Money Clip

I bought a gansta gold heavy weight money clip today. Now all I need is the money.

Money clip

African dinner with Jwowers. Little Creatures pub after. Crash at Helen's. Jwow friday night work. Stay back after work and drink all the staff wine. Crash at Helen's. Dress shopping on Saturday. Ace's 22nd birthday at Ondergrounds. I'll be drinking thursday through to sunday morning.

African dinner.

It doesn't look appetising here because I was off my face when I took this photo.

Beer goggles.

Did i tell you, I passed my university subjects? I am now elegible for GRADUATION OF A BACHELOR DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION DESIGN BITCH. Let the celebrations begin.

Oh Those Uni Days

Last minute exam cramming at Keilor Plains Train Station

Watermelon indulgence.

Yep! Still doing homework.

Finally, some work results!

Hallmark Day

Okay so i didnt go job hunting today. I cooked pancit with vman under the instruction of vmans awesome personal cook, his mum. Heres what we did:

1. Fry chopped garlic and onions til brown
2. throw in chopped pieces of chicken breast
3. along with carrots, capsicum and cabbage
4. half stirring spoon of pepper, 1 stirring spoon vegeta and 1 stirring spoon soy sauce
5. let veggies and meat soak up flavour for a few seconds
6. soak bihon noodles in chicken stock
7. throw noodles into mixture
8. stir for aagggggess adding fishsauce (as much as you like)
9. your done when all the mixture has soaked up and the noodles arent so hard

Basket of Pancit ingredients

ill look for jobs on wednesday. i start school soon, NOOOO at least its every monday only. and i acutally have something to take up my time. vmans going to philippines soon NOOOOOOO but at least its only for 2 weeks and his gonna bring me back lots of presents.

Vman: what do you want from philippines?

Me: Food :)

Dried fish, fried squid, dried mangos and coconut, pulbaron, butterscotch and peanut fudge, caramel boots, barquillious, piyaya!

MMmmmmm philo sweets :)

My Valentine Day card from my valentine,

Bentot. He says I have teeth like the Hippo >=[

Hello London - you are amazing

as i type this i am sitting on my bed at the Palace Court Holiday Apartments on corner Baystreet and Palace Courts, W2 London, England, UK. it took me about 24hours to fly here plus all the waiting time and delays and land transportation. this trip will cost me $5,400 plus meals (lunch and dinner) and spending money. it will be amazing. we spend about 1.5weeks here in london then we take the Eurostar train off to Paris for the remainder 1.5 weeks. this is all part of what Swinburne Uni calls a Study Tour. We travel to another country/city and visit art/design museums, design schools, councils, institutions and studios to see what design is like here, or how culture influences design. this tour is an academic unit of study but i take it more of a holiday. it really feels like it anyway, visiting galleries and design houses is fun! so everyday of the week, we have somewhere to be. we have to meet the group there at a specific time, after that we are required to visit another place that is design related by ourselves. after that, and the weekends included, we are free to explore - we can even take a trip outside our city providing we be back in time for the next scheduled occasion. its really independent and this is a good opportunity for me to learn about everything in general! this blog is a record of all the things i did on my trip. forgive me if this is not updated as i also have to record my experiences in a journal and id rather not repeat my experiences. Day 1: Breakfast - ceral + bread with REAL strawberry jam with chunks of strawberries made in FRANCE Walk through Kennsington and Hyde Parks Buckingham Palace Lunch - Carbonara pasta Go back home im so fkn tired Sleep and wake up now

The London Eye from afar

The massive 'bear' dog called Toots

Let's sit by Hyde Lake and admire the fog, shall we?

I'm so excited

We knew we were close to Buckingham Palace when we saw these babies. The Royal guards on horseback escorted by English policemen, they took up a whole lane on the road!

Really? You have Post Man Pat post boxes??

Buckingham Palace - so many tourists!

At the palace gates

it's almost 7am in Melbourne but 8pm here in london. the time differents is 13hours. i thought id be able to take the time variations seeing that i:

1. am a night owl and i sleep from 4am- 1pm
2. i am not restricted by the time and sleep/eat/do whatever i feel like when my body does
3. i think i have a strong mentality and control over my body through the power of the mind

but i was wrong. on the way here it slept at for about 6hours (in 24hours) and my first night here i feltso tired by 9pm. i woke up at 5am nd then fell sleepy at 10am, forced myself to wake up and cudnt take anymore. feel sleep by 1pm and went to sleep at 2pm. woke up about 7pm. sick.. we're going out for dinner. eveyrone seems to eat at pubs here. really? i want my asian resturants in st. albans. bringback $8.80 wonton and egg noodle soups!!! continued: we ate at a cosy italian resturant down the road. ihavent eaten much italian but it was the best italian food ive ever tasted. the pasta i had was cooked perfectly - it was a bit hard and therefore chewy mmmmmmmd texture unlike the mushy shit we do at home. i thught if it was undercooked like it was, that id get a sore stummy. but if thats they way the italians do it then iwill too. hehe. the sauce was very tomatoey, sweet but at the same time sour and the chicken pieces in it tasted like it absorbed all the tomato juices. mmmmmmmmm i was sucking out the juices as i waschewing the chicken. im normally a fast eater but for this meal i new i had to eat it slow. infact i was the last one to finish! i even ate the onions. i had a matching glass of merlot. my meal cost 13 pounds or about 20 dollars. not bad. after that we had a walk to the Tesco supermarket were we bought small nibbles. i was surpised to see they sold vegemite! i had to take a photo of this. who takes photos of food in the supermarket??? weirdos.

Vegemite in London

Experience

Time does fly by doesnt it. As vman pointed out it is 1 month before til i fly away. Out of this place, somewhere new where everyday won't be the same. Where I can forget about my home and be an eager explorer.

I think thats the approach I should take instead of feeling daunted by the thought I will truly have no one but myself to rely on. I don't think it will be that bad but it is only natural for me to assume the worst - theft, rape, being charged with drug possession (someone puts it into my bag to get rid of it), murder, abduction, being held ransom, terrorist attack, plane engine malfunction due to a blocked Pitot tube. 

So yes, I will take the explorer approach to this trip. Here is the point of view I aim to take on:

• see every mistake as a learning experience
• take every experience as a good thing
• be calm and trust in myself when i think i have done wrong
• dont be shy and ask for help when needed
• open my eyes and feel lucky to be in this position
• no regrets, don't look back everything that happens is worth it

But of course things are easier said then done. It takes one to walk the talk. I'll need more self assurance a but later on so be prepared for more of this inspirational shit.

There is nothing like the internet to fuck up my sleeping pattern. I borrowed this mac laptop from my uni library so that I could do homework at jwow while i drink. Except this laptop doesnt even have CS! how can u rent out mac books without CS??

A Quick Note

Making that money,

earning that cash

ive spent well over 3hours listing shit on ebay. I know i should wait for optimal times to list, and research similar items to those i am listing for effective keywords but i cant be fucked. i just want the money, and i want it now.

i have a fucked up body clock. its so confused. and so am i. help?

im looking at photos of my holiday in QLD and SYD i want to go back. i want that lifestyle. i want to always have fun. this weather is going to be such a bad influence on me. i just want to be FREEEEEE

this weather also brings out the rebel in me, and the 'fuck it, just do it' attitude. the thoughts of getting a tattoo and my nose repierced seem so much of a possibility. and why should i be stuck in all day doing homeowkr when the weather is so good? i might even skip skool to hava little nap on the grass outside, or on the bench. i think of the sun as a good thing, i want to expose as much skin to it as possible, i want to be a dry sponge soaking up a river of water, submerge me with sun!!!

China Town, Brisvegas

Thursday Night

im at uni i skipped two days of uni this week and it was such a struggle to get up with only 3hrs of sleep. i stayed up til 5am working on this return brief presentation for Publication Design. I am going to design a 50 page magazine on the content of 'Clubbing With James Tran' . http://jamestran.net/ Check out the site. It is basically some guy from Sydney reviewing clubs and providing us with his personal opinions and experiences at these places. This assignment is massive, so much work invovled. I have to edit the text, generate my own images, decide on the typography, layout, paper stock, finishing, bounding and consider marketing issues such as:

• key performance indicators for measurements of success
• where and when this publication can be sold
• production and costs
• competitors and differentiation

its actually not as much more than usual but 50 PAGES??! 5,000 WORDS OF TEXT???? this assignment is worth 70%???? crazy. i need to stop complaining and start doing

but i am starving, saving up for a holiday is physcially painful. ironic. i went to savers yesterday, bought a couple of cream knitted long sleeve tops. one by Zimmerman and one long enough to act as a dress - exactly what i wanted. all for a total of $9 (they wanted to charge me 10cents for a plastic bag but i knew better). after that i went to highpoint, it was a good time to go beacuse they were holding a marketing scheme where most stores were on 20% off store wide. that is nothing, 20% off but when the item is already a bargain then SWEET!

as you ay have noticed, i am on a mission for cheap, light but warm clothing. it is more difficult than expected because all the spring gear is coming in, it was almost like there was no winter sale. i bought these cute grey mittens for $5 from Groove and this navy crop woolen RAAF jacket from Mitchel's Camping store. that jacket as indeed a bargain. its good quality, something the other stores would sell for $100+ but i got it for $14.99 - 20% = $11.95 i was happy to pay $15.

I Feel Bad Ass

Tis the last day of my midsemester break, there is only 1 more day til hell begins. i dread these upcoming projects it will be full on i hope that i can take it. its 6:31am and i am still awake. its probably because i woke up at 5pm the previous day. my muscles are aching today, in particularly my calf muscles. its from tippy-toeing too much at work - curse my vertical disadvantages!

ive stayed home all day on the computer, ive tried to be productive today but its just not happening. here is the definition of productiveness:

1. what enhances my well-being
2. learning or planning for the future
3. building something phsycial

its been almost 2months and i have not spoken to my mum. she is, as they describe the relationship between serial killers and their parents, a 'malevolent stranger' and the relationship is 'nonexistent'. it benefits me, i am happier this way. i don't get nagged and told wat to do, and whats even better - i dont get put down in a psychological or emotional way. yay!

there are many bad things about being nocturnal:

1. vitamin D deficiency makes me depressed
2. vman and friends fall asleep when i wake up
3. i am lonely
4. there is no where to go except stay in my room
5. its very cold everywhere else but my room
6. i feel somewhat guilty and unhealthy of my sleeping pattern even though i think i eat, drink, sleep the same hours as i would if i wasn't nocturnal.

the major issue is the loneliness part. it makes me unproductive - i guess i feel sorry for myself. i feel sorry for my ass and legs - cramped up like that and getting no exercise. damn you normalcy!

i am not making enough money to support my anticipated spending sprees in paris, london and dubai. help me generate intelligent money making schemes other than trying to produce a money tree where the leaves of the tree are $100 notes - not because they are the highest singular form of money and i am greedy but because $100 notes are green :) and leaves are green. i dont want blue, purple or yellow leaves do i??

tupac says 'here we go turn it up hey!' he's so gangsta. i wonder if i was gangsta, would i still be scared of the future?

i watched Sin City twice today. i love the movie, i love the characters, the graphics, the script. they are so cool. i aspire to be as cool as them one day. not caring about self distruction, or safety, or what will happen next and STILL walk with an air of confidence. amazing, people of Sin City are amazing. sometimes i wish i was as pretty as Jessica Alba, but then i wouldn't want her bad acting skills. and then i wish i had a husky voice like Brittany Murphy, but wouldnt wanna look as scummy as her.

a rebel without a cause. my favourite part of the movie is when jessica alba and bruce willis finally kiss. my fav character has got to be bruce willis, i love my quiet and humble heros who arent always the main characters. another example is Samwise from the Lord of the Rings. if everyone in the world was a quiet and humble hero to one person, then the world would be a better place.

No time to rest in a city like London and Paris

I attended an Orientation Day for the UK/FRANCE Study Tour. Our first homework was to write a about our future trip. What were our expectations, our goals, our concerns, our interests? This is what I'm submitting.

This will be the very first time I feel that I am travelling ‘alone’. Technicially, I am alone since I will be going with 11 strangers to 2 countries I have never been to. I have never flown and travelled by myself so this experience is most definetly out of my comfort zone. Infact, the idea of this tour was an impulsive decision.I applied on the very last day and had to be encouraged to get out of bed for my interview. I was hesitant I could actually do this. I wanted to go, but would I really?

Four months in and my parents are still against me going, they are against me doing anything they wouldn’t do in their old age. They were even against me going on an exchange program to Korea - my life long dream. I listen to them because discouraging words are hard to ignore when they are drilled in your brain on a regular basis. The applying of this trip was an act of rebellion and frustation.

And now this trip is a reality. I really am going. If this tour goes according to plan, I will prove to them and to myself that, against all odds, I can do anything I want to do. My self confidence will have grown and hopefully my voice of self-doubt will be nothing but an annoying whisper in the back of my head. The feeling of independence will be immense. I will have the secret pleasure of accomplishing something my parents were so passionately resentful of.

I expect a great adventure. I want to learn everything, I am a sponge. If I was a cow, I’d open up all four stomaches so I can digest the information thrown at me. My travel journey will be well documented as I do not want to forget anything. I will be overwhelmed with possibilities in a new city and run out of time, energy and perhaps money. I will have numberous sleepless and restless nights. There is no time to sleep. I will leave Paris and London regretfully.

In terms of design education, I don’t know what to expect. I don’t know much about Paris or London design so everything I learn will be new to me. I don’t think I will be interested in seeing paintings, even if they are historical or famous. What I would like to see are street magazines, advertisments, shop displays and graffiti. I’d want experience rather than looking at artefacts inside a museum.

I think the experience of design will come after the experience of culture. Design without a context is just a symbol without an explanation. I am interested in learning about the relationship between the histroy of the city and public design pieces and street art.

I think London will feel more like home than Paris. In Paris, we have to speak a language other than English and I will be unfamiliar with the culture. In other words, I think I’ll offend more people in Paris than I will in London by being an ignorant tourist.

But I don’t want to be ignorant. Teach me!

Homesickness may be the death of me. I have never been alone like this before but I think by regular contact through mobile phone and internet I will get my fix. Note to self: buy a mini laptop

I hope I cope alright in the freezing cold weather. I am like a cat or snake, I like to sit on rocks with my eyes closed and feel the heat of the sun burn my skin and give me more moles. I was told conflicting stories of how cold it will be so I don’t know how to pack. I just want to be warm and comfortable and at the same time fit in with the crowd. I don’t want to feel self-concious in the clothes I bring, that will ruin my trip.

• I hope I can pack as little as possible so I can bring back as much as possible.
• I wonder how I will find the locals.
• I wonder if I’ll get desparately lost or have my things stolen.
• I hope I get along with the other students.
• I hope the day I get back to Melbourne, it will be a beautiful 29 degrees.

Mental Breakdowns

I love crying off all my makeup in the uni toilets

Useful links:

You are my digital notebook, store these weblinks will ya? Book Bindings:

• http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://piyananv.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/bb_101-061-medium.jpg&imgrefurl=http://piyananv.wordpress.com/2009/06/05/book-binding-workshop/&usg=__oWK3t6MNy8TyCdWnNZYtCE5-LFE=&h=618&w=818&sz=412&hl=en&start=115&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=R9e0K4ZA2HWsyM:&tbnh=109&tbnw=144&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnotebook%2Bbinding%26start%3D100%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1
• http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WT7nTthKGWY/Saxs3quQnaI/AAAAAAAAAP8/j7DI4rhPXjA/s400/sketchbook01.jpg&imgrefurl=http://belugachop.blogspot.com/2009/03/brown-paper-sketch-book-binding-fun.html&usg=__gb7p6F3k-Pu92qmpA6wNBWPk3g8=&h=300&w=400&sz=42&hl=en&start=203&sig2=KsXIHEDKGAZ41oBpAEKVQw&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=MSftCv784mbBtM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dnotebook%2Bbinding%26start%3D200%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=QwduTLaPNsmenwe8hrHHBw
• http://www.squidoo.com/book-binding-how-to-make-a-leather-bound-moleskine-journal-craft-tutorial

Melbourne makes me happy

Thoughts from Wednesday evening:

It was my final day of winter term at uni. It was a massive weight off my chest and i felt like i could breathe freely. I felt free, i really did. I took the train into the city. By this time the sun has disappeared and it was raining lightly. It wasn't cold, it was a pleasant night. I decided to treat myself and get something, it was 7pm and i havent eaten breakfast yet, i was in a rush this morning and i was working on uni work and didnt have time.

i was in my own little world once i plugged my ear phones in. i decided to walk all the way down swanston to melbourne central, instead of catching a tram/train. why not? i put my hood over my head to protect my hair from the rain, i smiled as the pedestrian man quickly turned red as i approached the flinders street crossing. typical, i thought, he was playing a trick on me. i was patient, today i was in no rush.

while i waited for a green light, i looked up at the digital advertising screen on top of the Young and Jacksons pub, the ads were meant to be designed around the missing blocks of the screen but i didnt see it. i thought how uncreative people can be.

i crossed the road, i didnt move for the people coming towards me. i had the idea, if you let things naturally happen, it will all fall into place. if i didnt move for anyone, then they wud move around me. it worked - sometimes. i thought how a rainny winter's night in melbourne could be so pleasant? then i heard the man beside me say 'its such a nice night for a walk'. i turned around, if he was saying it to me i wouldve smiled and said 'it is'.

Once i crossed the road, my fav song came on. it is the best 'walking song' in my opinion. it was a version of Jheslisa's Friendly Pressure. This is going to put me in the happy mood.

walking down swanston street, my tendency is to look up. too many people look straight ahead, i like to look at building details around the windows, how the lights reflect on things and tonight - i liked looking at the rain falling. i stopped in my tracks, i watched the rain fall, it wud appear to be falling right on me, but i didnt feel a thing. its kinda scary, to see the army of raindrops attack my face but not hurt me. it made me smile.

I thank my parents for migrating to Melbourne city, out of all the cities in australia and the world i am truly blessed to be here. It is really very beautiful. The words 'if you don't love melbourne city, then you dont deserve to be here' repeated in my mind. I love it with a passion, but cudn't really tell others why.

i made my way to my city home, jwow to be warmly welcomed by hwissey :) i had a couple drinks and shots with his friend. that was all it took to make me tired. any more and i wudnt wanna go home. id have too much fun.

but it was time to leave. vman wud be waiting for me at the station.

good bye melbourne. we shall meet again.

Yoshi Slippers from Vman =]

the cute arms and legs dangle as you walk!

They are so cute. Thank you vman i love them!

Hey Lover!

LADIES LOVE COOL JAMES

its 4:27am, i should be asleep. either that or working on my motorsporting branding but I DONT WANNA. im fighting my tiredness by trying to be hyperactive. im happy because i went shopping at highpoint. i am on a mission to buy cheap, good looking and warm coats/jackets for the winter cold in melbourne AND paris and london. soon all the jackets will be gone from melbourne shops as spring is near. then i wont find any jackets! but my bro raised a good point that towards the end of winter, shit will be on sale. i should visit my old work for some massive discounted stock.

today i bought a military style knitted cardi. it was a navy blue in medium, i wanted a small in black but seeing that they were only $15!!! there werent many available. it is long, (nearly to my knee) with white lines across the front, round neck, white buttons. its slimming, but it only looks good buttoned up. if i dont, i look like a tent/triangle.

the other was a RED COAT. ive wanted a good quality red quote since i saw Tracy Hong's photos in new york. she looked adorable in one, now i wanna look adorable in one >=[ the one i found is long also, hooded, medium in warmth with toggles down the front and two front pockets. it was $55 which is a considerable price when compared to the rip off's at dangerfield and such. its a nice deep blood red. very pretty.

i want tomorrow morning to come already so i can wear my new military cardi. ive already planned my outfit. opaque black stockings, black over the knee boots, long top to over my bum + military jacket, ill need to use my trusty black CKM coat for extra warm.. hurry up!! i wanna wear it!

group meeting at 10am tmrw. boooooooo. last day of winter term YEAAAAHHH!!!

then fly to sydney on friday, come back for a 1 week holiday of NO SCHOOL and then family party for my bday on the 7th of August. With lichon, coffee/choco cake and my fav philo foods. im gonna make everyone play minute to win it games. hahah. excite me =]

pictures of my jacket/cardi coming soon!!!

Cars

Creating a visual identity for a car event is difficult, seeing as there arent many existing identities to be inspired by. I look up 'car stores', 'car retail/shop interiors' and i get dodgey looking garage interiors with ugly diagonal and neon signage. I look up 'car magazines' and 'car advertisements' and all i get is the same diagonal font and girls with big boobs popping out of their tiny bikini's. And frankly, i never liked cars anyway. This shit is boring. I'm gonna borrow the Fast and Furious triology and find inspiration from that.

I had work today from 3pm to 10:15pm. i am sleep. but i dont like falling sleep. i will now admit, after 1 year of having it, that my computer is the problem to my fucked up sleeping patterns. there, i said it. and i wont do anything about it. my computer is awesome. im thinking to transfer the tv in the upstairs lounge room to my room. no one watches it there anyway.

Winter Shopping

I have broken my 1-2months shopping drought by skipping school and buying winter clothes at watergardens. seeing as there has been a deposit in my bank account and to celebrate my ebay success and that Deborah K was on 50% off everything, i decided to spend. just a little. i need winter clothes, i really want a chunky, heavy but oh so comfortable military style black jacket with unnecessary buckles and buttons. i havent spotted one that i like yet. i need warm clothes, mainly pants that isnt leggings and stockings and perhaps jumpers. especially when i go to london and paris.

i feel guilty for spending after all this sacraficing saving for money. but i did buy everything for really good prices (on sale) and everything i bought i will definetly use and get some wear out of. here is what i bought and what i spent.

Vintage Trackie Crop 3/4 Sleeve Jumper

$14.99 from Factorie

Wear with singlet that is tucked into pants.

Navy Blue Knitted Jumper/Dress Top (Back)

$6.00 from Deborah K

Wear as a dress with stockings and a singlet or

the black petticoat I got from Glassons as this top is see through

Black Studded bag with Chain strap

$12 from Deborah K ($40 at Femme)

I've been eyeing this since I've worked at Femme,

I prefer it in beige but they didn't stock it.

Puffy Black Fur-Hooded Long Vest

$40 (from $110) at Giordano

They were having a 50% off jackets sale! Vman bought a really nice jacket too.

Wear over long sleeve top, jumpers or dress for added comfort. This vest is very asian.

Total Spent:

$73 for 4 items = $18.25 each NOT BAD!

I finished off this day with a KFC Ultimate Burger Meal. mmmm so yum. it was all vman's fault since his hands smelt like chicken marinate that reminded me of KFC. i just had to have it!

Winter Term @ Swinburne

My 1st day back at uni for the winter term. The subject is Design and Business Strategy. It's about how design thinking can help with business, it will teach us how to develop our own business if we wanted to. This subject is very similar to the Marketing Subject i had recently taken.

There were two lecturers teaching this subject. One named Dion, i guessed within 5 seconds of visual analysis that his name was Dion. It took me another 35 minutes to decide he was gay.

PARIS&LONDON

I would have never believed it until two days ago. I'M GOING TO PARIS&LONDON!

my dream to study design oversea and although this isn't an exchange program it is the next best thing, a study tour. it means we visit other countries and learn about design/art/architecture&typography THEIR way, visiting museums, galleries and taking tours around the city. i regret not applying for last year's study tour with my friends which went to New York&Chicago. i had too much shit going on and i was failing subjects (3 subjects at one time), for the very 1st time.

this year is paris and london. i thought i wouldn't get it, since i was a 3rd year student and it was only opened for 2nd year students. i thought anthony elliott (the teacher that i love and hate at the same time) would grill me for my 3 failed subjects especially the one which he was the co-ordinator for. perhaps he would take this personally? i stayed up for the majority of the night preparing for my interview and researching the places on the itenary list. we also had to think of 8 other places we wanted to visit and give a brief statement as to why and the relevance of it to our studies. i woke up this morning dreading my interview. i thought i wouldnt get it, i felt i wasn't good enough. i was ready to give up the fight. vman called me, i told him that i wasn't going to go. he told me i had to, that i worked all night preparing for it and reminded me it was something that ive always wanted to do.

so i attended the UK/France study tour interview that afternoon at 2pm. my heart was beating irregularly waiting outside that room. anthony elliott was taking his sweet time interviewing and laughing with another applicant and my interview time was meant to start at 30minutes ago. i felt like walking away and giving up again.

the interview was nothing that i expected. it was a pure casual conversation. i prepared for questions like:

• Why did u failed 3 subjects last year? Have you lost your passion for design?
• How will you pay for all these expenses?
• Do you know how to speak French?
• How will you cope from being away from home?
• How will you represent Swinburne as a university?
• How good are you at making friends with strangers?

All of which answers would generate a negative connotation. but he caught me off guard with the 1st question being 'How old are you?' i had to think for 2 seconds. He asked me questions about my health, if i was allergic to anything, if i had any cultural or social concerns he needed to worry about. He asked if i ever travelled before, where did i go, and in what conditions did i stay.. he saw my average results of 75.5% and said i was a Distinction student. he finished off the interview with the words, and i quote:

Well, there is no reason why I think you can't come

Like WOW. THANK GOD i got up that morning

So that is the story of how i am going to Paris/France. It will happen over 3weeks, Novemeber 19 to December 10. It will be with 12 other random design students who i do not know. i need to start saving up this money, FAST.

France

London

Yesterday was my 1st university exam. Since Communication Design is a folio subject, it has been 3years since my last exams. i kinda missed it. The marketing exam was held at festival hall, which meant i had to walk for 10minutes from north melbourne station. the suburb of north melbourne is indeed a quiet and beautiful one, i wish i could live there. the hall was full of students, there were tables that filled the floor, side and main stage. the seriousness of the students and the fact that the place was so orgainised was overwhelming. i had to take a picture, but didnt know if this breeched univeristy exam policy. maybe they thought id cheat? i had to take aphoto anyway to saver this feeling so here it is.

Marketing Exam @ Festival Hall, North Melbourne

The exam went for 2hours. I think i did well, but you never know with marketing until you get it back. When you think u'll do shit, u actually get a HD and when u think u did good, u get a 8/10. true story.

after i went start to Jwow for work. james took me to this cosy little japanese resturant down Little Lonsdale street called Horse Bizarre. strange name but cool place. note to self: all you can eat and drink at Horse Bizarre on Thursdays from 7pm-9pm for $25 per person.

I'll take you down the only road I know

Remember that major Marketing Assignment that i may or may not mentioned awhile ago? Well i got it back today, i knew it was gonna be a bad mark but i was aiming for a passing grade. I dont deserve anything better considering i really started the assignment 15hours before it was due, ran out of time to complete an 'executive summary' and put in a weak and half-assed effort into it. my teacher handed me the assignment, making sure he covered my mark so other students couldn't see. he looked dead-set into my eyes and said 'can you see my after class?'. i nodded, thinking crap, it was really that bad.

i took a look and was surprised to see all the ticks on the assessment sheet on the right hand side (the HD side of the page). even when i forgot an 'executive summary' i looked down to see a mark of a HD. and comments of praise. i could not believe my eyes, i thought it was a joke. maybe they thought i had plagerised someone's work and wanted to trick me? for the whole class i couldnt concentrate on anything but my assigment. i was overwhelmed, still trying to get myself to believe the grade infront of me. i recieved a HD, the highest mark possible, for my lousy effort. i was rubbing my face, massaging my hair and resting my head in my hands for the duration of the class in disbelief, my teacher probably thought i was disappointed in it. the teacher was so impressed with my work that he showed the Marketing Co-ordinator who has asked for my permission to use my assignment as an example for next year's students.

this is the second time in 3weeks that this has happened to me. the 1st time was when i recieved my typography folio back with high praise for my workbook and concept. i am far from boosting about this, i am very grateful and also astounded. i wanna know what i am doing right so i can do it again. these achievements are mean alot to me since ive almost given up on the whole idea of further education and academically exceeding. there are two lessons to be learnt in this:

1. anything is possible, no matter how unreachable the goal or deadline seems. so give it ur best shot anyway and
2. doing things last minute produces a better result.

id like the believe the latter.

Paint Palette

i continue the rest of my day as if it was all a dream. i was feeling exhausted from my 12hr jwow shift yesterday and running on 5hrs sleep again. i walk down swanston street and see the words:

LIFE IS IN

YOUR HANDS

written exactly like that across some guy's hat. this must be a sign to keep on chugging!

Victoria Street, Richmond

we were listening to Ted.com videos yesterday while we worked. although being exposed to strong american accents for a long time annoys me, i heard a couple of interesting ideas. This talk was based on creativity. It went something like: Creativity is originality. It happends when we take risks and make mistakes. Our society condemns mistakes, when we as adults make mistakes we are frowned upon. But children aren't afraid to make mistakes, speak their minds and express ideas without fear of criticism. Therefore all children are artists, but when they grow up they are part of the 'mould of society'. Talking about the 'mould of society' reminds of the song 'Bittersweet Symphony' by The Verve.

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony, this life

Try to make ends meet

You're a slave to money then you die

I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down

You know the one that takes you to the places

where all the veins meet yeah,

No change, I can change

I can change, I can change

But I'm here in my mold

I am here in my mold

But I'm a million different people

from one day to the next

I can't change my mold

No, no, no, no, no

The Pressure of a Creating a Great Design Concept

I've gotta do one better than before. The pressure's on because the teacher unexpectantly said my workbook was the best she ever recieved and my final concept was unquie and a stand out from the rest since i didnt just try to make it look pretty, i had a good idea behind it. she was so impressed and the whole classed heard. students from my class gathered around to look at my work. it was the 1st time i have been singled out for good work ever since fucking year 12. it raises the bar and inspires me to work harder.

fuck.

im scratching my head. i dont know what i did right. perhaps it was seeing the underlying meaning to the text. but how can i apply it to this project? the text is merely copied slabs off the Opera Australia website. there isn't even a theme as each event description is different from the rest. The theme has to apply to ALL events and communicate 'opera australia'. i dont know much about it. its so vague, its got a bit of everything, singing, dancing, ochestra's..

i brainstorm. i can design the programme guide to make it 'look good' but there will be no concept. im frown as if it makes my brain think faster but it doesn't. time is ticking and the pressure gives me a mental block.

rah rah.

'Silence' at Melbourne Docklands

My Final Typography 3DPS

on the topic of Surrealism

90's

feeling strangely positive today. its all in the music. (its probably got something to do with the sunshine too). lately ive been downloading 90's r&b and hip hop mixes including gold tracks like :

• Zhane - Hey Mr. DJ
• TLC - Creep
• The Fugees - Fu-Ge-La
• Nappy Roots - Po' Folks
• Notorious B.I.G - Mo' Money Mo' Problems
• Lauren Hill - Doo Wop That Thing

The list will continue as I continue downloading.

Just finished work. Working two jobs + uni is difficult. Money is a distraction. Plus working is more fun, i dont have to stress to meet deadlines, when i clock off, i clock off. in less than 1 month i have to do a 3 double page spread programme guide, a3 event poster and flyer for the Australian Opera, plus a 1500 word rationale, work book and model for Packaging Design. so behind. plus i have a marketing exam on the 10th of june. i am so not thinking about that. i am a couple chapters and lectures behind.

i made a new drink today. the original fruit punch mocktail + a 30ml shot of Baileys. to me it turned out alright, fruity until the end when u get the milky hit. i like it but maybe others wouldn't, too bad no one was around to critic it. most of my time was spent cleaning and organising the food in the kitchen area. grouping foods together and the most used items in more accessible places. looks and feels much better than beforer.

bought hanaichi twice today, and maccas once. 1 large big mac meal, i needed it to measure the burger and chips since im re-designing the takeaway packaging. its even better that i got to eat it after. infact it was killing me that i had to measure it before i could eat it.

2days ago i booked tickets to sydney. $38 each way, so $76 for a return flight. tickets are booked for my birthday so i can climb the Harbour Bridge which is on my to-do list. It's a tad bit early to book hotel rooms and the climb so i must remember to do it closer to the date. theres a nice hotel in darling harbour for only $95 a night.

the days are getting shorter and nights are colder. i type this while a heater warms my legs, unfortunately its not doing a fast enough job.

7am start tmrw, but i think ill make it a 10am. class from 12:30pm - 2:30pm then work from 3pm - 7pm. the next day is even longer. here we go.

An Accidental Coffee Stain