Throwing in the Towel with those born post 1955 or so...

So anyway ironically for this grandpa yet another weekend I am pulling out *slightly*...TRASHED, after keeping hours more akin to a teen...I guess hedonism knows no boundaries, age, geography or otherwise lol...I will go all out to indulge my passions and interests especially during the summer when I am not so frozen that my little "pieds" can't move myself places like off the couch, lol.

So...I just emerged from a 10 hour recovery after being out and about for over 24hours...and got maybe 3 hours sleep in a 36 hour period.

Saw a great live music gig which was EXACTLY what I needed after a horrible time attempting to extend an olive branch by a rare "getting to know" my own alien generation...so anyway, as usual for me these days post gig I got chatting to an old guy...hmmm he must have been in his 70s since his granddaughter was just 25...anyway it was FANTASTIC to be able to talk culture, SHARED interests, passions and think-resonate rather than be met with the usual blank empty stares and have a similar enthusiasm and flowing easy conversation of opinions for mine to be met with...ANYWAY basically after that he helped me to conclude that my interests and mentality are just nothing shared by Gen X/Y but rather of OLD people...so basically I got a peace in my heart to just 99% give up on trying such semblances of normality of hanging with my own generation range and engage 100% in whatever lack of convention that floats my boat such as associating with the granny generation and being a total eccentric kook! :)

Anyway it felt good to have that validation in the observation from a complete random stranger...I have always associated with much older people since I can remember and been observed that I am "mature" for my age group but in the past year or so meeting cool people closer to DOUBLE my age or more in my life have been just non-stop whether I am in retirement dense populations or not! I would have to say in the past few months I have met at least 20 really cool dudes of a variety of ages born prior to 1955...for whatever reason they just feel like at least a true EQUAL I can talk to and in that sense it is much easier because I find it so hard to find people I don't feel are BABIES or that I can admire and respect nearer my own generation...

Okay FG just in case you are reading there is one noticeable anomaly to this rule observation...I have noticed that for some reason males born in the period 1969-1970 I tend to get on with, but typically asian-ised ones or ones that really appreciate asian culture...oh and eccentric/quirky non generic weirdo misfits of any generation are usually always good...yup I guess that covers my favourite peeps in Utah! LOL

FINALLY I hear rain....thank goodness for a reprieve from this heat and humidity. Actually as I was chatting to one of these overseas "uniques" this morning it was interesting to hear the pre dawn early morning wake up twitter of birds...when I heard THAT I realised it was time I'd better be getting to bed! LOL...who can blame me if I end up taking a few days to get back into normal day night cycles again...

Oh two more revelations I had...I met some stereotypical super nerds...so I realise I am SO not the NERD I've fantasised or like to make myself out to be (rather I was just wanting to be in my usual subversive reaction to the dominant anti-nerd culture here)....but I am NOTHING like stereotypical nerds mentally....nothing in common...stereotypical nerds can actually be so narrow minded they are actually boring and rigid or rather limited in their ability to think outside a square/creatively or to be open to other ways of thinking... Typical for me I fall into neither nerd or non nerd...i think I exist totally on my own planet of...perhaps..UBERCOOL, lol...perhaps a bit like The Little Prince, hehe. I think it is typical for super introverts to be so involved and self absorbed with their niche things that they can easily stop being able to relate to anybody that lives on the dominant planet.

In recent days I felt that my life is so unusual and surreal I felt like I had stepped out of "The Matrix" or similar as the normal world or rather society around me just seems so alien...and I'm still not quite adjusting. I feel very detached and that there is no overlap between my concerns and their concerns. Then when I had been up for so long and only half lucid and was chatting to my mate overseas waiting for my hair to dry I really felt like I was the mad hatter from Alice in Wonderland spouting non stop rambling gobbledigook that I was so impressed he was able to keep up with and not shut down completely or even continue the conversation...

I guess I like old people cos that is about the only time I am reassured that I still hail from the species "homo sapiens", lol...

So this is my problem...

there are very few things I can COMMIT to and persist with...furthermore there are very few things that I find COMPELLING enough to INTEREST me!

LOL, does that sound like a spoilt brat? hahaha I guess that is what happens when you have always grown up so mentally stimulated and had a rather interesting existence...full of strange and interesting random encounters...lol

So anyway...YESTERDAY...completely unexpected I spent near 3 hours chatting to a FIFTY-NINE year old. LOL it's great when I do find that rare affinity and resonance but SHEESH is it starting to frustrate me that I can't find a mental connection with anybody in my own geography that isn't wrinkly with white hair LOL...it's like can't there be ANYONE within 10 years of me in reasonable geographical proximity that I want to know and don't find incredibly boring/immature/trivial or dumb?

I'm just wondering when I should start getting the CATS!...LOL But I still need a BOWLO buddy...hmmm maybe I just have to start being a lurking stalker and hang out at one and somehow stealthily infiltrate myself into a game with random strangers...oh something I got told by different people recently...apparently I "brush n blow" people off! LOL seriously, I never noticed...I'm an INTJ- 100% of the time I'm focused on the purpose or event not the social interaction purely to connect with another person for no apparent reason! LOL

On the whole though I am having quite a bit of fun-as usual partaking in things where I am energy scattering all over the place cos I always have so very many interests and always let myself be pulled in so many directions...I feel like a planetary star!

I am REALLY appreciating the warm weather though...suddenly I'm feeling way more energised etc and have really enjoyed stuffing my face silly the past few days with all the good food that can be found in big cities.

On another note I have also been AMAZED at how similar my birthday twin and I are and how similar or at least coincidental our daily lives seem to be...it's like we are two separate entities but living parallel lives sharing the same experiences in the universe...it is quite mindboggling how similar our experiences are down to the timing of events, the NAMES of the people we meet and how we interact with them on a daily basis, our health issues etc etc...seriously sometimes (apart from age) I REALLY feel like my birthday twin is like maybe a small piece of me that fell off and regenerated into a total being many years later...even she says she sees her future in me! What a scary thought...lol

Anyway...found this bag that I was carrying around all yesterday kind of amusing...I mean I don't think I ever saw a a plastic carry bag more appropriate to me! hahahahah ;)

It's a full moon tonight...

No wonder I feel like I'm going to turn into a WEREWOLF! Grrrrrr!!!

Hehe, in my collection of strange and unusual characters one hails from Transylvania and even looks like he belongs as an extra on BUFFY! Yeah, hilarious- I'm endlessly amused...Cheap Thrills ;)

Musings on Travelling Solo

It's pretty interesting as G and I attempt our first extended solo adventures simultaneously at opposite ends of the planet.

Thanks to technology we're able to drop short updates to each other frequently about our (near)daily dodgy situations/experiences...

Conclusion?

It's pretty dangerous travelling alone and being female. Men are very predatory (and desperate).

In any case I'm loving the +ves of rural life ie: the clean air, space, beautiful scenery etc...I've also encountered so many interesting people off the beaten track I would never usually meet - fish slaughterer, toxic waste remover, head monk, sailor, pilot, marine biologist, mime artist^^ to name a few...at the same time I've also come across my fair share of uncouth Neanderthals and seriously inconsiderate, selfish and completely frustrating pea-sized brain idiots and even had to share a room with one...it's summer and this chick turned the heater to maximum because she insisted on wearing a skimpy night gown and refused to use blankets and couldn't interpret the heat gauge on the heater and was too proud to seek assistance...as anti-confrontational as I am, fuelled by the sweat that drenched me and kept me awake at 12am and 2am etc along with the pursuit of common sense and justice fuelled me to let her have it! And when a pissed off person is backed up by rock hard hole proof rational argument, well it's a force to be reckoned with no matter how stubborn and idiotic one insists on being out of habit!

Moron chick aside, for the most part I've impressed myself with the latent ability (which I completely forgot I had) to be completely and seriously social with a wide range of people but I'm kinda of looking forward to getting back to the comfort of my own place, bed, space, bigger town/city conveniences at least for a bit...

oh one other thing, these countryfolk can seriously bake! I have had the most delicious raspberry friand and raspberry and passionfruit cheesecake...Mmmmm!

Eeevil Kneeevil.

Hehe...I love observing and studying people- their perceptions, their impressions...it is an endless source of fascination for me.

There are not many people who know about or follow my blog and as such they know very little about me...

Every once in a while I might "reveal" something that they didn't quite expect since I am the multifaceted complication that I am...

For me it is an endless source of amusement...if it is from someone in the online world the reaction typically takes the form of an email shot back straight away with the first line being a big question ending in ...??!!!!

LOL. Cheap Thrills, but it never ceases to stop amusing me.

I'm pretty busy now doing last minute stuff and my net download is all used up so no ability to entertain any media viewing...sorry artistic creative folks.

Zhen's Law of Floods and Droughts and general irony is back though...as I prepare to leave civilisation of both physical and virtual realms...suddenly there has been a recent upsurge in interesting people cropping up out of nowhere! weird.

anyway, hopefully they'll still be around when I get back. I LOVE Interesting People :)

Music imbued with "The Spirit of Nature"

Hey Bohemian Buds!

A very talented spiritual musician happened to drop in with some music he composed that I think is pretty cool and you might like also :)

Check out 'Music is Love'- I found the piece very uplifting and inspirational :)

What Planet did you hail from?!!

So...it's been a seriously busy and stressful week but also one full of fascinating insights and revelations. This is going to be long- where should I start? :)

Yoghurt Cafe Insights

Huge sigh of relief with the end of another huge exam - ended up spending the last couple hours with a friend gasbagging in a new "healthy" yoghurt cafe she expected I would like but didn't cos it was TOO healthy(people soooo stereotype me)...the thing is the cafe had these tricky little lights which make it feel like day the whole time, so we had no idea how late it was!

Anyway so one of the things we got talking about was Why we seem to like/click with certain people and not others? I was offering some thoughts and then she butts in with "That's why I like you- you're REAL!"

LOL think she hit the nail on the head on that one...too bad "REAL" people seem like such a rarity these days!

I was telling her about some of the interesting people I've met recently and then she butts in with another amusing insight: "Your Passion is People!" (wow, when you put it that way I really feel like I should start my own employment agency or something!LOL)

From the desk of an "interesting" person...

Anyway, another interesting moment was on the weekend when I had a chance to meet my first non random real live new person in a while - a friend of a friend. It was pretty funny...he was asking my mate "how do you know her?" but more in an incredulous look kind of way that I interpreted as "What Planet did you Hail from?"!! *LOL

Anyway it was pretty funny, cos typical for Geminis, he was absolutely totally fascinated by all the crap that was coming out of my mouth especially re: my astrological theories which I've gathered from my whole life of serious people studying (which is admittedly one of my favourite pasttimes)...so interested in fact that he skipped his made plans to come to dinner with us instead haha ;)

Anyway my mate and this guy started telling me that I bring up the most out of the norm things into conversations (especially for meeting someone on the first time) and that's what puts me in the ranks of "seriously interesting" ;)

Except for in school when I noticed I think really differently from other people, this had never consciously dawned on me much...

It's not a conscious or premeditated thing at all though. I guess perhaps if everyone is blessed with something, my blessing would be being perceived as "interesting" by other people. It's kinda cool that people just want to get to know you for nothing else than they're curious and they find you "intriguing"! :)

In any case I've been asked several times by people saying they "don't know how" to be interesting conversationalists and I find it amusing that there are whole books on the topic of "how to be interesting". I don't claim to be an expert but since I've been asked and since I don't believe people should be paying for such information- here is my 5c worth on the matter:

How to Be "Interesting"

1) Be genuinely interested in and curious about other people - ask questions*! ...More often than not, people love talking about themselves!

*disclaimer: I do tend to ask whatever I feel like but apparently somehow I can do it without coming across as inappropriate, rude or nosy...so to play it safe, leave your most burning and invasive questions for a second or third meeting, not the first...I obviously haven't analysed myself so don't know how I do it!

2) Dare to be yourself- an individual, and always be honest and sincere - sooner or later people will see through any false pretences so just be yourself!

3) Have a broad range of interests and if you don't, read widely or keep a diverse range of friends and acquaintances.

Anyway that's about it! TOO EASY!!!


It just blew my mind!

a self confessed "queer girl" wrote the other day...anyway she said something that completely blew my mind....I was asking her to "clarify" what exactly she meant by "Queer"...and basically she said it like this..."when I look at a person I don't see a guy or a girl, all I see is whether the person has any substance!" WOW, I was so impressed: What a unique and refreshing thought!

TCKs (Third Culture Kids)

This is a fascinating concept my Yoghurt Cafe friend told me about....she thinks I'm one too - a global nomad- global cultured with little tolerance for monoculture...most of my friends are at least dual cultured. It makes a lot of sense. Anyway apparently if you suffer cultural identity confusion there is a book on ATCKs you HAVE to read-apparently it's very liberating!

What I'm excited about
Another lost Blast from the Past just popped back into my environs- so I'm going to get up ridiculously early and pay a surprise visit- should be fun- loads of stories to share!
Fingers crossed, I will also spend the afternoon meeting my new nephew as planned....sheesh, it's about time!!! :P

there was actually one more pretty interesting revelation from this week, but that's quite enough ramble crammed into one post, so till next time- Happy Blogging! :)


Zhen, powered by






the "drug" of choice especially on EXAM days! *lol

What I like about Californians...

I've been lucky enough to come across a real, live Californian. I was chuffed: Because he completely fit my stereotype of how a Real Californian should be.

For example:

-friendly, easy going, casual, Totally open-minded to everything!
-health freak, health conscious and healthily tanned
-creative type: makes documentaries and does digital media arts
-does not go to doctors or take conventional medicine - instead self medicates with "'erbs"
-does not believe in chemicals so in lieu of conventional deodorants smells of a new-age shop, later identified as patchouli oil.
-named after the stars in the sky! (Cool...)
-had a dero little rat tail which just reinforces the whole "au naturel" vibe.

So very Bohemian!! I was very amused.

The only thing I found slightly askew was that he had this thick kinda *drawl* I could barely comprehend at times- an accent I would have associated more with what a Texan is supposed to have...another Californian remarked, "probably Northern Californian!" (whatever that means!)

In any case, apparently I'd really like California- it's a place where Hippies are the norm. They have a great alternative medicine scene there too.

Although California definitely has it's appeal, I think I love Australia too much to ever leave!

Leap of Faith

Now that I meet so many new people relative I'm starting to wonder: How do you tell if someone is..."Kosher"? I'm starting to try and go with irrational first gut instincts, but if that's not in working condition I'm starting to wish that people just came with verifiable references...such is my innate distrust of the majority of random strangers :p

In the end, I think getting to know new people is very much a leap of faith because you have the completely sane people that can come across as weird or nutty but aren't actually, the completely sane seeming people who are actually hiding a completely insane interior but you only discover that later on etc...

one of my quirkier mates once affirmed it is all the seriously conventional normal seeming people who are actually the true screwballs hiding the weirdest things, not the people that come across as different or interesting. I guess that's what you call repression. LOL

So conclusion? Unfortunately, there's no way to really know but to jump in the deep end...so you just gotta cross your fingers, open your eyes and Be Brave!

Biological Warfare & Intuitive Confusion

So the jury's passed its verdict. I've been deemed too much of a respiratory contagion to attend my niece's party- so I'm tucked in bed having a good ol' much needed rest like you should on Sundays, and indulging in favourite trivial pursuits such as blogging ;)

So the other day, I chanced to meet a psychic healer. This brought some interesting discussion and I totally couldn't contain my curiosity- I, like so many others, gave her a grilling interrogation...

The reason I'm especially fascinated is because, from a young age, I've always known that I'm slightly *intuitive*, and pretty well I know that if I wanted to develop it I likely could, but I've always held myself back due to fear of the unknown and more recently due to wanting to make my own choices without being influenced by things like that...

Lately I've been influenced by the idea that you can manifest how you want your life to be, however it recently occurred to me that perhaps...maybe it's better to just go with the flow a little and save some energy! LOL

In any case, re:psychic ability and intuition, sometimes things come to me (occasionally I have made predictions which came true). Anyhow sometimes...I find myself wondering: was that thought truly psychic or is it just my ego talking? It is very hard to make a distinction and hence I never know whether to act on these "thoughts"...I think until you can completely detach from your ego, any insights you receive will always be a bit fuzzy...I know you could probably meditate for clarity and clarification, but I think a large part of me just doesn't want any excessive intuitive ability!

When your thoughts come back to you...

So I was observing some people my age cavorting like they just graduated kindergarten and thinking inside:

"*sigh*, I SO can't relate to people my age-they're SO YOUNG (and such Teenyboppers)!!!" : (

Later, I went to pick up some CDs^^ from the postoffice...

While standing in the line an old man who could have been my grandpa started talking to me... after I transacted he came up and asked me if I would fancy to go for a coffee?!

WOW. Now that's a first LOL

The idea "dirty old man" didn't even cross my mind which is what would have crossed lots of my cynical friends minds.

In any case, as always when strangers randomly approach you on the spur of the moment it's always quite surprising and I'm never able to react so usually do a runner but with him cos obviously he was so much older than me I knew he wasn't just some sleazy pervert so I replied with what came naturally-honesty: "Sorry I've got a lot of things to get done". When I saw his face fall, I immediately regretted it but the long nurtured belief of "stranger danger" inside and lack of social practice from being in geographic isolation for the past year and always never walking around by myself all the years before that so I couldn't do anything about it...

Later I thought, he's probably old and lonely...I could have at least spared 15 minutes :( And, hmmm with my recent track record he's probably depressed too! Oh well, at least this time we're both locals so maybe I'll bump into him again...

I think I gotta proactively work on overcoming this fear of strangers thing- I KNOW I've missed out on some opportunities for cool friends etc...but I'm just so busy and it's too dangerous for me to be out and about unnecessarily once it gets dark cos I can't even get a cab to get home!

In any case I felt I had more to talk about with the grandpa than most people my age...I wonder what that says about me?!

That's it. Resolution: next random stranger encounter if they're sane, decent and not inebriated I'm gonna positively engage...need to face my fears!

Perfect Sundae(ay) ;)

WARNING: Long post! (Possibly the longest ever...yeah I always say that! No really.)

I had a great weekend :) especially today...Mother Nature put on an utterly gloooorious day at the beach^^! Today was a much needed lie in, then a great chunky beetroot&sumac dip on extra virgin olive oiled toast with chai for breakfast before G & I headed for some lazy sun!

it's called ART, Folks!
Idle fingerprints.



I also got to try out my cute new flip flops.They were a little disappointing on wet sand. They were pretty good wet mark wise on a dry floor. They were really funny on the shower floor- the pawprints acted like suction cups! This picture was on soft sand.


Gosh I love the beach...the ocean...if only my parents had discovered how self amused I keep for hours on end if they had just dumped me at the beach as a kid...sure would have saved them a lot of stress ...(j.k)...actually they finally came clean last week and told me that I was actually a very, very good kid- completely placid - that sounds right...I don't even remember talking! (Boy, do some things change, LOL)

Later in the arvo, caught up with my long lost friend N who I had the random fortune to bump into and reconnect with earlier this year. Seeing her again took me back to the golden days: a carefree pseudo artsy fartsy film and media student with all the time in the world to watch obscure films as part of our film society. It was great to be able to re-embrace one of my long lost loves which tragically got lost by the wayside of 'growing up' - it was incredibly refreshing to reconnect with cultured people who have eclectic tastes yet who still manage to be grounded and down-to-earth - not pretentious and airy fairy which typifies most of that "too cool for school" elitist wanker crowd.

In any case her place was Pure 'Kid in a Candy store' excitement for me- after being stuck in the glut of Regional Australia the last year which had only a very limited range of latest blockbuster stinkers, her one shelf was LOADED with only the good stuff...hopefully I'll be able to get through all that I borrowed over the remaining 2 weeks of freedom...I'm really looking forward to this!

Saturday was...interesting. It's amazing how 8 times out of 10 when I actually manage to get out of the house...it doesn't seem possible to have a dull day...as continues my bizarre trend, I seem to always meet interesting random people!

Saturday I accidentally met a filthy rich property mogul. I was around and about the harbour sussing out potential new digs when I happened to pass this mogul arriving for his open inspection...he invites me to come have a look apologising for the "god-awful brick wall view"...As I enter, the beautiful harbour and iconic bridge loom large in my face: looking down from the balcony I see 2 swimming pools, a private jetty and the rocks which line the shore...haha great sense of humour! This $2.2 mil 3 bedroom 2 bathroom smack bang on the waterfront penthouse is OBVIOUSLY out of my price range!

In any case we had a good chat and I learned a thing or two...I'm not sure whether it was because I seemed so unaffected by the grandeur of it all but he started reeling off some of his personal and totally obscene passive income per month figures and it then occurs to me I'm talking to the richest person I ever met in my life! So I'm not particularly reactive to the world of money, but it was pretty impressive to meet a self made successful entrepreneur with an empire as large as his! The only thing that I found slightly annoying was that he mentioned about THREE times "you need to get yourself a boyfriend"...(ie: so that I could live in said penthouse)...

In this day and age where women can be self-made and successful of their own doing, the capable feminist in me found this assumed need for dependence kinda insulting and chauvinistic!!

Anyway, on my way back, I got further distracted by the unusual environment and started snapping pics. Tired from these labours I was sitting on a rock stairwell overlooking a gully enjoying the fresh serene air and writing when suddenly these incredibly energetic and playful bundles of mischief ie: West Highland terriers (Tin Tin Dogs) decided to pay an extended visit!

Meet Lulu and Kike...how I love their Spanish names...(their owner was Columbian.)



They were so...frenetically motile I was wondering how come they were suddenly so still...and then on closer inspection, the mystery was clarified...



After that diversion, a couple more happy snaps and then met up with R who was also doing the property hunt thing. After all that walking, happily satiated myself with an authentic Malaysian Chicken Laksa :) (after spending Friday night with a bunch of white folks I was pining a bit for some asian-ness)...honestly growing up in a dual culture is SO CONFUSING!

Then I conned R to come to the driving range except that perhaps due to being in the presence of a near golfing PRO, for some strange reason I was completely unable to hit the ball! It would have been completely embarrassing if G&I didn't find it so Hilarious! (R was not impressed :P).

Friday night was spent with the uber cool totally hip city slicker urbanite architecture crowd...gosh I felt Old, and Daggy. I had no idea what they were talking about, what ultra trendy blend of sparkling wine they were drinking...it then occurred to me that M's accusations of
1. You're a Hippie!
2. You're such a Country Bumpkin!

well, relatively, they do have some basis :P

But at least we watched a cool doco which I enjoyed: My architect about the life of Louis Kahn as presented by his son Nathaniel Kahn. Being all white-peopled out I was especially proud to learn that the stately Pyramid which adorns the outside of the Louvre was designed by an Asian! (I.M Pei)

It was really interesting since architecture is an area I previously knew close to nothing about! My favourite part though was the instant recognition when Nathaniel's mother on being questioned on how she stayed single her entire life after Kahn's premature death declares "Well, I'm a romantic fatalist...and...a bit of a loner". LOL, I was..."That's me! That's me!" and G was "That's you! That's you!" ;)

It's called PASSION.

Honey, can you leave your work AT HOME?!

LOL, I can already envisage this scenario 10 years from now...family vacation and me having to secretly smuggle the latest TCM offerings into my baggage...

I'm such a TCM nerd - it is always, always on my brain and seems to all pervade my life. Today I went for a job interview at an acupuncturist, and there are two other jobs in the pipeline...also TCM related...and then it occurred to me...hmmm maybe it's not healthy to be so one-eyed- perhaps I should do something OUT OF THE FIELD just for more...balance?

Even in my bag I had a copy of the journal of complementary medicine. I bumped into my friend at the gym while we're both on the bikes

her: "whatcha reading?" "are you doing uni work?"
me: oh no, I'm just reading the latest herbal research on cancer. it's my leisure time I don't have time to read it otherwise.
her: (points out) That's still work!!

Oh really?
LOL

even on my latest holiday...okay so I took some needles, a small selection of raw herbs and patent pills and a tiny TCM reference book up for personal use. Just in case I needed to self medicate...whaddya know- within 1 hour of the plane landing I'm sitting in a hare krishna cafe in a strange town having an in-depth 1 hour conversation over dinner with a total random stranger local about alternative therapies and TCM researching the local scene and making contacts. Sheesh I even impressed myself!

A couple of days later, there turns out to be a documentary on the history of TCM which intrigues my fellow travellers- I get into an animated discussion about my trade. Then I find myself taking pulses, inspecting tongues, palpating acupoints, asking some rather personal but standard questions, giving lifestyle and dietary advice, prescribing liniments and advocating to needlephobes that there's nothing to be scared of complete with passing around samples to prove my point! *LOL

G points out that it's kinda weird...but I'm fully in my element. Somehow all sense of shy reservation or that I'm supposed to be on holiday is gone. I'm in another world...my professional world...MY PASSION :-)