one month gone... eleven more to follow

Can't believe that January has been and gone... I have a feeling it's going to be a really fast-paced year... Below are a few fun and exciting pics from events that happened in January - Youth Camp, Liz' visit from Melbourne, Jess L's 21st birthday party, Australia Day, Dayna and Eddie's engagement dinner and the Riverview Youth's car wash love attack.

Liz and I catching up on the good times

at Jessie's 21st

Australia Day at Kymmie's

Jess M & Dayna

the love attack car wash

Thought I'd share this... found it really quite amusing (don't think Clare thought it was though)... do people really take their mints that seriously? can it really save lives? sorry to be the cynic but I really have my reservations about it. I was simply sold by the fish-shaped mints... cuz I love fishies and I think they look cute!

Been listening to the new Soul Survivor album "Love Came Down"... I am loving it!

youth camp 2007

This year's youth camp was powerful. The theme was about loving God and loving people... the youth really took hold of the message and the outcome - mindblowing. To see the youth desire to seek God and to put love into action was just incredible. The worship element during camp was intense too... so intense that it carried over into the weekend services and also the weekly church staff meeting. It's been a total answer to my prayer (something I've been praying for over two and a half years)... thank you God. Anyway I've finally uploaded the pics I took with my new camera onto my flickr... just click on the pic below to see them.
As a response to the message at camp, some of the youth immediately set up a myspace... check it out... if you're in Perth, come to Riverview on Sunday morning and expect to be love attacked by the youth.

new discoveries

As it was rather quiet at the office during the Christmas and New Year period I was allowed to surf the internet for a bit... I found some pretty interesting links:
- 180 has started as a whole young adults' ministry on a one-year bible reading plan - I'm hoping that I can follow it... really want to up my bible intake this year.
- A news story about Hip Hop Gospel... a pretty interesting approach to reaching out to the younger generation... I'd like to find out more about it.
- I also unearthed more design websites - one of those was a former uni classmate's shop called Moose and it's got lots of amazing Western Australian designs.
- When Hong Kong's broadband was down for a short while due to an earthquake in Taiwan affecting the underocean cabling, my poor friend Davina wasn't able to access her virtual pets, so I had the priviledge of feeding her horse and tiger... it was quite an exciting experience for me, I can totally see why people are hooked on it.

I also got some new things recently:
- Nokia 6233 silver mobile - my old one was dying on me and the phone plan was rather crummy...
- Canon ixus 850 camera - love it cuz it's got the image stabiliser device! but have realised how outdated I am with technology... so many functions yet to figure out how to use (phone and camera)... sigh!
anyway something less technical...
- Cetaphil moisturiser - yes it's summer here but it's also super dry.
- my full drivers licence

into the new year

I tried posting on New Year's Eve... but I think blogger had a few issues... anyway hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year! For me, I was able to spend a week and a half with my relatives for the Christmas period. It was the first time in about 7 years that all my cousins have been together in the same place. My family got to see my cousin Sharon's son Ben for the first time too. I think the cousins have developed a love for playing poker as well... played that game 5 days in a row!

It was my gong gong's 90th birthday on the 27th December. The 100+ guests feasted on a 10-course Chinese banquet and even got to see the Ong cousins in action, singing Billy Joel's "Just the way you are" (not that my gong gong could hear us as he's pretty deaf and he was busy chatting with his friends! haha)

I gave in to celebrating New Year's this year (or was it last year?!) after much persuasion by Gayle and Corina... To consolidate my decision to celebrate the new year I even booked to have my make up done at Kit Cosmetics. Anyway I'm glad I didn't veg at home this year... it was actually fun... I went down to Rockingham for New Years.

Sorry I didn't take many pictures during the holiday period (was too busy eating)... will hopefully be able to upload some pics soon though. I'll leave you with a few pics from my last week of 2006.

the christmas season

We've had quite a few Christmas functions at the office recently... lots of eating, eating and more eating... been lots of fun! And I've finally finished all my Christmas present shopping today... it was such a long process this year for some reason. I also managed to stay away from all the shopping centres so avoided the crazy crowds and not to mention the horrific parking situation. My relatives from Melbourne and Malaysia have arrived in town, so I reckon the next week or so will involve a lot of eating, mahjong, poker and board games!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

lots of freebies

I got invited to the open day of the office supplier that provides my workplace with all our office needs. I had no idea what to expect, in fact I was a little reluctant to go, but I managed to convince another admin colleague of mine to go along with me. So yesterday afternoon, I borrowed a gov't car (as you do when you work in a gov't dept hehe) and we drove down to one of the more industrious suburbs and went in search of the big office supplier building. To our amazement the place was really huge, and the event was really well organised and totally decked out with a fish/ aquatic theme. My colleague and I got to wander through the fishyfied office and warehouse (where they store all the goodies)... and as we meandered through the place, we ended up oggling at the funky new pens, glue tape, photo post-its, cute promo foam ponies, potato chips, etc... it was great just seeing what was available out in the office supply land ie: stationery, safety equipment, food etc. My colleague and I returned to our office extremely satisfied, much to the envy of our other colleagues who were hard at work at their desks... I ended up distributing my loot which included a myriad of black and blue pens, highlighters, permanent markers, blu tac, sticky pads and tabs, a pack of playing cards, a mug, a pack of A4 paper, sticky tape, samples of 3-in-1 coffee sachets, tea bags, iced tea, bottled water, packets of biscuits, a thermos flask and even a bottle of red wine (which I won as a prize!)... Yeah not bad for an open day huh! Gosh I had so much fun... oh how I love stationery! haha what a geek! Here's a pic of part of the loot I scored...

barefoot ball update

I arrived at the Barefoot Ball just as the sun was setting... the weather was perfect and the marvelous backdrop of the beach with the pink and blue sky in the background was simply breathtaking. A marquee was set up on the grassy part of the beach, complete with lots of food, drinks and lanterns... there were tiki torches down on the beach. It was really awesome to be able to see so many people turn up, so many people I didn't know but I manage to meet some... The generator stalled a few times during the evening, but it didn't stop us from partying. Thank you to Bridget, Chelsea and Matt, Dave and Andrea, Jono, Jason and Aaron for setting the whole shindig up and provided us with hours of food, entertainment and power! You guys are amazing!!! Gayle kindly allowed me to upload the pictures from her camera onto my flickr. Click the collage for more pics (sorry didn't take very many!)
It's just my observation, but I think Perth really strives to model itself after the eastern state cities. We now have daylight savings after much politics and debates in the parliament house, making Western Australia now GMT +09:00 for a couple months. It's supposed to help benefit the community... how? I still haven't quite figured it out but all I know is I'm finding it really funny cuz not everyone has grasped the daylight savings concept here especially the younger generation... the other day on a radio host asked the question "What time would the 7 o'clock news be after daylight savings kicks in?" and the person replied "8 o'clock!" Has daylight savings affected me? Well recently I've been waking up feeling as if I hadn't slept... but I think that has more to do with the change in season than time itself. Oh yeah one would have thought more sunlight = more time to shop... but that's so not true... the shops still close at the same time.... what a shame! :)

barefoot ball

The event to be at! All the 25+ crew from Riverview are invited as well and it'll be a huge! There's going to be food, music, dancing, marquee and of course lots of fun! For more info email: bridgeto@riverviewchurch.com.au

new things I have recently discovered

- When the hairdresser tells you your hair is very warm - that means it's majorly red in hue... in my case when I became my friend's model for her prac, having warm hair was not a good look.... apparently toner that contains matte green sorted that out! phew my hair didn't turn out fire engine red... just a subtle chocolate tint! Thanks Katey-watey, you're amazing!
- An art form that's new to me - Bead Weaving. Check out Natasha St Michael's amazing artwork.
- Kozyndan - the husband and wife design team that did the interpretation of Hokusai's Tsunami and the funky t-shirts I purchased in Melbourne. The designs are quite cheeky but I think it's great.
- Creating hand-made invitations is really time consuming. Mom asked me to make my gong gong's 90th birthday party invites... I stupidly agreed to it... it took me a week to make 50+ invites! Never again am I doing that!!! (but then again how often do you get to celebrate a person turning 90 years of age?)
- My friend Kelly has started her own jewellery store. Check this out. I'm so proud of you Kel. LYLAS!
- I heart design blogs.... they are so hot right now. ie: Design*Sponge
- The 2007 Perth Arts Festival calendar is out now... hope to be able to see Wild Cursive and the Gotan Project amongst other events.

to the new year ahead

This verse really stuck out to me during connect group tonight:

"Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything" - Proverbs 13:3 (NLT)

I am a work in progress...

my trip to melbourne

I'm back in Perth now, but I was in Melbourne a week ago mainly for my friend Asti's 30th birthday party. It was really nice to be able to catch up with friends I haven't caught up with in years and also to visit some old favourites... Click on the pic below for the pics of my trip to Melbourne...

My current top 5 fav locations in Melbourne:

• Brunetti - awesome cafe off Lygon St
• Lambs on Lygon St - best souvlaki
• Koko Black - a haven and a must-try for chocoholics (a big thumbs-up even from the normally non-chocolate me)
• National Gallery of Victoria - the two buildings house some spectacular pieces of art... I was 'wow'ed!
• Curious Eidolon - the funkiest shop on Johnston St (not to mention the owner is my primary school friend Petina)

just some random recent pics

Here are some random pics from recent events... mainly from last Friday night at the Claremont where we went and supported Aaron Malone and his band, said bon voyage to Josh Fuimano before he headed back to Brisbane, and not to mention some serious rug cutting action... courtesy of Gayle's camera (and I thought I'd chuck in a couple other pics I took ie: one of my favourite flowers and an awesome view I saw on my way back from work one day).

at elisabeth's birthday party + ranunculi

rainbow + at the claremont

clare bryce ado + boof's glossy locks

kym josh gayle + clare

gayle + ado boof bryce

Btw I finally got to eat some mooncake... it was so delicious! Oh and I finally got my ticket to Melbourne... watch this blog for more updates about it!

it's mid-autumn festival again

Happy mid-autumn festival (moon festival 中秋節)! I totally lost track of time this year with my Chinese festivals... and I guess because mom didn't buy any mooncakes this time round I wasn't prompted about the festival until today. Anyway I'll have to rumage through my pile of stuff and try to find my lanterns so I can celebrate it tomorrow HK-style (the Taiwan they don't light lanterns, just firecrackers)... aw, would love to have a cellophane goldfish lantern, or a starfruit shaped lantern... For all those celebrating this awesome festival, please eat lots of mooncakes for me!

it's springtime!

Can't believe that it's spring already. Winter didn't seem very long this year, it wasn't even that cold... It's been raining on and off for the past few weeks and often rainbows can be seen in the sky. There's something amazing about rainbows, perhaps it's the bright splash of colours against an often dull grey coloured sky that just makes me marvel everytime I see one. The new blooms are out now, tulips, lavender, azaleas etc... It's still weird seeing azaleas (杜鵑花) and cherry blossoms (梅花) blooming in season in September, as I've always associated them with Chinese New Year...

Sometimes I think we just get too caught up in our own thoughts, own worries, own issues, own world, that we forget to take time to look around us, and see what else has been happening apart from ourselves. The other day my sister came back home from work and noticed a new vase full of birds of paradise (the flowers), she stared at them and asked, 'Are those from our garden? I hadn't seen them there before!' The flowers had been growing in our front garden for the past 2 weeks!

It looks like my 5-day temp job has become so much more than a 5-day stint. I'm still working there and really loving it! The team I'm working with has also grown from just five people to 29 people within the short period of three months. My contract has been extended to the end of November and it has the possibility of extending further (more news about that later when I find out more about it) But seriously, I feel so blessed... I can now enjoy eating and shopping on Thursday nights (late night shopping - yes HKers the shops aren't always open to 9pm here!) and Saturdays without feeling like my bank account is about to go bust.

I'm feeling so pampered right now... went into the city today after driving Sarah into work... went to Myer's Kit Cosmetics and one of the ladies told me that they were doing a special promo - free hand pampering session... sold! haha My hands got a yummy grape seed scrub exfoliation, moisturised by a honey and melon smelling cream, and hot summery pink nail polish to top it all off... bliss!

Anyway currently loving:

• Gourmet yoghurt
• Ikea's new catalogue
• The Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers - I'm totally addicted to her books
• The new season of spring blossoms
• Rainbows
  
• My sister's new car
• Kit Cosmetics - it's got some gorgeous creams and colours (to pamper my cosmetics craving)
• Ohnamiya - a delicious japanese restaurant that serves bento

Here are some pics recently uploaded onto my computer:

new shoots sprouting outside my office + the haircut i had over two months ago (i now really need a new haircut cuz the fringe is poking into my eyes)

manon's 18th birthday party + pink azaleas outside my office

a cutest looking tree + this is where i work haha

white azaleas outside the office + clare and jess playing a soulful session of air guitar

girls' night at clares + new baby leaves

generousity

The theme at Riverview for the month of July was 'A Generous Life', and Phil concluded the month's theme with his sermon on 'Seven Keys to Building Our Generous World'... Here are the seven keys:

1. Get permission (to prosper)
2. Know your priorities (giving our first to God)
3. Develop a plan (especially our financial future)
4. It starts with work (be diligent and self-motiviated)
5. Plant before your eat (storing up for the future)
6. Be frugal (being wise with your money)
7. Be patient (be disciplined and content)

It's quite interesting, as I have been thinking about how to use my money more wisely, and how I was to also to become more generous with my life in general.... and that sermon just totally blew my mind.... it really made me think lots, challenging me with my priorities and my planning techniques or the lack of tactics I've got for it.... (I think you can podcast the sermons these days on the Riverview website)

Anyway, what else has been happening with me? I've joined the gym at the department of education and training (where I am currently working), and the best thing is it's free!!! God totally answered my prayer... I really wanted to join a gym but didn't want to fork out $60 each month knowing that I wouldn't be going to it every single day... and now I get to go for zero dollars!!! yippee!

Here are the latest things I've discovered and is loving:
- Francine Rivers - read 'Redeeming Love' and just finished 'A Lineage of Grace' (amazing books)
- Robbie Seay Band
- Shane & Shane - Upstairs
- Tiger Tiger Coffee Bar (serves delicious coffee and has brown sugar cubes!)
- Gelato Amico (yummy hand-made gelato served so generously that you can't even see the cone & is found in the heart of the city)
- This blog I found called Print & Pattern ... it's got some very beautiful kitschy patterns.... I love it!
- Sanna Annukka (the illustrator for keane's latest album 'Under the Iron Sea')

patterns from 'print & pattern' + keane's new album cover

about the job - finally the update!

Finally the update about my job situation... so here's a long update!

After writing about job hunting for many months... starting to wonder if all my efforts were in vain, getting paranoid on numerous occasions and wondering if I sent the wrong resume, or if I had misspelled words etc... I am now finally working! yay! And how it came about was just a blessing. About eight weeks ago I had just about given up hope finding a decent job. Anyway a former colleague of mine from my Hong Kong working days and I were chatting online, and out of the blue she said to me, "Ann, I've been meaning to tell you something for a while now & I should have told you earlier but I was really hesitant... I've been praying for you and I feel that you'll be getting a job in the education sector." I was really gobsmacked when I read what she wrote, yet somehow funnily I felt a sense of peace over the situation but searching for a job for months I tried not to give it too much thought (didn't want to give myself false hopes!) Anyway a few days later I had an interview with a recruitment agency, within a week I got a job! It wasn't the job the agency had originally got lined up for me... but I somehow ended up with a temp job in the Department of Education... It was originally a 5-day long job, but that has changed and I'm still currently working there with the possibility of staying on till December. I'm really enjoying the job too! So I may not want to be a teacher just yet, but it doesn't mean I can't be doing stuff related to education! haha how humourous is that! Sheesh what a blessing! I feel like I've been pampered by God.

Well here are some of the lessons I learnt from my crazy job hunting experience:
- My God is patient, even when I'm not. I guess being a city girl who's used to everything being "instant", having to wait was just agonizing. I prayed for a job, and believed that I would get a job, but when I didn't get an immediate result I panicked, I doubted.
- God wants to communicate to me. I think often I just tell God what's been happening and what I would like etc, and especially when I started feeling pressured about not having found work, my communication with God was even less. And because I wasn't communicating well with God, He used my friend in Hong Kong to speak to me.
- Reflecting back on the whole situation just makes me enjoy my work even more.
- Reminds me that - God is always working for us, despite us.
- Psalm 37:4-5 "Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you."

I was able to share this story with my church a month ago (just two weeks into the job)... the crazier thing was that I was supposed to share something (it's a scheduled segment for young adults to share something that's been on their heart, that happens every couple of weeks in the Sunday evening service) a few weeks before that, but in all honesty I felt like I had nothing to share cuz my world was just looking so grey and the events coordinator just so happened to ask if it was alright if I could postpone the date because of other events happening at church around that time. It was just timely, more like God's timing, that my world got turned around before I was supposed to go up on stage to share... I was pretty nervous and felt burdened that Sunday morning I was to share the testimony and my cell leader prayed for me at church and as I was driving home for lunch I began to feel freer, and by the time I got to church for the evening service I was actually feeling pumped... It later reminded me of the scripture in 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Anyway here are some pics from the past month:

ann on stage (view from the big screen) + my newly knit white scarf

the trees outside church by day + by night

my friend carlos came over to perth for a business trip + my connect group girls dressed as our favourite hero and villain outfits for the end of term 2 youth