Warning: Those of you who hate to read books, you either read this post and feel compelled to try reading or you'd better just get out of here ASAP.

Finished reading 'Daughter of the Forest' yesterday, for the second time. Despite the fact that I already roughly know how the story goes, it still made me cry and feel like screaming at the top of my lungs when I read about what the main character, Sorcha had to go through. In the book, she had to hold her voice and so no matter how much she wanted to scream and shout and yell, she couldn't. And obviously I can't scream and shout and yell while reading the book either, I mean my family would be thinking I'd gone nuts or what seh, which means I can easily put myself in Sorcha's shoes and this make me feel every feeling that was described.

'Daughter of the Forest' is a fantasy book involving somekind of magic and such, yet the lessons to be learnt are as real as life can have. Family, war, promises, setbacks, love, sacrifices, parting... Of course, the circumstances in our lives would be slightly different than Sorcha's without magic but things do happen, real things, that make the circumstances very much similar to Sorcha's. And who would have the strength, courage and most importantly love to do what Sorcha had done? Many wouldn't. Many would crumble and let the world turn without them, leaving them behind to go crazy...

The book is so page-turning that I can spend a whole night not sleeping and just reading on and on until my eyes go out of focus. Seriously. And to those avid readers, this is definitely not one book to be missed. Worth all the time. And if you bought the book, it's worth all the money. Hmm... I really should go buy the book, as well as the other 2 sequels in the trilogy. Then I can just read them whenever I feel like it!

But then, finishing the book leaves me feeling down and sad and lost. You can say that it was quite a 'happily ever after' ending, but along the way, so many was lost, so many was sacrificed. Guess I'm not the kind of person who would count the blessings rather than the loss, oh well...

The theme that intrigued me most would be LOVE. In the book, it showcases both love between siblings and love between a man and a woman. Both of which really tugs at your heartstrings. Haiz... And my heartstrings had been tugged too hard, it feels like it'd remain this way for years or something...

Talking about love, do we see much of the love portrayed in the book in real life? Not really. Few love as the several main characters in the book do. I hope I'd be one of these few. Why 'hope'? Cos I know I am not one of the few now. I'd never sacrificed as much as Sorcha had, and I sure do pray that I won't have to lol. Just that the love in the book is so pure and sincere and I hope I can achieve that, beginning with my family... Sincerity, hmm... Lol. I can laugh at myself. It just sounds so impossible!!!!!! Like these only belongs to fairytales, but I'm sure if you put your heart and mind to it, you'd definitely be able to.

Enough about this. Curious about the book, try looking for it at National Library adult fiction under MAR or Pageone Vivocity.

Haiz, still busy with Titisan and other stuff. Besides, my eyes need time to recuperate lol. It's rather out of focus still!! If not, I'd go borrow 'Son of the Shadows' and 'Child of the Prophecy'. Or maybe I should go buy them...

I totally didn't expect my March hols to be busy, superbly busy... haiz, and I feel the burden of responsibility. I slip and it will all be my fault. O Allah, give your humble servant strength and guidance always.

Sometimes in life we pursue something which we strongly believe will bring us happiness, but while we're pursuing this 'happiness', we lose too many things dear to us. We may realise it or we may not. But we won't feel happy. And what if, during this pursuit, we keep failing and failing and failing yet again. The sense of failure will definitely drown your spirit. But will you keep going or will you resort to deviant means?

I should write more of these reflections stuff... I think about them, but it just always happen that wyhen I want to jot them down or blog about them, I fall asleep and forget about it in the morning or the internet connection is... toing toing toing <----that's the sound of spring :D

Spent my evening with my second brother. We went around Bugis, visited Bugis Village, visited the National Library, watched 'The Pursuit of Happyness' and then had dinner at Tanjong Pagar railway station. Before that I had Titisan and I tell you, I'm not gonna be so free during this break afterall. Sigh... There's the NUS closing ceremony, Persada, Pentas and Pesta Peti Putih (PPP).

7th & 10th March: Titisan training for Pentas (choreography should be done by end of this week)
12th-16th March: Titisan training for Pentas
17th March: NUS closing ceremony
19th-22nd March: Combined rehearsal between MAG subgroups for Pentas
23rd March: Pentas
July: PPP

Then, I checked out the ASc noticeboard for the Differential Research Program (DRP) results but instead of the results, I see a note saying that they're still shortlisting the applicants and successful applicants will be notified by e-mail, of which we have to reply to that e-mail and attend a briefing this Thursday.

And Sis Khadijah told me about MIQ and I'm really interested eventhough I know aku ni cetek je pengetahuan am BUT the real thing falls on 24th March, one day after Pentas, and the first meeting falls on this thursday, of which if I get the DRP I can't attend that meeting.

So, I told Sis Khadijah I'd give myself until tomorrow morning. If I hear anyone receiving the DRP results and I don't get any, I shall join the MIQ. In the case that I successfully get the DRP or there is no news whatsoever about the DRP, I shall ask Sis Khadijah to look for someone else. It's my way of leaving it up to Allah to help me decide. He knows best afterall.

What's up with 17th March anyway? PL planned an outing on 17th, the NUS closing ceremony is on the 17th, IF there is Persada Camp the date chosen is 17th and 18th and Sriwana is performing on 17th too! What is this??!!

I just borrowed 3 great books from the National Library and the other time I'd bought 2 great books from Wisma Indah: Muslimedia and I'd started rereading 'Tuesdays With Morrie' and I still do plan to go out with my mum and friends, especially especially especially the forever teguh dan bersatu Persantren Lenggong =) All this should keep me very busy till school reopens. Seriously, I have NO TIME to find a job...

By the way, do watch 'The Pursuit of Happyness' and then reflect on what you've done, what you're doing now and what do you plan to do in life. May you and I find success in life! Semoga bersama kita mendapat kebahagiaan dan kesejahteraan dunia akhirat amin...

P.S. Sorry, I really don't mean to write long entries but I just simply can't help it!!!!!!!!!!! Gosh, I must be such a bore... :'(

Was bored just now and decided to do a Google search on my name haha. I'm not so unique afterall *shrugs*

Finally sem exams over! Let me repeat that... Sem exams are O-V-E-R! <---I just realised I can do this hahakz. To think I've used blogger for so so long lol.

Sem exams.... Hmm, nak kata senang tak sangat, nak kata susah I feel like I know the answers to the questions deep inside somewhere tersorok in my brain haha. I dunno lah. Pass insyaAllah boleh but 'A' is another thing really. Ok, some of you might think, "Eh kalau pass tu dah ok ah, ape kau nak memekak2 hah?!" I'm not trying to make you feel inferior or anything, and sorry if I did, but it's just that I simply have high expectations for myself! I did rather well for my sem 1 and I wish to maintain at that GPA or even do better for this sem and for the sems to come. It motivates me... I seriously seriously seriously hope I would. Pray for me ya peeps!

And... As some of you may know, my birthday was in between my exams on 24th Feb. Those who dunno, go jot it down NOW! Hahas just kidding. So yeah had an okok day. My dad and bro gave me $50 each, of which I bought TP's windbreaker with my bro's and 2 FL/FL2 baju, which comes with a free bag, with my dad's. The night before my birthday, my mum entered my room at 11+ to put my present on my table but I saw her going in. I didn't suspect that she bought me a present 'cause before that she kept telling me, "Gakkan no present on your b'day?" when I told her it's ok if we delay finding the single bed she wants to get me so I was thinking like, "Ape seh my mum do in my room?" If she were to put washed clothes on my bed, it would just take awhile. After a conversation which goes something like this:
Me: Ape mama buat kat dalam bilik Nana lama2 tadi?
Mum: Kau ni selalu kul 12 baru nak sembahyang Isyak!
Me: Ni belum kul 12.
Mum: Eh dah angkat air sembahyang lom?
Me: Dah.
Mum: Cepatnya!
Me: (went to my room then saw my cat leave) Malice! Naughty girl! Masuk bilik orang saje je! Sini kau! (Runs after cat)
Mum: Dia pon nak tengok la... (She also want to see)
Then when I returned to my room, I went to my desk (lights still off), muttering about my cat and... TA DA! Two cats sit on my table wrapped in transparent paper and somewhere around them are a card, a belt and a coin pouch!

On 24th Feb itself, I khatam-ed the Qur'an at my grandma's house. Nothing grand with dais and many many friends and relatives or that sort... Just a simple one. So anyway, my grandaunts gave me money, ambil berkat from me khatam-ing they say, my aunt and family gave me money in a card and a small bag and my niece gave me a keyring (Aqilah so cute lah) and my other aunt gave me a wallet and tudung. *big grin*

At night, I went KPR at Ghufran. Saw the peeps who went to post-RYC with their bags sponsored by ZINC, so jealous! The bag comes in different designs and they look so nice ok! I couldn't go lor, not because I didn't want to... So anyway, I was talking to Nazihah when she just popped this question, "When's your b'day eh?" I didn't reply her straight.
Me: Dowan lah, dowan to tell...
Nazihah: Dowan to tell then dowan to friend you lah. Tell!
Me: Err, later lah!
Nazihah: No now!
Me: Later...
Nazihah: Eh skali your b'day today eh! Izzit??
Then Ust Ahmad started the class and I was saved haha.

So then after the class, I was outside Ghufran with Nazihah, Zee and Hanis. The four of us were standing in a way that I was across Nazihah and Hanis on my left was across Zee. Hanis and Zee were talking about dunno what when I called Nazihah.
Me: You really wanna know my b'day eh?
Nazihah: Ya lar!
Me: Really really??
Nazihah: Ye!
Me: Ok ok...
Nazihah: Is it today?
Me: Umm ya my b'day memang today.
Nazihah, Hanis & Zee: WHat?! (I have no idea when did Zee and Hanis stopped talking...)
Someone: Your b'day today?!
Me: Tak percaya tengok my IC.
Takes out IC to show Nazihah and Zee. Then Zee cupped her hands over my right ear and shouted, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Boleh pekak seh aku! Then Hanis started telling the whole world that it's my birthday. She even shouted to the Fityanees who'd reached the swimming complex know! Hahas, Hanis my 1st loud-haler.

Wanna know who's the 2nd? AD!! After BMic paper, in front of toilet Ad started telling all who knows me that passed us lol. Oh yah, Ad gave me a blue Baleno shirt. She told me she bought an exact same one in red for herself so we can wear the same sometime! Hahas, but what's sweeter was the note behind the prezzie box... Aww... So touched... I'm glad to have you as my friend too dearie!

That's it about my birthday. 18 already. Legalised age. Whatever, so what lahs... Other than the getting a driver's license part! But, if only my parents allow... Maybe if I have the $$$$$$ they'd allow. Dunno lah. Let's wait for my ADIK Ad to turn 18! Wakakah! This girl ar, keep calling me kakak to tease me. Eh, 30 days only ok :P

So anyway, after my last paper which was Cell Bio, Ad, Shai, Hamdan and... Opps! I forgot her name! Hehe sorry... Erm, yeah so the five of us went to eat at KFC. We were quite down because of Cell Bio. We were like, "Like don't feel happy it's the last paper seh..." I dunno about the rest, but Shai and I couldn't do some of the questoins in Section B/C because we believed Mr Cheung to concentrate on chapter 2-4 and so didn't study chapter 1 and 5 at all! We thought like when he say concentrate on topics 2-4, it's equivalent to telling us that questions from Section B/C will ALL come from topics 2-4! Sheesh, how cheated I feel know... Oh well, I didn't have time to finish topics 2-4 anyway.

Oh yah, while eating, Hamdan came up with this idea to buy a regular-sized drink, BUT ask for it by describing it as a size 4/5 (shoe size) drink. Lol, it was so funny! The person behind the counter was like, "Huh?" and Hamdan can maintain his expression lah! We were all laughing out loud behind him and he has this look that says, "I'm innocent!" Hamdan ko masuk Titisan ar!

After eating, Shai, Ad and I went to Far East Plaza (in the rain,I must add) where we tried to make Ad wear more girly stuff. Ad, you still haven't try on a kembang skirt ok! Then Ad was like, "Shai also lah!" Haha, it was fun trying to change their image. Ad bought this red not-exactly dress for $49 which she looks stunning in and how I wish I've got money to buy a black one for myself! I'd been looking for that kind for sooooo long ok! I'm gonna go look for it at Bugis Village either with Shai and Ad on Monday, with Jun on Tuesday or with my mum and aunt someday after 9 March. I can't wait to own it!

Anyway, went out with Jun this afternoon. We went to Wisma Indah/Muslimedia Distributors to get out terjemahan Al-Qur'an. I tell you, we're two very fickle-minded girls haha. We look and look and look again and we even walked around the store before returning to the area to look and look somemore before deciding on Al-Huda's small orange one with Malay translation haha. I love it so so much! I feel like bringing it everwhere I go and I think that is quite a good idea so I can read it whenever I feel like it. We also looked for the book 'Biografi Rasulullah' that Faris bought. It's as thick as an encyclopedia yet only costs $35, not bad eh? But to me, I'm afraid I'd feel intimidated by the size and won't read it so I settled on a $18 Sirah Nabi Muhammad book which categorizes its content into before hijrah, Hijrah1, Hijrah2 until Hijrah10. I feel better with things in order (except my room, it's always a mess one way or another haha). Loves the books to bits man I tell you! Hmm... I should get my 'Perbualan Harian dalam Bahasa Arab' book too since I have a 1mth 3wks break to read and read and read somemore and read until school reopens hehe. I wanna reread Tuesdays with Morrie, Secret Garden and maybe Julliet Marillier's books. And I also wanna read 'Plain Truth' by Jodi Piccoult which Shai said is good. Hmm....

Oh back to today's events. After purchasing our books (thanks a lot a lot Jun for paying for my Sirah book first ya! I feel bad about it, 'cause it's like, to me lah eh, "takde duit tu buat hal takde duit lar" thanks tau tau tau :D) we walked to Kembangan MRT station to get to Plaza Singapura. At PS, we ate LJS and then we looked for presents! I enjoy looking for presents, but paying for them can be a heartache to me sometimes haha. Oh well...

Anyway, when I followed Jun to Courts to pay her computer installment bill, I looked around for the thumbdrive and I saw a $34.90 imation 1GB thumbdrive! I'm so getting that larh! Tomorrow I shall go... And Jun also told me she bought her Creative 1GB MP3 for $64 at PS!!! I'm so getting that also lar! IGB ok... Hmm, I'm gonna feel so broke after tomorrow hahas...

Wow! It's like after midnight already!!! K la peeps, gtg sleep oredi. Feeling bored at home, give me a call and insyaAllah we can go jalan2 together aitez!

Can't wait to know if I get the Differential Research Program (DRP)... Hope I get it. If I don't, I shall try go find a job. Maybe I'll work at Naza and Zakiah's workplace... Unless there's better job opportunity... I wanna try sign up with MOE for a job as relief teacher! Marcus seems to get a good pay out of it last sem break... *shrugs*