2025 Consumer Reports

Author: juno

Unfiltered Product Reviews: Herman Miller Aeron, Rimowa, and the Mechanical Keyboard
L is bewildered by my chair, which I rarely use and costs more than 2000 AUD. He’s not angry; I guess he’s more shocked. He spends 54657689887534 times more on wine and cigars, so I don’t know what’s so surprising. I still think my Herman Miller is better than his wine and cigars because wine and cigars finish when you pee and exhale, but the chair is forever unless you break it. I have to admit that I didn’t really need to buy it, and it never helped improve my productivity since most of the time I use my laptop lying down. My mechanical keyboard, which costs about 1000 AUD (and every time when I say this, people assume that I’m joking, too), wasn’t very helpful for productivity either. But those stay with me forever. So I have no regret; I just think now that I didn’t have to buy it, but it’s too late now, isn’t it? Think this way: The chair cost $2000 divide by 10 years(because I’m using it at least 10 years or most likely more) = $200/year, 200 divide 52 weeks = 3.84/week, 3.84 divide 7 days = 0.5485/day so it’s not that bad.

Let’s delve into product reviews: things are expensive, but I would not recommend them to someone like me.

Herman Miller Aeron

I wanted to buy an office chair but didn’t want to buy Ikea ones. It’s obviously more comfortable than an Ikea chair with a placebo effect. I was doing research, gathering the receipt, etc., and I realized that the price increased 1000 AUD in two years’ time. So buy as soon as possible, I guess; it’s like Chanel classic.

Now, I use it as The Chair—the chair where you put the clothes clean enough not to go in the laundry but not enough to go back in the wardrobe—unless I have special things to do on my desk sitting down properly (like a Zoom interview).

Now $2740

I bought at $1850 on November 2021
- Pros: Comfortable with a placebo effect, serves as a multi-purpose chair.
- Cons: Expensive, price increased significantly in a short period.
- Personal Use: Mainly used as “The Chair” for miscellaneous items, occasionally used for special tasks like Zoom interviews.
Rimowa Classic Cabin, Original Check-in:

left: Classic Cabin(Carry-on), right: Original Check-in

Original Check-in

Classic Cabin

Firstly, it’s made of aluminum, so it’s heavy. Korean airline allows 23 kg for economy class, and the check-in luggage itself is 6.2 kg already. For the Classic cabin, it’s 4.3 kg already, which is ridiculous, considering the 7 kg carry-on luggage limit. But I never got checked for the carry-on luggage, actually, and I think it makes perfect sense because some people weigh 10 to 20 kg more than me easily, and they don’t pay extra or I don’t get a discount. Secondly, the lock—TSA-approved locks! It changed the password by itself, and it happened twice to me already. I had to study “how to bypass Rimowa random password.” It’s not that I forgot the password I set; it’s their chronic fault. Now I know how it misbehaves and how to fix it, but I was almost crying running to Rimowa aftercare when I couldn’t open it at Sydney Airport. Regardless, I missed the flight to Korea that day. If you ever struggle, look up how to open it with a business card; I use that method. These are cute garbage.
- Pros: Cute
- Cons: Heavy due to aluminum construction, TSA-approved lock issues (password changing on its own).
- Personal Experience: Missed a flight, had to learn how to open it with a business card.
Mechanical Keyboard

Bought first keycap set wrong

Bought GMK set right

Command key missing

I wanted to buy a keyboard, and I don’t like clacky-clack keyboards. I would not recommend it even though I really like the sound, weight, pushing pressure, key-cap surface texture, and hmm actually everything about mine, it’s like tapping a cloud effortlessly with nailless fingers. It’s all customisable: from spring pressure to keycap angle. First of all, the waiting time was crazy. What usually happens in the mech keyboard world is that a group of keyboard enthusiasts gathers like-minded people to create a keyboard, and people invest money first. Then the maker starts to make it with that money, and most of the time, mech keyboard parts are shipped from the US. I think I ordered and waited for 6 months or so, and during that time, I was sad, excited, pissed, nervous, and decided not to buy any more than just one. You not only buy a “main board”; you need to buy keycaps, switches, etc., so the learning curve is steep too. Still, I like the feeling of using it (and that’s all about it when you type something), but the community itself is so weird, and I type one-handed lying down anyway, like right now. Maybe I should’ve bought 100% instead of 60%, for the full experience, or maybe even 40% for more fun.
- Pros: Like the sound, weight, pushing pressure, key-cap surface texture, and overall feel.
- Cons: Long waiting time for delivery (6 months), complex buying process (key caps, switches, etc.), steep learning curve.
- Community Experience: Found the mech keyboard enthusiast community weird.
- Personal Use: Enjoys the feeling of using it, yet types one-handed lying down most of the time.
January 12, 2024
Skin Confessions: Battling Imperfections, Biopsy, Thermage®, and Beauty Standards

I’ve always struggled with my skin – it never seems to cooperate, especially before my period and during the summer. My pores are so big; I could probably rent them out in this housing crisis. I can’t stand blackheads, whiteheads, or any breakouts, so I end up popping them until I bleed, leaving scars and even larger pores. Sunscreen is not my friend either; it feels filmy, like an extra layer I can’t breathe through. Despite having numerous products, some seem to cause more acne, or maybe I’m just doing something wrong.

Back in my teenage years, my face resembled a sea pineapple, but that’s expected during puberty. Now, hormones bless me with big ones right before my period, especially around my chin. Occasionally, I’ll find one on my forehead for no apparent reason—perhaps after some greasy food, or just because my forehead is wide and flat.

Every five years when I visit Korea, my mum is left speechless – or perhaps, not that silent. She bombards me with comments on how quickly I age, how dark and saggy my skin is, why I have so many freckles, larger pores, and more. She never stops criticizing my face.

I couldn’t argue back because she always looks great. People assume she’s my sister; some won’t even believe she’s my biological mother. I’ve observed her and myself through the mirror, thinking about how beautiful Korean women’s skin is. Not only because they have “Olive Young”(which sounds like all-live-young) every 100 metres, They invest time, money, and effort in achieving spotless, glowy, pale skin.

i love you olive young uwu

Her shock every five years is understandable. My hair is deemed “lumberjack,” my skin resembles a “dead fish,” and I have freckles, large pores, and saggy skin! It’s Australia, Mum, where beauty standards are lower, and people live more freely without worrying about others’ opinions!

Before my recent trip to Korea, she had already booked me with a dermatologist. Because I, anyway thought of doing biopsy on my lips. I often bite my lips with excitement of eating delicious food, and

recent biting at Gigi’s, Balmain

I thought this black spot was bruise from biting. However it expanded and darkened over a year. During the skin consultation, my mum emotionally listed all the flaws listed above, and I sighed, telling the doctor, “I think she’s just too strict. Korea, in general, can’t accept imperfections, can they? I didn’t even realize I looked like a potato for the last five years. I’m tired of being blamed for my appearance all the time.”

The doctor, looking at both of us, said, “Hmm… I think your mum is upset because you were born pretty but aren’t appreciating and maintaining it, more like self-destructive by not looking after yourself.”

I somewhat disagreed but kept quiet. Intervening between mother-daughter confliction wasn’t his job. My mum, when she piss, she straight her back and piss.

like in the right

She never slouches, or does drooping posture. She’s always like that. She never binge eating, goes her nails, eyelashes, and grey hair get fixed every week. She’s all woman, of course, I’m in the wrong, how a woman live like this primitively! After a semi mum-daughter conflict counseling, the doctor recommended several lasers and injections, but with only ten days there, I could only get Thermage and CO2.

According to the official Thermage® Korean website, it aids collagen regeneration(by stimulates the dermis layer with high frequency), providing a plump effect. It’s not painful, only a bit hot and burns; I could only compare it to Fraxel laser, which I begged the dermatologist to stop years ago. It costs around 2000 AUD, and the results are noticeable. Face lines are more defined, and the skin texture is more lively. As for CO2 laser, it hurts like badass but is still manageable. Freckles darken until it heals, making me think I’m cute with obvious freckles. Oops, I don’t know the price of this one.

defined face line(I think)

i think redhead+freckles combo is cute

In conclusion, despite disliking Mum’s nagging (she paid for everything, so yes ma’am), I quite like the results. Feel free to contact me if you’re a skin clinic or dermatologist interested in collaborating or using me as a guinea pig. uwu

took it while waiting biopsy

90% healed?

Oh, and I did a biopsy in Sydney, Australia; I’m waiting for the results.

January 11, 2024
Surviving Meth: A Candid Account of My Mental Hospital Experience [2]
I heard through the grapevine that a friend of a friend of a friend of mine had also been in a mental hospital, albeit a different unit and hospital. Her experience was vastly different. Unfortunately, I can’t compare with other psych wards since I was admitted to the same unit and hospital for the second time. FYI, I’m not planning to go back for another experience. I’m clean now, and I have been for several years.

[Previous post]

Looking back, I spent a few days crying and going back to sleep unless they woke me up for:
1. The Medicare person checking if I wanted to use my Medicare for this stay-cation. I was super high on the meds they gave me during that conversation, but I vaguely remember her asking if I wanted to use my mental health plan while staying in the Manning Unit. I replied with a firm “no” and pleaded to end the show and send me home immediately.
2. Medication time: They started oral administration of Olanzapine around this time. Before giving me the medicine, they explained what it is, how it works, and what it does. I didn’t care much and took it anyway, but I’m guessing it was Olanzapine because they prescribed it to me and encouraged me to continue it after discharge.
3. Meal times, activity times
When I finally sobered up, though I still thought it was part of the show, I noticed the people there were incredibly amusing to stay with. Unfortunately, I forgot all their names, and there’s no way to keep in contact since exchanging contact details was forbidden – maybe to prevent relapsing together outside the hospital. Manning Unit consists of patients of all genders, aged between 25-50, mostly going through psychosis episodes(whether it’s drug related or not), thinking they are gods or something similar, much like how I believed I was the main character of a very famous show. Their way of thinking is different, unique, and refreshing. I wish I could hang out with them from waking up until falling asleep forever. We only had an hour of phone time at 4 pm, but no one really craved that time of day. We only used the phone to order Ubers, and Uber drivers always had a tough time finding Manning Unit because it’s so hidden. Boring activities like composing music or face painting made my stomach hurt from laughing too much. I really enjoyed my time there and forgot about meth after a few days of sleep and crying tantrums: “finish the show and send me home already.” Hospital food couldn’t be tastier than that. I always asked for more from the kitchen lady, sometimes checking if other cellmates were being anorexic. There were three meal times, two tea and snacks. I don’t know how—providing individual ward, entertainment, infrastructures, food, snacks, tea, coffee(but decaf only), and many more, but I can only appreciate the Australian government for providing all of this for free.

Time flew; two weeks really went by in a flash. I had interviews, counseling sessions with a few psychologists and psychiatrists, again, all for free. In the end, we came to the conclusion that I see countless meaningless events and incidents in day-to-day life, trying to connect dots and forming strong false beliefs – all drug-induced. A normal brain wouldn’t do that. I also had to see a substance use counselor. He was drinking coke, and I accused him of not being able to quit sugar. I was recommended to visit him at St. Vincent Hospital, but I never went.

All my cellmates got released one by one, and finally, my turn came. I was released too, with a lifetime subscription of Olanzapine. But seriously, it’s all free and, therefore, brainless. Think about it. Do you believe that a drug addict, especially an ice addict, can overcome their addiction with antipsychotic meds like Olanzapine? What antipsychotic meds do to your brain is stop you from thinking. They’re supposed to halt overthinking, but in reality, they just cut everything off, shut you down, and send you to bed.

I couldn’t get back to normal life after I was discharged, because I slept for 20 hours a day on Olanzapine. The remaining 4 hours were spent eating lollies and other junk food. I struggled to grasp things with my hands and had wobbly legs; my body, in general, felt powerless. My eyes became blurry both with and without contact lenses due to high glucose levels on Olanzapine. Most importantly, I started producing breast milk. My breasts had been tender since my admission to the psych ward, and I didn’t pay much attention. It became unbearable at one point, so I tried massaging, and something came out from my nipple. At first, I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t just a drop or a leak; it was a fully loaded super soaker. I could shoot a glass Coke bottle and knock it down if I aimed correctly. I squeezed all night long, and it never stopped dripping. However, I no longer thought I was the main character of a famous show or that I was being watched all the time. And… it wasn’t that fun. I relapsed.
January 10, 2024
Indulging in a 7-Day Food, Cheese, and Wine Marathon on the French Riviera – Le Panier, French Breakfast Radishes [1]

I don’t drink; I never did. L’s lifetime goal is to convert me into a wine enthusiast so he can enjoy a drink with me, but that wasn’t going to happen very quickly. It’s like forcing someone (who weighs 50 kg herself) to deadlift 100 kg on the first go – I mean, mission impossible.

L started training me since early November 2023 with pretty and tasty gin and tonic, Aperol, Cinzano, and such, knowing I have a sweet tooth. Although it was only a little trial for the real boot camp in the French Riviera.

The first day: Chez Joëlle, Le Panier

Before our first dinner night in Nice, we spent some time in Antibes (our base). We stayed in Old Town Antibes, where the buildings are older than Australia’s civilization history but still have 7/22 (which I really liked because it’s 7/22 instead of 7/11). There aren’t as many bars compared to Nice in Antibes, but still plenty of wine bars to choose from. I specifically wanted to go somewhere small and cozy, without loud music or many people.

Did you see the recent viral video about an Asian girl in her French hat complaining about how the French are mean to her, and therefore she’s upset? I went to Paris alone ten years ago, thinking European countries are the best for a single woman traveling alone. People were friendly, curious, and, of course, flirty too. I even felt like I got more attention during this trip because 1. I was the only Asian in Antibes 2. We were the only interracial couple in Antibes (possibly even in Cannes and Nice, but there were more of my cousins – Asians – so we got mixed in).

Chez Joëlle is a small wine bar with two tables and four chairs. The boss lady, single-handedly operating the wine bar, has her choice of wines. L explained our situation (boot camp) to the boss lady(is her name Joëlle?), and she gave me white wine in a soju cup to try.

wine tasting in a soju glass

I never knew a soju cup could be used for wine tasting; it was the sweetest wine she had, so I had no better option. After a sip or two, I got pretty tipsy. I don’t remember the taste of the wine in detail; I recall it was crystal clear, with a very filtered and distilled taste, if that makes sense. I was more culturally amazed at how casual the bar was – very homey, like visiting Auntie’s kitchen. She had some snacks like potato chips and nuts, and after three sips, I wanted to go home immediately.

@Chez Joëlle

I think I feel very chilly when I’m drunk, more specifically, drunk but also sobering at the same time. Although she was very curious about us, and probably I’m her first Korean guest in her entire life, so we didn’t stop talking. We went back to our Airbnb; I passed out for a wine nap for an hour.

me in 3 blankets and L’s binnie

Le Panier in Nice, France, They offer surprise menus using seasonal (limited) ingredients, and you can choose between 5 or 7 courses. At the end of the course, I thought I did well choosing 5 instead of 7 because I was stuffed before the main dish. I’ll speak more about “limited seasonal ingredients” in the next paragraph. The food was cute (Instagrammable) and experimental. I did not like the venison dish, I never had lamb until I was 30 years old so I might be able to like venison, crocodile, frog and kangaroo when I’m like 60 years old. I had sweet red wine, maybe a sip or two again – it’s tastier because it’s sweet, but I don’t really recall its flavors again because what do I know about wine until this time. It was sweet, so more drinkable for me.

venison… L finished it for me

i did not eat venison to eat this instagrammable dessert

The Second day: Meet the in-laws

We spent one-third of the day planning the New Year’s dinner, another one-third for meat, cheese, and wine shopping, and the remaining one-third for the actual family gathering dine-out.

wine wine wine, and THERE ARE MORE

From this day onward, I started recording our dining times. We arrived at 7 pm, indulging in a feast of eating, drinking, and more eating, followed by dessert at 10:30 pm. We paid the bill and left around 11 pm. The dinner party comprised a total of 9 people seated in a large circle at the dining table, including 2 well-behaved kids. Six people were happily sipping wine, probably going through 10+ bottles, while I struggled to finish a cup of Kir Royale.

I couldn’t even recall how many dishes we had! My phone was in my coat, and the waitress took it from the beginning, so I only took photos with L’s phone sporadically whenever I remembered that I was going to write a blog about it.

apple crumble in french style

They have a deep appreciation for seasonal ingredients, striving to maintain the natural flavors with minimal processing, seasoning, or sauce. For instance, as a starter, we had raw French breakfast radishes(les radis petit déjeuner in French) seasoned with a sprinkle of salt and olive oil.

French breakfast radishes, les radis petit déjeuner

While nibbling on the raw radishes like a rabbit, I couldn’t help but think about the fortune of being in the Mediterranean with plenty of varied food available throughout the four seasons. They relish the flavors while they can because the summer will bring a whole new set of ingredients. If it were in Korea, those radishes would have been salted and fermented. In Australia, Woolworth and Coles claim to have strawberries from January to December, but they taste nothing like real strawberries.

I discovered that I liked Kir Royale! It took my champagne virginity, even though I cheated with a drop of fruit syrup. I turned red like Je suis un radis petit déjeuner.(I’m a french breakfast radish.)

me when drunk

The in-laws were taken aback because 1. They had never seen the Asian flush before, and 2. Even before the Asian flush, they never expected someone to be this weak with alcohol consumption. Two of them genuinely panicked, wondering if they had their cortisol pen in case of an emergency. Not only was I proud of myself for sitting in one spot for more than an hour (I usually don’t even go to the cinema because my butt can’t stay in one seat for that long), but also observing those European kids was a revelation. They didn’t whine for an iPad, were super self-sufficient, brought their books and toys, and sat down without a single complaint. Meanwhile, I was tempted 102302428 times to be on my phone, doom-scrolling through Instagram feed. It’s not that their discussions on wine, cheese, politics, religion, and life were boring (and they even spoke English for me), but it was just too new for me to sit down for hours constantly eating and drinking. For me, eating is usually seen as a sin, evil, demon, horror, bad – and they were truly enjoying it.

Look, I don’t think I can write about all 7 days in one post. I’ll stop here for now. The story will be continued…

January 9, 2024
Surviving Meth: A Candid Account of My Mental Hospital Experience [1]

Regretfully, but not so much (because now I have some topics to write about), I spent a total of four weeks of my life in a mental hospital, whether I was admitted voluntarily or involuntarily. I’m sharing some memories to warn and convey the message that “drugs are bad mmkay” and “pharmaceutical drugs are as bad as street drugs mmkay,” so don’t do drugs; I tried it for you.

In short, I smoked meth, also known as Methamphetamine, Ice, Shabu, or whatever you call it – the infamous drug associated with dental issues and skin scratching leading to scabs all over your face and body. One day, I found myself with a hammer in one hand, speaking on the phone, threatening to break my skull and end my life. Someone called the police, and I got arrested for… self-harm. I smoked meth when I woke up and took Ativan, Xanax, and Seroquel to sleep, creating a somewhat routine life. However, sometimes I didn’t sleep at all for 7 to 10 days, accumulating a sleep debt that I still owe, having slept 1 or 2 days straight at times.

The primary reason I turned to meth was that it suppressed my hunger. Typically, I spent $25-$50 a day on groceries and eating out, so it seemed like a reasonable deal. The added bonus was the superpower of focus that I, being super lacking in that department, found quite appealing. However, there were times when it became too much. I ended up breaking some computers, playing with root files, and experiencing typical psychosis, convinced I was being hacked while thinking of an imaginary survival show broadcasted to the world, with me as the main character – an unbelievably important person.

When the police (unnecessarily so many of them) broke into my unit, they bombarded me with questions about weapons and recent drug use. They also informed me that everything was being recorded with the cameras attached to their chests. Up until that moment, I believed it was all part of the survival show, and I was finally out of that stupid (or well-made) broadcast. I thought I was losing the game, but it was okay because I was so over it. My face was covered in tears and a runny nose, and I sincerely hoped the police wouldn’t watch that footage for training purposes. Please, NSW police?

As it turned out, they identified me as a substance user, possibly overdosed on downers, so I was sent to a psychiatric hospital instead of a jail cell.

On the first night, I vividly remember being unable to sleep, despite taking a cocktail of downers from home. The Manning Unit in Concord Hospital is relatively free; you get an individual room and can come out to the lounge area if you can’t sleep. So, I roamed around until a nurse offered me help. I didn’t inquire about what she gave me; I was still high from whatever I had taken earlier. I passed out on the lounge couch until breakfast time the next day, with everyone in the lounge seeing me sleeping while they were eating.

Working in a public hospital, I thought I knew what to expect when it came to patient meals. However, my experience at the Manning Unit in Concord Hospital brought a unique twist to the usual routine – it felt more like school lunchtime.

The process was structured; we lined up as a kitchen lady served us. Social workers and nurses observed and noted our eating habits, ensuring we were maintaining a healthy balance or being anorexic. We then sat with different groups of people during meals. Some groups engaged in lively conversation, while others preferred silence. There was no consistency in seating arrangements, which, surprisingly, I found comforting. This random allocation eliminated the pressure of deciding who to sit next to, a challenge I often faced during my teenage years when I never had close friends.

My admission occurred in the middle of the night, around 2 am. Upon waking, I noticed everyone was already engrossed in their meals, as if I didn’t exist. Some greeted me with a friendly “hi,” inquired about my night’s sleep, while others seemed indifferent. The confusion set in – was the supposed survival show not over yet? I went to my room and sought solace in sleep.

As I dozed off, a nurse or social worker followed me, posing the question if I wanted to eat. Frustrated, I expressed my desire to be left alone, urging them to conclude the imaginary show. Tears welled up as I grappled with the surreal nature of my surroundings. I said leave me alone, and finish the show already. I cried a lot. [Continue reading]

January 8, 2024
Emirates Business Class: A Detailed Exploration from Gold Member to Fine Dining – My Journey from Sydney to Nice
I flew to nice with emirates because L is a ‘platinum’ member, and he could nominate a person as a ‘gold’ member, which seems somewhat unfair to others. Before I met L, I have never traveled with emirates, and all of sudden, I find myself enjoying all the perks as someone who flies every so often. The benefits(of gold tier) include:
1. Fast check-in, boarding, and luggage handling.
2. Free Onboard Wi-Fi
3. Access to selected worldwide lounges
4. Being greeted with a ‘welcome back miss xyz’, which makes the least sense to me
Because the Dubai international airport lounge took my airport lounge virginity, Sydney Airport Emirates lounge was not impressive, especially for a 6 am morning flight.

i took this picture for blogging ok

The breakfast options were quite basic, resembling an Ibis Budget brekkie with choices like cereal, bread, butter, jam, waffle, pancake, yogurt, granola, eggs, and hash browns. I expressed my disappointment, and L jokingly asked, ‘Why did you even stay in Ibis Budget?’ Comfortable people should acknowledge that normal folks sometimes opt for budget options. I’ve slept in worse places, like a random motel in Denham, West Australia.

The random motel in Denham, West Australia

The Sydney lounge lacked cuteness, so boring to be honest, during breakfast hours.

Sydney international airport Emirates lounge breakfast sum up

My type of breakfast

my type of breakfast 2

On the other hand, the Dubai International Airport lounge offered a variety of menu options. While I should have meticulously noted each section for a potential blog post, I’m relying solely on my memory. The lounge had a snack bar offering pub-style food such as wedges, fried chicken, fish, a small salad bar, and pizza.

This section was bustling, being the nearest dining area from the lounge entry, where most people grabbed a quick bite before their flights. For an economy seat person like me, the lounge sounds like a buffet to fill your hunger, considering airplane food is never any good. However, if you’re flying business class, the meals are of much better quality. I assume people don’t venture beyond the snack bar unless they’re starving.

The business class meal is more balanced and less carb-concentrated (though the bread roll was unlimited if I wanted so, a flight attendance was walking around with bread basket and kept asking me if I wanted more). I had beef ribs and it’s hard to fail to cook beef ribs, it was good, bit too mushy if I have to criticize.

beef ribs

Champagne, cheese board, and other snacks(olives and such) are unlimited too but sadly, my tummy is only one.

Eager to explore as a lounge virgin, I ventured towards the ‘silent zone,’ which had chair-beds in one side and office chairs(and desks) other side for working or napping.

Silent zone ™

There were 2 or 3 more ‘fine dining’ areas that, as they call it, change their menu based on the season or time. The standout for me was prawn congee for breakfast,

prawn congee

along with smoked salmon, tabouli, baklava. The options were overwhelming. Bars and coffee machines were scattered throughout the lounge, offering a variety of beverages.

It’s a pleasant experience to shower before the flight (so I can sleep the whole time), but it’s always quiet. The lounge has around 10 individual shower rooms with a hairdryer and a toilet inside. You can ask the staff for a toothbrush and razor if you want to shave (I saw another guy ask for it). Don’t forget to ask for slippers; they’re the best – I wore them until I arrived in Sydney and discarded them at the airport. They have a faux mink fur inside, providing warmth and coziness. Even if you fly economy, Emirates gives you a pair of socks (and an eye cover, toothpaste/brush) in a cute sanitary pouch, which I appreciated.

The Dubai International Airport Emirates lounge also has a separate gate for boarding, which I think helps you save time – if not, what’s the point? From my experience in business class, not only do you get comfy seats and quality meals, but you also save a lot of time. For instance, your bag has the ‘priority’ tag, so you don’t have to wait forever for your luggage at the baggage carousel.

luggage arrives earlier than me, and waiting for me at the belt.

I had a discussion – not really an argument – about boarding preferences. I’ve always boarded as late as I can to avoid sitting in the same small seat for extra minutes. Yet, with a business ticket, I found myself at the boarding gate before the actual boarding time because the seat is comfy, and they offer welcome food and drinks before the flight. L, on the other hand, advocates for opposite, providing various reasons, but I’m not convinced. We talked about it very seriously three times so far.

We’re keeping a list titled ‘L Told You So’:
- Do not wear a white tee in flight: I like white teeshirt and I dropped raspberry jam from the dessert and I’ll never be able to get rid of the stain. The dessert was good… white chocolate mousse Dom filled with chocolate sponge sheet and raspberry jam I think.
hi
- Nice will be cold: I never believed it, 10-15 degrees sounds okay to me with some cardigans and knit but YOU WILL NEED A PUFFER JACKET if you plan to visit Southern France in January. I went to Paris in autumn and I thought Nice will be like Hawaii or Okinawa. It gets really cold at night and the night is long. Sunset is about 5pm and the sunrise is about 8am. I’m from Sydney where sunrise 6am sunset 9pm!!
- Get lower dosage of NICORETTE®: I OD-ed on 4mg x2 gums and I had to throw up big time and had to drink kids’ nausea syrup. At this point L didn’t nag too much I think he’s getting used to it
List goes on and on, despite being a nominated GOLD MEMBER™ by PLATINUM™, I tend to be stubborn and not listen to L’s advice. L believes it’s because no one has ever disciplined me in my entire life, and I’m not accustomed to comfortably listening to someone’s advice.?

thanks for reading byee

In conclusion, if you can afford it or if your boyfriend wants to spoil you, why not fly Emirates business class? It’s comfortable and nice. (Dear Emirates, would you sponsor me in the future? UwU)

This post is not affiliated with Emirates airline.
January 7, 2024
Love Beyond Miles: Navigating Long-Distance Relationships with Effort and Excitement
I have failed long-distance relationship once and I blamed its distance.(It was only Melbourne-Sydney which is only about 900 km.) I want to touch, smell, and my hair get stroked, and my back be patted but I can’t, how inconvenient! However, distance isn’t the culprit; effort is the key.
- Facetime regularly after wakeup and before go to bed 2 hours each plus in between work, gym, dinner breaks sometimes. You may wonder what subjects we talk about, it’s so random, from freestyle ted-talk to love poet, from dirty-jokes that make my eyebrows go up to tearing up speech, unlimited possibilities.
- Organise small things from the place where has the 11 hours time difference. Such as —
  - “New year, new us” trip
  - Waking up every 2 hours to ensure my existence
  - Ordering shark-board(charcuterie board) for pre-xmas party.
    
    Sometimes L is too nice and proper to me and it makes me think that he’s suss. I could complain about guys I have dated, though, Choosing a life partner mirrors selecting wine or cheese, if not, actually anything. You spend your time and energy for trials and errors to know what you like and you don’t like. You don’t know what’s good or bad unless you have good and bad experiences. To choose a block of comte, I’ve got to try the public toilet smelled(it says Le Conquérant Camembert on its label.)one at least once so I don’t repeat the same mistake. So no complaining on Tony the “stop messaging me if you are married” or James the “piss the bed”.
Because L chose the cheese(and many other things) for me, I feel like I’m cheating these days. Am I okay to enjoy good things without struggle? L said, “I am going to spoil you rotten to death.”
- Regardless of his spoiling nature, I prefer the home bar over any other fancy, bougie bars because I found out that gin and tonic is delicious because tonic in general has a lot of sugar in it. I don’t know how many bars in Sydney have the zero sugar tonic so I feel better when I add sugar free tonic (It also was a half price at Coles before xmas.)at home, I don’t have to worry about unnecessary calorie intake. (Edit: L said the “gin and slim tonic” is pretty common in London, UK)
- In conclusion(???), long distance relationship can definitely be better than short-distance, or living-together(co-living), or any other relationships actually, if you do well. Any relationships, with effort, surpass others.
My problem is that I always try to write a thing then get side-tracked in random topic and eventually I forget the original topic I was going to write.

I’m packing now, I said I am not going to Dubai ever in my life(only a few weeks ago) but I’m at it again. This time, alone, 20 hours, for the “new year new us” trip. I noticed that people write reviews or make v-log their lounge and business class experiences so I might do that too. Although I thought that it’s stupid and unnecessary when I saw the woman(the one I mentioned previously— talk about others 24/7, nothing else because her life is boring and dull) update 100,000 instagram stories for her business class photos. Stay tuned for updates, thanks for reading byeee
December 26, 2023
Exploring Culinary Curiosity and Intimacy: A Journey from Roasted Capsicum Dip to the Intriguing Story of Life’s Boredom

It seems that each person tries to overcome life-long boredom in their own way. I’m writing this while eating the “roasted capsicum, pecorino, cashew nuts and basil” dip.

First, we need to find out who the fuck first discovered the actual ingredients. It’s the curious one. They can’t just pass by things. Whenever I eat 고사리, or Rambutan, I can’t not think of why and how people started to eat those gross looking fern and hairy balls look-alike fruit. The first person who discovered capsicum,(it’s still understandable because capsicums looking cute. Green, yellow, red, it looks almost like they are xmas tree ornaments.) probably had it raw for a while then thought, “Well, I can’t take it anymore it’s boring.” but only until they discovered fire. And when they finally got to have fire, probably, tried to cook it with different methods, then now the creative one comes, and says “Hey, don’t you think it’d be good if we eat this with some greens, nuts, and cheese also?” But maybe cheese was invented way later anyway the curious one can’t wait to try to mix things up because it intrigues the curious’ tastebuds. Mmmm… and they eat like this for a while until they got bored again and another curious and experimental one made cheese by accident or something so they try to make cheese out of other mammals breast milk which I think it’s crazy. (I’m no soygirl, either lactose intolerant by the way.)

I recently noticed that I used to close my eyes while I’m sexing, but then I met L, I, open my Asian small eyes wide while I’m kissing, to see L’s eyeballs. We are so close so I only get to see his one eye(and I try not to be cross-eyed hard and it gives me headache.), it’s rolling half backward, pupil becomes unfocused and dilated, watching a person with the charisma to rule the world, who normally has nothing to be afraid of, become this weak and vulnerable with just a kiss is fascinating and sexy, I got to enjoy it. It’s more like because I was bored at mundane sex for sportsmanship without any mental, psychological connection. I was shamed and sorry-ing because I was acting(lying) that I was enjoying it, and it got so bored sometimes so I just closed my eyes and thought about something else like who the fuck invented tanghulu.

Life gets bored pretty quickly and easily especially when it’s work-related, food on the table, pays the bills, day to day routines. What do you do when you think some thing is meaningless and boring, no motivational or inspirational in any ways? I quit.

🧡UwU💚

December 23, 2023
Sipping Secrets: Exploring the Art and Mystery of Hendrick’s Gin and the World of Tonic Pairings
I’m trying to write as much as possible while I can. I got my nails done in Korea, and it’s a bit annoying to type because they’re too long, but okay. Afterpay got me promoted to Mint™️ level, and now I don’t even have to pay upfront. The first payment goes through two weeks later, and it’s very much so dangerous. Now my total owing is $1988.55 in 60 days, Fighting me!

I am upset about Hendrick’s gin marketing and its design team. The bottle gives me an impression of a secret old medicine stolen from a hermit’s cave vibe, but it actually tastes like a fairy’s drink, and that fairy lives in a clean air conditioner in a modern apartment. It’s refreshing, summer-y, delicate, defined, polished. It’s so pretty too; you may wonder how a liquor can be pretty to ugly, but think about warm beer. It’s so clear and slightly thicker than water, so you can see it swirls when you spin your ice cubes. Pouring tonic releases small tiny bubbles, Bubble is bubbling, and it looks cute too. Putting strawberry or cucumber makes color changes to some degree, and I think I like this way the most. It’s just a piece of art!

A noob alcohol-er like me would never know how good Hendrick’s can be because I only bought Yukiyo and Malfy due to their cuteness. They are not bad, but they have significant added(?) flavors whereas Hendrick’s is more mysterious and garden-y.

The other day, L made a color-changing magical gin-tonic with Ink; it looks incredible before it changes color like if Na’vi (from Avatar) have wonderful sex and they cum.

There are too many types of gin and many more types of tonic, so I’m excited about it. It changes taste and looks depending on how you mix and match, like an adult version of milk-tea. Choose your base, choose your topping, sugar, and ice level…

A little bit of alcohol calms me down too, but I think there is a thin line between calm-down and be sad. Learning to acknowledge where the line is. Drinking alone, in fact, is good; you are sad if you can’t do certain things alone.

One day when I’m finally pregnant triplets,
- Because I don’t want to labor three times and lose my hair, be half-bald, fat, and swollen for a total of 27 months.
- According to researchers(include L, for sure), it is okay (or better) to sex regularly during pregnancy, so one of my worries; no sex for 27 months. Is gone but still, I’ll lose my youthful sexy combined with cuteness look, and I’ll have to work hard recovering from it.
I always want the greatest outcome with such minimal effort. As a consequence, things never worked out.

Anyway, when I finally have three in my womb, or most likely before that, possibly anytime soon, I will be a full-time pregnant woman. You know in Korea, it’s not uncommon for jobless moms (full-time housewives) to live off their blog posts, specifically, reviews? They start as hobbyists, and as the follower grows, they become a full-time blogger (or salesperson because they end up selling something always). They review or sell everything from restaurants, cafes to kitchen gadgets, cosmetic surgery. I find that funny considering how they come to a venue and say, “I’m a power blogger” (Korean way of saying ‘influencer’) and expect special (or better) treatment, etc., but they are doing better than me, don’t they? We write the same, but some make money and some, like me, can’t. Well, technically, I do because I met L. Even though I’m not going to write about my sex experience with strangers, I maintain my hope in this industry and the business. It’s an inexhaustible bag of gold, spring water that never runs dry. I don’t have to talk about my personal encounters with sex pricks(well maybe I will still do but with the one partner) but many other ways to create value, Possibilities are unlimited. I might stop writing here; my elbows hurt uwu.
December 19, 2023
Seoul, Korea: Unexpected Encounters, Unfiltered Reviews, and a Glimpse into the Journey of Self-Reflection

My blog gets 50-60 visitors daily, and all of a sudden, it hit nearly 300 last week (or around 10 days ago; I forgot). I wasn’t even in Sydney, Australia. Thanks to a guy named Greg and his devoted mention of my blog and appearance as “she’s your Asian girl-next-door, which you might walk by without noticing”! Though I still feel uncomfortable being judged or criticized for me being myself, I have to admit that his review was based on facts. The sex(and Greg) was as boring and mundane as dry white toast. Not gonna lie, I just wanted to finish it asap. I give Greg’s review (on me) a 1 out of 5 only because I don’t like receiving a bad review, but I appreciate his honesty. If I were to write a review of anything, I would be like Greg. Such a great reviewer.

I unknowingly and jokingly mention “broken family” a lot. Whenever someone accuses me of thing, I half-jokingly say, “cos I’m from a broken family uwu” or “my mum cheated on my dad, so I’m a degenerate” or “no father figure for 20 years, so go figure.” During this visit, my mum brought it up that I overuse these and it hurts her. She even compared me to her current partner’s kids, questioning why I’m a failure while they are well-grown, independent, responsible, delightful taxpayers, despite all of us being from broken families. She said she tried her best to raise me alone (with her uncountable ex-boyfriends’ mental support and my dad’s financial support), so it’s not fair for her if I’m being degenerate and blaming my parents for it. I had a lot to say, but I kept quiet and said, “yes, ma’am.”

I think I’m mature now, or maybe I’m just too tired to fight her or partly agree with what she said. Like how I hate Greg’s review, but from Greg’s point of view, it’s all a true story, and you know, I am sowwy! This was the first trip that my mum and I did not argue, and I think we are both trying and improving. She said she’s proud of me for being only this much degenerate despite being born between an autistic dad and a neurotic herself.

December 17, 2023