Wondering....

It has been days since I heard about Lizzie's shocking news, and I'm still wondering how it had come about. Life has been so full of both pleasant and unpleasant surprises--choked with them.

I shall say I do not really know what her family (esp Edmund) is going through right now, but I guess it must be very taxing physically and more emotionally. Lizzie was fine just a few days ago!!!

Get well soon, Lizzie...And don't stop fighting. You were always a fighter and I think we all know that--she's never said a word about it but we all know she doesn't ever give up (especially when she tells her brother to eat breadskins for her).

It suddenly hits home that "Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till its gone" and I'm hoping very hard that it will not have to "go". I promise I will not ever complain again when you strangle me.



Revenge is Sweet

I wna thank Zak-eeee for giving me this inspiration to write about something in my bored time. We were talking about Noosa, and he was telling me about BlueBottles that him, Bron and Shrav found in the sea. This inspired a new topic of conversation: JELLYFISH

A couple of years ago, I got stung myself. Hey hey hey, wait, before you guys start telling me not to go into the water, I want to inform you guys that I was barely in the sea. I was standing at the place where the waves wash up to the shore, and even then I got stung. Come on, how long is the beach?? Why do the coordinates have to be so accurate for the jellyfish to WASH UP ON ME....>< >< ><

So anyway, I ended up with welts on my right wrist and both my ankles...That's cause I was standing this way in the water:



That's me at Moreton Bay, didn't have any pictures of me when I was digging around for La-La (clams) in the Penang sea when I got stung. But yea, I was basically standing in that position. And the water was even shallower than what you saw in the picture above...>< How the jellyfish had the good luck to wash up on me, I don't understand.

But anyway, I felt a burning sensation on my wrists and my legs, and at first I thought it was the salt water. After that, it got exceedingly itchy, and I knew something was wrong cause the itch didn't go away and it was starting to hurt as well. And I took my arms out of the water and lo and behold, they looked something like this:






And whatd'ya know...I got stung! Jeezz...

The hotel management sprayed some toilet cleaner on me (cause it contains ammonia) and it was better after that, so I didn't see the doctor (big mistake, I found out later). And after I showered, I went to inspect the creature. Of course it was stranded on the beach, and anyone else would have pitied it or something, but I just felt mad at it. So me and brother took huge sticks and whacked the juice out of it. It was milky white, and to my horror the size of a tea table.

A few days later, the redness went down and everything was alright. And just when I thought it was all well, little boils started appearing the day after that. SOOOOO many little lumps on my skin--the kind of lumps that are filled with water...And they scared me to fits. THEN I decided to see the doctor...And I forgot what happened after that. But they burst one by one, and it took YEARS before the scars would go off. In fact, I still have a tiny fragment of scars today.

OK, I am thankful that at least I got stung in Penang sea, and by common jellyfish, and not in Australia. Because here in Malaysia, although it hurts to get stung and its painful, in Australia if you get stung by the wrong species, it could be fatal. One of the most dreaded jellyfish is the Chironex Fleckeri, known as the Box Jellyfish or (apparently)

Boxfish, Sea Wasp, Fire Medusa, Or Just Stinger





There are more than one article that says the Chironex Fleckeri produces the most deadly venom in the world, in fact. It is so lethal that it can kill a human in a minute!! OMG...Reason why they need such potent venom is because the jellyfish are soft, and they feed on crustaceans. Crustaceans are hard and have sharp shells, so they would hurt the jellyfish if they struggled. That is why the venom has to be so potent to kill the prey instantly. But it seems that the smaller jellyfish are more potent than the larger ones. Reason is because:

In larger jellyfish, the need to kill instantly is not a problem, as the larger jellyfish can use their tentacles (which are stronger and bigger)to hold on to the prey, while the smaller jellyfish (who only injects a more concentrated poison from a small tip of the nematosis, and nowhere esle) cannot do such things, and must kill their victims instantly. By doing so, the small Irukandji can devour its prey instantaneously, and not risk having the prey escape. Indeed, the smallest jellyfish, Irukandji, sleeps, as well as the other jellies, to conserve energy. This seems illogical, but during this time, there are more predators than prey to the Irukandji, and so it is ilogical to try to hunt. Also, during this time, it is necessary to conserve energy, because unlike many other animals, the jellyfish cannot store fat, and so must constantly feed. The Irukandji actually has many tentacles, but they branch out from four main stalks.

So what is this Irukandji?? Wait, before I go into that, let's check out the Box Jellyfish first.

Here are some interesting facts:

1. The jellyfish bell has 4 distinct sides, hence giving it the name "Box"

2. The box jellyfish seem to move towards the shore in calm waters when tide is rising and gather near the mouths of rivers, estuaries and creeks following the rain.

3. Box jellies are highly advanced among jellyfish. They have developed the ability to move rather than just drift, jetting at up to four knots through the water. They also have eyes grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of their bell. Each cluster includes a pair of eyes with a sophisticated lens, retina, iris and cornea, although without a central nervous system, scientists aren’t sure how they process what they see.

4. The season for the Box Jellyfish starts with the onset of the wet across the top of northern Australia, usually around October and lasts until April. Further south along the northern Queensland or northern Western Australia coast the season is usually from November to March.

5. From 1883 to late 2005, the box jellyfish accounted for at least 70 recorded deaths

 

Alright, that was a few random facts about the box jellyfish...Now we move on to the Irukandji.

Personally, I've never heard of them before until Zak mentioned them. This is how they look like:



OMG they're TINYYYYYY...How the hell are we supposed to see them???!!!

2 people have died from Irukandji stings:


- 58-year-old British tourist, Richard Jordon, was stung while swimming near Hamilton Island, off the coast of Queensland, in January. He died several days later. 

-  In April 2002, a 44-year-old American tourist, Robert King, died after a brush with the Irukandji jellyfish off Port Douglas in Queensland. 


Wow...


The deadly Irukandji jellyfish is related to the more commonly known box jellyfish, about which visitors to the north Queensland coast are warned.

That's not the worst of it...


A box jellyfish sting results in pain and welts forming immediately. These signs result in first aid being quickly applied and treatment begun which reduces the imminence of death and must have kept the death toll low. A sting by the Irukandji jellyfish, on the other hand, is often felt as nothing more than a painful irritant with a rash akin to that of prickly heat. By the time more serious symptoms appear, it may be too late to save a life.


So what should you do if you do get stung? Or rather, what should people do if you get stung, cause with venom as deadly as this, it is highly likely that you would go into shock and have a cardiac arrest as the venom targets the heart (especially box jellyfish).


"Victims frequently require hospitalization to receive analgesics and sometimes intravenous antihypertensive therapy; alpha-blocking agents such as phentolamine have been used for this purpose. Supraventricular tachycardia and high-intensity transient signals in dilated cardiomyopathy have been reported following Irukandji stings, and it has been suggested that serial echocardiography be performed to monitor the progress of severely affected patients. Analgesia is usually required, and may need to be given intravenously when pain is severe. First aid consists of analgesia then examination and investigation followed by reassurance. The role of vinegar to inactivate undischarged nematocysts remains uncertain, with initial work proving inconclusive."

 

Waaaaaa....Such a long complicated narration...But put simply, it means when stung, pour lots of vinegar (because it usually helps to remove the jellyfish tentacles from the skin)!!!! And then go to the hospital--don't be like me. (Btw nematocytes simply mean "jellyfish stingers")

For other people, it may be to prevent jellyfish stings:

1. Don't go swimming in jellyfish infested areas (duuh) and don't go swimming when it is jellyfish season. The beach people will put up signs telling you about it.

2. Wear lycra stinger suits...That cover your whole body, although with Irukandji that might not be so effective

3. Swim in the place where jellyfish nets are put out to keep jellyfish away, although again the annoying Irukandji might just slip through (stupid brainless jellyfish!!!!! ANNOYINGGGG)


For someone who attracts as much bad luck as me, my rules should be:

SWIM IN UQ POOL, DON'T EVEN GO NEAR THE WATER IN AUSTRALIA


After my ordeal with the jellyfish, I discovered that there is only one way to take my revenge properly...And that is...

 



EAT THEM!!!!!!!
(They taste especially good cold, and dipped in soy sauce.)


Will do more research on this interesting creature when free, and when inspired by revenge.

Weird Dreams....

Last night, I had one of the weirdest dreams possible. It was so random that I really dunno what to say about it -.-"



I dreamt that I was being sent to an old boarding house (really looks almost alike with that picture I put up), with its own pond and mini garden. The reason why was cause I was going to study theology and the Bible.

In that house, there was a whole weird collection of people. There was this young boy who was learning professional archery and he had his hair in a shaolin hairstyle. Then there was this group of people who were doing Bible translations or something like that. We all lived in that same ramshackle boarding house literally "boarding" cause the whole house was made of old creaky wood with faded paint--like those older houses I used to live in.

And then, there was a HUGE croc in the pond. Every once in a while, it would come up to the house to look for a "snack". And by once in a while, I meant like every other hour of the day (boy, that is one hungry croc) and by snack, I meant the inhabitants of the house. Because the house was so old and creaky, we did not have ventilation so we left the doors open and someone would keep watch on the croc. And when people shouted "croc incoming", we would rush to shut the doors and try to KEEP IT SHUT. They were SUCH annoying doors!!!

As it was my first day in that house, I didn't know how annoying those doors were. I volunteered to shut the back door, and this was what I found:



Scary huh...Imagine staring at that...Right at your feet. And those doors, were only lockable by latches at the top and the bottom. The latches were the kind that go between the doors, so to lock them you actually had to leave a gap between the doors first. And there were holes in the door for pity's sake...So I risked having my hand chomped off to lock the door, and they WOULD NOT LOCK. You know how sometimes you have those really dodgy old wooden doors??? You try and try to pull them shut and they just WOULD NOT. So that was what happened. In the end, the croc went into the house and all of us climbed on cupboards to escape out of way. Croc could not find anything to eat, so it left and went back to its pond O.o

At night, more danger came. Apparently mafias used our place as bargaining rooms cause it was so old and dodgy no one would ever suspect there was an illegal meeting there. And mafia being mafia, did not want us anywhere near or they would shoot us if we eavesdropped. So we all scurried away.

Unfortunately, I found out that the mafia were my youngest uncle and 2nd uncle from dad's side...O.O..

That was one of the weirdest dreams EVA

Sleepless Night

I had some really awful dreams last night--I guess it was a result of our chat about my trip to the coast, and Skasian mentioned that the folks up there had no opinion. The moment he mentioned that, something struck me as very wrong. If they had any opinion, they might have mentioned it, but most likely they must have had in mind something not very nice, and they didn't want to "burst his bubble", so they never told him anything.

I had 2 very awful dreams last night. I dreamt they put me and another girl side by side (it could've been esther but I was not so sure), and then started comparing...And I failed miserably. As a result, I was forbidden to ever contact anyone in the house (Skasian included) or even see them again. They told me to pack up all my luggage (apparently I had not flown off back home yet) and leave the place immediately. I was told to delete my contacts off Facebook etc, and even get rid of the numbers in my mobile.

The 2nd dream was far worse. I dreamt that I was supposed to meet all of them at the coast for a grand occasion, and was not given any prior notice until half an hour before the event started. I was not even dressed properly and I dreamt that I was rushing and hurrying and trying to take every single mode of transport available that was the fastest to reach the coast from Brisbane. I did not want to be late cause I had this impression in my mind that they already did not like me (you can see how paranoid I had become) and worst, Skasian phoned to say that if I was late or not dressed appropriately, I better not bother showing up anymore, and I should not even meet him anymore.

Nasty dreams....Yuuuuccccckkkkkkk

Free for the Moment!!!

I just realized that I have finished my exams!!! It didn't sink in until Eugenie asked me today, how did it feel having finished the finals...

It feels awesome man!!! I am so so so happy!!!

But then again, I could not enjoy myself just yet due to the monthly visit from my best friend...The cramps were so bad that I could not walk yesterday and I almost could not sit up properly. Also, I spent the day trying to catch up on sleep. Having 4 days in a row is certainly not very fun. It is exhausting. I realized how exhausted I was when I was walking in the city today. My knees wobbled and I was really, really tired. 

Well, at least this was the most fulfiling semester I've had since I came to Australia. It is fulfilling both cause of the good times and the bad times. I have learnt so very much this sem, and I feel that my life is completely changing. It was nothing I had expected to be.

I gtg sleep now...Paying back my sleep debts

EXAMS....



I hate them and want them out of my life!!!! Like, RIGHT NOW!!!!!

Sorry for being over-dramatic, people, but it is just so depressing. I have to study day and night for this stupid UQ papers, which, in their compassion, but my exam dates as 9,10,11, and 12. So now I have one paper on the 9th, one on the 10th, one on the 11th and one on the 12th. Oh joy...

I wish no such thing as exams were invented..But then again, without pressure, there would be no developement. We would be still stuck in caves and making fire out of rocks...And wearing leaves or fur.



I gtg back to study...This post is like a random post to procrastinate. Baaahhhh

Blow-up Doll




Ryan, I am gonna get you for doing that to me...

Last night, Lauren, Lara, Skasian and I were in Ryan's room, and he was showing us Cytherea and her world record. The guys were just whopping, and the girls were trying (hard) to figure out what the guys found were so interesting.

Lauren did not believe that a girl could actually do what Cytherea did, so we were all debating about it and good old wikipedia and google joined in the debate challenge. I shall not attempt to describe what they were debating about.

The subject led to Ryan's 18th birthday present, which was a blow up doll. Skasian, Amanda, Jacq, Kev and a few other people bought it for him, cause you could see their signature on the doll.

It was THE most evil thing I had ever seen. It was freaky!!! I do not even want to take a picture of it cause I could feel its hands like coming to grab me.

And my compassionate Skasian, being the loving tender guy that he is, joined in the fun when Lauren threw the doll right on top of me. I think I scrambled off the bed so fast that no one knew I was already gone. Frankly speaking, I think I woke the whole Edmonds up by the horrified screaming.

In the morning, I got out of the room to see the doll hanging right in front of the door...I swear....I am GONNA KILL YOU, RYAN!!!!
 

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