Harry Potter and The Order of Phoenix

I couldn't explain myself, why I still want to go cinema for Harry Potter, why I want to read the last book of Harry Potter. I guess it's because I've been following the stories for so many years (though I've forgotten most of them).

Not very enthusiastic about the release of Order of Phoenix, but I know I will still watch it, with or without the free ticket. Oh ya, please allow me to show off. I had watched HP one day before most of everybody. Yee Hau had got 2 free tickets for private showing from National Health Group. So I was there, watching movie with 50% of doctors and dentists in the cinema. FREE!

Order of Phoenix, was actually better than Goblet of Fire. I thought Goblet of Fire was too draggy and no climax reached. But I would still say Prisoner of Azkaban was the best among the 5 movies.

The stories? Well, HP readers would have known it. Non HP readers might not want to know it, because the stories are still surrounding the same theme, You-know-who and Harry Potter of course. I just don't feel like telling them here.

One thing to take note, all the teenagers are so grown up now, so matured. I couldn't stop to wonder if they could still make it to 7th movie. I hope they can. I miss the little Potter in his first appearance. Do you remember how he looked like? Well, take a look.

神圣的感动

傍晚的卡瓦格博

日出时分的卡瓦格博，日照金山

美丽的卡瓦格博！

我很喜欢海洋，但是印象中我还没有被海洋真正的感动，还没有感受过真正的激动！

这一趟云南之旅，却让卡瓦格博彻彻底底的打败了。卡瓦格博，是藏族的神山。许许多多虔诚的教徒，每年徒步到卡瓦格博来朝拜。有些来自云南，有些甚至从西藏徒步到来。朝拜者除了徒步过来，还绕着卡瓦格博走一圈。卡瓦格博可不小啊！总共是十三峰。绕着她走一圈，不是几天几周可以完成的任务。

我所分享的照片，都是卡瓦格博的主峰。夏天是最难看见卡瓦格博的季节，因为天气比较热，云层很低，往往都把卡瓦格博给遮住了。但是，我们的运气非常的好，不只看见了主峰，还连续看了几次！

第一天傍晚看见主峰，我们几个小傻婆疯疯癫癫地很兴奋。心情特好，晚餐也吃得特别痛快。

隔天一早，我们五点起床，忍受着山上的寒风，披上行李里的所有衣服和裤子，准备看日照金山。大家都很期待，也有点担心会看不着。

我霸了个好位子，坐下来慢慢地、静静地等待。渐渐，风把云层都吹开了，主峰一点一点地呈现。太阳在另一边也渐渐升起，把金粉一点点地洒在雪山上。整个过程，很神圣。那一刻，我只想静静的坐在那儿。那种神圣，让我很感动，泪水都挤在眼里，但是就是忍住没让它留下来。

身边的游客，忙碌的照相。但是，无论怎么照，都没把最好的照在相机里。他们都忘了静静的享受那一刻的感动。感动，神圣，这些感觉，是永远不会被相继给记录下来。这种感觉，只有用心感受。

有机会，我还会再朝拜卡瓦格博。

我们都是hansel and gretel

在成长的路上，我们都像H&G一样，在路上东落西留的一块两块。可是，H&G有机会走回头路，而我们却只有永远向前走。

留在路上的小面包，永远只能成为成长的回忆。

回忆，是选择的东西。有些人选择永不回头看；有些人选择只回头看；有些人选择性回味。究竟哪个比较好，却没有人会有个rigid的答案。

人生不像数学，没有对错。

我选择性的回味。今天，我回味我成长的路程。

怡保花园一间小屋里，还带着我天真无邪的笑
南美园的一间小屋里，还藏着无知幼稚的叛逆

华乐室里，收藏着我多年以来逃课的纪录
华乐室里，收藏着一段段名叫永远的友谊

北京的一道小门后，藏着一阵阵思念的味道
南大的12号宿舍里，有我夜班车留下的咖啡香

917的一间房里，今天留下爱媚的味道，我们的笑声和泪水

你曾经在那里留下成长的印记？你还记得吗？





我选择永不忘记。

I grew up under her shadow

I'm going to reveal a little secret of myself here. It may not be a secret to all of you, but it is, to me at least.

I grew up under her shadow, but it never changed the fact that she's my loving sister and I always love her so much. And I will love her forever.

Ying, she is a very intelligent woman. She's confident, positive, caring, passion and loving. She's smart and successful. She has a clear mind of what she wants and never stop working on it. She's always the best sister for me and my brother. She brings happiness to all of us! I felt lonely when she was away studying in Uni.

She's my idol in real life. I "followed" whatever she did when I was little. I developed her thoughts in me unconsciously. There was once, I felt so hurt that I teared and teared, when she told me she was wrong, she wanted me to learn from her mistakes. I cried so hard for her mistake. I cried so hard, that she's wrong for the first time of my life. Because to me, she's always right.

I grew up under her shadow. Teachers in school, whom taught her before, tend to make comparisons between the two of us. I still remember how hurt I felt, when one of the teacher I hated the most said:"Your sister was very good in maths. You're... work harder". I hated him!

Some relatives couldn't believe that I could strike As in exams when I did. I used to hear phrases like, "Ying is better". Until one day, maybe the grown ups started to realize I actually understand what they said.

I remember the "threat" I felt before En came into the world. There was once, grandpa asked me how I felt for having a little brother soon. I forgot my reply. But I never forget his. "Your dad will love your sister, and your mom will love your brother. They will not have time for you." I was 9, I couldn't differentiate whether that's a joke or some truth. I'm lucky my parents are as loving as ever. But, the fear of being abandoned always stay in me.

(Sorry, out of the topic)

I grew up under her shadow. Until one day, I forgot why, when, how, I realize I'm a different person from Ying. No doubt, we have a lot of similarities. But it will not change the fact that I'm not her shadow.

Then, I start to "develop" on my own. The real me.

Ying, I love you. You're always the best sister for me. You taught me a lot. You taught me how to be a good daughter, a good sister, a good person. You taught me that I'm special, at least to my loved ones. You taught me passion and love. You taught me, maths.

I'm always very thankful I have my parents. I must have done something good in my past life. They're the best thing we can ever have. They're loving, understanding, and good in parenting.

En, I love you too. I wish you will not grow up under our shadows. I hope to see you to be a better person than I do. I hope to see you success.

I'm crying as I'm writing this post. Finally, I have the guts to reveal this. To dare to grow out of the shadow, to dare to say this, doesn't mean I don't love Ying anymore. It simply means I finally successfully grow out from the old me. (I know Ying will understand this.)

Finally, I'm growing up on my own.

Finally, I dare to admit, I was wrong.

Feeling Good

Feeling good, simply because I'm still alive, simply because I dare to dream, simply because I'm growing, simply because I'm working for success, simply because I appreciate things that happen around me every moment.

Been reading everyday, improving myself, reflecting on what I do and did, setting my mind to a positive path. I do not know how to describe this to all of you, but I simply feel good, doing and knowing I have the ability to.

Things that I remind myself everyday:

1. Temper! Temper!
2. Confident
3. Never say NO, Never say DIE
4. Stay away from complaints
   
5. Assertiveness
6. Laziness is the worst evil in myself
7. Think success and work on it

But first thing first, define success!

PS.
Special thanks to Ying's boss, Choo San. We 唔亲唔戚, but you still always share GOOD STUFFS with me and my friends. Thank you~

And more...

It's late at night, I know I'm supposed to be on my bed, having my dreams... But I just can't let go of THE book I'm currently reading, and my thoughts.

"The Road Less Travelled" by M. Scott Peck. (Thanks KH for recommending this)

The book had caught so much of my attention, that I couldn't stop myself thinking, reflecting based on what the author had written.

I need a change.

It's not just about the book. I've been pondering since the final semester of my uni life. Is that what I want from myself? I read, I searched, for something I once thought, is the meaning of life. But now I think, I'm actually looking for more, I'm searching, for myself.

I think it's very important to recognize yourself, to keep yourself conscious about your unconscious, to lead yourself to something really meant for you.

To get yourself doing things that you want to do, the best way which works for me, is to write it down, and to constantly remind myself.

I want a change.

Change in:

1. temper
2. level of assertiveness
3. guts to present myself with confidence

I lost the sense of "dedication" to things I love for the 4 years in uni. This is the reason, I thought my life in uni, in a way, SUCKS. I still very much remember my CO days, that all of us, dedicated our time, our energy fully to achieve the common goals we set for ourselves. We went through everything together, held each other strongly, to "fight" with the "authority" whom we thought they're "enemies" in a way, we never gave up.

I lost this DEDICATION.

I want this back so much.

I think, dedication makes me feel so much alive.

If you find me losing dedication again, please pull me back, and show me this entry.

Life

I'm not very good in expressing my feelings in English, but lately I'm just too lazy to write in Chinese. Sorry...

I'm in my 4th week of working life. My boss had given me my FIRST task ever, and all of the sudden, I felt something in me. I ponder for a while, this is familiar. The "energetic" level! I had this when I was doing my internship in Beijing. I felt all the same, except with the blocked nose and frequent coughs.

All of the sudden, I feel so grown up. I'm dealing with my savings, salary, investments (hopefully), sales, groceries (like auntie!), house moving problems etc... Things that did not require so much attention from me, Things that I did not have to deal or rather do not have to deal in this seriousness level. Last but not least, growing. Growing spiritually.

I was reflecting back on my uni life last week. And after some thoughts, I walked into my housemate, and I asked her "Do you ever feel your uni life is a bit pathetic?" She said yes. I was relief that someone feels the same as me. But at the same time, I "pity" people like us.

I have images of vibrant life in uni before entering it. I imagined myself surrounded by interesting activities, which members fully devoted themselves into it; I imagined myself busy coping with studies and activities and lab works with bunch of closed friends and course mates. I imagined, all the vibrant life!

My uni life, is everything opposite from what I have just mentioned. I was shocked to realize that uni students seldom 100% involved in the clubs they joined. Instead, we joined a few to earn points so that we can stay in hostel. I learned that my course provided minimum lab works and practical works for students. I learned that, the class was too big, I couldn't simply get closed to my cohorts.

I learned all the negative facts of my first perception to the uni, and I kept all these views in myself. To a point, I shielded myself from people. I became sort of a social porcupine.

I was again, shocked when I reflected to the memories of my uni life, that I was a pathetic scholar. A student whom know only notes and tutorials and wasting time watching meaningless drama in the room. Pathetic! I told myself.

There's no one to be blamed because I simply put myself into such situation. I could have live a better and more vibrant life. Instead, I chose to stick to my few closed friends whom I know they share the similar values (never regret that I've made closed friends, but I should have made more friends instead), I chose to be the homey girl who cannot wait to fly back home every single holiday she has (never regret of this though).

Today, I again hesitated to make a move to ask a colleague to clear my queries. Wth! But, I finally managed to clear my throat and walk in front of a group of chit chatting colleagues. But due to my very low level of confidence and also sickening voice, I've been "ignored" at certain sense. Luckily another nice colleague came up to help. I felt so thankful. When I got back into my seat, I said to myself, PLEASE TALK OUT CLEARLY NEXT TIME!

Suddenly, I feel so grown up.

Life is meaningful only when we learn how to solve problems, and grow with it.

Transformers

You've gotta watch this!!! Especially you're 20-30 years old, you've watched Transformers cartoon in the evenings of your childhood, you remember the theme song of Transformers (even no lyrics, just the melody is good enough) etc, you just need to watch THIS!

The visual effect is fantastic! I watched this in the so called 2k Digital Cinema at Golden Village in Vivo City. The price of the ticket of this "special" cinema is just the same as the normal ones, so why not have a try? I didn't really spot any difference in visual resolution (maybe because I was sitting on the 2nd row), but I did realize the difference in sound effect! It feels like BumbleBee was transforming just beside me! Hahahaha!

Some commented that the plot was so normal and boring. Yea, indeed, true. These movies involved robots (love stories, comedy, sci fic etc... as well) normally inherit a trend. But, it really depends on how the producer and director tell the stories. And I think Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg had done a GREAT job!

Maybe you can argue that I'm just being bias because these are my childhood memories! But I don't care, I would still highly recommend this movie to all of you! It's really wonderful to see your own childhood cartoon became so real and GREAT! That's why, I must emphasize 20-30 year old, please watch this! Hahahaha!

I wonder will these producers and directors make all my childhood cartoons into movies. We have had Flinstones which was not good, Ninja Turtle (not my choice) and? Maybe they should consider Thunder Cats? What about Smurfs? (Erm... If that's the case, all the actors have to be in blue little costumes...)

Realization

It's my third week of first job. I'm still feeling glad that this is my first company, hopefully I'll be feeling this for the whole life.

Since I'm so FRESH out from the NTU brand oven, my ah head put me in a two-months-unofficial-self-teaching-training. Most of the time, I am trained by the technicians in our lab for different equipments. (My job depends on equipments a lot!) I spent my time in lab more than in the office with the engineers.

I realized that most of the equipments that I'm trained for, are not very necessary because there will be operators to help us when we request. But, after spending weeks in the lab. I realized, all of these, are so important.

Simply because:

1. The look-very-easy equipments are not simple at all. (To realize difficulties is very important)
   
2. You got to know how to do it, so you know what to request! (This is damn important!)
3. You got to know how to do it, so you know what your lab cannot do! (To realize your own limitations is a very important thing)
4. You got to know the people, whom are handling your samples and equipments, so you know how to communicate with them in the future.
5. You got to know how to do it, so you can do it on your own when the operators are occupied, or you simply want it faster.

My ah head had put very high "passing mark" for me. Even the "assignments" given to me, sound very impossible to the lab technicians. I've seen a lot of SHOCK looking faces when I tried to explain what she wants me to do. But, I didn't feel bad at all. At least, I like to feel occupied. It's better than sitting aside in the office, staring blankly at the air.

Challenges ahead... I wouldn't say that I do not have fear at all, but I will face all these, with all I can!

过桥米线人人爱

云南过桥米线
（先把蛋、肉、菜分别倒进汤里，烫熟后，再把米线倒进，搅拌后即可享用）

新加坡过桥米线

从云南回来以后，我老是念念不忘那儿的美食。过桥米线，就是我在昆明吃到最好吃的食物。（其他的美食，都在丽江）

几天前，我无意间提到，从未在新加坡看见有卖过桥米线。毓豪马上说，有！我带你去。就这样，我们在炎热的周日下午，带着馋嘴的理由，来到了“牛车水”，就为了这碗过桥米线。

这碗新加坡的过桥米线，分量比昆明的小得多。还记得在“建新园”吃到的过桥米线，那碗是大大的！在我咀嚼美食的同时，我也觉得我就快将我的脸浸在像面盆一样大的碗。可惜那时我和姐姐只顾着吃，要不然，把对方吃过桥米线的样子拍下来，肯定好好笑！

除了分量之外，新加坡和云南的过桥米线不同之处，在于价格！昆明一碗大大大大大碗的过桥米线，最便宜￥8，最贵也不过大约￥20。而新加坡呢，最便宜也大约$8，最贵的大约$10。分量还少呢！

最大的不同，当然是口味。新加坡的，差远了！！！！汤也不够烫，让第一次吃过桥米线得毓豪怀疑是否煮的熟。高汤的味道，也不够建新园的高汤鲜甜。嗯……想起建新园我还真是流口水了！

一脸疑惑的我，怀念建新园的过桥米线。

（建新园在昆明有好几间分店。若有机会到昆明，一定要到建新园试试着云南十八怪里的其中一怪“过桥米线人人爱”。打车或随意问问路人，应该没有人不知道建新园的存在。）