The reality of the situation has really dawned on me. Till now, I was excited and enthusiastic about heading to college, to start life anew away from the ever watchful eyes of my parents.
In hindsight, those were just shallow fantasies; shallow and immature at the same time. Perhaps it was just a front I put up to quell the feeling of uneasiness within me. Day after day, I put on a smile on my face, lying to everyone, even myself that was SO ready for college life.
Truth is, I'm not. This, being my final day in Kuching; a place in which most of my 18 year old life has centered so much on, I realize at last the gravity of the whole college ordeal.
I'm scared. I don't think I'm ready yet to take that plunge. Not knowing what to expect once I step foot into Shah Alam and then to America; the great beyond, is kinda nerve-wracking.
I've been experiencing and living basically the same routine that I have for the past 18 years, under the never-relenting gaze of my parents. Back here in Kuching, I have a home to come back to, loving parents that I can turn to in times of need, a social circle of close friends in which I've shared so many good times with.
However, in Shah Alam, I've no idea what to expect. I'll have to fend for myself, take care of myself when I fall ill and I have to expect myself to study at the same time amidst all these chores.
True, nobody is ever actually ready to take that plunge. Growing up in a community in which there are many familiar faces makes it tough for one to part with it. But it's a life-changing decision we all have to make one day. A decision that will be for the better.
Suitcases are packed and ready. Vital paperwork and documents have all been sorted out. All that's left for me to do is to just take a deep breath and take a leap of faith into the abyss of uncertainties.
Hopefully, I'll find my way out. And I pray to God for his guidance, to bless me with the strength, courage and wisdom as a beacon of light so that I may make my way through the darkness of life and emerge a victorious.
Thank you, dear Lord God for this wonderful opportunity of a life-time.
College! Here I come!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Full Metal Otaku-mist?
The world of animes (read: Ay-nee-mei) or animu-as what my sister loves to call it- is one that I rarely tread into.
By all accounts, I'm just a casual anime fan; catching snippets of an anime here and there but never actually committed to following the entire season from beginning to end.
However, once in every few years or so, an anime comes along which is so revolutionary and engaging to mainstream audiences that it creates an impact felt in the anime communities throughout the whole world. Sad to say, I was swept up in the hype of the afore-mentioned anime too.
Back in the 90's it was SlamDunk.
But then, I was still 7 and would bite toe-nails rather than even trying to pronounce 'anime' right.
As I aged into the young man (read: Awesome, sexy specimen of buffness) that I am today, I started to take anime much more seriously.
It all started 4 years ago with an anime called Full Metal Alchemist. An anime recommended by my best bud, Bryan "Gay Wannabe" Kho.
That was when my perspective of anime at the time (read: Japanese fag cartoons. LOL) took a complete 180 turn.
Full Metal Alchemist was as revolutionary as animes got, providing an intricate yet highly successful blend of narrative and Japanese animation set against an alternate universe during the Industrial Revolution where alchemy prevailed.
The anime chronicles the tale of two alchemist brothers, the Elrics; who seek the legendary Philosopher's Stone; a fabled artifact rumored to hold a great power. Their quest is made all the more compelling as they try to redeem themselves of their sins of resurrecting their deceased mother as well as trying to restore things to the way they were before the ill-fated deed.
To the Japanese, anime was more than mere Saturday morning cartoons for toddlers and children. With the occasional slapstick and comic reliefs, anime was Japan's equivalent to Hollywood's live action adaptations of literary masterpieces (manga in Japan).
Think Peter Jackson's adaptation of Lord of the Rings presented to you in animation format and you would have something resembling that of anime.
Thus, I had a new-found respect for anime took a deeper appreciation of it from then on.
4 years later, a reboot of the series that opened doors wide open to the anime world for my eyes to see still had me hooked and I fell madly, deeply in love with it once more.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
I'm still not exactly sure to this day what sets this anime so far apart from the handfuls of other generic yet still critically-lauded animes out there.
What was it about this anime that outshined so many other animes back then and still today? What was its secrets to success? Regardless of what it is, it still possessed the charms and the feel of the original albeit a complete overhaul of its plot-line to adhere more faithfully to its manga counterpart.
With a passion for anime, one would also ultimately succumb to the awesomeness of J-pop music that accompanies an anime's opening and ending credits.
I certainly did.
YUI - again (1st Opening Theme)
SID - Lie (1st Ending Theme)
Hmm....
Judging from the length of the post and my ramblings about how incredibly uber-Awesome the anime is, I seriously am starting to question my statement above. Meh
I still am a casual anime fan, alright?
Better than being a fan of Japanese guys dressing up as slutty, trampy tranvestites.
XP
By all accounts, I'm just a casual anime fan; catching snippets of an anime here and there but never actually committed to following the entire season from beginning to end.
However, once in every few years or so, an anime comes along which is so revolutionary and engaging to mainstream audiences that it creates an impact felt in the anime communities throughout the whole world. Sad to say, I was swept up in the hype of the afore-mentioned anime too.
Back in the 90's it was SlamDunk.
But then, I was still 7 and would bite toe-nails rather than even trying to pronounce 'anime' right.
As I aged into the young man (read: Awesome, sexy specimen of buffness) that I am today, I started to take anime much more seriously.
It all started 4 years ago with an anime called Full Metal Alchemist. An anime recommended by my best bud, Bryan "Gay Wannabe" Kho.
That was when my perspective of anime at the time (read: Japanese fag cartoons. LOL) took a complete 180 turn.
Full Metal Alchemist was as revolutionary as animes got, providing an intricate yet highly successful blend of narrative and Japanese animation set against an alternate universe during the Industrial Revolution where alchemy prevailed.
The anime chronicles the tale of two alchemist brothers, the Elrics; who seek the legendary Philosopher's Stone; a fabled artifact rumored to hold a great power. Their quest is made all the more compelling as they try to redeem themselves of their sins of resurrecting their deceased mother as well as trying to restore things to the way they were before the ill-fated deed.
To the Japanese, anime was more than mere Saturday morning cartoons for toddlers and children. With the occasional slapstick and comic reliefs, anime was Japan's equivalent to Hollywood's live action adaptations of literary masterpieces (manga in Japan).
Think Peter Jackson's adaptation of Lord of the Rings presented to you in animation format and you would have something resembling that of anime.
Thus, I had a new-found respect for anime took a deeper appreciation of it from then on.
4 years later, a reboot of the series that opened doors wide open to the anime world for my eyes to see still had me hooked and I fell madly, deeply in love with it once more.
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
I'm still not exactly sure to this day what sets this anime so far apart from the handfuls of other generic yet still critically-lauded animes out there.
What was it about this anime that outshined so many other animes back then and still today? What was its secrets to success? Regardless of what it is, it still possessed the charms and the feel of the original albeit a complete overhaul of its plot-line to adhere more faithfully to its manga counterpart.
With a passion for anime, one would also ultimately succumb to the awesomeness of J-pop music that accompanies an anime's opening and ending credits.
I certainly did.
YUI - again (1st Opening Theme)
SID - Lie (1st Ending Theme)
Hmm....
Judging from the length of the post and my ramblings about how incredibly uber-Awesome the anime is, I seriously am starting to question my statement above. Meh
I still am a casual anime fan, alright?
Better than being a fan of Japanese guys dressing up as slutty, trampy tranvestites.
XP
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Buh-buh-bye!
As the day before I finally leave for college creeps ever so closer, I just realized the many things that I have to leave behind.
That and also the many things that I have to say goodbye to:
First and foremost, my very first car. Sigh, I'm really gonna miss the purr of those engines, its sleek, sexy, aerodynamic design and the many times I've picked hot chicks up in that ride of mine.
Ehem, I mean, my first car.
It's also high time I bid adieu to long, messy, unkept hair. 6 months of growing it out have all but gone to waste (arrghhhh! COLLEGE)
In its stead; a crew-cut which would have me jailed by the fashion police and decorate American tabloids, effectively knocking Adam Lambert's gay confession out of the spotlight.
Alas and alack, you have grown obsolete with your 1 year old (centuries old - in computer years) graphics card and specifications that I am left with no choice but to replace you! (Woohooo! A Dell Studio 1555 notebook!!!)
And the recently-added poolside terrace to my house is also one of the many luxuries that I was going to leave behind.
Sigh.
Fine dining, too, I must make do without when in college. Without my very own personal gourmet chef (read: my mother) to cook all these delectable cuisines to tantalize my tastebuds, the world seems a much bleaker place.
Those were among the many other material things that I was going leave behind. But rest assure, they will always be there waiting ever so patiently for my return.
I hope.
Last but not least, perhaps the most valuable thing that I was going to leave behind is definitely the company of the many friends that I've known ever since setting foot into primary school.
The memories that we share; the good.....
..and also the bad.
Concentration camps. A better way to describe government schools. XD
But one thing's for sure.
I definitely wasn't going to be missing the inner geek that I left behind.
That and also the many things that I have to say goodbye to:
First and foremost, my very first car. Sigh, I'm really gonna miss the purr of those engines, its sleek, sexy, aerodynamic design and the many times I've picked hot chicks up in that ride of mine.
Ehem, I mean, my first car.
It's also high time I bid adieu to long, messy, unkept hair. 6 months of growing it out have all but gone to waste (arrghhhh! COLLEGE)
In its stead; a crew-cut which would have me jailed by the fashion police and decorate American tabloids, effectively knocking Adam Lambert's gay confession out of the spotlight.
My trusty desktop. Words cannot describe the thing that we had going on with each other. Oh yes, all those late nights of gaming, screaming and watching porn I mean, surfing INTELLECTUAL websites will always hold a special place in my heart.
Alas and alack, you have grown obsolete with your 1 year old (centuries old - in computer years) graphics card and specifications that I am left with no choice but to replace you! (Woohooo! A Dell Studio 1555 notebook!!!)
And the recently-added poolside terrace to my house is also one of the many luxuries that I was going to leave behind.
Sigh.
Fine dining, too, I must make do without when in college. Without my very own personal gourmet chef (read: my mother) to cook all these delectable cuisines to tantalize my tastebuds, the world seems a much bleaker place.
Those were among the many other material things that I was going leave behind. But rest assure, they will always be there waiting ever so patiently for my return.
I hope.
Last but not least, perhaps the most valuable thing that I was going to leave behind is definitely the company of the many friends that I've known ever since setting foot into primary school.
The memories that we share; the good.....
..and also the bad.
Concentration camps. A better way to describe government schools. XD But one thing's for sure.
I definitely wasn't going to be missing the inner geek that I left behind.
Friday, June 5, 2009
I Am The Go To There
Ahem.
America~~~~~~~~ (Thank you so much, JPA!)
Days later, the related documents and all other necessary paperwork soon came in the mail.
Oooh. Intec College, aye?
Most heroes don't always have the best of starts nor the best of lodgings/accomodation especially as he prepares to embark on a long perilous journey into the lands of the unknown.
He may have to camp out in the wilderness, under constant threat from foul beasts, or perhaps in a deep, dark, dank cave where darkness consumed all. Or maybe even in swampy, god-forsaken marshlands where its bogs swallowed all who tread on it.
He may have to camp out in the wilderness, under constant threat from foul beasts, or perhaps in a deep, dark, dank cave where darkness consumed all. Or maybe even in swampy, god-forsaken marshlands where its bogs swallowed all who tread on it.
Today, my journey starts with the simple click of the mouse and the tip tappity tap of the keyboard keys.
America~~~~~~~~ (Thank you so much, JPA!)Days later, the related documents and all other necessary paperwork soon came in the mail.
Oooh. Intec College, aye?After much leafing through the SHITLOAD of documents that came in the mail, I finally deduced 2 things:
1. I'm not going to be studying college in Kuching
2. Imma going to America!!
Cue my father walking in. And so he said, "So, where ya gonna stay when your in KL? I mean, the preparatory college is like there and there blahblahblahblahyaddayaddayadda and hostel flats are not gonna be like home blahblahblahblah comfortable and all that. "
Total. Buzzkill.
Kolej Cendana, Seksyen 6, Shah Alam, Selangor was to be my home for the next 2 years of attending preparatory classes in KL. I could only pray that its facilities weren't stuck back in the 80's like Bhalludin's haircut.
As I skimmed the pages for even a brief mention of how the hostels were going to be like, I already had this image dancing in my mind:
Lush, tropical greenery would adorn my 5-star hostel apartments~~~~
Woah. Scale it back. You're in rich bratty kid mode now. What would common peasants live in whilst studying abroad? The sane voice in my mind spoke to me.
And so I closed my eyes once more and envisioned this:
Hmph. Fair enough. At least it would be livable for the next 2 years, right?
Thank goodness I don't have to live in pig-stys (read: I hope) like those poor, imporvished people in the world right?
After much more googling about for my supposed hostel. I came across this site.
Holeee. Sheeeetttttttttt.
A happy, nerdy Nat is a happy, nerdy Nat.
=3
1. I'm not going to be studying college in Kuching
2. Imma going to America!!
Cue my father walking in. And so he said, "So, where ya gonna stay when your in KL? I mean, the preparatory college is like there and there blahblahblahblahyaddayaddayadda and hostel flats are not gonna be like home blahblahblahblah comfortable and all that. "
Total. Buzzkill.
Kolej Cendana, Seksyen 6, Shah Alam, Selangor was to be my home for the next 2 years of attending preparatory classes in KL. I could only pray that its facilities weren't stuck back in the 80's like Bhalludin's haircut.
As I skimmed the pages for even a brief mention of how the hostels were going to be like, I already had this image dancing in my mind:
Lush, tropical greenery would adorn my 5-star hostel apartments~~~~Woah. Scale it back. You're in rich bratty kid mode now. What would common peasants live in whilst studying abroad? The sane voice in my mind spoke to me.
And so I closed my eyes once more and envisioned this:
Hmph. Fair enough. At least it would be livable for the next 2 years, right?
Thank goodness I don't have to live in pig-stys (read: I hope) like those poor, imporvished people in the world right?
After much more googling about for my supposed hostel. I came across this site.
Holeee. Sheeeetttttttttt.
A happy, nerdy Nat is a happy, nerdy Nat.
=3
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