Dinner on me :)

Was looking at my meal planner when I was surprised by this:

:)

Went out for a haircut today. Really liked it! I asked for side-swept fringe and a trim. Hair feels so much lighter and looks healthier! Although while my hairstylist was combing through my hair, he casually mentioned that I need some serious treatment because my hair's so tangled -.- After a wash, he was struggling with combing my hair he had to ask another stylist for help hahaha! And I had to sit there and endure 10 minutes of hair-yanking. Aiya no money do treatment la not that it'll last. Once my stupid bleached ends are gone it'll be healthy no need waste money on whatever treatment. Have to wait about... 2 years la I think hahaha!

Wk took a picture of me while we were waiting for our train and told me I'll look better without my specs. So I took it off and he said I look 10 years younger without the specs. But I'm blind without my specs @.@ Actually kind of cheating one la. The angle in the second picture made me look so much better than the angle in the first. If he took a picture of me from the front without my specs, I'll still look like a grandma wtf.

Remember I said I will never complain about the cold? I take that back. We had to walk home under the rain today because we forgot our umbrella. Omfg so cold. Wk laughed and asked me "Would you walk under the rain in the sun or in the cold?" I said "In the sun" wtf.

A Smoky New Year's Day

On New Year's Day we invited Maggie and Kai Mun over for dinner. Dinner was almost served when I took out my chicken from the oven and Wk was quickly stir-frying the round beans. And then all of a sudden the smoke alarm went off! We thought it was due to all the heavy cooking eventhough really, there was no smoke to begin with. 

Wk tried to turn it off but for unknown reason it couldn't be stopped. After beeping for a good 5-10 minutes, suddenly there's an automated announcement asking us to evacuate the apartment! And it wasn't just announcing in our apartment, it was annouuncing even in the walkway and we guessed it was announcing in other apartments too! At that point everyone panicked. If a smoke alarm is triggered, sometimes it automatically calls the fire brigade and they will come once they get the news. And even if there is no fire, they will charge depending on whose apartment the alarm was triggered! 

While Wk was trying hard (but in vain) to dismantle the alarm to turn it off, we were busy looking for numbers to call through the apartment manual eventhough we know on New Years Day, it is highly unlikely for us to get anyone. Called, no one picked up. At the same time, the freaking alarm was beeping, the automated announcement was announcing, everyone was frantic.

And then suddenly after about 10 minutes the announcement and the alarm stopped. We waited for a while but nothing happened. And then Maggie said "What if it's another person's apartment?" which could possibly explain why we couldn't turn it off in the first place because smoke alarm comes with a button for you to turn off when you need to. But we couldn't understand how could our alarm have went off when it's another apartment that's triggered their alarm. We were so confused but there was nothing we could do so then we proceeded to have our dinner which was already cold by then lol.

Until today, we still couldn't figure out what happened. One thing we were glad for sure, the fire brigade didn't come or else the dinner would have cost a fortune! If it actually WAS another apartment who triggered it... damn we must have looked freaking silly panicking and running around trying to turn it off hahaah. What a day to start our new year.

My brother taught me how to make 烧肉 (Siu Yok) or Roasted Pork Belly so I decided to try making it. It was pretty good except the crackling wasn't good enough. Which was why I asked Wk to try 'torching' it lol! Torching didn't solve the problem, the heat comes out too strong that it charred the skin very quickly. I kinda figured why the crackling wasn't as good so I shall try making this again.

Oh I almost forgot. On New Year's Day, it was 38 degrees. 38 freaking degrees! The temperature went lower at night. And the next day, it went up to 40!!!!!! I couldn't even sleep properly for that 2 days.

It's my first time going through this in Melbourne and I swear it's not fun at all. Seriously thank goodness the temperature has dropped now. I will never ever complain about the cold again. Ever! It's so much better to be cold than hot! And the heat here is crazy. It's hot, the wind is hot, with fan you're only circulating hot air within the apartment, and the air is sooooo dry that it dries your skin out like crazy.

And you know what I saw on the 40 degrees day? A man sunbathing in the park!

%^$!@&%$!!! Seriously??! At 40 degrees?! I couldn't even stand it inside the apartment and that man was out under the sun without clothes. The sun can do so much of damage to the skin, it was like watching a person committing suicide.

Twenty Eleven Reflection

Achievements:

1. Embarked on a new journey

I'm talking about moving over to Melbourne. Not sure if it's necessary to call this an achievement. At least I know I've escaped from doing things I'm not happy about and I decided to give my life a change for the price of familiarity.

Thank you all who came for the gatherings/to send me off ♡ That includes you too Cathy Moo! You must be hiding behind someone in one of those pictures hahaha.

2. Ended long distance relationship

This would most probably be one of the best things achieved this year. It may not seem like a huge accomplishment to others but for Wk and I, we've never been happier.

3. 9 years

On Christmas this year, it's been 9 and half years since we started dating. Gosh... we're so old! :P Hitting the decade omg. I'm so grateful to have met someone I can proudly say I can spend the rest of my life with. Someone who helped and will still help me grow (mentally, not sideways wtf...) and be better, someone who will always be there for me in any situation :)

4. Dyed my hair red

It's one of the 'must do before I die' which I can now happily tick off!

5. Distinctions

3 of my former violin students achieved Distinction in their violin exams! Well technically the credit goes to their new teacher but as their former teacher, I should be proud of them!

6. Topped Scores in Vege Samurai and Fruit Ninja!

I've never been able to top Wk's score in anything because well, he's a gamer and I'm not so it's only normal that he's better with games. But not these 2 apparently :P

I do realise that all these are actually not that substantial at all to be called achievements :P This post is not meant to be super serious anyway. So what if I haven't really achieved anything great? Life's too short to be whining over achievements.

I've learned to:

1. Cook better

I started being active in the kitchen when I was 15, it was more of a hobby thing but as the years passed, I got lazy and the skills just got rusty. Coming here, I don't have my grandma to cook for me anymore. Eating out is just too expensive. And I'm picky with food in terms of taste so in order to keep up to my standards, I'll have to cook and just learn to cook better. It gives a great sense of satisfaction once you hit the right taste and knowing you cooked it from scratch. 

2. Appreciate food

When I was home, I used to not eat whenever I think my grandma's cooking is not tasty and I would choose to eat out even when the food's prepared. I feel so terrible for being such an ungrateful grandaughter :( Having cooked for the past few months myself, I learned to appreciate how valuable everything is not just the food, but the effort to have something served up during dinner.

3. Eat healthy

It probably has to do with being the one cooking. I cook almost everyday that over time, I become more and more conscious about the things I put in my body. But I'm not a hardcore healthy eater. I'm just more aware and I would not find it time wasting to google on information about nutrition of specific foods. Afterall, you are what you eat. That being said, I still eat junk. In moderation of course.

4. Swim

I've always been afraid of water, never known how to swim and always wanted to learn. Fortunately, Wk used to swim when he was a kid and he is a confident swimmer. We go to a community centre 5 minutes walk away from our place to swim every 1-3 weeks depending on our schedule and so far, I'm able to do breaststroke and a little bit of freestyle already! 

5. Have self discipline in spending

Don't think there's much to say about this as I constantly mention how things are so expensive here in Melbourne. I used to be so frivolous in spending only because I've never had any serious commitments hahahah. Coming here, there's rent, there's monthly transportation fares, groceries, household, there's the money you need to save up for rainy days, there's bills... of course, there's that irresistable occasional shopping or eating out but I've learned to be more aware of what I actually need, what I only desire and NOT need, and to watch my expenditure closely. Speaking of eating out...

A collage of most of the food I've tired this year. Seems like a lot but most of it are from one same place. Told ya everything's expensive. If I were to eat out so often... pokai man.

6. Listen to Kpop

and swoon over cute Korean boys lol.

7. Keep in touch

... with my favourite people back in Malaysia. You know who you guys are :)

 

8. Be vain (as always), capture funny moments and have fun :D

Lol I was trying to depuff my eyes by pressing cold spoon on it.

You never regret the things you do but often, the things you didn't. There are so many things I wish I would have done or done better but I think there's no use living in regret. For the new year, I shall:

1. Get. A. Freaking. Job!
I have no excuse for this honestly. I procrastinate and I'm terribly good at it. Yes I am studying and I am aware that it is not an excuse at all because there's plenty of time for a part time job. Need. To. Get. Resume. Done!

2. Still keep in touch
... with my favourite people of course :)

3. Go home...
... during the holidays hopefully?

4. If I ever get to go home
I will eat and finish my grandma's cooking and never ever say no, I will help her cook, and I will cook for her. I miss my grandma so much :'(

5. Decide
Life has been full of uncertainties ever since I came here. First, it was visa issues. Now... something I don't wish to talk about so publicly. This year, I shall decide.

6. Still have self discipline in spending!
Definitely a must!

7. Blog more!
While looking through my archives, I realise in year 2009 and 2010, I have an average of 100 posts respectively. In 2011, THERE'S LESS THAN 50 HOMG! Oh what has age turned me into T_T Hopefully I'll get back into my blogging mojo and start publishing 10 posts a day hahahah! Of course not. But seriously, I should blog more. There's something about it that relaxes me. It's a good way to reflect on your past or yourself too.

8. Get a haircut, period.



Happy New Year 2012 everyone!

*This post was inspired by a blogger. But I'm pretty sure lots of bloggers would do a year end recap/self reflecting post so... if it sounds familiar, that's why :)