big girl in a small city

time out

2007-11-15T10:37:00.000+08:00

on the 6th of nov, my mum slept in at 10.20am.

nothing could have prepared me or protected me for the excruciating pain i felt..

wished i could write more, but think there's nothing i could do but let time do the healing.

thank you for being supportive and indulgent of my pet blog..

i will be taking some time out..

but this is not good bye..

move over james bond!

2007-11-03T14:55:00.000+08:00

like every girl, i had a thing for mr. bond, james bond.. the classy spy that makes you weak at the knees.. ahhh.. but no more, there's a new spy in town.. oh.. i'm sorry PC term is: Covert Operative?

i'm so head over heels in lurve with Mr. Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) on Burn Notice.. sure he's not a typically handsome guy.. sure it's a little cheesy.. and sure they make it seemed all too smooth and easy... but you show me a guy that could make a beige suit look ever so good! :)

i've just finished my stash of the first season, which i savoured slowly like a good red.. now i'm DYING to know what happens next season.. i'm so happy when i googled that there'll be a season 2 .. yippeee!! (i guess deep down i know tv like this are usually too good to last? much like veronica mars.. which i'm still in bitter bitter mourning)

i'm not gonna apologise for my trashy tv habits.. thank god for the new installment of America's Next Top Model to keep my mind of mr.rugged-good-looks-westen!! go tyra!

Bokashi Mania!

2007-10-31T10:49:00.000+08:00

In our bid to make a contribution to our dying environment, my sis C and I decided to adopt a Bokash Bin to our household..

How it works: put all your food scraps (you can put virtually EVERYTHING even citrus, eggs, and leftovers!) into the bin, spread on a bit of bokashi mix (full of microbes – apparently.. meaning little microscopic animals that breaksdown food and turns it into nutritious compost), pack it all tightly and put the lid back on. When it’s full.. take it out to the garden, bury it, and in a few weeks you’ll have a bundle of yummy compost (well.. yummy for the plants)!

we got our bokashi bin from the Environment House in Perth (they do a starter pack and also run workshops) or you can also buy them online.. we thought about worm farms or compost bins, but they just seemed like too much work for lazy bums like us.. plus the bokashi bin is compact and our bin lives in the pantry..

So, C and I would spring clean our cupboard or fridge without guilty thoughts of greenhouse gases or the starving children in Africa, coz we know it’ll all become good compost for my budding vegie garden. So decision process is simple.. I would hold up a bundle of dying lettuce, manky looking leftovers or piece of old bread to C, we look at each other, and with one synchronised firm nod, we say “Bokashi it!”.. so we’ve been happily bokashi this, bokashi that, and bokashi galore!

Amore Italia: Manual of Love 2

2007-10-28T10:49:00.000+08:00

i enjoyed a wonderful saturday arvo with my fellow PhD comrade K, we caught up over coffee at the art gallery and went to see the Manual of Love 2 from the italian film festival in perth.. the long over due dose of culture gave me such a buzz..

there were some seriously good looking italians.. most of all i have a soft spot for monica bellucci.. she's not the typical hollywood stick animal specifically designed to make me feel bad about my 'fuller figure' Plus, she's got this magic around her.. and i'm completely mesmerised every time she appears on screen..

i really enjoyed the film. it was light, sweet, clever, thoughtful, funny and quirky.. it did make me rethink about love and what it means.. all the intricate subtleties of human relating.. a celebration of the fabulously flawed humanness that lies within us all.. that served with a side of giant coke and a small bucket of popcorn, it's just the most delicious way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon..

ahhh.. my deprived soul is satiated.. for now..

no news is bad news!

2007-10-24T15:18:00.000+08:00

it's been AGES since i started my project plant more stuff..

as the days go on.. there's still no action from my herb seeds.. as i grew more impatient.. i went to check the seeds packet to see if i've followed the sowing directions correctly.... then.. in the corner of my eye.. i spoted the little blue stamp that shattered my hopes of a herb garden..

apparently i've sown seeds that are "best before 2001"..

in another words.. i've been watering buckets of dirt with old seeds for hmpphhh 3 weeks.....

S-I-G-H.... i had plans for those herbs..

Wanted: Tomato eating Crustacea

2007-10-23T19:09:00.000+08:00

Weeks since sown: 2.5

Sprouts: 0

Tomato seedlings: 2 down, 4 left.

Since i started my "Project: Plant more stuff" I’ve lost 1 tomato seedling on day 2!! then on day 3.. I found another seedling down!! It died the same way the first one did, laying horizontally with a severed stem near the roots!

so notttt happy.. actually i was seething madddd.. So I decided to do a bit of a CSI - Sherlock Holmes style... I caught the culprit in the act half way chomping around the stem of my third tomato seedling!! Little grey black buggers with segmented scales.. took me a while of googling and rummaging through my garden books to find that these little buggers are called - SLATERS!!!!!

apparently they are scavengers, but in large quantities they can attack plants.. (yes, in my case, the little guy is either very popular or have one mighty big family.. may be they are enjoying the bountifulness of my newly buried compost material in my vegie patch).. so guess it's still my fault.. so with a dust pan and some encouraging prods with a broom.. i've moved the party to another compost spot..

so... my tomatoes are safe.... for now...

Ally turns ONE!

2007-10-21T22:43:00.000+08:00

it felt like it was only yesterday when i visited YT's in the maternity ward and ally was wrapped up like giant witchetty grub with a pink face..

today was her first EVER birthday party!! ohhh how time flies!

YT made this cute cake for her plus coco rice things, and fairy bread.. and grandma cooked up a storm of curry chicken, bbq pork and duck, fried noodles, and lots of red eggs!

big mammal and i got ally the elmo giggle n' shake chair.. (which is sooo completely adorable)..
but baby ally seemed a little scared of this big red thing that makes all these noise and shakes.. and more interested in the frog that can sing songs that she was given by an aunty..

this sorta reminds me a bit of bart and his homer made krusty clown bed...

hmph!

more shopping!

2007-10-20T21:49:00.000+08:00

Unfortunate for my credit card and my phd.. I’ve recently discovered the infinite joys of online shopping..

First ebay, then a flood gate of websites opened to me.. thanks to my colleague lil' k.. I’m madly in love with polyvore.com..

How it works: people post the combination of fashion items, or artworks.. and it also has the individual items listed for each combination with links to websites that you can purchase the items AND any other combinations using that particular item!!

The possibility is endless.. and so are the hours of my time that it devours.. but it’s all so pretty.. *like a fly to flourscent insect trap*

Love it love it love it!!

*shhhh.. btw, don’t tell big mammal.. he no like it when i engage in what I consider as artistic research. He seemed to think such activities falls under the procrastination banner.. sigh… artists are often misunderstood.. it’s one of the perils I guess.. :P *

it must be love love love..

2007-10-13T12:02:00.000+08:00

my new babies has just arrived!

my sony flash drive (paid extra so i can get the pretty white one!)..

my oh-so-high-tech sony cybershot - DSC-T200!!

!!!!!!

tis so cool that it's hot! though they are both too small to hug, i'm making sure they are getting plenty of love and kisses!

check out this picture of me and the goodies dad has brought back with him..
ohhh the smell of stuff coming out of packaging.. it makes me highhhhhhh...

*dances off into the sunset*

addicted to ebay

2007-10-12T22:08:00.000+08:00

i've been wanting to buy something pretty for ages.. but after a couple of frustratingly unsuccessful shopping trips later.. i turned to ebay..

and.. oh boy oh boy.. tsk tsk.. pandora's box would be a gross understatement.. let me just say.. a floodgate has opened and there's no turning back..

first i was just looking for dresses, then while i'm at it.. any item of clothing, then now.. the most dangerous of all my addictions.. JEWELERY!!! oh me gawwwddd.. so within a week, i've won 5 items, and the winning bid on 4 items, while hands itching to bid on another 3 items and obsessively checking newly listed items from my favourite stores.. of course, as a firm believer in combined postage, i always have to buy at least 2 items from each store.. sighhh..

*hyperventilates* think somebody needs to cut up my credit cards!!! ARGGHHHH!!!

oh but you gotta see what i bought!! it's absolutely fabulous!!! will post once i've received them.. *happy squeal*

feta-tastic!

2007-10-10T22:34:00.000+08:00

on the weekend i wanted to make something other than soup with our pumpkin that's been sitting in the fridge for 2 weeks..

soo.. i made up my own savoury pumpkin muffin with feta, pine nuts, spinach and mushroom muffin! check out these hot muffins! think domestic goddess is an understatement!

i giggled quietly to myself as i break my fresh greek feta (from our local oh-so-posh-n-expensive european grocer) over my muffin batter... it was just sooo deliciously creamy and soft under my fingers, it puts up little resistance as it crumbles over the muffin batter.. think it's worth every inch of my left kidney that i traded in for the feta..

ooohhhhhhh.. soooo goooooddddd... gave me such a buzzzzzzz... mmmmmm..

the strangest things makes me happy..

What The?

2007-10-09T17:14:00.000+08:00

ok.. may be i shouldn't make fun of other ppl's english.. considering i'm also an ESL..

but this is too cute to pass up!

lose dog eh? tee hee hee!

crime against fruit!!

2007-10-03T23:24:00.000+08:00

crime 1: this morning as i did my garden surveillance.. i found one of the tomato seedling to be in a unnatural horizontal position with severed stem!!! *nawwwwwww!!* if i find the bird/ant/insect/slug/snail that did this.. there shall be blood shed, i promise!!

crime 2: after weeks of admiring my loquat tree laden with clusters of deliciously golden fruits.. i was really looking forward to a loquat feast! yet as i approached the tree for harvest.. i discovered a fruit fly epidemic!! plus those little f#$%ing buggers were very thorough and made sure EVERY single fruit is affected! so 1 heart wrenching hour later, with 5 massive bags of fruit in my garbage bin, lots of cursing of the fruit flies, RSI in my clipper holding arm, and endless heartache.. my loquat tree is now depressingly barren and sporting a sad looking home-made fruit fly trap with vegemite 'brew'.. sigh..

ooohhhhhhh the bontananaity!!

project plant more stuff!

2007-10-02T14:33:00.000+08:00

after my last 'harvest'.. my thumb's been itching and there's little voice inside that says: MORE MORE MORE!

so yesterday.. i took advantage of the public holiday to make a quick trip to Bunnings (DIY Superstore complete with garden centre), 1.5 hrs, and $55 later... my garden is now sporting 6 new seedlings of window box roma tomato, a tiny rose geranium (smells gorgeously rosey!) shrub, a petite rosemary bush(which i feels compelled to rub and my fingers now smells like roast lamb), 2 trays and a tub of sown chilli, 'gourmet mint mix' and 'gourmet basil mix' plus some thyme and oregano..

man, my back was so sore from all that gardening though.. but i'm greedily looking forward to enjoying the fruits of my labour..

i woke up this morning to go check on my babies hoping to harvest some produce for my fresh tomatos tossed in fresh gourmet lettuce on the side of a fragrantly grilled herbed chicken.. mmmm.. *salivating*.... and.... SHOCK HORROR.. i found nothing! nothing but empty trays and tubs of damp compost and teeny tiny tomato seedlings....

those seeds packet says nothing about patience!

earth's bounty

2007-09-30T22:30:00.000+08:00

since it's the long weekend and we weren't organised enough to make plans.. and there's only so much of couch potatoeing a girl can handle.. so i decided to venture into my garden and look what i harvested!!

look at those gorgeous blades of jade jewels!

and check out these spuds! how cute are they! the big one was only about 5cm in length!!

well.. they are sweet potatos, white skin and purple flesh (apparently called the okinawan variety) i wasn't suppose to be harvesting them.. we grow the sweet potatos for the leaves.. it's adds some variety to our limited chinese vegies diet..

anywayz, i was trying to tidy up our over crowded sweet potato patch.. then i think i dug a little too deep..

ok ok.. i lied.. my curiosity got the better of me and i just kept on digging like a obsessive stalker.. i just wanted to know if there's really sweet potatoes under the green lush vines.. and when i finally found these tiny spuds.. i felt really guilty coz they were so tiny and i can't put them back! :(

in hindsight, i wondered why was i so curious about? what did i expect to find? peanuts? apples? sigh..

yep i did it again!

2007-09-27T23:52:00.000+08:00

i think i have a fetish..

baking makes me so happy that i giggle to myself as i plaster the cake with thick butter icing, and i almost started doing my happy dance as i put on the little icing flowers and butterfly.. the whole time sporting a big dorky grin.. *silent happy squeal*

and as i shove pieces of this chocolate heaven into my mouth.. ahhhhh.. taste of paradise.. *toe tingling euphoria* *sigh* it makes everything alright.. i even managed not to miss big mammal for a whole 10 minutes while i murdered my piece of cake..

seriously thinking about that bakerholic anonymous.. think i may have a problem..

dancing horsies!

2007-09-16T22:21:00.000+08:00

since dad thinks perth's boring, we decided to prove him wrong by taking him to see the dancing horses at el caballo!

it was full buffet plus show for the bargain price of $58!!! so we dragged our skeptical asses about 1hr drive out of perth. (ohhh.. it was so far into whoop whoop that we had at least 2 are-we-there-yet's from mum..)

has been a while since we were in a room where we were the only 'non-white' ppl in the banquet room.. plus no-one on our table wore any flannelet or have a tattoo! once we gotten the culture shock of being in boganville.. we started to relish being a city slicker.. :) and really got into the buffet too!!

the best part was the Andalusian horses or Spanish horses though! we learned so much about horses that day. they were all shiny and majestic.. just BEAUUUUUUTIFUL.. and they were doing unbelievable things!! it's just one of those you have to be there moments!

this was the 4 yr old they just bought.. he was grey with white spots.. but when we looked closer.. it was actually STARS!! just magnificent creatures!!

the only downer is despite the spanish background music.. the whole time.. i've got Daryl Braithwaite- The Horses playing in my head!!

Ohhh.. I’m such a tragic 90’s child..

Peas in a Pod..

2007-09-13T22:13:00.000+08:00

this was from D's last visit to perth. we were catching up for breakfast at a East Perth cafe..
they were so busy so we had an 'al fresco' table.. except it wasn't so cool battling the horizontal rain and icy 'breeze' while trying to eat our food before it goes cold (which is by the time it gets to our table)..
but me and ali shared this intimate moment.. i was trying to keep her warm.. actually she was like a mini-water bottle.. that wriggles.. tee hee hee..
shut up! i'm not clucky!

Hot mugs..

2007-09-11T22:33:00.000+08:00

big mammal is not a big fan of my expression of 'asian-ness' through compulsive photo taking..

So here’s one of the very few photos of us while he's in perth.. yes.. we look like this even when we are sober!!

i don't think i could look seedier if i had tried (sigh).. i believe the thoughts in my head were "let's do the cute naughty face"...hmph.. apparently my brain is experiencing some communication breakdown with my face...

Sighhh.. we are tragic.. I know...

is it Spring already?!

2007-09-06T22:36:00.001+08:00

dad has been dying to go to Araluen.. so we made the most of the weekend sunshine and drove 45mins to see the infamous tulips..

there's just something about the flowers.. well... a sea of tulips that takes your breath away.. as if.. it's hard to believe something so beautiful and delicate could survive our gloomy world..

love the 'country' (ie. anywhere more than 15km radius of metro perth).. love the colours the sunshine the fresh air.. even the ridiculously expensive devonshire tea ($8.50 for 2 scones and tea!! highway robbery u say?) but.. when you smear the hot fluffy scones with cream so thick you can cut with a knife and gorgeous homemade strawberry & plum jam.. on the backdrop of pure serenity.. awwww.. few things in life can elicit such pleasured exhales..

then.. panic strikes.. i can't believe it's spring.. and there's still no phd!!! ARGHHHHHHHH!!

still alive.. barely..

2007-09-06T11:22:00.000+08:00

yes yes.. i'm still here..

just been having some down time with the cold..

now i'm getting over the cold.. and will start to sulk about big mammal's return to taiwan..

when i'm taking a breaking from sulking.. i'll try to find something else to blog about..

:P

reality check..

2007-08-15T12:06:00.000+08:00

every now and then.. there are moments like this that stops me in the tracks and shakes me and shoves the coffee in my face..

i was waiting in an ATM queue at a suburban shopping centre.. whilst thinking how my bank balance is dipping and feeling the financial pinches of studenthood.. and wondering why the ladies in a huddle infront of me is taking so long.. i realised it was a Caucasian lady was trying to help an African migrant lady (with a cute 2 yr old in tow) to use the ATM..

it turns out.. as the Caucasian lady explains.. the migrant lady can't take out any money from her account coz she's got $30 in the balance, and the ATM can only let you take money out in increments of $50 notes..

ARGHHHHH.... guilt, shame, sadness came flooding like a tidal wave.. and i had to resist the urge to hand over my money to her after i made my withdraw..

what a privileged life i lead.. i've never known what it's like to be hungry, cold or homeless, i've never had to even use public transport!! i even had jobs offered to me that i turned down so i can do my phd.. and i had the galls to complain about my dwindling bank balance and bad coffee service.. shame shame shame..

"OH THE HUMANITY!!"

angry rant.. Grr!

2007-08-15T11:29:00.000+08:00

what's happening to our service industry? why is perth plagued with bad hospitality staff!??!
why is there so much attitude and angst??

it started with a obviously just defrosted soggy sponge cake from Valentino (which apparently the manager and chef have both tasted and reckons it's 'fine' and 'fresh'.. yeah freshly frozen.. and if that's the standard of their taste test i shudder to think what sort of grub that kitchen is turning out..)..

i didn't realise that when i ordered my coffee from Rocket Fuel drive thru i was gonna get a whole lotta attitude and a lecture with it too! i was on a call while waiting in the car queue.. but the lady insisted that i order immediately thru the intercom. after i finished my call (10 L-O-N-G seconds later) i placed my order.. then when it's my turn to drive up to the window..

i was contemplating may be i should apologise for my behaviour earlier.. then i over heard this..

rude staff: (in a bitchy tone to other staff) ppl needs to be ready to place their order immediately and they shouldn't be talking on the phone. ( spotted me looking at her).. oh she's looking at me..

(DUH.. just becoz you are speaking out of sight doesn't mean i can't hear you!)

rude staff: (murmuring) you take the coffee to her and tell her..

another rude staff: (hands over my coffee) you should be ready to order when you are in the drive way, you SHOULD have you windows down, if not you can come in to the shop to order.

me: (indignantly) but there was no one waiting behind me!

another rude staff: well.. it's an express service you should be ready to order, just you should know (walked off while i'm about to speak)

me: well you are so RUDE.. (yelling after her.. and she's already out of sight..)

*FUMES* (plus angry and a little ashamed that calling someone rude was the best abuse i could come up with.. ARGH! while stomping my way to the office i entertained thousands of other things i could've done, e.g. park the car and walk into the shop to speak to the manager, throw the coffee back into the window, refuse to drive off and block the queue, inform the car behind me of the rude service, hand out boycotting flyers, toilet paper or egg the premise in the middle of the night, rip out their intercom, put a dead rat in their kitchen...whist i drafted a complaint letter in my head..)

why why why???

why are ppl so rude?!?! why do they need to take it out on other ppl and feel entitled they can ruin someone else's day? how much does it cost to be nice? i thought we paid for a 'service'!?!? or why don't i make my coffee at home and get abused for free?!?!?!

i often wondered if i was stuck in a $12/hr job making coffee everyday.. would i have done the same? *hmph*

i really hate being a buddhist some times.. this whole 'put yourself in other ppl's shoe' thing is such a drag when i'm in the middle of my righteous rant and plotting my vengeance..

Talking Pictures: Home Song Stories

2007-08-02T13:06:00.000+08:00

been yearning for something cultural or arty farty.. so finally.. i peeled my ass off my couch and went to a ‘talking pictures’ event by Cinema Paradiso with my family..

we saw an Australian film called “Home Song Stories”, it was presented by its writer and director TONY AYRES and followed by a Q&A session.. it's really nice to meet the people behind the scenes, makes it a more intimate experience rather than 'just a movie' when you acknowledge the personal journey of those that is involved in the making..

Ohhh.. it made me cry.. not in mere drops.. but in rivers.. believe you me it was hard to look nonchalant when I’m wiping off tears through glasses with my sleeves..

I’m not usually so fond of sad movies, but this one was so beautiful and inspiring despite it’s traumatic storyline.. I was quite taken with it..

It’s one of those movies that is so beautifully written and made, you are just naturally drawn into the story by the intricately woven narrative..

It was intense and engaging.. I found myself sitting in awe as the credits rolled.. I sat there exploring all it’s layers of emotionality, savouring every little subtlety of suggestive expressions, marvelling at the exquisite experience of humanness and humanity, and a little overwhelmed by all the varying depths and complexities of emotions I felt..

I cried for the tragedies Tony Ayres (since it was based on his life) had to go thru at such a young age, the bond he shared with his sister, the internal turmoil of his mother, the battle of being a family in a foreign land, the heartbreak of unrequited love, the love-hate dilemma between mother and child, and the flawed yet perfect humanness within everyone..

Since I’ve always believed in the philosophy that being surrounded by beautiful things will inspire you to create more beautiful things.. I came home from the movie eager to write a review to match the experience.. I do find myself struggling to find words to do the film justice..

JUST GO WATCH IT LAH!

p.s. joan chen rocks! love the old school glam!

addendums: food review - MEZ..

2007-07-31T14:47:00.000+08:00

my friend CM (a.k.a mr. indiana jones) has brought to my attention that my readership isn't so interested in the lovey dovey crap about big mammal *mock shock* and dismayed at the fact that i have neglected to review the full spread of food in the photo.. (in hindsight may be CM was trying to make a point about the nauseating 'lifestyle' angle i'm doing with my blog or he was mocking me for my sickening smitteness.. ohhh.. the complexity of the mockery is skillfully intricate.. damn that smart ass.. or i'm just f***ing neurotic..)..

ANYWAYZ.. that he did have a good point (and i shall ignore CM's jab).. so here it goes the food review..

we were at mez.. which does mediterranean tapas.. lots of little dishes.. it started with the antipasto spread (as seen in the photo with Big Mammal) and followed by seafood.. pictured above, two full plates of chicken and lamb kebabs, braised fall-apart-melt-in-ur-mouth lamb (which is wasted on us.. coz both of us don't eat lamb.. so it had to go to BM's king charles x - Elmo.. he was all over it like a fat kid on a cup cake tho..).. followed by baklava and coffee..

that was a lot of food.. and i love the idea of all these variety.. it's the perfect social food.. sharing the plate, picking at bits and pieces with my hands, peppered with conversation.. good value two thumbs up from me..

return of the big mammal...

2007-07-30T16:07:00.000+08:00

at the risk of being even MORE like a girly girl... i'm completely overjoyed that big mammal is back in perth for a few weeks..

we could be doing the most mundane things.. buying vegies from the markets, playing badminton, lunch at cheap japanese joint, walk around the block, couch potatoing, or listening to him going on and on about taiwan and what taiwanese ppl are like.. (yes.. he's telling ME what taiwanese people are like.. and yes i'm taiwanese, so are my parents, my cousins, aunties and uncles..)..

i just can't seemed to hold back the smiles when i look over and seeing him right next to me.. it's weird to be so vulnerable.. but nice in a way..

i do hope i'll snap out of it soon.. coz with all these warm fuzzy stuff.. i think i'm right up to the limits of my barf threshold (and that of those around me)..

*skips off into the sunset with a full rainbow and fluttering butterflies*

puppy love

2007-07-24T23:28:00.000+08:00

k from my office has just become a new puppy mummy (see pic)..

it's all very exciting.. so she had a high tea party for people to meet Bentley, the 10 week old cocker spaniel..

in hindsight i probably should've taken more photos if i wasn't so busy stuffing my face with all the goodies that k and her husband (an ex-chef) made.. there were steam coconut pudding with lime syrup (oh-me-gawd cafe standard delicious), vietnamese spring rolls, finger sandwiches, petite fours, chocolate almond clusters, berry friands,... ohhh.. i was all over it like a fat kid with a cup cake.. (well.. quite literally...) *sheepish grin*..

it's funny to realise that even getting a puppy seems to me like such a large responsibility, seeing that i can barely keep myself clean and fed, let alone another living being.. *more sheepish grinning*

a buddhist wedding?

2007-07-24T22:59:00.000+08:00

hmph, i didn't think Buddha really endorsed weddings..

but it didn't stop me being over joyed to be at an old friend's wedding at the Buddhist temple in Maylands.. have to say it's probably THE wedding for the year.. they are the sweetest couple ever! and practically everyone i know was there..

there were lots of people, noise, red everywhere, traditional Chinese costumes, yummy vegetarian treats, a 3-tier cake with the double-happiness Chinese character on it, and endless photo taking (we all had to line up for photos with the couple and i must've been in the queue for 5 different photos in different combination of friends and family.. it must be an Chinese thing)!! it's been a while since i was last surrounded by such festivity, and it's times like this.. i quite enjoyed all the Chineseness!

and recently, i've discovered i've got a shameful habit when it comes to weddings..

i cry.. yup.. like a girl.. the minute any mention of love, forever, vows, soul mate, the sight of the couple looking deep into each other's eyes, the smiles exchanged, holding hands,.. and the water works is ON! .. i have no control what-so-ever!! ARGH.. pisses me off no end.. the thought that i just fit so snuggly into the warm fuzzy girlie stereotype.. crying at wedding..pfftttt.. i would've laughed at anyone who did that 5 years ago.. and now i find myself biting my lips, tears welling in my eyes, whilst subtly rolling my tissues into a fine tip so i can soak up the tears without ruining my mascara!

sigh.. i've gone soft..what's next? pink outfits in my wardrobe?!?! ARRGGHHH!!!

that sinking feeling

2007-07-11T22:25:00.000+08:00

i think i should've opted for a less intensive coming out of shell schedule..

it's not like i'm so social butterfly, but i've probably gone to more 'things' in the last two weeks and in the next 2 weeks, than i've been in the last YEAR! all these socialising is making my head spin!

i love my friends and family and it's some times enjoyable to meet new people, but i'm so sick of hearing my own voice at the moment.. i just desperately yearn to sit in a cafe by myself with the sunday times (sparkling example of journalistic brilliance.. not) and a big mofo cup of coffee.. and just process what has happened in my life..

i can be so ungrateful some times.. may be i should go get a big cup of toughen the F*** up..

bag lady..

2007-07-04T23:38:00.000+08:00

with the occurance of a) finding we have a mouse in the house and b) mum and dad decided we need new beds and sofas, spurred on a week long cleaning mania..

it's not the cleaning i detest.. it's the 'consolidating' connotation that makes me feel ill..

yes, i'm a hoarder..asking me to clear out my wardrobe.. it's like asking me whether i'd prefer to keep my left kidney over my right kidney..

anywayz.. after much laboured deliberation.. and fishing out from the trash the things i decided i wanted to keep.. only to put it back into the trash as i remind myself that non-attachment is a buddhist virtue...

2 meltdowns and 7 hyperventilation episodes later.. i did manage to clear two bag fulls of clothes, and two bags of random stuff.. tip of the iceberg really..

when it comes to my bags though.. WOAHHHH.. i can now answer that age old question: how many bags does a girl need.. well.. apparently.. 53... yes.. ahem.. i dunno how it happened.. even in my bag loving euphoric haze i know that's a bit wrong considering all the starving children in africa... so i made some contributions to the salvos.. but.. ARGH .. it hurts so much and i'm missing my babies...

think i'll go curl up into a ball to mourn my loss..

Gone to the dogs!

2007-07-03T23:16:00.000+08:00

my office crew and i have recently taken quite a shine to the 'dogs'..

it's $25 for the punter's club.. which will get you a free drink, a full buffet (complete with roast, pasta, salads, fish, chips, wedges, lots of deep fried goodies, and mountains of dessert and ice creams).. plus, you get a $10 share in the punter's club where 'experts' will bet with your money and you get a share in the winnings..

i love the 1980's decor, the live country singer (genuine article with guitar, beard and cowboy hat), the bogans, and the happy doggies..

so in the end we got $11 back from the punters.. which translates to $14 for a good feed (i tend to loose control at buffets.. but i shall share my strategy in another entry) AND a fantastic nite out.. so it's two thumbs up for me..

festival of j..

2007-06-24T22:41:00.000+08:00

yes, i've just turned 29 years 'young'..

and at risk of falling into the cliche category.. i am one of those woman who freaks out about growing old.. though the neurosis has toned down over the years.. i did catch fleeting moments of sheer anxiety in midst of the festivity..

i did wanted to lay low this year.. i've been lucky to be blessed with many surprise celebrations organised in my honour.. but this year.. with the absence of big mammal and the fact that i'm onto the last number that starts with 2-something.. i really am quite content with just some quality time with the special ppl in my life...

it started with a shopping trip on thrusday taking good advantage of the stocktake sales..

then, a 'special' party on friday with my workmates which i've signed a confidentiality agreement not to blog abt it or post any photographic evidence..

and on my b'day.. (i.e. today).. i shared a High Tea with my family..

I got some fantastic presents!! some yummy lip balm, a how to be goddess book (like i need help in that! ha! actually.. yep.. lots of help.. so this 'manual' should come in handy), a facial voucher, a stamp so i can exercise my professional knowledge at parties (see left.. yes it says 'insane'.. and i'm hoping that this simple categorisation will make the world a better place..)..

there were some rocky moments, and yes there were tears.. but the 'ah-ha' moment came with the fortune cookie on my high tea cake tier.. picture on the top of the blog.. soo.. in the end.. i've allowed myself to relax in the midst of the chaos..

i must at admit, i'm the most comfortable and content with who i am and what i've achieved in my life than i've ever been.. i know myself a lot better, i can see things clearer, i've accepted the greys in life, i'm grateful for all the ppl i've been blessed to share my life with.. and i'm embracing life and myself just as it is..

but most of all, i feel peace..

though i'm not exactly enlightened or buzzing with wisdom like the dalai lama.. but for the first time, i have a glimpse of the strength of my inner happy on my experience of the external world.. the oasis, the sanctuary.. that will keep me sane and calm as i navigate through this crazy world with all it's crazy ppl n crazy things.. and the capacity to love all of it.. (well... most of the time)..

and it feels.. quite nice..

so does my Egyptian cotton 1100 thread count sheets from my lil sis! *purrrrr*

serve with a sprig of coriander...

2007-06-20T11:49:00.000+08:00

we were given some giant lemongrass stalks from a friend's garden.. but we had no idea how to use it in cooking.. so mum decided that i can boil it up and put it in my bath..

it was strangely relaxing.. loved the lemony smell.. and the essential oils were quite nice on the skin.. just delicious..

except.. there were several fleeting moments while i'm soaking in the serenity.. i can't help but feeling like a piece of chicken in a lemongrass broth.. and keeping a keen eye on the door in case the cannibals bursts into my bathroom to chuck me on the spit fire..

think i should speak to someone abt these paranoid delusions..

busy sunday!

2007-06-17T19:25:00.000+08:00

been feeling restless after a 6 months of self imposed isolation n inactivity..

for some, coming out of their shell may mean partying till the wee hours of the morning, all-niter at a friend's, as for me.. it's BAKE.. PLANT.. n.. SHOP..

it started with the apple and cinammon bran muffin which was too healthy to be satisfying, then i moved onto the lemon cup cakes complete with lemon butter cream icing and silver balls..
then, come my first attempt at SCONES! don't let it's deceptively benign appearance fool you.. there's quite a science to it's construction.. as i found out from 'good eats' (a tv series that satisfies both the chef and geek in me).. check out these babies.. i'm a domestic GENIUS!
then what coming out party would be complete without the quintessential comfort food - the Spag Bolg.. so i made those too..

in midst of all these baking n cooking i still managed to find time to pay homage to my happy place - Ikea and bought a bunch of things i don't need, and food i shouldn't eat (btw, been totally addicted to digestive biscuits, until i read the nutritional info on the packet and realised i'd be better off chomping down pure butter. hoping this swedish version would be better for me hips)..
plus, i planted more lettuces as some mysterious evil being (most likely in the form of slug or bird) has eaten all of my previous batch of seedlings.. (grrr!) .. which reminds me i gotta plant some beer bombs to murder some snails n slugs (amitabha.. well.. at least it's humane and organic!)..

AND.. graced the half year sale with my presence (at my bargain shopping mecca - Harbour Town), emerged 3 hours later as the proud new owner of a pair of sexy-but-in-a-classy-sorta-way knee high brown boots and two knitted tops!

and what's better to wind down a busy weekend with some fresh out of oven warm scones smoothered in butter and jam.. mmmm..

Girl's night out!

2007-06-14T22:15:00.000+08:00

Leaf Tea Merchants held a Ceylon Tea Tasting night complete with Sri Lankan Food!

so Lil' K, Missy, YT and i, thought we'd check it out.. it was one of the best night out i've had in awhile.. food was yummy and teas were brewed to perfection and we learned so much!

it was presented by part owner/tea merchant Hilary White who owns Elmstock teas.. he did look a bit like a merchant (complete with gold buttons and cuff links) but i have to give him two thumbs up for enthusiasm.. you just can't fake passion, he was showing us what the tea looked and smells like before it was brewed, compared the colours of the tea, telling us tea history, his family's tea history, Sri Lanka food history, what's the best way to brew and store tea, asking us to ask him questions.. it was just SOOOO great to see people who are sooo in love, so knowledgeable in ONE thing and doing it so well!!

in 2 hours i've learned from mr. white - ceylon is a region in sri lanka; it used grow coffee until it was burnt down; Sir Thomas Lipton was a real person; he bought the land cheap cheap and turned it into tea plantation n made a mint; all teas are leaves from the same plant; it's the way the tea is processed that gives different flavours e.g. green, earl grey, white, etc; teas are graded like wine e.g. single estate, tasting notes, and a lot more!

my company was awesome too! conversation just flowed.. we talked abt the civil war in sri lanka and fiji, fair trade, wto, tea habits from various countries, is Portuguese chicken well portuguese or african, why there's no Nando's in Portugal, marvel why the dalai lama makes u wanna hug him, swapped travel stories, wondered what's the difference between lady and earl grey, giggled abt random people who acts like u r homeys and think they know u just coz u are both from the same country, while chomping down asparagus finger sandwiches, sri lanka/dutch love cake, divine curry meatballs, and drinking copious amounts of tea (6 types from the same region)..

no mention.. not even a squeak of boys, babies, gossips, anything girly or superficial!!! *woah*

was just wonderful wonderful wonderful.. i love all these intelligent, educated, well traveled, insightful woman in my life! my heart like my tea cup was filled to the brim.. and just feels so gloriously content :)

if a tree falls..

2007-06-12T20:08:00.000+08:00

ok, we had this philosophical debate back in fourth year psychology.. 'if a tree falls in a forest and no body saw it, then did it fall?'.. and it still haunts me till this day.. logically it did, yet, no one's there to mourn for its demise.. or sigh out regrets.. or miss it.. to whisper 'yes u r a special tree to me'.. argh! so depressing..

when i was goin away for taiwan and we still had some flowers about to bloom in the house that are too fresh and pretty to throw away and it's not appropriate to re-gift to someone else.. it made me feel so sad i was close to tears knowing that soon the flowers will be in bloom and no one will be in my house to see it!! all that pretty wasted.. made me feel even worse when we came home to a vase of dead flowers that gave all it had and no one was there to smell it or gush at it's prettiness..

is that why we all search for 'the one', so we can be 'the two'? some one to bear witness to our existence? to feel like we mattered? that we are 'special' or have value to some one else? our actions or presence have consequence on at least one other human being? would our life still have meaning if we spent it alone? or are we solely defined in relative terms?

ironically as human beings, existential loneliness looms, we have to go thru all our experiences alone, though we can pay for surrogates to have our babies, no one can offer to feel the joy for us when the newborn wraps its tiny palm around our finger... nor can they take away the pain of losing someone you love.. we have to go it alone..

and yet, the dalai lama says he never feels lonely, even when he's alone, becoz interconnectedness binds us all together even when we are in not the same room.. so the flower were pretty, the tree did fall, we would live and mattered.. with or without a witness..

then, why the innate yearning to be heard, touched, understood, held, felt, loved, validated and to feel connected with another human being?

buddhist groupie

2007-06-07T12:45:00.000+08:00

we all have our 'idols'.. for some it's Brittany Spears, for others it's Tom Cruise, Princess Mary of Denmark or buddha forbid.. Johnny Howard.. but for me.. it's the Big Ocean of Wisdom..a.k.a the Dalai Lama... oh yes.. i'm a fan.. a big one..

the last time he was in australia was 2002 and he didn't even make it to our little country town of Perth.. but this time.. he got here.. and like an dutiful obessessed fan i was on that dial as soon as the box office opened.. and i dialed till my fingers were sore yet i persisted till i got in my hot little hands one of those tickets that were sold out in 7 hours.. and since then i've been counting the sleeps till the day arrived..

the last time i was this excited about a famous person coming to perth was.. hmmm.. NEVER.. not even mariah carey..

uncontrollable tears welled up in my eyes when i first saw him appearing as a little maroon dot on the stage (takes a lot of self restraint not to follow my compelling urge to prostrate respect).. i held my palm together to greet him as a dot in the masses..

though his message was simple and i've read about in his books.. but it was cool to hear it from him in person... and just like other ppl's description of him.. he emanates serenity and compassion.. he spoke like a gentle grandfather with kindness and wisdom, at the same time with such child-like innocence that sees only the good in everything and every one.. he was charismatic and had a funny sense of humour, he giggled a lot, he spoke every word with sincerity and conviction and at times so animated his voice bears an uncanny resemblance to yoda (tee hee hee)..

and of course i raided the merchandise stand.. though i was bitterly disappointed there was no dalai lama sock puppets available nor were there any t-shirts that says "I *heart* DALAI LAMA" or "i met the dalai lama and all i got was this lousy t-shirt".. i did manage to get myself a bag and a mug..

in hindsight, may be i'm not groupie enough and i should've stalked him around in the burswood hotel lobby or flown myself to melbourne to hear him talk about the eightfold path.. but anyways.. like a good buddhist i'm learning to just be content with the fact that i get to cross out 'meet the dalai lama' off my "things-to-do-before-i-die list" (even if all i could see was a tiny maroon dot)..

i shall go now and continue bask in the serene glow of the presence of his holiness..

baby love..

2007-06-04T21:25:00.000+08:00

YT's baby Ali is the sweetest smartest cutest little bubba.. :) at the risk of sounding crazy coz i'm waxing lyricals about other people's child.. may be i'm just one proud non-blood relative aunty.. *insert huggie's commercial theme song.. 'it must be love love love..nothing more nothing less.. love is the best' ahhhhh*

she's transformed from a blob that does very little to a mini-human.. crawling, sitting, smiling, playing, grabbing, interacting.. and now at the tender age of 7months she's able to grip onto furniture and stand on her own!!! awww.. *beams with pride*.. and soon.. her first words would be 'i love u aunty j'..*MUWAHAHAHAHA.. drifts off in proud aunty fantasy land*
in hindsight.. may be i should've sought some parental permission before i posted these.. :P sorry YT!

a girl's night in..

2007-06-03T20:32:00.000+08:00

every now and then, on a saturday night, when it's cold outside, and my party spirit is on strike, a girl just need a tall glass of steaming chai latte, a yummy pineapple bun, and a good chick fiction.. all wrapped up in warm blankey..
ahhhh..

confessions of a shopoholic...

2007-05-31T17:24:00.000+08:00

ok.. just when u think a girl can't possibly need more clothes, shoes, accessories.. i'm here to prove u wrong :P

after a 10 day whirlwind tour of my motherland - taipei, taiwan REPUBLIC OF CHINA.. here's a overview of the damage.. guess i'm just doing my bit for the economy.. :D

Luxurious..

2007-05-13T20:09:00.000+08:00

had the most indulgent weekend.. for mother's day we took mum to the 'perth hills' for some spoiling..

we checked into Armorica, ran by a lovely french lady and everything was just EXQUISITE!! the surroundings was beautiful and serene.. the house was thoughtfully decorated, everything is in harmony.. just instant relaxation! love the double showers, loved the bamboo ladder that towels are on, love the mirrors, love the fire place, love the bedspread, love the blinds, love the outdoor setting, love the pool.. i'm so in LURVE with everything in the house.. i felt like i fell into the gourmet traveler's magazine.. so i went a little TOO snappy happy..
for dinner we went to the acclaimed Loose Box and mauled down 4 courses plus a plate of steamed broccoli grown in the garden, 1 fruit cocktail, 1 pre-appetizer appetizer, 1 palate cleanser (rock melon sorbet) and some petite fours with coffee.. at the end all i wanted is just to lie on the bed in my jammies and have a good belly rub.. but here's a pre-dinner glamed up pic of sis and i..
the next morning, after a brisk walk we sat down for a home-made breakfast complete with a spread of jams and the cutest butter dish, freshly brewed coffee, cereals and muesli, authentic french crepes with honey, fruit brioche, sourdough bread, fruit compote, pot set yogurt.. oh the J-O-Y!!!
after breakfast.. we explored the mundaring markets and inspired by the french lady.. i thought i'd buy something pretty to put my future scones and muffins in.. :P
then we went to Lake Leschenaultia.. a really peaceful lake.. but the highlight for me was finding these..
i don't understand why the fascination with wild mushrooms.. but it just makes me sooo HAPPY to see these springing from the ground.. i'd like to imagine myself in a European forest hunting for mushrooms to go on the wood fire grill with some garlic butter.. *adrift in gourmet fantasy land*

Anywayz.. i'm running out of different ways to say FABULOUS!!

i LOVED every moment of the experience.. i felt centered and content..

may be it's all the trees, may be it's all the fabulous home grown/made food, may be it's the forest oxygen, may be it's being surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful things.. but i guess.. may be i was just glad we shared this experience as a family.. it's just nice to sit around the table, marvel at all the yummy food that magically appears without effort from anyone in the family, chat about random things, ooouu and ahhh-ed about life and gossips.. laugh, being relaxed and just being a family..

u know.. i could really get use to getting spoiled like this.. ahhhhh.. (mental note to self: must move to the hills and build solar passive house with organic self-sufficient vegie garden, and become french.. tee hee hee.. oh that's after i've become a melbournian.. phew.. the list just keeps on going!)

couch potato + trash tv = good times

2007-05-07T23:36:00.000+08:00

yes, behold the queen of all couch potatoes..

went thru a sex and the city marathon over the weekend.. ahh.. such wisdom in that show.. yes i do look for relationship advise from it.. (which might explain a few dysfunctional neurosis..HMPH).. but that's not what i want to blog about today..

i have confession to make, i do love my trash tv (except for big brother - pet peeve #47 - i'd scratch my eyes out with a spoon than to watch that complete disgrace to the entertainment industry).. M from my office introduced me to Search for the Next Doll and it's so trashy that it's good.. :) i do love how the 'creator' of the pussycat dolls constantly stresses there's a distinct difference between classy sexy and stripperella sexy.. *WHAT THE?!* rather perplexing actually.. coz i'm not sure how is poppin ur ass in a sequenced bra and panties make u not a stripper...

Anywayz.. i do enjoy watching girls getting all glamed up, bling out, and shake their booty.. and believe it or not.. and after much educational insight into the lives of being a pussycat doll, it has lead me to the firm conclusion that i shall be striking that one off my alternative career list.. believe it or not.. shaking one's booty without making a complete arse of oneself is actually a lot harder than it looks..

and for what it's worth.. i don't like the skanky drag queenesque winner.. but i think she'll end up a backup dancer to the group anyway (well.. to me the dolls are just Nicole a.k.a lead singer plus 5 other nameless faces in the first place so what difference is one more gonna make?).. i loved the other runner up girls, which in my oh-so-in-tune-with-the-music-industry-professional-couch-potato-opinion, could really have a solo career.. :) that's my two cents.. *mee-ouuuww*

so... feeling inspired by the 'sexy fierce confidence'.. i shall share some of them pussycat girl power .. enjoy..

x'mas in may!

2007-05-01T21:35:00.000+08:00

picked up dad from the airport this morning.. and i guess this is how he shows his fatherly love in his traditional Chinese dad sorta way (i.e. there'll be no hugs, compliments, encouragements, or positive feedback, but i shall shower u with the latest winter fashion and accessories that i can fit into my luggage..)

of course one mustn't complain.. we all love differently in our own ways.. he's only doing his best.. *shrugs nonchalantly* :D

i sure am glad x'mas arrived early this year though!!

now if you would excuse me i must go and do some serious rolling around in my new bags, shoes, coats, pants, skirts, suits, accessories.. *boing boing* *skipping off into sunset in new outfit* *madonna blasting on the radio* yeahh.. i'm a ma ma ma ma material girl!

hope...

2007-04-30T20:36:00.000+08:00

fascinated by my lettuce sprouting up into perfect jade petals...
starting the weekend with a relaxing Friday afternoon massage...
realising i've made a new friend after a serendipitous heart to heart on a Saturday afternoon..
catching up on a rainy Sunday afternoon with old friend who understands..
slurping on homemade spaghetti for lunch in my office and being completely absorbed by Kyra Sedgwick's sparkling performance in The Closer..
latte art on my mocha at Giardini..
just when i feel lost, i'm found.. just when i'm getting pruny from marinating in despair, there's nothing better than a timely sprinkle of hope that helps me see the big picture... guess life is full of these little gems.. only if I could learn to stop, take a deep breathe and look...

Mid Week Break

2007-04-26T21:53:00.000+08:00

was ANZAC day on Wednesday.. and though it was meant to be a day of remembrance... for us 'yellow ppl' (or may be it's just my family) we have very vague concept of what this whole thing is about..

my grandparents on both sides did not participate in the war.. i doubt they know much about it other than the fact that the Japanese has invaded China and they are taking over Taiwan.. so we've heard no war stories, there were no medals, we don't even know ANYONE who had fought in the war.. we've only heard about rectangular lunch boxes that only allowed white rice and a red plum placed in the middle to resemble the japanese flag (and great grandma hid other dishes underneath the rice for grandma, where as granddad had no shoes and toughed it out with the plain rice..)..

anywayz, for us it was a blissfully ignorant and much welcomed break in the middle of the week..

so we had a nice BBQ picnic in the local park.. complete with sausage (though gourmet chicken ones.. aussie nonetheless)..and korean beef ribs.. how good does this look eh!

and after a nice walk.. i took over mum's 3D puzzle.. which i finished later that nite..
ahhh.. me like to not work :D

melancholy..

2007-04-19T11:28:00.000+08:00

adrift in a sea of questions i can't answer..

barely afloat in tears of sadness i can't control..

lost in a world i no longer know..

confused by feelings i don't understand..

overwhelmed with thoughts i don't recognise..

existential loneliness.. perplexing.. on one hand, we are all interconnected, interdependent on one another.. then why do i feel so alone? no one will have exactly the same experience as we do, no one can live our life for us..

so i reach out, then rejected by others..

others reach out to me.. then i become withdrawn..

genius and insanity, awake and ignorant, interconnected and independent, love and hate, bliss and torture.. different sides of the same coin?

may be i'm just a prisoner in my own head.. with the key of liberation in my hands..

the crush

2007-04-15T23:01:00.000+08:00

ok, i've had a crush on Kaneshiro Takeshi since.. well.. forever... ahh.. the days of carrying his photos in my wallet and plastering posters on my walls, obsessively cutting out his photos from anything i can get my paws on.. *swoons* .. owning his every album just so i could fall asleep to his voice.. (though let me just say.. singing isn't exactly his best talent) *ahem*.. even today... he is still right on top of my celebrity free list (u know the list of celebrities that u've agreed with ur partner that u'll be allowed to sleep with if the opportunity ever presents itself).. :D ahh.. mesmerising.. *ahem* ..
(borrowed this pic from http://hk.cnmdb.com/photo/p15_134)

ANYWAYZ, thinking of revising that list after a weekend marathon of Hanazakari no Kimitachi he (a corny taiwanese TV series similar to hollywood's "she's the man").. tho the plot was thinner than a bad comb over.. littered with cheesy dialog that's cringe worthy, lots of silliness.. but OH MY GAWDDDD.. the boys are H-O-T.. there's Chun Wu (from brunei, ex fitness instructor a.k.a mr. BUFF)..
(borrowed this pic from http://image.udn.com/gallery/stars/show.jsp?pid=15853)

and Jiro Wang..
(borrowed this pic from http://datalib.ent.qq.com/star/2449/index.shtml)

*giggles*.. so the marathon tv session turned into marathon perv session.. :)

ok, F-I-N-E.. call me shallow.. call me cradle snatcher.. go on judge me.. u have to youtube them to see them in action to understand.. super hotness.. be warned!

cuteness overload

2007-04-12T21:26:00.000+08:00

got these for baby Ally.. i think the picture speaks for itself... :)

happiest food..

2007-04-11T20:09:00.000+08:00

sigh, even at the risk of turning from a food "enthusiast's" blog into a food obsessive blog, i had to show you these Whitman's Sampler.. or what's left of it..
mum's friend gave these to us for easter.. now, in a household where chocolates lasts for YEARS sitting untouched in the cupboard and usually have to wait till Halloween for 'clearance' or re-gifted to someone else... we were very skeptical at best..

but.. it only took one.. and we were SOLD.. ohhh.. they are beyond the descriptive capabilities of my limited linguistic understanding... but i shall try.. they are... *chomps down the chewy almond nougat*.. *munch munch*.. *savours*.. ermmmm.. little bundles of melt in your mouth oh-me-buddha-it-can't-be-this-good cosmically divine PURE JOY...

the only problem is the box is so massive the only place it fits is on the highly accessible kitchen bench.. and everyone who walks past (i.e. grand total of 3), judging from the rate at which these babies are disappearing, obviously can't resist temptation..

blame it on the festive season..

now where was i.. ah yes.. Dark Choc Molasses Chew.. *mauls*

Day 4 - I heart Melbourne!

2007-04-09T14:48:00.000+08:00

on my last day in melb, i was determined to make the most of it.. however, since i only slept at 5am that morning.. i struggled to wake up at 10am.. then i spent 1hr prancing and lazying around my room to work up the energy to peel myself off the couch to get out and DO SOMETHING! coz by god, i was not going to let the sleep deprivation get in the way of my shopping spree.

so here's my top 10 things i love abt melb...

1. 7-eleven's (YEP, there’s one on every corner.. tho it’s not as good as the ones in

Taiwan

, it makes me feel safe just knowing its there..)

2. Direct Factory Outlet - i went to the one on spencer street. i emerged 2 hours later, 1 pair of country road pants, 1 pair of work pants, and 1 wolly vest heavier.. $100 lighter.. and infinitely happier.. could've done more damage but had to meet up with the new couple for coffee..

3. Old Buildings - ohhh.. i love history, i love old stuff, and when every second building you see is this beautiful.. i don't know how NOT to be in lurve with this city.. i practically floated/skipped across the road in true SJP style..

4. Brunetti - ok i know it's nothing new, but nestled in the middle of the Italian district on Lygon street.. is this.. oh sweet mother of all cafes..

after much deliberation.. mulling over literally THOUSANDS of sweets.. i've managed to get away with only these..
D: are you going to eat all those by yourself?!?!? (with disbelief in her eyes) J: *nod nod* i'll start with these first then see how i go..
*D tries to politely hide her jaw drop*

5. oh.. did someone say GIANT chocolate fountain.. yep..

6. Bun Shop - pork floss buns.. mmmm.. ok i know it sounds weird a fluffy sweet white bun topped with some mayo and some pork floss, but it holds special nostalgic childhood memories for me.. so i had to have it.. why Perth hasn't quite caught on with this special treat is beyond me.. (@#$&#)

7. sparrows - this is a bird that i miss.. cute and fearless..
i took this while enjoying my first so-so coffee since i've been in melb on hardware lane.. note the name of the bun shop - BREAD TOP (as oppose to muffin top? a preview of consequence?)
8. Krispy Kreme - of course, no trip would be complete without taking home two dozen donuts.. I had to stand in a 15 min QUEUE for these!! these are no ordinary donuts, don't let it's innocent appearance fool you.. these are melt in your mouth deep fried goodness unparalleled by any gastronomical experiences in this part of the galaxy.. you may laff, but the joy and contentment these babies bring is beyond any mere mortal imaginations... ahhhh..
9. Rhododendron Gardens - the place that D had her wedding ceremony was in a national park.. this place was beautiful, you have the most incredible view of a valley.. everything is lush and green with old pines and conifers reaching for the sky.. most importantly it's not FLAT (unlike perth)! it's on an actual mountain!!

10. FABULOUS coffees - unlike you have to search high and low, work through a barrage of burnt/acidic/overheated milk/fake espressos in perth.. good coffee is on every corner in melb.. and out of all the coffees i had (and believe u me.. i had a fair few) i've only had ONE so-so coffee..
just look at this crema and u know it's good S#$%.. :)

ahh.. i believe i have found my Manhattan.. *gently packing away sweet melb memories into happy places bank*

Day 3 - W Day

2007-04-06T19:37:00.000+08:00

Though it was hard to feel excited at 7am after 4 hours of sleep.. I was really looking forward to the big day..

Rushed out to the tram stop located opportunistically next to a Starbucks. (I was however, later shamed and shunned for even being inside of it.. I coped so much crap you’d think I’ve committed a crime against gourmet).. tho the coffee was as tasty as mouthwash.. I liked the feeling of the warm big cup of coffee in my hands.. it was just as soothing.. perhaps an equivalent of a mental dummy?

After a frenzy of make up, hair, dressing up, half a can of hairspary and 1kg of pins later.. the bride and her maids emerges a vision of beauty... the groom (JT) finally arrived to pick up the bride.

In traditional Chinese customs, the bridesmaids were suppose to set up a obstacle course for the groom for him to prove his worthiness. We had a quiz to test how well he knew his bride which he passed with flying colours.. I did however can see the deep panic in his eyes the whole time and can almost hear the churning sound of his overworked brain..

the second obstacle was the multi-flavoured dumplings that TY and I made the day before, one of salty, sweet, sour (vinegar), bitter (coffee), chilli. The groom had to eat each one and tell us a particular memory he had with the bride associated with each of the flavour. I can tell it wasn’t exactly pleasant but he was a good sport, TY was so worried that he’ll have a bad stomach after.. tee hee hee..

the final task, he had to sing a song to serenade D and she will only come out of her bedroom when it’s to her satisfaction.. JT some how struggled with this as he can’t seemed to remember lyrics.. his bestman (DH) forked out his new Motorola and googled.. was a juxtaposition to see a modern take on an old tradition.. you just have to laugh at the ingenuity..

yet.. it does make me wonder whether it has just made us lazy and over dependent on it? may be i'm just the old school thou shalt only enjoyst the fruits of thoust labour if thou provst thou ist worthiest thru abundancest of bloody sweat and toil.. :)

ANYWAY.. Wedding was lovely, lovely lovely… weather was perfect, setting was perfect, vows were perfect..

except I was put in charge of the groom’s ring to hand over to D, there was a point when I accidentally put it on my finger so I wouldn’t loose it, and I pushed too hard that it became stuck.. I FREAKED OUT! HOLY GUACAMOLE!! i'll be damned if I was the one who ruins D's wedding!! i quiver at the thought of if I wasn't able to produce a ring when it came time for the exchange!!! Though I kept smiling and prayed that the cold sweat streaking down my forehead won't show up on film.. my mind was blank with panic and no amount of twisting and tugging would make the ring come off.. eventually after some strategic persuasion.. the ring did come off just before the exchange.. PHEW!!!

here's the only shot i have of me and new couple in the car..

the girls.. awww.. look D's all grown up.. :)

the banquet was traditional with lobsters, abalone, shark fin soup, crispy chicken, steamed fish.. in hindsight i should've rethink that two sips of champagne that made me feel so buggered to even be politely social, or that extra bowl of shark fin soup that made me miss the dessert.. :(

anyway, after the banquet was a mad rush to get the bridal suite romantic as a surprise for the new Mr & Mrs... brand new sheets, rose petals, bottle of penfolds, countless candles, rose scented oil burner.. THE WORKS, the whole shebang n caboodle! mmmm.. have to say i'm pretty proud of our handy work..

except since we are unable to leave the open flame unsupervised, we had to wait for the new couple to arrive.. and boy did they take their time apparently running errands.. so at 2am.. this is what we looked like.. i just hope Dr K will never come across my blog or i might just have to take a 'vacation'..

Day 2 - MORE wedding frenzy

2007-04-05T10:15:00.000+08:00

Today, i woke up to this, tho not exactly scenic but it made me happy for some unknown reason.. something abt the crispness of the skanky city air, the cloudy morning sunshine sieving through the high rises, the pigeon hole that is my apartment or the chirpings of trams n traffic.. it all feels very.. ermm.. Manhattan..

it's official.. that I’m just so in lurve with this city, when Dr. K (aka james bond.. our nick for k coz he once told us about his surgeon fantasy of driving to work in a convertible with the james bond theme blasting on the stereo) and I decided to stop for breakky from some little shops enroute to D’s place. Just some innocuous looking suburban café and bar.. I walked in and they had these sitting on the counter just fresh out of the oven.. and illy coffee too!!!

this is not your mass-produced run of the mill SARA LEE stuff, this is gourmet pumpkin, spinach and pine nuts.. it was still WARM!!! serendipitous indeed!! man the victorians are certainly spoilt.. i was deliriously happy that i skipped (on the inside) all the way to D's apartment down the road..

Spent the rest of the day planning the obstacle course ritual for the groom when he comes to pick up the bride tomorrow with the other bridesmaid TY (D's Sis).. We also bought a new bedding set for the new couple.. and some red roses to set the mood ;) after all that stressful shopping we rewarded ourselves with some yummy coffee from this quaint café Leroy Espresso off Barkley St in St Kilda.. man, one just can’t get a bad coffee anywhere!!! (unlike perth where it's everywhere.. *lament*)..

As a perfect finish to the day is the BIG BOWL of Ramen.. mmm.. think I died and gone to heaven.. (tho the japanese probably sneeze at this maccas equivalent quality.. it was good enough for me).. you just can’t get ramen like this in perth, and if anyone says wagamama I’ll just might resort to some violence..

Then we had a last minute logistics rehearsal with D’s friend E who’ll be overseeing the set up at the wedding. I was soooo impressed with the level of organization, clarity and efficiency I desperately wanted her to be my friend.. in hindsight.. guess i should hold off on the desperation may be start with moving to melb first..

By the time I collapsed on my bed and looked over the clock and saw 3.00 am I let out a little ‘f@#$’ under my breath.. so much for beauty sleep.. guess will have to just rely on my natural charms or my sparkling personality tomorrow..

Day 1 - wedding frenzy

2007-04-04T09:29:00.000+08:00

Was in melb in for 4 days for my friend D’s wedding..

Took the red eye on Wednesday for melb and now I know why it’s called that.. quite literally..

Spent most of the day doing lots of wedding errands, final fittings, rehearsal at venue, and it was really nice to finally meet the groom for the first time. :)

there's just something about a girl in her wedding gown.. was all a bit surreal.. that D is getting married.. the girl that skipped a whole day of lectures with me only to sit on the foreshore to talk about anything under the sun.. the girl that would swap her tomatoes in her sandwich (her pet peeve) for my carrots (my pet peeve).. the girl that naps in the library between classes.. the girl that we had a karaoke session over coffee at the guild cafe.. was this the girl that knew i was Taiwanese before she spoke to me coz she recognised my only-taiwanese-would-use-this-japanese eraser? ahhh me getting sentimental here..

when we got back to the hotel at 10pm, we walked pass as I later discovered as the Greek district and we came across the MOST AWESOME cafe!! My heart skipped a beat, it was love at first sight.. and there’s very few things/people that can do that in this world.

Obviously I couldn’t fit it all in my stomach and still expect to fit into my bridesmaid dress, I had to settle for limiting myself to 3 items and sharing them with K over a bottle of red (well.. K drank, I watched)..

after a good 15mins standing in front of the cabinets, we finally decided on these.. one mini yo-yo (or Kok.. some how K holds a special facisnation with this name and enjoys repeating it over and over)

and this MASSIVE chocolate rum ball and biscuit.. mmmm..

Though it wasn’t such a good idea to sleep at 2 am after a 1 hour sleep on the plane and a 1 hour nap on D’s couch, I was a bit high on the sweets induced adrenaline rush..

I did regret it a bit when I had to wake up at 8am the next day…

Busy bee

2007-03-28T15:07:00.000+08:00

in a few hours i will be on a plane to melb for D's wedding!! haven't been on a plane for a 15months!!! i hope i'll travel well.. :D not sure why i'm so nervous, it's not even my wedding!! i just hope i don't fall on my face or ruin things for D! *adrift in neurotic psychosis* :P

the past two days has been a hectic blur.. mad rush to get things organised before i leave.. even though i'm only gone for 4 days.. but it feels like some mammoth production!! *sheepish grin*

bought new sexy shoes, made jewelery to go with my dress, picked up the bridesmaids dress.. it's a lovely colour and the most important thing is that it very forgiving when it comes to my wobbly bits! :P made friends with the dress maker's westie - bella..if this is not cute.. i don't know what is!

bought new REN cleanser and moisturiser.. (hurts my wallet a bit.. but.. there's no price for good skin), then made it to my hair appointment at Dale James in South Perth (the best part was the shampoo and scalp massage.. mmm.. my hairdresser also guaranteed that my new sexy hair will get me hooked up with a hot guy.. hmph.. no sight of that as yet.. well. other than my big mammal..:D..)..

i just seemed to hemorrhaging money nowadays.. though i'm not making much, i sure know how to spend it!

finally the day ended with a lovely girls night out with WJ, S, & Sis at C restaurant :) we all dressed up and blinged out.. there were lots of cocktails (well.. half a glass for me), fries and risotto balls, great view, fantastic company, great conversations of: new job, future plans, phd woes (S has just started hers), why some people just clueless when it comes to social etiquette, weddings, why men are slow and can't communicate (:P), travel, my lack of alcohol digesting enzymes... :) just fabulous girl power!

Jeans Definitions

2007-03-25T11:57:00.000+08:00

ok, since my last post, it appears that not everyone categorize their jeans like me.. so here's a crash course on types of jeans in a girl's wardrobe..

skinny jeans - jeans that you wear when you Feel and/or ARE skinny from not eating for the past 2 days.. u feel dizzy both from the euphoria of being able to fit into the jeans, malnutrition, and how the jeans are so tight that it's cutting off your blood flow... but your brain chose to ignore your body's request for oxygen coz your booty looks soo HOT..

fat jeans - jeans that you fit into when u are abt to embark on a seafood buffet, for lazying around, or sometimes as the last resort when the only thing you can fit into is a potato sack let alone your skinny jeans or any other jeans you own.. or when you are sick of feeling like a denim wrapped ham in your skinny jeans.. comfort is a priority, you take solace in the roominess to make you feel like you are not as fat as you actually are and you no longer give a flying f#@* whether you look hot or not.

sentimental jeans - jeans that you would not wear out to public but it's hanging out in your wardrobe as a distant reminder that you were once on the edge of fashion, and just in case you want to do a rendition of 'hammer time', or you need those skinny leg jeans to go with your AC/DC shirt when you want to practice your air guitar, or that torn in twenty places light blue denim for some good 'ole quality Madonna-'papa don't preach' time...

savvy?

Skinny Jeans!!

2007-03-23T23:33:00.000+08:00

i've decided it was about time for me to take some pride in my appearance... so i embarked on a get fit and look hot endeavour 1.5 months ago..

after lots of sweaty body combat, body pump, rpm, aqua aerobic, yoga, walking n standing.. constantly hurtin n recoverin from classes the day before.. i've finally reached my first mile stone... i've lost 5 kgs!!! (thanks to dad, who casually mentions 5kgs is a whole lotta PORK and will feed my family for a month.. sigh.. sometimes i wonder whether i'm the adopted one..)

so finally, this morning when i discovered could again fit into my calvin kleins.. which used to be my fat jeans 3 years ago, then skinny jeans 2 years ago, then what eventually became the can't-even-fit-into-it-so-lets-shove-it-to-the-back-of-the-closet jeans 1 year ago.. i was the happiest bunny this side of the hemisphere.. actually happy would be an understatement.. i was STOKED!

i shall revise my previous blog entry.. what beats free happy is inner happy.. :P

i rewarded myself by going shopping :) ahhh retail therapy works both for hi's and low's.. :P a bit of paid happy to go with my inner happy..

here's my new top with my calvin kleins.. hmmm.. my mirror could use a good clean eh..

Some FREE happy..

2007-03-22T17:31:00.000+08:00

My sis C requested that i MUST go to Borders to reserve the new harry potter and we'll get an owl plush too!! so as a poor unemployed student like i am, who has nothing better to do with her time.. i obeyed.. and it just so happened that there's a Mecca Cosmetica right next door.. and being an OCD (obsessive complusive disorder) person who's latest object of preoccupation is skin care.. i can't just walk away like what a normal sane person who has a life/job/discipline would do.. so.. much like a fly to a fly trap i HAD TO see what Philosophy look, smell, feel like..

Megan (the pretty lady at the shop) was LOVELY.. she explained what's unique about the products, what it's for, how to use it, let me try stuff, WITHOUT making me feel like an idiot as most 'beauty' ppl tends to do to nerds like me (a.k.a. obviously clueless abt anything that would lead to looking less like a rat chew) .. yup.. she talked to me like i'm a human being.. we talked about harry potter.. and she even laughed at my jokes.. tee hee hee (yes i know she's paid to.. but i don't care.. i prefer to think that i'm witty).. i was so ready to hand over my money without trying anything!!

in the end she recommended the REN clean skin care totally natural and no additives.. it smells DIVINE!!! she even gave me FREE SAMPLES!!! free free free!!! oooo.. very very happy.. i felt like a million bucks walking out of there..

so i thought i should treat myself a cup of gloria jean.. and guess what my frequent coffee card is full, so i got that for FREE too.. AHHHHH.. when the smiley barista (p.s. why they all so hyped n cheerful? is it the coffee smells? i digress.. ) handed me my order.. i really don't believe it can get any better than this..
so walking to my car (which i had to pay parking fee.. not free *shrug*).. with a meccca bag full of FREE samples and a warm cup of FREE caramel nut cappuccino.. i was walking on clouds even when the street alley smells like urine..

so.. me really happy with my free happy.. and it made me wonder.. why aren't people are a little nicer to each other when it just makes SUCH a difference to someone else's day? HMPH...

Beauty is only Skin Deep..

2007-03-21T21:46:00.000+08:00

and apparently, so is happiness.. :)

since big mammal's been gone.. it's hard to find joy in life any more.. (yes.. i'm STILL mopey).. sigh..

BUT.. i believe things are looking up..

since D's wedding is coming up in 10 days.. as her maiden of honour.. i thought i'd best look after myself so i won't ruin her wedding photo forever.. (imagine the amount of cutting i have to do to remove my face from all the pics) .. i've been experimenting with skin care products.. i tried dermalogica.. which smells great and feels great.. except my skin didn't like it.. (btw, if you got recommendations please let me know. i was also eying the philosophy range too..me just LURVE girly stuff..only if i'd approach my own phd with the same degree of gusto and relentless rigor.. *sheepish grin*)

so i'm thought i'd try H2O sorta liked their rationale of using water as their primary ingredient.. so guess what was waiting for me when i got home today!!!

YIPEEEEE... icing on the cake.. i've only bought the travel kit (5 pieces) and they gave me a WHOLE BUNCH of other samples to try!! (this appeased both the chinese and the beauty queen in me :P..)

all this made me the happiest woman on EARTH.. for.. well at least 3 hours so far and still counting! ("happy happy happy" i sang tunelessly as i bounced, swirled and danced around the kitchen with my parcel in hand.. my sis thought it was a rather odd parcel receiving ritual i have..)

although it felt pretty good on the skin.. what amazed me was how simple it was to make me happy.. small things amuse simple minds? *shrug*

BUT!! ahhh.. the joys of online shopping.. now i'm a believer.. who says money doesn't buy happiness obviously haven't discovered how to use their credit cards yet.. :D ebay here i come!

ladies of leisure

2007-03-06T11:48:00.000+08:00

spent a lovely Sunday afternoon at YT's with the gorgeous 5 months old Ally (a.k.a. Alexandria) with chocolate brownies (me and Mrs Betty Crocker), poppy seed and kumquat muffins (YT's original), and delicious Vanilla Tea from Mauritius, plus a sprinkle of lazy afternoon sun spilling through the blinds.

icing on the muffin, Baby Ally fell asleep in my arms!! *proud first time aunty J*

it's the most incredible feeling, a bit maternal, but most of all, it's the overwhelming sense of achievement that caught me off guard.. i imagine similar to finishing a thesis chapter.. :) i love everything about it, for 5 whole minutes, i felt like i'm the most important person in the world bearing the complete dependence and trust of the innocent new arrival..

while the baby slept, YT and I lazed on the bed with Ally.. it felt like the good ole uni days before we moved on with our 'grown up' lives.. we talked about long distance relationships, being a new mum, gossiped and aiya-ed about friends and family, and relationship laments...

it was just what i needed after a week of sobbing and neurotic emotional roller coaster over big mammal's absence...

to remember myself, to be present, to feel endless gratitude for my friends and family, who lets me chew their ears off.. and still decided to support me through my schizophrenic dialog, stormy tears, imploding frustration, catastrophising woes, mole hill epiphanies, and surprise delights.

Thank you all, you know who you are ;)

xox. j

to infinity and beyond..

2007-02-22T18:24:00.000+08:00

big mammal has gone to taiwan, for work, for eternity (ok.. i'm being melodramatic, it's a year)..

he left on weds morning.. and i've already cried for a whole week before he left :(

despite all the rational reasoning (e.g. it's good experience for him; he'll learn mandarin; we can grow as individuals; he'll know more abt my background; we'll still be in contact; he'll visit; i'll visit after i hand in my thesis; a year's not a long time.. blah blah blah).. the plumbing is still broken, i'm still leaking, plus the unstoppable trickles of random thoughts of "what if's" and "i'll miss him".. *bawwwwww*..

whist i am trying to 'grow up' and conduct a somewhat mature and independent relationship.. nothing can change the feeling of a part of me has been ripped out.. or that pitless sensation in my tummy..

although i know there's a silver lining in here somewhere.. i know he'll be ok, i'll be ok.. but it still SUX.. bad..

forecast: occasional drizzles, overcast, showers and thunderstorms.. lots of moping, sulking and unmentionable quantities of chocolates..

last supper..

2007-02-21T14:00:00.000+08:00

big mammal is leaving perth for a job in Taiwan (a.k.a republic of china, NOT people's republic of china).. for a whole year..

so we had our last romantic dinner on sunday.. went to (A) lure ... and tee hee hee i have to do a review..

service was .. errmmm.. how can i put this nicely.. SHIT HOUSE.. :P actually it was just the one guy that took our order.. he ignored us for a good half an hour, we had to fetch our own menus, and he didn't even explain the specials when we asked him to.. we asked if there's a vegetarian option for a dish, he outright said nope.. we asked if they have a bread, he said yes, it's corn bread, we asked if it was on the menu he said nope... followed by his blank look and awkward silence.. at this point big mammal was fuming and i was close to thumping this smart arse..

after we've ordered, he brought on a complimentary plate of olives, cold cucumber soup and some BREAD rolls.. which would've been nice for him to mention that earlier... *rolls eyes*

big mammal had the chicken and couscous, and i had a potatoe rosti with poached egg, spinach and tomatoes... we thought the chicken was a bit dry, but i loved my dish it was simple, fresh with yummy flavoursome ingredients..(despite the $28 price tag.. sigh).. it gave me goose bumps when i cut open the egg and the lusciously golden yolk gushes out.. definitely a lifestyle channel moment..

although, highlight (as always) is the dessert.. we had the chocolate fondant.. it was TO DIE FOR... once you've cut through the delicious spongey exterior.. the molten chocolate goo oozes from the centre.. was just mmmm..

plus i love all the cutlery and table ware :)
why does good food have to have a price tag to match :(

House Guest

2007-02-13T09:11:00.000+08:00

my cousins have left their baby girl with us while they are away.. she's a 2.5 yr old Labrador princess name 'sushi'.. and i challenge anyone who can turn down these pleading puppy eyes..

we've never had pets (other than keeping a puppy for 2 weeks when we were 10), we weren't exactly sure if our house guest will survive her stay..

it feels like having a new baby, it's been a while since baby speak was heard in the household.. "has sushi been a good girl today, does she wanna go walkie walkie?".. it's funny to watch myself and others going gar gar over.. well.. a rather large dog that knocked dad over when she charged at him..

sushi has her toy - mr ladybug, that she is best buds with, except mr. ladybug went missing the second day he got here, after a whole day of scavenging thru our back yard, dad finally found mr.ladybug buried next to the fence. same process repeated itself for the next 2 days before the surrogate mummy n daddy decided that mr. ladybug should make friends with mr. cardboardbox for a day till sushi learns not to bury her toys..

she does know how to lay on the guilt trip.. she's got the look mastered to a T.. :)

and if all else fails, miss sulky.. if anyone sees this they'll be tempted to call the RSPCA!

Taking a moment

2007-02-08T08:17:00.000+08:00

life just seemed to throw a curve ball at u when u least expected.. i always use my firefly analogy... we are like lil fire flies flitting down the highway of life, lighting our way the best we can, then out of nowhere, *SPLAT*, flat on a windscreen...

windscreen in the form of a heart break..

traumatised.. my downward spiral of a life was taken to a grinding halt.. my world came undone along with any preconceived notion of permanence/stability/knowing.. no where to hide or run..

I guess when all is lost, what emerges from the ashes of the old self is a renewed assessment and analysis of patterns and behaviours, reconnecting with what lead me here, replaying each moment of regret, remembering the essence of me, desperate for consoling glimpses of hope and redemption.. like an insect under the microscope, pinned down, prodded, dissected, naked yet honest..

in the midst of the pain there was serenity.. new epiphanies.. new understanding.. new perspective and acceptance..

a heart broken may be mended, yet it bears the battle scars as a reminder of past lessons and a new beginning..

now.. though bruised and vulnerable.. bizarrely liberated… wisely optimistic..

and alas, happy.

Alternative Career #56 - Landscape Architech

2007-01-29T16:37:00.000+08:00

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!

2007-01-25T17:39:00.000+08:00

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

2007-01-22T21:43:00.000+08:00

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

2007-01-16T20:00:00.000+08:00

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...

2007-01-08T12:39:00.001+08:00

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!!!

2007-01-04T00:15:00.000+08:00

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

2007-01-02T21:31:00.000+08:00

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..

Return of Indiana Jones

2006-12-30T09:29:00.000+08:00

although i promised CM that i wouldn't blog about him.. i can't help it.. i'm complusive! besides since he wasn't very cooperative when i tried to take a photo while he wolfs down his main.. i think i can revoke my promise (this is the best 'action shot' i can get.. CM wouldn't stop to smile for the photo AND he has sneakily deleted the brilliant shot of his mouth wide open.. -_- .. i under estimated the clever monkey.. some how he had worked out how to operate my chinese speaking camera.. well..enough to delete photos.. damn!)

CM is back in perth over x'mas after another year of working abroad.. we caught up at Tsunami, normally i'm anti-fusion or anything that isn't authentic when it comes to chinese or japanese food.. i hate all the jazzed up decor and half hearted food.. so my pet peeves list include - han's cafe and Wagamama.. i will not provide a link to them coz me sooooo not impressed.. yet they are doing well with all the white folks wanting some watered down version of 'oriental experience'.. GRRRRR.. but i digress..

in sum, Tsunami wasn't too bad for a 'posh jap food for white ppl' sorta place.. :P

as for the title of the blog.. i have a strange association of CM with Indiana Jones.. not that he looks like Harrison Ford (tho blond and rugged..), but he does have that same 'i'm a cool but cheeky nerd' charisma.. :P he does travel the world, a total adventure junkie, loaded with energy.. and every time we meet up he always has lots of jaw droppin stories to tell.. plus, he's always managed to gallop (used to be a holden that he calls toyota.. yep.. WTF??.. and now in his hired Audi TT) to my rescue when i'm going thru some sort of 'meltdown'.. and hear me sob thru: how no one understands the pain of writing a phd; the injustices i receive from insensitive bf/supervisor/parents/friends/sister; straight men wearing white pants n g-string; colour coordination wardrobe crisis.. then heads straight into 'solution mode', outlines a 12-step action plan.. and diplomatically tells me to 'get over it'.. yup.. this is a 'tough love' sorta guy :P

perhaps despite (inspite?) all this, he has an iron clad work ethic, will of steel, incredibly principled, devilishly intelligent (only if he could use his powers for good..), charismatically charming, spitefully confident, shares my rare n dorky sense of humour, and extremely good value.. :P one of the few ppl i would voluntarily hangout with, look forward to our annual catch up session as if no time has passed, and publicly acknowledge our friendship.. :) me will be very sad when he leaves in a week.. *sob*

the c word

2006-12-19T21:42:00.000+08:00

At first I thought I should keep this blog light and airy.. but I’ve decided to keepin it real..

This time last year, my mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer.. so far she’s had 19 cycles of chemo (every fortnight), selective internal sphere radiation, bowel surgery, and now awaiting for her liver surgery..

Today, is her chemo day, and it’s the one day I get to spend with her alone.. not under the most ideal circumstance (ironically, being phd-less is a blessing in disguise).. but it feels indulgent to have alone time with my mummy.. sitting nervously in the doctors room, holding her hand when they put the needle in, making her tea at the oncology clinic, and stealing drinks from the fridge.. we have our rituals, little winks of knowing, updates on family gossip, chatting about life, complaining about hospital food and speculating about other patients and nurses..

Although the future is still filled with uncertainty, but as we grow everyday in this journey we learn to appreciate things that we normally walk pass without a second thought.. every pink sunset, discount at the chinese grocery, kindness of strangers, sitting down for a picinic concert, late night shopping on a lazy summer day, unsolicited hugs, have mum reaching out for my hand while crossing the road..

Sure there’s still the occasional brawl, and boy, mum definitely knows which buttons to push.. but when I take her hand into mine, I’m reminded of the inseparable bond, blissful warmth that floods me, and how petrified I am by the thought of living my life without her..

More X'mas spirit

2006-12-18T22:52:00.000+08:00

Ali from the office made these x'mas bundles of pure JOY.. mmmm!! i've only had one.. hoping there'll be seconds, but i bet they'll be all gone when i get in the office next!!! GRRRRRR ..

is this turning in a food blog? have i bloged too much?

Domestic Goddess meets Korean BBQ

2006-12-18T22:28:00.000+08:00

since mum and dad complained about my unhealthy baking.. how i'm making them fat and giving them heart disease (sigh, really, how could something taste so good be bad?? sighh).. so i thought i'll use my domestic goddess powers for good and made this organic Ancient grains and seeds loaf.. and not only it was healthy, it tasted DEVINE. once again, my camera was too late.. mum has already taken a massive chunk out of it while it's still steaming coming out the oven.. i guess she liked it.. *smug*

that night big mammal and i caught up with YT, YT's Hubby, n buba over the all-you-can-eat korean BBQ. .. it was the first meal out i shared with the new family.. food was great, company was lovely, and with the addition of the sweet little cute as a button Ally, it all felt very grown up!

i guess it's watching a close friend embarking on motherhood, it just drove home that.. well.. what a life altering experience it is to welcoming a new life into the world and the sense of achievement for being totally responsible for another human being.. it's scary but nice .. :P t

here's something so magical about a newborn that is so captivating.. the milky baby smell, softest brand spanking new skin, feathery hair, perfect tiny fingers (complete with finger nails) and perfect little toes.. everything's anatomically correct n TINY!.. so there sat the four grown ups, talking, eating, drinking, while eyes never leaving the buba and giggling, marvelling at every little burp, flinch, fart, saliva bubble, frown, smile, fist waving that this tiny person makes..

the food was fabulous too.. but unfortunately, i ate myself silly and stayed up all night feeling like my stomach was going to explode.. was not nice.. *BAWWW*

X'mas Spirit

2006-12-18T22:22:00.000+08:00

ohhh.. first Friday late night shopping in the city for YONKS!! All of a sudden I just feel like I’m infused with happy x’mas energy…

there’s something about the festival that makes the mundane everyday stuff seemed bearable.. as if it totally refocuses one’s attention to what is really important in life.. family, friends, special ppl, spirit of giving, gratitude and love.

So I went a little snappy happy wif the cameras.. all the decorations are so beautiful, each a work of art itself! oh of course there's my model..

The London court is one of my favourite places in perth city.. I always feel like I’ve been transported back in time and over to Europe.. I miss being in Europe around x’mas.. although it’s not so much fun when everything’s shut.. but there’s always the pre-x’mas markets with home made apple strudel with piping hot custard served by a lovely german lady, the heart warming moult wine, farm made bread, swiss hot chocolate spiked with rum, massive bratwurst in a pan big enough for me to curl up in.. x’mas decorations, I miss strolling around the stalls in the light falling snow.. listening to carollers in costume n pig tails singing familiar tune in a different language.. everyone on the street nods and smile at strangers, wishing happy x’mas blessing to all sentient beings.. ahh.. the nostalgia

So the london court is close as I get to that and the delicious coffee smell from infusion is good enough for me.. this place is soooo cool, you get to choose what beans and they would grind it on the spot and turn it into pure JOY in a cup.. mmmm

A merry psychology x'mas

2006-12-15T13:26:00.000+08:00

our school had a x'mas lunch out at Sitella Winery yesterday. it was a beautiful setting.. i tried to prentend it was tuscany but megan pointed out that the jumper jacks gave it away.. (i'd say it's abt cropping and photoshop)..

was interesting watching 30-40 professors, lecturers, and phd students getting on a musty bus like teenagers and play silly quizzes on the way to get boozed up ..

we had 6 wine tastings.. i've limited myself to one sip for each wine.. and i still got drunk before we sat down to lunch.. (sigh.. damn my inadequate alcohol break-down enzymes).. the one with the dorky grin on the right is my supervisor.. and me bright red with ali on the left trying not to fall over..

so i ended up spending most of the meal being boring and blanking out as i struggle to recover from my alcohol haze.. wishing i could just crawl under the table for nap.. luckily my colleagues were all very entertaining and i still had a great time... me (still lobster red faced) with megan (missy) n karina (lil' k)..

check out Ali-T dawg, the latest addition to our office, she's cute as.. loaded with quirky one-liners.. e.g. "i'll be all over it like a fat kid on a cupcake", "peace out detroit" and "joy"... and with more happy energy than a duracell bunny armed with incredible ability to neutralised an otherwise disgruntled and grumpy office..
then the highlight of the meal.. banana banoffee.. mmmm..

after a massive three course meal, countless glasses of wine, champers, coke.. well fed, drunk, and full of x'mas spirit we were loaded back on the bus.. and did the songs of late 80's n 90's karaoke all the way home.. (actually it was just the four of us in the back of the bus.. but we thought it'll eventually spread like wild fire, but apparantly our musical talents weren't as entertaining as 'guess the song n artist' music quiz.. ) PFFTTTTT..

i had a killer hangover by 6pm.. i was useless and lying on me bed vowing to stick to my lemon lime bitters next time no matter how shameful it is...

O' x'mas tree.. oh.. a taiwanese x'mas tree?

2006-12-13T12:00:00.000+08:00

when I came home last night.. my mummy bounced over with a twinkle in her eye.. (an UH-OH alarm went off in my head as the twinkle is often associated with her being naughty in buying useless crap or guilt of her breaking something of mine or decided to chuck out my favourite outfit/book/kitchen stuff/electrical appliance).. then she told me she has bought some sparkly stringy stuff.. “’tinsels’ yeah?? See I know the English word for them” she proclaimed in chinese except for the tinsel bit..*sigh*

she then took me into our lounge and showed me a bag of x’mas tinsels.. “to put up around the house.. for x’mas!”.. at this point.. my jaw hit the floor..

first. We are Buddhists.. and last time I checked.. x’mas ain’t on the calendar..
second. Mum is the most anti-festivity person E-V-E-R! She don’t like celebrating anything.. not birthdays, anniversaries or even chinese new year! Yep.. we always had to beg her if we could do something that resembles some sort of celebrating.. so, after her half a century of anti-holidays, all of sudden she has decided to join the rest of civilised world in celebrating a holiday that she doesn’t believe in..

but since I’m a celebrate-anything-on-any-calendar-any-chance-i-get-opportunist, I embraced her ideas of decorating the house.. plus she's so cute when she's excited abt something.... :)

so.. here's our version of a x’mas tree.. a plastic plant in our front entry.. which took a good 20 mins and two tinsel rearrangements.. (btw, the yellow/black thing in the tree is a toy monkey with banana that dad thought was appropriate since monkeys like trees)

yep.. it’s our tv.. it’s practically family..

left over tinsel that we dunno what to do with it..

yup.. shameful really.. but I’m so happy that at least this year we've got some sort of festivity going on that we won't be longingly looking into our neighbours’ windows at their trees.. I don’t really care how tacky it looked...

except this morning, the tree tinsel were rearranged to mum's satisfaction (apparently i don't have the artistic eye), and i was informed the TV tinsel will be relocated to somewhere else more appropriate.. *SIGH*

being positive

2006-12-12T22:28:00.000+08:00

Ok.. in retrospect.. I had an ok weekend..

went to the outdoor cinema (perth international arts festival) to watch Infamous.. was a great cast, and interesting story abt Truman Capote.. i really enjoyed it! (considering i'm normally a chick-flick/PG13 type of gal).. now i'm looking forward to renting out Hoffman's version 'Capote' and can't WAIT to read 'in cold blood' (gives me goose bumps) .. it was the most beautiful setting.. surrounded by pine trees.. i really miss spending time doing things that gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.. so freezing my butt off was well worth it..

downside was when i was attacked by big mammal at the cinema becoz .. apparently taking 18 shots to get a perfect photo of us is JUST TOO MUCH for him to 'bear'... pffttt!

made a delicious apple bread/cake thing..(Nigella calls it apple kuchen).. forgot to take a pic before my family attacked it..

went to a lovely free concert of movie themes.. star wars, lord of the rings, titanic, superman, indiana jones.. and a couple of obligatory carols which we all happily belted out in most non-matching tones we could manage.. subsituting 'la la la' in place of forgotten lyrics..

and caught the loveliest sunset.. ahhh..

guess life ain't too bad after all.. guess my previous entry was just a tad melodramatic.. *sheepish grin*

o' woe is me..

2006-12-12T15:35:00.000+08:00

I’ve been one cranky little vegemite for the past week.. stuff was happening.. I was not inspired and not impressed..

Thought I’d try to turn over a new leaf this week.. but so far .. it’s just not happening for me… for example, this morning when I arrived at uni.. I sat in the car after I parked listening to the new EMINEM song "smack that".. yep.. oh yes.. that's how low i sank and how little i wanted to do work..

So as I’m looking out the window from my prison (aka uni).. it takes every restraint in my body not to burst into tears..

think somebody better call a 'whinembulance' (pronounce WAM-BU-LAN-S)..

happy place #2

2006-12-06T17:38:00.000+08:00

much like julie andrews in sound of music with her 'favourite things'.. i've got my happy places (i'll share my other happy places as they come up..)

ribbons r nice, so is brown paper wrappings.. but tis nothing compare to $1 hot dogs and swedish mass produced designer furniture made in china.. IKEA.. the land of plenty for the champagne taste and beer budget..

i'm so in love with the food section.. it has opened up a whole new dimension for me.. elderberry cordial, fish in jars, assemble yourself ginger bread houses, shortbread with chocolate centers, make your own (just add water) rye bread in a milk carton, all sorts of frozen cakes that sara lee don't make, swedish meatballs, oh.. tis land of plenty indeed!!! it took every restraint i have in my body to only get away with these..

yup.. these DAIMs taste pretty damn good.. :P how did i get thru the last 28 yrs of existence without these?!?!

ps. they are chocolate coated crunchy butterscotch almond toffees.. MMmmmMmM..

O' sweet fruit of my labour

2006-12-06T17:05:00.000+08:00

At last!!! One is ripe for the picking.. it’s so pretty and so perfect..
Damn tis hard work growing tomatoes..

Considering.. so far..
3 X tomato plants = $10
Premium Potting mix = $12
2 X pots = $30
Wheels for the pots = $15
Decorative stone mulch = $3

Seeing one’s own love and labour coming to fruition = Joy
Realisation that one should leave the tomato planting to the experts = PRICELESS..

Considering I’ve only yielded a single fruit.. So it’s currently standing at $70 per tomato.. may be the 3 bucks I pay for a tub of cherry tomatoes can be justified.. may be woollies isn't trying to rip me off.. may be i should speak to a therapist abt this paranoia...

Sigh…

It's a VAIO!

2006-12-04T17:19:00.000+08:00

over the weekend.. i welcomed the new love of my life.. my sweet-as sony vaio..

it was love at first sight, the sound is FABULUOUS, plus it's so pweetttyyy!!! i haven't learn how to do cool stuff with it.. but it had me at 'hello'..

a Core 2 Duo, it's sheer 1.8Ghz of joy-as zoom zoom power with 1Gb ram... oh, have i mentioned it's so pwetty? *hugz vaio baby* (yes i do hug my electronic devices..don't u? just don't tell my tv coz it might get jealous)..

breaking the pain barrier

2006-11-29T19:17:00.000+08:00

SIGHHHH.. today has to be one of the longest days of my life..

recently i've made a resolution to finish my thesis before march 2007.. this means from now on.. i'll be head down bum on seat mode.. however, not in a million years when i first started the PhD (not even when i was writing my proposal) did i envision experiencing this much pain.. both psychological and physical.. this is why PhD = Permanent Head Damage..

at least now i know i do have a brain becoz of the pulsating pain i experience behind my eyes as my brain protests the amount of knowledge i'm trying to cram, synthase, and integrate... it's difficult to articulate what's so complicated about writing a thesis that can implicate such pain..

but after a day of hard slog, i have to say, apart from 10 pages of verbal diarrhoea, an elaborate plan to kill myself by bubble wrap (complete with illustration), and an overwhelming desire to stabbing my eye out with a/any utencil (which i imagine would be less painful than writing the thesis).. this is all i've got to show for it..

Monday Blues

2006-11-27T23:22:00.000+08:00

yes, i'm catching up with my blog..

after that big weekend.. it's not surprising that i'm totally useless on monday.. with a GIANT ZIP on my chin that looks like a mole :( *sulk*

so in the morning i did a lot of spinning around on my chair, looked over the shoulders of my work mates.. and wished very hard that the uni would burn down, they would feel really bad about destroying everyone's computer and the vice chancellor decides to grant everyone their PhDs... and i wouldn't have to actually WRITE my thesis... :D (now where did i put those matches..)

since i was so useless at work, i was rescued by a call from my cousin HW, and we caught up at Leaf at Mt Lawley.. it was lovely.. we laughed, sighed, appalled, marvelled, giggled, .. it was nice to be a lady of leisure.. and talk about all the naughty stuff that you can only tell your girlfriends..

but um.. not so nice was the immense guilt when i emerged 3 hours later, one full pot of tea and lots of little delious cakes heavier and still PhD-less.. *shrug* one must feed the soul first right?

here's what's left of our parisian morning tea.. don't worry.. it's not your eyes.. there's nothing left.. tee hee..

p.s. just coz i have the proud readership of exactly 21 visitors.. i thought i'd put in a plug for HW's exhibition, really awesome stuff.. HW's an engineer by trade, then decided on a seachange to pursue her passion.. art.. this is stuff that inspirations are made of..

Domestic Goddess vs Party Animal

2006-11-27T22:58:00.000+08:00

yep.. that's right.. had a busy weekend.. one 21st, one 27th b'day, one australian idol curry night.. and not only i baked this lovely maple walnut fruit n wholegrain loaf, it does taste as good as it looks.. *takes a bow*..

check out that buttery goodness.. but i can't take the credit on my own.. Nigella did contribute a little with the BRILLIANT recipe..

the 21st was fun.. can't believe i'm still being invited to 21st parties at my age.. i loved how 21st is the only occasion when you can fill a tub with alcohol and get away with it.. (i arrived late.. it was only 10.. and this was all that was left..).. i've never been so proud.. HA HA!

the good ole days when it's socially acceptable to drink till you pass out on your boyfriend's front lawn or talking to god through the big white telephone (aka the toilet)..

back to the 21st.. since it was glamour and glitz themed.. the girls were all decked out..

so from right is my baby sis (cindy), wj, sl. they are lovely aren't they.. i said it looks like a catelogue.. small, medium and large.. some how cindy didn't like being called large.. so it was x-s, s, med. sighhh.. women.. just fabulous regardless what size ok!

WHAT THE!!!

2006-11-24T22:02:00.000+08:00

recently i've decided that charging 3 bucks for a small handful of cherry tomatoes is WRONG.. so, as a sign of protest i'm growing my own!!

i bought 3 seedlings, put them in pots with 'premium' organic potting mix, put up support stakes, and they grew and flowered.. i was ecstatic at the sight of the first fruit, apart from some minor glitches (e.g. an army of caterpillar had to die a squishy death but taking several tomatoes with them, some casualties to the 'blossom end rot' and lopping off half of the foliage due to some disease that put lots of little holes in the leaves..).. so here are my babies...

yes they are beautiful aren't they.. and yes, it all bear some resemblance to the picture that came with the pot.. but then.. there's this...

errmmm.. WHAT THE?? yes.. look at picture - small, oval.. look at actual tomatoe.. hmph.. yes.. round and absolutely MASSIVE!! something's not adding up.. and there's no amount of squinting, self denial or photoshop can make these babies grape tomatoes.. although i do love it just as much as the other two.. but.. i think mr. bunnings is going to get a 'false advertising' complaint letter some time..

In a Boffin's Paradise..

2006-11-23T13:55:00.000+08:00

i've been so good to avoid the save the children book sale which i drive by everyday to and from uni for the whole week.. but the lure of the collated pages just overwhelmed me.. lots of books, at bargain prices.. what boffin can resist?? so like a addict, i fed my habit.. just to browse i thought to myself, may be one or two books coz it's half price..

as i emerged 2 hrs later.. i'm a bag of books heavier and 7 bucks lighter!!! my bounty include: heaps of cooking books (including le cordon bleu ones!!), more cooking magazines, a whole pack of 4 buddhist chanting CDs still in sealed wrapping, lonely planet guide on turkey and argentina, illustrated garden doctor, one fay weldon novel, one jeffery archer novel, book on crepes for my crepe loving big mammal (aka bf), and three ounces of deliriously happy..

self discipline or self restraint obviously isn't one of my strengths.. well lets just say i tried that's why there's only ONE bag..

but who cares, i thought, as i fall happily asleep hugging my reap.. it's for charity after all..

Sunday Market Chic

2006-11-17T12:54:00.000+08:00

3 months after a traumatic hair cut (I cried coz it was so nasty) by some incompetent highschool-drop-out-who-thinks-she’s-hot-shit-coz-she-has-4-yrs-of-experience at Tony n Guy, I’ve decided to take a chance and get a new cut, since, let's face it, it can't get much worse.

As it turns out, my $12.95 hair cut from a one-legged lady (yes, seriously) in a Sunday market out in the whoop whoop of Perth was way better than my 'styled' cut from Tony n Guy.

So I’m carrying out a one-woman boycotting of the stupid overpriced and underperforming salon.. feel free to join me in this crusade.. :P

GRRRRRRR...

p.s. fab hair cut photos to come :)

Exercise Saga

2006-11-14T13:10:00.000+08:00

i've made a resolution to pull me socks up to get fit and get my phd done!!

was determined to do my second weekly combat class on thurs, then i was locked out of my building at uni (they changed the door and didn't gimme a key), then half way changing into my gear, i realised -- no shoes! ARGHHHHHHH!!! so i enjoyed some quality time with me tv..

exercise attempt no.2 on sat morning, got to gym, waiting to get coupon, then realised the reception chick was erasing the class off the board. so um, class cancelled coz instructor is on a break! sighhhh...

i think there's some divine intervention here... may be buddha is trying to tell me something.. like errmmm.. don't worry abt exercising..*pffttt* the fat will just melt away miraculously! HA!

anyway, finally made it to a BodyJam class on sat with my sis.. it's not a class for the uncoordinated.. (namely me..) so there i was swirling, swinging, jamming, confusing.. even the grandma the row in front was getting in the groove. while i'm still trying to distinguish left from right and trying not to crash into anyone coz i seemed to be going in the opposite direction to everyone. hot instructor though.. gay as x'mas :) i think i'm in lurve!!

blog virgin...

2006-11-08T18:48:00.000+08:00

ooOoOoOOO...

just dawned on me...

so naked and vulnerable...

yet exhibitionistically exhilarating..

Identity Crisis!

2006-11-08T18:24:00.000+08:00

I've never thought it'll be so challenging to write my own blog! (not to mention i'm technologically challenged)

what's my theme? what's my point of view? how do i dissect my personality and compartmentalise my life? am i a taiwanese australian? am i a isolated phd student? am i a psychologist with borderline personality? or am i a 28 yo woman in the midst of a 4-year quarter life crisis? may be i'm just a girl with bad grammar and hates capitalising my sentences...

*shrug*

At Last

2006-11-07T15:51:00.000+08:00

After many years of fantasising of this self-indulgent not to mention borderline narcissistic act, I’ve finally succumbed to my inner Fabio.

I shall henceforth blog about life.. its adventures, gripes, epiphanies, ignorances, triumphs, failures, and I-so-wished-I-haven’t-done-thats.

So, welcome to my world, and share my journey through inner neurosis, occasional psychosis, and frequent insanities to navigate a path of existence in an incredibly small city where you know every man/woman and its dog/cat/parrot by 2 degrees of separation!