A Week in Review - Midsummer Night's Great Ocean Moomba Adventure!

Wah.. i've been slacking off my blog for a week. But it's been a busy week, i'll console myself with that.
The first half of the week was rather boring, but come Thursday and I was itching to go out. Thank goodness Tas makes a ready activity partner (that sounds so code word for date, but i assure you it's not... not on my part, anyway). So, went to watch A Midsummer Night's Dream in the Royal Botanical Gardens. Been meaning to watch it since first year and finally have 2 years later. Better late than never? Chose the coldest day of the week but it was still really good and funny! Better than i expected really. It just so happened that I was there with Tas the somewhat Anti-Christ and we saw the Mountain District Christian School bus parked right outside. Oh dear. haha.. I must commend his control and say that he didn't cause too much of a ruckus apart from shouting God doesn't exist! a couple of times. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but it's Tas after all. They didn't let us snap pictures, but it really was a good performance if anyone still wants to catch it. About a week left in this year's run or catch it again next year.

Friday was a sad stay at home night but Saturday i went to the Great Ocean Road... finally! Sheanee randomly said on Friday that she was going and there happened to be a spot in the car so i said why not... i should really go there in my final year anyway. and yay! It was a lot of sleeping in the car for the most part but the scenery there really is worth it.
We drove about 5 hours to see 8 rocks in the middle of the sea. But, i think the pictures are gorgeous and in any case, i got to do my first hook turn in Melbourne that day too. So it's all good!

some random stop we made.. it's.. the first one?
i found the great ocean road!
view from our lunch spot.. pretty hor? but lots of sand in our fish and chips!
Lunch time - HUGE serving of chips

Cape Patten Lookout
Our trust steed - the first one, AN07JO
The twelve apostles - except there are only 8 that i could count. It's not hazy, but the sun's too bright in the photo
i don't know the names of these places, but how insanely beautiful is it? The photo doesn't do the place justice...
Silly shots on Jeannie's camera - thanks Sheanee's friend. =)
The Arches - just looks so purh-dee...
crazy but nice lady who helped us take picture.. and yes it's a steep drop from where she's precariously balanced
London Bridge is falling down.. soon! this is called London Bridge

Sunday was a great day in IH sport. What was meant to be half an hour after brunch turned out to be a 3 hour affair when i watched IH knock out Trinity in men's (+2 girls) volleyball! muahaha! Farking jester had nothing to say then. [in the words of Calvin and Hobbes] *PppPPBbbBtTtTt!!* It was good though, i think everyone had a good time cheering and, if nothing else, watching the Trinity team get more and more frustrated. Plus our team put up an awesome fight. Good matches to watch! (Finals next week!) Sunday night was Moomba night! Armed with camera to capture the fireworks, I made my way there with Ashley and met up with the ex-IHers (they're ex now!) We got there just in time to hear someone say The fireworks got cancelled cos of bad weather. Bah! It was fun just walking around though. See the many ways to rip off silly people, doting parents and egotistical boyfriends. All in all a full week. *phew* back to mundane life

Chap Goh Meh - iH Style

Whee! My first house party! sort of...
It started out with Grace saying we should do something for Chap Goh Meh - mee g lou sang to be precise. Well, since we can't get the real thing, right?
We spent about 40 minutes preparing everything, our "lou sang" of Mi g, fried egg, luncheon meat, carrots and ... nachos. A crowd of mostly Malaysians and our random non-Chinese Evan came along and we all stood around my newly cleaned kitchen table to lou (or mix for the unacquainted) our strange amalgamation of ingredients. [oh, special mention, just before that, kenny, pat and allen having itchy fingers as they do managed to fix my wardrobe! But the shower's still leaking.]
There would be pictures of us mixing, but all I have is this damn long video of what is mostly people's backs (the camera having been mounted onto the fridge). Anyhow, many random conversations later, we have a little guest who decides to gatecrash.

this spider is really on the ceiling, but i forgot to rotate the picture

And i find out that there are arachnophobes around us. Most notably Evan. Yes, that scream was classic.
Brownie points to Aaron for doing the gallant thing and catching and subsequently throwing the spider in the courtyard. However, as we all found out, sympathy seems to do the trick much better.
*sigh* and i thought you were in, mate.
In the end, it was probably the most fun i've had on chap goh meh.
Grateful:

• that there were people around when that large spider decided to rear its head
• that i have good friends to celebrate with
• that Joe bought mi g
• that i bought random snacks and juice
  
• that at least some of us learned that the oranges are thrown by GIRLS, and the boys are meant to RECEIVE them. Right, Eddie?

p.s: if aaron, ck, veron and i end up having stomach trouble tomorrow, at least we can take the pressure off by blaming it instead on our Gastronomic Adventures on Sydney Road! or, as Tas and Ryles choose to call it... Diarrhoea Tonight!
~i just diarrhoead in your arms tonight.....~
p.p.s: we tried lots of random food at the Brunswick Street Festival - stuff like borek and gombele (?) Something like that.. all really yummy though! good day! back to the books though.

Farking Apartment Armageddon

AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
FARK FARK FARK FARK FARK
my apartment's falling apart! and the farkers don't want to fix it.
The shower is dripping - and i can hear the bloody drip drip drip in my bed
The sliding door of my wardrobe just got stuck - so i can't get to half my clothes
The air cond still doesn't work. STILL!
The bloody toilet flush won't stop flushing unless i jiggle with it.
The coffee table still has a broken rack.
The wall light won't farking work.
The TV has shit reception. And it's midget sized anyway.
The freezer door won't close cos it's iced over.
Fark fark FARK!
It's times like these you rely very heavily on waning patience.
I stress the WANING.
and i pay $454 a week for what?

The year Commenced!

Day 3 of birthday celebration!
Isn't it a coincidence that there's a formal dinner the day after my birthday?
i'm pretty sure iH just wanted to acknowledge how great i am by throwing me a party, but calling it Jeannie's Dinner would be too blatant, so they called it commencement instead.
Haha... Ego's aside, it was a really fun night. The iH-ers together, booze, and me not running the party! Ended up sitting on High Table - free flow wine! Which meant Jeannie had a good 3 glasses in the course of 2 hours. (that's a lot for me, ok? somemore had to make decent conversation with tutors) Anyway, won't bore you with details. The food was yummy
and proceeding to the pub after was great fun! Lots of ex-iHers that i haven't seen in a while - Buckley, Sally, Chingy! All good =) And, the band still plays the same old songs ...
Lots of pix from the night!

1/1 of our Japanese students in iH. What the heck?!?! Japan National Night man! (p.s: i was NOT stepping on his foot despite the anguished expression)
Naomi - my favourite fresher! (i know we're not supposed to have faves.. but what the heck)
Nelson and I in royal blue. Trad all the way!
Girly shot! Me, Brittany, Heenal and Jinitha
I'm sorry Damien, I jumped your brother. Haha. And he turns all red too.
More freshers - they're everywhere! The Chinese dude on my left won the Fucking Joe Fucking Zhang Fucking Award Fuck! His comment upon receiving it : What the Fuck!??!
American Joe from my O-week group. He has terrible fashion sense but is a real nice guy =)
Just 'cos i think Andreas on the far right is cute. Like a Spanish football player. Really!
More traditional baju - i'm pretty sure Su looks so gorgeous with her new hairstyle
Me-as-Lamppost picture. Luckily Rahul jumped in.
Seniors only picture - aren't we snobs?
The new Malaysia-China gang. So cute cute hor?
Lou ALWAYS looks hot. *sigh* jealousnya
Frances (a.k.a Fraces) a little birdy told me Rahul and her ONS! or on the way lah.
Afromen picture! Nish (in the middle) is our Dimmy 2007. Hot favourite for Bootyshaker too
Poh Sheanee! F4! Hamtaro!
Pat Tan and Me - midgets united!
Nat Tan and me! Cam-Whoring with the Tan family

At Puggs:

*Ahem* *Ahem* 'Nuff said...
Brush with fame - Me and Jack Bla.. i mean Rory
Some people just can't let go of iH. Brenton, My Love, and i.
Look which couple i bumped into!

All in all, i think everyone had a good time. =)
Sorry for overdoing the photos, but i figure they're just great to look at! Catching up on the 1 week of no photo taking in O week (cos too busy stressing)

Turning Twenty

It was a great birthday!
I haven't quite recovered from all the O-week madness so i guess my body didn't have a routine to be thrown out of.
What have i been up to?
Monday night I felt like going out (and basically a break from IH) so ended up spontaneously going to Bennett's Lane Jazz Club. Kind of isolated and the musicians talked like they were on some kind of speed (or from another planet, same difference) but the music was mostly good. No complaints about the chivalrous company either!

Tuesday Night: What was touted as Games Night after Oppie's Floor Supper was revealed as a grand master plan for Jeannie's Surprise Party. I guess i expected Kai to bring CC and Ken and Izy over 'cos i DID live with them for a year. What i didn't expect was the number of people that eventually arrived.

first flow of people whom i thought was it. before the cake and like 20 other people arrived! p.s: already v touched at this point.

random people shots - wish i'd taken another proper photo... but i was busy getting hugs!

I was very touched by my O-weekers and my O-week group (yes, the freshers) who not only came to the forgotten side that is Avenue to wish me at midnight, but also took the trouble to get me presents! So Shweeeet! I really do love them even though all i could manage was the gigantic grin plastered on my face. Tears were honestly somewhere behind it all.

genuine surprise, really! Brunetti's cake which Dam-o chose! =) thank you to whoever paid!

For some untold reason, I got a massive amount of pigs this birthday. Thanks to the O-weekers who will never let me forget my name - Jeannie Pig. 5 different piggy presents: earrings, a cushion, a clock, a photo frame and piggy mugs. *OTT guys* And CC got me the Piglet too. Apart from that, my Stella friends got me Kenzo perfume while Damien, Kee and 24 got me Morgan perfume.

(-_-") there's a message to be gotten from it all. i am a SmeLLy Pig.
A special thank you to Ck, Veron and Jason who hosted my surprise party in their apartment. Thanks for letting me mess it up, make noise in it, herd about 40 people inside and also for making you sleep later at my expense. Big *HuGz*! if it's any consolation, i'll lend you my sugar, i AM your neighbour.

Well, they all left at 3.00 am. Which is perfect timing for my 9 am class! I did attend all my lectures and tutes though, which i am supremely proud of.

Birthday dinner was a place i've wanted to try out for a while - Bimbo's on Brunswick Street. $4 pizzas baby! And really yummy ones too! Plus chocolate pizzas. Yum yum! Noone in the group complained about the slight squishiness (it's hard to find seats in a pub) cos the pizzas made up for it. So i can definitely foresee going back there! didn't take any photos of the pizzas - No! Warrants another trip to photograph the salmon pizza and Blonde Bimbo's Deluxe Ale! Anyway, there were like 16 of us.. Thanks for coming! Extra special mention to Kee Win for calling from Malaysia - while at work! Miss you lots! big *HuGz*We forgot to take a nice group photo - but it was strange enough taking photos around all those after office people. And reading the menu was a challenge in itself cos it was sort of dark there. We stood out a mile - the only Asians in the joint squinting over a menu using our phones to illuminate the words.

The plan was to go to San Churro for the best chocolate ever but everyone wanted to head to the night market cos it was the last night so i obligingly followed. It was, as Eddie loves to say, an IH reunion cos we kept bumping into IHers past and present everywhere we went. First time i didn't spend any money on food but ended up with a cigarette burn on my hand [stupid bitch! another reason to hate smokers! if anything, you could've at least held it more carefully], a plastic ring that cost me laundry money and a $2.50 kimono as a birthday present. [thanks kenny] Random, but awesome!

Finally, poker night at the really beautiful Verve 20 -01. Makes me jealous i didn't move out!
I have to get ready for Commencement Dinner soon. Free booze at high table = 2nd round of birthday celebrations = it's time to get WaStEd!!
but i'll be good, i promise.

Love to all the world and thank you for a wonderful 20th birthday! I really appreciate every single well wish i had and the presents are an added bonus. Growing older is fine with me if i can feel this loved. =)

and yes, i'll drink to that

Almost O-ver...

This year is gonna be an interesting year as i balance becoming a 'retiring senior' and get caught u being an active AO. This year's batch of freshers promises to be good fun. Not least 'cos they cleaned out the bar at our cocktail party. 4 bottles of 1.25l vodka and 4 bottles of tequila in 3 hours is definitely a mean feat.
it's the 2nd last day of o week and just as i got into the groove of it it's getting to an end. Yeah, spend a couple of the first few days in a daze but i realise since magical mystery and getting tipsy with some of them, i am actually enjoying this getting to know you business. Alcohol does it all! (especially when you don't have to worry about selling it, etc).
I think so far O week's been a blast! More numbers to every event than ever before. Can't decide if it's because of the sheer volume of people or just their enthusiasm! i'd say both.
Will post pictures as they appear because I'm not taking them... left that to the photographer (whenever i could grab one).
My world will still be engrossed in O week til after the Meet the Seniors party tomorrow.. and then it's figuring out my birthday! I'm pretty set - Thursday Commencement, Friday Fang's Housewarming... i don't even have to throw my own party! =)

O week has begun...

First Night.

Room cram.

Screaming.

No more voice....

p.s: Gong Hei Fatt Choy!

p.p.s: I love my O weekers and I like my O week group (so far)

Pre-O week

Just a quick update before the day itself.
Things seems to be falling into place, we're feeling pretty relaxed to be honest. Stuff's been done with many late nights and little sleep. And also no social life, but O week's worth it!
I'm feeling happier in my less dusty little room, and ordering people around is a bit of a perk.
Power tripping!
No, i haven't picked anyone up yet. "It's against House policy". So they say anyway.
The dance is pretty on. Anyone who wants to look silly, I'm happy to teach you. =)
I'll be doing lots of silly things in the coming days and still trying to be a good leader. I think somewhere at the back of my head I still know that I'm one of the youngest in the group though. hhhmm.... it does make you a little less confident, but my strangeness makes up for it all!
I miss everyone and I hope to see you guys soon but til then enjoy scoffing down your new year treats, gobble a little bit more for me... Gamble and win! Then take me out for lunch, and Gong Hei Fatt Choy into the year of the Pig!
*HuGz* and *MuAkS*


p.s: damien, i'll try not to terrorise your brother, although a lot of people think ashley's a girl. =)

Why oh why did i leave you, 301?

For some reason, i am really depressed right now.
I hate the state of this apartment. It's like one of those crappy motels where someone gets murdered - you know, in those B-grade movies.
Creamy yellow walls with white fluorescent light = bleak.
Wardrobe with shit hanging space and even more shit drawer-space = room that looks like a hurricane that swept up half of a clothing warehouse just hit it.
Midget ass TV with shit reception and an antenna that's halfway off the wall adds to the motel feel.
Dust bunny that flew up in the air while i was unpacking from the air cond just makes it feel like noone's been in here since a decade ago. Plus it's kicking up my allergies.
The shower is temperamental 'cos it takes ages for temperature change and the hot water tap will randomly make machine gun noises.
The same machine-gun like noises are uttered by the air-cond.
The toilet will not stop flushing if you don't pull the lever back up.
Black feet after walking in my own home = this is a terrible condition for a room to be in.

i'm not happy at all.
maybe it's just the lack of sleep, the anticipation of a hell of a long week or general grumpiness.
Poeple say i'll learn to love it in time. I call that resignation.

Still the same

i'm still without a Visa...
but damien is still without his Foxtel.


Life goes on...

Lessons from the Day

First Lesson of the Day: It Ain't Over Til It's Over

Lenny Kravitz once sang:

So many tears I've cried
So much pain inside
But baby it ain't over 'til it's over

What he failed to mention was that he meant nightmares, not relationships. Today, I relived a nightmare. Figuring something was wrong with my Visa (the fact that the new passport doesn't show up on the online database was a good sign), i decided to go back to the Australian High Comm. Fortunately, only 5 minutes away as opposed to the half hour drive to Putrajaya. Just so you have an idea of the mixed responses I have been receiving:

Girl from First Embassy Encounter: "Oh, your details should be updated by the end of the day. It's all done.

First e-mail from eVisa people: "You must send us your details to be processed. Do NOT go to the high commission until we tell you to. Do NOT pass Go. Do NOT collect $200."

Girl from Second Embassy Encounter: "Look, I don't understand what you are talking about. You must wait for the e-mail from Australia. We can't do anything. [me: But what if i don't get it in time? I'm flying on Sunday] Then you have to postpone or cancel your flight. You cannot go into Australia without your Visa." (gee thanks, noone heard that in this open room.)

Second e-mail from eVisa people: [what second e-mail?]

Gggrr... she was so unfriendly that nasty girl. Put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.
This whole holiday has been chasing after government offices, i can understand now why people go on killing sprees.

Which leads me on to my Second Lesson of the Day: Worse Things Could Happen
After dealing with the embassy, I went with my mum to PWTC to check out this War Crime Exhibition. If anyone is looking for a good horror movie, don't. This exhibition is really really chilling. It wasn't just the eerily deformed mannequins of babies, the maimed plastic limbs sticking out of mock rubble, the haunting recorded screams and cries of men, women and children alike and the splattered red paint on the walls and floor. What scares you the most in the exhibition is the fact that all those things had happened, at some point in time and, for all we know, are still happening today. We all know (or should know) about the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Iraqi War, the Intifada and Abu Ghraib. It's pretty much stats and facts and stories i hear in Arts all the time, but they made it really graphic so it had a big impact.
I wanna talk about something i learned today.

DU. Depleted Uranium
It is: what is leftover when the more highly radioactive substances are taken out for use in nuclear weapons. That means a use needs to be found for it and its density and ability to penetrate easily means it's ideal for artillery and armour.
However, DU still has levels of radiation high enough to affect the people exposed to it. DU is, particle-wise, smaller than a white blood cell, therefore gets absorbed into the bloodstream really easily.
Like it's notorious cousin, Agent Orange, used excessively in the Vietnam War, its impacts are often only noticed long after the war - in the form of birth defects, cancers and other health complications.
You can read more about DU here. I can just say that the pictures in the exhibition were disturbing, to put it extremely mildly, and it was difficult to go on doing what we do everyday knowing that people did that. People who mostly went unpunished.

If you would like an insight into the depth of human misery. Go to this exhibiton.
If you think that your life cannot get any worse. Go to this exhibition.
If you need to feel passionately enough to make a difference. Go to this exhibition.
If knowing the world is cruel makes you manic depressive, consider just reading up the matter.

I think it's worth just taking a walk around. Doesn't cost anything but gives you something to think about. Be warned though, graphic imagery is rather gruesome and there were times when i felt like just bolting outside. It's on at PWTC until Feb 11th.

i'm sorry this is all a little wordy but we've all seen and heard enough about wars and war crimes in the paper and on TV. The pictures are too gruesome for me to put up here.
If you INSIST on visual imagery, google Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, Agent Orange and Landmines. You know they're all products of a dirty war.

Reindeers in February?

For some obscure reason, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was stuck in my head while i took my shower (proven best place to have a good ponder). For the unacquainted, the story goes a little like this.

Rudolph was considered a freak for his "very shiny nose" that, even if you saw, would "say it glows". Poor Rudolph was different from other reindeer who "used to laugh and call him names". Furthermore, they didn't let him "join in any reindeer games". But, as soon as Santa (clearly) uses Rudolph to guide his sleigh, "the reindeer loved him" to bits.

It's a Christmas song, we're meant to get some goody two shoes message from it, aren't we?
Well, it just teaches you that the world is cruel. If you're a freak, people will make fun of you. But, as soon as freak becomes the latest trend, you're the talk of the town.

Lessons from the song:
1) Reindeer make fickle friends. Heck, the world is full of fickle friends. Tease you one day, love you the next.
2) Santa uses people. He didn't do anything when the other reindeer were making fun of poor Rudolph before, right? But suddenly when it's dark and you can use a bright shiny nose... ooohh.. THEN Rudolph can go down in history.
3) Freaks have it tough - especially finding who their real friends are.

A little reindeer retribution.
Cartoon taken from this website. A few other good reindeer ones here. =)

p.s: No, this is not some analogy about back-stabbing friends in my life. Nor am i calling myself a freak. Hhmm.... but it would've been good eh?

Sometimes the clouds cover the sun... but not all cloudy days are bad?

Under this national raincloud
I'm getting soaked to the skin
Trying to find my umbrella
But i dunno where to begin

Cos i'm under the weather...

~KT Tunstall~

This is the part where Kee Hong swoops in asking "Soo.... what's up lah?"
And i say "Not really over him yet also."
Enough said?

The holiday's nearly over. 1 week left in Malaysia.
I feel like i haven't spent enough time with my parents. But actually, 2 trips and many hours at home later, i think i have.
I feel like i haven't seen my Stella friends enough. But 1 missed Phuket trip and various sessions out on Thursday nights later, we haven't done too badly.
I feel like i haven't seen my IH friends enough. But i see more than enough of them in Melbourne.
I feel like I've wasted one holiday doing nothing. Most days, yeah.
I feel like I've still got so much to do. *sigh* isn't it always like that though?
I feel like I don't know what to do with my life. 6 career changes (or imagined ones) in 1 month later and yeah, i think i'm pretty spot on.

Dissatisfied, unfulfilled and lonely.
Maybe it's just the beer talking.

Headline of the Day

It was disgusting to read this headline.

Humans 'very likely' making earth warmer

Fancy that.
We're too smart for our own good, aren't we?