Chapter : First Trip On My Own!

For the first time ever, I actually went for a trip with friends and also using my own money to pay for it. I had fun. I have wanted to go for a vacation for the longest time and luckily enough, my wish came true and best of all, it was at the beach!

Unfortunately, due to the recent natural disaster events in Japan, the weather has been crazy. Wasn’t much sun at the beach area...gloomy and the waves were so choppy that the boyfriend got sea sick on the way to the resort. He was looking a little green by the time he reached the resort though. I too was a little sea sick because the boat ride was so rocky...but I managed to hold all my puke in...

After resting for a while, the boyfriend and I head to the beach! Swam in the ocean, though I was told that the ocean was clearer years ago...but nevertheless still enjoyed myself playing in the waters. The waves were pretty big and strong and I lost count the number of times I was thrown off balance by the waves. 

I also went snorkelling for the first time, and the boyfriend was being really cheeky by throwing pieces of bread around me causing me to freak out because suddenly there were a lot of fishes swimming around me. Luckily the current was as strong that I imagined it would be...I managed to see the moray eel (which I was actually terrified to get close too...), garupa and the Christmas trees! I wouldn’t mind going snorkelling again.

The travel back felt really long because most of the time I was on the bus and on the boat. I felt really tired and sluggish by the time I reached home.

I wish I could go for another vacation again...but need to look for a time and save up enough money if I do ever want to have another get away again.

Chapter : Valentine's Day 2011

I don’t really celebrate Valentine’s Day and well, most of the time during Valentine’s Day I wouldn’t have anyone to celebrate it with. Normally during this day, I would be at home in front of my laptop or out with my girlfriends to celebrate it. But this year, my Valentine’s Day was different. I didn’t have a candle-lit dinner in some high class restaurant instead my Valentine’s was spent eating McDonalds in the office.

Originally the boyfriend and I were supposed to go out for some simple dinner because thinking that I would be finishing early. Unfortunately, the project I was working on had to do some changes so I had to leave later than expected. Thinking we could have a late dinner if I leave the office at 8pm but when I was working on the project I realized that I couldn’t make it so I gave the boyfriend a call. I told him that he had to get his own dinner but to my surprise, he said that he would come down to town to join me instead. I felt really bad because he had to drive all the way to town just to spend few moments with me eating McDonalds in the office and then driving all the way back.

Though the time we spent was really short, I was really happy to see him on Valentine’s Day. How was your Valentine’s Day this year?


PS: The boyfriend booked a Japanese buffet dinner to celebrate our belated Valentine's Day and it was the first time he ate Haagen Dazs ice-cream. 

Chapter : The Generation Gap

Last Sunday, I joined the family for dinner. While deciding what to eat, the dad decided to start the conversation in the car...

Dad: So how’s your new Mac in the office?

Me: Not too bad...still getting used to it...

Dad: Okay...what is that word, “noob” you put on your Skype?

Before I could answered it, the youngest brother B, decided to do it for me with a lot of confidence too...

Brother B: IT MEANS NEWBIE!!

Dad: How is newbie related to NOOB?

Brother B: NEWBIE MEANS BEGINNER!!

Then Brother A, the older one said, "Daddy asked HOW it is related. Not what does newbie mean."

Brother B looked at brother A with a clueless expression.

Dad asked again, "How is newbie related to noob?"

I said, "It’s just computer language. A gaming term."

Dad: But how-?

Mom interrupted, "You don’t have to learn this fancy mancy language. This is the sign that you’re getting old when you don’t know what language or words your children are using"

Dad: I want to learn so I can keep up to date of the latest trend that our kids are using these days.

Mom: What for? No point. Not like you are going to use it also.

Few minutes later...

Mom was asking Brother A...

Mom: What is futsal?

Before Brother A could answer...

Brother B: FOOTBALL!!

Mom: I know, but what's the difference? Why futsal not football? 

Brother B: CAUSE IT’S INSIDE!

  

Brother A face palmed and said, "The only difference is that we played it indoors and the ball is heavier."

Mom: Why is it heavier?

Brother A: So the ball won’t fly...

Mom: So why is it call futsal?

Dad: Why you want to know? No need to learn these fancy mancy languages or words. No point, not like you’re going to use it also.

Mom smacked Dad on the arm and said,  "I want to keep up to date also!"

The generation gap. It happens to everyone. At least my parents are learning...some how.

Chapter : First Post of the New Year

Welcome to the year 2011! Quick updates on what happened to me last year.

1. Graduated with a Masters in Animation
2. Failed for the first time when completing my Masters
3. Met someone new
4. Got a job
5. Made more new friends
6. Stayed in the office overnight for two days straight
7. Managed to complete a project
8. Got my first pay check
9. Got a new car (2nd hand though but still!)
10. Got a Nintendo DS as a Christmas gift

These are few highlights that I can remember from the top of my head. If anyone asks, what my New Year’s resolution is, there’s only one.

NOT TO MAKE ANY RESOLUTIONS.

Because I know that I will never keep them or do them. For now, I’m taking things as it goes. Hopefully this year will be another great year!

Chapter : This Christmas

This Christmas I gave my boyfriend a handmade card and some joke t-shirt that says, “Thanks. I work out” which I know that he would never fit it in and a computer ram. 

Funny story about the card, on the eve of Christmas, I was out at his place hanging out, then by the time he sent me home, it was pretty late at night and I haven’t wrapped his gifts nor done the card. So burning the midnight oil, I lugged out my dusty old light box which I used for my 2d animation during my college days and spent the night tracing my drawing and then colouring it with my dried out markers. 

I was having fun colouring the card because it really reminded me of my college days working late nights finishing some marker rendering work which I know that I can never do it well because I can’t make my artwork look realistic enough. 

Then on Christmas day, we both went over to our friend’s place and there was a massive spread of food. Turkey, cake, spaghetti and loads more. I literally ate till I could not move anymore. Then there was some caroling going on. It was really Christmassy. I really enjoyed myself that night. 

Anyway, when the boyfriend opened the present and saw the card, at first he thought I bought some card from the rack and cut off the picture and pasted it on some cheap ass paper and wrote a note behind it. Then when I told him that I drew and coloured it, he was like, “Whoa.” 

Here’s the final outcome.

Sorry for the tiny image size, I took it from his blog.

Anyway, wishing you all Merry Christmas or Happy Boxing Day would be too late. Instead, I would wish you all HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Chapter : It's almost 6am!

Currently sitting in the office at 5.20am typing an entry, taking a short break doing 2D Flash animation before resuming the tedious task again...I have been in this company for almost a month now and adapting pretty well. 

Today’s the first time that I’m staying a night in the office finishing up some stuff. My colleague is feeling sleepy even though we both napped for a while around 2am. Basically, I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about the animation that is due...later TODAY. 

I haven’t done 2D animation in years because I was mostly trained in 3D animation so doing 2D animation is a huge challenge for me. Thankfully, I have a great colleague to teach me a few tricks about animating in Flash. We’re not doing frame by frame animation but more like cut-out-ish looking animation and I hope that we would have time to actually make it even better.

Luckily the office would be close on the 23rd of December because they are renovating the office. So I have an extra holiday which allows me to do ALL my house chores that I have been neglecting. The main thing that I need to do is to CLEAN UP MY ROOM. I have been going home late everyday so I haven’t had the chance to tidy up my room and my cousins from Singapore are coming on the 29th to stay with my family for the night up to my brother’s 21st birthday. 

But on Christmas, the boyfriend and I are heading to our friend’s place for BBQ, without missing the Rock Band sessions and other card games. I’m still thinking what to get for the boyfriend after his glorious surprise gift for me. Why is it so hard to get a guy a present? 

I can’t believe that the year is coming to an end! How time flies...Maybe I will write a list of “THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO ME THIS YEAR” just to recap what interesting events that made an impact in my life. 

Till then, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Time for me to get back to work.

Chapter : The Surprise (Plus Updates)

Updates! Just started my first job ever...survived the first week at work! Upside, I get to wear whatever clothes I want, downside...my work place is in the city where it’s always jam and I work late nights. That’s how life is in the media and creative world...

Anyway, few days ago when I was at work chatting with the boyfriend and we planned to have dinner together on Friday because since I have started working, I can barely spend time with him...suddenly he said,

“Dear, if tomorrow you finish work at 8, let me know, then we can postpone to Saturday. I have to bring you somewhere, but got to be 8.30.”

“Err...Ok...but can you still pick me up after 8?” (I feel so demanding here!) 

“Can”

“Yay! But why have to be there by 8.30?”

“Err, cause surprise la...if cannot, then can do on Saturday.”

So at work when he said that, I had all sorts of funny thoughts in my head. I was like, “Is he going to bring me to some place and sell me? Is he going to bring me some place romantic? Do I have to dress up? Are we celebrating something? Why is he going to sell me?”

These nonsenses were just swimming in my head...

So last night (since it’s 2am, now) I managed to leave the office on normal working time because I did most of my part for that day and on Monday I will have to continue it. Lucky that I don’t have to work on weekends...he picked me up from the LRT station and he drove to Digital Mall.

I was like thinking, “Why are we going to Digital Mall? Does he need to fix something? Get something? Going to sell me?” I was puzzled but never thought much about it. Then he parked his car, then he carried my laptop bag for me and then he said, 

“Dear, can you go to the glove compartment and take out the thing I’m going to bring to fix?” (I think it was something along that line...)

 

So naturally I did, and when I opened the glove compartment, inside there was a NINTENDO DS LITE box. Then he was grinning from ear to ear and said, “Merry Christmas, dear.” 

I stood there frozen with the glove compartment open, holding the box and staring at him at disbelief. He was laughing and I was flabbergasted. I didn’t know what to say or do. Instead of saying thank you, I believed I said "Why did you get me this? Why did you get me a present? When did you get it? Why did you get it?"

A lot of whys, but barely a thank you (I did thank him in the end!!!)...so walking towards Digital Mall because he wants me to choose games and I was still questioning him and pestering him but he keeps changing the subject. That moron. 

After choosing games and stuffs, we headed off to Tropicana City Mall to grab dinner and a movie. We watched The Social Network. Awesome stuffs, I would seriously recommended it if you are a fan of Facebook. The way they scripted the entire thing was really great. A lot of talking but nevertheless it was awesome. I really liked it! 

Also, another movie I would recommend is, Rapunzel (Tangled to some others). I was laughing throughout the entire movie and the graphics, design, animation was mind-blasting (quoting from Russell Peters). Do watch it!

Other than that, this last paragraph is to the boyfriend. Thank you for the lovely Christmas present! How am I going to top that? 

Suggestions anyone??