This is My House

Wow.. what an eventful month indeed. It started off with a bunch of us going to the Tulip Festival up in Tesselaar (pics comin up soon) and getting caught in a sudden hailstorm whilst eating our steamin’ meatpies and then *WALLAH* clearing skies to enjoy the flowers You know you’re living in a metrosexual world when the BOYS refused to walk on the muddy garden path because " I DOWAN TO DIRTY MY WHITE LEATHER SHOES." -insert smirk-

This was followed by Tanglung Festival (with full on paper lanterns, candles and mooncakes) and I can’t describe how beautiful the lanterns looked, illustrated against the backdrop of the city at night. G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! 

The following week, the gals decided to enjoy a lovely high tea at 111 Spring St. The theme of the high tea was ‘Chocolate Indulgence’ and indulge we did, (with the exception of Mel, who ate like a sparrow. A baby one at that). In addition to the normal high tea consisting of a variety of scones, finger sandwiches and little pastries, it was DEATH BY CHOCOLATE. Chocolate crepes, chocolate cakes, custards, chocolate coins, tarts, mousse and chocolate covered strawberries etc. *ughh* The trick is to eat a tiny piece of everything..until you cannot move

Lastly, J’s birthday at Lily Blacks. Just to chill out and catch up with old mates was so much fun! She wore this stunning, strapless royal blue cocktail dress with rouche detailing and a bow at the back. The single boys drooled into their Satan’s Piss and the quote of the night was "WAH the talent here not bad!" hehe.   

Anyhow, some overdue congratulations to be sent out to:-

1. Celine and Ed on their upcoming engagement! I expect hochzeit einladung ok??

2. Terry and Joy also on their upcoming nuptials. Sorry if I got too excited and nearly broke your back, Ter.

3. Wc and Nick on their new jobs. Very happy for you guys, definitely well earned boys. May your success continue a thousand fold! GO THE PC NERDS!! (can’t believe I am saying this haha)   

4. John John for mucho happiness found in Franklin Loft Level 25 was it? Without your advice, I would have not gotten that essay mark. Thank you.

5. Myself too for finishing my last class EVER hopefully. I’ve learnt alot in my many years in Uni, one is how to stay motivated when YOU JUST CANNOT BE BOTHERED. Now that the final hurdle is in sight, I just keep pushing myself to finish the damn race. *mental picture of myself holding degree* repeat 1000 times a day.

Other things to look forward to after exams:-

1. Kung Kung’s 90th birthday bash in Perth. Will reunite with the family and extended family to celebrate Kung Kung’s long and prosperous life. Hey, if Kung Kung can quit smoking cold turkey at the grand old age of 70 he’s a champ I say.

2. Going to Sydney for Sandsculpture Day and Tetsuya with Yan. Going to the country for some R&R with WC. FINALLY. Lakehouse and mineral spas= bliss.

3. Visit from the Grandmaster of FengTau himself, Mr.Nottifish from KL. Too bad your ‘kei cheong’ close shop already. Too many stabbings amongst the Viets man.

4. Australian Open 2007.

Till the next update, laters!

Yeah, so I did post up pictures due to the not-so-subtle hints my sis was dropping but stuffy Internet connection means I had to redo it. (@*&(*@&#(* WARNING: I’m a technoramus so apologies for the crappy quality of pictures.. my T9 is waayy smarter than I am. 0_o

First up, Sau Yan prepared a scrumptious steamboat for us on a cold night. It was a welcome respite from writing assignments

Just when I thought I could NOT eat another bite, they bought out a tiramisu cake. Notice I am clutching a pillow desperately to prevent my tummy from bursting ala Aliens 2. LOL

Sept babies(Pho,Yen,me)decided to jointly celebrate@ Manchester LnJazzBar

BELOW:Jelita (who came despite being ill and sounding like Marge Simpson *huGs), Simon and Pho. Followed by me with Nick and Sau Yan. Pauline, Sophia, Gavin, Yosa and Christine.

Lastly, this was followed by dinner at Vue De Monde with WC. I really wasn’t in the mood to enjoy a 10 course degustation menu due to assignment hell but its excellant food&service lifted my spirits! We had a lovely view of the open kitchen staring at the dessert chefs tantalizing offerings.

Post dinner- WC: "sighh..there goes my new rims.."

Once in a while, I’ll have friends who ask if I am a church going Christian. And I’ll answer honestly, no I am not. My mother, the Zealot, nags me non stop about going to church again. My guess is that she’s surprised at the state I am in.. from attending Sunday school/Bible study since I was 10 and later serving in the ministry at both high school and young adults fellowship to avid Church avoider.

Why indeed? Well, suffice to say I had some pretty scary experiences with Christian groups. Personal leaders that preach like there’s no tomorrow but then dive head first into a huge hole of corruption themselves. Talk about a crashing fall from grace. Christians who call themselves your friend, but yet they judge you on how much service time you clock in at church. People who raise their hands at worship and carry on like some Bollywood movie but an hour later is cursing at everyone at lunch. AND they expect me to sit and listen to THEM preach to me? Heck no. Left the church then and never looked back since. I just didn’t see how being around them made me want to be a better person. But a part of me wondered if I would ever feel God’s presence in my life again, having made such a decision.

And now, when evil people make up whopping lies and slander me, regardless of whether they know me or not, I feel anger and hatred. I guess I can’t really blame them seeing how they thrive on gossip, posing, are generally self-absorbed and shallower than a puddle of mud.

But then, He sends me little reminders of His goodness and grace. Jubilant news of loving and caring people who are expecting babies. More joyful news of other warm and kind friends getting married soon. Then, there are also some Christians who have always been content just to be friends and not to judge- May,Jaimie, Terence, Joy, Jeremy, Michelle, Vernon and Gordon. He surrounds me with awesome individuals who genuinely live to help others, devoid of ego or secondary motives. He gives me people who have their own quirks and imperfections to help me deal with my own. Slowly, this knowledge filters through my thick skull and my disgust towards certain individuals dissipates.

Then I feel compelled to listen to His voice and to be at peace. Romans 12:21 says “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Thank You for reminding me that You are always there, for there is still so much goodness and light that flow from You. Help me forgive those who sin against me, and to learn how to rise above petty untruths and malicious rumours. Thank you for opening my eyes and renewing my faith in others.

It’s still dark but the call of the muezzin signals the dawn of a new day,

Impatiently she bounces around; all ready to gogogogo

Driving hapless parents up the wall as she hangs upside down -in the car.

The route is filled with exciting detours but she Just.Can’t.Wait,

Because at the heart of its destination lies the love and affection

Of very doting grandparents.

Being there got you the best durians, the best toys and candy,

The biggest pak chong in the whole world (indeed, even bigger than a dinner plate).

Yeh Yeh would take her for joyrides around the town,

Off they went merrily in his beloved old Mercedes

And when it was safe, he’d wink at her

Pulling out a separate angpau from Mama’s.

He always smelt like Brylcream and leather,

And insisted they speak English because he wanted to practice.

Indeed, there were many letters, postcards and grainy old pictures of him

Smiling and posing in exotic locales around the world.

As she grew older, she wondered how come she didn’t inherit his height genes

He was a six footer Chinaman, and she was a five footer Chinagirl.

But as he grew older, it was her turn to look after his needs.

She learnt that he loved Teochew porridge,

And had always hoped to visit the land of his birth again.

That he would read the dailies out loud to the other residents,

And hated his walking stick with a passion.

As the years passed by, she arrived back in Ipoh one day

Unbelieving that he’d gone so quickly and suddenly,

Looking at the shell that once housed his spirit,

His generosity and unfailing devotion to family,

She knew he’d gone for good this time.

And sat in numb silence to bid farewell

To the beloved patriarch of the Lim family.

Yeh yeh’s spirit and mettle lives on today,

In the chubby cheeks of his great grandchild,

In the wanderlust of his grandchildren (both tall and short),

In the belief of higher education by his children.

It’s a story of a young and desperately poor immigrant,

Toiling amongst the once active tin mines of Perak,

And realized his dream of sending all nine children for further study.

As I stood by the banks of the Kinta River under a cloudless sky,

Watching the swirling eddies carry his ashes away,

His stern but compassionate advice echoing in my mind,

I remember that he is free to travel different lands once again.

Thanks for the memories Yeh Yeh.

-To the friends who supported/nagged/dragged my butt through exams and the unpalatable experience that is law school- this song goes out to you.

Lay Your Hands (Simon Webbe)

Sometimes life can be a burden
Trying to stay one step ahead
I feel the world upon my shoulder each time
I’m standing out on the edge
My hopes have all deserted me
Like they washed away in the sand
And it’s hurting my pride,trying to survive
But i know that i stand a chance

When you lay your hands
Oh yeah
‘Coz it’s the only thing I have that still makes sense

(Oh baby, when I’m calling out)
Give me love and affection,
Keep telling me, show me the way.
(Oh, if you see me falling down)
Lift me up from the shadows
Will you take me away to a better place?
(And when I’m in my darkest hour)
You’re by my side, to turn the tide,
Until the suffering fades.
When life is getting me down,
getting me down, I’m close to defeat,
Come and lay your hands on me.

Feel this road is getting longer now
And I’m too far away from home
Still I gotta keep on moving on
But I can’t do it on my own
Baby keep my head above water
Help me swim for my life
‘Coz the game is getting harder
The strain is gettin stronger
And I can only face the fight

When you lay your hands
Oh yeah
‘Coz it’s the only thing I have that still makes sense

(Oh baby, when I’m calling out)
Give me love and affection,
Keep telling me, show me the way.
(Oh, when you see me falling down)
Lift me up from the shadows
Will you take me away to a better place?
(And when I’m in my darkest hour)
You’re by my side, to turn the tide,
Until the suffering fades.
When life is getting me down,
getting me down, I’m close to defeat,
Come and lay your hands on me..

Till I’m healed again,
Rediscovered my strengths,
Those bitter blues are gone…Oh, gone…

Just a quick update in between soccer matches, and SBS is attempting to introduce us to marzipan, one of the many all German goodies. I remember I didn’t fancy it too much Looks too pretty to eat too!

The winds of change swirl around us once again.. and to my friend who’s making a big change in life- here’s hoping that this change is for the better. I realise you’re in a very difficult and heart breaking predicament but I hope that you’ll recover and stand up, stronger than before. Despite our differences, you were there for me 2 years ago and I’ll never forget that. We haven’t seen each other much but here’s knowing that you’ll be okay one day and you’ll have the courage to lift up your head and smile again.

Sometimes life tosses a couple of challenges our way and to my dear friends who’ve listened to me whine (you guys don’t need me to tell you that you’re all champs and legends. Yes. Yes, you are.)- you’ve made me realise that not all change is for the worse. I guess I fear change, I fear shaking my foundations and breaking new ground. Maybe I’ve gotten too comfortable in where I am, too entrenched in my surroundings. But its all about perspective isn’t it? It requires a leap of faith, hoping that things will turn out alright. I’ve realised that something worthwhile is never easy to achieve, and there’s no one who deserves it more than you.

**Farewell to Sau Yan as she returns to KL for a short holiday. Hope you spend lots of time with your family&friends and eat lots of delicious food. Will miss your company and don’t worry, I’ll make sure the guys don’t get too mad during our regular Sunday brunches. See you soon woman!

**Happy birthday again to Joey ( you looked super ULTRA HOT SMASHING.COM that night and so did Jelita) and thanks for inviting us all to Bond Bar. Very groovy, very fun You both had my male friends ( and the rest of the room I am sure) drooling over the leather couches.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a crevice inside a gorilla’s armpit - everyone knows that World Cup fever is on! *bangs tambourine with chopsticks*

This time it promises to be an entertaining affair (as it always is).. the record holders Brazil aren’t as superhot as they used to be but may still have it in them to lift the Cup. France must be quite ermm.. desperate if they have to call players out of retirement to play. Past footballing legends Argentina have a stronger unit this time round and are looking solid and South Korea, (previous semifinalists) will be out to prove that they aren’t one hit wonders. Can’t believe Figo is still playing for Portugal, when will the man retire?? Australia mauled Japan to bits.. well, let’s see if they can repeat it against Croatia AND Brazil (my guess is no).

Will England be able to march on towards despite Rooney the Bull’s absence? Will everyone in Group E beat the living crap out of each other because no one wants to meet Brazil in the next stage?  Despite mixing up Trinidad &Tobago and Togo, (geography not my strong point) I can’t wait for exams to be over and to do nothing but breathe,eat,sleep, talk, dream football. :)    

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On an entirely different note, here’s how to spot racism in action:-

1.Book a table at Movida 1 Hosier Ln for 12 people on a Friday night.

2.Turn up but with 3 people less. Watch the waiters face turn blacker than a kuali’s ass. Watch as they scurry into the kitchen to complain to the chef/owner.

3(a).Try to join both tables to make one smaller table but watch the waiters fobbing you off..and make a lame excuse of ‘max of 6 people per table’. WTH? Ran out of chairs or tables in Spain or something? Tables bolted to the floor because made of platinum or something? )(@*#)(@*#@(#*

3(b).Notice that they have already taken over your empty spots with more patrons.

4. Finally order and smile politely (all the while thinking if only I was in La Bodega *sigh*) at waiter who’s harassing you to ORDER MORE FOOD.MORE TAPAS! MORE ALCOHOL! NOW!

5. Get your meals dumped on table. Watch waiters stalk away with noses in the air, haughtier than Queen Elizabeth at her coronation.

6. Eat the food, reining in the urge to throw a sauteed mushroom or lamb leg at the waiters walking by.

7. Pay $40pp (120RM and that’s a heck of alot of tapas in La Bodega and even in Spain I am sure) and on the way out, Moronic Waiter mutters something about the restaurant losing money thanks to us. Grit teeth and resist urge to spray paint the walls with ‘Puta de Madre’ and instead settle for politely apologizing.

8. Repeat with a table of 8 white people.  Watch waiters be more accommodating, the way the Food &Beverage industry is normally run here. They call it the hospitality industry too. I’ve seen prisons which are more hospitable.

A Living, breathing example of racism in the 21st century. No one likes to use the ‘R’ word but can’t deny it. Hospitality my A$$.

My aunt hung herself yesterday. The wake has already been held, and no one told me anything until after it was over (side effects of being 100000 miles away).

I apologise for the somber note, but I say this because I need to pay tribute to her in my own way, and to spread the word out that depression kills. It steals the will to live, to persevere, and to continue to fight the walls closing in.

I guess the signs were already there, with her being hospitalized earlier this year. She just simply gave up 1 day ago and told herself that there was nothing worth living for. Not her crap marriage, not her kids, not her many siblings, not her friends, not her dreams in life. She was told to retire from the company, and I guess it made her feel worthless, and unwanted.

I shall always remember her as the aunt who supported and advised me in my legal studies, she being a lawyer herself. The aunt who hugged me a lot, who always brought me to my favourite eating places in Ipoh and admired my stuff. She always made me feel welcome in her massive home with the pine trees. The cool aunt who’d have a smoke and debate about constitutional law whilst knocking back a couple of beers with me. ( I remember her favourite drink: whiskey on the rocks.) And she loved playing tennis and scuba diving before a knee injury stopped that.

Who really knows what goes on in another person’s mind? But I guess if someone you know is showing signs of depression don’t shut them out. Don’t treat them like they’ve got leprosy or some kind of transmittable disease. There is a huge stigma against people suffering from mental illnesses and pretending like it doesn’t exist won’t help. I now know firsthand how terrible the consequences can be.

Aunty CC.. I’m sorry that I didn’t know you suffered so. Wherever you are, I hope you’re at peace now. I’ll miss our chats tremendously.. take care.

Wow..holy smokes, its been an entire month since I last wrote an entry! Finally have the time to sit and write as its a long weekend coming right up. In the 6 years since I’ve started living in Melbourne, I guess its grown somewhat mundane and predictable. Once you get into ‘living here now’ mode rather than ‘I’m a tourist’ mode, its just like any other place, really..

Even the Korean hairdressers I’ve met complain that there simply isn’t much to do here. Many leave after completing their 1 year working visa, because apparently in Korea there’s heaps more to do..maybe their night life is alot more vibrant because Seoul sounds exactly like its name. Doesn’t it sound like a HUGE City to you?

But even the most dreary and predictable routine can perk up a little when you stumble across an unfamiliar lane way. All one needs is a curious mind and an adventurous outlook. Shops that might have been smiling at you as you strolled on by previously. Stylish bars hidden away in a discreet corner, or a small piece of Europe (right here!) with majestic marble pillars and soaring arches above. I even saw a cafe for serious bookworms, modelled like an old study complete with faux tomes. Something new, something to open your eyes again. But the find of the afternoon was IL Papiro.   

It was a tiny shop, unobtrusively situated between 2 lane ways..and as soon as I stepped in, I could not help but marvel at the mouth watering, absolutely beautiful works of craftsmanship on display. It literally felt as if I had left Melbourne far behind, and catapulted into Florence, Italy. For a person who thinks that actual writing ( i.e paper and pen) is soon becoming a lost art, it was heaven.

It was like being caught in a Renaissance time warp, almost a visual overload. Leather bound journals, different types of diaries, embossed stationery sets, waxes and seals.. all handmade just like how it was centuries ago. But the piece de resistance was a carved fully crystal calligraphy pen, complete with its own ink pot. I thought those didn’t even exist anymore! Upon closer inspection, I found out its proper name, the Venetian pen. It’s not hard to imagine people from a different time, writing in an elegant, flowing script and sealing their letters with wax.

I couldn’t decide what to purchase that day, but left with a big smile with the delight of discovery.   

You know that occasional vague feeling of dissatisfaction..that cant-put-your-finger-on-it sense of unhappiness? I finally got around to reading Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, (wondering what the fuss was all about because this skinny little book was on the New York Times bestseller list for 4 years) and apparently the ‘secret to happiness’ can be summarized in these few points:-

1. As my lecturer likes to say, this sets out the scene: Scenario1- We are all so wrapped up in careers, in the mortgage, new car and money. We have a trillion of little acts just to keep going. As the author noted, ‘My days were full, yet I remained, much of the time unsatisfied. Is this all I want?’

2. Scenario 2 as astutely observed by Morrie: Wherever I went in my life, I met people wanting to gobble up something new. Gobble up a new car, gobble up property etc. People were so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes.’

3. So this begs the question- how to be truly happy? He makes it sound so simple. Deep inner satisfaction is derived from giving others what you have to give. Which sort of runs parallel to: give out love, and let it come in.

4. Conclusion: the meaning in life comes from devoting yourself to loving others, devoting yourself to your community around you, and devoting yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

Call me a cynic but I find some difficulty with happiness being so attainable. How does one reconcile that with the fact that it is human nature to be somewhat dissatisfied? Otherwise how can we strive for excellence and higher achievements? Aim for the sky and all that jazz? Somewhat confused I am. Will muse more with ice cream…