Traditional Curry Chicken

For a person with limited talents, I love knowing that I can cook :P

I do have one problem with curry though, it's always a tad bit too spicy :P I always go overboard with the powder :P

Just Cuts

The second time I ever let my hair grow so long, it has to be 15 years after the previous attempt, of which I had nothing to do with. My mom loved playing with my hair. To commemarate the event (and because I'm bored), I figured some pictures are in order.

Excuse the sleepy look.

The place I went is called Just Cuts; located at Train station level Melbourne Central. Just Cuts - they guarantee to do justice to your hair and if you're not satisfied, there's a 7 day guarantee period when you can go back and they'll "gladly help you", whatever that means. Well, I must say I'm pretty satisfied with my hair cut :) It's like nothing I've had before and my head feels lighter already, or has my head shrunk to its normal size? :)

Happier, and certainly more alert :D

Then I thought................

-.-"

Akin the Snape-like curls, only longer

A woman's greatest weapons

is not her ass-ets or cunning. It's her ability to feel emotionally deprived.

Anger, jealousy, fear.

These three, when born and spurned, can work wonders; only if they don't destroy you first.

Thread with care.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
I had "h3l3n from planet bitch" followed by "fuck. you." on MSN.

A girl friend tells me to not put myself down like that.

A guy friend tells me differently.

L o j e r P e i says:
cool shit babe

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
lol

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
which part of it

L o j e r P e i says:
whole thing man

L o j e r P e i says:
it clicks

L o j e r P e i says:
crazy

L o j e r P e i says:
but i love it

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
haha

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
glad it served some purpose

L o j e r P e i says:
so pissed?

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
kinda

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
pissed and no where to let steam

L o j e r P e i says:
cheer up babe

L o j e r P e i says:
but i love it

L o j e r P e i says:
keep it up

L o j e r P e i says:
wanna sleep liao

L o j e r P e i says:
don bother abt it too much yahh

L o j e r P e i says:
take care

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
i wont

h3l3n from planet bitch says:
nite

L o j e r P e i says:
stay bitchy

L o j e r P e i says:
i love it

L o j e r P e i says:
nite



Definitely from another planet.

They were dropping like flies.....

Albus Dumbledore knew his flaw was loving Harry too much. And maybe.. maybe that was Rowling's flaw too. The Boy-Who-Lived was suppose to be the Chosen-One-Who-Died-Saving-Us-All. But she just couldn't kill him. Well, it was either the flaw, or the serious consequences she'd have to face in the form of millions of distraught kids, angry parents and a couple of thousand child psychologists and counsellors.

Personally, I like the flaw theory better.

Apparently she loved his sidekicks a lot too. Yes, major spoilers if you haven't read this book. Hermione and Ron are alive. And yes again, they are now together. If you picked up the Philosopher's Stone and then proceed to skip all the others and read Deathly Hallows, you'd be blown away faster than you can say G, PG, MA13+, MA15+ and just plain MA. The characters were just dropping like flies.

Poor Charity Burbage (Muggle Studies Prof.) went just as quickly as she was introduced. She did the honours of receiving the famous fatal Unforgivable Curse - Avada Kedavra in the First Chapter. Rowling introduces the tone of the book quite accurately here. Lord Voldy at Lucious Malfoy's manor, surrounded by Death Eaters with a swinging body above him. He proceeds to torture Professor Burbage at which she returns with a gusto of screams and finally kills her just as I was getting a headache from listening to that.

Nuh-uh. No way am I letting my kid read that book. The First Chapter definitely serves as the strong warning to parents which the book failed to do formally. I bought the Adult Version (just the cover really) and it had no such precaution. I'd previously ordered a Children's Version for a friend and it too, had no snippet telling parents that the book is flooded with all possible dark things, including Death and certain Nazi-themed ideas.

No, Adolf Hitler did not make an appearance. I am referring to the much hyped-about bad-boy Dumbledore revelation - "For the Greater Good". Young Dumbledore and Grindelwald (oh-most-evil-wizard-before-Voldy-came-along) expressed the idea of purging the magical race of those who are not of "wizarding descent", in other words kill the non-Pure Bloods/Muggle-borns because they're worthless. History definitely repeats itself and reappears in story ideas too. Oh yeah, and Harry. We know your oh-so-sad, pitying and sorry ass is trying to destroy Voldymort at the age of 17 while Dumbydore was contemplating the notion of killing people like your bestfriend Hermione. Get off your high horse already!!!

After all the terror and havoc he wrecked, Lord Voldymort died a pathetic death. And Harry didn't even kill him, the Elder Wand did -.-" If you asked me (no one did but wtheck), there were two real heroes. The first and more unrecognized -.-" - Hermione. If it wasn't for her, Harry would be dead halfway through the damn book. The second and not celebrated till the end with a lame middle name is Snape. If someone did Snape's story I would buy and read it. He truly was an outcast from beginning till end but he stayed true. I guess it's like they say, it's lonely at the top and he really was the top person.

Rowling gets credit for creating the world of Harry Potter but the media and general societal concerns should get the credit for explaining the theories in a rush and as brief as possible because optometrists are getting more glasses for most kids who rifle through "books that are too thick" and also for killing off less important characters such as Lupin, Fred, Tonks and Mad-Eye because the counsellors are not trained in explaining that (1) the magical world does not exist and (2) Harry Potter and his friends are not invincible.

The last few chapters reflected a sense of indecision and sloppiness in terms of writing and ideas. Harry was suppose to die. He was the 7th Horcrux. For Voldy to die, he has to die too. But Heaven forbid if evil should triumph over good - by name of some twisted explaination, Harry lives and they all cheered, weeaped and toasted to the Boy-Who-I-Think-Was-Damned-Lucky to have awesome friends, a powerful wand and a lightning scar on his forehead.

In case you havent read between the lines yet, I am disappointed with this book. In fact, the previous two books can't hold a candle to the first three either. The fourth, I stand neutral. Such a popular fiction has been taken hold by public influence. Bet Rowling wishes she could raise her own wand (pen?) and shout "Protego!" . Well, it's good to know how it ended. Now, anyone have any good books to recommend?

Project Minimizing Spending

Lately I've been spending too much. How's that so, you may ask. I don't shop for clothes. That means no Jay Jays, Billabong, Supre, Nike etc. Big brands, you get the idea. If I DO shop. It's Katies, Target - small brands, if you can call them brands :) And I do that only when I have nothing to wear (meaning I've shrunk, more often it means I've expanded).

So where is the money (love?)?

What I don't spend on sprucing myself up, I spend on refining (fixing?) my mind. Books, music, food and movies. Ok, maybe not so much the last two but hey, they relax my oh-so-very-overworked brain.

So that's like.. an average of 25 dollars per book, 12.50 for a movie except Tuesday when it's 9.00, CDs cost 30 a piece to say the least tickets to concerts and food about 8 a meal. That's a lot of tops, skirts and jeans down the drain!!

If you add it up, and multiply it, you know, the frequency thingy is tricky, I actually spend more than if I love shopping instead. My bank account is not looking too healthy at the moment, so I've decided to start Project Minimizing Spending or PMS if you like. If you don't like it, you don't have a choice anyways :P And yes, I came up with that on purpose. To remind myself and to make it fun! How fun can cutting down your expenses be? :/

The idea is simple. I will not spend more than 250 a month. This will include groceries (for me and my sister), entertainment, transportation. To make it easier, everything has to add up to 250. The only things that aren't included are bills and the rent. Otherwise, I might as well sleep on the streets.

That starts today. So here's Day 1 (July 18):

1) Pork Chop and Tomato Sauce on Fried Rice + Ice Yin Yong = 9.00
2) Groceries = 8.90 + 19.26 = 28.16

Total = 37.16
Budget remaining = 250 - 37.16 = 212.84

HELP!! :/

Sydney - Love and Food

Love and Food. My fuel for life.

Sydney had both things. Too much I almost suffocated.

Tell me when will you be mine,
Tell me Helen Helen Helen...
We can share a love divine,

Please don't make me wait again.

-Tham Tsu Ann, 2007, adapted from Michael Buble "Quando, quando, quando", originally sung by Engelbert Humperdinck

This was sung to me on a ferry, in the middle of the night, under fairy lights in the rain. Ladies, do your guys do that?

Romantic. But it got scary after a while. LOL!! :P sorry t-suann! too many timessssssss :P

I have been to Sydney three times. Thrice the experience, each different from the next. Now that we've got the Love part down, here's the other half of the equation:

Harry's Cafe de Wheels - Famous Pies since 1945.

Good enough to elicit this expression when threatened.

Bondi Beach - Playing with my food

Fried Mars Bar

Cupcakes from Cupcakes.

Cupcakesssss

More Cupcakessss :D

Famous Pancakes on the Rocks on our first morning. Only we had them at Darling Harbour not the Rocks :P

Orange Jaffe

Potato Au Gratin

Mexicana

Korean spread on the first night

Seafood at the Fish Market

And a hundred more places I don't have pictures of at the moment.

We took a Sydney Opera House tour and the architecture was amazing!!

Architect John Utzon designed the outer case of the Opera House, while the interiors were visualized by Australian architects. The last picture shows that the shell and the inner chambers are completely seperate.

We went to see the Blue Mountains...

Not very blue in my opinion.

Eucalyptus trees emit fumes which when lighted by the sun create an optical illusion as if the mountains were blue. So yea, they're not really blue :P

The Three Sisters...

Once upon a time... people who have yet to learn about the story should click here coz I'm too lazy to explain :P

Of course, while stuffing our faces and visiting famous tourist spots, we documented the trip with our beautiful, glowing selves.

Glowing on a ferry ride with Sydney Opera House in the background.

Blue Mountains :) Chandra, Pei Yin, Tsu Ann and me.

Very contented most of the time.

Particularly because of the special treatment I got throughout the trip.

With Tsu Ann - Opera House by Moonlight.

Ribs and Steak at Hurricane's, Bondi Beach.

With Chandra my tormenter on the Airport train.

Being Thai in a Korean restaurant?!

The group at Darling Harbour.

Group at Sydney Opera House on a cloudy day.

Camwhoring instead of doing what we were suppose to do :P

I try..

I try to stay up
and sleep off my mornings,
I want to like man's best friend
but I've been bitten
once.

I try to listen
to melodies that put me to sleep,
While I lay here
swimming in promises,
drowning.

I try to answer
the mysteries of your being
while searching
for that woman,
still a girl.

I want to be myself
but fear you'd see

me

this monster
underneath the lies.

Semester One Results 2007

75 Advanced Quantitative Methods Distinction
82 Psychological Assessment Distinction
85 Contemporary Psychology High Distinction

Should've done better for Psych Assessment. Better than expected for AQM :)

When someone tries to steal your umbrella....

What do you do?

I use the word steal because the criminal did not break into my house and take the umbrella. That would be burglary. I don't use the word rob because he did not walk past me and swiped the umbrella.

To be fair, I'd forgotten my umbrella when I left Borders to attend Body Jam upstairs. That, and the added fact that it was only after class and when I was almost out of Melbourne Central that I realize I didn't have my umbrella because it was raining. It was almost the perfect crime. Ruined by my rusty but nevertheless still working memory.

I turned back into Borders and headed towards the table at Gloria Jeans where I always did my work. A Korean couple were sitting there. The guy where I sat and the girl next to him. I enquired politely TWICE if he had seen my umbrella.

Both times he responded. "Huh?" "No?"

HELLO?! Am I asking the question here or are you??

Very convincing. Blur look and all. His seedy eyes aided the dazed expression, giving him a sleepy, innocent look.

I scanned underneath the table for it and immediately, most deliberately, he fished the umbrella from his bag and handed it to me as if he hadn't lied to my face.

-.-"

What the heck.. if you wanna steal something, make it a wallet or a bag or something valuable. Even better, DON'T STEAL.

I know it's just an umbrella, and I know he returned it. But....






-.-"




So lame.

You gotta pick one coz..

we cant both use the same wishes
on you and for you
we cant both have the same needs
from you and only you

It was just a Dream..

But it felt so real because it was so possible. There was nothing strange about the way it happened, we just met.

Only the first part didn't make sense. All I did was hopped on a plane and bunked in with my friends in the area - Chunny and Yii Fen. Vera and Ing Fook were with me too. The picture started with us all in this dimly-lit ballroom. All dressed up pretty and handsome. One of the few times I've actually worn make up. I watched you sitting opposite me at our round table. You look dashing. Slighter than I thought you would be. But the same attentive eyes and soft hands. An air of confidence hung about you and you made conversation with a girl beside you. She is slender, cute, but not pretty.

I didn't know if I should call out to you. I didn't. Because I realized my friends and I were in the wrong place, wrong time. I had to figure out a way for you to know I was there, sitting right in front of you. Then your friend steered us onto that path. He came running to the table, from where I don't know. Sheets of paper were clutched in his hands as his breath punctuated the air with a sense of anxiety and thick tension.

All of you grew quiet.


All of us stared as a circus show unfolded before our eyes.

A boy, I don't remember who, but I assumed he was the other smart one in your class, dashed forward first. His face fell into a frown. And then disappointment. He slinked away quickly. No one followed.

The attention is now turned to you. My breath is shallow and intense but you cannot hear me over your own. Your friend screamed, but I couldn't comprehend what he meant by that. Everyone was nervous, excited. Excited. Nervous. You had your sheet in front of you by then and before your expression could register I reached out and tapped you on the arm.

You seem surprised to see me. But only for a split second. You give me a watery smile. Is it from relief? Or am I about to see you cry for the first time? Before anyone else could read it, you gave the paper to me. The screaming classmates all paused and turned their attention to me and my friends. Who were we? The girl next to you glanced at me and shifted her eyes to her lap. Even she does not know.

I lowered my eyes onto the sheet. The precious sheet which held your next path. I struggled with difficulty to find what I was looking for. Again, your friend was of great help. He pointed to me what I wanted to see. And ultimately, it was what we both wanted to see. I look up and see you staring at me with a big grin this time. The same smile broke out on my face instantly. Your friends cheers, and mine smiled happily at each other, sharing our secret together. I had told them everything they needed to know.

You stood up and came over to me, touched my arm and thanked me. This is not real. It can't be. Only dreams can be so prefect. But wait, it is a dream. A dream that can be real if I had wanted to make it happen.

Everything else after that was a whirlwind. Everyone knew then who I was. And they had questions to ask, and later, stories to tell their other friends. The last they saw of you that evening was you dragging me outside, away from prying eyes so we could talk properly for the first time. It was as if we'd done it so many times before. There was no awkwardness, no reservations. But before we knew it, people came pouring out. The evening had ended.

Once again my friends came to the rescue. Chunny had driven us all and there was certainly room for one more in his car. You came with us, without your friends, with my own even though you didn't know them. I could see it in your face. All you wanted to do was spend the very little time we have together. Picking up the conversation where we last left off. Exchanging stories, solving problems and having the time of our lives laughing at the silliest things. And that, is the prefect dream for me.