* patriotism *

australia day 2011:

AM
- the rocks: parksong + market-style kransky hotdogs.
- a jumbo frozen coke from 7-eleven.
- seven games of pool, coming away with a 5-2 win. huzzah.
- (note: we played the next day and i lost 3-6).
- SUN.

PM
- darling harbour: boat parade.
- australians of the year ceremony, funniest speech by the senior winner.
- the australian navy band. hot stuff.
- fireworks timed to the sydney youth symphony orchestra.

it was a pretty fulfilling, albeit touristy day.

* happy days *

i never cease to be amazed when so many things change in such a short amount of time. just in one day, my entire plan for this year has changed drastically. the best thing? it's EXACTLY the change i was looking for.

the past couple of weeks of my summer holiday, as you probably can tell, have been spent not doing very much at all. a couple of days in the office here, and a lot of days spent at home on the couch catching up on my beloved tv series there, plus a whole bunch of very welcome outings with friends, that's pretty much been the story of the last three weeks of my summer.

retrospectively, the rest has been good. but more than anything, it has made me appreciate the art and blessing of being busy. i think i came to this same conclusion quite a few summers back, when i first realized that i am just not the kind of person who deals with excess time very well. as it turns out, idle time + me = a very unhappy person.

the idea that the next six months are going to be pressure-packed and full-on is seriously appealing. i'm excited. i'm pumped. but moreover, i'm happy.

and you know what? being happy is really truly, an unbelievably great thing! =D

* a good day *

i got to spend three hours in a bookstore today. no rush, no urgency. just pure leisurely perusal.

as usual, i came out with a shopping list:



thank goodness for bookdepository and free international shipping!

* holiday advice *

after mentioning my growing case of restlessness which has arisen as a result of the absence of both full-time work and traveling this summer, i was told today:

"you need to learn the art of bludging. once you accept it, you'll be fine".

so i looked it up. according to good ol' urban dictionary:

bludging:
aimlessly lying about with no direct purpose in life.

big hrm. i don't think i'm wired right for this.

* something a little silly *

spotted on the virgin atlantic website - because i only just found out earlier tonight that they fly direct to HK from sydney!



wow. how great is this offer. spend over $5000 for the flight, but it's all worth it coz virgin will give you a whopping $100 to spend once you get there.

talk about proportionate incentives...

oh. and great spelling of 'august'.

good job virgin marketing.

* new to my playlist *

hello boyce avenue.



the weightlessness and the lack of rest
away from you, i'm in over my head
even when it's dark before the dawn
i will feel your grace and carry on
and with every breath of me, you'll be the only light i see

random fact: the eldest brother, daniel, went to harvard law school, but loved music and his brothers so much that after graduating, he gave up a career in law, moved back to florida, and committed to making music.

* words sent on upwards *

the rhymes you learn as kids are often the ones that mean the most:

i know not by what methods rare,
but this i know, God answers prayers.
i know that He has given His Word,
which tells me prayer is always heard,
and will be answered, soon or late,
and so i pray and calmly wait.
i know not if the blessing sought
will come in just the way i thought;
but leave my prayers with Him alone,
whose will is wiser than my own,
assured that He will grant my quest,
or send some answer far more blest.

-eliza m hickok. 1933-

note to self: pray first. plan later.

* how some things happen *

somehow it feels that this week has been the bearer of bad news.

- flooding in queensland.
- bushfires in wa.
- deaths in the family of close loved ones.

my fingers are tightly crossed that next week brings happier tales.

* impulse travelling *

being a perth girl, while i was growing up, going to melbourne was considered to be a "big" trip. it was pretty much equivalent to making an overseas trip to singapore/KL, seeing that the flight took the same amount of time and it was in the ballpark of the same cost for flights.

but helloooo budget airlines.

granted, tiger is not and never will be my first choice, but check this out:



so now the question right now really is... should i be impulsive or not? =p

* repeat *

i'm hooked.

and also amused because the last time i was this into a chinese song, i think i was still in high school.

* progress *

back in november, i optimistically posted my agenda for the summer.

here's my progress.
(1) create an art piece for the wall(s) in my room.
(2) fix my laptop keyboard.
(3) take at least three road trips far out of sydney.
(4) play sport of some kind. preferably tennis. i could also settle for shooting hoops.
(5) write a song/finish my piano composition.
(6) read a bunch of new books. let's say, at least five.
(7) get back to the old me and spend more time in the kitchen.
(8) finish the sc2 campaign.
(9) look into buying a sewing machine so i can start sewing again.
(10) walk across the harbour bridge and anzac bridge.
(11) go to taronga zoo.
(12) do 20 new restaurants. first on the list, dim sum at iron chef in cabramatta.
(13) do summer school (sad face).: CANCELLED
(14) start learning a language.
(15) read the NT from start to finish.
(16) make several trans-continental phone calls to a few special people.
(17) memorize psalm 119.
(18) fish. multiple times.
(19) learn how to use photoshop properly.
(20) jump on a plane and go someplace random. (note: syd-auckland is only $139!!)

good thing there's still 6 weeks of break left. *big smile*

* 2011 *

the new year is probably the time to start writing about new promises, new thoughts, new decisions and all other pledges that accompany the idea of a new years resolution package.

for me, this new year is going to be about one word: commitment.
- commitment to family.
- commitment to work.
- commitment to friends.
- commitment to study.
- commitment to discipline.

it's probably a tough ask, but as i was sitting on a beach at dawn on new years day, the beauty of this view at 5:27am helped me to realise that my fears about this year are probably unwarranted.



after processing all those thoughts, it was quite uncanny when i came across this yesterday, in an old journal of mine - my new years resolution for 2004:

"i'm going to be committed this year. i won't stray. i'm going to live what i believe. i'm going to stand firm. i'm going to trust."

seven years later, i'm realizing that it's funny how some things are so cyclical.