Brenda Wong

HAPPY NEW YEAR, TUMBLR! 

13 New Year’s Resolutions for 2013. 

I swear…

1. To continue on my weight loss journey to hit my ideal weight of 49kg, and to improve my endurance, and tone up my arms and stomach! I have lost 8 kilograms so far so I am now 53kg, so not far away now. No pain no gain.
2. To pass my second year of my law degree with a 2:1. I’m happy with a low 2:1 but a 2:1 nonetheless..
3. To take a breath and listen to other people more before deciding my opinion is the best/only one.
4. To love the people in my life as hard and as much as I can.
5. To not be afraid of any opportunities that come by, and seek them out when they are lacking.
6. To save up more money to travel more. The world is waiting and I do not have all the time in the world to take it all in.
7. To write, sing and create more, to strive harder to leave a good legacy behind.
8. To lead Warwick Glee into a better future for the society. To not focus on being winners, but to be better singers and better people.
9. To do more charity-based work, because I am someone who lives a privileged life and it is about time for me to work harder to give back.
10. To go to all my lectures. If I do not manage this, every lecture I miss is a shot I owe Ollie Adams-Liggins.
11. To always strive for happiness, even in the darkest hours. (Which means complaining less and plodding on when times get tough).
12. To be nicer and more patient to all of my family, especially my sister.
13. To make my amazing boyfriend happy, always, and constantly work hard to make him smile.

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Sam Joseph Atefi

Hello my sweetheart, where do I even begin? If I were to be really honest with myself, all the words that I could utilise to describe just how much you have impacted my life have all been said. Did you know that we have sent nearly 10,000 Facebook messages to each other since November 2011? This doesn’t even include text messages, or Whatsapp, or emails even. I wholly believe, that even if they do say quality over quantity, baby, I believe that we got both of them covered. The thing is, sweetheart, is that you always make an effort. We both do, and we stayed strong even when we were thousands of miles apart. I was terrified at this time last year. I had no idea where we were going or whether we were going to be together. If I were to let you in on a little secret, my New Year’s wish was to be with you. For the first time in my life, I had a wish come true and it was by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

I started making this list of people who had made my year. My darling, you are absolutely numero uno on this list. If I were to choose, I would spend every waking moment by your side. It doesn’t matter what we do, whether we are rocking out at amazing gigs with the taste of vodka red bulls on our lips (from me to you), chasing ducks in Warwick or Jephson Gardens, lying next to you on your bed or mine and falling into dreams of each other, or our legs touching under the table as we share a meal, or even just sitting on the couch with your arm around me. You make my day, every day. The fact is sweetheart, is that because you do, I want to make your day, every day, for the rest of my life. 

I have never known true happiness until you walked into my life, squishy. We both had a taste of what it was like not being with each other, and it was a bitter experience I never want to repeat. Being with you is as natural as breathing. When I am feeling down all I have to do is feel your warm embrace or hear your voice and I am OK. You are my soulmate, honey. I want to make you happy forever, and be the best girl I can be for you, because you are the most amazing person I have ever met. I will strive to do whatever I can to be the girl who deserves someone like you.

I am so in love with you, Sam. 2013 is going to be our year. We proved that we can go through anything and we are going to do it again and again. I love and miss you tremendously, and cannot wait to see your face again.

Happy new year, my love. 2013 beckons. 

Your kitty xxx

People Who Made My Year in 2012 - My Family

To my mum, dad and little sister; it was so difficult leaving you behind this year. But rest assured I still felt as much part of the Wong family as ever. Because when a bond is this strong, something as petty as distance wouldn’t change a thing. I missed you so much being in England, and I hope I did as best as I can to keep in contact, because I always want to. 

To my mother and father, we aren’t perfect but damn if you didn’t do a good job for Christine and I. The point is that I know that you always want what is best for me, even if I don’t agree with it. It is this point in the year that I ask you for forgiveness for everything that I have done wrong, and I will try so hard to make you proud in 2013. I’ve been doing the best I can this autumn term, and hearing you both finally say it again brings me so much joy. I will always be your little girl, even when I am now approaching 20! I love you both so much, you are, and always will be an inspiration.

To Christine, I know we don’t always get along and I am impatient and unkind, and sometimes a downright terrible older sister. But please know, and always know that I think you are so incredibly talented, and special, and kind and beautiful. You are going to do so well, and wherever you end up, you are going to blossom in 2013. I love you so very much, and as your older sister, I always want to protect you. But now it is time for me to see you fly and I could not be prouder.

I love you all so very much and will miss you when I am away. But right now, being with you guys during New Year’s… nothing gets better than this.

To more New Year’s with one another, Brenda. xxx

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Ollie Adams-Liggins, Melson Chun & Andy Mcnally

Melson and Andy, I ‘met’ both of you guys more than a year ago on Facebook when I was a scared high school graduate, absolutely shitting myself as to the intelligent people I would meet on a law degree that I was dreading. You both came across as incredibly articulate and smart, and honestly, had me shaking in my boots a little bit! But here we are at the end of 2012. I never expected to make such good friends with people I met virtually. It seems so surreal, but I am so glad to have met such hilarious, awesome boys who are so good at what they do.

Melson, you are always in the know and there to help me out when I am completely clueless. And I’ve never met someone who was so determined to make the most out of his life, by travelling and reading lots and improving one’s self. I still have a lot to learn from you and I’m excited to be living with you in third year!

Andy, you are one of the kindest souls I have ever met and you have such a good sense of who you are and who you want to be. I’ve always admired you for that. And a girl definitely always needs someone German as a drinking buddy… this needs to happen more next year at Eagle Street!

Ollie, I’m so glad we got to know each other more towards the end of freshers year and got to hang out through Lily, it’s been awesome sharing music and you have literally saved my ass so many times with work. You are going to have such a great year being on the law soc exec and you are brimming with potential, it’s just going to be so exciting seeing you fly! Thanks for being someone who is always understanding, someone I can always complain to, and for your amazing taste in music.

Love you all, and happy new year! Cheers to hanging out more in 2013. xx

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Flat 54/4A Radford Road -  Xavier Edmonds-Allen, Ruby Compton-Davies, Annabelle D’silva, Archie Corliss, Alistair Kidson and John Tolson

Thank you so much for being the best flatmates a girl can ask for. I was really very homesick when I arrived in England and I was actually kind of terrified being the only international student in a flat full of English people (kind of intimidating!) Instead I was accepted really quickly and my nervousness dissipated very quickly, and it is because you all have treated me so well and made me feel at home 6,000 miles away from where I came from.

To the lads, cheers for the bantz and the drinks and taking care of me when I was drunk, and generally teaching me how to have more fun. Xavier, I am really glad someone has enough sense to love Tarantino and Tolkien as much as I do. Ali, the nickname ‘chow mein’ will stick with me forever now. Archie, your antics have entertained me through freshers year and 2012 and never fail to make me smile, and John, I don’t know you as well as I would like but you’ve always had sense and are so good to talk to. 

To Ruby and Belle, I cannot express how much I appreciate you both as friends. I had a really rough first term and you both carried me through and I’ll always be so grateful for the support you’ve given me. You are both two beautiful and amazing girls and I am so happy to have ended up in the same flat. Ruby, it was amazing having you in Asia and I am so glad you had a good time and caught the travelling bug, I hope you’ll come back so I can show you more! You are so talented and constantly busy, but you always show that it is possible to balance it all and have bucketloads of fun at the same time. Belle, you are stunning and kind and understanding and thanks for being such a great friend.

I love you all and happy new year! xxx

SSOTD - Sam Song of the Day #5

Just one of the ones I sent him recently. I like songs that do funny things to your heart when you listen to it, and I like the alternate strumming of guitars on indie tracks like any wannabe hipster. And girl/boy harmonies get me every time really. And tambourines. And echoes in the background. Just reminds me of quiet things and quiet situations and quiet mornings with Sam.

1957 by Milo Greene

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Ashley James Robertson. *

There is obviously a bonus Frances in the photo because the two of you team up to be the Peter Pan and Tinkerbell wonder-combo, sprinkling wonderful campy happy pixie dust everywhere. I cannot believe I didn’t meet you sooner! 

Ashley, you made my 2012 because in such a short space of time, (less than two months), you have brought so much laughter into my life. You are the best example of someone who doesn’t linger on the negative, you are such a positive, bright spark and just by being around you it always reminds me that life is too short to dwell on things that do not make you happy. 

Besides, I needed someone to bring modern music into Penelope during our drives home, and learn the Northern technique of how to survive without a coat on a night out in England (seriously, do you ever get cold?) and to always know not to mix your drinks… just have 8 Jägerbombs in a row! But my dear, how do you do all this and manage to still be passionate about mooting, intelligent enough to get by on a punishing degree and still be so damn happy all the time? You are definitely the law student I want to be, and a very good friend.

Happy New Year my lovely! Love you very much and have a sick night xx

P.S. Your name confuses me. How many last names do you have? I hope I am not being completely ignorant by using both…

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Jordan Charles

There are a few things that Jordan Charles has taught me this year. One is that majorly, impossibly talented people do exist. Two is that it may be possible to take on too much, but it shouldn’t stop you anyway. Three is that you should always inject a little bit of loud into everything you do. 

Meeting you and having getting to know you both as an artist and as a friend has been such a pleasure. You’ve really opened my eyes to new things and made me a better singer, a better person. Not to mention, very very drunk on certain occasions! But the best part about you is the fact that you prove time and time again that you can have all of what you want and still remain the same person. 

I truly aspire to be a fraction as fabulous a person as you are Jordan, and I am looking forward to more casual racism in the coming new year!

Love, and happy new year, xx

People Who Made My Year In 2012 - Rhea Roy

Oh Rhea, I don’t even know where to begin! Most of what I can say really shouldn’t be repeated on the Internet, in all honesty. We have had some crazy adventures that I will never forget this year. It was strange this term not to be seeing each other every day, since we are both so busy, but I assure you this shall be rectified in 2013, because no matter how, we always seem to be close in proximity! I mean, come on, it seems that I have accidentally followed you from Arthur Vick to our road in Leamington. It is an act of fate that we are literally living opposite each other. Again. 

My freshers year was made because you brought the insane and the fun into my life. The number of crazy situations we were involved in are now stories I shall take to the grave! Thank you for teaching me how to let loose a little and live life to the fullest, and that your undergraduate degree only happens once. You always had my back this year, and that is something I will always appreciate. 

Party on in 2013, right? Happy New Year! xx

People Who Made My Year in 2012- Frances Hollick

After making it through this term my dear, I do believe it is safe to say that my life without you would be a very very sorry one indeed. How are you literally the real life version of Tinkerbell? In spite of that, I do believe that our mutual friend Jordan’s assessment of you is inaccurate, you do have the capacity for evil and bad behavior, but in small doses. Copper Rooms, rosé on the lawns and lesbian moments are definitely clear evidence of this, dearie me. I have diagnosed, however, that this side comes out the most when we are around each other. But hey, what is life without yin and yang? I’m Chinese, we believe in that kind of thing. This means though, that the bad I bring out in you, is totally and completely the good you bring out in me. You are not only the best vice president a girl could ask to work for, but also, one of my best friends. As cheesy as it is to be writing that down, like a high school girl’s diary, putting fingertips to keyboard is a good way to constantly remind myself that you, you Frances Hollick with the 80s music, amazing tiny blue Ford and love of pate, have brought a ray of sunshine into my life I sorely needed.

Love you, happy new year sweetie! xx

People Who Made My Year in 2012- Lily Tomkins

I never thought I could make such fast friends with someone I had actually technically met on the internet. Remember the Law Freshers group? Finally meeting in person back in Autumn term was so surreal. You were every bit as intimidating and intelligent as I thought you would be! But then we were put into the same seminar group (best group number 13) and struggled through a difficult first year, one that I would have never made it through without you. I remember sitting in my kitchen having some of your herbal tea near-crying about that awful seminar we had with Snape. (Yes, I have a professor named Snape, the Internet. He is lovely, but this is not nearly as awesome as it sounds). I digress though, my point is that you were there for me through the really really tough times, and we have had some great laughs as well. You know me so well too, and I can tell you everything and trust you with it, and I know you trust me enough to do the same. 

I am so happy that we have become fast friends. I know that this summer and this term have been extremely tough for you, and throughout the whole time I felt so helpless, only really able to listen and hope that whatever advice I gave I was pushing you in a direction that will make you happy. I am so proud of you for wanting a fresh start and I really want your pursuit of happiness to be fruitful in 2013.

Love you very much bubba, and a very happy new year. xx

I am an unabashed Disney fan who happens to be in a very healthy relationship. I am one of the lucky ones. And yet sometimes I live in fear that this will not last, and sometimes I look at my beautiful boy and think one day he’s going to get up and leave because I am not good enough. However, I would be foolish not to make it work. Love isn’t easy, if it were, we would all be Disney princesses. 

Brenda x

(Source: mydollyaviana, via nadinethewerewolfqueen)

Today marks 8 years since my family moved to Bangkok, Thailand. The place, as topsy turvy and mental as it is, has shaped me as a person and has left an indelible mark on my soul. It is strange to call a place home when all I have to tie myself to it is a tourist visa, but this is what it is. Every time I step off the plane into the dry searing heat of the city I feel like I truly belong. This city is my city and I’ll never forget it. It breaks my heart that my family is moving away from this place next year, but it is what it is, we are not citizens of Thailand and we were never meant to be here on a permanent basis. But this is where I had my first drink. My first examinations that meant something for my future. My first starring role in a play. My first kiss. My first heartbreak. I am, however, looking forward to many more firsts in many more places. Bangkok, however, will be the place where I first discovered my view of the world as I know it and I cannot wait to see more.