Tuesday, June 27, 2006

I really must get back to cramming now.

Aaaaaargh. Spain has been playing excellently throughout the entire World Cup. France has been cruising along and hardly making the effort, sort of just winging it. And they've made it through to the quarter finals!!! They have crushed my beloved Spanish team, 3-1, thanks to that very very last goal by Zidane. I love Zidane, but, but, but, but....

Now my only hope is that they be crushed by my other team. Go Brazil!!!

(Just to let you know, I was studying so I had the live updates on the internet on and would just glance up occasionally. Still. Sigh.)

Sunday, June 25, 2006

My Life in Segments

Uni

I'm actually done with my paper. I have sent it to Sacha and Kat to edit. Usually I just send it to Kat (and my cousin) but both of them are lost so I sent it to Sacha to start with. I'm not ecstatically happy with it, but it will do for now. I think I could have done more analysis, but at this point I have to move on to my next subject.

I have a law exam on Wednesday. Its open book but its still quite challenging. I have to make reviewers for all the chapters I haven't done that and read the two and a half chapters I haven't done, plus do some practice questions. My group did well in our first groupwork, plus our bucephalus presentation but our final report didn't do as well. We passed, but we didnt' do excellently. Granted, I don't need a giant number to pass but I'd like to do a bit better than just that.

I'm having an urge of "I would like to make my daddy proud" syndrome, what with it being law and all.

Food

I have eaten so much this weekend. I just keep having choccies, choccies and more choccies with the excuse that I need them to study. (Any excuse will do)

As Kartini is moving out we are losing most of our cutlery, pots, etc so Sacha and I went to K-Mart today and did a little shopping. I went and bought this 100 piece cooking set, that you'll be able to see on the upper right hand corner. It has absolutely fucking everything, pots, knives, cutlery, every single sandok known to man, mixing bowls, chopping boards, various implements, even a pizza cutter, steak knives, and one pan. (We don't need pans) I also bought baking implements - a measuring cup, baking tray, muffin tray and baking pan.

Sacha bought an 18 piece set of glasses. We've decided we can have a dinner party, provided there are only like, five people, cos I think we only have maybe 5-7 plates left at home! We also got a new cookbook each, and in inspiration I purchased chorizo and pancetta for some pasta.

I've decided this winter I will attempt to make a roast chicken. Bill has a simple recipe and the new Delicious has one for roast chicken in orange sauce. I even bought a bowl that was big enough to fit a chicken in it for the marinade, and tried to work out how it would possibly fit in the fridge. I believe that if I can do this I can really cook. Sacha and I are going to host a tiny dinner party, with her boyfriend Shai and Derek and possibly Andee, cos otherwise we're never gonna finish that chicken. She will help me make the stuffing and possibly the sides (she does amazing mashed potatoes...) I hope that it will turn out all right.

If it does then we're doing thanksgiving. With a turkey. (I am inspired by my best friend's amazing turkey with flavor courtesy of a variety of mercury drug syringes - you had to have been there, really)

I've decided also to attempt to cook duck, as it seems like something nice and warm for the season, but not a whole duck, just slices that I can put in some nice wonton soup or a noodle dish.

I have had cravings for salad of late (o diba, Nic?) so I have resolved to get back on the healthy bandwagon once the exams start - cut down with Mr. Choccy and no more chips. (So says the girl that ate a whole box of Decadent Chocolate Chips - with some help - in two days.)

May have some relatives over for a dinner type deal next week. I've promised them that since I moved in here (over six months now) so now that is winter and I'm finally on holiday I wll go ahead and do that.

Hips Don't Lie, Celebrity Obssession and of course, Futbol!!!
I found this link to the men of the world cup, courtesy of the sydney morning herald. Just scroll down and click on the link. There are a lot of aussies, as you'd expect. The one of the well-endowed portuguese player is particularly interesting.

My mum called today and the first thing she asked was, "Did Nicole get married yet?". I have a hard time with this statement, its not the first time she's said it, the last being right after she sent me that article that Krip did in the PhilStar, which prompted me to think, "Nicole? Ha? Ano?". Strangely enough my celebrity obssessed self didn't process it, I actually tried to think of all my friends named Nicole (after concluding instantaneously that there was no fucking way Nic could have met someone in the last three days that I didn't see her in Sydney and thus be getting married) before it occured to me that, Oh Yeah. Nicole Kidman is getting married.

Her wedding pictures are here as per the Sydney Morning Herald. Sacha has actually been to the place where they were married, they held an easter egg hunt there last April and she went with her Egyptian friend Amaal and her family. Its apparently a nice place. Most of the pictures are of Nicole and family in various cars. There is only one official photograph of the happy couple(click on the "Wedding of the Year" link). They look nice and sweet and I'm glad that its been kept mostly private, even though I would love for more details.

I just downloaded Shakira's latest album and I find that I don't really like it in English. I'm downloading her Spanish one now, along with Grey's Anatomy Season 1 and Honey and Clover the anime. I have realised that I need a DVD Writer, which I will hopefully have sent to me by September at the latest, if its not possible to get it sooner.

Tomorrow we are waking up at 430 to see Holland vs Portugal. I have resolved to make my law reviewer while that is going on...I get the feeling that I'll be up early to cram on Wednesday morning. (Yes, I know its also Spain vs France, but that's not the point. Besides, I'm not sure I want to see that...)

I will leave you with this picture of two of my favorite players, Kaka and Robinho from Brazil. Go Brazil! (and Go Australia!)

title or description

Friday, June 23, 2006

My World Cup Obssession

I haven't seen a World Cup game since last week but then there hasn't been anything I really want to see. Next week, however is a different matter.

Sanshine_butete and I were talking about our favorites for the final 4. Mine were Brazil, Germany, France and a wild card, possibly Switzerland or Argentina. Hers were Brazil, Spain, Argentina and England I think. Looking at the schedule below, I have to revise everything because they're all fighting each other now pa lang!

My prediction is that Germany and Argentina are both going to win and will face each other in the quarter finals. (Now I have to really see that) And then its France vs Spain!!! I am definately for Spain and they have been doing better so I'm hoping that they'll go through. Never mind France. But then that means (because most likely Brazil will beat Ghana) it will be Brazil vs Spain! Hello!!!!! Those are my top two teams!!!

I don't think despite Kat's rhapsodizing about Kewell, Australia will make it to the next round. The fact that they've made it to the 16 is an accomplishment enough for a rugby obssessed country that is just getting into the soccer. They're playing against Italy. Italy will go through, and most likely so will Switzerland and there you go. I hope Switzerland makes it through, I'd love for them to be in the final 4, they're like the super under the radar, wtf I thought they were all about skiing and not soccer type team.

Am having a bit of trouble predicting who will go forward from the second round tho. England, Ecuador, Portugal and Holland are all very strong. England is also suffering from erratic performance, Ecuador has been doing well so that is anyone's ball game. Portugal and Holland are just a death match waiting to happen.

So my revised final four includes Germany and Brazil. The other two I don't know. It sort of means getting rid of Argentina and Spain - two other teams I'd like to go through - but I'm trying to be realistic. Sigh. I hope a latin american team makes it through!!!

Check out the schedule here

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Sawi

There are many things to blog about from, Kat's dinner to dinner with Lisa at this wonderful Lebanese place.

First however, I just have to say...the socket downstairs has a short circuit again, our tv's not working, I am too lightweight to carry the giant thing upstairs, I think the pubs are closed, its 3am, I can't find live streaming (for free) on the internet or the radio station that's doing it live, so in short... I can't watch the soccer.

In fairness, my real time live internet update thingy does say that Brazil scored a goal. I have yet to see my team play! Sigh.

So what am I doing? In fairness I'm studying instead ha...

Saturday, June 10, 2006

You Should Spend Your Summer in Europe

You're in to almost all forms of culture - art, music, architecture, food...
And spending a summer at the beach sounds pretty darn boring to you.
So head off to Europe, where you can have your tiramisu (and even eat it on the beach!)

It's 12.3 degrees

I suppose that isn't bad, considering its probably a lot colder in Scandanavia. I woke up at eleven today, this being the first time I've been able to sleep in in ages. Would love, love, love to lie in bed but I've actually got to write a paper and clean my desk/sort out study stuff.

Made myself a chai latte with the can that I bought from my favorite Chai Coffee House near work. It was pretty good except I ran out of milk. Yesterday I bought 2 litres of soy milk from the chinese grocery - its totally fresh - this time I got the soy without sugar. It sucks, big time. So now that I'm out of my So Good Lite I have to wait for Sacha to go shopping to get me another one.

There's nothing that I would love to do more than just lie in bed. Have I said that already? My desk is a mess what with study stuff from last week's exam, which I can now put away for the moment. (I never chuck anything out till I'm sure I passed.)I now have to write a paper for the same subject. I've decided on Latin American Politics, specifically Bolivia. At first I was wondering how to connect it to the US but a friend mentioned that she was deciding the same thing and she came up with a connection (which I don't remember). I kind of think I should feel guilty because we're doing the same topic, although that's allowed but then we thought about it seperately and will most likely use completely seperate approaches, so I guess its okay. Plus I don't think a lot of us will be doing it, say versus the multitude that did China, the US, Australia and Uranium the last time around.

Sacha is off to a party with Shai, her boyfriend. She has mentioned cleaning the house repeatedly but I am in no mood to help her out. I am getting frustrated by the need to load up the dishwasher because of the amount of dishes left by the sink. And the fact that no one will empty the dishwasher when I've obviously cleaned up their crap. And that I'm always the only person who remembers the garbage. And that we only clean the house when we feel like it - I always clean the bathroom because I want to take a bubble bath.

The house cleaning bit is obviously not just everyone else, I mean, if I really wanted to clean the house, I would but I'm in no hurry. In my old house, we had stricter arrangements, we each had to clean a room once a week and because my housemates were into it, I was too. Since no one is into it here, I guess we're all just going to let it go. I mean, I had to buy a vacuum cleaner before I finally cleaned my room, after about two months, so why should I be complaining? The thing is, we could have a neater house if everyone just cleaned as they went, you know what I mean? Like wash the dishes as you cook. Not leave the newspaper in piles in the lounge room for weeks before we chuck everything. Put the videos back where they should be. We just don't do that. I've decided either to get the housemates together for a talk (if I can find them) or to write them all a nice letter. For now, I'll settle for cleaning my desk.

Tonight Sacha and I are having dinner with Andee, who is back for the weekend from Bathurst, where's she's been assigned as part of her Nutrition course. We're still deciding where to go.

I have given up wearing shoes, despite the winter. Last night I wore my birkies to buy dinner at the jap restaurant and then to the pub later on, where Sacha and I ended up watching England vs Paraguay. None of my shoes are waterproof. My shitkickers from Melbourne don't let the rain in, but if you step in anything it soaks right through. They also didn't dry in time the other day, forcing me to wear sneakers that became equally soaked through, resulting in me walking around barefoot for a while with my shoes stuffed with paper. Changing socks twice a day due to wetness has not been a good thing. Walking back from church last night I even soaked my Uggs. So now, I'm like, fuck that. If we're gonna get wet anyway, we're wearing slippers.

I have gotten myself some Pei Pao Kua, which is a preventive measure against sore throat. I was very happy to get it, even if it was ten dollars. Last night I also saw the movie "Lord of War" which was very good. Its about Nicolas Cage (I really don't understand his appeal. He's a good actor but he's not hot. At all. And he always ends up kissing all these hot chicks. I mean, I wouldn't want to be kissed by Nic Cage, I think.) who plays an arms dealer and its part satire, part comedy/drama about how the world works, in terms of war. I liked it.

Anyway, enough procrastinating...time to go!

Friday, June 09, 2006

Shiloh was anti-climactic and other things.

I've realised that if any of the hip hop dudes that I like come to this country no one will come to watch them with me. I mean, who else likes Ludacris and Trick Daddy? Just_Me_. This is after I read a report on E about Luda sponsoring this documentary on this girl teenage basketball team and apparently he does a lot of work promoting self-empowerment in young women. Slightly ironic, considering he's like this mega rap star with this hip hop image with skimpy clad chicks in his videos. I think its nice of him though.

Napaka anti-climactic naman ng pictures ni Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. The child is too young for anyone to determine who she really looks like, other than that it looks like she got mommy's lips. So much hype for not too many pictures. I'd rather see the child when it is bigger and has more personality, then you can figure out if it looks like Brad or not (which I think it does). It is still at that indeterminable stage - you know the one where you have to put earrings on it to figure out that its a girl.

Here is a Priceless conversation with my friend Kat, who moved here when she was 12. She was asking me to explain jologz and cono.

You said: do you know who kris aquino is?
salingkat: yes
salingkat: don't tell me she has a blog
You said: no but she speaks in cono
You said: i.e taglish kolehiyala
salingkat: so that's not normal?
You said: NOOOOOOOO
You said: Kris Aquino is not normal
salingkat: oh, i thought i was just so out of it, the language had evolved while i was gone

These are my definitions:


jologz are baduy people who can't speak straight english - that's not the bad thing, because there's nothing wrong with just being able to speak tagalog. they're westies but pinoy version. fake hip hop, really bad dressing, like scrubs in the no scrubs song by TLC

conos are rich kids. like burgis. they can speak english perfectly fine, they probably cant speak tagalog for shit, but theyre sosyal, they have lots of money, the girls speak valley girl taglish (like kris, except kris doesn't qualify as cono anymore because she's too bakya now)

Feel free to input your suggestions, as I am sure I will be asked this again by others.

Nic the "graduate student" and I were mentioned in Krip Yuson's column this week. I took a writing class with him way back when with chockwit and the-artist-formerly-known-as-Gabby --> now Gabriel, unless you're icebitch, in which case he'll forever be "little Gabby Narciso".

What Krip failed to mention is that he was quite possibly somewhat high the next day, otherwise he was supposed to come over for lunch and have some of my chicken in lemon ginger sauce with Nic. Really funny. Must see him again sometime.

Kat has just reminded me that I may not have blogged about the Writer's Fest. I don't remember. I think because Nic blogged about Neil and Wil I didn't bother! I went to three events, Neil, Elizabeth Kostova and Krip's thing. I was supposed to go to Audrey Nifnigger but I had to work that week.

Anyway, I have to go do some research now...

Friday, June 02, 2006

Warning: This Post Will Make You Hungry

Today I spent like, a hundred bucks on food! I don't ever think there's anything wrong with spending money on good food, its always worth it (except for that five dollar bratwurst, but we'll get to that later).

This morning, I got up early and went to the Pyrmont Markets. They happen every first saturday of the month. My friend Kat went last month and came back rhapsodizing about duck sausages and creme fraiche and other things. I thought they would have other stuff too but when I got there this morning it was All Just Food. It was like, a dream come true. (And so totally worth it, because I don't get up at 7 on Saturday mornings just for nothing!)

I took a cab this morning as I didn't want to walk in the cold or have to figure out the bus switch. Despite the fact that Pyrmont is technically the next suburb down, there are no direct buses from where I live down to Star City Casino, which is next to the park/wharf where the market is. When I got there I met up with Kat and Caleb, who has grown and is the sweetest little thing. He can say "Sa-cha" now, (the name of his day care lady) and he makes sungit, gulat and smiley faces. He also makes the cutest attempts to jump, but he can never make it off the ground.

The first thing I did was buy ice cream sandwiches, at 6 for 25 dollars. We left them at the stall, which is run by one of Kat's high school friends, while we wandered around. I next purchased a ten dollar pack of duck sausages in apple and thyme. I also excitedly found Mirin. As I said to Kat's friend Nick, who does Physics at uni and knows Derek and Luke but not Sacha, (we were actually even at the same party last week without knowing) "I have no idea what it is, but the recipe says it needs it, so I got it!". I have been looking for Mirin for ages because I have been meaning to try out this recipe for Korean Barbecued Lamb, so now I can finally make it, yay! (I really need a new camera so I can take pics of food, mine is soooo busted)

Next we found the stall for Creme Fraiche. I was thinking of not getting any because we still have a tiny tub of it at home - I've been saving it for my famous beef stroganoff, I also put a tiny bit in my pasta, i highly recommend it, it makes even instant pack pasta taste yummy. One bite of it on a tiny piece of bread was just heavenly, so I grabbed a tub for five bucks, and am planning to cook Sacha and me dinner tonight.

After this I wisely decided to look around first and then buy later. I found a stall with exotic mushrooms - the kind that look like anemone and coral - and porscino mushrooms, which was what I should have put in my risotto. Since I've still got risotto leftover, I decided not to get porscino - maybe next time! I also found this cake stall with gluten free cakes, tried several different cheeses in different stalls, found a tart stall and all these other things!

In the end I bought chicken, caper and olive ravioli after tasting it - they had cooked it and left it to simmer a little so that it was almost fried, it was excellent - a pack of exotic mushrooms, feta cheese, and cherry tomatoes for cooking. The vegetables all looked so good I was tempted to buy them, but hello, they will all wilt and die before I get to use them all. I also must have annoyed the tart seller because I changed my mind three times before getting a brownie, a berry cheesecake and an apple and almond crumble for Sacha. I also found this stall with a giant brownie in pie form, which I will also buy someday, but not now!

Kat also discovered a stall that sold bacon. REAL BACON. As in the fattening filo/american kind that crumples up when you cook it. Do you know how long its been since I've had _real_ bacon? (All of you at home count your blessings because its so bloody hard to find here! :P) So of course I bought a pack. Its called "Streaky Bacon" here. She also negotiated with the venison sellers to have specially smoked venison at the next market to make "Tapang Usa" (or rather, she's going to buy some for her mum to figure it out!). I am looking forward to tasting that and have told her I am coming over to have some!

The only thing I regret buying is the bratwurst. I always get bratwurst when we go to fairs or markets, they are the only sausages I like - i don't eat sausages at aussie barbies - and I have them with onions, ketchup and mustard. Today I paid five bucks for a skinny bratwurst. I mean, bratwursts are supposed to be fat. Like really thick and juicy and round, not like skinny hotdogs. He also put it in a bread bun that was pre-lined with rocket, of all things, I hate rocket with a passion, (more than I hate toge even. wait, i can't decide!) and covered it with some sort of chutney. Now in fairness it was good, but for five bucks, that was truly the only thing that was so not worth it.

After spending too much money, seeing as we had to go back to the atms at Star City to get more, I decided it was time to go. I took the wrong tram and had to get off and switch, though it was very quick, and then took the bus home. I was planning to clean my room and the lounge room but Pat is having friends over tonight (plus there's one still asleep downstairs) so I think I'll wait till tomorrow. In the meantime I'm cleaning my room and possibly studying at a cafe or at my desk if I can get it clear!

I've already eaten two of those yummy ice cream sandwiches. Next time I'm just going to get the basic ones, like vanilla ice cream with chocolate cookies. The expresso flavor was good, but I like 'em basic. Tonight, its beef stroganoff for dinner. (and then off to Salsa ?!?) Mmmmm.

Now I'm off to meet Sacha and Derek for coffee before I come back, clean my room and sort out my studies. Go Me!

The Name "Robbie Williams" is a Bad Word

(I should say, that for those of you that don't know/don't read the FAQs/Have asked me more than ten times but still don't remember, I work for a call centre and our client is a ticketing agency. I should also let you know that usually, I love my job . I've been working there for almost a year, and today was the worst ever, and I was not the only one who thought so - imagine turning to each other in the bathroom, or hanging out downstairs at the break and just suddenly bursting into, "I hate Robbie Williams." That was the general mood today.)

I hate the Robbie Williams pre-sale. We have all these people who are whining they can't get in. Whining they can't get tickets. People who called before the onsale at 12noon freaking out. Did they not read the email that said "not on sale till 12 noon?". Did any of them not listen to the Voice Message when they call that says, "THEY'RE ONLY AVAILABLE ONLINE?" and that they have to just keep trying due to the volume of people trying?

I HATE ROBBIE WILLIAMS. (Not him per se but mostly just you know, these people. Who don't listen. Or don't prepare ahead of time.)

See chat below:

You said: im so glad i am not a robbie williams fan
swankysanya: why
You said: there are soooo many of them it is so competitive
You said: we have a presale today on the internet
swankysanya: bwahahahahaahahahaha
You said: i swear the prospect of buying tickets in advance has robbed all these people of common sense
swankysanya: bwahahahahaahahaha
swankysanya: and through eeet aahhhhllll she offers me protekshuun!!!
You said: and they're like, "no you listen to me"
You said: and i want to go, "no you listen to me BITCH. i'm trying to tell you what to do to get your tickets right"


I should add, this woman says to me, I keep trying to get in. I say, its not 12 yet, you won't be able to access anything till 12. And you'll need your login and your password. And she's like, I don't have it. Aba, malay ko ba kung ano yon? Dapat alam mo yon diba? After telling her I don't have that info, and that I can't transfer her to online and that she has to chick on "forget password" I hate that. Hello, kasalanan ko ba if you're not prepared?!?!

You said: and i just want to say, this IS THE WORST EVER. worse than the rugby, worse than the cricket, (almost worse than the wiggles) because there area ll these fanatical women, and men trying to get tickets for these fanatical women
swankysanya: am so not envying you
You said: kasi theres like a bazillion people accessing the website and so not everyone can get in? bandwidth, you know
You said: so ayun. they keep calling and we like keep telling them to try
You said: and ayun
swankysanya: teeheee



We need a bigger bandwidth server, this I understand. I also agree with my officemate's assessment that different states should have sales on different days. And yes, its frustrating when they go through and it hangs right after they submit payment.

But. If you do get stuck, let's say you can't get to the next page, or you click a dropdown box and it doesn't get you to the next step, or it hangs, Don't Blame Me . It's not my fault you can't get through. It's not my fault your internet connection has a problem, or that the server is overloaded. Get mad at the other Robbie Williams people you are competing with that are making it hard for you to buy tickets.

There is nothing I can do for you. I cannot sell you tickets that are not in my system. All I can do is tell you to keep trying. I can't do anything for you.

I am EXHAUSTED.