Temporary moving...

Since I am traveling for the next 6 months...I'll be journaling in this blog:

http://ayearwithviv.blogspot.com/

See you there :D

in 17 hours...

In exactly 17 hours, I will get my life back....

I will say goodbye to this computer lab that I've been calling home for the past few weeks...to the burgers at Maccas across the road that I've been feeding on almost every dinner, to the codes that I've been writing but fails to stay bug-free, to the usual morning fix of caffeine that keeps me awake throughout the day...

So loooong...THESIS....in 17 hours...

update

I havent updated for the looongest time!

Here are some of the things that happened in the past few months.

1. I was so close to being kidnapped or abducted by some strangers at the bus stop. Lessons learnt! Stranger Danger!
2. My laptop died on me in the middle of my thesis. Should mention that I don't keep it a habit to backup my files. Another lesson learnt.
3. Got accepted to teach English at a high school in Paris for 6 months!
4. Met the nicest person on the face of the earth! :p
5. Spent most of my weekends inside the computer lab
6. I can no longer get through the day without the morning caffeine fix :(
7. Got a job at PwC next January as an IT consultant!
8. Got the worst mouth ulcer that is ouuuchhh!
9. Got an invitation to a wedding in France from an online friend I've never met before.
10. Missed a friends wedding as I forgot to mark it on the calendar :(
11. Had a chest x-ray done. Healthy lungs! Yay!
12. Watched the devil wears prada several times

why are there delays?

JAMES 1:2-4 NIV

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

-If you always reaped the harvest of your deeds immediately, the incentive to do right and refrain from wrongdoing would only be selfish. No faith, or love for God, would be required.
-During delays we have opportunity to demonstrate whether we really love God, and trust Him, or not.
-If we really trust God, time is not a problem. Leave that with God. His timing is perfect and He is dependable! We know He promised, and can never fail -- and that is enough.

I've received these words during the weekend and God continued to speak to me clearly about some of my desires and wants. I had a stressful week last week, mainly because I had wanted soemthing so badly and I knew I had done a terrible job trying to 'obtain' it. There were sleepless nights in which I blamed myself for my incapacity and inability to do a good job at getting it. I questioned why my countless prayers were not answered...fully aware that God has his timing and perfect plan for me, I was too stubborn to acknowledge the truth. Then He began to reveal Himself to me, and made me think about my motivations behind the desires...then He showed me that even when I am not faithful, He remains faithful. His words were so strong and comforting that I knew that not to trust Him and rely on Him would be the biggest mistake.

Recently, I've been feeling like I'm the perfect living example of the Murphy's Law, that "Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong". As I am approaching the final leg of the thesis, my laptop decided to die on me and therefore there is a bit of a delay in my progress. On top of that, I'd been doing pretty terribly in other parts of my life.

...

will continue another time.

Aussie poodles anyone?

Japanese fooled in poodle scandle

April 26, 2007 - 8:59PM

Article found here

Thousands of Japanese have been swindled in a scam in which they were sold Australian and British sheep and told they were poodles.

Flocks of sheep were imported to Japan and then sold by a company called Poodles as Pets, marketed as fashionable accessories, available at $1,600 each.

That is a snip compared to a real poodle which retails for twice that much in Japan.

The scam was uncovered when Japanese moviestar Maiko Kawamaki went on a talk-show and wondered why her new pet would not bark or eat dog food.

She was crestfallen when told it was a sheep.

Then hundreds of other women got in touch with police to say they feared their new "poodle" was also a sheep.

One couple said they became suspicious when they took their "dog" to have its claws trimmed and were told it had hooves.

Japanese police believe there could be 2,000 people affected by the scam, which operated in Sapporo and capitalised on the fact that sheep are rare in Japan, so many do not know what they look like.

"We launched an investigation after we were made aware that a company were selling sheep as poodles," Japanese police said, the The Sun reported.

"Sadly we think there is more than one company operating in this way.

"The sheep are believed to have been imported from overseas - Britain, Australia."

Many of the sheep have now been donated to zoos and farms.

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Jono and Em's wedding

Yum yum...cupcakes for the guests after the wedding ceremony. What a great idea!

my imagini

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Pig Year begins...

After so many celebrations (birthdays and CNY!) these days, I have officially began my journey with Lipitor. I think those chocolate cream cakes and egg tarts consumed will give me a stroke soon if I don't start taking my cholesterol levels more seriously and exercise.

On Sunday, I went to a concert at the Opera House to listen to the "star" of the Sydney Chamber Orchestra...was it worth it? I'd say so...given that it's a $10 million Gesu violin! Oh la la.
It inspired me to pick up my violin again...

who's who?

One team...

ONE mission

------------------------

I've been going through the photos today.

This is definitely one of my favs (:
Meaningful...
Quite artistic as well wouldn't you say?

Life sure feels strange after the trip.

Maybe, life can just get too comfortable here.

booom..erang!

So during the trip last December in Taiwan, our team taught at this high school for the juvenile delinquents...most had commited some serious crimes in the past and so were therefore sent to this school which is government protected.

Today I was just sitting here trying to work, when I suddenly thought of something which made me smile.

--

Holding up a piece of paper with pictures of the native Australian boomerangs. I asked my class,

"So, who can tell me what these are for?"

Without missing a beat, one boy answered,

"We have them here too, they are for hanging clothes!"

Me: ".............!?"

After my partner Jas explained to them that they could be used as a hunting tool....boy, were they impressed or what :D

i've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart....

I just really need to spend time with myself. Haven't been doing so these days. Been having another primary school friend from NZ here for the whole week. Je suis treeesss fatiguee.

Today we went to Calvary Hospital (palliative care) to visit Julie's dad, who has terminal stage cancer. Although I'd never met Julie or her parents, it was heart wrenching to see them in so much pain and in denial that their dad and husband would soon be passing away.

After the visitation, it seems that everything that I've read in the book of Ecclesiastes takes a new profound meaning. I have also started on Phil Yancey's "Where is God when it hurts". I hope I would learn to better comfort others when suffering strikes instead of giving cliched comments once I finish reading.

Last night, Symphony in the Domain was interesting. Especially when they started playing 1812 with all the fireworks at the end.

Ahhh, I'm so grateful that hope is given to us, because that means happiness is here to stay...it is not temporary.

Newly wed...

I think I have having a hard time believing that Angela is married!!!

Binf girls after the ceremony at Bicentennial Park

During the reception with the bride

This is one of my fav photos of them...so pretty!