Magic Pencilbook

卵焼き How to make a tamagoyaki

2011-06-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin or rice wine
few drops of soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients together with chopsticks (not a fork or whisk. you want as little air bubbles as possible)

This particular photo is a bad example lol. Too many bubbles.

Warm a non-stick frypan at low heat then lightly oil using a soaked paper towel.

Making sure the heat is still set at low pour half of the bowl in.

Try to keep the egg from filling the whole pan, try and get a straight side. You can achieve this by tilting the pan slightly although it doesnt really matter as you can cut these curved edges off at the end.

As the egg is frying use the spatula to lift the edges up to keep it from sticking to the pan.

When the top side of the egg is just a little bit gooey fold over one side and roll it...

...until it looks like the image above.

Quickly pour the rest of the egg in as you don't want the bit you've just rolled to brown.

Roll backwards.

Roll it up in cling wrap

Roll it tightly in a bamboo mat to shape it into a rectangle.

optional: put it in the fridge to cool until serving

slice the log

itadakimasu

champagne's for celebrating (I'll have a martini)

2010-05-31T04:24:00.000-07:00

paperthin

2010-05-24T23:38:00.001-07:00

Paperthin Music Video from Hettie Griffiths on Vimeo.

Dinner and dancing.

2010-05-20T04:19:00.000-07:00

FEED YOUR FAMILY FOR: Fancy Bangers and Mash

2010-05-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

I've cooked this dish several times before and even served it to my friends at schoolies last year.
It is a bangers and mash with poached pear slices and "caramelised" carrots and onions. It's essentially a classic prole dish like ratatouille but revitalised by the sweetness of the caramel sauce which also challenges bland british cooking.
Quick, easy and cheap enjoy!

Ingredients:

Sausages
Potatoes (any kind)
Onions
Carrots
Pears (not nashi)
Brown Sugar
Cream/ Milk (for the mash)

Method:

Peel, wash and boil potatoes in a pot. if you are in a rush its good to cut them into smaller chunks as they soften faster. (or if you are not fussed you can even microwave them in microwave tupperware with a bit of water. however from experience this should only be the last resort)
Chop up onions into half moons and carrots and pears into wedges. (dont forget to peel them!) and pop into a pot of boiling water until soft along with 1, 2 sticks of cinammon and a couple of star anise.
At the same time start frying the sausages
Take out potatoes and mash them stirring in milk/ cream and salt to taste.
Heat up a pan and melt brown sugar over low fire until it becomes a caramel
Strain the onions, carrots and pears and plate with bangers and mash.
Pour caramel sauce over the OCP and serve hot.

*note: i know its not REALLY caramelisation!!!

2010-04-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is a good photo

This is not.

Staring at the mess I've made

2010-04-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Should've kissed you there
I should've held your face
I should've watched those eyes
Instead of run in place
I should've called you out
I should've said your name
I should've turned around
I should've looked again

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
I'm staring at the mess I made
I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

Should've held my ground
I could've been redeemed
For every second chance
That changed its mind on me
I should've spoken up
I should've proudly claimed
That oh my head's to blame
For all my heart's mistakes

But oh, I'm staring at the mess I made
I'm staring at the mess I made
I'm staring at the mess I made
As you turn, you take your heart and walk away

FEED YOUR FAMILY FOR...

2010-04-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

This is my first post about food that I cook so please bear with me as I indulge in the magiks of the kitchen.

The Vaiano Risotto recipe is a delicious, straightforward, authentic Italian risotto taken directly from my former accounting teacher Mr. Vaiano's collection of fail-proof family dinner recipes. I had my first go at this last year and my family loved it for its simple organic flavours. The ingredients used were what we had sitting in the fridge/ pantry at the time except the arborio which I had to make a special trip out to Coles to buy.

The core ingredients for this dish:

arborio rice
tinned tomatoes

With everything else interchangeable and replaceable including:

marinated diced chicken pieces
broccoli
fresh tomatoes
spring onion

Method:

Chop all the meat and veg up and then stir fry them
Cook the arborio rice in a pot or rice cooker (make sure you have your settings correct.) You will want to make sure you are using a risotto rice such as arborio, carnaroli or nano as these types of rice stick better creating the unique texture of risotto rice. Asian rices such as jasmine cannot be used.
Mix in the tinned tomatoes (with juices) with the rice in the pot making sure there is a nice reddish colourage to the rice. If there isn't add tomato sauce.
Transfer the rice and the meat and veg into a large pot or steamer and mix it all up under a medium heat.
Add salt to taste then serve while hot.

AE RO PLANE JELL.LY FOR MEEEEE

2010-04-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

http://www.gowanusstudio.org/jello/

how fun :)

When I go to Japan NSFE (Not Safe For Epileptics)

2010-04-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

思いがかさなるその前に kodak moment

2010-04-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

a very dad/son activity: fishing in the Bay of Islands near Kerikeri. I caught more fish than he did lol.

King Louie our beloved Rotoruan fatcat

feeding the sparrows chicken pie at Orakei Korako Geyserland. Which brings me onto the topic of cannibalism...

Mum lost in the scary redwood forest in Rotorua

I really feel like a pav right now.

2010-04-19T03:24:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it was the crusty burnt sausages or the oil-soaked burger buns that drew me to the pavlova cake. Now I was never a fan of good old kiwi pav, but it was there. And the birthday boy offered me a slice which I absolutely no way could have refused like I always do with the lame-ass line of "I don't eat cake."
Why don't I like pavlova? No particular reason, really, except that one deadly slice is the equivalent to eating a bowl of sugarcubes and downing the whole thing down with maple syrup and caramelised screwdrivers.
Thanks but no thanks.
However not tonight. I gingerly took the slice (that birthday boy had no idea what a favour I was doing him) and ate it like I watch creepy webcam videos of the darn lump of sugar and egg whites on dodgy porno sites. First forkful, I missed the topping and as I swallowed it I was reminded of why I hated the perennially classic pav so much. If you've ever wanted to lose your sweet tooth just eat pavlova and I can guarantee a success rate of 100% + weight loss.
I was still being watched and my pathway to the garbage bag was blocked preventing me from inconspicuously doing a "quickie" (a "quickie" in food terms that is) by the party people happily enjoying their dessert: so I took another bite. First came the overpowering sweetness, AND THEN absolute... The raspberries tasted like what can only be described metaphorically if it were so possible like raspberries. Astonished because raspberries were another one of my dislike foods after a bad encounter with a dastardly sour tub of frozen ones I cleared the plate within a minute bringing me into a new phase of my pav-loving life. Needless to say, serve me up a plate of that stuff any day :)

Batman in the bushes

2010-04-14T01:22:00.000-07:00

When you smoke crack and look into a mirror, you'll see someone else"

2010-04-13T23:36:00.000-07:00

beautiful photographer and digital artist Fahad Alkadi from Saudi Arabia. http://fahad0850.deviantart.com/

"I wish I could go back to the hospital, crawl into my mother's womb and be reborn so I could look different."

2010-04-12T23:39:00.000-07:00

'You know what they say, "Once you kill a cow you gotta make a burger."'

2010-04-08T04:35:00.001-07:00

Rosie from the Jetsons realized in 2010

2010-04-03T00:12:00.000-07:00

I watched the whole thing, eyes transfixed on a utopia that I know will never happen.

Pothole Gardens brilliance

2010-04-03T00:03:00.000-07:00

http://balkon-garten.blogspot.com/2010/04/vorsicht-garten.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BalkonGartenBlog+%28Balkon+%26+Garten+Blog%29

To Know Your Name

2009-07-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

The precious blood of Jesus Christ redeems,
forgiven I’m alive, restored set free.
Your majesty resides inside of me,
forever I believe. forever I believe.

arrested by your truth and righteousness
your grace has overwhelmed my brokenness
convicted by your spirit, led by your word
your love will never fail
your love will never fail

‘Cause I know you gave, the world your only son for us to
know your name, to live within the saviours love and he took my place,
knowing he’d be crucified and you loved.. you loved, a people undeserving.

Sometimes I just want to cry knowing that I've found something to believe in. God. He's so good and yet it's so hard to keep up with his plans for our lives that sometimes i get left behind in the race. But I'm trying now to get back to the front and you know what, God's gonna help me get there :)

LIKE MY PHOTOS?

2008-11-20T04:02:00.000-08:00

(OK i didn't take this one but the thong was my idea)

haha, everything looks so good on an SLR. Why can't I have one?!! All these photos were taken by yours truly except the sand one at school camp. You like? Maybe one day I can save up and buy an SLR. This is the curse of the consumer whore. Just last week Joyce bought me a Crumpler bag. Pretty schweet but ultimately is it really necessary?
I will get a job next year and maybe then i can afford some really good stuff.

Leaving in 3 days to London :)

Before I Die.

2008-10-27T00:52:00.000-07:00

From "BEFORE I DIE I WANT TO..." by Nicole Kenney and Ks Rives

Stumbled across this amazing experimental portfolio today during Viscom class and it got me thinking, before I die what would I want to do and what would I want most to be remembered as. I mean at my funeral I don't want no "he was an all-round nice guy" because we all know that half the time it's not true. I rather have something deeper, more meaningful and something that draws emotion.

Before I die I'd like to honestly say I've amounted to something, that I've contributed to the world in one way, form or shape. How many of us are actually capable or have sufficient motivation to do so? I don't know but it's the kind of people who do who leave a mark on history.

What would you do? IN terms of experiencing something I'd like to:

- go skydiving

- walk with tigers

- sit on a beach in the South Pacific

- and go to Broadway.

meh thats my list

on a side note can't wait to go to HK. Michelle and I are going to the meow cafe, a cafe where cats are allowed to roam free :) Here's their website: http://www.ahmeow.com/mainpage.html

apparently there's also a dog cafe but cant find it online

Wall-e and Rob Guest and the Wicked Witch of the East sheet music

2008-10-02T23:44:00.000-07:00

Shucks, who knew that a robot movie would be so good. But after Ben told me I told myself "Tim, you just have GOT to see this for yourself". So i called up Phil: "Hey, you wanna see wall-e?" and he was like "Ur... how about Eagle eye?". No way was I going to see eagle eye so I replied, "Charles said eagle eye was bad :)" (me lying). And he agreed. So we watched Wall-e which is the cutest most touching movie I have seen this year. I have only seen two really outstanding movies this year and that is Be Kind, Rewind and Wall-e.

Wall-e follows the story of a robot named WALL-E who is designed to clean up a polluted Earth. He eventually falls in love with another robot named EVE, and follows her into outer space on an adventure.

Love it, just love it! I was so touched in some scenes and it's amazing how there can be so little dialogue yet the robots can express themselves in such a heart wrenching manner, I nearly cried as well. Just to assure you how good it was, everyone who walked out of that cinema was grinning from ear-to-ear, I kid you not.

It was on the news all yesterday. Rob Guest, the legendary Phantom of Australasia dies from sudden stroke. And to think I watched him just over a month ago in Wicked as he played The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This certain story really hit me because I had actually watched him before, his performance: very professional. And then I found out yesterday he was only 58, a bit older than my own dad and he has kids same age as Joyce and I as she pointed out, 19 & 17. It touched me.

It really won't be the same if Rodney Dobson is taking over the role because Dobson's usually the goat who gets tortured by the wizard in the first place and it can't be Berazin either because he's archnemesis with him and they appear in the same scene anyway and who's gonna play Elphaba's father then and will one of the dance captains take over permanent role of Doctor Dillamond and... well it's all speculation so far, nothing's sound.

Finally, today I was looking for the sheet music to "Wicked Witch of the East", my favourite song from Wicked. I was searching up and down, hi and lo, e-mailing random people, posting whole new threads on music forums till i looked in my own sheet music folder and found I had already downloaded it 2 months ago. Gay.
Thought I'd share it as it is a rare working copy, it even has Stephen Schwartz's own handwritten notes and script changes, quite amazing actually, but the lyrics have surprisingly been unchanged. The other day I downloaded "Take It Like A Man" from Legally Blonde and it was a working copy as well (where do people steal these top-secret documents from?). The part that Emmett sings has been completely ommitted!

So, without further ado, download here if you're interested (it's pdf) >> [download]

Ｉｎｎeｒ　Ｂeauｔｙ - ｓｎaｐｓｈoｔｓ　oｆ　ｌiｆe 1

2008-09-27T02:46:00.000-07:00

ティムの一言：日本にいた時、バスであった大切なメッセージ

i hate lamb

2008-09-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah! Have any of you watched the ad for this on tv? I laughed. It looked stupid yet strangely fascinating as I recognised the girl as Penny McNamee who played Nessarose in Wicked, the night I went to watch it. But then her name came up on the credits as Rosemary Spriggs! Did she have a twin who was married? That's what I thought. I wasabout to head out to the cinemas to watch this movie til I looked it up today and found out it's not a REAL BLOODY MOVIE! what is this!? "Lamb: A Fragrance for Women" and now "From the creators of Lamb Actually: Falling in Lamb"
"Starring Clive Ovens and Rosemary Spriggs", bloody hell.

Anthem for victims

2008-09-14T01:22:00.000-07:00

Not one day goes by,
That I don't think about you.

You're unforgettable
Yet relinquished. So

Callously tossed,
Face buried deep in the mud,
Face blatantly ignored,
Candle snuffed.

Do you know the nights that pass
Endlessly endless
Endlessly alone,
Forever cold?

Then time stopped.
The world stood still,
The world wept,
As darkness fell.

Blown like an autumn leaf,
Swishing and swaying,
Swishing the invisible
Clinging on for dear life.

then snapped-

Drifted,

Drifted,
Down,
Down.

Left to be trampled

Like a wounded soldier,

Watch his eyes
Insignificance clouded.

Do you think you could hide it
No way to run from it
Every time you were stolen
Every time I remembered,
Was like a fatal blow.

the truth shall set you free.

2008-08-31T02:26:00.001-07:00

What happened yesterday? I was thinking of going to the Fungus "Crazy Sex Rally". I was also invited to watch a few mates practice their break-dancing (I'm not into that stuff though I reckon if you can do it you're hardcore.) And I didn't really feel like going to any of these. I was still contemplating this when i signed onto msn and Josh popped up. "Wanna come to my church for trivia night?" Perfect! I felt like trivia... and meeting new people.

Let's start off by explaining: why I didn't want to go to Fungus. First of all, I was deterred by the name "Crazy Sex Rally". That's a disgusting and horribly suggestive name to be using when naming an event that is supposed to glorify and honour God. The design for the cards was equally as offensive as it was made to look like the entrance sign outside a stripclub. Glamorous and dazzling when in truth, there is nothing glamorous and dazzling about pre-marital sex. OK, so that's not the real reason.

I didn't go to break-dancing because I thought I could make it after trivia-night but I ended up feeling too tired. Yeah but trivia night was fun. Met new people. I felt like in this small Chinese community church, my connections were spreading like the branches of a tree.

On Friday night we watched this awesome video sermon by Louie Giglio from Chris Tomlin's "How Great Is Our God" tour. It was about science in short, but this science was fascinating. It was emotional as well and apparently a few people cried. Hehe, another video. It's part one of the sermon. Look the rest up on www.Godtube.com.

John Williams scoring Memoirs of a Geisha

2008-08-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

Absolutely beautiful and captivating. A must-see for music lovers.

I have a dream

2008-08-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama is quite the character as he makes his dream speech in front of thousands in Colorado announcing that he will run as Democratic nominee for president. I was watching this today on SBS and it was brilliant. He had the crowd absolutely captivated, they hung onto each and every one of his words as he sympathized with them.

America has become a very poor country in recent times. The price of basic necessities have gone up while the living standards have gone down and it seems that when all is going downhill Obama is the solution. What makes him such an attractive candidate as president? Simple, he understands how we feel. No doubt he would have felt the pain of racial differences having a Kenyan as a father and a white american as a mother. He dislikes George W. Bush and his policies and he has said this in public. He believes that America can do better than that because he has a dream. Remember those famous words: "I have a dream" uttered by Martin Luther King Jr as he stood in front of a congregation of thousands in front of the Lincoln Memorial? Is Obama not a spitting image of King? He provides hope to the most powerful nation on earth.

But is he the solution America is searching for?

Grrr... I'm talking about politics again. Thought I'd leave you with this random video of another Broadway musical: Legally Blonde.

Pointless

2008-08-22T01:54:00.000-07:00

Is there ever a point in life where all that exists to you suddenly becomes boring, cumbersome even? Something seems to make you feel down, and especially after the news I heard today. Mike Guglielmucci's fight with cancer finally ended. After he confessed that it had all been a hoax. Around the two to three years since it was announced that he had terminal cancer it was big news. I first heard him preach in 2005, he was amazing but just really was going through his mind when he fabricated that story? I am interested to find out the psychological impairments he suffered in order to make such a blurred desision; shocking. There HAVE been hundreds, even thousands of people who were touched by his story who now have NOTHING to hold onto because they have fallen victim to a cheap trick. However, the question now is, was he in it for the money or was he simply someone in dire need of a psychologist, someone who understood what he was going through and could help him overcome.

Well what's happening in Tim's life. Well I'm going to Youth Alive soon. As expected Guglielmucci will no longer be speaking there. It was on their website. I just came back from Yum Cha with family friends which was fun, I am pooped, I don't know if I'll be able to stay awake tonight. Tomorrow I have to do drums so that means I'm going to be super tired. Tiiiiiiiiiiiired. And then I think I'll just rest instead of going to Deakin Open day.

Next Sat is the Crazy Sex Rally. What is Fungus thinking calling their rally THAT? It really deters people I reckon. I mean I'm deterred already. Well I can't go anyway because coincidentally on the same day is the Carlton v. Hawthorn game. I do love watching the footy. It's so fun. And anyone who has never been to a footy match should do it at least once. It's an experience money can't buy... well actually it is but, well you get my groove.

AND MONDAY is VISCOMM! I am really looking forward to it now, I can vent my creative anger heh.

2008-08-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?"

Wicked Night

2008-08-10T00:32:00.000-07:00

I was dead even before the day began. On Friday night I stayed up past 1 watching opening ceremony then having to wake up and get to Jap school by 9. I should've taken an afternoon nap but instead stayed up writing the blog entry before this.

We left early so that we could eat dinner and we went to this lovely place down Liverpool St called Little Malaysia. That's us (below) eating chilli prawns, curry with rotti and beef and broccoli. Caus we didnt make a booking we were at the table right next to the door which meant everytime someone came in the cold would enter but the food was fantastic.

and here we are in front of the Regent about to go inside. Yes it was cold.

Wow, the musical was extravagant. The stage was lavish with this beautiful set that just encircled it entirely. I was slightly dissapointed when they announced that it wouldn't be Amanda Harrison and Lucy Durack performing but their standbys Jemma Stevenson and some blonde chick. However, they weren't bad though Jemma's voice I thought was just not strong enough as Elphaba and during "For Good" Glinda's voice was much more powerful. Maybe she was a bit sick as well. Below is the showstopper song, Defying Gravity.

and my favourite piece "What is This Feeling?" perfromed by the original Broadway cast.

Overall it was an awesome show but fell short of my expectations, probably because I had watched too many videos and listened to the songs too much, prior to actually seeing it.

Then today I was supposed to go to RMIT Open day with Reuben but last minute he realised that he hadn't finished something like 4 assignments. It ended up alright because Jenny was going as well but last minute her friend has also bailed on her so we went together and Charles came as well. It was tiring, not overly interesting... but we bumped into tonnes of people from church and school.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go study methods.

My WEEK

2008-08-08T23:11:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, the sun just shines and you can't help but smile. The rays touch your face, your cheeks warm and you sigh, a big sigh, a bigger sigh, and then a sigh of content. Fresh.

I've had a lazy week. Monday I went with TAFE group to NGV to look at the Art Deco exhibit. There was one part where I couldn't get the song out of my head. "One Short Day" from Wicked the musical as I looked as this huge exhibit of an entrance to a hotel from the 50s. It was so bright and dazzling I had a sudden urge to do a Broadway dance up the steps to the rotating doors except that the entire thing was roped off. And they did a presentation for the school groups whcih lasted for God knows how long. I fell asleep and was only woken up by the drool hanging from my mouth.

Tuesday there was no school. We went to School of Creative Arts at Melb. Uni to watch a performance of Macbeth. The only words that could be use to describe how I felt: Bored To Death. But went out afterwards with mates to watch Batman... again. Batman is a boring movie, don't watch it.

Then yesterday growth group was at Caleb's house. He has a pool table and his room is so retro, hip. All along his walls he has pictures cut from back-copies of NG and in his wardrobe he has a stack of ancient Archie comics. Arrived home just in time to see elimination on sytycd. On a side note, America finished the 4th season today and the winner was ????? (mouse-over and look at bottom bar to find-out). Can't believe it! ???? was my favourite to win!!!!! And then opening ceremony came on. I kept on watching, waiting... for Australia to come out. Pffft, as if put them as 3rd last team. Their flag finally came marching out around 1o'clock and as soon as they had come off the screen I went to bed.

TONIGHT: WICKED NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I'm heading off to regent theatre soon and will be watching the biggest Broadway musical I have ever seen.

Musicals I've watched:
- Sound of Music
- Oliver!
- Beauty and The Beast
- Mamma mia!
- Les Miserables (Melbourne High/ Macrob production)
- Priscilla: Queen of the Desert
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand NOW WICKED!
Who's in it, Amanda Harrison as Elphaba (aka Wicked Witch of the West), Lucy Durack as Glinda (aka The Good Witch), Rob Mills as Fiyero (later known as the scarecrow), Anthony Callea as Boq (the munchkinlander who later becomes known as the tin-man), Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible and Rob Guest as the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Tabidachi

2008-08-01T22:02:00.000-07:00

The above map is the proposed route for this year's summer vacation Europe trip! We'll be missing out on the hottest part of Summer and instead, experiencing the coldest part of Europe. Brr...

From Melbourne we'll be going to London via a Malaysian stopover. 7 days there then onto Finland for skiing for another week. St. Petersberg and Moscow are next and then by train we'll be going to Ulan Baator in Mongolia. Then Beijing, Xian and Hong Kong! We might also be going to Germany, Netherlands (Holland) and France but not quite sure.

Last night Surge was on Rewind. Everything was backwards. We had the worship song first, then altar call then sermon, praise and announcements. It was about outreach and it really got me thinking, just how much can I outreach to friends at school? Boy, let me tell you that it's HARD in a Christian school. Jaya got up and did her awesome stuff about being loving, not being judgemental and everything. She absolutely kicked-ass up there. I do love Church :)

Enjoy the new layout by the way. It has a lovely Japanese poem but I won't even try translating it because it just destroys the beauty and the raw emotion behind the words.

君は知っている

一人で泣く「さみしさ」を

同時に抱きしめてもらう

「ぬくもり」を

君は人に涙を見せたくないと言った

だけど君はどんなに強がろうと

君が「さみしく」て「ぬくもり」を

求めてることは言わずとも

伝わってくるよ僕も同じだったから

君が何を言おうと

次に君が涙するときは

絶対に横に居て抱きしめるから

Photo and words by きむ (Kimu)

I changed the layout because I thought the one before was just a bit too creepy for my liking.

今も空を恋しています

2008-07-25T00:38:00.000-07:00

My FAMILY

2008-07-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

Joyce

Jenny

Sam

Charles

Me (Tim)

Joyce is my sister
I am Jenny's uncle
Sam is Jenny's father

\and Charles is the overseas student. (LOL)

Welson, the remaining member is away on business ------------>>>>>>>>> ... or so we told Brian.

Vindicated

2008-07-12T00:50:00.000-07:00

Hope dangles on a string

Like slow spinning redemption

Winding in and winding out

The shine of it has caught my eye

And roped me in

So, mesmerizing,

and so hypnotizing, I am captivated,

I am

Vindicated

I am selfish

I am wrong

I am right

I swear I'm right

Swear I knew it all along

And I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well

I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself

So clear

Like the diamond in your ring

Cut to mirror your intention

Oversized and overwhelmed

The shine of which has caught my eye

And rendered me

So isolated,

and so motivated

I am certain now that I am

So turnup the corners of your lips

Part them and feel my finger tips

Trace the moment fall forever

Defense is paper thin

Just one touch and I'll be in

Too deep now to ever swim against the current

So let me slip away

So let me slip against the

Slight hope

dangles on a string

Like slow spinning redemption...

"Dunlop Volleys lob back into fashion" by Glynis Traill-Nash

2008-07-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

article taken from smh.com.au

Parents are breathing a sigh of relief as the classic Dunlop Volley canvas sports shoe makes a comeback against its more expensive competitors.
Gone are the expensive, high-tech, designer trainers that were the must-have shoe for teenagers only a few years ago. Making a return to the hippest feet is the humble Dunlop Volley.
Bolstered by teens wanting to be trendy at school, sales of the Volley, in all its white with blue-trim glory, increased by more than 50 per cent in the past financial year.
"It's all about kids wanting to wear the $30 shoes with the $400 jeans," said Andrew Savage, general manager of Dunlop Sports, Footwear. Part of the appeal, he said, was that the brand didn't advertise.
"That's been one of the keys to it. Once again it's that subculture thing, not something that's slapped in their face. It goes through the playgrounds, schools and pubs like wildfire."
The shoe, created in the 1930s, also appeals because of its retro style.
"What was old is now cool again," Mr Savage said. "A lot of kids go home wearing them and their parents are like, 'What are you doing in Volleys?"'
Seton Kidd, footwear business manager at Rebel Sport, said the shoes were also loved by "dads who can't get out of flat shoes" and labourers. Mr Kidd reported "consistent double-digit growth over the last few years" at Rebel Sport.
He said the shoes have "had a resurgence off the back of Chuck Taylors [Converse] coming back in".
"They've been around for so long, they're an Aussie icon, so they're cool."
"Parents have a connection with the brand and want their mini-me to wear them," Mr Savage said.
But for the driving force behind their renewed popularity, the 10- to 18-year-olds, it's all about what's cool at school.
Angus Killen, 13, from East Blaxland, owns three pairs of Volleys.
Angus wears a blue pair with laces to play cricket and footy and has a white and black pair and a brown pair of checkered loafers to wear out.

Pencilbook Review: Cheap Eats

2008-07-07T20:35:00.000-07:00

Tell me I'm not kidding. How can cheap uni student food be even labelled an 'eat'? But I have found the cafeteria that matches up (both quality, quantity and price) to that old underground Chinese foodcourt... was it under Little Bourke?... that got closed down. Union House cafeteria has anything and everything ranging from gelato to Viet noodles (run by Chinese), Donut King to lasagne. You name it, it's there. The atmosphere is friendly and down-to-earth and even if you go by yourself, the experience is still great.
A large plate of Chinese food for $5 seems like a dream when you compare it to the likes of restaurants in The Asian suburbs such as Glen Waverley and Box Hill. SO please, come if you appease, cheap food in the city only AT Melbourne University Parkville campus.

awesome Surge Camp 08 at Phillip Island Adventure Resort

2008-07-04T01:01:00.000-07:00

How many of you have ever been on a Christian youth camp? Well never in my life have I experienced anything like this. Sure, Fungus 06 camp was awesome but now that I've grown up, the understanding that comes with maturity has just volted all of a sudden.

During this camp God made me realise just how precious each individual life is. I look back at my current lifestyle, my personality and all and I realise just how much more I have to learn about Him and His plans for me. What horrified me was that when I prayed my words were short and dull, what happened to the passionate days of year 9 where streams of praise and worship would just flow from my mouth? I was ashamed but God got me through this. Then Satan attacked me with negative thoughts about just how insignificant I was but God won me over again; I am not another mere human being. I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and no-one is ever going to tell me that I am not unique because I am, because God said so.

I met so many new people, Derreck, Dot, Steven Fenby, Tim, Daniel... and each one of them had their own little characters and traits that made them so likeable. Thanks guys, without you I would have wandered around the campsite alone.

The teaching was great. We had a preacher from Queenslands, Artia, come down to talk and entertain us. Man, he was funny. The praise and worship were of course my favourite times. Everyone just got caught up so much in the music it didn't matter what others thought of you, everyone just jumped, raising their hands, lifting their voices; screaming till our voices went coarse.

It was raining the whole time but we all looked at it from a positive point of view. We're just hoping that the water did go into the dams.

We left Monday afternoon. The night session on Tuesday, Artie baptised whoever wished to be baptised in the Holy Spirit and God gave many of them (if not most) the gift of tongues.

On Wednesday I had a deep and meaningful talk with Daniel about the supernatural, mainly because I wanted to know whether the book I was reading, Wicked, was alright for me. Daniel is so wise, he told me that if I wasn't sure it was best not to do it just to be safe. Thank goodness, I really wasn't confident at the time that it was appropriate for a Christian like me.

Thursday night, last night, Derreck, Caleb, Dot and I were told off by Pash Patrol because we were sitting out along the lake at 12am . We weren't doing anything bad, we were talking. But it was funny to get up to the dining hall and have them tell everyone else that they found three guys and one girl talking dnm stuff.

Finally this morning we had the best praise session ever and everyone was still so hyped up from the previous night that we danced passionately in front of the stage. Crazy stuff.

And now even though we're not on camp anymore we'll still see everyone on Sunday. Most of us are Crossway kids (except Steven Fenby :]). I don't believe that it was merely coincidence that we were all at camp. I believe God put us there for a purpose, to teach us something about life, and about how to live it.

FREEEEEDom (MagicPencilBook feat HSM)

2008-06-14T22:25:00.000-07:00

Haha! How good does it feel to finish ALL exams for Unit 1. Yeah, aand the GAT! This burden has just slipped off my shoulders and it's pretty much relaxing for the rest of the term...

After the GAT on Friday we all went out to Box Hill, everyone 'cept Binny and I wanted to do Darkzone. Oh, by the way did you know that it was Friday the Thirteenth? Not that I'm superstitious or anything but Gloria Jeans clearly celebrated it because they hung skeletons and spiderwebs all over their counter. Something about the folklore of the HMS Friday. This is the story they printed on little tea-stained pieces of paper:

The reluctance of seamen to sail on a Friday
reached such epic proportions, that in the 1800s the British Government decided
to take strong measures to prove the fallacy of the superstition. They laid the
keel of a new vessel on Friday, selected her crew on a Friday, launched her on a
Friday and named her HMS Friday. They then placed her in command of one Captain
James Friday and sent her to sea for the first time on a Friday. The scheme
worked well, and had only one drawback ... neither ship nor crew was ever heard
from again.

and all the people behind the counter had powder-puffed their faces white and wore sailor costumes. Don't get me wrong, it was cute.

On Thursday I enrolled for Visual Communications and Design at Box Hill Institute to be done during school hours as a VCE subject. I'm an official tafe student now lol, I have the ID card and the diary and discount to Whitehorse Fitness Club! :)
It was a last-minute decision made in the heat of the moment which involved me calling them right after my GMA exam, calling mum to come with me to Box Hill Institute, grabbing some Japanese food with Ben, and then getting there. I was lucky because that day just so happened to be the final day to enrol.

And back to Friday I was on the way home sitting on the bus, listening to my iPod when it just froze. I pressed the menu and centre button down to restart the iPod like I do when it normally freezes and what happens: it makes this whirring and clicking sound and then THIS pops up!

thats it, now look what i have to do! I have to call up apple and get them to fix it! >=[

「聞こえますか」洋楽レビュー

2008-06-14T01:25:00.000-07:00

ジョン・マクラフリン

Jon McLaughlin

名前が聞いたことない。いつも驚く、新初歌手ですが。今回ジョン・マクラフリンは新しくありません。発見は「魔法にかけられて」というディズニー映画（平成１９年）で新曲「そばにいて (So Close)」を歌いました。２５歳マクラフリンはアメリカで育ち、小さいころからピアノを弾いたということ。声が甘くて、美しく。
　安上がりので初アルバム「Ｓｏｎｇｓ　Ｉ　Ｗｒｏｔｅ　ａｎｄ　Ｌａｔｅｒ　Ｒｅｃｏｒｄｅｄ　（書いたと後で録音した作曲）『平成１７年』」の入れている曲がだいぶピアノ・バラッド。歌のなかではギターとかドラムもなく、ピアノのなだめる響きとマクラフリンの”スクラッチ”音声しかありません。

１．Conversations 会話
２．Anthem for American Teenagers アメリカの若者へのアンセム
３．Spot in Line 例の先
４．The Whole World 世界の全部
５．Love 恋愛
６．One of Four　四つからの一つ
７．Places I Already Know　もう知ってる場所
８．A Song You Might Hear At a Wedding 結婚式で聞けるかもしれない曲

２００７年、五月に「インディアナ」は次に来ました。ビルボード・チャートで「インディアナ」は第８０ばんに達した。

１．Industry　インダストリー
２．Beautiful Disaster　美しい災難
３．Just Give It Time　ただ、時間をかけなさい
４．Already In　もう、脳内で
５．For You from Me　君へ、僕より
６．Human 人間
７．Indiana インディアナ
８．Anthem for American Teenagers　アメリカの若者へのアンセム
９．People　人々
１０．Amelia's Missing　アミーリアがいなくなちゃった
１１．Praying to the Wrong God　違う神様へ祈ってる
１２．Perfect　完璧な
１３．Until You Got Love　恋を持ってるまで

発売の後にマクラフリンは人々に知らせ始まりました。

ティムのすすめ

So Close (Enchanted)　そばにいて
Indiana　インディアナ
Industry　インダストリー
Human　人間
Blue Skies　青空
Amelia's Missing　アミーリアがいなくなちゃった
Proud Father　得意の父

新曲「ＢＥＡＴＩＮＧ　ＭＹ　ＨＥＡＲＴ」は６月３０日に発売されます。

Brand Review (NFTFH)

2008-06-14T00:36:00.000-07:00

BAPE. What is so awesome about Bape?

I might sound slightly pezzimistic when I say this but really, WHO cares about brands anymore? Brands have lost their appeal and I'm NOT saying this purely because I am an ordinary little middle-class citizen who cannot afford to dish out some schweet moolah for a little plain-white-T with a little picture of a little ape on it...

Well, it's nice to look anyway at what I'm missing out on, yes, all thanks to the people who actually care.

Released on June 7th. New NFS Baby Milo x Spongebob tees. Different to previous versions where Spongebob and friends are drawn in the Baby Milo style. (below)

Third round tees. Released 28th of April. Lol, and the tote bags cost $180.

Are you drooling yet?

Yum Cha with the Enemy

2008-06-01T00:27:00.000-07:00

How many of you guys remember Isaac Wong. That little terror that bullied me to tears in grade 5? So our history goes back years earlier to our mums. My mum and his mum were college friends both studying Physiotherapy at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. They both married, migrated here and set up life and family.

We didn't stay in much contact until I was in year 4 when his parents saw how smart and cute I had become and thought it was the school that did it. lol. So they sent Isaac to St. Andrews. That was just the start.

That little twat ruined my primary school life. Because his parents were busy every morning they would drop him off at our house and he would follow us to school. He would always come early so he would observe me getting ready to go to school, eating breakfast, packing bags... and he would make fun of me. Once I forgot my sport uniform and he composed a song improv. about it causing me to cry. What a little meanie. In school he wasn't popular but he didn't really care. He would continue to cause emotional stress and chaos. Eventually it got too far and I told mum. In turn she told the principal which lead to an intervention order between the two of us.

didn't work

He continued to insult and torment me until the principal led us aside one day to an empty room and told us to stop being so childish, that no-one was a loser and that we should cool off each other for awhile. This led to our families being separated because mum suggested to Isaac's mum that maybe we shouldn't see each other for awhile.

He left in the middle of year 9. By this time our relationship was neutral, he had found fresh meat (Chris Mar) *cough cough*.

Just yesterday mum announced that we would be having Yum Cha today with their family to celebrate the dad's 50th. I didn't want to go. Joyce said she had prior arrangements. Charles wouldn't go if I didn't go. Well, I know mum would pound me for it later if I didn't so I did.

He's grown, 180 now, Ha! and Mr. Prout said he would never get taller than 175.

Well conversation was awkward at first. What do you talk about with someone who's been your childhood bully? It was the usual ritual of catch-up. you know, the "what subjects are you doing now" questions, then follows the comments like "ah, you're doing all the asian subjects" -_-. (<---lol, a mole)

But we got into the conversation, he's changed but he doesn't seem very happy. Apparently he doesn't have many friends at school. At least our conversation was decent and civilised, good to know we've grown up.

25/5

2008-05-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

What was that mysterious gash on the side of his face? It's Sunday and today we were late to church due to the following factors:
- my parents headed into Sydney to celebrate their wedding anniversary so we don't have a chaffeur.
- alarms worked but we set them so early it was a matter of slam-and-sleep clocking methods.
- woke up late.
SO we walked up arriving 15 minutes late. I've been sick over the past week so the walk didn't do me much good. I kept on coughing out phlegm (or other people call it mucus) from the back of my throat and I had to look around furtively to check whether anyone was watching and then I'd spit it into the grass.
We arrived at church and there wasn't a single set of triple seats for Joyce, Charles and I so we sat at the very front which ended up being quite enlightening. There was this guy from Afghanistan talking about mission work and stuff and it was so very interesting, trust me, i could tell... but I kind of dozed off, at the front row.

After church Sam's mum offered to take us out to lunch and then home but Joyce needed to study so it was just Charles and I. We went to sushisushi, she suggested it, I think because she thought I was missing Japanese food. Well sushisushi is run by Chinese and really, crispy chicken sushi is hardly 'authentic Japanese cuisine'. I couldn't complain, the food was good. gyuu-teriyaki bento. I think in Japanese they just call it teriyaki bento, I've never heard of chicken-teriyaki before. We finished the meal which she so graciously paid for and were walking to the atm so she could withdraw money when Charles spotted one of the Koreans from our school...
He had this gash on the side of his face (cheek), or rather a big cut and there was blood splurging out. We asked him what happened but he avoided the question. I reckon he got involved in some Korean-mafia type slashing attack because he stole drugs from the boss and just escaped with his life. Actually he told us it was a scratch but that was rediculous, I know the difference between a scratch on the face and when someone has gouged a line into your cheek. I'm suspicious but heck, who knows.

Age Careers Expo

2008-04-12T01:34:00.000-07:00

Magic Pencilbookfeaturing Hilary Duff

What a great exhibition! I got there at 11:30 and I thought it was going to be really empty because everyone would be at school but as soon as I walked through the gates I was overwhelmed with the number of kids in school uniform just walking around.

I went to the YFU stall and introduced myself to the people there whom I had never met before. There was Julian, a German guy working to promote YFU and two girls who were in Melbourne as exchange students. One from Brazil, the other from Belgium (sorry, forgot you guys' names), haha, you should've seen the school boys trying to pick up the Brazilian girl, it was really naeuseating.

Apart from that I really enjoyed it. I had never really known what I wanted to do after school and then I encoutered two really big passions I realised I had. International relations/ communication and design. There's an international college in Japan and they had a stall up on second level, um 'Renzeikan'?? can't remember and then Grenadi School of Design, this super selective school, or at least that's its image but it gives me some kind of push and as soon as the guy finished talking to me about it I knew that That was the school I wanted to aim for. Not Melbourne U, or Monash, RMIT, Swinburne, nup, none of that. Grenadi School of Design's for me!

Alright then, well I'd better start working on compiling a more recent portfolio. *rolls up sleeves*

I finished at 5 and got to Glen at 6:15. I was already running late for youth group but I needed dinner so I went over to Hungry Jacks and grabbed a Whopper, made some phone calls while munching and met up with Vicky back at the station. My bag weighed a tonne from all the advertising material I had in my bag from the expo so I requested to catch the 889 bus instead of having to walk. Well, we got to Crossway late but it was alright, I did get some strange stares from people, probably 'caus I was wearing a shirt to youth group and carrying a bag that looked like it weighed a tonne but it was all good. So I got a new layout, because it looked to much like Joyce's and I felt like doing something artistic anyway so enjoy the new banner, made by me.

We got home and switched on the news. Creepy what I saw next: "Army recruiting staff had to intervene in a fight in which two school students were stabbed and another assaulted at a careers expo today." Yeah, and that was like right outside and I didn't hear anything about it.

忘れちゃってて．．．ごめん

2008-04-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

まさか、もしかして忘れてしまってるかもしれん。昨日寝中にまた日本にいた夢を見た。観光会社と一緒に来た田舎の霧降り山の草の上に遊んでいた。平和な場所だった。

遠いから音が聞こえた私はもやで歩いて遠方にサッカー試合が行ってたのが見れた。

「ちょっと待って」と思った私、「あいつは健太郎じゃない？」『白石高校の同級生』。近づいてであのチームは本当に白石高校であることに気づいた。彼らに手を振ったんだけど誰もが見なかったそうだった。悲しくゆっくりと皆がいた所に戻した。独りで座った私はすぐ３人の長髪があり男たちの姿が見えた。

「おい、ティム！」とあの男たちの中から一人が言って、あ！森田くんだ！と気づいた、だって長い髪形を着ていた。

私が笑いながら先と言った「もしかしてあの髪型は日本の男子の新流行かろ？？」で仲間からの二人、中村くんと江口くんへあいさつをした。

やっぱりへんな夢

すぐ後起きて、あの人々のことを長い時に思い出さなかったことに気づいた。こわい、一年間と過ごしたこの人々のことを僕の記憶から消えている。でも気づいちゃったのはこの人々といなくなったと寂しくならんだった。このへんな気持ちは留学生には普通ですか？

How could I forget

2008-04-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

Misty Grass

by carlylecastle

How could I forget? Last night I had a dream that I was back in Japan for a honeymoon trip. We had joined a tour group and we were running around on a misty green hill, far from civilisation. It was all very serene and you could feel the peace.

In the distance I hear some cheers so I ventured through the fog and in the distance I saw a soccer game between two high schools. "Hang on a second," I thought to myself, "is that Kentaro?" (one of my classmates). I walk further and realise that it is indeed Shiroishi High versing some other school. I'm now close enough for them to see me as well and I wave. No one seems to have noticed me so disheartened, I make my way back up along the hill to my tour group. I sit down by myself when three guys with super long hair approach me.

"Oi, Tim." One of them says and I can't believe my eyes, it's Takatoshi with super long hair!

I smile and laugh, "Is that the new style in Japan now huh?" as I greet the other two guys Taishi and Junki (who has grown tall).

Bizzare dream -.-

But I woke up just after this realising that I had not thought of these guys for ages. It was scary, to think that these people, who I spent a year with were fading from my memory. I guess you could say like sand through unsteady fingers. On the other hand I realise that I don't really miss them either, is this normal for an exchange student?

And don't forget that The Age Careers Expo is on tomorrow till Sunday at Caulfield Racecourse.

education.theage.com.au

Happy Days 9/4/08 あの楽しい日々を記憶から消えない

2008-04-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

理由

2008-04-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

どうしてこのブログを作ったの？このブログ僕のプロジェクト。うちの日本語能力を守りたいので最初に英語で入力して、で同じことを日本語にやく。

平成２０年、４月９日、水曜

2008-04-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

「へ？都市で？！」
ローレンは「都市でＰＩＣＮＩＣしよう！」って、びっくりしたの俺はそうと思った。みんなは都市ってへの気持ちはいったいなんなんだろう？俺にとってメルボルン市はっすごい疲れさせるし、つまらないなと思ってるんだが。最近の月曜日にもフィルとクリスともう行ったんだ。だから今回またうちの仲間とここにいてのは面白いだねって。この仲間の中には７人がいた。俺、フィル、ローレン、リリー、アダム、ビックタと遅れたクリス。
誰もいないＳＩＤＮＥＹ　ＭＹＥＲ　ＭＵＳＩＣ　ＢＯＷＬでＰＩＣＮＩＣした。後でステージの上に馬鹿のように走り回った。しかもサラリーマン達の昼休みにステージの前に集まって、僕たちの発表を見ました、恥ずかしかった　＾＿＿＿＾；；んでアダムはリリーとローレンの靴を盗み逃げた。
ビックタはずーっと寝ていた。
クリスのお母さんへ誕生日おめでとう！今日彼の母さんの誕生日昼ご飯のためにクリスは遅れて来た。ＰＩＣＮＩＣはもう終わったからＳＯＵＴＨＧＡＴＥのＴＲＡＭＰＯＬＩＮＥで彼に待ってた。みんなは１時に帰ったけど俺とフィルとクリスを都市で残して、ビックタの送別プレゼントを探した。最終的に彼は何が好きか分からんあったからＦＯＯＤＣＯＵＲＴで座って、しゃべりした。終わった時にもう５時になちゃってＦＬＩＮＤＥＲＳＳＴＲＥＥＴ駅に着いたら都市で働く皆は帰っていた。駅では人がいっぱそうから帰るのかわりに母の大学に行った。うちの父さんは今夜シドニーから帰るから今メルボルン大学で待ってて、このブログを入力してる。

and just on another note

2008-04-09T03:46:00.000-07:00

Why am I typing this blog? It's an experiment by me, see how well I can cope with translating all my thoughts into Japanese which is why I will do my best to provide a Japanese version of each entry.

Wednesday 9th of April, 2008

2008-04-09T02:29:00.000-07:00

AFRO STAR by Hibiki-tris

City, city CITY?!

... and that was my reaction when I got told by Lauren last night that we'd be having a picnic... in the city. Does anyone else find the city quite draining and boring. I went just on Monday with Phil and Chris so it's quite funny that I should find myself here again with the gang which includes: me, Phil, Chris, Lauren, Lilly, Adam and guess who, Victor.
We had our 'picnic' at an empty Sidney Myer Music Bowl and played the idiots on stage running around like complete lunatics fresh out of the mental institution. During the corporate lunchbreak we even had a bit of an audience watching Lauren and Lilly exchanged wedding vows several times, sing opera and recreate Step Up 2... and then there was this big chase where Adam took both Lauren and Lilly's thongs and ran off onto the lawn where the sprinklers were on. As for Victor, he slept the whole way through.
Happy birthday to Chris's mum, Chris came late today 'caus he went to shark fin to celebrate his mum's birthday. We waited for him at Trampoline, Southgate and got gelato in the process.
We eventually went home one by one, Phil, Chris and I staying in the city, trying to find a farewell present for Victor because he's leaving to Somewhere, we couldn't find anything so we sat down and talked at a shopping arcade I've never been to called Galleria. By the time we finished up it was already 5 so we made our way to Flinders only to get swept up in the wave of stinky, fat businesspeople filing through the ticket barriers. I said, "Stuff this." and went to Melbourne Uni to meet up with mum instead of going home. Dad's coming home from Sydney tonight so I'm typing this on the uni computer while we wait to go pick him up from Tulla. I admit not much of a blog post. I'll post some photos up tomorrow when I'm back at home.

who's up for a 100 buck musical at Regent?? I am!

Welcome ようこそ

2008-04-09T01:04:00.000-07:00

Magic Pencilbook
majikku enpitsuhon

マジック鉛筆本

Welcome to the Wonderful World of the Magic Pencilbook (WWMP). Founded by your's truly, be transported to this magical place of contemporary design and ponderings.

マジック鉛筆本のワンダフル・世界[ W W M P ]へようこそ。私に作られた、このマジカルなデザインや感想であるブログを読んでいただけませんか。

This could be the start of something new;

旅立ちの日