I spent last night watching tennis matches from Australian Open that I taped. Realise I haven't been watching tennis matches on TV for quite a while..ok..almost a year. The last time I watched tennis on TV was the French Open, I think, when Ferrero won. I've missed so many good matches! It was good to watch Safin-Agassi semifinal though. It was a brilliant match with so many winners, though it's a pity that only 3 sets were shown. Anyway, Henin has just won her third grand slam, again by beating Clijsters in the final. Would have preferred Clijsters to win, but obviously Justine was playing too well. Ah..can't wait for the men's singles final tomorrow, between Safin and Federer. It should be a great match.
Anyway, I'm so glad that Monday's a holiday. It's been a long and tiring week and I just need a break somewhere. Training's been really tough. We did PT on Wednesday and I still had like muscle pain till today. Luckily, we played a doubles match today, so didn't really have to do drills or anything like that. But the match was also very long, we were all just wishing it would end. In the end me and gillian won 9-8. But gosh..it was really hot out there, and I couldn't even see the ball properly when I was serving.
Been having sore throat this week. Not really a sore throat, more likely a little bit of cough. Feel really guilty for making my mum will really worried about my health. I think she's just scared that I'd have to go see a doctor again and take antibiotics. Last year, I went to the doctor at least 5 times. Hmm..anyway..I really have no idea why I'm down with cough. I don't think I ate too many CNY goodies or anything. My mum is now like telling me to drop S papers so that I wouldn't be too stressed out or anything. I'm already planning to drop them anyway, but maybe I'll just see how it goes first.
Anyway, the new American Idol series has started. I haven't really been watching the first few episodes - they're like mainly auditions. I prefer to watch the later episodes. But I've to agree that these few episodes are really hilarious. The funniest was that Chinese, or is it Hong Kong, guy who sang She Bangs. Randy was like covering his eyes cos the guy danced really terribly. Haha. But at least he didn't sing out of tune and his attitude was OK. Can't wait for the new Survivor series to start on Monday. This time, it's gonna be an all-star one, so it'll be really interesting.
I'm right now following the MU vs Southampton Match. It's now halftime and the score is 2-1. And Louis Saha has scored his first goal in his debut match. Am feeling really high now. MU'd better win this match..or else..they'll really spoil my mood.
My father came here for dinner last night and he went back this afternoon after lunch, less than 24 hours after he came here last night. I'm just wishing that he could have stayed here longer. I must really really try to spend more time with my family, and not take my family for granted, like I used to do sometimes in the past.
Anyway, my mum asked me today what I plan to do next year while waiting to go to uni. Frankly, I've been thinking about that for a while. I've no concrete plans yet, but I've a few things in mind. I want to get baptised and before that, I would have attend the classes again. I've actually attended the classes last year, but I don't feel comfortable getting baptised without attending the classes again, because I fell asleep in some of them last year. Was just too tired after training to go for the classes last year. Another thing that I want to do is to get my driving license and to learn Chinese, of course. But not in China or Taiwan as my parents suggested. I'm also thinking of getting a job somewhere, but I'm not sure about that yet. Oh well..I'll just see what the future holds.
I'm just so happy that the new year has finally arrived. Haha..not that it means much to me anyway, since I don't really have any visiting to do. I'm looking forward more to the fact that there'll be holidays till Monday. Gosh..how I long for the holidays to come, kind of getting tired of school. Sigh..enough said. Decided to change the blog skin cos it's a new year. Hehe. But I'll miss my old skin.
Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
WHEREVER YOU WILL GO (The Calling)
So lately been wondering
Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone, you'll need love
To light the shadows on your face
If the great wave shall fall
It'd fall upon us all
And between the sand and stone
Could you make it on your own
[Chorus]
If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low
I'll go wherever you will go
And maybe, I'll find out
The way to make it back someday
To watch you, to guide you
Through the darkest of your days
If the great wave shall fall
It'd fall upon us all
Well I hope there's someone out there
Who can bring me back to you
[Chorus]
Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love
I know now, just quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart and your mind
I'll stay with you for all of time
[Chorus]
If I could turn back time
I'll go wherever you will go
If I could make you mine
I'll go wherever you will go
I'll go wherever you will go
My mind is in a rather bewildered state right now. There are just so many things on my mnd now that I'm left confused. Sigh..I think I shouldn't be thinking too much about stuff.
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Saviour.
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.
- Habakkuk 3:17-19
The J1's Orientation Campfire was fun..though it was quite boring at times. I got quite tired after doing the mass dances, singing the songs (i didn't understand anything I sang, just read all the hanyu piyin..hehe..) and my voice also went hoarse after cheering like tons of times. It was fun wearing my dear MG uniform again - I really miss wearing it - and seeing other people not in HC uniform. I think our juniors' item rocks and they should have won. But I don't think I know my juniors well yet. As in I can recognise their faces but I still haven't been able to match their names to their faces yet. And I don't think they recognise me either...
Anyway I had training today, which was super extremely tiring. We had our first training with our new coach, and since my stamina sucks, it wasn't surprising that I got really tired during training. Anyway training on a Saturday afternoon sucks, but we cannot do anything about it, since the coach wants it that way. Sigh...
It feels strange to be a senior now, and it also feels strange to be back in school again. Sigh..I really miss the holidays badly, but who doesn't? First day back at school and those evil teachers told us that we'd have a test. It's good that it's over already. And we got to meet our juniors just now. I keep on forgetting all those Chinese names, as usual. I'm really hopeless with Chinese names.
Anyway, I finally went to watch LOTR: The Return of the King on Saturday with Bernice. Before that, we met up with some of her friends for lunch, which was quite fabulous. Anyway, to say that the movie was excellent would be an understatement. I think the movie deserves to win many Oscars, even though the ending got quite draggy. But then again, I didn't really want it all to end. I was quite touched by certain parts, especially the ending. And I was also quite scared at certain parts. Not surprising, considering I'm a person who gets easily scared. I would close my eyes at Frodo's parts, when the score got really deafening, and I would feel quite relieved when Aragorn and Gandalf came on because I knew that nothing bad would happen to them. Hehe. Such silliness. But I love the movie to death! And I'm going to buy the extended DVD. And maybe try to convince my brothers to start watching LOTR too.
Something that crossed my mind: I wanted to watch Return of the King as the last movie of last year, but I ended up watching it as the first movie of this year. And if I only consider movies that I watched in the cinema last year, then the last movie I watched last year would be The Matrix Revolutions. Which means that the last movie I watched last year and the first movie I watched this year are both the last installment of a trilogy. Hehe. Some crap...
We went to Perth with a few other relatives from 25-29 December. Perth is a relatively quiet place, but we went there during Christmas and Boxing Day, when all the shops were closed. It was not as hot as I expected it to be. It was like 40 degrees on the first few days, but the temperature went down over the weekend. And gosh..there were many flies, multitude of them, they're like everywhere, but I think they only appear when the temperature is really high. The trip though, is downright memorable.
We first went to the Pinnacles, this desert-like place with projections of sand stones. It was about 3 hours' drive on this 4 Wheel Drive vehicle, but we only stayed at the Pinnacles for a while, because the temperature was very high and there were too many flies. But the trip was unforgettable because the vehicle broke down three times. It was all because one of the tyres had problems (and it was that same tyre all the time) and on the third time, the engine broke down too, so we had to wait a while before the engine started again. I think it was because it was really extremely hot.
Next day, we went to Fremantle. We ate lunch at this place called Kailis I think; it's like a fast-food restaurant selling seafood and there were a few stalls. Anyway, while we were having lunch, there was a fire at one of the stalls. I didn't really see the fire, only this column of smoke rising up, not that thick though. Then, the people there started clapping, which was quite funny. After a while, there were some firemen that came to try and extinguish the fire; it took quite a while. What is memorable about Fremantle is the "yellow boat", well that's what we called it. It's actually this extreme tour boat ride through the Indian Ocean. We were brought out into the ocean for a while and we were able to enjoy the beautiful view. The boat went very fast and the strong winds blew against your face. It was really fun and exciting, with the waves making the ride quite bumpy. But it's fun. We went there on Monday again to ride the boat. Hehe. Then, we had dinner at this place called Lone Star Steakhouse. What is so unique about the place is that every half hour, those waiters and waitresses that are not on duty would dance this cowboy dance with very loud music. It was really entertaining to watch them while you're eating. My two little cousins liked the dances so much they started following them too. Anyway, they wanted to go back to that place on Monday night (they left Perth later than us), but they found out that apparently the restaurant had closed down because it'd gone bankrupt. Lone Star has a few branches, so I'm not sure whether it's only one place or the whole chain that actually closed down.
We had a chance to go to a chocolate factory on Sunday. They gave a few samples and yes, I ate all of them, plenty of times, love chocolate! Then we went to this farm. We had lunch there and they gave us kangaroo meat to sample, which had a similar taste to beef. We had dinner at Burswood Resort, which is actually famous for its casino. There's an upcoming tennis tournament, the Hopman Cup, which is supposed to be held there. The tournament only starts tomorrow..and me and my tennis-crazy brothers and father have missed the chance to watch the players live. Bummer (as Nicole would say).
The buses in Perth are quite similar to the Trans Island buses here. Except that they've got special features for the disabled people, like lower places for the bells to press so that they can get down the bus, and also speakers to speak to the driver. What's unfair is that there, bus rides within the city are free! So you can just hop on the bus and not pay at all. Oh well..
Today is New Year's Day and school starts tomorrow. The holidays are over just like that. I hate it that the holidays are over quickly, but I guess we've got to move on. As usual, I've been doing my homework last minute..I just finished them in fact. I know I made a promise to myself, obviously I broke it. I mean it's holidays and who wants to do work right? Anyway, I've made my New Year resolutions, but I find myself making the same ones year after year. I don't think I'll be able to fulfil my resolutions (if not I won't be repeating them right), but who knows?
G'day mate..