My Blue Heaven

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The astute may have noticed a new little form on the left hand side. Yep, you can now officially subscribe to Kazzart.Com. This simply means you can be notified by email when new content is posted to my weblog. Just enter your email address and click “Notify me”. This is all thanks to in-built features of MovableType (which I’ve been too lazy to utilise until now). And don’t worry, I’m not harvesting emails to give to secret 3rd party associates – I won’t spam you.. I promise.

Talking about techie things… has anyone upgraded to the new MovableType 3.2? I’m still stuck in ancient times on v2.6. Is it worth the upgrade? I notice you now have to pay, unless you’re getting the single user/no support version. Hm.. anyways. I really need to do a website update/redesign soon. My code isn’t even w3c standards compliant and I’m supposed to be a web developer. Well, now I know how to do this, and more. Kinda handy having a hobby in the same industry as your job. 😉

ISFP

I decided to revisit the myers-briggs temperament sorter. The last time I tested myself was almost 2 years ago! So I find it interesting to note that I am now fairly firmly an ISFP (was previously ESFP.. though teetering towards ISFP). As defined by Keirsey, I’m an Artisan Composer. I actually got almost the same results from both Kisa and Jungs tests.

In more detail, according to Jung I am:

• moderately expressed Introvert (44%)
• distinctively expressed Sensing personality (62%)
• distinctively expressed Feeling personality (62%)
• slightly expressed Perceiving personality (6%)

I found a fairly short succinct description of an ISFP on this website:

“People of this type tend to be: kind, humble, and highly empathetic; thoughtful, faithful, and affectionate with those they know well; sensitive to criticism and easily hurt; quiet, soft-spoken, and gentle; adaptable, responsive, and curious; realistic and down to earth.

The most important thing to ISFPs is feeling peaceful and harmonious with the people and places that matter most to them.”

Actually scarily accurate! (Esp the extra bits about “how to love” and “how to spot” an ISFP). Rather interesting stuff. But if I change one answer (in the Jung test), I become an ISFJ, with a Judging score at 6%, which also fits depending on the situation! Seems I’m quite borderline between the J and P.

I wonder why I’m a lot more introverted than before. Is it just a matter of circumstance? I got an ESFP score before.. and I think in the right situation, I could possibly be an ESFP sometimes? Meh.. maybe I’m becoming more hermit-like with age! Kwai seems to think I’m an introvert.

Current listening :: “Pon De Replay” – Rihanna

Weekend update

Had myself a rather enjoyable weekend. Fri night was spent relaxing at home, ordering some local Thai delivery and watching Princess Diaries 2. 🙂 On Saturday, Kwai and myself went to salsa class @ the Urdang Academy in Covent Garden! The teacher, Julian, was the same as my thurs class I used to go to, but the level was a bit harder (Int/Advanced). I felt like such a clumsy beginner.. especially with the fancy footwork during warm up. He taught the class a lot faster too. I think I annoyed one of the guys I danced with coz I totally lost it and wasn’t following him. Ack. I find following the hardest thing in salsa.. I’m just not used to it.. I’ve been too well-trained in other forms of independant dance (jazz, funk, hiphop). But all was well in the end and I had improved greatly by the time I went full circle (we change partners throughout class) and reached the same guy again. I danced with the teacher once too.. whose only advice to me was to look up and not at my feet. Good advice. Kwai seemed to find the class a tad challenging too… at least I didn’t have my partner refuse to dance with me, as one of the girls did with him. Harsh. But then he hadn’t done any salsa for like 7 or 8 months. For me, it was my first salsa class in about 3 months. We both were jumping straight into an advanced class. Haha. Well I like the challenge. I always seem to go for classes that are just a little over my head.. I guess its much more satisfying when I do get the routine at the end. 🙂 But I intend to get back into salsa.. and improve! It’s heaps fun. 🙂 I quite like the Saturday class. It’s smaller and friendler.. with a close-knit feel to the group. As they repeatedly stated, they’re like a family there. Plus me and Kwai can go practice at salsa clubs. 🙂

So after salsa, we both had an impromptu haircut at my new-favourite salon in London.. Sanrizz at Covent Garden. Kwai desperately needed a haircut and managed to get an appointment with his regular hairdresser – a japanese lady called Hirumi. She’s the senior stylist there. I decided instead of waiting, to get my hair done too! 🙂 Got my fringe trimmed shorter and blended it in with the layers around my face. I’m really into this layering thing atm. It gives more body and shape around the face. Might post a pic later. 😉 After our dual haircut (I’ve never gotten my hair cut with my boyfriend before… it was fun!) Kwai took me to his favourite Balti Indian restaurant nearby. The cheap pre-theatre menu included a Balti dish and unlimited naan bread for £6.50! Let me tell you, the naan bread was absolutely divine. It was HUUGE (the width of the table!) and freshly made, just out of the oven. Mmmmm. Finally, to finish our day out, we watched March Of The Penguins.. which was very cute. Emperor Penguins are the coolest animals. Literally.. surviving in -80 degrees + wind chill of 100 miles/hour! Damn I shouldn’t complain about London weather!

Sunday was spent in bed. I slept until 4pm and actually missed daylight! My body was worn out from a hard week at work, building up lack of sleep, and a long day & night out on Sat.. I woke up all sniffly, sneezing, with a headache – so went back to sleep. It was worth it. My body definitely needed the recovery sleep. At night, Kwai cooked me some pies with mash and peas for dinner. And I mean, cooked pies from scratch… he made the stock by simmering chickens, cooked up all the fresh ingrediants with fresh herbs and white wine, rolled out the puff pastry… mashed up potatoes.. and 3 & 1/2 hours later.. we ate the best chicken and mushroom pie I have ever tasted!! Kwai Can Cook!! 🙂

Well. Gotta leave soon – gonna go to the gym tonite for a swim, spa, steam and sauna. Nothing too heavy.. just some light exercise coz I feel so stodgy after eating very filling pie for lunch. (He made 6 pies… I can barely finish 1 in one sitting).

Oh yeh, forgot to mention that I watched “Just Like Heaven” and “The Producers” the weekend before. I enjoyed both. Reeally loved Just Like Heaven – it was so sweet and romantic.. and I cried twice in it! The Producers was a crack up.. I have “Spring Time for Hitler” in my head now… hehe. I gotta say, the gay guys at that choreographers house/office were VERY funny… esp when they come down the stairs as they’re introduced.

Current listening :: “One Way” – Hillsong United Live

Photos update

FINALLY updated my gallery with some new (old) photos taken over the past few months in Brussels, Frankfurt and London! Check em out. Here’s a sneak preview. 🙂

Current listening :: “Stickwitu” – The Pussycat Dolls

2005

Note: This post has been updated to include a few more categories and musings plus links to all the relevent experiences in my blog during 2005. (05/01/06 11:30am.)

Yet another year over. I can’t believe how fast this year has flown by. I can’t believe I’ve been in London for 8 months. There have been so many changes in my life over this past year. Just trying to think back and remember everything that has happened this year is giving me a headache. In summary:

• Started the year depressed, heartbroken and single
• Kicked myself in the butt, took a chance and met some awesome people who have become great friends (whom I miss very much)
• Decided to go experience more of the world whilst I was still young (and free) – so packed up my life and headed off to London
• Whilst in London – got a job, lost a job, started contracting, stopped contracting (coz I chickened out), lived in the south, west and north of London, lived in Frankfurt, lived out of a suitcase for 6 months, visited Paris, Verona, Brussels and Amsterdam, started renting my own place for the first time, met a cute british boy who rather abruptly ended my fairly short span of singledom

I’m gonna attempt to narrow down and list the 2005 experiences that really stand out for me. Very difficult task, but here goes!

Most memorable experience

This is sooo hard to narrow. I may even change my mind later. But for now.. it would have to be the time I spent living in and visiting Frankfurt. The month or so I spent there (plus the first few weekend trips) really left its mark on my memory. I actually miss Frankfurt and the people I met there. Things that stand out for me include buying a 2nd hand bicycle (and basket!) and learning to ride around Frankfurt by myself.. be it to go shopping for groceries, go to the kino (cinemas), or just for a ride by the river side. Bicycles are cool. Other things include Mystery Monday nights at the kino, the riverside street festivals, and the saunas. A close second would be my final few months in Sydney – had lots of great friends, partied hard, danced hard, felt so energised, healthy, independant, motivated and alive. I really had a great time before leaving Sydney. They were some of the best few months in my life. (Ok I didn’t do a very good job of narrowing this one down to one experience. :P)

Happiest experience

Sitting on the back of Kwai’s bicycle as he cycled through the peaceful, leafy tree-lined streets of Frankurt on a beautiful sunny sunday summers afternoon during my first weekend trip to Frankfurt.

Most fun experience

The day out at Wattamolla with good friends followed by dinner, some extremely crazy fun karaoke and very late pancakes at the rocks. Also clubbing almost every week with Romyl, Kay, Chris, Christian and crew during my final few months in Sydney.

Most scary/exciting experience

Sitting in the very front seats of the front carriage on a rollercoaster at a theme park near Frankfurt… and going down that first, near vertical drop, being forced NOT to hold on to the bars but have my hands above my head.. whilst screaming my head off! Also coming over to London, leaving home for the very first time.. that was pretty scary/exciting.. in a different way.

Coolest experience

The saunas in Frankfurt… they’re awesome! (Should be called hottest experience really! :P) And the International Dancers Workshop #3. Oh the routines were sooooo goooood. *sigh*

Most unexpected experience

Getting a boyfriend in London!

Best gigs of the year

Tie between The Cat Empire @ Shepherds Bush Empire (London), Jack Johnson @ Centennial Park (Sydney) and Wave Aid @ Sydney Cricket Ground.

Coolest new skill learnt

Salsa dancing! Sooo much fun. 🙂

Biggest shopping spree

Hands down. Brussels. Whee! 😀

Most gastranomical experience

Verona – the coffee, the gelati, the food (in particular lunch in backstreet alley deli/cafe). Nuff said. Also a certain restaurant in Montmarte, Paris – I think its called Pre Cadet. Oh, and belgian chocolates and waffles in Brussels. Mmmm… *drools*

Most cultural experience

Watching La Boheme at the Arena di Verona Annual Opera Festival in Verona, Italy.

Most bittersweet experience

Saying our first “I love you” at the airport, as my new boyfriend of 3 days left to spend 6 months in Frankfurt. And also every time we parted after a wonderful but too-short weekend together.

Most depressing experience

Suddenly really missing my parents (and crying for days) 2 weeks into arriving in London (after the initial ‘wow’ had worn off)… also the many times I’ve felt very alone and friendless in a big, cold city (have really hit some big time lows this year)… the whole process of leaving and gradually losing touch with all my friends back home. 🙁

Most stressful experience

Losing a job, and getting kicked out of accomodation at the same time. Not having any contract work for 6 weeks. And the experience of missing a flight (or 2).. and missing a eurostar train…

Most painful experience

Getting UTI. *shudders*

Most disappointing experience

The fiasco of having a contract job cancelled at the airport the day before starting. Also gaining weight due to too much eating, losing fitness due to lack of exercise, losing dancing skills due to lack of dancing, losing piano skills due to lack of playing! 🙁

So there it is. 2005. Happy 2006 to you all. A brand new year with lots more new experiences. Hopefully these will include skiing, more Europe, Australia, New York, more dancing, more salsa, more exercise, more friends, jazz piano courses, St Helens, World Cup 2006 in Frankfurt… to name a few. 😉

To extend this long post even more. I know I have changed over the past 8 months. I’ve been reflecting upon this.. and I think the change that stands out the most to me is my willingness to try new things, for the sake of trying new things. I always tended to stick to the old and familiar.. the tried and tested. I hated disappointment, and unless I was 110% sure a new experience/food/thing would be good.. I would most likely choose what I already knew to be good. But now, I find myself going for the new.. something I haven’t tried or eaten before. I guess I’ve become a lot more adventurous.

Hm. This has become a mammoth post. But its been good for me to reflect on this past year. To remember things I’ve forgotten. It helps me keep things in perspective. It helps kick me in the butt in the areas I’ve let slide. Reminds me of things I have achieved, and motivates me to continue trying, because I know I’ve done it before. So.. here’s to making 2006 a great year! 🙂

We gots SNOW! :)

Well I had myself a white christmas this year! Yesterday, Tues 27th Dec (the christmas day public holiday) I awoke to the beautiful sight of snow in the backyard!! Yay!! Not much snow, but still its snow! I took some piccies which I’ll upload later. Then that very afternoon I went out to do some post-christmas sales shopping on Oxford Street. And upon exiting Oxford Circus tube, two things struck me. First, how absolutely packed with people Oxford Street was.. we were walking on the road coz there wasn’t enough room on the sidewalks. And two.. the fact that these lovely fat soft snowflakes were gently drifting down from the sky. That was pretty awesome!! It makes the absolute freezing cold temperatures worth it!! It wasn’t very heavy snow unfortunately, and with so many people trampling the ground, it didn’t really stay. But there’s still some snow on my street… on the cars.. in my backyard.. on the roofs. Hee! 🙂

Now the down side of having a (kind of) white christmas, is that it is friggin freezing! When I left for work this morning, it was about -1 degs C. Today’s top temp has been a grand total of 2 degs, with a min expected tonight of -2. Yikes. Everyone’s been freezing here at work coz the heaters weren’t on the last 4 days, and the building turned into a fridge. People were wearing gloves and beanies and scarfs. I turned my big puffy long coat into a blanket. 🙂

Post-christmas retail therapy

I purchased myself a few bargain items yesterday. I first headed straight to my favourite store – Morgan De Toi. Bought myself two cowl-necked woolly tops (burnt olive and black), and a black furry handbag. All half price! (On a side note, if you check out the website, go to UK site, look under Rock Chic collection, the “Cefred” dress – which the model holding the guitar standing in front of the marshall amp is wearing – I have that dress! Bought it during my Brussels shopping spree… such an awesome dress! I wear it with a sparkly crystal/gold/black velvet belt and black knee-high boots and my gorgeous brown suede fur coat).

We then headed to Selfridges – a cool, huge department store with a very trendy urban feel. I was looking for bath/shower products, but ended up buying two perfumes, both for half price. What a bargain! I replenished my classic Issey Miyake and also bought Calvin Klein One Summer Edition – which has quite a nice light fresh/fruity scent.

We were pretty much dying of hunger by then, so went to the food hall and wolfed down a scrummy square pie with mash, mushy peas and gravy. Then perused the rest of the food hall (which I think I’ve fallen in love with – would u believe they even have a Krispy Kreme donut counter there!).. and bought a loaf of roasted garlic bread (that I toasted for brekky this morning.. yum!), some Black & Greens hot chocolate and these really yummy fat free pretzel snacks. Mmm.

So thats my mini post-christmas shopping spree. My christmas break was otherwise spent eating, relaxing/chilling out, eating, sleeping, watching movies-on-demand for free on my digital box, ice-skating, eating, sleeping, eating, shopping… yeh.. that pretty much sums it up. I ate so much. I don’t want to see or even smell another turkey until next christmas!!

Okies well time to finish up at work. Gonna head off for a very-desperately-needed workout at the gym!! Stay tuned for photos of snow and oxford st lights!

Current listening :: “Kate” – Ben Folds Five