Merry Christmas!

First of all, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry and Blessed Christmas. I'm also taking a three day break starting on the 25th, Christmas Day. It''ll be my usual annual family trip. This time we'll be driving all the way to Pangkor. I'll be armed with my Sony Handycam and Canon Digital IXUS 900 Ti. Expect photos and maybe videos (if I ever have time to bloody edit them) here on my blog and maybe on Facebook as well.

Once again, Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

The Class of 2008

I was dead tired after the whole graduation ordeal. I left the house at 8 in the morning and only stepped foot home after 7 in the evening. My whole body ached after standing for a good 6 hours or so. Anyway, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to my classmates from the most awesomest course in the history of the Faculty of Multimedia Creativity: Games Design. For the count, I don't know when did those admin jokers changed the name to Games Art.

Diploma in Games Art
- Nicky Gan Soon Ling
- Kevin Justin Chai
- Lim Chiou Chow
- Moses Dwisatriadi
- Muruhanantha a/l K. Nadarajah Singham
- Neo Wei Kiat
- Ng Kai Hau
- Nicholas John Shanafelt
- Oon Teik Leong
- Oon Teik Teong
- Steven Kizito Bukenya
- Teoh Ching Chuan
- Ting Kee Biew
- Yong Boon Ping

Also not forgetting my other graduating friends and mates from other courses:

Diploma in Animation & Multimedia Design
- Irene Tan Yew Lee
- Siti Sara Hanim bt. Zarul Azham

Diploma in Sound & Music Technology
- Adeline Marie Baptist

As for me (aside from graduating with my Games Art Diploma), I'm proud of receiving the Industry Award for Excellence for being the best in Games Design. The award was presented by Microsoft (Malaysia). Also, another round of cheers and congratulations to my classmate Nicholas John Shanafelt for winning the President's Award for High Achievers.

Although, I was considering uploading pictures here, I guess I'll take my time to reconsider. Maybe they'll be uploaded to Facebook instead. With that said, I take my leave. Good night.

Graduation Blues

I'm graduating tomorrow. Oh wait... It's past midnight. Correction: I'm graduating TODAY. I may just be getting cold feet. Nervous, anxious? Maybe. Confident, proud? Maybe. Problem now is, I can't sleep. It's that feeling I usually get when something big comes up. For all I know, it maybe like this on my wedding day as well... Or maybe a lot worse than I can imagine.

But I can't be THAT bad right? I keep telling myself that. Somehow, I just don't feel like it's working. Making myself a lot more nervous? Well, that's going like superbly well. Anyway, I'll be trying to get some sleep as soon as I finish posting this. After all, it's gonna be a long day ahead.

Before I go, to all my classmates of Games Design (Semester 6):

- Nicky aka. Ms. Gan
- Nick Shanafelt
- Biew (EmoLoli)
- Neo aka. The One
- Moses aka. The Prophet
- Muru aka. Jesus
- The Brothers (Teong & Leong)
- Mr. Magical Land @ Ogre Magi
- Chow
- Xeon
- Steven Kizito
- Kevin Justin
- Boon Ping

Congratulations on graduating!

In Memoriam: Marie Rose Leong (77 yrs)

The night before, I went to bed at about 2 or so in the morning. After a full dose of Toradora!, I was pretty much satisfied. Although a little pissed because my Heroes download has been going for two days and has yet to complete. I went to sleep. Waiting any longer will certainly ruin my night's sleep. It was 3 by the time I got into bed.

I heard a brief knock on my door around 5 something in the morning, almost 6 if I recall. By the time I struggled out of bed to get the door, I can hear loud footsteps across the floor. My gut instinct told me that something's not right. I opened my room door nonetheless. My mom stood at my room door; tears in her eyes. My grandma just died moments ago. I stood at the door staring at the floor, speechless. I knew this day would come one way or another... Just didn't expect it to be this soon. My grandmother was discharged from the hospital only a day before. For minutes, I stood at my doorway, staring into nothingness.

Deep down inside, I tried to laugh, I tried to scream, I tried to cry. But nothing. Through the doorway across mine, I could see my sister sitting on her bed. In the darkness she was there, hugging the closest pillow she could find. I closed my door, turned off my lights and went back to bed. Hoping to sleep through this. I can't. My body seems to want it but my eyes just don't wanna give in. I gave up. I left my room and went downstairs to get a drink of water. That's when I saw my grandmother's motionless body lying on the bed in the hall. For the first time that morning, tears filled my eyes...

This all started about mid-July. My grandmother came down to visit. She suffered a heart attack one night just because she had forgotten to take her medication. She has been having high blood pressure and diabetes for years now. That's when she was rushed to the hospital. If I recalled, that was around 2 in the morning. It was a Sunday. She was discharged weeks later. Just days after being discharged, she fell. It was some time in the morning before noon. She fractured her hip and was again rushed to the hospital. Eventually it became a downward spiral from that moment on.

Just last week she was readmitted again to the hospital. Apparently her sugar level dropped below critical. It was about then, after 4 months going in and out of the hospital that I think she finally gave up on everything. She begged my mom to discharge her just the day before. She left us peacefully the next morning. May her soul rest in peace.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the still waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me through the right paths
for his name's sake.

Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil,
for you are beside me:
your rod and your staff comfort me.

You spread a table before me
in the presence of my foes.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup is overflowing.

Goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life,
I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.

- Psalm 23:1-6