It is really terrible day and my heart fall off the lowest point as I saw my colleague who was working in the same team go as the company is carrying out the third round of redundancy. She told me she will be awarded a trophy at company Xmas party thanks to her 5 year great contribution to company. Heck! Meanwhile, another close female colleague had served the company for 11 years left....by this week I will see more and more colleagues in the same trench be off..... To be honest, I never feel that bad as if the family member is leaving. I don't want to use the word CRUEL to describe this company practice because it is far more than that. Although I have kept telling myself: something bad doesn't mean always bad, it would bring you a turning point to better life and even some kind of experiences could make you grow up mentally, I have to say it is really painful experience, which is a sort of torture could be hardly described. I would say it is the first time for me to go through it that I never had before. I underwent in a company that had redundancy every 1-2 years, but never ever came through 3 times redundancy within a few months in a company. That kind of feeling is fairly complicated when you see it, combining pain of losing fellow, disappointment with the company, horror of future...this global financial recession not only has impacted on global finance, but also bring people's mental disturbance. Now it is in summer in Australia, but I believe many people feel in severe winter in their minds.

 

Anyway, you would think I am still survive and I should be happy, but I don't feel any safe at all, I know I would probably be the next soon it is said company can’t stave off business downturn and the situation will be worse and worse until next March or later. Actually to prepare for might-be unemployment, I have paid attention to available vacancies but the labour market has been pretty quiet. The number of cut-off jobs is far exceeding that of new positions put into labour market. 

 

However through this suffering, it might make you see and think the life from different angle, what we could do is not worrying about tomorrow, but more cherishing your life, family and all that you have. Hope that the tougher time is, the stronger you become.

Came back from a few day smashing holiday at a costal town, I haven’t got used to Sydney, a big city’s crowding and liveliness until now. Remember initially I landed Australia, looking out from the airplane, I was disappointed with the below view of Sydney that didn’t have numberless skyscrapers and broad roads while Beijing did. Maybe foreign countries’ image in my mind took it granted what they could have looked like New York in picture. But this time that the airplane was landing Ballina airport, there was absolutely different feeling about quiet and small Ballina’s airport with only a combined departure entrance/arrival exit. I was stark amazed by its surrounding with rainforests and lawns, at airport where you could see cows and horses browse next to the fence of airport, which was the smallest airport I have had been. I like it. I reckon I am more and more adaptable for Australian environment.

 

As to my beautiful days at Ballina and Byron Bay, there is no word could express my excitement about natural scenes and extreme appreciation for Penny. I got intensively zealous hospitality from her family who offered free accommodation, dinners, driving and trip guide. It couldn’t be happier to go playing, strolling, shopping, accompanied with beloved gal pal. Although we were busy to go around achieving scheduled daily trip, chick chats were really conductive to healing my bloody fatigue. Without Penny’s delicate arrangements, I wouldn’t be that enjoyable. Therefore I am very grateful for her, Chris and Emelie but any kiss on the face can’t work out how much I love them and thank them.

 

We went to places as many as possible within less than four days. Here they are: Lennox Head is close to Ballina and has great stand to look out wavily seawater. Unfortunately we met hugely windy day and almost blown down by gale, but I had to say it was no doubt wonderful view when we were at the look-out of Lennox head. Thursday Plantation has a diverse range of tee tree oil products that are good for people’s relaxing. At the shop, we bought tee tree oil lipGuards and macadamias. BTW, I finally bought two crystal stones that were supposed to be right for me as it turned into warm after I held them 30 seconds. It was magic, wasn’t it? Shelly’s Bay is a place that you could find a lot fun through swimming and surfing. You wouldn’t believe it was the first time I put on swimsuit to run into the sea in Australia, because I don’t know how to swim and never got involved in the sea before. Byron Bay is absolutely paradise as it has been puffed off on the air and doesn’t live up to expectation of tourists who are from the whole world. Especially Byron Bay that is locked place for many newly-wed Australian couples to tie the knots, so I have lots of to say and don’t want to stint sweet words about it. We spent a day at Byron Bay in going to Light House, the town and beach. Lighthouse is thought to be fact that geographically it is the most easterly point in Australia. When you stand up the top of that lighthouse you just can’t get any further. It would be best place to see sunrise in Australia due to its location. Coastline is so unique and attractive that allows you to nurture your soul, flex your muscle, let you go, breath deep and relax particularly as you sit on the beach. I guess that’s why the famous American female singer Pink wants to buy a residential property in here. In the town, we couldn’t miss shopping around and seeing what kind of stuff allures travellers to pay for. Anyway, it was bizarre that it was hard to see Asian people while I could hear all kind of languages at the streets. Probably easterners and westerners have different tastes, who knows? I shot some pictures at those lovely places and uploaded the Ballina and Byron photo album and hope you would more understand what I have described.

 

A haunting holiday has gone, leaving no regret but more aspiration for next  destination…..

There has been a reality TV show MAKE ME A SUPERMODEL on Channel 7, I occasionally watched it as it always had time conflict with my dinner cooking time, but it got my attention to who had eliminated after each episode. It was definitely cruel for those young girls and boys to be dumped as they had devoted all to the battle. It is a challengeable game indeed and needs to be gone through multiple relentless testings. I would like to applaud every participant for their bravery and endeavour, especially the last ones are still surviving on the show with their extraordinary strength and perseverance. Guess what? Last Sunday, it was coincidence to meet the last six at Bondi Junction Shopping Centre when I was shopping. I couldn’t help snapping the pictures after got permission of TV show organiser. I am content although the distance between them and me was not close enough to have clearer photos. As an ‘OLD WOMAN’, what a little shame I look like a super fan of those amateur supermodels.

 

I was stunned when I overlooked broad and crystal clear sea in the airplane, doubly blown away by the view of flourish woods and greenbelt as the plane was landing. Wooow! I arrived in Ballina/ Byron Bay where I looked forward to for decades. I reckoned I would have fantastic days in the next days. Lovely bays are waiting for me, endless white sands are hailing me, holiday house is ready for me to be enjoyed, dear friends are welcoming me arrival…..I have been sick of big city’s life, recent financial pressure, bloody office political, company’s cutting-down cost policy and the third round of redundancy, this trip is like glimmer of hope to inspire me to think what kind of life I should have and how to create my favourite life style. Let me momently forgetting unstable and uncertain circumstance coming and enjoy the brief but brilliant time. I love you, Ballina!

I was meant to behave myself, but I wasn't. Today I couldn't help saying F word after finished a wrangle with someone and hung up the phone. You know, sometimes it is hard to control yourself as you get freaked out by some bully or offensive words. So saying swearing words quietly could temporally release your anger a little bit. This time, I didn't speak out that word like last time, so it was already a big step for me! Actually I didn't tend to wittingly remember this word and try to use it, it unconsciously came to my memory as ceaselessly heard it from others around. It is kind of contagion. If she/he gets sneeze, I might get sneeze; if she/he gets yawn, you might get yawn. Sorry, maybe I am looking for an excuse of why I had to speak it. I know, the correct way I should do is far away from F word eternally, not speaking out, not saying in mind. As a good girl, this kind of word definitely damages her image. I should have remained my glamour in front of others not showing off moody or naughty side. What can I do? The first thing I can do is, using alternative of F word, such as sugar! Shoot! etc. Secondly, trying not to get angry easily by bloody hassel. Working is working, it is not worthy to kill my lovely brain cells for it. Next time, if confronting similar sort of thing, I might need to take a deep breath to calm down and adjust my mind immediately. I know it is very hard to do but have to do. Thirdly, Guess what? improving my English instantly up to the level that I can get the run upon the other party who is English native speaker as argue with her/him. Don't say I am mental. I would feel successful as I beat down someone on the phone. I mean I should have words sounded not only explicably but inspiringly and pass on to her/him fleetly. To achieve it, I must be able to completely understand what the opponent said, precisely get the point of it, mercilessly point out his/her inferior position, convey my standpoint straightway. Meanwhile, I also need to strength my oral English to make it frequently as much as possible. Go for good English, go for winning squabbling. Am I crazy, huh? probably......

I was never ever concerned about finance status like now as it is intimately connected with me. American finance crisis is widely affecting global economy that is slowing down. In Australia, faltering stock is frustrating a majority of shareholders, weakness of Australian dollars is convulsing small business owners, increasing living cost is making consumers compare prices among supermarkets before buying necessary grocery……Then, government has to do something to salvage deteriorating economy and inspire people’s confidence to the ruling party, e.g. cutting-down interest rate seems to be smoothing home loaners' finance pressure, especially Reserve Bank announcement about 1% interest rate drop-down, it is blowing me away. If you are having or will have loan, you would understand what I am saying. Seeing interest rate up and down would make you feel unsteady although the interest rate might be changed slightly and there is not apparent influence on your life, but it is more like a string dragging you always. After all, nobody likes suffering more financial burden.

As a common people, it is better to stuff cash under the mattress nowadays to face future uncertain economic situation. I already start thinking any buffer way possible to try to pay the products I need as late as possible and take some reasonable actions, such as getting some domestic appliances stand-by until Xams sales, forgetting some unhurried stuff I look forward to purchasing, ignoring the brand as far as having good price even though I am a big brand chaser. Meanwhile, I am forming a habit not to buy the clothes or other girly stuff right after I love it at the first sight, but wait the time to be discounted. Besides, I mentally get prepared for might-be price increase. In Australia, most of household items are dependent on imports, the money in your pockets would be gone easily as the exchange rate between AU$ and US$ going down followed by possible grocery price increase. Look, I am ready for family finance crisis. :-)

 

However, to keep current life quality, I still don't abandon my eating hobby that I like spending time at the table and trying various tastes cuisines. Something you would like to temporally put aside, something you wouldn't, right? Life can’t lose its enjoyable and colourful. Of course, I would like to learn how to have fun with money as less as possible.

I rapidly grabbed the last OK magazine coming with Kyle Sandilands and Tamara Jaber's 10 pages wedding pictures at a newsstand in the Central station on the way home after work. I had been a bit worried about it clear-out since the morning as I heard that a listener called Kyle the magazine was sold out with twinkle at a news booth just after it was issued in the morning. I believed there were thousands of Kyle's fans were excited and very itchy for it since Kyle gave out his wedding pictures would be published in two magazines----OK and Women's Day. A great number of listeners and audiences were obsessed by Kyle’s sense of humour, so they were extremely curious how his wedding would be and who he would be in the wedding.

"You change the way I look to the friends, you change the way I look to life, you change the way I look to love....." that was what Kyle said to Tamara. I was shedding the tears when I heard it on the air. Their love story had got me attention for decades and I couldn't wait to see what they would say and do on their special day……

最近有点絮叨，而且是超级絮叨，不是说吃了什么，就是去看了什么，或者买了什么，已经被不止一个朋友评价“在朋友中，博客更新之速度最快”，惭愧！不过，博客也是个好地方，给偶带来不少好处。首先，就是加强与家人的联系。自从老妈重返工作岗位后，就不再理我了，一个月没有通话。还好有博客，让她知道我还活着，而且随时掌握偶干了什么。其次，博客是我发泄的地方。高兴了，自我满足一下；生气了，骂两句；郁闷了，反省一下。自娱自乐吧。再有，博客象日记，象记事本，象自传，随时记录生活的点点滴滴，把每个一闪光点都留下来，对每天的生活做一下自我分析，自我总结，自我调整，等老了翻开一看，也是一笔财富。我继续，我努力。

 

再让我嘚吧两句，今天陪女友在Elizabeth Arden买化妆品，售货员小姐最后居然主动送了我anti-aging赠品，什么意思？？如果是中国人还可以理解，可老外是看不出亚洲人年龄的，可她为什么送我这个？难道我老成这样？太伤人了，呜呜！！！于是赶快去买抗衰老化妆品。你说郁闷吧？

趁长周末，这两天正在看借来的《圈子圈套》，很凑巧，作者居然是从联想出来的，好像有点亲切，呵呵！看了几页，觉得好熟悉，仿佛又回到了6、7年前，书中的人物总是和某些人对上号,这个象***,那不是***,**…..职场险恶，明争暗斗，尔虞我诈….其实哪都一样，哪国都有这种职场战争，我到坚信只有聪明的人才能生存下来，优胜略汰嘛。

 

This morning, I collected 1 coat, 3 jackets and 2 skirts to figure on driving to laundry. Shower didn’t stop me to do it anyway. Gosh! How humiliated was I as I didn’t how to start up screen wiper on the way although I have got green plate drive license. Before Phil always sit beside me, so I never worried about how to control the car’s parts or there was no rain if I drove myself. It caused that I was overdependent and didn’t know how to run screen wiper without other’s instruction. Starting car’s engine in the raining, I didn’t realised that I needed to run screen wiper. What could I do? I really couldn’t see in front because it was raining heavily….. The lucky thing was I just went to cleaners where is a few minutes driving. If it was more than 10 minutes driving away, I would stop roadside to call Phil to tell me how to start screen wiper straight away, otherwise, it would be too dangerous to drive to destination. Whatever, I must get to know it then I pulled over at the destination and tried each handler until the screen wipers was doing. Haha! I made it and then safely drove back.

 

Through this experience, it proved again that I would better solely drive more to restore confidence to be a good driver. Good driving is no other skills or knacks than keep practising, isn’t?

 

第一次在国外看中国话剧，感觉很不同，好坏参半。演员很年轻而且是业余的，但很卖力；剧幕划分很清楚，但时间有些长；台词很通俗，但巴金的艺术好像没有搞笑成分。我这人比较挑剔，总喜欢最好的，但这是很难的一件事情啊！再一次思念北京看话剧，思念中国的文化。

Very welcome daylight saving time will recommence this weekend. If it doesn't take into effect, I will be collapsed gradually. What happens on me? I have kept awaking around 5:00AM this week when the morning light was stealing through the shutters. You know, summer is coming, daytime is becoming longer than in winter, and sunrise time is earlier than before. Actually the morning dimness is lovely before the sun rises, it makes people feel a new beautiful day coupled with new hope arriving. But I am a kind of light sleeper who is easily waked up by little disturbing sound during sleeping, also I am sensitive to the light, can't stand a little light even twilight light when I am in sleep. That is absolutely torture if can’t get back sleep as you are still in halfway of slumber or can’t get enough sleep. Recent 6 hour sleep everyday less than normal 7-8 hours used to be, couldn’t basically meet me body rest requirement, consequently weariness easily comes to me in the day. So can you imagine how excited I was to hear NSW daylight saving time changes will be on soon.

 

Iris and I had planned to visit the Restaurant---Ribs and Rumps since we found it was opened a couple of weeks ago at Olympic Park, it is 5 minutes away by walking from our company. Yesterday we locked today’s lunch time to go there as we couldn't wait longer. When we went into the restaurant, found most tables had been reserved, guessing a huge percentage of customers might be from Commonwealth Bank it moved Olympic Park this year really bringing good business opportunities for those limited restaurants located in Olympic Park because there are no too many companies here.

 

We ordered Ribs and Rumps since that restaurant is named RIBS AND RUMPS, plus duck livers as Entree. For most guests, they just had burgers that could be serving quickly as lunch time is normally one hour. However we didn’t reckon our main course would take long time to be made. We got nothing and became impatient even a little fidget to worry about running late back office as 50 minutes had past, then had to hasten waitress to serve up ASAP. After 2 times urging, eventually saw our lovely dishes on the table. Wooow! It was a big plate to have two pork ribs, one lamb ribs, a rump and smashed potato with mushroom, which shocked me and customers next table. They were bursting to ask us what it was and how much it was. Additionally, duck livers looked good and tasted nice. Iris told me she would recommend her partner to come here soon. See! It was not bad lunch and didn’t disappoint us at all.

http://www.ribsandrumps.com.au/home/

Today I am 'single' when my hubby is on business trip in Perth. It sounds good for me, doesn't it? It is free to go somewhere without worrying about making dinner and the next day lunch for two persons. There was no hesitation to receive colleague's invitation to have dinner out although I changed my mind later. At that time, no need to ask my FALIMY BOSS to get approval for application of dinner out with somebody else. :-) So amazing being a day single woman.

Short time separation with your partner would be not bad thing, which leaves you more individual space and makes you freely decide what you can do after work, not going home directly, having any food you like out of home or at home, going home at any time if you want, going to bed after 12:00AM, sleeping solely in a queen-size bed......What heaps of benefits! Hope this kind of life will be happening more and more.

 

Actually I didn’t hang out tonight just had a short halt in city. Have you been on the roof of a building in city and snapped brilliant views around?