Be not

"The shit hath hitteth the fan" - Michael Eckman, 10 Things I Hate About You.

Oh, and Happy New Year.

TTT

Argh!! One more sleep till Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers!!! Precisely 13 hours and 18 mins to go!! WOOHOO!!! I can't wait! :D

Guess I'd best be off to bedfordshire. Long day tomorrow. :)

Merry Christmas!

Just wishing everyone a very merry christmas and a happy new year! Hope you all have a joyous time with friends and family. :)

Holiday time

Well.. its Friday 6pm, my last day at work for another 2 weeks. What am I still doing here??! :) Anyway, I'm not gonna be at work in the next 2 weeks (yay!) which means I'll be blogging a lot less, as I'll probably be out most days.

So I'm off.. hope everyone has a good holiday and a merry christmas (if I don't blog before then)!

The elect

I have been chosen as one of the elect. One of the five in my team receiving a... *drumroll*... new Pentium 4 computer! Woohoo!! :) Finally I get a decent machine at work.. and what's more, I'm getting one of the 2 machines with a CD burner! Double woohoo!! :D

Ooh ooh, I just got my haircut at lunchtime today! I like! :) I went to a Korean place called "Oh In Gyu" instead of my usual honky place (Blue Star Hair Design) because I was sick of coming out looking like a honky clone with feathered hair. :P I mean, I do like layers and a bit of feathering, but not too much. My friend had recommended Koreans coz they can do different styles (eg. V shape, rounded or straight). I must say, despite her not speaking english very well, she did a great job. Very happy am I!!

Tonight I have a friend's 21st birthday. Should be fun.. they'll have DJ's so I can get my dancing fix. :)

Current listening :: "You're making me high" - Toni Braxton (feat Foxy Brown)

Don't look at me... I'm ugleee..

I think my ISP servers are down.. so that means no stylesheets, images, guestbook, about me pages etc for this little blogger. As a result, my site looks totally ugly. Its like its naked without the stylesheets.... urgh my blog is going for a nudie run! How embarrassment! :\

Search hits - revisited

Ok this deserves to be posted.

Google search: "overweight asian girls". I'm number one. What an achievement. :)

More dvd shopping

I went to dvd shopping at HMV with Vron this morning, and ended up buying Singing In The Rain (special 2 disc edition) coz it was in the 2 for $50 range - I bought it and Vron bought 3 other dvds. I also finally bought the... *drumroll*... Dark Angel Season One Boxed Set 1 (Eps 1 - 10). Woohoo! Hehehe. And we got 10% off all these purchases thanks to Vron's hmv student discount card. Yay! :)

I can't believe they've axed Dark Angel... no season 3... waaahhhhhhh!!!! They can't do this... there are so many unanswered questions!!!!! :(

Hmm.. I wanna go home now and watch my DA dvds. I've got nothing else to do at work for the day..

Current listening :: "Tell Me" - Groove Theory

Warehouse sales rock!

On Sunday morning I went with some girlfriends to the Shiseido warehouse sale. Everything was really really cheap... like foundation for $10, lipsticks and eyeshadows for $5, other stuff for $1 or $2. Bargain city! This stuff is usually around $40 or $50 in department stores! :) I bought myself some liquid foundation and a wet/dry foundation compact, a sheer red lipstick, some black & dark brown eyeshadows (for my goth look.. heehee.. I didn't have any black eyeshadow, only grey), a number of different facial skincare stuff, a contouring blusher, perfumed shummery body gel and a non-alchoholic perfume of the same scent ("Vocalise" by Shiseido). We were there for about 90 mins - all up I spent *cough* $138 *cough* ..but it was SUCH a bargain!! And I got stuff that I'd been wanting to get for a while, but didn't coz it was just so expensive.

Anyway, today I had a nice workout at the gym during lunchtime. I only did 25 mins on the cross trainer, but I set it to level 3 resistance so I ended up burning 320 cals on the counter thingy. Actually that counter probably doesn't mean terribly much, but I use it anyway as some sort of measurement of how much I work out.

Tonight I'm having dinner with Andrew... a celebratory dinner of some sort at Prime (as good asians, we are of course using the entertainment card :P). Mmmmm... juicy, soft, succulent steak.. *drool*

Current listening :: "Bust A Move" - Young MC

Old Skool Memories

I was browsing through the R&B section of HMV at Pitt St this morning before work, when I saw the latest Dance RnB Anthems compilation cd, "The Platinum Collection", at a listening station. Deciding to have a listen, I must've looked kinda stupid standing there chuckling, wow-ing and bopping to myself for the next 20 mins as I listened through the tracks. This album so reminds me of high school.. it practically sums up my high school years (particularly the senior years).. *sigh*. It has all the golden R&B classics of the day!

Tracklisting is as follows (its a 2 cd):

1. CLOSE TO YOU - MAXI PRIEST
2. BACK TO LIFE - SOUL II SOUL
3. AIN'T NOBODY - RUFUS FEAT CHAKA KHAN
4. PEOPLE EVERYDAY - ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
5. SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS - PM DAWN
6. IT'S A SHAME - MONIE LOVE
7. RING RING RING - DE LA SOUL
8. WHAT U WAITIN FOR - JUNGLE BROTHERS
9. THE HUMPTY DANCE - DIGITAL UNDERGROUND
10. DO THE RIGHT THING - REDHEAD KINGPIN
11. FUNKY COLD MEDINA - TONE LOC
12. BUST A MOVE - YOUNG MC
13. FEELS GOOD - TONI! TONY! TONE!
14. JUST GOT PAID - JOHNNY KEMP
15. CASANOVA - LEVERT
16. I LOVE YOUR SMILE - SHANICE
17. I WANNA SEX YOU UP - COLOR ME BAD
18. YOU'RE MAKIN ME HIGH - TONI BRAXTON
19. TELL ME - GROOVE THEORY
20. SHY GUY - DIANA KING
21. IM IN LOVE - JOE
22. SHE'S PLAYING HARD TO GET - HI FIVE
23. SHAME - ZHANE
24. SHORTY (YOU KEEP PLAYIN WITH MY MIND) - IMAJIN FEAT KEITH MURRAY
25. SHES GOT THAT VIBE - RKELLY & PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
26. I LIKE YOUR STYLE - BUBBA
27. HONEY DIP - PORTRAIT
28. DO YOU WANNA GET FUNKY - C&C MUSIC FACTORY
29. DOWN 4 WHATEVA - NUTTIN NYCE
30. I LIKE IT - AK SOUL
31. HOUSECALL - SHABBA RANKS FEAT MAXI PRIEST

I am so gonna buy this CD. :)

In other news, I watched Blue Crush last night with a girlfriend. I really enjoyed it! I didn't really have any expectations of this movie (which I think is the best way to see a movie) so was pleasantly suprised. The sea/surfing shots were pretty spectacular, capturing the immensity, raw power and beauty of the waves. I gotta say, getting dumped by that huge pipeline would so HURT.. its scary!! By the end of the movie both me and my friend were biting our nails and silently egging her on (at least I was, my friend however was so caught up in it she started calling out "Go! Go! Go!" along with the characters in the movie! :P) Oh, and an added bonus, they featured the song "Sea Song" by the Doves in the movie... in an appropriately beautiful scene in the sea. I am so ready to go to the beach.. maybe even learn to surf! :)

Current listening :: "My father my king" - Mogwai

Mmm.. dry toast..

I so lost my appetite today. I've had nothing but 4 pieces of dry toast the whole day, water and a fresh squeezed OJ. The thought of food any richer than dry toast seemed to make me feel a bit queasy for some reason. :\ Still I think I've developed a taste for dry toast, more specifically, Baker's Delight "White Flour" loaf, thickly sliced. Yum. :)

At least I'm feeling a bit better now.. I guess my dozing off during the afternoon helped a bit. :P And I've just eaten another 2 slices of dry toast... my appetite must be coming back.. a good sign.

"Rain fall from concrete coloured skies.."

I woke up this morning feeling rather out of sorts, and I'm still feeling moderately terrible now. I think I'm sick. :( Yesterday I went to Vron's place to watch The Wedding Planner on dvd, and it was freezing and pouring rain as we walked from the ferry wharf to her house with our measly little umbrellas. Our respective bottom halves were totally soaked by the time we reached her place.. my jeans looked like those trendy I've-just-stood-in-a-puddle-of-ink type of clothing. :P I also felt really sick after dinner last night.. like I had some combination of indigestion and mild nausea. My stomach was definitely not feeling good, so I went to sleep with a hot beanbag last night (a mini beanbag, like a hot water bottle, but you heat it up in the microwave! :))

Anyway, I think this means no dance class for me tonight - I don't think I could handle it. I just wanna curl up in a nice warm bed, with my hot beanbag, and go to sleep...

Current listening :: "Drive" - Bic Runga (its a Bic Runga music kinda day....)

"See I got your old ID and you're all dressed up like the Cure.."

Last Saturday night I went to Andrew's friend's 21st - it was a dress up event where we had to come as characters from magical lands. After tossing up a few ideas and consulting with Andrew, I decided to discard the typical boring "princess/fairy" idea and go goth (as a witch or evil sorceress). :D I happened to have a rather gothic looking long black velvet dress (which I must have thought to be nice evening wear many many years ago when I bought it for my first ever 21st party), a nice black lacy choker necklace, and some black makeup I bought from the last (one and only) time I dressed goth. Here's a picture I took before I left home.. have quick look coz I may decide to take it down. :P



So anyway the party was alright, though we were very late. I didn't really know anyone there, but some people were pretty impressively dressed-up. One interesting point was meeting Stuart - a blogger I'd found through.. oh I don't remember.. following some links I think. I was in the toilet when I overheard Andrew talking to some guy, and as I vaguely heard the words "blog" and "website" float through the door, my interest was piqued, so I listened as I fixed up my makeup (yes, thats what I was doing that took so long.. I was getting rid of the glitter on my lips that I kept eating - dressing goth is high maintenence!). Anyway, after the speeches I went up to him coz, well, I find it kinda cool to meet people you know through the net. (*sigh* We of the internet-age...)

Stuart has also posted something about meeting me and Andrew in his blog. It was interesting to read. :) One thing I'm curious about (but I can't ask on his blog coz he doesn't have comments) is what he thought I was like from reading my blog, and what impression I gave when I met him. I seemed to be different from what he expected... hmm.. maybe it was the goth makeup.

Current listening :: "Girl in the mirror" - Britney Spears

Is this for real?!?

You have got to check out this guys homepage. Is he for real.. I mean seriously, can anyone get more conceited than this?! Its just really funny. Here's a quote from him on some message board:

"I already know I'm a 10 [edit: out of 10] so why don't all you losers just admit it? I'm 22 years old have a 2002 Viper, two 2001 Corvettes, own two house one 5000 sq ft. and one 3000 sq ft on the lake, good looking, rich, nice clothes.. good at every sport, excellent, singer, dancer, skateboarder, etc.. There is no need to hate.. It's not like hating on me is going to make you any richer, nor better looking. Am I right? So all you haters out there just save yourself the time and give me 10's, cause that's what I am. I just established that fact on what I just said above. Now have a nice day. It is not being concieted if you can prove you're a 10."

Hmm..... riiight.

Current listening :: "Gangsta Lovin" - Eve Ft Alicia Keys

"I got what you need, so tell me what you need.."

Last night I went to GAS nightclub for the first time with a few girlfriends. I've been hearing very good things about this R&B club for a while. It was great!! The club looks pretty cool, the atmosphere was great, music was great and it's $15 entry. Woohoo! :) We stayed from midnight till about 2:30am - thats at least a good solid 2 hours of dancing. (For those wondering, of course I didn't go to work today!)

I am so sore today... my poor thighs... just walking up the stairs is really painful. Ugh.. :( I don't think I'll need to go to the gym for another week, at least! Ah well, it was worth it! I had fun. :) Next time however, I think I'll get more sleep before I go, my stamina last night was shocking. I couldn't dance for more than a song or two without needing to stop and rest, though after the first hour or so I got my "second wind" and probably could've danced for longer.

Current listening :: "Got what you need" - Eve feat. DragOn

Working hard..

You gotta check out this online game. Its in rather bad taste, but very amusing all the same. :D

Side note: Ooh I just got my nails done! They're a pearly pale pink.. preeetty.. :)

Dance class

Dance class last night was ok. I wasn't very up to it due to, erm, certain biological issues. We did that raunchy partnered dance to "Put The Needle On It" by Danii Minogue again.. it probably wasn't the best day for putting my leg around someone's waist. :\ I wish I'd gone to Michael Boyd's Latin Funk instead.. they did "Jenny On The Block"... *sob* Still, I liked the lyrical routine - it was kinda contemporary, which was nice.

Afterwards, the trains on the way home were COMPLETELY stuffed due to the power outages coz of the bushfires. My gosh, it took me an hour just to get from Wynyard to Central. It was a shocker. :(

Current listening :: "Independant Woman" - Destiny's Child

I think I'm in love....

..with Ein. :D Ein is a Welsh Corgi (soooo incredibly cuuute!!) in a really cool japanese anime, Cowboy Bebop. He's no ordinary dog though, he's an abnormally intelligent "data dog". Which is makes him even more adorable!! :P



Anyway, as you can probably surmise, I watched Cowboy Bebop last night on dvd, the first 2 episodes (my bro just bought the dvd). The first time I'd ever heard of this series was when I watched the movie recently at the Japanime Festival at Dendy. It seems Cowboy Bebop is renowned for its jazz bebop music, played by the band The Seatbelts. You can listen to their stuff here.

Update: 4:25pm
Oh my gosh how HOT is it at the moment! I didn't really realise coz I was in air-conditioned comfort all day, but stepping outside to the oppressive 37C heat... man its hard to even breathe!! Its quite amusing here at work too, coz we're losing power for some reason.. dunno if its got something to do with the heat. The lights keep flickering off every few minutes, and a few select machines lose power (like my friend next to me) everytime that happens. Luckily mine seems to be fine.. for the moment.

Woah.. what a workout! :)

Wow, I had one of my best workouts ever today. I went to pilates (and stayed till the end :P) getting a great stomach and core strength workout. Then I went downstairs and did some cardio on the X-trainer.. for 36 mins (burning 465 cals)!! 6 minutes over my aim of 1/2 hour, and I didn't even feel tired or puffed at all the whole time. Its like I could have gone on if I'd wanted to.. except I probably would have gotten bored. Then I went on to do some arm work with the weights.

*sigh* Its such a great feeling to have a really good workout.. one that doesn't feel like you're slogging it out or like you're gonna die! It must be the sleep I've been getting lately. For the past 2 nights I've gotten about 8 hours sleep per night. I know I've gotten enough sleep when I have enough energy to workout and/or not fall asleep at work after lunch. :P

Anyway, tonight I'm looking forward to cooking myself a yummy dinner of rice, teriyaki chicken and some stir-fry veges. Then I'm gonna relax and watch some of the (too many) dvds I bought last week. Hmm.. think I'll watch "The Wedding Planner". Geee I'm in good spirits.. gotta love those endorphins.. :)

Current listening :: "You belong to me" - Jennifer Lopez

Week 10 already..?



Before I rant on about jazz class, I'd like to direct you here - I uploaded some pics.. isn't it preetty? :)

Last night was my last lesson in Contemporary Keyboard 2 (a 10 week jazz piano course) at the Conservatorium of Music. Gee time flies. Its been a pretty useful 10 weeks, though I probably could have progressed further had I practiced more often. *sheepish* Still, I feel I have gained enough knowledge to benefit my playing in an ensemble - I'm a bit more confident with my jazz chords and voicings now.

My teacher told me I could probably do any class I wanted considering I've already done Jazz Performance Groups, Jazz Fusion, and Contemporary Keyboard. So I think next term I'll do a Jazz Performance Group class again. Get back to the original style of jazz and swing. Fusion was fun, but Jazz Performance would probably benefit me more at this stage.. providing an ensemble environment where I can solidify my comping and continue working on my improvisation (using jazz standards).

Current listening :: "Jenny from the block" - Jennifer Lopez

What a beautiful day..

Wow its such a beautiful day today.. deep blue skies, fluffy white clouds, sunshine and warmth. Its absolutely picture-perfect (so I took a picture. :P)



*sigh*.. Its almost hard to believe that it actually hailed and thunderstormed here yesterday! I was so excited when it started hailing that I rushed out with my digicam and took pictures of the hail on the ground in my backyard! :P (I'll upload the pics later.)



But anyway, I must be off for music practice. Gonna see Harry Potter tonight.. yay! :)

Current listening :: This is me.. then - Jennifer Lopez