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Monday, 19 November 2007

~ Photography~

So..I am jealous that my friend, Tessa Mansell and Boey Wei-Jan has good photography skills. So throughout the year, I tried some of my own with just a normal digital camera. Nothing really artistic but just to capture the moment. I also do editing with a program that I have on my computer which is really good for profile photographs. I wish I had Adobe Photoshop which is a very good program but then it's so expensive. I will have to make due with what I have now.

My digital camera is the Olympus FE220. It has a 2.5 inch wide screen..not too shabby for the price I paid.

Nevertheless I captured some wonderful images that I'm proud of. The first series I'm showing was displayed for my art exhibition in early November. I took these photographs during the Coolum Kite Festival. They have flame throwers and I decided to take it. Without the flash I was able to capture it, but it also meant that it had a longer exposure and lead to this. I don't usually put a tag, but then it feels like a must now.

Look at it Spin!!!

This is my favourite piece. It shows the movement of the flames and its intricate designs are simply captivating.

This piece wasn't displayed in my art exhibition as it wasn't exciting enough. Nontheless, breathless...

I also enjoy this piece, it has the movement of the flame throwers and the movement of the fire. Well covered and it doesn't have a focused focus point. Breath taking.

The next few pieces are from my Adelaide to Melbourne tour. In Adelaide, they have these stunning architecture which I enjoyed taking in black and white. Along the Great Ocean Rd, we stopped along a waterfall and the brightness of the waterfall was surprising as it was passed sunset. Not to forget, my favourite piece - Beware of golfers (s)hitting over road

Stranger in the woods

~Chicken Little ~

I don't know if everyone knows the story but a chicken ended up on the roof, left there for eternity to show the direction of the blowing wind.

Waterfall

My favourite photo! I wonder why...

Another Gathering!

The very next day after my graduation, there's this gathering near where I live in Chancellor Park. However, where we were suppose to meet was rather unclear. We spent 1/2 hour walking round to Varsity Court..When it could have been 10 minutes...But it was nice walking and talking to Alice and eventually making our way there. I was wearing black too and the glaring sun was my enemy.

At the entrance, Yuliana, an Indonesian Chinese woman of 32, stood awaiting our arrival. Varsity Court was where my other Chinese school friends used to live and it brought back some memories. We were met by other Asians that I have seen before and also Ine, a Nigerian girl which I later spent my time chattering to.

Left to Right: Jap guy (How embarassing! I can't remember his name!), Tony, Jeffrey, Me, Alice, Chinese girl from China (also don't know her name!), Maya and Ine

Ine, Me and Kanako (This is not my best pic either!)

There were new people like Michael, a Chinese born in New Zealand, Gloria - another Indo-Chinese, Kanako- a Japanese woman of 21 (I thought she was 18!), BenJ (Malaysian mixed New Zealander) and his cousin Saffron (isn't that a spice?) and others too.

Yuliana and Ben Tan (It's funny how eurasians have the surname Tan..haha like Shaun Tan)

Me and Gloria and unexpectedly Kwan..or is it Huang..no idea

I finally found my way of socializing and actually meeting new people, which is good for my social health. I lacked those connections and know I'm trying to expand them the best way I can. I'm actually proud of myself to have friends scattered in Europe - Germany, Italy and Estonia and of course Malaysia.

I realised that real friends are hard to find. Some we meet, say hello and goodbye, never to be heard from again. I cherish those that keep in good contact like Michelle Kong. We still keep in contact despite the distance. Katharina and Siiri hasn't left me a message yet and it is a bit disappointing. I also miss the company of Stefano whom brings some warmth into my cold life. Not to forget Enrique - the crazy Mexicano..

~Mi Mancherai~

Saturday, 17 November 2007

MCSHS Graduate of 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Party Time!! ~woot~

Yay!! That's what you may expect to hear from graduates of high school. No more uniform. No more bloody teachers. Even if it's only for a few months before you encounter them in university again.

However, we may think that it is all fun and joy leaving school to get freedom. But now as a graduate from high school, I feel as if something is missing in my life. All this years, we have been getting used to the fact that we have to wake up, get ready and head for school. Now, it's a different story. I wake up and ponder, thinking what to do with my days. Moving and selling stuff....exciting..NOT! No schoolies for me..no getting drunk and rape..haha well now that's a bad joke about schoolies..The reality is the schoolies is where graduates go and celebrate their first step into adulthood. But of course, there's alcohol and sex along the way, especially in Australia. The government has been supplying the locals with condoms.....

Anyways, enough of that talk. I want to record my final moments in Mountain Creek State High School. A few days before the graduating day, I went to the plaza to get my nails done..Yup, not just your average manicure, but the full French acrylic manicure. This IS a sign that mum is letting me out into the real world. But this is days before the grad. Let's take a look at my day routine for that day shall we?

My acrylic French Manicure! For once I have clean white finger tips!

16th November 2007:

7.30 am : Ceremony Practice

10.00 am: Official Ceremony Starts

11:00 am: Guard of Honour (Where all the Year 8's, 9's, 10's and 11's line up along the entrance to the hall and clap and cheer as we exit the school grounds

11.15 am: Mooloolaba Beach Dip

Look at all the Mountain Creekers! According to the newspaper the following afternoon, we resemble lemmings..I wonder how we are related...

Me on the right and my friend, Vicki on the left. We were soaked but it was pure bliss from the hot sun and it was enjoyable!

12:30 pm: Hairdo appointment (I opted for a curly with straight bits. In the process of styling my hair, I realised that I did look good with curly hair..I plan to perm my hair one day!)

4:15 pm: Getting ready for Casino Royale 2007

Me getting into a limo (Mind you! It's not an extended limo) I was the only one at grad arriving in one!

5:30 pm: Night Ceremony begins

~Group photo~ Can you spot me? I'm on the left in black

An upclose of me in the group photo

We also had cake that night but the fact that I did not get to taste the cake was rather disappointing! The reason would be that the small cake would not be able to feed all 359 students at graduation. I also did not manage to see the cake during the ceremony, but mum had a chance to take a photo of it. Good old mum, I knew I could count on her!!!

Mmmm...cake..

Photo on the left: A group photo of Andrew, Mum and Me..

Photo on the right: A beautiful photo of Vicki and I...*sigh* Look how gorgeous she is! I feel like a hog standing next to her..

9:45 pm: Parents leave and the party time begins!!

Woo~ I certainly enjoyed my time in Mountain Creek High and some fond memories will be left behind. But there's certainly one thing I don't miss - Uniforms!!!!!!!!!!

P.S: A wise person once said: Mr. Peach's comment, "Stay off the grass!" is a metaphor for staying off drugs! Lmao

Tuesday, 13 November 2007

~Asian Gathering~

La Fiesta De Cultura (I think my spanish gramma is incorrect..)

Having a great time despite I'm the new girl there. Lots of asians from Sunshine Grammer School.

Ok.So I'm the new kid. Despite the fact that my Jap friend, Alice is more comfortable in the presence of so many Asians and she's been here for a short period! This is what you call the IB syndrome where your social life soon disintegrates and then is no more. Poof! Gone..Nothing more than dust on your shelf, laden with IB textbooks.

It felt kind of weird when you join a group that you have not been with before and then people stare at you as if you're intruding on their private party. But I was invited. There were some familiar faces that I have previously met at the Cotton Tree Gathering not long ago. Still there, was this air of unfamilarity that linger in the air. There I was, sitting there like a Jap doll smiling at everyone who seems to ignore my entity.

Someone broke the silence of my mind. A girl from Sunshine Coast Grammer School, known as LeAnna asked me which part of Japan I was from, naturally. I have no idea why, people keep thinking that I'm Japanese, even my own fellow Chinese. Conversation started and then things got better. Like always, as I "predict" that my meal would always be served last, it came true. Even better. It wasn't even ordered. So there I was, the last one seen gulping down the remains of her meal whilst others wait patiently, chatting amongst themselves.

I guess I should have been more involved rather than hiding in my room all this while. I have been blinded by my idleness. Thinking back to what my mother once said and it is true "Asians tend to get along better together". This argument is coming from a relationship-wise of things. I always thought it'd be cute to have a Caucasian boyfriend or husband one day but this really made me rethink things through. No matter how close you are with another race, there's always a gap that there is to be filled. But this is just a thought. Maybe there is a possibility that you can bond with another race as if your own.

Ok! Photo time!