Gotye.

           

Your heart's a mess,

You won't admit to it.

It makes no sense,

But I'm desperate to connect

And you, you can't live like this.

For now, I'll leave you this.

-Mizz.
PS: St Jerome's Laneway Festival <3!

Waterfall.

Tuesday, 1 February 2011

Secret location with Sabrina and Claudia.

40 minute drive out of Brisbane.
Women versus wild... Well, rocks, rushing water, trees, twigs, spiderwebs and their occupants, ants, trees and foliage.

Picnic.

Then a bit more climbing til we reached this little hideaway.

The base of the main waterfall, it's actually larger and more spectacular but I seem to lack an image to show for it!


Praying the girl who missed the water when she jumped off the cliff (don't worry it wasn't high) is doing okay and is on the road to a speedy recovery!

Simply beautiful, amazing, wonderful.

Wish we had more time.

<3 Happy Birthday, you!

-Mizz.

Re-aquaintace.

Sia - Bring Night
plays in my head
brings a smile to my face
and takes me back to the weekend, as we rolled along on the road on the Gold Coast.

I couldn't feel more fortunate, nor content.
Life seems to be this way even moreso than usual, these days. Bless.

I've not blogged for a pretty unnecessarily long time.
But indeed, a lot has happened.

This summer has been one of the best yet.

Malaysia, Hong Kong and China are places I've been hiding and exploring over Christmas and New Year.
And upon my return, the Botanical Gardens for the Sunset Sounds music Festival, St Lucia (for flood assistance), the Gold Coast and Cedar Creek.

I cannot wait for February!

sorry.. short but I will get back into it all, you've not been forgotten! Happy 3.14 o'clock! aka PI OCLOCK!
Mizz.

Twenty.

The time is pi ‘o clock (That’s 3.14pm) and I’m high above the clouds with approximately two hours til landing in Malaysia. 

Looking our prime :D HAHAHHAA.

I can’t believe it’s Tuesday already and that this moment has actually even arrived!

Twenty.

Last Friday was the twentieth anniversary of my birth. Double decades! It’s still a little bit hard for me to comprehend. I remember clearly, as if it were yesterday my sheer jubilance over hitting the double digit milestone! Seems laughable now, looking back, and I realiise how the naive, excited bursts of ‘I can’t wait to grow up’ is now seen through a less rose-tinted lens with weary, cautious eyes something similar to the sentiments of “I wanna be forever young." More or less, growing old is one thing you can be sure of, so why not make a celebration out of it?


Wednesday night, the eve of my birthday, nine of my high school girl friends, and I shared a meal together at Fasta Pasta, Upper Mt Gravatt. Thank you especially to Steph and her little sister Jacqui for making the effort to drop by just to wish me, despite not being able to stay to eat!

Thank you ever-expectant, ever-present waiter, who made sure we were comfortable and happy.

I now know that when making a reservation at Fasta Pasta, responding with 'birthday' when asked the occasion will mean being met with a table decorated with helium balloons, a birthday instrumental upon finishing your meal, plus a generous slice of cake from the dessert cabinet, with your name piped around the plate’s rim. Definitely unexpected and added a special touch :) :). So kudos to Fasta Pasta Mt Gravatt! You sure know how to acquaint with and acquire loyal customers.
Protip for ordering pasta in the future: entree size (rather than a main) should beyond satisfy!

Thursday morning went something like our household’s typical pre work/school birthday breakfast ritual. A happy wake-up call from a loud proclaiming sister bounding into my room, onto my bed and smothering me with a hug. Awww <3!! And then downstairs for a extra-special breakfast. Now, with my family, or mum rather, you actually never know what to expect. It could be pancakes, it could be birthday breakfast muffins. This particular morning was toasted croissants and a one-litre tub of Sara Lee Rocky Road ice cream turned upside down for the birthday cake. :3 Healthy? Not a chance! Tasty and sugary chocolatey love!? YESSSSUM SIRR, YOU BET! :D

So off they went to school and work. My bother and I were left to knock over some house chores before I was due to set off on my bike for my shift and he to school later for a badminton sesh. While I was outside preparing veggies for mum to cook later I received a phone call from Stephy, (who lives in Sydney) wishing me happy birthday.

Next thing, she's asking me to go and check whether the package she sent has arrived yet... so I do... and... SURPRISE! Out jumps Ella, Erik and Romnick with a HUUUUGE box of cupcakes and a box of presents! W-O-W. I have never been more touched or surprised by a gesture. Warm and fuzzy :3. Thank you so so so much (,:!

Friday I worked ...then Danni came over and we headed out to see Muscles at the Alhambra Lounge. Famous for his hit Ice Cream, the Melbournian DJ was not at all what I expected and failed to knock my socks off...but he was quite the energetic performer! Support band Young Men Dead, though, are a group to surely keep an eye on. Was actually their first gig too, according to the frontman, and they played exceptionally well! :D:D:D Bit addicted!
After that we danced the night away with a couple of friends of mine who were out at an Asian club night called Babyface...lololollll. Thanks for the ride home Mauriceeeee!

I really don't want to gush, seriously. But I do want to thank each and everyone who made my birthday THE MOST incredibly memorable one...yet!!! :D:D <3

So much love!

exxes and ohs.

Mizz (8

Phonettiquette

[fun-et-ih-cut] the word mash of phone & ettiiquitte combined.
Miriam Lai 2010

What a dork. I just quoted my own, freshly coined word. [8
Someone urbandictionary it!
But yes, Monday night the phone rang, and it went a little like this:

Me: Hello?

Caller: Is Gerard there?

[WHAT!? No 'hello', 'good evening', no 'may I' or 'please'?]

Me: [elongated; somewhat lightly pressing] y-essssssss..[+emphasis] MAY I PLEASE ask who's calling?

Caller: Uh it's Mike.

...

Here in words.. I guess looking at it it seems pretty petty and somewhat insignifcant, but at the time it really really irritated me! I mean, you can at least show minimal respect to the phone receiver right? After all, they are the connection to the party, I mean, person in line (yeah anyone get that (bad) p!nk reference? D;).

And it's just.. genral courtesy, it doesn't hurt to be polite, right? P's and Q's people, P's and Q's!! (As I child, I never underestood the line "mind your p's and q's" but since then I can only infer that it's referring to Please (P) and Thank-You's (Thank Q).

Needless to say I passed the phone onto my brother and didn't bother to lower my tone and informed him a very impolite friend who needs to learn phone ettiquette was on the line. Possibly not the best way to remind someone the ways of phonettiquette, but he had to hear it, right?


Lo and behold, this was only the beginning of my dealings with bad phonettitquette yet.
The next day, I received a text message from a friend I was supposed to see that day, a one liner comprising something along the lines of "Can we meet up tomorrow instead."

No apology. No explanation. With the history this particular somebody and I share, I sent a response, equally blunt. "Are you dying? I want to hear this explanation." But no phonecall ensued. Just a text. "Sorry forgot I already organised stuff with another friend."

Is it fair of me to have expcted a call or explanation? Said friend had been sick last we were supposed to meet, so bailed, and had promised to 'make it up to me.' He'd been telling me how keen he was to meet me, yet had not one day initiated a time nor place. So of course I was disappointed, annoyed, mega frustrated. I had set aside this time out of my day, and he couldn't even call to explain? At this, I took the liberty to be the bigger person, -perhaps he's low on phone credit, or something, you know? I texted him to call me again. When he didn't, I called him, but was met with an ongoing dial tone until it rang out. Once. Twice. Thrice. After everything, we spoke yesterday and he claims he 'wasn't at his phone'. This, in my opinion was simply no consolation. A text to notify later on or a return call would have sufficed enough. Heck, I'm all for benefit of the doubt and forgiveness. But this isn't the first time. Far from it.

At the heart of the matter, he had the cheek to call ME a bad friend. A rude friend. And a friend who doesn't tell him anything, anymore. ... [insert deep metaphoric quote that is on the tip of my tongue but is refusing to budge.]

Anyway. All I can think of is that the ratio of giving and ratio is way out of whack and is setting this waaaaay out of balance on the scales of Friendship.


Your thoughts?

__________________________________________



It's now Sunday and I have just returned to and finished this post after starting it on Tuesday evening
Since then, I have celebrated the 20th anniversary of my birth, amongst many other excitingly exciting things such as packing for my upcoming family trip overseas!!

Please anticipate upcoming photos and blogdates! Much love, Happy Sunday (:
Mizziam

Oh, and thank you to my dearest friend Kaila who introduced this song to me a long while back.
Incidentally, being my birthday recently I recalled it's song title and have barely stopped playing it since!

Bon Appetit! <3

Bulletin.

So I meant to post this on Sunday night, 21st of November.. but I kept adding to it and haven't gotten round to editing til now :P. Sincerest apologies. M xx

With the assortment of words I've accumulated from my notepad, ipod, scrap pieces of paper and in the nooks of my mind over the week that I intend to collate and post below, I anticipate that a bulletin is what it will become!

Should it be too much to digest at once, I'll do my best to break it up so that each one will be like a mini post! (:

Week 2, Summer Break 2010

Monday - work; yogarawr! Well, just Yoga with the family. Thank you Logan Council for promoting active healthy lifestyles with your generously funded recreational activities! $2 yoga anyone?!
Haha side anecdote from last week:
In the last 5-10 minutes of each class we do a wind-down, relaxation sesh which involves lying on the floor, lights off while we just chill, take in the lesson and focus on our breathing.
5 minutes later, lights back on, cross legged positions reassumed, we conclude with a bow to the instructor. By my side I hear a soft, deep breathing an lo and behold, my little sister had fallen completely asleep! Soooo adorable ;3 hahaha!

Tuesday - ate: hungry jack's chicken stunner deal (chicken burger, small chips, small coke, chocolate sundae), yes, I finished it and yes I'm shocked, though proud of my feat (which compares nothing to Joanne's one time 2 x whopper, 2 x chips ;O) saw: the social network and frollicked about Southbank, liberally taking many many touristy shots with Joanne.
Homeward bound we boarded a speedy Goldcoast Express train that surprised us both when it really fulfilled the 'express' part of it's name by not stopping at Park Road (where Jo was meant to exit), Coopers Plains, nor Loganlea (where I was to head home!) Rather, it went past another THREE STATIONS (Bethania, Edens Landing and Holmview) before letting us off at Beenleigh! Quite the adventure and a half!

Stunning Jo and her Stunning Meal. :D

Dark and handsome stranger wanted at the cinemas.

ZOMGOSH IT'Z TEH WHEELY COOL WHEEL OF BRISBAYNEE!

Horsin' around.

STRANDED @ BEENLEIGH. ohnu  .__.WHUTNAO! GUESS I CAN JUST SIT HERE AN' LOOK COOL YO (8!

Wednesday - chores at home with mum! PEELING VEGETABLES IS MORE TIME CONSUMING AND TEDIOUS THAN IT APPEARS, and for that I am now beyond appreciative of the many many hours my beautiful mother has spent peeling them in preparation for the delicious, wholesome meals she prepares for us, her family day after day, year after year! So grateful!
Evening: $15 all you can eat sushi at Zuri, Fortitude Valley.

no flash = reddy red lighting coolness.

As always, it was absolutely fantastic to reunite and catch up with all these fellow highschool mates after quite some time!
Attendendence was something overwhelming -ie: noone did the last minute bail etc!

My Posse. >;D MUAHAHAHHA! aka Tim Yee Ash Aline Danni Alex (back row:) Andrew Martin Robbie!

Sushi wasn't overly great, very westernized (yay mayo.. Like much too much of the stuff stuff) and salmon and tuna were of the cooked kind, which was a little disappoint! ):
Also they don't tell you that a drink must be purchased to qualify for the all-you-can-eat deal >:/.

BUT: we got SOOOOO much sushi brought to our table we had enough left over to make a sushimid! (sushi-pyramid tower!)

SUUUUUSHIIIIIIIITOWAHHH!!!

Also tried Zuri's special "East meets West" cocktail that I pulled out a tenner for... Not too bad for a "pee coloured drink" -Rhys Van Beurden 2010

lycheee mmmm...!

The night concluded at Fat Louis' in the city, where we hunted down Mole + Callum. HAHHAHA.


Thursday - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1! Being the only book of the series I am yet to read meant, I watched this movie with no pre-judements based on the novel,or expectations, which I think considerably contributed to my viewong enjoyment. Lots of mad Potter fans were present, dressed up and such! All in all a good experience, and we headed to subway and nandos for lunch after the super long movieeee. (8 It wasn't half bad. Defionitely funnier and darker than the earlier ones, though!


Friday - Ashleigh's birthdayy Partay! Cleaning my room beforehand yay!!!

We stayed at Cosmo Apartments, Milton, right by Brisbane River. Dinner and pre-drinks consumed then we went to the city and danced the night away in the valleyyy.

view.

MY FIRST EVER NACHOS. (ps Q: What do you call cheese that's not yours? A: NACHO CHEEESE!!!)

delinquents.

Breakfast. Toasted cheese and ham croissants. Made with <3 by Yours Truly.

New invention: Danni's PIZZA TOAST! :D

Birthday girl.

Saturday -
Came home. Had a 40 minute-turned 3 hour nap! ...Mum was not pleased ); haha


Sunday - mass with Jo at the very warm and welcoming Chinese Christian Church, Coopers Plains. Was different to the Church service I usually attend and am accustomed to, but like what matters, God was definitely there and turned up the volume dial of the song that's been stirring inside of me (:, reminding me of the path I'm on, and gently reminding me where I want to go... Bless the speakers...pastors...

ministers. People who not only believe in God, but walk and talk and breathe Him.
Certainly something to aspire to.
Christianity isn't just a brand, a label in the sign of a crucifix hung on a chain. It's a belief. It's a lifestyle. And I came to realize that anything other than that; that isn't real; is hypocritical. A dishonor to His name. And myself.
Seek authenticity. Purity before adoration. Cause in the end...who will I be kidding? God is all-seeing; all knowing. Great. Omnipotent, omnipresent. <3

After mass it was great to run into lots of familiar faces and have a quick catch up! Small, small world!
From Coopers I jumped back onto a train to UQ for my society, ACYA's handover with the Exec 2010 & 2011 at A Salt and Battery fish and chippery, St Lucia!
We shared the seriously delectable Seafood Banquet, which at $15 a head included a generous serving of superbly salted chips, salt and pepper calamari, 8 servings of Fish - 2 steamed, 2 crumbed, 4 battered, and two generous side salads. Srum-dilly-umptious!

 Pretty eventful weeeek! Satisfied I am!


Sidenote:

Congratulations to:
-My brother, Gerard who will be Clarivaux MacKillop College's Community Life Captain, 2011!
-Seniors 2010 for graduating!
-EVERYONE on finishing Uni, 2010

A VERY MERRY BIRTHDAY TO:
Ashleigh <3
&
Timothy <3

[Song of that week]
Reinspired by
Brooke Fraser -CS Lewis Song

Much love, avid readers. I do endeavour to keep posting more regularly! 

Stay tuned xxoo BE SAFE. TAKE CARE. HAVE FUNNN!! (:

Miriamliarpantsonfire*.

(*thanks Carlos)
Also MUCH CREDIT to Joanne for the photo's from our outting <3.

Valentino.

11 November, 2011.

A selection of photos from the aforementioned adventure with Danni!
Unfortunately, photos weren't actually allowed to be taken inside the exhibit, so these the before's and after's yeahhhh!

stamp out

Veronika's winning design (:

And another I really really liked. Wished I'd taken another, non-blurry shot ):!

So we both got our ear cartilage pierced! -Notice all the red? Mine's on my left ear but I haven't a picture to show for it!

New colourful installation just outside of GoMa. <3




Um.. bigger post to come.. srsly (:
Mizz.
<3