Pearl Island, Once More.

Prologue: Indecision and drudgery.

Those (few) of you who are keen enough to follow my updates and whereabouts should probably have known about this but for those of you who didn't know or (or didn't care enough), I have already gone back to Pearl Island, slightly earlier than what I initially planning due to an extraordinary circumstances: my younger brother Zachary Efron Omerga Tate Zince YH got into USM by a stroke of luck through appeal in which I am grateful that USM manages their own admission channel instead of going through that endless labyrinth of confusion and disappointment that is UPUKPT. While getting in through appeal might not be the best arrangement or first choice, who knows there might be silver lining behind this circumstance. As far as I know for me, him coming to USM is an obvious blessing and I have a feeling this year will be exciting.

Anyway, quick recap of what happen for the past week starting from 30 August 2012 (Thursday) around 7:30am in the morning.

My last bowl of Kueh Chap as breakfast before heading over to airport and leave on a jetplane to Pearl Island. 7:30am. Yes, our market opens very early in the morning. Tate YH has a group of his best friends since highschool to sent him away despite being an early flight which made me a teeny bit of envy and jealousy. 

We left on a wet and bumpy flight on time at 9.35am and there's at least one good hour of nothing but murky white outside the window as we are leaving Kuching and heading out to South China Sea.

Fast forward to 10.45am or so and our plane has already flown across the pond and going parallel along the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia heading straight towards the groin of Penang island, flying past Pangkor along the way. Landed on time around 11.30am and after having lunch with cousin and his wife, we went back to USM to settle our stuff. Good thing that there's PPSL (Pembimbing Pelajar Siswa Lestari) stationing at airport to pick up students that I can confirm that student who came early can get their own room directly instead of being stuck at temporary place. One point of interest though: how did that PPSL know that I am doing Masters. Hmm.

With everything moved in and settled, we went out to Tesco to pick up some necessities before wrapping up the day with a Korean style homecook dinner at Gil Cafe Ivory Plaza. There's nothing more homey than eating Bibimbap (mixed rice. Noticed the two different style? One's in hotpot and another is fresh and cool.) and Gimbap (rice roll). 

I am already missing the cool weather and clear blue sky of Kuching by the next day. This forsaken oven of an island carpeted with thin layer of haze, leaving the sky murky and indiscernible.

Even my bro had a taste of B&O: Breakfast and Online because we haven't figure out setting up USMWifi at this point.

For the two days of interlude before MSL starts, my and my bro went up and down the RST way too often and I think it's almost guaranteed that anyone who stayed in Restu and Saujana through their three years of studies probably have built up quite a stamina which obviously me as a former Tekunian for three years during undergraduate time still have quite plenty of room to improve.

1st of September 2012 (Saturday) marks the beginning of Minggu Siswa Lestari, the name used by USM to brand orientation week and the once serene campus is buzzing with life again with concerned convoy of families together with their anxious and excited young one that proudly call USM their alma for the next three years or more while the PPSL in their black jacket standing guard, showing around and answering stream of questions. I have a somewhat a fond memory about my own time in PPMS (the pre-APEX name) day though I could make use without that mind-numbing BTN people during training.

As usual for any orientation week, banners welcoming new students from various organisations, bodies, Desasiswas, schools, and departments within USM. Interesting enough for this time however: lesser vanity banners from the empty husk, castrated, putsch of a Student Representative Council that overstayed their welcome because no campus election in the previous academic year hence extended term for them posturing and looking smugly being littered plastered all over the place. Nevertheless, the Desasiswa PPSL poster do feature vanity poster with the face of Penghulu PPSL featured quite prominently...and it's a common wisdom that being a PPSL is a boast for a career student politician so who knows he might appear again as an aspiring candidate in coming campus election. More thing to scrutinize then! *cracking brain knuckle*

Just a few quick snaps around the first three days of MSL: (top) Dewan Utama Pelajar is where students staying in RST register into their respective Desasiswa. To alleviate incoming traffic, the Desasiswa registration is divided into morning session and evening session to minimize the crowd in campus. Despite already getting his own room in Restu and handed in his tenancy card, I still ask my bro to check out registration for Restu just in case if there's anything extra. Turns out there isn't anything extra and his name is already in the system. He missed out on the goodie bag though which actually contains nothing because apparently the number is already set. *bemused* We spent the rest of the extra day time...in Georgetown!

As much as I want to follow up with his progress and such for orientation week, I have to leave him to his own device because it's his own orientation week and it's going to be hard to evade the eyes of pesky PPSL. I said this last year and I am gonna said this again: any PPSL that stops my way and I will go ballistic. Don't stop me now.

Finally tried McDonald's limited Crisscut fries. Hmm. I prefer twisterfries.

Went to online at my favourite haunt, Memory Island in which the true master of the premise has a new do.

Last but not least of course, I paid my fees. Drudgery of reality.

Yesterday (4 September, Tuesday), I got to catch up with Esther and Vicky over a dinner at Domino's Pizza because apparently Esther had Domino's Pizza's late delivery coupon which entitled for a free regular pizza for spending RM20 and above.

What supposed to be a routine dinner because of freebie is about to take a amusing turn...

...when Tailou Lawrence Wong suddenly appeared behind me with Esther singing birthday song, complete with a small tiramisu cake! At that point, I was quite puzzled on who's birthday it is today which only a moment later that I suddenly realized that it's supposed to be my surprise birthday celebration! I was still chatting with Vicky when Esther suddenly left supposedly to pick up something in her car and I was actually clapping along awkwardly while being puzzled when the cake came in with Esther and Lawrence.

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After snapping back from being puzzled, I got to cut the cake like all birthday boy should do. Forgot to do birthday wish though because the candle melted way too fast that I have to blow it off.

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Group photos for the occasion is a must and I got a small birthday card as well~ The surprise is indeed very welcoming considering that I missed out my uni birthday tradition which is to eat a pint of Baskin Robbin Icecream on 31 August because they've 31% discount on that day. Was busy going around tending my younger brother.

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...and at the very final moment right before we are ready to leave that Esther pull out the piece of resistance of a present that's way beyond any expectation, something that's totally off the scale yet hits after one large tangent of a curveball: a sushi pack from Jusco. THIS, left me in stitches, laughing hysterically at the sheer hilarity of it all. First thought that came out: when did Esther pick up this box of sushi? As I recall, she's busy the whole day running errant for Postgrads Orientation Day and there's no other gap except...the point where she went back to pick up something in her car. Did she actually drove to Queensbay (which is actually not far from where we were) during that short gap of time? Rather annoyingly, she refuse to say anything but assured me "it's fresh" because I do concern about raw food being pick out very early in the morning. Another thought that pop out soon after: this present does reflect much more about me besides on what do people actually think about me. By the way, that pack of Durex Condom I received on my 21st birthday (from the SISTAHood!) still lie untouched at the bottom of box I use to keep my stuffs and I still haven't put it into good use. Is it expired yet I wonder. Thanks for the thought people for thinking on what quirky present should I have and I do appreciate all of your love. (considering the fact that I am not a social butterfly hence surprise party or any thoughtful, meaningful and memorable act of friendship moments are even harder to come by). Next time if there's anymore birthday surprise to me (if there's ever going to be any), I could use something that's more...common or I will try to hint on stuff I could be useful about. *wink wink* 

Another surprise as soon as I reach my room: one of my lecturer's PhD student whom shared a hotel room before for PPA13 has just returned to Malaysia from Mainland China and he gave me this key chain adorned with traditional Chinese ceramic motif or 青花瓷. 谢啦，张兄。

For the 75-ish (because timeline is shit so I can't check properly) people who left a birthday wish on my wall, the three people that sent me a direct Happy Birthday message and two people who called me directly on a phone: Thank You all for the Birthday Wishes. I can feel all of your love regardless of electronically or physically. I can't believe I have already gone through 24 years of life. That's two cycle of Chinese Zodiac already and reaching quarter life (according to average human lifespan) soon!

Epilogue: Just for this time, actual commentary around epilogue. Didn't manage to do a proper Merdeka Day post on 31 August itself, one of my must have post ever since I started blogging so now I am just making up for it. Those of you who paid attention to what I usually write about Merdeka Day should probably know what's my recent sentiment as a Sovereigntist/Regionalist.

Still looking forward for the day in which my Fairland Sarawak with its tricolor of Red, Black and Yellow could be a fairer deal if not equal ground with or within Malaysia and its Jalur Gemilang. Nonetheless, 31 August is still a historic day and 31 August 2012 marks the 55th Merdeka Day for Federation of Malaysia. Selamat Menyambut Ulangtahun Kemerdekaan yang ke-55. One observation though: is it just me or this year's Merdeka Day celebration is so much more muted compared to previous years. The official theme of 55th Merdeka Day Celebration definitely played a role in it: Janji Ditepati, a slogan used previously in PM's nationwide tour hence allegedly loaded being too Barisan Nasional (and oh don't get the people started with "promises fulfilled" part). The initial logo used to mark the celebration was so widely panned as being to amateurish or Microsoft Paint that it pissed off community of Graphic Designer (as if the incumbent government is running out of communities, sectors and professions to piss off) and spurred a rapid fire compilation to find better logo over Facebook. Of course, this utter faux pas has become yet another cause celebre for the so-called government in wait of PR by running their own alternative Merdeka Day celebration with slogan penned by National Laureate A. Samad Said himself: Sebangsa, Senegara, Sejiwa though they themselves have their own disagreement on doing their own theme for respective PR-ruled state. Then there's this recent controversy in Merdeka Day countdown and Janji Bersih Counter-rally which the incumbent government alleged  (besides the usual disrespectful act of defiant. Which is true by the way because some people do step of Najib's face so fuck them.) malicious plot to change Jalur Gemilang with Sang Saka Malaya, a pre-war left wing Nationalist flag. (My opinion? Just look the name Sang Saka MALAYA. It's always about them.) With all the cacophony, fiasco and hullaballoo, no wonder everyone in the middle feels disenchanted with the Merdeka Day, treating it as merely yet another holiday to spent with their loved one or on their own. With Merdeka Day done and over with, another two weeks plus to yet another public holiday, a day with much bigger significance to me. Stay tuned for that.