...I will post some more of those pictures I took during New Year. Note that you won't find any pictures of me in mousse, since my camera was already tucked away safely in my backpack.

Hey everyone. Will be gone for some time since I have some other things to settle first, so I will not be posting for some days, hopefully less than a week. But do check back often! *smile*

 

First of all, Lara, i'm so so terribly sorry. It was all Blogdrive's fault. I had nothing to do with it. =(

So anyway, the car you see on the right is the (brand) new Proton Chancellor. This car is available to the general public since over two weeks ago, but it was already being used as an official automobile to ferry delegates during the 11th ASEAN Summit in KL. If you drove into KL during that period (God help you if you did; the traffic was terrible), you might've seen the car.

What's new (or different, depending on whose side you're on) about the Chancellor? This car is essentially a stretched Proton Waja; that is, it is built on the Proton Waja chassis, but fitted with a Mitsubishi Eterna 2.0L engine. If you're familiar with the Perdana car, the Perdana Executive is also a stretched version of the original. But the Chancellor car includes new additions like leather seat and DVD player at the back. Proton says that the target market for this car is corporate executives, government heads and business leaders.

 Personally I find this car quite okay overall. The interior is comfy, the leather seats are nice (great for people who have trouble sitting on their asses). This car is about the same length as an S320 sedan. My only complain is that why did they have to re-use the Waja chassis? They could've gotten a new bodywork altogether. Not that I have anything against Wajas (after all, I own one), and I think Waja has the nicest bodywork of all Proton cars, aside from the Perdana. But aww...they could have remodeled the chassis. I haven't taken any pictures; maybe next time when I revisit the showroom.

This car retails for RM138 000 OTR (approximately US$36 500 at the time of this writing). That's about twice the price of an average Proton, so I doubt many users, especially those who can afford a car in that price range, will buy it. Proton says they expect to sell about 1000 units of the Chancellor in a year's time. Considering the history of our national carmaker's quality control, it might take more than aggressive marketing to convince the average user.

And to you all who chia me:

Long time no see. I did manage to come back in one piece, though.

Surgery was fine, it went well. They did a reconstructive surgery, which actually sounds a lot more scarier than it is. And no, they weren't "rebuilding my breasts" *glares at someone*. Maybe except for the fact that they tend to overdose you with anaesthetic and syringes bigger than your arm. But anyway, If you count the actual days that they perform the surgery, it's only 3 days. Most of the time I am either in the room watching some Singaporean soap opera or reading John Grisham's works. The nurses were a pretty lot, so boredom was something new to me there. *smile*

I still remember the first surgery I had, more than 13 years ago. At that time I rarely been out of the house, let alone a scary place like the hospital. Mom and Dad had to literally drag me into the operating theatre, and apparently I struggled so much that one of the surgeons had a scratch mark on his cheek. They forced me on the bed (okay, that didn't turn out right), and next thing I know I was back in my room, body aching all over and can't even find enough strength to open the door and yell for help. Now at least I've had pretty nurses to chat with.

Well, I need to get started on my next article. Oh, I'm a freelance writer now. *wink* Pays good, you know.

There are several things you can and should do in order to assist yourself in getting on with life. The first and most difficult part is to blow up all thoughts about the pain, the cries and the fear of missing your love. It's okay to think about it, but don't bind your soul to those thoughts.

Don't resort to drowning in alcohol or smoking heavily. Despite what you hear, neither of those will help you overcome grief. It's plain silly to think that they do. They only cloud your judgments and your ability to think clearly.

Talk to friends, family or someone who is willing to listen. Talk to them about things that you feel good about; your new dress, your best buddy, getting A in school, etc. There will be things that you feel good about; if you say you don't have any, you are again closing your mind. And a closed mind is the worst way to overcome grief.

Dress up neat. Indulge in a new fashion. You need to feel good about yourself. You still need to glow, and looking brave and pretty will increase your self-confidence about yourself. In the end, you don't want people to look upon you as a junk; defeated by just a single obstacle in life.

Smile at people and make them feel good. Don't think that doing this means hiding your problems and that it is wrong. On the other hand, don't go around acting as if nothing happened or that you are very happy with the break-up. I know of someone who went around telling that the break-up was the happiest thing that happened to her. It's stupid. Pretence only serve to remind you that you are not what you really are. You want to appear strong, not a hypocrite.

Don't go around looking for sympathy, either. It doesn't help anyone. Talk to someone if you need to, but don't fish for sympathy votes. "I'm such a loser", "What is wrong with me?", "I thought I was a good person, but apparently not" are all useless talks.

Don't throw to others for any mistakes they have not done. Don't alienate your friends, or act moody towards them after a break-up. They haven't done anything wrong to you. Similarly, when in love, don't ignore your friends thinking that your love is all you need. They are going to be the ones who will be there for you when "all that you need" is no longer there.

Lastly, remember that they are people who still thinks you're important. People who still look up to you. Don't be selfish and think that no one cares about you anymore. Failing in love didn't make you any worse, it only made you stronger. Think about that.