Sunday, October 31, 2010

Wife wants a Farmer!

Heard through the grapevine that one of my old school mates is currently going through the selection processes for “The Farmer Wants a Wife”…

my gf was like “if there was an organic one I’d SO NOMINATE YOU!” HA HA!

Actually though, although it has become a running joke in my highly white collar professional circle, many years ago prior to the existence of this show in Oz I had already started to say “I want to go live in the country!” so then everybody’s solution (led by my mother) was “Go marry a (rich) farmer!!” but they didn’t realise I seriously wouldn’t mind, it’s just that farmers do not exist in the city! Duh.

I remember a few years ago now that an older "rational" colleague of mine was counselling me “You CAN'T marry a farmer- you need someone really intellectually stimulating and SMART!” To which I argued, who says a farmer isn’t smart…I guess they meant the farmer needs a university degree (or two) and a PhD at minimum to be suitable partner material :P

In any case in all these years I have chanced to meet a total of three farmers…ever. I recall and summarise for amusement as below:

The first one I met randomly while waiting for an airport bus and we got a lot of time to talk cos our plane was seriously delayed…possibly when I was in my Irish-phile leprechaun admiration phase(the accent is so cute-I’ve since graduated to the Germans…lol)

Anyway his name was Padraig…a mechanic but also a sheep/cow farmer, an aquarius who actually had an interest in arthouse movies and pretty good taste in music(which I remember being surprised and impressed by)…he also was a celiac so I remember both of us starving waiting for our delayed flights…he, cos he couldn’t eat anything there and me, cos there was absolutely nothing remotely appetizing to this fussy foodster! In any case by the time our plane got in it was so late when I saw my dad-didn’t want the usual suspicious interrogations re who is this boy?- I just wanted to go home and shower so I was too rude/lazy to bother keeping in touch.

Next farmer I met in the course of my business - an ORGANIC HERB farmer!!!! But alas he was married with a bun on the way. End of story. Well...not quite I chanced to bump into him some time later and ended up concluding " MAN this guy is friggin annoying!"

Last farmer I met was more like a creepy flower harvester who saw me at a distance randomly and then made a beeline-alas alack, I had such a bad case of wind-exposure induced torticollis I was curled up on a couch and couldn’t move to get away…this farmer could have doubled for a modern day pirate/convict…lol, in all my bluntness I even told him he looked like a convict to which he agreed he was proud of his heritage, haha! In any case he had dirty nails and rough hands…

FAIL, FAIL, FAIL. Hence, still no farmer, lol.

That summarises all the farmers I have ever met….so I’m not holding my breath, lol! And despite the enthusiasm of the jokesters around me, I’m not going on any damn TV shows- only extroverted people the direct antithesis of me would be that CRAZY! If the goal is to live in the country, marrying a farmer is not the only solution geez! :P And I still reserve the right to keep my "Country Bumpkin" title M!

In any case, maybe a nice intellectual introverted farmer will one day surf into this post…*kismet*! HAHA, hopefully I won’t be some crazy stinking old lady buried under her menagerie of animals by the time that happens-hehe ;) Or maybe my plans will get foiled and I will succumb to the dark side -some city slicker who is just irresistably charming…HAHA…Again, not holding my breath, LOL!!! I think as long as I can keep a nice plot of green and grow my organic veggies, I think I will be JUST FINE.

If my peeps want some B-grade American movie Farmer Fairy tale they can just turn on the damn TV!

Zhen HAS SPOKEN.

Name this Girl!

...PLEASE!

*LOL, so the impetus to get an English friendly name by tonight (for a laaarge gathering/conference thing) set upon me with a frenzy when I woke up this morning so I sent out the call to 10 of my closest friends that I could get in touch with by txt...sorry that doesn't include my dear blogger peeps cos the one eligible criteria to earn a vote is that you have to have met me in person to see if I "look and behave" like that name! And plus, HO when I tell you the choices (later) I am sure you would have had a vested interest to colour your vote- haha!

So anyway I've chosen three alternatives meaningful to me that I could live with and hopefully there will be a clear cut winner...if they would just all WAKE UP and reply already! LOL

I realised...wow, I must come across seriously eccentric, I mean who else sends out text messages to their friends to vote on the name they will seriously use for life in such a rush of a time frame! LOL

What is the moral of this story? Do not ever give your children hard to pronounce overly foreign names that do not transfer well to other cultures and other countries!

Update...8:58am: ooh the first vote just came in...I wonder if it is prophetic!!! HOW FUN is a voting process! And the second and the third...haha I love this-it is SOOOO DEMOCRATIC!!! ;)

9:04am okay i need to haul ass for now- I will report the results(maybe) and definitely the tally tomorrow ;) wow it's gonna be hard to get used to being called something new....but a lot less confusing for all concerned I think-at least if my different friends ever meet at least they can be sure they are ALL talking about the same mischievous scoundrel...HAHA!!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Four more days...and a Black Hole.

So I'm excitedly anticipating...*freedom* in four days from yet another highly restrictive diet...this week it was like "do you want to come out for dinner?" "No, I can't eat out". "Can I buy you ice cream?" "No, I can't eat it". Sheesh, say that too many times and it's gotta be mildly depressing!

Whatever the case, it's been so restrictive, it's got me chained to home (since I need to eat every few hours)...and it prevented me from doing a nice rural escape :P

But anyway I was cheered slightly to be relieved of the Black Hole I feel at being so isolated from the world, especially with 90% of my friends overseas. And I was ESPECIALLY relieved to catch up with my long lost B'day Twin who has also been also cut off from the world with no access to internet. I was pretty shitty this week that nobody seems to understand me, so yes it was a good thing I finally got to talk to her!!! And laugh my head off HAHA...strangely, we seem to live parallel lives...if one of us is having some drama or trauma about something, the other also will be, just the circumstances will be interestingly different!

Apart from that if you have an eagle eye maybe you noticed I edited my name...lol ZOE means "soul is in union with God". I think it's about time I got a Christian name and although it's cute it's definitely not as kid cutesy as the one many people currently know me by! :P

I like to add this Zoe to my Zhen cos then for short it becomes "Zee"(yes I'll be American for this purpose) or Zz...and HEY who is better at spending all their time sleeping than moi?? Hehe.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bridging the Gap.

Probably the first God-Given connection I recall being given was back in 1999-at that point at best I was an agnostic interested in all religions from an intellectual and cultural curiosity point of view, just wanting to know as much as possible and engaging in all sorts of explorations accordingly.

To me, God was like some mystical higher power that may or may not exist(but was nice if it did)...and he or she manifested as all different deities depending on country and culture. Ultimately it was all about a wisdom and a doing of good- that was all that mattered.

Today I got back in touch with that 1999 connection and told her how I finally have the 100% convicted faith. She was so excited...it's been a loooooong road!! In any case, now that I crossed to the other bank, I realise what a huge journey and what a huge challenge it is for people to bridge that gap. No wonder we believers spend so much time praying, lol...and why non-believers often think we're totally off our nut...once you have faith, it really is a whole separate form of existence!

Anyway, I LIKE it :)

Monday, October 18, 2010

The God Force

When you find yourself operating in completely strange and unfathomable logic, reason, character and habit defying ways...subject to mysterious, timely, intriguing "coincidences" and "messages" and experiencing a Deep peace, love and joy despite circumstances seeming 'unfavourable'...well this is what I call The "God Force" at work. It's really a very Amazing experience. I hope you all get to experience this! ^^

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Little Prince

Mata Hari, you understood me best when you said I am the Little Prince.

On my lone asteroid, my heart-filled happiness springs from one red flower and a pet sheep of my own creation...occasional light hearted chuckles inspired by quirky offbeat things like funny looking lantern bearers.

There are few other visitors or inhabitants, the nearest many lights years of constellation away.

I find myself The Little Prince, always at a distance from the real world. The decrepitude of modern society insults my incredibly child-like idealism where I want to know a world full of rainbows and sunshine, pots of gold and angels with fluffy white wings and unattainable perfection. Instead I find myself looking around desperately for some noise-insulating earmuffs to accessorise the dark shades that often happily shelter my eyes. I guess it is like how some adults choose not to watch the news or read the papers. Perhaps it was borne of watching a minimum three news bulletins a day from as young as I can remember.

No wonder I spend so much time immersed in music, with nature, and feel this urgent spiritual hunger. And no wonder I must be the Hermit and limit my interactions with others since this is that which guaranteed, constantly loves to uproot my sense of peace.

Are churchgoers more wholesome?

Probably not, but even as a Façade it’d be comforting right now. As an HSP(Highly Sensitive Person) I get traumatized REALLY easily and one thing that can do it in a really extreme way is to give me TMI(Too Much Information) about the seedier side of life.

I am much happier to shelter in an ignorant little bubble of puritan bliss!

My good mate once told me “stick to your own kind”(e.g INTJs) sometimes it really is your best friends that know what’s best for you. So anyway I will toodooloo for a bit cos I think I really need some intense “cleansing” alone time(!)

I think you will understand us best when I describe what my b’day twin does re overly sensitizing information- she covers her ears with her hands! That’s a typical HSP self preservation tactic. I just wish I had employed it a bit earlier today :P …I must be getting old because I think I heard ENOUGH of all those things I don’t want to know about…

Boohoo, yet another night of difficult to come by sleep :(

H.O, I know what you’re going to say: Move to Utah! Let me tell you an entire hemisphere and social and cultural change could well be what I need most right now!!!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

This is hilarious

I was just feeling sorry for myself at being stuck here and concluding that the biggest gripe I have with this nation that constantly makes my soul feel like it is shrivelling up is the lack of depth of people here- sure it is easy as hell to find people that look good but once you are trying to find intelligent and interesting and broadly informed people that can provide mental engagement or hold a conversation that is in anyway meaningful or interesting...well it feels like a very very barren place.

So anyway I found that this article seemed to confirm everything I believe- but the saddest part is I completely agree and I'm actually a local! :p

Besides the geography and weather and good produce there is actually very little redeeming about this country- another thing you need to remember is that this country hates Tall Poppies with a vengeance so you better just be average or substandard (unless it is about sport)...hmmm, if I'm gonna be stuck in the South, maybe defecting to New Zealand is not such a bad call. I personally prefer excess sheep population and empty green hills to the defects of here any day...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

I am a lot more cultured and pretentious than I give myself credit for ;)

It occurred to me while watching The Squid and The Whale that perhaps I am a lot more cultured than I give myself credit for...lol, namely cos the elitist protagonist and his son's various highbrow cultural references were actually quite known to me...LOL I had even forgotten that I had actually read Kafka's Metamorphosis until they mentioned it was about a bug!

Not only that but some other obscure references mentioned in various sources I chuckled over lately-things which might go over most people's heads as unfamiliar&new- so I actually realised I'm more knowledgeable about various facets of things cultured than I would have thought...I had the privilege of attending a great piano performance and was surprised to be very familiar with 80% of the offerings across composers and pieces...not only that I actually recognised the sound of Steinways! LOL

So yes, in conclusion I guess there is a reason why I like Europeans and have a lot to talk about with them...definitely, if Down Under peeps regard Europeans as snobbish and pretentious just cos they are cultured&intellectual...I think I like to bat for this team! :)

Friday, October 8, 2010

Zodiac Insights By Zhen

So I’ve whirled myself around the zodiac a few revolutions attempting to get to know each sign better and this is a list personal to me – the one thing I most LIKE(+) and DISLIKE(-) about each of the signs…there are only two signs I REALLY couldn’t come up with cos I don’t know enough members of that zodiac to be able to decide on one defining positive attribute, so maybe some other folks can help fill those vacancies in…

ARIES +CHEMISTRY – SELF FIRST ATTITUDE

TAURUS + TRUSTWORTHY –JUDGEMENTAL

GEMINI +INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY –ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS

CANCER + ?? –OVERSENSITIVE

LEO +GENEROUS GIVERS – NEEDY OF ATTENTION

VIRGO +RELIABLE - WORK OBSESSED

LIBRA + FAIR –FENCE SITTERS

SCORPIO + INTERESTING –UNFORGIVING

SAGGITARIUS +FUN – RECKLESS

CAPRICORN +?? – STATUS OBSESSED

AQUARIUS +TOLERANT/ACCEPTING OF DIFFERENCES –DETACHED

PISCES +UNDERSTANDING LISTENERS -PASSIVE

Thursday, October 7, 2010

"Fou-Jolie" Mandala


Colouring Mandalas is a luxury of people who have LOTS OF TIME to sit around...this little beauty took 3-4 hours! In any case Mandala colouring is really beneficial for the following purposes:

a) Fostering one's Yin energy and all related aspects relaxing, patience, calm etc
b) Developing concentration & mental discipline
c) Colour therapy & Expression

In any case I thought this was a kinda eccentric colour scheme...but kinda pretty too. So now it's a wall decoration :)

a.k.a "Life Saver"


This post could also affectionately be known as "this stuff is DA BOMB!" (LOL)

So anyway not a paid PLUG by any means...I'm just saying if it weren't for this stuff...the last few months would have been incredibly difficult without!!!

In the olden days -like my folks time- when there was any kind of "ouch"- out would come this incredibly aromatic and sting-if-you-get near-your-eyes "white oil"...it is INCREDIBLY POTENT and amazing stuff. Put it anywhere you got an ouch(not open tissue) of course and it can go incredibly internal...for instance, yesterday I was feeling quite a bit of pain...to which I thought warranted taking two common western pain reliever pills....ABSOLUTELY NO EFFECT (not naming names). After 2 hours and still no relief and not from other means e.g hot pack etc...I got out the white oil...except was in too much pain to actuallly bother lathering it on- all in all I probably used about 5 drops...wowee....this stuff is DA BOMB!

When it calls itself an "Analgesic Balm" it is by NO MEANS calling bluff! Next time I don't even bother reaching for the pills...go straight for the oil like I usually do!!! And the best part is you can get a small tiny bottle that fits conveniently in your purse too...not only amazing pick up for migraines or general sleep deprivation in your working day but also a great air freshener when the environment around you stinks and smells like puke(not that this happens to me often, but it did once).

Okay that's enough free advertising, LOL. Have a good day :)

p.s HO since you decided to fall off the blogging planet you can be sure I will be LATHERING up on this amazing oil for PAIN RELIEF!!! :-p O.K, I was just kidding, but do keep in touch like you usually do ;) The more miniature donkey photos, the happier you will keep me, haha.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Left Behind…

I’m not sure what’s getting to me more – the physical constraints and consequential limitations, the isolation, the fact that I am accustomed to exciting long weekends GETTING AWAY and DOING something FUN, or being busy bee-ly occupied or that by some strange mystery of my own intuitive physiology, my body “clock” is just too aware that THIS was supposed to be the week I would leave on my long awaited world adventure of a lifetime that has had so much blood sweat and tears shed on and SO MANY opportunities forfeited for.

Whatever the case, I sure find myself with itchy feet. And there’s only so much I feel I can continue to spin in this vortex that is the Tania and Jori Version of THE PRESETS “I know you” on repeat…

The Saturn Return continues… I guess this is the year I truly learn that hard lesson that One’s “agenda” is never truly one’s own...and that all is subject to the Grace of God and God’s Will…

In any case I think, if I had a magic wand and could change the way things have unfolded would I change anything? I find comfort in that answer being a resounding “no”. Strange, but this unique time has been invaluable, in particular the new lenses with which I now see everything through.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

I can't TAKE IT anymore!!!

It’s a long weekend here. And I’ve been going seriously INSANE. I’ve been exclusively RESTING since Thursday with at least another 2-3 days to go. In that time I have watched the entire season 2 of MAD MEN and a movie "Departures", read, watched TV, talked to friends, been on the internet and lay around. OMG I can’t take it anymore-I’m all out of ideas!!!...Recipe for INSANE! I’m not used to being so PASSIVE…it’s insulting to my bounding, effervescent YANG energies, LOL!!! Especially my BRAIN... arghhhh!!! Not only has being grounded meant I’ve been “off duty” and not got my usual puzzling and sticking needles and checking out tongues fix for such a looong time now, but I can’t even go exploring or travel during the long weekend! Heck, cos I’m resting and cos my foods are so limited I can’t even COOK! I don’t recall being this bored since I was a kid on 3 month school holidays… Anyway I’m seriously considering taking up a musical instrument or something...I’d like to think there was a really great discovery to come out of being so damn Grounded!!!! Like there is a hidden musical virtuoso lying undiscovered…LOL!

I’m seriously tempted to just go buy a violin…and get lessons…but then, I already have so much STUFF and that would be being irresponsibly impulsive…

This is the problem when you realize you have a bouncing energizer bunny stuck inside the old and weary body of a Grandma…usually I feel the opposite way, but then again I have NEVER EVER had this much free unallocated time since I was a KID! Anyway I hope all of you had interesting, productive, exciting, blog worthy weekends…

Any refreshing ideas for how to self entertain when cooped up, please let me know…cheers from one of the most unexciting, undynamic, uninspired cities in the world…thank God for its natural assets…its only saving Grace…hopefully the weather improves -If I have to be grounded I'd rather be lying on a beach watching the clouds float by and listening to the waves crash or lap then contained within four stuffy walls! :-p

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Mid-Autumn Festival Fish Lantern


LOL...a girl friend jetsetted in last week and brought me this mini fish lantern...cos she remembered me getting all excited and making her promise to get one for me when I saw pictures of large ones in previous festivals...

The funniest part is that she only brought back 3 lanterns in total:0ne for me...and the others for her 3 year old niece and 3 year old nephew. *lol!

...I guess that says a lot about me! ; )

p.s I was showing off the lantern to my baby nephew's delight when my mum was around and I said to her: "It's my lantern- no giving it to away to any of the kiddies!" hehe, gotta protect one's toy collection...LOL!

Friday, October 1, 2010

My 9% Bias

I think cos I overdid it the first 3 days of the week and got to bed really really late Wednesday so ended up sleeping off my exhaustion the whole day, I'm struggling to sleep at the appropriate hour now. In any case I think I'm also suffering...boredom!

It's that mental stimulation factor. My brain needs CONSTANT feeding...and I noticed a funny pattern recently...that typically the only people that can really engage me over a long period tend to have an IQ circa 140...

Unfortunately, this isn't actually too easy to find :p. Apparently only 2.2% of the population have an IQ of 130+. 6.7% of the population fall in the 120s... That's still only 9% of the population at greatest tolerance-arghhhh!

I guess I really am a high maintenance chick after all, lol. Or I just REALLY REALLY LIKE Smarties. That's good cos I guess the Super Nerds could use the extra loving, lol!