031: Godfather Blaze

A lot has happened since the new year began. I’ve been wanting to update for a while now but finding the right words to type up has been incredibly difficult. I wanted to write about a lot of events however, I will refrain from doing so in this entry and only talk about two of the most important.

The Burning

Taken from NST.COM

I was abroad when I was informed of the fire that burned our residence in Kuala Lumpur down. An electrical malfunction occurred in one of the second floor rooms causing a fire that burned half of the second and all of the third floor of the three-storey house.

Source of image unknown.

My father tried to put out the fire but by that time the blaze was too big. He was hospitalized for about a week.

He was visited by many people, including those who flew in for a day or two just to meet him, despite the doctor’s orders of no visitors allowed. My father is, by the way, well. He is now back home until early next month.

The Godfather

The passing of a great, humble and energetic man have had a huge impact on so many people. A family friend whom, we jokingly made up to have been one of the godfathers of a syndicate, has an amazing network of contacts of different occupations.

The first time I could ever remember meeting him was at the immigration department where I made my identity card. He made me skip queues and had it done by the day when it usually took weeks. It was the same thing with my passport. He brought me to the back, got my picture taken and my details too, and by night time he sent the new passport to my house personally.

He was out with his family before complaining of a headache. They were driving somewhere (or back home) then he blacked out. He passed on that night at the hospital.

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

I’ll end the entry here.

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.

0019: Spring Time Is Here

It's Spring! And that means sun and rain in the next coming weeks. Summer is just around the corner and I believe a few people will start complaining soon about the heat. Talking about heat, school is over in a few months. I should probably do some work!

So, I've been going to this place in Winnall Moor. Been doing so every (or so) time the weather's good in Spring and Summer. Love the little cold stream. A nice 10˚C throughout the season. Keep drinks cold there, too!

I forgot to talk about the Katzenjammer concert that I went to with my friend. It was a great concert! They're playing again in London, I believe, this May!

They had an opening act by Karima Francis! She's got really strong vocals!

It was one of the best concerts I've ever went to!

Also, before the concert, we went to galleries and museums and we caught sight of Simon Cowell! Except that I only got my camera out at the last minute and only managed to get half a picture of the back of his head… Apparently, to my friend, that is amazing and she wants to print it out for her collection. Psycho much? She's a lovely person.

// Happiness keeps my belly nice and warm!

0007: The Rare Day

Hey guys!

Yesterday was a very interesting day for me! Not only was I actually coated with a film of sweat, which is very rare and very weird(1), but I also had a strange event happen to me(2)!

In the morning, I went out to take a walk(3) after finding out that Peach was not around to chat with me. He was probably busy at that time because he usually wakes up earlier than me(4)! I looked outside and saw that the day was bright and beautiful. Usually, I'm not interested in getting sun on me as I tend to absorb it and overheat like crazy but that day, I felt like I had to go out. So I did!

I went out to get keys for my new house from the new agents and later on, with the intention of spending the day reading more of Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl(5). I thought that I'd spend a long time outside so I bought a bottle of juice but I realised half an hour or so later that I wanted to send off a package to Australia(6) for a friend of mine. Before I returned home, I bought some rice crackers(7) from the Asian store here in Winchester called China Town and also my favourite soya bean milk from Yeo's. When I reached the flat, I began feeling a little dizzy. I only had a quarter of a bowl of muesli cereal thingymajiggy but I was thinking about sending that package that I waved the feeling away.

I packed the things into a contact lens packaging box that I had lying around and even put in a manga that I got for free from TokyoPop(8)! I hope she likes it! I really enjoyed it! It was titled Summoner Girl(9) and it was the first volume. I also put in a drawing I made for her of Sailor Moon. It's so weird that after drawing that for her, I actually feel like watching that anime! In the past, I played the game not for the fighting and the story line but their transformation scene… A pervert from such a young age(10)! Anyway, after wrapping it up in a parcel paper, I drew some stuff on it for her so she could see that its hers~

During this time, I was chatting with Peach. When it was time to go, I even told him that I'd like to spend my time outside drawing and he agreed to let me go. Ah, such an understanding boyfriend I have! However, before I could leave, my cousin called me after I left him a text message way early in the morning(11). I received his call just after noon. We had a long conversation about things that were too personal that I cannot mention here so go ahead and make your own story on this~ It can be as crazy as you want to as long as you don't start any rumor, you hear?

By the time we were done talking, it was already around half past one! So, I quickly started packing up my stuff and sketchbook. Said good-bye again to Peach but…! As soon as I got off the chair, another call came in! This time, it was from my flat agent(12)! Turned out there was someone coming over today in the morning. I was alright with it because I'll be here the whole day today.

Looked at the time and it was almost two. Said good-bye again to Peach, finally shut the Mac down and then went out before anyone else stopped me(13).

First thing I did, of course, was to send off the package. It cost me about £15(14) to send it over, which was more than the cost of the stuff I bought for her! But that was ok! As long as she gets it, I'm fine(15). Afterwards, I went to the park in front of the Winchester Cathedral.

I plopped myself down and started drawing(16). I didn't stay long, though. Probably about half an hour to forty-five minutes because there was a group of foreign students sitting behind me making so much noise and making me feel uncomfortable sitting where I was. After blasting music on full volume through my headphones, I decided to get away from there and look at the external of the cathedral a little closer. I found a few things that interested me.

It was when it got a little too hot for me(17) that I thought it was better to go home now and spend the rest of the day drawing digitally. So, briskly, I walked home through a crowd of people. It was around four in the afternoon already and the streets have started to crowd from people going home from work and also kids visiting shops with friends. Also, more tourists. When I got back to the flat building, an old lady helped open the door for me. I thought she was helping to open the door and that was it, though, but I was wrong. She asked a request!

She was wondering if I had a friend who could help take her out for a walk in her wheelchair and I didn't know anyone who was free enough to help her out. Her slow and quivering words… made me crumble, "Oh, but it's a lovely day outside… I haven't been out for a while now."(18) So, I offered to help her out.

We walked all the way to the cathedral with me pushing her wheelchair between crowds of people and then to the river. She told me about her younger days of where she worked and lived, where her husband was buried and how she used to sit at the gate by the river while she visited him. We wanted to go to the little park behind the mayor's house but it was closed off(19) due to it being prettied up and the grass being replaced with new, bright green ones. We were a little disappointed by it but we had a long walk under the sun, so the old lady was satisfied. We went back home to the flat and I helped her out with getting some of her things into her spare room. Truth be told, I felt like as if I got thrown into the past! Her flat was furnished and had an ambience of pre-war times(20)! I saw a black and white photo of her and her husband wearing an army outfit and some trunks that looked very old.

To tell you the truth, I almost felt like stealing the stuff away from her and knocking her down(21) to her feet just so I could disappear without her realising what had just happened. Of course, I did no such thing. I've just recently been into old items especially records and record players. I believe I have my father's taste(22). My mom once told me I should wear this outfit with a shine to it; some kind of silk with a reflective surface. Apparently, most girls would go crazy over the material (and it was crazy expensive!) but I said no to it. I told her that I don't like shiny clothes. She told me I was like my father.

Anyway, yes, I am interested in old things. It's not all old things, just some old things, which reminds me that I actually got a few records for free from Peach's mom! And also, I bought a record and Peach bought me one, too. He bought me a Rick Roller… So I could Rick Roll people with the record player back home(23)! Hahahaha!

So, after helping her out, I returned to the flat and waited for my friend who came over when I was helping the old lady off her wheelchair. I waited for him to return to the flat (he had to grab a few more things from the university before we can go out) and received a call from my agent again. I called them back and they told me that someone else was coming over in the morning today. The plumbers this time, to check on the stupid plumbing system that I have here at the flat. We've had many problems with the plumbing system that they decided to get everything fixed. A little too late really since I'm ending my tenancy here at the end of the month(24). But it's alright. As long as the next tenants will live here in a better state than we did(25).

When my friend arrived, we went straight out to scavenge for boxes(26). Yes, boxes. I'm going to be packing up my things so it will be easy to carry to the new place when the time comes. It looks like I need more, though. I've a feeling that I should give my stuff off to charity if not the Traid bin(27).

And that was my whole day, really. I had steak which would have been delicious if it weren't for all the oily, goopy gravy and the rubbery texture…(28) Next time, I'm gonna cook chicken instead. Steaks are best grilled and barbecued and only lightly fried to a rare or medium rare cooking(29)!

TL;DR
My life was like an RPG yesterday; full of quests and item searching.(30)

Also, quick note because I'm writing yesterday's news today, the plumber came in to check the bathroom. Turns out, they're going to rip off the bathtub and make a new shower, except that I won't be here to use that shower. Sigh. Annoying. He was an honest guy, though, which was nice. Saying that landlords don't like to use their money to fix things in the flat and that, whatever he presents, will fall on deaf ears. Sigh again.

Well, at least I'm eating out later in the afternoon! With one of my good friends who I believe should be a model!(31)


Well, it's time to do other things now.

/*Numbered Notes*/
(1) Don't if I've said this enough yet but I don't sweat properly and so, I don't cool down during hot days. I sleep in a room with a temperature of 16˚C at home. Or a fan right under my head.
(2) Another rare case!
(3) I don't usually take walks but recently, I've been walking a lot.
(4) Actually, I wake up earlier but I tend to fall back asleep.
(5) Which I did not do, by the way.
(6) I used to have a strong hatred for Australia because of what happened during my two years there. I dislike it still but not as much as I used to.
(7) I love rice crackers, do you?
(8) I got it for free from Peach who got it for free from some company.
(9) I liked the ending short comics better than the actual comic itself…
(10) I ain't kidding.
(11) It was a short text message but one that sounded kinda' serious, I guess, because he called me thinking that it was. Which it was but I didn't want to worry him that much!
(12) They're Winchester's Personal Homefinders and they're good people.
(13) Someone kept leaving me messages in my Facebook, asking for help in bringing stuff over from here back to my home country. I just hope she's the only one as I've got to bring back some others, too.
(14) I wanted to do a signature one where they have to get it signed by the person who receives it but I remember my friend saying she didn't want that.
(15) Fact: I once waited for a package in Australia for more than two months only to receive news that it was sent back to the original sender.
(16) I wanted to draw the cathedral but my back got tired and painful so I only got to draw the huge window on the front of the building.
(17) I became sticky!
(18) It's really sad to see an old person wanting to go out but is not able to do it themselves and I really, totally succumbed to her plea.
(19) The last time I went there, it was really bad and rundown as well as had the temporary fences up but that day, the fences were tightly secured and the park looked really inviting.
(20) I really felt like I went back to the past. Everything about the place looked old and traditional. I almost felt bad that the floor was covered with a cheap-ass modern carpet instead of a something more themed and harmonious with her furniture!
(21) Violently.
(22) And most of his genes, too.
(23) More like a gramophone.
(24) Going to the new place.
(25) I should stop being nice and happy for strangers.
(26) All over the place! However, most of the boxes were taken away early this week because of a fair last weekend and also, the ones that were in the recycling bins were mostly damaged.
(27) I've lots of clothes that I do not intend on wearing, ever. Most were bought for me.
(28) It was just… bad.
(29) I learned, when I was in The Netherlands, that I loved the taste of rare steak.
(30) Yes. Yes, it was.
(31) She's really pretty and a nice person. A little naive and immature but she's still young so she should have fun!