Rumour has it, the weather was really hot and stifling the day I was born. Go figure, it was August. Summer weather. Temperature in the high 30's (Degrees Celsius, people, not Fahrenheit). When it came to naming me, my parents had a spot of trouble. Chinese name, no problem! My grandpa had it all set up. But Christian name? Uh-oh! Nothing in the lists! At last, after much deliberation, the folks settled on a variation of Catherine. That's a saint, by the way. Means "pure". I still laugh over it until today. Why? Because my buddies can tell you - I am the exact opposite of pure. Still, it's a nice name. Bit pretentious, but nice, nonetheless. So, hence I was christened, and then brought to a Catholic Church to be baptised. And yes, I am a Catholic. Proud of it. True, I don't always follow true to its teachings, but I am a Catholic. Well, technically, I'm what people call a "non-denominational Christian" (NDC). But I'll stick with Catholic. Easier than to explain why I'm a NDC. MUCH easier. So anyway, I was baptised exactly one month after I was born. At age nine, I took my first Holy Communion, St Ignatius Church, batch of 1994. Then, seven years later, I was confirmed as a practising Roman Catholic. Same church, same batch, different year, of course. In addition to having another godmother (I love you, Auntie Flo! *muacks*), I also received a middle name (original - no one else has it! *smug grin*). Now, I stand at barely five feet tall and possess a weight that yo-yos like a roller coaster. I'm 3 weeks shy of legalising my participation in local politics, though the day I hit the big 2-1 is the day I plan to thoroughly get wasted. I'm a second-year Communications major in Monash University, Malaysian campus, and rounded up my first year with a Distinction average. Man, am I a geek or what? Anyway, I'm done with my stint at the bookshop. As of 19th February 2006, I was a free agent again. However, as of 19th February 2006, I also officially became a freelance writer. I was given my first writing assignment from the editor-in-chief of a legitimate children's magazine, to review children's books, and - to my knowledge - it has been published. Kudos to me. ^_^ Love ya, Karen! *hugs* You gave me the opportunity of a lifetime! It's going to help sooooooo much when I apply for journalistic jobs in the future. * ~ * I enjoy literature of all varieties, any kind of art, movies that don't suck, television series that aren't lame and music that doesn't deafen me. I have a Grade A certificate in the Art of Eating, but sadly I have a Grade D certificate in the Art of Cooking. I unfailingly score distinctions in Sleeping 101, though my results tend to fluctuate in Creative Dreaming. When it comes to Whimsical Imagination, however, I pride myself in holding a steady place on the Dean's List, and I rank high in the honour roll for Absolute Randomness. I idolise James Blunt, Josh Groban, The Killers and Greenday. I fantasise about Hugh Jackman, Tom Felton, Seth Green, Sean Biggerstaff, Rodrigo Santuro, James Denton and all four singers of Il Divo. It shames me to say this, but I also harbour a crush on Daniel Radcliffe, Skandar Keynes - and Freddie Highmore is just so cute, it's hard NOT to like him. I'm a regular follower of Desperate Housewives, CSI: NY and House, and Dead Poets' Society remains, until today, the BEST - MOVIE - EVER in my book. And I'm a self-proclaimed supporter of animal rights, environmentalist movements, women's liberation front, liberalism in society and politics, and Harry Potter for Triwizard Tournament Champion. *huge grin* I collect stuffed animals, DVD's, books - and the dust that goes with it. I have a deep fondness for cute and cuddly animals, fresh flowers, the weather just before it's about to storm, rainy days, the Internet on a broadband connection, a comfy pair of jeans, T-shirts with weird sayings, funky and unusual silver rings, long and dangly earrings, a good argument and an intelligent debate. I'm also an amateur writer and an apprentice graphic designer, but here's hoping that with practice, I can promote myself to professional and master respectively. * ~ * The general consensus on me is that I'm sarcastic and cynical, with a dark sense of humour, a warped view of reality and in possession of a highly pessimistic opinion on life. A fair few tend to view me as temperamental and complicated, with a tendency to veer rapidly between the downright practical to the overly unrealistic. However, there are the occasional eternal optimists who adamantly believe that once you know which button to set me off, I can be as chatty and perky and wired as a head cheerleader on Ecstasy. God bless their lovable, but greatly disillusioned hearts. The truth is, none of them are really off the tangent. They're right and they're wrong. I'm all of that and a little more; simultaneously, I'm also none of that and everything less. Confused? Yeah, me too. If the authorities had their way, they'd be checking me into a mental institution for combination insanity and schizophrenia. *snickers* One thing that can be certain, though - I dislike people who try to fob their opinion on others, and force them to think the way they do. Word of the wise - don't ever try it on me. It's annoying, ridiculous and a baby step towards becoming a dictator. And frankly, I don't like dictators. I'm not a total racist, sexist or bigot, and I consider myself fairly open-minded, but I'll admit that I have certain prejudices. And dictatorship is among them. * ~ * A few of the (many) other things I don't like, falling under the category of safe and general, would include: advanced science subjects, certain types of food, shopping for clothes and shoes, the WWE, Malaysian drivers, lack of sleep, my dad's taste in music, not having the Internet, Malaysian movie and TV censorship, and studying (although that is unfortunately an unavoidable issue). Smoking irritates me, drug addiction disgusts me, murder disturbs me, rape saddens me, death of loved ones sends me into spasms of long-term depression and animal cruelty infuriates me. I have a particular loathing for corrupt politics, unaccounted prejudices, deep-set bigotry, human inequality and basic human rights restrainment. So there you have it, the lowdown - or something to that event - on my life. Scrape off the surface meanness, and what you wind up with is pretty much your average weirded-out-teenager-growing-into-not-so-mature-yet-adult. Welcome to my world. You - have - been - warned. * ~ * ** Blogging Buddies **
of Juha Harju. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Graphics by: Deanna
 
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Sunday, August 20, 2006
Too bad 21 only comes once in a lifetime ...
Mood: Drunky ... Music: "You were meant for me" - Jewel (X-posted again from my LiveJournal ...) Funness. Today was pure funness. Good thing, too. 'Cos yesterday was plain sucky. But today just kicks ass. And not just because it was to commemorate me turning 21. Food was good. Liquor was good. And the chatting was just awesome. Oh ... not to mention the free Long Island Iced Tea. ^_^ Rainforest @ Pyramid = Saturday Ladies' Night + Free Cocktails = Love! So it sucked that TGIF charged us for the birthday cake. Dude, I so hate them! But other than that one blemish, everything was just spanking fine. I wish I could turn 21 everyday! LMAO! The following people get huge huggles for even showing up: Maxine Felicia Ann Pooi Yarn Sharon Mindy Grace Matthew Arias Okay, so I only knew Arias better today. But three cheers to him for putting up with the craziness of us B.Comm/BA students. Us and our nonsensical, Arts-lecturer-influenced gibberish. Oh, and that infamous little Freudian slip. He knows, I know, Max and Felicia and Matthew know ... but no one else. A secret we all shall carry to our graves. Muahahahahahahaha ... Yes ... very drunk ... free liquor! Who the hell can resist, man? ^_^ 'Sides, I'm 21 now - time to live a little! You want pics, head over to my LJ. I'll give a heads up here when it's all uploaded. Laterz! ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker!" ~ Ogden Nash ~ Monday, August 14, 2006
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Mood: Rejuvenated!!! Music: "Yuzurenai Negai" - Naomi Tamura, from the Magic Knight Rayearth OST (X-posted from my LJ, just in case some people don't read it ...) I suck, man ... here it is, mid-August, and I haven't wished my fellow Leo-ers and August-ers birthday wishes. Yeah, I suck. But I guess that comes with old age. *snorts* That having been said ... HAPPY
BIRTHDAY!!! ... To everyone on the list below (in no particular order): AJ a.k.a. Calvin a.k.a. the best honorary Kuya in the world Ai Koon a.k.a. AK, coolest girl in pre-U Ivy Sim, med student extraordinaire Wen Jing, showing up everyone in IMU as usual ^_^ "Princess" Lia, a very belated wish ... Annnnnnnnnd, of course, not forgetting my beloved fellow Tigresses: Quin Lee, who's in South Australia Wendy, who's already the working girl Beatrice, busy busy busy in NSW Most of the people mentioned above celebrate their 21st, which makes this year especially special. So to all those girls - AK, Ivy, Wen Jing, Quinz, Wendy and Beatrice ..... *double hugs and kisses*
Did I forget anyone? I hope not! If I have, just drop a line and I'll be especially nice to you for being so cruel as to forget your happy day. Love every one of you up there! Miss you loads - except maybe Kuya, since I "see" him the most often =P - and hope you have very MANY birthdays to come. Party up, everyone! 2006/2007 is gonna be the best year ever! To steal a little Jack Sparrow: "Birthdays? I love birthdays! Drinks all around!" ... And don't forget that most of us are legalised to drink liquor ANYWHERE in the world now, so make the most of it. ^_~ *huge hugs all around*
~ Kat ~
Quote of the Day:
"You can only be young once. But you can always be immature." ~ Dave Barry, US columnist & humorist ~ Saturday, August 05, 2006
Suffering from excessive sleep ... Mood: Feeling groggily insane ... Music: "White Love" - SPEED (X-posted from my LJ ...) Anyone who said too much sleep isn't a bad thing clearly had never experienced too much sleep before. Because they're wrong ... too much sleep is a bad thing. It's like waking up with a hangover. I'm not sure what the symptoms are for hangovers, but for people waking up from a bout of "lengthenedsleepitis" ...
If more liquor is the best remedy for the hangover - which was caused by excessive liquor in the first place! - what's the remedy for excessive sleep? More sleep? LMAO! (Yes ... I've gone mad ... so sue me. Laterz!) ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"The cost of living is going up and the chance of living is going down." ~ Flip Wilson, Actor & Comedian (1933 - 1998) ~ Thursday, August 03, 2006
Do men like this still exist? O_o
Mood: Incredulous ... Music: "Talk" - Coldplay I heard something Monday morning that simultaneously had me laughing helplessly and gawking like a moron. It's funny how the most annoying thing you hear in the day turns out to be the most memorable, but then again it's usually that way, isn't it? ^_^ So I never usually listen to the Light & Easy radio station. For certain reasons, obviously, but mainly because the DJ's are pretty crap. But part of me is glad I actually tuned in on Monday because there was an interesting dilemma. This woman sent an e-mail to Richard and Shaz, saying something about being engaged and loving her fiance very much, yada yada yada. I'm thinking "Okay congrats what's the big deal?" ... Then it comes: her future husband's a traditionalist. Wants her to quit her job after they get married. Why? 'Cos he wants her to be a stay-at-home Mum ala Lynette from Desperate Housewives. But that's not too bad. The arguments over that kind of thing are so old and dry I've given up repeating what people already know. The thing that had me doing a double-take? He said a woman's place is in the home. GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Okay, now that's where I disagree. To what extent is a woman's place at home? Just because we're supposed to be the mothers? Excuse me, it took two to make the baby. What's the father's role, then? Sperm donor? Puh-leaaaaaaassse! I'm all for the gentleman, really. Guys with certain old-fashioned qualities - i.e. opening doors for women, bringing flowers when you meet for a date, that sort of thing ... those guys are few and far between. I myself wouldn't mind meeting a guy with that kind of manners. Chivalry is pretty much dead nowadays so any guy who actually shows he's not so jinjang as most modern men pretty much is a winner. But then there's being chivalrous - and downright living in the Dark Ages. So okay, it might make sense if the man had come up with a compromise. Say, if the woman earned more than him, fine, he'll stay at home, but if it's vice versa, makes sense that she'd stay at home, right? That wouldn't have gotten me so irked. But he said a woman's place was at home. And that made all the difference between not caring and getting thoroughly pissed off. Why do men continue to believe they are superior to women? All they have above us is brute strength. And even that don't hold anymore water, cos I'm stronger than many guys I know - and hell, I'm a self-confessed flabby wimp! So what does that say about those boys, hmm? For all this talk about mankind taking one step forward, for women finally making progress in the world, the truth is nothing much has changed. Women are still seen in many countries as weak and subservient, with intellects inferior to men. Men have this presumption that they can walk all over us and we'd remain as docile as ever. Not all men, of course, but certainly a great deal of them. My own uncle springs to mind. Ughhh, that man really puts the capital DA in Dark Ages! *sighs* I don't think I'll live long enough to see the day when the predominantly patriarchal society we live in changes to fit in certain matriarchal qualities. But I sure as hell hope that I don't become so cynical I shun all men on the mere basis that they are pigs. 'Cos sad to say, I'm damn near bordering on that already. Laterz! ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"All that is human must retrograde if it does not advance." ~ Edward Gibbon, English historian (1737 - 1794) ~ Monday, July 31, 2006
And the ayes have it ... Mood: Feeling slightly better ... Music: "Somebody to Love" - by Queen So thanks to all the votes, whether on the actual poll or through e-mail. By popular demand ... I've started my new writing journal. So don't hesitate to click your way over there and leave reviews. Click the pretty yellow link! And of course, pimping the other LJ ... Click the pretty pink linkie! Happy reading! ^_^ ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"Got no feel, I got no rhythm I just keep losing my beat Im ok, Im alright Aint gonna face no defeat I just gotta get out of this prison cell Someday Im gonna be free, lord!" ~ Somebody to Love, by Queen ~ Sunday, July 30, 2006
Words are the worst weapons ... Mood: Saddened beyond depression ... Music: "Seasons of Love" - Cast of Rent, The Musical I've said many times my parents and I don't see eye-to-eye, but I've never reached the point when I want to pull a Lizzie Borden. Oh sure, of course I've playfully contemplated the idea sometimes. Or, in my usual post-parental-child argument angst, I've comforted myself by thinking of various totally unrealistic ways of running away from them. But never once to the point when I'm actually really thinking about emulating Lizzie Borden. And even tonight, even after they've quite literally left a large, gaping void right where my heart was ... I still can't bring myself to turn against them. Sure, I hate them. I hate them plenty. But am I about to risk eternal damnation just to rid myself of them? No. God's got a firmer hold on me than I thought. I just wish there was also some way to rid myself of the pain they've caused. I've felt this kind of pain before. The kind that comes because it was inflicted on you by the people you love - and not by your enemies. I'd thought I'd put that all behind me. I thought wrong. Nothing's going to get rid of this pain, just like nothing got rid of the last one. I'm just going to have to learn to bury it, just like I buried it the last time. But I know that every time I see that degree hanging on the wall, I'll feel the pain - just as I feel the pain every time they force me to see "him". I don't know how I'm going to pull it off. I don't know how I'm going to find the courage to march into that office and tell them to put me back. I don't know how I'm going to handle the embarrassment or the chaos. Most of all, I don't know how I'm going to be for the rest of my life, knowing that I'd been so close to my dream ... and watching in absolute horror as that dream shattered into a million pieces at the hands of my own parents. Maybe I'm being melodramatic. But after having lived almost 21 years fighting for a dream that had just about come true, it hurts far too much to realise that the dream has once again slipped my grasp. Perhaps forever this time. ... Destiny's a bitch. ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents, and the second half by our children." ~ Clarence Darrow, US Defence Attorney (1857 - 1938) ~ (The man knew what he was talking about ...) Friday, July 28, 2006
Okie-dokie, if you could just ... Mood: Questioning ... Music: "Somebody to love" - by Queen (Cross-posted from my LJ ...) My successful application into the Bachelor of Arts programme sent me over the moon. I beat the 'rental system! I'm now a full-fledged BA writing major! And my parents can't do anything to stop me, 'cos it's final. Nya-ha! So when I mentioned that writing was now my full-time course, some of my online friends got together and decided to "test" me out, so to speak. They pointed me to two sites for me to practise my writing skills (which I already knew about ages ago) and then - THEN - they decided to add challenges of their own into the mix. ... I get the feeling my being able to major in writing is nothing but a big joke to them. But fine. I'll bite. I've nothing to lose anyway, since I'm always looking for ways to try and improve my writing. Here's the thing though. I'd like public opinion on my work, but the idea of mixing my writing into the design of my two blogs seems very ... unappealing to me. So I need your help. Just click the link below, answer the poll you see there, get your friends to answer it too and strangers, feel free ANY time to add your two cents worth. 'Cos at this point, I'm pretty much desperate for anything. Please click here! Thanks ever so much! Laterz! ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day: "Marijuana will be legal some day, because the many law students who now smoke pot will some day become congressmen and legalize it in order to protect themselves." ~ Lenny Bruce ~ Sunday, July 23, 2006
Double the rant, double the irritation
Mood: Infuriated ... Music: "One Sweet Day" - by Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men That song stayed number 1 on the US Billboard charts for ages. Can't say I blame the people for keeping it there. It's a good song. A little sad, maybe ... but good for a pop song nonetheless. Yeah. So obvious I don't quite like pop. So anyway ... Uni's started again. 2nd year, 1st semester - and already I'm feeling the pressure. Gawd! I've not even got my feet cold (not warm - going to Uni is anything but warm!) and already I'm shaking in my slippers. 2nd year's going to be piss-arsed hard!!! Okay ... so maybe it's gonna be more bearable than last sem. Last sem I had the most gawd-awful lecturers teaching me, Dr Helen excluded. There was Mr "Hello, I'm always absent and I never make up classes except to torture my students by forcing them to come for Saturday morning classes". Then there was Madam "Hi, I'm some big-shot's wife and I know everything there is to know about the press". Oh ... and who could forget Ms "My English is so poor I have no idea what atypical means". Yeah. I'm still sore about that. Open a bloody dictionary, woman! *snarls* So no more of that this sem. The ones I got this sem, they're all senior lecturers - and they all have reps of being (albeit strict) the best lecturers even among all other faculties of Monash. Well ... except one. Nice man - but oh gawd!!!! Dead snooze! ... Is it possible to replace him with Dr Tang? At least he's come back, though I'm mighty angry they didn't give him a second year class to teach. Which reminds me ... I owe him for that nasty, egoist comment he wrote on my final assignment last year. "THIS MEANS WAR, TANG!!!" Violent tendencies aside ... good lecturers or not doesn't mean this year's gonna be a bird course. Seriously, seriously doubt anyone will be able to fly through it with one eye closed, the way they could last year. I want back 1st year, 1st sem! *wails loudly* * ~ * Uni rant aside ... MPH Bookstores should really try screening their employees a little more, do you know that? I don't know what criteria is necessary in hiring them, but I do know they should make this one extremely vital: KNOWLEDGE OF BOOKS!!! Either that, or at least a knowledge of what to do with books. Or even, at the bare minimal - what a conscientious shopper does when they're browsing to buy books. All 3 of the above? NON-EXISTENT. As proven by this particularly inept yet unbelievably arrogant little bitch working in MPH Sunway Pyramid. One run-in with her and you can already tell she's never picked up a book in her entire life. Gahhhhhhh .... why do they let neanderthals like that work in bookstores? There should be an effing standard, for Christ's sake! *curses at some length about the pathetic standards of MPH employees* Now I can finally see why Uncle Alex gets so pissed off with MPH. They have unqualified "I wanna work in a bookstore but I don't know nuts" dumb-asses manning the ship for them. Sorry, Uncle Alex, for ever doubting you. You're right - they don't know squat! Telling me off for comparitive buying ... doesn't the little "Big Boss kiss-ass" know that people write down titles of books to check around first to see if it's really a good book to buy? Clearly not, because she wouldn't even listen to my explanation. Actually, to be honest, I doubt if she even effing understood my explanation. She had that look about her, the kind you know that says "I don't want to listen to you because you're talking Greek to me, but you've gotta do what I say anyway because I work here and you don't." Total, complete BITCH. I downplay cultural factors, because I know every race has its share of idiots. The Chinese, in particular, are a right proof of how moronic people can be. But I am very angry that they don't screen their employees enough. If ever I run MPH - and dear gawd, I hope that one day I do - I'm gonna make sure the criteria for hiring people covers this: "Knowledge of books." "Knowledge of customers." "And bloody well LOSE THAT ATTITUDE!" ... This country annoys me. I gotta get out of here. But ... knowing me? Other countries will annoy me, too. So meh. Laterz! ~ Kat ~ PS: *nudge nudge* Go visit my LJ! Go visit my LJ! Click the pretty pink linkie! Quote of the Day:
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." ~ Carl Jung, Swiss psychologist (1875 - 1961) ~ Saturday, July 08, 2006
*nudge nudge* Mood: Thrilled to bits!!! Music: "Red Sam" - by Flyleaf Yeah, I've been ignoring this blog. Sorry. But LJ is so much fun! Especially with the icons. I went on an icon-making frenzy, so now I've got a load of them. And all made by yours truly, thanks very much. ... Fine. I'll admit I started off by referring to tutorials. BUT NOT ANYMORE!!! Muahahahahahaha!!! I've already decided to separate my blogs. This one will be all seriousness. My rants, my political opinions (if I have any), my bitching, my views on issues ... all will be here. I won't pretend to be amusing - cos I'm not - and I won't pretend to be witty - cos I'm not that either. In this blog, what you'll see is the "serious" me. If I sound rude or opinionated or just plain bitchy ... well ... Tough. My LJ, on the other hand ... *snigger snigger* You wanna see the more "lighthearted, completely random, utterly childish" me? You go clicky-clicky there. Food reviews. Movie reviews. Book reviews. Just random bishi plugging. Gorgeous guys. Me being a complete girl. Me being a complete geek. Me sharing my icons and stuff. All-lllllll there. The link's up there under my profile. And I'm going to be bringing it up in every post here too, so no excuse not to visit. *broad grin* And speaking of links ... Clicky the pretty pink linky! *nudge nudge nudge* * ~ * And yes. I know I said once that this was gonna be the place for all that randomness. But that was before I found LJ. Oh ... and I'm always contradicting myself, anyway, so you shouldn't really blame me for being oh so fickle. =P Laterz, people! ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers." ~ T.S. Eliot, US-born critic, dramatist & poet (1888 - 1965) ~ Wednesday, June 21, 2006
It's a boring holiday ... Mood: Irritated ... Music: "Now We Are Free" - by Enya, from the Gladiator OST (Roma Victor!!!) I'm bored. One week into my holiday and I'm bored. Someone, please! Just kill me now ... * ~ * The sleep is good. I look forward to the sleep. And the time I get to spend working on my writing and art projects, too. Oh, and the reading! Can't forget the reading! Working my way through the new Mary Janice Davidson and then I'm rereading "Clockwork Orange". Might even go online and check to see what other books Rory Gilmore can recommend me. That chick reads too much! Can't even catch up! But apart from all that ... I'm bored. I wish I had a PS2 ... I'm in the mood to play Kingdom Hearts but I can't, because the damn game don't work on a PS. And since my computer's just so full of crap, I can't use it to play the game, either. Hell, don't even know if KH comes out in PC form, either. I seriously need a life. NADIAH, GET BACK SOON!!! * ~ * Btw, Yukio-nii-chan ... DVD kaki is local slang for "someone to go bootleg DVD shopping with me". Gotta live here to understand that. ^_^ * ~ * Can't even work on my icons. Stupid computer keeps bailing on me, just when I'm getting to the good part. So annoying ... Bright side? Had to find other ways to entertain myself when technology fails me. And I rediscovered the wonders of GBA! Whee. 'Course, that does make me a geek. Just need a pocket protector and Sellotaped glasses and I fit right into the mould. Still ... Harvest Moon and FF Tactics - how can anyone not love those games? Wish I had a DS, though ... be nice to see how they transferred Advanced Wars to fit the double screens ... Gawd ... I'm so lame ... Seriously ... NADIAH! ELAINE! SAVE ME FROM ALL THIS TEDIUM! CHIN YEN! STILL HATE YOU FOR STAYING AWAY! YAN LIN! MEANIE! YOU AIN'T COMING BACK FOR SUMMER! I MISS MY FRIENDS! And I think Josh Lucas is hot ... Hehehehe ... just some randomness. Ignore me. Laterz! ~ Kat ~ Quote of the Day:
"I gotta be cool relax, get hip Get on my track's Take a back seat, hitch-hike And take a long ride on my motor bike Until I'm ready." ~ From "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", by Queen ~ (Long live Freddie Mercury!)
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