Vulnerable Thoughts, Vulnerable Words, Vulnerable Reality

An Ode to 90s TV Shows

2013-09-16T20:42:00.000+08:00

“The point is: I think it makes a big difference knowing that there’s at least one person in the world that has your back no matter what. I mean, it doesn't have to be the same person for your entire life but everybody deserves at least one someone.”

- Ephram Brown (Everwood)

"Tragedy blows through your life like a tornado, uprooting everything, creating chaos. You wait for the dust to settle, and then you choose. You can live in the wreckage and pretend it's still the mansion you remember. Or you can crawl from the rubble and slowly rebuild. Because after disaster strikes, the important thing is that you move on. But if you're like me, you just keep chasing the storm. (pause) The problem with chasing the storm is that it wears you down, breaks your spirit. Even the experts agree, a girl needs closure."

- Veronica Mars

"All this. It has a name. It's called guilt. It's a feeling, and it's important. But it's not more than that, Buffy. You've carried the weight of the world on your shoulders since high school and I know you didn't ask for this but you do it, every day. And so you wanted out for one second. So what?"

-Buffy the Vampire Slayer

There was a time between Dawson's Creek and Veronica Mars where watching a tv show at that time meant that you had to pay attention to the inspirational monologue that was bound to be delivered by either the brooding male lead or the slightly broken female protagonist.

And each show was different.

Each show had its own central running theme. Buffy had vampires. Everwood had the death of a parent. One Tree Hill had the irresponsible father. Once and Again had the step siblings angle. Party of Five had the token responsible eldest sibling turned parent. Felicity had college life. And 7th Heaven had...well, I dunno. I don't know why I watched that show but I did.

And growing up with these shows, then-teenagers who are now adults in their early 30s or late 20s would memorize lines after lines of dialogue. Because the dialogue meant something to them. It didn't matter what the context was. What mattered was that you could pick out part of the dialogue and know that somehow, it's meant for just for you.

Perhaps, that was what made watching television shows back then interesting. That was why the 90s/early 2000s will always remain as The Best Decade For TV Shows. It's because, as pretentious as it may seem, the shows spoke to us. The shows were metaphors for our lives. And no matter what we were going through in real life, those words that our favourite characters were saying served as advice for us.

So here's to the long-forgotten art of producing television shows with substance. We hope you'll come back soon.

Because society needs you.

2013-08-01T08:52:00.000+08:00

To the anonymous dude/chick who posted a rude comment on a post that was published more than 2 years ago....

lol congratulations.

Cryptic But It's Not Like Anyone Reads This Anymore

2013-07-09T20:27:00.001+08:00

I think I need to take same time off for myself for a while.

Which is good, cause it's Ramadhan and it's the best month for you to get in touch with Allah and yourself.

Things in my life have taken a huge turn. Not for the better, unfortunately.

And I'm still trying to process things. My mind has been whirling constantly lately and it's exhausting. I don't know what's going on, or what's about to happen or whether everything will blow over.

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know.

But I do know that I have people looking out for me. I do know that I have friends who know that although I'm usually the one to talk first, there are just times when I don't know how to start. I'm so thankful that they took that step to ask first. Because talking to them has helped a lot.

Because a lot of what's going on is embarrassing for me to share.

At this point, all I can pray for is that it will all blow over.

This is a Soapbox Post

2013-06-26T20:58:00.000+08:00

This morning, my Twitter feed exploded.

I wasn't really sure about what was actually going on in Texas initially but as quickly as I was to be cautious, Twitter and Tumblr were even faster to explain the situation.

Politics. I am not an expert on it.

But working with more male colleagues than female colleagues?

Oh I'm pretty used to it by now. And I'm here to simply say that this:

-- happens in real life everyday. In fact, this is to be expected.

Women have had to work harder than men just to be heard. You ask me why I need feminism? It's because people who say that women don't are people who don't understand why it's important.

You want to say that feminism is not suitable because women and men are not the same?

It's because you don't understand that equality is not the main agenda.

At this point, it's about getting society to see, listen and acknowledge that women have ideas and that women are neither 'annoying' or 'trivial'. It's about being accepted instead of having to prove that you are good enough, that you are worthy and that you have earned the position that you have worked for.

If you've been successful at it without having to subject to cajoling, bitchery and hard ass-ing, then congratulations. You're one of the lucky few. Most of us have not been so lucky.

And before we go on a rampage about how we should not succumb to the Western way of thinking because it simply exerts the Western society's ethnocentric policies, it needs to also be reminded that not everything is good, but at the same time, not everything is bad. And before we go and red herring this whole thing by saying that they are talking about abortion and that it's against our religion, please go back to the main purpose of this post. It's about women and getting our voices heard over our male counterparts.

2013-06-07T14:38:00.000+08:00

there are some days when things can get a little too overwhelming. you know you'll get over it. you always do. you're always expected to. but sometimes, it's as if the exit's sealed off and you don't know what to do to create another one.

Graceland and OMG I WAS KIDNAPPED

2013-05-01T13:23:00.001+08:00

So Graceland.

The show is like White Collar? Except instead of Matt Bomer, you have Aaron Tveit.

And when you have Tveitis, it's hard to focus on anything else on the show except for his face.

===

I had a dream last night that I was kidnapped. They had the works -- the sack over the head, getting carried off in a vehicle -- except I knew it was my students? And before I knew it, they had dumped me at a shopping center. Because they wanted to go shopping.

Weird. Why you do me like that, brain?

Iron Man 3

2013-04-27T21:36:00.002+08:00

So that movie was awesome. And in the only way I know how, this is my review in point form:
1) Gwyneth's abs you guys.

2) So...is it just me or did the idiotic Killian get his Arabs/Chinese mixed up? Cause it was irritatingly obvious. And I wanted to point out the irony that Ben Kingsley played Ghandi once and that the whole Mandarin thing was just a whole mess of stereotypical ignorance but he had to come out and be all adorable and funny and so NOT Ben Kingsley that I forgot about that part.

3) It was interesting to see them explore the anxiety attack aspect cause in real life, Chris Evans actually has an anxiety disorder. So it was, like I said, interesting, to see RDJ portray it. And heartbreaking.

4) Don Cheadle, you guys. Sorry Terrence Howard but replacing you with Cheadle was probably the best decision ever. I absolutely love the bromance banter between them. Was anything ad lib? We're not sure. But the bromance felt real. And it really worked out well for the movie.

5) Can we talk about Rebecca Hall for a second? Cause it feels like people didn't exactly highlight this amazing woman's contribution to the movie. Sure she's a secondary character. And yes, most people don't know her. She brought a certain angle of compassion towards her character. Maybe I'm being biased but instead of just being a stock character, she somehow allows you to feel a bit of compassion towards her? I don't know. I just love her. If you're familiar with her previous work, you'll realize that she's a woman with a million faces. This woman is such a talented actress that she draws you in with her characters. And I love that she was a part of the movie. I didn't quite like the fact that she had to die in the end though.

6) THEY HAD A DOWNTON ABBEY REFERENCE. THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY OK?

7) The last bit after the trailer was cute. Bruce Banner hiiiiiii.

8) Certain parts of that movie made me almost cry. Something about it just makes you emotionally invested in the characters and it just tugs at your heartstrings.

Yeah, I don't really have much to say about it except IT'S REALLY GOOD. LIKE REALLY.

2013-04-22T20:52:00.004+08:00

"I want normal people problems. Like, am I getting enough fiber? Or why did my friend say that insensitive thing about my weight?" - Fiona Gallagher

Mariah Carey

2013-04-19T22:20:00.000+08:00

I just wanted to bring this back cause I've been having some intense Mariah Lambily feels lately. Maybe it's because a lot of the Idol contestants are coming out to tell stories about just how wonderful and amazing Mariah's been to them. We didn't know that she was already pregnant with Dem Babies by this time. And we had no idea that after she fell on stage, she was forced to go on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. Well, most of the time anyways since she ended up making appearances here and there despite it. Waiting 7 hours just to make sure that I was in the front row was a decision I have not regretted one bit. I just love really love her so much.

Audience Participation is Encouraged

2013-03-31T11:41:00.000+08:00

1) It was awesome having Farah down in JB last weekend! We basically slothed at home with loads of food and TV shows but ISN'T THAT THE BEST KIND OF HANGOUT? Then on Monday, the three of us, including Yana, caught the Russell Peters Notorious Tour at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. We missed out on the first one so there was no way that we were going to miss out on this one.

It was hilarious. What else can be said about it? Laughed so hard despite the fact that two of us were (and still are) nursing the flu. And we managed to make it home by 11pm, although we weren't really sure how we managed it since the flu had pretty much knocked us out by then.

But in all seriousness though, it was fun to just literally hang out the whole weekend through. Sometimes we forget that the little things in life can make the most impact!

2) No, I didn't go to the Backstreet Boys showcase. They repeated the same damn setlist since 2 shows ago. Do I feel like I missed out on anything? Not really. Especially since I don't think I can take Brian's, "How many of you have the first Backstreet album?" punchline again.

I guess I will always love BSB but let's be real. I've spent 17 years in this fandom. I've spent money on so much merchandise and concerts. I've spent so much time and energy tracking everything down and staying up to date with their new projects. If they're gonna be repeating the same basic content over and over and not be bothered with newer ones, then it's better that I stay away for a while.

But I will always love you, Nickolas Gene Carter. We know you're getting married and all but yes.

3) GUESS WHO WILL GET TO SEE THE ANGEL OF MUSIC SING SONGS IN MY HEAD AGAIN?

Ugh I'm so embarrassed with that psychotic review but a fangirl's gotta break her keyboard the way only a fangirl does.

BUT YES. EXCITEDDDDD.

Run Away With You? Ok.

2013-03-18T18:55:00.000+08:00

1) I started reading Dark Places a week ago and it's apparently taking me longer than expected to finish it. Not that it's not good but rather because I usually read right before I sleep and I found that I'll get nightmares after I read Dark Places. It's exhausting that the book manages to creep into my dreams and is having an awesome time creating havoc in my R.E.M. sleep. I don't like that it's so good that it's affecting me mentally. Like what goes on in Gillian Flynn's mind? How does she come up with such creepy plots? I have yet to start on Sharp Things but I have a feeling that that book will give me nightmares too.

2) So the Aaron Tveit situation has taken a turn for the worse. Two years ago, when I first mentioned Aaron in this post, I had no idea that it would be taken to a whole new level. It's Tveititis, you guys, and there's we don't need no cure.

This isn't my gif. I was too lazy to make one myself. So if you want credit and stuff, just holla.

3) So Veronica Mars The Movie is going to happen! Hey hey hey! Y'all have no idea just how much this means to the fandom. It was so freaking cool to see the fans all over the world rally together to get things done. It hardly took us 24 hours! It's also cool to see everyone come together like a family! Of course, then the whole Logan-Veronica situation was brought up which is like, you know, epic (fandom inside joke har har) so you can't touch that. But I'd like to see Chris Lowell and his plaid shirts come back though. I mean, come on Kristen Bell BFF who is currently in New York ~~don't ask me how I know this it's not like I stalk his tag!~~ Bring Aaron Ashmore back! Hey, bring Sheriff Lamb back if they know how to work around dead characters! Whatever it is, I'm just happy that the movie is going to happen. Some of my best friendships were fostered from the show. It brought and brings people together. We really do love Veronica Mars, because she's a marshmallow.

4) Still can't come to terms with Google Reader disappearing. Not like I really use it. But when I'm weary and bored and need to pretend that I'm doing something when I'm not, I like using Google Reader. So RIP Google Reader. Most people don't know you, and some people do. For all of us who tried to make Google Reader happen, it didn't happen.

Literary Disco

2013-02-06T23:48:00.001+08:00

Since mid-last year, roughly in June or so, I've been listening to Literary Disco quite religiously. It all began when Rider Strong (whom I am following on Twitter) started promoting this 'book club' podcast of his. Initially, I wasn't really interested but eventually got round to it due to...no reason actually. I just decided to take a listen to it. And ever since then, I've been hooked.

So my alter ego Twitter has been tweeting Literary Disco off and on over the last few months. Random fangirl stuff really. And last week, the account requested from their followers to randomly give them a set of numbers that they were going to use in a future podcast. I replied and forgot all about it.

Fast forward to this week's podcast! I was buzzing with excitement because I knew that it was going to be the Hardy Boys episode. HARDY BOYS. Like, I grew up, adored, loved and emulated Nancy Drew as a child. And this meant that the Hardy Boys were also a part of my childhood. So to hear Rider, Julia and Tod review The Hardy Boys WAS LIKE, IT WAS LIKE THE WHOLE FANDOM HAD ARRIVED OK?

And as I was listening to the podcast at work, I realized that the numbers that they needed from Twitter were for Book Roulette! AWESOME.

And what's more awesome?

I GOT A SHOUT OUT FROM THEM.

LIKE I CANNOT EVEN OK?

<---- at="" mind="" my="" p="" work.="">
I had to toss away my headphones and message/tweet Farah because IT REALLY BLEW MY MIND.

And throughout the whole day, I was just like this all the time:

Because this is major, this is huge and I AM SO HAPPY. And I know it's a small mention and I know it's the alter ego's name but STILL. STILLLLLLLLL. RIDER SAID MY TWITTER HANDLE AND JULIA SAID MY TWITTER NAME AND TOD CRACKED A JOKE ABOUT HAZELNUT/CHOCOLATE
SPREAD AND I'M JUST.

So yeah, it was definitely an honour! :D

Sorry about the capslock assult. Some things just have to be capslocked.

Why Jensen Ackles Though?

2013-02-03T13:16:00.003+08:00

A couple of days ago, I had the weirdest dream. I found myself in a room and I was running? And hiding behind things? And someone died? At this point, everything was a blur to me but I just kept following this person with a dusty leather jacket because he seemed to know where we were going and what we were doing. So yeah. It made sense.

And suddenly, that person (I hadn't seen his face yet at that point of time) threw something behind us and there was an explosion and we stopped running. So I guess this was the international sign that everything was ok. And Dusty Leather Jacket guy turned around and it was Jensen Ackles! Or was he Dean? Cause he looked like he was in character. Nope, it was Jensen. And he was running back towards the person who died. And me being, you know, me, I ran after him. Soon, I found him cradling this girl's head and crying and I was like, "Omg don't cry...your fans will cry too."

So Jensen stopped crying and he inhaled deeply and said, "Enough."

(and because this is dream world, the concept of time, space and motion is generally messed up) We warped ourselves to his home and there I was, still shadowing this guy, and he's like packing his clothes up? And he had all these expensive suits vacuum-packed (anal, I know) and ready to be put in storage. And I asked him, "What's going on?" and Jensen passed me a vacuum-packed suit and said, "I'm going after it."

And it was at that point when I thought, "OH! THIS IS HOW HE TURNS INTO SAM."

End dream.

Help.

Happy 200th Anniversary, Pride and Prejudice!

2013-01-27T19:51:00.003+08:00

A gazillion years ago - 28th January 1813 to be exact- a lil' lady published a lil' ol' book that was supposed to serve as a satire on the society that she was living in at that time.

Oh the book was funny. It was filled with lil' ol' quips and had totally quotable sentences like:

"Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."

and of course

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

However, little did lil' Jane Austen know that her book would set out to create a literary revolution that would not only inspire millions of girls to strive to embody Lizzie Bennet, but also create a prophecy that if a man is willing to appear from a lake in a white shirt (especially if said man answers to the name of, say, Colin Firth) then he will, by default, be lusted for by generations of women.

BAM.

In a world where female writers were looked at as trivial and inconsequential, Jane Austen defied all expectations and emerged as one of the few female influences who paved the way for future female writers generations over.

Personally, I wouldn't be where I am today without this book. Pride and Prejudice came into my life when I was still in primary school but it was because of this book (and that BBC Pride and Prejudice series) that I was able to decide at the age of 12 that reading English literature was what I wanted to do. And it seemed as though from 1996 till the day I registered with IIUM, that was what I strove for. I have not regretted it since and I have never tired of recounting this story.

So thank you, Ms Austen, for producing this amazing book. Lizzie and Darcy, in the glory of their frustrating stubbornness, has brought so much joy, entertainment and inspiration to so many of us for 200 years.

There is no doubt that Pride and Prejudice will continue to entertain and inspire generations to come.

Books of 2013

2013-01-10T10:37:00.001+08:00

Tis that time again!

Er, though I skipped a few reviews last year, I promise to do better this time around!

I also pledged to read 50 books this year so we'll see how that goes. Though the usual method is to simultaneously read 3 books at a time (pretty sure that's cheating somehow), this year will be slightly different. I am going to attempt to read one book at a time. I've actually never done this before so it's going to be interesting.

Les Miserables: The One Where I Cried So Hard I Started Coughing

2012-12-26T16:49:00.001+08:00

Different people have different opinions about this movie and if you're going to go into it already hating an actor, then chances are you'll end up hating the whole movie.

I, however, loved it.

1) Everytime Anne Hathaway was onscreen, I'd end up lip-quivering. Actually, no. I lip-quivered only at the start. Right after she sold her hair, I pretty much had a snot-fest. She was SO. GOOD. I Dreamed A Dreamed destroyed me so much. I came into it knowing that my heart will be ripped to shreds by that song (re: The One Where Firah Heard Anne's I Dreamed A Dream and Proceeded To Cry Into Her Fries) but to see her facial expressions? Something in me died when I saw her.

2) So. I didn't know that they had make up for your teeth?

3) There were so many boob shots in this movie. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

4) Hugh Jackman's hollow eyes and vein-y forehead will haunt me for nights to come.

5) MY AARON TVEIT. YOU'RE THE FIRST REASON WHY I WANTED TO WATCH THIS MOVIE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Baby boo, I need your touch, never wanted somethin so much

I LOVE YOU AARON. FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER AND ALWAYS.

6) Russell Crowe?

His singing was a slight ngeh for me but man did I weep when he jumped the bridge at the end.

7) EDDIE REDMAYNE. Mel said that that adorable boy had to do several takes until he was really ok with his performance. The boy looked terrified in some of the scenes, but Empty Chairs KILLED ME WAAAAAAAAAA. His sad!face is just too precious.

8) The movie's long and there are time jumps. So if you're not a musical fan, and you don't like time jumps then maybe the movie's not for you. I found that if you're not paying attention to the lyrics of the song, then you may find it difficult to understand the movie/musical. So it's good that they had the English subtitles on the screen as well to help you out. It will also help if you know a thing or two about the French Revolution.

9) LMAO at Eponine being friend zoned. On My Own is such a Forever Alone song aka my theme song waaaaa

10) Grossest scene ever goes to the sewer/sludge scene. Because eww.

So yeah. Go to the loo before going into the cinema because it's going to be a long 2 1/2 hours.

2012 Was A Good Year

2012-12-24T23:10:00.004+08:00

I had a good year, Alhamdulillah. It was a year of laughter, of tears (since I can cry at the drop of a hat), of adventures and of milestones.

Here are a few of the things that I'm thankful for:

1) Family

Because all day, everyday, I will not have the strength to be who I am without them. They are my everything.

2) Friends

Blessed because my friends are amazing. Super amazing. Like if I could bake a cake for each of them, I'd bake super duper chocolate cakes cause mmm chocolate. I know I'm not easy to be friends with but they tolerate me, they put up with my neurotic madness, they put me in my place (because I do need it), but most importantly, they've been there for me unquestionably and they've accept me for me. I love my friends. And I'm glad that I'm constantly given chances to tell them that I do. And, yes, Farah and Maha, you you guys are at the top of this list!

3) Travelling

Not one who travels a lot, but I was blessed to visit Bali with Farah, and Perth to visit Maha this year. What was important about the trips was the company. Like, I could just hang out with them at a random coffee shop and it'll be perfect. But the blessing to be able to travel, and to have amazing memories there with people that I love? Alhamdulillah.

4) M.A.

Alhamdulillah, I managed to complete my Masters this year. Eh.It was a crazy journey and one that I don't want to rehash. But yeah, alhamdulliah it's all over.

5) Books

Last year, I signed up for Good Reads' Reading Challenge whereby I pledged to read 30 books in 2012. Guess I went slightly above the limit!

But in all seriousness, I'm glad that I took this challenge because not only did it help motivate me, but it also allowed me to discover just how easily one can simply stop reading.

6) Tumblr

If I could kiss David Karp, I would. Because this website has brought me so much happiness. When you've led your life as somewhat a loner just because people couldn't understand why like the things you like, why you love movies so much that you memorize their dialogues, why your life seems to revolve around TV shows and why you go into full on stalker mode when it comes to your celebrity crushes, TUMBLR PEOPLE UNDERSTAND. And it's home.

7) Good Customer Service

I don't know why but this year, I've been blessed with good customer service almost all the time. From people who've helped me out at shops, or suppliers who've gone to great lengths to ensure that I get what I need. And most of them have done so with smiles. And I'm thankful for that. It really does make a lot of difference.

8) My Students

They keep me young. Teaching is a love-hate relationship but after 5 years of serving in this field (reluctantly at first), I've come to accept that teaching is what I'm supposed to do. My main role is to ensure that these kids graduate as a better person. If they don't learn anything I've taught them in class, I just want to make sure that they know

a) how to treat a people with respect by not laughing at them when they're trying to improve themselves

b) that you're not stupid as long as you are willing to try.

c) there's no point in being a smart ass because all you're gonna get is a raised eyebrow

And what I've taken away from my students are:

a) all they need is for someone to tell them that they can do it

b) listen. Because there are a lot of things that they are not saying, but they want to.

c) planning your classes to a T will never work. Because everything will be derailed the moment you step into that classroom

d) I love my students.

9) Kindle

A decision that was a long time coming. I am so in love with my Kindle, it's not even funny. I will always remember when I finally received my Kindle because it arrived a few hours before I was about to leave for my trip to Bali with Farah. People who say e-books are not books need to can it because the only reason why I need a Kindle is because I've run out of bookshelf space. And worse still, if I find that I love an ebook, I'll buy the book anyways and I know that renders the point moot but whatever. tsha

10) Self-Acceptance

It's been a struggle all my life. It's still a struggle sometimes. But this year, among all the years before, I find myself happier in my skin than I've ever been. I'm fine with myself. And of things that upset me or make me angry, I'll just walk away because to be angry at things, and to use words to demonstrate my anger, is exhausting. I realized that if you don't like something and you want to change it, you need to shut up and do.

Basically, 2012 has been a very good year, alhamdulillah. And I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize for anything that I may have said or did that was hurtful, painful or if it crossed the line. I truly am sorry.

I usually do not make it a habit to have resolutions but I guess for 2013, I hope to accomplish the same thing I've been hoping for every year:

a) To be a better person than I was before

b) To be a happier person than I was before

Happy 2013, everyone! May you be accompanied with love, joy, happiness and laughter always! Let me leave you with what is perhaps the WORST Mariah Carey music video ever. ~~And you know that this means something coming from ME.~~ Trust me, you'd want to click it. Especially after the 2:25 mark. Go ahead. Click. CLICK.

So I Took Leave From Work For A Book Fair

2012-12-22T15:33:00.001+08:00

Drove to the Big Bad Wolf fair with Yana and got these babies! And this is the stash from the first day. I got too lazy to take photos of the second stash hahaha.

Actually, I think this is going to be a problem.

And no trip to KL will be complete without getting a chance to meet up with Farah!!! We had dinner at Tony Roma's for steak and it was SO GOOD.

HUNGRY FOR FOOD FACES

This time with Yana!

And random Scottish band not from Scotland!

Le Visit to Perth! (This is a pic heavy post)

2012-12-20T20:58:00.002+08:00

Last week, I took a solo trip to Perth to visit Maha for a few days! Muhaiza was supposed to come along with us but unfortunately due to work circumstances, she wasn't able to make it :(

However, she was always on our minds because:

It was also my first time going overseas alone, which was pretty exciting. Maha met me at the airport with the BIGGEST hug! And I had the BEST time there!

On with the pictures!

This is a clock tower at London Court. I absolutely love this place because everything was so adorably British! I felt like I was living in Shakespearean time.

There were lots of street performers at London Court. This guy...was doing the robot? I think?

Front view of the Heath Ledger Theatre

The Heath Ledger Theatre. It was built to celebrate Heath Ledger after his passing. It's so pretty!

So there is no real reason for this picture except the fact that from afar, the lady in black looked a lot like Anne Hathaway HAHAHA

I was actually down with a really bad cough while I was in Perth. Maha was an amazing hostess and one night, when I realized that I needed honey to sooth my throat, she gave me this! :D

We got somewhat lost at Fremantle and accidentally stumbled on this route to a lighthouse. I love how that seagull looks like it's about to fly towards our car.

COFFEE, YOU GUYS. COFFEE.

Randon beautiful flowers at Kings Park

Isn't this THE BEST license plate? We had to go all covert op to get this photo because the driver was actually still in the car!

I forgot the name of this bread but OMG IT'S SO DELICIOUS.

On my last day, we went to the beach with Maha's roommates. I think the beach's name is Leighton? Like Leighton Meester! And there were so many guys parasailing! I think that's what we call it? Or whatever it is that you call someone who glides on the water with a board?

GUYS. COOLEST. TRASH. CAN. EVER.

I'm sorry but yeah. The town's name is just to funny.

I LOVE Perth and insyaAllah if I have the chance, I'd love to go back to visit again! I love how friendly the people are and how everything was so relaxed and calm. I did miss eating meat though hahaha. But above everything, I am so thankful that I managed to spend time with Maha because I MISS HER. It was hard to leave, more so because of the company than anything else. <3 p="p">

It was a really really lovely holiday!

2012-12-16T22:21:00.000+08:00

I really want to blog about my trip to Perth to visit Maha and my trip to KL to see Farah and buy books but the non-stop travelling has left me exhausted so I will get to it once I can find time to sit down.

But I do need to say that I'm blessed to have awesome girlfriends and I am just so thankful to Allah that I was given a chance to spend time with two of the most important ones in my life.

--

2012-11-19T17:25:00.004+08:00

Unpopular Opinion but:

1) I don't understand when this whole thing started turning into a measuring stick for how 'true' a person's faith is. I thought the focus was on bringing awareness towards what's happening there, not how 'true' or 'untrue' you are to your faith based on how much you 'speak up'.

2) 'Speaking up' requires facts. And sometimes it's hard to say anything when you don't know the facts. But when the 'information' that people keep spreading are emotionally-laced without facts, it's kinda difficult to explain what's going on to those who don't understand. 'How can you?!" and "Do you see what this is?!" are not enough to convince people who do not know head or tail about what's going on to start caring. Because they don't know what they're supposed to care about, especially if they do not have a religious connection to it.

I've said my piece. And maybe it sounds like it's coming from someone who is uneducated or uninitiated. Fine. Maybe that's what I am. do care. What's going on is heartbreaking. But these are things i can't help but notice.

Ben Whishaw

2012-11-17T21:57:00.000+08:00

The Hour season 2 started again this week. Which means I'll get to see Ben Whishaw on my screen every week for the next few months.

This picture's part of my phone's wallpaper btw

Speaking of which:

"I can learn Shakespeare easily enough, but trying to say some of Q’s lines in the early hours of the morning was very tough indeed. I still remember going up to Sam at five in the morning feeling like my eyeballs were falling out. I just put my hand on his shoulders and said, 'Help me!’"" (x)

And he doesn't even own a computer.

This man is so endearing, I just wanna squeeze him...or something.

Also, I had an odd dream about him last night. Odd because I dreamnt that he was my mechanic and we met because I needed to fix my car. And since I usually go to the same mechanic (in real life), we eventually became friends. And hit it off. And things got complicated ala romance novel-land (because that's how I roll). And it was glorious because it may have ended with me chasing after him, stopping, before saying, "I'm sorry, ok?"

I dunno, man. This face is sorta kinda haunting me right now. It's been a long time coming really, ever since Farah, Yas and I watched Perfume in the cinema 6 years ago. I mean, we always knew who Whishaw was, and that he's creepy but hot.

Nowadays though? With his flourish for Shakespearean content and just the uncanny ability to be so adorkable and humble?

I'm done. He's done me in.

Julie Garwood, Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan, Ellen Degeneres

2012-11-15T14:51:00.000+08:00

It's November! And it's one and a half months away from 2013! I'm finishing off all the books that I'm in the process of reading so that I can start on a new reading list next year. The only irritating thing about maintaing a reading list and having an ebook reader is the realization that the process of adding more books to your already straining list is inevitable.

But oh well. All the more books to read, I suppose.

Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood

I picked this book up on a whim because I wanted to try out another author in the genre. Not too sure why I settled with Julie Garwood but 'crime', 'reporter' and 'FBI agent' were the three main reasons as to why I eventually chose it. Didn't like the book though. It was interesting enough at the start, at times even witty but eventually the writing started becoming really sloppy and I felt as though the writer (or maybe it was a ghost writer?) was bored with the process and was just stringing words along to finish it. The sentences became choppy and by the end of the book, I wasn't sure if I wanted to read any of Julie Garwood's books anymore.

Unless someone can convince me that it will get better than this.

Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan

Smart Bitches Trashy Books is pretty much the go-to site for smart girls who love romance novels (and are proud of it dammit!). So when I realized that the two girls who are responsible for the site came out with this book, it was an obvious purchase. This book (and Everything I Know) almost didn't arrive at my house. I was rather paranoid about it because:

1) Amazon only had a few copies left so my purchase was delayed
2) Malaysia customs can be a pain in the butt

But they eventually arrived and I hopped on to the SBTB bandwagon immediately. I liked the book, sort of? It reads like an explanation as to why it's not wrong for a girl to love romance novels but at the same time, it felt like they were preaching to the choir. However, some of the descriptions on stereotypical romance novel components were pretty hilarious. I suppose it's an ok book. Didn't knock my socks off but it was enjoyable enough.

Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Romance Novels by Sarah Wendell

I suppose this will be the second installment to the first book. While Heaving Bosoms read more like a how-to guide, Everything I Know reads more like a collection of testimonials from fellow romance readers. Again, it felt like they're preaching to the choir. It wasn't as witty as the first book but it was nice to know that there are romance readers out there who are able to not only identify with the genre for numerous reasons, but also the reality that they are smart, amazing women who find joy in reading about happily ever afters. Hardcore romance fans may like this book but skeptics might find it a tad boring.

The Funny Thing Is...by Ellen Degeneres

This book = random. So random that I didn't even know whether there was a point to it. Sure, it was funny. It's Ellen, how can it not be funny? And there were bits and pieces about her own life in it. But most of the time, the book bordered on random and silly.

Happy Birthday Nora Roberts!

2012-10-10T19:27:00.001+08:00

10 October is Nora Roberts's birthday. The queen of romance novels, the one who has four pseudonyms under her belt. She was the first author inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She's written so many books that I don't think I'd be able to finish all of her books in this lifetime.

There's a rumor that if you arrange all of her books that are in print side by side, there will be enough books to circle the globe.

She's the first contemporary romance writer that I had the pleasure of reading from. Heaven and Earth was a good choice to start off on my Nora Roberts journey. And sometimes when I'm in the mood, I'll reread it again.

To celebrate her birthday, I decided to just lay out the subgenres found in romance genre. Some say, "Pish posh, romance novels are all the same. Fabio's always on the front cover."

NOPE. You couldn't be more wrong.

Contemporary Series Romance
Series romance novels that focus primarily on the romantic relationship and typically set after 1945.

Contemporary-Single Title Romance
Romance novels that focus primarily on the romantic relationship, released as individual titles, not as part of a series and set after 1945.

Historical Romance
Romance novels set in any time period prior to 1945, and taking place in any location.

Inspirational Romance
Romance novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs (in the context of any religion or spiritual belief system) are a major part of the romantic relationship.

Paranormal Romance
Romance novels in which the future, a fantasy world, or paranormal happenings are an integral part of the plot.

Regency Romance
Romance novels in which the majority of the story is set against the Regency period of the British Empire.

Romantic Suspense
Romance novels in which suspense, mystery, or thriller elements constitute an integral part of the plot.

Young Adult Romance Novels with a strong romantic theme geared toward young adult readers.

Source

I'm usually inclined to read the contemporary series, contemporary single title and the romantic suspense genres but once in a while, when the mood strikes, I'll turn to Regency or Historical. People are usually pretty strict with the subgenres that they prefer so any form of cross-genres are usually done hesitantly.

Romance novels and romance writers are usually given a lot of flack for being too fluffy and generic. But 'fluffy' and 'generic' always finds itself at number one on the New York Times bestsellers list. Also, if you go to book sales, it's the one genre that's either missing from the sale or are sold with hardly any discount. The genre generates profit, no matter how much society wants to look down on it.

It also creates sassy women too.

Nora Roberts: The woman who rewrote the rules of romantic fiction

Dan Stevens’s Face: A Haiku (no imagery but whatever)

2012-10-09T13:56:00.003+08:00

Your face I just can’t

I just cannot with your face

What is your face Dan