CatCake

I made a cake. I didnt just make an ordinary cake... I made a cat cake.

Yes sir ree... a CAT cake.

‘Twas the coming day to celebrate the birth of Huey Chi
That we decided to do something to make her happy
Dressing up as Star Wars characters r too hard, for goodness sake
We shall just bake her a huge CatCake!

That's mandy doing her 'thang'~
she's just so good at this...

We also made little kittens for the huge cat face.
(Those edges are their ears, mind you... they're not angry possums.)
((spot the outcast pig))

Yummm... I think it was super duper sweet cuz of the icing, but I found more joy in looking at my achievement other than eating it.

Miss doing stuff with mandy... wish I could still hang out with her... Canberra is just too far away!

black swan o' black swan

The black swan represents this state that has almost 70% of its population voting for a ‘no’ on daylight saving—Western Australia.

I had a chance to visit this place for the third time in my life, and I’m glad I came back. Mainly it’s because I could hardly remember anything about this place (Cuz I was 2 and 8 the last times I came here), and also cuz the food here is so much more similar to home. Cantik~

This breath taking view could be seen from King’s Park, and the one at night is really nice too. Coming from Adelaide, I was like the ulu kampong girl: ‘waaaaaahhh… tall buildings…’.

I had a feel of their china town, with the one and only Chinese arch. Oh ya, I tried 2 bubble teas from 2 different shops, wasn’t bad, but I somehow still like the one in Adelaide.

Had a chance to walk around the ‘art gallery’ at night. The pictures were so cool…

Got to visit my Dai Bak (Big uncle) and wife. He took me to the place where I cried really badly when the swan almost ate my dad’s hand. ok... maybe it was just a peck... but still!!! It was M rated Horror for a 2-year-old! I can still remember trying to climb on any adult near me who’d have the heart to carry me up, away from the ferocious black feathery things which was almost my size then.

I also enjoyed my chao kuey teow, which tasted just like the one in taman midah, just without the si ham.

Speaking of food… Tim’s household had a huge BBQ party- the aussie style (apparently). So much food leftover! That’s me giving a go at flipping them snags.

And the housemates who insist that their pictures do not appear online (well u can’t really see them from here can u?) =p

We also had a few rounds of monopoly (Credit Card style). I’m gonna make a comeback next time round! Just u wait, Clayton!

We also had a Christmas party with a Chinese serenading Santa Clause…Who also played mah jong.

I also was asked on a date! oooOOoooOO~

Though the chairs at the Bell House was really low, I looooved the food there. I always thought fancy food always come in small portions on a huge plate to signify that it won’t taste as good as it looks. But I was wrong… Thanks Tim dear for the lovely evening~

I also got to go to Fremantle and I saw the brewers of Little Creatures, had their famous Fish n’ Chips, and I found this!

I also got to meet up with David Ow and have my fair share of real roti canai.

Also got to meet tekki (and girlfriend), who had to eat that whole bowl (literally a medium sized mixer bowl) of seafood.

Hmmm, we went to the beach too, but I just noticed that I didn’t take any pictures then. All in their camera…

While lilian and abishek were here in perth too, willy took all of us out to tour around the place. We had corica apple strudles! Yummy!!! (yes! No raisins!) Hahaha, I cant stop laughing when I see this picture. Hahah… willy got tricked into making a funny pose =p

Anyhoot, Tim and I had a chance to ferry all the way to Rottness Island! Wahhh, it was soooooo pretty! The beach was like… REAL! Hahaha, it had crystal clear water with tiny waves coming in constantly. And the sand was so fine it was like powder!

We also hired bicycles and did a small round on one side of the island. It was so hilly I was praying so hard I won’t get blown off by the wind when I flew downhill along the coast.

I went to so many beaches, watched Australia (and another show that was going on inside the cinema), shopped in Perth’s Harbour Town, had lemon lime bitters at 3pm with EeVon, took the ferry to South Perth, visited 2 churches, had good meals at Tim’s family friend’s place, went jogging in the morning and partly regretted doing so, met and even had lunch with an Australian policeman, walked around Carousel, drove Tim’s car for a bit, took the free bus around the city, rented DVDs, messed up Tim’s room, get stuck in a real jam, lived with 2 free-fluttering birds in the same house for 10 days.

Yup, I had fun ;)

then we flew to Melbourne on Christmas night for another exciting holiday~

oh look! an egg is cooking on the pavement!

I guess I don’t need to say much for updates. The only main thing that’s been going on here in little Adelaide is the crazy ass HEAT (with a capital EAT).

It successfully whacked most of us crazy. We can sleep naked at night and still sweat. Lowest of 36 Celsius and a whopping 44 Celsius high for one whole week. Wahlau…. BEH TA HAN!!!

Maybe they should consider changing the country’s name from Australia to EXtralia. Cuz it has such extremes! My goodness… it can be super cold (and still no snow), and super hot (and still no sandstorm).

I’ve always thought the summer season does not last long and it’ll pass really soon. But Amanda reminded me yesterday that it’s cuz I always go back to Malaysia during summer and I kinda avoid the hot drag of the month. And I was like… oh crap. U mean I’ve to go thru the full swing of it this time?!?!?! Noooooooooo….

Oh well, but at least I got to skip some parts of winter, heheh… I managed to escape 3 weeks of cold with the Basils to the northern hemisphere. Nyahahah…

So now, I’m sleeping with Ruby in the dinning hall with the aircon (almost like our life support machine). Huey chi… u lucky girl… u just dodged the heat week!!!

All I can wish u now is ‘stay cool’ and ‘chill mate… chill’.

Happy Chinese ‘Niu’ Year!

My 1st time ever being away from home during chinese new year... the thought of it just makes me feel so .. boooooooo.... =(
Well, it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought it’d be. If it wasn’t for the coincidence that CNY fell on Australia Day, it wouldn’t be this exciting. It’s usually a working day in Australia during CNY, but this year, all the aussies are celebrating this auspicious day with us! Hey~

I had a family reunion dinner with Dai Yee (big aunt), uncle Jason, uncle Michael, aunty Ivy, Christopher, Joshua, Jeremy, their cousin Aaron and a family friend who I’ve met through somewhere else b4, called Joanna. I dun really feel it was a reunion cuz it wasn’t much of a reuniting thing anyways. But it was fun. Good food and we had a few rounds of mah jong and played with some sparklers out in the back yard.

No one counted down with me this time. I made James, Daniel and Esther play chor dai dee with me to get the mood going, while the others emotionlessly wished each other ‘gong hei gong hei’ when it was 12:01. I could recall how crazy it would be in mama’s house. Everyone would stop what they’re doing, countdown together in the living room, then wish everyone happy CNY, and we’d pour tea for mama, while she gives out ang pows. We’d line up for ang pows from our uncles and aunties, and then after the whole happy commotion, we’d go back to what we were doing b4 (playing with cards, mah jong, watching tv, just talking about weird stuff around the dinning table).

I miss home... I miss the atmosphere... I miss my crazy family who’d come up with really weird things to do when we gather.

Anyhow... on CNY day in Aus, I woke up with a major headache. But it all went fine after I went to ikea to buy chairs with Su, Ster and Deb. Then we went to mama and papa Basil’s house to ‘bai lin’. They had so many chinese titbits and Yeoh’s packet drinks!!!! Totally made my day. and it was really cool receiving ang pow from Andrew hahah...

Then we went back to ashok macho and had a massive cook-out. Deb and I rolled the tong yuin. Yih ling and michelle wrapped the wantons. Esther cooked non stop. James and su ling did the deco. That night, we had 11 happy chinese and 1 learned rojak. This dinner made me feel so much better. We had all the chinese cuisines which elevated the oriental celebration. Not forgetting the ‘dong dong dong chiang’ songs that went on and on the whole nite till we could see it flowing out of our ears the next day.

Wish I was home, but am grateful that I’ve friends here who brought home to me.

growing pains

Some people would do anything to look younger, turn back the clock, and even create a clock that goes backwards (hehe, just watched Benjamin Buttons, which was actually a really good one I must say... it’s randomly awesome!)... but for me, I appreciate the natural ability of growing older .

It’s like a gift from our Creator. It’s as simple as time. Addition in time = addition in age = addition in maturity.

Now, the thing is... something happened not too long ago to me. it had something to do with how I look as a 21-year-old girl who is stuck in the middle between graduation and having a steady job that will be able to provide for her chances of surviving in the world of money and materialism. This not-a-girl; not-yet-a-woman situation makes me feel so uneasy, I can’t wait to break out of it.

And as I was happily enjoying my almost-fulfilling retreat, a major catastrophe took place that sunny afternoon. I didn’t know what lay before as I stepped into that Korean saloon in Melbourne’s china town with Tim and Angeline.

I indicated with my fingers the length I want for my fringe. She said to close my eyes in Korean accent so she can trim my hair that flowed down my forehead, over my eyes. And when I opened my eyes, my heart fell to my feet. It’s so short it’s not classified as fringe!
Angeline, if u’re reading this, it got worse after that day. I thought it was fine after the cut, so I was ok then. Accepted the new look instantly. But when I got back, reality sank in. It was so bad I wish the tiles in the toilet floor would crack open and I’ll get sucked into a whirlpool of self-pity and disappointment.

Now I’m stuck in this stressful feeling. How do I go out and meet people, find a job, get applications for PR done etc? How how how? My self confident just ripped out from me instantly.

Tim says its cute. And we had a really good laugh and good scream in the car and in Sugar Bowl. But really... how long will it grow to a desirable length so I can feel pretty again?

Now that I look 10 years younger, I feel ‘uuuggghhhh’ about growing up. Bills to pay, rent coming every fortnight, car breaking down, job hunting disappointments, freaking expensive PR fees... and what did I say again? I appreciate the natural ability of growing old. Yes... that’s it. I love life. Come on adult issues!!! Bring it on!

The West Side Story

Hi there, silent public. Glad to know that this site is still visited even since the last update that was done donkey ages ago. So many things happened to little jez who thinks big, now, her little brain has scarce space for storage.

Tracking back, the last I spoke of was about my old house which I sometimes do miss. Yet, this new place has a lot more to offer. Even though I’m now technically not an East Sider, deep down in my heart, I’m always one (for as long as the gang remains in that territory).

I now live in a suburb called Mile End, but really, it’s quite the mile’s start. I’m 15 mins walk away from the city, and 15mins drive away from the beach. And if I need to know that I’m living in a city (Adelaide is not that dead ok?), I just need to open my sound proof windows and scream at the trucks that go along the Henley Beach Road which has 5 lanes. If I need to have some peace and quiet, the sun room is a lovely place to sun-dry my thoughts and watch them evaporate with the patterns on the curtains.

The toilet is just one door away from my room (compared to my old house, I’ve to walk out to the laundry, into the kitchen, then to the lounge, out into the entrance, then to the toilet) It’s amazing I don’t pee in my pants b4 I reach the sacred bowl.

Even though the moving process happened when I had 4 assignments due in that same week, I’m amazed how it all happened so smoothly, including my assignments. This new place has hibiscus growing right beside the garage! Woohooo, I’m < > this close to Malaysia =p

stylo bino

Now what do you get when u come across a Jezamine and a pair of binoculars?

Nothing!

Hahaha, I’ve no idea how I could relate myself with this visual gadget (unless I wanna keep clear from attacking birds that come my way).

But lemme tell u something interesting: I got myself a SAXON 8x21PP Porro Prism Binoculars, just because I can =p hahah!

It’s so cool. I can see people doing funny things in their backyard from huey chi’s room. I could also see how the workers stumble around for their keys by their tainted cars across the road from my bedroom window. Hahaha, so that’s how a stalker feels like.

I ordered this baby online http://www.ozscopes.com.au , and it came in the mail the next day.

Now here’s the even more interesting bit: it got stolen from my mailbox!

Well, because I just moved into this place, I don’t know how safe it is to allow the delivery man to leave my parcel in my mailbox. And the broken front gate (which is already fixed) didn’t help with security. Anyhow, thank God for insurance, I got another one the next day

! How cool is that.

There are plenty of other cool gadgets from OZScopes, and also at OZHut.com.

Lots of cool gadgets if u run out of ideas for Christmas gifts for guys (so hard to find gifts for guys…).

Anyways, may all of u have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

in memory of ye ol' home

The smell of emptiness compacted the whole house, making me move slothfully in its thickness. Huey chi and I decided to give our old house a clean before passing our keys back to our ex-landlord. They were really nice ppl, that’s y we didn’t wanna leave them with a house with dirt and masses of dead skin cells at the corners.

The house served us good, I must say.

Awesome oven, huge windows, and enormous backyard for you to push your guests to if they start making it hard to breathe in-doors.

My room that's all the way at the back
(going to the toilet seems a long way from my room)

the heater that always gave us problems,

deep friendships formed, secrets shared, bored moments, innovative things were invented, seriously relaxing days, girly nites, weird people invading my house, good food distributed, amber and alfalfa (with her countless kittens) killed many many birds in the backyard,

... good times...

Thus says the post-graduate

Woohooo!!!!!! I made it to the end! I survived! I more than survived! I had so much fun throughout this three years of communication studies and I’m now a post-graduate (not official yet, but I’ll still scream for it anyway)!!! ... which means now I’m a jobless individual still living off her parent’s sweat and blood?
Darn it...

Alright, on a bitter sweet tone, I reckon it has been an interesting journey through the degree. More good than bad, that’s why I don’t really have the “liberated” feeling now cuz I was liberated from the start anyhow.

Hmmmm, this makes me feel like a geek or it’s as if uni is paying me to say this. But honestly I’ve no regrets doing what I did in uni and a small part of me wish I cud do it again (but heck no, I’m getting older by the second). Now the scary part comes. The REAL DEAL. The actual chunk of meat. The unfeigned mania also known to me as career-reality.

It’s one of those transitional periods where I’d panic for awhile, then slowly and eventually fall to contentment knowing that I’ve a God bigger than every single worry I have and He’s planned the best stuff for me, just like how He’s been doing all along.

*Drum rolls*

I'm 450 words away from graduation!!!!!! (that's if I don't fail any submitted assignments)

Sarah said i should play the Chariots of Fire soundtrack when I submit this final one.

That's exactly what I will do...

*Drum continues to roll*

G.B. Lamperti (italian singing teacher):

“Your art is the fulfillment of your elemental desire to sing. Your growth is stimulated by what you hear and understand.
If you faithfully do your daily practice, without anxiety about the result, you will find yourself competent in the end. You must stop at no stage of progress, anchor to no habit, be satisfied with no result, exult in no success.
All the details of singing are finally marshaled under one commander, emotion, the original source of song.”

catharsick

Catharsis = the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, esp. through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music.

As how my lecturer put it, it’s like a calamity that causes one to be free from an emotional bondage.

Aiyah... say la ‘cry’.

Anyhoot, about a month ago, I fell sick. Terribly sick. The last time I fell so sick was when I was admitted to the hospital with high fever, gastric pains and a curled up body, almost like a whinging prawn. I was 8 then. I guess it’s a tradition for my body to have a major fall in every decade of my life.

This, I would say, was quite a cathartic experience for me. Being sick is one issue. Being sick away from mommy is as bad as rain when your car tyre has gone flat.

So how was this a cathartic encounter? I blubbered, whimpered, snivelled, and wept. Yes... I cried till I could feel the body aches and headaches swivel away in shame. I guess that’s the active feat of ‘purging of the emotions’.

I’m glad the turmoil is over. Never again will I sleep and be ‘one’ with the couch for 2 days straight! Well, at least not in this house for sure.

‘cuz I’m moving out this Saturday. Going to the west. Away from my fellow comrades who supported me physically, mentally and emotionally when I was sick without mommy around. Deep down inside of me, I’ll always be an east sider (I’ll say this again when I post something about moving).

This whole moving thing may be another cathartic season for me. Yet, the end result will be good. Always has been and always will be.

[ 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ]

Awesome possum

Once upon a time, there lived a girl who had a cosy room with fluffy toys lined up along her favourite ‘get away’ spot in this daunting world. The corner of her bed was the place where she would find solitude and hide away from the evil forces of Stress, Peer Pressure, Home Sickness and Expected Performance. She would curl up into a ball, hugging her favourite fluff toy and just spend time with herself and her Maker. That corner was her physical sanctuary.

But one day, the harmonious aura of that corner was distressed. That day, the girl came in her room and found twigs, leaves and debris in her little haven corner. She steered her vision upwards, and to her dismay, a hole about the size of a tennis ball was found. In panic, she ran to show her housemates the new sighting, who called the landlords to fix the problem.

That night, and the nights of three weeks after that incident, this poor girl had the couch in the living room as her temporary bed. Her corner was invaded. She had no sanctuary to go to. This public area can never replace the same feeling she could receive from her corner.
The landlord (though delayed but eventually) came to fix the hole. Possum repellent was sprayed in the hole b4 covering it up. The girl rearranged her room setting to avoid having her corner from being invaded again.

Yet... the awesome possum is still there. Making noises day and night, with the ultimate motive of annoying the girl till she starts pulling her hair off.

Not yet, awesome possum... I’m not falling into ur vicious plans. I will get u! One day, just wait. I will get u!!! Like how Mr. Black (from the Black Book) would say: “I’ll suck your eyeballs out and use it as ear muffles to drown the screams you make as I grind u into fine paste for my sandwich spread”

... and the girl awaits for her ‘happily ever after’ scene.

flabbergasted

He said “Be careful what you wish for”.

I didn’t know the seriousness of that until I saw him standing outside my back door with a cheeky smile.

Flabbergasted.

I let out a scream of surprise as I could almost cry seeing him there. The east-siders were standing around, video recording the whole drama, and giggling while I threw my arms around him to make sure he’s real.

This, indeed, was one of the best weekends ever!

Hands down to huey chi who pakat with tim to arrange for this and cancelling all my plans for the weekend. Thanks, mandy, duane and ming for airport transportation. Thanks to the rest who knew and played it so cleverly without me knowing anything. Most importantly, thank u TIM!!!!!! For planning all of this, flying all the way here, just to see meeeeeeee.... He doesn’t just say things; he DOES things.

I’m still in bliss...