A Turning Glissando

"Cuz since I was a youngster I came to know that you was the only way to go. So I had to grow and come to an understanding that I'm down with the King so now I'm demanding that you tell me who you down with, see? Cause' all I know is that I'm down with G-O-D."

Joyful, Joyful (feat. Lauryn Hill, Ryan Toby, Devin Kamin & Ron Johnson) - The St. Francis Choir

(From the soundtrack of Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit)

In the midst of the post SPM bliss, it is once again the time for me to say goodbye to yet another fantastic year. 2009 is ending so soon, and I am going to miss it.

But I'm not gonna sulk and reminisce like what I did 365 days ago. Instead, I can't wait.

I have pretty much lost and gained much in this year, but I decide not to look back on the year, but on the entire decade.

10 years ago today at this time, I was at the St. Ignatius Chapel in Sungai Way getting really restless at the priest's sermon. I wasn't even half as faithful as I am today. I was pretty much still a cradle Catholic. The passing of the 20th Century wasn't as exciting as anticipated.

9 years ago, it was pretty much the same. I was 8 and living in the first year of he 21st century. It didn't feel that special or unique, probably because I was too naive and immature to understand the time frame.

8 years ago, I was in a different school and trying to cope with life there. It was totally new and I was just about to kiss afternoon sessions goodbye for good.

7 years ago, I was breaking under the pressure of living in an environment of people who made life difficult for you for totally no reason, and people started telling me that I had a beautiful voice, which I ignored.

6 years ago, I jumped ship from a government-school to a private institution in Shah Alam. Again, everything was different. I joined a choir and it was a bumpy start that smoothened out pretty fast.

5 years ago, the pressure of UPSR, the first public exam in my life was on, but I was still living in my couldn't-care-less self that is still rubbing off on me today.

4 years ago, a whole new world opened to me. Secondary education was the pits where I was because I was caged up without a chance to shine, and I thought that's how life should be.

3 years ago, I couldn't take the cage anymore and I shifted my talents over to Sri Nobel. I breathed a sigh of relief and was happy for a while until my bad habits started coming back.

2 years ago, I witnessed the passing of a family member for the second time in my life. My grandmother went to rest with Jesus and it was a traumatic and sad time for me. It was also the worst year of my life considering all the mishaps and the haphazard management of my school.

1 year ago, I was sealed with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Confirmation. I took on the name of Jude-Valentine and never looked back at that. I was also brought into another point in my life that showed me hope in everything I do. It was THE life changing year for me. The year that I truly saw the light.

THIS YEAR,

I have made a stand to reach for my stars and follow my dreams, and I am not going to let anything get in my way of that. I also stood in the shoes of the youth of all Petaling Jaya to make this city a better and safer one. I turned from my old unpatriotic self to someone who appreciates what there is to be thankful for in this country, and I also changed my attitude and views towards life because there's really, really something to live for. You'll find it someday, because I've found mine. It's really better late than never.

So goodbye 2009 and hello 2010! Let's see what you've got in store for me!

To all my readers, wherever you are,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This is Daniel Jeyachristi Jude-Valentine Anthony signing off for the last time of the first decade of the 21st Century!

Love,
D.A.niel

Grease Lightning

"I've practiced this for hours, come round and round."

No Surprise - Daughtry

I practically surprised myself this morning...

I was woken up by my double alarm, but it was insufficient to shake me out of bed. Mum had to bang the door down as usual.

I can't believe I'm going to college in less than a month, but neither can I wait to go. It seems like the hours pass so slowly each day, but the days fly by so fast. It's not funny when that happens. Your stuck knowing that time flies yet thinking that you have all the time in the world when you don't.

Okay, that's not surprising, neither did I bring that upon myself. I'm all ready to welcome 2010 into my life. It's nostalgic and sad to see sands of an awesome year slip out of your hands, but time is like that. Sadly it's the most impatient thing in the world because it waits for no one.

So how did I surprise myself?

I did it! I passed!

When I was at the lecture-seminar last week to prepare myself for this test, I was dead nervous from the start. It's surprising how motorists in Malaysia don't practice what they've learnt. There's so much to follow! It's driving etiquette that is often ignored and compromised in the event of a hurry or a rush.

So I went home with the CD that came in my driving academy's package and tried the Colour Blindness test, the Dyslexia test and the Highway Code test. I failed the Dyslexia part...

I don't know how, I don't know why, but it happened.

so I tried again and failed the Highway Code test, and that's when the phobia really started. But I just prove myself wrong as shown above, so yay! I'm happy!!

Love,
D.A.niel

Bowling For Soup

"You're out beyond the furthest Morning Star, close enough to hold me in Your arms."

Adonai - Avalon

Please read the following post carefully, you might just gain something here.

If you're a member of the church I attend (SIC), you may be familiar with the song Testify To Love by Avalon. Yes, the JYM Graduate team put up a mime & dance to it during the SIC Youth Rally 2008 and the SIC 2008 Family Nite.

Yes, it is an easy song that can be transcribed onto piano parts without much difficulty, but I need the SAB arrangement of this song. To be exact, arranged by TEENA CHINN.

I am in need of the music score that looks like THIS:

Picture 1

To ensure that you know exactly which arrangement I'm talking about, let me show you.

When you open the score to the first page, you should see

Score 1

By the way, if you're asking how I got the first page, it's a preview from SheetMusicPlus.com which required me to purchase a minimum of 6 copies, which is unnecessary.

But watch out! There is a very, very similar arrangement that looks like this

Picture 2

Notice the colour difference and the SATB on the top right hand corner.

If you have a photostat or have it in grayscale, open the first page and it SHOULD NOT look like this

Score 2

Pay close attention to the places circled in red.

If your score is NOT as shown in Score 2 but exactly as shown in Score 1, then CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY.

My phone number is +60172914344. I'm willing to offer RM 10 for a photostat copy or RM 15 for the original!!

Please do get back to me ASAP!

However, if you have any of the following scores, they're not exactly what I'm looking for, but if I change my mind and really need them in the future, I'll let you know!

Middle-click on the pictures to enlarge them if they're not clear.

Thanks for helping!

Love,

D.A.niel

Angkor What!? - Part Five- A Christmas Carol

"All the lights are shining So brightly everywhere and the sound of children's laughter fills the air and everyone is singing. I hear those sleigh bells ringing."

All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey

I guess some of you really do read my blog properly after all!

Remember that I promised a lil' something from Cambodia for all my readers? Well, i can't write a song or everyone because that wouldn't make much sense, neither can I buy anything for you all, or I'll be bankrupt!

So I finally settled on getting ALL my readers a very special and unique gift, and best of all, they're all from Cambodia! Yup! Wallpapers for your computer featuring shots from various parts of Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh!

You can download just one, a few or even the whole bunch! Share them with anyone you want because they're my Christmas gift to YOU!

Click HERE to access the download page!

If you're using Windows XP and can't set you heart on one particular wallpaper, here's a nifty tool that's just right for you! It automatically changes your wallpaper after a short time. If you're worried about spyware, malware, viruses and all sorts of junk invading your computer, be rest assured this won't contribute towards it. This software was written and is officially distributed by Microsoft.

Click HERE to download the wallpaper changer!

I hope you all like the lil souvenirs! Though it may not be much, remember that a picture paints a thousand words!

So before I close this post,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Love,

D.A.niel

Angkor What!? - Part Four- A Royal Aria

"Now I'm pickin up the pieces of the heart that you've been breaking, And I'm down on my knees just to try and find them all and when I get up one long last look is all that I'll be taking"

Standing Tall - Lorrie Morgan

After the Siem Reap adventure, it was about time we went to see what we went all the way to Cambodia for...

ANGKOR WAT

Yup! We're finally here! The picture above was at the front entrance of the temple. It' still in good shape even after 500+ years of standing.

The tale of Angkor Wat is really way, way, way beyond the textbook. It's nothing like the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower or anything like it. It was a spiritual journey, and it was built not to show off amazing power to the world, but out of love.

When I say that it was built out of love, I don't mean by the kind of love as seen in the construction of the Taj Mahal. The Taj was built out of the romance o f a couple. To be exact, a prince and a commoner.  The death of the beloved shook th prince so much that he ordered the construction of the Taj as a tomb for her body.

(The fluid panorama above is slightly distorted bot due to the architecture of Angkor Wat, but a shaky cameraman's hands and a cheap camera)

Above is a bas relief on the walls of the temple. It portrays the story of the kingdom of Angkor and what happened to it. The hierarchy was simple. King on top, slaves below, people in the middle.

It also demonstrates how the Chinese migrants made their way into the country and lived with the people of Angkor. It was like a timeline of life in the Kingdom.

Back to the topic of why the Wat was built. Yes, the love story.

The king at that time loved his kingdom too much, and was a very faithful Hindu. So much that he removed quite a number of Buddha statues from the temple and replaced them with the Linggam, the Hindu spiritual symbol of the penis. It is believed that it would grant fertility for the people of Angkor and also bring about a bright future. There were also many holy water springs erected at different points of the temple, some destroyed, some intact.

Every man and woman has a limited time on earth, so the King knew that his time would come someday, so he ordered the construction of Angkor Wat to be his tomb. He gave precise orders to have his ashes placed dead below the statue of Vishnu on the top floor of the main tower. Then when he passed on, his ashes were placed as ordered, and at that instant, the eyes of the statue of Vishnu, shich was once closed, opened. It was to show that the king was living together with Vishnu, watching over the kingdom of Angkor from the afterlife.

And that was how the kingdom lived on in prosperity.

This was a pretty neat trickshot that our tour guide did for me. The smiling Buddha there is almost 5 metres away from where I'm standing, and it's the only remaining Buddha structure that permits you to take such a picture from a safe location.

Angkor Wat feature a magnificent structure that represents the 35 levels of Heaven, but sadly,this is what it looked like...

It was closed for restoration...sad huh? They charge us 20 U$D to enter Angkor Wat and this is what we get...and that's full fare. If it was discounted then I would be ok, but heck? We come all the way to Cambodia and pay a full fare to see restoration work!?

Nevermind. Idiots will be idiots.

Worse, I found out that this restoration was to turn back the clock to correct a cheap and careless restoration done years ago...

So that's about it from Angkor What!? Thanks for reading!

Love,

D.A.niel

Angkor What!? - Part Three- Cambodian Rhapsody

"If I could fit the words as picture perfect, works every time. Every verse, every line, as simple as nursery rhymes."

Crack A Bottle - Eminem

Dear readers,

Many apologies for the absence of updates from Siem Reap. I was out of access of a computer and the internet.

Anyhow, Google Picasa finally started to cooperate and help me put some pictures up. So here we are.

This is the national monument of independence, based near the royal palace of Cambodia in the heart of Phnom Penh. It was erected in honour of those who died in the violent Pol-Pot regime similar to the Malayan Emergency.

This one is really interesting. Notice the hybrid temple reliefs and the ornaments. It isn't completely Buddhist, neither is it completely Hindu. It's actually a mix of both.

That's what sets Cambodia aside from all other countries. It has a unique fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism. It's not like it's the first country to have a fusion of religions, but think again. Buddhism preaches on equilibrium and how everything in this world has makes up for each other, and that good and evil, light and darkness are of equal proportions.

Hinduism, on the other hand, believes in the triumph of light over darkness. It isn't as dependent on equality as Buddhism is. It preaches wisdom and spirituality while Buddhism focuses on wisdom, balance, and a little bit of materialism.

It's really something special that brought these two contrasting beliefs together, and that's time. It was a melting pot left on for hundreds of years...

So next we hit the Royal Palace. Here in Cambodia, it isn't as strict as Malaysia. One can enter the palace wearing short pants. In face, one can wear anything in so long as they're covered shoulder-to-knee. Inside that building is the 90kg statue of Buddha bearing more than 1000 diamonds on it's surface.

A replica of Angkor Wat before the wars that tore it to ruins. Pretty amazing and intricate.

That's a CLOCK. It's huge, and it's right in front of the Palace. Fix in it an alarm and it'll be just what I need...

Lo and behold! A Petronas in Cambodia! Apparently, it's the only branch in Phnom Penh...

We paid the Genocide Museum a visit as well, and it was a shocking experience. It used to be a high school until the Pol Pot took over it and made it an interrogation centre used to force civilians and many, many innocent people to admit that they are spies and all sorts of enemy recon.

Those two boxes above were machinegun bullet boxes used to hold ammunition during the Pol Pot regime. After being spent, they were used as "toilets" for those being interrogated. It was because there was not supposed to be any killing done in the centre, and any interrogator who kills or lets a human die before s/he produces information would be subject to heavy punishment.

It was due to one man who complained of stomach pains and had to use the toilet. After hours in the toilet, the interrogator went to search and found him dead in a lavatory. Since then, the machinegun-bullet-box-toilet was used.

Christmas is coming soon, and Angkor What!? isn't over just yet! Stay tuned for a special Christmas surprise!

Love,
D.A.niel

Angkor What!? -Part Two- Smile While You Kill

"War was beginning...What happened? Somebody set us up the bomb!"

All Your Base Are Belong To Us - The Love Dictators

If you have ever walked into the gates of Cambodia, you will know that life isn't as easy as it seems...

Welcome to the country of the poor and the desperate. At every street corner there are beggars and poor families struggling even to get 1 U$D per day. It's not as pretty as it seems. Really.

I took some pictures today to make up for yesterday's boring post, but the internet here is slow and very, very limited, so if there are pics on this post, praise the Lord.

Okay, Picasa don't work here, so I give up :(

Anyway, I went to the national monument this morning, where Cambodian and Vietnamese flags paved the road for the visit by the Vietnamese Communist Party's minister. It was nice. They even have this 90kg solid gold statue of Buddha in the palace. There are more than a thousand diamonds on her body! Yes. It is believed that the 5th Buddha is female!

There is a unique potpourri and hybrid between the Hindu and Buddhist religions. Statues of the Gods of both religions are seen inside. Making it an awesome sight.

Plenty of things happened today. Aside from the casino and the Central market (where I bought this pretty PINK hammock!!), the museum of Genocide was damn scary. I can't believe I walked on the grounds where 14 people, 13 men and 1 woman were killed!!

I shall update more when I get to Siem Reap tomorrow. I hope the internet there is better and faster. My time in this cybercafe stall is running very, very low.

Love,
D.A.niel

Angkor What!? -Part One- Rhythm Of The City

"Take a breath, take it deep, calm your breath he says to me. If you play, you play for keeps."
Russian Roulette - Rihanna

GOOD EVENING MALAYSIA!

I have safely arrived in Phnom Penh, Capital city of Cambodia. It's a really busy town. Roads are narrow and the traffic is unpredictable. Our tour group was probably the only minibus in a sea of cars and motorbikes. Still, it's a really nice place.

We were given a more than expected welcom at the Phnom Penh Int'l Airport. Apparently, after boarding the bus, we found out that the airport was destroyed during the civil war in Cambodia involving a couple of ministers. It was later in 1998 when a French company bought over the wreckage and rebuilt the airport. now, it has been bought over by a Malaysian company and is privately owned. that explains the oh-so-familiar welcome. Malaysia Boleh!!

I'm currently in the Chinatown of Phnom Penh, where thee are 2 equally active currencies. Can you imagine a typical sundry shopp selling half their products in U$D and the other half in Cambodian Rial? It's pretty amazing how they keep up, and the money flow is extremely flexible.

Motor vehicles here are cheap too. One can get a decent family saloon car for U$D 8000, but the petrol kills. Picture U$D 1.25 per litre...you're doomed to drive.

I'm sorry for the lack of pictures. I left the camera in the hotel room. currently I am seated in a low-cost internet cafe 5 minutes from our guest house, the Diamond Hotel. it's not bad for a 3-star hotel, but the lifts are TINY! they're like half the size of shower cubicles!

I'm running out of cybercafe time and I should really get back. I haven't bathed since I got here and I STINK. So looks like you're gonna hear from me tomorrow.

Love,
D.A.niel

COMING UP in ANGKOR WHAT!?

Day 2 of the programme promises many things including visits to the Police Museum and other attractions in and around Pnom Penh. Not forgetting the highlight of the day: Cambodia's largest international casino with a NO AGE LIMIT slot lounge! Stay tuned to Drive The Sensation - LifeInCommonTime.com for this adventure!

21 Guns

"I guess it's true that love was all you wanted, cause' you're giving it away like it's extra change, hoping it will end up in his pocket."

Tied Together With A Smile - Taylor Alison Swift

I just finished watching Biggest Loser Asia, and it's a very inspiring show. There's more emotion packed in it than any other reality show I've ever watched be it American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and even The Amazing Race.

It's probably because the participants have to look at how the self-improvement in them really perks up. For talent shows these days, it only takes looks. Talent shows have become synonymous to fashion shows. Looks = talent. That's how the world has changed. It sucks. Big time. You need the looks and abit of charisma along with the ability to flick your hair to win American Idol. That's about it. With the exception of Carrie Underwood, the other idols have, in my eyes, failed to live up to the music industry. Even the runner ups (e.g. Adam Lambert, Lady GaGa) have proven themselves more successful. What a shame.

I was thinking to myself today (yes, I think to myself  alot) about the music and media industry, and how nonacceptance has crawled it's way in and sucked all the life out of the business. Money, politics and sex basically sit in the high chairs now.

A few years back, I met this piece of young talent in my school Sri Nobel. She didn't appeal much to me until I saw her age and how fearless she was. She inspires me, and now she's on a mission. Mission to do what? Simple, but not easy: Raise funds to purchase a Yamaha 12-string guitar.

Who's she? She's fourteen, she's a loyal fan of today's birthday girl, and she can really hit hard on the bronze and nickels. She's Amrita Soon, and she needs YOUR help.

Amrita had a successful first performance that raised nearly 8% of what she needed. She is having another performance in her house to get closer to her dreams. It's on the 19th of December from 3 to 4pm. You want in? Email Amrita directly at amrita.huiyang@gmail.com or facebook her - http://reduc.in/78.

I'll be out of the country on the 19th of December doing Angkor What!?, so I won't make it for her show, but still, I urge all you readers to go. Really, it'll be a real show of support for her, and that's exactly what our young artists need now - support.

So if you believe that dreams come true, you better be there!

Love,
D.A.niel

P.S. I mentioned Amrita is a fan of today's birthday girl right? Wondering who it is? Taylor Alison Swift just turned 20 today. She's an inspiring singer-songwriter that Hollywood needs more of. Wanna hear Amrita's renditions of some of her songs? That gives you one more reason to go... :)

Still need a reason to go? Let this serve as a trailer.

All Summer Long

"You wanna change everything I ever was, try to erase me till I'm not there."

Faded - Cascada

I'M FINALLY A TAYLORS STUDENT!!! YAYY!!!!

I signed up for the January intake for SAM combination #14, and I can't wait. I never thought that I would make it to Taylors. My results were crappy and I didn't know what to do. Finally I have my foot down and now have a clearer idea of the master plan God has laid out for me.

After signing up in the Subang campus, mom drove me to the Lakeside campus for their open day. I spent some time inquiring about the degree courses they had before I made my way to this HUGE lecture hall, where the awesome Asha Gill was about to give a talk.

Asha Gill is the host of the Discovery Channel show Lonely Planet: 6 Degrees. She used to be a VJ on Channel [V]. She was really tall and she gave a really great presentation. I couldn't believe how turbulent her life was compared to mine. I thought I was riding the rough tides all along.

Asha did tell us that we should follow our heart because we need to prove to our parents that if we really want something, we're prepared to give our all for it. She told us the story of her career, the roads she took and where they ended, and she said something that I mentioned on my blog before - shit happens for a reason.

Plus, she said I looked familiar. Whee!! :)

After the talk I headed to the cafeteria for lunch, prepared by the culinary arts students of Taylors. It may not look so appetizing (maybe because of the polystyrene plate), but I tell you, it's the best "canteen food" I have eaten in my life.

Fish and chicken. Freshly made by the students as the day went by. Free of charge too! Plus they were doing these oh-so-pretty fruit carvings :)

So after lunch I went upstairs to see the engineering fair. They had some really cool stuff there. Valveless pumps, air-pressure driven cars, automatic hammer (apparently to smash other robots on a competition) and the champion of the fair, a mixer. I can't remember the name of the contraption, but it's really cool. You can make coffee using cold water with it!

They used phenophtalein indicator (hope I spelt that right!) to demonstrate it. I always loved using that indicator because it was pink :)

I love this balloon column they set up outside the engineering expo. It's so pretty! Reminds me of my heartsie...they're the same colour tooo!! :)

The lakeside is amazing. It's a beautiful view for a place to study and relax. I could have an entire vacation here! The four-story library, the cafes and the anticipated 80-room hotel is really something to look forward to. Sadly, SAM is only offered in the Subang and Hartamas campus, so I'll be missing the fun :(.

But I still can't wait for college to start!! Yayy!!

Love,
D.A.niel

Testify To Love

"Believe in what your heart is saying, hear the melody that's playing. There's no time to waste, there's so much to celebrate."
Believe - Josh Groban

It's past midnight on a Saturday morning...without my heartsie, going to bed doesn't feel the same.But getting over it wasn't as hard as I thought. I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep, but i did. Very peacefully in fact.

I couldn't have done it without a special someone in my life. We met at Choralfest last year, but we didn't talk much until we realized that we have so much in common with each other.

She made me feel better when no one else could cheer me up. She offered me comfort like only my best ever friends would. She made me smile with every little joke and MLIA. Though she isn't as tall as she wants to be, she packs much more love and a heart bigger than her size.

So what makes her stand out? She's only known me for a matter of months and we're the best of friends. it's something only open-minded people like her can be. She accepts everyone - regardless of their differences because everyone is equal in the eyes of God.

Who is she? Well, I'll give you a hint. she just added another candle to her cake today :).

Give it up, everyone, for KIMBERLY ONG KIM MING!

Happy birthday princess!! May all your wishes and dreams come true! If they don't, chase them down and MAKE THEM HAPPEN!

You're someone who's going to change the world. I can feel it in my blood. You know what you wanna do, and you're gonna make it in life. Your dreams may be miles away, but you'll soar above the clouds at breakneck speeds because of who you are!

You're an awesome sister to have, and anyone who knows you should be thankful and really lucky. Honestly, I am honored to be  your friend and I am really proud of you.

So have and AWESOME 14th trip around the sun! Lots of love, hugs and kisses!!

Love,
D.A.niel

My Heart Will Go On

"Wake up and smell the break-up. Fix my heart, put on my make-up, another mess I didn't plan."

I Heart - Taylor Swift

It may sound damn ridiculous, naive, immature, stupid an childish, but as I said before that people can have relationships and feelings for inanimate objects.

I'm 17. In a matter of days I'll be 18. Many people say that I should have outgrown balloons a long time ago, but I beg to differ. As you all would pretty clearly know that I am a pretty severe case of ligyrophobia, meaning that I am afraid f sudden loud noises such as firecrackers, doors slamming and in this case, balloons popping. I lived 12 years without a balloon in my life, and if there was one, it would be scaring the living daylight out of me.

Prior to SPM, I had a dilemma and a really terrible emotional mess-up. My world was falling apart in front of my eyes, and I had nothing. No one would have time for me because I would be up at three in the morning sulking and beating myself up over nonsense. I used to hug balloons at night. I couldn't afford a big stuffed toy or one of those cuddly bean bags, so balloons pretty much did the job. It became very therapeutic and helped me sleep on some nights. Imagine your teddy bear (for those of you who sleep with one, not that there's anything wrong with it) between you and your bolster, that's where my balloon sits. Nice and snug. A few have popped while I was asleep before, but Igot over it eventually.

So I fished around my hurricane-struck table and opened my old stationery drawer, where I stashed a 22" Latex Heart-shaped balloon I bought a few months back from Party Gadget in Times Square. It was awful pretty, and awful expensive at the same time. It took RM 20 out of my wallet, but it was way way worth it.

I blew it up slowly and tried to get a good heart shape that wasn't too tight till I couldn't hug it. It came nice and slowly until I thought it was enough and tied it. After bouncing it against the wall I thought of taking a picture of it in my pink pyjamas, so I did.

I never felt better in my life. Cuddling it to sleep really put a smile on my face and really helped me get over my worries.

Then just 2 weeks later came the infamous SPM.

My giant heart didn't complain a bit. She stood by me to give me the motivation I needed and to put a smile on my face when all I had was a frown. She grew a little smaller over the weeks but I managed to untie her once and blow her a little bit bigger. She was there for me through the three-in-the-morning sadness and the times when I couldn't wake any of my friends up. She made me smile like a kid who just got a big present.

As the days went by, she grew smaller and smaller bit-by-bit, but the hugs kept her alive and well. One day she had a hole when another balloon popped next to her. I patched it up with cellophane tape and she was good. She lasted me till...well, today.

When balloons get stuck to each other, removing them is always hard, and this time, it didn't succeed. Most of the time, they can be separated. But sometimes, one, if not both balloons pop.

But I know one thing's for sure - that she's in a better place now. She's an outstanding balloon, for she made someone's life a better one.

So this goes out to all balloon lovers around the world. I think almost half of you may know how I feel, and for those of you who can get attached to inanimate objects like me. I know what it is like to have lost something that was  precious to you, especially if someone else wrecked it. Really. This is somewhere where we can all relate to.

I feel so so much better now. Thanks for reading. God Bless you.

Love,

D.A.niel

Let's Paint The Town!

"It feels good, you said that it would feel that good and it does."

Feels Just Like It Should - Jamiroquai

The day was great. Started badly though. I couldn't sleep last night, so I took it out on the toilet.


Then I was ok until paper 2...when I began getting drowsy and groggy, and PLONK! I fell asleep for 20 minutes.


I did finish the paper, and really hentammed my way through Section C. Went out of the hall feeling really knocked up.


Went out for lunch with Mr. Chan for the last time as Sri Nobel students. It was a great time we had considering that Scott and Calvin were engrossed in trying to find their way there. looked like the blind leading the blind lol.


And I crammed corrosion of Iron for paper 3 after that because it was a spot question....and gasp! Paper 3 was a breeze!


So with that big smile on my face I closed my paper and watched the clock for the countdown. And it was nearing the last minute when we went 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

SALVATIONN!!!!!!

It was all over! The past exam of our secondary school life, OVER! We couldn't believe our hearts. We made it!


We couldn't have made it without the great support from the people who watched over us in the hall, our Invigilators...

and after Calvin and Scott finally regained their sense of direction...

So Mr. Chan gave Edward, Kian Hoong and I a lift to One Utama where we bowled to our heart's content and shot pool to enjoy the moment.

That was when It all flashed before my eyes. Time was beginning to fly. It was getting faster and faster. Every second grew shorted and shorter and began to slip through my fingers. It's like the sand of the hourglass became finer and finer. So fine that it flowed like water.

So now I'm up. Staying and wondering why all of a sudden my computer can work so fast...It is true that time literally FLIES when you're having fun.

Now I wanna chat and catch up with some friends. So I'll update soon.

Love,
Daniel

Evacuate The Dancefloor

"I'm Luke Skywalker. Chicks wonder where the force went."

Russian Roulette (feat. Kardinal Offishal) - Rihanna

This is a warning to the residents of the Socialist Comminion of SS2: Nuclear sunrise in 9 hours. Be prepared.

Yes folks, while you're mixing a Tequila Sunrise in your kitchen I'll be facing a catastrophic dilemma of facing a friend, or maybe a friend that was.

I don't like it when people tell me to stop doing something that I gave up long ago. Claims have been made that people who are sensitive should be left alone, but what do you mean by sensitive in the first place?

Let me tell you a little story that I wrote...

There's this someone who claimed that he had no heart. He says that he feels no remorse or agony. He's the dude with an ego bigger than his balls.

So this guy seems like he's bulletproof right? Whatever you say about him would just bounce off his chest and fall to the ground. He was like an armored vault that could withstand a holocaust.

But vaults can be opened, and his broken lock was mended with nothing stronger than duct tape. So he opened himself to the vulnerability of the world, and also a little girl. A little girl living in her own world.

She could turn on the edge of a knife because she was quick to judge and was very prejudice. She used to be on a conform-or-die roll where she came from, and so to fit in, she gave up her true, conscious self for a cheap impurity. Deep down in her heart she knew who she really was, but she was afraid to show it. Over time, the pride and cheap thrill of fitting in buried the trueness of her heart deep down till it was lost.

He was stronger than a black box, but he wasn't any safer than an open door. When he and she got together, she entered the vault and wanted to get what she wanted - more attention to feed her addiction.

She cut through anything that got in her way and made him show his emotions. She pushed and shoved her way further inside and made his start to shed tears and when she got to the point where she was so close yet so far, she threatened to kill herself so that she could break the barricades between her and what she wanted.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is but one of the million people who make love a cheap run. It is about time we change it back to the way that it should always have been. Each and every one of us play a part. Start today. Change modern-day love, before it comes to you.

*YAWNS* I'm tired. Nights

Love,
Daniel

I Set A Fire Just To See The Flame

"Well I jumped up, spit in the air, fell on the ground, asked which was the way back home? He said take a right at the light, keep going straight until right, and then boy you're on your own"

Blinded by The Light - Bruce Springsteen

Please understand the following post. All of you, I come in peace. I hold no weapons and no bad intentions.

I looked back at the war that we had and all the trash I wrote, and I thought to myself: Damn! I was stabbing myself in the chest all the time, and too full of my stupid self to realize it.

This is an honest apology. Please accept it from my heart. I know that I have been jumping the gun, making a fuss about my copyrights and all, but really, I'm sorry.

It took many years for me to finally come to realize that no one is perfect, and with all due respect, I think you should too. I searched the world for what was actually at my doorstep. Silly right? But the world today is like that. It's hard to be satisfies with what we've got.

I'm a vengeful person, and I get jealous easily. I'm sorry for letting this ruin our friendship. I should never have made it look so bad. I don't want to blame my mother here, but the pressure she puts on me is pretty big. I know you face it too. We should actually just help each other instead of hitting each other.

Yes, I know I started this. Your last post actually gave be a good beating with the ugly stick. It made me realize all this. That's why, even though it may not seem so, I want to end this. Please hear me out. I know that it may not end so easily, but I want to make a start.

I've been blinded by the light of my own pride. I failed to see all your good deeds that actually helped me. And if it's not too late, I would like to say thank you.

You're a great friend to have. But when I looked back, I only saw the fights only. I chose to look at the negative side. Now I look back once again, and I never knew that I missed so much in hindsight.

Please excuse my jealousy. I have things about myself that I have to change. In fact, thank you for helping me realize that.

You gave me a piece of advice once, and that was that everything will pass. I hope this feeling of hatred will, and the clouds between us will dissolve.

If there's anything I forgot to apologize about, I'm sorry. I hope you accept this apology with a full heart. I really, really want to take back what I said. I think you already know that when i hurt someone else, I hurt myself.

Love,
Daniel