wrap up (prologue)

Yesterday we had our last Rotaract meeting proper for the year.

It was good as we summed up our weekend activities.

At the Pub Quiz we raised £120 which was a good achievement.

A group of us went to Edinburgh as a club for the Rotaract Club of Edinburgh's Charter Night.

Felix did a presentation on the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

We will be having a social BBQ to mark the end of year, celebrating our year's achievement, dismissing the current board and welcoming our new board. Should be a good event. It's in two weeks time! Yaaay!!!

After the meeting, we went together as a group for dinner at Slain's Castle and then to James's to watch DVD.

Good choice of movie though. For his birthday James received the Déjà Vu DVD as his present. I didn't know what we were watching so it was good to watch a movie without much expectation.

Déjà Vu is a really good movie and I'm so glad that we watch it in a group. Yeah, those who know me knows that I don't really a. go watch movie in a group and b. discuss a movie in mid-screening. Nontheless it was really good. Am so pleased. And as usual Danzel Washington was excellent as the lead actor. Val Kilmer had so much weight on him.

Go watch the movie if you have not! HURRY!!!

Drinks log: I've been good, so its just one pint of Guiness Extra Cold

wake up and smell the coffee?!

Was coffee served that I didn't know?
Did I had a block nose?
Am I ignoring the coffee?

vegetate

Work was busy but still kinda draggy. The new flower ordering system went on live today (Monday). Was pleased that I managed to do at least an order. Will take a while to get pro on it... well a short while.

Anyways, whoever want to order flowers please do so online yourself so that we will have less hassle. Transfering of responsibilities... hehehe...

Did some 'impulsive' shopping after work and tried quite hard to bring up the total to above £50 so that I can get free delivery. Do I need the stuff? Maybe not half of it. Sad case.

Gave a little thought to what I wanted to do after that... am just so missing SH. He is so busy. -_- But then I have to learn to enjoy me time. What to do?!

So I thought why not watch some movies online and do what I do best, vegetate in front of the computer? And then it was what shall I watch??? Amongst one that came to mind was 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. Heard so much about it. Too bad I couldn't watch it. Need to find out why.

So I pulled up my Ikea Pello armchair, tilted my hp 19" screen and thought 'hey why didn't I ever thought about that before'. So my new computer chair is the armchair. Currently with a nice fluffy feather pillow for additional support. Ahh.. this is life...

I've always wanted to watch 'Brokeback Mountain' to find out whats so great about this movie. It takes such a long time to stream. So while waiting, I managed to watch 'The Break Up' and then the penultimate episode of 'Prison Break' on tv, yet the streaming wasn't complete. I did watched the movie in between, still the streaming was slow. So read the whole of Adam Carruthers's blog while sorta watching 'Maybe Baby'.

'Brokeback Mountain'. Hmm... such a highly acclaimed movie which seemed a big disappointment for me. Besides the scenic scenes, nice closing songs and the really really nice guitar playing by Gustavo Santaolalla, I find the story quite draggy. Maybe I need the watch this movie again? Like in a long long Long LONG more time in future?

'The Break Up' was almost as bad as 'Brokeback'. Okay, the fighting, arguing and scheming scenes are quite entertaining, so to say. But the ending was like wtf?! You call that an ending??!!!

Sadly 'Prison Break' is coming to the end of its season two. I really wonder will it end there?

Next I will probably or maybe need to invest in a wireless keyboard and mouse so that I can continue to enjoy typing with the keyboard on my lap. Oooh...

Speaking of which, I remember Microsoft had this wireless keyboard and mouse set that provides fingerprint id. When I first saw it, I asked SH why do you need a keyboard with fingerprint id? Its just so OTT!

Well off to bed now, its already 3:30am. Need to do some useful stuff tomorrow.

edinburgher

Pronounced as eh-din-bur-ger, is someone from Edinburgh. I've always wanted to know that and I finally found out. So chuffed!

Aberdeen = Aberdonian
Glasgow = Glaswegien
Inverness = Invernesian
Orkney = Orcadian

Last weekend was a really nice and busy one.

Friday. Rotaract Club of Aberdeen's 2nd Charity Pub Quiz. We were raising funds for James's Rwanda missions development trip and Emma's Spring Valley school in Kenya. Where both of them are going out to this summer respectively.

And as usual something has to go 'wrong'. Sort of...

The day before...
ennazus: Don't forget to prepare the answer sheets for the pub quiz ok?
James: Yup I remember that.

On the night...
ennazus: Where's the answer sheets?
James: Oh ****! I thought so I forgotten something!
ennazus: ...

But then a really nice guy, Iain came to our rescue! We are so ever thankful!!!

One thing I was pleased with, was my team wasn't last place. Well, we were scraping last almost two-thirds of the way but redeemed ourselves and got... second last place.. hahahahaha... at least we were not last! Too bad SH was not feeling well, otherwise I would think we will be at a higher position. -_-

I won two raffle prizes which I was the raffles draw-er. So what else would there be said? 'FIXED!'

Hey I can't help it if I was lucky eh?

After the quiz, some of us stayed back for a few drinks. Not long after that...
ennazus: Is that the fire alarm?
Barry: Hmm... sounds like it.

And yes indeed it was the fire alarm. So...

Grab belongings. Check.

Grab drinks. Check.

ennazus: I wasn't sure if that was the fire alarm.
Barry: Yeah, I thought it was part of the music.
ennazus: Yeah, me too.

hahaha... of course it was illegal to drink on the roadside. So the Union guys were there collecting everyone's glasses. Luckily we didn't have much left though...

I had two members of the Edinburgh club staying over at my flat. They were really nice, Julia and Barry. There was supposed to be four of them but Claire couldn't make it last minute and someone missed the train. And as always it is good to have people staying over. We stayed up chatting until 3am and then went to bed as most of us were tired.

Drink log: two pints of Strongbow and two pints of Guiness Extra Cold

Saturday. Woke up and chatted with Julia in bed. How cool is that? The three of us then chatted more whilst getting ready. It was funny watching Barry contemplating to shower/shave his head/shave his face. Again, great company for the morning.

We then went to the train station as both of them have to catch the train back to Edinburgh to prepare for their club's charter night. I then went shopping for a pair of shoes for the function as the two pairs of shoes I bought online still have not arrived!

Just my luck when I reached home there was a calling card telling me that the people did try to deliver my parcel but no one was home. Great! Just great! But then no regrets about the shoe. Will tell more about it later.

So hang around my computer, chatted with American Chris about the night before and what time the gang was meeting up with James. Packed, got ready and go to our rendezvous for our journey to Edinburgh.

We then finally left Aberdeen almost 6pm for our drive down to Edinburgh. Five of us (James, Chris, Jennifer, Felix and I) in James's little blue Peugeot which by the way I have a great respect for. We arrived at the venue in Edinburgh at 8pm. The function was supposed to be 7:30pm for 8pm.

As we get on the motorway...
James: Do you know where the place is?
ennazus: I asked you the other day if you needed the directions and you said you were going to sort it out. So I didn't find it.
James: I had too much to do and I forgotten.

Once again, the mobile internet came to our rescue! Quick text to Barry for the address and upon 'Googling' it, there was the option of downloading Google Mobile Map for Nokia N70. Ooooh... The program is just so ace! We used it to find our way to Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Club and then later to Claire's beautiful huge flat where many of us crashed at.

On the way to the venue...
James: Where now?
ennazus: Take the third exit at the roundabout.
James: The what?!
ennzaus: Third exit.
James: The THIRD exit?! It sounds like something else.
ennazus: Turd?
James: You are not allowed to say third anymore. Say 'exit three'.
ennazus: ...

As it was a black tie event, guys were preferbly dressed in kilts and Chris refused to sit in the car for two hours in his smart clothes. So he has to change on the street just in front of someone's house! Well, I don't care if you are reading this Chris... But what an exhibitionist! hahahaha... No worries, there was nothing indecent about it.

Barry called my phone and check where we were and I said 'we were just outside'. Nonetheless we were the last to arrive but not least. Many episodes unfolds. As serious as I am a person, I am so glad we are a fun bunch. The Aberdeen club brought some secret humour (where only the four of us shares - sorry Felix) to the event.

So after some speeches, fancy dinner and event proper, the best part starts: the céilidh! It is one of my favourite Scottish 'invention' ever! Too bad it was quite short. -_¬

On the way I had a brief discussion with Jen on certain steps for a certain dance and I was so pleased that I got it right when the time comes. Anyways, I am so proud of my pretty and comfortable shoes. Even though I only did two dances *sad*sad* I was wearing my shoes the whole time and it didn't 'bite' me!

Even after the wandering about almost half of Edinburgh after the event looking for a club that was decent, my feet didn't blister. How great is that?! And still my shoes looked good, besides a few diamante missing. Of course, sadly I think I will be remembered as the one kept moaning about going to the toilet... And dropping the pizza on the sidewalk after Chris and I took a slice each from the eight slices. Whoops!

We also saw some firemen in action after someone decided to put a ciggie in a bin... Jen said the bin was melted.

Then it was back to the flat. We were so tired. As everyone fell asleep Chris and I were whispering there about... (I'm so going to be strangled!!!) I counted there were eight of us in the bedroom! And easily there were twenty of us in the flat. What would health and safety compliance say about this? Hey! but it was really fun.

Morning was a ruckus. Everyone going for the toilet. We later received great hospitality from Claire's parent's at their house and a good breakfast.

After breakfast we left Felix in Edinburgh and headed up the road. We stopped by at James's parent's home in Kinross, where we met his parents and sister. They were such nice people! Of course their home and garden was lovely as well.

Not long it was home time. Reached home, had a nap before going to James's and Jen's church just at the back of my flat for their first youth service.

All in all it was great weekend!

Saturday and Sunday's drink log: one dodgy glass of red sparkling wine (eewww - don't ever try that), glass of white wine, three bottles of Magners, too many cups of tea and a few cups of coffee.

After so many cups of tea and coffee, I can't stop having the feeling that I need to constantly brush my teeth.

half way there

Like it or not the half year mark has crept up on us.

Shows how fast time flies and makes us ponder what have we been doing for the past 26 weeks?

The Millennium Clock Tower in the National Museum of Scotland captured my eye last weekend.

The project combines the skills of the automata maker, the clock maker, the decorative glass maker and the woodworker; to celebrate the second millennium and expresses all the hopes and fears of the 20th century. It is a creation that talks of love, hate, play, humour, despair, life and death.

Interesting how art can depict life.

The clock is constructed in four major sections: the Crypt, the Nave, the Belfry, and the Spire; each carries different meanings of life.

From the base where the Crypt lies, signifies the base of society, earthly powers and the imprisoned Ancient Spirit.

The Nave is one interesting part where people live, love and die. It is the playground of people with great creative intellect but also of people like us who go about our everyday life of work, love and play, unaware of the threats that may befall us.

The heart of the tower, the Belfry houses the mechanism of the clock, the clock face, and the requiem. The clock face reflects the cycle of life, with its black moments, grey moments and a ray of sunshine. Not forgetting the requiem which consists of a circle of carved figures, represnting various hardships and tragedies that have afflicted humanity and is dedicated to all victims of the past centuries.

All is not doom and bleak though. The Spire represents man penetrating the sky to reach Heaven. The outside burnt wood but inside intact and richly inlaid floor suggests hope and survival. The Pietà onto of the clock sums up the world of the clock tower: the sadness of the one left behind and the courage it takes to carry on.

I wonder what the next 26 weeks is going to hold for me?

Certain excerpts taken from The Millennium Clock Tower flyer produced by The Millennium Clock Makers Trust.

confused being

It has been a while since I last heard this song and they had it on my favourite radio station - Virgin Radio.

I'm not sure how much this song relates to me. But there are some truth in it. Somehow. Or at least I want to believe.

Bitch by Meredith Brooks

I hate the world today

You're so good to me

I know but I can't change

Tried to tell you

But you look at me like maybe

I'm an angel underneath

Innocent and sweet

Yesterday I cried

Must have been relieved to see

The softer side

I can understand how you'd be so confused

I don't envy you

I'm a little bit of everything

All rolled into one

Chorus:

I'm a bitch, I'm a lover

I'm a child, I'm a mother

I'm a sinner, I'm a saint

I do not feel ashamed

I'm your hell, I'm your dream

I'm nothing in between

You know you wouldn't want it any other way

So take me as I am

This may mean

You'll have to be a stronger man

Rest assured that

When I start to make you nervous

And I'm going to extremes

Tomorrow I will change

And today won't mean a thing

Chorus

Just when you think, you got me figured out

The season's already changing

I think it's cool, you do what you do

And don't try to save me

Chorus

I'm a bitch, I'm a tease

I'm a goddess on my knees

When you hurt, when you suffer

I'm your angel undercover

I've been numb, I'm revived

Can't say I'm not alive

You know I wouldn't want it any other way

epic adventure collage

For some reasons I cannot have this pic in my epic adventure post. Okay I guess the reason was the pic was too big to upload. So here it is...