It's raining outside and in my head
Just got off the phone with my fren H and decided to post an entry and upload the Melb Show pics. Although she didn’t scold, I felt very much chastised, as I realized that frens back home are relying on my blog to see what I’m up to since I’m over 6000miles away!
Truth be told, I’ve been a little down and frustrated over the lack of positive feedback from all of my applications, and I HAVE been sending a lot.
Part of me is frustrated over the difficulty of getting a job in my graduated field, and yet fully aware of why it is so difficult. And yet part of me felt that it shouldn’t be such a tedium. It has become a chore to sit down at the computer now, everyday, to send off hopeful email after hopeful email for a simple receptionist job. Most don’t even have the courtesy to send a ‘Received’ reply. Ah well.
But I’ve been a little more active the past week. Going swimming with my cousin. Driving out to 3 different places to hand in my resume, even had an impromptu interview with the manager of Subway. Went and watched ‘Deuce Bigelow’ which was hilarious!! But a pity they cut out the vampiress scene though, I wonder why.
On a more serious note, I’ve been a little worried about my aunt and uncle, which manifested in me having weird dreams that involved them. I feel a kind of tension, a kind of unhappiness in their … relationship? I think it’s something that only really married and long-term couples feel, but which they cannot or are not able to transmute into something more … pleasant or comfortable. Certain things that each of them say, in my presence, I don’t know what to say or do. I know I can’t do anything, yet I can’t help wonder if I should try.
I mentioned the dreams to my cousin and the reason why I had them, but he says that he couldn’t really be bothered because of all the past hurts, anger and disappointments he has with them. He almost makes it insignificant, but I guess it’s because it really is no big deal. Just old people throwing words at each other’s faces – loudly. Which is very against my upbringing, because I’ve never really had an all-out quarrel with anyone. I certainly didn’t dare do it with my mum. Never had any reason to with my frens. But basically, I am a non-confrontational person. If I can, I will avoid head-on confrontations and sneak out the backdoor like a coward. Survivor’s instinct. I wanna live long enough to keep my head on my neck.
But I’m still wondering if I can do anything to help them be less… bickering. I mean…. I’m here… shouldn’t I do something… somehow?
Royal Melbourne Show 2005!
Finally got the pics from the 2 gurls. There weren't alot becos we were too busy enjoying ourselves to stop and snap every now and then. Now if I had my own camera.... ah well.
The Showbags tent. I didn't find alot of variety here, compared to the Perth one in 2000, but damn! if I still didn't feel like buying them all!
We couldn't decide what to eat. I think we stood there for almost 10 minutes I think. Qian decided to take a photo of us for comic relief! But I like this photo (besides the obvious reason of us standing around like dingdongs) because of the colours! The whole place was a kaleidoscope!
Check out this gurl's hammer. She was hitting us the whole day!!
Anyone needs soap? Lena and I ended up buying 10 and some lip balm. Yum... tastes like lemon...
Soooo cute!!
Playing what they call 'hover-ball'; nothing like a game of whacking and slamming a yellow flat disc towards your opponent's goal.
Near the end of the day, we indulged in ice-cream while sitting on the curb in the chilly winds, resting our feet.
Happy Cat
I'm a very happy cat now, because my cousin came back from work, bearing the most bea-u-ti-ful cup of BUBBLE TEA!!!
There are times I love him so.
People, take note: If you wanna bribe the witchcat, come bearing a NICE, BIG CUP of BUBBLE TEA - ORIGINAL flavour.
*purrr*
Tenjewberrymuds
This has been nominated for the best email of 2005. The following is a telephone exchange between a hotel guest and room-service, at a hotel in Asia , which was recorded and published in the Far East Economic Review:
Room Service (RS): "Morrin. Roon sirbees."
Guest (G): "Sorry, I thought I dialed room-service."
RS: " Rye..Roon sirbees..morrin! Jewish to oddor sunteen??"
G: "Uh..yes..I'd like some bacon and eggs."
RS: "Ow July den?"
G: "What??"
RS: "Ow July den?...pryed, boyud, poochd?"
G : "Oh, the eggs! How do I like them? Sorry, scrambled please."
RS: "Ow July dee baykem? Crease?"
G: "Crisp will be fine."
RS : "Hokay. An Sahn toes?"
G: "What?"
RS:"An toes. July Sahn toes?"
G: "I don't think so."
RS: "No? Judo wan sahn toes??"
G: "I feel really bad about this, but I don't know what 'judo wan sahn toes' means."
RS: "Toes! toes!...Why jew don juan toes? Ow bow Anglish moppin we bodder?"
G: "English muffin!! I've got it! You were saying 'Toast.' Fine. Yes, an English muffin will be fine."
RS: "We bodder?"
G: "No...just put the bodder on the side."
RS: "Wad?"
G: "I mean butter...just put it on the side."
RS: "Copy?"
G: "Excuse me?"
RS: "Copy...tea...meel?"
G: "Yes. Coffee, please, and that's all."
RS: "One Minnie. Scramah egg, crease baykem, Anglish moppin we bodder on sigh and copy....rye??"
G: "Whatever you say."
RS: "Tenjewberrymuds."
G : "You're very welcome.
Indeed!
Pulling all the brakes
I discovered that I don’t like my uncle’s driving. And I didn’t know why until a trip to the library today with him. Apparently he, my aunt and my cousin drives with the right foot on the accelerator and the left on the brake. He trained them. He seemed quite boastful of it, though I see no reason for it. It, however, did explain why I disliked his driving so much. It jerks too much. Everytime he steps on the brake, the car jerks to a full stop and my head starts spinning.
His reasoning for this is because in an emergency, the foot touching the brake will have a more immediate effect, than if the right foot had to move from the accelerator to the brake. Which makes a little sense, but, for crying out loud, how far is the brake from the accelerator??!!
I’ve managed to pull an emergency stop with my right foot, managed to drag it from the accelerator to the brake, and not have an eminent accident. In my opinion, this 2 separate foot on each pedal is more distracting and less effective. I did try it once. I nearly couldn’t stop kissing the car in front of me in time! And this happened at a traffic light. What more when the car is moving?
He was trying to tell me that I should start driving like that, but I kept quiet. I don’t think that it will work for me at this age. If someone had tried to train me when I was going through learner’s, it might work. But not now.
I kept quiet because I knew he was an old man who is obstinately set in his ways and logic, and plus, I was too grateful that he took me to the library to sign up, where I discovered to my joy that I was able to borrow 20 items, including books, DVDs and CD-Roms. When I cruised the shelves, I found a considerable collection of authors that I’ve been meaning to read. Though today I only borrowed 8 books, I’ve already finished 2. Woo-hoo!!!
My world is relatively complete if I have books. And I’ve been trying to force myself to be more interested in reading the newspapers here. Well, I have no choice. If I’m to fit in and familiarized myself with this country, I have to read more about it, don’t I? The coverage on the New Orleans situation is amazing. So is the incident on the election in Germany. And it’s really interesting to see how paranoid this government can get by increasing security ever since the video tape threat on Melbourne. Now police have the right to storm even residential houses at the drop of a hat if they suspect terrorist activity. Not to be mistaken for sadism, but how cool is it that I’m in the right place, at the right time??? I mean, I wasn’t around when the threat of bombing happened in my office building at Menara Milenium (damn, I missed that excitement!), so it’s nice to be around for the next threat. Ok, I’m weird.
On a less sadistic note, I’m glad that the Commonwealth Games are in Melbourne next year, so I can go.
*miaow*
2 weeks and counting
I’ve been here for 2 weeks and 3 days already. And though it’s only a short time, it feels like ages!!! Partially I know this feeling is because I’m really not a person to idle around doing nothing, and partially I know it’s because I have not gotten a positive word about any of my job applications. So other than doing job searches online and going out with my aunt and uncle, I really don’t do much.
But I have been going for badminton with my cousin (*groan* my arm and thigh…) and I went to the Melbourne Show with 3 of his friends! Photos will come later once they have emailed me the pictures from their digital. I am looking forward to that.
I went on Sunday, after a discussion with my cousin’s friends during supper after the badminton game on Friday evening. I feel great, and grateful, because they are so friendly and have welcomed me into their company and when we started talking about the show and who hasn’t gone, they started making plans to go that very weekend itself, with no hesitation to including me, even though my cousin wasn’t in the least bit interested.
In the end there were 4 of us, and a really Asian motley crew we were; 1 Chinese (from Beijing), 1 Japanese, 1 Korean and 1 Malaysian. It was so cool. By motley I meant the interesting mish-mash we were. The Chinese gurl had migrated with her family to Australia when she was 9 years old and speaks like a regular Aussiefied gurl. The Japanese too had migrated with his family when he was 10 years old and his English maintains this really cute and authentic Japanese accent to it. The Korean was actually adopted by German parents and was on an exchange program to study one semester here and she’ll be returning to Germany this December. And me the Malaysian with the Aussie PR.
I’m going to miss the Korean gurl a lot because she’s really sweet and open and curious about Australia and the rest of us who are not obviously Australian by birth. But I think we will continue to keep in touch, cos at the supper itself we were all exchanging MSN Ids! Now they are all in my list and me in theirs.
We had such great fun at the Show. Ate so much. Oh, at least we managed to try Emu, Kangaroo and Crocodile meat!! The Kangaroo tasted a bit like beef, the Crocodile tastes a little like pork, while the Emu tastes like something else that I can’t really describe it akin to!! We watched a cow competition that was ending, but Qian (the Chinese) and I found it fascinating because I observed that the cows were so well-trained when their owners gave them silent taps. And I found out later that Lena (the Korean) took a picture of us staring at the cows in obvious rapture! Hahahahaa…. There were wine and chilli tasting counters. The ‘Hot’ weren’t so hot, frankly. And I nearly choked at the Dry Gin tasting, but as I walked away, I found that I liked the ‘burn-down-the-throat’ sensation. I made a mental note to get this one when an alcoholic binge is planned later… the hats weren’t so funky this year though, I thought….
Oh, besides the rejections via email and letter (yes, I got a honest-to-god proper letter that says 'sorry' - blagh!) I went for one interview for a part time job 3 days ago. It was to waitress at an entertainment center. They’ll call me next week to confirm anything. It’s night time work though, so that means I will be getting a car should this job be confirmed. I’m thinking if this pulls through, then all I need is a day-time job and then everything should fall into place… Please, God!!!
I'M HERE!
Ok… here we go.
I am finally here!!! It’s been exactly a week since I got here… nice and chilly, still, even though Spring’s upon Melbourne. Though the weather said it was warm, it didn’t feel warm at all to me!! Cos the ‘warm’ here is not as ‘warm’ as back home!!
I couldn’t sleep the night before the flight, partially becos I only managed to pack the absolute last stuff at 12.30 and by the time I cleaned up and slipped into bed, it was 1am. My eyes were totally gritty and my brain was still racing like mad bees; did I forget this, did I do that, where did I put this…. I had to wake at 6 and I felt totally shitty, but nothing to do about it. Didn’t get a lot of phone calls at the airport but that’s alright. I made a few calls. Otherwise it was a fairly sedate departure I made… drama……………….. I can go silently into the night……….lol…
It was an ok flight. Watched 2 movies and listen to the music on-demand, the black pepper lamb shank was excellent, which was from New Zealand. Yum. But it was delayed. As usual. When do the Malaysians do things on time?? So by the time I came out of immigration, it was 8.30pm. But the weather!!! I loved it. It was windy. It was chilly…. Man, I couldn’t get enough of it. But I still had to adjust to the temperature shift, between the house and my body, the car and the outside, the shopping center and the outside, for the first 2 days.
But I still love the weather.
Still not quite used to things around here, especially the way my aunt runs the house. Like how they collect water for drinking and boiling and etc, washing clothes…. As for meals, my aunt eats when she’s hungry, my uncle at fixed timings, my cousin if he’s at home and whenever he feels like it… me just follow the crowd… what am I talking about, there is
NO crowd.. basically I eat when I want to, but I love eating fruit salad here cos my aunt stocks fruits like kiwi, oranges, strawberries and apples and yoghurt. So I enjoy a nice fruit salad of kiwi, orange and strawberries and yoghurt after dinner… I love how fruits are affordable here...... sigh.....
There’s still adjustments with how to interact with my aunt and uncle on a permanent basis… not easy… even though I am very grateful to them and I do love them. And I should not forget that it’s not easy living with my cousin… of all cousins, he’s the closest, but that doesn’t mean that he’s easy to live with, if you know what I mean.....
I’ve been doing a lot of online jobsearch, as well as searching the papers…. Still nothing, but I kinda expected that. So please wish me good luck everyone!!! I’m back in the blog business!!
*miaow*
