au naturel

Big Laugh Out...again

2008-04-11T13:23:00.007+10:00

Randomness:

I was walking through the subway this morning and there was a whole line of men in suits singing about ppl not knowing how important they were and to let them through the crowd. Bizarre. They sang pretty well tho.

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Well...it's been a year since I last watched the Big Laugh Out. And here it is again. I reckon this year's was much better than last year's although the crowd was slightly disappointing. But then again...it was only the first day of the BLO show.

So here's a few pics that I managed to snap. Happy viewing!

Mr. Fish with Strongman, Mushi mushi and the other guy.

Mr. Fish riding his unicycle

In case you haven't noticed...there's a fishbowl on his head with rubber fishies. The climax of his act was to throw the fishies into his fishbowl with his feet, while riding his extra-tall unicycle.

Sammy J and Randy.

I think Sammy J's the guy and Randy's the purple puppet...or is it the other way round?? Hmmm....

Anyway...they were singing and dancing to silly songs. I want a puppet like that!! Sooo cute!

The British gents doing the handstand

More of the British gents

WTH right???

They started to freak me out at this point.

Crazy crazy ppl

This one reminds me of Mary Poppins...must be the umbrella

Check out their abs....0_0

WTF??!!! Doesn't his head hurt??? That's a 70 kg man on his head!!!

Mario, Queen of the circus...

HE's a QUEEN becoz his act is all about songs written by Queen.

CNY!!

2008-02-10T21:46:00.000+11:00

This post is especially for Chee...

Apparently I'm meant to blog about CNY here. I wasn't intending to but then Chee tagged about it and now I feel guilty so here's the guilt-induced blog about CNY.

Guess what ppl, it's the year of the rat!! I don't know that many people who are rats...too bad.

Celebrating CNY over here always seems so different coz I never 'pai nien' obviously coz my relatives are back home. Even though there's the lion/dragon dancing and all those performances that come with CNY, it's so much more commercialized here. There's always food stalls selling chinese/viet food and those $2 stalls selling crap made in China. Very Asianized. Plus they have rides for little kids. And banks too. You'd never fail to have a bank stall at one of these CNY festivals.

Anyway...this year...I went to some of the 'lunar new year' festivals. My first experience of these festivals. It was alright...nothing big...but you'd want to go with friends to these sort of things. I mainly ate the festivals. Heh...sorry...can't help it. Food and me go together pretty well, plus some of the food was quite good. Esp the meatball things. No idea what they're called.

To my surprise...they have Ice kacang at the festivals. It's not really a chinese new year thing but oh well. At least i don't have to go home to have authentic Ice kacang...even though they only have it once a year.

pre-christmas social life

2007-12-27T12:38:00.000+11:00

Calm down ppl!!! You'll eventually get the updates...if you're patient...heheh...

Yea, i know...i've been lazy...yet again. Sorry. =P

Btw...Merry Christmas to you guys (tho a bit late!)

I had the river cruise last thurs with a bunch of ppl that I haven't met before. Lucky there were a few nice ppl there and of course my buddy went on the cruise. That makes 1 person I know. It was alright really...my first river cruise. I got to meet one of the partners on one of the clients im on. Too bad it rained towards the end of the cruise. Lots of ppl got drenched coming off the boat. Hehehe...good thing I had an umbrella =)

city view from the river

the inside of the cruise boat

post-work traffic jam

KPMG Christmas Party!!!!!

Man...the party was awesome!! They had 4 rooms...one for each letter and each room had a theme. There was the Lt. Bourke St. room (Chinatown), Lt Lonsdale St (Greek room), Lygon St (Italian room) and Acland St (St. Kilda room). Heaps of free food and drinks. If only I have a super huge stomach...I only had a bit of food and drinks and i couldn't have anymore.

I reckon that was the best christmas party I've been to. I even got a tattoo (fake, of course or my mum would go nuts) on my arm at one of the booths.

The best part was when The Young Divas got invited to perform at the party. It was like a mini concert. And you know how they let the fans touch their hands? Yeah...I got to go that...coz I was at the front row. In the Greek room, they had belly dancers and tarot card reading. Didn't go for the card reading though...I was too busy dancing to RnB/House music. Then there were games and stuff in the Acland room. When I first walked in, I was like 'WOW...this is SOO COOOLLL!!!'

I have to say that KPMG people can really party...wild people. Apparently the firm annual christmas party is THE party to go to.

some chinese martial arts guy (who needs a tan really badly)

Acland St room with gaming booths at the back

KPMG logo

The Young Divas - Emily and Kate

Paulini

Jess

Audience going crazy and dancing with them

overdue updates

2007-12-14T20:47:00.000+11:00

SO...I went to my mum's graduation wed nite at the Telstra Dome. It was massive. Well...it was a good excuse to see the inside of the Telstra Dome as I've never been before (not a footy fan, that's why). There were HEAPS of ppl in their gowns. Funny how I'm going to my first graduation that's not mine. But yeah...it was an experience...all those party pies....Mmmmmm...man...this junk food craving of mine is really bad. I was on the tram before and this guy bought maccas and I could smell the chips and I started craving them even though I don't even like macca's chips!

Anyhoo...back to the graduation. My mum had to wear this funny hat thing...not one of those square ones but the round things...they look funny. And she made me take and retake a zillion photos of her in her gown. I think she was over excited. But I guess it's alright considering it's her final degree.

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I went to KPMG's audit chrissy party today. It was alright. Nothing really big. It was just a stand up and talk to people kinda thing with finger food and (free) alcohol. Too bad I can't really drink. Two glasses of champers and I wasn't feeling too good (where'd I get the bad drinking genes from???!!!)

It wasn't a big turnout considering it's only audit but I did get to meet some of the grads and vaca's. I'm looking forward to the firm christmas party next week. That one's supposedly really good.

Oh...I've also got this river cruise next week too...i think for my cluster group to bond or sth. =) Yay me!!

More updates abt my social life next week. =D

say no to commuting

2007-12-03T20:06:00.000+11:00

Man...commuting is soooo tiring. I had my first day out to a client in the stix today...1 hour drive doesn't seem that long but when you're tired, its not a great thing to be stuck in the car/train for that long. I wasn't driving today (not that I can drive) but it was still tiring. I felt tired for the gal driving me to and from work.

It's like in the middle of nowhere and the only place to get lunch is this cafe-type thing 2 mins from the client...which I forgot to mention is in an industrial area and you don't want to catch a bus in a place like that where frequency of catching one is about half an hour. pfft!

Thank goodness it's only for 1 week.

0_0

2007-11-14T19:04:00.000+11:00

My third day since I started work and I had to go out to some law firm. These people sure are enthusiastic!! Good thing the client is like a block away from KPMG at 101 Collins St.

The building is soooo ~~OMG~~ grand! It's got this really high ceiling and a dimmed foyer with strange looking statues on the sides. Plus there's heaps of companies in the building so they need a gazillion super-fast lifts in there.

That's not even the best part. We even have a butler to attend to our needs. I got to order coffee this arvo. What a surprise I got when the butler came in with not only our drinks but a platter or biscuits/cakes. On top of that, we have a mini bar-fridge in our office with juices, cokes and schweppes. I think there's more but the guys probably raided the fridge before I started. Too bad I'll only be there until friday. =P

first day at work

2007-11-12T23:10:00.000+11:00

Well...it's all gone now. No more hols. No more sleeping in till 12. No more sleeping late at night. All my weekdays GONE. Just like that.

sigh..

SIGH........

(I'll get over it...eventually).

I had induction and training today. Boring, naturally. Well...my butt cheeks hurt from sitting down for so long. I was prepared to see a reflexologist, not a butt-o-logist.

I must say though...the lobby at KPMG is pretty impressive. It's like walking into an antique building with a refurbished modern interior. It's even got its own pool with square blocks sitting in it and water running down a glass panel at the other end. And the lifts have glass fronts so you can look opposite or into each office level. It's definitely got that 'wow' factor when you first walk in.

And the kitchens...stylish furniture. Almost like someone had their kitchen furniture chosen by an interior designer. The only thing that wasn't very convenient was the toilets. It's so hard to find one in that building!!!

the last of my 3-week break

2007-11-09T22:21:00.000+11:00

It just hit me that I'll be starting work again on monday. I know I'm going to miss my hols!!!!! So please, please, pleaaaseeee don't rub it in =).

Anyhoo...since SOME PEOPLE weren't satisfied with my aquarium post the last time round, I've decided to amp it up a little. Besides...I think you guys deserve it after waiting for more than a week for this post. My apologies (again).

How I spent the last few days of my 3-week break:-

St. Kilda Beach

Not as pretty as other beaches but I went there coz it's close

Just in case you were wondering, those are my feet

No, I'm not trying to do that Hawaiian dance

Trying to fly. Unfortunately, I sunk through the sand

About to do cartwheels

Umm...sandman??

My feet again...covered in sand

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Fed Square Park

Wheeeeee!!!!!

=)

I love swings!!!

ocean mania

2007-10-31T18:13:00.000+11:00

This post should be sufficient to last you guys for a while I think. I got to see heaps of pretty fishies and scary creatures at the aquarium.

Have fun browsing the pics! (More on facebook)

spring is in the air...

2007-10-21T21:22:00.001+10:00

It was sooo hot today (exaggerating big time as usual). 33 degrees, though there wasn't too much sun. But still...hot compared to yesterday. Plus we don't even have a cool breeze! We have hot breeze.

I nearly melted waiting for the tram under the sun with all my groceries today. Which brings me to my next point: I really need to upgrade my L's to P's. Then i won't have to lug my super heavy groceries around and wait for public transport in the sun.

The only problem with driving is that I'm afraid I'd end up on Last Chance Learners. It's a reality show that tries help appalling drivers get their drivers license. And when I say appalling, they're really really bad.

I heart swatch!!

2007-10-16T21:56:00.000+10:00

Aren't Swatch watches so damn cool?????

If i have heaps of money then I'd get them. But i don't so yeah.

They really funky and unique but you can't exactly wear them for every occasion. Plus they are slightly expensive.

2007-10-16T21:39:00.000+10:00

3 more days!!!!

So exciting!! I can't wait for my 3 WEEK BREAK!

Not as good as uni hols but still...i get 3 weeks off!! No work!!!!!!!!!!!

That means i won't have to get up at 7.30 (i know, it's not even considered early by some ppl). Don't have to dress smart. I can go back to jeans and a t-shirt!!!

FREEDOM!!!!!!!!! (altho short lived).

2007-09-26T17:40:00.000+10:00

Koko Black's hot chocolate is absolutely the best I've tasted in my life. Sure, I'm only 19, but hey, that's a long enough time right?

If you do have a Koko Black in your area, definitely go and check out their hot chocs. Mmmmm....

Sunday night was the first time I've gone out for karaoke. It's not what I'd prefer to be doing on a night out but it was surprisingly fun. I did sing btw...if anyone's wondering. It's funny how the things you don't think you'll enjoy actually turns out really well.

Oh...btw...I've been listening to lots of chinese music recently. Zhen finds it really weird. I'm sure most of you will too, considering.

Anyway...I'll be uploading pics soon i hope.

shit happens

2007-09-12T17:48:00.000+10:00

**WARNING**

sarcasmistic.blogspot.com advises that the following is not for those who are in the middle of eating/drinking. Failure to adhere to the advise may result in choking or vomiting.

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If you have absolutely NOTHING to do, then it might be worthwhile to check out urban dictionary. It's an excellent time-waster and you'll probably get a few laughs out of it.

My personal favourite that I happened to come across on urban dictionary:-

SHIT

1. One of the most popular swear/cuss/curse words/profanities

2. another word Feces. Poop. Dookie. Scheisse. Poo Poo. Brownies.

The Shit List:

The Ghost Shit
The kind where you feel shit come out, see shit on the toilet paper, but there's no shit in the bowl.

The Clean Shit
The kind where you feel shit come out, see shit in the bowl, but there's no shit on the toilet paper.

The Wet Shit
You wipe your ass fifty times and it still feels unwiped. So you end up putting toilet paper between your ass and your underwear so you don't ruin them with those dreadful skid marks.

The Second Wave Shit
This shit happens when you've finished, your pants are up to your knees, and you suddenly realize you have to shit some more.

The Brain Hemorrahage Through Your Nose Shit
Also known as "Pop a Vein in Your Forehead Shit". You have to strain so much to get it out that you turn purple and practically have a stroke.

The Corn Shit
No explanation necessary.

The Lincoln Log Shit
The kind of shit that's so enormous you're afraid to flush it down without first breaking it up into little pieces with the toilet brush.

The Nororius Drinker Shit
The kind of shit you have the morning after a long night of drinking. It's most noticeable trait is the tread mark left on the bottom of the toilet bowl after you flush.

The "Gee, I Really Wish I Could Shit" Shit
The kind where you want to shit, but even after straining your guts out, all you can do is sit on the toilet, cramped and farting.

The Wet Cheeks Shit
Also known as the "Power Dump". That's the kind that comes out of your ass so fast that your butt cheeks get splashed with the toilet water.

The Liquid Shit
That's the kind where yellowish-brown liquid shoots out of your butt, splashes all over the side of the toilet bowl and, at the same time, chronically burns your tender poop-chute.

There are a few more types of shits that aren't mentioned here, so if you're really interested in it, then go to urbandictionary.com.

Hopefully none of you were eating while reading this.

Melbourne Storm v Gold Coast Titans

2007-09-03T16:47:00.000+10:00

omg!!

OMG!!!

OMG!!!!

I actually surprised myself last night by going to the Rugby League. Melbourne Storm v Gold Coast Titans.

ME watching Rugby League LIVE. Sounds so strange considering I fell asleep trying to watch the last FIFA world cup.

Yup. I'm not a footy/soccer/rugby fan. The only reason I went was because I had free tickets and it seemed like a great opportunity to watch a match since I'd probably never go to one again (unless I get free tickets, of course).

The match was actually really good to watch although it was slighly painful to watch them slamming into each other. The atmosphere was infectious...all that cheering. Obviously I was going for the Storm (only a few were cheering for the Titans). We beat them anyway...a humiliating defeat for the Titans. We defeated them by 50-6 points. Plus I learned a few things about rugby.

2007-08-24T10:19:00.000+10:00

Work has definitely been exhausting. Towards the end of last week and the whole of this week. I've been flat out. My manager's been handing me work. (I don't even need to ask!).

Everyone's working late into the night (especially the managers and partners) and everyone is pressurised to submit work by a set deadline. Half the time I come home feeling drained.

Uni is so much more relaxed! Way less hours than work.

Which is why i love fridays for the obvious reason of not having to work.

Anyway...i should do some work now.

Will be back later to post...maybe.

.............

2007-08-19T18:37:00.000+10:00

I've just realised that my last four posts have been approximately 5 days apart.

Quite an interesting observation, isn't it?

.......

...........

What's this?

It's NOT???

Okay...maybe it isn't THAT fascinating. Just me being silly as usual.

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Here's something that's completely ridiculous:-

My manager thinks I'm a PARTY ANIMAL!!!

When he said that...I started laughing at the absurdity of the comment.

Me = Party animal????? Don't think so.

Anyone who knows me would say the same.

five for fighting

2007-08-15T21:33:00.000+10:00

I love Five for Fighting songs. They're quite depressing but so full of meaning.

Although the band name doesn't really match up with the kind of songs they sing.

hundred years

superman

lights

2007-08-10T15:52:00.000+10:00

I have a confession to make:

I have a thing for lights. I get attracted to any structure that has lights. The more colourful, the better.

One of my secret obsessions is taking photos of things with lights. Call me crazy, but I just can't resist.

reflection

runway

updates

2007-08-05T11:27:00.000+10:00

The last two weeks:

Mon to Fri
Work at PwC. Lunched with fellow coursemates most of the time. We had morning tea on friday. We had pretty cupcakes (which were a bit too sweet) but I love the crossaints. I don't know where they're from but they're the best!

Weekends
Went out to dinner and then to the casino last saturday. Dinner was quite nice esp dessert. And i managed to win at the pokies. Beginners luck?

Chilled out friday night. Had a few laughs.

Made an appearance at Paul's party at Hyde. Had a surprisingly good time. The music was alright but the place had a good atmosphere.

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I've already had 3 people(including me, of course) complain to that it's freezing over here so I've decided to put up my top 5 reasons for disliking winter.

Coming out of the shower is like plunging into ice cold water most of the time.
The cold wind slices your face like a knife.
I never want to get out of the comfort and warmth of my bed.
Soaked jeans, wet shoes.
Numb fingers.

2007-07-30T10:09:00.001+10:00

damn....

facebook is so addictive...

and so much cooler than friendster

2007-07-26T09:04:00.000+10:00

I cannot believe that I've finally given in to peer pressure.

I recently opened a facebook account. Whoever says that peer pressure isn't influential is so wrong.

Apparently facebook is addictive. I wonder what the odds are that I won't get addicted to it.

Well...as of today, I declare my friendster account obsolete (technically).

my 19th

2007-07-23T19:06:00.001+10:00

What can I say abt my b'day? I had fun. I'm so very lazy to go into details atm so pls bear with me.

I wasn't expecting anything from work but Steph got me a cake. I was so surprised that my jaw dropped. It did. Coz Steph was the only one who knew it was my b'day and it was only the first week of work. The cake was yum! Chocolate and raspberry with a crispy base. And it had a wacky design.

Then it was dinner at Renzo's and clubbing later that night with a few friends. I had a bit to drink and felt a bit of the alcohol effect after I left. And I was partially deaf too from the music. But i had a good time.

Thank you all for the the constant text messages I was getting. It kept me smiling the whole day. =)

information overload

2007-07-17T18:57:00.000+10:00

I had training of a different sort today - how to use the smart stat software. I had the manager install and teach me how to use it for the whole morning then I got to play with it the rest of the afternoon. There was so much to take in in such a short time that I felt my brain starting to feel a bit overloaded towards the end.

Looks like I also have quite a bit of reading to do after my ~~9 to 5~~ 8.45 to 5.15.

And the men in suits sure look intimidating. Like they mean business.

Good thing is I met some of the other grads/trainees. I'm beginning to realize that there's a lot of office rumours in large offices. I'm counting on the next few weeks to be quite interesting.

hols down the toilet

2007-07-16T19:15:00.000+10:00

Last night I told myself that I'd get up when the alarm rings, not 10 minutes after the alarm rings.

Who was I kidding??

It didn't happen. Probably won't happen tomorrow either. Guess I'll just have to go back to setting the alarm a little bit earlier than when I should be getting up to delude myself into believing that I have an extra 10 minutes of sleep.

Don't ask me how that works. Maybe I'm just weird. But that's not new.

Anyway...my first day at Pricewaterhouse Coopers today. It was only induction and training which was quite full on. Took the whole day. But I was told that the complete induction takes two weeks. Now that's long.

Today, I got:-

A name tag
A visitor's pass (to allow access)
A laptop (IBM-not a fashion statement altho i think it's one of the latest). It came in a backpack with my name attached to it
A buddy (to attend to my every whim and fancy...I wish!)

So tomorrow...I really start working. 8.45am. Why can't they make it 9am?? Updates soon. Hopefully.

all things melb

2007-07-14T22:44:00.000+10:00

The 2-headed 3-legged giraffe I was talking about that Chee said is like a tricycle

The big wheel that lights up at night. And that's me down the bottom.

*All pics courtesy of Taz

fireworks

2007-07-10T16:34:00.000+10:00

I finally managed to catch some fireworks on video. I've been wanting to do that for a while but I just never seem to have a camera with me.

So here's the footage. It's not as big as I would have liked it to be but it's visible.

2007-07-10T09:52:00.000+10:00

Can anyone tell me what this is?

2007-07-09T20:45:00.000+10:00

I'm beat.

Work sure takes a lot out of you. It's great when the adrenaline kicks in and you get pumped up but then after a while it's just plain tiring.

I need a massage.

Winter in July

2007-07-08T13:46:00.000+10:00

I went ice skating today! At winter wonderlands. It was my second time ice skating in...4 years I think.

I thought there wasn't going to be that many people so early in the morning...but surprisingly there was a reasonable number.

It was awesome!!!!

After two rounds around the rink, I started getting the hang of it. So I tried skating without holding the sides.

It was so cool! *does happy dance* I was bopping along to the music and getting much better at skating. Wee!!

Then...I fell.

Twice.

Ouch!

But I had heaps of fun! =)

....

2007-07-03T09:33:00.000+10:00

I find it a bit strange that when I was pressed for time, i.e. when I was still having exams, I blogged more than I'm blogging now when I have so much free time on my hands. I guess when it was exam time, I mainly blogged to escape the study.

Besides, blogging slipped from somewhere on the top of my priority list to...well...lets just say that it's quite far from the top now. There. I said it. I admitted that it's starting to bore me a little.

Then you'd probably ask what I've replaced blogging with. well...how about a sample? Dance Floor Anthem - Good Charlotte

2007-06-25T20:44:00.000+10:00

woohoo!!

I've been on a shopping spree since exams finished. Almost every store here's on sale. Well most of the stores I frequent are on sale. Girls = shopping = therapeutic.

Guess what i got? Jodi Picoult and Kim Edwards!!

Don't you just love the smell of unopened books? They've got that particular paper scent you only get with new books. For the next few days, I'll be devoting my time to my books. Hours and hours of reading. Such bliss.

Pardon me for my slight hyperactivity. I've been deprived of books for a while now so having new books to read gets me all worked up!

well...it's happy reading for me...and ahm...if i don't blog for the next few days...you'll know why.

2007-06-22T17:32:00.000+10:00

Must have reads:-

1) Nineteen minutes - Jodi Picoult
2) Harry Potter #7 - J.K.Rowling
3) The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
4) James Patterson/Michael Connelly books

I have a craving for books coz it's been so long since I last read a book for leisure.

melbourne gunman

2007-06-18T11:00:00.000+10:00

It was splashed across the homepage of The Age's website this morning.

"one dead, 2 critical"

It made the national breaking news.

I know it happens from time to time when some nutcase decides to shoot someone. But for it to happen so close to where you are, it's scary.

From where I come from, you'd never hear of anything like this happening.

why you (and I) should write smaller

2007-06-13T15:30:00.000+10:00

Two exams down, 2 to go!!

I had to ask for a second answer booklet b'coz I ran out of space to write in the exam this morning. It was I think a 15-page booklet but it only had ruled pages on one side of the sheet that we could write on. Plus the lines were spaced apart to accommodate people with large handwriting.

There was only one more question to answer and I ran out of space. So they gave me another one of those 15-page booklets to write on. At that point I started thinking about how many trees I was killing in the process of getting my degree.

What a distraction!

The worst part was I only used up 2 pages. The rest are going to waste.

OMG. I am a tree killer.

I am going to hell for this (sy said so). If not, then I'm contributing big time to global warming and deforestation and droughts and...well basically destroying the earth.

Maybe I should start writing a bit smaller from now on.

random stuff

2007-06-11T17:38:00.000+10:00

Apple's new iPhone; all-in-one iPod and mobile phone *drools*

*drools even more*
I want one!!!!

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world nude bike ride in protest of vehicle emission

exam fever

2007-06-07T12:53:00.000+10:00

My study table

It's always this cluttered coz I figure, it's no point putting my books away if I have to use them frequently. When they're on the table, they're accessible.

on coffee

2007-06-06T17:09:00.000+10:00

Three years ago, if you asked me to drink coffee, I would have taken a sip, made a face and told you it's too bitter to drink. Then I would have had a go at you for drinking stuff that's so bitter, it doesn't taste good.

I find it a bit ironic that now I absolutely love that tinge of bitterness in coffees. If a coffee's not bitter, then it's not real coffee.

I love the aroma of coffee beans and the smell that hits you when you walk into a coffee shop. Today, I indulged myself in Gloria Jean's white chocolate mocha.

I prefer Gloria Jean's to Starbucks coz their coffees are good and Starbucks is a bit too commercialised.

I am officially a coffee-drinker though not an obsessive coffee drinker. I can survive a day without a cup of coffee.

coo-ee!

2007-06-04T18:05:00.000+10:00

Ever seen a pink pigeon before?

Well...now you have. Melbourne's got pink pigeons. It's a new breed that's just been discovered and the Victorian government's classified it as a rare and protected species. It was in the papers today, which was how I found out about them. Pretty neat, eh?

Priya's friend, Hans, who by the way is from Mauritius, (did you know that Mauritians speak French? Wicked!) said that I don't have a distinct accent. He couldn't pinpoint where I'm from by the way I speak. Interesting. Unlike Priya, who's got a pretty distinct Malaysian accent.

By the way...all that about the pink pigeons is bullshit.

If you believed all that about the pink pigeons being a new breed, then boy are you gullible. We're only getting pink fibreglass pigeons.

Another interesting fact about Mauritius: it has pink pigeons. real ones.

Google it if you don't believe me.

saya sepasang kasut

2007-06-03T18:39:00.000+10:00

masih ingat tak?

hmm...that sounded a bit foreign considering i don't hear it very often, if at all now.

I feel for the poor kids who still have to do those karangans. The ones yang bertajuk "saya sebatang pen" atau "saya seekor burung" were relatively easy to write but looking back, I wonder why we were asked to write karangans on those topics.

I haven't forgotten how to write ok, i'm just a little rusty. The last time I actually wrote something in malay was...hmm...3 1/2 years ago.

We all used to start those karangans something like this:

Nama saya Adidas. Warna saya putih dan biru. Saya dilahirkan di sebuah kilang di negeri Thailand tiga tahun lalu. yada, yada, yada...

My favourite ending was:-

Pada suatu hari, tuan saya ternampak kasut model terbaru di kedai kasut dekat rumahnya. Kasut itu masih baru dan lebih cantik daripada saya. Oleh itu, tuan saya pun membeli kasut itu dengan gembira. Sejak hari itu, tuan saya tidak mempedulikan kewujudan saya. Akhirnya, saya dibuang kedalam sungai sampai tenggelam.

Itulah nasib saya sebagai sepasang kasut.

The End

I wonder why we didn't fail then coz technically, if you drowned, then you wouldn't be alive to tell the story, no?

2007-06-02T16:32:00.000+10:00

Today, I learnt a few things.

Crossword puzzles take forever to do
Never tilt a wite-out bottle towards yourself if you're trying to see if its empty
Hot water works wonders on wite-out spillages*

*excludes spillages on pictures and documents.

yay micro!

2007-05-31T15:45:00.000+10:00

well...semester's nearly over...yet again. Last day tomorrow. Uni semesters always go too fast for my liking. The good thing is that I don't have any more micro problem sets due.

The last problem set had a funny story to it. It happened to be on externalities i.e. social marginal benefits and costs (SMB and SMC), private marginal costs (PMC). That sort of stuff. For ppl who haven't done economics before, sorry abt the terminology. Anyway...we got this other group to explain the externality question just to see how they did it.

Guy1: we know that the SMB has to equal SMC but we have a negative externality so the PMS...

Guy2: at that point, started laughing so hard he had to go for a little walk to sober up

Erica and I just looked at each other and cracked up. How is PMC related to PMS? Maybe there were too many women standing next to him.

Guy1's version of a negative externality

I hope I won't crack up if I get one of these questions in the exam.

popsicle

2007-05-30T18:40:00.000+10:00

I think my arse froze over heaps today from walking around in the cold. My fingers were just as frozen. Waiting at the bus stop this morning seemed like the longest 5 minutes ever.

The weather report last night said 15 degrees. It was more like 5 degrees! That's why i never trust the weatherman.

city stroll

2007-05-28T18:57:00.000+10:00

I guess I should blog a bit more often to keep the activity level higher. I've noticed that it's been substantially more sluggish than usual. My fault, I know. I just haven't felt like posting anything up in the last week and a bit. I blame it on exams. =)

And the weather of course. It's been really windy and chilly for quite a while now which explains my lack of blogging.

So today I took time off and decided to hang out with Taz since I wouldn't really have time over the coming weeks. I reckon I had a pretty good time. Apart from chocolate time @ Max Brenner, we basically walked around the city, me as the tour guide. According to Taz, I failed as a tour guide, thanks to the whale/fish incident.

Taz: It's a fish.

Me: No, it's a whale.

Taz: No, it's a long eel.

Me: It looks like a long whale.

A little while later...after following the "fish" artwork on the ground, we agreed that it was a very long eel. oh well. so much for trying to convince Taz it was a whale.

ham, cheese & ...bbq sauce??

2007-05-18T17:56:00.000+10:00

Who knew that a simple ham and cheese sandwich can make a great lunch. I unknowingly came up with a delectable lunch idea when I decided to have my ham 'n' cheese sandwich with barbecue sauce a few weeks ago. Some of you would probably wrinkle your noses at the thought of having barbecue sauce (some already have) in your sandwich, but it's really yummy (in my opinion).

Paul obviously thinks so too. I let him have a piece of my ham, cheese and bbq sauce sandwich and he's been having it everyday for the past week. I am proud to say that I've revolutionised one person's ham, cheese and tomato sauce sandwich lunch to ham, cheese and bbq sauce sandwich.

If you haven't yet tried it, you have to. Try it with tomato sauce first to compare. 100% satisfaction guaranteed.

Unless you find the above ingredients unpalatable.

----------------------------------------------

I got myself a badge!!

I like it.

Useless advise: Never fart in a lift full of people. I've never tried it before, but I'll bet it will be unpleasant.

Blair - 10 years later

2007-05-11T14:56:00.000+10:00

I can't really imagine Britain with a prime minister other than Tony Blair. That would be like Australia without John Howard. For as long as I can remember, Blair has been the prime minister of Britain. I don't know a lot about him but I do remember him as the guy on BBC who makes brilliant speeches (as most politicians do but I think he's one of the best) and has a certain charisma that makes you want to listen to what he has to say even though you don't have a clue as to what politics is all about.

10 years is a long time to serve, I suppose, and you can't go on forever (Howard might beg to differ). But I would miss living at Number 10, Downing Street too if I were Blair.

Not that any of this would make a big difference to your lives, i'm sure. I'm not a political enthusiast, so on the rare occasions when I do mention politics, it's only out of slight interest.

Re: commuting

2007-05-10T16:14:00.000+10:00

Catching public transport at around 7.30am, 3pm and 5.30pm are the worst times to travel by if you're a commuter. That's of course, in my opinion (which may not be very important to you but i've been using public transport for a number of years now).

At 7.30am and 5.30pm, heaps of people in suits would be lining up on platforms waiting for their trains/trams. And the trains would usually be packed depending on which way you're going. Chances are if you were on one of those trains, you'd be sandwiched in between taller people. Standing in trains isn't that bad. Standing in packed buses with a heavy backpack is a lot worse. Hold on tight or risk falling onto someone else.

Then at 3pm, you'd find a huge group of school kids rushing to make the train and once they get on, it's talk talk talk until they get off. And you know what school kids talk about, right??

Absolute crap. Most of the time.

-----------------------------------

A kid happened to be on the train today and he was running around and shouting most of the time which entertained and possible annoyed some people. That combined with school kids chatting non-stop = a lot of noise.

I heart sunsets

2007-05-05T18:04:00.000+10:00

Happy Birthday, NS & SY!!

2007-05-03T16:29:00.000+10:00

Dear NS and SY,

Happy 19th b'day!!

You know what this means? It means that I've known you two for a very long time (approximately 8 years and 2 months!!)

I know I'm not the first to wish you two happy birthday but at least I remembered.

Shan, I didn't forget. It's just been a really happening week.

Looking back on the 8 years (5 years at smss), I can honestly say that I had an awesome time at smss because of you gals. So thank you for including me in your group when I was the "new student" and for all the fun times we had. It wouldn't have been the same without you.

Have a great b'day!!

love,
D

picture perfect

2007-04-30T21:54:00.000+10:00

I love the pretty colours. Especially the last one. If only I could paint something like that.

Ocean Spray ad

2007-04-27T17:10:00.000+10:00

That Ocean Spray cranberry juice ad on tv is starting to annoy me. Most of the ads here are reasonably interesting; some amusing. But this one's just plain in-your-face annoying when it comes on.

The ad goes like this:-

A friend tells dumb blonde a.k.a Paris Hilton look-a-like that her personal trainer has been raving about colonics but she thinks Ocean Spray is better.

Friend: It's, like, totally cleansing with all those cranberries.
Paris Hilton look-a-like: So, like, where does it go? [talks on phone with chihuahua in hand]
Friend: You, like, drink it?

Even a 3 year old kid would know that its a drink.

The question is so stupid it beats Jessica Simpson's is this chicken or tuna?

And what's up with all the like's. Their whole conversation is peppered with like's. It's like they don't have any other word to use.

reminiscence

2007-04-26T11:39:00.000+10:00

I kind of miss playing the piano, now that I don't have one. All those years of music lessons...kind of seems like a waste to throw that all away. I mean I'm not doing it on purpose but actually buying a piano would set me back by...a lot. Maybe one day...when I've loads of money...then I'd get a grand piano...a black one. Having not practised in years, I'm pretty sure that I would still be able to play a few pieces like I used to...after heaps of practice. The only finger exercises that i get now are from typing up my assignments and blogging.

I've also realized that I will never be a violinist. Actually I realized that a long time ago. That was when i decided to give up on it. It was a bit too painful (literally) for myself and those who had to bear with my "practise sessions", which mainly involved me producing noise that would probably wake Beethoven up from the dead.

Art is another thing that I miss doing. Believe it or not.

I haven't picked up a paintbrush since it stopped being a compulsory subject. I mean I'm not exactly and art fanatic but I remember liking half the drawings I did at school. That was when Mr. Ronnie taught us. I'm sure most of you would remember him, eh?? wonder where he is now.

Those were the good old days. This is making me feel much much older.

Form 3 rocked!!

2007-04-21T17:02:00.000+10:00

Today's weather:
grey overcast sky, periodic showers, chilly

It reflects how i feel today.

...and it happened again

2007-04-18T16:58:00.000+10:00

How scary would it be if you were one of the students at Virginia Tech caught in the shooting? Imagine one of your classmates rocking up to class and randomly shooting at everyone. The Age quoted 33 deaths due to the massacre. Pretty big figure...just a few short of the people who were killed in the Port Arthur shootings.

So why is it that these mentally disturbed gunmen target random people in educational institutions? Maybe they have a theory that their shootings would reduce the world's exponentially growing population. Hello??!! A tsunami or some other disaster would do much more damage than they would be able to.

But seriously. It's happened before and it's happened again. There was the Monash Uni shootings in '02, the Amish massacre last year and now the Virginia Tech shootings. When will it ever stop?

my golf ball

2007-04-16T18:21:00.000+10:00

see that big black golf ball over on my side bar?

see it?

over there -------------->

well that's not a golf ball. It's my golf-ball-looking-clock. And it tells you what time it is over here. So no more excuses saying that you forgot it's my bedtime when i tell you so. =) hehe.

first day back

2007-04-16T18:12:00.000+10:00

It was complete chaos at uni today. We had a full power outage at around 12pm. The power in every building on campus went out. So cool! Heaps of people flooded out of the buildings and stood outside campus centre and the main library when it happened. I think there were a few people stuck in the lift too.

The best part was...no lectures! =) The microphones weren't working so there wasn't any point in having lectures. I'm pretty sure the power is still out now. It's definitely turned my yet-another-normal-uni-day into a more exciting one!

Big Laugh Out @ Fed Square

2007-04-14T09:20:00.000+10:00

Big Laugh Out is part of this yr's Melbourne International Comedy Festival at Fed Square and I happened to be part of the crowd at yesterday's show. It was great sitting out on the stone ground as part of the audience. Great atmostphere especially during the second act. But I can tell you that stand-up comedy is not all its cracked up to be. The audience either loves you or hates you.

The MC was a bit of an idiot. He was slightly funny but everytime he came onstage, he'd crack one or two adult jokes (intentionally or otherwise) and then apologize because the show is really meant to be for kids. But he at least managed to make a few people laugh. At times.

The first act was really poor, I have to say. Josh somebody I think was his name. He came up on stage with a guitar and started singing/talking about crap. Most of the audience were going "what the hell is he doing on stage?!" I didn't get most of his jokes. They were all pretty lame. It was actually quite painful to see him trying to make people laugh. I was so relieved when he finished.

Mario Queen of the Circus was great! I think his stage name is interesting. He's a circus dude (might be gay) who juggles to Queen songs. He actually made juggling seem pretty interesting. Funny guy. At one point, he got this girl in the audience to come on stage and do a little routine with him. Then her "pretend bf" had a banana duel with Mario. It wasn't any ordinary duel. They had to spit banana bullets at each other.

Oh and I forgot to mention that his juggling is really cool!

The part I loved best was the end where we all stood up to sing "We are the champions" (by Queen of course), hands waving and the likes. It was like a real concert! On a much smaller scale. The crowd even carried him around and then they dropped him.

lol...just kidding. But he almost did fall.

I felt bad for the Spanish Bull Circus brothers. Their act had to come after Mario's. I was a bit disappointed with their bull show. The only interesting part was when they made their fake bull strapped to a remote-controlled car jump through the ring of fire. They're not Spanish btw...I'm pretty sure they're Brits.

My choc lindt bunny (updated)

2007-04-12T10:17:00.000+10:00

The choc bunny's gone. I ate it.

It looked so tempting that I couldn't resist anymore. All that's left of it is its bell and ribbon.

Poor bunny!

My choc lindt bunny

2007-04-09T09:50:00.000+10:00

The easter bunny finally came. And it brought along another chocolate bunny with a bell and ribbon. Isn't it cute?

Don't worry...It's still intact. I haven't eaten it.

YET.

--------------------------------------------

Anyone ever wondered why the easter bunny is called the easter bunny and not the easter rabbit?

I want one too!

2007-04-07T09:55:00.000+10:00

These furry creatures are so cute! They're so adorable that I want one for myself =). Maybe two to keep each other company.

Otters holding hands

How I spent Good Friday

2007-04-06T21:14:00.000+10:00

I got up at around 6.30 this morning and it was freezing cold. I'm more of a warm-blooded person. Don't think I'll be able to survive in Alaska or North Pole even with 10 layers of clothing on. But then the ice caps are melting at a substantial rate so maybe I'll actually be able to in say...50 years time...maybe.

I didn't really do much today except to watch Mr. Bean. Apparently lots of people had the same agenda, hence the long queue at the ticket booth (and slightly stressed staff - I can definitely relate).

The movie was pretty funny, which was expected. But I thought that the number of disasters he had to go through was too much. At least Mr. Bean is still very much anti-social, a bit nasty and British.

Here's the highlight of the day. I caught the tram home like any ordinary day when a lady got on and walked to the seat opposite me. I wasn't paying much attention to her when suddenly...

floomp!

she fell forwards onto me (the tram happened to lurch forward when she was about to sit). Good thing my reflex isn't too slow or I would've been squashed.

It was hilarious (to me). A bit embarassing for her. But we all survived.

It just popped into my head

2007-04-05T23:00:00.000+10:00

You know what I like?

I like my Target undies. They're so comfortable...the Cotton-Lycra ones. And they're not g-strings ok. I don't wear them. Too uncomfortable.

Besides, I wouldn't want to end up in a fi-arse-co like Jennifer Hawkins. *sniggers* Big Whoops! For those who don't know Jennifer Hawkins, she was 2004's Miss Universe.

Target undies - They're durable, stretchy and they fit really well. I'm not exaggerating this time. (Okay guys, you can stop picturing me in my undies now)

I actually prefer them to those supposedly comfortable Bonds underwear; the micro fabric or micro fibre ones. Whatever they're called. The ones that feel like silk. They snag too easily.

------------------------------------------------------

I've discovered that I have a slight intolerance for very rich food.

Like cheesecake. Some people love cheesecake but I can only have a bit at a time. Coz I feel like throwing up if I eat too much rich food. Lactose intolerance? >.<

Happy Easter, everyone!! Don't eat too many easter eggs.

wht...??

2007-04-03T16:09:00.000+10:00

Sometimes you just snap. For whatever reason. It's human.

People lose it. All the time. They just show it in different ways.

We live in a stressful world, in case you haven't noticed.

..

....

.........

Have you ever wanted to scream? Ever felt like it's really hard to resist the temptation to go all out and punch or scream at some unlucky person/thing?

Never???

Then you're inhuman.

I want my easter break NOW. like ASAP.

=) =D &^%*$@!#???

2007-04-02T19:44:00.000+10:00

I've finished my assignment!!!! Isn't that great? It's a good day. such a relief to have finally finished with it. And the best part is that I've learned a lot while doing it. Makes my revision so much easier.

My sis said she's going to bird camp.

BIRD CAMP!!! what a laugh!

It's not actually a bird camp. It just has to do with birds. HAHAHA.

The first time she told me, I asked her "So what are you going to do at bird camp?" Then I laughed my head off.

Okayy...this is getting a bit ridiculous.

This post is just going to be about random stuff. Nothing in particular. Just in case you were waiting for something material. and relevant. and reliable. *cackles* Just a Private Joke between me and...um...myself? Haha.

I think im going insane.

bah...I have to go. Time to listen to a lecture.

Online.

Cheers!

tulan beyond words

2007-03-30T16:35:00.000+10:00

Why is it that every time I call for a group meeting, everyone agrees and then at the last minute that guy will either be late or not turn up at all? It's bloody frustrating! ~~It's like we're not a proper group.~~ We're not a group at all full stop.

Today he called in sick. I duno how sick he is but I doubt he'll be able to get us an extension for the assignment. So I'll pretty much be doing the assignment by myself.

I am so tulan.

Tulan beyond words.

(sorry kennysia. I know I'm using your word but I have no other words to describe how I feel atm)

*dIScONNECTED is going back to work on assignment*

random-ness

2007-03-29T18:59:00.000+10:00

Today's mood: Not as stressed as yesterday

It all began when I saw him eating really small biscuits with a chocolate dip. It looked so interesting that I was tempted to ask him what it was. He was sitting pretty close, like 1 metre from our table but then it'd seem a bit weird to ask him just like that. So I went on chatting with this other gal from my tute. Just to wind down really. It's been a tiring day. (I had classes from 9-3; not much of a break in between and had a group meeting from 3-4. Oh and we had our presentation today. That went pretty well according to the tutor...which is why im pretty pleased).

So...where was I...yeah...I was having a conversation with the other girl abt "getting-to-know-each-other-better" stuff. Actually...it was more like a get-to-know-her-better conversation. I noticed that that guy (his name's Darcy btw. as in Pride and Prejudice Mr. Darcy) kept glancing at us from time to time. Maybe our conversation was really interesting.

Anyway...I was about to leave when I decided to ask him abt the biscuits. He must've thought it was pretty random. But at least us two gals had a nice conversation with some totally random stranger that happened to sit near us. He's first yr arts/eng btw. We were actually distracting him from his studying. Not that he minded too much.

I'd recommend talking to random people. It's a great stress reliever. Coz it takes your mind off things and you basically talk about nothing in particular. Just don't go and chat with people who look like they'll bite your head off.

I like this quote by Carlos A Urbizo
"Stoop and you'll be stepped on; stand tall and you'll be shot at"

how tight is too tight?

2007-03-26T17:57:00.000+10:00

I received one of those mass mailed uni e-mails which I usually get just about every week. They mostly get deleted but today's e-mail got my attention.

"Australia has tightened security arrangements for
international air passengers with effect from 31 March 2007...result of the threat posed by liquid explosives following incidents in London."

"...liquids will only be allowed in carry-on baggage if they are in containers up to100ml in capacity and these containers are put in a one-litre, resealable transparent plastic bag."

First we can't bring in certain types of food. Now...no more carrying drinking water when I travel. So macam.

Dissatisfied group member

2007-03-23T21:27:00.000+11:00

Group presentations suck. Actually...all group work suck. This only applies when you have lousy group members. Of course...I can't really tell them that to their face coz then...it'd be really hard to do the other two assignments with them. Yup. I'm stuck with them for the rest of the semester. That means I'll have to see them in class for the next two and a half months. Therefore, it wouldn't be wise to give them the shits about group work. The only thing I can do is to blog here...hence confining my rants to myself...and to the very few ppl who stumble upon my blog.

So...I had a group meeting today for next week's presentation. If you can call that a group meeting. It was more like a half-group meeting. Somehow I had the feeling that it would happen.

Gut-feeling

Women's intuition

Call it what you like. I just knew.

Anyway, I met up with the girl in my group at around 11.30 (she apparently was waiting in the library but her phone was busy) and we sort of got a little bit done but she was slightly unenthusiastic about working on the presentation. She left early...half an hour after the other guy arrived.

He's a different story. He had this assignment due today and he said he'd probably finish the night before. He was supposed to meet us at 12pm but what a surprise...he came late. I'm sure you're all getting the picture now. A whopping 1hr and 15 mins late, no less. I mean, come on. I know your assignment is important but we've got a presentation due in less than a week and it's the first meeting!! We need to get going!

Somebody help me.

I still have 2 assignments to work on with them. At the rate we're going, I think I might have to do most of the work myself.

Re: 6 weird things about me

2007-03-17T21:17:00.000+11:00

I forgot to mention...you know how some people are folders and some are scrunchers? Well...I'm a folder and a scruncher. It all depends on the situation.

I know I'm being a bit vague here and if you don't know what I'm talking about, then...don't bother asking me coz I'm not elaborating further.

Btw...did you know it's Saint Patrick's Day? I didn't. Not until a few hours ago.

I reckon it'd be cool to dress up as a leprechaun and walk down the streets, showering people with fake gold. Preferably part of a St. Patrick's Day parade.

So...people...wear something green today, eat some Irish food or maybe tap dance to Irish music. If you do try to tap dance, make sure you send me a video of it, yea?

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

busy-ness + lazy-ness = no blogs

2007-03-16T18:26:00.000+11:00

I was meant to post up six weird things about myself b'coz I was tagged but I got busy *coughs* so I've sort of left my blog hanging. This post is so long overdue that if it were a block of cheese, it'd be so mouldy, it'd look like something out of a year 9 science experiment that went wrong.

Okay...that was a bit too much of an exaggeration. And don't ask me how blogs relate to cheese.

6 weird things about myself (something like that)

I talk to myself half the time. And to things that aren't alive and imaginary things. I don't know why; I just do. It's a weird habit and I don't know how it started.
I love walking around and exploring new places even when I'm alone. I'd sit on some random tram and see where it takes me or I'd walk down a different street from the one I'd normally take. That's how I get lost sometimes. But no biggie. I always find my way back.
I have twitchy feet. They sort of tap when I'm listening to music. And they twitch when I'm in bed sometimes. Just before I fall asleep.
I hate it when people tell me that I look like someone else coz I like being my own person (flaws and all). Therefore, please don't tell me that my sister looks like me. I've had my share of that.
I like sleeping with background noise like soft music or cars on the freeway. I find it soothing although most (old) people complain that the noise affects their sleep.
I'm a what if person. I have a tendency to imagine myself falling into the river if i happen to be walking by a river. Or getting hit by a car if I'm crossing the road. It's a bit scary to have an imagination like that but I can assure you that I don't wish to die yet. I'm too young to die.Phew...I've finally reached six. Never thought I'd make it. Well that's out of the way...let's move on to other things. Oh and I'm not going to tag 6 people coz they've all probably been tagged anyway so there really isn't any point.

----------------------------------------------------------

You know how you get frustrated sometimes and you just want space? When you're really pissed, tired, crabby, etc etc. Well...sometimes I feel like that. Leave me alone by the Veronicas sums it up pretty well.

Here's a snippet of their song:

Chorus

Leave me alone
Get out of my face
I'm tired and low, and
Feelin' so misplaced
Time for you to go
Coz I know I'm better off on my own

Leave me alone
This isn't gonna work
Don't call me on the phone
I'm all out of words
I'll face the unknown
Thinkin' about all the ways that I've grown

I bought their cd btw. Just recently. It's cool.

-------------------------------------------------------

Guess what? I went to the casino last night. Nothing really special about it except that it's pretty big with lots of lights and lots of slot machines, roulette tables, blackjack table and all that. Not to mention heaps of smokers near the club. Surprisingly, the security people didn't ask to see my ID. I actually wanted them to stop me so I can whip out my ID with a smirk that says 'Hah, I'm legally allowed in the casino so you can't kick me out'.

At least now I can say that I've been to a casino. After all, I am 18.

2007-03-10T02:01:00.000+11:00

Dear readers,

Just a quick note to explain my lack of progress on the '6 weird things about myself'. As I'm not currently feeling bloggish (if there is such a word) I will be postponing the blog until I feel like blogging. Besides, sam said it's not compulsory. I'm assuming there's also a hidden rule that also says you can procrastinate.

So until further notice...or until you see my blog abt 6 weird things which I hope I'll eventually get round to doing, I won't be tagging ppl.

Cheers,
dIScONNECTED

Lecture etiquette for dummies

2007-03-09T23:36:00.000+11:00

Some people are just so inconsiderate that all they think about is themselves. Young adults mostly. Hence the reason for my lesson on lecture etiquette.

Now you'd probably be thinking who am I to be giving people lessons on socially acceptable behaviour in lectures. All I can say is that I don't claim to be an expert in social behaviour but it's just plain common sense what to do and what not to do in these situations.

So if you have no clue as to what I'm getting at, then you've come to the right blog.

What not to do in a lecture hall

Firstly, come on time. If you can't, at least use the back door and sit down the back coz it's really distracting when the door slams.
If you plan to talk when the lecturer is speaking, then at least have the courtesy of sitting at the back and whisper, not down the front where some people are actually trying to listen. No, I've got a better idea. Just don't come to the lecture at all.
Keep your phone off or on silent. And if it rings, don't answer it and start with the 'how're you going, mate. you want to meet up later....' yada yada yada. It's annoying, not to mention terribly rude.
If you come in early, sit in the middle not towards the aisles so those who come in later don't have to climb over bags and legs just to get a seat.
Don't leave halfway just coz you feel like it. If you don't really want to sit in on the lecture, then don't come at all. Then you can go off and do sth else that you think is worth doing and everyone else can listen without any interruption.

----------------------------------------------------------

I got The Fray and Nickelback cd's today. =) It's great when you don't have to pay for stuff that you buy. And I watched music and lyrics. Compared to most of the other movies that Hugh Grant's starred in, this one was pretty good. His voice isn't great but some of the songs are alright and at least it's not so demeaning. Hugh Grant singing is sort of a first for me.

Maybe I'll get the Veronicas next time. =D

better customer service, please

2007-03-02T23:40:00.000+11:00

I went out shopping at Priceline today b/c I din't have any classes (tutes don't run during week one) and I know I'll be getting a heavy workload very soon so why not make use of my relatively free first week. Anyway I bought this buy-one-get-one-free product at a really good price b/c they were on sale. When I got to the checkout line, there was another lady in front of me who was a bit slow. The guy serving seemed a bit agitated. Bad day maybe. He grabbed my shopping basket (yea, grabbed), then scanned all my stuff and charged me for everything. No way was I going to pay all that when I didn't have to. So I questioned him about the special they had for the product and he said that the product with the lesser value is for free.

But the ad in the brochure and on the shelf said otherwise and I told him so. Had to tell him twice, no less, b/c he argued with me but in the end he gave in. He still gave me a bitchy comment saying something along the lines of "...because you think you're right...". What-ever. I dont think I was right, I know I was right. Such crappy customer service. If he doesn't know that the store products are on sale then he shouldn't be arguing with a customer.

Of course I didn't make a big deal out of it. I got charged the right amount in the end anyway.

I'd like to be able to say that I won't ever go back to that store again but unfortunately, it's the biggest store that's closest to me. More than likely, I'll be returning. Hopefully I won't get served by him again. Now I know why they usually have girls at the checkout and not guys.

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I've learnt quite a few things today:-

1) Customers are not always right, contrary to the saying
2) Guys normally suck at serving customers
3) If you want to die young, hang around in the city for as long as possible between 7am and 9pm

I had to meet the book seller in the city this evening b/c I wanted a book he had but he's at a different campus. So i walked around in the city for about 15 minutes to get to our meeting place and I think I must have breathed in the equivalent of the smoke from one cigarette (or close to it anyway). Which is why i'm convinced that the fastest way to die is to hang around in the city. If the smoke doesn't kill you then the carbon monoxide will. Even people who don't look like the type smoke. If just goes to show that you can't tell a smoker from a non-smoker by their appearance.

such profanity!

2007-03-01T17:59:00.000+11:00

The only thing I'd usually be obsessing on as soon as I walk out the door on weekdays is whether I'd make it to class on time. Public transport punctuality is a bit dodgy sometimes (I know, I know, a few minutes less sleep won't hurt).

So I got to Flinders St Station yesterday and pretty much ran through the ticket barriers, across the foyer and down the escalators. Fortunately I made it onto the 8.08am train which was delayed. So i got into one of the carriages, planning what I was going to do during my 4-hour break when I realized that something was not quite right. (No..I didn't catch the wrong train though I did that once - din't pay enough attention to the display screen).

Right behind me was a woman and across the aisle were a few men. I can't say they were talking coz it was more like a swearing conversation. Almost every single one of their sentences consisted of the f-word. I can defintely say that they have a severely restrictive vocabulary. 0.0 It was so vulgar that I was hoping they'd get off long before I did. Didn't happen, unfortunately.

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Panic at the disco actually has unique music videos from other bands. But most of their songs are kind of similar.

Panic at the disco - I write sins not tragedies

Did you know Keith Urban's got great songs? I just discovered that recently.

Keith Urban - Tonight I wanna cry

2007-02-27T23:27:00.000+11:00

I'm hooked onto these songs at the moment. Nickelback is awesome.

Nickelback - If everyone cared

Hinder - Lips of an angel

The Fray - How to save a life (Grey's Anatomy)

mad monday

2007-02-26T20:45:00.000+11:00

I'm not going to delight you guys with pics today. I'm taking a break from photos for now. ~~And while I'm at it, maybe stop blogging for a week just to annoy sam.~~

First day back at uni and I was already late for my lecture. talk about being punctual. Not that I missed much. It was all intros and going through the unit outline, stuff like that. Campus centre was a madhouse. Everyone was queuing for their much-better-looking-than-last-year's student diary. It's pretty cool. horror movie style font.

Met the same old people (some of them) and one guy that used to go to the same school. Carried heavy books (to sell) and carried heavy books home (that I bought). Very heavy day. Textbooks are part of the reason why students go broke (apart from petrol costs and drinks).

Besides that, same old, same old really.

Pudder's Law:
Anything that begins well will end badly
(Note: the converse of Pudder's Law is not true)

2007-02-23T20:40:00.000+11:00

I'm currently suffering from post-work-depression. I can't believe I'm already missing work. Looks like i'm turning into a workaholic. *sigh*. It's just like coming back from an awesome holiday and you have to go back to school the next day but you wish you were back on hols.

*pfft*

lucky to be me

2007-02-22T21:38:00.000+11:00

WHee!! I'm work free for another semester. Well office work that is. It's back to book-hugging now. (tune in to D's book-hugging adventures starting 26/02/07)

Today was my last day at Amcor. It sure was a quick 12 weeks. I can hang up my business suits and start wearing normal clothes again. =) The best part is that I don't have to get up at 7.30 monday to friday.Ok...I was exaggerating a fair bit. work is not all that bad so much so that I'm happy to leave. It's just exhausting. I want my student life back (and for a few more years). But today was great. They all made a big fuss of me leaving. like I was ~~royalty~~ a VIP. Most of today was about me and I was only there for 3 months.

Coz I won't be able to make it to lunch at the Grand Hotel tomorrow (they're going bowling after that...relaxation day for employees), we had this small lunch at the nearby shopping centre while gossiping about stuff...a farewell lunch type-of-thing. Can't believe I'm going to miss lunch and bowling...when it's on the company.

Then when I least expected it, my manager had the whole group come round to my office (a bit of a squeeze) for a little farewell speech, and then I got this:

A cute leaving card...

...that doubles up as a cert with a few messages in it

And this:

a gift card for use in a Sanity music/dvd store

AUD$80.00 worth of music and movies!!! 0.0

My jaw literally dropped when I opened it. I pretty much got the full treatment of an actual employee who's leaving and I'm only a student.

Tell you what...I consider myself lucky to have spent my summer holiday working at Amcor. I've learnt heaps of stuff and gained a bit of experience not to mention getting to know quite a few really nice people.

The fruit baskets will be sorely missed. As well as choccy-biscuit fridays and the morning tea's and lunches. Most of all, my co-workers.

CNY? What CNY??!!

2007-02-20T22:14:00.000+11:00

Chinese New Year here can't be compared to that in Brunei. The atmosphere here is like any other day (except if you happen to be in Chinatown) plus it isn't really recognized here which means there isn't a public holiday for CNY.

okay...maybe i haven't really made an effort to go around and watch some lion dances. I happen to know that there was a lion dance at Crown on saturday night, which of course I didn't bother to go. The last time I saw one here was 2 years ago, under the hot sun.

But that's besides the point. See...I don't get to visit relatives/friends, or get any ang paus (kind of feel a bit old for that), or get invited to open houses. At least i had some sort of a reunion dinner last saturday night. If you can call it a reunion dinner.

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~~3 more days~~ 2 1/2 days and i'm off work!! No more sitting in front of a computer and fiddling with spreadsheets or formulas or figures. =) I'll probably miss it a little but hey, I want my student life back.

It's way more fun being a student that working full-time. Anyone who's been working full-time for more than 5 years can vouch for that. The only problem with being a student is that you're always broke.

not enough $$$

or no $$$ at all. when you're working, at least you don't have to worry too much about your bank account...unless it has a hole as huge as the ozone layer or your cash inflow rate < cash outflow rate.

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Random speak:

Melbourne city council has taken small steps toward recognizing same sex relationships according to the age today. I don't have anything against gay people but I have to say that the photo of the two gay accountants was rather gross.

Sculptures galore! part 2

2007-02-18T21:44:00.000+11:00

I was in a pretty good mood today so I said alright, i'll go out and take some pretty pics for you all to look at. So you'd better appreciate it. NaH...just kidding. Should not be so ganas and scare everyone away.

Well...enjoy!

Cow up a tree. I dunno how it got up there but it sure ain't coming down anytime soon!

ROCKS!! three wave rocks. I want one for my bedroom.

Sea dragon. Actually...it sort of looks like a kangaroo with seaweed bits all over. hah..that sounds extremely ridiculous.

some modern design thing with an eyeball in the centre. If the eyeball was a glowing orangey-red, it'd look like the eye in Lord of the Rings .

stone stalacmites. they're a bit too even though. ooh...i know...maybe they're meant to be spikes for torturing people.

acrobats. at least they look like acrobats. naked acrobats to be precise.

I was going to post up another obscene sculpture but it's all black and you can't really see anything so i decided against it. At least i got to see it. haha.

Sculptures galore!

2007-02-17T23:00:00.000+11:00

You know what? My mind is totally and utterly blank atm. I logged in to me blogspot wanting to blog abt sth...and now my mind is a complete blank. Brain freeze. bleh.

So wht's been happening the last few days? hmm...as usual i suppose. Except that it's been pretty hot. Okayyy...things are obviously not working out. Don't think my currently blank mind will unblank anytime soon so i'll get on with it and let it be as painless as possible for the handful of readers that I have.

I went out today and got a few pretty snaps of the sculpture exibition they're having at the moment close to my work area. It's not great photography but check them out.

Giant bone for a giant dog

I have no idea what this thing is. Reminds me of the treble clef.

My favourite...half nekked women in dressing gowns. It's a bit obscene but...interesting.

Umm...money plant? Looks like the plant I have in KB but with a lot less leaves. Btw...you're meant to be looking at the three sticks thingy not the bushy shrub next to it

Replica of the white eagle in the city. That's a little man in front of the eagle...if you haven't noticed.

More sculptures coming soon. Maybe tomorrow...if i can be bothered.

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My purse balance as at Saturday, Feb 17th. 2007

Mixture of Singapore and Australian coins. Don't ask me why i have s'pore coins in my purse

I desperately need to pay a visit to the atm coz I won't be getting far with that amount of loose change.

Saint Valentine

2007-02-14T22:26:00.000+11:00

I managed to spot 47 bunches of flowers today. Huge bunches, single stalk, fake roses, the works. Valentine's Day is so commercialised now, it's just like christmas (but only lasts for one day); what with greeting cards and gifts, retail stores sure make a lot of money out of it.

Wikipedia says it all boils down to Saint Valentine (more like the two Valentines). I don't really harbour any angst against valentine's day. The only issue is that singles are more likely to be 100 times more conscious of their relationship status on this particular day than on any other day. And possibly exacerbates depression and emotional stress.

Just in case you were wondering, I won't be getting into any of the girls-are-so-materialistic-and-expect-so-much-from-their-bf's-on-v'day stuff. I'm sure you've all seen/heard/read those discussions before. so cheers then!

P.S Hope you have a nice valentine's day...single or not

2007-02-12T17:32:00.000+11:00

Have you realized that post-911, you're guaranteed a slot of either war or terrorism or both on major news channels like BBC and CNN? It's usually the first topic on the main headlines. Which pretty much tells us what the world has come to (or how much emphasis the media puts on the topic). We humans (or the war-loving human species) will never learn to make peace. If it isn't Hitler and his Nazi's, it's the Japanese. If it's not them, then it's the US and Iraq.

I don't reckon Saddam's execution did anything for the world except perhaps to show that the US likes to be in power and to signify a milestone in the war against iraq. And also for the Iraqi's...first step towards democracy. Then again, it was Saddam who built up his country's economy in the 1970's.

For me, however...life has not changed whatsoever by the execution of some president.

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On a lighter note, i wasn't feeling too good today so i took a half-day off work. My manager said not to bother coming in tomorrow if i'm still not feeling so well. Temptation.

*must...resist...temptation*

Best actress award: Dame Helen Mirren
I want to watch The Queen.

So much for trying to rent/buy dvd's. Renting one dvd costs as much as buying a pirated one. Well...at least the quality is better. And I don't plan to buy pirated dvd's anyway.

material things

2007-02-10T23:29:00.000+11:00

dIScONNECTED's top 5 fav material possessions as at 10/02/07 (subject to availability...terms and conditions apply)

In fifth place...is the pair of lime green saucer-eyed slippers. They remind me of the googly eyed stickers that I used to have for sticking onto my artistic creations - the ones that have the moving eyeballs. Care for an extra two pair of eyes, anyone?

Coming in at #4 is the Botanicals shower gel. Great smell, keeps you fresh and clean. I've actually got a lime flavoured gel but that one's half empty =D

Taking the 3rd spot is...the Body Shop's Brazil Nut Body Butter. Yep, it's great for the times when my skin goes all dry and scaly. Plus...it smells heavenly *drools*. Good enough to eat. It keeps my chocolate cravings down anyway.

#2 are Kelsi and Kaya - puppies in training. My very own Kleenex guide dogs (for use when i'm 60 with poor eyesight). Aren't they just adorable?? Now you're wishing that you can stick your hand through the screen and pinch their cheeks. Too bad! They're both MIINNEEE!!!

And lastly, the icing on the cake; taking the #1 spot is...

*drum rolls*

is...*drum rolls again*

my book collection!!

Hah! Bet you're kicking yourself for not guessing.

Lisey's Story

2007-02-09T20:14:00.000+11:00

so...i've recently read Lisey's story - Stephen King novel. That was the first time i've read a stephen king book and I thought it was pretty good. It's very creative in terms of the writing style as well as the content. No regrets buying and reading it.

This woman whose famous husband-writer died realizes that after so many years, she still hasn't gotten over his death and she still hears her husband all the time as if he's talking to her. It's about the widow's memories of her husband's terrifying childhood; about madness and creativity.

What fascinated me about this novel was the long boy with the piebald side and insanity and magic and the writer's aptitude for originality.

**dIScONNECTED recommends reading Lisey's Story - not for one who can't stand the sight of thick books

bool! the end!

bit too late, no?

2007-02-08T23:07:00.002+11:00

I finally had my first OHS induction in a corporate environment yesterday. 9 weeks and a bit is a little too late for that, don't you think? Considering i'll be leaving in about 2 and a half weeks. But at least i got to watch a health and safety powerpoint (and escape an hour of work).

The video really wasn't bad at all. Lots of exaggerations but hey, at least it cracked me up. The lady-who-got-cut-with-a-blade scene was good. One deep gash from being unbelievably careless (and stupid). Some of the footages were exagerrated to the point where you'd imagine the "actors" as cartoon characters.

maybe they'll be a fire drill before i finish up. that'd be so cool.

apart from that...i'd have to scribble a no, thank you on the induction sheet where it asks if i'm interested in joining the safety comittee.

down the shithole

2007-02-08T21:34:00.000+11:00

I surprised myself today. By doing a couple of things. Stuff that i'd not normally do:-

ventured into the world of blogging which i previously thought were for the pale, withdrawn and depressed (never mind the fact that i used to have a xanga site).
listened to and actually liked emo songs...panic at the disco, green day, my chemical romance etcetc.

why? do i hear a voice asking why i started exploring the unexplored? fine...no one asked. But i'll tell you why anyway. 'coz i was pissed. I've learnt that listening to emo/rock/punk type music helps when you're mad. oh when you put on your headphones...make sure to turn the volume up high. works much better that way. so that other ppl can go on talking without realizing that you're not listening to them...teehee.

then if you're still in a pissy mood...i suggest getting some ice cream therapy. preferably mint choc chip.