Hi dear friend... waiting to see the morning with you! Hold your breathe while dusk and night falls... Sharing with you a passage I read in a book.
When the worst happens, or almost happens, a kind of peace comes. I had passed beyond grief, beyond terror, all but beyond hope, and it was there, in that wilderness, that for the first time in my life, I caught sight of something of what it must be like to love God truly. It was only a glimpse, but it was like stumbling on fresh water in the desert…I loved him because there was nothing else left. I loved him because he seemed to have made himself as helpless in his might as I was in my helplessness. I loved him not so much in spite of there being nothing in it for me, but almost because there was nothing in it for me. For the first time in my life, there in that wilderness, I caught what it must be like to love God truly, for his own sake, to love him no matter what. (Frederick Buechner, in John Ortberg’s Love Beyond Reason)
Trust His Heart
(Babbie Mason)
“All things work for our good
Though sometimes we don’t see how they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blinds us to the truth
Our Father knows what’s best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don’t see him
Remember you’re never alone
God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When you don’t see his plan
When you can’t trace his hand
Trust his heart
He sees the masterplan
He holds our future in his hands
So don’t live as those who have no hope
All our hope is found in Him
We see the present clearly
But he sees the first and the last
And like a tapestry
He’s weaving you and me
To someday be just like Him
He alone is faithful and true
He alone knows what is best for you
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Cakey Fun
3 nights ago, we tried our hands at making a cake. The weather felt like it is winter, and rain poured down finally. Not that I was happy with it, because I practically beared with the cold winter in hope that spring will come. So to give us a challenge, we embarked on making a cake, sans electric mixer.
I relegated the chef's hat, and became the lovely assistant. The cake was finally baked after midnight, and I could only bring myself to finish it up with the cream this afternoon. It tasted like those 1980s cake when I had when I was young, the ones with pale yellow butter cream, with little granulated peanuts carefully sprinkled on the sides.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Monday, October 09, 2006
Coffee Break
Haven't written for some weeks now. Main culprit has to be engaging in some temp job and having no mood to blog after staring at the computer screen for 8 hours a day. It's been a nice 3 weeks tho, with income coming in, silently observing office politics, the aussie office culture, as well as enjoying my lunchtime cup of flat white at my favourite bluestone cafe nearby.
Caro and Joel flew in the weekend that I ended work. It's such a joy to see them, to bring them around, have coffee, wine, beer, cheese, celebrate birthday, sneakily plan their proposal, and forcing them to eat my blood oranges. The week flew past, and now they are on the side of the world that I'll be happy to be in.
After eating disgusting loads of dim sums, we ended their stay with the following video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_GDvc2MQDo
Back to slack life.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Murphy's Law
According to Murphy's Law, the only day in the last 2.5 years where you have to wake up early and haul yourself to the city, it will pour cats, dogs and all other assorted animals.
According to Murphy's Law, after you take all available measures to prevent your immigration application forms from going missing in transit to Adelaide, it still will grow legs and go on its own joyride. In fact, the forms are so stray in nature that they will still take its own stroll, possibly along the streets of Adelaide, after being received and signed.
That's my woes of the week. The first one is a happy woe, because I went to meet my work agent. The second, is a case of an incompetent story, that will determine when my first real job will come. My immigration application, although sent via registered post and returned with a receipt, is now officially in a black hole, nowhere to be found, with the acknowledging agent not taking any responsibility.
But should it not be any more surprising of the perils of PR application in this country? After all, entreprenuers have already made a business to sell statistics on the approximate waiting time for PRs (I kid you not). Waiting is not a fun activity, especially when your job hinges on it. I suspect that while everyone knows that it's going to be a loooong wait, they may just buy the reports to sadistically convince themselves that some things in this country can indeed move at snail's pace.
Can I therefore make a suggestion? That a complaints department be set up, and since no rational human beings would want to place themselves to handle the barrage, I will gladly round up a group of PR-bummers like myself to man the hotline. If you can't be any faster, at least let it be a win-win situation for both sides.
According to Murphy's Law, after you take all available measures to prevent your immigration application forms from going missing in transit to Adelaide, it still will grow legs and go on its own joyride. In fact, the forms are so stray in nature that they will still take its own stroll, possibly along the streets of Adelaide, after being received and signed.
That's my woes of the week. The first one is a happy woe, because I went to meet my work agent. The second, is a case of an incompetent story, that will determine when my first real job will come. My immigration application, although sent via registered post and returned with a receipt, is now officially in a black hole, nowhere to be found, with the acknowledging agent not taking any responsibility.
But should it not be any more surprising of the perils of PR application in this country? After all, entreprenuers have already made a business to sell statistics on the approximate waiting time for PRs (I kid you not). Waiting is not a fun activity, especially when your job hinges on it. I suspect that while everyone knows that it's going to be a loooong wait, they may just buy the reports to sadistically convince themselves that some things in this country can indeed move at snail's pace.
Can I therefore make a suggestion? That a complaints department be set up, and since no rational human beings would want to place themselves to handle the barrage, I will gladly round up a group of PR-bummers like myself to man the hotline. If you can't be any faster, at least let it be a win-win situation for both sides.
Friday, September 01, 2006
How to While a Day Away
All you need:
1)A day off (at least your housemate has a day off)
2)A bored trip to the chinese grocer
3)A sucker to tantalizing pictures of pink and white Kuehs on a Kuih Apom Box
4)Linguistic ability to read chinese and malay culinary instructions
5)A seasoned palate to distinguish the milo apoms from the coffee ones.
First you buy a box of trusted Kuih Apom mix from your friendly chinese grocer. Then find the biggest bowl in your house and whisk all ingredients.
1)A day off (at least your housemate has a day off)
2)A bored trip to the chinese grocer
3)A sucker to tantalizing pictures of pink and white Kuehs on a Kuih Apom Box
4)Linguistic ability to read chinese and malay culinary instructions
5)A seasoned palate to distinguish the milo apoms from the coffee ones.
First you buy a box of trusted Kuih Apom mix from your friendly chinese grocer. Then find the biggest bowl in your house and whisk all ingredients.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Off to see Old Pals
I've been missing my friends back home quite a bit, since reality cannot be stronger that every day I spend here, I lose one on the other side. So when the chance came for me to visit the only old pals I have on this continent, I did jump at the chance, even if it meant travelling 6+6 hours.
It was really great meeting Tert and Jan, and my first time seeing toddler Timmy. Enroute to Canberra, we stopped by at Milawa, which is made famous by the Brown Brothers winery, as well as its cheeses and mustards. My 'aperitif' was quite lovely, since I had the whole cellar tasting to myself, and happily sipped all available cellar-door only varieties. By the time I left, I was in a happy pinkish glow. The weather was fantastic, and I had enough sun tan on my left cheek and left arm for a good 6 hours. Lunch was at the Milawa cheesery, and I was fully satisfied with touring along this gourmet region of north-east victoria.
Back to my dear friends at Canberra, I realised how I missed my pals just sitting down to talk. After putting Timmy to sleep at 8pm every night, we'll mull around the lounge room, wine and cheese, or strawberries, or even Jan's freshly made warm chocolate cake, we will talk till late. In the daytime, I'll always ambled out to see little timmy playing with his toys, and staring right at me, it reminded me that visits to friends will soon be less 'rowdy' as age catches up.
The daytime is usually spent at some tourist attraction, like the Parliament, the Memorial, the lakes, and even a deep space observatory. We went to visit Tidbinbilla National Park for walks, just in time to spot grassloads of free ranging wallabies frolicking around. We also had a BBQ the day before we left, and seriously, it was good company and wine that will make me adequately happy. Tert was the BBQ man after Jan played chef to us for the past few days.
I know people gasp at the idea of spending 5 (actually more so 3, since 2 was spent on driving) good days in Canberra, but I must say I was never bored. And if you come back with a certain epiphany about some rethinking some priorities in life, the trip really cannot be that bad. Missss you guys at Canberra! Come reaaaaally soon!
It was really great meeting Tert and Jan, and my first time seeing toddler Timmy. Enroute to Canberra, we stopped by at Milawa, which is made famous by the Brown Brothers winery, as well as its cheeses and mustards. My 'aperitif' was quite lovely, since I had the whole cellar tasting to myself, and happily sipped all available cellar-door only varieties. By the time I left, I was in a happy pinkish glow. The weather was fantastic, and I had enough sun tan on my left cheek and left arm for a good 6 hours. Lunch was at the Milawa cheesery, and I was fully satisfied with touring along this gourmet region of north-east victoria.
Back to my dear friends at Canberra, I realised how I missed my pals just sitting down to talk. After putting Timmy to sleep at 8pm every night, we'll mull around the lounge room, wine and cheese, or strawberries, or even Jan's freshly made warm chocolate cake, we will talk till late. In the daytime, I'll always ambled out to see little timmy playing with his toys, and staring right at me, it reminded me that visits to friends will soon be less 'rowdy' as age catches up.
The daytime is usually spent at some tourist attraction, like the Parliament, the Memorial, the lakes, and even a deep space observatory. We went to visit Tidbinbilla National Park for walks, just in time to spot grassloads of free ranging wallabies frolicking around. We also had a BBQ the day before we left, and seriously, it was good company and wine that will make me adequately happy. Tert was the BBQ man after Jan played chef to us for the past few days.
I know people gasp at the idea of spending 5 (actually more so 3, since 2 was spent on driving) good days in Canberra, but I must say I was never bored. And if you come back with a certain epiphany about some rethinking some priorities in life, the trip really cannot be that bad. Missss you guys at Canberra! Come reaaaaally soon!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Graduation Ceremony
It came and it went. I did ponder if I should go for this, knowing that all the fuss will result in 5 seconds fame, but frens were saying that it doesn't hurt to go, or at least I wouldn't regret not going.
I wanted to make it a small affair, just friends who are friends. I didn't want to send out a mass email and invite people who might feel obligated to come. Not many people journeyed with me through my uni days, since friends like Cindy have already gone home. I think I made a good choice with those tickets, and am quite pleased to have it in cozy proportion.
The good thing that come out of the ceremony is that I did manage to sit around people I know. Saul and Winnie were directly beside me, and Deena was on the other side. Kristian and Jay were in front. It was as good as it gets in terms of sitting arrangment, since it is no fun sitting next to a stranger for 1.5 hours dressed in stuffy oversized gown and balancing a mortar board on your head.
In the end, I caught up with those I want to catch up, and it was a nice finish, not the kind you get at high school graduation, but after all the projects and classroom bantering, you know who are the people you did share more than just a hi-bye with.
Clara and me
I wanted to make it a small affair, just friends who are friends. I didn't want to send out a mass email and invite people who might feel obligated to come. Not many people journeyed with me through my uni days, since friends like Cindy have already gone home. I think I made a good choice with those tickets, and am quite pleased to have it in cozy proportion.
The good thing that come out of the ceremony is that I did manage to sit around people I know. Saul and Winnie were directly beside me, and Deena was on the other side. Kristian and Jay were in front. It was as good as it gets in terms of sitting arrangment, since it is no fun sitting next to a stranger for 1.5 hours dressed in stuffy oversized gown and balancing a mortar board on your head.
In the end, I caught up with those I want to catch up, and it was a nice finish, not the kind you get at high school graduation, but after all the projects and classroom bantering, you know who are the people you did share more than just a hi-bye with.
Clara and me
Monday, August 07, 2006
Weekend Getaway at Lakes Entrance
Even though I had to sit for my IELTS test on Saturday, we decided that it'll be good to join the rest at Lakes Entrance for a lazy weekend getaway. Lakes Entrance is about 4 hours drive southeast from Melbourne, in the Gippsland region. I did what was the most appropriate, watch The Lakehouse at the Lakes, while the people who have gone earlier were out fishing.
Had a great supper of fresh caught fish and noodles. Yums! The holiday park we stayed at reminded me of the ones I stayed in 9 years back doing the Boomerang Coast. I was getting tired from the test answering questions such as:
1)Do you like flowers? When are flowers given in as a gift in your country? (duh!)
2)Do you enjoy studying (this one i can't resist rolling my eyes)..
At the end of the 'speaking test', the moment the recorder was turned off, the truth came pouring out with me and the examiner agreeing some of the questions are just silly.
Back to the trip...
The next day, we went full swing into fishing. Chartered a boat, packed 15 hamburgers, 4 fishing rods, and a variety of smelly baits. We caught mainly Luderick because the snapper and australia salmon were just too small to be legally caught. I caught 2, but was sad to see them die. So I resigned to just sitting on the boat, enjoying the scenary, watching 5 dolphins around us frolick and black swans gracefully swimming.
And if the lakes didn't offer us enough, we went on to Metung at dusk to continue fishing. By the time we packed and left, all of us were dead tired. Had a nice round of pub food at Bairnsdale, and it was paramount that we kept the drivers of the 2 cars awake for the 4 hours drive back.
Dead tired when I reached home. Collasped and slept like never did.
Fishing @ Lakes Entrance
Had a great supper of fresh caught fish and noodles. Yums! The holiday park we stayed at reminded me of the ones I stayed in 9 years back doing the Boomerang Coast. I was getting tired from the test answering questions such as:
1)Do you like flowers? When are flowers given in as a gift in your country? (duh!)
2)Do you enjoy studying (this one i can't resist rolling my eyes)..
At the end of the 'speaking test', the moment the recorder was turned off, the truth came pouring out with me and the examiner agreeing some of the questions are just silly.
Back to the trip...
The next day, we went full swing into fishing. Chartered a boat, packed 15 hamburgers, 4 fishing rods, and a variety of smelly baits. We caught mainly Luderick because the snapper and australia salmon were just too small to be legally caught. I caught 2, but was sad to see them die. So I resigned to just sitting on the boat, enjoying the scenary, watching 5 dolphins around us frolick and black swans gracefully swimming.
And if the lakes didn't offer us enough, we went on to Metung at dusk to continue fishing. By the time we packed and left, all of us were dead tired. Had a nice round of pub food at Bairnsdale, and it was paramount that we kept the drivers of the 2 cars awake for the 4 hours drive back.
Dead tired when I reached home. Collasped and slept like never did.
Fishing @ Lakes Entrance
Thursday, July 27, 2006
My Dream Job
OH.. I FINALLY FOUND A JOB THAT'LL BRING ME PLACES!
Meter Reader
Immediate Start
Work Outdoors
Various locations across Melbourne
Meter Readers Required
Our client, Australia's leading meter reading company is looking for motivated and reliable people to join it’s 700 plus field based employees in becoming meter readers with opportunities in various locations throughout the area of greater Melbourne
Requirements
- maturity and able to deal politely with the public
- able to walk for long periods and bend
- good communication skills
- willing to work outdoors in all types of weather
- able to work by yourself with direct supervision
The positions are full time opportunities and it is preferable that applicants have a current driver’s license and their own transportation.
contact Matthew
Phone 0423 548 150
Email: Please click the 'Apply Now' button below.
Meter Reader
Immediate Start
Work Outdoors
Various locations across Melbourne
Meter Readers Required
Our client, Australia's leading meter reading company is looking for motivated and reliable people to join it’s 700 plus field based employees in becoming meter readers with opportunities in various locations throughout the area of greater Melbourne
Requirements
- maturity and able to deal politely with the public
- able to walk for long periods and bend
- good communication skills
- willing to work outdoors in all types of weather
- able to work by yourself with direct supervision
The positions are full time opportunities and it is preferable that applicants have a current driver’s license and their own transportation.
contact Matthew
Phone 0423 548 150
Email: Please click the 'Apply Now' button below.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Picasso
Daiz had a day off yesterday and we decided to recharge our artistic batteries. The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) recently brought in a new exhibition featuring the works of Pablo Picasso and his lover Dora Maar, and it seemed like an exciting place to go on a winter's day.
The exhibition was good- about 350 pieces of original art were featured, and I got to know Picasso (and his woman) better. I would rate NGV as a nice place to go, since it is near the city, yet you feel as if you are suddenly transported to a art gallery in Europe. Very deja vu. We took about 2 hours to finish viewing all the pieces, and I truly felt like a tourist.
For those in Melbourne, you don't need to be an art lover to go. Picasso is a pretty contemporary artist, and you won't be muddled by the cherubims or some abstract artistic concepts. It's an excellent place to go get yourself interested in art.
Picasso: Love and War
The exhibition was good- about 350 pieces of original art were featured, and I got to know Picasso (and his woman) better. I would rate NGV as a nice place to go, since it is near the city, yet you feel as if you are suddenly transported to a art gallery in Europe. Very deja vu. We took about 2 hours to finish viewing all the pieces, and I truly felt like a tourist.
For those in Melbourne, you don't need to be an art lover to go. Picasso is a pretty contemporary artist, and you won't be muddled by the cherubims or some abstract artistic concepts. It's an excellent place to go get yourself interested in art.
Picasso: Love and War
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Bread Break
Some facts I have recently discovered:
1)Saving money is an art and science in Australia.
2)Safeway only restock their breads on Wednesday.
3)I do not buy bread on Wednesday, because we eat less of it during the weekend.
4)So if I buy bread on Sunday, I am buying 3-4 day old bread and it will spoil in 1 week before we can finish the whole loaf.
5)Safeway's loaf doesn't go for $1.98 anymore.
Hence the motivation to make my own bread.
Verdict: Don't try making small cutesy breads cos you will only get plenty of crusts and insufficient volume for the airy soft part. Ronald was right about the flour, you HAVE TO (emphasis to the infinity), buy only bread flour. I am not taking about bread-makers, just the plain old in-the-oven type of break making. You don't want your bread to taste like cake. On the other hand, I am deeply satisfied slapping on a slice of Tasmanian Heritage Blue cheese and popping it in the microwave. Heavenly texture... mmm mmmm.....
Bread Break
1)Saving money is an art and science in Australia.
2)Safeway only restock their breads on Wednesday.
3)I do not buy bread on Wednesday, because we eat less of it during the weekend.
4)So if I buy bread on Sunday, I am buying 3-4 day old bread and it will spoil in 1 week before we can finish the whole loaf.
5)Safeway's loaf doesn't go for $1.98 anymore.
Hence the motivation to make my own bread.
Verdict: Don't try making small cutesy breads cos you will only get plenty of crusts and insufficient volume for the airy soft part. Ronald was right about the flour, you HAVE TO (emphasis to the infinity), buy only bread flour. I am not taking about bread-makers, just the plain old in-the-oven type of break making. You don't want your bread to taste like cake. On the other hand, I am deeply satisfied slapping on a slice of Tasmanian Heritage Blue cheese and popping it in the microwave. Heavenly texture... mmm mmmm.....
Bread Break
