Life post XD

Whee! Long time no update! What to do? Life has been so busy, just keeping up with schoolwork is taking most of my energy. So yeah, been crazy with college, but in the storm of assignments and studies and thesis, some good things have happened as well. Overall, still in one piece, physically and mentally. After the 'intensive' training we had from IO last sem, I think this sem is considerably easier. Hello, I had time to think I'm bored, so it's a definite improvement.

I've been given a job offer at by the college, which honestly, is more appealing to me than a bank job. But of course, salary is not comparable, living costs have to bear myself etc...but it's much more relevant to me than a job in a corporate, financial sector. And it gives me more opportunities to prepare for post-grad. So now, in the process of making one of those major life decisions!

Interest-wise, I've gotten addicted to Nico Nico Douga (because of a certain "NeonStall") which is like...the Youtube of Japan. Mainly, I got into a bunch on singers who sing mainly, but not only, Vocaloid songs, and upload them. I really applaud them, because their singing sound like pros, the mixers and the composers are somewhat geniur-level too. It amazes me...them Japanses ppl. Once again, you see my fascination with all things Japanese.

Speaking of which, a friend of mine got the opportunity to study in Japan and will be leaving soon. I had the chance to meet up with her and hung out together with a bunch of friends, and we were chattering away in Jap until one of our friends got annoyed coz she couldn't understand a word. But I'm glad for her. If I have the chance, I would wanna go to Japan too. Either to work...or maybe study. But it's a dream in the future.

Guess right now, my life isn't so bad. It's pretty enjoyable, and despite the crazy assignments I have, I'm trying to apprecate everything about undergrad life, because it's gonna end soon...

Working in Bukit Tinggi

Ah, had a hectic time back up in on Bukit Tinggi helping out with training. But it was fun! Started off with my lecturer asking if I was interested in becoming a facilitator for a training job. I said sure and got some details from him. Turned out the company doing the training was his wife's. Training was supposed to be on Friday, but Christine wanted to leave on Thursday evening to check out the place. So, after asking leave of several lecturers for missing class...up we went to Bukit Tinggi.

Since I've been there several times, I didn't feel as nervous as I would have expected. I know the place we're staying at, and I know the place where training was to be held. At least I won't get lost, right? First thing we did was went up to Colmar, where the training hall was. Peggy and I had been put in charge of the treasure hunt, so we went around the village looking for good spots. After that it was work all the way.

Christine has high expectations from us, and we got a lot of feedback too. It was pretty corporate to me, with all our ideas being questioned for suitability and practicality. But we managed to work out the ideas somehow and spend the rest of the night working on the preps for the treasure hunt, and getting briefed about all the other activities we'll be doing. By the time Peggy and I went to sleep, the birds just woke up. It was what, 6.30 am? And we had to wake up at 7.15 too....

But it was all right...I've had my fair share of pulling close all-nighters and Peggy isn't weak on her knees either. We got the day started setting up the hall, and greeting the clients. Then it was a matter of just going through with our itenary...helping out where we were supposed to. There were 38 participants, so it wasn't too bad. Then it after the breaks and all, it was time for the treasure hunt set-up. Due to some miscommunication, we had to check out of the hotel on that day itself (don't ask me, I have no idea what went on) so while Peggy went with my lecturer to pack up, I was running around the place sticking clues.

When it finally started, I was nervous as hell, hoping things would go well. I had been appointed runner, meaning I had to run all over the place taking pictures of groups while solving puzzles, deciphering clues and at the same time, troubleshooting. I was literally running back and forth Colmar to see what's happening at the stations, snapping pictures of the groups and looked out for the lost teams. Quite a few of them misinterpreted clues and ended up in a completely differnt place, and some even ended up in the wrong stations and missing out certain vital pieces of the puzzle. It took all I had to give them hints without telling them the answer. I think, I spent about 7 hours on my feet, and 3 of those running. I must have ran around the length of the village at least 10 times.

When it was over, they went back for debriefing, we took of the stuff we stuck around town. The clients invited us to their dinner, but since we have no room to stay in, and it would probably end late, we declined and went straight to packing. They sent us home after dinner lol.

This being my first time being part of a training job, I think it was challenging since it was a different environment. The elements of event managament were there, so I wasn't out of place, but all the previous jobs I've done where either for charity or workshops. The agenda was normally decided beforehand and all I did was help out. In this case, it felt a lot more involving since we had to plan as well, which was challenging. But I learnt a lot from the experience and had a lot of fun doing this. Overall, it was a valuable experience. I hope next time, we can do this again with a bigger team.

21st Birthday

Had a fairly interesting day today. Started off with the pest control coming to spray the house. So since it smells, decided to go out! Wanted to drop by TAF, but it was too early, so I followed housemates to Midvalley. Just walked around a bit, then headed off to Taylor's.

Hmmm....the event is a small-scaled event, with a number of competitions. When I arrived, I think they just finished the cosplay competition. Found my friend waiting for finalist list. Then just walked around looking at the goods and games going on. Nothing much really, but there was a singing competition. Met a few friends there...all of them asked me how come I didn't cosplay lol. Now, if only I have the time and money... Didn't buy anything since nothing caught my eye. Wished I brought a camera though...mine's lousy and broken -_-;; (Oh, my friend won 2nd place in the cosplay comp btw...)

Anyway, hung around until it was time to go to church...before that, I ate at this place called The Street Cafe. I was surprised to see it's Korean! Ordered deokbokki, but it was too spicy and hot so couldn't finish T_T. It tasted good though, and not expensive. Students get 20% discount! And even after I told them I'm not from around there! Must visit again..maybe bring friends next time. Haha, they were playing MVs from Big Bang, Suju and 2NE1. I was singing 'Fire' while eating that spicy deokbokki...how ironic.

Service with Ps Joakim was amazing! He barely preached, instead, he shared many personal stories and testimonies of the young people of Sweden, and how they brought revival to their schools and unis. I was so touched and inspired by their stories. During altar call, the presence of God was surely strong and moving the hearts of the congregation! I pray too that the person in my mind is able to be saved soon.

After service, went to Sushi Zanmai for dinner. Whee~~ XD For a Jap foodie like me, there's no better choice for dinner! 18 of us went! The staff at Zanmai couldn't find enough places for us lol! Food was great, of course. But nothing beats being in the company of friends to celebrate your 21st, yeah? Oh, and it was advance for Samuel. I was just surprised so many went! Even saw some college friends who came for service. Had a nice chat with them too.

Anyway, I had a blast! And coming home to check my FB, I had another surprise of seeing many birthday wishes. Felt really loved and blessed. Thank you Lord for the people around me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go put up the Jae wallie Jas just made. XD

The JB Experience

This weekend was in JB with the rest of the H-Factor crew for the workshop. It's amazing, really, how just one workshop can impact your life. I may not be a participant, but ever since I came back from the Penang workshop, I feel that something inside me has changed. Perhaps it was the hustle and bustle around the job, or maybe the feeling of being able to travel to another place, or maybe even the fact that one could work with local celebrities...I don't know the actual reason, but it sparked a fire within me.

It was...different. I haven't been involved in events since the charity concert in the Summit. Despite the fact that both were events, both included celebs and stuff...I could feel the acute difference. What was it about H-Factor that made my blood rush and my adrenaline flow? How was it that despite just having several hours of sleep, I still had the energy and enthusiasm to bounce around and smile to everyone? It was so strong, this feeling...something I couldn't place, something I couldn't identify. I decided that maybe I was just plain excited and left it at that.

But coming back to KL after Penang, it was as though something in me became loose. I was restless. I wasn't supposed to be able to go to JB. In fact, I was supposed to be attached to another event going on in KL. The Global Peace Festival was an event which I have been following up since the middle of the year. My interest was simple...to help and to learn. But no matter how many times I contacted the organisers...they didn't seem keen on letting me help on the actual day itself. I tried to be patient and agreed to their suggestions, which was to help out with other projects taking place before the event. I continued to ask, stating as clearly as possible without sounding rude that my interest was in the day itself, and that my area of strength was dealing with people, or ushering. They tried to get me to do persuasive marketing, which was definitely not my best skill.

So on Thursday, I gave the organisers another call. I asked again. This time, they suggested I join a 3-day workshop and community service. Look, it's not that I hate it or something, but I made it very clear that it was not what I wanted to do. I wasn't crazy over the workshop, I wanted experience! So I made up my mind, called my mum and by the grace of God, somehow got her permission to go to JB. Then I called sensei to tell her that I wouldn't be attending GPF. Next, I told Leo that I wanted to go to JB to help.

This was the feeling...the urge, the inexplicable desire to do something that I know had meaning. It was my choice and my decision, and God gave me the opportunity to try. I felt like this was it. So I went to JB with Leo and the rest. I met a wonderful girl called Kiko. When we met on the bus, the first thing we talked about was horoscopes! Haha, Mika, you might enjoy chatting with her. We went really in-depth about horoscope and personality...touching lightly on psychology and spirituality. I was amazed to learn that she's a Scorpio...and much later in the day, I found out that Hannah was a Scorpio too....I'm surrounded by Scorpions, seriously. I have no idea why, hahahaha!

The experience in JB was very different from Penang. During the island trip, it was crazy! Everything was rushed, hectic...I was wonderfully busy. Although I worked myself till I was worn out, the sense of fulfillment was nothing like I ever felt. I felt that I had finally done something I like. JB was more laidback...there was no crazy rush, not much preps needed since most of it had been done. But the workshop wasn't as widely attended as the Penang workshop. We were all anxious and worried, most were frustrated. I was at first, but gradually I came to rationalise the situation as something that was more circumstancial (external attribution, LOL). Penang and JB had different audiences, so as to speak. Perhaps we have not addressed the needs of the JB audience and therefore, unable to lure their interest. There were many other things which crossed my mind, but the thought that stayed with me the strongest was simply the idea that maybe we're just in the wrong place with the wrong crowd for the wrong thing. Maybe JB just was not as interested in the creative industry as Penangites. Maybe folks in JB were more business-oriented.

Perhaps because I rationalised it this way, I didn't feel really bad. While some might feel pretty upset, I was able to say, "Hey, this is a learning experience too. Be grateful that you had the chance to go through something like this with a team you're familiar with." I was able to be involved in a successful event, and a not-so-successful one. It's a valuable experience! For me, being able to learn from it is most important. Of course, I understand that this was an event, so the small attendance was really something that sets off the workshop. But if this workshop could touch the lives of those few who came, won't it be meaningful? Somehow, this thought lifted my mood, and I somehow managed to stay calm throughout the whole workshop. Although this time I was assigned to registration, I learnt something new, so it was good. I still managed to treat the participants genuinely, and that meant a lot to me. If I can't be genuine to people, then why even bother being here? It's the ATTITUDE that matters.

More than anything, the crew and the speakers really had the opportunity to bond. Most of us never dealt with the speakers. I bet none of us will forget that Saturday night any time soon...when all of us were in a bus on the way to dinner, listening to Pietro cracking jokes, and David getting teased. Personally, when Hannah sat down near Kiko and I and talked to us, I felt like she really did care. It wasn't the kind of conversation where people try to make small talk about various small things, but it was like she really did want to know how we're doing and all. I was sitting right behind David and Fellest and had the opportunity to chat with them a little. It was really interesting to listen to them talk, and I realised that no matter where we come from, what we do and how different we maybe, essentially we're all people. One and the same...human race.

Now that I'm back, I really feel that I've found something I like. Being someone who's not into boring, routine work, this has been an all-new, totally exciting experience for me. Thanks, Leo, for giving me an oportunity. Thanks to all the other crew members for being such wonderful people who didn't mind it when this little chatterbox pestered you, be it for instructions or for my own social needs. Thanks to David and Pietro for providing us with plenty of laughter, thanks to Serena C for that little conversation in the restroom XD. Thanks Reymee, for being such a sweet person, thanks Hans and Harith, though I never made conversation, but you guys really made the workshop roll. Thanks Joey, for being so friendly and warm to us, thanks Fellest, for being such a nice, charming guy. And saving the best for the last, a huge ありがとう to Hannah, for making me feel like I did make a difference.

I might not be able to join you guys in KK (believe me, I really, really want to...) but my prayers go with you as you guys work your magic in KK (no pun intended XD). May all the preparations go smoothly, the participants interested and interactive, may all of you impact their lives, and have fun while doing that. Most of all, I pray that all of you will have a safe journey there, and a safe journey back. Amen!

Wonderful weekend with the H-Factor crew!

For the first time of my life, I went off to another state without teling my mum (though I tentatively 'asked' my dad without him knowing I was asking). Went to Penang during the weekend to help out with the H-Factor Workshop.

I was really excited the whole time. As a result, I was brimming with energy and I couldn't settle down. Maybe I annoyed some of the crew with my 'hyper'-ness. Whoops if I did. But that aside, it was a total blast! Woke up really early to prepare for departure (and I went for church musical last night too....tired gila...). Together with the rest of the crew, we departed in vans.

Journey was....fairly uneventful *crosses fingers*. Couldn't sleep much, coz van was pretty bumpy. Then at around 11 something 12, we arrived at the prestigious G Hotel. This hotel is really awesome, everything is just so up to par! So basically we were assigned to our rooms. I roomed with Manda...then we went to lunch. Buffet was good too...while eating, Hannah came to brief us about what we were to do on that day.

So we went about the schedule for that day, with the main event being the promotion of H-Factor at Queensbay Mall. It was an absolutely new experience for me. I might be able to give an impromptu presentation in class, but hey! Talking to total strangers was really unnerving even for me. I mean, you have to walk up to these people and prepare yourself to get blasted and possibly rejected. But the hardest is always only the first step, so after I warmed up on a couple of students who already heard of the event (I didn't really started off at the right footing, but never mind, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger) I moved on to other shoppers. Basically just did what I normally would do with these situations...grit my teeth and just do it! It gradually got easier after a few times, and though I didn't sell no tickets, I 'sold' a lot of flyers, and those whom I aproached looked mainly interested but unable to decide.

Then Hannah and soem of the oher VIP speakers came to help promote H-Factor too. We had Reymee, Fellest (or is it Fellast?) (KM, you'd know him...the P24 Urban Groove dancer), David Lai the mentalist and Joey Khor, graphic designer and animator of HUE. Basically, they played some games and talked a little about the workshop. Gave away loads of freebies...Fellest pulled off a cool routine with his crew member, Eddie, while David wowed (and freaked) the audience with his tricks. I mean, this man can bend spoons just by looking at them!

After the whole thing, we wrapped up, head back to the hotel and walked over to Gurney Drive and ate at the hawker stalls there. Had a really great time being surprised by Isabelle's amazing appetite. The guys went totally crazy....after 6 plates of 'oo jian' they just got high or something. Started laughing like crazy and playing around. Guess boys will be boys...while we girls can only either laugh, cringe or both at them. Oh Regina, me finally tasted 'oo jian', but it wasn't really my thing la. After we makan kenyang-kenyang, we head back and straightaway went to the ballroom to get briefed. Then we just helped out setting the place up and stuff....went back to our rooms at like 1+. By the time I bathed and prepared the stuff for the next day...when I hit the pillows it was alredy 2-ish.

Woke up at like, 5.45 am to get ready. The bed was so comfy I didn't want to get up, but hey, there's a long day ahead. Went down to breakfast with the rest of the peeps, then started a super long day of work. We were literally just running around doing whatever we can to help. Let me tell you...putting pencils into 386 bags 1 by 1 is crazy...I nearly went nuts doing it. Kept checking to see if I accidentally slipped in 2 pencils instead of 1 or even worse, no pencils at all! OCDnya aku! Then went straight into ushering. I think I spent the first half of the workshop escorting people to the restrooms.

But my duties aside, the workshop was awesome!! It's nothing like I've seen before, you know, celebs coming to teach you how to do their jobs. It's really something to see Serena C and Pietro live, or listen to Harith Iskander, or seeing Hans Isaac in person. And they're all really nice too! The Penang crowd was simply amazing. They were so responsive and interactive; they're not shy to ask questions or make comments.

Throughout the day, I went on doing my stuff without really remembering how tired I am or if I was hungry. the only thing that distracted me was my aching feet...coz I had to usher in heels so yeah...if you rarely wear heels, try walking about and standing in it for 12 hours straight. But when people came over, you can really forget about pain in an effort to be of service to others.

When it ended, we had a short photo op, and wow! The sheer amout of people (of course la, 300+ participants wor...) As I expected, all the girls flocked towards Fellest, and the guys towards Hannah. Then the crew took some pics as well and those who had exams/classes/presentation tomorrow all rushed back to KL right after that. Was really hectic but hey! It was cool!

Although I was really tired, but it was a super enjoyable experience. I learned a lot over the weekend and I'm really thankful that Leonard gave me this opportunity. I'm looking forward to more for the future! And if you're curious about H-Factor, just log on to this website: http://www.h-factor.info/