Second week: Death from chocolate and the dreaded exams.

Second week:

Terrible, dreaded exams.

I won't say much about exams cause there's nothing much to say, other than I've only been here 4 months, and its the final exams. Didn't really study that much, and made the mistake of studying last minute. I guess its the new environment, new friends, short semester and everything that adds up to not wanting to study.

Either way, I did whatever I could in that short period of time. Studied as much as I can, cause 35 chapters per module ain't easy man! Well, all's done. I'll just leave it all to God. Whatever I get, I told Him, I'll be thankful! He was there for me the whole period of craziness, and I really appreciate it. =)

Stuff I did while studying....

Oh. Before I carry on, this is the self-made apple crepes that I said I would show you. Not that impressive, but working on it!

Haha, poor uni student's food during exam period. This is considered very good already. One of the few days I felt like making something. The other days were spend eating the mee goreng from indo mie!! yumyum!! Best instant noodles ever.

Then I'd start to do stupid stuff, like line my highlighters together, and making them pose ridiculous poses. The stress was getting to me, hence, as some of you know that HUGE pimple outbreak. Bleah.

Oh, and I think the outbreak was due to the amount of chocolate I ate also. It was chocolate galore!! I bought a 20 pack Tim Tam for my friend, placed it on my table, but I'm telling you the truth!! The way the Tim Tam stared at me, I promise you it was seduction!! I couldn't take it no more, and I finished half in one night. Had to really control to keep the other half for the next day.

Yumyum, chocolate biscuit with chocolate filling, all covered in creamy chocolate. =)

Haha, and Ian didn't help. He came over to see how I was doing with the studying, and gave me 2 packets of Kit Kat Chocolate Overload. Nonetheless, it didn't survive the night.

The last night of the exam, I had no more chocolates, I ran over to 7-11 and bought some Arnott's Chocolate Fingers. Man, such a pig. I was thinking I might have died from chocolate overdose or either from exam stress.

Then while studying, I saw some of the doodles I made during lectures, and my itchy fingers had to pick up the camera. Anything to get away from studying. I'm the queen procrastinator. Sigh. No discipline at all.

Then Mohan (a Night Safari Keeper also) came over a week before the exams started. The time he landed, it was a last minute thing, but he was dragged to party with me, cause it was one of my close friend's farewell. She'll be back end July, and I miss her already! Angie!! Come Back!!

Me, Ian, Angie.

Thats about it about the exam period. =D

Updates for the 3weeks I went missing.

First Week:

Remember I said my zookeeper friends came over for a conference? Yeah..it was a good experience! I miss them so badly!

I followed them on their first day here to the Melbourne Zoo. We had some of the local keepers bring us around, a real eye opener in comparison to back stage at Night Safari! I guess thats where the huge difference between Asian zoos and Western zoos come into play. We focus more on experience first, then knowledge of the animal. While western zoos, tend to not want "functional keepers", they want keepers with tons of knowledge on the animal, then experience can be build upon.

Also, conservation is a HUGE part of the zoos in western countries. They've got so much support from the government and the society, as I guess westerners tend to be more aware of environmental issues, and the need for conserving the environment and everything that lives in it from the insects to the animals to us.

Thus, due to the huge funding the zoos have here. Their facilities are way cool, and they take utmost pride in upkeeping back stage scenes. Whereas in night safari, ours really look like kampong. Its a whole new scene when you step from the city, right to the sections in Night Safari. I tell you, cycling from one section to another feels like Chinese New Year in the early 1990s in the villages in Malaysia.

Mr Wombat..He's so cute and HUGE!


Listening to Mr John tell us about one of their conservation projects with the Fiji government regarding that Fiji lizard he's holding. Totally forgot the name. I held it and it scratched me!! Now its about a month from then, and the scar is still on my thumb. Ow.


Mul is holding the Thorny Devil. The cutest lizard ever!!! If only you could see that fella's face, its got that "I'm so cute, please don't hurt me!!" face. Heehee, stupidly cute. I wanted to steal one to bring back home!


Oh. It changes colour if its frightened. Gorgeous.


The Philippine fin-tailed dragon. Another amazing and really tough lizard. Endangered.


The Rhode Island Stick Insect. Can you believe it!! Its actually a stick insect!! Very very endangered with only 25 left in the wild. Its noctournal, and when young, looks like a normal stick insect. Only reaches this beautiful armour of black when it passes sexual maturity.


You can hardly see this. So, we're considered lucky to have seen and touch this insect. Not that you guys would catch on. But its an honour man!


Orangutan 20 million facility. I think that zookeeper is so hot! She looks like Evangeline Lily!


Group picture!


And my senior from Night safari. It was good catching up with him! I took him exploring in the city. Brought him to all the dark alleys where its graffiti and cool pubs galore!

The Croft Institute reminds me of The Clinic at The Cannery. It reminds you of an old science lab.

The toilet even has a hospital bed.

And Greco was our last stop!! Haha, we had banana cake and vanilla chocolate chip...yumyum!!

A late post

i knw i haven't been updating!

Heehee, lazy la but I promised I will..soon!

Its the exam period now, have one exam on the 15, then 19 and 20th June! The 19 and 20th one will so kill me cause they're heaps n heaps to study!!

Have so many things to update you guys about! I'll attempt to do so briefly now, and when the exams are over..I'll tell you more k? =)

1) Ok, first stop. My outings with my keeper friends from 21 - 24 may were awesome! I followed them to visit the Melbourne zoo, and got to go behind the scenes with them! I must say the Melbourne zoo's bkstage is really impressive as compared to Night Safari's. Its so clean and presentable, that if any President drop in on them at any time, they'll be well prepared. Hee, in night safari ah..ours like kampong! It feels like CNY in the village when you go around cycling to visit the other sections. Haha, but more of that next time. Will post pictures up as well!

Oh, and got to catch up with mulyadi as well! Sweet!!

2) Congrats on Geraldine for getting the job as part-time animal keeper in Night safari holding area! Haha! I gave her quite a surprise when I specifically told a few of my keeper friends to say hi to her. Glad she had a rousing welcome! Haha, she told me that they've called her the 2nd janice now, and asked her to choose her moat!

Gera, its real fun being dumped in the moat! Seriously! Haha, adds to the list of crazy stuff you've done before, or rather your friends do to you..heehee. Glad you're liking the job, and seeing my passion for it. Though I must admit, I'm a tad jealous cause you're experiencing what I want to continue doing now! I miss my keeper friends badly, plus the animals as well. Please do constantly update me on whats going on! Haha, not that I don't have friends who do that as well, but its good to know it from your perspective!

Haiz..the crazy times in night safari..i sorely miss.


Though the job was tiring, the passion inside burn, if only people could see how much I love my job....

I won't be able to take it if one day I'm not allowed to do this.

3) Anyway, moving on to happier things. On 6th of june, another keeper friend will be coming over! But its only for 6 hours cause he's stopping over at melbourne to transit to Tasmania! The bad thing is that he's coming at 4am!! Yikes! I'll think of something somehow. Transport to the airport ain't cheap at all, and 6 hours is too short a time to do anything! Plus its too early. Sigh, another dilemma.

4) Last week, I helped Joanne dye her front portion of her hair bright pink! She looks awesome!! My blue hair didn't work out!! The blue dye didn't stick at all, cause I guess the bleaching didn't work out that well. So my hair is still black with streaks of light brown peeking through. Haha, I wasn't satisfied at all! So, I took whatever that was left of joanne's dye and did it to a small part of my long fringe (if that's called a fringe at all). It didn't stick well too, so it just looks light red. But fair enough! At least there's colour! I think its due to my hair texture. It isn't as porous as Joanne's. Nvrm, haha, after the exams!!! Try again.

Here's a picture to add colour to the post. Tried capturing the red streaks, but to no avail. You peeps should come over and see me instead!
That'll be a better idea.



Thats about it. You'll not hear from me for quite some time!! I should start studying which I did today. Quite a huge improvement from last time, cause I usually just start the day before the exam. But its different in uni, there's just so MUCH to study! Multitudes and multitudes of information. I hope I can get it all in.

I've been here for barely 4 months, and its exam period. Bummer.

Oh! and those of you back in Singapore. Please do go for the Rock for Wayne concert. I'm not coming back to Singapore, so do go for me please! Tickets can be bought at the websites I posted in my previous posts. The tribute page of Waynethunder.com.


Do go and tell me about it! I would so love to be there.

See ya for now!

Lotsa love and kisses to you guys. =)

That Drummer in the Sky

B4 you go

Oh B4 you go

I need to say this so you'll know

I'll miss you so

I'll miss you so

Oh I have never known a one like you

With eyes so blue

A heart so true

A heart so true

I don't know where I'll go

I'll say into the unknown

I hope someday I'll find

A one like you to be mine

Oh show me where's the sunshine

http://www.myspace.com/thesunsrock

http://www.waynethunder.com/

We were suppose to meet up when I got back in December, but you didn't wait for me. =( How am I supposed to catch up with you now, and do all the crazy things that we planned to do? Sigh, sometimes I'd look at your nick on msn, and patiently hope that you'd come online. Your messages are still in my phone. Our last convo on msn last week was just full of nonsense, about man's balls to be exact. Haha, everytime I think about it, it makes me smile though. Thank you for always making me feel loved and happy when I was with you. For making me feel special.

I'm sad that you're gone, but looking at how many and how much people love you, I'm comforted as well. A pity we never got the chance to take a picture together. The only one I have of you shows you walking away from me in Half Moon Bay. So apt.

Rest in peace my dear friend,

You'll be missed so dearly.

I'm sorry I never got to say,

How much I cherished and loved you.

But when I hear the thunders,

I'll know you're having a blast drumming

To the greatest gigs in the sky.

And in my heart I'll say,

There goes my friend,

My dear Wayne Thunder.

1977-2007.

At first I was bend on not going back in June, but now I'm not too sure anymore. Rock for Good is on 23rd June, and attending it would be least I can do for you. I know you put in a lot of effort into this and I have a feeling that this year's concert would far exceed your expectations. Sales would go through the roof! We'll rock for you!

Now, its whether I should fly back or not.

I'll miss you guys..

Thank you for being that bridge between Melbourne and Singapore. I never could have done it without you. I've gained really good friends and its all cause of you.

The times when you were here, and we just chilled out were awesome. The beach, the ice-cream, the dinners, the crazy stuff like heading into all the xxx shops just to have a good laugh, and best of all, the company.

I'll miss you. Looks like our plans on me heading back to Singapore in December for your gig, and I, acting as your personal groupie is gone.

The Suns will not be the same.
And the local music scene has just lost a great musician.

You'll be missed.

Passed - 21 May 2007







---------------------------------------------------------------

I thought when I come back in December, I'll be able to play with you, but looks like you had other plans. You must have suffered for quite a long time, but nevertheless, you'll always be my baby.

At first I was afraid of getting close to you, but you taught me that there was more to you than just sharp teeth masked by a cute face. You had a unique personality that no other clouded leopard would have. You opened up your heart, and we opened ours. Thank you for letting us in.

You gave us a sense of accomplishment at the end of it all, when it was time to test the months of training by a blood draw on the tail. Moreso, you showed us and the world that conditioning you to do that was possible. AP's presentation in Thailand was a success, and it aroused much interest in it. You were the main star of it all.

You've taught me so much just by being you.

I know I'll miss you very much.

Passed - 15 May 07.

Farewell and Birthday Party

I think this describes me. Maybe I should dye my hair blonde to go with the whole package. Haha, but Bimbo Rock sounds like an awesome party to go to! Cannot cannot, exams coming. Must try and start studying. Bleah.



I know the previous picture didn't show my red very well. I hope this is a better one, but nothing beats looking at it live! Anybody want to visit me here?

Oo, before I forget. I think God has been really good to me here. He has taken care of me really well. Given me friends that I can count on, feel secure with, and know that if I'm in any trouble, they'll be there for me. Blessed me with good enough results compared with the amount of effort I put in, which is sometimes close to zilch.

Sometimes, He knows my heart, and I don't even need to voice it out. Like how I've been missing my night safari friends so badly, and instead of me going back, God's bringing them here! I mean how often is there a keeper's conference. Plus this conference is actually held in Alice Springs, which is quite far away. But they're flying here just to see the Melbourne zoo, how awesome is that? I mean they're so many other zoos, but they're coming here. Plus, they're going to live in walkable distance to my house, so I'm going to disturb them everyday! Pity its only from 21 - 24. But I'm just so thankful.

Last week, I was fussing over my hair cause it was getting irritating, and I wanted to cut it so badly. But I didn't know which hairdresser to go to, so I searched for like a whole week for a cheap but sufficiently good one. Didn't come to any conclusion as the cheapest I found was 50 bucks for just trimming, and I didn't wanna spend that much money. But God knows my heart. Haha, I got stopped on Lygon street by a hairdresser. Said he wanted to try out new styles, and needed a hair model. The price: free of charge! Now thats what I call Blessings. =D

Back to the topic...

Last Saturday, 12 of May, we went to BLVD to celebrate a friend's birthday and send 2 people off. BLVD's like the best R n B club around. At least to me though. The music's good, the sound system's fantastic, the atmosphere's great, and the company awesome. =) Its so good that if you start queueing at 11 to go in, you'd probably queue for an hour and a half before you set foot in. So its a must to reach there by 10!

And then the party starts...
Love my fingernails.
Rock on!


Angie and me. I think in January, I'll go visit her in Jakarta! We'll have a BLAST, cause its cheap to travel there, plus, she's great company, and we'll have vip treatment! Can't wait. Now all I need is money.
Sponsors anyone?


Sue, Steph, Siska.






I forgot the name of the black shirt guy, but he's from Korea. The blue one is Dave from Boston. Haha, I met Dave on the streets by chance during the second week here in Melbourne. Can't believe we're still in contact. He's got the Boston accent thats just really fun to imitate.


Most of the time, I didn't know where my camera went. It was just being passed around, and everybody was just totally crazy either dancing, talking, or just being narcissistic.




Totally love this pic.




Robert and me.




Family.