Aaaand we're back to having grouchy-esque days.
Can't say it hasn't been a good week so far, have just been feeling a bit disconnected from everything.
Think I need a breath of fresh air. In a literal, going outside or "opening the windows" sense.
Hate oversleeping-in, completely destroys my mood for the rest of the day. Have got stuff I need to do, but just feel like crawling back to bed and speeding up the process of tomorrow.
Mmmmmm or perhaps I shall take an extended hot shower to treatment and exfoliate the hell out of everything treatable and exfoliatable.
Then get a bit of goodness inside my system as well. Something like a salad maybe, but I only have tomatoes, zucchini and carrots in my fridge. And I hate raw carrots and zucchinis. Plus I need to save them for tonight's gratin.
Guess it's refined sugar and MSG for lunch then.
I shall then commence my weekend work, maybe by completing them I'll achieve a slight sense of fulfillment. Which could hopefully lead to motivation to edit my damn job resume. Come to think of it, I think it was the disappointing job search earlier that led to this onset of Sunday afternoon blues.
That, plus hunger, plus lethargy, plus the stinking heat, plus watching aliens getting shot on TV.
Sunday, bloody fucking Sunday.
Showing posts with label Rants and Rambles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rants and Rambles. Show all posts
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Oktober(mind)fest
Someone wrote on FB today:
And it got me thinking - oh by golly, it's time for another self-indulgent, soul-searching entry!
I know pretty damn well what I still need to do before the year ends. It largely involves my career progression, or rather what's lack of it (half full half empty). But it's a lovely day today - bright and sunny, got a day off after a physically hectic few days at work. So instead of focusing on the lack of, let's have a round up of "what had" in the past 10 months.
2010 started a bit sketchy, what with the stress of moving out and house-hunting. Had a bit of a monetary tiff with the previous landlady, which unfortunately didn't quite work out to our benefits - but letting bygones be bygones, I'm happy to move on and never have to deal with her ever again.
Then came the stress of finding a new place within a short time span. That was partly our fault cos we didn't plan ahead, plus we were away for the holidays and got back just on time. This was the first time any of us had to really search for a place to live, considering that we had the convenience of the Student Village in our first year, and then a friend's shared house in the subsequent years. For me, it was the first time that I faced the possibility of not having a roof over my head - lessons in adult responsibility 101.
And we were lucky to have stumbled upon this unit. In fact the place sorta fell onto our laps; we've been looking at several places, none of which really materialized. It was either too expensive, too rundown (we viewed one unit which had a sunken ceiling and rotting bathroom fixtures; another one which was painted in depression and screamed suicidal), too shit of a location. And when we did find ones we really liked, our application was rejected. :(
So when we received a phone call from one of the real estate agencies, saying that a place we had "registered our interest for" had been made available once again, and whether we were interested to view it, we jumped on it immediately. I didn't even remember this place; I think we must have missed the initial viewing sesh or something. Probably due to work, which we couldn't afford to miss either since we had rent deposit to worry about.
As soon as we stepped in, I'd decided that we're ready to move in. It wasn't the biggest flashiest place (in fact it was quite the small), but it felt nice and homey. The rent was surprisingly good for the location that it was in (2 minutes drive from the city!), the view was superb - so all that was left to do now was to convince the agent that we were the perfect tenants.
And we were a bit luckier this time around. :)
After a superbly bad 2009, I was all that more grateful that we finally caught a break. Things were beginning to look up; and the optimism slowly grew over the year. Good things creep up to you unexpectedly, and sometimes unnoticeably as well. Looking back, 2010 has brought me a place of our own, total financial independence, my TR, my first cat, a proper savings account even goddammit.
In 2010, I have also started writing again, started volunteering with Oxfam, established new friendships and revisited old ones. I properly thought about the future and allowed myself to think about family, which you may have noticed in some of my previous entries. Just recently, I've even summed up the courage for forgiveness, as I realized how much and how hard he's tried to work things out with me.
If anything, being here and being with Mitch has taught me to view the dynamics of family ties a lot more differently. I think it's easy to be blinded by each others' faults; and to be fair, sometimes these faults outweigh everything else, so forgiveness isn't necessarily in place for all members. But. I happen to see some redeeming qualities, just a bit. So for now, I start by accepting phone calls, and talking to him. And from there, I'll see how things go. :)
Okok, back to less private stuff.
So now, every time I start moping or wallowing in self-pity, I remind myself that I've come a rather long way from the carefree days of living at home, and living off my parents' support, financially and otherwise. I broke out of my comfort circle and everything that I am so familiar with; and till now, I have yet to build a new one.
But what's living if life isn't a challenge, eh? :) Without realizing, I've crossed several milestones in the past 3 years, and it has taken me down a path I hadn't anticipated previously, which sometimes still shits me. It always make me question myself whether I'd made the right choices in life - but you know what, no such thing as right or wrong choice, just what you make out of it.
Problem is, I'm hopeless with the whole concept of "contentment"; so despite which road I choose, even if it's paved with yellow fucking bricks, I am always gonna ask myself, "Is this right?". I think a certain Robert Frost spoke about this in the last century, if my memory serves me right.
So life lesson 101: Contentment is the key to happiness. If that fails, suck it up and stop whinging (sub lesson 101a: It's probably just hormonal).
Until then, just keep trying. Isn't that what everyone strives for anyway, to find the elusive key to happiness. Or meaning of life, depending on which school of thoughts you belong to. Thus for my remaining 90 days of the year, I vow to soldier on in my quest to forge some semblance of a career in order to fill my present void of discontentment. Cross the bridge when I come to it etc.
Here's to a spectacular rest-of-the-year for all of us! :)
xx
Hsin
Happy 1st October! Only 3 more months to go before we usher in 2011! How much more things to you need to achieve before you bid 2010 adieu?
And it got me thinking - oh by golly, it's time for another self-indulgent, soul-searching entry!
I know pretty damn well what I still need to do before the year ends. It largely involves my career progression, or rather what's lack of it (half full half empty). But it's a lovely day today - bright and sunny, got a day off after a physically hectic few days at work. So instead of focusing on the lack of, let's have a round up of "what had" in the past 10 months.
2010 started a bit sketchy, what with the stress of moving out and house-hunting. Had a bit of a monetary tiff with the previous landlady, which unfortunately didn't quite work out to our benefits - but letting bygones be bygones, I'm happy to move on and never have to deal with her ever again.
Then came the stress of finding a new place within a short time span. That was partly our fault cos we didn't plan ahead, plus we were away for the holidays and got back just on time. This was the first time any of us had to really search for a place to live, considering that we had the convenience of the Student Village in our first year, and then a friend's shared house in the subsequent years. For me, it was the first time that I faced the possibility of not having a roof over my head - lessons in adult responsibility 101.
And we were lucky to have stumbled upon this unit. In fact the place sorta fell onto our laps; we've been looking at several places, none of which really materialized. It was either too expensive, too rundown (we viewed one unit which had a sunken ceiling and rotting bathroom fixtures; another one which was painted in depression and screamed suicidal), too shit of a location. And when we did find ones we really liked, our application was rejected. :(
So when we received a phone call from one of the real estate agencies, saying that a place we had "registered our interest for" had been made available once again, and whether we were interested to view it, we jumped on it immediately. I didn't even remember this place; I think we must have missed the initial viewing sesh or something. Probably due to work, which we couldn't afford to miss either since we had rent deposit to worry about.
As soon as we stepped in, I'd decided that we're ready to move in. It wasn't the biggest flashiest place (in fact it was quite the small), but it felt nice and homey. The rent was surprisingly good for the location that it was in (2 minutes drive from the city!), the view was superb - so all that was left to do now was to convince the agent that we were the perfect tenants.
And we were a bit luckier this time around. :)
After a superbly bad 2009, I was all that more grateful that we finally caught a break. Things were beginning to look up; and the optimism slowly grew over the year. Good things creep up to you unexpectedly, and sometimes unnoticeably as well. Looking back, 2010 has brought me a place of our own, total financial independence, my TR, my first cat, a proper savings account even goddammit.
In 2010, I have also started writing again, started volunteering with Oxfam, established new friendships and revisited old ones. I properly thought about the future and allowed myself to think about family, which you may have noticed in some of my previous entries. Just recently, I've even summed up the courage for forgiveness, as I realized how much and how hard he's tried to work things out with me.
If anything, being here and being with Mitch has taught me to view the dynamics of family ties a lot more differently. I think it's easy to be blinded by each others' faults; and to be fair, sometimes these faults outweigh everything else, so forgiveness isn't necessarily in place for all members. But. I happen to see some redeeming qualities, just a bit. So for now, I start by accepting phone calls, and talking to him. And from there, I'll see how things go. :)
Okok, back to less private stuff.
So now, every time I start moping or wallowing in self-pity, I remind myself that I've come a rather long way from the carefree days of living at home, and living off my parents' support, financially and otherwise. I broke out of my comfort circle and everything that I am so familiar with; and till now, I have yet to build a new one.
But what's living if life isn't a challenge, eh? :) Without realizing, I've crossed several milestones in the past 3 years, and it has taken me down a path I hadn't anticipated previously, which sometimes still shits me. It always make me question myself whether I'd made the right choices in life - but you know what, no such thing as right or wrong choice, just what you make out of it.
Problem is, I'm hopeless with the whole concept of "contentment"; so despite which road I choose, even if it's paved with yellow fucking bricks, I am always gonna ask myself, "Is this right?". I think a certain Robert Frost spoke about this in the last century, if my memory serves me right.
So life lesson 101: Contentment is the key to happiness. If that fails, suck it up and stop whinging (sub lesson 101a: It's probably just hormonal).
Until then, just keep trying. Isn't that what everyone strives for anyway, to find the elusive key to happiness. Or meaning of life, depending on which school of thoughts you belong to. Thus for my remaining 90 days of the year, I vow to soldier on in my quest to forge some semblance of a career in order to fill my present void of discontentment. Cross the bridge when I come to it etc.
Here's to a spectacular rest-of-the-year for all of us! :)
xx
Hsin
Friday, August 27, 2010
Just shoot me
Holy shit, ringworm is infectious!
You are looking at what I initially thought was a scab from a bump; but as all early diagnoses of bruise-spawned-scabs go, I am once again incorrect. And proven wrong by none other than the ringworm fungus once more, which seems to have taken up permanent residence in our home.
Where the fuck do ringworm fungi come from anyway? The cat was fine until we brought her home; we were fine until after we got the cat. Maybe it's some chemical reaction between cat, human and dust that somehow equates to infectious spores?
Ughhhhhh and as we speak another one appears to be developing on my knee:
Is it the cat's fault? Absolutely. She probably picked it up from licking the shower drain, the ferrel little thing. Why would such an obsessive-compulsively clean animal be attracted to the dark moldy depths of the shower drain is beyond me; but it's the only explanation that I've come up with so far and I'm sticking with it.
Need To Bleach Shower Cubicle.
Also, there's this little factoid:
Given that I'll be flying up north for jobs (again) next week (despite swearing never ever to return, again), where the climate is significantly hotter and where the level of hygiene leaves plenty to be desired, I am almost certain that I will have a flare-up of epic proportions, and be left scratching myself to death. All that while busy swatting away crickets, grasshoppers, spiders and other bugs the size of my face. I am not exaggerating, and this time I will take photos to prove it.
Because guess who's got a new caaamerraaah! :D :D :D
Yeh it's an IXUS. Only an IXUS, one might add. But guess what, this IXUS set my finances back about $500 and that's like over half of my fortnightly pay. -.- Although I'm looking at it as 10% of my tax returns, which sounds a lot more comforting. Because tax returns is everybody's pat-on-the-back for a year of hard work, and we all deserve to splurge a little! :)
The remains will be carefully distributed between savings and "Jill & Hsin & Shaun's Epic Adventures 2011". The latter warrants a whole entry to itself because a) I'm crazy excited about it; and b) it is THE trip we've been promising ourselves since our high school years. And you know what, it has been 8 years. And we've all been friends for over 10. It's worth at least two weeks of wicked debauchery, eh? ;)
Just kidding Yang, I promise I'll be good.
But I'll save that for another day. Because for now, my background movie is finishing and I'm actually half interested now even though I know what's gonna happen next. Plus, the next movie is a horror so wahey, cue for me to go to bed.
Till next entry, with better pictures. :)
xx
Hsin
You are looking at what I initially thought was a scab from a bump; but as all early diagnoses of bruise-spawned-scabs go, I am once again incorrect. And proven wrong by none other than the ringworm fungus once more, which seems to have taken up permanent residence in our home.
Where the fuck do ringworm fungi come from anyway? The cat was fine until we brought her home; we were fine until after we got the cat. Maybe it's some chemical reaction between cat, human and dust that somehow equates to infectious spores?
Ughhhhhh and as we speak another one appears to be developing on my knee:
Is it the cat's fault? Absolutely. She probably picked it up from licking the shower drain, the ferrel little thing. Why would such an obsessive-compulsively clean animal be attracted to the dark moldy depths of the shower drain is beyond me; but it's the only explanation that I've come up with so far and I'm sticking with it.
Need To Bleach Shower Cubicle.
Also, there's this little factoid:
Conditions such as heat, moisture and dirty, crowded living conditions increase the risk of fungi spreading.
Given that I'll be flying up north for jobs (again) next week (despite swearing never ever to return, again), where the climate is significantly hotter and where the level of hygiene leaves plenty to be desired, I am almost certain that I will have a flare-up of epic proportions, and be left scratching myself to death. All that while busy swatting away crickets, grasshoppers, spiders and other bugs the size of my face. I am not exaggerating, and this time I will take photos to prove it.
Because guess who's got a new caaamerraaah! :D :D :D
Yeh it's an IXUS. Only an IXUS, one might add. But guess what, this IXUS set my finances back about $500 and that's like over half of my fortnightly pay. -.- Although I'm looking at it as 10% of my tax returns, which sounds a lot more comforting. Because tax returns is everybody's pat-on-the-back for a year of hard work, and we all deserve to splurge a little! :)
The remains will be carefully distributed between savings and "Jill & Hsin & Shaun's Epic Adventures 2011". The latter warrants a whole entry to itself because a) I'm crazy excited about it; and b) it is THE trip we've been promising ourselves since our high school years. And you know what, it has been 8 years. And we've all been friends for over 10. It's worth at least two weeks of wicked debauchery, eh? ;)
Just kidding Yang, I promise I'll be good.
But I'll save that for another day. Because for now, my background movie is finishing and I'm actually half interested now even though I know what's gonna happen next. Plus, the next movie is a horror so wahey, cue for me to go to bed.
Till next entry, with better pictures. :)
xx
Hsin
Friday, August 13, 2010
Crank up the Cranium
**Disclaimer: Long and wordy post up ahead.
I have a lot on my plate at the moment. Mostly little things, some even negligible, but all crammed up in a tiny corner at the back of my head. I think that's the Stress/Anxiety side of the brain, lodged in between the Rational Left and Creative Right. Or was it the other way round?
First off, my cat is ill. Well not exactly ill, but she has this scabby patch above her eye which appears to be getting worse by the day. Initially we just thought that she bumped her head and had a bruise (that was what it looked like at the start). But the scabbing got worse, either because she's been scratching, or it's something a lot more serious that warrants treatment. We've been waiting for our appointment with the vet this coming Monday (she has a sterilization due), but over the last few days the scab seems to be deteriorating rapidly. And so are my wits.
:: Ashamed of her scarred face :(
Mitch said not to worry since the cat doesn't appear to be too concerned about it, apart from her occasional scratching and pawing at it. But given that this is my first ever cat friend, and my tendency to leap into borderline-schizo paranoia, I am imploding with anxiety and worry.
What if it's serious? What if it's untreatable? What if she needs surgery? How am I gonna afford any vet services?? Well I can, but it's just so damn expensive holy shietz.
But see what I mean though, the excessive worrying. Probably explains why I'm the only person I know of my age who got hospitalized for anxiety attacks. -.-
Sigh, what does this say about me. I have every making of becoming a painfully over-protective mother in the future, and that's the last thing I want to be. Having grown up in what I deem to be a 'too-sheltered' household, and watching the younger generation in my family being subjected to even more protectiveness, I made a promise to myself to allow my kids grow by their own terms, and to live and play and learn at the expense of scraped knees, dirty clothes and perhaps even a fractured bone.
That's not to say that my family did a bad job raising me. If anything, my mother has always been and still is 100% supportive of my actions and decisions the past 25 years. I think that everyone just got too caught up with the bad things that are happening around them - disease outbreaks, natural disasters, the global obsession with germs (I stand by my belief that anti-bacterial soap will kill us all in the end), the neighbourhood crime, terrorism and warfare, 2012. A culmination of all these events eventually leads to a paranoid society, which trickles down to communities and family units, and inevitably, to individuals like myself.
I'm trying to move away from all that, and I honestly think there's progress. I mean first step in solving any problem is recognizing it, right? Hopefully in a few years' time I'll get a lot better, and I won't end up as a mother who sterilize her children every morning and send them to school in a kid-size bubble wrap.
:: Haha although apparently, someone's already beaten me to it.
Ok I digress. Moving on to bigger, more current things.
A possible job prospect. In the Eastern states. I know nothing about it to date, except that the CEO/owner is a friend of my dad's, and I'm given a name and a number to call in a couple of weeks' time (that's when he returns to Melbourne). I hope I'm not jinxing it by talking about it so soon, but I need to pen out my thoughts to make sense of them.
So what's not to consider about my treasured first, proper employment opportunity? Relocation, for one - since my lease for this place in Perth doesn't end till next February. I guess that can be sorted out if I'm employed full-time, although paying two rents a month will still be quite painful. -.- But I'll be leaving behind a boyfriend and a cat, and that will be a lot more difficult.
Second of all, and perhaps a bit more complicated for me, is the fact that this person is my father's contact. As you maybe know, my relationship with my dad is kinda... strained over the years. And ever since I could, I've stopped accepting any favours or help from him - simply because I don't want to owe him anything, and so I'll feel less horrible and ungrateful as a person. It's an issue that's taken up permanent residence in Anxiety Hind Side of Brain, but that's a story for another day.
So, if things do work out with this prospect, I'll be going against everything I've worked so hard to avoid. =/ It'll be silly to give up such a good opportunity over principles though - but I most likely won't, because I'm not the strongest of principle-keepers, and because I really really want a full-time job in my industry. And I have a deadline hanging over my head.
Maybe I'm just making excuses for myself. I'm afraid of being disappointed yet again, and this time it will be a major blow since it's the big connection/recommendation that's supposed to be an employment guarantee. Although truth be told, it will not be the first time that he broke my heart. =/ However if this doesn't work, I would have come close to exhausting my resources plus I'll have to deal with the shame of breaking principle. -.-
So how now, brown brown cow? How to impress a potential employer if I'm clouded with all these personal conflicts and doubts? How to convince him that I am, in fact, a worthy addition to his company while secretly bracing for disappointment? That while I may be a little messed up and throw lady tantrums in my head sometimes, I am pretty smart and have all the skills that meet the job description and more?
I think all these explain the throbbing headaches I've been having. I'm never one to get bad headaches, not even when I'm massively hungover. I think Hind Brain must be overworked overtime, and only getting paid $19 an hour. ;)
xx
Hsin
I have a lot on my plate at the moment. Mostly little things, some even negligible, but all crammed up in a tiny corner at the back of my head. I think that's the Stress/Anxiety side of the brain, lodged in between the Rational Left and Creative Right. Or was it the other way round?
First off, my cat is ill. Well not exactly ill, but she has this scabby patch above her eye which appears to be getting worse by the day. Initially we just thought that she bumped her head and had a bruise (that was what it looked like at the start). But the scabbing got worse, either because she's been scratching, or it's something a lot more serious that warrants treatment. We've been waiting for our appointment with the vet this coming Monday (she has a sterilization due), but over the last few days the scab seems to be deteriorating rapidly. And so are my wits.
:: Ashamed of her scarred face :(
Mitch said not to worry since the cat doesn't appear to be too concerned about it, apart from her occasional scratching and pawing at it. But given that this is my first ever cat friend, and my tendency to leap into borderline-schizo paranoia, I am imploding with anxiety and worry.
What if it's serious? What if it's untreatable? What if she needs surgery? How am I gonna afford any vet services?? Well I can, but it's just so damn expensive holy shietz.
But see what I mean though, the excessive worrying. Probably explains why I'm the only person I know of my age who got hospitalized for anxiety attacks. -.-
Sigh, what does this say about me. I have every making of becoming a painfully over-protective mother in the future, and that's the last thing I want to be. Having grown up in what I deem to be a 'too-sheltered' household, and watching the younger generation in my family being subjected to even more protectiveness, I made a promise to myself to allow my kids grow by their own terms, and to live and play and learn at the expense of scraped knees, dirty clothes and perhaps even a fractured bone.
That's not to say that my family did a bad job raising me. If anything, my mother has always been and still is 100% supportive of my actions and decisions the past 25 years. I think that everyone just got too caught up with the bad things that are happening around them - disease outbreaks, natural disasters, the global obsession with germs (I stand by my belief that anti-bacterial soap will kill us all in the end), the neighbourhood crime, terrorism and warfare, 2012. A culmination of all these events eventually leads to a paranoid society, which trickles down to communities and family units, and inevitably, to individuals like myself.
I'm trying to move away from all that, and I honestly think there's progress. I mean first step in solving any problem is recognizing it, right? Hopefully in a few years' time I'll get a lot better, and I won't end up as a mother who sterilize her children every morning and send them to school in a kid-size bubble wrap.
:: Haha although apparently, someone's already beaten me to it.
Ok I digress. Moving on to bigger, more current things.
A possible job prospect. In the Eastern states. I know nothing about it to date, except that the CEO/owner is a friend of my dad's, and I'm given a name and a number to call in a couple of weeks' time (that's when he returns to Melbourne). I hope I'm not jinxing it by talking about it so soon, but I need to pen out my thoughts to make sense of them.
So what's not to consider about my treasured first, proper employment opportunity? Relocation, for one - since my lease for this place in Perth doesn't end till next February. I guess that can be sorted out if I'm employed full-time, although paying two rents a month will still be quite painful. -.- But I'll be leaving behind a boyfriend and a cat, and that will be a lot more difficult.
Second of all, and perhaps a bit more complicated for me, is the fact that this person is my father's contact. As you maybe know, my relationship with my dad is kinda... strained over the years. And ever since I could, I've stopped accepting any favours or help from him - simply because I don't want to owe him anything, and so I'll feel less horrible and ungrateful as a person. It's an issue that's taken up permanent residence in Anxiety Hind Side of Brain, but that's a story for another day.
So, if things do work out with this prospect, I'll be going against everything I've worked so hard to avoid. =/ It'll be silly to give up such a good opportunity over principles though - but I most likely won't, because I'm not the strongest of principle-keepers, and because I really really want a full-time job in my industry. And I have a deadline hanging over my head.
Maybe I'm just making excuses for myself. I'm afraid of being disappointed yet again, and this time it will be a major blow since it's the big connection/recommendation that's supposed to be an employment guarantee. Although truth be told, it will not be the first time that he broke my heart. =/ However if this doesn't work, I would have come close to exhausting my resources plus I'll have to deal with the shame of breaking principle. -.-
So how now, brown brown cow? How to impress a potential employer if I'm clouded with all these personal conflicts and doubts? How to convince him that I am, in fact, a worthy addition to his company while secretly bracing for disappointment? That while I may be a little messed up and throw lady tantrums in my head sometimes, I am pretty smart and have all the skills that meet the job description and more?
I think all these explain the throbbing headaches I've been having. I'm never one to get bad headaches, not even when I'm massively hungover. I think Hind Brain must be overworked overtime, and only getting paid $19 an hour. ;)
xx
Hsin
Sunday, June 20, 2010
I work and I drink
I am so exhausted from work.
Not only do we have 6am jobs every morning the whole of last week - which means waking up at 5.00am and leaving the house while it's still dark - there's the damn World Cup.
We started off watching every single match, but then found out the hard way that we are in fact, not build to sustain through the night without sleeping and then going to work straight after. -__- Tried that for 2 days and absolutely died. Until now still haven't had the chance to recover.
On the bright side, we've had all the good staff to work with, especially now that the exam period is more or less over. And having good company makes a world of difference; even the more painful jobs seem a lot more bearable when you can crouch in a corner and laugh at stupid things/people.
And as a bonus, boss Ryan sometimes treat us to brekkie or lunch!
Making his first appearance on this blog
Where upon I finally had the opportunity to try out Bar 399 in Northbridge, which has been raved about by Perth foodies for some time now.
It's a modest, unassuming half-lot, tucked in between all the Asian restaurants, and it's simply marked with a nondescript 399 on its entrance. In fact, it looks rather unimpressive from the outside; but as soon as you step in, you are greeted by breezy lounge music and the
entrancing aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans.
I loved the clever use of space in this cafe. The extensive bar on one side and cosy booths on the other. Throw in rustic wooden floorboards and textured lighting and wah-lah, you have yourself a sexy little establishment. :)
Also present in the place (but not pictured), are paintings which one can actually purchase for a reasonable number of $100 bills.
But all these are secondary to their coffees (and I would assume, meals).
Holy shit their coffees were out of this world.
Even the dusting cocoa they used was quality stuff. I had half the mind to lick the chocolate powder off the cup after I'd finish the coffee. With my finger, of course.
Although who's to say I didn't? :D
xx
Hsin
Not only do we have 6am jobs every morning the whole of last week - which means waking up at 5.00am and leaving the house while it's still dark - there's the damn World Cup.
We started off watching every single match, but then found out the hard way that we are in fact, not build to sustain through the night without sleeping and then going to work straight after. -__- Tried that for 2 days and absolutely died. Until now still haven't had the chance to recover.
On the bright side, we've had all the good staff to work with, especially now that the exam period is more or less over. And having good company makes a world of difference; even the more painful jobs seem a lot more bearable when you can crouch in a corner and laugh at stupid things/people.
And as a bonus, boss Ryan sometimes treat us to brekkie or lunch!
Making his first appearance on this blog
Where upon I finally had the opportunity to try out Bar 399 in Northbridge, which has been raved about by Perth foodies for some time now.
It's a modest, unassuming half-lot, tucked in between all the Asian restaurants, and it's simply marked with a nondescript 399 on its entrance. In fact, it looks rather unimpressive from the outside; but as soon as you step in, you are greeted by breezy lounge music and the
entrancing aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans.
I loved the clever use of space in this cafe. The extensive bar on one side and cosy booths on the other. Throw in rustic wooden floorboards and textured lighting and wah-lah, you have yourself a sexy little establishment. :)
Also present in the place (but not pictured), are paintings which one can actually purchase for a reasonable number of $100 bills.
But all these are secondary to their coffees (and I would assume, meals).
Holy shit their coffees were out of this world.
Even the dusting cocoa they used was quality stuff. I had half the mind to lick the chocolate powder off the cup after I'd finish the coffee. With my finger, of course.
Although who's to say I didn't? :D
xx
Hsin
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Home and back
Today marks the end of my 2-week-long break.
I miss the noise and shouting matches already. And the sleeping in and the only having to decide what to do/eat each day. But the holiday has ended, and the savings are running dry, so it's back to work. And just in time for the busy June-July period as well, where I'll be working averagely 2 shifts a day every single day from now till... August probably?
Though I rather be kept busy than mope at home feeling sad and homesick. :(
Plus, I'm looking forward to seeing some of the folks at work. Especially in the World Cup season, it's gonna be plenty of fun with the collective misery and exhaustion that will be expected in the next month. (/^ ^)/
A quick recap on my trip home.
The whole reason I had to fly home at such notice was to renew my passport. All because my agent failed to notify me - oh I dunno, 3 months ago? - that in order for my visa to be granted, I needed passport validity of at least 6 months. And she told me this 2 weeks ago, and gave me 28 days to fix it.
And because my mum and sister had already booked their flights to Perth ages ago, I had an interval of less than a week to apply for a Bridging Visa, buy my tickets, rush home, renew my passport, and fly back to Perth with the two of them.
Do you know how much it costs to fly to KL at the last minute? Close to $400 one way. That's almost $800 for a 4 day trip home! There are tickets to London cheaper than that! T.T
BUT, it had to be done. =/ And the trip home turned out to be a blessing if only because I got to see family and (too few) friends whom I haven't seen for 2 years. I miss them like hell already, but I take comfort in the fact that I'll be seeing them again, at tops, in 6 months' time.
Plus, next time around - Jilliebeans! And everyone else important that I couldn't meet up with because my agent is stupid.
Sigh, but more than anything else now, I really miss family. Sent mum and sis off to the airport this morning, and just received word that sis was crying almost the whole way back. T_______T No kid should have to go through this kinda misery every time she has to part with her big sis. Shouldn't I be around a lot more than this? =/
I miss the noise and shouting matches already. And the sleeping in and the only having to decide what to do/eat each day. But the holiday has ended, and the savings are running dry, so it's back to work. And just in time for the busy June-July period as well, where I'll be working averagely 2 shifts a day every single day from now till... August probably?
Though I rather be kept busy than mope at home feeling sad and homesick. :(
Plus, I'm looking forward to seeing some of the folks at work. Especially in the World Cup season, it's gonna be plenty of fun with the collective misery and exhaustion that will be expected in the next month. (/^ ^)/
xxx
A quick recap on my trip home.
The whole reason I had to fly home at such notice was to renew my passport. All because my agent failed to notify me - oh I dunno, 3 months ago? - that in order for my visa to be granted, I needed passport validity of at least 6 months. And she told me this 2 weeks ago, and gave me 28 days to fix it.
And because my mum and sister had already booked their flights to Perth ages ago, I had an interval of less than a week to apply for a Bridging Visa, buy my tickets, rush home, renew my passport, and fly back to Perth with the two of them.
Do you know how much it costs to fly to KL at the last minute? Close to $400 one way. That's almost $800 for a 4 day trip home! There are tickets to London cheaper than that! T.T
BUT, it had to be done. =/ And the trip home turned out to be a blessing if only because I got to see family and (too few) friends whom I haven't seen for 2 years. I miss them like hell already, but I take comfort in the fact that I'll be seeing them again, at tops, in 6 months' time.
Plus, next time around - Jilliebeans! And everyone else important that I couldn't meet up with because my agent is stupid.
xxx
Sigh, but more than anything else now, I really miss family. Sent mum and sis off to the airport this morning, and just received word that sis was crying almost the whole way back. T_______T No kid should have to go through this kinda misery every time she has to part with her big sis. Shouldn't I be around a lot more than this? =/
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Traveling Blues
Oh mai, only less than a month and I'm already reduced to updating once a week. -.-
I'm sorry. It will be more frequent in the upcoming weeks. Have a lot under (in?) my sleeves at the moment, and plans are being put in motion! For now I will not say anything as to not jinx it, but I'm allowing myself to feel just a bit excited. Wish me luck for this mystery endeavour!
In the meantime, I've been kept busy with lots of work and traveling for work. It's good money, but I think I'm starting to feel a little burned out from doing the same thing over and over again, and then there's the petty office politics that I sense myself inevitably getting dragged in. All because some people deem themselves more worthy of getting certain jobs than other lesser beings. =.=
But let's not get into that.
I used to love traveling. I loved every bit of it, even the packing and the long flights and the questionable hotel food. I had no complains about plans spanning out of schedule, or things going awry. I was simply happy being in a different place from home, and everything else was secondary.
For a long time, I could never fathom how grownups could complain about traveling, business or otherwise. Surely they've gotta love the buffet brekkies in the morning, the complementary tea and coffee in the room, the bubble baths, and the incredible beds to jump on without getting into trouble. Then to hear how they never took the opportunity to sight see or buy souvenir fridge magnets - preposterous!
Then there's me in the present, traveling, well, to regional towns in WA, and all I can think about is how much I wish I was home instead. Admittedly, some of these towns were not the greatest, but there were times when I've had the opportunity to visit places where others would have to pay a lot of money for. And... I was simply not all that interested.
If left to my own device, I don't want to go sightseeing. I don't want to take photos. I most definitely do not want to buy little fridge magnet souvenirs. I just want to work, eat, get paid, and leave (although the food bit still excites me a little, depending on where I am).
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being given the travel opportunities, and I know how some people would do anything short of murder(ing me) to go in my place. I simply do not see the huge fuss in yet another nondescript motel and yet another staple pub food menu.
I think I need a proper holiday. From work and responsibilities and worrying about finances. =/ Any takers?
Moody,
Hsin
I'm sorry. It will be more frequent in the upcoming weeks. Have a lot under (in?) my sleeves at the moment, and plans are being put in motion! For now I will not say anything as to not jinx it, but I'm allowing myself to feel just a bit excited. Wish me luck for this mystery endeavour!
In the meantime, I've been kept busy with lots of work and traveling for work. It's good money, but I think I'm starting to feel a little burned out from doing the same thing over and over again, and then there's the petty office politics that I sense myself inevitably getting dragged in. All because some people deem themselves more worthy of getting certain jobs than other lesser beings. =.=
But let's not get into that.
I used to love traveling. I loved every bit of it, even the packing and the long flights and the questionable hotel food. I had no complains about plans spanning out of schedule, or things going awry. I was simply happy being in a different place from home, and everything else was secondary.
For a long time, I could never fathom how grownups could complain about traveling, business or otherwise. Surely they've gotta love the buffet brekkies in the morning, the complementary tea and coffee in the room, the bubble baths, and the incredible beds to jump on without getting into trouble. Then to hear how they never took the opportunity to sight see or buy souvenir fridge magnets - preposterous!
Then there's me in the present, traveling, well, to regional towns in WA, and all I can think about is how much I wish I was home instead. Admittedly, some of these towns were not the greatest, but there were times when I've had the opportunity to visit places where others would have to pay a lot of money for. And... I was simply not all that interested.
If left to my own device, I don't want to go sightseeing. I don't want to take photos. I most definitely do not want to buy little fridge magnet souvenirs. I just want to work, eat, get paid, and leave (although the food bit still excites me a little, depending on where I am).
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate being given the travel opportunities, and I know how some people would do anything short of murder(ing me) to go in my place. I simply do not see the huge fuss in yet another nondescript motel and yet another staple pub food menu.
I think I need a proper holiday. From work and responsibilities and worrying about finances. =/ Any takers?
Moody,
Hsin
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Holy smokes
A quickie while waiting for tonight's dinner to defrost.
First off, a big ribs-crushing, breath-arresting hug to my darling Jill who's on her way to London to take over Great Britain; and be one step closer to world domination. If she succeeds, when she succeeds, the royalty of the design world will be shitting themselves with awe in her presence.
All the best now, Jillie-beans! <3 I'll be crossing my fingers and praying hard for you. :)
Secondly, congratulations to boss Ryan for totally kicking ass in the Busselton Half-Ironman last weekend.
Was that a plug? I think that was. :D
My appreciation for Ironman and similar racing events is, unfortunately, not great, so I can't honestly say I share the enthusiasm. Sorry Ryan. -.- I do however, admire the commitment and hard work that goes into it. It's something we could all do with, this raw, unbridled passion for something. Makes life a bit more interesting. :)
And finally, a little reminder of home today:
Haze clouding the city of Perth
The smell of smoke in the air, the less-than-5km visibility radius, the dull looking sun clouded by dust particles. Throw in the heat and humidity, and you have yourself a second Kuala Lumpur!
Only difference I supposed, is that the haze isn't a result of illegal burnings from neighbouring countries who continue to deny their faults and refuses to apologize. I'm talking about you, Indonesian authorities. And Malaysian authorities, you guys are not any better. Please buck up and enforce some sort of legislation against the bi-annually burn offs please?
Thank you.
Hsin
First off, a big ribs-crushing, breath-arresting hug to my darling Jill who's on her way to London to take over Great Britain; and be one step closer to world domination. If she succeeds, when she succeeds, the royalty of the design world will be shitting themselves with awe in her presence.
All the best now, Jillie-beans! <3 I'll be crossing my fingers and praying hard for you. :)
..
Secondly, congratulations to boss Ryan for totally kicking ass in the Busselton Half-Ironman last weekend.
Was that a plug? I think that was. :D
My appreciation for Ironman and similar racing events is, unfortunately, not great, so I can't honestly say I share the enthusiasm. Sorry Ryan. -.- I do however, admire the commitment and hard work that goes into it. It's something we could all do with, this raw, unbridled passion for something. Makes life a bit more interesting. :)
..
And finally, a little reminder of home today:
Haze clouding the city of Perth
The smell of smoke in the air, the less-than-5km visibility radius, the dull looking sun clouded by dust particles. Throw in the heat and humidity, and you have yourself a second Kuala Lumpur!
Only difference I supposed, is that the haze isn't a result of illegal burnings from neighbouring countries who continue to deny their faults and refuses to apologize. I'm talking about you, Indonesian authorities. And Malaysian authorities, you guys are not any better. Please buck up and enforce some sort of legislation against the bi-annually burn offs please?
Thank you.
Hsin
Monday, April 26, 2010
Manic Mantra
I think I've let myself be distracted long enough.
It's time to take charge of changing my life around, and no one's gonna be able to give me what I don't try to give myself.
I am making an oath to go prowling for a job. And I'm not allowing myself to make up anymore excuses. There is no better time than now, it is either Do or Die. I MUST DO THIS BEFORE I LOSE MY MIND.
If I don't get a permanent job by the end of this year, I am packing up and heading home. It'll be one of the most difficult decisions I have to make, and probably the most painful. But I think it's a calculated risk worth taking. I've thought long and hard about it, and I think it is for the best.
MY DEADLINE ENDS DECEMBER 2010.
I've regretted decisions or lack-of decisions in the past due to my hesitation, but this is the biggest milestone in my life yet - the volatile years between graduation and parenthood. I believe that what I do in the next few years will determine my happiness and contentment for the next 20 or so years.
When I do eventually settle down and start a family, I want to do it whole-heartedly and not wonder about the "What-Ifs" and the "I Should Haves". My future hubby and kids should not have to suffer because of my poor decisions (and hard-to-please nature).
*takes a huge breath*
Anyway, with all said and done I think having a goal in sight and a rough sketch of a plan in place, I'll feel a lot more secure and less susceptible to the random emotional blowups that I've subjected us both to the past couple of months. It seems that anytime I don't have work to keep my mind occupied with, I'll start nitpicking at my unachievements and getting flustered. And all of a sudden, I want to just give Perth the finger and book my first flight home.
Which, thankfully, I have not succumbed to.
Amidst all these... let's call them "my little empowering mantras", I'm not going to make any selfish and impulsive decisions without taking my other half into consideration. It's not his fault that I am weak-willed and stubborn at the same time. Possibly the worst trait combination in history. -.-
I also have to remember that Subang grass may seem a lot greener to me right now because of my homesickness, but there was a huge reason for me leaving to begin with. And I'm not going back until I have something to shove into their faces with.
Silly to be living my life based on a bunch of judgmental folks, but I'm too tired to be the bigger person at the moment. I'll do it when I'm a bit more successful and not juggling 30 years worth of worries on my shoulders.
Wish me luck now, for the billionth time. :) I promise I'll follow through with my plans this time around. I will not fail me, I will not fail us.
xx Hsin
It's time to take charge of changing my life around, and no one's gonna be able to give me what I don't try to give myself.
I am making an oath to go prowling for a job. And I'm not allowing myself to make up anymore excuses. There is no better time than now, it is either Do or Die. I MUST DO THIS BEFORE I LOSE MY MIND.
If I don't get a permanent job by the end of this year, I am packing up and heading home. It'll be one of the most difficult decisions I have to make, and probably the most painful. But I think it's a calculated risk worth taking. I've thought long and hard about it, and I think it is for the best.
MY DEADLINE ENDS DECEMBER 2010.
I've regretted decisions or lack-of decisions in the past due to my hesitation, but this is the biggest milestone in my life yet - the volatile years between graduation and parenthood. I believe that what I do in the next few years will determine my happiness and contentment for the next 20 or so years.
When I do eventually settle down and start a family, I want to do it whole-heartedly and not wonder about the "What-Ifs" and the "I Should Haves". My future hubby and kids should not have to suffer because of my poor decisions (and hard-to-please nature).
*takes a huge breath*
Anyway, with all said and done I think having a goal in sight and a rough sketch of a plan in place, I'll feel a lot more secure and less susceptible to the random emotional blowups that I've subjected us both to the past couple of months. It seems that anytime I don't have work to keep my mind occupied with, I'll start nitpicking at my unachievements and getting flustered. And all of a sudden, I want to just give Perth the finger and book my first flight home.
Which, thankfully, I have not succumbed to.
Amidst all these... let's call them "my little empowering mantras", I'm not going to make any selfish and impulsive decisions without taking my other half into consideration. It's not his fault that I am weak-willed and stubborn at the same time. Possibly the worst trait combination in history. -.-
I also have to remember that Subang grass may seem a lot greener to me right now because of my homesickness, but there was a huge reason for me leaving to begin with. And I'm not going back until I have something to shove into their faces with.
Silly to be living my life based on a bunch of judgmental folks, but I'm too tired to be the bigger person at the moment. I'll do it when I'm a bit more successful and not juggling 30 years worth of worries on my shoulders.
Wish me luck now, for the billionth time. :) I promise I'll follow through with my plans this time around. I will not fail me, I will not fail us.
xx Hsin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
