CALLED

Monday, October 17, 2005

Thanks to everyone who remembered and/or wished me a happy birthday (belated or not) and/or gave me presents. I didn't expect nor think much about this year's birthday because I've been semi-buried in my books. Haha. At the more mature but still tender young age of 20, I no longer see remembering people's birthdays as a must in friendship or in evaluating whether people care for you. Though they are certainly still important, because I believe that when you celebrate a birthday you celebrate the person and all that he/she means to you as well.

Still, I appreciate all my friends, whether they remembered or even knew that my birthday has passed. Apart from my 17th birthday (thanks to a surprise party thrown by You-Know-Who-You are *wink*), this year has got to be one of the most memorable ones in my two decades so far. Namely because I've received really special, thoughtful presents.

Sheena gave me a big box of stuff with a letter/card/present for every day until my 21st birthday next year. A most creative and colossal undertaking! My first words on opening the box: "Oh. My goodness." I'm extremely touched and honoured that someone would even think of doing this for me. I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars.

Xiao mei (Jojo) gave me a gift wrapped in 3 layers of wrapper, and the loveliest card, which I think is even nicer than any present in the world. =D Hannah gave me a bag of 4 presents, 1 for each day that she's missed my birthday. Aww...isn't that so sweet? I've also awarded Jessie the Most Creative Birthday Greeting Via SMS of the year! Haha. And thanks to Jongsies (she will flip if she reads this, but I don't think she reads my blog) for remembering me in the midst of being forced to "live like a nun" (direct quote) by her professors in NTU.

Thanks to whoever (I think Sis Jac? ;D) remembered my birthday and gave a not-so-surprising celebration for me in church yesterday! I was actually with Sheena when she bought the cake, not knowing then that it was for me. And then she had to ask Sis Jac who the cake was for when I was there! Lol. Right before they brought out the cake and started singing the song, I heard even 2 kids saying, "It's Sister Qing Ying's birthday!" It was kind of weird because I was chewing on bread (It was already in my mouth when I was pulled in) all the while.

Then there was Alvin who suddenly bent down after saying "Happy Belated Birthday" - not to bow, as Hannah thought, but to wipe just-washed hands on his jeans so that he could shake my hand.....dot. That was really exhilarious for whoever saw it happen.

Oh yes, how could I forget - a most wonderful and sought-after present from, I believe - my dearest Abba Father - a High Distinction for my Psych. lab report!!!! :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD (and the grin goes on)

Now that I've gotten a High D, I can tell myself next time - "If He has given me a High D before He can give me another again"! I don't care if my mark just hit the minimun requirement for a HD - 80% - and I don't care honestly if a lot of people also got HDs. Though that doesn't seem very plausible with not enough teachers at Monash to mark 1200 lab reports from all over the world. Tom Edwards, our DE unit coordinator said this himself on the forum. They must have gone pretty bonkers marking all those boring papers based on the same boring old experiment! I don't think that I was very creative or anything, though I did try to think deeper about it. Did make a few careless mistakes in the format and referencing, which may have cost me perhaps 0.5 to 1 mark. The marker wrote, "Good work! A comprehensive lab report. Well done!" Her name was Anita Goh? I did wonder if she was partial because, duh, we obviously share Chinese roots. But flipping through my work, she did make it a point to point out many things I could have added/did not do. Even if she was partial, then surely it was divine coincidence that she would get to mark my paper and God's favour upon me. Anyhow, I think that my report deserved at least a D because I did put a lot of hard work and thought into it. So if she was partial it was only by 10% - in this context only 1 - 1.5 marks because the paper was graded upon 10 marks.

Anyhow, after all the analysis you can do, a HD is a HD is a HD. I'm happy because I found it in myself to believe and expect a good mark from God - which can be hard for me - and I did!

Actually now I find that it's no longer of such paramount importance that I get HDs for my exams. When I first expressed this longing it was out of a need for God to show me that I could be successful in my studies despite almost literally failing my way through 'A' levels. Now I know I can - no, now I know HE CAN AND WILL. This happy surprise actually came almost right after a stormy low, which some of you may know about. Of course, by the time I collected my assignment, I had already 'come to my senses' about the said situation.

It was also very nice talking to Mal - my other beloved mei. ;D

posted by esther @ 12:12 PM

3 Comments:

At 7:32 AM, Anonymous said…

hoeei~~ u neva write about our msn conversation on your bday!-lisse
At 11:53 PM, esther said…

aiyah...what you want me to write? "lisye forgot my birthday and didn't believe me when i said it was on the very day i was talking to her??" LOL.
At 11:54 PM, esther said…

hmm, why has my layout become so wide? so ugly.