On Bars

So a Finnish friend is down under and we decided to bring him around to impress him with the highly established Melbourne bar life.

We bar hopped over 10 venues in the whole night starting at 8pm untill 2am. A drink and then the next.

This was not just a learning curve for Jukka (Yuu Ka) but i was again amazed and awed by the variety, the cultural depth and the intensity of the Melbourne bar life that is very much alive at any day of the week.

Out of the 10 plus venues we visited, i would say i have only been to 2 or 3. Alot were random bars and pubs that we stumbled upon or through asking strangers on the street.

It was awesome! Interestingly we stumbled on alot of "Underground" bars. Not your plush, minimalism, modern, chic or Sex and the City kind of bar. It was truly underground playing international underground house music, a make shift drinking area in the alleys where drainage pipes hits you in your face as you down your drink. Where the crowd is grungy, rough, and they come in a whole assortment of races.

Why! i even found a bar that played my much idolised French hip hop and R&B!!!! Sexy.

Then there was Polly. A velvety bar reminiscent of French Boudouirs. Very gay friendly from my observation.

Apart from being the only Asian, i had a ton load of fun. Brazilians, Africans, Australians, The Swedes, and then my Finnish friend.

I wanna do this again.

Memory harbors vast amount of events that somehow gives the perception that it has only occurred in recent memory. A birthday, a holiday, a special moment with someone or the final hour spent with a friend before he or she boards a plane. We could assume that these have only coincided in the past six months when in fact it has been over a year ago.

Christmas Eve has prodded me to reflect. What was I doing last year during this month? What was the weather like? Who was I with? What other important events have taken place?

So when I was prompted by a friend as to how long it has been since I have been single and was forced to pen the facts. I was astounded by the one year period. I was under the impression that it was merely eight to nine months. So what if I was never prompted to consciously make a mental calculation of the months that has elapse? Would I always assume the nine month lapse for another five months?

It is unanimous that time flies and that we are continuously reminded of its reality over and over again. I do not think its effect would ever wear out on me. Because each time it proves itself to me, it imprints on me a greater appreciation for something. I am always lost for words.

oh, and Merry Christmas!

In the name of shopping.

So the pace of my life has been fairly slow and monotonous for now... what, with all the Holiday preparation (what preparation?) and the winding down of work, i have not any interesting stories to share.

However, i am rather pleased with myself with the little crevices i have opportuned upon to get me that extra cash in this season where money is sought after.

Apart from my day job, my old boss from the bar calls me occasionally to help him out during busy nights. You see, i am the best bar tender there is for miles around. In my whole tenure at the bar, everyone came and go. Either they were discontinued by the manager or they simply did not live up to MY expectations or they simply could not cope with the high pressure environment. Hence they were shown the door.

So this time when i am asked back to lend a hand, i decided to monopolise the negotiations in regards to my pay. I demanded to be paid $20 an hour, all tips to go to me and to be paid on the spot at the conclusion of the night.

Naturally my former boss was grappling with this "oh so unreasonable" demand and attempted to haggle but i did not allow any of it! So he did finally concede to my demands and i have been getting extra cash for shopping. Mua haha.

In addition, i got a call on my mobile on Monday from a person who goes a long way back. It was this Polish guy who used to call me for help on using the computer. He needed someone to tutor him on using Excel and asked how much i would charge him. Off my head, i just blurted out $30 an hour and to my surprise he agreed within the second.

Oh goody!

So today after work i went to his place to tutor him for two hours.

Time to shop tomorrow. My Christmas shopping list is far from finished.

My latest acquisition... Cuban Boots

The story of,

I sat in my room today and analysed. I analysed objects in my room that I have become so accustomed to. I analysed objects that I have grown oblivious over time to their existence when each of them had a meaningful history attached to it. I sat down and retraced the story of each object.

There was the artwork I created in school eight years ago where I can still see myself creating them.

Then there was my name tag I wore when I was still schooling in Malaysia.

The 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle sitting on my table top I created with my dear cousins when they were still in Melbourne more than 6 years ago.

A newspaper cutting that has been sitting on top of my bed for the past 10 years.

8 years old photo films yet to be developed.

A wooden plaque that was given by my mother in my first year in Australia to remember her by.

The list goes on.

Try it. Sit down, analyse and retrace the memories.

Being Wrong

The worst feeling one could endure, would be the overwhelming realisation in the middle of an argument that you were completely wrong.

What you do after that gives a precise indication of an individual's personality. Do you dig and entrench yourself deeper in your erroneous opinion or do you admit the flaws in your reasoning and accept correction graciously?

Hmm.

The emotional spectrum of an individual expands as they mature. Here I am today at home on a Monday night feeling things I have never felt before, thinking things I do not ever remember venturing into.

I have five folders of letters, some as old as ten years. They were composed during those early years in Melbourne when I used to correspond with my friends back in my hometown. They are priceless, but I hate to read them.

Reading them transports me to simplicity and the life I had at that period. It was easy! Wake up, go to school, play sports and them come home to watch TV.

I do not wish to revert back to that mental state. Neither do I enjoy today’s.

Today it is wake up, go to work, come home and relax. Simple as it sounds but every mental break away from work is occupied with other thoughts that beckon you away from a rested mind.

What am I trying to say here?

Perhaps it is not as complicated as I am describing it to be.

Perhaps I am just down.

But then I ache to find the cause and cure for this melancholy.

I GOT IT!

I LOST MY DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMG!

Pre-ecstasy with SJ

GLOBE Annual Party

Staff Christmas Party

Unhappy... very.

Quote of the weekend:

"I hate going to Asian clubs because when the hot chicks come out, they come out all at once."