its been an eventful week.

i successfully endured a 2 hour exam tonight.
i think the coffee is only kicking in now. darnit! its nearly 1am. i need to get to bed.

Hopefully after tonite's exam (i havent sat an exam in a few years since 2004?!)

I was freaking exhausted.

and... it was all about swimming instructing.

Wanna know the three types of water resistence?
My acronyms were working for me to rejig the memory.
F.E.S (Fried Eggs, Salsa)

1. Frontal
2. Eddy Turbulence (this one always made me laugh-- Eddy!?! ha!)
3. Skin/ Frictional

I only need 60%+ to pass!

and...
Thanks to David for an inspiring cut/copy of MLK and enlightening me at Mil and Martin's housewarming :) I had fun!

6 weeks

6 weeks.
for a while now, its almost been a bit of a blur to imagine how a year seems to pass by.
at least... its actually less daunting than i used to think.

6 weeks til i head to holland to the land of clogs and windmills and to celebrate with my sister and to be husband... and hopefully get the chance to see the van gogh museum ( i love art) have a hash brownie or two (jokes?!!?) and get the chance to travel to venice, prague and looks like berlin... and then to england.

i cant complain... although ive been a place that has made me somewhat apprehensive about it all... im beginning to smell it.

oh wait... thats just the burnt toast!

and despite other reports. things are good. they actually are really good.

cheering up depression...

challenged to stop asking why

to live in the moment perhaps?

i sometimes think i think too much.

and when i get really into my own head (beware)... i often start thinking thoughts into another dimension.... and ask too many big questions.

thats why i need friends-- like you guys... to keep me grounded.

bring me back to planet earth. yes.

can we talk about the banal and the superficial now? my head hurts.

urban dictionary. you make me laugh!

The word for May 11 is nut huggers

really tight jeans worn by a man

Damn Bell's got his nut huggers on today

exciting new roof!

this is the progress on the roof of the kitchen our team built at suubi village near kampala, Uganda, Africa (sept 2007) for watoto

very exciting!!! i cant believe the roof is on! the progress is slower than some have expected, but for me... in all honesty... at least stuff is being done!!! hopefully it will be finished by september 2008. that would be amazing!

i watched 20 episodes of season 5 scrubs back to back

being sick has its plusses. (i hate being sick-- its the inactivity that kills me, but hey, i dug up season 5 of back to back scrubs! yay!)

favourite scenes:

'kung fu fighting'

'when jd's scooter gets shot at at the convenience store and when he hits a water pot hole and disappears under the road completely.'

'elliot's hilariously crazy ' mexican apple picker' fantasy'

'jd turning 30 and trying to finish the triathlon'....

ah.... so many good pointers! anybody got season 6?

i (heart) cherry blossoms

my bro is in hokkaido, japan at the moment touring the whole spring time cherry blossoms!
im so jealous! he's sent some pics back
i will have to go back one day when they bloom-- its a big celebration over there! Spring Time!!!

is a pet a 'want' or a 'need'?

i used to have dogs.
i now have swung to liking cats. (gasp! says the dog lovers)
i have owned pet fish.

ive thought of buying a bird.

i love animals.

is a pet a 'want'? or a 'need'?

they keep you company... especially dogs... just when you need it. no questions asked.

"I need someone who believes that the sun will rise again, but who does not fear my darkness. Someone who can point out the rocks in my way without making me a child by carrying me. Someone who can stand in thunder and watch the lightning and believe in a rainbow." ~Fr. Joe Mahoney

it was dad's birthday on may 3rd. it was his 72nd birthday. happy birthday Dad!

"Text Support"

i love urban dictionary:

The word for May 06 is Text Support

Advice, encouragement delivered via text... frequently related to dating and boss hating. Pronounced like tech support.

Hey, thanks for all the text support last night! I have a coffee date with him today.

where is home?

so... i read somewhere that those whose take on life is more inherent on 'realism' or 'reality' tend to lean towards depression.

great.

is that whats been happening?

so... how do i get myself back to being happy (knowing full well, that it is indeed most oftentimes, a choice)...

do i need to be slightly delusional to gain that sense of happy?

searching the scriptures gives a sense of hope. but im not sure about happinness.

i like tea- and reading books- to escape.

distractions. good company. beautiful landscapes. new destinations. makes me happy.

lately. because of so many changes... ive realised that there is joy to be found in the familiar. i think i used to loathe it... because i labelled it unfairly 'boring'. but really... it is comforting.

put it this way... im coming from a place where most recently, the house i grew up in has been completely flattened, demolished. i had a dream about it the other night. it was strange, surreal and frankly... a little unsettling. i think its because the house reminded me so much of my Dad, that to see the house completely gone, and just a pile of dirt, was something similar to looking at a bomb site. That is probably why i am finding it so comforting to visit friend's homes-- people and places that ive known for a long time. Because its familiar. Because... it feels like home.

everybody loves ramen

everybody loves ramen

hilarious. i bought a t-shirt with this on it.

i love play on words. and i love ramen! (wasnt THAT keen on the original 'raymond' series, but hey... a little bit of pop culture never hurt no body!!)

sometimes. you just gotta laugh.

you know when life gets so serious and you wonder sometimes how it got this way? life is absurd. really! plus...

im tired... im also sick... with the flu. great.

i just finished this book

it was needed... as hard as it is for me to realise that sometimes life is just a series of crap shituations

i need to work on building my happiness levels big time!

for someone who is so used to being a generally happy person. im going to give myself a pat on the back for not being too much of a sad -sack... considering.

you know... sometimes... i struggle to let myself be sad. because you know? oh, who likes to be sad?! i certainly dont... but sometimes. things just are sad!! but im learning... very slowly... that its totally ok.

because in the long term. if you dont let your emotions just be--- (anger, happinness, resentment, joy, confusion, pain etc) you go numb... cos grief... which is what ive been experiencing... is a necessary form of growth... it cant be rushed. oh. its painful. heck... its not even funny.

but boy oh boy... do i try!!

thanks for hanging in dear blog readers. i know my posts havent been as 'minivanmegaFUN' as one would like it to be of late.

so... to bring back the Van... ill talk about things that i enjoy to bring it back to something more fun.

Movies. now... i cant wait for this new 'Get Smart' film to come out! I love the original series! i Hope to get them on dvd one day... who can forget agent 99 and the cone of silence? the shoe phone? i love it.

oh. skype.

got to commie dinner at the french's last nite. it was so good to see john, jane, hannah and tom returned home from the roadtrip and the gang :) yay.

and ... i got to 'see' jo on skype which was such a blessing today. oh. its so high-tech!! video cameras and the rest... i will have to fix mine up...

im enjoying the part time work at the moment. so much more flexible in being able to connect with loved ones in different time zones far far away.

yay.

thank God for friends!

praise God for the internet!

aside from information overload and way too many applications (at times-- esp in facebook) i love that i can communicate with my family, my friends. its such a blessing.

but mind you... nothing beats seeing people in the flesh-- face to face. that is a real blessing.

what a mystery though--- how technology seeks to 'connect' people together, but we might all just end up communicating in the solitude of our homes-- writing to one another via the internet!

balanced.

feeling balanced today.

im excited again!

its sooo good.

back in the pool-- the kiddies are soooo cute!!!

back to loving life!!!!!!!!!!!! where have i been?

im nineteen again.

apparently i look 19. or pass for a teenager. (so ive been told lately by grans at church)

this makes me laugh. and cry. all at the same time.

is it my asian genes?

i guess i dont like it sometimes, only because people treat you differently when they think youre a 'kid'.

but it does make for good laughs when i try avoid eye contact with a bouncer at a bar--and look like im 'sneaking in' to an over 18's venue... not much hope with a gold drivers licence as my ID. i look even younger on that than i do in person!

today's forecast: clouds are clearing.

things are getting better.

slowly. but surely.

acceptance.

God. give me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change. courage to change the things i can... and wisdom to know the difference.

i miss my dad

so im trying this new thing... i.e. talking about my dad.

plus... i had lunch with my uncle dennis yesterday. he was Dad's best friend during university.
it was a nice lunch. U.Dennis in some ways probably sees me like part of the 'family'. i guess with all those that are familiar with chinese lineage and community... alot of our chinese relos are related somewhere along the lines.... esp those that immigrated here many generations ago...

anyhoo... it was just lovely. i felt very spoilt-- his kids are all in their late 30's- 40's (similar to my family i guess, but i was born much much later... ). He took me to have a nice lunch at the Tea Room at QVB. Ive always wanted to go there. I have heard of the afternoon teas they have there, but we didnt do that, we had a nice lunch special. salmon. always a favourite. anyhoo. My uncle is a solicitor and i think is ready for retirement. He would easily be in his 70's now. My dad would have turned 72 this year.

so he shared with me more clearly their history. my uncle actually knew my dad's eldest sister first at school. strangely enough, dennis went to a girls primary school in hong kong in the 40's. there werent enough schools, so some of the boys went to whatever school was available. anyhoo...

he shared of a funny story where my dad had actually 'crashed' his honeymoon he married my aunty rose (i think that is why my middle name is rose :D)... pretty funny imagining my dad driving in his first car (a white beetle) and driving all the way from sydney to melbourne in a day... to be their chauffeur! He did that in 1963.

one thing that was really interesting was that i had gone on family holidays with mum, dad, u. dennis and rose when i was about 8. i guess being the 'baby' of the family meant that i got to hang out with the oldies while my other siblings got left to their own devices. i guess what may have been seen as a 'lucky' kid to go on these cool adventures to then europe and the usa (i went many times before the age of 12) because dad was an electrical engineer for SBS back in the eighties, he had lots of conferences he went to in vegas ( i remember, because i snuck in a 'poker' machine pull at the age of 8) so... i got taken along.

if anything... i only just realised, that i am glad i have these wonderful memories of travelling, because... in some ways, my siblings are 8 to 12 years older than me in age respectively ( i have 3 sisters and eldest brother) and well, i kinda felt like i didnt get to know dad as an adult or a teen... something that i definately missed out on and now coming to think of it... it makes me feel better than i was lucky enough to have those times with him... thats probably why i like the U.S. so much. not cos of Bush== but certainly, because of the fun, positive memories they evoke of time with mum and dad back then.

yes. i think this is healing. talking about Dad. i think its healthy.

krang

oh, this was too funny to pass up.
i love the site bustedtees. ( i should get commission for this!)
they just have released this t-shirt with 'KRANG' on it. oh my gosh, i totally forgot about this other villain from the TMNT (teenage mutant ninja turtles) cartoons!
the name immediately flooded memories of my favourite afternoon school tv cartoons :) oh... memories. (im trying really hard not to think im getting old(er)...

i love bookstores...

ive been feeling very bookwormy of late...
been reading all sorts of psychology books... self help if you would call them ( i personally hate the term)... jo had read ' a road less travelled' and jane leant me a copy. its fascinating... and yet, all this reading about 'dependency' and all that within society and relationships has gotten me twisted in a knot about how i dont want to be in a co-dependent relationship and wonder how the heck i would firstly, identify it and secondly, how to not be 'sucked in'... as with most things scary... the fear of the unknown is a seeming shroud.

im also fascinated by how we view our society and question how we function in it. questioning why we do what we do. i started reading a book called 'enough' at the local bookstore today by John Naish-- from the book jacket:

"For millions of years, humankind has used a brilliantly successful survival strategy. If we like something, we chase after more of it: more status, more food, more info, more stuff. Then we chase even more. It's how we survived famine, disease and disaster to colonise the world." "But now, thanks to technology, we've suddenly got more of everything than we can ever use, enjoy or afford. That doesn't stop us from striving though, and it's making us sick, tired, overweight, angry and in debt. It burns up our personal ecologies and the planet's ecology too." "We urgently need to develop a sense of 'enough'. Our culture keeps telling us that we don't yet have all we need to be happy, but in fact we need to nurture a new skill - the ability to bask in the bounties all around us." "In Enough, John Naish explores how our Neolithic brain-wiring spurs us to build a world of overabundance that keeps us hooked on 'more'. And he explains how, through adopting the art of enoughness, we can break from this wrecking cycle."

although i will admit im a product of a chinese/australian family. 'wealthy' in the grander scheme of things and well... growing up in hongkong as a child and a mother who always loved to shop... its hard to unlearn the things that you grew up with... the book really resonates with where im at in life. this striving for more. its so futile. it doesnt add to our happinness... in fact, it creates more stress. depending on who you hang around... that is our society. more more more. i really loathe advertising. ironically, i used to work in the industry. unless its serving a greater purpose to help those that are less fortunate and marginalised in our world... its just a juggernaut of multimillion dollar proportions to convince you of things that you really 'need'. oh, ive been there. havent we all? who doesnt have a mobile phone? who doesnt own or possess or would like a new laptop-- preferably a mac? or an ipod? dont get me wrong. i love technology. heck, im using it now. but just what is it about technology that i love? the communication? the 'connectivity' the 'speed' the access to information 24/7? why do i need to know that i can at 3am go on the net and find something to entertain me or buy from? its an interesting time we live in. we can get what we want, when we want (provided you have access to the facilities) but in general... most in the western world has access to these things, and yet, has it really added to the quality of our lives?

anyhoo... all this searching comes back to a very introverted delve into my being... who i am... where i am at in life at this point. its 2008. i am 2 1/2 years from 30... (despite my youthful good looks, no, im not 19 years old!) its an interesting if not scary proposition to be approaching the shorter end of the stick towards another decade milestone on this earth....

which leads me to wonder where i 'fit'. not just culturally, but who i am as a result of losing my dad when i was 11... plus the moulding of co-ed public education within the leafy private schooled northshore... having been born overseas... my world has always been infinitely bigger in my mind than the comfy north shore and prior to that i grew up around eastwood/ carlingford--in my pre-teen years-- which is somewhat leafy, but another world from the 'north'. why do i believe in a God who loves us for who we are, but even more so to not leave us separate from him forever. Jesus- infinite wisdom, deity, forgiving, sacrificial, controversial, universal-- he seeks to find those want to find him. He divides. Thats not always a comfortable thought.

anyhoo... so im searching. for what... who knows.

meaning? oh, that sounds so cliche

faith? isnt that just hoping for more, the best... even though we cant 'see it' in our present?

contentment? isnt that just trying to enjoy being in the moment with what you have? would you say that is the theme/ content of the book 'enough'?

purpose? yes. definately. thats a hard one.

---but to use my 'gifts' to bless those around me... thats about all one can do... i dont how else to go about life?!

thank God for grace. for i dont think i am worthy of all the wonderful people, places and things that have blessed my life-- im am infinitely grateful.

i just realised that i started this blog entry on an entirely different note and as usual, have gone and changed the subject back to me... oh, how self indulgent!

meditation

it was my 3rd week of participating in 'christian meditation' tonight at church.
it was lovely.
i am really connecting with God and the silence in these times.

God is not only in nature. but in the silence.

i like it. lots.

things you can remind me of later...

i would like to buy a pushbike. i think it will be better for the environment and even better for my fitness and health.

i've always owned dogs previously. but i think a cat would make a great pet.

thinking of studying to become a fitness instructor. i think it would be hilarious! and fun!

random good thoughts.

had lunch with my cousin natalie today.
we had a really good, nice time down at deewhy.
we talked about the usual... life, work, her teaching career, my swimming instructing and dis-taste most recently for desk jobs, love, parenting and our fathers.
yes. it was therapeutic. i feel sooo much better. it was so nice to be able to share and hangout. we havent done it since we were kids.

Dr. Phil's personality test

I scored 52 on Dr. Phil's personality test
Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, one who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

i also like

online scrabble
horlicks
the beach
the ocean
acquariums- i love fish
milo
good muesli with yoghurt and pear
funny photos
road trips
a good laugh
great music-- jazz, anything thats not on pop radio, live music
walking in the fresh air
reading good books
brothers and sisters (in real life and on tv)

i like

...

pentimento bookstore in newtown.

strawberries. eating them. seeing pictures of them.

that my nephew loves salmon and icecream (not at the same time!)

reading. 

japanese food

indian food

mcdonalds (i know its evil, its my weakness)

sunshine

the sound of gentle raindrops

painting

drawing

making cards

buying gifts

sending cards

chatting with friends on the phone

brunch is even better with friends- at a cool, relaxed cafe with blackboards and good frappes

cups of tea

relaxing music

watching snow fall

snowboarding

driving my car- road trips!

drive thru (mcdonalds!)

reading funny comments on my blog or on photos on facebook

friends who stick by you thru thick and thin

patience

movies

good food, good chats, good company, interesting people

peace

le poisson de Babel est amusement

deseé escribir esta entrada del blog en español sobre todo porque pienso que suena fresca y amo el babelfish... que escribí a email en él al jo el otro día, pero después de que ella re-tradujo nuevamente dentro de inglés. pienso que era definately un caso de ' perdido en la traducción!'. había algo divertido sobre los pechos o... no recuerdo algo y bien el escribir al jo sobre los pechos. anyhoo. compré un libro llamado hoy el ' vivir con un perro negro '. su un libro provechoso de la palabra del cuadro por johnstone del matthew y del ainsley. su un libro de ' cómo tomar el cuidado alguien con la depresión mientras que se ocupa '. la he comprado como indirecta no tan sutil para mi momia del envejecimiento. las familias chinas no hacen frente a esta materia. realmente no apenas familias chinas. cuento a la mayoría de las familias no tengo ninguna idea. su difícilmente bastante lucha de la enfermedad pero hey, por lo menos conozco im no solo. ¡la identificación justa del pensamiento la puso hacia fuera allí!

found this nice list for stress busting. just thinking about it makes me relieved!

• Curl up with small book that you can read in an hour
• Drink coffee in the morning sunshine
• Eat your dinner on the beach or by a lake
• Feed the ducks at the park
• Find a quiet place for a rocking chair ride
• Get a blanket and a book and find a place to park it
• Get a therapeutic massage
• Get some flowers for yourself
• Give shoulder massages
• Go a whole day without music, TV, newspapers or phone calls
• Go lounge on the deck
• Go to an old book store, buy a book, and read the whole thing
• Go to bed and dream!
• Have a mud bath
• Hire a foot masseuse
• Listen to Jimmy Buffet music or any other music that relaxes you
• Nap
• Pick a favorite place to watch the sunset or sunrise and go there often
• Read all night and sleep all day
• Read the newspaper at a park
• Rest under your favorite tree
• Sit and think somewhere
• Sleep in a tree house
• Sleep in a field
• Smell the roses
• Snuggle with gentle creatures
• Spend some quality time with a hammock
• Spend the entire morning in bed
• Unplug the phone and take a bubble bath
• Visit a steam room
• Walk barefoot in the park
• Walk through an old graveyard during the morning hours. Bonus: Find out which gravestone is the oldest.
• Watch the clouds drift by
• Watch the Saturday morning cartoons
• Wear your pajamas all day

i love bad pop songs. and dare i say it... rick astley.

i've found God's Will!

http://www.discipleshiplibrary.com/WillofGod.htm

apparently its found in a nice line drawing of a hand with some words and numbers on it!

ok... so im taking the mickey out of it...

but really.. i heard a friend say the other day... ' God's will--- its about making a godly decision and moving forward in faith'

is it?

good grief!

i have found a reason--- i'm sure it is one of many... but i have come to the conclusion, which may not be so obvious to most... of why i have been going through 'the motions' for so long...

i have been grieving.

the loss of my old home.
the loss of friendships, family, various connections-- esp. those who have moved away
the loss of my job (s) including shock, bereavement etc

the shock and news of traumatic occurances... whilst on my trip in africa
the loss & death of extended family members and others' friend's losses.

i think that although these are in some form separate occurances... and may not be directly linked to me... this has all happened to me in the space of a year.

all this is interwovenly connected to the loss of my dad 16+ years ago. when he died suddenly from a car accident. never to be seen alive again. I was only just 11.

i have realised that when i have lost something significant to me--- say, my friends or family moving away-- or even hear of some tragic loss... i have wondered why i have felt such a painful deep deep loss, even though they are still alive. I believe it is because that i have lost someone like my Dad- who was and is such a significant person in my life, that i feel a deeper sense of pain that I had not realised before... one that may take me much longer to 'get over' or 'move on' from others' experiences.

the tragedy of loss has always dumbfounded me. i realise now, that my rollercoaster of emotions has been set off by present losses and thus is not mutually exclusive to that of my first major loss in my life during childhood. the death of my dad.

i also believe that due to my cultural background and my age at the time. i never really grieved his death 'properly'.

I think i am going through this process now. I hadnt realised what it was before, but now i do. its helping me to make some sense of it.

the biggest thing is that... what has seemed like 'depression'... or become it, is in fact, the deep sense of grieving that i have been going through. melancholic, life looks really blue all the time sorta thing.

hence why i have a habit of telling those close to me how much i appreciate them, or how i miss them or put my energy put into keeping in contact... For me, i have always thought... ' i may never see them again'... i guess although that sounds bleak, or fearing the worst... the good thing about that is... i try to make the effort to make the most of every opportunity... when i can at least- to stay connected.

i think thats why i am the way that i am... open to new ideas, trying new things... searching... helping... meeting new people... aside from the fact that its in my personality... i believe that deep down... we are all loved and valued by God and we have so much to offer the world-- even when we have stuffed up majorly or thought that somehow 'we' were in control of our lives. we only need to know the pain of life to know that 'sin' is what tarnishes our journey-- but that which doesnt break us or destroy us, will only make us stronger.

i call this healing.

Thanks to my extended Community family- in particular Jane for helping me realise that this is perhaps the journey that i am currently on. I know that you guys have experienced the deep loss of David of late... so i guess this journey is close to your heart too. I think I am most thankful for the 'space' given for me to grieve. For 'space' to grieve has not been a common theme... in my life nor in my immediate family and in particular, my dear mum before.

oh, and if it wasnt obvious... (it hasnt been my experience to acknowledge this in my past)... healing takes an infinate amount of time. sometimes its an hour at a time. a day at a time. a week at a time. sometimes its a month at a time... and after a year... if you might feel even slightly thankful that you made it through. that helps. (thats what im going on!)

for me... in all honesty... even though its been 16 years... the tears are real today. i know now that when i have cried... so much of it, although i may be crying for other reasons... deep down, its because of Dad. I hope that now i think i am acknowledging this... when i do grieve in the future... its not cos of Dad, but rather being in the moment of loss and acknowledgement of this other event... maybe that might help.

i am different as a result of this.

waiting to exhale...cheap dosas and expensive frappes-

its monday and i cant complain too much... although i am going to be SOOO happy this afternoon once i say a sad farewell goodbye to the apartment i used to live in... final keys to be dropped off.
its sold now. and being settled on thursday. to be honest. im glad there is a finality to it. its dragged on for a bit too long... where one door closes... another one opens!!?! so thats why i'm happy... more because of the finality of it... and relief and stress of cleaning out the house while sally is now living in perth and her former mortgage will be gone. (exhale).

its sad to say goodbye... but as with all good things... they must come to an end.

(actually, do people believe that? good things coming to an end?)

i guess in reality its true. in theory it sounds a lot more idealistic... like people say... ' you can never have too much of a good thing?' ....

ech. i dont think this is even making any sense.
--------

oh. and the reason for my post. i went along for dosas with david and some of the crew on saturday nite. FUN!

then Jem and i laughed our way through our expensive $6 hot chocolates and $8 fancy fruit frappes at max brenner. gee wizz, next time i go there i think i'll have to take out a mortgage!!!

--------
gotta go!

jesus loves porn stars.

now, i wasnt sure whether to put a ? behind the heading. but after a little bit of thought... its more of a statement.

click on the pic above to head to the website. I was curious to check it out after Tom mentioned it on his blog

being a sucker for merchandise... i found the above pic.

its controversial. thats why i like it.

...

oh, and i loved 'wine and word' on tonight at the frenchs'. fun.
who can say no to a combination of good company... wine, cheese, chips, olive snacks and talking about the complexities or challenges of words from the bible? sounds like a geeky christian gathering to me... but i tell you what. (a) it wasnt geeky and (b) its not like kumbayah was sung and (c) i loved every minute of it.

im excited to get out of bed!

its been a while.
but i got up early for a change this morning.

its a miracle.

not sure if it was the de-tox tea. feeling better this morning, or just knowing that listening to sermons on a sunday night through itunes has re-invigorated my living space.

i havent felt this good & light in a long while.

its really an answer to prayer. hallelujah.

interesting...

Job Values - What’s Important To You

Understanding what you want out of life can help you to make trade-offs when it comes to your job. By now, you probably have a long list of things you’re looking for in a job—short commute, flexible hours, great people to work with, just to name a few. How you prioritize this list can tell you a lot about what you value in a career and in life.

People who are internally motivated by their career care most about the intangible benefits it brings. For example, they enjoy the sense of achievement they get from a job well done. These values are called, Intrinsic Values. Whereas Extrinsic values are values such as a high salary, recognition or a prestigious title.

Whether you are motivated by intrinsic values, extrinsic values, or a combination of both, it’s how well your job matches up against your values that helps to determine how satisfied you are.



Intrinsic Values

	Achievement Challenge Competition Excellence Knowledge Using Your Abilities Work Mastery Independence Aesthetics – Beauty Autonomy Creativity - Self Expression Ownership Risk - Adventure Setting Your Own Schedule Relationships Community Contact with Public Coworkers Helping Others Social Interaction Your Supervision

Extrinsic Values

	Recognition Advancement Fame Leadership Power - Authority Prestige - Status Respect Support Company Policies Employee Benefits & Perks Job Security Paid Vacation Stability Supportive Supervisor Working Conditions Comfort - Low Stress Compensation – Pay/Salary Flexibility - Hours Short Commute - Travel Variety - Change Work Environment

everything is spiritual

“When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”

this is a link to rob bell's new dvd. he also creates the nooma series. if youre interested in christian teaching but are too afraid of all the loud preaching or stereotypes, i recommend watching some of rob's stuff. i like where he is coming from. not too full-on but always insightful and real.

donkervoorting around

ok, so i watched some funny show called 'mega... (something, oh, i forget the name) on 7 HD tonite. my brother in law and sis has this massive flatscreen tv and well... it was enough to peake my interest when the show was doing a feature on 'the netherlands'. yes, its where my other sister michelle has moved to and aside from fascinating descriptions on the worlds largest factory for flowers (the size of monaco apparently)... the show introduced me to a somewhat catchy name of 'my new favourite car'... the donkervoort

aside from the fact that its freakin hilarious name... i couldnt help but laugh at the descriptions on the show. but i guess you had to be there. stupid design feature... while totally disregarding the fact that the netherlands is infamous for its rain... and yet, all the 50 handmade vehicles created each year in their workshop... (except 1 model)... are CONVERTIBLES? but... it has its pluses... the fact that the vehicle is 270horsepower and are now fitted with an audi engine and based off a lotus 7 (noice, noice)... yet, this DUMKEVORT is more dud than dude.


ok. the dutch might like the colour orange (which to me is pretty cool) -- so i'll let them off this one. and i'll remember to pick up a set of clogs for y'all when i head to holland to buy my eyes out in tulips, clogs, my rain jacket and my new donkervoort. (pronounced donk- kere- vort)

love it. or shall i say in dutch.... liefde het.

goede nacht xo

swimming along...

so i had my first official shift at the pool all on my own this arvo. i was teaching ' piranhas' and ' snappers'. no, this isnt an episode of 'rex hunts fishing world' (now i hope people dont google rex hunt and my blog comes up, but the more times i type it in, the likelihood just mite rise-ok, back to the point).

im being reacquainted with the 'levels' of swimming ability at the WLC> (willoughby LC) and again for the sake of not incriminating myself i wont type it out.

ok. so... i'm just a paranoid adwords internet swimming instructor FREAK.

but what i love about working part time (aside from the fact you get a heck of a lot of free time in between shifts to do other stuff, instead of just evenings and 2 days on the weekend) is that...

I LOVE TEACHING SNOTTY KIDS HOW TO SWIM!

Ok, so its day 1 and i'll probably hate it by friday afternoon when the next kid pisses me off with not listening and insisting on trying to 'dive' when really, all they're achieving is bellyflopping all over the place.

im kinda worried that i'll enjoy this too much and wont want to get a 'real job'. being back at the WLC is strange because it was my uni job, but in reality, its people's 'real job' everyday and some of the people i saw today were there when i first worked in 2001. boy times flies.

its kinda almost hard even to articulate to the few that have asked me what i've been doing since. i said 'travelling'. i guess i was, although i have worked in sydney for the majority of the past 6-7 years!? i guess travelling is an easy answer. it kinda covers all spectrums, being plain enough for people to understand and vague enough to not have to go into any detail.

better than explaining... well...' ive gone from event management to gondola/crowd control activator, designer of costumes and sets, full time student to full time crazy IT sales person and ad sales in media'. now i'm back the pool.

i could be teaching the next thorpedo. or... i could be caught drinking his heinous 'energy drink'-- think it was extracted from 'pure pool water with added food colouring' to boot (it was a sponsored product one year for one of our running events, and i dare say, they were gross, but being *free takes out the grossness)

so randomness aside. im feeling significantly more connected with the world with swimming teaching (i think i really enjoy the fact that im left to my own space to teach the kids without being harassed-- AUTONOMY. oh i like that)

that and we had a great connect group tonite at the chappos. we're looking at where we want to head with our walk with God this year. thats always an exciting, encouraging space to be in. surrendering to the holy spirit was a big one for most in the group. i think we're going to learn about that. now... thats going into pente territory! not for the faint hearted anglicans :P (as i raise my hands and shout out Hallelujah!) although i have heard about these charo/anglican churches out there which im yet to experience.

for someone who has gone the full spectrum from anglican, baptists, vineyard, presby, catholic, church of christ... its always a treat to learn more about God and see where others are coming from too :)

loving corinne bailey rae. ROZELLE MARKETS ROCKED!

her music is really chilled out.

another new addition to my 'highly liked' music hitlist is 'feist'. i havent got their album but shes the girl on the new ipod mini ad.






















oh. and i made about $350 bucks selling my 2nd hand stuff. Now. its true. one mans trash is anothers treasure!!! :)

Gab, Kath and I had fun--- we all made money, from breaking event + $10 for kath and Gaby made about $20. But they didnt have nearly as much crap as i had... (cough)... i mean... 'treasure' :)

if my sis mich is reading this: your tweetie bag sold for $4. no one bought the teapot, although it was admired.

i managed to flog a set of pens for $2. oh, and my 'bird bag'... a really cool bag that i used to take 'out' sold for $4. boy. that was a bargain. i loved that bag. but alas, not e.thing can be kept, nor be used. ;)

I dont even remember what else i sold for it to get to $300+, but you know what?! Thats the beauty of it... letting go, purging... releasing. oh the feeling is just wonderful.

oh, just remembered, someone bought Champ's* Cd. He should be happy.

*champs was our d&t teacher at highschool. in the early 90's he made a cd album which we all eagerly bought in our early teens (as it was so cool to have a christian teacher with an album when you're 13). if you care to know one of his earliest hits, id be happy to send it to you. yes. i downloaded it onto the itunes before i sold it... hehehehhe. 'hopes and dreams' was the album name.

happy leap year by the way :)

decisions decisions.

how does one go about making (potentially) life changing decisions?

do we make decisions without even thinking... that could be potentially life changing? (i.e. taking a different route home on the bus, walking a different way... getting mugged, getting hit by a car... gee this is just a bit of negative vibing!)

ok. so the MV in her attempts at recovering from a tumultuous 2007... is embarking on being a little more careful with her decision making.

oftentimes i have jumped into things without much forethought. i often think 'YES' this is what i want... and before i get a chance to even say.... woah woah woah... im already in the thick of something... i am referring to work/ job committments for one. relationships is a whole nother kettle of fish.

a lot of this has to be about saying 'no' which means 'yes' to something else... and vice versa.

i think the thing that has dawned on me most these days is that well...

its true that you reap what you sow. what you put in is what you get out.

ok. so i'm just rambling.

priority setting. im going to take this offline and go do that now.

lets see if this helps with these offers of work.
swimming teaching. temping in northsydney. looking for full-time work in the Not-for-Profit sector. I really really really would love to work for a NFP project. Preferably with NGO development...

lets seeeeeee....

good curry community. 5 minutes of no rude jokes

just a BIG THANKYEW to Mil, Ryan & Tom for having me round for some great CURRY last nite :)

so much is happening with the commie house dream--- going to become something else soon---

i guess with all things. they have their seasons. i will miss you guys in that house together. it just wont be the same. but alas... its not like you guys are dying or anything! I will see you all soon :D

Lets keep this community thing/ dream alive--- i'm not quite sure how-- but as with all things... comes action with love.

yes. thats nice.

you guys rock my world. really you do.

this is cheesy. but i like the idea of having God in the neighbourhood

He Loves to Be with the Ones He Loves

by Max Lucado

Holiday travel. It isn’t easy. Then why do we do it? Why cram the trunks and endure the airports? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love.

The four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of Grandpa.

The cup of coffee with Mom before the rest of the house awakes.

That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie.

We love to be with the ones we love.

May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones he loves. How else do you explain what he did? Between him and us there was a distance—a great span. And he couldn’t bear it. He couldn’t stand it. So he did something about it.

Before coming to the earth, “Christ himself was like God in every-thing.… But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant” (Phil. 2:6–7 NCV).

Why? Why did Jesus travel so far?

I was asking myself that question when I spotted the squirrels outside my window. A family of black-tailed squirrels has made its home amid the roots of the tree north of my office. We’ve been neighbors for three years now. They watch me peck the keyboard. I watch them store their nuts and climb the trunk. We’re mutually amused. I could watch them all day. Sometimes I do.

But I’ve never considered becoming one of them. The squirrel world holds no appeal to me. Who wants to sleep next to a hairy rodent with beady eyes? (No comments from you wives who feel you already do.) Give up the Rocky Mountains, bass fishing, weddings, and laughter for a hole in the ground and a diet of dirty nuts? Count me out.

But count Jesus in. What a world he left. Our classiest mansion would be a tree trunk to him. Earth’s finest cuisine would be walnuts on heaven’s table. And the idea of becoming a squirrel with claws and tiny teeth and a furry tail? It’s nothing compared to God becoming a one-celled embryo and entering the womb of Mary.

But he did. The God of the universe kicked against the wall of a womb, was born into the poverty of a peasant, and spent his first night in the feed trough of a cow. “The Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14 NRSV). The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into the neighborhood. Our neighborhood! Who could have imagined he would do such a thing.

Why? He loves to be with the ones he loves.

From Next Door Savior
Available in Hardback or Paperback
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2003) Max Lucado

family goodbyes. birthdays. welcome home.

i have such a large immediate family. it is difficult to keep track of everyone... let alone myself!
(for those that dont know, i am the youngest of 5 kids, 3 older sisters and my brother is the oldest)

its my sister Kathy's b'day today. I would bake her a cake, but she lives now in Vancouver, Canada... I will call her to wish her a good day methinks.

Michelle & Percy left last nite to return to the land of clogs, windmills and tulips. Holland! I miss them already.

Good news though, my brother Ivan has returned from being in HongKong for a few weeks today.

My bro and i have a HUGE age gap (12 years), but we have always been good friends. We hang out more these days. I hope we can continue this good habit :)

and... my Mum has been home for a week or so. She was away for most of 2007. I missed her too.

My sis Sharon and her husband Matt and my cute nephew Nathan are still in town. I am glad about that. Lots. I enjoy their company.

my family are now one big international fandangle of continents.

i am grieving the loss of a 'base' in Hong Kong (where i was born). but i have friends at Crossroads. So that is good. that makes me feel better :)

in the meantime, its tempting to pack and leave myself--- just to put it out there, im going to probably go to either UK or Northern America in the next few years. Depending on my situation here in Oz. Im going to do this all before i'm 30. Whether it be to study, or to live/work/ travel. That is definately on the cards.

rozelle markets this saturday 1st March

Ok peeps.
ITS FINALLY HAPPENING!

I am going to try my hand at having my own market stall.

Its going to be 2nd hand clothing/ brick/brack i have from this whole purging of stuff...

THIS SATURDAY 1st MARCH at ROZELLE MARKETS (crn of Darling St & Victoria Rd) Rozelle (on the way to Balmain) at the school there.

Will be there all day from 8am til 4pm.

feel free to come along and experience the joy of markets.

if this goes well, i may do a repeat (this is a good motivator to sell stuff and save some money and stuff)

and if i get organised again too-- i may just get some time to sell some stuff i make (eventually) to sell as well... including jewellery etc.

at this point, i will be just selling 2nd hand stuff. oh. im looking fwd to this. :)
(ive been wanting to do it for ages)!

come along!

going digital

one thing i'm doing in preparation of flogging many of my posessions at rozelle markets this saturday (hopefully)- i gotta secure a spot first...

is the whole getting my cd collection on the itunes and subsequently selling the original disc.

im on this decluttering rampage. i love it.

its kinda like a safer version of bullimia for hoarders. (ok, that was a terrible analogy) but i think you know what i mean.

they reckon if you can visualise what youd like to be living like... how the space makes you feel, what it would look like... it healps you let go of the crap. its getting easier.

there are some tough calls on some seriously daggy but trusty jumpers. but you know... there are plenty of others that would appreciate it (or not)... perhaps i shouldnt subject vinnies to my bad taste of wardrobe faux pas.

handmade things.

i love hand made things. in fact. i make some stuff myself... when i make the time...

jewellery.
clothes
random stuff
cards
i knit/crochet on occasion
i can even sew!?
paint

wow. when i list out the tthings that i can make. it makes me feel happy that i can make a concept into a reality.

but aside from that, i stumbled across this website... etsy.com

the link takes you to an article from a girl that questions the essence of consumerism and well.. in a biased way... talks about buying stufff of thier own website. its pretty cool though.

i love handmade things. arts and crafts. YAY!

keep tahoe blue.

hey hey hey. so i'm on a decluttering extravaganza. without going too far, i'll let you know that there is a cleaning sweep happening right this minute (well, not quite, cos i'm blogging)... but while i'm slowly but surely working my way through storage items i havent seen in years... i will be throwing out just 'traces' of memories... but not in a sad, oh, i'm throwing out memories kinda state... but rather, i thought id leave a record of my re-jigged memories here on the www. a virtual memory? thats probably a bit random and too abstract or just a silly play on words.

ok. so i found this:

4130 Manzanita Ave
(room 27)
South Lake Tahoe
CA 96150

(530) 544-6461
(530) 544-8061 (fax)


folks. that was the address i was living at in tahoe! how it is so easy to forget. but so easy to spark a memory.

manzanita ave. where the owners ' rob and barb' were some crazy californian hicks. i sure hope that the address doesnt come up too easily over time in google.

i lived in a motel for 4 months. but i tell you what. they were 4 of the best months of my life! i will never forget it.

that was a long time ago... 2001-2002 winter(northern hemisphere)

for those that dont know-- or didnt know me then. South Lake Tahoe is a little beautiful town on the south east part of Lake Tahoe-- 3 hours West of San Francisco, California (USA).

Its got beautiful Snow mountains surrounding the 2nd largest/deepest? lake in Northern America. Im hoping to go back one day. That would be great.

Oh, and i found a copy of my 'Social Security' card. Oh, thats 'so american!'


gee whiz. the things you find!

i also found an old diary for dec 2003.

things like
monday 15 dec:
"farewell, 8pm, The Oxford (Tranmere)"

tuesday 16 dec:
"Koorong- 3:45pm @ chloes. back by 6"
"Presentation Night, St. Ives @ 7pm"

wednesday 17 dec:
"interview with Kimberlee Chuck" {unbeknownst to me...which was to eventually kickstart my official event management career}

friday 19 dec:
"compassion payment"

saturday 20 dec:
"Kris Kringle family dinner"

.... other stuff like christmas happened... etc

then

monday 29th dec:
10am- brewbakers with Jo. {i remember that brunch too! :)}

Wed 28th Jan 2004:
Kt moves to Melbourne.

and so it goes... weddings, fun runs, scvb work experience

i guess its important to note that these 'flashbacks' bring a sense of wonder to them. well, that was certainly a busy and crazy, interesting time in my life.

now. its 2008.
i wonder what things i will look back on this year?

:D

so many things to look forward to.
decluttering for a start-- to a clear mind.

a new job. a new house perhaps? a new fresh start! and its nearly March!! I'm glad that everyday is a new start :)

shenanigans

i have a licence plate styled thing that is red with white writing.
it says "shenanigans" on it.

i got it made years ago because it was just one of those terms that i kept saying. i think i was 19.

what should i do with it? its behind on my bookshelf.

this is noice. sent from my sis to me.

St. Theresa's Prayer:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactlywhere you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

love japanese bbq

its been an eventful day.

not that other days arent eventful, but today...

someone from recruitment agent (gasp!) they actually rang me back. notorious for not returning phonecalls... isnt it funny how the one you least expect actually is the one that bothers.

so... i have a typing test tomo at 12:30 in north sydney! hurrah! it'll be a lame test, one to test my typing, word, excel skills. heck. i'm even looking forward to it!

hey... if they can find me a decent job that wont do my head in. i'll be happy.

so... thats not the end of it... i was priveledged to slot into my sister's spot at the remedial masseuse today at willoughby leisure centre... thats not only the best bit...

low and behold-- i bump into kath (who is a primary school teacher) ... chilling out while her year 2 kids get some swimming lessons.

but there is more!

i was about to head to the swimschool office... because, as some of you may/maynot know...


i was once a swimming instructor back at uni... and well... get this-- they're desperate for teachers... (if only willoughby leisure centre looks THAT good-- thats a pool in mexico!)

after a few phone calls and (i need to re-acredit myself to do another 'Austswim' qualification)... bummer ... which will take about 3 days to do... and a few hundred bucks... but

they'll most likely take me on anyways-- so i have a meeting with them early next week too.

(no stalkers please)... i dont know if i should be posting on the world wide web my whereabouts! (i prefer to be a little more stealth than that)

it gets better.


my family (which is so nice to have around)... my sis/husband/nephew, othersis/partner, mum and i went to a japanese bbq place in neutral bay tonite.
it was all you can eat.

OMG!

awesome.

aside from cute pictures of my 2.5 year old nephew eating a soft serve cone--- i asked my sis to take pictures of me in the same poses, but to my disappointment... i dont quite look as cute as he.... (jokes). i'll post up comparitive pics later.

so. all in all. i'm feeling heaps better. theres nothing quite like people wanting you to work for them that makes the ego boost.

very necessary for someone like me. so... who knows. if you have any kids, send them my way. i'll probably be teaching them how to blow bubbles and freestyle soon enough. and i'm not talking about break dancing either!

ciao xo

a nice quote. yumcha...and...are eyes the window to the soul?

happiness is a healthy mental attitude, a grateful spirit, a clear conscience, and a heart full of love.

• my mum gave me a little book today with lovely quotes. isnt she a darl? oh bless her.

• had yum-cha today with my 2 sisters sharon, michelle & her fiancee percy and mum. i forgot how dramatic a full-car-ride to northsydney could create such havoc! backseat drivers aside...

• ok. on another tangent.

... what do you guys think:

" it needs no dictionary of quotations to remind me that eyes are the windows of the soul" Max Beerbohm.

do you guys think this is true? what does it really mean... to say that 'eyes are the windows to the soul'?

can you really tell what a person is really like through their eyeballs? :P or is this just a lame attempt to question the realities of blindness? see ryans post which in that case... you may think you're seeing into someones soul, until you realise you cant even find your reading glasses? (random!)

or... is this just a creepy rendition of 'playschool' where you look through the 'round window'.... and there are kids skipping and playing outdoors in a 70's video with a voiceover by 'jemima' and 'big ted' start freaking you out.

ok. now i'm scaring myself.

comedy club

it was clearly a boys nite. but in typical van-nee style. i rocked up anyways!

aside from racial slurs, homosexual jokes, political fanaticism, anti-christian bashing and some guy eating an onion (and no, it wasnt that funny).---and that was just the dude selling the drinks! (joke)...
i enjoyed the bad salad, the company of fellow friends, namely tom, ryan, andrew, howie and a dude called john who seemed to be more of a magician (appearing, disappearing and never re-appearing again).

i needed that laugh. i miss laughing so much. it reminds me of happier days when i used to be called 'the machine gun'... because i laughed so much! i like being around people that make me laugh. (yes, that is your purpose in life guys-- to keep van laughing)

vannee is on the mend. and thanks ryan for providing some inspiration on the 'job stakes'-- i could be a bike repairwoman... a miner... a... coke vending machine filler-innera.... and in relation to the potential that i could in fact dare to even think/ consider flatting with 3 boys. i was going to throw a (stinky) in there, but im not sure that you guys are stinky.

thoughts any blog readers? who has been a female and lived with 3 boys and lived to tell their tale?

(i can name a few, mil, jo, jem... you guys reading my blog?)

community. time. rollercoasters.

.... we all (or most) would know what its like to go on a rollercoaster...

well... this is how i've been feeling of late.

i cant quite put my finger on it, but i am glad that the rollercoaster is kinda less bumpy now---
so much of it involves staying connected... and focussed. it is hard. balance.

when you have felt so out of balance for a while... you start to feel a bit lost... which is how i have felt.

things that help me stay grounded...

i went to community dinner last nite at the commie house. it was my first time. familiar and new faces. i missed jo there, but i enjoy the inhabitants of the commie house' company most. their commitment to loving others and random dropper-inneras (like myself) reminds me much like a strong family. their ethos reminds me so much of a beautiful oak tree... they have planted their seed... and to grow it they water it with care, while they nuture and are considerate of each other... amongst life's mysteries , goodness and frustrations... and well... there is nothing quite like community.

having grown up in a very tight knit chinese family. i crave community. connection. love. support. laughter.

i miss it so.

other 'things' that make me most grounded i realise truly. are the quality of my connections and relationships to people closest to me in the world.

we really cant live without people.

and if we are ever in an environment that doesnt seek this general care and committment (cut throat world of advertising- my most recent experience of late)...

i dont work. i dont thrive. i struggle. i shrink.

because i cant be myself.

losing one self is probably the worst of all personal struggles-- borderline sinful too.

you wonder where God is-- you forget who God made you to be... its in there, but you just want to get it out.

when you feel like youve been trampled by the world-- its hard to unscrumple yourself.

you need to re-group. re-focus. trusting that God will restore... drawing on the strength of friends and family. it works.

one thing that i know is.

it takes time.

perhaps a lifetime. because life isnt all roses. but difficulties, just like good times... all have their seasons.

maybe i'm just learning this again.

its important to not let the set-backs be that-- we strive to move forward... for God promises that in Jeremiah 29... that he has great plans for us. not to harm us. plans to give us a hope and a future.

i need to repeat this often and be reminded. its not easy-- but through laughter, fun, and less seriousness... Life can be enjoyed and God has ... as he has promised... to never leave us nor forsake us.

Thank Goodness for God! and Thank Goodness for community.

Happy Belated New Year and ... the Australian Open

Hi Dear Bloggers!

Its been a while since my last post... Last year to be exact!!

Thanks for those who have read my blog... those that have probably lost interest due to the blue tones and for those that have perked up interest...

Alas... I am almost back to 'normal'. Its not fun being down. In fact. I hope that I dont get that sick again either.

So... to bring it to a lighter note and indulge a little fantasy and zany-ness to this crazy blog... Here is a picture of non other than Hottie #1 for the Year... my crush on Roger Federer.


Not only has he been the #1 Tennis player for 209 consecutive weeks (which is about 4 years at the top!)-- how does he do it? He is an absolute spunk.

Probably because he's a spunk. Yes. that helps his tennis methinks. (haha, i laugh at the absurdity of the thought)

I would post up pics of my adventures recently in Japan... for those that realised i went on a kamikaze trip away to try and escape the craziness of Sydney for a while...

I loved it. A trip where you dont want to come home? Yes, Waist deep powder snow in the coolest country (excuse the pun) in the world...

It was amazing.

I went to Hakuba (near Nagano- where the 19?? Winter Olympics was)... which is about 4 hours by train/ car from Tokyo. Spent Christmas there with friends from all around the world-- mostly new friends and friends of old acquaintances (how quaint)...

Then took a really cool overnight train (i somehow love the spirit of adventure it is to sleep on a sleeper/ carriage train)... which involved going through the longest underwater tunnel in the world (or something like that... maybe not... does it compete with the england to paris tunnel?)... between the top island of Hokkaido and the other chunk of country we were departing in japan called Honshu (thats the name of the island)...

We then proceeded to rent a car from Sapporo which was a brave thought by Ricky, but she had travelled to Japan to ski a couple of times before, so she seemed confident of this adventure!! I wasnt so sure, but convinced it would all work out... -- by the way.. this was Ricky, Dougs and Matty. Ricky was much needed female counterpart on this trip... what with too much testosterone on the ski slopes/ on and off the mountain... could get a bit much for the vanster!

We went to the Mid/Northish region of Hokkaido which included visits to Furano, Asakikawa, Mt Kamui (Links), AsahiDake- which was way cool... after 7 days, we bid farewell to Ricky, and the car back in Sapporo and proceeded to spend another 7 days in Niseko (where there are more Aussies than japanese) which was an awesome mountain... I hadnt seen so many white people in a while to be honest!

I kinda miss the 'anchovie' breakfasts with raw egg, rice and preserved veggies... haha and miso soup.

I also miss having Ramen (noodles) for lunch on the mountain instead of yucky western hamburgers (although, dont get me wrong, i still love yucky western hamburgers ala McD's for sure... but now while in Japan!)

I lOVE japanese food!

okee dokee..
here is a map of japan and i'll crap more about this trip at a later date :D

love to all and leave comments! I love it when ppl leave comments...

xoxo