Never seen this type of spider before. I'm not too sure if it's a huntsman but I've never seen a spider this colour before. It was more orange than brown with black spots and was quite docile and refused to move.
From google search the closest relation I can get is that this could of been a new species of the "Tiger Huntsman"
Last Tuesday to be accurate I performed at Blakehurst High for their multicultural day. A really big event run by the kids, also the most useless day of running around doing nothing for them.
I wouldn't normally perform based on the fact I never really think I'm good enough because of the lack of training. But that day I felt slightly adventurous, sure I stuffed up my routine but no one noticed. What happened was on my last movement I sliced opened my left thumb, quite deeply too, blood was almost gushing out but it did pool up quite big in my hand. Hopefully no one noticed.
I decided to go to the docs to check up on my tetanus shots. It's been 7 years since my last shot and I remember that well because I almost sawed my thumb in half that day too!
Anyhow, it wasn't bleeding any more so no stitches, got my shot and I changed my bandage/band aid everyday.
A week later I decide it's fine to go without the band aid (I actually forgot), the skin has closed up, just some slight bruising. But what I didn't notice till later today that I have lost almost all feeling in that wounded area! Complete nerve damage!
It's so strange, other than the near amputation of part of my thumb I can move it fine, It doesn't hurt too, I lifted weights with it, drummed a whole weekend and I'm fine.
I got there super early that even the gates weren't opened yet.
As always the smells of incense fill the air at the temple. But now I hardly notice it.
I find it quite fascinating at how the reverends can maintain their levels of concentration. While walking they meditate, walking in perfect straight lines following the courtyard paving.
30 drums all up, wrapped up and quite difficult to un-bag. I could only imagine how difficult it would of been to slip those drums in that Hessian bag.
At first I was told that there would be a 'sifu' coming down from Malaysia to teach us the drumming so I automatically assumed it was a reverend. Nope it was just the two top coaches from that Malaysian drumming school. These guys were seriously pro's, super patient and they knew how to structure their lessons properly.
So pro, they showed us just one of their routines and it was amazing. So much power and energy in it that one of the instructors hit it so hard it split the skin on the drum.
Seriously, the food is amazing. I'm pretty sure I had some kickass imitation roast duck, that or it was meant to be chicken. I'm not too sure, but it was amazingly good.
The same bird as last time. Waiting on the same rock as always too. It's so cute, it can swim underwater too!!
All packed up! (kinda)
I was invited by the temple to attend a 24 season drumming camp and I am very glad I went. So much fun and such a big learning experience for me. I realised I suck at counting to 8 and I'm quite annoyingly short for the drums.
First day felt like it went by so long. Everyone struggled even me but by Sunday we were all moving quite quickly! We have learnt only 2 sets of drumming routines with 1 more to go, so hopefully with the next weekend coming up we will have it all down pat!
Sitting in the middle of every table is a little hamper of sample jars of different jams and honey! Very thoughtful!
Sundried tomato with feta brushetta, marinated mushrooms with spinach bacon and smoked salmon.
The mushrooms were super scrumptious, that brushetta was also delectable and bacon was also surprisingly good considering it was most probably sitting there for quite some time. The salmon was also of the finest grade!
Poached eggs,
So I asked for some poached eggs when I was near the kitchen, expecting to handed some on my plate for asking. Instead I was asked if I would like it soft or hard, I said soft and he gave me a number, as confused as I was it occurred to me that he was going to make and order to make it fresh for me. A few minutes later they arrived at my table.
Silly me for thinking this was just like any other buffet. Any other special requests like omlettes are made to order and brought to your table.
French toast with grilled tomato salad and rice pudding musli.
French toast was very surprising, very scrumptious, it's been so long since I have had french toast but never to this calibre. The tomato salad was simple and I just couldn't get enough of that salmon. That rice pudding was just amazing, I have honestly had rice pudding like this before and it was just a delight for brekkie!
Despite it being called a breakfast buffet, it is quite different to what I'm usually experience. Coffee is made to order and brought to your table, tea is poured from bags sitting in urns, brought to you by staff of course.
Now I'm not usual a huge fan of buffets because I always get too greedy with food and load it up till it can't fit any more. Food always mixes up together in strange combinations on your plate and personally due to that, it kind of ruins the textures and flavours in certain foods.
Considering this was The Hilton Hotel in the Glass Brassiere I forcefully held back with my servings. Other than the eggs, the other two dishes were placed by me and everything worked just right.
Bel's going away (for 12 months) charm bracelet! I like the concept of these Pandora bracelets and how each charm can tell a story or represent a friend. But in real life I quite dislike it, too many people end up loading these bracelets up with way too many charms and it becomes much too busy and looses its meaning. Less is more !!
This brekkie was in celebration (sort of) for Bel's farewell. She's leaving to Beijing for the next 12 months for exchange. She's been a very dear friend of mine for a long time and I'm quite certain that I've had longer periods of absence between her for more than 12 months at a time. But considering the distance..........
lol no, fuck it. I'm so happy for her, she's doing what she wants and I can't find anything bad to say about it. Honestly I won't miss her but I will miss her presence.
Group shot.
Go have fun Bel, meet loads of new people. Become chinky, smoke as much weed as you want, don't get raped, keep your organs close to you at all times (seriously) and have loads of fun.
I hope and I know by the end of the 12 months, you will come back with more experiences than you could have imagine. I'm excited to see your transformation just as I'm excited to see your reactions to my transformation after the next 12 months.
Remember, someone who think's one way at the start of the year but still continues to the think exactly same way by the end of the year, that person has wasted a year of their life.
More hatchlings from my bristle nose cat fishies!!
These guys don't stop after they start. I see new hatchlings now and then and it's quite obvious that a lot of them don't make it past a month. It's sad but oh well.
The amazing culinary experience that only a reverend can partake. Even down to the amazing china plates and cups. The detail in which the temple volunteers put into this was astounding.
This bird fascinated me so much. It was there when I first re-visited the car near the lotus pond, just patiently waiting on that rock for something to spark its interest. It was only until I was close enough did I spook it and it flew away to the other side of the pond.
Then on Sunday when I was leaving I spotted the same bird on the same rock in the same position waiting patiently. Quite symbolic of the temple/Buddhism itself.
Unfortunately it rained on the morning of the Sanga offering but we were lucky enough for the rain to stop when the ceremony commenced and held out for the rest of the day.
Around the side of the main courtyard lies various statues and ornaments and close enough to bonsai trees. Everything down to perfection, notice the alignment of the pebbles.
The food, all vegetarian, no meat, even down to the snacks (no chicken, beef, bbq flavouring products at all). As boring as it may sound having a whole weekend eating nothing but vegetarian temple food, I love it! It's one thing I actually look forward to when I head down there, it's seriously amazing with what they can do with imitation meat.
The imitation meats are seriously magic, if nobody says anything or if you don't think it's temple food your mind will be fooled.
Even after the weekend I had no craving for meat at all. I did however eat meat purely for the convenience.
On the morning of the Sanga offering, just like any other morning there's chanting. This shot was taken just outside the main shrine at 6am.
After chanting, 7am.
The little Buddha statues they have around the temple are very amusing and realistic at night time.
I found out that the temple now actually has a Lion Dancing crew! With only about 7 weeks of training under them, they're pretty good! Raymond Giang is teaching them and when he saw me there he quite happily greeted me with a smile, one of the first things he asked me was "Can you give these guys a few tips?"
Long story short I think they want me to teach the lion dancing for the temple! I'm so flattered! Also I'm very honoured to be asked that just as the reverend was when she asked too! Gosh I'm blushing.
In the main shrine the walls, left, right and centre are Buddha statues everywhere.
It's never ending.
The roof also has an amazing piece. I have been told it was hand painted!
Steps up to the main shrine.
Temple at night time is just a totally different experience. I'm so fortunate to be given the opportunity to experience this.
Last weekend I was asked if I was available to volunteer to help out for the Sanga offering down at Nan Tien. To be honest most of the time I'm quite hesitant to help out, with many reasons, one being I'm quite afraid of helping out, by doing things incorrectly or offending the reverend because I'm just oblivious to a lot of things. Well this time I had no alaby to get out of it, also I know the temple is always in need of volunteers.
The Sanga offering is a day where the temple volunteers get together and give something back to the reverends who teach them Buddhism. It was a whole day ceremony starting early in the morning, so I got down the day before for rehearsals and slept overnight. The temple at night and at dawn is just something quite surreal.
I attended chanting in the morning, earlier than usual because of the offering. I always find chanting a strange experience for me personally. I don't understand a word, I do not know the lyrics, nor do I understand the concept behind chanting and I honestly don't know what to do when I'm there. But I attend anyway because it's something really special to me. It's melodic and soothing, it almost brings me to tears sometimes (which I always desperately try to hide), it warms you up despite how cold it may be and it wakes you up to the morning feeling strangely energised on an empty stomach.
The photos are actually in reverse order ( some aren't). I also decided to film for the first time using the G11, which may also be the last. The quality is quite disappointing, I believe the Iphone4 trumps it just a bit which makes me consider the Iphone 5 for my next purchase.
Zyzz (Az Sergeyevich) recently passed away, may he rest in peace.
Over that past few years Zyzz has become a celebrity over the worlds bodybuilding scene and is now I believe "The father of Aesthetics".
He was a narcissist to some and a god to others. Either way this guy was amazing, I have friends who idolise him, I have friends who hate him but either way you look at him you can't not admire him.
I admire him not for his build ( well yes i do but) I have true admiration for his determination. I believe he said somewhere that "My end goal is not to be some massed up freak, but rather to have a physique that can be looked as art; streamlined, tapered, and universally appealing." (Simplyshredded.com) And so his body is his art. His artform has taken him over 4 years to perfect and I believe that he believes he hasn't reach perfection. Which is even more admirable for once one reaches perfection is when one has failed to reach perfection and Zyzz knew this well.
Even after his death alot of people still adore him. And I hope that I will be just like Zyzz not in his aesthetics heck no, I would just look like a hardcunt but I hope to be like Zyzz in terms determination. He will be my inspiration to reach the goals I have created for myself in terms of uni, career, cars, photography and anything else I may pick up in the near or distant future.
I know what I write in this blog may upset the majority of smokers out there but I just feel the need to vent.
Please stop, seriously just stop. Go cold turkey and make the air I breathe a bit more cleaner.
Ok I apologise, I'm being unreasonable and possibly insensitive. So let me start again.
Tonight I was confronted by the most inconsiderate, dirty tossers, Chinese men smoking right in front of a main entrance to a very populated restaurant. The smoke was channelled through the doors and littered our air with their second hand smoke.
Please be more mindful you F.O.B fags. I'd rather stick my noes in my shirt to breathe my body odour and so do others, I cringe at every puff you inhale and so does a lot of others, I give you the biggest death stare when I see you flick your smoking butt onto the ground but not many others give a shit beyond that.
But I just have to wonder, do you give a flying shit about us? You're a tosser, your teeth look horrendous and your breathe stinks like an ashtray.
I can honestly say that I cannot relate, I do not understand why you smoke nor can I comprehend why you don't just keep the butt and throw it in a bin!
But what I can wrap my head around and vaguely accept that it's hard to quit, I don't know why it is, but millions of people struggle to do so. Also despite the studies and statistics, you may or may not develop lung cancer and that if you do, you may as well smoke. As silly and hypocritical that last sentence sounded it's actually true. There are people who are chronic smokers that do not develop the harsh symptoms of lung diseases but if they do it's hard to treat.
But what I cannot stand is that majority of the smokers out there don't give a fuck where their second hand smokes go, nor do they give a fuck that the streets are littered with their spit drenched buds.
Yes, I do understand that there are smokers out there who are considerate and I humbly thank you for that. I also apologise if you may have found my words offending.
To the other smokers, piss off, pick up your litter and be more mindful about the others around you.
Please take note, I'm not telling you smoking is bad, you're going to die nor am I telling you to quit. Do what ever you please, just don't put the people around you at a discomfort, that's just rude and inconsiderate.
Lion danced for a restaurant in Parra today. We usually get calls from the local "Mr Chao's Restaurant" in Hurstville to do this type of anniversary stuff but i guess this guy wanted it too.
Singers, live band, dancers, performers and 'apparently' discounted banquet food.
We got called in for the lion dancing as per usual plus also a demonstration of wushu. I opted out of the demo because I haven't been training at all, so nothing to demo. Quite sad really, I wish it wasn't like this but hopefully things will change.
The crowed is always keen to see this shit go down!
The funny juxtaposition in the sign on the way out.
Words cannot describe just how good this movie is.
The other day while browsing one of those asian video shops full of pirated dvds (and now blue rays!) I spotted the Evangelion 2.22 You can (not) advance dvd. I just had to get it.
I was meant to hold out on watching the dvd but i just couldn't hold myself. Holy fuck!
Despite this movie being a remake of the original animation Evangelion (2.22 being part 2 of the 3 part series) it was just full of surprises. Same general plot line but just a completely different journey, new Eva's, new costumes and one twist of a character!
I did state that the plot is generally the same so you would assume that the movie would be come predictable but it's completely the opposite!! How the played out the battles between Eva's and Angles were remastered, script was also slightly modified and also little tidbits of actions that a true eva fan would notice (me being one of them).
If anyone has seen the original series and thought it was great as it is, then you just abso-fucking-lutely have to watch this (Part 1 too!!). It takes the original concept and storyline and creates a huge twist satisfying in my opinion all the eva fans out there. To the guys who want more Eva but don't want their original memories of Eva to die, then seriously this is it.
Originally this series was animated in the original Japanese anime style but I was quite pleasantly surprised to see a lot of 3-D animations incorporated into the series. Soundtrack has also been altered. I believe it is now more lyrically more appropriate which just makes it that much more awesome!
“Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”
The other night my mate Will was kind enough to give me an opportunity to ride his cbr 250. Never ridden a motorbike before he gave me a crash course on where everything is. He also geared me up with helmet and gloves, took off my training wheels (not like there was any!) and told me I could go.
This was at about 10 pm in Olympic Park in one of the very brightly lit up carparks, hardly any cars and plenty of room!
Gosh it was super fun! I will never forget the feeling of being able to lean into a corner while accelerating, it's so similar to riding a push bike but on a completely different scale! Surprisingly loud, amazingly stable and quite loud with a tinge of exhaust fume smell. Despite the bike being some what 10+ years old is was so fast, something I'm not quite use to.
I did have a bit of a scare when I decided to open up the throttle just a little bit more, this caused me to be a bit unsettled in the bike because I was sitting up as opposed to sitting 'in' the bike. But other than that, so much fun!!
I want to get a motorbike now!!
Watching this makes me want to get one even more..
I got there super early that even the gates weren't opened yet.
As always the smells of incense fill the air at the temple. But now I hardly notice it.
I find it quite fascinating at how the reverends can maintain their levels of concentration. While walking they meditate, walking in perfect straight lines following the courtyard paving. 
30 drums all up, wrapped up and quite difficult to un-bag. I could only imagine how difficult it would of been to slip those drums in that Hessian bag.
At first I was told that there would be a 'sifu' coming down from Malaysia to teach us the drumming so I automatically assumed it was a reverend. Nope it was just the two top coaches from that Malaysian drumming school. These guys were seriously pro's, super patient and they knew how to structure their lessons properly.
Seriously, the food is amazing. I'm pretty sure I had some kickass imitation roast duck, that or it was meant to be chicken. I'm not too sure, but it was amazingly good.
The same bird as last time. Waiting on the same rock as always too. It's so cute, it can swim underwater too!!
All packed up! (kinda)
Sitting in the middle of every table is a little hamper of sample jars of different jams and honey! Very thoughtful!
Sundried tomato with feta brushetta, marinated mushrooms with spinach bacon and smoked salmon.
Poached eggs,
French toast with grilled tomato salad and rice pudding musli.
Bel's going away (for 12 months) charm bracelet! I like the concept of these Pandora bracelets and how each charm can tell a story or represent a friend. But in real life I quite dislike it, too many people end up loading these bracelets up with way too many charms and it becomes much too busy and looses its meaning. Less is more !!
This brekkie was in celebration (sort of) for Bel's farewell. She's leaving to Beijing for the next 12 months for exchange. She's been a very dear friend of mine for a long time and I'm quite certain that I've had longer periods of absence between her for more than 12 months at a time. But considering the distance.......... 
Group shot.
The amazing culinary experience that only a reverend can partake. Even down to the amazing china plates and cups. The detail in which the temple volunteers put into this was astounding.
This bird fascinated me so much. It was there when I first re-visited the car near the lotus pond, just patiently waiting on that rock for something to spark its interest. It was only until I was close enough did I spook it and it flew away to the other side of the pond. 
Unfortunately it rained on the morning of the Sanga offering but we were lucky enough for the rain to stop when the ceremony commenced and held out for the rest of the day.
Around the side of the main courtyard lies various statues and ornaments and close enough to bonsai trees. Everything down to perfection, notice the alignment of the pebbles.
The food, all vegetarian, no meat, even down to the snacks (no chicken, beef, bbq flavouring products at all). As boring as it may sound having a whole weekend eating nothing but vegetarian temple food, I love it! It's one thing I actually look forward to when I head down there, it's seriously amazing with what they can do with imitation meat. 
On the morning of the Sanga offering, just like any other morning there's chanting. This shot was taken just outside the main shrine at 6am.
After chanting, 7am.
In the main shrine the walls, left, right and centre are Buddha statues everywhere.
It's never ending.
The roof also has an amazing piece. I have been told it was hand painted!
To the smokers. 
Ok I apologise, I'm being unreasonable and possibly insensitive. So let me start again.
/rant
Lion danced for a restaurant in Parra today. We usually get calls from the local "Mr Chao's Restaurant" in Hurstville to do this type of anniversary stuff but i guess this guy wanted it too.
The crowed is always keen to see this shit go down!
Massive grin the whole way!