Poor ah ma.

If you watched this week's Amazing Race episode, you will feel so kesian for the ah ma whom Luke fiddled with during the detour.

Poor ah ma. I bet she was SO happy when Margie took over and gave her the right teeth.

Works out in the end.

Today I went for my McD interview.

And got rejected in 5 minutes.

Ahahaha...no. I wasn't rude. I wasn't late. I wasn't remotely negative in any way. I was, [albeit =P] in fact, honest.

I told the manager that I was awaiting my PR, and will look for a full-time job the moment my PR gets through. So I am mostly treating McD like a transition job. (Not that I said it that way, I made it sound nicer.)

Then he tells me that it would take him at least 3 months to fully train me, and another 6 or so for me to work enough to gain back the costs of the training. So since I will be around for a max of 8 months, it just wasn't worth it. (I told him that my PR will take 6-8 months to process. [I sure hope not, but that was what I told him.])

So we were both being honest with each other, and I definitely understood where he was coming from.

So all's well. Now there's no need for me to wonder how to balance my extra shifts between McD and Target. I'm all Target for the times I'm not Bakery.

So now I'm not just Bakery girl anymore. I'm the Target Bakery girl. Just that tad bit better. =P

Guess who's the newest Target employee?

It's not you, it's me.

Well, it could be you too, but I'm talking bout me.

Wooooo...I was watching my show this morning, now afternoon, when I received an email in my special email inbox. (The special email is only for formal stuff like job applications and PR.) So right, I was like thinking...ooh! What's it today? Opening the inbox is like a opening a birthday gift. It's exciting and mysterious! =)

So I opened, then it says Target XXXX Mgr FW: Employment Outcome.

And then heart went bik bok bik bok cause it could be bad, but was it bad? By now, if you don't know the answer, you must've just woken up from your sleep, still dazed or something.

It read: Good morning Xin, Thank you for your application....We are pleased to advise you that your application has been successful for a position.

WOOOOOoooOOOOooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooo~~~

I have received so many "I'm sorry to tell you that you have been unsuccessful for a position this time around." that this new line read like a surprise. I read it again and again 3 times or more to ensure that the "UN" wasn't there.

WOOOOoooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooOOOOooo~~~~

Orientation this Thursday! =) Will know roster then! =) Will be able to know how many hours a week I get to work then! =) Yay! =) Yay! =) Yay! =)

It really is a GOOD morning. *wink*

Drama Mama cooks Assam Laksa!

Miss She Yin decided some time ago that she craved Assam Laksa and chose me to spill that craving to, then asked me to make it for her.

I thought, why not, holidays are here, I'm not working, I'll be free. CAN!!! Only one problem, I've never made it, never thought of making it so never thought to learn how to make it.

So the day I decided to make it, I called my mommy. Asked her for the ingredients and an overview of how to cook it. Wrote it all down, then went about buying the ingredients.

At around 1.30pm, I started cooking. A bit early to start for a dinner party at 7pm, but heck I couldn't risk having bad food by the time people came around. I'd rather try it out, if it works, yay. If not, think of a backup plan to feed the 12 people coming over.

At that very time of "around 1.30pm" only did it dawn on me that I had no idea how much of each ingredient I should be putting in, or in what order. Crap. Called me mommy again, she was busy with patients at work and hung up on me. Crap crap. Decided on the spot to go with intuition.

A little bit of this, a swig of that, a little bit of that, a handful of this. Threw them into the blender, shucks why aren't they blending. Oh yes, I need to put in some water. Glug glug water goes in. Blend blend...ahhh a bit more like it. Yes yes. Done blending smell smell. EHHH SMELLS GOOOOD! =)

Pour into fish stock, mix mix. EHHHHHHHHH SMEEEELLLLLLLSSS GOOOOOOOOOOOODDDD!!!! =D

Taste taste, ask Daryl to taste taste. Me: Nice!!! *beams* Daryl: Wah super spicy! Me: Really? Whoops.

Second batch - okay okay less chilli. Put same amounts as before. Little bit of this, swig of that, little bit of this, handful of that. Water. Blend blend. Smell smell. Eh...like something missing. AIYAK. Forgot my belacan. Add add. Blend blend. Smell smell. MMMMM....more like it...no oomph from less chilli. Oh well.

Add add to stock. Mix mix. YUMMMMMMMMM!!

Barney test taste. "Wah still spicy lah!" Me: But I put so much less already!! =(

Owh wells.

BUT I SO SUPER HAPPY! First try at cooking Assam Laksa, from scratch and with so much less ingredients (since Canberra so hard to find all the right liu). Definitely a success in my books. =) =) =) =D =D =D

One sad point though, no picture. Cause when everyone was eating I was so happy that people were enjoying that I didn't remember to take any. But it really looked the part. Most of the part anyway. It really did. Really.

Another holiday when the city is deader than usual.

It's Good Friday today. The easter bunny goes around *BOING BOING BOING* throwing chocolate eggs at kids. SPLAT! OWWW says the kid.

Okay. Twisted story over.

It's a public holiday here in good ol' Canberra. And public holiday basically means half the population is not in the state, whilst the other half stays at home. Why at home? Cause no one's working and no shop is open.

It's days like these that you can run around the city naked and a maximum of 3 people will spot you. Or you could prove me wrong by trying it out and letting me know the right stats.

Shuey was out by 5am I think. I'm not too sure. I knew she was up by 4am, cause I woke up and found her out of bed, then came out to sleep on the couch so that I could say bye to her when she leaves. When she did, she woke me up, and I lie-hugged (hugged whilst lying down) her then went back to sleep. Woke up another while later to continue sleeping back on the bed. She'll be gone for ten days...boooo...=(

Then I woke up again, thinking it must've been like 3pm since I slept SOO much already then looked at my watch and it screamed 7.55am. I was like HHWATTTT?!?!

Bleh, roll roll roll..sigh might as well get up and rot in front of the computer. So I did.

Facebook a bit, Google around a bit, check email a bit, sing song sing song, dance dance a bit, breakfast a bit, (last night's party's washing can wait a bit more =P).

Then I come here and realise there was an explosion on my tagboard. So happy lo. My tagboard never explode so like that before. Usually I sendiri put the bomb. This time other people join in! =) =) =)

Yesterday's interview went okay I think. I sat down then said, "I'm a bit nervous cause this is sort of my first interview". One of the ladies (there were two) said, "Don't worry, it's not hard, we'll just ask you a few simple questions and that's it. Won't take more than 15 minutes."

So she ask ask ask I answer answer answer. Then in the end she asked if I had any questions. I asked when will I know the results - next Thursday or Friday. I asked whether I would be part-time if I was successful - I will be an extended casual where they will roster in according to my availability (which incorporates my bakery working times). I asked what the pay was - $20.18 per hour. WOOOOO~~~

Then come Tuesday, Maccas! If I get like the late night shifts, happy! =) Then I dapat mornings work bakery, nights work Mackers, weekends work Target! =) Then I will be able to save up money so much faster. YAAYYY! =)

Oh Oh. I also got a job offer from Super Fresh! [Refer to blahboard] This I REALLY did not remember applying for! Wah my reputation precedes me and people are running to offer me jobs lo. But to work in Garlic & Onion Dept wor....don't know if I should go for it leh. If I do, I won't be able to work well with my colleagues wor, cause they might think I'm such a hypocrite cause why work somewhere you don't have a passion or love for? Then how. Wah so hard la. I'll mull it over. But interview today wo. How how how how how.

Okay, no more cereals with milk and honey for me at 9am thank you. I'm even freaking myself out with my own craziness.

And YET another!

At 8.42pm, I received an email from McDonald's Braddon asking me to go in for an interview! So that's up to a count of three now - 1 tomorrow, 1 Tuesday, 1 Wednesday!

FUUUUHHHHH!

Keep 'em rollin' in babeh!

A smile goes a long way.

Yesterday I handed in my application form to Target. I walked in to the shop, went to the Service Counter, and asked politely whether I could hand the form in.

The person who received it happened to be a Supervisor and asked if I was looking for part-time or full-time employment.

I said, "Part time, full time, anything really."

Then he was like oh are you still studying? I said nope I graduated in December. Then he says oh so you're on the bridging visa and can work full time? I said yes.

Then he says, okay, I'll put in a good word for you and write a comment on your application, then someone will call you in for an interview soon.

And I gave him a huge smile cause I was so touched by his offer.

AND GUESS WHAT.

Today at work, I received a call from...guess who....TARGET! Asking me to go in for an interview tomorrow!

WOAH. That must've been one hell of a comment! =)

WOOOOO~~~~ I can't wait!

One YES!

Today while enquiring about an ACT Government job that I would like to apply for, I received a call.

The lady said hello, I'm calling from _______ (I didn't catch what she said). You applied for a Sales & Marketing position in our company and we were very impressed with your resume. Are you free right now for a quick chat?

Then I said I was waiting on another call, but I should be more than fine to chat.

Then she said I'll get to the point then. And then she said we would like to invite you in for an interview with our Managing Director. When are you free?

And tadah, I have an interview arranged for next Wednesday. With a company that (I just found out) works with charities in Australia. And they're looking for people because they have new clients and are therefore expanding their team of people.

It seems like a permanent position, and offer travel opportunities and such.

I'm quite excited. My first ever actual job interview, and all I have to be is myself. My normal crazy bouncy self. Cause that's the kind of people they're looking for. Energetic and vibrant.

So my strategy is - eat sugar, go for interview.

WOOOOO~~~

And then I also applied for Target, and I happen to hand in my application form to one of the Supervisors, who asked what type of position I was looking for. I said, erm part time, full time, anything really. Then he asked if I was still studying, I said I just graduated, then he says oh so you're on bridging visa and can work full time and I said yes. Then he says, okay, I'll put a comment on your application form so that they WILL call you in for an interview soon. And I'm like OH THANK YOU! =)

So WOOOOO~~~ there too!

Now, to work on that ACT Government job application and to enquire about vacancies regarding that Hungry Jack's Managerial position too.

Xin's on a roll!

GEE.

Bakh told me of this very very interesting piece of news. It's interesting cause it's unexpected. And interesting cause it's pretty darn graphic.

Which troubled us a little.

Troubled me a bit more than usual as it was written by a Malay female doctor. Not that I have anything against them, just that I have always had the image that Malay females were conventional and traditional.

Poof. Gone. No more image.

Job hunt spree.

My weekend was spent unsurprisingly uneventful. With everyone busy studying for their exams or working on their assignments, I am left to find out the many means of entertaining myself.

So after cleaning out the oven, changing the rice cooker, sort-of cleaning the kitchen, going out to buy groceries, cooking dinner, and cleaning up after dinner, I sat down in front of my comp and decided to randomly search for jobs and apply.

So I went to this recruiting site, and just clicked Apply Now on every single job that sounds either:
a. interesting
b. high-paying OR
c. relevant to my degree.

Then I went on to another and did the same.

By now, (I just stopped) I think I might have applied for like....15-20 jobs?

It'd be awesome news if ONE replies favourably. *cross fingers*