New Adventures in the Land Down Undahhhhh

Harro, harro!

Missed me? Hahah... I missed you guys as well. And I miss writing all those silly, borderline useless, stuff just to amuse you guys. I'm sure you're wondering where the heck did I go to?! I mean...  for months there I was, posting regularly then all of a sudden boom! I disappear in thin air! Well... good news, I'm still alive, just a little bit restricted with internet access, haiz.. the price of being far away from your home and being a student on a tight budget.

Anyway... I arrived in Australia exactly a week ago. I am set to commence my classes on the 7th of February but I decided to head on over here earlier so that I can reacquaint myself with the town (I was here previously) and to settle in before school starts. I have been looking forward to this for months now, and haha... it's funny because the minute the plane lifted me off from my home city, I began to feel so darn homesick.  I miss my family, friends and my cats terribly. I still feel homesick right now, but it's more tolerable and bearable than when I first got here. 

Here are some of the things I've been up to since I've arrived:

Sporting a shorter 'do and bangs!

I've been waking up early *gasp!*

Found a distraction (it's been my way of coping with homesickness)

Trying to get fit

And FOB'ing it up at public transpo's haahah

Just a quick side-bit: The top I'm wearing on the first photo was a present from one of my dearest friends I met through blogging. Big thanks to Bessie of Bravoe Runway for the top! I loved, LOVED it!

On a serious note, life is definitely going to be a whole lot different for me now. I can no longer spend my time leisurely updating my blog like I used to because I have to work in order to support my studies over here. I will try, once in a while, but no promises. Inasmuch as I wish I could continue what I started over here, I'm afraid my circumstances are totally different now. But hey, I'll casually pop in once in a while, try and amuse you with my quick witty and humorous posts whenever I can. 

Haizzzz.... It's going to be a very interesting 18 months ahead of me. A lot has changed, but cliché as it sounds, the only thing that's constant in this world is change and this right about here, are the monumental changes in my life. Wish me luck y'all, cuz I'll be needing lots of it.

Okay then, that was one very unstructured, disorganized post but haha... I hope you guys would pardon me for this. 

Oh, and GONG XI FA CAI! Happy Year of the Water Dragon to y'all!  Much love <3

Quick Update

Hello, everyone! Did you miss me? Haha... I've missed you all, and I apologize for my extended, unexplained absence. The reason for my sudden disappearance in the blogsphere is due to my student visa application to Australia. I applied for one back in October and in late November, the embassy was requiring me to submit additional documents thus I could not spare enough time for blogging. It was a hair-raising experience because I truly wanted my visa to be approved. I didn't want to be haphazard with the documentation because if the embassy denies my application, then all would be in vain and I'd be very disheartened. And, thank goodness, things went smoothly after I submitted the additional documents.

So I guess now it's very safe to say that  lady luck has been on my side all along! My application got approved and I am heading back to Australia this January! January 15, to be exact. Finally, all those months of preparation, waiting and sleepless nights has finally turned out to be in my favour after all. I was itching to share this with you guys, right after I lodged my application but I chose not to because I really wanted this to have a positive turn-out and I didn't want to jinx it, yes, I am very Asian and very superstitious.

After I finally got the visa, things went from anxiety-provoking to totally hectic. I had to book my flights, contact the school, make other arrangements and sigh... do some paperwork concerning the transfer of ownership of my shop. I didn't have the heart to close it down just because I'm leaving, so I decided to let my sister take over. I am still a part owner but for legal and tax purposes, we decided that I relinquish proprietorship to her. It's less complicated that way, plus the shop will continue its operations. Ahh... the bitter-sweet aspect of my joyful triumph but, that's life. 

So that's about it, that's the reason for my unexplained and unannounced hiatus. Things are going to be a little hectic, with the Christmas holidays practically knocking on my window and I haven't finished tying up loose ends over here. But yes, I am bound for Australia by January, and that things are going to be very different for me come next year. I'm going to start anew on a foreign land, so wish me luck. I will need all your well wishes and your prayers for the success of this endeavour. And yes, I'm finally going to reunite with Sunshine. Let's hope he and I will be able to pick up where we left off haha :)


Oh... and just a little preview of what I've been up to (apart from getting ready for my big Aussie comeback). This was from a Cosplay-themed Christmas Party I attended last Monday. I chose the anime character Alice the Rabbit of Pandora Hearts. As this is the first time I EVER wore a costume (no kidding), I did the best I could with the hair, costume and make-up.

My Character

I did the best I could ;)

Like the wigs? hahaha

Yes, we went all out on costumes for this Christmas party because...

This is the last X'mas party I'll be celebrating with them for I'm leaving next year ;(

Don't be shocked by the bangs, it's a clip-on wig hahaha! Bessie of Bravoe Runway had a preview of it, as I was trial-running these bangs as my FB profile picture, and she prefers to see me sans the bangs lol. But it's cosplay, and I need to stay true to the character so I had no choice but to wear this blunt-cut wig bangs, oh and the thin braids on the side are wigs too.

I'll be posting some updates soon. I do owe you guys some posts. Will get back at you soon! I miss you all! If you have any questions, just leave them on the comment box below. And MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone! <3

I'm Still Here :)

I got a lot of explaining to do >.<" *yikes*

Please Accept My Peace Offering >.<"

I have gone M.I.A. on you guys for days, and I didn't even left you any notice whatsoever. Things just went crazy hectic over at my end since Thursday. I had to help out and prepare, not for Thanksgiving (we don't celebrate Thanksgiving over here), but for my brother's birthday last Friday. My sis, my mom, our house help and I had to clean up the house (it's a mess because there's a construction going on at our house at the moment), do grocery shopping and cook for the party. Friday, well, I couldn't get anywhere near my computer at all since we had to entertain guests, and of course, indulge in the meal we've prepared and clean up after the party. 

I thought I'd be able to get back to blogging by Saturday but lol... that's a big no. My supplier sent me a text message early Saturday morning telling me to head to her shop because she has a new bundle of thifted clothes waiting for me to break in. My sis and I wigged out, because this was very unexpected and we're still a bit tired from the past 2 days' activities but of course, we couldn't pass that out. I was so beat that I literally shut down after dinner. Sunday... I spent it sorting out and pricing my newly acquired stocks. 

So there ya go... that was my Thanksgiving weekend. Pretty crazy, but it was great :) Oh, by the way, thank you so much for the lovely comments on my Thanksgiving post. They were so touching. I hope you guys had a fantastic celebration with the special people in your lives.

I've noticed you guys were all baffled about that disaster I faced this year. I made a post about it, but you guys probably weren't following me at that time. So if you are up for a good read, do skim over my post, A Night I Will Never Forget...

So yes, I'm still alive, and no, I haven't quit blogging. Once again, I apologize for my unexplained absence. I will update my blog soon. After all, I do owe you guys  especially my dear friend, Bessie, a K-pop Idol Feature. I'll do that... tomorrow. Right now, I need to catch up on some Zzzz's. 

The Things I'm Thankful For

It's almost Thanksgiving Day over at the US. I'm sure you guys are all excited to finally spend some time with your families and loved ones over good food. And even though we don't celebrate Thanksgiving over here, it doesn't mean I can't take a while to pause and muse about the things I am thankful for.

I am thankful for... The Gift of Life. 

FOBbin' it up at Yeppoon, QLD

Though I wince whenever someone asks how old I am,  still I am thankful to have lived this long. After having struggled and survived a natural catastrophe that had almost killed me and my family, I now look at my age as something to be thankful for, and not as something to be embarrassed about. 

I am thankful for... The Gift of Joy.

With Orin the Cat who's all grown up now

Life is full of ups and downs. There are instances when the odds are so unfairly against us. But then again, life isn't always full of sorrow and pain. There's no single person in this world, living or dead, who did not come across struggles at least once in their lifetime. I am thankful that I see things in this light now because finally, I have found joy amidst the trials and disappointments I have faced. And now, when I look back, I had lived quite a colourful and carefree life; not everyone has the privilege to indulge in that. 

I am thankful for... The Gift of Family.

Mi Familia

Though we are not a perfect family (I doubt if there's one), I am thankful that at the midst of our imperfections, they are my source of joy, inspiration and strength. They were there when I was at my lowest of lows, gave me the strength to stand up, and they were always there to cheer me on and give me a pat on my back during my triumphs. They have been supportive and always encouraging, and I know someday, I can finally give back and show my gratitude for all the things they've done for me.

I am thankful for... The Gift of Friends.

These girls have my back. Ancient photo, btw, circa 2003

When I was younger, I had tons of friends. But as I grew older, the number dwindled as my age flourished. Now don't let this sound off warning bells, this doesn't mean that I am a despicable person (lol). It simply means that I was able to separate the wheat from the chaff, and stayed with the better ones. And even though my circle of friends isn't that vast, I am confident that each and every friend within that circle are friends I can trust with my life.

I am thankful for... The Gift of Hope.

Someday I'll hug you again Koala ;)

Though I wish to elaborate on this, I would rather not. I am very superstitious and I believe that talking about things before they have ever come to realize might jinx it. In the past, I was never so optimistic, believing that this would save me from all the drama and the heartbreak in case things don't turn out the way I wanted them to go. But ever since I did a revamp on my perspective of life, things have been looking and going good so far. And I am so grateful that I was able to humble myself and let my Creator work his magic. I have done everything that's humanly possible, the puck stops there for me, it's all up to Him now and... let Thy will be done. And whatever happens, whether it's a yay or a nay, I can finally accept, without acting like a spoiled little brat, that things happen for a reason.

And lastly, I am thankful for... The Gift of Love.

See you soon, mate :)

Clichéd as it is, but we only seem to pray when things have gone awry.  During those crucial times when things seem to be going nowhere but downhill for me, for the first time, I thought to myself: maybe I was praying for the wrong things. Then one day I sat down and prayed that my Creator send me someone who will make me happy. I wasn't really serious about it, I actually took it as one of those nonchalant prayer/conversation with Him. But boy was He quick to respond, and brought Sunshine into my life. Though our time together was brief for I had to go back to my home country, he still manages to make my life sunny and bright despite the distance. It's not easy as long distance relationships are a killer (I don't recommend it lol) but bottom line: I'm happy.  And I know, soon, really soon, he and I can pick up where we left off and hopefully, move on and weave ourselves our happy ending. If it doesn't work out that way, well then at least he kept me focused on my journey and filled it with hope. Because without that hope he's injected into my life, I would've totally given up on my dream of going back to Aussie pies. 

Haha... I know, I know... This was such a sappy post, sheesh >.<" But once in a while, It's good to sit back and take a moment or two to think of what we're thankful for. Sometimes, our heads are so full of what we yearn for that we don't get  to appreciate the things that we have. There's so much to be thankful for; we just have to take time to see all the goodness surrounding us despite all the struggles we face on a daily basis.

Advanced Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, my dears. Hope y'all have a wonderful and memorable celebration with the most important people of your lives, whoever they may be. :)

P.S. Do share your 2 cents on this: What are you most thankful for?

Still Hung Over?

I have to be honest, I am still hung over from that K-Idol post I did about Song Seung Heon. And I'll bet you are too. I mean, oh em gee... that was hotness overload! *fans herself* Every time I search for a picture of him to insert on my post, I am bombarded by picture after picture after picture of him looking sizzling hot, and I swear, everytime I key in his name on Google images, that epic towel picture of him ALWAYS shows up.

But ladies, he's not the only one with the killer bod. I haven't featured him on my weekly K-pop Idol Featurette just yet, but after this, hmmm I just might haha. I'm talking about, Choi Siwon from the boyband, Super Junior. Yes, he's gorgeous, and yes, he's got rock-solid abs. If I can be so bold, I'd say he's the younger version of SSH. Agree or not, I think we can come to a common ground that they both have amazing bods. See?

So for kicks, I thought I'd create a poll. Who's got better abs, the older, more matured Song Seung Heon or the younger stag Choi Siwon? Cast your votes on the poll below!

Now why did I do this? Well... I dunno really hahaha. I guess I just want to make things a little interactive over here (plus I think blog polls are just cool haha *nerd*), and not just receive pre-generated one-liner comments at the comments section from bloggers who wish to gain more hits and followers of their blogs  (I'm sure y'all got those on your posts, aye?). But of course, you can still leave comments as I would love to hear the reason behind your choice. 

Now ain't this just fun? Hahaha! Hope y'all had a lovely weekend, cuz I sure did! Ciao!

Late Afternoon Snacks with my 2 best friends last Saturday :D

Korean Idol Featurette: Song Seung Heon

It's that time of the week again, folks... K-Pop Idol Featurette! And this week, I'm doing a request from Bessie to feature a drama actor she's been recently introduced. And of course, I couldn't say no to that haha :) So peepz, feast your eyes on Song Seung Heon!

Quick Facts:

Name: Song Seung Heon (송승헌)

Real Name: Song Seung-bok (송승복)

Nickname: Tough Guy 

Date of Birth: October 5, 1976

Age: 35 years old

Education: Majored in visual media in Kyunggi University

Hobbies: Watching & collecting videos and playing sports (basketball, swimming, and skiing) 

Song Seung Heon (SSH) started his career as a model for a jeans brand, Storm in 1995. Soon after that, he entered the world of showbiz with stints in sitcoms and TV dramas. SSH debut in television was in 1996 when he starred in the sitcom, Three Guys and Three Girls. His most famous dramas are East of Eden, Autumn in My Heart, Summer Scent and his most recently concluded drama, My Princess.

Apart from doing dramas, Song Seung Heon also starred in various movies. His first movie was Calla released in 1999. In 2002, he starred in the Hong Kong movie, So Close, along with Karen Mok, Shu Qi, Zhao Wei, in that movie he plays Yen, the love interest of Shu Qi's character. 

In 2004, he starred in the movie, He Was Cool, a movie based on an internet novel. The movie didn't hit box-office though, because its release was scheduled along with Harry Potter and other box-office hits of that summer. (Sidenote: I had seen He Was Cool in the past, and doh.... I just found out whilst making this featurette that he was the lead actor, doh!!! >.<") 

Song Seung Heon entered the compulsory military service in late of 2004. However, this has spurred quite a controversy because it was later found out that he feigned illness in order to avoid military duties. In the past, his claims to have high blood pressure and diabetes allowed him to avoid being drafted, unfortunately, he got busted so he apologized profusely to the public and his fans and immediately enlisted and served his 2-year term in the military. He was discharged with the rank of Corporal in November 2006.

It is but plain obvious that Song Seung Heon is a hottie. That piercing stare that makes you go weak in the knees, those killer abs, and manly charm captivates women of all ages. He's been linked to numerous actresses including Son Dambi, Sung Yu Ri, and his recent leading lady whom he shared much chemistry with, Kim Tae Hee. 

Despite all of this, he is, single. Yes, you read it right, he's single. In an interview a day after My Princess was first aired, he was asked about his plans about marriage, and he replied that he wants to have a good family, however he finds that a bit difficult at the moment since he doesn't have a girlfriend. He stated that maybe one day, he will meet his soul mate and he would marry her. I'll bet you a thousand bucks every fan of SSH is wishing she is the soul mate he's been searching for.

Another tidbit I found whilst digging for juicy gossip about him. Apparently, this hottie not only steals the hearts of the ladies with his good looks and killer bod, he can croon his way into the hearts of women as well! In 2003, Song Seung Heon released a CD titled, Song Seung Heon Volume 1! The album contains 11 tracks including a collaboration with Shin Yeon-Ah from Big Mama for the song, I Love You. You can check out his album in yesasia.com. 

And are you wondering what Song Seung Heon is up to these days? Well, he is currently busy working on a secret global project, Lucid Dream. Lucid Dream is a mono tailor-made especially for Song Seung Heon. He had started filming this project last month and is tentatively scheduled for release in the first half of 2012. So, ladies, stay tuned for that!

And to end this post, let us all pause and ogle at the 6-pack that convinced me to feature this hottie...

Source:
k-popped!
spcnet.tv
yesasia
Hancinema
allkpop
squidoo
koreanfilm.org
korea.com

1 is Lonely, 2 is just Fab, 3's a Company and 4... you're Tagged!

According to Chinese Numerology, Four is an unlucky number because it is homophonous (in plain English: "sounds like" hahaha) to the word, "death"  (死 pinyin sǐ). Being the superstitious freak that I am, I try to abide by numerology as much as I could but today... I'm breaking that habit to give way to tagging game.

I was tagged over at Facebook to write a note and answer these questions. But instead of posting about it and tagging people over my FB account, I chose to do it here cuz I wuv you guys and I wish to know more about you! And I wanted to stir some fun within this little blog circle of mine so here we go... 

1 is Lonely, 2 is just fab, 3's a company and 4... you're tagged! 

Just proving how gawky I can be ;p

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with four things per question. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

A) FOUR JOBS I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE:

1. Accounts Receivable Clerk at a Hotel

2. Loans Processor

3. Nurse

4. Shopkeeper

B) FOUR MOVIES I WOULD WATCH OVER AND OVER AND OVER:

1. My Sassy Girl

2. Kung Fu Hustle

3. My Love (Korean Movie) *I highly recommend this

4. The Sweetest Thing

C) FOUR PLACES WHERE I HAVE LIVED:

1. Davao City, Philippines

2. Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

I've only lived in 2 places all my life, so I'll just write 2 places where I holidayed/vacationed by myself  for more than 3 days lol.

3. Sydney, Australia (briefly though)

4. Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong (again, very briefly)

D) FOUR TV SHOWS I LOVE TO WATCH:

1. The Challenger: Muay Thai (rooting for Mardsua ^.^)

2. I Am Legend (reruns via MySoju lol)

3. The Walking Dead 

4. Kitchen Musical

E) FOUR PLACES I HAVE BEEN ON VACATION:

1. Shenzen

2. Macau

3. Hong Kong

4. Sydney

F) FOUR WEBSITES I VISIT DAILY:

1. Blogger (of course!)

2. Facebook

3. Twitter

4. Hotmail

G) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:

1. Garlic Shrimps

2. Squid Rings

3. Pork Barbecue

4. Poky and Yan-Yan

H) FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:

1. Rockhampton ( back in the arms of my "sunshine" sigh...)

2. Disneyland (at any country/continent/location)

3. Streets of Mongkok for some hectic shopping, (buy lah, Missy!)

4. Chicago, to hang out with my bestfriend, Maila and meet Bessie, my cosmic sister lol

I) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE PERFUMES/ COLOGNES

1. Escada S

2. Hugo Boss Woman

3. Ralph Lauren Romance

4. Bath and Body Works - Japanese Cherry Blossom

J) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE MUSICALS

I am not a big fan of musicals, really >.< But for the sake of this post, I'll just mention a few (a VERY FEW) musicals I have watched (I dunno if some of these count, really lol)

1. Miss Saigon

2. Hairspray (the movie lol, I can totally see the smirks and the shocked looks from y'all)

3. Chicago

4. Moulin Rouge

K) FOUR FRIENDS WHO I THINK WILL RESPOND:

1. Lizzy

2. Kim

3. Bessie

4. Punk Chopsticks :D

L) FOUR FAMOUS PEOPLE I WOULD LOVE TO MEET - DEAD OR ALIVE :

1. Cho Kyuhyun (doh! lolz)

2. Jay Chou

3. Stephen Chow

4. Stephen Yeun 

M) FOUR THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY:

1. Good Food

2. The prospect of travel

3. Shopping 

4. K-pop (again, that's a no-brainer)

N) FOUR PEOPLE THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY:

1.My "Sunshine" 

2. My family

3. My friends

4. You, my dear readers :)

And now let the tagging games... BEGIN! Yosh! \(^.^)/

1. Lizzy of ~A little bit of pixie dust ~

2. Kim of SassyUptownChic

3. Bessie of Bravoe Runway

4. Punk Chopsticks

5. Jas of AdamAlexMommy

6. Nhya of Khaki, not cocky

7. Vee of Vee's randomness

8. Laura of The Blog of Worldly Delights

9. Debi of flysongbird

10. Kim of accidental encounters

11. Silvia of Piece of Me

12. Amanda of feast.fashion.faves

13. Bun Bun of Buttons and Bunnies

14. Ly of Eternal Optimist

15. Raman of Mannequins Dream

16. Thu of just tututiny

17. Kimchigirl111 of Rach.says.hello

18. The awesome gal (I wanna respect her anonymity  lol) of Shiny Pretty Things

19. Little Ms.Fun of Raviolis & Waterworks

20. Sam of Frills and Thrills

21. LeeAnne of Style N Season

22. Joan of Dreamy Princess

23. Alvina and Anna of _Feed_Me_Nana_ 

24. Lhamo of Thoughts of a Silent River

25. Shirley of  Shirley's Luxury Haven

I do hope you guys take time to join in the ruckus. I'd love to read more about you and get to know you just a liiil' bit more. Oh, and I'd like to rally up some lovin' from you guys (if it's not too much...). Please "LIKE" my post over at Tumblr. Just click on the picture below to take you straight to my post and don't forget to press the heart (LIKE) button! Thank's ya'll! Have a fabulous day!