The Longest Yard

Merry X'mas to all!

Been the longest time since I last penned down my thoughts. I have been really really busy. I apologize sincerely to my readers. I promise that I will try to update on the happenings in my life on a more frequent basis. Not only would entries be more frequent, but I will also publish the much awaited pictures on the events of the past month.

X'mas to many may seem like a retailer's bid to cash in on the festive mood. So much so that people are disillusioned about the true meaning of X'mas. X'mas to me is a time to spend time with my family and friends. And I think that is what I am going to make X'mas to be. By 12 mn, SMSes were flooding my In-Box. And some senders were friends that I have not seen in ages. But that 1 SMS greeting made a world of a difference. It rekindled the friendship and knowing that even though we do not converse on a frequent basis, I am still remembered.

There are a million ways to celebrate X'mas. But the best and only way to celebrate X'mas would have to be the way YOU want it to be. It should not be some social task that you think it as being necessary. Spend it with people whom you would like to spend it with. Don't do it for the sake of doing it. Dinner was fabulous at Min's place. The company was superb and there wasn't a tinge of incomfortableness with the crowd. We spoke of things that mattered to us. And if there wasn't anything we wanted to talk about-Don't talk lor! LoLx.

On my way home from clubbing, I saw people still hanging around my neighbourhood. It was pleasent and calm. Some people preferred to just drink at the void deck with a few friends. Cracking peanuts, while others were seen walking the streets and talking. This is Singapore, do it the way you want it. Afterall, this is Uniquely Singapore.

Merry X'mas to all.

Prime Time Movie

Yesterday was a quiet day for me. Took some time off in the day to shop around at Subiaco. I love that place. I do not know why, but I feel a sense of belonging there. The shops never looked prettier. Though I have been in Perth for 1.5years, but I just do not agree that I have seen enough of Perth. Maybe I would have been more adventurous if I had a driver's license. I pity that after so many years, I still cannot be certified as a qualified driver. At times I just cannot understand this. What is wrong with me? I am digressing. Let's carry on, Subiaco encapsulates the ideal lifestyle of a shopper in Perth. Even with the closure of Studio 388, Subiaco is still the place to be seen. If only Singapore can dedicate a street to local designers. At this time, I can only wish that Alan's idea of revamping Katong would come true.

Been decided that Lily and I should catch a movie at Carousel. Chose Prime. Heard so much about the movie and I just wanted to watch a comedy. Not really in the best moods for Pride and Prejudice. Prime was really a good movie! Better than expected. I thought it would be some shallow, laugh all you can and get out kinda movie. But it was more than just a good laugh. It had emotional bearings to me. I actually saw myself in a situation as such. And I realised that by loving someone, it does not mean accepting every gift. By accepting the most important gift of all will do just fine, the gift of his love. And loving someone is definately not about being with that person for the rest of your life.

The quote from the movie that I will always find relevance to my love life

"Love, Learn and move on... ..."

In love, there are no guarantees. No promises of "I love you forever... ...". But a promise that you would learn something from it. Small or big, a lesson that no books can ever describe.

I urge my friends to watch Prime. It gave my perception of love a new dimension. I hope it would speak to you as well.

Uninvited winner

The win has shocked too many. I was so sure that the curse would be broken by Emily Williams. She is after all the much better vocalist compared to Kate Derange(DeArugo). But no... ... Australians again picked the wrong contestant to win the competition. That is the cruel truth of Idol. They do not judge you on your talent; it is just another popularity contest.

By Daniel Ziffer, Entertainment Reporter

Although Williams was runner-up last night, she can take some consolation from history.
The Idol runners-up from the first two series have eclipsed the success of those to whom they "lost".

Last month, Anthony Callea's song, The Prayer, was named the highest-selling Australian single ever at the ARIA awards.

The Age, 22nd November 2005

A much need consolation that this would not be the last time we will see Emily Williams. We wish her well in her career.
















*Disclaimer*
Muppets have been inserted into pictures for ornamental use. Resemblances are purely coincidental.

Sunshine all the way

I may not be an outdoorsy guy. But when the beach beckons, I will definately be there. WA's beaches are well known for their fine sand and golden rays. Took a day off to relax at Cottesloe beach. The picturesque view took my breath away. I always have this affinity with the beautiful beaches. Maybe I am just meant to be the Piscean that I am meant to be. (Corny)

*Disclaimer*
Pictures are not meant to be artistic or incriminating.

Attack of the abalones

Abalones! Glorious Abalones!

I must admit that I have never seen so many living abalones before. They were like crawling on the reef. The sight was breathtaking, the brilliant sunshine and lapping waves. It was not easy prying loose the abalones. It would have been easier if there wasn't a specified minimum size on the abalones. Worrying that the inspectors might perform a spot check, I had to return the smaller pieces back into the sea. Afterall, 1 undersized abalone would cost me A$24. At the end of the day, Managed to bring home 5 pieces of abalones. Most likely to prepare "buddha jump over the wall".

After a nap, it was KTV with Jason. Have to start training my vocals. Especially when I start singing KTV with the "pros". Must at least be good enough and not make myself a joke lah. The evening ended with pizzas and great TV programs. Australian Idol and a preview to Kylie's soon to be release DVD, Showgirl. The official launch will be on 9th December! At least I can still own a copy of the concert DVD, when the actually thing has been cancelled.

Not so perfect crowd

Saturday night, everyone should let down their hair and boogie the night away.

Dinner was simple. Went over to Daniel's place for dinner. A korean friend trying to perfect his English in Perth. He made Korean Bimbimba. That is definately a dish that is simple to me and on my A- list. It was not fantastic but still, Korean food lah. Watched abit of Harry Potter on TV before heading to the "clubs"

Court was horrible that night had all these weird people around and there wasn't a crowd at all. Might have been the exams. But again I cannot be sure, coz rumours have it that Court is undergoing revamp. Hmmm.....I have no idea what happened, Leon saw me and started saying hi and stuff....he started buying beer. Unfortunately I don't drink beer. And my 2 friends don't drink! Then the "Let me entertain you" started. OMG! Can die! Leon started bringing these farnie people to the table. I had a good mind to pluck myself up and go home. But they were entertaining to a certain degree.

Ashley came by much later, and I insisted on leaving the place. Tried Eurobar, just as empty. So we thought we should try a new bar in the city, M Bar. This time it was worse. The bar was closed. Fine! So we started taking pictures just outside of Miss Maud's.

Ended the night after and headed home. Needed the rest as well lah. Had to pick Abalones the next morning.

Glad to know that Tim arrived safe in SG, with few dramason the flight. Is Singapore that hot? Kinda worried.

More tonight with the Abalone catching....

Ready steady GO!

Had the most incredible day!

I spent the whole morning packing away and trying to figure out what I should sell.

Had the most amazing lunch at Point Walter with Ian and Tim. I suppose the food was alright. I did not really liked my Pasta. There were too much Olives in it and I think it stole the taste of the fantastic handmade pasta. Oh well, at least the company was good. We chatted and drank wine. Amberly Estate from WA. Made me high in the early afternoon and that was no good.

Proceeded to Murdoch University. Tim had to design some CD cover for his demo CD. I really did not liked the idea of having the label a grey colour. Very dull. LOLx. But surprisingly it turned out more professional than I thought. And I think he liked it.

Dinner was at HK BBQ with Tim and Min. So sad to know that I can no longer be able to taste such reasonably priced good food. Ah Yoke was really nice and she told us to visit her as often as we could. Yes! I will definately do that. In Feb, with my parents! heehee

Dinner conversation assumed greater importance. Planning and deciding what should be done when we arrive in SG. And decided, we have. First stop, HARRY POTTER! Yay! Suggested watching it on Sunday night after Min's touchdown. And I had an even better idea. We will do drinks after Harry Potter. Now....where should we go for drinks on a Sunday Night? Hmmmm....any suggestions?

Celebrating the festive mood is also a must. And the idea of an X'mas party hatched! Yay! So many X'mas parties this Dec! I insist on baking the most delightful fruitcake! Oh well, Now that December seems occupied, we must move on to January. It is Min's 21st Birthday. The whole dinner thing is still in the pipeline. She suggested French. Don't we all love French? Especially French Couture! LoLx. Now...now...must start planning what to wear. Tim is feeling the stress...the stress to SHOP! This time I must be good....no shopping. Maybe pick something from my closet. Hmmm....

SO EXCITING!!!!

We did drinks at Club Onyx after dinner. The club looks posh and exclusive. But it was definately not crowded. We had funny "ladies" dancing infront of us. So uncomfortable. At least there was a glass of Champagne with strawberries. We were tired and so left by the stroke of midnight. Okie, I now declare that I am officially excited about going back!

The day of my likes

Been the longest time since I last penned down my thoughts. Exams, exams and more exams. But now that everything is over, I am looking forward to a glass of champagne and definately with strawberries.






Event after event unfolded during the last week. Yes! I am guilty of sneaking out even admist the examinations. Had to do it lah! Considering that I would be departing Perth soon and leaving some friends behind. I just had to spend more time "communicating" with and do what I enjoy most.

A sincere apology to my readers. And to sweeten it, I have included a collection of collaged pictures for view. Kinda a summary of what I indulged myself in during the past week.

A promise of love and love always

Friends are important to me as they keep me grounded and feed me with emotional pain and happiness that is essential for my growth. I realised that no matter the distance they are still my friends. I love them equally with or without seeing them often. They care about my well being and in return I give them a promise to be happy always.

Thank you to all my friends out there.

A change in mask

Do people always put up a front when they are infact vulnerable? Even the toughest guy in the world has a soft spot. There must be a fear in them that is well hidden. Why is there a need to pretend that all is well when pain exists deep down within? By showing that one is happy and well could just be a front to avoid answering prying questions.

There should be nothing wrong with being vulnerable as vulnerability shows true sensitivity to situations. In this new age, there is a need to be sensitive to everything that is around you. Even in your workplace, you need to possess this talent. By being senstive to the people around you, you tend to be senstive to your own emotional needs.

I believe that I must avoid hiding vulnerability, as hidden behind a mask doesn't make the situation any less complicated.

Miss in Action

Been the longest while since I last updated my blog. Sorry to those avid readers. (I know you are out there)

Been the craziest week. With assignments and friends not forgetting driving around. It just seems that 24hours is never enough for a day.

Will provide a full report soon.

In the meantime, take care!

Peranakan Festival

Please do support the Peranakan Association. Peranakan or no Peranakan, we can always afford to learn the culture of another community. =)

Keep a lucky coin

Last week was crazy and I suppose this week will be no exception.

The morning was cold and my throat was hoarse. I almost wanted to give up and call in sick for the presentation. But I knew that the show must go on. It was after all a chance that did not come by so very often. The aim was simple, to win the top prize of $600 for my team and an internship stint at MJB&B

Ms Carmel was the representative to judge our presentation. I was not intimidated by her but more amused. She wore a smile and an infectious laughter. I did what I had to do and introduced the campaign’s creative strategy.

I think she liked it. And I concluded the campaign with something more serious to me than her. I quoted Dixie Marshall! LoLx. She was already laughing like a broken record by the mere mention of the name. I wonder if that was my intention. But anyways, I still did it. She had lots of praises for our campaign pitch and thought that the logo and ideas used were fresh. The results will be out next week and I am keeping my fingers crossed.

When the curtains fall

It is official!

The pictures from Party Full Stop are up. Please follow the link to download the pictures that you require.

Once again, I thank all my friends for joining me in a night of drinks and laughs. It has been a great pleasure hosting all of you. A special thanks to my friend Jonathan for being the resident photographer for the night.

I hope that all of you had fun and good luck for the coming exams.

A week of pain and gain

Oh dear! It has been so long since I last updated my blog. But I am not going to shortchange my readers on the happenings of the week. First up was definitely a painful experience. My wisdom tooth decided to erupt just a few days before my major presentation. I was screaming in pain and had to wake up in the middle of the night just to consume painkillers. Gosh! The pain was unbearable! The dentist was determined to have it removed and it cost me A$400. The operation took less than 30 mins and before long I was roaming the streets in the city, in the bid to shop for an outfit for the party on Sat.

Back to work after the minor operation on the advertising campaign.

The presentation went on well. And it was our sincere hope that we would be able to get a place in the top 3 teams and be able to contest for the top prize.

Dinner on Thursday was at Sri Melaka with the boys. It has been decided that we should try vegetarian this time. The food was superb even without the existence of meat. T actually thought that the restaurant serves both meats as well and vegetarian dishes. We all learn something new each day, don’t we?

Friday was more relaxing. It was decided that I should visit the Art museum on this day. It was the Gallery of St Petersburg 1900, which I was interested in. The exhibition featured artists from 1870 to 1917. This huge exhibition presented paintings, works on paper and decorative arts and theatrical costumes.

The portraits of famous people intrigued me the most with their realism. It seemed almost as if that was a photographed picture rather than a painting. The Avant Garde paintings also captured my attention. Influences from that of Van Gogh could be depicted from the paintings. They used similar textures as well as images from Van Gogh’s work. I won’t think that as impressive, but a bold move. Living in the century of a communistic society definitely did not help them. Another point that I noted was the influence from China. Russia had a much greater influence from the European countries and so it was only natural to share artistic influences from them. But I noticed a great deal of China artistic influences. It is not hard to believe but the vases made in Russia resemble that of China in many ways. Then there were the motifs on costumes made for the theatre. They showed mythical creatures such as dragons and phoenixes. Was it coincidental or did China’s influence contributed much to the artistic approach of Russian Artists?

I felt so “full” after viewing the exhibition. A much needed break from all the realties and pain of life.

The artistic tour did not end there. A carried this to Saturday when I went to watch Les Miserables at the Regal Theatre with Brian. Pre-show lunch was fabulous at the Cico café down Rokeby Road. Finally found a new hang out place. It had furniture that portrayed modernism in the old suburb of Subiaco.

Les Miserables by the MS society was good. I went in not expecting more than a school production but came out with an awe of production quality of Australians. The singing had its glitches with poor sound system. I can only blame it on the age of the theatre with little or insufficient upgrading. The whole musical was real “tight”. And the transitions between scenes were smooth. The energy level from the cast was also applauded. The costumes were well created with every detail in mind. It was worth $28.50. LoLx

And there was Party Full Stop last night.

Gorgeous!

A week of pain and gain

Oh dear! It has been so long since I last updated my blog. But I am not going to shortchange my readers on the happenings of the week. First up was definitely a painful experience. My wisdom tooth decided to erupt just a few days before my major presentation. I was screaming in pain and had to wake up in the middle of the night just to consume painkillers. Gosh! The pain was unbearable! The dentist was determined to have it removed and it cost me A$400. The operation took less than 30 mins and before long I was roaming the streets in the city, in the bid to shop for an outfit for the party on Sat.

Back to work after the minor operation on the advertising campaign.

The presentation went on well. And it was our sincere hope that we would be able to get a place in the top 3 teams and be able to contest for the top prize.

Dinner on Thursday was at Sri Melaka with the boys. It has been decided that we should try vegetarian this time. The food was superb even without the existence of meat. T actually thought that the restaurant serves both meats as well and vegetarian dishes. We all learn something new each day, don’t we?

Friday was more relaxing. It was decided that I should visit the Art museum on this day. It was the Gallery of St Petersburg 1900, which I was interested in. The exhibition featured artists from 1870 to 1917. This huge exhibition presented paintings, works on paper and decorative arts and theatrical costumes.

The portraits of famous people intrigued me the most with their realism. It seemed almost as if that was a photographed picture rather than a painting. The Avant Garde paintings also captured my attention. Influences from that of Van Gogh could be depicted from the paintings. They used similar textures as well as images from Van Gogh’s work. I won’t think that as impressive, but a bold move. Living in the century of a communistic society definitely did not help them. Another point that I noted was the influence from China. Russia had a much greater influence from the European countries and so it was only natural to share artistic influences from them. But I noticed a great deal of China artistic influences. It is not hard to believe but the vases made in Russia resemble that of China in many ways. Then there were the motifs on costumes made for the theatre. They showed mythical creatures such as dragons and phoenixes. Was it coincidental or did China’s influence contributed much to the artistic approach of Russian Artists?

I felt so “full” after viewing the exhibition. A much needed break from all the realties and pain of life.

The artistic tour did not end there. A carried this to Saturday when I went to watch Les Miserables at the Regal Theatre with Brian. Pre-show lunch was fabulous at the Cico café down Rokeby Road. Finally found a new hang out place. It had furniture that portrayed modernism in the old suburb of Subiaco.

Les Miserables by the MS society was good. I went in not expecting more than a school production but came out with an awe of production quality of Australians. The singing had its glitches with poor sound system. I can only blame it on the age of the theatre with little or insufficient upgrading. The whole musical was real “tight”. And the transitions between scenes were smooth. The energy level from the cast was also applauded. The costumes were well created with every detail in mind. It was worth $28.50. LoLx

And there was Party Full Stop last night.

Gorgeous!

A birthday of a great.

To celebrate Oscar Wilde's Birthday, I have picked a quote that I find relevant to me.


"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal."

Oscar Wilde

Happy Birthday Oscar! You have brought great literature to us.

Been to Manila and back

Aiyoh! Spent the whole day designing. And finally I designed some posters and transit advertisements. I must say I am really pleased with them. I am will just work on the copy tomorrow and see what ideas I can come up with. And I thought I really sucked at Photoshop. But I guess it all comes down to the fact that I am purely lazy.

So engrossed with the designing that I almost wanted to skip dinner. But Jon called to try the Manila Restarant that we have been always wanting to try. Went there with Evana. The atmosphere was so joyous. Was it b'cos there was a birthday celebration or all Filipino eateries are like that? Hmmm....

Jon hosted us as if we were in his restaurant. LoLx....I suppose the feeling must have been wonderful. Just like how I act when I am in a Korean restaurant. Not that I am Korean. LoLx. Been invited to Indo by my friends. Would love to be there, but I know I won't be able to make it due to my commitments to the Army. Maybe next time....next time...

Designing a Life

Had an absolutely bad day. I had no idea what I was doing or more precisely, where I was going. I had no creativity and not to mention mood for any of my design related work. Had a rough day in school and the fact that I was not able to produce anything for my presentation next week is horrible.

Decided to dine out with Jon after realising that when I am down so will be my cooking. Tried to get ourselves a table at, The Oyster Bar. But it was full! So we decided to do Ciao Italia instead. I guess it felt good to spend more time with this great friend of mine considering the lessened chance of doing this once we get back to SG.

Are you invited?

Finally the party has been confirmed. It took me a great deal of courage to finally put the idea of having a party at Metros to reality. The final nail was actually driven by Jon's enthusiasm and help. After an hour of planning and devising the guests list, I paid and collected the invites today.

And so here it is. The final party before I depart from Perth.

So are you invited?

Arty Farty

Been feeling very moody lately. This happened to me excatly a year ago. Darn! I am going to relate this to the fact that I have not been able to get my healthy dosage of "Arts". Arts is now something that is integrated in me and it is my true sustenance. Whenever I am feelinig down, I will watch a play to get rid of all my unhappiness. There are plenty of plays and musicals in Perth, but it just doesn't feel as good as what I can find back in SG. Maybe it is also due to the unfamiliarity of what is going on in the Arts scene of Perth.

Well, the good news is that I will be involve in an upcoming play at the Arts House. I have been invited to Stage Manage the play; When we are together. The rehearsal schedule would be very tight since I will only be arriving into SG on the 25th Nov. Nevertheless, I will still put all I have into this. A pity I can't commit to acting for this play. But being able to work with familiar faces once more from Stray, makes it still worth my while. Do come support this production by Stagepals. More information would be provided in due course.

When we are together

Synopsis:
A potpourri of well-known works by the famous Taiwanese comic writer, Jimmy with the Director's personal rendition.

A lot of people seem able to define 'what is love' but the realization of its true meaning only arises when one actually experience it. People pursue ideals, including choosing a lover and having a relationship. An ideal relationship only exists when two persons make it so. The challenge is how.

'When We Were Together’' explores different perception of love and seeks the true essence of being a lover and having a relationship. Maybe you have gone through similar experiences or you have witnessed someone going through some of the encounters. Come on the journey with us and let us find, together, the answer to the darkest secret within us.

http://www.theartshouse.com.sg/event_details.php?id=275

Pasar Malam

The week was crazy with so many events and deadlines to meet. But I think I will still be able to survive it all. Just 24hours away till the end of this week.

Uni Pasar Malam was fantastic. Met so many friends there. And I dare say it was the best Pasar Malam ever for me. Maybe it was the weather but definately the company. A warm thank you to my friends who made it to the event with me.

A needed break

Something is not very right with me. I sense something wrong. But I cannot explain what it is. I have been very restless at late. This can hardly be the case. I am now directing all this towards the fact that I have not attended YOGA lessons for 2 weeks already. Does YOGA really make such a difference in my life now? I think so. Before I started my YOGA regime, I felt tired most of the time. However after making YOGA a weekly affair, I can feel that my body more energetic. And now without YOGA it just feels cranky. At least I am still starting the day with the "baby" position. It helps to losen up my bones and especially my back. YOGA the miracle workout is now taking a toil on my body. But I suppose it is for my good.

On the same topic of health, I realised that there is an increase in usage of chemically enhanced products to look "beautiful"by people around me. I may not be the best person to comment on this. However, I have recently taken a step backwards and look at how chemicals can have adverse effects on humans. My belief is as such, we are already living in a polluted world with chemicals that can be found in almost everything within reach. We are pouring chemicals into our body almost everyday and cosmetics products infesting every inch of our body. They are seriously not good for us. I may be contradicting myself right now as I am a believer of beauty. However, at the same time acknowledging beauty comes naturally from good health. My point is, if we can avoid chemicals, then we should. As much as we want to look beautiful, we need to know our limits.

Come on, don't be shy. Replace a product with something more natural.

A bagful of meat and a whole heart of sincerity

It has been awhile since my last entry. Let’s just say I have been busy entertaining a long time friend and am exhausted from it. The hotels in Perth have been less than satisfactory since my arrival last year. Even hotels such as Sheraton and Burswood Intercontinental have nothing to wow about. But The Holiday Inn (Burswood) was great! I really liked the layout of the room as it is new, clean and with a touch of modernity. I should really consider putting my parents up there when they are here for my convocation. But I cannot stand the distance. It is far from the train station and I have to walk at least 1km.

Do check their room phones. They are damn cool. And every room has 2 sets.

Verdict:
Satisfied customer

2 months grace

What happens when you find that you have only 2 months more to live before you depart this world?

Been thinking abit while I was shopping for groceries in NB. Right now, I am thinking that if it does happen to me I will just accept that fact and carry on living. Living life the way I am doing right now. I may not have accomplished much and there are so much more to do. So why should I just stop what I am doing now to live the life of someone else? (E.g. Travelling all over the world, eat like I have never eat before.)

I refuse to stop my education and drown myself in self-pity. I will still do what I do everyday, even if it means watching DVD on a cold afternoon. And spend time with my friends and family like what I have always been doing.

Regret having not done much at my deathbed would be non-existance. No tears but joy from my friends and family. B'coz I want them to celebrate my good and hopefully forgive my bad.

Living life to the fullest everyday. Even when it is not full, you know that you are ok.

Feelings

Feelings are funny creatures. They are able to hide away while you are busy minding your own business. However, it just takes an instant look and they will come out to play. On the merry-go-round, on the slide and above the tree.

A genuine hope that they can be less active and once less active, they will die off eventually. Go on! Take a hike! And I wish you well.

Orgified

Interesting display of Koalas. I will name this picture.....Orgified (Aussified)

A day with the Koala

The week has been tight. I am really exhausted while recording this. My advertising assignment took longer than I thought. But I hope that the eventual mark will be able to justify it.

The arrival of Gina & Xiuyan brought about much merry in the house. The drawback would have to be the cost of entertaining as well as physical exhaustion. I suppose it can be seen as a form of training when I have to be the tour guide for my parents. But I have to acknowledge that I did many firsts. Like taking the ferry from Millpoint to the City, Caversham Park even changing topics instantly when I need to in the car. Muahaha.

The company was fabulous as I managed to spend more time with Jonathan after so long. And I don’t expect that will happen again anytime soon.

Can’t wait for tomorrow when I head off to Araluen with Tim and Min. Well, at least it is a trip outta Perth. Some nice flowers might do me good from all the fatigue I am suffering from school work and entertaining.

In the meantime, here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Merry Mooncake making

I am exhausted! Did 2 batches of mooncakes on Friday and had an early morning breakfast appointment with the gang. Well, I seriously can't complain cause I enjoyed every bit of the 2 days. A sense on satisfaction from the pretty mooncakes and glad that it was worth the effort coming from the kind response.
Breakfast was Aussie style with strawberries thrown in. Most of them where rotten. How upsetting. Sent Andrew off at the airport and headed home. Now that I am home I really do not know what I should do. I have an assignment to work on and I really need to work on that. However, I am really not motivated to work. Today is the third day for the cycle. Not too good for me. I am lost right now. I must stop here. In the meantime, I hope the pictures will be ample to keep my readers occupied. =)

Boys will be boys

During Advertising class yesterday, we were told to devise an advertising campaign for "Safe Sex", in class yesterday.

A strong believer in Safe Sex, I had tones of ideas for great taglines. But I had no idea it takes bitchiness to totally immerse myself into the topic.

The guys in my class were acting like monkeys throughout the whole period. They are like 10 year olds trapped in a body of a 25 year old. Do disgusting! (Hao Wat Tat Ah!)

They came up with ideas that totally threw me off my seat. I particularly remembered one.

“Plastic is fantastic… …”

Do they not know that condoms are made from RUBBER? Aiyoh! Where did that plastic come about?

Then there was Adrian’s tagline!

“Have fun with your gun, but shoot in your cap… …”

I did not like what I came up with. It was corny lah! But the whole class came into applause. Especially the monkeys! Was it clever? I didn’t think so. It had no class but crass. Doh!

Rise of the moon

Mooncake Festival is on Sunday! I had no idea until being reminded by B. I still want to make my mooncakes! Will be heading to Northbridge laters to get the ingredients. But I made some Korean style mooncakes for Choong. They are much easier to make.

*Koreans would appreciate not Chinese.

Options & Decisions

Had a morning chat with my mum, about the idea of learning the art of hairdressing. She knows that I have no intentions to move back to SG and she doesn't want me to as well. She is actually defying my dad's idea of succession to his business or even to be an entrepreneur. She was actually toying with the idea of moving to Australia and help me get the PR that I need to seek work here.

Well, she was after all once a hairdresser that won competitions in the national arena in SG and had a cliental base that expands to celebrities from SBC in the 70's and 80's. It was just recently that she became a certified hairdresser in SG, with an ITE cert. I suppose she is at a stage in life that self-fulfillment is necessary. And being a housewife to her was not self-fulfilling. In any case I am very proud of mum.

She knows that her hairdressing certificate will be the passport to getting work in Australia. But I also know that she is not the least keen being associated with Australia now. The Australian lifestyle will bore her to death. Mummy still prefers to be seen in Lei Garden and having the company of her best friends. Haha.

I threw the idea of ME attaining the certificate. I thought that she might be against the idea of me doing that as she already suspects my tendencies. Wanting to learn hairdressing is seriously not the best way to hide who I really am. Oh well, but she was so supportive that she asks for my date of return. And she will be signing me up for the next available test. She has so much confidence in my skills that she thinks it will be easy for me. I have not even passed my Class 3 driving lessons lor! And she thinks I can sit for the test in early December, a total of 8 stages. If I can prove myself worthy to be a hairdresser, I should be able to be certified at the end of 3 months! Hmmm…..

However, my dad was really not for the idea. Sigh……he tried ti dissuade me again after speaking to my mum. He thinks that I would be at a disadvantage if I were to start a career in Australia. He thinks that they are lazy people. Explaining that it is not true, I was not even convinced myself. I reasoned that they are just family oriented. LOLx.

Seeing the way my dad handles his business scares me….he doesn’t seem to have much time to do the things he like. Not even able to travel in leisure much. The business is important to him and he ensures that he is always there to solve problems. I want to be an entrepreneur but at the same time yearn for freedom. I think I should just go with the flow right now and see what the future has installed for me.

Right now, I just want to spend more time with my friends.

*Hint: I wonder if Tim & Brian are willing to be my model. Muahaha

Shanti

Sometimes I wonder how the world will be able to reach peace. A world with no hatred, no wars and definately no terrorism. How can it be done? Peace can only prevail when all countries and every being in the world understands the word peace. I might not be able to see it in my lifetime but I know that there are people out there advocating peace.

While the world tries to find harmony. I took up Yoga classes. And it really does help me in finding an inner peace. Even though it is just an hour a week. But I know that during that hour I am able to clear my mind and just concentrate on my breathing techniques.

The word that matters most is the word "Shanti" when translated means "Peace". It is a Sanskrit character that Yoga practioners hopes to attain. When feeling depress and worn, do close your eyes and repeat the word. It helps!

*A tip to people experiencing cold feet and hands. Practice deep breathing exercises daily, each time performing it for a whole 10 mins. It regulates the 'chi'.

A blasting Sunday

My Sunday started off horribly. I wanted to catch a bus to the city however I missed it. The fact that the bus services at 1 hour intervals did not help. So I walked back home while waiting for the next available bus.

The weather was splendid for an outing to the city. Was hoping to grab some groceries and whip up some Cabonara for my dear friends in the evening. Gosh! Woolworth was only due to open at 12 noon. How unlucky can I be? So I took a stroll to Kings Street. I knew about Dr. Seuss’s exhibition and thought that I might just check it out. The exhibition was perfect! I was actually viewing paintings from an artist that I was already exposed to since young. The paintings were magnificent beyond words. I so wanted to buy one off the wall just like that with my credit card. But I just had to hold back. Majority of them were lithographs after all. I will still get a chance later in life.
After gathering the ingredients, I headed back to the bus stop. To my dismay, I missed the bus AGAIN! OMG! It was then that I realized that all this while I have been looking at the wrong bus schedule. Silly me!

Since the next bus was yet another hour away and I had a handful of groceries, I decided to head over to the park to do some reading. The view was breathtaking. Perth is really the place to appreciate life.

BL and Ian arrived early to ensure that they had enough time to display their culinary skills. Tim arrived after them with his books. We had thought that maybe we could do some group studying while the food is being prepared. Much attention went to the lamb of course. But I was not at all jealous as I had company as well.

The company was much appreciated as we indulged in progressive eating and discussions that stimulated the mind. The lamb turned out tasty and so did the corn beef and soup. We decided that the Carbonara had to wait as there was more than enough food to go around the table.

The evening ended with coffee at Oriel’s. I was introduced to Jason and BL’s friend Andrew from Singapore. The weekend was really awesome in my opinion. I really am glad that I managed to find a group of friends that I am able to click with. Thanks guys!

The best way to sum up my weekend, near perfection!

Spring Blossoms

Since the Birthday of Spring on the 1st of September, the weather has been unkind. I suppose that is how the weather reacts towards a change in season. To me, it is just wet and gloomy... … not that my current emotions and feelings were helping.

Rained the whole night and I simply had no mood to proceed to school. But I knew I had to as I had a test at 8.30am. While I was walking towards the bus stop, I was trying so hard to dodge the water puddles. (Yikes!)However, I was greeted with a field of twinkling yellow flowers…it seriously made my morning.

The sight made my day but it also taught me something about relationships.

Relationships are never easy and they sometimes break you. It does get stormy at times but that is definitely no reason to give up on love. Only through trials can one grow to understand the true meaning of love. And we never know when the sun might just take a peep and bring sunshine into our lives. When that happens, we know that the flowers will certainly stand out high. No matter how harsh or wet a winter, it can never beat the warmth the sun brings.

It has been a cold winter with emotions that we do not need. Maybe the events that tore us stands as a trial. A trial for us to ensure that summer will be the season when we can feel love all over again. I can’t wait for summer!

In the meantime, spring still blossoms.

Meaning of Life

I have been asked the meaning of life by scorpioboi. And I realized that I actually have the answer to the question. Wanting to justify my answer, I went searching for good examples and I found many… …

Life is......

1. A desire for a Mazda 3 when you are driving an Lantra.
2. Being who you really are.
3. Clubbing to the wee hours in the morning to find your friends refusal to leave.
4. Donning Tsubi Jeans.
5. Enjoying whatever is left of Perth.
6. Finding yourself a lover that you can love till the end of time.
7. Giving away your first kiss.
8. Having to answer to the consequences of your action.
9. Indulging oneself in the music of Kylie.
10. Jay walking in Orchard Road.
11. Knowing that you will be ok.
12. Learning the hard truth.
13. Making love to the one you love.
14. Not about taking it away
15. Occupying a room with Ikea furniture.
16. Partying at Platinum.
17. Quenching your thirst with lemonade.
18. Relocating to Sydney.
19. Shopping along Chapel Street with your friends.
20. Translating something from Chinese to English.
21. Utilizing the hours that you have in a day.
22. Vying for the last piece of chocolate cake.
23. Walking your dog in the park.
24. Xeroxing journal articles that you have no idea who the author is.
25. Yours!
26. Zapping from place to place without realizing why.

Then again, how can I encapsulate the meaning of life from just the above? Live life to its fullest and free your mind from things that do not matter…….because you matter most.


**Took a picture of a couple while on the bus to the city. Life is definately not about being alone. But to share your life with someone special.

Dedicated to Timothy Ouyang

Love me tender

Grab a glass of champagne and join me in the quest of finding the true meaning of life.

Please, do not expect anything too serious on my blog. I prefer to discuss and share things of far greater importance. My blog is made of love and not political agendas. Expect the finer things in life with a dash of reality. Seek humour and charisma but don't expect terrorism and back stabbing. Just sip and enjoy!

Cheers to champagne with Strawberries!