So I went to this new bakery near my place with a friend a got a couple different types of rolls etc  because we were hungry after class.

My friend and I are sitting there and I bite into one, expecting to be thrown by the soft texture and cheesy flavour that everyone was raving about.

Then I chew. Then a puzzled look crosses my face. “These buns aren’t really that good huh? They kinda have a waxy taste to them” I say disappointedly.

My friend looks at me with a blank stare, looks down at the roll, and starts laughing hysterically. “That’s because you ate the wax paper wrapper with the roll”.

I took this idea from the lovely ‘liya

Rules:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

1. DSC00273, 2. Not available, 3. 2006-11-23 at 17-35-33, 4. Not available, 5. noah wyle 08, 6. Water is life!, 7. Gondola at Dusk, Venice, Italy, 8. Miniature Cakes, 9. don’t worry be happy new year, 10. Never Lose Faith, 11. …you will say…I am a dreamer…, 12. Khadeeja Mosque

Rather than spend my few free moments trying to figure out wheat kind of person I am and such other trifle matters, I figured I’d take the easier route and do a handy online quiz thingy. For some reason I like these things - makes me feel like I’m not such an oddball after all since they actually have a term for people like me: Analytical Thinker (fancy schmancy!). And what’s more is that this analysis seems to have nailed me down pretty well.

So I thought, why not pass on my new found source of knowledge so others can go forth and flourish in it!

Or you can do for the same reason I did - to procrastinate to the very extent possible before reaching for your Personal Property Transactions textbook (the class for Prof Lecter that I’m taking). But share your results too!

Take the test yourself.

Analytical Thinker

Analytical Thinkers are reserved, quiet persons. They like to get to the bottom of things - curiosity is one of their strongest motives. They want to know what holds the world together deep down inside. They do not really need much more to be happy because they are modest persons. Many mathematicians, philosophers and scientists belong to this type. Analytical Thinkers loath contradictions and illogicalness; with their sharp intellect, they quickly and comprehensively grasp patterns, principles and structures. They are particularly interested in the fundamental nature of things and theoretical findings; for them, it is not necessarily a question of translating these into practical acts or in sharing their considerations with others. Analytical Thinkers like to work alone; their ability to concentrate is more marked than that of all other personality types. They are open for and interested in new information.

Analytical Thinkers have little interest in everyday concerns - they are always a little like an “absent-minded professor” whose home and workplace are chaotic and who only concerns himself with banalities such as bodily needs when it becomes absolutely unavoidable. The acknowledgement of their work by others does not play a great role for them; in general,they are quite independent of social relationships and very self-reliant. Analytical Thinkers therefore often give others the impression that they are arrogant or snobby - especially because they do not hesitate to speak their mind with their often harsh (even if justified) criticism and their imperturbable self-confidence. Incompetent contemporaries do not have it easy with them. But whoever succeeds in winning their respect and interest has a witty and very intelligent person to talk to. A partner who amazes one with his excellent powers of observation and his very dry humour.

It takes some time before Analytical Thinkers make friends, but then they are mostly friends for life. They only need very few people around them. Their most important ability is to be a match for them and thus give them inspiration. Constant social obligations quickly get on their nerves; they need a lot of time alone and often withdraw from others. Their partner must respect this and understand that this is not due to the lack of affection. Once they have decided in favour of a person, Analytical Thinkers are loyal and reliable partners. However, one cannot expect romance and effusive expressions of feelings from them and they will definitely forget their wedding anniversary. But they are always up to a night spent with stimulating discussions and a good glass of wine!

As I type this I am trembling.

Cold sweat has broken out and my joints are stiff with fear that if I move I might just actually end up running until I get back to Canada (a feat in itself which would be miraculous considering the puddle of water called the Pacific Ocean in my way).

I’ve just had class with the Hannibal Lecter of law professors.

Everything from the accent, the Anthony Hopkins-esque looks and icy exterior with slow, deliberate, and methodical speech.

Along with lectures we have mandatory tutorials where the general class is broken up into small groups and we answer questions and discuss material with the professor or TA. He’s the type that sits back in his seat, arms folded across our chest and stares at each of us as if mentally boring the word “FAILURE” onto our foreheads.

Then he calls us out. One by one. With carefully crafted questions to pinpoint how extremely clueless we are.

And somehow he has everyone’s name memorized from one glance at the attendance. No one memorizes my name on the first go. It’s the one thing that has caused all teachers to flub over as soon as they see my name at the top of the attendance list. This man used it as easily as if he had named me.

I’d like to tell you that he doesn’t have that pesky cannibalism habit. But then again there have been known disappearances of overly-frightened law students in the past.

That’s all I’m saying.

So…I’m getting married.

I know - a sudden announcement out of left field right? I never thought I’d be the type, but I’m super excited and nervous! Considering my last post I didn’t think this would happen so fast, but I guess when the time is right everything falls into place!

We’ve narrowed down the venue to two different banquet halls.  Made up the guest list. Decided on the colour scheme, the decorator, the photographer, hair and makeup person. We’re working on finding the caterers and will have to book hotels for our out-of-town guests very soon. I may be going to India to do the shopping with my mom in December of this year.  So many things to do and barely any time! I’m lucky that my parents have worked out all these details beforehand though because now it can all work out as planned.

The date? Some time next summer once I’m home after completing my degree.

Oh, the groom? Yet to be decided.

Minor details, people. Minor details.

“You know, of all the places I’ve been - and I’ve been to a fair share of them - I’m having a bloody hard time finding somewhere that’s better than Australia” - 60-something Australian passenger on my flight back to Australia from Canada.

I couldn’t help but laugh when I overheard that because I thought the same thing, except replace Australia with Canada. In the end I suppose you just can’t help love your home more than anywhere else.

I got back to Australia after about 4 weeks home just yesterday. The trip was…interesting. As I expected my parents (i.e. my mom) pounced on my the moment I got home with the marriage subject. No wait - they waited about 2 hours, after I had eaten dinner.

Lots of things happened but let’s just say that after a week I was calling the airlines to try and change my return flight about 5 days up from what it was. Didn’t happen.

Overall it was a bittersweet trip home. I got to see my good friends, and see bits of their new lives - Ruby and her new house, bridal showers for two close friends, baby showers, meeting someone’s new finacee. It was bitter because I won’t get to be a part of the actual events like the weddings and the baby (I tried bribing the kid to come out early…obviously not effective enough).

All I can do is release a loud, feel-sorry-for-me sort of sigh and shrug my shoulders and bite down on my lip so I won’t turn into a sobbing mess.

As I muster the energy to be optimistic I’m trying to tell myself that I’ll be alright - I have exactly one year left in school which is the biggest thorn my paw right now and then I’ll be home for good and amongst the people I love most.

But there’s also this sort of sense of dissatisfaction with the next couple years. Like a distant feel that I want to accomplish something more than just a law degree, but the frustrating thing is that I don’t yet know what it is.  It’s far from something humdrum like taking up knitting (no offence to my knitter friends - I’d be afraid to cross you with a set of knitting needles in hand) but maybe not so far-fetched as wanting to move to another country (other than the fact that my parents would conduct a safari expedition to track me down if I so chose to do so).

It’s unsettling.

Two weeks into my vacation and I think I want to go back to school…
Going nuts being at home and having nothing to do (my stupid work doesn’t have any shifts to give me so no work this holiday…boo). And when I’m at home it gives my mom more opportunities to talk about marriage and marriage related insanities. And when you have no work to go to or to do, there’s nothing to get you out of the house.

It’s a vicious cycle.

Anyone need help with anything, just give me a holler.

I got this link from another blog and thought I’d pass it on. I love word games (Scrabble Queen…self-proclaimed) and this site helps you improve your vocabulary while donating rice to the UN World Food Program.

So while you’re sitting around at your desk at work, school etc wondering how to waste time until lunch, why not help a person somewhere else in the world also gain a meal?

They even give you a warning: “This game may make you smarter. It may improve your speaking, writing, thinking, grades, job performance…”

How can you lose?

Dear Random Confused Shopper at the Self-Checkout:

If you do not know how to use the self-checkout in the grocery store then please refrain from acting on the urge to attempt using said piece of technology. There are people waiting behind you who do know how to use it and are in a hurry because their mother insisted that they pick up frozen peas and hotdog buns before heading off to a lunch date.

Those black lines on the box of Spoon-Size Shredded Wheat you are holding is called a “barcode”.  Simply swipe the box over the  the place with the big arrow pointing at it that has the little red lights until you hear the “beep” (or it may be a “boop” - don’t get scared if it is).

If it’s produce, things get more complicated - I understand! Pressing the button on the screen marked “Produce” with a picture of bananas and apples is confusing because you’re holding a bag of nectarines and grapes! “Where’s the button for that?” you must be asking yourself.  But fear not dear shopper who makes me want to bang my head against my shopping cart.  Take the plunge and press that banana-apple button on the screen (no there’s no mouse and cursor, just use your finger!) and enter in that code that is on the sticker of nearly every piece of fruit and vegetable you are holding after placing it on the scale.

When you’re done with all 84 grocery items press “checkout” and just choose how you will pay BEFORE trying to jab your bills through the slot. Better yet, use a debit/credit card to avoid having to pull out your 3lb coin purse; you will not find $12.67 worth of change in there.

If you are still having trouble then how about going to one of the 8 cashiers at the checkouts? The friendly cashiers are able to do all the steps above and bag your items so that you don’t have to spend an additional 20 minutes trying to arrange your items in bags and then in turn your cart.

Thank you.

Here I am sitting at gate 58 in Sydney International Airport waiting to board my flight, which has been delayed for some reason that I didn’t pay attention to because I’ve been eyeing down a bag that is in one of the airport stores across from where I’m sitting.

It’s a lovely rich brown large shoulder bag with a slight sheen to it and it is PERFECT for school, which I need to carry around a 16″ laptop and many other things throughout the day. AND it’s IDEAL for travelling…which I’m doing right now…I think it’s fate.

Problem is that its pretty expensive and I’m actually carrying a bag - but it’s smaller and things are squished in there. And I think the seam in one of the straps is coming out. Or maybe that was from me pulling on it just now to see if it would break.

But if it’s for school then it’s ok right? I DID just go through the exams from hell and managed to finish my last one pretty well.

Damn battery dying. And they announced my flight.

Just going to make a little detour….