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.