Everybody Please.....

use my chatbox on the right hand side of this page.

It is very embarassing when you have a chatbox and the last entry is 18 mar 08.

It creates a false impression that I am not popular at all, which is sooo totally untruuue....

Oh my god, I'm speaking like one of the cast members of the revamped but still shitty 90210.

So please use it ok, even if you have to use different nicknames to make multiple entries....

Thanks.

xoxo,
GMW.

What I might miss

Got a little emotional going back on the train from Wollongong back to Sydney. Funny how when you are going to another country to live for a few years and the place you are going to miss more is not where you live, but somewhere an hour and a half away.

I've never really mentioned why I've "suddenly" decided to move away elsewhere, but this has been on the cards for a while now. The first hint was the announcement at this year's Mardi Gras Party. (Almost) 10 years in Australia and its time to move on, both emotionally and physically. If I don't detach myself now, I will not be able to grow as a person.

I will miss some things.

• The beach.
• The weather.
• The freedom of independent living.
• Some friends.

Things i probably will not miss much.

• 16 hour days doing factory trials in Brisbane.
• People getting bashed up on our street almost every weekend.
• Expensive public transport.

I was really excited about going to the GONG last week. As much as I've made out on a few blog entries about the area being exclusive royalty, it really is a place for us to go when we feel like a holiday. Iron Chef and Beryl always makes us feel welcome, from the welcome champagne (with candied hibiscus flowers, no less) to the little touches like bags of treats on our pillows.

We had a great time, but the more I enjoyed myself, the more I started counting down the last days I have left here. Ok, before I start making this out to be like some kind of obituary, I am thankful for the time I've had here. And of course living in Australia has given me the greatest gift I have been blessed to receive. I don't think I have to spell it out for you, if you know me well, you'd know who I'm talking about.

Ok, I must really blog about the Wollongong trip now. Using photo aids.

Some people don't like reading too much, they like pictures. Not enough gray matter to process words.

The lovely day began with a welcome drink of champagne with hibiscus flowers, very spa/zen....that was of course the first in a series of many many drinks that lasted us the whole night.

After the thirst quencher, there was a prize presentation to the current President of the Grandmaster Wong Stalkers Association for her hard work in maintaining the fan club at its maximum membership capacity of 6.

Then there was a nice home-cooked dinner of roast lamb with assorted roast vegetables (no photos here as food disappeared before we had a chance to take the photo). Then there was drinking. And more drinking. And further drinking.


The next day, we woke up to whistling birds and beautiful sunshine, then we realised it was all in our heads. Residual alcohol can have that kind of effect. It was actually cold, cloudy and windy. But we decided to challenge the weather and do something outdoors. What better way to experience the Australian lifestyle than to have a BBQ with a flapping nice tablecloth, flying cutlery, rolling tomato sauce, fraying kitchen towels and sharing our food with a family of seagulls.....

It was fantastic, I enjoyed it immensely, although I did have a Chinese Restaurant moment, with the "waiters" clearing my plates and cutlery even before I've finished my wonderful meal.

I'm a swinger! Under the big blue skies!

Delightful spread. 2 sausages mysteriously disappeared when we were ready to serve. Suspect some white creatures with a liking for chips devoured them at one go.

Ok I admit it. This is a posed picture. I've learnt not to jostle with a true blue Australian at the barbeque plate. The Asian is always going to lose out. But if I were to be doing fried rice here, the Australian will quietly stand back.

Its hard to smile when you have 80km/h winds slamming in your faces.

I know, I know, I have shaved off that silly looking moustache since then. First kept it as a form of rebellion at work, but have since realised it was making me look stupid. I looked like a sleazy young man and I wasn't getting the Justin Timberlake look I was going for. Matt was happy to see it go......

We then went out for dinner that night at a Chinese Restaurant at Shelly's Club. Nice food and rather affordable too, considering we had 5-6 dishes and 2 bottles of wine (yes more drinking...).

And yes, got to catch up with the Lumleys too, which is always fun and often interesting.

Great trip, thanks once again Chef and Beryl....

I just had a light bulb flash in my mind. Why don't we (Chef, Beryl, GMW [wow, sounds posh!] and Matt) set up a bed and breakfast somewhere in Perth? Just a thought.....

Bigger than Australia

I'm telling you, watch out for the surprise hit of summer.....



Some people are gonna get real famous soon......heheheh

Again

The vicious cycle repeats itself and comes back every two years to haunt me.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, I have lost my mobile phone, yet again!

However, this time round, compared to 2 years ago, I am strangely calm. See below......

http://grandmasterwong.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html

Firstly, because I have backed up my phone numbers half a year ago, I will only be losing friends I've made in the last half year. So if you've known me for half a year or less, do send me an SMS to the same number if you wish to continue having a pseudo celeb friend.

Secondly, it brings me to the more exciting prospect of getting a new phone....I'd never thought I'll say it, but I am actually considering getting an iPhone when I move overseas. I have never ever been a supporter of Apple products, not because they are lousy, more because of the value. See when iPods first came out, yes, it looked slick and everyone used it as a fashion accessory, but I was peeved that you had to buy 600 other add ons to make it multifunctional e.g. FM radio attachment, voice recorder attachment....So I went and bought a Creative Zen MP3 player instead, which gave me everything I want (except an orgasm) for half the price.

Now, I am ashamed to admit that I have been sucked into Apple's massive marketing vortex of insurmountable desire. The desire to own an MP3 player that is also a phone and video player and PDA. A few of my friends have already got it, and thats all they do all day, play with their phones....I am starting to feel like I am slowly becoming an iPhone zombie, even before I own the phone. This is known as the IVS (iPhone Vampiristic Syndrome) and its already beginning to take effect on me.

My only hope from becoming one of them is its size. While most of the times I like things big, there wouldn't be much space in my pocket to house the massive block of a phone next to my other massive things....

So stay tuned to find out if I ever recover from IVS.

The Moment....

Yes, I have finally done it!

Walked into work yesterday, bashed my way into the boss' (how the hell do you spell boss's!!!) room, said " I QUIT AND I'M LEAVING RIGHT NOW! "

That, of course, would happen in an episode of Home and Away. My life ain't quite that dramatic.

This was what really happened....

8:30 am : I strolled into work with the intention of handing in my resignation letter to my boss. That is, if I even have my resignation letter ready.

8:34 am : Switched on my computer, sat down, keyed in my password and strolled along to the pantry to make myself a nice cup of calming tea.

8:37 am : Went back to my desk, opened up Internet Explorer and went to Google.

8:38 am : Typed in "sample resignation letter" in search field and hit enter.

8:38 am : 61,867 search results come out.

8:40 am : I picked the second one, where I only needed to insert my name, address and contact number and a ready to use resignation letter is churned out.

8:45 am : Inserted in more details like personal reasons, family etc etc....

8:53 am : Printed the letter off, signed and dated it.

8:55 am : Wrote down my to do list for today, 17 items to complete.

9:02 am : Waited for boss to arrive.

9:03 am : Colleague Number 1 arrived, asked me if I've put it in. Mentioned that boss is coming in, and she looks like she's not in a good mood.

9: 05 am : Shelved my letter and went about trying to complete my 17 things.

10:27 am : Colleague Number 2 come to the lab and asked me if I've put my resignation in. He says : " You must put it in before I leave for my flight today ok? I want to see her reaction."

10:48 am : Colleague number 1 looks at me with anticipating eyes as I walked into the office to get a drink of water. Somehow I feel that today is going to be all about me.

10:55 am : I thought since everyone is so anxious about me talking to my boss, I'll leave it for a bit longer. Just a bit like Australian Idol, "we will reveal who goes, right after this commercial break!"

11:34 am : Walked into Boss' room, closed the door after me. She looked at me in a strange way, eyes widening. Saw me holding a piece of paper and started shaking her head, saying "no..no..no..."I nodded and said "yes, yes, yes...ok let me explain......"

12:14 pm : Conversation ended (details confidential). Resignation accepted.

12:16 pm : Sigh of relief....ahhhh.....

So there you go...a blow by blow account of a rather stressful day at work (but not for long....)

And now, a rather low key announcement.....I'm leaving. Matt's coming, halfway.

Grandmaster's returning to his roots....for a while...