Trip to Puffing Billy

Woohoo! Finally I was there! Have been talking about it since the day I heard about it...YC told me about it and that she went with Hsin Chieh and Poh Sim...but when I came, there was bushfire and soon it was autumn and winter, so it was not the right season to go...and I thought that I will miss the chance to visit...

Who knows...Jane suggested that we should go somewhere to celebrate our freedom from thesis, so I mentioned that I haven't visit Puffing Billy and she said she missed the train ride as well the previous time, so we decided to visit the place! What a short notice trip...haha...but I don't mind...

So we planned to meet at 11am at Glenferrie station today and will be taking the Belgrave train...within an hour we reached Belgrave...headed towards the ticketing place of the Puffing Billy train which is just a few minutes walk from Belgrave train station...today's weather was superb! Love the sun!



But when we got to the ticketing booth, we noticed that we missed the 12.30pm train coz it was exactly 12.30pm when we reached the booth...oh well, we can only catch the next train which is the last train at 2.30pm...so we sat down for our lunch, thanks to Jane for buying the lunch...then after that walked around the place though nothing much to see...then waited for the train...took pictures here and there while waiting...




















By 2.30pm the train set off! Woohoo! So excited! Haha...we sat dangling out of the train and enjoyed the train ride and scenery along the way...the journey from Belgrave to Lakeside took us an hour...and when we reached Lakeside, we walked around, but also nothing much to see, we only saw a lake...then after walking around for 3o minutues, we went back to the train to rest...the train departed in another 30 minutes...the train was rather empty when we headed back...the train was full when we came...wonder where were all the people? I guess they only wanted to experience it once...well, I guess that's the point, the excitement were really the first time you took the train, the return trip, both of us didn't really dangled our feet out, only after half way through...haha we just sat inside and took lots of funny photos...here goes:






















Then after reaching Belgrave, we took the train back to city again...the whole day was train rides all the way...haha...after a day of riding trains, it was a bit tiring...but fun! I really enjoyed myself with Jane's company! Too bad I am going back soon, if not I would hope to go on trips with you again!

P.S: If you want to see more pictures, please visit my facebook...enjoy!

Last words: End of trip, have to gather all my energy to hit the books again! Urgh!

Post-Thesis days

The next day, woke up extremely early...don't know why I can't sleep long at Jane's place though slept at almost 2am the previous night, probably due to the fact that thesis is over and I wanted to get up early to celebrate? Haha...well, woke up at 8am and washed up and got out of the house at 9+ and went to QV market to buy souvenirs since I am already so nearby...

So had our breakfast while shopped around...bought lots of things! So happy! But none of them were for me...haha...






Then after that, went over to YC's place...after she fetched me from the station, we went to Highpoint to walk around...didn't really buy anything but it was good just walking around, I haven't been out much since the past weeks...slacking felt so good! Didn't do much on that day and went to class at night...

The next day, we went shopping again with Olivia, Ann, Betty and Meifong at Costco, a newly built huge shopping centre, something like Carrefour, but at Costco they sell things in bulk...and I bought some Australian or American made things to bring back...gosh, I am worried that my luggage will be overweight again! Hopefully it will not...here are some of the pictures of us...














YC didn't manage to buy her sport shoes yesterday at Highpoint, so after the Costco trip, we went to Smith Street in Fitzroy, this street is filled with famous brands' shops like Nike, Converse, Adidas etc, if you want to buy real and cheap branded stuff, please visit this street, it feels like Queensway Shopping Centre in Singapore...hehe...I bought things again! Nah, just something I was told to buy, can't say for who, if not the person will not have the surprise anymore...just wait and see...








YC still can't get her shoes, so while driving me back to my place, she mentioned that the guys who played badminton will go to Boxhill to get their racquets repaired, then we mentioned about dinner and the timing is a bit weird to go for dinner, it was around 4pm then...so I suggested that we go to Boxhill to shop around and see if we could find her shoes then go for dinner...*sparkle* in her eyes...haha we straight away drove there...well, not that far from my place and we were on our way anyway...got there and found her shoes! So happy! Then we went for dinner after that...



Well well, it was a well spent Sunday! Was so happy that I got to go around doing nothing but shop! The only thing that I got for myself was a belt! Haha...but the days and time spent on something else other than thesis and studies is seriously GOOD! I can't imagine what it is like after exams! Haha...I will definitely go crazy...wait and see!

Can't wait till tomorrow! Jane and myself planned to visit Puffing Billy, a mini road trip that we came up with as a way to celebrate the handing in of our theses and to get away for a while...and since I haven't been on a trip with her, I can't wait till it! It will definitely be FUN!

Last words: RELAX is the only word that I can think of to describe my feeling now!

Finally!

Yeay! Finally!

Yea, finally submitted my thesis! After months of hard work, finally, our 'babies' are out! Today everyone could finally be released of this suffering! Early in the morning, already have people in the Honours room printing their theses...

However, Jane and myself arranged to meet at 11am in the Honours room...went there and printed mine...but then found out some mistakes here and there...made some corrections and in total printed 4 copies of 83 pages long thesis...oh I killed a lot of trees!

After done with mine, helped Jane with her thesis, there was something wrong with her formatting, incompatibility of Mac and Windows...hmm...that's the reason why I don't want to buy Mac in the first place...very troublesome especially when everyone is using Windows...


After done with hers, we submitted our theses at the Postgraduate Office...here are our theses and us! So happy! We even got a receipt for submitting! I told the lady that this will be the only receipt that I will be keeping for life! Haha...she said yea, and said that probably framing it up will be a good idea...haha...







In the end, we skipped Counselling lecture...ooppss...haha...but we attended the tutorial afterwards, but by then I was already brain dead...having a hard time keeping my eyes open...

Then after the tutorial, went back to my place to get packing, coz going over to Jane's place to stayover...our initial plan was to go have Korean BBQ, but we spent too much time over in my room that when we got out of the house it was already 8pm and then there was problems with the train...waited so long for the supposedly substitute bus, but it took forever, so we went to Kooyong station to take a train, by the time we reached city it was already 9.30pm! Gosh we spent like more than an hour just to get to city which was only 15 minutes from Glenferrie...faint! So in the end no Korean BBQ, just bought some finger food and Hokkaido milk tea! Nice!

Then before sleeping, watched a Malaysian movie...Sepet...well, although I couldn't say that it is bad...but it is not that good...ooppss...I should be supporting homemade movie, but I just don't really like it...I shall give more details in my mass movie updates soon...

Last words: Printed, signed, bound and submitted...or in other words, our 'babies' have already been given up for adoption...

Thesis

Okie, I realised that I have been complaining about this since the day I started doing it...haha recently all our lives have been revolving around it...yea all 4th year who are doing a THESIS...

Since day 1 when we were enrolled in the course and when the semester started, we went around frantically looking for a supervisor...I still remembered how I emailed all those supervisors telling them how I am interested in the topics that they are working, although not all are truths, but I have no choice but to fake it...if not no one would want to accept me...I consider myself to be late already has most of the people I knew then already got themselves a supervisor and I am still searching...I came to Melbourne late and I started everything late...everything didn't seemed to be going my way until the day I met Jane, during the postgraduate orientation programme...she told me and Junko that she found herself a supervisor and said that the supervisor can still take in more students, so I hurry up emailed him and he replied! I was so happy and went to meet him...who knows he is also a Malaysian! I felt very lucky and decided to stick to him and rejected another potential supervisor whom also replied my email...

Then the process started...have to read lots of journal articles and find which topic I would like to work on...although I am not really that interested in OCD, but I am not that interested in older men's suicidal ideation...gosh! When I started doing, I find OCD rather interesting and wanted to learn more about it...but a few months down the road, I am starting to beg to differ...I am totally over it now and wanted to end this whole thing badly...and regretted why I didn't do suicide instead...Jane's topic seems interesting and it is not older men's suicide ideation! How come my supervisor didn't even tell me that I can do on other populations? Anyway, it is my fault...not to probe...

Anyway, there goes...and once the topic has been set, I have to apply for my ethics approval so that I could start to collect data...everything went rather smoothly and got my ethics approved after some minor changes to my first application and then started to set up the portal to collect data...everything went slowly at first when I couldn't hit my headcount but luckily friends were very helpful and finally I got what I need...I really appreciated all the help from everyone!

While collecting my data, which was during the holiday period, I stayed in to do my thesis, started writing my introduction and method section...I seriously think that writing and cooking up 10,000 words is hard! But anyway, up until now, I am really glad that I did my work ahead in time, but still my work is a piece of crap to me...

After I had enough headcount, I closed the portal and went on to do my results analyses...man, they are seriously confusing...anyway, managed to get something out on my results but then it was seriously a mess...and before I knew it, it is almost end of September and we were supposed to hand in the full draft to our supervisors...so I struggled to finish up the discussion as well...and handed in the first full draft...and it came back with tonnes of comments, I mean rather nasty comments, well, that what our supervisor do...he is very strict and detailed, it seems like no mistakes could get passed without him noticing...boy, I am stressed whenever I meet him, I am just afraid to hear what he has to tell and don't want to hear him say that my work is a piece of crap! But he was nice, he said that I will definitely pass BUT if I want to get better grade, I have a lot of work to do...well fair enough...

So came 2nd draft and finally currently working on my 3rd draft, even until now I am still thinking my work is a piece of crap! When I met him for my 2nd draft review, he told me I definitely could get Credit and if I would want a Distinction, I would have to make sure my hypotheses and arguments are logical, grammar is flawless and results are justified...how can I do that? Especially the grammar is flawless part? My grammar is so sucky that I can't believe I could even help others proof read their work...but I am lucky that I got a few people who can help me proof read...thanks to those who offered help! But seriously, I am thinking of just letting it be...Credit then Credit it will be...I am just too tired to do anymore editing as the more I edit I find myself not making any sense anymore...but should I? Since he has been so much help, should I let him down? I don't want to feel guilty of not giving my best...haiz...

One more thing that I would like to comment, as per what my course mate said, this thesis is seriously a health hazard, I have been sitting in front of my computer for the past couple of days, whenever I got back my draft that is...working very 'diligently' on it that every day towards the evening and night time, my back hurts tremendously...I think if it doesn't end soon I am going to get some bone disease...

Last but not least, I am so glad that I got to know some other coursemates better during this semester, we were often comforting each other and giving moral support to help us through this tough period, so I wanted to thank Jane, Kathy, Kerry, Leah, Stephanie, Tammy and Wendy...yea we will definitely get there...only 4 more days to the end of it...and Kathy, please don't give up! You can do it!

Last words: I just can't wait til this Friday! I can't wait to part with you!

Dispensable

Is everyone dispensable? Although I don't wish to admit it but it is the fact...

I remembered when I was about to leave my first job, I told my mum that sure my manager will be in a chaos after my departure then my mum said: "Yea, she will but not for very long". It struck me very hard then that I am just someone who is dispensable...well enough, it doesn't affect anyone any very huge impact...so lesson learnt...for me as an employee...I am just someone who helped do the job for the time being, and when I leave, I will be replaced...

But as friends, I really do not want to admit this but this is just the message I kept getting back...at least that's what I felt...since I have been stranded in this far away place, I realised it is even more difficult to ignore this fact...

Thinking back, when I was in primary or secondary school, I was a very quiet girl, I don't mix around much, which means I don't have many friends, well not a problem for me though...however, now I realised that back then, people who were not really that close to me would approach me, for what? Not for a chit-chat...but for the stationaries that I have, yes, I am someone who bring everything, scissors, stapler...you named it I have it...No I don't want to think that I am being taken advantage of but I am just glad that I could help...

Now, same thing happened at least I thought so...don't take me wrongly, I am not blaming anyone...I just hate myself for thinking so...

Recently, I am really stressed out by my thesis and I feel trapped...I really don't know who to turn to, I need someone to talk to, but seems like everyone is just not listening...I have been bottling my feelings and I am afraid that I will burst one day, so I decided to vent it here...since I know that not a lot of people read this...

I wanted to call someone, but not many choices here and I am not someone who likes to talk on the phone...and I really don't want to bore people with my constant complains of stress...I know everyone is stressed...so I tried MSN, but when I scroll down the list, I don't find anyone whom I want to talk to particularly, those that I wanted to talk to are not online...why is it so hard just to find someone to talk to? But when someone finally come talk to me, it is about them, I could only listen...I am drained...am I just a listener and will only be approached when needed? Worst still, that person just go offline suddenly without proper departure...I don't normally do that...I still think it is impolite...Or this is how the world works? Or am I being overly sensitive over these? I have been trying not to do so, approaching people only when needed...coz I totally understand what the other party will feel...Now I understand how come so many psychologists ended up dead...they were loaded too much with other people's problems and have no where to turn to to dump their 'rubbish'...

The other day someone saw my MSN list filled with tonnes of contact, and someone commented on my Facebook friends list...so many contacts...I really wanted to say what good are all those contacts when they don't really mean anything to me?

Last words: Am I?

P.S: To anyone who read this entry, I am okay, that is if you care...and just being silly...

Nothing special

Well sorry for not updating my blog for the past few days as my life has been quite uneventful and nothing special happened...oh unless you count submitting of assignment, receiving marked essays and submitted first draft of thesis to my supervisor as something special...which I personally don't think so...

Yea rushed to submit the full first draft of my thesis to my supervisor last last Friday...and I thought I did bad on that...then got back my Ethics essays on last Wednesday and was devastated upon looking the grade (although I have already predicted that I will do badly coz I really don't know what the hell I was writing and I really don't know what else I could do apart from the ones I submitted) and submitted of my Counselling Psychology assignment which is worth 40% last Friday...hmm...sounds to me like a very boring and sad life...nothing but to do with academics datelines...argh! I can't stand it anymore! I need something more interesting and attractive than meeting datelines for assignments...but not to fret...I still have approximately 1 more month to go! Woohoo! Can't wait till I am free again! I am not blaming anyone for my current plight though...I asked for it myself...I signed up for the course myself and I have to bare with all of these myself! But for my future's sake it should be all worth it, I hope! Haha...

Yea! My exam timetable is out! Finally, though it is just the tentative one, yet it is still something, at least I can have a rough gauge at when will all my 'sufferings' end...haha...my favourite date currently, nope, not my birthday, but 20 November 2009, last day of my papers! Woohoo! And guess what, I might be flying back immediately the next day to Singapore! But have yet to decide on that, will have to wait for the confirmed timetable to be out on 22 October...once it is set, I could proceed to confirming my flight back! Seriously can't wait!

I think everyone except YC is happy for the fact that I am going back...I would like to apologize to her, well I do wish that I could stay back and initially for my internship, but too bad Australian government doesn't welcome my stay so no choice...not up to me anyway...so will cherish the stay from now till then with her...hopefully she won't be too upset about my departure...

Another thing that makes me excited about going back is Elaine's wedding! Yea her BIG DAY! Previously she had wanted me to help her plan her wedding and so on...but too bad I had to leave for my studies and couldn't help her much, but still I tried to do something for her...I actually did a slideshow for her, hope she will like it...

And the next next thing that makes me excited about going back is after Elaine's wedding, XF, Esther and myself will be going for a short trip to Penang and Bangkok, not so much in Penang as it will only be a stopover for us to board the flight to Bangkok, but I seriously hope that I could meet up with a few friends of mine whom I haven't seen for ages...but that really depends if they are free...but I seriously hope so...

Last words: Yea that's my not so special life for the past weeks...

Mass updates (cont.)

It has been quite some time since I last update the shows that I have watched...so here goes again...

导盲犬小Q - a Japanese movie, it is about a dog's life, from a puppy (it really looked my dogs when they were puppies!) to being trained as a dog which leads the blind...I cried like nobody's business watching this movie! Although it was an old movie but I just decided to watch it now coz I didn't had the courage to watch it then as I had been told that it was a really sad movie and it is indeed! It is a very touching story especially towards the end when they show the dog died...sob sob sob...coz I have 3 dogs at home so it really touched me deep inside...
My ratings: Worth watching! Recommended!

The devil wears Prada - hmm...another chick flick about a normal and not-much-of-a-fashion-knowing girl who wanted to work as a journalist but ended up in a fashion magazine industry which changed her life...nothing much to say about this...I think the only part that I love was the part that they kept filming Anne Hathaway in different clothing...haha...seriously what she wore were really nice! I totally love the style...
My ratings: Could be watched during free time...

Adventureland - The title sounds pretty interesting but it is NOT! This movie was given to me by my friend, so I just watched and after the whole movie, I questioned myself for a reason why I would waste my precious 2 hours on this movie...I don't even want to mention the story plot...
My ratings: Don't waste your time!
BrideWars - Yet another chick flick, it is about two girls who grew up together and was very close to each other and they both love Wedding...until one day when they were both getting married, they wanted to have their wedding planned by the same wedding planner, she got the dates mixed up which caused a big chaos when their weddings were on the same day and same venue...so they turned into enemies an the sabotages on each other came by but in the end they realised that they were being silly and you know what happens...
My ratings: If you are a chick flick fan then you might love this...if not, you could just watch it for fun...

Changeling - A great movie! Based on real story about a woman whose son went missing one day and she went to the cops for help...the cops found a boy and returned to her but he is not his son! They insisted that she kept the boy and take care of him as they do not want the public to think that they did not do their job...she was not satisfied and insisted that the cops continue to search for her real son...but instead she was thrown in an asylum for the charges of being paranoid...luckily there was a pastor who helped her...in the end she was freed from the asylum but did not managed to find her son...not sure if she did found her son afterall...hope she did!
My ratings: Definitely recommended!

GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) - A Japanese movie, which was dated quite a few years back...it started as a series, I think it was based on a comic...anyway I was a bit disappointed by the movie as the series were better...it is about this guy who is a teacher who had his weird way of teaching which was not approved of by the other teachers but was well-liked by his students...
My ratings: Not recommended, but do watch the series...

Ice Age 3 (Dawn of the Dinosaurs) - hmm, to me it is just a cartoon, nothing special...although I have watched the trilogy but I still don't find it interesting and the only thing I wanted to say was that they thing which kept popping up here and there which do not talk is a bit annoying...haha...
My ratings: It is a good movie to watch with your kids though, if you have a family...it is really very warm and with some underlying message

Nancy Drew - This is a movie based on the character by Carolyn Smith...but I was totally disappointed in this movie...I read her books back in my secondary and high school years and I was totally engrossed in her writing styles and her story plot...this movie just doesn't bring out the Nancy Drew that I read back then or maybe I should say Emma Roberts couldn't bring out the character of Nancy Drew in Carolyn Smith's story...well anyway, it is just a movie revolving mystery solving...
My ratings: Better read the books than watching the movie...

Observe and Report - Well a totally stupid show...about a security guard with Bipolar Disorder and his work life in a mall and his stupid acts...the show is full of vulgarities...really a waste of time...
My ratings: NOT RECOMMENDED!

Prom Night - I wanted to watch this back then when it was in the cinema but after watching the movie I really find that it is not that interesting as I thought...it is just about a crazy teacher who was madly in love with one of his students and killed her family a few years ago for not telling him where she is and was thrown into an asylum...after a few years, he escaped the place and went on another killing spree on her prom night just to get to her...actually I have no idea why he needs to kill everyone...well maybe since he is crazy so that explains...
My ratings: So-so

Transformers - Well, my second time watching...the first time I watched, the movie was very blur as the format that was given to me was not a good one so I didn't like it that much then...not until my friend kept wanting to watch the sequel that I rewatched it in a clearer format and I found it to be very nice! The story plot? I don't know how to explain...is it about a bunch of bad robots who wanted to take over the earth and they need the cube, so the good robots are trying their very best to stop that from happening? Haha...I just love the action...I have the sequel, will watch it soon and update you guys about it...
My ratings: Recommended!

My sassy girl, Chun-Hyang - A Korean series, a love story about a girl and a boy who happened to spend a night together in a room but did nothing...but their parents were so ashamed by it and had the boy marrying the girl...however the boy had a girl whom he loves and there was an uncle loving the girl...the other parties were trying hard to separate them...it is just too draggy for me...as usual Korean movies are too slow-moving for me...
My ratings: Not to my liking...

Lie to Me - Woohoo! My new love! It is about this guy, Cal Lightman who studied facial expressions for 20 years set up a firm who will assist in solving cases from firms or bodies who hired them...how do they solve the cases? They help by finding out if people are hiding something by reading their facial expressions...it is very enlightening! Your facial expressions and body languages tell what you are thinking!
My ratings: DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED!

法证先锋II (Forensic Heroes II) - A Hong Kong series, sequel of Forensic Heroes...it is just a chinese version of CSI...so no further explanations needed...
My ratings: RECOMMENDED!

老婆大人II (Just Love II) - A Hong Kong series, also a sequel of Just Love...just a life story of a family where the wife is a judge while the husband is sort of stay home husband and dad...nothing interesting...
My ratings: Boring!

突围行动 (The Brink of Law) - A Hong Kong series, it has a rather complex story line...I rather not say too much and let you guys watch on your own, if not it would be exciting...haha...however, you will get to see the dark side of a human being...
My ratings: Recommended!

桌球天王 (The King of Snooker) - A Hong Kong series, well no need for my further explanation, it is a series about Snooker...
My ratings: Well, I am not a fan of Snooker so it doesn't appeal to me...

与敌同行 (Last One Standing) - A Hong Kong series, I also can't say much about this as it will spoil the fun! So watch it on your own...all I can say is that the story line is really good but the actors were lousy...ooppss...
My ratings: Recommended!

仁心解码 (A Great Way to Care) - A Hong Kong series, about psychiatrists and psychological disorders...well as I am studying Psychology, all the things that were shown in the series were very shallow, they didn't do much researches and that they are trying too hard which turns out a bit unrealistic...it will be quite misleading to those who doesn't know much about psychological disorders...but it is quite an interesting show though...first one in HK about such profession! Still have much room for improvement!
My ratings: Recommended for fun viewing but don't take it too seriously!

Last words: More to come!