I have been hearing complaints from close friends all my life about how they feel their parents shower more love/concern/attention on their girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband and they couldn't understand why.
William once told me, "如果我妈疼你, 那是因为她爱我." >>> "If my mum adores you, that's because she loves me."
Think about it.
ps: Today, I had my first bite of food at 4pm. It was so hectic I didn't have time for anything. And I got so stressed halfway through a conference call I almost puked. I'm not going to think about anything else for the rest of the week except draw up a plan and get started on plowing through the shit. Why do I always have to clear someone else's shit? But it's ok, I'll get through it. Just don't disturb me and leave me alone for a month or so. Oh, and btw, I dread the coming of June... I hope May never ends...
you vs your other half
food diary: 21 - 27 apr
This week, you see the occasional apple and veges, not because I've suddenly developed a liking for them. Being stationed in an area where you can't just walk out to buy food when you're hungry meant I had to eat whatever was provided for me. I have definitely lost weight, what to do, I was underfed! The work stress just made it worse, I actually lost sleep on wednesday night cos my brains just couldn't stop thinking about work. Throw in the cramps, and the backaches, and the giddiness, this Anzac long weekend was just miserable for me.
monday
B @ 7.45am: 1 large cappucino, sausage and egg McMuffin
L @ 1pm: mushroom and carrot soup, fried rice with mixed peas and chicken
D @ 7.30pm: fried rice with chicken, beef, and some vege
dump: once
tuesday
B @ 8am: 2 toasts with butter and jam, 1 yoghurt, 1 glass of milk
L @ 12.45pm: pumpkin soup, 1 beef pie
D @ 7.30pm: 1 apple, 1 beef pie, mashed potato, steamed vege and corn
dump: nil
wednesday
B @ 8am: cereals with milk, 2 slices of toast with jam and butter, cappucino
L @ 1.30pm: foccacia with hot salami, grilled eggplant, sundried tomatoes, cheese and green olives, mocha
D @ 7pm: steak with mashed potato and steamed vege, handfuls of marinated mushrooms
dump: nil
thursday
B @ 8am: 2 slices of toast with jam and butter, 1 glass of milk
L @ 3pm: 1 apple, 1 california sushi roll, 1 salmon sushi roll
D @ 8pm: 1 seafood chowder, a few garlic prawns, barramundi with mashed peas and steamed vege
dump: nil
friday
B : nil
L @ 12.45pm: assorted chinese dim sum, half slice of cheesecake, 1 cappucino, half cup vanilla latte
D @ 6pm: vietnamese tomato rice with mouthfuls of pork chop and caramelised pork, 1 hard boiled egg
Drinks from 10.30pm: 2 glasses of wine and numerous glasses of vodka orange
dump: once
saturday
B : nil
L @ 3pm: various sushi, small bowl of udon, assorted sashimi
D @ 9.30pm: tonkotsu ramen, calpis water
dump: once
sunday
B @ 8am: 1 cappucino, 1.5 vanilla creme brulee tarts
L @ 1pm: 1 spicy thai fried kway teow, 1 vanilla latte
D @ 7.30pm: penne with salmon in cream sauce and sprinkled with watercress, mouthfuls of tiramisu
dump: once
@ mangalore pub on 11-4-08
I only remembered to blog this when I went through my photos taken in Mangalore. The girls and I went for a couple of beers with the pilot cadets at the local pub. Carlton draught from the tap was only AUD2.50 per mug!
I indulged in a few rounds of pool but didn't really enjoy the games. The culture here is such that doubles (4 players a game, 2 against 2) are preferred. Solo games are more my type. I hate having to tag team with strangers.
This pubbing experience was a bit of an eye-opener for me and the girls. It was very bright inside the pub. There was no music unless you contribute to the juke box list so all you hear are 50 or more people all talking at the top of their voices at the same time. Everyone just stood around and talked, drank, talked some more and drank some more. Naturally we city gals got a bit bored after a while and the girls entertained all of us with lotsa photo-taking and drinking games. I don't think I will go back for drinks with the boys again, especially now that I'm stationed in Mangalore alone without the girls. I wouldn't mind such a setting for catching up with dear old friends. But it's definitely a no-no if I have to make efforts to strike up conversations and socialise. I'd rather drink alone in my little hotel room.
photowalk: maroubra
I've been to Maroubra (a suburb 15min drive from my apartment) numerous times but yesterday was the first time I really explored the place. I hadn't planned on taking any photos as it was a very dark and gloomy day. I whipped out my camera when I saw these birds and the pics turned out unexpectedly beautiful. Here's my fav shot.
Maroubra Beach was also exceptionally gorgeous yesterday. I couldn't take my eyes off these cute puffy cloud balls.
For this next photo, I had my face practically on the ground as I tried to capture the reflection of the clouds in the small puddle of water.
Walked in the rain along the coastal cliffs for a while before heading back to the main shopping area for dinner. And stumbled upon this view right outside the restaurant.
All in all, it had been a most glorious day full of breathtaking moments.
spending time with holly
I made a good friend in my one plus week away from Sydney. Here's introducing Holly who was born on Christmas Eve four years ago to owners Bob and Judi of Rusty Springs, Avenel. She likes to jump onto my lap, kiss me, and beg me for food during dinner. I like to sayang her to sleep in front of the fireplace. One day, she was so angry with us for not including her when we went for a drive in the countryside that she refused to acknowledge us for a short while when we came back. I'll miss Holly when I leave this place for good once I'm done with my work here.
lake nagambie
My third day here in Mangalore 2 Saturdays ago, we decided to pamper ourselves with a short tour of Lake Nagambie after spending the entire day in office. This is another beautiful sunset story. I will come back again with my loved one if I ever have the chance to. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
This couple sitting on the bench made for a perfect postcard picture. And you can see from the second pic that autumn is indeed upon us.
I saw these cute seagulls standing on one leg in a line and these two seagulls flirting on the grass. Spent a while observing them. Cute.
Practised a little on self shots so I can teach tudi when I next go back to SG!
And here you see the magnificent sunset. Breathtaking eh?
monday evening
I was typing furiously on my laptop preparing a report when I turned my head and looked out my office door at 5.30pm and saw this...
So I took a break and went to take a few snaps before it got completely dark in less than 15 minutes.
food diary: 14 - 20 apr
I started the week with homecooked breakfast and dinner courtesy of Bob and Judi of Rusty Springs for two days in a row. They also shared with us their collection of home brewed beer, champagne and wine amid dinnertime stories of chinese gold miners in the Victorian history and of Ned Kelly the bush ranger by the fireplace. They made me feel more than a hotel guest. I felt right at home. That was a great plus point for me considering I was slightly depressed at not having anything to do at all after sunset being stuck in the middle of nowhere.
As can be seen from the diary, the dumping has deteriorated, which again, I attribute to the change in diet (not by choice) and unfamiliar surroundings. It will most probably remain this way for the next two weeks to come as I commute between Mangalore and Sydney each week.
monday
B @ 8.30am: 1 poached egg, 4 sausages, bacon, 1 toast, grilled tomatoes, small bowl of cereal with milk, a glass of juice
L @ 1.30pm: bits of fish and chips, some leftover noodles from monday's dinner, orange juice
D @ 8pm: 1 beer, salad, garlic bread, homecooked spaghetti bolognnaise, 2 glasses of white wine
dump: nil
tuesday
B @ 8am: 1 poached egg, 4 sausages, bacon, 1 toast, a glass of juice
L @ 12.30pm: roast beef with salad and chips
D @ 9pm: homecooked pumpkin soup, beef with salad, 2 glasses of wine
dump: nil
wednesday
B @ 10am: 1 cappucino
L @ 3.30pm: assorted sushi bento set
D @ 9pm: mussels, 1 beer, 1 cappucino, mouthfuls of pecan pudding with ice cream
dump: nil
thursday
B : nil
L @ 12.30pm: tuna and mushroom fettucine in cream sauce, 1 small cappucino
D @ 7.30pm: irish stew, 1 kilkenny, half a sticky date pudding
dump: once
friday
B @ 9am: 1 hot chocolate
L @ 11.45pm: 2 bean snacks, 1 pack instant noodles soup, 1 small cappucino
Tea break @ 4pm: 1 cinnamon roll
D @ 6.30pm: wedges, 1 slice of pizza, about 5 glasses of wine
Supper @ 9.30pm: pig blood jelly congee, 2 steamed oysters, pipis in XO sauce, 1 beer, 1 glass of wine
dump: nil
saturday
L @ 11.45pm: assorted chinese dim sum
Tea-break @2.30pm: 1 cappucino
D @ 7.30pm: korean BBQ beef and sliced pork belly, kimchi, potato noodles, mouthfuls of soup
Dessert @ 9pm: some cold papaya and white fungus dessert, 2 red bean pastry, 1 fried pumpkin ball with red bean, 1 fried bacon ball
dump: once
sunday
B : nil
L @ 2pm: 2 bean snacks, a handful of peanuts, 2 hard boiled eggs
D @ 7pm: half portion of vietnamese salad with vermicelli, spring roll and BBQ pork, 1 bowl spicy beef stew vietnamese rice noodles, orange and carrot juice, 5 sticks of fish satay snack
dump: nil
palm beach
Spent a relaxing Saturday at Palm Beach, about 50km north of Sydney's CBD. It was a wet and cloudy day. But even such days have their beauty. I explored the neighbourhood, gawked at the houses, walked (hopped) on the sandy beach, took photos, sipped coffee, played in the rain and laughed myself silly. Every weekend should be like this.
And this. is the shot of the day. Now, who wants to walk with me on a one-way trip into the ocean? Haha just kidding.
#750 on the million blog list
I'm listed #750 on the Million Blog List!
It is said that there are over 70 million blogs in existence. This is an experiment to see how long it will take to get 1 million blogs to list themselves at this site. List yours here.
the dry and harsh country beauty
According to Bob the owner of the hotel I stayed at in Avenel (about 10min from the flying academy at Mangalore Airport), they have not seen decent rainfall in the Victorian country regions for 11 years. Most of the farmers there have had a longdrawn battle with drought.
Just before we left for the airport to fly back to Sydney, Bob drove us round the Avenel area and even brought us round the 800 acres farm where he works at 2 days a week. Trees are dying everywhere. It's yellow, brown, dry and harsh land all around. But even that has its own unique beauty and that's what's keeping people like Bob and his family still living in the area.
This was taken one afternoon at the school. The houses in the pic were the cadets' canteen and bunk areas. Even though the clouds hung low, heavy and ominous, the highly anticipated rains didn't come.
Exploring the 800 acres farm in the back of a ute.
The girls took this candid pic of me seated in the back of the ute and I quote them "Wah. Very emo leh."
Of cos emo la. I didn't have my someone beside me to share the harsh country beauty with. Sian one leh.
sunset in a piper warrior
I was away in Mangalore for business relating to the flying academy we set up late last year. After I've taken care of all the serious stuff, the chief flying instrutor decided to reward us (me and the interns) with a flight over the Mangalore, Euroa and Shepparton regions in one of our training aircraft - the Piper Cherokee Warrior III.
That's us in full head gear and preparing for the take-off.
I took the front seat beside the Pilot while the girls took the 2 back seats in the 4-seater aircraft.
We flew parallel to the setting sun. The beauty of it all was beyond what could be captured on camera and beyond words.
The short flight made me a tad nauseous though as I was already not feeling well then after almost a week of doing menial jobs in the school. We got news just 2 days ago that we finally got approval for what we were working so hard preparing for, ahhh... the sense of satisfaction...
More beautiful sunsets to be observed when I head back to Mangalore again tomorrow morning.
travelling to Mangalore
Updates on my work trip to Mangalore, Victoria have been long overdue. Here's a short one on my one plus hour train journey from Broadmeadows train station to Seymour train station. Broadmeadows is a short 15min taxi ride from Melbourne Domestic Airport and Seymour is a 20min drive away from Mangalore Airport. So to summarise the ordeal I had to go through in order to get to my destination for work: fly Sydney to Melbourne -> cab Melbourne to Broadmeadows -> train Broadmeadows to Seymour -> drive Seymour to Mangalore -> total 4.5hours.
I like this pic of my reflection very much. The world outside the train is like a blur.
Stoning while waiting.
And still waiting.
While looking after the girls' luggage.
The first sunset I saw that made for a perfect backdrop for posing with my favourite VW van.
There were a lot more beautiful sunsets but those will be entries for another day.
food diary: 7 - 13 apr
Dumping not too good this week. Could be due to the unfamiliar surroundings and change in meal times and food. Can't be too picky when you're in the countryside. I miss Sydney.
monday
B @ 9am: 1 large cappucino
L @ 12.30pm: 1 pack instant noodles soup
Tea break @ 5pm: 2 thin slices of cheesecake
D @ 7.30pm: vietnames spicy beef stew rice noodles, carrot and orange juice
dump: nil
tuesday
B @ 9am: 1 small cappucino
L @ 1pm: 1 pack instant noodles soup
Tea-break @ 4pm: 1 small vanilla latte
D @ 7pm: homecooked spaghetti with chilli, bacon and mushrooms
dump: nil
wednesday
B @ 9am: 3-in-1 coffee, 2 bean snacks
L @ 2.30pm: spinach and ricotta ravioli
D @ 7.30pm: german pork knuckle, sauerkraut, ham, pork belly, mashed potato, sausages, 2 x 0.5litre beer
dump: nil
thursday
B @ 8am: 2 bean snacks
L @ 12.15pm: assorted sushi bento set with sashimi, 2 bottles syrup drink, 1 ice cream
D @ 8pm: fried rice with stir fried vege, deep fried sliced beef honey chicken, half a bottle of beer
dump: once
friday
B @ 9am: grilled tomato, scrambled eggs, bacon
L @ 1.30pm: 1 beef pie, 1 sausage roll
D @ 6.30pm: lasagne, some potatoes, bits of salad
Drinks from 8pm onwards: about 10 beers
dump: nil
saturday
L @ 11.30pm: 1 pumpkin soup with 2 slices of toast, beef tortellini in cream sauce, 1 large cappucino
D @ 6.30pm: leftover pasta from lunch, 1 pack fried rice with beef, some chicken and vege
Drinks @ 9pm: 1 home brewed beer
dump: once
sunday
B @ 10.30am: 1 large cappucino
L @ 11.30pm: 1 beef brisket vietnamese rice noodle soup
D @ 7pm: shanghainese fried 'nian gao', mouthfuls of shanghainese fried noodles, a few fried dumplings, and spicy and sour soup noodles
dump: nil
i have a fan!
I have an obvious retard of an anonymous fan reading my blog who's been posting ridiculously immature and vulgar comments on a few of my entries. I conclude you are missing your brains because anyone with enough sense would stop visiting a particular site if just by reading the entries gives them so much grief.
I pity you, cos you must have so much frustration you need to unload but sadly you have no other outlet for unleashing and have to do it at my humble blog. I thank you for your patronage and for pushing up my blog hits and readership. So I welcome you to comment however way you like cos it's definitely a win-win for us and also because that would reflect very positively on me as it's very charitable of me to accommodate immature imbeciles like you.
However, for your own good, I would also suggest you see a therapist and start getting a life. Perhaps you're just suffering from blue balls and just need to get laid, you can see a doctor or prostitute to confirm this. You may also wanna consider building up some balls cos I see you don't even have the guts to identify yourself when commenting. Now I wonder, a person without a life, without brains, without guts, without a sex life, without sense, without friends, why are you still here? Maybe your disappearance would be the best for you and the rest of the world.
away on business
This is a hastily written entry while I still have what little internet connection here in Mangalore Airport now.
I am away in some 'dogs don't shit, birds don't lay eggs' countryside place for work. It's at least 25km from the nearest shop, and 80km from the nearest proper city. I do not have internet access at all in the dingy little motel I stay in, and neither is there a phone. I feel quite disconnected from the rest of the world.
I really need to take a day off on Sunday and take a 1.5hour train to Melbourne city just to be in civilisation again, otherwise I think I will go mad.
The only redemption so far is the beautiful sunset I saw yesterday. One breathtaking scene I can't get out of my mind is when a few patches of dark clouds passed slowly over the bright crescent moon with streaks of sunset colours in the background.
first meeting with fav tudi
Happieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Birthday Tudiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had wanted to hand draw our first meeting in comic style, but not enough time so here's the simplified version (must click to enlarge otherwise can't read the words). This is one part of your present from Shifu. Get the other part from Marshee hor.
walk with me
An old entry written at 11:24:53 PM on 15 August 2006 that touches me each time I read it.
All that I felt and feel come rushing at me at once.
Scorched by passion, glowed in love and grieved life. Now I'm free to savour the colourful burst of spring.
But who will walk with me in my beautiful garden of life?
Walk With Me
Burn (I Burnt) with me
in the furnace of passion
Flames blaze with intense desires
the soul incinerates
in the scorching summer heat
Glow (I Glowed) with me
in the brilliance of love
Ember shines with exuberating radiance
the flames settle
in the calm autumn breeze
Grieve (I Grieved) with me
in the treacheries of life
Emotions numb with freezing finality
the heart mourns
in the bitter winter cold
Now walk with me
in the beautiful garden I call 'My Life'
Passion re-ignites
the soul awakens
Love blooms
the flames rekindle
Life renews
the emotions run wild
Under the vast beautiful blue sky of lovely roaming clouds
In the colourful burst of spring
Walk with me
背影
chubby phone and boy phone
A random conversation overheard at work:
Colleague A: your phone is very... cuuuuute...
Colleague B: huh?
Colleague A: it's chubby. cuuuuuuute...
Colleague B: *speechless*
Colleague A: mine is a male phone. See? It's got a penis.
Colleague B: *speechless*
i want my rope to be-long
The gals showing their tongues at a dessert joint. Not bad.
It had been a good weekend. One doesn't have to go places and accomplish stuff to have a good time. Doing nothing and yet exploring everything can be satisfying too.
My mind is actually a total blank right now. I indulged in a little imagination while savouring my lone time alone in the hot tub this evening. Piecing the bits together, the kind of scene I secretly hope to see in the not too far future, in an ideal perfect world. I made it a point not to get too lost in the make-believe ideal world. Whatever will be, will be. No point thinking too much into anything.
Like how the ah lian philosopher in me always say, in the hokkien style voice of mine, no need waste time worrying about things that have not yet happened la. If I die before this supposed bad thing I worry about happen leh? Wah lao, then I would have wasted my time and effort worrying lor. So bo hua right? Time comes, things happen, then go WTF la. (btw, I went KNNBCCB at a few ang mohs on the weekend after a few drinks and nobody understood me. the feeling is not too bad haha.)
On a more random note, I came across a paragraph in 'A Long Way Down' (yes, I've been neglecting my reading lately) that made me read and re-read again:
Most people have a rope that ties them to someone, and that rope it can be short or it can be long. (Be long. Belong. Get it?) You don't know how long though. It's not your choice.
food diary: 31 mar - 6 apr
The instant noodles have made a comeback! This phase is expected to last another one or two weeks. And this week's dumping had been few and far apart, mainly because of the drop in input, I guess. What's there to dump if you don't even eat enough to keep warm?
monday
B @ 10am: 2 Ferrero Rocher chocolates
L @ 12.30pm: 1 pack instant noodles soup
D @ 8.30pm: Xinjiang food - some chicken curry thing, fried bun with lamb filling, lamb skewer
dump: nil
tuesday
B @ 10am: 3-in-1 coffee
L @ 2pm: 1 bowl of instant noodles soup
D @ 8.30pm: fetuccine carbonara, 1 beer
dump: once
wednesday
B @ 9am: 1 large cappucino
L @ 2.30pm: 1 pack instant rice vermicelli soup, 1 mini springroll, 1 mini samosa, 1 mini tuna sandwich
D @ 7.30pm: chicken schnitzel with mashed potato, 1 beer, 1 glass of cordon bleu on the rocks
dump: nil
thursday
B @ 9am: 1 large cappucino
L @ 1.30pm: 1 salmon sushi roll, 1 california sushi roll, 2 mini sandwiches
D @ 9pm: assorted korean panchan, kimchi pancake, seafood and tofu hotpot (i had some crab, tofu, fish roe), bbq beef ribs, bulgogi, sliced pork belly, taro milk tea
dump: once
friday
B @ 9am: 1 large cappucino
L @ 1.30pm: caesar salad with smoked salmon, cranberry juice
D @ 8.30pm: 1 espresso martini, 1 slice warm bread with butter, striploin steak, 1 bottle james squire amber ale
Drinks from 10pm onwards: 1 glass vodka redbull, 1 glass vodka orange, mouthfuls of hoegaarden, 8 to 10 glasses of chivas on the rocks (last 2 glasses were double shots)
dump: nil
saturday
B : nil
L @ 1.30pm: assorted chinese dim sum
D @ 7.30pm: vietnamese beef rice noodles, honey milk bubble tea
Supper @ midnight: 1 pack of instant cheese macaroni, orange juice
dump: nil
sunday
B : nil
L @ 1.30pm: assorted chinese dim sum, mouthfuls of korean panchans and some soupy stuff, fresh iced lemon tea
D @ 8pm: homecooked spaghetti aglio olio style with chilli, mushrooms and bacon
dump: nil
of skylines, shoulders, thighs and boobs
Five of us all gals decided to take Eliss' skyline on a trip to the city to impress the boys. While waiting for the rest to get ready, we did some shameless posing for the camera.
I requested for some thighs, boobs or shoulders from the new babies on the block and this was what I got.
Come, let mamasan show you what showing your shoulders mean.
Come tomorrow, besides the initiation into the drinking scene, we shall also have lesson #101 on more shoulders, thighs and boobs.
my new babies @ work
I have a new colleague Joyce who joined us in our Sydney head office this Monday and two new interns from Singapore who arrived this morning. Being the ever motherly and big-sisterly and tourist-guide-ish me, I brought them all out for a nice dinner and walk along Coogee beach this evening.
From left to right: Adiel (new intern #1), Me (guys, if you noticed, my fav killerloop tee has made a comeback!), Isobel (been with us for a few months now), Joyce (3 days old newbie) and Evangeline (new intern #2)
Tomorrow, I shall show them the way to the train station from my apartment, how to take a train to the city, various landmarks in the city, where to go for what, and bring them to do some shopping and to buy groceries. Friday, I shall initiate them into the drinking scene. Saturday, I have suggested they go to a beach if the weather's good (namely Bondi Beach cos it's easily accessible by train and bus since they don't drive) or to Taronga Zoo if the weather is so-so cos the gals are crazy over koalas. And I shall sneak away for some lone time on the weekends. :)
doily dress in turqouise and ashybrown
I'm currently madly in love with this doily dress by themachinestops on etsy. Should I or should I not? I haven't bought a piece of decent clothing for a long time now. The measurements seem a bit small though...
surf rescue @ manly
Almost forgot about this until I came across the below photos when tidying up my portable hard disk (hdd). Talking about my hdd, I am definitely going to start backing up the photos very soon. Recently went through a lot of the archived photos and showed them to a friend, they are really my life and I cannot afford to lose them.
I was enjoying a leisure walk and coffee at Manly Beach with 2 buddies when we came across a surf rescue operation. After a while, we realised it wasn't a real emergency, just filming in progress. But hey, it created quite a stir along the beach and kept us entertained for a good 10 to 15 minutes. Cool. I haven't seen this before.
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