In 2009, I’ve been to the cinema a grand total of: 1 time.

Good thing it was Watchmen, which was a beautifully done movie, doing justice to its graphic novel origins.

Because of that, I’ve been missing out on plenty of movies. In part due to my conflicting schedules, laziness, and a lack of motivation.

Anyone up for movies? I feel like getting back to my big screen groove.

2 weeks ago, I got myself in a minor accident.

Just like any morning, I was on my way to the LRT station, and I passed this curve (which I pass without hassle every morning.)

Suddenly, I felt myself losing control of the car. What I felt was my left back wheel was lifted off the ground, and my car started spinning clockwise.

Did I mention it was raining just 15 minutes before disaster struck?

Did I also mention that I might have been driving a wee bit fast? Heh.

When my car came to a stop with a loud thud, I realize it was in this position.

My front left wheel was on the divider, and my rear right wheel hit the curb which prevented me from spinning to the other side of the road.

Pretty amazing, considering I managed to avoid hitting any of the trees, and there was minimal traffic that particular morning, when people generally head to their offices. I would have been a goner if there was another vehicle right behind me, as I was facing traffic when I stopped moving.

I literally took my car out for a spin.

The thing about being in a spinning car - You literally feel like time slowed down. No kidding here.

Perhaps it’s God’s way of telling me who’s in charge.

Total damage - 1 totaled rim, broken wheel bearing, a burst tire, and a whole lot of fear nerves.

I’m thankful for His hands, for I know it could have been much worse.

***
Now for some happy news - Not often a song comes along that literally pulls at your heart strings so intensely. It’s a feeling I can’t really explain, but can only be described as a sudden warmth when you hear the tune and the lyrics.

Here’s one that hit me recently:

This is Malaysian born Zee Avi, and her album’s just out, fresh from the oven. Have a chew on this.

Don’t ever, ever go to a country where beer is almost as cheap as water, if not cheaper.

And the Twitter setup is up!

On the sidebar of course.

Life is:

Taking a journey into the unknown, only for it to turn out to be so much better than expected.

It is also about having Ikan Bakar in a foreign land, with a combination of old & new found friends outside a church building in the chilly weather.

And of course, life is about jumping 1st, then fearing later. Especially if ‘later’ is a pool of water from the mountains with temperatures as cold as water you have left in the fridge for quite awhile. (Wonder if that’s the best form of expression.)

Jump 1st, fear later - Something all of us need a little of.

Finally, I’ve edited the Introduction page. Again.

Gratis means free, and free because I’m updating this blog post all the way from Indonesia, free! Courtesy of a certain telecommunications giant.

It’s spectacular!

I’ll see you guys when I get back.

As I’m typing this, I am about 18 hours away from leaving to Medan, then to Berastagi for about 2 days. I heard the weather there is even colder than Cameron Highlands. Fantastic piece of news!

After visiting some churches there, we’ll be heading off to Parapat, which is the transit point to Lake Toba, then the very next day head to Pematangsiantar. That would be the end of the mission trip.

It’s significant for me because:
i. This is gonna be my 1st mission trip since 2006, where we went to Kudat.
ii. It’s a church mission trip. Most of my previous trips were with CFs.
iii. It’s to a country I haven’t before. Slowly, the bucket list is decreasing.

After all that, I’ll be turning back to Lake Toba for a short break. Nothing’s been planned yet, no hotel’s been booked, & no itinerary has been created.

So before I go, here’s a little question which Pastor Sivin Kit asked me few months ago at the Read while Waiting Project:

“So, what’s been on your minds recently?”

Hopefully this will keep you people occupied while I’m away - I’m genuinely curious what’s on your minds!

Do check back - I might try to actually update from Indonesia!