Valencia Oranges

Many a times, I’ve heard people saying that they are so bothered by so many things. Not exactly things that are life threatening but things that just sucks when you think of it. It’s like a prick on your skin and you just can’t seems to find where the pain comes from. You might have tried so hard and you just get so tired and all pissed off. Finally, you will just let yourself get used to the prick.

I believe most people are positive by nature and like the majority, I often wonder why some people just can’t be more positive. Well, I understand everyone has their worries or have a bad day but what good does it gets with increasing worries? I once heard a quote, “Worrying(and whining) is just like a rocking chair, it gets you moving but it gets you no where.”. How true it is! Action! Do something that you think will improve the situation. By saying ACTION, I mean something that is constructive to your current situation and not other irrational behavior that will get you into a worst situation. Getting into a fight or venting your anger is a BIG NONO.

To me, life is like a railroad. They are some parts of the journey when you will experience a rough ride. You hate the bumps and the shakes but this is the only way you can get to your destination, so accept it! I often think that, the best way to make yourself feel better in the train is to admire the moving scenary. Afterall, you might only come through this route once in your lifetime.

Learn to enjoy the ride and stop complaining. Like the train ride, accept the “bumps” and “shakes” in your life gracefully. The more you wanna feel bad, the worst it will get. Quit complaining. No one wants to sit beside someone who’s constantly whining. Hey! Everyone is on the bumpy train and you are not the only one feeling uncomfotable. The more complaints will only keep all the other passengers away from you. Just like in life, your constant whines could just drive all the people who are close to you away. Would you rather have someone to talk to throughout your boring and uncomfortable ride or would you rather ride it alone ?

Hoever, this is subejective. Of course, some people will just prefer to wallow in self pity. By all means, carry on if this makes you better. If it does not, that will be the time to change! Why engage in something that does not make you feel better, and worst, does not improve the situation that you are in. In my own words, this is rather inefficient!

So my friends, be more positive. Are you happy with what you are doing now? Yes? Congratulations! You have understand the true meaning of life. If not, what are you waiting for? Do something that will make you happier. List down the things that makes you unhappy and think of how you can make it better.

Start today before you realise that you are the only one left inside the train cabin. Don’t drive all your fellow passengers away. Having someone around you will certainly make your bumpy rides more pleasant.

Exams are gone with a flash and it’s not before long that I realised that I’ve just finished my 3rd semester at UQ. It was getting warmer and slightly unbearable. Being the fussy me, I persuaded/urged/nagged darlin repeatly to call SIA to check if there is an earlier flight back. Our initial flight was scheduled on 24th Nov and I was glad they still had seats back to SG on board the 22nd Nov flight. I get darlin to immediately confirm our seats with the SIA office in Brisbane and in less than 24 hours we were on board the plane! We managed to get our usual seats which is the last two seats on the right of the last row. We love these seats, partly because it’s just two seats instead of the usual three and it’s freakingly near the toilets. I always like to freshen myself constantly on the flight and PLUS I have a weak bladder! haha..

Anyway, the flight back was alright except for the part when it’s flying from Queensland to Darwin and heading northwest towards Singapore. For the first three hours of the flight, it was shaking most violently and even the refreshment was not served. I guess the flight attendants would not want to clear up any puke or mess. For that period of time, I actually felt airsick for the first time in my life. I was literally clenching to the side of my seats and almost breaking into cold sweats. To put it simply, the plane was vibrating. I peered thru the windows and realised that there were thick clouds today and I guess the wind was blowing against our direction. The captain must have had a hard time navigating thru the thick clouds. I stood out and excused myself to the toilet and on the way back to my sides, guess what I saw? The two ladies in front of me were writing letters! Not normal letters mind you. Remember whenever you watch a plane crash on TV, prior to that the attendants will hand everyone papers to write their last words? And yea, the ladies in front of me were writing those! Oh my god. They freaked me out completely. I’m like..what the hell..! Anyway, darlin managed to calm me down and I felt much better after a while. Probably I’ve already gotten used to the shaking by the second hour.

I guess it was nearly 2 hours into the flight when the refreshments are served. Not too bad. I had pasta in tomatoes and olive and darlin had a chicken and leek pie. I tried to distract myself by watching some Korean movies and talking to my darlin. The rest of the flight was spend with darlin entertaining me and trying to keep me comfortable. Thank darlin! We met a lady from Manchester and she was really friendly. Her son was really cute and smart! I wish I could take him home. hehe…

Dinner was only served towards the last leg of the flight. It was kinda nice. We both had pan-fried chicken with seasonal vege. I couldn’t finish up my food and thankfully had darlin to ate them for me. Ice-cream was also served and darlin gladfully took mine. haha…

We touched down at 9pm after a near 8hr flight. Our baggage came out pretty fast and I was so happy to see my baby sis waiting for me at the arrival gate. Thank Tian! It kinda remind me of the trip I had to Beijing when I was 14 years old. When I came back, my tian was also there waiting for me at the arrival hall! She was only 8 years old then! She was still so tiny and she squeezed all the way to the front in order to catch sight of me. How time flies! It’s been 9 years but it still stay fresh in my mind!

Took a cab home and surprised my parents. Hee…We had kway chup for supper and gosh my sis can really ear alot. She’s gonna kill me when she sees this. Alright…will continue again..

Have you ever hear a song on the radio and it reminds you of a certain period of your life? Or even some fragrance that just invoke some memories?

I often feel this whenever I hear certain songs. Take songs by Dido, it always remind me of the times darlin and I just reached Brisbane. We often hear this songs on the radio during the first few days we are here. Being alone and no friends to bring us around, we pretty much depends on ourselves. We were unsure about lotsa things, like getting an apartment, buying a car, driving on unfarmilar roads, applying for electricity and not understanding the Aussie slang. We were afraid to drive out at night cos it was so much darker here compared to Singapore and we might just lost our way. No one helped us except ourselves. We managed to get a car within a week (thanks to Derek’s debrief on Brissy before we came) and started exploring our own own. Much of the time before the term starts were spent driving around and getting ourselves farmilar with Brisbane. Darlin and I learnt to source for the cheapest place for furnishings for our house and finally manged to set up a decent home.

I still remember the first few days we moved in, darlin had to get himself a toolbox and fix EVERYTHING from scratch. The tables, desk and even the blinds. As for me, I spent the first few days learning how to cook and of course they tasted terrible. There was a few instances when the chicken inside the fridge had turned bad but I didn’t know how to tell and I cooked them anyway! But of course, I’ve learnt.

As time went by, darlin before the handy man around. He is now able to fix almost everything. As for me, I have definately learnt to cook much better. Now when I think back about the times when darlin had to make do and finish up everything I cooked, I feel very so bad. They don’t even taste like food! Not that I can cook better now, but at least it’s decent! Hey! haha…

I guess we definately learnt to be alot more independent after we came abroad. We learn to keep tab on our spending, paying the bills on time, going to the supermarket to get groceries, cleaning up the house (darlin’s credit!) and doing the laundry. Frankly speaking, being the sheltered me, I would have just depend on my parents to do all these at home but I’m glad darlin and I had learnt something here. The weird thing is, I do feel sick as often as well. Probably because it cost a bomb to seek medical help over here and we learnt to take care of self better. Probably it’s the fridge or it’s just my immune system. But I tend to get gastric flu and food poisoning here very often, almost twice every month. I couldn’t survive if not for darlin. He will make sure I drink the Chinese herb everytime I gotten myself sick. Thanks darlin! Muackz!

This is our 3rd term and one more and we were be outta here. The times spent here will always be a nice part of our life and darlin and I also learnt to compromise more on our differences. I must admit it was difficult to stay together initially. We couldn’t agree on lotsa issues. However, the times here definately strengthen our relationship and we look forward to starting a life together in later phrase of our life. *HUGZ* darlin!

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On another note, three papers are done and one more on the 17th. Hopefully we will both be able to do well. It’s also getting warmer here and we have to bathe like 5 times a day to keep ourselves cool. And yea, no air-con here. That’s the best we can do.