Rain. Cold. Soup. Weirdness. Cindy.

It is a cold rainy morning today. I've always LOVED rain. I love the rain, I love the coolness of the wind, I love the smell of the soil on the ground. I know. I've always been sort of weird like that.

But you know whats the one thing I Love about cold weather?

A hot bowl of soup. Like Steamy hot!

Yeap. I'm weird like that. Ü

And now, I'm just typing randomly. Random alphabets too: bsjbvfkldgfbjgf,h.

I am weird like that. =D

Love is Giving, not Saying by Sally Brampton

I received this in a forwarded E-Mail from one of my Blogger Friends and thought I'd just like to share this with all of you. It is an article entitled  "Love is giving not saying."  By Sally Brampton (Psychologies Magazine)

Recently, I was talking to a woman whose relationship is in crisis. She wants three kids. Her boyfriend wants none. What should she do? I asked her why, if she knows so clearly what she wants, she was choosing a situation that makes it an impossibility. 'I love him," she said. 'He loves me too,' she added defensively. 'He tells me all the time.' 'But if he can't give you what you want and you demand of him what he can't give, where's the love?' I asked.


'I love him,' she said again, as if she speaking to someone particularly dim-witted. Dim-witted I may be, but I have always felt that if love is blind, then refusing to understand what love really means is blinder still. Love is an action, not an intention.

Whenever my husband says to me,' Is there anything I can do for you,darling?' I think there is no finer phrase in the English language, just as I think a cup of tea appearing unbidden at my desk when I am wretched with work is an act of intimacy. It is as much love in action as running to the help of a friend who needs attention is love in full flight. My closest friend is particularly good at it. If I call her telling her I'm in emotional meltdown, she turns up on my doorstep and takes me in your arms in a consoling hug. Just the other day, when life seemed particularly complicated, a text flashed up from another friend. 'Thinking of you.' It was small in gesture but large in affection and, immediately, the world seemed so much better.


We love the idea of love but few of us do it well. The heart of love is in the giving rather than in the saying. For me, the words 'I love you' can sometimes be as meaningless as 'sorry'. Unless we are truly sorry enough to put that word into an action by changing our behavior or we show somebody how much we love them by our actions rather than our words, neither seems to me to be of much value. Sometimes I think the phrase 'I love you' is no more than a get-out-of-jail-free card. In other words, I love you so just shut up about my obvious lack of commitment, my inability to anticipate your needs, my failure to give you my full intention. I've told you I love you so you can't ask for anything more.


When I was younger, I had a boyfriend who told me, everyday, how much he loved me. And, everyday, he found fault with me. I was so naive and flattered by the 'I love you' part that it took me a while to put the pieces together and discover they didn't fit. Eventually, I asked him how he could love me when he disapproved of almost everything I did. He looked at me, bemused, 'Because I do,' he said. Instinctively, I knew it wasn't true, it couldn't be true, but I wasn't until I was much older that I understood he didn't really love me at all. He wanted to possess me and love was the language he used.

Love is not a given, nor should it be an expectation, just as it does not need any loud or extravagant declaration. It's a gift, small, previous, and intimate; a text from a friend, a spontaneous hug from my husband, a kiss from my kid. I hold those fleeting moments in my innermost memory. They make me feel cherished in a way that fleeting passions never do. Cherished: it's such a good old-fashioned word and, for me at least, is what love is all about

================================================
Have a blessed Holy Week ahead everyone.

Black. White. Green

Optimism.

At the end of the Black and White journey of my life, I see something Green.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have been thinking. Maybe I should start a Project 365?
Contemplation. Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps.

A Tribute To My Father.

My Father

By Mary Carpio

I had the greatest father

a child could ever have on earth

Was the first male face I remember

after my mother gave me birth

I remember the many times

he wiped the tears from my face

And felt the strength of his arms

when he held me in his embrace

His discipline seemed harsh at times

and his words may have been strong

But it wasn't because he was cruel

was because I did a wrong

The times we shared together

were more than I can recall

To have him the moments I did

was better than not knowing him at all.

Dear Papa,

You gave me life the moment you and mama decided to bring me into this world. When I am weak, you kept me strong. When I stumble and fall, you held me up. When I cried, you wiped my tears away. When I was sick, you stayed up all night and took care of me. When I wanted to study, you made sure I get through all the way to college. When I was lonely, you became my best friend. When I was in pain, you medicated me. When I was growing up, you became my teacher. When I was lost, you became my Light. When I needed inspiration, you were my Muse. When I smile, you're happy. When I'm sad, you cry. When I failed in life, You encouraged me. When another hits me, you taught me how not to fight back, but rather prove myself to them. When I was lost in a maze, you found me. When someone call me names, you taught me how to protect my family's name. You taught me how not to use my fist, but use my wit and intelligence. When I didnt know how to Love, my papa, you showed me Love.

and most of all...

You taught me this:-

You taught me how to be a person that you are. A person full of love. A person capable of loving. A person with a gift to another. A person, with a value.

Now that you're gone, The world has lost one of its sunshine that used to shone ever so brightly. Now that you're gone, the birds no longer chirp as happy as they did. Now that you're gone, the violets never bloom.

Now that you're gone Papa, I am never whole. Not anymore. Rest in Peace Papa. You will always be Remembered.

I Love you my Papa.  I Love you.

Always and Forever,

Your Daughter,

Cindy.

In Loving Memory of Papa (12th October 1947 - 31st December 2009)

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

The Light.

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~Michael Strassfeld

Happy Sunday Blogosphere.
Sorry for the long absence.. Have been extremely busy and broke too as of late.
Made a couple of huge purchases in my life, ie: my hot new ride.. ;) and some insurance as well.. Have been busy running here and there, signing this and that, and the fact that i'm working odd hours according to Aussie timezone isn't helping all that much!

I'm back though! ;) So much to blog about. So many photos to share. So many opinions to express.

BUT.

First things first, Blog Hopping! ;)

♥

Snow.

Its another mellow Saturday, and I am once again stuck to my working desk at 7.45am, typing. It's a cold morning, and the office's centralised aircond is not helping at all. It seems that I'm the only one who has problems with the coldness of the aircond as I am snugged up in a sweater AND a shawl. =D

Which brings me to the topic of my discussion today.... Snow! I remember how my dad and mom used to laugh at me whenever the serious Sinus problem hits me. Oh boy, a box of tissue alone was never enough! I go by the nickname of Rudolphette - the female version of rudolph the reindeer back when I was in high school, because of my constant red nose and so... Dad and mom said I can never live in cold countries, or the country is going to run our of trees due to my constant need for tissue papers!

Again, back to my topic of discussion today:- snow. I do love the Sun, and the Rain.. Yet at the same time, I'd love to witness some snow at least once in my life. You're right. I have never seen snow, literally speaking (except on TV screens!).

I've always loved snow. Crispy white. Translucent hexagonal ice crystals that fall in soft, white flakes. Beautiful! Someday, I'd step foot on a snow filled country and make my very own version of a snowman!

So..... if one day, you happen to see an adult building a snowman as if it was her first time, squeeling in excitement like a kid, and probably wearing something green in colour, That would be me! Ü  

Father Clement Bala.

It has been approximately almost 8 years now since the last time I saw Father Bala. He was my First Holy Communion Priest. He was the humblest and most soft spoken man I have ever known my whole life. Also, one born with a golden heart.

 Father Bala lost his dad at a very young age. When he was a kid, he used to see his classmates being sent to school with a bicycle by their fathers, and he longed for that one day, when someone would carry him at the back of the bicycle and send him to school too. Yes, he longed for that.

But that one day never came. There was no one. There was no bicycle. There was only him.

This one man, touched my heart in so many ways i can never explain. He passionately fought for the rights of single mothers. He is the founder of Fatima Home in Melaka - a home to many homeless kids. This man, is the person who instill in me the one best advice that i live by: -

"The best gift you can give to your child, is education, and Love."

True, no? Yes, apart from my Loving daddy, this is the second man whom I have the utmost respect for.

Fish Spa.

Pampering ones self is life given pleasures. What better ways to do so than a round of relaxing massage, and a spa session next? The crux in this blog post is the three letter word:- Spa! Steam room and Sauna... ohhhh the luxury!

But.......

Do you know that there is another form called the Fish Spa?

Here's how it goes. You soak your feet into the spa pond, and tiny fishes made for feet therapy will nibble on your feet. EXTREMELY Ticklish at first, but once you get used to it, it's so therapeutic! And yes, I almost fell asleep too if it was not for Gerard's constant bantering! Ü

Needless to say, half an hour later, the soles of your feet would be so tender and soft! The best part is, all these luxury, only cost roughly about RM15 to RM20! Awesome, no? If you asked me, on a scale of 1 to 10, was it worth the money, I would give it a 9.9! Ü

Out Of The Box.

Good morning Blogosphere. It is 9.09am on a Saturday and here I am sitting on my working desk - working. Of course literally speaking, I am actually Blogging, since the amount of calls I am receiving this morning from Australia is rather scarce.

Many have asked me; What on earth am I doing quitting my Legal job for Fedex Australia, a job which have totally no relation to my degree at all. To some, I am throwing my entire 4 years of education for nothing. To some, I am a girl who has lost her sense of direction in life and just settling for whatever job options i have laid down in front of me.

I would say, to me, I am stepping out of my comfort Zone. Yes, this is a whole new experience for me. Yes, it has nothing to do with Law when you compare it with my previous job. I was and have been for 5 years in my life, a student in the Law field, and working in a legal capacity at my previous job. I was dealing with a lot of alphabets. Look where I am now, in a job that has nothing to do with the legal field, and I am dealing majority with numeric codes.

What makes a difference is that i am happy with my current job as opposed to my previous job. Not to say I dislike working with my previous job. I found that in m current job, i possess the fire and passion to actually wake up at 4am every single morning and come to work. I Love my job at FedEx. As simple as that. What people have failed to understand is that although I am working for FedEx, that does not necessarily means I am giving up on my studies. Eventually, my ultimate aim is to pursue my Masters in Medical Law.

All I am saying is that, do not constraint yourself to what you are familiar with. Think outside the box, See outside the box, and Live outside the box! Imagine how cool my resume would look like when they see that my working experiences includes: Teaching at a US Private School, Office General Admin, Personal Assistant, Corporate Trainer, Junior Lawyer, and now a FedEx Employee. Speaking of being a Jack of all trades! Ü

So yes, in case there is still a tiny seed of doubt in your mind, I am happy with my new job! I like the challenges that comes with it and even more so, i love taking risks in order to broaden up my horizons! Ü

And Until new ideas come to mind, I am relief the Writer's Block is now gone! Have a great Weekend Everyone... And till my creativity strikes again. Toodles.

Writer's Block.

I have been having Writer's Block as of late. Have been sitting right in front of my lappie, staring at a blank Blogspot New Post page, typing, deleting and re-typing and deleting again. There is so much things to blog about, but as of now, I'm trying to come out with a Tribute for my dad. A tribute, written right from the core of my heart. So bear with me.  A Couple more days.

The Sea.

“Don't you realize that the sea is the home of water? All water is off on a journey unless it's in the sea, and it's homesick, and bound to make its way home someday”

- Zora Neale Hurston quotes (American folklorist and Writer, 1903-1960)

I'm Yours - The Script

It's been a while since i shared some music choices on my blog. So here goes one that I've been listening to a lot lately. One that holds a lot of meaning.

You touch these tired eyes of mine

And map my face out line by line

And somehow growing old feels fine

I listen close for I'm not smart

You wrap you thoughts in works of art

And they're hanging on the walls of my heart

I may not have the softest touch

I may not say the words as such

And though I may not look like much

I'm yours

And though my edges may be rough

And never feel I'm quite enough

It may not seem like very much

But I'm yours

You heeled these scars over time

Embraced my soul

You loved my mind

You're the only angel in my life

The day news came my best friend died

My knees went week and you saw me cry

Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes

I may not have the softest touch

I may not say the words as such

And though I may not look like much

I'm yours

And though my edges may be rough

And never feel I'm quite enough

It may not seem like very much
But I'm yours

I may not have the softest touch

I may not say the words as such

I know I don't fit in that much

But I'm yours

Love is Like Narcotic.

Have you ever came to a point where you are at a cross-road of whether you have found Love or even believe in Love anymore?

Just last night while I was blog-hopping, I came across an interesting blog-post by a fellow blogger living in Japan, questioning about Love, and the very same night, I came across this interesting extract from a book entitled "By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept" by Paulo Coelho:-

"Love is like narcotic. At first it brings euphoria of complete surrender. The next day, you want more. You're not addicted yet, but you like the sensation. and you think you can still control things. you think about the person you love for two minutes, and forget them for three hours.

But then you get used to that person, and you begin to be completely dependent on them. Now you think about him for three hours and forget him for two minutes. If he's not there, you feel like an addict who can't get a fix. and just as addicts steal and humiliate themselves to get what they need, you're willing to do anything for love."

What a description, dont you think so? You see, Whether you like it or not, we are all born into this world, solely for one mission, and one mission only - to Love. Whether its Parental love, Relationship love, or even Love among peers. We Love.

Initially, I was a sceptic when it comes to Love. I had thought that only others had the courage to Love. Now, I discovered that I too was capable of loving. Even if loving means leaving, or solitude, or sorrow; love was worth every penny of its price. I think that when we look for Love courageously, it reveals itself. We wind up attracting even more Love.

21/02/2010

The breaking of Dawn as Sunlight Fills the Sky.

This is the view I get every single morning at 6.45 - 7.00 AM the moment I open my door, heading to work.

Jealous, much? ;)

Its moments like this that made my Photography journey so interesting - Capturing life at its Finest.

Ü

Thaipusam

Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam in the Malayalam language. The word Thai-pusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday, however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam which falls in the Vaikhasi month(May/June) is Murugan's birthday

-via Wikipedia.org

Ever since I was a kid, I've always been fascinated with all the different cultures we have here in Malaysia and around the world. Coming from a really Muhibbah family where we have different races and religion is a huge blessing indeed for I have come to understand and love the beauty that every race and religion offers.

This year, I decided I had to join in the procession. So what I did was I woke up in the weeeeeeeeee hours of the morning and join in the parade! I have to admit, it was a gruelling walk (I've never walked that much in a long time!). However, i'm sure as all my colleagues in FedEx already know, I LOVE to walk barefooted. :p I had a lot of fun and it was trully an eye-opening experience as I saw people in trance, people carrying the Kavadi, the mortification of flesh and not to mention, the faith I see in these community! I was in awe.

Being the shutter-bug that I am, I couldn't resist getting a few shots as I was making my own journey of faith. Ü

New Job. New Lease of life.

Change is always Constant. Thats the number one motto we live by as an employee to one of the largest international corporate in the world - FedEx.

Getting the job in FedEx has been a blessing in disguise indeed. Leaving behind my familiar territory of the legal field, i was initially unsure if I would enjoy working at FedEx as much as I enjoyed being in the medical law field. My doubts were immediately put to rest the moment I started my stint with FedEx Training.


I have to admit, the codes, COSMO System, and all the IT what-nots got to me initially, but as i slogged it out, I came to realise I actually like the challenge this job offers me. I love the fact that it's a whole new working arena for me. New challenge. New things to be learned. I was ecstatic! Not to mention my outbound trainings at various airports around Malaysia as well as our gateways, and our stations! I even got to be one of the lucky ones to go out on check-rides with our Mr Courier in our awesome FedEx van Ü I have never enjoyed working this much!

Come this Tuesday, I will officially be serving FedEx Australia. I know I will do just fine in fitting in. Everyone in office has been nothing but warm and really helpful. Fingers crossed I'll be able to soar like an eagle! ;)

Ü

Dear Bloggers,
Sorry I havent been blog-hopping to your private space. Been busy coping with new job and new life. I'll try my very best to hop over during the weekends and leave a comment or two okay? I've missed you guys! So please, just be patient with me. Ü

Have a great great weekend Everyone!

♥

See. Listen. Feel.

Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance,

but in the heart.

Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen,

but what that cannot be seen.

Real love lies not in what is done and known,

but in what that is done but not known.

Found this quotes as i was reading an online story entitled "A Gift of Love". It all boils down to a simple concept that all beautiful things in this world, cannot be seen, nor can it be heard; it must be felt with the heart. It striked straight through to my heart for I know, I've seen it all. That, makes me a happy person. Ü

Santorini Island, Greece

I first heard of this beautiful place from the hit movie Mamma Mia and was instantly attracted to it. No, it's not only because it's extremely beautiful and scenic, but also because of its intriguing story behind how this little island actually come about!

"Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and leading to the creation of the current geological caldera"

-vis Wikipedia.org

It is also worthy to note that before the name Santorini came about, which is reference to St. Irene, this island was actually named as Kallístē which literally means "the most beautiful one".

Interesting, no? Ü I sure thought it was!

Before I end, I'll leave you guys with a few panoramic views of the breathtakingly beautiful island. Until then, I shall dream away.

Ü