Parents on the line!

I wasnt even awake when the day started.





Yes, you heard me.






I was engaged in deep sleep when an odd ringing sound interrupted my waking dreams. No, not the alarm clock. It was the PHONE beside the alarm clock. And a familiar woman's voice crossed through the phone. Luckily, she introduced herself immediately.



Stranger: "Hello, it's mommy."



Mumbling me: "Huh? What?"



Mom: "What time is it down there ar?"



Mumbling me: "7 a.m."



Yes, that is how early she calls me. So it's no biggie. Everyone has that phonecall once in their lifetime. The big deal here is that this is my THIRD time talking to my parents on the phone! I mean, seriously, the last time I talked to them was many months way back when I had a screaming fight with my mom and decided that talking on the phone was useless and depressing when it comes to parents.

My mom asks me one answer questions like, "Oh, have you woke up?", "What are you doing?", "What did you eat for lunch?", etc. Totally pointless.

My dad, being a man, didnt have much to say on the phone.

"Eh, you want to talk to your daughter? Anything to say not?" My mom screams to dad.

In the distance, dad would scream back, "Nothing! Nothing!"

So you see, it is utterly pointless to talk to my parents over the phone. That is why after the first two times during the beginning stages of my new life, I told them, "I very busy lah. Dont know what time come back home. No handphone. Don't call me," and proceed to say, "Bye," and slammed the cordless phone into its charger.

Ok. A bit drama but you get the point.

From then onwards, we hopped along the virtual world of internet and sent turtle emails back and forth, mostly initiated by dad because mom didnt know how to operate virtually.

But today, they CALLED me. Somehow, they have this instinct of calling me just before I had to go to class. In this case, they called me at 7 a.m. and my work started at 8 a.m.

Half an hour of mumbling on my bed later, I flipped my body, glimpse at the alarm clock and shrieked, "It's 7:30 already! I have to work at 8 o' clock!"

My father, who was on the other end, suddenly grew quiet. "Ok, bye bye," he said dejectedly.

Not that I blame him, he has much to ask, but I was back into my senses. Before that, I was half asleep while explaining my job scope in a detailed manner. Pretty amazing for one half 'dead'.

I said my good byes and hung up.

The end of FIRST BIG NEWS.

Second news: Friend called after I brushed my teeth. I thought it was parents, but no. Friend wanted me to edit her 10 page paper and she had to hand it in by noon. Fine.

Third news: It rained. Again. This time I was already cycling to school and luckily, I was three quarter way to my workplace when it drizzled and later poured.

Fourth news: Not that it might interest anyone but I CUT MY HAIR. Short.

Fifth news: I think I am going out tonight with CCC.

Funny conversations!

W.S. : the canoeing is tomorrow but i can't go because i will be on call on Sat. Haiz...
if you wanna go with them tomorrow, u have to talk to hai wei lor.
i am planning to go next Sat. I am looking for people hehehe...

D.L.: hehehe...so you want me to go next sat izzit?
i dont mind going next sat with you and beige ... hehehehe

W.S.: ok ok...hehehe...go next sat...go next sat...

It just strikes me as funny the way we keep using hehehehe....almost as if we are planning something highly mischievous and secretive.

Top Friends

One of the most annoying features that facebook now has is - Top Friends.

You can choose up to 24 people and list them as your "top friends."

Now, what exactly is YOUR requirement for "TOP friends?"

I understand that people have different requirements based on their character, personality, interest, standards, values, etc, and so, I am willing to accept that some people can easily fill up a box of 24 friends as your TOP friends.

I, on the other hand, cannot do so easily. I rate top friends the way I rate best friends. Remember the days in primary school, when almost every girl (less boys because maybe the think it is sissy?) has a diary that contains pages of friendster-like profile?

Some rate their friends according to friends, good friends, best friends.

The more extreme ones rate their friends as friends, good friends, best friends (bf), best best friends (bbf), best best best friends (bbbf).

My friends rating were simple and straight to the point - best friends, enemies (normally the guys who liked me but I dislike. In truth, I didn't really consider anyone an enemy or have a experience an acute hatred for someone.) I hated to fill up the friends rating portion because I was aware that friends come and go and writing it down would be a grave mistake as if giving evidence that yes, you are my best friend FOREVER. But I flipped through the profiles of others and I succumb to the notion that the friends rating portion is a must. So I did it.

Let's fast forward to facebook and their newly implanted feature. It is an option. Choose or decline. I declined, declined, declined every last single feature. Want to track your friends? Come see your fortune cookie for today! How about astrology? Or track your travels around the world and let everyone know where you have been to.

GIVE ME A BREAK!

I do not need these extra features. I consider these frivolous applications for people with nothing on their hands. The only application I truly would consider is - Tracking your travels feature. Not that I care, but I do love to travel to places and boost (*cough*) about them silently by marking the countries I have been to. Oh, you have traveled out of U.S.? That's sad, let me count the number of places I have traveled to.

But, I don't want to do that. I don't need to boost because I am not comfortable telling people where I have been to when others have never traveled beyond their borders, much less see the ocean. In fact, I don't tell people anything about me unless they ask.

Top friends application are useless because it serves no purpose. Does having 24 profiles on your fingertips makes it a useful purpose? NO. It just makes someone happy if they are in your top friends list, like being popular. Whatever.

My advice. Decline the application. Just be happy if someone selected you as his/her top friend. What can you do? Everyone is different.

June 18.

Let's address several important issues today.

1) Sleep deprivation. I napped for 5-6 hours in the afternoon and sleep at 3 in the morning. Cycle to work at 7:45a.m. and remained in zombie-like state until work is over. Work = Surfing internet.

2) Cooking. Today is fried rice. I accidently 'poured' too much white pepper. The holes of the pepper container was A LOT bigger than I thought. Obviously, I seldom cook. But i turned out ok even though it was my first time. :)

3) Finished editing Puerto Rico pictures. Separated them into cities/places - Ponce, San German, San Juan and Vieques.
Warning: There is a lack of human element in the pictures, aka, I/my friends seldom grace the photographs because the Master (I) decided that it is private. Will sent the human elements in another private link - facebook.

http://picasaweb.google.com/danamea/Ponce_PuertoRico
http://picasaweb.google.com/danamea/SanGerman_PuertoRico
http://picasaweb.google.com/danamea/SanJuan_PuertoRico
http://picasaweb.google.com/danamea/Vieques_PuertoRico

I dont understand why I am putting the link here when I meant the pictures to be shown to my family, who are still in the dark about this blog. But then and again, I am too lazy to find my dad's email address.

4) It is 3 a.m. now. Snore.

5) Oh shit. My milk expires today too.

On My Mind.

S.R. : "You know, D.L., for someone who never does anything, you're always pretty conveniently busy when it comes to doing anything with me."

D.L. : "Open your eyes. I told you twice. Friends. But even still, you insist on seeing me frequently. I wouldn't mind but for the fact that I FEEL I bring out the worse side in you - depression, which is another reason why I don't want to hang around you.

Besides, I don't trust your intentions, because I know you haven't gotten over me and I cannot fully be myself until we are JUST FRIENDS. If I be myself and smile, laugh and do whatever that makes me happy, you might get the wrong idea. That's why whenever I'm around you, I shut myself down and become nothing more than a hollow shell.

And seriously, I don't like hanging around depressed people or people who wallow in self-pity. I understand depression. I understand loneliness. Everyone has gone through that phrase some times. But I do not show it in front of my friends. If I do, I say a quick excuse and pretend that its all tiredness that is zapping my strength."

I just wished I had shown you my true answer.

Fun blogs to read

Malaysia - Muar rapper instant success after posting up music rappers.

For all those who havent heard of him, WHERE WERE YOU!?

Even I had heard of him a while back, but I was just too lazy (once again) to blog about it. His videos feature a few languages - Cantonese, Hokkien, Mandarin, Malay, English.

A True Malaysian.

Ok, so I fake lah, cannot speak anything but singlish, I mean, manglish. Compared to him, I am talentless. Ah, the truth is out!

At least I acknowledge my fellow Malaysian for cultivating and presenting, in all glory, his identity and the nation's. The video is a little offensive, but hey, it's all fun.

Go to Mr. Brown's blog to watch the video and read the translation below if you are a full fledge banana like *cough* me.

http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2007/04/muar_rapper_on_.html#comments

The above is his second video. Check out his first video on youtube too!

***************

On a side note, Mr. Muar rapper reminds me of another blogger who has the making of triggering national pride.

Go to happeepill.com by a Malay Singaporean!

That's right! Pop a happy pill for all you stressed out Singaporeans facing

1) bordom
2) depression
3) unmotivation
4) illness
5) image problems
6) phobia of ????
7) Pressure

I highly doubt that you will be cured of the above ailments but it will satisfy your curiosty and provide highly instance bouts of laughter that goes under my catergory of BERI FUN.

*****************

Other BERI FUN sites to keep your spirits up and leave you panda eyes in the morning (seriously), check out the below in yahoo.

1) Sibeh Sian - chinese singaporean
2) Karen Cheng - Australian Chinese


Hmm, that seems to be all right now. Have fun staying up little owls. :)

Name in Numerology

Check it out! Just for fun.

I stumbled upon this site, http://www.paulsadowski.com/NameData.asp , and you would'nt believe what it said about me. It is about numerology on names.

All you have to do is type in your name. English please. I typed in my english name and surname. Anyway, go check your name out. Sometimes, its pretty accurate. :)

Here are the results.

There are 9 letters in your name.
Those 9 letters total to 42
There are 5 vowels and 4 consonants in your name.

What your first name means:French Female The French form of the Latin Diana. Famous bearer: Diane de Poitiers, mistress of France's King Henri II.Divine. Mythological ancient Roman divinity Diana was noted for beauty and swiftness; often depicted as a huntress. Greek goddess of the moon.


Your number is: 6

The characteristics of #6 are: Responsibility, protection, nurturing, community, balance, sympathy.

The expression or destiny for #6: (Not too sure about this...)
The number 6 Expression provides you a truly outstanding sense of responsibility, love, and balance. The 6 is helpful and ever conscientious, making you quite capable of rectifying and balancing any sort of inharmonious situation. You are a person very much inclined to give help and comfort to those in need. You have a natural penchant for working with the old, the young, the sick, or the underprivileged. Although you may have considerable creative and artistic talents, the chances are that you will devote yourself to an occupation that shows concern for the betterment of the community.

The positive side of the number 6 suggests that you are very loving, friendly, and appreciative of others. You have a depth of understanding that produces much sympathetic, kindness, and generosity. The qualities of the 6 make the finest and most concerned parent and one often deeply involved in domestic activities. Openness and honesty is apparent in your approach to all relationships.

If there is an excess of the number 6 in your makeup, you may exhibit some of the negative traits associated with this number. There may be a tendency for you to be too exacting and demanding of yourself. In this regard, you may at times sacrifice yourself (or your loved ones) for the welfare of others. In some cases, the over zealous 6 has difficulty distinguishing helping from interfering. You may have difficulty expressing your own individuality, because of involvement with responsibilities and causes. Like all with the Expression of the number 6, it's quite likely that you worry much too much.

Your Soul Urge number is: 7

A Soul Urge number of 7 means: (So TRUE! Everything!)
With a number 7 Soul Urge you are very fond of reading, and retreating to periods of being alone and away from the disruptions of the outer world. You like to dream and develop you idealistic understandings, to study and analyze, to gain knowledge and wisdom. You may be too laid back and withdrawn to really succeed in the business world, and you will be much more comfortable in circumstances that are tolerant of your reserve, your analytical approach, and your desire to use your mind rather than your physical being.

You are very timid around people that you don't know very well, so much so at times that casual conversation and social situations can be strained. You tend to repress your emotions to the extend that some people have a good bit of difficult understanding you. You tend to be very selective with friends and you don't easily adapt to new environments or to new people very quickly. (Hmm, I want to change my name now! Mom, Dad! Look what horrible fortune you have bestowed upon your little girl!)

The negative traits of the 7 include becoming too much the introvert and isolated from others. (*Cough, cough* Remember the last post...summer is boring...)

Your Inner Dream number is: 8

An Inner Dream number of 8 means:
You dream of success in the business or political world, of power and control of large material endeavors. You crave authority and recognition of executive skills. Your secret self may have very strong desire to become an entrepreneur.

Summer :)

Summer break and my life is boring.

My typical weekday.

1) I work in the morning.
2) Come home to sleep in the afternoon.
3) Wake up after dinnertime.
4) Eat supper.
5) Shower.
6) Sleep.

And the whole cycle repeats itself.

I love it!

Now I can devote all the time to myself - I do what I like when I want to.

I went to the Norman Public Library on Monday. It is time to get back to reading mode after watching so many anime. I stare at the computer screen for so long that my eyes gets instantly tired when I look at the screen and I feel sleepy.

It has been hard getting into the habit of reading again. It has been 4 years since I left the reading world and now, my imagination is not what it used to be. I used to be able to conjure up detailed images and create my own fantasy when I read, but now, I see lines instead of images. Lines and lines of descriptive words piled and forced into my head, struggling to form pictures. It is pathetic.

The books, once my haven of retreat, has been taken over by lazy television images, reality, and the internet.

Back in the days when I was bored, I read. Now, I surf the internet.

That's why I love summer. No people around, no disturbance, no homework, tests, and other pointless stuff.

I can get back into the old routine of reading and sleeping, reading and sleeping, reading and sleeping and boy, I miss it.

Five!

Elfen Lied, Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien, Scrapped Princess, Haibane Renmei, Whisper of the heart.

No, it's not a charm. It's the amount of anime I finished watching since coming back from Puerto Rico on May 31 midnight.

I am such a bum.

Edit: Mai Hime is six. (6/8)

Puerto Rico

I love Puerto Rico. It was everything that i had not imagine it would be.

I thought it would be something like a beach town, but it was not.

Today is thursday morning, but it was tuesday night that brings back the most memories - good and bad - all at the same time.

Maybe i was too naive, but i really had fun talking to the students, even though they might not be the 'best' crowd to hang out with because of their 'reputation' as a partier and player i suppose. but i was not asking for anything. just a chance to hang out with the students. is that so wrong? i am not that stupid as to fall for any of them, especially since i dont speak spanish. but truth is, they were pretty fun...just a couple of guys to hang out with. all athletics. good body. hahaha. and free flow of drinks...from the guys. hahaha

oh shucks. they even gave me a CD with their spanish rap to it. i am listening to it now and im reminded of that night when i went to his car to get the CD and sat in the driving seat of a spots car. of course, im not driving it. just listening to the CD.

im tired now. my thoughts are random.

till next time....

Stipulations

Life is very funny.

I ask for a favor, agreed to a deal, and now stipulations?

Boy, I wished life was simpler.

"Okay, I will get some things together for some night soon. So, I have a question. Can I add stipulations to this deal later on?"

Or maybe Im just worrying myself over nothing :)

Paid!

Happy exciting news!!!

I'm getting paid for my internship with OUdaily/Hub.ou.edu !!!

This calls for a celebration!!!

I never thought I would get paid, especially since my friend "voluntary" worked for them last summer.

So HA!

I get paid.

Life isnt that sucky after all.

***
People are done with finals, but I have three papers due on Tuesday for May intersession. Did I tell you how much I hate papers, and how I havent started till TODAY??!!! Shucks. But what a happy week I had watching Hikaru No Go instead!

Puerto Rico, oh, Puerto Rico, I can hear your breaking waves.

California Pictures!

Finally, after many many months of hiding in the computer, I opened up my California pictures, took a good look at all of them, selected the ones I liked, and edited them on Picasa2.

Fantastic program, I tell you. Fantastic.

Absolutely easy, when compared to Photoshop.

Of course, not as good as Photoshop but if saves TIME! Seriously, photoshop requires 1 hour per photo (for photo idiots) but Picasa2 requires 5 mins per photo! Oh, the time I save. *rubs hands in glee*

Below are the long overdue California Pictures!!! Woot!!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/danamea/California

Reminds me. Florida and Chicago are ancient compared to California. I should start working on them asap.

***

News Flash

I'm going to Puerto Rico!

Say what?!

Hehehe. For a travel writing class! Whee! Going to spent a week and a half there!

I got a summer internship as a Designer for OUdaily, the school's newspaper! Yay! My resume is building up. A little annoyed that I didnt get to be a photographer, but heck! Designer sounds cool too! Wonder what am I going to do - page designer/graphic designer/both? I would like both please! :)

Eating chocolates on a daily basis! Yay! High five for plump girls who dare defy conventional stick figures!

I am feeling wonderful! :)

Anime mangaspot!

I found out about Hikaru No Go on anime.mangaspot.com. It is about a boy, Hikaru, who has a spirit living with him after he found a GO board. The spirit, Sai, wants to play GO and through Hikaru, wins a game against a Akira, who is the same age as Hikaru and trying to be a professional GO player.

Problem is : Hikaru doesnt know how to play GO. Sai is a thousand year old spirit who is a professional at GO trying to play the divine hand through Hikaru, and Akira is a young genius at GO.

Therefore, Akira chases after Hikaru (or rather, Sai) and Sai wants to challenge Akira's father, Koyou Toyoa, at GO to achieve his divine hand, and Hikaru starts learning GO to chase Akira...

Hikaru No Go. GTO. Naruto.

The best anime that I have completed/kept up with so far.

Somehow, animes are useful in constructing story lines, plots, characters, settings, etc.

Totally useful and not a waste of time at all! ;)

Hehehe.

*creeps back to studying*

Friends

The little things that people do, are the ones that I throughly cherish.

I came home tired with a plate filled with stolen brownies. I placed it on the table and told my housemate to have some.

"Is that dinner?" he asked.

"No." I replied.

A few hours later, there was a knock on my door.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Why?" I replied.

"Just asking," he said.

"Not hungry." I answered. Suddenly, I perked up. "Why? Got food ar?"

"No lah," he said in a laugh. "Just that if you're hungry, I can cook maggie mee for you mah."

Chey!!!! Hahaha. But still. I like the feeling of having good friends around me :)

Company: Being Alive

Blow out the candles, and make a wish,*name* Want something, *name*Want something!

Dedicated to those who havent found their special half, are living a lie, and only half alive.

And for those who are afraid of having someone get too close, and those who cant make up their mind.

From the musical, 'Company'.
Title of song: Being Alive.

Someone to hold you too close,
Someone to hurt you too deep,
Someone to sit in your chair,
To ruin your sleep.

Someone to need you too much,
Someone to know you too well,
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell.

Someone you have to let in,
Someone whose feelings you spare,
Someone who, like it or not,
Will want you to share
A little, a lot.

Someone to crowd you with love,
Someone to force you to care,
Someone to make you come through,
Who'll always be there,
As frightened as you
Of being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive.

Somebody, hold me too close,
Somebody, hurt me too deep,
Somebody, sit in my chair
And ruin my sleep
And make me aware
Of being alive,
Being alive.

Somebody, need me too much,
Somebody, know me too well,
Somebody, pull me up short
And put me through hell
And give me support
For being alive,
Make me alive.

Make me confused,
Mock me with praise,
Let me be used,
Vary my days.
But alone is alone, not alive.

Somebody, crowd me with love,
Somebody, force me to care,
Somebody, make me come through,
I'll always be there,
As frightened as you,
To help us survive
Being alive,
Being alive,
Being alive!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q3LkRNidF50&mode=related&search=

Watch it.

Writer's nightmare

You know you are starting to become a writer when ....


you dreamed of your greatest nightmare...





Deadline.


Yesterday night, I hurried to finish a story due on Monday. Fear and a little procastination has kept me up all night, editing and researching the facts in the story. Blame it all on me. I had procastinated until the night before the paper is due to start correcting my paper because I couldnt bear seeing all the red markings flying all over the paper. It was too depressing.

I dreamt that I had a paper due in one of my class. The class had a policy of not accepting any late work. I dreamt that I couldnt finish my paper. It is undone, and I couldnt hand it in and was doomed to get a B, which will affect my entire CGPA.

To summerized my writer's fear in order of the highest to the lowest.
1) Unfinished work.
2) Red marks.
3) Deadlines.

VT and OU

This is so stupid aka boliao...

On tuesday, my college had a lockdown...because of a bomb scare!

Before the days of Virginia Tech (if you dont know what it is, go KNOCK your head repectedly), bomb scare had never been on such HIGH ALERT.

Previously, all that happened when a bomb scare arises is a news report the following day on the school newspaper.

But tuesday, everyone went into panic mode...

For reporters, "Grab your cameras and run to X building!" Three students in my class (2 editors and one photographer) received a call and immediately packed their bags and left when the professor was still talking.

For engineers, "Lock the door! Which is the key? Use that (points) key!" Apparently, their class doors lock from outside, not inside. They have no windows either. Safety you say? None.

But my college doors lock from inside. However, my teacher said jokingly, "If a gunman comes, we will all pull out our cameras and start shooting pictures!"

Meanwhile, dear engineering cousin said, "If a gunman comes in class, I will be the first to die coz i am sitting right in front of the door. Or maybe if he is asian, he will take pity on me since im the only asian." Hahaha. I dont think so. Apparently, one victim from VT was asian.

So while enginneering students were panicking, the journalism students were having a whale of a time.
A: "Its just another scare. Just happens everything. In my high school, whenever someone wants to get out of class early, they write a few names on a paper and leave it in the toilet."
B: "Oh, in MY high school, ...."

Suddenly, everyone was trading stories about high school bomb scares. I just sat there thinking funnily, my high school never had a bomb scare. Worse come to worse, FIRE DRILL lah!"

It is everyday chats like this that made my realize the difference of growing up in a different country. Bomb scares are so common here, it flows over everyone thoughts like diluted liquid.

You know it happens, but you never think about it coz it always is a false alarm. After being here for a long while, i never thought about it too. But then, I never thought about anything. My brain is always filled with ... drifting white clouds.

But anyway, becoz of the VT incident, my school went on high alert and first thing in the morning, someone reported a gunman on campus. Below is a report on yahoo news. Read it. And oh, heck those hyper suspicious people.

http://www.sierratimes.com/rss/newswire.php?article=/news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070417/ap_on_re_us/university_bomb_threat&time=1176831105&feed=us


pls: Families, friends and special someones of the 33 (yes the gunman too) victims, you have my condolenses. To encounter a mass killing at such a scale is unthinkable - to imagine the pain and sorrow it brings is uncountable. 33 victims times 5 (say 2 parents, 2 siblings, ONE best friend) - 165 who are in mourning. But college students have a wide network of friends...add it all up...more than a thousand (excluding strangers) are experiencing loss and maybe unconsolable.

The world will come to rights again,
the pain will numb,
and sorrow fade,
but you will learn to laugh once day.

The Game of Risk

A Malaysian woman, "Christina" married a American.

How did she do it?

She was working in a hotal as a sales manager in Malaysia. Met the guy there, and talk (i suppose) business for an hour. He was in the military and left for japan. A while later, she received his postcard...didnt know who he was...but he called...and they became penpal.

Six months later, she went to singapore for a business trip. He called and asked where she was. She said spore. A few hours later, he called again and asked where she was. She replied irritating spore. He said where specifically. She told him. He met her and propose.

Four months later...they were married in japan...and stayed there for 4 years...

After that, they moved to America and stayed there for 6 years....and tata...i met them, family with kids.

Her story was very ... fast. Met one hour...penpal...and proposal. After she finished telling her story, and everyone around her was going...wow, so romantic... I was thinking, no. no. no. I will never do that.

The difference between me and her is risk. She is willing to risk it all...for a lifetime. I unfortunately, cannot. And that is my greatest downfall.

I wonder if life would have been a whole lot different if I had been able to take risks. But I didnt. So I let opportunities run pass me. Thousands and thousands...and i let it flow through my fingers. Did I regret it? Maybe. Maybe not. Because unlike her, I know what I want, and Im willing to wait, until I get it or ... not.

April Rain and Snow.

The time has come to start its end,
a time of infinite ages.
Destruction is strewn,
breaking boundaries.
And the power of fear,
blinding each person,
the survival is crucial,
until the end is done.

With seven colors,
shaped into a half arc,
a little boy,
comes out to play.
The earth is damp,
its opponent still strong,
but the making unfolds.
Battered flowers,
Sharp end twigs,
a puddle of water,
a splash of play.
A life pulsing,
goes unnoticed,
but for the crawlers,
nestled in a pot of gold.