Swot vac - I'm still alive.

Hi, the last day of swot vac. Thank God, I'm still alive.

To sum it up,

1. The BSL fighting group
I totally forgot who came up with this idea to create a FB group. All of us should really thank the founder of BSL fighting group. I felt really thankful and blessed to be in one of the members. Those girls and boys in the study group have eventually made 'studies' easier (by a weeee bit). Oh, why is it named as BSL fighting group? Cos our group is rooted to Biological Science Library - the 24 hours study space.

The funniest thing was we are now friends with the old security guard. Remember there is this thin old man who is always punctual, checking our Student ID at 8pm, scolding us for being toooo noisy and also, waking us up if we fall asleep? Yes, that's our new friend! In fact, he is quite friendly.

BSL is the newest library in UQ and everyone likes to study there for its new environment. So I reckon that is one of the reasons why we named the group as BSL fighting group. Not only on studies, but fighting on the group room reservation. Early bird owns the room! Thank God we managed to have a room for at least 6 hours every day during swot vac. And we are seriously in love with Group Room 6 in level 3.

2. Coffee
I can't emphasis enough HOW MUCH I HATE COFFEE now. But I need the caffeine. *sob. All of us have been drinking at least 3 cups of coffee since last friday. Nah, we got them for free! As there is this coffee machine at the side kitchen of International House (one of my friends lives there), and we help ourselves!

Now is the caffeine resistance that worries me a lot, perhaps my body cells have this resistance to fight against caffeine, even three shots of espresso do not work on me! Then the night before this I tried MOTHER and it tastes seriously bad - just like the 'dettol'. I had a few sips and started feeling dizzy so I guess I should really stop drinking caffeine now.

Noted I'm not addicted to coffee, but sick of it.

3. FOOD
All the food lovers gather in the study group! Our new love is the chocolate MARS PODS muahaha. In contrast, we ate a lot of fresh cucumber slices. Yes, at least we can claim that we reached that healthiness equilibrium.

4. Sleep
5 hours sleep is enough for us, but after two days of having only 5 hours sleep, all of us were just like zombie. So on Tuesday, all of us decided to have a really good sleep so that our 'battery' get recharged! That night... I went to bed at 8.30pm and woke up around 5am. FELT SUPER DUPER SHUANG LAH. but too much sleep made me tired again.

what the heck is all of these hormones doing inside our body?

anyways, it comes to an end and it's time to get involved in that WAR!
In 7 days time, I'll be free free freeeeee oh yeahhhh.

Good luck lah guys! All the best.

Sum up the mid semester break.

Ohno. It's almost mid october!

So today is Queensland Labour Day (nothing to do with me, am just happy about that as it gives the uni students one more extra holidays) and I decided to update my blog.  The last post was on the 16th September! Not only dealing with studies and gatherings (opps food), I was busy packing up and moving in a new house! (tadaaa)

What I've done during the mid semester break:
1. Cleaning cleaning cleaning unpacking unpacking unpacking

2. Visited Ikea for several times - spent 3-4 hours each time (sick of it already)

3. Went for the Smurf 2 movie with my two youngest siblings! - There was this funny incident and my sister claimed that I embarrassed her. Before the movie actually started, I told them, 'don't disturb me later ah, jie jie gotta sleep. you guys enjoy'. However, I was the one laughing like mad in the theatre. My brother eventually asked me to keep quiet because my laughter was way too loud and the woman sitting in front of me turned over and stared at me. Oh well, I highly recommended Smurf 2. =P

4.  Baking - the matcha cheesecake

5. Gatherings - Dinner and steamboat!

6. Went to surfers paradise! Finallyyyy. Believe it or not, it was my first time there! and my first time eating two scoops of gelato on waffle cone!

Sunnies, Tiger, Gelato!

Now everything has been settled, really appreciate that my parents actually flew to Brisbane to help us. They knew my sister and I can't handle this properly. (Yes, dad assembled some furnitures and changed the door handle - but failed; and the super mom did all the laundry, cleaning and unpacking!) Not to forget about the awesome friends who spent their afternoon in assembling furnitures! A million thanks ya!

What's up next? STUDIES, definitely.  Exams is in three weeks time and I AM SERIOUSLY NOT PREPARED YET. I should really go to every lecture/listen to lecture recordings if I miss one next sem.(I hope I can do that hey) Exams on the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th Nov - I finish in the first week of the exams period. I wonder is that a good thing.

With God, we can! 

Insta-talk #2

The third day of uni: it wasn't my day to be honest. okay let's forget about it.

This is the second insta-talk! I've not been writing about my Instagram for ages, the first edition was in July 2012: click this.

So what's the insta-talk on my blog? Basically I just post all the instagram photos that I've posted throughout the month, haha I'm just so in love with instagram.  I think I should keep this up every month, as it's the best way to summarise the month I reckon.

The story started... on the day I touched down in Brisbane after that long summer holidays in SI.

I woke up to this; unpacking stuffs, tidying up my room!

 And starvation. The only food that I could find in my boxes.

Madura Green Tea and the Marie Biscuits.

 Then, online shopping with friends. 

Such a brilliant way to shop right! You see detailsssss.

Boredom. That hot summer night in Brisbane. 

Yes I dyed my hair in red but now the colour faded :(

 Finally done my groceries shopping and yayy for my yummy breakfast! 

 Plus a sunny day for laundry on A sunday morning. Praise the Lord.

 Hotpot for dinner, as a reward for ourselves after washing our cars. (we spent two and a half hours on it) geez.

 TADAAA, finally our Topshop has arrived!

My biker Jacket, my wardrobe is ready for winter.

 Miss them lots and lots, our friendship never end; 

letters & words are best to deliver and express our feelings!

(Yeaa, sometimes I write crap and handwritings getting uglier at the end)

owhh, of course, our dinner date every night for two weeks!

followed by the movie sessions.

Then, my family came for Chinese New Year because both my sister and I weren't in SI for CNY.

We stayed in the hotel, and...

Lots of fun!

 Yes, monkey. or koala on a tree.

 My parents woke me up at 6.30am in the morning for this.

Breakfast @Kitchen at Treasury.

 Happy Chinese New Year!

Reunion at Marco Polo Dining Bar.

(Stay tuned for the post, coming soon)

 Fresh fruits from the hotel manager. aww longan!

 Asians Brunch @ Yum Cha Cuisine, Carindale Shopping Centre.

The best dim sum restaurant in Brisbane!

Dinner @ Fat Noodle. And the lion dance troupe visited.

My sweet momma.

Check this out for Fat Noodle: Click here.

 Lunch @ New ShangHai, Queens Plaza.

(Food Hunting series about this: coming soon)

 Happy Birthday once again Mr Fritz Chua!

He's officially nine years old now. A big boy!

 Yes this is my big boy.

And no longer the little kid who kissed me and hugged me when I asked him to do so.

Six days later, they were going back! see how time flies yea.

The Pineapple Tarts from my dad's friend

 Supper with our new outfits on! Shop ASOS. http://www.asos.com.au

Me in my Did I Studder Sweater.

 Valentine's dinner with candles!

Check this out on how I celebrated it: click here.

 Dinner date: Lobsters in the house.

That cold night I drove all the way up to the highest point of Brisbane, Mt Co-otha.

It was after our dinner @ Que Huong Chinese & Vietnamese Restaurant, Darra. 

Well, I failed my Side Parking. heyy there's no lines on the ground like the driving learning institute has.

 Brisbane to Redcliffe: just for this seafood basket. REALLY FRESH.

 Heavy rain during our Redcliff trip. 

Check this out for the trip: http://www.clare-chua.com/2013/02/day-trip-redcliff.html

 Cooked dinner. Braised gravy beef; Green Veges and my favourite onions with eggs.

 Breakkie. Plain yoghurt with fresh blueberries!

 You have no choice but wearing this when there's no socks left in your drawer. due to the rainy days.

They are cute tho. Thanks dear!

 Sorry If I've frightened you.

But heyy I'm a little cute chipmunks Clare.

 This was yummy, although it looks disgusting.

Don't judge a book by its cover. 

 ENGG1100 Project Day.

Time to socialize. Met some new friends who are really nice!

 Who doesn't love sunny-side up eggs?

 My favourite frozen yoghurt @ Moochi, GC.

That busy Saturday, meeting up my dear Maddy who is now in Melbourne :(

All the best there! 

 The lotus root peanut soup for our last dinner date. (sobs)

 Food-creativity: instead of butter, I spread plain yoghurt on my toast.

YUMM.

 Thank God we are all back in Brisbane for the new year! Made fruits platter for Sherwood Youth Fellowship.

 Chinese New Year 2013 is over. Made this yee sang for our potluck. 

(The post about Chap Goh Mei, coming soon)

Sister gave me a mould for fried eggs; gave it a go.

Delicious eggs with that thick eggwhites layer! Cucumber and always my all-time favourite smoked salmon!!!

Owh, finally I'm done with this. I think I miss out some photos, but nahh, for more just check out my instagram @_ClareChua. Yes I apologise for those upcoming posts! As you can see, I'm updating my blog everyday (which I normally don't) 

hehee, gonna get ready for my dinner/supper session. I need a treat for myself after this long and hectic Wednesday. 

Ciao~

Baking Cookies, Dark Chocolate Cookies

Cyclone hits Solomon Island, it's been raining since two days ago.  The real heavy rain which scares us.  It eventually woke me up a few times last night.

Because of the heavy rain we were so bored, so we all decided to bake some cookies! The recipe is from my sister's high school teacher as she took 'Food Study' as one of her subjects.  It doesn't require dark chocolate but we wanted to include it in the recipe so there we go!  Dark Chocolate Cookies

Lindt 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

It somehow tastes like shortbread.  It's probably because we left the batter in the fridge for few hours.  We spent the few hours on repairing the oven which was sent all the way from Malaysia.  BAHAHAA, Thank God we succeeded and started baking our cookies!

 I was snacking on almonds when siblings were busy making cookies.  

 Say hello to duckieee!  We agreed that this the the most difficult shape to handle cos its beak or its leg broke easily when we wanna place them on the tray.

 Rabbit on my brother's cute palm :p

Random pic of plain sugar

Dad and my brother love the cookies! Dad said it's the best eating it with fresh milk, perhaps I should try next time. 

p/s Hold on to the post about skin products! Next post's gonna be something about high heels. :)  Sorry about that guys!  High heels, I love and I hate. HAHA

Ciao~