty.. :P
Through nature, we do indeed find God's love lingering near.

The song of birds so gay and clear,
That fill the morning air with cheer,
And fragrant flowers of every hue,
That stand erect bedecked with dew;
All these and more belong to me,
If I but use my eyes to see.
When evening shadows gather night,
And twinkling stars light up the sky,
I hear my Master say to me,
"I made it all for you to see!"
My heart grows warm with faith and pride,
To know that He is by my side.

Of hearing problems.. XD

2008-11-12T23:25:00.000-08:00

I am convinced that I am partially deaf - or at least am plagued with a strange disorder which compels me to 'mis-hear' spoken words.

Take for example:

In school:

Well, Sher Maine was talking about five-year-old toddlers and how she teaches them :)

Sher Maine (to me): Do you want to take care of five year old toddlers?

Yours truly: What? Take care of the fireworks counter?

In the car (on the way back from school)

My little sister, Abigail was raving about this inspirational show she watched in school entitled 'Facing the Giants'

Abigail: Have you heard of 'Facing the Giants'?

Yours truly: Have I heard of 'Fishing the Lions'?

At home:

My elder sister, Sarah was eating guava.

Sarah: Today, the guava is much nicer. Yesterday's was rock hard.

Yours truly * looked quizically at her*: Obama was rock hard?

Sigh. I must be growing old.

Even the cat agrees with me. Tee hee! =)

The joy of exams :)

2008-10-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

The exams have just come to an end and looking back, they seem to have passed so quickly. Fleeting. Like a gust of wind that blows, shakes your world a little, but then quickly subsides, leaving as quickly as it had come. And I know that there was only one thing that sustained me those two rather pressuring weeks - the love of God. At times like this, you cannot help but feel so very humbled, so assured, so loved.

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the whirlwind of life, its trials and challenges that we fail to see what life really is and more importantly, our purpose in life. I for one, can say truthfully that I know what it feels like to have all my priorities in the wrong place when really, all we do on earth is merely a speck in eternity. I think that once we allow our mindsets to go through a 'leetle' change and realize that we live not only for this lifetime but for an eternity, a lot of things will fall into place. Somehow, what seemed like a looming shadow in our lives becomes minute and unimportant. The real things in life - to love, to laugh, to be loved and to live, really, truly live somehow find their way to you. There is a line in Carrie Underwood's So Small that goes:

And when you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else seem
So small...

Anyways, during the IT exam, I was struck with this sudden need to write. It was what Anne Shirley would call 'scope for imagination'. Let me share with you what I would like to name ' Sketches of my School'. Sounds impressionistic, ay? :P

It was one of those days when time passed as if one was in a dream. The leaves hung on the sturdy branches against the overcast sky, patched with daubs of grey and blue. Everything was still, except for the slight pitter-patter of light raindrops falling down. The raindrops dotted the empty netball court with patches of fallen raindrops. Then, the drops got heavier. The patches turned into pools of water, alive and bubbly as each raindrop hit the surface of the court. The view of the opposite block was tainted with dropping raindrops as streaks of white and blue passed.Voices and mirthful laughter float on the air carried by drafts of wind hanging like mist in the air.
A bell shrieks-
shattering the peace of this
reverie.

There you go :) But I did feel quite badly about this afterward as instead of re-checking my paper, I was busy writing. Tee hee! XD

P.S. By the way, anyone ever heard of Thomas Kinkade, otherwise known as the Painter of Light? He is an amazing painter and his very paintings literally breathe life into my soul.

The Journey of 'A Leap of Faith'

2008-08-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

First off, A Leap of Faith is a short film that a few of us did during the school hols just for our personal amusement. However, just over a short span of around 4 months, I have come to realise that this project has become a huge part of my life and will always be something that I'll look back and cherish in the years to come. And the best part is - the whole thing is documented! What better way is there to create indelible memories except to have the whole thing documented? It's a bit queer to be suddenly free of the project after having it constantly in your mind for the last 4 months. Although the editing process was really quite arduous, I almost miss it now. :-) But, C'est la vie.

A Leap Of Faith

Anyways, there are 4 aspects of the whole process of moulding this film into existence:

1. The Planning
2. The Shooting
3. The Editing
4. The Premiere cum Photoshoot

I shall only be covering 3 aspects as my dear friend-scriptwriter Helen will be covering the premiere-cum-photoshoot. So, be sure to check out her blog (lovely blog by the way)

1. The Planning
You could say that this whole random idea was inspired by an inter-class English drama competition which was aptly named 'The Long Road Home'. By God's grace, the whole thing was generally a success (with the help of many many darling-ish people) although the rehearsals were really pretty much in a state of havoc. When the drama had been performed and all of us were able to cool down, step back and kind of evaluate things, we began to see that we really enjoyed ourselves during the whole process and somehow, the group dynamics was perfect. We were all moaning over the fact that we did not videotape the whole drama until my sister came up with a suggestion.

'Why don't you just film the whole drama and make it a short film?'

When I first heard that statement, it didn't quite register in my brain. I wasn't even seriously taking it into consideration until I mentioned it in school and my friends seemed to be enthusiastic about it. From there, things really flew. Every spare moment we had was spent in planning for this film - re-writing the script, planning the sequence of events, costumes. There were like constantly a million things to do and often, I would find myself in this dazed state of mind. What made it even more challenging was the coming Mid-Year exams that seemed to loom like a great big shadow over us.There were so many instances where my conscience would be prodding and poking me because I was simply not studying and doing something else. That part was a leetle bit, well- difficult to deal with. Yet, I believe God's wonderful grace and mercy carried me through that and in a blink of an eye, I had the whole holidays stretched out before me, waiting to be filled with the most delightful events :)

2. The Shooting
Most unfortunately, most of what happened here has been consigned to hazy memory.However, I'll try my best to convey every single detail of this very vital part of the whole process vividly. :)

At around 9 am, my father took all of us to Sandy Bay Paradise Resort, which was to be the venue of our short film. By the way, I am so grateful to have had the full support of my parents as I am sure this project would never have worked out without them. Moving on, the first scene that we shot was the beach scene. Sandy Bay Paradise is a beautiful resort-like hotel beside the sea- quite an easy, laid back atmosphere. There is something so very compelling about the sea. The moment you set your eyes on the rolling waves, all you want to do is throw your sandals somewhere and wade in the water. I think the sea is alive - everything about it is just majestically, wonderfully alive. Jake & Eva running

With the fresh morning sun smiling down on us, we shot a few scenes over and over again till we were all so ex-haus-ted. My dear sister was by far the most tired one of all as she obligingly agreed to help me film the entire thing :P Of course, the cast were awesome troopers. They cheerfully agreed to reshoot and reshoot the scenes till we were satisfied.

Jake and Tracy with the director in the background

After that dehydrating, sweaty few hours in the now scorching midday sun, it was pure heaven to retreat to the fully-air conditioned, luxurious suite in the hotel. We treated ourselves to delightful, rejuvenating 'beauty baths' and by the time everyone had settled in, everyone was very relaxed and frankly speaking, all I felt like doing was to sink into bed, pull the covers over my head and drift off to Dreamland.

Don't ask me what they were doing. I had nothing to do with all of that.

But obviously , shooting had to go on and so we all went down for lunch at 'DeliFrance''. Now, lunch there was quite an interesting experience as seven of us shared only three sets of food- which naturally attracted weird stares. We all felt really queer because a bunch of seven Form 2 students were entering a relatively posh restaurant and ordering only 3 sets of food. You get how ridiculous the whole scenario is? Something I'll find hard to forget

Us in La DeliFrance waiting and waiting for the food..

We jumped right into the whole shooting process again after lunch as we were seriously running out of time. So, we were shot Luvenia's lift scenes- which were immensely fun, the hallway scenes , door scenes and mother-daughter reunion scenes. My sister and I were seriously impressed at the talent of the whole cast as each one of them were sooo natural in front of the camera and had not even a tinge of camera shy-ness :) They were absolutely amazing and I'm so thankful for them. I mean, right off the bat, they would have just finished laughing over something and then could simply go head-on into some emotional,sad scene. And yes, Helen was totally indispensable. She was just somehow always there to give advice or simply help out in anything.

The whole shooting process was wrapped up with the beach again. The beach is a gorgeous place in the glow of the setting sun.

The nostalgic turning scene

We shot some fun, splashing water scenes which was really a joy to shoot and just basked in the whole atmosphere. When we were done with that, we savoured bits of pizza and got ready to pack up and go. The last picture in my mind of the room was a messed up room. Yes - in the process of shooting, we wrecked the room. (I sincerely apologise to Sandy Bay Paradise for that) :P

3. The Editing
Well, this process is by far the most detailed and difficult of all but incidentally, is also the process that is most important. How you choose to edit your clips will really affect and change your entire film and how it is perceived. So, with my sister's help, we slowly trudged through the editing process. We watched the entire thing over and over again till I think we could practically remember every line which was said. The editing process ended at around 2 am in the morning but it was really , really satisfying and all together worth it to see the completed version of the whole film.

Tracy and Mom

My favourite shot. Thanks Luv!

To watch a Leap of Faith:

Enjoy!
Please overlook the lack of continuity :)
Thanks!

Satisfaction of a job done :)

2008-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't help but post although I am aware of the fact that it is an unearthly hour to be awake- or worse still, blogging. :)

However, there is something special that stirs and tingles within you when something is completed. In my case, it is a short film that my sister and I have been totally caught up with. There will be a follow-up post regarding this seemingly random matter but for now, I've come to realise that truly,

There is no night without dawning and I know that my morning is near

--Helen Steiner Rice---

2008-06-26T03:21:00.000-07:00

So here I find myself with a million-and-one things to do (Well, maybe that is an exaggeration) but ironically still publishing a post. Anyway, it is really easy to be submerged under an ever-piling workload and it is even easier to feel really downcast and discouraged because of this-especially with projects to complete and exams to study for- which is why I would like to share a poem with all of you who feel this same way and hope that it will brighten your day- just as it brightened mine. :)

Climb Till Your Dreams Come True

Often your tasks will be many,
and more than you think you can do-
often the road will be rugged
and the hills insurmountable too-

but always remember, the hills
ahead are never as steep as they seem,
and with faith in your heart start upward
and climb 'till you reach you dream.

For nothing in life that is worthy
is ever too hard to achieve
if you have the faith to believe-

for faith is a force that is greater
than knowledge or power or skill
and many defeats turn to triumph
if you trust in God's wisdom and will-

for faith is a mover of mountains,
there's nothing that God cannot do.
So start out today with faith in your heart
and "climb 'till your dream comes true"!

Helen Steiner Rice ( a wonderful inspirational poet)

Smile!