Three days..(or four?) till Christmas!!

Before I start, I have a question for you all. So today is the 21st. Do I count, 22nd as one day, 23rd and two days, 24th as three days…so three days till Christmas? Or is it…25 minus 21, so FOUR days till Christmas? Ahh…. whatever, okay, so Christmas is NEAR. *rolls eyes* 

First, I made a mess in my tiny kitchen. I got flour everywhere, then I accidentally spilled the Cinnamon powder and then my whole house smelt like apple pie….. 

Okay, then came the fun part. I was slowly getting the hang of it. I suddenly thought…..if I ever wanted to revenge on someone, I’d just take my electric beater and just fly food all over my enemy’s house. I thought that was a pretty creative revenge….don’t you think?

Okay it just keeps getting better! Rolling it out was so much fun! Except I somehow banged my head with the stick….don’t ask me how….it fell, and I tried to pick it up…and then…somehow. 

I got so excited with the cutting that I forgot to use the other patterns!!! DOH! Too many stars…

The first batch is in the oven….and baking~~ ooh yea, you see my peace sign? And yea, it’s all stars -_-

The next batch! I made smaller stars hehe and hearts…and what was supposed to be Christmas trees, but turned out to look more like leaves……. and some left over dough which I spelt out Merry X’mas! 

Done!

A prettier presentation~

Hoho, my demented lettering~ Wanted to make Christmas, because you know, I want to have the Christ in Christmas, but really had no space left on the rack….nor enough patience….

TA-DA!!! I realized that I bought gift bags which were WAYyy to large because I only ended up with two bags. Yep….so much for Christmas gifts. HAHA Maybe I’ll make some more….or maybe I won’t. Depends. I have had my fun already…….guess we’ll see?

The curse has been lifted...

Having a cold is almost like having been cursed. Ever watched that movie where a girl watches a freaky video and the phone rings and a scary voice tells her that she will die in seven days? Well, having a cold is kind of like that. You feel like you’re going to die. Almost like you watched that freaky video. And then in the movie, the girl lets someone else watch the freaky video and then the curse is lifted and she doesn’t die. Instead, she passes the curse on and that other unfortunate person now has to deal with it (and of course, it’s a movie, so she won’t tell the other person how to solve the curse). Anyway, I’m much less selfish and I will tell you what I know. So just like in the movie, you just have to “pass on the curse”. Yep, the curse of the cold. Give it to someone. Kiss someone, stand in really close proximity for an extended period of time, cough on someone, sneeze into someone…whatever it takes. Pass it on. Giving it to at least two other persons will have a better effect. And then, miraculously, you are cold-free! Well I’m sorry to the person I gave my cold curse to…well, I’m not really sorry, but I’m just being polite here. I’m glad that it’s no longer my problem. WoOT.

YES!!!

I love it when people read my stuff. I love it even more when people read my stuff and then still read some more when I post new stuff. In a mere 4 months, I’ve had more than 3000 hits on my blog. Thanks guys! I shall try to keep my life interesting enough to keep me talking about random stuff often….

—-




Oh….and I discovered I have a very unattractive laugh - it has been described as a Beavis and Butthead laugh. I have always denied it, but what happens when there’s a consensus going on? DAMN. Jamie…Beavis, and Butthead.

let it snow, let it snow, let it...wait...maybe no?

The other day I was aimlessly walking around (like any normal person would too) and I came across a Christmassy-looking shop. On display right by the entrance was a grand Christmas tree decorated with stuff, lights and even had music. Not like that was special enough though. It had this thing on top which sprayed out polyester foam balls! It fluttered down like snow where there was an upside-down looking umbrella thing which caught all the foam balls and sucked it right up again to be sprayed down again. WOW.

Looking at that, I suddenly thought to myself “Aw….it would be nice if it snowed.”

BAM. I would’ve literally punched my very nose in if it were a socially acceptable thing to do. What was I thinking?? It would be nice if it snowed?!! HELLO??? If I remembered correctly, I spent everyday of last winter complaining of the cold….and oh yea, also how ugly and annoying snow really is - statistically, I slipped and fell on an average of twice a day.

So my question is: Why do we always want what we don’t get? In Australia, I wanted snow, then in Korea, I had snow and hated it. During the snow, I wanted the sun. Now that there’s no snow, I think it’d be nice to snow?

Well I’m glad that only lasted for a mere second (because remember? I punched myself mentally). Today, I woke up and it is only 13 degrees Celsius and I felt cold. Maybe it’s a note from God reminding me how much I truly do hate winter…………

Christmas Gift Ideas

Struggling for some Christmas gift ideas?? Here are probably the best ad’s ever made (well, before women actually became real people)….

*Christmas is all about joy and happiness, so please take this lightly and it was not intended to offend anyone!!

The key to Happiness.....Now just for $3.99!!!

Do you want to be happy? Have you searched all your life just to find there is no way to be happy? Look no further!! I was in the same exact position as you….until I came across this life-changing book! From renowned scientists comes this simple, yet overlooked key to unlocking the mystery of happiness! Now you can have this age-old mystery solved for just $3.99!!!


—-



Okay stop right there. Does that look familiar? Yea, hundreds of web-pages try to scam miserable, sad people like us to use our visa as a pillow of comfort. Well, I am here to offer salvation without the payment.

I read an interesting article today - some people are just born happy. Yea, we know that. But why? Well apparently, it all comes down to “gratitude”. Exactly, some people were born to count their blessing whilst others never seem satisfied with whatever life dishes out to them.

Well, if like most people, you belong to the latter group…..don’t despair. There’s hope. You can force yourself to do it until it becomes ingrained in your brain and voila! it’s now a part of your personality.

So….start off with something easy - write down things that you are grateful for. But don’t be so general like friends, good job… be more specific otherwise you would very likely experience “gratitude-burnout”!!

Another interesting thing…… gratitude is a better predictor of happiness than materialism! So, those who said material possessions make you happy….well, sorry dude. You’re wrong!

Question of the Day

Stress can affect you in a myriad of ways. It can be like a giant cloud storming right over your head. Or it can lurk behind suspiciously and follow you around. Any way it chooses to manifest, it’s a bit of a bummer. I saw an article from Time Health saying food and sex can help relieve stress. And then a question popped into my head….what if your stress is food-related or sex-related? Then does food and sex still help??? Hmm……I guess that’s my question of the day….

Say what??

Can anyone make out what she’s saying? Give you a prize if you can figure it out. =) Enjoy~

a sudden burst of determination

I can feel it in my cells. This rising energy. No, I haven’t joined any weird cult if that’s what you’re thinking. But maybe it’s just too much strong coffee too early in the morning. Maybe this so-called energy is just me being jittery and wide-eyed.

So baby steps, right? What am I going to do? I am going to sign up for a kickboxing class - yea, since I’m so violent and like to scream so much….it would be a good release of energy.

I am also going to train for a *mini* marathon! When I was in S.Korea, I attempted but failed…after three months of treadmill, I think my most successful was only 2.5 miles. BUT. That doesn’t mean this time will be the same. I discovered a running track right across where I live! Awesome!

Okay. Well, there’s more stuff I want to do *right now*!!! But….I will try to calm down caffeinated me and just do these things first. So hold me accountable. Guilt trip me. Whip me. Oh yea…..

I'm currently beached and I can't chew...

With lots of studying, comes increments in academic knowledge but also a decreased number of brain cells. I have exams looming over me and with dread in my eyes, I have come to find the little pleasures of life.

Ta-da-da-da-da……

Ladies and gentlemen, may I bring to you……………………

Beached Az……..

A short series of animation about a whale who gets beached in where else but New Zealand, bro. Loving the accent. It’s a great break inbetween study moments. It’s a great laugh. I’m loving it……..

One of my favourites…

Ahhhaa…this crab is a little feisty and a little schizophrenic! Great….exactly what I’m studying too! So now you can’t say I’m procrastinating….it’s of great academic value…

Okay…just one more. I’m loving this one too!!! The whale is singing to a seemingly very depressed stingray (which could also be dead)…




Hey little stingray, I know why you’re sad,

you don’t know your mum and you didn’t know your dad (sounds like “didn’t know you’re dead…clever play on words there!)

you don’t feel special coz you’re one of a million eggs,

now you’re stuck on a beach and you don’t have any legs…

(which I can totally relate to)

so….. now you know your problem you can deal with your emotion,

and have a better life when you return to the…sea…

Ahh….I LOVE THE ACCENT!! 


"I’m beached az, bro."
"You’re beached az, bro."
"Yea, tell me something I don’t know, bro."
"You’re heaps beached az….bro…."
"Oh no….I’m heaps beached az…."

*Disclaimer: My brain cells are now few and sparse, so please forgive me if you don’t find this as funny as I do……BUT…if you do, Youtube it and waste your life away~~ 

I'm in a park

I’m sitting on a park bench as I write this entry. Just a couple days ago, I was lying on a sandy beach. Am I turning into a bogan? A bogan is an Australian term used to describe a poor person who roams around on a beach or sleeps on park benches. If to enjoy life means to be a bogan, well hello! I would love to be a bogan… Now, let me just take a nap on this clean park bench and soak up some sun… Oh yea!

I wanna be a sexy bogan just like this man here…

Think you're model material? Think again...

One innocent Tuesday morning, I stepped off the train onto the platform in TST. With my eyes scanning for Exit H, I walk as quickly as I can in my 3 inch heels. Everyone from the train seemed to be all getting out at the same time as me and within a blink of an eye, it was literally a sea of people. So much so that the escalators were crowded and a line began to take shape. Checking my watch impatiently, I steer myself towards the stairs.

My phone rings, “shit I’m late.” Heaving from the stairs, I clumsily fish my phone out, “I’m coming! I’m coming!” Eyes focused on Exit H, I march onwards. Suddenly, I feel somebody tap on my shoulders. I turn around and see a guy about a head shorter than me. I quickly scan the floor thinking I must’ve dropped something or that my bag is unzipped.

”Hi, I’m from a modelling agency and we’re looking for somebody for a magazine ad. Would you like to leave a contact number so we can arrange a casting?” He sticks a card in my face.

A million thoughts rush by in my head but the loudest voice screamed “SCAM! SCAM!” Oh I’ve heard of those all to many times before - they lure you in, and then coerce you into paying them money!

”Um…no thanks. I’m not interested.” I muttered and went on my way.

I quickly forgot about that incident and carried on as usual with my day. I got home later that night, and as I fished for my keys, the card that the man gave me fell out. Piqued with curiosity, I grabbed my laptop and went on the world wide web for some answers. Lo and behold……

It’s a SCAM! Ah-ha……think you’re model material? Think again…….

Apparently I'm a bit of an embarrassment

So I went to watch SAW in 3D. Yay me. And apparently, I’m a bit of an embarrassment to be at the movies with. You see….I am a very vocal person. I’m one of those annoying people who will talk during the movie - which is why I’m not a big fan of the cinemas. I mean, it’s boring if I have to just sit still for two hours already…let alone BE QUIET? Wow…you’re just asking too much. And I have a very low threshold for humour. Which means that I will laugh at anything even remotely close to funny. And I guess not many people have the same appreciative attitude towards humour as I do, because I always get unfriendly looks cast my way. Talk about freedom! And horror movies are just the worst for me. I will scream. Literally scream. I can’t help it. They were 3D glasses…it was like guts were flying out at me. Who wouldn’t scream at that?? I tried my best to stay quiet. I had my eyes closed for the most part. But when I did open my eyes, I think I screamed a lot. I just remember a certain hand cupped over my mouth in a feeble attempt to shut me up. Well I’m sorry to you who accompanied me to the movies…..you picked the movie!

This illustration is oddly familiar…..

possible future career??

I read two very interesting articles today regarding psychological research (yes, even after I’ve finished my assignments, I’m still a total geek and read psych journals for entertainment). But please don’t stop close the window now, I swear, it really was interesting.

First one talked about false beliefs. We all have biases and false beliefs regarding certain issues. Apparently though, even when we are given the correct facts, there is only 30% chance of us actually changing our minds! I think that is really interesting. This goes to show that first impressions really are the lasting impressions! So if I see you and felt that you’re a jerk….even if you proved me wrong later on, I’ll still be 70% likely to think of you as a jerk. Well, sorry to those of you nice people who look like jerks. The science just isn’t with you today.

Second article was about brand names. We all know of a brand or two which just totally sucks, but is still super popular. Why? WHY? We’ve often questioned why people still buy crap like that….well, apparently!! Ah-HAH, see I wasn’t lying, it really is interesting, right? Apparently, it’s all in the brand names! Sometimes, the actual products might suck, but just because it has a catchy name, we will buy it. The findings showed that names with repeating syllables and sounds were the best ones. Maybe if I had a child, I’d give it a name with repeating syllables and sounds catchy and then maybe it’ll become president one day (Barack Obama is a pretty catchy name afterall).

I SEE STUPID PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
WALKING AROUND LIKE REGULAR PEOPLE.
THEY DON’T EVEN KNOW THEY’RE STUPID. 

Well don’t you think these studies kind of prove how stupid we human beings really are?? We just go about believing false crap even when we’re proven wrong!, and buying even more crap just because the name sounds good when we don’t even know WHY we’re buying it - it’s all subconscious!! Just like now, we’re probably thinking…yea, well, I’m not one of those idiots!

I’m thinking of making a career out of this…. start my own business - who cares what I’m selling. As long as I come up with a nice catchy repetitive name and bombard you guys with false information right at the start … then I’m sure you will all be brainwashed into buying my sucky products….What do you say, anyone in on this with me?

Comfort food??

I’m curious to know….what are you guys like when you get a mild case of the cold/flu?

Here’s me:

Wednesday -
AM: I feel fine. A little cold.
PM: Extremely hungry. Extremely cold. Extremely tired. Oh…I’m having a fever.

Thursday -
AM: I feel okay. Extremely hungry. I crave terrible food. I go out eat McDonalds. Then a pie. Then a chocolate bar. Then a can of coke. I feel better.
PM: I’m HEALED.


Why do I get so hungry but just want to eat crap when I’m sick?? Do you guys feel that way too? Or is it just me?          

The Dungeon Gates of Thailand

Rewind back to about a month ago, when I went to Thailand with N. 

We decided to go to a museum on sunny day. We even took a motorcycle taxi to get there - it was N’s fabulous idea and I was so frightened that I gripped the driver so hard that he slowed to a near-crawl and turned his head around to ask me “okay?”; which actually scared me even more because he was looking at me and not the road ahead. Anyways, we got there and somehow we couldn’t leave the way we entered. We had to take a boat down the stream. Okay, he guy informed us that it will be a private boat ride and it will be cheap and we can take photos because he will go slowly. Okay, we get in. Okay, the guy who talked to us didn’t get in. Okay, the boat is moving and a random man is taking us down the stream.

OUR PRIVATE BOAT

It is all well and good and we enjoy the scenery — there wasn’t too much because it was a narrow stream with really polluted water. And then we come to a stop, about 30 minutes into our private boat ride. There’s a gate in front of us which slowly opened up — kind of like a dungeon gate almost. Our boat goes in and then the other gate doesn’t open but the gate behind us closes. 

Our driver stops the engine. All is quiet. We are in this trapped section of the river. All is fine until we look up and see men carrying rifles walking near the gates. Then we look the our left and see a Thai man talking on the phone whilst taking pictures of us. We turn around and the driver solemnly looks at us. 

Oh my god. What is going on? Why is that man taking pictures of us and smiling creepily at us? Why are those men carrying rifles? Why couldn’t we leave the museum the way we entered? Why did we have to get on a boat? Why is there no one here except us? 

I could not help but think — IS THIS SOME KIND OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING?! ARE WE GONNA BE PROSTITUTES?!? AM I GONNA HAVE TO ENTERTAIN SICK WESTERN MEN?!

But it was all just a figment of my imagination because before long, the gates opened up and the rifle men bid us farewell and we went along happily down the river. 

THE END.

PS. I sent out postcards from Thailand but apparently nobody received anything. Damn you Thailand. I loved you but you scammed me! Was it all a lie — that post office?? Was it all a lie?!

For the girl who likes Robots.

These photos are from my lovely friend Muoiy (pronounced as MU-OI-EE — you do realize it’s a pseudonym, right?). She knows I like ROBOTS.. and yes, I DO! They are sooo cute~~


Since I said in my last post that I WONT talk about food…but I do so want to! So, let’s talk about babies today. (No, I didn’t eat a baby — a quick recap on that story: I somehow said I would eat babies. Ok..don’t judge me…)












Babies. Toddlers. Little people. Things. Whatever you want to call them. They are often referred to as a gift from God, a bundle of joy, etc. But I firmly believe they are a PUNISHMENT from God for all the SIN we commit.

Last night I was in the proximity of a baby/toddler/thing/kid. I wasn’t even baby-sitting. I was just sitting near it. It was HORRIBLE. Why do they bother us real people like that??

I know, I know, I was once one of them too. Which is why I have a new found respect for my mother. What a GREAT woman she is.

That little toddler comes up to me — when I was clearly trying to play invisible — and asks to drink my water. I said, “Well, this is mine. Go get your own.” She snatches my cup, shouts, “Mine! MINE!” I take it back. “No, you can’t just take what you want.” She grabs my hand, splashing the water everywhere and proceed to LICK MY CUP. Then she smiles at me and says, “It’s MIINNEEEE.”


What a little bitch.



So there. Who wants babies? Things that go around stealing what’s yours and licking your cups.

This is NOT a food blog.

Yes, I do write about food quite often. But I stress…this is NOT a food blog! It’s a blog about ME. And well, food is a big part of my life so here’s just one more post about food! I promise to talk about something else soon (but I really do love food).

Knutsford Terrace. I love this place. You are in this super busy part of town where there’s shopping and dining and people everywhere, rushing to go somewhere. Then you walk up this steep flight of stairs and *LAAAAAAA* it’s like you step into a whole new world! It’s a narrow terrace with old school decor and trees and pretty lights. Restaurant after restaurant boasting the finest Italian, Thai, Mexican…oh and anything and everything that you want.

Maybe one reason I love this place so much is that it reminds me of Itaewon (you know that strip in the back with all the fabulous thai places??) Or maybe because all the waiting staff speak English and the place is bustling with English-speaking people! I actually had this weird epiphany the other day — when I’m in Australia, I always go to Chinatown to eat Chinese/asian stuff. Now that I’m in this Hugeass china place, I always go find western places to eat! WTF….

Anyways, that night, Soccerboy and I went to eat at this nice little placed tucked away in a corner. Tutto Benne. The food was amazing, the service was great (the portions might be small because my friend wasn’t too full afterwards). Photo time!

 First came the sparkling water and the bread basket and the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Mmm… the bread basket is especially worth noting because there was a great variety and even came with half a roasted whole garlic! It felt very organic, spreading the soft garlic on the bread! I don’t have a photo of it because I took a bite of each piece of bread (hey, I was testing to see which one was the best - they were all equally good) and so by the time I remembered, the basket wouldn’t have made a nice photo…..

Next came our starters. Mozarella cheese with tomatoes and olives and relish. The presentation was fantastic and the taste even better! I don’t know how they do it, but everything goes so well with everything else. Gahh….. this time, I only took one bite before I remembered to take a photo! 

 The main was a bit confusing because I had ordered the fish and my friend the pasta, but it came out that we each had a bit of fish and a bit of pasta. Definitely no complaints though, because the pasta was oh-so-delightful. It was perfectly cooked, with just the right texture and the sauce, OH THE SAUCE. I kept trying and trying to identify what the hell is in it because it is so damn good. Ahhh…… and the fish was great too! The pasta and fish actually went very well together. There were potatoes too and I guess that filled me up.

DESSERT!!! This may come as a surprise to you all but I’m actually not a big fan of sweet things. But the dessert menu looked enticing. With a name like Blue-flamed creme brulee? How could I not order it? And as it says, it did come out flaming blue…. I will be honest and I liked its appearance more than its taste - yah yah superficial, I know. First, I rarely eat creme brulee and the crunchy sugar was just too sweet for my liking. But it was pretty……….!!

Food. So much. Food.

Grandma’s hold a special place in everybody’s lives. They are sweet, warm and generous. The other day, my dear grandma calls me and asks me if I would go over for dinner. My grandma is an awesome cook and I’m always up for a free dinner. So I said yes. (Fellow American friends, I use the phrase “up for it” instead of “I’m down”. Yes, laugh all you want.)

Did I mention that grandmas can be scary as well? How so?

Plate after plate after plate after plate….. of food. For me.

And then comes the killer phrase, “They’re all your favourite.” 

BAZINGA. And now you have no excuse not to eat it all.

Oh….and by the way, it was just a “quick casual dinner….with nothing much to eat” in my grandma’s own words… and you may have already guessed that this was a dinner for two. Oh yea….

If I get really fat, you know who’s to blame.

The things I like...

One night I was out on the hunt for an iPhone cover. Ahh yes, I believe that once people get an iPhone, they inevitably HAVE to talk about it. I never understood it until I fell in the trap and joined the crowd. Anyways, back to my story….

Of course, knowing me, I would not buy the authentic real Apple cases. I mean, I myself am Made in China and it would hurt my strong national pride to buy something that wasn’t made in China. Not because they are cheaper. No, definitely not for that reason.

Upon looking stall after stall, I still hadn’t found anything I liked. So I went up to the man at probably what was the 7th stall and asked him, do you have anything with HaiBao on it? You know, the Shanghai World Expo mascot?

*If you guys don’t know what it looks like…..
it looks like this:

And this is the man’s reply:
"Sorry miss…we don’t stock anything on Hai Bao because nobody likes it. We only stock the popular items."

In my head: WHAT?! BECAUSE NOBODY LIKES IT? What does he mean? That it’s UGLY?

I find it to be the cutest thing!

I’ve told people this story before and I find it very weird that none of them seem surprised at all….. rather, they just look indifferent and tell me that the things I like are usually “weird” and that “nobody else likes it”.

GAHHH… the worst part is, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this either.




*A quick shout-out to Sally Monaghan and Joseph Skewes ~ Happy Wedding to the two of you!*

How's that for classy?

A certain nice gentleman gave me two bottles of red wine as a house warming gift. I thanked him politely and put them away. Not having even looked at it, it just sat there on the table in the corner, lonesomely gathering dust. Having not had a drink in a really long time (okay, maybe not that long………*I’m thinking* okay, it was 7 days ago. Seven long days ago….and, in my defense, it was one little glass of some crappy watered-down beer.) So, with a little itch I impulsively grabbed one bottle and vigorously opened it. Ah-hah….

Ah crap. I momentarily forgot I had no wine glasses! I was out the other day hunting for some…but to no avail. Saw some really ugly yet overpriced ones only. I scoot around in my kitchen cabinet (which doesn’t take long because it’s pretty empty) and the closest thing to classy is just a glass mug. It will do.

I just thought it’d be some yucky red wine but I just needed some to hold down my cravings. Lo and behold, I almost scream in ecstasy. I swear it is one of the best red wines I have yet tasted! What a waste to be drinking it out of a glass mug!! Ahhh…..pity. What a pity!!

For other red wine enthusiasts like myself, here’s the name if you are curious.

Villa Negra 2001 Gran Reserva (Spain)….Not being an expert on wine tasting, I can just say that it has an oaky taste, deep fruity flavour and I think a hint of vanilla? Whatever it is, it is good.

I almost regret opening it on such a thoughtless act….but it tastes so divine that I cannot complain.

But what a pity! Oh what a pity!!

Interesting Choices

Sometimes, when you got nothing to do or you’re just too tired to go on, it might be a good thing to just sit down for a while. That’s what I did the other day. I sat down with R on some steps because we were really tired. We people-watched for a bit. The thing is, it might sound boring to just sit there…..but actually it could be the most fascinating thing you do all day. Often times, we walk around with a goal, an aim, somewhere to go, someone to meet, that we don’t really notice what is going on around us. However, once you’re sitting down aimlessly watching, you suddenly see a whole lot more. People are interesting. People make interesting choices. Well, it’s not like I can tell someone’s life story just by watching them walk by….but you can see what they wear, what they are saying (maybe mid-sentence), who they’re with…and sometimes I just wonder. What makes certain people do certain things? There must be a reason behind every choice….or can it be a mere coincidence? Or just a bad day? Or just a thoughtless moment? Hmm….interesting choices that people make.

Take this lady for example. Do you think she walked out the door that morning not knowing that her pants were somewhat see-through? Or that her underwear was deeply etched into her bum? Do you think she really didn’t know? Or that she knew, but didn’t care? Or did she think it looked sexy to wear semi-transparent tights with even tighter undies? Hmm……sometimes I just wonder. I can’t exactly know every reason, so for now, I’ll just have to accept that people sometimes make interesting choices. I guess I’ll leave it at that…..until I make a profound discovery (and then I’ll share it with you all).


*Another thing….please don’t talk about ethics or privacy issues with me. Whoever this butt belongs to….well I’m sorry I took your photo without your consent.*

I'm back.

After a super hectic month here in Hong Kong (with a vacation snuck in the middle), I have finally completed the following:

1. Find a place to live.
2. Clean that dirty place.
3. Clean it more.
4. Survive a typhoon.
5. Get a sofa (so I don’t have to stand around in my own home)
6. Get a phone!
7. Get some curtains (so I won’t have randoms waving and smiling creepily at me whilst I’m in my underwear)
8. Get the INTERNET!

Yes! All of the above is checked and ready. Yes! Fellow net-ers, I’m BACK!

The Story of the Ping Pong Show

The story begins when a man comes up and says,
"Miss! Sex shows…sex shows. Very good!"

"Um…it’s okay, we don’t want to watch sex shows."

"No, miss…no sex. No bang bang. No bang bang. Just show. Very good to see."

"It’s okay."

"What about ping pong show? Very good!"

 

At this point……my friend (let’s call her XYZ) made the following comment:

"What’s a ping pong show? Like girls in lingerie playing ping pong?"

"Um…..no. More like girls shooting ping pong balls from their vaginas."

Money Issues

"*insert friend’s name* It’s ME…I’m at the lobby now!"

"Jamie!!! I miss you!!!"

"*insert friend’s name*…..can you lend me 50 baht?? I have no money!!!"

——-

Yes, our long-awaited reunion began like this. I didn’t have enough cash on me to pay the taxi ride to the hotel. Oops.

Guess where?

Tuesday 22nd September 2010. Guess where I am?

I am sitting in a hotel room in Bangkok. Oh yea…… the travel bug bites me quite frequently.

I am lucky to still be alive….after all that I’ve gone through in just the past TWO DAYS!

Situation #1: Getting to the airport.

My flight to BKK is at 8 in the morning. To get there on time, I should probably catch the bus at 4:30am so that I can get to the airport by 6am (you see, I had no idea how long the bus would take — and knowing me, of course it wouldn’t occur to me to actually CHECK…) At about 6pm the day before my flight, a typhoon hits Hong Kong. What is a typhoon and what am I supposed to do? I don’t know *shrug* I’ve never experienced one before. Later that night, signs are posted everywhere that there is a RED warning on the Typhoon and that it’s a Level THREE. What am I supposed to do? *shrug* I have no idea. At 4am in the morning, I venture out my apartment armed with an umbrella. I look out through the main doors. Damn….. the trees were swaying like crazy and the rain was almost horizontally flying…. the security guard looks at me like I’m a little crazy and asks “Miss, it’s kinda late and there’s a typhoon…..where are you going at this time?” “To Bangkok….?” I replied uncertainly. I step outside and immediately get wet and it’s almost as if I were in a baby pool. I hold my umbrella tight and brace myself against the wind and I mutter a prayer under my breadth, “Oh dear Jesus….please look after me and don’t blow me away…let there be a bus!!” Miracously, may I add, the moment I waddled through the waters and out of the main gate, the rain lessened to a mere drizzle. Ahh, isn’t God so good to me??

Situation #2: Still trying to get to the airport.

I walk about 15 minutes to the bus stop, now in a much better mood. It’s actually pretty cool cos there’s nobody on the street and it’s been raining all day and night that the streets are really clean and the water on the street is really clean. Almost tempted to roll around in the water. Finally made it to the bus stop. I look at it. In huge letters written under the number E34 Airport Express is this : “SERVICE TIME: 5:15AM to 7AM EXPRESS”. WHAT??? I look at my watch. 4:35am. I am pondering if I should walk home and wait and then walk back out when “BOOOOOM” thunder sounds and the sky is pouring once again and I stand there under the bus shelter with my little umbrella and backpack and don’t know what to do. Should I risk walking home and looking like an idiot and being judged by the security guard? Or should I just wait here? What if buses are cancelled now? What do I do???????

Situation #3: Still trying VERY hard to get to the airport.

In the end, I just stood there waiting. I listened to my iPod and since there was no-one on the street, I sang out loud to myself. I saw another bus go by and so I knew that buses were still running. My mood was still pretty good. Finally, FINALLY, thank God, the bus came! I almost hugged the bus driver but I was pretty wet by then. I sit down and I start to think of all the good food I’m gonna eat in Thailand…….

People suddenly all get up and the bus driver starts waving at us. I pull out my earphones and I realize that the bus has stopped and the driver is telling us to get out. He says that there is a situation and the engine has malfunctioned. There is a warning beeping sound and we all pile out onto the street. Actually, let me correct it. The HIGHWAY. Yes, all of us tired, sleepy heads pile out onto the highway whilst the driver stands next to us apologising. Oh, did I mention that it was still pouring with rain? At that point, I’m thinking, man….maybe I should just go home. What if I miss my flight? The time was already pretty tight……*sigh*

Well….you all know that I did eventually make it to the airport because I am in Bangkok right now! There is still lots more to tell (I mean, I haven’t even told you about Bangkok yet………..) Stay posted!!!

PS. sorry that I have no updated in such a long time….I haven’t really fixed my internet yet. But I will…once I get back to Hong Kong. =)

has it only been two days?

Family is a blessing. Really. Don’t get me wrong because family is very important to me. I love them dearly. BUT.

Yes. As with everything in life, there is very often a great big BUT.

Has it only been two days? Well, it seems like it’s been forever.

You know how you sometimes meet someone and you feel like you’ve known each other for literally forever?? Well, it’s kinda like that with my dad. Except not in such a positive light. Well, I don’t want to complain, because he is very nice to me….BUT. yea, here it is again. BUT it’s only been two days and it feels like forever. Oh dear. Maybe because I get a phone call from my dear father every 15 minutes? Oh dear.

When is he leaving? Well, that is exactly the question. If I know, at least I can look forward to that and push on through. Unfortunately, plane tickets have not yet been booked.

Oh dear.

——————


On a side note, sorry for the absence of late. I haven’t had much internet access and it’s just been a sloow sloow week (or half week).

a quick insight to my "DEEP THOUGHTS"

Some things which popped into my head these couple of days:


[at Central Market]
"Wow….the ground is really clean here!"

[at Woolworths supermarket]
"Oh my GOD. Look at this whole refrigerator of CHEESE. WOW."

[still at Woolworths 3 minutes later]
"Oh my GOD. Look at the CHEESE……"

[waiting for the Tram]
"Hmm…. nobody here is wearing a sparkly flowery bow in her hair"

[turning the street corner and a lady bumps into me and says “Oh, I’m sorry. Are you okay?]
"Yes. Yes. YES. I can speak ENGLISH TO YOU AND YOU UNDERSTAND ME"

[walking down the street]
"Hello there muscular men…it’s been a long time since I’ve seen pecs and arms."

[still walking down the street]
"Wow. Boobs. Big boobs….everywhere….."

What's today? Today's a happy day!

I am sitting on the floor next to the heater, with a korean fuzzy blanket on my lap. Yes, it is CRAZY because it is winter here in Adelaide. Apparently, it’s the coldest August in a long time. Why is it the “coldest” everywhere I go? It was the coldest winter in Korea too…. and now here. *sigh* I guess the cold loves me more than I love it.

Anyways. I’ve been giggling to myself for about 24 hours now. I don’t know…maybe it’s all the MSG I’ve ingested. Maybe it’s so cold that my brain isn’t working right. Maybe I’m just too happy from rolling around in my queen sized bed. Or maybe it’s the adrenaline rush I got from driving again. Maybe it’s all of the above… but I strongly suspect the FOOD to be the cause of my bout of happiness.

I will just tell you what I ate today.

I had a turkey sub on wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, beetroot, pickles, jalapenos, olives, onions and honey mustard at SUBWAY. Yes. Would you like to make that into a meal? YES. What cookie would you like? ALL OF THEM I screamed in my head…but I said, White choc and macadamia. YES. Inside my head, I burst into laughter and did a little dance.


Then I had a Caesar salad from Sumo salad. It wasn’t the best but it was pretty damn good. I laughed a bit more in my head and let out a small giggle.


Afterward, I went to Hogs Breadth and had a steak! Medium rare prime ribs with garlic prawns on the side and curly fries and veggies. Mmmm…… This time I laughed out loud and even did a little wiggley dance in my chair.


I then had a coffee from Cibo. Such good coffee. Hello good coffee, long time no see. I took a sip and haven’t stopped smiling since.


In between all these, I had Baci chocolates…as I unwrap each piece with anticipation, I read those corny love lines…. such as : The heart has its reasons which reason does not know… and I take a little bite. Mmmmm…. then pop the rest into my mouth. I can feel this giddiness rise up in me and I wriggle around in my chair once again.



So yes, right now, I’m sitting next to the heater, going on facebook, watching Korean drama and yes, I am still laughing and giggling. Why? I’m not so sure….maybe it’s the food. You tell me..!