my mum is awesome

my mum drove me to uni yesterday so i could hand in my assignment on time. i think if i hadn't handed in the statistics assignment on time my pride would totally be destroyed, and i probably would have just given up on everything.

but i got it in on time. and now i'm doing psychology.

next is my law presentation =/

but i have to do whatever i have to do to get it done right?

and then afterwards I'm going to party like there's no tomorrow.

p.p.s

I'm probably going to get the "I told you so" speech from dad tomorrow.

I caved and talked to my mum about how terrified i am of failing some of my subjects this semester. I really needed to make sure I wasn't going to be crucified for failing time management. She said it was okay. I feel slightly better.

Anyway. Shower, then back to work.

Leave it to Meme: Hehe

The "Leave It to Meme" Meme: http://sundaystealing.blogspot.com/2009/07/leave-it-to-meme-meme.html

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger known as Kyddryn from Shadow and Sweetwater. She claims she stole it from someone on Facebook. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all us thieves!

Sunday Stealing: The "Leave It to Meme" Meme

1. Who was your FIRST date?

Lief. Although technically it was a while after we started 'going out' before we both actually had our first (ever) date.

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?

Well, music talks to me all the time... but I'd look like a crazy person if I ever tried to talk back =P Well that's what my imaginary friends tell me anyway =/

3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink?

Passion pop! Or something like that, I don't exactly remember the name of it. My memory's not so good =/ I think I was in year 4 (about 10 years old), and I went to my best friend's house and they let me try it ^^ Alcoholics start young. Mmm alcohol...

4. What was your FIRST job?

Shop assistant in my parents' bakery. My first paying job was at my cousin's watch kiosk. My first, legally documented job is at a tutoring/coaching college =]

5. What was your FIRST car?

I don't actually own a car, or have a full licence. But, I learnt how to drive in my dad's station wagon, and now I drive both my mum's Aurion and my dad's car... into the kerb, scaring my entire family in the process... I'm not such a great driver D=

6. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?

I went to Thailand with my parents when I was 2.5 I don't remember a great deal of it.

7. Who was your FIRST best friend & do you still talk?

My first best friend (according to my parents) is Yve. I talk to her occasionally, because we're both very busy studying Law ^^

The first best friend I remember is Ange. We stuck together from year 2 to year 5 then she and her entire family disappeared off the face of the planet. Well, not literally. I have no idea what's happened to her.

8. Whose wedding did you attend the FIRST time?

I first attended the wedding of my cousins. I have a lot of those. Cousins I mean, not weddings... I was asked to sing two songs, in languages I didn't understand =D

9. Tell us about your FIRST roommate.

I've never had a roommate... unless you mean my younger brother? Our old house was pretty small, and we actually had to sleep in the same bed. He kicks in his sleep ><

10. If you had one wish, what would it be (other than more wishes)?

I'd wish to be able to communicate and understand all languages. I think I've always wished for that.

Then I'd pretend that I didn't understand and use my skill to get discounts at asian grocery stores in Cabramatta xD

11. What is something you would learn if you had the chance?

More languages. I love talking, so how much more fun would it be to talk in a few more tongues? =D

12. Did you marry the FIRST person you were in love with?

No. Unfortunately the first person I fell in love with didn't love me back... I'm pretty sure he thought that I hated him =/ It's rather unfortunate that even back when I was 10 I was a witty, sarcastic little munchkin.

13. What were the first lessons you ever took and why?

Um... besides school, I guess my first lessons were Chinese lessons, because I thought it might be fun... and my parents thought it'd be a good idea.

Then I got lazy, after the 2nd lesson and didn't go ever again. Fail.

14. What is the first thing you do when you get home?

Take off my shoes at the door. Why, what do you do?

ARGH beans...

My mum brought a stack-load of snake beans home from the market this Saturday. Today I got to sort through them, then top and tail them. So many @.@

Listening to myself talk these days, I find that I sound really bitter. Now I'm not sure if I'm usually like this, of if it's just recently that I've become like this.

A series of increasingly uncomfortable conversations.

A topic that comes up surprisingly often these days between my parents and I, unfortunately, is sex. I think the reason this topic is coming up so often is because
1) I'm in uni with a variety of people, instead of your standard Asian nerds.
2) I can drink alcohol
3) I go out a lot more where they can't monitor my behaviour
And hence they panic and freak out.

It's extraordinarily awkward to talk about *certain* things with your parents. I'd come up with some kind of metaphor or analogy, but the truth is I cannot think of anything more awkward than that.

The hard and fast line they are trying to put across is "NO SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE". That also includes anything beyond hugging and, the recently conceded, kissing. My dad in particular wants me to stay as pure as the driven snow until I get married, and my mum wants me to stay "innocent" and I would stay that way if I steered clear of carnal knowledge.

Why?



Well, there are a multitude of reasons I suppose.

For example, according to the major religions of the world, there are reasons for abstinence.

Christianity forbids premarital sex. Some strands of Judeo-Christian religions also frown upon affection between married couples. I haven't read enough of the bible to explain this uet, but I'm fairly certain that's the case.

In Buddhism, one of the precepts, that is the behavioural guides for righteous living, is not to indulge in physical excess. This I do know the reason for. The causes of suffering, according to Buddhism, is desire for things that are physical, or tangible. This desire ties us to the world, hence be freed of this existence, and will be reborn again into the cycle of suffering.

According to the law, sex between consenting heterosexuals over the age of 16 is legal, sex between consenting homosexuals over the age of 18 is legal, sex between a 15 year old and a 18 year old is illegal, sex between two 16 year old males is illegal and all sorts of other fun things. Law, as I've been learning in Law, is not necessarily tied to morals.

Socially, it is less acceptable for a woman to have multiple sexual partners than a man. I think this stems from this society being somewhat religious.



Biologically speaking (again), sex stimulates chemicals that screw up with rational thought processes. I like thinking. I like having control. Anything that would prevent me from thinking clearly and depriving me of what little control I have over my life's situation surely would be detrimental.

So there's a wide range of reasons for why I shouldn't have sex.



Now, as far as I've heard, sex is a pleasurable experience. Explained on a technical level it seems a little messy. Biologically it used to be necessary for this to occur in order for reproduction to occur. But with the introduction of contraception, abortion, IVF etc, this is not necessarily the case.

Humans all experience desire at some stage, unless there is something neurologically wrong with them. Now this is just in general, as the word desire encompasses many facets.



As far as I'm concerned, sex is a base kind of pleasure. It is a purely physical sensation. However, as human beings, we ARE physical beings, despite having opposable thumbs and a brain, and all the kerfuffle raised over the years how Homo Sapiens are somehow separate to animals. Hence, if we are entitled to pleasures such as reading, writing, music, art etc, we should also be entitled to the most controversial physical pleasures as well.

I don't intend on getting married. And if I do get married, it will not follow the conventions of a typical marriage according to either religious norms nor shall it follow the norms my parents propose. Hence, it will be regarded as an invalid "marriage" by both society and my parents.

From this, it follows that I will never have sexual relations with anyone.

Now this is something I intensely disagree with.

I feel as though the only thing preventing me from choosing how to live my life is fear of some sanction, whether it is from a religious, social or moral power. Hence, this unnamed power is preventing me from having some form of control over my life, and this is the collar that chafes at my neck.


The problem with my parents just telling me to not have sex is that the reasons they give for it are a little arbitary. Most of the reasons I've listed here I've had to come up with for myself.

In the end, I've decided on a set of guidelines for my own behaviour, that is not quite in accordance to the values my parents and parts of my society espouse. I just hope that there aren't too many negative consequences from that, and if there are consequences I hope I can deal with them.

YARRRRR.

The 10 legged inter-species horizontal cha cha

The cockamouse is a hybrid creature, part cockroach, part mouse. It exists only in the fictional realms of "How I met your mother" in Ted, Marshall and Lily's apartment.

I may have spent too much time watching TV with my family. Till about 2am in fact.

It feels rather odd to watch a TV show, with my dad in particular, that expresses values that are so clearly opposing to my parent's. I.e. The show espouses comparatively liberal views on sex.

Because my parents have a very traditional viewpoint on pretty much everything. And they think that people who don't hold the same values they do are beneath them. So far they don't know that I don't actually think like they do, adn I have done (and plan to do) things that goes against what they have been teaching me (even until now).

It feels odd.

9th wedding in the family

So my cousin Londonette is finally getting married. She has found a nice strapping English lad who works in the entertainment industry (as a DJ, a promoter and a bouncer), who's quite tall, well built, bald, and a good chess player. Let's call him Kasparov.

Londonette and Kasparov are getting married sometime in August in Thailand. Now my parents are refusing to attend said wedding. I asked if it was because it was Thailand and that it was kind of like they were eloping.

Actually, they're refusing to go because she ran off to London for five years, and because she's marrying a guy who's English like Stephen K. Amos is English. Except he's not gay. Or a comedian.

Yeah.

Wrap your head around that.

I think the next boy I bring home will be a pinoi.

we'll show the world we can dance

I am mildly annoyed right now. My camera is dying... and there's not a lot I can do about it. I don't have enough money to buy a new one right now. Gah. my poor bro, took photos and video at his formal, and it's gone. ALL GONE!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! so yeah, he's pretty devastated. so devastated he smacked the camera twice... and now the camera will probably die fairly shortly. *cries*

On the bright side of life

1) I've apologised to Wotshisface for being a bitch, and he's accepted. yay! no hard feelings there.
2) I'm allowed out! yay! apparently my dad's two hour lecture wasn't exactly about banning me from going out. It was about how I should actually think before I say stuff... especially if it's hurtful to my mum. >< sorry mum. sorry dad. I've struck a deal, that I can go to all the stuff that's happening before new years, and after that I have to limit my going out to once a week. seems pretty fair to me =)

Now back to mourning the death of my camera. NOOOO!!!! DO NOT WANT!!!!!!!

My dysfunctional family (and why I love them)

My family can be pretty screwed up sometimes.

Take for example my father. One of my earliest memories involving my father is being taught that "if someone makes you angry, stick your middle finger up at them." (Funny story actually, apparently I did that to an adult at my kingergarten place and got smacked over the head for it. Not that I remember xD) He swears a lot, although recently, I've noticed that this has been curbed a little. He has two addictions (again, trying to cut back), one addiction which I've learned to live with, and gambling. Gambling is not cool. He's short tempered (literally. He'll blow his lid, and then be back to normal in the space of half an hour), and thinks he's good at everything.

My mother can be a little naive sometimes, and doesn't understand half of the things I say to her (not her fault, I speak quite quickly and incoherently that the only people who've learned to understand me are Cookies, Spud and Lief.) She is a bit over-protective and old fashioned (which is why when we have 'discussions' about morals, ethics, money or whatever, we usually end up fighting =/). She is extraordinarily conscious about MY weight. And boy can she hold a grudge.

Combined, my parents are racist and disrespectful of privacy. By that I mean they're quite judgemental when it comes to people of different races. They even have issues against the various categories of Chinese, such as people from Hong Kong and Shanghai. The privacy thing is they don't keep secrets. Ie when I tell one parent something, they tell the other one even though they've been told not to. They berate me when I show any kind of emotion aside from happiness or tiredness (ie sadness and anger).

My brothers are gamers, and one of their major vices is Warcraft. I hate Warcraft, mainly because it turns whoever is playing the blasted game into an unresponsive zombie. I also dislike people who discuss Warcraft as if it were a team sport. Warcraft is not cool.

So those are the bad points I think my family has.

When I say my dad thinks he's good at everything, that's because he is. He is literally a Jack of all trades and Master of several. He tells stories well, and is a good communicator. He's also good at analysing his mistakes, and frequently passes on (sometimes useless) advice to other people. He's funny (it's hereditary xD), kind, generous, righteous, strong and practical. He is good with kids (seriously. If you see him with a baby, he literally turns to mush). He's pretty intelligent, and can speak 3 dialects of Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese as well as your bog standard English.

My mother, although she doesn't understand my pseudo-philosophical blatherings (then again, who does?), is still quite intelligent. She didn't go to school due to a certain evil despot (I'm talking about Pol Pot here. He was a bastard.), so she has issues with spelling and vocabulary (and still thinks in Chinese). But she has pulled herself through an Accounting course at TAFE, a First Aid Certificate course, and is currently training to become an aged care worker. She is also kind, generous and righteous.

My brothers are awesome (when they're not playing warcraft). We got each other's backs. They can play guitar (better than me, though it irks me to say so). Makes for some fun jamming time. They are funny (told you it was hereditary), and smart. The elder is more emotionally understanding, while the younger is more philosophically astute.

It's easier to find good stuff about your family when you love and trust them, and they love and trust you back. So yeah, my family is pretty awesome. I feel sad whenever I hear about people who either don't have families, or feel alienated by their families (like Lief and Son of Aeson.) Then again, I'm in a good mood and I'm usually optimistic when I'm content, so it's easy to spot the good points. =]