a real holiday

Wow... it HAS been yet another long break from blogging. since June 14 (the day of my last examination), i have been doing one thing after another. so much has happened since then and because i didn't have a convenient (and free, and private) access to the internet, it was difficult to really blog.

but here i am, behind a free internet terminal, in Hong Kong's Central Library. not exactly private, but i'd take my chances that i don't know anyone in this building :) so much to write about, but not knowing where to start. i've been mostly flitting across different continents, seeing much of the big cities (and their shopping complexes). the first leg had me going off to Portugal for an amazing 10 days, with friends whom i've spent my last 3 years with and with whom i'd gladly have a million more holidays with. leg 2/3 had me going off to the USA for nearly 2 weeks, with C and Y. and the finale has me touring the Far East for almost 3.5 weeks.

most days have been filled with memorable and unending fun, some days (you can't be having fun everyday!) were laid back and easy going. a good mix of travelling companions, large groups, small groups and just myself. i must find the time to fill in the gaps of the last 3 months. in the meantime, a little summary to whet your appetite.

1. Portgual : lathered in batter and then flash fried on the Algarve coast
2. USA : skin cancer never entered our minds...
3. Shanghai & Hong Kong : many reasons why you should fear China Inc.

plus 1 graduation ceremony, 2 bomb blasts and 3 good books.

a long hiatus but we're almost there

a watched kettle never boils.

the last 3 months did crawl by a tad bit quicker than it took for Frodo to trawl through Mordor, and not having to blog about the same drivel day after day did seem to give it wings.

my last weekend in the library, ever. the one-legged staircase, the embalming air, the naughty moments (there weren't that many). And how can I forget? sitting by the computers on the first floor staircase landing letting my eyes feast on the greatest gourmet to be had in Central London.

i'll miss it all... in a really hurtful kind of way. i'm gutted, not being able to enjoy the sloth lifestyle anymore. coffee breaks whenever you want them, where ever you want them. Wetherspoons for lunch, only because you're sick of Pret and Pasta Amo makes you fat. the life of a student in the UK is really all about maximising your returns on equity. drinks always before dinner. one cursory glance behind into my memories of 3 years ago and i can't recognise the person standing in it. (this is worth a separate post -- perhaps when i'm feeling even more nostalgic, which may never happen. we men are creatures with a concrete heart) its even more mortifying that i have signed myself up for one of the toughest careers black hair dye can't redeem. as i've oft heard, "if you're going to sell your soul, do it for a good price!"

i'm standing on a thin line; can't step back because special relativity and Hawking's chronological protection conjecture stand guard. don't want to move forward and lose my youthful (or should i say youthlike) innocence. but i am just griping, being wussy and trying to find solace to nurse a pair of tired legs. they've carried me this far, and i would like to stay put for awhile.

and spend some time with you.

a watched kettle never boils.

your fair share of things

why do people insist on being lazy asses and not be able to do things themselves? we're talking about someone who is 22 years old, has a car, and enough spare time to visit the casino nearly every night. don't get me wrong, is perfectly fine to visit the casino in the weeks before the exam, but if you can afford such priority, why can't you do the fucking groceries, or contribute to take the trash out!?

still hanging on

"I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person."

some time has passed since i last blogged, i thought i'd give blogging rest for the time being. i didn't have much to write about either; days and nights pass and i've lost count of how many weekends i've spent buried with schoolwork. well, there is less than a month to go now and i can barely contain the excitement!

i had a refreshingly different weekend this week. it was T's birthday celebration, happy birthday dude! =) after a mini exploration having walked out of the wrong side of Notting Hill station, we got to the place at about 8pm. these days, i am becoming poorer at handling stress and pressure. or maybe the huge stress is taking a toll on me, like it should. usually, i am quite happy to meet new people and strike quick friendships. but yesterday was different. i felt simply exhausted. like the whole social thing just didn't make any sense. whenever something doesn't make sense to me, i don't ascribe to it. i reject it. i dump it.

but things did get better when we left for drinks. please god, make the exams go away sooner!

omfg.. E airport queue is absolutely ridiculous!

"We all carry around so much pain in our hearts. Love and pain and beauty. They all seem to go together like one little tidy confusing package. It's a messy business, life. It's hard to figure--full of surprises. Some good. Some bad."

it has been awhile since someone has managed to surprise me, and it delivered a much needed dose of excitement into an otherwise tiring and energy sapping day! i was almost ready to give up, call it a day after spending the requisite 10 hours in the library.

it was great to see you again after a month!