I was on my way back from PBL tute at Mebourne Uni. Felt a little
downcast then, as I'm a
few lectures behind, and the
2nd mid-semester test is just around the corner. It was also
windy, terribly cold and getting dreadfully dark, so I wanted to return home as soon as I could. However, as soon as I was approaching my uncle's door, a boy came up to me.
A young boy, with fine brown hair and green eyes. Wearing a helmet, his makeshift gloves and with his little scooter, he said "Hi". I replied. And so I came to know about
6-year old Ptolemy, who lives with his parents just two houses away.
I watched him ride his scooter. I watched him fall two times. I watched him dabble a few tricks.I watched him yelling with joy and glee when he got his tricks right.In the end, I spent
15 minutes outside my uncle's house, oblivious to the cold and gloom. It was in fact
fun, talking to Ptolemy, and watching him play. He wanted me to ride his scooter, and
even offered to TEACH me!! lol. Thank goodness his father called him back... just in time. XD
Not long after I entered my uncle's house, there was a knock at the door. I went, and to my surprise, I saw Ptolemy outside. He said, "There's something in the mailbox for you."
It was an
envelope.He said I could read it. So I opened it, and I found this:
He regarded me as a friend! For spending just 15 minutes of my time! I was touched la....
And on the back of the little note:
My, my.....this one's a little charmer. =P
I'm turning
accident-prone.
Over the last month or so, I've been
knocking/slamming into various objects around the house:
I've swung my right arm onto my metal bed-post.
I've had my fingers pinched between pages of a medical reference ( in which its thickness was comparable to Dorlands Illustrated). *ouch*I "ran" into my book-shelf once. Don't ask how that happened.I've got both my feet slammed against chairs and tables countless of times....At the end of every accident, I sustain
bruises. Of various shapes, sizes and shades of purple. It's horrible I tell you. Just when a bruise is resolving/healed I go "wham!" myself somewhere and get another one! ><"
This morning was the worst so far. I "ter-kicked" the book-shelf when I was rushing into my bedroom. The outcome:
1. Excruciating PAIN *duh*
On scale of 1-10 (of which 1 being not painful at all, and 10 being so painful that one would rather die), I'd rate it a 7. It subsided eventually, so I wasn't bothered for a while.
2. Purpura
Tough to explain this one. It's located mainly at the medial aspect of my left 4th digit. It's huge, irregular in shape (it's annular btw) and very,very purple. Can't measure the size due to its irregularity. =P So gonna fail OSCE if I'm asked to describe a purpuric rash.
3. Haematoma
A small one, at the nail-bed angle.
4. (Initial) reduced sensation
Freaked me out for a while la, as I thought my toe's "dead"....but it's improving now, so no worries there!!
5. Reduced walking pace
I'm slowing down now, as it's slightly painful whenever I apply pressure on it. And to think I'm so used to brisk-walking already. I feel incapacitated la. It's even worse when I wear shoes... =(
(And no, I'm not gonna take a pic of my foot and post it up here, coz it's gross. =P) Sigh. At the rate things are going, I'm gonna use up all my platelets and clotting factors in no time. =p
Wish me luck. May this "clumsy phase" be a transient one.
I discovered something today.....
Fresh figs taste
terrible.
It's like a cross between an
unripe peach and
alfafa sprouts. Very
"grassy" for my palate. =P
And I don't like the texture either. Too soft on the outside, and grainy on the inside.
A view of the city from the Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne), at the top of the Shrine of Remembrance.
Upon discovering that a Shakespeare play has been up and running at the Royal Botanic Gardens since December, Min and I decided to attend one. So we purchased our tickets (and Ping's, since he wanted to go as well XD), and watched "Midsummer Night's Dream" last night!
Intricate sculptures at the Shrine of Remembrance. At the base of the statues were the words: "Peace and Goodwill".
"Why Shakespeare???" many might ask. It's funny how many people I know who'd gasp (in horror) at the notion of sitting through a 3-hour play by Shakespeare. Can't blame them really. After all, his plays ARE complex in many ways: from the main plot itself right down to the characters. Even the language used is off-putting to many. Irked me once too, when I had to study Macbeth in college.... =P
So why did I (and my sister and cousin) go in the end?
1. The reviews we got (about the play) were good, so we wanted to check it out
2. At AUD30.00 (concession fare)/ AUD35.00 (adult fare) each, it's relatively cheap. XD
3. The posters look nice ma....(ah, the power of good advertising) =P
AUD30.00 is OKAY what. By theater standards, that is.... ><
The interesting bit about this play was its venue - it was held outdoors. On a makeshift stage at the South Lawn, no less. And the audience? We'll have to make do with our "brought-in" mats, blankets and cushions on the grass lawn. With the food and drinks we got from home (and purchased from a nearby stall), it became more like a picnic in the park, complete with entertainment. Never experienced anything like this before, so I was quite delighted. Tsk tsk, 'jakun' me. =p
A view of the lawn, 10 minutes before the play began. It was almost 8pm, and as you can see, the sky was still pretty blue. XD And no, the bright light on the right was NOT the sun. They were spotlights actually. =P
Don't know what "Midsummer Night's Dream" is all about? o_O
After disclosing their plans to their childhood friend Helena, (who happened to be in love with Demetrius), Hermia and Lysander eloped to the nearby woods. When the cat was finally out of the bag, Demetrius went after them....and Helena followed suit. Unbeknownst to them, the woods is home to the Fairy folk, and it so happened that the King and Queen (of the Fairies) were in a dispute. With the King's cheeky right-hand sprite Puck, the lovers were soon caught in a tangled web of mischief, blunders and magic.
Execution of the play was magnificent:
1. The lighting and sound systems were perfect.
2. The actors nailed their lines with panache. Great acting too! And from the look of it, all of them WERE enjoying themselves up there that night. XD
3. There was a good balance of vaudeville, music, mime, acrobatics and tableaux. All brilliantly assembled and executed.
3. As for the backdrop....what can be more appropriate than a REAL garden? =P
Flower-beds at Birdwood Avenue, Royal Botanic Gardens.
4. Despite the script being (mostly) in Old English, there was a good dose of humour to lighten things up.
Example 1:
As the play was about to begin....
Philostrate the eunuch (on warning the audience not to wander into the bushes to relieve themselves at any time during or after the show): So gentlemen, make use of the dunny, losing your willy is not very funny.
Example 2:
After exposing his bum (with underwear la) to a female spectator....
Puck the sprite: She didn't think she'd see a full moon tonight!!
5. The costumes were very, very vibrant. Couldn't take any pictures during the show though. It's ILLEGAL. =P
Overall, it was an enjoyable 3-hour show. This play will be running until this Saturday, 24th March. So if anyone is interested, please refer the following website for more details:
www.shakespeareaustralia.com.auThere's a ticketmaster booth at Melbourne Uni. Inside the uni bookshop, to be more precise. That's where I got the tickets anyway. XD
My only qualm would be the low outdoor-temperature at night. It was freaking cold by 11pm. ><" So bring more blankets if you really are going. And stock up on hot chocolate!!!! Nothing beats a mug of hot creamy goodness on a cold, windy night. =P
See that picture? It was taken at the last CG session in CB's apartment, Bukit Jalil. Those happy faces....sigh. Miss those good times. =\
It's been five weeks, and things are brightening up now. I'm getting used to the way things are in Melbourne: from the (erratic) weather right down to the medical curriculum. Made a number of new friends in Sem 5, and (successfully) contacted a handful of my old college mates....even met a few of them already. Sweet. XD
Uploading photos can take forever one le... ><" It's dinner already, and I'm FAMISHED. Will upload the rest the next time around. One can see one's an impatient bum indeed. =p
It's been a year since my grandmother passed away.
How time flies, without one realizing it.....
