Smell of Books

My soul ached longingly as I flipped my newly-bought Jodi Picoult's House Rule last night. It wasn't the reading that caused the sentimental moment, but the smell of paperback books published with recycled paper. I flipped it again and took a deep breath between pages. A long, deep inhalation, with my eyes closed. I felt so calm that as if the world around me had stood still.

It occurred to me that I have not been properly reading a book for ages. All this time I have been jumping from books to books, without actually finishing them. I carried books around just in case I needed them to fill time, which I did take them out to read when I was waiting for something, but I never finish reading them, even after I was back in my own room.

I have been occupied by things I allowed myself to be occupied with, such as going out with friends, internet, nap, chatting with housemates, work. I would go anywhere if I wanted to, that includes attending Freedom Film Festival alone and going back Penang for Fea's wedding (with Jun Hoe's great help, of course). I realised it's been long since the last time I wiped my tears off my cheeks as I turned pages after pages of sappy Jodi Picoult. When was the last time I went camping in Kinokuniya or fed myself into a couch in Starbucks with a book?

Last night, I took a deep breath between the pages and paused. I missed the smell of books published with recycled papers.

Where is Cher Linn?

Our Tenji Guy

So I joined Luo Tze, my another nursing housemate and her bf and her two friends to Tenji in Damansara recently for a supper. There was this cute guy as host that night. Enough said :)

Pop the champagne and the card!

The amazing thing about pop-up card is, it makes you jaw-drop and seconds later come the "Oohhhh", "Wwoww", and still manages to keep you amazed while examining how the papers at the back are glued together at certain point so that the object can pop up when you open it. Impressive. It makes me speechless when I least expect it to be a pop-up card at all.

From Szuchen :)

Your favourite people are not necessarily good for you

1. Hie Ching, my another housemate, who is a nurse.

Me: Hie Ching~
HC: Yeah?
Me:.. I feel like eating French Fries..
HC: ... Oh, I can accompany you to McD if you want *angelic smile*

NooOooOo! It was 10:30PM and I should be discouraged to eat anything (least of all, fast food!) at that hour.

Me: Are you sure? But you just came back from your afternoon shift, aren't you tired?
HC: Nope, I'm fine. I stayed at home the whole day yesterday during my off day, I can use some walking and fresh air now. Let's go!
Me: o_O

2. Szuchen, my lab colleague

Szuchen: Maybe we can go for hightea or something.
Me: Ohh they have some nice cakes in The Apartment!

We went to KLCC on Christmas, after my church lunch, but she just had something light for her lunch, so we decided to get something light. So when the desserts were served..

Szuchen: Hmm, they look kinda sweet.
Me: Yeah, I didn't picture them this way from the description in the menu. Sigh, I haven't been going to gym these days and now this..
Szuchen: It's ok, you can resume gym next week! *bursting with positivity*
Me: o_O

Evil women!

Beware

24th Dec 2010
7:45am
SS15/5F, Subang Jaya

Michelle's friend's car was robbed (not stolen) when she and her another two friends were at the car boot unloading her belongings, with the engine on. Her friend's car was a silver Saga (I'll ask for the car plate number again). The car was parrked outside of our rented house.

A beige Waja (they didn't take note of the car plate number) drove to their side and two Indian men came out from it, got into the Saga and drove it off. Hence it's not stolen, but robbed, right in front of their eyes, and her friends' laptops and valuables were in it.

Note: I only started working here for two months and I've heard two colleagues of mine were snatched by motorcyclist at different time within these two months. And before that I've heard warnings from some other people about the safety of this area as well.

Beware, people. Switch off your car engine as you're leaving your driver seat, or lock the door if someone is in the car. You'd rather be paranoid than being robbed.

Hidden Love 2

I think my blood pressure has gone up for worrying about it. It takes so much planning and negotiation and checking out info and meeting each other half way and decision making and then changing decision and waiting. It tests my patience and faith, both in you and in God.

Still, God asks me to be patient and wait upon Him, to have faith in Him that He'll give me the best:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:4-7]

Lord, please help me to have strong faith in You, to wait upon Your timing. May you calm the storm in my heart and bless me with attentive ears to listen to You. In Jesus name, Amen.
.

Hidden Love

Some people think blogging is lame. Or Facebook status updates, Tweeter or anything that allows you to express yourself online. Because some people like to talk about things that their readers might not understand or be able to interpret it. It could be the very metaphorical type, or with nicknames. The sensational ones come with loads of anger and hatred or the other way round - cheesy and lovey-dovey stuff. Some people like to do so to get attention. Some people like to do so because they don't have the guts to tell those stuff right at the related person's face. Some people purely want to express themselves without expecting response.

For this post, it's a mix between the last two.

I didn't want to tell you to what extent I went in hope to make this thing work. I am going to try my very best to meet whatever need you have, even though some of them really sound unreasonable to me. Because I really want it to work, badly.

Because you mean a lot to me. But you don't have to know it.

Breathe

After a long day at work, I'd tell myself:

It's ok, babe. Go sleep early tonight.

Because all I want is to curl up in bed with my brain-tumored teddy.

And be stronger tomorrow.

madagascar penguins-a christmas caper.mp4

Little Humor

[Reza's Facebook Status, after FIFA has announced Qatar to be the host for 2022 World Cup]

Reza: Qatar? Seriously?!
(some comments in between)
Me: Qatar 2022! So are you starting to save money for it now?
Reza: Nope, how much is a TV!?

Haha :)