Slow Your Breath Down

Father's Day (5th Sept)

Singapore Film Festival Melbourne (8th Sept)

What's this all about?

Caught Boo Junfeng's shorts. Makes me wish I have someone in the Tay family with the same interest in film production.

Biero Bar - Back 2 Basics (14th Sept)
























First time playing in a bar. Love it! Was chilled and relaxed. Saw many familiar faces, so wasn't too nervous. Managed to earn $220 in total which Josh & I donated to Operation Stitches. Josh got invited to play in another gig next month. Might join him again.

24th - 25th Sept Tenom Coffee is awesome. Thanks Wince.

Ramadum Festival with Stitches (18th Sept)

It's tiring work taking care of children but definitely rewarding. Father's day and this event really prompt me into think about fatherhood. potential blog post.

Yahweh Staff Party (18th Sept)

Mooncake supper celebration together with fellow co-workers. Thanks to Steve and Ivy for being so hospitable!

Soys Boys
















After 2 weeks of scattered periods of shooting and editing, our (Chris & I) 1st original short film was completed and posted. We submitted this film to a film festival in the UK. Thanks to everyone who helped out. You guys made the movie what it is. When is the results coming out? I have no idea. Will let you know once more details are available.

Upcoming events

40 days of prayer and fasting

Still not sure of what to fast from but these kinda things need prayer. God bestow upon me new revelations and visions. Prayer and fasting starts Friday (24th Sept).

A Show of Hands - Fundraiser for Pakistan (3rd Oct)

Will be playing in a band (Project Clockwise). Facebook event page. Here.

Paramore (13th Oct) woohoo!

Flare Dance Ensemble presents: Tenth Avenue (21st - 23rd Oct)

Will be in the breaking piece. Who wants tickets can get it off me or at Melbourne Uni, Union House. Facebook event page. Here.

Exams' timetable will be out tomorrow (20th Sept). The semester is coming to an end soon.

Yes, this is a post with lots of old news, a couple of new ones and many short sentences. Been swamped with assignments lately and the worst part is, I'm not staying on top of things. Gonna be away for four days at a surveying camp. Should be fun.

Take care friends.


~ in need of an awakening ~

Falling in Love with....

Olivia Ong - A Girl Meets Bossanova. So she's been around for a while but I only got to know about her recently. And boy do I love her music. Especially this album where she takes popular songs and adds a bossanova feel to them. For example, Fly Me to the Moon(Frank Sinatra), Love Fools(The Cardigans) and Feelin So Good(Jennifer Lopez) just to name a few. Pretty relaxing and soothing stuff. I highly recommend this album and her music to anyone who appreciates soft pop or just want something light & easy.


~ Singaporean win! ~

Changing Seasons

Been too busy and caught up with other stuffs to blog about deep, meaningful, profound thoughts. But just to summarize what's been happening of late:

Friday
Had lunch together with Wince & Si Hua. It was our long anticipated 2nd date and it was great. Same time, same place, same table. After lunch, we decided to do the 40hr famine together. Wince and Si Hua went without their eyesight, I went without listening to my tunes and with impaired-hearing.

Dinner with Greg, Ann, Sam, Ian and Chris at Surf N Turf, Brighton. Japanese buffet! The food wasn't mind-blowing but satisfactory. Thanks for driving us down Greg!

Saturday
Jeanette's graduation. Went for dim sum at Dragon Boat, China Town. Honestly, I don't think I spend enough time with my housechurch. So it was great just being together with them, joking around, sharing life and celebrating our friend's milestone. Shin Yi introduced us to this cool bubble tea place after lunch. Can't remember the name but I'm definitely going back there.

Sunday
Broke fast together with Wince and Si Hua after church. Had the chance to share about our revelations after. Since 40hrs wasn't enough for me, I decided to go for another week without my tunes and Youtube. Lately there's been so much noise around me, I think I need to be quiet and focus on what's important once again.

Lunch at Golden Leaf, Harbor Town. Dim Sum meals for two days in a row. Nice~ And the dim sum at Golden Leaf was really really good but pricey.

______________________________________________________________________

In between all those activities, I've been working and practicing for a dance gig tomorrow. This will be my 1st performance with Flare Dance so do come and watch me screw-up my steps! Will be performing during lunch time at North Court, Union House.

Currently working on 3 different video projects. One for an international student film festival, another for Family Day this coming Saturday and another for Aun. Just the other day Greg introduced the possibility of taking my passion to another level. Lots of ideas, lots of opportunities but also lots of effort and time included. Will definitely sleep on in.

One week of holidays is too short! I've got 7 assignments to do and 3 due the week back. Uni life is just way too happening. Am I pushing myself a tad too much? I think so too =(

In the midst of ALL this, I'm busy working out my faith, struggling with relationships and chasing my dreams. Geez, give a guy a break.

Anyways, expect me to blog about those last 3 things next time around.

Selamat Hari Merdeka dan salam sejahtera.


~ Mann, blog posts without pictures are boring! ~

Congrats to Mr & Mrs Su!

Zak & Winn's wedding (21st August 2010).
It was beautiful.
Love the yellow.
All the effort put into the video was worth it!
I want to get married.

why do birds suddenly appear,
every time you are near
just like me, they long to be,
close to you

~ love songs have found meaning again ~

Living with Determination

Had another eventful weekend.

On Friday the 13th Aug 2010, two men were killed right next to where I live. At that time I was happily working away oblivious to what has happened. It was only when I took the trash out did I realized that something was amiss. A pair of choppers were flying about the area but I brush it off as being "normal news coverage".

Here's the news:
http://bit.ly/9fPaq2

Is it wrong that I'm not startled?

That incident got me thinking about life & how easy it is to lose it. Hmmm pretty heavy stuff. I won't blog about this cause the moment has past (decided to put it up anyways, rather that leaving it in the drafts folder). But I'm glad that each one of us who were nearby are safe. Thank goodness =)

On a lighter note, Isaac's bucks was on yesterday. Went Go-Karting before proceeding to the "formal" side of things. What ever happens at bucks night stays at bucks night. But I'll tell you this - it was..... interesting. After that night, there was definitely a sense of brotherhood among all of us and oh so many inside jokes. Oh, it was a pretty educational too.

Week 5 is gonna be the the most stressful week thus far. 4 assignments due while in the midst of juggling work, band practice and video editing. I'm definitely stretching myself too thin here. Help me to live this week, Lord. It's not enough just struggling to survive and going through the motions. Your grace is sufficient. AMEN!~


~ egak! a post with no pictures!? this is madness!! ~

Snowed

Listening to Snow Patrol and enjoying a lazy afternoon. Snow Patrol is pretty awesome. Can't believe I didn't appreciate their music when I was younger. Anyways, finally a brief pocket of time for me to fill this space with more memories.

Last Friday, Chris and I spent the entire day shooting a video for our friends' wedding. As tiring as it was, we had fun doing it. This is definitely the most important project we've ever worked on. Which means no room for error. The success of this wedding rests upon this video. Ok, maybe not, but still, very very important for us to get it right! Definitely can't wait to see the end product. So stay tune.

Last Saturday, a bunch of us went for a day-trip to Mt Buller.


















At first I wasn't interested about going to the snow at all. But 2 days before the trip, I suddenly felt like I didn't want to miss out. Which is strange because I usually have no qualms about missing out at all. Glad that I went cause time spent with these guys are the most fun I have in Melbourne.

Snowboarding was awesome! The chairlift and gondola rides were awesome! Even this funny thingo that they stuck between our legs to bring us up the slope was awesome.
























Excuse the level of excitement but yea, I had heaps of fun. Looking forward to going back to the snow. Maybe next time.

Special thanks to Aaron for planning the trip, driving us up and preparing an excel spreadsheet for our expenses! Thanks to Greg for a crash course on snowboarding and for covering for my expenses.

Caught up with the Lodge bunch again last Sunday. This time Vui Yung was down in Melbourne. What's up with everyone visiting Melbourne this year? Not that I'm complaining cause it's a great excuse for everyone to get together =) Had pizzas for lunch at D.O.C on the corner of Drummond and Faraday Street. The wild mushrooms pizza was my favourite.

As you can probably tell, I'm having heaps of fun in Melbourne. Maybe a bit too much. Lots of upcoming events to look forward to. Lots of assignments and datelines to meet. Pray that I'm able to manage my time well and focus on what's important.

Have a good rest of the week friends. Don't let the cold get you down.


~ first paycheck from Yahweh AG. Victory! ~

Here's another pop song for all you to love

~ let's dance to this song HEY! ~

1st August 2010

Gal 2:20 (NIV) I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the Body, I live by faith in the Son of the God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Yup, that's right! I got baptised on my 20th birthday. Coming out from the water, I felt refreshed. Not just physically, mentally and emotionally, but spiritually as well. This was definitely one of the biggest and boldest step I've taken in my entire life thus far. And I'm glad that I had everyone behind me, supporting me and praying for me.

Who knew a simple conversation could trigger a domino effect. Thanks to Krystal for agreeing to have the baptism during my birthday and for putting my words into action. Really appreciate it and I definitely have no regrets getting baptised at all. Thanks to Ps Tim for teaching and clarifying what we were actually getting ourselves into. And for dunking me into a watery grave(together with Krystal). Thanks to Ellie for preparing warm water for the baptism pool (I would have love to stay underwater for a little while longer).

What really helped and enlighten me were the conversations I had with a couple of people during the week before baptism. Mainly Elisa, Ann, Winston and Aun. Thanks guys for sharing and listening to my rambling. And to everyone who was there to witness my baptism, thank you! Really appreciate it! =)

Finally, I'm glad that I was baptised together with 3 other people. Kel, Lydia and Winnie. It was great doing this together with you guys. To just share and be part of our journey of growth. It was really meaningful getting baptised with my bro too. It really is a testimony of our faith and I'm pretty sure that my parents are able to see this. Congratulation for our baptism guys!

"For my 20th birthday I had KFC for dinner at an Asian Grocery." - Julian Tay 2010

haha I just had to say it. I'm sure that there aren't many people who would have the opportunity to say that. As sad as it may sound, I really enjoyed my day. I didn't plan to celebrate my birthday this year anyways. So it was great having 2 surprises from the peeps from Life* Expedition. Thanks to Greg for the Lemon Cheesecake! Love it~ and Shinyi's dom for the 2nd cake! Even the little gifts made my day.

Thanks to Sue lee for the flower.
























And Si Hua for the wristband. Loving the yellows!



















For those who texted, called and wished me through facebook, thanks guys! Funny how I felt so touched from reading the bday wishes posted on my wall. I guess words of affirmation really is my love language (for receiving). Take note ladies ;)

One thing I'm sure of is that I owe the big guy in Heaven for blessing me so abundantly. For my family, friends and this very life that I have. Thanks for watching over me for the pass 20 years and may you continue to do so for many more decades to come! May I learn to continue cherishing this life that I have and use it for your will. I love you God and today I choose to surrender my life to you once again. AMEN!~

To those of you who are interested about what I shared during baptism I've included the testimony and a little bit extra. Cause I didn't prepare a proper script in time for the baptism!

Good morning church. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Julian. Before I take the plunge, I think it's better if I tell you a bit about myself so you'll know where I'm coming from. I was born into a non-christian family. Even so, I've always believed in a God. But as a child you don't really know what you believe in and things don't really make sense anyways. The first time I attended "church" was at a Youth group back home. At that time I was just attracted by the "youth factor" where there was fun, food and friends.

Only 2 years ago in Perth did I felt a tugging in my heart and a hunger to know this God even more. And that's when I chose to seriously pursue this God. You may think that there was a lot of drama before coming to accept Christ, but the truth is, the drama began after choosing to follow God.

Suddenly I was made aware of lots of things. As nice as the warm fuzzy feeling of worshiping God or the spiritual highs you get at times, there are forces all around us fighting for our attention and distracting us from living a Christian life. For example, the knowledge of good and evil(KOGAE), idolatry and my sinful human nature.

And now for the big question.

"Why am I getting baptised?"

Up until this morning, I was still asking myself that question. "Why am I getting baptised?" Being a Christian I never questioned the fact that one day I would get baptised. The only question was, "What was I waiting for?" Through the conversations I had with a couple of friends during the last week I realised something. I realised that I wasn't afraid of getting baptised but I was afraid of life after baptism. I was afraid that after coming out of the water, nothing would have changed and that my promises would mean nothing.

I guess I was afraid of letting myself down and being unable to live up to the expectations of others. But you know what, it does matter. There is only one pair of eyes you should be worried about and that's God's eyes. Fall as much as you want and don't beat yourselves up because of your sins - God has no problem forgiving you.

So why am I getting baptised?

Today I choose to renew my faith in a God who is greater than my idols, my fears and my uncertainties. I will fall and I will lose sight of you but let today serve as a reminder of the promises that I've made, an affirmation of my faith in You and a public declaration to everyone present that I choose to follow you for all of my days. I won't be ashamed and I will shine for you Lord. I love you God.

Let's do this!

So here's my question to those who are yet to be baptised,

























"What are YOU waiting for?"


~ 20, baptised & looking forward to the future. This is gonna be fun! ~

Silent Comtemplation

Shine - Amp

This song is dedicated to folks who are heavy laden.
Driven by a hoax that the world provokes with a couple statements.
Do whatever you want in your life and live as you please.
Hedonism is the end and knowledge is the means.

We're created in His image,
God began a work that He will finish, bro this ain't a gimmick.
We were once separated; living as a desolated
race, wasting our praises on idols. Now we're feeling vacant.

But thank the Father for Jesus who was spit on,
shunned by His kids, skin whipped, but did no wrong.
The Son took my wrath cause he was the perfect lamb
sacrifice; now I'm in the light and on the narrow path.

Redeemed through His blood, forgiveness of sin
We gotta understand that we have been adopted.
Riches of His grace and mercy overflow so we will go
and shine for Christ using our gifts and more! (OH!)

We will shine.
We will shine.
Lord, we will not be ashamed.
We will shine.
We will shine.
Lord, please cast our fears away.

Given abilities to bring the gospel vividly
Explicitly without vagueness or ambiguity
A chosen generation set aside to sow and reap
Radical movers for the Kingdom, wake up from your sleep

Passion's defined as the state of being acted on
By external forces, so where is passion from
Some outer force is driving you toward the goals you set
Notice you have the ability, so goals are met

The parable of talents, each one was given some
According to his ability, the task was done (Matthew 25:15)
The Lord begins to stir passion inside of you
According to your ability for good works in Christ prepared for you (Ephesians 2:10)

The Spirit's living and giving the ammunition for fishing;
The Great Commission, condition the hearts who listen; (Matthew 28:18)
Rendition of Scripture written through talented exposition
Break complacent dispositions, sold out for Christ who's risen!

We will shine.
We will shine.
Lord, we will not be ashamed.
We will shine.
We will shine.
Lord, please cast our fears away.

I know its not for me that I am given this,
but still my pride, my sin it's hard to let it go.
may i not be a lamp that's hidden by it's shade
but a sound-full of love and air-full of praise Lord

Break me down and build me back up and fill me
with purpose, motives aligned with yours.
I'm afraid to give everything to you,
so please let me shine.

(Bridge)
We're gonna shine with everything we got!
We're gonna shine with everything we got!
We're gonna shine with everything we got!
We gotta stop putting the gospel in a box yo!

~ lemme enjoy this moment... just for a little while ~

Sem2 Year2 Big2

I might be listening to too much j-rock...

Besides that, week 1 was alright. Had a few changes made to my timetable for the better. Now I have Fridays off and most of my Tuesdays free. Hurray for Geomatics semester 2.

Guess what?

I FINALLY GOT A PART-TIME JOB!

Don't be fooled by the bold text cause I'm not all that excited about it. Maybe relieve is a better word. I've been looking for a part-time job all year and finally got it. Glad to be able to earn some extra income and I'm definitely looking forward to see where this will take me. Let's see what Yahweh has in store for me (pun totally intended).

With uni, a job, Life* TV, flaredance, housechurch and Wednesday neighbourhood nights on my plate this semester, one of them has to go. Sometimes I have to remind myself that as a student, studies comes first. And studies should always come first. It's funny how I say I should learn to prioritize when everything to me is a priority. Yes, I'm considering juggling all of these activities but if it gets too ridiculous, neighbourhood night will be the first to go.

We'll see how well I'll fair for maybe the next two weeks before I actually drop it. This calls for some serious time management but knowing me, it's not gonna work. But I'm gonna try it out just for kicks XD

Week 2 of uni for us at RMIT. Melbourne uni students, welcome back to the fun!
























By the way, I'm getting baptized next Sunday.


~ praying for clarity, reason, purpose, vision ~

Nippon Ichiban!

I didn't know that there were this many j-girl rock bands around. Not that I'm complaining.

SCANDAL - Shoujo S

Eu-Phoria - Valentine Jealousy


Stereopony - Hitohira no Hanabira


This one's my favourite band. Love the bass line for the song above. They're pretty good live too.

Random thoughts:

• Why does it seem that those who upload these videos are Español?
• Why is it always raining in music video world?
• Japanese fans are programmed to have synchronized hand movements during every concert. And I mean every!
  
• Can't believe that most of them are around the same age as I am.
• I have a thing for girls who plays bass or guitar ;)

~ Ramones t-shirt! ~

Brand New Days

A month has gone by and now it's back to school. Not really pumped for uni but I'll probably get back into the groove of things after a week or so.

Winter Break 2010 was fun. Heaps of fun! I'm pretty glad I got to catch-up with quite a lot of people especially the Lodgian bunch in Melbourne. Even though we're all in the same city, we hardly ever catch-up. So it was great when Amanda and Nick Voon came down from Tasmania to visit. Btw, Julian Yeo is currently in Melbourne too! That means more catch-ups for sure... hopefully. One thing for sure, I should make it a habit to call up my high school friends more often.

Caught up with old friends from Perth when I was down there and when some of them dropped by before heading off to Hillsongs. Saw lots of new faces in Zion and it's great to see more and more of my friends stepping up in leadership. Can't wait to see what God has in store for you guys!

In the end, I didn't get to do most of the things I wanted to. But that's fine. It was still a fulfilling and enjoyable holiday.

This semester seems just as full on as last semester. From the look of things I might have to give up certain activities and rethink my priorities. It's sad but exciting at the same time. I'm always looking forward to change anyways. And so should you!


Smell the air friends, that's the smell of brand new days.


~ God is good and I shall put my trust in Him ~

Perth Trip 2010: Part 3 [End]

Like all great things, they all come in threes. The Three Musketeers, Lord of the Rings, Wong-Fu Productions and Nescafe 3-in-1. Yup, that's right. This is gonna be my last post about Perth Trip 2010.

A week back in Melbourne and I'm really starting to miss Perth. That week in Perth really really changed me. I think I speak for everyone when I say each one of us went away from this trip changed one way or another.

















revisiting my old room in boarding school

During the last night in Perth, the group of us just sat together and began to share. We shared about what we enjoyed most about the trip and what we were thankful for. It's amazing. Even though most of us went through the same experience, what we got out of it couldn't be more different.

















Lessons were learnt, decisions were made. New friendships were formed and old friendships were definitely strengthened.























lesson learnt: never play boardgames with wince. ever.

I own a big thank you to everyone who made this trip awesome! So without further ado...

THANKS GUYS!

















Big thanks to Ka Man and Laura for sheltering us for an entire week. It's not easy having four extra people around with only one bathroom and a toilet. Thanks to Ka Man and Wince for organizing all the activities. And thanks to Wince for taking all em pictures. I'm glad Winston, Jon and Melissa Wong came along. It wouldn't have been the same if it weren't for them.

















To the Wongs, Jon and Melissa, and Melissa(WSM), thanks for all the laughs and "what the heck!?" moments. To those in Perth, it was great getting to know you guys and hopefully we'll meet again!

Lee and Chua, thanks dudes. Keep me posted. No regret mun!
















Thanks to mum and dad for sponsoring me. This trip definitely wasn't cheap so I really really appreciate it. They may not be reading this but I'm truly grateful for my parents.

And thank you God. For keeping us safe throughout the trip, for the beautiful weather all week, for blessing us with incredible friends and for giving us time to remember you and thank you for each day before every meal. I truly cherish those moments.

















Perth 2010 was fulfilling and inspiring.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. It's been a wonderful trip and what better way to end it other than with a toast! Here's a toast to being single, wonderful friendships and to the little things. Cheers!
























Love, Jules


~ i really really want a CRAM burger right now ~

Perth Trip 2010: Part 2

As promised, here's a post that is actually related to the trip. Going back to Perth was fun, cause I had the chance to revisit all the places that I've missed. But honestly, it was all about the food.

Bubble Tea - Tea Fusion

Imma gonna let you finish but Tea Fusion has the best bubble tea of all time!

Chinese cuisine - Hong Kong BBQ

L-R: deep fried squid, deep fried chicken with egg-yolk, cod fish, kailan with XO sauce,
3 combination meat dish & sizzling tofu

Didn't get the chance to eat at Uncle Billy's. Maybe next time.

Fish & Chups - Kaili's Cafe

Fish Shack is better. But food always taste better with great company. Ok, maybe not.
Great company nevertheless.

Dim Sum - Dragon Palace

First time, I saw/ate so much dim sum. Much pricey than other restaurants. Nothing special but satisfactory.

Malaysian cuisine - Malaysian Gourmet at Broadway Fair

The same uncle was still working at the restaurant. He may not remember me, but it's good to see old familiar faces.

Breakfast - Pancakes (Known as Pancake Parlour in Melbourne)

honey, cream & ice cream

First time trying it and having pancakes for breakfast is sweet.

Chilli Mussels - Conca's

choice of mild, hot or very hot plus garlic bread or pasta as a side

The real reason I wanted to visit Perth. I love chilli mussels! Especially drinking the soup out of the empty shells. I am yet to find chilli mussels in Melbourne. So well done Perth! Melbourne, poor effort.

Pizzas - Little Caesars

6 gourmet pizzas, 2 dessert pizzas

The first time I sank my teeth in, I could taste the difference from all the other pizzas I've eaten before. Maybe that's because till then, I've always been eating at Pizza Hut. Second time eating here and the pizzas are still as epic! Serves great dessert pizzas too. A must try.

Pastries - Corica Pastries

Apple Strudel

Like apples? Like custard? Like pastry? You'll definitely like Corica's famous apple strudel. A great "bring home gift". Carry one of these to the airport and your identity as a tourist will be revealed almost instantaneously.

You know the saying how food brings people together. At Ciao Italia, it literally does. I had a friend in Perth that I really wanted to meet but couldn't contacted him. But by some non-coincidental chance, I met him while waiting for a table outside the restaurant. Shocked! but pleasantly surprised.

Wee Loon was my previous boarding housemaster. Basically the dude who checks for attendance and what not. Pretty glad to catch-up with you again, Wee! What made the night even better was that the food at Ciao Italia rocks! It's like Sofia's but better!

Italian Cuisine - Ciao Italia

4 pastas, 3 pizzas (not in picture)

2 desserts (pic: triple-choc madness)

Eating burgers during a freezing cold night next to a blazing open fire is the way to go. And that's what you get at Alfred's Kitchen. How good are their burgers you ask? Well, it's so good that this cozy little stall even have their very own website! Check out their 40 burgers menu selection here. (btw, all the other restaurant links are click-able too!)

Awesome burgers, awesome ambience.

The next time I drop by Perth, I'm definitely coming back.

And how can any trip be complete without MACDONALDS!!

Yes, we ate a lot during this trip but was that all we did? No. But before I move along, this post is getting a little too long. And how the heck did this turn into a food post anyways? Moving on to Perth Trip 2010: Part 3.


~ zoom zoom zoom ~

Perth Trip 2010: Part 1

Hmm the problem with blogging about a trip is trying to condense all that's happen into one comprehensive post which hopefully wouldn't be too long winded that it would bore whoever is reading this after all it would be nice to read something that's short sweet and straight to the point while at the same time highlighting the interesting events and all the memorable moments... I'll do my best to make it interesting =P

I ENJOYED MY TIME IN PERTH TO THE MAX.

The food, the sights, the activities, the jokes (oh, the jokes) and definitely, I say definitely, the people. This trip totally blew my expectations out of the water. Maybe cause I didn't have much expectations to begin with... a flashback moment? Definitely!

Flashback

Few months ago

I had plans to visit Perth since last year. Reasons being my sister was there, I did high school there, to visit friends from Zion (the church I attended) and that two of my closest friends from Kuching were there. Little did I know, my sister wouldn't be in Perth during the week I was there and that most of my Zion friends would be at Hillsongs, oh wells~ Then suddenly! Winston said that he (together with 2 others) would be going to Perth. This is where it gets hilarious.

The initial plan was to fly down to Perth together, go our separate ways for a week and fly back to Melbourne together. Turns out, we weren't as popular as we thought we were and only had a few friends in Perth. So I decided to tag along with Winston and join in with the activities he and his friends were planning (I ended up dragging Lee & Chua into it as well).

What I had planned was to just hang out with my friends and playing videogames. After planning the activities together with Winston I realized, "I won't have time to play videogames." And I'm glad I didn't.

Months past and we soon touched down in Perth.

Perth was a much needed holiday. Away from Melbourne and a chance to relax after one hectic semester. I love it. Being together with old friends and meeting new ones. Seeing the familiar places in Perth. It's as though I never left.

I love non-coincidental chances. Non-coincidental because I believe that they were meant to happen. Turns out, my friends sorta knew Winston's friend through her housemate who happens to be Lee's course mate and my sister's friend. I had a suspicion that something like this might happen but who would have thought it actually would.

I could tell you about all the things we did, jokes we cracked and meals we shared. But to thoroughly experience it, you had to be there.

So instead, I'll tell you guys a story. *Ahem*

There was once a boy named Jeff. Jeff has always been a shy fellow. He was never good with the ladies and seems to have a habit of falling for all the "wrong girls". William was the total opposite of Jeff. William was smart, funny, suave and sometimes a bit of a drama queen but still, good with the ladies.

William has many girlfriends (as in girls who are friends). His relationship with them? Interesting. They would joke about everything under the sun and hang out like bros. They are even able to speak words of love to one another. Even if it was just for the sake of "making things awkward" or to get a few laughs, Jeff noticed something. Behind that demeanor of humour, there was meaning behind the words being spoken.

It was only after William dragged Jeff into his awkward "relationships" that he realized something. Jeff never spoke of love. He was afraid to demonstrate love. In a community where all eyes are monitoring your every word and movement, it's not easy to show love without being misread. That is why Jeff kept to himself. Afraid of initiating acts of love be it something as simple as a friendly nudge, an arm over the shoulder or a hug. Afraid to shower compliments but admire in silence.

But after a week spent together with William, Jeff made an important decision. A decision he himself couldn't understand why but felt that he was ready to do so. He's going to love the way he was meant to. To love without holding back. To love the people dearest to him. To love...

The moral of the story?

Time spent together with loved ones is short. Too short. Sooner or later we're all gonna to part ways. By then it would be too late to make up for lost time, lost friendships. So live each day cherishing your friends and families. Don't wait to tell a friend how lovely she looks or to catch-up over coffee or to tell someone that you miss them. You might strike out on an opportunity that may never return.

TOTALLY strayed off topic back there didn't I? Ahaha ha ha....*AHEM*

It's funny how you learn important life lessons during the most unexpected times. This story really spoke to me and yea, William's a pretty cool guy. But I'm rooting for Jeff. I'm gonna take after Jeff and learn to love with no reservations. No regrets mun!

Will do another Perth post and also a shout out to a couple of peeps once I get more photos off Wince... hint hint. Stay tune!




















~ Perth oh Perth, I miss you already ~

Annual Dinner 2010

Annual Dinner 2010 was good. And I mean really GOOD! Loved the food, company and atmosphere. I might have pushed myself a little too much by taking on so many responsibilities. As much as I love doing what I do, this will probably be the last time I'll work myself to the bone..... for awhile ;) It's amazing how the office team does it. Every year, every special occasion. Respect man.

Less talking and more pictures!
























Thanks to Grace and chris + ian for the haircut.

















The Restrooms. Watch our "debut" here.



















LifeTVCrew. Thanks to Greg, Winnie, Ellie, Lita, Lisa and Jacqueline for helping out.

















Doreen's dance crew. Watch the performance here.
















Krystal's Clan.

As always, photos were taken off facebook. Credits goes to Greg, Aun, Shing, Sam and Doreen.

Cause I'm the kind of guy who loves showing-off his work, here are the links to the videos I edited for annual dinner:

Clan's Thanksgiving
Homies Thanksgiving (Masterchef Spoof)

Well done to Life* TV! I think we're getting somewhere. Right?

The Sunday after annual dinner was just so rich and meaningful. To me anyways. Krystal's been on about what's our purpose. And she challenged those in her clan to reach out to at least 2 people outside of community. Hard? Yes, but that's what were we called to do. So let's do it!

There's so much more I could blog about last Sunday but if I was to do it now, I could go on forever! Maybe not forever. Remind me to blog about this.

Annual Dinner's over. relief. Another year has come and gone. sad. Time to reorganize, set my priorities straight, clean the apartment and pack for Perth.

Perth is gonna be fun =)


~ Taking a break from Melbourne ~

Our Little Patch of the City

The guys had fun sewing and getting in touch with our feminine side. Thanks to Ellie, Greg and Lita for helping out the LifeTVCrew. Still not done with the sewing and stitching but I reckon it'll look awesome once it's done.

In the midst of preparing 3 other videos and practicing a dance routine for annual dinner. Sometimes I wonder how did I get involve in all of this. But I'm enjoying myself. 4 more days to annual dinner!

Here's a sneak peak of what's to come!




~ how awesome is Masterchef ~

In Your Time

Even though exams are over, I don't feel at ease. Maybe it's because I didn't do too well for my last paper. Maybe it's because Annual Dinner's coming up soon. Maybe it's because there are still some questions left unanswered. Maybe it's because I've been neglecting my little bible study group. Maybe it's because....

Last night, we had a prayer meet at housechurch. We prayed for a couple of things (though I only remembered a few) eg. the students on exams, for salvation in our families and friends. What did I pray for? It's hard for me to articulate my thoughts into words on the spot. So I thought it would be better if I just sat on it and wrote it down later. Here is my prayer.

God, I pray that you just fill me again with the joy of the holy spirit. Refresh me and breathe life into the dead bones in my life. I pray for my friends and I thank you for each one of them. I thank you for the relationships that I have with them. May we continue to speak love, hope and faith in our lives. Teach us to shine your light in a world where it's just so easy to be cynical. Don't allow us to be just another cog in the system. You have called us for a much great purpose.

God, forgive me for my shortcomings. For times when I lose my patience, said or did something insensitive and take people for granted. Forgive me Lord. God, it's just so hard, living out this faith journey. I know I should trust in you. But, I feel unsettled, waiting around doing nothing. ahaha there I go again, losing my patience.

But let me pray this now and let me mean every word of it.

In YOUR time, reveal to me the answers that I seek. And when the time comes Lord, let me be ready. In YOUR time.

____________________________________________________________

From the looks of things, this winter break's gonna be full on. Chris and I got a list of "to do" things cooked up. Winston and I are heading over to Perth for a week. Ian's just gonna succumb to peer pressure and do whatever everyone else is doing (or bore himself at home watch sitcoms and animes). The girls will be away. And as for me, dancing, catch-up with friends, mini-side quests and blogging. Expect more frequent updates for the next couple of weeks.

Aren't you guys getting bored of reading this blog? I know I am. haha I should blog about more educational, informative stuff no? Kinda getting bored with the layout too. Actually it wasn't good to begin with. I know it sucks! Maybe I should design my own template? Maybe I should move to tumblr. Oooo tumblr.... soo pretty. Or start my very own website!? Nahh not tech savvy enough. Whatever it may be, look forward to some changes (hopeful for the better).

And like every other post, how can it be complete without a picture.


















"Singaporean gives 2 thumbs up to Malaysia :D" - cherie voon


~ it's pictures like these that fills life with joy & laughter. mainly laughter ~

Study Woes

Mann it's been too long since I've, well.... blogged. The past 3 weeks was just a mad rush. Assignments and exams literally dominated every waking hour. I guess once you're in uni, the pressure to perform well is much higher. Considering the fact that our parents spent a fortune sending us overseas to study.

During this period of examination, I began asking myself, "What/Who am I studying for?"

This is what I got:

1. I'm studying Geomatics because I did pretty shit for my Year 12. My results wasn't good enough to get me into Melbourne Uni or courses such as Engineering or Architecture.
2. I'm studying hard to redeem myself.
3. To keep my parents happy.

Pretty good and noble reasons yea? HELL NO! Those reasons are pathetic. Is that it? Am I studying just to please my parents? Am I studying Geomatics just for the heck of it?

Why can't it be, "I'm studying because I believe one day I'm gonna revolutionize the geospatial industry." Or that, "I'm studying because I have a passion for creating usable and useful maps to help people."

Where is the purpose in my studies? Is it just so that by the end of the day I would have a piece of paper that would allow me to generate money. Money. Damn money. As much as it pisses me off, I can't live without it.

I wanna dream again. I want to take my passion for dancing, music and media up to greater heights. I want to live out my dreams.... Am I asking for too much? I probably am. The world doesn't revolve around you Jules, stop being so selfish.

Ugh. It's times like these I find it difficult to be the optimistic, bright one. I'm sure some of you could even feel the stressful/negative aura that I've been emitting lately. Sorry about that. Give me time to sort things out.

Things always works out in the end =)

One more paper this Thursday! Let's finish this. To those of us still roughing it out, at least we're in this together yea?

Disclaimers: This is one of those posts where I reflect and ask myself a series of questions that wouldn't have any answers to them but try to end on a positive note. Read at your own risk!


~ wait, disclaimers usually goes to the top yea? ~

Activating Combat Mode

~ I will Burn My Bread! ~