Ciaossu,
Heya people:D It's been a while. Recently life has been pretty great! The friend that I lost came back, I made new friends in JC and I got to know more about a friend I only got to know recently.

Orientation with my orientation group ended on Friday and I must say I made quite a lot of friends within the short span of one week. While the orientation games weren't all that fun, they did help us bond better as a group. However nothing beats FOOD when it comes to bonding:) Orientation group dinners really helped to break the ice of awkwardness between all of us and while our group might not be the most enthusiastic, I feel that we had the most opportunities for proper communication (getting to know each other better at a personal level). Though I missed the last day of orientation with my OG but I definitely won't miss the next orientation group outing!!

Well besides making many new friends, I got to keep old ones. The one I had got into an argument with apologised to me face-to-face. This really touched my heart and even though I had long forgiven him, I was still really surprised he did that instead of just texting his apology. I guess that's one thing I can learn from him if I ever want to sincerely apologise to someone. Kids in my generation hardly take apologies seriously and I think that's something precious that we should retain! Such traditions are the ones worth keeping:)

Well, in any argument both parties are always at fault. Thinking back, I ought to have apologised properly to him as well. Ah wells~ I guess I have to make it up to him in some other way then since I missed my chance. Anyway, my point in sharing this is in response to my previous post. I really want to let everyone know that miracles do exist. Though that friend of mine said really nasty stuff but forgiveness is a magical thing! I'm glad I believed in God and that he didn't mean what he said in his fit of anger. Or else I would have lost a really valuable friend^^ Get rid of the sadness and anger and replace it with hope and love...You'll really gain many more beautiful things=)

I'm really glad I chose to forgive and forget all the bad stuff that happened. It would have been a real loss for me if I had chosen pride over friendship. I'm glad I made the right choices:D God is great all the time and I'm so glad he is always so patient when he listens to my prayers^^ I'm so blessed!! Really, keep believing in HOPE and never lose faith in Him^^

Lots of Love,
Elizabeth~

PS: Don't Stop Believing!

Ciaossu,

It's been a while since I posted. Recently life has been pretty crazy. JC Orientation started today, I made new friends but at the same time I'm struggling with the loss of another. Losing a friend is really a horrible, dreadful feeling, like a piece of your flesh got ripped off from your body.

The friend I lost, (though we don't know each other very well), has had a huge impact on my life and really brought me lots of reasons to smile. I really wish I could turn back time...Re-look at what went wrong and make corrections. Right now, I'm really not in the mood for socializing and orientation. Knowing I let that particular friend down...I feel terrible and unworthy to make new friends. I wanted to be his 'light', but I guess I over-calculated the current and blew the bulb...sigh...

In this blog post all I want to do is to let my friend know just how important he is to me. I might have been harsh, but I never did it with any intention to disrespect or demean him. Rejecting his calls wasn't meant to be rude..I just really needed some quiet time...Maybe I could have handled that matter in a better way but at that particular moment, I just didn't want to talk:( I know that whatever I say now can't change the words that have already been exchanged, but I really really wish there will be another chance to become friends again..

Frankly I am tired by what's been happening...Making up, arguing, making up, arguing...what a vicious cycle. I really don't know how much more I can take. Yet I still don't want to give up on this friend of mine. Currently, at this very moment, it still ain't the right time to patch things up but I really hope that in future, when the violent wave has died down.. Forgiveness will prevail and we can still be friends. It might seem impossible at the moment but I still choose to believe that this shall be made possible.

For those who have lost a friend, please believe "Time Heals All". If that friend was very dear to you, don't ever lose hope in him/her. I had previous friends I lost who did come back to me, and our friendship grew even stronger than before. For now, I can only hope this one does the same. No matter how long it takes, it will be worth it.

Lots of Love,
Elizabeth

PS: Just wish for a peaceful and calm heart...Though the sadness will not go away, at least having such a heart can minimize its damage on my soul~ Keep praying~

Ciaossu,
Hi people:) Life has been up and down for me these days. I was dismayed upon receiving my O level result for Higher CHinese( That's the only paper I took)...I didn't fail, but I did worst than expected. Ah wells, I think things happen for a reason. I guess I'm not fated to drop the subject yet:) !

I went on my first uhh "picnic" recently with 2 friends of mine. It was rather enjoyable though it kept raining that day. We also cycled together and walked quite a bit that day. I got to visit Raynee's beautiful house, and Clarissa got to come to mine:D Well Clarissa lives on the other side of Singapore from me:P So I was really thrilled when she came all the way to my house^^

Anyway, we had most of the picnic at Macdonald's. I brought sausages and Clarissa brought sandwiches and Cold Storage Ham:P Raynee brought cuttlefish..kinda weird for a picnic basket but we enjoyed all the food nevertheless:) A heavy downpour cut our cycling adventure midway and we took shelter with one group of fishermen at the Bedok Jetty. They were really cool about us using the already limited sheltered space and in return we sheltered them from the rain with our umbrellas. The rain ceased a little while later, just enough time for us to have our sandwiches and we continued our journey for a little while more before heading back to the bicycle station to return our bicycles. God really blessed us that day. Just as we returned our bicycles, it started to rain again. We chilled at Macdonald's for a while during that time and after that, we had a rather long but enjoyable walk to Raynee's house.

Raynee's parents were really sweet and hospitable, and they reminded me of Clarissa's parents0.0(there's just a resemblance). We tried Raynee's creme brulee and niangao, then chatted a while with her parents before leaving for Eastpoint Mall for "dinner". There, I introduced them to one of the best yoghurt they've ever tried:P It's a stall called Blend It at Eastpoint mall and they sell healthy and scrumptious snacks and yoghurt. Their baked Mexican Drumlets and Honey wings are scrumptious:P While one drop of their special homemade Gravy for the baked fries will really blow your mind and leave you wanting more:D Their yoghurt is in a class by itself:) They only use real fruits blended together with your yoghurt to give you a really naturally flavoured yoghurt:P Well anyways Raynee is the most health-conscious among us so the place suits her:P They don't deep fry anything. Everything there is baked. So if you're looking for a healthy yet scrumptious treat:P Do go to Blend It^^

I've been into Dutch music recently, as you can see from the updated playlist^^ Hope you enjoy the songs even if you don't always understand the lyrics:) Hope you enjoy the cheerful beats of Dutch music and ciao for now:)

Lots of Love,
Elizabeth

Ciaossu,
I know it's late but HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone:D!!! According to the Chinese Lunar calendar, 2012 is the year of the Dragon, the most prosperous animal(or should I say mythical creature) in the chinese zodiac. This year, we can look forward to better harvests, improved relationships, improved finances, etc.

Well anyway I still don't feel the start of the new year yet since school starts later for me compared to all my friends in other schools so I'm just enjoying an extended holiday. The holidays have not been very fruitful but I have managed to receive adequate rest. My only hope is that my brain still functions and that it will be able to accept all the new knowledge I attain this year and next. These 2 years are about to be one of the most important years of my life as they will determine the course I qualify for in University and also my future career path. I really hope that I'll get the ideal subjects in Junior College so wish me luck people:)

My dad's birthday is coming up soon but I still haven't decided what I want to do for his birthday this year. If you have any suggestions, please leave me a tagg^^ He will be turning 53 this year...

Well I must say time passes really quickly, yet another year (2011) has come and gone. While 2011 left behind many sad memories, like the earthquake-tsunami disaster that escalated into a nuclear crisis in Japan on 11 March, what hasn't killed us has made us grow stronger. It is useless to wallow in self-pity over the misfortunes of 2011. Let us keep the beautiful memories of what has happened last year and forget the bad ones. A new year signals a new beginning^^ Start the year optimistic and stay optimistic:) It'll make life so much easier to bear. Well...in the end...easier said than done but keep trying anyway^^

Life has been filled with miracles this year and I thank God for all of them from the bottom of my heart. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I learnt this line in St John's Ambulance Brigade and yes it does apply to everyone on Earth. Keep believing things will get better and while this might not seem to be coming true at first, believe in God and he shall show you his magic^^ I know not everyone's christian so no offence^^ I just love God:D It's my choice. Well anyways, whatever you believe in, never give up HOPE^^

Frankly I think I've totally been crapping in today's post but please continue bearing with me and reading my blog:) I believe that there is no key to happiness because happiness exists and is always right around you. It's whether you choose to see and hold on to this happiness that makes a world of a difference. Staying happy is an ongoing process that has to be maintained throughout your life. Always count your blessings and keep believing that life has more to offer:D Money might bring you happiness, but such happiness won't be long-lasting. Build everlasting friendships/ relationships this year, maintain a healthy lifestyle and go chase after the happiness that is right in front of your eyes:)

Cheers to the year 2012^^ God bless everybody^^

Lots of love,

Elizabeth XD

PS: Sorry if my post doesn't make much sense...just ignore it if it's too stupid XD

Ciaossu,

Hello everyone:D Yesterday, I attended my church's candlelight service for the 3rd time( I joined my CHC in candlelight service of 2009) and as usual, it was an extremely beautiful and magical event. To tell the truth, I actually enjoy candlelight service the most compared to all the other special services my church offers in the whole year, even christmas service:) This is partly due to the fact that candlelight service marks the start of my christian journey and since then, my faith has just kept growing stronger and stronger. I'm really blessed to have joined Christ during such a beautiful event and I look forward to all the future candlelight services to come:)

Just a short post today since I'd just like to share my experience:) Have an awesome week :P

Lots of Love,
Elizabeth^^

Ciaossu,

Hello everyone and sorry for not posting for such a long time although my school holidays started at the beginning of november. I was really busy in november since I got a bad cough the moment the holidays started and when I had finally recovered, 2 weeks had already flew by and it was time for my student science attachment at NUS (this lasted one week). After a successful learning journey at IMRE, I got gastric flu and had a terrible week recuperating since I kept barfing and had diarrhoea.

December started not too long ago and I must say it has been much more eventful compared to November. Many of my friends who had gone overseas had started to fly home so the number of group outings increased. I started to really get into the holiday mood! However this isn't what I want to talk to everyone today.

Today, I would like to share a scolding I just got from my dad just 10minutes ago. Well, my dad is a very opinionated guy and he believes that he is NEVER in the wrong. You might not believe me but when me and my mum tell him that it is "human to err", he tells us he doesn't ever err because he chooses not to err. Of course no one in my family of three believes him since he makes mistakes just like any other human being. But this mindset has made him so egotistical that he hardly ever listens to my mum or me. To him, he is always right.

Having lived till now, at the age of 16, I really can't understand his character nor respect his view that he can never go wrong. Even more so since he never listens to anyone and never admits his mistakes. Till now, he has never properly apologised to my mum or me for anything he has done that upset us since he feels that such little mistakes don't count. They matter to us of course, but he never sticks around long enough to listen to our point of view so expecting an apology is like a fantasy that will never happen in real life.

Today we got into an argument about his company's website. When accessed, a warning sign saying that the site is dangerous will appear and this got him very worked up. I had had a bad night and had barely slept at all so when I got up after around 4 hours of sleep, I was still not in my right state of mind. He chose this "perfect" time to ask me to enter his website on my computer and of course I opened Internet Explorer and since the computer was lagging, I decided to wash up and take a bath first as I was still halfway in dreamland. Normally I don't bathe the moment I get up but today was different since it had been a warm night and I had worked up quite a sweat while trying to get to sleep, tossing and turning till 7am. My dad is an impatient guy who always wants his things to get done first or else... So expectedly, when I got out of the bath, he was standing there looking at me angrily. I was more awake now but somehow didn't sense the urgency that he wanted to get his task done so when he shouted at me, I asked him to ask me nicely.

That really blew his top and he almost broke my door. Frankly to many, this might seem like an exaggerated way to behave over something as small as checking if his company's website is functioning properly or not. But anyways, I didn't say anything after seeing him bang the door like and indeed, his website was listed as dangerous by the anti-virus software. Seeing this, he really blew up and started screaming at me when I told him what was wrong with his site. I can see why he's worked up but it's not my fault your website isn't safe...I didn't say anything then so he calmed down by lunch.

I thought everything was already resolved. However, when I got home after lunch I decided to call one of my good friends for a chat. We talked for a while and he suddenly came into my room and asked her to google his website to see if it's working/"not-dangerous" anymore. My friend was fabulous and she did it quite patiently and yet when she typed it right, she got an invalid webpage. My dad suddenly started scolding me when he heard it and ended our otherwise happy conversation. My thoughts were: why is it my fault that her computer can't open the page??He asked me to call another friend but I asked him why he didn't go call his own friends to check it for him. He got really angry all of a sudden and started scolding me, saying I ought to just do what he tells me. I of course didn't want to get my friends involved in this and he started asking me if I don't have any close friends. I told him one was overseas and one wasn't at home with a computer..well whatever I said, it's still my fault anyway, to him at least. I was really upset that he doubted my friend and got angry while I was talking to her. She was doing me a favour..At the very least say thank you though you didn't get the response you want. Is the website more important than the people.

He then went on saying that I had a very bad attitude and that I never do things right. That the church I attend is the reason for my bad attitude.. I really got angry then...EVERYTIME we get into an argument, he bans me from attending church..It's always >>You're grounded this sat (which is the day of my church service). He's not christian so he doesn't know what it means to me..but I get so sad..when someone you love always says such things about the things you love and takes it away from you. I mean he never really banned me successfully but he always uses it as a threat. I really hate that. He admitted that he sometimes annoyed me just so I would get mad so he could say that I'm grounded from attending church service. What kind of dad is he...

Saying all this, I must say I don't hate him. My pastor once said that 1 negative comment needs 10 positive ones to override. However, I beg to differ. I'd willingly have 10 bad days in exchange for a really good one day. When the times are good, they're great and I'd rather have only 1 great day than 10 averagely good days. 10 negative comment doesn't need 100 good ones to override, it just needs that very same person who gave the 10 bad comments to give one average positive one. I have personal experience for that. My mum likes to verbally abuse me, she says the most nasty things on her bad days which make up most of the month. Yet, after she calls me an idiot and a disgrace and a failure, she just said 1 thing.. "I'm proud you're my daughter" and immediately, all the words she said before are erased.

I guess different people take it differently but I really hope more people can understand this. My dad might seem like a really bad guy who throws things around/shouts a lot when he gets mad, but deep down we all love each other. I'd never say I hate him. He can be terrible with his high ego but at least, he's a person I can cry in front of. Thinking about this after my argument helped me sort out my thoughts. He made me cry but thank God I can cry in front of him. Being able to have people I trust around me is such a blessing. Sympathise those who can't even show weakness in front of their family for they don't have anyone they trust.

I really wish my dad would listen sometimes to me and my mum but I can never expect that old man nor his bad temper to change. I guess I'll just have to live with it and make the best out of our relationship. Christmas is coming so I'll try my best to be a good girl haha XD It's been a very long post so I'll end here. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for reading my long-winded story:P Ciao

Lots of Love,
Elizabeth

PS: I pierced my ear today and though it hurt, I'm happy coz I know I'm alive since I can feel it^^ Being able to feel is such a blessing^^ (Weird afterthought that doesn't link with my post but ah wells:P) Merry Xmas! It's the season of forgiveness so forgive and forget all my friends^^

Hello everyone, this is just a "little" note I've written on my birthday ( I posted it on facebook first and updated a few more names here on my blog) to thank all who have taken the time to know me personally and in some way or another, brought joy and happiness to me these past 16 years of my life.



Firstly to Lord God my heavenly father,



Thank you for coming into my life and giving me such a blessed life, making me feel special, loved and protected everyday single day.



My parents,

Thank you for raising me up with so much love and care all these years, and for standing by me in good times and bad, always tolerating my tantrums and forgiving me for my mistakes.



And the rest in alphabetical order,



Abigail Koh, for being so talented at drawing and decorating my notebook with your nice sketches in Shandong, also for telling many jokes that made our group laugh and for being a wonderful person to travel with and share experiences together overall^^



Mr Benny Koh (my bio teacher), for giving me your detailed biology notes and for offering to explain the concepts I didn't understand even though you aren't my bio teacher this year. Thank you for showing me how much effort a good teacher puts in for his students.



Chappy, thank you for being a gentleman and for listening so attentively whenever we had rare conversations together even though I'm so much younger than you. You bothering to listen really means a lot^^



Chu Yin, thank you for being such a joy in the cg. Your skills at art are simply amazing and I admire your ability to make such lovely cards and presents on peoples' birthdays/ special occasions. Thank you for being my friend too and for getting to know me better when I first joined CHC!



Clarissa, for being a good friend and the sister I never had. Thank you for standing by me even when I get a bit too pushy sometimes and for sharing many good memories with me. I'll always treasure our friendship.



Clyde, for lending me your hoodie when I forgot to bring mine in church and for being nice=) I enjoyed talking to you:D



Daniel Chong, for being such a fun person to be around of. Thank you for your cheerful personality that always manages to light up the mood at a party/gathering. Also, thank you for inviting me to your birthday party earlier this year although I couldn't attend.



David/Derek Wan, thank you for having such a fun personality! You really light up the party moods whenever we have gatherings and at the same time, have many interesting life experiences to share. Hope we get more chances to talk in future:D



Edwin Thai, for bringing me to church and allowing me to be saved, for giving so much more to me than you received and for sharing my love for anime^^ For teaching me how to enjoy life to the fullest. Thank you.



Emily, Thank you for teaching me some handy beauty tips and for inviting me to join the EMERGE band. Though my curfew made it impossible, thanks for acknowledging me and your belief that I would be a good keyboardist meant a lot to me:D



Aunty Evelyn, thank you for fulfilling my wish of going to Japan and for always giving me words of encouragement, especially during the exam period. They meant a lot and have certainly motivated me to score well for my examinations!



Guan Keat, thank you for telling me about your experience in SOT, it was really interesting. I think I've gotten to know you just a little bit better but I'll work to know you as a person even more in future^^



Hannah, thank you for lightening up my life with your fun personality. I enjoyed getting to know you better at the BBQ @ Sam's place. Hope we have more chances to get together in future:)



Huahua, for being a good breakfast buddy and for showing me how amazing origami can be. I really liked that special super-difficult-to-fold rose you made and I hope you can teach me it someday.



Uncle Imamura, thank you for your hospitality in Japan and for letting me experience how the locals live in Japan. It was certainly a much rarer experience compared to going on a planned tour. I'm so blessed to have a Japanese uncle like you:D



Mr John Lee (SJAB teacher), Thank you for being the first teacher to take NYSJAB as a personal mission and for putting your heart and soul in changing the wrong traditions St John has been following for the past few decades. Also for bringing us much more laughs and for teaching us that it's ok to relax sometimes.



Kah Hui, thank you for being such a good friend to me even when I got too intolerable in Sec 1 and Sec 2. Thanks for sharing your love for japan with me and being such a wonderful friend. The sushi you made and the cookies you baked also left a really nice impression on me:D



Kenneth Lu, for being my deskmate in Primary 6 and for telling me many stories and jokes to make me laugh. Without you, life in primary 6 would probably have been very boring=)



Louisa, Thank you for being a spiritual sister to me when I first joined church and for guiding me and praying for me, helping me integrate into the cg with your cute and energetic personality. Also, thank you for being the first christian I know who shares the same birthday as me^^

Senior Luping, thank you for being such a cheerful senior:) You certainly influenced my life. Without you in NYSJ, I wouldn't have learnt as much in NYSJ. Thanks for being a part of my life in my cca!



Pereira, for making me laugh and spending so much effort drawing my face on that thanksgiving card^^ I really appreciate it. Also, thanks for trusting me to polish your nail=D



Qing Xiang, for proving yourself as a good cook when you cooked us a meal in Australia and for convincing me to ride all the fun rides even though I was apprehensive. You made my trip really worthwhile. Also, thank you for not blaming me when we got in trouble with Aunty Ivy coz we sat on the same ride 3 times and missed the time to gather together.



Rui Teng, for opening up to me and being the friend I never thought I'd possibly make. For comforting me when I cried and treating me to ice cream^^



Samuel, for helping me integrate into the cg when I first joined CHC and for being a person I can always look to for advice on life &/ spirituality. Your philosophies intrigue me and you are really a very interesting person to talk to. Besides this, you're also a very good listener, 100 marks;P



Sean Lee, for being my unofficial Godbro and for teaching me the basics of table tennis, watching Inception with me when everyone else had already seen that movie and inspiring me with quotes from the Bible:D

Sebastiaan, for being my good friend and my godbro even though you live on the other side of the planet. Thank you for sharing your interesting culture and experiences in your country with me. Thank you for always being there for a chat online even though we can't meet in real life yet. I'll definitely want to see you in person someday!



Shanice, thank you to you for being such a good company when your mum treated us for a trip to universal studios. I really had an awesome time that day and I managed to understand you a little better;) God bless you!



Shawn B Chia, thank you for lending me your cool gadgets and for allowing me to play your fun games. Also, thanks for making me laugh and also sharing your experiences in life with me sometimes:D



Siyao, thank you for being so cheerful and sharing the beautiful memories of working in the lab full-time with me. The mushrooms really stank but I think we really became closer through the experience. Thanks for treasuring the rose I made you=D



Toan, for making me laugh and for putting so much effort in being a good friend to me even though I didn't think we would be close friends at first. Thank you for not giving up on me and for showing me what true friends should be like.



Vonny, thank you for being a big sister to me and for spending time choosing the birthday presents despite your feet getting blisters all over. Knowing you spent so much effort made me feel special.



Wee Lee, thank you for being a good friend who always shares the good stuff with everyone. You always share good food, advice and knowledge (especially those related to soccer and entertainment hehe XD) Thanks for bringing joy to my life=P and being a good friend to me!



Wei Jian, thank you for being my spiritual godbrother and for always being around to lighten up the mood with your fun personality:D You inspired me to be more cheerful as a person:P



Wei Ming, thank you for sharing your interesting experiences in st john during your generation and for being such a nice guy in the cg. I enjoyed talking to you and hearing your stories:D



Woon Fang, thank you for being my squad mate for 4 years and for going through thick and thin with me:D We really shared a lot of nice memories together and thanks for always motivating me in SJAB!



Xuemei, for being such a wonderful cousin and for getting to know me better even though we practically never talked much until the Australia trip. It means a lot that you bothered to find out more about me and to share your experiences at church, CCA and school with me.

Senior Yinghui, thank you for being such an inspiring senior. Seeing you do your best for your cca no matter how tough it is really motivates me to try harder. Without you, I probably wouldn't have survived 4 years in St John. I'd just like you to know what a wonderful senior you are. Good luck for everything in life^^ It was an honour knowing you.



Yogesh, for being a good friend to me for the past 7 years, for making effort to meet me at least once a year during teachers' day and for being available for a chat no matter what time of the day.



Yongming, thank you for being someone who took time to understand me as a person and giving me advice on life using your past experiences. I appreciate that you took time to be a good friend to me and to many others in the cg, you have touched their hearts:P



Yu Meng, thank you for being such a valuable team player. Without you, our SMP project wouldn't have been such a success. Thank you for making sure the work gets done and being such a good team leader. Also, thank you for being my friend this past 3 years:D





This list could go on forever but for now, I'll just thank these few individuals:D



Groups of people I want to thank:



NYSJ for being my family for 4 years and for leaving me many memories (mostly good ones) and teaching me important life lessons.



My Squadmates, for going through thick and thin with me these 4 years and for tolerating my nonsense when the going got tough. Also, for forgiving the mistakes I made and always giving me a second chance.



Uverworld, for being such an awesome J-rock band, your music has really inspired me:)









PS: I'll end here for now but for those friends I didn't mentioned, hope you understand that that's all I can think of now. I definitely haven't forgotten you! Thank you all who have influenced my life in some way or another=) I really appreciate it!