And here is the prediction for my "life" for 2007:
Classes
Assignments
Lab demonstrating
Assignments
Skating classes
Assignments
Skating practice
Assignments
Dance classes
Assignments
Job hunting
Assignments
Skating tests
Assignments
Dance exams
Assignments
Exams
Does anyone spot a trend here?
Wednesday 20 December 2006
Tuesday 19 December 2006
Holiday Takeaways
I don't like knowing upon looking back that I've frittered away my vacation time...doing nothing and accomplishing nothing. It really makes one feel rather useless. Glad to say, in the time I've been in Singapore, I've managed to "acquire" some stuff at least 8)
1. A share trading account so I can now manage my own share portfolio
2. Knowledge on property investing courtesy of my dad, having followed him around to several investment presentations
3. A first aid certificate!! After 3 long days of torture in the form of absolute boredom and me trying to keep awake during the lectures...I am now able to bandage someone up nicely (if I'm not too busy wincing over the wound)
4. And perhaps most surprising of all...a boyfriend. Yeah the days of the happy swinging single are over and I've gotten over my "wild" phase lol. Yours truly has joined the ranks of the happily in love 8). It's pretty crazy when I think about it, considering the short time we've actually known each other. It started off as a casual thing meant to end (amicably) when I left...something I would have labelled a fling and filed away as a good memory. But it became something more...sorta to be expected in a way I guess, seeing as to how my "fling" guys never last beyond 2 dates and I was seeing him way more often than that 8p. It's probably not the best of times to start a relationship given how I'm not too sure when I'll next be in Singapore... Still, we're gonna attempt the whole long distance relationship thing and see what happens 8).
Life is sweet...
1. A share trading account so I can now manage my own share portfolio
2. Knowledge on property investing courtesy of my dad, having followed him around to several investment presentations
3. A first aid certificate!! After 3 long days of torture in the form of absolute boredom and me trying to keep awake during the lectures...I am now able to bandage someone up nicely (if I'm not too busy wincing over the wound)
4. And perhaps most surprising of all...a boyfriend. Yeah the days of the happy swinging single are over and I've gotten over my "wild" phase lol. Yours truly has joined the ranks of the happily in love 8). It's pretty crazy when I think about it, considering the short time we've actually known each other. It started off as a casual thing meant to end (amicably) when I left...something I would have labelled a fling and filed away as a good memory. But it became something more...sorta to be expected in a way I guess, seeing as to how my "fling" guys never last beyond 2 dates and I was seeing him way more often than that 8p. It's probably not the best of times to start a relationship given how I'm not too sure when I'll next be in Singapore... Still, we're gonna attempt the whole long distance relationship thing and see what happens 8).
Life is sweet...
Wednesday 6 December 2006
21 Years
And so I am now 21...an adult. Do I feel any different? No. I've always thought when I was a kid that when one grows up, one distinctly feels more mature and more adult-like. But I find I'm the same old me... Still I guess maturity comes with experience rather than age. It's surprising how many people in their 20s seem a lot more immature 8p. I wonder if I'd feel the same way about people in their 30s when I hit that decade...
Ok this is just about all the reflection on being another year older I can do!!! Moving on... This is pretty much the last year I'll be in Singapore as a citizen given that the citizenship would have expired by December next year, during which I'd still be in Dunedin preparing for graduation 8). Despite the friends and family I have in Singapore, NZ still feels more like home...even with its random, cold weather. When will I visit Singapore next? Who knows? But travelling is definitely in my future...and Singapore makes a great stopover (think rent-free accomodation...people to entertain... lol)! N'est-ce pas?
Ok this is just about all the reflection on being another year older I can do!!! Moving on... This is pretty much the last year I'll be in Singapore as a citizen given that the citizenship would have expired by December next year, during which I'd still be in Dunedin preparing for graduation 8). Despite the friends and family I have in Singapore, NZ still feels more like home...even with its random, cold weather. When will I visit Singapore next? Who knows? But travelling is definitely in my future...and Singapore makes a great stopover (think rent-free accomodation...people to entertain... lol)! N'est-ce pas?
Friday 3 November 2006
Light Sounds & Flowery Bursts
Once again it's the time of the year when fireworks are legal thanks to good old Guy Fawkes. Every night now one can hear the sound of fireworks going off and see an impressive array of colours exploding in flowery bursts. Unfortunately, much as I'd like to spend all my time staring out of the window, I still have one exam to go 8(. Ah well, it's kinda hard concentrating with all the noise of fireworks going off too. Maybe I should go get myself some just to get it out of the system...
Tuesday 31 October 2006
Paintings of the Day
Paintings of the day...by Giovanni Paolo Pannini (1691-1765)
I suppose this is a rather random post but these are 2 of my favourite paintings in the Louvre...probably coz after viewing so many paintings in the Louvre and all around Italy and France (which is pretty much everywhere or in every church at least) they all start to look the same (not to mention your eyes start crossing...). And these, well they're different. Too bad photography wasn't allowed in the room. I liked these way better than the Mona Lisa. I find it amusing that the view of modern Rome as it was back in the 1700s included the Fontana di Trevi which is really old, Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona. Still, I suppose since they appeared in the 1600s they were kinda modern...
Galerie de vues de la Rome antique (1758)
Galerie de vues de la Rome moderne (1759)I suppose this is a rather random post but these are 2 of my favourite paintings in the Louvre...probably coz after viewing so many paintings in the Louvre and all around Italy and France (which is pretty much everywhere or in every church at least) they all start to look the same (not to mention your eyes start crossing...). And these, well they're different. Too bad photography wasn't allowed in the room. I liked these way better than the Mona Lisa. I find it amusing that the view of modern Rome as it was back in the 1700s included the Fontana di Trevi which is really old, Piazza del Popolo and Piazza Navona. Still, I suppose since they appeared in the 1600s they were kinda modern...
Saturday 28 October 2006
Moving Woes
I hate moving. Yet I seem to be doing it pretty much every year now and will have to move again next year. Even though I love travelling, moving is something else entirely. With travelling you live out of a suitcase. Not much to pack, easy to pack. It's just a couple of belongings after all. Moving on the other hand is essentially packing up your life into cardboard boxes and shifting said life somewhere else. There's furniture to dismantle, glassware to pack, removers to call and settle with, working out shifting schedules... It's a nightmare. Presently the flat looks like a tornado has been through it. My room has certainly seen better times, and I still have 2 exams to go.
It'll be worse next year I reckon coz I probably wouldn't be in Dunedin the year after. I shudder at the thought of having to deal with issues like storage and selling off furniture. Plus I've grown rather attached to my furniture. Nope I'm not looking forward to next year at all. 8( I wish someone would hurry up and invent a teleportation machine or something that can easily transfer stuff from one place to another in a blink. Think of all the logistical problems that could solve, not to mention making my life infinitely easier. Now where's a genie when you need one?
It'll be worse next year I reckon coz I probably wouldn't be in Dunedin the year after. I shudder at the thought of having to deal with issues like storage and selling off furniture. Plus I've grown rather attached to my furniture. Nope I'm not looking forward to next year at all. 8( I wish someone would hurry up and invent a teleportation machine or something that can easily transfer stuff from one place to another in a blink. Think of all the logistical problems that could solve, not to mention making my life infinitely easier. Now where's a genie when you need one?
Saturday 21 October 2006
Bubbly Times
Yesterday we had a mini champagne, cheese and cracker party at our flat. The champagne was good stuff...courtesy of my flatmate's boyfriend who would never touch cheap wines. So we proceeded to get high on bubbly...and I wound up giving my flatmate's boyfriend's friend a makeover...think smokey eyes and blood red lips. All with his cooperation of course. In fact I recall that after the makeover he declared himself prettier than us chicks lol.
A couple more glasses of bubbly (encouraged by my flatmate) and he was out cold. Totally out cold. My flatmate being drunk spend half an hour screaming in his ear for him to wake up so she could drive him home. That was despite my sister and I telling her she was in no condition to drive and we wouldn't be able to move him anyway. So we left him on the couch and went off to slp.
Except that my sister hear a loud thump some time later and the guy had fallen onto the floor and hit his head on the table leg and he was shivering. So my sister got some blankets to throw over him and turned on the electric heater. For some reason he kept moving under the table (still completely unconscious) until his toe went into the heater and might have caught fire if my sister hadn't noticed and moved the heater away. I doubt that catching fire would have woken him really coz to stick a body part into the heater right onto the heating coil and not feel anything...well WWIII wouldn't have got him up. If that wasn't enough, he then proceeded to throw up while still unconscious, sending my sister into a panic coz he could choke to death. Despite her best attempts to get him to chuck in the bin he ended up chucking every where else except the bin. Ugh! Our lounge still smells a little odd currently...
Moral of the story: if ur guests are gonna get drunk and pass out, make sure they sleep over a bucket!
A couple more glasses of bubbly (encouraged by my flatmate) and he was out cold. Totally out cold. My flatmate being drunk spend half an hour screaming in his ear for him to wake up so she could drive him home. That was despite my sister and I telling her she was in no condition to drive and we wouldn't be able to move him anyway. So we left him on the couch and went off to slp.
Except that my sister hear a loud thump some time later and the guy had fallen onto the floor and hit his head on the table leg and he was shivering. So my sister got some blankets to throw over him and turned on the electric heater. For some reason he kept moving under the table (still completely unconscious) until his toe went into the heater and might have caught fire if my sister hadn't noticed and moved the heater away. I doubt that catching fire would have woken him really coz to stick a body part into the heater right onto the heating coil and not feel anything...well WWIII wouldn't have got him up. If that wasn't enough, he then proceeded to throw up while still unconscious, sending my sister into a panic coz he could choke to death. Despite her best attempts to get him to chuck in the bin he ended up chucking every where else except the bin. Ugh! Our lounge still smells a little odd currently...
Moral of the story: if ur guests are gonna get drunk and pass out, make sure they sleep over a bucket!
Tuesday 17 October 2006
Blog Revamp II: All's Good
Yay now it works in all browsers...although it appears best in Firefox. It's a minor problem of spacing in IE & Opera though so all's good (it was a layout disaster before...) 
Right now that I've run outta excuse to procrastinate I suppose I should do some study...bother.
Right now that I've run outta excuse to procrastinate I suppose I should do some study...bother.
Blog Revamp: Warning Only Works in Firefox
I've just spent the last 6 hours giving my blog a new look...(talk about procrastination what am I doing? I've an exam in 3 days!!!) Anyway I thought the old colour scheme was pretty bad. I've no idea what I was thinking when I picked those colours the last time!! Ugh! Now my blog looks much better...I mean the colours aren't as random as they were the last time...and I like my header. I used photos from my days in Europe 8). I must say I'm getting the hang of css since it took me less time to design the blog than it did de last time.
Oh fantastic...argh!!! My new design only works on In Firefox. It doesn't display correctly in IE or Opera! *sob* Bother...anyone have any ideas on how to fix it?
Oh fantastic...argh!!! My new design only works on In Firefox. It doesn't display correctly in IE or Opera! *sob* Bother...anyone have any ideas on how to fix it?
Tuesday 10 October 2006
Strange Weather
Honestly I dun think I've ever come across stranger weather than here in Dunedin. I woke up this morning to heavy snowfall. Hey it's spring you aren't supposed to have snow in the middle of spring! If that wasn't weird enough, after about an hour or so of snow, the weather realised it was spring and poof! It became sunny again. Then as if the weather couldn't make up its mind, a quarter of an hour later it decided to snow again...heavily (think overcast sky, strong wind and swirling snow). Then sun (blue sky, a few white fluffy clouds here and there)...and barely half an hour later sleet, then rain, then sun, then hail....well you get the idea.
Basically we've been alternating between snow, sun, rain and hail and it's kinda driving me nuts. I realise though that this may also perhaps be due to the fact that I'm supposed to be studying for upcoming exams and somehow have barely gotten a start on that. Still you've gotta admit...it's some pretty crazy weather...and it's pretty obvious I'm procrastinating again. *sigh*
Basically we've been alternating between snow, sun, rain and hail and it's kinda driving me nuts. I realise though that this may also perhaps be due to the fact that I'm supposed to be studying for upcoming exams and somehow have barely gotten a start on that. Still you've gotta admit...it's some pretty crazy weather...and it's pretty obvious I'm procrastinating again. *sigh*
Thursday 5 October 2006
Psyc BBQ
To commemorate the end of a year's worth of PSYC 300 level honours seminars, one of the professors threw a BBQ at his place. His place is quite well-known in the department...mostly coz a murder was committed in one of the bedrooms. And the murderer wasn't just anyone...he happened to be the department head of psychiatric medicine who murdered his wife by poisoning her and being really stupid about it. For example, he actually lectured his students on how to murder someone by administering drugs that give the symptoms of natural diseases. In any case the place was massive, and my professor runs it as a B&B...he puts the guests in the bedroom where the murder happened but naturally doesn't tell the guests that. The bathroom is fantastic though...it's totally carpeted with a jaccuzi.
It was certainly a night of learning...all the gossip in the psyc department and stories of past events. According to the head of the psyc department (as one professor told us) said that the staff of the psyc department are so much more fun when they're bad.
For instance the lecturers used to form a band and had annual concerts. It's kinda hard to picture some of them in a band, but apparently they did actually make large profits from concerts. Unfortunately the band broke up after a disastrous concert where few people turned up...which was expected given that for some reason the organisers decided to hold it around the end of the year on the same night a big rugby game was on. Well nothing gets between a kiwi and his rugby.
Our other professor told us of the costume party the psyc department used to hold and who liked to wear what. Apparently she used to dress as a pregnant nun and another lecturer used to go in mini-skirts, fishnet stockings and thigh high boots (think skanky). We spent quite some time trying to convince them they should revive these traditions....it's much more fun than trying to pay attention to a lecture on attention!
Speaking of paying attention, the professors confess that the lecturer who organises department seminars falls asleep in every one of them. He said the guy sits beside him everytime and falls asleep on his shoulder and drools...lol Really unfair I reckon, since they make us go and we don't get to fall asleep since we're required to summit a report on it. 8(
Anyway I'm gonna be looking at the psyc department thru new eyes from now on...
It was certainly a night of learning...all the gossip in the psyc department and stories of past events. According to the head of the psyc department (as one professor told us) said that the staff of the psyc department are so much more fun when they're bad.
For instance the lecturers used to form a band and had annual concerts. It's kinda hard to picture some of them in a band, but apparently they did actually make large profits from concerts. Unfortunately the band broke up after a disastrous concert where few people turned up...which was expected given that for some reason the organisers decided to hold it around the end of the year on the same night a big rugby game was on. Well nothing gets between a kiwi and his rugby.
Our other professor told us of the costume party the psyc department used to hold and who liked to wear what. Apparently she used to dress as a pregnant nun and another lecturer used to go in mini-skirts, fishnet stockings and thigh high boots (think skanky). We spent quite some time trying to convince them they should revive these traditions....it's much more fun than trying to pay attention to a lecture on attention!
Speaking of paying attention, the professors confess that the lecturer who organises department seminars falls asleep in every one of them. He said the guy sits beside him everytime and falls asleep on his shoulder and drools...lol Really unfair I reckon, since they make us go and we don't get to fall asleep since we're required to summit a report on it. 8(
Anyway I'm gonna be looking at the psyc department thru new eyes from now on...
Thursday 21 September 2006
When Do the Birds Sing?
Dunedin is now evidently in Spring. I love Spring, I really do.
We've got:
1. warmer weather (strangely warm today)
2. fresh green leaves on previously bald trees
3. cherry blossom petals showering down when the wind blows
4. colourful flowers everywhere
5. more daylight hours
But this is really paltry evidence to mark Spring's presence, what really brings home the fact that Spring is here is:
1. Hay Fever
2. Allergies
3. Everyone getting sick
4. Pollen covered car
(washing it is redundant coz it remains clean for less than a day)
Oh and this may or may not have something to do with Spring, but I've noticed the birds start singing at 3am now and sing straight all the way to 6am at least. Why do I know this? (I also know that the street sweepers start work at 5.30am and the waste management truck goes round campus at around that time too, also at that hour traffic on the road consists of taxis and huge trucks that like to speed...but that's besides the point) Coz recently I've been finding myself spending the night in campus working once again on those never ending assignments.
Oh yeah I'm really enjoying Spring...
We've got:
1. warmer weather (strangely warm today)
2. fresh green leaves on previously bald trees
3. cherry blossom petals showering down when the wind blows
4. colourful flowers everywhere
5. more daylight hours
But this is really paltry evidence to mark Spring's presence, what really brings home the fact that Spring is here is:
1. Hay Fever
2. Allergies
3. Everyone getting sick
4. Pollen covered car
(washing it is redundant coz it remains clean for less than a day)
Oh and this may or may not have something to do with Spring, but I've noticed the birds start singing at 3am now and sing straight all the way to 6am at least. Why do I know this? (I also know that the street sweepers start work at 5.30am and the waste management truck goes round campus at around that time too, also at that hour traffic on the road consists of taxis and huge trucks that like to speed...but that's besides the point) Coz recently I've been finding myself spending the night in campus working once again on those never ending assignments.
Oh yeah I'm really enjoying Spring...
Thursday 14 September 2006
Broken Tail Light
Some idiot hit my parked car and broke my tail light the other day and then just drove off without leaving a note or something to offer to pay for damages. Luckily for me, some other nice random person saw it happen while sitting in the library and actually wrote down the license number.
The problem here is that even with the license number, a driver can be pretty hard to track down...you have to pay to get the name and address of the owner from the post shop. There isn't even a phone number you can call or an email address...funny how used to technology one can get. The amount of trouble one has to go through to get compensation makes me one very irate owner-of-a-car-with-a-broken-tail-light. I now have to write a note to this jerk...threatening a police complaint if he/she refuses to pay *evil laugh*.
Hopefully the jerk will call me soon. Moral of the story: If you hit someone have the courtesy to leave a contact number!
The problem here is that even with the license number, a driver can be pretty hard to track down...you have to pay to get the name and address of the owner from the post shop. There isn't even a phone number you can call or an email address...funny how used to technology one can get. The amount of trouble one has to go through to get compensation makes me one very irate owner-of-a-car-with-a-broken-tail-light. I now have to write a note to this jerk...threatening a police complaint if he/she refuses to pay *evil laugh*.
Hopefully the jerk will call me soon. Moral of the story: If you hit someone have the courtesy to leave a contact number!
Friday 25 August 2006
Where Has The Year Gone?
Mid-sem break has begun...and it seems like it was just yesterday that the semester started. Where has all the time gone? I reckon I oughta quit pausing to think about it coz it's getting too scary how fast time flies. Before I know it I'll be tossed out in the big bad world to struggle for a living...
Workload is presently at high-stress level (3 assignments due soon), together with other stuff like working on the marketing campaign for Arthritis NZ's Appeal Week, dance exam, finding a new flat for next year (have I mentioned how much I hate moving?) and even throwing a party is stressful. How much can one fit into a week of holidays? Plus I'm going skiing for 3 days as well, although on hindsight perhaps I shouldn't have agreed to go...on the other hand winter is once a year... To accomplish everything I need to do by the end of the holidays, I figure I'm gonna have to work from 7am to 12am for the rest of the break. Some break huh?
On a happier note, fuel prices have gone down, spring is round the corner and the weather is getting warmer. I'm already beginning to daydream of summer...haven't had a summer in 2 years...
Workload is presently at high-stress level (3 assignments due soon), together with other stuff like working on the marketing campaign for Arthritis NZ's Appeal Week, dance exam, finding a new flat for next year (have I mentioned how much I hate moving?) and even throwing a party is stressful. How much can one fit into a week of holidays? Plus I'm going skiing for 3 days as well, although on hindsight perhaps I shouldn't have agreed to go...on the other hand winter is once a year... To accomplish everything I need to do by the end of the holidays, I figure I'm gonna have to work from 7am to 12am for the rest of the break. Some break huh?
On a happier note, fuel prices have gone down, spring is round the corner and the weather is getting warmer. I'm already beginning to daydream of summer...haven't had a summer in 2 years...
Wednesday 16 August 2006
Logic
Parental logic is something I don't get. What's wrong with walking to and fro every Wednesday night to dance class which is just down the hill from the house? Especially when one's been doing that for the past 6 months? According to parental logic, now that I own a car it is not safe to walk down...drive down, that's what the car is for. Excuse me? We're talking just down the hill here...a 6 min brisk walk down and 10 min walk back up. It's not even in another suburb! Apparently, buying a car has rendered me incapable of walking and turned walking on a Wednesday at 8pm in a residential area unsafe ("because your sister said it's dark and scary"). Is it me or has logic been completely warped here? If you consider the astronomical fuel prices nowadays and the fact that I no longer climb hills (which used to be my best source of exercise), really walking is more economical and healthier.
Try telling my mum that... Naturally I gave up trying to explain that
a) it's just downhill not even as far as town or campus
b) it's not a Friday or Saturday night where people get drunk and violent
c) it's a residential area with no bars around for people to get drunk in and very few uni students
d) it's only 8pm
e) my sister starts claiming it's dark and scary the moment the sun sets which varies according to season
f) I've been walking for the last 6 months with no problems
g) it's a waste of fuel to drive down when I can easily walk
h) I get exercise
How do you argue logically with someone who has a totally different kind of logic altogether? Answer: You can't. The most logical thing is to give up. That's not to say I'm gonna start driving down...it just means well ignorance is bliss! 8p
Try telling my mum that... Naturally I gave up trying to explain that
a) it's just downhill not even as far as town or campus
b) it's not a Friday or Saturday night where people get drunk and violent
c) it's a residential area with no bars around for people to get drunk in and very few uni students
d) it's only 8pm
e) my sister starts claiming it's dark and scary the moment the sun sets which varies according to season
f) I've been walking for the last 6 months with no problems
g) it's a waste of fuel to drive down when I can easily walk
h) I get exercise
How do you argue logically with someone who has a totally different kind of logic altogether? Answer: You can't. The most logical thing is to give up. That's not to say I'm gonna start driving down...it just means well ignorance is bliss! 8p
Saturday 5 August 2006
The Lies They Tell You
If anyone tells you...
1. Workload at 400/postgrad level is heavier than 300 level
2. A professor helps you become less confused
They are lying.
Why?
1. Postgrad students seem to have more free time and a lighter workload than undergrads...and they do admit so too. This postgrad German student I know is free all the time and has 5 day weekends. Hello? Does that even qualify as studying full-time? Also, I did a 400 level paper last semester and didn't need to work as hard as I have this semester!
2. Went to see my psyc lecturer for my honours seminar paper regarding clarifying feedback on my essay. Instead I came out more confused than ever. It probably didn't help much that he told me his job was to make students confused. Well, if that was his job, he earned himself a nice fat bonus...
Just brightens up a poor stressed out undergrad's day aye?
1. Workload at 400/postgrad level is heavier than 300 level
2. A professor helps you become less confused
They are lying.
Why?
1. Postgrad students seem to have more free time and a lighter workload than undergrads...and they do admit so too. This postgrad German student I know is free all the time and has 5 day weekends. Hello? Does that even qualify as studying full-time? Also, I did a 400 level paper last semester and didn't need to work as hard as I have this semester!
2. Went to see my psyc lecturer for my honours seminar paper regarding clarifying feedback on my essay. Instead I came out more confused than ever. It probably didn't help much that he told me his job was to make students confused. Well, if that was his job, he earned himself a nice fat bonus...
Just brightens up a poor stressed out undergrad's day aye?
Monday 24 July 2006
Expanding Household
It seems that we're to have yet another addition to the household. My flatmate announced yesterday that she's getting a dog. Our flat muz be in a growing phase...first a parent, now a dog... I wonder what's next? I like dogs though so I'm not complaining about new household members...yet. Let's hope the dog will be house trained and well, we do have a rather large garden.
The presence of a dog might also help break up the weekly cat convention in our garden. Cats courtesy of our neighbour Barbeque Bill (no it's not a nickname really...BBQ Bill owns the house next door and a food business named Barbeque Bill's...no surprises there), who breeds rats and hedgehogs (off the unsightly garbage dump in his driveway), hence the numerous stray cats who love hanging around his place. Since we're his neighbours, the cats have assumed our garden as theirs and gather as a group weekly...rather annoying when they keep walking around you while you're trying to hang up the washing.
BBQ Bill is not a very pleasant neighbour. He blasts Phantom of the Opera early in the morning all through the afternoon on Saturdays and has numerous vehicles (some labelled with Barbeque Bill's and some not) all strategically parked to hide the entrance to our driveway and make reversing out a challenge. I've taken to parking on the street amongst BBQ Bill's vehicles except that BBQ Bill's daughter enjoys stealing my parking spot outside our flat! Evidently, taking up both sides of the street at his place isn't enough. Now if he made a move to clear that huge pile of junk in his driveway maybe some vehicle could park there instead of encoaching on our bit of street!!
Out of sheer viciousness I do hope BBQ Bill does not like dogs. 8p
The presence of a dog might also help break up the weekly cat convention in our garden. Cats courtesy of our neighbour Barbeque Bill (no it's not a nickname really...BBQ Bill owns the house next door and a food business named Barbeque Bill's...no surprises there), who breeds rats and hedgehogs (off the unsightly garbage dump in his driveway), hence the numerous stray cats who love hanging around his place. Since we're his neighbours, the cats have assumed our garden as theirs and gather as a group weekly...rather annoying when they keep walking around you while you're trying to hang up the washing.
BBQ Bill is not a very pleasant neighbour. He blasts Phantom of the Opera early in the morning all through the afternoon on Saturdays and has numerous vehicles (some labelled with Barbeque Bill's and some not) all strategically parked to hide the entrance to our driveway and make reversing out a challenge. I've taken to parking on the street amongst BBQ Bill's vehicles except that BBQ Bill's daughter enjoys stealing my parking spot outside our flat! Evidently, taking up both sides of the street at his place isn't enough. Now if he made a move to clear that huge pile of junk in his driveway maybe some vehicle could park there instead of encoaching on our bit of street!!
Out of sheer viciousness I do hope BBQ Bill does not like dogs. 8p
Friday 21 July 2006
Housekeeping
My flatmate's mum moved in with us this week...for the rest of the semester. It's weird having a parent around. For starters, our flat is very very neat...owing to the fact that since her mum has nothing to do all day she cleans and tidies. Her mum even arranges the many many pairs of shoes that used to clutter our doorway in these neat rows everyday. The kitchen is sparkling clean and any occasional dishes left in the sink miraculously disappear. I reckon we probably won't have to do housecleaning aside from our rooms ever...8p
On the downside, partying is definitely outta the question so I've lost my clubbing buddy and will have to hunt for a new one. Plus her mum sleeps really early so we've sorta got quiet hours now...seems like I'm back in a residence hall again. Quiet hours aren't too bad though...the worse is that her mum wakes up early in the morning...early being around half past 7. Then she putters around doing stuff (I have not idea wat) in the living room and u can hear her, or she turns on the tv. Either way, the end result is the same: I wake up. Not cool...coz I'm not quite a morning person. 8(
I guess it'll take some getting used to having a parent around...not tt we do much that provokes disapproval haha. I could get used to a really clean flat...we prob have the cleanest student flat in Dunedin. Now if only her mum could make the bills disappear...
On the downside, partying is definitely outta the question so I've lost my clubbing buddy and will have to hunt for a new one. Plus her mum sleeps really early so we've sorta got quiet hours now...seems like I'm back in a residence hall again. Quiet hours aren't too bad though...the worse is that her mum wakes up early in the morning...early being around half past 7. Then she putters around doing stuff (I have not idea wat) in the living room and u can hear her, or she turns on the tv. Either way, the end result is the same: I wake up. Not cool...coz I'm not quite a morning person. 8(
I guess it'll take some getting used to having a parent around...not tt we do much that provokes disapproval haha. I could get used to a really clean flat...we prob have the cleanest student flat in Dunedin. Now if only her mum could make the bills disappear...
Thursday 13 July 2006
Up the Hills
Having recently bought a car after shopping for weeks for one, I have achieved total mobility lol. Living up in the hills certainly hampers my desire to go where the distance is far too great to walk and a 40 min walk to town isn't the most fun thing to do if the weather is awful (as it usually is).
Up the hills, we get frost and ice a lot more often. We had ice for 2 weeks straight a while ago...during the coldest June in 34 years. Walking down to campus on icy ground is certainly an adrenaline rushing experience where you're slipping and sliding down a very steep hill with high chances of falling over. It's really like skiing without skis and no way of stopping (except by falling over or if you're lucky, by grabbing an available lamp post). Even on flat ground, if it's icy, your feet won't stay in one spot. Snow isn't bad...ice is horrible.
I suppose driving would be pretty dangerous, but it seems that the roads where the cars run dun ice over as much...and if there was ice, it would have been gone relatively quickly, unlike the sidewalk where ice can happily stay the entire week.
But, it's pretty up the hills...and quiet...like you'd only notice the neighbours are having a party if there are more cars parked around than usual. Wish it would be a little warmer though!
Up the hills, we get frost and ice a lot more often. We had ice for 2 weeks straight a while ago...during the coldest June in 34 years. Walking down to campus on icy ground is certainly an adrenaline rushing experience where you're slipping and sliding down a very steep hill with high chances of falling over. It's really like skiing without skis and no way of stopping (except by falling over or if you're lucky, by grabbing an available lamp post). Even on flat ground, if it's icy, your feet won't stay in one spot. Snow isn't bad...ice is horrible.
I suppose driving would be pretty dangerous, but it seems that the roads where the cars run dun ice over as much...and if there was ice, it would have been gone relatively quickly, unlike the sidewalk where ice can happily stay the entire week.
But, it's pretty up the hills...and quiet...like you'd only notice the neighbours are having a party if there are more cars parked around than usual. Wish it would be a little warmer though!
Thursday 8 June 2006
Friendster Messages
After a year my Friendster account is active again coz it really is the best way of still staying in touch with friends from Singapore.
I've gotten messages now and then from various people...well guys actually...over the time I've been a member on Friendster. Recently though, the messages all tend to be guys from the Phillipines. I'm guessing maybe they juz caught on or something. Anyway, from all the messages I've received, a pattern is noticeable:
Their online profile says practically nothing. Almost all of them send the first message saying "Can I be your friend" or "I hope to be your good friend", which I find a rather dumb thing to ask since the last time I checked 'friend' meant that you actually knew something about the other person. Now with empty profiles...sorry but you can't even be filed under 'acquaintances'.
Ok so I try to be nice to get to know these wanna-be friends and ask them about themselves (when I'm in a nice mood that is). Almost all of them would introduce themselves saying "I'm quite handsome actually" or "I'm good-looking"...without saying much else about themselves. So essentially all I learn about them is that they're ego-maniacs who'd probably spend more time in front of a mirror than I do. Then there are some who have the audacity to ask if they can be my boyfriend... Excuse me? I most certainly don't date someone I know absolutely nothing about, have never met before and who introduces himself as "I am handsome".
I am now thinking of putting a note in my profile that says:
"If you have nothing in your profile and introduce yourself as handsome, congratulations you have already pissed me off. Please stay away from me."
I've gotten messages now and then from various people...well guys actually...over the time I've been a member on Friendster. Recently though, the messages all tend to be guys from the Phillipines. I'm guessing maybe they juz caught on or something. Anyway, from all the messages I've received, a pattern is noticeable:
Their online profile says practically nothing. Almost all of them send the first message saying "Can I be your friend" or "I hope to be your good friend", which I find a rather dumb thing to ask since the last time I checked 'friend' meant that you actually knew something about the other person. Now with empty profiles...sorry but you can't even be filed under 'acquaintances'.
Ok so I try to be nice to get to know these wanna-be friends and ask them about themselves (when I'm in a nice mood that is). Almost all of them would introduce themselves saying "I'm quite handsome actually" or "I'm good-looking"...without saying much else about themselves. So essentially all I learn about them is that they're ego-maniacs who'd probably spend more time in front of a mirror than I do. Then there are some who have the audacity to ask if they can be my boyfriend... Excuse me? I most certainly don't date someone I know absolutely nothing about, have never met before and who introduces himself as "I am handsome".
I am now thinking of putting a note in my profile that says:
"If you have nothing in your profile and introduce yourself as handsome, congratulations you have already pissed me off. Please stay away from me."
Wednesday 31 May 2006
Post-grad Flexibility
It's finally almost the end of semester and the end of my pile of assignments. I'm currently working on my last one for the semester which is for my post grad marketing paper. I would actually have 2 due on the same day for that same paper, but the beauty of post grad papers as I discovered last week is the flexibility. 8)
The lecturers having deemed that we have had learnt what they set out to teach through the assignments, decided to be nice and remove the need to do one of the assignments. That assignment would have carried 20% of the grade which is now redistributed over the other 2 assignments. On one hand this is great coz I've one assignment less to do, on the other hand I didn't do too fantastic for the other assignment so with the percentage raised to 50% on that I've lost even more. Despite the lecturers saying we've satisfied their objectives, I feel as though I've not actually learnt whatever it is they say we're supposed to have learnt... Ah well, I suppose most of business is more of common sense and analysing stuff anyway. I wish all my other papers were as flexible as this post grad one though...then my workload would be so much lighter!
The lecturers having deemed that we have had learnt what they set out to teach through the assignments, decided to be nice and remove the need to do one of the assignments. That assignment would have carried 20% of the grade which is now redistributed over the other 2 assignments. On one hand this is great coz I've one assignment less to do, on the other hand I didn't do too fantastic for the other assignment so with the percentage raised to 50% on that I've lost even more. Despite the lecturers saying we've satisfied their objectives, I feel as though I've not actually learnt whatever it is they say we're supposed to have learnt... Ah well, I suppose most of business is more of common sense and analysing stuff anyway. I wish all my other papers were as flexible as this post grad one though...then my workload would be so much lighter!
Saturday 27 May 2006
Radical Action
Every now and then I get this compulsion to do something radical and the radical stuff have a range of magnitudes. Well this one is not a big shaker I guess, just radical for me... Anyway I've always been kinda curious about matchmaking services. You see plenty of ads for them on the net. I was clicking around on Trade Me and clicked on the personals section just coz I was bored. Then I found myself signing up with NZ's online matchmaking network thing (whatever you call it).
Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy being single with all the freedom that comes with such a status, but I guess I was curious to see if it works and I dun understand why people sign up (unless they do it outta boredom comme moi). I mean quite a few of the younger people listed are good looking, with attractive personalities (if they are speaking the truth of themselves)...it doesn't quite make sense that they'd be lacking for partners. It makes one think there has to be something wrong with them...lol or perhaps I'm just pretty cynical about all this. In any case I should be able to find out having signed up myself! Still, I really would like to ask each and every one why they signed up which is the most effective way to satisfy my curiousity but I doubt people will be too comfortable with some random asking a kinda personal question.
I've had a couple of messages so far. I feel bad for replying selectively though, although it seems I have this tendency to attract really old guys (and it's not just in this case either!!). There are people whom I'd like to get to know just coz they have interesting jobs...but if I contact them I'm afraid they might get the wrong idea which is more likely to happen with an older guy as I suspect that these guys are in it for real. In any case, it's a form of entertainment for me (yes I know tt's kinda sad...) and it's something new. It's amazing what boredom and procrastination will drive you to do! If I do make a couple of friends outta this, I wouldn't mind either!
Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy being single with all the freedom that comes with such a status, but I guess I was curious to see if it works and I dun understand why people sign up (unless they do it outta boredom comme moi). I mean quite a few of the younger people listed are good looking, with attractive personalities (if they are speaking the truth of themselves)...it doesn't quite make sense that they'd be lacking for partners. It makes one think there has to be something wrong with them...lol or perhaps I'm just pretty cynical about all this. In any case I should be able to find out having signed up myself! Still, I really would like to ask each and every one why they signed up which is the most effective way to satisfy my curiousity but I doubt people will be too comfortable with some random asking a kinda personal question.
I've had a couple of messages so far. I feel bad for replying selectively though, although it seems I have this tendency to attract really old guys (and it's not just in this case either!!). There are people whom I'd like to get to know just coz they have interesting jobs...but if I contact them I'm afraid they might get the wrong idea which is more likely to happen with an older guy as I suspect that these guys are in it for real. In any case, it's a form of entertainment for me (yes I know tt's kinda sad...) and it's something new. It's amazing what boredom and procrastination will drive you to do! If I do make a couple of friends outta this, I wouldn't mind either!
Monday 15 May 2006
Spark of Technological Advancement
It never fails to amaze me what people think of selling. On Trade Me, NZ's version of eBay, you can pretty much find people selling everything from smiles to diamonds. In case you are rubbing your eyes and thinking you've read incorrectly, yes, there is actually some idiot/smart aleck listing smiles for $0.50, in hopes that a bigger idiot will come along and actually bid for it. The description of this listing is as follows:
1 smile.
If you win this auction you will receive nothing but the guarantee that I will smile at you through my computer. Thanks :)
And if you think there hasn't been anyone who has bid for this. Well one person actually did. Just goes to show that some people really have nothing better to do or no better way to spend their money. The jury is still out on whether the seller is smart or an idiot with nothing better to do. Still if he's making money off idiots...
Other interesting stuff you can now purchase or auction for on Trade Me include horse manure, firewood, bricks and landfill. Oh kittens are also up for grabs too. I've not looked to see if they've started selling livestock online but I suppose when it does come to that, the economy has crashed. However, I must say that for a technologically backwards country, we seem to be amazingly advanced when it comes to online shopping/selling!!
1 smile.
If you win this auction you will receive nothing but the guarantee that I will smile at you through my computer. Thanks :)
And if you think there hasn't been anyone who has bid for this. Well one person actually did. Just goes to show that some people really have nothing better to do or no better way to spend their money. The jury is still out on whether the seller is smart or an idiot with nothing better to do. Still if he's making money off idiots...
Other interesting stuff you can now purchase or auction for on Trade Me include horse manure, firewood, bricks and landfill. Oh kittens are also up for grabs too. I've not looked to see if they've started selling livestock online but I suppose when it does come to that, the economy has crashed. However, I must say that for a technologically backwards country, we seem to be amazingly advanced when it comes to online shopping/selling!!
Friday 12 May 2006
New Look
Having got tired of the boring design style of my blog, I have decided to give the blog a new look. As of the moment, changes are slowly being made coz I'm customising it myself (rather than merely plonking down one of the templates) and I've never written in CSS before so it's taking some figuring out. I guess the most annoying is trying to figure out the exact size of de boxes to make the background images fit. Well that and trying put images on a textured background. I got the header background right yesterday after 7 sizing tries. Then when it came to putting my blog title (which is an image) on the header today, matching the background by positioning was awfully tedious...ended up doing adjustments px by px in different directions. It doesn't look seamless but close enough I guess.
Well hopefully I'll have better luck now that I've somewhat got the gist of CSS. Nonetheless this sure beats working on my assignments!!! Lol Yeah, yeah I know, I'm procrastinating...but it's for good cause...it'll soothe my aesthetic spirit.
Well hopefully I'll have better luck now that I've somewhat got the gist of CSS. Nonetheless this sure beats working on my assignments!!! Lol Yeah, yeah I know, I'm procrastinating...but it's for good cause...it'll soothe my aesthetic spirit.
Sunday 7 May 2006
Cannabis Freedom Day
Perhaps NZ isn't has liberal as the Netherlands, where everyone knows weed is not condoned but not illegal either. Still, I didn't realise we were liberal enough to legalise cannabis for 1 day each year. That day was yesterday. According to an acquaintance who smokes all sorts of stuff, on this day many people gather at the octagon smoking cannabis...and there'll be many who deliberately smoke in front of the police stations simply coz de police can't do anything about it.
It's funny the way the human mind works. We find it exciting to do the forbidden, proud if no one can stop us, thrilling when there is a risk of getting caught. Lots of people think that the Netherlands would be full of drug addicts given their liberal laws, but in reality, that's not the case. It's probably the tourists who'd make up the bulk of those who take advantage of the law. Again it's the whole psychology thing whereby people do it coz it's illegal, but if it's legal everyday, less find it a thrilling act.
Certainly there's a whole debate on whether or not legalising certain stuff would act in reverse psychology on people. I'm not saying that we should legalise drugs and all sorts of stuff coz there are those that do need to be controlled, but I think that legalising certain things together with public education may be helpful.
It's funny the way the human mind works. We find it exciting to do the forbidden, proud if no one can stop us, thrilling when there is a risk of getting caught. Lots of people think that the Netherlands would be full of drug addicts given their liberal laws, but in reality, that's not the case. It's probably the tourists who'd make up the bulk of those who take advantage of the law. Again it's the whole psychology thing whereby people do it coz it's illegal, but if it's legal everyday, less find it a thrilling act.
Certainly there's a whole debate on whether or not legalising certain stuff would act in reverse psychology on people. I'm not saying that we should legalise drugs and all sorts of stuff coz there are those that do need to be controlled, but I think that legalising certain things together with public education may be helpful.
Tuesday 2 May 2006
Complaint Against Time + Some Randomness
Why is it that in the second half of the semester, everything seems to happen so fast? In a blink of an eye, weeks are gone and deadlines come rushing at you. Yeah I know, I'm griping about my piles of assignments again and I really really need to begin some of them soon. That plus work on scholarship applications and CVs and business plans. Why is it that a day only consists of 24 hours? Someone should change the whole time system...30 hours a day seems nice. It's not asking for too much aye?
On a random note, (just coz I feel random today) I was surfing for articles related to one of my marketing assignments and came across this quiz. Peter and Maiko and whoever "a rainbow trout" is if it isn't one of them should probably like this:
Figures that some monkey would kill me....
On a random note, (just coz I feel random today) I was surfing for articles related to one of my marketing assignments and came across this quiz. Peter and Maiko and whoever "a rainbow trout" is if it isn't one of them should probably like this:
|
Figures that some monkey would kill me....
Sunday 23 April 2006
Drunk-Driving
Life is really unfair...especially when you're the passenger of a drunk driver. A while ago there was a bad car accident near my place. Just to give you an idea of how bad, the car was totally crushed, the roof of the car was several metres away from the wreck and parts of the engine were scattered in several directions away from the wreck. Of course everyone was stopping to look at the wreck up from the flyover which overlooks the road where the accident occurred. People parked along the side of the road to get out and look.
From all appearances, the driver was as good as dead in that wreck. However, miraculously, the driver escaped with very minor injuries. His passengers, 2 18 year old girls, on the other hand entered the hospital in critical condition. Turns out the driver was drunk and was showing off by speeding and then lost control of the car and hit the divider. What's really unfair is that he got off 'unpunished' while his passengers were badly hurt. He practically killed the 2 of them with his irresponsibility! It's disgusting drunk-driving and injuring others because of your irresponsibility...I reckon he should be charged for man-slaughter at the very least. Kinda scary how ridiculously dumb people can get...
From all appearances, the driver was as good as dead in that wreck. However, miraculously, the driver escaped with very minor injuries. His passengers, 2 18 year old girls, on the other hand entered the hospital in critical condition. Turns out the driver was drunk and was showing off by speeding and then lost control of the car and hit the divider. What's really unfair is that he got off 'unpunished' while his passengers were badly hurt. He practically killed the 2 of them with his irresponsibility! It's disgusting drunk-driving and injuring others because of your irresponsibility...I reckon he should be charged for man-slaughter at the very least. Kinda scary how ridiculously dumb people can get...
Wednesday 12 April 2006
Interesting Read
While waiting for my sister on campus a couple of days ago, I wandered around the management section in the library and happened to chance across a really interesting book by Wayne Lotherington. It's entitled "Flick your Creative Switch - Developing Brighter Ideas for Business". It's a really interesting book, a guide to creative thinking which has too often been stifled by the rules and regulations we face in everyday life.
Just something I read in the book that I was inspired to share:
Who am I? I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onwards or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half of the things you do you might just as well turn
over to me and I will do them quickly and correctly.
I am esily managed, you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done and
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men and women and,
alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not machine, though I work with the precision
of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person.
You may run me for profit or run me for ruin,
it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am Habit.
- Gary Kroehnert
Just something I read in the book that I was inspired to share:
Who am I? I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onwards or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half of the things you do you might just as well turn
over to me and I will do them quickly and correctly.
I am esily managed, you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done and
after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men and women and,
alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not machine, though I work with the precision
of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person.
You may run me for profit or run me for ruin,
it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am Habit.
- Gary Kroehnert
Saturday 8 April 2006
End of Term
Jazz class ended for the term yesterday 8(. For a last class, it was pretty vigorous and poor unfit me is now aching from the stuff we did. Still, jazz classes have been pretty fun and I'm pretty certain I'd be continuing with it and probably so will my sister and flatmate.
Jazz isn't the only thing that has (or is going to) end for the term...so are classes!!! 4 days to go till Good Friday and Easter break. I can't wait. Although it's not that I'll have much of a break, seeing as to how I've lotsa work and catch-up reading to do... It's the idea of a break and of course not having to go down to campus for classes that rocks. Lol
Speaking of end of term, students at Unicol, one of the residential colleges on campus, are likely not gonna have a pleasant break. The university sent out an email to everyone to tell them that Unicol has been quarantined due to an outbreak of gastroenteritis there. Gastroenteritis is the irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract. Certainly not a good way to spend the end of term down with the infection...you'd be seeing more of the inside of a bathroom than anywhere else. Ugh!
Jazz isn't the only thing that has (or is going to) end for the term...so are classes!!! 4 days to go till Good Friday and Easter break. I can't wait. Although it's not that I'll have much of a break, seeing as to how I've lotsa work and catch-up reading to do... It's the idea of a break and of course not having to go down to campus for classes that rocks. Lol
Speaking of end of term, students at Unicol, one of the residential colleges on campus, are likely not gonna have a pleasant break. The university sent out an email to everyone to tell them that Unicol has been quarantined due to an outbreak of gastroenteritis there. Gastroenteritis is the irritation and inflammation of the digestive tract. Certainly not a good way to spend the end of term down with the infection...you'd be seeing more of the inside of a bathroom than anywhere else. Ugh!
Tuesday 4 April 2006
Online Shopping
eBay is a celebration and a curse. There's an unbelievable amount of stuff you can get there for unbelievably low prices...or at least much cheaper than what you pay for at retail stores in NZ. Plus the virtual world has no boundaries so international shopping is possible...as long as the seller is willing to ship to wherever you are.
The curse of it is that it's pretty addictive. Yes I admit I'm an eBay shopping addict. You can easily spend hours just surfing around ebay looking for stuff. It's unending coz every few minutes, someone is selling something new! It's much like a gigantic mall really, but ever-changing. Bidding is addictive too with auctions and when you aren't on ebay, you're thinking about your auctions or wondering if the seller in the auction you lost might restock and hold another auction. You'd have to be vigilant to get good deals too. I can recall quite a couple of times where I was kicking myself for not being quicker to bid. Quite recently I missed out on bidding on a 1GB SD card from the US. Postage included, it was really really cheap. I only saw it when the auction was about to close....like a minute before, but internet service here is so awful that by the time the page loaded to put in my bid the auction was over. The card sold for US$7.50. Argh! Even if I counted in postage costs and currency convertion costs a 1GB SD card for US$7.50 is dirt cheap compared to what NZ retailers are selling and even on NZ's version of eBay - Trade Me, where it sells for at least NZ$90.
Still, what I really like about eBay is receiving your item. The anticipation is killing of course much like knowing you have a present and can't open it yet. The best part as I've mentioned is receiving the item. It's basically like Chirstmas or your birthday every time and you conveniently forget that you've paid for it. I'm sure those of you who have shopped online before understand the joy of ripping open the package and getting to feel the item after seeing only pictures of it online. While sometimes there are a couple of glitches in purchasing stuff online, especially where clothes are concerned, most of the time if you're a careful shopper you don't make many mistakes i.e. you ask heaps of questions before purchase. I think I've only gotten a bad sizing for an item once. Still, I suppose I could always resell it.
While shopping on eBay brings back the happy moments of Christmas and birthdays, I must say that the horrific side of eBay ultimately shows itself....in the form of my credit card bill. Ouch! Definitely I feel the hole in my pocket after payment catches up with me, but then it brings me back to the point where I did get the stuff at bargain prices.... Oh yeah...
The curse of it is that it's pretty addictive. Yes I admit I'm an eBay shopping addict. You can easily spend hours just surfing around ebay looking for stuff. It's unending coz every few minutes, someone is selling something new! It's much like a gigantic mall really, but ever-changing. Bidding is addictive too with auctions and when you aren't on ebay, you're thinking about your auctions or wondering if the seller in the auction you lost might restock and hold another auction. You'd have to be vigilant to get good deals too. I can recall quite a couple of times where I was kicking myself for not being quicker to bid. Quite recently I missed out on bidding on a 1GB SD card from the US. Postage included, it was really really cheap. I only saw it when the auction was about to close....like a minute before, but internet service here is so awful that by the time the page loaded to put in my bid the auction was over. The card sold for US$7.50. Argh! Even if I counted in postage costs and currency convertion costs a 1GB SD card for US$7.50 is dirt cheap compared to what NZ retailers are selling and even on NZ's version of eBay - Trade Me, where it sells for at least NZ$90.
Still, what I really like about eBay is receiving your item. The anticipation is killing of course much like knowing you have a present and can't open it yet. The best part as I've mentioned is receiving the item. It's basically like Chirstmas or your birthday every time and you conveniently forget that you've paid for it. I'm sure those of you who have shopped online before understand the joy of ripping open the package and getting to feel the item after seeing only pictures of it online. While sometimes there are a couple of glitches in purchasing stuff online, especially where clothes are concerned, most of the time if you're a careful shopper you don't make many mistakes i.e. you ask heaps of questions before purchase. I think I've only gotten a bad sizing for an item once. Still, I suppose I could always resell it.
While shopping on eBay brings back the happy moments of Christmas and birthdays, I must say that the horrific side of eBay ultimately shows itself....in the form of my credit card bill. Ouch! Definitely I feel the hole in my pocket after payment catches up with me, but then it brings me back to the point where I did get the stuff at bargain prices.... Oh yeah...
Sunday 12 March 2006
What's New?
The "new-ness" of starting classes again has definitely worn off and taken with it the excitement of assignments. I've been busy gathering a hefty workload in the past weeks and I now have a huge amount of work. Ugh! Yeah, things are definitely in full swing now that my projects have all begun. Already I'm behind on my readings, having only just completed my psyc honours seminar readings today.
I've yet to complete even a single one of my marketing post grad course readings and I'm 1 week behind. If only there was a way to beam the info into my brain... Speaking of that course, we met the client last Thursday and besides gathering more info on the business, our lecturers wanted us to play dress-up as clients of the client to see how the client works (our client is a photographer btw). I'd been possessed to volunteer to bring a ball gown the week before except there were supposed to be other people as well. Turns out that they didn't bring anything and so it was just me and this guy who brought our formal stuff. Right. I felt totally ridiculous and it didn't help that playing the client involved a mini photoshoot, which is bad enough if you weren't having a "good photo day" but throw in the fact that you're alone on "stage" with all the rest of your class watching you...you get the picture. As expected, I looked awful in the photos...terrible hair sigh and everyone got to see it on the display screen. Unfortunately I've yet to come across a formula for overcoming self-consciousness and so if anyone knows of one, please share...especially before Thurs when I've to see all these people again!
Despite my piling workload, I don't think it's sunk in that I've heaps of work to do...I've no begun to panic yet. The down side of that is I'm still in holiday/party mode. Didn't go clubbing this week though but since our neighbour's brother came back, we had a drinking party on Friday instead. I wasn't gonna attend, having settled down to try and catch up on my readings, but the neighbour kept calling and asking me to go over and my flatmate kept texting so in the end I gave up and went. After all a party is more intereseting that some article regarding behavioural genetics aye? Of course the party had it's consequences and yesterday I woke up feeling decidedly ill. A result of 8 shots of vodka and a couple of cocktails. I ended up chucking when I was brushing my teeth and lost my breakfast which didn't sit too well in my stomach anyway. Any thought of the night before induced bile to rise up in my throat. Honestly I've never experienced a hangover that bad before (the other 2 I've had were just mild headaches). It probably didn't help that I had an appointment to go skating with a couple of friends and skating with a hangover is not fun. Now I've decided to cap my drinking at a hangover-free 6 shots in future! 8)
I've yet to complete even a single one of my marketing post grad course readings and I'm 1 week behind. If only there was a way to beam the info into my brain... Speaking of that course, we met the client last Thursday and besides gathering more info on the business, our lecturers wanted us to play dress-up as clients of the client to see how the client works (our client is a photographer btw). I'd been possessed to volunteer to bring a ball gown the week before except there were supposed to be other people as well. Turns out that they didn't bring anything and so it was just me and this guy who brought our formal stuff. Right. I felt totally ridiculous and it didn't help that playing the client involved a mini photoshoot, which is bad enough if you weren't having a "good photo day" but throw in the fact that you're alone on "stage" with all the rest of your class watching you...you get the picture. As expected, I looked awful in the photos...terrible hair sigh and everyone got to see it on the display screen. Unfortunately I've yet to come across a formula for overcoming self-consciousness and so if anyone knows of one, please share...especially before Thurs when I've to see all these people again!
Despite my piling workload, I don't think it's sunk in that I've heaps of work to do...I've no begun to panic yet. The down side of that is I'm still in holiday/party mode. Didn't go clubbing this week though but since our neighbour's brother came back, we had a drinking party on Friday instead. I wasn't gonna attend, having settled down to try and catch up on my readings, but the neighbour kept calling and asking me to go over and my flatmate kept texting so in the end I gave up and went. After all a party is more intereseting that some article regarding behavioural genetics aye? Of course the party had it's consequences and yesterday I woke up feeling decidedly ill. A result of 8 shots of vodka and a couple of cocktails. I ended up chucking when I was brushing my teeth and lost my breakfast which didn't sit too well in my stomach anyway. Any thought of the night before induced bile to rise up in my throat. Honestly I've never experienced a hangover that bad before (the other 2 I've had were just mild headaches). It probably didn't help that I had an appointment to go skating with a couple of friends and skating with a hangover is not fun. Now I've decided to cap my drinking at a hangover-free 6 shots in future! 8)
Saturday 4 March 2006
Survived
One week down...eons more to go. Still, I've survived the first week...and it wasn't too bad a first week either, but that's coz it's been mainly introduction lectures and stuff so we're not really moving into the very intense stuff yet. So far the workload has not gotten too awful to handle..yet. After all, I merely have 4 assignments to begin work on. Ugh! In the meantime, while I still can, I'm gonna party every weekend. :)
I must say though that so far the lectures I've attended have been pretty exciting and my marketing papers have really interesting projects. We're moving into doing actual marketing consulting for local businesses which require us to meet up with our clients and write proposals and design promotion packages. It's exciting really. My 4th year marketing paper looks to be quite fun as well...we have pretty dynamic lecturers and our projects are quite interesting. In fact, our next lecture is held on the client's premises in town rather than in the room it usually is in. As our client is a photography studio, in order to see things from all perspectives, some of us are gonna experience being clients...which involves dressing up. Sounds fun aye? Somehow I ended up volunteering to play a client and wear a ball gown. This is gonna be interesting, but I figure whatever, I might as well get into it.
Of course, while all this might seem exciting now, I'm pretty sure next week I'll be singing a different tune. Currently I'm conveniently forgetting the awful workload that's involved (I have more than 10 dues dates written down). Soon the workload will be pushing for attention and I'll be bitching about it lol. Until then, there's time to party.
Speaking of partying, my flatmate and I went clubbing again...except this time she's back to being attached. Bad timing to have a change in status I guess, since she got kinda drunk and ended up making out with some random guy whom she was dancing with. Thereafter she felt really guilty for making out with him...which is good..I mean at least she did feel guilty (I've known many who've done the same and passed it off as normal). Perhaps I should have grabbed her and dragged her off...I did kinda poke her from time to time but it's kinda hard to do when you're dancing and making out with the guy's friend (my ex roommate would probably be cheering if she knows this)... Well she won't be doing it again and her boyfriend was understanding enough so all's well. Still, I reckon at this point, being single is probably the best thing...less complications and sweet freedom. ;)
Note: If this is incoherent and I tend to repeat myself, it's gotta be those vodka shots and whiskey and coke I had not too long ago... ;p
I must say though that so far the lectures I've attended have been pretty exciting and my marketing papers have really interesting projects. We're moving into doing actual marketing consulting for local businesses which require us to meet up with our clients and write proposals and design promotion packages. It's exciting really. My 4th year marketing paper looks to be quite fun as well...we have pretty dynamic lecturers and our projects are quite interesting. In fact, our next lecture is held on the client's premises in town rather than in the room it usually is in. As our client is a photography studio, in order to see things from all perspectives, some of us are gonna experience being clients...which involves dressing up. Sounds fun aye? Somehow I ended up volunteering to play a client and wear a ball gown. This is gonna be interesting, but I figure whatever, I might as well get into it.
Of course, while all this might seem exciting now, I'm pretty sure next week I'll be singing a different tune. Currently I'm conveniently forgetting the awful workload that's involved (I have more than 10 dues dates written down). Soon the workload will be pushing for attention and I'll be bitching about it lol. Until then, there's time to party.
Speaking of partying, my flatmate and I went clubbing again...except this time she's back to being attached. Bad timing to have a change in status I guess, since she got kinda drunk and ended up making out with some random guy whom she was dancing with. Thereafter she felt really guilty for making out with him...which is good..I mean at least she did feel guilty (I've known many who've done the same and passed it off as normal). Perhaps I should have grabbed her and dragged her off...I did kinda poke her from time to time but it's kinda hard to do when you're dancing and making out with the guy's friend (my ex roommate would probably be cheering if she knows this)... Well she won't be doing it again and her boyfriend was understanding enough so all's well. Still, I reckon at this point, being single is probably the best thing...less complications and sweet freedom. ;)
Note: If this is incoherent and I tend to repeat myself, it's gotta be those vodka shots and whiskey and coke I had not too long ago... ;p
Saturday 25 February 2006
Beginning of the End
Yeah it's back to reality for me. The year is gonna be crazier than I thought, especially after I did course approval and was somehow talked into doing a 4th year post grad marketing paper as opposed to one of my 3rd year ones. Honestly, I'm somewhat scared that this time I've really bitten off more than I can chew. I mean doing 51 points when the max is 48 is already crazy enough, but throw in a post grad paper...everyone else thinks I'm nuts. Well, I suppose if I do end up in a psychiatric ward, at least it's close by! Lol
I've got one weekend before hell breaks loose and during this time, I shall be praying fervantly for a freak blizzard to snow all the lecturers in or an earthquake or a fire that somehow burned the uni such that lectures have to be cancelled. I suppose it's pretty obvious that I desperately don't want lectures to start... In the meantime, while waiting for one of these miraculous events to occur (I'm banking on the blizzard coz it snowed yesterday up till 1200m), there is much to do. Moving in completely being one and partying being another.
Our living room looks like a typhoon hit it and resembles a storage closet. The sink is currently full of dishes since we've yet to run the dishwasher, having only bought dishwashing powder yesterday. Perhaps the only thing that's settled is my room. I've completely moved in, set all my furniture up and filled all the drawers and shelves...somewhat. In moving into my room, I learnt that my dad has absolutely no sense of interior design. He told me he set up my furniture and arranged it for me. To my horror, he put all my furniture to one side of the room...and it looked terrible. I ended up having to expend considerable effort to move every single piece of furniture (with the help of a friend of course!)
One weekend... I'm dreading Monday, but at least today we went out clubbing. It's good to be back in Dunedin...entering clubs are FREE!! My flatmate and I managed to drag my sister along with us, but she sat in a corner and stoned the entire time, leading several people to ask her if she was ok...including a bouncer. I think the next time we go out, we'll leave my sister at home...she's much happier that way. Still, it was a good night out...good music in intervals...met a couple of guys and one was pretty cute. I wound up giving him my number, much to my sister's horror...and yes I was completely sober. Lol Well hey I'm 20, single and it's fun to meet new people...not to mention flattering. :p Anyway, soon I'll be too busy to have a life so I should probably have as much fun as I can now. Monday is the beginning of the end of my life...and I'll be too busy to attend my own funeral. *Sigh*
I've got one weekend before hell breaks loose and during this time, I shall be praying fervantly for a freak blizzard to snow all the lecturers in or an earthquake or a fire that somehow burned the uni such that lectures have to be cancelled. I suppose it's pretty obvious that I desperately don't want lectures to start... In the meantime, while waiting for one of these miraculous events to occur (I'm banking on the blizzard coz it snowed yesterday up till 1200m), there is much to do. Moving in completely being one and partying being another.
Our living room looks like a typhoon hit it and resembles a storage closet. The sink is currently full of dishes since we've yet to run the dishwasher, having only bought dishwashing powder yesterday. Perhaps the only thing that's settled is my room. I've completely moved in, set all my furniture up and filled all the drawers and shelves...somewhat. In moving into my room, I learnt that my dad has absolutely no sense of interior design. He told me he set up my furniture and arranged it for me. To my horror, he put all my furniture to one side of the room...and it looked terrible. I ended up having to expend considerable effort to move every single piece of furniture (with the help of a friend of course!)
One weekend... I'm dreading Monday, but at least today we went out clubbing. It's good to be back in Dunedin...entering clubs are FREE!! My flatmate and I managed to drag my sister along with us, but she sat in a corner and stoned the entire time, leading several people to ask her if she was ok...including a bouncer. I think the next time we go out, we'll leave my sister at home...she's much happier that way. Still, it was a good night out...good music in intervals...met a couple of guys and one was pretty cute. I wound up giving him my number, much to my sister's horror...and yes I was completely sober. Lol Well hey I'm 20, single and it's fun to meet new people...not to mention flattering. :p Anyway, soon I'll be too busy to have a life so I should probably have as much fun as I can now. Monday is the beginning of the end of my life...and I'll be too busy to attend my own funeral. *Sigh*
Wednesday 1 February 2006
Ireland: Home to the Leprechauns
Despite having been in many cities in Europe, there's something about Dublin that make it somehow different from the rest although it looks the same. Plus the fact that it was really warm there at 2 degrees compared to Scandinavia didn't escape my notice.
What I can say about Ireland is that it's a green place. It just makes you feel like green if you get what I mean. Cheerful irish music from gift stores, so many people on the streets, sunlight, and unlike Scandinavia, the gardens were still lush and green and some had flowers too, like an early spring...well duh I guess, it is almost spring. Then there are the statues and monuments everywhere commemorating great poets, writers etc. Not unexpected though, since Dublin is known for it's literary prowess.
At night, even at midnight, it's crowded and noisy and everywhere you turn there's a pub serving beer and grub till the wee hours of the morn. Almost all pubs have live music on every night and some with dancing and the likes. It's a pity though that I was by myself coz it meant I didn't get a chance to go into one of those pubs for a pint (of guinness what else?) and music since I didn't think that it would be too practical for a single female to do so...except maybe if I was bigger... Nonetheless I did have a good irish dinner at one of the restaurants in Temple Bar with a glass of guinness laced with blackcurrent. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but guinness with blackcurrent is really nice! The waiter was also kinda cute with typically irish green eyes. Lol
I think Dublin is definitely one of the places I will have to visit again coz I didn't have enough time to see everything, but when I do go again I'll definitely not go alone! It's a place for 2 or more... The only annoying thing about my time in Dublin was that someone messed with my towel which I was pretty sure I left on the bed but when I returned it was in the bathroom and really damp as though someone had just used it. Ugh! Maybe it was the leprechauns....
What I can say about Ireland is that it's a green place. It just makes you feel like green if you get what I mean. Cheerful irish music from gift stores, so many people on the streets, sunlight, and unlike Scandinavia, the gardens were still lush and green and some had flowers too, like an early spring...well duh I guess, it is almost spring. Then there are the statues and monuments everywhere commemorating great poets, writers etc. Not unexpected though, since Dublin is known for it's literary prowess.
At night, even at midnight, it's crowded and noisy and everywhere you turn there's a pub serving beer and grub till the wee hours of the morn. Almost all pubs have live music on every night and some with dancing and the likes. It's a pity though that I was by myself coz it meant I didn't get a chance to go into one of those pubs for a pint (of guinness what else?) and music since I didn't think that it would be too practical for a single female to do so...except maybe if I was bigger... Nonetheless I did have a good irish dinner at one of the restaurants in Temple Bar with a glass of guinness laced with blackcurrent. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but guinness with blackcurrent is really nice! The waiter was also kinda cute with typically irish green eyes. Lol
I think Dublin is definitely one of the places I will have to visit again coz I didn't have enough time to see everything, but when I do go again I'll definitely not go alone! It's a place for 2 or more... The only annoying thing about my time in Dublin was that someone messed with my towel which I was pretty sure I left on the bed but when I returned it was in the bathroom and really damp as though someone had just used it. Ugh! Maybe it was the leprechauns....
Monday 30 January 2006
Scandinavia: Viking Land
Winter in Scandinavia is really the epitome of winter...or at least it sure seem like it while I was there. Think complete white all over with black leafless trees and large snow covered areas that would be water in the summer. Oh and of course it has to be snowing too, with the wind blowing snowflakes about, making them dance in the air.
Beautiful? Certainly...as long as you're indoors looking out. It's an entirely different story if you're outside and then the whole situation I've just described takes on a far less pleasant view. For starters, the temperature would be about -10 degrees or lower and the snow covered ground while pretty, gives cold feet and makes the ground slippery and more strenuous to walk upon. The wind blows the snowflakes into your face, especially your eyes, numbing your face and making it tough to see where you're going.
I guess beauty pretty much always comes with a price. It's too cold to even make snowballs coz de snow doesn't melt enough to stick, but it's perfect ski snow though. I ended up having to purchase furry boots for walking through the snow coz if I stayed using track shoes, I reckon I'd have lost my toes long ago! Still I liked Stockholm even though it snowed every day I was there. It was pretty imressive seeing the snow-covered frozen sea that was just tempting me to step on it. Fighting the temptation wasn't very easy, especially when the hostel I was staying in was really a boat and the docks make it pretty easy to just step off!
I spent quite some time in museums simply coz it was warmer and most museums were free. I think I know more about viking history and the whole royalty back when they wore armour and such better than I know NZ history. Anyway it made for an interesting experience. I think the only complain I have about the place is that the stores all close by 6pm...even the huge department stores. By 6.30, the streets are pretty much deserted, and can seem a trifle scary in Gamla Stan which is the old town with it's tiny alleys and cobbled streets.
Compared to Sweden, Finland was much better, it being warmer by the time I arrived and certainly stores were opened till much later. I really liked that there were so many outdoor skating rinks, simply coz all the lakes were completely frozen over so anyone can just ut on a pair of skates and skate (which many did). The "rink" I went to was the size of 2 olympic size rinks. It rocked. There's just something about skating outdoors, plus there's plenty of space for everyone!
During the time I was in Helsinki, I also went to Suomenlinna, an ancient island fortress listed on the world heritage list. As they wanted to preserve it as it was, there wasn't any railings or stuff anywhere and you pretty much could climb everywhere at your own risk. The view is great from the top of the fortress walls and climbing up is pretty easy with lotsa natural footholds. If you slipped though, it would mean a nasty plunge down to the rocks and the frozen sea below. Being very helpful, signs are posted from time to time reminding people to look out for small kids if they have them with them. My friend told me many a person has met an unpleasant end at the bottom of the cliff, her grandmother being one of them and the most recent being a 9 year old girl last year. It's easy enough to fall and die without any railings as it is, but it's even more treacherous in winter, when the place is totally snow covered. The problem with snow covered ground is that you don't know how deep it is so if it turns out deeper than you think it is you end up slipping...which I did at the edge of the cliff and almost fell if not for this plant I grabbed hold of. I like plants. Not many tourists come in winter so the fortress was pretty deserted while I was there and you really feel totally alone in a silent fortress with the stone walls all around you and caves and canons. It's almost magical really, you feel like you're really looking into the past. Unfortunately I am unable to put into words the intensity of the feeling so please do go and experience it yourself!
Beautiful? Certainly...as long as you're indoors looking out. It's an entirely different story if you're outside and then the whole situation I've just described takes on a far less pleasant view. For starters, the temperature would be about -10 degrees or lower and the snow covered ground while pretty, gives cold feet and makes the ground slippery and more strenuous to walk upon. The wind blows the snowflakes into your face, especially your eyes, numbing your face and making it tough to see where you're going.
I guess beauty pretty much always comes with a price. It's too cold to even make snowballs coz de snow doesn't melt enough to stick, but it's perfect ski snow though. I ended up having to purchase furry boots for walking through the snow coz if I stayed using track shoes, I reckon I'd have lost my toes long ago! Still I liked Stockholm even though it snowed every day I was there. It was pretty imressive seeing the snow-covered frozen sea that was just tempting me to step on it. Fighting the temptation wasn't very easy, especially when the hostel I was staying in was really a boat and the docks make it pretty easy to just step off!
I spent quite some time in museums simply coz it was warmer and most museums were free. I think I know more about viking history and the whole royalty back when they wore armour and such better than I know NZ history. Anyway it made for an interesting experience. I think the only complain I have about the place is that the stores all close by 6pm...even the huge department stores. By 6.30, the streets are pretty much deserted, and can seem a trifle scary in Gamla Stan which is the old town with it's tiny alleys and cobbled streets.
Compared to Sweden, Finland was much better, it being warmer by the time I arrived and certainly stores were opened till much later. I really liked that there were so many outdoor skating rinks, simply coz all the lakes were completely frozen over so anyone can just ut on a pair of skates and skate (which many did). The "rink" I went to was the size of 2 olympic size rinks. It rocked. There's just something about skating outdoors, plus there's plenty of space for everyone!
During the time I was in Helsinki, I also went to Suomenlinna, an ancient island fortress listed on the world heritage list. As they wanted to preserve it as it was, there wasn't any railings or stuff anywhere and you pretty much could climb everywhere at your own risk. The view is great from the top of the fortress walls and climbing up is pretty easy with lotsa natural footholds. If you slipped though, it would mean a nasty plunge down to the rocks and the frozen sea below. Being very helpful, signs are posted from time to time reminding people to look out for small kids if they have them with them. My friend told me many a person has met an unpleasant end at the bottom of the cliff, her grandmother being one of them and the most recent being a 9 year old girl last year. It's easy enough to fall and die without any railings as it is, but it's even more treacherous in winter, when the place is totally snow covered. The problem with snow covered ground is that you don't know how deep it is so if it turns out deeper than you think it is you end up slipping...which I did at the edge of the cliff and almost fell if not for this plant I grabbed hold of. I like plants. Not many tourists come in winter so the fortress was pretty deserted while I was there and you really feel totally alone in a silent fortress with the stone walls all around you and caves and canons. It's almost magical really, you feel like you're really looking into the past. Unfortunately I am unable to put into words the intensity of the feeling so please do go and experience it yourself!
Tuesday 10 January 2006
Netherlands - Land of the Giants
Staying with Wouter here in the Netherlands is great! For one I get to see him again. The funny thing is it feels like we've never been apart as though I've still been seeing him everyday. Secondly, coz he's currently staying with his mum, he's staying in a national monument...so I get to live in a monument. His stepdad is really rich and the house is really pretty. It's funny coz there's this plague that says "monument" right beside the front door and the year the house was built 1633 is painted on one of the walls (the age of the house is what makes it a monument).
The Netherlands is great, although I can't read the street names, people do speak english. I've not had to look at a map at all since arriving since Wout has been taking me around and he picked me up at the train station when I arrived. Nothing in Holland has been made for small people though and I certainly feel tiny compared to the Dutch! On Sunday I went to church and even the pews were made for bigger people. My feet could touch the ground and when kneeling my feet couldn't touch the ground either! Not a very comfortable experience! But the Dutch are nice, well all Wout's friends and his family is nice.
Tomorrow we're heading to Amsterdam and it's great having someone else decide where to go and what to do. Planning an itinery is somewhat tiring! I'll be going to see coffee houses there too....which don't sell coffee but 'legal' drugs. The thing is most of the customers of the coffee houses are really tourists rather than Dutch which is expected since by restricting something you only make people want it more. Strange how the human mind works that way...
The Netherlands is great, although I can't read the street names, people do speak english. I've not had to look at a map at all since arriving since Wout has been taking me around and he picked me up at the train station when I arrived. Nothing in Holland has been made for small people though and I certainly feel tiny compared to the Dutch! On Sunday I went to church and even the pews were made for bigger people. My feet could touch the ground and when kneeling my feet couldn't touch the ground either! Not a very comfortable experience! But the Dutch are nice, well all Wout's friends and his family is nice.
Tomorrow we're heading to Amsterdam and it's great having someone else decide where to go and what to do. Planning an itinery is somewhat tiring! I'll be going to see coffee houses there too....which don't sell coffee but 'legal' drugs. The thing is most of the customers of the coffee houses are really tourists rather than Dutch which is expected since by restricting something you only make people want it more. Strange how the human mind works that way...
Monday 9 January 2006
Flings
I'm not cut out for flings. My french guy and I have been either emailing of texting each other almost everyday, even though it takes me about an hour to write an email in French. He writes to me in English, but it's really bad it takes awhile for me to comprehend. I guess my French is better than his English.
Anyway now that Bovy can't make it to Germany, which was our next stop after Netherlands, I am going back to France. To see Bovy again (she is still stuck in Paris)...and of course to meet up with my French guy. Lol Guess I'm not really bummed out about not seeing Berlin or Cologne, but I think I'll go ahead to Frankfurt earlier if only to get the Ritter Sport choc with yogurt in it that you just can't find anywhere else in the world (believe me I've looked in every country I've been in!).
Anyway now that Bovy can't make it to Germany, which was our next stop after Netherlands, I am going back to France. To see Bovy again (she is still stuck in Paris)...and of course to meet up with my French guy. Lol Guess I'm not really bummed out about not seeing Berlin or Cologne, but I think I'll go ahead to Frankfurt earlier if only to get the Ritter Sport choc with yogurt in it that you just can't find anywhere else in the world (believe me I've looked in every country I've been in!).
Saturday 7 January 2006
London
Since Bovy lost her passport and with it her visas, she couldn't travel to London and I ended up having to travel to London by myself. My London trip didn't go very well right from the start. First off, I missed my train to Tours despite rushing to get there in time, but the RER took ages to arrive. Had to pay extra to catch the next train. Then when I got to Tours, because it was late I missed the airport shuttle so I had to take a cab to the airport which cost me heaps. Then when I checked in my luggage, they told me it was too much past the weight limit so I had to pay for excess baggage.
I was totally exhausted after arriving in London coz I had been lugging all my luggage which was really heavy around almost all day...and I had to take a cab to the hostel. In London, the cab drivers don't help you with your luggage, they make you put it in the cab yourself. Upon arriving at the hostel, I discovered there wasn't an elevator and I was on the 3rd floor. Think heaps of stairs and very heavy luggage. Plus the room I was in was only for 1 night before I was supposd to change rooms. So I lugged everything up, with much difficulty and when I got into the room, it pretty much seemed to be an all guys room coz there were 6 guys taking a nap there. Didn't feel too comfortable taking a nap myself (although I really really wanted to) so I had to go out wandering around in the cold. The other big prob;em with the hostel was that for some reason the luggage room is located on the 3rd and a half floor. I mean of course that is the most logical place to locate a luggage room. After all, everyone just loves carrying their luggage up a few flights of stairs!
Being alone and female in London is not nice...London is full of dodgy guys, but don't tell my mum that coz she'd freak. Anyway my experience with dodgy brits amounts to meeting a flasher at a bus stop at 5pm (by then it was already dark) and having this man older than my dad try to kiss me and ask if he could take me home. I am still trying to forget the awful image of the flasher and I still shudder at the thought of that old man whom at first seemed like he was just being friendly. Well moral of the story there is don't talk to strangers. Honestly he seemed harmless... Give me grabby, clingy Italians over Brits anytime...at least they dun attack you!
My last 2 days in London were pretty good though, mainly coz I met these German girls who stayed in the new room I moved into and so I had people to go around with. It also meant I could take photos with me in them too! Lol
Overall London was ok I guess (if frightfully expensive where transport is concerned)...just not nice to be there alone. I definitely love the theatre there I went to watch Fame which was fantastic and they've got pretty good deals for students. Shopping was good too with all the post New Year/Christmas sales. Sandwiches are great. It was also nice to be able to understand everything...the ads, the road names etc!
I was totally exhausted after arriving in London coz I had been lugging all my luggage which was really heavy around almost all day...and I had to take a cab to the hostel. In London, the cab drivers don't help you with your luggage, they make you put it in the cab yourself. Upon arriving at the hostel, I discovered there wasn't an elevator and I was on the 3rd floor. Think heaps of stairs and very heavy luggage. Plus the room I was in was only for 1 night before I was supposd to change rooms. So I lugged everything up, with much difficulty and when I got into the room, it pretty much seemed to be an all guys room coz there were 6 guys taking a nap there. Didn't feel too comfortable taking a nap myself (although I really really wanted to) so I had to go out wandering around in the cold. The other big prob;em with the hostel was that for some reason the luggage room is located on the 3rd and a half floor. I mean of course that is the most logical place to locate a luggage room. After all, everyone just loves carrying their luggage up a few flights of stairs!
Being alone and female in London is not nice...London is full of dodgy guys, but don't tell my mum that coz she'd freak. Anyway my experience with dodgy brits amounts to meeting a flasher at a bus stop at 5pm (by then it was already dark) and having this man older than my dad try to kiss me and ask if he could take me home. I am still trying to forget the awful image of the flasher and I still shudder at the thought of that old man whom at first seemed like he was just being friendly. Well moral of the story there is don't talk to strangers. Honestly he seemed harmless... Give me grabby, clingy Italians over Brits anytime...at least they dun attack you!
My last 2 days in London were pretty good though, mainly coz I met these German girls who stayed in the new room I moved into and so I had people to go around with. It also meant I could take photos with me in them too! Lol
Overall London was ok I guess (if frightfully expensive where transport is concerned)...just not nice to be there alone. I definitely love the theatre there I went to watch Fame which was fantastic and they've got pretty good deals for students. Shopping was good too with all the post New Year/Christmas sales. Sandwiches are great. It was also nice to be able to understand everything...the ads, the road names etc!
Sunday 1 January 2006
New Year's Eve
There's something about New Year's eve that makes you wanna spend it somewhere special. And so I did. In Disneyland Paris. It was a fantastic New Year's eve despite all that had happened before. The 'before' I'm talking about is Bovy's handbag getting stolen and in her handbag was her passport among other things. We definitely didn't have a very nice eve of New Year's eve. I spent 7 hours sitting on my suitcase in the RER station in Paris outside the ticket counter while Bovy went running around trying to find the Thai embassy.
Still, Disneyland was great...and tremendously crowded. I've never been to Disneyland before and neither had Bovy so I guess both of us were catching up on our childhood. It's a huge place and despite the whole day we spent there...from 11am to 1am, we still didn't manage to cover everything or see all the shows. The highlight of the day would have had to be the christmas parade. Disneyland screwed up our tickets so to compensate for that they gave us VIP spots to watch the parade which was fantastic (we had all this space to ourselves and an unobstructed view).
I'd studied about EuroDisney as a case study in Business Strategy earlier and one of the things the case mentioned was that Disney is very selective about the appearance of their employees...they all have to be beautiful. I guess it's true coz all the princes on floats in the parade were really drop dead gorgeous...certainly fairy-tale like. The thing is, even the bad characters looked good too! I don't suppose it would be very pleasant to get rejected for a job because one isn't good-looking enough. I wonder how many people apply and get rejected...
We definitely had a magical, if cold, New Year's countdown. Might have been better with a partner I guess coz during the countdown we were entirely surrounded by couples, which made Bovy miss her kind-of boyfriend and me...let's just say I hadn't gotten over my french guy yet. 8p
Still, Disneyland was great...and tremendously crowded. I've never been to Disneyland before and neither had Bovy so I guess both of us were catching up on our childhood. It's a huge place and despite the whole day we spent there...from 11am to 1am, we still didn't manage to cover everything or see all the shows. The highlight of the day would have had to be the christmas parade. Disneyland screwed up our tickets so to compensate for that they gave us VIP spots to watch the parade which was fantastic (we had all this space to ourselves and an unobstructed view).
I'd studied about EuroDisney as a case study in Business Strategy earlier and one of the things the case mentioned was that Disney is very selective about the appearance of their employees...they all have to be beautiful. I guess it's true coz all the princes on floats in the parade were really drop dead gorgeous...certainly fairy-tale like. The thing is, even the bad characters looked good too! I don't suppose it would be very pleasant to get rejected for a job because one isn't good-looking enough. I wonder how many people apply and get rejected...
We definitely had a magical, if cold, New Year's countdown. Might have been better with a partner I guess coz during the countdown we were entirely surrounded by couples, which made Bovy miss her kind-of boyfriend and me...let's just say I hadn't gotten over my french guy yet. 8p
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