The first day of CNY was really simple. We just hang around at the new place, watched TV and eat loads of cookies and CNY goodies. For dinner, mom prepared steamboat where Sharon’s family came to join us. It was another exciting moment where we had the opportunity to play and spend time with Elizabeth and Jared.

Second day of CNY was as usual. We had dinner with Luiz’s parents and afterwards we went down to Pavillion to enjoy the decoration. Indeed it was really beautifully decorated and the place was swamped with people. We even managed to do a lil shopping.

On the third day, I met up with Peng You and her family for lunch at ‘Shogun’. It was a really good time spent in catching up with her parents. In our 19 years of friendship, this was the first time I have spent the time with them. It was really memorable and something which I will cherish for a long long time.

During the fourth day, Eda and I came back to PJ. We spent dinner with Rina at Sushi Zanmai and did a little shopping at 1 Utama.

May the year of the Dragon bring more and more happiness, good health and joy to my family. Blessed CNY everyone ^^

P.S. Eda on the other hand has gone ‘crazy’. She was snapping pictures all throughout the CNY celebration. Let’s hope all the pix turn out nice, especially those with me in it, heheheh!!!!

I really wanted to love this book. I really do but I really can’t. Though you might have realized that I have given up on paranormal books, I can’t help but wanted to give it another chance but this book is really a disappointment. I am not expecting anything like Twilight but this book really sucks. After every chapter, I wanted to give up but I also wanted to give it a chance. And chances, I gave, chapter after chapter but this books left a very bad taste in my mouth. There are a few books in this series which I have a copy (E-book format). What a waste because I don’t think I will read any of them. Argh…what disappointment and frustration!!!!!

Although the graduation was simple with no lavish food or decorations, it was a great time for all of us. It was a time to catch up on each other’s latest news and to rekindle our friendship which we have forged during the 13 months spent together. Though this diploma cert will never be compared to my degree cert, it is one of the certs that I will greatly cherish and in which I have put in so much effort and determinations. It is indeed true that whatever the Lord promises will surely come.

Well, that’s the famous line of Joo Won from Hyun Bin’s character in Secret Garden. In fact there were many more memorable lines but this one was special because it shows Joo Won’s obnoxious attitude in a very cute and adorable way. Guessed what, I am now re-watching it. This time round I want to pay more attention to their acting and characters. The first time, like any other K-drama, I was so preoccupied with reading the subtitles that I missed out on their stellar performance. So, I am taking my time this time round and savor every ‘bite’ of it (yummy!!!). I am already at episode 13, and you know what, the feeling of giddiness is still there even though I knew what was coming on. This show really got me suck into their world. Besides the storyline and great acting, there is another thing which I really enjoy – THE SCRIPTS!!! How could anyone come up with such dialogues? It really got the viewers, or me, at least, swooning and getting all faint-hearted and at times laughing and smiling as well as crying to myself. Don’t get me wrong, I am not those typical gals who swoon over handsome looking man so you can imagine how brilliant the scripts were to make me fall head over heels over it.

At the same time I am also viewing some of the BTS vids and pix which were released during the running of the show from Oct 2010 – Jan 2011. Like how I mentioned about ‘Scent of a Woman’, it is always exciting and fun to know that the co-stars and the production crews having fun and a great time. This will definitely lessen the burden and pressure for the entire casts during the long hour of shooting. I love the chemistry between HB and HJW during on/off screen. So, let’s not waste any more time and come indulge in the BTS pix of this amazing drama that have many viewers’ heart flutter.

I watched the final episode on 31-December 2011 (just a few minutes before we ushered into the new year) and I felt so reluctant to let go of Joo Won and Ra Im. In the past 20 episodes (less than a week), I have grown to love them. Every day, I looked forward to going home to catch a few episodes before going to bed. And every episode never fails to excite and give my heart a little flutter. Indeed, both Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won were fantastic actors. This is the second time I have seen Hyun Bin in a comedy since ‘My Name is Kim Sam Soon’ and as expected, he did extremely well (or even better if I said so). I never knew he could pull off that so well.

The ending was really sweet and yet realistic. Though the theme of this drama was on magical /fantasy, yet there were some important and realistic elements found in this drama which drawn many viewers into it. The characters of both Joo Won and Ra Im are very typical Koeran drama’s characters but it was Hyun Bin and Ha Ji Won’s portrayal that makes all the different. This is another K-drama in my list of ‘must watch’ and ‘re-watch’. While waiting for the withdrawal symptoms to wear off and for Hyun Bin to return from his military duty, let’s indulge in more of Secret Garden ^_^

My dream of completing learning disorder and psychology course finally materialized when I sat for my final paper in April. Besides armed with the knowledge, I met many fabulous and interesting people which enriched my life experience. It has also widened my scope of friends and new friendships were formed. Through this course, I learned that it is not impossible to achieve my dreams. With loads of encouragement, support and determination, the Lord proved to me that as long as I heed His call, He will make everything fall into place. My love and passion for the PSN has continued to grow and I thank the Lord for opening doors and confirming His desire for me. Recently I have started work with an autistic child and it was another dream comes true. Through this child, I have re-learned the meaning of contentment, humbleness, thankfulness and joy.

Taking up sign language course and learning Hangul are some of the items in my to-do list which I can confidently ‘check’. Though it is still on-going and I still couldn’t ‘sign’ properly or speak a single Korean word, I am satisfied that I have taken the step in fulfilling my dreams. Through the process, I have come to appreciate both ‘languages’. Hangul is a completely new and strange language to me. If it weren’t for my love for K-drama and curiosity, I don’t think I would ever think about it but am I glad that my love for everything Korean has brought me to discover such a beautiful language. It is still my dream that there will come a day when I could ‘sign’ with ease, and speak and understand Hangul like how I understand and speak Mandarin after 10 years of self-learning. I was surprised that starting from this year; I accidentally realized that I could understand mandarin, especially Taiwanese drama without any help from the subtitles. That’s a real amazement to me.

Another unexpected thing that happened was attending Westlife concert at Stadium Putra. I am not a fan nor was I keen about Westlife but I wanted to return a favor to Eda. For my birthday this year, she gave me KHJ’s first solo album with the intention that I could see him in person. Her thoughtfulness really touched my heart that’s how I ended up with her at the concert. Moreover, I knew this means a lot to her. True enough she was so happy during the concert. The RM200+ tix were worth it seeing her beaming and smiling from ear to ear.

This year also marked the 18^th Anniversary of my friendship with Peng You. The most memorable moment was when she walked down the aisle on Sept 17. I was proud to be part of it. We have journeyed through thick and think which make this friendship unique thus it makes me feel all nostalgic again when I remembered how it all started in 1993. When I looked back on the years we have spent together, I can’t help but be awed by our precious yet simple friendship. We didn’t spent hours talking on the phone, msn, emailing or hanging out but just knowing that we are there for each other is already enough. Moreover, we know who we can turn to in times of despair or when we need a lil ‘knock’ on the head to bring us back to planet earth. Our friendship has definitely come a long way and it is one friendship which I will never let go.

After one year, my love for the ‘Ssangchu Couple’ is still growing strong. I just can’t stop thinking or watching their show whenever I need my ‘Ssangchu’ fix. Though both of them have moved on years after the show ended, their magic and sparkle still left the ssangchu addict wishing for more. No doubt, they have brought many joy and laughter to us.

‘City Hunter’, ‘Scent of a Woman’, ’49 Days’, ‘Secret Garden’ and ‘Drunken to Love You’ will be greatly remembered as the dramas that marked my year 2011 drama obsession. Being a self professed K-drama and Taiwanese drama lover, how could my days be complete without any dose of them? A good drama, or to be précised, a drama that captured my interest is not easy to come by thus once I am captured and smitten, that’s all it matters. Though not scientifically proven, being such a realistic and down-to-earth person, the daily dose of dramas open doors for fantasy and dreams. I loved the feeling of being sucked into ‘their worlds’, feeling giddy and filled with excitement.

With my busy schedule, I am really glad to have the time and opportunity to indulge in my favourite past time which is piano and reading (yup, I do have a life besides watching k-dramas). I have managed to play some awesome piano pieces and read many great and amazing books.Just like watching a good drama, I love the feeling of going into the books’ world and experience the things that the authors write about. With playing the piano, I could momentarily forget about the present and be immersed in the music world.

This year, the Lord’s will and voice are really real and clear to me. I have learned to be still, wait and listen to His still, small voice. It is through surrendering that I come to know Him in a deeper level. My walk with our Lord has definitely grown but there are still rooms for more. I have come to understand and trust that waiting for God’s perfect timing will not be wasted. He will surely bless those who wait upon Him. Our Lord is a God of love who will not leave nor forsake His children. When we cry out to Him, He will surely answer us without any delay. In times of frustration, disappointment and fear, our Lord’s comforting arms will keep us safe. In times of uncertainty, our Lord will continue to provide for our every need. Our Lord has already conquered death, defeated Satan and won the victory; therefore, there is nothing we should fear. What can men do to us? His perfect love will cast out all fears.

Overall, year 2011 has been a pretty awesome year so far. Though the days, weeks, and months have zoomed by real fast, I have no regrets. The only regret was, why did it have to go by so fast? I wished I could linger and savor those moments longer.

Why did I put off watching this show until now??? When I first read the episodes recaps from ‘Dramabeans’, I was totally in love with it but somehow, nothing prompted me to watch it. I guessed, since I have already known the plot and storyline, there is no point in watching it. But then again, why did I watch it now? Well, almost 3 months after ‘Scent of a Woman’, my withdrawal symptoms have diminished and I am eager to watch a new drama thus while I was browsing through the list of series, I decided I would like a rom-com and ‘Secret Garden’ came up. So, my journey with Kim Joo Won and Gil Ra Im begun and I enjoy every moment of it. True enough, Hyun Bin (whose portrayal of Joo Won) never fails me. I saw potential in him when I first watch him in ‘My Name is Kim Sam Soon’ with Kim Sun Ah. As for Ha Ji Won (whose portrayal of Ra Im) was convincing as well. The storyline might sound a little bizarre, but the acting (in terms of their expressions, feelings and emotions) won over. It’s always exciting to be able to sit down comfortably to catch a good show.

I have a love-hate relationship towards this book. LOVE, because all the three main characters, Ash, Beau and Sawyer are really ‘real’ (they have real conflicts and challenges, and all those emotions are very well written) and HATE, because, no matter what, I still feel that it’s wrong to cheat on your boyfriend and best friend. Though the book end on a good note, I still feels that Ash and Beau should take responsibilities of their actions. Moreover, the cover of the book didn’t do any justice for the book. Anyone who saw the book cover would immediately assume that this is a chick-lit book which is not true. Will I read this book again? Hm….. maybe after a long long while……

This is a really cute book. Imagine yourself as a teenage girl working as a maid during the summer holidays for a popular teenage singer (e.g. Justin Bieber) and eventually having him fall hopelessly in love with you. Well, there you have it, a very unlikely yet interesting YA romance. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book a lot (though not entirely coz there were some parts which I find too mushy and unrealistic for my liking).  But overall, I devoured this book in a few hours and it is definitely a page turner despite the little hiccups here and there. Well, I would read this book again when I feel like having some day-dreaming moments…..

As a self-confessed YA book lover, I really love Rachel Hawthorne. So far, these are the two books from the said author which I have read in the past weeks (there are more to come as I have really fallen in love with her books) and I really want to say they are ‘awesome’. Well, if you love a simple, ordinary yet cute and pleasant YA romance book, these are for you. Although all the male characters in her books are tall, handsome, gorgeous, sexy and overly nice (which seems a little unrealistic), one can’t help but love them anyway. Rachel Hawthorne has a way of creating characters which make me fall in love with them. These books are easy to read with minimal conflicts and problems thus they centers on the main characters and their relationships. But these did not make the books any less interesting. In fact, they are fun and enjoyable. Let’s just hope Rachel will continue writing this type of contemporary YA books and not succumb to the pressure of writing paranormal, magical and science-fiction books like all the others. Every time I visit the book store I can’t help but be disappointed to see so many paranormal and science fiction books on the YA sections.