Backstage *

Eyes set on my career goal,
cameras poised read to capture the moment,
everyone is watching, waiting for her to turn around.
When she returns
she will be a new person, backed with experience and renewed vigour.

I am relocating to another city in two days!
A new job, a new apartment & a new city to explore culinary adventures awaits...

Like father, like son *

"Our test of truth is a reference 

to either a present or imagined future majority 

in favour of our view."

Junior, one of the most cited legal scholars in the 20th Century: 

an American jurist and Associate Supreme Court Justice. 

Senior, arguably one of the best writers in the 19th Century: 

an American physician and Fireside poet. 

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Both Harvard alumni. 

Both enshrined in history as leaders of their respective fields.

And both,

an inspiration.

Homeless *

To those who sleep along the pedestrian way. 
Tucked inside a niche in the wall
littered around Sydney CBD, and sadly,
many other locations to find refuge from Winter's cold. 

Less is more.
Being bothered by trivial first world problems - 
an upcoming exam, stresses from work, a car breaking down,
seems to be cast in ridicule compared to Those 

who struggle from dawn to dusk, in order to survive.

Latin, to be Learned *

mutantur omnia nos et mutamur. tempus fugit. eheu, fugaces labuntur anni. respice, adspice, prospice. non est vivere sed valere vita est. si vis amari, ama. nosce te ipsum. perfer et obdura; dolar hic tibi proderit olim. possunt quia posse videntur. Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. ipsa scientia potestas est. 

non est ad astra mollis e terris via. 

...

all things change and we change with them. time flies. alas, the fleeting years slip by. examine the past, the present and the future. life is not being alive but being well. if you wish to be loved, love. know thyself. be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you. they can because they seem to be able to: positive thinking. we are slaves of the Law, in order that we may be able to be free. knowledge is power. there is no easy way from the earth to the stars. 

every person is architect of their own fortune. 

On a typical Saturday evening *

As one girl ponders in front of her laptop, busy working/studying away -
the world at large seems to be out to play;
whether it be attending a party singing hip hip hooray,
or bonding with a close group of friends facing the bay.

The Byers Lectures 2000-2012, indeed, offers immense solace 
compounded with hope, for success, in some inordinate place...

Advocacy with no oil *

"Perhaps the most valuable thing the lawyer brings 

into the courtroom when he is an advocate is his reputation. 

His reputation for candor and soundness is worth three points in his brief 

and a marvelous opening for his oral argument. 

If his reputation is bad, I don't care what he says or how he says it;

he is climbing a glass mountain in shoes covered with oil."

- Hon. Charles D. Brietel

Jesting Pilate *

"'What is truth?" said jesting Pilate, 

and would not stay for an answer." 

I have not forgotten that when Pilate said this 

he was about to leave the judgment hall.

                                 - Sir Owen Dixon

Sir Owen Dixon was a Justice of the High Court from 1929 until 1952 when he was appointed Chief Justice. He was sworn in as Chief Justice at a sitting of the Full Court in Sydney on 21 April 1952. "Jesting Pilate" is an expression derived from Bacon's Essay on Truth and it also bears the name of my latest treasure. Finally I may devote time for some leisurely reading to learn from one of Australia's legal greats... 

Hemingway *

"Things may not be immediately discernible in what a man writes, 
and in this sometimes he is fortunate; 

but eventually they are quite clear 

and by these and the degree of alchemy that he possesses 

he will endure or be forgotten.

Writing, at its best, is a lonely life.

For he does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer 

he must face eternity, or the lack of it, each day.

...

[A] new beginning where he tries again for something that is beyond attainment. 

He should always try for something that has never been done 

or that others have tried and failed. 

Then sometimes, with great luck, he will succeed.

I have spoken too long for a writer. 

A writer should write what he has to say and not speak it."

                               

                                              - 1954 Nobel Acceptance Speech

Distractions *

"By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, 

one may unfailingly arrive at 

his chosen goal or destination."

                              - Christopher Columbus 

In an ideal world, one read all day and all night to consume all knowledge bound in the innumerable books before all time. Realisation suddenly dawned on me that this is not only impossible, but unfeasible, in light of other priorities in life. Study smart, not study hard. And applying the same principle: one should work smart, not work hard. For instance, my sleeping hours last week were borderline ridiculous: 2 hours Monday; 1 hour Tuesday; 3 hours Wednesday; 5 hours Thursday. *Note to self, remove distractions and prepare in advance rather than work/study 20 hours a day.

Of course, to succeed the necessary sacrifices in life must be made. Yet it should not come at the expense of working away the better part of youth and life to arrive at the chosen goal. Indeed the goal is reached but at what cost? A decade or more of life? An illuminatingly interesting prospect if I continue doing what I'm doing, then I will keep getting what I'm getting. Life: progress in the professional realm is evident (direction, goal, change) and now some attention to the personal dimension. 

Predicting the future *

One month, one week and one too many days
until I leave Sydney.
A new life, a new job and a new city
towards an exciting adventure.

Friends, family and loved ones - I will indeed miss;
but then again, you are more than welcome to visit me in the happy abyss!

Times of great change, three chimes forward...

A Present - dull to bright *

Life tends to be somewhat dull when all one does is work, study and read. To add some meaning, my new year resolution for 2013 was to live a little, take more risks and not let time simply pass me by. After all, the present is a gift which can only be given once before it becomes the past. Unfortunately I did not practice what I preach, in this regard, yet... and it's May. But I guess, better late than never - so, as of today, I will try to pursue this resolution with renewed vigour. Keeping in mind my priorities yet remembering not to take the present for granted. 

Capturing the shades of grey, defining moments in more black and white, then maybe life shall unfold to be a wonderful reflection of bright bold hues ~ 

Thomas Jefferson *

"Determine never to be idle.

No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time

who never loses any.

It is wonderful how much may be done

if we are always doing."

The two sides to Thomas Jefferson.
All men are created equal - 
but are they really?
A distinguishing factor is one's determination & discipline.
No time for mundane, only time for essentials.
Give time, invaluable time.

Mather Brown, 1786

The dark side of Thomas Jefferson

Charis Tsevis, 2012

El Celler de Can Roca *

"R you ready?

Evoking the family name with three legs,

each represents one of the three Roca brothers.

It displays the warmth of the Catalan family dynamic 
all-pervasive through and through."

World's Best Restaurant rankings were unveiled a few hours ago with El Celler de Can Roca, Girona, Spain, taking the coveted title for 2013. What constitutes "best" is left to the judgment of 900 trusted and well-travelled gourmets. Providing an annual snapshot of their culinary opinions and experiences, these international restaurant industry experts vote on the best places to eat around the globe. Though it can never be definitive, it is widely accepted as a credible indicator of palatable tastes.

This milestone is equivalent to the Oscars for movie buffs, or MTV Awards for music fanatics, in the culinary world. For me, I am still patiently awaiting the day when Osteria Francescana takes the crown. In the meantime, chef Massimo Bottura continues to be my inspiration...

Joan Roca as head chef - Jordi Roca as pastry chef

Josep Roca the sommelier

Of mind, logic and tradition *

From the archives, a random note I had written four years ago. Apart from realising how old I am (it has finally dawned on me- I am in my "mid-twenties"), it was fascinating to see my perspective of life at the age of 21.

...

"Theoretical underpinnings of great minds.
Irrespective of age, intelligence, race or gender
Everyone has something to offer...

A collaboration of writings
by great minds
is the starting point.
To search for knowledge and eventually you shall find

one’s strengths (and weaknesses) can be dictated by standards
a product of social norms,
or in the alternative,
created by the wisdom of past experiences.

Whether it be by
the logic of reasoning,
the fuel of motivation,
or the innocence of tradition."

- 5 August 2009

Reinhart & Rogoff *

On debt, growth and the austerity. The latest academic kerfuffle in the world centres on the research, credentials and integrity of two Harvard professors, Carmen M. Reinhart and Kenneth S. Rogoff. They have been furiously attacked for the publication of their academic paper entitled "Growth in a Time of Debt" in May 2010. You may be thinking, but why? Joining the myriad of debates arising in the industrialised world about the best way to recover from the Great Recession, a simple spreadsheet coding error caused a major stir.

As humans, we all make errors. Some more serious than others. Our attention should not be diverted from the fact that the efforts of Reinhart & Rogoff (and numerous other academics who cannot be acknowledged for present purposes due to space limitations) contribute to social science research. Rather than criticise them for errors, we should understand and be grateful for their contribution. 

Everyone will learn from mistakes. And this is another example of one we can all learn from. The irony is, our society appears to be experiencing a Great Recession in terms of tolerance for human error and respect for another's view, whether it be correct or not.

Nothing in the room *

The Paradox of our Age

We have bigger houses but smaller families.
More conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees, but less sense.
More knowledge, but less judgment.
More experts, but more problems.
More medicines, but less healthiness.
We've been all the way to the moon and back
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
We built more computers to hold more information 
to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.
We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are times of fast foods but slow digestion.
Tall man but short character.
Steep profits but shallow relationships.

It's a time when there is much in the window
but nothing in the room.

...

May I ask one question Dalai Lama:
"Why?"

Breakfast at Tiffany's, no more *

Welcome to the age of un-innocence.

No one has breakfast at Tiffany's and
no one has Affairs to Remember.
Instead we have breakfast at 0600 and
see guys we try to forget as quickly as possible.
Self protection and closing the case are paramount.
Cupid has flown the Co-op (bookshop).

How the hell did we get into this mess.

There are thousands,
maybe tens of thousands 
of women like this in the city.
We all known them and we agree they are great.
They travel, they pay taxes.
They spend $1,100 on a pair of Manolos -
yet they're alone.
It's like the Riddle of the Sphinx.

Some day your prince will come.
Mine took a wrong turn, got lost
and is too stubborn to ask for directions...

The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage *

I am a place with immense substance and story,
where everyone can achieve their glory.
A masquerade shall be my term,
where you can be anyone
from Athena, Bottura, Jobs, Condezz
to Denning LJ before we adjourn.

life is a Stage *

The Rehearsal of the Ballet Onstage

Edgar Degas (1834-1917)

Lucky 13 *

First instance of change I have received - 
after paying the bill for dinner the wait staff returned a $2 coin as change. 
Several moments fluttered passed before it dawned on me 
this was new currency for 2013!
Maybe this will be my lucky year after all.

Wishing everyone a lucky 2013!

The Bar *

"Setting The Bar high,

it provides a meaningful purpose to work towards.

Not in the least for status, money, power or the like.

But rather, giving talent to reason.

I know the path is not going to be easy.

Yet I know it is going to be worth it."

From the remarks of Sir Owen Dixon on his swearing in as Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia:

The Bar has traditionally been, over the centuries, one of the four original learned professions. It occupied that position in tradition because it formed part of the use and the services of the Crown in the administration of justice. But because it is the duty of the barrister to stand between the subject and the Crown, and between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, it is necessary that, while the Bar occupies an essential part in the administration of justice, the barrister should be completely independent and work entirely as an individual, drawing on his own resources of learning, ability and intelligence, and owing allegiance to none.

The work of solicitors in the administration of justice has the greatest possible importance, but their allegiance is perhaps more to their clients who have a more permanent or at all events a longer relation with them than the transitory relations between client and counsel when the full enthusiasm and force of the advocate are attached to the individual for a short space of time. I would like to say that from long experience on the Bench and a not much shorter experience at the Bar there is no more important contribution to the doing of justice than the elucidation of the facts and the ascertainment of what a case is really about, which is done before it comes to counsel's hands. Counsel, who brings his learning, ability, character and firmness of mind to the conduct of causes and maintains the very very high tradition of honour and independence of English advocacy, in my opinion makes a greater contribution to justice than the judge himself.

I think it is hardly useful to refer to the past except to explain the present. But my work at the Bar covered a period when I was younger and when perhaps according to the ordinary nature of man he derived greater pleasure and excitement from his activities. The activities at the Bar are greater than those on the Bench, and the responsibilities are no less.

21 April 1952 85 Commonwealth Law Reports XI-XII