Shape November 2007 issue

:)

melaka, oktoberfest, bukit rimau

haven't been blogging as frequently as i used to. not that nothing has been going on, in fact, based on today's title, too much have been going on. :) but I haven't been taking photos as often as i should. For some reason i've lost the camwhore in me. heh.

Melaka

The college sent 6 of us to Melaka to perform a brief version of the Grease Musical which we did for our Gala Nite. This time, we had Nick and Hazree with us, Sean was the "Danny" and Shakti was still the bitchy "Rizzo", while I have risen from the air-headed groupie, to the boyfriend stealer. pretty good progress i'd say. :)

The performance was great! Albeit Sean stealing the limelight from all of us that night, i think we all did pretty good considering we had only about 5 hours of practise in total. The crowd was wild for Sean. Shakti and I, were pretty much the most hated women in that chinese school hall that night. Good response!

After that, the night was a blurry of stolen bags, hordes of laughter, clinking coffee mugs filled with vodka and baileys, a whole slur of incomprehensible conversation and freaky alien-like transmissions. In short, the one night trip to Melaka was crazy!

Oktoberfest

I have always heard of Oktoberfest but I never went for it. I knew it was famous for it's cheap German beers. So when i saw the poster of Oktoberfest in 1 Utama, i begged and pleaded everyone to come along with me.

On Saturday night, shortly after arriving in Subang from Melaka, Dennis and I headed to 1 Utama. Yan Yee, Joey, Nick Lim, Sean, Marco, Nick Kwang and Hazree were already there. They managed to get the RM1 beer, but Dennis and I were a tad too late. Nevertheless, i thoroughly enjoyed the German Sausages, bacon, mashed potatoes and the Lowenbrau beer. yum.

Oktoberfest wasn't all that grand. but the little folk band that was playing was quite charming. And the crowd was pretty huge. Would definitely want to try it out again.

Bukit Rimau

I tore myself off my bed at 6.30 am this morning. When Dennis woke me up, I felt as if i just went to bed a minute ago. But I bribed Uncle Peter with 2 cheese tarts from Melaka and I got the Colnago back, so i MUST ride.

I followed Andy and Sue to Bukit Rimau where i met CG, Henry and Jolene. Then we rode to a little kampung called Jenjarom. The route was flat. I was slow. But I think I have strengthened my cycling quite a bit from all the RPM.

We rode a grand total of 43 km. Bukit Rimau has gorgeous houses. They have inspired me to work really hard to own a house like that someday. With no stairs. The only way up would be to climb. haha....

klang valley beauties

I realised today that Klang Valley is home to a vast array of very very VERY beautiful women. seriously. I dont know why i even bother trying. My dad's right. the long 42.195km of tar roads is where i belong. not the catwalk. :)

Anyway. I went for a screening today. At Sri Pentas. Which is where they broadcast 8TV, TV3, Hot FM and Fly FM. I was told it was a photoshoot. But when i went there i was told we had to do a screen test, a photoshoot and a promoshoot. and they expect us to be free by 5 pm. *blink blink*

In short. I guess i did okay. My chances of getting into the final 10....aren't all that slim, i suppose. Mainly because i think my screen test and my promoshoot turned out not too shabby. But on the looks factor, i think i should be worried. there was this one particular girl who looked like kristin kreuk! i swear!

Well, the finalists would be aired on 8TV. if you do see me there, be a darling and donate a pinch of your handphone credits to my ego. coz it's sms voting. =)

***

thank you for today. you're just great. =)

going green

nope, i bought none of them.

Kudos, Karen, your will power has improved through sheer determination =)

5 things...

tagged by wen ching.

5 things found in my room
• My amazingly good looking PC whom I gaze into every night
• My immensely comfortable bed
• My shrieking semi circle alarm clock
• My dear Elephant
• My dear Pooh bear

5 things I've always wanted to do
• Sky diving
• Conquer every mountain in Malaysia
• Horseback riding…like really fast…not ride around in a circle at 1 km/hour
• Go bagpacking…the whole sleep on trains, bathe in public toilets thingamajig
• Go to Oprah’s studio

5 things found in my bag
• Handphone
• Wallet
• Thumbdrives
• Powerbar bottle
• Camera

5 things found in my wallet
• Cash
• Pictures of my mum which are a splitting image of moi
• ATM card
• Credit card
• Student cards

5 things I am currently into
• Mr. Chan
• Damien Rice
• Karaoke
• Sushi
• Mr. Chan :)

5 persons to be tagged
• anyone

"Hello, Karen Siah please?"

I've always dreamed that someday i'd receive a phone call from an anonymous/unverified/private number and the person on the other line would tell me that I've just been selected to study abroad for absolutely free, or I've won a new car, or something along those lines. Absolutely preposterous i know, but i always believed in wishful thinking. =)

well, nothing like that happened today. BUT, i received a phone call from 8TV. and i have apparently been short listed for The Ultimate Prom Nite Prom Queen candidate. yup, pretty cool. Especially since the winner walks away with RM 10,000 and a feature on 8TV's Quickie.

But here's the thing. It's on December 1st. the day before the Singapore Marathon. so, just like with the Perhentian Island Challenge and SJ10K. just like with the Powerman and Trailblazer. I have to make a choice now. Seems like someone up there is really testing me this year. heh.

well, i'll be going for a photoshoot on Wednesday. I'll see how the competition is then. kiasu, i know, but kiasus seem to be doing better in life these days, no?

***

Nevcorp Sdn Bhd called me today too. I applied for a job as a project manager trainee. So i'm going for an interview on Monday. Dress formal.

I cant help but wonder how working life would be like. Even if i only plan to work till June next year. But yea, it would be an eye openner. It's in downtown KL too. that makes it even more exciting. Big time corporate central.

I can so picture myself sipping Green Tea frappucino in the morning with a document case in one hand and a blazer in the other. =)

3 random notes

i'm done with all written assignments. for the entire degree.



this is my current favourite photo.



they didn't have my Asics in KLCC :(

my ds trainer

i've been hunting down this pair of Asics Gel DS Trainer for some time now. I first saw it in Studio R Sunway Pyramid and for the first time ever, Asics was on offer! Asics always had really pretty designs but their price range was always out of my league. But there it was that day, sitting pretty with a nice 40% off tag on it!

Unfortunately, they had one last pair and it wasn't my size. So i took a trip to Mid Valley and hunted it down there too, and yet again they didn't have my size. Yesterday I grabbed the opportunity to go to 1 Utama with my dad and checked the Studio R there too. Guess what? they didn't even have the model. sad but true.

Now I've asked the kind assistance of Carboman to check the KLCC branch out for me. If they didn't have my size there i shall resign myself to the fact that it was not meant to be. Maybe i'll change my favourite colour from spunky, charismatic, fun lime green to boring, mundane, everyone-loves-me blue.

heh.

Of mixed feelings

I think every one of us have gone through moments whereby every humanly emotion in the world just conglomerates and swirls in the depths of your mind and twists in the pits of your stomachs. and every single nerve in your body is rattling at once, choking up the throat, puffing up the eyes, speeding up the heart rate, steaming up the temperature. and perhaps what you really want to do is break down and sob your eyes out, but your pride just holds you back from collapsing.

Darn that pride.

back from Perak

I spent Hari Raya with the family and the cousins and the aunts n uncles n granddad in Trolak and Ipoh!

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It was one of those all-you-can-eat holidays, and i ate like there wasn't gonna be a tomorrow! From tauge ayam hor fun to kai zhai peng and pak kah fei. Good food makes a happy me...:)

Now all i gotta do is shake off all this excess calories. What better way than to run 3 times a week and RPM 2 times a week. Now that the puasa stalls are gone, there's no excuse! If you see me online, be a dear and yell in caps and bold letters "Karen GO AND RUN!"

thanks. love ya in advance. :)

snapshots

Adventurun on Sunday morning...
top: keith looking really strong
2nd: daddy drenched in sweat
3rd: mummy also looking very determined
last: me...one of my best running photos ever!
Courtesy of Jason Lee

Metro Idol 2007, Tuesday...
top: Shakti doing the "Go on now GO!...Walk out the door!" bit of her I Will Survive performance.
2nd: "I WILL SURVIVE! HEY HEY!"
She got 3rd place okay! Yay ati~!

he's perfect

i love him. *runs off to promote Power dance shoes*

running the distance

"Make a difference, Run the distance" says the banner of today's Adventurun, which is in support of the Malaysian AIDS council.

My whole family went, and Isaiah followed us there. The run was good. Loved the fresh air, smell of nature (and the occasional monkey poop) and the hilly route. Not many people took part, but i thought it was not too shabby for a student organized run.

Keith got 3rd place, which is cool since he was in the 13 to 21 years category. Isaiah got 2nd, and first place was clinched by a 14 year old called Tim who was a Stingray swimmer at one point. Darn this swimmers, running like it was the first thing they did when they were born.

I got 1st! but then again, I'm old. and my competitors are waaaaay younger. Daddy did pretty good too, i reckon he clocked the same time i did, but he thinks he did a few minutes slower. Mummy also completed the 10 km hilly race which is great.

so it was a good run, in a good environment, with good prizes.

good. i like. :)

marathon schmarathon...

Ever since i signed up for the Standard Chartered Marathon, i have been pressured to train. And you might think that that is a good thing. Added pressure = more training done. But when i'm concerned, that's usually not the case. when i pressure myself, i whine and rant and throw fists around because i feel pressured to do something i don't want to do. which, needless to say, results in 3 times out of 5 that i don't go and train. And because of that, i seriously lack training. I am no where near even the preliminaries of marathon training, and i have only 56 days left!

i sound exactly like a baby, i know. But it's just me. i.can't.work.under.pressure.

anyway. on the bright side. i'm still doing more than i do on a non-marathon-training basis. so i guess it's still ok. (just say it's ok and i'll spare you my wrath) and even though i was only sick for a day, i'd like to think that i needed a few days off to find my pace again. =)

well tomorrow is the Adventurun that is organized by the Sky Adventure Club of TBS. SAC was Beatrice's club in college, and i followed them once to Gunung Ledang, where i met Keeran, my race partner. The race is a 10km hilly route which takes place in Bukit Cahaya Sri Alam. I am once again a bully by default, because the age group ranges from 13 to 21 years old.

oh btw, i'm going for Powerman instead of Trailblazer. Feel a bit bad coz Keeran already went to buy new trail shoes and logged in some training even. sorry partner! but i have every reason to go for Powerman. obligations, mainly. so yea...Powerman it is!

i must've done something right

my days have been brighter
the sun never sunnier
and the morning brings a smile to my face

my school bag feels lighter
my car seems faster
and I'm always as fresh as I am, post race

my head hums a song
and my feet tap along
as I walk about college these days

everything seems to belong
even if it's wrong
well, i couldn't care less anyway

i see a different view
in everything i do
the darkest corners are now in light

through the years i grew
with all mistakes i've gone through
i must have done something right

glorious

Walking down the Frith Street
Dawn is creeping up on me
Some girls tears in a taxi
Five o'clock shadows drinking coffee

So this is what it feels like
This is how it feels, now I'm finally smiling on the inside
This is what it looks like
This is how it looks from the outside staring in

And it's glorious just to laugh like us
And the world will turn, it'll never stop
'Cause I've got nothing to hide
And we've got nothing to lose, oh yeah

And it's glorious, and it's all I see
On a day like this you know it's meant to be
Now i've got nothing to find
And I've got nothing to lose but you
And it's glorious

Drinking wine back in my house
Remember someone said your name
I somehow lost the conversation
I've fallen a million miles away

So this is what it feels like
This is how it feels when you're finally walking on the inside
This is what it looks like
This is how it looks from the outside staring in

And it's glorious just to laugh like us
And the world will turn, it'll never stop
'Cause I've got nothing to hide
And we've got nothing to lose, oh yeah

And it's glorious, and it's all I see
On a day like this you know it's meant to be
'Cause I've got nothing to hide
And I've got nothing to lose but you

Keep wanting a little, a little more
Keep walking, keep walking
Keep getting a little, a little more
Keep running, keep running

Oooooh, walking down the Frith Street...

And it's glorious just to laugh like us
And the world will turn, will never, never stop
'Cause I've got nothing to hide
And we've got nothing to lose, oh yeah

And it's glorious, and it's all I see
On a day like this I know it's meant to be
'Cause I've got nothing to find
And I've got nothing to lose but you
And it's glorious

-natalie imbruglia-

yea...it's been glorious...:)

college allergy

my hands and feet are cold
my lips are pale, so i've been told
my stomach's on its 235th rotation
my head is spinning a buzzing sensation

my eyes are teary and the tears are hot
i'm shivering outside, but inside i'm not
i've slept the whole afternoon but i want to sleep more
for my back and my throat are sore

the tips of my fingers and toes are tingling
there's not doubt, i've got food poisoning
it's barely 8.30 pm and my head's already heavy
i highly suspect i've got "college" allergy

then again, i think it's not college, but rather an allergy to a certain class...or a certain lecturer.
my dear Monday blues victims, may today's evaluation put her in her rightful spot. :)

snap back to reality

how is it that 10 days flew by me at lightning speed without me realising it, i really wonder. the 1 week semester break, which for me started last friday, has come to an end. what have i done? nothing. lost a competition. made some new friends. visited some new places. slept quite little. spent quite a lot.

what have i gained? probably a pound or two.

sean: if you could summarize your holidays in 3 words, what would it be?
me: un.produc.tive

45 days till i finish this degree...