Sour Reflections

I keep a diary. I've kept one since year 6 when I was given one for my 12th birthday. (Thanks Mariam) Ever since, all the pages of that little fairy book has been filled out with many wonders and woes - mainly woes.

I have a tendency to only write when I'm down. It's hard to write when I'm happy because quite frankly, I'd rather be out in the world enjoying my happiness instead of locking myself away and wondering the best words to describe 'happy.'

As a consequence, whenever I read back through my diary I get a nasty, regretful feeling that is similar to buyer's remorse. It's quite embarrassing to read and because I am so ashamed of my past thoughts, I've decided to publicly publish a post of my shame.

Speaking of shame, I had a psychology test yesterday that asked to explain what part of the skin detects pressure. I was so nervous and excited at the fact that I remembered the term 'Merkle's' and how to spell 'corpuscle' that I got the question wrong as it is in fact, Merkle's disk. If I ever make it to honours I will shame myself by basing my thesis on Merkle's Disk and how its shape evolved to serve its function. Just to punish myself even more. - tres Catholic of me

Hotel Review for a Really Bad Hotel

The Ibis - Wollongong

I like to think of myself as an easy-going traveler. I'm not fussy about the quality of sheets and as long as the shower has warm water, I'm ok. I don't care much for balcony views, internet connection or in-house movies. It's nice if they have some token art work on the wall but not essential. Noisy air-conditioners are slept through and dismantling curtains are generally ignored.

The reason I start this way is because I was not happy at the Ibis.

I am unsatisfied to the extent that I wanted to vent out and make sure that people know how horrendous the experience was. Okay, I acknowledge that it is a budget-ish chain but it wasn't the hotel that annoyed me, it was the service.

1. I had used the spoons in the room to make my lunches that included spreading hommus and the like on bread. (As I was fine with the fact that they didn't have any other utensils. I didn't expect it.) The next day my room was made but the spoons were not clean. I had to clean them myself.

So that was a tad annoying but not enough to tip me off.

2. I could not use their internet. I tried their broadband that was 80c a minute but it didn't go beyond the first page and in general didn't connect. I tried using the phone line but that didn't connect either.

Once again, no worries.

3. I went down to the reception this morning to check out and retrieve my bond when they informed me that because my account said I had used $4 of broadband and $2 worth of local calls (what?!) I was only getting $44 back.

After telling them that I could not connect to the Internet and all my efforts failed the receptionist replied in a "it's your fault" voice that the system said I used it anyway and pretty much, suck it in and pay.

That got me.

That is the reason why I'm writing this post and hoping that everybody who stumbles across this will forever never go to any Ibis chain.

Have a great weekend everyone!

-Anj

First Impression Lesson

Mentor: "So how can you ensure you make a lasting first impression when you greet the CEO of our company?"

*Tumbleweed rolls by*

Mentor: "Anybody?"

When our mentor had proposed this question to the group nobody was too eager to jump in with an answer. I was tempted to. It just seemed easy- just introduce yourself as THE CEO of the company and that should get you making a first impression of some sort.


Bright, spark graduate who'll probably end up being my boss one day: "Smile and have positive body language?"

What a snooze of an answer...

"Good work! That definitely helps creating a great first impression."

Hmmm...maybe I'm not as good at this as I thought.

Well the gist of creating great and lasting impressions are basically along the lines of

• smile
• positive body language (unfolded arms mostly)
• nod and indicate some attempt of interest
• ask questions about them
• limit talking about yourself

If both are trying to create lasting impressions and both are limiting their side of talking, there's not going to be much conversation is there? It's seems too scripted and superficial.

I hate superficial conversations.

It should be out of genuine interest you do start talking to someone. If you can't be bothered and feel you have to conjure up a personality, then you're better off being that lonesome person in the corner who eventually turns to the comfort of free booze to entertain yourself. Only talk to someone when you are fostering some curiosity and generally, don't be scared of wondering who this person next to you is. You have the right to know just as they have the right to be standing in your line of vision.

After several moderate first impressions, you then build the pool of people you are familiar with so you can huddle with them whenever you do meet with them at parties and other events where social interaction is expected. The first impression is that ultimate first step into making any sort of friends at all- might as well be real about it. (Assuming you want real friends.)

Thank goodness we only need to do it once.

-Anj

To Asia and Back

I've been incredibly lazy in updating my life.

I have friends who I still need to contact and messages in need of returning. I still have that pile of superannuation funds that I have to roll into the one, organised and traceable account, whilst still making no progress for my move to Sydney. Reality is starting to hit a bit.

All in all, the trip was explosive- the experiences, the company and the curry. If you must know what else happened, there is that group 4 Chingo's do South-East Asia floating around somewhere. Photos are slowly being loaded in the process as well if you wanted to perve on those sometime.

Let me try to summarise my overall thoughts/epitomes I had on the trip.

1. You should always carry your luggage keys somewhere that does not increase the chances of you losing it on the floor or locking it back into your bag

2. Appreciating the whole culture. Eating sinfully delicious food and seeing worlds from hilltops also include using the foul squat toilets. I hated the squatting toilets. After using and often paying (grraahhh!!) for those unpleasant visits, I actually started to think "hmm...this isn't so hell-ish after all" Take that, South-East Asia!

3. Balancing luxury with slum-ury. Having both of the worlds during this trip really helped in appreciating the existence of the other. Starting a holiday with the survival instincts of a backpacker meant that staying in 4/5 star hotel for too long made you feel redundant to the world whilst staying in un-air-conditioned, shoe-box rooms for a period longer than 2 days also made you feel incredibly useless... or just dead.

I also understood what 'budgie smugglers' were and became fairly excited whenever I encountered them after that. (Only because I could recognise what they were and felt like pointing them out.) I learned the art of drinking the horrific vile, that is beer, can with stain green thai curry and deep-fried locust and grasshopper. I'm still finding it a tad difficult to differentiate lady-boys from ladies and boys and bargaining is still a fair weakness of mine. But as J-Bat puts it, if both parties are happy to trade at a given price, then you have an efficient economic transaction.

It was an ok trip. I'd do it again.

-Anj

May I Have This Rant?

Working at a pie shop for the past 2 weeks now have made me realised a few things about our customers.

1. Customers are shittier on Wednesdays
2. Customers come in packs
3. Customers collectively wake up on the same day with the same cravings

Otherwise, I quite enjoy working there.

-Anj

The Failed Illusion

It's no secret that I love riddles and every once in a while I attempt to conjure up one of my own. Here's my latest work. Hope it's enjoyably-challenging enough.

An illusionist is to perform at a restaurant. This particular night he performs his famous 'Watery Grave' act where he attempts to escape a locked, water-filled tank whilst held in a restraint jacket. The illusionist is then placed into the tank and the curtains close over the act for the escape to commence.

The Maître D' of the restaurant looks down at his glass and calls for the act to cease. Sure enough, when the curtains open, the audience is shocked to find the illusionist in trouble and slowly drowning in the tank.

The stage-hands crack open the tank in time and saves the illusionist's life.

Given the facts that the Maître D' had the same view as the audience and does not know the secrets of the act, how did he know the illusionist was in trouble?

-Angie

Survivor Civic

I awoke this morning still mildly drunk from my alcoholic marathon last night. Recently I have been drinking a lot more and I wonder if I'm drowning some kind of hidden sorrows that are embedded deep into my soul.

Or it could be all these 21st that are happening around this time of year. 21st and graduations...there isn't a weekend that goes by now that I'm not sober and surprise, surprise! Another 21st to grace my liver this weekend as well. Looking forward to it regardless.

Back to what happened last night- I was juggling between two 21st; starting from one for dinner, detouring to the second one to bestow wishes then returning to original one for final drinks.

Going to the second 21st I had discovered that 70 people had RSVP'd to the party and only 20 odd people showed up. The guy had invested in a $1400 bar tab for the expected guests and by the time I rocked up there was still $400 left.

Now, I'm not usually a drinker but I'll drink for any friend's 21st (if they wished me too) and feeling pretty bad that I had showed up ultra late and that the bar tab was still fairly plump I sat down at the bar with birthday boy's permission and started going through all the cocktails I wanted (and didn't want) off the list.

Reminding readers that I am not a strong drinker and I sometimes forget that alcohol actually affects you. So a tequila shot, Jager in Heaven, Appletini, Pineapple Fizz and Vodka Cranberry in a time period of about half an hour later, I was beginning to feel drunk.

I probably should have called all my drinking friends instead to help me drain the bar tab instead of solely relying on my own efforts but the whole night wasn't a lost though. I had made good friends with the bartender who enthusiastically continued to serve me drinks whilst recommending my next choice of poison. I also entertained all my 21st buddies and still managed to stay composed enough to avoid any infamous visitations to the porcelain bowl.


Moral?

I like to think there is one but then again, I'm probably just hoping for any mature thoughts to mask a relatively, immature night. I'm sure 'it's the thought that counts' can be integrated somewhere but I'll leave that to you guys.