Craze for Starbucks

today has been based on impulse. planned to wake up early to go have breakfast before heading to uni but was too cold, didn't want to wake up. so I slept till late. when I finally decided to get out of bed, crossed fingers, when into the shower and yes!! it's working! shh...I went through almost a day without shower. so I thought, better do something from home then go uni for lab meeting. checked mail, tadaa! lab meeting cancelled. woo hoo! now what? because I know I won't be doing work from home, it's too cold and dark inside the house, so decided to head off to my favourite place, Starbucks!

so here I am! supposed to be doing work but as usual. finding distractions even without internet. see see, Microsoft Word 2007 has blog post function. just testing it out. plus I wanted to blog about Starbucks. the one in the city has a mezzanine level and lots of comfy couches. i'm sitting here at my favourite spot with my cup of double mocha macchiato on my laptop in my vain attempt to do some work. in the mean time getting distracted with everything. great ambience, great view. well, generally observing people. mostly Asians hanging out reading or chatting or doing work. occasional Caucasians doing the same. some businessmen don't know talking about what. mostly people dropping by for a take away. very busy joint indeed.

I like doing work in Starbucks because I can have my favourite coffee any time of the day then sit here for ages trying to get some work done. even if I end up not doing much, I know it would have been more than what I would have done if I was home. plus they have abundance of plug points so don't have to worry your notebook ran out of battery. they actually have internet too but I don't want to pay for it. internet will just make me more distracted from work, don't you think? think I better get some work done or else it will be a waste of 5 bucks for my coffee.

 

Do try it, Starbucks Double Mocha Macchiato, it's yum be it cold or hot!

somewhat familiar

just had this very familiar feel while streaming some movie. it just sends tingles down the spine when you think about it. somehow this situation in the movie brought upon a sense of dejavu. sometimes i think i watch too much drama that clouds my judgement on what is real. anyhow it goes something like this. literally translated the situation is where two person who have been through so many obstacles in their life trying to be together, ended up not being able to fulfill their dreams because of just minor misunderstanding which excalated. i guess at some point in time everyone would have went through something similar. to me, this sort of situation seems to appear in drama or movie too often. so often that when it occurs, it just makes me wonder. wonder why does it get processed in my mind differently. my mind seems to put too much emphasize on it. perhaps it is a reflection of what happened in my life. personal connection. arbitrary.

what do you think is underground?

i wonder what's beneath the ground !? these are the flowers growing in our backyard. needless to say, we don't water them ever! nor do we fertilize them. but these flowers seem to grow beautifully! the red ones grew on a tree that used to have fruits that looks like peaches or apricots. now it looks like a cherry blossom tree.

spring is in the air!

once upon a fine weekend

i was so excited when i saw this restaurant! how often do you see someone with the surname KHONG, what's more a restaurant! =)

aren't they the cutest thing ever? the agouti one is super friendly while the brown one is super 'kepoh'. shy shy but want to follow people around. then when you try to touch it, it run away!

another cutie pie. i think it's a goat? but super fluffy! then also very curious creature, tried to climb up the fence to sniff people's hand!

chocolate heaven! one of the chocolates on display, too bad it's not for eating. it was for a chocolate handicraft competition. i voted for this one of course!

bendigo was once a mining town. so it's not surprising there used to be chinese people there. follow the money, people!

this is 'loong'. apparently it's like one of the oldest dragon in the world! but what is it doing in bendigo, australia?

sacred heart cathedral

one of the most amazing structure i've came across so far. perhaps it was because its size. majestic.

p/s: it was really hard to take a good pic considering i don't have a tripod. it's at night. it was freezing cold. and raining.

i hate my blog!!

argh! how i hate my blog! just went i find so hard for a nice template, it always get fcuked up. now can someone please design a template for me that won't go KO? pretty pweese?

how was your weekend?

well, my weekend was fulfilling! started off the day doing my laundry (yes, this is what people who don't stay home do) then decided to bake something so i baked apple loaf. almost finish one already! then i became home hairstylist for the second time! ok ok, maybe not hairstylist, home barber? ahaha! and this time around, i think it looks nice! can pass as amateur barber leh! ok, not on my own hair of course, on eugene's hair. he's been bugging me to cut it for like months now and i finally did it again. i dread it initially because the last time i cut for him it turned out rather funky! so, what else, went shopping today but as usual end up buying nothing much. went to footscray for random beef noodle soup craving and the plan was to walk around looking for a shop that is open where there's is a lot of people eating noodle soup. which we did managed to find a good one! yumz!! i think i could have ate another bowl (that's just what i think). rather cold day today but the noodles does help warm me up inside! now, prolly have to start cleaning my room a lil. no space to do productive work. ta!

celebrations!

i hate spam!

yes. i hate spam! you know how normal email service providers like yahoo or gmail will sort out those mails that they think is spam or junk and normally it's quite accurate except for the occasional friend's email getting lost in the pile. but i tell you, this university mail of mine, very stupid eh, i think got more junk mail that actual emails! i already set the security level to higher than normal and yet so much rubbish comes my way. i don't quite understand how does my unimail get caught in the network of junk mails anyways. not like i simply go use my unimail to subsribe to stuff or anything. i hardly even use it. so since i forwarded the unimail to my yahoo account, everyday i'm bombarded with ample of junk! junk i tell ya! and there doesn't seem to be anything i can do about it. i actually thought of sending an email to the IT people in the uni see if they can help me sensor junk mails but to imagine so many people wanting them to do that they would have been overwhelmed! guess i have to live with it until i leave melbourne university. the good thing is i check my email like a million times everyday since it's work or uni related, so i can just delete them as i carry on with my daily life. oh but think of it, if they ever sent me junk mails about job offer, maybe that will catch my interest? anyone wanna offer me a job? just email me!

i like! u like?

there! how is this one for a change? of course i just cut and paste most of the things from the original template because i can't be bothered or more like don't have the time to make my own. i can barely find the time to blog.

i think i must be too pre-occupied with sleeping! thinking of work makes me tired. when i tired i feel like sleeping. sleep so that don't need to think about work. see the vicious cycle? i'm beginning to think am i cut out to be in research? i may be good with studies, well, even that i'm not excellent but in the field of research, good doesn't seem to be enough. i'm "excellent" according to my supervisor. everyone in my lab likes me. i like being there too! really helpful and diverse personalities in just one lab. but do i really like what i'm doing? i think this must be the negativity talking. i hate it when the results is not what it's meant to look like. sometimes i think too much.

now now, let's think of the positives. i'm almost finish with honours. just another 3 more months and it's over! at least for this year that is. i admit i'm a slacker that's why i like this field. at the moment i can come in anytime and leave at anytime. if i had a 9 to 5 job, i don't think i'll be able to stand it! i'll have to have like 3 coffee breaks per day!

i need to be more hardworking from today onwards. my motivation to be great not just good. sometimes i put pressure on myself but this is what you got to do to achieve great things. i should still believe that the amount of effort you put into your work pays off at the end of the day. though it may not be always through but it is most of the time.

play hard, work hard!

temporary out of service

my...i'm so bad with the template and code and html stuff. so the background will temporary be in revision. now it's plain old boring background.

3 years and counting

happy anniversary my dear! though sometimes you may be the most annoying person in the world, it means something to be able to share our life journey together. if anything, we're growing and learning all the time. i used to be one of those people who says i like you for who you are but i think in a relationship you have to learn when to adapt. when to evolve. when to give in. the funny thing is that we tend to learn each other's habit. name callings. expressions. at the end of the day, not knowing who started it! and i like it whenever you surprise me with those little things, those little things that i mentioned once upon a time ago and you still remember. yet i still doubt you think what i do for you is special. since you can't even remember the important events. you may not be the most romantic person in the world but i guess you just have a different way of ticking.

but you're still the worst housemate i ever got! but because i'm so kind, or perhaps, i can't stand the mess, i clean up after you. should not pamper you so much, you know? after become habit eh. three years, is that long? does time really say it all? to me, it doesn't. there's still so much to learn. there's still so much we could improve on. sometimes you just want to be naive and think you'll just get into a relationship and it'll be prefect the way it is. how often do you get that? i'm sure there's always ups and downs. though it's my bad that i always remember the bad things clearer but i would definitely say there's more ups than downs at the moment.

stuff it.

stuff it. i'm not good at writing and all sorts. i seriously don't have creative juice flowing within me. no wonder i'm not an artist. or an architect. or a pianist (or in my case, electonist maybe?) or any other sort of thing that needs creativity. i like art-y stuff. i love them all. but i'm just not good at any. i admire those who can, those who are, i really do. sometimes even envious at their abilities. wonder what i could blame on me being the way i am? perhaps i'm not good at writing because i don't read much. if i don't read, i don't stimulate my mind often enough so i won't have the ability to think, to analyse situation impromptu. or maybe i'm just so dull. so dull and boring that i can't seem to find excitement in life. things that are worth writing about. but of course i still think it's me. because if i'm creative, if i'm capable, i should be able to turn those things that past me by each day into something interesting. if i read enough books, i'm sure i'll eventually get lots more ideas and inspiration.

any mocha lovers out there?

are you a mocha lover? if you're not, you're missing out! now i'm gonna try a lame attempt to convince you to like mocha.

coffee lovers say that coffee is meant to have the hint of bitterness. if coffee is taken sweet...there's not really a point to take coffee then would there? but then what about frappe and all that? hardly bitter one? what about iced coffee? traditional ice coffee got ice cream one...so also not bitter wat?



chocolate lovers normally like chocolate, solely. they have a hot drink not because they need the caffeine. but then sometimes chocolate can be too sweet right? and there wouldn't be much option to change the level of sweetness right?

but i love both, so maybe that's why i opt for mocha. chocolate-y taste with the dose of caffeine. not too sweet, not too bitter, just right. taste good hot or cold.

anyhow, even if you don't like mocha, it's your lost! but now the gals at st.vincent's, we're all loving our mocha! yay!

spotting fog/mist...

where can you see fog/mist?

• at genting highlands...only early early in the morning or maybe when's it's cloudy/rainy weather.
• at cameron highlands...but don't know now still as cold or not since i haven't been there since i was 10 years old.
• on the north-south highway...going up north...at wee hours in the morning...that's when my dad normally travel to balik kampung.
• when malaysia got jerebu...of a different sort
• during WINTER in melbourne...day...noon...and night...but then this is like a combination. eventhough foggy because it's cold but then still can smell smoky air wor...what does that mean? if so cold until got fog/mist how come can got smoke smell one?

there you go, the sign that winter this year is going to be cold. or it could be the fact that my house doesn't have good insulation. imagine how when u breathe, in the house, also can got vapour eh.

what's ur fav colour?

the greatest bunch!

i'm referring to our group of honours student at st.vincent's campus. i honestly think we're like the coolest bunch of students compared to those that are on other off-campus or on-campus locations! firstly, i would definitely say even though we're a much smaller group of students compared to other departments, we're definitely more close knit than others. especially the other four gals in the same student room as me, what's more two of them are actually sort of in my lab too! i think honours year has been great so far, with most assignments spaced out evenly and not too hectic, despite having to be in the lab or be around most of the days. i must say i must be one of the most slacking person of all! cuz i always come in late but i do stay back late when i'm doing some stuff down in the lab. other people their supervisor are sort of expect them to be there from 9 till 5. but my lab people, as long as you get your work done, no matter where are you it's ok. *grinz* hence the coming in late because i work from home late at night then next morning don't want to wake up! hah! did i say among the gals in the student room, i'm the only asian? so i'm really greatful that they treat me the same, just like one of them! we hang out, we have lunch, we go for coffee breaks, talk crap etc. etc. it does feel good to belong. like some of my friends because they're the only one in the lab, they don't really have people to hang out with, end up eating lunch alone, you know, stuff like that. of course i don't go and boast about how much i like my place la. what's more, i have a senior in my lab and she's doing Phd now so i always go bug her about stuff. ehehe...she always say "how come you all so happening one." i do always invite her to joint us but then i think she a bit pai seh. even though she senior but then she same age as the rest of us ma. but then she very hardworking so she doesn't waste time doing nonsense like us. ahaha! then got the RA in my lab, he's super super helpful! he moved his 'desk' from upstairs to the lab so almost all the time besides doing surgery, he will be on his workstation in the lab. always anything also go to him "michael..." "michael...". sometimes also pai seh every little things also go ask him for confirmation but then better confirm than do wrong right? i can't believe he's my mom's age! looks younger than that. also also, whenever i go over to the pathology lab for tissue processing and embedding, the people there very very friendly. always come and talk to me. ahaha..eventhough some of them i also don't remember their name but then still can chat! then i think they also don't remember my name so we don't ask and will not know forever! kidding! so i guess you can see that i'm quite happy where i am and i feel fortunate to be surrounded by friendly and helpful people. now the only think is...do i really want to be working on diabetes stuff for my Phd? if you get a project that you really interested in but then the people you don't know if you'll work well with or not for the next 4 years, is it worth while? Project or People? Project or People?

is it just me?

is it just me? it is just me who have close guy friends? is it wrong to have guy as close friends? do u think they always have utter intentions? but what if you've known them for years! do u think being friends for so long that they would still think that there's any sort of attraction besides being compatible as friends? i mean if there is in the first place and being so close would mean that that sort of behaviour would be told to each other honestly from the beginning. obviously, all sort of things would have to be cleared. or else would you have remains close if the attraction was not mutual? being able to talk about anything under the sky, being there in times of needs, is that wrong at all? does it mean that all you can have when you're in a relationship is each other? oh wait, if only i was in an all gal school. then of course i will have close gal friends! it's not that i'm saying i don't have any but it's the matter of compatibility i would say. it's just my nature. that people feel comfortable talking about stuff regardless of our gender. and i would love to think the same too. but what if it's too troublesome for you, would you still have close friends of the other gender? who would you choose? what would you do? it's just me. i just can't keep away from guys. hah! take that! and yet, i still care, i still care about what you think. even though it upsets me so much, so much it hurts. it is all worth it? why can't you just accept me the way i am? can't you see it's my nature...it's just who i am...

of cookies and cupcakes

when i have my own house...i wanna make sure it has a beautiful functional oven! i tried baking cupcakes with my malfunctioned oven today and it turned out to be more like cookies! nice and crunchy cookie top with cake-y bottom. what a disaster! i'm never gonna try baking with this oven ever again...why does it not maintain at the required temperature? i think this is worst than the microwave 'oven' we had last year. at least with the spinning plate in the microwave...the muffins would only get pulled towards the centre while it's cooking...but this one. temperature always gets too high...forcing me to keep opening the oven door. this actually affects the cooking time as well...and still ended up with crunchy cupcakes! cupcakes should remain cupcakes. soft and moist. not crunchy cookies. i got so frustrated at the end product...i threw it out...eventhough it pass for yummy cookies. hah!

p/s: now i think maybe that's a bit of a waste...since it was filled with nutella eh...too bad...too late.

does size matter?