LIVEALITTLE

In an attempt to be more Chinese, I've decided to learn some Chinese - Mandarin, in particular. While surfing the net, I stumbled upon http://www.chinesepod.com. It's an amazing free daily podcast of lessons from Shanghai. I've taken the extra step to pay $40/yr to get the PDFs of the lessons so I can start recognizing words. At any rate, the interesting thing about today's podcast is their statement of following:

With every 4th child born in the world being Chinese-there’s a good chance you’ll meet a few. In this newbie lesson, we help you ask not only about names of new “peng you”, but other information that might just get you an invite to that “famous restaurant” in town (word of warning: they all are famous).

So I decided to do some investigative research and although I have not discovered any validity to that statement, I did find EarthTrends' 2005 Data Table of Demographic Indicators. Interesting things to note are:
Average Number of Children per Woman in China is 1.8 (I thought there was a one child policy...)
Average Number of Children per Woman in the US is 1.9
Average Number of Children per Woman in Australia is 1.8
Average Number of Children per Woman in Niger is 8.0 (highest)
Average Number of Children per Woman in Trinidad/Tobago is 1.5 (lowest)
Singapore is the most dense country at: 6755ppl/sq km
Namibia and Mongolia are the least dense country at: 2ppl/sq km
You can analyze the rest yourself: http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/data_tables/pop2_2003.pdf

Went to the last day of the World Press Photo Exhibit today in Sydney. I uploaded my favorite picture of the 65 winners. It depicts the barren Amazon when it was hit with drought last year. Check out the schedule for an exhibition near you. It's highly recommended if not for the poignant photos depicting the world's high moments as well as its lows of 2005 but also a refresher in the year's events ...
http://www.worldpressphoto.nl/

I think this must be the most information crammed onto a piece of paper! If only I had this in HS when I was on the brink of History and Politics class failure!
http://www.futureswatch.org/Timeline.htm

Now that I've left New York, I can't be blamed for the horrible driving in NYC anymore. See, I knew it wasn't my fault! http://1010wins.com/pages/40385.php?"/

I got my second paycheck today and was reminded of the intention I made landing here to buy a UTS (University of Technology, Sydney -- my uni) shirt with my first paycheck. As luck would have it, the shirts were on sale ($10AU) so I got one. The UTS mantra seems very appropriate for my plight. What a convenient coincidence! I hope everyone gets off their lazy ass to "think. change. do" in their lifetime. There's just so much...

NB: Lazy Marathoner has prompted me to be a bit more elaborate. My approach to "think. change. do" is to ponder new ideas, modify a daily weekly routine and get yourself out there to experience life it's fullest.
I believe in: http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-an-Open-Mind
Have a problem coming up with an idea? I have a couple: http://www.43things.com/person/kchung
Anyone heard of postcrossing postcards? I just joined! http://www.postcrossing.com/

So I decided to take a mini break today and went to watch a collection of shorts about the freedom of speech with my roomie. She knew the producer for two of the shorts. In any case, it openned me up to the Sedition Laws which were just re-enacted last year. It's amazing to realize a first world country would even consider passing something like this! I'm appalled! Couldn't anything else have been done to combat terrorism?!

http://www.vicpeace.org/sedition/

I wonder why Google maps came to Australia... http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/4324/127/

A dream come true. Finally I have time to do my 1001 list items... http://www.economist.com/intelligentlife/wellbeing/displayStory.cfm?story_id=6909483

Finally google map comes to Australia. It's not like we're in a first world country or anything! I reckon the lack of population contributes to this delay in ... practically everything except wheatbix and veggie mite innovations. Wow. I didn't realize I was surrounded by all this greenery...

http://froogle.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=chippendale,+sydney,+australia&ll=-33.885237,151.196508&spn=0.002093,0.003492&t=k&om=1

How ironic that as I am studying pathophysiology (and cardiac diseases such as atherosclerosis), I am sent a picture of my 1.5 yr old niece chomping away at a fatty piece of pork dubbed her pork-cicle. Very cute and very yummy, of course, but it makes me wonder if Gwen's (my niece) generation will succumb to McDs (referred to as Maccas here) as well. Believe it or not, there is a McDeli in Sydney that serves Subway-like sandwiches. I have yet to try one, but they certainly look more appetizing than the burgers. I hope they get to the US soon.

Certainly don't let any kids know about this article: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18975996-36398,00.html

Also, what will the 00' kids be known as? Generation Z? Will Gwen be a kipper? Will she crave Malono Blaniks? I wonder if this only applies to Oz...
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Cashed-up-Generation-Y-not-growing-up/2006/05/17/1147545379176.html

Thanks Mark for a more disgusting update than the Maccas one above:
http://www.tiburon-belvedere.com/cgi/home.cgi?c=In_N_Out

I finally made use of the tax file number I got from the Aussie government and got me a job... two jobs actually (both casual). One as a hospital Assistant-in-Nursing job; the other an events staff job at a casual agency. I got assigned to babysit an 80 year old super duper nice lady overnight (12 hours) on Saturday and Sunday to assist her on wee trips. (Would that be grannysit instead?) Well, she woke up every 2 hours for the dunny. Surprisingly, I wasn't zonked at uni on Monday after rushing to catch the shuttle bus from the hospital in the morning. Her situation made me re-contemplate the direction I wanted to take my nursing work. As of Monday afternoon, I was going to minor in geriatrics. Why not? We're all going to eventually get old anyway!
Tuesday, I was assigned to work in the surgical ward and grannysat an elderly man for one hour only. He was just out of surgery and totally delirious. He didn't know his name, could not remember after 5 minutes he had a catheter and kept trying to get off his seat to head to the ATM. It was the most agonizing 1 hour of my life. He was constantly distracted by the tubes around him and insisted to play with them. I was concerned he would start swinging his fists if I continued to deny him rights!
It's made me rethink my two-day-old geriatrics decision...
At least I'm working now and won't have to resort to the duct tape wallet next time it is stolen:
http://www.3m.com/intl/CA/english/centres/home_leisure/duct_tape/dt_wallet.html

Two weeks of midterm studying and paper writing really dropped me out of the web surfing circuit. Might be old news but discovered a couple of interesting tidbits today:
http://www.smh.com.au/specials/budget2006/ - Apparently there's money for everyone... except those who have $0 income... like me... Better get my butt into gear!
http://channelchooser.com/ - internet tv... I think I'm hooked on the emusic channel... I haven't seen music videos in 6 months! I've attached a picture of my messed up screen as well. Too much studying has burned my laptop as well! No more schlepping my laptop around anywhere...
http://www.blogathon.org/ - All you bloggers out there, unite on July 29th! I hear this is a fun event... details will be up soon.
http://www.newtechspy.com/articles06/boeing797.html/ - I'd love to be the first on this!
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6332083.html/ - Stargate SG-1 has entered the television record books. According to Los Angeles Museum of Television and Radio Library Supervisor Martin Gostanian, it is now the “longest-running, scripted, made-for-cable television series in U.S. broadcasting history.” I haven't caught a show. Has anyone else???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plSfKHZZwZ4/ - Japanese TV show where contestants are punished for laughing
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18975996-36398,00.html/ - Letting the fat get fatter... Only in America...

Had my first role in a short film shooting today (little perks being roommates with a film student!). I was designated the 2nd Assistant Director. Sounded posh at first so I took the role without questioning much. Apparently my primary role was "child wrangler". The child actor on the set was only 10 and needed to be manned. Interesting that would be my first role given the fact I don't do too well with kids. In any case, my role expanded when I arrived and included: dog watcher, beer and coffee runner, breakfast picker upper, ute (= utility vehicle) guard and V (the production manager)'s phone receptionist. I enjoyed myself nonetheless and saw a side of film I never expected. I definitely wouldn't mind participating again (HINT! HINT!)
The set politics are strictly regimented. Noone is allowed to speak to the director nor the director of photography (the dude who deals with the cameras). The 1st Assistant Director speaks to both and to the rest of crew. He has the responsibility of shoot coordination as well as time management. Things were very precise and actually ended 1 hour ahead of schedule (which I needed to finish my essay due in 2 days). I understand why role definitions are so strict and I reckon I must just be thrown off in its acknowledgement. Who would have thought a small student film would would warrant ancient Chinese imperial hierarchical segregation to achieve efficiency? I reckon getting accustomed to the roles now would leave one better prepared when they aspired to be in the megabucks realm. We were about 20 people today. I can't imagine coordinating 100+ people without such structure!
Pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/livealittle/sets/72057594130976535/