blog archives
Australia
Portrait of a 29-year-old
Yes, yesterday was my birthday. Another year older, and my final year of my 20s. Hmm, that sounds a bit scary. I overslept and only woke up at 10am which is quite unusual for me. I left making any plans for a party too late and so I sent out a mass email invitation to everyone I know in Melbourne for drinks at the... more »
Still alive
I'm still around in case anybody is wondering. Sorry for the lack of updates, but things have just been so crazy busy since I got back from the UK in September. I can't believe it's less than a week till Christmas, and how quickly it's crept up. Didn't seem so long ago I was scoffing and how ridiculous the department stores started putting up Christmas... more »
Dinner with friends
Last night, I had a couple of friends, Jaime and Tracey over for dinner. It had been quite a while since I last saw them, and we had been trying to organise this for weeks now, due to clashing schedules. Instead of going out to a restaurant, I thought it'd be nice to cook for them and have it at my apartment, now that I... more »
Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony
I know it's already halfway through the Games, but I was trying to delay posting until I'd uploaded all my photos from the night... It's not often you get to be living in the host city of the Commonwealth Games or Olympics, and I was in a dilemma about spending $400 on a ticket to see the opening ceremony in the stadium or missing a... more »
Advance Australia Fair
It seems odd (to me) that a fair number of Australians don't really know the words to their own national anthem, particularly the 2nd verse, what more with the Commonwealth Games going on and the Aussies bagging gold medals left, right and center. It's funny watching some of the winning athletes trying not to embarrass themselves singing the anthem at the medal ceremony while the... more »
Happy 2006
Happy New Year everybody. I am here in Sydney and having a great time! On New Years Eve I went out for a leisurely lunch/brunch with my friends and travel mates, then went down to the city to see the 'Creating a Monster' exhibition at the Australian Museum. It's about how monsters are designed, and made using animatronics and prosthetics. There were interactive models where... more »
Licensed to Drive
Yesterday I went for my driving test at VicRoads. I was nervous as hell. Having to take a driving test for the second time in your life, when you're in your late twenties, is just something harrowing that most people don't need to go through. I've already been stressed out enough with all the work I have on, and with deadlines for websites due before... more »
Merry Christmas
Seasons greetings and happy holidays to everybody who's celebrating one thing or another during this period. For those who've not received my Christmas eCard via email, you can go can click on the link and view it yourself :) I've never felt less Christmassy this year. I've just been flat out working the past month or so. My family was here to visit for 10... more »
iTunes Australia
It's about 2 weeks since Australia got its own version of the iTunes Music Store. It had a few glitches in the opening week with pricing of some albums still being adjusted, and some other oddities like tracks being labelled as 'Album Only' purchases, yet where the 'Buy Album' button should be, it says you can only buy it "By Song Only". Despite launching without... more »
Missing Out
It's Saturday night, and I just came back from a friend's birthday dinner. I excused myself to come back home early because I've got to work tomorrow morning, but my heart is aching to be somewhere else. Here I am lying in bed, headphones on, listening to BT's Movement in Still Life album as loud as my eardrums can possibly stand. BT is in town... more »
Feeling
I was ill yesterday. Woke up at 5am feeling like I had a fist shoved up my nostrils and thumping against my eyeballs and my skull. Took some cold+flu medication and that helped but I still felt like crap. Did some web work at home, but had to drag myself out to Officeworks in the afternoon, which wasn't much fun. Got home grumpy, cold and... more »
Resigned
Today, I handed in my resignation at Officeworks. It was a long and hard decision to make, but I finally convinced myself it was what I needed to do. I've been overloaded with my web design work and I'm still pulling in new clients, which is great, but the part-time job is taking time away from me working on my those jobs, not to mention... more »
Damn Scientists
I finally broke down and bought "Damn Scientists" just because I got an email notification from Threadless that it's back in stock. I wore it out to Friday Club last week and got a few good comments, but some people were a bit too drunk to be able to read the smaller text. Heh. Technorati Tags: photo, t-shirt, threadless... more »
Tax Time
I've finally got my tax return over and done with for the year. The accountant who handled my case was very helpful and made it all seem so clear and simple. I spent the whole day yesterday sorting out all my statements and receipts so it was just a matter of telling him all the figures. And the result is that I will be getting... more »
Daffodil Day
Today is Daffodil Day, The Cancer Council Australia's fundraiser for cancer research. To do my bit, I bought a daffodil pin for $5. ... more »
Emotional Trip T-shirt Photo
OK you asked for it, so here it is, a photo of me in the threadless.com t-shirt I bought. ... more »
Perakean?
I received this patronizing email last night which made me cringe and my stomach wretch: Greetings from Perak, Hi there ! How is your life in Australia. Let me introduce who we are... we call ourselves deleted. We are mobilizing young perakeans to come back to the state. We are in the midst of a campaign for Perak Branding. This is a campaign which you... more »
New Office
Today I've moved into my new office in North Melbourne. It's a funky warehouse space converted into smaller offices, with a huge common area where they occasionally have events, a boardroom, kitchenette, and a pool table. It's a bit bare now and I'll be slowly bringing my stuff in, but you can take a look at some photos of the place. There are 5-6 other... more »
Package
The T-shirt I ordered arrived yesterday! Looks great but the material is a bit thinner than I expected it to be. And with this, I am now a proud owner of a limited edition work of art. I haven't had a chance to wear it out yet. Maybe next Monday :)... more »
Free MP3
Colin's got a new guitar and he's recording again. It's a new version of his melody which has gone by several names. "Alone", "Nevermore" which has vocals by his girlfriend Snow, and now "Wishing for Snow" which sounds much better quality and in a different key. Looking forward to the other tunes and the full demo 'tape' (like who uses tapes anymore?).... more »
Some new photos
I took my camera out with me today and snapped a few photos on the way down to the city to check out the ReadyMadeMarket at Federation Square. ... more »
Tram Fight
Interviewed on Radar
Such is Life
Yes, everybody, contrary to popular belief, I am still alive. I have been so very busy these days I haven't had the time nor the energy to sit down and write about what's going on. My part-time job in retail has definitely helped keep me afloat financially, and I think it was a good move on my part to take it. Having said that though,... more »
Mansfield and Mt Buller Photos
I've brought back my dad's Canon 10D digital SLR camera and the lenses he had on the last trip back to Ipoh. I had gone on a trip to Mansfield and Mount Buller in country Victoria, so this was as good an excuse as any to give the camera a go. Mansfield and Mt Buller photo set The views were spectacular, as was the wildlife... more »
New Wheels
I've just bought a bicycle yesterday. It's second-hand mountain/hybird bike but it's less than a year old and hardly used. It looks brand new and I got a good deal for it. Cost me $240 for the bike and all the accessories -- lights, lock, helmet and pump. Melbourne's a pretty bike-friendly city with dedicated trails and bike lanes throughout, especially in my area. This... more »
New Job
As much as I love freelancing, the harsh reality of it is that I can't sustain my ongoing bills with this irregular income. Thus, I've gotten a part-time job at a local office-supplies chain. Being part-time, I'd still be able to work on web design with Quentin, Carter and Co, and also my own clients, I hope. It's not a glamourous job, nor is it... more »
An Exciting Day
This this morning I had a meeting with the guys at Quentin, Carter and Co., the new owners of Quicksmartweb. They seem keen to keep working with me as a freelancer on the existing projects and clients carried over from QSW, as well as their own work. From our brief chat over coffee, it seems they too subscribe to the same school of simplicity in... more »
Stressing out
Events in the past week have been driving me mad. For one, my dad's condition is getting progressively worse and mom's been calling me nearly every day to update me on his situation. She sounded anxious on the phone on Sunday and I was going to try to go back mid-week. But I too had some loose ends here to tie up before I leave,... more »
Happy Merdeka / New Hair
Today Malaysia celebrates it's 47th year of independence! There isn't much happening here that I know of, except for some parties organized by (and for) Malaysian students. And so what did I do on this day? I splurged on a haircut. Went to see Kelly in South Yarra, a hairdresser highly recommended by a friend of mine, to do something about the mop-head of mine.... more »
New Furniture
This morning I got up bright and early to take a look at a garage sale that was on in my neighbourhood, about 10 mins walk away from my apartment. My apartment has been tragically devoid of furniture ever since I moved in. At the sale, there were plenty of stuff the household was getting rid off, in preparation to go back home overseas. There... more »
1st Anniversary in Australia
Today marks the anniversary of my arrival to Australia as a Permanent Resident. It has been a rather interesting year indeed. Lots of ups and downs, mostly downs actually. But you gotta start somewhere, and I'm starting to get comfortable living here, establishing myself and building up a network of friends. I've also moved into a place of my own, initially living on my own... more »
Cycling to Sandringham
Oooh I'm exhausted. I've had such a hectic weekend with lots of going outs with various groups of friends, and yesterday I went cycling. I haven't bought my bicycle yet, which is something I've been looking at since it's fairly easy to get around on bike here with dedicated bike lanes and groups pushing for cyclists rights on the road. I went cycling with a... more »
New Flatmate
I had the strangest day yesterday. After the job news in the afternoon, I suddenly now have a flatmate who moved in last night. It all started in the afternoon, when I called my friend Jo, who's been asking me if I wanted to rent out my spare room because her friend Kelvin needed a place to move to by the middle of the month.... more »
Job Uncertainty
I just had a meeting with my colleague over lunch today. Unfortunately it wasn't too good news for me. It appears that he's going to start winding down Quicksmartweb.com to focus on his other company, the Interior Design firm which is taking off and doing really well right now. There will still be work for me in the coming months for existing clients and some... more »
Cow on a tree
This photo was taken quite a while back. New Years' Eve 2003 in fact. Siew Yee, Jen-son and I were wandering around town, and decided to pop over to the Melbourne Docklands to check it out. It's sights like this that remind me why I love living in Melbourne. The quirky arty-fartiness which just makes you wonder "What the...?" And you see it all... more »
Songs on TV
Hmm... I think I've been watching too much TV lately. I've been noticing myself humming songs used in the advertisements and promos, and to the point of looking for the actual songs themselves on mp3. Some recent downloads include: - Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf, Remixed by Crystal Method) from last year's Channel Ten fillers - Amazing (Alex Lloyd) from the Ford Territory 4WD ad (not... more »
Losing time
Something very odd is going on. Every morning I get up, my watch loses time, and it appears to stop only at night. It's been about a week already... last night it was 30 mins, the night before 1.5 hours, and before that i had lost 3 hours. I wear my watch to bed and it's the only timepiece in the apartment that's affected. So... more »
Goodbyes
It's my last day in Malaysia for this trip and my dad is in hospital at the moment. It's extremely trying on the nerves and emotions having to leave the country without knowing if my dad will be well. I won't go into details on his condition until we know more about what's going on as the doctors themselves are a little baffled. I'm going... more »
I'm one foot too tall...
... for my apartment. After living here at my new place for a week already, I've been discovering some quirks. The most noticeable being that the whole apartment seems to be designed for people at least a foot shorter than I am. In the kitchen, I get a backache while preparing food and washing the dishes due to the low counter tops and sink. In... more »
Moving day
Today, I'm going to move the remaining furniture and stuff to my new apartment, thanks to Antony and his dad for lending us his van. After I got back from the beach, I packed up the remaining loose items and dismantled my desk for transport. I'm pretty excited about moving and getting the place all set up as it is totally bare right now.... more »
Sunrise over St. Kilda
I got up rather early today, and in a rare instance of spontaneity, I decided to go to the beach to watch the sun rise. Braving the 6 degree chill at 7am, I made my way down to St Kilda and took a leisurely stroll along the shore, nursing a nice hot Long Macchiato. Sitting on the pier in quiet contemplation, listening to the... more »
Moving, again...
Woo hoo.. remember the $220/week apartment I mentioned last time? I put in an application for it and it was approved. I just got my keys this morning and went in to check it out again and take some measurements. Unfortunately my cool loft bed will not fit. Well it will, but i'll only have something like 20cm clearance from the top of the bed... more »
Early Winter
If snowfall is a sign of the arrival of winter, then it's here already. Falls Creek, one of the Victorian ski resorts, got 20-30 cms of snow last night, a full 7 weeks before the winter ski season officially starts. While it doesn't snow in Melbourne itself, it was a wet and soggy day yesterday when I went out house-hunting, and though there wasn't any... more »
Autumn Leaves outside my balcony
Aussie Rules
I just came back from my first ever Footy (aka Aussie-rules Football) game at Telstra Dome (I was spectating, not playing, DUH). It was a very interesting experience and it was good that I went with my colleague and his friends who explained what was going on and by the 2nd quarter I kinda got the hang of it. It was pretty confusing at first... more »
Midnight Mahjong Insanity
I went to bed early -- around 11:30pm -- as I always have for the past few weeks, only to have my sleep rudely disturbed. My flatmate had her friends over and they were playing Mahjong like Tai Tai's (rich housewives) from midnight until 3am. My room is right next to the living/dining area and the staccato clackity-clack of the shuffling of Mahjong tiles kept... more »
Year of the Monkey
Gong Xi Fa Cai! So how did I spend CNY in Melbourne? First I met up with SY for KFC lunch on Chapel St, then we took a tram down to Fed Square to do a spot of GeoCaching. We found a cache listed on that site located in the city, and though we don't have GPSes, we figured we look up the coordinates on... more »
Saving Daylight
It's old news now, but we've gone into Daylight Saving Time here in Victoria, Australia last Sunday at 2am. That means the time diff between here and Malaysia is now 3 hours, and not 2 as previously. Here's a very good primer on what Daylight Saving Time is all about. On a side note. It seems that MovableType is having some problem handling DST, even... more »
... and a half
I can't believe it. After yesterday's bonus meatball, it happened again today! I went to Safeway (a supermarket) and bought half a roasted chicken to eat for dinner, but upon opening the paperbag, lo and behold I find a whole chicken in there. Double checking the price label showed that I only paid for the half-chicken. Today I also picked up my replacement PowerBook battery... more »
Plus One
Don't you always secretly wish that when you buy a 6-piece pack of Chicken McNuggets, or a 10-piece plate of Swedish meatballs, they would miscount and give you an extra nugget or meatball? Well that wish came true today for me and I got 11 Swedish meatballs for the price of 10. Too bad i didn't bring my camera out today to provide you with... more »
Online, not
Well, good news is, my home phone line got connected today, which means I won't need to go online to check mail and surf using Kristy's iMac (Kristy is my housemate), or unplug her fax machine to use my own powerbook to do so. Bad news is, today I sent my Powerbook in to Apple Service to check on the battery. It can't hold a... more »
Packing Boxes
Last few days have been pretty busy for me, packing up my "personal effects" to be shipped over to Australia. I can't believe how much stuff I have to send over, but hey, I'm moving there, so to speak.. kinda justifies it, for me. Though I'm beginning to wonder if there's actually enough space in the room i'm renting for everything. The transport company should... more »
Aussie PM is a bonsai
I actually saw a funny news item in the papers (The Star) today. An opposition party leader called John Howard a 'bonsai' cos he's a small Bush... Here's a link to a similar article on Sky News.... more »
(I Got A) Roof Over My Head (in Melbourne)
Well, one of my worries about moving to Melbourne has been solved, that is, the need to find accommodation. I initially planned to find one of my last few remaining friends to crash in for a week or 2 while i look for more permanent place to live. Well it was a stroke of luck (or fate or divine intervention if you prefer) that my... more »
Deciding on my Departure Date
OK, i've been telling everyone i'm gonna be going to Australia in August.. well next week is august already.. and I'm trying to decide which date to go on. Jason will be coming back from Perth on the 23rd August so I'd rather be back here to hang out with him before i go off.. haven't seen him for almost 2 years and after this... more »