Back to habit

It's been over 1.5 months since I've last blogged. A record in itself. For the past two weeks, each weekend has been an exciting and fun bday party - M&M. Seafood, sushi, skilful salmon cutting, seaweed and seaurchin. Together with Big 2, snap and more snap in the most hilarious way. We had it all - laughter, pain and satisfaction. Too bad it didn't end off with some dessert :p

The other M. Cruising in the harbour on the fabulous sunny day on Matilda 3. Nothing to complain about!! The rocking of the boat, snapping of candid shots, watching the scenery - hilarious and relaxing! It's funny how paths cross. Catching up with high school friends, some of which we haven't seen for ages!! Meeting people with the same name who other people had once thought I was her. Hearing some interesting hospitality stories. Discovering new eatery places - ice green tea latte, squid ink pizza, raw beef. Another fab night that captured it all.

Change

After so long with dial-up, I have finally ventured into the new era of adsl2+. As always for me, much anticipation without doubt leads to disappointment. The first night after receiving the modem through post, I spent the entire night trying to figure out why in the world I can't connect. The following day, the next logical thing to do is the ring up TPG. Not surprisingly, after conducting a line check, they found a problem with the connection! So afterall, its not my problem but theirs! I don't know why, but I kinda of having doubts after the quality of tpg after my unsucessful connection attempt. But what can I do?

Food

Funny how everytime I blog, it is always an outing related to food! A long day really - watched Cars (highly recommended - it is so funny - nice to get in touch with the 'childish' side of life again); followed by ice-skating for 2 hours and then korean bbq buffet. Personally I don't think I'll go back there again. Not that the selection of food wasn't very good. There was a bit of variety, but overall I just felt the place was a bit too "smoky". Either a lack of ventilation or that type of food is just not for me! Oh and how can I forget the gelato after buffet.

Food expedition...

Must document my food expedition with the gals. The day began with chocolate eating at Adore at Earlwood (3-in-1 hot chocolate). This was followed by a trip to Watson's Bay. Where's Doyles? There's so many. Next time we must make it into the poshy restaurant! :p Seafood - seafood paella, seafood platter, seasoned avocado with smoked salmon and salad - plus a lil scenic tour - despite no spotting of whales. Superb weather nonetheless!! Dinner at U...something. Forgot the 'type' of food that we had or the name of the restaurant - lamb skewers, dumplings, spinach, noodles. Ice cream for dessert at Cold-Rock - macademia, cookies and cream, coconut (which tasted like medicine!!) and ferro roche. Slight sore-throat now..hmmm...

More eating expeditions are a MUST!!!!!!!

It just wasn't meant to be...

3 free tickets for three different reasons to see Da Vinci Code...one on premier night (thursday), one to silver screening (friday), one on monday night...couldn't make it ANY of those. What a waste!! I don't think I was ever meant to watch the Da Vinci Code. Have no further intention of watching it either....ah wells

Life...at work

Nothing much worth mentioning. In fact I have only a very vague recollection of what has happened in the past 3 weeks - if any at all. Something I'm proud of is that I'm becoming quite familiar with the M5 - having to drive to Prestons and Smithfield. I haven't even heard of these places until now. I feel like I'm getting disconnected with the world. What happened to my weekly outings or fortnightly claims of doing new things? I feel like I haven't been out in ages. Haven't seen anyone. Haven't spoken to anyone. Yeah MSN, but its different...

Assessing the meaning of life again. What am I doing? Where am I heading? What do I want to get out of it? Don't get me wrong. Working is can be 'good' but it can also be 'hell' depending on how you see it. How do I see it? It depends. A bit like weather really - unpredictable. But sometimes, I just want to have a break. I don't know how I'll handle 3 months of continuous work without any break. I can foresee hell is coming my way.

In the meantime, before all hell breaks loose as they say, I just want to have some fun. Do things, go to places, try new things. But noone seems to be free anymore these days. Uni people have exams, work people are too bogged down with their work or have other plans. Leaving me all by myself once again...me myself and I.

Aiii...what can I do? Motivation level is low - which is probably why I'm not having much initiative. What I do: plan, anticipate its going to be boring, cancel plan and start from square one again and the cycle continues.

Archery

What could 11 'adults' and 2 kids do?? The day was fun filled beginning from 2pm and ending at 11:30pm with 5 hours taken up by eating..haha. After a couple of practice shots, they placed balloons on the targets! There were a couple of injuries due to the string of the bow striking the arms and some 'wild' shooting of targets (but obviously, the targets didn't become the anticipated human ones)...but wasn't it worth it?? :p

Thx to F's 3 boxes of sushi and a bottle of coke without cups - that kept us going afterwards until we decided a place to eat for dinner. Well, originally it was karaoke but glad the final decision was dinner instead!! Too bad Novotel was too expensive!!

Shortly on the trip to the ct, I was following PJ's car and naturally got lost. How I wasn't surprised one little bit. But amazingly, I somehow ended up behind her car again not before too long!! How things just turn out...

Dinner decided to be at Red Hot Chilli - finally the much anticipated hot pot eventuated!!! 2 non-hot soup base and 1 half MILD hot and non-hot soup base. How is it possible that gals can eat more than guys!! Hilarious...After a 3 hour marathon of hot-pot and waiters giving us strange looks...maybe cause we ate sooooo much?? (definitely our money's worth), we wanted more..well the gals wanted more! Yup dessert. Well that was after walking off some of the food, with a stroll down to cockle bay and back to town hall. First ice-cream stop was gelatissimo - nah...not enough selection..second stop was passionflower - after sitting for like 10mins and almost decided in ordering, the small print said "Minimum $8 per person, 10% surcharge after 6pm". Of course our reaction is to leave..hahaha. Third and final stop - gelatissimo at chinatown. FINALLY our dessert!!

On the 'Eve'

Its been 10 days since I've last blog. The old days of daily blogging has now past. Lucky if I do weekly postings. The explanation is simple. After a day of work, if you get home after 7, all you would think of doing is coming home, have dinner, maybe check the occasional email and sleep. There really isn't much time when you have to wake up at 5:30 the next morning in order to escape 'full' peak-hour traffic.

That said, this week has marked the first week of driving to work at North Ryde. Strange as well as good, I anticipated on driving on Monday, but as I went to the garage, discovered that one of the front tyres were sagging. For safety reason I decided not to drive and got a lift from mum. The good thing is that, we noted some lane changes that morning which made it easier for me to drive on Tuesday morning. The culprit of the sagging tyre was a nail in the tyre.

Currently sitting at home, trying to figure out why my pc keeps stuffing up. This is probably the 4 or 5th time that I'm faced with a black screen with the CPU switched on. Usually, how my pc works after this symptom occurs is if I switch off the pc for the rest of the day. When I switch it on the following morning, it seems to operate as normal again. Perplexing.....I just don't get how PC's think!!!

Some highlights for the past 2 weeks:
- AMF bowling
- Shopping
- Hanging out

Get Slimmer, Richer, Smarter: 40 Shortcuts

FAST TRICKS FOR SAVING $$$
Want a better deal on a car, flea-market antique, or big-ticket clothing item? Follow these rules of negotiating:

MAKE AN AGGRESSIVELY LOW FIRST OFFER.
If you're willing to pay $500 for an antique bureau with a $650 price tag, begin by offering 70 percent of your real limit, or $350. As negotiations continue, you'll have room to work your way up to your true acceptable price, rather than working your way down to it.

TAPER YOUR CONCESSIONS.
Your first "give" should be the biggest one you make (when he says $350 is too low, offer $425). Then follow up with increasingly smaller, reluctant concessions (if you say $425 and he comes back with $575, counter with $460). The vendor will interpret your mini moves as a sign he's squeezed every possible cent out of you.

ASK FOR A LAST-MINUTE FREEBIE.
Just as you arrive at a price you both agree on, act hesitant and uncomfortable with the sale-then request something extra. ("If you throw in that jewelry box, we have a deal.") Last-minute freebie requests (speaker cables for a new stereo, an upgraded sound system in a car) work because the other person is eager to close the deal. - Jim Thomas, author of Negotiate to Win.

2 INSTANT CLOSET ORGANIZERS
1. GO WITH YOUR GUT.
Find the pieces in your wardrobe that you never wear, and try each one on. If it no longer fits or you don't love it, bite the bullet and donate it to the Salvation Army. Don't overthink: If your first impulse is to ditch, do it. "If you mull it over, you'll find endless justifications for holding on to the jeans you wore in college," says stylist Seneca Moss, who has dressed Molly Sims and Christina Applegate.

2. GET THE RATIO RIGHT.
"You need seven tops to every one bottom," says fashion consultant Linda Cohen. Keep only pants and skirts that fit perfectly. You can wear them repeatedly with different tops. Do hang on to more shirts and sweaters. "People notice them more, so you don't want to repeat two days in a row," says Cohen.

GET GORGEOUS OVERNIGHT
Eat these foods for immediate results
1. Spinach, broccoli, and other dark green veggies are rich in minerals and vitamin A-your antidote to dry skin and wrinkles. "One serving daily will make you gorgeous by the weekend," says Karin U. Kanzler, a naturopath and aesthetician at L.A.'s Allure Pilates Spa."

2. Olive oil, flaxseed oil, and fatty fish like salmon-all "healthy fats"- make your skin supple and glowing, says celeb facialist Sonya Dakar.

3. Drinking fresh-squeezed vegetable juice with lemon juice and cayenne pepper gives an instant rosy-cheek effect. "Vegetable juice boosts energy and the cayenne increases circulation for a healthy glow," says certified clinical nutritionist Natalia Rose.

10-MINUTE WAY TO UNEARTH YOUR PERFECT STYLE
Answer this: Which clothes do you feel most confident in? Pull them out of your closet. Then, scour old photos and pick ones in which you look great. Pull those outfits out, too. Together, these are the clothes that both flatter your body and just feel like you. Make these cuts and colors the cornerstones of your style, and shop for items that complement these key pieces. -Linda Cohen, fashion consultant

6-SECOND RULES FOR LOOKING 5 POUNDS SKINNIER

# Wear V-necks, long necklaces, low-slung belts: anything that draws the eye up and down the body. Avoid boatnecks, chokers, tightly cinched belts, and ankle-strap shoes: These create horizontal lines, which make you appear squat. It's similar to the idea that pinstriped pants make you look longer and sailor-striped tops make you look wider, says Elycia Rubin, co-author of Frumpy to Foxy in 15 Minutes Flat.

# Stick with matte fabrics like cotton and wool. Skip satin and other light-reflecting materials, which enhance your body size.

# Pair flesh-tone heels with all skirts. Heels always make you look slimmer; a pair that matches your skin tone makes legs look like they go on for miles.

# Wear a curvy jacket. A jacket that nips in at the waist creates an hourglass figure without hugging too tightly, says Rubin. Layer over a cami that falls a few inches below it for a lean look.

# Balance full with fitted. Pairing a flowing top with loose fitting pants only makes you look heavier. Better to match a big top with narrow bottoms or a body-hugging shirt with something roomier down below.

QUICKEST TRICK TO UPGRADE YOUR LIFE
Instead of a free economy-class ticket, use your frequent-flier miles to upgrade to first class. You'll actually get a much better deal. "A typical frequent-flier mile is worth one or two cents, but if you use it to upgrade, it's worth more like eight or nine cents," says Liz Pulliam Weston, MSN money columnist and author of Deal with Your Debt. Plus, you'll arrive at your destination feeling like an A-lister!

SHORTCUTS TO A CITY-CHIC SPREAD
It doesn't take tons of cash or work. Three ways to give your home a fresh look in a weekend:
BUY NEW LAMPS
"Changing the lighting is the least expensive way to transform the look of a room," says Ruthie Sommers, interior designer and owner of L.A. shop Chapman Radcliff Home. You can also put existing lights on dimmers and add a few extra lamps to the room.

PAINT
A new hue on the walls makes a room look like an entirely different place. Or, paint just the ceiling (a pale color works well) or the moldings. "For moldings, choose a color two shades darker than the color of the walls in a semigloss finish for an elegant effect," says Sommers.

ADD MIRRORS
"If a room is dark, add mirrors, and place them opposite a window to reflect more natural light," says Sommers. (Reflective surfaces also create the illusion of more space.) Consider having a mirrored top made for your coffee table-it catches and disperses light in a dramatic way.

FASTEST FIX FOR TIRED SKIN
Brew a pot of chamomile tea. Squeeze the juice of two lemons into the pot and add two teaspoons of honey. Drink throughout the day. "Chamomile is soothing. It calms your system and reduces skin inflammation brought on by a late night out," says Kanzler.

INCREASE YOUR ONLINE DATING ACTION-NOW
CHOOSE YOUR SCREEN NAME CAREFULLY
"Think about how it will be perceived by men," says psychologist Lillian Glass, who works with Match.com. "Something like 'little princess' might sound cute to you but will likely be a turnoff to a lot of men."

POST A NATURAL LOOKING PHOTO
"Research finds that a super-posed, 'perfect' picture is less appealing than a snapshot of you laughing or kicking back in a casual setting," says Glass. "Natural shots indicate you don't take yourself too seriously."

BRAG INDIRECTLY
Crediting friends is a great way to broadcast your best qualities without sounding egotistical. "Instead of writing 'I'm friendly and outgoing,' say 'My friends call me a social butterfly,'" says Glass. "You get the message across in a way that sounds modest."

BE SPECIFIC
"If you're only interested in dog lovers, say so!" says Glass. You'll help guys who share your passions find you more quickly-and that sort of efficiency is one reason you're doing online dating in the first place.

BODY LANGUAGE THAT GETS YOU HIRED IN A MINUTE
When it comes to interview situations, how you present yourself to your potential new boss reveals as much about you as what you say. For starters: "Don't just plunk yourself down in a chair-wait for me to invite you to sit down," says Apprentice star Carolyn Kepcher, author of Carolyn 101: Business Lessons From The Apprentice's Straight Shooter. "And don't lean too far back in the chair and cross your legs as if we're old friends. We're not. And I don't want to hire a slouch." Sit up straight in your seat and lean slightly forward to express your enthusiasm.

TODAY, TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP TO GET OUT OF DEBT
"Start by prioritizing," says Pulliam Weston. "Devote any spare cash you have to paying off your [high cost] credit-card balances. Don't worry yet about other debt, like car loans or student loans-that type of debt is cheap, so make those payments as minimal as possible to focus on the credit cards." If you can barely make the minimum payments or are borrowing from one credit card to pay off another, speak with a nonprofit credit-counseling agency (to find a reputable one, visit the National Foundation for Credit Counseling at www.nfcc.org).

HOW TO GET MORE MONEY NOW
1. Before a job interview, think of your dream salary and practice saying that number out loud in front of a mirror. "If you rehearse asking for what you want, there's less chance you'll chicken out and settle for something lower," says Thomas.

2. During the interview, delay stating your salary number. "You want to dazzle them before you talk compensation," says Thomas. If the interviewer tries to pin you down, say, "Why don't we hold off on talking about that until you decide if I'm right for the job?"

3. Make the interviewer give a number first. "Knowing their suggested salary gives you negotiating power. Otherwise, you risk your number being lower than what they had in mind," says Thomas. Once your interviewer names a number, resist the urge to accept. Always ask for more-but in a friendly manner to show you want to reach an agreement.

4. After you arrive at a salary that sounds good to you, use a technique called "nibbling" to close the deal. "This is when you tell them, 'If you throw in an extra week of vacation [or tuition reimbursement, flex time, or other perks], I think we'll have a deal.' By that point, the other side is so eager to close, they're almost guaranteed to give you the little extra," says Thomas.

5. Ask about the possibility of a "signing bonus." Employers might be able to give you money up front more easily than they can raise your salary, because bonus money often comes out of a company's recruiting budget, which is separate from its compensation budget.



3 EASY STEPS TO CHANGE YOUR IMAGE
1. CHANGE YOUR SCENT
"People judge your inner essence based on your outer scent," says Alan Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Some of Dr. Hirsch's findings: When women wear spicy, floral perfume, men perceive them as being up to 12 pounds thinner. Grapefruit scents can make women seem six years younger. Lavender aromas have been shown to cause sexual arousal in men.

2. CHANGE YOUR VOICE
People interpret high-pitched or breathy tones as immature or unpolished. To sound more self-assured, "pretend there's a dime holding your back teeth apart," says Glass. "This lets more air into your jaw and gives your voice extra resonance, which will make your words flow better and sound more attractive."

3. CHANGE YOUR PERSONAL STATIONERY
E-mail has done away with many communication formalities. For this reason, sending old-fashioned thank you notes on upscale stationery will set you apart from the crowd-and the competition. "A handwritten note on nice stationery is a sign of regard for yourself and the person you're writing to," says Arlyn Imberman, a graphologist and executive coach. Engraving your full name ("Kristin Jane Smith") on the cards makes you seem proper, a nickname ("Kristy") is more casual, and a monogram ("KJS") conveys an elegant image. Note-card color is also important, says Los Angeles color therapist and interior designer Carol Smith.

from MSN

You can control your age....

Lifestyle factors that subtract 10 years from your age:
1. A long term, happy relationship subtracts 1.5 years for men; 6 months for women
2. If you are a man - subtract 3 years
3. Drinking one alcoholic drink per day, wine or beer, helps men over 40 and women over 50 to add six months
4. Ninety minutes' exercise a week for 3 years or more - subtract 3 years
5. Owning a dog or cat cuts your biological age by 6 months
6. If both your parents lived beyond their 75th birthday - subtract one year
7. Earning more than $50,000 a year removes financial and emotional stresses - takes off another year


6 things that add 10 years to your age:
1. Not eating fresh fruit and vegetables daily - add one year
2. All of your grandparents died before the age of 75 - add 1.5 years
3. Add three years to your life if you have been regularly exposed to more than three hours of passive smoking per day
4. If you have gained nine to 18 kilos since the age of 18 - add one year
5. If you suffered from depression - add two years
6. High blood pressure adds three years

from Sunday Telegraph

Random thoughts

Its been a while since I last blog..maybe its just cause I can't really be bothered...the following was from a powerpoint file called 'character analysis'..if anyone wants I can send it to your email - just let me know :p



I think I've given up on daily recaps these days. It just takes too much effort to trace my boring daily activities. Maybe I'll stick to highlights:

- GRADUATION!!!
- Rockclimbing
- Harry's De Cart Wheel ('HOT'dog)
- Trivia night
- Bowling (lawn)

My goal is to do something different or non-routine at least once a month - or even each fortnight if I could!! Must say though, this fortnight is a big achievement on its own right. Lets hope I can keep it up!

Inspiration...

Suddenly felt like a bit of inspiration....just a time to chill and reflect - what's been happening in life so far. Never lose sight of goals and dreams. Failures or successes are just part of the road of learning. Something that will never cease. Day by day our knowledge accumulates, day by day we learn and make mistakes, but ultimately, what is important is not to make the same mistake twice. Sounding sentimental i know, but in one of those moods right now.

Sometimes I wish I could look into a crystal ball and see where I would be in 10 years time. What I would be doing...what path I will be on. But doing that would just ruin the fun of life wouldn't it? Life is one filled with laughters and tears....without either or these will be a boring one. Sure everyone wants to be happy forever, day after day, but life just isn't that simple. In fact, if all that one ever felt was happiness guess that it won't be long before you wont be able to feel anymore happiness. Its the surprises and unplanned events that keep us going. The venture into the unknown, the uncertain. Never is there really a dead-end unless you refuse to look beyond. In fact, what you think as the worst of situations at that point in time, may even be a blessing in disguise. Don't exactly know what I'm getting at - but maybe its just that whatever really happens, it all happens for a reason - for better or worse - leading to the road of discovery. Enough crap for now! :p

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” - Dr. Seuss

“I dreamed a thousand new paths. . . I woke and walked my old one.”

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“Time goes by so fast, people go in and out of your life. You must never miss the opportunity to tell these people how much they mean to you.”

“You won't realize the distance you've walked until you take a look around and realize how far you've been.”

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” - Pamela Vaull Starr

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” - W. Clement Stone

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs

“Try and fail, but don't fail to try.” - Stephen Kaggwa

“Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope”

“Little by little one walks far”

“Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't do this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind, you'll never use crutches or a stick, then have a go at everything. Go to school, join in all the games you can. Go anywhere you want to. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.” - Douglas Bader

“I do believe that when we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it's an opportunity to build on our faith, inner strength, and courage. I've learned that how we face challenges plays a big role in the outcome of them.” - Sasha Azevedo

“The best thing for being sad,” replied Merlyn, beginning to puff and blow, “is to learn something. That is the only thing that never fails. You may grow old and trembling in your anatomies, you may lie awake at night listening to the disorder of your veins, you may miss your only love, you may see the world about you devastated by evil lunatics, or know your honour trampled in the sewers of baser minds. There is only one thing for it then — to learn. Learn why the world wags and what wags it. That is the only thing which the mind can never exhaust, never alienate, never be tortured by, never fear or distrust, and never dream of regretting."” - Theodore H. White

Slow week....

All of a sudden, I seem to be lost in words. I no longer know what to write in my blog. No longer do I have a sense of direction. What's been happening for the past week?
1) 5:30 mornings for 4 days
2) Waiting for 'booked' taxi for 45min
3) Being 'lost' in what I was doing

I guess three words really can sum up the week. Slow. Tired. Lost.

Just a note everyone...if anyone still reads this anymore, with the postings getting more and more boring:

GRADUATION ON FRIDAY 17TH MARCH - I WILL BE AT UNI FROM 11-12 (MAYBE) TILL AROUND 4 (CEREMONY AT 2:30)...so if you happen to be free and around UNSW, just gimme a call!! Would love to take some photos with you all!!

Out-of-the-ordinary

I can finally say that I have done something different this week. Went to movies twice and watched 2 r-rated films..haha...Brokeback Mountain and Hostel. BM is recommended whilst Hostel is NOT. Go ahead and watch it if you don't mind some 3-grade scenes....maybe I should note that I didn't realise it would have such scenes since both movies were impromptu decisions..haha..but nonetheless, the plot of BM was quite good.

Feeling stupid...

Sometimes horoscopes are so reflective of how events turn out! Today was my first day at clients. It can pretty much be summed up like this: Aries Horoscopes

The Aquarian Moon remains in force yet again throughout the day. It is a complex lunar day with many changing feelings and energies. Being aware of this helps you stay centred and capable. What's likely to happen is dithering, an inability to make a decision and a bit of confusion throughout the afternoon. So bear that in mind and avoid important issues in that period. You need an early night tonight

But then again I guess everyone has their good and bad days...do you ever feel bad for taking up so much of someone's time...and then to find that you could have solve the problem yourself? I found myself in one of those situations today! Maybe its a lesson to be learnt even though it's not the first time its happened. Should be more careful, more observant....people after all learn from their mistakes!! This is called experience....

I should really stop complaining but I just can't help it! Probably if I don't complain then I have nothing to say! Some people can just have so much to talk about and make conversations with everyone so easily....sigh...I wish I had that kind of skill...its called communication skills isn't it?? Or is it interpersonal skills? Whichever it is, its another skill that I would have to acquire. The problem is where do I begin? What topics do you talk about? Talking about the weather usually lasts only for 5 second...the weekend?? another minute if you're lucky...plans for the next day? another minute...that doesn't even equate to 5 minutes.

If only I could talk as easily as I rant about nonsense!! But seriously, first thing first...I REALLY should stop being a couch potato and get off my backside to exercise!! It's meant to stimulate your brain and make you more alert and healthy. It's been one of my goals for a VERY long time yet I still haven't managed that do that! Sometimes life can be so miserable....

On the other hand, life is what you make of it isn't it? Everyone only has 24 hours in a day...even if you drink berroca which claims you can make 30 hours out of a day! Some people have families, kids, pets, work, join social and sport clubs and still manage to fit everything into their busy schedule. I should be able to do the same too!! I have none of those responsibilities but yet I seem to have no time. Time is there, I guess you just have to make use of it!

Starting to find my life rather dull...work - home - sleep - work - home - sleep..and the cycle continues. I should be more proactive! Yes that's the word I'm trying to find. Should take time for walks or playing the piano. Should stop sitting in front of the computer so much. Should...ummm....I don't know. I think I'm getting rather carried away rambling.

My point is...I should add some adventure to my life - laugh more, play more, talk more!!

CARPE DIEM!!

Two extremes....

Why does it always happen? A good event always have to be complemented with a bad event!! It took two days to finally get my gps working. On this very day, a trip over of the charging cord meant my ppc tumbles onto the floor. Tried doing a sync between the ppc and the pc for almost an hour without any success. Switched off both machines, turned it back on...the sync took longer than usual but at least its working once again...phew!! Now everything seems a bit delayed in response!! Oh wells at least its working. These two extremes were also separated by a virus prank :p which I initially thought it was a 'real' virus!! I think I've had enough for the day in terms of unnecessary stress!!

First time...

Experienced full-time work. Guess so far it's not TOO bad since the whole week was practically all training and in the office. Nice people and all so can't complain too much. Sometimes the only thing you feel like doing after coming home from work is just to sleep. Think I'm back to my 'sleep-early-wake-up-early' routine again!

First time playing arcade games on friday. I can see how people can get so addicted to playing - the thrill of winning! I just realise it's been a whole week since I've last blog - but somehow it didn't feel that long :p

Nostalgia

How do I spend my last weekend before I start work...a good half of today was spent cleaning, dusting and polishing. Its amazing how time flies by. Wiping the thick dust off the piano, I looked at the trophies on it...my first ever trophy was from 10 years ago and last ever one was in 2001 from Studio 65. They were the good old times...Despite getting to where I am now, it feels so disappointing to not being able to play one piece of music, flawlessly, with or without the score. My once relative perfect pitch have deteriorated to a point where I can no longer recognise the sound of the keys without looking.

Life is ironic....

I have all the time in the world, yet I do nothing. When I have no time, I try to do everything. Why is there no sane solution to such human stupidity?? I have lost count of the many unsuccessful plans this holiday alone! Far too much to be satisfying. Planning ahead is good but impromptu events keep popping up! Let's see if the reminding days goes to plan.....tho I am almost certain that things are going to be cancelled because of one reason or another!! Let me be wrong...

(Tue) Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

The Great Bears

(Pictures taken from SMH)

Now one of my own :p

Life...

Life is too short...rest in peace...

Life is like a taxi. The meter just keeps a-ticking whether you are getting somewhere or just standing still. -- Lou Erickso

Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us. -- Thomas L. Holdcroft

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. -- Winston Churchill

Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. -- Gandhi

Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead, that is where your future lies. -- Ann Landers

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.-- Buddha

Life is like riding a bicycle. You don't fall off unless you plan to stop peddling.-- Claude Pepper

For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life.-- Alfred D. Souza

In the book of life every page has two sides: we human beings fill the upper side with our plans, hopes and wishes, but providence writes on the other side, and what it ordains is seldom our goal. -- Nisami

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. -- Buddha

It is not length of life, but depth of life. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the game of life it's a good idea to have a few early losses, which relieves you of the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season. -- Bill Baughan

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it. -- Anonymous

Expecting life to treat you well because you are a good person is like expecting an angry bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.-- Shari R. Barr

All of the animals except for man know that the principle business of life is to enjoy it.-- Samuel Butler

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. -- Josh Billings

Slow going....

Life has been in the slow lane for the past couple of days...

Two more weeks before works start...

Waiting for some deliveries...

Deciding which adsl to join: TPG, Internode or Exetel...

No matter how much or less sleep I get, still feel tired...

Lacking in exercise...

Counting down...

(Mon) Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

First ebay purchase...

Who would have thought there would be a time where I'd be getting things off ebay??? I certainly didn't. in fact i'm still a bit iffy about the purchase...those post-purchase jitters..hahaha. my first ever 'indirect' purchase was a gps receiver...big thanks to D who put in the bid for me!! excited or nervous? can't decide which one it is...

Things are not always what they seem....

Google Earth image from SMH

What do you think it is?? An optical illusion, a bus shelter, a pergola, a hole in the ground or a car hovering above the ground in a suburban Perth car park?? Some things may look like one thing but be in actual fact be something totally different...


Young or Old??


A nice little story to begin the new year...

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guestroom. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn’t find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You might not know it until some time later...

Some people come into our lives and quickly go…

Some people
become friends
and
stay awhile...
leaving beautiful
footprints on our
hearts...
and we are never quite the same because we have made a good friend!!


Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it's called the present!

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Guess the good thing about chinese new year is that you can start another list of new year resolutions - including those not achieved 29 days ago.

Wishing everyone a happy CNY...like they say, "gung hay fat choy"!!!

The Year of the Dog...what does it bring??

The Year 2006 for Each Animal


People born :
1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996 are Rats: Your lucky sector is the North (352.5º - 7.5º) of the homeor office. Use yellows or browns in your decoration if you have a bedroom here. Spend more time this year with your partner as your potential success for the year can cause you to overlook people that are important. Unmarried Rats can expect new relationships and even rekindle existing ones. Your year will be busy but leave some time for play and make sure you take plenty of rest. Be careful of stomach problems, usually resulting from a busy lifestyle and bad diet or fast eating.When at work, you may sit facing north direction but do not sit with your back to it (north) or you may find unscrupulous people working against you or you may encounter undue gossip and back stabbing during the year.

People born :
1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 are Buffalos / Ox: Your lucky sector is the Northeast (22.5º - 37.5º) of the home or office. A stable year offering good relationships and wealth although the Ox will need to take care of their health this year especially those who like to smoke or do not have a good diet. Please take a look at your health especially if you are a metal Ox. Money can be very good for you this year, place some small quartz crystals in the northeast sector of your bedroom or office to enhance wealth this year. Although the northeast is your astrological lucky sector, this may not be the best direction for you to face when seated at work or doing anything important this year.


People born :
1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 are Tigers: Your lucky sector is the Northeast (52.5º – 67.5º) Place some small quartz crystals in the northeast sector of your room. Tigers have a much better year to look forward to in 2006. For those who work for others you should expect rewards with a promotion.
You need to be very careful with legal problems involving courts and possibly to do with contracts so please be extremely careful signing contracts. Karma can also be on catch up time as the seeds you planted over the last few years good or bad can come back to haunt or reward you. All Tigers should avoid going into partnership with someone born in the year of Horse. Be careful of gossip/slander and people who are jealous of you, they may try and make you look bad.
An addition in the family will bring happiness. For singles Marriage is indicated. Make investments, buy a house.



People born :
1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 are Rabbits/ Cats: Your lucky sector is the East (82.5º – 97.5º) of the home or office; Rabbit will be very glad in 2006 but It is still a year of mixed fortunes although on the whole it will be very good especially if you compare it to last year. In business you may also be offered a partnership and you should look at this as being positive although spend time looking over any small print on contract.Opportunities from foreign countries will knock at your doors. If you are onto exports or imports, you will flourish. If you are in fields like direct marketing, MLM, public relations and insurance, you will set new standards in the speed in which the customers can be covered. Get engaged or married as this is a perfect time for you to get the right partner. Romance is very strong this year for you.


People born :
1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 are Dragons: Your lucky sector is the Southeast (112.5º – 127.5º) of the home or office. With a Dog year the Dragon will clash so you will need to take extra care this year but remember being prepared will give you the edge to make sure the year is good for you. Overall the year will bring change and this can be good for career and also business as it can steer you in a different direction that will be better for you. To improve your luck, keep fresh red roses in your office and home and wear red clothes. All Dragons need to be careful of wealth this year, do not worry about this as you will have money coming in but you need to concentrate on retaining it, so no gambling or taking risks. 2006 will be a year of changes for the Dragon.The southeast is the location of the annual 2 black this year and if your bedroom is located here, you may encounter obstacles in your endeavours and weak health. To protect you hang a set of six Chinese coins tied with red ribbon or place some metal ornaments in the southeast corner of the room.


People born :
1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001 are Snakes: Your lucky sector is the Southeast (142.5º – 157.5º) of the home. The Snake is in for a great year. Career and those in business for themselves will climb to new heights providing you apply yourself. There will be some fantastic opportunities in 2006. Single Snakes can expect fireworks this year,even expect wedding plans, if you are a married or committed Snake you should be careful not to neglect your partner as with a successful year this can easily happen. Although the year will be good you can expect some jealousy from colleagues. Snakes will see excellent returns on their investments this year. But you need to rest and take some light exercise as you will get more stressed this year and need to watch blood pressure. All Snakes can enjoy a good year.


People born:
1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002 are Horses: Your lucky sector is the South (172.5º – 187.5º) of the home or office. This is an excellent year for you. You will receive lots of money. Your efforts and work will get due recognition and honour. New opportunities and invitations will come. For singles Engagement and marriage is assured, which can bring lifetime happiness.It will be a year of learning new skills; investment opportunities and career change.The rewards for the year can be very good if you are prepared to work hard and able to accept some changes, the changes will be good for you although it may not seem it at the time. This year can also be a year of learning and this is why changes are frequent as it could be learning a new job, ideas that you have had in last year whether for a new business, career or new hobby, this is the year you should put them in place.


People born :
1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 are Goats / Sheep / Ram:
Your lucky sector is the Southwest (202.5º – 217.5º) In business and career you should concentrate on what you have already, as it is not a good idea to start new projects or jobs. There will always be exceptions to this and if you do move job or start a new business do not worry. Goats need to take care of health this year and this is a year of changing lifestyle like giving up smoking, better diet or doing more exercise. Wealth will be OK. Avoid engagements and marriage this year.
Be bold, do not worry and do not lose your heart.You will need to be careful this year but with planning and following a good advice along the year should be good although better for the female than male.Take extra care in the months of April, May, September and November.



People born:
1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 are Monkeys: Your lucky sector is the Southwest (232.5º – 247.5º) of the home or office. To enhance, place some golden ornament in the southwest corner of your room. A mixed year for the Monkey, the year can be good for the Monkey and even exceptional if you are aware of potential problems as you can avoid them and this lets you move on. The later half of the year will be better regardless. Older Monkeys born need to take more care and look after health, in particular joints. 2006 is a good year to travel or look abroad for new work or business opportunities, if you are self employed look abroad for new business partners. For a fire Monkey born 1956 this is an important year for finance and please be careful and not lend money this year or take any risks.This is a good year to learn new skills or hobby and perfect for study and taking exams. Health problems will normally relate to the heart, eyes and joints. If you are a journalist, author, copy writer, script writer, designer, academic researcher or an artist, you will do well.


People born :
1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 are Rooster: Your lucky sector is the West (262.5º – 277.5º) of the home or office. The year will be good although the male Rooster will have a slightly better time. You will find you have many friends and helpful people looking after you and if you do run into any problem during 2006 you will get through it without many problems.Relationships should be good for single and committed Roosters and this is not just for romance it also relates to career and business. Increase this by making sure you enhance the northwest of your home or bedroom. Health issues will be minor. Expect a good year with the right attitude. All Roosters should avoid high risks sports like climbing/mountaineering this year as accidents involving heights is on the cards. Take care in May especially getting involved in other people's arguments or problems. Wood Roosters born 1969 can expect a good year but look after diet and stomach problems.

People born:
1946,1958, 1970, 1982 ,1994, 2006 are Dogs: Your lucky sector is the Northwest (292.5º – 307.5º) of the home or office. The year for the Dog will be exciting and can be very good, although a little up and down so expect the unexpected. You should be careful of rivals/competitors this year and remain humble without bragging of how great you are, as it will cost you dearly. Avoid criticism. You will need to be careful with money as it can arrive and depart very quickly, so some careful money management is needed. 2006 is a perfect time to gather your thoughts and take stock of what you have and your life. This year is ideal for those who are or want to be creative and if you are in a position you should really try and travel this year. All Dogs should try not to get involved in other peoples problems or arguments it will only cause you problems. Those born 1970 and 1982 can expect a trouble free year.



People born :
1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007 are Pigs: Your lucky sector is the Northwest (322.5º – 337.5º) of the home or office. 2006 will be a nice year and full of surprises, you will still have a few ups and downs but that is part of life. Relationships will be good although the committed male Pig will need to spend more time with their partner to ensure they do not wander. Female Pigs will be able to pick and choose, as they like. You should take extra security checks on your home or car this year as the robbery star is quite strong, this is especially so for people who have offices or main doors in the south.There will be new opportunities in business, career and love this year and it will be a lucky year which is nice as 2005 you had the wind in front of you rather than behind. Earth Pigs born in 1959 will have a very good time.

Parramatta

Destination was parramatta today and amazingly we did not get lost! Made it to westfield but when we got there, didn't find it all that fascinating....the three hour free parking was more than enough

Sydney Observatory

Happy Australia Day!!! A nice sunny day...circular quay and the rocks were packed with people. Had a great arvo enjoying free entry into sydney observatory with part of the bevo gang - looking through telescopes, old history and watching 3D theatre.

had dinner at koko (think that's what it was called)...the korean food was pretty good. dessert was gelatissimo. i want to say so much more but i just can't remember what i wanted to say....too tired....haha

till laters...

Driving

Made my way to Chatswood today...took the wrong turn on the way there..and got lost coming back but still managed to reach our destination! Sometimes I do like the traffic jams cause the traffic moves slower.

Haircut...

Always dread going to the hairdressers cause more regularly than not, it usually turns out bad and this time is no exception. i think its too short!! way short for my liking!! what the...oh well...it will have 26 days for it to grow back before work starts! lets hope i don't look too weird by then! >_<

Boredom

I've given up writing daily recaps because if I find my daily life boring..i'm sure you readers will be bored by it too!!! No highlights in the last couple days.

Exactly one more month before I start full-time work!! :(

Movies update:
Seven Swords
Misleading Tracks

Currently:
Full House
Healing Hands 3

Feel like going away for a day or two away from sydney....those one day tours don't seem to have anything interesting. if going by myself - cannot drive far...guess that doesn't leave me with many options but to stay put. unless someone is willing to drive!!!! :p

Possible destinations:
Central coast - Terrigal, The Entrance
Kiama
Coffs Harbour
Port Macquarie
Byron Bay
Manly
Jenolan Caves

Other thoughts:
Canoeing
Rock climbing
Climbing harbour bridge
Ten pin bowling

Upcoming events:
Australia Day
Chinese New Year

Sigh...obviously I'm getting a bit carried away!!

I really hope to do something before 13th February to make my holidays WORTHWHILE!!!!!!! Cause have relos from overseas from 13-19th Feb!

A newborn!!

If the old doesn't go then the new won't come. What am I going on about? Finally I got a new mobile phone - nokia 6230i. Time for my panasonic GD55 to retire. Bad news for some is that I'm still with telstra for another two years - which means calling me is still just as expensive as before!...not that I get many calls anyway :p

Feeling like a little kid all over again. getting excited over the novelty. but i know this excitement won't last. i definitely felt i was mentally challenged because i spent ages trying to take of the back cover of the phone to no success. but such difficult task for me was completed in less than a minute by my mum!! argghhh...that feeling of incompetence!!

Another outing..

this must have one of the busiest weekends for the entire holidays thus far. for lunch went to cousin's party..its been a year since I've seen some of my cousins - some have grown A LOT - especially the little ones. the evening was mostly stuffing myself with food and just sitting there.

the second half of the day was filled with the 'k' gang at big echo. the usual for me - more sitting and listening rather than singing! dinner at chinatown. 10 people yesterday and 6 people today - not a single companion catching the illawarra train line - wonder why???

Bevo gathering...

It has been two years since the last bevo gathering. Ten people altogether (with little E) at pancakes. It was a great catch up with lots of cameras, 'news' and pork ribs...then a walk to the domain for 'jazz in the domain'. started sprinkling but was happy it didn't get any heavier! jessica rowe was there to close the event! the best thing at the domain was the free sunday telegraph!..haha

thanks a and k for catching the train with me! :)

Stress

Who would have thought the holidays could be stressful? Maybe the holiday itself is not, but certain activities are. What I am talking about is driving - night driving in particular. I've been told that once you get use to it, night driving is better than day. But at the initial stages its harder, more stressful and energy draining. No street lights, relying just on the headlights of the car and those around you. Suddenly, you feel as though you lose some of your senses - you feel that you can no longer see where you are going. No longer can you see the surrounding cues which usually indicate how fast you are going. No longer can you see the street names or the streets themselves. You just feel so blinded...

Viewing update...

SPL
Election
Wait Until You Get Older
State of Divinity

Currently:
Just Love
Fantasy Hotel

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

the holiday has played with my mind making me very forgetful! last nite i set the time for my alarm but forgot to switch the alarm button on....movie was meant to be 9:30 but i ended up waking up at 9. made my way to bevo by 9:45. so i guess i didn't miss too much of the movie!

Who watches a 'kids' movie and cries!!...haha...its good to keep in touch with one's 'childish' side once in awhile! my last movie was madagascar...another wacky movie! and of course very happy to catch up with F and little E once again! :)

Restaurants..

Miss Saigon was average but none of the dishes that i tried was particularly great. we tried a tomato soup based noodles, beef noodles, a cold noodle dish with sugar cane and spring roll...

Is the new restaurant you're talking about the same one that I think you're talking about. it's opposite miss saigon right? if it is that one then i definitely agree with you! DO NOT GO THERE!!!...hahaha...the dishes were bad...

Ichiban-boshi

Dinner at ichiban-boshi tonight - near kinokuniya. must say its one of the better jap places that's not too expensive. the 40min wait was, i guess worth it - we were told its extra busy on thursday nights. for once i didn't end up chosing terrayaki chicken. instead i had tokyo ramen which was quite nice! the dumplings there were not bad either!

the train ride home: "cityrail apologises for the first two carriages being locked up because of water damage"..just thought it was funny comment made by cityrail..

Back to routine

Have reverted to my old routine with the 'all too frequent' visits to hurstville. its amazing no matter how often we go to buy grocery, we never fail to return home empty handed.

lunch at miss saigon today with cuz. a meal with a difference. everytime we eat viet its always beef noodles. but since today my cuz did the ordering we sampled a variety of dishes. a change at last!

added to my collection of watched series this holidays: Wars of In-Laws, Tin Long Bak Bo, The Gateau Affairs

Happy New Year

What a way to welcome the new year with the scorching hot weather!! Hope everyone had a wonderful new year whether it was spent with friends, family or alone...no matter how it was passed it's a new year, a new start...all for the better!

Ditch all the bad luck and unhappy thoughts. Bring in hope, opportunities and happiness for 2006. Retrospectively, every year passes very quickly but prospectively, it may be a long journey. Whatever the future holds, may it hold success and happiness.

Family days...

spent some quality time with the family for the past couple of days :)

wishing everyone a wonderful and safe new year!!

all the best for 2006!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Ho ho ho....

Christmas is a great opportunity to celebrate, to get together and have some fun! I got a great surprise from an international call today! :) I use to be able to recognise voices on the phone but now, that skill has deteriorated somewhat.

have been at family gatherings for the past couple of days.

a bit of interesting fact about new year's eve from SMH:

Get ready for a minute with 61 seconds.

Scientists are delaying the start of 2006 by the first "leap second" in seven years, a timing tweak meant to make up for changes in the Earth's rotation.

The adjustment will be carried out by sticking an extra second into atomic clocks worldwide at the stroke of midnight Coordinated Universal Time, the widely adopted international standard, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology said this week.

"Enjoy New Year's Eve a second longer," the institute said in an explanatory notice. "You can toot your horn an extra second this year."

Coordinated Universal Time coincides with winter time in London.

At midnight (11am AEDT), atomic clocks will read 23:59:60 before rolling over to all zeros.

A leap second is added to keep uniform timekeeping within 0.9 second of the Earth's rotational time, which can speed up or slow down because of many factors, including ocean tides.

The first leap second was added on June 30, 1972, according to the institute.

Since 1999 until recently, the two time standards have been in close enough synch to escape any need to add a leap second, it said.

Although it is possible to have a negative leap second - that is, a second deducted from Coordinated Universal Time - so far all have been add-ons, reflecting the Earth's general slowing trend due to tidal breaking.

Deciding when to introduce a leap second is the responsibility of the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service, a standards-setting body. Under an international pact, the preference for leap seconds is December 31 or June 30.

Sweet

Sitting in the courtyard of a patisserie with a cool breeze is relaxing. The sound of clinking glasses and cutlery, laughters and children. The story is not complete without the hilarious lorrikeets. A pretty green lorikeet flew down to the table, its feet slowly making its way towards the metal container which held sugar packets. Accurately and quickly it pecks one of the sugar packet from the container and flies back to its perch. A sharing, caring bird that one. Many a times, you see birds fighting for the food. But this sweet little creature flew to a higher branch and shared the sugar packet with its companion. Sweet cake, sweet bird, sweet!!

Neighbours

My usual conversations with my neighbours last 2 seconds involving the words..hi how are you? good thanks bye...haha

but oddly i had an hour conversation with my 90 year old neighbour outside my house today. or shall it say it was more like she talked and me nodding in acknowledgment...

Random thoughts

- never underestimate the time it takes to do tasks..things are never fully finished until you have covered everything that needs to be done

- when you have all the time in the world, things never get planned - or planned things hardly ever become action

- when there is no time to waste you always find time to do irrelevant things that hinders the task of top priority

- the greater the anticipation/ hope you have in something, the greater the disappointment - depends on the situation and the perspective you adopt - is the glass half empty or half full?

- the world goes round and round - continuously and endlessly - so does karma - does good always compliment the bad and vice versa?

- is life a planned story that is simply re-enacted in real time or does one have control over it?

- mistakes are lessons to be learnt - not failures to dwell on - just never make the same mistake twice...

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa was 83 per cent happy, 9 per cent disgusted, 6 per cent fearful and 2 per cent angry.

That's the conclusion of a University of Amsterdam computer, which applied "emotion-recognition software" to Leonardo da Vinci's work, New Scientist reports.

The algorithm, developed in collaboration with University of Illinois researchers, tries to assess the human mood by examining key features such as the curvature of the lips and crinkles around the eyes, then makes a score with respect to six basic emotions.


I find this rather intriguing. At times, even I don't know how I feel - yet a set of algorithms can determine the degree of happiness a person is feeling.

Sparks

This morning, one of the stove 'eye' sparked for around 7 minutes before stopping. It stopped just as the phone was picked up and was about to dial the gas emergency number...

Time flies. I've been on holiday for almost a month without much accomplishments or much activities. I mean many things have happened but at the same time, I've felt I've done absolutely nothing this holiday. Nothing much have advanced from the planning stage. I wonder why the action phase is so hard to implement - even for mundane activities like cleaning the room.

So close...

Police lock down Sydney beach suburb - Sunday Dec 18 19:42 AEDT


The Sydney suburb of Brighton-le-Sands has been locked down to all but residents after a carload of men were found carrying a 25-litre drum of petrol, police scanners and portable radios.

Five men have been arrested over the haul, which also included equipment to make molotov cocktails as well as commando-style utility belts, Kevlar helmets and jerry cans.

The suburb, on Botany Bay in Sydney's south, is the first to have a total lockdown imposed on it under new police powers passed at an emergency sitting of parliament.

Other suburbs hit by violence flowing from last Sunday's race riot at Cronulla have been partially locked down, but police have taken more extreme action at Brighton-le-Sands.

Residents are the only ones being allowed in and out of the community, and security checkpoints have been set up on routes into and out of Brighton-le-Sands.

In a statement, police said there had been "an escalation in anti-social behaviour".

Earlier, another two people were arrested aboard a bus bound for Bondi, also armed with molotov cocktails.

The bus driver alerted police after smelling petrol.

Police in Brighton-le-Sands said they expected major traffic delays as vehicles were diverted around the suburb, which was the target of reprisal attacks following last week's race riot at Cronulla.

The five arrested in the suburb were taken to St George police station for questioning.

NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney said the five, along with the two arrested aboard the bus, would be charged over the possession of offensive weapons.

All would be refused bail under the provisions of NSW's new anti-riot laws, he said.

About 2,000 police have been patrolling Sydney in a bid to prevent any repeat of wide-scale violence.

Police this weekend established road blocks at Cronulla, Bondi, Coogee and Maroubra.

Mystery disappearance

seems like i have a story almost everyday. this morning i put $10 worth of $2 dollar coins in my pocket. emptying out my pocket at the checkout, i only found $8. when i got home, i emptied out my pocket again and only found $6. $4 has mysterious disappeared from my pocket. i'm sure my pocket doesn't have a hole. and i can't possibly have dropped a coin each time i emptied my pocket without realising...my list of events is growing slowly but steadily....

Black out

This morning when i woke up, the clocks were flashing at 3:24...i suspect that was when the blackout occurred.

Bloody hell

My round of bad luck still has not ended. I was surprised to get a call from V today (whose voice i couldn't recognise - sorry!! :p) telling me that someone wanted to buy my 2005 tax legislation. i thought it was a bit weird since it is the holidays now. Anyway, I was very grateful for the call...some people are so nice :)

On the other end of the spectrum, there are just some people that can annoy the hell out of you. the condition of my book was brand new - so new that it's still in its plastic cover..haha. the rrp of the book was $76.95. so taking into account depreciation, i decided to sell the book at $45.

i called this potential buyer. she wanted it at 40 cause she said bookshop was selling for 50. ok i was fine with that. the meeting place was uts library at 3pm. buses at our place are usually good but today..waited waited and waited for an hour before a very packed bus emerged to take me to the station before catching a train to the city. got to the library, called her and she goes her cousin had just got her the book!!!

i wonder what next surprise is 'planned' for me. i hope the new year will bring better luck....

Crashed...

Of course i have to blog my first ever crash....bad luck or vibe has been hovering around for the past couple of weeks. the crash was bad enough to have the car towed away leaving us car-less for i don't know how long especially now when its close to christmas. the whole front bumper snapped off along with the headlights. i feel so bad despite mum saying its ok! hate it when they tell you not to cry cause it makes you cry even more!! might be a while before i'm game enough to be on the roads again...just when i was getting use to it! not to mention the cost of repair....physically ok, mentally ummm.....

Famous for the wrong reasons....

Brighton...a beach-side suburb with a great eatery strip..with a fabulous view of Caltex refinery on the other side of the water...haha. more recently known as one of the 3 riot suburbs following cronulla and maroubra. but seriously, why did such events have to happen. if everything was peaceful, calm and everyone was living in harmony - wouldn't that be a much better place for everyone? if only people could put aside their differences....

my wishful thinking...life is too short to fight, to hate, to revenge. there's already too much suffering, too much pain happening in everyday life...why do we have to aggrevate it further?

A nice change of weather...

What do I do on a nice cool sunny day?? I am covered in dust, dust and more dust. It is the result of cleaning the garage...throwing out all the useless stuff. Funnily, half the stuff we left on the footpath had disappeared within a couple of hours. This pile of junk included mirrors, bed bunk, mattresses, frying pan and chairs. One's rubbish is another's gem....hahaha.

Restore to factory setting....

My collection of photos and songs for the past year and a half have vanished into thin air. There was no other option but to restore the computer back to its factory settings :(

There are some things which I wish to have recovered and kept for memory sake but it could not be rescued!!! So if anyone have songs, photos or whatever..haha..send to adachum@gmail.com so that I can revive my collection of photos and songs!! :)

Well, at least the modem is working once again....but boohoo to all my lost data and all the re-downloading of programs!!!

Comfort preferred!!!!

Oh please!..gimme cargoes and sneakers anytime! had a 'christmas party' lunch today with dress code being 'cocktail'! for gals that usually means dresses and heels. man it was so uncomfortable...i miss my jeans, cargoes and sneakers!!! glad it was only for lunch! dresses are just not for me!!

Alcohol trivia...

Check out the evidence of studies exhorting the benefits of wine: antioxidant-loaded pinot noir may lessen your chance of Alzheimer's (Litwin-Zucker Research Centre, New York, November); two glasses of red a day could halve your risk of developing cataracts if you're over 55 (Reykjavik Eye Study, Iceland, May); and drinking oak-barrel-aged wines may be more effective at battling cancer than taking a commercial anti-cancer drug (Stephane Quideau, European Institute of Chemistry and Biology, France, 2003).

from SMH

Hot and sticky

It's only 7 days into summer and already it's feeling so hot and sticky! Think i'm getting a headache from the heat! Don't like this kinda of weather cause it makes you feel like doing nothing.

Much to do about nothing.....

Sitting, sitting, sitting...like a duck! The past few days have been pretty much the same routine...either grocery shopping or visiting relos. Hurstville is becoming my second home..haha. I seem to be there almost everyday or at least every second day!! It's boring when you visit 'old' relos. you know, when they are a generation above you, there's really nothing you could talk about except sit and listen to them talk and of course snack on whatever food they have on the kitchen table!! i guess i don't mind but it does get a bit boring...i even ended up washing some of their dishes...

From north to south

My farthest driving journey thus far. First time crossing sydney harbour bridge to the north then visited the south later in the arvo. Driving was smooth - maybe cause there were not too many cars on the road!! :) Parking is still a bit iffy...

Movie Count....

King of Beggars
The Royal Tramp 1
The Royal Tramp 2
Twins Effect 2
Duke of Mount Dear (85 version)

Puzzle now completed - in record time - 1500 piece puzzle in 5 days :)

Minimal

Since the end of the exams, I've realised my net time have decreased considerably. No longer am I online 24/7 nor am I blogging every couple of hours. But I can explain...haha.

1) My computer with the mysterious removal of the modem still have not been fixed so currently using an old pc that is proned to stuffing up

2) Have been watching tapes - but far out the LAST disk of the movie is missing!!!!

3) Working on my 1500 piece puzzle

4) Msn not working on this pc..not many people on icq these days....

Driving-log Day 1 & 2

Day 1: Miranda

Day 2: Burwood -> Hurstville

The rest of the time spent watching tv and working on my jigsaw puzzle....rather stay home where it's nice and cosy in this rainy, cold and windy weather...

A different perspective.....

Why seventeen years rather than four years that marks the end?? Simply because for the past seventeen years we have had carried a backpack (or similar items that holds books in particular) on our backs!!

To satisfy a hungry appetite I've decided to give a different perspective of the post-exam events that happened or (didn't happen yesterday), highlighting the KEY events!! :D

During the 4 hours in a dark room: Hmmm...what would happen in a dark room, with a tv screen, loud speakers, 2 mics, a box of tissue, not-so-sound-proof rooms and comfy couches...For someone with 3 hours sleep the previous night, the most automatic response would be to 'sit back and relax'. When one relaxes, sleep is something that comes naturally. BUT...with good background music, musical voices and entertaining people, that didn't happen as I anticipated! Truly entertaining!! I definitely prefer to sit back and listen to other people sing because its so much more enjoyable and fun - so don't worry about me!! The singing must have brought out the sun too because there was a 180 degree change in weather during the 4 hours.

Eating korean: Yay definitely the highlight of the night...glad you came as well M!! It wasn't the food or the place but the people!! Why? Because there was combination of "WAR and BEAUTY" and "CAMERA, LIGHTS AND ACTION" - plenty to see and hear...war as in physical aggression from 'person' under influence of alcohol and beauty as in the after-effects of alcohol. The infamous 'blush'! Plenty of candid camera shots as well!! Too bad F's camera couldn't capture RAPID action...

I was slightly concerned that a person may have consumed a ‘bit too much’ alcohol (partly cause it was my suggestion..hmmm - but hey she took up the challenge :p). But obviously her tolerance to alcohol exceeded my expectations. But no doubt it put her on a high. I was caught in the firing line because I was in between the physical action that occur. The seating of the table being in a long row, I had NO WHERE to run - could not even slide under table. Squashed...haha is all I could say. Alcohol seemed to have brought out her talent (a theory called social facilitation whereby a person performing a proficient task will perform even better in the presence of other people). Ironic in a way – a ‘drunk’ collecting money for the bill.

The end of a beginning....

Yesterday marked the end of a seventeen year journey. A journey with ups and downs, successes and failures and most importantly, the development of life long friendships :p

Maybe I'm excited about starting a new chapter in life. Maybe sad to leave the old behind but hey, life goes on. The next three months will be a time to relax, reflect, plan and organise for the next phase in life...the journey in the wild, the unknown, the working world.

MODEM PROBLEM...a bliss maybe??

Maybe it's SIGN a SIGN!!!!!

4 more days till the end...modem not working...it has been 'REMOVED' automatically. how weird is that??? it's internal so there's definitely no unplugging on my behalf. i seriously have no idea what happened or what to do about it! i could call up ibm help desk but what if they tell me to send in the cpu?? it's no longer under guarantee period..more headaches to deal with after the exams...

Helppppppp

I can't stop myself from checking 'someone's' blog ten thousand times a day - and i don't even think i'm exaggerating that much!!!

Mouse Potato (n): a kind of couch potato, except the time spent is in front of a computer screen rather than a TV

I don't think i've ever been so dedicated to the net during exam time for my entire four years..why does it have to be so different the last time round? Who in the world bombards people with offline messages...I can't help it

what are the chances of me staging a disappearance until next friday??? (Not just no blogging, but no connection to the net) If I do, I'll win the next big lottery....Fat chance...

Is he HOT or what??

considering....considering.....OR

$%^&*

have done nothing productive apart from eating. noodles, crackers, ice cream, fruit and all.....i am on the verge of adding some profanity on this site but am resisting. today is ummm.....thursday. I should be studying accounting. I really should. But damn it. I can't cope. The amount of work I do in a day is minimal. I'm sure 2 hour solid work would equate to the amount I get done during the whole day.

Is this what you call exam anxiety or exam avoidance? Either way, come monday I will have to do the exam. So why can't I just study. Only one more week. Why can't I do something about it??? I keep telling myself that I SHOULD and HAVE TO study. But sitting at my desk, I read the same words over and over again. The sun is slowly setting and my room is getting darker...slowly..and slowly. Although the day has progressed, my work has not. Self discipline is what i need. Self control. Self motivation.......i know i've done nothing but complained. its not the first time nor will it be the last. but bear with me for another week...

is studying really that hard?????

In pain......

what is worse than a computing crashing on you? it's when microsoft word asks if you want to save the document and you click NO instead of YES!!!!!!!

MUST SEE!!!

This is a must see site: http://manimiafonyesblog.blogspot.com. The blog of my ever famous twin...aka F, Fi, Manimiafonyes, Bull-shitting Queen or simply My TWIN! Well it's really a come back, resurrection if you like of her long abandoned site. So show support, show encouragement!!!

Well, if anyone else wants free advertisement on this site just let me know. There's no guarantee it will be a success but at least a chance is better than no hope!!

A link is added under the chatterbox for future convenience!!

Oh gosh...i should be studying...what the...have been very distracted today..haha. can't concentrate - i must be affected by the weather too!!! Now I'm starting to feel all sentimental and dreamy....i'm complaining again...can't help it. some days are productive, other days are not. Today is one of those unproductive, frustrating days. i've eaten, i've play, i've watched tv, i've advertised...but just haven't worked. please my working soul..come back to me...plzzzzzz........i am consciously aware of the time...i MUST maximise my productivity, esp following the memory blockage in the last exam. concentrate...ok i'm blabbering...whenever i do that you know its not good. i know its not good.



Ok i've found a site:
CONCENTRATION-SOME BASIC GUIDELINES
1. Set aside a place for study and study only!
A. Find a specific place (or places) that you can use for studying (for example, the campus libraries, vacant classrooms, quiet areas in the student center, bedroom at home, etc.)

B. Make a place specific to studying. You are trying to build a habit of studying when you are in this place. So, don't use your study space for social conversations, writing letters, daydreaming, etc.

C. Insure that your study area has the following:
- good lighting
- ventilation
- comfortable chair, but not too comfortable
- desk large enough to spread out your materials

D. Insure that your study area does not have the following:
- distracting view of other activities that you want to be involved in
- telephone
- loud stereo
- 27-inch color TV
- roommate or friend who wants to talk a lot
- refrigerator stocked with scrumptious goodies

2. Divide your work into small, short-range goals.
A. Don't set a goal as vague and large as ... "I am going to spend all day Saturday studying!" You will only set yourself up for failure and discouragement.

B. Take the time block that you have scheduled for study and set a reachable study goal. (for example: finish reading 3 sections of chapter seven in my Psych. text, or complete one math problem, or write the rough draft of the introduction to my English paper, etc.)

C. Set your goal when you sit down to study but before you begin to work.

Set a goal that you can reach. You may, in fact, do more than your goal but set a reasonable goal even if it seems too easy.

OK..LET ME TEST IT OUT...

Death by dinner plate

Feel like being a bit gruesome tonight since I'm studying about cancer, AIDS and the like at the moment. Life is too short to enjoy everything. One can never really know when they would die or what would happen to them. So why not live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. Also maybe a warning of broken cutlery as well...take care - don't fall over and break any glass!!!


A Victorian man bled to death after accidentally cutting his throat with a broken dinner plate, ambulance paramedics say.

The bizarre accident occurred about 6.10pm (AEDT) yesterday, when the 57-year-old Point Lonsdale man finished dinner and was taking the leftovers outside to give to his dog, the Geelong Advertiser reported.

The man fell while carrying food on a bowl or plate, said Rural Ambulance spokesperson Jessica Li.

"The bowl shattered and somehow cut him across the neck," Ms Li said.

"It's horrible. What are the chances the plate is going to break and you are going to fall on it that way?"

The man was unconscious when paramedics arrived, and they were unable to revive him, said Ms Li.

She said he bled to death.

from SMH

Just a little trivia: Heart attacks are most likely to occur on Mondays in the morning between 6-11am. Why? Because after waking up from dreaming and becoming active after waking up, people have higher blood pressure which increase platelet clotting. My guess on why Mondays, its because Garfield hates Monday and also people get stressed about having to go to work.

Memory failure

Reality has struck hard. I had a blank canvas in my mind during the exam....spent one week studying ONE subject. It always seems to happen :(

Now I have 6 days to study 3 subjects....its going be bad....maybe I would have benefited from a lesson in prioritising...

Stresssed

Stressed and really feeling it now. Up to this point, I've just been procrastinating and working at a really slow pace. Now I'm very stressed. Feeling the exam anxiety, the pressure and getting scared. Feel like crying. Feel like a nice long sleep but do not have the time for that. Don't know why I'm blogging....maybe to release some frustration. Crying...screaming...silently....

Bad timing....

- library book got recalled before i even had a chance to look at it

- sudden feeling of lightheadedness and bluriness

- 1.5 days left - much to cram

- strange dreams

- tiredness

- exactly 13 days to go......

Tip of the tongue (TOT)

People often say if you can explain concepts to others then that is when you truly understand it: let me have an attempt..what is tip of the tongue?

Tip of the tongue occurs when you know you have something in memory but temporarily cannot retrieve it. e.g. you remember that face from somewhere but you cant quite remember the name....sound familar?

there are two theories related to this phenomena. the first is called the Baker/baker paradox and the other is the 'Cinderella and the ugly sisters'. the baker/baker paradox refers to a study which found that participants remember occupations of people (baker) better than people's names (Mr Baker).

The reason is that remembering the name requires 3 steps in this particular order: perceptual, conceptual (C)and phonological (P). in order to move for C to P, it involves a lexical connection when considering a common name, baker. However when considering a proper name, Mr Baker it involves another step called a person identity node (PIN).

The distinguishing feature between these two is that there are many possible conceptual links linking C to the lexical level (e.g. concepts of baker include kitchen ,bread, getting up early), which subsequently prompt the phonological name, baker (so it goes something like visual - conceptual - lexical - phonological). But for proper names, the lexical level only has one activation node, which is the PIN (Mr Baker) hence the proper name is harder to come by. in laymans term, it is easier to come up with examples or concepts relating to a 'baker' than to the person 'mr baker'....

now onto the cinderella story. a study found that another reason for TOT is the blocking of action slips. An analogy was made such that the memory search (prince) tries to find the correct word (Cinderella) to fit the defintion (slipper), but the related words (ugly stepsisters) intercept the search effort. The ugly stepsisters divert the prince's attention from Cinderella....i quite like this analogy (but I wonder what happened to the fairy godmother???)...haha.

congratulations for reaching so far down...i think i've confused you enough. i should go back to cramming...have been rather unproductive...could do better....

Scared...

I'm just scared about the exam...i'm not ready for it...this has become my portal for complaints...haha.

freaking out...the frustrating thing is process is going real slow. i really don't want to fail anything....but.....

Put one strawberry in your mouth, put one blueberry in your mouth...now start munching and let the sweetness melt in your mouth. a nice refreshing treat. ok i should go study now...

Trying.....

hope endocrine is going well for you mp..hehe.

no such luck for me. i've been stressed about the amount of work i need to get done. knowing me, there's no better way to deal with it than procrastinate. i start looking at one thing and then go, nah, i better study something else. the constant swapping between subjects and topics is driving me mad...not to mention, its making me go nowhere!!! i need to settle down, take it one step at a time and digest the info. but my digestive system is not doing too well.

maybe tonight i can do some stuff...time is ticking...i sense everyone is studying hard but myself...

good luck guys!!!

Falling.....

I am falling....

Falling in my studies...have been desperately trying to study for the past couple of days without much success. Went to uni for two days, 'trying' to study. Day 1 was productive. Day 2 was hopelessly helpless. No concentration at all.

Falling in....what's that four letter word that's hard to articulate??...I really shouldn't be watching tv a week away from my finals...but some people just have that special power that draws you towards them. So sweet, so caring, so kind...

Falling....hopefully I can pick myself up quickly over the next day or two so falling won't turn to failing.

It's so hard....but i will keep trying...

This is what you do when you study....

Your Brain's Pattern

Your brain is always looking for the connections in life. You always amaze your friends by figuring out things first. You're also good at connecting people - and often play match maker. You see the world in fluid, flexible terms. Nothing is black or white.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Your Personality Profile

You are elegant, withdrawn, and brilliant. Your mind is a weapon, able to solve any puzzle. You are also great at poking holes in arguments and common beliefs. For you, comfort and calm are very important. You tend to thrive on your own and shrug off most affection. You prefer to protect your emotions and stay strong.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

You Are 50% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Slow and Steady

Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It'd really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment. They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

How Do People See You?

Drink to old age....

For those 'moderate' drinkers out there...you might be doing yourself some good!!

Older people with a history of moderate drinking may suffer less mental decline than those who do not drink, a new study suggests.

The study, carried out by the Western Psychiatric Institute in the US, was based on data collected from more than a thousand people in Pennsylvania, aged 65 years and older, over a period of seven years.

"Health professionals have generally paid more attention to alcohol abuse and dependence, and their adverse consequences," said the study's author, Dr Mary Ganguli. "Our study suggests we should also consider the potential benefits of more modest patterns of alcohol use."

The study's participants, none of whom showed signs of dementia at the start of the study, were divided into three groups: one that did not drink; one that reported minimal drinking - once a month or less; and a third group that reported moderate drinking.

The study participants' mental function was assessed at the start of the study, then with periodic assessments every two years.

Overall, those classified as minimal and moderate drinkers exhibited less decline in their scores on tests that measured general mental status, executive functions and psychomotor speed, than non-drinkers.

Minimal drinkers also showed less decline in their scores on tests of learning, including learning a word list, and naming, than non-drinkers.

Potential reasons for the benefits of moderate drinking may be related to its cardiovascular effects, Dr Ganguli explained. It may also have a beneficial effect on the brain's neurotransmitters, or chemical messengers.

Despite the findings, Dr Ganguli insists the study "should not be interpreted as recommending initiation … of alcohol consumption to preserve mental functioning in the elderly."

She added: "What is needed now is not for people to run out and get drunk in the hope of preserving their brains, but for more studies to be conducted on the precise effects of alcohol on brain structure and function."

Previous studies have pointed to the benefits of moderate drinking - for instance, the beneficial effects on the heart from drinking red wine.

from SMH

Last day at uni....

Went to uni this arvo to hand in my last ever uni assignment (hopefully). Funny how I bump into people at the labs - F, A and M. Captured some uni shots on camera then headed off to karaoke with F. Yup, 2 ppl k....haha...and one that doesn't sing much. wish i knew more songs and had a better voice cause both sucks big time. oh well...at least there weren't any cracked glasses or mirror which was good. some ppl are just so talented. Met up with M and headed down to jap restaurant for dinner with J, V, D and W. Gloria Jeans afterwards...ice chocolate with chocolate hazlenut something (forgot what it was called)...haha. overall, a very enjoyable time except for the bloatedness I'm feeling now.

Load of crap.....

Sometimes I think life can be just a load of crap. Obviously I'm not in a very good mood. Down with sinus problems - don't know whether its hayfever or something more sinister. At least telfast seems to be working at the moment....which i guess is a good sign. deja vu or just a repeating cycle. to me, things seem to happen in cycles. you're repeating history over and over again. things might differ a little each time but by and large its all the same. what am i aiming for? what's my ultimate goal? i don't have an answer for that. maybe in high school it was to get into uni. now in uni, its to get a job. but what now? although there are things accomplished, it doesn't really seem to be accomplished - its more the opening of more decisions, more problems and more scepticism. each time, more obstacles arise and you question whether you're heading in the right direction or making more mistakes. i suppose pessimism is what i'm feeling now.

Last uni days...

Sounds like I'm writing my last words again. Tomorrow will be the last official uni day for me - to top it off, it will end with a 'delayed' final exam at 6:30pm. Four years on that campus and it comes to an end just like that. Definitely doesn't feel like it. Somehow I still feel like I'm in second year. Maybe cause the accumulation of knowledge over the four years seems minimal. Don't think I've learnt much in terms of anything.

Since its my last semester and entire uni life, of course I have to stick to the tradition and make Friday my unofficial last day. Even without class, I still have to go in to hand in assignment! Fabulous end to the semester...and uni life.

Well if anyone is around uni on Friday 1pm, F and I will be around...let us know and we might snap up a couple of pics....haha (that's assuming assignment is completed before then). Wish more people are around on fridays. But oh well, who wants to hang on uni anyway...

Throwing fits...

my computer has recently been experiencing some serious fits....don't think moody is the right word tho...it has been continuously restarting out of the blue - without warning. word recovery is good but not perfect especially for someone with goldfish memory (apparently they only remember things for 3 seconds). i can't even remember what i just wrote let alone 5 minutes ago...(since auto recover is in 5min increments..i think).

it was bad last week, kinda was a bit better these couple of days but now its getting worse again. If only I can read the mind of my pc...what does it want?? I'll give it whatever it wants...but the only thing is i don't know what it wants....haha.