Learner's Permit. Again?

I finally got off my lazy bum and arranged for an appointment for my driving learner's permit test. It's next Tuesday (6 May).

We aren't allowed to transfer Malaysian drivers' licenses to the Australian one. I personally think this is a sucky rule, not to mention a very biased one, when Singaporean ones are allowed to be transferred over, hence exempting them from doing the whole learning test and probationary period thing. Oh, and the US drivers' licenses can be transferred over without any problems too. What gives? Those fellas drive on the other side of the road!

So right now, I'll have to study for the "undang" test before I do the actual driving test. In retrospect, it's been exactly 10 years since I did the whole driving test thing. It was in Malay, and I had to sit through six bloody hours of video and some fella droning on about traffic safety. Thank God I don't have to do that here. Phew.

Effective 1 July 2008, all probationary licenses are extended to an extra year, which means I'll be stuck with a P license (with the P sticker on the car) for THREE years! No use trying to book an appointment with VicRoads before then. Everything is fully booked; everyone wants to get theirs done before the changeover. Gah.

Well, back to my "undang" book.

Weirdest rule? Hook turns. I still don't get it :(

Meeting The Geekchic

After all the emails and text messages to and fro, the Geekchic and I finally made plans to meet up at South Yarra for coffee today. I had no idea what to expect; she was really friendly over the messages, but who knows what she's like in real life. You know what I mean?

I was absolutely delighted that she's equally (if not more) lovely in person.

We actually arranged to meet up at around 5pm today. Since I arrived early and had time to kill, I thought I'd take a stroll along Chapel St and browse the shops first. It was such a coincidence that we bumped into each other in the Bloom store she told me about!

Now I've never met Geekchic before, but as we had over an hour of coffee and cake, we started chatting about anything and everything like we've been friends for years. Talked about shopping (oh we are such shopping addicts!), makeup, perfume, work, life, etc. Suffice to say, I had such a great time with her. Another coffee session soon, yeah?

So yay for me, I've made another friend here *big grin*.

Me Knitted Scarf

Is it sad that I know how to knit? If not, then what is sad (or sadder) is that I only know how to knit scarves. I have no idea how to knit anything else. Quite frankly, I don't have the patience to. A college lecturer taught my friend and I to knit during one of our Moral Education lessons. We started off with a scarf. Do you know how long it took me to knit that bloody scarf?

FIVE months. With many holes to boast too.

I brought that scarf with me to the UK, but I never did wear it because I was afraid I'd dirty it. It took me five months to make it, dammit. So, it stayed in the cupboard for 3 years before I brought it back to Malaysia.

Fast forward 10 years, and I still only know how to knit a scarf. BUT, behold a whole new record.

Six days.

This is what happens when you have way too much time in your hands. Still, it'd be great for those winter-y days and nights.

Hmm ... what colour should I do next?

Most Expensive Steak Ever

We went to Rockpool Bar and Grill for dinner last night. As it was a very popular restaurant, we could only make reservations for dinner at 10pm. And I had what is the most EXPENSIVE piece of steak I have ever. EVER.

AUD110 for a 220g Wagyu fillet steak.

Absolutely succulent piece of cow EVER! No sauce was needed with it; it was just the meat. Sweet. I'm trying to hold it all in, avoiding the loo just to make it all worth the money. I think you know what I mean. We left the restaurant at 12.30am. It was definitely the latest I've ever had dinner.

Hello instant noodles for the next few months. But bloody hell, it was absolutely worth it.

Good Mother, Bad Mother

A week ago, I was at Chadstone for the launch of the Zac Posen collection for Target. After my stint at Target, I was just browsing the shops, when two young mothers (probably in their early twenties) were walking past me with their daughters. The daughters were around 6 to 8 years old, and one of them was fretting and crying. The little girl wasn't wailing at the top of her lungs (I hate it when parents who allow their children to scream and shout in public places); she was merely sobbing.

The mother dragged her along, pulling her arm, and kept shouting at her "shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!!". When her daughter wouldn't move, she forcefully pulled her arm, and kept telling her to shut up. It was a very unpleasant sight which caught the attention of many, but they just moved along as if nothing has happened. The friend did not even react; it was as though the shouting at the child was the most natural thing in the world.

That got me thinking. Oh my God, what if I turned out like that? Would I be a horrible mother too?

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not pregnant, and I don't intend to be, not in the next couple of years anyway. We're not financially and emotionally ready to have children just yet. This works well for me because to be honest, I'm just not into kids.

I don't know what to do with them. I cannot stand screaming babies or children. I don't know how to talk to them. I don't know how to even be with them. I'm not comfortable with children around because I just have no idea when it comes to them.

Those close to me know how hot-tempered I can be. I've literally beaten my lil' brother up when I was much younger. I don't know if I'd have the patience to teach my own. It's a very frightening thought, putting myself in that mother's shoes, screaming at her own daughter to keep quiet.

It is not a surprise that I grew up with the rotan (cane). I can't remember the number of times my mum whooped my ass when I was younger. I bet I wasn't the only one. As long as you're Asian, you would have had your ass rotan-ed when you were growing up. My mum would whack me just on my arms and legs, and never on my bottom. Her rationale was that the marks could not be seen on my bum, but they were visible on my legs. That way, I'd really learn my lesson when I was questioned by my peers about the cane marks. Believe me, it worked. Nothing shamed more than the jeers of your peers at that age.

Now that I'm living in Australia, and would be starting a family here, the use of a cane would be out of the question, lest I want child services knocking on my door for alleged child abuse. Would I know how to discipline my children in any other way other than with the rod? I don't know, I really don't. Would I be a horrible mother if I used it? Would I be better or worse if I don't?

It's a thinker, all right.

Nevertheless, in time, I know the maternal instincts will kick in. I just hope it won't take too long.

Note: This is not to scare you into keeping your children away from me. I won't beat them up :)

Matchy-matchy Slippers

My bedroom slippers had holes on the heels due to the funny way I walk and put my weight on. Since our apartment's living area isn't carpeted, it's very cold walking barefoot on the wooden floors. Kmart was having a buy-one-get-one-at-half-price for slippers, so hubby and I thought we'd get matching slippers this time. Altogether now, awwwww .... :p

I just had to get the Big Kahuna (half-nekkid Homer) *wink wink*.

Sigh

Update (10.11pm): The other hi fin has also passed on. I have a strong feeling we bought a sickly batch of hi fin swordtails. It was a difficult moment, trying to determine if the lil' fella was still alive because there was a lot of spontaneous jerky movements. My guppies and zebra danios are still kickin' it well, so it's not the water. Gah.

One of my "babies" bit the dust today. Only after four days in her new home.

The pregnant one.

:(

Our Family Has A New Addition

Here's a very warm welcome to the latest additions to the family!

Yep, Tim and I are now proud "parents" of 8 fishes. We actually wanted a dog, but due to our current living conditions, that's out of the question. So for now, we're contented with our little swimmers.

Fishes sure are expensive here, to own or even to eat. A guppy would normally cost me around RM2 back in Malaysia, but it's AUD4 here. Eight fishes cost us almost AUD30. Crazy or not, you say?

For now, there are two yellow guppies, one spotty guppy (I call it that just because it has spots; I'm sure it's not what it really is), two hi fin swordtails, two zebra danios and a sucker catfish. Our sucker catfish is just about the most active sucker I've ever come across. The little fella darts around the aquarium very often, rather than just plaster its mouth to the glass.

I have a strong feeling we also purchased a pregnant hi fin swordtail. Her belly is pretty big compared to the male, and is always in one corner by the plants. I read that fishes often eat their fry. Euuuw.

Anyways, we bought hardy fishes, so they should last us for a while. The problem is that we seriously overfeed the fish. When I wake up, I feed the fish. When Tim wakes up, he also feeds the fish. In the afternoon, when I'm bored, I feed the fish. When Tim returns home from work, he feeds the fish, just for the heck of it. Plus I've got a tank of greedy lil' buggers, so they'll eat whenever they can.

It's no wonder there's a whole lotta shit at the bottom of the tank.