Happy Rabbit Year! aka. I'm Homesick!

There's no other way to say this but to come right out and declare: I am homesick!!

Blame it on the Chinese New Year festivity, and more people than usual heading home for the holidays, while I have to content with the scorching heat in the quiet Marleston suburb in Adelaide, plotting a DIY chinese reunion dinner for two. I even went searching for new year songs online this morning, but that only added insult to the already sore emotion. Bleh!

There's obviously no easy or nice way of riding through being homesick, and you have really got to experience it in order to be able to relate to it. Even the smallest thing, some thing you usually wouldn't even give a second thought to, like being stuck in traffic with throngs of last minute shoppers, suddenly seem all important. It's important because you missed it, you're not there in the action, not because you actually liked it.

At the risk of sounding like I'm going into a self-pity rant, I am honest when I tell you that I've not caught a glimpse of a single red lantern, or the all famous pineapple tarts; the looming festive feels almost surreal - it's there, I know, but I can hardly see or feel it, yet feel obligated (almost) to acknowledge it, for it feels totally wrong not to.

Having said that, I am thankful for the experience, in a way, or so I'm trying to tell myself! After all, it's not every year I get to experience a "Westernised" Chinese New Year; I am determined to make this year the one and only time I spent the festive away from my family, seriously! So! All the more to make the best of it, I supposed!

Well, let's see what I'll cook up in the end - literally! Will update you! :)

Meanwhile, Gong Xi Gong Xi! Wishing you a joyous, prosperous, peaceful and healthy Rabbit lunar new year ahead!

Are You Sleeping...?

Do you remember what sleeping used to be like when you were a kid? Do you remember falling asleep the moment your head hits the pillow, and the next thing you know, it's morning? And then there were those days when you were having such a wonderful dream, you squeeze your eyes shut, hoping you could just continue where you left off.

They say you sleep less as you grow older; I think it's all the other things you gain while growing up - thoughts, responsibilities, assignments, work, social life, entertainment, Grey's Anatomy, PS3, Facebook, etc. - that keep you awake when you really should be asleep. Whether you stay awake by choice or not, that's another issue.

I woke up at 5:30 this morning. At first I thought it was just a trip to the bathroom, and back to dreamland it will be - the dream involved some hot FBI agent, and it was just getting to the good part! - but then I was still awake at 6am when grandma made her way downstairs. I gave up on the FBI agent, and decided to continue watching this Korean series on DVD instead. But the player kept skipping, and I had to stop after 15 minutes. Then I picked up the book I was reading, and made it through one chapter. Hoping that was enough to tire my eyes, I off the lights and willed my mind to rest and sleep to take over again.

In 5 minutes, I thought about not having the time to blog on Page Thirteen this past weeks, and wondered if I should apologise to my readers (again). Then I thought about why I haven't had the time; which led to thinking about the visa which I hoped was in the hands of an officer and being processed at the very moment; which then led to thoughts of packing, how to pack, where to start, what to pack, do I have enough time??; and that led to thinking about the connecting flight from Brissie back to ADL which has yet to be booked... 

And the lights went on again. Along with the computer, this time. And so, here I am.

Good morning to all...!

Image Credit: A Morning of New Memories, by kh2rac

A Slice Of "Me"

Hi all! It's been a (long) while! I sort of miss my blogging days, when I pop in and just blab about my day, and whatever's on my mind. Ever since I started Page Thirteen, most of the time and energy has been focused on getting it up and running, increasing readerships and such. And I've also been writing in a very proper, even a little detached way. Yes, I talk about what got my attention, what inspired me and what I'm lusting after (in the design, lifestyle and homeware sense), but it's just a little different. It's like talking to people you meet at work, in oppose to chatting with your close friends over coffee. Yup, that's what I'm talking about - {Thoughts:Aloud} is like a close friend, or friends, and you can be the loudest, the bitchiest, the smart-ass, the sentimental, the romantic - and they will still be around at the end. No Halloween masks needed.

So I'm wondering, how many of my good old friends are still dropping by, despite me not having updated in here for a while. Also, with the removal of this certain FB application I use to inform everyone when a new blog is posted (I can't even remember the name of the application now, go figure! - oh! "Blogcast" that's what it was!), friends will not be notified of new posts, which might cost some of you to have missed out even if I did updated. But we can rectify that problem quite easily; I'm in the process of finding a new RSS feeder that will do the job.

I'm babbling... I think! I guess it's been a while sine I've done "this", so bear with me!

I've been doing quite a bit of reading lately, mostly light, relaxing fiction, which bring on a giggle or snicker once in a while. Nothing like a good book to help settle into a new environment! I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I even picked up a Jude Deveraux, after xx years! Well, I guess I shouldn't be embarrassed, really. There's nothing wrong with romance novels; people make a lot of money out of writing them! And JD's stories are a great myth buster about romance novels being shallow and fizzy and cotton candy pink. They do leave you feeling a little warm and fuzzy, and wishing there are really such nice community of people around you - nothing wrong with that, is there?! I'm sure these very attractive, very smart, very nice people are just around the corner... *winkz*

I've also started drawing. Well, sketching, more like it. If you have been following Page Thirteen, you would know that I signed up with the Sketchbook Project a couple of weeks ago. Well, the Moleskin sketchbook arrived late last week (all the way from the US!), and I've been immersed in finding the best subjects, the best pens, the best style - plainly just cracking my head in trying to put my pen onto paper, the actual sketchbook's paper, not scrap papers or notebook pages, and sketch, anything, everything, and resisting tearing the page out, or worse still, take out the liquid paper. It's a very new and different experience, really. I see this sketchbook as a visual journal which allows me to express and represent myself in a different media, but at the same time, bearing in mind that this sketchbook will be going on tour and people will be picking it up, I feel the need to make it perfect, like printed perfect. Which is obviously impossible! I've braved the first page yesterday. Maybe it'll get easier... I'll share some pictures when I'm more comfortable. For now, I need to make sure I stop doodling in my notebook and make lines in the right places instead!

I guess, looking back, in this past couple of months, I have managed to achieve what I first set out to do when I made the decision to take a break from working 9-5 (erm, more like 7-5, but who's counting anymore?). Although I had nothing set and sealed in concrete (because that's so not my style!!), I had it in my head what I wanted. I'm far from having "reached" there, but I'm on my way. 

+ I've started on the things I said I would, and am gaining satisfaction and experience as I move along; 

+ I explored some emotions and feelings I didn't expect but managed to ride through them; 

+ I'm living on my own again (sort of), and enjoying the independence and liberty of being responsible for myself - from the basics of cooking, cleaning, laundry, getting from one place to another, to being able to make decisions based on what I want, how I want it, when.. etc. (ps. I was not living in a detention center prior to this, I'm sorry if it came out sounding that way!)

+ I have the time and space to surround myself with the things I'm really passionate about, and I'm absolutely thankful for that!

I think I've blurt out enough to make up for my long absence, for now! I promise to do this more often. Thank you for "listening"! I've missed you!

Image Credit: found on weheartit.

Introducing: Page Thirteen

In case I missed you in my invite blast over Facebook, I've just started a new design/lifestyle inspired blog Page Thirteen. Hop over now, and enjoy this new page dedicated to all beautiful elements which caught my eye and heart. Don't forget to bookmark or subscribe via a reader to receive frequent updates! Alternatively, pop by Page Thirteen's facebook page and become a fan! Hope to see you all there! Enjoy!

Wassup?

Hey there! In case you've been wondering what I've been up to (and I hope you have), here's a little update!

It's been almost three weeks since I've arrived at Adelaide. The first couple of days were spent with Baby Ally, and going around places. We did the touristy things, like the zoo, museum, art gallery, and also some of our usuals, shopping/ window shopping, happy hour, and the movies. I'm still adapting to being temporarily unemployed (my choice, obviously), and getting domesticated.

My normal day, when everyone's at work, starts with fixing my own breakfast and taking my time devouring it (coffee, fruits and toasts, or cereal if I'm lazy) while reading a book or magazine. Bliss huh? Yeah, pretty much so, but not if you're doing it all the time. I do appreciate having time for myself, but by the end of first week, when the holiday mood wore off the reality set in, I realised domestic life is so not me. Haha! Didn't take me long! However, I won't fret over it too much. I'm learning to enjoy the break while I can, and appreciate what I have instead of always running after what I want, what I don't have, and trying to fix self-imposed "problems".

Some days, especially when the weather is nice, I'd go for walks. Transportations isn't totally genius here, thou their infra structure is ok, tickets are pretty pricey, so my Cotton-On flats have become my best friends as they bring me to discover new places around the neighbourhood. I found a local library about 20 minutes from the house, and it's my new little haven. Free, updated book collection is definitely not something I can find back home! And they have free wifi too (surprisingly, free wifi is rare here...).

I've been snapping pictures, both of daily mundane stuffs and also gorgeous things or scenes I chance across. Some have been uploaded onto my FB, others I'm still compiling bit by bit. You'd be amazed by what I can find just down in the backyard! A short 5 minutes there would involve watching 2 planes landing (we are very near the airport), mushrooms, budding fruit trees, wild flowers and even the occasional butterfly. The planes are so low, they cast shadows over the house when they crosses in front of the sun. The stars at night are pretty amazing too!

Part of being domesticated involves cooking. So far, the best I've done was probably last night's dinner: baked portobello mushroom "burgers" (I served it on toast) with caramalised onions, and roasted potatoes on the side. I think I'm more an oven rather than stove person, but I'm trying. Other meals I've made mostly involved pastas, but I've yet to fully recover my "kitchen-goddess", which went into temporary retirement since I've moved back home after uni and rarely have to cook for myself. Will keep you posted on what other "creations" I whirl up!

My other spare time (which, you'd probably point out, I have plenty), I spend reading, catching up on missed TV series (90210, Glee... etc.), and preparing the launch of my new design blog: Page Thirteen. Stay tune, you'd get to click on that pretty soon!

It goes without saying that I miss home, my family, friends, and my MyVi! But this little break is a new adventure, and I enjoy discovering the unlimited possibilities.

Thank you for reading, I'll be back with more!