Taste of Belachan

Just a short entry to tell you my whereabouts. It has been awhile since I bloggged. I was pretty buggered from my trip back to Aus and I was busy with getting all the documents together for my permanent residency application.

I actually travelled for 24 hours from Malaysia to Melbourne. That's crazy hour of travelling, it sounded like I am staying in UK, where travelling for such amount of time is considered to be normal. How can I go from 8 hours of flight to 24 hours? Okay, let make them into a list!

2.00 pm (Malaysian time) - Reach Penang Airport
3.00 pm - Flight took off from Penang
4.00 pm - Reach LCCT Airport in KL
10.00 pm - Fly back to Aus (after 6 hours of transit)
5.00 am - Reached Gold Coast (7 am Aussie time)
1.00 pm - Fly back to Melb (after 6 hours of transit)
3.00 pm - Reach Melbourne (pretty buggered, and doped)

There you go, 24 hours. When I touch down Melbourne, it was pretty dark already. Thank god my uncle came and fetch me. I actually slept in Coolangatta Airport, on the benches and hugging all my luggages. I might be sleeping with a big mouth opened, and if there were flies, I could have shallowed heaps of them!

Now I am working my ass of to get all the documents ready. Body check, academic transcript, completion letter, etc etc. Thank to my cousin who fixed the internet connection, so now I can use the internet from my computer!

I guess I should stop ranting about what happened. Now that I am back in Melbourne, with coldness surrounding me, I should be please and be grateful.

When I was in Penang, I also had a lot of belachan foods!!!! Belachan Water Spinach, Belachan Chicken and Belachan Mantis Prawn!!!! So below is the picture of Belachan Chicken. The picture did not do its justice, of course the taste and smell are way better than what its appearance over here. I took it from my home, after my dad brought them back from the hawker stall. Oh btw, I will be writing about another good restaurant that I had back in Penang. It is called Tao, at somewhere I can't remember. It is a Japanese restaurant, although it has a so called Chinese name. I will talk about it soon!
Till then!

-lex-

Creatures from Mars

I am not sure why am I writing this entry. To tell you the truth, I really don't. I just felt like writing it, although the first part of my story had long gone 1 year ago. Maybe because I have no room on my own now, I am sleeping on a foldable bed-couch thingy. Or maybe I am just into a phase, like old smelly socks (I have no idea why I wrote that) PMS. Hahahaha.

Back to my title, before I got too far into the old smelly socks, I am speaking about men! Once upon a time that sound old, one of my friends (girl) asked me this question: What men do when they are interested in a girl? Man, that took me hell a long time to think. Maybe so long that, it takes me about 1 year to fully understand the psychology part of it. I am not a psychologist, so don't get me wrong there. So what men do when they are interested in a girl?

After 1 years of looking at love and men textbooks, definitely not researching, and maybe asking me the same question to answer my friend, I have come up with these set of answers. Maybe you guys might not agree with me, speaking in an ockle way "I don't bloody care, gals digs blokes with big tummy".

A guy is interested in a girl, when:

1. He looks at the particular girl with a slight puppy eyes and somehow tenderly look. I might get this wrong, a play boy might get these sort of eyes and get every girls on his shoe. How do you girls tell when a bloke have those eyes? Maybe they will sparkle when he looks at you?
2. The bloke is more caring towards you. Do not agree with that? No guys will beat up the girl that he likes if he is interested. What? You think you are still in kindie? So a good way to test this is to act as if you fall down, and hurt yourself, and see whether the guy cares or not. Of course some of them do care, right? When someone feel down, you will help that guy?
   
3. The bloke will be interested to spend more time with you. Either on the train, or just standing in front of the rancid smelling toilets waiting for you. This is quite true, we won't be standing there smelling all those filthy smell, and rather go to some perfume shop even though they smelt a lot worse.
4. The bloke would love to talk to you more often! With the latest techology, one can argue that it is hard to differentiate. Even a 5 years old kid has the latest mobile, and he KNOWS how to sms...... I reckon I will lose to him in the competition of text messaging if we had one.
5. I think body language plays a lot of roles in this part. Just like monkey, the interested party will try to groom the other victim monkey. Although we have evolved or genetically modified by selective breeding, some part of us are still very similar to our monkey ancestors. Christian people, you are different, you are greated by your god from mould. So I can't include you guys into this, can I? Sorry I am being religion-ist here, pardon me for that.
6. The guy will put the girl's name near his mouth. Not change his name to the girl's name, you bloody idiot. He speaks more of her, maybe in good, some might be bad.
   
7. Maybe he will beat you because he is interested in you. Well, when a boy hit or bully a girl, this means he is interested in her. Maybe some people still practise this movement when they grow up. Thank god I am not close to any of these abusive people.
   
8. The bloke will try to buy drinks for the lady, and maybe with some additives. Well, we know what we are interested. Do you?
9. He will jump around like monkey and ask you for a dance or so. Then you guys can jump around in circle or crazy undirected way and exchange body heat. Hey I am not talking about sex yet, don't jump into conclusion like them.... Then after one dance or another, you guys can actually exchange "interest" in a filthy grafitti toilet. By "interest", it means something the girl will see something growing in few month time like a bank interest, and guys need to pay all of that in return.
   

Okay, I can't think of any other thing that is good. So basically you guys should know the point 1-6 are somehow true, and point 7-9 are all bullshits. If not, you poor gullible soul...... People open your eyes and look at the world, maybe with a new pair of glasses.

For your information, as a disclaimer, this is just a mere nonsense by a too much time on his sleeve author, and should be read in account of pleasure or under supervision of an adult.

Conformity Vs Individualism

What I realised after 2 years of staying oversea is that the cultures between two big nations are relatively huge; Asian and Westerners. Over here in Aus, there were high amount of people practicing Individualism, while in Asian countries, there were high conformity going on.

For those of you who has no idea what is Conformity and Individualism, better improve your psychological dictionary.

Conformity means tendency to change one's perceptions, opinions, or behaviours to conform with group norms. Too many scientific jargons? Basically it is about one following the social trends and community trends. Individualism is the opposite of that.

Okay, why I say that? That Westerner has more individualism, while Asian just follow the leads. Some of you who are pro-Asian might started to protest upon looking at that sentences. AND I am going to prove my theory right.

Let's talk about Asian alone. Looking back at the time of LaLa-Land. There were heaps of LaLa (people with totally no sense of dressing, thinking what they dress were hip when they showed a total loser out of them) all of the sudden in a few years back. Almost all, if not all, of them have bell bottom jeans, collar shirts which were opened widely which can showed their skinny chest. Shirts that are mostly colourful, maybe from their father's time.
Then there were the straightening-hair-period. When almost every girl I know, have had their hair straightened.
This is not the bad stuffs. The thing that make conformity so strong in Asia is people will actually look at you differently when someone wear differently from the norm. This is why conformity is kept very strong in Asia, cause everyone want to look like another person he/she is staying with. They will scrutinizing you until you felt like you weren't wearing anything at all.

Then, there will always be the Westerner. Of course, there were people who conform to others. Following fashion trends, and wearing something people will preferably wear. BUT, there were also high individualism in this region. If you were to wear something funny in the street of Melbourne, not many people will pay attention, or even scrutinizing you. For example, when a guy wear Harry Potter costume, or even super-duper short pants, no one will care.

You guys might think I am a hypocrite. Writing all these, while I myself follow trends so desperately. Yes, although I follow trends, there are time which I just wanna wear my normal home clothes out. And I did.

Of course, I am not talking about dressing up in your G-strings and thongs (Thong and thongs, what a great pun!). This picture was shown in my Psychology lectures. The first time I saw that, I almost burst out laughing.... hehehe

Catch the Cue, Mate. Not the Pool Cue

Disclaimer: This entry is a mere prediction expressed by Lex the author. Any offense should regards as a mere crap.

Past few entries post by Rona in Moomoolander is about a story which I reckon is rather crappy and this related to my entry as well! These are the Links: Crap Story and The After Crap Story. Okay, just to give you a rough idea (for those who are too lazy to see the link), it is a story about a New York guy saw a Melbournian gal in the subway in New York. Call it love at first sight or just mere craziness, he is in loved. But he acted too slowly, and he missed the boat when the gal walk out of the train carriage. However this doesn't stop him, he made a website in search for that gal and hoping someone will reply him with some answer of her whereabouts. And like fairy-tales stories or chick flicks, someone found the gals and they are now happily taking subways together......

Call me pessimist or plain idiot, I don't really believe such thing. If so, why the bloody hell are we still single? Okay, I might have the answer. The answer is: that guy's inner voice is not loud enough. Why so? I will explain more in details later.

I will say, there are heaps of Malaysian (guy particularly) being single for this moment. Maybe half of them? This is because most Malaysian guys are independent. They can cook, ahem!, and most of them are metrosexual, ahem!.

This is a rare sight. Most of the time, three of them will be in the living room crapping leaving Titin behind

Are you wearing the correct shoe, mate?

But the bad thing about this new breed of guys are, they tends to have crush (maybe fall in love) with gals that they know. I guess rarely you will see them going after gals who is walking on the street that look like someone they will fall deeply in love with. That is just not practical. Because people will look at you funny if you tried to start a conversation.

Now you are thinking what is the big deal with going after some gals that they know (maybe not deep, but I should say have acquaintance with)? Okay, if that particular guy ask the gal out (or maybe to have further relationship besides normal acquaintance), and the gal reject, what will become of that guy? Not only he lose his hope, but also a friend (that gal, idiot). The cliff between before and after he blurred those words out are dangerous. He could be flying after that cliff, but he might be falling down the cliff like a lost mountain goat.

This cliff doesn't seems too high, but how painful can it be when u got ass-poked by rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

And this cliff, made people create their own voice in their mind. Some of these voice can be loud like hell, others are more subtle. So you tends to think too much and misses the boats. Like the voice keep asking you, "What If blah blah blahhhhh...." or some sorts. Even when the gals are giving hints (which I reckon are sub-hints), the voice has already covered everything... So gals, don't be put off because the guy doesn't get your ultra small hints. Of course, these doesn't refer to every guy on earth. Like I've just said, some guys' inner voices are rather subtle, and they definitely know when to catch the cue. Even when there is no cue, they will just grab whatever chances they can, with no what-if-voice in them. So not to worry gal, okay?

So guys what do you have to lose? Block the what-if-voice of yours and start working up your ways to gals! Just do it! Don't regret your ass out when someone you like are about 1000km or even 5000km away from you.

Taste

Okay, I am trying to be good and nice here. Updated two entry for the continuously 2 days. Hehehehe. Well, I have this vibe to write my blog every time in the city, but totally forgotten about the topics to write when I reach gippy. Maybe the boringness caught me when I reach MooMooLand. Hmm speaking of Moomooland, I better update it soon. Hahahaha.

Back to my title, yes taste. I was having Korean foods, when my Fat Aunt popped me a questions. Then I realised that I should probably post this up. She asked me, "Why do you love spicy foods so much when you hated heaps when you are small". Then only it hit me. I can't eat any spicy foods when I was small, all the way until I finish my high school and A-levels. I was known by my A-level friends as a person who doesn't eat any thing that is red and green in colour. I will turn red when I eat anything red. But not green when I eat anything green. Hahaha. And now? I can't live without having something spicy within the week.

The reason?
China and KL. I reckon they are my answer. Why so? Okay, it all happens when I went to China. When it snows, it is hard to get foods that is not spicy to taste nice. Hahaha. During winter, spicy foods becomes non-spicy foods when your hand is trembling due to cold..... Hahahaha. That is the beginning of my Spicy-eating-story. KL is just a mere enchanter, enhancing my spicy eating ability. Hahaha. Then when I go back Penang after these events, her foods become heaven to me. Hahahaha. Can't believe how much I had been missing. Hahahaha.

My free-loader housemates (Mary and Chanthu) were saying how choosy am I. Well if they knew me when I was young, they won't able to believe my choosiness, maybe end up running to their parent and cry like a baby girls. Heaps of foods that I don't eat last time seems okay to me now. Or I will be desperately in love with them. Hahahaha.

They said when you grow older, your taste will definitely change. Both in foods and gals. You may like certain kind of gal when you are young, and 10 years later, you will think that you are a damn fool for thinking that day. But certain gals or foods won't able to change your mind at all. Like long beans. They will never be my favorites in years to come, so is Fat Gals. Sorry for being sexist, or narrow-minded. I guess I am not the only one, who would like to have a girlfriend who you can only half-hug. Half-hug means your hands can't touch each other when you are hugging them, self-made by Lex. But being said that, I don't think I will mind if my wife become bloated after giving birth. Hahaha. Ooops. Oh wait, this entry is not about fat gals........

So what do you think about your own taste? Did they changed? or they stayed the same since you are small. (You can't be, because then you will prefer to eat sticky and gluey foods instead of Eye Ribs Steak) Please leave some comments. My blog has been pretty boring with me crapping all these time...........

I am Grateful

Well, for the passed few weeks, I was so shit-loaded sick, that I felt like dying. But then now that I am feeling better, I should be grateful for everything I have or had. Hahahhaa. I have not grab the pictures from Rona, so I can't upload the pictures from the City. Bare with me for awhile here, I am kinda lazy in updating my blog. Hehehehe. Anyway back to my gratefulness, I am listing stuffs that I am grateful off.

Here it goes:

1. I am grateful to have such a loving family. Although my sister doesn't show it well, I know that she loves me dearly. Ooooh sound so touching. Hahaha
2. I am grateful to have a loving Auntie and her close family. I am kinda spendthrift but my aunt understands that. Hahahaha
3. I am grateful to have a "perfect" body. Mind the perfect, cause I am not totally perfect, but seems perfect as compared to other less fortunate people. I have 2 pairs of good hands with all fingers attached, and my legs are at same length and have equivalent toes. Hahahaha. I do have a face with proportional features.
   
4. I am grateful to have friends who did take care of me while I am down and sick. Friends to chat until 4 am, although it is a bloody headache next morning when I go to lab. Hahahahhaa. Friends who will cook congee, and other good foods for me when I am sick. PS: Congee and porridge are sick people's foods for me.
5. I am grateful to be able to get my testamur (I will post the testamur soon). Means I struggled and managed to finish my degree, without need to spend more money in buying it.
   
6. I am grateful to live in Australia. Not everyone can afford to come over to Aus and do what I am doing, writing blog. Hahaha
   
7. I am grateful for being full. Since some people don't have the money to buy their lunch while mine is full with good foods.
   
8. I am grateful to be able to write this blog. If I were to be in some hectic countries where life is about making money, those people don't have a life. Yes I am grateful to have a life.
   
9. I am grateful to have a shelter call half-home. Hahahha.
   

I can't think of anything good to write. Hahaha. Just be with this for now. Oh I am not showing off how good is my friends and my family, or how much money I have (which is not much at all). And don't get me wrong, Money is not everything to me. It can buy me clothes and bring me to foods, but everything you found other than money should be the most important; like friendships and TLC from family.

Fat Ass

Sorry for being a bum. I haven't been updating my blog these days; unlike 1 year ago, where I will update them 3 times a week..... The Honours has struck me so hard, I have no time for other useless stuffs...... Besides doing my workload and my paperwork (they are not assignments anymore, so I reckon I should call literature review and graphs paperwork), I spend most of the time relaxing. In the house! Hahahaha. Honours really can bring an introvert out of an extrovert.... I just want to sit on my big fat ass and watch some funny shit sitcoms and movies. But of course, I will definitely exercise. Hehehehe. Oh no..... I miss my swimming session today. Oh well, more fat asses to come......

Speaking of fat, I would like to raise a question. Obesity in Aus is a boom, or should I say a trend. Few months ago (should be few months) when I was eating KFC in Morwell, I saw a family having their good time in the table next to us. What so big deal about that? Can't a family eat in a fast food junction? Let me break it down to you! They have a baby, maybe less than 1 year old, and they were feeding him with DEEP-FRIED WEDGES and SMASH POTATO...... Argh, so starchy and oily...... Of course those tasted better than the goo-ie babies food......Come on guys, Babies should not be fed with deep fried wedges....... Hahaha. Maybe I come from a family where my mother will forbid me eating anything unhealthy, and if possible no oil at all.... Over here, none of the fast-food joint or any cafeteria will supply free ketchup. WHY? Cause the whole box (in tonne) will finish within a day, they just eat ketchup like drinking water.

Then it comes to one of my friend which I shan't name. After 2 to 3 weeks of absence (I don't get to see people very much, cause I was hiding in my lab), he had grown (horizontally)....... His new hair cut didn't help much, instead worsen the effects. Hahahaha. Then I was wondering, what makes a thin person, to grow like the size of a bear? 10kg in a few weeks. Hehehehehehe. I guess with all those starchy, creamy and the fast food joint, even a thin person will prone to be an obese when you don't watch what you eat. Or maybe the friend of mine are having a good life. This is what the Chinese will say...... Hahahaha.

Enough of fat foods. I am going to have my pie lunch! Maybe with some fat ass baked wedges. Oooooooh noooo. I missed my swimming session.... Here comes the double chin and extra spare tyre. Hahahaha

Locked! =.=

Okay, it has been awhile since I blogged on this site. I have another blog that I also contributed,MooMooLanders. Well, need to write something on this blog. If not, soon it will be a useless website. Hehehehe. Don't have my blogging bug with me, and Miss Poison Ivy keep on talking to me through msn......

Oh, about the title above, it is a funny incident. Hahahaha. I was alone in the Environmental (Back) Lab, as always. I went to the storage room at the back of the Back lab (sounded weird) to grab some more petri dishes. Unknown to me, the door was set to lock position..... And BANG, I was locked in the store rooms...... Along with some mushrooms and feather collectors..... Just that day, I was thinking whether I will be "quarantined" in that room. Suddenly panic got to me, I have no mobile with me cause it is in the office. Luckily I have the key with me! So I thought.... That key can't open that store room door, after trying hard to jam my key into the lock...... Then, just when I was about to bang the door until it opens, I realised that the storage room is connected to another back room of the Chemistry lab, and the door is not locked! And my key is compatible to the lock of the Chem lab!!!!!!

But because I was locked in that room, only I found some stuffs which is of use for my project!!!! So what do you reckon? Good coincident? or faith that brings me to that stuffs?!

Past few days, I was pretty happy; throughout the days. No particular reasons. Maybe someone put some dope into my foods..... I managed to get a Hokkien noodles (Prawn noodles) sauce, that tasted just like the Hokkien noodles from the hawker!!!!!! I am going to cook that tomorrow, and this time I am going to take the photos of that!!!!! Wait for the next entry!!!!! That's why staying in Australia is so damn good, where getting Asian groceries is not like spotting a kangaroo in the city! You can always get bak kut teh (imported from Malaysia) sachets in every single Asian groceries shops!!!!! But of course, you'll need to cook yourself........

PS: There is no wild animals (like kangaroos) in the city. The only wild animals you can find in Melbourne are the raven-look-a-like-gothic-people! Hahahaha.

Got Tagged

Arrgghhh..... I just got tagged.... Stupid Ammie suddenly tag people out of the blue, after like 2 months stop updating her blog..... Well since I am so free, I might as well join in the vibe!

Here are the Tag rules:

1. Each blogger must post these rules first.
2. Each blogger starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. Bloggers that are tagged need to write on their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they've tagged, and to read your blog.

8 random things you (people/Homo-sapien) to know about me:

1. I hate people calling me "SMART". Hate people calling me that word the most... You can call me a bum or other stuffs, but not smart. I felt like the "smart" word is so fake. Hehehe.
   
2. I cherish my friendships very much. But I believe friendships are maintained by both parties.
   
3. I sleep with my boxer; not a very humiliating stuffs. Since almost every guy might do that. It is nicer with boxer FYI
4. I am kinda shoppaholic! I love to buy heaps heaps heaps of jackets. Luckily I staying over a country with four seasons.
   
5. I love to drink alcohols. But my tolerant is not that good. Especially with beers..... I'll definitely vomit the next morning. Something with the malt and my stomach that don't goes well together.
6. I don't eat sweets; don't like the sweet taste that linger in my mouth. But I like chocolates and ice-cream/gelato/gelati!
7. I am a hermit crab (Horoscope of Cancer). I kinda have double identity. Outside I might look happening and happy, but there is another part of me, buried deep inside which I never let anyone see before
8. I like to watch some comedy/love movies. But I never believe in all those soulmate or love at first sight stuffs

There you goes..... 8 Stuffs I never want to let any Homo sapiens to know....... Although half way through, I can't really think of anything anymore, end up crapping in the middle part.... hehehehehe.

Oh wait oh wait, I get to tag 8 more people huh?!

Then, the lucky contestants are:

1. Nicole
2. Danial
3. Jason Lim
   
4. Wayne
5. Hui Ru
6. and I can't think of any other people edi
7. You!
8. Yes you. Don't look here and there. You are the lucky contestant! If you are free, you have to write. Instead of sitting there and watch Simpsons, do something useful for Blog's sake. Hahahahaha.
   

Weekends!

Well it has been awhile since I blogged, both in this blog and my MooMooLanders blog. Anyway, if you people want to Simpsonize yourselves, click the Simpsonize Me
The photo below is my Simpsonized face! Totally different huh?!So what had happened to this bloke, until he can't blog almost everyday, if not twice a day. Answer: Honours........ Starting from last Monday, my Honours has come to a phase where there is no longer any after-lunch-extremely-free-arvo. After lunch, I went back straight to my lab to continue with my lab. Some of the days are just dead tiring, and other days are dead tiring yet unproductive....

I spend like on day preparing 216 agar plates for my microbie (microorganisms), and another day just walking about hunting for stuffs.... People are definitely very stingy when it comes to apparatus. Just for a masking tape or sticky tape, I need to provide a 100-reasons'-list. Tj did asked me why did I sound so agitated, I wonder how he knows I got so agitated..... Anyway, the agitation will arise when things you are looking for are either not enough, or they are not sterile..... Yes, I need my stuffs to be sterile, not because I am pathetic, but because of the nature of these experiments I am doing...... Everyday throughout the week, I felt/looked like a zombie when I reach home. I was complaining for the first few days.

But then, I realised that I will be working in this researching field when I come out working. I can't be complaining and be agitated every single days..... Besides, I have tried my best not to complain that much anymore. Hehehehe. PowerNap is what I need! But I hope I can get power-nap once awhile, sometime I might not get to sleep at all. I am not a good sleeper (is it what you called? Or something else). It is worse, when you are such a picky person, yet staying with a nocturnal wombat (oops, person). Hahahah.

Then, of course, weekends are the days I am longing for everyday. Weekends are the days where I can have them all by myself, not doing experiments or plying my eyes with a toothpick every morning... Hahaha. Weekends are the days I can swim and go for exercise, and sleep in until late in the day! Hahaha.

OMG. It is Saturday nite already..... My this Saturday is about to end very soon...... Sunday just passes by without me noticing, and Monday is another fighting day. I wonder should I go to Melbourne city next weekend or the week after next?.

China Chinese Vs Oversea Chinese

This entry is something that I felt like letting it out of my chest, since the first week of the semester had started. As you can see, this semester there are 30 China students from some part of China, don't know which university which did twining program with Monash Gippsland. So happen, that out of 30 China students, 2 of the guys are staying in our house. I am not trying to be a big fat and inconsiderate racist here, I am just merely stating the obvious.

The first thing that changed a lot in our house is the cleanliness. Benches were stained with fats and residues which could not be removed. Dishes and pots which is super-glued with food residues, although some were so called "washed". Sinks were blocked for donkey years and can be turned into sock (no fish can stay in there) tank soon. Do I need to mention about our toilets?

Then, comes the question. What makes us so different? Oversea Chinese are the Chinese (mostly Southern Chinese) which migrated from their home country to another place for the future of their kin. At that time, China was having some population boom, and people are losing jobs. My Granddad moved out of Guangzhou/Canton to Penang, Malaysia. Now, my siblings, all my cousin and I are Malaysian Chinese. Some of the good things about Oversea Chinese are: their English is slightly (not much for others) better than their peer from China, they have siblings whom will fight with them just for the fun of it, etc. etc. You can find Chinese just about everywhere, I reckon Chinese is the most resilient race!!!!!!

After mentioning the Oversea Chinese, there is always the China Chinese, whom parents remained in China, and they probably have no other siblings besides their cousins. With this, I heard, it makes them very spoil? I can't make judgement, can I? Anyway, those who able to make it to Aus, are definitely rich spoil kids. Hahaha. Ooops sorry.....

Anyway, back to my problem. What makes us so different? Once we are out of our home ground, people tend to according to the environment, it is call Human Adaptation and Evolution. So those who are away from their home ground since young, their tend to follow the specific country's culture. Some of the Asian in America have no idea how to speak their mother tongue. The good stuffs about Oversea Chinese in South East Asia is that they tend to keep some of their Chinese culture. They can speak good dialect, if not Mandarin. But just as I thought we were more alike the Chinese back home, we are very different actually. I am not saying the people back in China are less educated, but with the large amount of people in one small spot, people don't really care about cleanliness. Can you imagine; your dinning room window is facing the toilet window of another unit? People throwing rubbish everywhere, every corner on your pathway? Children shit outside the store facing the main road? I've been to China before, and I don't think I want to go back.

I know this is the situation back in the mainland China. But please don't do these stuffs when you are out of your comfort zone..... My house is currently having such crisis, and I don't know what I can do to solve it. They don't seems to know what I am saying, even when I was speaking at the speed of a tortoise, and I don't like to speak Mandarin until I have to. I hope no wars will begin in this house though......

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Disclaimer - Lex is not trying to be prejudice. He is merely stating the obvious that is happening around him. If you still insist of sending him to court, you might as well pay for his court fine fees. He has no such money......

No Complain(s)

Well I was going to write something about this morning, but after today, I don't think I can complain anymore. For those who know me, I like to voice out my disagreements or discontentment. For today, I need to wake up at ungodly hour 5.45am just to travel back to Churchill to help my supervisor with the compost mixing. I was going to start my rambling, until...

For the past few days/weeks, all I did was waking up in late morning/ sometime afternoon, to do some articles reading and watch more telly.... Those days were pretty bored. Then, a few days ago, I went back to Melbourne, just to do my body checkup for my Visa extension. While I was at the city, I called up my technical supervisor, John, and he said I can come over today to help him and Craig with mixing of the oily sludge and compost. I was kinda psyched with that idea, but immediately being put off because I need to start traveling early morning just to reach Churchill at around 9am or 10 am....

My aunt, who is a nurse, promised will drop me over the station when she goes off to work. It was 5.45am when I forced myself to wake up, took a shower and prepare myself. When we were outside the house, on the way to the city, we saw the West Gate Bridge was chock a block with vehicles...... Ungodly 6.30 in the morning and everyone from the city are on the bridge, heading toward that big smoke....

When I was in the train, there were heaps of people, from primary students to elders. All of them need to wake up around my time, or even earlier just to get the train, for a better school that is about 45 minutes or 1 hour train away. There is this guy from my campus whom I met when I was waiting for the campus taxi, that he travel up and down 3 days per week.... 3 DAYS PER WEEK..... Gosh, I rather sleep at home, than coming to uni which needs around 2 to 3 hours with public transports. Then this gal whom I met, also in the taxi, said the same thing. They were chirping away about the methods to wake up at this ungodly hour, couldn't help by adding some tips of mine, using my mobile alarm....

Now, I felt so thanks and relieved that I stayed back in my hostel, which is less than 5 minutes walk from the university. That I can go back home to take a good nap after my lab or class (no more classes though, I graduated from my degree!). That I do not need to travel another 2 hours to go back to my home sweet home. Basically I am very thankful to my aunt and my parent!

Maybe it is different culture, where Aussie tends to keep their lifestyle, while I rather change my whole lifestyle, just to suit the new environment!
Signing off, without any complains

B'day Wishes

First of all, I would like to thanks that bunch of monkeys from A-Level!!!!! You guys are the first group of people to call me, 45 minutes after my birthday clock stroke. Yep, this bunch of monkeys called all the way from Penang, while doing a long-distance-party for me.... Partying and cutting cakes without the Birthday boy...... Although it sound terrible, it is very sweet of you guys!!!! Hahaha. Like I said before, my A-Level Monkeys are the best friends I ever had!!!!!! See what they did for my birthday!!!!!!!

Well this year, there are heaps more people remembered my birthday!!!!! Maybe because everyone just finished their studies and still jobless or unemployed. Hahhaa. So I guess they have more time on their hand, and more survived brain cells!!!!

All your B'day Wishes are more meaningful than pressies!!!!!! Thank guys

So for the Gippy people, you might not see me during last weekend.... What happened to me? Some might care, but not most. Hahaha. Anyway, I drove back to Melbourne on last Friday (2 days before my birthday) for the weekend. I am a city-sider for your information. Of course I will go back city to celebrate my birthday. Okay, reach Melbourne at around 12pm, and straight go back to my aunt's place. Hid there until 5pm where the sun started sinking. Met Rona, Titin, Hendrix and Anton at the Flinder Street Station, and off we went to the Japanese restaurant called Shoya.

That place is really high-class and bloody expensive as well..... We were planning to drink sake, but too bad, it is bloody expensive..... Sashimi is very nice and fresh!!!! I did not go for run, so they should be top notch! After dinner, we planned to go to pub and then to movie. However, due to time constrain, we could only watch movie.... No pubs. And the Harry Potter is not my favorite anyway....

Then, it is the day before my birthday! My uncle brought us to Crown Casino's Conservatory Restaurant for buffet lunch. The place was superbly nice!!!!! And I was so lucky that it happens to be Malaysian theme that day!!!!! So I get to eat all kind of Malaysian foods, that tasted like one!!!!! The picture is Otak Otak, and it has been awhile since I tasted that!!!!!!

On my birthday itself, I need to rush back to Gippy, but my lovely aunty did brought me a duck drumstick!!!!! That is our family tradition!!!! The Birthday Boy/Gal get to eat one whole Duck Drumstick by itself!!!!! No chopped apart!!!!!

Finally I would like to thank:
A-Level Monkey - Roger, Jonie, Hooi Yee, Shu Ting, Jason Lim, and Ah Hann for calling me all the way from Penang!
Through phone - Joce, Ammie, Wayne, My Sister and Mom,
Through SMS - Rona, Titin, Wayne, Danial, Sookie
Through MSN - Nicole, Tj, Cynthia, Anton, Samuel, Chien Wen, Chloe, Hui Ru, Keng Tee, Hau Tong, Wunhin,
Through Friendster/Facebook - Vivien!, Nina, Calvin, Justine, Sue Li, Cynthia, Dominic, Jacky, Mahdulika, Wen, Xavier, Reuben, Alex Putra, Lip Kai
In Person - Yee Pey, Lai Peng, Anne, Xue Ting, Thet, Sherly, Cynthia and all my Housemates

I tried my best to remember all of you who send your best wishes. Sorry to those who I missed out.....

Kam Siah tai-keh, Seoh-Tee tong-kim tuah-han leow!
Uu koh-leng wah e eh-leh entry, wah siah ti hokkien-uah. What do you think?

Snow

Snowman from Morwell National Park

Well, while waiting for my cooking-mate to come back, I might as well update my blog a bit! I am kinda hungry though.....

It snowed recently in Daylesford and Ballarat just a few days ago... But not over Churchill..... NOT FAIR... they are saying that we might have some, but because of the rain over our place, snow turns into water.... Arrrgggh.....

We, Malaysian, are definitely eager to experience the snow because Malaysia is a tropical country. If snow were to fall on Malaysian ground, there is definitely something weird going on with the world. But we can still experience snow at other places. The only time I see snow is in China, when I was travelling up north from Guangzhou.

To those who haven't experience snow before, there is something you should do. Make sure you wear your gloves (thick one if possible), and make sure you have thick clothes. Most important thing, don't stand in the snow alone..... You will feel so damn alone, you could jump off the cliff if you are standing on one.... I actually felt like the character of Winter Sonata, although I never seen that Korean drama.

Oh wait, last year I'd went to Mt. Baw Baw. The day we (my relative and I) went up the Mt. Baw Baw, it did not snow.... So it wasn't much fun.... The next week, my friends went to the same mountain and they get to play with heaps of snow.... How furious.....

By the way, just yesterday, I did drive around my place, for the snow hunt. We can see some snow lying on top of the mountains next to our campus. But we just can't reach the top of the mountain..... Argh..... I was more furious when Shing Jia and her friends came back with a bag full of SNOW.... They found snow in Morwell National Park.... I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE....

Okay, I am so damn hungry, I can't type 15 words per minute, I could only type 1 word per 15 minutes. Hahaha.

Back (for good)

Hello everyone. I am back! Both from holiday and to this blog!!!!!!! Sydney was awesome, but I don't reckon I will talk about it in this blog!!!!! This new template of my blog was one of the awesome xml template from Gecko and Fly! And thanks to Sookie, the blog banner is the picture of me!!!! I know I am a possie.... I don't care!!!! hahaha.

And, for your information, the blog banner will be randomly selected and displayed from four of my prime each time you people come into my page!!!!!! If you people dont believe me, DO refresh!!!!

And I am back to Gippsland. For Honours degree; I did not fail any unit, okay?.... Yesterday spend 2 hours discussing about the potential parts for me to be involved in the petroleum waste sludge bioremediation project! Still kinda blur with the machine (in-vessel composting) though....

Anyway, need to accept the offer letter from Monash and pay bloody expensive fees for that....

Pai-Kah (敗家)

Food of the Day: Bak Chang/ Yuk Chung (Meat Dumpling)

Okay, this entry is about Pai-Kah. This noun is a word derived from Cantonese to describe people who are spendthrift, not of their own money. If it is in the dictionary, it goes like this:

Paikah [pä-ahy.kahr]
- noun
1. A spendthrift.
2. A person who spends his/her parent's money without thinking.
3. The person (only need one) to make the whole family goes bankcrupt.
4. The influence that had gone to the poor people as well

Paikah Chai/pä-ahy.kahr.chī/A person (male) who spend his parent's money without thinking
Paikah Lui/ pä-ahy.kahr.loo-ee/ A person (female) who spend her parent's money without thinking.

Nowadays, paikah influence, or for short paikah-ism, has spread to every kid in the house, rich poor families could not run away from that. In the feudal century in China, family with paikahs means that they are damn rich, and the paikah chai or paikah lui will definitely finish the family's hard earned money.

In this century, everything you do need money. Everyone is paikah. When you wanted to go out for dinner with normal friends, you spent like $20-$30 per meals. You won't want to squat at the road side to eat durians anymore, which cost you RM3-4 per durians. Ps. I have no idea what is the price, cause I don't eat durian: they smell awesome, but the texture is not my favourite. When you go out for shopping, who would want to go buy a cheap clothes from market, printed with lousy simbols etc. I definitely like to buy something nice, regardless the price.

Then, being influenced by the public, graduants will definitely go for graduation trips. That trip alone, might cause half the price of a honeymoon, but the graduants are only a not-yet-employed, so-called-unemployed-people. Leeching parent's money to go for expensive places and spend the fortune.

Those who spend more than A$25k per year for tuition fees could not be regarded as paikah. But to those whose their parent spend this same fortune, but you still play a fool and fail at least 2 units per semester, is the worst off all.... Units that needed to be retake cost the same price a normal units, if not more.... Don't make me start on flight tickets....

By the way, I admit I am one of the paikah chai. Although I work my ass off sometime, the amount I spent is definitely more than the job wages I had. Hahahahaha..... Totally different from my sister who is an independent person, and do not need any money from my parent. Salute and envy with her. Hehehehhee.

Stress

Food of the Day: Economy Rice

First of all, I was jumping with joy when I knew that the Malay dance (Zapin) is cancelled! I do not need make myself ashame by shaking shoulders like Bollywood's actors! Although I am a malaysian, I am not a Malay. The last time I was forced to dance such dances is when I still a stupid primary schooler.

This few days, I am in heaps of stress, with studies and other useless stuffs. When most of my friends who came across me, they will mention how tired I looked..... If you are concern about my life, you might wonder what happen?

Okay okay, first thing first.

Felt like letting this out of my heart.
There is this idiot who can't seems to let go of his position. He thought he is so damn bloody awesome that everyone need to befriend with him.... He thought when he took up the president post in the club, he did nothing wrong. Now, after handing down his precious post to me, he thought he can bring me down. WHF?

You are the one who handed the post to me.... I was not fighting my ass for that. I don't even want that post...... Then he is using all the bad tricks, why is he so damn fucking coward that he don't come and talk to me face to face. Why you need to go tell people around me that I am not doing a good job?

I really dont understand. I never liked him anyway. Forced to be his housemate, and listen to him gossipping.... What does conversation to him means? It means he had all the conversation while whole group of people listening with gasping mouth.... How sissy is that? Get a life, and maybe a pair of ear. People are scared of him, he can't seems to stop talking. Like chicken ass, won't stop moving.....Everyone know how god-damn good are you, you don't need to show off anymore. Bousse to liki, farlour!

Then there is slight stress for my studies. This semester is my last semester. I need to get good grades so that I could continue with my Honours.... I can't even fail. Why? Monash Gippsland only offer one unit per semester. So if I were to fail *touch wood*, I need to wait for another year to wear the graduation gown......... I am touching the table (made of wood) so hard now. Hahaha. Then there is stress on getting scholarship for honours..... I am not a clever person. I am not a full scholarship student. Suddenly there is this pressure onto me to get a scholarship, not even a full one, is slightly too much. Lucky there is no such thing as full scholarship for honours in Monash. If so, I will died in a crawling posture (don't know why I like to put the posture.... hahaha)

I need to get back the touch of my life. I need my life back. But not now, not yet. Now all I need to do is to endure for June.

P.S. You might know the person I was fucking about, go tell him. I don't give a damn. Piss a moi

All in One

Food of the Day: Ookyo (some Hokkien desserts)

It has been awhile seen I upload an entry into this blog. Why?
I am sick..... If some of you even bother caring.....

Today the cows across the road from my house are all in heat.... Moo-ing moo-ing moo-ing and moo-ing like crazy..... Or maybe it is this time around where people forcefully squeeze their precious juice which suppose to be given to their offspring, instead being drank by bunch of aliens (in their Moo-ing mind). Tried my best to shut off their Moo-ing, by playing CHE.R.RY by YUI loudly in my room and have a sing-a-long session. But all these proven to be in vain. hahaha. Shut the window? Yes. Why haven't thought of that in the beginning?......

I decided to put new stuffs into my entry. Every entry will have this Food of the Day sign, which said what food I am thinking while writing the entry. It will consisted of mostly Penang's foods. Sorrie. Other people put some useless stuffs like Emotions, etc etc. No use. Some readers just don't give a damn how you feel. hahaha.

For the past few days, I was kinda disappointed, with the rate of people replying you. When you are asking favour from them. I have this assignment which need me to write a safety audit for a laboratory outside my university. It should be a good experience, until everytime I call the OH&S people, they will bring me to a leave-a-message.

Hi I am XXX, and I am currently unavailable. Please leave a message and your contact details. I will get back to you as fast as possible. Thanks. Tuuuuuuuuuuuu (in very high tone...)

Maybe it is my bad English, or their fault. None of them have yet return my calls.... One possible, I tend to mumble a lot, and speak something wrongly when I am speaking on the voicemail.... Example:

XXX sexy voicemail's voice: Hi, I am XXX, and I am currently unavailable. Please leave a message and your contact details. I will get back to you soon. Thanks. Tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Me: Hi, this is Lex from Monash Malaysia. (What the hell? Monash Malaysia? Monash Gippsland, mate, wake up). Erm, sorry Monash Gippsland. (feeling a bit awkward). I am doing this unit that require me to write a risk assessment for a laboratory outside my campus (awkward; I forgot to say 'I am a student'). So I am wondering whether is that possible that I have a visit to your labs? ( completely hopeless, wishing I could finish talking to the emptiness in the opposite line.......) My number is yada yada yada.....

I am completely hopeless in leaving a voicemail..... HOPELESS>>>>>>

Then, I am just so lucky that I manage to caught an OH&S Manager after 5 times of calling which span around 2 weeks time. She did agree with me visiting her Reproductive Laboratory. But she need to ask the Lab Supervisor first. But she have yet call me back to confirm the time.... She promised........ Anyway, I have another good soul, helped me to SDS Environmental Service, visit to microbiology lab! This one, I called and the manager picked up!!! Hurrah!!!!!!!
Was jumping up and down!!! Went to the next room and tell Yannick, for no reason at all. hahaha.

Okay, I am still coughing my heart out.... Need to do 2 performances for the Culture Nite, which is coming in 2 weeks time. The first performance is a Malay dance....... I was being forced to participate...... another one is on my own will, duet with Sookie, with Nicholas the guitarist. Will tell you people about that soon

P.S. this entry is called All in One, not the song All in One. It means I put all the craps into one entry. Just too lazy to put into separate entries.....

Metrosexual Blokes

Seen my lab block finished earlier, I shall write more craps onto my blog!

What you people might notice these days are guys are becoming more metrosexual orientated. What is metrosexual, one may ask. Metrosexual meant guys who take good care of themselves, with expensive products which gals normally will use. Let's start from top to toe.

Hair - Nowadays guys only spend 20 bucks and above on their haircut. Unlike the golden days, where a normal bloke will only go for 5 bucks cut (P.S. by the Indian barber). Any salon shop with the name Barber, are doomed to be bankcrupt except they are in rural area. I don't understand what really happen to the Aussie salon, they really sucks.... The way they cut our hair really make me regretting everytime I ever come out of the Aussie salon. So I've decided to go Asian stylish salon instead! About hairdo, Asian are definitely better. The hair colour might not be their natural hair colour, with all the highlighting and dyes. Some guys will even go to the extreme, curl perm (>.>) or straight perm their hair! Every morning, they need to be blow dried, style with matt gum/ matt wax then followed by hairspray to keep the style throughout the day.

Face - These days, there are all kind of facial washing for Men. L'oreal for Men, Nivea for Men, Clinique for Men, etc etc.. Before such trend are conformed, guys just wash their face with normal soap. Which my dad still do.... Blokes with pimples are just plain bad luck. But now, blokes wash their face with these facial cleanser, followed by conditioner, then even some with lotions.

Eyes - Gals put stuffs over their eyes to cover the eye-bags. Blokes? There are new products which help blokes to reduce their eye-bags. I have no idea what advantages on that... Not that gals will look at those for long...

Mouth - Well, I should put all these stuffs into face, but what the heck. Okay, what do you do if your mouth are dry and started cracking in winter time? Some blokes will put lip-gloss. I have had a lip-gloss for Men, no taste and smell! I don't want to smell like a gal with strawberry lip gloss.....

Clothes - Unlike the 80ties, blokes in this century spend quite a lot of time, matching clothes before going out. Brown colour shirt definitely cant go with brown pants and brown shoe.... But we only do such thing only for dates! If hanging out with your bloke friends, I don't think most of us will care. Some of my bloke friends actually worked in a boutique, just to get cheap clothes out of the store. By the end of the month, his money will be mostly gone back to the store, instead of using it as daily expenses. Others only wear Quicksilver/Billabong clothes. No matter how crazily overcharged are those clothes.

Perfumes - Perfume, yes perfume. They are not only the best friends to gals, to men as well. Some of my friends are crazy with perfumes. One for different occasions. They are not cheap, especially in Malaysia. But we can get quite a reasonable price in Australia. Father's Day, perfume can go down to only 20 bucks per bottle. Don't even mention Mother's Day.

Shoes - Which blokes don't have more than 2 pairs of shoes? One shoe for normal casual wear, one for formal wear. Aussie definitely have one or two things about thongs.

These are now, or maybe for some people. In future, most blokes definitely will be heading to the pedicure/medicure salon for their nails... Putting cosmetics when going to some places..... etc etc. So pardon us, if in the future, we need to powder our nose also before going out for a date. hahaaha. All we need to do are; take a good shower (hopefully not a bubble bath), wash our face, apply some lotion on our faces, apply the anti-eye bag lotion, change our clothes, dry our hair followed by styling and hairspraying, spray a few puff of perfume, wear our shoes and we are ready to go! ahahahaha.

P.S. I, myself, am a metrosexual blokes, not going to argue about that. What I hope is that I don't been influenced by the norm to go pedicure center someday... Metrosexual blokes are not gay, and will not be.

Blokes like, Missus hate

Now is so damn hot. It is suppose to be autumn, but the temperature today was 34 degrees scorching hot. I feel like dying and suddenly I thought of writing an entry on something so common that it occurs to everyone.

I was talking with South 8 house people, when Sharon suddenly popped a Question to me. Something I reckon most gal will want to know. Will leave the question aside. Today my entry is about what habits that guys mostly do, that tick the gals off...

Back to Sharon's question. She asked me whether I like to drink my softdrinks/juices/bottled beverages directly from the bottle. Then I realised almost every guy do this! I drink my juice out of the juice bottle when I am lazy to get a cup and all the hassles in washing it. Ben ben drinks his juice out of his juice carton every dinner. Kelvin was tempted to eat his ice-cream out of his Bulla ice-cream carton. Hendrix, and Nicholas drink their juices/softdrink out of their bottles. The answer is: We guys are just too lazy to go all the way to the basin to wash our cups and then need another energy to wash the used cup. Just drink out of the bottle/carton make life easier. Somemore we guys don't have time to wash our cups. We need heaps of time to do other useful stuffs, than washing cups...

Next habit:

We guys like to take off our shirts, when the weather is hot. What is so wrong with taking off our shirts? Not that we are going to walk around the house with only undies... We still have our pants on! It is so damn hot, and we are not wearing bra, so why can't we take off our shirts? Then then, we like to wrap ourselves with only towel (below waist) after shower. Or maybe it is me only... Well, it is better to change in the room, than in bathroom. One - bathroom is wet and we might fall down when changing. hahaha. Two - it is easier to change in the room than bathroom, definitely! Somemore we are in our own house. We should feel comfortable in it! Not that anyone will look at us, wrapped in towel like souvlaki. Oh well, I am not a shy person, not shy to show off my fats! hahaha.

One thing that most gal hated, and I still have no idea why, is the Toilet Seat. Why are you people becoming so furious when we left our toilet seat up? Isn't it easier for us to pee?; while rushing to the toilet, we still need to lift the toilet seat up, then only we can pee... If we forgot to lift the seat up, then we might get our urea onto the seat. And the gal definitely hated it. We guys are definitely not going to follow you gal in peeing style: Seat and Pee.

I am not encouraging any war against any gender. And I am definitely not encouraging homosexuals. I am voicing out something we guys think it is weird to be so frustrated off. Well, you gals need to love our habit to love us then! Hehehe.