10...9...8...7...

it's 45 minutes away from the new year.

nothing beats a bad year more than losing a close one.
and then, there was also the S.I.P.

so yes, 20-0-7 has generally been a bad year for me.

of course, a few things did turn out right. like being able to watch Daughtry and Tristan Prettyman live, and of course, the year-end holidays. now, who doesnt love the holidays? it is a strange thing to be going to school on new year's eve, but apparently, my school felt the need to re-open today because it's a monday. sure.

2008 is going to be a year of decisions. i can feel it already. 2 1/4 months to the end of school. 4 months to the official graduation. i cant wait, and yet, i can. if i could do anything this new year, i'd like to put up notices around singapore, thanking everyone in advance for NOT asking me about my plans after graduation.

my new year's resolution?

to make it to 2009, in one piece. sane.
or just to discover my true mutant powers.

happy new year everyone!
bless you all. :)

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is basically a film about a dysfunctional family of individual screw-ups going on a road trip to get their youngest daughter, little Olive (Abigail Breslin) to California in time for the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant contest.

okay so i'm a year late. still. what i really loved about the movie was how relatable it was. the directors and scriptwriters chose a different road. for me, it was real enough because there was no beautifying of each of their lives towards the end of the film. instead of showering special miracles for each of their screwed-up lives in the later parts of the movie, their lives remained equally, if not, more screwed up towards the end.

i think the real purpose of the story was to show how each character learnt to deal with their own lives, no matter how bad it was. they learnt to face the music and move on, and to live with the fact that life doesnt stop being sucky at a certain point.



in most movies, for some fairy-dust reason or another, miracles or good things happen towards the end. but in reality, we go to sleep one day and our lives will still be as screwed up when we wake up the next. no sprinkled sugar. and that's what this movie is about.

Abigail Breslin is cupcake to watch and every one of the actors portray their characters pretty well. this indie treat is heartfelt, hilarious and twisted all at once.

everyone should watch Little Miss Sunshine.

Burn

a pretty huge fire broke out at the dumpster downstairs early yesterday morning. around 3.10am, my dad came into my room to tell me(because only both of us were awake) that he had called the police. that was when i realised that the burning smell that i had been smelling for the past 3 minutes was actually coming from a real fire (i have the tendency to smell burning stuffs even when there's nothing on fire).

it took two fire engines to completely put out the fire. it was about 3.45am by then. the smell was just bad. we had to shut all our windows even when we're on the twelfth storey. the craziest part of the whole thing, was probably that almost everyone else around was asleep. and at that timing, there's really nothing wrong with that. nonetheless, i am quite glad that i got to see the whole thing. it was pretty amazing. scary, but amazing. bless the brave firemen.

my dad called it my biggest birthday candle ever. how apt.

in all honesty, i really didnt feel the need to celebrate my birthday this year at all, because of what a bad year it had turned out to be. it was kind of dreadful. and yet somehow, i received more surprises than what i did a year ago.

thank you to everyone for the wishes, the surprise cakes and the presents. i really appreciated them.


it was sweet.

yes, do not panic. that box on the right there, is a Bimbo Kit. uh-huh. anna's decided that it's time for me to become a full-fledged bimbo. must be The Hills, but that was possibly one of the most out-of-the-blue, unique and creative gifts i've ever received. we are so blood-related, i tell you. :)

and now i shall put the running shoes that my brother and cousin got me to work, because honestly, three cakes in 24 hours is killing me softly. hah.

Deck the halls.

"the best way to spread a christmas cheer, is to sing a song for all to hear." -Buddy the Elf

deck my halls with boughs of holly.
fa la la la la, la la la la.
'tis my season to be jolly.
fa la la la la, la la la la!

and now, pictures from my penang trip as promised.


clouds...somewhere along the way.


my first dinner(at the hotel). a triple decker club sandwich. yes, it is time to exercise.


a simple christmas tree made out of twigs painted white. creative.


and then your very traditional christmas tree. my kind of thing.


along the streets further down from our hotel.

kek lok si temple. the largest temple in malaysia.


the inclined lift(or willy wonka's glass elevator, as i'd like to call it).


looking down from the inside of the lift.


a part of the temple.




building pillars for a roof to shelter the giant statue of the Goddess of Mercy.




from the top of the temple looking down.

four different statues of Buddha.






my dad writing his name down on a tile(that wishes peace for your family) that will be part of the roof.


other tiles written by tourists from all around the world.

on the streets of Gerogetown.


an entire building allocated to KFC where we had the cheapest lunch.


colonel burger. or should i say, 'private' burger looking at it's size?


Penang Chinese Anti-War Memorial. kinda like our War Memorial Park in the city.


the sadder side of penang.


our second dinner in penang, where i got a bucket of ice instead of a glass of iced-water. i didnt think the food was that bad but my family rated it with an average score of 4.5/10. *cough* they eventually brought it up to 9 because of the wet towels though. haha.


one of the stalls selling shades along Batu Ferringhi's night market. would you like to own an eye condom?

Penang Botanical Gardens.


woaaah. i wonder what the "DOs" are. and someone's really got to put up that missing "P". letter of the day, everybody.




so they cage up the flowers...


...while the angry monkeys were left to run amok.


yea, it's not very clean but i love the effect.


green!

Snake Temple.








can you spot the 5 snakes in this picture?


a shrine hall right behind the temple that we didnt visit the first time we were there.




i'm in china!


Singapore Children Specialist Centre.
"there was a time when people said that singapore wont make it.but we did...in penang."


where we had our last, and the very best, dinner in penang.


the view from our hotel room before the rain.


missing hills during the rain.


re-appearing hills after the rain, bringing a little mist along with them.


the penang bridge.


a base station. also what one of my exam papers was all about. see? one never forgets to learn even when on a holiday.

Kuala Lumpur.
goodbye, simplicity. hello, city.








i just thought that sign looked really cool.




subway!


Times Square in K.L.


and yes, an entire building allocated to McDonalds.


i didnt know they had Tesco in malaysia. colours of the world!


my favourite drink turns 50 this year. SLURP.


there you go. nice, gentle monkeys along the roadside on the highway who gave us a little "show"*cough* while eating their um, fruits.


the view from our hotel room in Petaling Jaya. which sucked. bring me back my hills!


i saw this at the hotel lobby. *rubs chin* in-ter-est-ing.


man-made waterfall.

Melaka.

the insides of the Italy Bakery. a definite stop we make every malaysian trip.

also where we get our supply of yummer-licious, soft-crust portugese egg tarts. mmmm. yes, we bought the whole tray again, much to the surprise of the cashier, again.


check that out. an A for hygiene! see what i mean? with hygienic bakeries come good egg tarts. burp.


the street name right outside the bakery(in case you're interested).

merry christmas, to one and all!