Encounter of a Kind

I was getting ready to leave the house. With everything in hand, and before I opened the door, I paused for a few seconds, as I always do, to make sure that I had my essentials: purse, key, phone. Okay, set, ready... open door.

I opened the door and was greeted by the sight of an Asian girl waiting in front of my unit.

We stared at each other for what seemed like an extremely long second.


As it turns out, she's a neighbour, one door away, at the other end of the hall. She heard me practicing on the piano, and actually came out and sat in the hallway to listen.

She sat in the hallway! To listen to me?!

I was rather flabbergasted. I didn't quite know how to respond.

Her name is Junna and she's from Japan. Junna arrived in Melbourne last April and is here until the end of July only, for the purpose of studying English these few months.

And if my neighbours from all the way down the hall can hear the piano, does that mean the entire floor can hear me banging away at the piano?? I have not received any complaints from anyone, so I suppose that's a good thing!

But ohmygoodness. Feeling quite embarrassed and still feeling a little flustered, I told Junna that she can just knock on the door next time and come in and listen to me if she wanted. (Having an audience might be good practice for me too!)

It is really quite a bizarre thing that happened. What's more, there was at least a full ten minutes where I stopped playing to get all my things ready to leave the house. She could not have possibly waited for me!!

I might see more of her. In any case, it's always great to meet someone staying on the same floor. I hardly know my neighbours, so even if she's a temporary resident, it's nice to know that my piano-playing can connect me with strangers. Haha.

Last!

I'm going to leave this post up for a few days. I've decided to change the URL, and just start from there. It's too much if I just leave this blog (and I don't even want to entertain the thought of deleting it!), so I think a new template and a new URL would be good enough.

Um.

I should be on MSN for the next week or so, if you want to know my new URL, just ask or email me.

nuttyceleryrabbitsticksfudge will cease to exist after a few days.

Thank you for your support, everyone!




Replies to tags:

Sharon: I'm so glad you went to watch! I know, I loved the musical, it's amazing, and how could I resist not getting the poster? Lol. I know how you feel about wanting to buy all the merchandise! I'm going for Wicked too! Does that mean you're coming down to Melbourne?!

Tee: Thanks =)

Last (?)

I know I'm long overdued for an update.

Honestly speaking, I don't know why I bother maintaining this blog anymore, if not for the sake of just updating and posting about some general event or random topics. I think the main reason why Jerry and I began this blog together was really for the intention of keeping you all updated and informed on what's going on in our lives, etc. etc. And I've come to the realization that I haven't really been doing that. I mean, heck, how many of you know what's happening with me right now?

I haven't talked to Jerry in a long time now, and I have not seen him in more than 2 years. It's easy to say, "Yes, an update is coming along soon", but I think blogging has to stem from some sort of interest too, I suppose. And I guess maybe it's just not his sort of thing? I don't know.

I'm finding that I'm starting to lose that interest too. The nature of my posts have changed over the past two years too, and it's just become more and more vague and general in recent times - okay, frankly speaking, it's just boring. Even I don't feel like reading the last few posts I've written! I censure myself so much that I'm left with nothing to share about, except for really... well, "general" events happening. I was probably more... I don't know, funny and "entertaining" in the early stages of this blog? And probably less reserved, too.

And the thing is, there are things going on in my life. There are issues I'm going through, there are so many things I'm excited for, fearful of - ups and downs, all of them. Oh, I don't know. I guess I just really need to stop censuring myself so much on this blog. But as I mentioned in one post ages ago, there is only so much you can say on a public blog.

If I were to really just let loose and stop holding back, the torrents of words that will be released would probably surprise some of you.

So I don't know... maybe it's time I just leave this blog as it is. As in, this is it - this will be my "swansong". I don't exactly know where I'm going with this blog anymore - I used to email, and I was probably a lot more open in those too..

But at the same time, one part of me is not quite ready to hang up the boots yet - one option is that I'm considering changing the URL - all these past posts will still be here, but I'll probably change the way I blog. (And I will let you know the new URL if you ask, I suppose.) And then I won't hold back so much.

I love writing. I really do. And that's probably why I'm not ready to "kill" this blog.

So... check back in a week's time. If I've locked this blog, then.. that means "the end", I suppose (if that does happen, it doesn't mean I won't ever blog again, though). If the URL has become non-existent, then I've probably decided to change the URL, and will blog more openly in that new environment.

I'm of the opinion that public blogs really thrive because of the readers - knowing that someone's reading does give you that inspiration to go on sometimes. So in the meantime, thank you for still reading this blog, despite how stagnant it's become.

Interval

As expected, the first practice duet session went hilariously bad, but it was great hearing all four hands come together. We managed to muddle through almost the entire first movement. It sounded pretty good for the first time, I'll have to say; we're meeting up for another practice next week.

Easter break is finally here! Time flies - three weeks of uni over, and now we're on a 10-day break before the "real" work starts coming in.

I'll be away for Easter camp from Friday to Monday; it's gonna be awesome and expect God to work in amazing ways!

It's been a crazy week, and I'm glad for the break. Will update again when I get back.

Another "everything" post.

=/

Why is it that when I finally sit down in front of my laptop, my fingers on the keyboard, with all the good intentions of blogging, that my mind becomes an instant blank the moment I see the empty space in front of me?

Something interesting did happen over the weekend - haha, but that's for another time. Maybe if you remember and ask me about it, I'll tell you about it. Lol.

Coming to yet another end of a week - I now officially have one class on Friday (which was initially free, sigh), after I changed my Ensemble class. The good thing is that I won't have to reach home at 7 pm after class on Wednesday now.

Thinking about whether I should do the LRSM..

Piano duets this semester - exciting! Finally met up with the girl I'm partnering with; we'll be playing Mozart's Symphony No. 40 for 4 hands. We'll be trying it together on Tuesday morning. (It'll probably sound hilariously bad.)

I need to start doing my readings, make notes, and begin on serious preparation for my 50% politics essay. (I know, it's only week 2, but I have absolutely no intentions of leaving everything to the end of the semester and swot vac, which is our one-week study break, to cram everything and, well, everything. Frankly, that would just be too much for even an old-time procrastinator like me.)

It's my sister's birthday today - happy 17th! (Doesn't 17 seem ages ago for the rest of us reading this?) Can you believe I wrote the birthday card about a week ago, and it's just been lying there waiting for me to mail it? (Sorry, Karen, I will post it tomorrow. Haha. And you never told me that the cat was pregnant?! And now she's given birth on your birthday?! Doesn't that mean she was already pregnant when I left Brunei?! And isn't she still a kitten?!!)

I had the oddest dream last night - weirdly enough, there were meat pies in my dream. I was very hesitant about eating them - an after-effect of watching Sweeney Todd, probably; for some reason in my dream, I really thought that it was human meat, and refused to eat the pies. *Shudders* And I dreamt I had a really awesome pet dog, and my old cat, Chilli, turned up in the dream, too. They didn't get along. (Which is quite odd in retrospect, because the cats and dogs back home usually get along really well.)

Yes, I get bizarre dreams often.

And for a post which started out with me having blogger's block, it seems like I have a whole load of material suddenly.

X_X

Everything between then and now.

The new semester of another new school year has begun; third day, and it's already a whirlwind of classes, lectures, and activities.

Third year, and I feel "old". To think that I was one of these first-years a couple of years ago.


Hillary won in Ohio and Texas (!) - amazing victory, especially after her dissenters were already writing her off after a string of defeats over the past week. But despite her victories, she still has a tough journey ahead of her. Obama is still leading in delegates, and the Democrats are still nowhere near to actually having a clear nominee. On the other hand, the Republicans have chosen, and Huckabee has bowed out of the race and given McCain his endorsement after yesterday's Super Tuesday II.

And yes, I've actually been following the US elections since late last year - it's actually quite interesting, but at the same time, confusing. The US political system is crazily complicated.

I've decided to take up a second major after re-evaluating my degree - have got just enough points left for that second major. Have no idea how it'll turn out, but I'd probably still focus more on my intended major anyway.

Politics is completely new waters for me. I've tested the waters, and it's exciting and daunting, to actually learn something "new", and that feeling of eagerness is something which I haven't felt in a while now. Wading into it, and trying not to feel overwhelmed by the currents. I chose American Politics and Society for this semester, and especially with the current events, I figured that this subject would make for a very interesting study.

The extremely thick coursepack with a gazillion articles and readings, which is
insanely expensive for a bunch of papers thrown together and merely binded.
Oh, the trees.

I've decided to go for the Guys and Dolls musical after all, after managing to sweep up several people along with my expensive taste in arts and entertainment =P.

I finally got around to watching Sweeney Todd on Tuesday night with Caleb (half-priced Tuesday tickets!) and OHMYGOSH. At the end of it, I just sat in my seat, blown away and still lost in that world which Tim Burton has re-created and adapted from the musical. He's an amazing director. Now if I can have the opportunity to watch the musical itself, which is apparently much darker and much more mind-blowing. (I would so love to get a Sweeney Todd poster.)

The throat-slitting montage of customer after customer was a bit on the gruesome side for me - I was covering my face for those scenes; I can't really stomach these kind of scenes. Lol! But wow - Stephen Sondheim's music is incredible. (Incidentally, he also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story the musical.) I need to get my hands on the soundtrack! I especially loved the song between Mrs. Lovett and Mr. T about the different types of pies they can make. Morbid, but wow! Haha. My other favourite song is the one about pretty women between Todd and Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman, who surprised me with his singing; in case you didn't know, he plays the role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films).


The trailers shown before the film began featured Vantage Point - Lydia told me that it's a really good movie, and we'll probably go watch it next week once it comes out. But the trailer that REALLY took me by surprise was - "SHUTTER". Yes, the American version. Hahaha. So weird! It's like - "spirit photography, it's real, yadayada". I wonder how successful this remake will be. Asian horror movies normally incorporate a lot of cultural references, and most of those will probably be lost in translation in the remake. I remember watching the original Thai version in the cinema. Yes, with my hands covering my eyes half the time. =P The ending completely creeped me out, with that twist, and it took me about a week to recover. I enjoy horror movies, and the thrill and chills that it gives, but it's the aftermath which I dread. Horror movies aren't too healthy spiritually too. Lol.

This post is all over the place. I'm quite excited for this semester actually. I'm determined to make the most out of this year, especially after a horrible second year.

Till the next post; adieu!

Gaah.

I am feeling super sien-ed. So not in the mood to study. Sigh. Even looking at that piece of paper with the funny lines and squiggly things on it makes me want to groan and just climb into bed and bury myself under the covers.

School starts on Monday. My exam's on Monday.

Summer flew. Literally. Today is the coldest day yet since I came back - Autumn's certainly not delaying her arrival.

The Degraves household is complete again! Lydia came back yesterday, and the four of us, together with Dawn, went for the final night market of the summer at Victoria Market. Today we re-arranged the living room, to give it a different sort of feel, after a year of the same layout. I'd like to rearrange my bedroom as well, but I can't see how.

I realize I've never posted up pictures of the apartment nor my bedroom. An idea for a future post, I suppose, especially if I don't know what to blog about. (Another realization: I'm still very much wary about blogging personal things, hence I try to keep most of my posts general and non-specific.)

Hmm.

This blog needs something newwww. Does ANYONE want to co-blog with me? SERIOUSLY.