its been a while...

Since l last said this...

It's a Cool cool nite.. those cool cool nites tt i love so much.. where the cool cool wind blew me home yet the cool cool weather tried to temp me to leaving my windows open...

How i miss thee.. e cool cool weather. Pls come n stay..

I wonder hw is it at down under.. is it frrreezing cold already?

Missg my Sydney Road aptm n WOW AU

I'm nt a SUPER EARLY morning person, but i dare say i'm a early morning person (dependg on wat time ur early is, mine is 8ish)

Since i wake up early and have the whole place to myself(& darcy e shadow) w no nice early morning shows, the only thing i feel like doing is to cook a big hearty breakfast. That is eggs, sausages, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes kind. But its hard to do so in sing. Because the kitchen is not MINE!!

Our kitchen has everything i'm sure, just that 20% of the things i need, i do not know where they are placed. Another 40% of the food tt i need are spoilt or expired and very possibly with mould growing.This can be verify by Mr Peng who had, over the years, grew to be smarter and will check the expiry date of everything he used and then take a sniff to double confirm that they are alrite. THIS, is my hse in Sing.

Whereas, on the otherhand, in Melb, in my little Sydney Road 2bedroom apartment with Safeway just behind, literally JUST behind where i can just 'lup' a jacket over and go for grocerries instead of changing to appropriate clothes and walking to the nearby over crowded market and snatching with others for the freshest food available.
Yah, back there i waltz into Safeway and shop in a peaceful enviroment with no sweat achieved.

If i feel like having pancakes, i buy buttermilk and some strawberries,

if i feel like making eggs florentine, i buy some baby spinach and muffins,
if i feel like baking i can buy all the flour and sugar and butter i need,
and if i feel like making toast, i just buy bread and whatever fillings i feel like.

Here, the nearest supermarket that will offer buttermilk, fresh baby spinach and the other more 'rare' stuff will be up the little hilly at Woodgrove's NTUC and its not everytime they will have it and not forgetting the queues and the sweat achieved.

Lastly, not forgetting the cleaning up part, in my little Sydney Road Aptm's kitchen which is small but well equiped, its also neat and tidy where things are properly stored away after used and everything has a place of its own. Not forgetting that the place is bright and airy. Here, the kitchen is so messed up that i just leave it there and let my mum do the putting away part because trust me, i'm not lazy, its just tt when the things are finally dry they are just not where i'd left them at. And honestly, i just dont know where to start.

Argg.. On days like this, i really miss my Sydney Road Apartment and WOW AU.

BUT, BUT, BUT, what i have here and not there are khakis to have pratas, macs big breakfast, kaya toast etc etc.

There i only have ET(when she's nt busying phoning home) who will indulge w me once in w while for some eggs florentine and ice coffee in somebody's garden, ultra thick hot chocolates and pastries by the street and not forgetting the bratwurst w sauerkraut as well as the sugary spainish donuts in vict mkt.

Sigh.. Those were the days!

i miss..

carrot omelette =(

A little message to my ex hsemate who nv fails to amuse me..

Dear ex hsemate,

About a yr ago you moved into my Sydney Road apartment. I could still remember the sight of you dragging your damaged suitcase in the cold winter morning. You were cold i know. I didnt know if i shld laugh at your patheticness or pity you for your foul luck. I choose to laugh behind your back.

At home, i'd prepare a steamboat feast with a couple of my friends but you choose to lock yourself in the room after making a few greetings. Thus leaving us in shock surpriseness. Later on that day did we realised the real reason. You were sleeping. And sleeping.

As we had rented a car tt day, we decided to go to Mount Dandenongs for scones and scenery. You came and you slept thru out the whole journey. Only waking up for food and the time where you were drag out of the car to admire the scenery at the highest point in Melbourne at which, the temp is less than ten thou to you, its like minus ten. Again, i must admit, we (including my parents) were laughing behind your back at your simple reaction to the cold.

How about that time when you told me that there is no boiled water left? I was surprised by it as earlier that day, i PURPOSELY boil a kettle and left it to cool before pouring into the water container. You say as a matter of fact that you REBOILED the already boiled H2O to cook your instant noodles. I was stunned for a moment before yelling at you and preaching about how unhealthy it is to drink double boiled water. To that, you reacted by turing 45 degrees to your right and started praying. That was the classic among the rest of the classic. You didnt know this but i've to admit that after you left my room, i was smiling from ear to ear. And yes, i also admit that i shared this classic with Erica n fang min. We had a great time laughing too.

I remember on my birthday last yr when you and the 2 gers decided to cook me a birthday lunch. We were stunned speechless when you cooked 1 pack of 'Birthday' udon for me. The miso soup base was surprisingly delicious though it was those instance type. Thank you for that!

Now, once again, you amuse me with your innocent helpfulness. Thanks for that email to the lady who wanted to buy the book which you cant find hence you decided to take picts of another 2 books with similar titles and send it to her. I really do not know what to say. You are really great.

Don't get me wrong as i'm not trying to make you look like a clown. But its just amazing that a simple and straighforward guy like you can bring me so much laughter. Based my happiness on your sorrow perhaps. But seriously, your reactions are really classic.

Also, i wld like to thank you for being able to put up with my ridiculous temper and clearing all the mess i'd made after i'd left. I'll give you a big treat when you come back (provided that i'm still working) and may the remaining 2.5yrs be a breeze to you.

Enjoy!

Cheers,
ur ex hsemate frm hell

Missing Melb..

Are the maple leaves red or brown now?

Have the fog come back?

Does the sun set behind safeway now?

Will i need to wear a scarf if i'm back there now?

Are the overhead heaters along Lygon in use now?

Will the leaves fall as i walk thru the park?

Are the roses along Albert St in bloom?

***

Miss having coffee while sitting at the South lawn.

Miss eating sushi during lunch break.

Miss having a supermarket right under my aptm.

Miss taking the tram down the straight Royal Parade road and watching the brown leaves falling onto the street.

Miss seeing the sunsets.

***

Wishing i'm somewhere else.
If only wishes come true.

Someone..

The first few things i saw when i open my eyes today was the panoramas i stick on my wall last night. They are views of NZ and Aust. Then i started thinking of my room in Melb and the ppl there and i started thinking of this person.

He was a friend you know, just a friend. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not know him for long. Maybe about 1.5 yrs and we are not those friends that go out or chat on the phone. We are more of a hi-how are you- blah blah blah- take care and see you again kinda friends. Meaning that we are more than a hi-bye friend but a lot lesser in standing than those friends i have in sing. So, what is so special about him that makes me think of him today?

Maybe from time to time when you read this blog, you will spot some short sentences of how nice this person is and so and so. So, today, let me tell you how nice he is, in a gentlemen-ly way.
Whenever his hands are free and available (meaning that he's not carrying/holding anything) he will always ask me if i need help with my file, paper bag or whatever i was holding. Be it light or heavy he will always ask, 'Do you want me to hold (whatever i was holding) for you?' without me asking. If its something that is heavy he will just carry it and refuse to let me do it even though it is my job too.

I guess i'm being unreasonable by making a comparison btw him and my guy friends here in sing. I'm not saying that those here are not good or whatsoever. They are good in their own ways. In ways he will never be. But so many times i'd went out w my 'buddies' or 'brothers' and even guys i was seeing but non of them had ever ask me if they would like me to let them carry my stuff even after knowing how heavy the things are. I always have to MAKE them carry the bags i have. So, maybe that was why this guy stand out in the first place.

Then there was the car doors. He does not always open the cardoors for us, gers but whenever it is in the way, he will do so. Like say, he was driving and i happen to sit behind him, he will open the door just like that. Its not just this kinda treatment for me but for the other girls as well. It is just this kinda simple actions that make me change my prespective of Malaysian guys. Yes, hes a malaysian. I did asked him once why he did it, the opening of cardoors thingy and his reply was real good. 'I have a younger sis at home so sometimes i will open the door for her.'

Sometimes, my friends and i wondered. How come two countries that are so close to each other yet can produce people that are so different. We arrive at the conclusion that this might be due to their upbringing. They were taught from young to care for their siblings, respect ther elders, value their family more than others. Whereas us in sing had lost or forgot most of the moral values that we learn since young. I guess this is why we are so different. But i really will like to know how they were brought up and how their parents taught them to be such well-defined characters.

It's a mystery.

My last nite in Melb.

Guess wat, its X'mas Eve n i'm all alone at home. Even my parents are out. N i thought tt they wld be home for dinner but NO. They went dating and abandone me ALL ALONE. My hsemate is out for a countdown to X'mas but seems more like a countdown for me to leave.

Its a cold cold day and for no reason i started sneezing. The kind that is not a result of dust but a sympton of cold. Feels like i'm falling sick.

Sold some of the small items in my place just now. Feels so good even thought they are all underpriced. But well, something better than nothing. Hope my luggage won't be overweight tmr. I'm bringing so much things back. Gosh.. To think tt my parents are suppose to come over to carry my stuff back for me as in so i can bring more luggage back BUT my mum bought a lot of chocolates in NZ (u noe hw the sings like to buy choco coated kiwi fruit from the Cadbury Factory in Dunedin.. NO? Well, for those who went to HAwaii w me n had seen my crazy spree at the chocolate cum Macadamia nuts factory you can jolly well picture this. But with my mum's face) No wonder the saying 'like mother like daughter'. She bought like 7 boxes of chocolates and dun noe wat else. Even a choco lover like me felt distressed. [This is whom i learn unoewat from.] Anyway, back to my complains, she have like at least 5kg of chocos n $60 worth of nuts to bring hm. So u can understand my anger. I kept nagging that they r suppose to come here to increase the baggage i can bring back not to increast the baggage i HAVE to bring back. Damn.. One car is so not enought. I doubt 2 too.

Photo taken at Cadbury Factory in Dunedin. They are like 2 kids in wonderland. Not me. I was mulu-ated by them. Sigh..




Anyway, they just got back. Its so cold outside. Whin to my dad that i'm falling sick n wanna drink e lemon panadol thingy. N he made it for me. If i were to whine to my mum, i will have to whine till i fully recover and she will still not make it for me. But, if i were to tell my mum that i wanna drink wine, she will gladly pour for me (then she can sip some without being nag by my dad) but not my dad. So, to survive in this family, one will have to know where to place her feet and ask for who to complete certain tasks. Welcome to the Wong's Family where the youngest is the spoilt brat aka ME.

Went for a walk around Melb just now to bid farewell to my fav places. Namely St Kilda (for its sunday mkt), Lygon street (for its Freedo which is not open today. Damn. I wanna eat green tea flavour) and the city which is so so packed today even when it's a sunday. My last time buying tram ticket and taking tram. My last time walking down Swanston Street and admiring Ferderation Square for its jigsaw triangles. My last time eating Krispy Kreme donuts and drinking ice chocolate in Melb. Sigh.. There are so many things that i'm gonna miss.

Met up w a friend just now to pass her some money. I felt sad bidding farewell to her as she's flying back to Thailand (shld be in e air now) Felt like we will never meet again. I mean, this is life but still, can't help wondering if i were to study in my hm country, i wont have to undergo this kind of 'nan fen nan se'. Most of the friends tt i made in Melb are not from Sing. Most r from Malaysia, few from China, Thai, Korea and Indo. Now that i'm to go back to Sing, i will not meet any of them from diff countries. Even if we were to meet up it will only be for e next yr or 2. I noe that as time past, we will lose contact and someday when we see each other on the street we will just walk past each other. What a waste.

But everytime i were to sink into depression, i will remind myself of the friends who will be waiting for me in SIng. Supper time, sleeping n rotting in tyl's place, cheap movies n swimming pool. Stingrays, egg dao huey, wantan mee, peneng laksa(imitation) and lastly, my piano. One of the thing i miss most. But i told myself that i will get a new one with no broken notes and softer keys. I wanna carry on w my piano lessons. Also, i wanna get a dog n new furnitures for my room. But all this got to wait till i find a job and have enough money.

So my resolutions for when i got back in Sing,
1) Go swimming and take up Yoga or Pilates and LOSE WEIGHT. Not much just 7kg.
2) Get a job and make money.
3) Paint my room and buy new furnitures.
4) Get a dog.
5) Get a brand new piano.
6) Get a car?Nah.. Maybe 5 yrs later. But then, i rather get a hse.

Hope my job can post me elsewhere like say NZ, Canada or even Maldives. Then i shldn't get a dog nor a piano right? But well, dun think i will be able to find such a job. Maybe i will just become a teacher. Haha... Who knows??

A brand new ending?!?

Back in Melb, once again.

Just came back from a roadtrip to Mornington Penisula, Wilsons Prom and Lakes Entrance(again). Was suppose to come back on fri but due to some matters that is still pissing me off, we decided to come back earlier. Fuck credibility.



I grad last sat. Still can't belive tt i'd graduated. Fear tt one day the sch wld call and tell me that they had mark one of my paper wrongly and i'd failed. But guess not.



Coming back on Christmas day.

My first 9 hours of freedom..

I had my last paper today. While studying for it yest, i was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. I had no choice but to visit youtube and watch some anime to cheer myself up every now and then. Only while doing the paper today did i start to feel happier and more relieve. With each question my smile started to come back. Not because it was easy but because it will be over soon. I kept checking my watch for 4.15pm to come. Finally it did and i didn't manage to finish the paper. But so did a lot of my friends. So, heck it la.




Anyway, after the paper, along w 2 girlies, we went to St Kilda Beach. We bought some Belgium Beer from the Beer Garden and some snacks. Yes, i'd not only started on wine but also on light beer as well as sake etc. I tried a korean beer in a korean restaurant the other time while we had korean BBQ and it was super good. I mean, i like it.






It wasn't long before i was completely relaxed and laid back literally. It was super comfortable especially for a sleep deprived personal like me. We sat there for a another hour or two while i wait for my sunset. But sadly, there wasn't any clouds in the skies hence i wasn't able to see a magnificant sunset.








The sun setting into the sea. Never will i be able to see this in Singapore. Hence, hope that this won't be my last sunset, ever.

The Sun-server.


The Sun-biter.


Thats all for now. Tired. Needa rest early as needa wake up early tmr to go somewhere...

Random stuff, once again...

Firstly, let me post a pict of hail on my balcony at 3am that day. Seek hard and you shall see. If you look close enough, you can observe that they are already melting. (Click on the picture for a bigger version)

For the past four days, i had been doing nothing other than watching drama. TO the point that i'm bored. So so bored. After my paper that day, i felt lost. All of a sudden, i've lost my direction. I'd lost my aim and motivation. The paper was bad. But that was not the reason. The main point was, now, i have to find things to do. For the past 2 weeks, all i have in mind was to study, study and more studying. So, after my paper that day, i was lost. Because i need to find a new goal, a new aim and a new road. At least for the next few days.

Now, i'd found my route but i'm bored by it. Hope that i will start studying again, soon. Having my next paper on thursday. My last paper again. After that paper, maybe i will feel lost again. But i dare say, it won't last long. My parents are coming over AGAIN. Reaching on Saturday. They will be staying for a mth before draging me back with them.

I went to watch The Prestige with a couple of friends the other day. It was one of the best show i'd ever watch. The ending was unpredictable. At least not from the start. At first i thought Alfred was to be blame for causing the death of Angier's wife but in the end, which Borden was it that had caused the accident? He really did not know which knot was it, because he wasn't the one who tied it. When i thought that Angier was taking revenge for his wife's death than i realised that it was jealousy over Borden's success. He who lost it all. Lies become love, love was betray. Helper was brother. Science became magic which was actually the act of deceit. He who was believed to be dead was not, he who was thought to be alive, was dead.

A movie which cause great confusion yet was so intriguing that made me sit upright through out the whole movie. One that i won't mind watching another time. Simply because it was so good. A five out of five movie.

Saw my next door neighbour for the third time that night after the movies. It was about midnight and i was waiting for the tram in the city. It was cold but enjoyable. Then i saw him. I recgonise him by the muscial instrument that he was carrying. That was how i know it was him. If he was not carrying his m.i, i wld never knew tt was him.

The first time i saw him was 2 sundays ago, before my first paper. I was at the tram stop behind melb uni and so was him. He sat beside me on the bench. We didn't know that we were actually next door neighbour. We stop at the same stop, got into the same lift, stop at the same floor and walk the same way back to our apartments.

The next day after my paper, i was at another tram stop waiting for the same tram back home. I saw him when i was opening my mailbox. We were on the same tram again. Its just funny how things always turn out to be. That time there was a surprise visitor outside my door (the puppy) and i knock at my neighbour's door asking if it was their dog. I guess that day they were having a party because there were a lot of people in their apartment. But i didn't notice who they actually are. I was more interested in the dog. Then we never see each other again for the next 2, 3 months and all of a sudden, i kept bumping into him. Isn't it weird how things work?Just like the korean guy that i met in Cairns. 3 times and thats it.

I wonder who will be my next threetimes.

Surprise me!

When i was preparing to leave for my paper today, i looked out of the window and saw a SUNNY day. I thought for a while and extend my hand out. I was right! It's chilly with strong winds. So, i have to wear many layers in case IT decided to change it's mind.

I went down to my mail box as i was anticipating a letter from someone sweet. But it had yet to arrive.

Left my building and realized that it had started drizzling. Well, luckily i'm 'hooded'. I pull up my hood and walk into the pharmacy to get some plasters for my poor middle finger.

A layer of skin ermm.. drop? cut? peel? off. I realised that i was bleeding while cooking my beer pork 2 days ago and it had yet to recover. Guess the skin was too dry or the dishwashing liquid was too strong for my dedicate hand.I tried placing the layer back on top and plaster it but guess i didn't do a good job as there were a portion which wasn't place on the correct position. I wonder how it will look like after a few more days...

After purchasing a box of twenty, i walked to the traffic lights and wait for Mr Greeny to appear. Suddenly, things felt weird. The raindrop felt big and i'm getting wet.

Whats that sound?

Someone throwing peddle? Is the rain gettin' bigger?

I was all wrong.

It's hailing!! Lots of small white icy pellets falling on the ground. Ok, maybe i shld say hitting the ground instead. But it was so so so cool. Today's was the first time i experience such a heavy hail-fall. The balls of ice are about half a centimeter in diameter. They are visible. But they melt real quick. This explains why i got wet quicker. It was so so cool.

Luckily i wore several layers of clothing hence they were able to cushion the impact for me but i still felt something hitting on me. It felt like someone was throwing sand at me. It was so so cool. Out of nowhere, it started hailing. About five minutes later, it stop and the sun came out.

I'm so gonna miss Melbourne weather. I really will!

My sense of taste is back..

I wasn't referring to my dress sense. Because I know I dun even have one to lose it and to get it back.

I was referring to my tastebud. For the past one week, due to stress, I was practically forcing myself to eat. From 3 meals + several snacks a day to 2 meals + a glass of Earl Grey + a cup of coffee + several mugs of Chinese tea. I was basically surviving on my sugar intake from the tea and coffee. I had subway, kebak, Korean hotpot, pizza and even KFC but non of them was able to provide me with any satisfaction that one will normally receive after a meal. In fact, eating was just a waste of time and i wish that there's those pills that can substitute food.

I wasn't the only one. In fact most of us who were taking efm felt the same way. We just lost our mood for food. So, aft the paper, 4 of us, girls, went in search of this Penang restaurant, somewhere in Ormond. Due to the express trains, we were brought to Camberwell and hence began our long walk. For once, the sun was out and shining after being on leave for say 2 weeks. It was hot and glaring. So, when we finally reach that restaurant, we were all very very glad.

Our purpose were to try the Penang Laksa. People who know me shld know that i like sour food esp Tom Yum. Assam Laksa is my favouite kind of laksa hence, it was worth the walk, the sun and the flies.

The laksa was good. Only today then i realised that the noodles that they use in Penang Laksa is different from those that i normally eat in Sembawang's Sun Plaza foodcourt. I had been deceived for years. So, secretly, i made a promise with myself.

That is, to go to Penang and eat their Penang Laksa.

Also, i want to go to Ipoh to try their Ipoh hor fun.

I want to go to all states to try their famous food.

But this got to wait till i'm back.

Anyway, back to the laksa we all had. It was good. It restore our tastebuds. Finally, we cld experience the satisfaction of eating good food. And now, i'm back to eating again.

There goes my weight loss and here come an increase in weight. AGAIN.

Hottest spot in Carlton.

We had always been complaining about how boring life is in Melb and how no nightlife such and such. But tonight, i made a discovery.

We DO have nightlife in Melbourne.

Its not expensive at all, in fact its FOC.

People from different countries, different ethnic backgrounds and whatever differences you can think of, gather together in one small building for one common interest.

There is drinks but you need to BYO food unless you don't mind snacks.

Recently, i'd took up this long forgotten interest of mine. And i'd not regretted since then.

Bailieu Library, you are one hell of a place!