Creating Contrast

odd

2009-12-08T04:33:44Z

In the span of a couple of hours,
I have had my name misspelled three times.
three different ways.
Jinelle
Jannelle
Jennel

I guess they're all sort of phonetically correct?
People know my name just that they don't see it around enough?
Odd.

urm yeah

2009-12-04T02:40:13Z

er. snow. :(

Stone Soup

2009-12-03T02:35:41Z

The creator/writer of the comic Stone Soup Jan Elliot lives in my city, Eugene Oregon.
So when she writes about happenings (ie. weather)
you can assume I am experiencing the same..

And with the temperature at 29 degrees Fahrenheit (-1.6667 degrees Celcius)
I am missing hot humid Singapore weather!

Retreat

2009-12-02T03:28:59Z

This was where we had Fall Retreat a couple weeks ago.
It was beeeyooouuteeffuulll...

my wedding

2009-11-29T08:11:21Z

Just a notice to my future husband.
I don't want a huge expensive wedding or dress or anything.

All I ask for are beautiful photographs
and memories for a lifetime..

puhpuhpuhpohker

2009-11-10T00:06:17Z

This is seriously hillarious! If you thought Lady GaGa was bad...
Last night someone found her "singing lessons" clip and sent it to one of the guys who leads worship and we all watched it. Hillarious. Imagine everyone with a computer downstairs had a couple people crowding round, watching her videos and laughing histerically pretty much...

So we had to find out if this girl was for real! because she is either really really sad (and we shouldn't laugh so much) or she is a genius.. OK the description of the Youtube video above is "this video took a really long time to do. it really shows off my triple threat because there is a lot of dancing in it. I hope you guys like it. haters, back off and dont say any mean comments." HAHAH Turns out she is actually some broadway actress/singer and this is all an act! I'm still pretty impressed because really i don't know alot of people who could do that and keep a straight face.. the video below is the same girl (Colleen Ballinger) really singing.

Rain Rain Go Away

2009-11-06T00:42:31Z

I think an aim I have for this year is to find a beautiful way to photograph rain/intherain? Because there's so much of it here and I'm going to be miserable if I only get excited about taking photos when its sunny(thus, very rarely)..

Wish me luck! Cause I'm going to need it..

You're Beautiful

2009-11-05T20:13:34Z

I love wednesday nights when everyone hangs out downstairs for worship practice..

Beautiful by Phil Wickham

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who You are
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful, you're beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful

I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You're beautiful
I see Your face, I see Your face
I see Your face, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful, You’re beautiful

ShingZ

2009-10-29T04:30:14Z

If this is the state of english in Singapore, it is shingz. I can only watch this video in 2 minute chunks. I have not been able to finish it. Yes, that bad.

Nothing Left to Lose

2009-10-28T06:38:32Z

I just spent 45 mins watching videos of Mat Kearney, wishing I was going to see him in concert next week. This song is about Eugene! (the town I'm in!) There's scenes at the end of our campus! He's from Eugene.

Don't feed the dog, it'll follow you around.

2009-10-19T02:30:31Z

So I guess I've been watching movies, but on friday we went to watch WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE! It was good. It was based on the children's story book by Maurice Sendak which i confess I did not read as a kid but i've read a couple years ago.. I was skeptical about how they could make a movie from a book with 9 sentences. But i guess that gives them so much more freedom to make things up because most other book-to-movie adaptations get the customary "it was not as good as the book". So when you have so little to compare with, the story line can go as far as it wants.. or as far as the writers want it to?

I loved that all the humor was just so random! It would be so fun to be a writer in movies because you could incorporate all your inside jokes and make them the randomest funny things ever! But ok, the movie isn't exactly a feel good kind of movie, it is a little uncomfortable at times but deep, meaningful.. it was a children's book, but if i was 7, and could actually get past the less than aesthetically pleasing 'wild things', i would not get half of why this movie was amazing! I really think children's books are written for adults. There're always so much more to the story than what the child would get and its the parents who really appreciate it. I would totally love writing children's books! You'd get to make them beautiful, whimsical and with so much below the surface to discover!

So when it gets to SIngapore, in say 5 months, go see it and tell me what you think!

this is not a love story

2009-10-13T05:53:55Z

So we went to watch 500 Days of Summer last night! finally! I was waiting for it all summer and it came out a couple days after i left Singapore and its finally at the dollar theater here!! Well, i really liked it. I'm going to try very hard and not give away the ending but I just wanted to write some of the things it made me think about.

Needless to say it is a beautifully shot movie! very artistic! and the costuming! beautiful! really, i just want to wear all her clothes!! I watched it with a whole bunch of people(there were girls and guys! this is not a chick flick!) and some really liked it, some liked some of it and some really hated it. Well, lets just say that for once it is not the usual romantic comedy and its pretty real. So there were people who were like why would i want to see something that's like real life?? But thats the point! (to me!) I mean, haven't we all been brainwashed enough about all the fake happily ever afters! OK how many "Cinderella Story"s have there been?? We watch these and start believing that life always goes according to my plans.. If i like him enough he'll like me and we'll be happy forever. Or he does all this because actually he's madly in love with me! and everything in between will eventually right itself and we'll be together forever.. Finally a movie that tells the side not usually told. And i think we can all agree it is real...

its not 7 pages

2009-09-25T16:00:40Z

So i really haven't been updating at all. But I don't know if i really want this to completely die so i'll try again. probably not a whole lot of updates but at least something to tell you guys i'm still alive over here in Oregon. Well, though it is very in fashion to have 7 page updates of my life, i doubt anyone wants to read that and i don't know if i want to write it. But just so you know, I was not picked up at the airport by a female cab driver.

I've been back in Oregon almost a week now and its been pretty sweet. I've moved house!! I had been praying about this alot last year. I felt like i needed a different kind of community, more of a family, more love and accountability. not that there was anything terribly wrong with where i lived last year, just that i needed something different in my walk right now.. and this was next to impossible for quite a few reasons. but God was teaching me to trust Him because i could do absolutely nothing to change the situation. I learned that if its Gods will for something, He is so capable if making it happen regardless of how impossible it seems so us..

And so here I am. A new resident at 1850 Onyx Street. Its what they call a co-op, run by my church and called the Onyx House! There are 30 guys and 30 girls living here.They cook for us!! We work together to keep it clean. We have College Group at the house on fridays (TODAY!) And best of all its like a family.. "Loving God with everything we've got and loving others with eveything He gives us!" I know living here is such a God-thing and He has big plans for everything..

We've been doing a whole bunch of things this week before school starts. Getting to know people, playing games,having adventures! We went to Wildwood, this waterfall, the other day (video is on fb), sand volleyball, nightly games of cutthroat mafia till the early hours of the morning. Really guys mafia can be fun with the card and the winking and all but cutthroat. whole new game. its like mafia but in real life. and in the dark. Yesterday we went to the beach and had a bonfire! it was so much fun! We're having a space dance party on Saturday too!

School is starting on tuesday. on one hand i'm sad we're going to have to stop playing so much but I'm also excited to finally do some work. i know that sounds odd but three months is almost too long of a holiday.. but i'm excited! a whole bunch of new beginings!

I'll try and keep this updated more? but no guarantees.. probably more of my thoughts and less of 'this is what i did today' :)
take care guys! love you lots!!

SUMMERRR

2009-06-23T08:26:33Z

For those who may still read this blog, well, I'm home for Summer!! I don't have H1N1, so if you want a break from studying for mid-years/prelims/Alevels, call me!! haha

I've just started this 'Something A Day' thing, where i aim to put up a photo or something creative everyday. I also now have a pro Flickr account thanks some awesome friends in Oregon! So i'll have all the memory i want to put up all this stuff! :)

invisible children

2009-05-01T06:31:41Z

Yup! this is what i did last weekend! 'The Rescue' to raise awareness for Joseph Kony's abducted child soldiers in Uganda. The idea was to abduct ourselves from our comforts, walk quite a distance to the camp site and wait to be rescued. Being rescued meant that we had media covering the event and someone of political or popular culture influence came and pledged to do something about what is going on in Uganda. I was in Portland with about 500 other people and we wrote letters to the political people of Oregon, made art and contacted media networks. (We were trying to get HARRISON FORD to come rescue us, plus Brendan Fraser, cos they were filming some movie nearby. But they didn't show :( ) We got rescued in the end by Amy Roloff (who i had never heard of) from the reality TV show 'Little People Big World'. So that in a sense is pretty awesome because her speech and the cause will be on their show for MORE people to watch!

I've probably been pretty skeptical about what good any protesting anything will do,(Good Singaporean mindset, plus you could get arrested in singapore) I mean what can little me do? But the point of it all is expressing your view and getting people to think about it! I can't go down to Uganda and stop the war but if i can get the attention of those who can do something about it isn't that great?

I was sitting there listening to the Watoto Childrens Choir, kids who have been rescued from Uganda, and they were awesome! They sang this song that went "I am not forgotten, I am not forgotten,I am not forgotten. God knows my name!" I realized that yeah we're here trying get attention for this forgotten injustice but its the world that has forgotten about this, because God has not forgotten them! Yes, there will still be suffering in this world but its never becase God didn't remember his creation in some part of the world. He knows. and it breaks his heart too...

I probably had more to talk abt but i better post this before it becomes too old news..

This IS Happening!

2009-04-25T13:45:19Z

I'VE BEEN ABDUCTED!
COME TO THE RESCUE!

yup yup yup!!

2009-03-18T03:08:40Z

Last weekend this couple from church got married, and the bride walked in with 'Life in Technicolor' by Coldplay! how cool is that? played live too! Apparently she had this pact with all her friends that they would not at any cost play Canon in D at their weddings, so she picked coldplay! so awesome.. I would love to do do something cool like that! got to find a guy who will let me do insane stuff like that! hahah :)

OK finals are officially done!! super duper happy!!! Now i'm allowed to be excited for BRRRRAAAAZZZZZIIIIIILLLLLL!!! :) :) :) I cannot tell you how excited! I just got an email from my host family! and they don't speak much english at all.. SO! this will be a BIG adventure! hahaha i have no idea what i'm getting myself into.. So guys, i would really appreciate some prayer for communication. i want to be a good guest and really love the people i meet. but so far i know "Como Estas" meaning "How are you?" and you respond with "Muito Bem Obrigado" which is "Good! Thank You!" and "Boa Noite" is "Good Night!" hahha yup! I don't think i've really explained what i'm actually doing. Basically, i'm going with a few people from the youth group i attend (here i have grauated to 'College Group' haha), including the youth pastor and his wife, with one of the students who's going back home to Brazil for good. Total of 10 people! Oldest being Joaquim the Brazilian guy who's 30, and youngest being me, the troublesome non-American citizen minor person. Hahah it was hillarious the amount of trouble i get myself into. all of which they did not anticipate.. funneh. BUT it all worked out and I'M GOING ON THURS!!! super excited! So, we're going there to spend time with the people there, the church here has some ties with a couple churches there, and hanging out at an orphanage. But i wouldn't call it a mission trip because we don't really have a program or anything planned, so we're going there and just seeing who we meet and what we can do.. I am so taking my camera! and i am so so excited! Pray for me!! I will tell you guys ALL about it after!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAE!!

2009-03-05T08:17:16Z

HAHAH!! jkjk :)
getting old ah?! haha 18! my gosh!
okok check your mail!! (if you haven't already)

postsecret

2009-03-03T03:39:04Z

I really love reading postsecret.com! sometimes they're just so honest and artful. though sometimes, very crude and immature, but, ah well, such is life. But i really hate how you can only read the current week's postcards; he's trying to get you to buy his book! haha Anyway, i found this forum where people put up their favs. SO here are some on that page that i found beautiful or amusing..

:)

who holds my hand

2009-02-23T19:35:11Z

I'm currently in the BRAINERD computer lab trying to print my photo project on these massive printers. You'd think their size would mean they'd be faster, but no. i think i've already been here a half hour and its on page 7 of 18!!! hahah an i have none of my other readings or hw to do here... perfect.

What have i been thinking about? well, choices about the future. spring term is considered the future too.. and i'm praying hard that i get the classes i need even though i only get to register in a week and seniors start today. i cannot wait to up my standing and maybe i'll actually get to pick what classes i want. I HAVE DECIDED! i need to take a PE class. been wasting away in winter, storing up the fats. gosh i'm going to look gross in brazil. BUT i'm going to come back and work it off! oh man, totally trying to convince myself. yeah, so i need a PE class.

But more importantly, they're been a bunch of other things i'm mulling about, trying to see where God wants me to be, what He thinks is best. you know that hymn? "i don't know about tomorrow, la dah dah dah dah, but i know who holds my hand" :)

innocent, honest and beautiful

2009-02-22T04:04:04Z

For whoever still reads this, hah not many, just wanted to tell you guys abt my photo taking adventure this week. I had to 'document a process or activity' using the shot types we learnt in journalism class so after many failed attempts at various different activities, i managed to go take photos where my friend Adelle works, Moss Street Children's Center. The kids were amazing! Kids and camera! the best hour and a half ever! this would be my dream job, seriously. i would not ever call it work! i know this sounds totally cliched and whatnot but its just that those kids are totally innocent and honest and beautiful and they let me in on it.. and that is just the best thing ever!

OH RIGHT! and you can see the photos by clicking the magic button!

odd, interesting

2009-02-19T08:19:36Z

Just wanted to tell you guys the odd interesting things i've been learning!
(in point form, cos my brain is totally scrambled)

1. I don't know what i think is most important so we start at number 2.

2. I've been trying to learn a little Portuguese and i discovered that!
everyone in SIngapore/Malaysia and pretty much around there, unknowingly knows how to day hello in portuguese! Oi! hahha cool right! don't believe me? watch the first few seconds of the video!

3. I learnt in visual comm class, talking about typography, what my school logo is based on. (haha sorry i couldn't find a better logo) The outer ring is the shape of our football stadium, Autzen Stadium, and the inner ring is the shape of the track field, Hayward Field. I'm pretty much in a school built around its sports. University of Nike.

4. i learnt something i found so poetic and beautiful at church on sunday. You know that verse where Peter asks Jesus how may times he has to forgive some annoying guy, and Jesus says "seventy times seven" (mathew 18:22) I don't know about you guys, but i've always been told "oh! in those days! 490 was a BIG number! like how 5 cents was worth a lot more!" But Jesus said somethign way more poetic than a statement whose meaning is lost with inflation. He was probably refering to Genesis 4:23-24, a story about Cain's son Lamech. he was an awful guy. killed a man because he stubbed his toe or something? and he was so vengeful about life, he proudly told his TWO wives (btw, this is the epitome of the guy you do not want to marry, also first recorded bigamist) "hey i killed a man, but don't worry about people coming after us because if people will kill seven times if Cain is harmed, I will kill seventy times seven times if someone tries to hurt me!" SO Jesus was saying that for infinite hate, we are to give infinite forgiveness.
Isn't that just goregeous?

hope that wasn't too preachy and had a bit of the beauty that got me.

artsy fartsy short films

2009-02-03T22:20:08Z

Well, it has been long.
(i need to purpose to start an entry without the "gosh, i haven't updated in ages" thing we go through everytime)

La Jetée [warning: 26 mins long, so yeah.]

I watched this short film in photo class yesterday! It was interesting because it is made up of only still photographs and only like 3 seconds of film footage. Cool story too! For you guys who've read Time Traveler's Wife, that was SO inspired by this. Also inspired '12 Monkeys', have not watched it but it apparently has Brad Pitt as a psycho so, hmm. Interestingly, this film was also mentioned in my Visual Comm class last week, so i quite like how all my classes are somewhat interrelated this term. with the exception of math, of course.

Validation [also its 16 mins. haha]

So if you did watch La Jetee, here's happy feel good short film, just to neutralize it. TJ Thyne from Bones. Cute story, albeit cheesy but hey, v-day is round the corner! haha

for you guys doing orientation, stay hyper!
those in orientation, stay alive!
and those not in orientation yet, it will work out..

r.a.n.d.o.m.

2009-01-18T01:36:09Z

Wow, i haven't been here in ages.
I was just going to tell you all about how I've been inducted into the american norm of losing socks in the laundry. But then i found it on the dryer this morning so, mystery solved and i still have all my socks.

Its been cold here. probably not as cold as some other places but cold enough for lazy me to want to stay in the house with the heat on and hot milo. Thank God for Milo. But no! I'm going to go out today though it is at present 1 degee celcius at noon.

We tried watching Amelie the other night. Such sad people we are, that even with 2 dvds, 2 computers, 1 TV, it still refused to work for stupid reasons like no sound or no subtitles. very very annoying. SO i need to go to the library and borrow their copy, maybe three's the charm? haha so yes, another reason why i need to get out of the house.

I went to an 80s dance party last night. Y-M-C-A!! And i realised I was born in the 90s! i have never experienced the 80s! haha though i doubt you got much groovying done in your infancy even if you were born in the 80s..

This. is. such. a random. update. that. is. putting. off. going. outside.
haha ok I'm going!
_________

Ok back from a very odd walk. I was tagging photos on facebook and i realize its pretty ridiculous, cos i don't have most people on facebook! after a while i gave up naming them, cos you all know who they are. So the JYM Christmas party looks like it was officially only attended by Adeline, Siyu, Hsin qin, Nadine, Sarah and Wilson! hahah please find yourselves and add me as your friend!

pull shapes

2009-01-06T03:16:54Z

I'm feeling lots better now, though my body clock is still bonkers. And i don't blame it, seeing how my unintentional 6 hr naps have already occurred twice. I'm forcing myself to stay awake right now, and its only 4.40.

I love this one! Its the mission trip-ers doing their spice girls dance and joycelyn expressing her disgust at their questionable mental health. I've got some from the party up on my flickr already, and now its January i can put more up soon. BC photo at Krys's house is there too! here

Angus, thongs soundtrack has been keeping my company! haha

dance with me pretty boy tonight
dance with me and we'll be alright