Sorry I Acted Okay

Hey there!

I hope your days have been wonderful, or at least.....'okay'.  I mean it, I really hope that you're doing alright at least.  

Prologue - 17-July

In my case right now, I'm in a bubble.  And the wall of my bubble is wearing thin.  It is both agile (since I still manage to hold on day by day) yet fragile (since I'm also feeling really really really low on strength and willpower).  Don't worry, though.  I think I'll make it through this turbulence.  It's temporary.  To put it in a simple statement, though not explanatory enough - I'm tired.  Like....just tired.  A lot of my friends might not realise it yet because I'm trying to appear as the usual, optimistic me who believes that nothing can ever rain on my parade.  I still would like to think so but I suppose for now, this is a 'side effect' of my never-ending optimism (which I still refuse to give up on!).  

I will do this post in a timeline, diary-like structure, where I will update it a few times per day and keep saving it as a draft until the day it is published.  I'm giving myself about one week to get it together and feel better.  Day 1 starts today - 17-July-2017. 

Side note: If I really end up losing myself and then unable to or forget to publish this, someone (hopefully trusty) could still see it in my draft once my device gets hacked, right?  There's still hope. 

17-July

Here's something quite funny about this whole situation.  I'm almost convinced that I'll go medically insane sooner or later.  I denied it at first but I started to believe so after weeks of multifactorial stress-filled days.  That's why I'm writing this to let it out bit by bit, hoping that I will find my peace of mind again.  On the other flip of the coin, I'm not fond of getting other people involved with my crazy life when I don't want to bother them, thanks to my sense of pride.  And that's why I'm setting a timer for this post to be published in the near future instead of on the same day I start to write this.  Hopefully, by the time this is published, I will feel more like my jolly self again from the inside and this will become a little story that we can all learn from.

Ahh....I need to get ready for work soon.  I had a brief rest the weekend before but it definitely wasn't enough.  Maybe I'm just missing people, or missing home, or missing the general feeling of being carefree.  I'm used to juggling many things at one time.  I normally just wing it, you know.  This time, I'm doing things pretty much the same way with the same mindset.  But something seems different.  I can't figure it out yet, so it's driving me crazy!  This is random but one day recently, a friend of mine said to me "But you're already crazy." when I expressively blurted out that I felt like I was going crazy.  See....this is because a lot of the people who know me (if not all) have acknowledged that I'm a little less-than-normal by nature. 

After work (past midnight), I stopped by at a convenience store near my place to grab a drink and some tidbits.  I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep right away, so I spent a good hour or so in the kitchen, indulging in the things I bought while watching some silly videos on YouTube.  I giggled at some point, so that's a relief.  At least I haven't lost my sense of humour.  As much as I enjoy getting updates on what the people I know are up to on social media, I logged off and deactivated my main social media sites - Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.  I'm still on Whatsapp, Line, and Messenger, though, because those are the convenient ways my family back home or my close friends can reach out to me when they need to.  I also check my email inbox occasionally.  Other than that, I'm on social media hiatus.  By the time you read this, I'll probably be back on the mainstream social media sites.  We'll see.  

18-July

I have no memory of going to bed last night and waking up this morning to get ready for the day.  The next thing I knew, I was already in the office!  At work, my wonderful colleague and good friend buzzed me to ask if I was feeling any better.  She had an idea because I mentioned to her the day before that I was in distress due to the many things that are going on around me.  "Even Wonder Woman rests," she told me today.  She's such a kind soul.  I feel sorry for letting her know when I initially planned to let NO ONE know how overwhelming things have been.  **So sorry ㅠㅠ**  If I could take it back, I would.  But at that point of time, I was torn between telling a friend or talking to a psychiatrist (Yes, my brain is acting really weird even for a weirdo like me.).   My silly mind even thought of registering into a rehab centre.  I just kind of want to escape and take a break.  

I think my main problem is that I'm stubborn enough to want to juggle everything and keep juggling on my own.  I can't help it.  I've gotten so used to it that I might have reached my maximum capacity and should slow down a little but a part of me hasn't realised it.  No, no, that doesn't really make sense (As if I still have my senses.. LOL).  Maybe I realise it but my brain and my heart are currently conflicting each other, causing the rest of me to be lost and hanging by a string.  Gosh, I hate it when I'm hanging!  Well....today wasn't so bad.  But the mysterious feeling of misery hasn't left me.  Could this be some kind of a premature mid-life crisis or something?  We don't really have to be middle-aged to have it, right?  Right? 

19-July

I think I slept pretty well last night.  Rest-wise, it feels okay at this moment.  The bummer is that I woke up with a vague feeling of depression....as if my conscious mind was telling me "You're still not okay, girl~".  That's just cruel, isn't it?  I then literally sat up on my bed and told myself to breathe.  In all honesty, sometimes I forget to breathe.  Now, I'm sitting in the kitchen with my cup of coffee, updating this entry while dreading (a bit) to go through the rest of my routine for the day.  

As the day progresses, I think I feel more alive bit by bit.  I'm slowly becoming more like the usual me - even though no one knows for sure what the "usual me" really is since I'm quite tricky to be defined.  LOL  Maybe it's the fried chicken that I'm having right now that's making me feel better.  **Quick break time at the office**  Have I told anyone how much I love fried chicken?  Just like fries, fried chickens are heaven-sent!  My chatters and laughter feel more genuine today.  Baby steps~

The rest of the day went okay.  I'm in my kitchen now (again) after a bearable day at work.  I'm thinking.....should I deactivate my Messenger?  Since I'm not on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at the moment, I might as well take a break from Messenger too.  My family can still get in touch via Whatsapp or text message or phone call.  But then....what about my friends who don't have my number?  And what about my international friends?  Is it really okay for me to disconnect from them?  I don't feel like it's fair.  My conscience won't let me.  I'm here for you guys if you need me, friends.  **Fists bump**  You can only see this once it's published.....but yea, I'll be here for you.  

20-July

I woke up earlier than usual this morning; earlier than my alarm.  Dad called, so I answered the phone and strangely after that, I didn't feel like going back to sleep.  So I got up.  I might regret this later on.  I put on my earphone and listened to the playlist on my phone as a perk-me-up before coffee - which could riskfully end up the other way around since my playlist contains a mixture of exciting and depressing songs.  Normally, I would be able to just feed on the energy of the exciting songs and appreciate the musicality of the depressing ones (for balance), but I'm afraid that's not the case at the moment since I'm not fully me.  I might turn into an emo creeper instead, which you do NOT want to see.  Hahaha...  The joke's on me for getting those songs in the first place!  Wait....now I feel a bit sleepy again.  Should I go back to sleep?  My work starts at 3 in the afternoon and it's only around 9:30 in the morning now.  Decisions, decisions... 

I ended up falling back to sleep for a bit more. LOL  I feel more energised now to get through the day.  Time for my love - coffee before work~  I've mentioned that I'm currently on Whatsapp, Line, and Messenger; Whatsapp for family and friends, Messenger for more friends, and Line for my alliance members from the game 'Evony' (I got trapped into this game and can't get out.).  I've been quite inactive in the game lately but I enter the game daily to get my rewards and re-bubble my castle to protect it from potential attacks.  I briefly caught up with some members of my alliance.  Oh boy, I miss talking to them!  We take care of one another, in the game and somehow in real life too.  We recently merged with another alliance and is now proudly known as Royal Union (used to be Royal Pain).   

I feel almost 50% myself, I think.  Argh....I still can't spill out exactly what have been bothering me and who are a part of it.  I'm sorry, I might drag this to my grave, even.  What if.....this is all because of some decisions I tactlessly made?  What if.....I'm making this bigger than it actually is?  What if.....I unknowingly broke my own self?  Okay, stop overthinking, P!

Oh my.....what a weird coincidence!  I'm catching up with my alliance members on Line before bed and they've been talking about being emotionally drained and shutting down from the society.  I jumped into the conversation and gave an instant prep talk to one of the members who has "pushed people away for so long, finding it hard to feel fit in anywhere".  "Slow and steady, one day at a time, cautious but optimistic has been working for me," stated another member.  Our Alliance Queen gave some wise words, "We are all misfits in some way.  Being different is normal."  Wow~ 

21-July

Hey, it's Friday...  That's one generally good thing to look forward to.  **BRB... Phone call**  Mom just called while I was writing this in the dining area at home.  I could hear my sisters in the background, getting hyped over a movie they were watching on TV.  **Not envious**  **Lying**  I'll see them in about a month.  Ready or not, sisss~ 

I'm starting to experience one of the obvious effects of not being on social media.  Even though it keeps me away from knowing more than I need or want to, it also keeps me uninformed of the real, major news.  Now, I would just find out stuff from my friends or colleagues through words-of-mouth.  Like today (a few minutes ago), one of the shocking news that I found out later than the general public was about the death of Chester from the band Linkin Park.  I literally grabbed my teammate's phone when he showed me a related Instagram post.  I traced through the hashtags and figured out that the singer hung himself to death.  ㅠㅠ  A part of me feels so sad and baffled by his action.....but another part kind of gets him, you know.  Humans are both strong and weak.  Let's not hurt each other and ourselves.  Never take anyone for granted no matter how much of a 'hassle' it might appear to simply ask someone "How are you doing?" or to tell them "Hang in there!" despite not knowing their full story yet.  I've been on both sides of the ropes, so believe me, it matters to care.  Today, work has been in between light to medium in weightage.  That's good.

My dear friend that I knew from a past pageant invited me to a bon odori event and a sleepover for the weekend.  I said okay because she has literally 'booked' me for that.  LOL  She was wondering why I didn't respond to her Facebook invitation for that event and I told her that I'm currently not on Facebook.  She was like..."Whyyy..?".  ^o^v  This Sunday, I will also be getting the keys to a condo unit my colleagues and I are renting for our office move to another town.  Yep, I'm moving!  I have to.  ㅠㅠ  Sometimes it feels like I'm on autopilot mode with all of the various things that are going on around me right now.

22-July

Hi Saturday!  Let's chill a bit before I get going with my friend's bon odori programme later this afternoon.  Ahh...I feel like I should re-visit my Japanese Language notes from my university days.  (Trivia: I studied beginner Japanese Language as an elective subject for two semesters in university.  I aced both semesters!  **Personal achievement unlocked**)  I glanced through my Whatsapp, Line, and Messenger to view the messages that I had not read yet.  I came across some familiar profiles including one that I used to talk to all the time about even the tiniest, most ridiculous subjects.  I don't really know why we stopped.  Believe it or not, I'm clueless.  Do I want to know, though?  That's one of the things that are silently killing me, to add to the list.  Just keep breathing and stay alive until we figure it out, 'aite.  Hate you~  

Wait...do we get reactivated on Facebook if we use Waze?  My account sure did.  I guess it's because I previously linked my Waze to my Facebook.  I checked my email and saw "Welcome back" from Facebook team.  I entered the website just to check if it's true and yep, I got reactivated.  I still need to use Waze for the weekend, so I'm just gonna have to stay away from the site while I'm at it.  Darn....I HAD to scroll down my news feed a little!  And you know how Facebook would selectively show you updates or posts by specific people even from a day ago or so, as if it cynically tells you "Look at this person!  You know you want to see if he/ she is still alive, happy or broken!"..  **Log off and force close website!**  Still kind of hate you~  For no reason~  Wait....what am I even talking about?  Okay, I'm confused.

Done with bon odori festival~  That was interesting!  I have always wanted to go to such cultural festival.  My friend and I even joined in the bon odori dance!  I made new friends today too.  After the festival, we had dinner, or more like supper, as a group of six at a Korean eatery place.  LOL...first, Japanese, then, Korean?  Such a heavy, filling meal!  I found out that my new friends are avid Japanese culture fans (like me) and a few are divers (like me too!).  It was really nice to get to know them and chat about whatever.  It helps to get my mind off certain things, you know.  And it's nice to make new friends (almost) randomly. 

23-July

Sunday breakfast with my friend~  We're having roti canai with fish curry and sugar.  Lovely!  Quick question - am I a bad person if I know that someone is awake in the morning and I want to casually wish "Good morning!" like I used to but decide not to?  Gosh, I don't understand myself!  At this rate, I don't know if I'm going to end my brief hiatus soon.  I might need to extend it to another week.  **Sigh**  The main problem is really just me, isn't it?  

Got the keys to my new residential place with my friends...yey!  I snapped and recorded some photos and videos these past few days.  I would love to share them with you guys but not yet, I guess.  Hey, here's an idea!  Maybe I will post them anytime in the future under the hashtag #whenIwasaway or #hiatusmisfit or #comefindme (Okay, this last one comes up because the song 'Lost Boy' by 5SOS is playing in my head right now.  The song has "Come find me.. Come find me.. Come find me.. Come find me.. 🎶" before the last chorus. LOL).  Should I go back to social media?  Or give myself more break time from it?  The virtual break time is somehow rejuvenating but I have to admit, I miss the social media butterfly side of me too, just a bit.  

I ended this weekend with some friends, watching a movie in 4D - the one with moving chair, blowing wind, squirting water, synthetical smell, and occasional butt massage.  It was interesting, but most of all, a good distraction even if only temporary.  You know what's frustrating to me right now?  One moment, I think I'm slowly but surely getting it together, the next moment, I just get the urge to feel miserable all over again.  Split personalities, huh?  Why doesn't it feel right?  Is there a message that I just don't get from all of this?  I thought I was feeling better, even just a little, but I'm starting to see that I don't quite get it yet.  Go figure!  

So.....I'm gonna publish this for now but remain under the radar for a bit.  I hate potentially seeing people I care about being less than okay, if any.  It makes me not okay too.  Come on now!  I know it's hard but let's get through this.  We have to.

+ + + + +

What makes this whole situation stranger is how much this song ('Funny' by the ever talented Tori Kelly) tells my same story, well, most part of it.  It has been popping out now and then on my shuffled playlist.  Ain't that funny...  

- https://youtu.be/h_OndcAuOvE 

I would play this song on a guitar and sing it but I haven't tuned my guitar that I got not too long ago, and the keyboard that I normally play is all the way at my hometown.  So.....maybe someday? 

My last (but not really last) words to you all - be careful how you play the game.. 🎶 

but don't get stressed out too much la~

Sending you lots of love and good vibes.. 🖤

Please don't keep it to yourself if things get too intense.  I have this blog to slowly pour it out to.  If you have no one else to turn to, come talk to me.  I mean it.  

Hang in there, Doves!

I have a number of posts in my draft, waiting to be completed and published. They are long overdue (Sorry, guilty of procrastination and writer's block phase!) but I feel like I need to get this particular one out first for one reason - I want you to hold on to your last bits of hope and strength no matter what you are going through.

You see, everyone is fighting a battle that others aren't always able to notice.  It's just a matter of time for us to see the outcome and let's hope the outcome is a good, bearable one.  

So, if you're having a tough time trying to figure out what's next and what's best, breathe and read on.

Please, please, please know the following: - 

(i) You're not as alone as you sometimes (or always) feel.

You like your own space and prefer to stay there, away from distractions and disturbances, I get it.  I do too.  But every now and then, let's open up a bit and allow others to have a glance at what we're up to, okay?  You don't have to reveal everything to everyone.  It's enough to let some people know how you are feeling or what you wish to achieve.  I know some of you trust nobody and I don't blame you - some humans are destructive in their words and actions; they can't help it.  But at the end of the day, there are people in your life who want to see you do well.  Could be your family member, could be your friend, could be your new acquaintance....  Open up your eyes.  At least don't shut them out of your circle completely without even justifying it, you know.  Don't make it harder for them too.

(ii) It's a waiting game.

Patience is a virtue, they say.  Some things require you to wait and keep waiting.  You can only do your part, which includes putting an effort to what you believe in.  I don't know how yet but even at this point of time, the universe is aligning its elements to help unfold your paths towards what is meant for you.  Each person has his or her own 'fate clock', as I would call it.  LOL ^^ Your time will come.  Just don't give up yet.  

(iii) Use the power of your mind.

Your mind is a powerful thing; use it.  This is more than just using your brain, which is mostly technical and logical.  Using your mind incorporates a more abstract side of human thoughts.  If you think and believe that you can, then you can.  I must warn you, though, that you might get tired of thinking and believing after some time.  That's part of the catch - a lot of things may come around to attempt to break you.  Please don't fall prey to these annoyances.  If you want to feel sulky sometimes, go ahead.  Just don't stay that way too long.  Cheer up and fight on, soldier!

(iv) Put your Past, Present, and Future where they belong.

Learn from your Past but don't dwell in it.  Make the best out of your Present but don't put too much pressure on it.  Invest in your Future but don't take away its flexibility.  'Nuff said! LOL  Seriously, though.

(v) Keep the faith! 

I really hope that you keep holding on and march forward.  Choose to be happy!  Or whichever not-so-negative emotion you want for that matter.

Lastly, I dedicate this beautiful song to us!  Listen to it!

'City Dove' (Tori Kelly)

https://youtu.be/YJDPE1UhXAk

Don't know what it's all about

But every time I look around

All I see is how we're holdin' on
Don't ask me what's wrong or right
I don't even know the time
All I know is I'm holdin' on

I haven't figured anything out

I haven't figured anything anything anything out

City dove, fly between the buildings and fences

Soft inside but rough on the edges

Waiting here for something to come, just holdin' on
City dove, fly between the stars and the headlights
Passin' by the clouds and the street signs
Knowing that there's something to come, just holdin' on

I don't really know my fate

I just know I'm on my way

There will be mistakes, movin' on
I try to get to the heart of it
Fly low but lookin' for Heaven
I know, I know I'm holding on

I won't figure everything out

I'll never figure everything everything everything out

City dove, fly between the buildings and fences

Soft inside but rough on the edges

Waiting here for something to come, just holdin' on
City dove, fly between the stars and the headlights
Passin' by the clouds and the street signs
Knowing that there's something to come, just holdin' on

Waiting here for something to come, just holdin' on
Fly between the stars and the headlights
Passin' by the clouds and the street signs
Knowing that there's something to come, just holdin' on

From My 2 Years Ago Self

I was scrolling through my folders on my office PC's hard drive and came across a folder containing some of my write-ups for previous occasions within my company.  

One of them captured my attention - "My Little Wish" - and if I remember it correctly, I wrote it for a 'Tell Us Your Story' section for a newsletter or publication by the Communications department.

The write-up was done more than two years ago.  It felt like a message from my past self when I read it.  My writing style back then was so raw and perceptive.  I think it still is, but after these couple of years, my style has become a little more straightforward than it used to be. 

So, I'm sharing this unedited piece of write-up below because....

Well, you'll see the message it carries once you're done reading it.  

Stay awesome, people! :) 

+ + + 

My Little Wish

I wish that people would take the time to appreciate every little or big thing around them. 

It amazes me how the lyrics in a song can be so relatable in some cases.  When Nicholas Jonas, the third brother of an American singing group called The Jonas Brothers, was in his tender age of twelve years old, he sang a song that has such an impactful lyricism to me.  Up to this day, I hold on to the chorus of the song, which relates to this little wish that I have. 

In Nicholas’ song entitled ‘Appreciate’, the verses vividly describe a cinematic scene where a father is involved in a fatal road accident and his final words are about his hope for his daughter.  The whole song runs in the perspective of a third person, as if the singer is the narrator of a movie.  “It might get rough sometimes but I hope she keeps her faith”, is one of my favourite lines in the chorus.   True enough, we may face obstacles some days in our life.  It may be in the form of a tiny nuisance or a big problem.  Whatever it is, one thing for sure is that we ought to handle it in the best way that we can.  It is crucial to have faith that things will turn out alright after making an effort.

The last line in the chorus sums up my little wish – “life is too short, so take the time and appreciate”.  Indeed, life is too short for us to be too preoccupied by unnecessary distractions that we gradually forget the more important things.  Regretting what we did is upsetting, but regretting what we did not do is excruciating.  While we still have the opportunity and privilege to savour every moment and be thankful to every person in our life, why not do so?  When we appreciate the people and things around us, we will find joy and light-heartedness.  It feels even better when other people appreciate us back.  So, let us take the time and appreciate, shall we?

By:
Priscilla
October 2014

+ + +

In 3...2...1... Good luck!

Hi and happy new year, lovessssss~!

Wow!  It's 2016 now!  I am both thrilled and anxious to go through this new year, but mostly thrilled.

By the time this post is published, I would still be at the office or somewhere not too far from the office, about to end my shift.  I bet my office-mates and I would be taking a break from our work and casually savour the new year moment.  It sounds kind of unfortunate that some of us need to be at our work place instead of somewhere else around our family members or friends, being celebratory.  I know that, but for now, I can live by it.

How grateful I am to be given the chance in 2015 to go through what I went through, to be at places I were at, to learn what I didn't know well, and to meet people I'm now friends with.  Now, I get the chance to be alive in 2016!

There are a number of things that I wish I have been doing better.  Some of those things can (and should) actually be proceeded with in 2016, I figured.  I would like to be more assertive, determined, adventurous, and life-loving.  For that reason, I am launching (Woah, that's quite a big verb  for this little plan of mine!) Project PRISC.  It's an initiative by me, for me, and eventually with you and for you.  It's close to my version of new year's resolutions.

There are several elements covered under Project PRISC.
They are (P)assion, (R)esistance, (I)ntelligence, (S)uperstar, and (C)harity.
1) Passion
I would like to finally sign up for a book editing and publishing package, and get on with my book-writing.  The biggest reason why I've been putting this whole book-writing process on hold is because I feel like I don't have a clear vision of how my book is going to turn out to be.  I initially wanted to write a book simply because I enjoy writing.  However, I keep hopping from one theme to another.  I keep wanting to try out everything without having a focus.  So, I'm going to need to come up with a vivid enough idea.

2) Resistance
I will be more rational and analytical when it comes to spending money on less-than-necessary things and make sure that they stay as occasional indulgences.  Literally, occasional.  Enough said.

3) Intelligence
A trivia about me - When I was in my late teen years, I was awarded 'Miss Intelligent' in a mini tradition-based pageant called Kumang Gawai at my mom's birth place.  I don't know how the judges evaluated our intelligence, but I reckon that it would be based on who performed well in the self-introduction and on-stage interview sessions.  I'm thankful for that because it made me feel more confident and sure that being my genuine self is enough to make an impact as long as my mind has the right intention and my heart is in the right place.  This time around, I'm planning to be more culturally intelligent, if that makes sense to any of you.  I'm going to get back on track with my language learning.  The languages that I'm currently working on are Japanese Language and Korean Language.  In the past, attending scheduled language lessons with tutors was quite a struggle for me.  If my main schedule does not allow me to get to classroom lessons, I will self-learn the languages with the books and past notes that I have.  I'm sure I can do it, can't I?

4) Superstar
Not too long ago, as I was inside the car with some colleagues on our way to an eatery place, we were talking about our career path and where we are planning to head to in the future.  I blurted out "I'm going to be a rockstar."  Thankfully, none of my colleagues loudly bashed my random dream proclamation.  One of them even exclaimed, "Yeah, you're going to be a rockstar!"  Deep down, I would love to become a rockstar, or a superstar, in a more general idea of it. I might not really debut as a professional performer but I would still love to learn how to become one and have fun being musical and artsy. Isn't it the journey that matters more? I sure believe so.  At the beginning, I intended to continue to learn and play the keyboard.  I started to casually play the keyboard when I was in primary school.  I never had professional lessons on music or performing art, but that shouldn't stop me.  I'm going to self-learn what I need to learn with the assistance from some non-classroom programs and methods.  Since I love writing so much, this can aid me to take my writing skill to another level and write some songs of my own!  How exciting!  And oh...since I'm currently residing in a place away from my hometown for work and the keyboard that my family has is at home, I've decided (after contemplating whether I should or not) to (finally) learn to play the guitar.  It is, after all, more portable.  Just like that, I made up my mind. Superstar attitude right there; I'm on my way there.


5) Charity
I would like to be more charitable.  I don't have much to give but I want to help out when I can.  Some of you, my family members and friends, might have known that I'm sponsoring a child (thus, affecting a community) under World Vision.  I'm also contributing to the association's Education Fund, something I very much believe to be vital to the young ones.  It would be wonderful to continue to support this cause.  Who knows?  I might add another sponsored child at some point.  That would be great!  In my everyday life, I would also like to practise random acts of kindness.


I promise with my heart, mind, and soul, that I will put my best effort in every element that has been mentioned.
Which element do you think I'll be best at?

Once again, happy new year!
God bless..

Hey there, fam!

Hello!


I hope you're doing mighty fine.

Even if you're currently battling some sort of a war of your own, I'm sure your Jet Black Heart can endure it. You'll be alright. You've got to.



Things have been pretty out of line for the fam lately, haven't they? We were doing great and having the time of our lives with the new album and everything else in between. Occasionally, rumours and gossips flew around but we dodged them and moved on (or at least we tried to, and some, still trying to). I remember feeling so proud and contented that I couldn't help but to just smile on my own when I read updates and comments from a lot of you via social media whenever we reached certain milestones. We're pretty awesome, you know.


So, it saddened me when I found out how much the recent media play is negatively affecting us as a fam. I've seen a number of crappy, seemingly ill-intended write-ups in my life. This one is in the running to win the Crappiest Award. I, myself, am a writer under a reporter/ event coverage programme by my company. Therefore, I have an idea on how impactful a published piece of article can be. I'm very much aware of the fact that every writer has his or her own style and tendencies. Still, we have codes of ethics to be taken into consideration whenever we come up with a write-up. As I see it, the top code of ethic is to never attempt to cause hatred towards a particular person, group, or any entity, be it the subject of the article (interviewee(s)) or the subject (topic/ reference) that the primary subject is talking about. It's not that hard to write facts or details while being classy (as in, not 'cheap') and pleasant in the process. All we have to do is this - have respect. Think about every person involved and being mentioned. Be true but also professional. The last thing a writer should do is to mislead the readers. Plus, a good writer is able to capture the essence of the story or interview instead of just being (boringly) literal.


That's the power of the media. Now, let's face it with the power of the fans. Allow me to rephrase it to "the power of the fam". To my fellow fam, please feel better and don't lose faith. What you read or hear may not be completely true because there's a high chance that the whole picture isn't being included, thus making the whole situation seem off. I don't know... The writer probably got tired after drafting his or her lengthy article that he or she must have forgotten to include some more details that would have made the outcome completely different. I bet the missing details are the ones that really matter. I wasn't personally there or anything like that, but I'm pretty sure the four lads that we love and support never meant to hurt or offend anyone, especially the fam. It must have been stressful and exhausting for them at times but guess what, they always want to make us happy. It seems to me that they even put their own personal happiness aside for the fans. Those poor, precious souls... We should never allow that, right, fam? It is hard to swallow certain occurrences or news, I know. However, they never intend to hurt anyone, do they? The band has been doing what they've been doing for their love for music. The fam also loves music. From there, the band loves the fam. The fam also loves the band. So, let's not let that love wear off.


Take a breath, listen to your heart, and see what the band is truly about. The fam's actions and reactions reflect the band in ways we may not even be aware of. Let's stay strong and of course, stay awesome.


If any of you still feel unsure or confused about this, come talk to me about it (@PreciousUandMe).


Love 'ya!

Timeless Treasures

One of the things I'm eternally grateful for about my life is my pre-digital childhood. Looking back, I feel fortunate to be able to experience what I did, like many from my generation. There's no denying that the world is different now and things were slower and more manual back then, which is not a bad thing at all. It's because of our progressive advancement these days.


As convenient as things are now, I can't help but reminicisce the older days when we used to do things differently. I happen to still keep safe some of the items that were a big part of my life about a decade ago. They are all in my room back in my hometown. I smile when I look at them. I wonder what some of you still keep from years ago.





My cassettes and cassette player (walkman)




Greeting cards and letters from my family and friends




Autobiography book (autograph book), filled up by my classmates, schoolmates, and teachers




My old flip phone, handheld, and PSP, which can still function today




My collection of comics and magazines



There!

That brought me down memory lane for a brief moment.


Take good care of your timeless treasures!

posted from Bloggeroid

Escaping.....For Real!

A couple of weekends ago, my friends and I took some time off our hectic life and went for a quick getaway. We planned for this trip right after we went back from South Korea earlier this year. The destination was almost out of the blue and we thought that we should just give it a go.


So, our destination was the state of Penang, locally known as Pulau Pinang (Penang Island).


Upon our arrival at Georgetown, Penang from the airport, we went straight to our guesthouse called The 80's Guesthouse. The bus driver was thoughtful enough to stop the bus right in front of the lane where our guesthouse was located and he even briefly yet clearly explained that we needed to simply walk along the lane until we found our place. And that was exactly what we did. After checking in, we rested a bit and walked around the areas nearby. At one point, we thought about renting bicycles to cycle around freely (and safely) but since we were looking for specific locations, walking seemed to be more fitting. In the evening, we went to one of the cafes near our guesthouse to enjoy some late night desserts and drinks.


The next day, we kicked off the morning by having a breakfast at our guesthouse's common area and then made our way to a bus stop nearby. We hopped onto bus #101 to Teluk Bahang. When we reached Escape Adventure Theme Park, we were amazed and excited at what the park has to offer. Okay, I can't speak for all of us, but at least I know that I was amazed and excited.


I'm telling you, every activity that we did at the park symbolised how living life is. I'm not even kidding. You'll see how as you read further. So, to me, I intuitively summed up our whole adventure on that day as a representation of life. Or am I the only one who sees it that way? Hmm...


The first activity that we did was pretty easy (relatively). Oh, I have a piece of advice - always warm up properly before doing anything physical even if it's just for fun, especially when what you're about to do actively involves your limbs or abdomen. We gradually became more determined and daring as we tried out more activities despite the heat and eventual exhaustion.


Below are my explanations on how the things that we did that day represented life.




When we're at the bottom, just about to start our climb, we take a glance at what's up there and admire the idea of being at the top. At the same time, we ponder and strategise how we will go through everything that's on our way up. Those things can either be obstacles that make it harder and slower for us to go up, or stepping stones that we can use to give ourselves a push upward. While climbing up, we try to juggle between being time-efficient and not letting go unnecessarily even when we're tired.






When we're at the top, or on our way there, it's a good idea to let loose and take a leap of faith. In other words, just jump! What's scary about this is when you're at the top, just looking way, way down can send chills down your spine. Have you ever thought of this, at one of the high points of your life - "Why should I allow myself to go all the way down after coming such a long way up?" I'll tell you why. It's to keep you grounded. Don't get too caught up by the high's of life that you end up forgetting your roots.






In order to enjoy the thrilling part of life, we normally need to work hard for it. We usually need to go through hills of learning experiences. This can exhaust us as time goes by but whether we realise it or not, it also strengthens us. Once we've earned our fun time, we better make sure that we enjoy it after all.






As we journey through life, there will be stages when what we do, or about to do, is especially important and we definitely don't want to mess it up. However, those particular stages of our life can intensify into something so nerve-wracking that we start to question "Should I go on or back off?" Even when we're well equipped with all that we need, the path that we see in front of us might seem surreal. All that's left for us to do is to go forward but our doubts often keep us frozen. Once we've gathered the courage to move forward, we can instantly enjoy the journey.




After we were done with Escape, we dropped by at Batu Ferringhi beach to try out parasailing. I'm glad that we did!







As we made our way back to our guesthouse, another one of our friends surprised us by showing up at the guesthouse! Most of us were pretty convinced that she wouldn't be able to join us. After washing up and resting, we went out to have a meal and hunt for some of the street arts in Georgetown, Penang. When it got darker, we were still strolling around. It suddenly rained and the rain got heavier. My friends and I momentarily stayed under the roof of one of the shop lots. Then, we decided to bravely (and carefully) run through the rain, from one building block to another, and so on. We eventually reached our guesthouse and washed up. Before heading to bed, we went to another cafe, again, for some desserts and drinks.


We ended our short little vacation the next day, looking forward to seeing each other again soon.




(Photo credits to all who snapped and shared them)

posted from Bloggeroid

posted from Bloggeroid