Pre-Bkk Transmission

We have approximately two and a half days until we leave for Bangkok. Without spoiling it for my family, I, for some reason seem to look forward to it less than previous years. I think it's because I'm quite happy with the rhythm I got going on in melbourne at the moment with things, esp. work and training. Plus I've been able to hangout with some good friends lately now that uni has finished (don't delete my Sam&Max! I'll be back to finish it). Don't get me wrong, tho. I can't wait to see the other three family members when we get back (the third being Mali, of course), and some old BPS veterans, esp. you Bauchi.

Anyhoo, I got a few things planned for the two months in Thailand. Among them is an art project that I very much look forward to getting back into.

The Hefty Metal Animals Project

To continue with what I had started during IB Art, I look forward to expand my clan of the Hefty Metal Animal sculptures. In addition to the already existing Spidian V1.1, and the Giraffe V1.1_Rust, the current idea in mind projects some sort of a gigantic Hefty Metal Spider Crab, of which the design should be based on a Japanese spider crab, which looks something like this...

Japanese Spider Crab

And here is an old picture of the Spidian V1.1.

Dimension: 27cm x 25.5cm x 30cm
Weight: 4.7 kg

Spidian V1.1

Just thinking about it gets me quite excited. I can't wait to get started.

Other things planned include writing some music and getting back into playing the Piano. I've left that to rust for too long and it would be a terrible thing to give it up. Also, these recent years I've been fooling around with the Guitar and coming up with songs, most of which I have already forgetten, which is a waste. So now that there's time, I would like to sit down and do this properly, and hopefully record some of it.

Other than that, I wanna look for a good Muay Thai camp. One which I know I'll survive in, considering how hardcore the native Thai boxers can be. I would still like to be able to drag my ass back here to continue training in Melbourne next year.

Another highlight of our time back in Thailand will be the trip up to Chiang Mai, which mother has kindly arranged for us to stay at The Mandarin Oriental. I have had a look at the place on the website and I can't wait to be there.

Villa Lobby

Royal Villa Spa

Farang Ses Restaurant

With the events I went through this year, I think I deserve to relax in a place like this just fine. Thank you, Mother.

*Hotel pictures taken from the website

Bush Inferno

With the intensity of the fire of this year's bush fire season, I got total respect for all the firefighters, who have been out there on the front lines, fighting inferno since last week. There had been a lot of coverage on the news, but as another city dweller, I kinda took it for granted how serious the matter can be for people, who are directly affected. That's until I woke up a few days ago and the sky was dark with all the fire smoke that the wind had carried into the city. Cake, Pie and I then could make sense of the mysterious burning smell we had experienced the night before.

Today seems worse than yesterday. The burning mist seems denser with stronger burning scent and the sky doesn't look too happy. It didn't help that the last weekend was one of the hottest and dryest weekends with strong wind to make the fire spread even more rapidly. Well, I do certainly hope the situation gets better, and that the firefighters get their very much deserved rest soon. Meanwhile, Go Go firefighters!!

What it looks like from our balcony

Mali and her goggles

So the lastest news on Ms. Maliwan is that she now wears goggles... Pink goggles. The purpose of this was not only to enhance her already bold and cheeky sense of fashion (take her pink checkered frilly dress for example), the vet wanted to make sure her ultra bulgy eyes don't get scratched by branches and things, considering how naughty and perky she can be around low bushes sometimes. And her eyes get dry quite easily, since her eyeballs are so big her eyelids don't shut completely when she blinks.

Whoa Whoa..I see everything in pink

Goggles off

You know..sometimes we don't know who she's really looking at. Can't really tell. I don't understand.

+ + + + + + +

On a seperate matter, I got meself a phone upgrade to the newly released MOTORAZR V3xx. Booyah! Alright I know it's very similar to what a lot of you guys have out there but hey... mine has two cameras and a three logo on the back lid aallrigghttt? So back off, aight?

Actually this phone holds a personal significance to me, as it marks the first piece of a newly bought electronic equipment, of which I decided the protective plastic sheets be peeled off the screens right away, without hesitation. Now, that's something I had never done before.

Black is beautiful

The three logo.. Now, you don't have one of those on the back of your phone, do you? No, I didn't think so (I wish there was a way to scratch it off somehow).

My new toy