Miss Saigon!

I can-not wait for tonight.

"Tonight, tonight..." Haha, okay, that's totally the wrong song from the wrong musical, but I'm so excited!

In addition to Miss Saigon, I'll also be going for Phantom of the Opera in early September.

Meanwhile, the Grand Prix was held in Melbourne a few days back, the FINA World Swimming Championships is still going on; Melbourne Comedy Festival is going to be on next month, I think - and with the Moomba Water Festival just over recently, it really is a month of madness. The newspapers call it "March Madness".

I've got a lot of pictures from the Moomba, but will upload them when I have time.

I know I haven't been updating lately - but will try my best! Melbourne is - well, Melbourne.

Week 4 already...! Where did the days go?



On an entirely different note, I made a new friend yesterday!

It might not seem a big a deal, on the surface - I mean, people meet people everyday, you make new friends now and then, but I guess for me, it's harder especially in uni. When we were younger, we had no qualms about talking to that kid sitting over there who's missing his or her two front teeth. Kids don't really care about appearances and vanity. They accept you for who you are.

I guess it just seemed really great that I'm finally able to talk, as in really, talk to someone for once in one of my classes - and being the only Asian in a Lit class full of Caucasians - well, it's not easy sometimes. Especially since you get to see these people probably for only one semester, and then you might never see them again.

It's only when you grow older that you realize so many things. And then you find out that even after all those years of learning and schooling, you still know so little.

There and Back Again

After finding out that a few other people were also upgraded to Raffles Class, and seeing that the Raffles Class cabin was almost full upon boarding the plane, my excitement kind of diminished as the novelty of being able to ride in the Raffles Class on SIA wore off.

Of course, prior to my departure, I just had to take the opportunity to visit:

I was told by my dad's friend to drop by the lounge. Which I did. It was a little awkward as I was literally surrounded by rich and well-dressed business people; most were middle-aged and older.

After having a go at the free internet at the lounge, I thought I would look for an empty seat (it was surprisingly crowded) and read the papers. I had the 'luck' to have an elderly English gentleman sit across me who started giving out anecdotes and his philosophies on life, society and the world. I shall not bother to reproduce the conversation here. But he certainly is one rich man - "I have thousands, millions, and I started from nothing."

For once, it was nice to breeze through the 'First Class/Business Class' queue rather than the 'Economy Class' queue. The life of the rich!

The seats were certainly very spacious and a lot more comfortable. I suppose one downside to this is that I will not be looking forward to going back to economy class. Lol. I don't think I've had a better sleep on any other flight thus far, despite only being able to manage about two (out of seven) hours.

I felt like a noob when I found out that the TV set was in the left hand-rest of the chairs; you have to pull it out and adjust its position as you like. The table was similarly tucked away neatly in the right hand-rest.

The food was so-so, despite the fact that Raffles Class passengers have their own special menu. I never expect airplane food to taste good anyway. Beverages on the menu included wine. And no, I didn't order wine.

In-flight entertainment was pretty good. Most of the movies which were available included the recent Oscar nominees.

Melbourne is freaking hot and it hasn't rained. (I miss the rain already!) First day, and I'm already melting. I am not looking forward to getting back to books and studying after two months of bumming around at home.

I despise losing 3 hours each time I come back.

Will be going furniture shopping for my new apartment tomorrow. Something to look forward to! I'll post up pictures when I can.

Ciao!

Of Flights, Business Classes, and $500

Yeah, I know this blog has been dead for too long, but here's a quick update.

First, sorry to Jerome for not being able to make it that night! Guess you didn't shoot the plane down after all since I arrived in Singapore safely. Lol. And sorry to Albert, Kang and Chiew Hui - things were just too hectic on the last day and I had to settle a lot of last minute things, so I couldn't make it to your houses. Thanks for the invites!

I'm currently in Changi Airport. And I've been upgraded to Business Class! Especially for a 7-hour flight, this is welcome news. Haha. I thought I was late to the airport, since my flight was a 9 p.m. flight, but I arrived at the airport with my dad and his friend only at 8. SIA has this overbooking policy, and the 9 p.m. flight was very full, so I was shifted to the 11.40 p.m. flight, along with an upgrade, plus a reimbursement of $500.

I didn't spend any of that $500 even after roaming around the shops for quite a while. I would love to take pictures, but I'm not sure if picture-taking is prohibited in airports, but rather than getting accosted by security, I'd rather play it safe. =P

I miss you guys already, but I might be back in April to do my red IC..

I'll be so looking forward to sitting and enjoying the Raffles Class on SIA - I feel extremely 'sakai', since this will be entirely new for me, and well, you know me - every single new thing, also must point and shout and get excited over! I'm in the lounge specially for first class and business class ticket holders, and it's... so.. I think I'm the most immature and youngest looking person around, since practically everyone I see are business people and old men and ladies. I get free food and drinks I think. I feel small. Lol. It's like... ahh, so this is how the rich really live! I want to be rich too!

Mm.

Anyway, have a great CNY...!

Here's an extremely late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year greeting to this blog.

Yeah, I know it's dead. But even I thought it'll be a change from seeing the same post every time I visit the site.


On other matters, apartment matters are finally settled - thank God for His providence! At least now I can look forward to going back to Melbourne without any feelings of trepidation about where I will be staying after my contract ends.

It's been great seeing everyone, and I mean, everyone.

Um.

I honestly don't know what to say anymore. And it's late anyway. So...

Oh yeah...! Really happy you called, Ern! It was really a pleasant surprise - and I assure you, you do not want to hear me dying on the phone.

Even if you might laugh at my shrieks of, "I told you so, Ern!!" before my life literally ends in your ears. =P

(What happened was that I was approaching a petrol station - my mom wanted to fill up the tank, and I didn't want to risk an explosion. I mean, you sure don't want to see MY name in that article headlined, "Tragic explosion at petrol station - hand with phone found miles away" or something silly like that.

Okay, fine, I know I'm over-reacting. Haha. I'll probably just end up deaf and without a left hand, in the worst case scenario. ...Right?)


So...

Jerry!!! It's YOUR turn.

Okay, everything's finally sort of confirmed.

I'll be back to Brunei on Monday... my brother and sister are flying to S'pore tomorrow, and they'll meet me at the airport, or something like that; we'll be staying at a hotel, just us three siblings (woots, sibling bonding time? I'm very certain that they coming to S'pore is not just a case of "We miss Jie Jie"; come on, one's 16, and the other's 18 - they definitely have their own agendas =P. Yes, Karen. I know you'll be going on a shopping spree for two days.)

That aside, wow, finally! I'll be landing in Singapore late Saturday night; scheduled landing time is 9.30 p.m. I'll probably reach the hotel by 10.30 p.m. at the latest, and I'll see if I'm up to meeting you, Sherissa, and everyone else who I'd want to catch up with in S'pore. (I'll SMS you when I get there.)

And yeah, I could probably meet up with you too, Tiong, if you're reading this at all. (Even though you're still coming back to Brunei anyway, but heeey, at least you can be the first person to actually see me "officially" after... what, almost 10 months =P.)

I'll be leaving on Sunday night (with my siblings), catching the 11 p.m. flight to Brunei. So I'll be arriving back in Brunei officially early Monday morning. That means I have the entire Sunday in S'pore. Yay, spending Christmas Eve there.

Can't wait to catch you all! The next two days are full-on and busy for me as I settle last-minute things. Accommodation is almost settled. There's still many things to consider and do about next year. But anyway. I don't think I'll be posting as often during the next two months, so yeah.

See you all soon!! Take care, everyone.

The water lily lake, Royal Botanical Gardens, Tasmania (Day 1)

6 more days!! By this time next week, I think I'll already be back in Brunei. (I really hope so!) I don't think I'll stop over in S'pore for too long - once I land there, I'll be buying the earliest possible ticket out to Brunei. But I'll definitely stop over in S'pore for a few days on my way back to Melbourne in February next year.

Hm... Haven't been doing much... I've been watching quite a few movies recently though!

I watched The Prestige last Tuesday, and I enjoyed it, despite having to sit in the front row (bought the tickets too late!). Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman were stellar in their performances, and the movie is engaging, with all the twists and turns. I caught Charlotte's Web the week before as well, and it was very faithful to E.B. White's novel, so thumbs-up for that - plus, it has beautiful music scored by Danny Elfman (who has worked with Tim Burton on many of his films including Big Fish, Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, etc. - he did the soundtrack for the first two Spiderman movies as well). It's not amazingly good, but it's a feel-good, family movie with cute animals that talk. I loved the book when I had read it some years back, and am glad with the movie adaptation.

One adaptation which failed, failed, failed was Eragon. It was a major, major disappointment. I contend that the film and book are two different media, and you can't always expect a totally faithful adaptation (especially not if it's in the fantasy genre, with tons of details that are impossible to fit in a movie) but still, for a movie which was only one and a half hours, they could have made it a 2-hour long movie. They could have done at least a bit more with that extra half hour, adding and fleshing out more details... I have too many gripes that I don't even want to get into it here, but I know that I'm definitely not catching the sequel (which was implied in the ending, and if they will do it). Anyhow, a sequel seems almost impossible, especially considering all the details and characters they left out from the book, some of which are essential to the plot in the second part. Not that the book itself was great great - it's a fun read, but unoriginal and derivative. If you haven't seen it - well, don't waste your money. I didn't have this many complaints watching Harry Potter or LOTR, despite the screenwriters throwing out many scenes from the books, but at least the main story was still there.

And while I'm still on the subject - why adapt Eragon, when there are so many better fantasy books out there!! (I'd like to see David Eddings' Belgariad series adapted, for one.)

I started watching Grey's Anatomy a week ago, and I'm hooked. I'm still watching Friends, and going on strong - on season 6 now, although I had to skip to it from season 4, 'cause no one has season 5.. someone lend me season 5! Lol.

Oh my gosh, I'm turning into a lazy TV freak.

I only just realized that there is a Warner Bros. store at Crown (a casino, hotel, movie, shopping, food, entertainment complex), and I love all the things they were selling there - brings back memories of the cartoons we used to watch when we were younger. There were movie memorabilia on sale, including animation cels and signed posters, etc., all selling for thousands. I would love to own at least one of those authentic items. There was a whole section of Simpsons merchandise - speaking of which, I can't wait for the movie next year! And oh, the final Harry Potter book will be out next year too, as well as the 5th movie (Order of the Phoenix, which happens to be my least favourite in the series actually). Spiderman 3 will be out next year too.

Okay, I'm rambling now, and I should stop. I have nothing better to talk about now anyway.

Hope you're doing well, Jerry. (When am I seeing a post from you??)

Looking forward to catching up with you all in Brunei soon...!

Home is where the heart is

Sigh.

11 more days. My entire family's in Sibu right now. Sibu might not be a very exciting holiday destination, but I haven't seen my grandparents and relatives in almost 2 years now. I always feel much more at home in Sibu than in Ipoh, language barrier being one of the reasons.

It's nice to know that you're still alive, Jerry.

Victoria has been having a spate of bushfires, and the city is again covered in smog today, from all the smokes from the fires. The weather's extremely eccentric. It can be extremely hot and dry one day, and the next day, it's winter again. Gah. I want normalcy ...

I want home.

A Quick Update

The last few weeks have been crazy, and literally a whirlwind of activities. Tasmania was beautiful, and I've got lots of amazing scenic pictures - looking at the pictures, it's almost hard to believe that I had been there. The second last day in Tassie was spent hiking Cradle Mountain, and I think we took on more than we bargained for; it was only after we finished this particular crossing that we realized it was actually one of the 'steep and difficult' climbs.

Anyway. That might not make much sense. I can't be bothered to make myself sound coherent at this moment.

Straight after Tasmania was the OCF (Overseas Christian Fellowship) Convention - it was great to see all the OCF-ers coming in from all the other Australian states, and so Convention was another 6 straight days of sermons, bible studies, workshops, worship sessions, etc.

I came back with a cold, and my voice has transformed, so yeah.

I still can't change my flight. All December flights are fully booked. My dad suggested upgrading to Business class, but I called Qantas, and it'll cost me a freaking $6000+ just for a stupid upgrade. And to upgrade to a different class, but still in Economy, will cost me $1350. Buying a single ticket back to S'pore will cost me $1250, and if I wait till 23rd December with my current ticket, it'll cost me nothing.

Okay, my frustration with that over and done with, I realize that I'm not feeling that frustrated over this whole flight thing. I guess I don't really mind staying till that long - okay, fine, I DO mind, to a certain extent. My family's going back to Sibu next week, for one week. I'm still here!! I haven't seen my relatives and grandparents in almost 2 years...! There's not much to do in Sibu, but still...!

And even after coming back from Convention, I'm still bushed. On the same day I came back, I went out at night again to the night market at Victoria Markets - it's an event which only happens every Wednesday in summer, so it was my first time. The next day, had dinner with Joan, who was on exchange for the past semester from the States, and she left today. After dinner, a bunch of us chilled at a friend's place, just playing cards the whole night. Tonight, had dinner again with Esther, who's graduated, and is leaving at the end of the month. Tomorrow, I think I'm going shopping.

A few friends are organizing an early Christmas party for us left in Melbourne, so it's not that bad, really, staying on for so long... and with a couple of movie outings planned for the next week, and just random things to do, I guess it's not that bad. And not to mention, I have yet to settle my accommodations for next year.

This post is turning out to sound rather messy and convoluted. I doubt anyone understood that whole ramble of text I just typed out. Ah well, never mind.

Seeing people leave Melbourne one by one for home makes me wish I was leaving on a plane for home too. This is the longest I've ever been away for home. I know it may not sound like a big deal - some people probably never go back at all, or they might have stayed longer than 2 years, but there's still no place like home.

On the other hand, not everyone will be there when I go back... Gosh, Ern, I have no idea when I might see you again. =( And I know there will be changes to face when I go back as well. But that's part of life, and it's inevitable.

Anyway, hope you all are doing great. Sigh... two more weeks.

Sort-of-hiatus

Those pictures from Fifteen will just have to come a little later.

I'm leaving for Tasmania early in the morning, and I'll be away for 5 days, and with all the blog entries this month coming from only one corner of the world, this blog is declared officially on a break. After Tassie, I'm going off straight for OCF Convention, which is 6 days, so there probably won't be any updates until after 6 December then. I might update when I come back from Tasmania.

I miss you guys so much. As I've said, my current ticket is for a 5.15 p.m. flight on 23rd December, but I've been trying to change it to an earlier date (results are negative so far). So hope and pray that I can really get an earlier flight! I really don't want to be stuck here that long.

And I really mean it when I say I miss all of you. I've been feeling quite homesick lately, and I'm sure some of you will know that it's not at all a nice feeling to carry around all the time.

I know we throw around the word 'miss' a lot, in the sense of yearning and longing and sentimentality, but I don't think I've meant that word so much as I do right now.

Fifteen

Fifteen!!

Went to Fifteen today with Esther, Marianne, Melvin and Kingsley (from my cell group). Fifteen is the chain of restaurants that's opened by Jamie Oliver, and he was in Melbourne earlier in August/September to promote it. We were lucky to get a reservation; the restaurant is almost fully booked out till next year January, but we managed to get a slot for lunchtime today when I called last week to make the reservation.

Melvin took lots of pictures, and once I get those from him, I'll post a few up; the food's good, but oh my gosh, the bill! O_O Fine dining is one thing I definitely won't do very often, and although it wasn't entirely perfect, I enjoyed the food, and the experience was great. (On a side note, I can't believe how much I've been spending on food.)

The interior's nice, although the ambience wasn't as relaxed and as peaceful as we expected, but seeing that the restaurant was full of patrons, I guess we can't really expect that. The deco is really beautiful; even the bathrooms had really unique designs. It was an open concept, so we could see the chefs and all. A few of my friends recognized the chefs, since they have been featured on television on one of Jamie Oliver's shows. I confess I don't know watch Jamie Oliver very much. Or watch much TV, for that matter.

This post will be very boring without pictures, so I'll try to get them soon, to liven up the blog a little. Will elaborate more then!

Two Weeks Away From Summer, A Winter's Day in Late Spring

..hm, that sounds like a good title for a novel, actually... a-hem. Anyway!

I'm finally done with all my exams! Had my practical this morning, kind of like a recital - it was "okay". There were, inevitably, mistakes. But for goodness' sake, why must the examiners' faces be so stiff and expressionless? I could hear them conversing while I was playing, and that didn't help. Are they saying, "Hm, that sounds good", or "How the heck did this girl pass the auditions?"

I want my results NOW, and I want to read the comments they wrote. I was nervous when I started playing, but loosened up into the second and third pieces. =(

Called Qantas again today, and still no positive answer. Sigh. At this point, I pretty much want a date, anytime earlier than 23rd Dec. I was talking to my mom, and she told me that flights from S'pore to Brunei are all fully booked from Christmas Day onwards, so if I can't get an earlier flight, I don't think I might be able to stay in S'pore for long... (sorry, Sherissa, Holly, and everyone else whom I was planning to meet up there!!)

The 23rd Dec flight that I'm currently holding leaves Melbourne at 5.15 pm, so by the time I get to S'pore, it'll be close to midnight, and once I arrive there, I need to buy a ticket ASAP to Brunei - yeah, that's another dilemma, I don't have a ticket to Brunei yet, and if the flights are fully booked again, I'll be damned. It looks like I just might have to forgo staying in S'pore for a few days if things continue this way.

Top on my list for now is the search for a new accommodation... but that probably won't interest any of you in the least. Just trivial - no, really important, actually - things that I have to get settled before I leave. Maybe it is good that I'm leaving late, since I still have so many things to do.

As the post title describes today's weather - it is COLD. The max was forecasted to be 14 degrees. It's almost hard to believe that it'll be summer in two weeks' time (technically, that is). Hail and snow were predicted yesterday (probably in the suburbs and at higher altitudes).

I can't believe it... exams over and done with... sigh. Home seems so close, yet so far away...

Now that I have all this free time, apart from doing the need-to-be-done-things-before-I-leave, I think I might look for a part-time job to while the time away (and earn some money - I've been spending too much. Not on shopping, but it's all been on food!).

And (this might be horrifying to all Friends fans out there), I've just recently borrowed seasons 1-3 of Friends. I've never ever seen a single episode before ("No way!"), and got hooked on it about a month ago ("What, after the series has ended??"), around season 4 ("OMG!"). Yeah, I know, it's hard to pick up from there, since some of the jokes are running..

But I can say that I'm officially hooked on it now. =D ("Welcome to the dark light!")

Dilemma

I've visited their office once, called Qantas thrice already, and each time leads to a disappointment.

I'm trying to get a change of flight date. When my dad originally bought this ticket back in Feb (which was very last minute), he had to put down a specific date for the return date, and not knowing when exams would end, or when the semester ends, etc., so he put down 23rd December as a safe option. The idea is that I'll change it later.

I ought to have called like, MONTHS before and change the date. I didn't expect the whole month of December to be fully booked. (Okay, fine, I know that it would be, but I'm still in stage 1: denial.)

I refuse to stay here till 23rd December (see what I mean about denial?). If I hadn't confirmed going to Tasmania from 25th to 30th November with a bunch of friends, I would have backed out, but it's too late, because the flights have been booked, the tickets bought, accommodations booked, etc. I had planned to go for OCF Convention (1st to 6th December) afterwards, and fly to S'pore on the 8th, probably staying there for a few days, before flying back to Brunei.

The plan sound-ed good.

Sigh. I've decided that I'll skip Convention, and call like, everyday. Maybe twice a day. Or every hour! I want to go home. Hoping for a flight between the 1st to 12th December. I'm not going to be stuck here with the annoying flies for summer.

I absolutely refuse.

Freedom... sort-of.

It's over!!

Sort of.

I had my music history paper today, which wasn't too bad (thank God for that!). Most of what I studied came out (phew!). But I had been stressing over this subject the most, since there was so much to read, remember and understand.

Now for my Aural exam on the 13th, and final practical exam on the 15th...

This might be a bit late in coming, but happy belated birthday to both Fei and Sherissa! Meant to send an SMS to both of you, but in the midst of cramming and stress, I think you'd both understand. Lol. Hope you had a great one!

Hm... what else.

Melbourne Cup (the so-called "race that stops a nation") was held today, which is this huge horse-racing event. And yeah, almost the whole of Victoria gets a holiday, because of that - horse-racing. Most of the shops were closed, or open for half-a-day only. Like all horse-racing events, (from what I heard) the ladies all dress up, the men dress in suits and stuff as well, so it's partly a formal affair. Of course, there are the weird costumed people, too. And what's a horse-racing event without that money-throwing extra (betting). But anyway, I definitely want to attend Melbourne Cup in one of the next few years! (Not to bet lah - I know nuts about horse-racing!) It'll be cool to experience it. But apparently, it usually clashes with exam periods...

Therefore, while most of the public are enjoying their day off either at home or at Flemington (Melbourne Cup venue), suffering students like us sit inside the exam hall.

What else...


Gah. This blog has been feeling extremely one-sided recently. =P (hint, hint)

The library is my new home

It's almost 1 a.m. and I'm still in the library, studying. Or trying my best to study, anyway. (Opening hours have been extended till 3 a.m. during exam/mugging/cramming period.)


I'm ready to die... lol.

(The fact that I find that point amusing doesn't help the situation either.)

The One with the Haircut

Tomorrow is last day of semester!

We get a one week study break!

I still have so much to do!



I got a haircut yesterday ($20 for a cut-wash-blow, which is actually quite reasonable considering that Melbourne is a very expensive place to get haircuts).

The hairdresser chopped cut off almost all the lengths of my hair which had been permed.

My hair!!

My hair...!!

I couldn't see a thing while the hairdresser was mutilating cutting my hair, so what I saw through my blurred vision was just the black blob which was my hair, and the brown which somewhat resembled my face. (It doesn't sound that bad - the hairdresser, I mean. Neither is my vision. Oh fine. Yes, my vision is bad.)

So when she was done, and I put on my glasses, I was ... left speechless. I didn't know what to say. It wasn't that it's bad - it's just ... my hair... I've lived with this crazy hair for 19 years now, you'd think I'll be used to its wavy, thick, puffy texture by now.

I could rectify the damage new hair by straightening it again when I go back, but I refuse to let go through the whole straightening process again. (That, and I've had my hair straightened 4 times already!!) I rather sit through a perm, which is less painful.


Yeah, I'll be whining for the next two weeks. When I had my hair permed, and cut, and got a fringe last December, you ought to be glad you weren't with me for the subsequent two weeks. I think I drove everyone around me nuts. Literally. Especially my hairdresser aunt, since she was the one who did my hair.

But anyway, getting haircuts - anything which has to do with my hair being cut/straightened/permed, always sees me complaining and moaning about it for the next week or so, until I get used to it and accept the fact that I can't, well, uncut my hair.

And I made the decision to get a haircut anyway (so I shouldn't be complaining, really). But nooo... I ought to have waited... waited till I returned to Brunei....

My hair....

Freezing In The Land Down Under... and some.

It was freezing today. I said it before, and I'll say it again: I thought it's supposed to be spring!! Temperatures were all below 15 degrees... The day was deceptively sunny, but it felt like winter.

I hereby take back my complaints about that 36-degree-Celsius day.


Went to watch the Flare dance production (entitled 'Elements') just now with some friends from OCF. Flare is this dance club/ensemble at uni, and they put on a production every year. It was quite good. Makes me almost want to join and learn how to dance too. Lol. Halfway through, I remembered the time when Ern wanted a bunch of us to put on a performance for Teacher's Day or Speech Day or something. It wasn't only once; there were a few times, but each time, the plan never materializes, and we give up before we even started. Hahaha.

Anyway, went to Koko Black afterwards to have hot chocolate and more chocolate delicacies! Ahhh. Hot chocolate on a cold night - a beautiful combination.


On other matters, I've done my re-enrolment and put in my course transfer application; now to wait and pray.


I also lost $70+ worth of credit today.

[Insert words screams of frustration and a 15-minute rant.]

Okay, I feel better now. Gah. It was supposed to expire today, so I thought I'll recharge my credit today, but stupid Optus means it when they say it expires on 21/10/06... I thought it meant it'll expire at 00:00, 22/10/06 then. (If you follow my logic.) Maybe I'm used to what I did back in Brunei - with Easi, when the expiry date comes around, it expires after midnight on that said date (if I remember correctly). Sadly, that is not the case here.

The consolation I can have is that I am on the Turbo Recharge plan (meaning I get $120 worth of credit when I recharge $30 on my credit). Not much of a loss... I think. I didn't use a lot of credit this month (surprisingly).


I have to start studying!!

Crossroads

Re-enrolment and subject selection for 2007 has opened, and along with it, finally bringing to front a decision I've been contemplating the whole year. This is the period when course transfer applications are also open... I was chatting with Jamie the other night and telling her that it seems that the whole headache of applying to universities, choosing the 'right' courses (will it ever be right?) doesn't end once you actually enter uni and start a new chapter of your life. (Well, at least for me... lucky for those who are confident and sure of what they want.)

I'm still pretty much confused over my future. I'm doing Music (though it's doubled with an Arts degree), and I'm enjoying it. So what's the problem? I don't know. My application for a transfer to Music/Law may very well be rejected, and once I apply, there will be the agony of waiting till next year before I finally receive an answer. But is it what I want? I don't know if I'll enjoy Law. I don't mind it, but at the moment, I'll just see where things go from here. I don't really hold high hopes of a successful transfer. If that doesn't go through, I guess I'll stick with my current double degree... or I might just want to drop Arts and go with a straight Music degree. (There you go, another 'dilemma'.)

I am doing what I want right now - and sometimes, I really can't imagine myself doing another course, like, a random Science degree or even Medicine. I can probably cope with it, but I doubt I'll enjoy learning about it. All those years of studying the sciences and math, and I still turn to Arts and Humanities even after coming out of a pure science stream. It's just the stereotypical Asian mentality that the sciences are always better than arts. Well, that's pure rubbish.


Anyway, I love this website - it has the cutest games, with the cutest animation and pictures, with lovely background music. I particular like one of the links, which is titled "Rain" at the bottom - just a simple flash of rain falling to the ground, with soothing, almost melancholic music accompanying it.

Apparently, Victoria is experiencing a dry spell now, and the news is all about water restrictions, etc. etc. (I think a few other states are experiencing this drought as well.) Come to think about it, it hasn't rain for quite some time now. I kind of miss the rain that we get back home. On those days, it's lovely to just stay at home and listen to nice music, read a book, drink something warm and simply relax.

Home... I'm Malaysian, but I know almost nothing about Malaysia. Honestly, I don't really feel much 'loss' for not knowing my own motherland. In retrospect, Brunei is actually a beautiful place to live in, for all the complaints that we used to have about its lack of [insert your choice of want/desire]. We've had it easy, and thinking about it, we really do lead very privileged lives in Brunei. What it lacks in, it makes up for in the little things I've come to appreciate.

I think I might want to settle in Brunei in the later future after doing all the things I want to do.

Anyway, life goes on.

Melting in the Land Down Under

The weather today was absolutely frightful - a blistering 36 freaking degree Celsius. The weatherman told me that the max was supposed to be around 30, but then, weathermen always lie, so I should have known better. It was hot and dry, so dry that I could almost feel myself being sucked empty of moisture and reduced to a withered heap of crispy, fried skin and cracked bones.

It's supposed to be spring!!! This almost makes me long for the cold days of winter again.

Oh well.

There's two more weeks of semester 2 left before swot vac (technically study break) and then we enter those weeks which all students have come to abhor. My exam timetable this time round is a bit more hectic (read: I actually have to do some *cough* serious studying. Not that I didn't for first sem.)

I realize I still have so much to do before these two weeks are up... I have yet to present my writing piece in Creative Writing workshop, I still have 7 exercises to present for Aural Studies, I have 12 weeks of material to cover/study (tons and tons of reading and listening to do) for Baroque and Classical Music, I have to memorize my pieces for my practical exam, I still have to change my flight date, I have to settle my accommodation stuff (breaking my current contract, if that can happen, and searching for a new place before I leave)... I have to... I have to...

*runs out of breath*

It doesn't sound that bad. Really.

I know I said I wouldn't nag at you, anymore, Jerry, but seriously, it would be nice to see you update here. Even if it's once in a blue moon. =P There's a reason why the blog is what it's called. Hope things are going well for you over there.

O, How Fast Doth The Days Passeth By

Mid-sem break will be over soon as disgruntled students trudge back to university reluctantly. Exam timetables are already out; a friend was ready to kill me when I informed her that I only have one paper (Baroque & Classical Music), and a practical exam. Need to get cracking at the books and put more effort into practicing too.

Paintball

As reported previously, the soldiers had a tiring but extremely stimulating day. I'll try to get a few pictures, but as we couldn't bring any valuables onto the battlefield, you guys won't be able to see Connie in camouflage outfit and unflattering mask or any of us in action. We took some 'before' and 'after' shots, though.

One memorable incident:

Scenario: Connie is left all alone on the battlefield; her teammates have all been taken down.

Connie: (hides behind a tree)

Connie: (thinking frantically) Oh no! I can't be the only left... You've got to be joking... Ack! Who's that?? Who shot at me?! There's one there, on my left - okay, here goes - (aims gun at enemy and fires paintballs frenziedly) - Darn, I didn't get him/her!! Gaah - who was that??? On my right?? Another one?? No! (fires in the opposite direction) - What the - ?? There's another one in front of me!!

Noooo - 3 vs. 1!

I ran out of paintballs while trying to take them down - but I don't think I would have survived anyway!

Piano Stories IV

...which was actually a week ago. It was ... okay. Slightly disappointed. The songs were nice, though, but I thought that the pianist, a really talented Polish pianist who's won various competitions (but-I-can't-remember-his-name), was sight-reading most of the time. It seemed like he didn't really prepare for it. There were tons of mistakes, and that kind of ruined the songs, but ah well... The guest performer is a really beautiful Japanese violinist, who did an amazing job, but some technical issues (which are totally unrelated to her playing) ruined that, too. There are other aspects which I would love to complain about, but I shall not.

***

I can't believe it's already October. Where did all the days go?

This blog is

...dying, I tell you. It's dying.

I went paintballing today with my cell group. It was a whole day trip. The paintball place was in New South Wales, near the borders of Victoria-New South Wales, because apparently paintball is banned in Victoria (because of some firearms legislation).

Tired.

I wished we could have gotten some pictures of us in action - but there were only "before" and "after" pictures... We weren't really supposed to bring any valuables into the "battlefield".
So what have you been up to, Jerry?

Happy Birthday

Happy 19th Birthday, Jerry!

Don't think this is too late - it's still 20th September over there, isn't it? Hope you had a great one, and may God bless you abundantly! Take care over there. =)

Books...

...are one of my most favourite things. I love reading. I love books. Before I finish reading a book, I've already bought several others. That leaves me in a situation where I have several unread books left on the shelf while my compulsive behaviour keeps me buying books impulsively whenever I see a bookstore. Bookshops and I are like the opposite poles of a magnet. I just can't resist going into one.

Besides that, I have a penchant for collecting books - I'm extremely fussy when it comes to buying books. I check the book over carefully, making sure that there aren't any dents or ugly marks. Basically, as close to perfect as possible. (Yes, I know. Stop laughing.)

I would borrow books from libraries, but I'd prefer owning one myself. (I told you I'm fussy.) So even if I've read a book before which had been borrowed, I'd still go out and buy a copy for myself if I really like it. (That means I have currently a list of several books I'm still hunting for.)


I recently finished reading Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day.

It won the 1989 Booker Prize. It's one of those novels where you have to read it in one sitting, otherwise you'd lose the flow of it (and forget what's happening). I love Ishiguro's prose. It's simple, and very English, which reminds me of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (which I loved very much as well). The twist at the end left me feeling all melancholic, and wanting for more, but somehow the ending was befitting.

(Remains of the Day, incidentally, was lent to me by a friend. Does that mean I'll be buying my own copy soon? Maybe. =P)


I'm currently in the process of reading Marilynne Robinson's Gilead.

It won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It's ... ah, I'll quote from the backcover: "In 1956, towards the end of Reverend John Ames' life, he begsin a letter to his young son..."

It's basically a long letter written to his 7-year-old son. It's a bit spiritual and all (with all the Christian themes), but I think anyone can read it. It's beautiful and sad at the same time as the Reverend recalls his past, reflects on his life, and writing all that down to his son. I hope to finish it in the next few days.

(Btw, sorry for the crappy quality of the picture. And subsequent pictures. I need a better webcam. Gah.)


Today, after church, I went to Borders and after spending a happy hour or so browsing around, I finally bought (in spite of myself):

Agatha Christie's Dumb Witness, a Hercule Poirot mystery, and Edith Wharton's 1921 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Age of Innocence.

I've read almost all of Agatha Christie's books before, and I especially love the ones with Poirot. And yes, those were all practically borrowed. But it's been ages since I've read an Agatha Christie mystery.. and yes, it's part of my book-colleting fetish. (Bleh.)

I had been eyeing The Age of Innocence for awhile, and finally bought it. (I've been eyeing several other books for awhile now as well, and ... will... try to refrain myself.) And I realize that I've been choosing all these... books which have won prestigious awards and so on. Haha. I just feel like getting back into the classics and "real" stuff.

But just to show you that I'm not that serious and literary when it comes to my choice of books, (I say that it's just a phase I'm going through now), I shall show you that I am a proud and avid fan of the fantasy genre. In fact, I actually brought over with me from Brunei, Terry Goodkind's Stone of Tears, which is the second book in his Sword of Truth series.


Alas, I confess I have yet to make it past the third chapter. It is ridiculously thick, but then, most fantasy books are. (I will read it, soon!) And my heart is already set on buying Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, which is apparently, very good. A friend recommended me her books last year. And I want to get Raymond E. Feist's Magician, (!) which has been highly recommended to me. I love, love, love fantasy. I remember buying almost all of David Eddings' Belgariad and Mallorean series in one go a few years ago at Kinokuniya in KL. (I know I'm nuts... I think I racked up a bill of RM$300++ that day, including some other random novels and a few of my sister's own selection of books.) And while I'm at that, you guys MUST read those series!!

On top of that, I still have Jane Austen's Emma, which I bought a few months ago. No, I haven't finished that. I have Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, as well. No, I haven't read it either. It was kind of hard to get into. But I will attempt it again after I finish my other books. *coughs embarrassedly* I think I still have a few unread books back in Brunei.. (I knowwww.. I shouldn't have bought those two books today.)

But I promise I'll finish reading them all!

Someday.


Somebody stop me from buying anymore books!

Recuperation

After eight whirlwind weeks of lectures, tutorials, assignments, etc., finally I am liberated (sort of) for two weeks. Yes, it's the mid-semester break!!

I don't really have anything major planned for the holidays. Some of my coursemates are going for the Music Camp organised by the MSS (Music Students' Society), but a few of us decided not to go. Might do some shopping, depends on circumstances. But most importantly, I need to catch up on all my readings and start studying already... plus, have to put more effort in practicing piano as well.

I do plan to go for a few concerts during this mid-sem break... There's the Spring Early Music Festival organised by one of the professors from the Music Faculty, who is the Head of Early Music department or something. Hopefully I can drag a few people to come with me! But I doubt many people would be interested in early music... (?)

And oh, oh, oh - Piano Stories IV coming to Melbourne!! I am so going for this.
There was actually Piano Stories III back in April, but since I was relatively new to Melbourne, I didn't really know about it... I did go for A Night In Fantasia back in July though!!

My friend and I were just talking about how these two weeks will probably whiz by, just like the first 8 weeks of this semester. Somehow, I think so too... sigh. Time seems to be speeding up, especially near the end of the year, and when you need time most of all!

And Jerry: okay... yeah, I guess we all have lives. Haha. Just update when you can la.

I'll try to update once a week or something... just to keep this blog from being too dead. Although I think it probably already is.

Where In The World Is Jerry Wong Sia How?

I'm running out of things to blog about... Jerry, at least entertain us with stories from your side... like... you know, life in the States, etc. etc... Anyway, where are youuuuu????

Mid-semester break after this week! Not really sure what my plans are yet, but I intend to concentrate a bit of my time on piano and studies.

Steve Irwin's dead. General reception is shock and grief. The Age seems to have extensive coverage about it. I find it ironic that he died from an encounter with a stingray - which is normally quite harmless - while he survived all his crocodile stunts and other crazy escapades. I still find it hard to believe; for some reason, I always thought him almost... invincible or something. Condolences to his family...

Last week, my week started off with the news that Pluto was no longer a planet, and that our solar system officially has 8 planets. Not that it affects my life very much, but it's a bit sad; I mean, we grew up learning about the 9 planets in our solar system, and now Pluto is a, what, dwarf planet?

Apart from changes (like the Pluto debate - which has absolutely no consequence on our daily lives, whatsoever), Irwin's death makes you realize how fleeting life is. This article pretty much sums up why the news of his death is sending such shockwaves around the world. I never realize how famous he is around the world, and finding out that he's relatively 'obscure' here in Australia, when you compare his fame locally and abroad.

Wonder what news next Monday will bring me.

My week in bullet points

• Monday. Ah, yes. I had one of the worst Piano Classes... Believe me, sitting for 2 hours, listening to an invited guest/pianist talk about Messiaen and his music is not enjoyable. I may be doing music, but I absolutely can-not understand 20th century music, nor why some people like it. It doesn't sound like music to me from any angles. Try listening to some of Messiaen's music, and you'll probably understand why. I don't have anything against the great composer per se, it's just... argh. It's just 20th century music. Moving on!
  
  
• Tuesday. Let's see.. another routine day. Oh. MUOSS (Melbourne Uni Overseas Student Society) organised this event called Festival of Nations, and OCF Parkville set up our own booth, selling Tau Suan and peanut dessert soup, so I helped out during lunchtime. Pretty cool event - a lot of stalls, with all sorts of food. My day began at 9 a.m. with an Aural tutorial; two lectures; choir in the evening; celebrating a fellow coursemate's birthday at an Italian restaurant after; before going off for a concert at Hamer Hall, Arts Centre to listen to Paul Lewis perform a few of Beethoven's piano sonatas, including the Moonlight and Appassionata Sonatas (it sounded like a real recording; only better, 'cause it was live =P. That's how good he is.). And reaching home around 11 p.m... very exhausting and full-on day.
  
  
• Wednesday. My free day... helped out for a bit with Parkville's booth. And spent my afternoon practicing piano.
  
  
• Thursday. Had a test, which was reasonably ... okay. Worth 10%. Considering that I wasn't very prepared *cough*, I think I managed to pass it.
  
  
• Friday. My other free day. Piano lesson. Went to Esther's place in the afternoon to cook the hot and sour soup for Sister's Gathering later at night. The soup was a success! And feel very blessed to have gone for it... makes you realize, God works in ways you never expect Him to, even when you feel like there's nothing left... my expectations for the night were, admittedly, low, but that's where God proved me wrong by showing and giving me new insight.
  
  
• Saturday + Sunday. Bumming around.

So much for "bullet points", where you'd suppose I'll make myself simple and concise... There you go, I'm just an extremely long-winded person.

Here's looking ahead to another week.

Jerry Wong!!! I don't like pestering you to blog... so blog, before I feel compelled to nag you some more. =P

4 months to 2007

Time flies.

I can't believe it's already September.

Ski trip

I got the pictures from Tim (yay!), and here's some of them, which ought to make this blog look more lively and colourful. A long overdue post.

In the train. Reflections in the window.

We set off from Flinders St. Station at 6.24 a.m. to Pakenham Station, where we have to take a bus from there to Warragul. Uncle Roy would pick us up from Warragul Station to Yarragon at around 9-ish.

One of many beautiful views on the looong ride up to Mount Baw Baw. Can't really see from here, but that's actually a really beautiful lake in the background - it's a spectacular view.

Blue skies with wide expanses of green, green fields were a common scenery.

Just arrived! Here we are, before...

...and after all the hassle of renting our equipment, deciding to ski or go snowboarding, getting our gear and clothes...

The snowboarders: Grace, Adrian, Yon How

The skiers: Tim, me, Calvin, Zoe

Snow, snow, snow!

Here I am! Somewhere near the top.

Blue sky, white snow. And that's Calvin's scarf.

Snowball fight!!

Skiers done for the day!

The snowboarders were still at it. The boots were really killing my feet (and Zoe's as well!) at this point in time! And... I think I really ought to get contact lenses, especially for events like this. My specs almost got killed during this ski trip.

Dinner!

The delicious food prepared by Aunt Ann. It was almost impossible to finish all that food - and dessert was truffle, which is the best. Thinking about Aunt Ann's dessert makes me wish I could have it now...

L-R: Zoe, Grace, Cal, me, Yon, Adrian and Tim
One final shot before leaving.

A herd of cows/buffaloes were watching us from the farm beside us. I thought they were buffaloes at first, because they were all black - I mean, they looked like buffaloes, so when one of them moo-ed, I asked the others, "Are they cows or buffaloes?", a question which was promptly met with laughter and exclamations of, "Connie, you are so blur!" and other sentences along the lines of me being blur.

But it seemed strange to me that if they were cows, why were they segregated like that? (I mean, by colour.) It seemed a bit unfair to me. And I still don't know if they are cows or buffaloes!! What sounds do buffaloes make anyway?? Maybe I'm just being weird.

Or maybe I am blur after all.

*
Anyway, I have to go study now. No, I'm not being a nerd. I have a test tomorrow!!

Signing out!

Ski and snow!

My arms and legs are aching all over. I just came back from a ski trip over the weekend to Mount Baw Baw, which is about an hour-plus journey from Melbourne. Went with a few other people from OCF. I'll post up pictures when I get them!

It was my first time experiencing snow!

I had my first snowball fight. (Being targeted at most of the time was not part of my plan, though. Lol.)

I ski-ed for the first time. (Well, I tried my best! ...With lots of falling down.)

I wished I could have stayed longer.. We stayed with Aunt Ann and Uncle Roy, through arrangements with a brother in OCF who had connections with them. Aunt Ann is from Sabah, but she's been here for 37 years..! And guess what, she lived in Seria!

The food was amazing as well. Aunt Ann can really cook! The countryside was beautiful, and the scenery absolutely gorgeous. It always feels so depressing coming back to the city after spending time in the country. Already I miss the peace, quiet and pristine country life.

Shall post more about it next time when I actually get pictures, so you guys won't have to keep looking at lines and lines of boring white text.

It's Monday again tomorrow... Time flies, and it's already week 5 of the semester. 7 more weeks left.

Catharsis

At the edge of the cliff, she took a deep breath and yelled, releasing pent-up emotions which had been accumulating for the past few weeks. Over and over again, she shouted into the air, the faceless wind carrying away her repressed feelings and fears.

She sank to the ground, exhausted. But the heaviness, the overwhelming feeling, was gone - replaced now, by a sense of restoration and refreshment; and together with it, a glimmer of hope for the future.





Bleh.

Rumination

It's been a year since Jerry and I started Opposite Corners of the World. Not that it's a big deal. Hopefully (?) more years to come (?), especially in the wake of recent blog-closings and decisions to close blogs. (It doesn't sound that bad, really.) Seeing that Jerry has gone MIA - again - this blog has literally become my blog instead of our blog. But anyway, for the sake of the interested people (if there is even anyone left who still reads this blog), we officially entered the blogsphere on the 4th of August, 2005.

It's too early for countdowns, but for lack of better subjects to post about, it is approximately less than five months before I find myself back in the hot and humid 'Land of Unexpected Treasures'. Ong Chi told me that apparently last week, The Age, one of Australia's national newspapers, featured an article on Brunei in their Saturday edition! I didn't catch it, but yeah, they were highlighting all the main attractions in Brunei, and it seems that there is another Brunei tourism promotion thing in 2008? Hm.



This is a capture from a video taken at my house, late November back in 2004. I can't remember who took the video. It was just the kittens playing with their mom's tail. (Yes, I can't believe I still have the video - I must have uploaded it to my laptop when I bought it the following year.)

Things have changed since then. The cats are gone. There's only the dog left (despite being very fierce, he's a really good guard dog - and I hope he still recognizes me when I return home (!) or I risk being attacked - seriously).

The pool is gone as well. When I left in late February this year, the workers were already chipping away at the edge of the pool. The wooden ledge thing at the side had already been taken away. I don't know how that area of my home looks like anymore; probably been a few months now, but I didn't ask my sister about it till last week, although I had been meaning to find out about it months ago. Apparently, it's just a garden now, often visited by birds. My sister used to throw barley seeds, but she stopped, and she said that the maid (a new one whom I have not even met yet) continued throwing rice for them after that. Probably lucky we don't have cats now! They used to love catching birds... I've seen a few of the unlucky victims, and it's not a pleasant sight!

There were a few reasons why my dad decided to demolish the pool, among which included the fact that it was under-used. When my family first moved into this house in 2000, my siblings, especially my sister, used to swim and play in it everyday. There were a few pool parties (usually mine, my brother's or my sister's), the most memorable being my sixteenth birthday. Where it was once a novelty, it just became part of the house after awhile.. I feel almost sad, really.

Probably may come as a surprise to most of you... I don't think I mentioned it at all before I left. There'll be no more pool parties again. My house is just like any other house now. Hahaha.

On other matters, I don't know what to expect when I return to Brunei in December.

But this is where my ruminations for the day end.

A Rabbit's Life III

It's routine, as usual.

Just sitting here at the table, in front of my laptop, typing this now, looking forward to the weekend, and hoping to get some work done over the weekend as well.

I've been idling my time away here, when the faint, familiar, and undeniably recognizable sounds coaxed gently and skilfully from strings, floated from somewhere outside my room, reaching my ears. At first, I thought, Nah, it can't be. But the almost haunting melody persisted. I could almost see the graceful bowings, the fingers stretching and nimble, pressing on the appropriate places on the fingerboard. I muted the random music playing from Winamp and went to my window and strained to listen for that almost fairy-like music, which hid itself among the other sounds of the city night and apartment life.

Someone is playing the violin, somewhere in the rooms above my floor.

For a moment, I reflected on the past gone by, when I took up the violin for about a year, before I gave up, mainly out of laziness. I admit, I didn't invest as much time as I should have. I did not put in much effort into practicing regularly. For me, it was just ... cool to take up a new instrument, and knowing the basics was good enough for me.

But for that moment, I almost wish I hadn't stopped. I kind of miss playing it sometimes. And I would love to take it up again sometime in the future.

And for a moment, I try to grasp the wisps of music coming into my room. I can almost envision myself living in 17th century Venice, experiencing Music as we move from the Renaissance to the Baroque period..

(The last sentence is kind of related to what I'm studying now in Baroque & Classical Music. Lol. Oops. Maybe a sign that I need to get my head out of the books and relax over the weekend. =P)

The Green Man/The Thing

Before I head to bed, just thought I'll do a random update.


Firstly, yes, I know I look very different now; probably a bit different, even if you compare pre-Brunei (when I left Brunei back in February) and now. Yep, for some reason, my hair is "curlier". But Ern (that's one mention!) and I both agree that I should lay off straightened hair in the future. Lol. And yeah, keep the fringe, too. But how about the new specs?

Second, Ern is now (that's 2!) officially The Green Man a.k.a. The Alien. You may call him The Thing, if you want to, as well. I shall explain another time. (The "tribute" post will probably come later, Ern - and that's 3 times =P).

Thirdly, I have an early class tomorrow, so I can't spend too long here now.

Fourthly, Ern (4 times!! =D), I was just joking when I was *choking/chortling/laughing* just now. Honestly, you don't look THAT bad. You look... normal, actually. I don't know what reaction you were hoping to get out of me, actually. Hahaha.

I am so very tempted to put up that picture along with this post...


In other news, I went to the OCF Ball on Saturday night. It was basically a fund-raising event for OCF Convention at the end of the year in December. It was a great night... and I will try to put up some pictures of the whole glitz and glamour once I snitch those pictures off the other people (I seriously need a camera!!).

Workload is heavier, as I have mentioned before, this semester. I've been putting a lot more effort into longer practice hours as well, and I'm quite happy about that - but not enough. Need time management, planning, etc. etc.

I don't want to do this, I promised myself I wouldn't, but I have to: Jerry Wong!!! I don't think I need to say more, do I??

By the way, Ern, hope these are enough mentions for you. =P And there ARE more to come.

Heh.

9-teen

Thanks for all the birthday wishes.

Gosh.

Esther, a fellow sister in my CG (cell group), told me that this is my final year in the "10's"; I'll be joining the "2's" next year. It's almost scary - I can't believe I'm - we - are approaching our twenties soon. It seems too fast suddenly. To think that when I was younger, I couldn't wait to grow up - and now that I've hit this - this number called nineteen, I wish I can remain young forever. Come to think of it, why was it that we wanted to "grow up" back when we were still young 'uns, carefree and innocent? Lol.

My CG gave me a not-so-surprise dinner party on Monday night. (It's quite obvious when your CG leader decides to organize a CG dinner on the night before your actual birthday!) Originally, we were supposed to go to this Korean restaurant, but apparently most restaurants are closed on Mondays (beginning of week = not much business), and we went to this Japanese restaurant called Yamato instead. It's pretty pricey, but the food's quite good.

Let's see... there were pictures (you can see a few posted up by my CG leader at our CG blog here), a blackforest chocolate cake from Brunetti, and a gift - my very first perfume. Lol. (There's a picture of me posing with it at the CG blog.)

Amidst it all, thanks for all the SMSes and emails. I really, really appreciate it... And I know that you guys probably think I'm silly for saying this, but seriously, it's nice to be remembered, though I'm miles away, across the oceans and continents.

On the actual day itself, I went KTV-ing with some people from OCF, together with Mei Sun, who shared the same birthday, except that she's a year older. It was pretty good, and we all sang our hearts out - we sang mostly Chinese songs. (Yay! Lol.)

Despite it all, I still miss celebrating my birthday at home. Home with family, and with friends... But I still thank God, for all His blessings. I don't feel as homesick as I did last year, and I think I'm actually a bit more comfortable here in Melbourne. (Perth is still great, though!) Maybe I've kind of adapted to living by myself.


Anyway, Jerry, you will be 19 soon enough, so don't start calling me old!! 20 September is coming... =P


Second semester's a busier time. The number of contact hours I have per week isn't all that different from first semester, but my workload is a bit heavier - with a Music History subject, I have to do a lot of reading and listening to music by all these Baroque and Classical composers. I'm putting more effort into spending longer practice hours as well. But I don't think you want to hear - I mean, read - about the monotonous school life I am leading. Lol.

Anyway, Jerry, those are nice pictures! What was the occasion? You didn't explain in your post... I think. Or maybe I didn't read it properly. Haha.

Till the next time I update - take care, people, and to you guys back home, all the best for your exams. =)


love,
con.

Usual...

...from my corner of the world.

A new semester has begun, and already I can foresee that it will be a rather busy semester for me. I've attended a couple of lectures today. Here's a summary:

Creative Writing - I'm trying not to have doubts. I'm trying not to worry too much. It's going to be challenging, but I hope to be able to enjoy this course, regardless. I've looked through almost the subjects available in the undergraduate handbook for the Arts course, and there are no other subjects which captivated my interest, save for this one... Gah.

Baroque & Classical Music - I am absolutely loving it! Okay, maybe not really loving loving it. But I really enjoyed the first lecture, though it was just a brief introduction and background to the subject. The professor is very engaging - he had been "voiceless" for about a few weeks now, but still had some voice left to introduce us to the course and a bit of intro on the Renaissance period leading into the Baroque period. One of my friends said that she liked his voice though - LOL. It was low and husky (dued to the sore throat!). Hahaha. Anyway (!), he makes the lectures quite interactive and enjoyable.

Bought my books and course packs today, and feeling quite motivated to work hard this semester. (I have to!!)

I'm such a nerd for being excited over school. Haha.

=P

Reflections

One of the pictures I took of a lake at Rottnest Island, Perth, last year.

I found this particular lake very intriguing, partly because of the unique patterns of the aquatic fauna. If you observe closely (if you can), there are actually sort-of circular patterns in the clear waters. Apparently, the fishes kind of "chomp" a circle (a sloppy circle, I might add!) around the region where their habitat is. So basically, they live within the circle they have created. I don't think I've posted about my trip to Rottnest Island before, but thinking back, I remember sending an e-mail about my cycling trip around Rottnest Island to you guys last year. All words, and no pictures! Lol. I'm not surprised if you have forgotten that e-mail.

Waves crashing against the rocky coastline.

I remembered it was rather windy; the day started out rather fine, but it drizzled towards the end of our cycling trip. It took all my energy to reach back to where we started. An exhausting 3-hour trip cycling around the island, going over and down little hills, on straight paths, winding paths, narrow paths, wide paths, etc. But it was absolutely a great experience. I loved scenery... the huge waves, the beaches... There were a few surfers out in the sea, and the picture above was actually near an area where there were dolphins. It was quite an 'exciting' experience for me (think Connie's 'excited' reaction), as I saw dolphins in the wild for the first time. It was around the time of the year for dolphin-watching, I think, as they are usually seen in that particular area during that period. Migration and all.

Alas, these were the closest pictures I could get of the dolphins I saw. The school of dolphins were quite far out in the distance, and my camera was already 'zoom-ed' to the max. If you look closely enough, you can see the fin and back of the dolphin in the above two pictures.

Anyway, this is a very random post, I know! But anyway, was just looking back on the pictures I took while I was in Perth last year (before my camera died on me towards the end of the year!), and I guess I just really like doing outdoor activities (contrary to the popular perception of the 'like-to-stay-at-home' me!). It'll be good if we could have a trip together somewhere, just anywhere, before all of you are done with A-Levels or whatever, and before we all split up forever/temporarily; either way, it'll definitely be harder to meet up from next year on, since we'll all be parting our separate ways. Right?

It's so silly - we've been talking about going on a backpacking trip since forever. When will we actually put our words and ideas into actions?

Anyway, Jerry's MIA. I don't have a camera with me here (I know I should have brought one), otherwise I could have more recent pictures to show you guys. And at least liven up this slowly-dying blog, which has lately consist of nothing but lines and lines of text.

Uni starts again tomorrow, and it's back to routine for me! (As routine as it can get, anyway!)

It's been raining frequently lately; 'typical Melbourne winter', I was told. It's been much colder in recent weeks, but I think I'm getting used to it! I seriously miss the sun and the warm weather, though!!

Anyway, all the best to you all who are preparing for your mocks!

Random musings

With less than a week before semester 2 begins, I almost can't believe that half a year has already gone by. I believe that I am speaking for the multitude when I earnestly say that: "Time flies!" Sometimes, Time really just passes you by, and you are left in its wake, trying to pick up where it stunned you, and you run after Time, chasing after it.

The famous phrase, "Time waits for no man and tide" stands true indeed.

Time doesn't wait for anyone at all. Time is constantly pushing on ahead, and never looks back. Time rushes on mercilessly, attacking the nothingness in front of it, creating the Present, leaving the Past locked in its grasp, and giving us a Future of uncertainties... We are compelled to oblige by its rules; we plan our our life according to Time. As we wake up each day, we allocate special parts of the Time of the day to certain activites. It almost seems right to say that we would almost be left floundering helplessly without Time...

In a blink of an eye, suddenly you find yourself standing in a different place. It seems like only yesterday that we were still studying together in the same school. A blink - and that Present dissolves into the Future that is Now. Another blink, and we're scattered all around the world. Yet another blink, and we're already adults, venturing into the working world. And another blink brings us to a Future that is determined by what we do Now.

Doesn't it feel as it Time is moving too fast... ? Too soon... ? Or even too slow...? Amidst it all, things change around us... friends come and go, you meet new people, adjusting to new environments, making important decisions that would impact on our future...

It's funny, whenever someone leaves, we always say, "Keep in touch! Send letters, e-mails, yada-yada-yada..." It's so easy to promise to update each other, but when you sit in front of your laptop/PC and place your fingers on the keyboard, your mind goes blank, no matter how hectic your day was, no matter what happened. Suddenly we're living in different worlds now, and I may be able to share with you "what happened to me today...", but it's hard to relate... And on the other hand, you may feel tinges of homesickness and the occasional lapses of loneliness when you read or hear about what everyone's been up to back home. It's not easy.

Back in SAS, we used to joke that Diya's mom, Mrs. Peter, put a "curse" on us. We had barely begun Form 1 when she told us, "Before you know it, you'll be in Form 3." Sure enough, we found ourselves in Form 3 almost the next day, preparing for PMB... ("Curses, what she said came true!!" was a common utterance in class that year!) and suddenly we found ourselves graduating from SAS.

I guess I'm not really posting about anything special in particular... just reflecting on Life gone by. Orientation has begun for the July intake in uni, and I went to the uni to meet a few friends to discuss some stuff, and it's almost intriguing to see the new students walking around with bags and brochures and random things that are usually given to you during orientation week. I was asked a couple of times if I was a new undergraduate student! But there weren't many people around... maybe there'll be more people in the coming days. The July intake isn't as big as the start of the year, though.

I still have no idea what I'll be doing with my degree...or my future, for that matter. Been thinking about it lately; pondering on transferring degrees, and even dropping one component from my double. Have discussed several times with my mom, but just have to see how things go, I suppose.. My results for semester 1 were not too bad, but I'm not satisfied. (Note to self: must work harder in sem 2!!)

It used to be all about achieving 80s and 90s... but somehow in uni, most people are just glad to even pass. Aiming for H1 (first class honours) seems almost an impossible task, depending on what course you are doing. (Not to say that it is totally impossible.) Sometimes, I almost long to go back to the past, where everything was so much more simpler, with less worries and cares about the future.

Despite the uncertainties, I am enjoying life here and now... except for the cold! I'm dying to see some sunshine and feel some warmth! It's been cloudy almost everyday, and it occasionally drizzles (it doesn't actually "rain" here; more of wispy, light drizzle). It drizzled almost the whole day on Saturday.

Oh yes... Sharon: what love life?? Hahaha. I'm sorry to disappoint you (and my "audience") out there (hehehe), but I have absolutely no love life. =P Check with me in a few years' time, and maybe by then I'll have a story for you. LOL.

Going out later to catch a movie with some friends from my youth fellowship. We're watching Click, starring Adam Sandler. Apparently it's a feel-good family movie (?), and it's a tear-jerker as well... I'll report back and don't be surprise if I told you that I was bawling my eyes out at the end of the movie. Lol!

And of course, a post by Connie is usually incomplete if I don't say this: Jerry, update, update, update!!

=D