Arabian Horses

I'm not in the mood to blog anything that's happening right now so I will return to blogging about animals.

Today's featured animal is Arabian horses.
Arabian is a horse breed known for their intelligence, spirit and endurance. They can be easily recognized by their distinctive head shape and high tail carriage.

Arabian is also one of the oldest horse breeds, first domesticated in the Middle East, and later spread to other parts of the world either through trade or war. The breed is also good-natured, intelligent and eager to please, resulting from close relationships with humans for centuries. They are also very alert and possess high spirit which made them extremely useful in wars of the past.

Pure Arabians come in several different colours: bay, gray, chestnut, black and roan. Bay, gray and chestnut are the most common. All Arabians, no matter what their coat colour is, have black skin, which offers protection against the desert sun.

Arabian horses are very versatile that compete in many equestrian fields, and especially dominate endurance riding because of their stamina. They are also used in leisure fields, working as ranch horses or for trail riding.

Which Way?

These days I feel really lost, well not literally of course. I feel lost about my future, uncertain about which road I should take.

For those of you who know, I am currently studying first-year Bachelor of Commerce, and in the past month I have started to really dislike the course. I have little motivation, perseverance or consistency, and right now I'm doing worse than last semester. Several times I turn up late to lectures, sometimes even missing one entirely. Try as I may, I find it extremely difficult at times to get a grip and actually do work.

Yes, commerce was my first preference, but science was my second. You know I never really wanted to study commerce in the first place, but the pressure from my parents... :( Now I wonder if I made the right choice in the first place. I want to transfer course next year, to Bachelor of Science. My ultimate goal is to do one year of that, then apply for direct entry into Veterinary Science. But it will be challenging, very very challenging. If not, then I would choose to major in Zoology, and hopefully do masters or honours in this field. Preferably, if possible, do a double major in Zoology and Marine Biology. :)

I believe that people should do what they enjoy, and not choose a course just because their parents or teachers said they should. I mean ultimately, you are the one who will be pursuing that as a career, and studying something you don't like leads to an unhappy future. I want to be able to get up in the morning, be ready to face the day and say, "A new day, a new adventure!" I want to actually enjoy uni, and looking forward to it, knowing that I will make fascinating discoveries and learn what I love to learn.

Will this ever happen? I can only hope.

Baby Buns

WARNING:
The pics I'm about to show you may cause incessant staring, drooling, gasping, sniffing, fainting or even screen-kissing. Only look if you don't mind losing your sanity! LOL!



Are you ready? Scroll down.


No really, are you certain you want to look?

Okay, brace yourself and scroll down.

Are you still here?
Pics courtesy of cuteoverload.com. That website is filled with hundreds and hundreds of cute pics of many different animals.

Wild weather

After an incredibly sunny and almost hot weekend, the start of the new week was greeted by gale force winds of almost up to 100km/hr in some regions of Victoria. On my way to uni, I got badly blown about by the wind and slight rain that fell in all directions. The worst however, was at Box Hill bus stop at the end of the day. The wind was so strong up there I almost felt as if my neck was about to snap off!

Okay, as I write this, the dark clouds that have been hovering above Melbourne all day finally gave in. Now it's pouring! I heard there may be a chance of thunderstorms later.

No wonder it's uncommon for Melbourne to have what people call 'four seasons in a day'!

Should I be worried?

I can't believe how strict management at McDonalds is, at least with the one I work at. I called them up today to tell them how I need to cancel my shift on Wednesday due to assignments, which will be from 12 - 8.30 pm, but I can't unless I can find someone to cover for me, which I cannot do. Apparently, you are responsible to find people to do your shift if you can't. Grr... Well the few Maccas contacts I have on my mobile cannot help, so now I still have to work on Wednesday, but my shift hours have been reduced. So now I work from 12 - 5pm. My lovely sister is able to cover for me from that time onwards.

But that's not all of it. The semester break is still two weeks away and just this week alone I have work on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I can't believe this...

I'm just so tired... *drinks coffee*

Stressed...

Argh! I'm so stressed out right now. I have two assignments due next week, one on Monday and the other on Thursday and I barely started. Lately I find it extremely difficult to find the motivation to concentrate on school work. I dunno why, I am so easily distracted. This is not good! :( I must get a grip somehow...

Also, I really need to cancel my Maccas shift on Wednesday to do my assignment, but I'm scared they might get mad at me. But I have too! Or..... Oh drat, I dunno what to do! *sniff*

I really really cannot wait for the semester break!

New cone record

Okay, I thought getting six soft serve cones (ice cream) in a single order was a lot. But not any more. Today, a customer ordered twelve, yes, twelve cones at once! And there I was, setting up three cone holders, as each can hold four, and making four cones at a time.
Every day, the McDonald's at which I work sells dozens, maybe close to a hundred soft serves. I know they are cheap (only AU$0.50), but do they really taste that good?

Dream pet

Hopefully in the not-too-far-away future, I will be able to get a dog. My dream pet would be a Samoyed! They are also affectionately known as the Christmas dog, because of their permanent sweet smiles! I saw a Sammy in ShangHai at the end of last year, it was magnificent. A great contrast it was too. Its pure white coat against the smoky chilly winter morning.

I've got some pics of this beautiful breed below. Enjoy!

Pair of young Samoyeds at a show


An eight-week old Samoyed puppy! Aww...


Two handsome Sammies


Doesn't this pic just melt your heart?

New book from J.K. Rowling

Yay! I'm so happy!

From December 4th this year, the wonderfully amazing J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, will release a new book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard. A wizarding classic, this collection of five richly imaginative fairy tales was translated by Hermione Granger from ancient runes, complete with an introduction, notes and illustrations reproduced from the original handcrafted book, and extensive commentary on each of the tales from Professor Albus Dumbledore.

The hardcover book will be released on December 4th. Can't wait! =)

Dreary days

It's been raining a lot lately.
I know it's good, since Melbourne desperately needs water. But whenever it rains, I feel somewhat weary, my mood dampened. I prefer sunny days.
Also when it rains, I just want to stay in bed.

Now I can't wait for spring!

Working at McDonalds

Hmm...wow. It's hard to believe that I have worked at McDonalds for over one month now. It doesn't seem as though I have. Maybe it's because I only work for about twelve hours per week. As a new crew member, I get paid nearly $12 p/h before tax. It's not bad for my first casual job I guess :).

When I first started working, there was a lot of things to learn and remember. A lot of skills take practice, such as making soft serves, sundaes, packing fries, and using the register etc. A month later, I'm still not perfect. Still waiting for the day when I can make two soft serves at once! Of course, there are many other things I had to do besides serving the customers. I also had to learn how to do stock-ups (counting how many units of cups, lids, spoons, paper bags etc and ensuring there are enough units on the premise at all times), how to clean the dining area, refill ice cream cones, brew coffee and cleaning the drink machine.

Working at Maccas is also great for boosting self-confidence, gained from interacting with customers and team members. This is excellent for me as I'm usually quite shy, and do not like approaching people I don't know. In addition, I made several new friends, which made work a whole lot more enjoyable :).

Grrrr!

Today after my intro micro exam, I visited Pets Paradise at Box Hill. They have several new dogs for sale, there were two puppies there getting all the attention, they kinda looked like English sheepdogs but they are not, but they are definitely a long-haired breed.
Anyway I was watching the puppies play around and being very active as it was nearly their dinner time when I overheard two Asian international students talking about the puppies. One of them wanted to buy one because it was "so cute". The other one said how it will be quite expensive, not to mention stinky. The first girl then said, "A kennel is all it needs, I will just put the kennel in the backyard and so it won't be so smelly."

At this point I was getting worried. Surely they are not going to leave the dog in the backyard all the time?
I listened to them for a little longer and found that neither of them like to pick up doggie dos or cleaning the mess. One of them was like, "but it will make so much mess, I don't want to pick up their waste."
I wanted to yell at them "What did you expect? It's a dog! Not a toy!"

Boy, these two young women present a spectacular example of people who buy pets on impulse. Usually they know very little about the animals, let alone how to care for it. So a kennel is enough for a dog?! I would love to be the pet shop owner telling them a dog needs much more than shelter; grooming equipment, good quality dog food, walking accessories, flea and worm treatments, vet care and most importantly, plenty of love and attention. If those two girls are not too keen on picking up doggies dos, then I suspect they won't like to wash or groom the dog either. To make matters worse (if they do buy the puppy), it is a long-haired breed, meaning it will require much more grooming attention.

I left the pet shop just as they went to ask the shop owner for the price. I sincerely hope the price will scare them off.

Unfortunately this situation happens every day and everywhere. In most cases, the animals end up unwanted, in the shelter.

SIGH, when will people learn?

New pics of Rex

Rex is my beautiful rabbit, he is now 4 and half years old. I totally love him to bits! Rex just loves to be out and about in my front yard! Here are some pics of Rex frolicking and resting on the lawn. There is also a few of him inside his cage.
Enjoy! :D

Hi there mum!


Searching for fallen rose petals


Sitting pretty


Yummy grass!


Ohh...what's this?


Hey mum, why are you down there?


I'm the king! Worship me! xD


I'm exploring and posing at the same time =P


Hey, don't you think I can be a movie star?


Want a bunny kiss?


What are you looking at?


I want treats!!


Got anything for me?


Whatcha got there mum?

Concerning animals

In this post, I'm discussing the welfare of pets, especially rabbits as my main point of concern.
As you know, I have a pet rabbit called Rex, whom I love to bits! He is my furry little pal, and the best listener. This is probably not strange, because many people claim that their pets are the best listeners. You can tell them anything, without having retorts thrown back at you, and it is my way to just get something out of chest. For now, I will talk about pet ownership.

A pet is not just for display, or for Christmas, it's for life. Thousands of unwanted pets end up in the shelters every year, simply because their owners can no longer look after them. They why you would ask, would they buy a pet in the first place? The decision of whether to own a pet does not just happen overnight. It takes weeks of planning. Not everyone is suited to pet ownership, and even if you want a pet, not every specie is suitable for everyone. A common reason that people has when handing their pet over at the shelter is "I didn't think he/she would be like that." How can this be avoided? The answer is simple - research. Researching provides potential pet owners with invaluable information. One cannot just look at their neighbour or friend's dog and say "oh how cute, I want a dog." People who act on their impulses often do not understand the huge responsibility that comes with owning a pet. A pet needs more than just food and water. Many pets, especially exotic pets such as rabbits, guinea pigs etc, are often left alone in the backyard without any human interactions.

This brings me to my main point - pet rabbits.
Here we are in the twenty-first century. Rabbits are becoming more and more popular as household pets. Unfortunately, people's perceptions about them haven't changed much. There are many common myths surrounding this furry specie of animal, and I will list some of them below.

Myth 1: Rabbits are great, low-maintenance starter pets.

WRONG! Although they don't need to be walked like dogs, rabbits are anything but low-maintenance. Their cages need daily cleaning, and fresh food and water must be offered daily, including a salad of well-washed, dark-green leafy vegetables, and unlimited hay. They also need at least two hours of exercise every day in order to keep them happy.

Myth 2: Rabbits only live a year or two, so no long term commitment is necessary.

WRONG! Well cared-for indoor rabbits can live 8-12 years, and some even longer. This is approximately the same life span as some breeds of dogs, and requires the same long-term commitment.

Myth 3: Rabbits do not need veterinary care the way dogs and cats do

WRONG! Yearly vaccinations are a must for protection against calici virus. Companion rabbits should be spayed/neutered by veterinarians experienced in rabbit surgery. This not only reduces hormone-driven behaviors such as lunging, mounting, spraying, and boxing, but also protects females from the risk of uterine cancer, the incidence of which can exceed 50% as rabbits grow older. In general, rabbits needs a vet check-up every six months.

Myth 4: Rabbits love to be picked up and cuddled, and do not scratch or bite.

WRONG! Although some rabbits tolerate handling quite well, many do not like to be picked up and carried. If rabbits are mishandled they will learn to bite to protect themselves. If they feel insecure when carried they may scratch to get down.

Reference: www.boingonline.com - Visit the website for more myths and quality information on rabbit care.

Because of their size and cuteness, rabbits are often thought of as the perfect pet for children. However, this is not the case. Believe it or not, a dog would be more suitable. Rabbits are prey animals, and most do not enjoy to be cuddled and picked up, which is what children would do. In an attempt to escape, the rabbit may kick, bite or scratch, injuring the child and often the rabbit itself. Rabbits are known to have broken their spine as they kick madly to escape. The startled child may also drop the rabbit, whose bones are fragile, and can cause serious injury. Unfortunately, rabbits are popular Easter gifts for children, but as the novelty wears off, the rabbits are left neglected in the backyard or dropped off at the shelter.

Who says vet care is only for cats and dogs? All domesticated animals require vet treatment, even if it's just a half-yearly check-up. Illnesses are sometimes difficult to identify in rabbits, and when you do, it may be too late. In addition, they are good at concealing pain, so if you ever hear a rabbit scream, it means he is in excruciating pain. Trust me, you never want to hear that sound.

Rabbits make excellent pets when cared for properly. They are very clean, can be easily litter-trained and friendly. As for me, pet rabbits will always be a part of my life.

Apologies...

Hi pals!
I can't view your blogs currently because I'm in China and they blocked blogspot, however for some reason I can still post new blogs. I will visit your blogs when I get back to Melbourne! :)
Can't wait to see you guys again!

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a CD called Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. It features music from the 2002 animated film, a story about a horse called Spirit who was born in the wild during the times of the Old West, and was later captured by humans, and yet after struggling through countless obstacles and danger, finally regained his freedom with his cimarron herd. It is a beautiful and moving film, and I remembered that I cried the first time when I watched it. *sniff sniff* There is not much dialogue in this film, as the horses don't actually talk, yet I think this is what's good about it. It's definately one of my favourite animated films. I highly recommend this movie to everyone. The movie can be downloaded in eight parts on YouTube, but watching it on DVD would be much better as you can enjoy the brilliant music as well.

This film's soundtrank is totally amazing! Music is composed by Hans Zimmer. The CD mostly features songs sung by Bryan Adams, with a few instrumental tracks. The most majestic of these I think is 'Homeland'. While listening to this track, I can still vivdly picture the wide open plains where wild horses ran free. The songs meanwhile are just as good as the music. Bryan Adams is a great singer, and his songs truly reflect Spirit's personality; his gentle yet fearsome nature, as well as his grief in times of darkness and his courage in the face of danger. Yeah, so if you feel like it, why not download some tracks and give it a try?

The CD I bought contains 15 tracks, and these are:
1. Here I am (end title)

2. I Will Always Return
3. You Can't Take Me
4. Get Off My Back
5. Brothers Under the Sun
6. Don't Let Go
7. This Is Where I Belong
8. Here I Am
9. Sound the Bugle
10. Run Free
11. Homeland (main title)
12. Rain
13. The Long Road Back
14. Nothing I've Ever Known
15. I Will Always Return (finale)

'Sound the Bugle' is probably my favourite track. It's played when Spirit's future was looking grim, and he is thinking of giving up because he cannot find a way out from the humans' grasp. I love the lyrics, here goes:

Sound the bugle now - play it just for me
As the seasons change - remember how I used to be
Now I can't go on - I can't even start
I've got nothing left - just an empty heart

I'm a soldier - wounded so I must give up the fight
There's nothing more for me - lead me away...
Or leave me lying here

Sound the bugle now - tell them I don't care
There's not a road I know - that leads to anywhere
Without a light I fear that I will - stumble in the dark
Lay right down - decide not to go on

Then from an height - somewhere in the distance
There's a voice that calls - remember who you are
If you lose yourself - your courage soon will follow

So be strong tonight - remember who you are

Ya you're a soldier now - fighting in a battle
To be free once more - Ya that's worth fighting for

Snow Day in Ningbo!!

I woke today to find the ground covered in a fluffy layer of snow!! Since I live in Australia, snow is indeed a rare sight. I was so excited! The last time I played in the snow was about three years ago, during my previous visit to China.

After breakfast and some house chores however, half the snow has melted away. Still, there was plenty to make a small snowman. My sister Jane and I thus wrapped up in cloaks, scarves and gloves and headed outside.

We got all the snow we needed from on top of the cars coz the snow there are the whitest and the fluffiest. Findind a place to build the snowman was a bit difficult as there weren't many flat ground around. At last we found a stone chair to act as the base for our snowman project. My gloves were soon soaked by the melting snow, making snowman-building increasinly difficult. Brrr...it was freezing! At last, our beautiful snowman was finished, we used a few lychee cores for its eyes and nose, and a piece of snow pea for the mouth. We dubbed it: Mr.Squishy!!!

The Pros and Cons of Living in China

Although China is my home country, I still think that Australia is a better country to live in. Well, both countries have their own pros and cons. Wouldn't it be great if I can mix the two together? :P

Pros of living in China:

• The cost of living is cheaper. Say if one earns money in Australia, then spend it in China, nearly everything would seem a whole lot more affordable, especially every day essentials.
• Late closing times are very convienient. Every day, shopping centres are open until 10 to 11pm, unlike in Melbourne, where the shops close at 5.30pm except on Thursdays and Fridays when shops close at 9.00pm.
• Clothing range: the varieties of clothes on sale in China is far more diverse than what I have noticed in Melbourne. Most of my clothes are bought from China as there are not many clothes that suit me or my tastes back in Melbourne.
• Food glorious food: I can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine in China, as well as other delicacies which cannot be found in Australia.

Cons of living in China:

• Large population: in my hometown, Ningbo, alone, there are over 5 million people. Due to rapid development, the number of vehicles on the roads are increasing by hundreds every day. It is a pain just to park your car, not to mention travelling a major road during peak hours. My cousin told me that you can leave your car on the road to use the toilet and when you return, your car would still be in the same spot!
• Dangerous traffic: in China, you cannot wait until the road is clear to cross the road, or else you will never get to the other side. It is a pedestrian's job to safely weave in and out of vehicles to cross the road. Cars will come within inches of you, even on a pedestrian crossing. Cars are not the only danger. Cyclists and motorcyclists are probably the most daring people on the roads. They are everywhere, zooming in and out of streets, one must keep their wits about them in order to avoid being hit.
• Inadequate control of hygiene rules: even though their are "keep our country clean" signs everywhere, some people still spit all over the place, which is much more indecent than littering. When I walk on the streets, I have to constantly look on the ground to avoid stepping on spit. Eww...XP Australia is much cleaner and less pollution results in a better environment.
  

Nevertheless, China is still an exciting country, with plenty to see and do. Still, I can't wait to return to Melbourne! :)

Winter in China

Brrr!! It's so cold here in mainland China. Still, I am glad to leave the stuffy hot summer back in Melbourne, Australia. One thing I missed though - my pet rabbit Rex. I had to leave him at home in the cage all the time, but my lovely auntie is looking after him every day. Although he won't be out and about, at least he would have a clean cage and litterbox, and plenty of food and water.

We got a new home in my hometown Ningbo, China. It's kinda like a two-storey apartment and it's ultra awesome! It is much more modern-looking than my home back in Melbourne. I have my own room with a double bed! Dad also bought a 46inch Sharp Aquos LCD TV, complete with DVD player and surrond stereo system. Watching movies at home is a whole lot better now! Our home has three bedrooms, an open study, two bathrooms, two balconies, two walk-in wardrobes and an open kitchen opposite a spacious living room. Ahh! I love my new home! :)

I have been in China for nearly a month now and have done a LOT of shopping already. I got heaps of new clothes, shoes, a R4 card and leather pouch for my Nintendo DS, some books and best of all, a lap top computer of my own! It's a blue Sony CR series laptop and it's absolutely brilliant!!

Food here in China is really cheap, well in terms of currency conversion. One Australian dollar equals to around 6.5 RMB. When I go to supermarkets, I buy a load of snacks such as cakes and those yummy Asian snacks, which are a lot cheaper than in Melbourne! My grandparents also buy us fruits which you don't get in Australia, they said, "Try to enjoy them while you can!" Mmmm....I'm in heaven! Hehe...

Well, that's it for now...FOR NOW...more to come! :P

End of VCE...and high school!

Yes, right now I am in China, enjoying a well-earned holiday after two hectic years of VCE. I have achieved a satisfactory ENTER, which enabled me to get into my first preference course: Bachelor of Commerce New Generation. Mac Rob class of 2007 has yet again triumphed as the top school in Victoria with a median ENTER of 96.80! I think this is either the 6th or 7th consecutive year that Mac Rob has come first out of all the other high schools. At first I was a little afraid that we might not make it, but it turns out we are the best year 12 class so far, with the highest median ENTER ever!! Class of 2006 might be the golden year, but class of 2007 is the diamond year! lol

Our teachers often remind us that year 12 is going to be the best year of high school, but in my opinion, year 11 was the best. Year 12 was too stressful and tiring to be very enjoyable. Although year 11 was the first year of VCE, the stress level was not as high, meaning I could still do some of my favourite activities during free time. I like my year 11 teachers better overall as well. Especially in Biology and Physics, where we can muck around a lot without being told off. For example in biology class one day, we get to disect a rat and examine its digestive system. After drawing a rough (and messy) diagram, some peole started to mutilate their rats. By using a scapel, a couple of girls crushed a rat's skull. The crunching sound made Ms Williams look up and she said in an exasperated tone, "Will you stop making those sick noises! Leave the rats alone!" However, she rarely gets angry, and always likes to joke around, which made biology classes a heap of fun. The stench of the rats were overwhelming as well, and in just one lesson, we used up two cans of air refresheners, but even that could not completely cover up the smell of dead frozen rats. As a result, we left the class with a mixed scent of rats and air refersheners...

Year 12 was much more serious, and it felt like the shortest year. We had so much homework, assignments and assessments that even the term holidays felt more like catch-up periods rather than vacation. The hard work was paid off in the end though, and now it's all over!! But year 12 wasn't all work and no play. I still went to orchestra rehearsals once a week, one of the few year 12s who still do. I joined House Chorals, the Winter Concert and concert choir. These are the things which made my last year of high school even more enjoyable and memorable. My favourite teachers this year are got to be Ms Scarpino for accounting and Ms Gurm for biology. Ms Gurm is one of the funniest teachers I've ever met, but she takes our class seriously and most importantly, she is fair.

The greatest asset that I have gained from the past two years is friendship. I have made many new friends and got closer with some old ones. My best friends are Yimo, Sandra, Maria, Coral, Enlin, Jin, Sally and Ziwei. I also have friends in all my classes as well as in orchestra. I hope to remain in touch with all of them.

The past two years are filled with excitement, happiness, tears and memories. I will never forget these.

My New Blog

New year, new blog.
Anyway, I've decided to start a brand new blog, called Midnite's World. Hopefully this one will be more active than the last one. :) For the time being, I will not delete my old blog.
Yes, my new year resolution: constant bloggin! lol