Alternative Career #56 - Landscape Architech

it’s at times when the goings gets tough I find myself activating my coping mechanism in the form of fantasising alternative lives..

I saw this prettiness when I was walking towards my department.. and a part of me yearned to be associated with such delightful creations..

Then I realised.. I could’ve been doing this! This takes me back to the days of the tertiary entrance exams, when I was filling out my uni preferences.. there was only one uni I would go to in perth, and I knew it was psychology that I wanted to do (either through BSc or BA)..so I still had two other preferences to fill.. I remembered putting down – landscape architecture as one of them.. (in my head, I guess I rationalised I’d rather do ANY course at THE uni.. and perhaps even not go to uni, if I don’t get into THE uni)..

I guess at 16.. I thought.. I liked plants and gardens, and architecture does involve creativity.. a bit of burke's backyard wanna be.. and no clue what so ever of what actually is involved..

Anyways, how differently my life would’ve turned out.. may be I wouldn’t have to endure my current sufferance!!

Then the little Gemini Cricket reminded me... green or khaki’s doesn’t go well with my complexion, I have enough trouble keeping my nails clean as it is, plus my user manual says that I’m best only in temperatures under 26 degrees Celsius (despite the common misconception that yellow ppl born in the tropics like me should cope well with heat – MYTH i tell ya)...

Inaugural Hen's Night!

Was at a hen’s night last sat for one of my closest friends..

it was first EVER hen’s night I’ve ever organised!!

Well.. although I was the ‘unofficial’ brides maid to YT’s wedding, I didn’t get to organise one for her.. coz she was in perth only a week before the wedding, so YT was too tired/stressed out to even think about a hen’s night.. So I begrudgingly threw all my research on a day spa/retreat bonanza in the bin.. :(

so we settled on a low key affair - tapas dinner at Mez.. no ‘male entertainment’ or anything naughty.. just good food, 2 bottles of red, loud girly chats and giggles about – diamond rings, babies, crazy in-laws, lingerie, Chinese wedding rituals, communicatively challenged men, and debate of whether male entertainment should be compulsory at hens nights. Followed by a lengthy photo session and the last table to leave the restaurant...

Unsuspecting bride-to-be (has no idea of the humiliation to come) and guests..

we got her an autograph bear – the cutest and bestest idea I’ve ever come up with.. (well.. stolen from another hens night I went to but I’m taking the credit!)..

all in all.. was a great night out.. reminded me how much I miss having my girlfriends around.. the good ole days of hanging out at the guild café, napping in the library, and the day long chats on the foreshore..

p.s. can’t resist a mini restaurant review to satisfy the gourmet journalist in me.. the food wasn’t too bad, very festive, dessert was deep fried dough in orange flower water (finger lickingly good).. but the service has little to be desired.. the waitress rolled her eyes, sighed, stomped away, tapped her feet while waiting for us to decide on our order, dirty looks, ignored our calls, and pretty much anything she can do to be rude.. ALSO.. I’m gonna give “the pony club” and “duende” a big :P for shunning us coz they “don’t take bookings of more than 6”.. GRRRR!!! It’s their loss I say.. So me not impressed..

Seredipitous Encounter with our Finned friends

I thought it’ll help to clear my head if I go for a walk on Matilda bay, being close to beautiful scenery near the water always seemed to reenergise me..

Then.. out of nowhere a fin popped out, then another, then another.. sending little ripples across the water and all the kids and parents picnicking on the foreshore were screaming and scrambling to get closer..

There were a gang of FIVE dolphins.. they played around the jetty with the kids, almost close enough to touch.. after about 5 mins, they lazily moved on along the shore..
I stood greedily watching their fins gracefully slices through the water, soaking in every moment while fumbling with my damn phone trying to capture this magical moment..

I followed them with my eyes till they disappeared into the dark waters.. I stood there, a bit overwhelmed with the sense of awe.. being in the presence of life's little miracles..

What is it about these finned mammals that is so magical that makes me so grateful about these serendipitous brushes with nature..

Later some American tourists asked us if the dolphins were lost and if we should notify the authorities.. and being a good ambassador to Australia.. I assured them that the dolphins are just a part of our everyday lives.. much like the koalas in my backyard that I’m now going home to feed by riding on my pet kangaroo skippy...

View from Above

ok.. so i confess, i'm a foodie.. and like you've probably noticed.. half.. ok ok... majority of my blog is about food.. sometimes i feel like i should go easy on the lifestyle channel factor..

anywayz... for our 2 yrs anniversary (yes, we celebrate anniversaries like daggy teenagers.. it's really just another excuse for me to be showered with lots of attention, sprinkle of pressies, and gorge on good food)..

we went to c-restaurant.. it's a revolving restaurant with a 360 paranomic view of perth city.. and i have to say.. i'm sooo in love with my city.. there's no bad angle and no bad lighting..

and i'm a sucker for sunset.. i got a little carried away and took like 3 hundered pictures to get the perfect shot.. but then.. big mammal issued a warning that sounds a bit like... 'if-u-don't-put-the-camera-away-n-eat-ur-dinner-with-me-then-i'll-smash-the-f***ing-camera" ..

SHEESH..some ppl just don't appreciate the artisitc process.. so i only got away with these.. :( *sulk*

Small things...

Yes.. sometimes it's the small things in life that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling...

like a relaxing spur of the moment coffee break with big mammal with a strawberry milkshake that comes in a cute glass milk bottle..
baking fresh french garlic bread from scratch by hand.. that smells and tastes DEVINE.. (not to mention the kneading gave my arms a real good workout)..

or a bountiful end of season harvest.. (well there's more yellow ones on the trees.. but the other ones has gone to tomato tree heaven..).. although.. i'm so over this grow your own tomato thing..

Ahhh.. simple pleasures for a lady of leisure.. ;)

Good Bye 2006, Hello 2007!!!

it freaks me out knowing that a whole year has passed.. and I have no recollection of what I did with the days.. plus I’m officially in the 5^th year of my phd and still no thesis!

B-U-T....I’m Soooooo glad 2006’s over… it is possibly the WORST year out of all my measly 28 years of sheltered existence (ok, it’s a bit melodramatic, but does it say “a big girl’s well adjusted and mature attitude towards life” on the blog??!)

It was a year of constant inner battle, coming to terms with mum’s illness, adjusting to living in close proximity with my family (as much as I love them, they do drive me up the walls ALL the time), coming to terms with being in a ‘long term’ relationship, giving up career opportunities in order to finish my phd, discovering secrets that massacred my faith in humanity, and searching for that elusive ‘happiness’ factor.. the list goes on..

So I wouldn’t be exaggerating when say I was a miserable sod.. disenchanted, neurotic mess, seeking comfort in KFC’s popcorn chicken, overwhelmed with guilt of non-achievement, doesn’t help when most of the time I’m either in tears, or brink of it.... in sum I was a leaky chubby miserable sod..

Most of my energy was spent keeping my head above water long enough to manage a amicable conversation so people would still want to be my friend..

Anyways, I do realise that I have journeyed thru a tough year personally, emotionally, spiritually, career’ly’.. i'd like to think i survived it with sufficient dignity, integrity, honesty and most of my pieces still attached .. i'd say I’ve made enough peace with myself and learned enough from my battles to be ‘functionally’ dysfunctional.. be happy where i am even if it's not the most ideal of all circumstances, face challenges without fear or anxiety, ability to be aware but not jaded, and take solace in the fact that i'm another step closer to the truth..

so, as i put 2006 into a cardboard box and banish it into the darkest corner of my brain.. fresh, eager, relatively dry, full of aspirations, and plump (thanks to Colonel Sanders).. i now look forward to 2007 with bells on.. :P

my sincerest wishes to all, may we all be blessed with bliss of love, serendipitous epiphanies, and serene contentment ..

HAPPY 2007!!

fact of life #2 + #3

there's something about the hospital that can be so humbling..

may be it’s such a blunt reminder of a inescapable fact of life - death and illness..

the fact that EVERYONE has to go thru this some time in their life, either their own or one of their beloveds'.. and it happens not just to old people.. it's the young ones.. little ones, middle aged ones.. as for illness, not just cancer, but from scratches and bruises, broken limbs, burns, organ failure, heart disease.. every time i contemplate this.. my brain struggles to understand that this ‘concept’ is an reality...

i feel naive to blog about something that's so obvious.. it's definitely something that we all hold in the back of our heads, but the gravity of this fact really dawns when you catch fleeting personal glimpses of it.. this is without going into all the potential implications..

like..the whole baby stuff has the same effect on me too.. how they never cease to amaze me and i can spend hours marvelling at these tiny people.. Miraculous perfect blend of its parents… the fact that we are capable of ‘creating’ these little things that moves, grows, interacts, have personalities.. completely mind boggling..

so what does this all mean? a reminder to live in the now? a wake up call from a sheltered life? a never ceasing lesson to learn to live with awareness and not go crazy? or.. am i just struggling to come to terms with the changes in my life?

i guess seeing mum being unwell and YT's new born.. the juxtaposition of the extremes.. my concept of stability is threatened.. life is in constant transition.. and if i'm not careful.. it might just slip pass while i'm busy waiting for something more glamourous to happen..