Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Beyonce - L'expérience...

On Saturday night, E & L & I went to the Beyonce Concert at Acer Arena.

Chris Brown was the support act and i was thrilled when he sung "Just Fine". The mother and daughter duo sitting beside L were going bananas over him...well i should say that the mother was bananas, the daughter only had half the enthusiasm as the mother.

But lets get straight to it.

Beyonce is HOT! She is really fit, can dance and sing at the same time all night long, she wore some really pretty stuff and some of it was really racey, but the guys really loved it, and all her band members are women!

I loved it. I loved her singing...I loved her dancing...I loved the fact that it was only women on the stage...two drummers, 3 sax players, 2 on the guitars (maybe one was bass, but i couldnt tell from where i was sitting) and 2 on the keyboards, 3 back up singers and i think there were 6 dancers. There were some male dancers, but they were only there for partnering and looks.

Those boys were there to make up for all the oestrogen on stage. They had really nice bods...one would have been to drool for, except im not into tats.

And its funny how there was like 1-2 token white girls. I love it! Usually, its like a token yellow/black chick to make up for all the white girls. But its like the reverse on her stage extravaganza.

She sang songs from her new album, her old album, songs from when she was with Destiny's Child and it was all sung for 1.5 hours straight. The only time she stopped singing and dancing was when she walked off stage to change her outfit. Which was a matter of minutes. I was breathless from the screaming, i dont know how she manages to sing, dance, and jump around in sky high heels!

We had hoped for an encore, but alas, there was to be none.

We got ushered out even though we wanted to sit around and wait until most of the cars had left the carpark. But instead, we raced back to the car and tried to get out as soon as possible so i could have my first HeyHey Kebab experience.

As we left the carpark, some words were exchanged between the driver of a beemer and L. It was a very "sormuijai" experience and i wont bother explaining it here, because i doubt i would do the incident justice. Just check her website for her update. Its funny when i reflect on it, but my jaw dropped when i heard the words utter from L's mouth. Not from the words, but from the amount of aggression that backed the word. I was scared for my life, to say the least.

(lit: Beyonce - the experience...)

Monday, April 23, 2007

Mères...

On Saturday I went a bit beserk over knitted tunic tops/smocks/dresses that were only $15 each. I grabbed about 15 and settled on 5. In the process of elimination i put back a top that was very in vogue this season, but Mum dutifully warned me that i would look up-the-duff, no matter which belt i used around the middle.

So, i put that top back. From my peripheral vision i saw a girl with her mum, eyeing me and that top out. When i put it back she took it off the rack right away. She then asked her mum the same question, whether or not it would make her look preggers? Her mum said it would. But like i said, the top is very this season...she just wouldnt take no for an answer. She was trying so hard to convince her mother she could make a dress out of it. But the top barely skimmed the top of my hips, even if she tugged it down, it would only extend 1 more inch of its length.

My mother, being the queen of nosey, turned around and said to the girl:

"My daughter asked if that would make her look pregnant and i told her yes, but its okay for you because you are round."

What Mum left out in her sometimes broken English is that the girl had a really round face (and that it would suit her in a cute way). How round you might ask? It was really rounder than mine, and for the record i do have a round face.

The girl was flabbergasted!

She was talking to her mum insisting that her face wasnt round and that she didnt have a round body. But fact of the matter is, she was round. Not in an obese way, she was just really curvy in all the places that mattered and she reminded me of Betty Boop.

She then proceeded to state to her mother, more as a fact than a question that she couldnt be rounder than me! I was surprised that she was comparing herself to me. But her mother answer her thinking it was a question or maybe she just wanted to set things straight...and instead of being "nice" to her daughter, she just stated matter of fact that her girl was rounder than i am.

Her daughter then proceeded to say with great melodrama that she wanted to just go home and die.

I was still stunned that my mother said the girl was round and i my head was hazy with all the choices of knitted stuff i could buy.

I was telling Mum that even if it was the truth about that girl, she shouldnt have said it out loud to the girl's face like that...it was just so wrong on so many levels!!! I mean, i would be mortified if someone said that to me.

But as you can see, as mothers age, they just say what they want - cos its the truth! To their own daughters, as well as others.

(lit: Mothers...)

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Est-ce que je vous connais?

There is always more to learn about my friends. And im relishing it. I think its really great that as a person they are always ever growing and learning, and have developed into really interesting people.

Whats bad is that it makes me look at myself and i wonder if im interesting to be around. I wonder if i am still growing???

But i dont want to look at myself today...

On Sunday i went out to lunch with G, because he couldnt make it to my birthday dinner and drinks. We tried to catch up for lunch during the week, but he was committed to his workout regime with his work colleagues and i was busy with interviews and various meetings. So, i went ahead and asked him to venture where he had never ventured before...

G is a really shy guy and i have known him since 2nd year uni. We have stayed friends ever since and i am starting to see him come out of his shell. I would say that he is one of my close friends and yet i still dont know a lot about him. He likes to keep to himself...and he is always mysterious, of course in a good way, as much in the way that irritates me because im nosey!

*LoL*

I asked him if he was free on Sunday. No point in trying to fit each other in our respective work day calendars if our Sundays are free. So we locked ourselves in for Midday on Sunday.

We went to Majors Bay Road in Concord and popped into an Italian cafe/restaurant because it looked like it was busy...you should always go where the locals go! And it was here where i learnt that G was also into foreign films.

O_O

He had a stash at home...and according to him, i havent even seen the popular ones he had. I asked if he was interested in going to the film fests with me and E. And he was. If only we had known this earlier! I wouldnt be such a loner trying to find someone to go with me to watch a flick at the film fests!!!

After lunch, we had gelato and then we went back to his home where i had left my car...and for the first time ever i saw the inside of his home. I went in because G was lending me the foreign flicks he had that i hadnt seen yet.

The house is really cool in temperature and really neat...and its so wonderful that his father (a painter) has played around with different colours for different rooms in the house. And his backyard...very good for entertaining and bbq's...gotta convince him to do so next time!!! Although, when i asked him about it, he was quite dismissive.
=P

When we went into his "office" to look at his foreign DVD collection i noticed some photos of his mother. She is wayyy gorgeous and its easy to see now, where G gets his good looks! From his mother and her father...and yes, we have been friends for years but we have never met each others parents.

G has many layers. But i dont think i have really scratched the surface yet. I always thought he was simplistic in his way with life, and therefore he led a simple life. Not to say it wasnt interesting (this was always a mystery), but i always thought it was very family centric. And not to say that it isnt family centric now, but there is sooo much to him that i have yet to get to know.

I'm glad to have a good friend like him and its fun to have these one-on-one lunches with him, to get to know him better. If I had asked him 2 years ago...i doubt that he'd feel comfortable in having lunch with just me, a friend. Its good to see that he has overcome that.

So, G, when is the next time we're catching up for lunch??? I know you'd be reading this...
;p

(lit: Do I know you?)

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Voici ma un frere fille...

(Pronounciation: vwa.see ma un frair fee.yer)

I took Chloe to her best friend's birthday party at Hungry Jacks on Easter Saturday.

It was pretty intimidating...all these screaming kids who didnt even have their soft drink yet. They were just excited. I understand that. But OMG...i was spinning out and fearful about whether or not my head was going to explode.

I mean the kids are cute, but all the squealing...for like 25 kiddies in one enclosed space...it was getting too much.

Why was i the chapperone that fine Saturday? Well, my brother had to go to work...my sister in law had to go to her cousin's wedding and had to be present during the tea ceremony and so was the rest of her family. My little brother was at work...Dad wasn't about to take Chloe and Mum doesnt drive.

So, i was cornered. I want to be a good aunt and it sounded like an easy job to fulfil.

And low and behold...i was suckered!

It was very quick; the whole 1.5 hours...and yet it felt like it went on for everrrrr.

The following Saturday, I took her to another birthday party but at McDonalds this time. And the party was longer...a whole 2 hours.

But unlike the last time, where i juat sat around and watched Chloe interact with her friends, i sat and talked to one of her friend's mother. She asked "so, which one is your's?"

WHAT?!

I explained that none were mine. That i was there with Chloe...as chapperone.

I guess, if we spoke in technical terms...I could be a mother...Chloe could be mistaken as mine...we look so much a like...and she is really affectionate with me. And she doesnt call me "Aunty" in English...she calls me "Aunty" in Chinese...so, unless you spoke my dialect of Chinese, you wouldn't really know what she was calling me...and could mistaken her for calling me by an affectionate name meaning mum.

*shudder*

How scary is that?

(lit: This is my brother's daughter...)

Friday, April 13, 2007

Vendredi Noir...

I have sort of been out of it lately...

My motivation at work has declined and it feels like the work i do is not recognised for what it is. That my contribution means nothing.

I think i have been on the same programme far too long. Its been over 1 year doing the same thing (for the majority of it) and it doesnt seem like the programme will end. I just spoke with my Programme Manager and he has noticed the lack of interest, the fact that i am getting bored. But he said he will throw more projects my way to at least keep me busy.

I've started looking...and the market is really good.

Did you know i could easily make twice as much doing the same role by just changing to contracting? And if i went for a Jr PM role, i would be paid three times as much as I am now?!

The money is alluring...especially when im thinking about my mortgage.

*sigh*

What to do...?

(lit: Friday Black = Black Friday)

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Joyeux anniversaire! Joyeuses Pâques!

First and foremost, THANK YOU!!! to everyone who turned up for my birthday drinks and dinner and then more drinks!!! You guys are fabulous!!! Except, next time - please stop me from acting like a fool!

=P

I celebrated BIG for my birthday. I get a throbbing headache when i think about how drunk i had gotten. So bad, that i got sick while my friend drove me home...so bad that i got sick again when i was inside my house.

BUT, it was all good. I wanted to experience it. Its like a rite of passage. I turned 26 and i had never gotten drunk. I just felt like it was something to that i should do...cos it wouldnt be right to get that drunk when i turned 30 without it being an act of depression. I wanted to let go of my inhabitions and get plastered...like something i should have done on my 21st.

I mean, it was all well planned. My friend (who lives like a street away) was going to take care of me, in terms of getting me home. And i knew he would look after me, through and through. I had my drinking buddies with me, who i knew would keep me company until i wanted to leave...but it appears they stayed long after i had left...and i knew i would have a fun night.

I wasnt expecting it to be THAT fun...and it seems some had more fun than others *cough*...

But it was fun, all the same.

There are some pretty crazy photos out there...(i believe some people are obsessed with my chest)...

In my defence, i was completely plastered. I deny everything because i dont remember anything from that night and i woke up severely hung over! My room wouldnt stop spinning and i had to sms my brother and ask him to get me a happy meal.

He brought the happy meal over with my niece in tow and she asked me why i was having a happy meal at 10:30 am with a towel tied in turban style on my head...and why my head was propped on my hand under my chin...and why did i drink so much...???

I basically told her i did something really stypid and that i would never do it again. And i really dont plan to. I like my glass of wine here and there, like after work on a Friday night, a glass of white is perfect to wind down the week in preparation for the weekend. But drinking in excess like i did on Thursday night...sorry, no repeats for this girl!

The count down of what i had, and this is the most i have ever had in my life:

(1) 2L of water before lunch
(2) Sangria during lunch
(3) 2L before i left work
(4) Midori with lemonade at EQ after work

At Lord Roberts before and during dinner...
(5) Vodka and cranberry
(6) 1 glass of Verdelho
(7) 1 glass of Chardonnay
After dinner, still at Lord Roberts...
(8) 1 shot of something really nasty
(9) 1 shot of "slippery n!pple"
(10) 1 shot of "wet pu55y"
(11) 1 shot of Agwa
(12) 1 shot of "wet pu55y"
(13) 1 shot of "wet pu55y"
(14) 1 shot of "slippery n!pple"
(15) I lost count around here...i dont know if i had more "wet pu55y" or "slippery n!pple"...
(18) I know i ended with 1 shot of tequila.

Now all those shots were in a span of 1.5 hours and by the end of it, i felt like dancing and was suppose to head to Scary Canary because some friends headed off over there, but i didnt quite make it because i started to feel sick. My friend and i were driving towards it, but i did the smart thing and told him that i doubt if i stood in line that i doubt i would get in, so we should head home...well, I definitely should head home!

All in all, if it wasnt for the up-chucking, the night was a blast - but i still wouldnt want a repeat.

The hard work i have put in to make my body healthy was undone in a matter of 1.5 hours of shots. So not worth it!!!

*A round of applause* for the bartender Cam at Lord Roberts Hotel...next time we go there, we need to bring our own cinnamon so he can make our beloved "flaming shot"...they didnt have any on Thursday night...what a shame!

I spent my real birthday nursing my hangover for the greater half of the day, and watching Season 1 of Fresh Prince of Belair, and then having dinner with my family and i ended the night with both my niece at home watching "Happily N'ever After". It was a really enjoyable way to celebrate being 26.

(lit: Happy Birthday! Happy Easter!)

Thursday, April 05, 2007

enfants, gosses...

My personal long standing belief is:

(1) If you don't like kids, you shouldn't have kids;
(2) If you don't want kids, you shouldn't have kids;
(3) If you can't be responsible for your own self, you shouldn't have kids;
(4) If you can't afford to pay for one mouth, what makes you think you can afford for a family???
(5) If you are not ready to have kids, you shouldn't have kids;
(6) There are a countless number of parentless children out there - think about that before you consider bringing another into this world.
(7) I don't think the world is as beautiful a place to live as i did 15 years ago...it has changed and with the rate that we are killing natures resources, i wonder how long it will be before these resources run out and we implode on ourselves. Why would you want to bring a child into such a world? I know a lot of people will disagree with my perspective on this one, but that is how i feel about it.

When i read this post by Sam de Brito (Mr "All Men Are Liars") yesterday, titled Childfree not childless: why kids are a luxury it really got me fired up about those particular people who want/have kids and their stance on another person's choice not to be parents, as a self-absorbed.

I also read this comment someone had left on his previous post, and wondered what bomb would drop...which i guess led to Sam's post on why kids are a luxury.

The comment from the former post is as follows:

"Parenting is all about self-sacrifice and the joys outweigh the negatives but this is something that you self-absorbed childless hedonists will never understand."

I don't deny that parenting is a self-sacrifice, which is why i believe so strongly in the listed points, from 1-7, about whether a person should bring an innocent child into this world or not. Having a child in this day and age, is as Sam describes, a luxury.

I don't believe that a person who chooses not to have children, for whatever their reason, should be called "self-absorbed childless hedonists". I think they are the people you should be patting on the back for avoiding the mistake of becoming resentful, bad parents who raise resentful, bad children that become resentful, bad adults. I mean, they don't want kids. If they had kids, even though they didn't want them, they wouldn't be good parents.

I know this is an extreme point of view, but you and i both know and see a lot of this happening out there. Some people just shouldn't be parents.

And yet they are.

I could copy and paste so much from the "kids are a luxury" post that serves as a "take that" approach of rebuttal to all those people who keep harping on about how its their right to have children and that somehow something is wrong with you if you don't have children, but i should just leave you to read it if you are honestly interested.

J and i were briefly talking about this at work (and i later sent her the link) and while we were discussing kids or no kids, she crossed over to the abortion topic...but i don't want to get into that right now...thats an ugly debate and i don't know exactly where i stand on that one.

(lit: children, kids)

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

mes cheveux...

On Saturday afternoon, i visited my hairdresser and asked him to cut my hair. Obviously.

But i asked him to reduce the length by 4-5 inches.

He said 4, but it looks more like 5 inches were removed.

Its funny how secure my hair had been making me feel. I have kept it long, in terms of length, it has always sat about 3-5 cms above my waist. I'd trim about 3 inches off, a couple of months down the track it grows back to about 3-5 cms above my waist...

It was basically long enough to wrap twice around my neck on a cold night, when i find my self needing a scarf...now its noticeably shorter in length. I feel a tad naked. Its much more blunter at the ends around the back...no more wispy bits around the whole head...just around the face to make the style look softer...he reduced the "texturising" to just the layers at the front and so the rest of my head should be even steven and should look healthier.

Its funny...i asked him if he was proud that i had come back to see him for a trim in 3 months versus the 6-9 months it usually is...he told me of course, and he commented that all that he had removed in December has grown back and then some. He asked what was i eating so he could pass on to his other customers?!?!??! Because not only did my hair grow so fast, its really healthy.

I dont think most people really attribute good, healthy hair (or good, healthy anything for that matter) with what they eat. Yes, they know about it...Yes, people can read alot about it...BUT, people are still looking for quick fixes...i mean, it does explain why there are so many different "hair care" products or equipment out there claiming to help one thing or another. And i do use leave in conditioner (when i remember to) to give my long hair a helping hand...

I dont know...in some ways im a "naturalist" when it comes to my hair and skin. I dont like using too many products. To this day, i still dont wear make up to work. I put on moisturising sunscreen (SPF 30+) and lipbalm (SPF 30+) in the morning and reapply my lipbalm like 50 million times a day, but nothing else.

I actually wash my face with a cleanser that "will not strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients, or disturb the skin’s natural pH balance. It is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic"...same with my body wash...

The only thing that goes onto my scalp and hair follicles is shampoo, conditioner and the leave in conditioner when i remember to.

I have never dyed my hair.

Sometimes, i say that and it has the same impact as me saying out loud "I have never taken a puff from a cigarette. NEVER!" And yes, it is true. I have never tried to smoke, never even lighted up a cigarette...never actually held one between my fingers...I've held a packet for my friends once...but thats as far as i have ever gotten.

Weird coming from a 25 y/o (im still not 26, btw)...? Yes...Has it really affected me in a negative way in any shape or form because i havent tried to smoke...? No.

I'm not much of a sun person...which is another reason why i think my hair is healthy. I put on sunscreen when i go out, but i dont like sunscreen staining my clothes...so i rather not go out to somewhere where it would be a requisite to slather on heaps of sunscreen...

If you are still wondering what my diet is like, because you want to grow your hair faster, here it is:

I have 1/2 a cup of muesli for breakfast with skim milk, 1 regular soy chai latte.
1L of water between breakfast and lunch.
I usually try to have a salad with tuna, 1 small whole grain bread roll, 500mL of water.
In the afternoon...at this point i can be really bad or try my best to be really good. Bad = something sweet. Good = dry roasted nuts (i got bored of raw nuts) or a small yogurt, 500mL of water.
Dinner is whatever my mother cooks, which is usually rice with something...250mL of water.
At the gym and after working out, 1L(+) of water would have been consumed.

Thats another thing...i drink heaps of water. If you could change one thing for yourself which would guarantee better skin and hair...it would be to increase the amount of water you drink...if you dont already do so.

If you already drink heaps of water, i would recommend increasing the amount of vegetables you eat...im talking dark green leafy veges and other colourful ones...like beetroot, carrots, tomato, squash, onion, capsicum, etc...AND legumes!!!

Okay, enough about healthy hair...

I'm getting excited about tomorrow being the day before our long weekend...which also happens to be the day before my birthday and all the celebrating i will do all day with my workmates (for lunch) and friends (for dinner).

Its going to be a great day...I've already received a present this morning! Its a road map of France and its HUGE!!!

(lit: my hair)

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Dimanche, premiere Avril...

(Pronounciation: dee.monsh, prer.myair a.vreel)

Its been exactly a year to date.

I went in to hibernation, i guess as a conservation/preservation mechanism.

I wanted to heal what was wounded and then move on...healing was easy...im pretty good at bouncing back...moving on is another story.

I cant say that i have "moved on"...i've just kept on moving...and moving anywhere is better than just remaining static, right?

A lot of things have been happening around me, involving me in part of the decision process. I have also made huge decisions which have impacted on my life in a positive way.

If my life did not turn the way it did one year ago i would not have accomplished all that i have and will accomplish by the end of this year.

So, in a way i am grateful for the events that took place this time last year. I am grateful that it had spurn so much change...pushed me in the right direction...forced me to take charge and get my act together...because finally, i can tick off a variety of things off my list.

(lit: Sunday, 1st April)