For 2010 I want to be braver.

2009 is by far the most challenging year I've endured in all my 22 years of living life. There were failures, trials and tests so big I thought I might not "come out of it alive". Never have I imagined the things that happened this year could actually happen to me but hey, at least I got a nasty slap of reality. I slipped, I fell, I crawled (and I don't mean them literally) but somehow I managed to get to the end of the "tunnel" standing tall in my red ballet flats. And dah nazak dah that kasut. I might need a new pair for 2010 ;p

It's true I guess, "What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger."

Still, I'm forever grateful for the second chance given to fix all the damages done. And I had to remind myself that 22 is a teenie bit young to be having mid life crisis let alone a quarter life crisis.

I'm praying for 2010 to be better than 2009. I missed the feeling of working hard and putting in 110% effort for the things I really want. Somehow along 2009 I lost my determination in everything I do because I went through a nasty failure (the biggest ever in my entire life) and I was not sure what I wanted to do with my life anymore. But parents and close friends knocked some sense in me and a second chance made everything right again. I'm back on the right track and I hope everything that has happened this year will be a lesson well learned.

And I think this is the year to step out of my comfort zone. I've been having this inkling feeling lately, I want to try new things. The kind that'll give you thrill and probably remember for the rest of your life. Bungee jumping? Air ballooning?

Okay, baby steps...I know...

Goals are set (as usual). I manage to even accomplish one already and it's not even 2010 yet. Well, it'll be in less than 5 hours. =) Another in mind is getting into postgraduate school. It'll be the perfect opportunity for me to start a clean slate, education wise.

If You Found Me by The Fray was my theme for 2009 (the somberness was perfect for what I was going through at that time), this year it's going to be all about Fort Minor. Shinoda provided me with just the perfect anecdote for the year 2010. For success you need "ten percent luck, twenty percent skill, fifteen percent concentrated power of will, five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain and a hundred percent reason to remember the name!".

Though I don't think I'd want to feel that much pain. Oh well, no pain no gain right?

I'm off now before I get overly optimistic and include more "quotes of inspiration" here.

The picture is taken from bluquote.tumblr.com. It's one of my favourite page.

That's it then for 2009...

Auf Wiedersehen people. See you next year. =)

Now if she does it like this will you do it like that

It used to be "I Caught Myself" by Paramore.
Because the intro wasn't really loud that it'd wake my 2 other roommates.

Then on days where it's crucial for me to wake up on time (i.e : exams to attend in the morning) it'll be "Dancing In The Moonlight" - Toploader.
Because that is the caller ring tone I set for my parents. Nothing better to scare you into waking up than parents calling early in the morning. ;) I used to wake up in startled daze because I thought my mom was calling me at 6 in the morning.

Then when I was having the Tyson Ritter fever I set the alarm to the song "Time Stands Still" by yes, you guessed it : The All-American Rejects.

But now somehow (and I blame the holidays ;p ) when the alarm goes off I DON'T wake up. In fact I can't even hear the alarm going off. -_-"

Since last month I have the sudden urge of waking up to a really good, uplifting and (annoyingly) loud song. Macam iklan dalam tv tu, bangun pagi with a bright sun streaming through your bedroom window and feeling all chirpy-like because you know you're about to have a great morning, all that jazz...

Right, like the kind of song you put as the alarm clock has an effect towards what your day will be like. Pfft!

Still, it's nice waking up to Metro Station. And I actually do wake up when the alarm screams . Haha.

She calls it "Supercalifragisexy".

I should be sleeping but I'm too excited that I can't seem to calm and rest myself.

Tomorrow I'm going for some retail therapy session with my sister (very much needed after the one planned with Amal & Ain had to be postponed). Probably we'll catch "Alvin & The Chipmunks 2" first. My sister insisted on it.

Yes, it's just another typical girl's day out with my sister. But the reason I'm really excited is because I'm finally getting the Chanel Classic Flap inspired handbag I've been eyeing for months. I saw a similar one in Dorothy Perkins last month but I saw another one that looks almost the same as the authentic version in Miss Selfridge last Saturday. And it's within my budgeted price range. That's always awesome.

Awesome has become my frequently used word this month. I wonder why...

This bag has been getting all the buzz on the internet. At first I wasn't that into it but after seeing a certain favourite style icon of mine with the bag, I was converted.

A confession : During my semester break last August I got hooked on The Hills on MTV. I know, I know...It's not the most intellectual show available on cable TV but there was nothing else better to watch at that time. And I was really curious with the whole 'Speidi' rage thing. From that show I've concluded 2 things. 1. Spencer is a jack@$$. 2. I kind of like Lauren Conrad. She's sweet and I started to take a liking towards her sense of style. It's too bad she left the reality show after the 5th season. Somehow LC made The Hills almost endurable.

So anyway, Lauren was spotted a number of times with the Chanel bag. And that got me all hyped up. Haha.

Always the perfect accessory is the handbag

Casual black

The store has the handbag in 3 colours : cream, red and black. I'm not sure what colour to get. Oh well, we'll see how it goes.

I'm also planning to get a long, knee length cardigan. Something I had in mind for quite some time now. Saw one in MNG that was 50% off. A really good bargain ain't it? I know I don't have to height or *coughs* slender *coughs* figure to pull the look but I could always try. It could even be the perfect motivation for me to lose weight. I'm a girl. And like every other girl, the new year's resolution does include losing weight. Ain's even inviting me to be her gym partner next year. It could be a good idea for me. ;)




Next up : An entry about my other style icon, Serena van Der Woodsen. Before this I've never really bothered myself with people and their fashion styles but after consuming a dose of Blake Lively in Gossip Girl I've become a fashion addict ;D

L-O, L-O, L-O, L-O-V-E...Not!

This is part of a conversation between 2 besties that took place on 21st of December 2009 at around 6-ish pm local time.

Me : Remember that guy I used to have a fling with? The matrix guy...

Ain : Ah yes, yes...

Me : Few months after we broke it off he contacted me. To ask if he could get to know Ellina and wanted to know her number.

Ain : *Insert 'I-can't-believe-it' gasp here* That ba$t@rd!

She said the B word twice.

It's nice having you back Suze Hanna. Welcome home.

Awesome ain't it? To have a friend like that. =)

Oh, and Ellina is another one of my bestie.

I don't usually "kiss-and-tell" all my private stories over the internet but I'm making an exception for this one because it's hilariously entertaining. ;)

Note : Sing the title the way Ashlee Simpson would sing it.

All my girls stand in a circle

And clap your hands this is for you

Wipe away the teardrop from your eye

I was watching reruns of Supernatural season 2 last night. (I know you're probably wondering why would I re-watch a show that was done with years ago but hey, the Winchesters are so much fun to gape at. Haha)

Anyway, in this one episode Sam (my favourite Winchester) has a fling with the victim who actually turned out to be the monster itself. When there was no other cure to help her, Madison, the werewolf-slash-monster girl asked Sam to kill her. Something about not wanting to hurt other people and Sam...you know, the usually sappy drill. Sam was close to crying a river and Dean being a big brother that he is told Sam he'd do it if Sam couldn't bear to pull the trigger. But Sam knew he had to do it himself anyway.

Now why am I giving you a play by play here? Because it was throughout this scene that I noticed a really good background song. It complemented perfectly the entire scene of Sam being in agony for having to kill his *coughs* girlfriend *coughs*.

Then I went googling that song on the internet. The track is called Silent Lucidity by Queensryche. This metal / progressive rock band has been around since the 1981. How cool is that huh? And the track was released in 1990, when I was just 3 years old. It's an oldie but a goodie.

It's a really wicked power ballad (power ballads are slow rock songs for most general rock bands, not the Mariah Carey or Celine Dion kind of ballad) and halfway through the song there's a guy doing some mojo-talk in a really deep. It's hauntingly creepy actually because right after that there's a girl pleading "Help Me". Uuhhh???

Anyway, other than that I love the song. It has a symphony-rock feel to it. Like I mentioned before, if you could fuse orchestra-symphony into a rock track then you've got my vote.

**Charlie And The Chocolate Factory is airing tonight on TV3 @ 10 pm. Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore *yeay!* and lots and lots of chocolate. You can't get any better than that. ;D **

Baby you canNOT drive my car (ever)

Among the many dreams that I have, one of them included driving my very own first car. The things I have planned for my baby and I to do together, the blings I'll accessorize her with, the places she and I will travel to. Haha. ;D

I'm no expert of cars. To me it's just another shiny (if I have it my way) accessory whose sole purpose is getting me from point A to point B safely and in style. So if you're a guy and you're reading this, forgive me and my lack of knowledge regarding automotive. Because as long as the car is red (as in bright shiny red), compact and looks nowhere near a Jeep Wrangler then I hardly care less about trivial things like torques, engines and acceleration performances. Which is why I've enlisted the help of my dad and Rashid (the only guy friend I know who has vast knowledge about all things automotive) when the time finally comes for me to shop for a car. They can worry about all those technical stuff. =D

When I was a teenager I was in love with a Lexus, specifically the RX350 model. I have a thing for cars with big *ahem* butts. The bigger the boot, the more I could squeeze in my shopping bags. Of course, I was too "young" to know about the harsh facts of life that unless I marry myself to a Tan Sri (preferably son of a Tan Sri) there's no way I'd ever have a Lexus parked in my garage before I reach 30.

Then a few years ago I developed an obsession for a girl's car. Because they're kind of cute, small and usually come with a big rear end. Heh, no pun intended to all girls. And I just love a chick car in red. (Being that red is my favourite colour).

There was the Volkswagen Beetle. Come on, how can you not fall in love for a Beetle huh? It is so adorable that I had to smile almost dreamily each time I saw one passing by. A red shiny beetle is just the perfect statement a girl needs. Young, fun, gorgeous and in control. ;p


Then came Perodua MyVi. Malaysian cars never looked this good. Not since Proton Perdana anyway. It was love at first sight with that compact, red vehicle. *Sighing wistfully*

There was also the Suzuki Swift. Kind of edgy but still fun looking. The price however made me think twice about possible future purchasing.

And finally came Kia Picanto. My friends told me about this actually. Something about Naza Kia doing a promotion to make it a more affordable car. Hey, as long as it's not a fugly family car, mini and comes in red, I'm all game.

I might need a name for my baby. I've a friend who owns a white Kelisa and she calls her Snowy. Another friend named her orange Savvy Charlie. ;p

You, epitome of perfection

You know your day is going to be great when you wake up in the morning, play the iPod and 2 of your favourite songs play back to back.

I'm now addicted to The Wind Blows again.

Larger than life ;)

And the Hugo Boss Fall/Winter ad campaign doesn't help either.

Yes, I'm blessed to be a girl. We definitely have all the fun. ;D

Time is definitely GOLD

I'm experiencing it again.

Symptoms include :

• Heart beating abnormally faster and difficulty in breathing.
• Overwhelming sense of euphoric, almost as if I'm high.
• Mind running amok like a screw is loose somewhere as I figure out ways to get my hands on the object of desire. Which, if I'm really determined to have, then no tanks of army can stop me. (Heh, exaggerate much?)

People, my Becky Bloomwood Syndrome is back. This time it's tick-tock I'm craving for.

I like watches, but I don't really collect them. Not the kind who could afford to buy tons of em' just so I could have a different timepiece to wear each day. But I do have a personal favourite choice when it comes to buying watches. Two, actually. Cartier and Fossil Inc.

I like Fossil because the designs are amazing. Very vintage-like, with an edge. Tailored and custom-made for us yuppie generation. Young, urban, professional. ;p

Of course, that was before I saw the La Mer collection. E! was doing a feature about things to get for Christmas gifts and La Mer watches were included. Not that I celebrate Christmas or anything but I do like watching shiny and sparkly stuff. Haha.

Now I've a new thing to include in my must-have list. And they're kind of affordable too. Average price is $120, around MYR 380++ *Me jumping up and down in joy*. The downside : La Mer is not available in Malaysia. The stores are only in the US, Dubai, Korea and Japan. There's always online purchase but the shipping cost is pricey. =(

It's okay though, I'll figure something out. In the mean time, feast your eyes because these babies are so darn yummy. Even better than triple chocolate ice cream.

Glamour yet edgy. Not too girly, just the way I like it ;)

Definitely rock chic

Subtly elegant

Usually to counter myself with the syndrome, I chant wholeheartedly "Ni kemahuan, bukan keperluan". Does it always work? Yes, if there's someone to knock some sense in me. I did mention I have low self-restrain and I don't trust myself when I'm alone. Not with $_$, I don't.

*Pictures and details are courtesy of http://www.lamercollections.com/. At the website you can even customize your own watch to your preference. Lots of straps, charms and diamonds to choose from. They'll then deliver/ship the package to your address.*

Before the socially akward was a Hilfiger model.

I like it when Spencer Reid smiles. He makes me all glow-y inside.

=)

"Waking Up" after "Dreaming Out Loud"

First post for December. Yeay! Less than 4 weeks left before saying goodbye to 2009. So can't wait for 2010.

Finally the album I've been looking forward to buy since its release in November 09. Next up will be Hello Hurricane by Switchfoot. Tapi tak sampai Malaysia lagi... =(

The first round, I was disappointed. Knew I had to be fair so I played the whole album for a second round.

The thing is (and this is from my humble point of view of course), their first album, Dreaming Out Loud was so good that I fell in love with it just after listening for one round. The 2nd time I was really impressed with Ryan Tedder for being able to create such an outstandingly good and worthy album. He had me at Apologize (I preferred the original version compared to the remix made by Timbaland) then he graced me with Stop and Stare. And before Say (All I Need) became a radio mainstream material already was the song one of my favourite hit. Other tracks that weren't played for airwaves were equally good. There was All Fall Down, Mercy, Dreaming Out Loud, Tyrant and Goodbye Apathy. Goodbye Apathy really spoke to me. Like it understood what I was feeling that time. In short, practically the whole album was brimming with good quality tracks.

Am not feeling the same way with their sophomore album though. It's sad because I was really looking forward to the release of Waking Up. It's not that it's really bad, it's just I'm not getting the "Oh-my-God-this-is-one-heck-of-an-album" vibe I usually get when listening to a really good album.

What I do like about OneRepublic's second album is there's more of Brent Kutzle (say Hello to my other guy infatuation =D ) and his cello in this album compared to the first one. Here's the thing, if you could incorporate any classical music instrument in a pop/rock genre then you've got my vote. If the instrument happens to be a violin or cello, lagi la I'm over the moon. Somehow I find the fusion of Vivaldi-like classic with modern rock to be very appealing. But that's just me.

So, what are the recommended tracks to watch out for? In order of most favourite :

Secrets - Next to Say (All I Need), this is my other top choice thus far. An awesome song by again the talented Mr Tedder. Sila tengok the video clip. Brent Kutzle is so damn.....attractive (can't think of other adjectives to describe him but I do know he's everything I looove in a musician)...Lol! Okay, okay. I'll try and be objective here. If you listen, as in really listen, you'll find the composition of this song is beautifully arranged. Kind of like symphony-rock.

All The Right Moves - This is the first single to be released for Waking Up. A polished piece of fusion between rock and contemporary R&B. Video clip can already be seen on MTV. Again, sila lihat Brent Kutzle main cello. *Swoons*

Fear - A slow number. Think Enya and her ethereal sounds.

Made For You - If you buy the album, this track is the first track. This particular song is...hmm...a bit tricky. In a good way...Because the first part was kind of pop/rock-ish. Then there's a pause at the middle of the song and followed by a gospel-like choir singing "All the right moves bla bla bla..." at the very end of the song. But the beautiful thing here is, as soon as they end then it's cue for second track, All The Right Moves. The transition from the choir's low tempo to high was nice.

Good Life - The picture that came into my mind when first listening to this song was a backdrop of wild-life Africa with half-naked men beating drums and big falcons soaring in the skies. Just like the title, I think this is one of those "feel-good" song. The kind that makes you want to throw up your hands in the air and live life for the moment.

Waking Up - I do not like this song. The first half sounded something like Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon, the next half is confusion for me and at the very last minute the tempo slowed down to a piano tune that lasted for 2 minutes and 48 seconds. And this 2 minutes and 48 seconds sounded exactly like November Rain by Guns and Roses. Huh?? Sangat tak suka lagu ni.

OneRepublic - All The Right Moves [Official Music Video]

To sum it up : Dreaming Out Loud was a variety of experimental sounds.
Apologize -> Stop and Stare -> Say (All I Need) all sounded different from each other.

For the second album, it's like they've decided to stick to just one kind of sound. Okay, you may not get my point. I think repetitive would be the word for Waking Up. Lots of chanting and drum beating/thumping. Which is why I imagined the whole Africa wild-life backdrop.

I don't however regret buying this album. OneRepublic is one of the few music groups out there whose sole intention of becoming musicians is to just create genuine, good music.

OneRepublic is not the only (nor the first) band to ever include a classical music instrument in their music. Chris Martin and his piano put a new twist to the huge and famous band, Coldplay. Then there's Keane who for the first 2 albums made music without the use guitar. Cool kan? It was just drums, piano and cymbal. Melee also relies on the fusion of piano and guitar for Devils & Angels. And who could forget Yellowcard. Seriously, dahla punk rock. Lepas tu boleh pulak gabungkan the sounds of violin and make really good songs out of it. Who did not like Ocean Avenue or Only One eh? If there is someone who don't, then dude you're officialy tone deaf. (LOL! Suka-suka hati je kata orang tone deaf).

Oh and a special shoutout to my dear bestie, Nurul Ain a.k.a fake plastic trees : Welcome home darl! =) Assuming of course by the time you read this you've landed safe and sound in Malaysia.

Enoughism : It's never enough.

As plain as I may sometimes look, I do love fashion and all things shiny, blingy and pretty. But if the situation calls for me to dress "practically" instead of "fashionably", then I'm fine with just a tee, hoodie and jeans. Takkan la nak pergi kelas + tunggu bas bawah matahari yang dah sedia maklum terik pakai makeup or heels kan?

I believe that fashion is a medium of expression. What one think is pretty/ugly is different from the next person because every one of us express ourselves differently. You might think the suede jeans worn by the girl across the room is fugly but what you don't know is she's thinking the amount of makeup you're wearing makes you look like a drag queen.

In my opinion, to be regarded as a truly fashionable person, a LOT of work is required. I've a friend who knows a friend and she told me her friend wakes up at 5 am every day just to groom and prep herself to class. Holy M.A.C! The longest I've spent getting ready for class is half an hour.

Another thing that I truly believe in is : Fashion/Beauty is pain. It is never about being comfortable.

I had to learn it the hard way on days when I'm wearing killer (literally, killing my feet) shoes, impractical bags and jackets/blazers too hot for the Malaysian almost-always-dry-and-dreary weather. But I can't help it. I'm a sucker for jackets/blazers.

Am also a fan of hoodies. A hoodie by nature is meant to be comfortable. It's practical but it has a way of making the *coughs* wearer look shabby and bulky. Thus I've come up with a theory that all things comfortable are most of the time a fashion blunder. 2 simple and obvious examples :

Crocs - They're good for your feet but really, the design leaves much more to be desired. There are actually web-pages dedicated to eliminating the very famous plastic shoes. I for one am not a Croc fan, not matter how good or comfortable they are for my feet.

Tudung Arini, Ariani (I'm not even sure what they're called) - Tudung yg direka untuk mereka yang couldn't be bothered to actually pakai the proper tudung with pins and all. A mini version of telekung made of stretchable fabric. Just sarung and you're done. Done for doom that is. I actually banned my mom from buying one of these.

The examples and comments given are just my opinion. My not-so-important opinion, because really, I'm not a fashion police. Please don't get all worked up on my random, almost satirical comments. Did not mean to intentionally offend those who actually do involve themselves with the object of discussion. I myself am a fashion mishap sometimes.

Now we'll move on to a more fun and lighter topic...

Currently there are 3 things I really, REALLY want more than anything:

1. A Loewe 160th Anniversary Special Edition tote bag.


2. A pair of Oxford shoes. I saw one in Clarks that was to die for.

3. Fashion Inside Out : Daniel V's Guide to How Style Happens from Inspiration to Runway and Beyond ( A book by Daniel Vosovic).

Irina Shabayeva won the 6th season of Project Runway. Am really happy. She's my favourite contestant for this season. There was supposed to be a two-hour special episode of Project Runway: All-Star Challenge right after the finale but sadly it's not shown here in Malaysia. I was really looking forward to it when first heard on E! about the all star challenge. Ada Daniel Vosovic okay...He's my most favourite designer throughout all seasons of Project Runway.

Warning : About to enter gushing Daniel V mode.

Daniel V's creations are all beautiful. He's the only guy that doesn't involve himself in any "drama" or confrontations and not even once throughout the 2nd season have I seen him bad-mouthing other contestants. Daniel truly channels his talent in designing and winning to the fullest extent to a point where he won 2 weekly challenges in a row. Plus he's always been the judges' favourite. He takes their comments humbly and turns them into constructive criticism. Some contestants either snap back or get all defensive.

He's also gorgeous, talented, well-mannered and really sweet (you've to watch the show to get what I mean). Like a true classic gentlemen. There's a catch though : He confessed in one episode that he's gay. Dang it! The nicest and gorgeous guys always turn out to be one. But it's okay. I still like him anyway. (I should really join a groupie. Haha)

I was bit sad though he only became the 1st runner up during the 2nd season of P.R . But at least he won the All-Star challenge. Yay to that! =D (Will be looking for that episode on the internet.)

My Loewe tote bag will be arriving in late December. Ordered it online. Told you I'm a bag addict. Now I have to start saving $$$ from scratch again for the oxford shoes.

Ain said that I'm, and I quote "a corporate slave". That, or I'm just leading a consumer-driven life.

Taken from Merriam-Webster :

Consumerism is the equation of personal happiness with consumption and the purchase of material possessions.

Enoughism is the theory that there is a point where consumers possess everything they need, and buying more actually makes their lives worse off.

"It would be nice for once not wanting to kill you all the time"

Jasper had 4 lines, and that was the longest. A bit frustrating though, since he's my favourite Cullen.

Arrived @ Pyramid at 9.50 a.m. Pecah rekod, the earliest I've been to Pyramid. Stores weren't even opened yet. It's becoming a tradition I guess, catching The Twilight Saga films on the very first day of premiere in Malaysia. The line at TGV wasn't long, thank God for that. But by the time it came to my turn, only 3 seats were left available for New Moon at 10.45 am show. Say what?? Nasib baik la I was a lone ranger, if my sister tagged along tadi she'll be sitting at one end of the cinema and I the other.

So...New Moon...what did I think of it?

3 words : Eye candy, plentiful. (Read : Packs and abs)

Oh, and before I forget, let me point out that shirtless guys are EVERYWHERE in this film. Feast your eyes ladies. LOL!


And for the first time since TAK PERNAH, werewolves scared the sh!tless out of me. Or maybe the sound system was doing a good job with amplifying the sound effects.

In terms of visual effects, it was awesome. The action scenes were more...polished, I've to say. Better than the first one (which I was really disappointed with given that I had high hopes for the first movie of Twilight Saga). The love plot and all that jazz, it was okay, I guess. The book did a better job of emotionally wounding me to a point of being almost emotionally unstable. I was practically bawling when reading New Moon and Eclipse. Haha.

My favourite team would definitely have to be the Volturi clan. Never have vampires look so evil, sleek and coldly menacing, it's almost irresistible. Even Dakota Fanning and her 20-minutes of Twilight Saga fame did an impressible job as Jane.

Am going Team Caius. Haha.

So overall was the movie good? Biase je...I've seen better ones. But I'll still watch it anyways out of loyalty to Twilight Saga. Now, let's look forward to the release of Eclipse next year shall we.

Definitely Starstrukk...

I knew I was getting out of my "comfort zone" the day I got hooked on Cobra Starship. Electro slash dance pop was never my preferred genre of music. But if I professed myself as the all-around-music lover, then I do have to divulge myself in all genre of music, right?

Is my taste in music evolving? Can't really say myself... What I can say is I started off my childhood years with boy bands and girl groups (the likes of Backstreet Boys, 911, The Moffatts and of course Spice Girls. I have all of S.G albums). Then there was a time when all I would listen to was Simple Plan because somehow all their songs were relevant to my rebellious teenage life. "I'm just a kid and life is a nightmare". That was my anthem back then along with "Welcome To My Life". LOL! Then I traded teen-angst lyrics for Switchfoot, Hoobastank, Evanescence, Jet. I've been staying on that genre ever since.

Then comes a duo act by the name 3Oh!3. Don't Trust Me was the name of the song. It was constantly on Hitz.Fm that it got stuck in my head to a point where I found myself humming innocently to the tune out of the blue on one random day. I've gone to the dark side. Haha.

Penat kot, selalu dengar lagu-lagu yang heavy that I felt I needed a break. Lol! Sure 90% of their lyrics are racy but the tune is irresistible. My now song of the week : Starstrukk. I've to say Katy Perry added a nice touch to the song.

Right now I'm constantly humming "L-O-V-E's just another word I never learned to pronounce".

This part right here, though could be very demeaning to a feminist, did a good job of cracking me up. LOL!

I think I should know
How to make love to something innocent
Without leaving my fingerprints on

And there's also Daisy Duke, low cuts and see through stuff mentioned. *Shakes head* And you call yourself a feminist dear.

Semi-charmed kind of life

I believe in the sand beneath my toes
The beach gives a feeling
An earthy feeling
I believe in the faith that grows
And the four right chords can make me cry
When I'm with you I feel like I could die
And that would be all right
All right

-Felt like reminiscing with Third Eye Blind-

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List of Things To Do During The Holidays
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.
.
#6. Catch up on my reading.
.
.
.
#14. Clean up my room.
.
.
.

There are piles and piles of books everywhere in my room that I had to practically walk on tiptoes just to get across the room. It's breaking my heart to see some of the books go "unsheltered". Been meaning to get a new bookshelf but current lack of $$$ says otherwise. *Sighs* I hate being broke.

The thing is, I'm a self-professed book hoarder. Last time I checked, there were 13 brand new books that I bought but have yet read. I guess studies kept me busy. (Pfft! Lame excuse, I know). Perhaps now would be a good time as any to catch up on my reading.

Shopping for books I would have to say is much more fun with my dad. My mother can't seem to understand why I keep hoarding/buying all these books. Maybe because my dad himself hoards books. I probably got his genes. Haha.

Note to self : Be a reader, not a hoarder.

Bought 2 new books yesterday. "The Time Traveller's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger and "Change of Heart" by Jodi Picoult. The second book was a hard cover edition and it cost me only RM35. Who could resist a bargain like that eh? ;p

Would give probably anything to have this many book in my house

Baking pies & waking dead

How I've missed writing here. And now because I'm (un)officially on holiday, I can finally rant, spam and review practically anything I want on this blog without having the annoying "You-know-you-should-be-doing-your-work-right-now" voice tugging inside my head.

So, where should I start?

Pushing Daisies Season 2.

I'm back to being happy again =D


A quickie about Pushing Daisies : A story about Ned the pie maker who has a gift. He could touch dead things and bring them back to life. He uses this gift to help solve crime/forensic cases. Think C.S.I minus the always grim and sullen mood. There's 2 simple catch to his ability though. Keep the dead thing alive for more than a minute and something else would die in its place (to keep the balance of life, I presume). And touch a dead thing twice, it dies again. This time, forever. A humourly morbid twist for an otherwise another average American TV show. Anyway, one day Ned brought back Chuck a.k.a Charlotte, his childhood sweetheart from the dead but he can't love or touch Chuck the way a typical guy loves his girl. One touch is all it takes to send Chuck back 6 feet under. Adorable kan, the premise of the story?


What do I like about Pushing Daisies anyway? Hmm...I like how the narrator begins each and every episode with "It's been ** years, ** months, ** days and ** hours..." and ends with "The facts were these...". I like how Lee Pace plays Ned in a bashful, innocent-like manner so perfect to a T. I like the dresses that Chuck wore. Basically, everything that could make me happy is in that show. There's quirk, colour (each episode is literally colourful. Like a children's storybook come to life), daisies (it's my only favourite flower) and pies. Absolutely, visually delicious pies that are to die for. Blueberry, kiwi, lemon...all pies imaginable are in the show. It's sad though they discontinued the series after only 2 seasons. I think it's one of the original series available on TV. If you like the works of Tim Burton, I think you'd like this show.

The many styles of Chuck

You have got to love those red Mary Janes ;p

Another pretty dress.

*Hint to Amal : Bile nk makan lemon meringue pie ni??*

Kathleen Kelly (from You've Got Mail) is my all time favourite female character. The one thing she and I have in common is she likes daisies too. "Daisies are the friendliest flower". Just a random fact I felt like writing. ; )

Daisies my mom bought for me from when we went to Cameron. Cantik kan?? LOL!

Holidays are usually the time of the year where I catch up on all TV shows I've missed. Those in queue include True Blood S2, Castle, Supernatural S4, Criminal Minds and The Amazing Race S15. (I'm soo hogging the telly)

31 Oct with The All American Rejects...

Life is all about choices...

Would you choose your final year project over The All-American Rejects?

I just did. It's killing me even as I'm typing this now. Had Tyson not been injured and performed on last 5th October 2009 and not postpone it to tomorrow, 31 October 2009, I would've been on the concert. But because 16 November is a really important date for me, I couldn't risk the chance of actually having fun at the concert tomorrow night than staying at home straining my brains out trying to figure why is it that my system doesn't seem to work. And I can't really blame Tyson can I? He was hospitalized for crying out loud. That would make me a cruel person to put all the blame on him.

This whole week my brain has been doing it's own version of Piala Debat Diraja where one part longs and yearns to be at Stadium Bukit Jalil tomorrow watching Tyson and the rest of the guys perform while the other part (the one that's really annoying sometimes because it usually tends to be morally correct and I can't, try as I may, ignore it) rebuttals back by saying "You could get a LOT of work done if you stay at home tomorrow night."

But one minute, my mind would go and say :

It's one night only. What difference does it make?

The next minute it would say :

No, bukan one night. 2 days. The whole of Saturday je you dah too excited about the show to be doing anything else. And lepas tu you nak buat sleepover lagi with Diba and Aifa. Sunday baru balik. That's 2 whole days wasted.

Tapi it's The All American Rejects. It's Tyson! And you have the ticket, darn it.

But it's my fyp. You may not understand how important this is but it really is. The faster all this is over, the sooner you get to say auf Wiedersehen to those hellishly annoying programming stuff.

Nanti diorang perform The Wind Blows macam mane??

Dah pesan Izzuddin to record it.

Again, it's The All American Rejects. They're not gonna come back here anytime soon you know..

Well, think of it this way...at least it's not Switchfoot.

God, you're such a loser.

*Admitting resentfully* I know...

*Sighs* Please let there be a silver lining for all this.

--Courtesy of DigiMusic.com : The DiGi Music LIVE concert has a new date and venue! The All-American Rejects is going to rock the stage on Saturday, 31 October 2009 at Car Park A of Bukit Jalil National Outdoor Stadium at 6pm. The band has kept their promise to return and reverted with a new date within days of the postponement announcement. And they're making a surprise visit to the Pavillion, KL at 11 am on Saturday.--

Random : Switchfoot was there first. LOL! If you go into a store called Extreme Shop (tak ingat which level but I know it's in front of Times bookstore), you can see a frame autographed by the whole member of Switchfoot. I've seen it. According to the store assistant, they actually shopped in that store while they were in Malaysia for their concert. Cool kan? Haha.

True Blood Season 2 : Godric

There was a time when all teenie-boppers were googly eyed and gaga-ing over Edward Cullen, I was head over heels for Bill Compton. Being the fan that I am of vampires and their dark, twisted and troubled souls (except for the ones in 30 Days of Night. Those kind gave me nightmares for 4 days after watching it. Had to practically sleep with the lights on), you could say I was disappointed with how Edward was portrayed by Robert Pattinson. I love Edward Cullen in the book but somehow I wasn't feeling the same way about the one in the movie. I guess what I had in mind and how I pictured him isn't the same as what the director had in mind. David Boreanaz of Angel was always the perfect vamp for me. Which was later replaced by Mick St John from Moonlight. Which was then replaced by Bill Compton from True Blood. And now (as sad as I am about this fact), he is replaced by Godric, also from True Blood.


When I bought the 2nd season DVD of True Blood on Sunday afternoon, I promised myself not to watch it until all of my work is done (which would be by the middle of November). I even considered having my mom hide the DVD in some place I don't know (yes, it has happened before. I'm known to have very low self-restraint) but not before I have a sneak peek of it. I have to know what happens to Bill and Sookie...

So I slid the DVD in the player, remote in hand and started fast forwarding from one scene to another. Just a preview, I remind myself. Okay, I see Bill and Sookie (Yeay, they're still together!). Fast-forward. Sam is afraid of a woman named Maryann(I wonder why?). Fast-forward. Eric is hotter now (I'm sure Cia is excited about this). Again, fast-forward. Wait, why is Lorena back in the picture? More fast forwarding. What??!! Eric nak Sookie? Mana boleh!!! Oh my God, Sookie kena attack!! (Bill, you've to help her!!). Fast-forward again. Wait, who's this guy who saved Sookie? Godric? (Siapa pulak Godric ni??) A little of rewinding. Oh, Eric's maker. Fast-forward balik. A 2000 yrs old vampire in a body of a teenager. Powerful (Apparently all other vampires bow to him). Kind (He's against all this bloodshed). Wise (He's very philosophical for someone who's in a teenager body). Troubled (classic tortured soul that looks like he's heaving a tremendous problem in his chest). And my, my, my...aren't you the David Archuleta look-alike (I could go on and on describing him). The best part, he has an accent! Godric, you are officially my new favourite vampire. Accent trumps everything, even Bill.

And with that, I put down the remote and watched the whole scene involving Godric. So much for the sneak preview. Then when the scene is over, I fast-forwarded to another scene with Godric in it. Up to the scene where he plans to kill himself (What?? Get off from that roof Godric!!) And when the sun rose, he stood there and burnt to death. (Why? Why? They should've killed Eric!!)

Godric only lasted 4 episodes. And with that I switched off the DVD player. Texted Cia to mourn over the death of Godric (she has finished watching the whole 2nd season). I'm not even sure I'm looking forward to watch the whole DVD come this November. *Sighs* Why did they have to kill Godric??!!

This just in : Because the character (Godric) proved to be popular among viewers (see, I told you), the creator of the show hinted the possibility of Allen Hyde returning as Godric in the near future.

*Nak beli the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Most bookstores sell them separately and there are 10 books altogether. Went to KLCC last week and saw the box-set at Kinokuniya. Wajibla nak beli but it's RM 300!! Mane nak cari duit??? I think I need to brush up my begging skills with my mom. Yeah right! Like THAT'll ever happen*

Spoiler ahead : The books said Sookie ends up with Eric and they're married. *Haiyoo*

I'm the hero of the story...Don't need to be saved

I don't think I'm over (500) Days Of Summer just quite yet... (=

Favourite songs from the soundtrack include :

She's Got You High - Mumm-ra (my favourite)
Hero - Regina Spektor
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
Here Comes Your Man - Meaghan Smith

*I've heard of the name Hall & Oates before but never actually listened to any of their songs. This song and video however definitely made my day*


*Zooey Deschanel sangat cantik kan?? (= Lagi satu video yang saya sangat suka...*


*The new soundtrack for New Moon by Death Cab for Cutie. Too bad Paramore won't be contributing any tracks. Decode was one of my favourite.*

*Though it might seem like video ni takde kene mengena dengan (500) DoS, the lead singer is actually the husband of Zooey Deschanel.*

*I've a feeling Seth Cohen might cringe at the thought of Death Cab for Cutie going mainstream. Haha.*

You should know up front this is not a love story.

The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.

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Especially you, Jenny Beckman.

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Bitch.

That cracked us all up. And the movie hasn't even started yet.

I love everything about (500) Days of Summer.

It's refreshing, clever, realistic. Romantic comedies that don't make me cringe (Read : Made of Honor & Ghosts of Girlfriends Past to name a few) nowadays are so hard to find. Therefore the ones that don't make me roll my eyes and snort much deserve to be mentioned here. Joseph Gordon Levitt played Tom Hansen (with his signature naive, puppy dog look) so well that it was hard for me not to root for the guy. I also love how he uses his architecture knowledge to tell viewers about the history of some great (and breathtakingly beautiful) buildings ever built. There's also Matthew Gray Gubler, my troubled and brooding doctor from Criminal Minds. Only here he's all funny man and rays of sunshine. =D

And the best part about the whole movie? The songs in it are awesome. Am looking forward to get the soundtrack.

This movie has officially become my top favourite movie. Can't wait to get the DVD!

Random : I love Vio pipe by Butterfingers. It's so much fun reminiscing about the good old days.

And I've finally watched My Sister's Keeper. Kena say thank you to the Apek cina and his kedai belakang my rumah sewa. Cia and I cried buckets. Now I'm not sure if I'm willing to take the risk of watching it in the cinema.

Heard that I was trouble but you couldn't resist

Tumblr is my new best friend. Sometimes I think I spend way too much time THERE than HERE. Then again, if Mimi is Miss Carey's alter ego, then I would say mine is tensongsandavolumelouder. Therefore it's only obvious that I'd be spending more time with my Tumblr since the alter ego is just a part time job after all.

So a friend of mine told me some of my blog posts are getting way, way irrelevant with the love I have for music. Another even asked have I not been listening to anything new lately. Since I'm pressed for time (I'll be free only after mid November), I'm going to do a quick and brief review of some of my current favourite songs at the moment.

1. She's A Genius by Jet.

Fell in love with this one at 1st sight. Or rather, sound. What's not to love about it. It's upbeat, the guitar riffs during the intro are amazing and I'm a definite sucker for all songs that pay tribute to us ladies. Plus, Jet has always produced great old-school, garage-rock songs that's hard not to love.

They said, "Hey there girl, tell me what do you do. She said, "Nothing, but I'm damn sure it's more than you."

Definitely my fave part...

2. Waking Up The Satellites by Sounds Under Radio.

A soundtrack for the movie "Wargames : Dead Code". The movie was a yawn but the song was awesome. The only glitch : the song is really hard to find on the Internet. Either it's is a promo song that's not released into an official single yet or they never intended on releasing it at all. That would be a major bust.

3. Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship ft Leighton Meester.

Gabe is such a *swoons* hottie. Miss Meester, stick to being the Waldorf we love to hate in Gossip Girl. Because singing ain't just for anyone.

Okay, objectively speaking I love the song. I think all girls love the song. I mean...come on...surely all of us has a teeny tiny part inside of us that's just waiting to be free and act like a total massive b!t*h. If you're shaking you're head right now, stick to Halo by Beyonce then.

4. Elgar/Something Inside, This Time & Bach/Break by Jonathan Rhys Meyer.

All 3 are from the original soundtrack of "August Rush". Like I said in the previous entry, the movie was amazing and the soundtrack is equally breathtaking. Classical music has always been another passion of mine (Vivaldi being my top favourite followed by Bach). For these songs, the sound of violin and cello compliments the slow-rock ballad really beautifully.

5. She Is Love by Parachute.

A new band to look out for. I had a "taste" of their album the other day in Speedy and I must say the entire album is quite good. I would say they're the less "cynical" version of Maroon 5. Adult pop with a hint of blues and jazz in them.

6. Lost by Coldplay ft Jay-Z

I think Jay-Z made the song sound good. Like he did with Numb and Rehab. I never used to like Coldplay. They drone. Their music puts me to sleep. My smart (*coughs* geek *coughs*) friends (2 docs, a teacher and a mathematician) all love Coldplay since they were in high school. I used to think Coldplay are for intelligent people only. Because I can't seem to "get" their song. When I told this to a friend of mine, all she did was laugh out loud. Told me I was being absurd. Anyway, when Coldplay released Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, I find myself actually liking all the songs in it. First was Viva La Vida itself. Then it was Lovers in Japan. Now Lost. Have I grown up or am I smart now because I've finally "gotten" their songs?? Would that mean I was dumb back then??

7. Never Gonna Be Alone by Nickelback.

Very generic for a title and the song sounds like what Nickelback always sounds like. Predictable. Radio-chart friendly. But I'm hooked on it anyway. Like, you know how eating your toast with butter is really the most unimaginative way of having your breakfast. Surely there's the extravagantly rich chocolate spread or the 10 different flavours of marmalade and jams to have your toast with but bread and butter has a way of giving you that mushy, feel-good, comfort feeling inside. That is how all Nickelback rock-ballads are like.

Okay...I'm rambling...getting way, way irrelevant now.... I'm stopping right this very moment...

There you have it. 7 songs for 7 days of the week. I'll be leaving you with this piece of article that I found while reading a random magazine the other day. (It totally proves my point of smart people listening to smart music (a.k.a Coldplay). I'm not being absurd after all!)


"In a U.S study that compared students' SAT results (a test taken by students to enter college, kind of like SPM) with their favourite music, fans of Beyonce music came out second last. At the last spot are fans of rapper Lil' Wayne. Classical music fans scored higher than anyone else. Also credited with above average intelligence are fans of bands like Radiohead and U2. Fans of Aerosmith and Nickelback however scored rather low."


No wonder both my dad and Yaz's preferred Brits to Americans.

Truth be told : It's only good for laughs...

Went to Pyramid with Ellina earlier today. Fun all the way. Watched The Ugly Truth (Ellina’s pick). Laughed ourselves so hard, it was ridiculous. Then we broke our fast at Manhattan Fish Market. Elle hogged all the oysters while I had dibs on the cheesey prawns. Super yum!

I noticed there are so many new (and cool) movies coming up at the end of this year. I remembered making a list of up-and-coming movies to watch out for last year. Some I managed to catch in the cinema, others I just couldn't find the time.

Of course, this list and what I think is cool and worthy of watching is entirely based on my humble, neurotic and sometimes superficial opinion.

• If it's drama/chick flick/ fantasy-like adventure, CHECK.


• If there are (hunky) fav actors of mine involved, in which I would call actor alert, CHECK.


• If it involves blood and all the gory details, CHECK.


• Fangs and cold brooding vamps are always a CHECK.


• If it's by Disney, wajib la CHECK. ;D

So yeah..you really shouldn't trust my judgement...

2009

1.Bride Wars
2. Confessions of A Shopaholic – The one movie compulsive shoppers all around were dying to watch.
3. Inkheart - A must for all book hoarders and avid fan of Brendan Fraser like mόi.
4. City Of Ember - Actor alert : Harry Treadaway.
5. Angels and Demons
6. Public Enemies
7. I Love You, Man – Actor alert : Paul Rudd
8. The Proposal – Actor Alert : Ryan Reynolds
9. G.I Joe – Actor alert : Channing Tatum.
10. Up – Disney has never let me down. (Wait, with the exception of Wall-E. I was literally yawning in the cinema).
11. G-Force

Coming soon from Oct 09 to Dec 09

1. The Time Traveller’s Wife
2. (500) Days Of Summer - Aaaa! Actor Alert : Joseph Gordon Levitt!!

3. Inglorious Basterds

4. 2012
5. New Moon – Looking at the trailer, I can tell it’ll be another letdown like the first one. However I’m still going to watch it out of loyalty for the whole Twilight Saga.


6. Fantastic Mr Fox
7. Buddha Collapsed Out Of Shame - A Persian movie that’s been getting rave review from The Star.

8. The Princess And The Frog – A Disney must watch!

9. Sherlock Holmes

Where the heck is Coraline? And My Sister’s Keeper? Penat kot I tunggu dari last June. What’s even worst, Sarah and her mom pun dah tengok kat UK. Should we wait like…uhh..the next 10 years before the 2 movies actually hit the Malaysian shores?



My pick for movies to watch in 2010

1. Cirque Du Freak : The Vampire's Assistant – Vamp fans, rejoice. But don’t expect any love story here. This is one sick and twisted vampire movie. It's based on the book series, The Saga of Darren Shan. And seriously, the books are really scary eventhough they're targeted for young adults. (Ni lagi satu movie penat tunggu. From June delayed to September delayed to December delayed to 2010)

2. The Last Airbender
3. Alice In Wonderland – Director alert : Tim Burton. Always a fan of his quirky and eerily dark films. And last time I saw Alice, I was 9.

4. Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief
5. Toy story 3 – I’ll be in line to watch you Woody. On the very first day itself.


6. Inception – Actor alert : Cillian Murphy
7. The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

*RED indicates wajib tengok kat cinema. By hook or crook.*

Am currently going through a phase that involves gushing over Freddie Highmore. Have bought DVDs of August Rush and Spiderwick Chronicles. Have yet to look for Finding Neverland and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.