Archive for August, 2007:
我沒有錢。
雖然我三月有把我的Toyota Camry車帶去維修，可還沒用 ﹣ 過六個月發現有至少五，六個問題！今天我很不高興地付了$1099.40！ 這些問題為什麼不早說呢？ 是不是因為以前的維修都是很粗心得作？ 真气死人！
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two funerals and a breakup
It’s a celebration of someone’s life. Yet tragically two lives were very short-lived. Sometimes words don’t really do justice to the hurt and sorrow of losing a loved one. Cliches and pick-me-up phrases aside, some moments:
- Bubbles floating in the wind, dancing around the lowered casket covered with bangles and flowers and tears
- Three men and a lady staring at international arrivals onscreen, eye contact with the grieving father an uneasy burden
- facebook moods shifting with the days
- drifting into thought as two men argue inconsequentially between the terms “stillbirth” and “miscarriage”.
- The male protagonist sets the mood as she sleeps; from the musical “Miss Saigon”.
- Tony Laf also sings it well.
As for learning about a breakup, it’s better to have loved. A line of lyric says simply, “cos we’re moving on.” – an answer to the question, “it will be alright because?”. But all rhetoric aside, she is sad.
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What all this does mean though, is that I’m fairly behind in my uni work – 3 assignments that need to be started on, none of them really fleshed out yet. Other chores during the holidays too, like servicing the car, WOF, paying bills (my dad’s bill money ran out – uni poverty here we come), and it’s still touch-and-go for many other things and other people.
Take care everyone.
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oui, monsieur?
I drove a limo last night. Very hard to negotiate cul-de-sacs with an extra long car.
Awesome!!!
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Review: Royal Shakespeare Company’s “King Lear” @ ASB Aotea
Was the hype and sold-out tickets worth it? Was it fun to watch Ian McKellen in such fine form? Shakespeare’s coming-of-old-age tale (a bildungsr-oldman, if you will) was compellingly and very efficiently portrayed. Quick and relentless scene changes juxtaposed with the portrayal of a frail king in decline made for enthralling theatre.
A full house also appreciated the excellent performances of Edmund and Edgar, played by Philip Winchester and Ben Meyjes – no one seeming more manipulative than Winchester’s bastard-son character. Whilst not quite stealing the thunder and lightning from Lear’s storm scene transformation, RSC freshman William Gaunt playing the Earl of Gloucester delivered much kinship and sympathy (no one’s eyes have been theatrically gouged out so well).
Sylvester McCoy as Lear’s Fool provided plenty of giggles, with multiple talents ranging from playing the spoons to singing his pentameter to just having a good guffaw onstage! One had to wonder how he managed to stay noosed through the interval for so long, following his hanging.
The three sisters were played out most effectively, from the schemings of Goneril and Regan (Frances Barber and Monica Dolan) to the compassionate warmth of Romola Garai’s portrayal of banished daughter Cordelia.
On the whole an outstanding performance.
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for lunch I had (GBS)
Richard and I dropped by GBS for lunch. He tried their steak sandwich and found one piece of chargrilled sour dough drenched in jus. My kingfish (market) seemed to have had the same jus, and the rocket salad (spelled rocquette on their stylised menus) was as green as Anne’s gables. The steak was done well enough, and the kingfish had a soft, pleasing texture. Other than the overdone beef-stock-like jus and the slightly dear lunch price ($20 for a lunch main is pressingly unaffordable), this central-Howick establishment seems to enjoy its well-patronised status.
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The best way to gauge a presentation of a dish: if the customer feels the need to take a photo of it, then you’re on the right track. That’s all.
Just finished 206 notes – very exciting! Now onto 305.
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not much
to report, except that my nose is blocked and it’s a beautiful day outside. Good running weather.
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May it be that you brush your teeth quickly
Not much else to write in that title, it really asked for something nonsensical to head this post. Really. Am at Tamaki computer labs, typing up notes for 206. Got 304 and 305 to work on too, both are reasonably difficult. Sport psychologists don’t make particularly good lecturers, there’s nothing new she shows us, just summaries of the textbook of which we have to had read all through anyways (Swallow it whole, folks).
Had a second sandwich photo, but doesn’t seem to be uploading properly (black image). Today a friend showed me a live track of the US-NZ foreign exchange rate – told me about psychological resistance at cent marks, pips, short selling (he made over $1000 on paper as we were speaking), supply and demand. Once upon a time I had wanted to take a Commerce degree and be a stockbroker. I remember my dad’s response when I informed him of my aspirations.
“You can go to a Malay polytech to do commerce. It’s useless.”
(of course, in a Mandarin sentence). The ferocity of his disapproval shocked me: I was taken to a relative’s house to have some sense talked into. I remember my much-older cousin who did his Masters in Science and now taught Physics to private school students taking me up to his room, and pointing out all the things in the house that were there because of “science”. (insert awe-inspiring dramatic monologue here).
… actually it was a pretty lame endeavour, but I told myself to pretend it was some sort of life-changing moment and let my dad have his way. I dropped Economics from the following years’ subject choices in favour of Physics, and with that my aspirations for a six-figure salary in the future (or even $75000 a year, lol).
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Oh yeah, I like my electric toothbrush. It works very well.
Sandwich number 1
This is premium sandwich bread. Wholegrain-healthy, Mackenzie Country brand. We’re giving it a go this week in our household, and you can see for yourself that it’s so good, that you’d be happy to eat the crust ends of this gourmet loaf. Shown here is a smoked chicken, camembert and honey mustard sandwich with salad greens and an egg.
stocks and coffee
are down. Down, down, down, to funky town. When Wall Street sneezes, the NZSX gets a cold. Sort of.
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Coffee Club Sylvia Park, Dining Lane. Excellent food, only affordable thanks to the entertainment book. Food was pretty good, average items close to the $20 mark. It’s coffee in that you can sit there and sip on a latte all afternoon if you had to, but then again you order from a menu and the pay for the display of food-feel isn’t really there. Service was excellent, tended to the busy lunch trade very well.
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The weirdest thing just happened: it was raining in our back garden, and sunny through the front window.
OK gonna study, hope everyone’s weekend is excellent!