What The Recently-Declared-Jobless a.k.a Graduate Does

Someone please find me a job! ^_^

Solitude

- Torino, Italy, 2007 -

Torino, or Turin, was the very first Italian city I visited. It was never on my travel wishlist and furthermore, at that time, I could not speak a word of Italian; it was one of those irresistible offers on the SNCF's website where we just had to pay 35 euros to take the TGV (my favourite train) to go there and 45 euros for a first-class seat on our return. It was only when I was there that I learnt it had just hosted the Winter Olympics just 3 months ago and the city still had remnants of the decorations all over. With a tourist card for just 18 euros, we could just about do everything possible for two days, and boy, was there plenty to do and see there! Museums, boat cruises, royal palaces, a special tram ride up a hill to get a panoramic view of the city, and the list goes on. Infatti, e' una citta bellissima. :)

How could I forget the lovely old Muslim couple who owned the hotel where we stayed and treated us like their grandchildren; it was hilarious each time Loren and I tried to communicate with them via hand gestures and a mixture of English, Spanish and French. When Loren needed change to call her father and wish him happy birthday, the lady walked with me to the shop nearby to get change. Not only that, they gave us free 1.5-litre bottles of soft drinks (something that we could not stop laughing about), biscuits during our stay and even bread to make sandwiches for our train ride home when we said the shops were closed that day.

So you see, one of the reasons why I love travelling is that I get to meet people who show such unconditional kindness to strangers. Perhaps I am blessed for God never fails to keep me safe in my journeys and let me experience such kindness everywhere I go. But I digress. I titled this entry "Solitude" for it was my initial intention to talk about what I was feeling earlier in the day, but just as I seem to be getting epiphanies these days with my endless thoughts, I got another one in the midst of writing - that even in solitude, one is never alone. It is the peace we seek, not escape, when we choose to seek solitude. For solitude is a matter of choice, while loneliness is not.

Yet again I have procrastinated, but I still have a day left to finish my community service report. While there is a thin line between optimism and delusion, why should one despair over inconsequential deadlines, when the true deadline every human faces is that of death. Again, there is a thin line between being fatalistic and realistic. With these precarious thin lines, may all of us have the benefit to be on the right side.

Holidays!

- Paris, France, 2007 -

There's just something about the Eiffel Tower that makes you want to take a gazillion photos of it in every way possible. Anyway, exams are over! I know I should be feeling elated but strangely enough, I didn't feel anything, neither happiness nor sadness when I handed in that last exam on Friday. It was a bit of an anti-climax, to say the least, just like how you were looking forward to turning 21 but when it finally happened, it was nothing great. In any case, I have to go grade exam papers, complete an article for my editor and submit my community service report before I can have a proper rest. In the meantime, I'll just content myself with photos of beautiful island beaches with clear blue-green waters and sand as soft as flour.

Change

So I changed my desktop yet again, because it's time for a change, or it's just another excuse to procrastinate. Thanks to the girls for giving me the bouquet; I must be the only girl you know who appreciates flowers solely for their photogenic qualities.

In other news, it's the exam week again and here's wishing all the best to everyone and especially the seniors, because we're finally graduating!

3 exams, 1 article, 1 community service report to graduation. :)

Of Birthdays

March and April have been the months for birthdays thus far. Thank you all for your birthday wishes! :)

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1 week to graduation

Three Years On

That gentle wisp of feathery breeze,

That turn of his face to look at you,

That smile in return he waits for,

That smile keeps on playing on your lips.

So I have missed the birthday post for my blog yet again, by half an hour this time. Three years ago yesterday, I thought I would just start a blog for fun and see where it would take me to. Before long, what became clear was that I was not much of a writer; while I would have liked to be one, I was, and still am, too guarded to give away a part of my soul to share with a reader, as all brilliant writers do. Good writing makes you feel and empathize, and to do that requires the writer to share his emotions, digging deep within and bringing these emotions out, sharing with someone else. It becomes sort of an emotional investment where you place trust and faith in those you share these secrets with. Until I find it within me that willingness to share, or until I meet someone who can break down these walls of mine, until then I will keep everything to myself.

That said, I have a paper due in 16 hours and once again, I am nowhere near being done. 2 papers, 4 exams, 2 weeks to graduation. :)

PS: Have created a new site to hold all my photos from now on. :)