30 it is!

The end of my 30 BEFORE 30 journey! Can't believe that I have made a very long project :) Two years! I haven't accomplished everything on my list, but yet I still feel so very happy because I have write off most of the challenging things. I have made my first tattoo, which mean I can do another one (yay!) and I did take my mum on a mother and daughter holiday :)

Well, the next posts will be the post about what I did that I haven't published yet.

So here comes a new decade for me :) I know it will be great!

The Rhythm of Life

I've come to the last month before my 30th birthday. Since my project started two years ago, I think I've accomplished so much. It's not the many things I've done on my list, because it's not completed yet, but it's about how far I've became. For the past two years, I've became a little bit more crazier, which is a great sign because I can enjoy life a little bit more, but most important is that I started to know more about myself. It's really a great thing if you know about yourself, not from what people think or say about you, but it's more about what you feel about yourself. This life is a long journey, and the more I know about myself, the more I know the rhythm that my heart and body can follow. I've considered that I'm a slow rhythm kind of person. I love to stop and enjoy the moment and I'm not comfortable in any rush of things. The more people push me to rush things, the more likely I would fall down and usually hurt myself (and my heart).

Thinking of that, I kinda wonder why people nowadays like to rush things? I know it's a demand to earn a living you have to be the fastest, the most improved person, the one that makes the big numbers, and so on... but after you got those numbers, or being the fastest, other people will do more and more and it's an never ending. And it's okay to have done that once in your life, we have to experience things to know how it really is, but considering doing that kinda thing for decades? That's about the scariest thing I could think of. Yet lots of people are doing that. I would like to share a short story from Paulo Coelho's book "Like the flowing river":

The Funny Thing About Human Beings

A man asked my friend Jamie Cohen: 'What is the human being's funniest characteristics?' Cohen said: 'Our contradictoriness. We are in such a hurry to grow up, and then we long for our lost childhood. We make ourselves ill earning money, and then spend all our money on getting well again. We think so much about our future that we neglect the present, and thus experience neither the present nor the future. We live as if we were going to die, and die as if we had never lived.

Unused Photos

Have you ever unintentionally made some photos from your smartphone because you forget to close the app or just pressed the wrong button? I've did that many times, mostly between photos I wanted to made. I thought it would be nice to use those unused photo for a little art project. I use my favorite app, Line Camera, did some cropping and color editing, and just stamp a long to make a story!

Cuddly cat out in the sun

Ballerina's dream

Unicorn tend 

Hanging by a treat

A love letter for the cat

5 books that changed your life?

By the spirit of Paulo Coelho's question about what 5 books that changed my life, I kinda need a few seconds to think of it. I looked at the list of 50 books that changed the world (another Paulo's post), and got to realized that in my entire life I've only read two of them (technically one and a half because I haven't read the whole bible). So this is my list of books that changed my life in order from the latest:

1. Veronika decides to die by Paulo Coelho
   
   This is actually the second book of Paulo that I read. It's a book about craziness. I mean it really opened my mind, where in this world where "normal" is devined by a group of people that have power after other people, it leads for the free-hearted people to be traped and left so empty. Some people even are more afraid of being out there in the "normal people world" and being in an institution house. The story gives the feeling that we are not alone in this world (for the free-hearted people) and normal is just an idea.
   
2. The Shack by by William P. Young
   
   The Shack actually was the book that came in the right time and place. I was at the point in my life where I felt like I don't have a life and I don't know what I will do with my life and soon on when one night, after work, me and my friend went to the bookstore where we rarely do because in the town where I work, only have to very small bookstore and it's better to go to a bookstore in the city, when I found this book. On the back cover, as I remembered says it's the book for people who needs direction in life, so I bought it for no reason. Out of the boredom, I read the book and I even cried in the end. It took only one night to read the whole thing. And that's when I started to discover things that I wanted to do in life, including starting my 30Before30 list.
   
3. The secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd
   
   This my my favorite book turned into a movie. I loved it so much and it is one of those books that can made me so emotional. The book is more as encouragement for young ladys to be strong going through this life. It really suits me through he hardship I went through in my twenties.
   
4. The great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
   
   My favorite book growing up! I think I read it mor than 20 times!!!!! I didn't even owned the book. I read it in the library all through my high school days. Yep, I rarely made friends that time. I enjoyed my days in the library, reading books I loved. This book is a alone life type book, but I just love the darkness of the story.
   
5. The Secret Garden is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
   
   I first read it in elementary and instantly felt in love with the story. I think I kinda felt related a bit because I'm the only child and some thing like that. I love the adventure in the book and how in the end the little girl made it a happy garden. I grow up dreaming of it. The big house, a big bed that have a window of the garden, and of course, having to nurture a secret garden of my own. And that's the basic thing that still lives in my fantasy.

Anyway, sometimes you just read for fun, but sometimes, the books can teach you life lesson in the meaning that it gives you a guide to think more about your life. Well, those are the 5 books that changed my life. What's yours? And why?

Quote of the month

Oh dear, it's May already, just one and a half months to my 30B30 due date and still lots to do! What happened to my life since last December was really out of my plans and had changed my life so much. That's why I didn't post much like I used too (and it's a bad thing). I was drowned so much in my problems, because trouble is like an unwanted friend that accompany me through the days. I got stressed-out and I guess it's so near to getting depressed. I know in my heart I want to quit this unhealthy lifestyle I'm going through right now (I'm working 12-14 hours everyday, not that I got more on my salary, and sometimes on Saturdays and Sundays too), but the logic part of me made me stay because I have bigger goals than that. So here I am... Losing almost 5 of my precious months of my 20s! But I'm not quitting my 30B30 list, I'm still trying to accomplish it. I've even done some of the list but haven't made a post and I have plans for the rest. 46 days to go =) it's a bit of a wake-up call! I got to make these last days count. Here we go, let's start from this:

May 2013 Quote - anonymous

Quote of the month

If your days are dull and gloomy, if everything that you do is not towards what you've dream of, if the days seems so long and the pain is never ending, if trouble comes over and over, I would love to hear this quote from someone =)

A story about life

Found a movie by the recommendation of my friend R, the kind of movie I like. Judging by it's cover, it's so much like the Love Actually cover, and that is true because the director is the same. It's been a long time people made movies like this, so I'm so eager to see it.

The story is about some English seniors that came to India with different expectation, but lives in the same roof of Marigold Hotel they reserved from a web. It relates to real life by telling the story that not everything will worked out as you've planned. And sometimes, it's not always sweet at what people think is the end, because quoting from the narator, "Everything will be alright in the end so if it is not alright it is not the end." HAHAHA... it's true! 

Observing from the movie, I guess that most of us are trapped in someway or another of the life that we done really want to live in, but too afraid to take the other way. That is what I related the most. And I think most of us feel the same. I can count with my hand of how much people say the are happy at where they are right now. And like the character of Douglas, people are caged by their own will, because they are mostly good people that won't hurt somebody else, and having to spend 30 years of his life living unhappy. Then there's Graham, who is caged by his own thought that he made the man that he love suffered. But the good thing about the story of this movie is that they still have the time to change things.

After watching it, I can't leave the thought that I'm one of those people who spent my life (specially the last 4 years) living the life that I don't want to. And yes, I'm also trapped by my own thoughts. I knew it all the way but always got scare to change things. So I'm glad watching this movie because it gives me a little encouragement I got so little from people around me. I've made the plan that I think would change my life. It would took me about two years to do that. I know I'm a slow runner, but I usually will get ti where I'm heading. So I'll just be positive about things and carry on!

Do you like movies about live? Have you seen it? What do you think?

Inked

Finally!!! Number one on my 30 Before 30 list, getting a tattoo is DONE!

Something I wanted from a long time ago. I remembered, since I was about 14 I wanted to have a tattoo. I always like to make those temporary ones. This time, it is real and permanent. The letter "L" is inked!

Being inked

The tattoo artist

My process of getting a tattoo was not an easy one. I was introduced to the tattoo artist by my co-worker. His name is Andre. The tattoo artist wanted me to have a clean and healthy tattoo, and I surely agreed with that. So he asked me to do some blood test (which were more expensive than the tattoo itself!). Because it was my first tattoo (not my last, hopefully...), I did all the blood test he recommended. A HIV-test was needed. It took 3 days for the result. It was negative, well, it was supposed to be because the fact that my life was far from crazy things (before 2011) and I even considered boring hahaha... I had the tattoo at my house! Yes, the tattoo artist was so kind he would likely go to our house with his lots and lots of equipment. It took 15 minutes to prepare and only about 10 minutes to make my letter "L" tattoo. And yes it hurt, it's a tattoo after all, but it's so bearable! So here I'm, inked with the letter "L". I love it so much!

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I have a dream and I'm working towards it :) dear nice people, please vote for my post:

Thank you all!

This is my video:

The Letter is L

Tomorrow. Wednesday. 6 P.M. My house. The letter is L.

I have decided, I'm gonna inked a letter "L" on my wrist like the picture above (I got from the Internet). I first thought about the idea in the bathroom when I saw my letter "L" pendant. "L" represents my name Liesha, and not only that, I remembered that my lovely grandma's signature is an "L" Latin alphabet. I admire her so much. She's a very strong intelligent woman. She reads lots and lots of books, she owns a bookstore, her favorite author was Pearl S. Buck, and she loves to grow orchids. She have lived in the difficult times and yet have made an success by her own. Had traveled to Australia by herself at the time when traveling was not easy. So for every reasons, I want to put that spirit into something permanent. And L also stands for LIVE LIFE, LOVE, and LAUGH, all that make life worth living for.

So grandma, this is for you :)

When the night comes

When you were little and growing up, have you ever wondered what it's like when nights falls? Well, I always do. I when I was 6 or 7, I had to get to bed no later than 9 P.M., but I know that not everyone have to sleep at that time. That's what makes me wonder, what is like at night time? And growing up, I get to know the life of night time. By college ages, I lived at that moment. By this age know, I have lived by the day time, night time, and even dawn, where most of the world was sleeping because I have to traveled at that time. But for now, I went back to the "normal" life. I know that "normal" is a stereotype, but that's how I would described it. It's been two months now, and normal for me seems more and more to be a scary word after all.

To spark things up a little bit, I have recreated what seems to be my imagination when I was a kid! To be the owner of the night, have the streets for myself, and dance 'till the sunrises!

The street is ours and you can't have it!

Dancing in the streets! What I've always wanted to do :)

And you could always sleep (if you wanted to.. but not me!)

Woohoo! It's our playground tonight!

With our friend, the ninja photographer!

And never forget to bring your beloved with you!

Quote of the month

This month quote is from Mr.A-Z himself, Jason Mraz. It's from his song "I won't give up", the one thing I really need right now. And I guess that three things are the things I have to learn everyday so I won't forget about my dreams.

posted from Bloggeroid

I had a dream

After a hard two months of struggling in moving, disaster, home renovation, and adapting to my new life, I finally got a break. Last night, I finally can do things I missed, making my nailart, watching too much National Geography and TLC, browsing Pinterest, and those kinda stuff hahaha... Well, I guess, I'm starting to get back in track, or may I say, getting to roll in the new track.

Well, what happened is that this morning I had a very wonderful dream that I really wish I hadn't got a cough and woke up. I dreamed I was attending a family affair in India (INDIA!!!). I don't know how that happen! But I was so trilled. And when I arrived there, like everyone was so busy doing their own things, and well, like the actually family gatherings, I always was not fit-in anywhere, so while they were busy, I had time for myself to go out for a walk. So, there I was, in India (I always wanted to go there!), having a lot of time for my own, IT WAS AWESOME! Then the next great thing happen, as I was walking down the street feeling happy and all that, I notice that a lot of people dances a long the street. I thought it was fun! Then I took a road without thinking too much like I usually do, and it was heading to a white temple. There was a group of Indian soldiers riding big fancy horses with much decoration on it. As I was walking, I also got in the way of one of the soldier. I'm glad he wasn't angry at me. Behind the soldiers, I saw a lady with a lama (weird, right?) and she said that it was a dancing lama. If I wanted to, I could dance with the lama. Of course I accepted the lady's offer! So she handed me the rope, and she said that the lama will started to synchronize with me first, so we can dance  in the same rhythm. So there I was, holding the lama's rope then I woke up!!!!! UUUUGH! I really hated to have to wake up. The dream felt so really and I was so happy, something I hadn't felt for a long time :( Well, I hoped it will be a real thing and soon hahaha... 

I just wanna share this picture I got from Pinterest, I guess it's because the impression this beautiful lama's eyes that made my had that strange dream. 

Hello 2013

Although 2012 has been been a rough year for my dear blog, I did managed to do somethings I'm gonna remembered for the rest of my life. In random order, those things are:

1. Won a festival ticket to Katy Perry's California Dream Tour and seeing her in the front of the line
2. Went to Cambodia all by myself and got lost while cycling to the Angkor Wat temples (my first solo travel abroad)
3. Made an insane youtube video (my first), a very bad E.T. version of Katy Perry, though I'm happy I'd made my friends laugh until they cried
4. Watch Jason Mraz live with my dear friends
5. Spent a quality time with my Mum at our holiday at Phuket and Singapore
6. Had a wonderful time at Vietnam with my hubby, I love the food so muuuuuch and the coffee (YUM!!)
7. Performed a surprised wacky gangnam style dance which me and my crazy duo friend made up at an office gathering
8. Made a memorable pictures of my Teddy Bear with each 86 faces at my 'ex'office (from my boss to the office janitor, everyone is in)
9. Found my way home... which mean I'm moving back to my birth town. This is me moving for the 11th time in my life

So those are the summary of my 2012. I had a new start this 2013, living with my husband (we live in different cities since before we got married) and having a new office, so all I wanna work out this year is: courage to go through all of the things ahead of me, moving forward as my strength to let go of the past and focus on now, and listening to my heart as my guidance to make my next move towards my dream.

How's your 2012? And what plans did you made for 2013? Share it with me!
Have a happy happy new year everyone!