Countdown to Midway

I'm going to be halfway through my degree in 3.5 weeks time!!

Gosh that's scary. I can't imagine having to leave the sanctuary and security of having the sole purpose of studying and actually entering the workforce full time. Even though I've been working on a casual basis over the past few years, casual, non-commital work can never match up to being fully tied down and committed to a particular company, hospital, organization or what not.

I love being a casual staff. For one, you get paid a higher hourly rate (but of course don't enjoy the perks of more working hours or other CPF/Super benefits). Secondly, you're never ever obliged to come to work. And have the freedom of rejecting shifts and saying you have something on (even if you don't). Because there aren't any expectations for casual staff. You're like a fling. *gasp*

But I recently (well just over the weekend), found a casual job that I wish I could have on a more regular basis, it's helping out as an aide at an ASD early intervention centre. The kids are so lovely! (Even though they can be an armful with all the running, stimming, shouting, tempers and tantrums). But just having them respond to you or respond to you calling their name makes it all worth it. (I felt so loved by this kid who was twiddling with my colourful bracelet and shoes today) This kid wasn't as severe on the spectrum and you would barely notice the autism except for very subtle things like responses and stuff. But he has great eye contact, great intonation and he actually said hi to me! (Which is very very very rare).

Anyways, while I'm on a verbatim-y mood (I bet that term doesn't exist and someone is going to correct my horrendous engrish), my sister was supposed to give birth yesterday!! Silly Gaby is late! Wonder how long more she'll stay in my sister's belly. She's MASSIVE! The beauties of having another being inside you, haha..

HEh heh.. can't wait to try all those developmental tricks on Gaby when I see her!!
I don't know if I ever uploaded this, one of the few nail drawings I did on siyi's fingers. Penguin!! :D I really liked this one, haha... I shall offer to do nails for CNY~! Penguins or ladybugs anyone?> =)

A Proper Update!

So, I haven't been updating nice, pictorial posts in a while and have stuck to boring, wordy posts. (This is a sentence structure typical of an Australian's. note the 'So,' at the start of the sentence). And knowing that humans are ALL more intune to pictures and colourful stimuli, I decided I have to take action in order to maintain the few readers I have. (That of now is probably constance and my sister.) haha..

To start, I'll talk about the exciting Gatton trip last week. In case some of you don't know, Mark's studying at the Gatton campus about 80km (i.e. 1.5 hrs drive) away from me. So I only get to see him every 2 week or so. And I always like going down to Gatton because it feels like a holiday. For one, they have AWESOME food (food that's not cooked by normal people is good enough). Bread is soft and fluffy, milk is abundant, fruit are sweet and limitless (because the bloody place is surrounded by farmland) etc. Oh yes, and just to add on, Gatton is a very very small-ish town, I think 3/4 the town population is a result of the uni students. The town itself is a street of shops spanning maybe a couple hundred metres, and boasts a Audi, Reject Shop, Crazy Clarks and Bi-Lo. (they rest are small cafes and shops). And 2 macs of course. (Our Tampines alone has 3 Macdonald's right>?)

However this time, I had the unfortunate/eye-opening experience of being racist attacked on our way back from Maccers late at night. These bloody drunk bastards (sterotype depicted below), drove past us as they entered the Macs/petrol station and shouted 'f*ing asians. which I was quite non-chalent about (I mean, they only have like 10 neurons, you gotta give them some pity. But the next thing I realised was that they made a sharp U-turn back and were driving full force towards us.

I've never felt such fear and stress. I shouted to Mark to get off the road because I was so scared they would either run us over, or throw stuff at us, or barf at us or egg us or whatever. My first throught was 'run towards a pavemntor a sheltor where they can't drive up' and then I looked around... We were next to a highway, and the in front of a blardy endless field with no fence. Now THAT's going to save our asses...

Of course gungho-pissed off Mark didn't run and hide like I did, he just continued chewing his fries and walking. The bastards just swerved really really close to him and screeched their tires as they did. Blardy hell, if they had just missed I would be boyfriend-less. Assholes.

Anyways what followed was basically me explaining what I did to him and shoving fries down my throat, I haven't been so shit scared since the superman ride. I think even that wasn't as scary. But I learnt 2 things from this experience:

1) I can still think fairly logically in an emergency/time of crisis
2) I cannot think logically after that, and end up eating a lot due to post-stress-trauma. (Seriosuly, I think I ate like half his fries in 5 minutes.
3) The flight or fight response is damn powerful, and I'm damn glad mine is functioning fine.

That ends my racist encounter.
Random picture I drew to send as an MMS, The world of MMS has been the most uplifting, exciting technological advance I have made since Wireless mobile phones.


I made a monster!! It's called a Disgruntian. We used it for therapy during clinic. haha.. I just needed an excuse to do some art and craft for my self entertainment purposes.
Marky mark on his sheep prac. Just look at what the REAL australia looks like. He had to help in the shearing of 700 sheep ( probably more). Apparently sheep shearers get paid $200 a day. Do the math all you people studying at Unis around the world.... do the math and weep at your sad life.. hahahhaa

Tribute to friends and food

It's been a while since I blogged about something random (ok that may be a lie), but I figured I should post just once more before the exam period kicks in (though I suspect that I may end up bloggin more to escape the reality of having to study).

Siyi and I had a very long (I think it lasted more than 2 hours) discussion as to how fussy an eater I am by comparing what foods I don't eat and what foods she doesn't. ( I have a bad memory and could only recall about 3 items of her list). Siyi had one conclusion:

My food life/real life is damn sad.

I had 2 conclusions:

1) My food life/repertoire is damn sad
2) It would be way sadder if I hadn't had the friends I had in secondary school and JC (and a housemate who has a mom who cooks and eats everything organic and exciting).

Here's what we came up with what I don't eat (not that I strictly don't eat them, I just prefer not to). My standing rationale is that, if I don't appreciate it as much as you do, why should I take that opportunity to eat that prawn which I wouldn't enjoy? It's called the law of Maximising the Potential of the Prawn. (Ok I came up with that, but seriously, it's basically Maximising the potential of what ever that item is.).

Digression: That Maximisation of Potential law can and should apply to all things actually, whether it be food, clothes, or even people. For example, if a fat girl looks ugly in a pretty dress, it's not maximising the potential of that dress. She should just give it up to that stick thin model girl and go for a kimono blouse which would make a skinny girl look like a walking handkerchief. (and that skinny girl shouldn't deprive the fat one of wearing the kimono). So everyone wins and no one becomes an eyesore.

It can apply to people too, some couples should just break up because they're not maximising each other's potential. (I came up with an alternative theory that day and told nat that assholes and bitches should just get together and make the world a better place, because by doing so, they're saving 2 unsuspecting victims from the pains of being in a damaging relationship. ( I shall blog more about that another day).

Ok undigress and back to my topic title. (what the hell is a topic title, I'm talking rubbish)

Things I don't eat:
1) Lamb/sheep in most forms
2) Cow in australia (it just smells bad) but I do eat it when it's cooked well sometimes (e.g. steak)
3) Shell fish/craustacians
4) Duck (unless it's 'peked' or minced)
5) Capsicum (although siyi made me eat it once and it tasted ok)
6) pineapples on pizza
7) Bittergourd
8)Ladies fingers
9) Bread crust (I'm very spoilt now)
10)any form of innards
11) Noodle soup when I'm outside (I have bad chopstick control which I like to keep at home)
( I think there might be more but I can't remember)

Basically siyi started complaining that all i eat is chicken chicken and luncheon meat and processed crap. (heh heh.. it's the sodium I lovE)

BUT, I told her about the things I learnt to eat from my friends, who so kindly introduced the pleasures of such hawker food during the course of my adolesence:

1) Kuay chap (without the innards but just the taupok and egg) - shiyun in sec 3/4
2) Black sesame paste - Joan (who raved about it until I just HAD to try it) in sec 3/4
3) Brinjal with chilli - bong in JC
4) Nasi Lemak chilli - Yee in Sec 2/3
5) Mee Pok Gan with ketchup - shiyun & joan (my virgin experience with mee pok gan was sadly only in sec 4)

Ok fine it's not a very extensive list, but I KNOW there's more. At least I can proudly say I ate tutu kueh as a child. (Mark only tried it last year and scared the tutu kueh auntie while at it too). heheh..

Which concludes my not so random entry., Thank you to all the above mentioned for making my life a tastier one! =))