I crack myself up!

So I've been giggling myself silly the past few hours, so much so that I can't even sleep at an appropriate time. I'm not entirely sure what is so funny that I am giggling till the tears are welling up in my eyes...

it must be a mysterious side effect of all those days-old dubious left overs I've been doing since I've been slacking off and putting off going out to get food and cooking...

I am feeling very relaxed now but the crazy ideas are coming thick and fast...they seem to change 180 on a daily basis-today the thought was I want to be a Canadian... and I want to go live on Prince Edward Island! Sheesh, talk about weird and random. I guess as an Eccentric I can't help myself ;)

Apart from that I keep seeing 11:11 and 1:11-no other multiple numbers of late oh maybe a 444 or so. And I'm feeling incredibly frivolous lately- maybe because it keeps me amused...

oh and the other thought going through my mind was...is it a good idea to wear untried and untested heels if you have to walk up a stage in front of people...or is that just tempting fate...I'm feeling adventurous though ;)

Five-Toed Sloth In The City

Now that the non holiday season has kicked in, I find myself wondering what to do. I know I should be responsible and earn and save some money while I have spare time...yet while half-heartedly researching various employment alternatives, I find myself and my inner Hippie first and foremost called...drawn...lured back to The Land: back to basics, crisp mountain air, early mornings, yoga and plant foods only.

The city just does nothing for me except transform me into a five toed SLOTH....because I'm constantly tiiiiiired (think: energy totally sapped by electromagnetic radiation) and uninspired...I just don't feel like doing anything productive! I also don't appreciate the heat or muggy stickiness of Summer here which in this age of global warming is often annoyingly interspersed with wintry blasts of gusty chills or sudden downpours of heavy rain.

Maybe I just need to give myself a good smack and hold myself to Discipline but then I find myself justifying this particular rural stint with it being "value adding" to my future career prospects...What to do? What to do? argh. Isn't it nice to have the luxury of choice? For that I am truly grateful!!! Maybe I should just enjoy the luxury of not having to work for the relatively short time it is available...although this would mean not being able to travel, this is probably being more realistic as I would likely need to head straight into training with a mentor after I'm done with the studies.

I guess I can always go travelling overseas repeatedly in smaller trips when I've earnt some decent money and strengthened my physical constitution, rather than do the whole lengthy backpacker odyssey through umpteen countries which will no doubt be skimming the surface and very tiring....and plus the dollar looks like it will be very crappy for some time yet and I don't know how long I could last physically without decent sleep!

Sorry, just talking to myself.

A Turn for the Better?

I'm starting to realise like a snake that periodically sheds its skin, I'm definitely entering a new phase of life yet again...so much so that I'm tempted to archive this Blog as artofzhen volume 2 and embark on artofzhen volume 3 - 2009. Perhaps this is creating too much expectation for 2009 though...

I'm thinking of taking a new direction in blogging- away from personal triviality and daily rambles and maybe blog more extrospectively about things like movies, eating experiences etc...however when semester restarts and I have no scope for things like that, if I don't do daily personal rambles I think this blog would cease to exist! Anyway, just a thought...but don't be surprised if in 2009 you notice all of 2008 has disappeared....

ah the beauty of life...progress!

Is that a Compliment?

The plane got delayed so while whiling away the time I got chatting to an Irish mechanic cum cow farmer about obscure films, music and culture (you know as you do with mechanics and farmers from tiny rural towns in the middle of nowhere ;)...

Him to me:

"In Ireland, Chinese doctor types are really crazy but you actually come across really normal."

Cheers...I think that was the first time someone called me normal!

Adventures in the city

So. I spent the entire weekend sitting on my ass in a seminar...but it was surprisingly enjoyable...and my brain juices were all stimulated and flowing and excited...inspired... so that's what I call a GOOD TIME! LOL does that make me a "N-yerd"?! (You so gotta see American Splendour if you wanna know the origin of that expression!)

Anyhow after being on my ass enclosed all day I decided to take a long protracted wander exploration in the search of some fish and chips...weird sudden craving cos really I don't really eat fish- I think I went close to 20 years completely fish free before I started it again (in the interests of good health of course!) It all started with a trip to the fish market when I was 3 or 4 - I saw all the glass eyed fish and asked my Pa if they were sleeping? When I found they weren't I felt very empathic with them and went on a fish boycott.

It continued when I saw some cutesy Japanese cartoon pencil case that said "Fish are my friends not my food!" and I stuck to it faithfully before I started getting all into diet therapy...

Asides aside, I ended up walking through a part of the city I'd never walked before and it was nice checking out all the old architecture and imagining picture perfect freeze frames for when I get my DSLR- I just love sandstone and cobblestone alleyways!

I also found myself *daydreaming* about when I can finally leave this city...in total honesty, I find this city very disheartening...on the rare occasions I do get out of my bubble I can't help but notice that there really are so many A-holes around! Several words come to mind when I think of Sydneysiders...Superficial, Shallow, Selfish, Pretentious! oh and increasingly...really quite materialistic!

Being back in Sydney these past few months is the sole reason I attribute to my gradually diminishing faith in people and also the reason why I've stopped making any effort to even vaguely meld and I've also stopped bothering being overtly nice, considerate or decent...it's also the reason why I love the *nice* haven of the blogging world and also physically escape every small opportunity I get with the past winter break and this summer break no exception...I escape this city purely so I can face it again with a renewed faith in people(!)

So anyhow my daydreams are not only filled with short breaks out of this city, they've actually evolved into detailed and practical plans for how to permanently leave and resettle in some other part of this awesome country! I have a fair few ideas about where but Western Australia is the final unchartered frontier I need to check out before I can firm up deciding on my final destination...

I'm feeling good as my dreams become concrete and practical plans and as the time ticks on I just get closer and closer to my dreams coming to fruition which once seemed so far away and intangible!

In this sense, it was a really satisfying day :)

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!

Those Tell-Tale Signs...

You know someone is in the midst of some kind of "life crisis" when something funny happens to their appearance/hair e.g Britney Spears...or the metro guy who's hair precious who shaves it all off after he gets dumped?!

so, I was waaaaay overdue for my locks to be trimmed and having the serendipitous gift of finishing early due to an exam, I seized the opportunity...

when the lady said "how would you like it?"

my response was

"Don't know/don't care, just cut it!" (in a nice tone though). LOL (that's my usual response anyway, hair grows back it's not something that I'm particularly attached to unlike the typical girly girl).


So anyway rather than just a straightforward trim, she took the liberty of "fashioning my hair" into a pretty different hairstyle...complete with FRINGE (cos that is just so "in" right now)...


I have not sported a fringe since the age of 12! weird.

Now I really don't recognise myself. My first impression was "I think I look like a supercute cartoon character". Definitely more asian- perhaps even anime-esque?

If I wear my glasses as well my friend thinks I resemble a supernerd- I guess I look a bit like an Asian Daria(3rd from left) but with short hair where as previously I looked more like Jane(2nd from left)...note both of their "not impressed" facial expressions? yeah that part only came after 8 months of being back in the city and now seems a permanent fixture until I manage to escape...

This new hairstyle is definitely quirky- can't wait to show my girly friend E who is going to scream lol looking forward ;) She, quote: "I Hate you with short hair!"(soooo superficial!), plus she also hasn't any appreciation for quirkiness='downright abnormal'...LOL we both know if it weren't for school there is no way in hell we would ever have managed to become such good friends! The girls at school all advised me to not cut but grow it out long and feminine but eh, not a fan- too high maintenance, and I guess I was in the mood for different...I guess a little quirky expresses my inner personality more accurately. Before I looked really normal conventional and boring...

BEFORE: think Juno








ie: ponytail is extent of "hairstyle"




NOW: it's more like Amelie but longer.

so, more belong at an artsy fartsy design exhibition or low budget amateur film competition *LOL definitely got the daydreaming bit down pat! will be interesting to take note of whether I get treated differently and how...

Gassed! :-o

Oh the joy of city living never manages to disappoint.

Late last night, my entire apartment started to be consumed in the smell of...GAS! Confining me to my bedroom with the door closed, a towel shoved in the gap between the door and the floor and my windows wide open and the air purifier on.

I was kinda concerned...and seriously unimpressed but cos I had an exam the next day I decided just to (not literally) suck it in, rationalising that cos there is no gas supply to the building it should subside once the leaking portable device ran out...MAN it lasted a good 2 hours or so...and then I don't know cos my head was engulfed by the grogginess and I went to sleep.

Thankfully in the morning the fumes had gone...but SHEESH I didn't get much rest considering how much I was depending on having a top functioning brain: why do these last minute dramas always seem to happen right before I have a big assessment? (I realised, it's cos I always have some thing or another happening...)

anyway fingers crossed- looking forward to a guilt free sleep tonight but I still have a shockingly early start...whinge whinge...I'm such a night owl I think I could do 1.5X the amount I do now quite comfortably if did everything at night(much more functional, efficient and productive) instead of during the day!

Broad-Sweeping Statements

Sometimes, I find myself a fan of Broad-Sweeping Statements...

e.g

the other day I bought ALL the rice out of our food co-op...I apologised with:

Sorry, I can't help it! I'm Asian. I NEED my Rice!!!

The other broad-sweeping statement for the week was (to a friend)...

How can you NOT like Vegemite?!! You're SO Not An Aussie!

Doctor Doubts...

I knew from a very young age that I was not cut out to be a normal doctor- the blood and guts, having to cope with people dying on you every day, having to stay calm and react in critical situations.

However, perhaps some things are not so different :P A day in the clinic full of sick people and germs...

and I'm sick as a dog! Maybe I'd be better off as a health writer...

Sometimes when you live by yourself it is possible to go long periods without talking to anybody. When the phone rang and I heard my voice it suddenly hit me that perhaps I was sicker than I realised and my friend concurred with "you sound like you're dying!"

But although I'm heaps run down, I'm still hoping to attend my niece's 2nd b'day party...fingers crossed.

there is so little leeway with my life right now-it's not even about overstudying it is just being able to keep up with the workload and ongoing assessments- this cram course is crazy- 4 normal subjects is like 8 subjects- we're starting to move into that territory where there is absolutely no scope for a life outside of study apart from grocery shopping etc-once I fully accept that I'm restricted to 4 months a year to "enjoy life" that will be easier.

Meanwhile I'm sucking on Autumn Valley Manuka Honey Nuglets which is keeping my throat and spirits in check somewhat, sweet tooth that I am ;)