Our second expedition to Bridge Road has resulted in Budget reaching CRITICAL Level. But I'm well happy.

Today was spent marketing and preparing for tomorrow's BBQ. OMG so tired!

We have a heck of a lot of food. I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow...

//edit: Proper Update

We've had so much fun the last few days; eating, shopping, laughing, clubbing, cooking and chilling out.

Thursday, when I arrived as awfully dreary, but we had Far East Plaza Indonesian food at Es Teler *bing!* Mood levels up.

Retail Therapy for dessert: One order kid's size 10 army print mini-skirt.

Lots of chaotic laughter and stories over dinner followed by CLUBBING. Okay, so it was an RnB club, but there's nothing that a Sex & the City-ish orange-scented Cosmopolitan can't fix!

Friday:

SHOPPING + Thai Food = V Good Day.

And I found The Shop Of My Dreams. Bought a see-thru green tunic dress/top, a black button down top with frayed seams and a gorgeous pair of Jean That Fit Perfectly. $200 just like that! But worth every dollar.

Shop name: Pervert. So appropriate! I like Pervert v much!

After shopping we met up with Ju's two polly pocket boys and headed back home.

Puggs Malone is our new fav hang-out. Black and Tans, our new fav drink: Half Guiness half Kilkenny. We must have giggled and sang ourselves silly for at least 4 hours. We trooped off to Donald's for more drinks and Tim Tam Explosions and some sodomy. (We watched Salo: 100 Days of Sodom. Get yo mind out of the gutter)

Friday blended into Saturday where we headed to the Melbourne Show. Show Bags, Carnival Rides and LOTS OF FREE FOOD SAMPLES! It rained sporadically the whole day, a mite depressing, but the excellent company turned the drippy day into a wholly delightful one. We hung out at Pugg's once again, downing pints and encountering A Girl From Margaret River (in squeaky bat shriek) who tried to hit on Julian.

We headed to Crown Casino after, braving (I swear) sub-zero winds. The fire show at Crown defrosted my face some and I was thawed enough to git me some bling bling.

Junie won almost $100. Must have been our lucky red devil ears (courtesy of Essential Carnival kitsch at the Melbourne Show).

The money sponsored our Sundaydinner: Spring Rolls, Steamed Promfret, Watercress Soup, Sweet & Sour Pork and Rice.

Whirlwind of a weekend, exhausted but thoroughly enjoyable

My calves ache like shit. Had a fatburner gym session yesterday and we went clubbing tonight. My legs are going to be super sore tomorrow.

Did a little shopping today. Tomorrow, more shopping and more clubbing! w00t!

Tis so cold in Melb compared to Sydney. It's cuddle weather. Wish you were here...

We've had beautiful spring weather the last few days. Warm, sunny and breezy. *contented sigh* Almost feels like Singapore on those miracle days of low humidity.

To think I'm leaving this lovely climate for a week of freezing temps in Melbourne. SIGH.

Today was nice. It wasn't the sunny summery day forecast, but it was pleasant weather to lounge around. Ate so much! Loaded on fresh bread and hommous and spinach+yoghurt dip and lots and lots of cake.

We had 2 oreo cheesecakes, two Mikey cakes: a buttercake ring topped with blue icing and lots of sprinkles, pretty green and pink cupcakes and one Jenny + Lisa cake (they _claim_ they made it *ahem*): CHOCOLATE.

Also had toffees, cookies and m & ms. Sugar Overload.

Lots of food and friends. Tis a great way to spend a birthday. *schmiles*

What happened to predictions of blue skies and warm weather?! *wails* I hope it doesn't rain today! *crosses fingers and toes and every other crossable limb).

Anyway. Today I plan to sit in the sun and lounge away my day, surrounded by food and friends and the nice ducks in the pond. I plan to huggle a lovable scuffydawg and eat oreo cheesecake till I explode. I want bunnyhugs and berryhugs and lots of laughter.

I wish you could send yourself over in a big box with a ribbon tied around your head too.

YARRRRRRR! It be a better day than expected my maties. Not so stressful was Newsday, me an' my shipmates finished our stories in double quick time we did, and real fast too. Be goin' to a forum in the even-time. YARRRRRRR.

Tis' time to grab me a bite of grub, it be. YARRRRRRR.

In case ye be a-wonderin' why in the seven darn seas I be speaking like this. It be International Talk Like a Pirate Day ye ignorant scurvy landlubbers. YAAAAAARRRRR.

I got my hair trimmed and teeth looked at today. Teeth cost $165! *Ouch* Boohoo, now I have to osmosize nutrients from the air.
My big toe is all swollen like I've sprained it, but I haven't done anything naughty this week. That means no kickboxing for me on Friday (sigh. Anyway, I have to participate in a simulated newsroom on Friday. Whoop dee doo. I'm just dripping with enthusiasm. 8 hour shift, bunch of people I don't know, running around Sydney by public transport, be still my beating heart). I'll miss the torture of kickboxing, I could really do with a good workout - so tense and restless these few days.
Sigh Sigh.

I wish I could skip tomorrow and Friday and just fast forward to next week. Come to think of it, maybe change the channel.

Wah! Not a bad day. Interviewed Australia's former Human Rights Commisioner at his home this morning. He's a really nice man, very kindly looking, but sharp. If only all interviewees could be so willing to talk to poor ole journo students like us.

Went to the gym, had a good workout and have class in 30 minutes.

Feeling tired, but not all that bad... must survive this week!

I'm going to Melbourne in about a week. YAAAAYYYYY!!!

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

Bah. Just realised next week is gonna be busy HELL WEEK

Monday:
Conduct Interview
Work 2-6

Tuesday:
Conduct Interview
Gym
IR class + presentation 6-9

Wednesday:
Conduct Interview
Nerd Werk

Thursday:
Work 11-3
Gym
Project Meeting
OJ2 Class + presentation 6-9

Friday:
NEWS DAY 930-530
George Munster Forum 6

Saturday:
Work 12-4
MARKETING
Cooking + prep

Sunday:
Spring Babies Birfday Picnic

Kickboxing was actually quite fun yesterday. Not as confusing and I didn't get punched/kicked to the wall this time! *beams* Am v pleased.

Learnt how to do the Charlie's Angels type kick where your leg pivots from your hip while parrellel to the ground! Terry the Tormentor made us hold it for 30 seconds in the air before we kicked, so there we were, flailing and hopping around in effort to not fall over and punish the whole class into doing more pushups or something. I learnt to throw my body waaaaaay back to prevent myself from toppling.

The pushups and crunches are still hell. It's like boot camp. OMG.

I got: "ARE YOU IN PAIN LITTLE MISS?!"

Recognition. w00t. And yes, I was in intense pain. We did 2-second hold V crunches, bicycle crunches and holding-yourself-up-by-the-elbows-and-toes-into-a-plank-for-30-seconds-OMFG-extremely-painful-torture-routine.

However, I *can* move today.

Am going for dinner/techno bowling tonight! Yay! Gutter Goddess is back!

Today

AM: Call, email for interviews for OJ2 proj. Status: Nubbad!

PM: Kickboxing. Status: Scared

I'm so proud of myself. Today I didn't oversleep and got A LOT of work done. Have secured at least 2 interviews for my final feature and have read most of one of the key research readings. Emailed at least five people/organisations/government offices and am now waiting on their replies.

Am chugging along nicely. I also organised all my research and sources and colour-tagged them. Whoever invented post-its and those semi-transparent self-adhesive page markers is a GENIUS and deserves a medal for Most Useful Invention in My World. Hurrah hurrah!

Dinner tonight was your favourite dish - Lamb Chops and Oven Roasted Potatoes (and a Green Salad, but we know you hates that stuff. But Ceasar Dressing saves the day right?).

I shall treat my productivity with a nice spot of TV.

P.S: Jamie Oliver is ADORABLE. I think he's got a nice soft belly. I wants to poke it. Heehee.

It's J. Lu's birfday pub bash tonight. I haven't been out in ages and ages. Feel like going home actually, it's been a long day. Class quiz today was horrific. Map of the World. There are all these places in Africa I cannot name. Boohoo.

Pilates today was super wanky. Regular instructor was sick, so guy that took over went thru a different routine. It was a bit yoga-ish and poncey-ish. "Feel your body, listen to the music of your breathing."

Give me leg circles, crunches and hundreds any day man. None of that wanky new-age stuff! Bah!

Finding Nemo is exhiliratingly enjoyable!

"I speak Whale!" cracked me up, and I thought they did a fine job of portraying them beady-eyed greedy gulls.

I'm going to bed. Pray for me my friends. I anticipate much agony tomorrow morning. *Drags bruised, weary, still shaking body to bed*

OMG! I have bruises on my back! One right where my tailbone is and one on the last vertabrae. Holy Shites.

OMG. Just found a mass of bruises on my wrists. Where the hell did they come from?!?!

I also have a cut lip from when my boxing partner caught me off guard and the focus pad launched against my chin and I accidentally bit myself. Boo. Such a weakling.

My hands are still shaking.

Heehee. The poor girl I partnered with today must have been so frustrated at my pansyness. I felt quite bad, cos I must have wrecked her workout. She's not all that bigger than me, but she packs a mean punch. I'd never want to mess with her man. Heehee. She punched me to the wall quite a few times. o_O

*WHACK!* *Stagger Stagger Bump* *WHACK WHACK* *Stagger Stagger*
Her: Are you ok?
Me: Yes, No Worries *cowers*

Have never done so much excercise in my life. Kickboxing today was brutal. One and a half hours of punch, kick, punch, punch. Am too small for impact pads and way too weak. Did the most number of push-ups and situps in my life. Supposed to do 100 each. I lost count at 50. OMG.

Editing today took 4.5 hours. Yowza.

Took 10 minutes to do the VO, and 2 hours to choose, digitise shots, and piece half the clip together. 2 seconds to lose everything when Final Cut Pro crashed. 5 minutes of repeating FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK when we realised we had to start pretty much from scratch.

45 minutes is the time we took to do EVERYTHING again
20 is the number of seconds between pressing Apple+S
4 is the number of times we pressed Apple+S every 20 seconds

1 minute 41 seconds is the length of our clip
4 hours was the time we spent at the church
3 hours was the time we spent travelling and doing our interview
15 minutes is the length of rushes we got

ARGH! But I'm happy that we finished and I think we did a good job in spite of all the drama.

Meep

I witnessed a car crash today while I was heading to uni for editing. Yikes. Heard someone cry out when it happened, then realised it was me. Jeezus. It wasn't serious, just a fender bender. A white convertable ran a red light and side slammed into a blue toyota.

Today, I did Yoga instead of Pilates. The instructor was sick. Yoga was funny. Yoga Teacher played moosic with chirpy birds and water noises. I cannot touch my toes still. It's really wierd to look at yourself in the mirror and do the yoga moves. Can get pretty wanky, with all the floaty arms and stretched out legs.

I also did weights today. YEAH!

Today Kelvin called me FAT. I HATES HIM. I SPITS IN HIS DINNER TOMORROW.

~~~ Happy First Day of Spring~~~