^^

More driving today. For some reason or other, the lump of gray noodles up there set the alarm at all the odd times of the morning. Think 5am, and 7.15am, when I only needed to wake up at 8am. Grraah... the black grapes are threatening to take up residence under my eyes!

Anyways, did some driving at the hospital carpark again. Actually, not much. More like a few runs and stops to make sure I can start off smoothly (more or less) without causing th ecar to buck or *gasp* stall. Then it was out onto the road for a few runs around the block.

Since I've been told to 'visualise and run through the steps in (my) head', here it goes:

• Sit properly in the driver's seat, and adjust. Strap myself in, or face a lesson in flying out the windscreen the next time the car stalls suddenly (which nearly happened yesterday -_-"' and no one noticed my not wearing the belt... *shock*!!).
• If the engine is running, forget about turning the key. If you've stalled, start from ground zero and turn it! Press the clutch (darn, it's manual!), first gear, release handbrake, press accelerator and release clutch to move. Not too fast, or the big piece of metal will play horsie or even dead.
• Total clutch release, and move a little before changing to gears de secundo and above. I should have told you earlier, this is brain-draining work. Unless you're another of those zombie drivers that populate this earth then you'll find it all easy-peasy.
• Press brake first before the clutch for a smoother stop, and so that Parrotsai's stomach doesn't do the flip-flopeys and Nana doesn't go into cardiac arrest.
• If the gear wouldn't go into R, then make it go into third gear first and try R again.
• Don't DON'T DON'T turn around the bend too quickly!!! You'll or I will at least, not make it in time one day and smoosh myself into smithereens against something.
• Change my gear to third gear (if it's a clear and less busy road) before going around the bend, and lower if there are lots of cars and lots of skittles running around. *But why can't we knock the skittles down, Nanny? Isn't that the point of skittles??*
• When stopping the car, do as for the smooth stop. Free the gear and lift the handbrake, and pass it onto Nanny.
• Fourth gear when you reach 40km/hr please.

That's all I can remember for now. Parrotsai did some work on parking, but for most of that time I was awol so I've not much idea as to what happened then. I can tell you that the backseat of a Kancil is NOT nice to nap in, unless you're an extremely lacking in the height department.

GwahaRhaHAr... and I drove all the way home from practice today. Which all together Nanny said wasn't too bad. Hmm... doubt it still. But this much is apparent from my observations, even a noob will realise that the road on this GFS island is litter-ed with drivers who are older than I am (and therefore should be better at their driving!) and not much better than me at driving. *expletives* to the guy who nearly drove me into a wall and hence got me a scolding, *expletives and a honk* to the guy who honked at me and then drove ahead and then decided to stop right in front of me -_-"'.

And that's my day's worth of driving. Whew! ^_^

Got this off The Scent of Green Bananas. I guess LDL aka Satan butter tastes better?

Splat kerplash eeks growl boinky donks tonk!

聖誕快樂○●　
☆　　╱╲☆╱╲　☆　　　　☆　☆ 　
　╱╳ +▲+ 　╲　╱╲　☆　　　　☆　　☆ 　
╱╱　 ◢◣+　 　+╳　　╲　　　☆　　☆ 　
╱　 +◢█◣+ 　／　　　　╲☆　　　☆　☆ 　
☆　 ◢██◣ 　
___▂▂█▂▂___ ○●◎新年快樂+天天快樂○●

Muahahah, the first photo is the actual one that a friend sent to me over Msg. Copy paste into a blog entry and everything was topsy turvy, inside out, all wrong, but nothing a couple of minor adjustments couldn't fix ^_^! Parrotsai says 'ho ho ho' to it all.

As proof that I've got nothing much to do lately, I've finished Picoult's Keeping Faith and started on The Historian. Keeping Faith was interesting, but not as good as My Sister's Keeper, though both endings leave me scratching my head.

More driving practice with dad today. We've decided to do a few more runs before going about asking after those classes... For a licence holder, it probably isn't too good an idea for me to turn up not even knowing how to turn on the engine :P! LOL, it's not that bad, but heck, with me stalling at every chance I can get, I probably would need loads of classes, which also equates to more money going to the tutor, money which I rather use for some other stuff ^_^... PGH's carpark was pretty empty today, so we started there. Nana keeps on saying changing gears is a purely mechanical thing, and that I would get the hang of it quickly... but apparently not quickly enough -_-"' I've given the car a few good jolts (thanks to the speed bumps!), nearly kissed a Pajero (I'm using a Kancil, eeeps!) and a motorcyclist (the car wasn't moving across the road fast enough!! *wails*), nearly threw nana out the window (thank goodness for seatbelts!)... The few workers doing some repairs to the curb at one of the junction certainly were sniggling away at my performance.... grrr... I'll remember to pack along some lightning bolts for their butts next time!

And I haven't been doing much piano practice lately... *shakes head at self* In fact, I haven't been able to concentrate on anything much for long... Holidays are good, but long extended holidays are baaad.... just as well nana's taking leave week after! Yippee! A chance to get off the island coming right up!

Went over to the carpark at Pisa with dad and sibs. Sis drove there. How she did it I'll never know, what with the heavy traffic and all (with dad shouting left, stop and what-nots from the side of course). And I performed a quasi miracle today there, I actually remembered how to drive, reverse, turn without flipping the car over... though starting up the car and getting it to move had be taught all over again =.="' Dad's now convinced as well I need professional help as well for my driving... he says he going to get a heart attack pretty soon if this continues x_x Gah...

29/11

Last day in Gyeongju now. Morning was spent at the Gyeongju Hwangnamin Gobungun Tomb Park. Whew… that’s a mouthful! I prefer it’s other name, Daeneungwon Tomb Park. The tombs here look, from the outside, just like grassy little mounds. Nothing impressive about them as you would have expected of the tomb of royals, just pretty grassy symmetrical small hills. The walk winded all around the tombs and it works for a beautiful walk. They even play background music from speakers perched atop the lamplights around the park! How’s that for creating ambience?! The only tomb that was open for tourists to enter was the Cheonmachong, which the name is supposed to mean Heavenly Flying Horse Tomb, more or less. It was name as such because they found a mudguard flap made of birch bark within the tomb that had the picture of a white flying horse painted onto it. Most of the relics on display there were actually replicas of what they had found within the tomb. The genuine ones were being held in the national museum. The tomb was composed of layers. The body and whatever burial stuff that was to go with it was placed into a strong wooden chamber, and then loads of rocks were then placed onto it, packed tightly, to form a layer around it that had the shape of the mound. The a layer of soil, and finally the grass on it. I guess this must have been even greater of a grave-robber-proof style of protecting the tomb because the tour guide said none of the tombs had even been plundered, and I couldn’t help wondering how the pyramids couldn’t even beat a little mound!

A stop after that at the Hwangnam Bread Shop to have a taste of its ‘bread’. It seemed more of pastry than bread to me though, with its incredibly thin layer of ‘bread’. It was essentially a red bean ball covered with a film of bread. But one could watch the workers behind the counter at work, and it’s amazing how quickly they make the little pastries! Then back into the car and it’s off to Seoul! Well, not exactly, because we stopped by the Sangsoo Herb-land in Chungbuk on the way up. It’s not too bad, not the most interesting of spots to visit. I suppose part of it may be attributed to the fact that it’s winter and not much of the plants are flowering and all, but to tell the truth there didn’t seem to be much herbs there of note, apart from the Helio trope that had light bluish flowers that smelled of chocolate! There was a whole green house dedicated to foxglove as well, and the one that interested me the most, the so-called Indian cucumber plant, tree rather. The ‘cucumbers’ that hung down at seemingly random points off the branches were incredibly long, and snake-like. Creepy! There were other unrelated stuff on display, such as the fish-pond-aquarium, and thousand year old pine tree which appear a bit stunted to me, and a donated stone formation that was supposed to appear obscene from one point, and like a chicken laying eggs from another. Then lunch there. I had always thought the only sort of flower that could actually be eaten was the rose, simply because I had seen people dusting it with icing sugar and then using it as edible decoration. But the stuff that came out of the kitchen that day would have been ordinary, very much like bibimbap, except for the addition of loads of flowers! Red, purple, blue, yellow, pink… all sorts that I know not the name of. Not that they had any taste to boast of actually, it just looked pretty. LOL! And it was slow progress to Seoul by the way, on account of the heavy traffic :S!

30/11

First stop was the Jongmyo Royal Ancestral shrine that was built during the Joseon dynasty. The ancestral tablets of the royal family during this period are kept here and every year traditional rituals are still carried out. The area where the tablets are stored is closed off to tourists, so only the outside of the building can be seen. The roof had little figurines which the tour guide said was the Monkey King, placed there to protect the building from evil spirits that would attack from the air. And the building itself had a doorway for each monarch, and each of the wooden door is made so that it does not close well, with gaps in between, just so that the spirits of the monarch can enter and leave easily :S! *gulp* The doors were also elevated off the floor, some slightly more than others, and if I’m not mistaken, the older or senior the monarch, the less elevated it is.

After that it was a short walk over a stone bridge to Changyeonggung palace. The hill that used to separate the palace from the ancestral shrine had been blasted off when the Japanese came, and a stone bridge and road below built in place. The palace was two entrances, as in one after another before one got into the actual palace grounds, with a small ditch or moat in between. Despite some parts of the palace having been burned and destroyed completely by the Japanese during their invasion, the number of buildings still standing is pretty amazing. The only building that I thought was of note was the throne room. There wasn’t really much in the room actually, just a big throne that I think would probably seat three people easily… normal sized people if I may add, very ornately carved, but there didn’t appear to be any cushioning so I wouldn’t think it’s all that comfortable. But then I suppose little cushions could have been used back then. A screen with paintings of mountains and cranes with a sun rising is placed behind the throne. Three or four big pillars in the front part of the throne room. Their use I’ve no idea, but they do add to the grandeur of the room. The roof must have taken a lot of time to complete as well, since it’s covered with carvings and right above the throne, there is a hollowed out semicircle with two phoenix ‘statues’ hung within. The windows of the building, and for all the others actually, have carvings too! They sure have really skilled craftsmen in those days! And then there’s the pathway leading up to the throne room which has three lanes. Who else but the king is to walk the middle elevated path? To his right would have been his civil officers. To his left his military officers marched along grandly. Too bad that it’s all the past that we’re seeing, because it would be super if it were all happening real time at that point! Part of the palace grounds has also been converted to botanical gardens. It’s a shame that it’s winter right now so most of the little plants are all gone now, but lots and lots of Japanese maple around, with their dainty reddish orangey leaves and dark coloured bark which provide interesting contrast. It’s extremely beautiful. Grandma and I were randomly walking around when we bumped into my uncles walking around as well (we split halfway somehow while looking around the palace) and then came upon a green house right in the middle of the gardens which housed all sorts of greenery from South Korea. Somehow some of the plants look a lot like those we get back home as well… and there were bonsai as well… and Chinggyu gave us all a scare by saying there was a crocodile in the little waterway in the middle of the greenhouse. Turns out that it was all just fish that all came bobbing up begging for food when we came near. LOL! Poor things, my pockets were empty of food just then!

And how could I forget the most important detail of the day. It snowed! Only a little, but it’s been ages that I’ve seen snow fall. It fell down lightly at first, so little we didn’t really notice it, while we were still back in the ancestral shrine. Then it got heavier and heavier, not enough to cover the ground with even a fine sprinkling of snow, but the snowflakes were starting to look like shavings of ice! Then it turned into rain L. Not that I mind it that much anyway because it lasted only a short while before it all stopped completely. But the rain started to pick up again after lunch, so we ended up not visiting one of the other palaces around Seoul as originally planned since we’ll be having to walk around in the open, so we ended up in a shopping complex called Doota!. And the exclamation mark is part of the name apparently. We spent most of the time on floor where the kidswear was because my cousins needed scarves and gloves ^-^. The clothes on sale are simply fantastic! Very stylish, even though it’s just for little toddlers to young kids, all in the latest fashions and colours. But the price was just as astounding!

1/12

Woke up early and was in the car on the way to Incheon International Airport by 7.30am. Even Aunt J’s cousin woke up early to see us off even though the van was already full and she wouldn’t be able to come along to the airport. So sweet of her ^_^! Nothing much else to report after this, 6 hour flight to KL and then a connecting flight to Kuching J, few days later, back in oven-like Penang.

27/11

First day of tour :D! First stop was Hahoemaeul or Hahoe Village in Andong, which was an hour and fourty minutes drive from Sangju. The village was well maintained and was still very traditional looking, the houses with their courtyards, traditional style roofing, and veggie patches. Kinda like what you see in the movies. Some of the houses were already converted into restaurants but a few still had occupants. And almost every restaurant salted mackerel on the menu, and it turns out that that was one of the specialities of Andong. There were also tourist stalls selling souvenirs and the one that caught my eye was the masks on sale. They were apparently used in the old days for plays that poked fun at the upper class Koreans, the Yangban. Another tip we learnt while we were there – tie up your cabbages if you want to protect them from frost :P!

Lunch was a very ginseng-ey affair. We had Samgyetang which everyone agreed was lovely indeed. Andong is famous for its Korean ginseng as well, and it’s the first time I’ve tried fresh ginseng and I must say it’s loads nicer than the dried ones we usually get back home. One of the side dishes they had also was deep fried ginseng coated in batter and drizzled with a little honey. Ingenious! (This is the deep fried battered ginseng which mum said looked just like prawns LOL!)

Then onto Sosuseowon (old name: Dosanseowon Confucian academy) that was founded by the scholar Yi Huang (whose face is on the 1000 Won note). The old school is still preserved amazingly well and it looked really a lot like a collection of little houses to me somehow, with the director’s office and also that of the other teachers. And there were student quarters as well. The latter don’t look extremely comfy to me. In fact, I can just imagine people getting frozen in them during winter! The large empty lecture hall was still standing as well. Everything appeared to be well planned, the way everything was built. The teachers’ offices were built on slightly lower ground than the director’s, and the students’ dorm being the lowest of all, as a sign of respect. The grounds were also still very well tended to, with lots of shrubs and trees, which makes it a pity that it’s winter right now, because the place would be so much prettier if it were spring or summer! There was a museum next to the academy as well, containing the books, grade records and so on of the students from long ago. Looking at the amount of stuff the students had to cover in a span of two years… makes me glad I’m not from that era because my brain wouldn’t have the capacity for so much information in such a short time!

Afterwards, it was off to Punggi where loads of ginseng is grown. We stopped by one of the Korean ginseng markets, and inside, there was nothing else being sold except ginseng. In all forms. Powdered, dried, fresh, candied, made into biscuits, tea, candy, jelly… Looking down the little narrow pathway in between the stalls on both sides, it looked just like there were two narrow light brown strips adorning the sides, where the fresh ginseng was placed in baskets. Seeing such a vast amount of ginseng is just overwhelming! (My cousin is the little boy in the red jacket, and the little boy next to him is Aunt J's little cousin. That one is a darling, though a very naughty one!)

We were still full from lunch and so managed to convince Aunt J’s dad that we needed no dinner. We hadn’t realised it would be the last time we would be seeing that time, and we only realised that later when he turned up at the hotel with a big basket of persimmons and apples and pears and mandarins! Aunt J’s parents were worried that we would get hungry in the middle of the night and wanted to make sure we would be ok, and also to say goodbye to us. They are really model hosts! It was a bit sad that grandma and grandpa were already in bed by then.

28/11

Drove all the way up to Gyeongju, and checked into Hotel Hyundai there. I’m still sharing the room with Aunt M and our room has the most stunning view of Bomun Lake! We were right next to it!

Gyeongju was a two hour drive from Sangju and as we were entering the city we passed by some mountains where there were still lots of old Buddhist temples and where statues of Buddha were still in abundance. I think it was the Namsan that we saw and apparently it’s now made into a World Heritage site.

The first place we visited in Gyeongju was the Gyeongju National Musuem. It was a really big place, with huge grounds, where some of the excavated Buddha statues were place. We dropped by the archaeology hall and there was kept lots of pottery, crowns, armoury, carvings and more Buddhist artefacts, mostly from the Silla period. There was also a big stone slab covered with prehistoric carvings of shamans, pigs, hunters, whales, and so on. Too bad that flash photography wasn’t allowed though. The other hall which we dropped by had a Chinese name to it which I’m not sure what it’s supposed to mean, but literally translated word for word, it would be ‘Think people, Think colours’. It was more of a contemporary art gallery. The paintings were really good, I’ve no idea what the abstract pieces were about, but the drawings that featured flowers and also of some Buddhas covered in snow were pretty good. Aunt M and I both thought one of the latter was a photo at first! Outside the halls, in the museum grounds, was King Seongdeok’s bell. It was huge and rather than striking it, there was a recording of the sound it would have made had it been struck that was played at noon.

Next place we visited was the Bulguksa temple. The temple site was very expansive, and there were numerous ‘temples’ each dedicated to a different Buddha. Some of the wooden buildings had actually been rebuilt after the Japanese invasion during the 1500s, but the stone structures had been intact since the 500s. The grounds were very well landscaped as well, with ponds and lots of trees around. The Japanese maple, or at least that’s what Aunt M calls them, made the whole place all the more beautiful which would otherwise be rather bare, with just the skeleton like branches of naked trees and perhaps the occasional evergreen. The other beauty of note was the entrance in the big surrounding wall which was painted with lots of fine details, mostly in shades of green and blue. Behind one temple there was a small area where little pyramids of stones were laid there by visitors. Apparently if you add a stone to an exiting pyramid, or made a new one and made a wish, and it didn't collapse or drop off, your wish would come true. ^_^ No harm trying I thought, and I'm not sure if it counts as cheating, but I used a really really tiny piece and plonked it right on top a huge flat one LOL! (Japanese maple trees line the side of the walking path, located in the temple gardens)

After that it was a short drive up the hill to Seokguram Grotto, and then a short walk along a winding road and a short climb up some stairs to reach the shrine carved into the stone cave which houses the single large stone statue of Buddha, and also that of two fearsome looking guardians and of other little guardian deities adorning the side walls. The floor was also carved with pictures of dainty little flowers so that it appears as though the floor was tiled. The grotto was impressive to say the least, but even more impressive I think would be the people who had the stamina and determination to built it in the first place! I doubt the walkway and roads were there when the carving took place, and crawling all the way up the hill is no mean feat! The view from up there was just breathtaking. Looking out one could see the sea, and when we were there, it was starting to get pretty dark and we could see the boats out at sea fishing for squids, their lights bobbing far out at sea.

My trip in brief ^-^:

25/11

We landed in Incheon early in the morning. It’s slightly chilly but not too cold. We were met by Uncle KF and Aunt J and her dad and uncle. Had to pick up Uncle KT and family and Aunt M and then it was off to Sangju, Aunt J’s hometown. The trip to Sangju took practically the whole day simply because the traffic around Seoul city was terrible that day. After having lunch we had a walk around the area. It was in the area where one of the old walls protecting Seoul in the old days was located. The first stall we came by on was a little stall with a little grandma and grandpa sitting selling… Silk worms! Braised in their own juice!! Aunt J’s dad bought a cup and asked us to try. He seemed to like it so it couldn’t be too bad I thought. Doubtless the silk worm looked ugly, but who knows, it might taste gold…. Not… it was a little crunchy like how prawn shells are, and the taste is hard to describe… it seemed like a cross between a not-extremely-fresh shrimp and a peanut. I can’t say I’m in a hurry to have another any time soon, though truth be told it’s not exactly very bad either… (no idea how to add captions to my photos, so I'll put explanations in brackets like this - photo of Aunt J's brother eating a silk worm larvae, too bad it didn't come out clearer :( )

We reached Sangju about 6.40pm? We checked in to the hotel we were booked in, the Sangju Tourist Hotel, and then it was out for dinner again. We weren’t hungry but Aunt J’s dad insisted. There wouldn’t have had been anything remarkable about dinner, except for the little platter of grasshoppers (I think) on the table. That one tasted much better than silk worms, in fact, it’s just like those sweet crispy ikan bilis we get back home. Just that they look slightly different. Aunt M agreed they tasted quite good as well. LOL!

26/11

It’s the day of the wedding ceremony. I got up about 8am. Breakfast Korean style at the hotel was rice (Korean rice is almost like glutinous rice and very fragrant I must add!), a bowl of stew, and loads of side dishes. There always seem to be two types of kimchi around, one made of cabbage, the other of radish.

Uncle KF and Aunt J managed to persuade grandma to go for a make-up session. The results?? Let’s just say we were all stunned. It’s kind of like total makeover and the make-up artist even gave her false eyelashes! Though it had to be taken off sometime afterwards because they were irritating grandma’s eyes. ^-^"'

The formal Western style ceremony came first. Aunt J looked really beautiful and Uncle KF dashing!! Loads different from the tired and weary couple I met at the airport yesterday! First, both mum’s from both sides of the family had to walk up the aisle together and each light three candles of happiness. And then in came the bride and her dad. The organiser played Miss Annoying though, she seems to be constantly bustling around and I rather my photos don’t include her! Then up the aisle came our man of the day, then there was bowing to parents from both sides of the family. Vows were later exchanged. I’ve no idea what the guy was saying of course, he was speaking all the while in Korean, but it was a really really (x100) long ‘lecture’! Then came the scary bit. I didn’t manage to get a photo of this part, but for the cake cutting ceremony or whatever people call it, the bridesmaids pulled out this ultra long knife which looked to me more of a samurai sword than the dainty knife one associates for cutting cake :S!

Even better was the Korean traditional wedding ceremony afterwards. Aunt J looked so cute with the two little bright red spots of paint on her cheeks! Uncle KF’s outfit was very interesting, with a big rectangular belt which I don’t think looks very comfy :P! There was a ceremony where wine was symbolically given to the parents to drink, and then the parents had to give some words of advice. And a little fruit tossing from grandma to them, which they had to catch with a piece of cloth. The fruit they caught were supposed to represent the number of kids they were supposed to have ^-^"'!

We got to meet Aunt J’s dad’s side of the family that evening when we dropped by their house for tea. The family seemed very close and were very friendly, it was nice getting to meet them. The house had lots of calligraphy and traditional paintings on the wall, and it turns out that they were all painted by Aunt J’s mum and grandma! *applause* There was even a portrait of Aunt J’s brother done by her mum!

It was dinner straight afterwards and it was then we were introduced to Aunt J’s mum’s side of the family, and also her cousin who would be acting as our translator during our tour. The most notable dish was a platter of raw beef that was… julienne-d? shredded? It was all red, but it was only after chewing into some that I realised what it was. It’s surprisingly yummy, but then again, something I could always do very well without :P! Only other wonderfully weird thing I ate today was a raw piece of squid which I had thought was cooked already... that… was worse than… rotten fish. But then don’t get the idea that everything served was like that though, there were lots of other lovely stuff like bulgogi and jap chae and so on. Just in case anyone else got that impression like Parrotsai… -_-"'

This is how Mammy Earth look like when taken with some UV ray detector thingy or other. Nana says it looks like a blue ghost with a mouth too big for it's own good, Parrotsai says it looks like a slice of melon... I'm going the unimaginative way and say that it looks too cute to not be given a place on my blog :P

Nothing much happening lately, unless you want to hear how hot it is still in Pen. Only real thing of note was that it rained, heavily, in the evening today. I doubt I would bat an eyelid at this piece of news if it hadn't coincided with the high tide. And so the big underground drains along Kimberly St filled up mighty quick and overflowed into the street itself. What sort of reaction can I give besides yuck! and to borrow Parrotsai's expression - "sweat!". I can't believe it - the hawkers still arranged their tables and chairs on the roadside and set up their stall, right in the middle of the water containing goodness knows what :S! There was even a bag of rubbish right in the middle of the road X_X I doubted anyone sane would want to have their tong shui and kueh chap or what nots (good thing you don't get roadside stalls in Kch... it's unhygienic and Kch would wind up looking like this sad little "pearl"), but less than an hour later, the rain stops, the water recedes, and the patrons starts arriving. No comment here.

And I made goop yesterday again. Didn't put in any salt, was incredibly thick in consistency (K calls it rice gum 0.O) but credit should be given (I think! *ah, me and my incredibly big cannot-fit-into-the-potty ego*) for my efforts to make it colourful (no blue or black bits unfortunately) and Parrotsai said it smelt good (though to keep it fair, she did say it tasted bland... well, without salt, what can you expect?). Hey, where's the applause?? *scratches head*

Hotmail has also upgraded my storage to 1000MB... yay! Though nothing can beat gmail still with it's incredible storage capacity more than double that of hotmail... kekekeke... but then hotmail will still have to stay as the main one seeing how long I've been using it and all now... Witness customer loyalty in action!

Lookee what I've found on nana's desktop... apparently some people are too free and have no need to study. People here being my siblings -_-"' making models out of salt and pepper shakers. LOL!

Aww... don't they look like Pon and Zi?? Don't they don't they don't they?? :D

Had my first taste of pomegranate today :D Well, it wasn't as pretty as the picture up there, but lovely nontheless. Good ole Parrotsai had a good time picking out the seeds. LOL! Talking about seeds, mum is pretty upset that I've ingested apple seeds a few times now. I'm speechless, simply because I can't see what the big hoohah can be all about. I'm still standing aren't I? Haha, I'm really asking for it!

Followed nana for a talk yesterday on statins and cholesterol levels stuff. The Dutch presenter was pretty good, considering that he actually made a potentially boring topic quite interesting too. And we were pleasantly surprised at the turnout, considering how heavy the downpour was yesterday night. Thinking we might be able to get a parking space near the hotel, nana and I drove there, and what a mistake that was! We ended up parking near home again and walking there. Not that it's much of a problem, seeing as we live so close by anyways, though poor nana's toes got a good soak *giggle*! But I'm detracting from the main point, the take home message from the talk was there can never be a LDL/ lipid level that is too low, and statins are pretty safe, even at rather high intakes. Nada bad effects on the liver even though AST and ALT levels can increase slightly. And the aim is to get it below 70 mg/l (or at last that's what I think the units are... *blush*), the lower the better. Pretty much it for the hour-long talk. And I met no cardiologists either. Then again I didn't really meet much people there so I shouldn't really be making any comment. I saw a psychiatrist, a nephrologist, and a guy currently doing his housemanship. No idea who the others were. And it is pretty sad that some of the people there didn't even turn off phones or at least switch to silent mode and so every now and then you would hear a mobile go off. -_-"' And to think these people should have known better!

The island is hot hot hot at the moment! I'm pretty much not in the mood to do anything at all, except to lie down and die. I'm glugging down copious amounts of water already and still feel dehydrated. Goodness! And I must have picked up some bug or other some time ago; my nose is running. One word - Yucks. And oh, I've realised at last the rationale behind nana's dosing us kiddies up on antibiotics everytime we got a sore throat. Wonder why this came so late to me... considering that the cardiology module is long over and done with... LOL!

Right, so I'm home at last. Got home pretty late, about 12am.... hm... it's this morning actually come to think it -_-'"

So the past few days in brief:

Had another up-all-night stint the night before the bus up to Chch. It wasn't too bad, helped by the fact that T kindly volunteered to stay up with me as well. Which was no mean feat I guess, considering we had been walking up and down around Wakari just that very afternoon. ^_^

Bus ride up was uneventful, except for the many bumps on my head that appeared after because I kept dozing off and ending up knocking my head on the window. Arrived about 2pm the same day. Met Jie at the central city library. I'm amazed that I can actually still remember how to get there!

Went for a walk on the Whitewash Heads track up in Sumner with Jie after. To say it was a bit like torture might be a bit much, considering that when one gets tortured there usually wouldn't be breathtaking views as a reward. Which describes exactly the cliffs... wouldn't mind walking up there again, just not when I'm still running low on sleep *grin*.

Didn't get to do much the next day. The plan to take a look round Botanical Gardens had to be scrapped simply because I couldn't wake up in time. *ahem* 12.15pm *ahem*. Spent the afternoon bus-ing down to Ricc High to look up Parrotsai's application. The office ladies couldn't find it and so I paid the library a visit instead. Which was why I didn't hear nana's first call. Which was why I didn't return to Ricc High in time to get the confirmation letter. Turns out they found her application form and faxed nana about it... apparently Parrotsai must look super-young or something because they stuck her into the Year 9 bunch. -_-"'

Met T's parents the same afternoon as well. Yeah right, non-chatty he said. Good thing his dad could talk simply cos I just go tongue-tied when it comes to finding topics of conversation with those from other generations... Quite an educational afternoon as well if I might add, since it offers that of a different perspective from the good ole' psychiatrist's.

The Qantas domestic flight was brought forward in the morning. Which meant a long wait in between the domestic and international flights... a sleepy tiring drawn-out wait which was partially relieved by my laptop which unfortunately died only after an hour's use or so. Good thing Whitcoulls was open! :D

And yes, Pen is boiling hot at the moment. Can one expect otherwise anyway? Parrotsai remarked that I looked red this morning. Hahah! What d'ya know -- I can see the veins in my arms! Enough nonsense now, time to find some way to cool myself down. ;)

The Eagle Nebula taken by Hubble

Nothing much today. Spent the greater part of the morning continuing my packing. Most of the furniture is now moved down into the lounge at last. Minus C's desk and my bed and base. Which I plan to get down tomorrow. Did I mention that I plan to skip sleep tomorrow night as well? I'm still not sure about that but then I can't really be bothered to go to bed, not when I know I probably wouldn't be able to sleep much anyway. How can I? When I'm about to get home soon? But then busy days in Chch awaits me. For one thing I'll need to ask about Parrotsai's registration. Hopefully that one will go without a hitch. And I shall be able to pay a visit to that Ricc library. Last time I saw it, it was just nothing more than level ground with bits of wood here and there marking the start of the work. Thinking about it makes me miss Chch a lot. I miss Hagley Park, the Arts Centre, the Art gallery, the Square, the library, the Gardens... too bad the Czech pancake lady isn't there anymore. *shrug* Nothing's permanent I guess, and this is just more proof of that. Not that I need it anyway, I can see some flowers here and there starting to wilt already...

Should I carry my tape back home? I'm still debating the wisdom of doing that. On one hand, I want my parents to look at my (dubious) 'acheivements'. But then again, how long can a tape last in the humid heat? I don't want it to get mouldy either. But keeping it here... is there any point to it?

And I'm surprised at the lack of negative reaction from mum yesterday. Normally when the topic of me classifying myself as an atheist comes up, it's either a reaction of denial on mum's part, or a scolding along with the comment that I'm an egoistic bighead. Well, it's a welcome change for one. I guess mum realises at last that I am matured enough to figure out on my own what I believe (or don't believe) in. LOL!

My posters would have to start coming down soon too. Of them all, my faves are the one with the quote "To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance" (Oscar Wilde) and the "Love worth celebrating" one with the definition of Queer on it. "Queer is a word that describes both sexual and gender diversity" along with a short list of what comes under that heading of Queer. I wonder though, is it even possible to be TOTALLY straight or even gay? I tend to think that it's more of a (un?)even distribution, a continuum on the straight/gay-ness scale. I'm not one to go into details here, but with the double standards and the discrimination that's rife in most societies, I doubt if many of the so-called straights would even admit to themselves if they had the occasional slight feelings for that of the same sex...

And it's funny how easily my mood is affected by many things. Weather and music to name a few. Is C right when she said I'm too sensitive? I hate to think I'm one of those 'touchy' ones, but then my acting the Inquisition today could actually be taken that way? Ugh... I wonder if anyone feels like that? I know partly what drives it... at times at least... my insecurities. I don't know why I always feel like I'm never good enough for myself. Personally I'm not the one to care about what other people expect of me, but it's my own expectations of myself that always ends up making me disappointed in myself. As I was saying just yesterday, it doesn't matter what others think about how I'm like, it's what I feel about myself that matters most. Because in the end, it's not them that's stuck with this body, this mind, this attitude and whatever else. Because the only one that's going to be like me, is me and only me alone. Therefore my expectations of myself should come first and foremost. Pleasing the strict master that I am would then make me happy. But that's where the problem comes in. I am strict with myself. True, I've already cut myself some slack in the last few years. But then whenever I compare myself with what I was before, in my eyes, I have slipped even further away from being perfect... which is odd. I'm going the opposite way most people are going. Perhaps my ego is starting to shrink at last? So it'll fit in the potty now perhaps? But then, it's this race with myself inside me that's starting to tire me out. I know that what mum said is true, there's no such thing as being perfect. No one can be perfect. Sure, but then does that mean we shouldn't strive for perfection then? Are we to use it as justification, that it's not possible, to just let ourselves sink into the mud? I can't for one. Not even if Nana-nut talks to me until he's blue in the face, not even if electrotherapy or lobotomy is forced on me. To reach that ultimate pinnacle is my dream. I can be happy climbing up. Just that I get tired at times. But with a little rest, then the climbing can continue. We are allowed to dream after all.

Darn, I've let myself go on a rambling spree again! Yes, I wonder if I do prattle on too much at times... but then when the listener chooses to not take up the role of speaker, what can one do but prattle on? Better to prattle than face uncomfortable silences... the latter has got to be the worst of all... there I go again. I better stop before someone dies while reading this... HAHAH!

LOL

"Like all religions, the Faith of the Invisible Pink Unicorn is based upon both logic and faith. We have faith that they are pink; we logically know that they are invisible because we can't see them."

Not really much of a start on my plan, but better than nothing I guess. Feeling sleepy today. Looks I'm getting too old for the all-nighter thing! Packing still in progress. I can't tell how much I have left but somehow my room never seems to be getting any tidier or emptier. Yet the boxes keep on filling up... :S ... I've gotten rid of all the bedding now and have resorted to using the sleeping bag. But with the sudden lousy weather, will my bedding dry in time? Darn, should have started planning and washing earlier! Hopefully it'll dry by Tuesday evening!

Taken by someone in Madrid's botanic gardens.

The suggestion put forward that people should use the phrase 'my honour binds me to you' or something along those lines instead of 'having eyes' for one person alone has been niggling away at me because of what it means. I admit, the latter is a phrase that is pretty superficial and when one thinks about it, rather meaningless. But saying that honour binds people together seem to suggest that each are putting their own honour above their love for others. They are loyal simply because it is called for by society, that should they fail to keep it, then they would risk losing their honour. Where does love come into the situation then? Is it just about presenting a 'play' for others to watch, so that the applause would follow and thus maintain one's face and honour? So it could all be just a farce then? That the love is a lie to be believed by outsiders? But then again it could be genuine of course. That both components are complementary to each other...

Inconsistencies makes diagnosis harder, and commencement of effective treatment would end up delayed.

I've noticed, the more obssessed I am about it, the more lonely I'm starting to feel. Not that I'm indulging in anything yet. Seeing and learning about the side-effects scares me but the main result is attractive nontheless. Hiding is tiring though. Maintaining a strong facade when the base is starting to sound hollow is oh so difficult at times. My resolve is weak... can I deliver?

This was something I drew ages ago... last year? I can't remember. But the point is... the credit goes to me this time! Muahahahahhaha! I know I know, self praise is no praise... and I admit, it ain't the best drawing in the world either, but it's one of the few I drew with that programme that stayed with me this long! :D

Well, I succeeded in staying up all night. Then popped down to the bindery to give some backbone to a couple of booklets. Jan's was next, and then Nat's. And I've got my bus ticket back from Chch next year too. Arriving back in Dud in the afternoon, with hopefully enough time to move all the flat's furniture into the house by evening! Electricity should be less of a problem I should think. Grabbed couple of boxes off Countdown too. Not very big, and not very small, just of the right size I think, so that I don't break my arms when they're filled! Carrying them up the hill was exhaustive work, simply because my arms was practically horizontal whenever I carried them, and it was an uphill thing... need I say anymore?

I failed to carry out part of my plan upon arriving home. *shrug* I'm half beating up myself mentally and half comforting myself saying it's nothing... And I practically konked out until about close to 4pm. Then hung out my laundry and did the 2nd load. Hopefully they'll dry out soon and then they can be packed up and be out of the way. Darn... afternoon naps were always a bad idea as far as I am concerned... I'm feeling hot and even more tired than before. At least Airwaves' helping with that sick feeling in the stomach, courtesy of the nap... yipeee, packing can commence again! Chyi has gone back this morning. RJ and I saw her off. The pangs of homesickness is worse than ever. Less than a week now! YES YES YES!

I've just finished filling one box and a half... that's all I've got to show for my three hours or so of packing. Sigh... and if last year is anything to go by, I'm probably not even 1/3 through everything yet... *screams*

And while packing, a thought, not a new one mind you, (re-)struck me... but first, here's a paragraph from my PDS notes:

"Culture shapes risk of illness
As already mentioned different behaviours and habits affect the development of illness. High fat diets, low levels of exercise and high levels of stress play a part in the development of much of the morbidity in the Western World. There are many other examples of cultural practices that increase risk of illness. For example sexual practices such as anal intercourse or multiple casual sexual relationships have been found to be a significant factor in the spread of HIV in parts of Africa. One of the most widely quoted examples of a culturally determined disease is Kuru amongst members of a tribe in Papur New Guinea. Kuru is a neurodegenerative disorder transmitted through eating the brains of infected individuals after their death

Culture defines normality, health and illness
Behaviours and beliefs related to health are usualy learned in childhood and passed on from one generation to the next. All cultures have ethnomedical systems or beliefs about illness. In sme cultures such systems are intimately related to their religious belief systems, in others not... what is considered normal in one culture may be considered highly abnormal in another. This is the case for both physical and mental symptoms.
In 19th century European society affluent women were encouraged to be inactive, housebound and delicate in their constitution. Illness behaviours were encouraged and reinforced. Many women, in response, used hysterical symptoms such as fits, faints and funny turns to give themselves a degree of control over their lives and that of their family by using such behaviours in a manipulative way. Such behaviours were quite common and seen as norma. Tday such behaviour would not be deemed to be either appropriate or normal...."

So what? So the reality we know today is just made up of social norms then. And social norms are changing and certainly not set in stone then.

And thinking back to paper 3 this morning, oddly one of the cases we were tested on was about anorexia. Sure, anorexia and bulimia carries with it perceived risks and so on, and as a whole society tends to view them negatively (despite hypocritically promoting the idea that women should be stick thin to be beautiful), and despite the boom in the number of pro- sites, I've chanced across some sites which are petitioning for the former to be closed down. So here the question is, if health is something so subjective, why then the negativity surrounding ED? It's all based on what society deems as normal, as healthy, as good and what not. And how would society know what's good and what's not? It once condoned those funny turns and 'odd' behaviours of those affluent European women. A mistake in the eyes of our present generation. And besides, what these two sides value as health-ful is clearly 'different'. One says that ana/mia is just another lifestyle choice, and the other saying that it's BAD BAD BAD and is something that needs treatment. Listening to all nana, and those at the plenary session for the Bulimia integrative day certainly tells me enough what the medical profession thinks of ED. But then it's clearly that both are practising (vastly!) different cultures here. And what gives one the right to force a different culture upon another? Is it right to make lifestyle choices for others?

On the same note, can't the same be said of smokers? I know for one that if I ever develop a ED or took up drugs, or smoking, the well-meaning people around me for one are going to start pressuring me to seek out treatment. Where does autonomy come in then? I'll be perceived as unwell, but am I truly? It's just a different culture in practice, no? Who are we to judge the culture of others? They aren't eve comparable in the first place.

That's all I can think of for that at the moment. And I've decided I'm going to try and not sleep tonight. We'll see how that goes.

Another thing, is it just me or some sections of society don't mind portraying traitors and scum as heroes? The classic one I can think of is that H. Tuah. Why can he be revered still as a hero I don't know. In the olden days, that's understandable. When unquestioned loyalty to your leader comes first. But times have changed. It's important we remain loyal to our leaders and country, but I am of the opinion that friends should come first. That was what H. Jebat did after all. Protect his knave of a friend's honour and stood up for him (though I can't say I totally approve of the way he did it). And as a reward, died by being stabbed to death by his 'friend'. And we cheer the murderer? Something smells fishy here. Or is my nose being too sensitive. Or is this another case of judging someone based on the observer's culture?

Another one that I never understood is that of the Moses's story. Sure, he stood up for 'his people', but then shouldn't he owe his loyalty to the Royal family? What the heck, did all those years feeding him and treating him as one of the family not count anymore? Is C right saying that adoption is a bad idea then? Why is he regarded as the good one when he turned his back on his benefactors? Yes, the idea of greater good sounds nice of course, but where's one's sense of loyalty gone? What if I found out that I'm actually an alien? So I'll just kick my family in the a**e and join my new alien family? Despite their care and love all this while? Is love this cheap then, that it means almost nothing? Then again, I do realise that my talk is biased... I'm all for the ancient Egyptians, I'm an extreme family-first person, and *blah blah blah* figure the rest out yourselves...

All a bunch of crap born out of boredom...

And that's dinner for today. Took a whole two hours! *faints* Behold, the four little.. *ahem* piggies (?)... heh heh. The first sit-down flat dinner ever since we got together this year! Chyi's running off tomorrow morning, and I'll follow come Wednesday... I keep on saying I need to get a start on packing, but somehow that doesn't seem to happen...

MUAHAHAHAHHA ... MY EXAMS ARE OVER! GET READY TO WELCOME BACK GOD MANO-MANO! BOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE MY PRESENCE!

Hm... I can't see anyway to escape tomorrow's dinner. There goes my plans out the window. But considering it's going to be the last time this year out with my friends, my plans can hold I guess.

Last day before the last paper! Last day before I gain back my freedom! Less than a day before I get to go out and play!

*ahem*

So I've called Contact now, and RJ will have to make a call with the meter reading before she leaves. I've elicited $30 from both XL and Ch now, only RJ left to get it from. I've written and posted my last letter to my grandparents before I head home. I've sent in the second form that Studylink has sent out to me. My application has been sent in and now awaits processing. I'll walk up to J's this Sat morning to reclaim ownership of my calculator. I need to start planning how to pack up my stuff which has probably grown over this last few months. I still have yet to get rid of that toaster ovenette, but then again do I care? Since we're leaving everything here in this house. That reminds me, I'll have to get hold of my landlord for this year and ask him about that. And also my landlord for next year, so that I know when and how to get my keys. What else? I need to get down the numbers for the professional movers too. Hmm.... so much to think about. Had I known before I signed the lease for the new flat that it would be such a hassle to move, I might have given it another thought. As if! *rolls eyes*

Help me! I can't sit down to do any serious work! And yes, I need to get some beef for tomorrow too. Or I might just decide to not toe the line and get something else instead?? We'll see how keen I am on odd tastes tomorrow...

Here's something fun :D ... something I think most M2's would be needing today... Arrgh... how can they be so cruel? To throw in such a big bunch of Cardio related stuff today? And kidney... again! Didn't we get stuff on that already on Monday?! *screams* [should I add in *faints*?? Nah... too sissy-fied/ undignified! LOL!] What else did they ask? Ah yes, Respiratory stuff too. That wasn't too bad. Though asking what the pleural rub detected on Mrs. C's left thorax signified stumped me for quite a bit... I gave two answers, the second one which I think is more probably came to me at practically during the last hour... or last minute I should say instead?! Aaand... when did the parietal pleura gain subdivisions?? Hm... *frowns* Genetics stuff today was mainly about genetic testing. Not sure what I should be talking about, but I scribbled some stuff down which was partly made up, and partly fragments of stuff that I read the last time I covered that module... and I found myself repeating my answers for a few questions here and there. Should I be worried about that I wonder? My poor little strands of noodles... I've squeezed them so dry I wonder if there's any more juice in them that can be squeezed out for Friday now...

To add to this as a side note, why was Eureka's chips much saltier than I remembered today?? Less herby more salty this time :(

More goop was concocted in the kitchen today... Twas meant to come out as nice lovely ... tomato-ey porridge... but the addition of egg when it wasn't hot enough, and when it was too sticky already, and stirring it too early and too much, resulted in a whitish-reddish (good thing not pinkish!) pot of grub that did not appear to have any egg in it. And I think I've made this mistake before too. *winces*

And flat dinner this Friday! :D and on a lighter note, one more paper to go only! Then packing, then home! *ahem, then to carry out my threats on the parrotsai* And darn, plans not going well... how am I to reach my target I don't know... still a wannabe wannabe wannabe...

These are some of the little bits and pieces that come into my inbox occasionally. I can't remember how they got into my inbox in the first place, but I've this feeling that it's probably a relic from my last visit to Tzi Chi with mum. Personally, I've nothing against organized religion. It's great that each and everyone out there have something that they can believe or find comfort in. I just don't wish to subscribe to any of the ones out there at the moment. Pardon me if I say that not everyone fits into a mould, and also I believe that it's possible to live by one own's rules and lead a... largely virtuous (I dare not say wholly virtuous simply because I don't believe that humans are capable of doing as such, anyone who says otherwise needs to open their eyes a little more) life as well. And yes, I've decided at last to stop going to W now, simply because I don't believe, and I think I should stop giving people hope and to stop being such a pretender. So there. And I chanced upon a few sites yesterday, and yes, Buddhism can be considered more of a way of life rather than a religion (but dare you say that when one of the Rukun specifically implies that you MUST have a religion...) and also some other stuff on Ramadan that I found rather interesting and educational. I still do admire their discipline in undertaking such a feat!

But that's not the point of this post. I'm more interested in the two pictures above this time. The first I agree whole-heartedly. I do think it would be smashing to be able to live a totally carefree life, where I can play all day and not have to worry about all the other mundane things in life. But then that would defeat the purpose of living. Achieving happiness is the goal of each and every person's life (if your goal is otherwise, let me know. I would dearly love to meet you.) but then if we pass every moment just being carefree, after a while, would it still seem as carefree? One would get used to it, and then it'll just be reduced to being normal. So with responsibilities, we do get stress and worries and what nots, but at least when it comes at last the time to shake off the burden, we would appreciate what it's like to be happy.

The second one however, I find a bit odd. True, if we brushed off every 'careless remark' (note the use of ' ') uttered by others simply because yes, I find it hurtful, and he/ she can't be that cruel to mean to hurt me, so I shouldn't take it too seriously and smile in response, then yes, we would probably not feel upset at all everytime such a thing happens. But then is that actually possible? And assuming it's possible, think again of the remark... “in the mind, as in physical nature around us, nothing happens by chance, or in a random way” [Charles Brenner, M.D.]. It could be a Freudian slip of the tongue perchance? A Freudian slip, or parapraxia, is an error in human action, speech or memory (unintentional acts) that is believed to be caused by the unconscious mind. So what if the remark is unintentional? It reflects what is in the subconcious mind of the person uttering it. Sure, it wouldn't matter for some things, like wether at the back of Person X's mind you're a d***head (if you're the sort of person who just doesn't care what other people think of you, that is), but what if it was something more serious? What if when one declares his/her utmost obedience, loyalty and blah blah de blah to you, he/she by accident utters someone else's name instead? Are you just playing substitute (in which case you should be worried!) or was it truly an innocent slip (if it can be innocent in the first place that is) and you're making a mountain out of a molehill? .... yes, life might be easier if one lived in a Harry Potter like world, where mind-reading can be possible at times (or so I like to believe)...

And here ends my nonsensical rambling for the day. Too-de-loo!

Right, now that was yesterday's post. Stupid Blogger decided to let me post at last it seems *rolls eyes*

Neways, first of the three papers today. Started at 12.50pm. 5 minutes later than it was meant to. And they've put the journal/ epi questions into today's paper. Whoopee! At least that one is out of the way now. They seem to allocate a rather lot of space and time to each question, which I didn't really have much to write about. Unless you want me to spin long lengthy boring stories which aren't true. Speaking of which, I had no choice but to generate one for the question about Mr. So-so's metabolic acidosis (which I hope it is!). And thanks to the invigilators, I originally thought we were scheduled to finish at 3.50pm, which had me rushing through quite a bit. Only to later stop and think, 'wait, what the heck?!'. By then they had changed the time to 4.50pm again. Grr... if I fail paper 1 I would know who to hold accountable for. LOL, excuses for my lame-ness as usual!

Next I have to find out which of my friends aren't going back for the summer, and I must get an answer from Q wether PA wants the toaster oven or not. It's not like I'm selling it too! *shrug* if not I might as well get a bit of pocket money out of it by making a trip down to Cash Converters, just that the thought of them getting hold of the ovenette kills something inside me.

What to do tonight now? I'm in no mood to study... and it's 4 more days, 2 more papers to hols! Wait, my packing will have to be done first. And I've only got 3/4 days to do it. Hm.... busy busy busy times ahead...


And K.L., this is for you! See what's in the background! LOL LOL LOL!

Couldn't post this yesterday for some reason or other. But yes, what I had wanted to say was I wanted this hairstyle, the one on the right! Arrgh! Slightly less than two weeks more before I get to do something about the tangly web atop my head! Yippee!!

And last day before the start of the first of the three papers I am to sit. I don't know why, but I'm feeling less nervous now. Super nervous just a few days before, resulting in me drinking copious amounts of water (I probably hit 3 litres plus... :S Good thing my kidneys are working!) and now I guess it's the calm before the storm?? Or just worn out already. After all, that's what it said in PDS, there's only so long before your body falls apart under chronic stress... eeps! And the count is now at 3. Ulcers I mean. Two next to the... frenulum?? in the vestibule, and another somewhere near one of my molars. Bummer. Just as well nothing's showing itself near my eyes yet *whew*!

Picture for today is from a cattle fair in Rajasthan. Credits to whoever took it, the colours are gorgeous!

^_^ guess whose writing is it? Free liposuction for her when I am qualified and registered

+ stuff that would remain stored away in my noodles simply because I didn't have a camera on me -_-" ... and yes, this post is for me to 'brag' ^_^ See the handiwork of the highly creative team [names on the back ;) ] *proud* and another 'puppy' *hehe*