Pairs

Duplet electron configuration

He opened his letter box, and read the handwritten invitation.

I am pleased to invite you to a New Moon Ball at my residence. Dinner shall commence at eight in the evening. BYO.

-Ms Elise

Jack smiled, at least to himself. He has commenced his tutelage under the barber-surgeon Mr Denver, a month earlier than the other apprentices. "Ms Elise's other guests must still be enjoying summer holidays," he thought. Nevertheless, it's a brilliant opportunity to meet these other people, not to mention cooling off after a day's work.

The ball went well -- very well.

On his way home, Jack walked alone, pondering about the evening's experience.

Pairs. That thought surfaced in his mind. He was a single man, and he thought that there were a number of attractive young girls at the ball. But they were not all single.

One of the girls recently got together with a handsome young man. Not married, but a start to that end. Another one got together with an articulate gentleman. Maybe it's by his wonderful words that she fell for him. Because the year before, a different girl fell for him. Or so Jack thought. Another girl - one he found very beautiful - also had her man, who happened to be Jack's friend. It was certainly a mixture of feelings. Disappointment, certainly - because he now could not be for this girl what he earlier could have. But he allowed only his happy side to show through his facial expression. Ms Elise herself was in the arms of her lover. Looks like the single people are gradually becoming outnumbered.

These thoughts whirled in his head as he walked past the streets and lanes that led to his home that night. He knew he had his apprenticeship to complete, and it demands unwavering focus from him. Still he knew that lonely times make him vulnerable to feelings - and he could foresee that there will be many such moments.

A silent song started to play in his mind:

When no-one cares

For your dear self

The soul, it bares

No more defense

Tears

Cries

Sobs

*Sighs*

Oh don't you yearn

For something deep?

It pulls the guts

It's authentic

Big question is

Is it time now?

For it is said:

I charge you all

Don't awaken love

Until it pleases

Picture credit: farm1.static.flickr.com (Artist: Kagaya)

Beginnings

Taglines

You might have seen the taglines at the bottom right of this blog. I'm going to talk a bit more about them today.

Well, I started having these "yearly mottos" around 2004-5 (if there was one for 2004, it was probably Believe in the Divine). Somewhere else, I wrote Strive for Excellence. From there stemmed Do your best, let God do the rest. So I had a few for that year, but I consider the first as the main one.

Why have them? Probably to settle into a life mould, like getting into a new habit, because we know all too well how humans tend to 'default' to slack mode. Not to mention the unhealthy lifestyle, guilty conscience, unproductive periods - i.e. the mess - that it brings. So it's a bit like laying straight tracks for my life train to run on.

2005 was To the limits. Mainly because of my A2 in Moral in Form 5. So, presumably no more of that, eh? I targeted 4.00 in matriculation college, and after starting IB, set my goal at 40/42 minimum for the internal exam. My actual points was 39, and that's with a 79% in Bio. So it was literally 1 mark away from 40.

2006 was Nothing wasted, all for God (actually I said "for Yosua", i.e. Jesus). Not really sure why that was my theme for the year. I mean, looking back, I didn't really waste much time in Sem 1. Heck, I actually wasted more time in Sem 2 '06 because of my new laptop. And DotA! Grrr.

So perhaps that's what the year motto was foretelling? Hmm, maybe. You see, I believe that whatever challenges lie ahead of us, it's never too big for us. I mean, they're always too big for us. But that's why there's the Big Guy. And Big Guy gives a Big Gun. Have you heard of it? It's called Grand Rumbling Awesome Creative Empowerment. Or grace for short. When we receive grace, no problem is too big for us.

2007, stepping into my final college sem, just before getting my academic passport to enter uni, I set Full blast, full speed, in full faith. I remember that this was in Taginambur church.

You know what else am I thinking? That all these "power words" perhaps don't just come from within me. As in, I didn't just come up with a few nice words, string them together, and walla, I have a year theme. No. I believe that someone put it there inside me. Someone deposited in me, at the right time of the year, as my supply bag for the pressures that are to come.

More later.

Unpacking

It took me all day to unpack and arrange my stuff 2 days ago. I brought: a 15-kg big bag, a 7-kg small bag, and a laptop bag.

Sad thing is, the AliCafe and Indocafe? 3-in-1 instant coffee were confiscated at Melbourne airport (though I already ensured they were non-dairy). Reason? They probably used animal-derived products (sodium caseinate, was it?). So what kind of coffee can I bring? Something made in Singapore, or Indonesia, or NZ or Aus. But not Malaysia.

So I'm left with books, clothes and of course my new Dell 1440.

I can tell you it's no easy job to unpack and arrange all your stuff, especially if you're sharing a room with a roommate (and it's smaller than 15x15 feet). What I had to do was arrange all the bits of paper on my desk, put it under my bed, and then take out the rest of my stuff. And oh yes, the bags have to go under my bed first before the notes/books. So that's a bit of tetris in my bedroom.

I realised (since 1 year ago) that I keep a lot of potential trash. Grrr. They're annoying when you're spring cleaning, but are even more annoying if they're not found when needed. Like my laptop claim form. I lost it! Thankfully Pae sent me a copy last week.

Other happenings:

• Went jogging and played soccer at Princes Park. Ahh... my cardio park.
• Played boxing on Wii Sports and really sweat it out.
• Went around the Suzuki night market, tasting chocolates, kebabs and Persian dishes.

And someone gave me a book, with a written message in it saying, May God guide you through His path:

Sabah Pix

Cherish every moment you live.

Because you live it only once.

Majestic Mt Kinabalu

My birthday, with Mum and Dad at home

The mixed veges - a nice variety of red and green

The twilight sky at Taginambur

HA!

February - the 2nd month - is fast approaching and I've still done only 1 post in January.

You know what? I'm making it a point:

To write something every now and then. Regularly. E.g. once a week.

So what have I been up to?

A one-week fast.

Online gaming.

Catch up with cousins.

Work (tutoring).

A new laptop!

So you later bloggy.

(Oh, but it's already Feb in Melb!)