Tomorrow brings the sun
Kiss the world with fingers crossed
Choc ripple cakeee
(via theblankpage)
singapore through a waterfall (at Cloud Forest)
Birthday Truth.
(Source: aseaofquotes, via sceneofsurprises)
Do not rush into it.
Take it slow.
See how it goes.
Enjoy the company.
Do not overthink.
Could’t have phrased it better..
ayep.
My newest obsession… Comes in a two-pack.
(Source: davinia91, via jacksgap)
my newest obsession
(Source: lifehasnoruless, via jacksgap)
So for the first time ever, I’m posting my annual reflections online. Here goes nothing…
2012 in one word? Amazing. It was a year that has been packed full with new experiences, self discovery and learning. So much has happened this year I feel the only way to do it justice is to review it monthly.
DEC 2011 Christmas
Spent Christmas 2011 in Henley-on-Thames, England with Uncle Alan, Aunt Swee Gaik, Aunt Amy, Samantha, James, Jin, Mom & Dad. Having only just arrived in England the day before, I was so excited to be in the UK for Christmas & NY! Also, tried my first ever pigs-in-blankets.
NEW YEARS 2012
The most epic NY ever started with tasting black pudding for the first time as part of a (extremely oily) traditional English breakfast. Drove out to the Stonehenge and then to Bath for some good ol’ sightseeing. Marvelled at the ancient architecture and the Roman Baths. It was stunning, such an experience to walk around a 2 world heritage sites in ONE day! Cherry on top fo the cake? Checked out Stratford-upon-Avon the day after and concluded our UK trip with Les Miserables before flying back to KL. Epic holiday say whaaaaaaaaat!
JAN 2012
Morwell - the rotation that pretty much defined the rest of our clinical year. We were pushed hard and it was stressful, but we came out so much more efficient and confident. It really fast-tracked our transition from 4th year students to final year dental students. Strong friendships and living skills were a happy byproduct of our summer month in Gippsland. Who can forget spending Australia Day in the Immigration Park for a BBQ, berry picking and watching those awful reality tv shows!
FEB 2012
Amazing silent disco at the St Kilda Festival with new friends! And of course a visit from an old buddy from WMS :) The best way to conclude summer? Sangria at the Suzuki Night Market of course!
Last but not least for this month, a very special little girl was born into our family - Jolene Tan :)
MARCH 2012
Visitors from across the world arrived in Melbourne for my cousin’s wedding! A busy month with all the relatives and rushing around M-town trying to eat everything with my other cousin Samantha and her beau :)
APRIL 2012
Easter church camp at Portsea.. and the start of a pleasantly unexpected friendship :) Discovering the meaning of relationships and the importance of keeping close to God.
MAY 2012
Mom’s 60th birthday :) Celebrated at Shark Fin House and with a gift to introduce her to the world of technology - an iPad!
JUNE-JULY 2012
Relatively uneventful.. Had a visit from some friends from Perth, lots of catch ups with friends and really effecting my NY’s resolution for this year - build on RELATIONSHIPS!
AUGUST 2012
Stressful month consisting of running around trying to get my patients sorted and my case ready for exams. Then, SHEPPARTON - where we celebrated FIVE birthdays (including my 22nd!), drove up past the Victorian border into NSW for a casual Sunday dinner in Tocumwal, walked around the neighbourhood in PJs, shisha-ed almost every 2nd day, had deep & meaningful conversations and had amazing home made strawberry ice cream from Cobram. Not forgetting creating an epic video for our research project… parts of which went viral amongst dent students (coughcough gangnam style..)
SEPT 2012
Spent 2 weeks in Alice Springs with my group partner on a fully sponsored elective trip! Lived in luxury at Quest Apartments (excellent study environment hahaha), lived the simple life out in a remote town only accessible by unsealed dirt roads. Then went on a 3d 2n tour to Uluru, Kings Canyon and The Olgas. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE to see such an iconic place and sleep under the starts in swags!! Definitely a once in a lifetime trip!
OCT 2012
A very special addition to our growing family - Emma Wong :)
Exponential increase in stress levels with our research paper dateline drawing close, and more significantly, our final exams just round the corner. Spent many angry nights slamming words out for our paper wishing everything would stop to let me study. Then, a extremely unexpected surprise - getting an award for doing well in restorative dentistry last year! I remember feeling so undeserving yet grateful for His faithfulness in my life and running to the toilets in Frank Tate just in time for tears to stream down my face.
NOV 2012
Week 1 - INSANITY, STRESS, DEPRESSION, RELIEF. Interview offer from GVH, Shepparton the day after the “results email”.
Week 2 - A strange sensation of being ecstatic and not knowing what to do with myself after finishing my final exams! Did the shepparton interview, and got accepted the day after! Absolutely living in the abundance of God’s grace and love.
Week 3/4 - Many catch ups, learning the ropes with accounting/tax, shopping for graduation.
DEC 2012
GRADUATION - finally! Enveloped in love from friends and family. So thankful for every one of them!!
Saying goodbye to some really good friends “for good” was difficult. Mixed emotions of feeling so proud of them and yet, wishing they would stay :( And that brings us to.. now. Everyone has left for home/holidays.. leaving me quite alone and peaceful to do my tv-show marathons and turning my clock upside down.
So that’s a full circle. It’s now CHRISTMAS 2012, in Melbourne :)
What a year, what a life! Could not ask for more, Praise Him for all the blessings!
Thoughts on this year coming up in the next post :)
Perhaps we are perpendicular lines, destined to only meet once then to go their separate ways for the rest of time.
Perhaps it was never meant to be.
Regardless you’ve definitely left an impression - whether it may be due to my inexplicable feelings at the start and/or how unexpectedly good our unexpected friendship turned out to be.
Earlier this year I wrote about how intriguing you were to me - the rock star guitarist who wouldn’t look at me twice. Oh how wonderfully wrong I was! Thank you for opening up your life and inviting me in, proving that there are still nice guys out there.
I guess I got what I wished for in that earlier post. I got to know you a whole lot better and I feel honored to have had this privilege. The Big Guy up there clearly had plans for our lives to meet :)
I’ll admit I feel a sudden rush of sadness, knowing you’ve left “for good”. Whether we remain just friends or something more.. I hope you’ll come back one day.
Love from,
Your unexpected friend.
It’s here, it’s finally here! It’s MY turn.
16 years of schooling and it has all come down to this one day, this one moment, this one certificate.
How am i feeling right now? a combination of: nervous, elated, sad.. and somewhat, apathetic.
Nervous because i’m worried I’ll trip or the photos won’t turn out well.. haha. On a more serious note, nervous because tomorrow marks the beginning of true adulthood - earning a living, moving out, paying rent, fussing over tax and insurance. Do I feel ready? Not at all. Do I have a choice? No.
Elated for obvious reasons! 5 years of dentistry has been a long challenging road. There were many tears, many all-nighters, many anxiety attacks. I will never forget those late nights in Frank Tate and Law Library. In fact, I think I will miss a part of being there mugging with my friends. We’ve built such strong friendships during exam time - laughing, stressing, going insane together. After all, a friend in need is a friend indeed! What I will not miss: 8am lectures, lab work, RDHM admin, 2nd floor UGTC, lazyass nurses, horrible overpriced food around campus.
Sad.. because these 5 years have really shown me who my true friends are, and I’m saddened at the fact that we’ll be going our own ways. True friends are definitely hard to find. Even I’m surprised at who I consider a “true” friend today. Friendship dynamics have changed so significantly - this never ceases to amaze me! I’m not a big fan of 90% of the people at my school, however the 10% that I’m fond of has really made these 5 years absolutely WORTH IT. Dotted with many (sometimes drunken) escapades, “DNM” conversations, gossip sessions.. it has been a truly memorable experience.
And lastly, apathy - because I’ve known I would be graduating for about a month now. I suppose the initial excitement has died down a little. However I’m sure I’ll be feeling totally ecstatic tomorrow morning :)
To close, I have to say I’m looking forward to the future with nervous anticipation and with a hope that the Big Guy up there is going to help me along with the rest of my life! 5 long hard years later, I’M READY TO BE A DENTIST!!! :)
one more, ONE MORE.
Last week, the words I got were: trust and peace
This week, the word I got is: resilience.
Thank you God.
Hellooo there? Almighty God, creator of the universe?
Please hear my cry of desperation!
Forgive my transgressions
I pray for absolution
And for Your grace to carry me through my examinations
Who am I without You?
Just a worthless sinner and fool
Dear God save me and help me in all I do
For I simply cannot make it without you
I pray in Your name,
Amen
I’m not perfect. I’m not even close to being perfect.
I made mistakes and I am probably going to continue making mistakes.
But You, in Your divine grace, power and mercy have brought little me this far. Please don’t let go now. Please see me through this final challenge. Please help me graduate on time. Please flood me with Your grace that I absolutely need to pass.
I can’t do this alone, God. If you don’t help me, I might as well give up now.
Love from,
Your little undeserving human.
