i'm 24

birthdays. always a bittersweet occasion. i only really officially achieved 11 things off my list. i moved in, threw a party, went on a couple of holidays, printed my favourite photos, read 3 classic novels, made a scrapbook, bought ugly betty and put up an inspiration board.
i tried documenting everything but you know, time and busyness catches up with you, which explains why i didn't blog about some of the things i did do.
i tried growing a flower but it died.
i tried to take a photo a day but it was too much work and the photos i did take disappeared with the great hard disk massacre.
i did share the gospel with someone.
i found several good restaurants in damansara, like the one we went to yesterday to celebrate my birthday, thanks to jeremy and melissa.
and i did make my kitchen cosier.
i could feel bad for not being successful in achieving all these things, but what's the use. it wasn't meant to be a do it all kind of list anyway, just some things that i'd like to have done but don't need to have done.

So what's next, twenty four? shall i or shall i not do another list?

Celebrating our 1st year

we went over the waters for a short holiday. stayed at tune hotel in johor, commuted over every morning. i think we walked more than we have ever done, ended up with back pain, leg pain, everything lah. we didn't go to the typical universal studios. took the cable car ride to mount faber, walked to the henderson waves, which was awesome! saw the light and water show at marina bay sands, just stumbled upon it when the music started calling.



the zoo was really good! the best zoo ever! the animals looked healthy and had lots of room to run and they were all in open areas (not the wild/dangerous ones la), so things like the monkeys were free to swing from tree to tree without being caged. I thought that was so cool.



on the third day, we went on a bike ride all along changi beach coast. the wind in our faces was the best feeling after walking only as fast as our two legs can bring us in the melting heat for two days. we tried the international nasi lemak at Block 2 next to the bus terminal, which apparently is famous there. after lining up for about half an hour, it was only eh... we've had much better in malaysia.



another holiday to add to my favourite rest times, nothing will ever beat my honeymoon in Penang.

Holi Holiday

We had an awesome holiday in Chennai, India. Just family. People make it sound scary and weird, but it was surprisingly amazing! I loved the colors, the sights, cows and honking, especially the food. I wouldn't necessarily stay there my whole life, but it was good for a visit. Learnt alot about Indian culture too.

I tried to take as many pictures of Indian lifestyle, the real stuff. Didn't buy very much, so pictures were my souvenirs. I may even make this into a scrapbook of sorts, i think. Sorry about the heavy editing, makes it seem more colorful than my digi cam can.

Number 23 and number 4(again)

I tried number 23 for a while. Growing a flower is not as easy as the three cacti i have right now, and the money plant that won't stop growing. It died. or is dying. But at least i tried. No pictures cos its not pretty hahaha. My next project is to propagate the cacti i have to make a vertical garden on my balcony.

In the midst of planning for number 4 : Go on holiday. yet again. Trying to squeeze a holiday in sometime soon. I think we both need a short getaway, me to gain creative inspiration, him to get some rest. Singapore? Terengganu? Taman Negara?

So far i'm enjoying getting through the list. Forces me to have some fun in between all the work. It's too easy to get obsessively absorbed into the creative work, it's like quicksand. Once you're absorbed you don't come out (for days). I'll be happily drawing and designing for hours without eating, while listening to glee music on youtube. Blah!!!

Number 19 : We love Ugly Betty!

Adrian and i love this series! It's really too bad that it ends with the fourth season. We love to watch it, to observe the values and lifestyles of the rich and famous Mode people and also the ambitious not-so-rich in Queens. We bought two series' as each others' Christmas presents. Hopefully someone revives the series into a movie or something.

Number 3 : Throw a housewarming party

Done!

Holiday

It came and went. A took 3 days off, cos we both needed a short break. A teeny tiny honeymoon if you wish. We went to Genting, Melaka and the last day at home. Chicken rice balls, satay babi, and rollercoasters. Still getting thrilled by the space shot, just from thinking about it. Come to think about it, it wasn't much of a break nor was it relaxing, but it sure was fun =P

I miss the time we had in Penang. But we don't have the luxury of a week off nowadays. Maybe next year.



Striking off number 4 now.

my home

i would like to blog more about my new house, but the internet connection is limited (which means no pictures). Streamyx will only be here next week (i hope)!

I've barely finished unpacking (more like just begun). I have so many books, i could build a whole house made out of books.

The house is mostly complete, minus a proper kitchen worktop, a couple of study tables and more armchairs in the living room. the rest, is not very important (like a wardrobe for me, a new tv for a). It's a step by step, month by month process. Two shelves this month, one table the next, an armchair after that and it goes on and on. Cheap and good furniture is hard to find.

Speaking of hard to find, moving makes things go missing. And then you find it in a random box one day (after you've already bought the replacement). I now have two can openers -.-

and i'm happy to be able to cross off number two on my 24things list.

classically inclined

i really enjoy reading classics, and when i saw these in the Collins series going for only rm9.90, i couldn't resist. I was hard-pressed to find one i didn't have though, i already have most of them in my collection (Collins seems to only have the more popular classics available).

i'm done with no12 now. although it doesn't really count til i actually finish them. I'm already halfway through one. i'm confident i'll make it through both.

working on no6

Finally, the honeymoon album. It was the best time ever. And i'm glad to have these in physical form to look at and remember the great times we had in Penang. Even as we're planning honeymoon no2 now (we gotta do it before the kids come!) nothing beats Penang man. I'm turning these photos into a scrapbook, as soon as i unpack in Unit 8 (no2 on the list!) cos my crafting materials are all packed away and i don't really want to repack them.

elementary, my dear watson

crossing off 1/3 of no12

After reading The Adventures, Memoirs and Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, there is no way i'm not reading The Hound of Baskervilles (and hopefully soon A Study in Scarlet too). I love these green paperbacks by Penguin, not only cos they're so cheap (only RM8.50!) but cos they're so pretty! Penguin offers a great variety of classics, and i'm slowly collecting. I also have Little Women and Good Wives (my favourite) in these green covers.

number 14 is first

I printed them all out on glossy photo paper, all resized to 4x6 inches. I feel so happy looking at these photos... Brings back memories.

24 before i'm 24

I figure goals are good for the soul. Keeps you from being lazy no? Of course i have many more goals than these, but well, these are things i hope to achieve by my next birthday!