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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I’m in an extremely bad & cranky mood now.

I’m so so so so pissed. If you talked to me right now, all i will be saying (rather.. ranting) is all about the STUPID STUPID energy providers they have here, which are EXTREMELY EXTREMELY inefficient, troublesome and IRRITATING!

In both the houses they we’ve rented, there are ALWAYS problems with the electricity and gas. They either don’t bill you, or in this irritating case…

I’ve been with AGL since the beginning of this rental property and i’ve been receiving my electricity bills, but not my gas bills. Which, i really don’t care. They somehow don’t bill you for months and suddenly realise that you’re living in the house and bill you a big amount at one go. IDIOTS!

So, i’ve never thought much about the gas bills.. and it has been 7 months we’ve been living here. SUDDENLY, Energy Australia sends us a letter saying that it has suddenly came into their attention that someone is staying in this apartment and they sent us a bill of $200. WHAT?!

So.. this brings me to the question.. who the hell is supplying my gas and what do i do now. If i might so add.. they are RIDICULOUSLY  slow at replying emails and calls might take forever to get through.

This is no biggie. I am used to their inefficiency and their ability to irritate the crap out of me.

What adds to this is.. I’M SLEEPY! I slept early last night and woke up at 2am. I AM SLEEPY AND CRANKY!!!

I HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE doing this kind of thing and i’ve done it SO SO SO SO many times.. sometimes i just really can’t be bothered anymore. I’ve had problems with energy providers and my property agent.

I AM NOT AN IGNORANT INTERNATIONAL STUDENT! DON’T ATTEMPT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME! I MAY BE KIND BUT I AM NOT NICE!

I’M SO SO SO IRRITATED!!!!!!!!

If i were a bird, my feathers would be all ruffled up. I am tired.. my eyes can hardly open and i had to look at figures and try to figure out what these INEFFICIENT companies are up to. They obviously have too much time on their hands.

I only have one thing to say. I HATE IT HERE!

As a qualifier.. there are things that i like here.. like the weather, the beautiful beautiful sky and the independence. But there are aspects of my stay here that i truly truly hate. Maybe i’ll face the same problems in Singapore if i were on my own.. maybe it’s not exclusively Australia.. oh no. their INEFFICIENCY is definitely a characteristic of Australia.

I think it has just been slightly difficult because it is really the first time i’m dealing with all these problems and in a foreign country just makes it worst. Like.. i’m really good at writing emails, just don’t make me call them. I think it might be an accumulation of irritated feelings that everytime something like this happens, i get so so so pissed. and i have to deal with it all on my own. Fish doesn’t know this kind of thing and shi hui is basically clueless. So i’m all on my own.

Bear with me. I need to rant.

Like when my property agent tried to charge me $300!!! for cleaning after i left because the new owner said the place with dirty. It was absolutely not my fault. They left the window open when they did their open house. That has NOTHING to do with me! I refused to pay the money and said that if the new owner was entitled to that, so was i and i would pass my cleaning bills to her to reimburse me. then she said i didn’t have to pay already. DON’T FREAKING TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME! I had to spend loads of time reading the tenancy law and going through loads of websites to be sure of my argument. A WASTE OF MY TIME!

They really are very inefficient. My aircon remote has been spoilt for the longest time ever and she keeps putting off replacing one. They were supposed to do some checking of the aircon and spent an hour slicing a hole in my ceiling then never returned to do the checks and the next thing we knew, they said it was all checked out.

Another thing. They don’t know what it means to MAKE AN APPOINTMENT! They just come whenever they like and knock on the door expecting you to be at their beck and call whenever necessary. If they don’t already know, ours is a 2 storey apartment, i don’t spend every waking moment upstairs! How will i ever hear a knock on the door?! They are obviously not very smart!

I think i’ve been slowed down by them. In Singapore, if i don’t get a reply within a maximum of 2 working days, that company is considered to be very inefficient. Here… if i get a reply in 2 working days.. i think i should convert to Christianity and thank god for his miracles.

So i think i’ve been affected in some ways.. i think i work slower now. Maybe. But their inefficiency is really amazing. Sometimes it amazes me constantly when they complain of work stress! Their working hours are so freaking short. They really should try working in Singapore.

Have i ranted enough. I think so. Sometimes i feel it drains my life. All these small petty issues that grates at me.. every few months..

I WANNA GO HOME!!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Damn the Dust Storm! and Love the Pilates!

I don’t know if i should thank the dust storm or hate it.

This morning.. EVERYTHING was covered in a layer of red dust. EVERYTHING. Even the kitchen!

My house is already very dusty as it is, and now we have more dust! YAY!

and… they say this is just the sign of many more to come. GREAT!

However, it might be a blessing in disguise in another way as we have now cleaned some of the dust off some of the surfaces and fish washed the fan that was caked in gray dust and today, turned red.

Still, i didn’t clean all the surfaces, i’m not going to keep cleaning everytime a stupid dust storm decides to arise. So, we’ll wait till everything is over. Better still, wait for shi min and feng guang to come over and make them clean it for us. YAY!

Haha..

Anyways, just small updates. Cooked Sayur Lodeh for dinner tonight with Shi Hui’s guo tie and luncheon meat dipped in egg and fried.

I have also just found another shopping bag which interests me and i’m contemplating if i should purchase some to try it out. Check it out here.

I have also started doing pilates using Brooke Siler’s DVD which is great. However, i haven even really started on the pilates part. I can only do the first 20 minutes which is cardio component and by then, i am too beat to continue with the mat work. So i have to train train and train till the 20 minutes does not tired me out. Seriously, by the time i finish the 20 minutes, i am sweating and panting and totally out. My legs and bum burn and feel so sore the next day. So, i’m currently doing it every alternate days if possible. Fish is doing it as well too!

The first time i did it, my butt and waist line was most sore, this time, it was my legs and a little of my abs/belly and a little on the arms? Anyways, i think i’m suppose to be working the abs area too but i might not have done it all so right. Still got loads to practice then.

Onwards to a new body.. Let’s see.. I can afford to drop 7kg. Let’s see how long it will take me.. maybe 3 years.. haha!

Have fun guys! and enjoy my misery with red dust.

The Apocalypse has arrived.

Yah. As if.

Freaky Orange Sky!

Ok. I know it is only 630am here.. but i had to show you guys this!

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This is the view from my window!! Look at the whole place! This is the first time i have ever ever seen this.

There are strong winds.. the whole place is foggy and the whole place is ORANGE! You can’t even see the clouds.

Freaky? Yes..

I think it has something to do with thunderstorms.. though i am not sure.

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Now, it’s a much brighter orange so it doesn’t look that scary. But imagine that.. i turned around and the first thing i saw was that (in the pic above). It was wayyy too scary. The sky is usually blue at this time of the day.

I didn’t dare to get up and look at first.. but i was tooo intrigued it by to continue sleeping.. so i peeked.

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The first picture did quite a good job at portraying the vibrancy of the orange. This picture was not so good.. but can you see the fogginess and orangey?

I don’t know how long this will last.. but it has been more than 1/2 he already. The colour has changed from the red i first remembered seeing to a bright paler orange. The same colour as the wall in my room back in Green Meadows.

Cool? Yes. Freaky? Yes.

Poor Fish, he has to go uni early .. 8am.. i hope it doesn’t start raining really heavily. Although, i would be wayy to freaked to go out when the sky is looking like that.

What a phenomenon!

UPDATE: I just checked the www.smh.com.au and this was what they had to say.

“Sydney residents have woken up to a red haze, as the sun struggles to pierce a thick dust blanketing the city this morning.

The dust, kicked up by strong winds overnight, has caused havoc with the city's transport system.

All citybound lanes on the M5 East tunnel have been closed because of dust on the tunnel, while flights at Sydney Airport are delayed as a result of the "strong winds and dust haze".

Sydney's ferries were also suspended due to poor visibility on harbour.

The RTA also issued a warning urging drivers to exercise caution and reduce speed due to "significant dust over the city affecting visibility".

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning across the state as a result of widespread damaging winds.

Wind speeds this morning were expected to average over 65km/h, but there would be gusts in excess of 100 km/h, it said.

The winds would gradually ease over the afternoon and evening, it said.

Last night, large hailstones fell in parts of Goulburn and Wagga, while wind gusts exceeded 90km/h, the Bureau said.

A 109km/h gust was reported at Moss Vale, it said.

Despite sunrise being at 5.43am, the city was a dark reddish haze after 6am this morning.”

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Last few minutes of my 22nd Birthday..

In these last few minutes (actually 1/2 hr).. actually, by the time i dilly dally, already over long ago le.. but still..

I just want to say Thank you to everyone that wished me Happy Birthday. It might not have been a big deal but it meant a lot to me.

I think i’ve come to a point in life where looking back doesn’t work anymore. Where regrets are as insignificant as your last victory. I don’t know where i’m headed. In the translated words of Zhuang Zi:

“Day after day they use their minds (xin 心) in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They bound off like an arrow or a crossbow pellet, certain that they are the arbiters of right and wrong (shifei
是非). They cling to their position as though they had sworn (詛—taken a pledge) before the gods, sure that they are holding on (守—clinging on) to victory (勝). They fade like fall and winter - such is the way they dwindle day by day. They drown in what they do - you cannot make them turn back. They grow dark, as though sealed with seals - such are the excesses of their old age. And when their minds draw near to death (近死之心—their hearts are close to death), nothing can restore them to the light.”

Or in Chinese:

‘大知閑閑,小知閒閒;大言炎炎,小言詹詹。其寐也魂交,其覺也形開,與接為搆,日以心鬥。縵者,窖者,密者。小恐惴惴,大恐縵縵。其發若機栝,其司是非之謂也;其留如詛盟,其守勝之謂也;其殺若秋冬,以言其日消也;其溺之所為之,不可使復之也;其厭也如緘,以言其老洫也;近死之心,莫使復陽也。喜怒哀樂,慮歎變慹,姚佚啟態;樂出虛,蒸成菌。日夜相代乎前,而莫知其所萌。已乎已乎!旦暮得此,其所由以生乎!’

I am thankful for so many things in my life.

I’m thankful that today i finally talked to Eddie and one of my greatest regret is finally resolved and we can move on.. and revive the friendship that once made such an impact in my life.

I’m thankful that i have a comfortable life here with my 3 little ‘babies’. My darling Fish and my troublesome sister.

I think i need to think for my future and what i really want from it and how to get it. I’m like a hermit crab. I don’t dare to crawl out of my shell. But i suppose i must. If not there will be no happy ending.

But i dunno.. i hate being in the middle. Especially when i am so so so tired.

Anyways, i’m grateful for today, for what it stands for, for what is has brought and what it will bring. I just pray i have the courage and ability to accept the challenges that come my way.

It’s time.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

It’s my Birthday!!

YAY!

It’s my birthday today.. 22 years.. getting older and older.. haha

So, what are my plans for the day?

I start out with boring lessons.. from 9am – 2pm!!!

Then.. i don’t know..

I was hoping to watch Up 3D. and definitely have dinner at my favourite place – Ding Tai Fung!

So… i don’t know.. Maybe..

Not sure if i will be getting a cake.. maybe, maybe not.

Still.. hopefully it will be a great day! Dinner at Ding Tai Fung is always great.. and it makes my day – so i suppose it will be good.. haha

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

My favourite Hot Chocolate!

l have found my favourite hot chocolate!!

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Max Brenner's White Chocolate with Crunchy Waffle Balls. I tried it with all the 3 kinds of chocolate and my favourite is the white chocolate!

I LOVE the small chocolate covered waffle balls!!!

Drank it today and can't wait to drink it again!!

Anyone tried this before? Not sure if Singapore has this on their menu though...

Yum Yum!

Happy Happy Happy!

Haha… guess why i’m so happy? Haha..!

I just used Fish’s credit card to help him buy me my birthday present! What a genius!! haha.. don’t worry.. he knows about it.. at least he knew my intention.. but i haven told him that i’ve done it. Hahahahaha…

I’ve been waiting to get this item for a long time and everytime i received the email that it was back in stock, it would be grabbed before i even had the chance to click the link.

So.. what’s the thing eh?

Hahaha! I’m so happy.. happy happy happy..

I’ve been eyeing this for quite some time and i finally just managed to placed the order!

The weather here is getting REALLY hot.. i think my ice cream maker would come just in time for the weather change!

Can’t wait to tinker with it and make some fabulous ice cream to eat. I even bought an ice cream tub from Ikea that day.. haha.. i absolutely cannot wait!

Thank you darling! =)

Monday, September 14, 2009

What a wind!

Haha.. since it has been hot these days, i made the WISE decision of walking to school without my jacket. I just wore a polo shirt and long pants and berks.

Guess what? This is the first time ever i have felt a wind that strong – maybe it’s just me. haha.. but it was cold. The only redemption was that the walk to school is long and thus gets my heart rate up a little and i feel warm. But the dust was amazingly disgusting.

Actually, this uphill walk can get your heart rate up quite a bit but me being me, walk like the slowest tortoise on earth! If you ever walked with me.. you will be absolutely frustrated with me.. i walk so slow.. but i love walking slow.. i hate panting and walking fast..haha. Shi Hui walks like a million paces faster. I can only walk with her properly if she injures her legs..haha..

Ok..just a little cold wind update before my Chinese Philosophy starts.. i have to say though… i’m no longer as interested as i was before. I would have preferred a more indepth and single focused course i must say. but oh.. whatever.. 3 hours of it today and a tutorial and i’m home to fish!

Hehe…

I know i haven been blogging in a while now.. hehe

Well..holidays are just over and i have school today!!

I cooked quite a bit over the holidays but didn’t get a lot of pictures. I remember there was hamburgers and loads of simple chinese home cooked food. We had curry for 4 days while i cooked other dishes including a simple veggie dish and something else.

We went to ear Miso too, which had a new menu but the food still tastes as good.

OH OH OH!

Remember my Klean Kanteen water bottle in black? They have a new one in Red and Fish bought that for me and now he uses my black. Hahaha..

Everyone in my family has one Klean Kanteen now. Hahaha.

Oh, and i was really interested in making bentos – lunch boxes to bring to school for lunch/snack etc.. and contemplated buying pretty bento boxes online which i suddenly stumbled onto Ikea’s range of containers. I think it’s from the 365 range which is a simple red and white and is microwavable. It feels sturdy and has a slight weight to it, which is good, cause it definitely does not feel like cheap plastic. Now, i have my boxes without having to spend all that money! Haha.. btw, i’m becoming a penny pincher now according to Fish. Haha..

It’s getting real hot here now.. reaching max of 31 degrees.. like Singapore, only it’s not humid here..so it feels wayyy cooler.

Okay.. i’ve been rambling.. have to go for classes later! So Sian!

But i promised Fish i’ll have lunch with him at Abang Sam.. Eggplant Sambal…yumyum!