I talk too much my mouth hurts

I ate too much chocolate, and now I feel sick... Argh..
I danced all night last night, and now I am a bit tired... Lol
I really really miss you, damn it, even though I don't feel so well... ;p

Je trouve que je commence a penser un peu plus en francais encore, c'est vraiment chouette!
A l'instant je suis train d'ecouter de la musique francaise indie!

Je suis assez excitee sur les premieres dissertations pour les cours de film. Cela peut etre un peu bizzare, mais c'est le cas pour moi en ce moment. :p

Une personne me manque a l'instant, a part de Papa. Je suis un peu hesitante parce que je ne suis pas sur encore si je dois le donner mes pensees... mdr... argh, il n'y a pas beaucoup de chose je peux faire, ce qui etait deja fait, je peux pas changer...

J'ai hâte de voir Papa demain!!

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Papa a venu à Auckland, mais il était trop occupé avec ses affaires, donc on n'a pas eu beaucoup de moments ensemble, sauf qu'à la nuit - j'ai passé la nuit dans sa chambre d'hôtel - et pour le dîner avant il a parti, ce qu'on a mangé avec ma soeur, aussi.

Même si c'était trop court, j'étais très contente à le revoir. J'espère que pour la fois prochaine on aurait du moments plus longs.

Amazingly fast, the whole week went by without allowing me to catch a breath in between!

Hopefully next week will be a bit more breezy, since I know better what to expect in lectures!

Bon weekend!

I did dream a bit these past few days...
People entered, some I have been waiting for, because they were on my mind; others were completely unexpected.
I don't really remember what they were about, though..

It just occurred to me that I always dream people dreams. There aren't many animals, or even creatures that pay me visits in my dreamland at nights. Possibly because I don't associate much with animals or the sci fi world in my everyday awake life.

So much to read, so much to watch, to feel, think, and trying to translate all these into paper, which I always find extremely difficult. Even to put them into spoken words, which may be the first required step of the process.

Film close analyses are interesting, but not so much the Second World War theme that seems to be in common in most of my film lectures at the moment...

Original German name: Die Blechtrommel

This film is based on a novel, has a scene parodying a propaganda docu filmed at the time of Hitler's Third Reich, which is very satirically humorous. The protagonist and narrator, Oskar, decides at three years of age that he does not want to grow any more, after observing the ridiculous behaviours of the adults and the society around him, at the time of Adolf Hitler. He is inseparable from his toy tin drum that he received for his third birthday, and will not stop playing it. The tin drum is a symbol of his protest of the chaotic world he lives in. Another of his talent is his high pitched voice which shatters glasses nearby.

Both the incessant drum playing and his screams are, to be honest, quite annoying. I kept thinking how Oskar has a very penetratingly scary eyes that stare at you, and a large head. The role was played by a small 11 year old actor, and have raised controversies because there are scenes where Oskar licks sherbet from a woman's navel, and have intercourse with her. This has caused the film to be banned in some states for its critisms of child pornography.

Midgets (is this politically correct? or should I say "growth-stunted"?) also feature in the film, since Oskar learns from one, Bebar, that he should be on or under the stage, never in front of it, for spectators can be manipulated. Oskar takes this advice to heart, and this is shown in the parody scene I mentionned earlier. I am always amazed at the works that must have gone through to know so many films to be able to parody or reference them, and also how many must I watch to be able to pick them out, just like that, without having studied them through courses like this, where we learn, by seeing actual comparisons.

Had two new classes today, Spanish and French, one after the other..

Needed a coffee after the Spanish, because:
a. it's been a year since I did Spanish, so
b. I'd forgotten everything, which meant that
c. it was awfully difficult even introducing oneself, and I mean awful!!

It did not help that I had woken up at 5.30 am this morning, because Flatmate had to catch an early bus to the airport. Night alone, again, tonight! But I made use of the time to go to the gym, which made me feel so good!

After the coffee break, during which I frantically tried to go over some of the Spanish I had learnt previously, was an hour of French. This course is given almost exclusively in French, and it was such a relief to be able to understand again!! LOL!

Watched the Tin Drum in the morning, a German film we are studying in European Studies... Did not write any notes for it, though, must remember to do so for all the other film viewings that I will be doing.. a lot!

I am Asian. But I don't know many Asian things, even Korean things.
I go to Korean restaurants and I don't know what to order because I don't know what they are, I need to look at pictures, because that's the only way I recognise the dishes. Other times, I haven't even eaten them before, even though they may be common Korean dishes.

At home we eat more fusion cuisine, and our household has never been traditionally Korean. My paternal grandparents used to eat cereal for breakfasts, which is considered quite unusual.

Having Korean flatmates who come from a more traditionally-cooking families have helped a bit though. I have many Malaysian friends, as well, who are helping me to appreciate Asian cuisine more. Going to Asian supermarkets with them is a treat because I get to learn all these unfamiliar food products and what they are used to cook with. (Esp M, my bum friend, LOL!!!!!!)

So, I am learning to cook Asian! Tonight's dinner was tom yum mee, which is basically rice vermicelli and fish balls in hot and spicy soup, made with tom yum paste.

Cooking more has made me eat more, which is fine, as long as I exercise more... which I haven't been, but it's only the first day of the semester, right?! lol

... and definitely not the last, either... Argh!

The first day started with a drizzle..

Thankfully I only have one class today, a two hour lecture. I guess the first weeks are always a bit fun because you don't know what your classes will offer you. I hope they will be interesting!!

Came to uni early today to earn a bit of money (sold a textbook), but then had to go buy a course manual. Though it didn't cost too much, and I have learnt by now not to buy any new textbooks if it can be helped, since there are always the short loan system you can use. Also, with new editions coming out every year, it can become a hassle trying to resell them at the end of the year.

So, the holidays have finished, but on a good note I think, I got to do most of the things I have planned to do, and to some of them I can say, "Finally!" because they were those that have been pushed aside for so long. For that, je suis contente.

Got a doctor's appointment sorted out, catch ups with friends sorted out, I think I am well on track, so far. After uni, gotta go and get the flat looking reasonably clean for the return of my flatmate, as well!

Here's to another busy semester, especially since semester twos always seem to go on by quicker than the firsts. :)

Please handle alcohol with care. Argh.. Not feeling too great... :( lol

Do you guys get blue screens sometimes on your computer screens when they suddenly crash down, and the only thing you can do is to forcefully restart your computer by turning the power off then on again?

I used to have that happen to my laptop frequently. Then, after the period where I had to constantly reboot the system several times, it ceized to happen. Unfortunately I found that my cellphone is also capable of this surprise attack. Yes, the downside of carrying a small computer in your palms, though it has only happened once, so far, at least in the form of the blue screen anyways (it does crash down frequently in other ways).

In the meanwhile, my laptop has upgraded itself from the blue screens, to stripey screens. How amusing. The first time was just a month ago, when in the middle of watching a movie it showed itself into pink and orange vertical bars in place of the film. Then this afternoon it redressed into a chic black and white show.

This is not the time to play fashion shows, dear laptop. Nor is it ever. Stop messing with me.

Omigod, omigod, omigod, a new favourite!!!

The talking toys are back, with a new adventure. Andy is going to college so needs to pack his belongings. His toys get mistakenly donated to a children's care centre. They must work together to escape from there back to their rightful owner before Andy leaves home.

To be honest, I don't much remember the previous two movies, only that I did not take to much to them. I did not understand, or appreciate, how revolutionary the first Toy Story movie was, as the first ever totally computer generated animation film. As a child who did not much play with toys or make-believe story plays - I don't actually know what I did instead - a film about toys did not appeal to me.

So when the third movie came out, at first I did not pay much attention... until those who had already seen it highly praised it. At a time when I was looking for something good to watch at the cinemas, I was ready to take this recommendation on board, oh, and what a rewarding move it was!

Pixar has really done it again, as with my other favourite movie of theirs, "Up".

Especially touching was the ending where Andy introduces his old buddies to Bonnie, and he's reluctant to let go of Woody; sad and funny at the same time. I was sorry to realise I never had a toy that meant so much to me, growing up, though maybe the sofy toy I go to sleep with, Chammy the chamois, could come the closest to qualifying.

Both "Up" and "Toy Story 3" were soft coloured, marshmallow like stories by Pixar that I really enjoyed. It is pleasantly surprising to be so attracted to animations at such a late age, in my 20s, and I look forward to Pixar's next works, soon.

At times there are just so many things I would like to do, that I get a headache just thinking about them. When should I do them? Which should I do first? How should I do them? Oh, what about this, I want to do that as well!

I want to do everything, and everything well! I know it's not easy to excel at multiple things, so I try to focus on only a few, but which should those be?

I am lucky to have so many choices, but they are headaches nonetheless...

I have always had cold feet and hands. Even my lips are kind of greyish, from the lack of circulation, so different from my little sister's plump cherry like ones.

I'm finding them especially icy today, when they were so cold that I lost feelings in them. When I was having a shower they warmed up, but as blood reentered the feet, painful pins and needles sensation started. Ow!

I cannot sit still at home, or go to sleep, without my hot water bottle by my side. I don't care if they burn me, though thankfully they haven't recently. I should have brought up my old red soccer socks from my parents' place, so they can cushion my feet from losing too much heat.

Been looking around for nice bedsocks, or just slippers to wear around the flat. Um... some better turn up soon, before my toes come off!

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Also, been spending a bit too much this week, enjoying myself too much. Only got two more tapas recipes to go now, the tomato squids and the trout fillet croquets. Will cook the squids this week, hopefully.

Looking forward to Flatmate to come back join me in our apartment again. Met a French speaking Maghreb in the lift today. Um... probably shouldn't have told him which no I lived in. Ah well. The rest of the week is busy busy, until the end. I am really not ready for the holidays to be over just yet! I need some rest... ;p

Catholic Mass Prayers in French (with audio) Blog French Today

I've been looking for something like this for ages!

Bought apples from a market close by home, because they had the Fuji apples that the supermarket did not sell.. and was much cheaper. The next night I cut one in half... to find that the core was rotten and mouldy. Eiewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blade of the knife was washed vigorously, disgusted, and the second one cut. It was fine. Eating the good apple, I was thinking, 'I thought one bad apple spoils all?' I really didn't want it to be true... but alas, the third and the fourth had the same fate as the first, and I was quite annoyed. Three mouldy apples out of four that I bought! I fished out the receipt that I'd ripped and thrown in the bin, taped it up, then went to the market for an exchange. I don't think I'll buy fruit from there for a while...

I made a tapas dish again, tortilla melts, with little red hot chillis inside... they proved to be too hot, and my mouth was on fire, which I tried to put down with torrents of cold water, gulping it down as quickly as possible.. Now I have a stomach ache... T-T

Why am I torturing myself with constantly checking my uni account for grades, that are never up?!

Back in my study town, from my hometown. :)
May the rest of the holiday break be fulfilling, and the coming semester full of perspiring study sessions, as well as aspiring. ;p

It's hard going to sleep these days because I have nothing to cuddle with.
;p but I will be back with you shortly!!!! I can't wait!!!
You're my favourite soft toy- lol

I'm enjoying the intersemester break in my hometown, with my family.
Didn't bring my laptop with me though, so having trouble fighting for my turn on Mum's. :p
The weather has been incredibly fantastic these last few days, and hopefully will continue to be so for a long time. I have already met up with home town friends, and just been trying to get some projects under way, such as going through the tapas recipes that I found in a magazine, getting some reading done, practising the piano and violin, etc...
So much to do, so little time!
The babies, the haircut, the books, the macarons...