Under The Tempurung

Just because they're pretty..

2009-12-07T23:33:00.005+08:00

I like looking at stuff I know I probably won't ever use. I mean, HOW CAN YOU RESIST CUTE COLORFUL LITTLE THINGS RIGHT.

Ok so maybe this post has something to do with a chance of getting freebies. Can't blame me.

To see more, go check out this blog.

^^

Dilemma dilemma

2009-09-22T12:44:00.004+08:00

I keep changing the list of universities that I wanna apply to. Sooo many things to think about. *headache headache*

Blame the kiasuness. And indecisiveness. Mostly kiasuness.

My latest list:
Not necessarily in this order of preference. Hopefully it stays (relatively) fixed this time.

1. University of Wisconsin, Madison
2. Boston University, Boston
3. Ohio State University, Columbus
4. University of Washington, Seattle
5. Pennsylvania State University, University Park

And this is how my conversation with Dave went today, after discovering Boston:

Budak says:
when balik INTI?
..LeenLeenLeen.. says:
sundayyy
aftn probably
Budak says:
ok
..LeenLeenLeen.. says:
ooh ooh
lookie wat i just found
boston uni
Budak says:
?
..LeenLeenLeen.. says:
its its its
abt 2 km frm harvard
and less than 3 km from MIT
8D
so so i can take my books, go sit on their campus
and say
"I'M STUDYING IN HARVARD/MIT"
Budak says:
no comments on u woman

America, Land of Too Many Opportunities..

Shall not whine about work..

2009-06-24T23:59:00.000+08:00

I think I know why I'm feeling so lifeless at the moment.

As in, right now, not around this lousy time in general.

I haven't been reading.

Textbooks don't count. Burned too many of them into my mind as it is.

Can't read anything here with my head so full. I want to blow off everything and just huddle at home with a good book. And after I put it down, to snuggle up with my pillow.

Bliss...

Yet another tag..

2009-06-14T16:36:00.008+08:00

Kena paksa by my roomie to do this. No running away lah, since she's right beside me. I've a feeling most of my other tags were about the same anyway. Here goes..

01. Who was your last text from?
Sister, asking what pitcher plant is called in Malay. So I pandai-pandai Googled the answer: Periuk kera!! xD bangga..

02. Where was your default picture taken?
In the kitchen at home.

03. Your relationship status?
Isn't this clearly evident??

04. Have you ever lost a close friend?
I guess you could say that..

05. What is your current mood?
Blisfully (and dangerously) relaxed. Time to stop doing this tag and GET SOME WORK DONE I AM GONNA DAI GONNA PHAIL ENL

06. How many siblings do you have?
One younger sister, but if you're reading this you should already know it.

07. Whats your brother(s)/sister(s) names?
Jean. Jeanie. Jeeaaaan. Ei Jean.

08. Where do you wish you were right now?
Right here in my room sitting on my chair in front of my laptop. Or in Perhentian.

09. Have a crazy side?
Noooooo *muka innocent*

10. Ever had a near death experience?
Every single week with tests and assignment deadlines. Diediediediediediegonnadieeee..

11.Something you do a lot?
Say "DUNNO" too often. It's just such a convenient answer. Hahaha.

12. Angry at anyone?
Nope, should I be?

13. What's stopping you from going for the person you like?
Nothing..?

14. When was the last time you cried?
Not too long ago, while watching 17 Again. Zac Efron can make anyone cry, LOL.

15. Is there anyone you would do anything for?
Anything's too big a word.

16. What are you thinking about when you are falling asleep?
I am tired, I am sleepy, I love my bed and pillows, I need to wake up early and do work..

17. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My bestie.

18. What is your favorite song?
Can't pick one out, don't ever ask me this cos you won't get an answer.

19. What are you doing right now?
Doing this tag while munching a waffle. Yums..

20. Who do you trust right now?
GOD. Period.

21. Where did you get the shirt you are wearing?
It's the RoleCall tee from last year's youth camp.

22. Have you kissed someone in the past week?
I didn't go home this weekend.

23. Who is your friend that lives closest to you?
Chloe Chong Swee Cheng and Ng Lew Jin! I can kick them at night just by sticking a leg out. Almost lah. I'd have to climb over Lew Jin to get to Chloe. xD

24. Describe your life in one word?
....alive??

25. Who are you thinking of right now?
My very noisy room mates.

26. What should you be doing right now?
ENL assignment, ENL research methodology, Accounts assignment, Accounts tutorial, History reading, Calculus grieving, grade moping, book burning, lecturer assasinating, grave digging..

27. What are you listening to?
The Best Day - Taylor Swift

28. Who was the last person who gave you a hug?
Friend whose room is opposite mine, Jessica.

29. Who was the last person who yelled at you?
My room mates =.='' noisyness..

30. Do you act differently around the person you like?
I'm angelic. Why would I need to act otherwise? 8D

31. What is your natural hair color?
Black, although I like to bluff myself into thinking it's a very very very dark brown. Maybe it is.

32. Who was the last person to make you laugh?
Room mates. I'm doing this tag in the room with them so they get to be in lots of my answers. Haha. What to do..

33. Who was the last person to make you sad?
The really really cute guy in the manga who got rejected by his crush. So kesian.. *grins*

34. What do you hear?
Voices talking, music playing, air-con noise-making.. See see, too much ENL, I can only type weird parallel sentences.

35. Is your hair curly or straight?
Sort of straight, curves in all the wrong directions when it gets longer.

36. Has anyone ever called you "scrumptious" before?
Ahh.. Not that I can remember..

37. Do you have a best friend?
Singular, no. Plural, yes. Besties ^^

38. Held hands with the opposite sex in the past 3 days?
Ask "held hands" tak cukup, must ask "past 3 days" some more. Sheesh..

39. Do you use smiley faces on the computer?
YESHH :D

40. Have you ever changed clothes in a vehicle?
Yes, plenty of times, when necessary.

41. Are you happy with life right now?
Boleh tahan lah, as much as I whine and groan over everything :)

42. Are you currently jealous?
Of what? People who have lots of free time? People who can play 5 instruments? My hamsters who do nothing but eat, sleep and scurry around?

43. What jewelery are you wearing now?
Earrings. Ear studs. Whatever.

44. What were you doing on friday night?
Calculus test. Big sigh.

45. Have you ever had your heart broken?
Yeah, when holes appeared in my school bag. Sobs. And when I lost a notebook that had sentimental value. And this.. And that..

47. Is there anybody you're really disappointed in right now?
Got lahhh.. Anyone from myself to the government. For obvious (or not so obvious) reasons.

48.What was the last reason you went to the doctor for?
Do dental doctors count? If not then.. Form 1. Fever. I rarely ever go to the doctor.

49.How late did you stay up last night and why?
Around 1.30am, I think. Reading manga online and typing the Scrabble club meeting minutes.

50. Have you ever dated someone longer than a year?
No, duh.

I love Music Appreciation class

2009-04-07T19:30:00.002+08:00

These are the two songs Eden and I performed for our music presentation :D

Credits to Fatt Chi for recording the videos.

It's mocking me, I tell you

2009-03-26T15:06:00.012+08:00

All I wanted to do was take a break and watch a drama, even though I haven't finished downloading the previous two episodes. Usually I skip the opening song, but today I didn't and kinda half'-watched it instead.

Then I saw something.

*rewind*

*replay*

*replay replay replay*

There it was.

See it?

In Ryuusei no Kizuna, of all places. With the Bucky Badger, even.

Hmmph. Jokers..

Am I well-read?

2009-02-28T00:03:00.003+08:00

Came across this on Nat's blog. Thought it'd be fun to do and guilt myself into reading all those classic must-reads that I've been putting off for years. And I call myself a reader, huh.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE (or just make the font bigger)

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M. Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. The Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

I know I should've read many of these already. Gotta do more during the holidays. This is incredibly degrading..

Take a listen

2009-02-09T22:50:00.007+08:00

Just so my blog doesn't seem so completely neglected.

This is one of the latest songs Sashvin's sent to me. Self-written and self-composed. Performed and recorded by the emo dude himself too, of course. Considering the song title and band name (for those slightly blur ones, 'Dissident' means rebel) I was fully expecting another angsty, hard rock piece. No offense Sash, you know that type of music isn't really my thing :)

But whadaya know? Turns out it's an acoustic ballad. A good one, at that.

Nice going, Sash.

TRU Committee Retreat @ Frasers

2009-01-13T19:32:00.015+08:00

Warning: Picspam ahead

I know this trip was ages ago (well not exactly, just a month or so) but I felt like posting some nice pics.

Stopped along the bridge to admire the scenery near the Selangor dam.

Lepaked in the girls' apartment after arriving.

Ended up having a picnic lunch at the playground nearby.
Yessssh, playground. Muahahaha.

Sister-wister~

Drink YEO'S, for good health :D

We walked...

...and walked...

...and found ourselves in Narnia.
(Susan, Lucy, Edmund, Peter and... Mr Tumnus? XP)

Walking is hungry work, so... MAKAN! Hehehe. Excellent curry puffs.

Then, through the mist, we saw... A PLAYGROUND.
Yippee~!

Apparently, we never learned the proper way to go down slides.

See what I mean?

Never learned how to use a seesaw either.

Some just don't know when to stop playing.

Others are just starting xD

Main jadi-jadi!

Me, Jean and Shan, right-way up...

...and upside-down.

The gals in macho poses.
Major phail =.=''

The guys in lala poses, from 1 to 8. Hahaa..

Did some super fun jump shots.

Acted like sesated jakuns.

Spent a nice, cosy night playing indoor games.

It was fun.

Big Enough - Chris Rice

2009-01-02T12:48:00.006+08:00

I got tagged on Facebook, but since I don't like fiddling with Facebook much, I'm posting it here instead. BEEE!! You spammed my lappie with all those songs and you want me to do THIS tag?! I can't even read the names of some of them, let alone know what they mean. Eeps..

1. Put your music player on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button (ONLY ONCE!!!) to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS - even if it is incredibly embarrassing.
4. Tag 10 friends who might enjoy doing the same.

1) IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY?" YOU SAY...
You And Me - Lifehouse

2) WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
FLY AGAIN - NEWS

3) WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
Part Of Your World - from Disney's 'The Little Mermaid'

4) HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Love Hurts - Yiruma

5) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
I Did It For You - David Cook

6) WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Sora mo Isogashii - Suneohair

7) WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Fan - Epik High

8) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Understand - YUI

9) WHAT IS 2+2?
Honoho - Spitz

10) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Enough - Jeremy Camp

11) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I Believe - EXILE

12) WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Biggest Thing - Rain

13) WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Till I Find You - Yiruma

14) WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
我们的歌 [Our Song] - 王力宏 [Wang Leehom]

15) WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
ベテルギウス - Kobukuro

16) WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Allegro Cantabile Sound - SUEMITSU & THE SUEMITH

17) WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL
Sorosoro Ikanakucha - Suga Shikao

18) WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Love Is - F.T. Island

19) WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Following The Leader - from Disney's 'Peter Pan'

20) WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Happy Birthday - NEWS

21) HOW WILL YOU DIE?
可爱女人 [Cute Girl] - 周杰伦 [Jay Chou]

22) WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Unfailing Love - Chris Tomlin

23) WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
All I Need Is You - The Click Five

24) WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
'1 Litre of Tears' Main Theme - Susumu Ueda

25) WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED?
Place In This World - Michael W. Smith

26) WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
One Of These Days - FFH

27) DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Johnny Mathis

28) IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
25 Minutes - Michael Learns To Rock

29) WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle

30) WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
Big Enough - Chris Rice

Too malas to tag anyone. Also malas to comment on any of the answers, odd as they are. Sorry if you can't read or understand some of the song titles, cos neither can I. XD

To everyone out there..

2008-12-25T23:47:00.003+08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Thanks for the awesome prezzies, hugs, greetings, food and all. Hope you had a truly blessed day.

Happy birthday, Jesus. Happy birthday, Lord..

SAT results!!

2008-12-23T18:53:00.002+08:00

Muahahahaahaaa.. I'm so relieved right now that I've got pins and needles in my feet. No need to retake! (^o^)/

I want ice-cream. I should have ice-cream. Someone take me go get ice-cream.

Thank you, Lord.

2008-12-18T15:36:00.004+08:00

Well, camp is over.

And here I am, sitting on the cold floor, listening to the Honey & Clover soundtrack, wallowing in nostagia.

I think I'll do a post about camp later after all the photos are available. Oh and one about this coming weekend's retreat at Fraser's too.

Maybe.

On second thought...

2008-12-03T23:26:00.002+08:00

Voltron's more like Power Rangers than Transformers, isn't it? I mean, they're the ones who do the rearrange-vehicle-components-and-link-up-to-form-one-big-robot thing right? Whereas in Transformers the Autobots just er.. transform.

Go team!

2008-11-30T21:11:00.012+08:00

Carebears (colorful and cuddly), Ninja Turtles (Americanized ninjas), Thundercats (fighting cats lah), Justice League (who doesn't know them), Power Rangers (duh), Powerpuff (sugar, spice and all things nice), Team Titans (it's Teen, Teen), and... Voltron.

"Hah, Voltron? Whassat?"
"Does it have something to do with lightning ah? You know, volts?"
"Faster go Google!"

8 groups named after famous action figure cartoons for the upcoming SJGC Youth Camp, and I had to get the one animation I'd never heard of. Well, it's good to learn something new everyday. This cartoon seems to be a popular one from the uh, earlier generation. Not too different from Transformers, actually.

Voltron is a series of animated television programmes, the first of which was titled Voltron: Defender of the Universe. There has since been a second series, made in the 1990s using CGI techniques. The 1980s Voltron series was based on two unrelated Japanese anime series GoLion and Dairugger XV. The anime was later dubbed into English and edited by the North American television production and distribution company World Events Productions.

There are two Voltron variations:

Lion Force Voltron (Voltron of the Far Universe)

The first episodes featured a team of five young pilots commanding five robot lions - blue, yellow, green, red and black, which could be combined to form Voltron. In this undefined future era, the Voltron Force was in charge of protecting the planet Arus (ruled by Princess Allura) from the evil King Zarkon of planet Doom, his son Lotor, and the witch Haggar, who would create huge Robeasts to terrorize the people of Arus.

Vehicle Voltron (Voltron of the Near Universe)

In this iteration of Voltron, the Galaxy Alliance's home planets have become overcrowded, and a fleet of explorers has been sent to search for new planets to colonize. Along the way, they attract the attention of the evil Drule Empire (long engaged in an ongoing war against the Alliance) who proceed to interfere in the mission of the explorers and the colonists. Since the Voltron of Planet Arus was too far away to help the explorers, a totally new Voltron is constructed to battle the Drule threat.

This Voltron team consisted of 15 members, who were divided into three teams of five. Each team was specialized in gathering data or fighting in their area of expertise. They could also combine their vehicles into a bigger machine. These were known respectively as the Aqua Fighter (Sea team), Turbo Terrain Fighter (Land team), and Strato Fighter (Air team). When necessary, all 15 vehicles combine to form the mighty Voltron.

According to the back story provided by World Events Productions, the Vehicle Voltron was constructed after consultations by the Galaxy Alliance with Planet Arus's King Alfor before his death, with the new Voltron's designs retrofitted in part from the original, much older, Lion Voltron schematics. However, in the continuity of the recent comic by Image and Devil's Due Publishing, the Vehicle Voltron came about through the capture and study of the original Voltron on Arus by forces from Earth itself. Thus, while machines cannot truly be cloned, this new Voltron could be considered an imperfect clone of the original Lion Voltron.

Vehicle and Lion Voltron.
To be honest, they look more like vacuum cleaner and bionic dog.

Now I gotta go scratch head over how to dress up, or rather, what to dress up as for Fun Nite. Costumes and action figures aren't exactly my forte. Wouldn't it be nice if I could just be a cute little Carebear - plaster myself with hearts, rainbows, fluffy clouds and twinkly stars, and shower everyone with love, joy and peace.

The ultimate superheroes :D

Thank goodness there isn't a Team Ultraman (horror of horrors!).

I can't wait

2008-11-12T18:20:00.004+08:00

...for the Christmas season to get into full swing.

The other day at Pyramid I saw some smatterings of the first Christmas decos. "Whyyyyy aren't there any more?? Get them up, get them up! How caaaaan? It's already November! I wanna see them now~!!"

Bee, faster finish your finals lah.. I wanna dig out the tree..

Yes We Can

2008-11-11T23:21:00.007+08:00

There I was, last Wednesday, sitting in my room on my last day at college. Then someone called, asking me out for lunch at the bakery. And by coincidence, I got there just in time to catch the speech, live from Chicago, Illinois. Election Night. Tuesday, November 4th, 2008.

Barack Hussein Obama,
the first African-American man to be elected president of the United States of America.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Governor Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the Vice President-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last sixteen years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next First Lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics – you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to – it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington – it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime – two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as President, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for two-hundred and twenty-one years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began twenty-one months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek – it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers – in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House – a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends…though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection." And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn – I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your President too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world – our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down – we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security – we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright – tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America – that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:Yes We Can.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

CONGRATULATIONS, President Obama. May this be the beginning of CHANGE towards a better future.

I'm gonna get to go to the US when this man's in the White House..

One step at a time

2008-11-10T13:06:00.007+08:00

I've finally finally FINALLY been promoted to 'Independent Driver' status. YAY! I'm not a bad driver (really!) and after having had my license for over half a year now I've been itching for my maiden solo voyage. And now daddy and mummy dearest have finally decided to let their little girl take the car out by herself :D

Drove to church with sis yesterday. Circled around trying to find a good parking spot before agreeing to this really nice, wide space right in front of church. But since side parking's not one of my better skills.. I mean, how can you be expected to master parking if all you've been trained to do is "Reverse until your shoulder's parallel with the curb, turn left and go until you see the yellow box, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, back up so the front wheel's on the yellow line, then inch forward and straighten the little Kancil in an equally neat, little box" ?? It took some trial and error to get it right. Might as well put a big, neon 'NOOB' sign on the car. Or maybe not. 'NOVICE' sounds nicer. Haha..

We went to the Drive-Thru McD's (where else?) for lunch after church. Seriously, SJGC folks are the most loyal fast food patrons around. There's practically a whole congregation of us there every week. My mind's very accusatory now after consuming burgers and fries two days in a row. Oh well, can't be helped. There really aren't many convenient places for big groups to hang out besides the land of Happy Meals and golden arches. Stuffed myself, gave Shan - faster get your license lah - a lift back, then headed home. From Puchong to Subang and back again in one piece. Mission accomplished.

Sunday also marked the last TRU committee meeting of the year, also my last as a TRUer, as I was suddenly reminded by Simon towards the end of the meeting. It really has been a fast 3 years since I first joined the committee as Publicity Coordinator. Today, I'm typing out my last meeting minutes as Secretary. Looking back now, I think I've learnt a lot and grown in some ways, yet remain as immature and ignorant as ever in others.

In so many aspects I'm still just a kid. Guess that's probably one of the main reasons why I feel kinda reluctant to move on. I don't like being pushed out of somewhere safe, comfortable and familiar into a new environment filled with strangers and strange ways of doing things. Although in this case, the college group isn't exactly completely unknown to me. But still its hard to let go of something that's been so much part of my life and weekly routine for so long.

On the other hand, entering college and settling down into college life has been nothing short of an amazing experience. It's like so many pieces of His plan started falling into place all at once. The big picture isn't complete, of course, but the borders are forming. There are and always will be gaps opening up here and there, but I know they'll fill up over time. If He could give me such a great transition from high school to college, why not in other areas as well?

Thanks Dora and Uncle Cheng Tuck, for the class outing on Saturday. Another one of the many 'lasts' I've had in the past week.

There can be no end without a beginning and no beginning without an end. 'Lasts' are always replaced by 'firsts'. That's how we move forward.

Sociology is a killer

2008-10-14T12:29:00.000+08:00

Enough said.

White water rafting

2008-09-30T19:20:00.003+08:00

This is a long, long, loooong overdue post.

Sue Ann (loves you girl!) planned for a white water rafting adventure and invited myself, along with a bunch of others, to join her. I thought 'Sure, why not? Do something new and a little different once in a while.' So last last last Saturday we headed up to Kuala Kubu Baru, hopped into bright yellow inflated boats and took off down Sungai Selangor.

For the full story, go to Jon Tan's blog.

I got quite some souvenirs out of it. A couple of minor cuts and bruises, plus the best sunburn I've had for years, possibly ever. Sigh.. One lesson I have to learn over and over, year after year - USE SUNBLOCK. LOTS OF IT.

Tagged by Rachey

2008-09-22T20:13:00.006+08:00

1. What is the relationship between you and her?
She's one of my oldest, closest friends since Standard 1. Chunted right?

2. Your 5 impressions towards her.
Passionate, outspoken, fun-loving, hug-able and a total cam-whore.

3. The most memorable thing she had done for you.
I've known her practically forever, there're so many things! Erm.. She made a key chain thingy with my name for my 14th birthday that I have hanging in my room at college now.

4. The most memorable things she have said to you?
She talks so much, how to remember all?? xD

5. If she become your lover, you will...
*Heart her to pieces*

6. If she become your enemy, you will...
Kidnap her and lock her up in a butterfly park.

7. If she become your lover, she has to improve on...
Taking photos in a way that will somehow make me look better, since she's so good at snapping pictures of herself.

8. If she becomes your enemy, the reason is...
I accidently-on-purpose spill a cup of coffee on her books? I don't know.. We've made it this far and haven't killed each other yet.

9. The most desirable thing to do to her is?
HUG her! ^__^

10. The overall impression of her is...
Chelness~ she's one of a kind.

11. How do you think the people around you will feel about you?
In a word: quirky.

12. The character of you for yourself is?
Me, myself and I.

13. On contrary, the character you hate of yourself is?
Procrastination and a whole lot of other things.

14. The most ideal person that you wanna be is?
Ideal lah. How else to put it?

15. For the people who care about and like you, say something about them.
Are you sure you like me?? Hahaha. Loves you all~!!

Tagging..

1. Begonia
2. Grace
3. Sue Ann
4. Iishan
5. Han
6. Dave
7. Calvin
8. Olivia
9. Nat
10. Kee Ken

Who is no. 2 having a relationship with?
ME! She's my lao gong :P

Is no. 3 a male or a female?
Female lah..

If no. 7 and no. 10 were together, would it be a good thing?
Ohohoho.. Now that would be funny.

How about no. 5 and 8?
*cough* I can't really picture it.

What is no. 1 studying?
Just finishing SAM at Taylors.

Is no. 4 single?
Ahaa.. Now that's a good question..

Say something about no. 6
SAM brother! :D his lame-ness is contagious.

To a friend...

2008-09-19T13:42:00.003+08:00

Su Lian, you will always be remembered.

Mega cookie!

2008-08-26T13:06:00.006+08:00

Jean's holiday cookie endeavour - Jacques Torres's Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Well, ok. The recipe's not exactly a secret and it's supposed to be chocolate chunks rather than chocolate chips. So what does sister dear do when given the freedom to do whatever she wants with the dough? Make super-sized cookies of course! Big enough to put on a plate and eat with a spoon and fork. Consuming them is the best possible way to go about getting diabetes.

Nah, tengok tu. Besar sangat kan? Imagine how much Famous Amos would charge for cookies like these.

Recipe form www.marthastewart.com

Of birthdays and bullfrogs

2008-08-20T17:29:00.003+08:00

A friend forwarded an email to me that went somewhere along the lines of, "Look up your birthday and find out what kind of pest you are!" followed by a list of dates. The fun thing about such emails is the more ridiculous the result, the more amusement you get out of it. But I really do wonder why anyone would want to know which little creature of annoyance they resembled. Anyway..

*scroll scroll*

July 26. I am... a bullfrog. =.='' Okaaaay, never mind. Let's see what the rest says.

*scroll scroll scroll*

If you are a Bullfrog: You symbolize a very
happy-go-lucky approach in life. Whatever the surroundings may be, grim or
cheerful, you remain unaffected. In fact, you spread cheer wherever you go.
You are the leader of your group of friends and good at consoling people in
their times of need. You dislike hypocrisy and tend to shirk away from
hypocrites. They can never be in your good books, no matter what. You are
very methodical and organized in your work. No amount of mess, hence, can
ever encompass you. Beware; it is easy for you to fall in love.

Yet another couldn't-be-further-from-the-truth attempt at summarizing my personality. Well, except for the very methodical and organized part. To a certain extent.

Nerd, nerd, nerd

2008-08-17T10:59:00.003+08:00

It is past 11am and I haven't washed up or had breakfast even though I woke up early. Ah, the freedom and independence of living on-campus.

The SAT mock test is tomorrow afternoon. It's supposed to be my break!! How can they make us sit for a test when the calender says clearly in black and white, 'Term Break for AUP students'. TT__TT

It's kinda hard not to want to nerd it with people spouting vocab at me day and night. Someone says a word, I scratch my head, fail to remember what it means, panic, grab the book, check the definitions, start reciting the word in my head and create sentences with it involving whichever poor fellow happens to be around at the moment.

And so life goes on..

"Being inceasingly ostentatious is not a virtue."

Random questions tag

2008-07-22T22:49:00.004+08:00

o1◢ How has LJ changed your life?
-- It hasn't. I hardly ever touch my LJ account.

o2◢ What do you do before bedtime?
-- Brush teeth. Wash face. Comb hair. Set handphone alarm. Turn off lights. Argue with room mates who claim I sleep like a pig. Haha..

o3◢ What are you going to have for dinner tonight?
-- I've already had dinner. Maybe I'll hop out and get supper later. (Ramly burger!! Yeah!)

o4◢ What is the ONE place you want to go before you die if you had the money and the time? And let's keep it to somewhere on the Earth for now, shall we?
-- All over the world! Earth counts as one place doesn't it?

o5◢ Are you an introvert or extrovert?
-- Inextrovert :D

o6◢ What do you do in your free time?
-- Go online, read manga, watch dramas, read books, play piano, take naps, try valiantly (and in vain) to pressure myself into studying.

o7◢ Do you trust easily?
-- I tend to trust certain people pretty quickly, and some not ever. It depends on who they are and what kind of trust it is.

o8◢ What personal belonging do you have with you everywhere you go?
-- These days its my purse, handphone and room keys.

o9◢ Is there anything that has made you unhappy these days?
-- Unhappy, no. But I'm sick of having to eat out every single day, Monday to Friday >______<

1o◢ What is your best quality?
-- Err... If you know, tell me..

11◢ Is being tagged fun?
-- Yup! However.. actually doing the tags is another matter. LOL..

12◢ How do you see yourself?
-- By standing in front of a mirror! XD

13◢ If you could be anyone for one day, who would you be?
-- Wang Leehom, maybe? It would be sooo cool to see what its like to be able to sing, dance, act, write songs and play about a dozen different instruments.

14◢ What kind of person do you think the person who tagged you is?
-- She's no person, she's a flower. One who, and I quote, "WON'T LEND NEWS DVDS TO ANYONE" Heheh..

15◢ Would you rather be single & rich or married but poor?
-- Can't I be married to a nice, rich guy?

16◢ How many children do you want to have, if any?
-- Two is nice. Three's ok too. But with four, I can form my own little string quartet! XD Poor kids.. They're gonna have a really kiasu mum..

17◢ What's better, to give or to receive?
-- It goes both ways. I'm happy when I get things, but giving to others and making them happy makes me glad too.

18◢ If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?
-- This is not a drama, so I doubt that would ever happen.

19◢ Would you have 100% safe sex with a stranger for $10,000,000?
-- Absolutely not. Why's this question even here??

2o◢ What were your parents going to name you if you'd been born the opposite gender?
-- Probably Lim Eng Something, after my dad. Definitely something starting with 'E'.

People to tag: Iishan, Kee Ken, Calvin, See Huang, Sue Ann, and the banana-loving monkey.

Sort of anyway..

2008-07-17T00:20:00.001+08:00

This blog is dead. It is so, so dead. *sigh*

This blog is alive

2008-07-05T12:56:00.002+08:00

It is. Really. I assure you it is. Me being the slowpoke I am just don't have time to blog now.

What to do?

2008-06-12T21:56:00.010+08:00

This whole blogging attempt hasn't exactly been a smashing success so far, as I'm sure you can see.. It went something like this:

Scene 1: Refuse to create a blog
Scene 2: Toy with the idea of creating a blog
Scene 3: Cave in under pressure
Scene 4: Get excited at the thought of blogging
Scene 5: Create blog!
Scene 6: Start blogging
Scene 7: Go blank and wonder why I ever started

Sad isn't it? And to think I began with so many idealistic plans (that went *poof!* like some of Simone's latest 'brilliant inspirations') to blog about anything and everything. Still, there is hope - my uncle is coming over tommorow to give me his old handphone!! So I don't have to share with my sister anymore! Yay yay! It's an old model but at least it has a camera so I'll be able to snap shots anytime and with nice photos I'll probably be able to blog more. Probably. Maybe.

Until next time..

p.s. Tag me! Then I'll have something interesting to post. But not tags like the last one I got. XD

A song of encouragement

2008-06-08T21:18:00.005+08:00

HOLD ON
by 33 Miles

I've been there a thousand times
I've felt the rain like a thousand knives
And it hurts, I know it hurts
I've been there like a fighter plane
Trying to fly my way through a hurricane
And it's hard, I know it's hard

Don't be afraid, you'll make it through
Just call out to me and I'll come running to you

Hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand and
Hold on

I'll give you hope, I'll give you faith
And if it's dark, I'll light the way
For you, for you
By your side, until the end
Until you're standing tall again
I'm here, I'll always be here

And if the tide, sweeps you out to sea
When your strength is gone and it's hard to believe

Hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand

So hold on, hold on
When the current pulls you under
And your heart beats like thunder
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on
Until the storm is over
And I'll be fighting for you
Just give me your hand
And hold on, hold on

Random quote of the day

2008-06-07T12:33:00.005+08:00

"If one is not artsy-fartsy, the least one can do is appreciate artsy-fartsy-ness."

Tagged! (almost)

2008-06-05T13:57:00.007+08:00

I'd really been looking forward to posting my first tag here. But after glancing at it, I realised Calvin wasn't joking when he said it was to annoy me. Why can't I do an Add Math tag instead.. I did try to do it, honestly I did *makes appealing face* But after a few attempts I decided it just required to much thinking and I was not likely to ever get it done satisfactorily. So I gave up. I'm sorrieeee!! Thanks for being the first anyway, Calv! :D

Bookfest@Malaysia2008

2008-05-30T20:34:00.009+08:00

Last week, Leen hopped on the train and chugged over to the third annual Bookfest@Malaysia2008 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, organised by Popular Bookstores. Yay!

Although it's called a Bookfest there's a whole lot more to be found other than just books - stationery, CDs, stamps, electronic gadgets, little trinkets, art supplies, gifts - at pretty good deals, the kind of place that makes her hop all over with excitement because there are so many things to see. And with the time she had, it's amazing she managed to browse through it all because the venue is HUGE. Five connecting halls that make your feet ache just thinking about it. Leen don't have any photos though, didn't want to look like a tourist in KL lugging a camera around. Haha..

It's a good thing Leen had limited funds otherwise she'd have bought the whole place. Among some of the stuff she did get..

Super cute cow photo album box set (^o^)/

And and...

No, not butter cookies.. Guess what's in the cookie tin..

Ta-daaa!!
Leen's very own collection of Pelikan PLAKA All-Purpose Paint! *gleams*

First products of said newly-acquired paint. Don't you just luurve the little pink rock?

Leen is happieee~ Leen is satisfied with this year's haul. The paint. Especially the paint.

To the new American Idol..

2008-05-27T11:31:00.006+08:00

DAVID COOK

Cheers, to the most deserving of Season 7's talented contestants.

Contrary to the common misconception that all homo sapiens of the female species from ages 7 to 70 stubbornly support the baby-faced pop balladeer, David Archuleta aka David Jr., I'm a very firm (albeit a little biased, but that's fully excusable in the light of all the Archuleta lovers, right?) fan of rocker Cook. Vocals, music arrangements, performance skills, on-stage charisma, attire, personal conduct - he has it all polished to a sheen and still manages to come across to the audience as a sincere, down-to-earth person. You gotta admire the guy for that.

Owing to the fact that my family doesn't subscribe to Astro, I only get to watch the Idol performances and result show two days on 8TV after the live broadcast. Which usually isn't a problem, except that I decided this time, just for the finale, I wanted to remain clueless till I saw the results for myself. I can hear Tina saying, "Harr?? But it's everywhere, how can you not know??" Tough job, right? No kidding.

No school, no church activities, therefore no accidental hearing of the results. Avoiding the media wasn't hard either. Just don't log on to Yahoo and have someone check the newspapers for Idol articles before reading it. And warn people not to let it out. Which, of course, instantly becomes an invitation to said people to tease and taunt me. My mum, in particular, took great joy in trying to drop hints and fill-in-the-blanks comments here and there.

It's not that I didn't have confidence in David Cook. However, Internet polls showed that although Cook was deemed the more well-rounded talent of the Davids the majority were voting for Archuleta. You could really see too that Cook was very tense during the finals and wasn't at his best, although true to his reputation he did fairly well. So after two long days of being thrown "I know who won, it was David!!" lines, I watched the result show and found for myself the winner.

Thanks for the added suspense, you guys.

David Cook ROCKS!

Blog-less no more

2008-05-19T15:35:00.007+08:00

My first blog.

I can't believe I'm doing this.

That's right. I, Lim Ei Leen, a self-declared resident the Land of the Blog-less, have finally come to claim a spot among the bloggers.

I must admit its with some reluctance, though there's lots of anticipation as well. Seeing how I'm doing this all of a sudden after successfully remaining blog-less up till now, I probably should write a post to justify my actions. But I'll save that for later.

Helloooo, Bloggerdom.