dream drama

a dream is a dream

i woke up the next morning wondering why it happened the way it happened

and i must know why it happened

cause i was happy

very happy in my dream

everything was cute, to say the least

everything was right, to say the least

and everything was just insanely perfect, to say the least

i woke today feeling like that

although, the truth that still remain is

i don't even know this person personally

....insane

p/s: i want you ugly, i want your disease. Huh. that's bad romance y'all

Tripping Headache

My mom and sister are coming over in about 1 month! I am excited, but little that I know planning a trip for them is a headache! Mainly cause I have to rent a car and in Canada, you cannot return the car at a different location than the pick up. That is headache #1.

Headache #2 comes from time. My sister is such a genius she plans to stay for only 10 days in Canada. Not a problem if Ontario is the size of MALAYSIA or UK. With time constraint, more factors weighed in, especially bus schedule. When I told her everything is not within 3 hours like Malaysia and UK, she said "Apesal Canada ni besar sangat?"... Sigh to that.

I hope Headache #3 doesn't last forever, which is problems with online booking. I tried twice to book a flight ticket for me and my mommy from New York back to Toronto. I hope you know that I won't be flying at all if time is not a limiting factor. I don't mind a 10 hours bus ride to Toronto. Urgh, please be okay tomorrow Travelocity!

So, in order to show my family what Canada has, I am taking them to Toronto, Montreal, Bruce Peninsula and Niagara Falls. Cukup lah tuh :)

Headache #4: I haven't pack my stuff to leave London Hall for good yet.

Headache #5: I haven't fix my thesis and send it for printing.

Headache #6: I haven't write a report and thank you note for the companies that gave me their samples.

Bahahahaha number 4,5,6 is entirely up to me.

I think sleep is good remedy for all my headaches.

Later gators,

FZ

p/s: I bought Brave New World yesterday for $17. Good price! I am still wearing the same tshirt as workout just now. Siap terlupa nak mandi :( FYI, I am working on toning my arms. LOL

Times stops now

I am lazy.

I am allowed to be lazy.

I AM the definition of lazy right now!

Even writing this makes me lazy.

But I can't afford to be lazy right now cause I want to tell you this:

UNDERGRAD? Done!

April 23. Friday. 5pm. Done. Done. and Done

I can't even described how I felt at that time. I wanted to shout "Exam whaaaaaaat????", but Somerville House is way too elegant for a freakish undergrad kiddo to scream her lungs out. I giggled instead while covering my mouth with my jacket. Izyan cakap Hishhh. Tak otai laa tak jerit. Blehhh.

That night was great for so many reasons. Not only I stuffed myself with perogies+fries and yummy Choc+Strawberry milkshake at a 1950s themed diner, I also went next door to a Lebanese restaurant and had BBQ chicken Shawarma! Muahahahaha! Man, I was so bloated after that. If I had Marble Slab coupons with me, rest assured that place is next!

After many unsuccessful attempts to bug people with my "I'm done!!" phone calls, I ended up watching my favourite TV show, Survivor. Oh I love this show. After every episode, I'll read Jeff Probst's blog. Then, Stephen Fishbach's blog. Then, I'll take a look at Addicted to Survivor group on Facebook to see thoughts and comments about the latest episode. Crazy much? You can bet on it. And most of the time, Izyan lah yang terpaksa dengar my craziness for this game. Anyways, last week's episode was insane. I never said WTF and sh*t so much to my lifeless-laptop screen ever....until last Friday night. Even when Yau Man made that ill-fated deal with Dreamz I didn't shout WTF. What happened? LOL Parvati gave both her hidden immunity idols to Sandra and Jerri. Bold move? YES YES YES! Nak elaborate tp nanti I get carried away. Again, terpaksa explain kepada Izyan kenape ade suare2 kasar dan kurang sopan pada malam tuhhh......

_____________________

FREE TIME:

Now that I'm all done, I'm looking forward to do some reading, believe it or not! I've always been a fan of non-fiction books. You would not see a fiction novel at all in my room. All scientific books and magazines (plus traveling and cook books!). But now that school is over for me, I'm thinking of reading something other than non-fiction books. I shall start with the Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. A book given to me by my dad when I was 13. It has been 10 years since then. I read but could finish it as it was too complex for me. So, this is my redemption...must read this book!

So, any other suggestions?

______________________

Two weeks ago, I attempted to write about Glaciation in Malaysia for my glacial term paper. Little that I know, Malaysian articles/journals/bulletin are so hard to find online. I had to switch my topic to Glaciation in the Tropics with a short review on Mount Kinabalu. Yes, our beloved Mt KInabalu, which is NOT the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, had glacier before. I was very intrigued about this, but the only pertinent paper on this was not available and it dated 1967! Ohmigod! I wished I could write more, but I just don't have the source. Instead, while googling for this topic, I came across some of the most stunning photos of Mount Kinabalu.

The picture below is from Jimmy Chin, an experienced climber during a climb called Borneo Big Wall in Mount Kinabalu. This was no easy climb as you can see from this picture! I called this the route less taken (tak original sangat :P)

For more Jimmy Chin Borneo Big Wall photos: WEBSITE

Now I wish I can climb!

Check out the video of the climb:

Part 1 of 8:

Borneo Dispatch Video #1 "Kota Kinabalu"

(From borneobigwall.blogspot.com)

I have more things to write about but I'm lazy, remember?

Take care, enjoy your summer!

Later gators.

FZ

PS: I hope I've given enough credit to these people as I used their vid and picture here. That's why I had only 1 photo and video and for more, you have to visit their website!

Of papers and books

Sebenarnye, sikit je bahan bacaan untuk final exam. This pile is for 3 exams: Petroleum Geology, Glacier and Vertebrate Paleontology. ALL ARE MY ELECTIVES. Well, now I better don't take this for granted. The more I study, the more sleeping time I'll have.

- FZ

p/s: lets cut down our paper fetish! use recycle paper! they can be a lil pricey, it's all for a good cause.

KT at 16 and otai-ish

Back when I have not seen the rest of the World.

It was a weekend trip to Kuala Terengganu (KT). I went there with my siblings and my dad; I don't remember why my mom didn't join us.

This story has loopholes. Mainly cause it was 7 years ago, right? Hehe.

Awi Yellow House, Pulau Duyong (Duyong Island).

This is the equivalent to a hostel. Nonetheless, I do think all the hostels I've stayed in are more elaborative than this. This place has the BASIC of everything. You walk into the small hut (as in this picture) and all you see is a double bed. That's all. Maybe a few shelves, if you lucky to get a room with it. No fans, just windows. Considering you are on an island in the middle of a river, it is quite windy and I don't remember complaining about the heat.

The room is RM15/night, murah dowh. The price could have changed over the years. There is a kitchen that you can use, a mini library, a just a few benches for you to hang out (some things might have changed since the last time I went there). Worth the money lah. I stayed in Hotel Seri Malaysia and some fancy hotel in Batu Buruk Beach (I can't recall the name) before, but I have more stories to tell about this place than the other two.

Anyways, you may not think highly of this place, but I'd say don't judge a book by its cover. This place attracts more foreigners than other places I've been in Malaysia. Ok, my memory is not that good, but I remember meeting a few Japanese here. My dad met a few more, and he even went cycling with them. I was a shy bunny dulu (Ngeee) I don't really know how to communicate with people from other countries. My dad jer semangat. They typically stayed in Terengganu for 1 month, so a RM15 room is good for their budget. Agree!

Pulau Duyong is a boat maker island!

I can't say for sure if these two were built in Pulau Duyong, but if you are here, you can just randomly walk into somebody workshop and see how it's been done. I did, but I didn't have any photo :( If I knew I'll be writing about it 7 years later, I probably would have taken the photo. Haha. From my very vague memory, it is just a open workshop. You'll see the body of the boat there. Since it's so big, you have to be on a platform to see the interior. Quite an experience. I don't know many boats made in Pulau Duyong, but I remember one boat in particular 'cause the boat docked at the yellow house and I can see it's name clearly, Burong Bahri. I actually googled it, here.

You'll find some photos of boat making as well in the website. Probably, they make miniature boat as well, that'll be cool to have :)

My dad and a local, at the jetty

I was just standing there thinking, we could have taken the car. But it's so typical of my dad making us walk to everywhere our feet can take us!

Boat. Ngee. It takes you from the island to mainland for 50 sen. Cheapos.

Daddy berbajet best with his Nikon D100. I have this camera with me right now.

Hah, he gave the camera with the zoom lens attached to it. Now I can't take "normal" photos, without being too close to it. Sigh. He said, that zoom lens is the lens he's been using all this while. Then I saw this picture, AHA! Kantoi, the lens in this photo is not the same as the one I have right now. Adoi. I'm still playing around with the camera, so, the photos are still not that good. Muahahahha.

btw, Kurus dowh my dad ;)

My brother at 14 and muka selenge. Hurm, he was carrying a Deuter 30L (or 25L) backpack and right now, I'm wondering what could he be bringing in it? Huh. Banyak nye barang...

Well, like I said my dad is big on walking, so we pretty much walked everywhere that day. It would be nice if I remember, but my memory is the worst. Fardia has a better recollection of our childhood. Haha. I remember walking all the way to some hill in the middle of Kuala Terengganu where you can see the view of whole KT from up there (equivalent: Bukit Bay Route, Kuantan). You don't need some fancy skyscraper for this ;)

A mosque. I was in a beca when I took this photo....

Terengganu Museum. Correct me if I'm wrong, but somebody told this is the biggest museum in Malaysia. I kinda like this museum. They have cool stuff in there. But don't bring big bags, they don't allow you to bring in it. We couldn't go in during this trip cause of that.

Since we couldn't go in, we hang out around the museum and saw the "outdoor" exhibition a.k.a all the boats. I remember Fardia kene gigit something....bengkak2 after that LOL

A Boat. You can actually go up and see what's onboard.

Is this a fisherman boat or what? Can't tell, but it sure don't look like it.

Onboard.

Sabar T28 boat.

I think I have to go back of the sake of completing my story ;) BTW, these photos were taken from my Fujifilm 1.3 Megapixel camera. Huh. As sad as it sounds now (that it was only 1.3 Megapixel), that camera is the BEST first digital camera anyone can have (my dad bought it for me when I was 14)!

You might be wondering, where is me?

Haha, too bad I didn't wear tudung yet back then, so I can't show you my picture. Anyways, just imagine a tomboy in a baggy tshirt, jeans, cap, Adidas sneakers, Oakley sunglass (the fancier the better!) and a backpack. I thought I was cool. Linda said I was very "otai" back then. Now, I'm "Paris" to her. LOL

OK, here me out, I must go back to complete this story! Makan part tak masuk lagi :( that's cause I don't remember. I think I had Indian food, lots of seafood and really old coffee shop. Oh the bread shop at Kampung Pulau Kambing is the best! Freshly made bread ;)

Probably you'd say, then why write this story if I don't remember most parts. Oh well, I wrote an entry for all my other trips to Orlando, NYC, California and Peru; so, this is a must as well!

So y'all, tak nak ikut?

This could be my last post before my final exams next week, unless I want to bug you with my "stress nyeeeee" post.

GOOD LUCK gators

and I'll see you when I see you.

- FZ

The end

It's just around the corner. I can almost see the finish line.

After this, no more student discount...

Good Luck in your final exam lovelies.

-FZ

p/s: One more essay due this Monday. Tadi due satu essay. Ini test shot, belom order grad photos lagi :D So many muka pelik to choose from. Humfff

(PHOTO: by betaphotos.com. I had fun at the photoshoot LOL)

23

This post is meant to be short.

I turned 23 two days ago and I can already feel that this year is going to be crazy! With 2 weeks left of school, I'm grabbing all the time left to enjoy the last few remaining days as an undergraduate student. I still don't know if I'll be hired by Petronas or not, but I want to keep a positive mind about it.

Birthday

Kak Asiah invited us over last Sunday for a bday celebration. Sarah baked me a cake (Yeay!), we ate Bakso (a.k.a Mee Sup with meatballs) and we watched 2012 (OMG!).

I love all my friends for remembering my bday; a few called (even all the way from Malaysia!), but most of them wished me through Facebook. Either way, I'm happy. As for more bday celebration, Izzy made a reservation at Dragonfly Bistro for dinner (http://www.dragonflybistro.ca/). It's a Dutch-Indonesian restaurant. Later, we went for ice cream at Marble Slab ;) Thanks again y'all for the bday wishes!

My bday cake! Thanks to Sarah B.

"I want to arrange the candles"

The kids wanted to have 23 candles on the cake!

Time to sing the "Happy Birthday" song!

...still singing

Make a wish (but, I forgot) and blow the candles!

At Dragonfly Bistro. This is what you call "Don't eat and talk at the same time". Well, I still love this shot! (c: Izzy)

I had Lamb ribs with potato and veggies

DELICIOUS~!!

Izzy had Steak Diane with potatoes and veggies.

Good food. Good place to dine.

A bday gift from Izzy.

Love it.

A bday gift for myself: Moleskine Limited Edition Woodstock notebook.

A new diary to replace the old one that's running out of pages to write.

Maybe this was taken 23 or 22 years ago :)

That's my bday story. What's yours?

Later gators.

- FZ

p/s: In my opinion, 2012 is a really bad movie. As a (future) Geologist, I guess I will be safe, if Earth ever succumbed to such disaster.

The Brutality of 1 Wednesday

Yesterday was brutal! I shall remember March 24, 2010 as the day I felt dead. As you might have read from my previous post, I submitted my 122 pages thesis yesterday. In case you never heard me saying this, my thesis is entitled "Isotope fingerprinting of natural gas wells in Southwestern Ontario". Yes, I am into natural gas, which is much less complicated than oil. LOL.

I still can't believe I stayed up all night to finish it. I had 2 cups of coffee and I felt all good to go to finish the last few details of my research paper. I should say this first thing first, if you're thinking of doing a thesis later, please take note that the "touching-up" part your paper is one hell of time consuming. All that minute details like page numbers, resizing picture etc is actually very time-consuming! I spent a good 4-5 hours doing just that, maybe because I had 49 figures in it (OMG, I know!). Oh, the appendix part was the craziest! Ahh! I'm glad that my computer was rocking it hard and gave me no-stupid-annoying problems that can give me unnecessary stress. Alhamdulillah.

9am. DONE

I sent my paper for printing and I found out my pdf-ed paper has a lot of screwed ups in it. I attempted to correct the mistake, but my efforts were to no avail. I couldn't type properly as I was feeling agitated. I trembled. See, I can't even correct some simple mistakes.

That makes me think, caffeine = toxic.

Went home at 12pm and I threw up. I didn't eat or drink earlier that day, so I don't even know why I threw up. And get this, my vomit was colourless. Hahaha. Gross, sorry. Wow! I guess I was freaking tired. Huh. Well, that was not the first time :D I went to bed straight, and I slept until 7.15pm! Another WOW! I guess coffee just gave you that immediate boost you need, but after you stopped doing work, your body send its revenge by making you feel like crap! Bangun2 jer craving ayam masak lemak cili padi. So terpaksa laa masak, sekali beras tinggal 3 kali makan jer. Oops, so I don't have anymore rice right now. Haihh. It will be pasta all week for me.

I don't usually write this kind of story (ye ker??), but I did this time. I just want you to know that nothing good comes from last minute work! Yes! So, please take it from me okay. I was a slacker, a MAJOR one for that matter. So, I suffered the consequences yesterday. No fun at all.

(after Bailey 1986)

LOL. My thesis looked at natural gas wells in Lambton County.

Call me a dork, but I love maps and this is my favourite map from my thesis.

At the library, vaining with a cup of toxin. Haha

For now, I'm super super glad that I'm done with it. It seems so real now that I'm graduating and leaving the academic life for good, at least for now. Stay positive y'all. My presentation is this Saturday. For now, I'm taking my time enjoying my new-found liberty. Oh, I received Hugo Boss Orange free sample just now and I'm loving the it. I wouldn't buy it though, cause I get headaches when something smells so good. Tee heeee!

Later gators,

FZ

p/s:

Bought this Vintage Key & Coin necklace from Etsy.com for $7.50. The coin is a 1976 20 centimes (a.k.a 20 cent) of Republique Francaise (a.k.a France)

If you like handmade things, check out Etsy.com. They can be a little pricey cause they are handmade, but you'll be surprise to find cheap things as well! I know Linda bought a super cute wrislet from Etsy that was quite cheap! So, take a peep ok! Oh, that fancy+colourful "string" is my hair bead from Peru. I let it out. Haha.

The final stretch

Hello!

Forgive my long absence. There is this paper called thesis that's due next week. Haha.

A quick update:

My results are looking VERY promising and I can't wait to write a discussion on them. Well, everybody keeps telling me, YOUR DATA ARE COOL. So, I hope I can make the same impact with my discussion and conclusion. All the best to me!

To date, I've written close to 50 pages worth of material for my thesis.

......When I add my result, discussion and conclusion, it will be close to 70 pages.

......When I add the appendix and the references.........it will be unimaginably THICK

For now, I'm excited.

Why am I so excited? Cause my data are cool :)

But, You can ask me again four days from now. I might answer it differently.

Later gators.

FZ

....psssst, I have a midterm this Thursday. Pekejadahan betol lahh.

A tribute to my thesis.

Summer plans

Oh la la. Summer is coming and I spent more than 3 hours chatting with...none other than cik Yan about our summer getaway. Sorry lah Ariff, tak dapat join pegi trip Austin-Denver-Seattle-Vancouver <-- Mahal.

Instead, kami yang super gedixx who are madly and deeply "inspired" by that shallow, Oh-My-Gucci movie, Pisau Cukur decided to go on a cruise. Huh.

Here's what we found:

A 4-day All inclusive Cruise from Miami-Key West, Fl-Cozumel, Mexico-Miami for only $240. I think this is a good deal. I am trying to escape "we are going to Bahamas on a cruise" stereotype among Malaysian students. Oooops, did I just say that? haha. It's true. Everybody is going to the Bahamas, so Oh Com'on! Plus, I have a shot glass from HRC Nassau already, I guess I don't need to go there anymore ;)

Right after the cruise, we are staying for a bit in Miami (woooot!) and later head off to NYC! It is the only city I don't mind going back for the fourth time! Huh. Say whatever you want, Manhattan is my kinda city. I suggested to Izzy, lets stay at a fancy hotel in NYC for a night! Of course Izzy agreed to it; unfortunately, they are super pricey (more than $300) and I don't know now if I should. Sigh. I just love luxurious hotel, but as a student (and a Petronas Scholar, for that matter)...all I can tell myself is, "YOU! STOP DREAMING!"

Well, I would probably stay in NYC for a week. Get this, MegaBus goes to NYC everyday and their fare is quite cheap. I checked, a return ticket from Toronto to Manhattan on weekdays can be as cheap as $25. Huh. That is a 10 hour bus ride, mind you. London - TO on Greyhound is already $50. Seriously, Greyhound is way overpriced for a bus that looks worst than express buses in Malaysia.

Ok, I'm not throwing my anger at a bus company on a Sunday morning.

Then, I might stop over at Vancouver before I leave Canada for good sometime in end of June. The ticket to Vancouver is just way above my budget, so I think I would just stop over. I might change my mind, we'll see.

Ciao y'all. I have a cake that's baking right now. Gotta go check it out :p

FZ