Script Frenzy

I decided to take part. I failed at NaNoWriMo last year. I thought I'd redeem myself with writing 100 pages in 30 days in April for Script Frenzy.

What is Script Frenzy?

Script Frenzy in a Nutshell

The Challenge	Write 100 pages of original scripted material in the 30 days of April. (Screenplays, stage plays, TV shows, short films, and graphic novels are all welcome.)
When	April 1-30
Cost	Free. We run on donations.
Who	Everyone (worldwide) is welcome. No experience required

Even though I know I'll be busy with uni work, I know that I have 2 weeks off from uni in the middle of April. Plenty of time. I like to write. I used to write a lot. I never finished anything, which is probably one of my great weaknesses and probably says a lot about me. I'm going to give it a go. I already have an idea about what I'm going to write. I wrote the same story in my undergrad degree but I think I'm in a better place to write it now. Same idea but starting from scratch.

Commuting

Photo of my iPod and bag whilst on the train to uni. Listening to flumpool's 君に届け(kimi ni todoke lit. reaching you) which was the themes song to the Japanese film of the same name. Such a good song. I want to sing it or play it on piano or guitar. I keep meaning to learn how to be musical. Maybe during Easter break. Maybe. But you know. I tend to procrastinate.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

I finished this while sipping coffee in Market City. As I was getting to the last few chapters and pages I SO WANTED TO CRY. I was on the verge of tears and kept on fidgeting so I wouldn't cry.

I got through this trilogy SO FAST. You get caught up in this world and Collins' cliffhangers just makes you keep reading and the result is that you plough through this trilogy in less than a week. I read this instead of my uni readings this week. YEAH.

Longer post later. Need food.

READ THIS TRILOGY.

Yesterday: Graduation #2

Another one of my friends had their graduation ceremony yesterday. Walking up and down and around UNSW to take photos in 28 degree weather (which I really wasn't expecting). Weather was strangely very hot after a rainy and cold weekend.

Some photos. I so need a new point and shoot camera. I've been looking at some in catalogues and stuff and they're relatively cheap at the moment.

 

 

We had lunch at Campbell Restaurant in Chinatown. It was pretty quiet when we arrived. Then it got really noisy whilst we were there. Sorry about that. XD

Okay, have to get dressed and leave now. Woke up late enough as it is.

• Find Campbell Restaurant at Lv 1, 102 Hay St, Haymarket, Sydney.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Self, you suck at being a law student.

So, instead of sleeping last night I spent most of it devouring Catching Fire the second book in Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games trilogy. Damn book and cliffhangers hanging at the close of every chapter. Not just that, I read Mark's recap/reviews after every chapter I finished. I finally got to sleep around 6am since my eyes would not stay open any more.

Collins' writing has improved but still flawed in some parts, like she doesn't know how to express some parts or convey them well enough that she just tries to get past them as quickly as possible. This is such a better book than the first. Since the world has already been established it's much more fun to just jump straight into the action rather than building up to it and explaining and introducing many other things.

Storywise it's kind of amazing. Fast-paced (sometimes rushed) and unpredictable. Unputdownable too. Obviously, since I DIDN'T REALLY SLEEP. I can't believe it took me a while to start reading this. I have uni tomorrow and I don't know if I can do my uni readings and finish the last book.

TEAM PEETA, by the way. XD

Also, not much of a review or post or whatever. But words fail me. >.<

The Hunger Games: Book One

So I finally finished it despite buying the trilogy in mid-February. When I say "finished" I mean just the first book. I'm sort of upset with who was cast as  Katniss in the film version of this book. I think an unknown or lesser known actress would have been better. The actress (her name escapes me and I don't care enough about her to look it up) reminds me of Spencer Pratt's sister. The one from that reality TV show. I cannot unsee that and I feel that will ruin my enjoyment of the film version. There are some really spectacular moments in this book, that if shot properly, would be such an amazing visual spectacle.

It took me a while to get into reading it properly. It didn't engage me right away. Like that first chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone though not as tough to get through as that. You're introducing the reader to a different world and sometimes in the process of doing that, well, it gets boring. The writing gets better as the novel continues. At first, there was something so impersonal about the narration but then you get used to it or the writing gets better. I didn't like Katniss straight away either. She felt too Mary-Sue-ish and kind of oblivious in that heroine way. But I'm glad she was capable and not completely dependent on other characters. At times I thought the gender roles to be very reversed which amused me muchly. A very strong female lead. Very grateful for that.

I got some Battle Royale flashbacks as I read it. I think Japanese filmmakers have the sensibility to take a deadly survival game and make it more than just an action flick. American filmmakers, well, I haven't seen a film equivalent in tone and style as Battle Royale save for the Kill Bill films but those are likely the exceptions rather than the rule.

I didn't know who was the male lead in this series as we're introduced to Gale first then Peeta. Oh, and this book does some wonderful fanservice. Like something out of a shoujo manga, I felt, sometimes, which is a good thing.

AND PEETA. Another fictional character that has ruined me for men that actually exist (the others include Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice like you didn't know and Sawada Shin from Gokusen).

I want to get a start on reading the second book but tomorrow's Monday and I have uni stuff to read. BOO.

Procrastinating Pt 2

Spent the better part of last night and this afternoon figuring out what to do with the layout.

And TADA!

Classic template layouts were too hard for me. Trying to manually integrate disqus and comments and other stuff.

This one's kinda BLUE at the moment. Wonder how long that will sit well with me. XD

Procrastinating ...

by trying to change my blog layout. I found some cute blog layouts on blogskins but they only work on the classic template.

Funny, how I find many things to distract myself when I have many things to do.

So, I'm just stuck with a basic layout for the moment.

A photo for the sake of a post

It's been a long time. Okay, like less than a week since I've posted since nothing has happened to me except uni. Searching my computer for a photo to upload. A Japan photo because I LOVE Japan.

 

And my layout. I don't know. I wanted to make it look sleeker and cleaner. But it looks so high school girlish or something. XD

Birthdays and boardgames

Trying to take my mind off the Japan earthquake and tsunami for a while. I've been glued to the news and it just keeps getting worse as time goes on.

As the title suggests I attended a birthday party and played board games. We played Jenga and Junior Pictionary. The instructions and rules for Junior Pictionary were so hard to understand, you guys. This game is for children. The instructions should be written in a way that's much less complicated. We just played according to our own interpretation of the rules.

When was the last time you got a party bag? It had random food stuff inside but also plastic bangles, a necklace and a ring that could only fit on my pinky!

We tried to play Trivial Pursuit but the pieces of the pie thing were stuck. Basically, it was too hard to set up. XD

We gave Jenga a shot because it was much, much easier to play. Involved almost no brain power! 

Moved on to Junior Pictionary and realised that we couldn't draw. 

I'll give you hints (from L to R): Thing that begins with R (2 words); Storybook character; a type of animal.

Yeah, and I laugh at Sho (if you don't know he is - member of my favourite everything Arashi. Infamous for his lack of drawing skills. Examples of his stuff here --> http://ninevolt-doll.livejournal.com/1796.html). 

People in glass houses ...

Yum cha at Marigold, Haymarket

Tuesday morning before my 5pm lecture a couple of friends and I met at the golden dripping tree in Chinatown and headed off to Marigold for yum cha. I also took photos of some other prawn thing, the chicken feet, egg tarts and jelly but my camera is horrible and those photos were just not fit to post. XD

It wasn't particularly busy as I thought it would be. Lots of older people having long lunches over wine. All relaxed. I saw a couple of people eating by themselves. I don't think I could do that myself. I'd be too self-conscious.  

• Find Marigold at 5/683-689 George Street, Haymarket, Sydney. 

ZOZO Korean Restaurant, World Square

After visiting UNSW some friends and I headed over to the city for some Korean food. Korean food - it's been so long!

Cass beer. $6.00

불닭/buldak. Hot and spciy chicken. $28.00.

This was really spicy. Good but spicy. Hurts. Cheese costs extra. You'll need lots of refills of your water bottle. Has some ddeokbokki (rice cake) in it too.

김치 찌개/kim chi jjigae.

You probably can't tell from the photo that it's kim chi jjigae. Had some tofu, kim chi and pork in it. I mostly just ate the tofu. I love tofu.

Fried rice

Tasted like super supreme pizza in fried rice form. More mediterranean in taste than it is Korean.

계란 찜/steamed egg.

I love this. Such a departure from the very spicy buldak. So soothing and very welcome. It would be amazing for breakfast on a cold winter's morning. Wish I could make this at home!

My friend shouted us all dinner. It was pretty expensive for Korean - $97.00 - though $24 of that was for beer. Told her I'd shout her ice-cream next time. XD
 

• Find Zozo Korean Restaurant at World Square, Liverpool Street, Sydney.

My alma mater

On Monday (7th March) I made a trip back to my alma mater UNSW to visit because 2 of my friends were graduating. It's graduation season at the moment and I'm attending a couple more. Around a year ago that was me!

As I was walking around I felt like such a visitor. Been away too long. XD

Saturday: Off to the 'gong.

Uncharacteristically, I did something on a Saturday. Met up with friends and road-tripped it to Wollongong.

Firstly, my shoes for the day:

And my breakfast:

Meatball roll. $4.00. From the bakery across from Cabramatta station.
Horrible picture. I know. XD

Okay. Now actual pictures of Wollongong. It was a pretty cold and windy day. There were some patches of sunshine that made its way through the clouds but mostly it was cold, windy and wet. Though that didn't stop us from traipsing up from South Wollongong beach up to North Wollongong beach and back again. Stopping every once in a while to play with the water and look at rockpools.

Chicken schitznel and chips. $7.00 from that chicken shop on the corner of Crown Street and Harbour Street, Wollongong. Opposite Win Stadium. Really large portions!
 

And - bonus - ensaymada (pastry of Spanish origin) that was waiting for me on the kitchen counter when I arrived home.

'Twas a good day. Now very, very sleepy. XD

Tim Tam, Dark Chocolate, Rum & Raisin

I found this in my pantry the other day. I don't know who the Tim Tam fairy is in my house. I'm not a fan of dark chocolate but I thought "Hey, Tim Tams." The dark chocolate flavour is not as bitter as I expected. As for the rum & raisin flavour - well, I guess maybe I tasted some raisin in there somewhere. I could certainly taste some sort of fruity sweetness. I'm not sure what "rum & raisin" together should taste like so don't know whether the flavour was faithful to its origins.

All in all, ORIGINAL IS THE BEST. XD

Last Night: Mizuya Japanese Restaurant and Karaoke

To celebrate or just to acknowledge the end of the dreaded first week back at uni my friends and I went to Mizuya for din dins (you know, dinner XD). I only had my crappy and slightly broken point and shoot with me. Need to get a new one or get this old one fixed!

Mizuya is a Japanese restaurant on George St. I've been there once but on the other side where all the karaoke rooms are. Really nice private rooms. The karaoke system they had there at the time didn't have all the songs that we wanted to sing but PRIVATE ROOM and TOUCH SCREEN was pretty awesome.

The dining side of Mizuya is slightly noisy and busy when we get there at around 8pm. I love the little booths because they offer privacy. And the noise is kinda welcome since you can converse loudly and not be shy about it and it's likely you won't be overheard. It makes me want to go back to Japan so badly!

Asahi draft beer. $7.50

Oh, beer. It's been a long time. I need to have more of you.

Silver fish with seaweed salt. $5.80

Tastes nothing like fish. Tastes like chips. I've never had it before and I could have gone for more plates of these. This with beer. Great beer snack!

Home made pork gyoza. $6.80

I have been craving gyoza for ages. Well, ever since I watched Toda Erika gobble them down in the Japanese drama Keizoku 2: SPEC (Google is your friend). These don't look as tasty as the one's Toda Erika eats. Not as crispy. Actually, I've never really seen any in Sydney that looks like the gyoza in Japanese dramas. I need to do more searching!

From top left to right: Scallop kushiyaki. $6.80; BBQ marbled beef steak. $14.80; Salmon carpaccio. $9.80.

Beef and salmon were amazing. I haven't had beef in a long time. I didn't know I missed it this much! Only thing missing was a bowl of piping hot rice. The salmon carpaccio was amazing too. Think I'm going to order salmon like this instead more instead of the normal salmon sashimi.

Salmon and avocado roll. $11.80.

Mizuya dessert trio. $13.80.

I don't know what they syrup thing in the middle was. Great way to end the meal. Great presentation too.

Overall, the atmosphere was pretty good. I could have ordered and eaten more. I would have tried more things but it is sort of pricey. We divided up the bill and it turned out around $30 per person (there were only 3 of us). Usually when we eat out it's something like $20 per person and a fairly substantial meal has been had. I still had room in my stomach after we ate. I'd go again, when I have enough money in my pocket to order more and more of the menu!

• Find Mizuya Japanese Restaurant and Karaoke at Basement, 614 George Street, Sydney.

1/6th of 2011 gone and I just got a diary

$3 from Officeworks. Discounted.

I guess I left diary buying too late? I kept putting it off and off and off. Some were really pretty but expensive. Some were cheap and not pretty. This one - well, it's boring. But it'll do it's job. They didn't have much variety in Officeworks. They were mostly all gone and if they weren't they were 2011-2012 financial planners out that starts their planners at July 2011. 

It was really hard going through the first 2 months of the year without a diary. I can't keep track of plans (not that I have SUCH an exciting social life that I need to keep track of it all). People use the calendars on their phones but I'm old school and I love writing it down. I write down events and assessments and make future plans. Postpone future plans. All in a little diary planner thing. This one is pretty ugly. Last year's one was from Kinokuniya bought with a gift certificate I got for my birthday. It was a Cher (a Japanese fashion brand) one. I really liked it. Had the time on the side so you could write down what you had at a particular time. I was planning to buy the same version for 2011 but it was around 30 bucks and I kept putting it off until it wasn't in Kinokuniya anymore. What I would really like as a diary/planner is one of the Moleskine ones or a Louis Vuitton one (costs a few hundred bucks and the inserts - which are JUST paper - are quite expensive too). Ah, well, I'll be sure to buy early for 2012.

On the upside it's 65% recycled and "emissions from the manufacturing process, transport and disposal of this diary have been offset ... ".

$6.48 from Officeworks (hilighters only).

Oh, yeah and assorted hilighters. I really got sucked in by that ad. Apparently you can leave the caps off for ages and they still work.

First day of uni (only 3 more semesters to go you guys!) 4 HOURS OF LECTURES. I had only 1 hour of sleep and boring, unimpressive lecturing does not keep me awake!