It’s the end of the year!

And.. I’m feeling rather ambivalent about it. Lately something’s been bugging me enough that I can blog (however minimally) about it, and that’s not swell at all.

So there are things that bug (for the lack of a better word), and then there are things to look forward to — like Christmas! Can’t wait can’t wait can’t wait. :D Somehow just really look forward to Christmas because just remember the whole atmosphere in US last year, and there’s just something magical about Christmas that you can’t say exactly what, so I guess that’s what makes it so magical :)

And then, the in betweens: EXAMS. I’m right smack in the middle of my examinations now, and been pretty okay so far. During my paper yesterday while I was writing furiously towards the last 20mins of the paper I suddenly stopped, and found out that I actually miss this feeling. The feeling of chiong-ing everything out on paper towards the end, the feeling of really studying and answering the questions ‘cos you know you studied, staying back till late at school to study, the feeling of flipping through the pages and just feeling satisfied. Wah, talk as if I’m gonna get super good grades like that right, lol.

So there’s a super impersonal and one-side of the coin post there for ya. Feelin rather.. critical (?) now. Lol.

Going back to hit e books, till then.

Hello. I haven’t been here for quite a while ‘cos
1) kinda busy with stuffs lately
2) not really in the mood to blog
3) everybody else’s migrated over to facebook / twitter.

So, being the inactive facebook user I am, I decided to announce here,

I AM NO LONGER A HELPLESS ‘L’ PLATE DRIVER

Yeah, move on to ‘P’ plate already but nobody’s complainin! I finally passed my test :D :D :D

Am so elated, you have no idea, and seriously if there was anything to be learnt throughout these 3 times of taking the test, is that God is in control the whole time. I have absolutely no doubt about that. And that He loves me so much, it’s ridiculous!

Lol.

About the facebook thing, why I am so ‘inactive’ is basically because I feel uncomfortable letting the whole world know on their newsfeed what I am thinking, feeling, doing.. It’s like being transparent to people, some of them you don’t even know well, ya know? I know the whole blogging thing is getting a little passe, call me traditional, but I guess I prefer it this way because at least there’s the choice element, I guess.

Well, enough with the ranting. Till e next time I feel like blogging :D

Jesus took the wheel
Took it from my hands
Couldn’t do it on my own
I’m letting go
Gave me one more chance
Saved me from this road I’m on
Jesus took the wheel!

P.S
Bring on the exams!

Don’t you think?

Anyway, I think I’m never gonna pass my driving test. I went into circuit for 2 times in the last 2 weeks, and I totally did not do my best. Reverse parked again and again and again and each time was so bad, I knocked down the pole one time. Yes, laugh, all you female-drivers-are-so-lousy advocates. I think there’s no way in the world I’m gonna pass my test in 2 weeks time and I’m quite sad about it :(

Well, other than that school has been going okay to pretty well so far, and I kinda like university life. Much freedom for much things, but other than that most of the time I don’t really feel like I’m studying in university. Currently, I think I’m a fan of edveNTUre, my school’s portal system, because I keep logging in for notes and assignments and stuff ‘cos I love my stationery to be in tip-top order. If they had a counter for the site, I think I’d be at the top.

Well, for the driving part, I think I’m just gonna do my best and if I fail, I fail. Take public transport is no big deal, I contribute less to global warming and I save energy and don’t have to worry about jams. That’s good, right?

Till the next post!

P.S
I think this movie season is pretty good — I think somebody somewhere in this month has watched at least one good movie. Just a thought.

Some of you may not know this, but I’m a real advocate of saving the Earth. Example is like when I go to the supermarket or grab anything from the convenience store, I would also say ‘no’ to plastic bags. I think it’s real important that we play our part in saving the environment ‘cos it’s degrading at a real scary rate. So to compel you to not use plastic bags, I found out ten reasons why:

EzineArticles.Com:

1. A Plastic bag takes 450 years to biodegrade.


2. The production of Paper bags causes 70 percent more pollution than Plastic.


3. When Plastic “photo degrades” it ends up in our oceans. Incidentally, it appears much like a plankton, and is then consumed by fish. Fish eat it, and it winds up on your dinner table.


4. The recipe for making paper bags starts with 1 part pulp, 400 parts WATER.


5. The recycling of plastic emits heavy metals into the air causing extreme air pollution.


6. An average person will use over 350 bags in a single year!


7. In New York City, one less grocery bag per person would reduce waste by 5 million pounds and save US$ 250,000 in disposal costs.


8. In 1999 more than 14 million trees were cut down to produce 10 billion paper bags that were used by Americans that year.


9. Reusable bags save 700+ bags over the span of their lifetime!


10. If we spread the word about the importance of reusing our grocery bags, work together, and somehow this movement catches on, the end up benefit to the Earth is going to be huge! We are talking millions of gallons of fresh water saved, millions of gallons of fuel saved, and hundreds of thousands of acres of forest land saved every year!

So when you get something from a shop and it’s convenient to put it inside the bag you’re carrying, just put it inside and don’t ask for a plastic bag! And if the destination you’re going is a short distance away, just hold it in your hand till you get there :D

Another way of saving the Earth is to print double sided when you’re printing notes for school, or materials and documents you need from the computer. What I do is that I squeeze 2 pages on a landscaped paper, and double-side it. So effectively you’re saving four times the paper! Re-use paper that’s been used on a single side too :D

Well, some people are passionate ‘bout sports, some have compassion on animals, some are interested in politics, but I care for the Earth. So don’t ask me why I’m like that. I just find it very heart pain when I see a lot of paper being wasted and a lot of plastic bags going to waste. So let’s all try to do our part alright!

With the boy in this movie and the whole movie.

‘Under the Same Moon’ (La Mimsa Luna)

This played in the 2007 Sundance Festival and I know that I’m slow to know about this show but I managed to catch it on cable and I’m glad I did! The only regret I have is that I missed out on the chance to watch it in a real theatre.

I love this movie because, for one, the boy is so cute, funny, determined with a mind of his own, spunky, with character and so sensible, and he actually smuggled himself across the US-Mexican border just to get to his mum. I just adore him! (I don’t usually gush about people much so you should know he’s really that good!)

I know it’s foreign to most of us with the whole illegal immigrant thing and across-the-border business, but watching this show and studying it in my course really brought to my attention things that I’ve never cared in the past. These problems are real, the people are as real as we are and they have the same feelings as we do. Saying that this film provokes thought is a simple understatement, it evokes profound feelings that can never be brought up with a first-hand experience.

The boy’s character in the film is a real charmer, and I think I would have wrote in to Fox Searchlight if he didn’t manage to find his mum in the end but he did, with so much happening in between. I really have to take my hat off to the people who did this, and you should watch it because it has so many so many strong messages that they will linger for the next few days.

Gosh, this movie took my breath away — so not your typical sobfest ’cos it tears you away from your comfortable world as you know it and puts you in the shoes of the lives you never even knew existed. Goodness by far the best touching movies I’ve watched so far.

I can’t say how much I love movies!

Finally have some space to breathe, finally have some time to rest, and I’m finally getting down to posting again.

Sorry haven’t been posting for the last, uh, month, but a lot has been going on recently and it really feels like the longest marathon I’ve ever run, with no time to gasp for air or no time to rest.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that bad. Hahh. Well, as you all might have known by now, I’ve officially launched my first blogshop! Click here if you haven’t already been to it already. It’s really my pride because I spent an awful a lot of time into it, research, brainstorming, thinking and planning. Not easy at all. But I’m glad because I’ve got some wonderful people who were more than willing to help me and I’ve learnt so many valuable skills (everybody should learn how to Photoshop, man).

I really am more than satisfied with the result and couldn’t be happier :D If you still can’t tell, I really looooove layouts like scrapbooks, journals, notebook paper, post-its, thumbtacks and the works. And I know most girls go weak for those stuff too. Look at the similarities between my blog layout and the shop! Almost the same, no?

Other than the online shop stuffs, I’m also proud to announce that I’ve survived TWO weeks of uni. Awesome, awesome stuff. I really love what I’m studying now (sociology, for all those who are ignorant), and I love love love to read and think and write. I love the library, and the many many benches and tables that are all around NTU where we can just sit and enjoy the breeze and study.

Getting around was a nightmare at first because I was finding the place by myself and I was late for class and the school is like freakishly huge but glad to find out that NTU students are actually quite helpful and friendly to freshies like me :D

All in all, I just love what I’m doing now. I really thank God for everything He’s put in my life and letting me enjoy whatever I’m doing and I know that truly, all things work for the good of those who love Him! <3

P.S
After this one month, I’m still the same Michelle, just less one big toenail. :O That’s right, my toenail dropped off. Mortified, but intrigued all at the same time. Lol.

I have my practical driving test next Wednesday.

Somebody say “oh my goodness gracious me what on earth are you sure you are in your right mind that is so out of the world”.

I think I’m overreacting.

But I think I have a cause to overreact because it is a driver’s license we’re talking about here!

If I pass, I’ll be terribly happy. If I fail, I’ll be terribly sad. So two extreme reactions you will possibly get on Wednesday.

So excuse me now while I go freak out. Ttyl folks!