I am a Domestic Goddess!

Today I have decided to do my fortnightly cleaning session. (aka every two weeks) I began with a nice breakfast of omelette in our nice "non-stick pan". My omelette - with garlic, onion, ham, and mushrooms - turned into scrambled eggs because our non stick pan has, to quote my housemate, "has fulfilled its purpose." Its now slightly run down so that it tips to side and doesnt quite heat up in the middle. you end up having to cook from the edges. After brekky with hot chocolate and some toast with sun dried tomato (which i ended up sharing with the dogs as I couldnt finish it) I set out to begin my cleaning. First I put in my washing (lights) and then i started vacuuming. Our house is rather old and it gets cold and dusty very very easily. I had stuff under my bed that just sort of looked like created life, except they were dust bunnies. I swear Australia has different far out dust. I remember vacuuming the garage in my old house, and then having a strange dust bunny formation under the computer table in the same evening.

There's also the wood panelling at the bottom of the walls, the tops of those get so dusty. We had that in the house I grew up in and it never ever got that dusty. As in it was like a line of blackish gray and I'm all like, hey Im hardly even ever in my room. I just freaking sleep here. Where the fuck did that come from? And so I vacuum, with my nice little vacuum thingy stuck to the wall like a suction cup (Nic! Are you proud of me yet?!?!?). I lined my shoes up in the hallway so that I could vacuum under my little closet rack. One of my heels was entirely covered in dust I actually had to vacuum it. I even tried to vacuum my quilt cover bec no matter how much pagpag and stuff I do its still got particles on it (Niiiic! how do I fix that?!?!). I could wash it... but I only own one quilt cover and I dont plan to change until the end of the month!!!

After vacuuming, I hung up my laundry and put in my other load of dark clothing including a sweater, a pair of jeans and a jacket. It was my first full load ever since usually I do half loads of lights and darks. Jojo once said to me, that you know that you're getting old when you and your friends have discussions about how to keep your house clean, as he discovered once when he was meeting up with old debate buddies in Singapore. They spent some time discussing the best cleaning substances. A few days ago I experienced something similar, when my Malaysian friends and I were discussing, of all things, clothing stains. And I said, with authority, that Napi-san (dont ask why its called that) was the best thing ever to take out stains. (Thank you Auntie Genie. Your domestic padawan is well taught) And I swear that it's true. You soak anything in that thing and when you take it out its all gone. Just like a tv commercial.

I then attempted to vacuum the hallway but for some reason the cord wouldnt stretch properly, it just kept getting caught in the corners so I didnt make it past the hallway in front of my room. (Sorry Handle. He has the room next to mine. Miki and Mike have the front room with the doggies) I have also now been told not to take 45 mintues in the shower - even if no one is waiting - not because its expensive (which is the filipino reason for everything, i have noticed, as I use that reason) but because of water conservation as in like, there's a water shortage. I have been told not to exceed 30 minutes. I don't really mind, except i use the shower to keep myself warm, you know, hot water... oh well.

After this, I intend to hang up my washing, take my 30 minute shower, go grocery shopping at Woolworths and come on back. I may treat myself to a 2nd hand book from berkelow's - I am rereading David Eddings and I am now regretting that I didnt bring my complete collection. How sad. At least with a 2nd hand book, I can sell it back... when I get my stuff sent. Then this afternoon I will apply for more jobs online, sort out the classes Im enrolling in, write my daddy-o and then hopefully take a nap before I meet Jojo for dinner. Jojo's dad brought some stuff mum sent, plus he's lending me a heater! Yaaay! After dinner were supposed to go to this party that some of my friends are having.

I've been spending a lot of time hanging around with my Winesoc friends - Laura (22, Montreal, Canada), Dan (21, Philadelphia, PA), Colin (21, San Juan Islands, WA) and then of course, Andee and Sacha. (click on the flickr for pictures) Unfortunately most of them are leaving at the end of the month as they are only exchange students. And yes, they're all young. Im like perpetually the oldest, so much so that last week, Dan, who is very nice and sweet and is one of two smart americans I know (Colin is the other one) but has that whole american thing where they dont know a lot about other parts of the world, but are very nice and appreciative about it when you tell them things, said, "I can't believe I have a friend who is 26! That's like, so old!". And he said that to me. And I was like, "Thanks, ha!" but him being Dan, you just dont get mad. He's a very nice boy and is very appreciative about learning. He is also engaged to his 19 year old girlfriend, Chas. Which kind of shocked the shit out of me the first time we met, because I couldnt believe he was engaged at such a young age (Dan reads this blog. Hi Dan!) but at the same time, it was kind of wow, because how many guys - or people, period - do you know that belive that they can already make that kind of commitment? (Also, their engagement will last until they finish university, so its up until 2009 or so, which gives them more time.)

Dan is Catholic and now I have someone to go to church with every Sunday. I almost fell asleep in the last mass. Laura is from Montreal and speaks french. She's taking psychology and this is her last semester. She is almost perpetually studying because of all the shit she's got to do, and she's the only one I know who has ever stayed in the library until the lights were shut off and you had to sort of feel your way out. Colin is from somewhere off the coast of washington and he sails and swims and does all these sporty things. He is an architecture and government student, also on his last semester. He has promised to take Laura and me sailing. I am supposed to borrow his wetsuit but since he is six feet tall or something I dont think it will fit. Laura and I have this idea of sailing where we just sit back and feel the wind in our faces and all that. Colin's idea of sailing is using those small boats where you actually have to do work and lean over and fix sails and stuff. Im willing to try everything at least once, it sounds like fun. I am, apparently supposed to dress like Im going to fall in the water, which is also apparently inevitable. All I can say is, Im glad I have a life jacket and Im glad that I learned how to swim beforehand and oh look, its probably freezing as its winter so... Go Me!

Sacha has been offered a scholarship in operations research for Cornell and she is currently thinking about whether to go or not. Of course, Andee and I are hoping she'll stay, but its really up to her. She was previously sort of dating this guy that looked just like Michael Vartan (Swear!) . He and Sacha cooked us pancakes the other day which were really good. I think we each had about four. They were actually more like crepes with ham and mushrooms and sauce and stuff. But no cheese, because Sacha hates cheese (have i mentioned that before?).

This Friday we are planning to go to Mamak n ight, with my Malaysian friends Natasha and Rosalyn. Its only $4 for a meal. On Saturday, Sacha and I are hoping to do the Bondi to Coogee walk. I hope I dont get tamad or have something else to do.

Let me end this journal entry by adding what my kickboxing instructor told me yesterday, "Larissa, you have to perfect technique but I just dont see the power. You need to be more aggressive." Hello! Someone tell my ex boyfriend! (Quick flashback to the time we got in a fight and I smashed his glasses because I couldnt move - I just laugh about this now, although sometimes I cringe remembering how immature I was - God Im so old now that I can say this!) And for the matter, someone tell the people in my office. Like the ones Ive come head to head in meetings with (Hello, Mahiar? Apparently Im not aggressive) or my dark evil bossie. I wonder if he'll believe it.

All things considered, Ive decided to take kickboxing more seriously, and get myself gloves when I have the money and practice at home as well. Anyway... its time to hang up the laundry.