Just Because.

Sometimes, your heart can take a leap, while your head keeps its ground. It's times like that, that communication can be utilized to bring the heart back, or convince the head to take a chance.
At the end of the day, with all my levels of hindsight, I thank communication.
It's the saving grace that adds the chutzpah to my steps and brings the morning's misty smile.
Kudos to communication.
Just make sure you log and store.

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Australia is great for now. Emap has been treating me better than I could imagine. Henry is the most gentlemanly and genuine person, I learn a bit more every day. My boss has been so kind. Melbourne on Thursday and Friday. And what do I do? I thank God for this favour; for letting me just cruise by life. Stress-free, that's the best way to be.

Alan Partridge and bed time now. Swimming tomorrow. 50 laps is quite a feat.

x

Noise: The Jay Leno Show on FoxTel

A quick and timely brief.

The weekend before last: Blue Mountains. More on that later.
Last weekend -
Friday: 22km of mountain biking with the AMB team. Resulted in serious incapacitation and served as a reminder of why I do not exercise.

Lincoln Hall, the editor of Outdoor magazine (also my boss in a way) reached the reached the summit of Mount Everest on Thursday morning. On Friday, he was reported dead after suffering breathing difficulties just minutes after his summit. He was dead, and his team had to leave him there because there was no way to bring him down. I was so sad, because I've been looking forward to hear his stories. He lived in Singapore for a period of time and apparently has a lot to say about the place. It's also a sorrowful event when any man with a life of passion leaves. They're a dying species.

Saturday: Lincoln Hall is alive. As it turns out, a new group of climbers saw him alive, gave him oxygen and tea, and brough him to the base camp. Read more on: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/05/28/1148754872626.html?page=2
I spent my day lazing around, relaxing my sore muscles and butt. Mountain biking is very harsh on your bum bone, and it doesn't help that I haven't got much flesh to ease the impact from the rocks and... hills and... ... Thinking about it is making my arms hurt.

After spending a significant amount of time in front of FoxTel and getting pampered by Henry (with food, drink, clean floor, clean laundry, a blanket for the couch...), we went swimming. He was convinced that swimming would help ease the post-exercise pain. Two minuses is a plus, and I did feel better. Sort of. So much better that today we are going swimming after work. Our gym is located just below the Harbour Bridge, so if we swim in the Olympic size outdoor pool, we're technically swimming under the bridge. Unreal.

Sunday: Woke up at 5am, at the airport by 6. Plane departed at 7am, and before I knew it I was on a commercial airline, making my way to Brisbane. I'm not going to further comment, save to say that I hate commercial airlines and made Henry promise he would never take me on some budget airline. Horrible!
Reached Brisbane at 8.30, took a $35 cab to the convention centre. Set up for the Snow Expo. Started at 10, ended at 4. Met Nat at 5 for a very lovely dinner at this rather intrinsic place called Three Monkeys. It had divine cake - Nat's NY cheese cake was... delish.

Back in a cab at 6, at the airport at 6.30, plane left at 7pm. In Sydney at 8.30pm. Henry picked me up and for a little drive. We were trying to find a place for me to drive (safely), but instead found ourselves at the Taronga Zoo. We spotted a few wild rabbits and after parking outside for about 5 seconds in an attempt to 'hear' the animals, we drove off to a harbour bay near Kirribilli and listened to the fishes jumping around, admired the city line, and tasted the wind. Henry did some of his... 'stunts' with his car (he was driving this Ford ... pick-up thing with some powerful engine or whatever) which resulted in me feeling sick. We sped home (in the most comfortable fashion), watched Alan Partridge, and went to bed.

Monday: Back in work at 10am. I am actually feeling rather perk and am looking forward to swimming tonight. The weather is cold, and in 45 minutes I'm having a 'welcome lunch' with the publishing director. That should be swell.



As I'm posting this while I'm at work, I shall add some pictures later on when I get home. The Blue Mountains entry needs an entire entry to itself, so I'll get started on that when... well, when I have the time/energy/drive/want to.

Noise: The Mr. Brown show podcast.
P.S.: In other news, my NY story is out on sale in Elle Singapore! And in case you're wondering, the pictures are tiny because they were taken with my camera and it's not some... professional camera. Just a humble, scratched and dented $700 Canon. Hmm, maybe I just didn't adjust it to take bigger sizes. Nevertheless, get your copy.

x

It's been a long, long time.

Okay. I'm going to make this as comprehensive and as succinct as I can for the sake of my very interested friends (ha ha) and mummy!

The reason why I haven't exactly been 'around' is because a) I do not have MSN at the office. I should try and work around the system, I know. Hmm. b) I have been so content with coming home and watching the crime and comedy channel that there just seems to be no need to open this laptop other than to play my bubble game before I sleep. c) I've logged on to blogger.com before, but never got beyond the first sentence.

That all ends NOW, because I am adament about finishing this post, and finish it I WILL.

Right so let's see... where did I leave off. Hmm. So I was watching the marathon of Australia's next top model. The next day, we went for Michelle (Leslie)'s first fashion show (since released from the Bali jail) and met Michael Azzollini (the designer of the swimwear), and also the runner up for Australia's next top model, Jessie! It was so funny because I was rooting for her while watching the program, and the next day we actually MET her. Such things just.. don't happen. Azzollini also happens to be the 'Jay Manuel' of the Australia's NTM reality program, and as he met Henry on this boat party that was going on before I arrived, we managed to say hi to him too! He did say 'Oh so YOU'RE the girlfriend' to me, which did make me pleased inwardly. Nice to know my Rimmer is doing his rounds and spreading the word. Ha.

PICTURES!

Miche in all her swimwear glory. Oh she got a lot of press for this one, but rightfully so anyway. She does look stunning.


The next big occurrence was the 'dereliction'. Henry and I went through a "rough patch", and were basically forced to eat Hungry Jack's (aka Burger King) at a petrol station. I mean, it doesn't get worse than greasy burgers and Fanta Orange. But we embraced our forlorn plight with such dire (albeit feigned) optimism. After all, we WERE experiencing something new together. Kudos to couple exploration; don't we look pleased:


Something else relatively major happened. We've (mummy, Aus, and I) bought an apartment!! YAY!!! I will definitely put pictures up later on, but for now, we're moving to The Bayshore Park at East Coast, and everyone (well, almost) is very happy. It's on the 24th storey (I've always wanted high storey), we live in the East (my brother has this affinity for the beach and the East in general), we have 2 pools (I've always yearned for a pool!), and the only thing that we lack is a nice kitchen and washing area, which was mum's desire. However, what we have for a kitchen is pretty cosy, I think. Anyway. Mum and Aus are packing and getting ready to move in about.. June. All my clothing laid out on the floor:


And, all my clothing nicely packed (or shoved, rather) into the cupboard:


Much better, I know. But it really puts things into perspective. Must NEVER say that I have no clothes ever again. Because I have enough to start a business. Goodness.

Last Friday, it was FHM handlebar mustache day. The boys got their beards out - some did 2 weeks of prep, others, 1. Some just.. had no facial hair whatsoever. Scary. But this is how it turned out eventually. The fire-y thing was edited by the FHM guys - it's going in the magazine. Well, needless to say, Emap happy hour on Friday was most entertaining, with these mafia drug lord types patrolling the bar, and chugging down the occasional bear. Occasional. (Look at my Henry. Isn't he just so... yeah, english drug lord mob type-y. Ha.)


Friday was also the 'prize giving' day - the finals of the Super 5 touch rugby competition happened on Wednesday. Australian Mountain Bike (MY team) VS Tracks. AMB had never lost a game this season, till the finals. Boo hoo. Tracks, aka The Raging Homosexuals (goodness knows why) delivered their victory in a most stressful game. I found myself screaming in disappointment and vocally encouraging my team. Oh heavens. Me and touch rugby. HMM.
Cristian Campano from FHM was also referee of the finals, and had a fair share of verbal abuse thrown his way. In retaliation, he did the prize presentation on the TABLE at the bar: $300 of beer money and a trophy. The trophy was actually a... lamp. They stuck a picture of the Super 5 logo, and the team's name at the bottom. How creative. This is one of the Tracks members holding up the 'trophy'. See the cash?


Lastly, Henry and I had a quiet weekend this time. We had pizza night, and watched Love Actually because recently we've both been feeling rather festive; particularly Christmas-y. Just because it's 10.30 at night now and I'm tired, here's a quick picture of us and our pizza! Mine's the one that's covered with olives, Henry's got the tomato one. It was absoultely exquisite. Best pizza I've had for awhile, just because we could be so generous with what we wanted. Here's we go: Myself on one side of the counter, Henry on the other.


To end off this entry, I've decided to leave you all with a shot that makes me happy. Our slices of pizza, our new dining table, my laptop (to watch Love Actually on), and wine. It was such a gratifying and simply... lovely weekend, one that I will always remember as something indispensably momentousl. Lovady, I love you lovady. :)



x

Noise: Some hawaii type music from Roberto's laptop.