Kohilan celebrated his 21st in rather grand style, this week, and in 2 different locations. As the clock struck midnight, the joker promptly suceeded in losing his handphone while playing DotA with the other uni friends, in Semenyih town. Talk about making your birthday memorable. On the birthday night itself, we smuggled a cake into the New Ibrahim, our dinner venue. Alas, that plan didn't turn out too well, so the cake was brought home, where everyone gathered to wish the man of Ceylonese origin many happy returns of the day. Yenli, not satisfied with eating the cake, took the remnants and smashed it into his face, officially making the night a very interesting one.
Sue Ann likes to play hide and seek at mamak outlets. I like to look blur.
Kohilan wasn't surprised at all.
The creamy goatee.
Zhao Heng doesn't look well here.
Yenli Smashes the Cake into Kohilan's Face..
Neither does he look well here.
And we all posed for the group photo at the end.
The next night, we all gathered at Chilli's Bar and Grill, Midvalley, in an attempt to seat ourselves around a table for 25. Seeing as how Chilli's doesn't take reservations, it wasn't surprising that the attempt failed, and we proceeded to our back-up venue; San Francisco Steakhouse, about 3 minutes down the corridor. It had an extremely pleasant ambience, posh enough that most of us spoke softer than normal at the start of the dinner. That, of course, didn't last too long, and by the end of the dinner, we were our usual TCC selves again.
Kohilan.
The table for 30 was quite long.
Han Yang and Matthew...
...just before they turned rabid.
Some of the ladies, that night.
K.C., looking stunned, and Joey, grinning away.
Weng Hoe and Joey.
Kenneth and a happy-looking Kirsten.
K.C. looking stunned yet again.
Me and Joyce.
They brought a cake for him.
Attempt 1# - 10 people
Attempt 2# - 16 people
Attempt 3# - 17 people
The group photo.
I'm perpetually glad that we never fail to be ourselves.
P.S. - You will notice that the photos don't have their usual watermark. I reformatted my computer, only to find that the Photoshop CD wasn't working, so I'll have to wait for a new copy before I can make watermarks again. Does anyone have Adobe Photoshop CS2 9.0.2, that I can borrow?)
I have managed to find a working copy. Thank you to those who volunteered their cds!
Thaipusam fell on a Wednesday, which gave us Nottingham-ers a chance to take a short break and indulge in a little nonsense. The Malacca trip (which no one really planned) didn't materialize, so a bunch of us decided to follow Yenli's original blueprint, and go down to Subang for some singing and rock climbing. We left rather early in the morning, to meet up with Yenli at Red Box, Sunway Pyramid, and were soon ushered into Room 2, and left to our own wiles. Before long, the 6 of us were crooning and belting out the tunes to our favourite songs (ok, the better way to put it would be that we shouted into the mike at the top of our lungs, which almost caused a speaker to crack). Looking back at the videos, I must say, we do sound like dying cats (or cats that had hot water thrown on them).
Zhao Heng at his best
Johnson, also at his best
The karaoke videos sure were weird
The bunch of us.
Can't Live by The Dying Cats
Tong Hua by Kohilan
Tong Hua by The Dying Cats
If You Wanna Be My Lover by The Dying Cats
Spice Up Your Life by The Dying Cats
Its My Life by The Dying Cats and The Enthusiastic Yenli
Having completed the throat-busting session, we adjourned to The Summit, for a spot of rock-climbing. After fooling about with the asset-enhancing harness, and making sure we knew enough not to drop people to their deaths, we began the crawling about in earnest.
Studying beforehand
Preparing for climbing
Yenli the Climber
Me and Joyce
Kohilan the Indian Spiderman
Johnson in the Sixth Sense
Zhao Heng looks strangely funny here
Kwo Kuang belaying Yenli
The Group Photo
Since we were planning to head over to KLCC to celebrate Siok Kin and KC's birthday, proper showers were in order. It was at this point that Yenli, during an early dinner at Shakeys, kindly offered her house as a shower stop. We gladly accepted her offer, and trundled over to USJ. Soon, we were all ready to go, and drove over to The Apartment, in KLCC, where we met up with the rest of Siok Kin and KC's friends, who had turned up for exactly the same reasons that we did.
After all the excitement and fun, we headed back home, bones aching, muscles groaning, and hair drooping, to plop into our respective beds, and crash out for the next 10 hours.
At last, the exams have ended, and the good people of Nottingham can delight in the sheer freedom of not having to worry about the next paper for the whole of our semester break! - all 2 days of them.
Yes, we ended our exams on Friday the 18th, and we resume the 2nd semester on the 21st. I believe that the term 'semester break' is only a veneer for the less grand but more common name of 'weekend'.
Nonetheless, when I finally came back home, after 2 weeks of being in Semenyih, I found something waiting for me.
If you're reading this, a million thanks, Lynn. =) Its a wonderful thing to come home to.
Before the last day of the exam, Lauren, Joyce and I made a surprise visit to Quek's place to celebrate his birthday. It was all cloak and dagger stuff, as Lauren (and me an Joyce) attempted to sneak the cake into the house without alerting Quek (strangely enough, he called her just as she was crawling about the car outside the house.. she ended the call saying that she had to kill some cockroaches).
We bought a duck for the cake.
The birthday boy is 22, this year.
Take #1 : Joyce disappears from the photo
Take #2 : Chun Kit looks away from the camera
Take #3 : Lauren disappears from the photo
Take #4 : Lauren appears, but the some of the guys seem blur
Take 5# : Everyone is there, but Quek's face goes missing
Take 6# : Finally, the group photo.
Its already Sunday, as I type this. Hoorah to short holidays!!!
Its never great fun to celebrate your birthday during exams, a phenomenon that has frequently plagued me, and I'm sure, all the souls born in the early part of January. It is normally this period of time that school, college, university semesters begin, and exams are held. Normally, no one (including the birthday celebrant) will have the time (nor the mood) to do anything, other than wish that the exams were over, or that somebody would invent a time machine, travel back to 7th century China and discourage the brilliant people then from standardizing exams.
Nonetheless, I'm extremely glad to be in the presence of good friends on the day that marks me a year older (exams nonwithstanding). Although I couldn't have the wild partying (Monopoly or Scrabble) and celebrations with a huge bunch of people, and I couldn't revel in the sheer happiness of edging closer to death, it was still a meaningful 22nd. My birthday lunch was with my closest university blokes in Restoran 52 (yes, Semenyih), and as I said during the table speech, "I couldn't have asked for better friends." (and no, Johnson, I wasn't lying).
Receiving the cake...
Making sure it doesn't stay in one piece...
Joyce in one hand, cake in the other...(many thanks for the gift.. =)
With Lauren (thank you, for the balloons, and everything else..haha..=)
With some of the guys...
The Gang @ Restoran 52 (we took this photo 3 times)
Many thanks to everyone, for the wishes (Facebook, sms-es, and in-person), gifts, calls, and cards. =)
Recently, there was some uncertainty as to who came up with the goats being sheep without wool theory (it fluctuated between myself, Lauren, and Yenli).
So as to set the record straight, I hereby lay claim to that theory, aptly named Cheah's Goat-Sheep Conversion Theory ®.
Here is the theory.
I believe that studying for exams are starting to take their toll on me.
*WARNING! MASSIVELY LARGE POST!* Your browser may experience a slowdown. Thank you for being patient.
Well, here we are, near the end of another year. Again, as I browse through My Pictures folder (its still called 'Isaac's Pictures'), bits and pieces of the past come floating back, and everything is just like it happened yesterday. Here's a short summary of my life, in 2007.
January
The year rolled in with a surprise birthday party for me, in the Semenyih ghost house. It was a small affair, but the people that mattered were there, making it a meaningful one. Not long after, Wei Xian popped by for a visit to Semenyih, but not before a quick trip to Port Dickson to visit with Joyce. It was roughly at the end of the month when we organized a surprise birthday party for Kohilan. The humorous part would be when, Wei Xian, in all her innocence, quietly crept up to the room upstairs, and announced to everyone in the room, "Eh, come downstairs.. The cake there adee.." - with Kohilan standing in the middle of the room. I bet everyone in the room was stunned. The month ended with a pleasant trip to Sungai Tekala with Chi Ming, Wei Xian, Yenli, Joyce and myself.
Soon Seng's Birthday - 8.1.2007
Trip to PD - 26.1.2007
Kohilan's Birthday - 29.1.2007
Trip to Waterfall - 30.1.2007
February
Valentine's Day saw me organising a day of surprises (in the form of redeemable coupons for Joyce), ending with a message spelled with candles by the Semenyih lakeside. Near the end of the month, Chocolate Sundae played in front of royalty, at the Nottingham Alumni dinner, alongside the cool Jip Jingga.
Valentine's Day - 14.2.2007
Nottingham Alumni Dinner - 24.2.2007
March
March was a rather perilous month, as we encountered wildlife in the form of a snake in the house, after a small yee sang dinner. Nonetheless, we managed to pound the snake's head into pulp, thus making us proud snake wranglers. Yenli celebrated her birthday in grand style, with a gathering at Maison's KL. I volunteered to help out at the Nottingham Open Day, and it also the first time that I led a group of excited parents and their kids around the place, explaining about the various amenities and some such. Right after the Open Day, I collected a guinea pig from Shanti, proudly strapping the jar into the seat, and carrying Jeannie, the new addition to the TCC family, home. The SIFE Fashion Show, under Weng Lum's helm, was held at Zouk, KL. We appeared at the club to lend our support, and managed to feast our eyes on the various bodies walking up and down the aisle. The month ended with the Squash Club tournament, my last project as the President of the club.
Yee Sang - 4.3.2007
Snake Wrangling - 6.3.2007
Yenli's Birthday @ Maison's - 8.3.2007
Open Day - 16.3.2007
SIFE Fashion Show @ Zouk - 22.3.2007
Squash Tournament - 26.3.2007
April
Sports Week took reign as the first notable event of the month, where most of the TCC participated in some way or another. Strangely enough, quite a lot of the TCC guys went for the CIMA conference where Joshua almost tore his own eyes out, in KL. Later in the month, the uni played host to Silent Scream and Bus Company (who later went on to win the Battle of the Bands competition). It was a rather musical night, and I recall Kwo Kuang comparing shoes to one of the performers. It was also about the same time where we gathered at the SA to eat cake in honour of Sue Ann's birthday. Sadly, Jeannie, our pet guinea pig, succumbed to stress (we believe it was overly loud clapping and shouting by Kohilan), and died. There went our TCC pet.
Sports Week - 9.4.2007
CIMA! - 14.4.2007
Silent Scream and the Bus Company - 18.4.2007
Sue Ann's Thingie @ The SA - 19.4.2007
Goodbye Jeannie - 23.4.2007
May
Exams took precedence over everything else, this month, and it was only after the whole affair that we gathered for a last dinner for the semester at TGIF. I found out that I managed to get free passes for Pirates of the Carribean 3 from Nuffnang, signaling my very first payoff from the company. Not long after that, we had dinner at Nero Teca, an Italian place in KL. We've never been, since. Weng Lum's farewell (for the Work and Travel US Programme) was at SOULed Out, where I remember ordering naan.Almost immediately after that, five brave fellows stepped forward and consumed 25 seafood dishes at the Bangsar Seafood Village buffet. It was indeed a night to remember.
Last Day of Exams - 18.5.2007
Nuffnang Movie Screening - 24.5.2007
Nero Teca - 26.5.2007
Weng Lum's Dinner @ SOULed Out - 28.5.2007
5 Pigs in Bangsar - 30.5.2007
June
Halfway into the middle of the year, I had lunch with Joyce and her friends in KL, just before I started working. It was almost at the same time when I went for a late movie (Ocean's 13) with Kwo Kuang, Weng Hoe, Lynn, Yenli and Chui San, at the Summit. Joshua and Ze Xin celebrated their birthdays at William's, Damansara, which was one of the last few times where I saw Chui San before she left for the UK. Near the end of the month, I popped by TGIF where Yenli, Lynn and friends gathered to watch 'So You Think You Can Dance?'. I didn't, and missed the opportunity to meet Hui Ling, who was also present at the event.
Sungeiwang & Summit - 13.6.2007
Joshua and Ze Xin's Birthday - 22.6.2007
So You Think You Can Dance? - 29.6.2007
July
Meeting up with Karen, Chun KIt, and Edwin was a breath of fresh air, and an opportunity to catch up with old friends. The church members also gathered at Strawberry Fields, Taipan, to celebrate Sher May's birthday. The very next day, I made a trip to Subang Parade to catch a glimpse of Michael Learns to Rock, one of the stars that actually appeared in the small town of Subang Jaya. Close to the end of the month, we celebrated Tony Gan's birthday in Secret Recipe, Centrepoint, where we made friends with the fellow's ex-schoolmates. July also saw my seniors leaving the uni, and I drove down to Semenyih to say goodbye to them at their Graduation Ceremony. Finally, at the month end, Sham, Dominic and I participated in the Alliance Bank Focus Group meeting, where people from several universities gathered to discuss about a case study. Interesting stuff.
Mini Meetup - 4.7.2007
Sher May's Birthday - 7.7.2007
Michael Learns to Rock Meet the Fans Session - 8.7.2007
Tony Turns 19 - 20.7.2007
Senior's Graduation - 21.7.2007
Alliance Bank Focus Group - 28.7.2007
August
I was already working when Kwo Kuang had his surprise party in SOULed Out, the place which I managed to reach (on time) using the (in sequence) the monorail, train, bus, and taxi. This was where Yenli and Lynn where proud to be the first two to arrive, only to find out later that the rest had arrived earlier, but had gathered UPSTAIRS. A smaller gathering took place at Ludhiana Station, Bangsar, where we had fantastic Northern Indian food. Pretty much nothing happened in the middle of the month, but at the end, we had a dinner party for Zhao Heng's 21st, at Swenson's, Subang Parade. 3 days after that, I bid my colleagues farewell, and proceeded to arrange things for the new house in Semenyih that I would be moving into. The BLC Church Camp was in Taiping, the most peaceful place (but more importantly, the cheapest food around).
Kwo Kuang's Birthday @ SOULed Out - 2.8.2007
Ludhiana Station - 9.8.2007
Zhao Heng Turns 21 - 27.8.2007
Last Day of Work - 30.8.2007
BLC Church Camp - 31.8.2007
September
It was near the beginning of the month when I went over to Sugath's place for a BBQ to celebrate his 21st birthday. The day after that, I managed to catch a gig by Rendra Zawawi, at the Bangkok Jazz, KL, together with Li-Lynn and Joey. Esther Ng, another old family friend's daughter, and former schoolmate, turned 21 in grand style too, in the Dorsett Regency, KL. Here, I was given the opportunity to give an impromptu speech, which I managed to dredge up from old memories and rememberances. It was at Starbucks, Taipan, that I managed to spend some final moments with Li-Lynn before she went over to the UK, and what a fun night THAT was. Around the middle of the month, we all waved goodbye to the Nottingham-ers who were leaving for the UK, at the KLIA airport. We were already back in Semenyih went Eng Teck celebrated his 21st at Restoran 52 (commonly mistaken for 51, 53, 54 and all the numbers within the 50- range), Semenyih. It was a day for team spirit when the whole kampung in Semenyih showed up to get *a**e*'s car out of a large drain hole. Julie also had some of us over at her house, for a quiet get-together for her 21st birthday (where I managed to meet up with some old schoolmates. Hidup 5 Usaha) Joyce's friends, Siew Yeng and Rui Rui, graced us with their presence in Semenyih, where we celebrated Siew Yeng's birthday with a dinner at Secret Recipe, Kajang. The Mooncake Festival didn't pass by unnoticed, as a small group of us gathered candles, and walked around the university with make-shift lanterns and happy smiles. Finally, near the end of the month, we saw Matthew turn 21 as he was thrown into a pool at his place in Shah Alam.
Sugath Turns 21 - 7.9.2007
Lynn, Joey, and I @ Bangkok Jazz - 8.9.2007
Esther Turns 21 - 9.9.2007
Starbucks With the Gang - 10.9.2007
Goodbye Nottingham-ers! - 17.9.2007
Eng Teck Turns 21 - 19.9.2007
*a**e*'s Stunt Driving - 20.9.2007
Julie Turns 21 - 21.9.2007
Dinner With Siew Yeng - 24.9.2007
Mooncake Festival - 25.9.2007
Matthew Turns 21 - 29.9.2007
October
Our nice neighbours in Semenyih invited us to a BBQ, where I found out that Pin Pin's slippers were the best slippers in the world. The ACE Society had organized a ice-breaking trip to Sungai Gabai for its members. Me, Joyce, (and strangely enough) Lauren and Yenli made our way to the waterfall, where we discovered the beautiful Semenyih dam which looked almost as if it weren't in Malaysia. Again, nothing much in the middle of the month, except for my first time to Pavilion, KL, and the Connaught Night Market, Cheras.
Neighbour's Cookout - 1.10.2007
ACE Society Trip to Sungai Gabai - 6.10.2007
Pavilion and Connaught Market - 31.10.207
November
Fast forward to the second last month of the year, the university played host to the MAPCU games, in which some of our TCC-ians took part. Eng Teck and I were there to show our support. Not too long later, on a random weekend which we stayed back, we witnessed a magic show (of all things) in the local Semenyih temple (of all places). Siok Kin, Han Yang, Kian Siang, Kohilan and I, had never had been so amused drinking pearl tea. The next day, we woke up ridiculously early for the International Economic Conference, also hosted by the university. The weekend proved to be a rather busy one, when 5 of the people who stayed behind took a trip down to KL. I had previously asked Kohilan for directions to the Eye on Malaysia, since I was planning to bring Joyce there for her birthday, followed by a dinner at the KL Tower. Kohilan, thinking that I meant THAT DAY ITSELF, was aghast when I asked, "Hey, can follow me to Eye on Malaysia ah?" Miscommunication is always humorous. I organized a group makan for Joyce's birthday, in Relish, KL, where some people seemed to get so happy it bordered on madness (glad that you all had so much fun, guys!). On Thursday, the plan came to completion when I managed to succesfully bring Joyce to the Eye, and KL Tower, without getting lost. The month ended on a tasty note, when a carful of us managed to sample the famous Jogoya, Starhill, and stuff ourselves full of salmon and all manner of seafood.
MAPCU Basketball - 10.11.2007
Pearl Tea & Temple - 16.11.2007
International Conference - 17.11.2007
Sudden Trip to Malaysian Sites - 18.11.2007
Joyce's Birthday @ Relish - 21.11.2007
Joyce's Birthday @ Eye On Malaysia & KL Tower - 22.11.2007
Pigging Out @ Jogoya - 30.11.2007
December
The final month began with the Christmas Party organized by the SA, in the Great Hall. Chocolate Sundae re-emerged to belt out a couple of Christmas carols, followed by a great performance by the kids of Desa Amal Jireh, guided by Shanti. Yenli managed to pull me to the Battle of the Bands, with Kwo Kuang, at the Sunway Surf Beach, Subang. Here, I got my first taste of taking pictures with stars like Hannah Tan, and Adam C. Jessica, our family friend's daughter, had a wedding reception at the Shangri-La, KL, where I managed to meet up with Jollivet and Harpreet, old friends whom I haven't had a chance to meet in ages. Yenli and I wished Weng Hoe a happy birthday in his new house, at Setia Eco Park, Shah Alam, (although we arrived rather late). Christmas was spent in church, watching a play together with family and friends. Ek Ming's gathering at Tony Roma's, Cineleisure, gave a chance for us to meet up with the ex-Taylorians, and talk the night away. Finally, after being postponed for several months, Aaron, Sugath, Joel and I managed to meet-up for a short drink at Starbucks, Subang.
Christmas Party in the Great Hall - 5.12.2007
Battle of the Bands - 14.12.2007
Jessica's Wedding - 15.12.2007
Weng Hoe's Birthday @ His House - 20.12.2007
Tony Roma's & Flying Beef - 26.12.2007
Meetup With The Old Gang - 30.12.2007
Resolutions - (Things That I'll Try to Accomplish This Time 'Round) 1. Get a First Class Honours for my Degree Program (almost impossible, but God works miracles) 2. Get buffed up (ok, so this didn't work last year) 3. Treasure the last year in university 4. Get a job!!
Well, thats about it, for now..
So, here I am, typing out the events of the year with a smile. Yes, there HAVE been moments of sadness, and regret, as well as periods of being down, and in the dumps. But then again, there have been times of great happiness and joy, when I reveled in the pure fun of being with friends and loved ones, sometimes both. There are many events that I omitted from this entry, but will continue to play on in my mind, snapshots of memorable happenings. Although the next year will prove to be a challenging one, I guess, with the presence and encouragement of the wonderful people around me, it won't be too bad, after all.
