Celebrations!

Diwali is around the corner! Which means the whole extended family will be in Penang for the annual celebration. This year, though, it is a double celebration. For me, it's a triple celebration thanks to my results!!

Although I just got my results, I'm not expecting to be the man of the hour when everyone's around. This is because my uncle's wife will be giving birth to her second child this Saturday. This is not just any usual birth, as this will be the first son for my uncle, who is the only son among 7 siblings. Thus this kid will be carrying the family name on his shoulders. My maternal grandparents would have been very happy, I'm sure they are watching from above. God bless their souls. My uncle's wife family will also be in Penang this time around, adding to the festivities.

Besides that , on Diwali day we will also be celebrating my lil' cousin's 3rd birthday. That makes another function aside from the multiple "makans" at various relatives' places.

Let's not forget the ang paus and copious amounts of alcohol and food to be consumed! It's gonna be a good few days coming up! I have to exercise extra hard these next few days to make up for the weight I'm gonna put on!

On a different note, I came across this super-cool animation of breakdancing transformers on the web. For those of you with broadband and nothing better to do, it's definitely worth a look.

Cheers and Happy Deepa-Raya to all!

It Is Done.

Just got my degree results online. Before I logged in I did a quick prayer at the altar in my house. 3 and a half years of work, and it has come down to this moment. My chances at a first class were quite slim. I just didn't want to see a "2nd Class Lower" there at any cost. That is a fate worse than death, especially in a punjabi family.

"2nd Class First Division Honours"

I say a quick prayer of thanks to God. Joy, relief, and happiess flow through my veins and in my psyche.

I am there.

It is done.

Time to become a man.

And the first order of business as a man, spread the good news to the whole family, including uncles, aunties and the whole jingbang lah.

You see, when you don't do well, everyone gleefully joins in the slaughter fest of the sacrificial student that is me. It is not a pretty sight, I tell you. So whenever there is good news, You have to tarik maximum! Squeeze the situation for every drop of praise possible. If there's money involved, all the better!

Of course, if there are bad results here and there, you just have to keep quiet and let it pass, haha!

Time to celebrate! Cheers!

Moving On

I am currently in the process of moving from my residence of over 3 years in the State area of PJ to an apartment unit in the Pantai Dalam area. This is actually kind of enforced as my relative's place where I am currently staying at is about to undergo some major renovation work and I had to get my things removed. The timing couldn't be better as it allows me to avoid the awkward "Thanks for letting me live here for 3 years, but I'd like to move out now" situation that I have been dreading for months now. I have always planned to move out after my studies are done as this is a family home and with me wanting to have more freedom and getting that freedom now that my studies are done, it doesn't feel nice doing late nights and going out so much in a household with 3 school-going kids and where everyone's asleep by 11.

But now that I am moving into a residence where I get to be more independant, I am doing so with a heavy heart. There are many things that I will miss. I have gotten to know the PJ New Town/Old Town area like the back of my hand and I feel very comfortable here. I know where everything is and it is all walking distance from my place.

I'm having mixed emotions right now. I'm moving out with a heavy heart and a feeling of sadness that I have to go, but at the same time, my new place marks a phase in my place when I have made the transition from student to worker. That is after all, why I named this blog ...TRANSITION...

WHAT I LEAVE BEHIND:
- A very cool uncle and aunt whom I am greatly indebted to for letting me become a part of their household for over 3 years
- 3 lovely cousins with all their antics and nonsense, not to mention an XBOX ;-)
- The familiarity and convenience of the PJ State area
- Not being able to go jogging or walk to the LRT in peace thanks to the many dogs let loose by their irresponsible owners
- 2 fantastic cooks in the form of my aunt and her long-serving (over 10 years) Indonesion maid
- A very, very comfortable home
- No friends in the area (only recently did I get to know 2 college mates living close by, but still not within a walking distance)
- My beloved Ramly burger stall

WHAT AWAITS ME:
- Freedom to go and do the things I previously could not, both because I was living in a family home and the fact that I was student living under another person's roof
- An attached bathroom (Oh yay!). Previously I had to walk downstairs and through the kitchen to access the bathroom. Very leceh.
- No home-cooked food
- The opportunity to make more friends (including my opposite neighbour, a doctor who I've already gotten acquainted to, who was 2 daughters about my age. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm * cue evil laugh*)
- The ability to go jogging in peace
- No LRT station within walking distance. I need to take a bus first. AAARRGHHHH. Must get a car ASAP!
- Internet connection on my own PC (previously only the family PC in the kitchen was connected)
- A lavender coloured room. I must get permission to repaint it!!!!

I hope all goes well and I am able to land a job in KL rather than Penang. I would still rather live in Penang, but for a variety of reasons, I would prefer to spend a couple of years here first. That in itself is another major decision I have to make and to be honest, I'm still not 100% certain on KL. But that is a story for another day.

Time to make the transition...