“We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit.”

~Aristotle.

” …for wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.”

~Proverbs 2:10

… here we go again, Daddy.

deep breaths. smyles.

~lyn.

Date: 20th February 2011

Music: Superman, Joe Brooks.

Lyn is: contemplative.

JA asked me what comforts. That got me thinking about the specifics details as to what I meant when I wrote that. Of course I had a general feeling, but what exactly I was referring to…?

Comfort, to me, is a feeling of ease, peace, security, and warmth in your soul. It’s when you can have that little moment of quiet and tranquil, even if the world may be crumbling around you. I never said comfort was always perfect, that all has to be right in order for there to be comfort. No, comfort can be bittersweet. Everything around and sometimes even in you can be in turmoil and utter chaos, but there can still be a tiny peephole, a crevice, a little hole for you to take shelter in, if only for the moment- an escape for the moment, if I may liken it to that.

I’m not prone to home-sickness. No, not really. I get a tad bit emotional at farewells and may be a little off-colour during the week prior to my departure, but that’s just because I hate goodbyes. Or rather, I don’t know how to deal with them. But when I’m already away and know that there’s so much that needs to be done, so many opportunities to seize, so much potential for something wonderful, so many parts of His plans that I can live out, though away from home, I’m as happy as ever.

But, admittedly, it’s difficult in the beginning, when I feel like I’ve left so much of my life, the things, people, that make me who I am. At home, I know I’ve always been, and always will be, can always be, who I really am. It’s the security that I know I’m accepted, loved even, despite all my flaws and short-comings. And with that, it’s all good, come what may. So, to me, home is all kinds of comfort.

So, at this very moment, my little comforts are things that remind me of home – thoughtful texts, heartfelt notes and cards, my parents’ paranoid equipment (like a torchlight for my room), the awfully-heavy textbooks we were so afraid would blow my luggage-weight, even a new outfit that I remember having to debate with my brother for ages, on whether or not to buy it. It’s little things, memories, gestures, that remind me that, being so far from the place I call my home, that tell, remind, and comfort me that I’m not forgotten, abandoned, nor replaced.

They remind me that I’m loved. =)

…But I know Your comfort is sovereign and all-encompassing. So, no drama, no tears. <3
Smiles, laughs, and a little nostalgia.

~ lyn.

Music: Release me, Agnes.

Lyn is: determined to not let her blog die. xD

Okay. After yonks of not updating, i reckon i’ll just admit that i’m not capable of writing the amazingly long and detailed accounts of every single occurrence in my life. But never fear!

I have a plan.

Haha. I reckon that snapshots are a good way to at least keep some activity going on here. Sooo, I’ll try and post at least a pic and my thoughts on it. Besides, I’ve got tons of pictures that I really want to share anyway.

Here goes. ;)

no, i’m not an alcoholic. xD

Til next time! =D

~lyn.

Music: The time has come, Hillsongs

Lyn is: (as below)

thoroughly occupied

Just a little post, just so my dear readers know that i’m still alive, just very swamped with work and the like.

Still smilling, though!

~lyn.

Posted on: 17th February 2010, 0327

Music: For your entertainment, Adam Lambert.

Lyn is: working on it.

Day II is Aussieland and i’ve already been addressed (haha, forgive how literal i’m being) by the amazing service here.

My reply – “It’s alright, i’ve just landed anyway.”

I’m pleasantly surprised at how efficient our very own PosLaju is- i’ve sent a few boxes of my stuff over to the house in Aussieland (yes Sean, i’m such a girl. xD) and while the staff at the post office predicted that my boxes would only arrive 2weeks from the date i’ve posted them, they reached the aussie doorstep much earlier than that. Of course our mail services back home can’t compare to this (i think it’s brilliant) idea (instead of just leaving packages unattended at receivers’ doorsteps), i do think that our postal system does deserve a little applause.

Uncle’s gone back to school (he’s a teacher, took a day off to take us around the day before), so dad got out the nifty gadget called the GPS, attached it to the car, and we set off for King’s Park. Located just a bit past Perth city, it’s one of the most beautiful and big parks around. In the trustworthy hands of Matt (so we’ve named the male, Aussie-sounding version of our GPS navigator), we reached the park and basically spent the rest of the day there.

signage

As big as the park is, i’m only providing a few pictures and a bunch of comments. Most of the better pictures were taken with my mum’s camera, anyway. Maybe i’ll add a few more in a separate post, if i suddenly catch the mood. So a short post for today, but enjoy it, nevertheless. =)

majestic.

textures, JA? ;)

i’m sunburnt, but don’t know it yet.

i’m not kidding. barely a week here, and i’ve already got uneven and very very strange tan lines. Aussie sun is no joke. It’s brutal, strong, and very very sneaky. (i don’t feel it that much because the air is dry so it’s significantly cooler here than it is back home)

treetop walk

Under the shelter of the trees, this was probably the most enjoyable part of the walk. Not simply because we were spared the intense heat of the sun, but because of the view- besides the other trees and overall exhilaration of being so high up, being on the bridge also allows one to look out and catch this view of the sea, and parts of Perth city. Also, the little aesthetics of the bridge like the quirky information boards and the specially-designed-by-australian-artist plagues along the walk.

maybe it was because i was so high up, but i really enjoyed reading how trees, dreams, life, man, and nature, all intertwine and flow.

gum nut?

walk away, we’ve got all day.

sunlight.

pretty, high up.

coexisting.

I simply marvel at and admire how there can be such a beautiful park so near the bustling city of Perth. Not just how it’s preserved, but how it’s maintained, looked after, and constantly being improved. I’m just impressed at how there can be so much nature within a city.

and of course, i always try to leave you with something beautiful. =)

contained wilderness?

smiles and my usual dose of insanity,

~lyn.

]]> http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/thius-dei/feed/ 0 phoenixlyn DSC02133 DSC02136 DSC02145 DSC02146 DSC02151 DSC02152 DSC02154 DSC02160 DSC02161 DSC02166 DSC02167 DSC02187 http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/muhn-dai/ http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/muhn-dai/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:48:20 +0000 phoenixlyn http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/?p=262 ]]>

Destination.

Date: 8th February 2010

Posted on: 17th February 2010, 0150

Music: Say goodnight, The Click5.

Lyn is:way behind schedule on her blogging?

Getting up in a new room is always weird. Even if it’s a five-star bedroom (with gorgeous carpeting, a view, and potpourri), i reckon i’d still feel disoriented. Waking up on this considerably different bed felt alien. Not seeing my slanted roof, bronzed fan, purple curtains… was queer.

Anyway. After the fairly normal routine of cleaning up and having breakfast, we (meaning the immediate family as well as the uncle, since aunt and cousins were working) headed to the nearest (and only)  mall (approximately 5minutes away) to make my stay in aussieland official. Meaning, we opened a bank account. For the moment, i’m financially sound. xD

Drove (uncle did, not me) into Fremantle to make some enquiries at the uni (i shan’t bore you with the boring admin details), then we headed a few streets away for lunch.

*Just a word of precaution. Most posts will contain obscene amounts of food tales and pictures. Proceed only if sure your stomach acids will not go on strike and corrode the walls of your stomach at the mere sight of all the cuisine presented. Much caution should be exercised when confronting such elements.

Wait in line.

Everyone keeps telling me to stop converting currency in my head, but i just can’t help it. Really. I try, but everytime i consider purchasing something, i multiply and work out how much it is in ringgit, resulting in there being no purchase in the end. Uncle and aunt tell me that i’ll have to stop this or i’ll never buy anything, but… o.O

Spot the resemblance?

[dad and uncle loon]

With Chinese New Year around the corner (a very ‘family’ festival, in my opinion), i’m reminded of how… different my family is. While most family reunions are the highlight of most of my friends’ calendars during this season, my parents and i are usually found at another family’s reunion dinner (our annual ‘infiltration’ ,as i call it), but with invitation, of course. Not that the Yeangs are estranged or anything, it’s just that:

1) we’re a big family – dad’s got 5 brothers and 2 sisters…

2) most of which are overseas

so there isn’t much of a feasible plan for a reunion dinner, unless there’s a ton of spare cash lying around to purchase tickets for family members to fly to a designated home for a meal.

Moore & Moore is an art gallery + cafe which was highly recommended by my uncle not only for the food, but for the nice and quaint courtyard at the back where diners are allowed  to sit and enjoy their meals (we aren’t such art-buffs, really). Not much of a connoisseur, i shan’t attempt to put into words the nuances of tastes, but simply provide you with pictures. Feast your eyes, then? =)

Chicken and veggie roll + salad

The thing about this (seemingly) plain roll is what’s inside. The chicken and veggie are both normal, but the sauce was this amazing mix of tomato, pumpkin, herbs, and other spices- all pureed together and spread generously.

mum’s Caesar Salad.

Sandwich + salad

Oh. Another thing about the dishes is their salad. Random veggies (including rocket, which i don’t like so much) tossed around with olive oil and a sweet-ish balsamic vinegar (i’m guessing there’s some sort of infusion with the latter, maybe a fruity one)- simple but brilliant.

favourite boy in the whole wide world. =)

Considering the fact that he’s skipping a few days of college, having this prolonged CNY holiday, there isn’t a reason in the world that he shouldn’t have that grin on his face. But well, he’s having a raspberry and rhubarb pie, of course this glutton’s happy. xD

Full and content, we wandered the streets of Fremantle (known affectionately as ‘Fre-O’ by locals), stopping by second hand bookstores, furniture shops, and the like.

really, we’ve such thick skin. even in a foreign country. xD

Picture taken in a furniture shop (parents and uncle obviously busy with the browsing). The impressive thing about the furniture is that despite being pricey and all, the wood used is predominantly recycled. Meaning, the wood used to make a bed frame could’ve been used for a roof, or a picture frame’s material could’ve come from what used to be a table. In the above picture, the Jarah wood used for the mirror’s frame is one of the most expensive, old, and protected (?) type of wood around.

Tired of wandering, we jumped back into the car and took a scenic route home, stopping by this hilly view-point. Something that struck my fancy (and caught my attention, snapping me out of my heat-stricken stuphor) was this amphitheater. Outdoor and built in the remains of a quarry, i got excited just looking at it, imagining how amazing any performance would be, held there. (Not to mention the ballet troupe of WA will be holding performances there this season.)

outdoor entertainment.

Safe to say, we reached home alright, even with my uncle’s “lead foot” on the accelerator (notice the quotation marks. that came from my cousin, not me.)

Shall leave you with one last picture, my dear readers. =)

and of course, the sky is just as beautiful over at this side of the world.

tons of smiles and more than happy to donate sunshine,

~lyn.

]]> http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/muhn-dai/feed/ 0 phoenixlyn DSC02114-2 DSC02100 DSC02102 DSC02105 DSC02108 DSC02109 DSC02110 DSC02115 DSC02125 DSC02130 http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/arrival/ http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/arrival/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:09:41 +0000 phoenixlyn http://nuancelyn.wordpress.com/?p=257 ]]> Date & time: 8^th February 2010, 0313

Posted on: 11th February 2010, 1146

Music: When your heart stops beating, Plus44

Lyn is: dazed?

It’s 3 in the morning, and i should be sleeping since there’s probably a long day ahead tomorrow, but as per usual, my nocturnal habits have gotten the better of me. There isn’t any wireless internet connection in my uncle’s place(for those who don’t know, i’m staying / leeching / free-loading at my uncle (and his family’s) home, which is about 15minutes from my uni), so you’re not reading this real-time.

Anyway, it was a fairly emotional Sunday. Probably the hardest service to swallow, not because of the worship, or the sermon, but because of the goodbyes-have never been any good at handling them. Admittedly, it was easier than most goodbyes, for various reasons. Firstly, because it’s been coming, and it’s already been expected for quite a while now. Secondly, because i believe that the world truly is smaller now, because of the internet we’ve been so spoiled with. Also, i’m only 5.5hours away, and even share the same timezone as those back home! And besides, i kept telling myself that it wasn’t as if i’m never coming back. I think that this time was one of the very few times that my logic superceeded my emotional reaction(s). And of course, that i know that i’m where He wants me to be, or rather headed towards it, that makes all the difference in the world.

…But i will miss you. Each and every one of you.

But. I will be back.

Anyway.

90% of all that belongs to yours truly. ;)

I’m quite surprised at how well the flight went. I usually suffer on board aircrafts, because i usually become an insomniac and am further tortured by the fact that i can’t move about. Not that i’m an exceptionally active person, just that extended periods of minimal limb-movement gives me cramps and a general uneasy feeling. But today’s was fine. My insufferable bladder only started acting up towards the end of the flight (and i had identified the locations of all available lavatories, so it was fine), the seat wasn’t such a literal pain in the neck,  the food was actually very nice (poached salmon with cream sauce, boiled potatoes, and grilled vegetables as a main course with the usual bun, butter, crackers, cheese, salad, and chocolate combination), and time passed rather quickly. We (ie: Yeang household, KL branch) landed at the Perth International Airport at a quarter to midnight, right on schedule. Immigration was a breeze, but sadly, unlike my last visit in September, there wasn’t a cute (blue-eyed brunette) Aussie dude manning the customs counter because (as per usual) i did have something to declare (bamboo-lining of CNY lanterns we bought for my aunt, as well as cooking paste). Oh well. Moving on, we were received by cousin dearest and aunty jo, while uncle loon drove his saloon car up to the curb where we waited, trailer attached to the back of his vehicle! Admittedly, it was a pretty ingenius thing to do, considering that we had 3 large suitcases, 1 small trolley bag, dad’s golf bag, and a box of foodstuff.

Aussieland is cool, if you’d like to know. For now. Since the sun isn’t even out yet.

Noteable changes to the Yeang residence (Perth branch). Uncle extended the driveway, for one. I have to tell lengthy stories about the amazing handyman my uncle is. But that’s for another day. So yes, we brought our luggage in, unpacked a bit while catching up, and retired, for the sake of my relatives who, unlike us, have to work tomorrow morning (ie: in about 4 hours from now).

In case you’re wondering, i’ve been given / blessed with a room of my own. In the past, it was always referred to as ‘the guest room’, this cozy little part of the house. (Will try to find the picture of it i took a few years back)But when i opened the door this time, i was amazed. Yes, it’s essentially the same, but believe it or not, my uncle spent the last 3 days building the bed for me. It’s smaller than the previous one (so as to be able to fit the side table in, i’m guessing), but is more than enough- i’m supposed to grow smaller, anyway. The wax apparently hasn’t really set, and is supposed to smell, but i think the wave of appreciation and gratitude hit me harder.

Personally, i love my new room. Sure, it isn’t purple and queen-of-the-world-ish like my Malaysian one is, but it’s built on and of the same essentials and values, namely family, love, and function, and that’s more than i could ever ask for.

So, sitting on the (seriously solid) bed of mine, it’s here that i shall bid you goodnight, dear reader. May the week ahead be as awesome as i imagine mine will be.

Smiles and laughs,

~lyn.

p/s: Once my other posts are up, you’ll realize why it took ages for just one post to appear. xD

p/p/s: miss me yet? ;)

Date: 22nd December 2009

Music: Owl City – The Christmas Song

Lyn is: swooning.

* dreamy sigh*

It’s Christmas and we walk alone
Two strangers with no one to miss us
On our own
Out in the cold

Trudging onward
Braving a harsh winter storm
You and I met passing by
And now our spirits feel warm

I don’t have anyone at home to talk to
And you don’t have anything to do
So I’ll spend my Christmas with you
I’ll spend my Christmas with you

It’s Christmas and we are in love
With the way that the soft snowflakes kiss us
From far above
The blustery breeze

Trudging onward
Braving a harsh winter storm
You and I met passing by
And now our spirits feel warm

I believe that Jesus is truly the only way
I celebrate Christmas because it’s his birthday

I don’t have anyone at home to talk to
And you don’t have anything to do
So I’ll spend my Christmas with you
I’ll spend my Christmas with you
I’ll spend my Christmas with you
I’ll spend my Christmas with you

[Owl City, The Christmas Song]

<3

So painfully fan-girly,

~lyn.

Music: The Fear, Lily Allen

Lyn is: musing / pondering.

to me, that’s about all it’s good for, really. xD

After having kept several blogs, Friendster, and now a Facebook account, i’m pretty much certain that i’m not exactly the most private person, in the sense that i don’t purposefully keep to myself. As a matter of fact, i get decidedly excited at even the prospect of being able to share something, like those moments when i’m not at home, and get struck by a sudden thought and i have to announce / blurt / rant / rave /  giggle / present  it on my Facebook page via mobile. (Speaking of which, i don’t think i’ve officially introduced my new gadget on my blog yet, along with the tons of other things i have yet to blog about)

So yes, i like sharing my thoughts, my moments, my issues, and so on. I once had a theory that i’m more taken by the idea of expressing myself in a literal way, just the endeavour of forming my jumbled brainworks into appropriate words and then getting them properly odered and arranged intro proper and coherent sentences,  far more than i enjoy the actual sharing of myself to others. But then i realized that that theory may have held water if i wasn’t blogging to … well, basically anyone and everyone, really. And while i maintain that i’d like the contents of my pages to be viewed by those i do know, and even more so by those i’m actually writing to or about, or writing with them in mind, i can’t deny either that it’s pleasant to find that a new friend has become a follower of my (currently rather dead) blog, or even that a relative actually found my space (yes, i’m talking about you, cousin dearest).

But.

Sometimes i get… (‘annoyed’ being too strong a feeling) awkward, and fine, perhaps even a tinge of annoyance, when people know things about me that i thought they wouldn’t /didn’t, and more importantly, that i don’t remember telling them. No, it’s not scandalous things about how i cheated on Melia with Evie (Ooops), but details of / about me that are really harmless and sometimes even trivial.It’s usually something like me getting a shock when someone gives me the “i know where you were last week…” when i never told anyone. Or about someone i’ve been seeing rather often, or some place i’ve been going, or a random activity / excursion that i got hooked on. (Come to think of it, all of them sound rather shady, but the real events are totally normal and proper, i promise.)  But think about it. Since they (he / she / it) heard it from someone, since it obviously wasn’t me, what about the times when there’s misunderstanding? Or wrong information? Or what if it wasn’t something i wanted to share with anyone else? Or what if someone just really really has to say something nasty about me, just to get it out of their system?

I know what you’re thinking. I’m being a drama queen again, aren’t i? Maybe i am. But at least you heard that first hand from me, right? (There she goes again..)

Having said all that, and admitting that really, i’m not famous, let alone popular enough, to be talked about that often, i just feel that if it’s about me, you should hear it from the latter. Ooooh, i’m being nitpicky again.

“What product should Apple release next?”

“Oooooh, they should come up with this really expensive product that would be really hard to get your hands on because it costs so much, and it doesn’t really do anything, or it doesn’t work. Then they could call it iRony!”

[~ some Aussie stand-up comedy]

Have a good weekend, dear readers! =)

iBlabbed.

~lyn.

Music: We made you, Eminem

Lyn is: being un-ladylike

*burp*

Took a trip down the road for a visit to the 24-hour clinic because of the spasms of pain around my abdominal area. Despite the late hour, there was still a line of patients, so was forced to squirm and writhe in pain while stuck in the waiting room. Then, after what seemed like agonizing hours  (in truth, the line wasn’t that long, i was just exaggerating, a privilege i reckon i qualify for, since i’m in pain), i got diagnosed with a mild  case of food poisoning (mild?!), along with yet another one for the record-

Doctor: Have you just finished your UPSR?

lyn: *stunned and in pain, so just kept quiet*

Mum: *laughs* UPSR… *in a reminisce-ish tone* That was a long time ago.

Ah, i’ll live. With both the pain and misconceptions, while they last. ;)

Have a good week, dear readers.

Smiles,

~lyn.