The Garden State (Melbourne that is, not New Jersey)

Had a wonderful trip down to the other capital of Australia. Yes, Melbourne is considered the second capital after Sydney. Of course, both is wrong, but hey, this is not a geography lesson!

Boxing Day test match. The traditional cricket match which is the best excuse for drinking more to cure that Christmas hangover and to spend time with mates watching some highly paid sportsmen throw around a very hard red ball.

It was great, it was near capacity crowd (61,000- about 25,000 less than usual due to renovations to one of the stands). The atmosphere was awesome, hard to describe. You just had to be there.

So after only about 2 hours in the sun, I again got some shocking (but quite funny) tan marks. The side of the face is white cos the fringe protected it. Around my eyes are white cos sunnies protected it. So basically, I have a dark forehead, dark marks mid cheek, dark around lips, and dark shoulders. But hey, that's ok, cos thats my thing- odd tan marks. Its just what I do. I'm MAKING it my thing alright?!??

Made some "friends", they were sitting around us. Some cricket team from Geelong. I'm calling them the Bourbon and Coke Cricket team. They really provided some good entertainment during the down times of the match.

Day 2- weather was shithouse (trademark Melb, freezing cold or scorching hot), rainy, cloudy and COLD!! So Jane and I made the executive decision of staying indoors. Yep, shopping!!! 6 hours- pretty good effort we thought. Acquired a few items- a few which was essential, and a lot which are not. But thats the basis of post Christmas shopping isnt it?

The night of Day 2- Crown casino!! Watched my friend Michele (pronounced Ma-kay-le, not Michelle like the girl's name), whom I met thru Jane, play Blackjack. Had an overwhelming urge to sit down at the table and play too. But i resisted the temptation. Knowing that I have an addictive personalilty (observe alcohol, cigarettes, texttwist, and alcohol) I knew once I started, I wont be able to stop.
So I just stood there, for about 2 hours watching Michele play. And effectively, became this guy's lucky charm. He was in the seat next to Michele's and since I've been standing there, he's won a fair bit. I would ask for a cut, or a drink at least, if I was more of a scab, but apparently I am not one yet =)

Day 3- a little bit more shopping. Then trammed it down to St Kilda Beach. Thought we HAD to do a little bit of touristy stuff. It would've been so nice if the weather was shithouse again- wet, cold, and windy. So ended up having lunch for two hours, and walked around just a little. It's a pretty nice place- sorta a Newtown by the beach.

Arrived back in Sydney late Tuesday night. It is now Thursday and I've only just unpacked my bag this morning.

So here ends the adventures to the Garden State. I would like to thank Jane for being such good company, and Tom and Katie for joining us for my bday dinner and overeating with us, Michele for the lessons in Blackjack, Special for providing wonderful entertainment, Mr Blackjack for the offer of the drink, Kelvin for making me book an overpriced room, Melbourne for living up to my opinion of it for having crappier weather than Sydney.
Thank you!!!!

The Grinch

Hmmmm would it be ok to just say Merry Christmas to everyone I know here on my own blog? I mean, it's their problem if they don't read it, since they can't be bothered to read shit I write, or if they dont know my blog addy, or... hang on, no, the last one isn't their fault... damn!!!

Anyhoo, Merry Christmas everyone. There! Now that all of you've been told!

I'm so bored, there's nothing to do on this day really. And with the shitty weather I cant even go out and work on my tan.

Christmas day is such anti-climax, the fuss, the expectations, the non-stop talk leading up to this one day. It's so commercialised. It's ridiculous.

Hey hey, dont complain I'm ruining the Christmas spirit for ya. You WERE warned!!

One more sleep

Yes I know, it's two more sleep til Christmas. But I'm not talking about Christmas am I now?! No!!

I'm talking about the last day of work, which signifies 10 days off, Melbourne, cricket, seeing Laurie since forever, massive sale, shopping, getting shit faced NYE, recovery, and ok, Christmas.

It's going to be a 3.5hr work day tmrw, it's almost like those bludgy high school days which you go just so you can bludge, cos bludging at school is much more special than doing it at home. My plan is go to work, and pretend to be busy for 3 hours, then head home, get some rest, then head up the coast.

What's waiting up the coast for me, you asked? Well, first, ringtones. Yes, finally I can get some decent ringtones for that piece of shit. Maybe this will make it less shitty.

Then Loz. Haven't seen her for months, excited to see how good she looks. She would've dropped like another 10 kg since the last time I saw her.... so proud of her, that's awesome =)

And there will be their delicious rissoles too! Now I miss that!!

Well ok, since it's just one more sleep, I better go actually get some sleep

Roller coaster day

Was very up and down today, thought those days were behind me...

Had an errand to run this morning for work, decided since there were much work waiting for me at the office, I'll take the scenic route to Parra to kill some time. Once I got there, circled the block a few times before performing a tricky and DANGEROUS manoeuver to park behind this P plater who decided an Echo is a huge car that needs two car space!
On the way back to the office, I took another scenic route, but this time, I was kinda lost...

Anyway, managed to bump around for half an hour before going out to lunch.

A morning of pretending to be busy passes by without being detected. I'm getting good at this.

The afternoon, got stressed, over nothing in particular. And the rest of the day went down. Why? Why? Why? Seriously, what's wrong with me?! I lost interests in shopping, for god sake!!
This is serious, I need professional help....

Thank you note

Gotta say thank you to my bro in Cali. Sent me a birthday card. My first this year.
And a funny little comment in the card too. Still trying to grasp the fact that he's 18, not 8, and doing bio chemistry or something like that....

Cheers Jase

New toy

The S8200 is AWESOME!!!!
A great purchase, a long term investment indeed. No regrets even though it was a little pricy.

Now I shall be nothing but straight, straight, straight.

Awesome!!!

Ascension

Ok, now that the brain is functioning again, I can recap my experiences since I left work Friday afternoon.

Starting with dinner, Makoto now has one in Chatswood. Pretty good, still feels the food are fresher in the city, but at least now there's one in an area closer by and where I don't have to stress about parking. Yes yes, I stress about parking in the city, finding one, fighting others for one, parallel parking (without power steering) under the watchful eye of others etc... ok, side tracked, getting back to the point

Then, Ascension. The doors opened at 10. We rocked up around 10.30 and the line outside was heaps long. Thought it was the organiser trying to keep people out since it looks better with people lining up outside. Felt sorry for the ladies with painful shoes.

Although we had VIP tickets, we waited outside so we can pass tickets to friends.

Then the coppers showed up. Then more coppers. Held up procedures. No one was allowed in. Don't know what they were checking. Don't understand what the problem was, there's bound to be several of these organised dance stuff (refuse to say dance "party" as it sounds too high school) around the city on every weekend. Maybe the sight of couple hundred Asians gathering around unsettled them a little. I mean, we all looked so menancing- the skanky girls, the girls in painful shoes (If one can handle the pain of wearing high high shoes dancing for six hours, one must have the endurance of a suicidal martyr!) and then of course, the boys.

So the cops held up proceedings for about an hour. We feared that if they hung around any longer, people will leave as it was approaching 11.30, and if it doesn't get going before that, nothing will happen.

They left, looking over their shoulders, we cheered. We entered.

But the thought hit me, everyone going in at once, I won't be able to get to the bar!!! Oh no, not good. So we went up the road to a bar, downed 3 drinks in half an hour and then we entered. Quick drinks, the excitement, I got my fuel to really get started, and get started I did! Didn't know I had it in me at the ripe old age of 23, especially since I've been out of practice- and all without any help aside from vodka and tequila.

I danced my ass off!! We partied on til the place shut down at 4, I got back to Cel's without falling, walking into trees, walking into walls etc. Should be proud of myself, but I'm sure I would've had help. So thank you for all your support.

Saturday didn't start til 1pm. By then the pounding head was no longer, and it has just became a mild headache and an eternal blank look on my face. Pretty good, considering I haven't drank much for a long time. Good to know I still got it.

The rest of the day was a write off, lounging around, watching cricket but not seeing much. The best thing about the non-productivity was I can be as non productive as I please!! No thoughts of studies, obligations, chores- nothing!!!

So this is Sunday, feeling bright eyed and bushy tail, ready for the challenge of braving last-minute-weekend-before-Christmas shoppers.

And here ends my ascension to Ascension.

In the beginning

Woah, who would've thought? The tech-challenged me can actually create something on the world wide web that doesn't lead to some sort of a pox!
yes yes, it isn't that hard, but you'd be surprised the sort of mess I can make when I try to be creative, technology wise

So here's to me, a new beginning!!! Cheers