Lost In Translation

I am beginning to learn, and almost through the hard way from where I'm standing, that the weight of my words matter. Not to say that I'm becoming more important that my opinions are valued more now. Far from that. What I'm trying to say is just that sometimes I don't watch what I say, and the tongue reacts faster than the brain. Way faster.

And it hurts. Not me. But the people around me.
I get so caught up with certain things, I take people for granted. I take their reactions for granted. What I find funny some may not, and with that, things could get ugly. And I also realised that I'm starting to preach. Which is not me. It annoys me a bit and I'm sure it annoys my audience too. But I get caught up.

With that, I apologise to those who may have been inflicted by my words and language. I assure you that they have never been meant to hurt. And I promise that I'll be more careful from now on.

~

Onward to what's been up recently.
School's back and it's scary. Two weeks have zipped by just like that and looking back, I am seriously amazed at just how much 'stuff' has happened. WHAT IS was a blast, obviously. But where that was merely over a week ago, it already feels like it's been a month. Days are passing by quickly but yesterday feels like ages away, it's weird. Now all eyes are on Are You Game? coming up on 19th October, which, in my opinion is gonna be a (bigger) blast as well. It's crazy!

I was able to catch a break too though, as leading up to the weekend last week, a bunch of us celebrated Mel's 21st.

I'm so glad Ant lent me his 430EX flash. Delegated as photographer of the night, I would've died living through it without one.
The surprise Hats Party was awesome (everybody wore hats. hur hur). Cliff and the guys put in so much effort into the surprise, planning with her mum from Malaysia since a couple of months back to make the night a hit, and it certainly was. From one surprise to another, right down to when her mum made an appearance midway through (flying in from Malaysia) to personally give Mel her present, it was simply amazing. There was seriously so much love, some girls were practically tearing!! Pure Oprah moment, I tell you.

The next morning (after what abundant sleep), I then had the pleasure of spending the day with 5 lovely ladies to go gold mining (yea, you read that right) all the way in Sovereign Hill.

For those of who don't know, Sovereign Hill is a (very) small (amusement park-ish?) town built to recreate the 1850's in Ballarat, where gold (and a lot of it) was discovered. So basically, it's a huge living museum with people dressed up in thick and tight clothes or huge gowns all day talking in funny accents. It's great. Everything from the stores that sold candy to the blacksmiths and drapery store is a replica of what it'd be like to live in the 1850's. They even had a gold panning stream where people could try and.. uh... pan for gold.

One of the girls, Rachel, actually found gold, I think. It was a speck, but it was definitely gold.
Much fun.

But now, I'm afraid, it's back to school for me. I have just above 4 weeks till my exams which I am so not looking forward to. And in between, there would still be assignments due.
Oh what joy.
I wish I was rich so I'd never have to worry about grades and work. Or rent. And food. And petrol.

Bah.

More and more everyday;
To find out that what I truly love and where I want to be
is far off from where I'm at now.

Something in the way she moves,
Attracts me like no other lover.
Something in the way she woos me.
I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe, and how.

Somewhere in her smile she knows,
That I don't need no other lover.
Something in her style that shows me.
I don't want to leave her now,
You know I believe and how.

You're asking me will my love grow,
I don't know, I don't know.
You stick around now, it may show,
I don't know, I don't know.

Something in the way she knows,
And all I have to do is think of her.
Something in the things she shows me.
I don't want to leave her now.
You know I believe and how.

the Beatles

~

I just got a hold of the soundtrack to Across the Universe.
I've never been much of a musical fan. I've yet to catch Hairspray (which looks so loud and gaudy it makes me afraid), and I still haven't watched Chicago either. But I know that I really enjoyed Moulin Rouge and definitely loved the unconventional Once.
But listening to this soundtrack today, I just can't help but anticipate this coming movie. Fans of the Beatles can't miss this, apparently.
Oh, if only movies arrived in this continent faster.

~

Will blog about what's been up soon.

One day, I'd like to go to Japan and visit the city.
Not because of the kawaii culture (save me). But because of the mess and the night-lights.
And Lost in Translation.
And now this.

It's getting hotter these days. The sun's up, the days are getting longer, and the skies are getting bluer.
Hello, thongs. You're finally out again.

Time passes so quickly these days. It's as if the older I get the faster I age. I know I've said this over and again, but things from a year back are still so fresh on my mind and it all just seemed like yesterday. But here I stand, yet again, in this season where I'm facing my final exams. The timetable's pretty neat this time round; I'm not complaining.

6th Nov - Investments
13th Nov - Taxation Law
19th Nov - Enterprise Performance Management

Investments is the scary one at the moment, but I guess I'm glad in that way as I've got just about two weeks to just focus on this subject. Then for the following two papers, I have almost a week each to focus merely on each subject as well. Like I said, I'm not complaining.

The busiest of seasons has passed, I reckon. Are You Game was on Friday night, and on Saturday, I attended the World Vision Annual Benefit Concert as well (which was pretty rockin', in my opinion). Last weekend was the last in terms of events for the year, I think, which leaves me to nothing else but me and the books till the semester ends now. Oh, but for Urban Life of course. But that's always fun and only once fortnightly.

It's crazy though to sit and realise how fast life has (seemed to) pass me by. Three years of uni life have passed and I could've been graduating already. A few of my friends are; and it's seriously quite scary. Not because I'm gonna be facing another sem without friends (because not all are going yet). But I'm just amazed at the speed of the transition from studying for 15 to 16 years (making that practically most of our lives so far) to 'Work'.
Independence. Income. Taxes. Rent. Then a mortgage?
Okay so maybe not that last one yet. But I know a lot of these are running through the heads of some of my friends now, and call me a busybody but I'm kinda feeling it with them as well (even though I'm not quite there yet for another semester).

It's good and easier for some. Some have a specific direction where they want to go. They know they want to make it big by 25 and drive that beemer and live in that penthouse so they're gonna go nuts. Some might know they want to be back in their respective homes overseas to work there or take over their family business. But I know there are some who are still direction-less, and it must be scary for them. I know because I'm still not sure what to do or where to go at the moment. And although it's not something I should be too concerned about yet, it doesn't mean that I don't think about it.

I guess I've got one heck of an advantage so far though. I've got God and that makes life much simpler. Not easier. But definitely simpler. 'Just hear and obey', as the old song says. Many might not understand the concept of a reliance on His will; I understand. But I believe in an interactive God whose plans for me are real and I can actually see its gears in motion. I may not necessarily have the answers as to how life would end up for me. But I know that as long as whatever I do is in His will, life is perfect.

Okay. Enough God-talk (eee). This is fast becoming a tool of procrastination.
I should get back to my books.
I so can't wait for the holidays to come...

Doors are opening.

A person I've come to respect recently asked me what plans do I have as soon as I'm done with uni.
"I have no clue," I replied.
Which is true, and is something I'm not particularly proud of. I'd like to have a direction. Anywhere, but at least a direction. Instead I find myself rather aimless unless I just lay back and let things fall into place. Do the routine thing that everybody does. You graduate, you apply for jobs along that line of your degree. The 'expected' thing.

"That's awesome," she said.
And she wasn't sarcastic. And for some reason, something inside me agreed as well.

"I'm not too sure what I'm gonna do with myself next year as well," she continued. "But that's be beauty of it, isn't it? You just stand there anticipating and listening to what God wants you to do next."

I was beaming.
Waiting is not passive. It is anticipating. As Pei Jet mentioned about two weeks ago, waiting is active. It is expecting. You're listening.

And doors are opening. Confirmations are seeping in. Signs are appearing.
It's an exciting time to be in.

~

And oh, my rather blank passport is simply itching to be stamped on. But that's something else entirely and is in quite a distance still. We'll just have to wait and see.