Closure

The general atmosphere for the last two days of presentation for our class was of a relaxed, resigned, rejuvenated, and to some extend, rejoice. The long toil for 2nd semester has finally come to an end. 


Well, kind off. History test on the following Tuesday and it will be nearly 4 long months of summer break.


Going out with the Malaysian students in my class for dinner last night made me realised that I will be abandoned by them when they all fly home for the end of the year. Which means should something happen, they can easily narrow down to the only Asian in town.*


Right, like that ever happens.*


Four months. What can happen in 4 long, hot summer months? The subgroup of the dinner group (huge group of 10+ pax) agreed that the whole year past too fast, and the shock of going into 3rd year next year. Even the recent (Malaysian student) arrivals thought that this semester just blinked by. Two hundred and fifty three blinks roughly to be exact.


Hmm...


By the way, my dear Ben Luffy,  I am a closet geek, speaking only to suit the occasion.

*Cultural Joke: Even Asians will suspect Asians first should 'something' happen. Later proven to be an untrue stereotype as one Australian mentioned that they too, can be randomly accused by bozo(s) after a few drinks... 

Hole

Whenever I try to explain myself,
And it does not sound right,

My secondary school friends will laugh,
My sister will roll her eyes and frown,
Walt will hand me a shovel,
Pat will animate and subtly go,


Chug,



Chug



Chug


Lately I have been given an upgrade.
A 16 year old girl offered a better solution,
The services of an excavator,

Should help me dig my own grave. Faster.

Pwnd?

Food

Warning: Contains ugly photo. Really.


In protest against the Architecture Faculty's expensive Bollywood-theme dinner ball, we decided to have our own little dinner after a long talk by a Professor Jane Rendell, who gave a rather extraordinary and profound talk on Decentralising and Recentralising. Which happens to mean... z.zzz.z .z.z z. 


Anyway, she does have a website which renders a picture of what her talk meant to a Level 2 architecture student's mind. That is definitely more interesting than the previous link.


Returning to the topic, we (Malaysians) invited our (2 Nepalese and 1 M'sian) friends over for dinner. And since they cooked dahl (something like this), it made dinner multicultural. For dessert, we had a round the table talk of different types of vegetables we hope to plant in our garden, and, Nepalese dishes that they should cook for these culturally unaware Malaysians. 


Anyway, this jolted a haunting memory of a dished cooked a few days ago when a house mate decided to spice up the rice we usually have. If indeed you are a brave soul to have stayed so long, take a guess of what ingredients were used.

The end result is scary. The smell, downright deceiving. The taste, marginally poisonous. The texture, semi-liquid, and the sight, nightmarish.


Which incidentally, dug up a memory once thought lost in the cobweb filled corner of the mind, of a cross-continental fight with United Airline back in 1999 from San Francisco to Orlando, Florida. And since it was nearly a 5 hour flight, they served passengers something to eat. Indeed it is something as it did look similar to the photo above. And the "plopping" sound it made when pressed with a spoon echoes somewhere in the ear.


Of course, it has been nearly 10 years ago since then. I am quite sure they have improved their menu significantly. There was no way of verifying this since I never flew with them since the return trip...

Hazardous Combination

Father's Day, Pastor, Pride and Prejudice, Bicycle Seat. That is.

A few weeks ago in one of the Uni's Christian Group meeting, we had a fervent discussion about watching classic movies. The Pastor's wife (of this Christian Group) gladly recommended that we watch Pride and Prejudice (not the 5-hour 6 episodes version, although she has it) to the silent protest of the Pastor. He prefers a more 'manly' movie.

Poster above: Taken somewhere from the Internet.

And thus, to celebrate Father's day last Sunday, we gathered at the Pastor's house for dinner and classic movie on top of the hill.

Not a bad idea.

However, a combination of bad planning and being a cheapskate, it was indeed a challenging journey from my house at the bottom of the valley. The alternative to walking at that time was my friend's bicycle.

Pic above: Father Killer

A bad bicycle seat can make one relive the journey even after two days it has ended. The sensation still lingers at the back of your mind and at the crotch. My friend told me upon returning his bike, was to get used to it.

The movie was indeed interesting. Sure, Keira Knightly was in the movie, which is a huge plus, but the beautiful Georgian and Victorian architecture. Makes one wish and desire the opportunity to reside in one of those babies.

Perhaps I should watch the movie again. This time I would pay more attention to the story. And Keira Knightly.

If you don't know Keira Knightly, click here.

If you don't know where I stay, click here.

Age vs Maturity

Age does not denote maturity level.

My house mate came home last night rather displease with a classmate who took his joke very seriously and made a scene in the middle of class. House mate claims the issue has been settled but noted that although the other guy was slightly older but did not behave like one.

It hit me today that in a different manner that, despite me being a follower of Christ for some 7 odd years now and I still behave like a weed that sways easily. I had a Bible study with a new Christian the other day and we discussed about what it is like to follow God's will: having faith.

Long story short, the past few months I have been struggling in several areas: being obedient and being a God's lover. And I realised that I am still far from being mature in many ways, despite being a 7 year old Christian.

Oh, God. Have mercy on me. Remove all my selfish desires. May my heart follow You forever!

Sigh..

Money vs Rain

Two things they always say about students: Not enough money, not enough food, and not enough brain.

Second semester has just started and a few of my year 3 seniors are about to graduate with Bachelors in Environment Design. Some have made plans to continue studying, some to change subject, many to go back home to work. Mostly due to item number 1 mentioned above.

I spoke to one of my local (Australian) classmate the week before and he was down to AUS$80 (roughly RM240) for the next 2 weeks or so. And he gets no allowance from parents. That is one of the many stories people share when money is mentioned. Many have opportunities to earn while they study but some have unfortunate circumstances.

I guess I am fortunate enough that my parents and relatives sponsor my studies. Makes me want to save on everything I can. Right. Thank God for providence.

Now, to the weather. It has been raining cows and blowing elephants the past few days. With winter leaving and spring approaching in September, the orcas will come in for the kill.

I had a taste of what was to come in Spring when a friend called me from Malaysia one night. It was raining and blowing and I had no key to enter the house. The front porch of my house is so small, it is equivalent of standing under an umbrella during a cyclone for 30 minutes. And walking around with strong wind can provide the experience of drunk walking without alcohol.

Makes you wonder how Spring would be like...

Shower

Do you (yes, you tropical fishes) always wonder why people do not shower/bathe very often when they live in cold countries (e.g. Australia and England)? Is that a reason why Europeans especially French perfumes are so popular? Is that why deodorants are very popular products here in Australia?

I am not sure.

But one thing I know is that I have managed to stay in the same clothes for 4 days without smelling THAT bad. At least I can't really smell myself that well. All thanks to the wonderful winter in Tasmania. Here, you do not sweat as badly as in the tropics. And when there are no such thing as a proper toilet with shower within 15 km of the camping site, cleaning yourselves is a great challenge. Keeping warm is a challenge. Not smelling bad is a walk in the park.

Keeping dry in a camp site is a big challenge especially when the tent you borrow is not simple to set up. Wind, within the Tasmanian forest next to the beach is still very strong. We were camping nearly 450m away from the beach with shrubs and some trees around did not stop the wind from blowing rain water in to my tent.

Trees are not that helpful.

And when you get all moist and sticky from the cold weather and dew condensation, it is nearly impossible to clean up. So, one has no choice but to wipe yourself dry, or die trying. Otherwise it is very not cool to have cold feet.

Right. Time to shower. A hot one. After 4 days at least.

Weather. Again

For those who plan to study, work, or live in Tasmania, especially those who come from tropical countries like Malaysia. Be warned.

It is has been so cold here the past few days that you can see the water vapour coming out from your mouth, in my house. Yup. The silly heater I got does not heat up my room. Only my legs. 

It was so cold the past few days that my hands became so stiff that I cannot draw and write my assignments even with the silly heater on. Graahh!!

OK. Time to sleep. In the cold. Thank God for really effective quilts and the lovely sweaters available. Hehe..

Cheers!

Food for Thought..

Girl housemate (GH): You guys eat a lot!

Boy housemate (BH): No lah, we eat like usual!

Me: ...

GH: You guys eat like cows like that, the portion I eat is less than yours. Mostly vegetable like deer.

BH: But both eat grass.

GH: Where got? Cows eat grass and worms. Deer eat leaves only.

Me: Cow eat worms? Aren't they parasites?

GH: Yeah, in the end they are still eaten by the cows, right?

BH: Doesn't the deer eat grass too? Then the "worms" will enter its stomach mah.

GH: Deer where got eat grass? They eat leaves only. And don't have worms one.

BH: ...

Me: ...

- - - - - - - - Q & A - - - - - - - - 

1. Do cows eat "worms"?

2. What constitutes as eating?

3. Can one intentionally eat something so small? Does that mean we eat bacteria and viruses too?

4. Do we eat "worms"?

Lovely day for thought provoking, mind boggling, mentally challenging questions. Cheers!

Nightmare

What a nightmare!

I dreamt about her,

The second time since I got here.

It wasn't the type in which I woke up in sweat,

But it is the one filled with the feeling of dread.

In my dream I saw her,

Walking in a dodgy area,

Not somewhere secluded and dark,

But like Genting Highlands theme park.

Holding hands with joy,

It seems like she has a boy.

Everywhere they went,

I followed as close as I can.

Twist and turn in the crowd,

I lost them in the cloud.

High and low I search for her,

For she is someone I hold dear.

In the end I sat in despair,

Because she is not to be found anywhere.

Is this a sign I ponder,

That I lose to someone younger?

That boy is just 12 years old,

Or so I was told.

In my dream I am a loser,

What bummer.

It will be all right. There is Easter bunny and chocolate eggs to munch on. Yumm...

Right.

Dear Naj,

Now, walk your talk. Unless, of course, you are all talk.

The Weather

When we talk about Australia's weather, we think of heat waves, dry hot sun, low to almost no humidity dessert. Well, those frogs (in the well), would have only thought of the vast desert and forest fires that we hear about in the news (in Malaysia). Poor people who lost things and love ones due to that.

Not in Launceston! It was summer the other way round. Arriving on the last few days of February, the weather was low cast and cold. Same like Melbourne during the two days stopover. Windy and chilly too. If there was a thermometer around, it would say -15˚C. Wait, or is it without the negative sign? 

Anyway, now it is officially autumn (slow news report. It was since 1st March), the wind is even stronger, water is colder, rains more regularly, cloudy and overcast more than sunny. Eh. Yeah. Here is proof. 

Looks like Cameron Highlands eh? Well, on other days, it looks like this.

Yeah, weather extremes relatively compared to Malaysia. Brrr.... Hope it looks like that tomorrow. It is laundry day. No one to wash my clothes for me. And fold it. And keep it..

I need a maid.

Tasmania

Yes, just started to study here. In Uni Tas.

Autumn just started. Very cold. BbbrrrRRrrrbrr..

=)