Looking back on 2007

2007 .. what a year it has been. Full of ups and downs, many first-times.. there were tears and times of struggling with my insecurities and certain circumstances, but I have learnt so much more during this year compared to my other years. I have learnt how love isn’t how it seems. I guess this year had been more eventful because life is no longer as sheltered as before, when I was in primary and secondary school and even JC.. these were such sheltered environments. University has definitely been an eye-opener.

But well, I have had very memorable and unforgettable experiences during the year, which will be etched in my mind for a long long time. (:

My short-term job at Changi General Hospital.

Where I met such wonderful people, like my godmom Ainah, Mervyn, Rasidah and the others in the office – that made my first working experience such an unforgettable one. They were also there to encourage me when I got my A’level results

Travelling around Canada, US and London for 2 months with Mom and bro.

Montreal, Victoria, Toronto, Boston, Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, London.. That period felt like a dream. Didn’t feel like reality at all. Felt a culture shock at first (especially in Montreal where everything was in French), but it turned into an amazing trip – I will never forget those times where we got lost, met very friendly people and guides like the one in Yosemite, the beautiful museums and buildings…

And yikes. This site is making me so extremely melancholic about London. I miss fresh raspberries :p~

Getting back A’Level results

It was an emotional turmoil even though I got good results, ’nuff said.

Spending time with my beloved Beans.

Birthday celebrations, movies, coffee bean, prata nights and the recent Christmas stayover.. (: Though we are all now in different schools and environments, really appreciate it that we still make the effort to meet up no matter how busy we are. Wendy, Lydia, Eliz, Weilin, Jess.. LOVE you guys to bits.

All the CAMPS.

The university camps like FTB, SM/UX, AIESEC Jumpstart, and especially the recent Y Camp Challenge.. each of them were an entirely different experience from each other – and I’m glad I made some amazing friends during the camps along the way. (:

My lovely, lovely FAMILY.

I must say I have grown much closer to my bro this year – considering we had a 2-year cold war before =x. Although he constantly bugs and pokes me and I have to always follow him on his shopping trips as his personal clothes advisor, I respect and love him very much, haha. As well as my mom, she’s now like my best friend whom I can pour out all my woes to. My dad too, for always being there and available to advise and help me. I am so, so fortunate to have my family.. and they make life so much easier to live.

Overall.. I can say that 2007 has been a good year for me. God has certainly blessed me with MUCH. At least I’ve experienced so much and learnt from some lessons.. and I’ll never make the same mistakes again, I hope. Well, in life you got to give and take some. May 2008 be a much better year. (:

Blessed Christmas

Christmastime is here again! (: Another year has passed and soon we’ll be ushering in the year 2008.. wow, 2007 is almost over.. Anyway counted down to Christmas in town with my lovely prettiest beans – it was super fun! (although we got sprayed on until we looked like snowmen -.-) Then it was stayover at Weilin’s place – where we attempted to cook our turkey and ham and sausage.. It was a Mr Bean moment man. LOL. In the end the turkey was too big for the oven -.- so we had to chop it up – all efforts go to Wendy the future butcher cum “good mother”. And Zorro has become so hamsum already, but Pagi… well she needs to go on a diet! HAHA. Exchanged presents, ate log cake, played “drinking” games, slept at 6am.. FUN. Let’s say I’m just so blessed to have such friends whom stick through together thick and thin. But let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas! (:

It is only through the miracle virgin birth of Jesus, and when He died for all of our sins – so that we may have eternal life with Him in heaven. Isn’t that wonderful? Blessed Christmas everyone!

Ocean Size Love

I know what I’m doing may be dumb
I know I should not be staring at the sun
But the thought of you leads me to temptation
It’s the same whatever side you’re on
Separated we are delicate and small
And the space between needs a retention

I see you right in front of me as close as you can get
And I pray that you won’t leave this daydream yet

And it might seem much too far to get back to where you are
But it’s close enough with an ocean size love
So if you can’t reach out to me
Send a sign across the sea and I’ll pick it up with an ocean size love

I don’t have to worry anymore
If I really need you I’ll go to the shore
And the thought of you there is my protection

I see it right in front of me
A vision in my head
And I know this is as real as a daydream gets

And it might seem much too far to get back to where you are
But it’s close enough with an ocean size love
So if you can’t reach out to me
Send a sign across the sea and I’ll pick it up with an ocean size love

You make no sound but I can hear you in the wind
I can see this never ends
Like the sea
Like you for me

And it’s close enough with an ocean size love
So if you can’t reach out to me
Send a sign across the sea and I’ll pick it up with an ocean size love

And it might seem much too far to get back to where you are
But it’s close enough with an ocean size love
So if you can’t reach out to me
Send a sign across the sea and I’ll pick it up with an ocean size love

Y Camp Challenge

Y Camp Challenge changed my life. Seriously.

I’m so, so glad I volunteered for this camp. (thanks to Xiaoting who pulled me along (:)

Although I was simply the photographer for them (though it’s NO simple job AT ALL), I got to interact with the beneficiaries. And I guess that’s what makes all the difference.

Peeking through my lens, asking them to smile and seeing them smile so widely for the camera… when you experienced that, you know it is all worth it no matter how shagged or tired you are from running around the place finding good moments to shoot + lack of sleep. And when you just make a small effort to smile at them, their smiles in return are worth a million times more than your tiny effort. Really. I don’t know what more to say about this camp – but it’s definitely worth going to again and again. You will have an entirely different experience each time you go.

The laughters, jokes, smiles, helping hands; the hardcore activities like dragon-boating in the super duper crazy rain, overcoming the obstacles and rope courses, dancing away at the disco night … mean so much to these beneficiaries, and even us as volunteers. Even normal everyday people like us don’t dare to climb up these poles and walk along the tightrope – what more these intellectually disabled people? However they have proven me, or rather us all, wrong.

They are even more determined, even more courageous, even more strong-minded and even more bolder than us. Even though they are weaker than us physically – I feel that they are much more stronger than us mentally. And that is something worthy of respect.

Also, when you do simple things for them, they remember (unlike some normal people heh). Like for the striped blue shirt guy in the first photo, I simply helped him charge his hand phone on the 2nd day, and he actually remembered on the last day of camp and gave me a handmade bracelet like the 2nd photo guy is wearing. Super duper sweet. (:

The friends made, the experience earned, the challenges overcome, the lessons learnt.. All these are priceless.

I’m so glad to have had the Y Camp experience. And I definitely will go back again next year. (:

(all the other pictures are in Yew Chong’s laptop. hope to get the compilation soon (;)

…and you know what? suddenly results and school and everything else seems so, so trivial.

Why is everybody going to HK?!

First Karen. Then Hoying. Then Elyn (saw her blog =p). Now Xiaoting. And all of them (except Elyn) going during the Christmas period -.-

WHY??!

I also want. Haha.

Protected: I really don’t want to go through this again.

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On results… (not all though)

Sometimes.. I feel like this.

Time to wake up, Serene. Pull yourself together.

Falling down is not defeat. Defeat is when you refuse to get up.

I will get through this.

Blessed are the forgetful

Sick. Down with flu Stuck at home.

So I caught up with my DVDs. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

BEST movie I watched ever (other than LOTR and Sleepy Hollow). Jim Carrey rocks. I love Kate Winslet’s hair.

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot? The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. Each prayer and each wish resigned.

Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.

But I wonder how some people can just forget everything and move on as if nothing happened? All the memories, all the time, all the “love”… just thrown away like that.

Then I caught up with Grey’s Anatomy Season4 as well. I’ve finished episode 10, and was seriously freaking out at the ending of episode 9. Ok, only Grey’s fans know what I’m talking about. -.-

But I’m just so, so sad about Cristina and Burke.

Cui. but fun

Today has got to be my most cui-est day ever since the holidays started man. But it was fun, no regrets lol.

Morning woke up at 730am – that left me with 4 hours of sleep -.- Met XT and J at Bedok interchange, then off to Boca’s place to visit her. Realized she hasn’t booked her hotel for her and her bf coming down tonight, so had to call like DOZENS of hotels before we could find a room for tonight and tomorrow night! Most of the hostels and hotels were fully booked. -.- Spent like an HOUR doing that gosh.

Then we also had to get her a 2nd-hand handphone because her handphone was incompatible with the Singapore pre-paid card, as well as a travel adapter. So we brought her to Bedok interchange, and taught her how to use the EZ-link card at the same time. Then, we had trouble finding the money changer. I can’t believe one money changer in Bedok only changes M’SIAN notes, like wth, what kind of money changer is that. Alright only when all these were done, then we took her to City Hall so that she can shop and look around while we went to meet with our friends. But it was fun and interesting talking to her, getting to know more about Hungary. (I’m so gonna visit that place and Budapest one day. One day.)

After that met up with Hoying, Siti and Phil at Far East! Rojak at the top level is yummy. Then it was shopping, and taking pictures at the “exhibition” place on the way to Far East. After which we went to Haji Lane – that place is lovely. Very vintage, very old-school, really nice. Too bad it was raining. Then we went to Parkview Square to chill before heading to Bugis Village to get skinnies, heh. But it was so, so fun to hang out with them after so long. (:

Ok, so after that rushed down to Simei to meet ex-Shooting mates Huimun, Tuckmin and Junming, lol. I was late, oops. Then went to my place to play bball. Omg, my bball skills is so so cui, but fun anyhow. Halfway through the game sat down with Huimun to have a good long chat. HAHA. After the bball court was closed, went to Macs for supper then home. But nice catching up with them – although there was so much crap going on. LOL … oh well, our night conversations always end up with super duper alot of crap anyway. -.-

Yikes what a day. Ok, swimming and shopping and DVD-watching tomorrow. I love Saturdays. Although everyday seems like a weekend now hehe.

I love my life now, really.

Grey’s oh Grey’s no.2

BURKE: “Cristina, I could promise to hold you, and to cherish you.
I could promise to be there, in sickness and in health.
I could say till death do us part. But I won’t.

Those vows are for optimistic couples, the ones full of hope. I do not stand here on my wedding day optimistic or full of hope.

I am not optimistic. I am not hopeful.
I am sure. I am steady.

And I know I’m a heart man. I take ‘em apart, put ‘em back together, I hold them in my hands. I am a heart man.

So this, I am sure.
You are my partner. My lover. My very best friend.
My heart…My heart beats for you.

And on this day, the day of our wedding, I promise you this. I promise you to lay my heart in the palm of your hands, I promise you… me.”

On the wedding day

BURKE: “I’m up there waiting for you to come down the aisle and I know you don’t want to come. I know you don’t want to come but that you’ll come anyway. Because you loved me. And if I loved you – not the woman I am trying to make you be, not the woman i hope you’ll become – but you…

If I did, I wouldn’t be up there waiting for you.

I would be letting you go.”