Its been a while since i last wrote...i think i was sick...and then i got sick but in a different way and during that time i was thinking and considering my next career move.
The possibilities out there are abundant right now. And i am getting heaps of positive feedback. Quite frankly, i'm being offered interviews on a weekly basis...
I'm just being awfully selective. I'm comfy where i am right now. I'm going to Europe in about 3 months time...some companies dont want to deal with that right now...I fully understand...which is why im turning down interviews more than attending them.
I went to an interview...only 1 of about 6 I actually even considered...but it really got me thinking.
The opportunity is actually fantastic. The money and perks being offered is ideal. He was willing to consider bringing in a temp to fill up my 5 weeks of leave - if the Programme Mgr's Manager was cool with the idea. I was offered a second round interview right after the first interview...
When i went home, i started to really think about my career...where do i really want to go with it? How am i going to do it? Am i going to take the shortest but surest route to get there? Or can i prolong it by 6 - 12 more months and achieve it in a bit of a roundabout way, and still get there in the end? Should i take the one offering more money...? I mean, reality check...I have a mortgage to my name that i would like to pay off ASAP.
I spoke to Mum about it. I spoke with a couple of friends. E really put things into perspective for me. It was short and simple. Go with the place that pays for the highest accreditation you can get...as soon as you can get it! In the end, after the accreditation...i will be able to ask for more anyway...and i was leaning towards this all along...but the change...the money!
So, i decided to stay with my current employer.
The interview was a good experience none the less. I now know that i am perfectly comfortable in selling myself as a PM. I know that i can impress the people worth impressing under such circumstances. Which at the end of the day, is a good skill to have - who knows when you will be made redundant or decide to leave and look for something new?
My managers (client side) know about the interviews...well the ones i have asked to be my referees.
They are all wishing me bad luck or that i fail...or that the company that im interviewing for, fails in my eyes. They dont want to lose me, but they know the reality of having a mortgage...most have their own...and the fact that theirs is with their wives and mine is on my lonesome...they understand the need for me to make more money.
And its not that money is everything. If i didnt have the mortgage...i wouldnt be too fussed, because i would be comfortable. With the mortgage...its not as comfortable as you would imagine.
Like, come on...i have to start thinking about my future. Who else will do it for me?
I'm not in a position to marry someone in the near future or the luxury to think of a different path to where i am headed.
I'm single. I'm independent. I need to grow my own wealth for my own future. How else will i retire comfortably? If i continue the way i am now, its not like i will have kids to rely on in my old age. And i wouldnt want to rely on my children. Even when i am old and grey, i would like to retain my independence.
So, right now...i have to look at things strategically and objectively. I want to maximise the opportunities that are presented to me and use them to my advantage. The choices i have to make from now on, must be of a benefit - otherwise its not worth making.
I received a long overdue email from a manager who was made redundant at the client side in January this year. It came on a Monday...(about a week ago)...and i replied before 8:30am that day. He called me back...we arranged for a coffee at 11am...I sat down with him and he basically advised me that at the new company he currently resides with...they are restructuring the company and he will be able to build his own team in a couple months time. He was advising me this because he basically wants me to join him when the time comes.
I have never worked with this manager - ever. We spoke to each other on a personal level on a day to day basis. He would make fun of me, really, and i would take the p!ss out of him. He didnt say to me "I want you to be part of my team in a couple months time"...but he asked me where i was at in this point in time...i told him about the interview i just had...he asked me where i wanted to be in 2 years...what i would like to earn in 5 years...and basically advised me what he could offer if i joined "their" company.
This colleague has been a deep well of knowledge and advice. I'm in debted to him for a lot of defining moments (career wise). We are both USYD Alumni and we joke about it too. I asked him why me? We have never worked with one another. He said he could tell that i was very good at what i do. He had heard me on teleconferences at my desk...on phone calls with clients...basically it was the way i held myself...im bright...ambitious, but willing to work for what i want to achieve...he said that he didnt have to work with me to know that he wanted me on his team.
You know, a couple months time is a good schedule for me to follow...Europe will be over by then...i should be a fully accredited RPM by then too.
So, i wont be making any swifts move for now. But there are a couple of plans that may come to fruition by the end of this year.
(lit: progress...?)
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Je veux essayer...
A while ago, i wrote about wanting to find my passion, but i didnt know where to find it.
This year is jam packed and im limited in my budget to try something new because of all the travelling i want to do...ie, all the money i need to save so that i can spend while im travelling abroad.
But while thinking about what i love, as opposed to things i just want to try for the heck of it, i discovered some things that might make me feel passionate about something - dare i say, anything...
I love the sound of a trumpet. I get goosebumps listening to the opening of My Funny Valentine - live by Michael Buble at some concert hall in South Africa. The trumpet being played is sensual and provocative.
I've watched doco's about Miles Davies. I swoon over Miles Davies - the music, not Miles Davies - the man. BUT, I have to appreciate that there would be no music, if it wasnt for the man's talent.
So, i have decided that i want to try and learn to play the trumpet.
This could be another hare brained idea of mine...but who knows...unless i try it out.
I also want to, and this i will definitely try out, is learn various dances. I want to learn the flamenco, tango, mambo, samba, and especially the lindy hop - so i can swing.
I want to take up some art classes too. One for drawing and one for painting.
I think i figured myself out a bit more. If you look at the list above, its pretty obvious that im actually a creatively minded individual.
I've always loved music...always loved dancing...and always loved art.
(lit: I want to test /try)
This year is jam packed and im limited in my budget to try something new because of all the travelling i want to do...ie, all the money i need to save so that i can spend while im travelling abroad.
But while thinking about what i love, as opposed to things i just want to try for the heck of it, i discovered some things that might make me feel passionate about something - dare i say, anything...
I love the sound of a trumpet. I get goosebumps listening to the opening of My Funny Valentine - live by Michael Buble at some concert hall in South Africa. The trumpet being played is sensual and provocative.
I've watched doco's about Miles Davies. I swoon over Miles Davies - the music, not Miles Davies - the man. BUT, I have to appreciate that there would be no music, if it wasnt for the man's talent.
So, i have decided that i want to try and learn to play the trumpet.
This could be another hare brained idea of mine...but who knows...unless i try it out.
I also want to, and this i will definitely try out, is learn various dances. I want to learn the flamenco, tango, mambo, samba, and especially the lindy hop - so i can swing.
I want to take up some art classes too. One for drawing and one for painting.
I think i figured myself out a bit more. If you look at the list above, its pretty obvious that im actually a creatively minded individual.
I've always loved music...always loved dancing...and always loved art.
(lit: I want to test /try)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Aliéné...
I'm under the weather to say the least...i felt it coming on on Friday with the sore throat and cloudy head...so i went home to rest and did so for the weekend.
I went in to work on Monday morning, left at lunch...took Tuesday off and rolled back into work feeling crappola on Wednesday. Luckily i was in the office...the projects im looking after evolved into nasty and my manager needed me back on board.
I should really have stayed at home again today...head is still cloudy and the acid reflux in the back of my throat is hovering around. I haven't eaten much and it is still there...even now as i type. How disgusting is that?
Another manager sitting beside me, informed me that the amount of flows has more than doubled for one of the projects. I am wayyy out of my depth on this one. The delivery date is insane!!! The schedule is soo tight - its touch and go...im not even sure we should bother with one.
*ugh*
(lit: Insane...)
I went in to work on Monday morning, left at lunch...took Tuesday off and rolled back into work feeling crappola on Wednesday. Luckily i was in the office...the projects im looking after evolved into nasty and my manager needed me back on board.
I should really have stayed at home again today...head is still cloudy and the acid reflux in the back of my throat is hovering around. I haven't eaten much and it is still there...even now as i type. How disgusting is that?
Another manager sitting beside me, informed me that the amount of flows has more than doubled for one of the projects. I am wayyy out of my depth on this one. The delivery date is insane!!! The schedule is soo tight - its touch and go...im not even sure we should bother with one.
*ugh*
(lit: Insane...)
Friday, May 04, 2007
Je suis perdue...
(Pronounciation: Zher swee pair.dew...)
I don't think i can really call myself a good samaritan.
I've always had a soft spot in protecting children or the older more frail.
But of late, i've noticed the helpless more often and i find myself wanting to reach out and help.
During my lunch break on Thursday, i was walking with a gf to Pitt Street to check out some pens at the Mont Blanc store (sis-in-law wants to buy a pen for my brother, who got promoted on Tuesday to a head position). Along the way, from the corner of my eye i saw a women slumped on a bench. She was semi upright with her head slightly leaning on her shoulder...slightly leaning on her chest.
My gf was oblivious to her and only turned to look when i said aloud "i wonder if she is okay?"
I wasnt sure if she was homeless...although she didnt quite look like it. She dressed neatly and had a handbag tucked under the crook of her arm and looked like an old lady who just got really tired and dozed off.
My second thought was "i wonder if she is dead?" and i really should have taken a closer look, or at least taken a moment to notice whether or not her chest was inflating and then deflating to know whether she was breathing.
But i didnt and had continued to walk away.
I wrote that i wanted to reach out and help, but i havent.
I cant really say what fear grips me and prevents me from being a "good samaritan"...because the intention to protect and help is there...its just that no action amounts from the intentions.
I wonder if that makes me a bad person. The fact that i dont act. I just wonder.
(lit: I'm lost...)
I don't think i can really call myself a good samaritan.
I've always had a soft spot in protecting children or the older more frail.
But of late, i've noticed the helpless more often and i find myself wanting to reach out and help.
During my lunch break on Thursday, i was walking with a gf to Pitt Street to check out some pens at the Mont Blanc store (sis-in-law wants to buy a pen for my brother, who got promoted on Tuesday to a head position). Along the way, from the corner of my eye i saw a women slumped on a bench. She was semi upright with her head slightly leaning on her shoulder...slightly leaning on her chest.
My gf was oblivious to her and only turned to look when i said aloud "i wonder if she is okay?"
I wasnt sure if she was homeless...although she didnt quite look like it. She dressed neatly and had a handbag tucked under the crook of her arm and looked like an old lady who just got really tired and dozed off.
My second thought was "i wonder if she is dead?" and i really should have taken a closer look, or at least taken a moment to notice whether or not her chest was inflating and then deflating to know whether she was breathing.
But i didnt and had continued to walk away.
I wrote that i wanted to reach out and help, but i havent.
I cant really say what fear grips me and prevents me from being a "good samaritan"...because the intention to protect and help is there...its just that no action amounts from the intentions.
I wonder if that makes me a bad person. The fact that i dont act. I just wonder.
(lit: I'm lost...)
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Singe effronté...
I came home on Sunday after going to a house warming in the afternoon and Chloe was at the table having dinner.
She said to me:
"Aunty, i have another party to go to. Its for my friend Isabelle and its far away AND I WANT YOU to take me. If you want a lolly from my lolly bag...you.will.have.to.deal.with.ME!"
(1) Her mother was shocked, because she is free to take Chloe on this occasion, but Chloe had never asked her mother to take her to the party.
(2) Chloe and i did a pinky swear before the first birthday party i chapperoned. If i took her to these parties, i would get to pick 1 lolly from her lolly bag before she demolished it. That was the pact, which is why she said what she had said.
(3) I'm shocked that she is "re-negotiating" the terms and conditions with me. What a cheeky bugger...and she is only 5 y/o!!!
(lit: monkey cheeky)
She said to me:
"Aunty, i have another party to go to. Its for my friend Isabelle and its far away AND I WANT YOU to take me. If you want a lolly from my lolly bag...you.will.have.to.deal.with.ME!"
(1) Her mother was shocked, because she is free to take Chloe on this occasion, but Chloe had never asked her mother to take her to the party.
(2) Chloe and i did a pinky swear before the first birthday party i chapperoned. If i took her to these parties, i would get to pick 1 lolly from her lolly bag before she demolished it. That was the pact, which is why she said what she had said.
(3) I'm shocked that she is "re-negotiating" the terms and conditions with me. What a cheeky bugger...and she is only 5 y/o!!!
(lit: monkey cheeky)
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...)
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...)
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?)
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...)
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)
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!)
=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)
(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)
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)
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)
Thursday, March 29, 2007
vous semblez familier...
Saying something so simple as "you look familiar" can strike up a conversation with someone new and then you could easily start flirting with your prey...and before he/she knows it they are in an affair with you.
I asked a girlfriend at work if she thought there was a man-drought?
This was sparked because i had caught a clip filmed by Sam & the city about the supposed man-drought we have going on. From a statistical point of view, she spoke to a man from KPMG (i think) and he confirmed that there are more women than men in the age group of 30-something to 40-something...i think. My memory isnt all that flash unfortunately.
Then this guy from Zoo magazine thinks women are too picky. The man from KPMG did some maths and found that after filtering men by "what women want" (as per what the Zoo guy thinks) there are only 5% of men who meet the criterias that actually exist.
The editor of some women's mag thinks there are plenty of eligible men out there, but they are at home doing their own thing or are on the net and suggests that single women should go scouting via the net, using the net as their filter.
So, basically i posed the following questions to my girlfriend:
Do you think there is a male shortage in Sydney?
Or do you think they are all hiding?
Or do you think women in Sydney are being picky?
She came back with "isnt it a fact that statistically, there are more women than there are men? So i read in some mag..." (ad lib version)
Then i added to the conversation "...yeah, and then deduct the amount of men who are gay..." and thats a contributing factor in the smaller number of men who are straight and eligible!!! But i also added that she is "almost" married so its not like she had much to worry...
She replied by reminding me that she remembers how she felt when she was single and she knew how her single friends felt. And word for word, she wrote:
"It’s a disadvantage for all girls if guys feel like they can easily find someone else. I know im going to sound crazy but kyle and jacky o have a segment in their show called cheaters. And I am DISGUSTED by the Sydney men that cheat. And the guy this week was cheating on his wife for 2 years. He basically had 2 relationships..."
Which finally brings me full circle and back to why i started this post the way i did.
While the single people of Sydney try to find love and im sure it hits both genders as hard...its pretty scary that when you put urself out there with your heart on your sleeve, that you can easily be had. You thought you had met the love of your life and 2 years down the track (or how ever long) you find that your partner had been having another relationship with someone for just as long or whatever the duration!!! They had another relationship while with you!!!
Like, WTF?!
Its like the numbers are just stacked up against you. Everybody wants to feel loved and its a scary thought that there are some people are out there double dipping.
How do they do it though? Dont they feel dirty? Dont they feel guilty that they are hurting someone else?
I know, asking these questions is a fruitless venture...if they felt any remorse then they wouldnt be committing the crime. 2DayFM wouldnt have a show called "Cheaters" with people finding out that their partner is cheating on them. I wouldnt be ranting and raving about how much better it is to be single than to have a partner who cheats on me or a partner that i am even the slightest bit suspicious of.
I should keep an eye on my friend...i think one of her secret fears is that her partner might cheat on her...and i should encourage her not to listen to that segment ever again...it is obviously making her anxious.
(lit: you look familiar)
I asked a girlfriend at work if she thought there was a man-drought?
This was sparked because i had caught a clip filmed by Sam & the city about the supposed man-drought we have going on. From a statistical point of view, she spoke to a man from KPMG (i think) and he confirmed that there are more women than men in the age group of 30-something to 40-something...i think. My memory isnt all that flash unfortunately.
Then this guy from Zoo magazine thinks women are too picky. The man from KPMG did some maths and found that after filtering men by "what women want" (as per what the Zoo guy thinks) there are only 5% of men who meet the criterias that actually exist.
The editor of some women's mag thinks there are plenty of eligible men out there, but they are at home doing their own thing or are on the net and suggests that single women should go scouting via the net, using the net as their filter.
So, basically i posed the following questions to my girlfriend:
Do you think there is a male shortage in Sydney?
Or do you think they are all hiding?
Or do you think women in Sydney are being picky?
She came back with "isnt it a fact that statistically, there are more women than there are men? So i read in some mag..." (ad lib version)
Then i added to the conversation "...yeah, and then deduct the amount of men who are gay..." and thats a contributing factor in the smaller number of men who are straight and eligible!!! But i also added that she is "almost" married so its not like she had much to worry...
She replied by reminding me that she remembers how she felt when she was single and she knew how her single friends felt. And word for word, she wrote:
"It’s a disadvantage for all girls if guys feel like they can easily find someone else. I know im going to sound crazy but kyle and jacky o have a segment in their show called cheaters. And I am DISGUSTED by the Sydney men that cheat. And the guy this week was cheating on his wife for 2 years. He basically had 2 relationships..."
Which finally brings me full circle and back to why i started this post the way i did.
While the single people of Sydney try to find love and im sure it hits both genders as hard...its pretty scary that when you put urself out there with your heart on your sleeve, that you can easily be had. You thought you had met the love of your life and 2 years down the track (or how ever long) you find that your partner had been having another relationship with someone for just as long or whatever the duration!!! They had another relationship while with you!!!
Like, WTF?!
Its like the numbers are just stacked up against you. Everybody wants to feel loved and its a scary thought that there are some people are out there double dipping.
How do they do it though? Dont they feel dirty? Dont they feel guilty that they are hurting someone else?
I know, asking these questions is a fruitless venture...if they felt any remorse then they wouldnt be committing the crime. 2DayFM wouldnt have a show called "Cheaters" with people finding out that their partner is cheating on them. I wouldnt be ranting and raving about how much better it is to be single than to have a partner who cheats on me or a partner that i am even the slightest bit suspicious of.
I should keep an eye on my friend...i think one of her secret fears is that her partner might cheat on her...and i should encourage her not to listen to that segment ever again...it is obviously making her anxious.
(lit: you look familiar)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Au revoir mon cheri...
(Pronounciation: o rer.vwar mon sheri)
Its a little weird the relationship they have. In some ways it is similar to what i have with my alterna-date...and in other ways it is warped.
I once told him about toxic relationships and how they would end up making him hate her and himself for letting it go on for so long.
And then it ended, romantically. And it developed to what it is today.
She had a lot of problems at home.
Basically, her mother is a heartless b!tch. Thats the short explanation. Divorced her father just to split everything in half and after wasting all the cash within a year she comes crawling back and the father stupidly takes her home.
The father isnt all that great either. He is abusive.
It came to a point where she was over at our place for so long, so often...i became complacent.
And then something big happened. She needed somewhere to hide. She needed to get away. He asked if she could stay with us and i had to say no, not more than a couple of days. She couldnt just become another person in this family, it wouldnt work.
Didnt she have other family that she could rely on? Didnt she have a best friend that she could stay with? What about her sister??? If i was her sister, i would do anything to help her even if i was working away on an island...
And thats what has happened.
She was forced to defer her studies. Her sister found a job for her on the same island resort.
She found her ticket away from her mother and father.
He drove her to the airport this morning, dark and early at 5am.
(lit: goodbye my friend)
Its a little weird the relationship they have. In some ways it is similar to what i have with my alterna-date...and in other ways it is warped.
I once told him about toxic relationships and how they would end up making him hate her and himself for letting it go on for so long.
And then it ended, romantically. And it developed to what it is today.
She had a lot of problems at home.
Basically, her mother is a heartless b!tch. Thats the short explanation. Divorced her father just to split everything in half and after wasting all the cash within a year she comes crawling back and the father stupidly takes her home.
The father isnt all that great either. He is abusive.
It came to a point where she was over at our place for so long, so often...i became complacent.
And then something big happened. She needed somewhere to hide. She needed to get away. He asked if she could stay with us and i had to say no, not more than a couple of days. She couldnt just become another person in this family, it wouldnt work.
Didnt she have other family that she could rely on? Didnt she have a best friend that she could stay with? What about her sister??? If i was her sister, i would do anything to help her even if i was working away on an island...
And thats what has happened.
She was forced to defer her studies. Her sister found a job for her on the same island resort.
She found her ticket away from her mother and father.
He drove her to the airport this morning, dark and early at 5am.
(lit: goodbye my friend)
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
l'amour dans mon coeur...
(Pronounciation: lah-mor don mon ker)
I realised last night that no matter what happens in knocking me backwards...i still have an optimistic outlook on love and life.
My heart still believes in love and i think that is a beautiful thing.
I guess, its always good to know that you do have a heart...and that heart is beating. I mean i wouldn't want to be like Omarion and singing about an icebox being where my heart use to be. How depressing is that?
I will be a year older very shortly...on the other side of 25...but i'm not feeling sad about it. I'm happy to be that "little" bit smarter/wiser/forgiving/loving/patient/careful...thats been obtained throughout the past 12 months...
I dont necessarily know what exactly what i want to do with my life, but i do know what i will be doing tomorrow...and i know what i will be doing in September...and i know what the plans are for Christmas...
And i definitely know that i dont want to lose this ability to feel all warm and fuzzy, not necessarily about someone...but just about life!
I think if you one day realise that you dont feel warm and fuzzy about life, then its not worth living anymore. One needs that zest in their heart for it all to be worthwhile.
(lit: love in my heart)
I realised last night that no matter what happens in knocking me backwards...i still have an optimistic outlook on love and life.
My heart still believes in love and i think that is a beautiful thing.
I guess, its always good to know that you do have a heart...and that heart is beating. I mean i wouldn't want to be like Omarion and singing about an icebox being where my heart use to be. How depressing is that?
I will be a year older very shortly...on the other side of 25...but i'm not feeling sad about it. I'm happy to be that "little" bit smarter/wiser/forgiving/loving/patient/careful...thats been obtained throughout the past 12 months...
I dont necessarily know what exactly what i want to do with my life, but i do know what i will be doing tomorrow...and i know what i will be doing in September...and i know what the plans are for Christmas...
And i definitely know that i dont want to lose this ability to feel all warm and fuzzy, not necessarily about someone...but just about life!
I think if you one day realise that you dont feel warm and fuzzy about life, then its not worth living anymore. One needs that zest in their heart for it all to be worthwhile.
(lit: love in my heart)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
yeux errants...
I don't blame the guys who do...and i laugh at girls who follow a guy with their eyes.
I have been catching a lot of guys just literally snapping their heads around while they try to follow the pretty girls with their eyes.
A lot of them dont mean to look so intently...but the girls are genuinely pretty, I know cos even i had to take a look! *LoL*
I gotta admit, that its quite complimentary and at least it isnt a scary leer.
I hope no one ever catches my eyes wandering while their eyes are wandering...ahahahaa...how embarassing!
(lit: wandering eyes)
I have been catching a lot of guys just literally snapping their heads around while they try to follow the pretty girls with their eyes.
A lot of them dont mean to look so intently...but the girls are genuinely pretty, I know cos even i had to take a look! *LoL*
I gotta admit, that its quite complimentary and at least it isnt a scary leer.
I hope no one ever catches my eyes wandering while their eyes are wandering...ahahahaa...how embarassing!
(lit: wandering eyes)
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Le docteur...
My mum came home yesterday morning.
I didnt want her to come home bearing gifts, but she still managed to buy things for each of us.
She also had a couple of stories to tell me...
Namely, when she got off her flight and was waiting to walk through immigration, there was an asian guy (who she says is tall and good looking) talking to himself in english. He was wondering whether he was in the correct line. My mother being the nosey woman she is, but trying to help him, told him that there wasnt a particular line he had to stay in, all lines take everyone, not just Vietnamese passport holders.
Then they got to chatting and mum asked him where he was from, since he spoke fluent english. He told her that he was from SG, and she then tells him that "her daughter was taking her to SG and KL for Christmas this year"...He then told her that when she was in SG that she should give him a call and he will take us around and show us SG.
O_O
Mum expected him to just write down his mobile number or something, but he hands her his business card...at the time she didnt have her glasses on and so she couldnt read his details, but she said that she would call if we made it to SG...she put the card away and after they went through immigrations they said goodbye and semi-made promises to meet at Christmas.
When my mother had some time, she took out her glasses and looked at the card expecting to see some weird title that she didnt quite know what it really meant he did for a living...and then she found that he wasnt a Mr So-&-so...but he was a Dr So-&-so.
*LoL*
Why cant i ever go on a trip and strike up a conversation with a tall good looking SINGLE guy, who happens to be a doctor???
In her desperation to get me married, i think she will make me call him if we do go to SG.
I didnt want her to come home bearing gifts, but she still managed to buy things for each of us.
She also had a couple of stories to tell me...
Namely, when she got off her flight and was waiting to walk through immigration, there was an asian guy (who she says is tall and good looking) talking to himself in english. He was wondering whether he was in the correct line. My mother being the nosey woman she is, but trying to help him, told him that there wasnt a particular line he had to stay in, all lines take everyone, not just Vietnamese passport holders.
Then they got to chatting and mum asked him where he was from, since he spoke fluent english. He told her that he was from SG, and she then tells him that "her daughter was taking her to SG and KL for Christmas this year"...He then told her that when she was in SG that she should give him a call and he will take us around and show us SG.
O_O
Mum expected him to just write down his mobile number or something, but he hands her his business card...at the time she didnt have her glasses on and so she couldnt read his details, but she said that she would call if we made it to SG...she put the card away and after they went through immigrations they said goodbye and semi-made promises to meet at Christmas.
When my mother had some time, she took out her glasses and looked at the card expecting to see some weird title that she didnt quite know what it really meant he did for a living...and then she found that he wasnt a Mr So-&-so...but he was a Dr So-&-so.
*LoL*
Why cant i ever go on a trip and strike up a conversation with a tall good looking SINGLE guy, who happens to be a doctor???
In her desperation to get me married, i think she will make me call him if we do go to SG.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Hors de Prix...
E and i watched Priceless yesterday in the afternoon, after a big drink session the night before...
As i didnt drink much , maybe a glass of white, you would think that i would be able to get up early to run some errands before E picks me up at 12:15pm, as planned.
Instead i went home on Saturday night and went to bed around 2:30am...and got woken up by E at 11:40am Sunday to ask if i was able to drive to his place first...and when i told him i was still in bed...he thought i was worse for wear and just kept to the plan...and i think we did alright considering we left my place before 12:30pm.
We got to Leichhardt at around 1:10pm. Picked up our tickets from the box office...went to get some greasy brekky and ended up having brekky/lunch after 1:30pm. E ordered a Big Breakfast...while i ordered the Open Omlette...and i have never seen E eat all his food THAT fast - ever!!!
Its was pretty funny that E kept saying it was too early in the day and when we would look at the time on my watch, it was 14:00pm!
The movie was suppose to start at 14:09pm and we went to the cinemas and lined up to get in at 14:01 or so...and the line was huge...and it kept on growing...and to make matters worse, all 4 cinemas were sold out for the one movie!!!
Now what i dont get is why would they sell out all cinemas and knowing how chaotic it will be, dont they issue tickets with seat numbers associated with them, so that the sessions wont be delayed and no Nazi women ushers need to come into the cinemas and declaring that if you are holding seats for someone and they do not return in 10 minutes, she will be giving them away to other patrons!!!
Like WTF?
The people who's seats are being minded for are for the patrons who have gone out to get popcorn/drinks/choc tops/candy or visiting the toilets before the movie starts. If they are delayed it simply because the lines are huge...so basically, she was telling us that if you are minding a seat, even if the people who were sitting there are generating more revenue for the cinemas or were only using the amenities, that those patrons were going to be punished for not being able to rush back to their seats due to the excessive waiting in the huge lines!!!
Basically it was 14:30pm before the previews and ads started rolling...i was getting even more shitty by the fact that i anticipated that previews would start at 14:09pm as what was printed on the session times, and that we would be out of the cinemas by 16:20pm or slightly there after...so i had only put enough in the meter for up to 16:30pm. Now not only did the Nazi usher and the cinema was so unorganised and thereby making it a horrible experience for patrons to get in to watch the movie, we might suffer a parking fine due to them showing the movie extremely late.
Right before the movie start...about 14:25pm...the Nazi usher walked in to make yet another announcement. Basically, she declares that after the movie screening, we will have to exit via the back door...the door that is used for fire escapes...like FFS...so not only were we treated badly as we walked into the cinemas looking for a seat, because they were so disorganised, we now had to walk out of the cinemas via the back exit.
E was going on about what if he needed to go to the toilets after the movie??? I told him, badluck...doesnt seem like he is allowed to use their facilities after the movie...they are sooo disorganised that they need us to exit via the fire escape so that they dont get confused with partons who are watching the next movie!!!
I apologise for sounding like a pedantic b!tch, but as my life and work revolves around being organised and well planned before i execute anything, its bloody annoying to have a movie session delay on you because the cinema complex failed to organise themselves enough before such a major event occured. Forcing the movie to start 21 minutes later than the starting session time.
And i have been to these cinemas for all the major film fests (French/Italian/Spanish) and never ever has the organisation been this poor.
Now, other than the poor organisation...the movie itself was funny and what i really needed for a Sunday afternoon. I'm such an Audrey Tautou fan. And you know what? for the first 30 minutes, i actually hated her character...and then everything changed. Gad Elmaleh, is like sooo funny!!! E cracks up at the thought of Gad in this one scene where he asks for a light and he flashes his $30,000 (Euro) watch, making Audrey's character choke on her champagne.
In a very aussie fashion, there are sooo many moments like that, where you want to do a MasterCard and say "priceless"...i dont know if that is why the movie was called Priceless...but it suits me fine to think of it this way.
If you have a fancy to watch a French flick...and are looking for something light hearted and funny...this is the movie to watch.
I'm so glad that i watched 2 movies this year...next year, i might just purchase a 3 movie pass. It is sooo worth it.
As i didnt drink much , maybe a glass of white, you would think that i would be able to get up early to run some errands before E picks me up at 12:15pm, as planned.
Instead i went home on Saturday night and went to bed around 2:30am...and got woken up by E at 11:40am Sunday to ask if i was able to drive to his place first...and when i told him i was still in bed...he thought i was worse for wear and just kept to the plan...and i think we did alright considering we left my place before 12:30pm.
We got to Leichhardt at around 1:10pm. Picked up our tickets from the box office...went to get some greasy brekky and ended up having brekky/lunch after 1:30pm. E ordered a Big Breakfast...while i ordered the Open Omlette...and i have never seen E eat all his food THAT fast - ever!!!
Its was pretty funny that E kept saying it was too early in the day and when we would look at the time on my watch, it was 14:00pm!
The movie was suppose to start at 14:09pm and we went to the cinemas and lined up to get in at 14:01 or so...and the line was huge...and it kept on growing...and to make matters worse, all 4 cinemas were sold out for the one movie!!!
Now what i dont get is why would they sell out all cinemas and knowing how chaotic it will be, dont they issue tickets with seat numbers associated with them, so that the sessions wont be delayed and no Nazi women ushers need to come into the cinemas and declaring that if you are holding seats for someone and they do not return in 10 minutes, she will be giving them away to other patrons!!!
Like WTF?
The people who's seats are being minded for are for the patrons who have gone out to get popcorn/drinks/choc tops/candy or visiting the toilets before the movie starts. If they are delayed it simply because the lines are huge...so basically, she was telling us that if you are minding a seat, even if the people who were sitting there are generating more revenue for the cinemas or were only using the amenities, that those patrons were going to be punished for not being able to rush back to their seats due to the excessive waiting in the huge lines!!!
Basically it was 14:30pm before the previews and ads started rolling...i was getting even more shitty by the fact that i anticipated that previews would start at 14:09pm as what was printed on the session times, and that we would be out of the cinemas by 16:20pm or slightly there after...so i had only put enough in the meter for up to 16:30pm. Now not only did the Nazi usher and the cinema was so unorganised and thereby making it a horrible experience for patrons to get in to watch the movie, we might suffer a parking fine due to them showing the movie extremely late.
Right before the movie start...about 14:25pm...the Nazi usher walked in to make yet another announcement. Basically, she declares that after the movie screening, we will have to exit via the back door...the door that is used for fire escapes...like FFS...so not only were we treated badly as we walked into the cinemas looking for a seat, because they were so disorganised, we now had to walk out of the cinemas via the back exit.
E was going on about what if he needed to go to the toilets after the movie??? I told him, badluck...doesnt seem like he is allowed to use their facilities after the movie...they are sooo disorganised that they need us to exit via the fire escape so that they dont get confused with partons who are watching the next movie!!!
I apologise for sounding like a pedantic b!tch, but as my life and work revolves around being organised and well planned before i execute anything, its bloody annoying to have a movie session delay on you because the cinema complex failed to organise themselves enough before such a major event occured. Forcing the movie to start 21 minutes later than the starting session time.
And i have been to these cinemas for all the major film fests (French/Italian/Spanish) and never ever has the organisation been this poor.
Now, other than the poor organisation...the movie itself was funny and what i really needed for a Sunday afternoon. I'm such an Audrey Tautou fan. And you know what? for the first 30 minutes, i actually hated her character...and then everything changed. Gad Elmaleh, is like sooo funny!!! E cracks up at the thought of Gad in this one scene where he asks for a light and he flashes his $30,000 (Euro) watch, making Audrey's character choke on her champagne.
In a very aussie fashion, there are sooo many moments like that, where you want to do a MasterCard and say "priceless"...i dont know if that is why the movie was called Priceless...but it suits me fine to think of it this way.
If you have a fancy to watch a French flick...and are looking for something light hearted and funny...this is the movie to watch.
I'm so glad that i watched 2 movies this year...next year, i might just purchase a 3 movie pass. It is sooo worth it.
