Thao: AKA Thao the Cow. I was born in Saigon, Vietnam and I currently live in Sydney, Australia. A financially challenged uni student, I'm studying the BA Communication (Journalism)/LLB @ University of Technology. I'm learning through life and just like everybody, I aspire to one day be a somebody.
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PS: The site is best viewed with Mozilla Firefox. The main image is courtesy of Tuan. My appreciation goes to Tuan for hosting me all these years and putting up with my bullshit hiatuses.
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people have procastinated.
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PS: The site is best viewed with Mozilla Firefox. The main image is courtesy of Tuan. My appreciation goes to Tuan for hosting me all these years and putting up with my bullshit hiatuses.
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October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007
There's No "O" for optional in R.S.V.P.
Monday, November 27, 2006
The bitch-issue of the R.S.V.P. came up throughout the organising. I don't know what other people think, but the last time I checked, there was no "O" for optional in an RSVP. Most people have been fabulous and confirmed with me about their presence or non-presence and I love them for it. There is only probably the 5% that make up for my aggravation. I understand how life is busy and hectic and very stressing for most people but where has common decency gone these days?
From my point of view, when I receive an invitation from someone, I would feel flattered and honoured. I would also find out as soon as possible whether I can make it and "respondez" in the spirit of the whole RSVP tango so the host can get an idea of how many mouths need feeding and how many livers need weeding. Even if you can't make it, at least be polite and reply promptly with your thanks but no-thanks "nay" to the partay. But what shits me are the people who know they aren't gonna be able to make it yet don't bother telling me and then I have to chase them down for a confirmation of their non-presence.
This is an issue that came up not only recently through my own personal experience but from observations of other party hosts who've had to deal with people that don't have the courtesy to reply or what's worse, reply that they'll come and then dog it without a word. WHAT THE FUCK?? Where has our etiquette gone?? Yes, everyone's a fucken buzzing bee. But to me, it's not that hard. Sometimes these things slip people's minds - and perhaps sometimes you receive an invite which you don't really wanna attend. It happens. Regardless, I think it's really not cool because it's so easy to make a note of it somewhere or to just reply on the spot if you know whether you're up for it or not. And generally "maybe" doesn't really count because it's like you're waiting for a better offer to come along.
In the end, it all bottles down to what's common sense. The earlier people respond, the easier it is for a host to gauge what numbers will be like so they know how big of a room to get, how much boooooze to cap on and how much food to order. And of course, it gives them time to gear up in case no-one rocks up and they can expect the worst.
I blame it on karma. Although I love him and everything, Kit is one of those "Non-Respondez culprits" that I talk of and the fact that I'm combining with him makes me a victim of his own shitty karma as well. Yes, I'm dating my own pet-hate. However, he's been shaping up on the etiquette treadmill. It's been a great workout and I think he'll get there eventually.
I have found respect for the Public Relationers because all the organising has left me pretty annoyed and stressed. These things about RSVPing have never been so real and BIG to me until now. And it doesn't help that the party's gonna be in December - one of the busiest months of the year where nobody wants your business cos they're too busy. And because everyone's gone on holidays. I think I've had like a chunk of my friends not being able to make it because they're going overseas *cries* That was a bit of a let down, especially since it's my first formal party and all.
Anyway, I've got one more exam to go and then I'm free from the crazy chains that have kept me insanely bitter, sad and bitchy; snapping at everything for the past few weeks or so. Despite being offered a heavenly 10 days since my last exam to study for this upcoming one, I've managed to waste probably 80% of that time on Sex and the City, baking, sleeping, shopping and onlining. It doesn't really matter whether you have two days or 10 because you end up procastinating it all away so in the end, you're no better off. In fact, I might have even crammed harder during those exam periods where I had two exams in the one day.
Thao ranted at 6:58 AM | 24 Tippers » Tip a cow
Joshua
Friday, November 10, 2006
My Mum asked her, "Why is that?"
"Because he died, he won't be back anymore," the little kid replied promptly and innocently.
Suddenly, she felt incredibly shocked and horrified.
She told me it was because despite her knowing that Joshua had cancer, she never thought things would really end. Even though he had no hair, he still stood out from the rest by being active, happy and extremely smart. She loved him for his love for school despite being extremely sick and she loved him for his spirit because he never let his cancer take over his life. Even though my Mum was told by the other teachers to "be lenient on him because he's only got a short time left", he never needed it from anyone. He wanted to turn up everyday to be with the other kindies and to learn because he "loved school" - up until the very end.
My Mum said she felt shocked because she always thought his attitude in class meant that he could fight anything and she never thought the doctors would be right. She talked to him about things that mattered and held his hand when he needed help tracing words. And now he's gone.
It's fucked up when a life so young is lost. I burst out in tears when she told me. I think she had been crying too. Maybe it's because I tutor little Year 1's just like Joshua and I really love my kids even though I only see them once a week. I have one kid who has an itching skin condition. When I found out from my Mum that he got bullied at school and that he used to wander the playground without many friends, I felt angry and hurt. Maybe I'm just a little kid inside.
On the bright side, Kit and I won the Best Online Journalism Project at this year's UTS Journalism awards. I also came runner's up for the Best 2nd Year Undergraduate Reporter. Last year's runner's up beat me this year :)
Thao ranted at 9:55 PM | 28 Tippers » Tip a cow
P-p-procrastination
Thursday, November 02, 2006
This video was from the Masquerade party. Jennifer, the birthday girl, got her piece of cake personally delivered by Jay ;) And being the kind, sweet caring girl that she is, Jennifer fed him her piece as well. Sharing is caring.
And this was from the other night at Julz's party. Let the good times roll! They're just too adorable!
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This is fucken crazy. I've got an exam on Thursday and here I am, feeling wide awake at 6AM in the morning because I've stayed up all night re-watching Sex and the City dvds, chomping on my Mum's oh-so-awesome-leftover pho from dinner. I mean, if I was actually up all this time studying or at least thinking about my exams then I wouldn't be so crazy. But I am literally crazy. I am sick, heavily medicated and fucken crazy.
So how was my weekend? Despite feeling quite run-down with the flu and feeling quite low after a 9AM-7:30PM day of work, I still made a presence at Juliaaaanna's 21st birthday the other night. I was a cake...except my candles decided to be lazy and didn't wanna stand up. So they humped the icing and I looked like a melting cake instead. I even wore white pants to look like icing. I haven't worn a pair of white pants since those year 9 days. The birthday girl was too cute as Minnie Mouse, especially when one of her ears fell off LOL The theme was your inner child and I wondered what disturbing childhoods some people had, like the guy turning up as Hannibal Lecter.
Kit as the Devil in disguise, Julz Minnie Mouse & Me the cake
I saw some old faces I haven't seen in awhile. Like Justin in THAT mask. I recognised him straight away despite him being completely disguised in all black gear and that scary face; standing there, mouth gaping wide open. And now Kit and him have hit it off and discovered that they're actually long-lost twins.
Hahaha I think Justin is just TOO cute!
I saw the opening and told him to go for it.
I also saw Manda. I haven't seen her since that brief encounter on George St sometime last year; before that, the good old SGHS corridors. She was even more gorgeous than I remembered. Especially as Red Riding Hood...in those smooth smooth knee-high stockings. We all know how sexc knee-high anythings are! She even had a little basket with red cloth and I secretly hoped that she had hidden some baked goodies under it. Alas, it was only an ingenius prop for keeping purses and the like.
Kit, me, Justin & Mandamoo
And of course, there was the sweet G&G - Georgina and Garry. I was so impressed with their costumes. There's always something special about hand-made stuff.
Gigi as Snow White & Batman Garry
There's more over on my flickr.
What's even more time consuming in these pressing uni moments? Another new social networking site. Facebook.com. Apparently it's the newest thing to hit Australia, cos "America's had it ages ago," say know-it-all ex-American exchange students. Which reminds me, I wanna go on exchange dammit.
"You gotta join Thao. Everyone's on it," says my trend-setting lass Melody. And so I did. And now I'm hooked. Myspace can go to hell. Facebook is where it's at, baby. I mean, I even found long-lost primary school friends there...it's pretty amazing for a constantly nostalgic soul like me. So join - you might find old lovers and rejoin old ties. I mean, when you're "bumping" into each other online on a social-networking site, it's definitely A-OK to be all friendly chitchatty even if you haven't said a word for the last decade or so.
The birds are singing to me outside. I dunno how early birds around the rest of Sydney wake up, but here where I live, they're up from about 4AM in the morning. I think they're just as fucken crazy as me.
Thao ranted at 3:57 AM | 19 Tippers » Tip a cow