028: Malaysia, Truly Asia (I)

October 19th

I flew from Bander Seri Begawan that day towards Kuala Lumpur. My eldest sister was the only person who came over to send me off because everyone else was either busy, unavailable, abroad or too lazy.

During the flight, I received the biggest shock of my life. It was my first time ever traveling on a plane when I had a blocked sinus and a blocked ear. The plane took off and as it went higher and higher, the pressure in my nose and ear was cleared. I could hear again and I was glad… That was until it flew over 25,000 feet. My sinus got blocked again and my ears continued to pop and squeak like crazy. By the time we hit 30,000 feet, the pressure in my cranium was incredibly painful. I felt like dying. Two hours with a pressured cranium with no way of relieving it even when I pressed on some spots on my body that had helped before. I felt like my head was going to literally explode.

As soon as I arrived in Malaysia I was glad for the return of the normal blocked sinus and ear. I thought I was going to go straight home however I had to wait for my mom who was stuck in traffic for almost two to three hours. My mom tells me that when it rains in the city and it's a Friday, the traffic jams are the worst. So what did I do to pass teh time away? I read Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy which Peach got me the other day. When I got bored of that one I fooled around with the camera…

My mom finally picked me up after an hour waiting. It wasn't that long but long enough for me to get uncomfortable. All the pressure I had to endure during the flight had exhausted me and I was getting dull headaches, sensitivity to light and really dry throat.

October 20th

I had breakfast with the parents and was still feeling a little woozy. The bags under my eyes are super evident. My dad asked me to go with my mom to wherever she was going that day. I think he just wanted me to accompany my mom and not to help her do the shopping. I watched a bit of TV with him before my mom and I left with my cousin and his wife and child who were staying over at the house. My mom and I went to a mall while my cousin went to another place. We looked around the mall before my mom went to a photo shop and I to a clothes store. I got myself a pair of jeans and my mom ordered a photobook to be printed.

Once all that was done, we went to grab a massage while waiting for this guy who was going to help fix my mom's contraption. It was so deliciously goooooood. I want it.

We bought groceries right after and went home after circling around traffic. We weren't done there, though. We went out again after lunch and visited a shop that sold containers and cups for the bazaar my mother is going to sell in. Got some local veggies and even a corn on the cob that was cooked with open fire.

On our way home, I took pictures of the building conditions and small shops by the road.

And this concludes the first part of Malaysia, Truly Asia series!

// I should write up a draft for the next post! Well…!

026: The Infected

And here we are in Holland, The Netherlands! I've been visiting museums and galleries as well as a lot of shops to try and buy clothes and shoes before I leave the country in September! It's a little silly, I know, to be buying stuffso early on but it's difficult to buy the correct one, you see? I have feet that would shame Shaq's descendants and unwanted curves that would make the beautiful Ursula want to make me a potion without any consequences because she'd be in pain just being in my body shape's presence! It's so difficult, when I return home, to get good and well-fitted clothes as well as undergarments! So I'm dishing out my money on bras and matching underwear! I'm also going to go and search for shoes my size because most of the shoes sold back home are for people with hooves more than feet.

The museums I went to were amazing by the way. The first one I went to was the Rijksmuseum, which held Rembrandt's work as well as his students (and some others) as well as some naval war paintings and objects etc. Right after that, Peach and I spent our time eating and just looking around Amsterdam. Oh, talking about eating, there's a supermarket chain called Albert Heijn and they sell these awesome cheese and herbs croissants! Deliciously herby!

We also went to the Eye Film Museum which is also a cinema. The architectural structure of this building, both externally and internally, is amazing! So beautiful that I believe I want to have a house that is inspired by it! The shades for the ceiling lights are also so beautiful. At the moment, they're showing an exhibition on Stanley Kubrick so if you have the chance, please do try to go! There's also an exhibition going on in the building next to it where the Tidelijkmuseum has taken over for the moment. Apparently, the building they're in used to be owned by the oil company Shell and they've moved out or abandoned it. So the taking over was such an interesting thing to do. Using an unused building for a temporary museum? I know it's not strange or uncommon but there should really be more of that!

We visited W139 Gallery as well. They had a few people's stuff in there which are mostly installations and video work. It was a pity that we didn't get to see the performance art, it would have been interesting.

It was an exciting week for me. Everyday, I was going somewhere either by car, train, bus, tram or ferry! On the first day I was here, I even got to go to IKEA to help Peach with choosing some containers for the home studio and search for some lights and wires to hook up in one of the rooms!

But a streak of fun and excitement always leads to the a downward slope to sadness and pain. I actually got an infection sometime during the evening in the weekend and it was so sudden that it surprised me, Peach and even Peach's mom! I had to be driven to the closest clinic that was open at night because it became worse a couple of hours or so later, so bad that I was in so much pain and I was bleeding real bad. The doctor consulted me, prescribed me some antibiotics and sent us home. Three days later, I'm feeling incredibly better. The infection, I feel, is almost gone and the bleeding had stopped completely on the second day.

// Well… peace, yo.

025: The Watch of Day

Woke up early today! For the past week I've been waking up proper late and I had aching muscles all over. I was sleeping on the floor with a thick yet soft mattress and that apparently was my problem. So I decided to sleep on my friends' incredibly hard couch. And it was almost heavenly~. At the moment it is taken over by a very beautiful guitar and a PS3 controller. Oh… And that is… I believe… Lizzy, my blue, apparently lesbian according to my little sister, hippo pencil case.

So my friend is doing a charity race with his dad for the British Heart Foundation. If you could go and support them by donating (or even just going over there to root for them) I'd totally appreciate it! Here's a link to his donate page at Just Giving. I hope he gets the amount he needs to reach their goals and more! So, good luck to the both of them!

Image was taken and edited without consent and belong to the respectful photographer.

In other news! I went out of the house today to meet up with a couple of my friends from school! Judith is an artist who works with mixed media but especially in the field of sculpture and installation while Maja was an exchange student from Poland who decided to stay in the UK for a little while longer!

We've been trying to get together with another pair for weeks now but they always keep putting it off so we put our foot down and grabbed coffee and cakes at Costa. The only reason I chose that place is because I love their lemon cake! I love lemon cake! I probably shouldn't eat too much of it, though…

Judith sticking a cake in front of me… So I bit it off~

Maja was preparing to stuff her nose into the cream to pose for a photo but I like this better!

I've been slowly falling in love with Lenka's songs again. I actually first heard her song on a CD one of my sisters owned and wouldn't stop listening to one song on repeat while driving. If any of you have any suggestions for what to start listening to, do suggest. It would be greatly appreciated!

I've also finally listened to all of Ke$ha's songs. I say finally because I disliked her songs when they played it forever on the radio, people's computers blasting it out, ringtones etc. and all these just for one song. Yup, TiKToK. However, after listening to all the songs which are pretty good, I really cannot wait for her new album. She mentioned it would be different and I really want to see how she evolves!

Ke$ha made a song with Katy Perry called True Love. I think it's quite a nice piece of music even though it sounds quite familiar. I feel like they both kind of have the same style of music.

Time for a little bit of sad news. I used to own this analogue watch from River Island with a new leather strap (since the old one broke and the nice watch repairmen put a new strap for free). And You read that correctly; I used to have a watch. Even though it was a little annoying to wear when I draw or type, it was still one of my more simple and awesome watch ever. I've asked the student office to contact me if anyone ever hand it over to them.

It looks a little like that. Also, YAYe! for trackpad art!

In this paragraph, I randomly say that I am graduating soon. I should be excited but I'm not. I can't wait to go to The Netherlands, though.

// TIME TO DO SOME WORK!

0009: Calls

I finished packing a few days back and now my room is boringly empty.

Today, I got a little pissed off with companies not giving me a quick reply or leaving me to hang and waiting for them(1). I dislike calling companies because sometimes they make you wait and also, they sometimes don't want to talk to you, using a tone of voice that is unpleasant(2). However, I hate waiting especially when my patience is stretched to almost a week(3).

I still hate calling companies on the phone whether it be a big company or even a simple delivery. I'd rather do it face to face than to speak on the phone(4). One by one I got a hold of them or I made them get a hold of me on the phone. There were some companies which I felt were rude to me even during E-mail exchanges so I didn't even bother calling them up.

After long talks, getting quotes and estimations as well as setting dates, I finally got what I needed booked. I'll be moving my stuff from the flat on the 18th of this month, which is in 4 days and I've booked a carpet cleaning company in for near the end of the month. Hopefully, they can take care of the stains in that one room(5)…

In other news… there's no news. I haven't been eating well; filling myself with sugary foods instead of proper, healthy vegetables and fruits. I've been watching dramas as well but sometimes I wonder why I even do it(6)?

Also, I'm getting a little too tanned.

/*Numbered Notes*/
(1) I don't mind waiting for my friends but when it comes to supposed professionals it's a totally different matter.

 (2) Those I-don't-really-give-a-fuck-about-you or the I'm-too-tired-to-be-doing-this-right-now tone of voice.

(3) I waited for 5 days.

(4) I just really don't trust phone calls when it concerns my money; is that weird?

(5) The stains are really bad. I'm not even kidding.

(6) Recently, I've watched 3 types of Asian drama. Romance, Crime and Sports… yes, a Sports drama.

0008: The Sickness

Life hasn't been the best these couple of days. I've been sick and just when I thought I was getting better, I got sick again today. Instead of vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea and the sudden need to sleep long hours every day, I am now sneezing and coughing. I have a feeling it's because my friend's sister who is staying over is sick. However, I really shouldn't jump to conclusion.

Since yesterday, all I've been doing is wait for a reply from the removals company and browsing through this site I found out about called SHADOWNESS. I know it's a weird name for a site but the overall feel of it is nice.

Today is going to be a very short and a 'no image or gif' entry because I'm not feeling too well. I just wanted to update and let the blog know I am alright.

0002: Panic Deficiency

I spent these few days trying to catch up with my work.(1) Not because I was just lazy but I was in Hull for the first part of the holidays and then I had someone visiting me for the rest of the holidays. Spending time on work when you have a guest around who came all the way from a different country just to visit you is very rude. I've done some work and have posted it at Studio Ingathio: WSA05 Balloons and Jars pt1.

My work's a little behind… Well, a lot behind but my panic gauge isn't activated yet. Deadline's in five days. I'm actually more nervous about meeting with the doctor this Friday and the blood donation happening on the 25th this month.(2)

I'm seeing the doctor to have her check out with these marks that are appearing on my skin suddenly. They seem to be random dry circles on my arms but a couple or so days later, they start to look like circular burn marks. I'm not really nervous to meet the doctor; more nervous in knowing what she says it is.

Talking about doctors I watched the fourth episode of Doctor Who(3) last night. It was an interesting one after what I thought was a disappointing third episode. Loved the concept of the third but they didn't really pull it off. It's strange to say this but it was not believable. The fourth one, though. OH! The fourth one!(4) It's just really nicely done. Other than the bad voice acting at the end for the meteorite/asteroid (whichever, I forget) it was a bloody good episode.

I'm also starting to have a thing for Karen Gillan. I'm not sure how she is personality-wise off set but I do fancy certain types of red heads.(5)

I woke up at quarter to eight this morning and now it's four in the morning. I really shouldn't have drunken that ice cold coffee. I have trouble drinking tap water here. It tastes weird. So I try my best to come up with ways to drink to keep myself hydrated. Last time, I forced myself to eat an apple just so I could quench my thirst. I dislike some kinds of apples.

I really have no motivation to do any work right now and it might be because I still have to wait for the pieces to dry before working more on them. On top of that, I am unbelievably bored.

/* Numbered Notes */
(1) I lacked motivation, too. Not a good combination in my honest opinion.
(2) During this point, I would like to tell you that I am suddenly hungry.
(3) Doctor Who, if you are unfamiliar with it, is a popular British sci-fi TV series which ran from 1963 to 1989. It relaunched in 2005.
(4) I never thought of watching Doctor Who until I did so by mistake.
(5) Get in touch if you want to know what that means. You can probably guess, though.