Goodbye December!

Just when I thought that I would be blogging more after the end of my torturous examinations, ironically, I've not blogged since my exam ended. Without realising, it has been more than 2 weeks since the end of my first semester. It is finally the last day of 2011. December has always been my favourite month (despite having a torturing first half of December this year) as it is a month filled with various celebrations. The joyous atmosphere and chilling winter (big fan of cold weather) are definitely something to look forward to. I would not hesitate to say that it is definitely one of the best years in my life, despite some ups and downs. Life has been so colourful this year with different adventures and new discoveries. I thought I should be doing a review of 2011 but I guess I have too many pending posts to complete before that. From my recent London trip to Christmas and Boxing Day, there are simply too many stuff to share. I hope that I will able to post all the details before the new semester begins. Perhaps I shall make this as one of the new year resolutions to ensure that things will be done as scheduled.

Finally, I hope my readers (if any) have had an awesome 2011 and tonight, we shall welcome the arrival of year 2012. Thank you very much to 2011 for being such a good buddy of mine. I hope 2012 will be another year with promising experiences and wonderful adventures. Till then, Happy New Year's Eve! 

Merry Christmas

I am back from London! It's definitely one precious experience. Being at a place that I've seen on pictures and TV so much since I was a kid. The surreal feeling left me pondering whether it is a fantasy or a reality but somehow, I managed to convince myself that it is for real! I'll definitely be blogging about that but meanwhile, I have to get all my information and pictures sorted before anything.

Uh oh, by the way:

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Overslept

The title says it all. I have overslept. It was supposed to be an innocent 2-hour nap. However, I woke up, realising that it was not 2 but 10 in the morning. I was left horrified. This always happens during exam. It always. There are so much to cover and so little time left, yet this left me with even lesser time.

It's officially 3 more days to exam. I hope the battle with time will not cause me scarred too badly. At this piont of time, my brain still feels empty, regardless of the amount of past year questions, chunks of notes and revision classes that I've stuffed myself with. If things still do not get rectified by tomorrow, I might be mentally scarred for the upcoming week (which might leave a permanent impact). Will my nocturnal side appear again tonight? I just need to fully utilise the remaining 60 hours.

Live Like We're Dying

Some songs just never get old and this is one of such example. Kris Allen has been one of my favourite singers since his post American Idol days. His humble and down-to-Earth image, together with his simple but effective music are the things which manage to catch my attention. In the era of electropop dance tunes and club bangers, it is good to have a peaceful mind therapy once in a while. His first debut hit single, Live Like We're Dying remains as one of my favourite song of all time, despite being released 2 years ago. It is such a motivating song with captivating lyrics, which appears just in time everytime when life is miserable and stressful. It reminds me of how we should treasure everyday and obviously, to appreciate every single day in life and make the most out of it. 

I've to admit that I'm not an easily motivated person. However, this song has definitely got me hooked and has served its duty well in encouraging me to be a stronger person. Does it manage to motivate you, my dear readers (if any)? =)

Sleet

The weather has been quite cold recently. At the same time, it has been sleeting as well. Sleet is a mixture of rain and snow. It consists of generally transparent frozen or partially frozen raindrops. This happens especially at night, probably due to the lower temperature compared to daytime. As the examination is getting nearer and nearer, my emotion becomes as unpredictable as the weather. There are times when I feel so confident about my preparation, BUT there are also times when I feel so helpless and miserable with my progress. In 7 days' time, it will be the arrival of one of the most important examinations in my entire life, which will have a significant impact IF I do not perform as what is required. 

Partially frozen raindrops on my window pane

On the positive side, I'll be able to explore this foreign land as I wish in 9 days' time. My brain is seriously loaded with information at this point of time. I feel that I need more time but at the same time, I wish time will be faster and the examination will be over in no time at all. The conflicting thoughts are definitely bothering me. My brain is like a fully pumped balloon, waiting for its time to burst. 

Homecooked Red Bean Soup

Meanwhile, I've attempted to prepare my Homecooked Red Bean Soup for supper. It's not too bad for a first-timer, seriously. Cold weather and a bowl of smoking hot Homecooked Red Bean Soup make a perfect combination, much like how Bonnie is to Clyde. 

Potato Head's out and back to books. 

Happy Birthday to Me

Cravings are always hard to resist. Considering it is my birthday today, I decided to break the routine and have something special for dinner. Being an avid fan, I used to savour Japanese cuisine at least once a week. Hence, being able to resist the temptation for 3 months (ever since I've been here) is definitely a great challenge. I placed my online order for pickup at Yo! Sushi and surprisingly, the price is really reasonable. One thing I love about UK is the efficiency of their online purchase system. It's extremely easy to use and user friendly. What I like the most about Yo! Sushi is the ease of being able to request for additional wasabi for free of charge, with just a single click. 

Whitworth Street

To ensure the meal is within my budget, I decided to collect the order personally from Manchester Picadilly Station. It's one of those rainy days in Manchester but I'm fortunate enough to be armed with my trusted umbrella. Going out for a walk is definitely a bliss, especially after a whole day of being a nerd at home.

Mixed Box & Salmon Sashimi 

Upon reaching, my food was all ready for collection. I walked home eagerly with thought of sashimis and sushis all over my mind. As they say, the first bite is always the tastiest. Undoubtedly, it's validity is proved to be accurate in this case as well. I was on seventh heaven. The succulent salmon sashimi left me craving for more. In addition to that, the accompanying salad is extremely appetizing to with a touch of lemon. Sometimes, the constant pressure in our daily routine makes us realise how simple things in life can actually be so satisfying and fulfilling. Despite the being in the midst of a tough journey for the upcoming examination, I'm a happy boy today.

Happy Birthday to Myself.

32 Hours

This is quite a special year for me as it marks the first time I'm celebrating my birthday abroad. What makes it more special is that I'll be having 32 hours of birthday instead of 24 hours. Since 4 p.m. onwards, I've been receiving birthday wishes on Facebook (due to the time difference), which I sort of considered as the beginning of my birthday. Meanwhile, I'll be having my birthday here all the way until 11.59 p.m. tomorrow night. Hence, that's how the figure of 32 hours is obtained, for you curious cats out there.

A random scene at Stretford Road

Life has been quite mundane as usual. It's basically a big routine everyday. Two days ago, my friends had a mini surprise birthday celebration for me. One of them specially prepared a unique dish, Rosemary Baked Chicken for the occassion. The moment I stepped into the kitchen, it was pitch black with nothing but a well-lit candle glowing on the dining table. I was so surprised and stunned for a second. It was definitely a really heart-warming moment that shall be in my memory for years to come.

At the same time, I've decided to logout from my Facebook account temporarily. I've given myself a quest, which is not logging in to Facebook for 10 hours. By the end of 10 hours, I'll login to see how many notifications will I be getting. The mission has begun an hour ago and it will be all the way until 2.30 a.m. at the midnight before I'm able to access to my Facebook account again. Meanwhile, I'll continue to indulge myself with piles of notes and textbooks.