12th of July

Today is a very special day. Wanna know why?

Try a guess.

Nuh-uh..

Try again!

OK I'll put you out of your misery. Today is the 12th of July! It's the day all Protestants and Orange men in Northern Ireland and all over the world celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, won by Sir William of Orange a loong looong time ago.

I didn't actually go down because I have decided to turn Protestant, or even because I've decided to be an Orange women (or part of the Orange men group). I just went down for the fun of it. Plus I get to see boys in kilts and stuff. It was absolutely brilliant. Apart from the initial half an hour or so whenever me an Auntie Carol couldn't find Nanny and Auntie Heather among crowds and crowds of people, it was a really good day.

Besides, I got a foot long hot dog! Yes, it's a FOOT LONG HOT DOG! Meaning imagine a sausage, that is 30cm long, fresh off the grill still sizzling in fat, placed in a nice soft loooong bun. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

I love my food :D From that above paragraph, I think everyone can tell why I REALLY went to that parade today. For the food!

But seriously though, I really liked sitting there watching various bands go pass. There were wee children of about 4 or 5 walking with their parents, men with huge bass drums on their stomachs banging the drum as if it was the person they hated, it was even noisy at times. I do love watching them though. Especially the brass bands with euphoniums and tubas in them. Makes me kinda miss the days from band. Though I wouldn't want to be marching for a few hours straight while playing. That would be such a super human effort for me.

Something has been worrying me lately. I don't think I like my food as much anymore. I don't seem to derive as much pleasure from eating as normal. And I get full a lot faster now. Which is a good thing I guess, judging from my impending weight problem. In no time, I'll probably be the rough size and weight of a baby whale! Yikes.

That's all for today I guess. Take care everyone! And have a good day no matter what you do!

"A child's spirit is like a child, you can never catch it by running after it; you must stand still, and, for love, it will soon itself come back. "-Arthur Miller (American playwright and essayist, he was a prominent figure in American literature and cinema)

It's All About Perspective..

Well, I've got news for all of you people. It's an update as to whether I'm going to Singapore or not.

Em..well, I can't go to Singapore this year. Disappointing I know. But then again, it's all about the perspective and the angle you see it.

Staying here, I'll be able to get a summer job and earn lots of ka-ching! And also I could save up ore for the trip next year. Plus, I get to spend my summer with Jude, Claire, Sarah etc.

So there you go. An update for yooou.

"The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border? " -Pablo Casals (Spanish Catalan cellist and later conductor)#

"I love Kung FUUUUUU"

Watched Kung Fu Panda last night with Jordan, Auntie Carol and Uncle Paul. It was SO funny! I loved the bits where Po (the panda) was all being funny and plain immature. And there was this one bit that made me laugh REALLY hard. The tigress was telling him the story about his Mater Shi Fu, and then ended it with "...and now, the Dragon Warrior is you! Someone who treats it like nothing but a great, big, joke!" Immediately after, Po's face contorted into a really funny shape and tigress was like "WHY YOU!" and raised her hand to hit him but then the mantis hopped onto Po's face and said "Stop! It's not his fault! I accidentally hit a nerve that made him like that!" (mantis was doing acupuncture for Po at that time).

HAHAHA!

Ok, it was just really good. It's packed full of laughs, and yet behind that hilarious facade, there is a deeper meaning for believing in yourself no matter what you look like. I would recommend it to anyone I see! Lots more funny parts I would like to talk about but I shall not spoil it for you. I'll just relive the funny moments in my head in giggle to myself in the safety of my room instead of sharing it with you all. I'm thoughtful that way.

So! To update all of you on Singapore. I now have no idea whatsoever whether I'm going or not. And like I said, I'll leave it completely in the hands of the adults. After all, isn't that what childhood is about? Leaving it up to the grown ups to handle for you. It doesn't matter if the outcome is not as you expected it. Of course I would like to go to Singapore. Very much so. But if the adults feel that it's going to compromise everyone else in the long run, and that it's not right to do that, then like really, there isn't much choice is there? Sure I'll be crying snottily and sniffling, but what will be will be. (que Sarah, Sarah)

If I'm going, I'll probably be so worried about getting lost on my own. Knowing the sense of direction I have, I'll end up some place in London REAL close to the airport I'm supposed to be at, yet still not knowing where I am. Which is why I want some company.

Like Ryan. (Stop laughing at me! I know I'm not too independent at the best of times)

So my dear readers, I shall update you on whether I'm going whenever I can, as soon as possible. And here ends my post.

OH OH OH! I got this wee tip from Claire to plait your hair before going to bed. And I tried it a few times with two plaits, but it didn't work. Just looked like the same wavy hair. And then I tried it with FOUR plaits last night trying to get smaller curls so that I can have REAL curly hair instead of wavy and it still didn't work. Hmm..maybe I'm not supposed to brush my hair whenever I took it out? Sorry for the bimbo-ness of this section. I couldn't resist sharing that information.

"Even peace may be purchased at too high a price."-Benjamin Franklin (one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America)

Dilemma!

I'm in a dilemma about what to do for the summer. It really is very difficult. See, my uncle wants me to go back to Singapore to help my dad and also to renew my student visa. It was so sudden when I first heard, I was like:I already have the application form to renew my student visa but it seems like it's going to take quite a while and the time would be very tight. So if i try to do it in Singapore it'll be a whole lot easier and quicker. Maybe cheaper too. It costs £295 to renew my student visa here. Multiply that by three to get it in roughly S$.

OK. Now let's work this out. If I go to Singapore:
-I can see all my family again!
-I can get to eat all the Chinese food I like.
-Maybe easier to renew student visa.
-And in the event that Ryan comes over, it'll be a lot of fun showing him around.
-Mommy can help me out with renewing student visa in Singapore.
-Blessed warmth and sunshine.

BUT!
-I'll miss Sarah, Claire, Jude, etc.
-I wouldn't be able to work for money. And I've got an application form for a job lying on my table.
-The chances of having a sleepover at Sarah's Claire's Jude's or mine would be dashed.
-I don't know how I'll deal with going to Singapore, feeling at home and then have to go back to NI again. The last time I cried lots.
-I hate the looooong flights.

If I DON'T go to Singapore:
-I'll be able to get a job and earn some ka-ching!
-I'll possibly be able to sleepover.
-I wouldn't have to deal with the emotional trauma of being happy and then have to go away again.
-Don't need to deal with the looooong flight.
-Ryan wouldn't have to try to fork out the money to try to go to Singapore with me.

BUT!
-I might get deported just because I couldn't manage to hand in the application for renewal of student visa in time. And it's not as easy as you think.
-I'll feel bad for neglecting my family just for my own pleasure, not to mention place my right to stay here at risk.

So there you go. All the points there laid out for you. And I STILL don't know if I should go. I guess I'll just leave it up to the adults to decide if I should go. Meanwhile, I'll have to hand in that work application form and then if I get accepted, tell them that I will only be able to work once I come back from Singapore. They'll probably say I never have to go back again.

Anyway, Jude is going to the Caribbean today. Jude probably wouldn't be reading this, but if you are:

Travel safe Jude! And I'll text you once I find out I'm going to Singapore before you come back. I should try to organize a whole day with just the four of us again before I leave. So I can be soppy and cry snottily in your shoulders. :P Just joking. I'm not joking about the whole day out though.

Now here are a few interesting pictures of toilet signs. I got it off pengpengsays. I've linked him at the side. At first I didn't bother because he hardly updates. But whenever he does, it's well worth reading.This is what's outside the toilet of Rock City Diner.

And that one above, I couldn't stop laughing at whenever I see it.

"To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment. "-Jane Austen (an English novelist whose realism, biting social commentary and masterful use of free indirect speech, burlesque, and irony have earned her a place as one of the most widely-read and best loved writers in British literature)

Heyyyaaaa

Like my new blogskin? I think it's really really cute! ^_^ All the cats..

Anyway, just back from doctor's appointment today. I went over to check if I've got asthma 'cos since I came here I have been coughing and sneezing a little, especially if the air is dry and there are high levels of pollen in the air. Turns out, I didn't have asthma. Well, the nurse didn't exactly say that, just that it's better to leave things as it is for now. So I shall assume it's not. :P

Last week has been a busy week for me. On Wednesday, I went over to Newry (which is about an hour's bus ride down from Newcastle) for an interview to make sure that I am me. I am actually not kidding. See, to get a job here, I will need a NI (National Insurance) number, which will be given out to all citizens whenever they turn 16. But since I'm not a citizen, I'll have to apply for it. And whenever I do apply for it, they will have to see me with documents with my name and picture on it (eg, passport) to prove who I am. After the hour long bus ride, half an hour of frantically looking about for the actual building, and waiting, I was told about 10min into the interview that I do not have enough information to prove I'm here to study and such.

Everything has gone to waste. (not to mention the £9 bus fare I had to pay all in all)

Luckily, RYAN is there! *Superman theme tune is played*

And I am actually really really happy that we came over to Newry with more plans than to just go for an interview. Like window shopping, for an instance. (that is where Ryan tries to drag me away from the dinky cheap shops) And also, we watched Wanted.It was really really good. Well, I don't know about in Singapore, but over here it's an 18 'cos of the *ahem* explicitness of the movie. As well of the extreme acts of violence. After the movie, both me and Ryan were broke and we shopped about Sainsbury's (kinda like NTUC in Singapore) and came out with two bottles of water, a whole box of 10 jam donuts and a box of viennese whirls.Now I'm not kidding when I say this. But viennese whirls actually melt in your mouth. Sadly, the donuts are more than enough to fill us up. After roughly 3 donuts each, we were starting to feel a little sick and had to throw it away. (NOOOOOO!!) And so, my Wednesday consists of a little bit of dinky, cheap shopping, movie watching, and rushing about looking for a building.

Thursday was a busy day too. It was the day I was due to donate blood. Well, because I took anti-sickness pills the day before for the long bus ride down, and also because I was waiting for the appointment today, I wasn't allowed to give blood yet. So this leaves for me to give my blood in about two months. Which will be the same day a Ryan I think. Then after being rejected of my offer to donate my life fluid, I went back up to Nanny's to see the puppies, and after a while went down to Sarah Patterson's house.

This is Sarah Patterson:Claire and Jude were there too! This is Claire:This is Jude:Played about at Sarah's house, had lasagna, and then headed off to the cinema to watch Sex And The City.*ahem* It was actually quite enjoyable, really funny, clothes and dressing ups were great, and the story line is somewhat cheesy but still really touching. Shall not reveal much here just in case you want to watch it. Anyway, it's alot more *ahem* explicit than Wanted. And it's just a 15!! Can't believe it. Sarah was sitting beside me looking at anywhere except the screen at those bits, Claire was sitting next to me furiously typing a message to Parky, her boyfriend and I couldn't see Jude. It was pretty uncomfortable whenever the 'bits' came on.

Still, was really good fun. So now, to add to my experience of movie watching, I am going to aim for these!Going to look for a part time job so that I will be able to pay for all the traveling I'll have to do to achieve my goal of making it to the big screens.

"Humor is something that thrives between man's aspirations and his limitations. There is more logic in humor than in anything else. Because, you see, humor is truth."-Victor Borge (a Danish-American humorist, entertainer and pianist affectionately known as the Clown Prince Denmark and the Great Dane)