The ALTERNATIVE Murphy's Law

So, it turns out that Mr. Murphy had more to say than just general facts of life. Here's his take on *hushed whisper* sex.... oh, and some bits on love too
Disclaimer: i never told you to read this if you're not over 18... and i don't think there's anything that explicit anyway

1. Sex is like snow; you never know how many inches you are going to get or how long it is going to last.
2. It is always the wrong time of month.
3. Sex is hereditary. If your parents never had it, chances are you won't either.
4. Sex discriminates against the shy and the ugly.
5. It was not the apple on the tree but the pair on the ground that caused the trouble in the garden.
6. Before you find your handsome prince, you've got to kiss a lot of frogs.
7. Availability is a function of time. The minute you get interested is the minute they find someone else.
8. Sex takes up the least amount of time and causes the most amount of trouble.
9. Love is a matter of chemistry, sex is a matter of physics.
10. You cannot produce a baby in one month by impregnating nine women. (???)
11. Thou shalt not commit adultery.....unless in the mood.
12. Abstain from wine, women, and song; mostly song.
13. A woman never forgets the men she could have had; a man, the women he couldn't.
14. What matters is not the length of the wand, but the magic in the stick.
15. A man can be happy with any woman as long as he doesn't love her.
16. Beauty is skin deep; ugly goes right to the bone.
17. Love comes in spurts. (for kenny!)
18. Sex is one of the nine reasons for reincarnation; the other eight are unimportant.
19. Don't do it if you can't keep it up.
20. "This won't hurt, I promise."

So, Mr. Murphy.. SaLuTe! (guys, that's NOT what i meant. oh gosh).
Quotes courtesy of Wikiquote

If you write something interesting, it is inevitable that noone will read it....

Another instalment of Things they don't teach you in Textbooks
Forget Newton's Law, Ohm's Law and all those other scientific laws which you forget once you're out of high school (unless you're an engineer.. haha.. or a scientist.. or a physicist.. oh well, i guess only arts students forget). Today's lesson kids is...

Murphy's Law

In a nutshell, Murphy's Law is the Eeyore of worldly insight. Think pessimist then multiply by 200. Murphy was the perfect advocate of those days when everything just WON'T go your way, not that i've had one of those in a while (have i?) but maybe you'll find these familiar. Murphy's Laws: (courtesy of Wikipedia)

1. The chance of the bread falling with the buttered side down is directly proportional to the cost of the carpet. (Law of Selective Gravitation)
2. Buses take ages to arrive, but when they do they always arrive in sets of three. (for kee win)
   
3. When graphing, the graph paper is always one square too small for the perfect scale. (for eng friends)
   
4. When caught in a traffic jam, the lane that you are in will always be the slowest to move. (for KL drivers)
   
5. Nothing is as easy as it looks.
6. Everything takes longer than you think. Or, everything takes twice as long as it should; excepting that which appears easy, taking three times as long.
7. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time.
8. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong.
9. If something simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.
10. If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
11. Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.
12. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
13. An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.
14. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
15. Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
16. Every solution breeds new problems.
17. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
18. When there is a very long road upon which there is a one-way bridge placed at random, and there are only two cars on that road, it follows that the two cars are going in opposite directions, and they will always meet at the bridge.
19. Junk will grow to fill the available cupboard space. (for kee win and his clothes)
    
20. All small objects of value will disappear when set down.
21. Magellan's Allegory: If you stop and ask someone for directions, and they tell you "You can't miss it"...then be assured that you will. (for me finding izy's house... again!)
    
22. Things get worse under pressure.
23. No matter how long or how hard you shop for an item, after you've bought it, it will be on sale somewhere cheaper. (for pat and 5 hours of shopping)
    
24. Anything good in life is either illegal, immoral or fattening. (for anyone who loves ice cream)
    
25. Murphy's golden rule: whoever has the gold makes the rules.
26. Anything dropped in the bathroom will fall in the toilet. (for anyone who's lost a contact lens down the sink)
    
27. The distance to your departure gate is directly proportional to the weight of your carry on luggage and inversely proportional to the time remaining before your flight. (for eddie)
    
28. Your best golf shots always occur when playing alone. (for my bowling)
    
29. The worst golf shots always occur when playing with someone you are trying to impress. (for my bowling too)
    
30. Great ideas are never remembered and dumb statements are never forgotten. (for this blog)
    

So what spurred the bout of Muphy-ism? I found a new law, through my own personal experience just moments ago.

Jeannie's take on Murphy's Law

31. If there is a power cut in your house, it is inevitable that it will happen just as you are shampooing you hair.

Finally, it is only fitting that we hear from the most lovable and probably famous practitioner of Murphy's Law:

'It will rain soon, you see if it doesn't,'

~Eeyore~

Ka La La La La Laaaaa.... Ok. [Stop!]

I was in the presence of a superstar. At a chinese restaurant with my family and we happened to be "crashing" (or rather sitting at the sidelines) of the annual dinner of some random company.

Apart from the mandatory running screaming kids in these dinners, not to mention ah beng-ish clothing ala tight singlet, optical illusion shirts and tacky skirts, there is another feature that really cannot be omitted...

~drumroll please~

The Uncle Karaoke Singer!!

There were many hilarious things, the Numa Numa song playing just before the speaking (to announce beginning of karaoke session), the dodgy karaoke video - with han yi pin yin! (yes it was in mandarin, yes han yi pin yin is the pronunciation key for bananas like you and me)
So, once the first guy sang in his rather la ying, that's pin yin for effeminate, voice, the guy comes up and announces -

~cue CrazyFrog intro music~
a famous Malaysian pop star from the 80s - who once hit top 10 in the charts!

Haha.. karaoke music will always make me laugh. Especially when this uncle wasn't looking at the screen and the tvs all around the restaurant were showing him - Live!
Dad reckons he'd be lucky if he was in the top 10 .... thousand.

So, think twice before going to a company annual dinner, or wedding dinner, or anything held in a tacky Chinese restaurant!

sample of uncle's optical illusion shirt... well, similar lah.

So, I had a facial today....

Bursting forth, they surrender their seeds to unforgiving hands. The clinical white zapping away what was before. They mow a path, taking down any in their way.
And pour the hot molten liquid, the landing strip ripping out well-embedded roots. What little remains in the pale ghost of a shadow, finished off by merciles picking. It burns, the ravaged turf, screaming murder, scarred with craters.
My face is a battlefield, and cosmetic beauty has won again.

~going through my head as I lay suffering the squeezing, tweezing and waxing. Ow.

You know you're a big girl when...

1. Your parents don't call til it's midnight and they don't lecture/shout into the phone.
2. You can drink at family dinners.
3. You go for your own dinners at chinese restaurants with friends.
   
4. You can come back around 2 and dad asks if you had a good time out.
5. You get your own house key. (aha!)
6. Your friends are all creeping into the 20 zone.
7. You have high school friends for more than half a decade.
8. You worry about money and cost of living.
   
9. You start thinking that your parents must feel old now their children are "leaving the nest" or venturing out from it, at any rate.
   
10. You have friends who are about to start work.
11. People you know are interning rather than enjoying their holiday (oh.. me too for 2 weeks!)
    
12. You become more childish than you were 3 years ago.
13. You start writing about how you can tell you're a big girl.

More unalterable facts --->






the best food is in places where the drinks are served like this...














and the cutlery is like this......


















and the food is like this!

And the best friends... well, i don't know, they all seem good to me.

This post is dedicated to 7 years of friendship, i STILL love you guys. :)

yes yes, and you guys too. :)

You've GOT to be kidding

So, my day was good- met up with old high school friends, and got 2/3 upcoming birthday presents, and the drive home was nice and jam free!
Here's the kicker.. i scratched my brand new car! Not any fancy swerving from anything, but while i was reverse parking IN MY HOUSE. Oh my gawd.. the humiliation. The heartache from seeing the whitish scratches on my poor car.
So i come in the house slightly dejected, i mean, ouch.. heart ache!
For the first time in at least 6 months, i look and see mail for me. in KL. wow, people still know i live here? Well, it has the uni Melb emblem so i figure it's the bill for this year's fees, so i open it cos i'm curious, and this is what i found inside....

You have GOT to be kidding. No, i'm not trying to show off. if you know me, you will know i absolutely HATED philosophy. i just told someone last night that i regretted taking that subject. What a joke! So, after all my screaming in disbelief, the car didn't seem to be such a bad incident anymore. What about being offered Honours in a subject you have no interest in pursuing, and not hearing any word from the subjects you want to actually major in? (Plus the fact i scored higher in those too) *sigh* Life, and uni, is cruel.

oooh.. if i am away for a bit, i intend to send my baby in for servicing tomorrow..

goodness knows how i'll survive.

p.s: i have a feeling they send this to everyone cos noone really likes to take philosophy.

Pimpin?

So.. pimpin shall be my word of the moment.
Here is how pimpin' relates to my life.

1. A certain family member of mine is inducing a girl to be unfaithful to her boyfriend. He goes out with her at crazy hours in the morning.. haha kudos to him i say! you're only 26 once. (oops.. the age sort of gives his identity away)
   
2. I have 2 best guy friends who are obviously nothing more than 2 very very good friends. that's ALL i'm saying. (they read this blog, i'm risking everything here!)
3. Last night when we were at Asia cafe, Kai had 4 girls (his fanclub) circling him and waiting for him to finish playing so he could foos with them. And after that he went to yumcha with them too. 1 guy, 4 girls. think about it.
   
4. My parents and i went to see the tenants in a condo we rent out and they looked like 2 prostitutes from china. Then one of them called their "brother" to come and sort out the contract. i think he was their pimp daddy.

You will never know how disgusting it is to think that one of your properties is being used as a whore house. They complained that the beds are too small. i can only think of 1 reason why. *shudder*
i've decided i don't want to/am not capable of being an estate agent. you have to be kinda scary and stern.









this is what comes up when you search pimpin on google images.. wheee!

Post Bowl Ache

Instalment 2 of things they don't teach you in textbooks:

Fundamentals of Bowling

First of all, if you need to know how to bowl, you shouldn't ask me.
This is a short one. Bear in mind, this is only what applies to me, not every other normal human being.
1. When bowling, if you aim straight, the ball will always curl.
2. If you aim to curl, the ball will curl too much.
3. If using a ball that is too light (say an 8), the ball is likely to curl into the longkang.
4. If using a heavier ball, you will not have enough strength to curl it right into the longkang.
5. Technique -schmechnique, if it rolls in the general direction of the middle pin, you're set.
6. Start by bowling a really lousy first game - it can only get better from there.
7. It IS possible to triple your score in 2 games (refer to number 6)
8. Screaming does not direct your ball in the right direction, but it sure as hell feels better than keeping quiet,
9. If you are bowling with people who are used to 130 averages, it helps to accept that you are out of their league from the start.
10. If you are unfit, you will ache everywhere the next day. Even on your left arm...
11. The computer system for the Midvalley bowling alley is 11 years old.










This is your aim. It's rather elusive.

Sushi anyone?

enough said, really.

All About Paper

i don't really know why, but as i was seated on the couch watching tv, i suppose my mind must have wandered to kee win showing me his academic transcripts and various other job-hunting qualifications.
i also remember, on the day of his graduation, he sms-ed me from melbourne and it was, quite a simple sms, meant in jest. But think about it:
i spent 3 years in uni and all i got was a lousy piece of paper
Oh my dear lord. He's right.
And then, i thought about well, pretty much everything we strive for.
Money - paper.
Certificate - paper.
Deed - paper.
Cheque - paper.
News - paper. And another thing. As mum and dad were perusing the papers as per their daily ritual, it struck me that, we strive to know every single thing that happens in the world. it's like this desperate struggle to know each little detail. Why?

i am thinking much to much. i'll get wrinkles beyond my age, i just know it. oh well, just because this one's all about paper.A bird. A castle. A basket of flowers.

Moonshine - Acoustic Time

Another great day! And spent with parents too. Yippee!
So the day itself was rather uneventful, but at night, i managed to persuade my parents (*gasp* even my brother was shocked) to come out with me. By chance i was browsing the KLue website and they listed an acoustic gig at No Black Tie tonight. I said "Oooh.. it's the 5th! Tonight! We should go!" and mum goes, "Yeah"
And that, is how we ended up going. Had dinner at Selangor Club first, which was nice. And then, with my shaky driving, we found our way to No Black Tie, hidden in Jalan Mesui rather near Jalan Alor. Kind of dodgy looking area, but I think there are a lot of nice little places to hang!
What with U-turning to get around one way streets and with backside parallel parking, Jeannie's driving exp has just gone up 50 points! Woohoo! Somemore became the designated driver as mum and dad decided to have a bottle of wine...
So anyway, we settle down, and pay the rm 20 entrance, and order the rm 120 bottle of wine, get erm.. alright seats and the place starts slowly filling with people who are.. around their 20s. Mum and dad start feeling old, and i start feeling young, and suddenly wonder if bringing them here was such a great idea. While waiting for the place to fill (which it does, i'd really advise booking first) I took a few piccies... The place has a really nice feel to it. Kinda small (i think it was an old house) with a black cloth backdrop and completely wooden panelling. The floors, the walls, what brilliant acoustics! The positioning of some of the tables in the top half are erm.. inconvenient for actually watching the stage, but i guess if you're there for drinks then it's cool.

First up was Aminah. Erm, she's half Irish. She warms up the show excellently with her husky voice and really beaufiful self-written tunes. Her brother is in the pic on the right backing her up on the reggae like track. Well, she convinces me that the music is enough to keep mum and dad --- and me here.

Then Reza, the organiser who was already playing the guitar before that comes on. I didn't expect him to have such a smooth voice *swoon*. Especially loved the last song, For Her, unfortunately, he hasn't recorded yet and therefore i could not get his album. *pout* (oops.. no individual piccy) i'll throw in the other dudes:





This is a new double act, Plush Velvet. People were extremely noisy throughout their act, so i couldn't quite get into it. Their last song was very nice though, and the girl's voice is beautiful.





The other acts weren't that spectacular to me, except for Az Samad, who didn't sing, but wrote and played his only guitar tunes. That ReALLy impressed me.. With his celtic-inspired tunes, and quirky dodging on stage, he played the guitar just like a classical instrument. Like a violinist, who dips and raises his head while absorbed in his music, or moves the violin to get the resonant sound- that was exactly what Az did. And as strange as he looks performing, he is talented. Even dad, who is rather critical, thought that he was excellent.

i have only one gripe. Okay, come to think of it, two.
One: 95% of the place was smoking. There was an average of 2 ciggie packs a table, which made me, mum and dad a very tiny minority indeed. This is not so bad, if the smell doesn't get to you, but right now i still reek of the smoke. Also, there were also poser smokers. This group of fairly young girls seated right next to us were smoking ciggy after ciggy. Here's the thing - they were just taking half breaths and blowing it upwards like a chimney. (which means it drifts our way) But seriously, if you were really inhaling, you couldn't smoke that much. I think it was more for holding the cigarette than anything else. Jeannie thinks: it's stupid. you're wasting more money on ciggies AND no, it doesn't make you look cool. Heck, call me single minded but smoking is stupid anyway.
Second gripe: Malaysia is full of excellent raw musical talent. It's even got a brilliant place to host these music gigs (ala No Black Tie). What we DON'T have, is a respectful crowd. I got extremely annoyed at the crowd in the back that were constantly talking throughout the performance. I could barely get into the music listening to that high pitched voice of the girl behind me. Not to mention that fat aunty with her angmo friend laughing loudly. That's fine. You wanna laugh and drink, do it in a pub. You paid for a performance. People are performing for you, be decent enough to listen. Shut up and appreciate it. Or leave. (also so the rest of us can enjoy it)

Right, enough of gripes. I like No Black Tie. I need to get a bunch of artsy fartsy friends so we can go hang out in jazzy places like that. Arts student indeed. Oh well, I guess i always have my parents too. :)

Happy, Ethnic Hippy

this is what i would've written last night if my internet was working =P

Petaling Street – still the love of my life.
I’ve felt the hippiest that I’ve been for ages, it’s so refreshing! I’m talkative and bubbly, and I’ve regained my enthusiasm for ethnic/unique/quirky/colourful jewellery, clothes and accessories again!

I just couldn’t help but share all my new buys, which I’m extremely happy with! Well, they just seem very Jeannie.

Oh, and I absolutely love the atmosphere in Petaling Street. They’ve sort of cleaned up the place, there was a huge group of policemen patrolling the area which prompted the running VCD sellers, walkie talkie in hand to alert the others. But everything seems organised and they even have Malay music streamed in from speakers attached to the pillars. I’m afraid though, that soon enough the character of the place will die when they commercialise it even more.

However, it was good to see the familiar faces of the Ghurkhas in my favourite Nepalese stones store. Surprisingly (or unsurprisingly?) a few of the fellas recognised me – which encouraged me to buy these bracelets! The guy even threw in a free jade rabbit, just ‘cos he hadn’t seen me in a while.

And then I bought a string of beads, in the hope I’ll do something with them. They look kinda nifty as a necklace too though!

And then there are the fish – which hopefully I’ll turn into (a) necklace(s) too..

And my really funky beaded bracelet! So Indian! haha.. maybe this’ll match my Punjabi suit.

And, I nearly forgot.. my new hippy like bag! My my, I didn’t realise just HOW into the whole hippy thing I was.

Ooo.. and after about 3 hours of non-stop walking, and after a cup of soya cincau and air mata kucing [an aside: I shall never forget Braeden asking in his unsure, deep Canadian voice, “Is there meant to be stuff inside this

? And, when assured that air mata kucing DID have weird things inside, “Oh, it’s good then!”], we were just about to leave. Suddenly, at the entrance to the street, there appeared a very hippy shop indeed! I say appeared because, it was suddenly there, when it wasn’t there before! The skirts caught my eye first, and then the bags, and ooohhh.. everything was so NICE! hahaha.. I ended up buying wrap around skirts. But, not just any wrap around skirt, magical things from magical shops!
It’s pink and blue and purple (magic #1)
and it can work both as a skirt AND a top (magic#2)
and it cost just above 10 AUD (magic #3). Things just sound so much cheaper when you convert the currency. (This works both ways, when is Australia, DO NOT convert currency). Anyway, look at the magic below!

this is the top.....

this is the skirt....

Voila! Happiness is finding your little niche. haha. Mine’s Petaling Street.

What a nice feel good day. Spent with family, it was awesome! Not even the terrible kl drivers and the pouring rain could put me off. Oh, or the terrible meal I had. First AND last meal ever in the Ship. With a reputation like that you’d expect better, but I must say I was terribly disappointed with the stale bread, terrible wine used for cooking and the rather fishy crab. No hard feelings though, my stomach is still alright, so I shall just part ways with the (sinking) ship and wish that they find more suckers, erm, I mean customers to enjoy their … food.

Best day in ages. Rounded it off enjoying the movie The Promise with my parents. If nothing else, it was entertaining, and left us with something to laugh about.

I’m tempted to end using the old diamond in the rough analogy about Petaling Street. A little rough on the edges, a little worn for wear, but inside, still a gem. =)

Where to go and what to do

I'm at the end of first year. Or rather, with the start of 2006, i'm at the beginning of my second year. I'm 1/3 done with my course. (Hopefully with Honours that'll be 1/4 done).
Kee Win's graduated. I've worked for 2 weeks and become highly disillusioned with life after study. The illusion? That one existed. The truth? There's absolutely nothing to look forward to after uni.
It's time to stop and ponder. How do i maximise my student life and what do i do afterwards?
Jeannie's pretty certain she's not going to sit behind a desk for the rest of her life. Jeannie thinks when she starts talking about herself in thrid person, she must be serious.
So, Seriously, i think i have to start deciding what i wanna do with my life. The dream of marrying a rich man -- is still there, but haha.. maybe i should have a plan to fend for myself.
I've talked quite a bit to my parents lately. About how i would NEVER be content working as hard as my oldest brother, especially not at a desk job with numbers.
And my second bro? Hits a little closer to home, being in the creative industry, but his life is, not completely what i'd like. Maybe he doesn't look high enough. In all fairness though, the world's intimidating.
So, where does Jeannie fit in with her siblings? One accountant in a big firm, one graphic designer who's in advertising.
My latest whim? I want to become a travel writer. Bold words for someone who just got her lowest marks in uni in Creative Writing, but writing for assessment's a bitch anyway.
But hey, I don't plan to hold any one job for very long anyway, so that can go along with my list of children writer, copywriter, researcher, humanitarian aid worker, tour guide (?!?!? thanks izy), even animal caretaker. Well, nothing conventional of course.
So maybe while i think of jobs, i should remember my hippy self. A job's just a job. I still wanna live. I still wanna see the world, and meet people, and try new things. haha. If life were so simple. Job satisfaction should be derived from self satisfaction.
Self satisfaction should be derived from knowing that money can't buy happiness, but it sure helps.
This rant - it's about finding your goals. And planning for them. I think i wanna work in Australia for a few years after I graduate, and i'm trying to find out how to go about that. The world may want an Arts student after all.
Oh, i started with the thought of whether i would ever leave Malaysia. It wasn't an option back when i was in England. But you know, i kind of like Melbourne a lot. So, maybe i'll consider staying. Or travelling a lot. Who knows where life will take you?

Family Values

They say Blood is thicker than water. What they failed to say is that blood clots.
My first day of the new year was spent in Ipoh, the land of sar hor fun and good food in general, and home to practically every other member of my family. Which comes to the topic of family.
Lots of things are genetic, health disorders, hair colour, eye colour, skin colour, heck, even the size of your hips and your height *grumble*. But the whole debate about nature and nurture, well, i guess it's hard to draw that line when nature and nurture are all a big bundle in a family. But here's the thing. My family on my dad's side has this tendency to argue A LOT. When i was small and lived in Sabah, we only came back once a year. I used to think that it was some sort of tradition that the kids and wives got sent up to sit out the family feud that was inevitable after the large family dinner. Family issues, alcohol and hot tempers = Loud shouting.
So that was/is my family. Hot headed and temperamental.
My mum's side is kinda different, they get along really well and i've never seen them raise their voice. Very level-headed and tak ape attitude, which suits me just fine.
So now you put the 2 together. And you get, well, the 3 of us.
I like to think we were brought up in a predominantly happy household ( i believe that most, if not all behaviour can be pinpointed to a happy/unhappy childhood) Strangely enough, my brothers cannot stand each other and i believe that i'm the only one in the family who can talk to everyone else with ease. That's the trouble with competitive boys: one is a provoker and another has an inferiority complex (what i like to term second child syndrome. think about it - faramir in lord of the rings? he had 2nd child syndrome!)
What i was trying to get at really, is whether it's really about upbringing, or something you can't avoid? I can really foresee that I will have to work at keeping our family together, in the hey-let's-meet-up-for-a-meal kind of way. I really would hate to have the cousins (well, that would be nephews and nieces on my part) estranged from each other cos of stupid tussles between the fathers.
Okay, the fact I am thinking of my brothers kids ALREADY is scaring me. Must be 'cos i'm gonna be an aunt soon! My cousin's wife is expecting! Wheee! Exciting!
The moral of the story is, kids, you're stuck with your family for life. And life isn't that long. It's not worth picking a fight, so, make it pleasant! They're just people after all.
Do you notice that you're a different person when you're with family and when you're with friends? I've tried acting pretty much the same to both, and it can SORT of be achieved. i've always thought this to be true:
Friends are the family you choose. (Jeannie)
So if you would treat your friends as family, then why not treat your family as friends?
The only BIG dad's side family picture i have. And that's not everyone.This is my small family that I have to look after next time. And my cousin popped in the side too.. gggrrr...
I chose these guys...
and these too... (believe it or not. haha!)

Instructions for Life

Someone just sent me nice forward with Instructions for Life
A lot of these things have been said before, but being the beginning of the year, it's nice to hear them again. These are my faves:

1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risks.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
4. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
5. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
6. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
7. Open arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
8. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
9. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
10. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
11. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.
12. Be gentle with the earth.
13. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
14. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
15. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
16. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

i truly believe that we should apply most of these, if not all of them. haha.. maybe the reckless abandon in cooking will not be too good for my apartment-to-be, but it's true, if you never try, you never know! Apparently the Dalai Lama said these for the year, and they're very simple, but beautiful.

And to round it off, a quote from another very philosophical mind, Edward Bear, better known to us as Winnie the Pooh:
'Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends'
'Depends on what?'
'On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it.'

May 2006 be more of a Boat than an Accident, although mostly, it's how you go about it that makes the difference. :o)

Happy New Year!!

My computer clock reads 1/01/2006. Wow. I didn't really feel that it was a big deal, just like any other day of the week. But, haha. now i realise that yesterday it was the end of the year, and suddenly it's the first day of a new year! It's kind of like someone pressed a reset button. *gasp*
So, what did i end up doing? DID go to the curve with my high school friends, and it wasn't too bad! Although initially i was wishing i DIDN'T cos there didn't seem to be anything on, we made the excellent decision of going to the pub. There was football on inside! Turns out you don't pay so much attention to the footie when there's a cute and rather good pub singer and alcohol! Plus a big crowd of friends! Haha.. i guess noone would really be convinced you're sober when you laugh really loud and start singing along loudly to the songs. haha.. drunken pub songs all around! I loved the atmosphere though, and there's another resolution, more pubbing!
i STILL hate those buggers with the spray cans. I have a feeling those aren't very good for your skin, or eyes, or clothes, or noses, heck for your health in general. I guess it's only once a year. So it was good to catch up with friends, seeing people i really tend to only see once a year. It was good to stare at the fireworks in a large collective OoOhh-ing and AaaAahHH-ing at the large bursts of colour. (and wishing i was wrapped in someone's arms.. *sigh* how romantic) It's good that i finally got the screen protector for my baby! *phew* she doesn't look that snazzy, but at least she's safer. and it's good to have started the year with smiles and laughter. I can only hope it carries on throughout the year.
For the few people who do read this, May the year ahead see you Happy and Well and allow you to pursue whatever dreams you chase.
Smiles, Laughter, Happiness, Hugs and Love,

Jeannie.

Really.. i don't know what i'm on about, i'll blame it on a bad day

Many random big questions pop into my head, and i wonder whether those philosophy lectures actually seeped into my head (don't kid yourself, they are nothing like that). So, a good time to rant, since i've been having such a frustrating day anyway. Nothing like emotional instability, relationship doubts, a menopausal father, a city that seems overcrowded with people and cars and a generally grumpy disposition to trigger those questions that you just gotta ask.

Question 1: Do we outgrow our friends?
Conflicted between going with my friends of more than half a decade (wow, sounds longer when you put it that way) who have been there for me (sort of) all this while or my current set of friends, whom i have become way too attached to from a year's living together. Okay, the issue is, who to celebrate New Year's Eve with? But erm, detracting from that, New Year's Eve doesn't seem like such a big deal to me anymore. I'm more concerned about the fact that, when even just a few months ago i would have laughed off the notion that i would ever get over my high school friends because in my mind, there would always be something to talk about and we would always be together. haha.. how naive. i have this very horrible feeling that i may be outgrowing them, or maybe they're just not so relevant in my life now. Does that mean i have the right to choose newer friends over them? What about loyalty? I don't know, i don't think they'll ever be out of my life, but i feel guilty that they're not as big a part as i thought they'd always be. Maybe it's a temporary thing.inevitably, one has to ask









this bunch of weirdos?













or this bunch?







somehow there's a very guilty feeling of trading seven years for one, but the experiences we've shared in college have really been immense. So, my makeshift answer is that people come in and out of your life. It's just something that happens and although you try and hold on to stuff as long as you can, i guess there's a point when it slides. I believe in friendships that last forever. I believe i will still see many of these people well into my old age, (thank you technology) but even then our relationships will change, so we can't expect the same schoolyard gossip and shopping mall outings. People change, lives change, and it's not always for the worse.

Question 2: Is there only one person for everyone and will we just know?
Haha.. million dollar question. I had this talk with my cousin Ben the first night i'd seen him after about 4 years. We don't believe it. Well, we decided that we have absolutely no faith in long distance relationships, at least not if it's a fairly new relationship and there's an indefinite/really long period of absence. Why? Well, it relates to the first question, honest! I think that a relationship would require someone who is there for you, involved in your life yada yada yada... Well, it's kind of impossible if you're not there. Yes, i understand that there's the telephone, and sms and msn and email and skype and writing notes via aeroplane and sending messages on tv, but the point is that, there's just some added thing about physical presence that helps glue it together. This might seem really shallow and maybe at some point in my life, there'll be this fantastic love of my life who can prove otherwise, but right now, i'm still quite firmly rooted in this belief. i mean, honestly, isn't half the thrill the chills you get from a touch, the security from a warm hug, even minus 'physicality' isn't it about being able to do things together? Ms. Rhea taught us in Sociology before that a relationship shouldn't be 2 people to make 1 whole person, but it should be 2 whole people, who are enriched by each other. And that it's not about 2 paths converging into one, but really 2 separate paths that are going the same way. Well, you can't really be going the same way if you're not exactly there eh?
So, what Ben and i concluded is that, there's the possibility of you striking up a relationship with any number of people, so long as they fit, well, a basic criteria. Like, obviously you can't hate the guts out of said person. But, i guess where things go from there is really up to you. And even when you're with someone, there could be someone there who seems just right for you. Jeepers, so much for my faith in fidelity. Kind of a grim way to imagine a love for all seasons eh? Would be nice if i really did have a knight in shining armour though.

Question 3: Multiple spouses?
So this really just carries on from my last question. If i believe that there is no ONE person for someone, then what about polygamy? I wonder whether people in the world will ever find it to be an acceptable thing. If, according to my obviously scientifically-backed notion, it is possible that there's more than one person suitable for us, then why can't we all just get along? Wouldn't that be a notion? Communal households. Hey, in Nepal, there are women with multiple husbands (but that's really more because then there's enough people working to earn enough money to survive) and goodness knows there are loads of tycoons with mistresses and second wives and what not. But wouldn't that be a notion?
I was just thinking, times have changed. Years ago there was this mindframe that you'd stick to your job for years, even for generations! Like, the novelty there is, or used to be anyway, from your children inheriting the family business. The whole idea of this has been in the family for generations, made the same way throughout the years, handed down from year to year, made the same way our ancestors used to... well, i think you get the picture. I was just thinking i doubt i'd hold a job for more than 3 years. in fact, i think i'd like to flit from job to job. life so much less monotonous. Okay, the fact that all this keeps pointing to me not being very faithful to friends or partners, really makes me think this whole relationship thing is, erm.. unfamiliar (to say the least) territory for me to tread. I don't know. This is, after all, where i ramble, so there you go, confessions of a confused (hormone-driven) mind.
I may end up polygamous and friendless. Awesome!

Things They Don't Tell You in Text Books: The One on LRTs

For the first time in ages, i stepped into what used to be very familiar territory. My usual haunt for those daily journeys to college (good old Taylor's college!), the LRT! mind you, i doubt i've complained about it (not much anyhow). Public transport is an excellent place to see characters you may not necessarily observe in any other part of your day, to people watch and even learn the roads! (yeah, looking out the window helps) Particularly if your public transport allows you to skip jams, avoid driving and is air conditioned!
This is the first chapter in my Things They Don't Tell You in Text Books series.

Okay, so i step in at 6.21 pm and i catch the "Work-is-over-for-the-day-i-wanna-get-the-hell-out-of-here Crowd" (whom i can sincerely share sentiments with) and with the benefit of a sort of foreigner's point of view, owing to the lack of LRTs in melbourne, i could once more observe *drum roll*

The Wildlife and Habits of the LRT
note: the LRT is NEVER this empty. this is a promotional photo that you would be an IDIOT to believe. the only time i've ever seen it this empty, is when it's not moving.

what if i told you LRTs can fly? the one below seems to - away from me- all the time!

So i am seated in the middle of a row of passengers, another sign i haven't been on the lrt for a while, i was not afflicted with BBIS (Big Belly Indecision Syndrome). i used to just stand cos it was easier than trying to guess if the woman was pregnant or just fat. Fortunately, this time round, they all looked fairly healthy and capable of standing.
The LRT at this time is kind of full of people (although it hadn't reached the armpits-in-face, BO-smothering stage) but the air was still kind of stuffy.
There are some things that, inevitably, will exist amongst the LRT jungle, particularly at what i think is anyway, the rush hour. I notice, that right in front of me, there is the Great Wall of Office People. Yes, sort of like in a football match just before a free kick, except they're mostly in grey (or baju kurungs) and have the office tags hanging off their neck.
Next, there is one very perilous species to be aware of in the LRT. The problem is that they are very hard to detect until they do strike and then, it would be quite difficult to get out of it unless you adopt *evasion measure iv (there's not really 4 but it just looks cooler with a iv) Anyway, the deadly creature is none other than the Incessant Leg-Shaker! Feel the anger and irritation seethe within you as you feel the Parkinson-like drumming take it's effect on the side of your thigh. Plus, this particular Leg Shaker i sat next to *groan* had the art perfected. When he did the irritating up-and-down motion shake, i avoided by sliding closer to my left (he was on my right) and then, with the extra space, he now flaps his legs from side-to-side! (think airing the royal jewels) dear lord, i felt like just clamping his legs down. Sitting next to a Leg Shaker has, however, been known to build tolerance although sometimes resulting in death or injury - of either party.
Another species of LRT-dweller is the Gymthusiast. Scientists have debated over the origins of this species' behaviour, as some argue that it was bred within the confines of the LRT itself, while others say that this was just an adoption of already present characteristics within the LRT environment. Anyway, the Gymthusiast can be spotted hanging from the bars, or holding on with both hands and leaning. If given more space, you may catch them swinging, but this is rare during rush hour. The name Gymthusiast was derived from the gymlike movements of doing pull ups at the bar, which some people do while trying to impress, or just stare down the seated person's top. This syndrome has also been known as the "i'm-not-looking-anywhere-in-particular-OoOoOO-cleavage!" stare. Particularly of note for the better endowed and erm, those with just really skimpy tops.
Next there is a crime which i have to admit i was guilty of today. it was the read-over-someone-else's-shoulder syndrome, and in my defence, it was either looking there or seeing that annoying repetitive drilling movement of that @*$^%'s leg. Plus, she had a really nice mag with pretty clothes! Anyway, if you have a newspaper, people will either read the headlines from across the aisle or peek over to read whatever eye-catching column there is. I've been there before with my daily dose of The Sun last year.
A final observation, which is somewhat of a rarity, is the Overloaded Backpacker. Most likely to alight at KL Sentral, it is amazing how some people have the cow sense to bring their large pieces of luggage/baggage/selves onto the LRT when there is maximum capacity of people already. With a high probability of uncomfortable jabs and squashing, not to mention possible baggage collapse or worse still spillage, it is best to stay away from these items. However, they may sometimes be useful in creating a space around you (helpful in breathing). So, use your own discretion in choosing standing space.
The LRT - don't you just love it? haha.. another thing though, do not disillusion yourself with the photos that they show in the stations of people queueing up to get in the LRT. it DOESN'T happen. remember, it's a free-for-all, be ruthless. And enjoy your next trip in the LRT!

Note: *evasion measure iv can be carried out by pretending that you are alighting the lrt at the next stop and, if you feel very embarrassed, actually alighting and getting back on in another carriage (but they're all connected, so hide). You may also opt to offer your seat to someone else, or, if feeling mean, get up and flash a nasty look.

Enough to Shame

Now if this doesn't make you feel bad about not doing anything.. An article in the Star here highlights how residents of a disabled home in Sabah (yay!) is donating their excess christmas gifts to Kadazandusun kids in rural areas. Apparently, they felt that these items were of greater need there and they are also running a collection for old mattresses, clothes, school stuff and vitamins.
Now if it takes residents of a disabled home to remind us that there are needy (ier?) people around us, then we should all hide our faces in shame. it's the end of the year, people are gonna splurge on chinese new year clothes (possibly), take the time to clear your cupboard of clothes, or clear your house of things that you know you haven't used in a while. Like my mum loves to say, once you clear the old, there's space for the new! and you realise that you don't miss that many things anyway. Think of the needier kids whom that extra shirt or extra toy will mean the world to. Someone out there doesn't have it as good as you. (coming from me, you can laugh)
Let's do a good deed people, all you need is love!

Thoughts on Life

Today, i went to visit a grand-aunt i never knew i had in an old folks' home. what a term, i think they call it a retirement home, or a nursing home, maybe it sounds better as an elderly home. besides the point, she was dying, her bones being eaten away by cancer, or old age, or both. the old lady teared, seeing a grand niece she had only heard about, and i too, felt that she must be thinking how late in life she had left it, and also this sense of impending, well, end.
it's a shake-up. i had just visited a place where people go to die. even as i left, my dad said that she would not be getting better, and mum added that she was going to die there. does it sound very harsh? it's the truth. as a friend of mine got sentimental when earlier on i said i was going to visit a dying aunt, i said, rather coldly:
"My dear, from the day we were born, it was fated that we were going to die." how uncharacteristic of me, and yet how profound. i think i got it from a book somewhere.
it's been a year since the tsunami, and over dinner, dad said that he felt somewhat depressed, what with visiting his aunt and the images on tv. another thing which we have become all too blase about. or by we, i mean me.
i can't say i feel depressed, cos i don't really. i think i have become more determined not to let life slip by. there are silly things, like the knowledge that my aunt has become estranged from my grandma (not the easiest person to live with, admittedly) and i doubt they'll ever reconcile. it's been at least 20 years, but, for sisters to not talk, well, personally it's stupid to me. the point being, life is not going to tell you "hey, i think you're not going to be around tomorrow. why don't you call all the people you love and say goodbye?" best not to upset them in the first place.
So, i think we should make a list of things to do before you die. i thought of something fanciful just now. one day, i'd like to find the end of the rainbow. who cares about the pot of gold? and adding to that, i absolutely refuse to spend my days in a miserable office.
i'm reminded of my lecturer, ms. rhea. she is living her life doing what she loves. teaching, dancing, following her heart. she set her mind to swim with sharks, and she has, and she's now a divemaster too. life hasn't been easy, but she sure makes it worth living. she is an inspiration, and the latest i heard is that she's got a teaching spot at www.peaceboat.org. sailing around the world and doing what she loves.
As i read off a mug today:
"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
~Albert Einstein
So, treasure life, live it, and there will be nothing to regret. If you've ever seen a movie called secondhand lions (which, coincidentally, was recommended by ms.rhea - watch it!), you will especially understand what i mean when i say
'Tis better to have died living, than to have lived dying'
~Jeannie

Merry Boxing Day

Christmas is OvEr. I think it had the least hype leading up to it (except for my incessant pining for turkey) but i must say it was enjoyable indeed. Spent in the company of friends, and with the least present-hunting done beforehand, i really do believe that there is some joy to be derived from giving. Yesterday I walked around and spotted the most random little items that I thought were of a reasonable price, and if they reminded me of someone, I bought it for them. Simple as that. You can be surprised the things you can find in Big Bookshop and Toys R Us. Yes, the perils of living right opposite them.
But I derived joy in finding people presents (my motive was NOT to make them feel bad about not giving anything in return) and then giving it to them. Heehee.. the fact that most of the items were TOYS had no relation whatsoever to my recent childhood nostalgia. *ponder*
Anyway, good times, great company, merry christmas!

Merry Christmas Eve

'Tis the season to be jolly! Especially when you're soon-to-be-jobless!
People don't usually say that.. hhhmm.. but when have i been a 'usual' person?
'Tis the season to have turkey! Falalalalala.....
oooeerr.. not that one.. oh dear! how to eat now? eerrmm. omg. all the poultry in the melbourne show must be.. *gulp* dead.

PsYcHaDeLiC

OoOOo.... i'm still stuck at work and the resignation letter is sitting in the closet next to me. But my H of Dept is out so i can't talk to him! It's a bit scary, this whole business, but must be done! goodness knows i've had my share of talks about giving up. And this would be the least personal one too! hahaha.. ah well, my boredom at work led me to searching for pictures.. and these are PrEtTy... so hippie-ish.. *sigh* stupid corporate office.. *grumble*

And i quote...

"Yes, it was a very pleasant life I lived in those days long ago-- though of course I did not think so then. I was nine and a half years old; and, like all boys, I wanted to grow up--not knowing how well off I was with no cares and nothing to worry me. Always I longed for the time when I should be allowed to leave my father's house, to take passage in one of those brave ships, to sail down the river through the misty marshes to the sea-- out into the world to seek my fortune."
~Hugh Lofting, The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

Oh My GoOdnEsS! More revelations of my hippie mind! I tell you, subconsciously, all those years ago when i first read this book, i was absorbing all these messages! *gasp*
See, we shouldn't rush growing up. it happens too fast anyway.
Still love the Doctor Dolittle series. (^o^)

Rich, Famous and 7 Years Old

it's like the world just wants to tell me i'm outdated now. I was going through the papers, and apparently, a survey done on kids aged 7 to 11 found that when asked about their dreams in life, they said:
1) to be rich
2) to be famous
and then all the usual stuff about pursuing sport, or animals, etc.
oh dear. is this just the youth of today, or was there something different put into my milk bottle all those years ago? Then again, Kids say the Darndest things. Many years ago my brother wanted to be an accountant so that he could count money all day. Now, he's in advertising.
Me, i wanted to be a vet. And i said i would NEVER EVER go into politics, it's full of liars.
Haha. Well, life takes funny turns.
Apart from that, the survey also found that kids thought Wayne Rooney was more influential than Jesus.
Go figure.

Nobility in Curry? Actually it was Petty Childishness in Veggies

if there's one thing this whole work thing has taught me, it's that you're only as good as you feel. A sad but true fact. I think the reason why i have been so miserable and sick to top it up, is because I am wallowing in my own depression. Tis true! Mood swings are funny things.
Take for example, dinnertime. Mum had made the brilliant decision of cooking curry, despite knowing that I would be moody after work and had a killer of a sorethroat. And me, being stubborn and groggy after waking up, decided that I would be noble(?) and not touch it. Somehow being fussy and able to "resist temptation" made me feel like I would derive somemore sympathy, or something like that. Refusing any offers to have any other food made, I contented myself with lots of veggie and rice and half a sausage. Even though i KnOw i'll be hungry in like 3 hours. (if you dunno why i was bring fussy, erm.. try and relate it to your childhood, when you threw a tantrum and your parents tried to pacify you with a toy or a sweet, and even though you KNEW you wanted it, you pouted nonetheless)
Anyway, I was just gonna kick a fuss and dig in, and then my dad says "She's in a foul mood." And i thought, you know what? I deserve to be in a foul mood. They know how much i HaTe work (with a passion). they know how i feel SO frustrated that my flu stops me from breathing through my nose (seriously, try having to breathe through your mouth for half a day - in an air-conditioned environment no less) and i am practically eating nothing for dinner. So i DO become all moody. And everything is answered with "I dunno" or "Mmm." or "Duwwan."
Even to the point I turned down mum's pujuking of "I'll take you shopping tomorrow after work, ok? " WhAt WaS i ThiNkiNg!??! Anyway, besides the point of me being a spoilt brat, what i'm trying to say is.. i felt crap/i feel crap just because i decided to.
i bet even staying sick for so long is because it gives me some extra thing to feel sorry about myself for. The mind plays really stupid tricks on you sometimes. The more you think that you are bored, and frustrated, and tired, and angry, you will be Bored and Frustrated and Tired and Angry.
i figure that's why i'm happy most of the other times. I HAD a positive outlook on life. Damn the working world for stepping on it, stamping it into the ground and then leaving it to trickle into the sewers. There i go again.
The moral of THIS story is, Think Happy, Be Happy. Now i just have to listen to my own advice.
And find something more filling to eat.





p.s: i don't personally know this kid... but i think he sums ME up nicely right now.

The Truth About Pigs

After resurrecting my love for Doctor Dolittle and igniting a passion for a pig in the story named Gub-Gub in a friend of mine, i am inclined to dispel some deepset stereotypes about these cute little creatures with a little help from the Global Action Network.

• Pigs are CLEAN. They are always thought of as dirty animals but happen to be one of the cleanest in the world! Given the space, they would rather separate pooing areas from sleeping areas.

• Pigs are INTELLIGENT. Which wouldn't be so hard to believe knowing they have pretty similar DNA strains to humans. That's is why we use them for cloning experiments. But pigs have been said to be easier to train than dogs and cats, and have even been used in drug detection.


• Pigs DO NOT SWEAT. Aha! Bet you didn't know this one. Yes, the old phrase Sweating like a pig was Wrong! 'cos that would mean you don't sweat at all. Pigs have No sweat glands and therefore cool themselves off by having a little wallow in the mud. The evaporating water keeps them cool (clever fellas) kind of like how you feel cold after going into the sea and then get blown by the wind.
  

• Pigs have a GOOD SENSE of SMELL. erm.. well, i never really doubted this. But maybe you didn't know that they're used for truffle-hunting. Would be funny if that meant they burst into supermarkets scoffing down chocolates, but truffles are a kind of mushroom that are uber expensive (delicacies) and grow underground. Takes a good piggy's nose to find them!

• Pigs love EXERCISE and are SOCIABLE.

• George Clooney owns a pot-bellied pig called MAX (lookie.. piccy under this!)
• I AM A PIG!

i think pigs are adorable, and they'd make great pets! Kind of in the wrong country to say, but oh well, freedom of speech! And for those who haven't read Doctor Dolittle (which is shockingly quite a number) you can find his books online here! The fact they're free (yes, you kiasu people) is both a shame but also good! I really don't know why he's not more popular. Enjoy though! Reading it tonight cheered me up a lot.

Fairy Tales and Wishful Thinking

i've decided that the best thing in the world is to be a children's writer. i don't mean like madonna, who, if i remember right, actually put her name on the children's book that wasn't really written by her. and i don't mean those government-approved books that are politically correct provided they have multi-racial, morally correct stories and names. I mean like the fairy tales we used to read - Hans Christian Anderson, Grimm Brothers, AA Milne (winnie the pooh.. *sigh*), Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, CS Lewis, etc.
My short brush with the working "real" world as people are saying, has left me pondering many things. (Plus the fact that i'm at a hormonal age, i think i'm going through mood swings)
What happened to the time when we still believed in fairytales? I distinctly remember there being a point in my life when I truly believed that my toys would come alive at night, that there were fairies in the garden, that if you listened long and hard enough, the animals would talk to you.
And then I grew up.
Do you remember how when you were younger, you always wanted to be an adult? Noone let you do anything because you were 'just a kid' and you'd try anything, celebrate when you were just that little bit taller (it's been a while for me, that one), or dress up in your parents' clothes and pretend to go to work and get married, or be super proud when anyone said "Oh, you did that just like a grown up person would."
Well, ScReW YoU PeOpLe FoR MaKiNg Me So MaTuRe!!
*sigh* sometimes i feel the child in me has died. yes, amidst the squealing in toy shops, staring at rainbows and dressing up in too bright colours... if the child in me hasn't died, then the world has become less forgiving of her existence. She doesn't want to know that the world is all about money. She doesn't want to know that people go to work to get tired and frustrated and do the same things day in and day out. She doesn't want to know that adventures are confined to your imagination, and people content themselves by watching pictures on a screen, laughing them off as mere fiction but secretly wishing those lives were their own.
I am very disillusioned with life at the moment.
So how does this relate to childrens' writers? I wish i could still dream up those vivid worlds, and live in them, and breathe life into them with every sacred word on paper. And then maybe, just maybe, that little child in me will have a place to roam happily because she certainly doesn't seem to fit into the 'real' world.



this is one of the best books in the world. if you haven't read it, you should.


p.s: don't ever believe that myth that children's books are only for children - it's something grown ups made up to make you feel smaller!

Questions of a Hippie Mind

When did we become content stuck behind desks?

When did something as common as money become our sole pursuit?

When did we stop looking for the rare, the precious, the unattainable?

How did we become satisfied staring at a mundane screen – our lives governed by the rise...

or fall of something beyond our control?

When did we stop forging our own destiny?

A hundred uncertain days, their share of ups and downs are certainly better than a lifetime of monotonous security?

Have the battles been reduced to games?

Have the adventures been reduced to numbers?

Most importantly, when did we forget to be children?

Getting in the Xmas Mood!

i KNOW i've been grumpy from boring times in the office. But Xmas Mood has hit me! yay! what with all this talk of turkey *mmm... turkey... drool* and stuffing and christmas parties! Did you realise that the end of the year is only 16 days away! Wow! i can't wait (cos it means pigging out and holiday!)
anywayz, i just thought that you guys should get into the spirit too.. here's a rendition of JinGLe BeLLs which is quite.. unique! haha..
Jingle Bells by Aunty Wing!
CHRISTMAS PAAARRRTTYY!!!! la la la
p.s: think about it - does anyone still remember ALL the lyrics to twelve days of christmas? cos i sure don't. it's a conundrum this...

Swear Jar in School!

As I progress through my morning paper, the world just becomes more and more absurd.
Some schools in Connecticut are implementing fines for students who swear. (How about THAT eddie?) What happened to the conventional wash your mouth out with soap?
You haven't seen how much the fine is though, $103. yes, that's in US dollars. RM 390! How many roti telurs can you buy with that?!?!? and just about 45 Egg Chiffon rice from A1! Ouch. That's over 70 Happy Meals...
The penalty for not paying your fine? You'll have to appear in court on the basis of "creating a public disturbance". Oh my f*cking lord. Oops. there goes $103.
Let's hope Malaysian policemen don't catch wind of this. In a nation of corrupt cops and multilingual cussing, well, you get my drift.
This whole "public disturbance" charge is rather.. well, disturbing.

Eggxelent

Irish eggs come with tar and gravel. Really.
A lorry carrying hens swerved off the road yesterday and dropped its load, around 7000 brooding hens. Motorists are now facing slippery conditions as the hens are running loose and laying eggs on the road. Eggslide! Just thought that was a funny excerpt from the newspaper. And think of all those people who are going without that poached egg for breakfast.
Mmm... poached egg *drool*
I have yet to experiment making one. Really hot boiling water stirred quickly and an egg cracked into the middle. Supposed to retain it's shape, if it just breaks up into a yolky goo... you got it wrong.
anyway, if you're in ireland, roam the countryside for some free hens.

Sick of working... Literally!

i think it's the weather. Sniffles. Coughs. An aching throat. Throbbing headache. Life is good...
An interesting observation: the temperature in the office is mostly, if not always, somewhere along the lines of tundra-like. It doesn't help when you feel sick. and bored.
the highlight of my day was walking over to another building to get a projector. Joy.
at least i'm looking up stuff for myself. Time passed faster after i started searching up things to do in Melbourne next year. I guess i miss the place already. The Commonwealth Games will be exciting. But even sleep sounds more interesting than my job at the mo.
Haha. i realise that i spent 8 hours looking for things to do next year. I think i need something to do NOW.
Still not liking this work thing....

Day Three... Shoot Me

Has it only been three days?
Today's brilliant accomplishments - i learned how to send a fax, using the photocopier. Nopes. not mad. tis true! the amazing things we have nowadays. and i got my internet set up! WhooPee! little did i know that you can find absolutely NO statistics on government websites (which made me fail my first research task miserably) spent the rest of the day surfing aimlessly on the net.
oh, the little funny stories that inevitably crop up in my life: my shoes started crumbling! haha.. literally. i was wearing mummy's old shoes (i didn't know HOW old... somewhere in the region of 5 to 10 years!). so i suddenly realise there's black rubble under my desk. and then i realise it's from my shoes. and then i realise there's a trail leading up to my desk of black rubble. haha.. thank goodness for the carpeted office area cos outside, on the tiles, the shoes squeak.
anyhow, whole chunks of my heel were coming off, which was especially hilarious when i went out for lunch (thanks kenny) and left a big chunk of heel outside the coffee shop. EMBARRASSING! not to mention i still had half a day at work hobbling with one flat shoe and one shoe with a heel.
other than that. i did absolutely nothing at work. it's so boring. i rather be outside doing ANYTHING else. having messenger doesn't help when everyone tells you they're going somewhere. *sigh* i really do feel like quitting. i think i'm not so cut out for a 9 to 5 job. haha. as people who know me probably think too.
still hoping something comes up to do. until then, the *thud* *thud* *thud* is me banging my head on the table.
sms count: 12 (i have msn now!)
times mail was checked: 15
crosswords done: 8
floor space covered in black rubble: ∞

Goyang goyang kaki... kerja macam ini...

Day two of my OrdEaL.
i'm being paid rm 3 an hour (omg. that's 1 AUD) to read a book (my own), listen to my ipod (which died on me btw.. dammit, shall bring my charger to work), goyang kaki and erm... drink free milo!
i did my first little bit of officey non-secretarial work tho. was told to calculate some figures by merely dividing a set of numbers from another. so i entered the data into a spreadsheet, made another column with the formulae and created charts and graphs. then i asked her if she wanted the line graph or the bar chart, and my colleague says "oh, just copy down the figures and pass to me" *DuSh* pengsan.. waste my nice excel work. oh well.
erm.. yeah, that was pretty much my work all day. and then waiting for my computer. which i still don't have internet access on.
SMS count: 22
iPod Battery Life : 2 hours
Books bound : 1
Days left: 33

p.s: thanks cousin ben for the piccy. haha flattering.

The Ongoing Adventures of Jeannie and the Wonderful World of Work

It's my first day at work. well, official work. the kind where you need to wear shirts, and skirts, and if you can be bothered, stockings. i've decided i don't like office shoes. Those covered toe kinds where your feet get all clammy and they always look aunty. ALWAYS. putting them on reminded me of childhood days when you'd pull on mummy's shoulder padded shirts (it was the 80s!) and clonk around in her big shoes which are 4 sizes too big. oh, did i mention the obligatory smear of blood red lipstick? aaahhh.. those were the days.
back to my point. holidays were never meant to have 6.30 am wake up calls. i guess that means my holiday's over. seeing as i have to work til the day before i fly. ok. my holiday is definitely over.
Arrive at work early, get shown around, make friendly conversation, fail at friendly conversation, share the anxious looks of other interns, get shown around the office, get thrown to my head of department. and yes, there's still a full day ahead.
they tell me i can start researching when my computer arrives. guess what? i bet it won't be there tomorrow 'cos it sure as hell wasn't there today (when i left). 2 pm and i had gone for lunch, explored the drinks machine and read the report 2 times over. i felt like i'd been in that office forEVER. my most productive hours of the day were ahead. 2 hours of binding and 2 hours of photocopying. life doesn't get much better. plus, you'll never appreciate how great it is to sit til you've been standing bent over a binding machine in HEELS for 2 hours.
oh well, at least everyone was friendly and i know i don't quite like the corporate scene. but i have 34 days to convince me otherwise.
and yes, i am counting.

me after work...
sms count: 15
milo count: 2
pages photocopied and bound: ∞