I am insecure with most of my relationships;

good, that i never take my loved ones for granted.

bad, when i become over-protective, exclusive and demanding if not possessive.

if you love me and hate me at the same time, it means that we’ve been bonding.

Monday,

Went to Uni, did some of the unncessary revision for a paper that i’d be sitting for next June.

Got a phone call from Quest Learning Sdn Bhd, my trainers for the MOHR Train and Place program;
They offered me a two days job at a MOHR conference in Sunway Convention Center, they were having a booth and my job was to help them update their database by collecting name cards or personal details from the 1400 expected delegates.

Major MNEs and SMEs participated in this 2 days seminar on how to have a HR that would survive through the tough times in our economy. There were approximately 80 booths related to training providers companies, HR solutions companies, universities providing continual-education programs as well as institutions providing specific soft-skill short term courses such as SAP among others.

I enjoyed both days of my job approaching people; handing them free gifts in exchange for their business card. My job required me to talk to some of the delegates about the training products and consultation services provided by Quest Learning . Comparatively more rewarding than the UNICEF job, *smirks*.

During the first day of my job, colleagues from Quest Learning confirmed that my MOHR training would start the next week.  And yesterday, Got a job offer from Monash Marketing Department as a temporary staff (which i had to decline). One minute i’m studying in the library, thinking whether i could be doing something more productive; the next minute i am canceling my guitar classes and concerned about my availability for the coffee ministry.

We are brought up in an environment where most of the major decisions in life are made for us.

As a student,
Among the different Pre-University courses offered in Sunway College, My parents thought it’d be best if i studied Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT);
My dad had the final say when we discussed about whether i could transfer to any Melbourne campuses or i should finish my Monash degree in the Malaysia Campus;
The subjects we study and books we are required to purchase for our course are decided by our course coordinators;
The research topic, reference style, words count and due dates for our assignments are set by our lecturers.

In church,
You get assigned to a cell group;
You manage your time to accommodate to the schedule of various ministries, bible study, prayer meetings, cell groups and church services.
You are accountable to the pastor, a cell leader, a ministry leader;
You are expected to fellowship with your own cell members, responsible for following up with the new friends and responsible for members which you regularly transport to and from cell group and church.

When was the last time you had your ‘Me Time’?

If you have a planner like mine last year,
It’d be filled with To Do List,  Assignment(s) Due Dates, Upcoming Test(s) date and Examinations timetable, Meeting(s) Date and Time as well as Upcoming Event(s) for MUSA Clubs and Societies Division, Monash Christian Fellowship, LEO Club Monash ;  none of which was set by me.

This semester, though filled with uncertainties, o-so-much uncertainties;
It was bittersweet.
I’ve learned to put my trust in Him and have learned patience via the hard way.
I’ve been having a ‘Me Time’ semester where i could actually achieved things i set out to do.

Training for, and successfully completing Run for the Nation 09′ is a great example,
Finally started learning to play the guitar is another.
Rushing into the UNICEF job is not. It taught me a valuable lesson of having patience, or in this case not having it.
Signing up for the ministry of HR train and place program certainly kept me busy, despite many of my peers being skeptical about it, i trust that all the hassle that i had to go through would pay off when it does help me in the future.

The ability to design your own life and lifestyle and living it out is the epiphany of success.
I take pleasure in spending quiet time with God which i’ve allocated for Him alone.
I take comfort knowing that i’m able to strengthen my friendships through meaningful conversations with people I value over a ‘planned’ meal.

With a few more weeks left before this semester ends, i would take this opportunity to be a blessing to the campus;
putting actions into the passion i thought i once had for the campus ministry.
I’ve agreed to head the coffee ministry this semester;  in addition, i should be attending most of the noon prayer meetings being an intercessor for my campus, again.

Run For The Nation

Run For the Nation is a single morning running event that sees Christians praying as they run throughout selected areas in the city or town where the event is held. The Runners are grouped into teams of three and each Team is required to cover a 5km run of a preselected route passing by homes, schools, commercial areas, government buildings, religious sites and other places of interest. As the Team runs, one will lead in prayer while the other two will agree. With the aim to cover most grounds, the run is adopts the relay style by using Prayer Cards in replacement of batons (Source).

Christina, Sara and I, teamed up for the prayer run and was assigned to be in the final team in our Area Group.
Hsien Yew became our Team Manager who was in charge of transportation, communicating with our Area Group leader and other team managers.

Being in the last team was really interesting;
our final destination was church where all other runners that have finished their 5 km gathered; Hence we had the additional support from the crowd as we reached the finishing line.

It was a great experience putting actions into our Vision and desire for change in our country. Many Monash CFers were there! Jo Khoo who ran at 5am, SuYin, Carmen, Japh, Jenna, Lind, Tim, Wilson, Jean, Josh, Wui Jia and my team among others.

Daniel (Friend as well as one of the organizing committee member) told me that i was the only person representing City Harvest Church; literally out of the 1500, I should be proud i guess. The rest are probably busy with EMERGE Youth Conference. We reach out to our community and glorify Him in very different ways; let us not compare shall we.

Team 8 of Area Group 19

Monash Cfers representing FGT

With Japheth and Jenna

With Previous MCF President, Hsien Liang

I’ve made it to the Ministry of Human Resource’s Train and Place program.

However, due to handing in my documentations late.

I am now placed in the 2nd batch of trainees;
which won’t be starting next week but rather end of this month.

Yes, entirely My fault.
And Gee, no surprise there,
that i have to pay the price for My own mistake and irresponsibility.

Gah!

Whatever plans i’ve made for end of November, i’ll have to compromise.
What i can do now, is be a blessing to the campus and head Coffee Ministry. =)

The Ministry of Human Resource is currently holding various “train and place” programs for students, fresh grads as well as retrenched workers to get them into and back to the workforce.

I signed up for a Banking Services-Related Training a few weeks back; My application was confirmed two weeks ago when i was in Batu Pahat on Wednesday. They required my photocopied IC, Passport Picture, Photocopied- most recent-Certificate and my Public Bank Account details… By Friday!

On Thursday, i rushed to the Bank as soon as i reached home from Batu Pahat. I went to Public Bank at lunch hour and yes, the wait was terrible; the service was shite; and when it was finally my turn, they found that my ic had an error and didn’t allow me to open a savings account.

On the next day, i tried my luck in another Branch; though my ic failed me again, my passport was allowed to be used as a ‘backup’ to open the account. I scanned all the required documents and i managed to send it in, On Time!

This whole time, i was dealing with the trainers; (Quest Learning Sdn Bhd) which was responsible for handing the PR issues with potential trainees. The HR received my email after the weekend (on Monday) and asked me to send in my physical passport sized picture to them via PosLaju. They received my picture on Wednesday and realized that i filled in the wrong form and needed me to refill a different form as well as opening a CIMB Bank account, not Public Bank.

Thursday, I opened a CIMB Bank account, refilled the new form and personally handed these required documents to the HR staff’s residence. Friday, i was given a call that they needed my SPM results sent to them.

The last i heard, the training is supposed to start this week. Came Saturday then Sunday, i was anxious as to weather i would receive the confirmation regarding my participation in the training and the related details. I inquired the HR personnel about it and she told me she has yet to receive that confirmation and told me the ministry of Human Resource has yet to approve their training dates too.

I am no longer sure this is really what i want, or whether it is worth it or not. i have turned down a job interview for this and right now, nothing looks certain. and i must say, it has been a bitch dealing with the hassle (errands) directly caused by the company’s irresponsibility in handling administration issues.

Christine and Me

Dear Bro,

Do you still remember?

When you were a little boy of 4, you used to like imitating my behaviour. You’ll try to do the things I do, follow the way I speak and even dressed like how I dressed! I was so annoyed at you that I called you a ‘copycat’.

When you entered elementary school, you got involved with the wrong group of friends, and you did not seem interested in studying. You sometimes ‘terrorize’ the smaller kids in class and I remembered how you used to collect your ‘taxes’ a.k.a. 50 cent coins and store them in the frozen compartment of the refrigerator.

As you grew older, I enjoyed your company a whole lot more. I remembered spending quite a lot of time with you, after school mostly. During our free time, we enjoyed doodling away, drawing all kinds of funny stuff and dad used to frame our ‘brilliant masterpiece’ on the four walls of our living room! We also loved playing ‘Pepsi Cola 1, 2, 3′ and ‘Police and theif’ with all the other neighbourhood kids and once, we even tried catching little tadpoles in the filthy ‘longkang’ outside our home! We had so much fun we never knew what it means to be bored, back in those days, of course. We were partners in crime and grandma used to say that we were inseparable, like little lovebirds, the ones that go ‘chirp chirp chirp’ without ever getting tired of each other. Even mum and dad were (pleasantly surprised) we could get along this well. You were my best friend and we shared almost everything with each other!

However, as the years passes by, we slowly drifted apart. You were more into video games and basketball and we hardly play with one another anymore. When I hit puberty, I quickly became a self-conscious, too-matured-for-the-world teenager. Although I cared about my studies and aimed to excel in school, I was more interested in seeking approval from my peers and was secretly pleased with the attention that I was getting from some of the ‘cute’ boys in class. I started spending more time on the internet and on chatrooms and the only time we exchanged words was during dinner or when you needed my help –to do your homework for you!

And then, you became a teenager yourself and that’s when we started to communicate more again. I remembered sharing with you about my ‘boy problems’ and sometimes argued because of our differing views. You didn’t exactly liked my guy friends (crushes? ). You said you observed that some of them were downright mean, disrespectful and snobbish and it’s stupid to waste my time on boys like these. I didn’t understand at that time and I even scolded you for ‘interfering’ in my life and I vowed not to share anything personal with you from then on. Looking back now, I kind of regret not listening to you. Undoubtedly, you may be overly protective over your big sister but it’s only because you didn’t want me to get hurt. Alas, after heartbreak upon heartbreaks, disappointments upon disappointments, I finally see what you’ve been trying to tell me and I thank you, brother for reminding me that I don’t need a boy to feel worthy or beautiful.

In the blink of an eye, I graduated from high school to university and though we were miles apart, we made every effort to keep in touch. The first year in university was tough for me because I was all alone and I remembered feeling quite homesick. I missed having all of you around and I was not used to the food on campus. Nevertheless, I was quickly able to adjust to the demands of independent living and I slowly enjoyed life as an undergraduate. God has blessed me with so many good friends and He was kind enough to lead me to Glad Tidings Church (in Jalan Gasing) at that time. You, on the other hand were sitting for your SPM and I recalled praying for you all day so that you could do well enough to enter the same university as I. I can still remember how thrilled I was when I received news that you were finally joining me in university!

And then, the day came when you moved in to the apartment and we became ‘permanent’ housemates. We have our ups and downs, we fight and cry, just like any other siblings but we also encouraged and pray for each other oftentimes. During the lowest point in my life, you and Kern San were there for me and it really meant a lot to me. When I was being used or taken advantage by ‘friends’, you guys have never failed to stand up for me. If not for you, Kern San and the support of mum and dad, I think I would have taken my own life at that point of my life.

Today is a very special day (20.09.2009) because you became a precious part of our family, exactly 22 years ago on this day. You are 22 now and you’re all grown-up! God has been so faithful and gracious in your life and He has blessed you in ways that we can never imagined!

You are a miracle baby, brother. By God’s grace, you survived the conveyor belt incident in the Johor toy factory when you were 6, and til today I am still amazed by God’s divine protection over the lives of our family! Again, by the mercy of God, you were rescued from the sea in the island of Sipadan when you were 10! We were so close to losing you when the strong waves and current pulled you halfway across the ocean. Did you know how afraid I was when all I could see was your tiny head bobbing up and down in the water! Speaking about miracles, just last year, you were diagnosed with dengue fever and you really got us all worried and panicky. All the private hospitals that we approached refused to admit you because there was a shortage of beds, empty rooms and doctors on duty. When that happened, I felt so helpless but we were determined to get you admitted, no matter what. Kern San, Laura and I decided to fast and pray for you because we knew you could die if your blood count continues to drop at the rate it was going. The day you fainted in the lift and had to be hospitalized was an event that will always be etched in my memory. This was because it so happens that it was the same day I had to sit for my final and most important paper in my life (as a psychology student)! I remembered having to study in the hospital room, beside your bed because I wanted to take care of you while you were on drip. Mum and dad were in Canada, Kern San and Laura had to work, so I didn’t really have a choice but God has truly truly awesome! Not only you recovered within a day or two, He gave me an “A” for my paper, which was completely unexpected! And I realized that after your near-death experience, it brought us all closer to one another, as siblings. As for me personally, it taught me how fragile life can be and I made a silent promise to myself that I would do my best to protect you and cherish you, everyday while you are still here with me.

Vic, I know that I have not been the ‘perfect’ sister that you’ve always wanted and we still get on each other’s nerves once in a while but know that I love you for who you are, and I’m proud of the person that you’ve grown into, a responsible, God-fearing young man. I pray that God grant you all the desires of your heart as you learn to delight in Him and I wish you nothing but the best in life!

Happy Birthday!

Love, Christine.

I arrived back from Batu Pahat on Thursday;

Rushing to open a Public Bank account which is required by the Ministry of Human Resource to participate  in their “work and place” training. I was supposed to send my most recent academic certificate, photocopied ic, passport size photo as well as a photocopy of the first page of the bank account.

It was really discouraging when i heard my ic had an error and i couldn’t open the bank account in time; Thank goodness i had a really good lunch with Khairul and Kevin to ’sort of’ compensate my disappointment. I expected the same kind of comfort for dinner when i met some of the CFers; only to find out that they were having it at Ming Tien opposite Pyramid.

I told Jenna that we should hang out at Marco’s Pizza soon and we just made it happened then and there.

Saturday Night,

Joseph, Jenna, Japheth, Peter, Li Wen, Hsien Yew, Rachel, Chris and I had an awesome pizza and pasta night out! it turned out to be a belated birthday surprise for me.

here are some of the pictures Hsien Yew took that day…

Hershey's Icecream Cake

with Hsien Yew

Jenna

Rachel and Li Wen

with Chris, Li Wen and Rachel

I’ll be honest, this year’s Ball could be the grandest ball any Monashians could ever experience;
However, i felt out of place.

It was probably a bad decision for me to go as an usher in the first place;
But yea, the only good that came out from being a “crew” during the ball is probably the quality time spent with Christina and Sara.

With Sara and Christina

Asides from that, i got to work with the organizing committee; which i learned heaps on leadership and allocations of responsibilities. the simple words such as “Great Job!” “thanks for your effort!” “Nice working with you!” spoken by the organizing chairperson was not only encouraging but made us feel appreciated.

Organizing Committee (female)

Organizing Committee (male)

Well, here are some highlights of the ball.
All pictures were taken by Amahl.

Sarah Lian and Henry Golding (The MCs)

Winner of Mr and Ms Monash

Performances by Reshmonu

this should be the final ball i’ll be attending as a student.