I PASSED!

Oh my goodness, I actually passed IELTS!

I cannot describe the happiness and, most of all, the relief I'm feeling right now. I mean, I was actually expecting to resit the exam because of my lackluster performance, particularly in Speaking.

I'm quite proud of my results, especially the perfect score for Reading! Not so much for Writing, though. Oh well, I've never been great shakes at writing in the first place. Anyway, what matters is that I've got enough for my degree!

Until next time, goodbye!

Bon Voyage

Hi hello hey! Greetings from Sri Lanka!

[This is quite an over-due post. In fact, I typed it out during my first few hours in Sri Lanka but I wasn't able to publish it because I don't have an Internet connection. Yes, pity me.]

I love flying by myself! The journey from Sydney-Singapore-Colombo was both tedious and fun, which I'm sure any solo traveler can empathize with. This is admittedly random, but my favourite part of the journey is when the plane starts accelerating for takeoff and the exact moment when the wheels leave the ground.

Any time is camwhore time. Even if it's in a lavatory, thousands of feet above ground.

I spent most of my time watching Krissworld, instead listening to Cabin Pressure as originally planned. I watched 4 movies, out of which only 3 I could actually finish watching.

1. Hotaru the Movie: It's only a little light in my life

Hotaru no Hikari is one of my favourite Japanese shows. But I will recommend this movie only to fans of the TV series.

2. Runway Cop

The plot was mediocre but these guys made it totally worth it.

Lee Soo-hyuk

Kim Young-kwang

I would like to ask them whether it hurts to be that good-looking.

3. Himitsu no Akko-chan

Another Ayase Haruka movie! I've noticed that she's great at portraying quirky characters. It also helps that she's downright gorgeous! The movie is sweet and has an interesting concept.

4. The Grand Heist

I couldn't finish watching this because a few minutes into the movie, I was overcome by a wave of drowsiness. It looked interesting so I'm going to download it soon.

After I landed in Changi airport, I badly wanted to use the toilet so I rushed in search of one. In case you're craving for more unglam pictures of me the toilet....

Then, I wandered around the Duty Free area a bit. I didn't buy anything, though. Except a can of Pepsi, which is rather sad.

The flight to Colombo was pretty empty, a reflection of how popular my country is. I didn't mind; more space for me to stretch out and sleep!

Props to the chefs who prepare the in-flight meals. They were delicious! I always fly on Singapore Airlines because of their great meals and hospitality.

So now I'm finally back in Sri Lanka but I've unfortunately caught the cold. I wanted to completely stuff myself with the food I've been missing but here I am, with zero appetite and a pounding headache  Tough luck, huh? I hope that I can get better soon so I can fully enjoy my brief stay here. 

Here's a wee little squirrel. Goodbye!

Woe is me

I just got back from my IELTS exam and I honestly think that I sod up my Writing and Speaking tests. Hence, I'm feeling a little down in the dumps.

During the 2 hour wait for the Speaking interview to start, I tried to calm myself by reading Crime and Punishment (didn't work) and listening to Cabin Pressure (made me giggle like a buffoon in the lounge). During the course of the interview, I stuttered and and was often lost for words. Half the time, I was trying to make up stuff to say because a) the topics were mundane and b) nothing noteworthy ever happens in my life.

The examiner had a fake smile on the entire time which I found a bit disconcerting. I suppose you can't blame the old bird. If I were her, I'd want to stick a pencil into my forehead, just to rid myself of the monotony. But hey, that's just me.

On a lighter note, I finally got my prescription glasses - Ray Ban frames and Nikon lenses. The lenses were pretty expensive and they make me feel like I have two camera lenses on my face. The weight of the high-prescription lenses cause it keep sliding down my nose. Hopefully, I can get it adjusted accordingly soon.

I included the following picture because it cracked me up. You have be warned.

Enough hogging the camera A! Now here's a close-up the frames. It's a pair of Wayfarers with a dark blue gradient (ombre?)

Next week, on the 24th, I'll be heading back to Sri Lanka for a 2 month long holiday. The past 6 months have already been like a really, really long holiday but I guess I was too busy to enjoy. University, visa, IELTS and all that jazz.

I'm going to go watch The Legend of Korra now. Bye!

But shit, it was 99 cents!

Yesterday, I headed over to Doonside to pickup my latest purchase, or rather, bargain. It was a collection of 16 books aptly named The Greatest Masterpieces of Russian Literature.

I had won it at an eBay auction for 99 cents. Oh you read that right. 99 cents. Hence, the post title's Macklemore reference.

My mother and I felt pretty terrible about simply waltzing away with such a beautiful collection so we decided to gift the now-previous owner a nice bottle of wine.

Sure, the books may not be in mint condition but it's what's on the pages that matter. What's more, the books have wonderful illustrations!

Can you say gorgeous? In fact, while I was reading Crime and Punishment, I often stop and look at the book's cover and spine.

There's an ornate gold baroque design on the pastedown. All the more to distract me from reading.

While I'm on the topic of books, I recently discovered a site called AwesomeBooks. They sell both used and new books for quite cheap prices. The books I've bought so far are used copies and cost me $3.99 each, free shipping included! It took about 10-14 days to receive the order.

It's suffice to say that I'll definitely be purchasing more books from AwesomeBooks rather than paying exorbitant sums at bookstores and flea markets. In fact, whenever I visit a bookstore now, I simply take a picture of the book I'm interested in and I look it up on their site. More often than not, I find that the book is available for a fraction of a fraction of the price!

If you're a lover of used books like me, then I definitely recommend AwesomeBooks.

PS: My IELTS exams are on the day after tomorrow - 19th January 2013. The days just flew by so quick, didn't they? I'm think I'm prepared and yet, not prepared...if I may offer you a riddle. Alright alright, enough The Ladykillers references. Auf wiedersehen!

Here's a particularly chilling excerpt from 'The Girl Who Played with Fire' by Stieg Larrson. For best results, try reading it at 3am, like I did.

[Chapter 7; page 119]

" The blond giant frowned in irritation as he manoeuvred the car at ten miles an hour along a forest road in such bad repair that for a while he thought he must have taken a wrong turn. It was just beginning to get dark when the road finally widened and he caught sight of the cabin. He stopped, turned off the engine, and took a look around. He had about fifty yards to go.

He was in the region of Stallarholmen, not far from the town of Mariefred. It was a simple '50s cabin in the middle of the woods. Through a line of trees he could see a strip of ice on Lake Mälaren.

He could not imagine why anyone would want to spend their free time in such an isolated place. He felt suddenly uncomfortable when he shut the car door behind him. The forest seemed threatening, as if it were closing in around him. He sensed that he was being watched. He started towards the cabin, but he heard a rustling that made him stop short.

He stared into the woods. It was dusk, silent with no wind. He stood there for two minutes with his nerves on full alert before, seeing it out of the corner of his eye, he realized that a figure was silently, slowly moving in the trees. When his eyes focused, he saw that the figure was standing perfectly still about thirty yards into the forest, staring at him.

He felt a vague panic. He tried to make out details. He saw a dark, bony face. It appeared to be a dwarf, no more than half his own size, and dressed in something that looked like a tunic of pine branches and moss. A forest troll? A leprechaun?

He held his breath. He felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck.

Then he blinked six times and shook his head. When he looked again the creature had moved about ten yards to the right. There was nobody there. He knew that he was imagining things. And yet he could so clearly make out the figure in the trees. Suddenly it moved and came closer. It seemed to be lurching in a semicircle to get into a position to attack him.

The blond giant hurried to the cabin. He knocked a little too hard on the door. As soon as he heard voices within, his panic subsided. He looked over his shoulder. There was nothing there.

But he did not breathe out until the door opened. Bjurman greeted him courteously and invited him in. "

IELTS 4

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Face-to-face communication is better than other types of communication, such as letters, email, or telephone calls. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Humans have changed through thousands of years of evolution. But there's one aspect that has consistently stayed with us - our need to communicate. In the modern age we now live in, a vast array of communication methods are available to us. These methods can be sub-divided into direct communication (face-to-face) and indirect communication (letters, telephone calls etc.).

When considering face-to-face communication, I believe it's advantages are highlighted best when it comes to dealing with important issues that require immediate feedback such as when interviewing a prospective employee. In such situations, using this type of communication will allow you to observe body language of either party as well. On the other hand, it may sometimes prove difficult to arrange such meeting for face-to-face communication. For example, an unsatisfied customer will find it hard to complain, face-to-face, to an employee of an overseas company.

When face-to-face communication proves to be difficult or impossible, this is when usage of other forms of indirect communication come into play. Letters and emails, in particular, are advantageous because they save both the sender and receiver a lot a time. Also, you can organize your ideas in a fitting manner ensuring a concise transfer of information. For instance, it is much less money and time-consuming to inquire about the availability of an item in an online store using email rather than  meeting directly with a customer service representative. However, we cannot expect an immediate response nor observe mannerisms.

Therefore, in conclusion, I believe that both types of communication prove to be useful in certain situations. But, it is my personal preference to use non-face-to-face communication because it allows me to think carefully about what I wish to convey.

Number of words: 282

Personal comments: I have to say, I'm quite happy with this attempt! I've not gone past the word limit of 250 words too much. But I worry I take up too much time over one Task.

PS: I love love LOVE 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' by Stieg Larsson. I can't wait to get started on the rest of the Millennium books!