2009 Year End Christmas holiday Travel

We will travel for approx. 219 km in total from Melbourne City to Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula, and then travel across the Port Phillip Bay on Queenscliff-Sorrento Searoad ferry to Sorrento and go back to Melbourne via Mornington Peninsula.

1. We will explore the historical twin towns which are developed to protect Melbourne City during WWI and WWII. The highlight of the trip for me is the searoad ferry because if we are lucky we may be able to spot dolphins, seals, and even whales^^ I don't know if this is the right season for whale to swim by here LOL.
2. If nothing happens during the cruise, then the next highlight would be the Point Nepean National Park. I like everything about Point Nepean, from its historical values, aborigine site, mystery (one of the former Australian Prime Minister lost (while still in office) when swimming at one of the beaches there), and of course the marvelous scenery:

(丌▽丌)

I want to stand on the tip of Point Nepean! 3-day tour, here I come!

The horoscope thingy and my work

Source: Pacific Lutheran University

• It's been a very long time since I last checked my horoscope, and today when I checked it at noon, I had my childhood feeling back: "OMG, that is so true!" (I was very into horoscope from Primary 5 until Form 1) LOL

Your Daily Horoscope: November 17, 2009

Virgo Aug. 23 - Sept 22 (Wrong Sign?)

There may be important news about your home or the place where you live today, Virgo. What's even more exciting is that there may be important news about work, like being called into action. Today is one of those on which your greatest advantage will come from paying attention, and by being ready to seize the opportunity when it presents itself. Not moving fast enough could cost you today: it's one of those "early bird catches the worm" kind of moments. Be careful not to blurt out your opinions too soon, too loudly or too strongly.

• Today I have a very very important news about my "work" a.k.a. fieldwork, I am indeed "being call into action".
• I tried my best to "move fast enough", sending the necessary emails, planning for tomorrow's to-do-list.
• I hope I can be the early bird that is able to catch the worm!
• Btw I really like this calligraphy-styled zodiac sign while searching for the image for this post :)

What do I want to do and how am I going to do

Anna Jinshikaya

1. I am rubbing my temples, though may not as graceful as Anna Jinshikaya.
2. I hope the light bulb can come to me when I need it. I need to write as much as I can, NOW.
3. At the same time I wish I can live my life to the fullest, not missing any moments of it. And not sitting in front of the PC or laptop staring at the blank Microsoft Word document with only 2 or 3 lines. And not checking FB and emails like an OCD.
4. The weather is so hot, I don't want to walk under the scorching sun any more, my arms and my face are already tanned, in 3 days. But I need my soy milk.
5. Just stop ranting and continue to write something academic dammit.
6. Today is Remembrance Day. Lest we forget.

Raya food and more healthy diet + lifestyle

Saya akan timbang diri sendiri sama ada pada hari Rabu atau Jummat ini, kemudian buat pelan detox dan jadual masa gym serta renang. Sekian.

• I have lots of pimples now and my stomach is bloating almost all the time. Urgently need to detox myself not only from the oil and charcoal food but also from lack of sleep. Will start to adjust my lifestyle back to normal. An email from my student that titled (translated from Mandarin): "Irregular sleeps equals to commit suicide---for people who don't sleep at night", somewhat rings an alarm to me and I suppose I should live a healthier lifestyle.
• I will force myself to go to campus everyday and do my work in the office as much as I can. And this, will require me to wake up early and my room will be the place for leisure and rest only. Making the bedroom as my workplace is probably the factor that contributes to my on-and-off insomnia. But to tell the truth, I love to do work in my room. Hmph.
• Need to build up my stamina at the gym, I lost to a nanny in swimming on the last Thursday and I am ashamed of myself^^
• Lately it's cold again and I don't sweat much. No detox activity at all. No good^^

Aja! Aja! Fighting!

26 on the 22nd

• It's my birthday on 22nd September.
• I don't feel like celebrate it because I had so much fun for the past 4 days.
• I had given myself birthday gifts last month so I won't get myself anything this month.
• I will instead calm my mind and make myself be more focus on my research.
• I just started planning my research plan for the next 3 months, starting today.
• I am seeking peace of mind.
• I am seeking for forgiveness, from my parent, my brothers, my friends, and everyone I know.
• I have a wish. If it is not realised, it's OK :)
• I must improve my academic English.
• I must be well-prepared for my field work and my further chapter writing.
• I wish happy Autumn Equinox day (first day of Autumn) to the people who live in Northern hemisphere countries. That's how I get "Autumn" in my name :)
• I wish I am wiser than previous years. Amen.

Slim down exercises

• Because I sit down for 12 hours per day everyday, now my butt is obviously gaining lots of fats on it, plus a potato chip diet non-stop for weeks, I hereby officially declare that I need to resume my exercise routines!

• It is a crime not to do these uber simple butt exercise: http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/slim-down-for-summer/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100216585
• I usually do pilates either at gym (to use their Swiss ball and the dumbbells) after using threadmills or simply at my own room.
• For easy butt exercise: http://www.howtobefit.com/beautiful-butt.htm
• And also this: 30 Days to a Better Butt
• I especially like the shoulder bridge routines, which is also part of my favourite pilates moves.
• Don't forget to stretch before your gym routines especially if you are doing some intense running on the threadmill.
• I love pilates and the routines are easy to perform. They are effective in toning your abs, muscles, and keep fit.
• Below is the pilates routine performed by a Ford Model Lorie Baker which I practiced since half year ago (but stopped after indulging in my reading and writing T_T):

• After you can do the pilates routines on a regular basis and is comfortable with it, try to increase the difficulty level of pilates moves. This is the 'high level' pilates which I found difficult to do but really effective:

• I cannot make my legs straight and thus I cannot perform the routines which require a total straight strectched leg but I do them anyway with a little bent on my knees. To correct this I actually need to practice yoga but I fail miserably with even the simplest yoga moves. Period.
• And of course, if the butt is getting bigger, it also means the belly is popping out too! I have been losing my flat stomach every now and then since I hit 25 years old. I guess women start aging at that age is not a myth T_T
• These are some 'easy' steps to flat abs and I particluarly love the step number 4 and 5. Practice that way if you are in your room. Taking a weight ball (I use 1 kg) if you are at a gym, make sure your feet don't touch the ground and switching side for a set of 8-15 reps. After you get used to this exercise, try to do it slower, like from left to right or right to left using 12 to 13 seconds. Make sure your muscles are shaking and your feet are not touching the ground during that 12 seconds. I love it, huhu.

And also, for office ladies and students, these are great flat-belly exercises on the chair because we sit on the chair all the time (so there is no reason to say "no time for gym"!). And trust me, they are not easy as how they look, so it's definitely a must do when you decide to move your eyes away from the screen or books :)

• These won't help you Lose 2 Inches in 2 Weeks unless you couple it with food diet. But these are great exercises (I am very bad at sit-ups or push-ups type of routines >_<) to keep yourself in check. And if you own a dumbbell or two, there is no reason not to do these. They are so damn easy so just do it if you want to fit in your smaller dress size.

• To summarise what I do in order to slim down:

1. Don't skip breakfast. I eat 2 half-boiled eggs.
2. Do pilates 3 times per week.
3. If you don't want to forget or procrastinate, do them everyday!
4. Eat little for dinner.
5. Detox---no meats, only fruits and vegetables and tuna or salmon to fulfil your craving for meat.

• What's the fuss for me to write this post?

drum rolls..................

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• I cannot fit in my skinny jeans!!! Argghhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Puasa Internet

Human-friendly Kingfisher at Kennet River, Victoria

• Will remain offline until the end of this month. So no more updates until September.
• Wish me luck on my study!
• Muacks!

Beethoven - Für Elise

I used to have a small red wooden piano (it's a toy piano) when I was a kid. My mum says one day out of no where I played "Twinkle twinkle little star" by my own. After that I figured out how to play "Happy Birthday". That little toy piano survived until I was in lower secondary school (!). That time my friends, my family and I (especially me lah) were crazy over Backstreet Boys' "As long as you love me". I did not remember how the toy piano came into surface (LOL) but I remember I was trying to "figure out" a way to play the opening of the song, and I did. I couldn't "figure out" the whole song because there were only not more than 18 or 20 keys on the toy.

I guess I am the type of 'pianist' that plays by ears, if I am fated to become one, muahaha. Currently I have no idea on how to read the Bagatelle at all T_T

I have always envy people who has a piano on their own. But lots of people I know who learned piano later abandon the music and the piano is served as a huge decoration in their living rooms. What a waste. I know it's too late for me to pick up the learning but I hope, if, one day, I have my own child or children, and if, they love piano (first buy the toy piano to 'test' on them and see if they're interested), I'd really love to fork out the money for them. Now assuming that I won't have any children, I'd love to fork out the money for myself, to give myself a latter life "second chance" to learn the music, haha.

• I first listened to Beethoven's Für Elise when I was around 5 years old (I think), I was immediately hooked by it, until today.

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Tag-alogika daripada Atie :)

Sekarang procrastinate sekejap, because my next procrastination would be months later^^ Atie, I choose to answer partial tags yer, hehe. 9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I'd love to do it now, if the bungee jump site is somewhere near me. 10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL? Muesli 11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No 13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? vanilla and chocolate (same as Atie) 9.Makna nama saya : gadis yang dilahirkan pada musim Autumn (Chiew- Autumn; Ping- one of many general words used by chinese parents to refer to the child as a girl, literally/orininally means some kind of plant grown on the river) 12.Saya akan cuba : menamatkan pengajian pada Dec 2011

Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.

-Mary Lou Retton

Optimism is orange in colour :)

Grocery shopping in the evening

Bundoora Square in the evening

Today is so damn cold. Even though the sun is shining bright in the morning, it's cold like hell. Have no choice but to go out for grocery shopping. I cannot live a day without Muesli and Soya milk T_T The vegetables are running out, only left 3 carrots, as for fruits only left 2 avocados and 2 kiwis. Cannot last for more than 2-3 days T_T Thanks Tracy for accompanying me for grocery shopping. If not feels like 'procrastinating' the grocery shopping. I know I have been abusing the use of the word 'procrastinate' like forever, but I don't care, muahaha. We left our office together and took a tram ride to the nearest shopping centre, Bundoora Square. Had been hand-off potato chips for quite some time, so I bought 1 korean prawn keropok and everybody's favourite: Smith's Original Potato Chips T_T Last time I finished 6 packs of Smith's Potato Chips in 7 days. Thereafter I feel guilty of comsuming so many chips in one go so keep my hands off the chips for quite some time. Compensation, compensation. :)

Revive like a phoenix

Old blog was deleted. But I will blog like I always do, like I used to. Arise from dead after 1 week. Soar~ and flying high into the sky. When I blog, I take a break; when I take a break, I blog.