Time of Trial

I realized I needed to upgrade my choice of books to include 'adult - fiction/non-fiction' when I walked into a bookstore and saw all my favourite authors in the 'teenage fiction' section. :O Dangit!

Michael Pryor's newest book - Time of Trial is out!! (aren't I glad I visited the bookshop?? - LOL)


Time of Trial blurb:
The mysterious Beccaria Cage could be the cure for Aubrey’s condition: a way to reunite his body and soul. But could its usefulness hide something more sinister?

After Aubrey narrowly escapes the worst fate he can imagine, he realises that there is only one thing to do: he must confront his nemesis. With George and Caroline at his side, he travels to Holmland – the home of Dr Tremaine and the heart of hostile territory – only to face magical conundrums, near-death experiences, ghosts, brigands and enemies on their own ground.
Fisherberg is a city on a knife edge. Can Aubrey solve its mysteries before Dr Tremaine’s warmongering machinations tip the world into chaos?


If you like witty retorts, magic and adventure - this is the book for you. :D

I wonder if this is how You felt...

I couldn't sleep well last night. I was angry, frustrated and felt very unforgiving. The cause? A customer I had to serve a few hours before. So the story goes like this: customer dropped off a dress to be altered in the morning, she was to pick up the dress in the afternoon at around 4. My shift was from 3-9, so I didn't know about the said dress to be altered. Anyway, so she came at 4, turns out the dress hasn't been altered yet, because it was left in a plastic bag and under piles of clothing - fine, our fault, I totally agree. She started rambling on about how she dropped it off in the morning and demanded to know why it wasn't done etc, saying how she had work at 5 and stuff. It was totally our fault so I apologized profusely and asked for the customer to come back in 30mins. She snatched away her docket and left with an extremely sour face - "I am NOT happy about this!"

This part was okay, I mean, I understand why she'd be so pissed - I would be too. It as AFTER when she came back to pick her dress up @4:45 that what she said really got me. So yes, she came back 45mins later (cmon, you're supposed to come back in 30 mins!) Anyway, we gave her the dress and as an apology we gave her a discount voucher. She was unsatisfied. She demanded we give her back some money for "the inconveniences we'd caused (eg. being late for work)", SO we did another 10% off (on top of the discount voucher) - still unhappy. So I told her, that sorry, this is the best we can do etc etc etc and the boss isn't here so I'm not allowed to give anymore. I asked her to come back the next morning to talk to the boss - instead of an "okay", I got: "NO, I want my money now. I'm not going to leave until you give me money and there are customers waiting so deal with it" - OMG, THE NERVE OF THAT WOMAN. She trying to threaten the business?! I mean seriously! She's the one complaining that she's late for work and here she is, deciding to stand there until we give her more money!

I kept trying to tell her my hands are tied and I cannot do anything TODAY, but if she came back TOMORROW, we could sort something out. But nooooooo, she wanted us to call the boss and talk to him. I did, she got back $20 + discount voucher and left.

Heck, that time, I was glad she was gone. I didn't really feel any anger then, probably cos I had to focus on other customers and had to serve them. But yeah, it's when I got back home and was in bed that I started to playback what had happened earlier...I worked myself up and got myself really angry at her. I was shouting profanities in my head, thinking of what I could've said back. Basically I was plotting revenge. haha. I know. So unChrist-like. It got to the point where I was feeling so much hate I couldn't sleep...and then it dawned on me that I cannot be like this, I had to forgive her (plus, the following evening I had to lead a prayer night! Talking about FORGIVING PEOPLE!) But I did not have the strength to forgive. Only God has. So I asked God to give me the strength that I don't have to forgive this person. It took a while, I was reluctant, but eventually I did...

And it was then I realized if I felt this angry towards someone I didn't even know, how must God have felt when his own CHILDREN disobeyed Him, slandered Him, belittled Him, did all sorts of things God HATES?? How must He have felt? As angry as I felt? If anyone had the right to be angry, it was Him, right?? Yet He still had so much love for us. It continues to amaze me how GREAT our Father in heaven is! I praise Him for showing us the love we do not deserve, even though countless time we saddened and angered Him, He still loved. Praise God! You are awesome! PTL!

Micah 7:18-20

¹⁸ Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy.

¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us;
you will tread our sins underfoot
and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

²⁰ You will be faithful to Jacob,
and show love to Abraham,
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors
in days long ago.

Hellfire

I've always loved Disney's Hunchback of Notre-Dame. I had an urge one day to watch the movie so I googled and download it (boys and girls, please rent/buy the DVD). The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was probably the darkest, 'adult' movie made by Disney. It contains themes of lust, hell, social injustice (prejudice) and murder. Back when I first watched it (when I was around 7/8) I didn't really understand the deeper 'issues' the movie focuses on...but now that I've re-watched it, my view of this movie has changed- not in a bad way, rather, in a way where I watch/listen in awe of how the producers tell this wonderful tale.

'Hellfire' (video above) is a perfect example of the producers' incredible story telling. Judge Claude Frollo, the antagonist of the film sings about his infatuation, lust and hate for Esmeralda; convinced he's under her 'black spell'. He hallucinates: a fiery silhouette (Esmeralda), foreboding shadows, monks in red cloaks (most probably his conscience) - Desire/Hate, Good/Bad, Salvation/hell?? - ahhh, this is probably my favourite part of the movie!

Why I like the song so much? Because of the way it was done: Frollo's baritone voice against the Confiteor which contrasts with what Frollo actually sings (see below). Frollo blames his lust for Esmeralda on the spell she has supposedly cast - 'it's not my fault, I'm not to blame!'. But he know that deep down in his conscience (represented by the red-cloaked monks), he knows that that's not true - "mea culpa, mea maxima culpa (through my fault, through my grievous fault)". Ultimately, he reaches a conclusion: to let her burn on the pyre or to keep Esmeralda to himself. It is only near the end of the song when the chanting and Frollo's plea become similar - "God have mercy on her" (Kyrie Eleison - Lord have mercy), "God have mercy on me" (Kyrie Eleison - Lord have mercy). I think it's a wonderfully crafted song...and I hope you'll enjoy the thought and effort the song writer and composer put into a mere 3 minutes of screen-time.

Priests

Confiteor Deo Omnipotenti (I confess to God almighty)

Beatae Mariae semper Virgini (To blessed Mary ever Virgin)

Beato Michaeli archangelo (To the blessed archangel Michael)

Sanctis apostolis omnibus sanctis (To the holy apostles, to all the saints)

Frollo

Beata Maria

You know I am a righteous man

Of my virtue I am justly proud

Priests

Et tibit Pater (And to you, Father)

Frollo

Beata Maria

You know I'm so much purer than

The common, vulgar, weak, licentious crowd

Priests

Quia peccavi nimis (That I have sinned)

Frollo

Then tell me, Maria

Why I see her dancing there

Why her smold'ring eyes still scorch my soul

Priests

Cogitatione (In thought)

Frollo

I feel her, I see her

The sun caught in raven hair

Is blazing in me out of all control

Priests

Verbo et opere (In word and deed)

Frollo

Like fire

Hellfire

This fire in my skin

This burning

Desire

Is turning me to sin

It's not my fault

Priests

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

Frollo

I'm not to blame

Priests

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

Frollo

It is the gypsy girl

The witch who sent this flame

Priests

Mea maxima culpa (Through my most griveous fault)

Frollo

It's not my fault

Priests

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

Frollo

If in God's plan

Priests

Mea culpa (Through my fault)

Frollo

He made the devil so much

Stronger than a man

Priests

Mea maxima culpa (Through my most griveous fault)

Frollo

Protect me, Maria

Don't let this siren cast her spell

Don't let her fire sear my flesh and bone

Destroy Esmeralda

And let her taste the fires of hell

Or else let her be mine and mine alone

Guard

Minister Frollo, the gypsy has escaped

Frollo

What?

Guard

No longer in the cathedral. She's gone

Frollo

But how? Never mind. Get out, you idiot

I'll find her. I'll find her if I have to burn down all of Paris

Hellfire

Dark fire

Now gypsy, it's your turn

Choose me or

Your pyre

Be mine or you will burn

Priests

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

Frollo

God have mercy on her

Priests

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

Frollo

God have mercy on me

Priests

Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy)

Frollo

But she will be mine

Or she will burn!

Btw, baritone voices are sexy... (O.O)

ENJOY!!
GL out

Ahh..

Right, day 2 of 130+ days of holiday...and I impressed myself by cleaning and tidying up my room. I managed to collect a whole bag of paper to be recycled...and my desk is nice, neat and clean! Yay.

I've also begun to search for casual/part-time jobs so I won't waste away at home with nothing to do! But I'm slacking off now...the thought of writing cover letters to each job application is putting me off...sigh...I'll make myself write them tonight :/

I really want to read good books. ANY suggestions?? I prefer fantasy-fiction (because I like to escape the real world reading about fantasy ones?!?! LOL) but fiction/biographical/smtg like "My Sister's Keeper" would be good too.

Here's my to-do-list:
- find part-time/casual jobs
- draw
- read
- ...
- D:
- x.x

Okay, I'm outta ideas...

BUT here's Shinee's new MV! It sounds stupid, but it's addictive O.o *hums*


HAHA, this reminds me of a "nooooooooooo" moment in a conversation with my sis on one of Shinee's members:

*Conversation below is paraphrased*

GL: "That's Taemin *points to screen*, isn't he cute?"
Sis: "How old is he?"
GL: "I think he's 16-" *googles* "Yeah, 16..."
Sis: "Grace, you're too old for him."
GL: *...* "Nooooooooooooooooooooo"

HAHAHA, I didn't "no" because he was too young for me or whatever. I "noooo'ed" because her comment made me feel like a paedophile/cougar for saying that Taemin's cute.. TT-TT and I'm not! Hah....enjoy.

Dundundundudnudn

Wasting time again...HAHA. Survived the first exam on Wednesday, now preparing for the second one tomorrow! It's an online unit, but we have to physically go to the exam venue and put pencil to paper...anyway, just wondering how can the mature-aged students (those who have worked but are returning to uni to study - incl married and elderly ppl) have so much motivation to do well in the exam?

I was just browsing through the online discussion group and noticed that the discussions are dominated by these mature-aged students. There were HEAPS of messages posted, discussion on answers and questions they came up with themselves...and I'm like O.o woah. They have already finished revising and going through their notes and things and I haven't even started! I wish I could be like them. FTW MATURE AGED STUDENTS!

Look at all the messages and how the board is dominated by the same few ppl?? Wah. Most of these are mature-aged students...

OHOHOH, I also can't wait to watch the new Korean drama starring Park Shin-hye (from Stairway to Heaven) - "You're Beautiful"

Storyline goes, A.N. JELL (how lame) a boy band are looking for their fourth and newest member of the group. They find the male twin (played by Shin-hye) of two fraternal twins. But soon the male twin is involved in an accident and is unable to perform his duties in the band...so they get his female twin to replace him until he recovers...(storyline familiar much?!)


But yeah...I still wanna watch it cos I wanna see how Shin-hye will act :) PLEASE DON'T LET THIS BE ANOTHER COFFEE PRINCE. O.O That was just awkward.

Why is it always?

Ugh...once again I find myself blogging even when I'm not supposed to! Argh! My exams start on Wednesday and here I am...typing...sigh.

I wonder why I always blog when I'm having exams, or when I have an assignment due. I think I'm trying to escape - heh.

This year's youth camp was the coldest, rainiest, dirtiest- did I mention coldest camp ever!! The weather that weekend was HORRIBLE. It rained almost all the time, it also hailed at one point; the hailstones were pretty big too. I also had a little 'accident' on the first evening too: I slipped in the mud and muddied my jeans! And guess what, my friend did the same thing too! (even after I warned everyone not to run). Haha. We also had to shorten and limit what could have been a great afternoon of games. Was pretty disappointed because I had spent quite a bit of time organizing the games... oh well. AND, goodness me, I left my phone at the campsite too O.o So I am without my phone, I feel so handicapped as I cannot contact people effectively :(

But despite everything that happened, God provided us with an amazing x10210 speaker!

The theme this year was "A Life Worth Dying For" based on Philippians 1:21 "for to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Pastor Philip Kua did 3 theme talks with us, and I can say, I was listening so intently to him all that time. I am even more surprised that some members of my youth group, the ones that go to camps just for fun actually paid a lot of attention during the talk, they even took notes! I am so proud of them! The Lord was certainly blessing our camp and the speaker! I've learnt a lot from this camp. I pray that my desire to learn will not die down.

I would like to elaborate more, but alas, I have to go back to revision...I don't have many photos, cos I was too busy during the camp to take any. But I think there are some on Facebook, there's videos of our talent night too! Go check it out...somehow...

GL out!