Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015!

In 2 more hours, it will be 2015. It's amazing how time flies. Haha I feel abit sad and bored that I am not outside attending some countdown but I'm in front of the television especially since they keep emphasising how the new year will be a special year because SG50 (and my quarter life crisis, lol). It's okay, I'm attending Chingay for SG50! I think I'm damn contradicting, I want to go for countdown but yet on the other hand, I really hate squeezing with the crowd (I was at Orchard in the afternoon and already I kept complaining about the crowd). Lol, damn hard to please. 

This year, once again, lots of things happen, and I guess the most significant will be the change in job. There is a lot to be thankful for this year.

1)  I'm thankful for the good health that my family, friends and me have had this year. It will continue in the coming year.
2) I'm thankful for the travels I have had this year. More to come next year.
3) I'm thankful for my new job (I'm not unhappy with my previous jobscope just some issues that stress me out).

Of course, there is more to be thankful and grateful for in my life, more than I can list. Just being alive, having a family, home, food, safety... - having my basic needs met and having enough for some wants-, should make me satisfied and happy. Reminder to myself that while I should aim higher and for more in life, 我也要知足！  

Friday I will be going back to work, so let's review my aims for the holiday.

1) Lose 8kgs. Lol, the dream that never came true.
This is damn ridiculous. I didn't lose weight and instead I gained weight but I have been exercising. As long as I'm not out I will exercise. So I seriously don't know wh the weight isn't disappearing. Some people told me is muscle mass but I don't need the muscles, I just want to skinny and lose weight. Haha I told Karen I want to lose weight like previously, but she said is not possible because I'm no longer depressed. 
2) Pack my room
Done, or at least 80% done. My room is just too small and I just have too many things as I'm a hoarder, hence no matter how I pack my room will still look messy. It's like neat yet messy. However, I even vacumned and mopped under my bed. 
3) Decorate my room
Done!

Not bad right? 

3) Pack my wardrobe
Done. I donated some of my clothes away and threw some away. However I still have some clothes lying on my chair and on my bed because I can't bear to give/throw them away yet I don't really wear them but I don't have space in my wardrobe anymore.
4) Study my Korean
1%. Haha I studied abit.
5) Study phonics
Okay, I'm sorry I didnt study this.
6) Catch up on my blogging.
I think I didn't achieve this. I thought I will blog more but I guess I was too lazy.
7) Catch up on dramas??!
I didn't catch up on dramas. Instead I watched la pi xiao xin, lol.
8) Catch up on sleep
Definitely achieved!

Looking forward, now it's time to make resolutions for the year 2015.

1) Lose 8kgs. Haha I'm not giving up on this but I'm more realistic now, no more 15kgs.
2) Work hard in my job and give my best to the students. SPIN - know their Strengths, Prior knowledge about them, Interest and Needs.
3) Study hard when I go into NIE.
4) Go on 2-3 overseas trips. I'm currently aiming for Taiwan in March and Korea in December (I want to try skiing and snow but yet I'm afraid of the cold).
5) Drink more water, slowly and steadily increase my water intake.
6) Continue to keep my room and wardrobe neat.
7) Be more positive and less naggy.
8) Find a boyfriend. However, according to my horoscope, this year likely I can't find one.
9) Don't forget my Korean, continue to practice my Korean.
10) Blog more. I feel that this year my frequency of blogging wasn't very good. Maybe 3-5 blog posts per month.
11) Achieve work life balance. Work hard and spend time with my family and friends.
12) Be more sociable and expand my social circle. Smile smile and be more open.
13) Be more courageous.
14) I really really really hope that I can be somebody who give and totally 不求回报. Unconditional giving to me is really not easy, I guess I'm too self-centred
15) I know previously I kept making resolutions but I will just forget about them. So hopefully I can buy  quarterly review of them.

Like what someone recently shared, SIT - Start It Right - and everything will go smoothly later. So let's enter 2015 in a postive note and look forward to a great 2015!

Goodbye 2015 and friends I will see you next year! :)

This is home truly, where I know I must be. 

Sydney Day 5 - Sydney Fish Market + Black Star Pastry Cafe

Sydney Day 5 was a relaxing day. Eating and shopping and eating.

Went to Sydney Fish Market for seafood! While at Sydney Fish Market met my long distant relatives whom we met at the airport on the way, whom we will meet again when we fly back. What a coincidence. 

Seafood Platter for 1

Couldn't decide which platter to get and got the one with everything, I think it cost 20 ++. Their seafood platter is mega huge. The french fries were never ending. The taste is good but because the weather is chilly the food turned cold very quickly.

Trying my first raw Oyster

Muihong ordered Salmon and Oysters. I got to try my first raw oyster in my life. I don't really take raw food but this was surprisingly okay.

Went on to order more oysters. Haha only 6 were mine and the rest were muihong's, so you can imagine how many raw oysters she ate that day.

Went shopping at I don't know where but it was nearby Sydney Eye Tower, I think. Everything was EXPENSIVE, EXPENSIVE AND EXPENSIVE.While on the way back to the hotel, we saw Joe Moore. Muihong totally dui ta yi jian zhong qing. His singing was good and his looks too. No wonder people were mesmerised by him.

On the way back to the hotel, went into woolworths again...

and came out with all these. They had more TimTam flavoured and the TimTam were on sale!! Then I regreted buying previously and had to buy more to make up for it.

Then rushed out of the hotel to get to Black Star Pastry, recommended by Annabel, because they close at 5.30pm. Before that, we had to run around searching to buy bus tickets again.

Black Star Pastry

Thanks to google map, or else we might not have been able to find the place. It was hidden in one of those alleys. Very small place so not many seats there as there was only one small area available for sitting inside plus benches and stools outside. 

Strawberry Watermelon Cake

Very unique cake but most expensive cake I have ever eaten in my life. How often do you see watermelon in cakes. The cake was yummylicious, everything blended well with a tinge of rose taste. This kind of taste I have never tasted it before. However, it's really expensive because the cake itself is $7++ and coming to and fro is another $7 so yep, most expensive cake ever.

Their drinks tasted weak in comparison with their cakes.

After a good tea break, we explored the area but really nothing much there. Next time if I ever go back again, I'm going to get one full cake and eat it all!

Took the bus back, just in time for dinner. Went to Chat Thai and the queue was looooooong. To pass time, we started playing the chinese game, continuing the last word of what the person said.

Pad Thai

Their food is good, excluding the bean sprouts. Sydney really do have some really good Asian food.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Christmas makes me want to go out but yet it makes me not want to go out to squeeze with the crazy crowd.

Supply & Demand

Taking a break from Sydney posts, so let's throwback to dinner at Supply & Demand with part of my KU family quite some time ago on Saturday but after I came back from Sydney.

First time at Orchard Gateway, it's quite complicated to get around but a very quiet shopping mall in the midst of Orchard. We had to wait to get a table but you can check your queue number online and they will call you when the table is ready. The power of technology, which means we can go walk around first.

We ordered 1 truffle fries, 2 large pizzas and 1 aglio olio to share.

Truffle Fries

Their truffle fries is okay. Not super nice, would have been better with thin fries.

 

Pizza 1

Pizza 2

The pizzas were good, very unique!!! Not like the usual pizza I eat (I'm boring). I love thin crust. 

No picture of aglio olio but it was good too! One of the best aglio olio I have ever eaten. Very tasty, not bland at all.

Their mains are really good. I hope I get to go back there soon. Why are there so much food that I want to eat!

Had an impromptu tiramisu for my birthday. So many hands protecting my candle lol. The tiramisu according to the others, it was good but according to me, I think it's too alcoholic. Haha, maybe tiramisu is supposed to taste like that but the alcoholic taste is too strong for my liking. :/ Love my KU family!

Big Hero 6

Went to JB on Saturday and got to watch Big Hero 6 at city square mall. No wonder people say movie tickets in Malaysia is cheap. One ticket is RM15 and booking fee is RM1.

I really really really love the movie, much funnier than the trailer! I super love Baymax, if only I can have my very own Baymax. I don't mean the soft toy.

This movie makes you cry then makes you laugh then makes you cry again and then makes you laugh again, which is why I think it is a very good. The story has some unexpected twist along the way too!

I would totally recommend this movie!

Australia Sydney, Day 4 - Sea Life Sydney Aquarium + Bondi Beach

Day 4 will be a relaxing day.

Started the day bright and early with breakfast at Darling Harbour. 

Went to Pancake on the Rocks at Darling Harbour. We were the first customers of the day. 

Pancakes on the Rocks

Pancakes pancakes everywhere.

Hot Chocolate

As you can see, I gave up on my hair. Don't know how to tie it anymore. If only I can have nice, smooth and pretty hair naturally.

 

Yummylicious, but quite gelat. Didn't manage to finish both pancakes. 

The hashbrown is quite unique. Not the usual Macdonald's hashbrown.

After that we went to Sea Life Sydney Aquarium.

It feels like their schools have excursion everyday. We always see students having excursions. Their teachers are very nice, patiently asking them to look at this and that and explaining things to them even though the class was quite big.

Shark

Trying hard to get a picture with the shark.

Touch Pool

Usually I don't play with touch pools but since I'm on the way to growing old, touch touch touch before people start to judge.

I think their SEA aquarium is similar to our underwater world. Maybe bigger. Not sure about our SEA Aquarium because I have not been there yet.

After that went shopping at the nearby shopping malls. While walking back to the hotel we saw these beautiful water displays to take pictures with.

Jump Shot

Muihong was telling me how her jump shot looks like leviation shot and she asked me to try it out.

So I did! But FML, I didn't realised if the hands doesn't move, the body cannot coordinate.So I ended up dropping into the water. FML. I can totally remember I was like omg I cannot control my body and I already landed on the ground but fell forward into the water. Muihong said she was thinking wth am I leaning forward. So I went whole person into the water and knock my head and while in the water I was thinking if I was going to die like that but nope I struggled to get up. So I didn't die, just throw face only plus a blue black on my leg and one more on my head. My ears got blocked though and I thought I was going to become deaf but after getting the water out, I'm fine. But this shows the importance of travel insurance, you have no idea what will happen to you when you're overseas. 

The wet me

So walked back to the hotel freezing. By the time I reached the hotel I was kind of dry already.

After bathing and changing, we set off to Bondi beach. You cannot pay for bus by cash, you need to get the bus tickets from the convenience stores. We just need to tell their person where we were going and they would know which tickets to give us. Their bus tickets cost $3.70. Their transportation is really freaking expensive.

Soft sand

Still not scare of water. The weather was still quite chilly but people were running half naked around the beach and surfing.

We got another tourist to help us take photo and the weird thing is he started taking photos with his own camera. We were like we hope our photos don't end up on some dubious site on the internet. I think he is just a photographer enthuist though because he took photos of everything from humans to bags to scenery.

Went for dinner at Hurricane's Grill. You can make reservations online, the place is quite popular and crowded during dinner.

BBQ Chicken (Half) - $23

Was comtemplating between half chicken or full and luckily I took half because I could barely finished it, You know people my father always say thigh meat is the nicest and for the first time I really experienced it. The thigh meat was really nice compared to the other parts of the chicken.

 

 p

Muihong's Half Pork Ribs - $38

The pork ribs there were mega huge wtf.

After dinner, we had to brave the cold to take the bus back to our hotel. 

For the rest of my Australia Sydney's post - click here 

Something new

Today I just learnt something new about facebook.

You can actually selectively allow tagged photos to appear on your timeline. I always thought it was all or nothing.

I'm so amazed that I am making a blogpost out of it. :O

Am I happier now?

I didn't know a change in job can completely change the way people see you or should I say the aura that you give off.

After changing my job I know I'm less stress now, definitely. However, I didn't know that I have been giving off a different aura until I met a few of my friends for lunch last sunday.

This was what thing thing said and agreed by Cheryl and Sherling.

"Xiuwen, you really look happier now. More sound effects. Last time you look very tired."

So I also asked Muihong if I really sound happier now. 

" You sound more jovial when talking about work. And you not only sound effect you got dance effects too."

Although I don't really see the change in myself, since people always say 当局者迷，旁观者清, but the effects of the change in job really did reflect to the people who see me. 

I really made the right decision. :)

Last day

Today is the last day of school! Stayed in school till 6 plus today helping my mentor with some work.  Latest i have ever stayed in school,  without taking into consideration p1 orientation.  Haha, I got a shock when I went to the staff room to print something and it was all dark. 

Holiday starts tomorrow! There are pros and cons to working where you follow the school holidays. You get a longer holiday but you dont get to choose when you want to go on the holiday. 

I have been working here for about 2 and a half months and i really quite enjoy working here. Although i will complain about this and that, haha i still quite enjoy my life here. Sadly, I will be leaving in about 9 months.

So what are my aims for this holiday?
1) Lose 8kgs. Lol, the dream that never came true. 
2) Pack my room
3) Decorate my room
3) Pack my wardrobe
4) Study my Korean
5) Study phonics
6) Catch up on my blogging
7) Catch up on dramas??!
8) Catch up on sleep

Recently i finished watching master's sun. How can they make such a horror show so romantic and funny.  I love the way he say 'get lost! '

Holidays, I welcome you! So much to do, let's hope i can achieve my aim!

Australia, Sydney Day 3 - Tarango Zoo & Sydney Eye Tower

Early in the morning, went to Circular Quay to take the boat to Taronga Zoo. Bought spring roll to eat for breakfast again.

Bought the tickets online from Captain Cook Cruises for the Taronga Zoo Express which has tried try tickets for Taronga Zoo and 24 hours unlimted rides on the cruise at  $53.50 + credit card charge. I think the captain cook cruises timing are quite limited, about one boat every 45mins- 1hr in between rides, so it is quite hard to fully utilise the unlimited rides.

From the bottom of the zoo, took the cable car up the zoo. You need to have pre-paid tickets to take the cable car up the zoo if not you will need to take the bus into the zoo.

On the cable car

Tasmania Devil

Went to catch the seal show at 11am.

Say Hi!!!

I love the colour of this seal. Or is it a sea lion?

See me aim and jump!

We also paid $10 to take a picture with the koala. It's damn sad that we cannot hug the koala.

Haha, I transformed into my real self!

Me and my favourite animals. I really love gorillas!!

The tigers in Taronga zoo are really active. They were pacing up and down, up and down. Haha, then I heard it's because it was almost lunch time for them. Stayed there for quite awhile hoping to catch their lunch time but didn't managed to.

The giraffes really have a million dollar view from their house.

Didn't get to watch the bird show because during the first show we were busy queuing to take photo with the Koala and 2nd show was abit late cause we have to rush back to go to sydney eye tower. Anyway muihong has phobia of birds. 

Took the boat at 3 plus to get back to Circular Quay so we can get to Sydney Eye Tower for our skywalk at 5.30pm. Bought the skywalk tickets at $50 which included entrance fee to observation deck and the 4D show. I enjoyed the 4D show but it quite short, about 5 mins or less.

Before the skywalk, we had to do the breath analyzer so make sure that we didn't consume any alcohol. After putting on the jumper, we had to go through the metal detector and the metal detector kept beeping when I walk through it and it beeped when the person used the manual one although there is nothing in my pocket. Super weird but managed to get up there. 

The wind there was strong! As it was sunset, the view was super nice. There was the sun on one side and the moon on the other side. Plus one side of the sky was purplish pink and the other side was blue. Too bad we cannot bring our cameras while doing the skywalk. Bought the skywalk photos for $49.90, if I knew it was so expensive I may have gotten the VIP tickets which cost $109 but will include the skywalk photos and the photos we took at the entrance.

 Seriously ah, the person took so many photos but they have to choose this photo where I look damn ugly as one of the photos to be printed.

 Be prepared for your hair to fly fly fly while you are up there.

The skywalk was really a good experience for me!!!

On Sydney Eye Tower

Surprisingly, Sydney Eye Tower is really small. I was quite surprised when I hardly walked and I already walked round the whole observation deck.

After Sydney Eye Tower it was dinner time at Menya Noodle Bar at 1 Market Street. It is walkable from Sydney Eye Tower with the help of google maps. 

Super love the ramen here. Seldom you see spicy ramen that is really spicy. Super worth the visit!

After dinner to burn off the calories, we went to the supermaket.

Spent more than $100 at the supermarket. I think the cashier must be thinking I'm crazy, never see chocolates before. Half of the money spent went to Willy Wonka which were highly recommended by Karen but I have not tried it yet.

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