SHIRLENE'S DAY OUT

"Hmm, what should I buy..."

"...Have to get money out first...these things are so high up~..."

"...I think I'll buy myself a bike. Traveling by bus is always troublesome. I can never reach the ticket checker..."

"...time for lunch after a day's shopping. CHOPSTICKS! I never know how to use these things..."


"...ooo books! If I stand on them maybe I can learn from them..."


"...maybe if I opened it up and laid down on it..."


"...Poo! nothing is working, time for my mid-afternoon sleep..."


"What a day! Ending it with a nice relaxing swing..."

today was an interesting day...

My life is weird but that just makes it evermore interesting. I woke up at 9am to a house filled with children.... all coming to celebrate the Chinese New Year, then I spent most of the day editing videos and designing flyers for International Women's Day on 8th March (jot it in your calendar)... then in the evening, I decided to go to the movies. Rewind back to noon that day and we were having lunch with my family. It was a normal lunch with food, drinks, civilized talking... Then my mum randomly brought up the subject of using POO for medicinal purposes. She said that what they do it put it in coconut juice and feed it to children? I asked my mum what kind of POO, and she said Human POO, then she went into detail of how it's used with coconut juice and is highly effective. I asked her whose POO do you use? And she said, in a rather casual manner, any POO, you can find it in bushes etc. A genuine lost of appetite afterwards.

Fast forward to movies? going in hobo mode would be fine (On any other day), but today it was a bit different. I went to see The Good Shepperd with my friend, while Stephen wanted to see Ghost Rider. His movie started 45mins after ours, so he said he would wait around and play at the timeout place. 45mins into the movie, he came in and said that he needs to me to go out with him and standing outside was on of the movie clerks. He started explaining to me how you cant let Stephen into the movie because he's not wearing shoes, and that if he were to step on something they cannot be held liable. Then he looked at me, and as flabbergasted as he face could be, he goes: YOU'RE NOT WEARING SHOES! Then my friend came out and got the same reaction. LOL! But he had already refunded Stephen's money and said that he could refund ours. The movie was for another 2 hours and we decided it best not to leave Stephen alone for that long. How interesting! I rarely wear shoes to the movie, but yeah, basically we were kicked out. Now there's a first. It reminds me of the days when I won the GOLD PASS, which gave me free movies for a year... I would walk in and then walk out... but that was of my own will.

Afterwards, we drove away driving to figure out what to do... We went to Springers, but it was dead, then to Sandown Park where they were having a Dutch Festival...and ended up the night eating food at an Italian Restaurant, WESTIES style... and hiring videos from video EZY. The moral is... Wear shoes :) Lol, well to the movies at least.

Some random pictures!

My niece... Posing at Crown Carpark! She's so cute.... Future model?


another cool pose


Modern day horse-cart on swanston street

Caught in the act?

(random painter on the street)

Yesterday night, I went to the most interesting comedy show ever staged... It started with an invite to attend a show dubbed: "Court in the act?" which was staged at the old magistrates house. They said to meet at 7.45pm, and I went in, no knowledge of what was to happen - just expecting the cliche bar scene where there's a stand-up comedian with a microphone, but it turned out to be au contraire, and there was lots of audience interaction.


(Oh woe! the Padded cell and scary looking face)

I didnt really expect the old Melbourne Gaol to be a prime venue but that's where we had to go first...The place was horrendous; I cant imagine anyone who would be able to stay sane in there. There were no bars but rooms that we tightly secure with a minuscule airholes... There was also several padded rooms and a hologram that scared the wits out of me.


(stuck in the exercise court)

The night started with Rod Quantock (an australian comedian) lining the guest and numbering them off. He then told us to get into one of the cells which corresponded with our numbers... so I went into a cell with a few other ppl, and he closed the door behind us. Before that, he gave us instructions that we had to choose a crime and choose someone who would stand trial.

Afterwards he marched us into the courtyard and went around asking ppl who's been in the courtyard before... apparently there were quite a few, some as public servants, informants and the others, the accused. Apparently back in the days, you could be arrested for trepassing on public property. Then we went into the courtroom where random members of the audience were selected for a mock trial. The one that we ended up doing was the CROWN VERSUS MRS WARD ON THE TWO COUNTS OF PUBLIC CANNABALISM. They picked a clerk, and then the clerk was asked to pick a judge and she randomly pointed me out...saying that: "I look like someone who'd be easy, but can be very hard." It was quite exciting... especially when I had to go into the back room and rob myself in something big, long and red... that it made me look like santa clause.

In all good nature of old court cases, when I walked in, the audience rose (on instruction of mr Quantock) and did a rendition of some old English song to the lyrics... "under the southern cross..." I sat down and I was instructured to hit the gavel on the table, and out of the spur of the moment, I hit it on a red bottom thing next to me, which turned out to be the speakers (SORRY RMIT!) It was quite a good laugh. The court case was hilarious! They were making up all these silly scenarios and exhibits... and accusing each other of the most funniest things like falling into a BBQ and packing human in someone's lunch.

The way they called the witnesses was also a crack up. Rod made four ppl lined up in equal distance and they would say... "bring in such and such," and caused an echo! It was hilarious.

At the end of the case, I had to invite the jury to come back in, which meant getting off my high seat and walking down to the jury deliberation room. Little did I miss the step that seperate the chair area from the rest of the stage, and little did contain balance, that I tripped over and fell to a gush of laughter. The host came and picked me up - literally cradled me in his arm and took me down the steps. It was funny! After the show, someone said "it's nice to have a little slapstick." Hehe!


(as judge in my red rob)

The verdict came back... Not guilty...but as judges in the old days had VETO power and Rod made the humourous comment: "we cant put trust in the aussie public (jks)", I said... "after surveying the evidence and giving careful consideration... I found the accused guilty and hereby sentenced her to a life on pigeon island to feed Lemas..then on the 4th september, 'she'll meet the gullotine." :)

One of the other groups had... "vote for john howard"... and it was an easy case. The accused admit guilt... and everyone was wanting to prosecute the case. I dont think the australian public is too fond of mr.howard. Everything was all for a good well-deserved laugh -

Afterwards I was strolling downtown to the train station and bumped into a man dressed in a spacesuit with music equipment wrapped around him...as he pumped out some interesting sounds.

Then it was sitting on artsy monuments around town to end the night off...



P.S. Excuse the quality of the pictures - they were all taken on my friends phone.

Water Nymph? Maybe not!

K! I officially cannot swim. I went to the bayside gym yesterday in hope that I can attempt to swim the length of the pool and make use of my $29.95 fortnight, and I think I made it 400 metres and then I choked on a gush of chlorine filled water. It was only 1.2metres deep too. I think it's because I know lots of ppl who have either almost drowned or died in water that it's still an issue with me...either that, or I just cant swim :) On the bright side, I can paddle and float on my back which is good enough in times of crisis - thank for the lifejacket ah! I suppose we all have our talents and swimming isnt mine. I love the water though - if I were to be any creature in the world, it'll be a water one.

Speaking of which! I have decided that the place i want to settle and eventually retire in is Denmark! Everything I love seems to have originate from Denmark. Hans Christian Andersen was Danish, and he kept me very happy during my childhood years (and even today) with his lovely gruesome tales... It's near Sweden! And everyone needs their slice of swedish culture, whether in the form of chocolates, a girl, or a random swedish tourist. The country that I lived in for a great period of my life was name after "Zealand," a place in Denmark... The country is beautiful... with lots of hidden landscapes and mountains...oh my soul! ALSO apparently the sculpture of the little mermaid erected in copenhagen was decapitated twice! Now to marry myself a danish man...Any-takers? LOL just joking :)



The lovely Terry as Hans Christian Andersen at my fairytale birthday party
Isnt he handsome!

A new year. A new love and the bloom of new adventures...

After 10 days cruising in the land of the long white cloud, I am officially burnt out - literally! My neck is red to the vines and my arms are boiling red. On the bright side, I had a complete ball - and I'm missin my friends already. Those New Zealanders really do grow on you.

So what interesting things have happened on this little OE back to the country I grew up in. Well, i arrived in NZ on a hot sunny day and was whisked off to the parachute concert in a white car and we stayed at this budget motel, çoz we couldnt find any other as it was close to the date. It wasnt so bad! I got to hang out with all my friends.



The next day we did the amazing race, which left my muscles in a twist for almost half a week... on the bright side, we came third and got to down the water slide in our clothes. We also got to make a cool chant which went along the lines of...1,2,3,4 the quadricedes have taken the floor... 5,6,7,8... you are good but we are great! :) On the Saturday night, I had a special moment with God and He really spoke to me... My new years resolution was to not let things affect me as much and I think I am carrying that out well with the support of my Lord Jesus.

On thursday... my best friend Sundeia blindfolded me with her pants? and took me for a drive. We stopped at a mysterious place in which we got out and took a short walk around and ended up getting in her car again. The trip continued and as we were driving, I felt feathery stuff on me, then moments later, a gush of cream. I actually thought it was suncream, but it ended up being shaving cream and one of my other friends had hop into the car while we went for the walk. ah friends! they do make you happy :)




On friday, I was yet again whisked away, but this time to an island with plenty of fish and muscles. We took an easy breezy walk to the beautiful summit and got treated with awesome views of the city...then a rendevous to the lava caves...



After we arrived at the bach, we went fishing... We got to use this huge net and paddle around the water. It was all very exciting...except of the fear of being stung by a stingray or bitten by the crab.. Luckily none of that happened and we soldiered on and caught five fishes, and let four go. We then played around in the quiksand which was super cool - apparently there's a lake under rangitoto which is causing this effect. We managed to catch one crab... uh! it was so much fun! quiet and peaceful and the air is really fresh! a far cry from Melbourne. We also met a lady who lose her glasses as she was getting of a boat. After all our scavenging the sea for it's treasures and beauty and tasty meat, we had a well-deserved fiesta and feast in the night.



On Saturday I had my birthday party and that the sweetest celebration ever. Most people turned up in marvellous costumes and got up to all sorts! There were songs and interpretive dancing, and even a waltz! The theme was fairytale and people really bought their creativity and made it such a fun-filled moments with lots of cushy feelings! :) The people I stayed with was also kind enough to bake me a cake!






On sunday, my lovely friends came to see me off which I thought was super awesome! It's so nice having such a great close-knit group of friends... we went to cornwall park first, then had smoothies... and I departed in the traditional manner of doing the chicken dance from the departure lounge! I'm so happy that auckland airport has that area where you can look down and see ppl going pass...and wave, cry, hug, kiss the window etc. Uh! I miss New Zealand and my NZ friends. Forever in my memory.