Spice Girls

I know I've proclaimed many times that I don't like the Spice Girls anymore, but this morning, I was bitten by a nostalgic bug, and decided to look at some of their concerts. Oh man, their songs really brought back memories of primary school. Haha... And really, their songs are quite nice. Till now, I find myself singing along- or tempted to sing along- to the songs like "Say you'll be there" and "2 become 1", my two favourite songs from their album. "Who do you think you are" is nice too, you know, really catchy. Haha...

Argh there's something wrong with the internet connection in my house I think, I can't upload anything! I wanted to upload photos, and they told me the page couldn't be displayed, and now I wanted to put up the songs, the same thing happened. Sheesh!!

Peke

For some reason, I dreamt about Peke last night. I haven't dreamt about him for a long time, and to suddenly see him... well, I felt like he had never left us.

I dreamt that I was in this primary school, going from level to level, not knowing what I was searching for. At every level I descended, the space got smaller, until the highest level only had space for a classroom. Then, suddenly, I saw this room which resembled a jail, only that it was very bright, and about the size of a classroom. Peke was inside it, just lying in the middle of the room. He looked larger than I remembered him to be, and his fur was as soft as I remembered it to be. Somehow, I managed to get inside the room to touch him. He let me touch his paw, as usual, a part of him that I loved to touch. But when he wanted to get up to come to me, he couldn't, coz he was in too much pain. At that time, I remembered that he had kidney failure, and therefore he could not go to me though he wanted to. He was very friendly though, he kept smiling at me, and let me touch him. But he couldn't move, couldn't roll over to let me stroke his tummy.

In my dream the next day, I went back to see him, and miraculously, this time Peke could get up. He was his usual self before the sickness; he wanted to bite anything that was irritating him in front of his face- he wanted the handkerchief I was holding in my hand. He was jumping around, looking lively and happy.

I don't know why I dreamt of Peke last night, but the dream stayed on with me even as I woke up, getting stronger as the day went on. In the afternoon, as I thought of him, I almost cried when I remembered how he was on the day we sent him to the vet for the last time. I can only imagine Evon's anguish when the vet told her Peke had to be put down, or he would only continue to suffer; even if he hadn't been put down that day, he might have left us the next day. At the thought of what Evon went through, even though it was about 4 years ago, I really almost cried on the spot, and I don't know why I'd cry now, 4 years later. I didn't know if I should talk about it- after all, it did happen so long ago, and I didn't know the reason behind the dream, or the significance of it. Even now as I'm blogging, I feel a deep sense of regret that we didn't take care of Peke properly.

I hope I'm not letting history repeat itself with Schnoozee. I haven't been able to spend as much time with him as I'd like to, and I know he has to go to the vet soon. His skin has been pretty bad, and everytime I see him, I feel so so so guilty. He has so much love to give, and I can't seem to be able to reciprocate it as much as I want to. Von and Lun, don't start on me. I feel bad enough already. Seeing Peke in my dream just made me feel worse. Perhaps Peke was a reminder to me that I should treasure Schnoozee more. I think if I lost Schnoozee, I'd feel worse than when we lost Peke.

I better stop thinking about this before I feel worse than I already do.

I think death is a scary thing for the people the deceased leaves behind, but that's another topic for another day.

Ode to Nice Guys

I found this on Wen Keat's blog, and I thought it was quite nice, and quite a good acknowledgement of the wonderful things nice guys do for their female friends. Really, I couldn't agree more with what the author said about how nice guys don't seem to get the girls. But then again, I always believed that the nice guys always end up with the nice girls, and, to learn from Joanne, the best one always comes when the Big Boss Up There has felt that you have been trained enough to be ready for The One who's going to be right for you. Idealistic? That's what I am, darling!



Well, I'd really like to say a big thank you to the nice guys who have appeared in my life, and I think you know who you are. If you're not sure, come ask me! Or maybe I'll tell you myself. Thank you! And you know, nice guys finish last, and they have the last laugh. So don't fret, you'll find the right girl when the right time comes! =)

This rant was written for the

Wharton Undergraduate Journal

This is a tribute to the nice guys. The nice guys that finish last, that never become more than friends, that endure hours of whining and bitching about what assholes guys are, while disproving the very point. This is dedicated to those guys who always provide a shoulder to lean on but restrain themselves to tentative hugs, those guys who hold open doors and give reassuring pats on the back and sit patiently outside the changing room at department stores. This is in honor of the guys that obligingly reiterate how cute/beautiful/smart/funny/sexy their female friends are at the appropriate moment, because they know most girls need that litany of support. This is in honor of the guys with open minds, with laid-back attitudes, with honest concern. This is in honor of the guys who respect a girl's every facet, from her privacy to her theology to her clothing style.

This is for the guys who escort their drunk, bewildered female friends back from parties and never take advantage once they're at her door, for the guys who accompany girls to bars as buffers against the rest of the creepy male population, for the guys who know a girl is fishing for compliments but give them out anyway, for the guys who always play by the rules in a game where the rules favor cheaters, for the guys who are accredited as boyfriend material but somehow don't end up being boyfriends, for all the nice guys who are overlooked, underestimated, and unappreciated, for all the nice guys who are manipulated, misled, and unjustly abandoned, this is for you.

This is for that time she left 40 urgent messages on your cell phone, and when you called her back, she spent three hours painstakingly dissecting two sentences her boyfriend said to her over dinner. And even though you thought her boyfriend was a chump and a jerk, you assured her that it was all ok and she shouldn't worry about it. This is for that time she interrupted the best killing spree you'd ever orchestrated in GTA3 to rant about a rumor that romantically linked her and the guy she thinks is the most repulsive person in the world. And even though you thought it was immature and you had nothing against the guy, you paused the game for two hours and helped her concoct a counter-rumor to spread around the floor. This is also for that time she didn't have a date, so after numerous vows that there was nothing “serious” between the two of you, she dragged you to a party where you knew nobody, the beer was awful, and she flirted shamelessly with you, justifying each fit of reckless teasing by announcing to everyone: “oh, but we're just friends!” And even though you were invited purely as a symbolic warm body for her ego, you went anyways. Because you're nice like that.

The nice guys don't often get credit where credit is due. And perhaps more disturbing, the nice guys don't seem to get laid as often as they should. And I wish I could logically explain this trend, but I can't. From what I have observed on campus and what I have learned from talking to friends at other schools and in the workplace, the only conclusion I can form is that many girls are just illogical, manipulative bitches. Many of them claim they just want to date a nice guy, but when presented with such a specimen, they say irrational, confusing things such as “oh, he's too nice to date” or “he would be a good boyfriend but he’s not for me” or “he already puts up with so much from me, I couldn't possibly ask him out!” or the most frustrating of all: “no, it would ruin our friendship.” Yet, they continue to lament the lack of datable men in the world, and they expect their too-nice-to-date male friends to sympathize and apologize for the men that are jerks. Sorry, guys, girls like that are beyond my ability to fathom. I can't figure out why the connection breaks down between what they say (I want a nice guy!) and what they do (I'm going to sleep with this complete ass now!). But one thing I can do, is say that the nice-guy-finishes-last phenomenon doesn't last forever. There are definitely many girls who grow out of that train of thought and realize they should be dating the nice guys, not taking them for granted. The tricky part is finding those girls, and even trickier, finding the ones that are single.

So, until those girls are found, I propose a toast to all the nice guys. You know who you are, and I know you’re sick of hearing yourself described as ubiquitously nice. But the truth of the matter is, the world needs your patience in the department store, your holding open of doors, your party escorting services, your propensity to be a sucker for a pretty smile. For all the crazy, inane, absurd things you tolerate, for all the situations where you are the faceless, nameless hero, my accolades, my acknowledgement, and my gratitude go out to you. You do have credibility in this society, and your well deserved vindication is coming.

Fu-zu Jen, SEAS/WH, 2003

Get'cha Head in the Game!

Coach said to fake right

And break left

Watch out for the pick

And keep an eye on defense

Gotta run the give and go

And take the ball to the hole

Like an old school pro

He said, "Don't be afraid"

What you waitin' on?

To shoot the outside "J"

Just keep ya head in the game

Just keep ya head in the game

And don't be afraid

To shoot the outside "J"

Just keep ya head in the game

You gotta

Get you get you head in the game

We gotta

Get our, get our, get our, get our head in the game[repeat 3x]

Let's make sure

That we get the rebound

'Cause when we get it

Then the crowd will go wild

A second chance

Gotta grab it and go

Maybe this time

We'll hit the right notes

Wait a minute

It's not the time or place

Wait a minute

Get my head in the game

Wait a minute

Get my head in the game

Wait a minute

Wait a minute

I gotta

Get my, get my head in the game

You gotta

Get you, get you, get you, get you head in the game [repeat 3x]

Why am I feeling so wrong

My head's in the game

But my heart's in the song

She makes this feel so right

[SPOKEN]

Should I go for it

Better shake this, yikes!

I gotta

Get my, get my head in the game

You gotta

Get you, get you, get you, get you head in the game

--B5

Yep, I gotta get my head in the game. Exam fever's coming on! But what an irony, I just came online to post this up. -_-"

Learning to be Content

Mummy: I'm going to the temple later. Do you want me to say anything to Buddha?

Von: Thank Him for me, and to keep everybody safe.

Mummy: How about your results?

Von: Ok, ask Him to give me what I deserve for my exams.

Mummy: Wah, you're not greedy hor?

Von: If He gives me more than I deserve, He'll deduct the excess from other parts of my life to make it balance.

Interesting eh? I should learn from her.

Well Well Well...

I saw Si Huan's entry about the 16 personality types, and decided to try it out for myself. This is what it says. Anyway, I'm an INFJ.

Portrait of an INFJ - Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging(Introverted Intuition with Extraverted Feeling)

The Protector
As an INFJ, your primary mode of living is focused internally, where you take things in primarily via intuition. Your secondary mode is external, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system.

INFJs are gentle, caring, complex and highly intuitive individuals. Artistic and creative, they live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities. Only one percent of the population has an INFJ Personality Type, making it the most rare of all the types.

INFJs place great importance on havings things orderly and systematic in their outer world. They put a lot of energy into identifying the best system for getting things done, and constantly define and re-define the priorities in their lives. On the other hand, INFJs operate within themselves on an intuitive basis which is entirely spontaneous. They know things intuitively, without being able to pinpoint why, and without detailed knowledge of the subject at hand. They are usually right, and they usually know it. Consequently, INFJs put a tremendous amount of faith into their instincts and intuitions. This is something of a conflict between the inner and outer worlds, and may result in the INFJ not being as organized as other Judging types tend to be. Or we may see some signs of disarray in an otherwise orderly tendency, such as a consistently messy desk.

INFJs have uncanny insight into people and situations. They get "feelings" about things and intuitively understand them. As an extreme example, some INFJs report experiences of a psychic nature, such as getting strong feelings about there being a problem with a loved one, and discovering later that they were in a car accident. This is the sort of thing that other types may scorn and scoff at, and the INFJ themself does not really understand their intuition at a level which can be verbalized. Consequently, most INFJs are protective of their inner selves, sharing only what they choose to share when they choose to share it. They are deep, complex individuals, who are quite private and typically difficult to understand. INFJs hold back part of themselves, and can be secretive.

But the INFJ is as genuinely warm as they are complex. INFJs hold a special place in the heart of people who they are close to, who are able to see their special gifts and depth of caring. INFJs are concerned for people's feelings, and try to be gentle to avoid hurting anyone. They are very sensitive to conflict, and cannot tolerate it very well. Situations which are charged with conflict may drive the normally peaceful INFJ into a state of agitation or charged anger. They may tend to internalize conflict into their bodies, and experience health problems when under a lot of stress.

Because the INFJ has such strong intuitive capabilities, they trust their own instincts above all else. This may result in an INFJ stubborness and tendency to ignore other people's opinions. They believe that they're right. On the other hand, INFJ is a perfectionist who doubts that they are living up to their full potential. INFJs are rarely at complete peace with themselves - there's always something else they should be doing to improve themselves and the world around them. They believe in constant growth, and don't often take time to revel in their accomplishments. They have strong value systems, and need to live their lives in accordance with what they feel is right. In deference to the Feeling aspect of their personalities, INFJs are in some ways gentle and easy going. Conversely, they have very high expectations of themselves, and frequently of their families. They don't believe in compromising their ideals.

INFJ is a natural nurturer; patient, devoted and protective. They make loving parents and usually have strong bonds with their offspring. They have high expectations of their children, and push them to be the best that they can be. This can sometimes manifest itself in the INFJ being hard-nosed and stubborn. But generally, children of an INFJ get devoted and sincere parental guidance, combined with deep caring.

In the workplace, the INFJ usually shows up in areas where they can be creative and somewhat independent. They have a natural affinity for art, and many excel in the sciences, where they make use of their intuition. INFJs can also be found in service-oriented professions. They are not good at dealing with minutia or very detailed tasks. The INFJ will either avoid such things, or else go to the other extreme and become enveloped in the details to the extent that they can no longer see the big picture. An INFJ who has gone the route of becoming meticulous about details may be highly critical of other individuals who are not.

The INFJ individual is gifted in ways that other types are not. Life is not necessarily easy for the INFJ, but they are capable of great depth of feeling and personal achievement.

Jungian functional preference ordering:
Dominant: Introverted Intuition

Auxilliary: Extraverted Feeling

Tertiary: Introverted Thinking

Inferior: Extraverted Sensing

INFJ Relationships
INFJs are warm and affirming people who are usually also deep and complex. They're likely to seek out and promote relationships that are intense and meaningful. They tend to be perfectionists, and are always striving for the Ultimate Relationship. For the most part, this is a positive feature, but sometimes works against the INFJ if they fall into the habit of moving from relationship to relationship, always in search of a more perfect partner. In general, the INFJ is a deeply warm and caring person who is highly invested in the health of their close relationships, and puts forth a lot of effort to make them positive. They are valued by those close to them for these special qualities. They seek long-term, lifelong relationships, although they don't always find them.

INFJ Strengths
Warm and affirming by nature
Dedicated to achieving the ultimate relationship
Sensitive and concerned for others' feelings
Usually have good communication skills, especially written
Take their commitments very seriously, and seek lifelong relationships
Have very high expectations for themselves and others (both a strength and weakness)
Good listeners
Are able to move on after a relationship has ended (once they're sure it's over)

INFJ Weaknesses
Tendency to hold back part of themselves
Not good with money or practical day-to-day life necessities
Extreme dislike of conflict and criticism
Have very high expectations for themselves and others (both a strength and weakness)
Have difficulty leaving a bad relationship

INFJs as Lovers
"To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before." -- Rollo May

INFJs are warm, considerate partners who feel great depth of love for their partners. They enjoy showing this love, and want to receive affirmation back from their mates.

They are perfectionists, constantly striving to achieve the Perfect Relationship. This can sometimes be frustrating to their mates, who may feel put upon by the INFJs demanding perfectionism. However, it may also be greatly appreciated, because it indicates a sincere commitment to the relationship, and a depth of caring which is not usually present in other types.

Sexually, INFJs view intimacy as a nearly spiritual experience. They embrace the opportunity to bond heart and soul with their mates. As service-oriented individuals, it's very important to them that their mates are happy. Intimacy is an opportunity for the INFJ to selflessly give their love, and experience it in a tangible way.

Although two well-developed individuals of any type can enjoy a healthy relationship, INFJ's natural partner is the ENTP, or the ENFP. INFJ's dominant function of Introverted Intuition is best matched with a personality type that is dominated by Extraverted Intuition. How did we arrive at this?

INFJs as Parents
"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth...Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable." -- Kahlil Gibran

INFJs usually make warm and caring parents. Their goal is to help their children become adults who know the difference between right and wrong, and who are independent, growth-oriented individuals.

Along the path to that goal they are generally very warm and caring, and are likely to treat their children as individuals who have a voice in family decisions. They want their children to be able to think for themselves, and make the right decisions. They also can be quite demanding on their children, and may have very high expectations for their behavior. Although they are generally soft-spoken and gentle, they may become stubborn and sharp-tongued at times when their expectations aren't met, or when under a lot of stress.

INFJs take their parenting role with ultimate seriousness. They will make sacrifices for the sake of their children without a second thought, and without remorse. Passing on their values to their children is a serious priority in their lives. Children of INFJs remember their parents fondly as warm, patient, and inspirational.

INFJs as Friends
Although the INFJ is likely to put friends behind their God and their families in terms of importance, they do value their friendships. As idealists who have strong value systems, INFJs seek authenticity and depth in their close relationships, and especially value people who can see and appreciate the INFJ for who they are and what they stand for.

The INFJ is likely to spend a lot of time socialing with family members. If they are religious, they probably are social with members of their religious community. After that, the INFJ may have friends represented from any of the personality types. They are usually extremely intuitive individuals, who will have no patience for anyone they feel is dishonest or corrupt. They'll have no interest in being around these kinds of people.

All kinds of people are drawn towards the INFJ. They are usually quite popular, although they may be unaware of it themselves, because they don't place a lot of importance on it.

The INFJ is valued by their close friends for their warmth and consideration, their new and interesting ways of looking at things, and for their ability to inspire and motivate others to be the best that they can be. genuine article that they are.

Well, some parts are rather accurate, but others... Well, it's true that they're rather general. Haha... =) What do you think about it? Oh yes, if you're wondering why the words are bigger this time, it's coz I really think the words are too small, which makes it tiring to read long entries. Well, hope this entry made your reading easier!

Heritage and Museums

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans will get to learn more about their heritage in a fun way in a month—long effort jointly led by the National Heritage Board, National Library Board and Media Development Authority.

Explore Singapore! 2007 with the tagline "Discover More", will feature 86 activities at 20 museums island—wide. Set to run from November 10 to December 31, the aim of Explore Singapore! 2007 is to make heritage and museums more fun an appealing to seniors, families and children.

"We want to give Singaporeans especially the young children something extra to do in Singapore during this holiday season. Instead of going to the shopping centre or watching television, they can actually come down to the museum, and discover much about the heritage and when finding out about their heritage, discover a bit more about themselves," says Michael Koh, Chief Executive of NHB.

With most of the programmes tailored for the young, the museum—going culture could become inculcated in children at a young age. "This is a very important process because we are a young nation and we hope that all of us with our visit to the museums understand more about our own psyche as well as our multi—cultural heritage and identity," said the Chief Executive of NHB.
Some of the activities aimed at the young include a photoblogging contest which would call for participants to showcase the human stories behind our heritage through pictures.

Another programme which is limited to 30 lucky children from 7—10 years old is a sleep—over at the Singapore Philatelic Museum with highlights such as a Treasure Hunt and a Bumboat Ride down the Singapore River.

To cater to the man—on—the street, local actor and comedian Mark Lee has been appointed as the ambassador for Explore Singapore! 2007, a role which will see him conducting tours for the public with a dash of his distinct sense of humour.

Lee hopes that with his ability to cater to both the English and Mandarin speaking crowd, he can get more people to enjoy heritage, culture and art in a contemporary setting.

Besides Mark Lee, the National Heritage Board will also rope in Singapore taxi drivers to act as ambassadors too as they can serve as a repository for travel information to tourists. To create awareness among taxi—drivers of the various museums in Singapore, there will be a Taxi—drivers’ Open House.

As the older generation may not have had the opportunity to enjoy all that’s being offered by Singapore museums right now, the NHB is offering free entry to all NHB museums. Entrace fees for senior citizens will also be waived at the Singapore Science Centre and the Museum of Shanghai Toys from November 19 to 25.

And if you can’t take part in Explore Singapore! 2007 during the entire month, you can still try to be a part of the experience with a donation from your archives. That’s because the National Library is calling on the public to donate a photograph, postcard, picture of illustration that captures the "Lost Memories" of Singapore before 1970.

So start exploring!
-- Reported by CNA

I think this is really cool. Do you know, before I knew about International Museum Day, I didn't realise Singapore has so many museums! The new ones I went to were the ones with Pony- the Red Dot Museum and the LTA one. I had alot of fun that day at those museums, especially at the Red Dot Museum- It was a real eye-opener for me, I didn't know there were so many cool innovations out there. Do you know, the ex love of my love, the LG Chocolate Phone, is one of the winners of the Red Dot Design Award? There, this shows my taste in my love of my lives, doesn't it? =) But I'd really love to visit the Changi Chapel Museum and the Museum of Shanghai Toys. Hopefully I can go down there one day!!!

Emotions

How does it feel to have one's emotions tied to how another is feeling?

Helpless because one feels it but one can't do anything.

Frustrated because of the helplessness.

Lucky because of the helplessness and frustration. Haha I know this is going to sound super perverted, but like I said, humans are perverse creatures. To quote KY, "犯贱"! But I think it makes sense. OK, maybe at the point in time when you are feeling helpless and frustrated, you will feel like slapping me for saying that one should feel lucky that the frustration and helpless feelings are felt when one has one's emotions tied to another person. But hear me out.

Don't you think that when your emotions are tied to another's, the feeling is that both of you have a close relationship, and that you are concerned for the other person? It's only when you are able to feel what another person is feeling that you can say that you care for the other person. Let's take family, for example. When you see your family members, such as your parents, working their guts out day and night to make ends meet, don't you feel sad and helpless that you can't do much to help them? And won't you feel lucky that you have this relationship with your family? This feeling of having your emotions tied to antoher person is not something that can be generalised to everyone you know. Imagine if you were to allow your emotions to be affected by some acquaintance you see once in a blue blue moon with a baboon inside- wouldn't you be tired? So I think it's lucky to be able to do that.

And that's all I have for today.

I'm tired already, byebye.

Diner Dash

I feel like the character in the game "Diner Dash", who has to take care of many customers at the same time.

Haha, not that I'm running a business or anything at the moment, but I mean the various commitments that I have signed myself up for. I can't seem to put my finger on anything for a proper period of time, such that I have ended up neglecting the people who will understand the most- my family. I haven't spent as much time as I'd like to talk to them and find out more about what's going on in their lives. And recently, there's been alot of upheaval in each of their lives, and I haven't been able to ask them properly how they are doing and how I can help. I'd love to sit down and talk to them and help them get their problems out, but I can't, and I'm really very sorry for that. I'd love to sit down and reply their emails with as much sincerity as I can, but I guess all I can manage now are the superficial "Are you ok? How are you doing?" which I think are as useless as they can get.

Hopefully I'll be able to sit down and have a proper chat with them soon.

For anyone I've neglected, I'm so sorry. I don't mean to do it, and you are certainly not taken for granted, though some of my actions do seem to point that way. =)

Is Hell Exothermic or Endothermic?

Bonus Question: Is Hell exothermic (gives off heat) or endothermic (absorbs heat)?

Most of the students wrote proofs of their beliefs using Boyle's Law (gas cools when it expands and heats when it is compressed) or some variant. One student, however, wrote the following:

"First, we need to know how the mass of Hell is changing in time. So we need to know the rate at which souls are moving into Hell and the rate at which they are leaving. I think that we can safely assume that once a soul gets to Hell, it will not leave.

Therefore, no souls are leaving. As for how many souls are entering Hell, let's look at the different religions that exist in the world today. Most of these religions state that if you are not a member of their religion, you will go to Hell. Since there is more than one of these religions and since people do not belong to more than one religion, we can project that all souls go to Hell.

With birth and death rates as they are, we can expect the number of souls in Hell to increase exponentially. Now, we look at the rate of change of the volume in Hell because Boyle's Law states that in order for the temperature and pressure in Hell to stay the same, the volume of Hell has to expand proportionately as souls are added.

This gives two possibilities:
1) If Hell is expanding at a slower rate than the rate at which souls enter Hell, then the temperature and pressure in Hell will increase until all Hell breaks loose.
2) If Hell is expanding at a rate faster than the increase of souls in Hell, then the temperature and pressure will drop until Hell freezes over..

So which is it?
If we accept the postulate given to me by Teresa during my Freshman year that, "...it will be a cold day in Hell before I sleep with you," and take into account the fact that I still have not succeeded in having an affair with her, then #2 above cannot be true, and thus I am sure that Hell is exothermic and will not freeze over."

THIS STUDENT RECEIVED THE ONLY "A."

I've been looking everywhere for this passage again. Isn't it entertaining? =)

Blahblahblah

I'm going screw this sem up so tight you can't tell where's the head or tail of the bloody sem.

I know I said I'd be happy if I passed, but I guess it's human greed; when you pass a goal, you automatically look towards the next highest one and start wishing you had passed that goal as well.

I reached the first goal of passing, and the score wasn't too bad... if you don't take into consideration the descriptive stats that characterise the scores of the quiz. That was when I started to get scared. It wasn't that much below the mean, but still, as I said, human greed.

Now I'm thinking if I can retain my second-upper results.

And the 3 reports that are due on 25th Oct. If 25 wasn't a significant number, I'd probably hate it right about now. What's with 25? Why do the reports have to be squeezed into that date?!

I guess I should probably look on the bright side, like, "Yay! After the deadlines on the 25th I can have a short break before I embark on the last leg of the project! I can't wait!"

I will probably feel like that on that day, but right now, I can't see that. How do you freaking see a good ending when the immediate way ahead has so many stones blocking the light?

But somehow, I'll get past it. It has to be done means it has to be done.

Haha, and I'll get past this bad mood too.

Oh well, life still has to go on, doesn't it? I'll get past this somehow.

Laksa!!!

My mind is totally evil. Of all things to crave for, it makes me suddenly crave for the Bukit Merah laksa- Depot Road Zhen Shan Mei Claypot Laksa. Oh my goodness. I can almost taste the milky taste of the soup, the spiciness biting on my tongue, and the milkiness leaving that feeling only fresh milk or coconut milk can leave along your throat. I'm missing the juicy taupok and the super smooth thick bee hoon too. And the cockles, fresh and plump and juicy. And the best part? The laksa's still boiling when they serve you with it.

I WANT TO EAT LAKSA!!!

Oh man, I've gotta stop thinking about this. I'm gonna get myself gastric if I continue fantasizing about laksa.................

That's When I Love You

My current favourite song! Haha, I think the lyrics are quite sweeeeeeeeeeet! =)

When you have to look away
When you dont have much to say
Thats when I love you
I love you, just that way

To hear you stumble when you speak
Or see you walk with two left feet
Thats when I love you
I love you, endlessly

And when your mad cuz you lost a game
Forget Im waiting in the rain
Baby i love you,
I love you anyway

Heres my promise made tonight
You can count "on" me for life
Thats when i love you
When nothing you do can change my mind
The more I learn, The more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
WhenI love you no matter what

So when you turn to hide your eyes
Cause the movie it made you cry
Thats when I love you
I love you a little more each time

And when you cant quite match your clothes
Or when you laugh at your own jokes
Thats when I love you
I love you, more than youll know

And when you forget that we had a date
Or that look that you get when you show up late
Baby I love you, I love you anyway

Heres my promise made tonight
You can count "on" me for life
Thats when i love you
When nothing you do can change my mind
The more I learn, The more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
When I love you no matter what
Thats when I love you

When nothing baby
Nothing you do could change my mind
The more I learn, The more I love
The more my heart cant get enough
Thats when I love you,
When I love you no matter what
No matter what

Laws of Nature?

Is it a law of nature that says that when we have two things that are important to us, one of it must be let go in order to make space for the other to develop to its full potential? Can I choose to have the best of both worlds instead?

Well. Let's see if I can change after this lesson. Wish me luck.

The Five Stages of Dying

For the initiates to the Five Stages of Dying, this is a good way of getting to know what it means. Hilarious, but definitely informative.

Yay!

Haha I'm a happy girl now! The 2 men in my life bought me my favourite! My father bought me chocolate stuff from UK, and KY bought me potato chips! Haha these are my essentials for facing the quizzes and stuff for the next week! =) Thanks guys! Haha they made my weekend brighter! =)

OMG I sound so hyper. Anyway, back to work. Bye!

Mahjong

Is there a module in Mahjong offered in NTU that I didn't know about? Seems like there are quite a few people taking that module. They have been so hardworking, practising for the Mahjong quiz that's coming after this recess. This is the first night they're practising since recess started I suppose, but I think they've been hard at work since the beginning of the sem. Even when everyone goes to classes, there are some who are practising as well. Well, I hope they do well for the Mahjong quiz! =)

Some questions answered just coz i felt bored.

i) grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. write down what it says: "The sample standard deviation is defined to be..." -- Thank goodness they didn't say line 5, or I'd have hell typing out the whole line of equation. Of all things the book nearest to me had to be Stats. -_-"

ii)stretch your left arm out as far as you can. what do you touch first? Yi Lun's study table.

iii)what is the last thing you watched on tv? Some travel programme about Turkey. Travel programme! I want to travel!!

iv)guess what the time is:545pm
now look at the clock, what is the actual time?539pm. I'm hungry!

v)with the exception of the computer, what can you hear? My fan.

vi)when did you last step outside? what were you doing? Yesterday evening. I was having dinner and looking at entertainment ;)

vii)before you came to this website, what did you look at? My email inbox.

iix)what are you wearing? A pink cotton blouse and shorts. Do I need to be more specific?

ix)did you dream last night? Yes.

x)when did you last laugh? Yesterday, quite a bit. =)

xi)what is/are on the walls of the room you are in? So many things! Bulletin board in front of me, Peke's portrait, whiteboard, puzzle.

xii)what book are you currently reading? A mixture of Stats, Linguistics, Malay... Do you want me to go on? I can see your eyes glazing over. Either that, or you laughing and telling me to get a life and be serious. =)

xiii)what is the last book you finished? The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. Disturbing book.

xiv)if you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first? Pay off Evon and Yi Lun's school fees.

xv)tell me something about you that i don't know: Uhm. I talk in my sleep?

xvi)if you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would it be? That Pandora never opened the box.

xvii)do you like to dance? NO. I can't co-ordinate my body to save my life. But I do like to see people dance.

xviii)what is the last thing you ate or drank? Funny you should ask. I just drank water.

xix)imagine your first child to be a girl, what do you call her? Not sure, something with a Si or a Min. Haha I'm partial to those 2 words, but PLEASE not Si Min. =S

xx)imagine your first child to be a boy, what do you call him? Joshua! or Ethan! Haha I always liked those 2 names. =)

Random Ramblings Again

Haha I couldn't think of a good title for this entry, so just titled it thus. And anyway, I have a few things to talk about, so I just came up with that. They are random, anyway.

So. Some of you know that Yi Lun left yesterday. I was expecting to cry, but I didn't expect my tears to come so late. I thought I'd cry like long before she boarded the plane, but the tears came just before she boarded. I guess I was still in denial that she's really going to leave. It's hard imagining someone who has lived with you for 19 years going away, and this time, it's not going away for some one-week camp- it's 9 months. Many people say 9 months will pass very fast, and that we'll be too busy to think of each other in any case. I agree with that, but, there's no denying the fact that someone close to you is going to embark on another journey, another chapter of her life, without you by her side knowing what she's thinking, how she's feeling, when she's been doing that all the time for the past 19 years. Haha, I'll really miss her, you know. Who's going to laugh at all the stupid things that I say or think about? And who's going to listen to me talking and talking and just being patient with me (though she does show her impatience...) I know I've mentioned it before, but just in case she reads this entry, at least I can stroke her ego a bit. Haha... Anyway, I digress. I do hope she makes good friends over there, and that she can adapt to the environment there quickly. Tay Lun if you read this, jiayou k! Don't be scared, things will turn out fine. Anyway, you have Xinyi and Paula there to look out for you. =)

Ok on to my second point now. I've written an entry on this before, about chivalry, and I'm glad to say again, that chivalry's not dead! I was on the MRT just now, and there was a seat behind me, a middle-aged lady on my left, and a 50+ man on my right. I knew he wanted the seat, cos he'd been walking around looking for one. But when there was the seat in front of him, he offered to the lady first before taking the seat when she rejected. Hmm I think some of you are wondering why he didn't ask me (or not), but my guess is that it's cos she's older than me, and youngsters are seen to be more healthy than their elders? But my point here is that AT LEAST HE OFFERED the seat. It's rather seldom that you see men giving up seats for ladies on buses and trains these days. Sure, you see youngsters giving up seats for the elderly, the pregnant women and those who need the seats. But with equality of the sexes, some people tend to forget about chivalry. I'm not trying to be a feminist here. I'm trying to point out that though there may be equality in sexes now, everyone appreciates a gentleman or a chivalrous person.

And my last ramble would be about travelling to school. My first day travelling to school early in the morning and I've reinforced my conviction that I'm better off staying in hall. Besides the newly added bonus of staying in hall (*winks*), the travelling time and the distance and the time I have to wake up are insane. Just for a 930am class, I have to wake up at an unearthly hour of 630am. I haven't woken this early since JC days. And to travel to NTU takes 1 1/2 hours. Added to the fact that it's rush hour to and from the school, I've gotta squeeze with so many more people and it's hard to find your own space to stand. And I'm paranoid about being pickpocketed. -_-" Lucky we decided to go for the 130pm class tomorrow, so I don't have to wake up earlier tomorrow. And I can have lunch at home! Yay!

Ok, I'm going to do my work now. Been really really slack. Argh. And you know what? Time passes slower at home than in hall. Makes you wonder where time flies to, doesn't it? =)

When God Made Women

I found this on my friend's blog, and found it really sweet. If I was undergoing hormonal changes, I'd probably be bawling my eyes out at this already, seeing as I am still feeling a bit weepy, for those who know what day this is. But this entry is not about the event that's going to happen. This entry is about the following:

When God Made Women
The time the Lord made women, he was into his 6th day of working overtime.
An Angel appeared and said, "why are you spending so much time on this one?".

And the Lord answered and said,
"Have you seen the specsheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have 200 movable parts, all replaceable, run on black coffee and leftovers,
have a lap that can hold three children at one time and that disappears when she stands up, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and have six pairs of hands."

The Angel was astounded at the requirements for this one."Six pairs of hands! No Way!", said the Angel.
The Lord replied,
"Oh, it's not the hands that are the problem.
It's the three pairs of eyes that women must have!".

"And that's just on the standard model?" the Angel asked.
The Lord nodded in agreement.
"Yep, one pair of eyes are to see through the closed door as she asks her children what they are doing even though she already knows.
Another pair in the back of her head are to see what she needs to know even though no one thinks she can.
And the third pair are here in the front of her head.
They are for looking at an errant child and saying that she understands and loves him or her without even saying a single word."

The Angel tried to stop the Lord.
"This is too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish."

But I can't!", the Lord protested,
"I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart."
She already heals herself when she is sick and
can feed a family of six on a pound of hamburger and
can get a nine year old to stand in the shower."

The Angel moved closer and touched the woman,
"but you have made her so soft Lord."
"She is soft", the Lord greed, "but I have also made her tough."
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?", asked the Angel.
The Lord replied,
"not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason, and negotiate."

The Angel then noticed something and reached out and touched the woman's cheek.
"Oops, it looks like you have a leak with this model."
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
That's not a leak," the Lord objected,
"that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the Angel asked.
The Lord said,
"the tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her loneliness, her grief, and her pride."

The Angel was impressed.
"You are a genius, Lord.
You thought of everything, for women are truly amazing."

Women have strengths that amaze men.
They carry children, they carry hardships,
they carry burdens but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up for injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without new shoes so their children can have them.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about a birth or a new marriage.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They have sorrow at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.

They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all sizes, in all colors and shapes.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run to you to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world spin.
They bring joy and hope.
They give compassion and ideals.
They have so much to give.

Photocopy Machines

Did you ever wonder why some people describe photocopy machines as "spitting" out paper?

Frankly, I never wondered why photocopy machines were described like this until I went to the photocopy shop just now to print more questionnaires. I was just stoning and waiting for my questionnaires to be printed when I realised that the part where the paper comes out looks like a mouth, and when the paper comes out, it looks like- you guessed it- the paper is being spat out of the printer! Cool, eh? I think I even managed to see the "tongue" pushing the paper out. Haha, so entertaining right? Never thought the photocopy would give me such a revelation today, particularly when I was feeling a bit bored about nothing to do but stare into space coz of the long queue and long wait.

So there you have it, entertainment can be derived from anything, anywhere. Cool, isn't it? =)

Yes, and now I have to find a way to entertain myself with stats. I've been playing with it since this morning, trying to get it to like me, but... I think it still doesn't very much want to like me... =( Never mind, I shall persevere with Stats. I shall continue wooing it. Haha, maybe I'll succeed in winning its heart like Si Huan did with Sheera. Hmm....

A Mind of Its Own

Stop, slow down, take a deep breath (ooh yeah)
Stop, slow down, take a deep breath (na na na na na)
Ooh, oh

I look at you and I know you're trouble
I should run just fast as I can
One smile, game over
Here in front of you I stand
I know you're only gonna burst my bubble
Trouble is my heart don't care
It's ignoring all the danger signs
Stop, Slow down, take a deep breath, beware

I'm not willing to be so fearless, careless, just yet
Once bitten, twice shy, is what you get

My hearts got a mind of it's own
Won't listen to a word I say
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way
Cos When it breaks I break
I don't know how much more of this I can take
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way

Too many times I've witnessed
My heart make a fool of itself
So sure it's gonna turn out one way
Always turns out being somethin' else

My hearts got a real malfunction
Always flippin' into over ride
When I tell it to be sensible
It over rules my cynical mind

I'm not willing to be so open, transparent, no not yet
Once bitten twice shy, is what you get
(But here in front of you, there's nothin I can do)

My hearts got a mind of it's own
Won't listen to a word I say
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way
Cos When it breaks I break
I don't know how much more of this I can take
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way

My hearts got a mind of it's own
Won't listen to a word I say (word I say)
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too (hurt too)
When it acts that way
Cos When it breaks I break
I don't know how much more of this I can take
(I don't know how much more of this I can take)
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way

Stop, slow down, take a deep breath
Think about what I'm doin'
Think about once bitten, twice shy
Stop, slow down, take a second
Before you rush right in
It's gonna be my tears you cry

My heart's got a mind of it's own (of it's own)
Won't listen to a word I say
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way (when it acts that way)
Cos When it breaks I break (I break)
I don't know how much more of this I can take
(More of this I can take)
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too (get hurt too)
When it acts that way (when it acts that way)

My hearts got a mind of it's own (mind of it's own)
Won't listen to a word I say
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
(Doesn't it know that I get hurt too)
When it acts that way (when it acts that way)
Cos when it breaks I break (Cos when it breaks I break)
I don't know how much more of this I can take
(More of this I can take)
Doesn't it know that I get hurt too
When it acts that way

My hearts got a mind of it's own
My hearts got a mind of it's own
Stop, slow down, take a deep breath
[Fade]

--- Victoria Beckham

Haha, didn't know she could sing right? I don't think very much of her voice too, but this song was rather catchy, and I've actually been wanting to find the lyrics to this song and her MP3 for a while now, but I kept forgetting to do so. So now, I have the lyrics, I'll try to find the MP3. And yes, you're right, her voice is not very good. =)But just the song and rhythm are not bad lah. If anyone knows where to find this song, tell me k!

Morals Vs Desires

When I was taking Gothic Literature for my A Levels, I never thought twice about why the theme of Morals vs Desires was a theme in the Gothic. I just thought it was aimed at exposing the darkness of human nature, and never wondered why it was morals vs desires and not something else.

Then I was thinking about my behaviour yesterday, and I came to the conclusion that the reason why Morals vs Desires is a theme in Gothic iterature is because Gothic Literature aims at showing the bestiality of Man, and that Man is unable to separate himself from the behaviour of beasts sometimes. We often have to struggle with our desires, and measure the amount of pleasure we will get from obtaining our desires vs the possible feelings of guilt we will get if we obtain those desires against the judgment of our Morals. So, following Freud's argument, it's basically our Id vs our Superego, and the dilemma the Ego is going through, trying to make a compromise between both the extremes. It causes a big frustration, that makes it hard for the Ego to settle down to concentrate on other things. The Ego tries to protect the human from turning into either a prude or a beast, while the extremes try to turn it otherwise. The struggle between morals and desires is horrific in itself, because it shows how easily we can all turn into beasts if we are easily swayed into following our desires.

I'm not saying that the behaviour that I was considering would be particularly beastly if I were to act upon my desires. I was just thinking that I would feel rather low if I were to impose what I wanted on others, and make them do what I wanted when they themselves have their own plans, their own dreams, to chase after. Who am I to make demands to be placed as a priority. I understand everyone has to have their own plans, their own dreams, their own priorities. I'd hate it myself if I were forced to do something which I thought the other party wanted, and I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone I consider significant to me. But... sometimes when there's a struggle, a part of me just wishes I could demand, and it's at the tip of my tongue sometimes. But I can't, and I don't think I will, because the decision to change has to come from within that other party. I don't want to be the one who stands in the way of people's dreams, just because it satisfied what I wanted. I think everyone has a right to their own priorities and dreams, and I will not stand in that way. It's just not a good thing to do.

Haha, am I making sense?

What a Slacker

I've gotta get my life back in order. Been slacking too much. I must find Discipline!!

Cotton On

Just now on my way to meet Xinyi in Wisma I came across a new shop called Cotton On. It has replaced Charles and Keith I think. Looks tempting- 2 tops for $20! Ahh!!!

Something About You- Corrinne May

Dont what you do to me but
Everytime I'm with you its a natural high
its like re-discovering Eden
with chocolate-coated rainbows and cotton candy skies
And everytime you look my way
I wish i had the guts to say


There's something in your eyes
Something in your smile
Something in the way you move me
You make me want to sing
Make me want to dance
Make me want to cry
I'm falling in love with you.


I think i'll hire Cupid
He'll make you see I'm more than your friend
You'll be tossing and turning
Counting the hours til you see me again
And when we meet you'll
Kiss my hand and say the words I've longed to hear


There's something in your eyes
Something in your smile
Something in the way you move me
You make me want to sing
Make me want to dance
I'm falling in love with you
You make me want to sing
Make me want to dance
Make me want to cry
I'm falling in love with you.


I like this song, it sounds so happy. Haha, and the tune's catchy too! =)

so sleepy!

in rebecca's wonderful developmental psych lab lesson now, but feeling sleepyyyyyy... bleah

i have to keep awake!!!!

Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore

Evon, Yi Lun and I have heard that Pasta Fresca serves good Italian food, especially pasta, and thus have been wanting to visit the restaurant for a loooong time. Finally, Yi Lun and I got a chance one day. We went to the Changi Airport branch to try out their famed pasta.

The setting of Pasta Fresca is very nice, kind of like how I always imagined trattorias in Italy to look like (not that I've ever seen one, but the image conjured in my mind from the storybooks gave me those images). There's a water feature at a corner of the restaurant, and dim lighting everywhere... Kinda romantic, except I was with Yi Lun, so it can't get any more romantic than you can imagine. Haha! =) But there's no better company than family, I always say, cos you can always share the food in a way only family members can share, which is the most fuss-free and stressless way of eating.

I was sooo hungry I could eat so many things! I was so tempted to order one item from every category, but the prices gave me pause. If you'll look at the prices in the photos below, you'll understand why. So I had to cross appetisers, soups, sides, desserts and drinks off my list of desires, and concentrate on the main course. And it wasn't an easy choice. The photos were appetising, the descriptions as well. I just wanted to have them all. In the end, though, we settled on one rice dish, one pasta, and one pizza. The rice dish was cos Fish & Co was just beside Pasta Fresca, and I so love the rice that comes with the seafood platter, and I was reminded of it. For the rice dish, we had the Risotto Ala Catalana, that's made up of all kinds of seafood, like mussels, squid, prawns, and... well, you get the idea. Pasta was linguine, from the cream base category. Yi Lun wanted linguine, while I wanted the ravioli and the other type, the name of which I can't pronounce, cos they had stuffings of either mushrooms, beef or spinach (I think) inside, and I was attracted by the novelty. So our linguine was put with alfredo sauce, which came with lots of peas and ham. As for the pizza, we had the Rustica. We ordered the small pizza cos we figured we wouldn't be able to finish the food after eating the rice and pasta. How right we were!

The food arrived, and man, did they look good. The risotto looked as good as Fish & Co's, and the rice looked soft and plump. It looked promising. Until I took a bite of the rice and a bite of the prawn. I was disappointed. Firstly, I don't like treated seafood- that is, seafood that's been soaked with boric acid. It makes me feel like I'm being poisoned, and that I'm cheated of my money. I think if restaurants want to offer seafood, they should offer FRESH seafood. Secondly, the rice itself had a very strong taste of seafood- you know, the sea taste? The first few mouths were still ok, but the more I ate it, the more I found I couldn't quite swallow it. =S

Then came the linguine. Well, I was having rather high hopes for it, as Pasta Fresca's supposed to be good with pasta. It wasn't bad, just.... normal. I think Sketchers at Bugis Junction does a better job of pasta than they do. There's nothing much to say about the linguine, really, there wasn't much sauce, and after awhile of eating it, the creaminess kinda puts you off it.

The pizza... well, if I had to go back to Pasta Fresca, I'd order the pizza. Rustica pizza had spicy salami and mushrooms and cheese as its toppings. The mushrooms were fresh and juicy, and the pizza was soft yet crispy- the crust was crispy, but the base was soft- and the cheese was still sooo soft when you first eat it. Look at the picture of Yi Lun below and you'll know what I mean. The cheese didn't have the irritating Kraft cheese taste, and it wasn't too salty, just the way I like it. And the salami... A bit salty, if you ask me, but that's ok with me, cos I don't mind a bit more saltiness.

The service at Pasta Fresca? Well... I like to go to places with good service. Even if the food's passable, at least the service may be the last factor that pushes me to visit the place again. For Pasta Fresca, well sad to say, their service doesn't match up to Fish & Co's. They didn't even fill up our glasses even though our glasses were so obviously empty already. We had to indicate to them to fill up our glass on 2 occasions. So... I think I'd minus points off them for that.

Now, the photos!

Top 75 Most Annoying Things to do in an Elevator

1. When there's only one other person in the elvator, tap them on the shoulder and then pretend it wasn't you.

2. Push the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.

3. Ask if you can push the button for other people, but push the wrong ones.

4. Call the Psychic Hotline from your cell phone and ask if they know what floor you're on.
Even more relevant when we Psych students isn't it? ;)

5. Hold the doors open and say your waiting for a friend. After a while, let the doors close, and say, "Hi Greg. How's your day been?"

6. Drop a pen and wait until someone goes to pick it up, then scream, "That's mine!"

7. Bring a camera and take pictures of everyone in the elevator.

8. Move your desk into the elevator and whenever anyone gets on, ask if they have an apointment.

9. Lay down the twister mat and ask people if they would like to play.

10. Leave a box in the corner, and when someone gets on, ask them if they can hear ticking.

11. Pretend you are a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the passengers.

12. Ask, "Did you feel that?"

13. Stand really close to someone, sniffing them occasionally.

14. When the doors close, announce to the others, "It's okay, don't panic, they open again!"

15. Swat at flies that don't exist.

16. Tell people that you can see their aura.

17. Call out, "Group Hug!"and then enforce it.

18. Grimace painfully while smacking your forehead and muttering, "Shut up, all of you, just shut up!" Multiple personalities disorder? Haha should be hilarious to watch!

19. Crack open your briefcase or purse, and while peering inside, ask, "Got enough air in there?"
20. Stand silently and motionless in the corner, facing the wall, without getting off.

21. Stare at another passenger for a while, then announce in horror, "Your one of THEM!" and back away slowly. So schizophrenic isn't it?

22. Wear a puppet on your hand and use it to talk to the other passengers.

23. Listen to the elevator walls with your stethoscope.

24. Make explosion noises when anyone presses a button.

25. Stare, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce, "I have new socks on".

26. Draw a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers, "This is MY personal space!" Does Venus talk about personal space in class? If she does you can suggest this in class!

27. Put police tape in front of the door before entering.

28.Fart loudly when there are only two of you in the elevator. Argue vehemently that it wasn't you.

29. Hold an auction.

30. Do the "potty dance" all the way to the elevator door. Upon arrival, sigh and look greatly relieved.

31. Ask every passenger coming if you can borrow a tampon. Especially effective if victim is male. Even more effective if you yourself are male.

32. Throw a rave. I'm not sure what that is, but according to dictionary.com , it's "An all-night dance party, especially one where techno, house, or other electronically synthesized music is played."

33. Place potted plants and water fountains at strategic locations in the lift. When people ask what you are doing, tell them you "won't ride an elevator that's not fung shwei."

34. Greet everyone getting on with a warm handshake and ask them to call you "Admiral".

35. Hum the first six notes of the "It's a small world" over and over again. Oh this is really annoying, trust me! Just try this out and stop at the sixth note. Try it!

36. When you brush past someone, whisper "Was it good for you too?"

37. Lean over to another rider and whisper 'Noogie patrol coming!'"

38. Have a heated debate with yourself. This should be fun to watch. And maybe try debating about a really stupid topic, like... whether blue pens or black pens are smoother to write with.

39. Bring a melon onto the elevator. Try to sell it to the other passengers.

40. Drum on every available surface.

41. Write a big X on the elevator floor, and hand out "pirate" maps to everyone as they enter.

42. Give psychotherapy to the other passengers. Haha, we can try practising that!

43. Greet everyone coming on as if they were your best friend. Use the same name for all of them.

44. Say "ring ring," then pull a banana out of your pocket and start talking into it. Hehe sounds familiar? Who likes bananas huh? ;)

45. Propose to the other passengers. Si Huan, you can try this too, increase your variety!

46. Challenge people to duels.

47. Sell girl scout cookies.

48. Bring a large pile of ice. Build an igloo on the floor.

49. Come on looking really scared, and say to another passenger..."I'm kinda nervous...this is my first time flying..."

50. Any time someone enters the doors, recoil in horror.

51. Stick your tongue out. Act like it's a cigarette, and ask someone for a light.

52. Pitch a tent on the floor, and "camp out" for the weekend.

53. Play "I've got your nose" with the other passengers.

54. Shout "Food fight!"

55. Every time someone else talks, angrily shout: "Some people are trying to sleep here!"

56. When arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to pull the doors open, then act embarrassed when they open by themselves.

57. Lick one of the buttons. Tell the other passengers you're sick and tired of people stealing your food the second you turn your back.

58. Elevators were practically MADE for riverdance!

59. Bring a snowboard onto the elevator. Put it on. Every time the lift goes up or down, shout "WOO-YEAH! This is what I call sick air!"

60. Make sushi.

61. Press your nose against the other passengers, and say "You know, this is what the Eskimos used to do before having sex."

62. Shave. Eeew!

63. Every time the elevator goes down, loudly scream "OH MY GOD!!! We're all gonna die! This is it! This is it! It's over! IT'S OVER!!!" Look relieved when it stops moving. When you begin to drop again, repeat.

64. Ask the other passengers if they want to see your glass clown collection.

65. Practice your kung fu.

66. Make race car noises when people get on and off.

67. Ask everyone on the elevator: "Are you my mother?"

68. Fly a model airplane.

69. Do yoga.

70. Play the accordion

71. Enter the elevator with nothing on your head. Individually ask everyone if they like your hat.

72. Bring a rocking chair. Sit and knit.

73. Recite gangsta rap lyrics in monotone.

74. Enter with a shovel, and attempt to "dig for treasure."

75. Read "Green Eggs and Ham" at the top of your lungs. Sound out every word.

Love is...

What does Love mean?

A group of professional people posed
this question to a group of 4 to 8
year-olds, "What does love mean?"

The answers they got were broader and
deeper than anyone could have
Imagined. See what you think :

"When my grandmother got arthritis,
she couldn't bend over and paint her
toenails anymore. So my grand-father
does it for her all the time, even
when his hands got arthritis too.
That's love."
Rebecca- age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they
say your name is different. You just
know that your name is safe in their
mouth."
Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume
and a boy puts on shaving cologne and
they go out and smell each other."
Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and
give somebody most of your French
fries without making them give you any
of theirs."
Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when
you're tired."
Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee
for my daddy and she takes
A sip before giving it to him, to make
sure the taste is OK."
Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time.
Then when you get tired of kissing,
you still want to be together and you
talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like
that. They look gross when they kiss"
Emily - age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you
at Christmas if you stop opening
presents and listen."
Bobby - age 7

"If you want to learn to love better,
you should start with a friend who you
hate,"
Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like
his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a
little old man who are still friends
even after they know each other so
well."
Tommy - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the
best piece of chicken."
Elaine-age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly
and sweaty and still says he is
handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your
face even after you left him alone all
day."
Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me
because she gives me all her old
clothes and has to go out and buy new
ones."
Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your
eyelashes go up and down and little
Stars come out of you.."
Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the
toilet and she doesn't think it's
gross."
Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you'
unless you mean it. But if you mean
it, you should say it a lot. People
forget."
Jessica - age 8


And the final one -- Author and
lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked
About a contest he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find
the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child
whose next door neighbor was
An elderly gentleman who had recently
lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little
boy went into the old gentleman's
Yard, climbed onto his lap, and just
sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said
to the neighbor, the little
Boy said,

"Nothing, I just helped him cry"

Aww...

Envy

I think envy is really a poisonous emotion. Envy by itself can be seen as a good thing, coz it might create motivation in a person to seek improvement of his/her current status, and then allow that person to obtain the goal. BUT when envy becomes jealousy, that becomes a problem, coz that person will be unhappy and bitter, always seeing what others have and coveting it, without thinking that they could turn the emotion around and change it into something constructive, or by remedying the situation so that their current situation will improve.

Jealousy then makes a person very dissatisfied with life, and might keep the person ruminating in what he/she doesn't have, rather than what he/she has, and then capitalizing on it. I think sometimes, depression arises from this dissatisfaction with life and an inability to see the silver lining that comes with this dissatisfaction.

Therefore, I have resolved to be a happier person, and to be happy for others when they have achieved a goal they want. I shall be a bigger-hearted person.

Let's hope I'm a big enough person to do it.

Kayden's Birthday

I just have to blog about these darling boys- my nephews Jing Xun and Kayden! They are brothers, but Jing Xun is usually called by this name by his mother instead of Kirren, so I shall do the same thing. He's sooo adorable!!

Anyway, it was Kayden's first birthday last week, so according to some Chinese superstition, it's good to celebrate a child's first month and first year of birth, so that's what they did. I was looking forward to going, coz that would mean seeing Jing Xun! Haha... Jing Xun's become more confident, and he's more active now too! And he's very accommodating. In the very first picture in this slide show, it was taken when I told him to smile. He was trying to figure out his bubble gun, trying to make it shoot more bubbles when I approached him. I said, "Kirren, smile!" and he looked up and gave me that smile. Oh my goodness, my heart melted!! So handsome!!

Haha I shall let you see the pictures taken at Kayden's birthday.

Some quotes

I recently came across some quotes that set me thinking:

"Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last fish has been eaten, only after the last river has been poisoned, only then will you realise that money can not be eaten." - Cree Prophecy

"If you can't do anything about it, why worry? If you can do something about it, why worry? Therefore, put aside your worries..." - Buddha

And here's a story I heard the other day:

A high monk and a government official were having a meeting one day. The official asked the monk, "What do you see when you see me?"

The monk replied, "I see a Buddha."

Naturally, the official was very happy to hear this. He said, "Would you like to know what I see when I see you?"

The monk replied, "Please tell me."

The official said, "I see a pile of shit when I see you." To which the monk burst out laughing upon hearing it.

Why?










The monk said, "We are what we see."

Gets you thinking, doesn't it?

Sabah Trip

Very long entry ahead. Even if you don't read the words, look at the photos! =)

Before school starts proper, I figured I'd better post up the photos we took while in Sabah. I had a good time at Sabah, and we really experienced a wide variety of things, like getting lost and walking around for an hour before being saved by the taxi driver whose photo you'll see soon below, getting drenched in the rain while walking the mountail trails at Mt Kinabalu, me falling down at the Mt Kinabalu hotel, which you already read about in the last entry, Si Huan and Merrilyn being wonderful sports during the whole trip, and them getting drunk. Haha, but let's not talk about that last event, shall we? =)

Anyway, on the first morning of our stay in Sabah, before going for the registration of the conference, we explored Tanjung Aru Town, which was only a few minutes' walk from our hotel. Tanjung Aru Town was recommended by the driver who sent us to our hotel, who said that they sold breakfast there. Hmm. When we went there, there were many many Korean restaurants, which we were not interested in. We wanted to find Malaysian food, so onwards we went, and we found 2 little stalls selling what looked more like normal food. Well, only one, to be exact, as you can see from the picture of Merrilyn and Si Huan eating nasi lemak. I didn't order nasi lemak or other dishes, but waffles. Yes, I can see some of you rolling your eyes now, and I think I probably deserve it, but that day I didn't have an appetite for anything big. The shopkeepers were very hospitable, kept talking to us, and were so patient!

Then on we went to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) for the registration of the conference. And what a wild goose chase that was! Apparently, the organisers had decided to change the venue of the conference to one of the resort hotels, and we weren't informed of it, so we had to find out about it only after we reached the Universiti -_-" So never mind, Si Huan met up with Guan Qi, her good friend, and we visited the UMS canteen. UMS is friggin' big! If you thought NTU was big, wait till you look at UMS. It's bout 3 times the size of NTU. And the view from the canteen...!!

The conference registration wasn't due to start until 4pm that day, so we had time to spend, and we went to Centrepoint Sabah, which seems to be a popular shopping place among the Sabah people. And yes, Sabah has Internet, and not bad connection k! Yep, so after we'd gone to Centrepoint, we went on to Sutera Harbour Resort for the registration. Wow, that place is so shiok! Anyway, photos are below.

After hanging around there, we decided to visit the night market. Unlike those night markets I've been to in other parts of Malaysia, this night market really only sold food, but they were rather repetitive. Anyway, we ordered barbecued Ikan Bakar which was seasoned with tumeric and came with sweet sauce, and Si Huan ordered the barbecued chicken wings which were seasoned with honey and were really juicy and nice. The ikan bakar was good too! Haha, I like eating at such places actually, the food seems to taste better there. =p So then you know from the beginning that we got lost on our way back, so let's not dwell on it. Suffice it to say that we experienced something new that day. =)By the time we reached the hotel, our shoes were dirty, so Si Huan whipped out her secret weapon, and this is her advertisement:

The second and third days were spent at the conference, which was an eye-opener for me, and the symposiums were rather invigorating in the sense that when the participants were interested in the topic, they continually voiced their opinions, and it resulted in a throwing around of ideas among the researchers. As an amateur, it was quite nice to see them discussing these issues, and I was more than content to just sit and listen to them talking. =) The photos below show the resort and the dinners we had. We had dinner at Anjung Selera, a row of hawkers selling seafood by the sea. But before you think such a location is synonymous with fresh seafood, I'd advise you to think again. The seafood wasn't fresh. So after awhile of deliberation, we settled on a stall that seemed to sell the freshest seafood. As you can see, we ordered fried chilli stingray, lemon butter sotong, and sambal kangkong. We were expecting the stingray to be barbecued, but it was fried! It tasted quite good actually, but I guess the expectation that I had for barbecued stingray kinda marred a bit of my tasting of the fish. The sotong was not bad, it had a unique taste, but a bit too salty I felt. The kangkong was the best- it had the fire taste in it, which I love, and it was rather fresh. All in all, it wasn't a bad meal. We had lots of fun there actually, and looking at Si Huan's face, I guess you can imagine how much laughter there was.

On the fourth day, we made our way to Mt Kinabalu. It was a 2 hour ride, and the scenery was beautiful, as you can see from the photos we- or rather, Merrilyn- took. It was freezing there! We were planning to climb the mountain, but when we reached there, we realised that we were actually too ambitious. We were hardly prepared to climb the mountain- we didn't have the right clothes, we also didn't have the most basic- enough warm clothing. So we travelled the mountain trails, and it started raining like it did the whole time we were there, and we felt even colder. It was fun travelling the mountain trails with Si Huan and Merrilyn, and the scenery was nice, just that because it was raining, we had to keep our eyes on the ground most of the time in case we slipped and fell, which was what I was doing the most, and was what earned me the nickname of "大只的" from Si Huan. -_-" Since we were so cold, we ordered steamboat for dinner! Man we were sooo looking forward to the dinner. Frankly, I was shocked at the amount of vegetables there were in the bowl! As that day was the 15th day of the Lunar month, Si Huan and I had gone vegetarian for the first half of the day, which meant we had a meal of salad for lunch. And seeing that bowl of vegetables.... Well, you can say it was veggie overload for me. And Si Huan was right in saying she felt like a rabbit. Haha, what an apt description. There were 3 groups of caucasians sitting around us, and they were soo intrigued by the steamboat I'm sure their hands were itching to take photos of us cooking the steamboat. There were discussions at their tables, and one by one kept taking casual walks past our tables. Hehe imagine if we'd had a hot plate around the steamboat, they'd be even more excited. Haha!!

And the fifth day, our last full day in Sabah, we went to the Sunday market. Well, I was expecting Petaling Street's (KL) size and variety, so I was a bit disappointed when I saw that they sold mostly the same things. It was quite a small market as well, hardly comparable to Petaling Street, much less Thailand's Chatuchak, but of course, the atmosphere there was comparable to those two places. It was crowded there, full of tourists and locals, trying to get the best bargains for their goods. Because of the crowd, I couldn't take a good photo of the market. =( Before we left the market, we went past this van that was playing whimsical kind of music, the kind you'll hear at funfairs, the "ting-ting" kind of tone? It was an ice-cream van selling dual-flavoured ice-cream! So quaint!

We went on to the handicraft market after that, which was rather repetitive in terms of their variety again, but there's one thing you can't deny about the people of Sabah- their handicrafts are really nice. And then we went on to Kbox. You have to be there to see what happened! Si Huan went rock, and was so emo! You can see from the slides below! Merrilyn was a good sport too. Both of them agreed to sing "One Night in Beijing" for me to record, and they gamely sang the high-pitched parts, complete with wayang actions. Cool! I'm not going to upload videos here, but you can watch some of the videos on Si Huan's blog. There's none of the "One Night in Beijing", you'll have to pay money for that, I'm afraid. =) At night, we went to eat seafood! We were recommended this Chinese restaurant called "双天" by the taxi driver, so we went there. Man the food was expensive by Malaysia's standards! We ordered one grouper steamed Foochow style, 3 tiger prawns, and one plate of broccoli, and it came out to RM138! That was very expensive. However, the food was good and fresh, I gotta admit. Still.....

The last day, just before we left for the airport, we went to Tanjung Aru Beach! Early morning scenery's beautiful. Let me just let the pictures speak for themselves. And as usual, we were up to our usual antics, so.. enjoy the photos! =)

Before I end this super long entry, I'd just like to say that the people in Sabah are pretty friendly. We encountered good service during the time we were there, and everyone was helpful and smiley. Haha, that just made the trip nicer for me, together with good company! =)

My back

So. After 2 weeks of kidding myself about my back, I decided that if I didn't want to be crippled when I grew old, I'd have to go see a doctor. And lucky I did, if I can take the doctor for her word. My upper back has 6 discs which have shifted out of place, and the part of the lower back which I'd injured while in Sabah had swollen rather much. So I did the ba guan thing- you know, the bottles being suctioned onto the injured area of your body- and voila, from the difference in colours, you could see which part was injured, and they were the areas she'd said were the most badly injured. Looks like even when I dismiss any discomfort as just that- discomfort, there's really something wrong. =S

Oh well. I better be more mindful of my sitting posture; seems like it was the sitting posture that made my spine go out of alignment. Thank goodness it had only been out of alignment for 6months at the most. Can you imagine if it had been for a year or more? I think that would have been bad. Do you think I should go back for follow-up treatments? That's the tedious thing about Chinese medicine- follow ups are always needed, and since they treat from the root cause, there's no way of knowing if you are getting better or not. But I shall take comfort in the fact that she said just going 2 more times will make my upper back ok. Let's hope that's the case! Ah, so that means no sleeveless clothes that expose my back for the next week. The ba guan marks are too obvious. Haha, it makes me look like I've been beaten!! =S

OK, and I shall end now. Hopefully the next post you'll see will be the Sabah trip! And I wanna post up a picture of my favourite boy Kirren!! OMG he's the next love of my life after the LG Chocolate phone. Haha!!

Writer's Block

Oh! So I've written on the topic before. Oh well.

They say the best way to get round writer's block is to write about it, and it's worked for me a couple of times, but this time, it's not working. I can't think of anything smart and critical to say about this article that I'm supposed to write a thought paper about. It wasn't that bad when I had to do Prof Chang's reports, and write other reports, so why is it so hard now? I wonder if it's anything to do with my inclination to procrastinate? But I can't do it anymore! No tum no tum!! Tomorrow's the start of my academic year, and I want to start it off as worry-free as possible. So that means finishing it before dinner time today, by hook or by crook. It's 4.09pm now, which means I've about 2 hours to finish this off. Think I can do it? I sure hope so.

One page. One of the hardest one page I've ever done, and I think this takes the cake.

理想情人

穿上洋装看着手表
时间快到心碰碰的跳
和你的第一次约会来临了

金色的阳光洒满人行道
换了新唇膏把头发弄好
要你看到我的好
喜欢看你走路充满自信
说话时候你的专注眼神
温柔的表情笑容里的天真
我相信找不到有比你更好的人
你心里理想情人是几分
是否也会有我的份
好想知道你的100分
会给怎样的人
亲爱的你不要再陌生
增加我戏份
我想问亲爱的你把感情升等
朋友变成情人
可不可以告诉我标准
不要让我一直等
听着那时间滴答的走
对街的你在点头
好像一个梦渐渐走到我前头
好想知道你的100分
会给怎样的人
亲爱的你不要再陌生
增加我戏份
我想问亲爱的你把感情升等
朋友变成情人
可不可以告诉我标准
不要让我一直等

- 杨丞琳

My current favourite song!!