Last night, I went out with a couple of good high school friends of mine for drinks...one of which came from Melbourne for the car exhibition @ Darling Harbour. Anyway all was going good...having a laugh, sharing memories, and telling stories (the things friends normally do when they catch up...I have known them for 10+ years!)...so all was fine and good...but one of my friends (lets call him X) asks me about something that I am still feeling strongly about. To make an awkward moment even worse...when I reply to that question (with my tone and body language strongly hinting)...X then proceeds to make these comments about the subject matter which is just so non-sensical and unemotional that got me seeing red. Felt so pissed off at that time and was so tempted just to give him a piece of my mind, BUT I kept a lid on it and just 'walked away' (meaning I didn't say anything) because he was my friend and knowing him, by saying something in response it would only draw it out and we could be there all night...then who knows what else I would have said :P. He is my friend of 10+ years and always will be :). All I can say is that X's question and comments just simply screams of naiveness and unfeelingness...of someone who has never really had first hand experience(s), so really cannot fault him (but at the same time shouldn't comment on the matter), but arrrghhhh....from my point of view...well lets just say I think of it as just simply lacking common sense and empathy. Hopefully, he got my hint (but he probably didn't :P) and that would be the end of matter and he won't try to be such an 'expert' :)
This has made worldwide headlines (on CBS, NBC, etc) basically about this guy in the States who applied to UBS, and sent them a CV video of himself (very exaggerated). Kudos to the UBS HR employee who decided to youtube it :). Shows us the wide range of people in this world...and provide comedic relief to a boring work day! :)
A couple of days ago, I was presented with my volleyball uniform for the tournament in Canberra next month (not really for volleyball but more for drinking, getting drunk, and hmm doing stupid things ;P haha...nothing else to do in Canberra anyway). Lucky number '12' :)
In other news, went to a Salsa club @ Darling Harbour last night, and all I can say is that there are some guys who can really dance the salsa and other variations...and when you see the guy lead his partner around in turns and wrap-arounds (really they like wrap bodies around)...its hypnotic and very very cool. Sigh :P hopefully one day I can reach that stage with my partner, Vicki :) haha...
Friday night An exciting thing happened! Singapore's first NBL (National Basketball League) team, the Singapore Slingers (such a shockingly bad name...you would have thought something like the Lions, anything else would have been better) http://www.singaporeslingers.com came to Sydney to play against the West Sydney Razorbacks (Razozback = a type of wild boar). So wanting to see this new team in action...I dragged Ant and Marissa to the game. Here are some of the pictures taken with Ant's special zoom lens (thx Ant). NB: Singapore is in orange and red colours
Mike Helms...the star* of the Singapore Slingers
The half-time entertainment show...there was this female acrobat that climbed this red rope and did all sorts of manouvers while on there...got some video of it, so as soon as I figure out how to upload (coz there seems to be a pblm with me uploading) to youtube...you will see more :P
Unfortunately, Signapore lost by about 15 points (crap!)...not surprisingly I had placed a bet on Singapore to win the game :( oh well...could never have bet against my country (altho Sydney were favourites to win the game)
Saturday
Went to Shelley Beach (Manly) for scuba diving
Artistic shot of us @ Manly...a blue day?
A more conventional shot of the two of us (looking very gay in our wetsuits :P haha)...notice the background and the lack of sunshine. Haha...it seems that whenever I plan to go into the water it doesn't seem to be sunny
Now I am very excited about this photo...coz its my first ever underwater pic of me! This is definitely one of those pictures that I will treasure...haha...notice the crazy wavy hair? well when you are scuba diving it tends to do that to your hair..haha :). Anyway on this dive (only 7m of water) we saw an eel, octopus, various fishes and a Wobbegong Shark!!! it was just lying at the bottom beneath a large rock and I pretty much went up close to it and just stared at it for awhile :P ahhh...the sights you see underwater that you usually only see on TV or read in books :)
After the dive, we were both ravenous and pretty tired...luckily there was this nice little cafe right next to our dive site, that was still serving breakfast...I had a big breakfast (and it was one of the nicest big bfasts I have had in Sydney I must admit :)
Notice the Ant smile? ;)
For the rest of the day, we were pretty tired, but it was Caufield Cup (big horse racing event) day and so I couldn't resist putting a bet on the horses and supporting them when the race started. Needless to say I didn't win :( not a cent...haha. 9 13 1 ...that was the trifecta and if you happen to get the top 3 horses in order you would have won $20K for ever dollar you bet! Serious. Unfortunately I didn't get those 3 horses...sigh. Oh and the winner was Tawqueet...@ 19:1 :P
Sunday
We went to Jambaroo (something like a water theme park..just outside Wollongong) for Ant's company function...
Me (below) taking the 'Jump of Destiny' (I made up the name)...a 5m jump off this rocky ledge into the pool below. It sounds like quite a short height, but its different when you are actually up there looking down into the clear blue water...it really is like a leap of faith :P and courage..haha. But I did it! It was such an adrenaline rush that ~1 sec free fall :) x 3 times...
Lunchtime...free BBQ..and more importantly free beer! haha...thx Ant and thx Nestle! :)
Overall, it was a pretty and intense weekend...lots of fun and activities...the way a weekend is meant to be spent :) Will not forget my Jump of Destiny...haha
SOCIALISM: You have 2 cows, and you give one to your neighbor.
COMMUNISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and gives you some milk.
FASCISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and sells you some milk.
NAZISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both and shoots you.
BUREAUCRATISM: You have 2 cows. The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other, then throws the milk away...
TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.
AN AMERICAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow has dropped dead.
A FRENCH CORPORATION: You have two cows. You go on strike, organise a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.
A JAPANESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create a clever cow cartoon image called Cowkimon and market it worldwide.
A GERMAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.
AN ITALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows, but you don't know where they are. You decide to have lunch.
A RUSSIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 2 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.
A SWISS CORPORATION: You have 5000 cows. None of them belong to you. You charge the owners for storing them.
A CHINESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim that you have full employment, and high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.
AN INDIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You worship them.
A BRITISH CORPORATION: You have two cows. Both are mad.
IRAQI CORPORATION: Everyone thinks you have lots of cows. You tell them that you have none. No-one believes you, so they bomb the shit out of you and invade your country. You still have no cows, but at least now you are part of a Democracy....
SURREALISM: You have two giraffes. The government requires you to take harmonica lessons
HONG KONG CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell 3 of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank. Then you execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all 4 cows back, with a tax deduction for keeping 5 cows. The milk rights of 6 cows are transferred via a Panamanian intermediary to a Cayman Islands company secretly owned by the majority shareholder. He sells the rights to all 7 cows' milk back to the listed company, and proceeds from the sale are deferred. The annual report says that the company owns 8 cows, with an option on one more. Meanwhile, you kill the 2 cows because the feng shui is bad.
NEW ZEALAND CORPORATION: You have two cows. The one on the left looks very attractive.
SINGAPOREAN CIVIL SERVICE You have two cows. You scold each one everyday before and after milking. You teach one of them to scold the other. You instruct them to moo only on command.
AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. Business seems pretty good. You close the office and go for a few beers to celebrate.
MALAYSIAN POLITICS: You have two cows. The old cow accusses the new cow of going back on plans to build a bridge between a neighbouring pasture, and calls the new cow a `coward' for selling grass to the neighbouring pasture. The new cow just moos and continues to chew its cud.
A funny thought occurred to me (and has been in my head this past week)...that I need to find a church. Any church. I need to find a church, go inside, and well not pray or anything...but just think some things through and ask questions between just myself and (u know). Now, I am definitely not the religious sort of person :P you could say I am looking for enlightenment, affirmation of faith, direction, seeking answers that I know I would never be given...or maybe a combination of all three :).
A crazy thought you must be thinking...well its been crazy time for me here in Sydney :P so who better to answer those questions? Maybe its just me...but let me ask you this: how many times have you wondered (irregardless of whatever religious beliefs you have) what is the 'master plan' for you in life...have things that have happened to you all part of that plan? What does the future hold in store for you? I am pretty sure that everyone would at some stage in their life...ask these questions of themselves (or maybe its just me :P). Of course I am not expecting divine intervention in getting these answers...I suppose its just the opportunity to ask impossible/no answer questions to 'someone' (who would ultimately know the answers but not make it know to you :)
This is just a crazy thought, I won't deliberately go out to find a church...but if I do pass one...
Aye, fight and you may die, run, and you'll live... at least for a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin' to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!
- Braveheart
I suppose that the above quote can describe regrets (and the importance of not having any)...where someday many years in the future you would just wish that you could go back to some turning point or occassion in your life and choose the alternative or make the tough decision :).
Oh...and for those who didn't see the movie :P Braveheart's men did choose to go into battle with him against overwhelming odds...and won their freedom :)
I have just discovered a bar nearby my office that sells $3 beer, wine and spirits from 5-9pm every Friday, its full of Asians (must be attracted by the lure of cheap liquor ;). One of my volleyball/work colleagues Leo introduced me to the place and I also met up with some of the 'Good Neighbour' (the volleyball tournament's name to be held in Canberra later next month) teammates. Needless to say...for $3 I did drink my fill (a bad move..considering it was before dinner and I hadn't had much to eat :P) of vodka..haha. After a couple of hours, I met up with the rest of the group (about 10 in all...even mixed) and headed to this 'hole in the wall' place for a Jap dinner :P (had an Asahi beer there too...). When dinner was finished, we walked to the Four Seasons Hotel for some $15 desert sampler + sweet dessert wine. Luckily we walked because that could at least work out some of the alcohol from my system..haha... Staggered home at about 1am (thankful that I stay near the city)... Its funny how there is now this volleyball group here in Sydney and the comparisons with the Signapore (ragtagvolleyball) group is just scary...both groups are outgoing and like to drink! haha (only no ckc type person..that would be just spooky...haha)...and coincidentally it is all through volleyball that there is a common thread between us all :)
Tonight, because we had the car we went to Bondi to try out this place that was highly recommended by Sydney friends...Hurricanes Bar & Grill! This place is famous for its...Ribs!!! And judging by the crowd and the super long waiting list (note: need to book in advance), and the number of people eating ribs there...it seems to be well founded.
Now because we didn't book and we were hungry...we were told we had to wait an hr for a table to be ready. Hurricanes is above (left), we decided to go out and eat something small first while waiting. Just a couple of stores down we discovered...Hurricanes takeaway (above right)! That meant that we could just order our ribs and get back to Pyrmont, rather than wait an hr (thwaiting time for our order was 20 mins..bonus!). So we just ordered it, it was cheaper by $6 which is how much extra you actually pay for the 'atmosphere' to sit down in the bar (noticed lots of pretty Asian :P too...could also be part of the price :P haha..then its worth it).
So while waiting for our ribs...we decided to go to this famous place (see prev posts) in Bondi for some take-away desert..
Unfortunately they ran out of the Chocolate Hazelnut Strudel :( so we had to settle for some chocolate cake (ok).
Finally our order is ready...
And what was the end result when we got home?...
Pretty huge amount of ribs (the baked potatoe was quite good too :P a 'healthier' alternative to chips :P)
Verdict: Delicious...the recommendations are true. A bit burnt though...adds some charcoal flavour :)
Tonight, like many other nights before...I am feeling just so mentally tired and drained. Have just been thinking a lot (maybe too much) and pondering heaps. During the day, my brain is like in overdrive and confused at times and is always thinking. The feeling can just simply be described as having gone a 3 hr exam during the day everyday...then the effects hit you at night. I am so tired that I just cannot keep my eyes open (even as I type this)...its not that I am sleepy or anything (its only 10pm!)...just you know...mentally drained. Sigh...think it will be worse tomorrow night :P
Ok have rambled on enough my friends...am going to sleep now (10.30pm) nothing much else to do...hopefully tomorrow will bring better news :)...in other news: lost a friendly bet with my friend today..gotta buy him lunch tomorrow, and I also signed up for the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge Sydney...so it looks like I will be getting a shirt after all (with 'Sydney' instead of 'Singapore') :)
Heard this joke on TV...the 'comedian' was trying to be funny but was actually purposely trying to be bad. You actually have to have heard him talk...and run this joke through your head a couple of times before you actually find that its soooo bad...that it is actually funny :)
Comedian: I am so fat...that I look like an elephant. In fact, when I go out my main fear is that I will be poached...
Tonight, because we had the car, Tom Tom, and no food at home...we decided to go out and try this Indian resturant that has been recommended by Sydney cab drivers. The newspaper cut-out was from the Food Guide in the Sydney Morning Herald :) . We went to the Himalayas Indian Resturant (only because the name sounded exotic...but hey..if its recommended by taxi drivers...then lets see how good their tastes are).
And the food? it was really authentic and delicious...not to mention the atmosphere there was really comforting :) ie. the place was full of Indians! so you know the food is at least decent when people of the same ethinicity eats there too :) Rest assured. Price was pretty decent too...by Sydney standards :). Now, only another 4 more places to go on the list...
Here are some other interesting photos taken by Ant during the day (which I thought was pretty funny..haha):
