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And then, the countdown began for Half-Blood Prince. This part of the story started 3 months after the launch of Phoenix. That was when Borders sold the hardcover book at $15 in anticipation of the paperback ones. For the benefit of those ignorant ones, that price was less than 50% of the original one! Upon seeing this, my sis and I were determined to get that huge savings and we agreed that we should just wait and buy the book later. However, as the date got nearer, all logics were thrown out of the window and we finally bowed to the inevitable (of course the fact that you get an extra $5 voucher and a free goodie bag helps).

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It was a Saturday, the 2^nd NE show for the National Parade. I was on duty to pick up the primary school kid and so I trusted my sis to pick up the book. But, I went a little too early, so I end up with 20 minutes to spare. It was a very hot and humid day, so I decided to enter Tampines Mall and just window-shopped for while. And then, it happened, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a glimpse of a red sign. After that, I lost control of my body, my feet just refused to listen to my brain. No matter how hard I tried, they just moved on their own. Just like magic. I tried to drag them down, I really did (there was a 20% discount on Charles and Keith you know.) Alas, it was not meant to be.

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Once inside, my feet took me (against my wish of course!) to the counter where the books were placed. I stared longingly at them and told myself that a little touch would not matter. I should have known, Lucifer was at work and still I succumbed to the temptation. The lady at the counter saw all of these battles raging inside me and tried to help. She said that the book was on 20% discount and I told her that I had a copy at home. She must have thought that I was insane. It took me 10 mins to read the first chapter and the next 7 hours being tormented.

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On a brighter note, this time round. I was the one trying to figure out the identity of the Half-Blood Prince while my sister was figuring out superposition. I was trying to understand Golpalott’s Third Law while she was trying to understand Hess’s Law. Of course, I was in a dilemma, part of me wanted to read as fast as possible while the other part wanted to enjoy the book very very slowly. In the end, curiosity got the better of me.

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Now, summer 2007, this has been the most interesting year. With the movie and the book coming out within a week of one another. My feeling can only be described as ecstatic! After such a long time, finally the journey will end. We will know the truth once and for all. The only problem is that I don’t know if I will like the truth. I hope I do (not that I have a lot of choices). But I guess, that is the essence, we all yearn for the truth, but the truth finally dawned on us, we wished that he had never learnt of it.

And then it began, the long agonizing wait, the love-hate relationship with each new book. Long-time fans will remember that the summer of 2002 came and went and still no sign of the book. When the announcement was made, I was livid, I was crestfallen and I threw tantrums. Childish; I know but I just can’t help it! Just like millions out there at that time.

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Thank goodness, there was Christopher Columbus to save the day in Dec of 2003. I still remember that I almost became my last movie with Cecil if not for that Chem paper. I remember watching it after my last O level paper (it was Geography MCQ) in Lido and I had the misfortune to sit behind a group of kiddos who sang “always look on the bright side of life” at the top of their lungs every time that ad appeared. That was the last straw for me, I swore that I am not going back to Lido ever (a promise I have kept until now)

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I still remember the promotion that the recently launched Today paper had and what my sis did to win it and other stuff we did to get those posters. Embrassing. Shall not mention it. But the joy of getting them was priceless. I was more excited about this than preparing for my graduation dinner (can you believe that?)

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Finally, summer 2003, we pre-ordered and waited and waited, with a sense of trepidation as Rowling said she was going to kill off someone. That fateful day was during the last week of the school holiday; I woke up early, ate breakfast at McDonald, collected the book, went home and studied for my Physics common test. Pathetic! So while the rest of the world grounded themselves at home to read, I did exactly the same thing but for a Physics exam. The pain was agonising, the torture was too much to bear. I sat there trying to figure out circular motion while my sis was trying to figure out Occlumency. I cursed whoever set the Chem paper that year while my sis cursed Umbridge. Ah, that week was a blur, I didn’t really remember how I got through it, but I did and emerged as a stronger person. Prepared for a future that includes more waiting and waiting and waiting.

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So, we waited again with no end in sight (cuz Rowling said she will publish the next book when she is ready) and that can range from 1 to 3 years. Oh well, we were at her mercy, but we refused to go down without fighting. Letters, emails and Howlers were sent, but to no avail. But, we see a glimmer of hope in all of this darkness, this time thanks to Alfonso Cuaron during summer

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By now, we all know that movies can never replace the books, but we still flocked to the cinemas because we need to satisfy our thirst. Imagine yourself in a desert, the sight of an oasis will give you hope although deep in your heart, you know that it was just a fata morgana, because secretly you hope that it is real.

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This time, it was the first week of the June holiday. I watched on a Friday and on Saturday, I flew back home. Blissful; two things I love the most. Although the event that followed this was nothing but a series of unfortunate event. Well, you see, in our excitement for the movie, my sis and I left the house early, ate lunch and after the movie, we ate dinner. By the time we reached home, fatigued set in and against our better judgment, we decided to sleep without packing and tidying up the house. The result was a fiasco. WARNING: whatever is in the next paragraph should never reach my mum’s ears, otherwise, I will send dementors your way.

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So, we worked hard, packed and did all those things before leaving your empty for a month and as a result, we arrived late at the airport. So late that they closed the check-in counters. Oh, the horror! My heart plummeted upon hearing the news. I shuddered at the thought of calling my mum to tell her the truth. I thank my lucky stars that there was this nice lady who tried so hard for us and I am glad to report that we did get onto that plane. And from that day, I swore that I will never start packing on the day itself (a promise I have not managed to keep until this day). Just FYI, the year after that, I changed my resolution, it now said “never take a flight that is before 12 pm”

This post is titled like this because of my obsession for that day. I have been waiting for this day since I don’t know when. Fans like me can tell what I mean of course. Part of me wants that day to come as soon as possible, but the other part dread that day. Why, because that day means the end. The end of a long wait, but also the end of a wonderful journey filled with tears, laughter and blood (not mine)

Well, those of you who still do not know what I am talking about, all I can say is that you probably have lived in Venus or maybe Mars for the past 5-7 years. Yes, of course I am talking about The Boy who Lived.

Non-fans will probably wonder what’s so good this Boy Who Lived or The Chosen One as they call him these days. To me, he is more than just a character, more than just fiction. There is a reason why they call this book one of the best bildungsroman of all times and there is a chance that it will remain so for a long time to come

I am not going to talk about the characters that are so real; you can probably find similar ones in your lives or the twisting plot with unexpected endings or the masterful use of the Chekhov’s Gun (in fact, we are looking for a few right now). No, better and more experienced literature experts have discussed these over and over again and my analysis will neither be as good as them nor as complete.

I just want to explain the simple reason why I will still hold him dear to my heart even for the many years to come. The reason is simply because every time I think about him, I will remember all the good things that have happened to me in the past.

Even until now, I can remember clearly the day I watched the first movie and read the first book. It was Dec 2001, in Padang (this is a city in West Sumatra, my mum’s hometown), I have no idea who is he, I have no idea he is famous (of course… I am a Muggle, what do you expect!). Until I was enlightened by my dear cousin who insisted that we should watch Sorcerer’s Stone. To humour her, I obliged and as they say it, since then, I have never looked back.

The movie was good because the plot was good, although the acting left much to be desired. But, what piqued my curiosity was the magazine’s coverage. For those few weeks, they were in all kinds of publications. So in Jan 2002, while doing my library duty (I was the school librarian), I used the opportunity to reserve the Philosopher’s Stone. It took me just 3 days to finish the book. It was addictive, it was mesmerizing, and it was out-of-this world.

Soon, I realised that I was on the hunt for all of the books, from all kinds of libraries. It was not long before I found Azkaban and tried to read it (I can hear some fans screaming already). Yeap, it did not work. I got through the first chapter and had no idea who Dobby was or why our dear boy received a warning letter.

Then and there, I was converted. If I am going to read them, it has to be in proper order. By a single stroke of luck, Order of Phoenix was to be released in the summer of that year. In anticipation, most bookstores offered HUGE discounts on the earlier books. Oohhhh, I can see it now, Fred and George catcalling from their table. Yaaah, I shouldn’t be tempted by discounts right, I mean I know that they were just some tools employed by marketers. I am an adult, surely I am not that stupid. HA, who am I kidding (this is how the “self-delusional” phrase was coined). Of course I bought them all.

ok…. i am so totally bored at what i am doing now at work, so i decide to give myself a well-deserved break

aniwae, just like the title suggest, i have been pondering about this for quite some times. the reason: meeting rach a few weeks back…

first and foremost, it was great, i had totally forgotten how nice it was to talk to her. the funny thing is, believe it or not, we did exactly the same things as the last time we met (which is last year). the only difference is that we didnt eat lunch at cartel (cuz the one in cine is already closed) and we didnt eat gelato for dessert… everything else was the same…

it was quite surreal because after a year, so many things had happened and yet, there are some things that never change. she is still one of my very good friend and talking to her felt the same (warm as always had been). to find out that we both still like the same things and hold the same principles in life is kind of comforting. i am not too sure how to put it into words, but it just feel good to know that..

but, just like somw things never change, others do.. for example, cartel is no longer cine… oh well, thats kind of superficial, but it helps to illustrate my point. on a deeper sentiment, it was quite sad to know that i dont feature in her life much and vice versa. i mean, we used to spend hours together (in a day!).. we did many things together… (did grayvine, talked abt toad, did grayvine, talked abt exams, did grayvine, talked abt toad).. you get the idea… i used to know what kind of clothes she was thiking of buying or what she was craving to eat… not anymore…

it was also sad to notice that our lives are different now… that i have much less in common with her… we used to have the same goals, the same aspirations but now; she has her plans and i have mine and by the look of it, our paths do not seem to cross… *haiz

oh well… they do once a year (somewhere in MAY)…. so, i guess i will see her again next year, same place (probably same time) and we will probably do the same things again (for all times sake) ;p

hhhmmmm…. this is highly unusual, biasanya gw ngga nulis in indo. but kali ini, feels like it.

tadi baru aja ngomong2 ama nova dan erlina, trus gw jadi sadar, kl taon ini (yg baru sebulan padahal), gw hedon bgt… pantes aja jadi ngga ada waktu walaupun project2 pada blom mulai.

bayangin aja, dalam sebulan ini, gw udah nonton 4 movies: curse of the golden flower, death note 2, blood diamonds dan babel; makan enak ngga tao brp kali: NYDC pas farewell norman, swensens with my sis, seafood (kepiting doank seh sebnernya) kemaren ini, di ikea dua kali, pepper lunch dua kali, jap food sekali, ajisen ramen sekali…. dan masih mao mkn kolo mee ama ellen soon. untung waktu itu gak jadi ke tony’s roma. blom lagi shopping dan acara2 laen seperti minum wine, nonton my fair lady (yg gak jadi karna ngga dapet tiket bagus), etc. saking hedon-nya gw ini, waktu itu abis cognitaire (padahal udah capeeeeeee bgttttt, tp masih mao nonton "clash of the titans" di rumah nova). untung iman gw masih kuat. haiz. mengerikan sekali bgt kalo di list down kaya gini yah. membuat gw sadar kalo sudah hrs BERTOBAT. Ini udah ngga ada waktu lg buat hedon. ini waktunya buat kerja!!!!

parahnya lagi, gw ngajak2 orank buat hedon barenk2 gw. Temen2 yg pada mao belajar, akhirnya ngga jadi karena smua hal ini. Korban terbesar: erlina deh kayanya. sorry bgt yah er. hrsnya nova juga seh, cuman kayanya dia ngga gt mind Gw realise kalo byk hal yg kita lakukan adalah gw yg ngajak ato setidaknya ide gw lah…. abis gmn lagi, bukan salah gw serink dapet diskon (esp buat makanan!), kalo ngga dipake sayank. trus kalo mao dipake, kan ngga enak kalo sendiri, yah udah, ajak orank2 laen makanya. i mean: ngga serink2 kepiting bs diskon 50%; ngga setiap saat, ramen-nya ajisen diskon 50%.

on a positive note, gw sadar alo kerjaan udah numpuk. ada 3 mid-terms in the week 7, dan 2 lagi di week 9. Project IE lom maju, dan FIIM gak tao ada di mana. Trus masih ada kerjaan gw sebagai TA. Aduh. udah ngga bs hedon lagi deh. walaupun sebenernya hedon itu enak bgtttttt, lebih fun dan membuat hidup gw lebih berwarna.

oleh karena itu, gw berjanji dengan sepenuh hati, mulai saat ini, gw akan balik ke "kerja" mode lagi.  sorry and thx buat smua orank (esp: erlina, nova, ernest, ellen, theo, jaen, my sis, etc, etc) yg udah nemenin gw ngelakuin smua ini. hope that you people have fun and enjoy it as much as i do. Kita akan lanjutkan sikap sperti ini laen waktu…..

normally don’t blog…. but I found this really nice story (thanx viv) and feels like sharing them with everyone. So, the blog is really the most practical way to share this story….

This story goes to all busy people out there…. esp my SMU friends (I know wk 12 and wk 13 is gonna be hell!!!! not to mention wk 15….).

When you are down and it seems that there is simply too much to handle. When 24 hrs a day seems not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee….

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous yes. The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things — your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favourite passions — things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full." "The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house,and your car.The sand is everything else — the small stuff."

"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls." "The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first — the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

" One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Honestly, some people reallliiii have weird hobbies. Like my mum, for one, her hobby is ….. collecting bedsheets (whether she admits it or not). Recently she just bought 3 more bedsheets. Couldn’t really blame her, the discount was fantastic. From like $25.00 to just $2.70. So yah… what do you expect. Then the next day, she tried to clean up her cupboard. I am SO SO amazed to see that many new bedsheets arranged neatly in the cupboard (apparently she was trying to keep the newly bought ones in the cupboard). Not to mention her collection in indo (many as it happens). She and daddy already had argument over it. As it happens, daddy, the logical one wanted her to use those bedsheets. Mum, the sentimental one refused to, saying that those are gifts from I dunno who and who, not to mention damn expensive (must be the material???). So daddy asked what she gonna do with them if not use it; it’s not like she can bring them into afterlife. She responded that she wanted to give it us (me and my sister). Dad then asked me point blank if I wanted them as "inheritance". I went "errr… ehm…." for like a whole minute. How to answer that kind of question. Of course I agree with the logical dad that those bedsheets should be used, but I cannot hurt mum’s feelings rite? So, under the glares, I said "Can I dun answer this now and run away?" Not very tactful, but what else can I do.