the first solo trip of my life

1. i bought this book that melds buddhism and neuroscience together and i just thought it was perfect. it talks about how destructive thoughts come about and the powers of meditation- how it helps. i'm still at the first few pages but already it's a wealth of knowledge. my book of the trip （≧∇≦）

2. walked around melbourne city. today i explored the places the speechies didnt really go explore the last time we all were here. h&m? TOTAL HEAVEN!!!!!!! uuuuuuuugh totally worth my money and the venue itself is so gorgeous. it was the site of the first post office

3. met singaporean roommates, talked to them (they were so nice) and now i'm here, waiting for sleep to come 

（＾∇＾）

1. booked flight tickets to melbourne on a whim (^ー゜)

it is going to be a solo trip based solely on cafe visitations for every meal. i figured i should definitely explore the vegan side of the place since i didnt get to do so in april. im so so so excited. i booked a pretty airbnb for the days that i'm there too. i feel having an airbnb is the epitome of college travels. fingers crossed for a wonderful experience （≧∇≦）

this was what i was waiting for the entire exam period and it's finally here oh my goodness 

2. today's run was the first run in a few days... and i feel i'm finally getting stronger, less tired out over short distances. i pushed myself to turn back at the point in the path much further than i did for the rest of my runs, which was an achievement. exercising to remain happy and to block out the bad thoughts is far more effective than exercising to punish your body for the past 'wrongs'. today i breathed clean air and the chilly sunset wind was aaaaaahmeizingggg

(o^^o)

3. i had a double breakfast today 

it was mad planning on my part!! i had these breakfasts consecutively but i really was craving for sweet mangoes and hence the mango sticky rice. glad to have caught up with cindy after suuuuuh long. LAST TIME OF MEET UP WAS A SEM AGO??? year 1 sem 2 really flew by. it seems surreal that we've completed our first year :"(

just that these past few days have been rather distracting... a lot of phone usage 

sincerely and direly needing the holidays!!!! i envision my days spent running in the mornings and taking photos of breakfasts after that and looking for recipes to feed my family when they come here 

things to do like eating at my fav places (lol >:) )

going to places that tourists wouldnt go to 

maybe a picnic 

and defs a day at bondi with the sand sea and shades 

i like the idea that i am just an infinitesimal make up of this world. my thoughts are a significantly smaller part of this earth but how often do i let the self-centred problems of mine govern my life and restricted me from loving this world. problems seem so blown up in your mind but when you look up to the sky and the neighbouring massive buildings and think of the people in this world living lives- you'd just want to discard your thoughts and look outward 

stuttering exam aint got nothing on me

friday's gorgeous food spread （＾∇＾）

peiying recommended le monde cafe along foveaux road surry hills (i was relieved that i didnt get lost on my way there)

this was brunch with ruijia and also this was when i found out that she was a vegetarian!!! we talked about vego stuff and life here and brief conversations about tennis. we didnt talk at all in singapore before, except when we texted to arrange a friendly match betw tj and sajc. good vibes, really loving the typical aussie brunch fare. there'll always be that typical soft green avocado in the middle somewhere. 

and of course this beauty of a place in bondi junction. came here once to try the scrambled eggs and a cake but this time was different, i tried the ice cream too and it's alllllll sorts of amazing i kennut 

lol i remember how in pathlight days i'd always see this girl in the morning waiting for the same bus as me but i wouldnt acknowledge her because it was like 6am then we found out we were in the same camp group a few months later and then i realized she was going to usyd too 

then now we're just the people loving the vegan scene here (!!!!!!) she introduced me to this wonderful bulk foods place, like a co-op, in the heart of bondi junction. it's going to be my favourite haunt oh goodness 

1. thought i couldnt handle cscd but after a night's sleep and lots of + speech and chants, i did it. its not the situation that youre in that makes you scared, it's the emotions. 

2. one of the best feelings ever ^ and being less dependent on another. you function in your own life, and everyone else does the same （≧∇≦）

3。its humbling to realize how your view of the world is just one view. one view amongst the infinite other views of the world. 

1. i ran today in the morning!! it was amazing and i got my laundry done too 

seriously the previous night i was freakin out cuz there were a mound of stuff to do, but tackle it one task at a time and everything seems manageable. 

2. no one should ever fear time because if you do, time will just take more away from you. what help does stress give u except nothing much really p(^_^)q

3. we signed for the apartment today in some cold, cold weather. the girls were so excited!! 

cscd aint got nothing on me （＾◇＾）

1. using more of my motor and less of my sensory, thinking less and doing more, why th didnt i think of this before!!!! it totally works

i cant stop thinking, but doing something about it makes crazy more sense 

2. slept properly yaaaaaaas i was beginning to wonder if good sleeps couldnt happen 

3. focus on the end (⌒▽⌒)

did some yoga jn too, that was good 

bad feels conquered after embryology 

2. 

breakfast in the morning at central park be amazing. wasnt feelinf too well after this but i feel better, head is cleared and mind is focused to do one thing at a time, slowly but surely. 

（＾∇＾）

1. stacy won the people's choice awards for her art and this couldnt be more amazing （＾∇＾） theres so much warmth in this house, i love it, especially in a pin-drop quiet time like this, a happy gathering is always appreciated. why you so talented gurl 

(⌒▽⌒)

2。 i think sharing my experiences of negative thoughts and how changing that changed my life really makes me believe that at least i'm walking on the right path. the doubting fears that whisper to me in the background of my mind goes away with deep inhalations to sorta belittle the 1001 overcrowding problems in my head. thats really good. i think people shouldnt lose their potential and goals from getting defeated by hypothetical situations that they conjure up in their head. im also not too sure if two broken halves make a whole..? 

3。been so headachey and warm and throbby but nuuuuuuuh lets not focus on the mountain pile but the rewards of blending 6 weeks of information into one exam paper. 

theres no such thing as stagnancy, either you improve yourself or deteriorate and the second option is not up for grabs 

1. can i just say that i think if all my sundays were as great as today, i'd probably win a life-long happiness award becoz....

I HAVENT BEEN THIS PRODUCTIVE IN WEEKS 

（＾∇＾）

the good vibes were transferred down from a really unproductive sat night when lots of thinking were done about where i should be going w all the vegan shiz going on i feel stagnant i feel like i should be doing something anything inspiring people, making better foods so that the whole world can be converts

on a side note im glad i get to talk to some friends about how positively influencial this whole thing is for me. its finally something that i can call my own and is, at this moment, what defines me. ive been struggling with who i am for years and i feel like an open door now, no more suppressions and holding back of my views, no pressure build ups. 

tried a hand at pumpkin spice pancakes but aye, pumpkin chunks resulted. still a learning journey, the pumpkin tasted like honeydew??? would have loved to taste mushy pumpkin over pancakes (i was dreaming of it as i had my morning run along the empty pavements at glebe)

my favourite vegan blog (i have her page bookmarked) commented on my post i am over the moon - not just over our moon but over the moons of all other planets!! 

2. i went for grocery shopping and made it in time for church (!!!!!!!) where the priest talked about purgatory and it reminded me to fix my priorities. i feel like i need more time for reasoning. 

3. bulldozed through some neuroscience which i'd love to continue doing for the next week. i was focused and actually made sense of things which is what i need.

(⌒▽⌒)

the best feeling of the hour is how everything just makes sense to you and talking it out in your own words just cements the fact that youre finally getting a smidgen of knowledge that you can take away 

typical lunch- baked goods!! 

4. i have been facing my negative thoughts head on, stopping if it they ever get out of hand and talking aloud to myself to remind myself that i am a person not a victim to my thoughts. it works, i see things so differently in a somewhat clearer light. the air that once suffocated me and made my heart pound becoz i was stressed turns out to be the air i breathe that is fresh and makes my thoughts smaller.