Big C is coming

Literally, after today, I am not in a student status anymore. After today, I have to push hard to get myself a job. After some time, I can not use the facilities provided by Melbourne uni – no more lingering along the library shelves, no more staying up late in the 24hr computer lab and no more cheap gym usage. I will miss student life, but more look forward to working.

I was acted as a retard when big C told me that she would come back in December. Being away from each other for a year, I have lots of things to tell her, *counting days*

Job, job, job and more jobs!

My stomach gets to such a point that gas keeps busting from peristalsis. Bursting continuously since yesterday despite the fact that I have forced myself to have at least two meals a day in the past one week.

Nothing can be worse than two assignments due tomorrow, another two due next Friday, with four days and two nights work in a row, plus one exam and an IELTS text in a not far future. I am totally flat out at this time of the year. Library and work occupy all my life routines with no space left, including dance.

Most of my friends have their matters sorted out for next year: some of them have secured a job for next year, some of them will continue academically challenges, and some will go home. I will start looking for work after all the study loads are handed in. I do not feel particularly worried about getting a job, given that I have sufficient working experience and confident presentation of myself.

Towards the end of a degree, everyone is looking for a job, or else, secured one a long time before. I know I have to kick my lazy bum, otherwise, I will be wasting my time in this country before I leave. Grad position is always good for fresh grad, yet, I am looking for something better. I may probably will not get a perfect job in Melbourne, but why not get some experience and money before I leave? I trust my ability and personality to get a decent work in an office environment.

Cecile got a job in a blink. She is offered a graduate position with one of the big recruitment agencies called select. She told me that she only applied for and had no experience in the HR area; but she got it! As she will be looking after people who are looking for tempt/part-time position for admin kind of entry level, I may contact her next year to ask her to get me one. For sure, I believe I am merit to get a higher position.

SALP graduation was tonight. That was not a big ceremony, but short and sweet, given 05 SALPers to get together and mingled around for the final time. It is amazing to see how we have changed from the commencing of this program till the end. This program highlighted my student life in Uni, expanded my view on community and gave me chances to involve in faculty events.

At the end of the ceremony, Bryan was forced to take away all the chips in a bin bag, reasoning not wasting food by Rita. I laughed at him all our way back to library, teasing him as a Santa with a bin bag. I definitely will miss this guy.

Final day

Today is my last day of studying. 15 ½ years of education, I have walked a long way to reach this point in life. Many of my friends stay on, either for Honour or extra things they add on to their degree. For me, I may probably have had enough for the moment and would love to start real work soon.

There are several big events take place in the final week of Uni. Student election is this week; flyers and student candidates can be seen all over the campus. Eneavour, a high profile engineering students’ work showcase is also on today. Most importantly, UNICEF International children’s game day is today! We did not expect a large turn up for today, given the fact that we did not have great resources to pull people in playing games with us. Despite of that, we had a fun time in north court, with pinky fairy floss floating around.

さようなら - final week of uni

Mixed feelings are blended in mind as I start my final week of student life. Things are still the same: class after class, running from one end of the campus to another, impatiently queuing up for computer while complaining the nonsense air-conditioner of the lab, and fighting for lunch time space in the passé union house. All these things will not be part of my life in two weeks time! How sad is that.

Friends of mine are also leaving one by one at this time of the year. I had a drink with Amelia and Fergal (Irish) on Saturday night after work. One is going to Europe for a year of working holiday and travelling, and the other one is moving on to Brisbane as part of his travelling in Australia. The night before, we had a farewell drink with Jenny who was going to Singapore next month. Everyone is leaving. Anyway, we are still young and excited about life, why not take a step further into the world of unknown. For me, I would like to take two years off from stress and move around before I find myself a destination and settle down.

This is the site worth visiting:

For the high and the low

I met this girl V, another typical Melbourne Uni student who works and plays extremely hard. She has this characteristic of being extroverted and always bouncing around merrily. She is taking six subjects, working part time with Deloit, and doing swing dance all at the same time. Whereas, she still told me that she was bored and had to wake up everyday at 6am to do something that would keep her busy. I admit that I am not able to do what she is doing as I have already felt overloaded at the moment.

She has inspired me to look around friends of mine, and start thinking what others are doing and what I am doing. Two groups are immediately drawn – the high and the low. What I mean here is, the high are those whom have received higher education and working as a professional, things are going well and sounded; the low are those whom want or don’t want to get out of the wallow and have to work in the bottom for a living. I have friends from both groups. Observing their attitudes towards lives, I don’t think I fall into any of these groups. I am still myself, walking in an unorthodox path.

UNICEF film screening

Rain is pulling down from the gloomy sky. I am staring from the spotted window, trying to follow every single path of little raindrops. A river filled with yellow sand is formed in the middle of the road. I am fascinated with the beauty of greens shimmering in the breeze.

Two nights of film screening for UNICEF ended with smiles and applauses. We were happy with the turn up for such a small event at this time of the year. People were also very generous for donations while we were holding the donation box at the end of the movie. I did not know UNICEF had such a well-known reputation among westerners and we received a lot of interests while we were doing our lunch time table duties in the past fortnight. I am happy to eventually hold an event at the end of my student life, although I load myself up with pressures and stress. Bring on next week for the International children’s week.

Away from UNICEF related matters and studies, I was having some time off and spend it with Z in a café in crown. For the whole week, I did not make extra effort to meet up or talk to him, as it got so hard with assignments and the stupid IELTS in the way. At the moment, I am trying to let go the thing I should have let go and accept whatever otherwise is coming to me.

Recently, my stomach seems to get worse. In fact, my stomach has not been well since last time the acid-revolved accident. Gas keeps turning back from stomach to the throat. Lucky I had some cakes last night to stuff it up a little bit, otherwise, I don’t think I can stay awake until 3am.

Walk with faith

I am under great stress at the moment. At this time of every year, there are always things unexpectedly happen and thousands of matters surge to be solved. Knowing that I have to take the stupid IELTS test, I must cut all my social life and study extremely hard to cope with study, work and preparing for the test. It is not impossible to prepare for the test in less than a month; it just adds more pressure on my already crowded schedule. Final year of Uni has been hysterically busy; I am seized with nausea for couples of time already. If I want to get out of here as soon as possible, there is nothing I can do but follow the rule and work hard to get everything done on time.

Flare Dance Ensemble - Limelinght

Choreographed and performed by students, Flare Dance spotted the limelight on its every single dancer, from first-time to advanced level. In a mosaic of passion and glory, Flare Dancers presented themselves in both realms of technical dance and street styles, ranging from Hip Hop to Ballet, from traditional to contemporary. Applauses were drawn one after another. Audiences were fascinated by the inspirational music rhythm, dazzling flashes and exhilarant routines. Spirit of dance was incisively and vividly established on the stage.

Holding up our high spirit from flare, we headed down to this Platform One club to dance for a while. Surprisingly, not many people were there before 12pm, although it was free clubbing with Flare dance ticket presented. R&B music was played, yet its atmosphere could not be lightened with little people; our group was like dancing solely with limp energy. We left before 12pm, leaving a couple-to-be on the dance floor to brew their love blossom.

Two cakes, three forks and five icy drinks, we stocked up our energy before we went clubbing. Sitting in a nice outdoor café area along Yarra river, breezy wind with tepid heat from the above heater, we immersed in this pre-spring re-memorized Love Stories written by 琼瑶. Our round table cake time talk were finished with this favoured “梅花三弄” rhyme. Another lovely spring is waiting ahead. I would miss this Melbourne live next year.

A well done dinner

Sizzling with little water, noodle and broccoli was turning charcoal in the pot. Excitedly talking in the living room with Ling, I was unaware of dinner-to-be for tonight. By the time I turned off the stove, my dinner could only be served for third-party – I would not have it.

Tonight is the first film screening night for UNICEF. Surprisingly, there were unexpected good turn outs - around forty people turned up for the screening. Until this morning, Jenny and Cora were a bit worried about the selling and promotion of the screening. Cora even took out her uncontemplation on the progression we did for this event. I had tried to comfort her at the best of I can. However, these few days I had been almost torn with a lot of things that I did not think I would have anymore energy to behave in a good characteristic way. Things are rewarded, for the effort we had put in for this event and this organisation.

Annie pumped me with a series questions: “Do you eat properly?”, “Have you had enough sleep?” … as she knows that I was taking way too many loads on myself. I felt sorry that every time I walked out the Law lecture with sleepy eyes and tiring expressions. I think it would be better if I just don’t go to lecture and take that hour to sleep.

Six-year’s of tertiary education is considered to be normal. As the world becomes more and more complicated, there are more and more things human have to learn and thus advance us further. For me, I am just sick of study and want to get a job now. I may come back to study and become a profession as most of the others; but at the current stage, I will choose to take an adventure and go overseas.

Chalking

It is this time of the semester again, when everyone is pushing towards their psychological limit to complete their piled up assignment in the last minute. Friends and I was talking about drinking red bull to boost our energy and extend our brain limit. Annie suggested me to take Berocca, which is a lot softer than red bull but healthier. My answer was: “I don’t drink red bull. All I have is Panado … total solution … take and relief!”

Yesterday had been a long day, I started from 8:30am and finished at 5:30pm. For the whole morning, I was running around with Jenny to do chalking to promote UNICEF’s film screening next week. I did not play with chalk since primary school. Kneeing down in the middle of drive way, I used my almighty hands to mark our message on the accidented concrete.

I am so delightful to wake up this morning and find it is Friday. Although I still has many things to do, I can at least wake up after 7am and find time to sit down and write.

Trash hunt

Our bin was stolen again! Three weeks ago, our bin disappeared from our front yard. Without a second thought, we grabbed another one on the street and used it as ours. Today, this bin’s owner found it with “great effort” and was taken away with our Chinese number and the warning word “toxic” marked on. Had no choice, housemate B and I went for a trash hunt along the main street, looking for our long-lost bin. Eventually, we found our poor greeny thing tucking at the corner of a small lane. The bin pilferer stuff his garden craps in our greeny bin to make it more green, not allowing us to take it home until the council cleaning service come whenever day to empty our valuable trash.

I DID fall asleep when I was writing a short critique assignment. My brain was working properly; it was just for that moment, I suddenly lost my focus on the computer screen and my mighty Angel escaped to the oppressive air for a short jogging.

Dirty Daning Review

Dirty Dancing—The Classic Tale on Stage
Princess Theatre
By Janice ChernLi Teo

It is as if time has stood still. Yet nearly two decades have passed since thousands of spotty teenagers all around the world fell in love with the 1987 classic tale, Dirty Dancing. Now the era of hot pants is back because Dirty Dancing—The Classic Tale on Stage has come to Melbourne after its World Premiere in Sydney.

The all-Australian cast usually features Kym Valentine (of Neighbours fame) as the angelically naïve Frances “Baby” Houseman. However the Wednesday matinee was played by understudy Sarah Bowden. Meanwhile, Josef Brown from the Australian Ballet plays the irresistibly charismatic Johnny Castle.

It is the summer of 1963 when Baby arrives at Kellerman’s resort to spend the summer with her family. The long idle days soon become packed with excitement as Baby discovers the staff quarters and meets dance instructor Johnny Castle and his risqué world of dance. When Baby is forced to learn to dance in order to appear in a performance alongside Johnny, their passion for each other builds as he welcomes her into the world of sensual dirty dancing.

Hardcore fans will be pleased to know that the live version closely mimics the film, from Baby’s unruly curls to Johnny’s tight black denims. There were audible sighs of nostalgia whenever classic lines such as “nobody puts Baby in a corner” were said.

However, some of the acting and line delivery seemed forced and unnatural. The choreography fails to impress an audience, twenty years on. This production does not have any sets. Instead, backdrops are projected onto screens behind the actors. Unfortunately, this use of technology tends to contradict the times—after all, the story unfolds in a period where music is still recorded on vinyl.

Music remains the uplifting feature of this production as the live Show Band blasted out pulse-pumping 80s music and the Academy Award for Best Song, Time of My Life.

Dirty Dancing—The Classic Tale on Stage is showing at the Princess Theatre until October 29.

A matter of trust

Head was still spinning, I finally dragged myself back home from the incommodious computer lab. I did not make much progress though, despite I spent the whole night with my friends working on the multimedia project. It might be easy for some people, whereas I am not a computer genius, that causes me a hectic.

I went out for dinner with my girlfriends before we committed ourselves in front of the fluorescent screen. These days, when girls sit together, table topics will always about relationship. The sequela from girl school gossip culture.

The last time I received more than five missed calls were the time Raymond asked me about the ticket to see Danny Boite’s comedy show. Last night, I threw myself in bed and did not move since. By the time I woke up this morning, six missed calls were laying on my phone screen with one incoming call vibrating the metal cell, eagerly to wait to hear my husky voice. Z is such a sensitive person. Although I find it really hard to trust and rely on the others, I feel I should cherish someone who shows concerns on me. Future is erratic; things could not be worked out if we don’t take part in the same boat.

Steven King gave me a big surprise when he presented his work with ACCC on Monday’s economic lecture. He is a genius economist. Unlike the other dull and odd scholars in our economic department, his energetic and flinging jokes around on those complex economic theories. His first question went:

-Who had me as your InterMicro lecturer? …
… Oh, you are still in economics. Surprise, surprise.

When he talked about law that restricted merger in Australia, he asked:
-Has anyone done “competition law”? (towards the law students)
-It is optional, so…
-That is the most interesting law; and it is the only one law subject I did in undergraduate. Ai… you guys are all go doing constitution law, right? Wanted to change the world.

He was engaging, not in his exam though as more than half of the students failed his exam last year.

House meeting

Recently, I have plenty of matters to ponder on. There is no radio, no noise, just breezy smoothing on my face; this Sunday morning, with no interrupting, I sat upright and put everything in writing to clean up my thoughts.

To voice out discontent with others in a social circle is a golden rule to settle conflicts and solve problems. Also, one can not be judgemental and should never be deluded with smiles and fair words. After these years of working things out on my own, to stick up my opinions and voice out concerns is still my weakest point. I always try to be good to others and take unnecessary responsibilities without saying a word, hoping that these people will appreciate for what I do for them. This is so wrong! Tonight’s house meeting gave me a valuable lesson to learn. Living in a big sharing house sometimes can be fun, and you will pick up “people-skills” from living together day-in-day-out.

Seduction

Practiced body-roll (a new dance move), watched a colleague theatre play and went back home before 10pm, all these essentials of being a good girl on Friday night were demolished under the seduction of K and Z. I was seduced by Latin rhythm humming from K’s car and mistakenly nodded my head to agree on going dancing in VIVA. This was the second time I went to this bar for dancing. Atmosphere was great under hazy dry ice effect, yet both K and I felt awkward in dancing; neither of us could pick up the dancing rhythm to follow the music. We loaded blames on the floor, the people who were constantly stepping on our feet.

I was frustrated with this website when I was looking for information on copyright. You can not find anything stupid than this – throughout the whole site, there is no single explanation on these initials “IFPI”. All I knew was this was an official website about music copyright. Eventually, I had to goole to find the full length title of this stupid site.

Final Fantasy

Somehow I lose my fantasy for many beautiful things, always demanding in a realistic way. It is not a bad thing, at least I can shelter myself in this mindset from being emotionally harmed. However, I have missed a lot of moment that I should enjoy myself. Things happen take times; to touch a person like me needs patience and an extremely long time.

While I was at work, the women were chick chatting about their relationships. Obviously, they were all cheated by their husband and left with a broken heart. There is no doubt that hospitality is among one of the highest divorce rate among many other service industries. Most of the girls worked in our restaurant have unpleasant love lives. On one hand, men are lech, on the other hand, hospitality kills romantic mood between couple. Sincerity is not always the solution; understanding and compromise are the most important elements to make a relation sustainable.

I have spent the whole morning sending out emails to different authorities inquiring about Singaporean LPR. Hopefully I can hear back from them shortly so I can plan my future route.

Digitally connected

Unpacking my back, I put digital devices out one after another – a MP3 plus USB memory hub, a 3G mobile phone, a digital camera, and a lap top. Everything goes digital. Essentially speaking, young as our age can not live without connecting to some sort of electronic equipment to make our lives much easier as well as more complicated.

At this time of the year, majority of Melbourne uni students are at the edge of burnt out. Life is occupied with assignments and meetings, bits and pieces of time are left for eating and sleeping; other than that, students as poor as me have no life. Of course, there are exceptions. K still immerses in his dancing hectic; S goes out having fun regardless weekdays or weekends.

Melody was afloat in the air swiftly, bouncing from one side of the campus to another. A row of yellow umbrellas were wriggling through the crowds, jumping up and down, singing a song from their upcoming theatre play – “Singing in the rain”. Another good show not to be missed. Next week, it is the Flare annual production. I have to go to support my friend. Wow ~ Wow ~ watching too many shows during this assignment period; gotta to squeeze time from some other events.

I love B, as in the way of very close friends. Yesterday, he caught me when I was doing the media law assignment. I told him that my topic was “shoplifting”, his reaction was: “Again? C’m on, if you need money, you should let me know.” I laughed this joke off. Then he went on boasting me and my friend about his 41 out of 40 marketing presentation. Such a funny guy. Then again, I ran into him. He followed me into the Lady’s, not seeing the girl’s sign on the door. He looked like wanting to check out what I am going to do, as what he used to do with me.

Contentment comes from a feast breakfast; energy is reimburse from my simple but aromatic cooking ^_^

Lethargic

This morning I habitually woke up at 7am and could not go to sleep again, despite I slept with his story mumbling at 5am. I did not have much sleep in the past three days – there was one day I only slept for three hours and the following day I had to wake up at 6:30am, then was today. Hopefully I would not be torn and worn when school day starts again tomorrow.

I treat myself a short trip to a picturesque Dandenong Tulip farm. This was the only excursion I had in the past half a year. It was a small garden, with dissimilar colours and shapes of tulips encompassing around. The enjoyment of such kind of trip is not on the place, but the person you go with. Couples were basking under the smooth hand of spring; thoughts were bouncing in the breeze with a touch of sweet.

Calamity could happen at any time any where to any one. I recently heard from my uncle that one of his friend’s shop collapsed and his friend was knocked down by head-on bulks. He became cripple with his vertebra broken. Poor family. All his family lives on their now-ruined shop. They had a mortgage to pay; a year 12 son who would have to do his VCE exam in two weeks time; another six-year-old son; and two grandmas to support. I could not offer much help except for blessing.