Monday, April 27, 2009

27-04-09 (Monday) "Things Associated With Coldness That Doesn't Feel Good"

1. Waking up in the morning only to feel sleepy and heavy-headed cos' of the cold weather, perfect to be sleeping in.

2. Getting into the toilet cubicle, taking off my stuff, only to send goosebumps up my back upon getting into contact with the frozen toilet bowl seat.

No... Nothing do with my toilet options...
3. Turning on the hot shower tap and having freezing cold water fall into my hair and then trickle down my back slowly as I quickly step away from the shower.

There happens to be a trickle of water on the leaf...
4. Grabbing frozen food from the freezer from an already freezing day.

Fried garlic butter lamb decorated with inedible celery leaves.
5. Exercising and not feeling exhausted from sweating but from the shivering cos' of the cold.

I only cooked the lamb at the top left. Yes, I CAN cook... =P

Canberra's experiencing some sudden temperature drop. Apparently, some mountain around Canberra just had some snow yesterday. Sweet... And I got my first experience breathing steam out in the city yesterday. Awesome...!!

"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
~ Matthew 7:27

Friday, April 24, 2009

24-04-09 (Friday) "Eating in Sydney"

I think I'd like to show some of the nice food that we had while at Sydney.

Just briefly.

Dumplings in Chinatown
We were indecisive on where to eat on the first night but thought of Chinatown so Kar Wei just brought us there and we walked and chose a shop randomly.

$18 for a big bowl of noodles in addition to about 15 dumplings/siew moi each... DEFINITELY worth it if you've been living in Aussieland long enough. The taste was pretty decent too, except the scallop-filled dumplings ,which left us wondering whether there were even ANY fillings at all. Heheh...

Moving on...

Pancakes on The Rock
Somewhere around Circular Quay, within walking distance of the Harbour Bridge, I think...

Okay... Now THIS one many keep saying how overrated it is back here in Canberra.

Many claim that "The Pancake Parlour" here in Civic is AS good as PoTR (Wooo... Like 'Priesthood of The Ring' or sth...) and it isn't worth having to go all the way to Sydney for some good pancakes.

This being my first time trying pancakes this way... It was absolutely delightful! Well... I had crepe, which I have no idea what it means and what makes it different from pancakes other than it being folded here and there and filled with CREAM CHEEEEEEEEEEEESE. It was STILL superb, anyway!

Maybe if I DO get a chance to try out The Pancake Parlour, I might change my mind but for now... PoTR was pretty darn out-of-this-world!

Hurricane
Wooooot!! Take cover! The Hurricane's a-coming!

...

Just opposite the famed Bondi Beach(which wasn't that big a deal, really)...

OHMEGOSH the pork ribs were CRAZY!!!!!

Full rack pork ribs! From one whole fat blob of cytoplasm here!!
The lamb ribs were outshone by the pork ribs, though if on a different occasion the lamb ribs were served alone, I'd be going ga-ga all over it.

Then there were the mussels, which were... pretty nice la. But still kicked far into the shadow of the pork ribs...!

They even made us wear these cute disposable paper bibs before we started to pig out... Excuse the pun.

Awww... Doesn't Kar Wei look cute in the bib? Or should it be the bib looks cute on her? =S She was being the responsible hostess, chopping up the ribs for all of her little bibbed guests.
Service was pretty darn good too! Fast and tacky! A bowl was prepped for our leftovers as well. Some lucky dogs or other pets the workers have...

Ambience at Hurricane's was very calming, with the orang-ish hue to the whole place.

Sydney Fish Market
Some ten minutes walk out of Darling Harbour.

First of all, I just loved the presence of all the non-human beings there at the Fish Market, whether dead or alive, particularly those that were alive though...

... The seagulls!

They were EVERYWHERE...

... standing at a side observing all the people who actually paid for their food...

... perched atop our shades waiting for leftovers on tables around...

... even sitting on top of the rubbish bin waiting to be fed!

If I could understandish Gullish, I bet he's saying "Come on! I know you wanna do it! FEED ME! I DARE YOU!!!" ... Cheeky birds...
But I hafta say tho... Even though we're not supposed to feed them, they really ARE the heart and soul of the SFM. (The stomach being the seafood that are served)

This lady dropped 3 pieces of POTATO chips and this whole SWARM of seagulls dove in the moment she took the next step. They freaked the guy in brown out!
If there weren't these seagulls lingering around the vicinity, SFM wouldn't be SFM. It'd just be AFM. "Another Fish Market".

Oh ya... The food.

That whole box of fresh salmon sashimi for like... AUD17? And the seafood platter for 2 for AUD28? Preeeeetty darn cheap for seafood if you ask me... Oysters, calamari, scallops(can taste them one, this time...), prawns, fish fillets and fries... Nyum nyam...

Those were pretty much the main foodie places we managed to eat at. Once again, thanks to our dear hostess, Kar Wei for all the tastebud-tickling!

Yes... Some emo-ness there...
Speaking of food... Good job on the prawn mee and laksa cookout at Bruce Hall last night by the OCF-ers! It was as close to home as I ever get! The whiff of the prawn-ness the moment I stepped into the dining room/kitchen left me without doubt that I was in for some awesomeness-packed food!!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

23-04-09 (Thursday) -_-|||

... apples got stolen... gah... -__-

... 2 bags of em...

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

22-04-09 (Wednesday) "King David"

I like the story of King David in 1 & 2 Samuel, of how he became and was a "man after God's own heart". In particular, I enjoyed the lesson learnt from 2 Samuel 12.

The Prophet, Nathan came along to rebuke King David but he started off with a story that basically is talking about the king, except not nominally. King David easily pointed out the wrong-doer in the story and becomes so worked up about the evil guy. Then, when he realizes that he himself is the said bad guy, he asks for forgiveness from God.

The lesson behind the story would be that of how most of the judgments that we make and bad things that we make about ppl usually seems to be present in our own self. Whenever we start thinking of how inappropriate someone else's action/attitude is, I think it calls for a moment of self-reflection.

Forgive me, I have sinned.

"To feel the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm"


~The Daily Bread
April 21, 2009

22-04-09 (Wednesday) "Sydney - Virgin Visit"

Just got back from Sydney with Wan Keen 3 hours ago. Not gonna be talking about it much now though. Wanna relive the moments again some other time...

I just wanted to say... Cheers to our super-hospitable, generous and self-sacrificing host, Kar Wei for putting a roof over our heads and blankets over our feet for the last two nights, not to mention all the leading and guiding you had to go thru!!! =)

Staying in Sydney is pretty much like staying in any other major city in the world, I'd say. Life is rather fast-paced, having to race to bus stops for the coming bus... Rushing past the road when the red man's still blinking... Though... Sydney kinda sleeps at 5pm compared to other cities in other countries.

Sydney's Orchard Road, only bigger... And more varied.
I hafta say tho... Kar Wei sure knows where all the good, well-priced food is, giving us no chance to appreciate what 'nice, cheap' food we have back in Canberra.

Another thing that I couldn't stop marvelling at was the architecture of the structures in Sydney. So... 70s European kinda buildings! So nice! Then there'd be those modern buildings around every corner. I'm just glad I don't stay in Sydney... This way, I don't get USED TO all the nice, classy buildings there...

Still got these old school red telephone booths eh. Sweeeeeet.... riiiiiight?
I quite like this next picture here. I dunno how Kar Wei managed to take us BOTH blinking at the same time. But that's not the point...

... Can you spot the Sydney Opera House?

Very nice, Kar Wei, very nice... heheh.

Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
~ 1 John 3:15

"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.

~ Matthew 5:21-22

Saturday, April 18, 2009

18-04-09 (Saturday) "Celebration of and by Self"

My perception of birthdays have been shifting over the years.

I recall the days when I was so vain, hoping everyone around remembers the birthday of "oh-so-important-person" - Me. I would try to stay awake till midnight just to see how many ppl were willing to stay awake as well just to send me greetings.

Arrogant, full-of-self, pompous arse...

This year, it felt kinda different.

I've been thinking about what lies behind the whole celebrations to birthdays... Is it in the cake? The birthday song? The surprise parties your pals throw? Or maybe the presents you receive?

I think birthdays are more meaningful than just those. Its more than receiving all the goodies and wishes from friends.

Its more about GIVING thanks.

Giving thanks to God for the gift of life. Giving thanks for all the experiences that have been laid along my walk of life. Giving thanks to the ppl around who've made your life how it has been so far. Giving thanks for the things you have and also for the things you don't.

On a side note, I think immortality is overrated. The beauty of our life now is in its unpredictability and finity(??? it has an end...?). If we live too long to see EVERYONE around us keep on dying while we keep aging and aging and aging and aging and aging... It'd be pretty darn sad, no? So, I'm glad that I'm mortal. Till my mortality ends, then eternity's a whole new different story. =)

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ, His Son

~ "Give Thanks"

Happy birthday, Ivy and Sam Koh.
Happy birthday in advance, Kah Ying, KC, Grace and Sing Ping.
=)

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

14-04-09 (Tuesday) "OCF Canberra Easter Camp '09"

... "The Last Days"...

That was the theme of the camp this time. Very awesome camp. Fellowship was just awesome. Really felt the family bond between everyone at the camp.

We had this hour and a half drive out of Canberra to this place called Wee Jasper (Little Jasper, heheh...) And MY the scenery was just out of this world!

The place is in this valley SURROUNDED by mountains!

Wake up in the morning, open the door and this is what you see...

Those are the horses there in the foreground, in their 'pen'...
The last days - From Jesus' first coming to His second, which is basically now... Is NOT that scary after all. As I think about how wonderful and awesome-some heaven will be, really gets me all excited and hyped up abt getting there! The best part...? Its not abt doing good deeds and giving a lot of money to get to heaven. You just hafta know The Way there! Yep yep... Simple faith and trust in God's gift of salvation is all you need!

Well, like any OTHER camp, there always HAS to be fun...

And fun there was...

Levitation... using nothing but F-A-R-T power. hahah...
Some in the name of fun...

And others just to get back at others...

And, giving credit to whomever it was that invented it...

King Kong, Kang Kong... King Kong Kang Kong...*1*..*2*.. ONE! TWO! THREE! KING KONG! ONE! TWO! THREE KONG! *pause*... Everyone: WHAT..??!?
I've brought 'King Kong Kang Kong" all the way from Miri to Australia now! I still remember the 1st time playing on the table outside the chalet at Similajau during Prefects' Camp 4 years ago! Was it Ben Tan or Ing Cheng who introduced it? Cheers!!

I still am amazed that they played it for 3 hours straight and was laughing all the way...
I was just totally ROFL-ed when it came to the skit. 30 minutes of preparation. That's all we got. We had to include some random lines and random items in our skit. The outcome was just... CCCcckkKCCCccraaaaAaAaaAAazzzyyYYyyy!!!

The creativity of everyone involved(especially Han Hui) just left me at a loss of words.

Willy the "Pregnant-ness"
One of the major highlights of this camp would be the starlight/moonlight worship. Out in the dark, with the moon illuminating our figures, we sang and praised our Creator for over an hour, oblivious to the drooping temperature. Some have been wondering whether heaven would b boring, having to spend eternity doing the same thing over and over...

If you've had an experience as such... You wouldn't even mind having to spend THREE eternities praising God!

I think it may have been the smaller number of campers that might've helped it be so close-knit and fun but...

I dare say everyone had the most laughter-filled period of their lives!

I could just caress and stare at horses for hours and still be awed by their beauty. I wish breeding horses was sth cheap, affordable and easy but... They are potent in ways that involve more than muscles...

These were all around the campsite, marking where the horses have covered in their lives there.
Going to a place like this for a camp gave me a whole new level of awe for God's creations... Majestic horses... Brilliant moonlit sky strewn with twinkling stars... Towering mountains everywhere you turn... Walking in mist at night so thick that you only see two steps ahead of you...

... More importantly... Lovely, fun-filled, made-in-the-image-of-God ppl to hang out with...

... MOST importantly... The most awesomest, amazing-est and loving-est God being amidst us through it all!!!

Job well done, OCF Canberra! Keep it up for the glory of God!!