On the not-so-red carpet...

IT wasn't as glamorous as I had envisioned it to be. Still, it was quite a lot of fun...

Two nights ago, my friend Tony invited me to attend the red-carpet Australian premiere of the new Batman flick, The Dark Knight. It was held at the IMAX cinema downtown, and we were promised our share of celebrities. 

I was expecting limousine arrivals, screaming fans, security officers in dark suits and ear pieces, the flashing paparazzi and high end fashion. Inside, I was certain there'd be bow-tie clad waiters serving elegant hor'devours and crystal goblets of champagne as the who's who of Melbourne giggled and made small talk, amidst air kisses and polite pleasantries. After all, this IS the red carpet premiere, is it not? Should I have expected anything less? Apparently, yes. 

As instructed, we rocked up just before 6pm for a 630pm SHARP screening. I was a little hungry but was foolishly consoled by my false expectation that there'd be some kind of refreshments in there. I was surprised the traffic was pretty good, and getting a parking spot in the building was a breeze, considering such a glitzy event. As we took the escalator down into the main foyer, we were greeted by some 'regular' folks getting some popcorn for their show, and a handful of paparazzi photographers lounging around. There was a red carpet leading to the main IMAX cinema and two little tressle tables covered with random tablecloth on each side of the entrance, manned by some ushers with a namelist. But no celebrities in sight, no cocktail, no champagne, nothing. So we dashed out to get a quick bite from Food Mart; me a tandoori chicken sandwich and iced coffee, and Tony some granola bar. 

It was 615pm when we got back to the cinema but still no screaming fans or security outside. Inside the foyer, a long queue had formed to get into the IMAX cinema. And among the mere mortals like us were some of Australia's better known celebrities. The quickest to spot was multi Gold Logie winner and Australia's favourite talk-show host, Rove McManus. A small man indeed, Rove was accompanied by his current sweet heart actress Tasma Walton. Along with them were others like comedian Peter Hellier, actor Stephen Curry, former Olympian and swimmer Michael Klim, Nova morning show host Kate Langbroek, AFL Hall of Fame inductee Dermot Berereton (who was recently on Celebrity Singing Bee!), comedian and radio host Ryan Shelton, leading Australian fashion designer Alannah Hill (dressed in a cute pink number), my favourite pyjama couturier Peter Alexander, and Peter Rowsthorn of the comedy Kath & Kim... just to name few (I must admit here that I didn't recognise many of them but Tony pointed them out to me!). The paparazzi would get them to pose with the main display for the movie as they made their way to the entrance of the cinema, and for a few seconds flashes would go off before the next 'victim' is caught. It was a thoroughly casual affair with most people just in jeans, and casual jackets, which was a relief as we were both pretty dressed down too. 

When we got to our seats, we were treated to a bar of Cadbury Boost and a bottle of Pepsi... and that was about the only refreshments we got for the evening. After a formal welcome by the IMAX guy and the Roadshow guy, the extravaganza began.

If you've never watched a movie in an IMAX cinema or have no idea what IMAX is about, here's some basic facts: IMAX is the largest film format in the world, with the screens being 10 times larger than your normal cinema and the image fills the entire screen. The screen can be as high as 8 storeys, and it has a much more superior image and sound quality. So when Batman leaps off the edge of a skyscraper and hovers over the city, you're flying with him. Or when he gets shot, you can almost feel the bullet penetrating your skin. In short, IT'S AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE...

As far as the film goes, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT is gripping, complex and quite dark. It has some amazing effects and stunts, and the story line is believable. And it goes without saying that Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker, while brilliant, was also very disturbing. The fact that he died so tragically soon after filming this movie made me wonder what was going through his head when preparing and playing this role. The Joker is eerie and creepy and just very very dark... I also wondered how the audience felt seeing his portrayal of The Joker, some of whom I'm sure knew Heath quite well. The rest of the cast were excellent and I hope there will be yet another Batman series... one that will result in a less tragic aftermath. 

And for the red-carpet premiere experience? Well, there was very little mingling and schmoozing after the movie as people began to leave almost immediately. It was after all a Monday night. For me, it was a great escape from the pains of job hunting and applications. Tony and I headed down to Lygon Street after the movie and dug into a much awaited pizza and finished the evening with our usual dose of skinny latte. Perfecto...

How long...?

Come Tuesday, it'd be three weeks since I arrived in Melbourne. Throughout my drive from Perth to Melbourne, I fantasised about what life was going to be in the Emerald City... cute little apartment somewhere in the inner city; commuting on the trains or trams to work with my dark wool overcoat and cashmere scarf; sipping my skinny latte as I peruse The Age on a Saturday morning, grocery shopping in Victoria Markets, going to the theatre on a Friday night... Well, life hasn't quite turned out the way I had planned in my little head. 

Since I arrived, I've been living at a friend's apartment about half hour from the city. While I'm not quite living out of my suitcase, the whole set up is very temporary until I secure some kind of employment, after which I will then look for a place to rent. 

My days start at about 730am... or 8am... or whatever time I drag myself out of bed. I make myself a cup of English Breakfast tea, and whip some oatmeal porridge and sit myself down in front of the TV for a dose of Sunrise on Channel 7. After that, I either head off to the gym to pump some iron, or head into the shower, get dressed and decide what I'm going to do. For the most parts, I spent my time going through job advertisements online and preparing my applications. Applying for a job in Australia is a tedious affair as most jobs have about 6-10 selection criteria  that needs to be addressed. The applicant is expected to write about half a page telling the advertiser how his/her skills, knowledge and experience meets each specific criteria. So, I'd end up having to write about 3-5 pages, and it's the most painstaking task after writing essays for university assignments. Sometimes, it's quite easy to replicate your 'answers' by cutting and pasting from previous applications. But there's still a lot of tweaking to get through. What's more painful is having to go through all that, then getting a rejection email saying your application has been unsuccessful! It's happened a few times now and you know what, I don't think you ever get used to rejection! 

It's coming to the end of week three, and I've probably put out about 12-15 job applications, and still jobless. I have scored a couple of interviews and I guess that's a start. But I have to be honest that my morale isn't the greatest. With my reserves slowly depleting, I am not looking forward to digging into my savings to survive a few more weeks of unemployment. I can't stand not having a routine... but I think that has got to do with the underlying fact that I do not have an income! 

I absolutely hate living by myself (my friend and his family are away in Brisbane). I used to like the idea of having a place to myself, but after living with my housemate for the last year, I have grown to like the idea of coming home to someone. I can't wait to secure a job so I can get on with looking for a shared place to rent. I am convinced with each passing day that we were not meant to live by ourselves, that we were created for community. Or at least I am. I miss connecting with people, talking, engaging, discovering... 

Don't get me wrong...it hasn't been all bleak here in Melbourne. Sure, the weather has been cold, and sometimes wet and overcast. But I've been so blessed by the warmth of family nearby, of catching up with a couple of old friends... people who have made being here just a little easier. Just as the winter will slowly turn to spring, my 'winter' will melt and new life will emerge. I was reading the Psalms this morning and came across Psalm 12, where the psalmist asks, "How long...?"... I too wonder how long before 'spring' awakens...

Farewell Perth, Hello Melbourne...

After talking about it for a few years, I finally did it! I packed up my life in Perth (less a few things here and there), and drove across the Nullabor to Melbourne to start afresh. Why? Well, my usual response to that would be "Why (the hell) not?" (Only those of you who remember my one appearance in a female fashion magazine in Malaysia will get the "the hell" joke, in which case, none of you would remember so that’s OK… hahaha)

Ever since I visited Melbourne for the first time in the winter of 2003, I have always been in love with it. It's the only city in Australia that I keep returning to over and over again. I have some wonderful family here (no offence Joshua, I love you too but not quite Sydney!), the coffee is always (OK, OFTEN!) perfect, and the selection of international cuisines simply delectable and affordable. It certainly helps that Melbourne is also the cultural hub of Australia with an abundance of galleries, theatres, museums, live music venues and comedy clubs to whet the appetite for every art enthusiasts.

Despite all the great things going on in Melbourne, the decision to relocate to Melboure has been one of the hardest and most painstaking I have had to make in a long time. I never thought it would be so hard to leave Perth, but after six and half years living in the world’s most remote city, I found myself clinging to my life in Perth. Nevermind that friends (who aren’t from Perth) have often teased about how Perth wasn’t quite Australia, or raised eyebrows when I refer to Perth as a city. Sure, Perth’s a little quirky and a bit of a ‘kampung’ (village), but hey, have you visited ADELAIDE?? Hahaha…

Jokes aside, Perth has been home to me for the last six and half years. There are just so many things I love about Perth, like the many parks and the South Perth foreshore, breakfasts by the beach on weekends, coffee and cake at Point Walter, a day trip to Swan Valley for wine, cheese and chocolate, and free barbeque spots all over the city. More than these are the people I have come to know and love over the years living in Perth. I have been really blessed to have some amazing friends through church, work and other acquaintances; people who have touched my life in so many ways, shared some amazing moments and experiences with, and most of all, put up with me! LOL...

So why move anyway? Well, I guess it was time for a change, for new beginnings and life experiences. Change is an important aspect in life because it keeps it fresh and exciting. I figured that life was too short to live in one place, and there are so many amazing things to do. For someone who gets bored quite easily, I just felt it was time for a change of environments.

Yes, change can sometimes be stressful but what’s important is to keep things in perspective and look at the big picture. Of course I’ve freaked out a few times prior to making the move, and still do from time to time now. And I think that’s pretty normal for anyone getting out of his or her comfort zones and starting anew. Moving away from familiar territory also helps us appreciate what we had or have, and gives us the opportunity to start again.

Driving across the Nullabor alone for a week gave me a lot of time to reflect on my life in Perth; to count my blessing, acknowledge past mistakes, and make some resolutions for a ‘new’ life in a new city. While I miss my friends (and life) in Perth very much, I am thrilled at the prospects of what life has to offer me in Melbourne. A change in career, a new hobby, a fresh start.

It’s been almost 2 weeks since I arrived in Melbourne. I have sent over 2o job applications and still haven’t secured a single job interview. Still, I am hopeful and keeping my chin up. Yes, I am a little scared and uncomfortable but freaking out isn’t going to do anything. Worst case scenario, I pack up and head back west to my old job and life… which isn’t bad at all. But for now, I’m trying to enjoy the ride and learn to let go of my securities and embrace all Melbourne has to offer me…