Hotchpotch

I think I write better when there's limit. Ya know, like 140 characters per tweet?

What am I doing starting off an entry with crap like this? orz

Any~ways, today is 26 Ramadhan 1433. 3 more days left before Eid ul-Fitr. 

To be honest I'm not feeling the festive spirit.

It's prolly due to the fact that I'm not going back to my kampung this year.

2 things set me back from returning to Pekan; 

1) There's a stray cat who was knocked down by a car/motorcycle (no idea which) and in need of care since he can't consume food on his own. Everyone else MUST be at our hometown. Hmmph.

2) I still got no job (by choice, I assure you) and I'm not going to ruin my day(s) hearing my relatives talk about how this person is going to get married, that person has a stable job, and stuff. You get the drift.

The thing about numero due (2) is, I really don't know what I want to do with my life.

My friends either choose to further their studies (2 are on fast-track PhD programmes) or doing things that are totally unrelated to what we've learned at school.

As someone who's both a patient who used to visit the psychiatrist & a former student of psychology (albeit in I/O), I have seen my share of stuff that cause me to swear off from being a practicing psychologist. The fact that I'm not really a good liar seals my future (no psycho thingy!).

Which is why I don't feel like furthering my studies for now. I need to find something else that I'm passionate about. I think my parents are kind of disappointed when they heard that my friends are doing their PhD while I refuse to do the same despite having the qualification.

And work....can I have a job without interview, please? I'm so terrible with interpersonal communication. But I can be a real good worker. I don't even mind if I have to do boring admin stuff. I like boring stuff. Heck, my life is boring! I think it's because I have enough "excitement" when I was younger. Now my heart can't bear it anymore :\

Today

On Fate

Me, switching on Celcom. - Chanuo called! 

*texts her using Maxis*

She's telling me about something that happened this afternoon. At KLCC.

*gasps*

I was there too! At the same time, at the same place.

I didn't bring my Celcom, so I couldn't received her call.

Turns out KLCC has become our go-to place whenever we're feeling down.

Maybe next time then.

*sobs*

On Gloating

Me, reactivating FB after almost 2 weeks. - Check Psych-Inc (my degree course's group).

A group of juniors posted about them getting an A for their project paper.

Apparently they think that only they got an A for that subject. (quoting them talking about how hard it is to get an A for project paper)

Sorry to burst your bubble, I have news for you guys.

Yes, previous semester only few got an A/A-, but not this semester.

Others also got an A, but they just choose to keep quiet about it.

Ngerti?

I don't have problem if they posted the thing at their own walls, why post it at the group's wall?

Bajet nak bagi orang dengki ler tu.

Too bad I'm not at their level, or else I also want to gloat liao!

*deactivate FB again*

Yun Zhong Ge - Song in the Cloud book 1 out of 3

Now that Mrs Koala has finished translating Yun Zhong Ge (from here on will be referred as YZG)'s first book, we're left with major cliffhanger. YZG follows Da Mo Yao's pattern to a T. I am not sure about Bu Bu Jing Xin though since I haven't read that one. It's definitely like everyone said - I can understand Meng Jue and why he did what he did, but I couldn't bring myself to forgive him. I mean, if he lives in today's world, he would be branded as a genius and can probably attain high position in the society solely based on his effort. I'm not coherent now, so forgive me if my writing seems to be all over the place and not well constructed XD

As for Yunge, being a pampered young lady, shielded by her parents from the reality of life, finding out that a chance encounter is really not "by chance" at all and that she has been used by Xiao Jue must be a major shocker for her. I applaud her for not being wishy-washy, though I will be more satisfied if she gives Xiao Jue a chance to explain first before dumping his ass (oh the satisfaction!).

I'm glad to know that my observation's proven to be correct - Xiao Jue is the one who asked for Yunge's hand in marriage - he's the catalyst for every heartbreaks Yunge has to experience. Anyway, I kinda regret reading about the characters' fate before picking up YZG (FYI, almost every major characters are real historical figures except for Yunge and Xiao Jue).
 
Oh ya, I have to admit, I took a peek of the final book *cries on cue*
I sure hope I can get Tong Hua's books during my trip to Beijing next month.
It's too expensive here :(

Symphony of Fate (Astro AEC)

Role Description (contains spoiler)

Role                                   Cast                       Description

Hao Anqi                      Yang Mi                Main lead
Liu Chenxi                    Feng Shaofeng      Anqi's ex-boyfriend, died in car 
                                                             accident
Hao Anna/Ma Anna        Guo Zhenni           Anqi's younger sister
Song Chenghao             Chi Shuai             Anna's ex-boyfriend, later Anqi's
Yin Haoming                  Gao Hao              Jin Baoguo's apprentice, later Anna's 
                                                             partner
Zhao Tianyou                Zhang Lunshuo     Famous fashion designer, Anqi's 
                                                             teacher
Liu Yunxi                      Amanda Zhou       Chenxi's younger sister
Hao Xingyu                   Tao Huimin           Anqi's mom
Jin Baoguo                    Chen Weimin        Xingyu's husband, Anqi's stepdad
Lu Manqing                   Zuo Ling              Anna's biological mom, Liyuan's 
                                                             mistress
Song Liyuan                  Wang Bozhao       Chenghao's dad
Xiao Ai                         Zhu Yushuo          Liyuan and Manqing's adopted 
                                                             daughter, Anna & Haoming's daughter
Hao Kuaile                    Chang Xueren       Anqi's granddad
Sun Meili                      Wang Ruoli           Chenxi's grandma
Gu Yisen                       Lou Yajiang          Clothing store manager at Anqi's 
                                                              workplace
Tina                            Wang Cong           Anna's boss

*Spoilers*

From what I can gather, this is NOT a FengMi drama, despite it being heavily promoted as one. Feng Shaofeng's character dies in episode 11 (total episodes for this series is 30). It is said that FSF's supposed to play 2 different characters, the first one died and the second one is someone who has uncanny resemblance with the first character. However, since his rising fame, there was scheduling conflict and someone else has to take over the second character from him (yeah, it's Chi Shuai). So, no happy ending for FengMi. I advise FengMi shippers to go and re-watch the cringe-worthy Gong / Jade Palace Lock Heart instead (or maybe go catch Painted Skin 2 when it's out).

Back to the main story. It's touted as the China version of Cinderella's Sister. But I failed to see what's so Cinderella's Sister-y about this show other than the rivalry between the "sisters".  SOF is a story about 2 sisters who thought that they were twins - the older one's gentle, the younger one's bitter.  Anna can't accept that Anqi has better luck (and better look, fyeah!) than her. She thinks Anqi stole everything that was hers, including the man she loves, her modeling gigs, yada yada, and the list goes on (you get the gist). Once she found out that Anqi's the biological daughter of their mother, and she herself is just an adopted child, she went nuts with envy (not literally) and vow to succeed in reaching her dreams, no matter what's the cost. Oh and did I mention that a guy named Haoming loves Anna but she rebuffed him (after "accidentally" sleeping with him first, of course)? She's also pregnant with his child and give up the baby for adoption. In a reversal of fate, Anna's biological mother adopts Anna's baby and raises the baby as her own. As for Anqi, Anna's hatred towards her get Anqi a place in prison for 5 freaking years. The man you love died, the sister you adore framed you, and you get to live behind the bars - man, I don't know why Anna's still bitter with Anqi. 

I'm currently up to episode 18, and it's already hinted in the character's description above on what to expect. Chenghao treated Anqi like she's some lowlife at first, but we can see that he's begin to see her in a different light. I can't wait to see the moment when jealous Anna realized that it's like their story with Chenxi all over again, but this time it's Chenghao as the lead wahaha. Oh and I do feel sorry for Tianyou. Such a loyal and gentleman but it seems like Anqi only sees him as a good friend. What with women and bad boys anyway?

Extract 1 from Undoing Depression

"We think of ourselves as unable to live up to our own standards, we see the world as hostile or withholding, and we are pessimistic about things ever changing. In our relationships with others, we have unrealistic expectations, are unable to communicate our own needs, misinterpret disagreement as rejection, and are anxious and unassertive in our presentation.

Finally, we are in the dark about human emotions. We don't know what it's like to feel normal. We fear that honest feelings will tear us apart or cause others to reject us." - Richard O'Connor, Undoing Depression

God I love this book.