Coffee & People

Half of the 2nd years were supposed to have our medical check up today; at an intolerable ungodly hour of 8AM in the morning when my entire system is not probably functioning yet. Nevertheless, got a call from a batch mate informing that there was some unavoidable accident in the hospital so there goes our medical check up. Best part was that all classes were all cancelled as well, it was a day of holiday for us.

Hence, everyone migrated to the nearest McDonald’s to have breakfast. Grabbed myself a double beef egg burger and a cup of latte in commemoration of National Coffee Day.

A nice rainy day for a cup of coffee, food and bunch of friends to gather and talk about practically everything in the world. How our mindsets clashed with others, how other’s link with one another; how creative and unique this diversity is. 

Side note: In the verge of flinging my N78 away, it’s system jams/hangs almost every minute I want to send a text message or make a simple phone call, or even Whatsapp/Skype. Whenever it malfunctions, it takes endless effort to restart and when it does, it eventually hangs again and again. In addition to that, it gets even better because I need to recharge more than 3 times a day for no reason. Someone pay for a new iPhone please?

Judge Me

Here’s a vain picture of myself, aviator glasses courtesy of Kaliz

Blogging, I always consider myself undergoing a change. Some sort of a metamorphosis, rejiggering the way I express/type/write whatever noun used to indicate how a blogger works on his little galaxy. I call my blog a personal galaxy, me being the creator on determining how many miles that lie between two planets, climate and organisms and etcetera. 

Everyone changes throughout their blogging days, I changed in quite a significant amount. I always consider myself being able to revamp into a kinder, better, less judge mental person; in short maybe to grow a new heart in mind. Clearly, I have failed badly.

The world is weak, despite the massive overzealous growth in technology and freedom to express in simply any sort of ways one can ever imagine… the world is still weak. They are unable to handle what people judge on them, just a tiny comment of so might pierce through their meek soul. Maybe they are being misjudged? Maybe what we deduce from the first impression is highly perpendicular from what the original person is?

The truth is that, these are all uncontrollable and without restrictions. You can try to curb it, but really… why waste the effort.  

As obnoxious, selfish, rude as it may seemed, we can’t really stop people from judging or making comments about us. It’s how the world rotates; slight curiosity stimulates and inflicts what we think and when something somehow… deviants from our own personal mindset, people comment. Unless, you’re truly a follower who unfortunately hound along whatever everyone says, or maybe suffered from a massive gangrene being unable to have your own thoughts and mindset. Or else, it is impossible for one not to judge.

However, everything has it’s limits. We judge accordingly, not abusively. Not putting what’s bad in every single aspect of a person arranging their weak points accordingly from head to toe, that is just plain intolerable. In conclusion, people judge… if people ask me whether I judge, I’ll just reply: “Yes, I’m pure evil and I judge and rate everyone from A to Z.”.

Mid-Autumn

Mid-Autumn festival – a festival celebrated with family; a couple of wooden stools, pieces of moon cakes particularly those with egg yolk accompanied with hot tea and conversations lost in hubbub as family members gather together under one moon. My third time being apart from home but, I am not missing every bit of warmth and love simply because I have all my love ones beside me.

Family

Best friends

… and community.

[ Photographs credit to Shen Yew ]

Being Indie For A Night

Jazz Festival, Prague

If only I have in my hand a class of thin highball cocktail, maybe a loose clasp on the edge of glass mixed with a concoction of gin & tonic embellished with wedged lemon, make that a ration of 1:2. A scoopful of shaved ice would be perfect, then I would just imaginarily smoke myself through the night dying in Theory Of A Dead Man’s music. Conjuring up thoughts being an indie singer playing his acoustic guitar in a deserted bar, ignoring what gazes upon him and only to work his chords and being accompanied by his vocals, this exact feeling.

Since his life is so worthless, shoddy and tawdry; never would be expect any woman to pay attention. If someone ever told him “You’re my wonderwall”, He would whip his penis out and be like, “Hi. It’s yours. Take this forever.” He knew that she’s a dick magnet, but she’s hot, up on stage, doing shots and seducing every male. Even though that this relationship of hooking up is only a stopgap; nothing serious but banging and exploring throughout the night, getting laid in any cheap motel would be fun for a night. Not your typical underage copulation but so much intense, graphic and raw as she grinds it to the beat. 

No need any sunlight to induce the slightest sentimental mush. It wakes him up, “Oh F*ck!” Across his face landed a strong slap; a force of realization. Quietly, grabbed his boxers, baggy jeans, tank and whatever that has been left behind. Maybe stumbled upon an empty bottle or two as he doddered out the door feeling no shame or whatsoever. “Who gives a damn right?”

Drop In The Ocean

Little would I expect that it would actually rain; never estimate the power held in these tiny droplets of liquid spherule. It could easily drastically alter a summer-like day to what is called gloomy, gelid, frigid and chilly all at the same time to churn out the autumn days.

Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week, mine had a good starting point. Enjoyed cell group session in the morning and did some grocery shopping with a list of dishes gyrating through my mind. Felt like trying out the new ‘Peri peri chicken’ that I stumbled upon online, or doing the regular lemon chicken, or just simple buttered garlic chicken…

After a fruitful 3 hour evening nap, I ended up with simple porridge topped with ham floss seeing that I was craving for the scent and aroma of sesame oil just to suit the balmy late summer/beginning of autumn. 

Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Nothing beats a rainy day other than music by ‘Ron Pope’ accompanied by hot coffee and endless slides of Biochemistry.

Oat, Trust

Sipping through a warm cup of oat milk, stirring it as the delicate flakes swirl and twirl in the midst of cream matte liquid; a combination of flavour and scent when it drops to 8 degrees outside. Works fine to rest a tired mind, it works simultaneously without us noticing it. How all these nerves, plexus, veins and arteries connected to one another contributing to a cloud of ideas and endless ponderings. Opaque, clear, leaden & somber or joy with exuberance.

It does not require me much thinking when it comes to something so subjective, if I am not directly involved or encompassed. It requires a certain amount of experience & testing, no need an overdose of marathon.

Mike & I, photograph at Vienna, Ausrtria

Recently, a good friend of mine brought out an issue on ‘Trust’. It had never come to my mind how a five letter word can either build a bridge linking two particular individuals together or the other way round. Time is never a factor when it comes to most things, but to build up trust we really need an opulence of seconds to gain trust from someone, what’s more… it’s not any ordinary someone. True friends bond trust together in their friendship.

Friends come and go all the time; you don’t really need plenty of friends with a social cycle of thousands of diameter compared to others. You just need one good friend whom you can solely lay their trust on.

What is Science?

I used 5 days to rethink about some stuff, though timing is something particularly subjective and I would not consider 5 days minus other prototypical daily routines sufficient enough. Juggling between those subjects most certainly took up 80% of my 24 hours, again subtract the excess sleeping time that my brain works for rearranging and reorganizing information entered during pre-reading over the night, despite the fact that they might be little in mass.

Hence I’m left with maybe an hour or less to rethink, reshuffle, re-ponder and most importantly remaking reflections on myself within a day. 

Stalked photograph by Mike in one of the hostels in Prague, Czech Republic

By the way, this appeared during Philosophy class today. My self-absorbed vain, obnoxious philosophy lecturer who thinks that he is the hottest guy ever in class and keeps during the ‘protruding’ posture like how girls do when they intended to make their cleavage more prominent and obvious to the audience.

Philo lecturer: “What is science?”

Me: “Science is a form of study or investigations carried out to prove a certain event based on hypothesis..?”

I should be saying that science is food, content removed due to certain issues; life is just that lame when your blog becomes your mouth and people swallow them down without much sense of entertainment. Shoot me.

Baju Melayu

It’s been long since I approached myself to such ambrosial scent, the rich taste flowing across my stagnant taste buds. Being a Malaysian but yet hardly grasp a spoonful of authentic Malay cuisine, hence a million thanks Areena and her housemates for making an effort for having an Open House cum Raya celebration at their new apartment.

We had curry, rendang, ‘lontong’ [my favourite among all the scrumptious food which I intended to steal the recipe from Areena], nasi himpit [which I assumed that it was chunks of ketupat] and some other Malay dishes that I embarrassingly failed to know. 

On the contrary, it was the best time to gather all 2nd year batch mates together under this humble roof as we welcome another hectic year. I’m pleased to proclaim that it is really  fuming the spirit and essence of ‘1Malaysia’. Pretty interesting when we all were walking in traditional Malay costumes along Russian streets with all the Russians staring at us, all we lack is a Malaysian flag. 

Thumbs up for Dennis & I wearing our traditional Malay costumes, was about to get ‘sampin’ from Malaysia but apparently I have no idea how to wear it. Maybe next year.

[Photographs credit to Aniq, Cuiya & Dennis]

Oblongata

Been stumbling down the periphery of the corridor like a lifeless zombie, apparently the JPA 1st year students arrived at such odd hours yesterday; arrival time in Volgograd was 11.30PM and by the time officially lug their buttocks in the hostel it was already way past midnight. Who books flight at such ungodly hour?

I had Physiology & Immunology the next day, 4 hours of sleep after helping them settling down their stuff proved how awfully feeble and ailing my brain was. Eyelids were exceptionally heavy the next morning especially during Physio class; could not bother much but to gaze at the time every second wondering when will class end so that I am able to doze off in dreamland.

Started off and ended off roughly with MCQs for Immunology, but who gives a damn about it when we only have less than 10 classes for this semester. Slacking and plan to ditch that subject, stumble upon groceries for bak-kut-teh minus the pork and ended up with chi-kut-teh instead. 

Did some meeting/gathering/assembly whatever you want to label it; more of a formality sort of senior-junior session for the night. Exhibit one: some girl asked whether should she boil mineral water bought from the store after I told her not to directly drink tap water like what European countries are allowed to. Exhibit two: guy who asked me how to wash his briefs/underwear. Major face palm, I blame certain universities that pamper students over the edge, making them failing in learning the slightest of independence. Same goes to me when I first cam here, could barely even cook rice.

Wednesday is my official hate day, can’t wait for the weekend. For now, it’s revising notes, listening to videos, pausing and replaying videos with a human skull in my arm. Anatomy please be smooth and kind to me.

中秋节快乐

Apart from receiving my parcel today, I also received an unexpected piece of moon cake from my China room mate. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to all!

Hot Air Balloon

Saturdays used to be overfull, teeming and seething with a jumble load of things. I remembered for my previous semester during my first year, Saturdays were repeated with Anatomy & Histology lectures respectively and Anatomy class where we have weekly quiz that persists on till 3PM. 

Then I’d probably lug my body back home for a short nap before I head to Jun’s place to meet up with family for cell group. There was Kelvin, my cell group leader, sis Lily, roomie Mike, Jun and her kitten whom I consider as family as well.

Now back in the old track as a sophomore and in a ballpark of 2 months summer holidays, we decided to reaffix ourselves to family time. Seating crossed-legged in a local cafe that serves great food; a good ambience for conversations. Minus a member, Kelvin who recently graduated last summer.

Not forgetting tweaking Jun’s HTC Sensation & Mike’s iPhone, which explains why I have this picture thanks to Lily Chong. She insisted on ‘sepia’ when I wanted ‘retro’ instead, somehow Adele’s song would have the perfect melody for this picture.

If only pictures sing.

Another random snap with donkey sis holding Mike’s iPhone and me pressing against the snap button cause’ apparently I have longer arms. It takes a while to adjust to my own looks without the regular bold black frames, and contact lenses instead. No wonder I look so retarded in it.

Today we wrote a prelude, more Saturdays to come to build our own family fairy tale. 

Moves Like Jagger

Technology, something so advance that we couldn’t possibly pass the baton to the next runner. Is that the worst, non-related and yet trying-to-push-the-limit sort of simile ever or what? Approximately 20 years of having English as my mother tongue and this is what happens when lethargy strikes, using Russian as my excuse to keep up the pace. Failure.

Kaliz’ BB Torch, notice something?

It’s either Whatsapp-ing, or BBM-ing or Viber-ing, diffusing through the air with everyone and literally e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e ‘touching’ or ‘sliding’ on their screens. I’m one of the sole survivors still loyal to manual pressing, unable to ‘touch’ the pathetic, tiny screen I have on my N78. It stood tall and proud amongst all iPhones, Blackberries & HTCs; soon there’ll be iPads, Galaxy Tabs ravaging in lecture halls.

Was going to snap pictures of slides in lecture hall when lecturer announced that slides will be given and hence…

Biochemistry class was cancelled, Physiology class was cancelled due to some renovation in the Chem department; that means a week of classes without these 2 heavy subjects in addition to that, meaning an extra timing added to my sleep time.

Cross section of a tongue, even this doesn’t sound interesting

Classes are definitely less hectic compared to 1st year, at least it doesn’t end at 6PM almost everyday like last time. However, I’m having double Histology which is no offensively shitty since I’ll be straining optical muscles and nerves under light microscopes drilling slides into my brain. No fun at all. 

Random spinal cord

Apart from that, settled down hostel payments, documentation payments; all the payments that drive me broke. Literally broke. Apartment hunting on hold since agent is always finding spots beyond my tolerance, simply could not imagine myself switching transportations and walking over miles and miles just to get more privacy.

Conclusion, hostel is almost like hell and I’ll just have to constantly remind myself that beggars do not even own a house to feel contended.

Red Roses

Simple, comprehensive and effortless. So light and easy to contact one’s heart; those are the songs I bound to listen. There are periods when it just bonds with my feelings so easily, friendly as it seems but not all times, and when it does… it just goes on ringing and pumping.

I did not understand how quickly one could fall in love, not mentioning myself but it’s really hard to distinguish something so pure and nice.It’s  almost as an affliction that one would eventually recover from. Been listening to songs by AJ Rafael lately, it really has the magic to make you feel in love.

Even Mike & Lily both responded: “Hans are you in love??!”

“No, obviously.”  It’s just amazement and spellbound that lyrics can have the force to reach into every fiber of one’s body and makes your heart feels nice and this particular song is able to do this.

 

Cause I've been
Thinking 'bout you lately.
Maybe you can save me,
From this crazy world we live in.
And I know we could happen,
Cause you know that I've been feeling you.

We Could Happen

The adrenaline rush, rapid changes in level of dopamine featuring a sensation of adolescent when one experience love. He just wants to be with her, holding a slight chance that there is a closeted spark in their presence; it drives him mad thinking about her, falling for her.

It sets the fun in together, the sad in apart, and the joy in a heart and only she can save him from this dizziness in his heart.

I wish I woulda asked you out
I wish I didn't have these doubts about myself
For those 3 minutes that you stood in front of me
I wish I hadn't walked away
I wish I had the guts to say
Would you be my
I wish I woulda asked you to be my valentine

Red Roses

He seeks for bravery, this hidden valor and intrepidity. Maybe he has been through this before but never has the guts to say; it earned many cracks in his heart each time utters “Valentine” or her name. Or maybe it’s the last “first” he has to give away, the one where he dive his head into another culture of audacity and fearless.

Pray that he will be daring or else he’ll be sunken in coyness and mousiness. 

But if you would notice me
I'll give you everything
That you are missing can I be the ordinary guy
For you
So take a good look at me
I'll show you everything
Cause’ you showed me magic
Can I be the ordinary guy for you

Emma Watson

She’s a star but too bad he’s just a nobody, dying to be someone for her desperately. He keeps on pondering on stagnant ground, “If only I was …. and if only I have … then she’ll ….”. Not knowing when will she ever notice his presence, all he wants is to be her secret to be kept solely in her heart. Love is a temporary madness.

It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides, all he wants is to have this outburst adoration and affection to be shared.

No matter where you go,
I won't be very far,
'Cause in my head I'll be right there where you are,
'Cause love has no distance baby,
Love has no distance baby
No, not when it comes to you and me.

She was mine

It’s complex but true. Love isn’t about finding the “perfect” person. No one is perfect in this world, but there are people who are perfect for you, and it’s all about trying to find someone who can love you with all of your imperfections. When two strangers meet on the horizon with the slightest coincidence, knots are tied, gaze connected and arms are clenched. 

It’s a promise to be made, he promised that he’ll be there forever. Though it maybe it kinky and sounds so bogus to be there till the end of the universe but that is what this silly boy said; simultaneous… they secured it and buried this promise of theirs under the moon light.

I never knew that it would be so grand,
Listen to the comet soar while you are holding my hand.
And yeah I don't know what to do when we walk out of sight,
Except to look at all stars in this amazing night.

Starlit Night

Grip the arms of your loved one, choke on canned air. Order the wine that’ll wash down a great candle light for two. Watch a romantic movie about a troubled couple and bite your lip in anticipation of a happy ending over his couch. Fall asleep before it comes, watching her eyes close and wake up feeling the air that he’s breathing.

He simply couldn’t imagine a day without her next to his bed. It seems rather silly that the future remains uncertain, but so it should. They are facing a beautiful empty canvas to be painted and embellished together. 

And this is the part when we say we're in love
And the part where we have our first kiss
But this ain't a movie, I know you can't come with me
You got your life, he better be treatin' you right

When We Say

As they grew older, they learnt about the deep perplexing elements of relationship and love: the little everyday despondency, the constant battle between forbearance & understanding, the fear of giving up, the hate that grows and grows at the slightest prodding, and all the compromises you have to make for the people you love and the people who love you. Some may fall in love and some may fall out of love. Apparently, they fell out of it.

It all came down to an empty road, he trod lightly and counting pebbles along his way. She took her pale-pink luggage and set off to another place almost perpendicular to his. Heavy-hearted as he sang all the sad songs and unable to find enough to drown the things she said.

500 days, I know it wasn't the best,
But I won't ever forget, no I won't ever forget,
500 days, I know it wasn't the best,
But I won't ever forget, no I won't ever forget you,

Five Hundred Days

Love, most people took it for granted. They both secretly wonder whether other people, like them would also make bargains with God. Granting promises of selflessness, ‘if only they can turn back time and fix what’s broken, if only God would give them someone to love, if only he was a little bit more sensitive, if only she was slightly more understanding…’

They know, love has it’s consequences and ups and down, nevertheless life is always fair in the end. Just one simple relationship, one can learn so much. Maybe for them, it takes more than a long journey of courage, first love and feeling to realise.

An Awesome Gathering

I had a great gathering session with a bunch of friends, the usual Mike, Dennis, Eelin, Kaliz, Sharifah, Areena, Kenji, Jacquelyn & myself.

Wanted to head to this place ‘Royal Frontel’ but apparently we had to pay an extra 100 rubles just for live music and dancing, worst he was trying to translate hundred from Russian to English thinking that we couldn’t understand a word of Russian. Thus, we had dinner at ‘Coffee House’ instead.

Apparently, I never knew that this place existed until today. Nice ambience, great windows facing the sea and good seating for a place to chill.

A wide selection of drinks, savoury dishes and deserts. 3 beverages that we ordered: ‘Exotica’, ‘Tropic’ and a miniature cup of hot chocolate. Notice the comparison.

Great conversations to catch up with everyone from everything to anything, apparently groups were all switched and hay-wired; Mike & Eelin are added to my group for classes and tutorials now. 

I had ‘Fettuccini with mushroom sauce and chicken’, now here is a great way to start off 2nd year.

Of Blogs

I admire those bloggers who have so much intelligence and knowledge, they seem to have a grasp on the whole schmear and at the same time being exceptionally expressible and fluent in making manifestations and conveying thoughts to others.

Rather than those who blogs about events, dumping heaps of photographs, activities, self-taken shots of so-called self-proclaimed gorgeous pictures and etcetera. Nothing particularly wrong doing that, most Asian bloggers have the tendency to do so. It’s like a trend, when one gets famous because of that everyone and literally e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e wants to follow his/her footsteps by doing so. As a result, we end up with a haycock of what I call as ‘typical’ blogs.

I never ever fancy much to read about them, maybe some just because their photographs attract me and their unique way in writing style. But sad to say as a majority, most of these blogs possess the utmost most obvious similarity in blogging.

Example: head to a recently opened cafe or restaurant, snap heaps of pictures [advantage to those having DSLR & actually know how to utilize it well], pour out all the pictures, maybe insert several pictures of camwhore shots if they’re good looking and finished. It’s that easy, this step repeats itself, self-generate and undergo never ending mitosis. It’s like mutation, carcinogenic growth or tumour in the blogging world. Pathetic.

Hence, I shall list several blogs that I find them simply legendary, genius and die to be as good as them someday [excluding those in my blog list].

1. http://tylerknott.com/

2. http://quaintly.net/

3. http://paulocoelhoblog.com/

4. http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/

5. http://mayzhee.blogspot.com/