gnatweds

From Eugene on the eve of his birthday (yes, he really was born on labour day.. 35 years ago now muahhahah)

"Once I felt the need to party, now I only feel like putty"

Good ah? fwa... I married a wordsmith/philosopher. heheheheh

The visa forms just came back (yay!) - and according to them Gene is a Alien Physician.
Yes, apparently, anyone not resident/born in the country is automatically an Alien.
What would that make me I wonder? Alien Spouse of Alien Physician? I could go around calling myself ASAP. Hahahahhahahahahah.

No wonder UFOs are seen all the time in the US of A!

Part of the form requires us to pay $100 for national security screening thingamajig - so its a US$100 to allow someone to yell/look suspiciously/body search you at immigration. Apparently, while paying for it, the program warned G that it would forcibly close all other open windows/apps. Whoa. Talk about fierce security man.

Okay lah, am actually glad that the Visa forms have come back, it simply means that some concrete plans can start being put into place eg: moving out, getting flights and booking accomodation there.
You actually have to declare before you buy a ticket if you're going on a visa status or not.

On the subject of moving to Minn, Weiyng helpfully offers the tip to pick up knitting.
This is the actual transcript of the yahoo mesger conversation.

[19:16] wyjunkie: go take up knitting
[19:16] meilynn1331: snort. Knitting?!?
[19:17] wyjunkie: am considering it... only becos knitting needles r a gd weapon to have when travelin on pub transport late at nite... my akidio friend taught me
[19:17] wyjunkie: not like knife, which makes you look dodgy
[19:18] meilynn1331: erh...
[19:18] meilynn1331: okaaay.

Love you very much wei.

But crime on Melbourne's trams not funny, read full version here but this is a snippet from it:

Nine passengers were raped and 168 sexually assaulted last year as sex crime on the network increased dramatically. There were 870 bashings on or near trams, trains and buses, 800 vandals caught by police, 222 drug offences and 172 weapons offences.
The series of recent horrors include:
THE alleged rape in broad daylight of a woman on a city-bound train in December.
A YOUNG father stabbed to death by a stranger at Box Hill station in February.
A NEAR fatal iron bar attack on a teenager at Footscray station just a month after local residents and businesses pleaded with transport heads for better lighting, cameras and security. THE late night bashing at Blackburn station last month of a 66-year-old man who came to Melbourne from his NSW home to volunteer for the Commonwealth Games.

Cruds. Wei, keep those knitting needles nearby!

Hey, everyone: pls remember to pass to me and or gene your MSN/Skype/Yahoo messenger ids so we can keep in touch even there. In the wilds of Minnesota. Will update when I have more information.

Yet another week has passed, and have we started planning/packing for the upcoming removal of our bodies from the country?
Natch.

Laundry's still undone in the basket, and we're buying more and more food for the fridge.
Right now, the current favourite is icy-cold coconuts. That sip of brain numbingly cold coconut juice/water.... fwa, unbeleivably good.

It's surprising how far June seems when in reality, its about 8 weeks to D-day (departure day)

Been researching Rochester, MN. Think I should get worried: Minnesota is affectionately known as MinneSNOWta for good reason. Their version of excellent shopping: There is Walmart and Bed n Bath Works at a mall about 20 mins away driving.

Okay.... this is going to be interesting.

On the up side, the nearest snow fields is about 45 minutes away... so maybe, just maybe, I'll finally learn how to ski properly or pick up snowboarding?!?

Although there are lakes all around, it seems like wakeboarding is not a hot option. Wonder why? I am guessing it may be because you'll have to put on a dru suit to go boarding.... but hey, I might be maligning the place. Will tell more if the visas ever get sorted.

Kallaboo: I promise I will take some photos of this place and put them up soon...

Oh, have I mentioned this? Go to the travelling duo's blogs! (kallaboo aka karen's here and Chin yuen aka her husband-to-be's is here and both sites have marvellous photos - the kind that will win competitions if the two ever stopped travelling and got down to the actual submitting process hehehehhe.

TOKYO, April 6 (Reuters) - Three Singaporeans were found safe on Thursday after getting lost on what they said was a mission to find a legendary karate expert on a snowy mountainside in Japan.
One of the three men told police in Hirosaki, near the northern tip of Japan's main island, that they had come to Japan after his dying father, a martial arts expert, had ordered them to seek out the karate teacher, TV Asahi said on its Web site.
"Japan looked so small on the world map that we thought we would be able to find him straight away," one of the group, aged between 25 and 50, was quoted as saying.
All three were dressed in light clothing and huddling in an abandoned car when they were rescued from the slopes of 1,600-metre (5,249-ft) Mount Iwaki in the early hours of the morning after calling for help on a mobile phone, a police spokesman said. "Neither police nor local people know of anyone running karate classes in this area," the spokesman added.