...after that...

Sigh.

The exams are gone and done with. Not particularly good, but I guess I'll have to get by.
I'm crossing my fingers, surrendering my fate, and praying I will pass all four units. Amen. *sighs*


And now that holiday is officially here, I wanna go shopping!!! =)
Oh yeah. Melbourne Showground definitely shouldn't be missed! Going there going there. Hahahahahaha. *winks*

Got nothing else to say here. Maybe I should just stop and continue tomorrow.

HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEKEND GUYS! =)

..about preparing..

This week makes me feel awfully nerdy.
I get more and more antisocial with each day that goes by throughout the week, focusing on flipping textbooks and skimming through lecture notes and other countless attempts of dealing with nerdy-confirming what-have-yous. *sighs* Let's just hope this is all momentary.

Big news, guys. Actually scratch that. HUGE NEWS, guys.
Exams are round the corner. FOUR more days, to be exact. The clock's ticking, steadily. Yet slacking off is still prioritized, as always, and I'm basically clueless of what to do.

Went to the city to see my auntie today. She's staying here till November, and she was kind enough to have brought along to Melbourne some of my leftover stuff , just some out of that humongous pile still stacked up in my crib back home. Being the sweet good-mannered boy that I am *throws up in the background*, I decided to pay her a visit. And we talked, a lot, and laughed. That was nostalgic.

I managed to spend some great quality time with Neja as well, strolling around the city, having a blast. Tried on countless catchy stuff, ranging from shades to shorties to preppy outfits to vests to vintage-y stuff to some of those cleverly-written tees, and consequently reached the stage of nearly giving in to my addiction for endless shopping before I quickly reminded myself that exams are up and that once those frikkin' scary stuff are done and over with I can then get back to this, so I decided to pass and moved on to dressing Neja up instead. Well not that she complained; she technically dragged me from shop to shop feeling satisfied of herself *laughs*.

And, oh yeah, I also stumbled across some old Smukie friends who are currently in Trinity College. To be honest, it came as quite a shock. A pleasant one, nonetheless. =)

Yeah. In the end, I had a good time. Today was great!!
Just exactly what I need before getting back to business. A HUGE, successful mood boost-up that actually works. Yay! *winks*


Wish me luck, okay guys?
I need all the support I can get right now to be able to get through the pressure.

..12-18september2006 -- 12-18september2007..

It's been a whole YEAR since that triumphant victory.
Yet the euphoric warmth and incomparable happiness of the long-gone moment still lingers, even until now, within the depths of my heart. Along with all those precious memories of youth we once shared together.

Last year, midnight, on this very date.
Third place. FPS XX ITB. Smukiez Choir.





It's unbelievable, how time always defies us with its unexpected flash of speed. A blink of an eye, and next thing you know, a full year has passed. And there you are, sitting in a new place, wearing a new look, getting on a new start, living a new life. Yet your heart still stays where it had left. In a place you once called 'home'.

...Where have all those days gone?

My heart aches, everytime I try to sit down and remember. 'Cuz everything that we all went through together during that unforgettable week is still fresh in my memory, everlasting like a movie continuously replaying itself over and over.

I remember how we laughed. How we cried. How we fought. How we made up. How we shared everything we had. How we supported each other to stand firm on the ground and fight. How we moved forward. How we tried hard. How we sang those songs together in harmony. How we were a family, from then on, bonded together with our promise...

Those seven days were truly heaven. And I felt completely blessed.




Now the choir is growing, and big. With The Asian Choir Games coming up, a major concert scheduled around December, and some minor appearances assigned here and there. The people have changed, the line-ups have been altered. And though the feeling of being a part of this amazing community is already far left behind me, I will always think of them as my second family.
How I miss them so. *sobs*

...The memories are cherished. Preserved, forever.
Just as you guys are imprinted on my heart, along with your beautiful voices and great personalities, for as long as I live.

Viva Smukiez Choir!!!

..about the place..

Gash.
It's unbelievably 9 degree Celcius outside, and my room feels like a frikkin' fridge. I'm starting to lose the feelings on my fingertips even as I'm typing this post; it gets even worse because the central heating system is not on anymore since it is SUPPOSED to be Spring already down here. Helloooooo-o-o-o? Spring, anyone?

Dear Mother Earth, if you hear me... Please, spare me some mercy.

...Oh well.
And just now, out of nowhere, I have brought myself up to realize how much I miss Starbucks Taman Anggrek.





It used to be my number one escapade back in J-Town. And not just the cozy little coffeeshop at the ground floor atrium, but the whole mall I do miss as well. I was like one of the many frequent visitors of Taman Anggrek for some obvious reasons. Take strategic school location. Take a huge bunch of willing, drag-along friends. Add a nicely-placed-above condominium unit to that. Spice it up with the fact that I have loved this place to death. Literally. Quite obvious, no? *laughs*

Of course, the one-and-only memorable Starbucks outlet is just too excessively meaningful.

It packed too much cherished memories I sincerely remember and love.
I met people there. I lost people there. I found love there, and lost love there. I made some of my most important decisions there. I saw my life revolve around me there.




I laughed. I cried. I grew up. I escaped. I got inspired. I learned an awful lot of things just by spending my time lazing around, thinking, at that favorite corner at the far end of the outlet near the barista-packed order-pickup point. I did great things. I made great mistakes. Even when I was preparing for my national exams there, I spent most of my time sitting there arguing with my notes feeling sorry for myself.

I received one of my best gifts of year 2007 there as well. The lovely Starbucks planner I'd worked so DAMN hard to get.



I remembered going there for like three or four times a day in my worn-out shirts, short pants, and slippers, when that crazy flood thingy plagued the whole city of J-Town for weeks that I had to move out semi-temporarily to my condo. I remembered talking aimlessly to the baristas, [who were just supercool, btw], exchanging silly jokes, even getting free coffee treats, since I kept going back for no reason just because I was bored and they got too familiar with me that they decided to start giving me freebies just for the heck of it! *winks*

And in the end, I am grateful that I did all of those many crazy things at that very sacred place I once considered my great escape, right there, at that corner.

I mean, if you were a frequent visitor to Starbucks Taman Anggrek some couple of months ago, then once or twice you could've run onto me or noticed me sitting at that very corner. I am very DAMN sure you have. Cuz I was there too much for my own good. I know that. *sighs*




Now you think I could just be a terrific, confirmed example of a thoroughly-modernistic-influenced Generation Y boy who just can't get enough of mainstream civilization. Westernized, some would say. Or wrongly-brainwashed by culture, perhaps?

But, hell, if loving good coffeelicious company [along with every little beautiful thing that comes along with it] is actually a crime, then I'd be going straight to jail.

And now I would give everything I have down here in exchange for just a DAY of complete pleasure sitting at that special corner of Starbucks Taman Anggrek once again, just thinking through, reflecting, daydreaming, crying, laughing at my own f*cked-up mess of a life.

Sadly, as always, I can't turn back time. *sighs*
Oh well.

Another emo moment I immerse myself in. This is getting ridiculously un-JJ-ish.

PS: I am, by all means, NOT advertising the Starbucks brand here AT ALL. And I am certainly NOT making a penny out of this. NOT AT ALL. Cheers. *bows down*

...KADO KENDO...

So, here they are.

The Kado Kendo snapshots I promised.

These pictures are just soooooooooooo memorable. Reminiscent, as my supermellow alter ego puts in. And there is nothing to hold back.

.dlewjjmelmel.

hideaway.~

.angels and demons?.

rendezvous.plan.b~ *courtesy of David*

accidental.candid.~ *courtesy of Ko Bagas*

~jjmelmeljonli.

i.love.kadokendo.~

.: togetherness :.


~.we.love.kadokendo!~

I miss this spectacular event soooo much. *sobs*

Like Drix once asked me, why do all good things come to and end???

...after the blast...

KADO KENDO WAS A BLAST!! =D
Snapshots and pictures of the screening nights will follow REAL soon! *winks*

Yeah. To sum up the whole idea of this post..
The whole event was just thoroughly awesome. And the thought that I was actually a part of it makes me feel very, VERY proud. Totally. I am.

This is just priceless. A once-in-a-lifetime experience in which I was lucky enough to take part. I met such amazing people and got the chance to get to know them more closely. I learned valuable lessons. I participated in various aspects. I laughed a lot. I cried. I worked hard. And I'm glad that I did. 'Cuz this event is like a HUGE life-changing moment for me, personally. One among the few that actually got into me and overwhelmed me with such incomparable grace.

And the movie itself was just as fantastic. The message is deep, and it will spread, dispersing to the hearts of the people who watched it. Hopefully.

So, I'd like to say thank you.
Thank you so much for all the things that we have shared together, guys. The laughs, the tears, the yells, the hardwork, and everything else in between.
No words can describe just how grateful I am right now.

You know who you are. All your names won't fit in this post, but yes, to each and everyone of you, I am equally thankful. Thanks, guys. Thanks a million. =)

..The bottom line?
This is it. This is the place. This is the time. This is the moment I should grasp.

And now I know that I DO belong here.

...back me down from backing up...

Currently listening to: Straitjacket Feeling - The All-American Rejects


MCD 2010 Accounting 1 has got to be like the frikkin' lamest subject ever.
I hate the subject. I hate the lecturer. I hate the materials. I hate the hurdle. And I am hating this unworthy assignment to the fullest now. I do. I really really REALLY do.

I skipped lectures, even tutorials, all in the name of providing more time to submit myself voluntarily to serve that mismatched world of incomprehensible numbers. Yet after these laborous days of all-assignment-no-play, hardwork-filled mission, this one stupid assignment is still not done and gotten over with. It's not like I haven't tried okay. I have. And you can keep my word for it.

And I know it's sooooooo not worth it to go all tantrums in this post cursing and yelling and swearing and crying about this sh*t. I know I shouldn't, yet as always I can't help it. So, there you go.

Now you understand why I have been so grumpy these past few days.

No. No, I am not okay.
I wish I could get a share of those so-called straitjacket feelings for comfort. Then maybe I won't be so alone, and lost, and tired.

I guess feeling too emo for once is not such a bad thing after all.

..that you knew the reason..

Currently listening to: Shoot The Moon - Norah Jones


Kado Kendo is screening in like 5 days' time!!!
Oh god I am sooooooo nervous! *sighs*

Anyways. Enough of my early neurotic symptoms.

The weather's been quite friendly today. It was a bit cold this morning and the wind was just as crazy, but I was quite happy to see another batch of semi-spring rain pouring down so sweetly some half an hour ago. I opened my window and the lingering soft scent of rain-washed grass filled up the entire room. Nostalgically reminds me of those long gloomy days cooped up in my house back home, lying down on my supercozy bed listening to the rhythm of the heavy-pouring rain falling outside my window.

And strangely enough, somehow this mellow-jellow weather triggered my long dormant cleaning mood that has been quiet for some time now due to the insufferable hecticness of these past days. So I decided to do some extreme tidying-ups and ended up vacuuming up my room! Well not to mention extending the cleaning-spree to, like, the entire house, with the help of Andrew.

It was fun, actually. And now that my room is all dust-free and unbelievably tidy, I could probably start thinking of actually buying more homey-homey things to make it feel more welcoming and less cramped, if you know what I mean.

Erm. Scented candles would be a good start, I think.
Since planning to buy a considerably larger cupboard is sooooo out of the list. Limited space alert, JJ. *sighs* Ohwell ohwell.

Oh, by the way. I came across this really funny guy when I was surfing the net the other day. He's apparently a die-hard Youtuber, and his videos are just super-hilarious and awesome! Not to forget frankly-spoken and honest as well. Well if you got time please check him out!! And perhaps search for his other videos in the mighty Youtube [his screen name's "kevjumba", in case you're wondering] as well. It's really worth checking out in return for some good laugh with quality. Kindly click on the highlighted link, please. *winks*

..Yays. This is not a bad way to start off a brand-new week. No, not bad at all!
Let's cross our fingers and hope there's more to come! =)

..whatever..

I wonder why sometimes certain people tend to act like some crazy shit in front of me.

I don't get it. Why they always have to make such a HUGE fuss about something utterly unimportant. Yet they still do. About those small details I know about, I am sure about, stuff they don't know but do hold on to so frikkin' stubbornly. And it just gets the hell out of me.

I mean, geez, get a f*ckin' LIFE, people!!

Those nutbags should know by now. That the art of smashing random stuff around, banging doors shut, and flashing those wicked-it's-up-to-you-i-am-goddamn-furious glares are soooooooo last year now. Outdated. Not scary. Tut-tut. Try again.

Oh well.
I shouldn't have gotten too unforgivably emotional on a fine Sunday afternoon.
But those people sometimes get on my nerves. Especially when they do that often. Hey, a guy has his patience. And forgive me for being only human.

Whatever, dduh.
Kiss my sorry a** you pervs.

Pardon my profanities. Just can't help it.