a beautiful letdown

But let my words be few...

It's sad that fate brought us together, and now may tear us apart when I am growing on to you. It hurts so much. I took a leap of faith to know you. I guess we didn't have the time to be fully acquainted to each other. So when I imagine what could have, what may be, it just crushes me so much more. So now I cling on to the words we spoken, the brief moments we shared, the image of your smile, the imperfect but adorable way you squint your eyes when I share a lame joke...

Because those are the only things left of you I can hang on to...


Loving you more still...
x

Aaron Ramsey

Dear Arsene Wenger,

It is such a tragedy that this had to happen to a talented 19-year old. It must have felt like a deja-vu, knowing only too well that this has happened before but to another player of yours, Eduardo, (I don't have to remind you but...) whose leg was also horrifically broken in quite similar fashion two years back. (...I need to stress how serious this is.)

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has suffered a VERY VERY serious injury. The Welshman appeared to have his lower leg broken in a tackle with Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross, who was shown a red card by referee Peter Walton. Shawcross left the field in tears, while players from both sides were visibly traumatised as medics administered emergency treatment and gave Ramsey an oxygen mask.

I sincerely hope Aaron Ramsey will comeback and continue to play and dazzle us on the pitch like he always does. You have all football fans' sympathy. Best wishes, and once again; I am sure I speak for all; we hope Aaron makes a speedy recovery.

Cheers!

From a Manchester United fan.

snake oil

This image is a “balloon race”. The higher a bubble, the greater the evidence for its effectiveness. But the supplements are only effective for the conditions listed inside the bubble.

You might also see multiple bubbles for certain supps. These is because some supps affect a range of conditions, but the evidence quality varies from condition to condition. For example, there’s strong evidence that Green Tea is good for cholesterol levels. But evidence for its anti-cancer effects is conflicting. In these cases, we give a supp another bubble.

Visit Information is Beautiful for the interactive version.

- Taken from puppiesandflowers -

hungry?

I was reading my notes on Biopharmaceutics - Okay it's a module in my Pharmacy degree. Anyway, it was thought provoking. It teaches us how oral drugs (medicines that are swallowed) are got down into our intestines faster for absorption. Then, I remembered that during Chinese New Year, some of my friends lost weight instead of gaining them. So, you know who you are ;) You have till this Sunday (last day of CNY - Chap Goh Meh - 15th Night) to go try to gain back those weight! Here are my tips and secrets on how to stuff yourself silly during the CNY 8th course meals/buffets:

1. Walk as much as you can - take the longest route from your table to the food counter, make a detour to the toilet (or detour to the toilet first and only to the food counter), and back to your table - stimulates more movement in your gut - better digestion!

2. Chew on your food properly! Otherwise food will spend a much longer time in your tummy. Chew even if it takes you 30 seconds on each mouthful!

3. Eat less starchy foods like breads. They can absorb water/liquid and expand in your stomach.

4. Fast yourself before the buffet. Food digests faster from an empty stomach. Also if your stomach is full in the first place, the stomach acidity will increase (not so acidic on a full stomach).

5. If you need to drink anything, drink before eating! And it is best if you drink a lot, and not just a few sips. On an empty stomach, water in larger volumes empties from the stomach faster. Then give yourself about 10 minutes or so before starting on your buffet.

6. Eat buffets in the mornings. It is better to have heavy meals in the morning rather than in the evening - due to some hormonal and circadian effects.

7. Eat less fatty food. Fatty foods need longer time to digest/empty from the stomach.

8. Stand up while having your buffet. Doubt any of you will try this ;)

9. If you will be eating in high class hotels/restaurants, then try to avoid no. 8 for your sake and just lean to the person on your left! Yes, food can empty from the stomach easier/faster that way - it's all due to the position of your stomach and the effects of gravity.

10. Eat hot/warm food - not cold ones. Kids, when your parents say no ice cream first, listen to them! And it's nonsense to start your buffet with the desserts! Your stomach will empty better if the food consumed are fresh from the pan/oven/wok/whatever.


Alright those are my 10 best tips! So try them next time when you are in the mood for food! No use eating when you are feeling down. So only have buffets with family and friends and when there is a reason to celebrate! Hope these helps! Go surprise your friends by showing them how many plates you can gobble down!

Care to share your tips?


Disclaimer - If you have stomachache, don't come after me. Eating less is always best. Concretequarters never promote food wastage and eating meals meant for more than 5 people. Eat substantially. Many others don't share the same luxury.

you still make me smile :)

Lately,
I have been living under a shadow over my head...
I feel the need to see the daylight once more...

I keep trying to understand the mystery, this hidden connection that ropes us together. But however the entanglements of the ropes, I know we will always try to straighten them, to remove the loops that messes and ruins the line and lives of ours; not us being like puppets, but us of being under the guidance and from the vantage point of Himself.

Because when I look deep down into your ocean eyes, I still see fresh specks of the future - a calm, loving future that we are a part of. So, it may be the case of not the right moments yet, but soon, I believe that we will be sailing together once more.

So I throw my life upon all that You are,
Cause I know You gave it all for me,
And when all else fades,
My soul will dance with You,
Where the love lasts forever.

- Casting Crowns -

dong dong chiang

Just a thought...

The sounds of the merry firecrackers/fireworks outside my house...


is like beatboxers on steroids...

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

things you may not know about semen

Click to enlarge...

day-maker

I found this on facebook... :)

happy valiant times

Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Valentines Day!

shine on me

‘Quiet my mind Lord, Make me still before you,
Calm my restless heart, Make me more like you,
Raise up my hands that are hanging down ,
With your joy let my heart abound,
And fill me with your peace.’

wet tiger..

This year, I am going to break a few CNY traditions...

Some are going to be for the 'worse'...
1. I am going to settle debt only after the holidays. Sorry la... no change... I don't want other people to have debts to me instead.
2. I am going to bring my laptop along to do some assignments (Hope can get line!) because during the last few days, I was kinda troubled... so I didn't have time to start on any. And since it would be my last CNY before going overseas, my family is planning to stay at the hometowns longer.

Some are going to be for the 'better'...
To compensate for all the faux pas, I am going to... break some of my own 'traditions'...
1. Laugh LOUDLY - HAHAHAHA! (Joke or no joke)
2. Slurp on my soup LOUDLY - SLURRRRPP!
3. BURRRPPPP LOUDLY when I can... (Well.. this ain't quite true.. not breaking anything here.. I still burrrppp all the time)


Sighs... CNY is gonna be so dull.. :( Actually, I don't mean all the 'better' stuffs above.. just feel a little drained. Is it just me? I am only looking forward to the FOOD and not much more..

poster poser

Our lecturer said YES!! :D :D :D

Our presentation is gonna be LEGENDARY! :D

You peeps just have to wait and see!

All I can reveal now is that our lecturer must have been real please to have received that email!

;)

and the greatest is...

I came over and she said "Hey." It wasn't something that anyone would have remembered, but little did I know, it would turn out to be the start of an epic collision course, which would last from way back then till now. I never saw it coming. The impact had already begun even before the stars were formed, all penned out, all written. It took a long time, each revolution would bring them closer, unintentionally, just following the tracks laid before them. In my life, Faith came first. Hope, emerged slightly later from where I was. Love was no where in sight. Her existence brought no signs, but was well aware by Hope...

“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”

-Proverbs 19:21

In the beginning, I didn't know Faith was so important to me until she left. It was then, that I begun to lose myself. I found out that it was a scary possibility to not be connected at all, to be forgotten when I am gone, to be lost in eternity. That's when I started to have Hope. Hope taught me to be kind, understanding, and be an avid listener. It was Hope who had saved me from my own self-destruction. It was Hope who had look into my eyes and smiled as if to say, "You will be alright". It was Hope that never let me down, whenever I feel the need for her. Then, almost recently, Love came to my life. Hope told me stories of Love. I have always enjoyed her stories. Hope said that in the olden days, Hope has always been associated with Love. They coexisted as a pair, bringing joy to people around. Until one day, Hope realised that the ties between Hope and Love were hard work. So both went separate ways, to maintain the order of balance of the two.

Hope discreetly advised me about Love. Perhaps Hope had realised her time was nearing the end, perhaps not. But it took me awhile before I began to Love. To cut things short, I realised I misunderstood Love. It felt like playing with fire, with the same kind of hurt and burn as the consequences. Hope was still around, but seldom do we speak. It was as if Hope's prophecy was true. I saw Hope lingering more with others, and I felt a little missing. And, when Love shoved me out of the door, again I was left with nothing. But slowly, Love begun to let me in again. It wasn't in my attentions as well. I was just being well-guided. I think Hope saw it coming, and realising the best intentions for all, Hope made up her mind to leave. Like when I lost Faith, I didn't realise how much Hope meant to me till she's gone. But before she left, Faith came back to my life, to first time form a complete-three-way-collision. It was clean.. nothing messy. There was no sound, just a bright blinding light, of a spectacular scale. Perhaps, it was the Lord's way of rebooting, setting a different thing I want in life.

Because when Hope was gone... my insides wept. But I had Faith, and I knew that we are being herded well and that there's a sacred bond between us four when the collision occur. We are somehow all connected, by an elastic string of unknown length and I so know that Hope would be back someday. I will wait for her. But in the meantime, Love has been fairly well to me. Love is interesting. Love makes me happy. Love always make me feel fuzzy inside. Love taught me to be strong, empathetic, to always believe that things happened for a reason, to be positive, to be sincere, to not be selfish, to always do the righteous thing, and of course - to Love.

a Hati for Haiti

Your love is peace to the broken,
Faith for the widow, hope for the orphan, strength for the weak,
Your love is the anthem of nations, rings out through the ages,
And you're always enough for me.


... ... ...

# Hati - 'Heart' in Malay

gargle

I was a thirsty fish who can't get enough of it. After some days, I used to swim along with the currents to where it would take me. However, I don't travel alone apparently. I always have to bear with the company of the sound of the waves. Sometimes they may be melodious, sometimes you just wish not to have any. They can be like a choir of chips on the shoulder, repeating every syllable that utters from my mouth with a tune attached. Sometimes, it can be plain annoying. But on most days, you will learn to sit back and enjoy every spontaneously made-up music they come up with. Very good entertainment. But truthfully, I know it's not all good-fun. It was all about me, and the less the better. But I will say it again, I was a thirsty fish. It was hard to leave it all behind.

I am not much of a traveler this days. I am proud that tales are not of abundant like other previous seasons. And lately, I chose not to hear to some of them. In fact, I led the chips off, on a wild goose chase. I hope they don't return soon yet... for my thirst felt quenched today. I will go into hiding. But tomorrow? What will tomorrow bring? We shall see...

wear your whitest shirt

What would you do when you find yourself trapped in a dire situation, when your believes are tested, when you are even threatened by the voice in your own head? Should you wilt or melt under the pressure? Or should you bloom like a flower, even directing yourself towards the source of the heat? Can you make yourself be counted? Can you say that you stood on your toes, when mountains of pressure are on your head? You don't need the strength of a mighty ant. You don't need the muscles of a grizzly bear. You don't even have to be YOU. Just be who you envisioned yourself to be. Be the hero you told yourself you could be. Be the warrior that would save your love one and her clan. Be the observant arrogant genius who could solve puzzles and mysteries... for fun. Be the mortal who could walk with Kings, and yet have the humility of a commoner.

SO, what would you do when you find yourself as the only one who could fill up the shoes of the world's expectations? Do you stay on to fight the good fight? Or do you choose to take flight and leave all behind? Take the path that you know would make yourself proud.