Wednesday, May 28, 2008
University libraries, Britney Spears and a desperate cryWhat is it with school libraries and internet connections that have proven to be troublesome to configure? Must they make it so hard for students to access the internet whilst studying? Melbourne Uni has insisted that I reconfigure my laptop’s internet connection options so that I can have access to its pathetically slow internet; Monash has made it impossible to surf the net without signing up for a separate internet account prior to making the visit to the library. Why must they go to such lengths to block their internet? I’m sure Australians are not as niao as Singaporeans (oh, the irony) to travel all the way to university just to leech on the free library internet right. Even so, multiple desktops are provided on various floors in both Melbourne Uni and Monash. Now, if anyone was to have the intention of leeching on the schools’ internet, I’m sure that they’ve already been doing so using the desktops provided. What more, they do not even have to go to the hassle of lugging along their own laptops. The reason why we bring our laptops is so that we can do our schoolwork here, using the computer of our choice. The purpose is the same. Now, does going to lengths to deny us access to the internet seem even more pointless?
I find Britney Spear’s plight very tragic. I have had this debate with slut before, who believes that Britney should not be pitied because she brought this on herself. However, I feel that as much as she should be responsible for her own actions, a large part of her deserves our compassion. Sure, for a moment there she chose the path of a party girl and almost drank her life away, but how is someone to pick up her life when all eyes are on her? Millions of pairs of eyes are watching her every move. Surely there is some pressure there and surely that has a part to play in the downfall of the pop princess. I just wish that the media would give her a moment to breath. When I listen to her old albums and watch her old MTVs, I keep thinking how talented she is and what a waste it is if she does not pick herself up again. To a certain extent, she is a victim of circumstances – her horrible thing of a father definitely does not help.
And then, one wonders where I get all this information to support my stand with regards to Britney Spears. I am but one of those pair of eyes out there. Haha. Only that I wish her to be better. :)
I cannot keep my mind off that pair of Midas heels. It is so gorgeous it can only be fit for a red carpet event. I wish I knew that I’d even wear the pair if I bought it. But because I know there is a higher possibility that I will put it in a glass cabinet for display than ever wearing it, I walked away with a heavy heart. Well, after all, it does cost AUD180. (after discount! That’s a rather good deal LOR.) I want to be an A-lister too so that I can wear floor sweeping gowns and pretty Jimmy Choos!! :(
Labels: choochoooo, randoms, school/study, shopping
Friday, May 23, 2008
i always find it shocking that asians with an absolutely horrible command of english are able to survive in melbourne's universities. it's not that i'm elitist, but shouldn't there be a basic standard of english?!i'm reading random blogs and it's just so disgusting how these bloggers don't even know the existence of grammar. it's fine if they don't like to spell certain, or most, words properly i.e. "right" becomes "rite" and "already" becomes "alr". i get this whole ah lian, online chat, short form spelling thing. but to blog something that is equivalent to i is stupid is just gross. these people are trying to survive in a city that has english as the predominant language for all forms of communication. hell, it's not only melbourne that matters, it's the whole world! i know mandarin is gaining popularity due to the whole "china is rising" nonsense - which i try to accept but still find it very hard to convince myself that mandarin will ever be more important than english. it is still essential to have a proper command of english. afterall, it is still the universal language. and that's something i doubt will be replaced by mandarin just because of stupid china.
what's even more appalling is that these students are studying stuff like commerce and law. LAW. how the hell did they get into law?! how the hell are they even scoring in management or marketing assignments with english like that?! i'm not even able to understand what they are scribbling on their blogs. how are the lecturers able to understand their essays and even let them pass or score distinctions?! i just don't get it.
i might have tunnel vision in saying that mandarin will never be more important than english. (back in secondary school, i used to argue with my chinese teacher that we should stop learning mandarin because english is the most important. however, i now believe that it is useful to be bilingual.) after so many years, i still believe that everyone around the world should learn english properly. properly. it's essential for communication. sure, having learnt another language on top of english has proved to be very useful and i do wish i am capable of picking up additional languages so i can one day call myself trilingual. but everyone should master english first. by master, i mean learning how to spell properly, how to construct sentences with minimal grammatical errors and to type blog posts that do not shock the rest of the population (or send them into fits of laughter).
Labels: randoms, worldmysteries
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
i want to eat crab cakes and lobster bisque!watching Great British Menu always makes me drool.
the crab cakes starter dish Jeremy Lee from Scotland cooked looked absolutely divine. even though recipes from both the first and second series are provided on the websites, i doubt i'll be able to recreate the dishes as well as the top British chefs. i'm super envious and hungry!
Labels: food
Monday, May 19, 2008
i'm a little sad that the black and white Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen-ish booties i wanted from Steve Madden (http://www.stevemadden.com) are now no longer on discount. the shopping god is punishing me for my indecisiveness. after being delighted that it was on a 60% discount thus making it really cheap even after adding in shipping costs from the US, i decided not to buy it yet. now, the colour of my first choice is no longer on discount. that leaves just the pure black which is gorgeous nonetheless.however, i just bought a pair of red heels from Steve Madden last friday which would mean that i should really stop buying shoes since i also have 3 pairs floating across the sea waiting to reach my door step.
Labels: choochoooo, shopping
Thursday, May 15, 2008
i don't think i've truly met a male chauvinist pig (MCP) until recently. some how, all the guys around me tend to be more sensitive, generous and gentlemanly - that is a rather good praise, i reckon. :) anyway, this particular friend is not as extreme an example but there are hints from time to time that he is some what, a chauvinist.he has a girlfriend and they live together. however, for various reasons, they're always quarreling. silly, petty quarrels. for example, he expects the girlfriend to scoop the porridge out of the big serving bowl for the both of them. on another occasion, i witnessed that when he's thirsty, all he does is to say "aye, i want water" and she's expected to go to the kitchen and pour him a glass. also, apparently, he neglects her for his friends but that is an argument that i'm not too clear about so i shall cease to comment too much in fear of distorting facts.
initially, i believed that the girlfriend was the petty one. and given what i knew of the guy, he did not appear to be a very "giving" boyfriend which would justify for the frequent quarrels. later on, i realised that perhaps the girlfriend wasn't as petty as i thought and in fact, the guy was the one because of his tendency to be chauvinistic at times.
but of course, it takes two hands to clap. and who am i to judge? i just got started thinking about whether they would last. they need to really sort out issues big time. oh well, as much as i don't think they're the perfect match for each other, i'd hate to see another couple break up. i think i've witnessed too many break ups these past few months. enough is enough.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
oh no what have i missed again...Symphony of Voices.
i haven't been able to catch a single performance of SOV from the audience seat. it's one thing to sing with a choir and another thing to actually be watching juniors carry on the legacy from the seats.
i'm pretty thankful there's facebook and friends who constantly update their profiles with photo albums. this way, i can keep track of events back home and possibly feel included from time to time. possibly. :(
i guess it'll be like this for the next couple of years until i manage to get back to singapore permanently after i graduate. although there is a higher probability that i will be missing most of the choir's events because slut and i do have plans to PR here in melbourne - we just simply love melbourne too much to leave. don't get me wrong, singapore is also a nice place to live in. we just don't foresee ourselves heading back to the sunny island in the near future.
although i am glad that i will be around for most christmases, including this year if i decide not to take up summer school. at least i get to carol! i wouldn't miss that for the world if i can help it. :)
the photo albums remind me of how long i've graduated from vjc. i barely recognise the choir anymore with so many fresh faces, chorale has had new members since i left about a year ago, and my juniors all look so old! haha, yes they look older and more matured now that they've shed their uniforms and fbt shorts. it's been a while since i met them given that i didn't have the opportunity to meet up with much people the last time i went back due to "complications" which i'd had to discuss now.
lydia! i miss you.
i am random. and i am hungry. i think i will cook a mushroom and cheese omelette and maybe some toast for breakfast.
muffy's getting a haircut today! i think i am more excited than he is. haha, yes, muffy is that smart to know what "haircut" means when we say it. love love him.
alright. a sumptuous breakkie to start off a good wednesday. did i mention shopping for a new trench coat at Myer too? ;)
Labels: chorale, randoms, shopping
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
5 minutes of toying with photobooth.
a lifetime of memories.
i love my rory. :)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
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look! no eyes!
so adorable. :) rory needs a fringe trim. but she just looks so cute with her eyes hidden. especially when she has the tiniest mouth ever, proportionally big floppy ears, a face that resembles the shape of a tomato and all anyone can see is her little black nose amidst the white fluff.
cute cute cute.
i can never stop loving rory.
other than having spent the last 5 minutes uploading pictures of rory and muffy from my phone to micole, i'm up at such a weird hour studying. isn't that the shock of all shocks? i, jamie, am studying at 6am in the morning. :)
i am still confused about what i want to major in though. i wish i were more clear on what i want, but i am not. quite unfortunate. i am back to square one where i considered psychology. my media plan has quite obviously failed terribly with my inability to have motivation to turn up for tutorials, to have any interest in the subject and most importantly, to produce any results.
ling is so oriented, in the sense that she knows what she wants in life and she knows the right thing to do. she is going to quit her job, which she hates because it is so brainless and gives her no relevant experience at all despite the relatively high pay and good boss. well of course it is typical of me to frown and scowl at the mention that she ultimately wants to do CPA - so boring, so unexciting, so unsatisfying - but i am quite impressed that she knows what she wants. when i try to sort out my thoughts and what i want for my future in an attempt to decide what i want to major in, all i can think of is my boutique. after 2 years, i still want to open my own boutique. i still want to design clothes and shoes. i still want to see women all around wear my clothes, my shoes, my creations, my style. i don't know why i am so insistent on this ideal but maybe it is ultimately my calling? and if that is so, what am i going to major in? mom might be right about asking me to take up some business management modules even though i might hate it now. eventually it might come in handy. but i digress.
so i have no plan now. and i after thinking about the big "what do i want to do in future" question over and again about a million times, i still come to the conclusion and ideal. i can only visualise myself in my boutique. insane as i might sound, i have already come up with my brand name about a year ago. (i have already imagined how my boutique will look like if it really materialises.)
i cannot stand not having a plan because it feels so aimless. and now knowing what i want in future is so child-like. i am no kid; i am turning 20 this year! and a 20 year old should know what she wants in life. and so i squeezed out a plan from all these aimlessness. i shall spend half my course studying business modules that hopefully will not kill me, and spend the other half studying psychology. this will some how make up my double majors of marketing and psychology. that sounds like a fairly good plan for someone who has suddenly realised her old plan failed.
and maybe if i really have a flair for psychology, i might study my PhD part time while i manage my boutique. imagine, Dr. Jamie. :) although i doubt that'll be possible. we'll see. i might even change my mind about psychology since i have this thing for losing my plans. yikes.
Labels: babies, school/study
Thursday, May 8, 2008
mine mine mine. all mine!
i am a happy happy HAPPY girl. i am literally beaming and jumping around the house in excitement. i cannot wait for them to arrive from the US and malaysia respectively. :)
on a side note, mom has given me the option of going back to singapore during my short semester break in june/july. the thing is, i cannot decide whether to take up that offer or stay in melbourne for the month and work for some cash. reality is, i do need the cash. hmmm.
Labels: choochoooo, randoms, shopping
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
i just had the most meaningful conversation with my mom over the phone. even though she sounded as detached as she always has been, i know she cares. she's always cared even though she never showed it the conventional way. this time, we some how put down our prides and quit being stubborn. i admitted that i needed help. and she was willing to reach out.and when i needed advice, i felt that i could talk to her. for the first time, i knew that it was her advice that i wanted to hear. mothers always know best. i should have known that i needed her more than i was willing to admit.
(i sound like a little girl who runs to her mommy in times of trouble. but as much as we'd hate to admit it, i think a part of us enjoy running back home.)
it was comforting to hear my mom say that she wants me to visit home, to fly back home during my breaks.
i found myself tearing half way into the conversation. and maybe my mom was as touched as i was, but i'm grateful for replying her emails, for pressing that green button on my little red phone half an hour ago.
i'm glad that we spoke tonight and i'm glad you did not gave up on me like you said you would. i know i will be someone one day. if you did not notice, i already am someone. but just in case you overlooked, which i know you often do, i promise you that i will be someone you will look at and smile. no words, just smile.
Labels: amore/life, emotions, ohbother:)
i wish i would stop being in denial. my way of handling pressure is not healthy. instead of confronting the issue, i run away from it. i keep telling myself "it's alright, i'm doing fine." but i'm not doing fine. i'm far from fine. i procrastinate in hopes that the assignment will disappear for good when i finally face it. the closer i get to the deadline, the more relaxed i get.
5:37 PM ♥ mademoiselle
i wish i would deal with it better. i want to deal with it better.
long time ago, i used to get really uptight about - what we all called it back then - homework. i finished all my work way before hand, and got A's in school. but that was in primary school and the first two years of secondary school. it all sort of went down hill from there. i got lazy. i started having this really bad habit of being too 'chill'.
maybe that's one of the reasons why my mom wanted me to take a break from school and start working instead. i'm starting to feel that perhaps that might have been a good alternative to pushing my way through.
i'm just feeling so much less motivated to do well in school. media is killing me. and what's so discouraging is that i planned to major in media. but ironically enough, my interest in it is dying each and every day. i'm so afraid of facing my tutor because i know i cannot answer any of her questions that i just find every single excuse to not go for my tutorials. who the hell is afraid to go for tutorials?!
i should not be so negative. i mean, if i gave up every time i faced a road block, i'd not progress. and so, i need to find a way around this block. and it begins with this essay.
Labels: school/study
Saturday, May 3, 2008
i am feeling rather lethargic after the rather filling dinner. moreover, i'm facing a mahjong game that's happening right in front of my face as i try to concentrate on doing my media assignment that's due this coming wednesday. i want to play. :(my cough does not seem to be going away any time soon even though i convince myself each day that i'm slowly getting better. the cough just seems to be changing into different forms - from one filled with phlegm to a constant scratchy cough to random coughs in the middle of the night. i want to get well before the weather gets too cold. i think it's pretty miserable to have one of those coughs that plague people all throughout the winter.
i've got so much work to do that i am actually feeling guilty for having procrastinated this entire semester. exams are coming up in 6 weeks and i am feeling like i won't ever be prepared enough. and so, i decided to take on Suglar's advice, which is to motivate myself with shoes since i love heels so much. i order 2 pairs of new heels from Shoes Shoes Shoes and to justify my getting new pairs of heels despite the fact that everyone knows that i have too many shoes for my own good, i will study more than usual in hopes of passing this semester. i think that's a wonderful way of rewarding myself for studying. :)
Labels: randoms, school/study, shopping
Friday, May 2, 2008
this is fucking impossible. i'm so angry with the weather, the trains, the buses, inefficient university administration and all things that are uncontrollable by me. each time i make an effort to get my ass to school, things just have to go wrong. yes, have to. it may appear a tad too strong an expression, but it is not. in fact, it should be an understatement.first, it was my marketing mid semester test which i completely missed because the train network chose to break down and screw up that day - this incident i have made an effort to blog about so i will not repeat myself.
second, i went to school on the monday that just passed to hand in my Special Considerations application form for the mid semester test that i missed unwillingly. however, the university administration sent me from department to department, room to room, desk to desk, and eventually still rejecting my form. when i found the right place to go to, it appeared closed. now tell me, which office shuts down for the day at 4pm? well, i forget that this is australia and "miracles" like this happens.
third, on the same monday, i was to help slut hand in his Course Withdrawal form - complicated. when i finally found the teeny tiny administration building, it was boarded up for renovations. i then found a sign that said that the office has since shifted to Campus Centre, which i was at before setting off to find the very obscure building. of course, when i went back where i came from, the office was closed. and i saw the office lady flight the lights off and jingle her keys happily as she walked out the glass door leaving me standing outside looking helpless and very fed up.
today, i am in school for my psychology lab class which runs from 12 - 2pm. well, so far everything has been smooth sailing, with the trains and buses being exceptionally cooperative today. but, the weather. on the bus from the train station to uni, i noticed ominous looking clouds looming over head. i guess it was a sign. this day shall not be as fortunate for me. erica brady will torture me for the rest of the semester because i handed up my marketing essay two days late, and because the dark clouds are preparing me for the worst. did i mention rain? yes, it started drizzling about 15 minutes ago, which inspired me to write this blog post to not only vent my frustrations at my luck but to also pass my time until lab class starts. i wonder how i am going to walk over to the science block without getting water droplet marks on my powdered face.
i believe i did type something along the lines of handing up my marketing essay. after an agonising 3 days, i finally managed to complete my essay, albeit a little imperfect. okay, maybe more than little. i just hope i'll pass. although i believe erica brady will not be kind on me - as indicated by my common sense, her reputation as a tight arse and the dark clouds.
it is time for my lab class. i am crossing fingers that i will not fall flat on my face today.
till later.
Labels: i-hate, ohtheweather, school/study
Thursday, May 1, 2008
ever since the big incident last year which led to the eventual shut down of both my old blogger site and livejournal, i've refrained from swearing unless absolutely necessary and posting up details that are too specific in an attempt to not make my identity too obvious. this includes naming people exceptionally close to me explicitly, hence the use of random code names e.g. slut.
i do realise that this might make my blog rather distinctive also. after all, who names their boyfriend "slut" other than yours truly? :)
i've also not posted a single photo of me or people in general, hoping that it'll contribute to my aim of continuing blogging without infuriating Her Highness i.e. my mother.
however, since i resumed photoshopping much to the thanks of ben tan, i found really adorable pictures in my dear micole. and here i present, muffy.
i especially love this picture not only because i've managed to photoshop muffy to look really white despite the fact that he needs a haircut desperately and hasn't had a bath for months, but also because i look so domestic and homely in this picture. :)
n.b. i have just counted that i have about 73 Jay Chou songs currently in my iTunes. that's not even inclusive of some songs that i have not yet imported into my iTunes. each song plays for an average duration of 4.5 minutes. this translates into slightly more than 5 hours of Jay Chou songs if i play the list non stop without turning random on. why am i so mad to actually calculate? well, that is because about a minute ago, i realised that i've been listening to nothing but Jay Chou's vocals since i started studying this afternoon and it was about time to investigate.