Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Book Depository

I arrived home this rainy Sydney day to find a package from The Book Depository (www.bookdepository.co.uk). We all know that books in Australia are majorly overpriced and the truth is it is much cheaper for people to buy books (as well as many other things) online. I haven't bought books online before. I usually go to a book store, sigh and fork over the money for the book. I remember when books were much cheaper. They were right? Since when was the starting price of a book like over $10 or $15?

I chose to buy off Book Depository because they're cheap and have free shipping. Yes. Free shipping. I wonder how they make a profit?

I ordered it on the 21st February, the book was dispatched on the 24th and was in my hands by the 29th.

I love 30 Rock. Love it so much and as a result I think Tina Fey is amazing. When she released this book I wanted to buy it straight away but I think it must have been in the $20 dollar plus range when it came out and I just didn't buy it. (It's still $32.99 at Dymocks). But Bossypants came up somewhere on the website with that low price tag ($10.50) and I could justify purchasing it to myself even though I have many books that I still have not read (I'm looking at you 1Q84). XD





So I'm going to enjoy reading that sometime this week before all the uni readings pile up. Or maybe this is how my uni readings pile up ...

Random post with stuff in it

A couple of friends can back from overseas and I met up with them at dinner with a bunch of friends last night (Sunday). It was also an end-of-holiday/back-to-uni dinner was some of us too. Finally, in my last semester right now. First day back today and already worried about my time management.

Anyhoo, we had Korean for dinner last night and lots of soju and beer was had. Which was good because I haven't drunk a lot in a long time with other people. Bits of memory from leaving the restaurant and the train ride back are ... missing. I wasn't falling-over drunk. I was talkative-loud drunk and missing-little-bits-of-memory drunk. It was somewhat stress relieving. Catching up and just talking with a whole bunch of friends didn't hurt either. XD

So, yes, people came back from overseas and they handed out souvenirs.







These are photos that you can purchase from the Johnny's store in Japan. They aren't really that big fans of Johnny's people so the shop was probably underwhelming. Actually, even fans say the store itself is pretty crap. The only thing worth buying, to me anyway, are the photos. I just want them. I don't know what I'd do with them but yeah. I don't know what other stuff you can get there.

There's also a bunch of unofficial idol shops. I think that's where they got the pacer/mechanical from. Don't really think I could bring that to law school with me. XD Those have unofficial photos like taken by media and apparently some private and paparazzi ones too. That one of Matsumoto Jun, the guy without a shirt, is an unofficial photo.

The phone charm thing is from KDrama Heartstrings. I didn't finish the drama so I don't know if that bear makes an appearance anywhere. XD

And random things from my day ...



I was in the IGA in Market City and saw these as I lined up to pay. Kis-My-Ft2 are endorsing these mints soon-ish? This cost me 3 bucks and the only reason I bought them was because I knew they were or will endorse them. Lame, I know.



My new headphones. These are a really pretty pink-red colour. I bought them from Officeworks while buying supplies. It was around $10. I'm trying to save up for those Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. I want the white over ear ones. Putting that on a birthday list.



And the mints with the the headphones with the iPod.

And, yeah. That's all.

And it's midnight already.

Rather pointless but I wanted to blog. So, yeah. :D

Last night's dinner

Last night's dinner was hotpot/shabu-shabu. Though I suppose there wasn't much shabu-shabuing going on. We got quite full on dumplings, mushrooms, tofu and soup. Note for next time: DO NOT FILL UP ON SOUP! We thought we bought quite little food but we had food left over which is now living in my friend's fridge.

A few friends and I had dinner at a friend's apartment. She lives in a place that I didn't know had people living in it. It used to be an office and from the street there's no indication that people live there. Which is good, I guess. Too lazy and sleepy to write. So this shall be mostly photos.I gave up coffee and chocolate for Lent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lent). Second day without coffee and I'm so sleepy all the time. Going to stock up on expensive fruit juice that gives you energy or something. XD

So I was tagged ...

by Misa of http://kmisa.wordpress.com.

Here the rules:

• Write 11 (random) things about yourself on your blog
• Answer the questions the tagger set for you and create 11 new questions for the people you tag
• Choose the next 11 people to tag and link them on the post
• Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her
• No tag backs
• You must post these rules

Self-portrait in PJs.
1. The one thing you’re really particular/ obsessive compulsive about is…?
Nothing really. Closing all the doors whenever I leave the house? Does that count? No, I don't think so. Hmm.

2. Are you particular about grammar?
I am even though I'm not particularly good at it myself. I'm an English major and I did extension 2 English in high school so I should be good at it. But I'm not. I'm constantly googling because I don't want to sound or write like an uneducated person. XD

3. Were you a good student/ are you good at studying?
In primary and high school, yeah. Well, no. In primary and high school it wasn't so hard to get good marks without really trying. But I never really used to do my homework. I did assignments at the last minute or late. But somehow still ended up on my school's honour roll in year 11 and 12. Maybe my grade was stupid? XD I haven't gotten better at doing things on time. I was a pretty horrible undergrad student. I'm not a particularly good law student now. I keep meaning to do better every semester but it doesn't happen. I just get by.

4. What is your favourite type of food to eat?
Ice-cream! That's a food. I suppose noodle dishes? Like ramen, pho, laksa and udon. I don't really have many favourite things. I have phases when a certain food or thing is what I have to have all the time. At the moment it's noodles.

5. Do you have a favourite place, if so, where and why?
Japan? Even though I've only been there once. I like that it's busy and that there's more things to do there. Places are open longer. When it's late in Japan you can still go out and do stuff. In Sydney, if I wanted to get something to eat in the middle of the night there is nothing really open within walking distance of my house. If it were Japan there would at least be a vending machine or a convenience store open. Even in the suburbs, I suspect.

6. What are your dressing habits?
I'm not the best dresser, to be honest. I usually wear jeans and a tshirt. On days where I think I look horrible I put on earrings and think I look better. It makes me feel better at least. I try not to wear solid coloured tshirts. Like, I don't wear shirts with characters or words on them anymore. Well, not outside. When I do I feel like I look like a kid. I'm short and Asian and I get carded a lot so I'm trying to reduce that impression.

7. Face to face socialising or virtual (phone, computer/ net) socialising?
I like people so face-to-face. But I'm awkward face-to-face. So, face-to-face only if I really like you. Otherwise I'm much more comfortable sms-ing or Facebook-ing or tweeting people. XD

8. Where are your favourite places to shop?
Kinokuniya, Forever 21, H&M, ZARA. I've only been to the last 3 shops in the Philippines and Japan though. Still have not been to the ZARA in Sydney. When I was in the Philippines I went to H&M and ZARA all the time. In Sydney, I say there's not many places to shop but that's probably a big lie. I haven't been shopping in a while so ...

9. What is your heritage?
My parents are Filipino. They moved to Sydney in the 1980s and I was born and raised here. I don't know how to speak Filipino. I only know a few words. I understand more than I can speak. My Japanese is better than my Filipino. So, there's that.

Fun fact: People often think I'm Indonesian or Thai. I don't really see it. XD

10. In regards to self improvement, is there something you would like to learn/ pick up?
I want to learn more languages. At one point I wanted to be a translator or interpreter but I had no other language that I was fluent in. I want to get better at Filipino, Japanese and Korean. I want to pick up the piano again. I had lessons since I was a kid then quit. So, I want to start playing again. Learning one piece at a time. I have a guitar and a ukulele, both of which I do not know how to play so I'd like to learn that.

Oh, yeah, I should probably learn how to drive too.

11. What are your long term goals in life?
Get a job. Work overseas while I still can. Buy a big house.

I want to be in a position to provide for my family. Like, if they needed help, I could do something for them. At the moment I can't really do anything.

At some point I'd like to get married and have kids but that seems so far away. Lots of the people I went to high school are married and have kids already. The people I went to uni with have not and they don't think it's going to happen for a while. They're currently all worried about work and their future and so am I.

***

I do not know enough people in the blogosphere to tag anyone. So, I shall not tag anyone or make up a list of questions. I'm lazy like that. But answering this was kinda fun. :D

(CLOSED) Alice met Charlie Dessert Factory, Randwick

My friend's sister had recently moved to Randwick. After one of my summer school assessments I visited my friend's sister's new place. It's in a pretty nice area of Randwick. Close to cafes, restaurants, pubs and this dessert place.



It was a hot day and I don't know why we sat outside and not inside. I suppose outside you get to watch people walk by and sit on colourful chairs. As we were sitting a man, who I later discovered was the owner, asked us how we were. Rather nice of him, I thought, after I realised he wasn't just a random person saying hello.



They have a variety of flavours of ice-cream and toppings. I chose peanut butter flavoured ice-cream, as the result of a suggestion by a visiting American (my friend's friend), with Oreo toppings ($5.60). It tasted so much like peanut butter, which I suppose is the point. It was good but like peanut butter, it has that salty taste that I don't really equate with ice-cream. My friend had cheesecake flavour with apple crumble topping. Yes. Enjoy photos.




I should visit Randwick more.

• Find Alice met Charlie at 51 Perouse Road, The Spot, Randwick, NSW, 2031.