n

Monday, January 31, 2005

Love is in the air.

It appears that with the looming of Valentines day (*hint hint* to any interested parties who may be reading this), love in deed is in the air. As if to upstage yesterday's "wedding of the year" between Logie golden boy Rove McManus and Belinda Emmette and of course, who can forget Donald Trump and his latest.... Lleyton Hewitt has proposed to Bec Cartwight.... awww

According to the conceirge at the Park Hyatt hotel in Melbourne:

"Magic was in the air, and of course love was in the air. The two parties looked fantastic together and they were both very happy,"

And why wouldnt they be... in fact, their engagement would provide the perfect storyboard for the latest 'fuzzy feeling' mastercard ad:

  • Tiffany & Co diamond engagement ring: $200,000
  • Lleyton Hewitt's Aus Open runner up prize money: $600,000
  • What he would have got if he had won: $1,200,000 ( you do the math)
  • What Bec Cartwright's gonna get selling her 'exclusive story' to New Idea: $1,000,000 (estimate)
  • Having Bec Cartwright endure hours and hours of tennis: Priceless

And watch the tennis she did! The Age has even published photos of her journey towards becoming the best tennis-girlfriend she could be:


"What do you mean he isn't an F1 driver?" Posted by Hello


Lleyton, you had me at "come'on". Posted by Hello


Bec gives Lleyton their secret thumb-up signal and cheekily hints: "honey, after you finish the Russian off, i'll cook you a nice dinner ... look, i've even got my apron on already" Posted by Hello


After weeks of practice, Bec has finally mastered the 'tense and concerned face'. "yes" she thinks to herself "i'll just adopt whatever facial expression his coach has... now who says i can't act?!" Posted by Hello

I'm sure some of you must think that i'm some shrew old woman who is completely cynical and unromantic. Well, you're probably right about the shrew and cynical part... but i definitely do believe in romance.... just not with Lleyton Hewitt.



Saturday, January 29, 2005

I'm soOOooo full!

The word 'moderation' does not seem to exist in my vocab. Since i have been excessively shopping, it appears i have now moved on to excessive eating.

Not only have we stuffed ourselves to our hearts content with yummy indian food at Bhoj Docklands (and all the while gossiping up a frenzie... see, chicks really are the masters of "the multi-task") i had spent the rest of my night snacking on watermelon and pringles (sour cream and onion) whilst reading the "Food and Entertainment" section of the Vogue forum.

In amongst the discussion about Max Brenner and desserts i came across this:

Voguette A: did you know that Macca's nuggets arn't real chicken?

Voguette B: well, actually they are... they are made from real chicken breast pressed together.

Voguette C: haha... chicken cleavage!

hmm.... chicken cleavage.....(in the voice of homer simpson)


Thursday, January 27, 2005

Why are idiots allowed to drive?

That's right folks - this is a 'road rage' post!

Driving home from the gym (how absolutely angelic of me) and the car in front of me (champayne coloured astra) decided to drive at 50km/hr in a 60km/hr zone and also felt that it was appropriate to occasionally cross into the left lane. I sensed that the middle-aged lady passanger was daring him or something, perhaps its the latest craze amongst 40-50 year olds? So, as i tried to overtake him, he of course speeds up ever so slightly and edges across to my lane. Perhaps i should have just let him seeing my car is in dire need of a respray.... hmm...

So, unable to takeover, i followed his car in the right lane... and just as i was about to end the my frustrations and turn right, the said idiot suddenly slows down again and i miss the green light, leaving me swearing profusely.

*grrrr*

Perhaps its not such a big deal. I think i mite be just in a shit mood from the heat and most importanly having to deal with my mum's "friend" from interstate who stayed at our place for the past week. Man, that lady has issues. *grrr*

ok.... calm.... calm.... Maybe i should go and use one of those whitening face masks i got from HK. Maybe they should invent a calming-anti-road rage masks with added annoying-asian-lady-dealing-with minerals.

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Exercise

Recieved an amusing email from a friend who is currently overseas yesterday. I have to admit, we are by no means the best-est buds, but i love the way, that somehow in her delusion, she has this image of me as a health junkie. You know, that i work out at the gym, drinks 8 glases of water a day and snacks of blanched cabbage type of thing...

True, i do have gym membership, but my cheapo concession membership which only entitles me to 'off-peak' usage provides the perfect exercise to just stay home and watch oprah. Though yesterday i did watch some strenous exercise at the Australian Open. Perhaps the vigour we placed into getting a shot of Andy Roddick's bum and the chanting under our breathes for him to 'take off his shirt' deserves some recognition as a sport? Clearly, our aims in going to the tennis was not the tennis.

Aside from arse-checking-out, the tennis provided the perfect opportunity to get a tan, amuse ourselves with the 15 year olds who think that going to the tennis is akin to going to the beach, and drink beer all afternoon without judgement. Despite our fun and games, we certainly did make an effort at a healthy balanced diet: there was the gourmet breads we bought, the low fat rice cracker snacks, packaged popcorn.... and hot chips and dim sims... needless to say which of the food groups proved to be the more popular alternative. Heck, we even had fruit (in the form of fruit flavoured mentos).

Perhaps i should actually go to the gym today....

ETA: the friend who wrote me that amusing email is an awesome writer... i would love the opportunity to read her blog one day...

Saturday, January 22, 2005

'scuse the babblering for i'm (still) on a shopping high.

cant sleep tonight... must be still on a high from the shopping.

Had a most wonderful time shopping with girlfriends today. Its rather frightful actually... especially when one bestie pointed out during dinner that we had spent $1000AUD between the three of us that day. I sensed that she was feeling guilt and remorse and that the vision of her credit card bill was begining to materialise in her mind. Perhaps she was trying to incite that similar type of guilt from within us... she needed someone else who understood and shared in her pain. Though i think she was disapointed with the audience she had chosen. I mean, the chick sitting across from her was carrying a MC speedy 25... and me... well, i'm just waaaaay beyond that guilt thing (i mean does that woman realise how much $ i blow on jeans?). I have learnt, through my experience to prolong that shopping high and to come up with increasingly convincing explanations for why i need that new top/jeans/bag/shoe/frivolous item... i mean, even amongst my purchases, i still had not broken my pack to not buy cheapo-asian-country-funky/cutsey/ dangerfield/qbf/chainstore product unless its as cheap as in HK. So, all my purchases were overpriced-australian designed-china made items which are complete rip offs but is a clear demonstration of my new found vanity. But then again, i was not the one who spent to the majority of that $1000AUD...

i guess the only problematic thing which creates something which resembles an inkling of guilt in me is the fact that normal people who have just returned from a shopping trip in HK dont really buy anything. Perhaps i am mad? But damn that madness feels good...

Wednesday, January 19, 2005

Humiliation and Ridicule

Have u ever felt humiliated and ridiculed when purchasing something?

The item in question is the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" (yes, i know that the whole craze and hype is so over by now, but it really look me that long to justify the purchase of another book. But i figured that we are in another year now - being 2005 - and so, the Da Vinci code, therefore, is a book i purchased last year).

Ridicule was played by a tall, lanky, pimply guy in his 20s. Humiliation was represented by a fatter counterpart who wore glasses. I like to stereotype them as the skinny teenage pimple kid who works at Krusty Burgers from the Simpsons and the comic book guy. They were, in my opinion, pretty much ur typical town geek. They seemed to love their jobs at sales clerks at Borders - if their job descriptions include making remarks as their customers approach, and kinda chuckling in that 'i will tell my colleage something funny about you after u leave' kinda way.

They seemed to find it funny that i was actually paying for something from Borders. Well, i guess Borders does charge a markup compared to ur local Dymocks or Kmart to cover for the free riding magazine readers who mistaken Borders for a personal library. But once in a while, idiots like me have to make an overpriced purchase to keep the whole free-riding situation going - its for the good of all mankind... Anyway... as i approached riducule and humiliation, they continued smirking at me... and as i presented my "rich dad poor dad' book onto the counter, i could almost hear them burst out in laughter.

And the voice over of their thoughts would have went something like this:

Ridicule: prahahahaha...
Humiliation: What is she thinking?!
Ridicule: i mean, does this idiot actually beleive that buying a self-help financial book will really make her rich>?
Humiliation: the only person who gets rich from that book is the author...
Ridicule: it is clear that this chick has no idea about finances, but feels immense pangs of guilt from overspending of makeup from some cheap asian country that she has just visited and so thinks that her problems will be solved by that book! haha...
Humiliation: i mean, her $21.95 would be much better spent just paying off her credit card bill...
Ridicule: if i get $1 for everytime i see a desperate idiot willing to beleive in anything for the hope of a life-changing miracle...
Humiliation: you wouldnt have to work here anymore...
Ridicule: though her make up looks very radiant....

And then i had a thought - maybe they werent laughing at me. I mean, i am but one of the zillions of idiots who buy financial self help books... if they had that 'voice over' conversation everytime someone like me bought something, then they would never finish their conversation about Star Trek or David Edding books or molecular science or whatever they talk about.... Maybe the 'ridicule and humiliation' was just all in my head... simple a projection of how i felt about my desperation in buying that stupid book. Maybe i just realised what a gullible consumer i had been, and that i would have been better off with buying vogue.

Having said that, i read the first two chapters last night.... its not so bad. i guess it is good motivation for me not to blow my future wages on shoes...

ETA: today i bought my first colourful piece of under. They are hot pink Bonds cotton hipster. If that is too much information. I suggest you read someone else's blog. Try some of my links for starters.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Up and Running...

Well, not running (who runs nowadays anyway?) but at least back 'up' from my 1 week plus of illness. Being sick in Melbourne in the terrible heat really makes you miss Hong Kong even more. As i lay in bed during the past week, trying not to drift asleep (but at the same time finding sleep the best alternative), i reminisced those $3HK fish balls... those bowls of 'yeung zhi gum lo' with juicy mango pieces and grapefruit... those 'zhu cheung fun' (such slippery smooth flat rice noodle rolls with toasted sesame, soy sauce, plum sauce and sesame sauce in that little plastic bag)... All the possibilities of eating something different and surprisinly delicious everyday... or the comforting thought of having one of those red bean icy poles after dinner every night, followed by the post-dessert callibee hot and spicy chips....

But there i was, sleeping... not being able to taste anything, not wanting to eat anything.

At least now i'm back up and not feeling like crap anymore. Today i seriously contemplated finding out how much plane tickets on the new Virgin Sydney to HK route was...

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Update From Hong Kong Part 3

Ok - this is getting misleading... i'm actually 'updating' from Taipei during my final nite of my stay in the Delight Hotel using their free internet access :) Despite its dodgy name (and lobby), the hotel is actually quite nice and affordable (Thanks to my uncle Francis for the rec). Its quite close to the MRT (train) station, the rooms are very modern (exactly like the pics on teh website) and they have these cool showers with 'spa' thingies.

The last two days in Taipei has been great. THe FOOD here is amazing! everything is so cheap and yummy - i have literally been eating 5+ meals per day - or rather one big continuous meal. For example today i had:
  • hotel buffet brekky: western style bacon + eggs, congee, soy milk with fried donut and pork floss and really really yummy dried tofu and pickled vegies
  • shabby place in XiMenTing: taro cake, soup with squid and satay (very strange), egg omlette with small oysters, taiwanese mince meat on rice
  • cutsey crepe place next door to shabby place: crepe with banana and chocolate
  • bubble tea place in little laneway in GuoLin: grapefruit honey green tea (really yum)
  • street store: cabbage and pork steam/fried bun
  • TingTaiFeng: shanghainese xiaolungbao with crab. taiwanese beef noodle soup
  • Street shop in 'University area': smelly tofu (my favourite), pork intestine noodle
  • Hotpot restaurant: all u can eat 'mala' hot pot.

i feel like i have eaten enough to feed the population of a small island... having said that i plan to have a 'YongHeDouJiang' tmr monring for brekky b4 i leave... hehe..

I must say, my friend C (despite being a stupid prick that he is) has been a very good 'tour guide' and has shown me great places in taipei which made this short trip what it is. So - Thanks matey!

should probably go back to sleep now... nite all