There's pain and hopefully some gain

Finally my parents realize that I'm not being a princess and I'm not kidding when I say my neck hurts when I look up. By the time they came to that realization, our usual clinic has closed for the day so we opt for the second option...acupuncture!

It wasn't as bad as imagined but it was really painful when the acupuncturist pokes and removes the needle. Especially the two needles near my thumb. I still can feel the numbness right now (5 hours after the acupuncture)

The acupuncture was okay but the massage was so bloody painful that I so badly wants to beat up the acupuncturist/ masseur. I have no idea where she stores all that strength and when she uses her elbow, I thought that I will walk out with a broken rib.

I am the type who would use the massage chair until bruises appear my back (No I'm not sadistic and I don't seek pleasure in pain) but this was a bit too much for me.

And the masseur said that my pain tolerance is quite high. It's not my first time receiving such comment but honestly I don't think that is true. I'm in so much pain that I can't even say it out la. Actually, I screamed in a frequency so high that only mosquitoes can pick up!

Of cars and roses

On Xmas eve, I woke up early to follow my mum to the morning market. There was this tea leaves stall and being that teaholic, I went and check out that stall.

R: Rene
T: tea seller

R: so what's the difference between this two rose buds?

T: one is BMW and one is Proton Saga.

His answer was really clear. I wish that I have that ability in explaining things!

Just some ramblings on Xmas

Urgh my bear must have karate chop to my neck when I was asleep or something! For about a week already, my neck hurts whenever I look up and had to spend most of my time lying down.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all celebrating the festival and happy holidays to others!

The last time I last celebrated Xmas was.... I can't remember when. When was the last time I step into church? Cant remember that too.

Basically Xmas eve was spent tidying my wardrobe (oh the horror, it's not even done yet!) and Xmas day was spent just like any other Sundays.

Looking forward to New Year!

A toast

So my graduation scroll and transcript finally arrived at my door step. Took the courier peeps a while because they couldn't find my house!

I wasn't expecting any emotions but as I unroll my scroll, I couldn't help but smile. I actually felt happy! Hahaha didn't see that coming.

Monash, you will still have to bear with me for another 1.5 years. I will only attend my graduation when I get my masters degree.

Till then, please look after me!!

Doomsday

One friend tweeted "Haiyo world ending tmr is GMT berapa punya time" (On which GMT will the world end).

Coincidentally, I had that in mind too. Will the Apocalypse wait till every part of the world flip their calendars to the 21st or it's going to strike any region that clock strikes 00.00am first.

If it's the former, Asia sort of earn more hours of living compared to Hawaii. If it's the latter, Asia will suffer first and on the other hand, Hawaii gets to prepare for it.

I don't think the world will end tomorrow. But whatever happens, have a great day ahead!

The Return of the Repressed

So while I was checking my snail mail mailbox, a lizard crawled into my t-shirt! For 10 seconds or so, I bet I was the best dancer in the world and if I did the rain dance, I will summon a storm. It felt so geli and I still feel ticklish when I think about it now.

This morning, guess what was my dream?

Gummi crocs or more like gummi lizards come to live and they were crawling all over my room and a couple of it on me!

Lizards, you always give me a heart attack. Appearing out of no where, landing on my foot, excrete all around the house compound, crawl into my shirt... but still thanks for keeping my room mosquito free.

Why do people smoke?

Was digging my old blog to see if there's anything worth reblogging and I came across this conversation I had with Clair about 3 years ago.

"Why do people smoke?" she asked

"Um, it makes them feel happy, relaxed?"

She wasn't convinced with my answer so I gave her an example.

"Think of a food that you'll feel happy and satisfied after eating it."

That seems to work and she starts calling her favorite food as cigarettes.

Postcode Lottery

Years ago during one of the journalism tutorials, my lecturer assigned the class to read up on this short story that basically highlights about how geography can change a person's life.

The short story is there were two brothers who lives in Washington or was it Hartford, I can't remember. Bro A decided to leave the troubled family and neighborhood to pursuit a better life while Bro B on the other hand stayed on and ended up  in jail.

There was another man, a kind and responsible man who coincidentally lives at Washington/Hartford. And his fate? He was attacked, robbed and murdered by Bro B.

So, the question is does your postcode (the area you live in) determines your fate?

Well, after all when your dreams are too big for your hometown, you leave home right?

For the entire of my life, I have been writing the same postcode. I've relocated once but it still falls under the same area code. Am I a product of 47400?

Today, I am thankful

Every December, I have this tradition of writing a self reflection / a nut shell post to wrap up the year. I've been blogging for about eight years already so this makes my 8th 'a year in a glance' entry and looking back at my old blogs, this year is definitely one of the best year ever.

January and February was more like a 'fitting in to the corporate world' phase. It was a lot of exploration especially on Microsoft Word and it was also the phase where I want to show people that I can work efficiently.

It was March when I felt more in place but school started so I switched to part time internship. When I'm not in the office, I'm on campus. One of my aims for the year was to get at least a distinction for Authorship so a lot of time in March was spent researching for my assignment.

Another memorable incident that happened in March was I bought an iPhone which caused a tiny revolution in my gadget using habits and I had my very first taste of Formula 1. So how was the taste? One tablespoon of bruise with a pinch of scratches. Ouch!

April and May came and it was peaceful. A little hiccups at exam prep but all was good.

June! I enrolled for Zumba classes with my colleagues and did I mention that I absolutely love Zumba? Although I probably look like an awkward sotong doing aerobics but Zumba was my 60 mins of escapism. When I'm in the studio, I'm a hundred percent into it and blocked out everything else.

Question One

Hmmm... I've always wanted to write a detective/mystery novel. A perfect crime would be great but I'm always stuck at the 'getting rid of the body' part when I develop my idea. I would love to try locked room mysteries as well because I'm terrible at solving it. 

Or maybe a fictional autobiography/biography. I've always wanted to write about my high school amigos because we were so silly and funny.  

But I am terrible at fiction writing so if I to write a book, it would be a collection of essays on things around me. One chapter or maybe a few chapters will be on tea, a couple more on things that I like/dislike and maybe one on existentialism, poststructuralism. Wait.... that sounds like Buffet Spread!

A pair of chopsticks

Chopsticks to me is something very natural/absolute? When I was younger, no one forced me to use the chopsticks the proper way but I would observe how the adults use it and mimic their fingers.  Today, I wouldn't say that I'm a pro in using chopsticks but I do think that my chopstick skills are above average.

I've always thought that chopsticks are one of the best invention the previous generation left behind. It's a simple tool and yet it has a great purpose. There's no rocket mechanics behind it and it has made eating so enjoyable. I don't really know how to explain this but because chopsticks play a huge role in my life, I was under the impression that chopsticks are as essential to other Chinese. 

One day while I was having lunch with my friends at a Taiwanese restaurant, my friend asked for a fork. I was really surprised and I asked her 'why can't you use the chopsticks?'  

She replied ' I don't know how to use the chopsticks' 

Another friend replied ' I don't know the right way of using the chopsticks too but at least I still can use it' 

I asked her 'why don't you learn how to use it? I can teach you.' 

To my surprise, My friend replied 'it's okay, I don't see the point of learning. It's not like I will use it next time' 

I was really stunned by her answer. It felt like a culture shock.  It never occurred to me that chopsticks is something that you need a reason to use it.  Like I said chopsticks are something so natural for me and I find that hard to accept, at first. 

But on a different note, chopsticks, thanks for reminding me that my world would be very small if I to be blinded by my own opinions. After all the world is not ruled by only one discourse or believes. 

The Umbrella Story

Ahh..I typed a blog post and clicked discard! I'll make this a short but sweet one.

Anyway, what memory do you have about umbrellas?

The short story for me is, someone took my favorite umbrella and it was never returned. It happened last year but today I still think about that umbrella.

Full story some other time, till then if you have any story, do share it!

Knock 'em ten pins

I absolutely, honestly, seriously dislike bowling.

I am impressed with the physics in Formula 1 but bowling...meh. I don't care if someone applies the Bernoulli principle to add spin and change the direction of the bowling ball. Beckham's banana kick is more impressive.

Anyway, Lets just put it this way, just to make me feel better. I have OCD and the irrational need to sweep and clean the gutter is so impulsive and strong that I can't help it.

My mum on the other hand enjoys bowling very much. Whenever her office is having some bowling tourney, she always walks home with a trophy.

When I was younger, my mum would bring my sister and I to the country club's bowling alley for a game or two. Every time it will end with my mum asking the same question. 'Why can't you just bowl properly?!'

Hello, I have trophies for table tennis, not bowling okay!!

So ya. the last time I went bowling was yearsssss ago and it was a very memorable one. Or to be more specific, a traumatized unforgettable type of experience.

Half way through the game, my mum couldn't stand my lack of talent in bowling and she raised her voice, telling and demo-ing to me how to bowl and all that.

I was trying very hard to follow her instructions, monkey see monkey do style but something is just not right!

So she scolded me. 'Why are you so lousy, so terrible at bowling? Can't you just follow what I say, can't you aim? Bla bla bla'.

It kills all my self esteem, self confidence, self motivation etc etc. It triggered a tear gland and the next thing was where is the plumber?

The criticism didn't stop there (strict Asian mum) and I got so desperate to hit some pins that I start talking to the bowling ball. You know, try to be nice, make some friends hoping that the God or Goddess of bowling would respond to my humble request.

It's a bit psycho-ish and crazy but it actually helped a bit. Pins are finally being knocked down and more dust accumulated in the gutter.

No idea why by i always have this feeling that I will appreciate bowling some day later when I get older.

Till then, bowling is just....tragic.

It was all yellow

I always have this unexplainable sentiments towards wilted flowers and flower petals. They always make me wonder where am I and what the hell am I doing? 

What is next for a flower after bloom?

Bow ties are cool

Well, only one of them is a bonafide bow tie but meet my humble collection of bows/ribbons, some that I don't even remember buying! They've been hiding inside the wardrobe for wayyy too long. Maybe I should clip em all on the Xmas tree! 

The first one was bought in January 1st 2008 at one of the night market in Taiwan. But I didn't pick up the bow buying habit until 2010. I would avoid wearing it to uni whenever I have Authorship or Media, Culture, Power classes because I don't want to be called to read or answer questions hahah.

Honestly, some of them were bought very impulsively. It was cheap, cute and and... they're begging me to bring them home. I don't regret it but man, I could have saved some money if I was firm .

Next purchase...I don't think it will be anytime soon. My priorities have um sort of changed  but I'll be heading to a really big scale bazaar next weekend and something unexpected (or maybe as expected) will happen.

Till then, do you collect anything?