Yeah!

Your result for The Commonly Confused Words Test...

English Genius

You scored 100% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 100% Advanced, and 100% Expert!

You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!

Thank you so much for taking my test. I hope you enjoyed it!

For the complete Answer Key, visit my blog: http://shortredhead78.blogspot.com/.

Take The Commonly Confused Words Test at OkCupid

Bridesmaid shopping fail or Party dress shopping win!

Silly Natty and Ladiesman_217 are getting hitched next year and Dr. I-K, Rachie-poo and yours truly are going to be bridesmaids. *Woohoo! Wedding crashers watch out!*

Anyway, we've been looking for a dress to suit all of us, which we've found to be more difficult than expected due to various cuts and colours - the usual dramas in looking for matching dresses. That said, when we three bridesmaids went shopping yesterday, we did find a dress on which we all reached consensus - we loved the cut and colour! Unfortunately, it didn't match the vision for wedding colour themes of the bride, and it got vetoed.

I then decided *You know what? I still like the colour and cut, I've got other parties to attend, I'm buying it anyway!* And so I did :D

Decadent Tuesday!

Following a quick email exchange today and I ended up waiting for Lydia in the GPO ABC shop before heading to a noodle shop for dinner. I had the

Bún bò Huế
(Source)

she had the Bún chả giò. Mmmmmmm.....Viet flavours are so nice in these warm summer nights.

This innocuous and gentle start to the evening then evolved into what will now be known as DECADENT TUESDAY!

At some point in our post-dinner conversation, the topic was turned towards the fact that my desire for cake that had not been sated by eating an almond and chocolate danish/croissant-esque pastry for morning tea, and secondly venues where I should have my Submission (oioi) party. Somehow we decided that we should go to one of the locations I was considering, so that we could partake of some crème brûlée (okay, it's not a cake but I'll still eat it :P).

(Source)

And so we strutted up Lt. Bourke to go to one of my favourite bars out of my many favoured bars of this glorious city, Siglo.

While perusing the drinks menu, our lovely night could only be enhanced by having a Bellini.

(Source)

Think about it. The combination of peach liqueur, peach nectar, and chilled prosecco drink, as a side to a delightful dessert on a warm summer's evening, while sitting on a rooftop terrace overlooking Parliament and surrounding gardens. Lydia decided that she would have one too. But hark! Should we be drinking booze, eating custard, and staying out late on a weeknight that wasn't Friday?!?! And then Lydia made it all better by declaring "Of course! It's Decadent Tuesday!"

Hopefully this will become a monthly event.

Crimes against fashion

(Asian) Nightclubbing. Looking for fashion crimes here is about on par with Oaks Day. It was requested that I revive the Crimes Against Fashion tag to comment on a particularly heinous and incredibly common crime - the clear plastic bra strap.

Now in theory, they kind of make sense - they're clear ergo they are nigh on invisible, right? Except...they're so bloody not! In daylight, you end up with shiney shoulders. And it's even worse when you're in a nightclub with multi-coloured lights going off which then reflect off the plastic so they become even more highly visible. If you don't want your bra straps to be visible, invest in a good strapless bra.

On the topic of visible bras, we also saw a lot of this action going on in the club

The backless dress with the visible bra.

Just...no.
(Photos from google image search)

Opera binge

So in the last fortnight I went and saw three different productions! It was bloody exhausting but also somewhat enlightening due to the differences.

First opera was Cosi Fan Tutte. My expectations were superduper LOW given the last butchering of Mozart that I was privvy to, and my catching snippets of the first scene on ABC2. The modern updating I could handle (although they might want to ask their leads to tone up if they're going to walk around in open shirts) but horror of horrors - it was being sung in ENGLISH. :O:O:O:O But you know what? I found myself quite enjoying it while I was watching. Sure, the translation was a bit on the dodgy side, but the fun of the music shone through. And I do love Soave sia il vento even though it was in English. Special props must go to Tiffany Speight as naughty Despina. Again, I'm not sure how much my enjoyment of it was aided by thinking it was going to be a crash and burn so caveat emptor to people who intend to see it.

Next up was Aida. It occurred to me while I watched the production that Aida is one of those SUPER operas that can't be modernised or fiddled with a la Mozart. For one, it's set in Egypt, has a cast of thousands, and one of those super-tragic plots that needs to be sung in Italian :P. The production starred Jennifer Wilson who was absolutely amazing. Not really of Ethiopian slave proportions (which bothered a friend who saw the production before me), she has a BIG voice that blew me away - it could be heard over the very large chorus! Milijana Nikolic as Amneris started off very slowly but by the end I was happy to give her a thumbs up as well *thumbs up*. My main criticism would be that the direction by Graeme Murphy was bordering on the pretentious side with the projections, travelator stage to similuate Egyptian friezes during the triumphal march, and the ballet. Hah! There was a bit where some of the dancers were topless and I could hear the mutterings of *is she naked?!* going on around me.

The last opera of the season was A Streetcar Named Desire by Andre Previn. I LOVED THIS LAST ONE!!! Starring Yvonne Kenny, Antoinette Halloran, and Teddy *blush* it was full of great singing and made me want to re-read the play and watch the movie. Sung in English and featuring *modern* music that caused some amusing grumblings from the older ladies while waiting in the toilet queue, I found the production very interesting and a faithful rendition of the play. The music may not have been particularly melodic on par with Mozart, but there was good use of horns (it is set in Nyawlins') and at times simulated modern urban sounds. Thumbs up!

I will admit to being slightly opera'd out now. Onto the 2010 productions!

Song of the week - All These Things That I've Done by The Killers

Oh yeah you gotta help me out, yeah oh don't you put me on the backburner...when everything's lost, the battle is won, with all these things that I've done.

I do not think he's a hottie...

but there is something oddly hypnotic about this picture....
It's probably the tux (with undone tie oioi) and glasses. But what's really disturbing is that I actually do believe he looks like a mannequin in this picture.

Help me, please.

(Picture from Kickette)