Like Jasmine and Aladdin, except with cocktails.

The Burj Al Arab

Source: My pictures taken on a recent trip to Dubai in March 2010.

The remains of a day.

Some pics before Winter is well and truely over...

Source: My own pictures

Copyright © 2010

G-time.

 Source: Me, myself.

I don't think people, including myself, take enough time out of our daily lives to really stop and think about how lucky/grateful/fortunate/thankful we are for what we have. Or, in other words, we don't pay enough graditude (G). 

I'm feeling pretty down, depressed and pre-menstrual right now and thought that reflecting on how lucky I actually am might help me get my A into G (pun intended). Especially when there are henous acts happening around the world all the time, wars, poverty, female circumcision, rape, acts of terror etc... who am I to get down and depressed because I don't understand Norsk?!

Two recent news stories here in Norway have made me want to really stop and reflect on my life, just for a few moments... here's a bit about them in summary (pls forgive me if I got anything wrong,  they were sort of translated to me as I couldn't understand the local news reader on TV): 

- the first was a murder of a girl who was in her early 20s (I think), who worked at Oslo City's (a mall close by) H&M store (which I have been to numerous times- without purchasing...fyi) who had been abducted into the boot of a car by a taxi driver, phoned the Politi (Police) and told them of her abduction but they were never able to find her...a few weeks later her murderer confessed and showed the cops where her body was. She was dead, burried in the snow out in the woods. It was a premeditated murder and one commissioned by a man who was (aparently) obsessed/in love with her... but who aparently did not know her... and act of 'love'? How f***** up. 

- the second just happened 3 days ago. An SAS Airhostess and her fellow colleague were staying in a hotel in Copenhagen, as they had just flown there as part of their work and were doing a routine stay-over. Guests heared screams and thudds coming from a woman but no one did anything. The next morning the cleaning lady found her body dead and the murderer also confessed to murdering her...(I don't understand???). It was a random act of brutality, wrong place, wrong time. He wanted money, knocked on her door and she opened. She spoke to her husband on the cell phone just minutes before her murder. She also had two teenage children.

I know things like this, and others (don't me started on wrongly accused criminals...see www.innocenceproject.org) happen all around the world, all the time, I guess why these ones really gave me the chills was because they were so close to home (my current home) and could have happened to me or any one of my friends here... and these poor women are now dead. So quickly and without warning... 

So, I'm going to take a few minutes out of my morning to list some of the things I feel really grateful for, because we really don't know how good we've got it. If I were to die tomorrow I'd rather go feeling that I did not take anything for granted and greatful for how good my life was. I'm not saying that I think my life is uber amazing or anything, but it's those times where you read a sad book, hear about terrible murders and henous acts on humanity that make me think- gosh, how lucky am I?  Because really, I have no right to feel down when I'm still alive. I am greaful for:

- my Mother moving to New Zealand so I could have more opportunities, better quality of life and a good education

- having amazing, supportive and caring parents

- being bi-lingual, and hopefully soon tri-lingual...

- my awesome, lovely, hilarious, fun and caring BFFs (you know who you are) 

- my wonderful boyfriend who, along with myself, face the daily language barriers (Norwegian)

- having the means and opportunity to do what I'm currently doing here on the other side of the world

- having nice clothes and good food to eat everyday ie, I'm not living in poverty

- having had a good job/career in New Zealand before moving to enable me to do this (!) 

- having completed my degrees (don't wanna go through that again...)

- having homes all across the world: NZ, Norway, Dubai, China
- friends who stay in touch with me and write me long emails

- having a camera a.k.a. my 3MP brick
- having my cell phone stolen from me in a non-violent fashion
- having had 2 amazing pussycats (Maxie and Freddy), bless their little paws
- having made some nice new friends here in Oslo
- my boyfriends friends and family being nice and welcoming
- being able to travel

- being alive.

I guess you could say that this is sort of a tribute to those two women and their short lived lives.

Vann, Te, Tøv

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Source: My own pictures and compositions (taken this week)

Copyright © 2010

As a result of having a lack of paper, pencils and other notorious art supplies I have resorted to over using my brick of a 3 MP camera (bless), and locked myself away in the bathroom with some food colouring, tea and ice cubes for a few minutes to make some arty farty creations of fruitful-colourfulness.

I think that these pics more or less encompass my blog: a mind dump down the drain. In light of this, I might try one of the pics out as a new header...

A Queen worth doting on.

 

An avid advocate for education, children in need and cross-cultrual dialogue, wife to the King of Jordan, revamper and repairer of local Jordanian schools:

I admire her for her motivation, hard work, innovation and perseverance in an area (and others) that flies under the radar in too many states (in my opinion)- EDUCATION.  And particularly, early childhood education as that is where our foundation is laid and our potential begins.

Source: All photos taken from Queen Rania's own Facebook Fan Page 

Only five years my senior and four more children than I, she has definately done alot in her short 29 years and has used her position, wealth and status wisely. Hurrah for the preservation of monachies!

I am for me.

Things I want right now:
- a new blog header... something hot and photoshopped... gotta get me some more ram so I can get photoshop...
- a new career
- a new winter coat in a bright colour
- a new posse for a new country
- my own apartment
- snow to stop falling
- summer
- an SLR camera
- the end of female circumcision.

and PEACE.

Recognise

 

 

  

 

  

 

  

 

 

Some pictures from my recent trip to Dubai (UAE), Muscat, and Sur (Oman).

In the Eye of the Tiger

Ok, so sorry I have not blogged since last year, but since I am ethnically chinese it is still the year of the ox and I am going dedicate my first blog of 2010 to the fist day of the Chinese calendar...

This sunday, 14 February 2010, is Chinese New Year, aka Spring Festival and the Lunar New Year (and of course, Valentines Day...). 

 

Chinese New Year is one of, if not the most important festival for China, its people and its neighbouring countries (and those who choose to celebrate it in other countries too of course). It begins on the first day of the first month of the Chinese\lunar calendar and ends on the 15th (the Lantern Festival).

This year is the year of the Tiger and therefore those who were born in either: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, or 2010 (for now...). As you may have noticed, the Chinese Calendar has a 12 year cycle, a cycle of the 12 zodiac signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 

 

According to lengend (though there are a few varying ones out there- this one is my fav), Lord Buddha called for all animals to come to him before his departure from earth, which resulted in a race the next day. The cat heard this and told the rat and they agreed to go together to Buddha the following day. However, the next day the rat did not wake the cat and left without him\her. The rat also tricked the ox into allowing him\her to ride on the ox's head but before reaching the finish line, the rat jumped off and was the first to reach Buddha. In return, Buddha named the first year after him. The ox arrived second and the rest in the order above (I'm an ox, the true winner if you ask me...). Each zodiac sign, like the astrological zodiac signs, has their own personality traits and characteristics (click here) .

Legend also has it that a mythological creature called Nian would come on the first day of New Year and eat livestock, crops and even villagers and children. The villagers would put food in front of their doors to protect themselves to prevent Nian from attacking. Loud noises, bright lights and the colour red were soon also discovered to prevent Nian from attacking and hence, the tradition of loud firecrackers (really loud), red lanterns, clothing, and scrolls, and feasts of food, were born.

It is tradition that parents and older family members give those in the younger generation a 'hong bao' (or red envelope) with money in it, to bring luck and prosperity. Younger generations traditionally kow tow to their parents\older generations while chanting 'gong qi fa chai' (a literal translation is 'wishing you enlarge \getwealth) in request for a hong bao. 

New clothes and in particular, red clothing, are typically worn to warn away evil spirits, symbolise a new beginning and to bring luck and propserity, particularly if it is 'your year'. 

In my family, we eat a fabulous dinner at regular dinner time, drink and be merry. We then prepare fresh dumplings for midnight and put a few coins in some! Then we EAT and EAT and DRINK. And if you're lucky enough, you might get the dumpling with the coin bringing UBER luck, prosperity and wealth.

Xin Nian Kuai Le- Gong Qi Fa Chai!

SATC2

So, the first one was wasn't a complete hit with ALL women and slightly undermined those with the desire to have a big-Carrie-wedding... but I still can't wait for the second one!

Watch the trailor on Youtube! (click)

'Cause you're the storm that I've been needing

Source: Natural History Museum UK 

Source: Hubble 

 

 Source: Hubble 

oh it's healing - bang bang bang
i can hear your cannons call
you've been aiming at my land
your hungry hammer is falling

and if you want me I'm your country

I'm an angel bored like hell
and you're a devil meaning well
you steal my lines and you strike me dumb
come raise your flag upon me

and if you want me I'm your country
if you win me I'm forever - oh yeah!

'cause you're the storm that I've been needing
and all this peace has been deceiving
I like the sweet life and the silence
but it's the storm that I believe in

come and conquer and drop your bombs
cross my borders and kill the calm
bear your fangs and burn my wings
I hear bullets singing

and if you want me I'm your country
if you win me I'm forever - oh yeah!

'cause you're the storm that I've been needing
and all this peace has been deceiving
I need some wind to get me sailing
so it's the storm that I believe in

you fill my heart, you keep me breathing
'cause you're the storm that I believe in

and if you want me I'm your country

Source: Your the Storm- The Cardigans