minal aidzin wal faidzin
forgiving is the synonym of loving
that was a message i got from a friend in jakarta last night - i am pretty sure it is the salutation people use at the end of Ramadan. i am not sure that "synonym" is the best translation but i think the meaning is clear.
it is a nice sentiment.
does anyone have a better translation? i am speaking obviously to my ACICIS brethen and Indonesian and Muslim friends.....
btw - i am on my lunch break right now - hence why i am blogging in office hours.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Sparkling Vino
Keith - purely for you -
last night was a Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz
it was good
packed punch - i got a bit of plum and vanilla - if i knew anything i would say american oak. great colour.
and for the rest of you -
i have been writing on this thing for a year now. and for those of you in adelaide there will be an unofficial get together in commemoration of my unmemorable rants. twas decided last night.
i am procrastinating, should be studying.
naughty i am.
and to those of you who just finished the fast - selamat idul fitri.
last night was a Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz
it was good
packed punch - i got a bit of plum and vanilla - if i knew anything i would say american oak. great colour.
and for the rest of you -
i have been writing on this thing for a year now. and for those of you in adelaide there will be an unofficial get together in commemoration of my unmemorable rants. twas decided last night.
i am procrastinating, should be studying.
naughty i am.
and to those of you who just finished the fast - selamat idul fitri.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Silly Faces Party Dresses
This was after the party ended - downstairs at Cruze bar. And that is NOT my half sipped Vancouver Island cocktail there. Ooooohhh nooo.
All Good Children Go To Heaven
Well it has taken me ages to write about the Sydney reunion. I had a good time, but the weekend was marred by some bitter tastes, and I didn't want to focus on them so I have waited.
It was wonderful to catch up with my 2005 Mitsui friends - Peta and I shared a room in the second night and she enjoyed laughing at my neuroticism in getting ready for the function! I had a good catch up with nearly everyone, a couple of people brought partners which was cool, and I think we all found it a little poignant in a way because it means that almost a year has passed since we took the fateful trip around Japan.
On the first night I shared a room with Danielle who went on the trip the year before me, and we had a good day on the Friday. A spot of shopping, a surf beach and a harbour beach, and some noodles in Hyde Park for Good Food Month all washed down with some lovely white wine at Martin Place Bar (not the classiest establishment of all time might I add, but the best we could do in the absence of a Sydney native to guide us).
On Friday we went to Darling Harbour and checked out the Japanese Matsuri that was on down there - see my photo stream for some cool pics, and Vimeo for a cute video of Japanese dancing girls. (Sorry I don't know the technical term). We had some lunch in the Queen Victoria Bulding and I picked up a nice pair of shoes! ;-) Then we returned to the hotel to prepare for the rather early-starting reunion.
Being an idiot, I didn't pack a hairdryer and having just had my hair lightened about 20 shades (!) was rather frustrated by the fluff effect that the pathetic hotel dryer had on my hair. Thank god for Peta who tamed the mane, crafting it into something moderately acceptable for a cocktail function. Skin moisturised, eyes lined, dresses puffed and lips coloured we cabbed it down to Circular Quay to the Green Room at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
It was interesting to see the variety of people that Mitsui has afforded the MEF privilege to over the years. I didn't actually talk to anyone pre-2000 unfortunately -but there seemed to be an interesting mix of lawyers, diplomats, business people and academics there. The presentations from the past 4 decades were especially cool.
One guy who went on the tour in the 90's basically told the story of how Mitsui changed his life - he was processing refugees (read "illegal immigrants") on Christmas Island, strangely (or possibly not) decided that he wasn't exactly living a fulfilling existence and decided to quit and pursue his artistic dream. He is now an artist who paints stunning paintings of Geisha and other Japanese icons.
Kinda cool.
Anyway, long story short - Geoff Gallop was there - former Premier of WA and now Head of the School of Government at Sydney Uni - and I happened to mention to him that I used to know his son. He gave me the home number in Perth and told me to call him! Still undecided upon whether that is utterly weird.
After the function something very strange happened. Yogya friends may remember Robert, the bullshit artist masqerading as saviour of the universe with a heart broken by a Finnish girl but never fear he is going to solve homelessness and poverty in Indonesia and has an IT business that has made him very rich, but would never ever buy you a drink. Turns out that pathological liar is a cab driver who happened to pass my group on Macquarie Place with a vacant cab, but baulked when he saw me, saw his fictional universe crash down and made some excuse about having to go to Manly.
People are disappointing. Bitter tastes. I was pretty cut that two (I thought) close friends from Yogya who both live in Sydney didn't make the effort to catch up while I was there. One didn't even return calls or SMSs at all. That's nice.
I think I just expect too much from people.... like reciprocation of friendship. I must be crazy.
Aaarrgh that was the bitter note I promised myself I wouldn't end on.
In other news, I am working over the weekend because of bloody Budget Estimates, I have my exam next Saturday and I have to do well cos I am down to the last cut for one of my scholarships. So thats a happy ending for this post right there.
It was wonderful to catch up with my 2005 Mitsui friends - Peta and I shared a room in the second night and she enjoyed laughing at my neuroticism in getting ready for the function! I had a good catch up with nearly everyone, a couple of people brought partners which was cool, and I think we all found it a little poignant in a way because it means that almost a year has passed since we took the fateful trip around Japan.
On the first night I shared a room with Danielle who went on the trip the year before me, and we had a good day on the Friday. A spot of shopping, a surf beach and a harbour beach, and some noodles in Hyde Park for Good Food Month all washed down with some lovely white wine at Martin Place Bar (not the classiest establishment of all time might I add, but the best we could do in the absence of a Sydney native to guide us).
On Friday we went to Darling Harbour and checked out the Japanese Matsuri that was on down there - see my photo stream for some cool pics, and Vimeo for a cute video of Japanese dancing girls. (Sorry I don't know the technical term). We had some lunch in the Queen Victoria Bulding and I picked up a nice pair of shoes! ;-) Then we returned to the hotel to prepare for the rather early-starting reunion.
Being an idiot, I didn't pack a hairdryer and having just had my hair lightened about 20 shades (!) was rather frustrated by the fluff effect that the pathetic hotel dryer had on my hair. Thank god for Peta who tamed the mane, crafting it into something moderately acceptable for a cocktail function. Skin moisturised, eyes lined, dresses puffed and lips coloured we cabbed it down to Circular Quay to the Green Room at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
It was interesting to see the variety of people that Mitsui has afforded the MEF privilege to over the years. I didn't actually talk to anyone pre-2000 unfortunately -but there seemed to be an interesting mix of lawyers, diplomats, business people and academics there. The presentations from the past 4 decades were especially cool.
One guy who went on the tour in the 90's basically told the story of how Mitsui changed his life - he was processing refugees (read "illegal immigrants") on Christmas Island, strangely (or possibly not) decided that he wasn't exactly living a fulfilling existence and decided to quit and pursue his artistic dream. He is now an artist who paints stunning paintings of Geisha and other Japanese icons.
Kinda cool.
Anyway, long story short - Geoff Gallop was there - former Premier of WA and now Head of the School of Government at Sydney Uni - and I happened to mention to him that I used to know his son. He gave me the home number in Perth and told me to call him! Still undecided upon whether that is utterly weird.
After the function something very strange happened. Yogya friends may remember Robert, the bullshit artist masqerading as saviour of the universe with a heart broken by a Finnish girl but never fear he is going to solve homelessness and poverty in Indonesia and has an IT business that has made him very rich, but would never ever buy you a drink. Turns out that pathological liar is a cab driver who happened to pass my group on Macquarie Place with a vacant cab, but baulked when he saw me, saw his fictional universe crash down and made some excuse about having to go to Manly.
People are disappointing. Bitter tastes. I was pretty cut that two (I thought) close friends from Yogya who both live in Sydney didn't make the effort to catch up while I was there. One didn't even return calls or SMSs at all. That's nice.
I think I just expect too much from people.... like reciprocation of friendship. I must be crazy.
Aaarrgh that was the bitter note I promised myself I wouldn't end on.
In other news, I am working over the weekend because of bloody Budget Estimates, I have my exam next Saturday and I have to do well cos I am down to the last cut for one of my scholarships. So thats a happy ending for this post right there.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Monday Night Drinks
All ye complainants about my dearth of artistic output on this thing, well, I should punch you all in the mouths for not commenting and thus not helping to propagate the cycle of positive feedback that keeps me motivated to produce.
Nonetheless.
It has been suggested to me by a pal that you might be interested in what has become a somewhat regular occurence in my life. In fact, to be precise, it has occurred every week since I started working, barring the public holiday.
Monday night drinks.
With fellow travellers Miss Maude and Uncle Brad, we stake out our little spot at a watering hole quite close to our respective places of work and engage in a few hours of errr, watering. In fact Miss Maude and I had tactily and over a period of weeks begun to work our way through the white wine menu (Tim Adams Pinot Gris mmmmmm - eyes glaze over) but Uncle Brad says no, we must drink Shiraz. This often results in tense words, gulped down with a tasty mouthful of tapas. Compromises often include Shiraz Viognier blends and Pinot Noir's. Don't get me wrong, I love a red, but I like to feel that my fellow drinkers are at ease.
I sound like a total prat talking about wine like this. But having lived 6 months in Indonesia without it, you can just indulge me awhile.
A special feature of Monday night drinks is "special guests". As the consistent attendees, Claudia and I have seen an interesting range of friends attend on at least 3 occasions now. Officer Cox, Mr P, Masters and the evergreen Philbo.
Last weeks special guest was Philbo - who was just home after four months at Summer Camp in the States. She had many a travel tale to tell, and clearly was rejuvenated and vibrant after delighting in the pleasures of "handles" of vodka. 1.5 litres in one o those thing if u don't mind!
Politics is a frequent feature of Monday Night Drinks discussion. Uncle Brad scoffed at me this week for declaring that Climate Change is an issue that could with the election for the ALP. But I told him to mark my words, he said he would write them down on a serviette. Let's just watch that one eh?
So I expect you will all be lining up for a guernsey to MND's now won't you. Yeah uhuh.
In other news, I have a sparklingnewcrown on my tooth. A little bigger and buckier than I had hoped, but at least it isn't grey.
And on that note, time to give my haemoglobin a kick with some red meat for dinner. Going to Sydders on the weekend for a totally radical weekend on the ermm wheatgrass so need to rejuvenate my cells before I go!!!!
Nonetheless.
It has been suggested to me by a pal that you might be interested in what has become a somewhat regular occurence in my life. In fact, to be precise, it has occurred every week since I started working, barring the public holiday.
Monday night drinks.
With fellow travellers Miss Maude and Uncle Brad, we stake out our little spot at a watering hole quite close to our respective places of work and engage in a few hours of errr, watering. In fact Miss Maude and I had tactily and over a period of weeks begun to work our way through the white wine menu (Tim Adams Pinot Gris mmmmmm - eyes glaze over) but Uncle Brad says no, we must drink Shiraz. This often results in tense words, gulped down with a tasty mouthful of tapas. Compromises often include Shiraz Viognier blends and Pinot Noir's. Don't get me wrong, I love a red, but I like to feel that my fellow drinkers are at ease.
I sound like a total prat talking about wine like this. But having lived 6 months in Indonesia without it, you can just indulge me awhile.
A special feature of Monday night drinks is "special guests". As the consistent attendees, Claudia and I have seen an interesting range of friends attend on at least 3 occasions now. Officer Cox, Mr P, Masters and the evergreen Philbo.
Last weeks special guest was Philbo - who was just home after four months at Summer Camp in the States. She had many a travel tale to tell, and clearly was rejuvenated and vibrant after delighting in the pleasures of "handles" of vodka. 1.5 litres in one o those thing if u don't mind!
Politics is a frequent feature of Monday Night Drinks discussion. Uncle Brad scoffed at me this week for declaring that Climate Change is an issue that could with the election for the ALP. But I told him to mark my words, he said he would write them down on a serviette. Let's just watch that one eh?
So I expect you will all be lining up for a guernsey to MND's now won't you. Yeah uhuh.
In other news, I have a sparklingnewcrown on my tooth. A little bigger and buckier than I had hoped, but at least it isn't grey.
And on that note, time to give my haemoglobin a kick with some red meat for dinner. Going to Sydders on the weekend for a totally radical weekend on the ermm wheatgrass so need to rejuvenate my cells before I go!!!!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Pirates and Wenches
Maybe if I put more photos like this on my blog u will all comment.
Whats new?
Went to a party with the above theme on Saturday. Made the horrifyingly poor choice of drinking red vodka cruisers and paid dearly yesterday morning - sugar overload. Eurgh.
Last week bankrupted myself by buying a new laptop and Ipod on the same day. But I am so technologied up right now it ain't funny.
I currently have a false front tooth- preparations for replacement of "greytooth" commenced on Friday. So have a dodgy, wonky, badly colour matched front tooth. It is really attractive. No really, it is.
I have an interview on Friday for a scholarship and am learning in the other spare 5 minutes i have every day for my exam. Don't really have any peculiar vocab to share with you. It numbs ur brain after a while.
Life keeps chugging along. Going to Sydney for the Mitsui reunion in a couple of weeks, and I really cannot wait for that. It will be so cool to catch up with all my fellow travellers! Yay.
Might upload some more photo's in a minute from my birthday - but none of them are even remotely as interesting as Becky, Myself and Kate dressed as pirates and wenches. He he he.
Whats new?
Went to a party with the above theme on Saturday. Made the horrifyingly poor choice of drinking red vodka cruisers and paid dearly yesterday morning - sugar overload. Eurgh.
Last week bankrupted myself by buying a new laptop and Ipod on the same day. But I am so technologied up right now it ain't funny.
I currently have a false front tooth- preparations for replacement of "greytooth" commenced on Friday. So have a dodgy, wonky, badly colour matched front tooth. It is really attractive. No really, it is.
I have an interview on Friday for a scholarship and am learning in the other spare 5 minutes i have every day for my exam. Don't really have any peculiar vocab to share with you. It numbs ur brain after a while.
Life keeps chugging along. Going to Sydney for the Mitsui reunion in a couple of weeks, and I really cannot wait for that. It will be so cool to catch up with all my fellow travellers! Yay.
Might upload some more photo's in a minute from my birthday - but none of them are even remotely as interesting as Becky, Myself and Kate dressed as pirates and wenches. He he he.
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