Day Trip to Shenzhen

I've been to Shenzhen previously, in 1995, when I visited Hongkong for the first time. But this day trip to Shenzhen wasn't great cos besides the visit to a public park (free entry), we were taken to jewellery, medicinal and silkworm spun wares at 2 factories and ate at a restaurant which catered for tour groups (you can probably guess the quality of the food - bad).

One highlight from the trip was seeing this older gentleman who was flying over 100 hundred kites tied to a single string and he was slowly releasing them into the air. Phill asked his permission to snap his pics and these are what he took altho you have to be there to see how awesome the kites were fluttering in the air.

(below) Phill in a typical "kawaii" (cute) pose at the public park. He was even approached by a group of young gals who wanted to take his picture and he went up close to them and struck the kawaii pose. They were thoroughly amused!

The traffic situation in Shenzhen is very bad too in the sense that drivers seem to adopt a very selfish and offensive way of driving. They change lanes swiftly even if there is not enough space to do so. You really can't be even a little sleepy driving there but then again, maybe the traffic situation keeps drivers awake.

After we had to take a mandatory photo at "Wonders of the World" (so the tour group could sell our photos in a photo frame and plate later in the day - we only bought the photo frame for S$16!), we were on our way to lunch (which we didn't have our fill cos it wasn't appetising) when I saw this sight on the roads which caused a major traffic jam.

At one of the 2 factories we had to visit, my dad had this poet/ calligrapher compose a poem with all our names and then he wrote the poem (which my dad liked) in calligraphy script. He then went on to teach us some tai-chi moves we had to do everyday for good health.

I hope to go to Shenzhen one day long into the future (when the memory of this trip has faded) for the great shopping and massage I heard about from friends.

The highlight for the day though was meeting my Hongkong friend, Panda, and her friend, Irene, for dinner. I haven't seen Panda since I last visited her in Virginia in 2001, some 6 years ago! It was great to catch up and I look forward to seeing her again, soon!!!

Spectacular HongKong!

It's been a while since our family took a family trip today so I'm really looking to this 5 day trip to Hongkong!!! And even though I've been there thrice before, I still like it enough to want to be there any chance I get. We left early this morning for our 3.5 hour flight to Hongkong - yippeee! While waiting to check in at the airport, we noticed there was an unattended black bag placed under a row of chairs and shortly after, some policemen were alerted to it. They stood around with their guns (whatever the model no. is called) and made sure no-one was in that vicinity. We saw it all from the check-in counters, which was directly opposite the seats. After my mum, brother, his girlfriend, and I went to have our breakfast and came back to the counters, we were told by my dad and Phill that it took the policemen some 30 mins before they worked out the bag was harmless. What if there really was a bomb set to go off in 5 mins? I thought they moved abit too slowly for security's sake.

On arrival, we had to wait a while for others to arrive before the tour agency (it's a free and easy package tour with optional tours thrown in) took us to our hotel. We are staying at Kimberley Hotel (which is a mid-range hotel but I found our room to be rather small) and on arrival, we went to a restaurant opposite the hotel to have lunch. It wasn't bad but nothing to write home about. And it's back to the hotel to have a nap before our city tour tonight.

Phill and I enjoyed the city tour even though we went on most of the sights before, it was good to see it again - Victoria Peak at nite (only saw it once in the day), ferry ride from Hongkong Island to Kowloon (not been on it at night), dinner at a restaurant at Hongkong Island, Avenue of Stars at the Harbour, and the open top bus tour (which was fun!!!).

My husband, the chivalrous one, who was wise enough to take a jumper with him and then gave it to me cos I didn't bring any and boy, was it cold at Victoria Peak. My teeth were chattering!

The view from Victoria Peak. It was difficult to get a good clear shot. Most of my photos were blurry and it was so windy then....

My family on the ferry ride - (L-R) Mum, Cherie (bro's girlfriend), Gary (my brother), Dad and Phill!

View from the Harbour on the Avenue of Stars

Trying to get a quick photo on board the open top bus. It wasn't easy as most photos came out blurry. Phill, Gary, Cherie and I were taking in turns (like a relay run) to take photos. With the wind blowing and messing our hair, it wasn't easy either but boy, was it fun!

A final shot of the streets in Hongkong at night atop the bus before we had to alight and off we went to the ladies and men's markets to shop, shop, shop!

A funny start to Singapore

Phill and I spent a good and cosy Christmas Day with my in-laws. My mum-in-law cooked turkey, pork and ham and it was yummy! It was good to spend time with them and just sit down and talk. And we exchanged presents and that was when I unwrapped my ipod video from Phill! Yeah!!! And I bought him a James Bond DVD set which he was happy about.

Early this morning, Phill and I woke up at 3.45am and left the house at 5am for the flight to Singapore - yippeee! We arrived very early at Melbourne airport, about 7.30pm for our 10.30am flight. There was already a long queue when we were there and we found out it was cos the luggage conveyor belt in the entire airport broke down and luggage had to be loaded onto the plane manually. Being in the holiday mood and having checked in via the internet 2 days ago, we weren't fazed.

We had our breakfast at McDonalds, looked around some shops and boarded the Singapore Airlines plane. It was a pretty uneventful trip except when it came to dessert time and I had the giggles when I realised Phill's ice-cream was so much smaller than mine. And no, we did not ask for another ice-cream cos we were so full from the meal and we were keen to get back to the inflight movies. Singapore, here we come!

Christmas Spirit

My colleagues and I had a Christmas lunch which went for close to 2 hours - Nice! It was a take-it-easy kinda lunch. We spent time talking, ordered some appetisers and hungry me was asking them several times whether they wanted to place an order for lunch, which we did, before a huge group of firefighters (who are fighting fires in our district) arrived for their lunch.

Just prior to lunch, we did our Kris Kringle in the office and I received a nice photo display album from my mystery gifter - Steve! I picked Megan's name (a few weeks ago when we had to work out who we were buying gifts for) and bought her an OPI nail polish which she liked. Thankfully, she liked the colour I picked too. The Kris Kringle worked well cos everyone liked the gifts they received.

And I received a Sheaffer pen from my colleagues as a farewell gift, which I loved! This gift makes it to one of several great gifts I've received. Another memorable farewell gift I have received is the ipod shuffle from my friends and colleagues at the National Arts Council. I was wonderfully surprised. And I'm still using it and love it!

SpellBound!

A documentary "Spellbound" was screened on Australia's SBS earlier this evening and I've always wanted to watch the show ever since I saw the DVD in our local video shop. I just haven't gotten round to renting it.

Phill was really reluctant to watch it but I wanted to cos I enjoy spelling.

It was a great film but then it also showed the kind of pressure the 10-12 year olds were put through 'studying' for the National Spelling Bee held in America each year after they were selected state champion. The filmmaker followed eight children and featured their family background, the involvement of each family in their child's route to the National Spelling Bee.
Interestingly enough, one of the 8 children chosen by the filmmaker eventually went on to become the national champion - Nupur!

It was a fascinating film and the work the kids put in was astounding. And the words they had to spell, most of which I've never heard before, was so difficult, which put me to shame. I really need to brush up on my vocabulary!

But Phill said it's also the luck of the draw cos if you were assigned words you had learnt, then it's easier. It's true cos one of the kids were saying how they didn't know some of the words assigned to other spellers and fortunately, knew the ones assigned to them. But you can see how some of them did try to spell words they hadn't heard before through phonetics and breaking up the words into syllables!

It's definitely a film worth watching again!!!

Looking for directions?

Phill and I saw this koala on an isolated stretch of country road while we were making our way to his principal's house for a meal with his colleagues. It's an annual affair of getting together at a staff member's house and this year was the principal's house. It hasn't been Phill's turn yet but one year I'm sure it'll happen. Anyway, Phill saw the koala first and it was sitting by the side of the road minding its own business and Phill stopped his car so that I could take a picture and then he slowly drove away and as he did, the koala turned its head to look at us - what a cute creature!

Christmas Carols

Phill and I attended "Carols by Candlelight" at the local hospital lawn this evening and he met some of his karate mates. I had to take some photos of the performers and families and kids who turned up at the event.

When it started to get dark, the glow candles that were held up added to the cosy atmosphere. And singing along to the Christmas carols and 'Amazing Grace' put me on a high! I'm ready for Christmas!

Fire! Fire!

My colleague came to work this morning and showed us photos she had taken last night of the bushfires. Quite awesome but scary too. I think the fires were only several kilometres from her place. And I asked if her kids were scared but she said they were sitting on the roof and just saying, "our house is burning down, our house is burning down". Fortunately, the wind was blowing the fires in the opposite direction so she wasn't scared.

What?!

My general manager came to our office today to speak to some of my colleagues but he also took the chance to speak to me first cos I resigned yesterday. We chatted for abit and he had some positive feedback to say about my work but then he said something which made me go, "what?!".

At one point, he said he understood how difficult it was for me to write in a language that wasn't my mother tongue?!

Was he trying to say I didn't write well? My editors haven't mentioned that to me before. Yes, I do make mistakes but they are not mistakes that makes a person goes, "gee, does she even know the language?" (maybe some people might say that after reading my blog and seeing the mistakes splattered throughout - that goes to show one has to read, and re-read their posts...=P)

I told him that English is my dominant language. Then he said, "aren't you billingual?" And I said I am but my English is better than my Mandarin and that I spoke English at home. That's when he said abit defensively, "I've not been to Singapore before".

I was really insulted! But I'm learning to let things like that slide, 'like water off a duck's back', cos I've resigned!

Resignation!

I tendered my resignation letter today!!! Yippeee!

I had discussed with my colleague and he said he preferred if I could tender today so an ad could go in for my replacement in time for the new year, which was fair enough. So, instead of tendering this Friday, I did it today.

An Inconvenient Truth

Phill and I watched "An Inconvenient Truth" at the Mansfield Cinema and both loved it. The facts and truth are so confronting about the way we're damaging our planet, I couldn't quite say "we enjoyed it". It was scary and the "frog in the slow boiling water" in me wanted to dismiss all the facts and said it's all just scare tactics but just looking at the data collected and the effects on the environment around me, I was convinced I needed to do more. What I liked about the film was how clear the scenarios were presented and the fact it ended on a positive note that we all can make a difference.

We've gotta take action today and I'm going to start by calling our electricity company to convert our account to green power so that our electricity is sourced from renewable energy sources, and also learn to put up with the heat or the cold and not use our air-con/ heater too much.

All Smoked Out

This is how our town centre now looks, covered in smoke with the smell of burnt wood hanging in the air.

The bushfires that started last Friday are predicted to get worse this weekend. I have a friend who lives in one of the towns under threat. She is terribly worried for her parents and family.

Some residents have activated their fire plans with most mothers and wives leaving their houses while their husbands and fathers are staying in their homes to defend their property.

At a community briefing Steve and I attended on Wednesday, we were told that it's safer to stay and defend the house because sometimes people attempt to leave and either get caught in the fires or their visibility (affected by the smoke) causes them to crash into trees. The fire officer said more deaths were results of people leaving their property too late. Apparently, the fire front sweeps the house in about 10 minutes and you've gotta step out of the house and stay extinguishing any embers. Of course, the house has to be prepared before the fire front arrives by removing any flammable material and keeping loads of water around and inside the house handy, including wet cloths.

Things and people in town seem changed too. It's as daily life has been muted and everyone is more solemn, knowing some residents amongst us are facing the worst bushfires they have ever seen.

I can't believe it's close to our doorstep. It looks like everything is happening in another world.

IPOD Video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Ipod Video was delivered this afternoon to my office.....*SCREAM*

I sent an email to Phill immediately and he said, "you do know you can't open it until Christmas".

"But can't I just open it to take a look?" I ventured.

"Nope, you'll spoil the surprise."

I can envisage myself staying up late on Christmas Day to download songs from my CDs to my ipod video in time for our flight to Singapore - I can't wait!

What A Great Night!

(front row, L-R) Leanne (Steve's fiancee), Sian and I.

(back row, L-R) Steve, Phill, and Adam (Sian's husband).

Sian, Steve, and I, who reside in the "inner sanctum" of the office decided ages ago to have a Christmas dinner together with our spouses this evening. And we chose Willowlake, which is at Macs Cove, and about 20 minutes drive from Mansfield. The restaurant recently came under new management - a young chef and his fiancee. He has extensive experience abroad and in Australia working with famous chefs (including with Gordon Ramsay) and in reputable restaurants in Melbourne.

For dinner, I had T-bone steak, Phill and Steve had turkey, Leanne (Steve's fiancee) had risotto, and Sian and her husband, Adam, had duck. Sian gave me some of her duck and I reckon hers was the best dish! Duck is usually a tricky dish cos I've tasted duck meat which has been cooked pretty badly it tasted rubbery.

Phill and I had pineapple and banana fritters for dessert. You should have seen our faces when we tasted banana - it's like we were eating an imperial banquet - YUM! We have not had a banana for ages...yup, we're deprived. Because of Cyclone Larry in Queensland early this year, the prices for banana skyrocketed to about $20/kg so we haven't bought bananas since.

I thoroughly enjoyed the night. We were laughing alot of the time. We spoke about our life and our grievances at work and it was nice that our other and better halves were there. Phill looked like he had a great time too. Sian's husband, Adam, was really funny too. But his humour was delivered with a straight face which made me laugh even more. I enjoyed the company very much and am looking forward to our next dinner!

Masters!

I received my acceptance letter from RMIT into my Masters course this morning. I'll be pursuing a Master in Social Science (Planning and Environment) which is relevant to my new job! I was so thrilled! It's 2 wonderful news for the past 2 weeks!

What's not to be deliriously happy about? ;O)

Thank God!

Is this fair?

Phill is a Maths specialist teacher at school and being the nice and good teacher he is, he sometimes likes to share personal stories with his students.

Today, after work, he told me he had told his students about the question we asked each other, a pertinent question most newlywed couples ask themselves.

"What do you want for Christmas?"

I have always said I wanted an ipod video, since last year, and this year, I was really keen on having it. And Phill finally agreed to buy it for me. And I asked him what he wanted and while he was flipping through his military tank modelling magazine, he said he wanted a French tank which costs $30.

So he asked his students, "do you think it's fair that Victoria gets an almost $400 ipod video while I get a $30 tank model?"

All of his students, except 7 of them (they must be on my side!), said it wasn't fair.

Then one student, one of the 7, had this to say:
"But Mr Brown, you're married. It's all about the love!"

I broke down laughing. He was so sweet and really put things into perspective!!! It really is about the love but it's easy for me to say cos I'm getting the more expensive present...hahaha!

Praise The Lord!

I received wonderful news today from a job interview I attended on Tuesday!!! The manager who interviewed me told me that they have given me the job!!!! Arrghhhh! I am deliriously happy! Can it be? I couldn't believe it! This is one of the rare times I am so happy I wanna jump so high I can hit my head on the roof! (Alas, I'm not tall enough but I tried...)

This is the second interview I've attended with the same department and manager. The first interview was for an admin position and I almost made it but was finally beaten by another candidate. I was pretty devastated then cos I really wanted that job and had thought that it was the best one for me. But this job that I've been offered has so many more learning opportunities and prospects. I am so happy! Thank God!

The interview was actually for 2 positions on higher grades than I'm eligible for. But I don't have the relevant qualifications. So the manager did say they can consider employing me on a grade 3 (cos that's my equivalent grade) and train me up to qualify in that profession!!! But if there were 2 strong candidates for the levels they were looking for, he'll call me straightaway to say I'm not successful. But I am! He said after I left the interview room, the other 2 panelists were talking excitedly about me. Considering I don't have the relevant qualifications (but am waiting to hear if I've been accepted for my studies), I am really thankful they took the leap of faith and are employing me!!

I'll be working in the same town where Phill works, some 45 minutes drive from where we live/ rent now.

I haven't received their letter of offer yet. The manager told me to tender my resignation when I received the letter of offer so I'll be waiting... =O)

YEAH!!!!!!

Gerry

A friend of mine, Gerry, recently wrote to me. Incidentally, I have been thinking of her but more so during this week that she wrote to me - what can I say? Great minds think alike. Whenever we remember how we re-established contact, we really thank God for His hand in our friendship.

I knew Gerry from primary school and even though we were classmates, we were not close. She belonged to a different group of friends and she was studious and quiet, I was talkative and not as nice a gal (immature, I think) as I hope I am now.

We met again in junior college and by then, whenever we saw each other, we said hi and all, but that was about it, I think.

Then after I finished my uni studies, I was shopping in Marina Square and to this day I have no idea why, but I went up to her and greeted her enthusiastically and thankfully for me, she was just as excited to see me (a few days ago, I had enthusiastically greeted 2 friends from junior college I saw at Wisma Atria and we were fairly close at school but they gave me an icy reception and a weird look).

From then on, we never lost touch. We may not have spoken to each other for weeks or even months but we never ever lost this friendship. And what is even more precious and remarkable to me is that while we were working after our university studies, one year, we resolved to pray for each other weekly and used to send each other our prayer requests. That really cemented our friendship.

And I can be this obnoxious, irritable person sometimes, but Gerry accepts me nonetheless. And her gentleness and encouragement gives me a different perspective in life. It helps our friendship too that we're pretty crazy over the Japanese food at Tamako (128 Casuarina Road).

Besides Gerry, I have friends from work, school and church (I realise I better not list names cos I seem to leave out someone's name!!! Thank God for the many friends I have!!!) whose friendships I'm thankful for because no matter where we are or how long we haven't spoken, we are never strangers when we meet again.

Mandy Patinkin

Mandy Patinkin

I enjoy watching "Criminal Minds" and am so happy it's now twice a week. Phill didn't watch it with me previously cos there was another show he preferred watching over this. So, we ended up taping Criminal Minds and I didn't have time to watch it all. But in the last few weeks, he actually sat down and watched it with me and enjoyed it. So, no more taping, we watch it now. And for me, I am really happy when Criminal Minds is screening - how tv-crazy am I?!

Mandy Patinkin plays the leading role of Gideon who leads his team of FBI behavioural analysts. The main reason I was first drawn to the show was cos of Mandy but I had no idea where I had seen him from. Then recently, I heard the show "Chicago Hope" and something clicked. He acted in that series (which unfortunately for me didn't run for long) and I had a good feeling about that show. The doctors and nurses were passionate about their patients and I remember feeling all positive and hopeful about the medical profession after every episode.

Criminal Minds is of course darker but I enjoy understanding how they conduct profiling of criminals, serial killers, etc. While they put them into categories, they have to be smart enough to know when a criminal may deviate and fall into another category. I just love it!

Let It Snow!

Crazy but true - it's snowing up in the mountains today (photo of Mt Buller above), in November!!!

We've been going through a terrible drought, an accumulation of the past few years. And some farmers have lost their farms, which they've cultivated for many years. Imagining losing your source of income from a terrible drought. And so, we've been hoping and praying for rain (the condition of the land is so real here). And these two weeks, there has been a healthy dose of rain and we're praying for more.

Costs of Living: Australia vs Singapore

I read the Singapore newspapers online yesterday and realised the GST there will be increased from 5% to 7%. Some friends I spoke to were unhappy about the rise, understandably.

However, having moved to Australia for 1.5 years, I am beginning to realise the Singapore government manages the money of its people far better than the Australian government. In Australia, prior to implementing the 10% GST, the government promised that all other taxes will be abolished. In actual fact, some items are taxed twice over, leading the tax to be more than the 10% promised.

But what really irks me is the way the superannuation scheme (in Singapore, it's CPF) is handled here . In Australia, companies (not government) handle your superannuation funds (and there are thousands of different funds to choose from) and despite us paying income tax, we are charged three times when our money goes into a superannuation fund - first, when we deposit our money, second, a regular fee while our money is still in the fund, and third, when you want to take it out (only from 60, I think).

So, it's not a matter of seeing your funds increase, it's hoping it doesn't decrease too much cos how much interest does one have to earn in order to cover all the taxes, charges and fees? In Singapore, interest is a minimum guarantee of 2.5%. There are no charges and fees (are there?). And including your own contribution (20%) and employers' contribution (16%), some 36% of your salary goes into your retirement fund each month. In Australia, as employees, it's not compulsory for us to contribute (cos after the taxes and all, how much net income will you have left if they made superannuation contribution compulsory). But the employers contribute 9%. Imagine how long it'll take to grow the fund the way it grows in Singapore...slowly.

And income taxes are so high here, compared to Singapore. I pay about 20% income tax, while Phill pays more, leaving us with lower disposable incomes. And my pay here is so bad, I earned the same amount of pay in my 2nd year in government service in Singapore!

If I came here with the idea of having a better (financial) life, I think I might already be making plans to head back to Singapore. But I came here for Phill and won't be moving back.

Over the weekend, we were also casually discussing that when we turn 60, we may retire several months a year in Singapore, and then the remaining months in Australia. Otherwise, we won't be able to afford to retire. This prompted one of my friends to say, "Singaporeans go to Australia to retire, you heading back to retire". Things are more affordable in Singapore. If I want to head out and watch a movie, my transport cost in Singapore will be a couple of dollars (MRT train) and a movie costs S$7-S$9.50 (A$6.25-$8). And I can have a meal at the hawker centre (including 1 drink) for about S$6 (A$5). In Australia, to drive out to the next town (where there's shopping) takes 45 minutes and costs more than A$10 on fuel. A movie ticket costs at least A$11 (in the country) or A$15 (in the city). A meal with a drink (lunch) costs at least A$12 - $15. So, even if I wanted to take a break and just have an outing, thinking about the costs will prevent me from doing so.

And the costs of a holiday can be depressing too. In Singapore, a few hundred dollars can take you to another country where the exchange rate is favourable and it's a great getaway. But in Australia, a few hundred dollars don't exactly pay for the entire trip (car/airticket, meals, accommodation) to the next state. The government protects their national air carrier so much that airfares are not competitive at all. Phill pays 50% more than I do (I buy my ticket from Singapore) to fly to Singapore.

For many Singaporeans who want to move to Australia, I can understand why. Over here, employers still respect 'family time' and people in my country town are nice and friendly. And things are believed to be less stressful. In the country, it is indeed less stressful most of the time, maybe about 10-20%, but not a whole lot. In the city, I find things to be equally or more stressful than Singapore. Seeing how people rush around, the level of politeness since the first time I was in Australia in 1996 has dipped rather dramatically - the bane of modern society?

To those who are considering the move, perhaps a temporary move to better understand the country you're moving to may be a wiser option than a permanent move (giving up your citizenship), cos you may realise that the country you left may not be that bad after all.

Happy Medicine

Phill was given a herbal pill by his mum to aid his sleep cos he hasn't slept as well in the past few weeks. She tried it and said it was really good. Phill had one on Sunday night and when he came home from school last night, he said he didn't feel as tired as he usually is, especially on Monday nights - the start of a work week.

And he had this huge grin on his face, which prompted me to call him "Happy Man". He couldn't stop talking about how good he felt too. I asked him if the effect was like feeling drowsy and he said no. I can't quite understand what he meant when he said he felt good so I'm going to have some myself too. He's going to buy a bottle today so he can be happy always (haha)!

I worry a little about the effects of being too reliant on medicines but since it's herbal, I suppose it's okay?

Survivor Crush

I've been watching Survivor: Cook Islands and have a crush on Yul Kwon, an American Korean. Initially, I was attracted to Brad but as the episodes got on, Phill said he was gay and then I realised it too - Brad is a fashion director (how many of them are not gay?). At first sight, Yul wasn't very attractive cos he looked abit nerdy. But then he had personality and when I read his bio, intelligence too!

Not only was he valedictorian at his high school, he went to Stanford University and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in symbolic systems (theoretical computer science) and while at Stanford, received the James Lyons Award for Service, attended officer candidates school for the U.S. Marine Corps and graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He also has Juris Doctor Degree from Yale Law School, where he had served on the editorial board of the Yale Law Journal. How smart is this guy?!

And as I observed Yul in the subsequent episodes, he was really nice not only to his teammates but to his competitors too. In one challenge which his team won, he went over and shook the other team members hands. What a gentleman!

So, I'm hooked on Survivor and eagerly anticipate each episode because of Yul...Phill knew I thought Brad was cute but I haven't fessed up about Yul...hahaha! =P I should try and stop drooling when Yul comes up on the screen.

Mansfield Races

This was some horse and cart prance around the track to advertise a brand of beer.
I went to the Mansfield Races with my parents-in-law today cos Phill is still sick with the cold. Initially, I wasn't going to go without Phill but since my mum-in-law still sounded keen, I thought we'll go anyway cos I haven't been there before.

We were there at about 11.30am, found a good spot, set up our chairs and sat down and talked.

There were quite alot of people there and more were still to come.

And when my mum-in-law decide to place her bet on the Melbourne Cup (same day as Mansfield Race - both horse-racing events), I decided to tag along and look at the horses competing. I knew Efficient was the favourite until it was scratched and then Pop Rock and Tawqeet became current favourites. But looking down the list, I have no idea why but a thought came into my mind that a Japanese horse will win but not Pop Rock. So, I chose Delta Blues (the only other Japanese horse besides Pop Rock) and On A Jeune to bet on, $5 on each horse, each way (which meant if the horse was in any of the top 3 spots, I still win some money).

This was my first time betting and I had no idea of the horse-racing betting lingo. I just went up to the lady and said I wanted these 2 horses and only want to spend $10. She asked if I wanted it 'each way', and I had no idea what it meant but said yes. I would realise later that perhaps I should have picked 'on the nose' (for a win).

Anyway, we went back to the picnic area and sat down for a delicious meal which my mum-in-law prepared and we had to keep the flies and ants at bay. The weather was also more cool than hot, so we were wearing our jackets most of the time.

After 12pm, no horse race had started so I went and asked the lady at the betting counter and she said the first race was 1pm! So, we waited, and it was a three horse race! The next race was at 1.45pm, and it was a three horse race too. When we heard over the loudspeaker that the next race will be at 2.30pm, and 2 horses had been scratched so only one horse was in the race (it only had to run 100 metres for the owner to get his money), we decided then to pack up and go. There was hardly anything to watch and it just took so long to wait for a race. And with just the 3 of us, the conversation was abit difficult to get going. I also wanted to watch the Melbourne Cup race on television (at 3pm).

When we were leaving, my dad-in-law and I carrying the esky, we walked past these 2 young boys who said, "it's abit early, isn't it?" And I couldn't stop laughing. At the gate, we met a young mother and her daughter and my mum-in-law said it was boring so we were leaving. She explained that the race was about the drinking, not the races. But we don't drink. The next time might be better, cos hopefully, Phill will be there. He's usually the person that entertains the family, both his family and mine.

When Phill picked us up (cos it was difficult to find a parking spot), he couldn't stop laughing about how early we got out of the race. We got home and watched the Melbourne Cup Race and boy, was it exciting! In the last 30 metres, I had no idea which horse was in front until the horses had crossed the line and I realised Delta Blues won by just half a head in front of Pop Rock!

Yiipppeeee! Because the odds was $17, and I had placed my money each way, I won not only for the win but for the place too. But each way only pays half of my bet so my returns will be $2.50 x odds (instead of the $5 I had spent on the bet). My winnings was $57.50. Not bad at all. Before I sound like I'm advocating betting, I am not. I still don't like any form of gambling but may place a bet on the Melbourne Cup now, for fun, if I keep to the limit of $10? $20? I think I better stop the moment my bet increases... =O(

I didn't take any pics of my outfit til I got home and asked Phill to take pics of my outfit, which he liked too. So, here's 2 shots of it:

Beautiful Artwork

I had to write about our local hospital auxiliary art show, as part of Spring Arts Festival (an annual arts festival in our town), this evening and I waited around for nearly an hour for the prize winner to be announced.


Then I saw an artwork I liked and couldn't take my eyes off, until I saw the price tag - $500!
I couldn't afford it but I know they put their prices up cos the money will go towards our hospital. This is the second artwork I had seen from a local artist, Jenny Gibney. Another one of her works was hung at the secondary school and it was a much bigger artwork but that was donated to the school. I wanted to buy it but don't think at the moment I can afford it.

The 2 artworks by the artist spoke to me and made me want to look at it more and more. I remember reading an article recently that one has to buy an artwork because you like it not because someone else thinks it's a good investment. "There's nothing worse than having an artwork hang in your house that you eventually can't stand the sight of" was the statement I remember from the article. How true!

And then I was walking around looking at the various artworks and invariably overheard some conversations and heard one person say, "oh, I've told my husband that we should buy at least one artwork a year from this show." *rolls my eyes* Some people are really pretentious and so keen to flaunt their wealth and their ability to purchase the artworks. Perhaps I'm just being a sour grape. =P

Capote

I took time off from work this afternoon and decided to rent a DVD. Only problem is I wasn't sure which movie to rent. But after perusing the shelves, I decided on Capote for which Philip Seymour Hoffman won a Best Actor Oscar. I was abit concerned about how brutal the murder scene was going to be but I didn't have to worry, except for one scene.


I watched the first 40 mins of the movie and cos I couldn't hold up my head, decided to take a nap and slept for 2 hours! Sweet!


So when Phill returned home, we watched it together and really loved it. I didn't quite know how to describe the movie cos it wasn't fast paced nor was it that slow to make it boring. And then I watched the extras and the director used the word - "controlled" - and that's what it is. A very controlled film but one which I enjoyed because the director wasn't milking my emotions as some movies tend to do. And Philip Seymour Hoffman really shone through. I read a review that said his acting was subdued and measured and not over the top as one might be tempted to do with a character like Truman Capote. And I agree. If I hadn't watched the actual Truman Capote speak, I'm sure I'll be wondering why Hoffman spoke in that whiny voice. He really had it down pat. I was more mesmerised with Hoffman and his chemistry with Catherine Keener (who played Harper Lee, who wrote "To Kill A Mockingbird"). And it is definitely a movie that will have you thinking and talking long after the credits are wound up.

The actual Truman Capote

Anger...Frustration

I received a call from the guy who hit my car 2 weeks ago after passing him three quotes from 3 different smash repairs centres. The highest quote was $330, followed by $250 and then $150. I had written a note to say my preference was for the smash repair centre that quoted $330 but if he disagreed, we could discuss. Well, guess which one the guy went for? Yes, that's right - $150!

I was so shocked. I tried reasoning with him to at least go for the middle range but he refused and stood his ground that the company who gave the cheapest quote could do as good a job. He said his boss' wife also sent her car there to have it repaired (I'm not her, am I?). And then added that it's only a small scratch and not a major one. He said if it was a major one, he could understand why I would want it done by the other smash repairs. What was frustrating was that the way he talked was as if the car was his, and not mine. First and foremost, he forgot he hit my car!!! It was just sitting there nicely in the car park and he hit my car!

Even my colleagues felt for me and was so mad with him. One of my colleagues said he forgot that I had to run around asking for quotes and will be inconvenienced for at least a day cos my car has to be repaired. But I've argued with him to no avail and there is no point arguing with a person who values money more than his reputation.

I know in my case, I will at least go for the middle quote, even if I can't afford the highest quote.

Masters?

I've been abit discouraged and abit down about the future of my career and so decided to explore studying for my Masters last Friday. I've always wanted to further my studies but had no idea which area I should specialise in. I thought about doing a Masters in Communications but am realistic that its usefulness in the country town I live in may be limited. I want my post-graduate qualifications to be useful for my career too - I sound like a realistic Singaporean, don't I?

And then I came across the job ad for a regional planner with the government. The boss of that department was the nice guy who explored other job opportunities for me even though I was unsuccessful for the admin officer job I went for. And I thought about it and realised that perhaps a qualification in planning (like town planning) will be useful in both the country and the city. It will also certainly be useful in my current job in understanding how our district is changing and how current plans and permits will affect its future landscape.

So I went to the websites of several universities - La Trobe, RMIT, Monash - and decided on RMIT's Master of Social Sciences (environment and planning). Monash only started a Bachelor's Degree in Planning this year and La Trobe's planning courses were for the architectural department (not what I was looking for).

And I sent off an email to the nice guy to ask him if the RMIT course was relevant and he said it looked fine and he's exploring some options for me and will get back to me. Isn't he nice!

And I've spoken to my parents about it. Thankfully, they are encouraging, cos I need to borrow money from them to pay for the course first (apparently, I can claim it back on my tax return). Phill said people must think what kind of a husband he is not to be able to pay for his wife's Masters but I told him I couldn't even pay for myself. And I'm also encouraging him to pursue a Masters course with me. As my mum said, "better do it before the baby comes".

I'm not sure if I'm Masters material but I've downloaded the application form and will send it off shortly, before the 10 November deadline. I hope and pray I do get it because for once, I am quite upbeat about my present position, knowing I have my studies to focus on, and am more hopeful about the future.

Thank You For Smoking

Phill and I went to our local cinema to watch "Thank You For Smoking" (a must-watch) and it was hilarious! I loved every bit of it. It was so interesting to see how the mind of Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart's character) works. In one particular scene, he was explaining to his son his job and the art of arguing and he had this to say.

"I don't have to prove I'm right as long as I prove you're wrong."

This is the synopsis from IMDB:

Tobacco industry lobbyist Nick Naylor has a seemingly impossible task: promoting cigarette smoking in a time when the health hazards of the activity have become too plain to ignore. Nick, however, revels in his job, using argument and twisted logic to place, as often as not, his clients in the positions of either altruistic do-gooders or victims. Nick's son Joey needs to understand and respect his dad's philosophy, and Nick works hard to respond to that need without compromising his lack of values. When a beautiful news reporter betrays Nick's sexually-achieved trust, his world seems in danger of collapsing. But there's always one more coffin nail in Nick's pack.

Fete & Movies

Phill and I and my in laws went to a local church annual popular fete today where throngs of people apparently wait for the plant sale which starts at 9.30am. We arrived at that time but by then, the sale had started and there were many people buying up plants. And when the indoor stalls opened at 10am, we had a quick look around and had some devonshire teas and later returned for some bbq sausages - yummy!




My favourite scene from the movie, when Pierre and Morgan danced the Argentinian tango - Sexy!

When we returned to our home, my mum-in-law and I sat down to watch "Take the Lead" starring Antonio Banderas on DVD while my father-in-law and Phill were busy trimming our garden and pulling out the weeds. It was a really enjoyable show although I wondered if the hip-hop sections may have been abit much for my mum-in-law.

It's a true story of a great dancer, Pierre Dulaine, and how he wanted to give back to the community and decided to start dance classes in public schools in America. He was laughed at by teachers, principals and parents but he persevered and now his program is rapidly spreading throughout the country and very popular. I remember him saying that learning to dance wasn't just about the dances but about instilling values in the kids like learning to trust, to be confident in one self and for the kids to know how to treat each other respectfully. And the kids sure had fun!

"Dancing isn't about the steps. It's what happens between the steps." - Pierre Dulaine

Year 12

I went to a local accommodation resort last night to take photos of the year 12 students having their formal (a party which they organised themselves). I wasn't very keen on going cos I was so tired but I went and the guys just made me laugh so much. The gals all look really good too.

This particular 2 guys posed a raunchy shot and I kept saying I didn't want that kind of photo for the paper. But they kept insisting and said it'll be for my personal collection. Anyway, they were the ones who cracked me up. This is the pic for "my personal collection".

And then this morning, the year 12 students gathered at school for a breakfast with their principal and teacher to herald their last day of school before their examinations kick off next Friday with their English exam. This is the breakfast photo I took of them:

Phill said it's actually quite a sad day because they'll be farewelling friends they have made from Year 7-12 but my reasoning is "you will keep in touch with those you're closer with".

And one of the guys I interviewed had this to say when I ask if it was sad that his formal education had ended - "it's not goodbye, it's see you later".

Biking - I Am No Good

My gym class instructor started a bike class last week. But I missed out on it last week because I had an afternoon nap. =P I thought it'll be a quick shut-eye and I succeeded the first time, sleeping from 5.15pm to 5.25pm, but then I decided on another 10 mins nap cos the class starts at 5.45pm. But of course, the next time I woke up was 6.30pm! =O(

Today, I was keen on making the class so no nap for me. When I got the bike, my confidence just drained from me. I could put one foot on the floor but not both feet. The bike was so high and it was a mountain bike with gears. I didn't know how to use it. The class consisted of riding off the beaten track, on dirt road and down a dip and up a small slope. It was so difficult. In Singapore, I ride on concrete tracks so this was beyond me. I long for the day when I can ride so well like many people in town.

And there were times I got so nervous on a narrow track and slammed into a fence. And I had some bruises from it. This was the worst one:

Me, the Sour Grapes

I was notified end of last Thursday that I wasn't successful in my job interview (shucks!). I took it pretty well and I think cos I didn't want this job as much as the previous one I went for. But over the weekend, I thought about it and wondered about the news the manager relayed to me. He said there was one applicant who had more experience than me and the others in the group. Which was fine, cos in his position, I will also pick the person with the most experience.

But...

My question is having work experience is one thing, but it does not say how good or bad you were at your job. Did one just plough along or excel at it? Were you an equal contributor or a leader, or someone who just slowed the team down?

I suppose the manager won't know until the person starts working and he can tell if she/ he was a right choice. I've seen how some staff were chosen at the interview and their resumes were very impressive but then their work didn't prove it.

But...is there a better way?

I'm far from bitter though. I think I've achieved a certain peace at this stage (after job-hunting for more than 6 months) although I kick and struggle sometimes. I'm still trying to understand why God wants me to remain in my current job. Hopefully, I'll find out and share this one day. =O)

2006 Nobel Peace Prize

It was heartening to watch on the news that Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank jointly won this year's Nobel Peace Prize - what a deserving winner!

I remember watching a documentary of Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank previously and was very encouraged that in this day and age of financial consultants telling us how to amass more wealth for ourselves, this man saw it fit to devise a way to help others out of poverty. If not for him, the many women and families he helped won't have the hope they now have.

While watching the news about the Nobel Peace Prize, one man was asked how could he let his wife take charge of their business (they have a plot of land and his wife engaged 2 workers to till the land). He said something to the effect the wife does it well and he feels it best to leave her to do it. What a great answer! To me, it wasn't about the empowerment of a woman but in a marriage, recognising that one partner had a certain strength in a specific area and letting him or in this case, her, take charge of that. I know it's significant in Bangladesh cos the men tend to be seen as the head of the house and take charge, rather than the women (although they tend to be the ones that work really hard for their families).

Muhammad Yunus was also interviewed and he said the commercial banks charge high interest at rates the poor cannot repay - so true! These are a few comments taken from the Nobel Peace Prize website on what Yunus said straight after he was notified about his win.

"The one message that we are trying to promote all the time, that poverty in the world is an artificial creation. It doesn't belong to human civilization, and we can change that, we can make people come out of poverty and have the real state of affairs. So the only thing we have to do is to redesign our institutions and policies, and there will be no people who will be suffering from poverty. So I would hope that this award will make this message heard many times, and in a kind of forceful way, so that people start believing that we can create a poverty-free world. That's what I would like to do.

"Oh yes, very much, we see the demonstration of it every day. People come out of poverty every day. So it's right in front of us what happens and it can be done globally, it can be done more forcefully, we can organize more things to go with it, so this is something not theoretical issue, it's a very real issue. People can change their own lives, provided they have the right kind of institutional support. They're not asking for charity, charity is no solution to poverty. Poverty is the creation of opportunities like everybody else has, not the poor people, so bring them to the poor people, so that they can change their lives. That's all we are doing. We didn't do anything special; lend money to the people so – but they never lent it to the poor people – all we did was we lent it to the poor people, and that makes the trick. That makes the change."

What A Day!

Sian (my colleague) and I were on our usual lunchtime walks today when I smelled something and when we turned a street corner, she pointed to a fire on couch on the front verandah of a house. It was only a small fire on one of the cushions on the couch so we ran to the house and started knocking on the windows and rang the doorbell to alert the occupant. But by the time the young occupant answered the door, the flames engulfed the entire couch. We told him to get buckets of water to douse the fire and then ran to get the fire brigade cos we didn't have our mobiles on us.

But when we arrive at the fire brigade, the lady wanted the exact address. We told her the house is on the main street and she can tell by the smoke rising from the house and she asked us if it was this side of the road or the opposite side. At that time, we were frantic cos we won't sure if the young teenager was okay, and he needed back-up. We just told her to quickly get the brigade and ran back to the office to grab our camera and notebook to cover the story.

Another colleague, Steve, came along with us when we returned to the house. By this time, almost half of the house was on fire and the fire was travelling to the house next door. Fortunately, the fire brigade came shortly after and doused the flames in time. Only the tree in the neighbour's house was thoroughly burnt.

We felt sorry for the guy and his father though. They have lost alot of their personal belongings. We're just glad he's alright.

It's scary how windy today has been, which we believe is the reason the fire just travelled so quickly, beyond our control.

Incidentally, it's a total fire ban day too, which means "No fires can be lit or be allowed to remain alight in the open air", and Sian and I don't usually cover that route. We only changed our walking route because magpies were swooping at us. We are glad we were there and we like to think we had alerted the teenager to a danger he might not otherwise have known. And I believe God meant us to be there.

Electric Wok

I went and bought an electric wok today after a conversation with my colleague and my frustrations with cooking in a wok on an electric stove. Because the stove in our rental house isn't great (it takes ages for the coil to heat up), we couldn't season our wok properly and it gets rusty. Initially, I thought it was just the quality of the wok I bought and changed it twice before I finally gave up today. And I learned from my colleague how great an electric wok is because the entire wok is heated, not just its base. So Phill cooked chicken satay (bottled sauce) for dinner tonight and it was so quick and easy. I love the new wok!

I've always told Phill that I prefer a gas stove, but in the country here, I was told it's only possible if we buy bottled gas, cos we have no piped gas. But gas is apparently not energy efficient (less than 50% efficient) and sometimes, the waiting period for another gas bottle can be fairly long (depending on the delivery guy's schedule). So the wiser option is a good electric stove or the trend now is induction stove. We'll make our decision when the time comes.

My Accent

I received a call today from a lady who gave me feedback on an article I wrote and who wanted to clarify an error I had made in an article. She said she had nothing against what I wrote and didn't want a correction. I had written that her husband and her applied for a two lot subdivision and that one house was meant for her daughter and another for them. But she said one house wasn't for them. But I said I heard it mentioned at the meeting. She clarified that her husband said "for our uses", which I thought meant the house was for them. Well, this has taught me to just put it down in future as it was said.

And then she began to ask me about my accent. She asked where I was from. I told her Singapore. And she asked if I ever grew up in Canada cos she has a Canadian granddaughter and I sounded like her. I said many people had commented on my accent and said I either sounded American or Canadian, but there are some words I say that sounds English too. And just like someone mentioned to me previously, I have what one may call a "cosmopolitan accent".

Thing is, I have never had these questions posed to me when I'm in Singapore. Only questions I get in Singapore were "are you from here"? And this were questions I had since I was in my early teens, about 15. I remember having problems with some people at school cos I sounded different and they thought my accent was put on. I don't think I have a forced accent (I hope not!) but I do know that my voice changes and sometimes I sound different than usual (things that are not within my control).

But what is it that makes me sound different? I enjoy public speaking and I suppose from young, I may have paid more attention to public speakers. And I think I select words I like the sound of, and put them in my vocabulary.

But that's not to say my pronounciation is spot-on. It's sometimes out-of-whack and very different to how people in Australia pronounce the very same words. But then even within Australia, different people pronounce the same word differently.

Like when I went to a video shop last week and asked for the movie "Clerks". I pronounced it one way ("klurks") and the lady at the store thought I said "clocks". Then she corrected me and said English Australians pronounce "clerks" as "clarks". So I asked her how does one differentiate between the 2 words "clerks" and "clarks" since they sound the same. She didn't reply. Anyway, I told my colleagues this story and they said she's so rude. But she said it in a matter-of-fact way and I don't think she meant to be rude. And anyway, Phill and my colleagues pronounce it the same way I do. So, then again, within English Australians, there are differences too.

Movie: Jindabyne

Phill and I just watched the movie, Jindabyne (an Aussie made movie), at our local cinema. It was a more enjoyable movie than "The Break-Up" (starring Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn). More than anything, I enjoyed watching Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne and how natural they were in their characters and with each other. Both are under-rated actors. Some scenes in the movie showcased the beautiful landscape too and it was breathtaking. Although the movie was somewhat slow-moving at certain parts, it feels like when one is having a degustation meal, so that towards the end, you feel really satisfied and enjoyed the experience but not overly full.

I had read some reviews prior to watching the movie and agree with one review which objected to the audience being shown right at the beginning that the four guys in the film were not responsible for the young girl's death. What ensues when they returned to their town after completing their fishing trip (they did not hurry home upon discovering the body) was the audience cannot understand the full extent of the rage and anger the town felt against the men and their families. I felt that the town had channelled their anger at the killer against these men, who did not do the right thing but were not the killers. However...the town did not know, the audience did.

It threw up abit of discussion between Phill and I about parenting styles too. In one scene, Laura Linney's character grounded her young son but Gabriel Byrne's character overturned that and frustrated her no end. Phill and I agreed that even if we don't agree with each other's decision, we'll stick with it when it comes to our kids so they don't play one against the other. But having been a child myself, I know which parent to go to for certain things to guarantee a "yes". Phill said he'll just tell the kid, "what did Mum say? No? That's it then, no."

Another scenario that featured in the movie was the disagreement between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Both had their points of view but I felt that it's best when parents leave their children to run their own households rather then to take over. In the movie, the mother of Byrne's character moved into the house, helped them run the house, then criticised her daughter-in-law (Linney's character) and reminded her how much she had done to help her. I saw how much she had helped but felt sad that Linney's character was trying hard but it wasn't understood.

Parking Fine!

I got a parking fine in the afternoon today...arrrgghhh! I parked for more than 2 hours in the 2 hour zone. But the town is not known to be strict on fines. But the officer said he had complaints so they had to act.

And the thing is, my car was the first to be booked and the officer (in Victoria, they are called local laws officer) told me to tell my colleague (who parked next to me) to drive her car away as he hasn't written her ticket yet. When I got to my office, I told my colleagues about it and one colleague, S, said the other colleague who got away with the fine should split the cost of my $50 fine. But she didn't offer and I didn't want to ask. Later in the evening, when I spoke to Phill, he said it doesn't work that way and that it's not too bad. I think he was more relieved I didn't prang the car. =P

And another worse thing was another colleague telling me his girlfriend got away without being fined cos she knew the officer...arrgghhh! It's just me, among people I know parking in a 2 hour zone, who got it!!! =O(

Mee Siam!

Phill and I made mee siam for dinner from the Prima Taste packs we bought from Melbourne weeks ago when we were there. And boy, was it yum (very authentic)! Love it...

A Pat On the Back

In this week's paper, I was mentioned in 2 letters to the editor, complimenting my coverage of the Islamic seminar held some 2 weeks ago. I had also received a call regarding another article I had written too. It's really encouraging to receive the letters and calls, especially when my motivation is low sometimes. =O)

But I do recognise that a journalist is only as good as its source and I am thankful for the wealth of information most people I speak to, provide. Otherwise, my article would have been reduced to a brief... =P

Interview

I went for a job interview today and I think it went well. The position is a project support officer for a controversial project (alot of community debate and unhappiness). The project director was very kind and encouraging. At some points, he said my answers were good. But they are interviewing other applicants and will let me know how it goes.

I recall a conversation with my friend, Christina, about the different interview/ application styles in Singapore and Australia. I know in Singapore they reserve the right to only inform the successful applicants. So, after several weeks, you can safely assume you were not successful even though they are just tardy in their selection. In Australia, they have to acknowledge they have received your application and also inform you if you were successful or not. I'm not sure if it's legal but I think it's basic courtesy. I remember reading an ad by the Ministry of Education (Singapore) seeking teachers. And at the end of the ad, it had this line which read something like 'we reserve the right not to reveal the reasons for your selection or not'. I thought the line was really rude. The other ads from other countries' ministeries were more towards the line of "come and speak to us, discuss with us, we are happy to speak to you about this job"...and then Singapore's ad read like they called the shots. We know every employer does but couldn't they put it in a nicer way?

And in Australia, if you were unsuccessful, you have every right to call the organisation and ask why you were not selected (so you can do better next time) and understand the rationale behind their decision.

I hope Singapore will arrive at a stage where they are more polite and make the point to appreciate the applications that come in because applicants make the effort to write it.

To Kill A MockingBird

Together with the overnight rental of "Syriana", Phill and I watched "To Kill A Mockingbird" (free weekly rental) and boy, I miss the strengths of a classic movie. I've never watched it before and love every minute of it! It had strong moral values and even showed how to raise kids. And I thought Gregory Peck was the classic gentleman and am glad he won an Oscar for it cos he deserved every bit of it! And now I will like to put the name Atticus in my list of possible male names (if I have a son in the future).

Link to an article about the death of the actor, Brock Peters, who played Tom Robinson (standing next to Gregory Peck) - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4179560.stm (the article lends more weight to the gentleman Gregory Peck is.)

After watching the movie, I remembered a line that Terri Irwin (Steve Irwin's wife) said in a public interview several days ago, a line that Steve Irwin believed in, and the line still lingers in my mind:

The ONE thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do NOTHING - Edmund Burke, 1795

Small Eyes

My church members, Serena and Brian, dedicated their child, Allen, to God and we had a celebration with some of their friends attending too. One of my church members asked one of their friends, a filipina, how she met Serena and she said in a jewellery store. She explained that Serena had gone up to her and asked if she was Chinese. And her reply? "My eyes are not small". I laughed along with her but felt slightly offended. She was a great gal though and wonderful to talk to but I wonder what perceptions she may have of Chinese and if she had met other Chinese who had big eyes, cos small eyes isn't restricted to just the Chinese race.

And she had an Australian guy, at least 10 years older than her, with her, who was so unfriendly. She introduced me to him and he just gave me a blank look without even saying "hi". But whoever she spoke to, he hovered around her and sometimes, even put an arm around her. He was creepy...

Syriana

Plot summary from IMDB:
A missile disappears in Iran, but the CIA has other problems: the heir to an Emirate gives an oil contract to China, cutting out a US company that promptly fires its immigrant workers and merges with a small firm that has landed a Kazakhstani oil contract. The Department of Justice suspects bribery, and the oil company's law firm finds a scapegoat. The CIA also needs one when its plot to kill the Emir-apparent fails. Agent Bob Barnes, the fall guy, sorts out the double cross. An American economist parlays the death of his son into a contract to advise the sheik the CIA wants dead. The jobless Pakistanis join a fundamentalist group. All roads start and end in the oil fields.

~~~

Phill and I watched "Syriana" this evening cos I borrowed it yesterday and it's only on overnight rental.

I found the film confusing and I didn't know what the relationship between Connex/Kileen, CIA and Matt Damon's character was. Only towards the end did it all come together for me but at that stage, I felt I really needed to watch it all over again for the story to sink in.
And I was shocked that America will interfere in another country's politics to the point of murdering one prince (the heir) because they had the support of another prince (who wasn't selected to be the emir). But I believe there is alot of dirty business going on in politics, which may explain the current apathy among voters or just the dip in morale among potential politicians to participate in politics. I find it one of the hardest jobs to be a clean, honest person cos I get the impression you won't rise high if that's the case, unless you have good bosses along the way. Some betrayal, dishonesty (Lies are not just untruths but omission of truth), deals and backstabbing going on more frequently than any workplace.

But if we want to make a positive change, I believe that we need morally upright people to take the post and strive to remain untainted. We need more of them to make a difference in parliament and the world.

And that is why I take a different view to couples who are wary about bringing children into this world, that it's such a cruel, difficult world to live in. I hope my children may play a part in being the solution to the problem, rather than being a part of the problem. Just like we may run out of oil one day (looking increasingly possible sooner than forecast), I hope my children will play a part some way to finding an alternative fuel that will never run out. Perhaps it's my ideal desire to have 6 kids kicking in...haha! (but too expensive in this day and age if I want the best for all my kids.)

Bullied...again

My colleagues and I are having problems with this particular colleague, E. But personally, after an unpleasant incident with her earlier, I've been cautious but my opinion of her was sullied.

Some weeks ago, when I was listening to the radio, she entered my work area and asked if I was listening to the radio. I said yes and as I was smiling while working, even though she was standing opposite me, she bent down and turned her neck so she could look at my screen. This wasn't the first time she had done that so I said, "please don't do that" (cos it was an invasion of my privacy), and she said, "I thought it was something funny you were looking at" (even if it was, it wasn't her business. If I wanted to share it, I would). And then she slammed her business case on my desk and said harshly, "Victoria, you've crossed the line" and walked back to her desk (in another room), and came back again to me and said in the same tone "You write an email to xxx (general manager) and copy it to me!". Why should I do what she wants me to do, and secondly, why should I copy the email to her even if I wanted to send my GM an email? I didn't think it was major enough to warrant telling the bosses. I told her what I'm unhappy about, if she can't deal with it, it's her problem.

And then this morning, we had our weekly meeting and when she questioned one of my colleagues, W, about her work, W had a panic attack and had to be sent to the doctor. So later in the morning, my colleagues decided to have a meeting to discuss if the weekly meetings are useful. And one colleague, S, said perhaps it's important to set some structures in place with regards to clients (cos E has been 'stealing' W's colleagues). E patiently explained to S that structures are in place and there were some misunderstandings but it's been solved (according to W, it hasn't though). And then E went on and on, repeatedly, saying how W's panic attack is long term and will take some time to get over and that she's in an industry before so she knows. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and I said calmly, "I hope this won't be used as an excuse against W".

Then E got angry and asked, "Who are you saying will use this as an excuse?"
I replied, "it's a general statement for anyone in the office who may use it."
E: "Come on, be honest, who are you talking about? Me?"
Me: "It's a general statement."
E: "Is it me you're talking about?"
Me: "Oh, stop being so sensitive" (I had by then raised my voice in exasperation.)
E: "Don't shout at me."

By that stage, I didn't reply and left for my lunch appointment.

I really felt bullied cos she refused to take my statement as it is and kept baiting and challenging me. But when my colleague, S, mentioned that certain structures needed to be put in place, she very patiently explained things to him.

I told my boss about the incident and he was very nice about it. I didn't want nor expect him to do anything like confront E but as long as he knows what has happened to me, it's enough.

When I got home that day, I cried again and Phill was so upset that he told me to quit. But I'm not in the wrong so I won't quit unless E becomes permanent (she leaves in a few months), then I may consider quitting.

Book Club!

I attended my first book club meeting earlier in the evening and boy, was it fun, even though I hadn't read more than 20 pages of Kazuo Ishiguro's "When We Were Orphans". I suppose when you have a more captivating book, like "Marley and Me", it's difficult to pick Kazuo's book instead. The plot in his book moved rather slowly (but then that's at the start) and his character was not very attractive.

But the book club was fun. The monthly meetings are held in members' home and we went to a nice home today and I got to pet a little dog (I need my canine fix!). The discussions just flowed and in the midst of that, life experiences and stories were told.

One lady said she understood why the main character, Christopher, wanted to find his mother so much cos she herself didn't know who her own mother is. And when the topic veered to expatriate lifestyle, a lady said she enjoyed her expatriate life in Hongkong for four years and enjoyed all the activities that went with it. She said it was the best time of her life.

So, even though I didn't read very much of the book, I learnt alot from the discussion and there wasn't any restrictions with expressing your views. Anyone could and did. My friend who was supposed to go with me couldn't make it that night and one of her initial concerns were that if we, the young ones spoke, the older ladies would think, "what do they know, they didn't live through the war". As it turned out, it was unfounded.

I look forward to the next meeting!

Mao Zedong

Phill went to school today (even though he's on holidays) to clear up his room and re-decorate it for the new term. He also visited his parents and brought home a present his parents had bought him from flea markets they went to over the weekend in Melbourne with their friends - a book on Mao Zedong (it was a bargain at 50 cents)!

Phill loves anything and everything about the man - the little red book, mao zedong alarm clock (which we bought in Hongkong on a previous trip), etc....very kitsch, eh!

Electric vs Manual

My wonderful husband surprised me after work with a present - an ELECTRIC toothbrush (the one on the right is mine).

Reason being, when we were in Melbourne over the weekend, I forgot my (manual) toothbrush and borrowed Phill's electric one. I've never used an electric toothbrush and so was amazed at the sensation and just how clean my teeth felt - it was amazing!!! And I was talking about getting one myself. And he went and got it for me!

I would now HIGHLY recommend everyone use an eletric toothbrush cos I think it definitely gets the job done much better than the manual one. And your teeth feels like it's getting a massage...awwww!